Great article by Jenny Ho at:
http://www.jenny-the-headhunter.com/things-not-to-do-when-you-leave-your-job/
Posts in category Ideas
41 years from Russian invasion to Czechoslovakia
On the warm night of 21st August 1968 Soviet tanks rolled in Prague and destroyed everything built in previous few months.
Today is held one sad anniversary for Czechs all around the world. It is exactly 41 years since Soviet army and other “comrade” armies attacked Czechoslovakia with over 2000 tanks and 200 000 troops.
1, Reforming fractions in Czechoslovakian communist party
By 1967, president Antonín Novotný was losing support. First Secretary of the regional Communist Party of Slovakia, Alexander Dubček, and economist Ota Šik challenged him at a meeting of the Central Committee, and Dubček invited Soviet premier Leonid Brezhnev to Prague that December. Brezhnev was surprised at the extent of the opposition to Novotný and supported his removal as Czechoslovakia’s leader. Dubček thus replaced Novotný as First Secretary on 5 January 1968. On 22 March 1968, Novotný resigned his presidency and was replaced by Ludvík Svoboda, who later gave consent to the reforms.
2, Prague Spring
The Prague Spring was a period of political liberalization in Czechoslovakia during the era of its domination by the Soviet Union after World War II. It began on 5 January 1968, when reformist Slovak communist Alexander Dubček came to power, and continued until 21 August. He granted additional rights to the citizens in an act of partial decentralization of the economy and democratization. The freedoms granted included a loosening of restrictions on the media, speech and travel. Dubček also federalized the country into two separate republics.
This was a VERY dangerous situation for two subjects. One of them was Czechoslovakian communist party – suddenly there was a new group of communists, which was open to discussion and it leaded the party! Then there was the whole Soviet block. If one brick (Czechoslovakia) would fail, the whole structure would follow subsequently – as we could see later on in 1989. The KSČ leadership was divided between vigorous reformers (Josef Smrkovský, Oldřich Černík, and František Kriegel) who supported Dubček, and conservatives (Vasil Biľak, Drahomír Kolder, and Oldřich Švestka) who adopted an anti-reformist stance.
3, Soviet invasion
The Soviet Union’s policy of compelling the socialist governments of its satellite states to subordinate their national interests to those of the “Eastern Bloc” (through military force if needed) became known as the Brezhnev Doctrine. On the night of 20-21 August 1968, Eastern Bloc armies from four Warsaw Pact countries — the Soviet Union, Bulgaria, Poland and Hungary—invaded the ČSSR.
That night, 200,000 Warsaw Pact troops and 2,000 tanks entered the country. The troops first occupied the Ruzyně International Airport, where air deployment of more troops was arranged. The Czechoslovak forces were confined to their own barracks and were surrounded until the threat of a counter-attack was assuaged. By the morning of 21 August Czechoslovakia was occupied.
During the attack of the Warsaw Pact armies, 72 Czechs and Slovaks were killed (19 of those in Slovakia), 266 severely wounded and another 436 were lightly injured. Alexander Dubček called upon his people not to resist. Nevertheless, there was scattered resistance in the streets. Road signs in towns were removed or painted over—except for those indicating the way to Moscow. Many small villages renamed themselves “Dubcek” or “Svoboda”; without navigational equipment, the invaders were often confused.
The Soviets attributed the invasion to the “Brezhnev Doctrine” which stated that the U.S.S.R. had the right to intervene whenever a country in the Eastern Bloc appeared to be making a shift towards capitalism.
(which Czechs apparently did).
There is still some uncertainty, however, as to what provocation, if any, occurred to make the Warsaw Pact armies invade. The days leading up to the invasion was a quite calm period without ANY major events taking place in Czechoslovakia. We do know already, that some of the non-reformists in communist party sent an invitation letter in which they asked immediate support from Brezhnev in accordance of stabilizing communist influence in Czechoslovakia. That could make a very good excuse for a following invasion.
4, Normalization
What is now called “Normalization” was actually worst years of Czech history. When Gustáv Husák became the leader of the KSČ instead of Alexander Dubček in April 1969 after the military intervention of Warsaw Pact armies, his regime acted quickly to “normalize” the country’s political situation. The chief objectives of Husák’s normalization were the restoration of firm party rule and the reestablishment of Czechoslovakia’s status as a committed member of the socialist bloc. The normalization process involved five interrelated steps:
- consolidate the Husák leadership and remove reformers from leadership positions
- revoke or modify the laws enacted by the reform movement;
- reestablish centralized control over the economy;
- reinstate the power of police authorities;
- expand Czechoslovakia’s ties with other socialist nations; and
- to set again cenzorship on press and culture.
