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Kosovo autonomy dispute rages (News, 25 Jun, 2008)
This reminds me of the way the Russians were kept in the Contact Group and other Kosovo forums without having any influence. It only helped the international careers of the diplomats and politicians involved.

It might be a better strategy to expose the ISG as a blatantly pro-Albanian lobby group that does not possess the objectivity required to assure human rights in Kosovo.
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Masters and servant (Opinion, 25 Jun, 2008)
It may be a destiny for a small European country to be subservient to a master such as the United States or the European Union.
The Czechs, however, need not be sterile in being a part of a larger club, nor ignorant of who they are and what their past was like. In their own history, Czechs were official allies with Yugoslavia through the Little Entente between the two world wars. It is natural for the Serbs to feel betrayed. For all that the Serbs bid for and lost in former Yugoslavia after the breakup of the country, Kosovo cannot be the punishment.
For Kosovo is Serbian and you don't right a wrong by inflicting another wrong.
Kosovo was, is and always will be Serbian, no matter how conflicted the Czechs are over being close relatives to the Serbs who just could not disassociate themselves from the newest and hippest club they just joined. Having high friends is important at the moment, but in the long run, it is your kin that should be your priority.
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Letters to the Editor (Opinion, 25 Jun, 2008)
"This is because free nations are based on the principle of unbridled expression."

Perhaps you should have said "free nations would be...". If you think that you have freedom of expression in your country you are *extremely* naive.

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Kosovo autonomy dispute rages (News, 25 Jun, 2008)
The recognition has nothing to do with the past relations with Serbia! The recognition has nothing to do with the events in Kosovo 1997 onwards! The recognition has nothing to do with the reality, rights, history, or whatever.
It is strictly related to the fact that CEZ (or whatever the name is of the Czech electric company) will have the right to build the power plant in Kosovo.
So, the recognition has to do with Euro 4 billion!
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Masters and servant (Opinion, 25 Jun, 2008)
Serbia as a country was complicit in a near genocide committed against several ethnic groups in former Yugoslavia.
Recognizing Kosovo is a reasonable step as a matter of independent Czech foreign policy. Independence should not mean opposition against the United States just for the sake of opposition.
However, I agree that the Czech Republic should defend its independent positions where appropriate, for instance when it comes to excessive restrictions of human rights as part of the "war on terror" or the need for decisive action on global warming.
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Kosovo autonomy dispute rages (News, 25 Jun, 2008)
The situation in Kosovo was nothing like that in the Sudetenland, it's really an absurd comparison. The Czechoslovak government had been giving the Germans there increasing freedom, unlike in Yugoslavia where autonomy was taken from the Kosovars after they had been given it. The Czechoslovak police did not murder entire families in seeking to put down unrest in the region. The Czechoslovak army did not force the inhabitants of the Sudentenland from their homes and out of the country. And as for support in 1968, Albania withdrew from the Warsaw Pact rather than support the invasion - on that basis, maybe its attitudes should receive some consideration here.

On the other hand, why in the world does Serbia want Kosovo back? There are only about 6 million Serbs in the country (they have large minority populations). Two million angry ex-Kosovars could swing their elections to the tiny liberal party and start influencing the country's politics even before the combination of the growing Albanian population and the shrinking Serbian population resulted in the Albanians being the majority in the country. At which point it could vote to merge with Albania for a truly "Greater Albania". Why in the world would the Serbians want that?
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Canada sees an influx of Roma immigrants (News, 18 Jun, 2008)
"Arab-American" - TRUE Americans do not refer to themselves as Arab-American, African-American, Irish-American, German-American, Asian-American ..... etc.

Even though government forms require such dribble in their completion, TRUE Americans are simply Americans, even though they are aware of their ancestry.

TRUE Americans do not care about your religion, although they will invite you to their church (but at least we go to church) or if you are an immigrant (although they might be interested in your former culture). Most (but not all) Americans do not care about your sexual orientation, race, or anything else - they simply treat you as their neighbor, work colleague, etc. - even if they disagree with your sexual orientation, race, or anything else.
TRUE Americans really just try to get along - and do not understand others who do not wish to just get along.

By the way, we actually get to know our neighbors and help them when they are in need - we don't just say 'dobry den' because it's a cultural thing to do.

I recently gave money to the Czech-Slovak museum in Cedar Rapids that sustained damage due to flooding. Why? I have no Czech or Slovak or any Slavic blood in my family line - but I like preserving the history of cultures - I find it fascinating - even the Muslim and Arab cultures that I cannot identify with.

But I will admit, there are a few American citizens (not TRUE Americans) that give us a bad name.
Of course, should I judge all Czechs to be LIARS like those that I have met - probably not.
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Iowa floods hit Czech/Slovak museum (News, 25 Jun, 2008)
This museum, while perhaps having been the most extensive, is not the United States' only Czech and Slovak museum. I have visited the one in the Chicago area and I think there might be another in Pennsylvania. Please check your facts.
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Masters and servant (Opinion, 25 Jun, 2008)
Mr Jatras is absolutely right. Not only has the Czech Republic become a lapdog of the United States, but, in addition, its government quite brazenly goes against the express wishes of its people.
Unfortunately, a lot of people in East and Central Europe are still dangerously naive about the United States.
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The charged issue of Tasers (News, 25 Jun, 2008)
Czechs will soon begin to understand the consequences of cozying up to a country which breaks international law and supports torture. Within a few years the USSR will seem like a fond memory.
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Kosovo autonomy dispute rages (News, 25 Jun, 2008)
The Czechs will do whatever they are told by their masters in Washington and London.
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Kosovo autonomy dispute rages (News, 25 Jun, 2008)
It is sad to think that people are questioning Kosovo recognition based on the relationship between the two countries.
Please look at this at a realistic way and understand that Serbs have ruled over Kosovo with an iron fist for way too long.
They did not care about Kosovo or its people and thus left it as the most underdeveloped region in former Yugoslavia.
If kosovo was so important and critical to Serbia, why did they not invest more in it? At the same time, please remember what they did to my country of Bosnia and to Croatia, Slovenia and then Kosovo.
Serbia started four wars - lost all of them - and caused the murder of hundreds of thousands of people.
They lost every right to rule over Kosovo, since you can't kill one's family and be welcomed back.
Forget the historical ties with Serbia and look at what they did in the middle of Europe.

