Tag Archives: covid-19

Entertainment, Movies

Disney, Universal and Pixar Films available to Stream in advance of original VOD release date

Video
https://movietrailers.apple.com/movies/universal/the-invisible-man/the-invisible-man-trailer-2_h1080p.mov
Official Teaser Trailer for “The Invisible MAn“

Streaming was Growing and Expanding before the Pandemic and now it’s in Overdrive

The last time that a pandemic gripped the planet, the film industry was in its mere infancy. Nickelodeon theaters played silent motion pictures for middle class audiences and studios were hardly the global conglomerates that they are today. Thus, the contemporary COVID-19 outbreak poses an unprecedented threat to the entertainment sphere, as theaters for the first time in history, are being forced to close their doors for the greater good.

This novel situation is causing studios to be creative in how they will persevere without theatrical releases. A number of movies have already been postponed such as MGM’s “No Time To Die,” Paramount’s “A Quiet Place Part II,” Disney’s “Black Widow,” Universal’s “F9” and many, many more.

Likewise, the coronavirus has also brought production to a halt, as work on several shows and movies are being put on pause. Among them are Warner Brothers’ “Fantastic Beasts 3” and “Matrix 4,” Disney’s live-action “The Little Mermaid,” and Amazon’s “The Lord Of The Rings” series.

Consequentially, there has been a lot of pressure for studios to release movies directly to Video-On-Demand or other home video markets. So far, the companies have been reluctant to do so, due in no small part to the theaters not wanting to sacrifice their piece of the profits. One notable exception, however, has been DreamWorks’ “Trolls World Tour,” which Universal has slated to be released directly to VOD, on the date the theatrical run would have begun.

For the most part, though, studios have responded to the situation by shortening the lapse between theatrical runs and home video releases. Disney, for example, expedited the release of “Frozen II” on Disney+ as a treat/marketing ploy for subscribers practicing safe social distancing. Meanwhile, Disney also announced that it will add the latest Pixar film, “Onward” to its streaming service in early April. “Onward” came out mere weeks ago on March 6th, just before theaters starting closing down and postponing releases became the new norm for 2020.

Additional studios have followed suit and started putting their movies (that would otherwise remain in theaters) straight to VOD. On top of “Trolls World Tour,” Universal recently made “The Invisible Man” and “The Hunt” available on home video markets. Likewise, movies that were on the tail ends of their theatrical runs such as Warner Brothers’ “Birds Of Prey” and Paramount’s “Sonic The Hedgehog” have also sped their way to the VOD market ahead of schedule.

This trend has been so popular in the past couple weeks that Amazon even started a new section of its Prime video streaming service titled “Prime Video Cinema.” The section is dedicated entirely to these new releases taken straight from theaters. Albeit, many of these direct-to-home-video releases are costlier than your average rental—running around $20 to emulate a movie-ticket price.

Other “Early Access” titles that have been added to Amazon’s pay-per-view slate include: “Emma“, “Bloodshot” and “The Way Back“.

Uncertain times for Theaters raises Specter of a Streaming-only Future

Some are still hoping that studios will forgo the theatrical process altogether and start releasing new movies straight to home video in these unconventional times. Particularly, many have solicited the Walt Disney Company to put out its newly-postponed live-action “Mulan” on Disney+. The company, however, has not complied, probably for the same reason that Universal was okay with releasing “Trolls World Tour” on VOD on Amazon and Apple’s iTunes on Friday April 10th, but not “F9.”

Namely, “Mulan” and “F9” are more-or-less guaranteed blockbusters. They will make more money in theaters, presumably, once the lock-down is over, than they ever could on streaming or On-Demand platforms. Therefore, the studios are willing to wait until things blow over to get the biggest bang for their bucks in the cinema.

Theaters already face enough strife in the modern age of ubiquitous streaming, and the current virus is certainly not helping them gain any leverage. While the entertainment industry’s setbacks might seem trivial in comparison to everything going on the world right now, movies and movie theaters in particular operate on the backs of many hardworking, vulnerable people from managers, to ushers, to ticket takers, to projectionists, and more.

While the studios themselves may have enough money and power to remain afloat through these unconventional times, lets hope that they do not lose sight of their foundational workers as they search for alternative solutions.

Links to watch Films mentioned in this article (amazon): “Frozen II”, “Onward”, “The Invisible Man”, “The Hunt”, “Birds Of Prey” , “Bloodshot“, “The Way Back“, “Emma“, “Trolls World Tour”

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Breaking News, Coronavirus

Coronavirus Charts can tell the Story of Our Times: a Mirror of our Hopes and Fears?

Four Corona Virus Charts – Bottom right: March 16th – Upper left March 21st, Bottom left: March 21st bar chart and Upper right: logarithmic chart from March 21st

Subjective Interpretation and Projected Knowledge are always at Play with Visual Data

Looking at the four charts above – all show what appears to be an extremely rapid increase in the number of coronavirus cases worldwide. The three large charts are different methods to show the same data, and they illustrate how dangerous it is to take any emotional stance based on the “feeling” of information when presented visually.

The chart in the upper right for example is based on the same data as the chart on the upper left, and yet it appears far less alarming simply because it is plotted logarithmically, causing the “curve to appear flatter and less “alarming” unless you bring expert eyes to the charts.

Nevertheless, it does’t take a doctor or even a scientist to see events that are unfolding and make a judgment on what is likely to happen next. Unfortunately, as humans, we are often prone to clouded conclusions and even false interpretations of data, especially as a layman looking at charts and figures.

Clearly, this is the very good reason why we look to professionals, epidemiologists, doctors and event statisticians and computer modeling experts to help us make sense of something like a global pandemic outbreak.

Yet at times, perhaps this time in particular, it takes a reporter’s eyes looking at various expert sources and various aggregations of information and knowledge to try and craft an unbiased overview of the rapidly changing landscape even as it continuously develops.

That is what reporters are tasked to do and, with various success rates, to do on a daily basis. It helps to use a little common sense as well, particularly at times when fear and emotion are running high.

