Monday, August 27, 2007

SQUIRRELS!!! Lots of them all over work but they seem pretty friendly. I was walking out of my building the other night and this squirrel was eating some food out of this guy's hand. I heard the little rodents can be pretty spastics and vicious but if they are around people all day, I guess you get use to it. These are people-squirrels. But they are cute little buggers.

Weekly Update:
A nice quiet week this past ... week. People on vacation which sort of gives you vacation at the same time. I wish this happens more often but oh well, I guess that is why its called a wish then. Temperatures got a little better toward the end of the week, cooler which is good but the summer isn't quiet over yet! Labor Day is right around the corner ... which means HEAVY traffic soon ... way heavy!

At the movies:
The boys of "Superbad" hold onto the box office crown this week taking in another 18 million. Holding on to the #2 spot is "The Bourne Ultimatum" with an extra 12.4 mil and now over the 185 mil cume. Also holding on at #3 but not as strong is "Rush Hour 3" with 12.3 mil more. New in at #4 are the physical antics of Mr. Bean's Holiday with only 10.1 mil to open. Rounding off the top 5 is the action film War with only 10 mil, the good thing about this film is that this war ended before it started!

New movies that did not make the top 5: Quiet a few this week which goes to show you that the season is over and that these movies looked bad before hitting the screen. In at #6 is the semi-romantic-not-so-funny-comedy The Nanny Diaries as it reads in for only 7.8 mil and MGM does it again with another wide release. At #15 (yes, #15) is the drama Resurrecting The Champ with only 1.9 mil and this one is just too easy to jab at. Semi-wide in at #16 is Illegal Tender with only 1.4 mil and we move on. Also in semi-wide release is the drama September Dawn at the #23 spot and making a BIG 600k ... looks like the dawn has set this one to bed.

Comment Response:
None at this time.

Other News:
Greece is ablaze! Huge fires hit the city of Greece a couple of days ago and now threaten ruins that have been around for nearly 3,000 years. Firefighters work drastically to prevent any damage to the birth place of the Olympics. Reports indicated over 42 major fires are still out of control. The cause of the fire is still under investigation and a reward has been offered for any information leading to the cause. One has to consider that a city as old as Greece would be effected like this. Its not like everything was retro-fitted with new fire-proof structures and such. It has survived many wars and other natural disasters ... let's hope it continues to do so after this one.

Facts & Tips:
Mt. Everest has grown one foot over the last 100 years.

"You know that darkness you talked about Clark? I think it's in everyone and people like my father just know how to bring it out."- Michael Rosenbaum as Lex Luthor in the TV series "Smallville."

Monday, August 20, 2007

Hot and congested. Well I think its safe to say the summer weather is here however the summer season is over. The last week had tremendous traffic jams both morning and night, especially at night were it was bumper-to-bumper for very long stretches. Can't wait to see what September brings because that is always the worst month of the year.

Weekly Update:

What to say about this week ... other than it being just tiring yet very boring at the same time. Work is very so-so and also on the side of disappointing as of late. Right hand not communicating with the left, left eye (not Lopez) not seeing what the right sees or it is just completely blind, and right brain not paying attention to ... well just about everything else there is.


At the movies:

Surprise here as the raunchy comedy
Superbad earns a big 31.2 million dollar gross and takes the weekend crown. Holding at #2 is "Rush Hour 3" with an extra 21.8 mil. Still searching at #3 is "The Bourne Ultimatum" finding 18.9 mil more. Still showing at #4 is "The Simpsons Movie" with a little bump of 6.7 mil and now well over 165 mil cume. Rounding off the top 5 is the new re-make The Invasion with only 6 mil which is a pretty sad opening.

New movies that did not make the top 5: Only one to mention and its yet another Roman driven story of King Arthur however focused on the sword Excalibur. This new film, The Last Legion only scored up 2.6 mil and the legend is now dead thanks to it.

Comment Response:
None at this time.

Other News:
Hurricane season is in full swing now as Dean hits Jamaica with winds as high as 145 mph and over 20 inches of rain. As this one makes it way towards Texas, additional hurricanes are sure to be forming and will hit shortly after Dean is finally over, when its over. So far this hurricane has claimed at least 3 lives in its path. If this is any indication of what is to come, this year will be a big one for tropical storms.

Facts & Tips:

No word in the English language rhymes with month.

"Daisy Duke, if you wasn't my cousin, I'd marry you!"- John Schneider as Bo Duke from the TV series "The Dukes of Hazzard."

Monday, August 13, 2007

Starlight, starbright, did you see any falling stars this past weekend? I tried to see some last night however there was too much ground lighting to see anything. This particular show are the remains of the comet Perseid and had as many as 60 sightings in a one hour time frame. The most I have seen in one night is ... well zero. The most I have seen total is ... still zero. Darn.

