Tsunami now a sensative word?

I don't believe Tsunami is a sensative word. That's like saying all the distruction that happened in Florida last summer makes Hurricane a so called sensative word. Tornado, earthquake, thunerstorm, lightning, storm, avalanche, they're all natural disasters. I'm feel very bad about the events last week in East Asia, but a Tsunami is a constant threat for all countries bordering the Pacific Ocean and many other areas around the world. Relating this to 9/11 and the word bomb is completly different. No one has control of natural disasters, they just happen. A bomb is a threat that can made by people and is murder.

But we don't live in a nation where everyone thinks like you...or even close.

We live in a nation of varied backgrounds and ideologies, regardless of what those who trump their own above others might say.

But their money all spends the same...so if you'd like theirs too, considering a name change is not only a good idea but more effective (and free) advertising than a slew of billboards. Did I mention free?

You know what's funnier than anything? How often the I'm-tired-of-all-things-PC bunch gets shrill when someone else expresses their freedom or speech to say Hi, I think you're an inconsiderate maroon. Just an observation. No one in particular in mind...

-CO

PS - Did I call this or what? Watch Tekno twist, moan and wail cuz I implied something about West Virginians. Watch Gonch say it's not nice. See what I mean? When it's their toes or someone's toes they know, watch them whine. Oooooh, stop it stop it stop it!

But the body count from the zinger? ZERO.

Yet anyone who's had relatives lose their homes, livelihoods or lives are supposed to shut up and tolerate watching a make-belive tsunami--cuz they should be able to distinguish the difference. Ha.

That stench you smell? It's called hypocrisy.

Thanks for proving my point... *** Edited 1/11/2005 3:42:43 PM UTC by CoastaPlaya***

So let me get this straight, if I'm in a park that has an attraction with "Tsunami" as all or part of the name, I'm supposed to get an indignant look on my face, grunt, and moan loudly about insensitivity.

BUT, if I'm in a park that changed the names of any ride that had been named Tsunami, I can gleefully get in line, flail my arms about, say Woohoo as loudly as I can, and not have to give a thought to anyone who died in this or any disaster.

As long as I got that right.

BTW, if I were a park owner who decided to change the rides of my coasters, I'd be wary of using terms like "happy" and "sparkle" at the risk of being sued by the makers of Care Bears.

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rollergator said:
If it were a wave pool, then I'd probably consider it...

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Funny you should mention that. Everyone go back to the first post, and see what the ORIGINAL ride in question was that spurred this discussion. Sandcastle's Mon Tsunami, and Dover Lake Park's Tsunami Wave Pool.

That's right, frickin' wave pools.

(You can confirm here to what Mon Tsunami is.)

All the talk about COASTER names is getting well off the original track.

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You know what's funnier than anything? How often the I'm-tired-of-all-things-PC bunch gets shrill when someone else expresses their freedom or speech to say Hi, I think you're a thoughtless idiot. Just an observation. No one in particular in mind...

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Not sure how that's funny. The "tired of all things PC" people get frustrated by people being what they see as PC. Isn't that their (our) very nature? Hence, the "tired of all things PC" label.

It's no more shrill to tell people to get over it than those people whining for a name change in the first place. The noise from the 'other side of the line' always sounds shrill - regardless of which side you stand on.

One side sees the other as thoughtless maroons. The other side sees them as whining maroons.

In the end I guess we're all just maroons :)

EDIT - Aww, Playa - editing the post (3 posts above this one) to name me personally three days after the thread was closed and started slipping into obscurity? I was so nice about the whole thing too...

Besides, don't lump me in with your personal thing with Tekno. I never went beyond 'debate' in the whole thread. I even nailed Tekno with an "inbred' joke to boot (shortly after you did) - I couldn't care less if you make a zillion jokes at his expense.

If it feels better to try to lump me in and call it hypocrisy (no matter how far the stretch or even to the point of untruth), then fine. As long as you're feeling better, I suppose.

If I officially say "No, Playa was right - we're all heartless bastards. Let's immediately get offended!" will you just let it go? Please?

I think the MoJ just ran out of gas. :)

*** Edited 1/12/2005 10:31:04 PM UTC by Lord Gonchar***

CP/CO’s last post sums it all up.

It isn't about what you think, it's what the majority of a park’s visitors think. If some of them are going to be offended to the point of holding money back then changing the name only makes good business sense.

This falls under the same reasons why parks put in coasters that "we" may not necessarily like. The point is that it is about all the people, not just the handfuls here that won't be offended because we know that Tsunami/Wave/Tidal Wave was named X years ago.

Now if it was my decision, the name would stay because it won't bother anyone in a handful of months.

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CoastaPlaya said:
But their money all spends the same...so if you'd like theirs too, considering a name change is not only a good idea but more effective (and free) advertising than a slew of billboards. Did I mention free?

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This is the core point I've tried to make several times. Why is that so hard to get?

There's a lot of, "It doesn't bother me, so why should it bother anyone else?" Really, if it were that easy, there would be world peace. The reality is quite different, and I suspect that if people considered the big picture, and the billions of people that occupy it, the world would be more of a touchy feely and happy place.

I'll never understand why people wouldn't rather be touchy feely. Come on, I'm a thirtysomething now and I still cling on to some shred of idealism.

And many of us -- even myself -- have said numerous times that we're not bothered by a park changing a ride's name if they feel its in their best interest. We understand that these people have a business to run.

EDIT - Since everyone is editing their posts after close perhaps there is a chance Playa will finally answer my question [after asking it 3 times] about Clementon's Tsunami wooden coaster: does he think the park should change the name?

