November 23, 2022

Box Office: Disney's 'Strange World' Grosses Disappointing $800,000 in Previews

Disney released Strange World 11 days after Black Panther: Wakanda Forever. How can they release a second four quadrant movie with a $180M budget that close to another movie and only 25 days before Avatar 2? It makes absolutely no sense. This when there were three months without any big budget releases.

Also the marketing seems to be very light. They have sent this movie out to die.


https://variety.com/2022/film/news/box-office-disney-strange-world-previews-disappointment-1235440770/#article-comments


The soft initial numbers are bad news for “Strange World,” which carries a steep $180 million price tag.

November 9, 2022

Well Trump must have a huge case of indigestion - Zeldin conceded

No NY state pardon for Trump.

https://www.newsday.com/long-island/politics/elections/lee-zeldin-kathy-hochul-republican-democrat-concedes-governors-race-ggzoklih?utm_medium=browser_push&utm_source=pushly&utm_campaign=2480225

November 9, 2022

What is the chance for the Nevada Senate seat?

A lot of vote outstanding but the Repug has the lead. I would love to go into the Georgia runoff at 50 and not 49 (it looks like WI is a loss).

October 7, 2022

Thank you Keto

Started my Keto journey in December (first meeting with doctor in January). I have lost 119 pounds, A1C 9.1% to 5%, waist line from 69 to 52, visceral fat from over 47 to 26. Off high blood pressure and cholesterol medicine. Combined with exercise - 25K steps a day, rowing 30 minutes 5 times a week, and resistance training 2-3 times a week.

Still have a way to go, but I am not hungry even with 16/8 and 23/1 intermittent fasting.

Wish I could get my wife to do it.

July 1, 2022

Looking to adopt a dog from a hoarding situation

He is a 9 month old mini-Aussie. My family has quite a bit of experience with the breed and associated breeds (Collie/Border Collie/Aussie mix, Aussie, Border Collie, and Sheltie). He came out of a horrible hoarding situation in which he received little or no acclimation to humans. He is doing ok in his foster home, but it took quite a while to warm up to the husband (the wife runs our local shelter). A prior placement fell through when the dog was so scared of the husband that he hid, and the shelter administrator actually had to drive an 1 1/2 half at night to retrieve him. He would be a local dog adoption for us.

I have yet to meet the dog. I want my first meeting to go as well as possible. Any suggestions on how to handle it. I hope that he is my dog (like my Collie mix who passed away two years ago was). I went in deep depression when Arlo passed, and it took over a year to finally get my head on straight and start exercising and caring about my diet again. A dog was kind of prescribed by my doctor because I walk a lot, and it does get lonely (Arlo and I would go onto up to 20 mile walks). I am back to pretty long walks now after losing over 80 pounds.

I plan to set up a bit of a playroom for him in the basement and try to keep him out of the face of my 15 year old Aussie. Of course long walks which he apparently likes would be expected. My daughter might also do agility with him, but first I want him to bond with me.

June 24, 2022

Elvis biopic budget of $85M

Bohemian Rhapsody cost $55M. Rocketman cost $41M. I think both Queen and Elton John are more popular now than Elvis. Walk the Line Cost $29M. I can't imagine $85M for Elvis. What did they spend the money on???

https://variety.com/2022/film/box-office/elvis-box-office-opening-weekend-estimates-1235300592/

According to early estimates, the Warner Bros. film is aiming to collect $30 million from 3,900 venues in its domestic box office debut over the weekend. That’s a solid start for a drama catering to adult audiences. But given the film’s $85 million production budget, which does not include the many millions spent on promoting the movie, “Elvis” will have to keep singing in theaters throughout the summer to justify its price tag.

June 15, 2022

Science Fiction Double Feature

As a kid many (most) of the movies I saw growing up in So. Cal. where double features (a new movie paired with an older one). I realized tonight my daughter has never done a "double feature" so next Tuesday ($5 night), we are going to see Lightyear followed by Jurassic World: Dominion. I have to buy tickets for each show, but the feeling should be the same.

Also biggest screen in Iowa (at least they say it is) and recliner seating.

Looking forward to it.

May 24, 2022

Stacey Abram's unforced error - Georgia is not the worst state

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/gop-seizes-on-stacey-abrams-calling-georgia-worst-state-disqualify-her/ar-AAXCUOe?ocid=uxbndlbing

"I am tired of hearing about how we're the best state in the country to do business when we are the worst state in the country to live," she said. "Let me contextualize. When you're number 48 for mental health, when we're number one for maternal mortality, when you have an incarceration rate that is on the rise and wages are on the decline, then you are not the number one place to live," she said.

That state would be Mississippi or Louisiana actually. Georgia has its problems, but it has a brighter future than those two states as an example.

Couldn't she have qualified her statement a bit more? It has become red meat for the GOP and a rallying cry.

Does somebody have more information on this quote (perhaps a full transcript)? I don't see her making an error like this normally.

May 16, 2022

Oakland Teen Saves Pearl Jam Concert After Drummer Gets COVID-19: 'Kai Neukermans from Local Band

https://www.msn.com/en-us/music/news/oakland-teen-saves-pearl-jam-concert-after-drummer-gets-covid-19-kai-neukermans-from-local-band-the-alive/ar-AAXiH1H?ocid=entnewsntp&cvid=e67bb63ffcf1449a9a9d3ff8ee261afa


After learning that Pearl Jam's drummer Matt Cameron tested positive for COVID-19, a local 18-year-old drummer decided to take matters into his own hands by volunteering to join the band at the Oakland Arena on Friday night.

"Everybody, this is Kai; Kai, this is everybody!" Eddie Vedder introduced the high school student to the crowd from the clip the band posted on YouTube.

Kai Neukermans of Mill Valley already plays for his band The Alive, consisting of his 14-year-old brother, who plays bass, and their friend Bastian Evans, 17, who helms the group's guitar and vocals.


I wonder if bands should maintain lists of local musicians that they could call if one of their members can't make the concert. Another possibility is to use the musician from the warm up band they are touring with. So long as it is for unavoidable situations and not a regular occurrence. Also it would be extremely difficult to replace Vedder or any other front man.

Still a dream come true. It is like when the NHL uses a local player to play goalie in an emergency.

May 11, 2022

The Delaware State bus stop by Liberty County was unconstitutional

Another poster pointed out the lane restriction is for trucks. The law specifically excludes buses. 40-6-52 - Trucks using multilane highways - "As used in this Code section, the term "truck" means any vehicle equipped with more than six wheels, except buses and motorcoaches." The pretextual stop was unconstitutional to begin with so running the probable cause on four legs around the bus was also unconsitutional. I think those students have quite a strong case - maybe they will own the county after this is done. Somebody needs to be asking the sheriff this question. That other bus they searched that day also has a case.