Compact archive May 26, 2008

The Eurovision contest 2008 ended according to expectations. For the Czech Republic, and for Russia. The Eurovision contest is no longer a competition of talent, it is a political competition, where the votes of countries go to countries they like, and people from the ex-soviethean countries vote for Russia. This is, of course, not the case of the Czechs, who never vote for Russia. The fact that Kerndlova of the CR will have to go back from singing to a catwalk was quite clear, but what surprises me is the distribution of international solidarity.

Russia won thanks largely to loyal voting from former Soviet republics. Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Ukraine, Belarus and Armenia all awarded it the maximum 12 points. Ukraine came second, helped by Russia, which awarded it eight points.

Others, such as the Nordic countries, also stuck together. Denmark was the most loyal, giving eight points to Sweden, 10 to Norway and 12 to Iceland. Iceland repaid the compliment, awarding Denmark 12 points and Norway 10.

Andorra faithfully gave Spain 12 points and Portugal 10. Spain gave eight to Portugal.

The UK picked up only 14 points – eight from Ireland, six from San Marino. The UK gave 12 points to Greece, 10 to Latvia, eight to Turkey – but none to Russia.

The supreme court didn’t support Vaclav Klaus in his opinion about judges.

The whole matter started two years ago – the Czech president nominates judges, and Klaus decided not to nominate about a dozen of new judges, because he “ … feel they are too young”. Meanwhile most of them didn’t comment, and they are judges already, those who dared to oppose and started a lawsuit still can’t work as judges. The only one who continued to resist president’s will is Petr Langer – and the Supreme Court ruled out Klaus cannot base such important matters solely on his feelings.

Czech laws set the minimum age for judges at 25. Even when all the would-be judges were 30+, Klaus simply decided not to nominate them, and repeatedly didn’t want to explain why he doesn’t want to do it in wider context. But according to Supreme Judges, the president is neither above the law, nor outside of its control. Klaus so has to let Petr Langer be a judge, or explain why not properly.

I work as a Pragensis journalist, which means my writing job is focused mostly on Prague. I have seen many web pages about Prague, but sometimes I stumble across such a pearl, I feel I have to share it.

Last time, When I wrote about a video of German students piling beer bottles in a Prague hotel room, I didn’t have an idea of this one, which I feel obliged to share, because it gave me a really good laugh.

It is a video by studentuniverse.com, called Romance in Prague and it is really bad ;)

Prague is again hosting this typical Czech event, connected to testing thirty kinds of Czech Beer. Quality of the golden drink is going to be traditionally guaranteed by supervisors of breweries present. The areal will once again host up to 10t visitors, who will walk there with glasses of bear, tasting labels they have never even seen.

A part of the festival will be also musical performances of various groups and singers. The artists will be at small stages, as well as on the main stage, which will provide well-known Czech musicians everyday 18 – 20. For example today there will be Bara Basikova, on Wednesday there will be Laura a jeji tygri.

The festival is very good for families, as there are Matejska pout rides nearby. Also, the last day of the festival, 1st June, will be devoted to children. The festival takes place 26th May – 1st June 2008. It is on Prague Vystaviste, alias Prague Exhibition Ground.

Cars of New York subway go to the bottom of the ocean, where they become a first class fish houses, multiplying numbers of species in the area. Prague Public Transport company doesn’t have such opportunities, so to ecologically liquidate old cars may be a problem. Usually they are sold somewhere to the east, but this time, the tramways made in communist Czechoslovakia go to other communist country – the NK.

The Capital Pchjongjang will soon have twenty Prague tramways. They have paid 26t € per one. Compared to the costs of scraping, which are about 4t € per one, this sees a good deal. The Prague Transport company would like to sell other old tramways, too, as they are being replaced by the new cars Skoda 14 Porshe, together with the very new ForCity, or Skoda 15T.
(By Petr Svec)