Document text
3 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Home News Latest Stories UPDATED: Traffic getting by I-5 truck crash near Siskiyou Summit Poodle found dead from pellet shots on back porch of Medford home 10 things to know for Friday Grants Pass man charged with attempted murder in shooting of Eagle Point resident 10 things to know for Thursday Crime, Courts and Emergency Services Poodle found dead from pellet shots on back porch of Medford home Grants Pass man charged with attempted murder in shooting of Eagle Point resident Emergency Services Pacific Power: Be on the lookout for phony employees on ATVs Youth pastor and friend hold intruder at gunpoint Politics and Elections Jackson County Commissioners plan no tax on marijuana for one year Arthur I. Cyr: Iran – a crisis without end Arthur I. Cyr: South Korea represents long-term triumph – for them and for US Special election: Jackson County voters OK marijuana tax Ex-Merkley aide chosen as Oregon secretary of state Education Medford School District one of most accident-prone in state Dianne Williamson: College admissions mania ill-advised Oregon legislators may end fifth-year high school programs Phoenix High officer looks back on varied career Oregon school officials blasting new education budget Environment Rogue Valley lions on their way to California Corps hopes to clear Lost Creek Lake of debris Beetles taking toll on Ashland pines Mt. Ashland Ski Area to host party March 28 Controversial asphalt plant in Talent wins county planning approval State News Timber payments extension passes U.S. House $15 minimum wage bill dead in Oregon Senate Dave Frohnmayer remembered at Eugene memorial Oregon school officials blasting new education budget Bend company's aim: Connect investors to Africa Nation - World Obituaries Alexander Edwards Ray E. Kniffen, Sr. Lois Emmerette (Wright) Huntley James "Jim" Peter Duman Florence May Grimes Weather Photo Galleries Since You Asked Videos Web Cams Mail Tribune 100 Shareable Sports Latest Stories Kent Bush: Pete Rose’s request complicated by Jarred Cosart Big rally by North Medford falls short 'Zona zeroes in Ilyasova lifts Bucks over Pacers Hoffman leads in wind-swept Texas Open Varsity 541 College Sports 'Zona zeroes in It'll be Coach K vs. Coach K in Sweet 16 Oregon Tech sweeps SOU Coaching reunion Table set for another big season for UO Pro Sports Ilyasova lifts Bucks over Pacers Hoffman leads in wind-swept Texas Open New-look A's expect to contend Calipari can be the one to save the Nets Giants look to end championship trend Community Sports Business Latest Stories Blog: How to Practice Patience Ride & Drive: 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque Medford shoppers wonder about impacts of Costco on Trader Joe's parking lot Blog: State senate president says there will be no minimum wage increase during 2015 session Blog: Rep. Mike McLane, northeast Jackson County Real Estate News East McAndrews Road sees a resurgence in commercial projects Business briefs: March 7 New construction prices jump 18.2 percent in Jackson County People In Business People in Business, March 26, 2015 People in Business: Feb. 28 Transportation Rogue Disposal plans natural gas fueling site Alaska, United Express boost Medford airport to record February CEO Rieder leaving Erickson March 31 Agriculture Broth maker leaves San Diego for Medford Harry & David announces new president Opinion Latest Philip Maddocks: GOP plan offers hope for poor once they become rich Kent Bush: Pete Rose’s request complicated by Jarred Cosart Matthew T. Mangino: A clearer picture of police shootings begins to emerge Guest Opinion: How schools teach U.S. history raises hackles Letters to the Editor, March 27 Editorials Our View: Some police videos should be released Our View: Public records rules should apply to lawmakers, too Our View: Oregon schools will have to make do with a little more money Our View: Medford police tried to avoid confrontation Other Views: Dave Frohnmayer was a man of honor Letters to the Editor Letters to the Editor, March 27 Letters to the Editor, March 26 Letters to the Editor, March 25 Letters to the Editor, March 24 Letters to the Editor, March 23 Columns Philip Maddocks: GOP plan offers hope for poor once they become rich Kent Bush: Pete Rose’s request complicated by Jarred Cosart Matthew T. Mangino: A clearer picture of police shootings begins to emerge Guest Opinion: How schools teach U.S. history raises hackles Arthur I. Cyr: The legacy of Singapore’s leader Lee Kwan Yew Guest Opinions Guest Opinion: How schools teach U.S. history raises hackles Guest Opinion: Guest Opinion: Raise your voice against child abuse Guest Opinion: Central Point Cemetery needs work and city action Guest Opinion: Return to clearcutting is wrong approach for counties Lifestyle Latest stories