What the heck, man? - Movie Theater Food

Alright, you know the routine by now.  Here's the background article:

http://moneyland.time.com/2012/03/19/man-sues-movie-theater-for-charging-too-much-for-fountain-sodas/

I thought I'd try formatting this more like an outline, just to see if it's easier to read, so here we go.

Summary: There is a report that a man in Michigan is suing his local movie theater for overcharging for food sold in the theater, given that the theater is also disallowing customers from bringing their own food in.  It is estimated that movie theaters make about an 85% profit on the food they sell in theaters.   However, movie managers are quick to note that the majority of revenue from the movies themselves go to the studios; thus, movie theaters are more readily in the food and beverage business.

Notable Facts/Ideas:
- Popcorn is usually sold at 9 times the cost of making it.
- The man who is suing was motivated to do so when he paid $8 for a Coke and a box of Goobers, about three times the price of purchasing those items in grocery stores.
- To restate, the majority of the price of a movie ticket goes to studios and distribution companies.
- Justifying/winning a lawsuit of this nature is unlikely.

My Take: Though I would love to take a look at some more concrete numbers outside of this article, I do sympathize with both sides, but particularly the movie theater managers.  I don't go to the movies very often, but every time I walk in, I'm tempted by the smell of buttered popcorn and the sound of the fountain drinks being poured.  It is certainly a bit egregious to pay nine times the cost for popcorn (as delicious as it is) and whatever massive markup exists on fountain drinks (which incur very low costs). 

However, especially with newer technology such as high-end home theaters and streaming video, movie theaters certainly struggle more than ever to maintain a stream of revenue, especially when it's not high movie season and shows like The Hunger Games aren't out to yield big ticket sales.  Movie theaters, as a business, are trapped by studios and distribution, given that they claim so much of the ticket sale revenue; thus, the theaters are forced to increase revenue however they can and logically, it occurs from food sales. 

I do still think that movie theater food is overpriced, but I understand why I should pay a markup for it and am willing to do so.  When it comes down to it, people are still buying enough of the movie theater food for the theaters to be able to maintain the prices, so from a business standpoint, they have no incentive to lower their prices until their sales drop.  That's on the movie-goers.

Thanks for tuning in, and let me know what you think!

Tech Tip of the Day: Facebook

We've all been there.  A distant cousin posts about a new baby in the family and because we're such Facebook rats, we're one of the first few to leave a comment saying "Yay, a baby!".  Then, the mini-globe near the top left corner of our Facebook screen goes nuts for the next week, with a constant little "1" in a red box hanging off of it, as our late-to-the-party family members and friends continue to Like and Comment on the news.  Well, my friends, there is a solution to this nagging problem.  It is a friend of ours that I've just met, and one who should be one of the most popular friends we have on Facebook: the Unfollow Post button.

I realize I may be late to the game in noticing this, but whenever you Like or leave a comment on someone's post, Facebook chooses to mark you as "following" the post.  Once you leave your mark on a post, however, the option opens up for you to leave your comment there while still detaching yourself from receiving endless future notifications for other peoples' comments.  Here is a nice screenshot by Jason Cipriani of CNET.com as to what this looks like:

So, next time you feel like you're stuck in a Comment/Like trap post, just Unfollow it, and life for your Facebook account and your mini-globe will settle down once again.

Tebow to Jets, Sean Payton suspended

Big news has broken in the world of sports today.  In the NFL, Tim Tebow has been traded from the Denver Broncos to the New York Jets for a fourth-round pick.  Also, several members of the New Orleans Saints staff, including head coach Sean Payton, have been punished for the bounty scandal.  In particular, Payton has been suspended for a year without pay, and former defensive coordinator Gregg Williams (now working for the Rams) has been suspended indefinitely.  Let's dive in.

1) Tebow to Jets: As a friend put it when we found out the news together, Tebow just can't catch a break.  This could be a very poor scenario for Tim Tebow, as he goes to one of the most scrutinized franchises in the NFL today, the New York Jets.  First of all, given the franchise's commitment to Mark Sanchez as their quarterback, the Jets will likely attempt to utilize Tebow in a different position.  Whether they train him to be a running back, tight end, or slot receiver, Tebow's development as a quarterback will be slowed down in New York.  The quarterback situation in New York has instantly become more combustible.  Mark Sanchez has always been on the hot seat in New York and unless he puts forth a productive year this year, he will lose his job.  Now that Tebow is on the roster, fans will clamor for him to take over for Sanchez as soon as Mark fails to deliver.  If Tebow is given the job and stumbles, he may never get a chance at a starting quarterback job again.  However, we must always remember to consider the Tebow Rule: never doubt.  Skills aside, Tebow is still one of the hardest working men in the NFL and we can hope that in some fashion, he will carve out his niche as a player soon.

