Arthur the King (2024) 

On By Rick McIn books, movies, sport - amateurLeave a comment

Another sentimental, feel-good dog movie. Yet I liked it.

Arthur the King is based on a true event Arthur – The Dog Who Crossed the Jungle to Find a Home by Mikael Lindnord.

In the film, the captain of an adventure racing team befriends a wounded stray dog named Arthur, who accompanies the team on a grueling 435-mile (700-km) endurance race through the Dominican Republic.

The actual suffering of a real Adventure Race World Championship is not shown in a Hollywood movie, of course. But there are bits of reality in the film.

Note ➙ Adventure Racing World Championships 2025 will be hosted 22 SEP – 6 OCT out of Penticton, B.C.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Gumption by Nick Offerman

On By Rick McIn books, ethics, government, human rights, humour, music, philosophyLeave a comment

Nick Offerman has released four semi-autobiographical publications:

  • Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man’s Fundamentals for Delicious Living (2013)
  • Gumption: Relighting the Torch of Freedom with America’s Gutsiest Troublemakers (2015)
  • Good Clean Fun: Misadventures in Sawdust at Offerman Woodshop (2016)
  • Where the Deer and the Antelope Play: The Pastoral Observations of One Ignorant American Who Loves to Walk Outside (2021).

Gumption is a humorous, philosophical look at some of the people who have inspired Nick over his lifetime. For example, as a young man he was a huge fan of the film Billy Jack (1971) — and its creator / star Tom Laughlin. He attended Tom’s funeral in 2013 and spent time with the family.

While focused on personal heroes, Nick finds time to expound upon many of his favorite topics such as religion, politics, woodworking, agriculture, creativity, philosophy, fashion, and, of course, meat.

21 profiles of America’s gutsiest troublemakers

  1. George Washington
  2. Benjamin Franklin
  3. James Madison
  4. Frederick Douglass
  1. Theodore Roosevelt
  2. Frederick Law Olmsted
  3. Eleanor Roosevelt
  4. Tom Laughlin
  5. Wendell Berry
  6. Barney Frank
  7. Yoko Ono
  8. Michael Pollan
  1. Thomas Lie-Nielsen
  2. Nat Benjamin
  3. George Nakashima
  4. Carol Burnett
  5. Jeff Tweedy
  6. George Saunders
  7. Laurie Anderson
  8. Willie Nelson
  9. Conan O’Brien

Remembering John Lennon – Oct. 9th

On By Rick McIn ethics, government, human rights, musicLeave a comment

I often wonder what John Lennon would be saying and doing today if he hadn’t been murdered.

His main theme at the end was …

PEACE

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Born Oct. 9, 1940, he’s celebrated annually with the lighting of the Imagine Peace Tower in Iceland.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

The words on the tower are written in 24 world languages:

English: IMAGINE PEACESwahili: TUFIKIRIENI AMANI
Japanese: 平和な世界を想像してごらんIcelandic: HUGSA SÉR FRIÐ
Korean: 평화를 꿈꾸자Turkish: BARIŞI DÜŞLE
Chinese: 想像世界有了和平Persian: به صلح بیندیش
Arabic: احلم سلامFilipino: ILARAWAN ANG MUNDONG MAPAYAPA
Portuguese: IMAGINE A PAZTamil: சமாதானத்தை நினையுங்கள்
‹See Tfd›Russian: ПРЕДСТАВЬТЕ СЕБЕ МИРHungarian: KÉPZELD EL A BÉKÉT
Hindi: शान्ति की कल्पना करेंFinnish: KUVITTELE RAUHA
‹See Tfd›German: STELL DIR VOR ES IST FRIEDENGeorgian: წარმოიდგინეთ მშვიდობა
Italian: IMMAGINA LA PACEStandard Tibetan: ཞི་བ་སྒོམས་
French: IMAGINEZ LA PAIXHebrew: חלום שלום
Spanish: IMAGINA LA PAZInuktitut: ᓴᐃᒪᖃᑎᒌᑦᑕ

related – Pentatonic covers John Lennon’s Imagine

Think Twice by Harlan Coben

On By Rick McIn booksLeave a comment

The master of murder mystery twists brags that no-one can guess the killer.

I certainly didn’t.

Think Twice is his 2024 book.

How can a man who’s already dead be wanted for murder?

Three years ago, sports agent Myron Bolitar gave a eulogy at the funeral of his client, renowned basketball coach Greg Downing.

Myron and Greg had history: initially as deeply personal rivals, and later as unexpected business associates. Myron made peace and moved on – until now, when two federal agents walked into his office, demanding to know where Greg Downing is.

According to the agents, Greg is still alive—and has been placed at the scene of a double homicide, making him their main suspect. Shocked, Myron needs answers.

