Stay Out of the Museum
Night in the Museum 2 finished first in the box office: "Ben Stiller beat Christian Bale in the North American weekend box office duel between their respective "Night at the Museum" and "Terminator" sequels, according to studio estimates issued on Sunday. The 20th Century Fox comedy "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian" sold $53.5 million worth of tickets during the three days beginning Friday, far exceeding the $30.4 million debut of its 2006 predecessor."
Don't waste your time. My son, Jack (12), and I spent the weekend together, and we went to it on Saturday. I thought it was pretty bad, as did Jack (12-year-olds aren't the most-discerning). I think I laughed once. The women behind us squealed incessantly, much to our annoyance, but after seeing them leave the theater, it became obvious they were mentally-addled so they can be forgiven. I'm not so sure about anybody else who laughs.
(That's a little harsh, I know. Humor is a tricky thing. One man's joke is another man's anguish. If you found this movie hilarious, good for you.)
A Drinking Problem
After spending a long weekend with my 12-year-old and his beverage proclivities, it's no wonder I'm feeling a little weak: "Excessive cola consumption can lead to anything from mild weakness to profound muscle paralysis, doctors are warning." Then again, I didn't quite reach this dude's levels: "They tell of the curious case of an Australian ostrich farmer who needed emergency care for lung paralysis after drinking 4-10 litres of cola a day."
It's amazing that these stories get so much attention. The concept of moderation goes back at least 2,400 years to Socrates. And more than a few intellectual and spiritual heavyweights have backed him since.
They say we see further because we stand on the shoulders of giants. That increasingly seems less the case. At this point, I doubt we're even standing on the top of their feet.
Cutting It Short
That's it for today. Over the years, I've learned that holidays are the slowest surf days. The number of visitors to TDE has been increasing lately (we're at 6,000 Unique Visitors for the month), but I don't expect an uptick today so I'm going to cut this post short. Please remember to access Amazon through this site. Every referral fee earned lets me tell my wife, "See, this blogging thing is paying off. . . . Now get me another beer."
