ABSTRACTS of PAPERS

To be presented at the 2006 SVU World Congress

Edited by Miloslav Rechcigl, Jr.

North America a Tropical Paradise David V. Alcid, Saint Peter's University Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ North America, to include United States and Canada, is considered to be a westernized continent. This will be a presentation on what it is like to practice tropical medicine and infectious diseases in the United States. The discussion will include indigenous parasitic (tropical) as well as imported disease. Cases will be presented, and this will include the clinical presentations. Some indigenous diseases include Strongyloides stercoralis, Toxocara canis, Baylisascaris procyonis, Diphylobothrium latum, Anisakis simplex, Pseudoterranova decipiens, and Metorchis conjunctus, to name a few. Also a long list of imported diseases, such as Malaria, Trypanosomiasis, Leishmaniasis, Schistosomiasis, Microfilaria, Neurocysticercosis, Myasis, Leptospirosis, Hansen’s disease. Most of the diseases mentioned, initially presented to their primary physicians. Because of increasing travel between continents, we see a wide variety of “tropical” diseases from; Africa, Asia, South America.

.Jan Polarik’s Attempt at Slovak Liberalism and his Failure Josette Baer, Smolny College of Liberal Arts & Sciences, St. Petersburg, Russia

Mostly unknown in the West, the playwright, journalist and Catholic priest Jan Palarík (1822-1870) was a crucial intellectual of the Slovak national movement. He expressed sharp critique of Imperial Vienna’s Centralism. Unlike the majority of leading figures of the Slovak national movement opting for independence from Budapest, he favoured the co-operation with the ruling Hungarians. Palarik realistically considered Slovak independence as infeasible and premature. His strict allegiance to the constitution foresaw a significant political autonomy for the Slovaks in Upper Hungary. Yet, he ran against the tide of times, since moderation and co-operation would not gain him many sympathies. His liberalism advocating for a moderate but feasible constitutional change was unsuccessful; it drowned in the waves of increasingly radical nationalism on both Hungarian and Slovak sides. I attempt to show that Palarik’s political ideas of realism and liberalism are influenced by Montesquieu, and, to a certain extent by Kant’s rejection of revolutionary actions.

Contribution of US Higher Education Partnership to Development of SUA in Nitra A. Bandlerová, D. Húska and M. Láte cka The start of democracy changes at Slovak universities after 1989 was dependent mainly on international cooperation. Shortly after political changes the historical journey of Czecho-Slovak Federative Republic representatives to USA was carried out. This opportunity opened the way for bilateral cooperation. Partnership of foreign institutions created a scope for democracy principles development at universities in the field of student and teacher staff education, for discovering higher education system in USA and its organization and for creating study programs in the 3-cycle education system. This paper demonstrates results of this cooperation in a 15 year-long period.

Globalization, Institutional Arrangements and Poverty in Rural Sub Sahara Africa Francis Menjo Baye, Damasius Niba Fuh, Butum Augustine Njong, Njongwe Emmanuel Niba, Suhwalters Niba, Nforah Kingsley Fonji, Achangwa Iweh Joseph and Emilia Nkeng Eyang, Cameroon Universities Arts and Cultural Union, Buea, South West Province, Republic of Cameroon This paper posits that the institutional environment, which is constantly modified by the forces of globalisation, significantly influences access to and returns on primary assets that determine poverty outcomes in rural societies. Within the framework of institutional economics related to globalisation, rural institutions and poverty, the paper (1) identifies monetary and exchange rate arrangements, public debt burden, democratic culture and rent-seeking, openness and obstacles to international trade, economic and structural reforms, and NGO activities as the main channels by which the forces of globalisation permeate down to the rural poor and (2) considers changes in land tenure arrangements, rural financial markets and marketing of agricultural products as important within the institutional environment that determines the capacity of rural dwellers to build on and derive returns from their primary asset endowments. Good governance is viewed as crucial in curbing socio-economic difficulties and poverty in rural Africa, Cameroon and in the world.

The Question of Czechness in Final Works of Gideon Klein's "Terezin Requiem" Michael Beckerman, New York University, New York, NY According to the date written on the manuscript, Gideon Klein finished his Trio for Strings just several days before he was transported from Terezin to Auschwitz and Furstengrube where he died, probably in January of 1945. My study contends that Klein has hidden some special things in the middle movement of the work, a traditional site for secrets. I will argue, based on a study of the manuscript and a close reading of the score that this movement is nothing more or less than a personal requiem,

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one that may even contain coded speech utterances.

Command Economy after the Shocks of Opening up: The Factors of Adjustment in the Czech Trade with the EU Vladimír Benáček and Jiří Podpiera, Charles University and Czech National Bank, Prague, CR

By quantifying the determining factors of Czech exports and imports during 1993–2002, this paper enriches the empirical trade literature with evidence from an economy that has undergone intensive structural changes. Our findings lend significance to the variables of aggregate demand and the real exchange rate, in addition to liberalisation of tariffs, evolution of unit prices of exports and imports, changes in quality, diversion in factor usage and economies of scale. Unimpeded opening-up can be a crucial driver of an in-depth restructuring, which brings positive results from the very start, even though its spillover into an overall growth can be delayed.

The Reality and Evolution of the Czech Concept of God: From Jan Hus and Augustin Smetana to Tomas Garrigue Masaryk, Alexander Sommer Batek and Norbert Fabian Capek Joseph Ben-David, Church of Humanism, New York, NY The shifting sands of history affect all aspects of society, and individual transformation, as well. The same is true of deific concepts. It is a long stretch from the pantheons of the ancients to the emergence of the moral imperatives of the leading Czech people of the spirit, including Jan Hus, Augustin Smetana, Tomas Garrigue Masaryk, Alexander Sommer Batek, and Norbert Fabian Capek. This presentation will explore the role of these spiritual leaders in the Czech philosophy of religion. The Hussite movement, i.e., the Czech reformation, was an important catalyst for the ascendance of the general Protestant Reformation. President Masaryk, who was also a major philosopher of religion, made original contributions in the field of the theology of realism. His thoughts, with a radical emphasis on living an ethical life associated with the God-phenomenon, were eloquently expressed by the martyred Unitarian Minister, Norbert Capek. It is fascinating to observe the evolution of the Judeo/Christian concept of God as a heavenly being into a universal vision of God as love and the creative process in nature. Perhaps in the Czech lands, where a large segment of the population is atheist, a spiritual compass pointing the way to the highest good could contribute to the enrichment of culture in general.

The Preservation of Slovak Heritage in “Smalltown” America: Cases in Broome County, New York; Middletown, Pennsylvania, and Fayetteville, North Carolina John Andrew Berta, Methodist College, Fayetteville, NC

The ability, if so desired, to preserve the heritage of one’s forebears is a salient feature of the United States. Aside from affording immigrants economic opportunities unavailable “in the old country”, for some such as the Slovaks, the United States provided an opportunity for their cultural and political maturation. That stability, however, is determined by societal influences that either strengthen, or weaken, that survivability. In large metropolitan areas such as New York City, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, or Chicago, the concentration of a particular ethnic group recreated a semblance of the “old world”. “Older” immigrants organized the parishes, schools, as well as cultural and benevolent societies that facilitated the transition of subsequent immigrants in their new homeland.However, as the children of Slovak immigrants began their climb up the American socioeconomic ladder, that ascent had them moving to other parts of the country where the elements that had preserved the Slovak language and customs were smaller or non-existent, making them more susceptible to Americanization. This paper will describe that transition by focusing on the three specific locations: Broome County, New York (encompassing towns such as Johnson City, Endicott, Binghamton, and Vestal); Middletown, Pennsylvania; and Fayetteville, North Carolina.

The Contribution of Czech Musicians to the Development of Bulgarian Musical Culture at the End of the 19th Century and the Beginning of the 20th Century Yordanka Bibina and Kalina Peeva, Institute for Balkan Studies, Bulgarian Academy of Sciences, Sofia, Bulgaria The first Bulgarian musical institutions were formed immediately after the re-establishing of Bulgarian statehood in 1878. The musicians of the Czech school who worked in Bulgaria made an invaluable contribution to the formation of the modern Bulgarian musical traditions.The Czech musicians who were notable for their contributions were J. Hohola, V. Kautski, F. Stross, J. Dushek, T. Kulhavi, F. Svoboda, K. Yermaj, A. Tayner. H. Spousta, and A. Tzipel. During the last decade of the 19th century Bulgarian military brass bands led by Czech bandmasters promoted the popularization of opera music in the country and encouraged the idea for the creation of a Bulgarian opera theater. Czech conductors H. Vizner and A. Matsak were especially noted for the work they did in the development of Bulgarian opera. Our paper will describe the important role Czech musicians played in modern Bulgarian music and their active participation in the cultural life of the country at the end of the 19th and the beginning of the 20th centuries.

What Women (Don’t) Want: Mechanisms to Improve Women's Political Representation in Slovakia Alexandra Bitusikova, Matej Bel University, Banska Bystrica, SR

Slovakia, one of the ten new EU Member States, belongs to the countries with relatively standard level of women’s political representation when compared with other countries, but this does not mean that the proportion of women in legislative and executive

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bodies can be considered satisfactory. During socialism, participation of women in the legislative power was secured by 30% quotas, but it was formal, controlled by the Communist Party and celebrated by the dominant ideology as a real proof of equality of women and men. The quota system has been totally discredited during socialism. The memories of obligatory quotas given to women in a top-down process have remained alive and have negatively influenced public opinions in the later post-socialist development.

The paper focuses on women’s political participation in Slovakia in post-1989 period and follows recent debates on introducing quota methods for ensuring higher representation of women in legislative and executive bodies. The study is based on quantitative data combined with qualitative data from interviews with female politicians. The research was carried out as a part of the EU FP5 project “Enlargement, Gender and Governance: The Civic and Political Participation and Representation of Women in the EU Candidate Countries.”

Vinsh Family History: A Study in Discovering the Czech Romanian Origins of a Virginia Family Mary Vinsh Blazek, Jenny Blaha Jones and Joseph Vinsh, Jr., Sacred Heart Church, New Bohemia, VA This is the story of the only brother out of a family of seven siblings who left the Czech villages in Romania in 1911 to settle in south- central Virginia, USA with his wife and small family. A contributing author is Mary Vinsh Blazek, who was born in Gernik, Romania and came to America with her parents, Barta and Antonia Winsh, as a child. The Vinsh family in Virginia has taken advantage of their unique opportunity to gather and document first-hand their oral and pictorial history that spans across two continents The paper is presented in six sections. The first section, “Our Bohemian Roots”, outlines the earliest known information about the Vinsh family beginning in 1826. “Journey to Gernik” explains how Czech speaking peasants from Bohemia came to live in the Banat Region of present-day Romania. “Life in Gernik” includes information about what living in this small remote village was probably like, near the beginning of the 20th century for the Winsh family. “Emigration from Europe” provides a perspective on the difficult economic and social times Barta and Antonia faced while trying to support a young family in Gernik and how they managed to reach America. The fifth section, “Life in America” contains anecdotal accounts by surviving descendants of their struggle to financially establish themselves and assimilate in south-central portion of the State of Virginia of the United States of America. The last section contains brief biographical information about the sons and daughters Barta and Antonia Winsh and the next steps for family research.

Error as Behavior: Implications for Patient Safety Marilyn Sue Bogner, Institute for the Study of Human Error, LLC, Bethesda, MD In 1999 the Institute of Medicine (IOM) of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences reported that 44,000 to 98,000 hospitalized patients die each year due to medical error. When an error occurs in various industries, the person associated with the act often is deemed the cause of the error. This is nearly universal in health care when considering adverse outcomes of the need for prolonged treatment, injury or death. In response to the IOM numbers, the U.S. government allocated $50. million a year for 5 years for research to reduce the incidence of error by 50% by November 2004. The focus of the research was provider accountability for error which reflects the attitude that the person, the health care provider is the sole cause of an error. The findings from the 5 years and $250. million of research not only did not meet the 50% error reduction goal, the impact of those efforts on error is negligible. This points to the need to approach error differently; the need to address error as what it is – the process rather than the outcome. An error is an action, action is behavior, and behavior is the process by which error occurs. Behavior as attested by centuries of empirical literature in the physical and social sciences as well as millennia of philosophical writings reflects the interaction of an entity, a person, with factors in the environment. Environmental factors that contribute to error have been identified in research by industry. The representation of those 8 categories of factors as concentric circles with the person in the center, illustrates their functioning as systems of factors affecting the behavior of the person. To express the dynamics of those systems of factors and for ease of recall, the circles are described in terms of the circles of leaves of an artichoke with the person, the care provider as the heart, the center of that Artichoke. The power of this Artichoke systems approach in reducing error and enhancing patient safety by enlarging the focus from only “who” to “what” “how” and “why” is discussed in terms of a case study.

The Poetic Language of Josef Topol Vera Borkovec, American University, Washington, DC

Josef Topol is one of the best Czech living playwrights. He is also a poet. The author of this paper will try to show on examples from five of his best plays how the playwright handles language. For Topol, language is almost an obsession: his characters may be a soldier, a furniture mover, a waitress, a sculptor, an actor, a housekeeper – Topol knows how they speak and uses the language that is natural to them. Yet, often imperceptibly, the characters suddenly, prompted by inspiration or deep emotion, engage in monologues which are pure poetry. This poetic language shapes our perception of the characters, elevates our feelings and helps our understanding. It is his use of poetic language and universal themes that makes Josef Topol’s plays timeless.

Czech and Slovak Poetry Vera Borkovec, American University, Washington, DC

Part I. Poetry in Translation : These are bilingual readings of original poems and translations. The first reading will be entitled “What If Ogden Could Speak Czech?” and it comprises selected poetry of Ogden Nash, translated by Jiří Weinberger and Věra Bořkovec. The Czech version will be read by Weinberger. All English versions will be read by Věra Bořkovec. The second reading will be the poetry of Daniel Světozár Šimko, read in the English original by Věra Bořkovec and in Slovak translation by the poet’s father Vlado

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Šimko. The third reading will be entitled “How Are Your Pictures?“ – poems by Josef Brukner, translated into English by Jan Myslík who will read the Czech original, with Věra Bořkovec reading his English translation Part II: Víc než žít je milovat – program prepared by Věra Roknic and Vladimira Williams. Selections of Czech poetry on the theme of love – from the cradle through childhood, adult love between man and woman, old age love, etc.

Czech Nurses: Exploring the Situation of the Nursing Profession in the Czech Republic since 1989 Heidi Bludau, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN

During the communist era, healthcare was not a high priority due to its categorization as an unproductive field. Nursing, the “care- giving” arena of the healthcare sphere, was doubly burdened by being considered “women’s work” and therefore held virtually no professional prestige. Consequently, the pay was low and there were very few educational requirements. Since 1989, although the communist legacy persists, changes in the nursing profession are underway. In an attempt to match European Union standards, nurses are required to have more schooling. There has also been some increase in wages, professionalism and protection of nurses’ rights. Additionally, the private realm of home healthcare is growing. However, attitudes toward healthcare have not significantly changed. While doctors’ salaries have risen above inflation rates, nurses’ have not. In the 1990s, the Czech Republic saw a decrease in nursing applications and many nurses are migrating abroad to improve their financial and educational circumstances. This paper examines the shifts in the nursing profession in the Czech Republic since 1989. I investigate the impact of the European Union on healthcare in the Czech Republic and how EU policies and initiatives influence the nursing profession. I also consider the role of gender in the current nursing field. As a gendered profession, nursing can provide insight into larger issues regarding women in Czech society. Additionally, men are now entering the nursing field and circumstances surrounding this shift may be indicative of other societal issues. Finally, I question why nurses choose to migrate and how this may impact the future of Czech healthcare. Using an ethnographic approach, I explore these subjects through the experiences of nurses who are preparing to migrate to the United States.

A Comparative Reconstruction of Moral Relativism Mary I. Bockover, Humboldt State University, Arcata, CA I will introduce a unique view of moral relativism that, on logical grounds, is not pessimistic about the worth of cross-cultural dialog. Such dialog must not obscure the universality of ethics needed for a discussion about fundamental values – shared or not – to be possible though. Nor must it obscure the centrality and importance of diversity on the same grounds: for the distinction between the “universal” and the “diverse” in ethics poses a false dichotomy. Even moral judgments that are incommensurable, differing at the deepest level of value, arise from a common range of human consciousness that can be realized in various ways. This universality of human consciousness will not help resolve moral differences, but to the contrary, it is the fertile ground from which they arise and develop. Universal human consciousness and the diversity that makes morality relative are compatible. First, I will explain how morality is relative, then will discuss the implications of this for incommensurable conflict, and in the end I will apply this new theory of moral relativism to the American involvement in the war in Iraq.

The History and Reactivation of SVU Cleveland Chapter Stanislav Bohonek, SVU Cleveland Chapter, Cleveland, Ohio The original Cleveland Chapter of SVU was established in 1969 by Ing. Ferdinand J. Bastl, its first president. The Cleveland Chapter had a very active program for thirty years. During that time, the Chapter had several presidents, Karel Traub, Dr.Jan Opplt, Stanislav Marsik, Ing.Fred Bastl, Dr.Miroslav Posedel, Dagmar Posedel and many other dedicated members such as Jarmila Hyncik, Henry Nemecek, Premek Kocyan, Dr. Rudolf Perina, Mirek Kralik, Josef Krames, Jan Mino, Zdenek and Evelyn Prazak to name only a few. The Chapter organized lectures on numerous topics including poetry, music, literature, science and medicine. It presented programs promoting Czech and Slovak musicians and composers, as well as numerous concerts and music recitals with well known Czech artists such as Rafael Kubelik, Karel Ancerl, Frantisek Smetana, Matuska, Kryl, Hrudka, Pilarova and many others. Two significant accomplishments included the initiative in 1971 to establish a formal annual gathering that survives to this day as the Cleveland Czech and Slovak Cotillion Ball with over 400 participants and the hosting of the 9th SVU World Congress in 1978. Following a brief interruption, the Cleveland Chapter became reactivated in 2003 under new leadership of Dr. Stanislav Bohonek, President, Dr. Stanislav Pechan, Vice President, Blanka Vanis, Treasurer and Paul Burik, Secretary. The membership has grown to fourteen members from the Northeast Ohio area. The chapter has its own web-site, holds regular meetings followed by speaker presentations on various topics and the members participate in local Czech and Slovak cultural activities.

Graduate of Library and Information Studies at Charles University in an American Academic Library Vladimir T. Borovansky, Arizona State University Libraries, Tempe, AZ Graduates of studies in physical, biological or engineering sciences in universities of the former Soviet Bloc had an identical knowledge as their counterparts in the West. After all, mathematics, physics, chemistry and other sciences are everywhere the same. Social sciences, where library and information studies belong, were a little different. However, in the early sixties the professional curriculum in the field of library and information science, especially its technical specialization, was quite similar to the curriculums in the Western institutions. At Charles University, it was in particular one teacher who was instrumental in preparing the author of this paper for his future work in the American academic library. Thanks to him, I was able to “hit the ground running” in my

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first job in the U.S. This paper is dedicated to all of my university teachers who contributed to my professional career but foremost to Ing. Augustin Merta, CSc.

An Uneasy Relationship: Bratislava and Slovakia's Roma Edita Bosak, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada The Roma or gypsies (Romani, gypsies, cigani, Zigeuner, tsigane, zingari) as these people are most commonly referred to (a pejorative and mistaken historical reference) conjure up pictures of dark, swarthy individuals stealing and pick-pocketing their way through life, women in colorful attire and swarming, dirty children in covered wagons, and music both haunting and exotic. Our fictional literature and films also evoke similar pictures and thus help swell and solidify these myths. But who are the Roma and where have they come from? Any why is it so difficult to accept them and help them to integrate rather than to try and assimilate them? This paper seeks to look at the position of Roma in Slovakia, past and present, to see what the Slovak Government is doing to help them, and what the European Community expects the Slovaks to do to ameliorate the plight of the Roma in the new democracy, a result of the Velvet Revolution. Why is it that under Communism the lot of the Roma seemed to be better than it is now under a democratic government and with the security and financial backing of the European community? The Roma originated in India where many still live today but there are more than twelve million Roma living outside of India. Exact numbers are impossible for the Roma are still not recorded on most official census counts. In some cases they fear social and economic prejudice and many are still nomadic. Of this number the Slovak Republic (part of former Czech-Slovakia) has 350,000 to 500,000 Roma according to Roma political and cultural activists' estimates. This is out of a population of 5,425,000 Slovaks as of the 1998 census. Of the Central and East European countries only Romania has a larger number of Roma living within its borders in proportion to its population, i.e. 9.15% of the total population. The Roma located on the periphery of the white villages and towns in Slovakia are faced with openly racist views and actions taken against them. The inter-ethnic intolerance and the social exclusion of so many individuals, who have lived in the same geographic region for centuries, is cause for attention and action. The causes and consequences of the tensions that prevail between the Roma and their neighbors, and what the Slovak Government has done thus far to address the plight of their Roma citizenry is to be studied here. Government documents, monographs, books, films and articles have been researched. Examples of such neighboring states as Austria have been noted where the state funds minority schools to help their Roma. Could Slovakia not learn from this?

Gastric Bypass: Roux- en-Y - Patient Selection, Operative indications, and Postoperative Care Drew Moffett - Petranek Bowyer, Pompano Beach, FL Summarizing five months clinical experience in Div. of Bariatric Surgery and Nutritional Support at Univ. of Miami/Jackson Memorial Hospital - supervised by Dr. Jeff Raines, Emeritus Faculty and former Chief of Surgical Research, Dr. Patricia Byers, Chief of Bariatric Surgery and Nutrtional Support, and Dr. Peter Lopez, contributor to the book Surgical Recal, 4th. ed., Lippincott.

Obesity, from the Latin "overweight", is a public health dilemma. Roughly two-thirds to three-fourths of Americans are overweight or obese and approximately three hundred thousand die annually from obesity. Poor diet and exercise are only some of the identified contributors of the disease. It presents with comorbidities like asthma, esophageal reflux, hypertension, and diabetes. Patients typically have a body to mass index BMI in weight of kg/ the height in meters squared. Morbid obesity has a BMI of > 40 or a BMI >35 with comorbidities and is an indication for surgery. Various surgical techniques have been employed on a large scale in the US since the 1980's, the most frequent is the Gastric Bypass Roux-en-Y. The techniques of open laparotomy vs. laparoscopic approach are mentioned, some complications of each and discussion of alternatives like duodenal switch, vertical banding gastroplasty and gastric banding. The greatest weight loss is seen with the Roux-en-Y over years followed by some studies, and postoperative diet recommendations are used, total parenteral nutrition for total kilocalorie energy requirements with electrolyte supplement and IV fluids is mentioned. Intensive or Critical Care Unit issues like respiratory quotient, liver disease, hepatic encephalopathy, sepsis, and renal disease are rare complications. Patients with individualized needs and concerns must always be treated with respect and dignity. Knowledge and information are available for those willing and selected to undergo a more universally performed procedure in a 21st century Surgical specialty. Applying ISO-9000 Standards in Education Tom Bramorski, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Whitewater, WI

In this paper we review the benefits to educational institutions resulting from applying the ISO-9000 standards to manage institutional processes. We discuss the strategic importance of developing appropriate system capabilities that are prerequisites for achieving consistent and efficient systems operation. We illustrate these concepts with examples from selected educational institutions.

Prague's Jewish Museum at Hundred Petr Brod, BBC Correspondent, Prague, CR

What was founded as a small semi-private collection in 1906 has now become the most visited museum in the Czech Republic apart from the Hradcany royal castle. The Jewish Museum in Prague is not only a tourist magnet and a monument to the Jewish heritage of Bohemia and Moravia but also one of the foremost museums of its kind in the whole world. Its holdings were forcibly enlarged under the Nazi occupation when most of the exhibits' owners were murdered, the institution had a mixed fortune under the

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communist regime and since the Velvet Revolution, the museum has undergone tremendous change. As the Czech Republic celebrates a Year of Jewish Culture to coincide with the centenary, Peter Brod reflects on the museum's fate and standing in the wider context of Czech Jewish history.

Bata’s Transnational Urbanism: A Global Network of Planned Industrial Towns Ray Bromley, University of Albany, SUNY, Albany, NY Many industrial companies and visionary industrialists have been associated with the planning and construction of one or two towns. There is an abundant literature in urban studies and planning about such cases as Robert Owen’s New Lanark in Scotland, George Cadbury’s Bournville in England, William Pullman’s Pullman in Illinois, and Volkswagen’s Wolfsburg in Germany. In all such cases, however, analysis becomes focused on historical and cultural “uniqueness” – the peculiar circumstances that led a leading industrialist or corporation to build a town in a specific historical and cultural context, and the gradual evolution of that town as the local and national context changed. In many cases, also, analysis focuses on the “utopian ideals” of the town-building visionaries and the failure of the real towns and their inhabitants to live up to these ideals. The Bata Corporation is unique in having designed and built a range of planned industrial towns in Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas. Some signature modernist town-building principles were applied, but there were many differences between towns and cases. Some differences related to site, climate and national context, while others related to economic and political constraints of the era. Towns were built in the 1920s, in the 1930s, and after World War II, when the Corporation was led by Tomas Bata, by Jan A. Bata, and by Thomas J. Bata. Corporate continuity was interrupted by Tomas Bata’s untimely death in a plane crash in 1932, by Nazi annexation and occupation, by Soviet victory in World War II and subsequent political control, by legal battles over corporate control between Jan A. Bata and Thomas J. Bata, and by Czech and Slovak national liberation from Soviet domination.

Over 100 towns around the world have been, or are still, “Bata towns” – towns where Bata is, or was for a long time, the principal employer. Some simply have a factory, with no corporate involvement in housing and community facilities. Some have a factory and some housing and community facilities added to a pre-existing town. Others emerged as true Bata company towns, with the Bata Corporation choosing the location, playing the lead role in town planning, and building factories, housing and community facilities. Some Bata towns, for example Best in the Netherlands, East Tilbury in England and Batawa in Ontario, are still distinctive and separate communities. In the cases of East Tilbury and Batawa, their distinctive “Bata character” has continued, even after the closure of the Bata factories. In other cases, for example Belcamp in Maryland, plant closure has led to demolitions and redevelopment, effectively erasing the distinctive “Bata character” and the industrial town itself. Still others, for example Batapur in Pakistan, have been surrounded by suburban development which had never been envisaged in the original Bata plan. This paper describes some of the working hypotheses and preliminary information gathered in what will hopefully become a global survey of Bata planned industrial towns, embracing European, Asian, African, North American and Latin American examples.

Methamphetamine Abuse’s Potential Costs to the Czech and Slovak Republics and How to Meet the Challenge Tonia Brooks, Mohave Mental Health Clinic, Kingman, AZ Citizens of the Czech Republic have been found to be the “…leading smokers of marijuana in Europe…also amoung the leading countries when it comes to the use of ecstasy…mushrooms and methamphetamines” (11/25/2005. radio.cz). These facts also apply to the Slovak Republic. Armed with this knowledge… planning, insight, and movement must happen quickly. By understanding this type of addiction, Czech and Slovak societies will be adequately informed as to the extent of possible societal and personal loss that can happen. Education, protection, and treatment of families and children should become the primary focus in deterring this major social problem.

