With the offseason winding down, Spring Training starting up, and baseball just around the corner, I think it’s time we talk about a very important issue that’s been on my mind the last couple of days. It’s something that involved a hearty amount of research, a giant serving of statistical analysis, and a pinch of the good ol’ fashioned eye test. It’s my greatest pleasure to bring baseball my findings, titled:
 
Which MLB Team Namesakes I Could Beat Up.
 
The rules are simple and laid out as follows:

1. The winner of the fight will be determined by whoever beats up the other more. This can be determined by submission, KO, or just an executive decision in who’s been beat up more, in the case that a fight winner can’t be determined.
2. Fighters will not be restricted on their tactics during the fight.
3. Each fight is 1-on-1.
4. The hypothetical arena for these hypothetical fights is a classic fighting spot: The back alley behind a bar. It’s nighttime, but the fighting area is well lit by neon signs from the bar and streetlights from just down the alley. The ground is somewhat damp, with a few puddles. There is also a 30 foot circle of drunk bystanders cheering us on.
5. Combatants are willing to fight and will not immediately flee (though there’s no guarantee I won’t).
6. In situations where I wasn’t sure how a team got its name or what exactly it referred to, I used Team Name Origins to make an informed judgement.

The stats on me: I’m a 24-year old male, 5’10” (5’11” on a good day), clocking in at around 165 pounds, with a 72” reach (that I measured myself when I was home alone).
Finally, I’m just trying to have some fun with this and by no means want to fight any of you. It’s not my fault I could beat up the thing your team is named after. Don’t like it? Change your team name.
Without further ado, let us begin.
 
Arizona Diamondbacks: We’re going to assume the fight would be against a Western diamondback rattlesnake as the team is based in Arizona. Wikipedia tells me that they’re far less venomous than other rattlesnakes, but due to their large venom glands can deliver between 250-350 mg of venom, with a maximum of 700–800 mg, per bite. That sounds like a lot. But, I’m confident that, even if it bit me, I could still kick it or something at least once or twice while its fangs were pumping venom into me before completely succumbing to shock. And with a diamondback having a small body, I think that I could beat it up enough to qualify. That thing’s gonna be bruised at least.
VERDICT: I could beat up a diamondback, though I would most definitely be killed by its venom after the fight (still counts as a beat up, though).
 
Atlanta Braves: The namesake “Braves” comes from James Gaffney’s association with Tammany Hall, a NYC political machine, that used a Native American chief as their symbol. I don’t like the thought of beating up a Native American chief, as most of the chiefs I’ve found online look to be very old, so instead I’m going to beat up a New York politician from 1912 who probably deserves it.
VERDICT: I could beat up a brave.
 
Baltimore Orioles: I could most definitely beat up an oriole. Its 12.6” (at most) wingspan is at a massive disadvantage to my 72” reach. It may have speed, but I’ve got the brute force that could overpower the bird seeing as it’s only 1.19 oz on average.
VERDICT: I could beat up an oriole.
 
Boston Red Sox: A pair of red socks are no match for me, seeing as I’m a sentient being and they are a pair of socks dyed red. Now, of course, one might question how I can determine “beating up” a pair of socks but, trust me, it’s possible.
VERDICT: I could beat up a pair of red socks.
 
Chicago White Sox: One would think the same logic of red socks applies to white socks, but this is where things get tricky. White socks are notoriously sturdy and would require a great deal more effort on my part to successfully beat up. But, by utilizing the teaching of Sun Tzu and keeping my plans dark and impenetrable as night, then falling like a thunderbolt, I could gain the upper hand.
VERDICT: I could beat up a pair of white socks.
 
Chicago Cubs: It’s hard to lock down exactly what kind of bear the Cubs are as wild bears have been nonexistent in Illinois for some time. Throughout the team’s history, they’ve had a black bear, a brown bear, and even a guy in a polar bear costume represent the team. So, based off their current mascot and logos, it felt safe to assume I’d be fighting a brown bear cub. Also, since a cub is generally referred to as a “yearling” after 1 year of age, the cub would be less than 1 year old. Seeing as a cub less than 1 year of age is less than 80 pounds, I think I could handle myself.
VERDICT: I could beat up a cub, but it would make me really sad to beat up a baby animal, so emotionally I think I’d be beating myself up after.
 
Cincinnati Reds: If there’s one thing living in the grand ol’ USofA has taught me, it’s that this town ain’t big enough for me and some no good Commie scum. That being said, I’m fairly certain I’d get the shit kicked outta me by a Communist from Russia, which I’m assuming this is. Alternatively, if we go back in history to look at where the name “Reds” comes from, then I’m fighting a pair of disembodied red legs which sounds incredibly scary and also like they can kick really well. I think I lose either way.
VERDICT: I could not beat up a red (Communist or legs).
 
Cleveland Indians: Yeah I'd lose this fight. Just gonna leave it there.
VERDICT: I could not beat up an indian.
 
Colorado Rockies: Considering the team is named after some mountains I don’t think I could beat them up. But, I don’t know how a mountain range would get to or fit inside the fighting area I’ve established, so I’m going to say I’d win this fight on a technicality. But also I lose because it’s a mountain and I can’t beat up a mountain.
VERDICT: I could not beat up a Rocky (Mountain), but I can claim I won the fight on account of them not even showing up. Cowards.
 
Detroit Tigers: It’s a tiger. I lose.
VERDICT: I could not beat up a tiger.
 
Houston Astros: The average age of an astronaut is 34. Considering one must be in peak physical and mental condition to shoot themself into space I don’t think I stand much of a chance against an astro. On top of that, I’d be severely outmatched when the astro’s friends start banging on the dumpster in the alley, letting them know what kind of attack is coming next.
VERDICT: I could not beat up an astro.
 
Kansas City Royals: The most famous royal, Queen Elizabeth II, is 93 years old (and will be 94 in a few months). While I’m sure she’s a scrappy fighter, in a 1-on-1 fight I like my chances against that old bag. Sorry England, hope you enjoy the Cubs/Cardinals series this year.
VERDICT: I could beat up the most famous royal, Queen Elizabeth II.
 
Los Angeles Angels: Fighting an angel would be no small feat. With their giant wings, occasional swords, killer vocals, shiny halos, and proficiency at fighting devils, an angel is a stacked opponent. Of course, I could look to Jacob’s example of how he wrestled one, but let’s be real, I’m no Jacob. Also, I don’t want to piss off the big man upstairs by beating up one of his employees, so I think I’m gonna take the fall on this one.
VERDICT: I could not beat up an angel.
 
Los Angeles Dodgers: A dodger, by definition, would be very difficult to fight as landing hits would be quite the challenge. That being said, one could also assume that their only move is dodging, not attacking. I think that, with enough time and effort, I could eventually land a few good hits on a dodger since they’re not hitting me back.
VERDICT: I could, eventually, beat up a dodger.
 
Miami Marlins: Considering the rules for where the fight happens, it feels a bit unfair for a marlin. But, also considering that an Atlantic blue marlin can weigh over 1800 pounds, I still don’t think I could beat one up, even if it was flopping around on the ground.
VERDICT: I could not beat up a marlin.
 
Milwaukee Brewers: When I think of a brewer I think of 1 of 2 people. Either a surly, gruff person, with immense upper body strength for stirring the beer (or whatever they do, I’m not sure on the specifics) or a hipster micro-brewer that just wants to talk about why IPAs are better than Pilsners. As much as I’d like to fight the latter, with the Brewers being named after beer makers like Pabst, Miller, and Schlitz in the Milwaukee area, it only feels fair to fight the former.
VERDICT: I could not beat up a brewer. Maybe if they were drunk, though.
 
Minnesota Twins: The Twins are named after the Twin Cities, which I can’t really fight. So if I go with human twins it makes more sense. But where this gets difficult is determining the age/physical makeup of the twins I’m fighting. So, to avoid having to create a long list of hypothetical fights, I’d be fighting my own twin (that was created especially for this fight). In that case, I’m sure my twin would let me beat them up so I can look good for a bunch of people on Reddit.
VERDICT: I could beat up a twin (of myself, given the circumstances).
 
New York Yankees: A yankee is a term for someone who lives in the US, so if I’m fighting a random person who lives in the US I need to determine the odds of who I might be fighting. A 2018 Population Distribution by Age graph says 24% of the population is children aged 0-18 (which I feel like I could beat up) and 29% of the population is adults aged 55+ (which I also feel like I could beat up). Together, that gives me a 53% chance of fighting a child or older American. In that case, I think I could beat them up. In the case they’re one of the other 47% aged 19-54, I still think I could get a few licks in.
VERDICT: I could (probably) beat up a yankee, if the coin flip goes my way.
 
New York Mets: Since the Mets name comes from the word metropolitan, which means a city, I don’t think I have much of a chance. Although, a quick Google search also lists the noun “metropolitan” as meaning “a bishop having authority over the bishops of a province, in particular (in Orthodox Churches) one ranking above archbishop and below patriarch.” which I definitely think I could beat up. Not that it matters, though, since the team isn’t named after a bishop, but I just wanted it out there.
VERDICT: I could not beat up a met.
 
Oakland Athletics: I do not consider myself athletic. An athletic person would definitely beat me up.
VERDICT: I could not beat up an athletic.
 
Philadelphia Phillies: To be honest, I’m not even really sure what a philly (phillie?) is. Is it the city of Philadelphia? A person from Philadelphia? That green mascot who’s always causing mayhem? A sandwich? A name that means “Horse Lover” (according to Google)? Either way, it feels impossible to fight something when I don’t even know what that something is. Philadelphia, fix your damn team name.
VERDICT: I could not beat up a philly, but not for lack of trying.
 
Pittsburgh Pirates: If I’m fighting a modern day pirate, I don’t like my odds. Now, if it’s a Pirate of the Caribbean variety, I may have a chance if I use modern day technology to dazzle the pirate while I get ‘em with a 1-2 combo. Even then, the minute hook hands and peg legs start flying I’m most likely getting beat up.
VERDICT: I could not beat up a pirate.
 
