“I have hardly ever come across a town that does not desire the ruin of its neighbouring town, a family that does not destroy another family. Everywhere the weak despise the strong at whose feet they grovel, and the strong treat them like sheep whose wool and flesh can be sold. A million regimented assassins,Continue reading “RKS Literature: The Regimented Assassins of Europe (Voltaire)”
Tag Archives: Robert K. Stephen
RKS Literature: What is Optimism? (Voltaire)
“What is optimism?” Cacambo asked. “Alas!” Candide replied. “It is the mania of affirming that everything is good when things are bad.” “Candide or Optimism”, Voltaire, 1759.
RKS 2025 Wine: Beyond the Moon to Jupiter! An Animal Farm Red
Côtes du Rhône is known for its robust red wines occasionally exhibiting a tad too much acidity. We try a Halos de Jupiter and query will it take us beyond the moon to Jupiter? 75% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre and 10% Syrah. Aroma: Blackberry, cassis, black plum and black Vermont licorice. Palate: Yep, noticeable acidity cutsContinue reading “RKS 2025 Wine: Beyond the Moon to Jupiter! An Animal Farm Red”
RKS Travel: The Botanical Beauty of the Desert: Sunnylands Center and Gardens in Rancho Mirage, California
Many know of Rancho Mirage’s plethora of spectacular golf courses, country clubs, glam hotels and restaurants set amid palm trees and the brown towering and sometimes snowcapped mountains of the Coachella Valley in Southern California but one should not overlook the Sunnylands Centre & Gardens located at 37977 Bob Hope Drive. Sunnylands is a 200-acreContinue reading “RKS Travel: The Botanical Beauty of the Desert: Sunnylands Center and Gardens in Rancho Mirage, California”
RKS Literature: The Timeless Excellence of Wine from Samos, Greece (Voltaire)
“He immediately approached them, greeted them, and invited them to come eat at his inn to eat some macaroni, Lombardy partridges, and caviar, and to drink some wine from Montepulciano, from Cyprus and Samos and some Lacrimae Christi.” Voltaire, “Candide or Optimism”, 1759.
RKS Literature: Opera as a Revolting Monster (Voltaire)
“I would perhaps prefer opera, had they not discovered the secret of turning it into a monster that revolts me. I do not mind if people want to see bad tragedies set to music, the scenes serving only to introduce (and quite badly) one or two ridiculous songs intended to exhibit the actresses’ gullet. GoodContinue reading “RKS Literature: Opera as a Revolting Monster (Voltaire)”
The Penniless Pensioner Says Good-Bye and Thank You
AFTERWORD The story you have read would not have been possible without the guiding hand of my colleague and advisor Robert K. Stephen. He was invaluable at editing, innovating and cajoling but at times I heard him moaning, “Not Again!” after editing each chapter some fifty times. He took great care to ensure the wordsContinue reading “The Penniless Pensioner Says Good-Bye and Thank You”
The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous (The Final Version):Chapter 51: Revolt at the Mugless Mental Hospital in Montreal
Squid whisked me away from Dorval International Airport in Montreal to downtown Montreal in his silver Studebaker. I took my usual suite at the Ritz-Carlton on Sherbrooke Street. After unpacking we went to Thursdays on Crescent Street for a quick Martini and then to an old favourite Greek restaurant of mine on Park Avenue calledContinue reading “The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous (The Final Version):Chapter 51: Revolt at the Mugless Mental Hospital in Montreal”
The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous (The Final Version):Chapter 54: Meeting with Bernie Maggot and Fleece-Em Investment Management Company
The Greyhound Montreal to New York midnight bus is always a bizarre experience. Invariably Mennonites or Amish are denied entry into the United States. Then that rest stop at Saratoga Springs in New York is like a trip back to a 1950’s diner and the apple pie is almost worth the trip! I arrived inContinue reading “The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous (The Final Version):Chapter 54: Meeting with Bernie Maggot and Fleece-Em Investment Management Company”
The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous (The Final Version): Chapter 53: Back to New York to Work with Bernie Maggot
These class actions arising from the “disturbances” at the Queen Fairy Hospital for Veterans and the Mugless Mental Hospital took two years to settle. The biggest victory was against the United States Government aka CIA for conducting covert LSD experimentation on certain Mugless patients. Could LSD be used to effectively interrogate “enemies of the state”.Continue reading “The Penniless Pensioner: Misaligned, Maligned but Marvellous (The Final Version): Chapter 53: Back to New York to Work with Bernie Maggot”
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