Czechmatediary

The early-warning radar system is just steps away from being built in the Czech Republic. As the Czech prime minister, Mirek Topolanek, said yesterday to the press in Washington, only a few minor details needed to be solved before the construction can begin. Most of these minor issues are connected with the environmental protection. Here are some facts about the upcoming building project: (more…)

Hello everyone /Nazdar vsichni!

Je vam smutno po domovu?? Chybi vam ceske “parby”? Kliknete na:

Czech activities in the US: March 2008

The Czech singer and a pianist Marketa Irglova and her 17-year older Irish boyfriend, Glen Hansard, won the Oscar for the “Best movie song 2007″. Charming Marketa even got a chance - although cut off by the orchestra at first - to make a little speech in front of the zillion of celebrities (I bet she was sweating..). She thanked everyone and then proceeded to say that the prize was important not only for the two of them but also for the whole independent artist community. It gives other independent musicians and artists the courage to go after their dreams because “mirracles” can happen. (more…)

Hey everyone!

For you Jozin z bazin lovers there is an awesome on-line store with various types of merchandise that celebrates the beauty of our favorite video.

CZ: Pro ty, kteri jsou blazni do Jozina z bazin je tu “lek”: Jozinovske tricka, bundy a cepice jsou ted k mani!
http://www.printfection.com/jozinzbazin

Do you like to bike? And would you like to learn how to bike from Prague to Paris and - if you are not dead by then - back? Click here.

When I was a little girl I loved dolls (what a surprise, right?). I loved them so much that every time my dad was leaving for work I would ask him to bring me one. Well, one of those days has become a memory for the rest of my life.

It was summertime and I was vacationing with my family at our cottage. Since our parents didn’t have as much time off as us, kids, my dear grandma Kaja would baby-sit us during that time. This grandma became one of my most influential people in my life. She survived both wars, raised 2 kids during W.W.II and feverishly taught French for most of her life. She also believed in a true and pure communism (nowadays we call it Utopia). Anyhow, since grandma Kaja endured through the war times she has always had the survival-of-the-fittest attitude and therefore learned to be VERY frugal and VERY resourceful. Let me just give you an example (and I am sure some of you may relate as their grandmas did similar things):

1. She would never throw away milk bags (during communism milk was sold in plastic bags) to use them later for other purposes such as a storage for her rubber bands. (more…)

Prague Spring in 1968 brought to Canada about 21,000 Czech and Slovak immigrants. How are they doing now? They are just fine but their kids seem to have forgotten their Czech roots. Why is that? It certainly cannot be for the lack of exposure because Toronto is simply overflowing with Czech “fingerprints”. Here are some examples:

• Masaryktown quarter
  • flats
  • Czech library
  • Czech restaurant

• “Czech” park - favorite meet up place of local Czechs

• Czech theater (more…)
  
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The Czech press calls her a modern-style Popelka (Cinderella). The American media love her for her pure, honest and meek personality. Marketa Irglova is a 19-year old country girl from Moravia who was chosen to sing together with her boyfriend Glen at the Oscars 2008 next week. She didn’t have to wait for the Hollywood spotlights for long; last year her and her Irish boyfriend made a low-budget but awesome movie called Once. Not only they play the main part but the soundtrack was also writen and sang by them. The movie signature song “Falling Slowly” became very popular in no time (see YouTube bellow). (more…)

Many of the Czech immigrants who came to Canada between 1948 - 1951 could find no work. That is why various Czech-owned businesses such as the Bata Shoe, Hamilton Carhart, the Czechoslovak National Alliance, Opal Manufacturing , Staruba Industrial Corporation, Hesky Flax Products and others offered these “brothers” a new employment opportunities.

Immigrants who came after the Prague Spring in 1968 faced similar problems. This time, however, the government was ready for them: it offered language classes free of charge as well as the already existing large Czech community to make the whole transition process easier. That year Canada welcomed about 21, 000 Czechs and Slovaks. (more…)

The current president of the Czech Republic, Vaclav Klaus, was reelected last night to continue being a president for another 5 years. It was a very close call, however. It took 3 rounds for him to receive the majority of votes (see the table bellow). In the 3rd round he finally received 141 votes (at a joint session of both houses of th parliament) - he needed at least 140 votes to win. His rival Svejnar was defeated by the lesser number of 111 votes. (more…)