Reggie the Egyptian Rescue Dog: Please Please Not Again!

Hello. Let me introduce myself. My name is Reggie and I am the luckiest and happiest dog in the world. Please read my story and find out why I am saying this.

My life with my foster parents Anthony and Susan is so good. I am protected, loved, well taken care of and oh how I love that cold and clean water in my bowl they refill several times a day. But my life has been so uncertain. My master Anwar was an Egyptian journalist who wrote articles in a newspaper critical of the government and he was executed. I was tossed out in the street and survival was a difficult task for a 12-pound dog. But I survived the streets of Cairo unlike many other dogs who were poisoned and shot as that was Cairo’s way of animal control. I am proud and a tough dog that could take on dogs twice my size but that dog that bit me in the market was five times my size.

After the attack the animal doctors saved my life so there are caring Egyptians and their society seems to be changing so that dogs are treated properly. But from the animal hospital I had to take a terrifying flight on an airplane to Toronto from Cairo. Then a new home with my foster parents Anthony and Susan in a different country. I feel like a very lucky dog. I love my backyard and love playing chase with the squirrels and rabbits. I will not hurt them but they are faster than I am and one squirrel seems to like and tease me and laugh at me as he sits on the fence in the backyard chattering away like he is laughing at me! I am so happy and feel so safe.

I fear the army will come and arrest Anthony and Susan and execute them like they did to Anwar in Egypt. Please understand my fear. Your master taken away by the army and executed and you are thrown out into the street. I am so frightened it will happen again. I think I said to you I saw a BBC documentary on post traumatic stress disorder with British soldiers. I am not a doctor but I think I may have this problem. This may be the reason of my fear that it may happen again. Maybe this is why I lose my temper and lunge out at big dogs so that they will not hurt me like the one in Cairo did. You humans may see me as a dog but I have feelings and emotions like you humans have. I want some peace and stability.

I felt something was not right when I saw Susan crying and Anthony speaking to her in a strange shaky tone I never heard before. Anthony came up to me and gave me a big hug and said you are going to your “forever parents” today. What are forever parents?

We have a big Sunday meal with Anthony and Susan having a delicious smelling food called blueberry waffles and maple syrup. I have a big bowl of ground beef and rice. I love meat! Anthony and Susan have coffee after their meal. I know it is coffee as Anwar would have it in the morning and I remember its smell. I go for a walk around the street and Anthony and Susan put me in their car.

We go to a house where they take me out of the car and knock on a door and I see Bob and Fay! And yes their dog Dillie who I met in a park called Sherwood. Anthony looks at me and says this is my forever home. Oh no! Susan and Anthony talk for a long time to Fay and Bob and I hear my name many times. Dillie their dog comes up to me and we have a few sniffs and we are friends! We chase a squirrel in their backyard. He is older than me but has lots of energy. I like him. I like Fay and Bob but wait Anthony and Susan are leaving me behind. Please Please not again. Both Anthony and Susan have tears streaming down their face.

RKS Wine: Equilibrio 4 and the Penniless Pensioner Tries to Regain His Equilibrium

PP has had it rough. The good life with gorgeous women, fancy cars, a luxurious penthouse condominium, exotic travel and very costly wines. Then that costly association with Bernie Madoff that resulted in criminal charges which were later dropped but PP spent his fortune on a crack legal team to defend him. He called me a few days ago in a bit of a rage. He had received a catalogue from an auctioneer of fine wines and he swore he recognized some of the wines as those being in his cellar before he had to sell all of his wines to pay his legal bills. Clearly he had lost his equilibrium so I suggested I try the Equilibrio 4 a Monastrell from  the Jumilla region in Spain and awarded a 91 by James Suckling one of PP’s wine gurus. And the wine is organic which PP refers to as “hogwash”

Spaniards drink an average of 24 litres of wine. But on recent visits there I noticed the younger generation was consuming beer as much as wine.

