Archive

Archive for March, 2008

Paris Hilton Injured In Prague

March 30, 2008 Petr Bokuvka 3 comments

..UPDATED on MARCH 31..
Paris Hilton was injured in a restaurant in downtown Prague while attempting to “run away” from photographers. According to an iDNES news server reporter she tripped and fell and broke her chin.

When asked whether she needed an ambulance, Hilton said No, but these people are crazy.

And when finally leaving the restaurant she reportedly told her boyfriend Benji Madden: Prague? Never again.

::UPDATE:: Some tabloid photos are here. Click to enlarge… I must say that TV NOVA news crew led by reporter Lucie Brunclikova acted like total idiots… the cameraman kept following Hilton and her boyfriend. At one point Madden stopped and asked Are you going to follow us all day? to which there was no response. He asked something else and again there was no word from the crew. To which Hilton replied They don’t speak English…The TV NOVA reporters made total SOB-idiots out of themselves… I have the feeling that after the Czech experience Hilton will love U.S. tabloid photographers because they, well, know some rules of the game.

::UPDATE 2:: Apparently, there has been a fight between Madden and one of the photographers. Most definitely with the one who took this phoho of Paris Hilton on the floor

::UPDATE 3::TV NOVA news director Martin Ondracek is definitely the worst news ”professional” in this country, despite the fact that the evening news broadcast is generally the most popular TV program in this country. Well, DUH, with three nationwide TV channels. When I saw the footage I thought it is a bit over the edge but that is reality. It happens everywhere, Ondracek told CTK news agency.  This person who calls himself a journalist also admitted that Paris Hilton is not that big a star in this country. The car chase in which the news crews followed Hilton in her car was more like a profession thing.

Two words for this gentleman: Screw you.

The Czech Mortgage Trouble

March 29, 2008 Petr Bokuvka Leave a comment

Imagine you buy an apartment. You sign mortgage papers, you sign all possible contracts and agreements, if you are masochistic you even calculate the amount you will overpay… and then you spend the next ten months living where you live now and you visit the construction site regularly… That is the Czech I-want-my-own-place reality…

If a young Czech single person wants to buy an apartment, he or she has to options: one, to buy an already-existing older apartment and renovate it as necessary and according to his or her idea of a nice place to live, or he or she can look for new residential projects.

He or she considers pros and cons: an older apartment with 3 rooms or a brand new one with just 2 bedrooms? The new one is slightly more expensive, but on the other hand you don’t have to heat up the extra bedroom that he or she is not going to use. The new apartment does not have kitchen furniture and kitchen appliances included in the price. Why? Well, because the people in the target group that buys these apartments usually want to pick and arrange turnkey-made kitchens…

There is also one huge dilemma that Czechs have to face: brick house or a concrete block apartment? If you have ever been to or lived in a former Communist country you must have seen those huge ugly grey apartment buildings. They are still around and many many of them were renovated. But many were not. And the room height is not that satisfactory. And even in a renovated concrete block building you still KNOW it is one. Apartments in these “panelaks” are cheaper. But for what price? You can often hear your neighbor flush a toilet. You can often hear your neighbor use the bathroom… If you are buying an apartment that you will overpay big time, you get terribly picky.

And the issue of mobility: generally speaking Czechs do not like to move very often. It is a tradition that have lasted for generation and if you buy an apartment on your own you probably know that this is the town you want to be burried in.

Big minus: you can’t see the new apartment in real life. With some big exceptions…

The apartments are sold out before the “ground floor” (hallways, garages and extra-fee storage rooms) is finished. The developer needs the money to co-finance the construction. So getting a mortgage for a new apartment means paying for something that does not exist yet.

The advantage of the aforementioned principle is that you can get the apartment for pretty good price. If by any chance any of them remains unsold until the completion stage, the price increases rapidly.

It is good to negotiate on a mortgage in the same bank that lent money to the developer. There is usually a bank that acts as the main financial partner. The bank has the future evaluation of the real estate, it has all necessary paperwork and it controls the progress of the construction (site). So it can save you money.

Of course the expression “save you money” is not very accurate considering the interest the mortgage contract include. So when the bank teller gives you a client-specific calculation, it contains the amount of the installment. What you can do is multiply it by 12 [months] and then by 25 [years]. The result gives you the idea on how much you will actually PAY for your new apartment…

TO BE CONTINUED….

Categories: Economy

Ryanair London Flight Firefighter Assitance

March 28, 2008 Petr Bokuvka 3 comments

hasici.jpg
Firefighters at Brno Airport interestingly close to Ryanair Boeing 737-800 departing for London Stansted. The vehicle came under blue lights but no siren and then just parked and observed. People kept disembarking and boarding normally. I think I have been to thirteen airports as a passenger [let's see now: PRG, JFK, LGA, CVG, ORD, SLC, ATL, LHR, VIE, BCN, LPA, TFS, BRQ] and I have never seen firefighters assisting while a plane is refueling. Reportedly that is what was happening….

