Náměstí Míru a Kostel sv. Ludmily

This is the entrance sign (one of them) to the metro at Náměstí Míru in Vinohrady, Prague. In the background, in the darkness, is Kostel sv. Ludmily, or St. Ludmilla's Church.

I took this picture on my way home from work.

Say "Hello" to Mr. Bentley

This is one very clean car; the yellow building reflected in hood is the Divadlo na Vinohradech or Vinohrady Theatre, located in the Vinohrady district of Prague.

3 Moons

I took these photos tonight with a new camera; when setting the dial for night photography, I got a message telling me that I needed to keep the camera perfectly still. Well, that's just about impossible, so I thought I would experiment with purposefully moving the camera about. And this is what I got. (I did not edit these at all.) Oh, if you look closely, yes, the sky is filled with stars.

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Best Actors of All Time (Almost)

Attempting to select the best actors from last decade is a daunting task; selecting the best of all time is nearly impossible. That is, unless one imposes some very clear restrictions on the selection process. I have chosen to limit my choices to English- speaking male actors who have worked in the cinema since WWII. So, sorry Edwin Booth, who may have been the greatest American actor ever; you lived in era that didn't have the modern motion picture, so, in the end, we'll never really know how great you were.

I have come up with a list of 10, all deserving of special note and all who can be seen today on DVD.

ROD STEIGER Probably more than anybody, Rod Steiger personifies the acting philosophy of the Actors Studio. He was never a movie star in the Hollywood sense of the word, and he certainly made a lot of mistakes in the management of his career, but few people in this world have been as true to himself as Steiger was as an actor. My favorite Steiger performance was his playing the role of Napoleon in the 1970 film "Waterloo."

HUMPHREY BOGART He didn't create cool, but Humphrey Bogart certainly personified cool. And of course, I'm not talking about cool from the perspective of teenagers. Men want to be Bogart and women just want him. Not too shabby for a short, middle-aged man with a receding hair line. Of course, Bogart was more than cool, he was simply a great actor. The 1942 film "Casablanca" will never be re-made because no actor in his right mind would ever attempt to follow Bogart's portrayal of Rick. On paper, "Casablanca" is a pretty silly movie, which is why it's a testament to the greatness of the actors involved that they were able to make a truly great film out of it.

The complete article at Helium can be found HERE>>>

Bush On Front Page

My article that speculates about the future plans of President Bush is going to be featured all day long on the front page at Helium. This is the second time this week that an article of mine has been so featured.

To see my byline, click on the photo above to enlarge.

To go directly to the article, click HERE>>>

Bohemia to the Czech Republic

BOHEMIA is the link to my up-dated article about the history of Bohemia and the rise of the Czech Republic.

Kafka

I found a new foto of Franz Kafka. I did some heavy editing to it. Oh, I also made some minor changes to my bio of Franz Kafka at Helium.

You can see the article HERE>>>

Things to do in Boston

I recently re-wrote an article at Helium. The topic was Boston and the interesting things a visitor or local could do in Spring. I came up with 10 ideas with Spring in mind, but most of these activities can be enjoyed any time of year.

A link to my article is HERE>>>

My Guinness Article

Over at Helium.com, my review of Guinness was featured on the front page all day long on Sunday, and I must say that it did indeed result in a lot of clicks (well in the 100s). You can find it by clicking HERE>>>

Top 10 Fav Cars

When selecting the top ten cars that I like the most, I must admit that I cannot judge them from behind the wheel experience. I've only owned a few cars in my life, and while I've driven dozens of different models, I really can't find ten amongst those worthy of any special mention. So, instead, I've relied mostly on passive observation to create my list of the top ten cars that I like.

1968 FORD MUSTANG Not to be confused with that cute little 1966 version of the Mustang, I'm talking about the Ford Mustang GT 390 Fastback driven by Steve McQueen in the movie, "Bullitt." If you have any interest in cars, and you have not seen Bullitt, make sure you put it at the top of your "to do" list. A very good overall movie, it is probably most famous for its seminal car chase scene in which McQueen, driving his Mustang Fastback, is after the bad guys in a Dodge Charger. The chase scene was filmed entirely on the streets of San Francisco and reached speeds of up to 110mph. Make no mistake, Steve McQueen put the muscle into the Muscle Car.

CADILLAC ELDORADO What can you say about the fins on those second generation late 1950s Eldorados? The most original, most beautiful ornamentation ever put on a car.

THAT BLACK TRANS AM I'm talking about the 1977 Pontiac Trans Am driven by Burt Reynolds in the movie "Smokey and the Bandit." That t-top, that ridiculously large engine, and Sally Fields; it was the car parents feared their kids would want and the car that every teenage boy dreamed of driving.

