Monday, July 31, 2017

Another heat wave is upon us, more humidity!  We continue to suffer from the heat, close to 100 degrees which is kind of semi-normal.  But this humidity is not!  We are not that kind of area that gets this kind of weather.  The air is so heavy and thick to breath, you have to shower a few times a day if you keep going out.  It really is miserable weather.  The nights are cooling down but not till way later like after 9 PM which is also unusual.  The temps drop to the 70's at night which is still a little bit warmer than normal but the big thing, the humidity cuts away so that is the big saving grace there.  But as mentioned before, all that water we received earlier this year, a lot of that has dried up already and I am sure we are back to almost a drought situation or will be soon.

 Weekly Update:
So the other day I was watching this video and the background song was so catchy.  Now it was in Chinese but the tune was very mesmerizing to me!  So, I found it and bought it on iTunes and its called Sorry Boss by Namewee.  I don't know what they are saying but who cares, the tune is very toe-tapping as they would say and I can listen to it over and over again!  I heard another of their songs, its almost like an alternative pop band but in Chinese.  I guess I would compare it to like Blink meets Maroon 5?  I don't know but I do love this song.

 At the movies:
No big surprises this week but some movies did fall short.  Still holding ground at #1 is "Dunkirk" with another 28.1 mil as it just surpasses the 100 mil cume.  Still solid reviews overall and still an award contender this season.  New at #2 is The Emoji Movie earning 25.7 mil and about on target.  Reviews are poor on this so could be a very quick run.  New at #3 is Atomic Blonde with 18.6 mil, slightly below expectations but not by much.  Good reviews so it might have a bit more legs to run on.  Holding at #4 is "Spider-Man: Homecoming" with another 13.5 mil as it closes in at 300 mil.  Still a little bit to go but should see it within the next 2 weeks if not less.  Rounding off the top 5 is "War for the Planet of the Apes" with another 10.4 mil as it reached 100 mil cume recently and may drop out very soon.

 Quote of the week:
"It has been my experience that folks who have no vices have very few virtues." - Abraham Lincoln

 Facts & Tips:
Norway once knighted a penguin.

 "and that should protect in case of a giant squid attack." - Geno Segers as Mason Makoola in "Disney's Pair of Kings."

posted by McDuck @ 05:12 0 comments

Monday, July 24, 2017

The AC is a god-send ... who ever invented the ability to control the temperature inside an enclosed place is a genius!  I wonder how it started?  A fan of some kind with a block of ice behind it?  That must have been poor air flow ... of course the ice in front of the fan would work either unless it was bouncing off and going backwards.  Now, if we can find an more efficient way of saving electricity for these devices, that would be the next miracle we need.  I mean these things are great but we haven't been able to figure out its power usage without being so high!  Well, step one I guess.

 Weekly Update:
I have some good food this week!  I usually don't talk about foods but why not because it was a week of delicious!  So one of my favorite foods is a gyro, with the sliced lamb/beef and tzatziki sauce! So good!  I tend to not get tomatoes and onions because they kind of take away from the meat.  Or the onions at least do but just plain and simple of pita, meat and sauce is the best way to go.  So on top of that had some delicious meat balls in some sort BBQ sauce, a real delicious home made mac & cheese and potato meat balls!  I ate well and I loved it all!

 At the movies:
Big surprises and also some expected this past weekend.  First up is a new #1 this weekend as Dunkirk lands at #1 earning 50 million.  Solid number and solid reviews should carry this to some award season gold this year. New at #2 is Girls Trip with an unexpected 30.4 mil to open.  Could be a fast burn but still a great box office to start with.  Dropping down to #3 is "Spider-Man: Homecoming" with 22 mil and now at 250 mil domestic and may fall short of 300.  Big drop to #4 is "War for the Planet of the Apes" with 20.4 mil and shy of 100 mil which it should reach in just a couple more days.  New at #5 is Valerian and the City of a Thousand Planets with 17 mil to open and almost spot on expectations.

 Quote of the week:
"Laziness may appear attractive, but work gives satisfaction." - Anne Frank

 Facts & Tips:
In the U.S., all interstates highways that run east to west are even-numbered.

"Tell me of your homeworld, Usul." - Sean Young as Chani in "Dune."

posted by McDuck @ 05:11 0 comments

Monday, July 17, 2017

We are in deep Summer time blues now!  Why is it blue?  As in sadness ... because it is miserably hot!  I mean the heat is so uncomfortable and just flat out miserable!  So that is my blues and no other reason than trying to stay cool.  But we are getting some humidity which is so unusual for us.  This isn't our kind of Summer and the straight heat was already terrible, now this.  Oh and clearly the rains we had, a LOT of that is dried up.  The drought will be in full effect again very soon.

 Weekly Update:
So I have been pulled from my normal duties this week for a special project and launch coming up.  Its an fair product, still seems a little behind on the technology side that we should be at but 5 years but I guess its progress?  I mean overall it is a bit sad being this behind the ball but suppose it could be corporate red tape maybe?  They claim its more streamlined but honestly it feels even worse a bit if this is the product that is supposedly the new thing.  It's new but already feels outdated if that makes sense?  Well, I guess if I have something old and I give it to someone else, its new to them.