San Diego Padres: I think I could beat up my dad, but I won’t know for sure until he gets back from going out to buy milk. He should be back any day.
VERDICT: I could beat up a padre, if mine ever came home.
 
San Francisco Giants: A giant would squish me. Simple as that.
VERDICT: I could not beat up a giant.
 
Seattle Mariners: I am positive I’d be no match for a sailor. Another easy beatdown for my opponent.
VERDICT: I could not beat up a mariner.
 
St. Louis Cardinals: While cardinals tend to be slightly bigger than orioles, weighing in at around 1.58 oz on average, I still think a cardinal is no match for me. Its beak could surely cause me some damage, but at the end of the day, all I need is one good hit and that bird has been successfully beat up.
VERDICT: I could beat up a cardinal.
 
Tampa Bay Rays: I think I had a pretty good chance of winning this fight when the name referred to a devil ray (or a manta ray, like the patch on the jerseys), seeing as it’d be another fish out of water situation (you Florida teams and your ill-equipped land combatants). But, now that the name refers to rays of sun, I don’t stand a chance. I get burned if I’m outside in the sun for 20 minutes without sunscreen, so I don’t see how I could hope to win when the sun’s rays are going out of their way to cause me harm. Also, if the sun had to come close enough to Earth to get inside the fighting area it would destroy all life on Earth, and I don’t want that on my conscience. So I’ll concede this fight.
VERDICT: I could not beat up a ray (of sun), but I could beat up a ray (of devil (on land)).
 
Texas Rangers: I don’t think there’s a single thing named ranger I could beat up. Texas Ranger? Nope. Army Ranger? Nuh-uh. Walker, Texas Ranger? Not a chance. Ford Ranger? Maybe a dent when it runs me over. Power Ranger? It’s Mighty Morphin' Kickin’ My Ass Time!
VERDICT: I could not beat up a ranger, of any variety.
 
Toronto Blue Jays: Another damn bird? Yes. I could beat up a blue jay. Sure, blue jays can weigh up to 3.5 oz, with a 17” wingspan, but I still don’t think I have anything to worry about.
VERDICT: I could beat up a blue jay.
 
Washington Nationals: A national is a citizen of a country, so this is a major toss up. I guess since I claimed I could beat up a random yankee, based on the odds I should do the same here. But also, I’ve been working on this a while and this is the last one so I don’t want to hunt down all the statistics for the world’s age distribution. So I’ll just say that I could, because odds are no one even read this far anyway.
VERDICT: I could beat up a national.
 
In closing, I think I could beat up about half of Major League Baseball’s team namesakes. I’m using the odds to my advantage for some of them, of course, but sometimes you’ve just gotta bet on yourself. I’ve rounded up some of the final stats below:
 
Namesakes I Could Beat Up: 14
Namesakes I Could Not Beat Up: 16
Most Beat Up-able Division: American League East, with 4.
Least Beat Up-able Division: American League West, with 0.
Easiest Fight: White or red socks.
Hardest Fight: Physically, either a Rocky Mountain or met. Emotionally, a baby bear cub.
Edit: Fixed formatting.

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The long journey from grand casino halls to smartphone mobile apps — let us recount the treacherous path that online gambling ventured and conquered, leading to the technological advancement innovations brought by blockchain technology and crypto-economy.
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Image from Shutterstock
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Technology and internet in general have changed the way we live our lives drastically. Several technological advancement and widespread internet access enable us to do almost everything digitally. Online gambling industry as a part of the entertainment industry wasn’t spared in the sweeping development brought to us by these technological innovations. Due to these technological advances, online gambling is now one of the most profitable and popular industries since 1990s. It can be found almost everywhere in the world, with a wide range of variety, particularly in the countries of New Zealand and The Netherlands.
Surely, online gambling isn’t as old as the hills, but definitely its history is something worth knowing.
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The Birth of Online Gambling

Since the passing of the Free Trade and Processing Act in Antigua and Barbuda in 1994, the online gambling continues to flourish and allowed several companies to be granted license if they wanted to provide online casino services. It was the Caribbean government that first legalized and regulated online gaming. Also, in 1994, a UK company named Microgaming developed and launched its first online casino. It was a momentous event in the development of the online gambling industry and this company still exists today.
CryptoLogic was launched in 1995 and became a significant innovation especially with online money transfers with its fast and safer process. CyptoLogic also launched InterCasino, one of the oldest online casinos that still exists at present. Also, in 1995, Microgaming released its online version of the traditional games such as blackjack, poker, and roulette. NetEnt, a neophyte in the online gambling industry back then, launched its own online games and proved itself to be one of the best and most innovative providers even until today.
From all the widespread development of online gambling throughout the years, online gambling companies all over the world continue to provide eSports, sports betting, novelty betting, in-play betting, bingo, horse racing betting, slots, blackjack, roulette, baccarat, poker in its all forms and other games in the same structure. In short, online gambling became very popular and in 1996, there were 15 gambling websites that became 200 in the following year. In 1998, Planet Poker introduced Texas Hold’Em, making online gambling more accessible to people of the internet.
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Legalization: A Bump Down the Road…

Despite the popularity and advancement of online gambling, it reached a low point in 1999 when The Internet Gambling Prohibition Act was approved. The act meant to illegalize any kind of offering of online gambling product to a U.S. citizen. However, this act did not pass and in the same year, a multiplayer online game was introduced so gamers could gamble and chat with each other at the same time.
The struggle continued in year 2000 as the Australian Federal Government passed the Interactive Gambling Moratorium Act banning all unlicensed online casinos existent before May 2000. This happening paved way to several legislations and lawsuits all across the globe. However, that didn’t stop the massive number of online players to continue to grow up to 8 million in year 2001. Online gambling companies’ stocks also continued to rise and reached the value of $4.5 billion in 2002. In 2003, to further regulate online gambling, eCOGRA was established in United Kingdom. eCOGRA was meant to specialize in the certification of online gaming software and systems.
To further the battle on legalization of online gambling industries, the U.S. government pursued national broadcasters and media outlets to ban advertisements for online gambling for they could be illegal. However, Antigua claimed that this could be a violation of the free trade agreement signed in 1994. These seemingly never ending hindrances in online gambling didn’t stop its spread around the world. In September 2006, there were approximately 2,600 online casinos all across the globe.
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What the Future Holds

The effects of technological advancement in our lives is truly undeniable. In the world of online gambling, technological innovation didn’t only make it easy and convenient but it paved the way for its progress and popularity it possess. Despite several acts and positive laws to make online gambling safer, many aspects of it are starting to change.
With more positive laws and regulations leaning towards online gambling, Juniper Research estimated that online gambling market will outstretch up to $1 trillion in 2021, citing mobile phones as a major factor in this development.
Surely, these technological advances is just a start of what could be unimaginable several years ago, especially in the world of online gambling. We could probably expect a more realistic and high-quality games enabled by VR technologies and solid security. Moreover, we could also expect a worldwide span of its legalization so as to take online gambling to new levels.
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The Next Generation of Online Gambling

Since the invention of Bitcoin in 2008, the nascent blockchain technology has opened the doors to a truly decentralized online ecosystem and it has found its way into countless industries and real-world economies. The uncontested decentralization, transparency and security brought by cryptography and P2P connections bring new solutions into industries that the traditional real-world systems could not resolve.
With this in mind, Faireum wishes to bring these solutions into the online gambling world in order to give players and proprietors alike a fair and value-for-value experience with transparent game logic, a transformed and just business model, and open-source DApp development kits. Investors and coin holders alike can also partake in the ecosystem despite not having participated in online gambling itself with this perfect amalgamation of crypto and online gambling, making gambling more than just a game of chance, but also an opportunity of choice… click here to learn more about this game-changing technology.

Horse Racing has been my favourite sport since I was 4. I’ve always wanted to attend the KD but never thought I would ever actually get there.
Turns out, that I can actually get there this year by tweaking my itinerary prior to a Caribbean cruise.
The General Admission tickets seem very well priced at $45, so here come the questions...
As it’s just going to be myself and my wife, what’s it like in the GA area? Can we get a seat on the lawn? See the track? Get a drink and have a bet without too much fuss?
Normally over the Melbourne Spring Carnival we’d buy tickets to a marquee which has DJ’s between races and drinks included. They’re usually $400 or so. I couldn’t find something like that on offer when I looked online yesterday. Is that a thing at American racetracks?
Any and all advice greatly received.
Cheers.

Hey all, as mentioned the other day the power rankings are coming back online. With a bigger, better BR we have had to make bigger, better power rankings to match them. So I am joined by a dream team of expert users comprised of nevikcrn, lunatic49, animanimus, andy0132, minnesotamiller, forgodandthequeen, kingeggbert, and 5566y. The nine of us created our own personal rankings which were then averaged out to give you the power rankings as we see them at the game's start. The descriptions that follow were all written by one or the other of the nine of us in roughly equal measure. animanimus will also be posting some supplemental information in the comments below. Enjoy and please discuss!
We're over the text limit so the list will be continued in the comments