March 16th, 2020 chart showing the rise in the number of new coronavirus cases outside Mainland China (click to enlarge)
March 21, 2020 chart showing the rapid rise in the number of new coronavirus cases outside Mainland China (click to enlarge)

Many have likely seen the chart above from March 21st – which is available in a live interactive version here, posted by the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU). The overall change over time can be seen when comparing the two charts, simply showing the increase in the number of cases on a daily basis. The data is separated into three categories:

  • Mainland China
  • The rest of the world (other countries)
  • Total Recoverd

The reason for this grouping is that, early in the breakout during January and February, the vast majority of new cases were in Mainland China and the increase in new cases was growing very rapidly. More recently, as can be seen in the second chart, the rest of the world has not only overtaken China in the total number of cases but also in the increase, or acceleration, of the number reported per day.

When breaking this data down over the past two weeks, in a “news” context, there have been stories about how various countries and governments were dealing with the crisis, and attempts were made to draw conclusions and learn from those examples.

South Korea was cited as an example of a country that took a very proactive approach to testing for the virus, which can be carried by people that do not exhibit any overt symptoms, and methods such as a government funded drive-through testing program were implemented. Tests administered per day were estimated at 15,000 in a country with a population of 51 million.

click to enlarge / chart courtesy of Business Insider

This is where pure numbers and science diverge from a common sense look at the extenuating circumstances. It is logical and often cited that the more testing and reporting done the faster the number of cases will grow. For example, at a time when the USA was testing approximately 5 patients per million in population, South Korea was testing 3,692. The chart below was created by, and is shown courtesy of, Business Insider.

Similar to the stock market, which is a vast world of endless charts and data, this is a perfect example of the adage: “correlation does not imply causation”. In other words, if you are measuring the number of new confirmed cases, as a way to show the spread of the disease, the relationship of that number, to the number of tests administered, is essential in any interpretation of the data.

Is the Glass Half Empty, Half Full or just a Cup of Confusion?

There is a planet sized elephant in the room when you begin to try to gauge the spread of the coronavirus in the USA. In essence, what this means is that the frantic counting of the “spread” in various countries to see where the number of cases is rising the most rapidly is, in effect, counting not the number of infected people but the number of tests being administered and the velocity of the reporting.

So, going back to the example of South Korea, by aggressively testing and quarantining those found to be carrying the virus they were able to “[flatten the curve]”, which is the ultimate goal of lock-downs and self-isolation and all other measures we can take in lieu of the availability of effective treatment options.

A relatively unimportant side-effect of the rapid testing was a temporary large increase in the number of confirmed cases. More important was the success based on the separation of more people carrying the virus from the general population, informed by the results of all those tests.

In a widely shared graphic, a tan curve represents a scenario without social distancing measures and where the U.S. hospital system becomes inundated with coronavirus patients. Chart source / PBS

Mainland China, along with, to a lesser extent, Singapore, Hong Kong and Taiwan appear to also have had some success in slowing down the spread via quarantine.

Which leads to the confusion in the USA as to the severity of the spread and the steps being taken to try and flatten the curves. The USA is now taking action, in the hope to be among those countries who have had some measure of success, rather than joining Italy, Iran and others, mainly in Europe, that have been struggling with a surge in illness and deaths, due to the spread of the virus.

Testing in the USA is starting to increase, finally, after a chaotic and late response by the Trump administration. What this means, however, is that the testing itself will lead to an increase in the number of “confirmed” cases and the rate of that increase will also likely be higher, for at least several weeks.

In the Confusion, a Hidden Thread of Good News is Lurking

Essentially, this means that nobody can look at a chart of the number of cases and discern any comparisons about the real numbers of people infected, other than that the number is growing fast, unless the rate of testing is somehow factored in.

And, further, that the so-called lockdowns and other serious steps are more than warranted as , particularly in the USA, the “real” number of infected people is almost certainly far higher than the published number.

nobody can look at a chart of the number of cases and discern anything about the real numbers of people infected, other than that it is growing fast, unless the rate of testing is somehow factored in.

– E.C.

The examples in the areas where partial containment or at least a slowdown in the spread were the most successful, occurred in those locations where steps were taken, as quickly as possible, to quarantine those that could spread the disease to others.

Unfortunately, the “South Korean model”, focusing on rapid and aggressive testing, has not been an option in the USA. Instead we have basically skipped that step and proceeded to a “lockdown”, of, at this moment, over 70 million people in 5 states, with likely more to come.

Digging beneath the data we can see that the charts are best used, not to alarm unnecessarily, but to inform of the degree to which the steps toward prevention are warranted, and why we should all avoid panic and creatively isolate and maintain safe social distances.

We should all bear in mind, when looking at the charts and the statistics, that a rising chart does not necessarily mean that the situation is spinning out of control.

Incredibly, it likely means that the implementation of controlled steps, such as an increased number and frequency of people being tested, will result in a temporary “bump” in the “bad news” but that news will be, in reality, hidden good news. Namely, that we are finally beginning to proactively respond as a society and, as has been seen in South Korea, this can and should lead to a calming, flatter curve on our charts in the weeks to come.

Read more on coronavirus:

Corona Crisis comparison to London Cholera epidemic is haunting: The Ghost Map

Books to Luxuriate in While Practicing Preventative Isolation from covid-19

To Social Distance is to Save a Life – There are not enough Ventilators if Coronavirus outbreak continues

Healthy Whole Grains and Bread Culture for Building Resilience

As covid-19 Spreads the Shopping Spree of the Century Underway across USA

Oh Sweet Resilience, your Name is Golden: Coronavirus Musings Straight Outta L.V.

Coronavirus Sparks Shopping Sprees in U.S. and More Up-to-the-minute Developments

Contagion, World War Z, Pandemic and more – 6 Trending Movies about Deadly Viruses during Coronavirus

8 Books on Coronavirus and Pandemics to Help Better Prepare Against Infectious and Contagious Diseases

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Coronavirus

To Social Distance is to Save a Life – There are not enough Ventilators if Coronavirus outbreak continues

Why both young and old must practice social distancing amidst COVID-19 pandemic

This is a critical time for all of us to be responsible citizens and practice social distancing.  States and governments have put in place restrictions on mass gathering for a real reason, for our safety and wellbeing. Coronavirus has been declared a pandemic. There is a reason why movie theaters, amusement parks, gyms, dining in at restaurants and casinos are closed and people are hunkering down buying up all the toilet paper.  

