RKS CANADIAN LITERATURE: Teen Phone Obsession (Joanna Goodman)

Scott didn’t think Ivey having her own phone at eleven was a problem. Meth is a problem he’d say. Opioids are a problem. Let her have a phone. But he isn’t here to see how the powerful triumvirate of Instagram, Snapchat, and TikTok have brainwashed his sweet daughter; how it’s shaped her personality, reprogrammed her developing mind, afflicted her self-esteem, taught her to live and die by the number of likes and comments and the twin gods of comparison and FOMO.

Joanna Goodman, “The Inheritance”, Harper Collins 2024

RKS EURO FILM: “Familia”: Doorways to Hell

See a door in this film and hell and a disciple of the devil is not far away. Based on a true story.

Franco Celeste (Francesco Di Leva) returns to his Rome home after serving 9 years for armed robbery. Given that his wife Licia (Barbara Ronchi) expects his return and changes the locks on her door Franco is not welcome but nonetheless he worms his way in to play the role of husband.

Immediately after his release Franco approaches his two children Luigi (Francesco Gheghi) and Alessandro (Marco Cicalese) and when Alessandro refuses to hug him Franco gives him a nasty slap in the face.

School authorities advise Licia her children are increasingly isolated and show her a writing from one of them wishing their father would stop slapping their mother.

Licia obtains a restraining order against Franco and is “rewarded” by the state seizing her children and placing them in foster homes for 4 years.

As a young man Luigi joins a fascist group comprised of angry young men fuelled by nonsensical slogans and hatred of all political groups. Luigi stabs a “leftist” in a street brawl and is sentenced to nine months in prison.

Both Franco and Luigi have done time for violent acts. Like father like son?

Franco and Luigi establish a friendship and again Franco worms his way into the household saying while he has been living with his sister, he had an argument with her and asks to join his sons and wife for “a few days”.

Harmony ostensibly is established until again Franco erupts violently sneaking into Licia’s workplace and seeing her enjoying a cigarette and chatting with a male colleague nearly chokes her to death leaving large bruises on her neck as of course “you’ve been fucking him.”

Luigi persuades the police to investigate and charge Franco but upon arriving at the house and questioning Licia she responds saying all is fine. Luigi attempts to throw Franco out but he worms back saying to Luigi that he is just like him. Yes, both have been convicted and sentenced for violent crimes but the similarity ends there.

Franco says to Luigi he will never change and you know what you must do. A violent ending and one must query in certain circumstances is violence the only solution?

A study of domestic abuse where there appear no easy solutions for effectively curbing psychopathic violence. And where the solutions fail to work dysfunctionality mushrooms causing misery and anger for the innocents.

You may ask why does Licia continue to take Franco back into the home? She is terrorized and perhaps she realizes, like Franco, he’ll never change and continue the abuse state authorities simply are incapable of eradicating and in this case exacerbating by seizing two young children and placing them in foster homes destroying the lives of whom they are supposedly protecting.

Both a gloomy story and cinematography. Strong performances throughout.

Watch the trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d7m56uOUH8I

Directed by Francesco Costabile.

RKS EURO FILM RATING 93/100.

RKS RUSSIAN LITERATURE: A Gentlemen is Not Concerned About Money When Gambling (Fyodor Dostoevsky)

Yes, even if a gentleman should lose his whole fortune, he must never give way to anger. Money must be so far beneath a gentleman as never to be worth a thought. Of course, the supremely aristocratic thing is to be entirely oblivious of the rabble and all one’s surroundings, but sometimes it may be just as aristocratic to adopt the opposite course and to notice, and even gaze at, the mob (preferably through a lorgnette) as though one were taking the crowd and its squalor for some sort of spectacle that has been organized specially for a gentleman’s diversion.

Fyodor Dostoevsky, “The Gambler”, 1866

RKS RUSSIAN LITERATURE: The Nature of a Gentleman Gambler (Fyodor Dostoevsky)

For instance a gentleman may stake, say, five or ten louis d’or – seldom more, unless he is a very rich man, when he may stake, say, a thousand francs – but he must do this simply for the love of the game itself, simply for sport, simply in order to observe the process of winning or losing, and, above all, as a man who remains quite uninterested in the possibility of coming out a winner. If he wins he, is at liberty, say, to laugh or pass a remark on the circumstance to a bystander, or place a stake again, or double his stake, even this he must do solely out of curiosity and for the pleasure of watching the play of chances and calculations and not from any vulgar desire to win.

Fyodor Dostoevsky, “The Gambler”, 1866

RKS RUSSIAN LITERATURE: Roulette a Sordid Gambling Activity (Fyodor Dostoevsky)

In the first place, everything about it seemed so sordid – morally nasty and dirty, that is. I’m not talking about the expectant, restless folk who, in their scores – even in their hundreds – could be seen crowded around the gaming tables, because I could see nothing sordid in a desire to win quickly and win a lot. I have always applauded the opinion of a certain well-fed and well-off moralist who replied to someone’s excuse that ‘they only gambled for small stakes’ by saying ’So much the worse, since it’s just petty greed.

Fyodor Dostoevsky, “The Gambler”, 1866

RKS CANADIAN LITERATURE: Guilt the Unavoidable Destiny of Widowhood (Joanna Goodman)

He slams the car door and steps back onto the sidewalk with a friendly wave. Alone in the cab, Arden lets her head fall back against the seat. She closes her eyes, feeling a little bit tipsy and disappointed, a lot guilty. As the taxi pulls into the street, she wonders if her feelings for other men will always be tangled up with guilt – if in fact, guilt is the unavoidable destiny of widowhood.

