Monday, August 28, 2006

Thanks to my good friend Matt and cousin Claudia for helping me fix the posting date. Now I don't have to bother putting that in and just set it before posting ... modern marvels! But I do appreciate it because now it looks better and makes more sense.

Weekly Recap:
Terminex Termite inspection came out last Wednesday and it turns out I do not have termites ... instead the furniture we got from Costco, the wooden support untreated slats under the bed have Powder Post Beetles. Never heard of these before till now so do not know much about them but they seem similiar to a termite however more destructive faster. It doesn't look like they have large nest of the sort but one of them seems pretty destructive. So now we are waiting to see what the options are and then giving Costco a call!

Thursday had another Young Variety mixer at Miceli's Restuarant, good times, raising money and mix/mingle! The place was very cool too so if you are ever in the Hollywood area, check it out!

At the movies:
TOUCHDOWN for Disney's Invincible, opening weekend scored a decent 17 million. Good word-of-mouth on this film so it should have a great Labor Day Weekend. Holding on to the #2 checkered flag is "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" with an additional 8 mil. Moving up the ranks to #3 this week is the artsy dark comedy from Fox Searchlight, Little Miss Sunshine with a staggering 7.5 mil. Its great seeing a movie move UP!! Chuggin on the #4 slot, WB's college aimed comedy Beerfest opens this week with a hang-over sum of 6.5 mil. Continuing the college crowd films holding in for a second week is "Accepted" on the #5 spot with an additional 6.4 mil. Other films that opened that did not make the top 5 are Universal's music jam Idlewild at #9 with 5.9 mil and New Line's second movie winner in a row (sarcasm in case you didn't get it), How to Eat Fried Worms at #11 with a disappointing 4 mil.

If anyone is keeping track, New Lines's "Snakes on a Plane" had a huge drop as it plummets to #6 this week with an additional 6.4 mil, that is actually lower than I thought it would do (7 mil). Again, the movie was over before it started.

Q & A:
None at this time.

Other News:
This is interesting, the US and the current Iraqi formed government in Baghdad have both said things are going well and both stated the Iraqi Security forces are not only ready to take over but are leading operations against insurgents now. So this would explain the recall of over 7,000 marines to return to Iraq for a 4th (some 5th) tour of duty not to mention extending current active duty marines already there longer. Also, last week British troops started vacating bases in Basra (southern Iraq) and turning it over to the Iraqi Security forces. The very next day looters went in and literally took everything not bolted down while the security forces watched them. On top of all this families are now learning how their loved ones were actually killed while in Iraq 1 to 2 years after their death from what they were intially told otherwise.

Looking at some current numbers: We have been there almost 3 1/2 years and total US Soldiers killed (as of 8/26/06) is 2,621 (daily rate of 1.6 killed over the last 14 days). Did you know the US was involved with World War II for 4 years? This is also kind of interesting ... US committed troops in WWII to number killed is 1.8% US committed troops in Iraq to number killed is 2.6% (and climbing).


Tips & Facts:
William Shakespeare was born and died on the same day: April 23

"Do you get tired of being all that you can be?"- Neal McDonough as Jay Hamilton in "Walking Tall"

Monday, August 21, 2006

August 21st, 2006

So the other day I was sitting around at home when I start to hear power tools going. At first I thought it was up the street a little because I live in a sort of corner so things echo. Then I start to see movement outside my door windows. I go outside and there is this whole fence operation going on outside on my lawn. Apparently they were coming to replace the fence and door to the backyard. The panels were warping and the base was all rotted, how cool is that? Just a few months ago the house was re-painted and before that the garage doors. This is a pretty cool association.


Weekly Recap:
Pretty uneventful week last week ... did a bunch of errands, some light traveling and work mixed in there. The weather has cooled down quiet a bit yet I tried to stay in-doors as much as possible. I like weeks like this eventhough the traveling is long drives but its ok. This week is all work but I am hoping for another week of light traffic (crosses fingers)!

Saturday night I was trying to sleep when I heard some wierd noises coming from the dresser. Not big noises, like when stuff is settling or shifting from vibration. So I get up, grab a flashlight and check underneath it when I turn to the other side under the bed and notice these mounds of sawdust! I am thinking TERMITES! So, now I need to schedule an inspection and see what the deal is and this is from the Costco furniture too!

