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President Donald J. Trump Awarded BIG DADDY AWARD

24January2026: Spoof News Services: Bracebridge, Ontario: The Muskoka Cottager’s Association today announced the inaugural winner of its Big Daddy Award.

Kurt Gristle, Vice President of the Muskoka Cottager’s Association (MCA) , explained the BIG DADDY AWARD is an annual award bestowed by the MCA to an individual that displays unwavering skills in uniting Canadians from Newfoundland to British Columbia.

Gristle stated, “The hostility, aggression and ignorance displayed by President Trump has done more to promote and foster Canadian unity than even the 1972 Canada-Russia Summit Hockey Series .” Gristle remarked President Trump has insulted Canadians by:

Denigrating former Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau to the extent he has been driven into the arms of musician Catty Periwinke.
Threatening current Prime Minister of Canada Mark Carney for a recent speech made in Davos, Switzerland and for his attempt to repair relations with China which had deteriorated over the detention and arrest of Chinese executive Meng Wanzhou in Vancouver in 2018 as a result of a United States warrant. As Gristle stated,” Canada does a favour to the United States and suffers severe economic consequences and as a result Canada attempts to repair that damage by permitting initial deliveries of 49,000 Chinese electric vehicles and Big Daddy Trump poops all over Canada.”
Stating Canada only lives because of the United States.
Stating the United States won World War Two ignoring the contributions of its once allies including Canada.
Stating Canada should be the 51^st state.
Referring to former Canadian Prime Minister Trudeau and current Prime Minister Carney as “Governors of Canada”.
Referring to Canadians as “igloo people”.
Posting maps online showing Canada and Greenland as part of the United States.
Stating Canada did nothing in the United States war against Afghanistan whereas 158 Canadian troops and a senior Canadian diplomat died in Kandahar province in Afghanistan.
Incessantly threatening Canada with tariffs.
Stating the United States does not need Canada for anything. Gristle remarked, “Repeat that to the tourism industry in the United States!”

Notice of the award was sent by regular mail to President Trump at the Merde Lardo Golf Course clubhouse in West Palm Beach today. A ceremony will be held on Canada Day (July 1^st, 2026) at the Port Carling IGA reception hall.

Kurt Gristle is a former American citizen once residing in North Bergen, New Jersey and a well-known actor in the United States who received political asylum in Canada after fleeing an arrest warrant in the State of Minnesota after starring in a sequel to “Escape from New York” which was to be entitled “Escape from Minneapolis”. The movie will continue to be filmed in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He resides in Port Carling, Ontario with his actress wife Gilda Yawn.

RKS 2025 Travel: Destination Southeast Asia (Short Attention Span Version):Singapore 12October2025: Passing on the 250 Acre Gardens by the Bay and the Garden Rhapsody Light and Musical Show

Singapore 12October2025: Passing on the 250 Acre Gardens by the Bay and the Garden Rhapsody Light and Musical Show

I am not enthused by the evening activity of visiting the 250-acre Gardens by the Bay with The Cloud Forest, Supertree Observatory, Flower Dome and OCBC Skyway followed by the garden Rhapsody Light and Musical Show as it is reminiscent of a North American amusement park. Being the real adventuresome tourist looking for the “authentic Singapore” I walk twenty minutes from the Singapore Shangri-La to the massive multi-floored Icon Shopping Mall, the site of the former Thai Embassy. And I am on a quest to the find the Holy Grail of “real Singaporean street food” here at Icon which was recommended by the tour guide Andrew “if you had the time to do so”.

We are off on the Orient Express tomorrow, and I am told there is no room for a full suitcase or even a carry on. So I buy a nifty small canvas bag for 55 Singaporean dollars, some extra t Shirts and pants at an enormous Uni-Glo and a 29 Singaporean dollar deodorant at Bath and Beyond. Just try and find deodorant in Singapore! I mistakenly packed a travel shower gel for a travel sized deodorant and in this humidity, deodorant recommended! Extra clothes required as you sweat through everything in this humidity!

In Singapore my travel physician had mentioned “street food” is entirely safe in Singapore. I see no vendors on the street hawking questionably prepared and stored food. It seems street food is often available in shopping mall food courts. These are not the North American food courts jammed with chain restaurant food but rather a huge selection of authentic Singaporean foods in small and immaculately clean kitchens. I head down to the ground floor and am in a maze of small takeout kitchens offering a tantalizing array of excellent and inexpensive Asian food. Absolutely delicious fish ball soup! No Caucasians here. Have I stumbled on a secret dining conclave in Singapore? Eating with the real Singaporeans? Perhaps I will one day tell you about eating with the real Italians at a McDonalds in Rome!

The heck with a light show!

