Duckburg Gazette: November 2020

Monday, November 30, 2020

Gobble gobble nope

Post-Thanksgiving Edition

This past Thursday was Thanksgiving and in my usual tradition I worked but in my not-so-usual tradition that I've done the past few years, no Honey-baked ham. I decided to opt out this year to save on some money and with the events of 2020, just didn't want to bother with it. As we recently saw a surge of new cases across the US, I am sure in about a week we will see even more! I am sure not everyone listened to the suggestions and mandates that said do not gather more than a certain number of people. I am sure one person will be a spreader to a whole family. You can be Covid-positive and not get it but can easily give it to others with much weaker immune systems such as very young kids and the elderly. So way to go people, I'm sure it's all about seeing everyone and spending time with them but why risk it being the last time you see them?

Weekly Update:
You know more and more, as 2020 goes by, each week seems like a blur. I am not sure if I am just forgetting things or lack of sleep or just so boring ... or maybe it's a combination of all 3 things? I can't remember what happened yesterday let along this past week. I think I am going crazy or just getting old ... or crazy old probably. All I do remember is that it was a holiday week/weekend and pretty much didn't do anything but work and watch some TV here and there.

At the movies:
A new week, a new #1 movie! Taking the #1 spot with a 5-day total due to the holiday is The Croods: A New Age with 14.1 million to open. A solid number for these times and I'm sure nice to get out and see a movie again. Drop down to #2 is "Freaky" with 770k more and should steadily decline. Holding ground at #3 is "The War with Grandpa" with 643k extra and still doing well. Holding at #4 is "Let Him Go" with 453k more and should start to fade out. Rounding off the top 5 is "Come Play" with 387k and likely to also fade away very soon.

Quote of the week:
"Do what you can, with what you have, where you are." - Theodore Roosevelt

Facts & Tips:
For 67 years, Nintendo only produced playing cards.

"The man that kill Sedullus is great warrior ... and Lugo follow." - Barry Duffield as Lugo in the series "Spartacus."

Monday, November 23, 2020

Brrrrr

Is it Winter finally?? I sure hope so because the temps would indicate it so! Throughout this past week it was high 70's during the day but at night any where from 45 to 55 degrees! It was nice being bundled up in the blankets and I did have the heat set to go on if it got below 68 but, it never did inside the house. However 69 degrees is still cold so being bundled up help. There was one day last week that it reached 90 during the day but oddly enough, when I went outside, it didn't feel like it at all. The air was crisp but not hot and there was no breeze to make it cooler. I thought that was odd but all the temp things I have to look at said 90 and usually they are right. SoCali weather in general is pretty accurate these days to even the hour on which we may get rain. It's still a percentage but dang has it gotten close!

Weekly Update:
So as we approach another lockdown as Covid cases sour again, people just don't wear masks or keep their distance. Still attending outings and gatherings when we are still deep in this crisis. So many dumb people out there and they wonder why they are sick or why things are closing again... because they don't listen and do what they want. If you get sick because of something you neglect to do, good! But if you get someone else sick because you didn't try to prevent it, bad! How simple can it be? I know there was a lot resistance when the seatbelt law went into effect but how many lives has that saved? Motorcycle helmet law, how many there? What about just simply no shoes no shirt no service? Don't think that may have saved lives but it's just gross when you are trying to eat and annoying. So why are masks such a challenge? Places like China and Japan have been doing it for years, China mostly due to pollution but I mean look how polluted our major cities are anyway. We are dumb.

At the movies:
Holding it's ground at #1 is "Freaky" for a 2nd week earning an extra 1.2 million. Not a bad hold-over but in general a bit low. We are in that lull area between end of Summer and pre-Holidays. Holding on to #2 is "The War with Grandpa" with 733k and now over 15 mil cume. At #3 is "Let Him Go" with another 710k and struggling to make that 10 mil mark which is a new benchmark these days. At #4 is "Come Play" with an additional 550k and also shy of that 10 mil mark, unlikely it will reach it. Rounding off the top 5 is "The Santa Clause" from 1994! With the holiday rentals going on, it managed to sneak in 461k.