Community blog: How to Get Rid of a Tension Headache Community blog: Try slightly smoky baked beans instead of refried Ride & Drive: 2015 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque App Finder: Best barbecue apps Religion briefs: Friday, March 27 Food Community blog: Try slightly smoky baked beans instead of refried App Finder: Best barbecue apps Health Watch: It’s OK to have a cheat day Frugal foodie Joanna McQuillan Weeks: Almond cookies pass the test Home and Garden Hot tub: The perfect centerpiece for outdoor living Garden Cameos: Welcome spring to the garden Paul Rogers: Ground unworkable, despite spring’s arrival Home Help: How green is your house? Plant a few dahlias, Dahling Health Community blog: How to Get Rid of a Tension Headache St. Mary's student helps others with diabetes Community blog: Sleep Tight: Making Your Bed, Body and Mind Ready for Rest Health Watch: 5 tips for seasonal allergy relief A better bedtime Hiking Biking Faith Religion briefs: Friday, March 27 Religion briefs Religion News: Presbyterian Church gives approval on same-sex marriage Religion briefs: Friday, March 13 More religion events in the Rogue Valley Milestones and Achievements Haga-Parks Exercise helps special-needs kids adjust to airport procedures Engagement: Workman-Wright Columnist for a Day Rogue Healthy Aging Tempo Latest stories Here's Tempo's top five picks for live entertainment this week The 2015 Rising Stars music competition ends with its final round on the Britt stage in Jacksonville Live Music in Local Clubs Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick pay tribute to Arkansas bluegrass duo Vern Williams and Ray Park Next Stage Repertory presents 'Educating Rita' at the Craterian Theater Theater ‘A Dream of Red Pavilions’ at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Review: Education and its discontents Next Stage Repertory presents 'Educating Rita' at the Craterian Theater Eugene O'Neill's 'Long Day's Journey into Night' opens at the Oregon Shakespeare Festival Camelot's 'Sunset Boulevard' ambitious, not as dark Music Futurebirds play the Brickroom in Ashland The 2015 Rising Stars music competition ends with its final round on the Britt stage in Jacksonville Live Music in Local Clubs Laurie Lewis and Kathy Kallick pay tribute to Arkansas bluegrass duo Vern Williams and Ray Park The Farr Side: Lines are blurred with theft of Marvin Gaye’s classic groove Community Events Rogue Valley artist Linda Evans' pastel paintings capture landscapes of Southern Oregon Ashland Independent Film Festival announces this year's lineup OSF Hip-Hop Poetry Open Mic Ashland's First Friday Art Walk showcases new exhibits by regional artists Jesse Lawson and Joe Moxley host 'Barkeeper' Dining Basque-inspired cuisine at Eleven in Ashland Parsing the meaning behind wine medals and scores Restaurant Inspections: Sunday, March 22 Jasmine Thai Cuisine Restaurant Inspections Tempo Videos Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » Obits Blogs TV Listings Movie Listings Oregon Outdoors Oregon Healthy Living Magazines/Special Sections Business Services NEWS NOW UPDATED: Traffic getting by I-5 truck crash near Siskiyou Summit ... Poodle found dead from pellet shots on back porch of Medford home ... Guest Opinion: How schools teach U.S. history raises hackles ... UPDATED: Traffic getting by I-5 truck crash near Siskiyou Summit ... Poodle found dead from pellet shots on back porch of Medford home ... Guest Opinion: How schools teach U.S. history raises hackles ... David Murdock: ZOOOOOOOOOM! Life is like a roller coaster By David Murdock More Content Now MailTribune.com By David Murdock More Content Now Posted Mar. 26, 2015 @ 9:18 am By David Murdock More Content Now Posted Mar. 26, 2015 @ 9:18 am » Social News p bs:newslist StartDate="20121121" EndDate="p bs:datecalc Months="3"" DateSort="1" UseObjects="1" ObjectClass="81" Taxonomywords="2325,665" ExactTaxonomyMatch="1" Image="1" Count="4" --> I woke up this morning thinking about something I haven’t really thought about in years — the Great American Scream Machine at Six Flags Over Georgia. I haven’t ridden that roller coaster in probably 30 years, but I know exactly why it popped into my head before coffee this morning. When I was a teenager, the Scream Machine was a presence in my life. Even though I have been to Six Flags only about six times or so (and all during my teenage years), that park was a sort of cultural touchstone for teenagers in the 1980s. Going to Six Flags was a real treat, and we talked about it quite a bit — riding the Scream Machine was simply one of those intermittent topics of teen conversation. Remembering the attention we gave it, it was almost a mythical quest. My friends rhapsodized about the ride on the Scream Machine. If you’d been recently, you talked about how great it was, and you