On the Expression of Spatio-Temporal Locations in Slovak Romani Vit Bubenik, Memorial University of Newfoundland, St. John’s, NL, Canada This paper deals with the realization of the spatial and temporal locations in Slovak Romani by means of the system of seven ‘postpositional’ cases (= a closed set of unstressed agglutinative markers derived from Middle Indo-Aryan postpositions and postposed adverbs) and a more open set of analytic prepositions (called Layer III adpositions by Masica, 1991:232 ff).The latter set will be presented in terms of 12 binary contrasts expressing basic topological (‘on’ versus ‘off”, ‘in(to) versus. ‘outside’) and projective notions (‘before’ versus ‘after’, ‘under’ versus ‘over’, etc.). It will be shown that (Slovak) Romani differs remarkably from all the other New Indo-Aryan languages in realizing the Layer III adpositions as prepositions. Typologically speaking, Romani developed ‘circumpositions’ combining postpositions with prepositions. Contrast the Hindi structure N=Po Po with Romani Pr N=Po: ((bar? mez)=ke) ?ge ((big table)=GEN+OBL before ‘in front of the big table’ with Romani andre (bar+e skamind+es)=te into (big+OBL) ‘into the big table’. It will be argued that this typological change in the structure of the postpositional phrase was concomittant with the overall typological shift from the Indic SOV (subject-object-verb) to Romani SVO word order. My data will be taken from the literary corpus in the East Slovak variety of European Romani (Fabiánová & Hübschmannová 1991, Ferková 199?, Gi?a 1991, Hübschmannová 1990), and its grammatical presentations by Hübschmannová et al. (1991), and Šebková and Zlnayová (2001).

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Czech Art and History - Carved in Stone and Cast in Bronze in the Cultural Gardens, Cleveland, Ohio Paul Burik, Czech Cultural Garden Association, Cleveland, OH A photographic narrative by President of the Czech Cultural Garden Association. An introduction to the Cleveland Cultural Gardens, their location, history and the symbolism of peace and harmony among Nations. A visit to the Slovak and Russin Gardens and a more extensive exploration of the Czech Garden. A discussion of the layout of the Czech Garden and the monuments within, and the impact made by Frank Jirouch, a Cleveland born sculptor of Czech descent, on the Czech and other nationality gardens with his artwork.

The Political Thought of Vaclav Havel and Milan Simecka Dominika Bukalova, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA As two of the most prominent Czech intellectual dissidents, Vaclav Havel and Milan Simecka offer an important insight into the social and political conditions that permitted the rise and subsequent survival of the Soviet-style communist regime in former Czechoslovakia. Given their backgrounds, Havel and Simecka approach the topic in two different ways. From the onset, Havel rejects the existence of Czechoslovak communism. The purpose of his work is to explain the conditions that allowed for Soviet-type communism to initially arise. In his work Havel is primarily concerned with the role of the individual and he writes with the intent to reveal the absurd reality of life under what he refers to as a 'post-totalitarian' regime. Simecka, on the other hand, a university professor and former member of the Czechoslovak Communist Party (KSC), becomes an active dissident following the 1968 Soviet- led invasion of Czechoslovakia and his first criticisms do not appear until Czechoslovakia enters the period of 'normalization' following 1968.

While Havel and Simecka emerge from two opposing ends of the political spectrum, both writers come to agree that the developments following Prague Spring effectively reveal how and why the Czechoslovak regime is a unique form of totalitarianism. Havel argues that the regime has become 'post-totalitarian', while Simecka ironically describes this period as a time of "restoration of order". According to Havel, the regime has evolved to a new phase of totalitarianism and it is only after 1968 that it reveals its true nature. Simecka, on the other hand, focuses on explaining the state mechanisms that allow for the regime to initially 'restore order' and later continue to operate.

When analyzed together, Havel and Simecka's writings significantly further the conceptualization of the evolution of the totalitarian regime in post-1968 Czechoslovakia. Both writers agree that following the events of 1968 the communist regime in Czechoslovakia enters a new phase, that it is not simply a continuation of the old Soviet model. As participants of the Charter 77 movement, both dissidents were dedicated to a "life in truth" and their work not only furthers the understanding of communist Czechoslovakia, but serves as an example of successful dissident resistance.

Past and Current Projects of the Prague Committee of Chicago Sister Cities Irena Cajkova, Chicago Sister Cities, Chicago, IL

The mission of Chicago Sister Cities is to provide opportunities for the citizens of Chicago to explore other cultures, to increase cooperation in the areas of international trade, economic development, technology, and social service opportunities through a long term relationship with its sister cities. In 1990, Prague became one of Chicago’s 25 sister cities. In this presentation I will speak about the accomplishments, future plans and the challenges of the Prague Committee.

A Walk through Centuries with Hana and Premysl Pelnar Josef Cermak, Toronto, Ont., Canada The life story of few couples is as deeply rooted in Czech history as that of Hana and P emysl Pelná . R ena, the wife of one the great Czech folk hero, Jan Kozina, executed as a rebel on November 28, 1695, was born Pelná . Several other members of the Pelná clan were jailed. P emysl's father, Josef Pelná , was a towering figure of Czech medicine, as Profesor of Charles University, director of the II. internal clinic of the University, consulting physician in the last illness of T.G. Masaryk. P emysl himself became a leading expert in occupational medicine which he also taught- after coming to Canada - at McGill University. He also was a leading force in founding the Institute of Occupational Environmental Health in Montreal, of which he became the first director. The story of Hana (born Klumpar) started (in a way) in 1604, when Martin Glumpar bought a house in Lu a. Her great-grandfather, Jan Kv toslav Klumpar, for many years director of the Latin School in Hradec Králové, had among his pupils Alois Jirásek and J.S. Machar, published a textbook, contributed to publications and Riegr's dictionary. His son, Ladislav Klumpar, was a distinguished lawyer (acted as defence lawyer in the Omladina case, represented Hana Kvapilová, Marie Hýbnerová, Max Švabinský and others), founded - with Jaroslav Kvapil, Václav Štech and Gustav Schmoranz - the National Theatre Society, as politician won a seat in the Empire Council in Vienna (defeating František Soukup) and the Czech Parliament. His son (and Hana's father), Vladislav Klumpar focused on corporate and insurance law, eventually becoming president of Ust ední sociální pojiš ovna (Central Social Insurance company). In 1938, he entered -as expert - the government of Rudolf Beran and continued to serve in the government of Gen. Alois Eliáš, often risking his life. This was the time when Hana met president Emil Hácha. On Hana's maternal side, we read the incredibly tender love story of Hana's great-grandfather, Vladislav Josef Tilsch and Jind iška Machá ková, and mourn with Arne Novák the romantic dream lived by Jind iška's sister, Terezie Marie, and Jan Neruda. But the

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most interesting in the Machá ek clan was the girls' father, Josef Machá ek, a rebel who stationed himself in a Zbraslav pub in front of the portrait of Ferdinand I and challenged the monarch: "You just wait , Emperor, republic must come"; who participated in the 1848 revolutionary turmoil and was imprisonned in a forced labour jail at Hrad any castle; an enterpreneur who built a sugar refinery; a politician who was elected member of the Empire Council in Vienna, a leading figure in national institutions such as the National Theatre Society, Hlahol, Sokol, Um lecká beseda. Bed ich Smetana who stayed at Machá ek's residence in Královské Dvory, wrote:" Where Mr. Machá ek lives, that is a large castle, he also has two large farms and a factory...I can say that I have not had such a joyful time in God knows how many years." And Jan Neruda penned this testimonial about the Machá ek family:" That family was the most brilliant centre of the Czech social life in the first years of the sixties. We were all proud of it, for it was an elegant representation of our Czechhood." And then there was Otto Wichterle, the inventor of silon and soft contact lenses and Hana's uncle...

Czech and Slovak Association of Canada and its Role in the Defense and Preservation of our National Heritage Josef ermák, Czech and Slovak Association of Canada, Toronto, On., Canada If there ever was a time in modern history that the Czech and Slovak national heritage needed to be defended, it was in the autumn of 1938. The Munich betrayal provoked large demonstrations in Toronto and Montreal and led to the foundation on June 26, 1939 of the National Alliance of Slovaks, Czechs and Carpathian Ruthenians (a name which was later changed to Czechoslovak National Association of Canada and, after the Velvet divorce, the Czech and Slovak Association of Canada). Thus the birth of this organization was in fact the first manifestation of its role in the defence and preservation not only of our heritage but the very existence of our nation. It was not the last. Indeed, by the time the Second World War was ending, "there was"{as Senator Vojta Beneš observed} "hardly a settlement in Canada which has not heard of Czechoslovakia, there is hardly a newspaper which does not support us." Although the achievements of the war years could not be matched during the Communist era, they were not insignificant. Probably the most spectacural was the success of the leaders of the Association in influencing the Government of Canada to admit some 12,000 Czechoslovak refugees after the August 21, 1968 invasion of Czechoslovakia by the Warsaw Pact armies, the huge rally in front of the Toronto City Hall, the celebration of the 70th birthday of the Czechoslovak Republic at CBC and the University of Toronto and sponsorship of a Course of the Czech and Slovak Languages and Literature at the same university. After 1989, the Association participated in organizing ceremonies at which Václav Havel and Václav Klaus received honorary doctorates, organized collections for flood victims in the Czech Republic, established a Fund for Czechoslovak universities and sponsored concerts and other events.

1557 to 1842: Uncovering the History of the Cerny Family Charles Cerny and Lawrence Cerny, The American Czechoslovakian Club of Dayton, Dayton, OH

The intention of this historical search is to determine the ancestral link of the Cerny family whose mystery unfolds with two significant dates; 1557, when John Czierny, was provided a granted of arms, and 1842, when possibly his lineage and our family ancestor named John Cerny entered the United States. This grant of arms which was found in the Czechoslovak Central State Archives was then translated from Old Bohemian into English and was verified for its authenticity confirming that this was formerly held in the Archives of the Kingdom of Bohemia. A preliminary search of immigrant records and census data identified John Cerny as being born in the province of Bohemia in 1825, entering the United States through the port of Boston, Massachusetts, and being one of only three citizens of the city of Cleveland, Ohio of Czech descent. As it is a work in progress, the task of the authors is to further unravel this family history via documented timeline events and additional historical records that might identify the name Cerny covering nearly three-hundred years of both fascinating and dynamic historical periods within the province of Bohemia.

The Cleveland Czech Legionaries Lawrence and Elaine Cerny, American Czechoslovakian Club of Dayton, Dayton, OH

This video presents the valiant effort of a group of patriotic American Czech and Slovak immigrants to help establish the Czechoslovak Republic. These Legionaries joined forces with the nations of France, Great Britain, and Russia, during World War I. At the conclusion of the war, these loyal patriots remained in Europe to lend their support, helping to establish the First Republic of Czechoslovakia. This presentation was made possible with the help of the Krizek Family of the Washington, D.C. area and the late John Souders of Dayton, Ohio.

The Bohemians of Broadway (Cleveland, Ohio) Lawrence and Elaine Cerny, American Czechoslovakian Club of Dayton, Dayton, OH

In the mid-eighteen hundreds, the Czech and Slovak immigrants first settled in what is called "the Flats." With the industrial development of Cleveland, the families moved to Broadway Avenue. The area between 33rd Street and 55th Street became an active Czechoslovak region. This move to Broadway Avenue resulted in the establishment of ethnic churches, social organizations and cultural activities. Broadway Avenue remained this way until the end of World War II, when there was relocation to the suburbs. However, it is interesting to report that, since the 1980's, a redevelopment of this area has taken place in what is now called SLAVIC

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VILLAGE. The former Mayor of Cleveland, George Voinovich, now U.S. Senator, spearheaded this revival. This was the area in which Sen. Voinovich was born and raised, and he was determined to preserve this area's ethnic heritage.

Capitalist Drive Barbara A. Chobocky and Jan Kmenta, Australian Film, Television & Radio School, Sydney and University of Michigan/CERG-EI Charles University.Prague, CR Australian documentary filmmaker, Barbara Chobocky presents clips from her most recent project Capitalist Drive. She and her husband, Jan Kmenta, will talk about the challenges of making a documentary which is a very personal account of one family and its links across two continents and three generations, despite political divides. In Capitalist Drive, Barbara Chobocky turns the camera on her own extended family to discover how ordinary people cope with social and personal upheaval. She explores the parallels between her enterprising cousins negotiating the first years of free-market democracy in the Czech Republic and the post-war migration of her immediate family to what her father called “the wild west” - a new life in Australia. Along the way, she uncovers stories of love and loss, and a rather eccentric attachment to cars.

From Polná to the Plains: 19th-Century Bohemian-Americans in Transatlantic Archives and Historiography David Chroust, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX Southern Bohemia and the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands form a broad swath across the middle of the Czech Republic and are also the source of a 19th-century mass immigration across the Midwest of the United States. Polná is emblematic of the small towns and rural hinterland whose artisans and smallholders formed new communities from Cleveland and Chicago to Nebraska and Kansas. By 1910 the United States census recorded over half a million Czech immigrants and their children. How do Transatlantic archives and historiography document and describe this major 19th-century American immigrant ethnic group? In Prague the Náprstek Museum began to acquire what is now the most extensive archival collection in the 1850s, while the Library of Congress led other American institutions when it acquired the Thomas apek Papers a century later. Historiography in the Czech immigrant community centered in the Geringer publishing firm and the Benedictine order in Chicago, reflected the Freethinker-Catholic divide and culminated in the work of Thomas apek, Rudolf Bubení ek, Josef Martínek and Joseph Chada.In Bohemia scholarship began in the Habsburg period, culminated after independence in the work of demographer Jan Auerhan and the eskoslovenský ústav zahrani ní (Czechoslovak diaspora institute), and continued in the Cold War decades at various academic centers devoted to Iberoamerican studies and ethnography. In the United States 19th-century Slavic immigrants were a major focus of a post-1960s social and cultural turn in historiography and its immigration, labor and urban subfields. After Poles, Czechs ranked with Slovaks as the second largest Slavic immigrant ethnic group in the United States, where they had affinities with both the Old (German) and New (largely Slavic) Immigration in a time of nativist, Progressive and other responses to the latter, but they remain relatively neglected in American historiography.

New Regionalism and the New Member States of the European Union E. Cihelkova, University of Economics, Prague, CR

Regionalism has represented an integral part of the transformation strategy in Central and Eastern Europe (CEE); likewise in form of regional integration with Western Europe, mutual regional integration or integration with other regions. By the time of its formation, motives as well as goals, the regionalism of new member states of the EU belongs to the wave of New Regionalism. This wave of regionalism is characterised by applying new and progressive features, which seem to be an important way to sustain regional competitiveness in globalised world. Also the Eastern Enlargement, by which some CEE countries became a part of the deepest regional integration in the world as well as participants of regionalism with worldwide impact, is a manifestation of the New Regionalism in Europe. The aim of this paper is to identify the progressive features of New Regionalism in the approaches and types of regional integration in CEE during the pre-accession period and to draw conclusions about the influence of new member sates on the future development of regionalism within the EU. Existence of progressive features in the regionalism in CEE countries so far can thus create a basis for their firm and perspective position in the architecture of European integration process, which itself has to face severe competative pressures in the era of globalisation. European regionalism has not yet faced these pressures adequately, which increases the risk of its loosing a global competitiveness.

SVU Munich Chapter Ivan Cikl, Munich, Germany

The first SVU Chapter in Germany was founded in 1961 – Dr. Antonin Kratochvil was elected its first president and Miss Olga Kopecka-Valeska its secretary. The Chapter faded out after the intensive journalistic and organizational activity of its members during and after dramatic events of 1968. However, it seems clear that Czechs and Slovaks need an organization concerned with their cultural and scientific values. It won’t do just to maintain national traditions, they feel a need to contribute their experiences and personal testimonies to their new country.

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In February 1984, a group of Munich‘s Czechs and Slovaks organized by Ing.Ladislav Pavlik, met with Dr.Ivan Cikl,who came from Victoria University in New Zealand. In Wellington N.Z., he had succeeded in founding an active SVU chapter – and it was hoped that his experience could also be of use in Munich. At this meeting the Munich SVU Chapter was established.

Our sessions usually focus on popular-science and the arts. Programs are prepared in advance except for vacation periods, when we have free-theme discussions among members and friends. The presence of the Radio Free Europe in Munich was of great significance to us. Some of its employees were members of our SVU and they contributed greatly to the quality of our programs and their presentation. When the Radio Free Europe was relocated to Prague in 1995 and its European broadcasting services gradually fell silent, our SVU in Munich continued its work with no interruption. Its objectives were unchanged. In fact they expanded given developments in our two nations and the European situation.

It is clear that it is hardly possible in a few lines to present a realistic picture of 22 years of our activity especially in the constantly changing working environment. But it may serve as an introduction to our two books about our work published under the title "Meetings and Talks.“

On the Importance of Quantum Mechanics fro Contemporary Society Jiri Cizek, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ont., Canada The first ideas of quantum mechanics were suggested as early as 1900 by Planck. However it was not until 1925 that a complete formulation of non-relativistic quantum mechanics was achieved. This new quantum mechanics provided an explanation for a number of known phenomena and made possible the prediction of several new phenomena. The dual character of matter as a combination of particle and wave was introduced. At this point I would like to emphasize that all these potentially great results were achieved at an extremely small material cost. The expansion of quantum mechanics was slowed down by the arrival of Nazism to Germany. Therefore it is surprising that the principle of nuclear fission was discovered in Germany by Hahn and Meitner in 1938.This discovery was crucial to the construction of the atomic bomb. However the first working version of an atomic bomb was achieved in the United States in 1945, with the help of immigrant scientists. Within several years, however, both the fission and the fusion bomb were available both in the United States and in the Soviet Union. This led to certain stability in relations between the United States and the Soviet Union because it was clear that both powers were able to destroy each other. But there are many other POSITIVE discoveries which are based on concepts of quantum mechanics. The most important is the discovery of transistor. A transistor is very small in comparison with big triode valves. The introduction of transistors made possible great expansion of computers, both from the point of view of their operational units, and from the point of view of their size of memory. This expansion started in 1955, and continues even today. Finally let us emphasize, that computers have enormous impact outside science. Let us mention: telephones, television, internet, media in general, automatization in industry and even in such activity as banking. We could spend hours just listing all the consequences of quantum mechanics. Let us thus further briefly mention that quantum mechanics provides the theoretical basis for 99% of chemistry. This is used ,with the help of big computers, in chemistry, in industrial applications of chemistry and in particular in the design of new drugs. We can therefore conclude: Quantum mechanics is helping us almost in all spheres of practical life.

Discontinued Inter-generational Transmission of Czech in Texas: The Insiders’ Perspectives on Community Language Loss Lida Cope, East Carolina University, Greenville, NC

This presentation is concerned with the causes of discontinued intergenerational transmission of Czech in historically Czech Moravian communities in central Texas. Using questionnaire and interview data from second-to-fourth generation Texans of Czech Moravian descent, it demonstrates the progressive erosion of communication networks in the generations born before and after World War II, with the late 1940s marking a definite decline of Czech use in the family, school, and community; identifies key themes in the ways these generations of Texas Czechs reason through the experience of losing their language; and shows that the ancestral language remains an important part of the post-war generation’s ethnic self-identification regardless of one’s ability to use it.

A Bohemian Raskolnikov: Dostoevsky and 19th- and Early 20th-Century Czech Criticism Craig Cravens, The University of Texas, Austin, TX F. M. Dostoevsky was the single most influential author among 20th-century Czech prose writers, but his reception in the Czech lands was much different than in France, Germany, or England. The paper focuses on the way Dostoevsky was initially received in Bohemia in the 19th century and how his particular morbid genius was transformed in the hands of the more down to earth and less god-intoxicated Czechs. For the most part, the Czechs rejected the more hysterical aspects of the Russian author, aspects most often associated with Dostoevsky in the West, and they concentrated on his “humanism” (Otakar Hostinsky), his “critique of Romanticism” (F. X. Salda), and his proto-Expressionism. For the Czechs, Dostoevsky was Realistic in the highest degree, and a study of his Czech reception can help illuminate aspects of the Russian author often overlooked.

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The Baptismal Dove: A Lexical Error? Zdenko F. Daneš, University of Puget Sound, Tacoma, WA

Ever since antiquity, the baptismal dove has been a subject of inquiry, speculation, controversy and argument: its meaning is obscure, its symbolism does not fit the situation, and, to the pious Jewish convert, a divine person in the form of an animal must have been revolting.

However, if the Greek canonical gospels derive from a (hypothetical) Aramaic original, then it is conceivable that a lexical error took place in the translation and instead of a “Spirit as a dove,” we should read something like “a Spirit beyond measure, all encompassing.”

This interpretation is supported, among others, by the apocryphal Gospel to the Hebrews, which reads “…the source of all the Holy Ghost.”

Masaryk and the Austrian Philosophical Tradition: Bolzano and Brentano Zden k V. David, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars, Washington, D.C. Within the Central European context, two philosophical trends have been distinguished in recent philosophical writing, especially those of Barry Smith and Rudolf Haller: the empirical complex was designated as the “Austrian tradition ” and the metaphysical complex as the “German tradition.” Barry Smith has pointed out: “For some time now, historians of philosophy have been gradually coming to terms with the idea that post-Kantian philosophy in the German-speaking world ought properly to be divided into two distinct strands which we might refer to as the German and the Austrian traditions. The main line of the first consists in a list of personages beginning with Kant, Fichte, Hegel and Schelling and ending with Heidegger, Adorno, and Bloch. The main line of the second may be picked out similarly by means of a list beginning with Bolzano, Mach, and Meinong, and ending with Wittgenstein, Neurath, and Popper.” (Austrian Philosophy: The Legacy of Brentano [Chicago, 1994], 1.) Thomas Masaryk, as an academic philosopher, was deeply rooted in the Austrian tradition. While he was only marginally concerned with Bernard Bolzano, his philosophical outlook was initially shaped by the teaching and the scholarship of Franz Brentano at the University of Vienna. Nevertheless, his desideratum to incorporate a religious dimension into the intellectual life of modern man, led him to consider the outlook of the Austrian school too narrowly empirical and, therefore, inhospitable to concepts beyond the reality of sense perceptions. His search for accommodating religious concepts tended to transcend the Austrian philosophical tradition. Rabbi Baruch Placzek, Mendel and Darwin Ruth Davis, Czech & Slovak Jewish Communities Archive, New York With the coming of human rights, the Spielberg Castle of Brno was transformed from a prison to a museum, and the rocky hill on which it stood into a public park. On its slopes, two men of God studied the wonders of the universe in their gardens. On the southwest slope, Abbot Gregor Mendel put up 36 beehives and investigated heredity in bees. Ten minutes’ walk away in his garden on the north slope, Rabbi Baruch Placzek recorded bird languages using musical notation. Baruch Placzek, rabbi of the Brno Jewish community from 1860 to 1910, was an influential religious leader. Son of Moravian chief rabbi Abraham Placzek, brother-in-law of German chief rabbi Leo Baeck, Baruch Placzek became chief rabbi of Moravia himself in 1884. But he led what his granddaughter Valerie Forman described as “a secret life” as a naturalist and ornithologist. Baruch Placzek was the first Jewish theologian to recognize Darwin’s theories, which he defended from the standpoint of Torah and Talmud. His articles “Darwinian Theory and Religion” (1872) and “Darwin and Hagadah” (1878) sound modern today. His studies “Apes” (1882) and “Cats and Weasels” (1888), reflected his interest in heredity. But although Placzek could have been a “missing link” between Mendel and Darwin, in fact he did not grasp Mendelian genetics until much later. Placzek’s important contribution was to the understanding of birds and to the campaign to halt the wholesale slaughter of songbirds. This paper looks at his articles “Birdsong” (1884), “Bird Preservation versus Insect Preservation” (1896), and his unfinished magnum opus on animal intelligence—culminating in “Unusual Thought Processes in the Minds of Birds” (1905).

Seeing An American Czech-Slovak Festival with Outside Eyes: College Poets Write Poems from An Ethnic Festival. Sandra Doe, Metropolitan State College, Denver, CO During Fall, 2004, Dr. Sandra Maresh Doe taught a poetry writing workshop meeting on Saturday; at the same time she was serving as President of Lodge Mile High Czechs, No. 432, CSA. The annual Czech-Slovak Festival called Dr. Doe from teaching duties to festival duties on an October Saturday. Dr. Doe invited the poetry writing students to attend the festival and to compose poems. The result is a surprising volumne of verse published by the Czech Society of America, Lodge Mile High Czechs, No. 432. The poems range from response to traditional foods to wonder at the arts and crafts to meditations on folk tales. A unique feature is some poets' commentary on having a festival at all. Dr. Doe will present selected poems and interpret the students' responses.

The Jazz Music of Fritz Weis” Lubomír Doružka, Prague, CR

Fritz Weiss (born 1919, Prague; died 1944, Auschwitz) was a leading jazzman of the late 1930s. Weiss’s life and work will be discussed, and we will hear excerpts from Fritz Weiss’s arrangements for the Ludvík Orchestra during 1940-41, from the unique CD,

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“In Defiance of Fate,” recently produced by the Jewish Museum in Prague in association with Gabriel Goessel, a gramophone record collector.

Cultural Differences in Cognitive Assumptions of Maladaptive Behavior E. Thomas Dowd, Kent State University, Kent, OH

Cognitive psychotherapeutic theory and research have identified a number of maladaptive self-statements, cognitive distortions, and cognitive schemas. However, there are cultural differences in how maladaptive or adaptive these actually are. This presentation will examine the role that cultural differences make in cognitive distortions, cognitive self-statements, and cognitive schemas. Examples will be given.

Does a Free-market Economy Profit from a Free-market Pension System? Radical Pension Reforms in Post-communist Europe and their Impact on Economic Efficiency J. Draxler, Centre for European Policy Studies, Brussels, Belgium This paper presents a comparative study of three post-communist countries that implemented the World Bank-recommended multi- pillar pension reform in the years 1998-2004. The countries are Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. The paper, first, surveys the gaps left in pension design in Hungary, Poland and Slovakia. For example Poland, which implemented its pension reform in 1999, still does not have a system for annuitising pension savings (and neither does Slovakia). Secondly, the paper examines risks associated particularly with this type of pension design. Unlike in PAYG systems, where assets are simply transferred from contributors to pensioners, the potential damage due to mismanagement is much higher, since funds accumulate decades of savings. The effect of massive economic power concentrated in the hands of pension funds also needs to be carefully examined. Same as the effect of capital outflow for those systems where a large proportion of assets can be legally invested abroad (Slovakia). Common shocks, such as unexpected inflation, with which PAYG systems deal relatively easily, can wreak havoc on funded schemes and annuities market.The paper analyses the differences in the individual pension designs of these countries and outlines the risks that need to be constantly monitored.The reforms have generally improved sustainability of these countries’ pension systems. However, the mandatory funded system – paradoxically and, for some, unexpectedly – places heavier burden of responsibility on the government, which must be capable of effective supervision and regulation. The conclusion is that funded systems have created extra risks for economic development while the evidence and theoretical arguments for their benefits remain controversial.

Bethlehem, Pennsylvania: A Hidden Enclave of Czech and Slovak Culture Otto Dreydoppel, Jr., Moravian Theological Seminary, Bethlehem, PA Bethlehem, Pennsylvania was founded in 1742 by members of the Unitas Fratrum, commonly called the Moravian Church. Although they came most immediately from Saxony and the Rhineland, and although the primary language and culture of early Bethlehem was German, a number of the settlers had been born in the Czech lands, and they brought some elements of Czech identity with them. Moreover, in the course of the 19th century, as Bethlehem became an industrial center, artisans and skilled laborers moved there from Bohemia, Moravia, and Slovakia. In this paper I propose to explore the history of Bethlehem, Pennsylvania and to show that, in many ways, it was a hidden enclave of Czech and Slovak culture

Aleksandr Pypin and the Czech Awakeners Andrew M. Drozd, University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa, AL

Aleksandr Nikolaevich Pypin was a nineteenth-century liberal Russian academic who had a productive career but who was clearly overshadowed by his infamous cousin, Nikolai Chernyshevskii. For a variety reasons Pypin’s works, especially his memoirs, have attracted little attention by today’s scholars. This is an unfortunate oversight because these provide a wealth of observations about nineteenth-century European culture. Students of the Czech National Awakening and of slovanská vzájemnost will find valuable material in two supplements to Pypin’s memoirs: “Two Months in Prague” and “Václav Hanka.” Pypin’s various materials reveal that he was well informed on events in the Czech lands as well as on the inter-relations between the various Slavic countries. His remarks are all the more valuable in that he personally visited the Czech lands. Unlike many of the other Russians with whom Czech intellectuals had contact, Pypin was not a part of the Slavophile camp. Indeed, his materials demonstrate that an interest, albeit more sober-minded, in developments in the Czech lands (and the other Slavic nations) was by no means a preserve only of the Slavophiles. The current paper will analyze not only the two above-mentioned supplements but also the relevant sections of such works as his Panslavism and The History of Slavic Literatures, which he co-authored with V. D. Spasovich.

