Gaslit:  To be “gaslit” is to have those around you question your sanity and your knowledge of the truth as you see it through psychological manipulation.   This series with an excellent cast, revolved around the 1972 break in at Watergate.  The characters are familiar to anyone who has followed the fall of President Nixon.  It is a study in a man who believed in the absolute power in his office.   Although it seems in hindsight to have admitted a mistake and then sought forgiveness, Nixon doubled down in his efforts to hide the deception and underlying scheme to discredit the bumbling Democrats.  Julia Roberts as John Mitchell’s socialite wife, is the target of being gaslit.   She hears, she pays attention and knows something off was happening for that break in.  Yet in the following weeks and months she is isolated and made to feel less than assured.  Her motives, her family background, steady drinking all conspire to paint her as the “crazy woman”. 

John Dean comes across more favourably in the end, as history will attest, with the determination of his new wife Maureen.  She keeps his together with a vision of how he can be seen as more than just another pawn doing the President’s bidding. 

G Gordon Liddy is a person with an intense, undying loyalty that paints absolutely everything that he does.  He is a guy who views the world in absolutes; good and bad, loyalty and betrayal, faith and rudderless.  His time in prison shows a great deal about his character. 

I enjoyed this series and can recommend.  With a more divided political climate over the past 50 years it can speak to Trump politics and the division that continues to split the United States.  Roe v Wade is overturned this past week and the States will divide even further. 

The River Runner:  this documentary tells the story of a young American kayaker, Scott Lindgren.  He didn’t start that way, growing up in a divorced household in a tough neighborhood outside LA. He and his brother by chance learned how to paddle and guide tours.  The ultimate was to get into the kayaks which were fast and nimble.   Much like the individual sport of surfing, the key in kayaking isn’t just doing amazing things in your boat but being able to film the acts and share them.  Buddy and brother buy a camera and start filming the kayaking that they are doing on more and more intense rivers.   Rapids are classified in a 6-level scale with the highest being a 6. These two routinely are attacking more and more dangerous rapids.  A close friend dies while on one of these rivers.  It sends a shock to the brothers. 
The goal becomes to run the four rivers that run from a peak in the Himalayas called Mount Kailash.  The story unfolds from there with a twist that was unexpected.   Lessons are learned and the brothers grow in unexpected ways.   It is interesting having finished a white water rafting trip to see just how more intense these rapids are than those I had just ridden.   It is humbling to see the power of nature in the elements that these kayakers deal with – like
with extreme water temperatures.  I paddled in 5c.  It is cold on the hands even with a wet suit on.   These guys pioneered the extreme rapids and filming like the 100 foot wave did.  Well worth the viewing on Netflix. 

Jimmy Carr:  I have watched a couple comedy specials with British comic Jimmy Carr.  He is funny. He has some fun play on words.  He is crude. Politically incorrect at times in the same way that other comics like Ricky Gervais would say they are not professing certain attitudes but they are saying as a joke.  Nothing more.  They can offend absolutely.  But they seem to be equal opportunity offenders.   No one seems safe.  But for a lighter piece of entertainment he is fun and brings a smile to my face anyway.