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Current AffairsVaclav Halek - composer inspired by the plaintive cry...of the mushroom
For the last 20 years, the composer and passionate mushroom-picker Vaclav
Halek has been strolling through Bohemia's woods and fields, carrying a
traditional mushroom-picker's basket, a small knife, and a notebook with
the musical scale. Vaclav Halek claims he can hear the "song" of
the mushroom, and has more than 2,000 compositions to prove it - from film
and theatre scores right up to a full symphony. He's even produced a
"Musical Atlas of Mushrooms", complete with its own CD. Rob
Cameron went for a walk in the woods with this rather unorthodox composer.
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MagazineMagazine
A Saudi Arabian princess gets her jewels stolen in Karlovy Vary -right
across the street from the town's police headquarters, a noted Czech
composer shares the secret of his success: he can hear mushrooms sing. And
the Prague 2 magistrate organizes a public execution: a pickpocket gets
his hand chopped off as a warning to others. Find out more in this week's
magazine with Daniela Lazarova.
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Press ReviewPress Review
A hitherto unknown MP is the big star of today's dailies. Opposition Civic
Democrat deputy Petr Kott is under pressure to leave the lower house and
resign from the party after missing a crucial vote in parliament because
he was drunk. Also making the front pages today - the Czech women's
basketball team who took the silver in Sunday's European Championships,
and the Reverend Tomas Spidlik, one of the 31 new cardinals appointed by
the Pope on Sunday.
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Letter from PragueDangerous delis
There's not much in the way of consumer protection in the Czech Republic
and believe me that thirteen years after the fall of communism the
consumer still needs a lot of protection. Most of us are still so
impressed by the incredible variety of goods available that we are happy
to overlook a buy that does not quite meet our expectations.
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MagazineMagazine
A Czech town declares war on bureaucrats, on average every tenth child born
in the Czech Republic has a different biological father than presumed, and
a man gets one million crowns in compensation for unwittingly fathering
twins- find out more in this week's Magazine with Daniela Lazarova.
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Current AffairsDry weather has negative impact on popular pastime of mushroom picking
One of the most popular activities in the Czech Republic at this time of
year is mushroom picking. Or at least it usually is - the long, dry summer
this year has had left the ground very dry and mushrooms hard to find.
It's got so bad that some Czech experts are even going abroad to find
mushrooms. I discussed the situation with Miroslav Smotlacha, who is one
of the leading members of the Czech Mycological Institute.
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MagazineMagazine
How much beer do Czechs actually drink, what's a "beer barrel
race", and where do you go to meet the winner of the Miss Garlic
contest? That and more in this week's Magazine with Daniela Lazarova.
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MagazineMagazine
What are Czechs placing bets on this summer, how tolerant are Czech men and
women of a partner who cheats on them, and where do you go to enjoy a
Goulash Festival? Find out in this week's Magazine with Daniela Lazarova.
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Letter from PragueSnail alert
Food is one of life's pleasures. People like talking about it, they like
watching it prepared on TV and more than anything they love eating it.
Some people I know read cook books the way others read a novel or
detective story. And one of the most passionate TV debates I ever saw was
not about the war on Iraq or the monthly salaries of Czech politicians. It
was an argument between a farmer and a vegetarian.
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Letter from PragueWhat's cooking?
Czech cuisine may not have the international reputation of its French,
Italian or Japanese counterparts, but I wonder if that is just because it
has not had the opportunity to flaunt itself on the international stage.
While some may snigger, I have to admit that I quite enjoy Czech food, and
I would be quite pleased to see my favourite Czech dishes readily
available in London, New York, Paris, Sydney and Tokyo.
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