Joanna Goodman, “The Inheritance”, Harper Collins 2024

“Lost in Puppydom: Rory Dylan Stephen’s Puppydom”: MY WALKING STYLE IN THE HOOD: THINK SINATRA’S “I DID IT MY WAY”

MY WALKING STYLE IN THE HOOD: THINK SINATRA’S “I DID IT MY WAY”

Regrets, I’ve had a few
But then again, too few to mention
I did what I had to do
And saw it through without exemption
I planned each charted course
Each careful step along the byway
And more, much more than this
I did it my way

When walking in the hood with Bob he says I remind him of the Sinatra song, “I Did it My Way”. I start by deep contemplation when leaving the house should I turn right or left. Should I cross the street?

I am walking Bob not the other way around!

I go to Billy’s house and wait for him to emerge. Perhaps a twirl or two if he is not at home. Then up to Mookie’s to do the same. Then a backtrack to Lulu’s, then to Karl’s house as I have been to a few parties there. Then home unless I encounter some of my friends in which I will play with them and follow them around for a bit. Never much of a linear progression.

At night though in darkness I might continue in one direction. You might say when I walk in the hood I do it my way!

You might surmise all this is haphazard, but I have planned each chartered course along the way.

When I walk at the park it is mostly straight ahead.

“Lost in Puppydom: Rory Dylan Stephen’s Puppydom”: OF BUZZING, HUMMING, WHINING AND GREEN BURRS: MY MULMUR HILLS ADVENTURE: I AM NO PIERRE RADISSON!

OF BUZZING, HUMMING, WHINING AND GREEN BURRS MY MULMUR HILLS ADVENTURE: I AM NO PIERRE RADISSON! MY MULMUR HILLS ADVENTURE

Before we packed up and headed back to Toronto all of us went for a short walk on the trail behind the tennis courts. High pitched whining, buzzing and humming all around me. And if I stopped little skeeters and all manner of insects attacked me. Bugs in the forest looking for my blood or flesh! Flying Draculas! Suzy Larue said no breeze to blow the little buggers away you are dead meat.

And those tiny green burrs on my head. OUCH I said to Bob removing them!

Let’s face it I am no Pierre Radisson.

I have a little poem;

As a Westie I love the outdoors

But stay away you blood sucking and flesh biting whores!

“Lost in Puppydom: Rory Dylan Stephen’s Puppydom”: SATURDAY IN CREEMORE: LIFESTYLES OF THE TORONTO GENTRY: MY MULMUR HILLS ADVENTURE

SATURDAY IN CREEMORE: LIFESTYLES OF THE TORONTO GENTRY: MY MULMUR HILLS ADVENTURE

It has been close to twenty years since Bob and Fay have stayed with Suzy Larue. Mr. Larue is long since in the Great Land Beyond but his spirit hovers above the property.

Bob was looking forward to visiting the quaint town of Creemore where locals and the Toronto Gentry who have second grand homes were once seen mingling the streets. Farmers having coffee and breakfast with the Toronto Gentry. The quaint Creemore Brewery, perhaps the first truly local brewery in Ontario. Authentic small-town vibes.

We stopped at the outskirts of Creemore for some petrol and those gas pumps were so cool Bob said. One pump for EXTREME and another for REGULAR instead of a bank of numbers showing the grade. But the owner was Korean. About the only non-Caucasian we saw this Saturday morning so unlike Toronto where being a Caucasian is in the minority. Culture shock Bob noted!

The Toronto Gentry flooded the main street. Well dressed emitting a confident and smug air my nose detected. We had a sandwich at the Bank Cafe a popular Toronto Gentry hangout. Fancy coffees and they brought our BLT all wrapped up in fancy wax paper and tied with a ribbon! And yes Bob saw a local taking a coffee away and the fellow stuck out like a sore thumb. The Pine and Chez Michel exclusive eateries costing a bundle! Cyclists with the latest bikes and gear.

As Bob remarked, “What the hell has happened to Creemore! Where are the kulaks!”

The farmer’s market had very little produce instead full of niceties you might find at a Toronto “farmer’s market”. Bob, a jam maker, had an interesting conversation with a lady selling her homemade jams. To avoid the gunk Bob has on his strawberry jam he made this year she said freeze the strawberries then make the jam with them. He also bought some local honey.

We then drove to some tony dairy just outside of Alliston. They sell some of their products to high end Toronto stores that the Toronto Gentry regularly shop at back home in Toronto.

Then another stop Maple Grove Farms. With a minimal amount of produce but more high-end dainties and fancies. Delicious granola for sure I can attest to that with everything the Toronto Gentry requires for a fancy dinner party in the countryside.

As Bob said you can’t stop the Toronto Gentry as they are en masse in Niagara-on-the-Lake and Prince Edward County both a relative short distance from Toronto.

I enjoyed returning home to Suzy Larue’s where Bob cooked, may I say, a Toronto Gentry dinner of seared tuna with two complicated emulsions, brown rice and green beans!

Could it be Bob and Fay are sort of Toronto Gentry in the closet? Before you know it they’ll buy a farm here and become official Toronto Gentry in Creemore!