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Článek v ČEŠTINĚ dole (Klikněte na “Read the rest …”)

Do not worry; this article is not about destroying delicate instruments to make high class furniture. It explains the recent change in a company’s goal to overcome the current economic crisis. Petrof, a major piano factory in Hradec Kralove switched a portion of its piano production to furniture design and manufacturing. The company has a long history in piano making. It not only survived two world wars, but also 40 years of the communist regime. Today it is dealing with another challenge and it is once again using creative new business models to overcome it. Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

Článek v ČEŠTINĚ dole (Klikněte na “Read the rest …”)

Collapsing Eiffel Tower or a Paris Rooftop scene? If you watched G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra, you could see just that and more. Even though the set looked like it was located in Paris and other geographical locations, it was actually carefully designed in Prague. The motion picture is just another movie that was filmed in the Czech Republic, but one of the characters was played by the Czech supermodel and actress Karolina Kurkova, who is now expecting her first child with her fiancé Archie Drury. Many Czechs and Slovaks may not be familiar with this “Real American Hero” that has such long history in the American culture. Why the Czech Republic and who is G.I. Joe then? We will try to answer these questions and show you some interesting videos from behind the scenes and from the past of this action figure. Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

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“Czech and Slovak Americans: International Perspectives from the Great Plains,” is the theme for an international conference planned by the Center for Great Plains Studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. The conference on April 7-10th at the Nebraska Union will examine Czech and Slovak immigrants and their descendants in the North American Great Plains region; their relationships with other Czech- and Slovak-Americans, and with Czechs and Slovaks in Europe and other parts of the world. Keynote addresses will be presented by Toni Brendel, author of “Slovak American Touches;” Martin Mejstrik, a pivotal student leader in the “Velvet Revolution” and former senator in the Parliament of the Czech Republic; Daniel E. Miller, professor of history, University of West Florida; Martin Palous, Czech Republic permanent representative to the United Nations; and Milada Polisenska, vice president for educational development and chair of the School of International Relations and Diplomacy at the New Anglo-American College in Prague. Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

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Last week a new 2009 Miss Czech Slovak US Queen was crowned during the Wilber Czech Festival held in Wilber, NE. This yearly event plays an important role in our Czech and Slovak community in the USA. It allows all Czechs and Slovaks to get involved in introducing our heritage to others. CzechFolks.com strongly believes in community involvement and holding on to our heritage. That is why we became a sponsor of the new award called the Heritage Involvement Award that focuses on the contestant’s involvement in Czech/Slovak events/activities etc. We are preparing an interview with the new 2009 Miss Czech Slovak US Queen, Brianna Tichy, and Tanya Jech, the recipient of the Heritage Involvement Award and you will be able to read about them soon, as well as about what it takes to organize such an event.

Today, we would like to show you a small sneak peak into the pageant. Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

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Who would guess that an ordinary soccer (US)/football match in Zilina, Slovakia, would catch our attention? It is probably because it was not that ordinary. Some sources called it the biggest crackdown by security forces in the history of Slovak football. The violent act happened on the last day of July and it involved the local police, but also its residents, neighboring businesses, Foreign Affair Ministers and Slovak tourists vacationing or living in Croatia.

The disturbance took place before the UEFA Europa League third preliminary-round match between home side MSK Zilina and the Croatian team Hajduk Split. The Croat fans were not allowed to enter the stadium because they had been banned from two European away games. They were involved in skirmishes in the town, where they threatened local citizens, attacked police officers and damaged local stores and other businesses on their way to the stadium. Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

Článek v ČEŠTINĚ dole (Klikněte na “Read the rest …”)

