A Clockwork Orange - Stanley Kubrick and The Rolling Stones.

Before Stanley Kubrick (1928 –1999) got hold of "A Clockwork Orange", writer Anthony Burgess (1917 –1993) negotiated with Mick Jagger, who wanted to obtain film rights for the sum of a few hundred dollars.

Jagger wanted to make a film in which his "Rolling Stones" would play the heartless thugs in white.

Fortunately for Kubrick and film art history, Mick gave up on that idea and the role was given to Malcolm McDowell, who won great acclaim for his role as Alex DeLarge, a young sociopathic hoodlum brainwashed by a dystopian British government of the near future.

Kubrick’s “A Clockwork Orange” was nominated for four Academy Awards and won numerous prestigious awards. 

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Battle for the Valley of the Fallen!

In the place where he is buried, Spanish dictator Francisco Franco has built a symbol of his dictatorship that lasted for four decades. Now, the Spanish government plans to exhume his remains and remove this monument to fascism - but the conservatives are opposed to opening of old wounds.

The hills near Madrid are home to a symbol of a four decades long dictatorship – the famous Valley of the Fallen.  It is a mausoleum that General Francisco Franco ordered to be built to commemorate his victory in the Spanish Civil War. Now there are plans to relocate this complex. The "Valley" has a huge basilica surrounded with hills, and Franco is buried there, behind the altar, beneath the monument that is decorated with fresh flowers.

The new socialist-led government is considering to exhume the remains of the dictator in order to remove that monument. But, even after 36 years since Franco's death, this is still a delicate task.

“The Spanish transition towards democracy was an act of prudence after deep wounds caused by war and dictatorship. We had to deal with the past little by little. We may have touched this issue a bit late, but prudence is the key to the success of our peaceful transition” –says Ramon Jauregui, one of the ministers in charge of this matter.



But Spain's conservative opposition refuses such thing. They claim that it would open old wounds.

“There are people in Spain who are afraid to face the darkness of the past. Horrors and massacres were committed here and we are not unique in that because other countries will also have to deal with such issues. I don’t see a reason for Spain not to do it” - explains historian Angel Vinas.

For him, the relocation of the compound should be part of the process. This monument was one of the most visited in Spain, but there are no signs that explain its history, and it isn’t mentioned that it was built mainly by political prisoners.

Nicolas Sanchez Albornoz is one of them. As a student activist, he was sentenced to six years of work in a camp because of "activities against the state." He escaped in 1948 and never returned.

“I believe that it is really shocking that one European country still has a huge monument as a remembrance of one of the bloodiest dictators. It would be best to remove all symbols. The thing that gives force to this particular symbol is Franco's presence” - said Sanchez who is now in his 80's.

The government now awaits a proposition from expert commission before their final decision. One of the proposals is to relocate the Franco’s remains to a more appropriate place, and to bury him in the city cemetery next to his wife. His daughter has already had a complaint, and the foundation that she runs has promised to carry out legal actions to prevent it.

“Many people will oppose this barbarism. They can not move Franco without the permission of his family. That would be sacrilege. One must be careful with the history of Spain. You can not demonize one part of society, and elevate other” – says Jaim Alonso, in a room full of photos of Franco and his portrait. He believes that the general saved Spain from the clutches of Soviet Russia.

We will continue fighting

Few Spaniards openly shows their admiration for Franco, but many have an aversion towards relocation of his grave.

“It is pointless after so many years. With that, we will only continue with the war” – says Jose Luis, one of the visitors of the Valley of the Fallen. "For the side that was defeated in the war it is quite different. The Fascists killed Father Fausto Canales, and his remains were moved to the Valley in 1959. More than 30,000 people that were killed in the war on both sides have been transferred there by Franco’s order ."

“For me it is very painful that the remains of my father are located in a place that was built in honor of the winner of a coup. This looks like a double crime. Firstly, he was executed, and then his body was transferred without our permission to a place that is totally inappropriate” – says younger Canales.  

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From a Groom to an Emperor – Part IV – Basil the Noble.