At the movies:
Soon to be a "B" movie, Snakes on a Plane opens to a slow slither of 15.3 million. The number itself is decent however I am sure with all the buzz and anticapation, folks were probably hoping post 25+ weekend. There was a dip from Friday to Saturday which would suggest word-of-mouth may have caught up with it fast. After all, there was a huge internet buzz and that can also work the other way very fast. Holding in the #2 spot zooming in for another 14.1 mil is "Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" which now has a 3 week cume of 114.7 mil. Standing strong in the #3 spot this week is "World Trade Center" with another 10.8 mil. New to the scene at #4 is Universal's Accepted with a very decent 10.1 mil opener. This summer attempt at a college comedy actually pulled it off because it surely was cheap to make. Rounding off the Top 5 is the urban hip hop "Step Up" with an additional 9.9 mil and now with a surprising cume of 39.4 million. Other films that opened that did not make the top 5 ... sad to say (again) the MGM release of Material Girls with only 4.6 mil, the lion continues to struggle with its low rumbles of a "meow".

Q & A:
Thanks folks for the tips on how to change the setting on the post date!

Other News:
I was sad to learn that Bruno Kirby passed away on Monday (8/14) due to complications with leukemia, he was only 57. The name may not sound familiar but his roles were memorable. Two of my favorites were one of the best friends to Billy Crystal's character in City Slickers and the uptight, extremely humorless 2nd Lt. opposite Robin Williams' character in Good Morning, Vietnam. He was never a starring role character yet he made a great impact to the others around him on the screen. I always enjoyed his work and very sad I will not see anymore new roles. Other films included When Harry Met Sally, Donnie Brasco, and The Godfather: Part II.

Tips & Facts:
The "lemon yellow" crayon was introduced in 1949 and retired in 1990.

"I make my own destiny"- Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson as Mathayus the Scorpion King in "The Scorpion King"

Tuesday, August 08, 2006

August 14, 2006

I just noticed last Monday that when I post my weekly blog, it shows the date of the creaton of the post and not the actual post date. I can't seem to find an option on here to change it where it shows the date it was posted. I usually start the blog for the next week the Tuesday after because as stuff happens or when stuff comes to me to write down, I start composing it. So I guess what I need to do is add a date as the very first item so folks (who actually read this) know what week its for. Unless someone can tell me how to fix it where it uses the date that the blog was posted ... I can't find it.

Weekly Recap:
This week has been pretty busy work-wise for me. Its funny when you really don't have a lot going on yet it seems way busier? Traffic has gotten lighter though for the most part, my guess is summer classes are over and so I will get a good two weeks (this past week and this current week) before it starts to get busy again. The week after labor day is the worst though ... not looking forward to it at all.

At the movies:
"Talladega Nights: The Ballad of Ricky Bobby" wins the checkered flag for its 2nd week bringing in another 23 million. This film has good word-of-mouth so it should hit the 150 cume mark with no problem. Disneys urban hip-hop film Step Up surprises with 21 mil, not sure if this film will have the dance moves to hold on. Paramount's last Wednesday opener of World Trade Center comes in #3 with a weekend total of 19 mil and a cume of 26.8 mil. Reviews are mixed on this film, the weekend would suggest a semi-decent opening but will it hold up till labor day weekend? Moo'ing in at #4 is Barnyard as it takes a drop with 10 mil this weekend. Still a good number for this poorly done animated eye-sore. Rounding off the top 5 is the thriller Pulse with 8.5 mil. "Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest" (in the #6 spot) hauling in another 7.2 mil making its total 392.4 mil now taking the #7 slot for All Time Highest Grossing Movies and it should take #6 away from "Spider-Man" eventually in a few weeks. Other films that opened wide but did not make the top 5 is Sony's family film Zoom with a very low 4.6 mil, this film is pretty much done before it got started.

Q & A:

None at this time.

Other News:

One has to wonder lately as nature goes into tailspins
around the world how the typical weather patterns we are use to having seem to have disappeared. Is most of this simply coincidence or is there more evidence to support the theories of global warming? There is a move out called An Inconvienent Truth presented by former Vice President Al Gore where he points out these very issues. I haven't had a chance to see the movie yet but everyone I know that has seen it highly recommends it and say its an "eye-opener". You also have to think, "What has this current adminstration done to prevent or help the enviroment?" The answer quite simply is ... nothing. In fact they have made it worse with opening up wildlife reserves for possible oil drilling, no funds to R&D for alternative fuel sources AND swept under the rug the idea of an 100% oiless consumer vehicle. Another movie documentary this year on this very subject points out the lack of government support called Who Killed the Electric Car?. Talk about leaving something for future generations ... too bad it won't be much.

Tips & Facts:
Panama is the only place in the world where you can see the sun rise on the Pacific and set on the Atlantic.

"Harness in the good energy, block out the bad. Harness energy, block bad. Feel the flow Happy. It's circular."- Kevin Nealon as Gary Potter in "Happy Gilmore"