Although it has a black cherry colour to it there is a purplish tinge to it. I am expecting a robust wine. On the nose loaded with blueberry, blackberry with a bit of raisin pie and pinecones. I haven’t seen raisin pie in years but it was big in Montreal when I was hitting my teens. I remember well its smell. On the palate the big wallop of tannins I was expecting is not there. Instead I get a full bodied yet smooth wine. On the palate predominately blackberry with a medium finish. I’d say try with an oxtail soup while watching bullfights on the television.

I will add PP called me after his outburst and apologized and said he was enjoying his low budget wine adventure and surprisingly said, “At one point in time I simply became bored with these trophy wines. There was a sameness to them. I am excited about fishing in the sludge for a cheap wine that can kick ass.” I didn’t respond but thought go low budget long enough and you might experience that boredom. Don’t kick a man when he is down.

(Equilibrio 4, Jumilla DOP, Bodega Sierra Norte, Spain, $14.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 18930, 750 mL, 14.5%, Robert K. Stephen A Little Birdie Told Me So Rating 89/100).

Reggie the Egyptian Rescue Dog: What are Foster Parents?

Hello. Let me introduce myself. My name is Reggie and I am the luckiest and happiest dog in the world. Please read my story and find out why I am saying this.

I have been living with my “foster parents” Anthony and Susan in Toronto for a couple of weeks.

I am beginning to trust humans again. I really like Anthony because he is so kind and gentle and like Anwar he watches BBC news every day. You know I understand so much English because of all the BBC television my executed master Anwar and I watched. Anwar was a well-known journalist who wrote articles critical about the Egyptian government. The army came in the middle of the night and arrested him and then executed him. I know enough to say Egypt is not a democratic country. You shut your mouth if you are unhappy with the government and you live. You speak out and you may be killed! Is Canada a democratic country?

I hear Anthony and Susan talking about “Reggie” and adoption. I do not understand what adoption means as my understanding of human society is based on the BBC Anwar and I watched… I do not know what the word adoption means!

What I do know is that Anthony and Susan are taking so very good care of me. You know I will NEVER EVER FORGET Anwar but these people are so nice to me.

One day on our daily long walk in Sherwood Park in Toronto on the unleashed dog trail I met Fay and Bob and their dog Dillie who is a hairy Scotch dog called a West Highland Terrier. Yes I know about these white West Highland Terriers. They are from Scotland. I think the Queen of England has a big palace there called Sandringham.  West Highland Terriers were pack dogs that chased foxes. They were very brave like me in the streets of Cairo.

I liked Dillie. We sniffed each other and wagged our tails. It is so nice to have a dog friend that is not fighting with you for food. And Bob shook my paw and introduced himself. How did he know Anwar taught me to shake a paw! Fay also was so nice as she patted me and massaged my cheek just like Anwar did. I like Canada. All the dogs and people are so nice and after being a street dog in Cairo this is taking me time to understand.

Anthony and Susan are “assessing me”. I am not sure what this means. They make sure I understand it is good to poo and pee outdoors which Anwar taught me but after living on the street for months my potty training has become a bit weak. But we are working on it and it is working.

They also put me in a crate when they leave the house. I am very upset about this as I never experienced this. I get very frightened with this crating as I wonder if Anthony and Susan will return and let me out of the crate or will they disappear like Anwar?  But when they are not with me I am beginning to feel safe in a crate. It is like my own little home. I can’t escape but neither can I be attacked or threatened by other dogs or humans.

My tummy is feeling good with this “kibble” they feed me. I think it is chicken kibble. They tried salmon and beef kibble but that made my skin itchy. So I eat chicken kibble and I love that and I have a bowl always full of fresh, clean and cold water.

Anthony and Susan are very nice to me. They teach me new tricks. I let them hug and hold me and they say nice things to me. They do not hit me. They speak to me nicely even if I lose my temper. They take me to places where I meet many dogs and see how I am with them.

I want to stay with Anthony and Susan for the rest of my life. For the first time since I was on the streets of Cairo I feel safe and loved. Oh please as the blood of the ancient pharaohs runs in my veins I pray to them for safety and love of these wonderful people Anthony and Susan.

I now feel like Reggie a loved and cared for dog and no longer a street urchin. Is this too good to be true. In my dreams I ask Anwar am I finally safe?