A Book on London’s Epidemic “The Ghost Map” Check out Bookshop.org and at the same time help Lynxotic and All Independent Local Bookstores. Also Available on Amazon.

That is because the risk of infection is high among large groups of people. This is why keeping greater than usual physical distance from other people and or objects in public places is so essential. And when maintained correctly can minimize and slow down the transmission of the novel coronavirus. Heavy strain is being placed on hospitals, doctors and medical staff when seemingly healthy people (but carry the virus)  are still going into the public and unintentionally affecting and putting those with compromised immune systems at risk. 

Thus without protective measures, or people living “life as normal” and going into heavily crowded public places and not practicing social distancing – the health care systems WILL NOT have the capacity to care for the sick. Only with protective measures (staying home if sick and steering clear from heavily populated public spaces) can we flatten the curve and allow for our current health care systems to care for the number of cases that require hospitalization. So read a book, listen to an audible, exercise… get creative.

In a widely shared graphic, a tan curve represents a scenario without social distancing measures and where the U.S. hospital system becomes inundated with coronavirus patients. Chart / PBS

Hypothetical yet Realistic

Here is a scenario to better understand the gravity of why social distancing is so important.  Enter  (made up person) Dan, who is a young and healthy man, an extrovert that is use to hanging around with his friends out on the town.  Dan does not like the quarantine restrictions. He shows no symptoms, feels fine and does not know that he is indeed infected with the coronavirus.  Dan goes to a party on a Friday night, a big party with well over 50 people.  The next day, Saturday, 20 of those people from the party feel sick and experience difficulty in breathing and have to go to the hospital.  The hospital at this time is equipped to handle those 20 patients. Again on Saturday night, Dan goes to another big party with over 50 people in attendance, and the cycle repeats – the next day, on Sunday, another 20 people from the party feel sick, have difficulty breathing and have to go to the hospital. Here enters problem – the hospital is now not equipped to handle another surge of 20 people. 

Hospital are equipped with limited supplies and finite number of beds. For critical cases where patiences that are seriously injured or ill are taken to the intensive care unit (ICU) and special medical equipment and services are provided here.

Patients that experience difficulty in breathing, as one of the symptoms of the COVID-19, as the virus attacks a person’s lungs and in severe causes may require the use of a breathing machine also known as a ventilator or respirator. Typically because of the seriousness required to go to ICU – just one ICU bed is usually assigned with a team of medical providers (a nurse, critical care doctor, respiratory technician, phlebotomists, sometimes a nutritionist and/or specialist in infectious disease).

So what happens to the additional 20 people that the hospital cannot accommodate?  Most likely, they have to wait until an ICU bed with a ventilator opens up (which can be up to 2 weeks) or they are sent away.  Even worse, doctors are now being put in situations where they have to choose who to save because of the lack of machines and necessary resources. 

Had Dan not gone to the party on Friday night and heeded to social distancing advice, he would have not affected the first batch of 20 people. Additionally, if Dan would have waited a least 2 weeks between the two parties he attended, that would have also prevented the surge of patients coming into the hospital at the same time and the time gap would have allowed for those using ventilators to get better and free up space for incoming patients. 

Although Dan is fictional, not practicing social distancing does put people in danger, the NY Times reports there currently aren’t enough ventilators to cope with the coronavirus, now imagine it gets worse and people aren’t taking staying at home seriously?

The take away from this is partly cautionary – mostly staying at home is “not fun” – but it is way better to not know what to do with yourself at home (be bored) than be critical ill or dead from the coronavirus.  It is imperative to listen to public health officials and maintain the guidelines of social distancing.  If the collective “we” both young and old can do this, we will flatten the curve, decrease the spread of outbreaks, and take the much needed pressure off hospital and medical staff, and utimately save lives. 

Point blank – there will not enough ventilators to save people if we don’t stop or flatten the curve. Stay home to save a life. Don’t be like Dan.


Emergency Physician Emily Porter, M.D.

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Coronavirus, Entertainment, Lifestyle

Are we all Homicidal Maniacs now due to Cabin Fever brought on by #QuarantineLife?

Jack Nicholson from “The Shining”

Maybe a little levity will help… 

With recommendations to stay inside and social distance, many  people, couples and families in particular have extra time on their hands. What can you do together? Do some online shopping? Read about novel coronavirus or politics? Listen to an Audiobook? Watch TV? Well many have also turned to social media, where there has been an onslaught of creative and funny posts about the real struggles of having to live with other people. Here’s some humorous and relatable content in the form of tweets and videos that have been created while couples/families have been quarantined together.

Running out of things to talk about

https://twitter.com/sarahlostctrl/status/1239657387574910977?s=20

Many of us have busy lives and couples can sometimes use dinner time as a way to reconnect and “check in” on how each others’ days went. With couples spending much more time together – the feeling of having nothing much to left to say can definitely set in.

Work life but at home

Working remote from home has become an option. When you have a family and young children also at home from school, teleconferences and Skype meetings can get a tad bit messy!

Also the whole blaming coworkers has been a quick and dirty way to pass the buck at work (only half joking) but when you’re at home it’s just you and your partner, so creating an imaginary worker to place blame on is the “perfect” solution!

Aggravation and irritation set in – Hard

https://twitter.com/shadylud/status/1239564449188589571?s=20
https://twitter.com/nickusen/status/1239628306967904257?s=20

Usually there is healthy distance between partners. We go to work which is time apart and then normally in the evenings and weekends you spend time together. Having to be together all the time, especially if you live in a one bedroom, frustrations are surely going to kick in. Hopefully ya’ll have healthy communication skills to proactively diffuse any tense scenarios if they will arise. Yet the above are some funny (hopefully very rare and extreme cases!)

The End

https://twitter.com/dorru12/status/1239454636886691840?s=201239628306967904257?s=20
Click to Buy “Love Sense” and at the same time help Lynxotic and All Independent Local Bookstores. Also Available on Amazon.