FORD GRANADA A rather obscure blast from the past, the Granada was actually a pretty nice car that never really took off in America. I remember it fondly because I once drove one when I was a teenager. It also has special memories because just after visiting Graceland and standing at the gravesite of Elvis Presley, driving down Elvis Presley Blvd, some local Memphis yokel, ran a red light, and crashed into my Granada, totaling it. Nobody was hurt, but because we had chocolate shakes from McDonald's in the car, there was chocolate shake all over the interior of the car, which from the outside was easily mistaken for blood. It was a pretty gruesome looking scene.

SKODA 100 The Skoda Auto company in the Czech Republic is a client of mine, so I have to mention them. And of all their models, I'm going to single out the 100, which was produced 1969-77. It's not the sexiest car ever produced, and despite all of its engineering shortcomings, the car has an irresistible appeal. Today, young gear heads in the Czech Republic are snapping them up and fixing what needs to fixed and updating what needs updating. These young people are doing some very fine work, and the Skoda 100 is beginning to turn some heads.

To read the rest of my list at Helium, please click HERE>>>

Top 10 Fav Foods

When accepting the task of narrowing my favorite foods to a field of 10, I, at first, thought it would be an easy one. But I must now admit that it is much more complicated that I had previously thought. There are foods that I like to prepare, foods that I like to snack on, foods that I prefer in a restaurant. So, narrowing it down to an overall list of 10 was difficult, but I was able to do it.

PASTA I love preparing pasta because it really allows my creative culinary juices to flow. All the different meats and vegetables and sauces that can be put into a pasta, and the myriad of combinations is the stuff, when discovered, of a life-long relationship. I like eating pasta out, but truth be told, I always prefer my own pasta.

To read about the other 9, you can get the complete article HERE>>>

The T for Tourists in Boston

A common mistake that people make about the "T" in Boston is that it is limited to the subway. In fact, the nick-name "T" (from Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority), covers all methods of transportation offered by the authority, rail, bus, trackless trolley, subway, and boat.

In regards to the T's usefulness for the average traveler seeking to explore Boston's many sites of interest, the T is not nearly as useful as one might think.

First of all, the best way to get around Boston is by foot. Boston's leading tourist attraction is its Freedom Trail, and it's a strictly pedestrian experience.

Secondly, the stations on Boston's subway lines are deceptively close to each other. In the downtown area that interests tourists the most, subways stations are located one to three blocks from each other! In the five minutes you waste standing on a platform waiting for a subway train, you can probably walk to your destination.

To read my complete article at Helium, click HERE>>>

Pete Rose's Banishment

What is frequently lost in the debate about Pete Rose is the fact that he was betting very large sums of money and doing so illegally. To put it another way, he was do business with people in Organized Crime, and he wasn't doing it anonymously. His bookie(s) knew that he was taking bets from the manager of the Cincinnati Reds! And to think that the bookie involved wasn't selling the information he received from Rose is nave. If Rose has a standing bet of $1000 on the Reds for every game, I could live with that and even excuse the fact that he was dealing with the kind of people that should be kept away from baseball. But that's not what Rose did; he bet heavily on the Reds sometimes, lightly at other times, and sometimes, he didn't bet at all. And Rose's betting patterns reverberated throughout the illicit betting world. They were the kind of inside tips that big-time gamblers dream of. If Pete Rose is not betting on his own team to win, the odds are pretty good that his team won't win. If Rose has placed a large wager on his team to win, odds are he's going to do everything in his power to see that his team wins. Whether Rose's betting pattern affected the way he did his job is probably a question that cannot be answered, but there is certainly an appearance that Rose was better motivated to win some games and not others.

So see my article at Helium, please click HERE>>>

The U.S. Sanctions Policy Against Cuba

Today's U.S. sanctions policy against Cuba, as laid out in the Helms-Burton Act of 1996, clearly benefits wealthy corporations at the expense of the average American. Driven by special interest lobbyists, American policy in regards to Cuba is meant, at its root, to provide leverage for those large property owners in Cuba who lost their property as a result of Communist nationalization when they attempt to stake their restoration claims after the eventual fall of Castro's regime.

To read my complete article, click HERE>>>

G.W. After the White House

When George W. Bush steps down from office in 2009, I can only imagine that, after eight years of performing the world's most difficult job, he would like to indulge in a very, very long vacation. Unfortunately, for him, in this day and age, that is impossible. His first piece of business will be his presidential library and museum. It will reportedly cost an estimated $500 million; and Mr. Bush's first order of business when he leaves the White House will be to raise that half billion. Only time will tell how easy or difficult that will prove to be. It's safe to say that much of it will depend on how loyal the President's "loyal followers" will be once he's left office.

