Robert K Stephen (CSW)

RKS Film: “223 Wick”: A Clunker with Some Saving Graces?

Let’s face it “223 Wick” in its entirety is a clunker. Repetitive flashes of light, eerie voices and a whole host of tiresome horror film effects. Trite plot and mostly wooden acting. Of course in the midst of disaster one must recognize some positive points. This is not a horror film as the usual dimContinue reading “RKS Film: “223 Wick”: A Clunker with Some Saving Graces?”

RKS Passage of the Day: Tolstoy’s Anna Karenin: Two Classes of Women

“Oblonsky smiled. He knew that feeling of Levin’s so well – that for Levin all the girls in the world were divided into two classes: one class included all the girls in the world except Kitty, and they all had all the human weaknesses and were very ordinary girls: while Kitty was in a classContinue reading “RKS Passage of the Day: Tolstoy’s Anna Karenin: Two Classes of Women”

RKS Wine: A Mavrud from Bulgaria

A rare Bulgarian wine makes an appearance made from the Mavrud grape. Mavrud doesn’t have a stellar reputation but when properly subject to oak ageing it makes a solid simple wine. This wine was aged in barrels crafted by a cooper at the winery. Lots of raspberry and cherry on the nose. There is alsoContinue reading “RKS Wine: A Mavrud from Bulgaria”

RKS True Story: Roma Panhandlers and a BMW in Athens

So I am sitting in a neighbourhood square in the Pangrati district of Athens having a late lunch with my wife and some friends. In the course of an hour 3 Roma panhandlers appeared putting on a dramatic and a tiresome act that has been perfected over the decades. It could be Rome, Paris orContinue reading “RKS True Story: Roma Panhandlers and a BMW in Athens”

RKS Literature: “Gotcha” by Robert Fulford

“In the same way literature offers us the opportunity to escape the two most pressing forms of bondage in our normal existence: time and ego. Emotionally and intellectually , literature dissolves the rules of time and beckons us toward Periclean Athens, Czarist Russia, Elizabethan England, and a thousand other moments of the past. By lengtheningContinue reading “RKS Literature: “Gotcha” by Robert Fulford”

RKS Literature: from Peter Carey’s Short Story “A Letter to Our Son”

“The obstetrician’s statement was not of course categorical and not everyone who has cancer dies, but Alison was, at that instant confronting the fear that we fear most. When the doctor said those words, it was like a dream or nightmare. I heard them said. And when we hugged each other-when the doctor had gone-weContinue reading “RKS Literature: from Peter Carey’s Short Story “A Letter to Our Son””

RKS Literature Passage of the Day: Isabel Allende’s Short Story “Two Words”

“The day Belisa Crepusculario found out that words fly about loose, with no master, and that anyone with a little cunning can catch them and start a trade. She reflected on her own situation, and realized that, other than becoming a prostitute in a rich man’s kitchen, there were few jobs that she could do.Continue reading “RKS Literature Passage of the Day: Isabel Allende’s Short Story “Two Words””

RKS Film: “Young Plato”: A Catalyst for My Past and Maybe For Yours Too?

OK so a few minutes ago you saw a documentary on sharks. Wow! But you are solely an observer, aren’t you? If you were a researcher or a diver assisting in marine biology research you might have a far different view of the shark documentary to John Q. Public. Be patient… working into the theme!Continue reading “RKS Film: “Young Plato”: A Catalyst for My Past and Maybe For Yours Too?”

“Virus # 26 Director’s Cut : Chapter 20 Lessons Learnt from the COVIDs: Sick Seniors Get Slammed in Long Term Care”

COVID found many victims amongst elderly long-term care “residents” so many so it virtually culled these “residents”. The worst hit were in privately run senior’s residences and long-term care facilities. The profit motive and proper senior’s care were not a good fit. As more of these facilities were inspected a whole raft of shocking storiesContinue reading ““Virus # 26 Director’s Cut : Chapter 20 Lessons Learnt from the COVIDs: Sick Seniors Get Slammed in Long Term Care””

“Travels to a Different Time” : March 2002: Cancun Mexico; Off to Chichen Itza and Tulum Again

This is third trip to Chichen Itza, the second time for Alexandra but Andrew’s first visit. The trip by bus with a guide will cost $300 CDN. The bus picked us up at the hotel at 08:30 and we arrived there some two and half hours later in steaming jungle heat. A few tawdry souvenirContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : March 2002: Cancun Mexico; Off to Chichen Itza and Tulum Again”