Quote of the week:
"Hindsight is always twenty-twenty." - Billy Wilder

Facts & Tips:
A nun held one of the first PhDs in computer science.

"Time conspires against will of the heart. We shall break words again when battle is won, and see tears evaporate beneath warming sun of deeper intent." - Simon Merrells as Marcus Crassus in the series "Spartacus."

Monday, November 16, 2020

Did they fix the photos??

It's been very chilly with a side of heat! We have had some funky weather (again) this week. Overall pretty cold, in fact I had to turn on the heater a couple of times. But this past Sunday it was pretty warm, mid to high-80's with no breeze, so it feels warmer than it is. The nights have all remained chilly, low to mid 50's and stays that way pretty much up to noon. Of course with the hours back an hour, it's also getting a lot darker sooner, by 5:30 PM approximately so I have to feed the dogs earlier so I can see their poop outside! I personally like it getting darker sooner and the cold over the heat and more sunlight! But I am odd like that I suppose.

Weekly Update:
So I am not sure if this Blogging site either heard me (and others I am sure) or just randomly fixed the photo challenge. But the last two weeks it has been working better in terms of uploading and setting the photos up in the blog! Now we still have that extra step still in there of upload, to upload (again) to select to then load to select to place. Instead of just upload, select then set (as the previous version of the site was like). So I hope this continues to work this way and more ease of use things to come! I used to prefer the click and drag to where I wanted the image to be but selecting left, right, center instead is fine... as long as it continues to work!

At the movies:
New at #1 is Freaky with a 3.7 million opening and kind of on par to what it would be if you took away the current conditions. Drop down to #2 is "Let Him Go" with 1.8 mil more. Hanging on to #3 is "The War with Grandpa" with 1.3 mil and now over 15 mil cume. Not a bad number overall but kind of sad that 15 mil over time is considered fair to good these days. Holding on to #4 is "Come Play" with 1.1 mil more. Rounding off the top 5 is "Honest Thief" with 800k and just over 12 mil cume.

Quote of the Week:
"It's kind of fun to do the impossible." - Walt Disney

Facts & Tips:
Bluetooth technology was named after a 10th century Scandinavian king.

"I know you are but what I am, infinity." - Paul Reubens as Pee-wee Herman in "Pee-wee;s Big Adventure."

Sunday, November 15, 2020

Going BLUE!

Election Edition

This has been a crazy week both weather-wise and politics! So Tuesday was election day for President of these United States and it couldn't be determined by that night. It dragged out as states were still counting and finalizing but then on Saturday morning, a clear winner was declared as we now have a new President and Vice President. Joe Biden and Kamala Harris! This is both incredible and historic news as Kamala will not only be the first female VP but first black female VP! We have suffered tremendously these past four years and the worst was this past year. Our economy is the worst it has been in this countries history and so many things were in danger. Including things like women rights, national parks, social security and health care. Those without a job would surely lose any access to health care over the next couple of years under the current administration. The so called "swamp" was never cleared but was actually made into a political swamp! What defines a swamp (to me) is when you fill the cabinet and government positions to friends, contributors and family ... the current president did ALL OF THAT! If you look at the security of education and post master general, both major campaign contributors with no prior experience. Security council is primarily his daughter and son. His son-in-law was put on the Covid task force which he has no medical background ... more and more unqualified people getting positions because of ties to him instead of expertise ... now we can drain the swamp he created out of nothing.

