Category Archives: literature

RKS Passage of the Day: Jean-Paul Sartre: “The Reprieve” A Summary of Trump?

“He looked at his feet to avoid all those merciless faces: ‘hulking brute!’. He was a proper human wall, one of those callous cruel brutes, like that hulking boy Chamerlier in the elementary mathematics class who snapped fingers in his face at school, one of those types who never question anything, least of all themselves,Continue reading “RKS Passage of the Day: Jean-Paul Sartre: “The Reprieve” A Summary of Trump?”

“Virus # 26”; Director’s Cut: Chapter 10 “Lessons Learnt from COVIDs: Propaganda’s Effect”

In the guise of a never-ending flow of “public service” messages Canadians were bombarded with an incessant stream of propaganda. Propaganda is primarily a tool of totalitarian governments to maintain control of its citizens. The volume of it will dim independent thinking. However, at some point it just becomes noise and has little effect ifContinue reading ““Virus # 26”; Director’s Cut: Chapter 10 “Lessons Learnt from COVIDs: Propaganda’s Effect””

“Travels to a Different Time”: 28July2000: Samos, Greece; Pythagorian: Charming Seaside Town

Took the municipal bus from Vathi to Pythagorian. The bus service is decent but many tourists seem intimidated by public transportation and ride by taxi. I have no complaints. Buses are clean and air conditioned. The drivers are helpful. The schedule is well laid out and the buses are on time. A breakfast of oranges,Continue reading ““Travels to a Different Time”: 28July2000: Samos, Greece; Pythagorian: Charming Seaside Town”

Virus # 26” Director’s Cut: Chapter 9 “Lessons Learnt from the COVIDs; People Can Be Such Amoebas”

At least a toddler has some power of rational thought including the power to stand up to parental dictatorship. That may manifest itself in stubbornness, anger or temper tantrums hence the expression “terrible twos”. The overwhelming majority of the population sucked up the steady stream of propaganda shoved down their throats by advertisements from theContinue reading “Virus # 26” Director’s Cut: Chapter 9 “Lessons Learnt from the COVIDs; People Can Be Such Amoebas””

“Travels to a Different Time ” : 27July2000: Samos, Greece: To Kedros Beach and a Catchy Supermarket Jingle

Picked up some liquids and breakfast of cheese, olives, bread and grapes. The supermarket is not that large. They have a catchy jingle playing with the store’s name in it. “Galanos, Galanos” it goes. I am puzzled that the chickens are frozen and are from Denmark. Off to Kedros Beach on the bus. A shortContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time ” : 27July2000: Samos, Greece: To Kedros Beach and a Catchy Supermarket Jingle”

Virus # 26 Director’s Cut: Chapter 8 ” Lessons Learnt from the COVIDs; People Were Treated Like Toddlers”

Now if you have raised children when they get to the terrible twos and have started their growth into toddlerdom you find constant repetition is necessary to correct their behaviour. Keep drilling the message in. In political terms it amounts to parental dictatorship. From the Canadian perspective the COVIDs exposed provincial and federal governments asContinue reading “Virus # 26 Director’s Cut: Chapter 8 ” Lessons Learnt from the COVIDs; People Were Treated Like Toddlers””

“Travels to a Different Time” : 26July2000: Samos, Greece: Off to the Agia Paraskevi Religious Festival and Feast

Off to the religious feast and festival at a tiny church on the oceanfront near an area that is called Kedros. The church is a tiny country church overlooking the Aegean. It was a short trip on the municipal bus and was left off at a gas station with a small road leading to theContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 26July2000: Samos, Greece: Off to the Agia Paraskevi Religious Festival and Feast”

Virus # 26:  Director’s Cut:” Chapter 7 “Was Reopening Premature?”

From a traditional medical perspective re-opening the economy repeatedly during the COVIDs was an error of huge magnitude. But the medico perspective coming from upper middle-class physicians far removed from the economic realities of the working class and small business owners not surprisingly failed to account for job losses caused by the closure of businessesContinue reading “Virus # 26:  Director’s Cut:” Chapter 7 “Was Reopening Premature?””

“Virus # 26: Director’s Cut: Chapter 6 “Why COVID’s Nasty Success’

We have discussed the origins of the various waves of COVID. Why then did it enjoy such a nasty success? The highest kill rate per capita was in just about any country without a socialized medical system or a system that had simply crumbled over the years. Africa, South America, India and Pakistan are primeContinue reading ““Virus # 26: Director’s Cut: Chapter 6 “Why COVID’s Nasty Success’”

“Travels to a Different Time” : 25July2000: Samos, Greece; Finally Destination Reached! Good-Bye to Lost Luggage Hotel

Jet lag and stress is never an ideal combination. After 4 hours of sleep at the Lost Luggage Hotel in Glyfada up at 4 a.m. hungry as a lion. Read a bit and watched a couple of hours of Greek music videos until the restaurant opened at 06:30 where there were many lost luggage victimsContinue reading ““Travels to a Different Time” : 25July2000: Samos, Greece; Finally Destination Reached! Good-Bye to Lost Luggage Hotel”