954. "Eddie’s Boy" by Thomas Perry - 5 Stars

Eddie’s Boy by Thomas Perry -   5 Stars

Publisher: Grove Atlantic

ISBN: 978080215775 

It has been several years since I read the first three books in the Butcher’s Boy series. I was glad to see that Michael has not lost his talents as he aged. I especially enjoyed the flashbacks to his early years when Eddie taught him his trade, to kill and survive.

As would be expected in a novel about an assassin for the mob, there is plenty of action and violence. Michael kills a lot of bad guys. His talents for intricate planning and manipulation are as good as his ability to survive an attack on his life.

There is enough past history included in this book to enjoy it without reading the first ones in the series, but I am sure it will encourage you to read the first three as well. I was excited to find that the Butcher’s Boy is back. While Thomas Perry’s books are always enjoyable, these are my favorites.

Reviewer: Nancy

953. "The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne" by Elsa Hart – 5 Stars

The Cabinets of Barnaby Mayne  by Elsa Hart – 5 Stars

Publisher: St. Martin’s Press

ISBN: 9781250142818 

There are so many things I enjoyed about this period mystery. At the center was a vast collection of “curiosities” collected by Barnaby Mayne that was so large that it filled all of two houses. Collecting became more than a pastime for some who had the money and leisure time to pursue it. The author described how the possession of items and the stories accompanying them became a greedy obsession. Cecily Kay, the central character, was a strong and intelligent woman in a time when those traits were neither fashionable nor encouraged. The mystery was complex with twists and an unexpected conclusion. The writing was intelligent and vividly portrayed London in 1703.

I was searching for something different from most of the current mysteries and am delighted to have found this book.

     

Reviewer: Nancy

952. CLUELESS and disinformation generating Media!

Do we not have journalists and editors and their papers that want to know about facts or even enough details about what they are writing about before misinforming We the People?

How many times have you jumped to a heading and found the content doesn't support the heading? I would venture to guess that a very large proportion of the public NEVER go beyond the reading of the headline and therefore believe what is said in up to 10 words! For example, I have a close relative, won't specifically cite him/her (will use he/his in following), but he ALWAYS believes and runs with the headline fabricating the facts as he imagines they are and spews the information upon all his friends who blindly pass it down the line, like the game Pass It Down the Alley. until it is radically changed to the imaginations of others and completely wrong when it makes the last on the queue. EXAMPLE: He heard saw the headline that a Vaccine Patch is being tested. He naturally assumed it is a COVID-19 patch and told everyone that SHORTLY there will be a vaccine patch available to resolve the deadly virus issues. REALITY: No COVID-19 vaccine is close and 12-18 months is still the stated time frame at the earliest. PROBLEM: The are people working since at least 2017 on a patch that would replace an injection for vaccines. In other words, a technology that simply does that -- replaces an injection with a patch. But, NOT a specific COVID-19 patch. That requires a discovery and FDA trials of a specific vaccine itself that when available might be deliverable by a patch. Can you imagine the impact of how a simple headline to capture readers can cause mayhem?

Here are another headline/story that I have seen that was misleading: CNN's statement that Kim Jung Un is seriously ill. We've seen this happen before and it was fake news. Again CNN! Get the facts first! Another: All the cats will get COVID-19. Two cases were reported of positive detection. Yet, the contents of the article stated different chemical tests for animals, not the scientific ones for humans being used, were used and how determined was not explained in any detail.

The point is, you will see ONLY a headline that will get your attention. If you don't read the article for content, and do not question the content for accuracy, like I would say 90% of the population, you will believe fake news and worse yet take that incorrect belief to the polls. It's no wonder why this country is so screwed up and divided! THANKS MEDIA! America needs to get a handle on all the crap that comes out of the media and Internet. I don't see anyway of filtering out the crap other than proving some well vetted websites and papers/magazines that provide CORRECT detail and news. It is certainly obvious that the publishers don't care because attention words=revenue and they have insurance to cover their fake news. Maybe the insurance providers need to jack up their costs exponentially. And the lawyers need to start making more case lawsuits against them. It is such a mess and so destructive.

