Compact archive April 15, 2008

Prague maternity homes are reporting to be full, most of them reject to take in paras without registration. ‘The state of crisis’ was announced in all the childbirth institutes. Fears of obstetricians from 1990’s, when it was considered Prague will have a real lack of babies, proved as fault. Now the hospitals, which have reduced their numbers of beds on their rooms from three to two, is now lacking tens of beds.

Professor Zdenek Hajek from the gynecologic-childbearing part of U Apolinare clinic, Prague, stated that it is necessary to get registered at least half a year before in order to get a bed. “We didn’t count on such a number of births. We had over a thousand babies born here, which is about two hundreds more than the last year in the same period.”

Similar situation is in all the other Prague maternity homes, the only one which can take in paras without a possible risk of transfer, is in Vinohradska Nemocnice hospital. They have free beds most of the day, so paras don’t have to registre here. That’s why most of other hospitals move their pregnant clients there.

Senor Coconat comes to Prague to introduce their new album “Around the World” Senor Coconut is world-wide known for his more or less bizarre fusion of latino-american instruments and rythms (cha cha, cumbia, merengue or mambo) with electronic sound Kraftwerk style, and cover versions of various rock and pop hits – from Michael Jackson to Deep Purple.

Concerning Senor Coconat’s creating attitude, he says: “I want to tear down all the music borders. I want to move emotions, pictiures and feelings of déjà-vu.” As with the previous concerts, which evoke the feel of tropical dance hall, he brings a frontman of his big band – a Venezuelan singer Argenis Brit.

28th May 2008, Señor Coconut and his Orchestra, tickets: 440 czk, ticketpro, start 19:00, Club Roxy, Dlouha 33, Prague 1

Lawmakers decide about the president in the Czech Republic. The last vote was so picture of the whole political situation in the Czech Republic – completely discreditable. The presidential candidate of the Greens, Jan Svejnar, said for an interview on Frekvence 1 may head the campaign for a direct presidential vote.

The leader of the Greens, Martin Bursik promised the next presidential vote will be by people, and Svejnar said “I share the same view, I am for direct vote – there is no potentiality for corruption.” and added “I haven’t discussed the matter with Mr. Bursik yet. But I would head the campaign, why not.” When asked if he will candidate in the next elections, he says he will decide according to what the situation will be.

The Czech Republic wants to help with army modernization, especially needs help in the matter of gaining new military airplanes. We so join the neighbour Poland that undermine radar construction by military help. Czechs were, until now, interested in science and industry support only.

“We asked the USA for cooperation in acquisition of middle-size transport tactical aircrafts within negotiations of the anti-missile defense.” the deputy minister of minister of defense Martin Bartak acknowledged.

The Czech army would like to gain e.g. two transport Herculeses, which would replace small and old Antonov, which Czech soldiers use to get to missions abroad. Within anti-air defense they are probably interested in the Patriot system.

The state and the capital city of Prague is looking for a way, how to prevent Blob library from being build. The main anti-Blob activities can be tracked down to the President Klaus and so the ODS, the pro-Blob site is represented by a large part of the general public and The International Union of Architects which pronounced Kaplicky’s Blob the winner of a regular international contest.

Hospodarske noviny informed the anti-monopoly office manager Martin Pecina stated “Everyone would like me to forbid it. But I am not eager to.” The ministry of culture (now under the KDU-CSL which is in coalition with the ODS) started to create pressure on him after lawyers were not able to prove the international contest was irregular.

The opposers of Kaplicky’s Blob now came with a new strategy – when they weren’t able to degrade the international contest, they now try to prove there shouldn’t have been an international contest in the first place.

The actual practice of the European Union however speaks for the benefit of Kaplicky’s Octopus, as the EU commission have never intervened into the principle of an international architectonic contest. Such contest decided e.g. about the shape of the central building of NATO. Are we going to see an European court proceedings Klaus + his government coalition vs Kaplicky + democratic principles? Probably…