Myron and Win, longtime friends and colleagues, set out to find the truth, but the more they discover about Greg’s whereabouts, the more dangerous their world becomes.

Secrets, lies, and a murderous conspiracy that stretches back into the past churn …

The Rings of Power – season 2

On By Rick McIn TVLeave a comment

Meh.

The Rings of Power is set in the Second Age of Middle-earth, thousands of years before Tolkien’s The Hobbit and The Lord of the Rings.

I got through the second season, but felt it was even weaker than season 1.

Guardian review – Most expensive TV show ever is in its second season, but reviews are disappointing and audiences are staying away

The only character I really found interesting this year is Tom Bombadil.

Though the series is planned for 5 seasons, I wouldn’t be surprised if Amazon cancels.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

North to Alaska by Trevor Lund

On By Rick McIn books, cycling, travelLeave a comment

North To Alaska: The True Story of An epic, 16,000-mile cycle journey the length of the Americas

I downloaded this book to read while cycling in Iceland’s wind and rain.

I had it easy compared to Trevor. 😀

At age-21, Trevor cycled 1800 miles down the west coast of Canada and the USA on a second-hand bike he had bought for around £20.

10 years later — in 1999 — he wanted more. Patagonia to Alaska .

His companion crapped out after the first few days. Trevor was alone.

His bicycle was terrible. No mobile phone. Very little money.

What’s different about this book compared with other similar adventures, is how honest and vulnerable the author is about all the many, many things that go wrong. You really feel the highs and lows.

 Independently published Jan. 7, 2020.

Alex Cross, Run by James Patterson

On By Rick McIn books, TVLeave a comment

In advance of Cross, an Amazon Prime TV adaptation dropping November 14, 2024, I read another of the many books.

Like most Patterson, this one has a plot full of holes. Real murder mystery writers must laugh when reading (the much more successful) Patterson.

If you can suspend belief, this one is more complicated and interesting than most.

Two serial killers. Or is it three?

Alex Cross, Run is the 20th novel in the Alex Cross series written by American author James Patterson. The novel focuses on the protagonist, detective Alex Cross, who must solve three cases at once with the whole city in a frenzy.

GOAL = Running 5km in 30min

On By Rick McIn health & fitnessLeave a comment

UPDATE ➙ best pace, so far, is 5:35 min. / km.

Screenshot

Back in Parksville B.C., I’ve been running 30 minutes every morning.

The goal is 5km or further.

I’ve done it a few times in the 1st month.

IF I make 5km — I take the next morning off. A motivator. 😀

Screenshot

The best I can recall lifetime was a 5km race finished in 25min 25seconds. In dress shoes!

I’ll try to work up to that. An old man, non-runner can dream. 😀

Any morning I miss the run, I — instead — run 10 flights of stairs in the afternoon. An easier workout.

I’ve started to add a Fartlek work-out alternative, as well. 10 sprints of about 70m with a short walking rest in-between.

Paddle Your Own Canoe by Nick Offerman

On By Rick McIn books, humour1 Comment

Hilarious street philosophy.

Nick Offerman has released four semi-autobiographical publications:

  • Paddle Your Own Canoe: One Man’s Fundamentals for Delicious Living (2013)
  • Gumption: Relighting the Torch of Freedom with America’s Gutsiest Troublemakers (2015)
  • Good Clean Fun: Misadventures in Sawdust at Offerman Woodshop (2016)
  • Where the Deer and the Antelope Play: The Pastoral Observations of One Ignorant American Who Loves to Walk Outside (2021).

He has also narrated all four as audiobooks.

Like most people, I love Nick Offerman as an actor, especially as Ron Swanson in the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation (2009–2015).

His writing is just as funny.

When Nick wrote this 2013 book, he wasn’t nearly as famous as he is today.

In 2003, he married Will & Grace actress Megan Mullally. She’s MUCH more famous and financially successful.

Everyone knew Nick Offerman after his fantastic performance in episode 3, The Last of Us – season 1. An Emmy winning turn.

I do recommend this book. And plan on reading all four.

My Favourite Podcasts 2024

On By Rick McIn audiocasts, GOP USA, government, gymnastics, internet, mediaLeave a comment

Looking back on my favourite podcasts 2020 — things have changed.

If interested, search for any of these in your favourite Podcast Player.

These are podcasts I rarely skip:

Next most essential in 2024:

Sadly, most of The Economist podcasts went behind a paywall. I’ll probably buy those again, one day.

For some reason I’ve grown less interested in the TWIT network podcasts. Too much filler, not enough content.

I subscribe to perhaps 70 additional podcasts, but listen to them far less than 50% of the time.

I AM definitely listening to podcasts less than ever. I prefer audio books most of the time.