Monday, January 31, 2011

So this week's weather was pretty good, sunny with a lot of cool temps and then Sunday it got very cloudy. Reports said it would be cloudy but that was about it. Then just before noon Sunday, flash flood!! The rain poured down like crazy and lasted for a couple of hours and then it dried up and was sunny again. We need more of that though despite what people think of the rain we got recently. It is not enough, a few days of mass rain doesn't make up for the 5 plus years of drought ... the math, it don't add up!

Weekly Update:
This past week was pretty mellow with just a few minor things going on but nothing really worth mentioning. This coming week though looks to be VERY crazy with randomness and an event next week which I will elaborate more on next week. I guess till then ... stay warm and stay dry if you are in SoCali!

At the movies:
Slow week at the box office this weekend and the numbers prove it. But at the same time, it is to be expected since we are in award season so usually the junk is being thrown out. In at #1 is The Rite with 15 million for its debut. Holding on to #2 is "No Strings Attached" with an additional 13.7 mil. New at #3 and CBS Films still trying to find a hit is the action film The Mechanic with only 11.5 mil and probably nothing can fix this film. Holding at #4 is "The Green Hornet" with 11.5 mil as it struggles to try and reach 100 mil cume. Rounding off the top 5 with a slight increase is "The King's Speech" with 11.1 mil as it receives numerous accolades.

Quote of the week:
"Friendship is unnecessary, like philosophy, like art. It has no survival value; rather it is one of things that give value to survival." - C.S. Lewis

Other News:
We're NOT #1?!? I just stumbled across this list of the top 10 cities with the worst commutes based on time in traffic and gallons of gas ... LA isn't #1! Let's take a look at this so-called list! The Urban Mobility Report conducted by the Texas Transportation Institute calculates cost of hours commuting and wasted gas. At #10 - Seattle, WA: wastes about $1,056 (44 hours/35 gal). It doesn't say per week or month but I will assume per month based on the numbers. At #9 - Denver, CO: $1,057 (44 hours/38 gals). #8 - Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX: $1,077 (48 hours/38 gals). #7 - Boston, MA: $1,112 (48 hours/36 gals). #6 - San Francisco, CA: $1,112 (49 hours/39 gals). #5 - Baltimore, MD: $1,218 (50 hours/43 gals). #4 - Houston, TX: $1,322 (58 hours/52 gals). #3 - Los Angeles/Long Beach, CA: $1,464 (63 hours/50 gals). #2 - Washington, D.C: $1,555 (70 hours/57 gals). And the #1 worst city for commuting is ... CHICAGO, IL: $1,738 (70 hours/52 gals). Looks like CA and TX are tied in terms of states for each having two of the worst cities on this list. Although on average CA wins so we get that victory!! What? Wait.

Facts & Tips:
Mount Katahdin in Maine is the first place in the U.S. to get sunlight each morning.

"What I love most about animation is, it's a team sport, and everything we do is about pure imagination." - Jeffrey Katzenberg (head of DreamWorks Animation)

posted by McDuck @ 01:32 0 comments

Monday, January 24, 2011

WINDY!!! The week itself was pretty warm but then came Saturday night and it sounded like a tornado was brewing up outside ... of course I have never heard an actual tornado but I would imagine it sounding like Saturday night. In the morning there were leaves and big branches every where but no trees seemed to have fallen down like the last time we had a big wind come through. It did keep me up that night and the dogs as well. Every little noise set off their ear alarms which was kind of funny the first few dozen times. This is the middle of winter though right? It sure is heating up here in SoCali!

Weekly Update:
So this was funny, I was over at my friend James' house helping with some computer stuff and that same night I had to attend this get together for a friend who was visiting from Dallas. Now James is the guy who has been in over 500 TV and Movie roles and I invited him thinking he wouldn't want to go to this bar scene in Hollywood (he is just over 80). He went! It was kind of funny and fun at the same time. I think he had a good time hanging out and enjoyed a turkey burger ... I could see folks on their iPhones and such looking up his IMDB page and one debate was "Revenge of the Nerds II" ... yep, he was in that who out burped Booger in the seedy motel in Miami. Well, there is something you don't expect every day but just goes to show you, never too old to go out and have a little fun!

