Cibola Burn by James S. A. Corey

On By Rick McIn books, TVLeave a comment

With season 5 of The Expanse arriving Amazon, I read the 4th book in the series as a warm-up. 😀

Cibola Burn (2014) follows the crew of the Rocinante as they join the flood of humanity out into the galaxy, using the gates built by the ancient civilization that also produced the protomolecule. …

Holden arrives on a world on the verge of war.

Yet the biggest danger to the colonists, scientists and Holden is not the human disagreements that they have brought with them but the frontier. …

Season 4 of The Expanse was largely based on this book.

I love the future universe imagined in this series. Like a number of the characters.

But — overall — these are not great books. If the TV series did not exist, I wouldn’t read them.

Season 6 will be last in the TV series.

Apple trade-in

On By Rick McIn AppleLeave a comment

BestBuy and Apple both have pretty good trade-in programs.

For example, when I traded in my last Mac laptop (battery had failed) — Apple refunded me CAD $540 towards my new silicon Mac.

Turns out the new US $700 Mac mini silicon outperforms the old 16″ MacBook Pro costing $7000.

To replace that battery would have been about CAD $260. AND if it didn’t work, I’d be on the hook.

related – You CAN replace an iPhone battery

Pixelmator Pro photo editing

On By Rick McIn Apple, hiking, photosLeave a comment

With Kraig’s encouragement I tried and then bought ($29.39 CAD) an Apple only photo editing package.

I’ll continue to use free built-in Apple photos to organize my many pics. BUT switch to Pixelmator Pro for editing the best of the best.

I started posting daily to Instagram. My best hiking photos.

Instagram.com/BestHikeVisuals

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Constant Princess / Other Boleyn Girl

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The Constant Princess by Philippa Gregory was published 2005.

A highly fictionalized version of the life of Catherine of Aragon and her rise to power in England.

Catherine was the first wife of Henry VIII, divorced after 20 years of marriage. Daughter of Isabella I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon.

My fear is that history is boring. That royal intrigues are boring.

Not so in the case of this book. It’s very fast paced. Most entertaining.

It’s part of what the author calls the The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels.

Though Philippa has a PhD in history, another of her books seemed to me more Romance / Bodice ripper.

The Other Boleyn Girl (2001) was not as good, IMHO.

But the plot still fascinates. Instead of focusing on the 2nd wife of Henry VIII — Anne Boleyn — the lead character is her younger sister — Mary Boleyn.

The other Boleyn girl.

In fact, Mary was the king’s mistress while Catherine was his wife. Though little of accuracy is known about Mary, she did have a roller coaster of a life. Mary died aged 43–44.

King Henry had Anne beheaded at the Tower of London at age 28–35.

In any case, if you like historical fiction — check out Philippa Gregory.

Marcella season 1

On By Rick McIn TVLeave a comment

Marcella is a British detective series first broadcast 2016.

Three seasons announced, so far.

Good TV. Great cast. A sophisticated plot.

BUT — for me this season was far too bleak.

Everyone is dysfunctional. There’s nobody to cheer for. … Aside from the computer nerd.

It’s too complicated, as well. Too many characters.

And seemingly huge plot holes — like Mohammed El-Said, the taxi driver who knew Marcella’s secret. What happened to him? Perhaps it’s explained in season 2.

I had to read this recap to even half make sense of this story.

It stars Anna Friel as Marcella Backland, a former London Metropolitan Police Service detective, who decides to return to work after her husband of 15 years, Jason (Nicholas Pinnock), abruptly announces he is leaving her. 

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

My ONLINE doctor – Babylon by TELUS

On By Rick McIn health & fitness, product endorsementsLeave a comment

Babylon by TELUS Health lets you see a doctor* or mental health counsellor from your phone, where and when it’s convenient for you.

Works well. Covered by Alberta Health Care.

TELUS Canada partnered with the UK-based company Babylon

I downloaded the IOS app. Got an appointment quickly. No hassle. Very efficient use of my time.

Video conferenced with two different doctors via my phone. Both excellent.

In my case I merely needed to renew prescriptions. But if it had been something more complicated they’d refer me to a real life specialist.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

The Red Lotus by Chris Bohjalian

On By Rick McIn booksLeave a comment

I recommend this book.

A fictional account of a looming pandemic.

I got hooked from the start where a couple is enjoying Vietnam on a guided bike tour.

This is Bohjalian’s 21st book, though I can’t recall hearing the name. He’s Armenian / Swedish. Several of his works have been adapted for TV and film.

Amazon.

The Blacklist – season 1

On By Rick McIn TVLeave a comment

The Blacklist is a crime thriller TV series. Eight seasons.

Yet I’d never even heard of it.

Yes, it’s silly escapist TV. Very good silly escapist TV.

Great music. Some interesting cinematography.

Of course you have to suspend disbelief. It’s about as realistic as a Road Runner cartoon. 😀

James Spader is excellent as Raymond “Red” Reddington, a former U.S. Navy officer turned high-profile criminal who voluntarily surrenders to the FBI after eluding capture for decades.

… he has a list of the most dangerous criminals in the world … compiled over the years, and is willing to inform on their operations in exchange for immunity from prosecution.

However, he insists on working exclusively with rookie FBI profiler Elizabeth Keen (Megan Boone). …

Kiefer Sutherland was offered the role first. Not surprising. It reminds me a bit of 24.

Parable of the Sower by Octavia Butler

On By Rick McIn booksLeave a comment

John recommend this book — comparing it to The Road, a 2006 post-apocalyptic novel by Cormac McCarthy. 

It’s very good. Though — like The Road — depressing.

Parable of the Sower is a 1993 dystopian novel by Octavia E. Butler, the first in a two-book series.

Set in the 2020s where society has largely collapsed due to climate change, growing wealth inequality, and corporate greed, Parable of the Sower centers on a young woman named Lauren Oya Olamina who possesses what Butler dubbed hyperempathy or “sharing” – the ability to feel pain and other sensations she witnesses. …

When Lauren‘s home is destroyed and family murdered, she travels north with other survivors. 

The young woman evolves a new belief system, which she comes to call Earthseed. Her goal to build a community based on those beliefs.

Sadly, Octavia Butler died age-58 at her home in Washington State. A multiple recipient of both Hugo and Nebula awards, she influenced many other writers.

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