A Couple of Aglianicos From Campania: Stuck in the Tyranny of 89 Point Wines

Aglianico might well be one of Campania’s signature red grapes. Ontario receives very little Campanian wine. The Liquor Control Board of Ontario prefers other Italian wine regions particularly Tuscany. Aglianico was brought from Greece to Italy by the Phoenicians. In fact Aglianico is the corruption of the Italian word for Hellenic “Ellenico”.

Our first Aglianico is a Mustilli Aglianico 2017.Nosing it reveals some black cherry, raspberry and cherry liqueur. On the palate the tannins are mild. It is a very high toned with sour cherry, cranberry and a hint of dates. The acids seem to be creeping on the far outer edges of the wine indicating this is a “drink now” wine. A good but not spectacular wine. I think this would suit a Greek potato salad which consists of warm potatoes, local field tomatoes, basil and anchovies. I have only been eating fresh tomatoes for a decade and it was this salad that finally got me eating this delightful fruit. In fact until field tomatoes are gone my breakfast will be a tomato sandwich with mayonnaise and lettuce. Bacon not required.

As a last thought there is a flood of good wines in the market but exceptional wines are rare at a reasonable price. It is so difficult to lock into these wines but it has been British Columbia that has been impressing me particularly Stag’s Hollow, Crescent Hill, Mayhem and Meyer Family Vineyards. Campanian wines such as Piedirosso, Barbera and Lacryma di Christi have also bowled me over in Campania but alas it is a rare occasion they are brought into Ontario.

(Mustilli Aglianico 2017 DOC Sannio, Mustilli, Sant’Agata dei Goti, Italy, $16.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 19292, 750 mL, 12%, Robert K. Stephen, A Little Birdie Told Me So Rating 89/100).

We move to another Aglianico from Cantina Sanpaolo from the Campanian region of Italy. It is garnet coloured. As for aromatics raspberry, black cherry and some blackberry. On the palate tannins are light. Notes of sour cherry and some strawberry. Well made but there is no magic in this wine. Like so many wines in today’s world it simply lacks brilliance. When you do taste a brilliant wine you’ll know it. I had this wine last week with Pasta a La Norma and it didn’t compliment that very tasty dish. It has a short finish. It might suit a Greek dish papoutsakia (stuffed eggplant boots). I never was a fan of eggplant but those little eggplant boots and Pasta a la Norma have taught me with eggplant it’s all in the preparation!

Here is a link to my favourite little eggplant boots https://culinarybackstreets.com/cities-category/athens/2020/recipe-6/

(Cantina Sanpaolo Aglianico 2017, IGP, Cantina Sanpaolo, Torrioni, Italy, $14.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 473132, 13%, 750 mL, Robert K. Stephen A Little Birdie Told Me So Rating 89/100).

“Mutantism on The March ” :Chapter 87 “A Reunion of Sorts in Montreal”

A police motorcade whisked Montenez to the Ritz Marlton on Sherbrooke Street in Montreal. He guzzled a litre of sparkling water down and had a hot bath and despite being slowed by jet lag he rang Dr. Zodiac. They made plans to meet downstairs at the Maritime Bar in 20 minutes. They met and exchanged hugs and kisses Euro style. Dr. Zodiac brought Zenon Girov, his friend. They ordered double vodka martinis but no sooner had the drinks arrived than bellboys brought a pile of congratulatory telegrams for Montenez. One from the St. Jean Baptiste Society even asked him to be the Grand Marshall of their June parade. They found little peace at the bar so they headed to a charming restaurant in Old Montreal where they settled down to Cornish Hen a la Drapeau and several bottles of Alsatian Riesling.