To read my complete article, click HERE>>>

The Dead of Mt. Auburn

When the old burying grounds in Boston and Cambridge starting closing due to overcrowding, an alternative site for burying the dead was sought and found on what was then the rural outskirts of Cambridge. The tastes of the day called for something more special, however, than a typical burying ground, and as a result, the concept of the "garden cemetery" was born. Opened in 1831, Mt. Auburn Cemetery quickly became the place of choice of the elite of Massachusetts to be interred.

To read my article about ten of the most famous, click HERE>>>

Fast Food

For me, fast food has always held a duel attraction; it is food served up quickly and conveniently, but more importantly, it is food that feeds not just my hunger but a primal need to indulge in decadence. Jared trying to tell me that Subway sandwiches are good for me does not attract. McDonald's submitting to the trans fat police in the making of their fries disgusts me. Yes, I want my fast food fast, but I also want it to be a guilty pleasure which provides great pleasure and about which I feel no true guilt.

At the top of my list of favorite fast foods I have to place street vended sausage. In Prague it's called klobasa, and it's served on a small paper tray with a slice of bread and a dollop of mustard on the side. It's a perfect way to take a break from your work-a-day and indulge in the primeval pleasure of holding a piece of meat in your fingers, dipping it in a condiment and then chasing it with a bite of bread. Nobody knows how many calories are involved, the fat content, carbs, all of that stuff is unknown, and nobody cares.

To read my complete article, click HERE>>>

NFL + LA = ?

The question isn't whether the NFL needs Los Angeles (it doesn't), but rather does Los Angeles need the NFL. Or really more to the point, does Los Angeles want the NFL?

No franchise will be allowed to move to L.A. in the foreseeable future, if for no other reason than the politics of building a proper professional football stadium in Southern California. The process would certainly take too long, and the people of California would not finance a stadium on speculation that a team might move there.

To read my complete article, click HERE>>>

Tough Jobs: NBA Referee

One of the most difficult jobs in sports is refereeing an NBA game. There are the obvious demands and pressures that come from working in what is essentially a fishbowl. Like all game officials, NBA referees are subject to constant scrutiny and second-guessing, and only their mistakes get viewed on ESPN. And unlike their peers in football and baseball, NBA referees, due to the nature of the game, must work in much closer proximity of potentially hostile members of the crowd, as well as the benches. That said, there are basically three reasons which make working in the NBA as a referee an especially difficult job.

To read my complete article, click HERE>>>

Art Nouveau & Pilsner Urquell in Prague

To experience a little bit of the Art Nouveau in Prague, the restaurant Kolkovna, located near the Old Town Square, is the perfect place. It not only features classic décor and classic Czech cuisine, it serves what is known as tankovna Pilsner Urquell beer, which is probably the best beer in the city.

Like most Czech restaurants, Kolkovna is much larger than it appears. Just walk right through the bar, and then you'll find the dining area. More importantly, however, its interior décor is a wonderful example of the Czech Art Nouveau style as set forth by the Czech artist Alfons Mucha. It is elegant, and at the same time, very comfortable.

To read my full review, click HERE>>>

Beckham's Impact in America

I would like to think that the impact of David Beckham coming to America to play for the Los Angeles Galaxy would be beneficial enough to thrust professional soccer in America into the mainstream. But I'm afraid that that result is highly unlikely.

That said, David Beckham does, however, bring something to the MLS that it sorely needs, and that is celebrity. For the first time since the league's inception in 1996, the MLS has a player who has name recognition beyond the sports page. For the first time, an average American chosen at random on the street can actually name an active professional soccer player. David Beckham has, overnight, become the face of the MLS and soccer in America in general. And there is no way to underestimate the need for such a face, a face that soccer in America has not had since Pele.

To read my complete article, click HERE>>>

Beating the Photo Ticket System

More and more municipalities throughout America and the world have relegated the enforcement of traffic laws to a system of automated cameras. But this system is not only far from perfect, it is full of holes (or loop holes, if you will). As a caveat, I would like to state that the following list of ten proven ways of beating the traffic cameras is specific to the state of Arizona, the camera methods used in Arizona, and the laws in the state of Arizona. If you live elsewhere, perhaps this list can send you in the right direction when doing your own investigation of the methods and laws in your home state.

Read 10 ways to beat the photo ticket system HERE>>>

The Berlitz Method

The Berlitz approach to teaching foreign languages is nearly universally regarded as wrong-headed and out of date with what is known about how people learn and how the brain processes foreign languages.

