Shipping with arcade paradise?

[aldub516]

Hey guys. So I was just curious a little over a week ago I ordered three wire harnesses from arcade paradise website. Since then I've received no email no shipping no confirmation of my order whatsoever except my actual PayPal receipt. I'm not particularly worried because it's only been a little over a week including weekends but with that said do they tend to  to be quick shippers or can I expect a somewhat delay.'I'm just impatient and my Control Panel just needs these three wires. I've read about a few arcade sites randomly falling into obscurity and disappear for weeks on end just want to make sure I don't have to anticipate any of that and can keep my excitement up for the mail in the next few days. Also because I signed out as a guest on their site I don't even see an order number or anyway to reference or check my status.

[JDFan]

I believe that they recently relocated from Hawaii to the states so are probably taking a while longer than usual as they settle in.

[yotsuya]

FFS, can we get a giant sticky in the Vendors thread stating they've moved from Hawaii to the Midwest? It seems like we get this thread once a week now.

To OP - if you're impatient, either order from Amazon, or do what I did and learn to roll your own.

[pbj]

We've gotten this thread weekly for years.  Relocation is simply the most recent excuse.

 

[aldub516]

I was unable to find daisy chains on Amazon or that would've been my first bet. I'm not as much impatient, as I am just not knowing what's going on. I can wait a month if they say "hey it's gonna be a month". But I don't even have a receipt. And I have no problem making my own wires but this was the simple logic. The money it costs to buy the .250 disconnects for the leds, the .187 for the buttons, the wiring, plus the time
Of making 3 daisy chains, 20 dollars for the 3 daisy chains was a no brainer. I'm a fan of saving time, and also prefer the clean consistent look of a pre made daisy chain. With that being said, ^^ this guy said its just a recent excuse. Should I already be looking into a refund and purchasing else where? That comment made me feel like this is indeed a company that's gonna vanish on me.

[harveybirdman]

They don't vanish,  they just aren't known for being speedy with shipping even on a good day. Hit them up on Facebook,  Susan should respond.

[Phreakwars]

My order took quite some time as well. And I had the same issue with no E-mail responses... Tried calling even and couldn't get through. Had to hunt them down on this forum and openly complain before finally getting a response. What I'm a bit perturbed about, is they were the first ones I ordered from for the current project I am doing, but they were the last when it came to actually receiving. Everything else that I picked up from newegg, Amazon, Haruman, Malenko, Ultimarc in the UK even, made it here before the paradise stuff did. I can't complain about the quality of everything when it got here, all the parts were very nice and work quite well. They just seriously need to find help getting these orders in line. Yeah, I understand the problems with moving from the Island to the states.. you can move the inventory, but you can't move the help. So they are left with just him and his wife trying to get it all sorted out... and for that, you have to cut em some slack. I have spoken with her a few times, they seem like good people. I'm kinda torn on my opinions of arcade paradise. One thing for sure, is they need to commit a little more to the arcade parts business, or step aside until they can with more help.

[aldub516]

Basically sounds like I stepped in a little nuisance of a mess. I will reach out to them in fairness and such. But I'm more concerned with finishing my project than their personal situations. Lame

Can anyone point me to daisy chains in either .187 or .250 on Amazon??

[yotsuya]

Basically sounds like I stepped in a little nuisance of a mess. I will reach out to them in fairness and such. But I'm more concerned with finishing my project than their personal situations. Lame

Can anyone point me to daisy chains in either .187 or .250 on Amazon??

Dude, that's the point. If you want stuff like this, you either have to deal with the vendors and the situation, or your take matters in your own hands and roll your own. This is such a niche hobby that you have to take the good with the bad.

I've ordered from Paradise and had stuff delivered in 5 days, and I've ordered from them and had stuff not even shipped until 5 days later. But they're always delivered. It is what it is, you accept that when you get into this hobby.

[harveybirdman]

He just cant wait to shove all those controls on that panel YOTS, give him a break 

[yotsuya]

I understand the OPs frustration, but a simple site search would have shown this information. Do we really need another thread?

