Prague WebwatchSeamstresses, marriages, cartels, and Dajdou
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You sort of can't help but be drawn to a headline like this one (on today's Prague Daily Monitor): North Korean seamstresses in Skutec attack Czech Television staff. Apparently the public broadcaster was doing an investigation into allegations of slave-labor-like employment conditions of North Korean seamstresses, who are most likely forced to give their entire income to their government, which, lest we forget, is the nastiest totalitarian regime on the face of the planet. The slaves revolted -- not against their slavemasters, but against the television crew. Shortly after shooting started, a gang of about 30 Korean women emerged from a sidestreet and attacked the cameraman. "They yelled and attacked us, scratched and pushed us, and even stones were hurled... It was obvious that they were led by one of the Korean women who kept talking to someone on her telephone," said a Czech TV editor. The footage was lost. * The Daily Czech reports that fewer and fewer Czechs are tying the knot. Last year was the worst year for marriages since 1918, according to the Czech Statistical Office, with only 50,000 doing the deed last year, down from 70,000 per year in the early 1990s. Instead of getting hitched, young couples are often simply "living on one pile." * So much for that big push by American restaurateurs, heralded in a front-page article in The Prague Post, to un-do forthcoming changes to the tax code that will raise prices at restaurants 14 percent. "Do we have any friends in the Senate?" U.S. Ambassador William Cabaniss reported asked during a recent meeting of American restaurant owners at the embassy. (P.S. I wasn't invited.) Well, apparently not enough friends, because the Senate just narrowly approved the tax hike. In addition to restaurant services, coffee, tea, chocolate, sweets, tickets to sports events, personal care products, pet food, hairdressers, dry-cleaners, and cable television will all move into the higher tax category. (Pet food? That's taking things a bit far. Expect a large-scale dog-owners revolt.) The only person who can stop the tax hike now is Klaus, who can nix the bill with a presidential veto. * In further food-industry news, rohlik futures tumbled after the three biggest Czech bakeries were found guilty by the Anti-Monopoly Office of price fixing in a cartel agreement. Thanks to NicMoc for the heads up (and the pilfered witticism). * "The world's gone mad. Hang in there." That'd be the new slogan for Bernard, which has hired the Czech singing sensation Dajdou to promote its beer on billboards around the country. Doug Arellanes reports. No, not Dido -- Dajdou. If you haven't seen her performance yet on the Nova show "Česko hleda SuperStar," click here and enjoy. It's worth it. "In no way did we want to laugh at her," Bernard spokesman Zdeněk Mikulášek told Blesk. "But we're convinced she's fits perfectly with our campaign." * American Voices Abroad is bringing a slideshow, talk and book-signing to Tulip Café on Monday. Accomplished photojournalist John G. Morris, who has endured sixteen U.S. presidential administrations, is presenting “My America,” an overview of all sixteen. That takes us all the way back to Woodrow Wilson (I counted so you don’t have to). Come check it out. (Disclosure: I'm an owner of Tulip.) * Damn it. I totally forgot about the toast in the oven and now the apartment's filled with smoke. |
Article added on Tue 13th Apr, 2004 [last updated Tue 13th Apr, 2004]Share this page 
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