“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 stories emerged. Residents abused. Residents excessively drugged. Rotten and mouldy food. Poor cleanliness. Residents not bathed. Residents in soiled clothes for days. Rampant bed sores. And in many countries this had been the norm for years. I admired the Swedish system of integrating seniors into the community by improving at care home. Unfortunately in North America long term care homes were more prisons than compassionate and caring institutions. Just look at the forcible confinement of long-term care residents and prohibition of family visits in the name of “protective isolation”. Inmates in prisons had more rights!

Workers at these facilities were so poorly paid they had to take multiple jobs setting them up to become super spreaders in an environment where the COVIDs were an invitation to the pearly gates.

These horrific conditions were the subject of countless exposés for over 40 years and political promises to reform the management of these facilities abounded but talk was cheap and action was too expensive. So many wonderful seniors needlessly died and the result other than grief for many families and disgust of the general population was a commission of inquiry about long term care in Ontario after the COVIDs. I sat on this commission because of my voluntary work at these facilities. So we developed a set of recommendations most of which were common sense and not costly fixes but our Ontario government clapped and applauded but forgot. Bankrupt governments have so little to offer medical and social reform causing so many of us simply to cry and ask God to forgive us and mourn the loss of so many valuable souls.

Seniors have so much wisdom and experience to offer us but ageism and a tight budget and in some cases the profit motive shunted aside a rich vein of our cultural life. There were some that said the high mortality rate for seniors was a merciful act of Darwinism. Yes I think there was some truth to that as so many of these seniors, particularly those with debilitating illnesses, were suffering terribly and kept alive through modern pharmacology  living a meagre and horrific existence but if you have worked with seniors like I have beneath that suffering and illness is a person fighting to survive and to politely ignore their death as “the fittest survive” doesn’t cut mustard. I think sometimes it was not the COVIDs that killed them but negligent management and regulation of long-term care and senior’s facilities. If there was any good to come out of this bad it was that bereaved and outraged families litigated against the privately operated facilities and basically shut them down globally with governments taking over their management so that in effect they became hospitals. Of course we know how well governments manage hospitals!

Photo: Robert Tuomi

“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 souvenir stands operated by aggressive vendors. One gets the impression tourists are nothing but a source of cash. One dollar only they holler! The highlight was the Temple of Kukulkan which I climbed up with Andrew and held his hand as we descended the narrow and steep stairs. One misjudgement and you are severely injured if not killed. This visit they have a rope you can hold going both up and down. It seems so easy climbing up but down is another story. There were a few terrified gringos inching downwards. Our guide left us an hour to wonder around so we saw the Temple of the Warriors. What remains unearthed in the jungle? The conquering Spaniards were not shy to remove stones from temples to build their colonial dream. We spent some 4 hours in the ruins which is about all us pasty gringos can tolerate in the blistering heat and humidity. A short trip on the bus to a tourist buffet serving mediocre food but like the last visit the Mayan turkey dish was excellent. Us tourists were treated to a traditional Mayan dance performance. I feel my gringoism is being rubbed in my face! In Europe you can disguise yourself somewhat but here in Mexico gringos stick out like a sore thumb. But putting pride aside tourism does create employment and revenue but what money ends up in the hands of poor Mexicans is questionable. Poor Alex and Andrew had tummy troubles the following day but thank God no Montezuma!

Off to Tulum again for a 47 km $32 taxi ride. As usual an absolutely stunning view of the coast with beautiful sandy beaches and turquoise ocean. My God there is now a Subway franchise at the gates of Tulum. The type of progress best ignored.

RKS Literature: Passage of the Day: David Nicholls “One Day ” 

“But not that much joy, and this year it seems that every time she leaves the house some new infant is being jammed in her face. She feels the same dread as when someone produces a brick sized pile of their holiday snaps; great that you had a nice time, but what’s that got to do with me? To this end, Emma has a fascinated-face that she puts on when a friend tells her about the miseries of labour, what drugs were used, whether they caved and went for the epidural, the agony, the joy.”