The Culture of Writing and Sociolinguistic Change in the History of Texas Czechs Eva Eckert, Connecticut College, New London, CT

The goal of my presentation is to examine the language of the speaker living in a diaspora, address the interrelation of the standard and dialect, and map out sociolinguistic change in the Texas Czech community through the spectrum of its written culture. Two main variants are recognized as viable in immigration, Texas Czech Vernacular and Texas Czech Standard. In analyzing the language of

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news and cultural events in the immigrant community, advertisements, obituaries, announcements issued in the community, and other writing produced by Czech immigrants in Texas, the presentation draws on primary sources of immigrant press, not previously translated and published. The study represents an attempt at elucidating the acculturation of a Czech immigrant community in the U.S. through the prism of its writing and a gesture in the direction of linguistic research on Moravian dialects in Texas.

Dealing with Orphan works: Copyright Problems for Archives with Works of Unknown Origin Veronica Ehrenreich, San Jose State University, San Jose, CA Compares the handling of orphan works in the United States and Canada and their effect on the open access to online digitization of holdings. "Orphan works" are defined as works whose copyright holder either cannot be located or determined. In Canada the problematic issue of undetermined copyright is addressed in the system of "unlocatables". In the United States, legislation is before Congress to develop a system that incorporates aspects of Canada's "unlocatables" along with additional measures to overcome the problems of undetermined copyright. Due to legislation disbanding required registration of copyright materials and extension of copyright duration, access to materials of undetermined copyright has become problematic for librarians. Canada remains at the Berne compliance duration of life plus 50 years while the United States has extended protection to life plus 70 years with the Sonny Bono Copyright Extension Act. In July of 2005, the Library of Congress held two roundtable conferences to address the issue of undetermined copyright. The inability of libraries to provide access to materials due to undetermined copyright has impacted on the duties of librarians as well as the mission to provide open online access to holdings. Present knowledge is built on past knowledge. If research is not accessible to scholars, progress is stymied. But these ideals have been deemed by the draconian digital content- providers as secondary to and even impinging on the rights of creators. Content Management is described first by what materials can and cannot be used. If works of undetermined copyright may not be used without risking copyright infringement, this large body of work may be lost to society and the progress of science and useful arts will suffer. This paper argues for the creation of stronger measures to return to the initial purpose for granting copyright, which balances both the needs of content holders and content users.

An Essay on American Exceptionalism: How is America Different? Ivo K. Feierabend, San Diego State University, San Diego, CA

Professor Watkins, half a century ago, mused about the inscription on the Great Seal of the United States Novus ordo seclorum expressing the conviction that the establishment of the U.S. "marked an epoch in world history, dawning of a new and better age . . . ". More recently, Professor Huntington remarked, "the American identity, is inseparable from its commitment to liberal values. Other nations may fundamentally change their political system and continue their existence as nations. The United States does not have that option . . ." And Daniel Bell, in a recent essay contended that the idea of exceptionalism "assumes not only that the United States has been unlike other nations, but it is exceptional in the sense of being exemplary ('a city upon a hill') or a beacon among nations."

The 1914-1915 Memorandum of the Slovak League of America Gregory C. Ference, Salisbury University, Salisbury, MD

In early 1914, reports reached the United States that the Hungarian government might grant political concessions to the Romanians in Transylvania in return for their political support. Seeing this as an opportunity possibility to advance Slovak rights in the Kingdom of Hungary and to protest the American tour of Count Michal Károlyi, the Slovak League of America began preparation of a multilingual Memorandum. The league based this document on the 1861 Memorandum of the Slovak Nation and the 1911 Memorandum on the Solution of the Slovak Issue.Initially, the Slovak League cited the injustices carried out by the Hungarian government toward the Slovaks and demanded recognition of their civil right in the kingdom. However, with the outbreak of the First World War, the purpose of the memorandum changed. The wording of its text was altered somewhat and its twelve demands summarized in one sentence: “We demand for the Slovak nation full autonomy and the freedom of self-determination in the political, cultural and economic fields.” It was signed by the leaders of the major Slovak fraternal organizations, editors of the major Slovak language newspapers and journals, and Slovak clergy in the United States. The memorandum was published by the major Slovak American newspapers and as a separate booklet in 1915. Although by this time it had become a rather meaningless piece due to the war, it served as a basis for the 1915 Cleveland Agreement and the 1918 Pittsburgh Pact calling for a common state of Czechs and Slovaks.

The Bohemian National Cemetery of Chicago, Illinois: An Outdoor Museum of Unique Funerary Art Evelyn Krenek Fergle, and Marjorie Sladek Stueckemann, Friends of the Bohemian National Cemetery, Chicago, IL

The Bohemian National Cemetery of Chicago was established in 1877 and now comprises over 100 acres. Through a series of colored images, you will view some of the architecture and sculpture that help to preserve its unique beauty and historic status.

Some of the more interesting architecture is found in the elegant facade of the gatehouse, first built in 1893 and expanded in 1907, and in the beautifully decorated, domed 1919 Crematorium/Columbarium, complete with gold leaf artistry, and intricate, large stained glass windows. Albin Polasek, Czech-American sculptor, created two monuments; "The Pilgrim" and "Mother."

You will enjoy the artwork of the unknown sculptors who created life-sized angels, classically dressed women dropping lilies, soldiers

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and sailors in uniform, and broken tree monuments carved with meaningful symbols of Victorian mourning or even mushrooms. You will see how our Czech American servicemen, who fought in battles from the American Civil War through the World Wars, have been honored in the impressive veterans' monuments.

The presentation will touch briefly on others of Czech ancestry who are significant in Chicago history; former Chicago Mayor Anton Cermak, Alice Masarykova, whose ashes were entombed here for a short time, leaders in the Chicago Czech American community, and even 144 victims of the Eastland Ship Disaster of 1915. The Eastland was a steamer transporting many from Western Electric Company for a summer outing. Many of the 844 who lost their lives were of Czech descent. The ship, still tied to the dock in the Chicago River, rolled over. The loss of passengers was greater than that of the Titanic. The cemetery's history and beauty have been recognized in a bid for historic status from the state of Illinois.

Music from Dvorak’s American Colleagues – Evidence from Washington D.C. Libraries Judith Fiehler, Library of Congress, Washington, DC Much historical research has been done on Dvorak’s contacts with American composers, conductors, conservatory teachers, and students during his years as a New York resident. However, the actual musical repertory which was composed by these colleagues around this time has received much less attention. This music is doubly important to Dvorak scholarship. It would have influenced his view of American music at the time when he was asked to spearhead its development, and it would have affected his own musical style. In addition, this music is an important part of the basis from which American music evolved. In this presentation, selected examples from this extensive repertory will be discussed. These examples are all held by libraries in the Washington, D. C. area. They will include a one-act opera by Maurice Arnold; cantatas by Boston composers; chamber music by Rubin Goldmark. These examples are characterized by stylistic traits which may well have attracted Dvorak’s attention.

Ten Years of Experience with US – Czech University Collaboration in Education and Research Peter Filip, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale, IL The successful collaboration between VSB-TU Ostrava, Czech Republic and SIU Carbondale, Illinois, USA grew out of contacts made between administrators of the two universities and a memorandum of understanding signed in 1991.In 1999 a Cooperative Research Program was initiated between the Center for Advanced Friction Studies of Southern Illinois University at Carbondale and the Central Analytical Laboratories of the Technical University of Ostrava, Czech Republic. The U.S. National Science Foundation and the Czech Academy of Sciences provided funding for the program. Various activities and conferences were organized, and contacts between researchers were established. Important to this program was the international conference "Carbon and Carbonaceous Composite Materials" funded by the U.S. Office of Naval Research and the two respective universities. The strong association formed between the conference initiator and the local coordinator resulted in an expansion of their respective research interests and the development of the present cooperative program. In addition to the background and organizational details of the program, the paper also discusses the delineation of responsibility, and provides details on the experiences gained from the international cooperation. An important aspect is the exchanges of individual researchers and research assistants between the two institutions, as is faculty advisement of students. Another unique factor crucial to the success of the program is the training on the use of facilities not common to both institutions. This is critical to the development of a closely-knit, joint research program. The visiting faculty also offers seminars dealing with additional areas of research. The present paper also summarizes the most significant research findings emanating from the cooperation, as well as future plans and recommendations for strengthening similar future international cooperative activities in research and education.

Fifty Years in Search of Quality Palma E. Formica, Saint Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick, N.J. This talk will consider the various aspects of quality of medical care in the experience of the speaker’s fifty years in practice. Quality of care will be defined. Outcomes affecting quality which results from a patchwork of plans dealing with the provision of medical care will be discussed. The enactment of Medicare and Medicaid by the federal government will be considered. The difference between access and payment for services will be discussed. The effects of Health Maintenance Organizations on quality will be considered. The impact of private accrediting organizations, such as the Joint Commission of Health Care organizations, is discussed. Consideration is given to the medical record as a means of communication by the health care team. A complete blueprint for the provision of a comprehensive health care plan called the Health Policy Agenda for the American People was developed by the consultation and input of the various players in the health care field. What is its fate? Where does the American Health Care system stand today in relation to the elderly, the employed/ unemployed, the uninsured and the undocumented immigrant?

Selected, Smuggled and Saved: The Czech and Slovak Collections at the Fisher Library, University of Toronto. Luba Frastacky, Thomas Fisher Rare Book Library, University of Toronto., Toronto, Ont., Canada The collections of the Fisher Library are many and varied reflecting the wide diversity of teaching and research conducted at the University of Toronto. The Fisher Library has a very generous circle of friends with a history of giving to its collections. One of these was Professor H. Gordon Skilling, the founder of the University’s Centre for Russian and Eastern European Studies, who during his long career twice “happened” to be in Prague at a critical time; once in 1937-39 and then again in late August 1968. During this latter time, he saw the importance of collecting and saving any piece of printed material he came across. These ephemera, together with some 350 books dealing with Czechoslovakia’s interrupted revolution, used during the writing of his book of the same name, were

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donated to the Fisher in 1977, along with his notes, newspapers of the time, drafts of the book, etc., and we created a special collection as a result. Professor Skilling then began to donate books from his library dealing with Czechoslovak politics and history, mainly from the beginnings of the country to its subsequent sovietization, and still late, thanks to the assistance of certain Canadian diplomats, was able to offer us an archive of Jazzova Sekce and the samizdat books of many Czech and Slovak dissidents. The Fisher Library is also the beneficiary of the generosity of the papers of writer Josef Skvorecky. This paper will discuss in greater length the life and collections of both these important individuals who did so much to preserve the culture and scholarship of Czechoslovakia.

The Role of Context in Lexico-grammatical Shifts Mirjam Fried, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ

It is accepted both within cognitively based approaches to semantic structure (e.g. Fillmore 1982, 1984, 1986, Geeraerts 1985, 1992, 1993, Cuyckens, Dirven & Taylor 2003) and within dialogical approaches to language analysis (e.g. Linell 1998) that speakers’ expressive needs, together with general cultural understanding and specific contextual clues, participate in negotiating the meaning of a given piece of discourse. A question that has not been addressed systematically concerns the way(s) in which the interaction between codified semantic structure (‘lexical meaning’), broad thematic and cultural context, and recurring morphosyntactic patterns may give shape to a newly emerging grammatical category. This talk presents a small-scale corpus-based case study of a lexico- grammatical change that will illustrate what types of context may enter conventional linguistic patterning. By examining specific aspects of language change, my focus will be on representing a shift in speakers’ grammatical knowledge, its relationship to recurring semantic and pragmatic constraints and their gradual reorganization. The empirical focus is the development of the Old Czech (OCz) participial adjective (PA) věřící ‘(the) one believing’ in its use as a syntactic noun. The hybrid nature of the PA places it in the gray and poorly understood area between inflection and derivation, thus providing a particularly illustrative case for studying the issues at hand. The OCz verb v iti developed four major senses (BELIEF, FAITH, CREDIT, TRUST), each reflecting particular communicative contexts (e.g., Christian religion, commercial transactions, transfer of responsibility). Using an extensive corpus from OCz texts containing a wide variety of genres, I show that while the PA originates within the same semantic structure as the rest of the verbal inflectional paradigm, it developed additional uses distributed over specific time periods (‘a Christian’, ‘believable’, ‘pious’, ‘creditor’, ‘trustworthy’, ‘authorizing’, etc.) and different lexico-pragmatic properties correlate with different functional and categorial outcome (nouns vs. adjectives).

The development occurs along several dimensions: conceptual shifts vis-à-vis textual distribution and contextual restrictions; role of collocational patterns; recurring syntactic preferences; and chronological layering. The result is a complex picture of semantic, pragmatic, and grammatical factors that collectively motivate the changes in the form’s usage and that must be part of any representation that aspires to be descriptively accurate and to have an explanatory value. In that respect, the present study makes a case for Frame Semantics (e.g. Fillmore 1982) and Construction Grammar (e.g., Fillmore 1979) as a particularly suitable model for representing lexico-grammatical networks in which the relative stability of grammatical form does not conflict with the relative flexibility of meaning or expressive richness, and vice versa.

Are the Principles of Constitutionalism and Democracy in Tension or in Harmony? The Example of the Czech Republic Mark Gillis, New Anglo-American College in Prague, Prague, CR

Although abstract concepts, both constitutionalism and democracy have far-reaching actual impact in human affairs, especially in the realm of politics and law, so that they cannot be left to philosophizing. Constitutionalism provides that any assertion of state power must be based on pre-existing rules which cannot be modified by the holders of ordinary state power (else they would represent no effective restraint). Democracy provides that decision-making in a state should be based on consent of the people, and in the absence of general agreement on a matter (which in practice never exists), the views of the majority of the people should prevail. In practice decision-making power is exercised by state officials chosen by this method. It can be thought that constitutionalism and democracy are principles that are ineluctably in conflict, and that constitutionalism acts as a limitation upon democracy, thwarting the will of the people. In my view this conception of mutual conflict oversimplifies the matter. I will propose that rather constitutionalism and democracy are interdependent, as neither can properly function without the other: without democracy, constitutionalism is a sham, and without constitutionalism, democracy can turn into oppression by the larger group, demagoguery of strong leaders, or even chaos. In states that are newly democratized, it is understandable that a strong emphasis is placed upon democracy. This stress goes so far as to the proposition that democracy should “trump” other values in the political and legal order including constitutionalism. However, it is precisely in such states that the values of constitutionalism are most needed, especially as the weaknesses of democracy its tendency to degenerate are more pronounced in them. The Czech Republic in the more than 15 years since the re-introduction of democracy presents good examples of this very problem. It begins at the very source of democratic legitimacy – the elections, as rules concerning elections have been in almost constant dispute. It is very pronounced also in the relations between state bodies, such as the Parliament and Government, that a directly democratically accountable (so that the value of democracy is uppermost in their view) and state bodies that are not directly accountable to the electorate, the clearest example being the courts and other independent bodies such as the Czech National Bank. The Czech Constitutional Court has dealt with many cases concerning this problem.

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A related problem is also the attitude expressed by many politicians that restraints and controls upon their actions is unnecessary, as the only important control is the period election, so that in a democracy the electorate can trust the state officials to act correctly. This notion is related to another one commonly bandied about – that private individuals or associations which attempt to influence decisions of state officials or their actions are an undemocratic, hence dangerous, intrusion upon the will of the people, expressed in elections.

Georg Placzek: New Facts about His Remarkable Life and Work Aleš Gottvald, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Brno, CR The world-line of Georg Placzek spans 50 years from his birth on 26 September 1905 in Brno to his passing away on 9 October 1955 in Zürich. His remarkable life and work inspire us to think about him from many perspectives: as a world- distinguished theoretical physicist, as a unique personality beyond science, as a witness and stimulus of historical moments of the "nuclear era," as a member of a remarkable Jewish family, as a man symbolizing the success and tragedy of a human being in the 20th century. The mosaic of our contemporary knowledge of Georg Placzek emerges from many scattered sources, some of them discovered just very recently. Though this mosaic is still rough and fuzzy in many parts, it conveys a truly monumental picture of an incredibly rich and devoted life. Especially, Georg Placzek's life and work in the time of World War II had never been given proper emphasis, and we did not even know some essential facts about its paramount importance for nuclear physics and for the whole history of World War II. Today we appreciate Placzek's role in a straightforward experimental proof of nuclear fission (together with Otto Frisch), in a discovery of the role of U235 (together with Niels Bohr), in a research about theory and technology of nuclear chain reactions, etc. Not only that: Now we are recognizing the importance of Placzek's role in the Manhattan Project, and even in the underlying philosophy and actions of its "fathers" (Oppenheimer, Teller, Bethe, Szilard). As the only citizen of Czechoslovakia, Placzek witnessed historical moments at Los Alamos and Alamogordo in 1945, with their historical consequences for science and polity worldwide.

Tools fro country Evaluation and Planning for SMES Jens Graff, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden This paper has found and highlighted important competitive factors for the specific country to focus on for growth of its SMEs. It has given recommendations for tools and concepts to be recommended in public policy making. Especially a business plan framework and the SWOT analysis are found valuable as decision frameworks.

Zvláštnosti češtiny, neboli O rybáři a rybníku – s úctou Pavlu Eisnerovi Thomas Gral, University of California Irvine, CA Když ten kdo bojuje je bojovník, kdo básní je básník, kdo dělá je dělník - pro ten kdo loví ryby není rybník? A když diář obsahuje denní záznamy, breviář obsahuje modlitby, receptář recepty, kalendář měsíce a dny – proč jezero, které obsahuje ryby není rybář?

Pro se ten kdo d lá v dolech nejmenuje dolník, ale horník? Pro se ten kdo d lá v horách nejmenuje horník, ale lesník? Pro ten co pracuje na poli není polník, ale rolník? Mohla by hospodyn být man elkou Hospodina?

Je ten kdo je pilný – pilník, anebo je to ten kdo piluje? Pro se (za totality) straník Strany nestranil, ale nestraník se Strany stranil?

Autor se zamýšlí (asi z nedostatku jiné innosti) nad t mito a podobnými zvláštnostmi eštiny, které ji tak činí poněkud nesnadnou pro „ubohé cizince - česky se učíce.“

Youth Abroad and the Importance of the Past Anne-Laure Grignon, New College of Florida, Sarasota, FL

Today, over seventy percent of people between the ages of 16 to 22 do not know about their historical pasts. How is such a statistic even possible? How can you consider yourself a proud Czech or a proud Slovak and not know about the annexation of Czechoslovakia by Hitler, or the communist dictatorship that ruled the country for years?

Yes, these events happened decades ago, but they are struggles that thousands of people were forced to endure. They are fears thousands had to brave in order to fight for the right and the freedom of their state, and yet we forget their struggle? Do we have the right to let that crucial part of our heritage slip away like sand through an hourglass?

Nazi dictatorship and Communist despotism affected each and every citizen that lived during those eras, regardless of age, gender or religion. Human beings fought the repression and died doing so in hopes of a better future and with the idea of a free country

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fixed in their minds.

Today the Czech and the Slovak republics are free and democratic countries that still bear the scars of years of torture and social repression. No one has the right to close their eyes and forget about the sacrifices of these people, and especially us, the younger generation. But today, it seems that the youth are too busy looking for the latest Ipod, or the newest shade of lipstick to be concerned about a heavy, tormented past. The identity of a human being comes from history and it is now time for the young to take pride in their ethnicity and become true citizens of their countries. For if we forget our past, in the future you may have to explain to a young man that Slovakia is not a brand of shoes…

The Structure of FDI in the new EU Member States Selen Sarisoy Guerin, Center for European Policy Studies, Brussels, Belgium Central and Eastern European countries have been successful in attracting large foreign direct investment (FDI) inflows since early 1990s. A recent survey on the FDI competitiveness of Eastern European countries indicated that Poland was ranked as the 5th, Hungary 11th and Czech Republic 12th most attractive location globally for FDI investors1[1] . FDI performance of these countries is of interest not only for CEECs but also for other emerging countries that may benefit from their experience. In addition, the FDI performance of these countries has implications on the globalization process of this region. This paper examines FDI flows to CEECs from a more detailed perspective. Over the last 15 years, Czech Republic and Hungary have attracted similar amounts of FDI. On closer inspection, however, one can notice stark differences: The CR received US$30 bn in equity, whereas Hungary received only US$23 bn as it has accumulated more of FDI in the form of debt (e.g. intra-company loans). Looking at the debt-equity mix within FDI may convey important information since one presumes that the positive spillovers from FDI are related to the amount of equity invested, rather than the amount of debt granted to a subsidiary. In other words, for a country receiving lots of FDI with a high debt-to-equity ratio, this may be an indication of not the success of the country in attracting FDI but tax avoidance via financial engineering or a poor health of the balance sheets of foreign subsidiaries.

The American Common School” A Primer for Democracy Mary Jane Guy, Winona State University, Winona, MN The institution of the American common school is unique in the history of the world. The notion that all children could be freely educated in common has European origins and was expressed early in the nineteenth century in America as an institution essential for the preservation of democracy. American common schools (now called “public” schools) were founded on the principles of commonality and subsidiarity and were designed as an aspect of polity for the proper functioning of a republican system of government which was believed could not exist without an educated citizenry. It thus became the republican duty of state legislatures to educate. This constitutional duty imposed on the individual states to educate is reflected in a federated system with each state obligated to ensure democratic education, justice, and equity, through its own legislatures relatively free from democratic control by the national government. The concept of separation of church and state is also embedded in the principles and precepts of a federated republic founded on ideas of the Enlightenment as well as common and natural law. These precepts are being challenged today by privatization, diversity, and the laissez-faire model of schooling which seeks to undermine the common school ideal. Believing that democratic governments cannot flourish without an educated citizenry, and that schools exist primarily for this purpose, this paper and discussion will provide the precepts for the American common school, unique for its diffusion of knowledge to all peoples within its jurisdictional boundaries on an unprecedented scale. The common school precepts and their philosophical premises to be presented in this paper are: “to be public,” “to be a system,” “to be free and common to all,” “to be secular, “to be financed by the general taxation,” to be equal regardless of location, “to be equitable,” to be efficient,” “to be the responsibility of the state(s).” Each of these precepts will be supported by history and judicial precedents to explain the underlying politics and polarity regarding education in the United States.

Between West and East - Czechoslovakia as a Historical Case Frank Hadler. GWZO, Leipzig, Germany Czechoslovakia is a historical phenomenon of East Central Europe existing for more than seven decades. A critical treatment of Czechoslovakia as a historical case of a statehood between West and East requires first of all, to deal with Czech political thinking before this state was shaped. One has also to take into account the years following the division of Czechoslovakia at the end of 1992. Thus there are to distinguish and to be discussed separately five periods: 1. In search of a future position between West and East within a "New Europe" (before and during WWI) 2. The Western Dilemma (dealing with the First Republic - 1918/19-1938/39) 3. Captured in the German center of Europe (Munich and the protectorate 1938/39-1945/48) 4. As a Part of the Eastern bloc (the socialist Czechoslovakia - 1945/48-1989/90) 5. Back to a new "New Europe"? (from velvet revolution via the voluntary separation of Czechs and Slovaks up to NATO and EU memberships - after 1989/90)

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Rádl and Pato ka: Approaches to Democracy and Nationalism Clayton A. Hanson, University of Washington, Tacoma, WA As philosophers, both Emanuel Rádl and Jan Patočka are well-known for dealing with some of philosophy’s perennial concerns. However, both engaged in surprisingly similar critiques of Czech nationalism and self-image, especially in regards to the problems it posed towards the development of democracy – particularly during the interwar period. This paper will focus on these critiques as they are embodied in Válka Čechů s Nemcí by Rádl and Co jsou Češi? by Patočka. From them, it will seek to demonstrate that these critical views are not only reactions to particular events but reflections of their larger philosophical concerns.

The Architecture of the Baroque in Bohemia, c.1680-1720 Ralph Harrington, Independent scholar, York, UK The Baroque architecture of Bohemia is recognized throughout the world as one of the region’s most significant and characteristic cultural legacies. The great palaces and monasteries, churches and planned cityscapes of the Czech lands represent a highly distinctive flowering of the Baroque in which the currents of the wider European Baroque movement interact with native influences to produce a uniquely dynamic architectural style marked out by aesthetic inventiveness, visual creativity, spatial drama and structural daring. In this paper, the visual character of the Bohemian Baroque will be analysed, and the interaction of native and external cultural influences – notably Austrian and Italian baroque architecture, and native Gothic styles – in producing the unique character of Bohemian Baroque architecture will be considered. The roles of individual architects such as Fischer von Erlach, Saintin-Aichel and the Dientzenhofers are examined, and buildings of particular significance such as the Clam-Gallas Palace in Prague and St Margaret’s Church, Brevnov, are analysed in detail. The importance of the urban landscape and urban planning in shaping the development of the Bohemian Baroque style, and the role of sculpture and the decorative arts are also discussed. Finally, the paper seeks to place the flowering of the Bohemian Baroque in the context of competing religious and national identities in the Czech lands during this period, and considers how far an architectural style largely identified with foreign architects and external influences can be considered distinctively Bohemian at all. The paper is illustrated throughout by photographs, maps and diagrams.

Introduction in Echocardiography - Cardiac Imaging Technology Eva Hausnerova, Bethesda, MD New diagnostic tools and creative treatments have sparked an exciting evolution in medicine. There is no question that imaging, in particular, has forever changed the way cardiologists practice medicine today. Echocardiography was called one of the top 11 medical developments of the past 1,000 years. Imaging offers the opportunity for earlier, better, and more accurate diagnosis of cardiovascular disease and the prospect of better quality care. Echocardiography is noninvasive, painless, and portable technology using ultrasound to create images of the heart to evaluate heart structure and function. Echocardiography represents a fundamental change in diagnosis, treatment, management and monitoring of heart disease. This ultrasound technology is based on the Doppler effect, which was described by Christian Doppler, while he worked in Prague and he published it in the Bohemian scientific journal in 1843.

Biological Dimension of Human Social Behavior Petr Hausner, University of Medical Center, Baltimore, MD As a biologist and physician I will argue the necessity to understand biological dimensions of human and societal behavior. It is obvious, that the driving force of life is reproduction of ones' own genes. In many species, including humans, individuals carrying a related gene pool assist the reproducing individuals in their quest for gene propagation. Inter-individual collaborations are closer between individuals sharing genes. With increasing distance, collaborations become more difficult. Easiest within immediate family, it becomes increasingly more difficult within an extended family or family clan, village, region, nation, religious group, and humanity. The primary role of culture is to assists in signalling relatedness and thus proportion of shared genes between individuals. In the past, culture also helped to conserve behaviors preserving a sustainable equilibrium with the natural environment. In response to limited natural resources specialization occurs through speciation. Culture, politics, religion all assist humanity in its quest for synpatric speciation. It is on the path to the formation of a new species that all national and international conflicts arise. This speciation drive might eventually sweep humankind from the surface of the Earth. An understanding of the biological roots of conflicts among humans might assist in designing appropriate solutions.

