Thursday, January 29, 2009

Accessibility Update

Between the inauguration and the recent winter weather, it’s amazing anything has been accomplished in Washington in the past two weeks, but as anticipated, President Barack Obama has hit the ground running.

Almost immediately after taking office, Obama’s chief of staff, former Congressman Rahm Emanuel, released a memorandum directing executive branch agencies to defer publication of any new regulations until the rules are reviewed and approved by officials appointed by Obama. One of such regulations is the final Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) rule.

As you probably remember, the U.S. Department of Justice published a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) last summer soliciting comments on a draft of the ADAAG rule. IAAPA responded with public testimony as well as written comments on the rule. We, along with many in Washington, anticipated the final rule would be published before President Bush left office. The rule was in the Office of Management and Budget's review process when Bush's term expired (all regulations go through this review before being published in the Federal Register and becoming "official").

Since the Department of Justice has withdrawn its draft final rule from the OMB review process, it is unknown when the final rule will be published. The new political officials in the Justice Department could look at the draft final rule and approve it in the next month, or they could send it back through the regulatory process, delaying a final rule for some time.

In other accessibility news, the ADA Amendments Act took effect on Jan. 1, 2009. The amendments overturn a series of Supreme Court cases, expanding the number of workers who are considered disabled under the ADA and increasing the number of employers that must make reasonable accommodations for these employees.

The ADA defines a “disability,” in part, as “a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity of an individual.” The ADA Amendments Act emphasizes that this statute should be broadly interpreted to cover more individuals, and in particular, it directs the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to interpret the term “substantially limits” in a future rulemaking.

The amendments also provide commonly used examples for the undefined ADA term “major life activity,” such as seeing, eating, sleeping, and thinking. This provision also adds “major bodily functions” such as “functions of the immune systems, digestive, and neurological functions” to this list, which could lead to an expansion of workers considered disabled under the ADA.

This Act also makes it easier for individuals to claim that they are disabled based on the perception of disability.

The amendments state that the beneficial effects of mitigating measures such as medications or prosthetics will not be considered in assessing whether an individual has a disability (there is an exception for eyeglasses or contact lenses). They also clarify that an impairment that is temporary or in remission, such as epilepsy or cancer, can be considered a disability.

The ADA amendments leave many questions unsettled—for instance which disabilities will be considered to “substantially limit” a major life activity and what types of reasonable accommodations employers may have to provide. If the Obama administration chooses to send the ADAAG rules back to the drawing board, I would expect these questions to be addressed in the regulatory process.

Wednesday, January 28, 2009

February's Digital FUNWORLD Online

The new digital edition of FUNWORLD's February issue is now online here. For those who may not be familiar with it, the digital edition copies the entire magazine page-for-page onto the web, where you can flip through it as if you're holding it in your hands.

Check it out!

Tuesday, January 27, 2009

More from February’s FUNWORLD: A Howling Good Interview

For February's "Day in the Life" column, I had the pleasure of interviewing Ted Dougherty, who plays a werewolf at Knott’s Berry Farm's Halloween Haunt. It was truly one of the most enjoyable and amusing interviews I’ve done—and that probably comes from Dougherty’s passion for the job. It’s always interesting to hear what someone else does with their daylight (or nighttime) hours, and I loved Dougherty’s stories of guests reacting to his scares and his explanation of what a “slider” does. Read on for an extended version of my interview with Dougherty and see the bottom of this post for a rundown of how he gets into costume and makeup.

Ted Dougherty wears many hats. Living in Arcadia, California, he’s a paralegal, the co-director and co-writer of a 4-D attraction for Hollow 4D Studios, and string bassist in local jazz groups and classical symphony orchestras. But surely his most shocking role is that of an Old West werewolf in the “Ghost Town Scarezone” at Knott’s Berry Farm in California during Halloween. The 2008 season marked his eighth year of inciting fear in the hearts of guests on the midway. Here, Dougherty tells FUNWORLD what’s great about being a monster.