Over Greek Metaxa brandy and coffee Dr. Zodiac formally introduced Zenon Girov who as you may recall was a serial killer in California. It was so in character that Dr. Zodiac tried the hardest with the most helpless. The good doctor mentioned that he had met with Squid yesterday. Squid had been rather cold when he was told by Montenez that Dr. Zodiac was one of the “gods” who had been in Bertie Foonbean’s milieu but when Dr. Zodiac told him he never agreed with the Greek God’s decision to more or less banish Foonbean the tension between Squid and Montenez vanished. Montenez wanted to convene a meeting with Squid and Montenez as the students in Greece protesting the Pornodopolus dictatorship had spoken highly of Squid. Squid’s anti Pornodopolus tracts were well known in progressive circles. Zenon was excited. Perhaps through the mutants he could attune for his Californian serial killings. Killing innocent civilians was no proud accomplishment for Zenon Girov.

The following evening Squid, Montenez and Girov met at a popular stoner bar called Farwin’s on Stanley Street. After several screwdrivers served by an enchanting waitress Jill earnest conversation began. Could a serial killer Girov join the mutants? Squid saw no reason why not as the mutants had dealt with killers in their ranks before. If Zenon could hit the streets and help destitute mutants perhaps he could “repay his debt to society”. Helping mutants was good therapy. After seeing what society had done to mutants the desire to kill would soon vanish.

So the evening melted away as the bar tab increased. After everyone had assumed a mellow mood and the topic steered towards childhood. Foonbean in a rather sarcastic mood ripped into the Greek gods with their obsession with perfection and lack of compassion. Zenon had them chuckling over a tale of sexual intercourse between Sister Tigos and Father Horny at the orphanage. Montenez related the tale how he was washed up on the Greek island of Samos and reared by the Greek gods. They had found him washed up on the shore with his toe missing. He also related how his fellow planetarians from Zortixia had traced him and taken him back for a visit. He told them of his father and how the Jiber had exiled him and his family to Earth by the Opposite. Squid jumped up from his seat and yelled, much to the consternation of management, ‘Montenez you are my brother. I remember my youth well. I was raised by the creatures of the sea and they told me I was a human toe when they discovered me. Montenez we are related in some way. We are brothers! How that toe was transformed into a humanoid shape I am not quite sure’. Squid and Montenez embraced each other as brothers. Clinging to each other they embraced as brothers. Zodiac and Foonbean smashed dishes to the floor in a joyous Greek tradition.

The prolonged embrace of Squid and Montenez brought snickers from the next table by two greasy looking punks tat seemed to think Squid and Montenez were faggots. Zenon was ready to terminate the punks but Dr. Zodiac intervened to calm Zenon down,

Reggie the Egyptian Rescue Dog: “I Am Getting a Bit Confused”

Hello. Let me introduce myself. My name is Reggie and I am the luckiest and happiest dog in the world. Please read my story and find out why I am saying this.

Some people may say I am “only a dog”. In Egypt that put me in a low and hated position. But as a dog I have emotions like you humans have. I felt fear when I was turned out into the streets of Cairo. I felt fear when that big dog attacked me in Cairo and ripped my leg open. I felt fear going on an airplane from Cairo to Toronto. I felt sadness being left alone when Anwar was arrested by the Egyptian army and the most terrible sadness when I heard that Anwar was executed by the government for writing critical articles about it. I felt gratitude for that Egyptian policeman that picked me off the street after I was bitten and took me to an animal hospital. I felt gratitude to the people at the animal hospital that helped me get better. I also have so much compassion for street dogs all over the world that are abused, starved, beaten, neglected and tortured. That makes me so very angry at the humans that do this. What did we dogs do to deserve this?

So here I find myself in Canada with my foster parents Anthony and Susan. I express a great deal of thankfulness towards them. They give me a nice bed. They give me fresh clean water and delicious food. They try to hug me but I am still a bit afraid of humans even if I know they are trying to help me. I sometimes do things bad but they never hit or kick me. They speak to me nicely and give me a pat on the head like they understand my street life.

I ask myself what I am doing in Canada where the dogs I see are carefree and so happy instead of fighting over scraps of food they want to play or simply sniff each other and happily wag their tail. I am in a different world but why did I end up here? Was there no one in Egypt that wanted to take care of me? I am a proud Egyptian dog with the blood of the ancient pharaohs in me yet I am now in Canada. Why? Why?