951. COVID-19 Models - Don't be a clueless Dem

Please. Understand how models are created and the limits of them before reacting to all the hoopla by the media who DON'T understand them. Accurate models projecting deaths can't possibly be developers. Why? There isn't enough data about this virus to base them on and and same goes for data with respect to behavior since recognized.

Anybody can develop a forecasting model. Let's use a financial example. Suppose someone assumes the stock market moves according to a linear line upward at 12% on the average. Since there already exists plenty of historical data, I could use history to determine if my forecast projects were close to the linear line model hypothesized. What will be the results? No way Jose. So, someone else assumes the projection curve is exponential  Again, wrong. Without going into what projection is correct, I am simply clarifying that whatever the projection curve you assume, it CAN be checked and refined based on historical data. Well, to a degree that is. There sill still be outliers (differences from the norm) due to specific events that need to be explained. For example, why was the stock market growing at 10% compound growth before 2000 and now only 6.5% today. It was something like that, but I am not stating that it was those percentages or the turning year was 2000. I am stating that events happen that change a long-term model and again need to be factored in when designing a model.

Now COVID-19. We have no history. People first made assumptions that it was like the influenza. In what respects? Anything that could accurately project Covid-19? Nope. But the media picked up on whoever touted such a model to project spread rate and geography. They were wrong! The problem of the model being wrong is not the point. Those knowing it couldn't possibly be accurate had to have something to base decisions on and a base model to change as more facts became known. The problem became the media jumping on it like it was the Holy Grail for predicting death and demise, then exciting or incorrectly lulling the masses to no be concerned. Statistics based on incredible facts are useless and can be made dangerous by clueless media.

As we saw more data become available, more refined models were developed for projections of spread, rate of spread, deaths, etc. Still not enough data and facts are known to ensure an accurate model. But today the total deths were projected to be lower than the previous model. What changed in the model? We will never know. But the problem becomes the Dems will now collect into there ball of hate an accuse Trump for overstating the expected deaths a few weeks back when the model had far less data to work with and the experts were only trying their best to project SOMETHING worse case. So, the political pot will be stirred again and the Dems will blindly want to spend taxpayer money on another witch hunt instead of realizing what a model is OR getting their own experts to develop a model. Watch the senseless reactions to the latest leftest media new headings! That's my prediction for next week.

But, let's be practical and understand models and the experts developing them. Not Trump! We still have no clue why certain states have high rates of infection and death. We still have no real clue whether the mid-west states will follow suit with the NE states. Do realize that the worse was in NY and NJ and then later Michigan and Chigo area. Plus Kentucky and Louisiana. Why? There are hundreds of variables that need to be analyzed to determine why? IF someone can pinpoint the contributing variables then it might be possible to project impact on the mid-west. Until then, we run with inaccuracy and each of us lives with or without hope.

Had we accurate data out of China in January already, a lot of the actions taken might have had even more of a jump start. The fact is, we didn't have the information. But, the actions that were taken were as prompt as necessary and right on. We need to thank the experts who bent over backwards to collect information and develop plans. We need to thank President Trump for gathering the resources needed and not only moving the protection plans forward but just as importantly keeping our economy afloat.Damn the Dems who instead obstruct viable, positive plans to move the economy ahead. Particularly Small Businesses!!! Isn't it time to get these not only clueless but obstructionists out of Congress! They have been endangering America since Trump's inauguration.

I wasn't planning on a political rant, but let's win the this war before starting another! Stay safe people. Follow the precautions passed along by Trump;s experts, NOT the other hateful politicians.