At the movies:
Kind of a weak showing at the box office this weekend but nothing really out of the ordinary. The romantic comedy takes the crown this week as No Strings Attached earns 20.3 million for its debut. Slight drop to #2 is "The Green Hornet" with another 18.1 mil as it struggles to hit that 100 mil cume mark. At #3 is "The Dilemma" with an extra 9.7 mil as it struggles to just hit 50 mil. Big jump to #4 is "The King's Speech" after its Golden Globe wins the previous weekend earns another 9.2 mil in its 9th week of release. Rounding off the top 5 is "True Grit" with another 8 mil as it rides along.

Quote of the week:
"Death is a very dull, dreary affair, and my advice to you is to have nothing whatsoever to do with it." - W. Somerset Maugham

Other News:
In these economic times which are still very depressed, it is interesting to see what brands or chain stores out there may not survive. Most of these are not due to the economy but more of the technology of it all. Let's take a look at a short list of potential stores that may not survive through 2011 ... in no particular order: Blockbuster - This has been on the books of not surviving the past 3 years but yet they some how are still around. Granted each one of those years they have closed so many stores (2010 - 955 locations) but they keep trying new things to survive. What is funny each new thing they try is about a year too late. Liz Claiborne - I never realized they had stores and thought it was simply a brand. They shut down all their stores just recently and have stuck to simply selling through other chains like QVC and JC Penny. A.J. Wright - Never heard of them before but I guess they are the discount chain of TJ Maxx but have closed all their locations down now. Wait, they are discount to TJ Maxx?!? Woah ... I can't imagine being any more low-rent than TJ Maxx. Borders - This has been on the list a few times as well and they have closed another 200 stores since last year. Another company trying new things to stay alive but are always late on the bandwagon. Quizno's - new to this list and they have shut down 1,000 locations this past year. I hate this chain, the food is sickening (literally) and they are classified as an upscale sandwich chain? Upscale to what? Things I can eat out of a trash can that won't make me sick? Jones Apparel - another I have never heard of but they closed 173 locations last year. A fashion chain that is being squeezed by higher material costs. F.Y.E. (For Your Entertainment) - closed another 99 stores and they hit the market a couple of years back with iTunes and more digital sales happening. Anyone in the music industry from making to selling are suffering right now.

Facts & Tips:
The largest fish is the whale shark - it can be over 50 feet long and weigh two tons.

"You worship a HEAD OF LETTUCE?" - Earnest Thomas as Roger 'Raj' Thomas in the TV show "What's Happening!"

posted by McDuck @ 00:17 0 comments

Monday, January 17, 2011

MLK Day Edition

Today is Martin Luther King Day in remembrance of a man who we should example our lives from. Martin Luther King, Jr. strived for some very simple things ... unity and equality. I would like to think since his famous speech at the Reflecting Pool at the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, DC that as a nation we have lived up to his words but sadly, we are still so far from it. We need more than just a day to help us learn or remember him but what is really frightening is will there be a time eventually when we forget who he was and what he stood for? Right now so many just see this day as an extended weekend from school and work. It should be seen as a day for reflection, helping one another and tolerance. He had a dream ... let's try to live it a little.

Weekly Update:
I'm tired again but that is my own fault for going to bed late so many nights but couldn't help it either! Pretty average week till Wednesday hit and I went to this independent film premiere. No party but I did catch some folks during the red carpet arrivals which was nice:

*Peter Jacobson- Not there for the movie but ran into him at the theatre, best known from the TV show "House" and a nice guy.
*Paz Vega- Best known from "Spanglish" and very sweet.
*Lake Bell- From "What Happens in Vegas" and very nice.
*Nick Stahl- From T3 and "Sin City" and a pretty cool guy.
*Jamie Chung - From "Sorority Row" and incredibly nice.

The rest of the week was just filled with busy stuff for friends. I did go out to Hemet on Saturday for a lunch with some in-laws. The great thing about that was they make the best tamales EVER and I got to bring some home ... they will be gone soon.

At the movies:
Not a big surprise at the box office and also a nice little boost for one of the slowest month for this industry. At #1 is The Green Hornet with a nice 34 million holiday opener. New at #2 is the comedy The Dilemma with 17.4 mil. Slight drop down to #3 is "True Grit" with 11.2 mil more. Jumping up to #4 is "The King's Speech" with 9 mil as it is a big contender for this awards season. Rounding off the top 5 is "Black Swan" with 8.1 mil and another contender for this year's award season.

