“Virus # 26” : Director’s Cut : “Virus # 26” “Lessons Learnt from the COVIDs: the Medicos”

Thank goodness the medicos did not run the show during COVID times. You must remember their whole moral fabric is to “save lives” or was it to peddle worthless vaccines kissed by “medical respectability”? The medicos were used by the politicos to terrify the population in an effort to stem the tide of COVID cases to underfunded and unprepared medical systems. So they were patsies! Medicos as a general rule are technocrats and many quite frankly are nerds with the personality of a cucumber. But they were valuable resources and a source of excuses in the struggle assisting (hopefully) the politicos in their decision making. And as for propaganda purposes they built the basis of the propaganda machine with their obsession with social distancing, mask wearing and leading the dog and pony show about vaccines. Their daily press conferences were about as exciting as watching paint dry. They largely failed to see or ignored the medical collateral damage caused by the shut down of economies and true to physician form most lacked compassion. It was numbers, numbers, numbers then admonishments and threats to the public if you don’t do this and that you are transformed into a killing machine.

I have a beef against my fellow physicians as they are neither economists nor politicians and in their ignorance they were duped by the politicos. And serving politicians that appointed them was a shortcoming they had a star role in playing. One has to remember they serve the elected politicians but their duty to the public’s health was largely forgotten during COVID. Perhaps the medico’s biggest disgrace was their slavish insistence about vaccines that clearly had low efficacy and when that fact became apparent they switched md stream and chirped they reduce the amount of severe cases despite by the time COVIDs petered out 8 different vaccinations were produced. Herd immunity can do quite fine without vaccines!

“Travels to a Different Time” : 6August2000: Athens, Greece: The Albanian Issue

Greece has been homogenous for quite some time. On this visit I am amazed to see the ethnic diversity that is starting to emerge in Greece. The new groups are starting at the bottom rung so as to speak. Many Greeks are uneasy with the influx of illegal immigrants. The Albanians are treated with suspicion and to some degree with Albanian organized crime rings operating in Greece they may one day be categorized as the New Mafia. For example after a hearty American style buffet headed to Omonia Square which has become an unsavoury area full of shady characters most of whom are Albanian with a fearful look in their eyes like the police will swoop down and expel them back to dirt poor and chaotic Albania. Took a taxi back to the hotel getting a view of the side streets near the Stanley Hotel. The taxi driver pointed out the groups of Albanian young men with disdain. As he said the Albanians are the new Gypsies in Greece. The heat of 40 is difficult to function in. You need a bottle of water every half hour. I make no judgements other than saying the Irish, Greeks and Italians had it very rough when arriving to Canada. In fact at one point in time there was an anti-Greek riot in Toronto.

“Travels to A Different Time” : 5August2000: Athens, Greece: Interesting Hotel in Athens Besieged by Shady Albanians

Last breakfast in Samos at the hotel. Horrible bickering amongst the hotel staff. If it continues that chef is going on a stabbing rampage! The taxi driver with the bum ticker picked me up and off to the airport. A beautiful last glimpse of Samos but the two rusting cars at the side of the road are a bit strange considering the strict municipal building codes in effect to maintain the architectural integrity of the towns on Samos. Yet why are these two rusting cars sitting on the shoulder of the road?

The check in process was disorganized and the Olympic flight (as usual) was delayed for 40 minutes. Allotted a crappy room at the Hotel Stanley but argued up to the top floor. Room 816 with a view of the Acropolis! The area is somewhat in decline with shady looking characters lurking about mostly Albanians. After the 1992 collapse of communism thousands of Albanians streamed in Greece many illegally. They managed to control the narcotics trade in Athens in short order. Petty thievery and cons abound. Break and enter crimes have soared over the past few years and the Albanians are blamed for it by many Greeks. I even had one Albanian guy offer to sell me a fake passport. Hotel Stanley is $150 USD a night half the rate of the Grand Bretagne and is a find but in a depressing district. They have rooftop bar and pool with a stunning view of the Acropolis. Speaking of the Acropolis headed out to see it again as I saw it last in 1970. It is still an amazing sight and the approach to through Plaka is interesting like being in a small Greek village with small winding streets. The view of Athens from the Acropolis is just about as spectacular as the Acropolis itself. Dropped into the Acropolis Museum. Back at the hotel for a rooftop pool swim. Although I try and avoid hotel restaurants given the seediness of the area had a dinner at the rooftop restaurant at the Stanley with a view of the Acropolis. The dinner was excellent and the service very well timed. Cretan white wine was bold and crisp. Complimentary dessert of peaches and watermelon.

The taxi driver that took me to Hotel Stanley from the airport said it was a great hotel in a bad district. At night he would not drive in it.

