Monday, September 28, 2015

You know, we need rain and lots of it!  We need free solar panels on every house because energy is not being captured.  What if we installed free solar panels on houses so we can power our own homes and the remaining power can be given back to the power company.  THEN, we can exchange that power reserve to other states that have water we pipe into California because I am sure they would like more energy, no?  This way they do not need to use the energy of running water to power themselves and we can sell our energy to them in exchange for water.  Well, just a thought anyway ... maybe they already have enough power they do not need anymore but we sure can use it and have the means to harness it.

Weekly Update:
I am still pretty amazed how people can walk in the middle of the parking lot when you have cars coming both directions.  I saw this again the other day while at Costco and they had one cart but made a wall (family of four) and I would say blocked about 70% of the parking aisle.  There was a car facing them but further out and I was behind them not that much further out.  What are they trying to accomplish except for being a jerk family?  Do they own Costco?  If they do, then I take the jerk family comment back but then I have a hunch they did not.  I don't understand it and it makes sense if maybe they had two shopping carts but then you can push them behind one another.  Why family?  Why must you be such a jerk and block the aisle when your car is halfway down?  And when they got to their car, one of the kids was still almost in the middle of the street!  Great parenting of letting them stand out there while you load your car and other cars are driving up and down ... stupid.

At the movies:
No surprises at the box office this weekend but overall a nice boost to a very depressed time of year for grosses.  In at #1 for the families is Hotel Transylvania 2 with 47.5 million to open and right on target with predictions.  Word-of-mouth is good so this film should carry into the mid 150+ when it is said and done.  New at #2 is The Intern with 18.2 mil and also very close to predictions.  Movie seems fair and could carry for another week.  Holding ground at #3 is "Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials" with 14 mil extra and end of the run soon.  Boost to #4 after its limited run is "Everest" with another 13.1 mil and that is a 81% increase from the previous week. Both solid reviews and numbers on this one.  Rounding off the top 5 is "Black Mass" with another 11.5 mil and should cap out around 60+ mil.

New movies that did not make the top 5:
Just one this week as The Green Inferno comes in at #9 with only 3.5 mil.  About a third of expectations but then again we were not expecting much.  It might have been too soon for horror films or that this genre is in a slump time right now.

Quote of the week:
"In every man's heart there is a secret nerve that answers to the vibrations of beauty." - Christopher Morley

Facts & Tips:
The mouth of the Statue of Liberty is 3 feet wide.

"They caught me siphoning ozone from their atmosphere to sell on the black market. They're very touchy about this global warming thing." - John Alexander as Jarra in "Men in Black II."

Monday, September 21, 2015

Summer time in the fall ... so it is pretty much official that Summer in Southern California has extended.  Usually around this time of year the weather is still warm but nice.  Not like the 90 to 100 degree weather we have been having.  This is just so out of whack for us and not right.  We rarely get humidity and this Summer we had more days of it than I can remember having total in my life while living here ... and I have lived here all my life!  So this "there is not such thing as Global Warming" is completely false because our weather is proof of that!  We used to just get dry heat, usually in the 90's and spiking into the 100's maybe 2 to 4 times a year.  I think we hit the 100's at least 3 times in one week.  Not normal at all.

Weekly Update:
This past weekend attend a newer annual convention called Son of Monsterpalooza.  It is the offspring of Monsterpalooza, a bit smaller and less crowded but still fun all the same.  These particular ones are strictly based on horror and not other things like comics (unless they are horror related) and movies/TV in general.  But got the chance to meet some nice folks:

*James Pax - played Lightning in "Big Trouble in Little China" and very nice guy.
*Lance Henriksen - best known for "Alien" and very chill guy.
*James Remar - known for "The Warriors" and "48 Hrs." and a cool guy!

At the movies:

New at #1 this week and to be expected is Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials with 30.3 million.  A little below expectations but still a solid number for September.  New at #2 is Black Mass with 23.4 million and also a solid number. I believe the Oscar buzz is starting up!  Holding ground at #3 is "The Visit" with another 11.4 mil and its stay may be over soon.  Big drop to #4 is "The Perfect Guy" with an extra 9.7 mil and not aging well.  New at # 5 is Everest in very limited release with a big 7.6 mill.  This is on less than 600 screens to open.

New movies that did not make the top 5:
Just one this week as Captive was unable to bring in the faith-based audiences.  On less than 1,000 screens it comes in at #11 with only 1.4 mil to open.

Limited release to take note of:
In at #25 is Sicario on just 6 screens and making just shy of 400k.  That is 65k per screen which is very strong and another Oscar-buzz film starting up the Award season.  This one will expand and should also build up nicely as well.