*** Edited 1/13/2005 5:16:43 AM UTC by Mamoosh***

Ohhh wait, the quote Jeff used is much better than anything I pulled out of the thread:

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Playa said:
But their money all spends the same...so if you'd like theirs too, considering a name change is not only a good idea but more effective (and free) advertising than a slew of billboards. Did I mention free?

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So let's get free advertising at the expense of one of the most destructive disasters to ever hit mankind?

The more cynical among us might even say that's exactly what's happening.

That to me is a much more sickening thought than keeping the name at the expense of offending a certain segment.

Just playing for fun at this point. :)

*** Edited 1/7/2005 8:27:56 PM UTC by Lord Gonchar***

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GregLeg said:
Everyone go back to the first post, and see what the ORIGINAL ride in question was that spurred this discussion. Sandcastle's Mon Tsunami, and Dover Lake Park's Tsunami Wave Pool.

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That's it, from now on I'm reading threads from Page 1...;)

There's a lot of, "It doesn't bother me, so why should it bother anyone else?"

Just as is there is a lot of "I'm bothered by it so everyone else should be, too."

Doesn't make either side in the right.

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CoastaPlaya said:
considering a name change is not only a good idea but more effective (and free) advertising than a slew of billboards. Did I mention free?

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Changing the name of a ride is free?!?!

SLFAKE:

That was my point. No one ojbected to the name "Hurrican Harbor" and no one will (or at least very few will). "Hurricane Charley" was objected to, but "Triple Hurricane" met very little opposition. Lets follow the pattern - people would object to "Asian Tsunami of Death" but plain old "Tsunami" should have little to no opposition, especially for those rides that were built long before this particular event took place.

Gonch, you took the words out of my mouth about the advertising thing. "Park XYZ announced today that they are renaming their "Tsunami" attraction to "The Ride That Makes You Feel Better About The Disaster In Asia Because You Can Ride It Without Being Offended And They Cannot Ride It At All."

Can't we all just get along????

As a famous song goes... (feel free to pick those lighters up and fly em in the air)

We are the world, we are the children
We are the ones who make a brighter day
so let's start giving
There's a choice we're making
We're saving our own lives
It's true we'll make a better day
Just you and me

Cmon, I know you all still like this song but you're too scared to admit it.

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they should not be pressured to do it

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Is there any evidence that this has happened? The original article suggests that these changes are internally driven.

Lemmee just go out on a limb here and guess how this'll all end up.

Sandcastle opens in June. If in the middle of May this is still in people's minds, they'll make some new signs and call it the Tidal Wave, or something unoriginal like that. They already have the Tidal Wave cafe next door, it'll fit in fine.

If in the middle of May everyone's talking about something else, the name'll stay the same.

No insider info there, just a hunch.

Which leads me to my question... should they change the name of the Tidal Wave Cafe? "Tsunami" is just an Asian translation of "tidal wave." Is it less offensive if it's in another language?

If they change it to the French "Raz De Marée Cafe" is that any different?

*** Edited 1/7/2005 9:48:41 PM UTC by kpjb***

Not to nitpick, but the translation of 'tsunami' is 'harbor wave.'

Harbor wave? I thought that was what you experienced when trying to get into the old Disneyland parking lot at a busy time? ;)

Businesswise this is an advertising windfall for operators of rides with the *offensive* name. If they want to do something helpful just direct the years advertising budget for the attraction toward the relief effort, don't waste it on changing the name. *** Edited 1/7/2005 10:27:21 PM UTC by boblogone***

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Mamoosh said:
Not to nitpick, but the translation of 'tsunami' is 'harbor wave.'

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Okay, poopy pants, then it's the "Vague de Port Cafe," which doesn't sound nearly as cool as the "Raz De Marée Cafe." Hell, the new one doesn't even rhyme.

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UBRhino said:
Are the name changes going to bother people THAT much?

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You'd be surprised. You have a high number of people that will think a ride was removed/replaced if there's not one of the same name. In my days as an operator at Dorney Park, someone asked me where the Himalaya was. I directed them to the Musik Express. Apparently they had been there and said "No, not the Musik Express, I want to ride the Himalaya". I've also had similar interactions about Skyscraper/Salt And Pepper Shaker, Monster/Spider, and Sea Dragon/Pirate Ship.

And those weren't even rides whose names have been changed.

Anyone want to join with me for a cause to keep the names the same because it'll confuse just as many (if not more) people than would be offended if the name weren't changed?

I understand that a business, in order to stay in business, needs to bow to the demands of it's customers. However, you can't please everybody. It's obviously upset a number of people on this board that the names were changed - how many others are just too quiet to speak up? Is it really worth upsetting/confusing more people over a relative few who will actually still have tsuna...err.. "Asian Tidal Wave".. on the brain come May? Apparently, they think so. I agree that I don't think it's a wise business decision. If the season was opening next week, then perhaps it'd be more relavant. If anything, this will bring the disaster to mind. Instead of saying "Yay! I'm having fun in the tsunami wave pool like I do every year!", not thinking about the asia disaster, they're going to inquire why the name was changed. They will be told it's "out of sensitivity" or some other PC BS, and that will FORCE them to think about the disaster. Talk about a mood killer. "Glad you're enjoying your day. By the way, don't forget that over 150,000+ people died in water this past winter. But it's ok, because we changed the name of our pool!"

Another thought.. where did we get the idea that a higher body count = worse disaster? A disaster sucks. Period. It doesn't suddenly become ok just because it "only killed 20". On the same thought.. to those who were arguing that other disaster-named rides don't have death tolls as high, what's the limit? How many people have to die before it's all of a sudden taboo to use it as a ride name?