[aldub516]

I like the random "schoolings" people try to give on forums. Never lets ya down. The "point" of arcade building isn't wasting time and money. The time I take to wire 3 daisy chains is time I can spend doing the million other things that need to be done. Spending 20 dollars, to save  fair amount of time doing it myself for almost the same price, isn't a hobby short cut. It's common sense. Dealing with the vendor is a variable and I'm not exactly gonna feel dumb about buying a wire harnesses from a known company who specializes in the hobby. Doing it myself instead of waiting isn't science.. I'm well aware of my
Options, and the "consequences" of going through a vendor. . I understand. I purchased items from a reputable dealer expecting my items in 5-10 days, and now find out they aren't all that great. Isn't that also a part of the hobby?

As for "shoving all my controls into that panel... I just won't respond lol. Basically irrelevant to my question at hand. Thanks for the good info, as I now know what I'm expecting. Thank you for the "hard knocks" education of doing stuff on my own if I don't want to deal with vendors, as well as the comment about all the controls, on a project that you have no idea about...

[aldub516]

A simple site search would remedy 80% of the posts people make here to begin with. I'm a frequent user of the site and personally never saw anything about arcade paradise any time recently. I know how annoying it is to have an extra line of text on the main page, next to a bunch of other stagnant posts that stay on the page for weeks.. Sorry

Thanks again for the useable advice

[yotsuya]

Research. A Play in One Act.

Scene 1. Man sits at the computer.

Man: "Hmmmm.... I haven't gotten anything from Paradise yet. I wonder if there have been issues..."

***searches BYOAC site, finds threads***

Man: Well, they moved. Maybe I should contact them directly.

Finis.

[yotsuya]

like the random "schoolings" people try to give on forums. Never lets ya down. I The "point" of arcade building isn't wasting time and money.

Really? So those people who put 6 buttons on players 3 +4 for symmetry's sake even though NO GAME IN MAME USE THEM aren't wasting money?

[aldub516]

Or...

Man sits at computer, and has a question about arcades.
Man thinks about forum that has nothing but arcade builders who answer questions and help.

Man posts about shipping time of website
Associate replies "they take their sweet ass time, they are moving, they have problems, etc

Man says thank you, I will contact them instead of waiting patiently for something that might not be on its way.


Gasp! A ten second question, with a ten second answer, on a forum built around asking questions and giving answers

Listen man I understand your point. I also understand you are the ONLY person who consistently adds useless or obnoxious comments to my posts. Every forum has that dude. You are him. And I love you for it. I just don't get why some people are willing to waste so much time on useless or hateful remarks. Does my extra topic really upset the forum? Did u some how have time to attack me on stupid principles, but not time to scroll over it?

Informing me that waiting for online orders is part of the ordering, isn't really ground breaking news. Informing me that the website I ordered from isn't as reputable as I think, is news. No need for the unnecessary comments. Sadly I have a life outside my hobby, and if spending 5 dollars extra on something to save me xxxxx amount of time with a pile of wires and terminals, I'm not to hurt about it. If I have time to do them myself, I happily will

[aldub516]

like the random "schoolings" people try to give on forums. Never lets ya down. I The "point" of arcade building isn't wasting time and money.

Really? So those people who put 6 buttons on players 3 +4 for symmetry's sake even though NO GAME IN MAME USE THEM aren't wasting money?

I... Truly don't get the connection between my quote and what u said.... I said arcade building isn't about wasting time and money. Putting 6 buttons on 3+4 players is a waste of time and money... Where are we disagreeing?

[aldub516]

Anyways. Point in case. 16 replies and 3 are about the actual question. I guess you do have time on your hands. To both banter back and forth AND roll your own wires!

Just saying dude. I had a question. 16 posts later you're complaining that I brought up a common thread.
:::got his answers::: walks away from thread. Thank you all. .

[yotsuya]

Listen man I understand your point. I also understand you are the ONLY person who consistently adds useless or obnoxious comments to my posts. Every forum has that dude. You are him. And I love you for it.

I love you, Juggalo. It's called "tough love'.

Informing me that waiting for online orders is part of the ordering, isn't really ground breaking news. Informing me that the website I ordered from isn't as reputable as I think, is news. No need for the unnecessary comments. Sadly I have a life outside my hobby, and if spending 5 dollars extra on something to save me xxxxx amount of time with a pile of wires and terminals, I'm not to hurt about it. If I have time to do them myself, I happily will

No, but did you ever stop to think about how these posts might have a negative reflection on the vendor. Paradise has donated portions of sales to charity on a consistent basis. He's prototyped and custom-built parts for members on a regular basis. We all understand that shipping times with them vary. Another thread complaining about it doesn't help them any. It is what it is. If I'm in a hurry, I don't order from Paradise. If you had researched, you would have seen all you needed to do was post in Paradise's thread, where they would have seen it, instead of creating a new one, which doesn't help.

