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I pitched a roller coaster to Disneyland at age 10 in 1978

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Re: I pitched a roller coaster to Disneyland at age 10 in 1978

#151

Post by [deleted] »

zoeysmithe wrote: post #39
nogridbag wrote: post #15

These letters matter a lot to kids. I sent my video game idea to Nintendo as a little kid and I had the same reaction seeing that envelope from Nintendo in the mailbox addressed to me. I think it was also a bit more special pre-internet as these companies felt a bit more magical and mysterious. You can only read about them through video game magazines and see their names in the credit scenes at the end of the games.…

Back then the working class was simply more powerful. Companies had to have good PR, hence feeling 'magical' or 'mysterious.' Of course now in the later stage of capitalism, these execs, investors, etc can just do full-on mask slips. I think some of this is definitely childhood nostalgia, but its also very different world today. I don't know any kid that sees Nintendo as magical as I did. The Legend of Zelda was this…

[deleted]

Re: I pitched a roller coaster to Disneyland at age 10 in 1978

#152

Post by nephihaha »

dhosek wrote: post #73
nogridbag wrote: post #15

These letters matter a lot to kids. I sent my video game idea to Nintendo as a little kid and I had the same reaction seeing that envelope from Nintendo in the mailbox addressed to me. I think it was also a bit more special pre-internet as these companies felt a bit more magical and mysterious. You can only read about them through video game magazines and see their names in the credit scenes at the end of the games.…

In sixth grade language arts class we wrote letters and there were rumors that some companies, if you sent them letters saying you liked their product would send you coupons for free candy/chips/soda/etc.

We went down a different path. We used to write to chocolate companies and they would send us free stickers etc. They advertised the product of course but it was fun.

Re: I pitched a roller coaster to Disneyland at age 10 in 1978

#153

Post by nephihaha »

zoeysmithe wrote: post #39
nogridbag wrote: post #15

These letters matter a lot to kids. I sent my video game idea to Nintendo as a little kid and I had the same reaction seeing that envelope from Nintendo in the mailbox addressed to me. I think it was also a bit more special pre-internet as these companies felt a bit more magical and mysterious. You can only read about them through video game magazines and see their names in the credit scenes at the end of the games.…

Back then the working class was simply more powerful. Companies had to have good PR, hence feeling 'magical' or 'mysterious.' Of course now in the later stage of capitalism, these execs, investors, etc can just do full-on mask slips. I think some of this is definitely childhood nostalgia, but its also very different world today. I don't know any kid that sees Nintendo as magical as I did. The Legend of Zelda was this…

"Of course now in the later stage of capitalism, these execs, investors, etc can just do full-on mask slips."

Just a reminder: we've supposedly been in/near late/end stage capitalism for over a hundred and fifty years now. Marx was proposing this back at the end of the nineteenth century.

Re: I pitched a roller coaster to Disneyland at age 10 in 1978

#154

Post by cobalt »

nephihaha wrote: post #153
zoeysmithe wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Back then the working class was simply more powerful. Companies had to have good PR, hence feeling 'magical' or 'mysterious.' Of course now in the later stage of capitalism, these execs, investors, etc can just do full-on mask slips. I think some of this is definitely childhood nostalgia, but its also very different world today. I don't know any kid that sees Nintendo as magical as I did. The Legend of Zelda was this…

"Of course now in the later stage of capitalism, these execs, investors, etc can just do full-on mask slips." Just a reminder: we've supposedly been in/near late/end stage capitalism for over a hundred and fifty years now. Marx was proposing this back at the end of the nineteenth century.

I think starting in the 30s and esp after WW2/cold war era helped reset it somewhat. It started to pick back up in the 80s and into overdrive with the internet

Re: I pitched a roller coaster to Disneyland at age 10 in 1978

#155

Post by dhosek »

dfxm12 wrote: post #147
dhosek wrote: post #75

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Yeah, movies are kind of weird like that. If I steal your idea for a novel (but not your words), you can call me out as an asshole but you don’t have any legal recourse, but if the same thing happens with a movie, apparently it is possible to sue and actually win significant damages.