All joking aside, if you are struggling in your intimate relationship and now have some time on your hands and interested in a good read, check out “Love Sense“. Every day, we hear of relationships failing and questions of whether humans are meant to be monogamous.

Love Sense presents new scientific evidence that tells us that humans are meant to mate for life. Dr. Johnson explains that romantic love is an attachment bond, just like that between mother and child, and shows us how to develop our “love sense” — our ability to develop long-lasting relationships. Also Available on Amazon.

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Coronavirus, Entertainment

Idris Elba Tweets he is Positive for Coronavirus amid Hoarding Chaos and Market Drop

Video
https://movietrailers.apple.com/movies/fox/the-mountain-between-us/the-mountain-between-us-trailer-1_h1080p.mov
Original Preview Trailer for “THe MOuntain Between Us”
Publicity Still from “The Mountain Between Us”

Idris Elba announced today via his twitter account that he has been diagnosed with covid-19, also known as the novel coronavirus. He posted a video along with the tweet and indicated that he has no symptoms so far and feels ok. Along with Tom Hanks and his wife Rita Wilson, who are in isolation recovering in Australia, this announcement is the second recent one involving a major Hollywood star.

Long lines all over L.A. with people trying to buy staples, Sports events and Concerts cancelled, empty shelves everywhere and now both Disney and Universal are releasing current upcoming films for streaming – since box office will be zero or even cancelled for an undetermined time period. Not to mention the Dow is down nearly 3000 points at closing today (-2997.10 / -12.92%). Yikes.

This news, based on the incredible familiarity that we all have with stars of this magnitude, is making the pandemic more and more “real” for all of us. In the chart below a big reason for the extreme precautionary measures can be seen:

The line all the way to the right, almost straight up vertical is the number of cases not in China. As is clear the total is nearly as many as all that have been reported in China to date and will soon overtake that number. Most alarming is the vertical rise – far steeper than the gradual increase that was seen since February 16th, after the drastic measures were taken in China by that time.

In a widely shared graphic, a tan curve represents a scenario without social distancing measures and where the U.S. hospital system becomes inundated with coronavirus patients. Chart / PBS

Just such a slow down in additional cases will “flatten the curve” of non-China cases and is the goal of the extreme and increasingly invasive measures we are taking in the US and Europe. Although the feeling in the air, especially if shopping for supplies, seems somewhat panicked, it is important to recognize that all of these measures, most of all self-quarantine and social distancing are meant to protect us, and ultimately, flatten the curve to a point where the number of cases can actually slow down enough that this chart will actually be on a downward slope.

The interactive chart of Coronavirus COVID-19 Global Cases can be accessed here, courtesy of the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University (JHU). The mobile version of the chart can be accessed here.

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Coronavirus, Entertainment, Movies

Coronavirus Fears fail to derail Pixar’s “Onward” as it meets Disney’s Projections for the Box Office Debut Weekend

Video
https://movietrailers.apple.com/movies/disney/onward/onward-trailer-2-usca_h1080p.mov
Official preview trailer for “Onward”

The animated movie does indeed move forward with successful numbers to prove it

Disney-Pixar’s latest movie, “Onward,” hit theaters on Thursday, March 5th and despite it coming out at the height of coronavirus hysteria, it managed to hold its own at the box office, meet critical expectations, and pave the way for a surplus and possibly the House-of-Mouse’s first 2020 blockbuster.

“Onward” had its initial premiere at the 70th Berlin International Film Festival on February 21st. Leading up to its worldwide release, however, some speculated that the film would be postponed due to the coronavirus, which has been spreading rapidly and keeping folks out of movie theaters worldwide. While most theaters remain open and operating in the US, many theaters in China have closed their doors because of the virus. Considering that Pixar’s last film (“Toy Story 4”) made over $8 million at the Chinese box office during its opening weekend last June, one could understand why “Onward” might get pushed back.

Click to Buy “Toy Story 4” -Available on Amazon and Walmart.

Nevertheless, “Onward” persevered and raked in over $40 million in its opening weekend, right about on par for what critics predicted. This may be a far cry from “Toy Story 4” or “Incredibles 2,” Pixar’s last two films that respectively made over $120 million and $180 during their openings. However, “Onward” expected more modest earnings from the get-go.

The movie is Pixar’s first non-sequel release since 2017’s “Coco,” which earned $50 million its opening weekend, only marginally better than “Onward’s” current figures. Unlike “Finding Dory,” “Cars 2,” “Incredibles 2,” or “Toy Story 4,” “Onward” is an entirely original film and has to herald in audiences without pre-existing IP doing the heavy lifting. On top of that, it also has to deal with the virus.

COVID-19 has already delayed the release of the upcoming James Bond movie, “No Time To Die.” MGM Studios pushed the opening back from April to November in hopes that the virus will pass and theaters will be back in full business by then. Some predict that other potential blockbusters such as “Mulan,” “Black Widow” and “F9” will also get delayed due to the virus.

Nevertheless, “Onward” stuck to its original release date and while figures might’ve been higher had Pixar waited a few months, the movie had a respectable opening all the same. Furthermore, the movie still has additional markets to debut in such as Italy, Korea, and Japan. Also, given that “Onward” is a family film, its earnings will likely increase over the next few weeks as more kids get out on spring break. Thus, we can expect an upsurge in “Onward’s” already reasonable box office success. It will likely be Disney’s first bonafide Blockbuster of the year, and earn the studio a surplus on the film’s estimated $100 million budget.

Click to Buy “The Art of Onward” and at the same time help Lynxotic and All Independent Local Bookstores. Also Available on Amazon 

“Onward” is directed by Dan Scanlon, a Pixar veteran with a previous directorial credit for “Monster’s University” and creative contributions with the studio that date all the way back to 2006’s “Cars.” The movie is about two adolescent elf brothers, Ian and Barley, going on a quest to bring their late father back from the dead using sorcery. Marvel stars Tom Holland and Chris Pratt lend their voices to the two protagonists. The cast also includes Julia Louie-Dreyfus, Octavia Spencer, Mel Rodriguez, and many more, all voicing mythical creatures in the movie’s fantastical (yet familiar) world.