2) Sean Payton suspended: The bounty program in New Orleans has come back to bite, as their head coach is taken away for a year, as well as a couple second-round draft picks.  Completing the punishments, Rams defensive coordinator Gregg Williams is suspended indefinitely, Saints general manager Mickey Loomis is suspended for half the season, assistant coach Joe Vitt is suspended for six games, and the team was fined $500,000.  Seems pretty steep, doesn't it?  I'm actually OK with this move.  This is the first time in the Roger Goodell "No Fun League" regime that we've encountered a case like this.  The punishment for the initial action is what sets the precedent for further punishment.  Goodell has sent a message to every team in the league, essentially scaring them out of generating anything resembling a bounty program.  It is unfortunate for the Saints to be the first to be caught (because let's be real, other teams have bounty programs), but they will have to accept being the goat for the league in this situation.  An unfortunate victim in this are the St. Louis Rams, who had a promising future ahead with the Robert Griffin trade and Williams signed on to mastermind the defense.  Certainly, things still look up for the Rams, but losing a coach like Williams is not the easiest thing to overcome.

Big day!

Peyton Has Chosen Denver

I just got back from the dentist and due to my own lack of care for my teeth, each visit is becoming successively more painful.  While they were prying out the gunk between my teeth, I was wincing, sweating, and gripping my hands together as I endured the attack.  Again, it's my fault that my teeth are so weak and messed up, but in my current soreness, all I can think about is how I wish I didn't have to go through that every six months.

Anyway, that is obviously not the point of this entry.  As many of you know, it was announced today that Peyton has chosen Denver.  To elaborate further, former long-time Colts quarterback and former #1 pick overall Peyton Manning, considered by many to be one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the NFL, has asked his agent to negotiate a contract with the Denver Broncos.  Clearly, John Elway and the Broncos brass have chosen to make a controversial move here, but we can certainly make sense of it for all parties involved.

A) Peyton Manning: Since being ousted (or ousting himself, however you wanna look at it) from Indianapolis, Peyton has been on a search for a new home.  I give him some credit for not turning his decision into "The Decision 2.0", as he refrained from making a one hour special announcement unlike good ol' King LeBron James.  After being rumored to have his list down to Denver, Tennessee, and San Francisco, Peyton may have chosen the team of the three that made the least sense.  Many know that Tennessee is like a second home to Peyton, after his superb college career and continued support there.  San Francisco is probably closer to being Super Bowl contenders than Denver is, as it stands now.  All told, Peyton feels that Denver is the best place for him.  This seemed like a thoughtful, comfortable decision for Peyton, so as a fan, I can't help but be excited for him.  But where does that leave...

B) Tim Tebow: Last year's biggest story in football now finds himself in a precarious spot.  Already, rumors are swirling that the Broncos are looking to trade Tim Tebow, now that they've acquired Peyton Manning.  It's a difficult position for Tebow, but he's proven time and again that he can overcome the adversity, and I believe that if he ends up being traded, he will end up in a better situation than what he had in Denver.  A quarterback can only last so long when the team's executives and his head coach aren't putting full faith in him.  The other players in Denver all talked the talk and appear to support Tebow but ultimately, it's the coach and executives who make the decisions.  In particular, John Elway has never appeared to be sold on Tebow, and until Tebow won a Super Bowl for Denver, the scrutiny was not going to end.  So, for Tim, he either ends up observing one of the best quarterbacks in history at work, or he moves on to a new team and a fresh start to a situation where there will be full faith in him as a quarterback.  Believe it or not, Tebow once again will make the best of this.

C) Denver Broncos: While question marks certainly exist in other facets of their team, the Denver Broncos have now acquired their franchise quarterback and leader to try and lead them back to the Super Bowl.  Broncos fans may be upset about the way the organization is treating Tebow in this situation, but they're also excited for the arrival of (a hopefully healthy) Peyton Manning.  In the weak AFC West, the Broncos instantly have become the favorites to win the division and go back to the playoffs.  I'm sure there are concerns as to the future of the organization, especially if Peyton Manning can't play up to his previous standards.  Well, it became clear through last year that the organization was never going to believe in Tebow, and without that, the fans would forever be hard-pressed to feel that Tebow was the answer.  What this move does (especially if Tebow is traded) is allows Denver to contend for championships now, as well as having the ability to start considering their next franchise quarterback draft pick for after Peyton's retirement.  This time, we can expect that it will be a player that the organization truly believes in.

