War boom a hot ticket | The Honolulu Advertiser

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War boom a hot ticket | The Honolulu Advertiser | Hawaii's Newspaper

Posted on: Monday, March 31, 2003

THE LEFT LANE
War boom a hot ticket

Advertiser Staff and News Services

Moviegoing during the first 10 days of the war was down 31 percent from last year at this time, but nobody in the industry is worried. John Fithina, president of the National Association of Theatre Owners, said any geopolitical crisis brings on an early drop-off and then a record bump. It happened after the Gulf War and the 9/11 attacks.

Those in the business have their theories on why this is: People want escape, distraction. Theaters are close to home and seem like a safe place. And normality lessens shock. Furthermore, moviegoers probably will go back to the same kinds of movies. Cultural observers predicted 9/11 would turn audience tastes upside down, that people would eschew gore, but it didn't happen.

Ironman goes eBay

Wanna be an Ironman? You could log thousands of training miles trying to qualify for the 25th Anniversary Ironman Triathlon World Championship in Kona the old-fashioned way. Or you could exercise some fiscal friskiness and just bid for a spot.

In a fund-raising effort, World Triathlon Corporation has put a pair of slots in each of the six age divisions, plus two pairs slots, up for bid on eBay. The bidding starts at $10,000 a slot, with all money earmarked for the Kona Family YMCA. The bidding started on March 27 and continues until April 6. Winners must provide proof of age and must have completed a half-Ironman event within the past year or do so before the championship on Oct. 18.

Muggles appeased

Scholastic Children's Books, U.S. publisher of the "Harry Potter" series, has revised a program that angered retailers by allowing direct sales to students. Scholastic has been taking orders for J.K. Rowling's "Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix," due out June 21, at school fairs around the country.

The CEO of the American Booksellers Association, Avin Domnitz, accused Scholastic of "undermining all of the effort being put forth by booksellers nationwide." So Scholastic has announced that customers who get a pre-sale certificate can pick up their books at a "participating retailer." Since the January announcement that "Order of the Phoenix" is coming out, the book has topped the best-seller lists of Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com.

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