Robert K Stephen (CSW)

RKS Film: “Les bienveillants” (The Benevolents)

“Les bienveillants” is a thoughtful short documentary by Montreal’s Sarah Baril Gaudet. The viewer will have the opportunity to understand the volunteer recruitment process of Tele-Aide a Montreal call centre that specializes in listening to telephone calls from people in mental distress or simply listening to anyone that needs someone to talk to. Tel-Aide wasContinue reading “RKS Film: “Les bienveillants” (The Benevolents)”

“Travels to a Different Time” : 7July1975: Pello, Finland: Good Riddance to the Annoying Germans: Finnish Motorcycle Mania

I woke up today and loved my hot shower. The Germans split without saying good-bye. A case of mutual annoyance? Good riddance. It was nice to have a 700 km ride though. But I was fed up with them. On the road on my own again. First some great Finnish milk. After 15 minutes tryingContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 7July1975: Pello, Finland: Good Riddance to the Annoying Germans: Finnish Motorcycle Mania”

“Travels to a Different Time” : 5July1975: Haparanda, Sweden: Air Traffic Controller Goes Nutso: Walking into Finland from Sweden

I talked to a former air traffic controller who quit because it was too stressful. This morning he woke up at 07:00 and was ready to depart but the front door was locked making me think what would happen if there was ever a fire. We’d fry to death. The poor guy was yelling andContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 5July1975: Haparanda, Sweden: Air Traffic Controller Goes Nutso: Walking into Finland from Sweden”

RKS Film: “Box of Rain”: Rock n Roll Salvation Thanks to Deadheads

Lonnie Frazier as a 17-year-old accepted a lift from two high school boys that she knew but a lift to her car turned into a violent rape. Not having a trusting and loving home environment to heal in she accepted free tickets to a Grateful Dead concert in Colorado and headed off there with twoContinue reading “RKS Film: “Box of Rain”: Rock n Roll Salvation Thanks to Deadheads”

RKS Film: “The Quiet Epidemic”: Sadness, Rage and Disgust

Ostensibly the American documentary “The Quiet Epidemic” chronicles the steamrolling Lyme Disease (LD) epidemic in the United States but it is far more than that. It is an exposé on the self-destructive greed and failure of the for-profit underpinnings of the American medical system and the moral and ethical corruption if not gross negligence ofContinue reading “RKS Film: “The Quiet Epidemic”: Sadness, Rage and Disgust”

RKS Film: “African Moot”: A Dual Personality Review: Toronto Hot Docs

Ok, what is a “moot”? It is an experience just about all law students suffer or enjoy. It is a mock trial in front of judges based on a fictional case. The judges may be actual judges or legal practitioners. It involves hours of preparation added on to a crushing workload of everyday lectures. SoContinue reading “RKS Film: “African Moot”: A Dual Personality Review: Toronto Hot Docs”

RKS Poetry: “The Beady Eyed Man and Concentration Camps”

The Beady Eyed Man and Ukrainian Concentration Camps The beady eyed Russian manor perhaps the Messiah according to the Grand Patriarch of the Russian Orthodox Churchfond of $30,000 watchesestablishes “filtration camps”bolstered by mobile crematoriums on wheelsthe bells of Adolph Eichmann the final solution ring a final pealmass graves full of a killing zealforgetting beady eyedContinue reading “RKS Poetry: “The Beady Eyed Man and Concentration Camps””

RKS Wine: Croix de Bonpas Côtes-du-Rhône Villages

The Croix de Bonpas Côtes-du-Rhône Villages 2019 is a blend of 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre. On the aromatic side notes of big fat almost overly ripe strawberries, blueberries, cactus pear and a tad of black licorice. On the palate moderate tannins, rhubarb pie, white pepper, blackberry and blueberry clafouti. Moderately long finish.Continue reading “RKS Wine: Croix de Bonpas Côtes-du-Rhône Villages”

RKS Wine: Stag’s Hollow 2021 Muscat Frizzante

I know Stag’s Hollow in British Columbia’s Okanagan for some very serious high-quality wines. They are also not shy about pushing the boundaries with their Albariño, Dolcetto and Tempranillo. And they are at it again with a Muscat Frizzante. You will not see much Muscat wine produced in Canada. More than a decade ago IContinue reading “RKS Wine: Stag’s Hollow 2021 Muscat Frizzante”

RKS Film: “Sam Now”: The Cycle Repeats

“Sam Now” is a creative adventure into self-discovery that casualties in life often repeat themselves inflicting harm on the next generation. Sam Harkness and his bother Reed had been amateur filmmakers since childhood especially after discovering an old Super 8 camera in their garage. A favourite character in their movies was a superhero “Blue Panther”Continue reading “RKS Film: “Sam Now”: The Cycle Repeats”