A strong and deeply original addition to Pixar’s impressive filmography, “Onward” is touching, funny, memorable, and sweet, Given the studio’s success with the Academy and animation’s uncertain outlook for 2020, “Onward” might just be our first Oscar-winning movie to come out this year.

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Business, Coronavirus, Entertainment, Movies

Disneyland and Walt Disney World and Many More Theme Parks Closing Doors due to Coronavirus

Photo / Unsplash

Social Distancing now Impacting World’s Happiest Place

March 12th was a bleak day for Southern California from the beginning. The morning brought in dank temperatures and dark clouds that by midday opened up to a persistent grey rainfall. Amidst the storm, news outlets could only talk about one thing—the coronavirus, which had infected over 150 people in the Golden State at the time. The virus had already led to schools shutting down, movies being delayed, and professional sports leagues such as the MLB, NBA, and NHL suspending their seasons. And as of 1:30 in the afternoon on this tempestuous Thursday, the disease even caused Disneyland, the “Happiest Place On Earth,” to close its doors for the first time in nearly two decades.

In the morning, California Governor Gavin Newsom issued a public warning for all Californians to avoid gatherings of 250 people or more. This included urging businesses to temporarily close stores and cancel large events in light of the COVID-19 pandemic.

baby yoda plush on amazon

At first, the House-Of-Mouse announced that it would be keeping its doors open despite the Governor’s recommendations. In an initial online message, the Walt Disney Company stated that its Anaheim and Orlando parks would stay operational, but implement heightened precautions to ensure everyone’s health and safety. By the early afternoon, however, the entertainment conglomerate changed its mind, and announced that the Anaheim park would shut down from the 14th through the end of the month.

Thousands of people visit Disney each day; they come from all around the world to see it. The last time Disneyland closed was following the September 11th terrorist attacks in 2001, which speaks volumes to the current situation’s extremity. While it is a shame that so many people must sacrifice their dream vacation due to the unfortunate circumstances, the park’s closure is in the public health’s best interest.

Disney also announced that its hotels surrounding the park will stay in business for guests, that Anaheim’s Downtown Disney will remain open and functioning throughout the hiatus, and that the park will continue to pay its employees despite all interruptions.

Photo / Unsplash

Rival Parks also Decide on Caution

Disneyland was not the only theme park to close its doors on the 12th. Shortly after the company broke the news about its Anaheim park shutting down, it revealed that Walt Disney World Orlando and Walt Disney World Paris would be following suit. Likewise, all Disney cruise lines will be suspended and Universal Studios similarly closed its parks in Los Angeles and Orlando for the rest of the month.

On the opposite side of the spectrum, other Southern California spots such as Six Flags: Magic Mountain, SeaWorld, Legoland, and Pacific Park on the Santa Monica Pier all chose to remain open. However, each of these attractions’ respective owners made statements ensuring that their businesses are on high alert for guest well-being.

Currently, Governor Newsom, like many politicians across the United States, is trying to coordinate with more business owners and healthcare professionals to make sure the public remains safe. Major parks like Disney and Universal heeding the governor’s advice is a good sign, but other institutions are less keen to comply. Theaters, shopping malls, and casinos in particular have been unwilling to sacrifice their business in light of COVID-19.

Buffalo Games Star Wars – The Mandalorian – The Child – 500 Piece Jigsaw Puzzle: see on Amazon

The theaters, however, might soon be empty, as more and more movies are pushing back release dates due to the virus. It started with James Bond’s “No Time To Die” getting pushed from April to November a few weeks ago, and now many movies are taking the same precaution. The Fast & Furious franchise’s “F9” has been delayed to 2021; John Krasinski’s “A Quiet Place: Part II” was pushed back indefinitely; and Disney shifted its entire cinematic timeline to postpone the releases of “Mulan,” “The New Mutants,” and “Antlers.”

With the exception of the 007 flick that led the charge, all of these movie delays were announced on March 12th, the same dreary, wet day that Disney Parks announced their closure on. All of this corporate obstruction also led to the biggest drop in the stock market since 1987 crash, earning March 12th, 2020 the infamous new nickname: Black Tuesday.

It almost feels like a COVID-19 judgment day for businesses, especially those in the entertainment industry—an industry that managed to thrive through the Great Depression, World War II, and just about every national crisis of America’s past hundred years.

At last, the industry may have met its match. Nevertheless, this is not a true judgment day, but rather an evasion of one. Despite monetary setbacks and temporary closures, March 12th did not demonstrate a downfall. Instead, it demonstrated wise choices on many conglomerates’ behalves to comply with scientific evidence and place public safety above business-as-usual procedures. When the virus eventually passes, these movies, parks, and rides will still be there, and their part-time suspensions for the sustained health of millions will be well worth the wait.

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Entertainment, Music

My Chemical Romance’s Resurgence comes at an inopportune time – or does it?

My Chemical Romance / Lynxotic Photo Collage

The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys

At the end of 2019, emo band and punk rock phenomena of the early 2000s, My Chemical Romance (MCR), finally returned for their first show since they broke up seven years ago. Even though the band’s breakup seemed final in 2013, the quartet of rockers announced last Halloween that they were reuniting for a single show at Los Angeles’s Shrine Expo Hall on December 20th.

The announcement was met with immense delight from MCR fans—“Killjoys” as they are called—everywhere, and people came from all around the globe to fill the Shrine on 2019’s final day of autumn. However, because the Expo Hall only seats 6,800 people and MCR has millions of followers worldwide, tickets sold out in a matter of minutes, and resale offers cost over $1000, leaving many Killjoys empty handed and praying for the band to announce more shows.

For a while it seemed as if MCR was only going to play the one gig in LA, but they eventually announced their attendance at festivals in Australia and Japan. Then, in early 2020, they announced a couple of UK shows. Fans sat on the edge of their seats in anticipation of a tour, as the band released a number of mysterious, yet hinting videos.

Finally, the band broke the tension and officially announced a tour on January 29th, offering shows all around the United States throughout 2020 for the first time in nine years. Like the single show at the Expo Hall, the tickets went quickly—every show on the tour sold out within the first day—but given that there are more opportunities to see MCR this time around, resale prices are far more reasonably priced.