FUNWORLD: Tell us about your history with Knott’s Berry Farm’s haunt events.
Ted Dougherty: I have been attending Knott's Berry Farm’s Halloween Haunt every year since 1987, and October 2008 marked the eighth season I have worked as a monster for the event. My character is an Old West werewolf, who lurks in the historical Ghost Town section of the park. “Knott’s Scary Farm” just celebrated its 36th season. As an employee, I do my part to help maintain the legacy of the event, which is one of the main reasons I enjoy portraying the character. It is incredibly thrilling and a complete privilege to walk the same paths so many people have before, with so much history involved. It is bizarre—and in a creepy way, somewhat satisfying—to think my character has been the subject of many guests' nightmares over the years. It's a crazy thought to ponder: in the middle of the night it is my face they see when screaming themselves awake from a hideous dream.

FW: What qualities of the character have you developed through the years?
PD: The art of the scare is an ongoing learning experience for me and part of my drive is that I cannot reach perfection with respect to specific tactics. Although I have scared and entertained thousands of guests over the years, there is always something to learn in taking “monstering” to the next level.
Some of the behaviors or qualities of the character I have developed are tributes to the great monsters of the past, which can include traits such as stalking, intimidation through stares, as well as “pop-out” scares. I have looked to the past when it comes to developing my character. Researching the history and folklore of lycanthropes (a.k.a. werewolves) through books, movies, etc., has been helpful, as has researching monsters in general. I have been a werewolf fan for many, many years so for me to portray one at Knott’s is thrilling. Although at times my character can be sinister, sneaky, and creepy, he is quite often aggressive in his “attack.” Let’s face it—who ever heard of a tame werewolf?
I am also known as a “slider” for the event. Sliding is a scare tactic created at Knott's Halloween Haunt. Through use of specialized metal gloves, shoes, and kneepads, we slide on the ground (on our knees and hands) at the guests in a quick fashion, using the element of surprise to scare. The effect is fast, loud, and startling as metal scrapes the floor surface and a creepy monster flies toward you on the ground.

FW: What kind of interaction do you have with guests, and how do they react?
PD: I am stationed in the “Ghost Town Scarezone” of the park and am free to roam amongst guests in the midways of this particular area.
People say that the eyes are the gateway to the soul. I use that to my advantage and stare relentlessly at as many sets of eyes of the guests as I can. In my mind, I am hunting. I can detect those who are weak—or those who do not want to look at me—by their eyes. Body language is very informative as well—again, I can see those who wish to avoid me. It may surprise you to know how many large adult, macho males are the weak ones!
With thousands of guests visiting Knott's Halloween Haunt each year, it is important to find a good medium between quality scares and quantity. My favorite reactions are when my scare partner and I arrange for an “attack” that can scare up to 20 to 30 people in one effort. The quality in the guests’ reactions is satisfactory as well as the quantity.
I have seen people react in every way from a simple flinch to full-blown screams and shrieks of terror, dropping to the ground, crying, or soiling themselves out of sheer fright.
Those reactions provide a bizarre sense of satisfaction for us monsters, but it is certainly more satisfying when a guest enters with a negative attitude indicating they may be “too cool” to be scared and my character is successful in changing their mind … to the point where the guest runs away screaming. The true target is the adult who thinks they can't be scared. When my character scares those targets, it is certainly memorable.

FW: What do you do in your off time, and how do people normally react when you tell them you're a monster by night?
PD: I am a paralegal in the workers’ compensation field through the remainder of the year. Most people in my “day job” cannot understand the passion I have for working Knott’s Halloween Haunt, so I usually steer clear of the subject. When it does come up, some people are very impressed that I have a small part in the event while others stare at me blankly—I suppose that can be expected.
Aside from the paralegal work, I co-directed and co-wrote a 4-D attraction ride for Hollow 4D Productions that made its debut at IAAPA Attractions Expo 2008. I also have appeared as a zombie for private events for Rob Zombie and participated in the Southern California Zombie Walk for the Linda Blair World Heart Foundation. Lastly, I was a music major in college and play the string bass with local jazz groups and classical symphony orchestras.
In my day job I appear in courtrooms before judges and attorneys in a very professional environment, while at Knott’s, I am portraying a werewolf, in the Old West from 1885, and scaring as many people possible. If I tried that in one of those courtrooms, I would be carted off to the mental hospital, if not jail! In other words, as many have said before—in October, I am paid to do things that I would normally probably be arrested for. The most enjoyable aspect of working Knott’s Berry Farm’s Halloween Haunt is the pride in being a part of an event so rich with history and entertainment. It is definitely different—almost the complete opposite—to working my other job.

FW: Is there anything you're particularly scared of?
PD: Definitely! I’m a BIG chicken when it comes to real ghosts. I’m not particularly fond of creepy crawlies or heights, either.