All of that said, how about March Madness?  Things have been fun so far, for sure, with plenty of close finishes and big upsets.  With Kendall Marshall of UNC now undergoing surgery for his broken wrist, that certainly puts the damper on the championship hopes of the Tar Heels.  This may finally be the year for John Calipari and Kentucky.

What do you think of Peyton to the Broncos, March Madness, or the dentist?

Short Sports Report: Manning, Redskins, Federer

I was on Spring Break from school this past week, which meant that I took my leave from the blog for that time as well.  I spent most of my break playing golf with my parents and watching the TV show "White Collar".  I don't need to say much about White Collar; you should just go check it out.  As for golf, it's fun to still be on that upward trend before the first plateau.  I've had to adjust my club choices (for instance, my 5-iron has gone from a 150yd shot to a 180yd shot) as I've improved, and that extra power has helped me earn a few more pars and the occasional birdie in recent play.  That first plateau is coming though, where I'll have to work extra hard to get better, but until it arrives, I'll continue to enjoy the game.

Anyway, for my first entry from hiatus, let's talk about some of the goings on of the sports world:

1) Peyton Manning
As you have probably heard, Peyton Manning was released by the Indianapolis Colts this week and has begun his search for a new team.  He feels that though he has not returned to 100% form yet, his arm strength will return by the beginning of next season, meaning that because he's Peyton Manning, he deserves a starting job somewhere.  Many teams have been mentioned as possibilities: Miami, Seattle, Arizona, Kansas City, and Denver, just to name a few.  There's no reason to speculate which he'll choose, but I would like to see him in Kansas City.  They play in a relatively easy division with an almost complete football team and some spectacular skill players like Jamaal Charles (supposing he's healthy too).  Matt Cassel is a passable quarterback, but Peyton Manning turns them into contenders.  Either way, I'm excited for him to embark on a new opportunity and I hope he does well, wherever he goes.


2) Redskins (essentially) acquire Robert Griffin III
After Manning's release, the St. Louis Rams knew that they had to unload their #2 overall pick as soon as they could, before a team that would be interested in it went after Manning and devalued the pick.  The Redskins are known for making bold moves, and trading the 6th overall pick this year, along with two future first-round picks and a second-round pick, can easily be considered a bold move.  In today's league, I agree with the many who say that you can't really put a value on a franchise quarterback: you give up whatever you can to get him.  Robert Griffin III looks like he could be that guy, so the Redskins really won't have paid too much for him.  That said, history dictates that when two quarterbacks are drafted with the first two overall picks in the draft, one will succeed and the other will struggle.  The prime example, of course, is Peyton Manning and his fellow top draftee, Ryan Leaf.  How about when Tim Couch (remember him?) went #1 overall, immediately followed by Donovan McNabb?  Past history is pretty meaningless when it comes to this stuff, but given that Andrew Luck is a "surefire" (in the words of scouts) deal, you have to wonder if the trend will hold true and RG3 will bust.  In all of this, let's also congratulate the St. Louis Rams on earning a big haul that could put them in position to succeed for the next few years.


3) Roger Federer, the forgotten man
Anyone who saw the Australian Open final from earlier this year knows that Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic are on top of the men's tennis world right now.  They played an epic, lengthy final match where, by the end, neither man could stand up for very long during the trophy presentation.  Djokovic proved that he's the best in the world right now by out-gutting the gutsiest player in the game in Nadal.  All of that said... where does that leave the disputable "greatest player ever"?  Let's not forget that Roger Federer does own the record for the most career major tournament wins by any male, ever.  Is he getting old?  A little bit.  However, I don't think that anyone believes he's done.  I would be very surprised if Fed didn't win another two titles before he retires.  He's still up there with the best, and he can still compete with the best, even if Nadal and Djokovic are just a small step ahead right now.  Fun fact for all of you tennis fans, and a display of just how dominant these three men are: they have won every major title but one in the last seven years.  Seven years.  Let's appreciate what these men have done and continue to do.

March Madness is right around the corner: rejoice, sports fans!  Until next time, be well!