CoasterBuzz Podcast #167 posted
Posted
Jeff, Carrie, Mike and Pat review this week's news in the amusement industry.
- It costs $200 to form an LLC in Washington. What's up with that?
- Lawsuits filed to block the Cedar Fair sale.
- Is the offering price from Apollo fair?
- Investors are asking if the debt situation is impossible. Jeff thinks with looser credit markets in 2012 and different leadership, a turn-around without a sale is possible, even if it is risky.
- Mike asks if this whole fiasco makes Dick Kinzel a failure. Clearly he's ruined his legacy. And it has never been an issue of Cedar Fair sucking as much as they're "C+ students," as Gonch puts it.
- There's some amount of anxiety over what Apollo will do with the company if the sale does succeed.
- The Knott family was apparently not given a heads up, despite being significant unit holders.
- Happy new year! The group is saddened by the state of Dick Clark. And someone should punch Carson Daly in the face.
- Newsflash: Congress still isn't interested in regulating amusement rides. Sorry, Ed Markey. That he doesn't suggest anything proactive makes his crusade even more pointless.
- Legoland California is rocking it with their aquarium. Kids love them, then they're too cool for them, then they like them again.
- Gonch shares his experience in yanking kids out of school to go to Walt Disney World.
- Marvel's acquisition by Disney approved by shareholders.
- Charmland rears its ugly head again, as usual in reference to Cedar Point.
- CoasterBuzz Club is $25 per year. You can join or renew today. Enjoy CoasterBuzz with no ads.
Link: CoasterBuzz Podcast
Jeff here is Dick Clark at the ball drop. I don't like the disrespect that people have been giving him and the title of the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I0VqQnbccW4
Its sad when your best friend asks you the exact running time of a ride. Good thing I didnt know.
Good podcast. That Chief Wahoo sounds like a smart guy.
I'm not making 6 figures yet in my career. Then again, I was pulled out of school for family vacations.
I think Dick Clark and Dick Kinzel surround themselves with the same people. People who can't say, "hey...your time is up."
Six figure salaries are only sweet if they mix well with the cost of living.
Jeff - Editor - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog
Very true. Someone making $50k in Pittsburgh probably has more discretionary income than someone making $100k in San Fran.
Hi
My problem is that I married a woman who spends as if I make six figures. Between Obama and my wife I'll be lucky if I can afford a 12 pack of beer.
Jeff said:
Six figure salaries are only sweet if they mix well with the cost of living.
Might be me, but I have a hard time understanding the people bringing in over 100K and complaining that "we just can't make ends meet". I might view it differently if I had kids, or lived in an area like NYC where the Cost of Living is ouch-rageous....but that's still doing pretty darn well in my book.
You still have Zoidberg.... You ALL have Zoidberg! (V) (;,,;) (V)
I'm not sure I follow the Obama reference, as I know I'll keep more money than pay this year.
I think kpjb makes the point very clearly about the San Fran vs. Pittsburgh thing. I became very aware of regional differences recently with my move to Seattle. My once $180k house near Cleveland (which will likely sell for much, much less) would require about $350k out here, and that's a conservative estimate. Sure, average salaries are higher, but if you have a standard of living in mind, it's not as easy.
Don't get me wrong, $100k is still pretty comfortable out here, but $50k would be tough with a family.
Jeff - Editor - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog
Close. $50K in Pittsburgh is equivalent to almost $111K in SF.
http://www.bestplaces.net/col/?salary=50000&city1=54261000&city2=50667000
Jeff, remember that $200 when you pay your Washington State Income Tax... oh wait, Washington doesn't have an income tax.
jameswhitmore.net
Here are two of the Friends New Year's Rockin' Eve episode clips...
Does anyone remember this episode?
"If passion drives you, let reason hold the reins." --- Benjamin Franklin
Yeah... I probably can't complain about state related stuff. My plates were almost a hundred bucks too. But yeah, no income tax. It was around 4% effective rate in Ohio, plus the 2% for local. You definitely notice that in your pay check.
Jeff - Editor - CoasterBuzz.com - My Blog
Cost Of Living tools (calculators, stats, etc.) are part of the process everytime we consider a job offer and move. I can't imagine making that decision based on salary without considering COL differences.
Where you live matters as much as what you make in terms of financial well being. The two go hand-in-hand.
You must be logged in to post