Rock out in Style – Click to Buy JBL Speaker. Available on Amazon and Walmart.

When MCR broke up, it devastated members of the emo community. Their return has thus lifted the spirits of many, and it comes at a time when the world could admittedly use a bit of unapologetic, head banging, black-hearted jams.

Emo emerged as a music genre at the turn of the millennium. It grew out of the 1990s’ post-grunge and alternative crazes, mixing in a touch of old school punk, hardcore metal, and screamo as well. Confessional lyrics, emotional emphasis, and an adolescent sense of anxiety defined emo’s sound—it was the perfect fit for a generation of kids raised in the post-9/11 era of fear and insecurity.

Bands such as Jimmy Eat World, Fall Out Boy, and of course, My Chemical Romance brought emo to the foreground in the early 2000s. My Chemical Romance even formed after lead singer Gerard Way witnessed the September 11th terrorist attacks in New York City firsthand.

Moreover, emo aesthetic, donned by the performers and endorsed by the fans, reflected the genre’s sentiments, often incorporating black clothes, skinny jeans, eyeliner, piercings, and an overall goth(ic) look. Unlike punk rock’s flat out subversion of semantics through unconventional or misused attire and sound, emo embraced its paradoxes, creating a proudly strange subculture of misfits and outcasts.

So why are we seeing an emo resurgence now? And more importantly, why is emo a healthy thing to bring back in today’s day and age? After all, it is not just MCR that is coming back. Rage Against The Machine also came back after an eight year hiatus in late 2019 and are now beginning a 2020 tour. Blink-182 released a new album last year, as did Jimmy Eat World. Green Day, Weezer, and Fall Out Boy also came out with new songs, and that trifecta will be headlining the Hella Mega Tour together throughout 2020.

Click to Buy “Not the Life it Seems” and at the same time help Lynxotic and All Independent Local Bookstores. Also Available on Amazon 

Certainly a lot has changed in music, politics, and culture since emo was last in the mainstream almost two decades ago. Pop/rap music has taken over, and infectious beats top the charts more often than shredding guitar solos. However, with all of these bands coming back and new groups gaining popularity from the underground (The Wonder Years, Seaway, The Interrupters, etc.), we are starting to hear emo make a comeback on the radio.

Part of this is definitely due to nostalgia. Now that we are twenty years into the 2000s, bands that dominated the Billboard at the turn of the millennium are garnering a retro-appeal and are even getting played on classic rock stations. Likewise, fans of emo have grown up, giving the genre wider legitimacy and some even starting their own bands with emo inspiration.

However, there is more to emo’s resurgence than just whimsical delight. As aforementioned, emo came about during a politically tumultuous time in America, when war, fear, and unsavory media coverage troubled the national consciousness. The parallels between that time and now are unfortunately palpable. Buzz terms like “Fake News,” “Post-Truth,” and even “World War Three” have somehow become inescapable in 2020. Maybe this complicated rhetoric begs us to turn up our stereos, block out the toxicity, and rejoice/rebel in a noise that bleeds defiance.

On a happier note, though, emo’s resurrection could also come from a place of cultural evolution on the right side of history. Beneath emo’s forward sentiments of anger and frustration, the genre has always had an underlying element of acceptance and respect for those who do not fit in. Since the 90s and early 2000, America (and the world) has made quiet strides in civil liberties. Although administrations and policies do not always reflect these collective progresses, societal movements and campaigns have effectively given greater voices to conventionally silenced, overlooked, or scrutinized parts of the population.

This is not to say that everything is perfect, and the relationship may seem abstract, but maybe emo’s return is simultaneously a latent celebration, for the outsiders that found rare solace in this music nearly twenty years ago can now listen to it unashamedly, fearlessly, and thankfully… without anger or anxiety, but with love and increasing comfort in their hearts.

“welcome to the black parade” – my chemical romance (mcr)

In the band’s first twelve years of existence before the recent reunion, My Chemical Romance released four albums. The first, 2002’s “I Brought You My Bullets, You Brought Me Your Love” focused on feelings of fear. The second, the platinum “Three Cheers For Sweet Revenge,” switched over to an emphasis on anger. The third, the 2006 sensation (and often referred to as the band’s magnum opus) “The Black Parade” told audiences that it’s okay to be afraid. Then, their final album, the 2010 “Danger Days: The True Lives of the Fabulous Killjoys” offered a moving collection of quasi-dystopian narrative songs about growing up, departing, and finally, saying goodbye.

As of right now, MCR has not commented on weather or not they will return to the studio alongside their reunion on stage. However, given their trend of thematically relevant albums so far, perhaps their next album will be one that centers on contentedness, happiness, and gratefulness, something that MCR, loyal Killjoys, and emo fans everywhere are feeling in abundance nowadays, for reasons that encompass and extend far beyond the music.

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Coronavirus, Entertainment, Movies, News

Contagion, World War Z, Pandemic and more – 6 Trending Movies about Deadly Viruses during Coronavirus

Video
https://trailers.apple.com/movies/wb/contagion/contagion-tlr1_h1080p.mov
official trailer for “contagion”

Art kind of imitating life? 

Old movies about viruses and deadly outbreaks are making a come back into the spotlight and even trending most likely as a direct result of the current novel coronavirus that has now been deemed a pandemic according to The World Health Organization (WHO).

Most notable, is the movie “Contagion” a film from 2011, that is now the 2nd most watched Warner Brothers Film so far in 2020 and has reached the 10th spot on Apple iTune’s most rented movie this year.  Yet “Contagion” is only one example of other movies that share the same recurring theme of disease and viral outbreaks.

All around the world, current blockbusters are postponing release and premiere dates, which makes this a perfect time to enjoy some oldies but goodies in the comfort of your own home.

Here are six of the best films, included the movie trailers that all share the same subject matter about viral epidemics and pandemics: Contagion, World World Z, Pandemic, Mayhem, Outbreak and 12 Monkeys.

Contagion

“CONTAGION” STILL IMAGE WITH MATT DAMON
Click to Buy “Contagion” – Available on Amazon and on Walmart.

