Book Reviews and Money Saving Tips

This book started slow but gradually grabbed me.  The translator, not an interpreter is a British national, he is sent to substitute for the regular translator who had suffered an accident.   Experienced but  semi-retired, he has dragged back into the fray.   The British Government is going to Moscow to scold the Russians for their recent behavior.  The plot becomes more complex when Clive, the translator, discovers an old flame is the translator for the Russian Premier.   Emotions run high and Russian paranoia runs deep.   There is a great deal of cynicism over the oligarchs reaping obscene profits.   Struck me as amusing as they are so similar to the robber barons of old and the tech giants today.   There was a lot of tension and paranoia, fear, anger and a touch of action.   This is a thoughtful and thought-provoking book rather than an action adventure. I enjoyed it.  This book may have been received free of charge from a publisher or a publicist. That will NEVER have a b

This is the second in the Variety Palace Mystery series that I’ve read.   Minnie and Albert, a mismatched detective team, find themselves facing multiple homicides.  All the homicides seem to relate to either a Ponzi scheme or a dreadful theatrical tragedy.   Walsh does a good job setting the late 1890s scene in London.   The aromas of the time jump off the page resulting in a twitching nose and a squeamish reaction to many of the settings. The impact of privilege regarding justice seems unchanged over the ensuing years with the obvious comparison to today’s country club prisons. The interaction of Minnie and Albert once again is the sub-plot.   In the foreground, are a series of seemingly unrelated homicides and dog-fighting villains.  I enjoyed the book and recommend it.

This book is about the coming of age of a troubled child who becomes a troubled adult.  Jonas, a hard-to-love kid, finds soulmates at Lafayette, a school for kids who are alone. Jonas ends up as a quintmate. He and four other troubled kids are bound together through trials and tribulations.   They experience a life-altering event that separates them forever, except it doesn’t. As a successful adult Jonas is approached by Dugie, a long-lost quintmate.  Together, the experience is anything but positive for Jonas. Jonas’s ex-wife and children provide a sense of normalcy for Jonas, staying with him through manic and depressed periods.   Their loyalty is startling.

There is a wealth of backup software available out there. The prices are free up to crazy expensive for backing up your work, your pictures, and everything important in your life. Second Copy has been part of my backup routine for decades.  Yep, you read that correctly, DECADES!  Why has it been part of my backup routine for decades? It works! It works easily, smoothly, and accurately.  More importantly, there are human beings to answer your questions. I just had a problem with my copy and I emailed Second Copy’s support address. I received a reply in less than 24 hours and it gave me the information to solve my problem. The price of a product is basically irrelevant if you can’t get support.   To summarize:             You have a product that works.             It does what it says it will.             It is inexpensive.             AND it has support! If you are looking for backup software I recommend Second Copy! I did not get a single thin dime for this post.  This is based on my

 

I'm not a coder (programmer for old timey folks), nor am I an expert.  I'm just an end-user fascinated by artificial intelligence.   I've been experimenting with different AIs for months now.  I tried Vidofy yesterday and produced this reel.  I entered the following text:        A Quirky Christmas, a picture book.         It is easy to like people who are, act and behave just like we do.    It is harder to like people who behave differently and who we see as being selfish.    A real friend is someone who accepts the way you are.   A real friend helps you when you are in need.    A real friend accepts that there are some days you may be grumpy and selfish.   A real friend sees the good that lies within you.                  In this story, Quirky shows the meaning of friendship.    Quirky demonstrates kindness and understanding to someone who seems preoccupied with himself and his things.     Quirky and his friends show that even squirrels understand the Christmas season