5, Today
The impact on Czechs and Slovaks was huge. 40 years of communism destroyed their social connections (you don’t know who your neighbor really is, who your relatives are). The values like national pride, self-esteem, self-confidence are treated like vices. People praise politicians, who promise them more money from public sector. Most of citizens do not understand capitalism and do not believe, that it is possible to earn money by respectable way. Czechs envy to each other and are full of anger (because for most of them, personal freedom doesn’t mean anything anymore).
Nonetheless I am optimistic, there is always two generations of people to bring on any changes. Nowadays we have 15% of Czechs who vote for communist party! Ten years ago it was 20%. The communist are slowly dying and we can only hope it is gonna be sooner than later when we try to build new values upon what remained of our personal and national pride.
Pavel Duchac 21.7.2009 with use of materials from www.wikipedia.com
IT workers are best in bed!
The anonymous study of 2000 British men and women puts IT nerds at the top of a list of lovers’ occupations, reported The Sun (infamous british tabloid).
We are rated so highly because we were found to be the most selfless and adventurous lovers, as well as the most open to using “love gadgets”. It seems, that we all love to have some hardware at hand, right?
People who worked in the fitness industry ranked low, being unlikely to use sex toys and also being rated the most selfish lovers. Hahaha – loosers.
Anyway, fitness workers in the survey tended to have sex more often than IT nerds, but not as often as office workers. It seems obvious, that we have to practice more, to make better results next time.
So what is your opinion – are IT people really so good in bed or are they just a bunch of fat liars?
You can find the original article here.
Marylin Mansons Famous Quotes
Would you call someone with such opinions a freak?
A lot of people don’t want to make their own decisions. They’re too scared. It’s much easier to be told what to do.
Americans talk so much about being individualistic, but they don’t want you to be an individual because if you think for yourself then you’re not going to be a part of any trend that they want you to be a part of. They don’t want you to think for yourself. They tell you they do so that you’re happy and you’re stupid and you’re sheep.
And that’s the type of thing I’m trying to speak out against the most, religion controlling what we see and what we do in our personal lives, even if you’re not a part of that religion. Antichrist Superstar [the album] is a challenge really, to traditional morality and it’s…to make people question that and make people think about different perspectives.
Anybody intelligent enough to realize what America is, is not going to sit around and do nothing about it. They’re going to be the same way that I am. They’re going to be the same way our fans are. They’re going to be pissed.
I fear being like everyone I hate, I fear failure, I fear losing control. I love balancing between chaos and control with everything I do. I always have a fear of going one way or another, getting lost in something, or losing everything to get lost in. And I fear being a completely acceptable sheep in society.
I never said to be like me, I say to be like you and make a difference.
I think art is the only thing that’s spiritual in the world. And I refuse to forced to believe in other people’s interpretations of God. I don’t think anybody should be. No one person can own the copyright to what God means.
I totally believe in monogamy with the right person.
I view my job as being someone who is supposed to piss people off. I don’t want to be just one-of-the-guys. I don’t want to be just a smiling face you see on television presenting some vapid kind of easily- digestible garbage. This is rock and roll. I want to be a rock and roll star! Rock and roll is about shaking things up, making people act and react. That’s what I do.
I view my job as being someone who is supposed to piss people off. I don’t want to be just one-of-the-guys. I don’t want to be just a smiling face you see on television presenting some vapid kind of easily-digestible garbage.
If you’re going to do something like getting married, it should have a sense of celebration to it. It should be grand – it doesn’t have to be in tracksuits!
I’m tired of people calling me a devil worshipper. It’s kind of pointless you know. Because if the Devil did exist, he’d be worshipping me, because I’m more successful than he is.
In the end we’re all Jerry Springer Show guests, really, we just haven’t been on the show.
Is adult entertainment killing our children? or is killing our children entertaining our adults?
It’s the whole Nietzche philosophy of you are your own God. That’s why I debase myself in the concerts and tell people to spit on me. I’m saying to them ‘You are no different from me’.
