This is the 4th book from the lawyer turned murder mystery author who’s one of the hottest writers working today.
Stand alone.
I would call it good, not great.
The premise is interesting. The ending quite good.
A young, law student infiltrates an Innocence Project group, volunteers trying to prove prisoners were wrongly accused.
BUT she has her own agenda related to a crime 20 years earlier. It’s slowly revealed.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Experts are more excited than expected about the $3500 Apple headset.
Normally people will not buy it in large numbers.
But it’s a baby step towards what will eventually be adopted by everyone.
Using physical actions (head, eye, and body movements, gestures, speech) as inputs for interactive digital media systems, with perceived 3D physical space as the canvas for video, audio, and haptic outputs.
The technology is not there yet.
I’d say they need 8k screens and 120 frames / second before it’s really immersive. No latency.
Finally, the headset won’t be required.
Everyone will want to use spatial computing in addition to phone and laptop.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube. Tom Cruise has to use gloves in Minority Report. Those won’t be needed.
An intriguing book title:
How to Travel the World for Free: One Man, 150 Days, Eleven Countries, No Money!
Published 2013, this is an entertaining read.
Author Michael Wigge must be a charmer in person.
… 25,000 miles—from Berlin to Antarctica—without any money!
Join Michael Wigge as he immerses himself into fascinating subcultures, rides with Amish farmers in old-fashioned buggies, sleeps on the street with the homeless, and, with the help from alternative lifestylers, learns to nourish himself with flowers.
Wigge had only 3 concerns during his travels: How do I get some food? How will I get to my next destination? Where can I sleep?…all without money!
This unusual travel diary combines adventure with humor and contains surprising revelations about when money is really needed—and when it’s not. A must-read for every travel and adventure fan!
With a Mind to Kill is the 3rd Bond book by Anthony Horowitz — the only author approved by Ian Fleming’s estate to continue the 007 series.
It is M’s funeral. One man is missing from the graveside: the traitor who pulled the trigger and who is now in custody, accused of M’s murder – James Bond.
Behind the Iron Curtain, a group of former Smersh agents want to use the British spy in an operation that will change the balance of world power. Bond is smuggled into the lion’s den – but whose orders is he following, and will he obey them when the moment of truth arrives?
Horowitz is a good writer and the plot is as absurd as Fleming.
In this one the master spy is resigned to retire — IF he survives this one final assignment.
Bond is tired.
related – Guardian review
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
When Ted Lasso first emerged as a sleeper hit in the summer of 2020, it was the gentle hug audiences needed in the middle of pandemic lockdown, a familiar fish-out-of-water tale about a nice man infecting the cynical world around him with his niceness. …
Atlantic – Ted Lasso Has Lost Its Way
Brett Goldstein as Roy Kent was shocking, profane, and hilarious. My favourite character.
Click PLAY or watch a great scene on YouTube. As a coach, I’m proud of Roy Kent here.
Brendan Hunt as Coach Beard was weird and wise.
Nick Mohammed as Nathan “Nate” Shelley, the team’s former kit man turned assistant coach super likeable and relatable.
Like nearly everyone, it was one of my favourite TV shows of 2020.
Season 2 was … BAD. What a letdown. Nate becoming the enemy makes no sense. It’s not believable in any way.
Happily, season 3 did have some good scenes. It was worth watching again.
Hannah Waddingham as Rebecca Welton is now someone I want to know.
Juno Temple as Keeley Jones is much more interesting a character than at the start.
I’m sure every writer NOT working on this show is certain they could do better. It has tons of potential.
Some of the absurdism worked. But there were plenty of scenes that were simply dumb.
I do hope there’s a season 4 with Roy as manager.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
It’s challenging to END a TV series. But the wrap-up of season 3 was well done. I enjoyed it.
This website just added an option to write sections using artificial intelligence.
The sections in green are AI.
Why should I use an AI assistant to write on this website?
Using an AI assistant to write on this website has some advantages. Firstly, it can help you save time by completing certain writing tasks quickly and efficiently. Secondly, an AI assistant can offer suggestions on how to improve your writing, including grammar and spelling. Additionally, it can help you generate ideas and provide content recommendations based on your preferences. Overall, an AI assistant can help make your writing process easier and more efficient.
The use of an AI assistant has some potential disadvantages:
- Lack of creativity: while AI tools can be very useful in performing repetitive tasks, they may not be able to generate truly creative or innovative ideas.
- Errors and inaccuracies: AI tools can make mistakes, especially if they are not properly configured or used incorrectly.
- Dependence on technology: Relying too much on AI tools can result in reduced human skills and abilities.
- Need for human input: AI tools are most effective when they are used in conjunction with human input, so it may be necessary to have someone monitor and adjust the output generated by the AI assistant.
I doubt I’ll use it very often.
I’m intrigued.
With only a 2-hour stopover, this port city with a greater population of 1.5 million seems crammed between hills and sea.
The old city is a chaotic maze of narrow streets.
Genoa (Genova) was the capital of one of the most powerful maritime republics for over seven centuries, from the 11th century to 1797.
I really want to visit longer.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
Death at La Fenice (1992), the first novel by American academic and crime-writer Donna Leon, started the internationally best-selling Commissario Brunetti mystery series, set in Venice, Italy.
I read it while in Tuscany.
Slow paced. Brunetti flawed. I’m enjoying the books. Five, so far. And I’ll read more.
A world-famous German opera conductor has died at La Fenice, and Commissario (Detective) Guido Brunetti pursues what appears to be a murder investigation without leads.
wikipedia
There was a German adaptation of the book.
Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.
In fact, Donna Leon is an American who lived in Venice for decades.
She wrote the first book as a lark. When successful, she wrote dozens more.
Brunetti and his family don’t age. Each book uses 1990s technology. No mobile phones, for example.
Her books have been translated into many languages — but NOT ITALIAN. 😀
She’s convinced her Italian friends will be more critical if they could read them in their first language.
I flew into Pisa only because it was closest to the start of the Tuscany Trail 2023 bikepacking tour.
And ended up staying 9 nights over 3 visits.
Pisa is NOT one of the 20 most visited Italian tourist cities.
Unlike Florence and Siena, it’s NOT packed shoulder-to-shoulder wth foreigners.
Most do a quick day trip to the leaning tower — then move on. Many stay over just one night.
For that reason the must see attraction is quiet quiet and peaceful in the evening, when the tour buses are gone.
It’s very convenient to get from the Pisa airport to the train station by a people mover system.
The main reason I came back, however, was the Safestay Pisa Hostel.
Inexpensive. Roomy. Good restaurant. Secure lock-up for the bike and extra luggage.
No kitchen — my only complaint.
At dusk I’d also often hang out on the Arno river. Pretty.
I was also super happy with the Smile & Ride Bike Shop near the Pisa train station. I’d use that company again, anytime.
I liked Pisa the first time I visited at age-17. And I like it even more today.
Typical Christie. This was her 1941 book.
A group of people ALL could have been the killer.
The surprise ending seemed to cute and complex (to me) to be believable.
Hercule Poirot takes a holiday in Devon.
During his stay, he notices a young woman who is flirtatious and attractive, but not well liked by a number of guests.
When she is murdered during his stay, he finds himself drawn into investigating the circumstances surrounding the murder.
wikipedia
Rick McCharles 