Categories: Breaking News, Brno

We Will Destroy The Stadium, Fans Announced

March 28, 2008 Petr Bokuvka Leave a comment

Something is terribly rotten in the Czech soccer/football. And many people including football managers must have lost their brains. Maybe they threw them away along with dirty socks in the locker rooms…

What gives?

The most violent fans of one of two leading Prague soccer teams who are organized in hooligan groups announced their intention to destroy the stadium on which their match is to be played next Monday. Some of them even said they will destroy the fences and get onto the field. Not just single individuals. Herds.

The thing is that it is their team’s home stadium and it is their last match with that particular “opponent” since they are soon moving into a new arena. So the fans want to “say goodbye” this way.

This is a huge tragedy waiting to happen and the managements of the two teams only talk shit about how they communicate with the nice and polite fans and how there is nothing they can do about the violent ones – to change them…

They know for sure in advance that there will be hundreds of people whose only goal in visiting the match is to fight and destroy.

How about cancelling the match altogether? No. If the riot starts the play is going to be suspended and the police shall clear out the problematic sector of the bleachers.

How about playing in front of empty bleachers? No. Money is the answer.

But if the police do not start shooting the most violent fans with rubber bullets, nobody should be surprised if and when somebody dies.

Categories: Sports

Top Ten List Of Things Paris Hilton Will Say In Prague

March 27, 2008 Petr Bokuvka 1 comment

Paris Hilton will come to Prague on Sunday, as she is accompanying her musician boyfriend who has a gig here… I bet these are things she will surely say…

10. I heard Czechs don’t like spring in Prague. Why? It’s kinda nice.
9. No, you can not pay me with two kilos of Prague ham to attend your party.
8. I told the cab driver at the airport: If you don’t rip me off, you will get a sweet reward…
7. That CNN crew has been on my butt ever since I left prison.
6. Your president had two lovers? Both blondes? Good to know…
5. What I knew about your country before I came here? You call it beaver, too.
4. How much for the castle up there?
3. The girl who dubbed me in One Night In Paris has a weird voice.
2. Two hotels named “Paris” and “Hilton” in one town. How cool is that?
1. How do you say nipple slip in Czech?

Categories: People

Fake Dynamite Found All Over Brno

March 27, 2008 Petr Bokuvka Leave a comment

Fake dynamite bundles equipped with just-as-fake slow matches were found all over Brno today. Emergency operators have received dozens of calls from people who claim they have seen “a bomb” hanging from rotating clocks that can be found on street corners and other busy places.

It is some advertising stunt, police patrols have inspected every single item that they were told about. But there is nothing they could do, police spokesman said.

The person or company who ordered and paid for this advertising stunt must be out of his fucking mind. Or he is mentally sick. What kind of a person would pick a lethal object to promote their products? Especially when it is a lethal object that has nothing to do with the product category he sells?

::UPDATE:: I get it now. The website of the company that is behind it says We are glad that we caught the attention of people and the media. Too bad newspapers had written about the campaign before they saw the full picture. The bomb and the wires are supposed to be symbolical and they are supposed to say We cut the right wire (i.e. the right time for the right decisions)

– Well, this kind of symbolism would not make me buy dandruff shampoo, let alone the services of this company. 

Categories: Eh, Czechs, Law, Life Tags: , ,

Man From NZ And His Czech Daughter Are In Australia

March 26, 2008 Petr Bokuvka Leave a comment

cowie.jpgNew Zealander Rodney William Cowie and his Czech daughter whom he reportedly kidnapped from the Czech Republic arrived in Australia on Monday, authorities confirmed.

The girl did not have her own passport and Cowie did not have her listed in his, so the mystery is how the girl managed to leave unnoticed…

The case is under investigation as a possible case of child abduction [see two posts below]. The parents were probably taking turns in the custody of the daughter, or to be exact Cowie was a weekend father and it was his turn to do stuff with the daughter this past weekend. He did not return the girl when he was supposed to.

::UPDATE:: The Czech Republic and Australia have concluded a special agreement a while ago according to which extradition processes take place and in case of child abduction the child might be sent back without the necessity for a court decision… which means the mother is sort of lucky because she could have married a man from a altogether different culture where things that can end up in a huge legal battle are perfectly legal and valid. Four words: Not Without My Daughter.

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS MAN DOWN UNDER?

Categories: Law, World

Paris Hilton Is Coming To Prague

March 26, 2008 Petr Bokuvka 2 comments

Paris Hilton is coming to Prague this Sunday. Her boyfriend who is a band member of Good Charlotte has a gig here.

Have your cameras ready.