Released in 2011. When Beth Emhoff (Gwyneth Paltrow) returns to Minnesota from a Hong Kong business trip, she attributes the malaise she feels to jet lag. However, two days later, Beth is dead, and doctors tell her shocked husband (Matt Damon) that they have no idea what killed her. Soon, many others start to exhibit the same symptoms, and a global pandemic explodes. Doctors try to contain the lethal microbe, but society begins to collapse as a blogger (Jude Law) fans the flames of paranoia. Available on Amazon and a on Walmart.

World War Z

https://movietrailers.apple.com/movies/paramount/worldwarz/worldwarz-p1tt-tlr1_h1080p.mov
official trailer for “world war z”
Click to Buy “World War Z ” – Available on Amazon and on Walmart.

Released in 2013. When former U.N. investigator Gerry Lane (Brad Pitt) and his family get stuck in urban gridlock, he senses that it’s no ordinary traffic jam. His suspicions are confirmed when, suddenly, the city erupts into chaos. A lethal virus, spread through a single bite, is turning healthy people into something vicious, unthinking and feral. As the pandemic threatens to consume humanity, Gerry leads a worldwide search to find the source of the infection and, with luck, a way to halt its spread. Available on Amazon and on Walmart.

12 Monkeys

official trailer for “12 monkeys”
Click to Buy “12 Monkeys” – Available on Amazon and on Walmart. 

Released in 1995. Traveling back in time isn’t simple, as James Cole (Bruce Willis) learns the hard way. Imprisoned in the 2030s, James is recruited for a mission that will send him back to the 1990s. Once there, he’s supposed to gather information about a nascent plague that’s about to exterminate the vast majority of the world’s population. But, aside from the manic Jeffrey (Brad Pitt), he gets little in the way of cooperation, not least from medical gatekeepers like Dr. Kathryn Railly (Madeleine Stowe). Available on Amazon and on Walmart.

Outbreak

official trailer for “outbreak”
Click to Buy “Outbreak” – Available on Amazon and on Walmart. 

Released in 1995. A dangerous airborne virus threatens civilization in this tense thriller. After an African monkey carrying a lethal virus is smuggled into the U.S., an outbreak occurs in a California town. To control the spread of the disease, a team of doctors is brought in that includes a contagious disease expert (Dustin Hoffman) and his ex-wife (Rene Russo). Once the Army intervenes to handle the situation, though, the doctors must fight against the clock to save the town and its residents. Available on Amazon and on Walmart.

Pandemic

https://movietrailers.apple.com/movies/independent/pandemic/pandemic-tlr1_h1080p.mov
official trailer for “pandemic”
Click to Buy “Pandemic” – Available on Amazon and on Walmart. 

Released in 2016. After a devastating virus outbreak, the world is plunged into a state of chaos. Zombies roam the streets, while survivors fight to stay alive. With the human race under threat, an armed rescue team target the undead. Rachel Nichols stars as a doctor who leads a group to find survivors of a worldwide pandemic. The film is shot in a first-person POV, similar to first-person shooter video games. Available on Amazon and on Walmart.

Mayhem

https://movietrailers.apple.com/movies/independent/mayhem/mayhem-trailer-1_h1080p.mov
official trailer for “mayhem”
Click to Buy “Mayhem” – Amazon also Available on Walmart.

Released in 2017. Derek Cho is having a really bad day. After being unjustly fired from his job, he discovers that the law firm’s building is under quarantine for a mysterious and dangerous virus. Chaos erupts throughout the office as the victims of the disease begin acting out their wildest impulses. Joining forces with a former client who has a grudge of her own, Derek savagely fights tooth and nail to get to the executives on the top floor and settle the score once and for all.

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Health and Diet, News

EPA names Clorox, Lysol and Purell Among the Best Coronavirus Fighting Disinfectants

The Best Method is a Combination Approach: Good Hand Hygiene and Approved Products

The Coronavirus has been transmitted as a majority from person to person. The CDC has warned that the virus can also be transmitted as a result of touching objects or surfaces that are infected. This has resulted in many people turning to every day household cleaning and disinfecting products.

Clorox Disinfecting Wipes. Available on Amazon

To ensure that you are using the right products to stave off the virus, the US. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has just released  a list of approved antimicrobial products that officially qualify against Coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2) that causes COVID-19. 

“Using the correct disinfectant is an important part of preventing and reducing the spread of illnesses along with other critical aspects such as hand washing.

Andrew Wheeler – epa administrator – March 5th news release
Clorox Multi-Surface Cleaner + Bleach. Available on Amazon

The news release from the EPA explained that the coronaviruses are enveloped viruses – which means they are the easier types of viruses to kill when the appropriate disinfectant products are utilized.  

Below is a list of the most well known products that are now EPA approved for fighting Coronavirus.  See full list here. 

  • Clorox Disinfecting Wipes. Available on Amazon.
  • Clorox Disinfecting Spray
  • Clorox Multi-Surface Cleaner + Bleach. Available on Amazon.
  • Klercide 70/30 
  • Lonza Formulation
  • Lysol Clean & Fresh Multi-Surface Cleaner. Available on Amazon.
  • Lysol Disinfectant Max Cover Mist. Available on Amazon.
  • Lysol Heavy-Duty Cleaner Disinfectant Concentrate. Available on Amazon.
  • Oxy-Team Disinfectant Cleaner
  • Oxycide Daily Disinfectant Cleaner
  • Peak Disinfectant Wipes
  • Peroxide Multi Surface Cleaner and Disinfectant
  • Peroxide Disinfectant and Glass Cleaner
  • Purell Professional Surface Disinfectant Wipes
  • Sani-Prime Germicidal Disposable Wipe. Amazon on Amazon.
  • Sani-Prime Germicidal Spray

It is recommended to follow the directions of the approved products found on the master label in order to ensure proper directions are followed (ex: how long disinfectant should stay on treated surface to best kill off virus).

Caution is appropriate. Preparedness is Appropriate.