Basil I the Macedonian (867-886) showed during his two decades of reign that he was worthy of the crown of the Byzantine emperor. With skillful and prudent policy, both internal and external, he had greatly improved the Empire. 

In order to somewhat mitigate Basil’s dark and violent rise to the throne of Constantinople, his descendant – son Leo VI the Wise (886-912) and grandson Constantine VII Porphyrogennetos (912-959) – and almost the entire official historiography of the Macedonian dynasty with them, reached for fictional genealogy. 

In Basil, on one hand, they saw a distant descendant of Arsacid, known Parthian royal house that was in the 3rd century BC founded by Arsaces I, and later, with kindred, connected to Persian Sassanid Empire, as well as young Armenian state. From his mother’s side, Basil was allegedly associated with Constantine the Great, and by some with Alexander the Great. 

It is interesting to note that the later Byzantine writers have, in different ways, accepted these incredible assumptions. For example, in the 11th century, John Skylitzes gives them, without any intellectual doubt, an unconditional trust. Unlike Skylitzes, John Zonaras (first half of the 12th century) dismisses the whole story of Basil’s ancient nobility and notes that the founder of the Macedonian dynasty comes from Macedonia, from insignificant and unknown fathers, regardless the fact that some of those who wrote about him made up that he was a descendant of Arsacid.

Another legend, that sounds tempting but suffers from a lack of historical credibility, contributes to a new mystery around Basil I the Macedonian. It is a famous word BECLAS, an acronym of Basil’s closest family -  in the first place Basil himself, then his wife Eudokia, and, finally, his sons Constantine, Leo, Alexander and Stephen. This acrostic is recorded by Patriarch Photius (858-867, 877-886) who wrote many stories about Basil’s “nobility”. 

As written by the Byzantine writer Niketas David Paphlagon, the genealogy of the founder of Macedonian dynasty was put together by Photius, who, with the help of some priest, wrote a great number of lies with Alexandrian literate on the oldest paper, to imitate an ancient manuscript.  He then put an ancient cover on it that he took from some ancient book, and secretly placed his work among other books in the royal library.

Leaving aside the veracity of this interesting story by Niketas David Paphlagon, it is probably possible that the Byzantines themselves were well aware that genealogy could be forged, and that many of them are indeed forged.

Invention of legends is not typical just for Byzantine Empire, but also for a number of other states of the medieval world. Furthermore, it is not exaggeration if we say that false genealogies are being created even in our time. Unfortunately, a great number of people is blindly convinced in such forged genealogies.

Whatever the case, the assumption that Basil I the Macedonian, man who was capable and discerning enough to become emperor from a groom, was not familiar with the compilation of "fabricated" genealogy that celebrates antiquity of his imperial home, seems unlikely.

To return to Part III – „The one who sleeps beside”, click HERE.

To return to Part I – A boy named Basil, click HERE.

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From a Groom to an Emperor – Part III – „The one who sleeps beside”.

It took ten years before Empress's prophetic words were fulfilled. In the meantime, Basil steadily climbed the Byzantine hierarchical ladder, mostly because a favorable combination of circumstances allowed it.

The most powerful man in Byzantium at that time was Emperor’s uncle Bardas. Bardas was a man of luxurious administrative abilities. In 865, he removed the parakoimōmenos Damian whose influence he was afraid of, and appointed Basil on his place.

Parakoimōmenos (Greek word for “The one who sleeps beside”) was the head of royal nuptial bed, something like a “guardian” of emperor’s bedroom who, due to the fact that he stayed close to the emperor, had the opportunity to be at the source of valuable information. This position was usually reserved for eunuchs, but in Basil’s case, they made an exception. Very soon, Bardas regretted for promoting Basil on such high position, and he expressed that with these words: “I got rid of the fox; but in his place I have put a lion who will end by devouring us all.”

The emperor’s uncle and former emperor’s groom were now worst enemies. In April 866, during the campaign for Crete, an island that the Arabs captured from the Byzantines, Basil and his men killed Bardas.

Still enchanted, a month after Basil’s return to Constantinople, Michael III gave the crown of co-emperor to his little pet. The stranger from Thrace officially became the second man of the empire and just one step behind the throne.