David Nicholls “One Day”: Vintage Contemporaries 2009

“Travels to a Different Time”: March 2002 Cancun Mexico: The “Quaint Fishing Village” of Puerto Adventuras   

I recall at the briefing from the tour company rep at the hotel there is a quaint fishing village within walking distance of the hotel. What is quaint is a matter of opinion and when it is uttered by a tour company representative is it as meaningful as discussing the honesty of the former vice president of the United States Spiro Agnew! So we walked to this quaint fishing village one afternoon but so much for quaint as it was nothing but a collection of high end condos and a marina full of Gringo sailboats and yachts. There were almost no people about and it was like a ghost town. There was one ultra luxury hotel. There were a few deep-sea fishing boats and 7 restaurants with North American high end eatery prices. Out of place was a dolphin pen where you could spend $120 USD to swim with the Dolphins. I am a tourist but not a stupid one promoting cruelty to aquatic life. If you were thinking that Ernest Hemingway might be here pounding down tequila and writing “The Old Man and the Sea” he didn’t like what he saw and departed decades ago! If this is a quaint fishing village I swear I have not been drinking mescal!

RKS Film: “When Flowers are Not Silent”: No Need for a Ukraine in Belarus at Least not Yet

What is worse than an autocrat shoving repression down the throats of the population? It is an autocrat ruling within a weakened regime that becomes even more repressive to hang on to power. Such is the story of the President of Belarus Alexander Lukashenka who maintained power in what is widely regarded as a rigged election in 2020. Belarusians who grasped for independence as the USSR crumbled did not take kindly to a reversion to Stalinism (by Lukashenka) that claimed over 300,000 victims.

When the Putin autocracy crumbles Belarus is what will be his last stand. He will have to be overly vicious and repressive to cling to power as Lukashenka presently does.

Last year I reviewed a film “Courage” that documented the repression in Belarus primarily through the eyes of members of a theatre group. “When Flowers are Not Silent” adds a further dimension to Belarusian repression as it is told through the eyes of mostly women who see their sons and daughters, husbands and boyfriends murdered, tortured and beaten by security forces.

If you are familiar with repressive regimes the current Belarus game is not new but worthy of a refresher! If you are not so politically savvy then this documentary will be an eye opener for what to expect when an autocrat quickly loses legitimacy. As the Berlin Wall fell so will Lukashenka.

So what does an autocrat do when on the ropes?

  • Employ brutal riot police
  • Torture
  • Rape
  • Murder
  • Kidnap
  • Intimidate
  • Ignore the rule of law
  • Seek help and legitimacy of fellow tyrants such as Tsar Putin
  • Extract forced confessions

The documentary lets the victims of repression speak. Listen.

The documentary won as Best Documentary at the 38th Warzaw International Film Festival. It is directed by Andrei Kutsila.

If the shit hits the fan in Belarus will Tsar Putin and his tattered and discredited army make a move to “liberate” Belarus?

You can see the trailer here https://vimeo.com/701072086

The documentary opens in Canada on August 28th.

RKS Film Rating 89/100.

RKS Film: “The Territory”: A Glum Portrait of the Disappearing Amazonian Rain Forest

“The Territory” focuses on a tiny band of indigenous aboriginals the Uru-eu-wau-wau in the Brazilian Amazonian rain forest. Numbering less than 200 they are surrounded by “invaders” poor Brazilians desperate for a plot of land with no regard to indigenous land rights. They steal, slash and burn and then spray with insecticide. Then agribusiness replaces them. The “invaders” certainly have support from President Jair Bolsonaro of Brazil who in his last election campaign promised there would not be another inch of indigenous reserves granted. Indigenous Affairs is understaffed and powerless and fatalistically says there is nothing they can do to stem the invasion and theft of indigenous lands.

So the Uru create a media team to document their demise. Quite frankly one is left with the impression in a couple of decades they will be but anecdotes in Amazonian rainforest history. Brazilians overall seem to resent indigenous people and the indigenous populations would appear to have more political support outside of Brazil than in it. Yes there are environmentalists in Brazil but they are threatened and intimidated. There are independent journalists as well but they do not seem much of a persuasive force.

