Redemption by David Baldacci

On February 8, 2021February 6, 2021 By Rick McIn booksLeave a comment

Memory Man (2015)
The Last Mile (2016)
The Fix (2017)
The Fallen (2018)
Redemption (2019)

The 5th book in the series was best so far, for me.

Amos Decker is the obese genius with perfect memory.

In this one, our hero returns ‘home‘ to Burlington, Ohio, where his wife, Cassie, daughter, Molly and brother in law, Johnny, were killed.

He is there to commemorate what would have been Molly’s 14th birthday.

Unexpectedly, the first killer Decker ever put behind bars turns up. Released from prison because of terminal cancer.

It’s his dying wish that Decker clear his name.

Superstore seasons 3-5

On February 7, 2021February 4, 2021 By Rick McIn TVLeave a comment

Though I tried to switch to serious shows on Netflix and Prime, Dina Fox made me flip back to Superstore.

YES … it’s junk food TV. 😀

My favourite TV character since Sue Sylvester in Glee.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

I’ll watch final season 6 too, I’m sure. Superstore during the COVID pandemic.

America Ferrera as Amy Sosa departs.

Thursday Murder Club by Richard Osman

On February 6, 2021February 2, 2021 By Rick McIn books, movies1 Comment

HUGE Best Seller published September 2020.

And an excellent book. Uplifting and amusing.

Pay close attention as the plot is far more complex than you’d first guess.

The Thursday Murder Club is the debut novel by … Richard Osman.
A group of pensioners … set about solving the mystery of the murder of a property developer. …
The Guardian hailed it as the “fastest selling adult crime debut” in recorded history.

The planned Seven Spielberg movie should be better. Something like the charming old Brits of Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2011) — in a whodunnit.

A sequel is already written with many of the same characters. I’m keen to see what happens to all 4 in the Murder Club — plus Bogdan, my favourite.

Smartmatic sues FOX for $2.7 billion

On February 5, 2021 By Rick McIn economics, ethics, governmentLeave a comment

FOX just might lose this court case. That would really reduce future deliberate propaganda campaigns.

There are a number of other court cases against the same FOX bad actors already dropped and yet to come.

Smartmatic is a multinational company that builds and implements electronic voting systems.

BUT during the 2020 election their product was used only in one California county.

FOX and the the Four Seasons Total Landscaping lawyer knew this — yet deliberately waged a “disinformation campaign” blaming Smartmatic for election fraud.

Damages were done to the company. Perhaps $600 million. It should be easy to prove their case.

On February 4, 2021, Smartmatic sued Fox Corporation, Fox News Network, and its anchors Lou Dobbs, Maria Bartiromo, and Jeanine Pirro for $2.7 billion in the New York State Supreme Court as well as Rudy Giuliani and Sidney Powell, who spread baseless claims of election fraud on Fox.
The 276-page complaint alleges that Fox, its anchors, Guiliani, and Powell spread a “conspiracy to defame and disparage Smartmatic and its election technology and software” by making new business opportunities increasingly scarce.
wikipedia

Here’s a FOX host talking to Giuliani, for example.

The Dig – 2021 film

On February 5, 2021February 1, 2021 By Rick McIn moviesLeave a comment

Excellent.

The Dig is a 2021 British drama film directed by Simon Stone, based on the 2007 novel of the same name by John Preston, which reimagines the events of the 1939 excavation of Sutton Hoo.
It stars Carey Mulligan, Ralph Fiennes …
“Featuring beautifully matched performances from Ralph Fiennes and Carey Mulligan set against gorgeously filmed English countryside, The Dig yields period drama treasures.”

Fiennes is excellent, as always.

This one is no The English Patient — but I could see his performance winning awards.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Ready Player Two by Ernest Cline

On February 4, 2021February 1, 2021 By Rick McIn books, moviesLeave a comment

I loved the 2011 book Ready Player One.

And liked the film version.

Can’t recommend Ready Player Two — unless you are a HUGE Prince fan. Unless you loved Ferris Behler’s Day Off when it came out in 1986.

In that case, the 80s pop culture references might keep you going.

Ready Player Two has a dumb plot.

The virtual world OASIS has become far more immersive. And addictive.

Our heros have to SAVE the lives of millions — while yucking it up online gaming.

I would watch a movie version, however.

Twitter needs a NEW Business Model

On February 3, 2021February 1, 2021 By Rick McIn TwitterLeave a comment

Despite Trump, Twitter continues to underperform compared with all other social media.

CEO Jack Dorsey has to go.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Fifty Grand by Adrian McKinty

On February 2, 2021February 2, 2021 By Rick McIn booksLeave a comment

Fifty Grand was the title of an Ernest Hemmingway short story.

In this Fifty Grand, Mercado, the heroine, is a hot-shot Cuban cop who has fluked a visa to Mexico City so that she can travel from there, via a coyote road, to the Colorado town of Fairview.

Mercado is on a mission to avenge her father’s death in a hit-and-run accident; also to find evidence that he didn’t mean to abandon her on the eve of her all-important 15th birthday.

She poses as an illegal worker at an upscale Ski Resort. Something like Telluride.

McKinty writes no bad books.

But I enjoyed this stand alone book least of those I’ve read.