Marilyn Monroe wasn’t even her real name, Charles Manson isn’t his real name, and now, I’m taking that to be my real name. But what’s real? You can’t find the truth, you just pick the lie you like the best.
Music critics get their records for free so their opinions usually don’t matter.
Music is the strongest form of magic.
Part of me is afraid to get close to people because I’m afraid that they’re going to leave.
People tend to associate anyone who looks and behaves differently with illegal or immoral activity.
Society has traditionally always tried to find scapegoats for its problems. Well, here I am.
The burden of originality is one that most people don’t want to accept. They’d rather sit in front of the TV and let that tell them what they’re supposed to like, what they’re supposed to buy, and what they’re supposed to laugh at.
The fact that nobody liked me at school began to fade out of my mind like blue magic marker reminders scrawled on the back of a greasy fist.
The word ‘Antichrist’, to me, is the collective disbelief in god.
There are people accusing me that I’m sick, that I’m a danger to morals, western civilization and basically everything under the sun. And they’ve got these wild stories about me, completely off the wall, completely untrue. They thought them up and it makes you wonder what goes on in their brain, but of course, they don’t consider themselves sick. They think they’re normal because they don’t dress like I do.
There is a hurricane ablowing and just by knowing what you know, you have an advantage to the blind morons that surround you everyday. However not everyone can be saved. Ancient proverb: don’t bother telling the TRUTH to your friend because he already knows and don’t bother telling the TRUTH to your enemy because he won’t believe you. Civilize those you can and fuck the rest. There are too many people in this world. It is not our responsibility to be constantly cleaning up after the weak-minded. Nature will eventually run its course and those too stupid to live will fortunately be crushed beneath the wheels of our progress. Assume your individuality. Culture can rob you of your uniqueness. That’s how stereotypes exist, and not without reason. Anyone too wrapped up in the sheep mentality of their ethnicity can never truely express themselves as individuals. READ, Watch, LISTEN, DO what you want. BUT BE WARNED! You cannot have this freedom at no cost. You must pay in responsibility. If you listen to MARILYN MANSON and MURDER your FAMILY then you will go to jail. That’s reality. If you decide to commit suicide for a song-SO LONG SUCKER! That kind of thinking has no place in our movement. Right now as a Family, as an Army we are limited as a minority. Laws bind us. But it is important to remember the law is only what is popular. Not whats right or wrong. Marilyn Manson rejects conventional morality and societys self-serving standards. When WE become the majority, we will decide who doesn’t belong. As misanthropes and throw-away lods we will not submit to the mainstream. You will become it. And America should be very, very afraid. I AM YOU.
These people are artists. These people are musicians. They’re taking it out and trying to express it that way.
They’ll see it. And it doesn’t matter if they don’t. It’s only Rock ‘n’ Roll. But I do intend to move more into the Mainstream. is just the First phase.
This is the culture you’re raising your kids in. Don’t be surprised if it blows up in your face.
Times have not become more violent. They have just become more televised.
We live in a society of victimization, where people are much more comfortable being victimized than actually standing up for themselves.
What happens someday if more people own my record than the bible? That will make me god because a lot more people believe in me than him? Because it’s just about popularity. There are plenty of people in the world how have never heard of Jesus, while America takes him for granted.
When all of your wishes are granted, many of your dreams will be destroyed.
When you’re taught to love everyone, to love your enemies, then what value does that place on love?
You should have to pass an IQ test before you breed. You have to take a driving test to operate vehicles and an SAT test to get into college. So why don’t you have to take some sort of test before you give birth to children? When I am President, that’s the first rule I will institute.
SAP versus Linux
Recently I was interested in getting some info about SAP supporting Linux. On the official SAP Community network site is a list of answers to general FAQ on this matter.
Here are some reasons, why I don’t believe SAP would be able to support this OS:
- Distribution problem – Linux is not one single specified system – it’s a bunch of solutions and every member of this community can choose what best fits his/her needs. Of course there are still some easily identified products like Novell Desktop, Mandriva Professional 2010 or Ubuntu Media Center.
- A matter of trustworthy – SAP users are usually big companies, that like to communicate with other strong companies. They do not want to see a bunch of users all around the world behind their laptops, who are actually behind.
- Service and support problem – in connection what I wrote before – there is NO official support. Thus all support for Linux has to be made by SAP itself. That takes resources. No SAP customer would browse through dozens of discussion boards to find solution – sorry.