950. The garden and the 3-day April winter

We waited (NOT) for winter the whole season and finally got it on the evening of  4/12 until morning of 5/15. Who would expect the temperatures to drop below freezing for 19 straight hours plus other days then in Amarillo? I already planted a lot in my garden, so I took the time to cover everything -- a mere 400-450 sq feet. Had my tomatoes in Wall-of-Waters, so they kept a cozy temperature throughout. Unbelievably, everything survived. My beets and radishes I left uncovered, so I was surprised about those. two of my potato plants showed some leaf damage, but that's all. My cold frame stuff -- lettuce, onions, beets, cilantro -- were fine. Cabbage, leeks, and spinach came through, even those uncovered. Another slight scare of 30-32 degrees tonight, then we're finally deep into Spring here with daytime temps in 70s and nights above 47. Tomorrow the Snow peas, Green beans, squash (in Wall-of-Waters), and possibly 1 or two cucumbers (ground temp was 62F) more. Inside my Green peppers are looking great, more cucumbers in pots,  and the hot stuff - chilies, cayenne, Serrano, jalapeno, poblano, Habenero -- should be ready to sprout in a few days. To weather the hot sun in Summer, I am going to try a 30% sun filter cover over the tomatoes. It would be nice to have them last until Fall.

Freezers are cleaned and ready for the harvests. We are already enjoying the lettuce, radishes, a few onions, cilantro,  and cabbage and are 2 pints away from depleting the apple sauce. We still have a few dinners in the freezer of stuffed peppers and other 2019 harvests vegetables.

Well, here's to SUNNY days. I think we'll all need them after this COVID-19 virus shut-in. Fortunately for us the special measures suggested and required are no different than we already live. Does that mean its good to be older? We hope everybody else can enjoy the happy days ahead. They are coming.

UPDATE: 5/28/2020 - 😠 THREE small apples growing!!! A far cry from the 500+ in previous years. This is the second year in 15 that a freeze wiped us out. Bad News = No apples, apple sauce, apple pies, etc. this year. Good News = No flocks of birds in my trees. Tough to be a farmer depending on the weather. We'll just have to make due with the 14 tomato plants, 15 green peppers plants, 15 Chile and various hot pepper plants, zucchini, summer squash, cucumbers, green beans, garden peas, snow peas, lima beans, cabbage, spinach, lettuce, beets (love those pickled beets), potatoes, etc. This year I am covering my tomatoes with a 30% shade cover in an attempt to preventing them from burning up in the hot, summer Texas Panhandle heat. Will report back in Fall.

949. Maytag now on my S--- List

After the GE refrigerator mess (see previous posts) I thought I couldn't possibly hit a worse one. Step in Maytag and a freezer I bought about 10 years ago. Seems the 'frostless" freezer never did properly defrost automatically and we had to unplug and manually defrost. Since it was out of warranty, we settled on that until a few days ago when during our manual defrost work I decided to remove the inside back panel to check out the inside. There hung the evaporator coils by two bolts on top and no other securing. Well, that was NOT the issue that concerned me. Below it the back panel, the one the evaporator coils were attached to, had a hole at the bottom as if someone had tried to secure the coils at the bottom. But instead the panel was both cracked and had a hole. Think maybe that's why my freezer was frosting up and not defrosting properly? Actually there was about a 4 inch long by 1/2 inch gouge out of the panel and the center of it was eroded with at least one hole all the way though. Another crack and hole was on the left side facing the evaporator coils. The appearance suggested that the back panel was damaged during manufacture and patched p with something that did not last. I wish I had taken a picture to add to this post! Just imagine it is a 4" x 1/2 tooth with a large cavity. Of course a patched hole would not be recognizable when purchased since it was covered with another panel on the inside of the freezer. Thus, a major flaw was covered up and warranty period not adequate to catch it. Nice work Maytag. Thanks a lot.

I repaired the "cavity" and other hole/crack with a plastic bonding glue and Flex-Seal and covered it with thermal tape. Hopefully this should do the job and we might see the defrosting actually work. If not, no loss, it is old and a manual defrost every 2-3 years can be tolerated.

This illustrates again the poor workmanship of America's workers. Certainly not like 40-50 years ago when you could depend on quality. I guess I just have to ignore the quality problems and act like a 20-30 year old and just throw it out and buy a new one. My parents who lived through the Depression years couldn't afford this and I, despite being able to, still have their expectations.

948. "The Essence of Darkness" by Tom Clearlake 2 Stars

The Essence of Darkness by Tom Clearlake  2 Stars

Publisher: Moonlight

ISBN: 9782956131649 

I read 56% of this book and could not get any further. It started with an interesting case of missing children then kept becoming more and more convoluted. The descriptions of the Adepts and their technology were slow and did not make much sense. I labored through those parts hoping to get back to faster paced events only to once again get lost in lengthy boring narrative. I had enough.