RKS 2025 Travel: Destination Southeast Asia (Short Attention Span Version): Singapore 12October2025: Exploring Peranakan Heritage

Singapore 12October2025: Exploring Peranakan Heritage

Singapore’s Peranakan heritage refers to the rich and unique culture of the Peranakans, also known as the Straits Chinese. The community has a distinctive heritage combining elements of Chinese, Malay and Indonesian cultures. The term Peranakan refers to the descendants of Chinese immigrants who came to the Malay Archipelago, including Singapore between the 15^th and 17^th century. They intermarried with local Malays and Indonesians creating a unique hybrid culture. The Peranakan enclave in Singapore is the Katong area where shophouses showcase a unique architectural style, featuring colourful facades, intricate tiles and ornate carvings reflecting their heritage’s wealth and cultural identity.

Our visit included visiting a family business/museum noted for Peranakan cuisine where we listened to a lecture on Peranakan culture and with tea sampled various pastries made with glutinized rice. The greenish coloured one topped with caramelized coconut giving it a delightful smoky flavour was stellar.

Lost in Puppydom: Rory Dylan Stephen’s Puppydom”: WHY IS BOB MUTTERING LIKE COLONEL KURTZ IN APOCALYPSE NOW?

WHY IS BOB MUTTERING LIKE COLONEL KURTZ IN APOCALYPSE NOW?

Aside from scoring human food like bits of bagel or today’s blueberry I live in anticipation of the next walk. After suffering puppy quarantine for not being fully vaccinated for the last three months it is 3-5 walks a day in mushy slush, powdery snow, freezing cold and nasty wind chills. I have a double coat and when it is 15 below I have a chic Eddie Bauer coat I wear. A pup of fashion and no longer do I try to tear it off…in those days I was unsophisticated.

As we were preparing for our morning walk in temperatures of minus 13 and a wind chill of minus 23 while Bob was putting on his boots just like Colonel Walter E. Kurtz in the movie “Apocalypse Now” which I saw on the couch last month I heard “Oh the Horror! It is viciously cold out there Rory!”.

Not sure what it means as I have only walked in snow and cold my entire walking career?

Out we head and in 3 minutes I am puppy fighting with a 10-month-old Cavapoo! Its mistress complaining about the nasty cold apologized and moved on saying, “Gotta keep moving so I don’t freeze!”

Then three more dogs clustered in a group. I puppy fought with a 6-month-old 95-pound Bernese Mountain dog however Bob kept pulling me back saying one swat of his massive paw and you’ll be out cold. Seems Bob is a bit obsessed with cold?

We made it home and what a groan of suffering when Bob walked in the door. What’s a little cold. I hear about spring and summer from Bob and how walks will be long and much more exciting. You mean they can be more exciting than they are now!

Onward we go with the temperature minus 23 the coldest day of my life!

“Lost in Puppydom: Rory Dylan Stephen’s Puppydom”: MY BIG DIG AND THE GREAT OPOSSUM SCARE

MY BIG DIG AND THE GREAT OPOSSUM SCARE

Golly gee, I love digging a speciality of West Highland Terriers. I live to hunt prey (and perhaps a crust of bread and cheese too!) and there was an apparent collision between hunting and digging last night.

Several days ago, due to global warming, we saw an opossum for the first time in the neighborhood trundling along the top of the fence. Juicy opossum meat has my prey instinct boiling.

Last night Bob was about to open the door for my late-night bedtime ablutions and I heard him say, “Is that an opossum?” causing my blood to boil and as I readied for attack Bob did not open the sliding door so I could do my business so in pajamas and boots in the bitter cold accompanied by Bob I did my business in the driveway.

You see I had been digging by the fence leaving a hole which in the moonlight creating the impression of an opossum. You had to be there to see it! The big dig is my work and not the reference to the Boston Big Dig years ago!

I was so excited upon hearing the word opossum I simply couldn’t go to bed so Bob played with me until 00:30 at which point I entered my crate and yelped to escape so I could get that opossum but after a big “SHHHHH” from Bob I fell asleep dreaming of a chase!

RKS 2025 Travel: Destination Southeast Asia (Short Attention Span Version):Singapore 11October2025: Eating With the Toiling Masses of Singapore

Singapore 11October2025: Eating With the Toiling Masses of Singapore

We are staying at the Shangri-La Singapore with five-star victuals. Who wants perpetual five-star food? I asked our tour director for a simpler locale where the toiling masses chow down. So for dinner a short walk down Orchard Street where the hotel is located then turn left to the 7-11 and walk down to the basement to a “low key” food court bereft of tourists but full of locals not working for major international financial organizations nor of the moneyed Singaporean classes. Well a dinner # 4 for me consisting of BBQ chicken and pork, a bowl of broth and a gigantic portion of rice. Food it was and not gourmet but for 6 Singaporean dollars who can complain. I also had a large TIGER Lager the only beer served in the food court by a young lady in Tiger logo shirt serving up the brew. She even topped up your glass when needed. What service! I’d give this a 2- star rating but a five for the “authentic” Singaporean experience!