The more love and compassion that foster parents Anthony and Susan show me the safer and less confused I am. I realize I must accept this situation and be happy. Too many bad memories only make me sad and more confused. I must look forward to a safe and loved future. Easy to say but harder to live.

In a confused way I understand that I ended up here in Canada because some Canadians wanted to make my life better. It is so much better. Clean water in a nice bowl is better than muddy rainwater and a bowl of what they call “kibble” is so much better than gnawing on a goat bone my favourite merchant in the Cairo marketplace would throw me.

The path to my happiness is cloudy but I can feel it in my bones but I can’t see it clearly yet. What is my future here in Canada?

I will tell you how I know I may find happiness here in Canada. A few days after I arrived in Canada, I ate too much food thinking in my mind some other dog would take it away from me. I had a bad tummy ache in the middle of the night and had to poop in the kitchen floor. Anwar had trained me to do my business outdoors but I just had to poop. Anthony came down in the morning and found me shivering in shame under the kitchen table. He spoke to me softly saying “I understand Reggie”. He tried to hug me and I let him. The last person to hug me was Anwar. I miss him so much. So very much. But that was yesterday or a long time ago. I have to move on but what am I doing here in Canada. Will someone arrest Susan and Anthony and throw me into the street? I am confused.

Jon Kabat-Zinn: “Full Catastrophe Living”: Toxic Thoughts

“To summarize, all the studies we have discussed and many others support the notion that our physical health is intimately connected with our patterns of thinking and feeling about ourselves and also with the quality of our relationships with other people and the world. The evidence suggests that certain patterns of thinking and certain ways of relating to our feelings can predispose us to illness. Thoughts and beliefs that foster hopeless and helpless feelings, a sense of loss of control, hostility and cynicism towards others, a lack of commitment to meet life’s challenges, an inability to express one’s feelings, and social isolation all appear to be particularly toxic.”

“The Five Rules of Success”: Above and Beyond the Con Trying to go Straight

No doubt you have seen many movies about a convict on parole trying to go “straight”. They usually are linear and without any artistic creativity.

Danny’s sick idea of a joke

Well  ”The Five Rules of Success” is not one of those Turner Classic Movies that are entirely linear but nonetheless interesting.

This film takes the genre into a whole different realm with artistic cinematography, cutting philosophical insights that takes one into what one might call an artsy film while artsy should not be taken as alienating to viewers.

X (Santiago Segura) is a con on parole determined to make a success of his newfound freedom. He is full of philosophical insights that seem Buddhist or Daoist and is an intellectual cut above the “usual con” out on parole.

What are his five rules of success?

  • Aim High and Be Delusional
  • Block All Negativity
  • Manifest Goals Into Reality
  • Prioritize Mental and Physical Health
  • Never rely on Anything and Always Push for More

X adheres to these rules but sadly ends up a casualty. In his drive to open up a restaurant he needs cash which only criminality can provide in short order.

He starts at the bottom as Mr. Avakian (Jon Sklaroff), the owner of a Greek restaurant, gives him a break starting him off as a deliveryman and then a waiter. But Avakian’s son Danny is a wastrel, dope fiend and petty criminal who lures X into a few cash rich jobs to meet X’s desire to open his own restaurant.

X needs one more job to obtain the cash to open his restaurant and it is a nasty one but he gets the dough and opens a restaurant where the guests are treated as prison inmates and served slop by heavily tattooed and surly ex-cons. Only in Los Angeles!

X has tried to follow his rules and does indeed reach his dream of opening a restaurant despite a psychotic parole officer and a decadent off the rails Danny but his demise is all the more tragic because of it. As X says in the joint there are rules of conduct but in society there are none.

What might captivate you are the great cinematographic techniques of graininess, speed ups, blurriness, dream like sequences, comic book allegories and colourful L.A. backdrops. It is a combination of H &R Crumb and “Blade Runner”.

It is also a study on what an abusive childhood can turn a man into through no fault of his own.

Although thoroughly modern one wonders if this is a Shakespearean ending.

The film certainly improves on a second viewing.

“The Five Rules of Success” opened on Amazon and ITunes on July 30.