Rank	Civ	Change	Description
1	Australia	N/A	One of the winners of the last Battle, thanks in most part to a good location. As a civilization, Australia is almost entirely based around tourism, something of little importance this round. In previous AI games, Parkes has shown a penchant for turtling, with various levels of success. In the Battle Royale, he showed the true power of the turtle, by building up an immense military before striking against Indonesia. In the Colonialist Legacies game, he tried to turtle but never reached critical mass and was swiftly destroyed. But with Kimberley a stone's throw away, he can't afford to throw any shrimp on the barbie just yet. And he surely cannot hope for the easy success demonstrated last time. We shall all be waiting with bated breath for the return of the Tpangenning.
2	Inuit	N/A	Inuit-still-ready-to-win-you-it. The beloved boreal bros of the deep north are back again and ranking second in these inaugural rankings. The Inuit look to be able to repeat their strong performance from last time, still protected from invasion by some of the most daunting landscapes on the map and still receiving hefty bonuses for living in those very same frozen shit-holes. Part of the White Walker's favorable ranking comes from the relative lack of new competition for them. The Blackfoot have been added to the south, yes, but the high Yukon Mountains protect the Inuit prospects for expansion and defense and the civ still looks likely to grab some of eastern Siberia before the new Yakuts gobble it all up. Nothing is guaranteed in the bigger, better Battle Royale Mk II, but believe me, brother, cold winds are rising.
3	China	N/A	All praise his holiness, the savior of China, Chairman Mao Zedong. Mao looks prove to everybody why Communism is the best and Imperial China is the worst by improving on the Qin Empire's weak performance in the last BR. And with a plenty of room to expand south, he looks like he will. His uniques are very, well, unique. They combine culture and war into one so Mao can generate tons of culture just by maintaining a large army and constantly invading other empires. Can China under Mao take the Great Leap Forward from the Qin Empire and come to dominate East Asia? We certainly think so.
4	Boers	N/A	The Boers civilization has had great success in AI matches. While their UA may encourage more peaceful forms of victory ( +1 movement for workers, settlers and GP) Kruger's personality and expansive tendencies may just help him dominate all of South Africa. That is course if you don't factor in the clear danger the neighboring Zulu's present who, as we all know, are a dangerous neighbor. One cannot forget the original BR in which Mr. Kruger was readying the world for Draka Domination after humiliating the Zulus in a spat of wars, however that does not guarantee them the same result again. So in short The Boers are heavily favored in Africa to take the world's largest continent not named Asia because of their few nearby enemies and complete demolition of the Zulus in BR Mk I that led to Kruger controlling the largest land area of any civ.
5	USSR	N/A	The sleeping bear is back and should be just as strong as ever. After conferring with our hidden agents deep in Moscow, it has been confirmed that most of the vodka has been stashed away, and should help keep everything from becoming a repeat of the blackout bender that was Mark I. Bonuses to fighting within itself leads to aggressive expansion, and in a continent with little room to grow, the aggressors will have the advantage. Stalin will have to survive a long time to make use of its UU but overall the USSR is looking to be a contender throughout the series. Our rankings reflect that optimism
6	Canada	N/A	Canada, throughout Civ AI battles, has been in something of a conundrum. It appears to show both equal parts overwhelming success against its enemies, (Fan Favorites AI match, mini BR, CL AI battle, Battle Royale Mk1), holding out or winning wars where the enemy have advantages both large and small, yet in the same breath seems utterly incompetent (CL AI battle, Battle Royale Mk1). Their UA will give them massive diplomatic leverage, which will prove to be quite helpful, and their UGP will only add to this. As for their UU, it will make an excellent unit in the cramped quarters of the BR Mk2, in which Canada can easily fire at enemies (with their UU) from their own forts (in which they gain double strength).
7	Yakutia	N/A	The Yakutia have a UA that is geared quite well toward war, with their recent performance in the (YA) Russia Battle Royale showing that they can indeed use it - and use it efficiently. Not only will special great generals coupled with increased great general production will be helpful, but their General replacement, the Toyon, can create estates, which yield high amounts of gold on camp resources - necessary for supporting a massive army. This links well with the other part of their UA, the one that gives them gold from said resources. What's more, Estates claim TWO tiles of land around them, and can be built outside of friendly lands. On a crowded, 61 civ map, land will be essential. To ensure that the Yakutia can embark upon their plunder-rich conquests, they will also receive a free Toyon (GG) at chivalry. Finally, to top off the cake, they receive (as their UU) lancers that start off with blitz, adding more functionality to an otherwise problematic unit.
8	Chile	N/A	Last Time, Chile looked like an absolute powerhouse right before the BR ended. They took Argentina out early, used their backdoor squad to invade Inca and take some of their lands, and they even took some cities from Mali to create colonies in Africa. Now they look to do the same again in the second edition of BR. This time it will be harder since Gran Colombia is no longer in the mix so the Inca and Brazil will turn their attention South earlier. But if Bernardo builds a large and powerful navy again, like he usually does, he can easily attack any civ in South America on two fronts: land and sea. The Chilean Backdoor Squad is a go!
9	Mongolia	N/A	Genghis will not enjoy the wide open spaces of the steppes he had last time, due to many rival hordes, but still has a decent amount of land to call his own. While his UA is completely useless, focusing on city states, both UU's will be important. Quickly suppressing those around him will be key to a Mongolian victory if he is not to be caught between the Red Giants of Stalin and Mao.
10	Kimberly	N/A	If the Kimberly can withstand the expansionist and aggressive tendencies of our current front runner, Australia, they will be in a very strong position to go far in this game. With their UA to promote trade between themselves and all the Indonesian islands, they will have no trouble generating revenue and happiness. The tracker UU that they get is also very good, and we will all be waiting to see if they can use them effectively in MK II. All in all, the winner of the Rumble Down Under can be considered one of the leading contenders for the crown!
11	Buccaneers	N/A	ARRRRRRR! These infamous words were spoken often and with passion in Battle Royale Mk1, and with the same room to grow (and more with Gran Columbia out) Henry Morgan looks to take his particular brand of justice back out on the high seas. The big question remains of how they can make inroads into the mainland, and only time will tell, but at least this salty dog has high hopes for a fan favorite from last season.
12	Poland	N/A	As much as we would like to put simply POLAND STRONK here we feel it's better to explain why we put this fan favorite up top in the ever-crowded European area. Number 1. Have you played as Poland? Granted this is the AI and things do no always go according to plan (see: Tpang twitch: AI test) but it is undeniable that somebody at Firaxis really likes Poland, a free social policy for every era without the cost increasing? Yes please. Number 2. Their UB is pretty gnarly if ANY pasturable (that’s a word) animal source is nearby, no MC, and extra gold to top it all off an improvement on an already pretty good building. And finally number 3. Keeping it short and simple are the OP as Winged Hussars of destruction the only downside is that Poland has to hold out for that long surrounded by the USSR and Sparta and Germany etc. In conclusion POLAND STRONK!
13	Ethiopia	N/A	Historically, throughout the history of Civ V's AI games, Ethiopia has shown itself to be a fairly strong turtle, lasting until the endgame in games such as the Mini BR, the Africa Civ AI battle. This works fairly well with its UA, which gives you a bonus to civilizations with more cities than Ethiopia, of which there will be many. Their UU emphasizes the defensive nature of their civ, getting a bonus near the capital, something that will be quite useful on a crowded, forward-settling map. Finally, their Faith production (A result of their UB) may be used to found a religion with DoTF/JW, which will significantly enhance their warmongering capabilities.
14	Brazil	N/A	Brazil is in a good spot once again. With a fairly peaceful tendency, and its programmed affinity to a culture and tourism focus, expect to see Brazil only engaging the other South American Civ's in defensive wars. If they can make the right allies in the area and consolidate good expansions expect to see Brazil as a moderate player throughout the series.
15	Zulus	N/A	The Zulu are perhaps the civ most designed for a domination match with high powered impi's, cheap unit maintenance and powerful promotions. And if they can defeat the agrarian Boers they are in a position to dominate southern Africa. With such a base to stand on, the world would surely fall. Of course, the same was true last time, and nothing has changed since then. And last time, Shaka was hounded from this mortal plane by the wrath of the Boers. If Shaka wants to do well, he has to crush Kruger quickly, before the latter's food and production bonuses can truly come into effect.
16	Mughals	N/A	The Mughals are supposed to be a culturally based civ with a UA that provides extra culture and production during Golden Ages. Well in the last BR they actually ended up being very aggressive and they almost took over the entire Indian Subcontinent by the end of it and reduced Gandhi's India to just IRL Bengal, Bangladesh, and Burma. The Mughals look to be aggressive again in this new BR but this time they have a lot more competition. First off they now have Sri Lanka to the South that they will have to compete with. Also Burma now lies to the East instead of Gandhi and Burma is a great defensive civilization. If the Mughals want to try the same shit from the last BR against Burma, then Sri Lanka can easily pick apart their empire from the South while Burma holds off the Mughal offensive. The Mughals will have to play smart if they want a shot at winning. If they don't, then if you listen closely, you'll be able to hear Akbar yelling, "It's a Trap!" when his armies die and his cities burn.
17	The Huns	N/A	The Hunnic Empire, and the "Scourge of God" Atilla, are certain to liven things up in Europe, Asia, and the Middle East. Completely geared for a Domination victory, the Huns are a fierce opponent for any civ to take on. Expect their 1-2 UU punch of Horse Archers and Battering Rams to have devastating effects on their neighbors. The potential for this civilization to win is very real, now they just have to make the right moves.
18	France	N/A	France is in a precarious position. What between spending all day eating wine and drinking fancy cheeses, they also have to NOT surrender instantly anytime war is declared! A crowded European front can make things tricky if it does not get out good expansions. In the past it has benefited from everyone attacking Germany and was able to comfortably exploit the dying Hitler, as well as pushing into North Africa. They are a solid Civ and with a little luck and good decisions will make it into the mid game with a strong position and influence in the overall Battle Royal.
19	‘Murica	N/A	There are two halves of this civ, kind of like Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde. Their UA gives them a wartime boost, as well as instant construction of gold buildings during war. However, the AI’s personality under Lincoln is to not declare war, make as many friends as possible, not go for religion, and be on the defense. Basically: the exact opposite of Washington last time around. This is not the kind of personality you’d expect from a Battle Royale winner, and directly clashes with their UA. The unique units are industrial era, so the timing of their wars is crucial. Can Lincoln overcome the deep divides in America's very fabric to become a superpower? Worked IRL.
20	Inca	N/A	The Inca rank in the top third of this list and also third out of the South American civs. Why, after a dismal late performance in the last game? The answer is simple: Colombia is gone. The rich lands where once lay a game-breaking bunch of assholes are now free for the taking and the Inca are among the most likely civs to scoop it all up and establish themselves as a regional power, particularly when you consider that their units can move twice as fast across the rugged hills of northern South America as any other civ. As ever their homeland remains nye-on unconquerable. With their free (on hills) and half price everywhere else improvements the Inca will be able to plug away at upgrading their territory while stashing away frightening amounts of money. Look for them to contend more strongly for South America this time around.
21	Mayans	N/A	A small science boost from their UB, an underwhelming UA and a fairly inconsequential UU would seem to stand Pacal's Mayans in bad stead. But a key position in Central America could lead to control of naval passage, if they are clever with settling. And the narrow passages and isthmuses will make expansion difficult, but should substantially reduce the Mexican threat. However Buccaneer landings in the Costa Rica area could lock down Mayan chances of expansion. Conversely, Mayan domination of the Caribbean is just one war with Henry Morgan away...
22	Sioux	N/A	Sitting Bull and his tribe of Sioux did well for themselves in the previous Battle Royale, and a big reason behind this was due to lack of nearby competition. While the Canadians and Americans were busy deciding whether Maple Syrup or Miller Genuine Draft Beer was going to flow through the Eastern part of North America, the Sioux were uprising, building a formidable nation. Everything has changed this time around though, with the introduction of the Cree to the North. This new opponent means the Sioux are now boxed in on all sides, and there will be no time to sit around and turtle. Expect them to settle Plains areas, in order to maximize their UA and UI.
23	Sri Lanka	N/A	By the skin of its teeth, TPang gave the last minute surprise announcement that Sri Lanka was the 61st civ (and final civ) to be added to the game. Being given access to the lands of South Asia, they have a very high quality start once they can embark settlers. Earlier wars won’t be a problem as their long swordsman replacement heals up to three times as fast. Also, look out for them being a major religious powerhouse with many faith bonuses due to their UA and UB shrine replacement. However, it is equally likely becoming a religious powerhouse would make them a target as well, and they are certainly susceptible to a naval attack. It is still unknown if M.I.A. will be leading them, but it’s likely “Paper Planes” will be stuck in your head whenever TPang screen caps them, regardless.
24	Maori	N/A	Colonize Australia, colonize Australia, kiwi-nize Australia. This is all that Maori's leader, Te Rauparaha, should be focused on. Should the Maori let Australia become the monstrosity it was during the last Battle Royale though, we should see the Maori end up only as the turtling neighbor of the bigger, badder Australia. The Maori also have the option of setting sail to the East and attempting to get a foot in the door in the Americas. Seeing as all of their unique are combat-oriented, either option is completely within reason.