RKS 2025 Travel: Destination Southeast Asia (Short Attention Span Version):Singapore 11October2025: Kampong Glam: Muslim Quarter, Malay Enclave and Little India

Singapore 11October2025: Kampong Glam: Muslim Quarter, Malay Enclave and Little India

After lunch a further meander into Chinatown to see some restored traditional shophouses perhaps a unique Singaporean architectural feature. It is as it sounds a shop also housing its owners. Very few shophouses remain.

Then to Kampong Glam home of the Muslim quarter and Malay enclave. The quiet majesty of the golden domed Sultan Mosque dominates. A popular destination for Indonesian tourists and crammed with restaurants somewhat reminding one of Prince Arthur Street in Montreal. And yes a Greek restaurant!

Little India was jammed with Diwali festivities in gear. Saw a dance competition for young girls moving to traditional Indian music heavily adorned with jewellery and bright traditional garb. Preparations were underway for a huge Diwali fireworks display famous in Singapore.

Back on the bus all hot and steamy to the hotel. The temperatures so far are equivalent to a hot Toronto summer day at 35 degrees but the 90% humidity really exhausts you. Great weather for a cold beer!

RKS 2025 Travel: Destination Southeast Asia (Short Attention Span Version):Singapore 11October2025: Local Flavour Lunch With a Gringo Touch and Only Two Sodas Per Person!

Singapore 11October2025: Local Flavour Lunch With a Gringo Touch and Only Two Sodas Per Person!

The itinerary indicates a “Local Flavour” lunch which is at the tourist centric Red House Seafood restaurant. Our tour guide managed to pick up some real local flavour Singaporean Chicken at the best place for this dish (sort of a hole in the wall) as we walked towards the restaurant seemingly used to handling tourist buses so as to speak. Get em in and out fast!

In this blistering heat and humidity a cold beer was on the mind of most of the group but bearing in mind the parsimonious streak of ABC International, the tour organizers, NO BEER and ONLY TWO SODAS OR WATERS PER PERSON! Cheapo supremo! I paid for this trip in USD so I want a fair deal!

This place was so “local” no chopsticks only western cutlery which oddly the Americans in our group were happy with but we Canadians had to ask for chopsticks! The food was mundane and to cater to the gringos the Singaporean Spiced Crab was already deshelled. I mean why not ask for Dinner Number One – Dinner Number Four just like in a 1974 Chinese restaurant in Toronto. Much better than airline food!

The best dish was the Singaporean Chicken “smuggled” into the restaurant. A simplistic looking dish but oh so tasty. Our tour guide got shit for bringing it in. Very cold and unfriendly staff at the restaurant.

RKS 2025 Travel: Destination Southeast Asia (Short Attention Span Version):Singapore 11October2025: Hokkien Temple in Chinatown

Singapore 11October2025: Hokkien Temple in Chinatown

Away from the modern urbanity we head to a more rustic and “authentic” destination in Singapore, a Hokkien temple; Thian Hock Keng Temple located in the heart of Chinatown dedicated to Mazu, the goddess of the sea and protector of sailors, the temple was built between 1839 and 1842 by early Chinese migrants seeking a better life in Singapore. It was built using traditional Chinese methods serving as a place of worship for the Hokkien community. A prime example of southern Chinese temple architecture, it features intricate carvings, colourful tiles, detailed sculptures and imposing columns with the roof being adorned with mythical creatures and scenes from Chinese folklore its interior being decorated by porcelain figures and the temple’s vibrant colors and artistic elements make it a visually striking place. Often called the Temple of Heavenly Bliss it is not only a religious site-it continues to be an active place of worship but also a symbol of a rich cultural heritage of Singapore’s Chinese community.

We had half an hour to walk around Chinatown which is less vibrant and smaller than Toronto’s Chinatown but there is street life giving Singapore some soul.

RKS Literature: Why is Frankenstein’s Creation so Malicious? (Mary Shelley)

“I am malicious because I am miserable. Am I not shunned and hated by all mankind? You, my creator, would tear me to pieces and triumph; remember that, and tell me why I should pity man more than he pities me. You would not call it murder if you could precipitate me into one of those ice-riffs and destroy my frame, the work of your own hands. Shall I respect a man if he condemns me? Let him live with me in the interchange of kindness, and instead of injury I would bestow every benefit upon him with tears of gratitude at his acceptance.

Mary Shelly, “Frankenstein”, 1818.