RKS Film: “All Must Die”: Norwegian Bachelorette Party Slasher Film

Gina (Viktoria Winge) is getting married to Even and there is a bachelorette party planned by her girlfriends in a remote cabin in the Norwegian woods. And it will have a horror theme.

Yes the girls are having a grand time boozing it up and joking as they head off in a van to the cabin. Then as evening sets in the horror games begin as Gina has to follow clues and riddles in a sort of horror treasure hunt. Gina discovers very horrific scenes in this little game. She is very uneasy and seemingly edging toward a terrorized state. But is it a game or something more?

Something has gone terribly wrong as in this “game” dead bodies start adding up. And close to the end of the film, the clever person you are, you’ve picked up on clues that started right in the opening scene and are developed throughout the movie! It may very well be that you are being misled!

I must be careful not to spoil a horror movie particularly when it is a bachelorette slasher film. But I took the bait and just got everything wrong. Now if I had paid very close attention to the opening scene of the argument between Gina and her fiancée Even I would have had the answer. Enough said other than only at the conclusion of the film will you home in on the significance of that opening scene!

Spooky with a devilish twist! Remember gal pal Stine has been committed in the past but someone else too!  Like a film with an unexpected twist this one is for you. Lots of blood and guts flying around. I say the biggest chill is at the closing scene of the film when a voice says, “You can start over again and this time it will be perfect”.

You’ll love the soundtrack.

RKS Film Rating 86/100.

You can see the trailer here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-BDtGEIvUc

This 2019 film will arrive digitally on August 2 including iTunes, Amazon Prime Video, Google Play, Xbox and Vudu. It was directed by Geir Greni.

RKS Wine: A Clownish Wine: No Disrespect Meant!

I see a wine with a “Fitou” appellation please forgive me but I think of a clown. I am not sure why? Perhaps it is my Montreal background where I recall a Quebecois clown Bobino that had a popular television show years ago. But Fitou has no similarity to “Bobino”. Should I report this to a neurologist as a reportable event?

While I ruminate over my mental state perhaps a focus on the wine that prompts the bizarre analogy should be tried. It is a blend of Grenache and Carignan. The Carignan was fermented separately via carbonic maceration and then blended with the Grenache and aged for one year in oak.

On the nose a juicy explosion of blackberry and black cherry embraced in a root beer and cactus pear perimeter. On the palate again blackberry rules the roost and not the “chickens have come home to roost” comment made by Malcom X after the assassination of President Kennedy.

Not a wine to titillate about but a hard worker that would be a great bistro wine with steak and frites or with a Bucky Burger at Deux Amis in New York City at 356 East 51st where you will encounter more locals than tourists from Idaho.

The wine is no clown but neither is it royalty. Given economic conditions these days I think I might feel more comfortable with a bistro winner than with a G 7 reception wine.

(Gérard Bertrand AN 990 2019 Fitou Grenache/Carignan, AOP Fitou, Gérard Bertrand, Narbonne, France, Liquor Control Board Of Ontario # 403683,$17.95, 750 mL, 14.5%, RKS Wine Rating 88/100).

RKS Wine: Quinta do Bom Retiro in The Douro: Bright Eyed and Bushy Tailed!

If my memory serves me correct I flew to Porto from Toronto in November 2014 on my very first European media tour. I was travelling with B a writer freelancing for a major Canadian newspaper. From the airport we were picked by our driver Mr. Antonio and guide L from the Instituto dos Vinhos do Douro e do Porto and off to the Douro to Quinta do Bom Retiro a Ramos Pinto estate. Never having been on such a trip I wondered what I was doing in Portugal! I suppose I had to fly by the seat of my pants for 5 jam packed days of predominately Port tastings. Now that I had perhaps 3 glasses of Port in my life you may say the stress and uncertainty was high. I wrote 12 articles on that trip. A winery shows me hospitality it is my obligation to repay it.

Our first stop if I recall was Quinta do Bom Retiro. Quinta is Portuguese for farm but most of the Quintas I have visited are more akin to a Chateau. The road to the Quinta off the main road was narrow and a mistake would send you plunging to your death. I recall there was a large group welcoming two Canadian journalists. We had a splendid dinner and Ports and table wines were awaiting us. I did my best to avoid my exhausted head from plopping into the fine cut of ox on my plate and at 9 p.m. I begged off and had a tremendous sleep as becomes one who hasn’t slept in countless hours.

From a Newbie to a knight in the Order of Port Brotherhood!

Bottom line is that I have a soft spot in my heart for Ramos Pinto! So I see a Ramos Pinto wine “Duas Quintas” a happy light went on in my brain of days past.