25	Vietnam	N/A	Oh Vietnam you have so much potential. With two close neighbors early expansion might be hard, however with a pretty great food bonus for honor policies (5% Food and Culture boost for every Honor policy adopted) you are sure to be a great Indochinese power if you place your cities right and don't piss off china. Back to their UA though it is sort of perfect for a domination game such as this building up cities while conquering others and hopefully the AI will know this and attack the much weaker civs early. The Vietcong are very balanced but skewed, they are either really OP (like when they are in jungle) or they suck (can't capture cities and have trouble in open land) and when you replace infantry you better make sure that it is a good replacement. The UB complements the first part of 'Nam's UA well by further encouraging defense in cities so if they get too big then they can still have their cities protected. Though it would take a lot for Vietnam too really break out as a contender it really wouldn't come as too much of a shock if they could challenge China for eastern Asia.
26	Afghanistan	N/A	Afghanistan captured our hearts, and some Hunnic cities, last BR with their heroic and nearly-unbelievable defense of their homeland against Hun and Mongolian invasions. These unconquerable people were playing the scrappy-mountainous-defender game before it was cool (Tibet). Hipsterghanistan will look to build upon that legacy and improve from there with its combat bonus when near mountains and its excellent UU which replaces the Gatling gun but has five movement points. The addition of the Timurids and Persia, however, will force them to prove their worth sooner rather than later, this time around.
27	Israel	N/A	The spy master fan favorites from the previous game return, ready to peer through windows and hide inside of bushes with as much vigor as ever before. Their rank may appear low, but they lead the region with plenty of room to expand north and east. Historically sleepy neighbors like the Ayyyyyyubids and Arabs certainly help their odds as they will seek to, as before, quickly establish supremacy over the Levant and more. Their UAs, and even their UUs, will help propel the chosen peoples to be a religious super power at the very least, influencing their neighbors whose residents will soon yearn for the comforts of the kibbutz and gefilte fish.
28	Mexico	N/A	Adiós, Mexico City is for squares! After a middling performance in the last BR and a hilariously bungled invasion of the US, Mexico has taken on an edgier approach, basing itself out of the cartel capital, Juarez! In all seriousness the more western approach of Mexico will make for an interesting play, as they'll likely settle California and up the west coast. Last time this went poorly for them, as the Inuit blasted their California colonies with a cold southerly. Mexico may well contend with this new set up-though, picking on what this list sees as a weak Texas and then expanding south into its old stomping grounds.
29	Tibet	N/A	Tibet's location high in the rugged Himalayas may appear dismal, but no civ is better suited to the task. Landing just above the halfway marker, Tibet is helped by their unique ability which provides a food and faith boost from mountain tiles, a trait that is increased if their cities follow a religion started in the mountain kingdom. Their unique unit moves better in the mountains and comes in mid-game. This civ will prove the world's most implacable turtle, at the least, and if they expand north quickly, perhaps much more.
30	Philippines	N/A	Rizal's Philippines are going to have a difficult ride. An island civ, in a neighborhood that Indonesia will be able to quickly exploit, with no military bonuses. However he will have growth advantages, a necessity in the tiny islands of the East Indies, and his unique replacement for the rifleman has a powerful bonus after choosing an ideology. If he can survive until the modern era, the Philippines will become a force to be reckoned with. It's worth noting that they will start with the ability to embark, boosting the early game for the Filipino adventurers.
31	Rome	N/A	Caesar’s got some problems on his hands. Rome starts off situated in the middle of the Italian peninsula, surrounded on all sides by water and mountains to the north. Although these mountains give Rome a defensive advantage against Germany and Poland, it leaves the land-focused civ little land to settle. Caesar will have to quickly settle south of France and in Iberia in order to have any land advantage over his neighbors. With Germany to the north, France to the west, Sparta to the east, and Carthage to the south, Rome is completely surrounded by warmongering civs. Fortunately Rome has strong Legions and Ballistas to help them expand and conquer in the Classical era. Caesar should easily be able to dominate his more late-game-focused neighbors like France and Germany early on. However, if he fails to exploit his early game advantages, Caesar might become irrelevant later on.
32	Kongo	N/A	Kongo’s got more enemies this time. They now have the Ashanti to worry about up north. However, that only takes away a small portion of the land they have to settle. Their position in the Congo, which their UA adapts them to, also gives them a defensive position against encroaching armies. Their UB will also help them become an economic powerhouse in Africa. However, with the Boers to the south and a longer conga line of enemies to worry about, it’s still a mystery how well Nzinga will do.
33	Persia	N/A	Persia is in one of the most hotly contested spots in the entire BR. They start right in the middle of IRL Iran. In the last BR, Israel was able to gain control of most of Iran just because the nearby Afghanistan, Armenia, and Arabia basically turtled the entire time. But now, with Persia in the picture, they now look to dominate the Middle East and keep their people happy so they use their UA to keep generating long Golden Ages with extra boosts. However, that is way easier said than done. Because they don't only have to worry about the Middle Eastern civs, including Byzantium, Israel, and the maybe-if-they-come-out-of-their-shell Arabian Empire. They also have to worry about Armenia and Afghanistan as well just in case they come out of their shells. And with more competition in India now, the Mughals might look west as well. Top it all off with the newcomer Timurids to the North and Persia has a lot to worry about. Chances are that at least one of those empires will eventually go into a full on war with Persia and cripple them. Persia has potential but there are is too hotly contested for us to rank them any higher.
34	Sibir	N/A	The new coming Sibir Khanate, a near cousin to Mongolia, have not earned much love from our rankers, landing just south of the halfway mark and last in the ever-expansive steppe region of Asia. Squeezed in between a host of hyper-aggressive civs, their situation is indeed daunting. However the civ does have the capacity to storm its foes very quickly and perhaps establish itself in the region. Their UU allows them to move all units after attacking, and their UA, a ranged Calvary unit, can strike quickly to thin out the ranks of attackers or defenders. If this civ builds a large army than, coupled with its unique speed, they could prove deadly
35	Japan	N/A	Well, Tojo’s Japan wasn’t exactly a “fan favorite” what with its game-crashing bugs requiring Godzilla’s presence (and eventually an overhaul) in the BRv1. Indeed, the middling Japan seems boxed in: they are one of nine (nine!) Oceania civs, the same number of civs as Africa; not to mention Yakutia to the north and more incentives for the Inuit to settle Westward. Meiji warfare depends entirely on how many golden ages they can stretch out: so starting slow, turtling, and wonder building (i.e., rushing Taj Majal, Chichen Itza) would likely do them a whole lot of good, and their culture bonuses seem to do well to help out with that sort of start. Their unique Great General helps out with that as well, causing a free golden age should they choose to expend it. They can then emerge from their turtle-shell after having researched replicable parts, when they could mass-produce their strong ironclad UU for an extremely powerful navy to wreak havoc on the seas.
36	Blackfoot	N/A	The fate of the Blackfoot will rise and fall with the bison. This resource will be a powerful boon to Crowfoot's people that will give greater production to cities that work it and XP to any Blackfoot units standing on it. Enemy units standing on bison will take attrition damage. Clearly very, very powerful, in the right situation. The Inuit will be praying that Crowfoot chooses to go south, which would leave them virtually all of Canada. If the Blackfoot head north, a mortal struggle with Eheuknik awaits them. If they head south, the Sioux warriors await. A bad position for expansion to be sure, but the dense forests of Canada offer lots of production.
37	Germany	N/A	ACHTUNG! These liberal swine so-called “experts” deem the Third Reich in the LOWER HALF!?! Outrageous! Ja, we got our asses handed to us in BRv1, but in the test run we got our revenge against “stronk” Poland, Sudetenland and all! With major bonuses in wartime post-plastics (a free infantry unit for every city captured) and a decidedly stronger Great General and Panzer unit, all we have to do is keep their capital until the industrial age and we will have a better chance than most, even despite the high civ-density of Europe. You may be jumping on the Poland bandwagon early, but you know what they say... "don't be stupid, be a smartie! Come and join the Nazi Party!"
38	Best Korea	N/A	Ah Korea, the science civ. Were this not a domination match, their position would be very strong. But Sejong is going to need to break out of the Korean peninsula, and he is surrounded by strong enemies. His two UU's are very strong on the defensive, but he may struggle to apply that strength to attack. His UA is excellent for a human, but in previous AI game the AI has struggled to make it work. Sejong's best bet is to expand north, and build spearmen to try and beat the horse lords of the steppes.
39	Argentina	N/A	Eva unfortunately is not having some good air coming her way. She’s got strong Chile looking for Andes-less lands to settle and big-bodied Brazil up north claiming those sweet, sweet rainforests. Argentina is mostly focused on food and culture, which is not very useful for conquering other civs. Any way they expand is a sure-fire way to get invaded. If Eva expands up north, Brazil will invade for more brazilwood plantations. If she expands south, Chile will invade using its naval units. If Eva tries to settle the Falklands, England will just come kick her butt and claim it’s theirs. It'll be hard, but if Eva is able to shut down Chile early or build tall and defensive, she may be able to come out on top in South America.
40	Sparta	N/A	Sure to be a fan favorite, this.. is.. SPARTA! Alright, now that we have that out of our system let's look seriously at Sparta. First, it should be noted that Sparta's unique are currently under construction so these will not be looked at in this synopsis. However, it's widely agreed upon that Sparta is sure to be an early game combat-oriented civ. With this assumption in mind, we see Sparta as having a decent amount of potential in this Battle Royale. This potential will only come to fruition though if Leonidas pushes out and conquers a number of civs in the early game, where he will be strongest. The big mystery is, will he be mad enough to do so? Or will he let the Persians and other civs stomp around his lands? Nobody, including even our expert rankers, has any idea.
41	Burma	N/A	Burma may not back their words with nukes. But, if the saying, "the pen is mightier than the sword" is true, then Burma has a great chance at becoming an early powerhouse. Burma's UA basically allows them to receive Great Writer points every time they conquer a city and they continue to receive GWP's from conquered cities. So they basically gain culture through conquest. Their UU, the Kyundaw Conscript, replaces the swordsman and gains extra health and combat strength when next to cities, friendly or enemy. However, while this all sounds great, Burma's position is of some concern. Like Persia, they have enemies on all sides. They are surrounded by the Mughals and Sri Lanka to the West on the Indian subcontinent, Vietnam and the Champa to the East in SE Asia, and Tibet to the North in IRL China. So it looks like they will have to be aggressive and conquer lots of cities while also maintaining a good defensive army, which is really hard to do. So Burma has potential but we don't really think everything will work out perfectly for them.
42	Carthage	N/A	Hannibal is going to have to work hard to stay in the game. Before, in MKI, they had more room to expand. But now they have three more civs that are boxing them in: Morocco, Sparta, and Ashanti. They’re still a military based civ, but since they’re being surrounded by so many civs, it’ll be even harder for Carthage to conquer its neighbors without being attacked from behind. They still have potential to be a powerhouse in North Africa, but to get there would be like crossing the Alps: it’s gonna be fucking hard.
43	Byzantium	N/A	Alexios Komnenos will get a Golden Age every time a war starts. Given his position on the edge of the Great European Clusterfuck, he may be in a Golden Age for as long as he lives. His naval UU, a replacement for the Galleass, which heals 15 points per turn in a Golden Age is going to be healing quite a lot, I suspect. Sparta, likely to be a warmonger, on his western front, may induce him to expand east into Anatolia, and away from the bloodbath that shall emerge. Any significant expansion west would be a death sentence.
44	Timurids	N/A	The Timurids find themselves in the middle of Central Asia and fill a void that otherwise would be divided up between The Huns, Persia, and The mighty Turtle Afghanistan thus it may be a Germany in Europe situation all over again. This is not to say that Timur is doomed, his UA calls for VERY early expansion buffing his palace after the capture of his first city and building any buildings not built in the capital but built in the captured city in the capital (just look up the workshop page). Anyways he also suffers from a mediocre UB and an okay UU which won't help him when things start to heat up in the end of medieval- beginning of renaissance era when they appear. Timur deserves this spot in the rankings until he proves he can hang with the big boys in BR.
45	Hawaii	N/A	Aloha, and welcome to Hawaii. A newcomer to Battle Royale, Hawaii's start will be unlike any other civ in the BR. Beginning with virtually no neighbors, on a patchwork of islands out in the middle of the Pacific, Kamehameha is going to need to do 1 of 2 things if he wants even a chance at winning this BR. He either needs to 1.) Get a Settler out to a continent landmass early or 2.) Build one of, if not the greatest, naval forces in the game. Should Kamehameha do neither of these things, we feel that his prospects of winning decrease to nearly zero. Hawaii does fortunately bring 2 combat-oriented unique to the game. Kahuna Mastery, Kame's UA, allows Hawaii to receive Great People points from combat. And the Koa, Kame's very capable UU, is a Long swordsmen replacement that costs more production, but does not require Iron AND starts with more exp, as well as "Amphibious".
46	Norway	N/A	Norway, our highest ranking Scandinavian civ, comes in at #46. Unlike Sweden and Finland, who will face competition on all sides, Norway has the benefit of having only one battlefront to focus on, Sweden to the East. With Sweden sure to be rocked by the civs around it, Norway looks poised to take Sweden early on. Should however Norway fail to secure this eastern portion of Scandinavia, we're afraid we will see a Norway similar to the one in the previous BR. One that turtles early on and eventually falls to mightier, more expansive empires.

