Guido: But I was told not to take candy from strangers...

Happy Chinese New Year, everyone!

Hey guys, I found an alternative way to upload the images, so I'll start my travel blog... NOW!

After resting in Beijing for a few days, I flew to Shanghai to visit the world expo. After the painful plane ride, (Never riding an Airbus A320 again) I got the ride the maglev. http://y06.img-up.net/?up=IMG_0016158i8x.jpg
It actually didn't feel that much different from a regular train, but it was really fast. (Note the strange tracks)

After dropping off the baggage at the hotel, my mom and I went to the expo. First, we visited the CSSC pavillion. This design was supposed to look like a dockyard, and it was really authentic.
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The line was really long, and we waited about one hour, but it was worth it.
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They had a bunch of cool ship models. For a guy into machinery, like me, these are really interesting. Due to the slow uploading speed, I can only upload a few.
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This is supposed to be some "farm" ship.
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more ships
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my favorite--some sort of satellite control ship

Then, I visited a Earthquake simulation. Sorry, no photos.

Then, I visited the Shanghai Volkswagen pavilion
http://p85.img-up.net/?up=IMG_004015pn28.jpg
They had a really cool video about the cars of the future. They drive themselves and don't need humans. They're easy to store, and they never collide. I actually don't remember that much, but it was a really awesome video.
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concept car

At night, I visited the China Aviation Pavaillion
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It was late, so I really didn't get to watch the movie. They had a bunch of model planes. For military plane enthusiasts like me, F-14 Ace, and F-22 Ace, this was paradise. They also sold models, but there were no American planes.

And this concludes my visit on the first day. I'll be uploading the other pics later.

I can't believe that there hasn't been a topic on this yet. It's gonna start soon, and I'm sure that I won't be the only one watching.

What are your expectations and predictions?

Hey, guys,

As some of you might know, I'm working on a LBT fanfic involving time traveling, and I was wondering if any of you guys have any speculation regarding the location of the Great Valley.

For me, I believe that the Great Valley is really just Ashley Valley, in Uintah County, Utah. Like the Great Valley, Ashley Valley is a lush green valley surrounded by mountains. There are three (and before human intervention, five) waterways running through it, and there are two big lakes. The Ashely Valley also contains the nearby villages of Vernal, Jensen, and Maeser. There are at least three state parks in the region, and the National Dinosaur Monument is nearby. According to fossil records, this place was home to many dinosaurs in the Jurassic and early Cretaceous period. Because most of the species in LBT can be found in the Southwestern United States, this is one of the most likely candidates for the location of the Great Valley. Secondly, this valley, in the early Cretaceous period, the Western Interior Seaway would have been close by. This could be the "Big Water." Also, the place seems like a place where it would be reasonable to receive snow sometimes, but no all the time.

Also, the size of the valley seems reasonable for the population. It is also surrounded by mountains (Uintah Mountains, Split Mountain, etc). Although there are some "oases" in the surrounding areas, most of the surrounding area is pretty dry. Here's a pic of the valley. Notice the large river at the right and the lake in the upper left corner.


It also struck me how a lot of the locations actually resemble LBT locations. Take a look at the following picture:



and compare it to this one:


(btw: Thanks Malte for the above pic)

If you look carefully, they sort of resemble each other. If you look to the right side of the first pic, you can see a river. If the distance, you can see a waterfall.

Here's another pic:


I'll explain:
1: Real-life picture of Ashley valley. It's nothing short of magnificent.
2: Picture form Google Earth. It looks like a beautiful place to live.
3: In the nearby town of Vernal, dinosaurs are celebrated figures, as shown by this sign.
4: The National Dinosaur Monument is located not far away from the valley and is a popular tourist destination.

Anyways, the above are just my thoughts . Feel free to voice the possible locations of the Great Valley in the responses. I do not believe that the two places actually called "The Great Valley" in NY and PA are likely candidates. I live in the "Great Valley" in PA. Although it is a beautiful place to live, there are just way too many trees and not enough rivers

Hey guys, I'm trying to make a new fanfic right now. Can you tell me what you think?

Short description: When a US Navy experiment goes horribly wrong, the Great Valley finds itself visited by strange creatures who plummet the valley into a war like no other.

Plot summary:

During the infamous Project Rainbow, the USS Eldridge is sent to the Bermuda Triangle to test out new breakthrough version of the Unified Field Theory, which states that an object can form its own space-time continuum using electromagnetic radiation and gravity. However, when the experiment goes horribly wrong, the ship creates a time tunnel in the middle of the Bermuda triangle. The time tunnel, in its own space-time continuum, randomly travel to different time periods, causing the disappearance of Flight 19 and the USS Cyclops. The experiment is kept secret by the US government and is kept top-secret.

Meanwhile in the Great Valley, the Gang of Seven finds a wreck of a PT boat as well as a DC-3 in the secret caverns. They keep it as a form a "clubhouse". However, when the famous TBF Avengers of Flight 19 enters the valley, Littlefoot believes that this is a sign of more things to come.

In 2016, a nuclear exchange between Israel and Arabs countries of the Middle East rockets the price of oil to 900 dollars a barrel. With world-wide fuel shortages, the US and UN is forced to consider drilling in prehistoric earth. Ships are then secretly sent to the Bermuda Triangle, sent to the past, and unload "green" oil-drilling equipment. However, when a Cuban vessel also discovers the time tunnel, Cuba, along with Communist North Korea, also send vessels to drill for oil. The stage for war is set.

When the Americans and UN soldiers first arrive in the Great Valley, they are friendly and respectful towards the dinosaurs, helping them fight off disease while taking good care of the land. However, when the communists strip-mine most of the Mysterious Beyond, they target the Great Valley. The Great Valley and its inhabitants and plunged into a war like no other.

Yes, I know that it's not the most original story, but I was just wondering if you guys had any suggestions or comments. Constructive criticism is appreciated, but praise is prefered.

However, please note that this is largely a techno-thriller, not a war fanfic.