The nose is crammed with a solid arsenal of black fruit particularly black cherry and blackberry. One immediately gets the impression this is a wine that takes no prisoners. Tannins are moderate and broad based. There is a bit of a chalky overtone with a bit of hot spice lingering in its finish. Again a cascade of black fruit. A strong willed and impetuous wine that is neither elegant or delicate but it is no monster. It certainly would suit a nice, rare slab of ox or Euro beef. A classic Douro wine that could use until 2024 to be a real cutie and ready to wink at you!

A blend of Touriga Nacional and Touriga Franca.

(Duas Quintas 2018 Ramos Pinto, Vinho Tinto, DOC Douro, Ramos Pinto, Villa Nova de Gaia, Portugal, $19.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 359893, 750 mL, 14%, RKS Wine Rating 91/100).

“Virus # 26″ Director’s Cut: Chapter 13:”Lessons Learnt from the COVIDs: the Politicos”

The politicos at first glance seemed to be managing the COVID outbreak. Sadly the inability of the medical systems to handle the initial wave was a result of continual cuts made to the medical systems by the politicos. That meant less PPE and less front-line medical workers, no vaccine or anti virals and in effect deregulation of long-term care homes. Some politicians accepted the blame while others like former President Donald J. Trump who so tragically bumbled COVID management created a whole host of diversionary tactics to shift the blame or change the topic of COVID ineptitude on American’s minds. But during the second wave of COVID-19 in 2021 he was no more as he met his deserved electoral fate in the 2020 Presidential election leading to the victory of “Sleepy Joe” Biden chattering afterwards like a monkey about “election steals”. He also met a nastier defeat which we will talk about shortly.

By the time COVID Plus petered out in 2027 just about any political leader in power at the outset of COVID-19 in 2019 was either defeated in election, removed by coup or subjected to an assassination attempt.

So there you have it the blame game is easy to play in retrospect and I place it on the politicos for a variety of reasons the primary being lack of proper funding, the deregulation of long term care facilities, ignoring the severity of COVID calling it a nasty flu and in many countries the lack of socialized medicine making the lower groups in the socio-economic scale easy targets for the virus.

But I am not sure how apportioning the political blame will help deal with the next virus. I’d rather add up our collective lessons and learn from them.

Whether a democracy or authoritarian government most of them played it the same way with some willing to accept more risk than the others. A politician exists to see another electoral win. When matters go askew a politician looks for a third party to blame. The medicos were used as a human shield to deflect electoral anger i.e. we were just relying on advice from our medical team!

“Travels to a Different Time “: : 2August2000: Samos, Greece: Bickering, Pale Chicken and Semi Raw Potatoes: Taxi Driver with Bum Ticker

At this small hotel there are often bursts of bickering. It started off in the morning very loud and heated. Over what the bickering is in honour of no idea. I have a limited Greek vocabulary. After breakfast off to the archeological museum in Vathi. Very small but some marble statues from 300-600 BC from the Ireon archeological site. Samos in those days was a recognized power trading in Egypt and Cyprus so there are many artifacts from these cultures in the museum. Interesting but after visiting Ephesus certainly not an overwhelming experience. For lunch a tiropita (cheese pie) and an orange juice followed by a coffee in the main square. Back to hotel for a brief siesta and more bickering over some pale looking chicken and not fully roasted potatoes. I understand “kota” is chicken and “patates” as potatoes. The argument was about the food not being cooked sufficiently. The chef was gesticulating wildly. Up at 16:00 in the blazing heat needing a Greek coffee to rejoin the world. At 17:00 off up the hills with a taxi driver with a bum ticker. Going to the monastery at Flammarion and the roads are treacherous. His ticker goes it would be a fatal trip over the edge! What a view of island and Turkey across the way. The monastery was austere and located in a pine forest. I managed to walk straight into a wall luckily only dazed with no cuts. We met a 75-year-old woman who for some tragic reason had been living in the monastery since she was 14.  As the taxi driver had a passenger to back down to Vathi in half an hour invited for a coffee and cookies at his home. The town is small and olive groves abound. No stores in sight. The passenger we picked up was Australian and what a ride down with spectacular views. Dinner was a souvlaki of top quality. I love it when they stuff the fries in the souvlaki. A small bottle of wine with a cap. Looks almost like an old beer bottle. Poor quality but cheaper than Coca-Cola.

“Virus # 26” : Director’s Cut: , “Lessons Learnt From the COVIDs: The Cult of the Front-Line Worker”

There are the medical professionals and politicians who form the top of the pyramid in the COVID narrative but there are also grocers, gas station attendants, bus and taxi drivers and a whole host of people in “essential businesses” that remained open throughout the COVIDs.