Women's Issues - SVU - Czech & Slovak Republics - The World Lois A. Herman, International Women's Program SVU and Women's UN Report Network (WUNRN) Part I of my presentation will give a history and overview of current dimensions of the Women's Issues Program in SVU, and including the active SVU Women's Program ListServe. It will also note the monitoring of important documents on Women's Issues in the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic as: *Beijing + 10 Report, *CEDAW Reports *Millennium Development Goals Report, *US State Department Human Rights Report - Section 5 on Women and Children, *Trafficking in Persons Report, *UN Secretary General's Study on Violence Against Women, *United Nations Treaty Bodies and Country International Law Obligations Conventions (as CEDAW), *Shadow Reports Part II part of my presentation will be a Power Point on Violence Against Women. This presentation will build on the topic of Dr. Jaroslava Moserova on "The Image of Women as Presented by the Media." It will be offered in the context that violence against women is universal. The Power Point will be by the Women's UN Report Network - WUNRN - which links to the SVU Women's

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Program. The United Nations is preparing the UN Secretary General's Study on Violence Against Women, and this study will be presented to the UN General Assembly in September 2006. Countries are asked to send reports on same to the UN. The Power Point will cover multiple dimensions on violence against women throughout the world, and including the Czech Republic. The media headlines, research, and references are sobering realities and documentation on violence against women and girls. At past SVU World Congresses, the Women's Issues Panel has featured individual programs on violence against women in the Czech Republic and Slovak Republic. The 2006 presentation by Lois A. Herman of SVU and WUNRN, will bridge from the local, and national, to regional and international. I am also serving as Moderator of the Women's Issues Panel for the SVU World Congress 2006.

The Legacies of the Holocaust in Postwar and 21st Century Europe Norma J. Hervey, Luther College, Decorah, IA Highly respected scholar and intellectual, Tony Judt’s in his 2005 monograph, Postwar. A History of Europe Since 1945, concludes with an Epilogue, “From the House of the Dead. An Essay on Modern European Memory.” The thesis of this essay is that 21st century western European nations were shaped by the Holocaust. These nations, all complicit to varying extents in the Final Solution, required postwar generations to demand truth and assess culpability of their parents and grandparents. During these years, citizens of Eastern and Central European nations whose sufferings under the Nazi occupation, had been great, faced Communism, civil wars, and repression after 1945. There was neither opportunity nor desire to study the Holocaust or confront shared complicity and the history of anti-Semitism in the region. After 1989, new national governments struggled to develop capitalistic economies and new political and social systems. Aspirations of many of these new governments to join the European Union, NATO, and to be western forced them to consider human rights issues and the Holocaust. During the nineties and the early 21st century, educational programs like those of western nations were added in central Europe. Older citizens often remained steadfast in their long held views, stereotyping and condemning others based on ethnic identities. The postwar generations included skinheads but also included many scholars, teachers, archivists who supported governments’ efforts to follow the model established by western nations. During this period, hopes focused on the new generations. Today Holocaust studies face new challenges. Issues of property ownership, restitution, ideological legacies, contemporary politics, and resentment present the new challenges and methodologies of teaching Holocaust history, the topic of this paper.

The Czechs and Slovaks of Louisiana James Hlavac, Baton Rouge, LA Louisiana is one of the last places in America people expect to find Czechs and Slovaks. Yet since the dawn of her settlement, Czechs and Slovaks have immigrated here. Beginning with 7 Bohemian families in the 1720s they have had an outsized impact on the state, despite comprising just some 575 families. This history has been hidden and virtually unknown, even ignored. One of those first families, the Tuceks/Touchets, now has over 2,000 descendants statewide, many thinking they are Cajun. In the early 1800s, the Bohemian Samuel Kohn was instrumental in developing the Carrollton neighbourhood of New Orleans, as well as founding the city's world famous St. Charles Street Car Line. Benjamin Latrobe, one of America's most famous architects has Moravian heritage and connections, and designed many buildings in New Orleans, including the facade of the emblem of the city: St. Louis Cathedral. In the mid to late 1800s several Czech families were among the largest property owners in the city. In the pre-Civil War years, the Klady family operated a substantial plantation in the Monore area. The state's largest wholesale food company was founded in the 1890s by John Horecky, immigrant from Slovakia. In the Post-Reconstruction period, the daughters of James Blahut, of Prague, owned and operated one of best known businesses in the town of Houma, and built that city's first two story brick building. The Patacek family did the same in Covington. Rudolph Zelenka was a civic leader in Houma, who also served the current newspaper's first publisher. In 45 parishes of the state Czechs and Slovaks settled, pursuing a wide range of endeavours. Slovaks comprised one third of the people living in the Cameron Parish town of Grand Chenier. Czechs founded the twin towns of Libuse and Kolin, in Rapides Parish. These two are the home of the Louisiana Czech Festival, the longest running ethnic heritage festival in the state. They are also the only two towns in the state that did not require government assistance during the Depression, and their farmers' organization was the precursor to the Louisiana Farm Bureau. In the post-World War II era, a leading citizen and sports coach in New Orleans was the war-refuge Francis Soyka. And beginning in the 1950s some 700 civic and public buildings in Louisiana, many award winning, were designed and built by John Dvorak Desmond. Yet, despite this illustrious history, there had been no research on this subject among the many studies of Louisiana History. A Hidden Impact: The Czechs and Slovaks of Louisiana will present the highlights of this unknown history. It will also be available in greater detail in my book of the same title.

The Czech Republic and the U.S. State Department Visa Waiver Program – Current Status Paul Hlavinka, Hlavinka & Associates, Houston, TX Americans of Czech ancestry have been heartened by the historic changes in relations between the United States and the Czech Republic taking place in the few years since the collapse of communism. Many have enjoyed renewed and new-found relationships with Czech friends and relatives, still resident in the homeland, but in so doing have encountered the cumbersome and often humiliating process Czech nationals have had to endure to obtain a visa to visit the United States. Twenty-seven nations are among those which enjoy the privilege of the U.S. State Department’s Visa Waiver Program. The Czech Republic is not among those enjoying such status. U.S. Ambassador Petr Kolar has described the Czech Republic’s denial of visa waiver status to be the

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primary unresolved political issue now facing the two countries. This topic will review the current status of the Czech Republic in its efforts – and the efforts of Czech Americans at home – to secure waiver status so that Czech citizens may enjoy the same entry status to the United States as do those citizens of 27 other countries, many of whom have abused that privilege. The report will describe both the congressional lobbying and the grass-roots efforts which are being undertaken in order to secure waiver status for the C.R. A brief chronological review of U.S. – C. R. diplomatic relations will place these efforts in context.

Events Guiding the Development of the Pittsburgh SVU Chapter Carol Hochman, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania The Eleventh World Congress held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in October of 1982 was instrumental in creating interest in establishing the Pittsburgh Chapter of SVU during the following year. The “founding fathers” of our chapter were a small group of Czech and Slovak émigrés, many of whom arrived in Pittsburgh as early as the 1940s. The University of Pittsburgh played a central role in bringing together this community of Czechoslovaks. Many émigrés found employment in their respective professions at the university. They also found at the university another organized group of Czechs and Slovaks already living in the city. This group had been successful in organizing and dedicating the University of Pittsburgh Czechoslovak Nationality Classroom in 1939. Over the years, SVU and the Czechoslovak Nationality Classroom Committee have worked together to keep the traditions of the Czech and Slovak cultures alive through a series of programs including musical events, lectures, art exhibits, and films.

During the 1980s and 1990s, SVU members have given their support to the establishment of a plaque and an historic marker commemorating the signing of The Pittsburgh Agreement in our city on May 31, 1918. Both of these commemorative memorials honor the efforts of Thomas Garrigue Masaryk in establishing a free and independent Czechoslovakia at the end of World War I. Members of SVU have also been participants in recent events held to establish Pittsburgh and Ostrava as Sister Cities, recognizing the history both cities share as centers for the steel making industry. The Pittsburgh Chapter of SVU hopes to continue the tradition of making connections happen between the people of our city and those in cities and towns throughout the Czech Republic and Slovakia.

When Canada in Auschwitz Was - The Story of Rudolf Vrba Stefan Horny, Montreal, Canada He was born Walter Rosenberg on September 11, 1924 in Trnava, Czechoslovakia and died in Vancouver on March 27, 2006. He witnessed the huge promise of Masaryk's Czechoslovakia, the rise of Nazism and fascism not only in Germany and Italy but also in his native Slovakia, where Tiso's and Kirschbaum's Hlinka party conspired in the destruction of a state by many compared to Plato's republic. He told me how a gang of Hlinka guards entered his classroom and their leader ordered all Czechs and Jews out; then noticed the symbol of Czechoslovakia - a lion - on the wall and added: "That cat must come down!" In 1942, Walter was taken first to Majdanek, then to Auschwitz and finally to Birkenau. There he saw - in midst of unspeakable horror (hell, which Walter's friend, Alfred Wetzler, after the war described in his book What Dante hasn't seen) - acts of humanity even among the members of Gestapo. Walter worked for years in a group named Kanada. Their job was to remove from the trains arriving at the camp corpses of people who failed to survive their trip to the concentration camp, and sort their belongings. His photographic memory allowed him to remember every transport, the number of people on the train, and where they came from. According to his calculations, 1,700,000 Jews were killed in the concentration camps up to April, 1944. During his time at Auschwitz he noticed that whenever the guards expected a new transport, they talked about foods the victims would bring with them. In the spring of 1944, they talked a great deal about salami. That could mean only one thing: the Nazis would grab the one million Jews in Hungary. Rosenberg and his friend Alfred Wetzler decided to escape so that they could warn the Hungarian Jews. Their escape (only five people ever managed to do so - the first being a Czech Jew, Lederer) was as incredible as what happened after they managed to deliver their warning to the leaders of Hungarian Jews. In spite of the delay in spreading the information, Rosenberg (soon to become known as Rudolf Vrba) and Wetzler are credited with saving lives of some 100,000 Hungarian Jews. Vrba's story doesn't end there. While being sought all over Europe by Gestapo with orders that his capture be immediately reported to Himler, Rosenberg (who by now officially became Vrba) - garbed in a white jacket - promenaded in the resort town of Pieš any. A little later, he joined the partisans in the Slovak uprising. After the war, he earned two degrees at Charles University, in 1956 left for England and ended in Vancouver, where he joined the University of British Columbia as Associate Professor.

Women´s Fund – New model of Philanthropy? Marketa Hronkova, Slovak-Czech Women´s Fund, Prague, CR In the last six years we have seen creation of five independent women’s funds in East and Central Europe. What are the reasons of this “boom” and which social situation is this reflecting? Could a local women's fund be a sustainable solution for underfinanced women's rights sector? Does the model of women's funds bring new dimension in the notion of philanthropy in our region – meaning from ad hoc charity giving to an active and engaged philanthropy? These are the questions I would like to analyze in my presentation on the model of bi-national Slovak-Czech Women's Fund.

Ruptured Style: Alois Riegl’s Stilfragen and the Czech Avant-Garde Naomi Hume, Chapman University, Orange, CA In Prague in 1912, a group of young artists, including Emil Filla and Vincenc Beneš and their friends, exhibited work that provoked outrage from viewers and broke with expectations. Viewers and critics saw these paintings as an affront that followed a

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radical foreign trend towards cubism or even futurism. The works were wholly different from the historical, folkloric or impressionist landscape paintings common in contemporary Czech art exhibitions in 1912. The angular, non-realistic, baffling works these young artists showed in 1912 even broke with their own previous styles, upsetting the notion of continuous development within an individual artist’s oeuvre.

Of course, there were other artists in Europe who challenged conventions at around this time and earlier. In Munich, Wassily Kandinsky painted his first abstract works. Ernst Ludwig Kirchner and his friends in Dresden and Berlin shocked audiences with their wild colors and harsh lines. In Paris, Picasso and Braque had been jousting with each other for a few years by 1912, challenging each other to go to further and further lengths to question the rules of pictorial representation. The Italian Futurist group was the most brash about it, announcing their sudden intention to break all the rules and to merge technology and violence in a manifesto on the front cover of Le Figaro in Paris in 1909. This kind of innovation, when artists intentionally displayed works to announce a rupture of tradition goes back at least to the Impressionists in the 1870s as a phenomenon that gained press attention and sales for artists. But in each of these cases, all of them far better known than Filla and Beneš, the artists justify their new styles with bravado, claiming to be the first, the best, the most daring and radical, as well as the youngest and the newest.

What is odd and interesting about the Czech example is that the works display a break in their personal styles, but most importantly, the artists do not profess a radical break with the past. In their journal, they claim what many young, radical artist groups at this time all over Europe claim: to represent their generation, youth, and the new. But they also clearly state that they want to “create true values by using old processes along with the new expressive means.” They justify their radical images by turning to art history’s past to find other examples of rupture in artistic style. They claim that these historical precedents of artists breaking rules have led to the greatest works of art and that rupture is essential to progress in the development of art.

The idea of art as progressive across history is, of course, not new. The nineteenth-century establishment of art history as a scholarly discipline was based upon this kind of theory about art’s development. But in Vienna at the turn of the twentieth century, art historians were changing the rules of art history. Alois Riegl and Franz Wickhoff were looking at previously understudied periods and at works of art previously considered minor. Their ultimate goal, however, was not minor at all: it was to develop an overarching theory of stylistic change in the visual arts that did not imply a development towards perfection. This paper argues that the new Viennese art history, and the way the young Czech artists explained their work were not unconnected. I propose to show how the radical Czech artists used the Vienna School’s theory of style in a self-conscious attempt to replicate past stylistic change, and to enlist that history to justify their avant-garde aims. The works they displayed in 1912 were the first exhibited examples of the new style that they would vigorously champion until the First World War broke up the artistic community in 1914.

The Dakota of Minnesota: Historical Perspectives and Historiographical Challenges Colette A. Hyman, Winona State University, Winona, MN This talk will briefly summarize the major outlines in the history of the Dakota peoples who lived in Minnesota until the 1862 Dakota War, and then discuss different ways in which this history continues to shape the experiences of the Dakota and poses particular challenges for studying the history of the Dakota. Although different accounts situate the Dakota and their ancestors in the Upper Mississippi River Valley for several hundreds to several thousand years, all concur that the Dakota War of 1862, which resulted in the U.S. government’s revoking its treaties with the Dakota and the State of Minnesota’s exiling them from their homelands, marked a central event in the history of Dakota peoples. Many Dakota have since returned to Minnesota, but others remain on reservations in South Dakota and Nebraska, and others still, like other indigenous Americans, have found their ways to urban Native communities around the U.S. This expulsion from ancestral lands has had ramifications that continue to affect the economic, social, and political realities of Dakota peoples to this day. The dispersal of the Dakota has also meant a dispersal of the materials (documents, photographs, and objects) necessary for reconstructing the history of the Dakota people. As a result, the identification of archives and museums holding Dakota materials, has become a companion project to the book on the Dakota in the 19th century which is in progress, and which forms the basis of this presentation.

Can Analytical Chemistry Prevent Chemical or Biological Terrorist Attack? Jiri Janata, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA It is tacitly assumed that detection technology, namely analytical chemistry, can prevent or mitigate terrorist attack with chemical or biological weapons against closed civilian spaces. This issue has been extensively discussed in the context of public transportation but it applies to any public space where large population can be present, such as shopping malls, entertainment and sporting venues, schools, hospitals, etc. A critical assessment of this paradigm is necessary because incorrectly applied technology can create sense of false security and misallocation of resources.

Narrative and Festive Folklore of Texas Czechs 1850-1950 Petr Janecek, Charles University, Prague, CR Folklore, traditional, orally-transmitted level of expressive culture, is widely considered to be a vital part of culture of all ethnic groups. This paper examines folkloric level of everyday culture of Texas Czechs between 1850 and 1950. From immigration of first Czech families to Texas to the end of the Second World War, Texas Czechs represented vital ethnic oral culture with many specific folkloric

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characteristics. Although majority of folklore genres of Texas Czechs in this period were directly transferred from the Old Country, some of them were influenced by immigrant and pioneer experience, different social and cultural conditions in Texas and contacts with other Texas ethnic communities. Only vital European traditions, which could be adapted to the new lifestyle, survived acculturation to specific American geographical, social and cultural setting. Presented paper, using mainly archival interview and oral history data from Central Texas, tries to point out some general outlines of Texas Czech folklore of this period, focusing mainly on traditional narratives (folktales, legends, personal experience stories), short folklore genres (jokes, proverbs, children folklore) and traditional festivities. Folklore of Texas Czechs of the period is characterized not only by its continuity with Old World traditions, but also by its incorporation of typically American folklore genres, stemming from unique immigration experience.

Home-made texts and International Context: Czech Narrative Studies Alice Jedličková, Academy of Sciences of the Czech Republic, Prague, CR Narrative studies seem to have become an indispensable part of recent Czech literary criticism. There are several reasons for this preference: open access to international resources and academic communication, numerous Czech translations of canonic narratologic works published since 1990, and a long tradition of textual analysis and (historical) poetics of narrative as performed by Felix Vodička or Vladimír Macura to name only its outstanding representatives. In the contemporary narrative studies worldwide we may observe the following trends: interdisciplinary attitude resulting in examination of narrative as a general phenomena of cultural communication; re-conceptualization of the categories of literary narrative due to the influence of cognitive studies and an accent on their historicity reflecting the requirements of cultural studies, and, last but not least, a tendency to self-reflection of the discipline that is forced not only to give an overview of its own contemporary range of activities, but to record its own development as well. The first attempts at writing the history of narrative studies (e.g. by David Herman and Monika Fludernik) make a good occasion to ask whether we may find an autonomous narrative theory within the Czech literary criticism (or whether we may speak only of single “protonarratologic” or even “cryptonarratologic” studies), and what is its specific contribution in a sphere which seems to be a domain of Anglo-american, French and German-speaking research, accompanied by a few other mainly Western research cultures. The intent of my paper is to give an outline of how the Czech narrative studies contributed - or at least might have contributed - to international narratologic research, if they had not been prevented from doing so by the iron curtain, as well as to summarize their present state and perspectives.

Is Cervical Cancer a Sexually Transmitted Disease? Ivan Jelen, O & G Peterborough District Hospital, Peterborough, UK Cervical cancer can be an uncommon result of infection with human papillomaviruses (HPV). Recent studies have shown that HPV- DNA can be detected in over 99% of cervical cancers. There have been over 100 types of HPVs identified but the most frequent types associated with cervical malignancies are 16, 18, 31 and 45. World Health Organisation has declared HPV 16 and 18 as human carcinogens. The prevalence of HPV infection in general population is extremely high but the majority of these are transient in nature and do not cause any lasting problems. Predominant transmission is through sexual intercourse, although other rather infrequent forms of transmission have been described. The male role in cervical carcinogenesis is significant and will be discussed. The nature of infection, the understanding of its progression and our ability to detect it has been exploited in trying to use HPV testing in screening strategies for detection of pre-cancerous lesions of the uterine cervix. Furthermore medical science has gone one step further with development of HPV vaccine, which is currently being tried and has a potential to prevent development of the disease as we know it. Endometrial Hyperplasia Joseph D. Jenci, Saint Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ Background: To elicit the importance of endometrial hyperplasia as a continuum of histopathologic changes with the end result – endometrial cancer. Emphasis is to show risk factors and how they initiate endometrial hyperplasia and one must not underestimate the danger of a co-existing cancer. Also, the difficulty in separating (diagnosing) complex atypical hyperplasia from well differentiated adenocarcinoma. Resources: Information generated from current text books, journals and internet search. Conclusion: Endometrial hyperplasia risk factors – polycystic ovarian syndrome / perimenopause / abnormal bleeding / drugs (ie. Tamoxifen) – can initiate the continuum towards cancer if not recognized and treated. Also, it is important to realize that complex atypical hyperplasia may be difficult to separate from a well differentiated adenocarcinoma (the continuum). One must therefore assume endometrial cancer when the biopsy (EMB) reveals complex atypical hyperplasia and be prepared for appropriate intervention. Hormone therapy or surgery may be needed for the best prognosis.

National Censorship in a Multi-National State: Communist Slovakia Before the ‘Prague’ Spring Owen V. Johnson, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN Shortly after the death of Stalin in 1953, the government of Czechoslovakia instituted without public announcement a censorship system that was designed to review anything prepared for public display. This system was primarily designed to review publications such as newspapers and magazines and books. It was instituted in part to shore up systems of control that were being weakened by the end of Stalin’s iron hold over the Soviet bloc. This system remained in effect until it collapsed during the reforms of 1968. (While systems of control were instituted gradually following the 1968 Soviet invasion, no formal system of censorship was part of the later controls). The censorship system that was implemented fell under the control of the Ministry of the Interior, but also involved party

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organizations. Because of the connection to the Ministry of the Interior, the censorship system paralleled the state system. That meant that the system of censorship for Slovakia was centered in Bratislava until 1960. This paper draws extensively from the censorship records found in the State Central Archive of Slovakia in Bratislava. They detail the establishment of the system and the difficulties in finding people to staff the various censorship offices, as well as some of the issues the office dealt with. Because the censorship office was directly connected to Prague, this paper makes some comparisons to the activities of the Prague censorship office, but it also maps out a Slovak agenda that was related to the liberalization that swept through that territory beginning in 1954, eventually sweeping toward Prague and resulting in what became known as the Prague Spring.

Remnants of Moravian Music? Leos Janacek and the Cimbalom after 1891 Jesse Johnston, University of Mchigan, Ann Arbor, MI My talk discusses the ethnographic research of Leos Janacek in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. In addition to his compositional activities, Janacek was one of the few musicians actively collecting material relating to traditional Moravian instrumental music. His work helped establish the cimbalom's importance in the traditional music worlds of South and East Moravia. Drawing on Czech musicological scholarship and some archival sources, I will begin assessing Janacek's role in preserving knowledge about the cimbalom.

American Education System through Czech Eyes: Comparing General Knowledge of American and Czech Students Vladimir Kajlik, University of South Bohemia, Ceske Budejovice, CR In 1996 the Roper Center for Public Opinion Research (RCFPOR) conducted an exclusive survey for The American only to discover, to displeasure of many, abysmal gaps in students’ knowledge of basic facts of American government, history, basic mathematics, global geography, classic and modern literatures. We have designed and conducted a similar survey based on RCFPOR in the Czech Republic in an effort to shed light on a seemingly glaring contradiction of American higher education being consistently graded on the top of the world (cf. The Economist end of 2005) while performance of American students seem to fall well behind the standard in surveys conducted around the world. To confirm or to disprove similar gaps in knowledge of Czech students is a primary purpose of our survey. An analysis of results, it is hoped, should then allow comparison of benefits and drawbacks of the two educational systems.

Restoring the Home and Museum or Albin Polasek Michael Kakos, Albin Polasek Museum, Winter Park, FL The Winter Park, Florida home of Albin Polasek, the renowned Czech sculptor, was built by him in 1949. He lived there until his death in 1965. He set up a Foundation to share his life's works with the public only a few years earlier when he began to buy back his works. The museum is now a place where one can walk amid treasures of classical sculpture and art surrounded by an exquisite Florida paradise; a place where one can rejoice in the beauty, peace and joy evoked by inspirational art. The mission of the Albin Polasek Foundation & Sculpture Gardens is "To promote the legacy of the internationally known sculptor and to encourage study, appreciation and the furtherance of representational art". The museum's board is committed to a long range improvement plan which focuses on renovation and expanding the museum, increasing public awareness of the museum and developing cultural and educational programs. A facilities assessment was conducted in 2001 and as a result much needed stabilization and restoration work has been undertaken thanks to initial grants from the State of Florida. A major fundraising program is to be undertaken for the ongoing restoration and preservation of this modest estate, the restoration of Polasek's art collection and the advancement of his legacy.

The Artist as Citizen: Seeing Peace, Artists Collaborate with the United Nations Richard Kamler, University of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA Seeing Peace, Artists Collaborate with the United Nations is a visionary international initiative that seeks to place the imagination, through the presence of the artist, at the table of the General Assembly of the United Nations to engage in the great global dialogs of the day...as artists. Seeing Peace has three components to it: 1) the tableaux: on International Peace Day, 191 artists and their respective Ambassadors will meet at the Peace Bell on the UN Plaza, and pair by pair, ritually enter the general Assembly and take their seats at the table; 2) the exhibition: each artist from each one of the 191member nations will make one piece of art reflecting their unique cultural perspective of what peace looks like; 3) the chant: on opening night, 500 voices, in various languages and dress, will let their voices rise and soar in a chant and drone for peace.

Jaroslav Kaspar-Paty, Czechoslovak Patriot Kathleen Kaspar-Paty, Falls Church, VA Jaroslav Kaspar-Paty was born in Stara Paka, Bohemia, on December 23, 1903, when the First Republic of Czechoslovakia was still a dream. The experiences of his childhood and youth helped shape his love for the Czechoslovak people and his love for freedom and truth. He graduated from the gymnasium in Nova Paka shortly after the birth of the First Republic, then attended the Military Academy in Hranice, ultimately graduating from the War College in Prague in 1936, where he received the general staff degree, equivalent to the Ph.D. During the Second World War, he put his education and training, especially that in military intelligence, at the service of his countrymen and all peoples wishing to be free. After the 1948 Communist takeover of Czechoslovakia, Colonel Kaspar-Paty fled to the West and using his expertise in military intelligence, continued to fight on the side of freedom, first in

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Germany, then in the United States, where he lived for more than 40 years until his death on January 24, 1995. In 1993, he was promoted to Brigadier General by President Vaclav Havel. On October 28, 1998, the Eightieth Anniversary of the founding of the First Republic, President Havel awarded him in memoriam the Tomas Garrigue Masaryk Order, Third Class, for his contribution to the development of democracy and human rights.

People's Comedian: Jara Kohout Alena Kohoutova-Kanka, Mahwah, NJ At the age of 16 he was already on stage. Later he appeared in 68 films and performed daily in his theatre in successful musicals. Jara published seven books and made nearly one hundred recordings. After the communists took over in 1948, Jara Kohout with his family left the country. He broadcast satirical anti-communist and anti- regime programs while with Radio Diffusion Francaise in Paris and later joined Radio Free Europe in Munich and New York. Kohout entertained Czechs and Slovaks all over the world. After the Velvet revolution he returned home for a short while. Jara Kohout died in Prague in 1994. He was twice nominated In Memoriam for the Medal of Achievement, awarded by the President of the Republic.

Tiny Puffs for Tiny Tots: Specialized Techniques of Mechanical Ventilation for Premature Newborn Infants Martin Keszler, Georgetown University, Washington, DC Infants who are born extremely premature, especially those weighing < 1000g at birth often develop respiratory failure and require mechanical ventilation. Conventional mechanical ventilation with slow breathing rate and large breaths typically leads to damage in these fragile lungs and results in chronic lung disease. Specialized techniques that use very high rates of several hundred breaths/minute and very small breaths (high-frequency ventilation - HFV) have been developed, initially for use in adult patients. My father, Professor Hugo Keszler, who in the 1950s founded the specialty of Anesthesiology in Czechoslovakia was active in the early research with HFV and stimulated my interest in this field as far back as the early 1980s.

The basic principles of HFV will be briefly explained. Our laboratory and clinical studies of HFV will be presented, focusing on the two pivotal collaborative clinical trials of high-frequency jet ventilation that showed improved outcomes in premature babies both when used as a rescue treatment in babies already suffering from complications of mechanical ventilation and when used as a first-line treatment. On-going collaboration with colleagues in Prague focusing on new applications of high-frequency jet ventilation will be described.

Czech and American Medicine Compared Tomas Klima, Texas Heart Institute, Houston, Texas As a graduate (1957) from Charles University Medical School in Prague, Czech Republic, I was invited for a one year Fellowship in Pediatric Pathology at the Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, Texas, in February, 1968. During my Fellowship, Mr. Breznew invaded Czechoslovakia with his tanks. That prompted my family to join me in Houston, where we have since resided. Both my wife and I completed Residencies in Pathology in Houston, took appropriate Board examinations and became practicing Pathologists for our remaining active professional lives. Since 1990 I have coordinated an exchange program for Czech physicians who spend three months each in different institutions of the Texas Medical Center. They observe their American colleagues in their daily activities and compare their work with that of their own practices at home. To date, we have had 129 graduates from the Medical Schools of Prague who completed successful stays in Houston. I believe that the quality of the Czech doctors is very good . They are capable of taking care for their patients with equal knowledge and skill as their American colleagues. The main reason for this is a good education and a thorough exposure to medicine in its full range. Those who sometimes show better qualities have a background from specialized medical departments of the medical schools or from independent specialized national medical institutions. Czech medicine needs an organized and daily supervised postgraduate program, similar to the American residency program, for everyone who prepares for the national Board examinations. Courses in different specialties given by the National Czech Postgraduate Institute are definitively helpful, but may not always be sufficient. In my own specialty, pathology, I have experienced a close relationship with all of the other medical specialties since beginning my work in the US. The Pathologist is a valid consultation member of the team of the attending physicians who care for the patient. The results of the pathologist’s examinations are always considered by the clinicians in their daily work. Therefore, he needs to always be accessible, cooperative, accurate and timely in his examinations and diagnoses.