- Hardware certification – there is no hardware certification authority behind Linux. How would you like to assure customer using Linux, that his printing machine is going to work correctly. Well, you wouldn’t!
- No documentation – There is no coherent documentation about Linux. At least none that I know of. Microsoft has its MSDN, Linux unfortunately doesn’t. And if it had, it certainly wouldn’t be complete, unified and guaranteed.
What do I imply? That SAP can support Linux only for database and application servers. Front-End support is made only by supporting Java environment (SAPGUI for the Java Environment). So it is pretty much the same support like for other OSs – MacOS, OS/2, Win32, AIX, HP/UX, Solaris, Tru64 and others.
But the question is – can you still call this a real system support? In my opinion you can’t.
List of vegetarian restaurants in Prague
My friend sent me quite an accurate list of vegetarian restaurants, that you can visit in Prague. You can find the exact location if you put the address into the search field at http://maps.google.com.
I hope you find it useful. If you know about any that is not included in the list, please let me know.
| Name of the restaurant | Address | Contact |
| Balarama | Orlická 9 Praha 3 (by Flora) | www.balarama.cz |
| Beas | Bělehradská a Týnská | www.beas-dhaba.cz |
| Ganga | Pechlátova 25, Praha 5 Radlice | www.indickarestaurace.eu |
| Góvinda | Palmovka (Na hrázi and Soukenická) | www.govinda.cz |
| Jasmína | Donská 26 | www.restauracejasmina.cz |
| Jedna báseň čajovna | Pod Nuselskými schody | www.jednabasen.unas.cz |
| Laibon | Parkán 105, Český Krumlov | www.laibon.cz |
| Lehká hlava | Boršov 2 (not far from Novotného lávka) | www.lehkahlava.cz |
| Malý Buddha | Úvoz 46 Praha 1 | www.malybuddha.cz |
| V síti | Jana Masaryka (above Nám. Míru) | www.ecajovna.cz |
| Vegetka | Kafkova Praha 6 (by Kulaťák) | www.volny.cz/vegetka |
| Vegfood | Londýnská | www.vegfood.cz |
| Vrtule | Lucemburská Praha 3 (also for meatlovers) | www.wingsclub.cz |
Learning foreign language effectively
On march it is going to be 7 months since me and my friend have decided to learn new language. Yeah – we chose spanish. At first we visited short ‘introduction course’ to become more familiar with spanish itself (and to make sure it was a good decision).
Then we began with some serious studying when we started attending spanish courses for begginers at one of the Pragues language centers.
What a nightmare:
- Our teacher was completely incompetent – she literally botched our prenunciation.
- We were in a classroom with 7 other students and most of the time was the teacher speaking – when we finally came at turn to speak we usually had about 3 minutes.
- In the half of semester the teacher switched to another book! Most of what we have learned was worthless.
So at the end of the year we decided to change between language courses and a private spanish teacher. Well, I can tell you that now it’s a completely different story. If you want to learn a new language, here are some tips of what to do:
- Find a good book – talk to your techer if you aren’t sure which one is best.
- Find a good PRIVATE teacher, that has a good prenunciation and enough experience. I find it easier, that she speaks my mother tongue, so she can explain grammar issues. Learning with a frined will keep you motivated. Don’t hesitate to ask the teacher if you don’t know anything!
- Buy a tabloid newspaper in foreign language (this is a common language you need to learn). Translate half an hour every day until you reach the end. Check your time – you are going to spend less and less time with translation of single page. Isn’t tabloid your cup of tea? Buy a comics instead!
) Apply the same rules. - Do you go to work by train, bus, subway, tram? Buy some audio courses to listen in your headphones. Use your time effectively. I will write another article about courses, that I use.
- Plan your holiday. Go to the country, where they speak the language. Work there (if possible), listen to how they speak, get acknowledged with grammar in use. Give it a month (at least). And don’t foreget – no contact with your mother tongue. This is EXTREMELY helpful. And most difficult task.
Typical spanish ham - jamon
That’s it. I know, it’s easy giving advices and not to apply it on myself. So I promise to do my best and I will wite some more information about my progress.
I hope you found this little tutorial useful. Does it work for you? Do you have a special trick to learn foreing language? Write a comment.
Let’s roll!
Howdy? Welcome to my new blog. I have thought about blogging for some time until now – so let’s see if it’s gonna be worthful.