In the beginning, Maximilian Berlitz, the recognized founder of the "Berlitz Method" was certainly ahead of his time. By happenstance, he hired a French language instructor for his school in Providence, RI without fully vetting his ability to speak English. As it turns out, Berlitz's new employee didn't speak a single word of English and proceeded to teach his lessons completely in French. Probably, the first immersion language course.

READ MORE HERE>>>

Czech Absinth: How to Drink It

The Czech, or Bohemian, style of Absinth is different than the style made famous in Paris 100 years ago. First, it is spelled differently; there is no "e" at the end. Secondly, it contains no anise or fennel. And last, the method of drinking it is very different. For a step by step guide to drinking it, click HERE>>>

Doggie Bags in Europe?

In my experience, the concept of a "doggie bag" is universal. I think only the name "doggie bag" may be a euphemism that only Americans use and may have a negative connotation elsewhere in the world. For more, READ HERE>>>

Museums in Phoenix

Phoenix has many interesting museums, but there are a few major museums that visitors should know about before planning their trip to Arizona.

The most special, the "must-see" museum for any visitor to the area is the Heard Museum. Founded in 1929 by Dwight Heard, it is dedicated to preserving the expansive collection of Southwest Native American arts and crafts that he and his wife had collected during their lifetimes. The museum houses more than 30,000 works, but the most popular attraction is its collection of 500 Native American dolls. The museum also has an impressive collection of contemporary art by local Native Americans.

READ MORE HERE>>>

Tips for Travel in the States

Traveling in the States need not be difficult, but there are some things that travelers from abroad should keep in mind.

American paper currency always confuses foreigners because all the denominations are the same size and mostly all the same color. Just remember that the numerical value of the bills is located in all four corners. What are called Bankomats in Europe are called ATMs in America.

For more tips, read HERE>>>

Problem with American Auto Industry?

The problem with the US auto industry is quite easy to diagnose; but unfortunately not so easy to cure.

Let's compare the American operations of the world's two leading manufacturers, GM and Toyota. In 2005, GM, on average, lost $2331 per vehicle manufactured, whereas Toyota made a profit of $1488 per vehicle. So, the more cars GM sold, the more money they lost.

It takes GM 34.3 hours to produce a vehicle, start to finish. It takes Toyota 27.9 hours. (2005 numbers)

The average line worker at GM makes $31.35/hour; at Toyota they make $27.00/hour. (2005 numbers)

So, Toyota is paying less in payroll but getting greater production from what is ostensibly the same American workforce.

READ MORE HERE>>>

Legends in Prague

If you're in Prague on a holiday, and you're looking for a familiar atmosphere to drink a beer, eat some food, and watch some sports from back home, you can do a lot worse than Legends Sports Bar, located just off of the Old Town Square in Prague.

The entrance can be a little easy to miss, and that is because Legends is one of Prague's underground restaurants. They usually have an A-frame out front listing the featured sporting events, and there is a sign, but to actually find the pub, you must go through the door, down a short hall way, then proceed down the stairs. That's where you'll find the actual entrance to Legends.

The décor in the main dining hall is modern and is wholly lacking in decoration. Aside from televisions. Many, many televisions. In the center, there is a very long table that is interestingly set at bar counter height and the seating is bar stools. For watching the games, these are the best seats. Around the walls, there is regular restaurant booth seating.

READ MORE HERE>>>

Guinness Draught

The Guinness brand of beer was founded by Arthur Guinness at the St. James Gate Brewery in Dublin, Ireland in 1759. Inspired by the porter style of beer that was popular in 18th century England, Guinness created a beer in which the malt barley is roasted in a distinctive way that gives Guinness its dark color and unique taste. Guinness began to market its beer as a stout, and today, the name Guinness is largely synonymous with the style of stout.

Guinness Draught was created in 1959, and its complex texture and creamy head would ultimately make Guinness one of the most well known beers in the world. (Guinness Draught should not be confused with Guinness Extra Stout which is far more bitter and closer in taste to what beer drinkers drank in the 19th century.) Today, there are three types of Guinness Draught: the original Guinness Draught that is served on tap, Guinness Draught Cans, and Guinness Draught Bottles.

READ MORE HERE>>>

Cleveland: Rock & Roll and a Whole Lot More

The Cleveland that inspired a thousand disparaging jokes, from a flammable river to a flammable mayor's wig, the city that was once called the "Mistake by the Lake," has moved on. Today, Cleveland has a nice blend of well-preserved history which nicely contrasts the new and modern Cleveland that has emerged over the last 15 years. For the traveler, Cleveland provides a fun and friendly atmosphere with a nice combination of sites that are thoroughly Cleveland.

