Pérák: Czechia’s Own Superhero
On the surface, it can look like Czech identity revolves purely around the country’s vast history and the fairytale aesthetics that come with it. But in the details, you find lots of funny modern quirks, one of them being Pérák. Pérák is a superhero originally created by Jiří Trnka and Jiří Brdečka in 1946 and acted as a sort of mascot for anti-Nazism at the time. He existed as an urban legend for quite some time, but he first appeared in Trnka and Brdečka’s animated film called “Pérák a SS” (Pérák and the SS.) His character is a chimney sweep who accidentally puts his sweep too far down a chimney, manages to get it stuck in a couch, and thenContinue Reading
Czech Film Review: Forbidden Dreams (Smrt krásných srnců)
Director Karel Kachyna gets his metaphors in early in Forbidden Dreams, otherwise known by its more evocative Czech title, Smrt krásných srnců (The Death of Beautiful Deer). Mr Popper (Karel Heřmánek), a Jewish vacuum cleaner salesman who can’t stop hopping into bed with his female customers, is out fishing in the countryside with his two eldest sons. Through his binoculars, he spots a herd of deer and he is struck by their beauty – but also spies danger threatening in the form of a hunting dog bearing down on the innocent creatures. The dog belongs to their grumpy uncle Karel (Rudolf Hrušínský), who loves getting his teeth into some freshly savaged venison. Mr Popper regards killing a deer as almostContinue Reading
Czechs Show Interest In Summer Tours To Turkey And Greece
Czechs consider spending a vacation in Turkey and Greece during the upcoming summer. Tunisia and Egypt are also some of the top choices. Exim Tours are waiting for the same sales as of January last year when the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic hasn’t been felt yet. Petr Kostka, Exim Tours spokesman, said that the interest is so high that the company had to prolong the sales until January 15. Besides, clients are interested in Egypt, Turkey, Greece, Tunisia, also Spain, and Italy. The Fischer travel agency also noticed interest in first-minute tours. Families with children are the main customers because they want to get places in popular hotels with everything included. “The current numbers of pre-sales suggest that thisContinue Reading
ILA’s 30 Under 30 List Honors Emerging Leaders In 12 Countries
NEWARK, Del. (January 11, 2021) — The International Literacy Association (ILA) today released its biennial 30 Under 30 list, an initiative that shines a spotlight on the next generation of leaders who are working to create positive change in the global literacy landscape. The 2021 list of honorees includes educators, nonprofit leaders, authors, volunteers, researchers and social entrepreneurs. Though their roles may differ, they all belong to a growing cohort of young innovators, disrupters and visionaries in the field. “The start of 2021 is filled with much promise thanks to the work of this year’s class of honorees,” said ILA Executive Director Marcie Craig Post. “Their work—whether it’s research on multicultural literacy, helping young students find the power of theirContinue Reading
Lost Ladies of the Flowers: Part II
The first part of Lost Ladies of the Flowers discovered many talented singer-songwriters who flashed brilliantly and disappeared from view. Here are some who tragically fell, some who faded, some who have even returned. Judee Sill “So this guy and me, we began to do armed robberies,” Judee Sill tells Rolling Stone writer Grover Lewis in a rambling 1972 interview. “We did six or seven, liquor stores and filling stations. Sometimes it was quite exciting. We’d go to a motel afterwards and spill the loot out over the bed.” Sill was talking about 10 years earlier. She had been an angry girl, from a violent home. Her inevitable arrest and 9-month reformatory stint were followed in 1964 with eighteen monthsContinue Reading
Pepper de Callier: Things to Think About
“No one ever listened their way out of a job.” Calvin Coolidge Sage advice for those of us who might want to improve our listening skills. In my work with leaders, I find that one of the most common complaints I hear from subordinates is that they just don’t listen to us. The leader in question always has the “right” answer and will interrupt or speak over anyone trying to suggest another point of view. That’s okay, some might say, and because I am the boss, I can do this whenever I want. True, but… The problem soon becomes on that the boss cannot talk their way out of. Why? Because people will stop trying to offer solutions and theContinue Reading