 At the movies:
We know who won the war this weekend as War for the Planet of the Apes takes #1 with a under performing 56.5 mil.  Below overall expectations but reviews are solid on the film so might carry a bit.  Above-average then normal drop to #2 is "Spider-Man: Homecoming" with another 45.2 mi and now just pass 200 mil cume domestic. This may struggle to get to 300 mil now with that kind of drop despite its good word-of-mouth.  Slight drop to #3 is "Despicable Me 3" with an extra 19 mil and closing in at 200 mil mark.  Small drop to #4 is "Baby Drive" with 8.8 mil and could be driven off soon.  Rounding off the top 5 is "The Big Sick" at 7.6 mil. This film started off on a limited run and has been gaining in box office with great reviews.

New movies that did not make the top 5:
Just one this week as Wish Upon comes in at #7 with only 5.6 mil.  Not surprising as it wasn't expected to break double digits and really just a throw-away film.

Quote of the week:
"People only see what they are prepared to see." - Ralph Waldo Emerson

Facts & Tips:
Martin Van Buren's nickname was "Old Kinderhook" because he was raised in Kinderhook, NY.

"Oh nice ... names Grunke, get you anything you want; yellows, reds, goofballs, high hats, I got it all." - Vince Lozano as Grunke in the TV series "Eagleheart."

posted by McDuck @ 00:51 0 comments

Monday, July 10, 2017

HOT!!!!!  Wow, this week had some 100 degree temperatures.  Now this is the Summer I know and of course, hate.  At least 2 days reach that temperature and I can not imagine how it was in places like in the valley or inland empire.  Any time it is 100 degrees here, you can easily add 10 more degrees in those places, especially the inland empire.  With ocean breezes, it blows all the smog and hot air towards them and they get stuck in the hills so its basically a oven out there.  I don't know how people live out there but I guess housing is cheaper and it is a pretty growing and developing area but still.  AC must almost run 10 months out of the year over there along with a lot of water!

 Weekly Update:
So this past week I had about 6 meetings at work ... where did all of these come from and why do I keep getting added to them?  I mean I know why but why!?!?!  Can't I just pretnd I was in them?  No granted some of the meetings are very structured and informative.  They don't mess around and those are great.  Others really drag on and on and then you get the sense of why am I here?  Oh well, I guess with so many meetings you will get the gambit of good, bad and worse.  Just keep me inside I guess with the AC!

 At the movies:
Heroes are back on top as the newest reboot, Spider-Man: Homecoming swings into first place and earning 117 million.  slightly below expectations and with perfect movie-going weather this weekend so not sure why the dip.  Possibly a longer run time or just a bit of a box office burn out?  Word-of-mouth is good on this film so hopefully that will carry this over to some bigger numbers.  Dropping to #2 is "Despicable Me 3" with another 34 mil as it closes in on 150 mil cume.  Small drop to #3 is "Baby Driver" earning another 12.8 mil and has some solid reviews.  Holding ground at #4 is "Wonder Woman" still earning double digits with 10.1 mil and slowly making its way to a potential 400 mil domestic cume.  Rounding off the top 5 is "Transformers: The Last Knight" with another 6.3 mil and just barely crossing the 100 mil mark.

 Quote of the week:
"I do not literally paint that table, but the emotion it produces upon me." - Henri Matisse

 Facts & Tips:
At one time, serving ice cream on cherry pie in Kansas was prohibited.

 "Oh bother, I don't remember thinking that through." - Jim Cummings as Winnie the Pooh in "Winnie the Pooh."

posted by McDuck @ 09:21 0 comments

Monday, July 03, 2017

4TH OF JULY EDITION

 Tomorrow is the 4th and even though its not tomorrow yet ... fireworks have been going on all weekend!  Its kind of annoying because trying to sleep and have the window open to get the nice night cool year, interrupted with pops and whizzes!!  Some firecrackers and I do like all that but not when its past midnight or even 1AM ... or 3AM and I am trying to sleep because I have to work.

 Weekly Update:
With the fireworks going on ... the dogs get either annoyed or scared!  Shadow is usually very much "who cares" but this year, she seemed like she had to be near me or very close.  I think she wasn't liking the celebrations this time around.  But poor Orion, he was terrified each and every night since Thursday.  He has a thunder-shirt which is suppose to help and comfort and it does help!  But he still shakes uncontrollably a lot during this time and also during New Year's.  At least with New Year's its generally only during that one night.  The 4th seems like a time frame ... nothing like celebrating the birth of the country with small contained explosives.

 At the movies:
No surprises this weekend as Despicable Me 3 takes the box office crown with a 75.4 million opening.  Good reaction and on track to be north of 200 mil cume for domestic.  New at a distant #2 is Baby Driver with 21 mil to open and slightly above expectations.  Big drop to #3 is "Transformers: The Last Knight" with only 17 mil and just barely crossing the 100 mil cume mark.  Not a lot of road left on this one.  Holding ground at #4 is "Wonder Woman" with 15.6 mil more and shy of 350 mil cume.  This film is just over 700 mil world-wide and may be a slow struggle to potentially hit 1 billion, uncertain at this point.  Rounding off the top 5 is "Cars 3" with 9.5 mil and unfortunately not much track left for this one.

New Movies that did not make the top 5:
Just one this week as The House loses out at #6.  With 9 mil and well below expectations, another attempted R-Rated Summer comedy fell short.

Quote of the week:
"I'm a Ford, not a Lincoln" - Gerald R. Ford

Facts & Tips:
Ulysses Simpson Grant was fine $20.00 for speeding on his horse.

 "I was polite too, I said no you may not." - Jodie Sweetin as Stephanie Tanner in "Full House."

posted by McDuck @ 09:10 0 comments