The world is on the verge of the third great war, and only 105 years have passed since the end of the first. Western countries have been involved in the Russia-Ukraine war from the beginning. Islamic countries are reeling from the bloodshed in Gaza.
The hatred between Russians and Ukrainians, after this war, will last for decades, maybe centuries, just like the intolerance between Palestinians and Jews.
If the SFRY had lasted for, say, another fifty years, perhaps the Yugoslav peoples would have really reconciled. In this way, they parted in blood, opened new ones and deepened old wounds.
War definitely does not solve anything.
* * *
"I'm against Hamas, but I'm for Palestine," echoes in the Bar. Why? Because a child dies in Gaza every ten minutes. More than 4.000 of them died in one month.
* * *
Why are there incomparably more great painters, composers, directors, pianists, writers, athletes... men than women, I ask my daughters.
Because for centuries women were disenfranchised, marginalized, considered a lower human species.
It will take until gender equality is fully established.
* * *
In light of that: it is good for Montenegro that the current president unreservedly supported Draginja Vuksanović Stanković after the disgusting attack by Šešelj. His predecessor, at one time, got upset when he "came in" instead of protecting Vanja Ćalović, after an even more heinous attack by "Informer".
* * *
Radio Bar, from time to time, goes on a joint trip. To, like, strengthen the cohesion in our small company. And we've been together for thirty years, we don't renew staff, we know each other "back to back". We can surprise each other only negatively... Positively - difficult.
This time, after ten years, we were again in Ohrid. Even though we were in the same place ("Jocet's place"), nothing was like it used to be. Maybe because we are ten years older or just because it (occasionally) rained.
* * *
The Macedonians also commercialized themselves. The euro is no longer so superior to their denar.
* * *
The film "Sirin", a Montenegrin Oscar candidate, filmed last year in Ulcinj, was shown in the bar cinema. Curious, I adjusted myself in a comfortable seat, but after an hour and twenty minutes, instead of the denouement of this drawn-out and dreamy film, I saw the exit credits.
I realized that it wasn't me when the other twenty visitors were staring blankly at the exit from the Cultural Center.
* * *
For the first time, Montenegro is hosting the European Chess Team Championship, in men's and women's competition. Russia is not playing, but many Russian grandmasters are performing, assigned to other national teams. Let's say, Petrov is the third board in the team of Montenegro, Predka and Sarana lead Serbia, Fedosejev Slovenia.
Everything is organized at the highest level in Budva hotel "Splendid". The silence in the ballroom is broken only occasionally by someone's muffled cough. Between the tables, you can simply feel the pulsation of the cerebral gyri. The European chess elite is led by the world's greatest, the Norwegian Magnus Karlsen.
It is good that the Chess Federation of Montenegro, co-organizer of the championship with the European Chess Union, managed to push through the three representatives of Montenegro, "A", "B" and "C".
* * *
What is the connection between the most important elements of my cosmos (besides family and dear people) – chess, books and radio? Well, one could say: the magic of imagining characters. Those against whom I play chess over the Internet; those from literary works; those who speak on the radio. Only here you give free rein to your imagination, only there everything is not served to you... Those characters are the way you create them in your mind, visualize them. And it doesn't matter what they really look like.
* * *
I spent this extended weekend with the TV. I watched the long-filmed 12 episodes of the British series "The Forsyth Saga", based on the novel by John Galsworthy. The best series about the British aristocracy are made by the British ("spaghetti" Westerns can never be like American ones, regardless of the lucidity of Sergio Leoni).
I remember with how much joy my mother, half a century ago, awaited the episodes of the first TV version of the "Forsyth Saga". Once a week it was a holiday for both her and our house. She enjoyed it for three months, I managed it in two days.
Maybe we live easier and faster now, but our parents knew better how to be happy.
Bonus video:
