Duckburg Gazette

Monday, June 15, 2026

BOOM!

A lot going on this past week! On Monday, I started remodeling my master bathroom (well, not ME but hired someone to do it). A lot of noise and stuff coming out of it and it's completely gutted except my bathtub which will be kept in the long run. The house is exactly 30-years old and behind the shower area they found some mold (not a lot) which is kind of surprising consider the age of the house and the water leaks that may have occurred so not bad. But this past week was basically all demolition, electrical (which only took part of a day) and then the mold treatment. Not sure what is next but the entire time was estimated at 3-weeks and we are now 1 week down. I guess once they start with the tiles it will be speeding up at that point. The whole ordeal is pretty stressful and I'm not even doing the work! Hopefully it will be amazing when it is all said and done! (Picture not mine but I'm sure it looked like that at one point).

Weekly Update:
Have you ever noticed how much time you spend at a gas station getting as in your lifetime? I am sure there is a study out there but growing up I drove a lot and when I worked in Los Angeles, on average I drove close to 100 miles a day. All pumps are not created equal so some are faster or slower than others. Once I timed myself on a regular basis at the Costco gas pump and I was about 2 minutes once I get out of the car, pump the gas and get my receipt for a full tank. But that is when I was timing it and trying to break a record but before and since them, I kind of take my time but also move briskly. But back in the LA-days, I would probably estimate getting gas every 4-days at best, and figure say minimum 5 minutes per visit so in a year that would be approximately 7 hours and roughly 30 mins. Not an exact number but a fair rough estimate I would say... so just something that made me think.

At the movies:
New at #1 with a disappointing opening is Disclosure Day earning only 44 million. As we are now in the Summer season, expectations were much higher on this film and it just simply fell short. This will struggle to get close to 200 mil if at all given the number of big releases yet to come. Coming back up into the #2 spot is Obsession with 19 mil extra and very close to 200 mil for this little movie that could. Drop down to #3 is Scary Movie with a very sizeable 73% change and earning 14.5 mil, should still get to 100 mil when it is said and done though. Slipping down to #4 is Backrooms with 11.3 mil extra as it is now in striking distance to 300 mil. It continues to out-perform and impress at the box office. Rounding off the top 5 is Masters of the Universe with 8.7 mil and a huge 71% drop, this film won't make the 100 mil mark or come close.

New movies that did not make the top 5:
A couple this week starting at #8 is The Furious with 2.8 mil but on a semi-wide release pattern so a fair, but not great number. Right behind that at #9 is Stop! That! Train! with 2 mil and same release pattern.

Quote of the week:
"Don't watch the clock: do what it does. Keep going." - Sam Levenson

Fact & Tips:
A jellyfish is approximately 95% water.

"Sire, I failed you today. There's no excuse. You have my resignation." - Stephen Henderson as Thufir Hawat in Dune (2021).

Monday, June 08, 2026

Operation Overlord

This past Saturday was June 6th, the 82nd anniversary of the invasion of the French Coast, Normandie during World War II into occupied France or what is more commonly known as D-Day. This day and invasion was codenamed Operation Overlord and marks the turning point of the war between Allied forces against Germany and the night before, paratroopers dropped behind enemy lines to capture towns, bridges, many strategic points along with causing confusion and sabotage of things like supply and communications. Every year on this day I watch one significant movie that is the closest rendition of this day, The Longest Day from 1962 from 20th Century Fox Studios and directed by (primarily) Darryl Zanuck. It is an epic movie with an all-star cast for that era including such names as John Wayne, Henry Fonda, Robert Mitchum, Richard Burton, Red Buttons, Fabian, Roddy McDowall, and up-and-comer young actor Sean Connery. This is an epic and incredible movie for it's time and should be watched and remembered every June 6th.

Weekly Update:
Ok, so when an emergency vehicle is coming you are supposed to pull over and stop (if you can) if it has it's sirens and lights on. You are supposed to do that to ensure it has complete right of way and not to impede it's route in anyway. However, you do not do it AFTER it has passed you. Once it passes, you are good to move again but the other day I pulled over, ambulance than passed me on the opposite of the road and then this other car pulls over in front of me. Um, why? The ambulance is already gone so how are you helping it at this point but instead, creating additional traffic because I'm about to go and so is the car behind me that stopped before it got to us but you decide to do it after it drives by you? Some people really confuse me and apparently do not understand how traffic or driving is supposed to work. I would understand if there was another vehicle coming maybe but there wasn't as we could see all the way down the road (we were on the top of a hill going down). Amazing, just amazing.

At the movies:
Lot of movement at the box office this weekend with some surprises and expected results. New at #1 is Scary Movie with a decent 55 million to open. Word-of-mouth is very mixed on this and may get a sizeable drop next week. New at #2 is Masters of the Universe with a 29.3 mil and given the price tag on this film, that is well below expectations. Drop down to #3 is Backrooms with an extra 25.9 mil as it passes the 100 mil mark. Still did well beyond what was projected and will be interesting to see where this ends up. Small drop down to #4 is Obsession with 25.6 mil as it steadily makes it way to 200 mil and on track to get there. New and rounding off the top 5 is The Amazing Digital Circus: The Last Act with 12.7 mil for the weekend with a 21.1 mil for a 5-day release.

Quote of the week:
"The secret of getting ahead is getting started." - Mark Twain

Facts & Tips:
A hummingbird weighs less than a penny.

"So, that make one more for Ox or for Mitch?" - Samm Levine as Bruce in Not Another Teen Movie.

Monday, June 01, 2026

And the scholarship goes to...

Had a very busy Friday but one thing I did get to do was attend the Santa Ana College (SAC) Scholarship Award Ceremony where two recipients received my parents scholarships. They were awarded to individuals who will pursue a career in nursing as that is what my mom was, a nurse. But she was also a Doctor of Nursing and actually taught at SAC way back in the day when I was a little kid. Since my dad passed in '95, my mom started a scholarship in his name for nursing and when she passed, I am continuing it both of their names even though it was my mom who was the teacher and Doctor of Nursing at that school. But this is to continue their legacy I hope for a long while and I only saw one of the recipients (it was a long ceremony), I did have to leave right after so didn't get a chance to meet them. Maybe next year but I wish them both congrats and good luck!

Weekly Update:
I wanted to spotlight the city I stayed at last weekend, Atascadero, California. It is located in the Paso Robles area and it's a really nice little town. I didn't get a chance to explore that much as it was a holiday weekend and a Sunday so a lot of places were closed but it had some pretty cool shops that were around. I also saw a regular calendar of events like a farmers market weekly and some other events that occur once a month. It has a very old town USA kind of feel and I saw some vintage classic cars around which I am guessing they have an event surrounding that as well. I hope to go back there some day again with someone special, it would be a nice getaway that isn't far but far enough.

At the movies:
New at #1 this week is Backrooms with a hefty 81.5 million to open. Very big number for this semi-independent studio (A24) and I believe this is their biggest opening to date. Hopefully it holds up for another week but should hit 100 mil easily. Holding at #2 is Obsession with another 26.4 mil as it is up 10% at the box office and just broke the 100 mil mark! Big drop down to #3 is Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu with 25 mil as it passes the 100 mil mark but at this rate, it may not hit 200. Hanging on to #4 is Michael with 11.7 mil as it continues its song and dance into the 300 mil range and will end there. New at #5 is The Breadwinner with 7.5 mil and this one will be out quickly.

New movies that did not make the top 5:
Just one this week at #7 is Pressure with 5.8 mil. This movie came out a week to early as it is about the invasion of Normandy (D-Day) during World War II which took place on June 5th and 6th, 1944. So why did it come out now and not next Friday on June 5th!

Quote of the week:
"It is amazing what you can accomplish if you do not care who gets the credit." - Harry S. Truman

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

"I wish destiny would lose our number." - James Kyson as Ando Masahashi in the TV series Heroes.

Monday, May 25, 2026

Honk honk, beep beep

Memorial Day Edition

Attended a wedding on Sunday at an vineyard around central California. Never been to a full vineyard before but I have been to places that did grow their own grapes for wine (the actual Skywalker Ranch). This was a pretty cool and amazing place for just a social gathering but amazing for a wedding. I know these are often used for weddings but definitely a first for me attending one at such a location. The weather was nice and cool to cold (into the night) but that is what I like so I can wear my jackets! But everything was amazing and top notch, would definitely not turn down a wedding or some kind of event with food (have to eat!) at a vineyard.

