Medieval Trials in Russia

Stealing timber wood was typical of Robin Hood.

Highly controversial trial in Russia sentenced critic of the Putin’s regime, blogger Alexei Navalny, to five years for stealing timber wood. Few days ago, another lawyer was sentenced in a posthumous trial. Many critics condemn the practices of the KGB (former Russian secret service) as obsolete and cruel. Well, taken out of the context, they really belong to the middle ages.

       Alexei Navalny is a Russian lawyer who turned into political activist. He runs his blog, where he criticizes the corruption in the country under the rule of the president Vladimir Putin. Apart from that, he contributes to Reuters and Forbes Russia. He is recognized by the west as the man whom Vladimir Putin fears most and he was the only Russian included in the Time’s list of the 100 most important people of 2012. However, the Russian regime is very sensitive to anyone who might be a potential danger. Navalny was found guilty of stealing timber wood from a state owned company Kirovles in 2009. At that time, he was the advisor of the governor of Kirov, Russia, where the crime took place. Well, timber theft was popular during the Middle Ages. Actually, that was what Robin Hood did, definitely his companions cut out some trees while residing in the Sherwood Forrest.

Cadaver Synod that trialed the cadaver of the Pope
Formosus in 897. 

     Recently, a posthumous trial sentenced another lawyer, Sergei Magnitsky, for tax evasion. Even the Russian human rights experts condemned the court with the death man. In 2008, Magnitsky pointed out to the corruption and tax fraud at the Russian authorities. However, the allegations turned against him and he died in custody 11 months later. The exact circumstances of his death are still unknown, leaving place for disputes.

In 897, Pope Stephen VII, held what became known as the “Cadaver Synod” with his predecessor Formosus. He accused him of perjury and illegal accession to the papal seat. The corpse of Formosus was dug out of the tomb and brought to the court room. Apparently, he did not abject against the verdict and gave back his papal vestment.  

      After the verdict, Navalny asked his followers not to stay idle, but fight on "to destroy the feudal statethat's being built in Russia,destroy the system of government where 83% of national wealth is owned by ahalf per cent of the population''. . 

       Well, it is another parallel with the feudal system of Middle Ages, when all the land belonged to the king and he just passed it down to his vassals. The sad about the whole history is that despite the kings and knights are long gone (replaced by the politicians and military servicemen), the redistribution of wealth is preserved. You can read in any book on modern economy of investment, that 90% of world’s wealth is in the hands of 10% of the population. 

Why to be interested in guns....

      Moving on with your career is about meeting influential people and having a clever chat with them.

       Today, I was waiting for a tube, just coming back from the funeral at St Paul’s. I was joined on my journey by several well dressed gentlemen. One of them, approaching 50's, approached the traffic warden with question about the best connection to North Greenwich – business interest,  obviously. Later he boarded the train and spent he journey engaged in conversion with another peer. I overheard only the word 'peer' while reading paper, business news. Upon leaving, I left the paper on the seat. The well dressed gentleman took it. I meant to leave it for other travellers to read, I apologized for what might be seen as leaving rubbish.

“That's all right', he said 'I read it on my next train.”

He asked me whereabouts I was from.

“Slovakia”, he reacted to my country of origin. “I have a friend from there, Bruno, makes good guns.”

 I wanted to respond, but could not find anything smart and relating to guns. Immediately, he changed direction for his train, leaving me with no link to carry on in conversation.

Well, I should learn a thigh about guns.

Emirates Stadium - Arsenal

 Today, I visited the Emirates Stadium, the new home ground of London's Arsenal FC. Just to have a look.

Two cannon guns are placed in front of the stadium, the nickname of the Arsenal is "Gunners", because the the team started in Woolwich - where they manufacture guns. 

    Names of the team's legends are written on the blocks of concrete. I remember Tony Adams from Fifa 2001 PC game.

Robert Pires, one of the "French musketeers" in the early 2000's.

You can go on a Stadium tour.

Dennis Bergkamp, the Dutch who was afraid to fly.

David Seaman, the last English world class goalkeeper, although ridiculed by Ronaldinho in the 2002 World Cup quarter-final.

In the past, players used to travel to and from the matches by bus. Today, they have to use public transport only after an embarrassing loss when the coach wants to teach them a lesson.

A little fan who ran away from hospital to see his team play.

Tierry Henry, 226 goals in 370 appearances.

Fan shop, what's the link between the crocodile and Arsenal?

It was freezing out there and my hands were cold. Therefore I was attracted by the gloves and winter caps.

Scarves. Different colours and shapes testify to the wide variety of trademark items in the shop. 

A glance of the fan shop, I did not want to raise too much attention with doing pictures. 

Some really nice hoodies, but the prices are quite high. I bought a whisky glass, a present for my father. I think he prefers Chelsea, but I try to change his mind, the work Wenger does with the youth comes more appealing than buying ready made players to sit on the bench.

Life of Pi, review

Can you imagine the Slum Dog millionaire in a Hemingway like struggle with the antagonist nature in the beats of the eye of the tiger only few hours after being served dinner by Gerard Depardieu? Initially I was little bit skeptical about the movie with only two main characters. I am speaking about the well expected Life of Pi hanging around the cinemas in the West End. But I was wrong twofold.

    First, I underestimated the artistry of the film-makers that can turn a sheer act of literature into a blockbuster movie. Skillfully, they put the story about Pi’s encounter with three different religions into retrospect, narrated to a writer who would turn it into a book. The authenticity was boosted by the 3D effect, at some point I really thought that the debris from the sinking ship will hit me and bent my head in despair.

Second, I forgot about the masterpiece of Ernest Hemingway starring the same two characters. An old man and his fight against the forces of the nature on the open Sea. Actually, the Life of Pi can be compared to several other books and movies. Born in India Pi grew up in the family of a zoo owner. Skinny Indian boy resembling the Shamal from slum dog built his relationship with maths and three religions – Hindu, Christianity and Islam.  The story pointed out that it is the belief in something what matters, not the particular religion as the God works under different names. Eventually, the business of Pi’s father went down and he decided to move family and animals to Canada. 

     Next passage was on a ship that sunk in the middle of the Pacific. It was similar to the Titanic, but now the weather was hot and majority of passengers were animals. Pi was left on a life-boat with an orangutan, a hyena and a wounded zebra. He did not know that there was also a big Bengal tiger, until the beast sprung out from the boat’s cover and slaughtered the rest of the non-human crew. From that point everyone would expect that Pi will befriend the beast and together struggle against the odds of survival. However the tiger is a natural predator and the author did not run away to the happily ever after, but kept the story down to earth. Pi kept the tiger at bay in the boat while he took shelter on a makeshift raft. Aware of the fact that tiger must be fed regularly so that it won’t eat him, he learned how to catch the fish and many other survival skills. 

There is a parallel with another story, the Tracy’s Tiger. In a short novel by William Saroyan the main character overcomes the shyness towards a girl thanks to the helps of an imaginary friend – a tiger. In the end Pi tells a different story which leaves in doubts whether the tiger was real, or just represented the inner force within the character. 

Also, the acting is really good, including Gerard Depardieu in a cameo appearance of the cook on the ship. However I do not give away further details of the story in order to give you an incentive to watch it.