Czechs are the same as just any nation when it comes to once-in-a-lifetime chances to see celebrities. But– Paris is no big deal around here, specially since the Czech beauty principle differs [a lot] from the body and anatomy that this girl possesses. Professional party girls are often targets of secret laughter from people around, as some degree of sophisticated male hunting is always appreciated around here. Czech porn lovers might have seen Paris’ videos but I am sure a quick survey would say that simple nude scenes of Czech actresses would attract more attention. Especially since nudity and nakedness is no big deal around here, whereas many U.S. teenagers are raised in an atmosphere of “do not touch yourself” and “nudity is a sin”… I am quite positive there is a connection…

Anyways, hiya, Paris…

Categories: People

New Zealander Kidnapped His Czech Daughter

March 25, 2008 Petr Bokuvka 7 comments

cowie.jpgThe Czech police and the Interpol are looking for Rodney William Cowie, 38-year old citizen of New Zealand. They fear he abducted/kidnapped his daughter he has with his Czech ex-wife, the authorities said. Police spokeswoman confirmed the police are considering the possibility that the man might have crossed the border already.

As the Czech Republic is a Schengen member now, they might be in Italy by now. Cowie picked up his daugher on Saturday morning, claiming they would be back later that night. He has not called since and his cell phone has been switched off. According to the girl’s mother Cowie had suggested program for the two of them that she did not agree with.

Cowie lives in Australia — so if by any chance there are any readers from these two countries who might have some information on this gentleman and his whereabouts, please call the nearest Interpol branch….

Kidnappings are for sure one of the most serious crimes that occur between divorced partners who do not reach amicable solution as far as the custody of their kids is concerned. BUT– I should also say that many Czech women are plain stupid when they marry a foreigner. They often fail to consider thousands of those little things that are involved, but they are amazed by the qualities that the particular foreigner has. As a journalist I have heard of numerous cases when courts had to decide where the kid will live after divorce. A Czech woman literally fought with her Portuguese husband in front of a court building over their daughter. I must admit I did not feel sorry for her at all…

You pick your life partner and as soon as trouble in paradise occur you have to deal with them… and with the consequences. If you have a Czech husband, it is easier. If you think the love of your life comes from an altogether different culture, you must expect worse consequences…

Cowie and his wife probably had a strict custody schedule and he probably failed to stick to it. But, to be honest, so far it does not qualify as kidnapping in the real terms of the penal code… Maybe she went with him and she did not protest…

::UPDATE:: According to the Czech police the girl does not have a passport of her own and Cowie does not have data on her in HIS passport which means they should not leave Schengen… But I am sure there are fake passports for sale in Italy the country they might be in now my sincere apologies to Italy and Italian readers – it was just an example….

::UPDATE 2:: This Australian news server claims Cowie is Dutch… who lives in Australia.

NOTE: Czech News Agency owns the rights to the photo.
Used under the fair-use principle here.

Categories: Eh, Czechs, Law

One More Argument Against OG In China

March 24, 2008 Petr Bokuvka Leave a comment

Several Czech politicians have expressed their decision not to take part at anything that is related to the Olympic Games that are to take place in China this year. Among them was the Mayor of Prague Pavel Bem whose arguments are Tibet-related. Mayor Bem climbed Mount Everest a while ago.

The Chinese have recently offered one more argument against going, or watching: organized crowd participation. Czech Television aired a story on people who organize/attend special seminars and workshops in which they teach/learn to yell, cheer, chant and wave their huge foam fingers.

This is the most ridiculous thing which once again proves a certain degree of sheep mentality. I am very doubtful as to whether the atmosphere the Olympic Games in China are going to offer is going to be authentic. Almost for sure: the answer is “no”.

Communist regimes “are very good at” organized waving and cheering.Their parades and First of May celebrations that used to take place in big cities of the former Communist Bloc [yep, which is to inlude Prague] were scary and often involved tanks and armored vehicles on display. It is a sad thing that the Chinese government [or whoever organizes this] feels that people who come to watch athletes shall be subject to some discipline training beforehand.

When the winter Games took place in Norway, the conditions were top-notch and the Norwegians only showed the world what they already had to offer and who they already were. Which is why they had been awarded the Games in the first place. They did not have to prepare mentally, or ideologically. Neither did the French with Albertville. And neither did the people of the beautiful Spain with their Barcelona Olympic Games. 

During the recent Academy Awards ceremony Jon Stewart made an excellent remark: Does this country need a hug? It is a very appropriate question in relation to the Games in China, except that the quote would go Does this world need a hug. No question that they will help the Chinese regime more than they will hug the world. No matter how successful they will be, or no matter what happens during them, they will become the biggest political issue since 1980. And if there was even a tiny reason to boycott Moscow in 1980, the reason to boycott China is ten times bigger… 

Categories: Sports, World Tags: , ,