CONTINUED IN COMMENTS

My husband and I took a trip to Disneyland for our "babymoon" (last fun adult trip before baby arrives). We had a 5 day pass, so spent 3 full days in the park with a half day on either side (travel days). Here are some of my tips.
(Please note that I was between 17 and 18 weeks during this trip. If you are earlier or later in your pregnancy, your experience and needs will likely be different.)

Accommodations and Park Access

Hotel
This is my 4th trip to Disneyland as an adult, and I have now stayed at each of the 3 park hotels (Disneyland Hotel, Paradise Pier, Grand Californian) as well as one off-site hotel within walking distance (Sheraton I think).
Let me tell you, there is NO COMPARISON: Grand Californian is the tops. It's where we stayed on this most recent trip. We went with the most basic room but the bed was enormous and so comfy, shower was a good size, there was a turndown service where they put little Disney-logo chocolates on the pillow... so nice. GC is the most expensive of the park hotels and probably double what you'd pay at an off-site hotel, but I am so spoiled I will never go back.
Second prize goes to the Disneyland Hotel. We stayed in the honeymoon suite (because that was our honeymoon!) and it was beautiful and cozy. The headboard was carved with the castle and had lights in it. Way too cool. I have no idea what the regular rooms are like, however. Sorry.
Third prize goes to Paradise. We again stayed in the cheapest room type but it was still comfortable and clean. I do like the beachy theme that this entire hotel has, since I'm a mermaid at heart.
Dead last comes the off-site Sheraton. We stayed here on a trip with the whole family for my mom's 60th birthday, so my dad used some of his points to get us all upgrades. It wasn't an awful room by any stretch (and certainly better than the roadside motels hubs and I stayed at overnight on the drive down), but there is some serious magic at the Disney hotels that you just don't get off-site. Thanks to my dad's points, however, this was the only hotel to offer free breakfast.
Getting to the Park
Grand Californian wins again. It's the closest to the parks - one exit leads directly into California Adventure, and the second opens up in Downtown Disney halfway between the main gates and the monorail. This was the main reason we decided to stay here for the babymoon - I just don't have the stamina to schlep to and from the park over a great distance. We would usually spend the mornings in the park, head back to the hotel for a rest and to reapply sunscreen in the early afternoon, then go back to the park for the late afternoon and evening.
Second place again goes to the DL Hotel. It opens right on Downtown Disney, pretty close to the monorail, so your tired feet don't have to make the full trip into the park through the main gate. And if you don't mind the walk, strolling through Downtown Disney is pretty fun. Lots of shops and restaurants and people watching!
Third place is Paradise Pier. It's the farthest away of the official park hotels, and the quickest way we found to get to the park was to go out the back, cross the parking lot, pass the Disneyland Hotel, through Downtown, and then to the monorail (or the main gates). You can also cross the street to the Grand Californian and enter either Downtown Disney or California Adventure that way. But either way it's at least a 10 minute walk. Too much for this preggo.
Off-site hotel comes in last again. You never realize just how far a mile can be when it's a billion degrees outside and you're making the trek for the 4th time that day. Our Sheraton had a shuttle service running to and from the park, but it was never on time and we hate not being able to keep our own schedule for coming and going. Every minute spent waiting for a shuttle is a minute you can spend in the park!
One other thing about staying at a park hotel: You get access to the "magic hour" - early morning admission to either park. It switches day by day (CA one day, DL the next) but you can get in at 7am, an hour before the parks open. Great way to get on those rides that always have insane lines.
Monorail ^{monorail monorail monorail}
Never underestimate the appeal of the monorail. It has 2 stops - the first in Downtown Disney, the second in Disneyland near the Nemo submarine ride. Best of all - IT HAS ALMOST ZERO SECURITY LINE! The lines at the park for security and at the ticketing gate can get insanely long, especially during busy times of the year, whereas the lines at the monorail are like 5 minutes tops. You may have to wait for a second train if the first one to come by is full, but it's in the shade and there are usually benches available so it's not so bad. And the monorail itself is a fun, air-conditioned ride. Great way to rest your feet before or after spending time at the park. Most of the "conductors" are pretty funny too, so it makes the ride entertaining.

