Duckburg Gazette

Monday, November 18, 2024

everybody FREEZE

It sure feels like Winter is upon us! This past week was probably the first full week of very cold weather here. It didn't get any where past 75 degrees during the day and at night as low as 44 I believe. It feels like Winter or the start of it at least for here... bring on the jackets! Though we don't get snow here (VERY RARE), we do so it in the mountains all the time and I'm sure once the rains start, the snowy covered mountains will be with us again (not my picture). I wonder how long this Winter-like season will last this time. Last time it went into May and it was so nice. Saves me a lot on my electric bill because my number 1 expense for power is the AC. When I have to use it, it triples to quadruples my eclectic bill for a month so I'm good not using it anymore for the rest of this year please.

Weekly Update:
The Amazon Fresh store near me had a Grand Re-Opening... I didn't know they had closed? I haven't been inside the "new" reopened location yet but the outside looks exactly the same except for that sign that says re-grand opening. I don't recall it ever being closed, if they did close it. Amazon Fresh is an interesting place... always more workers than shoppers there. Prices are overall higher on most things but you can find the deals if you really shop and look. I wonder if they finally did something with their butcher area? They had closed it and everything went to pre-packaged which is fine to be honest. I guess I need to take a visit and check things out again soon.

At the movies:
New at #1 for the holiday season is Red One with 34.1 million. Mixed reviews on this one but the 2nd weekend will be the big one to tell us how it will do overall. Drop down to #2 is Venom: The Last Dance with 7.4 mil more and it will continue to slide down as we get further into the holidays. Down to #3 is Best Christmas Pageant Ever with 5.4 mil extra and will continue to drop. Holding at #4 is Heretic with 5.2 mil and still overall not bad numbers for a thriller at this time. And still hanging on at #4 is The Wild Robot with an extra 4.3 mil as it continues to perform well overall.

New movies that did not make the top 5:
Just one this week on just 250 screens is Hello, love, Again at #8. Per screen it only did about 9k which won't be enough to hold it long.

Quote of the week:
"Immature love says: 'I love you because I need you.' Mature loves says 'I need you because I love you.' - Erich Fromm

Facts & Tips:
Hawaii is the only state never to report a temperature of zero.

"I thought we'd be robbing banks by now, not some gas truck in the middle of nowhere." - Sung Kang as Han in Fast & Furious.

Monday, November 11, 2024

We all lost...

This past Tuesday was Election Night and it started off hopeful but ended with disappointment. It's amazing how constant lying, making up stories (which is basically lying too), being a convicted criminal (jury of their own peers), multiple bankruptcies, never earned a dollar and belittle multiple ethnic groups and women doesn't matter to anyone anymore. America has lost its morals and those who claim to have them, don't. I was thinking the other day that... I'm not a Democrat (formally Republican) and I voted for them (Democrats). I'm not black but I voted for them. I'm not gay, trans, bi, etc. .. but I voted for them. I'm not in the military nor ever served, but I voted for them. I'm not Latino but I voted for them. And the big one, I'm not a woman but, I voted for them. We have let them all down.

Weekly Update:
Have you ever had a craving for something and couldn't remember what it was called so you could look and ask for it? I was like that recently for over a week and been craving this nutty, not too sweet chewy candy that is middle-eastern based. Then I finally found it, basically it's a almond nougat and they are kind of pricy for such a little thing. I then found some on Amazon that came bout to about 50 cents a piece AND they were sugar-free! I ordered some and it wasn't too bad if you break it down per piece but the box was so tiny. I think I finished the whole box in about 10-days only having 2 to 4 pieces a day but it was so good. The crunchy almonds in the soft chewy nougat, wondering if I want to get more or maybe wait for some Black Friday deals and stock up. But it was a good treat and satisfied the craving I was having.

At the movies:
Maintaining it's hold at #1 for a 3rd week in a row is Venom: The Last Dance with 16.2 million as it breaks the 100 mil mark. This has performed over time much better than expected and should end on a good note. New at #2 is The Best Christmas Pageant Ever with 11.1 mil and maybe a bit too early for the holidays? Also new at #3 is Heretic with 11 mil and a very decent number for this time of year till we get to the holidays. Drop down to #4 is The Wild Robot with 6.7 mil after having a great run this Fall. Rounding off the top 5 is Smile 2 with 5 mil extra and will likely frown out soon.

Quote of the week:
"Reject your sense of injury and the injury itself disappears." - Marcus Aurelius

Facts & Tips:
Flamingos turn pink from eating shrimp.

"Then who killed the world?" - Rosie Huntington-Whiteley as The Splendid Angharad in Mad Max: Fury Road

Monday, November 04, 2024

Brrrrr

Daylight Saving Time Edition

Sunday was rolled our clocks back an hour, some say you get an extra hour of sleep but to me, I didn't really notice a thing other than the sun wasn't up as early and is setting much sooner. But even if we didn't change our clocks back, it would still do that because of the angle of the Earth to the Sun during this time of year. I know Daylight Saving Time (DST) bothers a lot of people but I do not mind it at all. I actually do not mind when we "spring" forward an hour in the Spring and lose an hour of sleep... again it's something I don't really notice losing or gaining. When I was much younger, I did notice it more and I'm not sure why that is changed, perhaps it just that I may not care as much and most of my devices that have the time change it automatically for me. Or the clock by my bed just has a button that says DST and I press it twice a year, done. But as we go into Winter time, it will get colder and darker more regardless of any time change.

Weekly Update:
Was expecting some rain this week but ended up having none! It was pretty cold though, every night and in the AM it stayed around 51 degrees till maybe 8AM and then it would slowly rise up into the 60's. Most of our highs during the day were low 70's so it definitely was jacket weather again which I love. I have so many jackets and if it's already this cold now, hopefully that means this Winter will be freezing and wet, we need rain desperately here. And the cold last at least through May, hope that is the case again or mostly... as I always say, it's easier to warm up than to cool down... and also cheaper!