I have seen a few similarly themed documentaries dealing with the threatened decimation and extinction of indigenous populations in Peru, Brazil, Canada (“Returning Home”), the Philippines and for the most part it is sort of a good guy bad guy scenario with the good guys, the indigenous population being the sole focus of the films but here we get up and close with the land invaders. Poor Brazilians tenaciously at any cost trying to claim land so they can deforest it, build homes, spray insecticides, and grow crops. They are the modern cowboys stealing land and destroying it for their needs. They are there “to liberate” the land and put it to use. Ignorant and crude as they may be the exploration of their mentality of desperation gives this documentary a great credibility and depth. And getting off topic the First Nations of Canada are in many respects facing the same fate as the Uru and historically they were driven out of their lands by settlers who were no better than the invaders of the Amazonian rainforest. As one invader states doesn’t the Bible say that people are meant to take the land and multiply. Of course, did the Bible not say thou shalt not steal!

What weapons do the Uru have? Drones and cameras to document the invaders on their territory. They also have initiated vigilante patrols and conduct citizen arrests and burn down invader’s shanties on their territory. One senses violence will be exerted against them by the majority invaders that surround them. In fact a 33-year-old Uru land protector is found at the side of the road beaten to death. International media may help but so far it has failed to stop the decimation of the Amazonian rainforest by farmers, cattle ranchers, agri-business, loggers and hydro-electric projects. The fact that the documentary is a National Geographic Film gives the Uru people an international audience but the final curtain may already be closing.

Brazilian greed, poverty and desperation unchecked by political forces spells the end of the Amazonian rainforest. Inevitable sadness.

In Canada the documentary has played in Toronto, Vancouver and Montreal and there is the possibility of additional screenings and VOD release.

Directed by Alex Pritz.

RKS Film Rating 91/100. 

RKS Wine: Creative Label but What About the Taste?

When it is about wine labels and names for wine the Aussies lead the pack. You might want to think of it as a marketing strategy for Australian wines. No matter how fantastic your wine is if it does not sell what does the public care about a winemaker’s passion for the wine they have crafted? If you play with your label and name perhaps you’ll devise something cute and nab that wine drinker not necessarily based on quality but on image.

Coco Rôtie by Redheads Wine has a distinctive head turning label that being an ape with a crown. Did you know that Tarzan’s father was killed by the King of the Apes Kerchak but this is not the ape the label is referring to. Coco Rôtie is also a cute play on the French appellation Côte-Rôtie where you find Condrieu reds and whites at a very steep price. And wouldn’t you know it like the French in Côte-Rôtie Redheads is adding a bit of the white Viognier to its Syrah.

As we move on from the wit and fun is Coco Rôtie a decent wine? The 96 % Shiraz struts raspberry, blackberry, blueberry with a bit of earthiness like it is swinging through the aisles of the Liquor Control Board of Ontario’s flagship store in Rosedale Ontario. As for its taste will we have a “Me Tarzan you Jane moment? The Viognier takes the edge off the Shiraz softening the wine. There is blackberry, black cherry and a bit of burn on the finish which with Syrah one may often attribute to a bit of pepper on the palate or perhaps too high a degree of alcohol which can destroy characteristics of many a wine. This wine just manages to contain the alcohol and integrate it into the wine but it is a close call. I have two bottles of 2005 Cote-Rôtie in the cellar and the alcohol content is 12.5%. Do you want a big, bodied wine with elegance or one with high test alcohol?

Will hold until the end of 2024.

The higher alcohol content of the wine makes it a foodie wine particularly beef or lamb or vegetarian stuffed field vegetables such as zucchini, tomatoes, peppers stuffed with rice, tomatoes, onions, garlic and lots of dill.

For movies the wine pairs well with “Planet of the Apes”.

(Coco Rôtie 2019 South Australia Shiraz, Red Heads Wine, Angaston South Australia, $19,25, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 108076, 14.5%, RKS Wine Rating 92/100).

Hellenic Film Society USA Announces New York Greek Film Expo 2022

New York Greek Film Expo 2022
Thursday, September 29—Sunday, October 9
Hosted by Andreas Konstantinou
We are proud to announce our upcoming film festival, hosted by one of Greece’s biggest film stars.
 
To keep ticket prices low, we rely on the support of individuals, corporations, and foundations to help offset our costs. We welcome donations of any size. Or show your support with an ad in our souvenir program, given to all audience members and sent to our 5,000+ email subscribers. It’s a high-visibility way to offer a greeting while supporting the work of the Hellenic Film Society.

