New chairman of the NATO Military Commitee

General Petr Pavel elected chairman of the NATO Military Commitee
The Chief of the General Staff of the Czech Army, General Petr Pavel, will be the new chairman of the NATO Military Committee, according to information obtained by the Czech News Agency. General Pavel was elected to the post at the committee meeting in Vilnius on Saturday. He will replace the present committee head, Danish General Knud Bartels, next year. General Pavel is the first representative of a NATO east European member country to hold the senior post. In the vote, committee members chose the Czech over rival candidates from Italy and Greece. His mandate will last three years and can be prolonged.
The Military Committee chairman is NATO´s highest military authority and chief military adviser to NATO secretary general. In this respect, Pavel will cooperate with Norwegian Jens Stoltenberg, who will take up the post of secretary general next month. The Military Committee is the supreme military body of NATO. It can submit proposals and recommendations to the North Atlantic Council, the Defence Planning Committee and the Nuclear Planning Group.
by Radio Prague - the international service of Czech Radio

Second anniversary of death of Václav Havel marked

Czechs have marked the second anniversary of the death of the country’s first post-communist president, Václav Havel. President Miloš Zeman laid a wreath at his tomb at Prague’s Vyšehrad cemetery, while Cardinal Dominik Duka was due to celebrate a requiem mass in his memory. Other events were organised around the country, including a concert at the capital’s Archa Theatre celebrating the late statesman’s friendship with US musician Lou Reed, who died this year. A playwright and dissident, Mr. Havel led 1989’s Velvet Revolution and was president for over 12 years.
(Radio Prague - the international service of Czech Radio)

Misik rejects

Rock singer Vladimir Misik rejects state decoration
In related news, the rock singer and songwriter Vladimir Misik has rejected a state decoration over his growing discontent with recent decisions by President Milos Zeman.. In a press release, the 66-year-old artist said he informed the president's office of his decision. Vladimir Misik, whose rose to popularity and critical acclaim in the late 1960s and has put out 13 albums, is one of the most respected Czech rock musicians.
(by Radio Prague - the international service of Czech Radio)
It seems to me as one of the January president ellection and this weekend's general election resume...

OpenSky Sudoku Generator

I like it: OpenSky Sudoku Generator

The service lets you generate printable sudoku puzzles which you can download (as Acrobat PDF files), print, and then work out with pencil and paper.
The generator produces classic symmetrical puzzles of varying difficulty levels. The difficulty level ("Easy", "Medium", "Hard", "Very hard") appears on the printed page along with a difficulty factor ranging between 0.01 and 1.00 (the higher the value, the more difficult the puzzle).
Author declared he had not written the generator himself; it is part of the gnome-sudoku software, written by Thomas Mills Hinkle. He has simply made it possible to generate PDFs from the puzzles, and has hooked it up to the web...

Jorge Bergoglio - new Pope

Czech political leaders congratulate new Pope
Politicians and church dignitaries have welcomed the election of Jorge Bergoglio, the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, as Pope. President Milos Zeman sent the Pontiff a letter of congratulations and extended an official invitation for him to attend the 2013 celebrations marking the 1150th anniversary of the arrival of the Christian missionaries Cyril and Methodius to Great Moravia. Prime Minister Petr Necas said he had received the news of Pope Francis' election with genuine pleasure and wished him sound health and strength in facing the challenges ahead.

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Church dignitaries praise result of conclave
Cardinal Dominik Duka said the choice of a pope from Latin America was a natural and right development in view of the prevalence of non-European Catholics in the world and the existing disproportion in their representation in the Church leadership. The Archbishop of Olomouc Jan Graubner suggested the election of the first non-European pope indicated a shift in the Roman Catholic Church to more openness and awareness of "what is important on a global scale". Cardinal Miloslav Vlk pointed out that the name Archbishop Bergoglio had chosen - evoking both St. Francis of Assisi and Francis Xavier - reflected his humble character. Church bells rang out around the Czech Republic on Wednesday evening in celebration of the new Pope.