At the movies:
Holding onto #1 for a 2nd week in a row is Venom: The Last Dance with another 26.1 million and now a 10-day total of 90 mil. Should hit the 100 mil mark probably in a day or two. Going up the charts to #2 is The Wild Robot with 7.6 mil extra and continues to do well overall. Drop down to #3 is Smile 2 with 6.8 mil and it slowly slows down. Drop down to #4 is Conclave with 5.3 mil and is pretty much done overall. New at #5 is Here with 5 mil and here today, gone tomorrow.

New movies that did not make the top 5:
Two movies in a more limited release pattern opened this week. At #8 is Singham Again with almost 800 screens and brought in 2.1 mil. At #10 is Bhool Bhulaiyaa 3. also just under 800 screens, bringing in 2.1 mil as well.

Quote of the week:
"It takes an endless amount of history to make even a little tradition." - Henry James

Facts & Tips:
The first flight traveled at less than 7 mph (ground speed).

"No. No, it's a death sentence. I'd never make it to the death sentence." - Miguel Ferrer as Eduardo Ruiz in Traffic.

Monday, October 28, 2024

Del Yeah!

This is new, I was at Costco on Saturday and it appears they have some new scanners at the entrance. Not sure when these were installed but I was there about 2 weeks ago and they ere not there then. They scan the barcode on either your Costco membership card or your Visa card that is associated with Costco. They seem pretty easy to use but I think the big hold up will be people fishing for their card now. I rarely show mine but I generally see the same people at the entrance every time, they probably recognize me by now. I am also not sure why they are needed because if you want to purchase anything, you have to show your membership there as well and it gets scanned to start your purchase. These seems a bit redundant now and you want to scan at the register since that is the point of purchase plus they can record what you are buying for record and research type info. But we'll see how this goes in the coming weeks, Costco wasn't that busy on a Saturday, I was surprised.

Weekly Update:
I have not been to a Del Taco in a very long time since my credit card attached to my account was hacked for over $100 worth of food from Del Taco. Which $100 may not sound like a lot but it was a ton of food and it was at like 1AM in Apple Valley, several hours away from me. So I just flat out stopped eating there and plus the on by me was completely torn down to build a new one in it's place from scratch. So, I decided to check it out and it has changed! I know it's a new building but the colors, look, feel, layout is very modern and impressive. Almost felt like a sit down location that you still order your food at the counter but you would want to stay and eat there. The colors were bright, super high-ceilings so it felt very spacious. I would say the only complaint is when someone is at the drive-thru, almost the entire place can hear the order as it's not only loud but echoes in the whole place. But, Del Taco's new look... good job!

At the movies:
New at #1 is Venom: The Last Dance with a 51 million opening. Not a bad number for this time of year but the previous two films were also in October and did substantially more when they opened. I guess this confirms this franchise has run it's course. Drop down to #2 is Smile 2 with another 9.4 mil and may be done after this week. New at #3 is Conclave with 6.5 mil and though not a huge wide-release, it was still a good amount of screens. Hanging on to #4 is The Wild Robot with 6.5 mil as it continues to linger on a bit more. Holding ground and rounding off the top 5 is We Live in Time with 4.8 mil and definitely has tapped out.

Quote of the week:
"Where is all the knowledge we lost with information?" - T.S. Eliot

Facts & Tips:
You can tell what a narwhal has eaten each year based on the layers of its tusk.

"This Tribunal is a mockery!" - Steve Park as Roger Cho in Asteroid City.

Monday, October 21, 2024

mmmm ice cream!

I have this new ice cream place near me called Bruster's Ice Cream and it's literally just down the street from me. It opened about a year ago and of course I can't have much or any sweets. But, as long as I am careful I can indulge once and awhile. I think this place is owned by people of India decent as the often have this one flavor of ice cream that is so good! It is called kaju draksh and I believe it's vegan in nature. It has some pecans (or some kind of nut) and golden raisins which normally I am not fan of but in the ice cream, it's delicious! The base seems to be like a sweet cream and has the nuts and raisin's mixed in. It is so simple yet so tasty and it's great with a waffle cone or cup! In fact, I think I may head over in a little bit and get a scoop or two for tonight!

Weekly Update:
A bit warm but not hot... our weather was a bit odd, in the AM it was freezing till afternoon and then it would get stuffy (inside) and felt pretty warm with the windows open. But nights were very cold (in the 50's) so I am not sure where this weather is going. I thought we were starting an early Winter which would have been awesome. But I can't remember if last year around this time what the weather was like... was it warm still or was it getting cold? I hope it cools down and stays cool soon but we'll see what happens. I just like the cold, but one thing that is changing in its getting darker earlier in the evening and the sun is coming up later in the morning. Daylight Saving Time is coming soon I think again and it's the one I like, we fall back an hour and get that extra hour of sleep!

At the movies:
As we approach Halloween, a new #1 takes the crown this week as Smile 2 earns 23 million. A very solid number but next week will it hold? Holding ground at #2 is The Wild Robot with another 10.1 mil as it hits the 100 mil mark but won't continue much further more. Drop down to #3 is Terrifier 3 with 9.3 mil as it continues into the Halloween season. Also holding at #4 is Beetlejuice Beetlejuice with 5 mil and still within striking distance to 300 mil. Jumping up to #5 is We Live in Time with 4.2 mil as it opens wider this week.

Quote of the week:
"Writing, to me, is simply thinking through my fingers." - Isaac Asimov

Facts & Tips:
There are over 2,500 apple varieties grown in the U.S.

"Not today." - Maisie Williams as Arya Start in the series Game of Thrones.