To learn more about what we’re planning, click here. More details to come!
 
When many cultural institutions curtailed their offerings during the pandemic, the Hellenic Film Society expanded ours, offering Greek films on demand around the world and launching a YouTube channel featuring free films and conversations with Greek filmmakers. We invite you to visit our website and see what we’ve been up to.
 
Please consider supporting our film festival. For further information, please call (347) 934-9497. Deadline for submissions is Thursday, September 15.

Thank you for your consideration.
DONATE
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Hellenic Film Society USA
35-07 Broadway, Astoria, NY 11106
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RKS Poetry

The Current State of Canadian Healthcare

Oh federal and provincial governments you had warnings about a healthcare system on the brink
But you wanted to avoid an electoral stink
about brazen governmental deficits
so make the cuts and let the health care system hit the pits
not to mention the deregulation and lax enforcement concerning long term care
have you forgotten there are real people living there
in effect welcoming the COVID massacre and imprisonment of residents
now its CYA and pointing the fingers
very astute Ontario limiting salary increases to nurses to 1% a year for three years
incompetence and lack of foresight enough to bring tears
a warm sincere and caring welcome to your beloved (or so you say) front line heroes

ER wards closing
A shortage of nurses
personal visit replaced by virtual visits to a physician assuming you have one
waiting lists to get on the waiting list
cancelled surgeries
ultrasounds supposedly ordinarily taking two weeks but 9 weeks later not a peep
resulting deadly delays make my skin creep
people dying in hospital hallways
by God we have seen better days
the only thing dear politicians you understand and fear is election day
where you’ll be sent packing on your way
to enjoy your most generous pension and be placed in a good mood
while seniors eat cat food

Robert K. Stephen

“Virus # 26 Director’s Cut” : Chapter 18 “Lessons Learnt from the COVIDs: Collateral Damages : The Death of Employment”

The closures of economies led to the wiping out of smaller businesses. The effect was mass unemployment and the stranglehold by big box businesses. This created enormous anxiety amongst the working population in Western countries that were already living on the edge with a huge debt to income ratio. Yes there were governmental programs that offered financial assistance which was for many far less than the lost income. Yet in some cases money was doled out willy nilly to employees such as in the United States where part time workers received emergency aid amounts in excess of their part time wages for a short period. A gigantic wave of anxiety swept the working public. Yes, the banks were understanding initially then they moved in like sharks ripping the indebted into bloody shreds. Seems they failed to understand that you can’t draw blood from a stone.

Even the reopening of economies could not replace the jobs that were lost. Simply because the economy reopened did not mean businesses reopened. There was enough government money to power through to the end of the COVIDs but after the well ran dry by the time Virus # 26 started to rip through the globe in 2030 the government rescue taps were starting to turn off. The long-term effect was also the crippling of the concept of customer service as there were less employees around to offer it. The workers treated like commodities and brutally laid off decided to look elsewhere from their dead-end jobs where they were so poorly treated. And when economies started improving there was a massive shortage of labour in demeaning and low paying jobs.

A gigantic wave of mental illness roared through the working population. Anxiety was off the scale. Depression mounted. Suicides became a regular occurrence. Big Pharma in addition to its never-ending development of ineffective vaccines was raking it in with anti-depressants as amongst those hardworking people all hope seemed to have been robbed.

Extremism started its foundational growth initially with a whole series of “Fuck the Vulnerable” movements and then a similar “Fuck the 1 %” movement. Break-ins of the upper-class mansions were common and increasingly violent. There was a near coup in the United States in 2021 by right wing nationalists and extremists led by Kim Jong Trump. People started dressing down and selling off luxury cars to avoid being attacked. Biker gangs were employed by neighbourhood groups for protection. The 1% were quaking in their boots and were organizing themselves into “Save Capitalism Militias”. The WFH mentality now turned into a necessity as a trip downtown to the office invited armed robbery in metropolitan centres.

The 1% looked increasingly to the military for protection. Several Amazon warehouses in the United States were torched and firebombs lobbed at Walmart headquarters in the United States. But as the military had been largely reduced to due lack of funding and decimated because of its forced conscription into long term care facilities it looked as if a military coup to protect the 1% was not coming too soon.