Spillville: The Most Historic Czech Village In America, and... First Czech Community in Iowa Michael Klimesh, Spillville, IA Spillville Czechs started arriving in 1854. By the end of 1855 there were 39 families. Many properties standing today date to the early period. Many significant Czech personalities - not just Antonin Dvorak - have ties to Spillville. This presentation summarizes the one- of-a-kind history of Spillville and some its most significant sites and personalities. It is the most historic Czech village in America and the oldest Czech community in Iowa.

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Beulah Falls / Watson, Iowa: Czech Settlement That Was - A Ceske Budejovice / Trebon Connection Michael Klimesh, Spillville, IA In northeast Iowa in the vicinity of Beulah Falls and Watson, about 35 miles east of Spillville, many, many Bohemians came and settled in two townships from about 1869 onward. They established their own St. Wenceslaus Church and Cemetery. From 1880 to 1893 it functioned as a separate entity. The Ceske Budejovice / Trebon region is from where they came. Early names are still identified in the area but many have been interestingly Americanized - sometimes several times. This presentation documents their names and origins and elements of their early life in their new homeland.

Cesko Narodni Hrbitov (Bohemian National Cemetery – Spillville / Protivin, Iowa Steven A. Klimesh, Czech Heritage Partnership of Northeast Iowa and St. Wenceslaus Heritage Society, Spillville, IA The Cesko Narodni Hrbitov (Bohemian National Cemetery) is located approximately midway between Spillville and Protivin, Iowa. It is the final resting place of the area’s Bohemian freethinkers, and the location of one of precious few statues of Jan Hus in the United States. This paper discusses the reasons for the existence of this cemetery as those reasons relate to the global and local practices and policies of the Catholic Church in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s, the philosophy and teachings of Jan Hus and the impact of the new found freedoms acting on those Bohemians at the time. The paper also will include comments from recent interviews with descendants of those buried in the cemetery and it will include an appendix with a complete listing of those resting there.

Destinies of the Two World War II Czechoslovak, British-trained Paratroopers: Alois Vyhnak a Robert Matula Jan Klinka, Forensic Service of British Columbia, Victoria, B.C., Canada Alois Vyhnak and Robert Matula were amongst several hundred military volunteers in the units of the Czechoslovak Army established in the west who received paratrooper training in the United Kingdom during the WW2. Of those, less than a hundred were selected for missions into the Nazi occupied Czechoslovakia in years 1941 to1945. Matula was a member of a six-men desant with a code name Wolfram, dropped into Beskydy Mountains in September 1944 whereas Vyhnak belonged to a four-men group named Platinum-Pewter that landed in February 1945 in eastern areas of Czech-Moravian hills. Both men, unlike many of their brave comrades, survived but had chosen, after the 1948 communist take-over, the exile. Growing up years of these two exceptionable courageous soldiers, including their encounters with the enemy during their missions, will be outlined, and their Canadian experience that started independently of one another in the 1960’s, will be recounted.

Czech Jews in Ecuador Joseph J. Kohn, Princeton University, Princeton, NJ My parents, I, and my father's siblings with their families (totaling 21 persons) arrived in Ecuador in June of 1939, we emigrated after the occupation of Czechoslovakia by the Germans. Most of the Jewish refugees in Ecuador were from Czechoslovakia. My father, my mother and I spent the first three years in Cuenca, which was a remote provincial town. My father became a professor of architecture there. Two of my uncles with their families moved to a small town, Ambato, where they opened a factory to make wire screens. The rest of the family stayed in Quito, the capital of the country. After three years in Cuenca we also moved to Quito. I will talk about the various Czechs that were in Ecuador, their lives and their impact on the country. Most of them were Jewish refugees but there were also some who were not refugees. These were very colorful adventurers who had settled there. One of the most noteworthy of these was Zdenek Miler, who was a naturalist and an explorer. Most of these Czechs were quite successful and made important contribution to the country both economically and culturally. After the war my parents and I left Ecuador but a number of my relatives stayed on. Over the years I have kept in close touch with them, both through correspondence and mutual visits, which enabled me to follow the development of this community.

Marxism and Biology Pavel Koldovsky, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA At the time of our youth, Marxism was “the science of science” and caused serious damage to biology. Because arguments could not be found against Malthus model showing that population growth exceeds food production, it was forbidden. In an attempt to increase agricultural production, Stalin called on the leading scientists to provide answers. A famous biologist Vavilov stated that it is in the works, but it would take 20 years or longer. That angered Stalin, but a young Trofim D. Lysenko replied that it could be accomplished in 3 to 4 years. He thus became the most powerful man in genetics and agriculture. He canceled functions of the gene and later even DNA. All hereditary changes were induced by the environment. The genetic changes were not result of slow evolution, but occur in sudden jumps. In cell biology most damage was done by mother-daughter team of O.B. Lepeshinskaya. They described how cells arise from acellular material. They even produced time-lapse films to prove these discoveries. It was, in fact, a process of cell degeneration filmed in reverse. It may sound funny today, but half a century ago it was reality which damaged characters of young biologists, cost them their jobs or even life. Vavilov died in the Gulag.

A Lesser-Used Language in Globalized World Hana Konecna, Masaryk University, Brno, CR The importance of Czech literature and language for the American youth in preserving their heritage will be discussed. The author surveyed the subject (in the period from World War II up to present) in Texas while studying in Texas as part of the Masaryk University's exchange program. Of particular interest to her was what it was like for the Czech language students or applicants to study a lesser-used language from their point of view, while she herself was studying the English language in Texas.

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Czech Art Festival and a New Opportunity for Czech Artists to Exhibit in US Marcela Kotrcová, Czech Art Festival, Ceske Budejovice, CR Opportunities for Czech Artists to exhibit and sell their artwork have always been limited. In this presentation I will introduce the audience to the annual Czech Art Festival. This festival, the first of its kind in the Czech Republic, not only provides Czech artists with the means to sell and promote their art directly to the public but it also gives them the opportunity to be carried in galleries in the US and receive recognition for determination, perseverance and passion for their art. I will also discuss the current limited partnership options available to support and demonstrate to the world the superb talent of our Czech Artists.

Emplotting the Gentle Revolution: Narrative Strategies in Czech and Slovak Discourse, 1989-1991 James Krapfl, University of California, Berkeley Just days after the student demonstration in Prague that sparked Czechoslovakia’s 1989 upheaval, the word revolution was on everyone’s lips. Three weeks later, however - once Communist leaders had acquiesced to popular demands for a non-Communist government majority - Prague-based leaders of Civic Forum began to distance themselves from the term. By examining elite and popular reflections on the revolution while it was taking place, this essay will argue that the Czechoslovakia in 1989 conformed to a classic revolutionary pattern whereby newly empowered leaders attempted to ‘end’ the revolution by appropriating the symbolic system emerging from it. Rather than merely promulgating myths that their empowerment marked the culmination of the revolution, however, some among the first wave of post-Communist power-holders went so far as to propose that no revolution had in fact occurred. This rhetoric stood at variance with the still ‘revolutionary’ experiences of other groups - particularly students, Slovaks and other civic groups outside the capital - and divergent mythologies of revolution or its absence became the first emblems of cleavages that would characterize Czechoslovak politics into the 1990s. Previous studies of the ‘Velvet Revolution’ have focussed on the perspectives of revolutionary leaders; this essay, in contrast, will examine both elite and popular discourses seriously and closely. It will therefore cast fresh light on interactions between coordinators and crowds in mass demonstrations, the spread of Civic Forum and Public against Violence and relations between their centers and peripheries, and negotiations between the Communist government and opposition groups. Sources will include the newly accessible archives of Civic Forum and Public Against Violence, as well as several thousand flyers, bulletins, and declarations penned by a spectrum of civic groups and ordinary citizens in both the capitals and the provinces.

A Short Story of the Hammer Dulcimer (Cimbal) Michael Krompholz, Baltoimore, MD The presentation will discuss the origin of this unique instrument, its use in music and its ultimate place as a popular folklore instrument. The story of the hammer dulcimer, or cimbal as it is known in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, goes back to ancient Persia and Assyria. To Europe it came much later, brought by Arab traders. The earliest known record of it dates from 1184 in the cathedral of St. Santiago de Compostela. Only three centuries later did its use spread further. Yet for the next 200 years the hammer dulcimer was essentially used only at the courts of royalty and higher nobility. Originally a small instrument, it was enlarged in the 17th C and eventually became a part of folk music ensembles. Not for very long though and from the mid 19th C cimbal started to disappear from the scene. Within 50 years cimbal was almost forgotten, played just by only few individuals in Moravia,. The Czech instrument builder, J.V.Schunda substantially improved the instrument in the late 19th C. The revival of the usage of the cimbal started during the 1930's. It was however only after WW II when the use of the cimbal truly took off with the renewed interest in folklore music. Today there are more than seventy cimbal ensembles active in Moravia. CD recorded cimbal music and an audiovisual DVD will be part of the presentation.

The Czech and Slovak Heritage Association and the Preservation of Our National Heritage Michael Krompholz, Czech & Slovak Heritage Association of Maryland, Baltimore, MD The mission of our organization is to facilitate the preservation of the Czech and Slovak heritage, to provide education in the languages, traditions, cultures, and histories of the Czech and Slovak peoples and to maintain, in succeeding generations, ties between our communities in the Maryland region and the countries of our origin.

Founded in 1986 the Czech and Slovak Heritage Association of Maryland has been organizing activities that promote our sense of an ethnic community and our consciousness of the shared cultural and historical background.

To achieve our objectives the Association sponsors an Annual Festival (since 1987), operates a language school, supports the Heritage Singers, a group performing at various events, and sponsors performances of visiting artists from the Czech and Slovak Republics. To increase our outreach we plan to tailor our activities to attract younger members, particularly children. A detailed description of the above activities will be presented.

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Radio Prague in Service of Czechs Abroad Miroslav Krupicka, Radio Prague, Prague, CR Radio Prague, the external service of Czech (public) Radio, was established 70 years ago. It targets audience outside the Czech Republic including the large Czech ex-patriate community around the world. Radio Prague´s half hour programs in six languages provide up to date news and current affaire programs on Czech politics, economics, sport and culture 24 hours a day 365 days a year. The programs are accessible on a number of platforms across the world: on shortwave, on the Internet www.radio.cz, via satellite and on some local radio stations. All internet users can subscribe to free Radio Prague daily news. There are many ex-pats among its 10 000 subscribers. Radio Prague also runs a special website for ex-pats www.krajane.net.

A growing number of ex-pat radios of are supplied with Radio Prague´s program. Since the early 1990s Radio Prague has been producing music, news and features for WCEV 1450 AM Radio (Chicago, USA), Radio SBS Sydney and Melbourne (Australia), 4EB Ethnic Radio Brisbane (Australia), Czechoslovak Club Radio Adelaide (Australia) and Radio Daruvar (Croatia). Later contacts were established with Radio Timisoara (Rumania) and Radio Bela Crkva (Serbia). Most recently cooperation was started with Radio Zitomir (Ukraine) and Radio Slonce (Serbia). In 2005 Radio Prague produced 184 hours of programs for ex-pat radio stations.

Northrop Frye's "Critical Path" in Perspective Eva Dubska Kushner, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ont., Canada. Northrop Frye became known internationally as a literary theoretician in the sixties, primarily because of his "Anatomy of Criticism", which not unlike Russian formalism and Czech structuralism affirms the specificity of the literary work: according to it literature forms in time and space a verbal realm for the imagination free of social causation. Yet literature has always responded to social needs and the literary critic must unravel this duality. It is in "The Critical Path" (1971) that Frye fully develops his philosophy of culture in his vision of the interaction of "mythos" and "logos", applicable to all literatures and also open to many objections.

Culture and Economic Evolution Oldrich Kyn, Boston University, Boston, MA The relations between the Culture of a nation and its economic evolution is neither obvious nor was it sufficiently researched. The Marxist tradition saw the culture to be a “superstructure” over the economic basis. That implied a one directional influence of the economy on the culture. This paper will attempt to show, that the effect goes in both directions. The first part will investigate some cases from the time of Charles IV to the time of Austro-Hungarian Empire. The second part will be concerned with developments between the WWI and WWII. The third part will cover the creation and problems of the Soviet-type economic system after WWII. Finally the last part will give a more detailed analysis of the situation in 1960’s.

The Effects of Globalization Vladimir Kysucky, RFMH, Inc., New York, NY Globalization has substantial consequences for cultures and societies. This paper explores ambiguous relationship between globalization and young people, examines current globalizing processes, and estimates their effects in the future. While young people are often the most adept representatives of global converging forces, they are also most exposed to their negative impacts. In this analysis, a particular attention is paid to the economic forces and to the role of information and communication technologies that drive contemporary social and cultural dynamics. The assessment of these phenomena provides insights in globalization’s contradictions and in its implications on various groups of young people. Finally, the paper offers views on future developments and suggests responses to current challenges.

Financial Risk Management in Central European Region Vladimir Kysucky, RFMH, Inc., New York, NY This paper summarizes characteristics of financial management in Central Europe from international standpoint. It focuses on specific aspects of capital budgeting, use of financing instruments, risk measurement and mitigation. Given historical background and transformation developments of the last decade, Central European region poses peculiar challenges to international investments. This paper analyzes factors of economic exposure, and suggests optimal approaches to designing successful financial strategies. In particular, the analytical emphasis is placed upon country risk measurement and management. In response to risks and their possible adverse impacts on project’s cash flows, the paper considers special financing vehicles that may enhance protection and increase investment value. The conclusion draws on strategic visions on Central Europe and its position in the global economy.

Milan Kundera in a Global Context Linda Lang-Peralta, Metropolitan State College of Denver, Denver, CO

When Milan Kundera left his homeland and immigrated to France, he joined the ranks of writers living in exile who write about their homes. Although they are associated with the nations of their births, they may not be well received there for various reasons as they establish world-wide reputations and influence that transcend national boundaries. This paper will compare Kundera's position in the

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global literary context with other novelists from different locations but in similar positions, such as Jamaica Kincaid and V. S. Naipaul. Although all three of these writers choose the novel as a primary means of expression, Kundera affords this genre a special place in European literary history: "that precious essence of the European spirit is being held safe as in a treasure chest inside the history of the novel, the wisdom of the novel" (The Art of the Novel).

The Language of Karel Havlícek Borovský Ellen Rosenbaum Langer, University of California, Berkeley, CA Karel Havlícek Borovský wrote in an era in which the very act of writing in Czech was a political statement. His writing demonstrates a keen linguistic as well as political sensibility, and he helped shape the language and tone of Czech journalism and political polemic. The present paper addresses the shaping of Havlícekek's own language, both through external influences and through his own continuing quest for clear and vigorous forms of expression. It focuses first on Havlícek's writings on the meanings of individual words, polemics on the semantics of politics and the politics of semantics. It then looks at general syntactic and stylistic features of his writing as it evolved. Lastly, it looks at variations and trends in his usage of specific words, phrases, and grammatical forms. The paper focuses on Havlícek's awareness of the significance of polysemy and the subtle value of variation in the nature of the sign.

In Our Faces: Visual Assault on the Streets of Prague. The Story of a Project on Advertising Degrading to Women in the Czech Republic Beth Lazroe, University of New York in Prague and Academy of Music and Art (FAMU), Prague, CR Visual Assault is the only term that can describe the experience of viewing the degrading images of women, shown as objects of sexual use and fantasy that daily bombard the residents of Prague and other Czech cities, including their children.

As these images dominate not only billboards, tram and bus shelters, and metro (subway) advertising but also the majority of Czech media, one does not see this type of representation once or twice, but many times during a day and dozens or even hundreds of times a week.

They deny women space to express their own needs, individuality or subjectivity and instead pressure them to feel they must conform to pre-set criteria of character, appearance and behavior; they are therefore equally as damaging to men. The distortion and oversimplification, combined with their frequency and dominance of public and media spaces, work with a subliminal immediacy that is difficult, if not impossible, to dislodge.

While the concurrent issue of the trafficking of women is global in scope, its specificity to the Czech Republic is that the subject is virtually taboo here and that the public generally consider the victims of trafficking in and through this country to be responsible for their own situations. When such an attitude is inculcated by the society in this way, Czech women and girls become especially vulnerable as potential victims of trafficking, with the resulting denial of human and civil rights, loss of freedom of movement, and brutal treatment.

This ongoing representation has resulted in the photographic exhibition In Our Faces, which was shown, together with a conference and national and international media attention, in September 2005 at the Prague City Hall in the Old Town Square. Large-scale photographs compiled over a 5-year period, documenting effects of these images in public spaces, were shown on 2 floors. The exhibition has since been made available to groups and organizations worldwide who wish to organize or co-ordinate events surrounding these issues. While this exhibition has the quality of a work of art in its own right, its primary aims are to a)to provide a catalyst for awareness regarding the effect of this type and volume of gender advertising in the Czech Republic and its impact on society; b)to stimulate discussion of relationships between: this type of advertising and the trafficking of women in and through the Czech Republic; media and democracy, especially pornography or degrading representation and free speech; and c) to show viewers how Prague may look both to non-residents and to future generations.

Time is Money: The Substitutability of Charitable Donations and Volunteer Time Daniel M. Leeds and Michael A. Leeds, Temple University, Philadelphia, PA It is commonly accepted that time spent on leisure imposes a cost to the individual. The cost is the money that person could have earned had s/he worked instead. We apply this principle to the sphere of charity. People who volunteer their time sacrifice the income they could have earned by working or the goods and services they could have produced through home production. Economic theory predicts that, ceteris paribus, people with high wages will make more monetary donations and volunteer less of their time while people with large non-labor income will volunteer more of their time to charity. We test these hypotheses using data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics.

The Effect of Tariffs on the Steel Industry Eva Marikova Leeds, Moravian College, Bethlehem, PA Prior to 2001, integrated steel producers, such as Bethlehem Steel, suffered from a sustained increase in steel imports. To raise steel prices, the Bush administration requested, and the U.S. International Trading Commission (USITC) approved, three-year tariffs on steel imports, which went into effect in March 2002. Perceived as unfair by the rest of the world, the tariffs were declared illegal

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by the World Trade Organization (WTO). After both the European Union and Japan threatened to impose retaliatory tariffs, President Bush backed down and repealed the tariffs in December 2003.

The economics literature has not evaluated the effects of these tariffs either on the steel industry or on industries affected by the tariffs, such as auto and appliance makers. Using data from The Center for Research in Security Prices, I apply the event study methodology to examine if the tariffs helped the steel industry. I compare the returns steel makers posted with the tariffs with those they would have posted without them. Similarly, I examine whether steel users were hurt by the tariffs.

Masaryk and the Jews Melanie Leeds, Hamilton College, Hamilton, NY Tomas Garrigue Masaryk was a daring and outspoken supporter of Czech and Slovak Jews. Masaryk’s famous denunciation of the blood libel in 1899 won him the devotion of Jews around the world, particularly because he was one of the few political figures in Europe to openly denounce anti-Semitism. However, Masaryk’s sympathy for the Jews and his fierce nationalism often led to conflicting policies. For example, Masaryk openly admired the Zionist cause, but he also expressed the belief that the Jews should not leave the Czech and Slovak lands. He felt that they should and help build the Czechoslovak state. I show that the apparent contradictions actually reflect Masaryk’s shrewdness as a politician. He recognized that the Jews could be key allies in his fight for an independent Czechoslovak nation. However, he also realized that he had to limit his displays of support for the Jews so as not to isolate the greater Christian population.

Research: The Cornerstone of the University John M Lehman, Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University, Greenville, NC The University has a tripartite mission to teach and train the next generation, develop new information, and technology for the future, which are conveyed to the students in the classroom and laboratory defined as research and provide service to the community. As an example in health related areas, University research programs over the years have provided major discoveries, which have defined, led to an understanding of disease processes which has modified the disease outcomes to the benefit of the patient. However over the years maintaining research has been a challenge due to increasing costs. Therefore what are the approaches and resources that are necessary for the University to initiate support and maintain their research programs? These and other issues will be presented and discussed in the context that research is a necessary component of the University mission.

Rethinking Education. The Reception of Comenius and the Reform Pedagogy in Germany, 1760-1790 Heikki Lempa, Moravian College, Bethlehem, PA Between 1760 and 1790 a generation of Central European educators launched a radical reform of traditional pedagogy. Johann Bernhard Basedow, Joachim Heinrich Campe, Christian Gotthilf Salzmann, Christian Andre, Johann Christoph Friedrich GutsMuths, and many others established reform schools, published journals, and, most importantly, created complete libraries of school books to promote their vision. All these projects were based on the conviction that education should be hands-on, practical, and enjoyable. In other words, education should be inspired by the anthropological vision of the goodness of human, by everyone's unlimited educability.. In the scholarship, the roots of this educational reform movement have been traced to John Locke and, above all, Jean- Jacques Rousseau, whereas far less attention has been paid to Jan Amos Komensky who, as the towering figure of the non- traditional education, was omnipresent in the eighteenth-century education. My paper will explore the traces of Komensky in the educational thinking and practices of Basedow, Campe, Salzmann, and GutsMuths. I argue that the educational reform movement in Central Europe between 1760 and 1790 was a modified continuation of the Comenian legacy.

Profiles of Perfusion and Metabolic Abnormalities in Patients at Risk of Cardiac Sarcoidosis with Stress and Rest Rubidium-82 and F-18 Fluorodeoxyglucose PET

J Machac, P Lu, O Almeida, C Caracta, L DePalo, M Iannuzzi, A Teirstein. Divisions of Nuclear Medicine and Pulmonary, Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY Objectives: Cardiac involvement by sarcoidosis may result in arrhythmias, ventricular dysfunction, and sudden death, and is often unsuspected. The purpose of this study was to determine the frequency of cardiac perfusion and glucose metabolic abnormalities with PET imaging and relate these abnormalities to extracardiac inflammatory changes and LV function.

Methods: 121 patients with systemic sarcoidosis and suspected cardiac sarcoidosis underwent gated resting and pharmacological stress Rb-82 PET perfusion imaging and glucose-loaded F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET imaging. Segmental perfusion defects and FDG uptake were graded. FDG uptake in lymph nodes and pulmonary parenchyma were also graded. Frequency of perfusion defects and myocardial FDG uptake were related to LV function and extracardiac FDG uptake.

Results: Of 121 patients, 34% showed abnormalities in rest perfusion, 42% in stress perfusion, 67% in stress or perfusion. Increased FDG uptake was seen in 58%, FDG defects in 61%, and LVEF <50% in 27%. 50% of patients had increased extracardiac FDG uptake: 26% in pulmonary parenchyma and 35% in lymph nodes. Cardiac abnormalities were not significantly related to extracardiac FDG uptake. Reduced LVEF was most closely related to perfusion abnormalities at rest and stress, matched or mismatched perfusion-FDG abnormalities, but not to increased FDG uptake.

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Conclusions: Majority of patients with systemic sarcoidosis and suspected cardiac involvement had abnormal rest and stress perfusion and FDG metabolic PET studies. Cardiac inflammation was common in, but did not correlate with extracardiac FDG uptake. LVEF was inversely related to perfusion defects or FDG defects, but not to inflammation. The prognostic significance of these findings remains to be demonstrated.

Strategies for Coordinating Academic and Popular Cultural Programs Related to Texas Czechs Clinton Machann, Texas A&M University, College Town, TX This paper analyzes relationships between academic and non-academic or “popular” scholarship in the field of Czech-American cultural studies, a topic that is crucial to the goals of the SVU as well as the NEH and other organizations that strive to improve communications between humanities scholars and members of the general public. After briefly examining the “cultural distance” in America between academics and the public in a general way, I will discuss specific instances involving Czech-American studies in which scholars interact with and help educate the public, emphasizing the complex relationships between language and culture, between history and genealogy, between “popular” and “serious” music. In my discussion, I will refer to CEFT programs that have been established at the University of Texas-Austin, Texas A&M University, and the University of North Texas, as well as the journal Kosmas.

The Past and Future of Transaction Cost Measurement Related to Environmental Policies Laura M. J. McCann, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO

In the past, transaction costs related to the design, implementation, and enforcement of environmental policies were seldom included in policy evaluation except at a theoretical level. Recently, there is more interest in measuring these costs so they can be included in empirical studies. A typology for transaction cost measurement and several examples of empirical studies will be presented. Changes in data collection that would be needed to facilitate routine measurement of transaction costs will be discussed. In addition, there is potential for better measures of transaction costs to allow a more careful analysis of the determinants of transaction costs. This information could be used to augment the theory of transaction cost economics which has been developed by Williamson and others.

Kde domov mùj? Relations between the Czech "Homeland" and the Banat Czech Community of Romania with Special Emphasis on Re-emigration Daniel Mair, University College London, School of Slavonic and East European Studies, London, UK This dissertation traces the history of the Banat Czech community’s inception in the 1820’s to the present day, and the relations between the Banat Czechs and the journalists, politicians, tourists, philanthropists and re-emigrants who flocked to the “orphaned Banat” Czech villages shortly after the fall of the Communist regimes. The activism of Czech nationalist, ecclesiastical and charitable organizations, Czech teachers, churchmen and travel companies are explored – and, most significantly, the Czech(oslovak) state itself. The phenomenon of re-emigration, as the most consequential manifestation of these relations, receives deserved emphasis. Moreover, as this dissertation constitutes the first scholarly contribution in English on the topic of the Banat Czechs (apart from the linguistic studies of Zdenek Salzmann), some attention is also devoted to various historical and cultural background issues.

Socioemotional Behavior and Autism: What Have we Learned from Experimental Studies of the Amygdala L. Malkova, Georgetown University, Washington, DC

Abnormalities in socio-emotional behavior are a characteristic feature of autism. This pathology coincides with abnormal development of the amygdala and related circuitry in a proportion of cases. In infant monkeys, ablations that included the amygdala (Am) resulted in severe and long-lasting disturbances (lack of social interactions, increased self-directed behaviors) with a striking resemblance to those seen in autism. Here we evaluated the effects of reversible drug manipulations of GABAA receptors within subdivisions of Am by intracerebral infusions of either GABAA agonists or antagonists on social interactions in juvenile macaques. Activation of basolateral subdivion of Am (BLA) by unilateral infusion of GABAA antagonist bicuculline (BMI) resulted in decrease of social interactions, with a complete loss of contact play, and in emergence of self-directed activities and active withdrawal. Inhibition of BLA by bilateral infusions of GABAA agonist muscimol (MUS) resulted in increase in social contact, especially in affiliative social interactions (e.g. grooming). In central nucleus, BMI infusion did not alter social contact whereas MUS infusion resulted in increase in social contact consisting mainly of passive contact. These results contribute to our long-term goal to identify the components of amygdala-based network that regulate socioemotional responses in primates, in order to account for imbalances that can give rise to autism in the absence of structural lesions.

Start-up Constraints in the Czech Republic Thaddeus Mallya and Kamil Sveda, Technical University of Brno, Brno, CR

This exploratory study discusses some of the constraints that influence entry into entrepreneurship in the Czech Republic. The study uses recent literature developments, information about capital access and real case study. The main issues discussed are the natural dispositions of entrepreneurs, capital access and structure of targeted market. The aim of the study is twofold: provide a

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basis for future arguments how new business ideas could be furnished in the Czech Republic and contribute to the literature on occupational choice, specifically entry into entrepreneurship.