Afraid of Emperor’s capricious and sometimes unbalanced nature, Basil left nothing to chance. He devised a plot. In the night between September 23 and 24, 867, after a feast on the court, his men killed a drunken Emperor in his bedroom. 

Phrygian Dynasty was succeeded by new Macedonian dynasty. This new dynasty will become the most famous Byzantine dynasty that ruled almost for two centuries over the Roman Empire (867-1056).

Staggering rise of ambitious and ruthless newcomer, crowned with legends that are not deprived of historical background, is convincing testimony to the fact that the path to the Byzantine throne was open to everyone and that the biggest “nobody” could have climbed on the very top of the Roman Empire.

This was typical for early (4-7 century) and middle Byzantine (7-11 century).  In the late Byzantine Empire (11-15 century), just a member of some of the most prominent noble families could have become an emperor.  

To read Part IV – Basil the Noble, click HERE.

To return to Part II – Little Theophilus and Big Basil, click HERE.

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From a Groom to an Emperor – Part I – A boy named Basil.

If you thought that only in fairytales some groom could become an emperor, you were wrong. History teaches us that such things are possible even in real life, and the best example of that is Byzantine emperor Basil I the Macedonian.

In one Thracian village, in the home of a poor peasant, possibly an  Armenian immigrant, a boy was borne whom they named Basil. History knows him as Basil the Macedonian, because, at the time of his birth, this part of Thrace belonged to theme, or military-administrative unit, called Macedonia. Some scientists believe that Basil was born in 830 or 835, while others say that he was born on May 25, 836.

Several strange events suggested that this newborn boy would have a bright future. 

On one warm summer day, his parents went to work on the field, and they left their son in the shade where he fell asleep. Then an eagle showed up and, flying around him, sheltered him with the shadow of his wings. Basil’s mother was scared at first and tried to chase away the bird. But the eagle came back. That is when she accepted this as a sign of God.  In addition, she allegedly had a dream in which from her womb came out a golden tree full of golden flowers and fruit, and this tree grew so big that it threw a shadow over the entire house.

Another time, again in a dream, Prophet Elijah spoke to Basil’s mother. This tall old man with white beard from whose mouth a flame was burning, foretold success and happiness to her son. 

His father’s death affected his family greatly, and Basil, who had to take care of his mother and sisters, realized that from agriculture they could only live a difficult and meager life. He decided to try his luck and went to Constantinople.

On a late Sunday afternoon, he entered the "Queen of Cities" through the Golden Gate. Sources say that he was poorly dressed and had just a bundle and a stick. At first, he watched with amazement wide streets and large buildings of the city on the Bosphorus, but, when the night came, he had to seek some place to sleep.

Since he knew no one in Byzantine capital, and was already exhausted from a long journey and the tide of unusual impressions that splashed him on arrival in Constantinople, he lay under the porch of the famous monastery of Saint Diomedes and fell asleep. 

To read Part II – Little Theophilus and Big Basil, click HERE.

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Kiss – From cave to big screen.

Motherly, friendly, French, movie, Judas... People are kissing each other from the beginning of time. Here are some of the most interesting theories about how and why was kissing invented.

Sexologists say that a kiss is even more intimate then the act of sex itself, regardless the fact is that kiss is the most frequent physical contact among people. 99.9 percent of people on the planet know what kiss is, but very few know the real truth about the origin and meaning of the kiss.

Kiss is a powerful phenomenon, that’s for sure. If you think about it, you will come to the conclusion that kiss had an influence on the course of life of every man, it was the beginning and test of survival of every relationship, and it has significantly influenced the history of mankind. Film industry has recognized the power of kiss, but also and people from show business. You can still hear stories about how Madonna kissed Britney Spears at one of the MTV awards, right?


Even today, the phenomenon of kissing is not fully explained. We even have a branch of science that studies kissing and it’s called filematology.

No one is definitely sure why people started touching each other with lips and exchange saliva, but it is known that this kind of physical contact was present even in the period around 1,500 BC.

