The Cyclone is getting some nausea-inducing company. Our Blau and Durkin report: Mayor Bloomberg announced Thursday the opening of two new “thrill” rides for Coney Island — the Boardwalk, a 110-foot-free fall that propels riders over the boardwalk at up to 60 miles per hour, and the Coney Island Raceway, a new 24-cart Go-Kart track with hairpin curves. Hizzoner said he’s not racing to try them out. “I’ve never been that big on roller coasters. I don’t know why. But I guess I could be talked into that,” he told reporters on the Coney Island Boardwalk. Italian amusement company Zamperla opened Luna park in 2010 with 19 family rides. Last year, it added Scream Zone, with two new roller coasters and two other thrill rides ... Continue reading →
Yesterday, 64 Kenowa Hill High School seniors biked to school in Walker, Mich. Nice, right? Well, the principal didn’t think so. She suspended the kids for the day and threatened to keep them from walking in their graduation ceremony. Somehow, this one story manages to encapsulate everything that is wrong with American attitudes towards biking. The group ride was conceived as a less-destructive alternative to traditional vandalize-the-school, get-everyone-out-of-class brand of senior pranks. Skipping lightly over the fact that a few dozen students riding bikes qualifies as a “prank” rather than a “Tuesday,” these kids actually deserve a lot of praise for organizing a group activity that’s healthy for them, the planet, and the community, instead of just pulling fire alarms. And indeed, they got some ... Continue reading →