[opt2not]

Here's a hard-knock lesson: how about contacting the vendor first before inviting a public bashing thread of a small niche hobby business.
Paradise is a fine vendor, run by a nice husband and wife, I've personally met them and can say they're good people. Perhaps not as organized as say big companies like Amazon, but they have supported this hobby for a while now and I haven't had any major issues with the multiple orders I've placed with them.
They're just a small business, cut em some slack.

And as for pbj's comment, come on man, you throw paradise under the bus every chance you get. What gives? Personal vendetta? Life happens, and they're a small business, so again cut them some slack.
I didn't see you commenting like this when life happened to Bob Roberts. I don't get why you're hating on Paradise at every chance, but honestly it's getting boring.

[yotsuya]

Anyways. Point in case. 16 replies and 3 are about the actual question. I guess you do have time on your hands. To both banter back and forth AND roll your own wires!

Just saying dude. I had a question. 16 posts later you're complaining that I brought up a common thread.
:::got his answers::: walks away from thread. Thank you all. .

It's Sunday afternoon and I'm watching my Cardinals kick the Bears asses. I got nothing but time.

[aldub516]

See now? You both wrote lengthy statements and I'll gladly say you are both right! That  is the distinct difference between useless hateful bantering for no reason and actually talking like adults with a hobby. I never did consider the fact that people reading these threads might now think twice before ordering from them even though they are hard-working reputable company. With that being said I have no negative reply. I simply wanted to know about the reputation of the company,  and I got my answer. I also now see the perspective of making a company look bad. It was my first thought to come here as there's not many places that deal with arcades for the website itself. To the good advice and lesson on ethics I do respect and except the words.  I just don't enjoy getting schooled by someone informing me that waiting for something in the mail requires waiting... I got that part lol

Thanks again

[yotsuya]

Here's a hard-knock lesson: how about contacting the vendor first before inviting a public bashing thread of a small niche hobby business.
Paradise is a fine vendor, run by a nice husband and wife, I've personally met them and can say they're good people. Perhaps not as organized as say big companies like Amazon, but they have supported this hobby for a while now and I haven't had any major issues with the multiple orders I've placed with them.
They're just a small business, cut em some slack.

And as for pbj's comment, come on man, you throw paradise under the bus every chance you get. What gives? Personal vendetta? Life happens, and they're a small business, so again cut them some slack.
I didn't see you commenting like this when life happened to Bob Roberts. I don't get why you're hating on Paradise at every chance, but honestly it's getting boring.

I think they forgot to send him a bag of nuts in one order back when he was still PinballJim.

[yotsuya]

See now? You both wrote lengthy statements and I'll gladly say you are both right! That  is the distinct difference between useless hateful bantering for no reason and actually talking like adults with a hobby. I never did consider the fact that people reading these threads might now think twice before ordering from them even though they are hard-working reputable company. With that being said I have no negative reply. I simply wanted to know about the reputation of the company,  and I got my answer. I also now see the perspective of making a company look bad. It was my first thought to come here as there's not many places that deal with arcades for the website itself. To the good advice and lesson on ethics I do respect and except the words.  I just don't enjoy getting schooled by someone informing me that waiting for something in the mail requires waiting... I got that part lol

Thanks again

[aldub516]

now were talking..

ill just chalk you up to being my arch nemesis, and atleast theres a mutual respect in that relationship 

Thank you all.. this is now resolved, i will reach out to the owners.. You guys are a-ok

[aldub516]

and for what its worth, this is the panel im "jamming all of those useless controls" into... BEFORE you say ANYTHING about this panel, please read here http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,147351.0.html lol.. I have NOTHING to do with the cp besides drilling the holes for the 2 player controls, and the wiring of the buttons...Yes, i am innocent of that off set trackball and hate it as much as you do..

upload gambar

[Malenko]

Hey guys. So I was just curious a little over a week ago I ordered three wire harnesses from arcade paradise website. Since then I've received no email no shipping no confirmation of my order whatsoever except my actual PayPal receipt. I'm not particularly worried because it's only been a little over a week including weekends but with that said do they tend to  to be quick shippers or can I expect a somewhat delay.'I'm just impatient and my Control Panel just needs these three wires. I've read about a few arcade sites randomly falling into obscurity and disappear for weeks on end just want to make sure I don't have to anticipate any of that and can keep my excitement up for the mail in the next few days. Also because I signed out as a guest on their site I don't even see an order number or anyway to reference or check my status.

