Compact archive June 23, 2008

Lenny Kravitz in Prague Tonight

Monday 23 June 2008 18:33

The American musician Lenny Kravitz returns to Prague for his third concert after four years. He plays today and by tomorrow he is already in Bratislava.

The American musician Lenny Kravitz returns with his eight studio tape. The person, who “would like to be a Jimmi Hendrix of our time, but he is such a good Lenny Kravitz already.” His advantage is, we mostly remember his strong moments, such as Are You Gonna Go Ma Way from 2993, and Fly Away or American Woman, from the end of 90’s for which he got the Grammy.

His music bears influence of retro style, soul, funk, psychedelics and even folk. His voice is surest in romantic ballads. He plays today in O2 Arena, where else than in Prague.

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Prague Airport Privatization: Deputies Fighting over Influence

Monday 23 June 2008 16:55

airport map ruzyne The leader of Czech ODS, Mirek Topolanek, and his party rival, the leader of Prague ODS and Mayor Pavel Bem have different opinions how to spend the money gained from Prague Airport privatization.

Bem suggests, the elections are coming nearer and than the present government doesn’t have to last. The government wants to sell the privatization jewel by itself, expecting profits of at least 100 billions czk. Topolanek promises 1/3 of the money will go to Prague and the Central Bohemia for streets and railways.

Pavel Bem asks for a different approach: the city of Prague should gain 34% of stocks of Prague Airport before the privatization. Topolanek declined the claim.

Why does Bem want it solved differently? He is afraid of the system, where they would have to ask every time to use the money, and if the government changes, there might be a problem. On the other hand, if Prague enters the whole matter, some critics are afraid they could co-decide, to whom it will be sold.

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Use the online time machine to make you travel back to a communist Czechoslovakia supermarket

Monday 23 June 2008 14:52

O’Rourke once said that “a whole totalitarian system was brought tumbling down because nobody wanted to wear Bulgarian shoes.”

Even when this is a nice exaggeration, which may entertain those, who didn’t live in it, lack of anything of higher quality or lack in general is a typical sign of communism.

iDnes prepared an interesting project for those of you, who wants to look back how did it look like. At their page, you can get yourself scared by browsing listed items of communist Czechoslovakia and than thinking about that using this was bad, but most of the time, the shelves in shops were just empty.

Fabia Advertisement Best in the World

Monday 23 June 2008 12:35

fabia cake The Advertisement on Skoda Fabia, which won the British Television Advertising Craft Award has now gained another prize on the Cannes Lions International Advertising Festival. The prize is a similar appraisal like the Oscars for actors. The advertisement on the Famous Czech Cars Skoda was made by the London company Fallon, and it scores because of the unique idea of a ‘cooked car’.

The life-size Fabia Cake gained also a prize for the best model and the best song. The other who scored was BBDO with their Pizza Colosseum ad, that gained some positive critics. The question may be, why no original Czech advertisement scored, and the answer is: different approach. Czech ad’s are mostly based on typical situation humour, which probably only Czechs laugh at.

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Ballet Causa Carmen in Prague National Theatre

Monday 23 June 2008 10:54

The new inscenation is compound from two choreographers. The first of them – Santa Says Cut it – is apiece by Johan Greben from Holland and Urih Ivgi from Israel. They both are have successful dance carrier to build on. Music was composed by a four-member Holland percussion group called Percossa.

The authors comment their artpiece : “We don’t want to tell a story of dance, but more like to animate the individual imagination of the audience. That’s why we have narrowed all the ideas into a few basic thoughts: Uniformity, Passion. Individuality, Escape and Freedom”.

The second part directed according to Mats Eko from Sweedeb, it is his famous version of Carmen from 1992. If you read any newspaper today, the Carmen of 2008 in National Theatre in Prague won’t get under 85%, most of critics give it about 95%. If you want to see the best ballet, go to see the Carmen.