Quote of the week:
"Do not fear death so much, but rather the inadequate life." - Bertolt Brecht

Other News:
Ok now this is a good list to look over especially during these depressed financial times. It is the Worst and Best Credit Cards of 2010 according to The New York Times. They were rated based on varying factors of course which included fees and benefits. Looking at the worst first ... there isn't any particular order but one is First Premier MasterCard that has an 79.99% APR. This was endorsed by the Kardashians and cited as being the most hated card. Also on this list is a store card; the Best Buy Reward Zone MasterCard which has little disclosure on details. The Applied Bank Unsecured Visa Gold Card. Apparently Applied Bank offers no grace period so as soon as you swipe the card, interests starts accruing and not the typical three to four weeks later. On the flip side to all of this, some of the best cards found were PenFed Visa Platinum Cashback Rewards Card (which has WAY too long of a name) and the Fidelity Investment Rewards American Express Card ... another way long name! Both these cards offer the best cash-back. The Simmons Visa Platinum and the PenFed Promise Visa Card both had the best low-interest rates. Chase Sapphire Card (HEY, that is what I have!) and Zync from American Express had the best reward point credit cards.

Facts & Tips:
Jupiter spins so fast that there is a new sunrise nearly every 10 hours.

"She's so pathetic. Let me tell you something about Janis Ian. We were best friends in middle school. I know, right? It's so embarrassing. I don't even... Whatever. So then in eighth grade, I started going out with my first boyfriend Kyle who was totally gorgeous but then he moved to Indiana, and Janis was like, weirdly jealous of him. Like, if I would blow her off to hang out with Kyle, she'd be like, "Why didn't you call me back?" And I'd be like, "Why are you so obsessed with me?" So then, for my birthday party, which was an all-girls pool party, I was like, "Janis, I can't invite you, because I think you're lesbian." I mean I couldn't have a lesbian at my party. There were gonna be girls there in their *bathing suits*. I mean, right? She was a LESBIAN. So then her mom called my mom and started yelling at her, it was so retarded. And then she dropped out of school because no one would talk to her, and she came back in the fall for high school, all of her hair was cut off and she was totally weird, and now I guess she's on crack." Rachel McAdams as Regina George in "Mean Girls."

posted by McDuck @ 00:39 0 comments

Monday, January 10, 2011

Have you ever noticed how red Lego bricks (any size) never seem to snap as tight as all the other color bricks. What is with red that makes it weaker? Even some of the older red bricks sort of look translucent and feel less solid. Not sure if its the chemical coloring that goes into to make the red ones or what but get a whole bunch of Lego's of varying size and colors and see for yourself. Not saying all red bricks are weaker but the majority of them are, especially when snapping them of like color. Yeah, I know, random.

Weekly Update:
Kind of a crazy week this past one ... don't know how it happened but I'm tired again! Started on Tuesday night when I attended a reception for the legendary Stan Lee as he finally received his star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame earlier that day. This system of receiving a star is completely messed up and should be redone completely but the committee who runs it are simply a self-proclaimed bunch so there is not voting in or out its members. I mean just last year Tony Curtis and Dennis Hopper got their stars and honestly they should have received it many years, even decades ago. I feel like the Hollywood Stars have lost their sense of prestige and honor in getting one when people like Christina Aguilera and Ryan Seacrest have gotten theirs way before so many others. But Stan finally got his star and he was in very high spirits during the evening. Then again that guy always is. During the night I did meet:

*Lou Ferrigno- Best known as the actual Hulk from the TV series back in the 70's. He was a bit odd but ok.

Then the latter half of the week I helped out a friend with some projects and each day went into late night! But at the end of the week got to meet:

Tim Johnson- Directed the first film for DreamWorks called "Antz" back in 1998 when the studio first started. He went on to direct other DreamWorks films like "Over the Hedge" and "Sinbad: Legend of the Seven Seas" and an incredibly cool guy!

At the movies:
Not a lot of movement that went on this week but we are in January which is typically a slow month for the box office. In at #1 we have "True Grit" with another 15 million and now just over the 100 mil cume mark. Holding on to #2 is "Little Fockers" with 13.8 mil more. New at #3 is Season of the Witch with 10.7 mil for its debut and a better opening for the new studio, Relativity, than its previous first release. In at #4 is "Tron Legacy" with an extra 9.8 mil. Rounding off the top 5 is "Black Swan" with 8.4 mil more but a lot of Oscar buzz around this film so that could carry it longer at the box office than most films.