I know I know Im super late to the brew-ha-ha, so sorry.

The time you spent making this thread should have been time spent contacting the vendor. It does not matter the specifics of which vendor you used, they should be your first point of contact not a forum thread.  If you tried to reach out to them and got no response, then yes, a forum thread makes sense.

Also, if you want tracking of your purchase dont sign in as a guest, if you do sign in as a guest don't complain that you don't have a way to track your purchase. This particular aspect is completely your fault/choice.

Lastly, Paypal offers buyer protection so even if PA was a thief, you'd be protected.


As for your panel, why not stop complaining about it and make a new one?

[aldub516]

Malenko you are always a helper so I'll respond very respectfully to all of that.  first off no one is complaining about the control panel, I gave that little warning because I knew what to expect by posting it... Also it is not mine. It was given to me by someone who said I will pay you if you can please finish this panel and get it working with my computer. That simple.  most of the holes were already there the artwork was already there the track bowl and spinner Allready there. It is not my Control Panel I am not complaining about it nor do I have any need to fix it anymore. I was paid to drill a few holes and install a few buttons and wiring. I just didn't want to get roasted for the trackball art So I explained and linked the post. . As for the time it took me to make this post instead of contacting the vendor I will agree with you on that Actually. This just became my natural place for help; that's all. Minus hurting their name which I apologize for, I never really feel bad for "clogging up" a forum page that isn't exactly bursting with activity. I did not reach out to the vendor because I did not want to  be that guy who only wait eight days and emails about my item. I know you are going to relate that to me making this post but I also never complained about the time either realistically I don't mind waiting two weeks for the item I just don't know what's going on. As for it being my fault for not being able to track the item because I signed in as a guest, I'm sorry in 20+ years of buying things online I have never purchased something and not gotten an email or any type of correspondence from purchasing it. It's that simple.  whether I'm ordering from Ticketmaster or ultimarc  commonsense says 10 seconds later you get a receipt with your order information I don't even have an order number I don't believe that's my personal fault for using the guest login.  as for PayPal protecting me in case they are a thief, I honestly never said a single negative thing about them. I never said they took too long. And I never accused him of anything. I simply asked for past experiences since I didn't even receive so much of a receipt.  All of this is just a genuine response so please don't take it as a snub or anything and extend this debate of nonsense. I genuinely mean it. The control panel is not mine nor my concern I did my job. I'm not concerned about being ripped off,  and I've personally never bought a single item online without immediately receiving some sort of email or response. They offer a guest login because some people don't want to create accounts have information on file etc. That does not mean you should not get a single order number or response in anyway shape or form. Even an automated one. you are the man and always one to help, I just wanted to clear those concerns out.

[pbj]

Autism detector goes DING!

[wp34]

It's Sunday afternoon and I'm watching my Cardinals kick the Bears asses. I got nothing but time.

Now you're getting nasty.

[aldub516]

Autism detector goes DING!

Over what exactly...?

[aldub516]

Autism detector goes DING!

Over what exactly...?
I can't really see anything incredibly crazy or stupid that's been said... Good try for a cheap pop though.

[Token]

Autism detector goes DING!

Well it doesn't take long for us newbies to find the ---uvulas--- on BYOAC, does it?

[yotsuya]

Autism detector goes DING!

Well it doesn't take long for us newbies to find the ---uvulas--- on BYOAC, does it?

Hey, Jim might be an uvula, but he's our uvula.

[Token]

Autism detector goes DING!

Well it doesn't take long for us newbies to find the ---uvulas--- on BYOAC, does it?

Hey, Jim might be an uvula, but he's our uvula.

I will say this site was a lot less confusing when I learned how to turn off the swear filter.

[yotsuya]

Autism detector goes DING!

Well it doesn't take long for us newbies to find the ---uvulas--- on BYOAC, does it?