READ MORE HERE>>>

Montreal's Biodôme

Not too long ago, I had a chance to visit the Biodôme in Montreal. And while it is certainly less than advertised, the Biodôme is interesting all the same. It's a kind of zoo, but not quite so. Instead, it attempts to recreate four different world environments.

READ MORE HERE>>>

There's a New Duck in Town

There's a new tour in Boston, whose vehicles have just started winding their way through Boston's streets and waterways, and it's called Boston Super Duck Tours. And no, it's no relation to the very popular and well known Boston Duck Tours; it's just yet another tour company that wishes exhibit the city of Boston and share the city's wealth with their visitors while trying to stake a share of the increasing tourist wealth in a city where competition for the tourist dollar has history of getting intense.

READ MORE HERE>>>

Holocaust Survivors Protest Czech Govt

Various International organizations that protect Holocaust victims and survivors have resubmitted their complaints against the Czech government with Czech Prime Minister Mirek Topolenek renewing their dismay that the Czech government has allowed a pig farm to stay in place on land that was once a Nazi internment camp for Romanies (colloquially known as Gypsies).

READ MORE HERE>>>

Czechs Angry with U.S. and Canada Over Visas

When the Czech Republic joined the European Union in 2004, not many Czechs were very optimistic in regards to the United States and Canada changing their tourist visa requirement for Czech citizens at any time in the foreseeable future, but now three years later, the Czech people have become adamant that the U.S. and Canada change their policies or face retaliatory measures.

READ MORE HERE>>>

The Lion's Bar in Prague

The Lion's Bar is not for everybody. That is to say that The Lion's Bar in Prague specifically caters to a specific clientele, and that clientele is British Sports fans and their mates. Or, to put it another way, The Lion's Bar is considered a "stag bar," whose clientele is almost completely comprised of visiting stags. Many pubs in Prague deny patronage to stag groups, so it is highly recommended that stag groups coming to Prague come with a full itinerary before arriving.

READ MORE HERE>>>

American Beer Tastes Like Water?

Once upon a time, American beer actually did taste pretty good. But because of Prohibition, WWII, and the need for corporate profits, all of that changed. To read about how, you can . . .

READ MORE HERE>>>

What a Writer's Office Needs

Any writer who spends more time writing than they do in the bathroom needs a good space to write, a writer's office. And creating a good writer's office is really easier than you might think.

READ MORE HERE>>>

10 Fun Things to Do in Boston

From the Freedom Trail and Boston Harbor to the Back Bay, Harvard Square, and Walden Pond, there are plenty of ways to have fun in Boston.

To read about 10 of them, click HERE>>>

Where is the Statue of Liberty?

Where is the Statue of Liberty? No, it hasn't been moved. It's still in New York Harbor, but there has been considerable confusion as to whether the "great lady" is located within the borders of New York State or New Jersey. Citizens from both states claim her as their own, but only one side is correct.

READ MORE HERE>>>

ASU Prof Denied Tenue Due to Pregnancy

When English professor Kathryn Milun first came to Tempe to teach at Arizona State University, she considered it her dream job, a great place to live, to work, and finally a great place to earn tenure, the thing all teachers secretly and not-so secretly yearn for. Job security, academic freedom, one can hardly blame them. Well, something happened to Professor Milun along the tenure track. Milun got pregnant. And as a result, she was not able to fulfill the necessary requirements to obtain tenure within the six-year time frame she was given when she first signed her contract at Arizona State.

READ MORE HERE>>>

My 3 Favorite Beers

These are my three favorite beers, Guinness, Samuel Adams Boston Ale, and Pilsner Urquell.

To read more about them, please click HERE>>>

History of the Coffee Break

The roots of the modern coffee break dates back a century when social reformers and labor leaders were attempting to introduce such workplace reforms as minimum wage and workers' compensation. Two of the reforms that were adopted were a mid-shift break and the creation break rooms where employees could get away from the job for a short while. At some point, employees starting using this break time to indulge in a cup of coffee, hence the popular contemporary term "coffee break."

READ MORE HERE>>>

Alexander Lukashenko of Belarus

Alexander Lukashenko is the greatest living President in the world today. The President of Belarus, who won a landslide victory in 2006 to earn his third term in office, Lukashenko has proven to be a truly inspirational leader in the areas of democratic reform and national security, both in his own country and internationally.

To read more of this TONGUE in CHEEK piece of HUMOR, please click HERE>>>