Why I Love Disney

Disney is the quintessential American success story. Walt started with little, but built an empire that lasted way beyond his death. He became larger than life while he lived, and left a legacy that will likely last beyond the days of Captain Picard.

I love Disney movies, and I love riding Big Thunder Mountain, or Space Mountain, or even Captain Eo's Mountain (sorry...got carried away there), but it's not just the movies or the rides...it's the whole feeling.

For excitement, I could say that Six Flags Magic Mountain is better. They have much better rides (Superman made me squeal like a school girl the first time). For entertainment, well, there are a lot of movie studios that have kept me entertained. But Disney is more than that...it is an experience.

When I go to Disney, I leave the rest of the world behind. Going to Six Flags Magic Mountain I have to pass through a metal detector and then be pat down by a security guard. Even still, once inside I have to deal with a bunch of people that look like they are fresh out of prison. Interestingly enough, if you stay past 7 PM you notice the park gets much more pleasant...I guess parolees have to be home before dark...

ANYWAY...back to Disney. I can drive to Disney and park just outside, then walk to Downtown Disney (10 minutes from my free parking) and, almost from the place where I park, I am in a totally different mindset. It's like being transported into a different world! I don't have to buy anything, not even the caramel popcorn, whose sickly sweet smell permeates about 1/4 of the downtown Disney area. Merchandising aside, Disney makes sure that, from parking lot to parking lot, you are transported into another world: The Happiest Place on Earth.

I guess that is why I will spend $300 on an annual pass to Disney, but haven't spent $70 for an annual pass to Six Flags since 2005.

LiLoh update...

Going to jail. Waste of time and money if you ask me...the only thing it will accomplish is prove to Lindsay she can survive jail.

But at least the four helicopters that were hovering over Burton for the last 2 hours are finally gone.

Lindsay Lohan

Okay, I know she's been a pain in the ass for a year now. But the justice system hasn't been much better, so I still have to opine about this topic.

I personally think Lindsay is a 5 year old girl in the body of a 24 year old actress. She needs to grow up, but the circumstances of her life really make that a difficult feat to accomplish. So what should we do?

Well, on the one hand, she has violated some laws which have landed her in the criminal justice system. That system is very rigid; everyone is expected to respond appropriately. Of course, if you tell a 5 year old, "You're in big trouble, Mister!" they're probably going to stick their tongue out at you.

Nevertheless, she is a criminal, right? She drove a car under the influence of a controlled substance.

Wait a minute. She drove a car under the influence of a controlled substance.

She was under the influence of a controlled substance.

A controlled substance.

Let's just leave the "she drove..." out of the equation for a moment. The "controlled substance" is the only debatable point here. Alcohol is a controlled substance. As a physician, I have to say, I am against the recreational use of chemical substances to alter your mood or perception of reality (not that there is anything wrong with that! Sorry...channeling Seinfeld). Still, most controlled substances, if they are not combined with driving, have no negative impact on those who do not participate. Taking controlled substances wreaks havoc on your body and mind, but what you as an individual choose to do to your body or mind is none of my business.

Disclaimer: light up a cigarette (or any other burning substance) next to me and you're affecting my lungs too...watch how fast drown your cigs and bitch slap you.

So...Lindsay wants to f* up her life by taking drugs, that's her problem. Let her. Don't waste my news time or my taxes on trying to force her to change her habits.

So now let's deal with the "driving" part. The California Driver's Handbook emphasizes that driving is a privilege, not a right. I totally agree with that. If you are a good driver, California will allow you to drive on the streets, highways and freeways. If you don't drive safely, you're really in possession of a deadly weapon, and too stupid to know how to use it. It's the equivalent of giving a bazooka to a 5 year old.

So what should we do? Well, if I were the judge, I'd tell Lindsay one thing:

Bitch, you can throw your life away on drugs if you want, I don't give a $#*!. You can disrespect me if you want: I'm above that. But you have two choices: you can follow the rules and keep your license, or you can prove to me you still like to make bad choices, and I'll take your driver's license away for the rest of your life. I'm not going to play games with you. You're on probation for 5 years: no driving under the influence. We'll outfit your car with a breathalyzer, and if you blow 0.0001 with no good reason (like you had Nyquil to control your cold symptoms that day). Or you can take plan B: no probation, and for the rest of your life you must have a driver take you everywhere.

Maybe it's just because I'm tired of that f*ing helicopter flying around my house whenever that brat has to go to court (like I'm sure it will this Friday).