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Crucible (Sigma Force #14)
Crucible (Sigma Force #14)
6
6.0 (1 Ratings)
Book Rating
Entry #14 in James Rollins now long-running Sigma Force series; again a mixture of science and fiction: think Dan Brown, maybe, or even Michael Crichton.

This time around, the threat that Sigma force (and, perforce, the world) faces is one of our own making: that of Artificial Intelligence (or AI), and - more specifically - that of an 'evil' (one with no moral qualms or compunctions) AI let loose. So, think Terminator's Skynet, basically.

If you've read any of the previous entries in the series, you know pretty much what to expect ...
  
This is the story of Michael Rosen’s experience with Covid-19. How he became ill, then very ill, was hospitalised, put on a ventilator for 48 days, and his hard work back to good health - with complications included.
I can remember being really worried when Michael Rosen said he was feeling unwell last year, and even more so when it was reported that he had been taken in to hospital. There was that long period where I could only imagine how distressed his family must have been feeling.
This book documents it all. There are the diary entries from the carers whilst Michael Rosen was in an induced coma: the nurses, physiotherapists, speech and language therapists - all those from right across the NHS who helped him, turned him, talked to him, kept him clean and made sure that he heard from his family. They clearly did an amazing job, and this showed the sheer volume of people who cared for him.
It’s a really moving book. I read much of this with a lump in my throat and tears in my eyes. And of course there were the funny bits, as there always is with Michael Rosen.
I’m just so glad he made it. This book is going on the Keeper Shelf, because this will be a book that we will all look back on in years to come, when memories of Covid-19 start to dim.
  
Paycheck (2003)
Paycheck (2003)
2003 | Action, Mystery, Sci-Fi
7
6.3 (9 Ratings)
Movie Rating
In the year 2007, memories can be erased almost as easily as they can be created. With corporate security being of top concern, this technology is in high demand for corporations who hire people to work on sensitive projects.

Michael Jennings (Ben Affleck), is a master of technology, and as such, is in high demand for his ability to reverse engineer technology. Companies hire him to work in private to unlock technological secrets of their competition and upon completion of his work; Jennings has his memories of his work and time at the company removed. This arrangement protects the companies, as they do not have to disclose how they came about the new technologies and the only person who can attest to the source of the work has no memory of it making the claim valid, and keeping him from being able to recoup long-term profits from the company.

Jennings is well paid for his work, and has recently completed a two-month job when his friend Rethrick (Aaron Eckhart), asks Michael to come work on a secret thee-year project for his company. Michael is told only that it deals with optics and that he will be paid with stock options worth hundreds of millions of dollars.
After thinking about the deal, Michael agrees to the job and sets out to complete the task ahead of him.

In what seems like a few minutes to him, Michael comes to in the office of Rethrick and is stunned to learn that he has completed his work and that it was a huge success.

Pleased, Michael sets out to collect his payment but is surprised to learn that he forfeited his stocks four days earlier and sent himself an envelope containing various mundane items such as paperclips, ball bearings, matches, and keys.

Before long, Michael is running for his life and attempting to unravel the mystery of the missing three years in his memory.

Based on the short story by renowned Sci-Fi author Phillip K. Dick, and directed by famed action helmer John Woo, “Paycheck” is a pleasant and entertaining surprise. The previews do not do this film justice, as it is an entertaining and engrossing film with good supporting work by Uma Thurman and Paul Giamatti.

There are a number of twists and turns to the story and some good action and humor along the way. Affleck does solid work as a man desperate to solve the mystery and struggling to cope with his life spun out of control.

While the ending was a bit to Hollywood for me, “Paycheck” is a solid and entertaining film and worth seeing.
  
To Be Loved by Michael Bublé
To Be Loved by Michael Bublé
2013 | Pop
10
10.0 (1 Ratings)
Album Rating
Everything (0 more)
Oh I just love this album!
Gosh I can't believe this album came out in 2013, it truly doesn't feel that long ago!!
Michael Bublé has a fantastic way of drawing you in and making you feel so many emotions through his music. He's probably one of the most humble and funny musicians in this day and age and his voice just seems to be getting better and better every day!
It's a Beautiful Day is definitely a favourite of everyone's and the duet with Reece on Something Stupid is beautiful and full of class.
A true gentleman singer!!
  
Justice League (2017)
Justice League (2017)
2017 | Action, Adventure
I find Zack Snyder movies generally border on Michael Bay territory, visually very impressive but empty and soulless. I also didn’t like ‘Man Of Steel’ at all and find Henry Cavill a wooden Superman. This I actually found to be a slight improvement , it’s not as long and thankfully had a bit more humour with the addition of Wonder Woman , Aqua Man and The Flash to the mix. It feels very choppy though perhaps evidence of the extensive reshoots and turbulent journey to the screen the film had. Ultimately it’s watchable but fairly forgettable stuff that pales in comparison to any MCU movie.