based on text from Radio Prague - the international service of Czech Radio

Amnesty not created with particular cases in mind

Klaus: Amnesty not created with particular cases in mind
The Czech president, Vaclav Klaus, says he did not decide on an amnesty announced on New Year's Day with any particular cases in mind. Mr. Klaus made the comment in an interview in Mlada fronta Dnes, following growing criticism of one plank of the amnesty under which long-running cases of alleged massive corruption have been dropped. He said that decision was in line with European Union norms against excessively long cases, adding that he would also announce at least one pardon before he steps down in March.

based on text from Radio Prague - the international service of Czech Radio

Karel Caslavsky dies aged 75

Film historian Karel Caslavsky dies aged 75
Czech film historian Karel Caslavsky died on Wednesday at the age of 75, public broadcaster Czech Television said. Mr Caslavsky worked at the National Film Archive since 1963 and became a popular TV personality. He created several shows and co-wrote two volumes of biographies of Czech films actors. For 20 years, he hosted a programme on Czech TV entitled In Search of Lost Time in which he presented archive film footage.

based on text from Radio Prague - the international service of Czech Radio

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

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                 Merry★* 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ Happy ˚New ˛ •,.*
                 •。★Christmas★ 。* Year ★*˚*˚*˚*,*
                 ° 。° ˛˚˛ * _Π______*。*˚*˚*˚*˚。
                 ˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */_______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛*˚*,*
                 ˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜_田_田_｜門｜ ˚ ˚, ˚*˚,*˚

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Yes, I did it!

Source

Skoda Auto unveils new Octavia model

The car maker Skoda Auto has unveiled a third-generation Octavia model. The company claims the new Octavia hatchback is longer and wider than its predecessor providing more interior space and an engine starting at 1.4TSI. The new Octavia is to be shown at the Geneva international motor show show and will go on sale in March of next year. Skoda Auto is hoping to sell more than 500,000 Octavia models a year making it one of the ten top-selling cars in the world.

based on text from Radio Prague - the international service of Czech Radio

Defence minister stepping down

Frankly speaking, it was expected for long time:

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Alexandr Vondra steps down as defence minister
Alexandr Vondra has announced he is stepping down as Czech defence minister. Mr. Vondra made the announcement on Wednesday afternoon, saying he had lost the trust of voters, who did not re-elect him to the Senate in elections in October. He will officially take his leave at the end of next week. His position had previously been weakened by a scandal surrounding overspending on the Czech EU presidency in 2009, when he was deputy prime minister for European affairs. Mr. Vondra, who is 51, was a dissident and Charter 77 signatory and spent two months in jail in 1989 for organising an anti-communist demonstration.

Chris Rea - The Road To Hell

Stood still on a highway
I saw a woman
By the side of the road
With a face that I knew like my own
Reflected in my window
Well she walked up to my quarterlight
And she bent down real slow
A fearful pressure paralysed me
In my shadow

She said "Son, what are you doing here?
My fear for you has turned me in my grave"
I said "Mama, I come to the valley of the rich
Myself to sell"
She said "Son, this is the road to Hell"

On your journey 'cross the wilderness
From the desert to the well
You have strayed upon the motorway to Hell

Well I'm standing by a river
But the water doesn't flow
It boils with every poison you can think of
And I'm underneath the streetlights
But the light of joy I know
Scared beyond belief way down in the shadows
And the perverted fear of violence
Chokes a smile on every face
And common sense is ringing out the bells
This ain't no technological breakdown
Oh no, this is the road to Hell

And all the roads jam up with credit
And there's nothing you can do
It's all just bits of paper
Flying away from you
Look out world take a good look
What comes down here
You must learn this lesson fast
And learn it well
This ain't no upwardly mobile freeway
Oh no, this is the road to Hell