According to one theory, the kiss was created because of practical reasons – so that people can lick salt from each other’s cheeks. The Vedic scriptures describe the phenomenon of kissing as an act of affection. It is believed that the kiss has culturally spread from India via Greece, and that Alexander the Great is the most creditable for that, because he brought it to Europe during the great invasion in 326 BC. Besides spices and tea, the great commander had, allegedly, brought and something that was even hotter and spicier then the tea and spices together – the kiss, which conquered Europe with the speed of fire.

There are different opinions about the origin of the kiss. According to one legend it was invented by medieval knights who were trying to determine in this way if their wives had drunk the juicy mead. According to another theory, the kiss derived from the relationship between mother and child. Allegedly, cave mothers, who didn’t have blender like today’s mothers, were chewing the food and then, with their mouth, they were feeding their children.

Some cultures knew of kissing long before others, but they considered that act too private and didn’t discussed nor write about it for many years and centuries. Even Bible says that God kissed a man and gave him life through that kiss. 

Some cultures like Finnish, Burmese, Polynesian, Philippinian, or cultures of African tribes consider kissing as weird, absurd and rude. They have ways of greeting like nose rubbing or gasping at the throat. In this way, they can recognize each member of the tribe based on his smell.

Some even believe that kissing evolved as a way of spreading bacteria between partners. In this way they would become immune to each other’s diseases, and were able to have kids. At the time of Ancient Rome, kissing was used as a way of showing status – that status was ranked according to permission to kiss a certain part of the body. Those who have enjoyed higher status were kissing each other on the cheek and arm, while ordinary mortals had permission to kiss feet.

In Chinese tradition, it is considered that the ideal balance between yin and yang can be achieved only by exchanging "liquid jade", better known as saliva, or, in romantic terms – with a French kiss.

In Naples, in 1562, kissing in public was forbidden, and those who were caught in that act were condemned to death.

In Hartford, Connecticut, the old law, which is still in force, considers it illegal for a man to kiss his wife on Sundays. And in Indiana, until recently, there was a law that strictly forbidden men with mustaches to kiss women - probably for reasons of hygiene.

English word “kiss” originates from Germanic word “kussian”, which onomatopoetically imitates what happens during kiss. What is considered as a French kiss in western world, in India is called English kiss.

Name „movie kiss“ says by itself that a kiss had a significant role in the film industry. In 2005, a movie called “Brokeback Mountain” attracted much attention because of description of sexual relation between men, but the first kiss of two men was shown much earlier – some eighty years before, in a movie “Wings” from 1927. However, the first homosexual kiss was shown even before that – in a movie “Manslaughter” from 1922, where two lesbians were kissing each other.

For a long time, the longest kiss in film history was the one between Jane Wyman and Regis Toomey – it lasted three minutes and five seconds. However, in 2010, that record was broken by Neckar Zadegan and Traci Dinwiddie with a longest movie kiss, and also the longest lesbian kiss in a movie.

In the movie “Some Like It Hot” from 1959, actor Tony Curtis, who plays Joe or Josephine after he disguises himself as female band member, shocked the public when he said that his kiss with Sugar (Marilyn Monroe) was like "kissing with Hitler." He later gave an explanation for his statement and said that such a stupid question (How did he like kissing a sex symbol like Marilyn) deserved an equally stupid answer. “What was I supposed to say? What do you think it’s like to kiss Marilyn Monroe you dickheads?” – Curtis said.

In 1929, Greta Garbo appeared in MGM’s last silent film called “Kiss”. It was the end of silent film era, but not the era of kisses.

In 1984, Rock Hudson kissed Linda Evans in “Dynasty”. And when it was reveled that he had AIDS, Hollywood was swept with panic that she was infected too. The actress revealed later that the people around her didn’t want to come near her because they had kids and they didn’t want to expose themselves to risk.

In Indian cinema, kiss was forbidden for a long time. The first real kiss with open mouth and a tongue was shown in Indian cinemas through a little-known English film from 1926.

Around the world, there are some pretty interesting but also and vulgar names for a kiss. People on Maldives use a term, which, when translated, means “lip sucking”, and the kiss in South Africa is called “tongue in lungs”.

