“The sternest and most solemn of all was that of the nurse Olympiada Vladislanova. For her the morning rounds were like a divine service for a deacon. She was a nurse for whom the doctors were of a higher order. She knew that doctors understood everything, never made mistakes and never gave wrong instructions. SheContinue reading “RKS Literature: Physicians are of the Highest Order (Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn)”
Author Archives: Robert K Stephen (CSW)
RKS Literature: Crossing the Threshold of Death While Still Living (Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn)
“This autumn I Iearned from experience that a man can cross the threshold of death even when his body is still not dead. Your blood still circulates and your stomach digests, while you yourself have gone through the whole psychological preparation for death-and lived through death itself. Everything around you, you see as if inContinue reading “RKS Literature: Crossing the Threshold of Death While Still Living (Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn)”
RKS 2024 Film: “The Arrival”: Intense and Impeccable
In a Manhattan bar a reporter, an elementary school art teacher, a law school student, a potential victim of a date drug rape , a struggling playwright, a wealthy Cornell University dropout and a bitter and frustrated bartendress wanabee an actress on Oxy converge. They are awaiting the arrival of River Dupont (Nikolas Elrifi). TheContinue reading “RKS 2024 Film: “The Arrival”: Intense and Impeccable”
RKS Literature: Party Bigwig Pavel Nikolayevich’s Neck Tumour and Forced Equality of The Cancer Ward (Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn)
“The hard lump of his tumor-unexpected, meaningless and quite without use-had dragged him like a fish on a hook and had flung him into this iron bed-a narrow, mean bed, with creaking springs and an apology for a mattress. Having once undressed under the stairs, said good-bye to this family and come up to theContinue reading “RKS Literature: Party Bigwig Pavel Nikolayevich’s Neck Tumour and Forced Equality of The Cancer Ward (Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn)”
RKS 2024 Film: “The Body Politic”
The City of Baltimore has a murder rate just about over 300 a year and the cause according to newly elected (in 2021) mayor Brandon Scott is not drugs or gangs but cases of interpersonal violence. The solution espoused by Scott is not increased policing which has failed in Baltimore time and time again butContinue reading “RKS 2024 Film: “The Body Politic””
RKS 2024 Film: “The Invisibles”: Heaven as a Narcotic
“The Invisibles” will be gracing screens in Vancouver and Toronto on 20September2024. Canadian film is largely unappreciated at the box office both in Canada and internationally. “The Invisibles” is one of those “warm and fuzzy” movies like “Peggy Sue Got Married” or “Back to the Future”. Not overly complicated but not simplistic so if itContinue reading “RKS 2024 Film: “The Invisibles”: Heaven as a Narcotic”
RKS 2024 Wine: Southbrook 2019 triomphe chardonnay From Niagara
Ontario produces excellent Chardonnay. This is an organic Chardonnay. Aroma: One of those tropical Chardonnays with pineapple, mango, peach, Royal Gala apple and more than a tad of oak. The wine was aged 10 months in 300 litre French neutral oak barrels. Palate: Solid and full bodied and quite an oaky influence considering ageing wasContinue reading “RKS 2024 Wine: Southbrook 2019 triomphe chardonnay From Niagara”
RKS Literature: The Boss Man and Thievery at the Gulag (Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn)
“What the boss man doles out is all you will get. Only you won’t get even that, what with the cooks and their stoolies and trusties. There’s thieving on the site, there’s thieving in the camp, and there was thieving before the food ever left the store.” Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn, “One Day in the Life ofContinue reading “RKS Literature: The Boss Man and Thievery at the Gulag (Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn)”
RKS 2024 Wine: Featherstone 2020 Onyx from Niagara
33% Merlot. 33% Cabernet Franc. 33% Cabernet Sauvignon. Cabernet Franc thrives in Ontario and almost always makes wines that do not disappoint. Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon are most often mundane but when judiciously oaked can shine. Each varietal was individually fermented. The Merlot was fermented and aged in French oak barrels. The Cabernets were fermentedContinue reading “RKS 2024 Wine: Featherstone 2020 Onyx from Niagara”
RKS 2024 Film: “Russians at War”: The Russians are Coming The Russians are Coming!
The Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) issued a statement on 12September2024 the Canada-France film “Russians at War” directed by Anatasia Trofimova would be “paused” and there would be a screening “when it is safe to do so”. TIFF said it was aware “of significant threats to festival operations and public safety”. It would seem thereContinue reading “RKS 2024 Film: “Russians at War”: The Russians are Coming The Russians are Coming!”
A Bird's Eye View of Fashion, Food, Travel, Culture, Beverage and Curiosity 