Vaclav Havel Airport Prague

International airport renamed after former president Havel
The Czech Republic's main international airport has been officially renamed after the late president Vaclav Havel. A special ceremony for the unveiling of Vaclav Havel Airport Prague (Letiste Vaclava Havla Praha in Czech) took place at noon on Friday - the 76th anniversary of the former-president's birthday - in the presence of numerous politicians, celebrities and members of the public. An exhibition of news agency photographs of Mr Havel was also opened, with a parallel exhibit to be made in London. The idea to rename the airport after the last Czechoslovak and first Czech president's was launched in the days following his death last December, and was petitioned by tens of thousands of people. Outside the Czech Republic, a library in Paris, a building of the European Parliament and several streets in Poland have been renamed in honour of the statesman and champion of human rights and liberty.

based on text from Radio Prague - the international service of Czech Radio

Holiday of St Wenceslas

Czechs commemorate holiday of St Wenceslas
Czechs commemorate Saint Wenceslas, the nation's patron saint, on Friday, a public holiday entitled the Day of Czech Statehood. More than 2,000 people attend the traditional pilgrimage in Stara Boleslav, north-east of Prague, where Wenceslas was assassinated by his brother on September 28, 935. Czech President Vaclav Klaus, Prague Archbishop Dominik Duka and other dignitaries are to take part in the event. Prague's Wenceslas Square, named after the saint, will on Friday see a historic procession complete with Saint Wenceslas riding a horse.
Wenceslas, from the Premyslid dynasty, was the duke of Bohemia from 921 until his assassination 14 years later. He is considered a the founder of the historic Bohemian state, and has been worshiped as a martyr and a saint.

based on text from Radio Prague - the international service of Czech Radio

New school year begins

New school year begins

The new school year began on Monday for 1.2 million Czech elementary and secondary school students. More than 104,000 children started school for the first time; 3,500 more than last year. Elementary schools report an increase in the numbers of pupils for the second year in a row; however, the number of secondary school students dropped by around 5 percent. President Vaclav Klaus welcomed pupils at an elementary school in the Prague district of Vinohrady; he set 9th graders a math problem none of them or their teachers were reportedly able to solve. For his part, Education Minister Petr Fiala visited a school in Strakonice, in southern Bohemia, on Monday.

My son started school for the first time too... I participated on his activities in the school whole day...

based on text from Radio Prague - the international service of Czech Radio

Price of petrol hits record 40 crown mark

Price of petrol in Czech Republic hits record 40 crown mark
The cost of petrol and diesel fuel reached record prices in areas on Wednesday, with a station along a highway in Brno offering the popular Natural 95 for over 40 crowns per litre.

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It seems to me there is the logical connection with the Czech MotoGP 24-26 August 2012.

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Several other stations also posted prices setting a new record and breaking the previous 'psychological barrier'. Analysts say, despite the weakening US dollar, the price could still go up as high as 41 crowns. For the time being, the majority of petrol stations are reportedly trying to keep the price of gas just below the 40-crown mark.

based on text from Radio Prague - the international service of Czech Radio

Record temperature of 40.4 degrees

Prague-Dobrichovice sees record temperature of 40.4 degrees
Meteorologists correctly predicted that yesterday, Monday 20 September 2012, would not only be the hottest day of the year but also would see a new record set for highest temperature on this date: Prague-Dobrichovice registered 40.4 degrees Celsius on Monday afternoon. Other areas, such as Kopisty, registered 39 degrees earlier in the day.
The extreme temperatures led the head of the country's armed forces to recommend a shorter work day, while special measures were implemented for soldiers on duty or in training: members of the Prague Castle guard, for example, donned summer uniforms from lighter materials and were allowed to stand guard and keep mobile outside of their booths.
Previously, the highest temperature in the country on this date was recorded in Prague-Uhrineves in 1983.
Sunny or partly cloudy conditions are expected in the coming days with highs between 34 and 38 degrees Celsius. Heat warnings have been issued for most parts of the country. The evening will be more overcast with possible showers and there may be intense storms in places with possible hail.

by Radio Prague - the international service of Czech Radio

A bit freaky

Very nice joke was delivered to me via facebook...
:-)

Vaclav Havel dies

Vaclav Havel dies.

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To listen to news about this topic on BBC use this link.

Rihanna - California King Bed

We like it: Rihanna - California King Bed :-)