Cultural Expression in Post-Communist Cinema:; Czech and Slovak Film Making since 1989 Susan Marcinkus, Manifest Films, Oak Park, IL My presentation will give an overview of contemporary Czech and Slovak cinema since 1989 and the cultural, historical, economic and political influences that factor into the current state of the art for both nations. A brief history of the rich legacy of CzechoSlovak film will be given, as it forms a vital basis for the emergence of the new. Since film is a visual and audio medium, I will illustrate and support my talk with film clips from the works of the film directors included in the presentation. I will discuss the apparent effects of communism’s downfall on the Czech and Slovak film culture. It has offered filmmakers the opportunity to look at the past and present with a new honesty, similar to circumstances that the CzechoSlovak New Wave directors of the 1960’s experienced. Yet the difficulties of adapting to the new system of capitalism have not made the transition an easy one. How smoothly has the transition gone for the filmmakers? The similarities of how both the Slovak and Czech directors dealt with the changes essentially ended with the “Velvet Divorce” of 1993. From 1989 to the present, we see that a pattern of mainstream international success has returned to Czech cinema with directors that have garnered prestigious international awards, including an Oscar and several (Oscar) nominations. Among some of the Czech directors discussed will be Jan Sverak, (Kolya, Dark Blue World), Jan Hrebejk, (Divided We Fall), Wiktor Grodecki, (Mondragora, Body without Soul), and Sasa Gedeon, (Indian Summer) will be discussed, as well as the recent works of some New Wave veterans - among them Vera Chytilova (Daisies) and others. Slovak post communist cinema will be discussed, as it’s compared and contrasted to the Czech. Its story, unfortunately, is less successful than its Czech counterpart. Under the nationalist autocratic leadership of Vladimir Meciar, film production fell to a bare minimum, despite his party’s promises to boost output. Only 2% of box office tickets sold in Slovakia were for Slovak films. Slovakia saw some of its most talented and productive filmmakers, such as Juraj Jakubisko, leave for the Czech Republic, where funding was more readily available. However this period has given rise to Slovakia’s newest directing star, Martin Sulik, with his succession of five new feature films, among them The Garden, Landscape, and Everything I Like. There had been a near disintegration of the film community in Slovakia leading into the new century, but things have begun to change with the impact of the new Bratislava Film Festival and government proposals for legislation that would increase the production of new features per year. Finally, since 2003, Slovakia has been getting help from the European Union’s Media Programme. I will speak of this and other hopeful signs that rumors of the death of Slovak cinema are indeed unfounded. Pictures from the Old Country Susan Marcinkus, Manifest Films, Oak Park, IL "Pictures From the Old Country" chronicles the filmmaker's quest to uncover the mysteries of her Slovak identity and heritage, after they had been lost behind the Iron Curtain and her family's secrecy. As a young girl growing up during the Cold War, she is curious about the "strange" language her grandmother is speaking and the enigma that shrouds her past. Fantasizing that Grandmother must be a communist spy, she begins to ask questions that are never fully answered. Years later as an adult, seeking answers to many of those same questions, she embarks on a journey that crosses continents and generations -- to learn about Slovakia, why her grandmother came to America, and who she left behind. With few clues to go on, she embarks on a journey of discovery. With the help of a genealogist, archivists, historians, and a film crew - she gradually fits together the pieces of the puzzle, telling the story of her grandmother and the history of her homeland. The filmmaker's sleuthing leads her to family she had never before known in a country that was facing its own identity crisis during the split of Czechoslovakia into two separate countries -- Slovakia and the Czech Republic. Along the way, not only does she gain a deeper understanding of her family roots, but discovers a beautiful land, a rich culture, and a profound sense of her own Slovak American identity.

Another American Voicing of the Silenced Theatre of Josef Topol Gail Humphries Mardirosian, American University, Washington, DC

During the summer of 2002, the American premiere of Czech playwright Josef Topol’s play, ‘Hour of Love. A Dream in a Play’, was presented at American University through the sponsorship of the Czechoslovak Society of Arts and Sciences for both American and Czechoslovak audiences. In the spring of 2006, American University faculty and students again explored the work of Topol for a staged reading of a new English translation by Vera Borkovec of his play ‘Cat on the Rails’. The play was presented for both American and Czechoslovak audiences at the Embassy of the Czech Republic. This paper explores the depth and breadth of the creative experience for the actors, as well as the impact of the work for the audience, with an analysis of the production process from conception to performance including audience reaction to the play. ‘Cat on the Rails’ is a fascinating play rich with double entendre and deceptively complex characters that echo with familiarity for all of us.

Stem Cell Therapy in Spinal Cord Injuries: Current Status and Long Term Perspective M. Marsala, University of California, San Diego, CA

Spinal cord ischemia represents a serious complication associated with surgeries on thoraco-abdominal aorta. Depending on the duration of the ischemia the resulting neurological deficit can be expressed as partial or complete loss of ambulatory function i.e. paraplegia. Experimental data shows that the mechanism of such a dysfunction is the result of a selective degeneration of spinal cord cells called inhibitory neurons. In recent studies we demonstrated that spinal transplantation of rat or human neurons in rats

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with ischemic paraplegia is associated with significant improvements in ambulatory function and suppression of otherwise increased muscle tone. This recovery of function corresponded with a long term survival of transplanted cells and development of functional connectivity with persisting host neurons. The data showing behaviorally relevant changes in spinal function suggest that a region specific grafting of neuronal precursor or fully postmitotic neurons will have therapeutic utility in patients suffering from spinal ischemia-induced spastic paraplegia.

In the Footsteps of the WHO – Rapid HIV Testing in America Eugen Martin, UMDNJ, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ Rapid HIV tests are widely available worldwide. In the United States, however, only 4 rapid HIV tests have FDA approval. In densely populated states such as New Jersey, efforts to control the spread of HIV depends increasing upon rapid testing in a multitude of venues including outreach centers, satellite facilities, hospital ERs, methadone clinics, perinatal clinics, and increasingly, mobile units. Unfortunately, as many as 30% of preliminary positive HIV clients fail to receive final results because of their unwillingness to return for a second visit and the goal of HIV awareness remains hostage to an aging confirmatory methodology – the Western blot. In some resource-poor countries, confirmatory testing by alternative rapid assays is also increasingly used. Between July 1, 2004 and Feb 28, 2005 13,500 rapid HIV tests were performed in New Jersey CTS locations identifying a total of 250 preliminary positive individuals. Traditional confirmatory testing by Western Blot identified 9 cases as discordant (.067%) i.e. a preliminary positive rapid test and a negative Western Blot. Utilizing residual serum samples available in the public health laboratory repository, alternative rapid HIV tests were performed using 3 other tests approved for use in the United States including: Multispot HIV-1/HIV-2 Rapid Test, MedMira Reveal Rapid HIV-1 Antibody Test, Uni-Gold. Two of the three alternative rapid tests (Trinity Uni- Gold (CLIA-waived) and MedMira Reveal (moderate-complexity, non-CLIA-Waived) successfully identified all nine discordant specimens as non-reactive. Of 355 Western blot confirmed rapid HIV specimens collected between July 1, 2004 and April 19, 2005, 100% concordance was obtained using all three of the available alternative rapid assays. Rapid HIV testing has become a major means of increasing awareness of HIV exposure in the United States. Annually, use of a confirming rapid test algorithm in New Jersey would allow an additional 91 HIV positive individuals to learn their definitive status and would assure a better linkage to health care for affected individuals.

AIDS: Current Status of Immunological Interventions in the Prevention of Infection J. Mestecky, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AL Everyday, approximately 15,000 individuals are infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), mostly by the mucosal (genital and intestinal) route. In contrast to other infectious agents such as the SARS virus, protective vaccine against HIV is not available despite 20 years of intensive effort. There are several possible reasons for this lack of success. HIV-associated antigens are not potent immunogens as those associated with other viruses; most importantly, HIV displays an enormous degree of variability so that immune responses induced become irrelevant. This is particularly due to the masking effect of sugars which cover otherwise accessible determinants of HIV-associated antigens. Furthermore, we still lack basic information concerning the correlates of protection (antibodies vs. cell-mediated immunity), which would ultimately focus vaccine development in a desired direction. It also became obvious that the source of antigens used in potential HIV vaccines greatly influences the induction of relevant responses, due to the variability in the protein folding and subsequent sugar attachment in cells from different species and organs. However, new vaccination approaches, including immunization with DNA encoding HIV antigens of broad reactivities may be exploited, together with immunization with virus-like particles, in the development of a successful HIV vaccine.

Some Remarks on the Question of the Academic Cooperation between the US and Slovak Institutions of Higher Education Dalibor Mikulas, Catholic University in Ruzomberok, Ruzomberok,, SR This paper deals with the major issues concerning the possibilities of the mutual cooperation between the US and Slovak institutions of higher education focusing on the student and teacher transfers/mobilities as well as on the participation in mutual scientific projects. All the major statements will be clarified and illustrated on the basis of the short-term experience of the Catholic University in Ruzomberok and the comparison with the system of mutual academic cooperation within the European Union.

Genetically Transformed Pink Bollworm and Paratransgenic Leafhoppers for Use in Crop Protection Thomas A. Miller, University of California, Riverside, CA Every 60 days a new pest comes into California. Examples are glassy-winged sharpshooter transmitting pathogens causing Pierce’s disease in grapevines; Tristeza virus and cottony cushion scale in citrus, beet leafhopper transmitting Curly Top virus and pink bollworm, a major cotton pest. Newer methods stemming from biotechnology allow tools to be developed to deal with these pests that have never before been available. Pink bollworm transformed with conditional lethal genes can supplement the sterile insect technique (SIT) aimed at controlling the spread of pink bollworm in California, and provide the first new technology for eradication of this pest in the western United States and adjacent cotton-growing areas of Mexico. Symbiotic control is a new field in which symbiotic organisms can be recruited for use in crop production or disease prevention. Candidate symbiotic control microbes are recruited from existing local crop, tree or landscape ecosystems; indeed, this is a requirement since symbionts must have a pre-existing biological relationship with the pest and host cycle to have any hope to operate in a competitive displacement paradigm. Several examples of symbiotic control include control of Pierce’s disease of grapevines, control of aflatoxin contamination of seed crops and even control of tooth decay in humans to demonstration the wide application of this new strategy.

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Because transgenic insects and symbiotic control are relative new strategies, examples are limited and the regulatory process has been cumbersome and restrictive mostly through lack of experience. This has the effect of blocking the development of newer methods for use on older agricultural problems for which there are no solutions, or worse solutions that call for large amounts of pesticide application and restrictive quarantine methods.

Foreign Market Entry: The Case of SMES in the Czech Republic Hamid Moini and František Kalouda, University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Whitewater, WI and Masaryk University, Brno, CR

The recent European Union (EU) expansion and the relatively rapid economic growth in some Central and Eastern European countries, such as Czech Republic, are generating great interest in the internationalization of small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) from that region. However, there are many impediments to international operations which make foreign expansion costly for SMEs. The purpose of this research is to design a framework in order to examine the propensities of SMEs in the Czech Republic to enter global markets and identify financial factors that impede their internationalization

What Were We Fighting for? B. J. Moravec, Toronto, Canada A lot of books and movies were produced extolling the heroism of Allied Forces. Because we won the war - we all must be heroes, n'est pas ? When in 1944 I was leaving Algiers to report to the regiment of Morocco Goumiers, at that time fighting in the mountains of southern Italy. I went to say Good-by to our old general Snejdarek, who, at that time lived in the city of Algiers. He told me I should be very pleased with this posting, because these Goums, as he called them, are one of the best fighting unit in French army. They come from Atlas Mountains and in this part of Italy, they will feel like at home. After a long look at me, he said I will have a good opportunity to be a hero. I do not remember his exact words but he stressed that there will be others, mostly unknown, without whose invisible hand I would never make it. That, I should keep in mind ! Well – I did not have enough time to become a hero. A month or so later I was resting comfortably in a US Army Field Hospital in Oran.

The Image of Women as Presented by the Media Jaroslav Moserova,* Czech Commission for UNESCO, Prague, CR I explained at several occasion the situation of women during the Communist regime. I explained that the political discrimination of non party members was so strong, that no other form of discrimination, for instance racial or sexual, was registered. I am happy to say that the situation of women is improving, though at a slow pace. Women are still under represented in the parliament, but their influence in political parties is slowly growing. What is petrifying the old prejudices are commercials in audiovisual media. It is always a woman who stands by a washing machine, who promotes some cleaning product for the household, while men are presented as managers and computer experts. In TV debates on current politics, women are rarely invited. On the other hand the script writers of TV entertainment are really doing a lot for the improvement of the image of the role of women. In many new films the boss is a woman, the judge is a woman. I am afraid they are almost over doing the good work they are doing by introducing women kick boxers and female killers. On the whole many of the creators of film and TV entertainment are a help. *We are saddened to report Dr. Moserova died on 24 March 2006.

Independent Schools: The Nature of Independence in Education. Jitka Mucha, Columbia Grammar and Preparatory School, New York, NY

A vital school should function like a teaching hospital where patients are cared for as well or better than anywhere else, and the professionals are constantly working together to reflect, document and refine their practices. Independent schools, more than public schools provide number of conditions that make the above goal achievable. However, there are situations inherent in the teaching environment that hinder the ideal culture of an independent school. Some are imbedded in the philosophy of autonomy of a teacher while others are part of the social and economic environment in which we educate our students. The author suggests that independence in education is a process that must be nurtured, and that independent schools can serve as models or workshops for public school education.

Networks and International Expansion: A study of Czech Entrepreneurial Firms Martina Musteen and Deepak K. Datta, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS and University of Texas at Arlington, Arlington, Texas 76019

Drawing on the international entrepreneurship and social networks literatures, our study examines whether international networks are preferred as a source of information about international markets by entrepreneurial ventures in the Czech Republic. In addition, we explore whether the use of network information sources affects the internationalization outcomes of such firms. We also investigate whether size and diversity of international networks contribute to internationalization performance. Our findings suggest that international networks are an important source of information and the diversity of such networks has a positive effect on internationalization of Czech firms.

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Canada's Ageing Population: Programs and Problems Bruce Mutch, Diocese of Toronto, Anglican Church of Canada, Toronto, Canada

Canada's social programs, developed in the main following the Second World War, provided a safety net against a lack of the basic necessities of life for all Canadians, and in particular they offered support for those who would otherwise have had to live on the margins of the social and cultural life of society due to such things as disability and unemployment. Of the many programs which were put in place over a 40 to 50 year period the two most important are: first, those which provide for a measure of financial support for seniors, and secondly, Canada's Health Care system which is a publicly funded Medicare system which covers medically necessary hospital and physician services to all citizens. Although these principal programs and yet other social programs are still in place most of them have been reduced during the last few years. At the moment, Canada's Health Care System, the social program considered the most crucial by the vast majority of citizens is facing serious challenges. Non-governmental organizations such as Canadian Pensioners Concerned (in which I participate) advocate for the retention and improvement of Canada's social programs. Comparisons with the Czech, Slovak and U.S. policies regarding senior support programs are needed.

Janácek’s Amarus: The Seeds of a Style John K. Novak, DeKalb, Northern Illinois University, IL

The Czech composer Leoš Janácek [1854-28] composed his cantata Amarus in 1897 after a long period of collecting and arranging folksongs and composing in folk style. The text is by the important Czech poet Jaroslav Vrchlický (1853-1912). Amarus is the first of Janácek’s pieces to turn away both from folk style as well as the Wagnerian style he previously adapted in Šárka. Instead, his new voice took shape in this work that contains in seminal form the techniques by which he was later to be recognized. The orchestration is new and colorful. His favorite keys and harmonies permeate the score, as does the slow harmonic rhythm associated with his later works. Speech-melody also provides material for the work. The chorus acts as Greek chorus in prediction to its role in his later cantatas and operas. In Amarus, Janácek foresees not only his own later style, but the direction that 20th-century composition was to be headed in general, including unresolved dominant sonorities, dissolution of harmonic function as well as the cellular and tectonic approach to texture also associated with Debussy and Stravinsky. Although Janacek’s style continued to evolve afterward, Amarus is truly the composer’s first modern work.

The Effect of Consumer Ethnocentrivity in the Emerging Market of Central Europe Louis I. Nzegwu, University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Platteville, WI

One of the most important changes taking place in the past decade has been the sudden rise of the emerging markets of the Central Europe. The globalization of market has created tremendous opportunities for companies to expand internationally, this sudden change has focused marketers attention on the importance of ethnocentrism and its implications for import purchase behavior. This paper will take a closer look at the ethnocentricity in the emerging markets of the Central Europe and its marketing implications.

State of the Art of the Slovak EntrepreneurshipP Martina Olejárová, Autonomous University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain

Based on the literature review and the officially accessible data about small and medium sized enterprises (SMEs), the work plans to shed light onto the state of the art of the Slovak entrepreneurship. The study analyzes the developments within the SME sector, its international activities, and shows the specific characteristics of the SMEs from the communist period to present time.

A Look at the Treatment of Sciatica (Ischias) in Slovakia and the US. Jan Oravetz, Headache Clinic, Tacoma, WA Sciatica (ischias) is a popular name given to a common affliction affecting adults of all ages, but mostly in their mid-age. Medically it is known as “lumbar radiculopathy” and its main cause is a ruptured vertebral disc (“slipped disc”)with protrusion of its nucleus into the spinal canal with pressure and other effects on the roots of the ischiatic nerve. The author discusses usual treatments of this problem as practiced in Slovakia and the USA, with particular attention given to the epidural steroid injection (ESI). On the example of a particularly successful case he debates the merits of this procedure advocating its more widespread use.

SVU Nebraska Chapter Cathleen M. Oslzly, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, Nebraska The SVU Nebraska Chapter was founded in August 2001 by the organizing members of the 2001 SVU North American Conference that was held in Lincoln the same month. It seemed fitting to form a chapter after we had been so successful with our organizing of a

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conference that some people still talk about! We also coordinated the 2003 SVU North American Conference that was held in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and which was also a big success.

The Nebraska chapter is closely affiliated with the Czech Komensky Club at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln which is a student organization. We work together on many projects of interest to both groups. We are working hard to involve the young people in Nebraska in their heritage and culture.

We sponsor lectures, movies, dinners, banquets, cultural events, and scholarships for students taking Czech language at UNL. Whenever there is something going on in Nebraska that relates to Czech or Slovak issues, the SVU Nebraska chapter is involved as well. Our SVU Nebraska Chapter feels it is important that Czechs and Slovaks, both at home and abroad, know that our heritage and culture are alive and thriving in the heartland of America.

When Worlds Unite: The Alliance of Graft and Host in the War against Neurodegenerative Diseases J. Ourednik, Iowa State University, Ames, IA

In recent years, the interest in neural development and plasticity has increased tremendously and a wide variety of strategies and techniques have been developed and applied in this scientific field. They include also neurotransplantation which has become one of the modern strategies of choice in both basic and applied neuroscience and helps answering questions concerning cell proliferation, differentiation, programmed cell death, and target-oriented migration in the CNS as well as the formation of neural circuitry, immune response of the CNS, and the design of new therapies. We have been exploring the possibility that fetal organotypic explants and neural stem cells may – in addition to cell replacement and gene transfer - exert a therapeutic influence upon damaged host CNS tissue in transplantation paradigms by an under-appreciated third mechanism – their inherent capacity to promote a regenerative response in the host. We postulate that this action is actually a fortunate byproduct of fundamental aspects of stem cell behavior in developing neural tissue.

Lessons from the Niche: What Brain Development Teaches us about Stem-cell-based Therapy Design V. Ourednik, Iowa State University, Ames, IA

One of the fundamental findings in recent restorative neuroscience research is the fact that even the adult central nervous system has dormant regenerative potential and the capacity to maintain specialized areas retaining the ability to generate new nerve and glial cells. These neurogenic or stem cell niches resemble in many ways the germinative zones in the developing prenatal brain, with similar cellular and humoral components creating a homeostatic milieu for undifferentiated neural stem cells to multiply and thrive.

In recent transplantation experiments, where cultured neural stem cells have been transferred into the diseased newborn and adult brain, it became evident that these donor cells are able of maintaining many of the characteristics of endogenous stem cells seeding and sculpting the developing central nervous system. Intriguingly, they were also found making attempts to recreate a local environment, with active participation of bystander host cells, that would resemble in its homeostasis-sustaining and protective character that of the specialized neurogenic niches. All these features, finally, accompanied rescue and/or protection of host neural cells by the donor elements and helped to partially re-establish functional host circuitry. A better understanding of the cellular and molecular principles underlying the special features of the neurogenic niche and their recreation and adaptation for specific diseases should therefore become an essential part of future therapy designs employing neural stem cells for treatment of neuropathologies.

New Imaging Strategies in Diagnostic Localization of Endocrine Tumors Karel Pacak, Reproductive Biology and Medicine Branch, NICHD, NIH, Bethesda, MD Tumors of endocrine tissue differ from most other tumors in that their functional characteristics can produce large clinical effects despite small size. Conventional imaging methods (e.g. CT and MRI) can fail to visualize such tumors or their metastases and do not depict their specific endocrine nature. Endocrine tumor cells take up hormone precursors, express receptors and transporters, and synthesize, store and release hormones. Novel imaging techniques are now exploiting these characteristics, and with functional information derived from images, helping to define or predict histological features, identify metastases, guide therapy, and evaluate therapeutic responses. Combinations of imaging approaches, especially with data from positron emission tomographic (PET) scanning, are providing increasingly accurate diagnosis. For example, recently developed techniques for imaging pheochromocytomas and carcinoid tumors take advantage of the specific amine precursor uptake and decarboxylation pathways and storage systems that characterize these tumors. Another basis for visualization of endocrine tumors by PET scanning is binding to receptors. Binding of octreotide to somatostatin receptors found on various endocrine tumors illustrate this type of application. Expression of specific nuclear receptors provides another potential target for the development of PET agents. Future applications will increasingly exploit cell type-specific functional characteristics of endocrine tumor cells, to visualize transporters, cell membrane and nuclear receptors, enzymes, and even gene expression.

In Gustav Mahler‘s Footsteps in the Czech Lands Milan Palák, Ostrava, CR

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• Gustav Mahler - spots in Bohemia connected with the origin of the Mahlers and Gustav´s youth: Chmelná (Chmelna), Lipnice (Lipnitz), Ledeč (Ledetsch), Kaliště (Kalischt), Jihlava (Iglau); • Gustav Mahler - spots in Bohemia connected with the beginning of his musical future: Moravany (Morawan), Cheb (Eger), Želiv (Selau), Vlašim (Wlaschim); • Gustav Mahler - spots in Bohemia and Moravia related to his career: Olomouc (Olmütz), Brno (Brünn), Hodonín (Göding). • Gustav Mahler´s footsteps in these places and their present-day state. • Mahler´s immediate and postal connections with Czech-birth singers and composers: E. Destinnová, V. Heš, L. Demuth, B. Foersterová - Lautererová; J. B. Foerster, A. Dvořák. L. Janáček, K. Weiss.

In Gustav Mahler´s Footsteps in Bohemia and Mahler´s Czech Contacts Milan Palak, Ostrava, CR

Contents: Gustav Mahler ancestors in Bohemia. Gustav´s youth in Jihlava. A short "excursion" in GM´s footsteps in Bohemia and Moravia. Czech impulses in GM´s works. Contacts with Czech and Czech-birth artists (E. Destinnova, W. Hesch, L. Demuth; A. Roller, A. Dvorak, L. Janacek, etc.). In my speech I would like to remember Stuart Feder, M.D., too, whom I met five years ago just in Jihlava.

Theory vis-a-vis Experiment: Computing Molecular Properties from First Principles Josef Paldus, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, Ont., Canada

While in the early days of physical sciences there was little difference between the theoretical and experimental activities of physicists and chemists, one could not find today but a few scientists who simultaneously pursue both activities. The division between the experimental and theoretical work occurred first in physics and only much later in chemistry, where it was prompted primarily by the advent of quantum mechanics and its application to problems of molecular structure within the realm of chemical physics. This division led initially to a certain rivalry between the experimental and theoretical disciplines, and the inability of the theory to match highly accurate measurements or to make reliable predictions often led to depreciating or even disparaging remarks by experimentalists. However, this rivalry eventually developed into a present day fruitful collaboration, primarily thanks to the availability of modern computing technology that enabled a great progress in the field of theoretical chemistry in general, and quantum chemistry in particular. Indeed, an interpretation of numerous experimental results - particularly those obtained with the help of modern laser techniques - and numerous exploitations of molecular electronic structure calculations ranging from astrophysics to pharmacology, would not be possible without the plethora of theoretical techniques of today’s computational chemistry. In my contribution I will present a brief historical outline of these developments as well as of the status quo.

Freud, the psychoanalysis and the science in the Czech Republic Hana Papezová and Jana Kocourková, Charles University Medical School, Prague, CR

As a medical doctor, trained in psychiatry, neurology and physiology, he founded his world famous method of psychoanalytic treatment based on the technique of free associations and the explanation of dreams. Despite the Freud early childhood relation to the region the development of psychoanalysis in the former Czechoslovakia has been delayed in comparison with other European countries. First analytical work has been published in 1915 by Stuchlik and first lectures on psychanalysis at the Prague Medical School were given by Osipov in 1923, In 1936 first Czechoslovak Psychoanalytical Association was founded.

The psychoanalysis was suppresed during all totalitarian periods of the last century and had more enemies than followers (Bondy 1932,1987). A large proportion of population (even part of medical professionals) still imagine psychoanalysis as a strange procedure with a patient lying on the coach and telling stories to the strange analyst who ask for large sums of money (while in the US they believe everybody has his own psychoanalyst).

Psychoanalysis survived totalitarian systems and the European celebration of Freud s 150. birthday brings us the opportunity to reflect his contribution and impact to clinical practice and research in psychiatry and neurosciences of evidence-based era.

Hana Volavková on Czech and Jewish Art Arno Pařík, Jewish Museum in Prague, Prague, CR

Hana Volavková (9.5.1904 Jaroměř–29.3.1985 Prague) is well known to experts and the general public as the author of numerous publications about leading Czech artists of the nineteenth century, first and foremost Josef Mánes, Mikoláš Aleš, Max Švabinsky, J. V. Myslbek, Viktor Barvitius, along with other Czech art personalities. Her interest in the relationship between art and literature led her to a new appreciation of the creative illustrations of M. Aleš as also J. Mánes, and to studies that revealed the graphic content of the poetic imagination of K.H.Mách and the inspiring influence on Antonín Mánes in contemporary poetry. An equally outstanding contribution was her analysis of nineteenth-century Czech art criticism. It is necessary also to recall her wealth of art criticism and reviews, as well as the attention she devoted to questions of methodology in art history in the works of W. Hofmann, K. Badt, E. Panowsky, E.H.Gombrich.

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Less well known are Hana Volavková’s many-sided scholarly accomplishments in the field of the history of Jewish art and monuments in Bohemia and Moravia. She came to this area as a result of the racial persecution during the Nazi occupation of the Czech lands, and from then on, she devoted to it her entire endeavors at the Jewish Museum, resuming after the war. As the sole survivor of the Museum’s senior staff, after returning from concentration camp she set herself the difficult goal of continuing the conservation, restoration, and dignified presentation of this precious heritage, looking on it as a trust bequeathed her by her murdered colleagues and as an effort to commemorate the Jews of the Czech lands who were victims of Nazi genocide. She conceived her task as a long-term program that extended over every area of Jewish culture, history and art. Through the difficult conditions of the ensuing period, as director of the Jewish Museum her many-faceted scholarly research, publications and organizing work laid the foundations for continuing research and for the deeper understanding of the rich legacy of Jewish culture in Bohemia and Moravia, to which we are connected still today.