Food and Drink in the Park

Food
Let's be honest - it's pretty damn tough to eat healthy in Disneyland, but that's not really the point, is it? Sure, you could pack a bag with healthy food and snacks (which is for sure cheaper than eating in the park), but then you'd miss out on the glories of the deep fried 3-cheese sandwich (Cafe Orleans, it's the Monte Cristo and it's amazing) or the insane gooey chocolate sundaes (Gibson Girl on Main Street USA) or any of the other million ridiculous noms to be found throughout the park.
That said, you do have some healthier options. There are 3 stands in the park (that I know of) that sell fresh fruit:

• In Fantasyland, on the left just past the carousel
  
• In Tomorrowland, on the right as you come around past the restaurant where they do the Jedi Academy show
  
• In Adventureland, between Aladdin's Oasis and the Jungle Cruise
  

The French Market in New Orleans Square also has some really tasty salad options. Bottom line - just try to enjoy yourself and not get too hung up on making the healthiest possible choices at each and every meal. A few days of indulgent eating is not going to turn your baby into Monstro, and you'll be much happier if you find a way to let go of that food stress that dogs so many of us during pregnancy.
Water
HYDRATE HYDRATE HYDRATE! I cannot tell you how important it is to drink enough water when you're walking around all day in 80+ heat. The first 2 days we were there, I could not pee. I'd feel like I had to go, and tried, but only a couple drops would come out. At first I thought I had a UTI, then I thought maybe baby was pressing on my urethra, but no - I was just dehydrated. There are water fountains scattered around the park that are all clean and mostly work. However, I find SoCal water absolutely disgusting (it tastes like it's been sitting in a hot car for a week), so I relied on bottled water. A 20oz bottle will cost about $3 inside the park and MORE in Downtown Disney, which is kind of ridiculous. However, those three stands I mentioned above with the fresh fruit? They're the only places in the park where you can buy a full litre (33ish oz) for $3.50, which will save you a fair bit when you're drinking 3 or 4 litres per day.
One last thing
Get a Dole Whip. Just do it. My husband hates pineapple but he still loves the Dole Whip. The float is my favorite. When the line outside gets too long, you can go through the turnstyle to get one - and see the Tiki Room show! Too cute.

Bathrooms

Get a map. Memorize it. Mark it with which bathrooms have the shortest lines during your trip, as it will vary by season and by which rides are closed. For me, the best bathroom was in Tomorrowland behind Autopia, which is currently closed for maintenance - zero lines and a place to sit down in the shade while husband made use of the smoking area that was nearby. Generally speaking, the more out of the way a bathroom is, the shorter the line will be. It may be a little further to walk, but you'll save that time by not having to stand around and wait (and do the pee pee dance with nothing to distract you). Most of the sit-down restaurants have bathrooms inside, and some will let you in real quick to use one even if you're not eating there. Cast members are very accommodating for pregnant ladies, so say something like, "Sorry, I'm pregnant and I really need the bathroom, mind if I run in to use yours since there's a line at that other one?" They'll probably be okay with it.

Rides and Attractions

Rides
No lie - I went on some of those rides that "expectant mothers should not ride." Indiana Jones and Star Tours. Twice. Because they are two of my very favorite rides in the park, and my doctor told me that there was minimal risk of placental abruption or other complication from riding them. And y'know what? I got jostled harder on the shitty California freeways than I did on either of those rides. If you drive on a dirt road during your pregnancy, you've basically just ridden a shittier version of Indie or Star Tours. However, this is all up to you and what risks you are and aren't willing to take while pregnant. Some women eat sushi while others are terrified of it - it all comes down to personal choice.
My OB did specifically say that Pirates of the Caribbean was a-okay to ride... so I went on it like 6 or 8 times!
Fantasyland is the best bet for pregnant women in terms of safe rides. With the exception of the Matterhorn, everything there is really slow and not bumpy. You may want to avoid the teacups if you're nauseous though! Unfortunately, the best rides there (imho Peter Pan and the Storybook Boats) are prone to really long lines, and there are no Fast Passes for anything but the Matterhorn.
Critter Country and Toon Town are also safe areas for preggos (except Splash Mountain, which I think is CC and not Adventureland, technically). These areas are primarily designed for small kids, so there's nothing too scary or fast or bumpy. I really like Toon Town, as there's a lot of hidden stuff to explore.
Frontierland, Adventureland, and New Orleans Square all kind of blur together in my mind. Besides Indie, the other possible no-no ride in this area is the Thunder Mountain Railroad, which I personally think is kind of tame as far as roller coasters go. It's not super fast, or really bouncy, and there aren't any huge drops. I would have gone on it just like Indie and Star Tours but the lines were pretty long and I don't care as much about that one as I do the other two. Haunted Mansion is a great preggo ride AND you can Fast Pass it, so definitely go on that one a bunch of times. Jungle Cruise is great, too, but it was closed while I was there. The riverboat tour, canoes, and Tom Sawyers Island are all closed right now as they're building the new Star Wars area, so unfortunately those are out as well despite being very preggo-friendly.
In Tomorrowland, DEFINITELY do the Buzz Lightyear Astroblaster thing. There are some great guides online to scoring high in the game, and hubby and I turned it into a competition (in which he beat me soundly each time!). You can Fast Pass this one as well, and for some reason it's not on the same FP system as the rest of the rides - meaning you can have a pass for Buzz AND for another ride at the same time. Also check out the submarines if the lines aren't too long. I can take or leave the little flying spaceship things, but if that's your jam, be prepared to wait forever.
For some random fun, you can also hitch a ride on the double-decker bus or the horse-drawn cart, which take you from the entrance at Main Street straight to the castle.
Shows
I'm not super into most of the shows they have at DL with the exception of the Jedi Training in Tomorrowland. For that one, be sure to get there VERY early, as seats fill up fast! The burger joint is pretty good so you can have dinner (or breakfast or lunch) to go with your show! There is also a storybook theater around the back of Fantasyland near Toon Town and a second between the castle and Frontierland. I've never actually sat through any of the shows there, but what I've seen walking by is pretty cute.
Parade and Fireworks
This is where being pregnant at Disneyland is pretty wonderful. People start lining up for these parades hours in advance, so unless you feel like sitting on a curb in the burning sun for half the day, you're going to need to put on your tiredest face and your most pathetic waddle and hunt down a cast member for help. My husband and I simply walked up to a couple cast members 30 or so minutes before the parade started and asked if they had any recommendations for where a tired pregnant woman could watch the show without having to stand. They brought us over to a perfect roped-off reserve area right by the Mickey/Walt statue in front of the castle, where we got to sit and watch both the Paint the Night Parade and the fireworks. I have never had such great seats in my life. It was amazing. We didn't even ask for special seating, just if they knew someplace that might be less crowded where I could sit. Disney cast members for the win, thanks you guys!
If you don't want to ask, or if they can't help you, you can also get seats in the Jolly Holiday at the top of Main Street. You may get some crowd blocking your view of the dancers, but the floats should be easy to see above them.

Last Thoughts

Wear comfortable shoes. This may seem like a no-brainer but seriously, even in my ridiculously comfy walking shoes, my feet were killing me by the end of the day... and often by the middle. Go to a good shoe store (like the Walking Company) and explain that you're going to be pregnant at Disneyland - they should know how to help you.
Rest ALL THE TIME. I already get more tired more easily than pre-pregnancy, and going to DL just kicked that up to 11. Husband and I took frequent breaks inside the park as well as an afternoon respite back at the hotel. There are plenty of great places to sit and people-watch while you recharge.
Use the Fast Pass system! Even if you only want to go on the safer FP rides (Haunted Mansion and Buzz Lightyear are the only 2 I can think of), the pass can save you tons of time standing around on tired feet in the hot sun. Most FP rides let you skip the outside portion of the line completely, so any waiting you do have to do will at least be inside where it's cool.
WATER WATER WATER WATER WATER.
Go off-season and mid-week if you can. DL is never really quiet, but the lines will be way longer at certain times of the year - summer, Halloween, Christmas/New Years, and spring break (our trip caught just the end of the spring break season, so it was busy but no too bad). Hotel rates will also be significantly cheaper during the off-season as well. Check out IsItPacked to help with planning!

Verified? (This bot cannot verify AMAs just yet)
Date: 2013-08-09
Link to submission (Has self-text)