Weekly Update:
So over the last several weeks, my neighbors have been very sick. Just the husband and they are both in their 80's. It is not covid related but the husband has had pneumonia about 5 times over the last 2 to 3 years and this last one is pretty serious. They gave him a week left or so as he is very sick and has a nurse 24/7. They have him home in a hospital bed so he can be around friends and family because in the hospital, no one would be allowed to visit. He appears to hear people when talking and seems to know who they are. But he can't speak or just not very well, more of mumbles than anything else. They have hospice care for the wife (also 24/7) and when I tell people that, they say that isn't good. As if hospice care is the last leg of their life but from what I can tell, they are just helping her get through each day while she watches her husband potentially leaving us. They make sure she eats, gets dress, go to sleep, function which I know sounds bad but when your mind is only thinking of the other in the bed potentially dying ... hospice doesn't seem like a bad sign to me, just aid for the elderly.

At the movies:
New at #1 is Let Him Go with 4.1 million to open. Low number with the amount of screens now available but we are in a sort of lull with movies (traditionally) around this time. Drop down to #2 is "Come Play" with 1.7 mil extra and not much further for this film as it continues to drop when new releases open. Holding at #3 is "The War with Grandpa" with 1.5 mil extra. Hanging on to #4 is "Honest Thief" with 1.3 mil and could push a bit more. Rounding off the top 5 is "Tenet" with 905k and although this movie is about done, it did start up our box office again.

Quote of the week:
"Never reach out your hand unless you're willing to extend an arm." - Pope Paul VI

Facts & Tips:
Oregon and Mexico once shared a border.

"There's an old saying, 'Fortune favors the bold.' Well, I guess we're about to find out." - Avery Brooks as Capt. Benjamin Sisko in TV's "Star Trek: Deep Space Nine."

Monday, November 02, 2020

This is Halloween ...

Halloween Edition

So this year I didn't get any trick-or-treaters come by the house but to be honest, I don't recall having any the past few years anyway. So nothing has changed or the pandemic hasn't effected me in regards to that. Several years ago, maybe 10 or more they started doing trick-or-treating at malls so kids can stop by all the stores for candy. Not sure if that happened this year but also I know certain neighborhoods or church parking lots started doing trunk-or-treat and you would go by a car with your family for treats. I heard and saw many people across the nation sit out in their drive-ways with candy so to let know kids know they could stop and get something. So the tradition wasn't dead or this pandemic didn't stop it ... just simply modified it which it was already modified to begin with!

Weekly Update:

I am a big fan of recycling, I love doing it and hey if I can turn in plastic/glass bottles and cans for some money then even more the better! What worries me is I have three trash cans I can put out each week; regular trash, green trash (leaves, branches) and recyclables. So what worries me is I put all paper product in there (paper bags, cardboard) and bottles and plastic that I can't take to the recycle center for redemption. But when the garbage truck comes by and picks up the container, I fear it's the same truck that just came through to pick up the regular trash and the are mixing it. I know it's probably dumb to think that but I just wonder about that. Also why can't they recycle or re-use like the leaves and twigs? Can't those be helpful in the landfills since they are all from the ground? Or can we use them for mulch to help plant new trees and such? I don't know but I am curious to know if my city is doing it's part correctly.

At the movies:
Traditionally the Halloween weekend (if Halloween falls on the weekend) isn't the busiest of times for the box office... and it was no different this year. New at #1 this week is "Come Play" with 3.2 million to open. Nothing exciting and likely will fade fast. Drop down to #2 is "Honest Thief" with 1.4 mil as it closes in at 10 mil and should reach that by end of week. Holding at #3 is "The War with Grandpa" with 1.1 mil and just passing 10 mil cume. Holding at #4 is "The Empty Man" with 561k and quick burn on this as well. Rounding off the top 5 is "Hocus Pocus" with 456K and should be the last of this as we close out October.

Quote of the week:
"It is not enough to have a good mind; the main thing is to use it well." - Rene Descartes

Facts & Tips:
Below the Kalahari Desert lies the world's largest underground lake.

"Your body is not a temple, it's an amusement park. Enjoy the ride." - Anthony Bourdain

Duckburg Gazette