Serbia is talking about international law and how 1244 should be followed, but in the '90s, they did not care much about international law.
How interesting. They are again trying to use Kosovo for their political gain, but Kosovo is on its way toward the European Union and Serbia is still trying to form a government. There are still freezer trucks of Albanians in the bottom of Danube River that will come up one day.

There is not one reason why Serbia should rule Kosovo.
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Bill calls for all dogs to be leashed (News, 18 Jun, 2008)
The government needs an "educational effect" as much as irresponsible dog owners. Punishing the majority of responsible owners won't accomplish a whole lot (other than padding the coffers). The cruelest thing I could do to my dog is tie her up on her leash and walk away. No law broken, eh?

Czechs are very canine friendly. There's a lot of public tolerance, and children learn respect towards dogs, not fear. This is a good thing. Some people fear dogs, and there are some dogs to fear, but both of these groups are relatively small here, thankfully. Fear-based legislation is not a good move - it's so... American.

The proposed law, as described in this article, is severe and badly conceived. Dogs can be restricted to leashes in urban parks where there are designated areas for them to run free. And I'll be the first in line at such a park. But my 4-year old dog will have lived out her natural life before I can expect one in our neighborhood. So until then, I'll be a criminal in the wild, tossing the frisbee and glacing over my shoulder, waiting to be "educated."
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Bill calls for all dogs to be leashed (News, 18 Jun, 2008)
"Dogs need to be obedient when out in public."

And no doubt, in your little world, blacks should be kept indoors...
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Canada sees an influx of Roma immigrants (News, 18 Jun, 2008)
>>such narrow-minded people in the United States, but fortunately they are few.

actually *most* Americans are like that. Try talking to an Arab-American and see what his or her opinion about this is. See how much *you* would like relentless racist propaganda on the television every day. My guess is that you are white.
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Prague 2 to shutter certain hernas (Business, 18 Jun, 2008)
I really think that Internet gambling is a more dangerous problem than some gambling on the machines... (In areas where there are herna bars, the crime rate is higher for stealing cars, vandalism and disturbing the peace at night. The Prague Post)
Why not "ban" the entire tourist-army from the UK!
After all, they have the bad habit of causing trouble in the neighborhood. (Not to mention "Philip" from San Francisco)


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Generation gap (Opinion, 11 Jun, 2008)
The Czech Republic is in Eastern Europe if you think of the Cold War doctrine.
It is in Central Europe, if you think geographically.
But then again, Europe is not a continent, but rather a subcontinent of Asia, geologically speaking.

Does it really matter, except to understand the context of the writer - to which the writer should be clear in their context of Eastern Europe so that no misunderstandings might exist?
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Canada sees an influx of Roma immigrants (News, 18 Jun, 2008)
"Why don't the Roma move to India, their ancestral home?"
Sort of a narrow-minded statement.

Why shouldn't the Slavs return to their homelands of a 1,000 years ago? Or the Francs to theirs? Or to this matter all of the Euro Americans back to Europe, etc.?

We have such narrow-minded people in the United States, but fortunately they are few. So why don't the Czechs just get over themselves. Or maybe all of the Czechs that came to the United States 100-plus years ago, maybe their families should return home.
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Bill calls for all dogs to be leashed (News, 18 Jun, 2008)
"If they are kept on a leash all the time, they will never socialize properly and that will result in more attacks on people,?

That is simply wrong. Dogs need to be obedient when out in public. They may roam freely within their master's yard (fenced in of course) and in dog parks here in the states. There are no attacks by dogs simply because of a leash law - although some aggressive breads attack regardless.

"Bad behavior is either the result of neglectful owners or a child who annoys them for hours until the dog has no option but to attack"

If the dogs' masters where being mindful and had their dogs fenced in or leashed, then the dog would not be in a position to attack. Unless of course the child entered the dog's yard.

Simply put, when in public dogs should be on a leash. Some dog parks should exist to let them run. If the owner does not have a yard of appropriate size for a large dog, then the owner should not own a large dog or possibly any dog.
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Retail building outpaces demand (Business, 11 Jun, 2008)
Michael Heitmann's article suggests that shoppers will be attracted to new venues and modern facilities.
However, whether it be in the Czech Republic, or anywhere else in the world, service will be the deciding factor.
With the popularity and convenience of Internet shopping, many major retailers in the United States have felt the impact and are now depending primarily on the services offered at the store level to maintain a profitable margin. The key now and in the future will be the outlet that offers the type of service customers will appreciate. This will depend entirely on management and employees' attitudes on customer service and how high a priority it's given.
Whether it be a bank or retail store, when you are greeted with a smile as a valuable customer, your loyalty jumps accordingly. You can build all the fancy stores you want, but if you don't give the service customers appreciate, you may soon find yourself unable to pay the rent, new modern facility or not.


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