  

Reviewer: Nancy

 

947. "A Private Cathedral" by James Lee Burke – 5 Stars

A Private Cathedral by James Lee Burke  –  5 Stars

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

ISBN: 9781982151683 

As in all of the books in the Dave Robicheaux series, there is violent action, vivid descriptions of places and people, and narrative of the thoughts in Dave’s head. There is a love story and insight into the evils of mankind. It is the introduction of Gideon, a time-traveling mystical presence, which makes this story unique. Louisiana is special in its history and culture, so a being from the 16^th century seems possible. After all, in the past, Dave has met ghosts of confederate soldiers.

Dave and Clete have lived through personal tragedy and witnessed the dark side of life. Once again, they struggle to right wrongs and defend those that the world has treated cruelly.

 I have been reading the books in the Dave Robicheaux series for years and have enjoyed each of them. This is another interesting and intelligent story.

Reviewer: Nancy

 

946. "Sam Houston & the Alamo Avengers" by Brian Kilmeade -- 5 Stars

History presented within a novel is always an added feature. This book did it well, introducing you to key Texas leaders who fought the Texas Revolution against Mexico to eventually win making Texas first a Republic and later getting it annexed to United States as its 28th state.

The adventures and misadventures of Austin, Houston, Crockett, Bowie, Travis, Fannin, and some others are told without playing each up as a hero, but also showed some drunkenness, cowardliness, and fighting within. We hear so much of the hero badges, but never told of the faults that make them human and how some of those faults caused losses beyond what could have been avoided with properly experienced planning.

The timeline of battles and events from before the Alamo through the beginning of the Civil War is outlined with roles of the leaders and others each step of the way. Being a novel, despite so much footnoting, presented the history and leaders in an enjoyable way. Although it does capture the jest of the Texas Revolution vs. Mexico and General Santa Anna, it does leave out a little compared to the lessons we here is Texas learn in it's schools. For example, our children attended Bonham Middle School. So, we were expecting to hear something about Bonham's role in the Alamo -- he was one of the messengers who went to get Fannin's help for additional soldiers for the battle at the Alamo. Other details of the history are not in this book, but this is NOT a nonfictional book where it should be. For a novel, it is excellent and a necessary start to learning about how Texas fought to become a state. Superb work Mr. Kilmeade.

945. Outlander Series Books 5 & 6 by Diana Galbadon -- 5 Stars

We enjoyed the first 4 seasons of the Startz Outlander presentations. So, when those ended we decided to read ahead getting Ms. Galbadon's books 5 & 6, The Fiery Cross and A Breath of Snow and Ashes before Startz season 5 showed. We weren't disappointed.

We immediately realized some minor differences in the first for stories between the videos on Startz and the books. However, they were minor and didn't distract from reading. For example, the weddings take place differently and Jamie's aunt intends to marry someone else.

970+ pages in each book of smaller than normal text is a time consuming read. But, both were captivating. We enjoyed Claire's transition to 18th century medicine without the equipment, drugs, and other resources available to her from the 20th century. Plus, Bree's inventiveness using 18th century materials were equally rewarding. The stories continue up to the first the first rumblings of the rebels and skirmishes re England's taxation. How they overcome the adversities are an ever twisting path. Ian begins to shine as a favorite character, returning from his surrender to the Indians, displaying both Indian and Scottish learning to help save the days. The history is realistic with the Scots settling and fighting to survive in the North Carolina area. Guess we should modify this and state the development and management of Frasier's Ridge, land granted to Jamie for which he swore an oath to England. (yeah right!).

We would like to mention that we started Book 7, An Echo in the Bone, but weren't enthralled enough to continue beyond 50%. This book dealt with much to much detail about Jamie's son Willie and Lord John and distracted from what was so cleverly crafted of Jamie and Claire's immediate lives. Still well written, but off track. Maybe we'll pick up again later. Maybe reading 2000+ small text pages wore us out.

Books 5 & 6 were so pleasing to read. Definitely one of the best long-story adventures we have read. Ms. Galbadon is an excellent writer.