Below are the general guidelines for self protection and reducing the risk of infection. These are, naturally, not bad ideas for anytime, not only in the face of a potential pandemic:

  • Wash hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds 
  • Cover your moth when you sneeze or cough
  • Disinfect frequently touched objects and surfaces around your house and work
  • Stay home if you are sick
  • Avoid handshakes and touching your face, eyes, nose or mouth in pubic
  • (If possible) steer clear from people that are sick
  • There is no need to wear a face mask unless you are sick

Practicing Good Hygiene is key, below are practical steps that if maintained consistently can help to prevent the spread of the Coronavirus:

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Homage to Hunter S.

Oh Sweet Resilience, your Name is Golden: Coronavirus Musings Straight Outta L.V.

Above: An empty Las Vegas Blvd. March 7, 2020 – Photo / Monique Ly

Are there Layers of Meaning in Today’s Ocean of Fear that belie a Bright Spot hidden Beneath?

If you are, like me, someone who reads articles on your phone or iPad, you probably noticed that the news cycle has turned to 24/7 coronavirus coverage. And why not? There are dangers to be warned of, statistics changing hour by hour and, inadvertently or surreptitiously, products to be hawked and sold.

“Forewarned is Forearmed” goes the saying and prevention sounds fine, to whatever degree possible. Wash your hands, stay 6ft feet away, stock up on paper and water (?), stop traveling, etc etc. We seem to be taking these admonitions to heart.

However, if you are like me, you are also wondering if the deluge of articles and advice are not somehow toxic in and of themselves. Are you feeling exhausted after reading a hundred or so? And can’t being exhausted and fearful promote infection in an otherwise healthy host?

Fear and Prepping in Las Vegas: a Gonzo Silver Linings Playbook

In the city that lives on Trade Shows and Tourists what does it look like in the moments just prior to the pandemic finally receiving its rightful moniker? If you browse the news you’ve seen the headlines, everything is preparing to be cancelled, from movies to concerts to sporting events and so on. Not to mention meetings and events from the two-point-five trillion dollar trade show industry.

Apparently, this is based on the assumption, possibly correct, that at some point, the entire world will look like China, where the streets are empty and 46 million people are quarantined. Really? Is that even possible?

Today in Vegas I had a foretaste of what we could be headed for. Walmart – panic buying à la mode with empty shelves and all the usual scenes of confused people doing what first instinct dictates after ingesting the news.

Shopper with water filled cart from our story: Coronavirus Sparks Shopping Sprees in U.S. and More Up-to-the-minute Developments – Photo / Monique Ly

But beyond hunkering down what else is happening? Well, deals for travel and especially casinos are starting to emerge, big time. Your fearless scribe has hunkered down in a corner luxury suite for a modest “resort fee” of $38 per night. Next I will brave the wilds of the LV night to gain insight into the current state of preparedness on the monorail and throughout the dangerous casino floors…

View from my $38 Penthouse Luxury Suite – Photo / Lynxotic

Near the Walmart a man stood next to his bike, which was made for a child with tiny wheels, dressed in rainbow colors and looking around 40, an assessment perhaps tainted by the bike and the outfit. As I attempted to look busy and walk by anonymously, he suddenly perked up and, apropos of nothing, gushed, “I have to brag, as a photographer, this is really fantastic!”. As the only person within earshot, I felt compelled to respond and, as he rapidly approached, holding up his iPhone 6s and pointing it into my face. “Wow, nice, clouds can be amazing” I stammered looking at the admittedly decent cloud shot that he was so enthused about.

POV Reactions to the New Normal LV Strip-style on a Saturday Night

This, of course, was his cue to jump into a “conversation” which went forward too fast and too deep for my trying-to-keep-walking-anonymously plan. “I was in Vegas a long time but then my girlfriend had a baby” he machine-gunned at me, “then she said we had to move to Des Moines”. “Des Moines, Des Moines, that’s the only option”, I sensed a dive even deeper into the OCD rant was coming, “Baby looked exactly like the Gerber baby, ya know, so I had to go”. As he spoke we were dancing. I had read, like you, that 6ft was the requisite distance for safety nowadays, so as he continually leaned in, I kept backing up, ending up an average 4ft as he kept leaning and I kept backpedaling.

“He doesn’t seem sick, I thought, as I scanned his clothes for signs of homelessness or disease, “maybe he’s just a harmless nut” I thought as I danced the 6ft dance. Struggling for a fitting rejoinder for this situation, something bland that wouldn’t encourage him to get deeper into his Gerber baby, Iowa adventure with his mommy girlfriend story, “Iowa’s an interesting place too” I said as blandly as possible, thinking of the summer I spent in Fort Dodge (not very interesting in reality).

Above: Photo / Monique Ly

His close-talker persistence got more intense, leaning in aggressively for the coup de grace, “You know what they told me that Iowa means?” Me: leaning about 3.5 feet away, him: leaning into my face as best he could, “Idiots Outside Walking Around” was the inevitable punchline, as he smiled a satisfied Cheshire Cat smile.

As subtly as possible I turned, also smiling weakly, saying “yea, I can image, and have a good one, buddy”.

As I walked away from him toward the monorail station I wondered how I would learn to maintain a 6ft distance at all times from now on? Was that even possible? And if he sneezed at me from 4.5 feet? How can I forget now about the Gerber baby in Des Moines?

Blissfully isolated on the escalator up to the tram, I enjoyed the fresh, presumably clean air, and wondered about health and sanity. I could almost imagine normalcy as I prepared myself mentally for the journey back to my $38 luxury penthouse. On the platform there was a gaggle of typical party-style-revelers, and, to my delight, they all appeared to be 18-22 years of age. In my “research” I had seen the statistics, speculation perhaps, that young people and children were unlikely candidates for Coronavirus fatality, although they could still conceivably be carriers…

Seeing their obvious health and high energy antics was somehow a sudden, stark reminder that we all really want to survive for a reason. To live life itself.

Looking out toward the same beautiful watercolor, golden hour sunset sky I had enjoyed earlier in the Gerber-baby-daddy’s photo, I inhaled deeply, felt the balmy Las Vegas 72° evening air and came upon a comforting thought; Oh, sweet resilience, your name is golden.

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