Interestingly, the kissing was unknown to many people. Indians and Aborigines didn’t kiss before meeting Europeans. After that, they introduced that custom.

Also, one of the biggest misapprehensions is that the French have invented the French kiss. They haven’t even gave it its name. The truth is that in 1923 this term was forged in England.  And the only reason this kiss has that “French” in its name is because the French, at the beginning of the 19th century were known as amorous persons.

Kissing is good for your health

Scientists have discovered that kissing has multiple positive effects on health because it increases the secretion of hormone of happiness.  Even bacteria, which are present in the saliva, with their mixing contribute to stronger immunity; they are breaking down plaque in the mouth and are destroying harmful microorganisms. Kissing is also good for dental health because it stimulates the secretion of saliva, which, on the other hand, has a function of washing the mouth and removing the remains of food.

Clinical tests have shown that touching, including kissing, reduces blood pressure, stress, and improves the immune status of the organism. Many believe that the activation of a large number of facial muscles during kissing is preventing the appearance of wrinkles and is slowing the aging process.

Kissing is pleasure

The lips are definitely made for kissing. They are the thinnest part of our body and 100 times more sensitive than our fingers. The tongue and the inside of the oral cavity contain enormous amount of nerves that are transmitting messages directly to the limbic system, the oldest part of the brain associated with sexual pleasure. A kiss is stimulating the secretion of the hormone oxytocin, which affects parts of the brain responsible for pleasure and adrenalin, and thus creating the feeling of butterflies in our stomach.

Facts about kissing

-    Two thirds of men are leaning their heads to the right when they are kissing someone;
-    Most kisses are shown in the movie "Don Juan" from 1926 - 191 kiss in 110 minutes;
-    In 1990, Alfred Wolfram kissed a 8001 person in a period of eight hours at a festival in Minnesota – he kissed, on average, 16 persons per minute.
-    Men who are kissing their wives before going to work, on average, are earning more money than those who do not do that;
-    The only animals that are kissing each other’s mouth are chimpanzees, orangutans and cats;
-    In just one exchange of saliva during a kiss, there is more than 278 species of bacteria, and many of them can cause various diseases;
-    A passionate kiss can increase the level of hormones in your body so high, that it can take away one minute of your life;
-    During his life, a man is spending approximately 336 hours or two full weeks kissing someone.
-    One French kiss is activating 23 muscles;
-    Ten minutes of kissing is burning 30 calories;
-    70 percent of people experience their first kiss before they turn 15.

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Byzantine Art of Persuasion (Part IV)

Not on earth nor in the sky

Story says that in the year of 986 Prince Vladimir of Kiev was visited by missionaries from various parts of the medieval world. First who came was the Bulgarian delegation from the middle Volga who recommended Islam, then Pope's envoys trying to religiously subjugate multiple Russian people, who inhabited large areas, to papal curia, then Khazar missionaries who recommended Judaism, and, finally, a redundant sage, envoy of the Byzantine emperor. With haughty contempt and ostentatious arrogance, this Greek "philosopher" mocked the other competitors. At first he spoke with rough and unmeasured way of Muhammad, and then, he confidently revoke dogmatic teachings of Rome as well as Jews. In response to Vladimir's theological questions, this proud Byzantine smatterer gave a speech of nearly five thousand words. However, halting Russian prince, even after this adept and oratory brilliant speech remained somewhat cautious. Since it was a very important national issue, Prince Vladimir sent emissaries to all the above-mentioned religious destinations.

Finally, the odds went to Byzantine "proposal." This time the brilliant rhetoric of the Roman negotiator was, with the best way, supported by unsurpassed Byzantine art to, in Constantinople, the "Empress City" as Byzantine writers called it with grace, in the most important temple of Capital, in the magnificent Hagia Sophia, serve Divine Liturgy to confused visitors from the north. The question is whether the doubts recorded in Russian source really existed, or, it was just a need to subordinate the facts to an exciting plot that somehow had to maintain tension and suspense by telling of how the Russians made difficult and historic decision.

