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December 1st, 2008
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August 27th, 2008 issue

Tips and service

To leave tips requires that you have had some service (“Low restaurant pay leads to tax evasion,” Business, Aug. 20–26)! Unfortunately, service is not what you get much of at Czech restaurants and bars. Often the personnel seem like they are fed up with the customers. You have to call them away from their chatting with their colleagues, or they go straight past your table, several times. This may be because of low payment, but if the sales people don’t understand selling, they don’t make money — neither for themselves nor the business that employs them. That is simply a fact of life.
Birgitte Meier
Prague
Russian provocation
There are two points in your article that I have a problem with (“Avoiding flash points in the new Cold War,” Opinion, Aug. 20–26). First is the assertion that the Georgian government acted without thought. Ostensibly, Russian troops were “peace keepers” in the two troubled regions; actually, they were protecting and inciting rebel factions led by self-promoting would-be politicians. Russian spies agitated and even provided arms. It became too much to bear and Georgia made the move that Putin was waiting for. He used this as an excuse to invade Georgia.
The other point that needs more thought is your weak stand for self-determination and national liberty. While the article does not advocate backing down from Russian bluster and aggression, it does urge a reconsideration of the United States and Europe’s strategic interests. I remember a similar action taken by those that won’t make a stand as long as they think that their liberty is not threatened. Acquiescing to the aggressor had just the opposite effect than desired. The result will be same if Eastern Europe does not take a united stand.
Vladimir Val Cymbal
Tarzana, California
Pickpockets in Prague
The stats from the Czech government and police are an absolute joke (“Czechs refute U.S. tourism report,” News, Aug. 20–26). If you are pickpocketed, the police make you sit in the station for two to three hours waiting for someone to take your statement. Once the police have all the relevant details, they carefully explain that if you want to file criminal charges it will take three to four hours to fill out all the forms. However, if you want to change your story and say that you lost your wallet/passport/purse they can give you that form for your embassy/insurance and have you out the door in 10 minutes.
I know five individuals who have had identical experiences over the past three years.
Brad Johnson
Prague


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