GETTING INTO CHARACTER
FW: What does your costume and makeup preparation entail?
PD: Preparation can take up to two to three hours.
The wolfish yellow eye contact lenses are put on first. Due to the quick lunging actions at guests, I then wrap each toe in medical tape, both ankles and Achilles tendons in athletic tape, and put two pairs of socks on each foot. Hockey pads, and knee and ankle braces are also worn underneath the costume. As a slider monster, I also wear special knee pads, shoes, and gloves for that scare tactic. The Western-style shirt and pants are put on as the final touch.
At that point, I’m ready for the makeup chair; this process can take anywhere from 20 to 40 minutes depending on the detail the makeup artist utilizes. The makeup applied lasts all night, but we must take care in removing the prosthetics at the conclusion of the evening because the makeup pieces are reused over a period of about three days. After the makeup is applied, I put on my wig and cowboy hat and I’m ready to go!

Monday, January 26, 2009

February's FUNWORLD: Something Totally New


The February edition of FUNWORLD should be arriving in your mailboxes any day now, and it's guaranteed to look different from any other issue, at least since I got here in 2004.

As you can see from the image above, we're featuring an illustration on the cover. The overriding feature of this month's issue is "10 Ways to Drive Your Business"; inside, we have 10 two-page stories on different aspects of the attractions industry, all geared to give you takeaway tips for improving your operations in a difficult economy. The areas covered include:

• Accessibility
• Community Relations
• Customer Service
• Environment
• Food & Beverage
• Human Resources
• Loss Prevention
• Marketing
• Merchandise
• Technology

As our chairman, Darrell Metzger, says in his opening letter, if just one of these articles helps you this year, the issue is well worth your time. We hope you'll find a bevy of helpful information, of course!

Since we've never done an issue quite like this, please e-mail us and let us know what you think, or simply leave us a comment below.

Friday, January 23, 2009

Introducing … IAAPA – Zoos & Aquariums

My job is to market IAAPA, so I want you to know exactly what you’re getting when you join or renew your membership—and why it’s even more essential to stay connected to the industry through us as we all head into what will be a challenging economic year. A lot of our benefits are intangible or immeasurable, but even if you just use ONE of them, your membership will undoubtedly pay for itself. Each week, I will update the blog with a post about what IAAPA can do for a specific attractions community; some of the benefits will be the same across the board, some will be specific, but all of them will be things you can use or learn from to improve your business.

This week, my topic is: zoos, aquariums, and IAAPA.

Every day, IAAPA sends out “News Flash” to members. News Flash is an e-mail service that provides you with all the headlines from the global attractions industry. The News Flash from Monday had several headlines and links to stories about zoos and aquariums are struggling in this current economy.

Here are some of the stories picked up and published in News Flash:

United States Zoos and Aquariums Face Funding Crisis

Chicago's Lincoln Park Zoo to Cut Budget by $1 Million

Texas' Fort Worth Zoo Continues Funding Negotiations with City

As the IAAPA liaison to IAAPA’s Zoo and Aquarium Committee, these stories stood out to me. Not only is it important for me to know what’s affecting our members, but it is also important that I react to these issues and provide our members with the support they need. Therefore, it seemed especially appropriate that I focus my second membership blog on how IAAPA can benefit zoos and aquariums.

I know that much like everyone else, zoos and aquariums will be watching every dollar they spend this year and dues to “the amusement park association” may appear to be an easy way to save some money. But I think the fact that memberships for zoos and aquariums grew by 18 percent in 2008 indicates zoos and aquariums are looking to IAAPA to provide cutting-edge ideas to increase revenue.

So, enough introduction, let’s take a look at why IAAPA membership makes sense for zoos and aquariums to join or renew their memberships.

Education
How are you going to train your staff this year? Do you have all the education resources you need? IAAPA has a whole bookstore full of training tools offered at affordable prices for members. Take a look at the First Steps or the Skill Builder series for economical and customizable training ideas that can really come in handy as you start building your staff.

And if you're looking for something FREE, we also offer more than 90 free education sessions at IAAPA Attractions Expo. This year we will also continue to host Zoo and Aquarium Day, which usually has a small fee associated with it (to cover lunch, transportation, etc.). If you have ideas for what you would like us to cover during these sessions let us know (just shoot me an e-mail haulakh@IAAPA.org); we are just starting to work on the sessions for 2009.