Questions	Answers
How do you feel about the shark week controversy regarding the first documentary on the megladon? What should discovery channel do in regards to it?	Link to thelead.blogs.cnn.com
	I think Discovery should apologize, but they won't.
There are so many true, interesting things related to sharks they could have done, why the hell did they have to start making shit up? I look forward to Shark Week every year because I like to learn about sharks.. This is disappointing.	Preach!
Hey David, I think its great you're doing this AMA, especially timely during a Shark Week frustratingly devoid of science. Thanks for all your tweets and FB posts about shark week, I'm so grateful for your voice of reason and humor! Do you think Discovery Channel will ever produce a Shark Week that shark scientists and conservationists can all in good conscience get 100% behind or is it a lost cause? Edit: spelling.	Yes! Did you see "Alien Sharks" last night? It was SO GOOD! Natural history, real science, no sensationalism. It's exactly what Shark Week used to be.
Are you really supposed to punch a shark in the nose if they attack you or is that just a myth?	If I punched you in the face, would you run away or punch me back?
question: I don't have anything to do with marine biology, I don't live near the coast, I don't know lots of kids to teach. What can I do to help you with conservation?	There are LOTS of things that you can do to help the ocean, even far from the coast! You're doing the most important one right now: asking questions and learning about it!
	The single most important thing you can do, in my opinion, is to purchase only sustainable seafood, and to encourage others to do the same. The single greatest threat facing our oceans (including sharks) is unsustainable commercial fishing.
What's the most important job sharks do?	Sharks help keep the ocean food chain healthy. Where I'm from outside of Pittsburgh, we used to have wolves. Then we killed all the wolves. Now there are too many deer and not enough food for all of them. The deer leave their traditional habitat and cause billions of dollars of property damage each year.
$Billions?? What the hell do these Pittsburgh deer eat? If we only took care of this deer problem, we could double NASA's budget!	It's not just what they eat, it's what they destroy. Cars, fences, windows of homes.
1) Do sharks really have 7 sets of teeth?	Some species of sharks have much more than 7 sets of teeth. Sharks can't go to the dentist, and they often bite big, tough animals. Teeth fall out and it's helpful to be able to replace them.
2) Can sharks get cancer?	Sharks do get cancer. Every animal gets cancer. Even if they didn't, eating shark cartilage pills wouldn't help cure cancer, any more than I'd get better at basketball if I ate Michael Jordan.
Are you sure about every animal?	Basically every animal. And resistance isn't immunity. If you have cells, uncontrolled cell growth through mutation (i.e. cancer) is a possibility.
Hey David! Thanks for doing this AMA. Just want to say thank you. My girlfriend was a student of yours at SeaCamp when she was younger and your love for sharks shaped her into the scientist she is today. She's currently pursuing her masters degree in biological oceanography. I too work in the sciences and feel like communication with the general public about scientific issues is getting increasingly important. What's the hardest part of talking about controversial scientific issues with people who may not know a lot about them?	Hi! Tell your girlfriend hello for me.
	The hardest part about communicating "controversial" science (which typically, these days, means climate change and alternative energy issues) is communicating uncertainty. Scientists often talk in terms of uncertainty, but when the public hears it, they think "scientists aren't really sure".
What is the craziest/scariest shark you have seen in person? What sharks are out there that haven't made it into the public eye?	I wrote my Duke admissions essay about a time in high school that I went SCUBA diving in a shark tank and stared down a 12 foot sand tiger shark. The most scared I've ever been, however, was the time I saw a bull shark on my first night dive. I was 15. And let's just say it's a good thing that my wetsuit was black.
I've always wondered though about those black wetsuits. Aren't they seal-looking like? I saw an ad the other day for a white and blue "camouflage" wetsuit and a striped "anti-shark" suit. Is there anything to that?	I'm skeptical, but they look awesome.
What is your favorite shark and why?	1) Sandbar sharks. They were my Masters study animal have a special place in my heart.
What were obstacles you faced in your career path?	2) I've been fortunate. I think my parents sort of always assumed that I'd grow out of this and become a lawyer or doctor, but they've been very supportive. Dad has even come on the research boat with me.
Is it possible for a thirtysomething to change careers and pursue this?	3) Totally.
PS - I did my undergrad at Maryland, I'm going to miss the Duke games...	I'm sorry you went to Maryland, but nobody's perfect.
How do you feel about sharknado being so popular?	Pro.
	Though the sequel title they chose, "SharkNado: The second one," is lame. I suggested "SharkNado Harder"
What about SHARKNADO: SHARKER, SharkNado Sharkie Goes West, SharkNado: A Good Day to Shark hard, SharkNado In Vegas: CardSharks, SharkNado in Space: Shark Trek, Thy Holy SharkNado: Noah's Shark	All better than "the second one"
What abilities/perks does a shark possess that a human should be jealous of?	Sharks have the ability to detect electromagnetic fields given off by prey. I feel like that would be pretty sweet.
What's one weird thing that not many people would know about a shark or sharks?	There are more than 500 species of sharks, and a new species of shark, skate, or ray has been discovered approximately every two weeks for the last decade. Most people only hear about the sharks that bite people.
There seems to have been quite an increase in shark attacks in recent years, at least around my area (Australia). Do you think that has more to do with increasing shark numbers, more people in the water or changes in weather?	Shark "attacks" increase slightly just about every year. The leading theory is that there are just more people in the water.
Do you think academic universities will ever recognize this kind of outreach as equally important to lab achievements?	I remain cautiously optimistic. I'm blessed with an adviser and department that encourage me to do online outreach.
I grew up in the Caribbean and some folklore said that sharks don't urinate in the wild thus making their bodies decompose very quickly after death and humans shouldn't consume their flesh. Is this based on any truth?	Very, very, very loosely. Sharks have urea in their tissues, which they use for osmoregulation. But sharks, like all animals, do excrete waste.
How difficult is it to collaborate with China for shark conservation considering shark fin soup is a delicacy there?	Attitudes are changing, particularly among the youth in China
Hey David! Thanks for doing an AMA. Other than marine science and sharks, what are you passionate about? What other field might you have gone into?	I feel like most little boys (and a lot of little girls) go through a shark thing or a dinosaur thing. I did both, and chose sharks.
I am the father of a future marine biologist. My fifteen-year-old son is going to a Marine Science magnet school in Palm Beach County. This summer he just kind of sat around, but next summer I want him to intern in a marine biology setting, I'm sure such opportunities exist. Could you recommend any program in South Florida in particular?	Check out SeaCamp, a marine science camp in the Florida Keys. I went there for 5 years and taught there for 2.
What are some myths about sharks that people believe?	People think of sharks as mindless killing machines, but they actually have larger-than-expected brains for their body size and lots of complex social and ecological behaviors.
What is the least scary thing about sharks?	Goblin sharks can be bubble gum pink.
How do you feel about duck-sized horses?	Thank you for this question that I definitely didn't plant via twitter after days of preparing an answer!
	People seem fascinated by this, but despite the fact that I work with sharks, I'm afraid of ducks and geese. I was attacked by a Canada goose while I was a little kid.
	I'd much rather fight duck-sized horses.
Are there any cultural norms within ocean science? For example, jokes that everyone gets, or common rites of passage?	See the first rule about Fight Club. For good measure, also see the second rule about Fight Club. :)
Hi David, I was wondering if you could comment on Tara Reid's recent discussion regarding the generation of whale sharks. Are these the offspring of a kinky dolphin-whale-shark-animal-mammal orgy as Reid implied, or is there an actual scientific evolutionary explanation for the "Whale shark?"	Tara Reid is...not an expert.
	Whale sharks are sharks. Fish. Not whales. They're called whale sharks because they're really big.
What are some of the biggest misconceptions about sharks out there and what can those in the Ocean and Conservation world do to correct it?	Due in no small part to Shark Week, people are afraid of sharks. The best thing you can do is tell your friends and family the truth.
When you lecture or discuss why sharks are important, do you ever discuss why the math on shark attacks doesn't match up to the math? With hundreds of different types sharks, so few that have attacked people, and so many people who DON'T get attacked...	More people are bitten by OTHER PEOPLE on the New York City Subway each year than by sharks in the whole world.
What's a good statistic to share with people who are unreasonably scared of sharks?	More people are killed by vending machines, toasters, lawn mowers, and flower pots each year.
I live on Cape Cod, MA, and a few of our beaches have been shut down due to sharks. What's the reasoning behind sharks swimming closer and closer to the Atlantic shores every year?	One of the leading theories for this is seal population recovery in New England. More food = more sharks.
To what extent did the BP oil spill harm or help sharks, and how did that play out? I remember reading somewhere that sharks were in a feeding frenzy up the coast, because fish and other wildlife had nowhere to go because they had a wall of oil on one side and a wall of sharks on the other.	The BP Oil Spill has been devastating to marine animals, including some species of sharks. Pollutants and toxins "bioaccumulate", which means that they increase in concentration as you move up the food chain.
Do all these UN-interesting shark shows during shark week piss you off as bad as they do me?	I'll refer you to an interview I did in Wired this week. Link to www.wired.com
Have you ever or would you ever eat shark? What does it taste like?	Yes. It tastes like grouper, a very rich flavor. I don't recommend it because of sustainability issues, but the ones I ate were sacrificed for another scientist's research project, and there was no sense wasting it.
Do you have any predictions of what the oceans would be like without sharks? Does climate change put sharks at risk?	The loss of sharks will have a variety of negative ecological consequences. It won't be pretty.
	Climate change isn't great for most animals, but sharks face a much, much, much greater threat from commercial overfishing.
Outside of this Megalodon chicanery, what was the worst, facepalm-inducing moment you've had when it comes to the media's portrayal of sharks?	"Top 10 Sharkdown" was pretty bad this year. Literally every sentence that wasn't an interview with a scientist had at least one wrong thing in it.
Also, if the Megalodon were to face a juvenile Sharktopus, who would win?	Sharktopus has steel-tipped tentacles, right?
Is it sustainable/okay to eat shark?	1 in 6 species of sharks, skates, rays or chimeras are Threatened with Extinction, according to the IUCN Red List, with some species suffering reported population declines of over 90% since the 1970's.
	However, some countries (the U.S. and Australia in particular) have relatively well-managed shark fisheries.
How much of your job is spent doing what you imagined you would before you entered the field? In your opinion, is that good or bad? Also, what is your favorite shark?	My typical day is probably pretty similar to most of your typical days. I answer e-mail and do data entry in Excel. However, I go on about 30-40 shark research trips a year, and those are awesome. If you're with a high school class, community group, etc, you should come RJD.Miami.Edu/participate
You don't get to be a shark scientist overnight, and you don't get on the boat until you've put in a lot of work. What path did you take to get to where you are now from an education/training/lab standpoint?	I studied biology and marine science at Duke University, and got my Masters in Marine Biology at the College of Charleston.
What shark do you think is the most badass And why?	Greenland sharks have been found with polar bears, the largest land predator on Earth, in their stomach.
What is your favorite beer at WetLab?	Whatever's on special. There are no bad choices for beer at WetLab.
	WetLab, for those who don't know, is the on-campus bar at the University of Miami's marine lab. The motto is "providing scientific support services".