Hey, Jim might be an uvula, but he's our uvula.

I will say this site was a lot less confusing when I learned how to turn off the swear filter.

I love the swear filter. I think it's more interesting than the real comments.

[Malenko]

I will say this site was a lot less confusing when I learned how to turn off the swear filter.

If you think that's awesome, try blocking users:

http://forum.arcadecontrols.com/index.php/topic,139885.msg1447197.html#msg1447197

[monkeybomb]

In the time I read this thread, I could have made a 1 joystick, 3 button daisy chain.

[8BitMonk]

I went in and picked up some parts in person last week so I can confirm that there is an actual shop full of parts here in Minneapolis and Susan was very nice and helpful.

The shipping company was over 3 weeks late in getting their stock to the mainland so they're still getting settled and digging out from back orders. I'm sure order times will improve in the near future.

[behrmr]

Hawaii to Minesota?  They'll have to change their name to Alpine Arcade or Cheesey Arcade.

[Phreakwars]

Yeah, they delayed in getting mine, but I'll more then likely order from them again as well. Like I said, they seem like very nice people. Susan actually CALLED ME when I had my order problems. And, since they are not too far away, maybe next time I might also, just make a trip on over and pick up what I need. Like yotsuya was saying... building arcade cabinets is a niche hobby. It VERY VERY hard to find vendors that will cater to exact needs. Oh sure you can easily find buttons and sticks and even controller boards on eBay or Amazon, or even newegg, but it's very hard to find one that is in the US and a dedicated vendor with different options and warez. I can absolutely see the headache that would come with moving inventory.. According to Susan, her husband is (was) an intern Dr. out in Hawaii and then transferred to the states. She was telling me later on, they are gonna have to YET AGAIN move.. so BE PREPARED!! But still, considering it's just her and him for now (and I'm sure his regular duties consume much of his time), you gotta cut em some slack and roll with the punches. It doesn't matter if they have a HUGE inventory. You can only do so much with 1 or 2 people. It will take time to get someone or several people involved to help with operations... hell if I wasn't so far away I'd offer to help myself. I say to anyone who is getting pissy about it... YOU try doing the same thing yourself!!

[Hoopz]

I completely disagree.  This isn't an issue with someone asking a question.  That's what a forum is for.  This is an ongoing issue with a vendor who takes an order but has extreme difficulty with shipping and communication. 

This is NOT some guy in his garage doing things whenever he gets to it.  This is a RETAIL vendor and that means it's a legit business.  As such, they have a responsibility to communicate.  I didn't know that they were moving.  I looked on their site and didn't see a blurb or announcement that things could take awhile to ship.  If it was really important to them to communicate well, they'd do that.  It's not rocket science.  It's good service and they lack that.

Before anyone throws out the fact that Susan does this or that, remember that a vendor doesn't have to jump through hoops when they ship things correctly the first time.  I placed a pretty small order with t-molding.com and GGG on Friday night about 10 days ago.  Got emails from both of them on Sunday with shipping info.  Got GGG on Tuesday and tmolding on Wed.  Didn't need to track down anything because they both shipped what I ordered.

And a quick search here using "Paradise Arcade shipping" brings up just one thread mentioning their move. 

Let the guy ask a questions without everyone jumping down his throat.

[yotsuya]

I completely disagree.  This isn't an issue with someone asking a question.  That's what a forum is for.  This is an ongoing issue with a vendor who takes an order but has extreme difficulty with shipping and communication. 

This is NOT some guy in his garage doing things whenever he gets to it.  This is a RETAIL vendor and that means it's a legit business.  As such, they have a responsibility to communicate.  I didn't know that they were moving.  I looked on their site and didn't see a blurb or announcement that things could take awhile to ship.  If it was really important to them to communicate well, they'd do that.  It's not rocket science.  It's good service and they lack that.

Before anyone throws out the fact that Susan does this or that, remember that a vendor doesn't have to jump through hoops when they ship things correctly the first time.  I placed a pretty small order with t-molding.com and GGG on Friday night about 10 days ago.  Got emails from both of them on Sunday with shipping info.  Got GGG on Tuesday and tmolding on Wed.  Didn't need to track down anything because they both shipped what I ordered.

And a quick search here using "Paradise Arcade shipping" brings up just one thread mentioning their move. 