In the meantime, however, members can login to the Member Center and get access to past session handouts and other information. These sessions are your connection to earned-revenue ideas and will be a lifeline to you in coming up with new ways to meet your monetary goals.

News Flash
As I mentioned earlier this post, News Flash is a daily e-mail service that provides you with all the headlines from the global attractions industry. You can follow the trends as you learn about openings, closures, successes, struggles, and other situations. News Flash is an incredibly powerful tool, but you have to read it, AND use it. If you’re currently a member and don’t receive News Flash, sign up: membership@IAAPA.org. If you’re not a member and want to know more, e-mail or call me at haulakh@IAAPA.org or +1 703/836-4800.

Communications
Did you know that if you had an issue at your facility and needed help with the press, IAAPA’s staff provides you with FREE crisis communications support? That alone is worth the price of admission (or membership!). Just call the IAAPA offices and we will put you in touch with all the right people.

And, I would be remiss if I didn’t mention FUNWORLD. Our monthly magazine is FILLED with articles, ideas, and stories about people just like you working in the attractions industry. I pulled several articles from current and recent issues that are of particular interest to zoos and aquariums and posted them on your community page.

Am I missing anything? What else do you need from IAAPA? Let me know what you think and if there is anything else that IAAPA can do to help support you. My e-mail is haulakh@IAAPA.org and I look forward to hearing from you.

Tuesday, January 20, 2009

Hit the (Political) Ground Running

Today is Inauguration Day in the United States. At noon (EST), Barack Obama will take the oath of office and become the 44th President of the United States. Regardless of one's political beliefs, I think everyone will agree today's festivities will be historic.

Even though we are at the very beginning of Obama's presidency, in the political world the 2010 midterm elections are just around the corner, which is why tomorrow, albeit with less pomp and circumstance, IAAPA's Political Action Committee (PAC) will begin its fund-raising for the midterm elections.

IAAPA PAC is a way for IAAPA members and staff to join together and donate to the campaigns of candidates who share an interest in the attractions industry. Federal law prohibits corporations or associations from donating to political campaigns; however members, shareholders, and employees of these organizations can donate up to $5,000 annually to a separate fund called a Political Action Committee or PAC.

Supporting IAAPA PAC represents a true investment in the attractions industry and makes a real difference in our association’s and the industry’s future. Without PACs and voluntary support from millions of donors, the face of modern campaigns could be dominated by wealthy activists willing to spend whatever it takes to defeat or elect a candidate.

Any IAAPA member who is a U.S. citizen or greencard holder is able to participate in the PAC. However, the FEC (that's Federal Election Commission--the government agency that oversees campaign finance and other election matters) requires IAAPA have a prior approval form on hand before we solicit you. So the first step in getting involved in IAAPA PAC is completing our simple, online prior approval form. You can give prior approval for up to three years by filling in your contact information. And completing a prior approval form doesn't commit you to giving any money to the PAC; it simply allows me to send you invitations to events and other information you may find useful.

I hope you'll make the choice to get involved in IAAPA PAC and help us support candidates who support our industry. For more information, visit our PAC web page or e-mail me at sthienel@IAAPA.org.

Thursday, January 15, 2009

Introducing … IAAPA!

My job is to market IAAPA, so I want you to know exactly what you’re getting when you join or renew your membership—and why it’s even more essential to stay connected to the industry through us as we all head into what will be a challenging economic year. A lot of our benefits are intangible or immeasurable, but even if you just use ONE of them, your membership will undoubtedly pay for itself.

Each week, I will update the blog with a post about what IAAPA can do for a specific attractions community; some of the benefits will be the same across the board, some will be specific, but all of them will be things you can use or learn from to improve your business.

This week, my topic is: Waterparks, Resorts, and IAAPA.

You know that operating a successful waterpark or resort takes more than just knowing about water safety and chemical balance (not that those things aren’t important!). This segment of the attractions industry is growing and changing at a rapid pace, and we’re here to help you get through it and come out ahead:

Government Relations
Our team is constantly monitoring issues like waterpark safety, regulatory issues, the Virginia Graeme Baker Act, and other government relations and safety issues. The more members we have and the more facilities we represent, the stronger our voice in the legislative realm, and the more we can do to impact change. Your membership dues guarantee you have two dedicated full-time IAAPA staffers in Washington, D.C., working to protect your business interests. And we’re not just limited to federal issues; we have worked on a variety of state legislative initiatives as well. As a member, if you EVER need any support regarding a government relations issue, all you have to do is ask! Go ahead, it’s easy: gr@IAAPA.org.