Quote of the Day:
"Leadership is the art of getting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it." - Dwight D. Eisenhower

Facts & Tips:
Benjamin Franklin invented flippers.

"You two! You brought us the wrong person!" - Issac C. Singleton, Jr. as Bo'sun in "Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl."

Monday, September 14, 2015

9-11 Edition

Today marks the anniversary of the attack on the US 14 years.  This included 2 airplanes which collided into the twin towers in NY, another into a section of the Pentagon and finally due to the efforts of some brave passengers, in a small field outside of Philadelphia which would have been used on another structure.  I remember this morning well, my radio alarm just started going off as I hit the snooze button a couple of times.  Then hearing the morning DJ talk about some random attack but was too incoherent to notice.  Plus I really do not listen but just hearing the noise to slowly wake me up.  But as the morning went, the words started to sink in and then waking up to rush to the TV to see what was going on.  Could not believe what was happening and the surreal of it all.  It was morning there but the aftermath was already happening as I was seeing everything for the first time.  We will never forget, I certainly will not.

Weekly Update:
This was a pretty mellow week but I think it could also be due the fact it was a shorter week for most with last Monday being a holiday.  Schools are in full swing so that did not help with traffic at all.  Luckily I do not have to deal with it that much but the days I do, an extra 10 to 15 minutes to get past it not to mention all the roads that are currently closed.  I still do not understand why they work on one closed road and then decided to close another which is the alternative route ... AND now begin work on a third road which is driving all the traffic from the other two to it!  How does this make sense?  Finish one and then move on please!


At the movies:
Some big surprises this weekend as the box office gets a little boost.  In at #1 is The Perfect Guy earning 26.7 million and a little above expectations.  It was believed to be capable of hitting the 20 mil mark and it did!  New at #2 is The Visit with a nice 25.7 mil and above expectations.  Holding ground at #3 is "War Room" with an extra 7.4 mil as this faith based film closes in at 40 mil.  Low budget, good numbers, it should end strong.  Down to #4 is "A Walk in the Woods" with another 4.6 mil and the trail is cold on this one.  Rounding off the top 5 is "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" with another 4.2 mil as it climbs to 200 mil cume domestic but might fall just shy of it.

New movies that did not make the top 5:
One film just under 1,000 screens snuck in there at #9, 90 Minutes in Heaven which only earned 2.1 mil and overall sounds like 89 minutes too long.

Quote of the day:
"Hope is like the sun, which, as we journey toward it, casts the shadow of our burden behind us." - Samuel Smiles

Facts & Tips:
Newborn babies cannot cry tears for at least three weeks.

"YOU! You can RUN, but you can't HIDE!" - Vernon Wells as Wez in "Mad Max 2: The Road Warrior."

Monday, September 07, 2015

Labor Day Weekend Edition

Its the holiday, another 3-day weekend and I always say this, each month should have at least one 3-day weekend in there!  It breaks things up and most companies do pay for the holiday they give their employees but that is for salaried as by the hour folks do not so there is a business savings there not to mention general facility costs.  Just something to think about as we celebrate ... working?  Ok, kind of an odd thing to celebrate but sure, why not.  Usually Labor Day means end of Summer and start of school so why is it not called End of Summer-Go Back to School! Day because no one is really working.  Well, I do not know and I will enjoy the break.

Weekly Update:
Holidays are not really holidays for me anymore since I basically work through them.  I remember when I did get my first holiday off and I had not idea what to do with myself.  I think I first slept in and then later I watched TV.  It was really strange and now I am back to working most holidays ... it seems normal again.  I guess I never really settled into the "closed for the holidays" routine because I ended up not doing anything during that time.  I just felt like another weekend day really and when it was over, did not feel like it even happened in the first place.

At the movies:
A bit of a surprise as "War Room" gets the holiday weekend win with an extra 9.4 million and the #1 spot.  Typically this weekend is not a big box office draw except for those very few rare occasions.  Holding ground at #2 is "Straight Outta Compton" with another 8.9 mil and just shy of the 150 mil cume mark.  It will likely hit that in the next couple of days.  New at #3 is new buddy film from a brand new studio, A Walk in the Woods debuting (for both film and studio) with 8.2 mil.  Pretty much nailed it on expectations for that film.  Also new at #4 is The Transporter Refueled and I would say also out of fuel.  Comes in with only 7.1 mil for this high-octane budget film and pretty much also at expectations.  Rounding off the top 5 is "Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation" with another 7.1 mil as it continues to strive for the 200 mil mark, may or may not make it.

Quote of the week:
"Your goals, minus your doubts, equal your reality." - Ralph Marston

Facts & Tips:
Buzz Aldrin was one of the first men on the moon.  His mother's maiden name was also Moon.

"When your values are clear to you, making decisions becomes easier." - Roy E. Disney