Let the guy ask a questions without everyone jumping down his throat.

I don't disagree that PA has a communication problem. I think people took umbrage because he hadn't reached out to the vendor first. Go to the source of the issue instead of raising a fuss first. That's what most of us would do, you included,  I'm sure.

[Malenko]

I don't disagree that PA has a communication problem. I think people took umbrage because he hadn't reached out to the vendor first. Go to the source of the issue instead of raising a fuss first. That's what most of us would do, you included,  I'm sure.

I agree with yots on this, and Ive got to say you should research your vendor PRIOR to purchase, not after the fact.

[yotsuya]

Anyway, the OP is satisfied,  everyone's all good. Just let the thread die. I would recommend, though,  that any issues or complaints people have with Paradise should be posted in the vendor thread for people to see.

[DietCoke]

I think they forgot to send him a bag of nuts in one order back when he was still PinballJim.

Maybe they thought he was already nuts enough?

[Hoopz]

@yots - I don't disagree at all with going to the vendor first and it's what I would have done.  But I also am willing to give the OP the benefit of the doubt because it's a retail vendor.  If someone wants to ---smurfette--- about a retail vendor, odds are I'm going to cut them more slack than if it's a one person shop doing things on the side to help the community and make a buck or two per job.

It gets old reading threads where someone bitches about someone else not searching.  It's happened for years and it will always happen.  Too many whats the best joystick, encoder or FE threads too.  Maybe I'm taking CheffoJeffo's role with the "Get off my lawn" responses.

I'll drop it.     I've got some grounds to wire up anyway.

[yotsuya]

It gets old reading threads where someone bitches about someone else not searching.  It's happened for years and it will always happen.  Too many whats the best joystick, encoder or FE threads too.  Maybe I'm taking CheffoJeffo's role with the "Get off my lawn" responses.

I'll drop it.     I've got some grounds to wire up anyway.

Maybe it struck a chord because someone posted a similar thread last week. :

Keep on keepin' on, bro. We've missed you and Cheffo!

[opt2not]

I'll drop it.     I've got some grounds to wire up anyway.

i see what you did there.

[Matt Berry]

I have ordered from Paradise Arcade numerous times in the past, and orders typically go out right away. My current order is almost a Month old now, so the back log may be greater then you think.

[aldub516]

:::no sells this thread:::

[Hoopz]

WTH does that mean?

And yes I searched first.   

[Token]

WTH does that mean?

And yes I searched first.   

I found this.

"Professional wrestling refers to it as a "no-sell" when the wrestler that was struck doesn't react to the hit (i.e. he just stands there, as if his opponent were punching a brick wall). Originally, this was usually a case of the wrestler taking the hit just being a dick, and was highly frowned upon because it was seen as undermining Kayfabe. But it also came to be used as a way to demonstrate that a wrestler is just that tough. Some wrestlers use no-selling as their main schtick."

[yotsuya]

WTH does that mean?

And yes I searched first.   

I found this.

"Professional wrestling refers to it as a "no-sell" when the wrestler that was struck doesn't react to the hit (i.e. he just stands there, as if his opponent were punching a brick wall). Originally, this was usually a case of the wrestler taking the hit just being a dick, and was highly frowned upon because it was seen as undermining Kayfabe. But it also came to be used as a way to demonstrate that a wrestler is just that tough. Some wrestlers use no-selling as their main schtick."

Based on your link, i think it means he's not going to respond to this thread anymore.

[aldub516]

Lmao. Yea, "no sell" is just a wrestling term. I came back and saw all the new banter and felt a good ol no sell would keep me outve hot water.

I did find humor in the dictionary search for no sell though. You guys are thorough.

[CheffoJeffo]

It gets old reading threads where someone bitches about someone else not searching.  It's happened for years and it will always happen.  Too many whats the best joystick, encoder or FE threads too.  Maybe I'm taking CheffoJeffo's role with the "Get off my lawn" responses.

I'll drop it.     I've got some grounds to wire up anyway.

Maybe it struck a chord because someone posted a similar thread last week. :

Keep on keepin' on, bro. We've missed you and Cheffo!

Get offa my lawn!

[BorgDog]

Hawaii to Minesota?  They'll have to change their name to Alpine Arcade or Cheesey Arcade.

Wow, what a move in the wrong direction.  Minnesota is a great place to be from.