Gajda Revisited B. Pasternak, Hoover Institution Archives, Stanford University, Stanford, C

In the fall of 1918 the Czechs no longer believed they could beat the Bolsheviks and their Red Army. Cruel winter conditions, the Red Army counter-offensive and heavy losses resulted in low discipline and mutinies. The Legion’s fighting morale was destroyed by the news of an armistice in the West, and by the establishment of an independent Czechoslovak Republic on October 28, 1918. On his return to the Urals, Rudolf Gajda took over the command of the Legion, and became preoccupied with his mission to restore army discipline and food supplies.

A rare handmade leather-bound photo album captures the crucial events in the life of Gajda’s 2nd Division. The album is a real jewel among the Hoover Institution Archives’ many historical documents. The purpose of this talk is to share some of the beauty with the audience and present this unique proof of human creativity and endurance.

Major Advances in Child Health in Last 50 Years Bipin Patel, Children’s Hospital, St. Peter’s University Hospital, New Brunswick, NJ Child health has seen a major transformation for the good at a very rapid pace in the last few decades. This advancement has seen a major improvement in neonatal, infant and childhood mortality and morbidity. The root causes of these changes are multifaceted with the tremendous boost given by technology, scientific research and public health advancement.

Major advancement in prevention of childhood illnesses by developing vaccines against them has been a single most major reason why we do not see the ravages of measles, whooping cough and other equally bad diseases. The talk will address these issues. Also the children in the western world have access to an amazing system of care for provisions of preventive care, emergency care and high end tertiary care services. New discoveries of drugs and innovative modalities to treat children continue to treat seemingly untreatable conditions have given hope to many more. The talk will cover disease entities rarely seen today and discuss some new emerging morbidities.

The Role of the Bohemian Nobility in the Court of Elizabeth of Habsburg, Widowed Queen of France, 1576-92 Joseph F. Patrouch, Florida International University, Miami, FL This paper will build upon the one which I delivered at the SVU World Congress in Olomouc in 2004. That paper, „Dowager Queen Alzbeta (1554-1592): From the Religious Wars in France to Prague,“ sketched some of the activities of the Habsburg archduchess Elizabeth as she moved between the worlds of Vienna, Paris, and Prague in the tumultuous later sixteenth century. This paper will concentrate on the composition of the widowed queen’s court during the time of her residency in Prague and Vienna. It will be shown how Dowager Queen Elizabeth’s court served as a nexus of international influence which included representatives from Bohemia as well as many other parts of the Holy Roman Empire, Poland, and France. The paper will attempt to tie this analysis to recent scholarship in queenship and female rule in early modern Europe, as well as to the increasingly significant fields of court and patronage studies. Sources to be used are drawn primarily from the estate records of Elizabeth to be found today in Vienna’s Haus- Hof- und Staatsarchiv.

Texas Czech Sesquicentennial Richard Pavlasek, Austin, TX Richard B. Pavlasek is the founding and charter member of two Czech societies In Texas, the Czech Heritage Society of South Texas in Corpus Christi, Texas and the Travis-Williamson Counties Czech Heritage Society (TWCCHS) located in Austin, Texas. After serving two terms as president of the TWCCHS, Richard is now serving as a Trustee of the Society and also as Director of the Texas Polka Music Museum. He lives and works as a Texas realtor in Austin, Texas. Last year, here in Texas, we celebrated 150 years of the Czechs coming to Texas in 1855. We came early and secured some of the finest black-land farms all across the state. Several of our communities adopted names from our European ancestors in the old country, such as Praha, Moravia, Komensky, Zabcikville, Frenstat and Frydek. Education and hard work was the key to our success. You will hear Richard describe the great strides that we accomplished with out fellow countrymen.

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Exploring Czech Families of Immigrants 100 Years Later: Those Who Remained in their "Old World" Ancestral Villages and Those Who Were Raised in the "New World," America. Marie Pearson, Southside Virginia Czech/Slovak Heritage Society, Hopewell, VA Not everyone who immigrated from the Banat Czech villages in Romania to America during the largest wave of Eastern European immigrations, which did not end until 1915, left with intact families. Sometimes only one sibling in a large family remained in the homeland village while the rest of the entire family immigrated to begin a new life in America. Those descendents who assimilated themselves into the American way of life at the turn of the century have experienced rapid changes from the agricultural and industrial revolutions in the states to the present technological transformations now in progress not only in America but seemingly all over the world. Those who remained in the villages have maintained an agrarian lifestyle that is much the same as when their family and neighbors left for America. Recently a small group of descendents of the Banat Czechs who immigrated from the village Girnic in Romania, to settle in the Virginia farmlands, located their ancestral villages and made a journey to Girnic to reunite with those remaining family members and to explore the homeland of their forefathers. This study explores the cultural, societal, environmental, and economical differences that were noted between the American and Romanian Czech families.

Bozena Nemcová, an Early Feminist Margaret Hermánek Peaslee, Camp Hill, PA

Examining the life of Bozena Nemcová, Czech authoress, we find a woman who lived life passionately, and who was not afraid to challenge social and political attitudes of the time. There is much more to this woman than appears in cursory biographies. Bozena and her husband, Josef, shared one passion, they were staunch Czech patriots during the period when their people were struggling for liberation from the Austrian yoke. Their friends were intellectuals—writers, philosophers, a physician, a linguist - individuals with equally strong nationalistic feelings and whose common interest was preservation of the Czech national heritage. As a writer, Bozena Nemcová represents for the Czech people a symbol of the glory and sufferings of the nation and a redeemer and protector of Czech heritage. As a woman, Bozena yearned for personal freedom and the right to pursue her own intellectual talents. . Logistics of a Study Abroad Program Margaret Hermánek Peaslee, Camp Hill, PA

Foreign travel can provide college students with a broad base of knowledge ranging from geography to sociology to economics and to politics. It also nurtures an appreciation for another culture, for another civilization with deep artistic and intellectual roots and provides an awareness of the role of the individual in a civil society. Study Abroad Programs in the Czech Republic through the University of Pittsburgh at Titusville (UPT) began with the first group of two faculty members and three students in 2003 and reached a high point of participation with four faculty members and 16 students in 2005. The itineraries for the three UPT programs were patterned after experiences provided by the World Congresses of the SVU and included such cities as Prague, Brno, Plzen, and Olomouc. Students could earn college credit by selecting from courses based upon the rich resources of the Czech Republic. This paper will explore the planning and execution of a successful program.

What is the Future of the European Union? Jiri Pehe, New York University in Prague, Prague, CR

After the rejection of the European Constitution in France and the Netherlands, the European Union finds itself at a cross roads. If the Union is to function with 27 states (after Bulgaria and Romania join in 2007) it needs to make its decision-making mechanisms more flexible. The European Constitution was supposed to achieve that. At this point it seems, however, that the Constitution cannot be revived. Some European leaders speak of "cherry-picking"--that is salvaging, in a new document, at least those parts of the Constitution that were to govern decision-making. Other European leaders propose to start a completely new debate. Some even argue that the EU, in its current form, is not functional and needs to be reconstructed.

This debate is accompanied by a debate about further enlargement. Should the EU admit new members at a time when it is not sure about its own direction? And if so, should it admit states that are culturally very different from the EU's current members? In particular, is the admission of Turkey desirable?

In general: where is the EU headed? Will there be more political integration after the EU overcomes its current problems? Or has integration gone too far? What about new members? When will they adopt the common European currency? Is the adoption of Euro beneficial for new market economies? What role should new members play in the EU? We can see different approaches on part of individual Central European states. Does this mean the end of the so-called Visegrad group?

The Baroque Theatre at the Castle of Cesky Krumlov Peter Perina, Dalhousie University, Halifax, N.S., Canada. Records of public theatre performances in Krumlov date back to the 16th century. During the 17th. century, for a period of about twenty years, professional actors were hired by the Eggenberg Court, castle owners of that time, to perform in the theatre at the castle. That theatre was torn down in 1763 and in its place the Schwarzenbergs, new lords of the castle, using the footprint of the

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previous theatre, built a new baroque theatre in 1766.This theatre was used primarily by the owners, their guests and friends on special occasions. In the 19th century the theatre was rented to traveling theatre companies up until 1892 when it was permanently closed. In 1960 the theatre was reopened by South Bohemian Theatre and used in the summer for opera and ballet performances until 1967 when it was shut down for renovations. It was reopened to the public for visits in 1996. It has unique, large collection of decorations, props, lighting instruments and costumes. Its importance, as one of two surviving baroque theatres in Europe, considering that in the 18th century there were about one thousand similar theatres on the continent, is fundamental for the understanding of court life of 18th century.

Religious Pluralism among Czech Immigrants to Texas: Critiquing the Narrative of American Catholic History Sharon Kapavik Perkins. University of Dayton, Dayton, OH

In recent years, historical and scholarly treatments of the American Catholic story have highlighted a variety of recurrent themes including anti-Catholic prejudice, Irish and German Catholic institutional hegemonies, the effect on the American religious landscape of large-scale immigration from southern and Eastern Europe, the emergence of a vigorous Roman Catholic subculture, and gradual religious assimilation and Americanization. A significant subtext throughout this narrative is the persistent interconnectedness between American politics and Anglo-Protestant culture, a reality which complicates in practice—for Catholics as well as other religious groups—the noble ideals of American religious liberty. While the confluence of local histories and primary source materials would seem to provide ample support for the Anglo-Protestant narrative overall, closer examination of alternate local histories tell a more nuanced tale. The religious description of Czech immigrants to Texas from about 1850-1920 is just such an account, for it is marked by historical paradox, unique religious institutional developments, and socio-economic factors that make it distinctive among narratives of religion in America. This paper will emphasize those distinctions by examining the concurrent immigration of Czech Catholics and Protestants to the state of Texas and the relationships between the two communities as they entered the American economic and religious milieu. In particular, it will investigate the mitigating factors of a mutually contentious religious history in Europe, the setting of a rural agrarian economy, the persistent use of the Czech language, a shared Czech nationalism, and the emergence of unique religious institutions made possible by American linereligious liberty.

Theatrical Performance in the Terezín Ghetto: "Escapism" as Survival Strategy Lisa Peschel, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, MN

Cultural activities during the Holocaust have been made worthy of discussion through their classification as "spiritual resistance" or "triumph of the human spirit," but my work with survivors of the World War II Jewish ghetto at Terezín (in German, Theresienstadt) suggests that these phrases better represent what we want to hear than what they have to say. I argue that the notion of "spiritual resistance" effectively erases functions of performance that do not seem "resistant" to us but that, according to survivors, had tremendous value: functions such as the desire for temporary escape or the desire to give and experience pleasure.

I will discuss my analysis of four collections of survivor testimony regarding theatrical performance in Terezín, ranging from the immediate post-war period to my own interviews in 2000 and 2004-05. Preliminary results reveal that, across this span of time, survivors have described performance much more as a pragmatic survival strategy than as an expression of symbolic resistance against the Nazis. The roles they discuss fall roughly into three categories: "escapism" or attempts to forget temporarily the hardships of Terezín, "normalization" or attempts to bring elements of their pre-war lives into the ghetto itself, and "projection" or the active imagining of their post-Terezín future.

I will focus on the function perhaps most antithetical to notions of resistance that take the Warsaw Ghetto uprising as a model: "escapism." Through interpretation of specific passages in the survivor testimony I will address the questions: why do the survivors themselves feel that this activity, one that is rarely even acknowledged by scholars, was so valuable and so crucial to their survival?

Meeting the Hopi Indians, their Art and Culture - 1952 Zdenka Pospisil, Southern Connecticut State College, New Haven, CT In the summer of 1952 we lived with the Hopi Indians on their reservation in northern Arizona. It was a part of our last semester of study at the University of Oregon, completing our master’s degrees, my husband in anthropology and I in art and education. Under the thoughtful guidance of Professor Eduard Dozier, who himself was partially a Santa Clara Indian and related to the Hopi as well, we lived on the First Mesa as guests of his Indian relatives. Thus we were able to experience all the trials and tribulations of the Hopi Indians living in villages located on top of the three mesas in the heart of their territory. My husband concentrated on their law, social structure and their extraordinary matrilineal descent, I focused on the art and the crafts that both the Hopi men and women practiced. We saw craftsmen at work, participated in preparation for the summer dances and were able to see some of the most secret aspects of their ceremonial life. But we also saw ordinary life as it was in 1952 on the reservation. How extraordinary and valuable an experience it was I only realized much later. In this paper I would like to discuss some of the experiences we had and the changes that I saw take place in the life of the Hopi when I returned there for a brief visit in 1981.

Is Slovak Market a Foreign Market for Czech Exporters? Marie Příbová, DATAMAR, Ostrava – Marianske Hory, CR

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In the history of Czech and Slovak social, economic and cultural contacts, differences between Czechs and Slovaks did not seem to be great. However, the split of Czechoslovakia into two independent republics in 1993 resulted in a new situation. Czech exporters have to approach the Slovak market with a higher understanding of specific cultural expectations and appraisal of market situation which differs from the Czech one. Similarities in languages do not automatically mean similarities in consumer behavior and preferences. It also reflects in requirements regarding marketing mix, especially marketing communications.

Czechs in Southside Virginia: An International Search of the Landscape and the Literature Joyce Pritchard, Southside Virginia Czech/Slovak Heritage Society, Hopewell, VA

Between 1895 and 1915, an estimated 3,500 immigrants from Eastern Europe and the Balkans settled in southeastern Virginia. Most came to Virginia because great battles of the American Civil War were fought and lost in this area, and the subsequent collapse of slavery made local farmland available at a low price. The immigrants formed their own communities around their churches, as their foreign ways were not always understood by the native Virginians. About 30 families came to Virginia from the same Czech village located in the Banat region of the Austria-Hungarian Empire. They settled in a farming community surrounding a church they had built as a replica of the one they had left behind in their village which is now Gernik (Girnic), Romania. The Southside Virginia Czech/Slovak Heritage Society has researched and documented the available public records, publications and oral or written family histories of the Slavic settlement communities in southeastern Virginia. This paper presents the research findings, with a focus on the Romanian Czechs who settled in Virginia as a case study of a unique sub-community whose oral and documented history was recently verified during a trip of fourteen of their descendants to Gernik.

Update in Osteoporosis: Preventing Broken Bones and Broken Lives Anna M. L. Raska, Morristown Memorial Hospital, Morristown, NJ Osteoporosis is the most common metabolic bone disease and is characterized by low bone mass, microarchitectural deterioration, and increased risk of fracture. As human longevity has increased, osteoporotic fractures have become a significant cause of morbidity and mortality among the elderly. Hip fracture patients experience a 10-20% excess mortality within one year, an up to 25% rate of long term nursing home placement, and a 60% occurrence of permanent functional decline. The annual cost of osteoporotic fractures in 2001 dollars has been estimated at $17 billion. Osteoporosis can be readily diagnosed and effective treatments are available to prevent initial or subsequent fracture. This presentation will discuss epidemiology, diagnosis and strategies both pharmacologic and non-pharmacologic to prevent osteoporotic fractures.

The Issue of Sudeten German Service in the Czechoslovak Army in Great Britain during the Second World War Francis D. Raška, Charles University, Prague, CR

The purpose of this paper is to discuss an often overlooked chapter in contemporary Czechoslovak history, namely the issue of Sudeten German anti-fascists and the role they played in the liberation of Czechoslovakia from Nazism. The refusal of most Sudeten Germans in exile to serve in the Czechoslovak army was later cited by Czechoslovak leaders as a sign of disloyalty to the state and thus used as one of many justifications for the post-war transfer of the German minority from Czechoslovakia. It is true that most Sudeten Germans did exercise the option of serving in the British forces and this was due to political quarrels between the Czechoslovak Exile Government and the main Sudeten German exile group. (Treuegemeinschaft sudetendeutscher Sozialdemokraten) nevertheless, the records clearly show that, as of 31 December 1943, 11.4 percent of soldiers in the Czechoslovak Armored Brigade in Britain were of German nationality. The presenter aims to provide a balanced account based upon documents from Czech, British, and German archives as well personal interviews with individuals who served in the Czechoslovak forces during the war.

Cardiology Update 2006: A Prescription for Viagra and a Defibrillator Karel Raska, 3rd, Morristown Cardiology, Associates, Morristown, NJ

As we enter the 3rd millennium, tremendous strides have been made in the diagnosis and treatment of a broad range of cardiovascular diseases. This presentation will provide a brief overview of the most common disease states and their treatment. Despite the advances that have been made., atherosclerotic heart disease remains the number one killer in the western world. Non- invasive imaging has enabled the diagnosis of atherosclerosis in its early stages, offering the potential for early intervention and prevention. Minimally invasive procedures now provide prompt and often long term solutions for conditions that previously required lengthy operations with long recuperations. Cardiac defibrillators now safeguard patients against previously lethal heart rhythm abnormalities that previously required lifelong medical treatment. Additionally, pharmacologic treatment advances have prolonged survival of patients with advanced heart diseases that were once fatal. Among the most significant advances are the statins, beta blockers and Ace inhibitors. And finally, from the male patient perspective, there is VIAGRA.

Less well known Chapters from the Life of Jan Evangelista Purkyne Helena Rašková and Pavel Bravený, Charles University, Prague and Masaryk University, Brno, CR

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Purkyne lost his father at the age of 6. To support himself he worked between 1810-13 as a tutor for Baron Ferdinand Hildprandt at the castle of Blatná. Purkyne manifested his talent by mastery of firm principles of modern education of both Pestalozzi and Komenský. Young Purkyne, a product of enlightenment, taught his student well. He influenced not only Ferdinand, but also the next generations of Hildprandts. They were not only modern entrepreneurs and liberals, but also patrons of education and patriotic Czechs. As a token of their appreciation, the Hildprandt family supported Purkyne during his medical studies.

Purkyne’s astonishing creativity was formed, besides the stimulating environment, also by distinct predispositions shown by his family tree. It was characterized by unusual curiosity, diligence and ingenious capacity to solve problems with scanty means. Initially emptyhanded, Purkyne described the subjective visual perceptions, defined the so called law of vertigo and studied the effects of drugs on himself. Later, equipped by a microscope, he described the specialized fibers in the heart, giant cells in the cerebellum, the fingerprints, ciliary movement, the early development in the avian egg, etc. The general respect to Purkyne’s priorities is reflected by a number of eponyms, thought usually misspelled (Purkinje). While in Breslau he made history as the founder of the first physiology department in the world. Purkyne spent most of his productive life in German surroundings but never broke his tie with Prague. He contributed immensely to the national revival as the foremost representative of Czech science. Purkyne demonstrated the compatibility of being a cosmopolitan and, at the same time, a fervent patriot.

Slovak University Students‘ Attitudes and Perceptions regarding Software Piracy Have a Future Imoact on financial Trade in Slovak Republic: An Exploratory Study David R. Rawlinson and Robert A. Lupton, Central Washington University, Ellensburg, WA

The financial impact of software piracy on software manufacturers has long been the subject of academic and commercial research. The impact on macroeconomics has also been discussed in the academic literature. However, to our knowledge, no study has looked into whether the attitudes and perceptions of university students regarding software piracy might have an impact on financial trade in the Slovak Republic once these students graduate and begin careers in the public and private sector. Educators, businesses and governments need to understand the perceptions, attitudes and tendencies of university students toward the ethical and unethical uses of information technology (IT). What is construed as software piracy? How often do students engage in software piracy? What are the perceptions of who is responsible for controlling and preventing such unethical actions? Over 200 studies have addressed ethics and academic dishonesty in education; this study looks at ethics and IT in the university and its potential impact on financial trade. We review the limited research on IT and ethics and the impact on business and trade; present the methodology; report the findings; and conclude with implications and recommendations. Research and Teaching Collaborations between the University of Florida and Czech and Slovak Universities Jack Rechcigl, University of Florida, Gulf Coast Research and Education Center, Balm, FL

In 1999, officials from the University of Florida and the Czech University of Agriculture in Prague signed an agreement to foster cooperation and to increase the exchange of students, faculty and research. The agreement expended cooperation which I had the pleasure to initiate in 1990 in my position as research professor of soil sciences at the University of Florida’s Range Cattle Research and Education Center in Ona. There were high level exchanges at the presidential level, as well as between professors and students in both directions. As a result of this agreement, both universities have benefitted from the exchange. On our end, several Czech students who worked in my laboratory, usually for a one year period, assisted us in determining the optimal levels of phosphate fertilizer for forages to help reduce nutrient runoff to Lake Okeechobee.

We have recently expanded our cooperation to Moravia and Slovakia. This past year, we signed a cooperative research and teaching agreement between the University of Florida and the Technical University of Ostrava in a special ceremony held in the Senate of the Czech Parliament. Afterwards I traveled to the Technical University of Ostrava to view the facilities and discuss future collaborations. The result of this was a joint project proposal involving Southern Illinois University Carbondale, Technical University of Ostrava and University of Florida which was submitted to NSF. Subsequently I traveled to the Slovak Agricultural University of Nitra, to discuss collaboration in research and teaching. One of their students is now working at the University of Florida Gulf Coast Research and Education Center assisting a professor working on weed control of vegetable crops. This presentation will include experiences gained through the exchanges and prospects for the future.

Jan Masaryk and President Beneš in Exile in England, during the Second World War Neil Rees, Secretary of the Czechoslovak Government in Exile Research Society, Bucks County, England Jan Masaryk, son of Tomáš Masaryk, founder of Czechoslovakia was Ambassador to the United Kingdom and lived in London from 1935 where he had a private flat in Kensington. He was joined in London by Dr Edvard Beneš in 1938, after his resignation following the Munich Agreement. Dr Benes lived in the suburb of Putney. Together they set up a government in exile with Beneš as President and Jan Masaryk as Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister. These men lived in London until 1940, when the German bombing of London caused them to move to the country. President Benes moved to a country manor house called The Abbey in the village of Aston Abbotts near Aylesbury in Bucks County, England. In the next village the government in exile leased another house called

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The Old Manor House at Wingrave. This was home to President Benes’s close members of staff of his private office (kancelar). Jan Masaryk frequently stayed at Wingrave and Aston Abbotts, where he is well remembered by locals to this day. Neil Rees has interviewed and collected photographs from local people in Bucks County, England and will give an insight into the social history of President Beneš and Jan Masaryk in England during the Second World War.

A Sense of Community: Developing an OnLine International Exchange James Reineke, Winona State University, Winona, MN Geographic barriers of the world have been broken (Friedman, 2005). People living in the far reaches of the globe can now communicate in real time, exchange documents, collaborate with those who speak different languages. There is no longer a requirement that we live in close proximity to work together. But, while the geographic barriers have come down, the barriers to creating meaningful collaborative relationships have not—and technology can exacerbate existing barriers and create new ones that hinder meaningful interaction. This paper discusses the early development of an online community designed to bring together university students in the Czech Republic, Slovenia, and the United States. We will consider this community successful if all members are aware of the community that surrounds them and willingly and eagerly participate in community activities. To hedge our bets we have explored the dualities found in developing communities (Wenger, 1998) and online communities (Barab, 2004) and the essential tensions necessary in creating effective, welcoming environments. With the results of our exploration in mind, we hope to ward off potential problems as we develop opportunities for interaction and participation that respect all participants. In the end, we hope to convince members that the benefits of membership outweigh the cost of participation through and that a sense of community and belonging will emerge.

My Dear Dark Dove’: Leoš Janácek’s Correspondence with Kamila Stösslová as Inspiration for His Later Musical Masterpieces Louis J. Reith, Georgetown University Library, Washington, D.C. For many years, it was known that the great Czech composer Leoš Janácek (1854-1928) had maintained a close friendship with Kamila Stösslová (1892-1935), a woman half his age who inspired many of the musical masterpieces of his later years. The exact nature of their relationship remained unclear, until some 700 letters from Janácek to Stösslová came to light in the Masaryk University in Brno. Their publication in 1994 was followed by the English translations of Princeton Professor John Tyrrell which provide the basis for this paper. The unhappily married Janácek met the happily married Kamila Stösslová at the Moravian spa of Luhacovice near Brno in early July 1917. From then until his death in 1928, this woman whom Janácek once addressed as “my dear dark dove” (a possible allusion to her Jewish heritage) became the major inspiration for a series of musical masterpieces. The stream of compositions inspired by Kamila begins in 1921 with the song cycle The Diary of One Who Vanished, about a peasant son who is seduced by a gypsy girl, Zefka--In a letter to Kamila the composer admits: “I thought of you constantly while I composed it. You were my Zefka.” The opera Katya Kabanova, which describes a married woman in Czarist Russia who has an affair while her husband is away on a business trip, was actually dedicated to Kamila, with a stipulation in his will that she should receive the royalties from it. The opera Vec Makropulos [The Makropulos Affair] in 1925 concerns an alchemist’s daughter who was given a longevity potion over 300 years ago by her father. To Kamila, the composer writes: “Come and see that ‘woman grown frigid’—you’ll see your own portrait. You’re poor Elina Makropulos.” Upon completing his Second String Quartet in 1928, he confesses to her: “Intimate Letters was written in fire. Earlier pieces only in hot ash. The composition will be dedicated to you; you’re the reason for it.” A final opera, From the House of the Dead, based on Dostoevsky’s autobiographical account of his political imprisonment in Siberia, depicts Kamila as a young Tartar boy Aleja. In Professor Tyrrell’s judicious opinion: “These letters go to the heart of his [Janácek’s] inner life. And within them, they contain a great love story.”

The “Castle Library” Collections Administered by the National Museum Library of Prague—Anatomy of an Ambitious Library Cataloging Project Louis J. Reith, Georgetown University Library, Washington, DC Since the momentous changes of 1989, and even a little before that time, the National Museum Library of Prague, under the farsighted direction of first Jaroslav Vrchotka and then Helga Turkova, embarked upon an ambitious project to assemble a central electronic catalog of the 341 “castle library” collections which still survive in scattered castles of Bohemia and Moravia. Unfortunately, this major project to enhance the scholarly awareness of and use of one of Central Europe’s hitherto neglected library resources is little-known in the non-Czech-speaking world of scholarship. The major source of information in non-Czech languages is to be found in Band 2: Tschechische Republik: Schlossbibliotheken unter der Verwaltung des Nationalmuseums in Prag, of the Handbuch deutscher historischer Buchbestände in Europa, edited by Petr Mašek (Hildesheim: Olms-Weidmann, 1997). Utilizing this valuable research tool, I wish to provide a brief historical overview of this cataloging project, based on four major categories which Prof. Mašek describes in his brief introduction. We shall examine these so-called Adelsbibliotheken [Libraries of the nobility], under the guidance of Petr Mašek himself, with the special assistance of Dr. Turkova and Dr. Luboš Antonín (for alchemy collections), utilizing these categories: 1) Administrative information; 2) History of the collections; 3) Existing catalogs; 4) Bibliographical literature about the history of the library and their holdings. Special attention will be paid to representative collections, including several in the vicinity of Ceské Budejovice: 1) Ceský Krumlov (Schwarzenberg); 2) Hluboká (Schwarzenberg); 3) Bludov (Zerotin); 4) Brenice (Kolowrat); 5) Kromeris (Lichtenstein-Castelcorn); and 6) Kynzvart (Metternich). We will also note the unique Digital Library of Kyn vart Castle. Czech History thru the Eyes of the Poets Vera Roknic, Chicago, IL

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A narrative and poetic journey from the end of the 18th century, describing the tragic past of the Slavs and those striving to spread knowledge of the Czech language with the ultimate revival - from philologist and critic Josef Dobrovsky, translator and historian Josef Jungmann. My presentation offers the listeners a look as to how poets from Jan Kollar (1795 thru 1852) thru exiled poet Pavel Javor (1916-1981) envisioned our nation's struggle and destiny over a historic period of 100 years.

History of SVU Chicago Chapter Vera Roknic, Secretary, Chicago SVU Chapter A review of activities of one of the earliest SVU chapters established in the USA in 1960 (two years after the establishment of the New York and Washington chapters in 1958). Chicago's successes and tribulations, chapter's ups and downs, until the present time of continuing flourishing results. Vic nez byt je - milovat! Vera Roknic, Chicago, IL Recitacni poeticke pasmo ze sbirek a tvorby ceskych basniku opevujici lasku od kolebky az do hrobu. Poesie je propletena dialogem vyjadrujici lasku ditete k matce, lasku opevujici vlast, hrdinu, milence, pritele, krajinu, rocni dobu, vesnicku, mesto, zivot, smrt, ci Boha. Pasmo "Vic nez by je - milovat" bude uvedeno ve spolupravi s recitatorkou Vladimirou Williamsovou.