Hey I was one of those front-line workers as a cardiologist at a major Toronto hospital so I am the last one to express an uncaring thought or word about front-line workers. Indeed I’ll even go along with the politico propaganda campaign that called them heroes because given the poor planning and hospital cuts of the politicos for most countries in the world that had a decent healthcare system there simply were not enough front-line workers, a lack of personal protective equipment (PPE) and anti-virals to fight the battle. Budget cuts or “rationalizations” if you prefer.

However these medical front-line workers were manufactured into a cult by the media and the propaganda. Again back to my travels in the 1970s in the Iron Curtain countries where socialist realism art played a predominant role in the “education” of the proletariat. Brave factory workers with the hammer and sickle flag in one hand and a hammer in the other striving to meet the objectives of the Central Committee’s 10-year plan.

The media had a field day showcasing the brave front-line medical workers with sappy music and dialogue and special 3-minute specials like “Our Heroes”. I can tell you we were all simply doing our job under difficult conditions and for the non-physicians for substandard pay, no life insurance or short- or long-term disability plans. Although many jurisdictions did come through with some increases for medical staff battling the COVIDs. What good is a few extra dollars for your family when you die when you have no life insurance or are disabled without disability plans?

My thoughts on this were that the front-line workers were used as a propaganda tool for morale purposes for the politicos and for touching and emotional stories by the media. And as people are amoebas, they lapped it up.

What was disturbing was the militarism developing in terms of the vocabulary used for COVID such as “battle”, “war”, “skirmish” “front-line” and like the Americans in Vietnam we had daily kill and wounded counts. And then the inane flights of the American Blue Angels and Canadian snowbirds to “boost the morale” of the population or should we say troops. Speaking of war where were the budget cutting politico traitors? Some countries might call the politicos who had whistle-blowers and critics of government management of COVID disappear or fall out of windows murderers.

Don’t get me wrong front line workers are heroes as anyone with a brain realizes that. What bothered many of us these heroes were an agent of political control and shamefully used as propaganda.

Photo Robert Tuomi

RKS Wine: Wineflation: Los Clop Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon: Management Discussion with Analysts

Many wine aficionados literally run to the LCBO for highly rated wine. It is a game to snatch a winner before others beat you to it. In this case it is a Los Clop Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 from Argentina rated a 97 by Decanter Magazine. When I see a score like this I think sometimes a reality check is required. Is there wineflation involved? What do market analysts think of the wine?

Analysts Tracking Development of Los Clop Wine in Burlington Vermont Stock Exchange

We are off to perhaps 52 week high with a nose redolent with blueberry, blackberry, cassis all tinged by smoke and dark chocolate. The market analysts from Aromatic Capital forecast a beat the street for the next quarter! The economists from Palate Infrastructure International cite the well integrated structure of the wine with acids and tannins in glorious harmony noting that investors should focus on the fulsome body of the wine noting that investors in a 3–4-year investment time horizons will see a decent return on their capital. Notes to their report state management of Bodega Clop have structured the operations of the wine so that currently its fruit is still deeply embedded in the wine and with favourable cellaring conditions management projects full development of the wine by 2025. The Albanian State Pension Board in a recent earnings call with Bodega Clop queried why management is insisting the wine be chilled slightly. Clop’s chief export officer said this is nothing the analysts should be concerned with as the practice of serving red wines slightly chilled reflects consistent practice among savvy wine consumers. Failure to chill red wines particularly in the summer months will lead to a flabby and sloppy impression!

RKS Wine agrees with the direction Bodega Clop is taking with the Cabernet Sauvignon and advises buy a few NOW to last over the next few years as market timers rarely prosper. Forget dollar cost averaging with this wine as given its quality it may be sold out quickly meaning in a few weeks it may unavailable and my contacts at Bodega Clop indicate inventory is very low.

Baloney Investment Management located in Jerks and Caicos Islands noted the subtle elegance of the wine.

In the recent earnings call with Bodega Clop Ravage and Savage Portfolio Managers asked the chief Foodie Officer of Bodega Juan Pepita what food the wine suit as their investors would were demanding an answer. Pepita states beef and more beef or wild boar stew! Pepita said for Omega concerns the beef should be grass fed.

Tony Bogart of Laramie Manufacturing informed RKS Wine that purchasers of the Laramie Plastics luxury Garden Set would receive a free case of the wine with purchases over $2000 USD disclosing this in its annual SEC filings.

(Los Clop Reserva Cabernet Sauvignon 2015, Paraje De Altamira, Vale de Uco, Bodega Clop, Mendoza, Argentina, $21.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 668327, 750 mL, 14%, RKS Wine Rating 93/100).

Wine drinkers are advised to consult their investment advisors. RKS Wine takes no responsibility for unsatisfied purchasers and by reading this posting you are deemed to forgo any legal action against RKS Wine. CAVEAT EMPTOR!