Weekly Update:
Do you hear those radio commercials while driving around that are about auto insurance or accident lawyers and they use sounds in their ad of a honking car or an emergency vehicle siren? Then, like me, you aren't really listening to the ad but you hear the horn and think someone is honking at you for no reason. Or, you are making a turn some where and hear the siren on the ad thinking a fire truck or ambulance is heading your way and you are trying to find it only to realize, it's the dang radio. Car audio has gotten really good, even in your basic stock models so everything sounds pretty clear, crisp and of course real or live. Even when cards get these thousand dollar audio speakers, the basics are just as good because it's a confined space and most of the time those car people have too much base, you can't hear anything. See, now with those kind of audio you can tell it would be fake because of the over-base it produces versus regular car speakers because they are very clean and clear. So, yeah those ads have gotten a few times looking around to see why someone might be honking at me or looking for an emergency vehicle only to realize... it's just an ad!

At the movies:
New at #1 is Star Wars: The Mandalorian and Grogu with only 81.9 million for it's debut. Well below expectations, it would appear this Memorial Day weekend under performed about 24% less than last year overall. Perhaps this should have stayed on streaming services vs the big screen and folks did not want to pay more money seeing what they have been watching on TV. Up to #2 is Obsession with 22.4 mil and gaining a 30% upward tick from week 1! Holding on to #3 is Michael with 20 mil and passing the 300 mil mark. It probably won't get to much further but it had a very solid run and I'm sure it triggered new and old sales of the music catalog. Drop down to #4 is The Devil Wears Prada 2 with 12.6 mil and it's a small drop which is good. Should hit 200 mil sometime tomorrow. Hanging on to #5 is The Sheep Detectives with 8.9 mil as it continues to wrap up but slowly.

New movies that did that not make the top 5:
Two this week, in at #6 is Passenger with 8.7 mil and feels a bit of a throw-away film. Coming in at #8 is I love Boosters with 3.7 mil and this will be in and gone shortly.

Quote of the Week:
"What you do today can improve all your tomorrows." - Ralph Marston

Facts & Tips:
All porcupines float in water.

"Grape juice, skipping ads, and bundt cake." - Garrett Clayton as Dustin Lumberlake in the TV series The Fairly OddParents.

Monday, May 18, 2026

Cloudy with a chance of sun

This past week has seen a lot of cool to cold weather during the day and of course at night. The clouds or overcast have been pretty thick lately that I thought it was going to rain! But, our forecast said no rain and sure enough, none happen to drop upon us. But it sure look like it was going to and even times felt like we would get a little bit. Alas, not a drop fell from sky and we remain bone dry. However, this did provide us with some great cooler temps as we edge closer to Summer time and who knows how hot it will be this year as it has been pretty warm so far in general. I do hope these temps last for a long time but can never count on it with our lack of climate control these days. June Gloom, are you coming this year? We've missed you and the rain so please pay us a visit again.

Weekly Update:
On Saturday I got to attend Nordic Gateway LA, first of it's kind. A very small event celebrating the culture of Norway. It only had a few vendors, some artists, music and actor Thor Knai who did a reading from a story originally from Norway (in English of course). Thor is a good friend and client of mine so wanted to support this and the event itself. It was both interesting, intimate being only about 20 to 30 people, and delicious with some foods I got to try. One particular thing was a thin waffle with a medley of toppings but of those, one was called brown cheese. It was paired with a fruit compote of some kind, a berry, and it was really good. Not sure what brown cheese is exactly but it did pair well with the compote and the waffle. But everything was delicious and it was all sweet foods instead of savory which I would have preferred to try. Hopefully this event is yearly and it grows each time. I would definitely attend again.

At the movies:
Moving back up to the #1 spot after 4 weeks is Michael with an extra 26.1 mil as it now closes in on 300 mil cume and at this pace, should get there by end of the week. Drop down to #2 is The Devil Wears Prada 2 with 18 mil more and currently on track to reach 200 mil. New at #3 is Obsession with 16.1 mil, a solid number for this time of year and will do OK overall. Big drop down to #4 is Mortal Kombat II with 13.4 mil and at this pace, it won't reach 100 mil. Drop down a notch to #5 is The Sheep Detectives with 9.3 mil as it slowly wraps up for this little film.

New movies that did not make the top 5:
A handful this week and starting with #8 is Top Gun 40th Anniversary earning 3.1 mil which is all profit since this is a re-release. New at #9 is In the Grey with 3 mil to open and a per screen average of only $1500, this will fade away fast. Last at #10 is Is God Is with 2.2 mil and also one that will fade out quickly.

Quote of the week:
"No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted." - Aesop

Facts & Tips:
Beavers can hold their breath for 45 minutes under water.

"Isn't the smallest chance of victory enough of a reason for us to keep on fighting?" - Austin St. John as Jason Lee Scott (aka Red Ranger) in the TV series Mighty Morphin Power Rangers.