News Flash
News Flash is a daily e-mail service that provides you with all the headlines from the global attractions industry. You can follow the trends as you learn about waterpark openings, closures, successes, struggles, and other situations. News Flash is an incredibly powerful tool, but you have to read it, AND use it. If you’re currently a member and don’t receive News Flash, sign up: membership@IAAPA.org. If you’re not a member and want to know more, e-mail or call me at haulakh@IAAPA.org or +1 703/836-4800.

Education
How are you going to train your staff this year? Do you have all the education resources you need? IAAPA has a whole bookstore full of training tools offered at affordable prices for members. Take a look at the First Steps or the Skill Builder series for economical training ideas that can really come in handy as you start building your staff.

And if you're looking for something FREE, we also offer an waterpark--focused education track at IAAPA Attractions Expo that is completely free for members. If you have ideas about what you would like these sessions to cover, let us know now (again, just shoot me an e-mail haulakh@IAAPA.org); we are just starting to work on the sessions for 2009.

Communications
Did you know that if you had an issue at your facility and needed help with the press, IAAPA’s staff provides you with FREE crisis communications support? That alone is worth the price of admission (or membership!). Just call the IAAPA offices and we will put you in touch with all the right people.

Now it's your turn. Let me know what you think and if there is anything else that IAAPA can do to help support you. My e-mail is haulakh@IAAPA.org and I look forward to hearing from you.

More Good News: Cedar Fair's 2008

In this economy, I'll take good news wherever I can get it. And this is great news: On Tuesday, Cedar Fair Entertainment Company, owner/operator of 11 amusement parks and six waterparks in North America, announced its overall attendance for 2008 was 22.7 million visitors, up 3 percent over 2007.

This is very encouraging to me, considering our industry first faced $4-plus gas here in the United States over the summer, then an economic crisis in the fall the likes of which hasn't been seen in decades. And let's not forget—2007 was a good year for the business, so going above and beyond in 2008 despite external market forces is particularly heartening.

You can read Cedar Fair's press release here, but in it CEO Dick Kinzel said:

"Overall, we are pleased to have achieved increases in year-over-year attendance in such a challenging consumer market. … We believe families chose to stay closer to home this summer, and we were successful in positioning our parks as an affordable alternative to the weeklong, out-of-town, family vacation. It is likely that many of the difficult market conditions we faced in 2008 will be present throughout 2009, and we believe we are well positioned to meet these challenges."

Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Souvenir and Redemption Safety Update

Did you see the op-ed on toy safety in this morning's Wall Street Journal? It looks like the national media is catching on to what our industry has been talking about for months now: what is going to happen to all of the plush, toys, t-shirts, and other souvenirs that are commonplace at IAAPA member facilities come Feb. 10 when the CPSIA takes effect? Will members be able to absorb the financial loss? Will there be enough new supply on the marketplace to restock the shelves in our gift shops and redemption counters?

Safety is the number-one priority in the industry, but testing procedures outlined in the Consumer Product Safety Improvements Act are costly and time-consuming and of questionable necessity. For example, because some inks contain lead, children's books, or books sold in children's stores must be tested and certified to have legal amounts of lead.

On Friday, Jan. 16, at 1 p.m. EST, industry veterans Manny Grace and Tod Cole of The Walt Disney Company will lead a webinar about the new U.S. toy safety requirements and their impact on the attractions industry.

Participants will learn how to comply with these new requirements and specifics regarding lead content levels, phthalates, certification, and third-party testing. There will also be an opportunity for questions and answers. If you have souvenirs or redemption prizes at your facility, or are selling these products to facilities in the U.S., you will not want to miss this event!

The webinar is free, but you must pre-register. For more information on the new requirements, please see our previous post on the CPSIA.

Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Good News from Galveston

For those who may have missed it in Monday's IAAPA News Flash, there was an article in this weekend's Galveston County Daily News about refurbishment efforts at Schlitterbahn Galveston Island Waterpark.

As I posted last fall, that area in southeastern Texas was hit hard by Hurricane Ike, but it seems things have started to return to normal as far as IAAPA members go.