The words of the Russian chronicle say distinctly: "And we have come to the Greek country, and they took us to a place where they worship their God, and we did not know whether we are in heaven or on earth; because the earth there is no such sight and such beauty and we do not know how to describe it. We know that there is a God among men and their service is prettier than in all other countries. "

And, finally, evidence of barbarian fascination with Byzantine persuasion skills brings Theodore Metochites. I am telling you about famous Byzantine-Serbian negotiations from 1299, important for the events and the balance of power in the Balkans at the turn of the 13th the 14th century. The good thing is that we possess the so-called "Ministerial letter" which is confidential report that a Byzantine negotiator Theodore Metochites sent to Constantinople within his last of his five trips to Serbia during 1298/1299. It is reasonable to assume that this interesting writ was compiled in the first half of April in the year of 1299 when long and difficult negotiations between Byzantine Emperor Andronicus II Palaeologus (1282-1328) and Serbian King Milutin (1282-1321) where completed.

It is necessary to emphasize that this is a unique source, a text which, apparently, was sent to Nicephorus Chumnus, then mesazon, that is the "first minister" of the Byzantine Empire, who was at the time Metochites superior officer. Hence the text of this confidential writ overgrows usual official reports which are characterized with routine drafting, arid and established lexicon, but also and the redundancy of any imagination. Before us, therefore, we have educated writing with which a young intellectual - Theodore Metochites was then only thirty years old, and was at the beginning of a great scientific and statesmen career – is trying to impress the older, respected and already famous colleague. Therefore, this "talk" of two wise men should be viewed as a kind of clash of intellects, conflict between two scientific vanities, and spiritual contest in which the younger is trying hard to fascinate the older one. Leaving aside colorful and exciting events from his travel to Serbia during one of the coldest winters in the period of the Middle Ages, and extensive diplomatic "wrestling" between Byzantine and Serbian negotiators, I bring you just one assessment that Theodore Metochites is telling at the very end of his "Ministerial letter". He notes: "Because, question is if someone can win in everything just with words and not be defeated by evil, and if the suffering will not manage those who use only words, and relying only on them. In every matter, namely, every word is certainly just a shadow of a true act. And this is especially so with the barbarians and limited people who do not easily relinquish to words, especially with such plots, intrigues and wickedness, and moreover because they think that we use words most skillfully, better then them and the others, and that we use them to rule, persuade, and turn everything anyway we want. "

With regard to the presented it’s not surprising that the Byzantines in the Middle Ages were considered as shifty people. To tell the truth, the Byzantines themselves have thought of other nations as shifty. At the same time, of course, we should not lose sight of the well-known fact that people notion of each other - both then and now! – were often burdened with not only the whole set of prejudices, but also and with various forms of simplification. However, it is not without interest to mention the famous Byzantine principle of "oikonomia", which implies allowed deviation from strict adherence to church rules under irregular circumstances and for honorable goals. In other words, it’s about special Byzantine willingness to interpret the law arbitrarily, in accordance with political or personal intentions. At the same time, it is necessary to remind that "oikonomia" was raised to one of the most essential principles of political thought in the Byzantine Empire.

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Beer: Men Drink – Women Invention!

Although beer is considered as men drink, women played important role in its history, claims Jane Peyton, a British historian. 

She said that women invented beer. She also said that for a long time women were the only one allowed to stay in Alehouses and consume beer. Beer was considered as food and like that it was “under the authority” of women.

7000 years ago, in Sumer and Mesopotamia, only women were allowed to manufacture beer and run the alehouses, and this potion was considered as a gift of goddesses not gods, like in many other ancient civilizations.

Even in the Nordic culture, women were the ones who manufactured beer. All manufacturing equipment was in theirs possession. Finland even has a legend about three women who invented beer and among the ingredients that were used was beer’s slobber and honey.

In the English culture women were also the ones who manufactured beer. As a drink, it was very popular among female population and there are records that even Queen Elizabeth I regularly drank beer while eating breakfast. Beer was then considered as one of basic provisions. With industrial revolution and new ways of manufacturing of this alcoholic drink, the role of women decreased.

“I know that men will be shocked to hear this but for their beer they should be thankful to women” – stated Peyton.  

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