Weekly Update:

On Wednesday night I attended this neat little event down at MacArthur Park in Los Angeles. They re-did and re-opened the pavilion there where concerts in the park use to be held back in the day. Then during the 80's the park was riddled with drug users, homeless and gangs and the city along with the community has retaken it. Last night feature Cumbias music which was great! Currently they are running 30 nights of concerts ranging from Latin, African, Korean and Scottish sounds to kids programs ... I may go back to hear some bagpipes! During the event I met the current Mayor of LA (Antonio Villaraigosa) and actor Tony Plana (currently starring on the hit show Ugly Betty on ABC) who was a terrific guy and good MC for the evening's ceremonies.

At the movies:

The comedy action duo returns to take the box office crown in Rush Hour 3 as it hauls in a nice 50.2 million for its debut. Word of mouth is so-so on this film but as we near the end of summer, probably doesn't matter too much. Holding ground at #2 is "The Bourne Ultimatum" with a very nice 33.7 extra and well over the 130 mil cume. Still tuned in at #3 is "The Simpson's Movie" with another 11.1 mil and just passes the 150 mil cume mark. New at #4 is the odd looking fantasy film Stardust with only 9 mil to open. Word of mouth is that the film is good but the ad campaign makes it look like a 1970's rejected TV show. Rounding off the top 5 is "Underdog" cooking up another 6.5 mil.

New movies that did not make the top 5: A couple of good ones (not good as in good movies but good as in "that makes sense"). First one up at #10 is the HI-larious sequel Daddy Day Camp pitching in 3.6 mil and camp is now over. In at # 18 is the horror film Skinwalkers in a semi-wide release earning a HUGE 565,000 dollars ... probably should have gone straight to video.

Comment Response:
None at this time.

Other News:
Legendary entertainer and business man Merv Griffin passed away on Sunday at 82 from prostate cancer. Merv was the brains behind such iconic shows as "Wheel of Fortune" and "Jeopardy" to name a couple. He also hosted his own talk show for more than 20 years. A little bit of Hollywood weeps tonight ... so long Merv and thanks.

Facts & Tips:

Theodore Roosevelt was the only president blind in one eye.

"John, I have a casserole in the oven and your sister in the kitchen, and I don't want to talk about the tour."- Ginnifer Goodwin as Vivian Cash in "Walk the Line."

Monday, August 06, 2007

Is it going to rain or just stay cloudy all day? I am not sure but some water drops from the sky would be nice about now along with some cooler temps. But it is summer after all in the Cali southland. But I hate to be teased with the clouds and the moisture in the air ... not nice. Generally speaking our year here so far has been relatively dry.

Weekly Update:

This past work week was nothing but pure insanity and what is funny ... it shouldn't have been as always! I am so amazed how one person can make the simplest thing into a complex project that would normally require 3 steps but then turns it into 20. I am not surprised because it's very common but just amazed.

At the movies:
Another summer blockbuster weekend as the 3rd installment for the Matt Damon action series takes the box office crown, Bourne Ultimatum earns a hefty 70.2 million. Holding in at #2 with a big percentage drop from last week is "The Simpsons Movie" with an extra 25.6 mil but with a cum over 128 mil for its first 10 days! New at #3 is the canine superhero Underdog with a very low 12 mil for a summer flick. Still together at #4 is "I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry" with another 10.5 mil. Rounding off the top 5 is "Hairspray" with 9 mil more and trying to sing its way to reach the 100 mil mark.

New movies that did not make the top 5: Quite a few this week, I guess the bulk of summer is over so the bad films hit the fan. In at #9 this week is the SNL associated comedy Hot Rod with only 5 million and it's now completely cold. At #10 is the very ugly toy made to live action movie Bratz with only 4.3 mil and pretty much done. At the #12 spot and in semi-wide release is the J-Lo and real life hubby starring film El Cantante with only 3.3 mil and the dance is over.

Comment Response:

None at this time.


Other News:

This past week saw a lot of baseball sports history. From NY Mets pitcher Tom Glavine getting his 300th win, NY Yankee's Alex Rodriquez hitting his 500th home run, and San Francisco Giants Barry Bonds finally ties up Hank Aaron's record with his 755th home run against the San Diego Padres. What is funny is the pitcher who gave Bonds the tie homer was an ex-steroid user himself. And as we the month 0f August, the race is on for the championships.


Facts & Tips:
An ant can lift 50 times its own weight.


"Separately we are flawed and vulnerable, but together we are the masters of our sexual destiny."- Thomas Ian Nicholas as Kevin Myers in "American Pie."