Those Darn Cats Strike Again!

It’s come to my attention that there are a couple people out there who miss hearing Those Darn Cats on the MouseGuest Weekly podcast. I suppose there’s no accounting for taste, right?

So . . . Lisa and I happened to have a few unreleased TDC episodes sitting around on the shelf, and we’re planning to release them over the coming weeks. Lisa just posted the first one today, on the topic of where Disney should put its 12th theme park (not where they will, mind you . . . just where we think they should). You can download the MP3 directly, or use our RSS feed to subscribe, so you’ll automatically get the other episodes when they’re released.

We’re also still in the planning stages of something larger, so if there’s anything in particular you’d like to hear from a Those Darn Cats podcast, please leave a comment here or drop me a note. Whatever we eventually put together, rest assured that it will be random, silly, irreverent, fashion-forward, and occasionally veer unpredictably into PG-13 territory.

Those Darn Cats Go Freelance

Being a part of the MouseGuest Weekly podcast has been fabulous! But the time has come for Those Darn Cats to move along. Lisa and I are not quite sure right now what comes next for us, or whether we’ll eventually come back to the show.

We’ve really enjoyed participating in the online Disney fan community this way, so we’ll be exploring various possibilities in podcasting. We might even start up our own show . . . which feels like a bizarre idea given how many fabulous Disney podcasts are already out there, but hey, if you’ve listened to any of our segments you know we’re pretty bizarre sometimes anyway, with our own particular blend of chaotic, feline, sometimes cranky, pixie dust. We’ve set up a new blog where we’ll announce any appearances we might eventually make on other Disney podcasts, and we may well also post a few Those Darn Cats segments that didn’t make it to the interweb yet.

I’d like to thank Eric (of MouseGuest) for giving us our first podcasting home (and our moniker), and Dan (of MouseGuest and Venis Productions) for the wonderful logo, as well as the banner image for our new blog. I’d also like to thank everybody who’s listened to Those Darn Cats, especially the kind and supportive members of the Those Darn Cats fan club!

If you’ve enjoyed our segments, I’m Kitty-chan, and you’ve been listening to Those Darn Cats. If not, my name is Stupid Judy, and this has been Universe of Energy. Over and out!

Shameless Plug: MGW Podcast on YOMD

Today’s MouseGuest Weekly Podcast features a segment my BFF Lisa and I recorded live this week with Dan and Eric, commenting at length on various criticisms we’ve heard of the Year of a Million Dreams. Per usual we also take a few tangents, like poking a bit of fun at other Disney podcasters, and taking inventory of my Pal Mickey’s rapidly-expanding custom wardrobe.

Racial Profiling at Downtown Disney?

Disney’s been ramping up security at Downtown Disney, in the wake of an alleged (but highly doubted) abduction. (They say that’s not why they’re ramping up . . . but I’d be surprised if this event and the national attention it received hadn’t influenced priorities.)

What worries me though . . . is that the Orlando Sentinel reports today concerns that Disney Security may be disproportionately handing out warnings to teenagers of color:

Out of the 50 warnings issued last weekend, the Sheriff’s Office was able to find only 40 of the reports. Warnings were issued to 20 young Hispanic males, 19 young black males and one young black female.

None came from Orange County, the location of Downtown Disney. Eleven were from Osceola County, 11 from Lake County, 11 from Polk County, five from Georgia and one each from Arizona, Texas and an unreported location.

One of the teens told never to come back asked why no whites were among those warned about trespassing.

“A whole bunch of white boys walked by yelling and stuff, and they didn’t do nothing to them,” said Michael Washington, 16, of Polk City.

Let’s hope that Disney sets things right quickly. Racial profiling isn’t just unfair, it’s also ineffective. Need to understand the issues better? ACLU’s got the scoop for you.