FYI, in many (most?) legal systems, you can sue anyone, for anything. To win the damages, you'll have to convince a judge or jury of said damages (or present a strong enough case to settle out of court).

Thus my saying, “and actually win”

Re: I pitched a roller coaster to Disneyland at age 10 in 1978

#156

Post by hennell »

Roedou wrote: post #18

I wrote to Sainsburys (large UK grocery store chain) in 1993, suggesting an idea for a "self checkout", where you would scan items yourself as you put them into your shipping cart. My anti-theft solution was that they'd weigh your cart as you left, to make sure you'd scanned everything! I never expected a reply, but was so stoked when I received a letter with a similar generic-but-enthusiastic reply, along the lines…

The problem with that is the benefit of inspiring children does little to nothing for the business, while the risk of frivolous but expensive legal actions because you decide you should get millions for inventing the self service checkout is not insignificant.

I'd suspect many places would still respond positively though, especially in the more creative worlds. Almost every creative was that kid once.

Re: I pitched a roller coaster to Disneyland at age 10 in 1978

#157

Post by kennyloginz »

hinkley wrote: post #119
dhosek wrote: post #72

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Only vaguely related, but the Mars family lived in neighboring River Forest and the factory was just north of me in Galewood (it is shutting down or already shut down and the property is planned for redevelopment, but the neighboring Metra station is named “Mars” which means that in Chicago you can take a commuter train to Mars). Sadly the Mars estate was apparently torn down to be replaced with a pair of bland McMan…

That’s a shame. Annhueser Busch turned one of their estates into a tourist trap. But you couldn’t pet the horses, which is literally the only reason an 11 year old would want to go near a brewery.

Grant’s Farm? I always enjoyed it as a kid, trains and weird animals.

Re: I pitched a roller coaster to Disneyland at age 10 in 1978

#158

Post by senbrow »

jagged-chisel wrote: post #89
ileonichwiesz wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

That really hits home. I spent a couple weeks in primary school sketching my own blueprints for great inventions. Nothing that could've ever worked (I didn't know what a transistor actually was, but my machine certainly had a lot of them!), but in hindsight a good start for a curious tech-minded child - switches that opened/closed circuits, wires to connect the various imaginary lasers and electromagnets, and so on.…

Oh god, what’s the deal with horrendous people becoming teachers? Lately, I’ve been, uh, “reminiscing” about how terrible adults were to kids when I was a kid (I’m gen X.) It’s no wonder I turned my interest to the computer - it was only ever a jerk if I programmed it like that.

Low barrier to entry and hard to get fired once you're in.

Rotten people put on a good face in the interview and then spread their misery around for decades to some of our most vulnerable. It happens in pretty much every unelected position in the public sector in my experience.

Re: I pitched a roller coaster to Disneyland at age 10 in 1978

#159

Post by dfxm12 »

dhosek wrote: post #155
dfxm12 wrote: post #147

Earlier quoted context omitted.

FYI, in many (most?) legal systems, you can sue anyone, for anything. To win the damages, you'll have to convince a judge or jury of said damages (or present a strong enough case to settle out of court).

Thus my saying, “and actually win”

Having a convincing case is usually a prerequisite to win. This is probably a good thing.

Re: I pitched a roller coaster to Disneyland at age 10 in 1978

#160

Post by Wowfunhappy »

nogridbag wrote: post #15

These letters matter a lot to kids. I sent my video game idea to Nintendo as a little kid and I had the same reaction seeing that envelope from Nintendo in the mailbox addressed to me. I think it was also a bit more special pre-internet as these companies felt a bit more magical and mysterious. You can only read about them through video game magazines and see their names in the credit scenes at the end of the games.…

> I remember also receiving that weird VHS tape from Nintendo in the mail:

Wait, the villains have Sega and Sony logos. How were they able to do that legally?

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