The recent delivery of new electric trucks allows four Fortune 500 US companies and two utility companies to drive with zero emissions on a technology that embodies a breakthrough in world transportation. These vehicles are even more special considering the connection to the Czech Republic, since they are built with AVIA cabs and chassis. The trucks were handed over at an official ceremony at the Capitol Hill in Washington DC, on July 28th, 2009 hosted at the Capitol Reflecting Pool on the National Mall by Missouri Senator Kit Bond. Carol M. Browner, Assistant to the President for Energy and Climate Change was also present. These new all-electric trucks represent not only independence from foreign oil for the US companies, but they also bring new possibilities for the Czech-based company and its products. Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

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The Russian song, set to a popular 1970s Czech tune Jozin z Bazin (Joey of the Marsh) by a Czech singer Ivan Mladek, is becoming trendier on YouTube in recent days. Today, over three million people have seen the video. The Russian lyrics say, “Putin, Putin goes to Pikalyovo. Putin, Putin will make it cool for us… Putin, Putin is quick to do justice. Putin, Putin is our Prime Minister… Jozin z Bazin is the people’s choice … oligarchs, miners and even cops know that Jozin z Bazin will be our new president.” The spoof song was made to make fun of Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, a former KGB spy, who was ineligible to run for a third consecutive term as President in 2008 and became Prime Minister. Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

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What great news when you hear about Czechs abroad making a significant impact on local communities or even the whole world. Many of you may recall how hard it was for you, your parents or other people in your family to start a whole new life in another country. It not only requires lots of courage but also determination and energy, especially when you can’t see “the light at the end of the tunnel.” Yet, lots of Czechs and Slovaks were able to overcome these obstacles. Today, five Czech women abroad received the award for Significant Czech Woman Abroad for 2009 from the Czech Senate chairman Premysl Sobotka. Each of the women lives in a different county, has a different career, but all of them equally contribute to their home country, the Czech Republic. Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

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Czech/Slovak dumplings are very popular at home and even abroad. Dumplings or “Knedliky” can be served with sauerkraut and pork, or on the other extreme, with fruit and sugar. They can be prepared from bread, flour, potatoes or other products. They can have different shapes as well: balls, slices, crumbles and can be filled or used separately as sides, which depends on a way they are prepared: boiling, steaming, frying, baking etc. Fruit-filled dumplings are very popular at home at eating contests, as you may see with hot dogs at other places around the world. One such contest just took place in Miroslav, a town in the Znojmo District, where contestants competed in eating apricot-filled dumplings. The winner did not break the record, but was able to beat the winner of last year’s competition. Would you like to make your own dumpling or even compete in the same competition? There are as many variations of fruit dumplings since their fans, or dumpling experts, learn to make them from ingredients available abroad and we have a couple of them for you to try. Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

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Let’s start the weekend with some fun. As we promised, we have a great prize for CzechFolks.com readers. Everybody living in the USA can participate. You will not only win a wonderful item related to the Czech Republic or Slovakia, but you will also be able to pick a T-shirt of your taste and size.

The sweepstakes are sponsored by ABC Imports – a company that imports great goods mostly from the Czech Republic. What can you find there? Here is a brief list of items that you can find on their website www.abc-imports.com: Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »

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Who has not heard of Karel Gott, a Czech singer, an amateur painter and a successful entrepreneur that has been voted the best male singer 34 times during his lifetime? The popular singer, also known as the Sinatra of the East, just celebrated his 70th birthday on July 14, but he is still full of energy and drive to continue in his brilliant work.

Gott already celebrated his birthday in style last month. A total of 140 of his colleagues, friends, performers, artists and more came to the O2 Arena to wish him a Happy Birthday. The concert started with a 5-minute applause from about 13 thousand of his fans that filled the auditorium to its full capacity.

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Článek v ČEŠTINĚ dole (Klikněte na “Read the rest …”)

This article is just one of other future curiosities that we will periodically bring to you. Hopefully, they will refresh your mind but also teach you a little bit more about the Czech and Slovak country, culture and more. The story below caught our attention for its brilliant concept.

Beginning the 7th of July, 2009, drivers around the town Brno (the second largest city in the Czech Republic) have an opportunity to receive Read the rest of this entry (Čtětě více ZDE) »