You can see the trailer here https://ambassadorfilmgroup.com/the-five-rules-of-success

The 83-minute film is written and directed by Orson Oblowitz.

RKS Wine: The Penniless Pensioner Falls for the Rating Game and the Label

PP wanted me to try, on my own nickel may I add, a Réserve de La Roncière Cuvée Traditionelle Côtes du Rhône. PP is excited as he saw a little seal on the bottle saying the esteemed James Suckling rated this $15.95 wine a robust 90 points. I pointed out to PP Suckling is a bit too generous in my books. Despite that his eyes glazed over at the label which on quick glance one might mistake for a much more expensive Châteauneuf de Pape. How wine savvy is PP? I thought he was all above this type of marketing. Obviously not.

Well no sense in dilly dallying about so why not give it a try. It is an oft encountered GSM blend you’ll encounter in the Rhône and in Australia. G is for Grenache. S is for Syrah. M is for Mourvèdre.

It has a luscious nose of big fat almost overly ripe strawberries, red plums, blackberries and black Washington State cherries. On the palate surprisingly gentle tannins. You get on the palate what you get on the nose with a definite licorice and peppery twist. This is one very well-made wine. As for it’s style there is a certain elegance to it despite its simplicity. I would say drink now or hold until the end of 2023.

As for food matches due to its complacency lamb seems to be calling it as well as beef. A few years ago in Paris I had a beautiful cut of beef in a peppercorn sauce and it’s softness and juiciness with perfectly prepared frites would welcome this wine. Avoid anything too spicy.

(Rèserve de la Roncière Cuvèe Traditionnelle 2018 Côtes du Rhône, AOP, SAS Lavau, Violés, France, $15.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 19333, 750 mL, 15%, Robert K. Stephen A Little Birdie Told Me So Rating 89/100).

You may recall that PP winked about several Panamanian bank accounts with a dodgy Panamanian bank. So why is he hosting a small party for several Panamanian generals wanting to invest in Canadian Arctic diamonds? How can this destitute man be renting a suite in an exclusive hotel in downtown Toronto to entertain what he has told me are interested investors. He says they know nothing about wine so a bottle with a 90 Suckling rating with a fancy label may be a bit of a ruse for the generalissimos that know nothing about wine as they drink rum! PP it would seem wants to climb out of the Madoff criminal proceedings that established his innocence but drained his funds and caused a sell-off in his wine cellar.

RKS Wine: The Penniless Pensioner Wants a Portuguese Pinkie!

PP often waxes about the great wines of Portugal which for him means trophy table wines and Port from the Douro region. At one point, before his cellar was sold off to pay for his criminal trial defence in New York for being a co-conspirator with Bernie Madoff, he had over two hundred bottles of Vintage Port worth thousands of dollars. Now he has a budget not to exceed $16.95 for a bottle but he says he is enjoying “scraping the bottom”. He says after all, “I have hit rock bottom financially so why not hit rock bottom wines. Once a nightmare it is now a challenge.”

This Casa de Ventozela is from the Vinho Verde region in Northern Portugal. Vinho Verde whites are usually very light often with high acidity and well suited for grilled sardines, sea bass and sea bream. Vinho Verde reds can be wild beasts needing spicy meat dishes to quell their rage. Not being sure about a Vinho Verde Rosé we screw open the cap and hope for the best.

It is a moderately coloured pinkie. On the nose raspberry, strawberry, tangerine and red cherry. Very pleasing. On the palate neither acidic or wild like its white and red cousins. In a nutshell gentle and very pleasing with red cherry that gains in sweetness on the mid palate. The acidity ramps up as the wine proceeds from cold to cool. I’d like to pair this with a Mexican Red Snapper Veracruz. A good outdoor wine when chilled and kept in an ice bucket. Drink now. Made from the Espadeiro grape

(Casal de Ventozela 2020, Vinho Verde, Casa de Ventozela, Vila Verde, Portugal, $14.95, Liquor Control Board of Ontario # 450841, Robert K. Stephen A Little Birdie Told Me So Rating 88/100)