Quote of the week:
"Every exit is an entry somewhere else." - Tom Stoppard

Other News:
Gabrielle I have to say, the state of Arizona is quiet crazy and probably first on my list of places never to live in. Not to long ago they were making headlines with their immigration initiative of randomly profiling people for citizenship status and such. Now, this past Saturday a shooting killing 6 and injuring U.S. RepresentativeGiffords at a public gathering outside a grocery store in Tucson, Arizona. The Congresswoman was hit in the head from the shooter and remains in critical but hopeful condition at the hospital. If not for the efforts of her intern, Daniel Hernandez, her wound could have been fatal. The gunman was identified as Jared Loughner, 22 - was subdued at the scene by two people in the crowd. No motive has been found as to Loughner's attack yet but it is currently suspected he acted alone. Arizona is one honked up state ... They are one of two states who do not observe Daylight Saving Time and a little side story, one time when I was working at the theatre and the time changed happen. Someone came to the theatre an hour early and I said we were not open for an hour due to DST. His response, "Well I am from Arizona and we don't believe in DST so you should open now since I am here." What?

Facts & Tips:
The world's termites outweigh the world's humans 10 to 1.

"What would you say to silver-dollar pancakes, fresh-squeezed orange juice, bacon, and Kona coffee?" - Amanda Plummer as Rose Michaels in "So I Married an Axe Murderer."

posted by McDuck @ 00:28 0 comments

Monday, January 03, 2011

New Year Edition

Welcome to 2011 ... does it feel any different than 2010? So far, not really but that seems to be the case every year. Of course when you look back over the past 5 years you notice lots of changes but that is life, its gradual. So aside from that, what's in store for 2011? No clue but probably a lot of the same stuff that came with 2010. Another year, start of a new decade and still crazy wet and freakishly colder than usual. Yeah!

Weekly Update:
Wet and cold ... that was the week in a nutshell for me. Was up in San Francisco for almost all of it and it rained a few days but when it did, it was heavy! But overall had a good holiday and fun New Year's ... played some games, help make some ravioli and enjoyed some good company. Also watched our dogs react to cats the first time which was typical and interesting at the same time. Sunday I got to meet Kathy Kinney who is best known as "Mimi" from "The Drew Carey Show" and she is such an amazing person! Very down to Earth and talk about weight loss too, she looked great.

At the movies:
Kind of a weak showing at the box office this weekend but that is to be expected this time of year as nothing new opened. Coming in at #1 is "Little Fockers" with an additional 26.3 million and almost to the 100 mil cume mark. Slight drop at #2 is "True Grit" with another 24.5 mil and on its way to 100 mil cume. At #3 is "Tron Legacy" with 18.3 mil more. Hanging in at #4 is "Yogi Bear" with 13 mil. Rounding off the top 5 is "The Chronicles of Narnia: Voyage of the Dawn Treader" with 10.5 mil as its voyage comes to a close soon.

Quote of the week:
"Remembrance, like a candle, burns brightest at Christmas time." - Charles Dickens

Other News:
It's interesting to look back at the last decade (2000 to 2010) and sort of reflect on what has transpired. What we thought, what we encountered and what we experienced in just the span of ten short years. In no particular order ... I remember just before the decade started and how everyone was paranoid about Y2K and how banks would fail. Another big thing was 9/11/01 and how that changed the lives of just about every single American. Was it avoidable? Most certainly it was. The election of the first African-American President and even the controversy that came with it such as the citizenship issue ... people will grab at just about anything these days. Housing burst and how we went into a spiral of housing costs plummeting and sales dropping but that is all in relation to the economy as a whole. The economy and how far in-debt we went as we started going into the decade with a surplus. Hurricane Katrina and the aftermath debacle that was created with FEMA. Rise of white-collar crimes with companies such as Enron, Halliburton and Aldephia scandals. On the tech side we saw the iPhone, iPad, launch of things like Facebook and Youtube. We ended the decade with one of the biggest natural disasters by human hands, BP oil spill. What a crazy decade to say the least and these were just a few things!

Facts & Tips:
There are 18 different animal shapes in the animal cracker zoo.

"Oh, uh, no, sir. I don't vote Republican or Democrat. Choosing is a sin, so I always just write in the Lord's name!" - Jack McBrayer as Kenneth Parcell in the TV series "30 Rock."

posted by McDuck @ 00:17 0 comments