PhineasC

Certainly is convenient how that is happening right at the same time as they are pushing for young people to get the vaccine...

No way I would get my kids vaccinated right now. Seems pointless.

We used to travel overseas a lot, but lately we have been worried about it, not because of COVID, but because of being suddenly locked-down or forced into mandatory quarantine. I doubt I will ever go on a cruise again, for example. 2020 showed that another country can suddenly decide people from your country are a massive health risk and lock you down for months, and your own country will not do anything to get you out.

This pandemic normalized mask wearing in certain circumstances, which is a good thing. At this point it needs to be optional, however. I think you will find many people will voluntarily keep wearing them in certain situations anyway. I think it's time to start trusting people's judgements on their own personal health again, nanny state...

I was out of control down in FL so gonna be on a break this week. Need to get hydrated.

Yeah, NH has been pretty good. I have some seen some strange behaviors in VT and ME. People with masks on walking their huskies hundreds of feet away from anyone, furious spraying of all surfaces with bleach spray while masked and face-shielded, crowds gathered at outdoor spot-a-pots because the larger inside bathrooms were inexplicably closed due to COVID. Some spots in VT and ME really went off the deep end with all of this. I feel like maybe it's a combination of the standard COVID fear every state dealt with mixed with the sort of hippie and new age healing power crystal energy vibe stuff that tends to permeate these states already? LOL just my theory anyway. There definitely was a certain demographic of long gray-haired lady with sandals and huskies who seemed to take COVID most seriously out of anyone... NNE is full of them. Hopefully they will get their chakras aligned soon and ease off a bit. Some yoga might help.

And I promise you every unvaccinated person agrees with you. There seems to be a weird belief that we are the people still clinging to masks, restrictions, and fear.

All of this good news on openings in the states, meanwhile the State Department now says you shouldn’t travel to 80% of the world’s countries due to the virus... OK.

I wonder how many people have made it through this entire pandemic without ever being tested for COVID. I know I qualify, along with my wife and kids. Never tested. It seems some people are regulars at the testing sites, however.

Case counts depend upon testing. If you test enough, you will find the cases. If they test every single unvaccinated person a couple times a week (as some of the vaccine passport proposals have indicated may be the alternative to getting the vaccine) you will always find several hundred cases per day, IMO.

Then they will never open, because we will never get to 70-80 percent of people vaccinated at this rate.

"Kid resilience" is sometimes because they don't know how to properly articulate their concerns in a scary world full of serious-sounding adults and rules they don't understand, so they shut down and become withdrawn and quiet. This is something therapists deal with all the time. It's ignorant adults that assume the quiet fortitude means they are just "taking it with a stiff upper lip" or whatever. This happens to bullied kids all the time and is a big reason why teachers and parents don't take action until the kid snaps, because the child just absorbs the abuse and never brings it to them as a real issue. Come on, guys. Most parents should know this... childhood depression and suicidal thoughts are on the rise, learn to see the signs and don't just call it "resilience."

Sounds like your kid takes after his old man. Heartwarming for sure.

Anyone who wants a jab can get it now. Open it all up now and ditch the masks. No more fear.

The only thing he ran was all over that punk Iceman.

There is definitely a correlation between me leaving Randolph and it snowing. I have noticed it. I hope it’s not permanent.

I thought we were bros...

Kong vs Godzilla is one of the those movies where the CGI monsters are better actors than the humans. Still a fun time watching a giant ape punch a dinosaur.

Yeah, it's pretty crazy. Ski places shut down and then it starts to snow every week.

If you have some room, consider a 4K projector and screen. I think many people have not priced them and assume they cost thousands and thousands. Not true. You can get a great 4K projector and 120”+ mounted screen for less than a new 80” TV. You need the right room for it but it is doable on a budget. Totally changes the experience of watching a movie at home.

Will I get more snow in April than I did in all of Feb and March? WTF is that shit?

Why could this not happen in Feb and March though?

I feel like the studios have wanted to break the back of the theater companies for a while anyway. There are economic reasons why it is better for Disney to release seasonal shows rather than throw all the eggs in the basket of a major blockbuster movie that may bomb. Further, companies such as Amazon and Netflix are now stepping up and making theater-quality productions, but they started as streaming platforms and have always treated theaters as a secondary channel. I am not a big theater guy and never was so maybe this is one area I am biased on because I don't really care if theaters go away. It costs me well over 100 dollars to take my family to see a movie now... kinda crazy. I can just buy the movie outright for 20 bux and nearly everyone has giant TVs or projectors at home now anyway.

Eh, we'll see. Many studios seem to already be moving away from blockbusters in theaters to putting out episodic shows on the various streaming platforms. I don't see a serious bounce back in theaters because the age of the blockbuster movie may be at an end anyway. Maybe some local joints can make it by turning more boutique, as described in my prior post.

Yes, traditional theaters are dead. All that may remain is a few boutique "old timey" theaters as more of a nostalgic thing, like drive-in theaters are today.