talked about how great it was going to be if you were going soon. We had discussions of the minutiae of the best way to stand in line, the least-crowded time of day to try, and so on. We even seriously discussed what holding your hands up over your head meant, exactly. It was like some sort of teenage think tank. It’s a thing of beauty — there’s that long, slow, agonizing ascent up to the first drop. Couple that with the hour-long wait before being strapped in the train, and the inherent genius of amusement park engineers becomes obvious. Even though our rational minds tell us that it’s safe, the ascent — not too slow and not too fast — is perfectly timed to increase anticipation and “fear.” Those last few feet are the worst as the train seems to hang there for a second so the riders can see the vista and then … ZOOOOOOOOOM! The rest of the ride goes by so fast that I could never quite take it all in. Not being able to take it all in, I wanted to ride it again, and I have exited the ride and immediately gotten back in line. There was never any real fear in riding the Scream Machine when I was younger. I think Six Flags used to give out some sort of promotional sticker for riding it — one of those “I survived the Scream Machine” things or something like that. There are a small number of deaths and injuries at amusement parks across the nation each year, but the number is infinitesimal compared to the number of traffic fatalities, so I never thought about not surviving the ride. The only time I’ve ever been actually afraid on a roller coaster was not at Six Flags at all; it was on the old Starliner at Miracle Strip Amusement Park in Panama City, Florida. Both the original park and the roller coaster are gone now, but I had a fateful ride back there in the late 1970s. A big group of my friends and I had gone down to Panama City on vacation. We got on the Starliner one night at the park, and the train ground to a halt just about 10 feet before the crest of the first drop. We were stuck up there quite a while before the roller-coaster crew came up to get us down. They unstrapped us, and we walked down the narrow access strip alongside the track. Now, the whole thing was maybe 70 feet high or so, but that’s a long way when you’re walking down on a 1-foot-wide strip. There are two absolutely memorable elements to that walk down — the terror of it and the wonder of seeing one of my friends walking down it with his arms stretched out to the side like THAT WALK was the ride. He loved it, but, to this day, I am edgy with heights without a visually solid framework. Why did I think about roller coasters this morning? A few days ago, I offhandedly remarked to someone in conversation, “Life is like a roller coaster.” It is. There’s a lot of waiting around, a lot of anticipating and a lot of thrilling rides. Every once in a while, though, there are moments of sheer terror. As the novelist Kate Chopin put it, life is “that monster made up of beauty and brutality.” Too often — far too often — we become so caught up with the brutality of what we witness that we’re paralyzed. I will say this thing about my walk down from top of the roller coaster — I steeled myself, watched my footing, held on to the rail, walked right down, and got right back on that roller coaster. It took 10 minutes to fix; we were cresting the first drop in 11 minutes. I wish I’d considered the beauty of it all while walking down. After all, beauty kills the beast. Gadsden (Ala.) Times columnist David Murdock is an English instructor at Gadsden State Community College. By David Murdock More Content Now MailTribune.com By David Murdock More Content Now Posted Mar. 26, 2015 @ 9:18 am » Comment or view comments /* $( document ).ready(function() { // Jquery mobile is trying to style the button and leaving a blank gry button on top of a white button $("#viafouracoms .vf-comment-controls li.vf-right").html(' Submit '); });*/ » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. calendar Connect with MailTribune.com Facebook Twitter RSS Back to top Reader Services Reader Services Home Subscriptions Subscriber controls Contact us Submissions Photos Events Letters to the editor Corrections Announcements Obituaries Story ideas Since you asked Alerts Email Alerts RSS Feeds Text Alerts Advertise Media Kit Home Products and services Ad rates Advertising contacts Mail Tribune Daily Tidings The Nickel Shop Our Valley Blogs Stay Informed Email newsletter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Your privacy is important, read our privacy policy. © Copyright 2015 Local Media Group, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Service | Local Media Group Publications Original content available for non-commercial use under a Creative Commons license, except where noted. MailTribune.com | P.O. Box 1108, Medford, OR 97501