Hi David, thanks for doing this! In your opinion, when did the trouble with Discovery Channel's Shark Week really start? Do you think the vocal frustration directed towards the current state of Shark-related programming is a recent development, or has it been bubbling under the surface for a while in marine biologist circles?	Shark Week used to be about science, about inspiring wonder towards the natural world. Some of it, like "Alien Sharks" last night, still is.
What is the single fact that makes sharks the most amazing animal in the planet?	There were animals recognizable as sharks swimming in the oceans many millions of years before there were dinosaurs. These are ancient vertebrates.
Do sharks only exist to a certain level of depth in the ocean? Also, how come shark isn't as common as a food source as other undersea life?	Sharks can go pretty deep, but not to the absolute bottom of the deepest parts of the ocean.
Hey David! With so many shark species in decline, is it becoming harder for scientists to find enough live samples to conduct their research?	To some extent. I've been on about 60 sampling trips with my lab here in Miami, and we've caught 0 sharks on 4 of them. It depends on the research question, as some require higher sample sizes than others.
Hey David, I'm an undergrad at the University of Miami studying Marine Affairs and Anthropology. I've been interning at the Cape Eleuthera Institute doing shark research for the last two months. Besides applying for an internship with RJ Dunlap what other ways can I get involved with shark conservation in Miami? Thanks, Alice.	Hi Alice! I may be biased, but applying to work with our lab is probably your best bet for hands on shark research in the Miami area.
What do you know about the correlation of heightened stress hormones in sharks linked to decreased immune function? I know that increased and prolonged levels of stress in mammals weakens the immune system and am wondering if something similar occurs with sharks.	I'm not trained extensively in stress physiology, but heightened stress hormones have a variety of sublethal effects and I believe that a weakened immune system is among them.
With the recent discussions on the decoding of the Mammoth genome, do you think it would be wise to clone and resurrect the species (I ask because you study living creatures and their place in the world) and if so, are there any shark species you would like to see brought back?	I'd prefer that we focus our efforts on not letting current species go extinct. Many extinct animals became extinct because their food source or habitat isn't there anymore, and de-extinction won't fix that. However, I'd love to see a Stellar's Sea Cow (basically a giant manatee), an animal that sailors hunted to extinction in just a few decades.
Have you had any scary encounters with sharks? Like one tried to attack you or a student/coworker?	I've never been bitten, and I've interacted with over 3,000 animals both in the water and on the boat. I have hundreds of pictures of sharks, and most are of them swimming away, because that's what they do when they see us.
I wanted to know what your least favorite shark/marine animal is.	My least favorite shark at the moment is the nurse shark, because one recently slapped my ass so hard with it's tail that I couldn't sit for three days. I also don't particularly care for dolphins, but that's longstanding.
also, if you had a pet shark what would you name it?	If I had a pet shark, his name would be Steve.
As a shark expert, what was your professional opinion of the movie Sharknado?	Almost as good as "mega shark vs. giant octopus"
Do you think that sharks matter in terms of ecosystem stability and resilience? Could you provide some peer reviewed research to support where you think the weight of evidence lies.	Here's a good review of shark ecosystem importance that's freely available online: Link to www.fmap.ca
Are there some potential benefits to low shark abundance that outweigh the benefits of high shark abundance?	There are no benefits to low shark abundance that I'm aware of.
What are some things that you would suggest to a college student who wishes to follow in your footsteps?	Study math and science, volunteer in labs, read, read, read.
As someone who surfs, what do you think about the new "Anti-Shark" wetsuits? Does any of your research back up their claims? Link to www.foxnews.com.	I'm skeptical of their effectiveness, but they look awesome.
What has been your favorite place in the world to dive?	I like Sylvia Earle's answer to this, "anywhere 50 years ago" (i.e. before overfishing.
	But the wreck of the Yongala in Australia was my favorite.
What do you think about Nelson the Shark found in the subway a few days ago?	New Yorkers, man. Weird folk.
Also, I've always wanted to pet a shark to see how they feel. DETAILS MISTER.	Sharks are smooth in one direction and feel like sandpaper in the other direction.
Mega shark vs giant octopus. Sharktopus. Shark in venice.	Loved 'em, particularly mega shark vs. giant octopus.
Hey David, thanks for the AMA. I lived in the caribbean for a couple of years and was fortunate to encounter nurse sharks and reef sharks diving and snorkeling, on multiple occasions, naturally (not in chummed water or a feeding frenzy), and not once did I feel threatened. Watching shark week yesterday, there was a show about people who had, unfortunately, lost limbs to shark bites. That was it. The whole premise to the show was, people scared who had limbs amputated as a result of a shark attack. I thought shows like that one and the megladon "documentary" are doing way more harm by instituting fear of sharks. What are your thoughts on shows highlighting attacks and instilling fear that there is a large carnivorous shark prowling the oceans?	I'll refer you to a recent interview I gave in Wired Link to www.wired.com
Would you rather fight a shark sized duck or 100 duck sized sharks?	100 duck sized sharks.
I was snorkeling in Hawaii and I saw a sea turtle. I was ecstatic at first but then I was terrified because my cousin (who lives in hawaii) told me that wherever there are turtles, there are most likely sharks. How terrified should I have been?	Not at all. There probably were sharks nearby, though (not because there are turtles, but because you're in the ocean).
Hi David, I have been (and would love to go again) shark cage diving with great whites in South Africa: do I risk disturbing the animals in their environment or even worse getting them used to humans when doing so or is it an acceptable practice?	There are dive operators that are extremely responsible.
Who are your heroes and mentors? Who inspired you to go into science, and who inspires you today?	I liked the ocean long before I knew I could study it professionally. One of my heroes is Eugenie Clark, who I recently met (and, despite being in her late 80's, still hangs out at bars with grad students and is generally awesome).
What's your hypothesis for the White Shark Cafe?	The leading hypotheses for the White Shark Cafe (as with just about any aggregation site for animals) deal with reproduction or feeding.
Also have you tried Hakarl?	I have not tried Hakarl, but I'm an adventurous eater and would probably try a bite. I expect it's not as tasty as sea turtle.
Just out of curiosity, is the research site in Bimini still ongoing?	Yup.
What is the ultimate impact mercury pollution will have on Sharks and other apex, ocean predators?	Mercury does bioaccumulate, moving up the food chain. It may impact shark behavior and physiology, but I don't think this has yet been confirmed.
Can we assume mercury poisoning will lead to erratic behavior for sharks, as it does in other animals?	The biggest threat facing sharks is commercial overfishing, though.
Why do sharks matter?	As top predators, they help keep the ocean ecosystem in balance.
Have you ever eaten sharkfin soup? Would you support, or more like not be against, eating sharkfin if the process of obtaining the fins weren't so inhumane (like fish farming)?	Many shark fins are NOT obtained in the inhumane method you allude to, shark finning. But the issue isn't how humane it is, the issue is the effect on shark populations. Overfishing is a big problem.
Hey David, if I cut the bottom of my foot on let's say a shell in the ocean and I bleed, at what distance could a shark pick up on the blood scent? Thanks!	Scent doesn't work at distance. Molecules need to actually touch the chemoreceptors (which means that when you smell something nasty, tiny particles of that something are physically in your nose). But sharks can detect blood in very low concentrations.
Does Megalodon exist?	Not anymore. They've been extinct for between 1.5 and 2 million years.
David! Hey how are you? My name is David as well and I am currently am a macroinvertebrate biologist at Reedy Creek Improvement District on Disney property. I have a degree in aquatic science and fisheries from SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry college. You see I have worked in freshwater my whole life and my pipe dream is to do some coral restoration or something with sharks and other larger marine animals. My question to you is now that I am gaining my experience as a biologist, how do I progress to the marine world from where I am now? Is it harder due to my freshwater background? ORRR, whats it take to work under you:)?	Our lab takes interns. RJD.Miami.edu/participate.
	Freshwater background won't harm you. You have scientific training and research experience.
What's the most intelligent thing Sharks are capable of?	We put GPS satellite tags on some tiger sharks in the Bahamas. They swam over a thousand miles into the middle of the Atlantic ocean...and then came right back to the same beach we tagged them at.
How many species of sharks do you think that we have still yet to discover?	Scientists have discovered a new species of shark, skate, or ray about every 2 weeks for the last decade or so.
Did your love for sharks have anything to do with "Jaws" and the like? I saw it when I was young, and ever since I've had a strange fascination with them, albeit a slight fear too. Would you say fear and respect go hand in hand?	Sure. Jaws is a great movie, and one of the most accurate depictions of a marine biologist in any move I've seen (besides mega shark vs. giant octopus)
What is the furthest North or South Sharks have been spotted? I know they are mostly warm water, but curious about this aspect.	They're not mostly in warm water. There are sharks under the Arctic ice (Greenland sharks). Incidentally, greenland sharks have been found with POLAR BEARS AND REINDEER in their stomachs.
What would be the best course of action if you actually (against all odds) had a shark that wanted to eat you? Are there any of those tricks that actually work?	Sharks don't eat people. We're too bony, there's no nutritional value.
	Here's a guide to "surviving the shark attack that won't happen" in Smithsonian magazine that includes an interview with me. Link to blogs.smithsonianmag.com
Hi David. What is your opinion on keeping sharks in an aquarium for human exhibition? Someone on reddit pointed out to me yesterday that the aquarium opening in my city in a couple of months is having 10 tiger sharks captured and brought over from the states. Do you think there are any upsides to confining highly intelligent creatures in poor living conditions that decrease their lifespan that people opposed to such practices might be overlooking? Thank you!	Fish aren't really "highly intelligent", although sharks are smarter than most people think they are.
	Any disadvantage to the individual animal is, in my opinion, balanced by the benefit to the species of getting people to care about sharks by seeing them up close at an aquarium.
Which spots around the world appear to have the highest densities of large sharks (great white, oceanic whitetip, etc)? The only answer I've seen is Seal Island along the South African coast, but I know there must be other places that are hotspots. I've always wondered this. As far as lowest densities... would that be the Arctic Ocean?	There are sharks basically everywhere that there's salt water. Densities vary based on which species you're interested in. Seal Island is a common study spot for adult great whites. Cat Island in the Bahamas is a common study site for oceanic whitetips.
Considering the amount of press that sharks get and the amount of 'experts' Discovery seems to roll in every year for a week, it always occurs to me that there is only so much to be learned about these sea beasts. Maybe that is why Discovery decides they need to expand to science fiction to cover some of their prime Shark Week spots. Is there any sense that the shark research field is saturated? Clearly, there is much we don't know about sharks, but perhaps there are other areas of marine biology which get far less attention that need it?	Not at all! I just returned from the American Elasmobranch Society (the largest professional association of shark scientists) conference, and I saw over 100 presentations of which maybe 60 would have made for fascinating (and new) documentaries. Shark Week covering the same nonsense over and over doesn't mean there's nothing new to cover.
Why don't we hear about more people being fully consumed by sharks? Shark week shows quite a few instances where sharks will bite someone and then retreat. Even if we aren't their natural prey why skip out on the meal you've just started?	We're too bony. I've seen some calculations that show that it would take more energy to digest a human than a shark would gain in nutrition.

Last updated: 2013-08-13 16:48 UTC
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