“We’re feverishly cleaning up and will definitely be opening right around spring break,” Schlitterbahn spokesman Jeffrey Siebert told the Daily News. “We are coming back bigger and stronger; the park should look brand new when it reopens.”

Also from the Daily News report (to read the entire story, click here):

Hurricane Ike, which struck Sept. 13, didn’t do much harm to the park’s slides and amusement rides, Siebert said. The rides were tested and are structurally fine, Siebert said.

But storm surge left yellow inner tubes in trees and generally made a mess. Office buildings and warehouses that most visitors never see sustained most of the storm damage, Siebert said. The admissions booths and retail shops also took a hit from the surge, he said.


News also appears good at Kemah Boardwalk along the Gulf Coast, which was devastated by the hurricane. According to the mixed-use attraction's web site, its wooden roller coaster, "Boardwalk Bullet," is running again, and nearly a dozen restaurants are back in service.

My congrats to both these IAAPA members for being able to reopen so soon after such a terrible event. Happy new year, indeed.

Friday, January 9, 2009

Can Jack Bauer Save … ‘24’? Some IAAPA Fans Want to Know

Today I’m taking a moment to step outside our regular In the Queue programming to let you get to know a few IAAPA employees a little better.

Over the past several years, I’ve been recruiting members into an unofficial fan club dubbed CTU: IAAPA. “CTU” is short for “Counter Terrorist Unit,” which is the fictional agency featured on the television show “24,” featuring Kiefer Sutherland as government super-agent Jack Bauer. I started watching the action-packed series back in 2005, shortly after I arrived at IAAPA, and if there’s one thing my colleagues know about me, it’s this: If I love something, I will not shut up about it.

So as I began spouting my appreciation (obsession?) for “24” all around the office, two things happened:

1. A few people asked to borrow my DVDs so they could find out for themselves if my gushing was justified (they quickly realized I was right, naturally).
2. I discovered several colleagues share my love and devotion for the show.

There are seven of us now in CTU: IAAPA (that I know of—some may still be undercover), but our little fan organization has been dormant for nearly two years, since “24” didn’t air in 2008 due to the writer’s strike in Hollywood.

The show returns this Sunday and Monday in a two-day, four-hour premiere extravaganza, which means we’ll be glued to our TV screens. This year's run is extra special because much of the drama is set in Washington, D.C.; I actually saw some of the production trucks when they were filming in Georgetown way back in November 2007. Trouble is, the last season was without question just … bad, so the series is in need of some serious new focus and energy. I’m cautiously optimistic, but definitely concerned now that co-creator Joel Surnow has left the show. If this season isn't any better than last, this could be my last season as director of CTU: IAAPA. As anyone who watches the show knows, no one in leadership stays around that long, anyway!

We’ll certainly be discussing “24” around the office next week, so if there are other fans out there in the attractions industry, feel free to let us know what you thought in the comments section.

Tuesday, January 6, 2009

We're Back!

Yes, the IAAPA office is hustling and bustling once again as we all jump back in to all the various projects on tap for association members in 2009 (wow, it feels a little weird to type that number—where has this decade gone?).

A quick update on just some of the stuff going on around here:

—The convention department is looking forward to Space Allocation Meeting 2009 in Las Vegas in March. I'll be live-blogging once again, keeping tabs on the fast-paced action as booths are assigned for the association's first IAAPA Attractions Expo in Vegas.

—The folks in membership and marketing are concentrating on the debut of our new annual event, IAAPA Connections, which will be at Atlantis in the Bahamas next month.

—The education department is gearing up for next month's IAAPA Institute for Executive Education at The Wharton School. Oh, and if you can believe it, the call for presentations is already open for IAAPA Attractions Expo 2009.

—The government relations department is monitoring goings-on on Capitol Hill, as the United States Congress returned to work today with the swearing in of all the newly elected officials.

—Our office in Europe continues to plan for Euro Attractions Show 2009 this fall in Amsterdam, and is also on the lookout for a new program manager.

—And here in communications, we're finalizing the February issue of FUNWORLD, which is going to feature a special section unlike anything the magazine's ever done—at least in the four years I've been here, anyway. But more on that in a little while.

So, yeah, things are hopping around here. Be sure to keep an eye on In the Queue as well as IAAPA.org throughout 2009 for the all the latest info.