Ceský Národní Hrbitov, Baltimore, Maryland Michael Rokos, Baltimore, MD This presentation will look at the history of the one hundred twenty-four year old Bohemian National Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland. This introduction to the very historic cemetery, considered to be unique among all cemeteries in the Baltimore area, will pay attention to its founding and purpose, its relation to Sokol, some of the funerary art in the cemetery, as well as some of the historically significant people that are buried in Národní hrbitov.

A Look at Alcohol and Alcoholism among Czechs in CR and Czech-Americans in the US Michael Rokos, Baltimore, MD The disease of alcoholism is prevalent on both sides of the Atlantic. This presentation will consider what alcoholism is as a disease, its impact on those of Czech ancestry, and the successful treatment of the disease.

Sokol Baltimore Michael Rokos, Baltimore, MD

Sokol Baltimore is one of the earliest of the Sokol units established in the US. Highlights of its history and people will be presented, also paying attention to the contributions it made to the cause of Czechoslovakia and the US.

The Politics of Academic Leadership – Its Impact in Today’s Global Society Cecilia Rokusek, Winona State University, Winona, MN Despite the rather negative connotations associated with the word “politics,” the impact of politics in public higher education has been with us for hundred of years. Given the broad definition of politics, private institutions have also been significantly impacted by the political realities of church, community, and private interests. This paper reviews the impact of politics in both public and private education throughout the last two hundred years. Focus of the review will be on the political impacts in the 21st century. The role of citizen lobbyists and professional lobbyists will be examined in relation to impact and resources allocated and outcomes produced. The news media’s role in the “politicizing” of higher education will be discussed in the context of a global society and in the delivery of e-learning. The thesis is presented that in the 21st century there is a growing role of politics in higher education, both in public and private institutions, and this influence is impacting all of education within the global context. In addition, it is producing more for profit institutions and more infusion of state and federal governments in the assessment and management of higher education. The influence of politics has also produced new challenges for female administrators. Over the last 40 years, there has been a significant increase in the number of women in higher education administration. The impact of politics has provided women with additional challenges and opportunities. A brief summary will be presented on the potential impact to student learning and possible dissolution of what has been historical identified as the “Academy.”

Libraries and Scholarly Communication: Recent Trends and Global Aspects Brian Rosenblum, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS Recent trends in scholarly communication include the rise of institutional repositories, electronic journals, open access publishing, and large-scale digitization projects such as those being developed by Google and others. These initiatives are having a profound impact on the scholarly communication process, and will increasingly affect the ways in which students and scholars access and and disseminate information. They also raise a number of issues relating to (among other things) copyright and intellectual property, the long-term preservation of digital material, and the role of libraries in the scholarly communication cycle, and the "digital divide." This talk will discuss some of these initiatives and the issues they raise, with an emphasis on some of the global aspects of our increasingly interconnected scholarly world.

HealthSouth: What Went Wrong? John D. Rossi III, Moravian College, Bethlehem, PA

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HealthSouth Corporation was the nation’s largest provider of rehabilitative healthcare services. The company established programs for the rehabilitation of patients experiencing disability due to a wide variety of physical conditions, such as stroke, head injury, orthopedic problems, neuromuscular disease, and sports-related injuries. Services included physical therapy, sports medicine, neurorehabilitation occupational therapy, respiratory therapy, speech-language pathology, and rehabilitation nursing.

Within twenty years after its founding and impressive growth, HealthSouth wend down as one of the history’s largest and most extensive accounting failures. This paper investigates the environment at HealthSouth and the attitudes of management, analysts, and investors. It focuses on the multiple factors that caused the firm’s financial problems and brought it to the brink of bankruptcy. The goal of this paper is to encourage critical debate and consider ways to improve the financial reporting process.

The Museum of Communist Shame Vladimir Rydlo, Czech and Slovak Association Canada, Toronto branch The Canadian initiative to create a museum of communist crimes in Czechoslovakia was introduced to the Confederation of Political Prisoners and the organization of Czechoslovak Legionnaires, on behalf of the Czech and Slovak Association of Canada, by me, in Prague in May, 2005. As envisaged by us, the museum would expose and visualize the 40 - year period of the communist dictatorship (1948 - 1989), as well as the events leading to the establishment of the communist rule; the crimes committed by the Czech and Slovak bolsheviks against their fellowmen; the methods and propaganda used for disinformation of the public; imprisonment, tortures and political trials often ending in death penalties; establishment of concentration and forced labour camps. We suggest that in the entrance to the museum there should be placed a replica of Josef Randa's statute "Crucified again" in Masaryktown in Toronto, symbolizing the crucifixion of a prisoner on the communist symbols, sickle and hammer. A large map of Czechoslovakia would show the names of concentration and labour camps and prisons, with statistical data on number of prisoners, and names of the prisoners who had been executed or tortured to death, murdered or killed trying to escape across the Iron curtain to the West. Also, a display of the chief communist leaders, secret police and Soviet advisors will try to demonstrate how and why the people of CSR could have been kept in "colonial obedience" for 40 years. Various sections of the museum would display information on how specific segments of the population, such as political cultural, scientific and religious associations, owners of factories, retail businesses, agricultural farms, have been systematically persecuted, eradicated or transformed in accordance with communist doctrines of so called "class struggle" and "class enemies of the people." Special attention would be given exploitation of the political prisoners for colonial mining of the Czech uranium deposits for SSSR and to events of 1948, 1968 including 20 years of colonial occupation by the Soviet army, and 1989. The long lasting effects of devastation of economy, moral values and relations in the society will also be addressed. Similar museums have been established in Hungary (2002), Poland (2005) and Latvia (1993). Also, Institutes of National Memory already exist in Poland and Slovakia (2003).

Czech Operas Sung in Czech Abroad Dagmar Rydlo-Otta, Royal Conservatory of Music, Toronto, Ont., Canada I was very fortunate to become the Czech language coach for the Czech operas in Toronto and also, 2 years ago, in New York. The following Czech operas are regularly performed in the countries of the western world: Smetana’s Bartered Bride, Dvorak’s Rusalka, Janacek’s Jenufa, Little Cunning Wixen, Case Macropulos, Brouceks Stories, Kata Kabanova, Osud (Fate). All such operas are now performed in the original language (German, Italian, French, Czech etc) as written by the librettists. The specific rhythm and accentuation of the language is always respected in the musical design and therefore the musical and language melodical line is in harmony with each other and forms perfect integrity, completeness and unity. Any translation is spoiling the basic rhythm and accentuation of the musical and linguistic coordination. I was coaching singers in the following operas performed by Toronto Canadian Opera Company in the past years: Smetana’s Bartered Bride (1993 and 2000), Janacek’s Jenufa (1995 and 2003), Little Cunning Wixen (2000). Also, I worked on Janacek’s opera Osud in 2004 with the New York ensemble at Bard College and with the Toronto Ballet Company on the Field Mass (Polni mse) by Bohuslav Martinu, with the words written by Jiri Mucha and choreographed by Jiri Kilian (also of Czech origin). Although the singers don’t know the language, they have to learn the exact pronunciation and the meaning of it. They can then act, transform themselves into the personality of the role they are performing, to express sensitively the character and various emotional situations in the opera. As a coach for the Czech language, I found working with the English speaking opera singers a very wonderful, interesting and exciting experience. Most of the singers in Canada and USA are English speaking. They are supposed to know the story and meaning of the basic translation with the approximate Czech pronunciation before the first rehearsal. Then the individual rehearsals begin with work on the details and difficulties of the Czech language. At first we go through the meaning and atmosphere of the situation, then we do the exact translation "word to word" and then the pronunciation of every single word with respect to particular nuances of the consonants and vowels, often so different from the English language. A use of a tape recorder is always a big help. I have also worked on the "transliteration" - special letters hand written under the text in the piano score, to help English speaking singers read other languages phonetically correctly.

Disaggregating the Virtual Value Chain: The Search-Transfer View of E-Sourcing Information in New Product Development Sicco C. Santema and Jarmila A. Kopecka, Delft University of Technology, Delft, The Netherlands

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The currently ongoing disaggregation of the firm’s value chain and new product development has resulted in that both processes have become increasingly information driven, with network information flows replacing the traditional sequential ones. The central theme of the paper is the role of e-sourcing technology in new product development information search. Inspired by the article by Morten T. Hansen (1999), and drawing on the strength-of-weak-ties in social network theory, the paper argues that e- sourcing information bears all the hallmarks of a weak tie: low search costs, non-reciprocal transfer relationship, and codification of information. A conceptual framework depicting the strong tie/weak tie relationships between the firm’s procurement, upstream suppliers and NPD team vis-a-vis the marketspace is presented. The paper concludes with three research propositions.

Distance Delivery of Czech Language in a Learning Community Format Mila Saskova-Pierce and Michael Klimesh, University of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE

The paper presents the results of an experimental Internet language class. In 2005, the Survival Czech pilot course in the length of two semesters was taught over the Internet using the Blackboard Delivery Platform. Blackboard constitutes an integrated delivery platform adopted by the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. This platform requires minimal technical expertise and takes two to three weeks to master. The software allows the linkage of classes, recycling of materials from year to year, and building of teaching resources like quizzes, articles, annotated readings, clips, and Internet links to other resources in other formats.

In the fall of 2004, Michael Klimesh from Gustavus Adolphus College organized the Iowa Spillville learning community under study. In addition to Layne and Mila Pierce, Katya Koubek (Buena Vista University - Storm Lake) taught seven day-long immersion sessions, which lasted from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and which augmented the instruction delivered over the Internet. The 49 students enrolled in the course constituted a single learning community and at the same time were sub-divided into learning communities that met once or twice a week and studied using the provided textbook. The course used materials prepared for class delivery and authored by Mila Saskova-Pierce (university of Nebraska at Lincoln) and Layne Pierce (Lincoln Public Libraries), with some adaptations. In addition Internet sites were linked in order to provide cultural information and exercise with authentic tasks. The Internet also provided an easy opportunity for students to continue their study after the class ended in the late fall 2005.

Several needs for improvement were identified. There is a need for mandatory constant scheduled communication between the students themselves and the teachers. Explanations and class oriented materials have to be more precise, to reflect the different feedback regimen. In conclusion, the combination of Internet presentation and learning communities, and day long immersion sessions shows great promise for the future as a viable exciting approach to language acquisition through distance delivery.

Youth and the Universal Language of Music Adam Schafer, New College of Florida, Sarasota, FL

“Without music, life would be a mistake.” So said the famous 19th century philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, proving that even philosophers can appreciate the universal language that is music. In fact, philosophy and music have much in common: Both tap into the deepest roots of the human spirit - and, perhaps ironically, neither guarantees a big paycheck to the practitioner. This presentation will focus on a major cultural dilemma for American youth today - that music is rapidly vanishing from classrooms and public institutions across the United States. Funding for music education is down while at the same time, scientific studies reveal the critical importance of music to learning and logic. Children whose education includes music perform better than others who don’t learn it. Music can even affect the human heartbeat. The presentation will draw both on science and on personal experiences to create an awareness of the role of music in our everyday lives, especially during adolescence. This is the time at which people first begin to create their own life’s soundtracks, selecting the songs, artists and instruments that will become some of their strongest memories. It is also during this time of life that most people learn the importance of music as a medium for social and political change in the world. Can today’s music be the great force for change that it was in the American youth culture of the 1960s? And if not, why not? The age group that downloads the most mp3s and buys the most CDs is 18-to-24 year olds. But does our technology isolate us or connect us when it comes to the way we select and listen to and interact with music? Can the modern combination of music and technology transcend language barriers, racial divides, and political chasms? Or does it prompt us to “tune out” the world altogether? This presentation will examine how and why music should be used to motivate us to listen—not only to lyrics, but to the pain and passion that they represent—and to act on what we hear.

Sokol v zahranicí – dynamika nebo przívání Jitka Scholz, Munich, Germany Motto sokolské organizace, existující jiz bezmála jedno a pul století,“ve zdravém tele zdravý duch“, naznacuje, ze se tato jiz od svých pocátku pokoušela spojit rozvoj telesné zdatnosti s vyvázeným rozvojem osobnosti cloveka. Vedle toho kladla jiz od svého vzniku velký duraz na patriotismus - jak ceský tak celoslovanský - a bez nadsázky je mozné ríci, ze práve Sokolu vdecí Ceskoslovenská republika z roku 1918 v rozhodující míre za svoji existenci. Sokol v historii predstavoval organizaci masovou, pricemz se k ideálum sokolského hnutí prihlásilo i velké mnozství Cechu a Slováku zijících v zahranicí, jejichz sokolské jednoty se jak sportovne tak ideologicky orientovaly na materskou organizaci ve vlasti. Ke zvratu došlo po roce 1948, kdy byl Sokol v Ceskoslovensku ve své puvodní podobe zakázán, címz se sokolské organizace v zahranicí ocitly v obtízné situaci. Nekteré z nich ji rešily spoluprací s novým rezimem a jeho sportovními slolkami. Ostatní – a tech byla vetšina – se puvodních ideálu nevzdaly a vytvorily Sokol exilový s vlastní cinností, vývojem a strukturami. Jako více méne jediná sportovní

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organizace v exilu se však Sokol stal i cílem mnoha krajanu s jinou filozofií nez tou sokolskou, Sokol se sice ve snaze o jednotu exilu pokusil o jejich integrovaci, ale zaplatil za to odklonem od svých zásad a áste nou ztrátou své identity. To - ve svých dusledcích - casto zpusobilo odchod kvalitních cinovníku a cvicitelu, kterí byli nahrazováni lidmi méne kvalitními a méne schopnými, a to ve smyslu jak sportovním, tak charakterovém. Nemalým problémem dnešních sokolských organizací je statická clenská základna, biologicky prirozený úbytek clenstva není kompenzován príchodem následující generace, nízký pocet nových mladších clenu pak opet neposkytuje dostatecne širokou základnu pro výber lidí schopných prevzít vedoucí funkce a dát organizaci nové impulsy. Zahranicní Sokol sice stále ješte disponuje vynikajícími osobnostmi, kterým vdecí jak za zmírnení dopadu uvedeného vývoje, tak za dosazené úspechy, jejich pocet se však stále snizuje a jejich veková struktura je nepríznivá. Ani v Ceské republice obnovená sokolská obec není schopna prvzít úlohu, kterou mela pro zahranicní sokolské jednoty pred rokem 1948, nebot se sama potýká s podobnými problémy, které zatím nedokázala ani definovat, coc by pro ni bylo prvním predpokladem pro eventuelní reformu a nový zacátek. Sokol se také musí v neblizší budoucnosti rozhodnout, zdali chce být organizací ciste sportovní, a stanovit si v tom smeru své cíle, nebo zdali chce pokracovat v ceste, kterou mu urcili jeho zakladatelé, to znamená být schopen zastávat urcitá stanoviska ve spolecenském, kulturním a politickém dení a tato stanoviska vhodným zpusobem prosazovat. Totéz platí o Sokole zahranicním, který si navíc musí ujasnit, chce-li být dále organizací ceskou nebo se stát v té které zemi jednou z bezných sportovních organizací pestující urcitou – z minulosti pocházející - tradici. Zádná z techto cest nemusí být chybná, pro další existenci je ale nutné se pro jednu z nich rozhodnout.

The Conflicts, Imprints and Legacy of the Czechs in Cleveland, Ohio Stephen J. Sebesta, Stephen J. Sebesta & Associates, Cleveland, OH

This paper traces the growth, movement and characteristics of the Czech neighborhoods in Cleveland beginning in the Commercial and Hill Street area to areas on both the east and west sides of the Cuyahoga River with tables and maps. Briefly reviews the origins, history and relationships between numerous Czech institutions including five Catholic Churches, seven Sokol organizations, four Delnicke Telocvicne Jednoty (DTJ) branches, Karlin Hall, Prokop Velky Fresh Air Camp, the Czech Cultural Garden, Slapnicka’s Grove, several Protestant Churches including the Bohemian Bible Readers School, the Chevra Kadisha Congregation and others including historical photographs and graphics. Describes the history of Czech music and drama including the Lumir-Hlahol-Tyl and Vojan Singing Societies, Vcelka Sokol Athletic Club, the Furdek Dramatic Society, the Hruby Conservatory of Music, and others with photographs and playbills. Lists and briefly summarizes the history of Czech newspapers, radio broadcasting, the Czech Legionnaires, significant past events such as the Catholic War, and ongoing Czech related events and activities.

Twenty–First Century Gregor Mendel J. Sekerak, Mendelianum, Moravian Museum, Brno, CR Gregor Mendel published his discovery in Brno in 1865. His model of the transfer of genetic information was verified experimentally in peas. Later Mendel attempted to extend its validity also to other plants. At that period of time the dynamical industry generated mass production of consume goods, machines and material of all sorts. In the industrial age Mendel´s discovery was appreciated first of all by plant and animal breeders aiming at the increase of plant and meat production. At the threshold of the twenty-first century the post-industrial socio-economic era has been focused on information production from scientific research, extending knowledge and increasing affectivity of decision making in order to improve the quality of human life. At the present time of information technologies in industry, administration and mass communication a continuity of Mendel’s influence is established in the development of biotechnologies and genetic engineering simulating natural processes to relieve nature of industrial and energetic load for the benefit of the biosphere. The way to biotechnologies and genetic engineering was open by the elucidation of the DNA structure and deciphering of the genetic code. At the threshold of the twenty-first century Mendel’s discovery is elaborated also in the soft computing, evolutionary programming and genetic algorithms.

Development of an Environmentally-safe Disinfectant for Hospital Use Patricia L. Seyfried, Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto,Canada

The increasing number of hospital-acquired infections prompted a search for a new disinfectant that would eradicate potentially pathogenic microorganisms without posing a threat to the environment. The disinfectant, SECCURE, which was developed possesses biocidal activity due to the liberation of oxygen from the oxidizing agent potassium monoperoxysulphate.

Currently there are no internationally accepted methods for evaluating the microbicidal effectiveness of chemical disinfectants. A procedure that is commonly used is the Association of Official Analytical Chemists (AOAC) method of drying ten million microorganisms per mL on stainless steel or porcelain cylinders, exposing them to the disinfectant, and then checking for growth. A drawback of this method is that organic load (such as would be found in blood, saliva, etc.) is not evaluated. Novel procedures were developed in our laboratory to compare the killing action of different concentrations of SECCURE in the presence of organic materials. The efficacy of SECCURE was evaluated using a total of 24 microorganisms. Among the organisms tested were nine nonsporing bacteria including Escherichia coli, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus. Four different spore-forming bacteria, including Clostridium sporogenes, were evaluated. Fungi, such as Candida albicans, were subjected to varying concentrations of SECCURE for varying periods of time along with seven viruses including Poliovirus type 1,

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Adenovirus type 2, and Human Immunodeficiency (HIV or AIDS) virus. Test results showed that a 5% concentration of SECCURE could produce 100% inhibition of the bacteria and viruses within ten minutes. The fungi required a 15% solution for the same length of exposure. When organic matter was added either the contact time or the concentration of SECCURE had to be increased.

The studies indicate that the compound is not only effective against bacteria, viruses and fungi, but is also environmentally friendly. SECCURE is water soluble and its end products are mainly sulphates and potassium alum.

Is Mathematics Infallible? The Story of Kurt Gödel. Stephen M. Shea, Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, NJ A short account of his family and his early years and schooling, and matriculation at the University of Vienna, comes first. In the 20th century physicists have been aware of the problem of inconsistency. Mathematicians much less so. Prof. Hilbert's 1900 address presented 23 problems to mathematicians for solution, if possible. Gödel was one of the few mathematicians at the time to take foundational problems both seriously and perceptively. At the University was invited to join Schlicht's weekly discussion group, (the Circle of Vienna), and became interested in foundational problems in mathematics. His doctoral thesis was the basis of his completeness theorem - and solved Hilbert's second problem. His first incompleteness theorem showed that arithmetic is sound, but not fully consistent, undecidable statements being possible. By his second incompleteness theorem, a corollary of the first, he showed how to construct a self-contradictory statement in Principia Mathematica. He first revealed his findings in an offhand remark, at a round-table discussion at a conference in Königsberg, to the effect that it might be possible to prove a false statement in PM: this was based at that time on an exemplary undecidable proposition, whose expression was not completely numerical. He soon achieved the complete numerical expression and, to his apparent surprise, proof of a polynomial theorem in number theory: the second incompleteness theorem. .. His celebrity was much delayed, by the obscurity of the subject, opposition of the formalists (e.g. Bourbaki), and the positivist leanings of physicists hoping to subsume all physical theory in a "theory of everything". Hawking has recanted this hope, saying that, owing to Gödel, physicists can join mathematicians in always having something new to discover. Finally, the second incompleteness theorem has been rediscovered twice: as Turing's halting problem, and as the computer scientists' complexity. The latter are now solving problems with the help of "Gödel Machines."

The Jesuit University of Trnava: Its impact on Slovak, Czech and Rusyn Populations Paul Shore, St. Louis University, St. Louis, MO The University of Trnava, founded in 1635 by the Jesuits, was an important center of learning, teaching, missionary activity and publishing before the Habsburg monarchy moved the university to Buda in 1777. The actual relationship of the university and of the other Jesuit run schools in the community to the nearby Slovak population, and to other Slavic populations, including the Czechs and the Rusyn of Transcarpathia, is not easily assessed. This is both because of irregularities in record keeping in the 17th and 18th centuries, and because of historicism on the part of Slovak and Hungarian scholars seeking to promote national identities. This paper looks at matriculation records, publishing activity, missionary activities, and the biographies of some of the most notable Jesuits associated with Trnava to shed light on these questions.

Development of Gender Studies, Women’s Movement and Women’s Organizations after November l989 in Czechoslovakia and the Czech Republic Jirina Siklova, Charles University, Prague, CR

Women’s organizations that were prominent before WWII were mainly associated with the name of Milada Horakova. After the communist takeover in 1948, Dr. Horakova was executed and women’s organizations, as well as women’s magazines, were abolished. Any women’s initiatives were subordinated to the Czechoslovak, later Czech, League of Women under the auspices of the Communist Party. During the forty years of socialism, there were many positive changes in women’s status. Women entered the work force leading to their emancipation. Many women gained significant qualifications that gave them access to professional positions. Unfortunately, the experiences from the socialist era were not reflected in the new feminist theories after the 1989 political changes. The new theories could have connected the western experiences with the eastern experiences of women who lived during socialism. Yet, the women who emerged from their socialist experience showed distaste for any connection with the communist past, inadequate women’s self esteem and the influence of western feminist theories. The western feminist theories emphasized issues that the women in the post-communist world could not accept to the detriment of renewing their own pre- WWII traditions. No new feminist theories or critical evaluation of the women’s standing during socialism have appeared in the Czech Republic or other post communist countries.

The reasons and explanation: Women’s movement in the Czech Republic is focused on solving social issues. It is assisted by many NGOs (non-governmental organizations) that focus on practical issues. We take over problems and solutions that are considered significant in the West and at the same time ignore our own specific issues. The initiatives and organizations of women’s groups: The gender studies’ origin was a civic initiation. Since then they are part of a curriculum at universities. In addition there is cooperation with international women’s organizations. Evaluating of positive and negative influences, as well as the support from western women’s movements and the European Union, is considerable. Emphasis is placed on studying the loss of focus on issues specific to women’s experience in the post communist era.

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What to Do about Obesity? Vlado Simko, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY Increase in obesity is a global threat spreading from the technologically advanced societies across the continents. Abnormal overweight is associated with multiple clinical disorders. Two illnesses linked to it, heart disease and high blood pressure are on the Who’s list of the top global health risks. In the United States 65 per cent of adults are overweight, compared with 56 per cent a decade ago. Even worse, 15 per cent children over six are overweight. Liver damage related to fat deposition is being more frequently diagnosed by pediatricians. The incidence of type 2 diabetes, that is almost always caused by obesity, is rising. The fastest growing group of obese are people who weigh more than 200 pounds. A lean person has about 40 billion fat cells but an obese has about three times as many. Importantly, the number of fat cells in the body increases in infants who become overweight. A common measure of obesity, the body mass index BMI (weight/height square) is useful in epidemiology but a measurement related to abdominal fat, the waist circumference has a better predictive value for heart disease. This visceral fat has more adverse metabolic consequences than the subcutaneous fat. The best way to control visceral fat is a prudent diet combined with meaningful exercise. Even a 7 per cent weight reduction has a potential health benefit. Unfortunately, most dieters regain their previous weight. Frustration related to dietary management has lead researchers to identify hormones that regulate fat metabolism. Adiponectin made in fat cells makes the body more sensitive to insulin, resistin decreases insulin sensitivity. Obese people produce less adiponectin. Leptin signals to the brain how much fat the body has. Ghrelin controls the appetite and a hormone called PPY made by the small intestine signals to the brain to reduce the appetite. Antiobesity operations (bariatric surgery) are becoming increasingly common. Liposuction removes subcutaneous fat but it has more cosmetic than metabolic effect. Surgical removal of a fat pad (omentum) inside the abdomen may help moderately obese people. For those who are more than 100 pounds overweight surgeons perform procedures that reduce the holding capacity of the stomach for food (gastric stapling, adjustable gastric band, gastric bypass). The morbidity and mortality associated with gastric bypass is considerable (approximately 10 % and 1 %, respectively). In absence of effective medical management the demand for bariatric surgery and associated cost and side effects are going to rise.

Slovakia Sixty Years after the War. A View from Abroad Vlado Simko, SUNY Downstate Medical Center, Brooklyn NY We, who emigrated a long time ago, tend to be frozen in the past, barely noticing the passing generations. Ten years from now there will be only few people left who experienced the Masaryk Republic, World War II and who witnessed the historic landmarks of 1948 and 1968. Fateful 1992, the breakdown of Czechoslovak coexistence, did not bring an economic disaster to Slovakia and the emotional trauma remains more on the Czech side. Fading memory of the past assists the public to forget the brutality of fascism while reinventing seemingly innocuous red cherries of communism. Harsh edges of the market economy generate renewed social critique. Leftist intellectuals blame the market society for social ills, angrily denouncing the tabloid mass entertainment to be disguised by attractive commercial advertising. However, the progress since the fall of communism in 1989 is close to a miracle. Generalized starvation of the centrally planned economy was promptly replaced with courtesy to clients who flock to the western- type supermarkets and who admire the hundreds of car dealer showrooms. In Bratislava there is barely a side walk space for parking a car. Foreign investment brought Slovakia to one of the highest automobile production per capita. Yet, Slovak unemployment at 15.2 % is in the European union surpassed only by Poland. Only 36 % of Slovaks view their perspective as bright, compared to 60 % of Czechs. Only 28 % of Slovaks trusted their political system in 2004, compared to 50 % Czechs. The average salary in the Czech Republic significantly exceeds that in Slovakia. Tens of thousands of Slovaks earn their living in Czech lands. There are signs of weariness related to poorly regulated precocious growth, graft and corruption. Prime minister Dzurinda belongs to the least popular politicians while the populists Fico and Meciar are far ahead in the popularity polls. Confidence of Slovaks in the political and economic accomplishments after 1989 will play a determining role in the outcome of the forthcoming parliamentary elections. Dzurinda’s democratic coalition has wide cracks. Early elections in 2006 will prove if Dzurinda’s marathon running behavior, markedly documented by his eight years as a prime minister, will further contribute to Slovakia’s honorable position in the international window display.

The Arts on Campus – Academic Libraries, Visual Collections, Campus Art Museums and Galleries, and Others: Joining Forces? Suzanna Simor, Queens College/City University of New York, Flushing, NY The relationships between libraries and visual resources collections at US colleges and universities, and their associated campus museums and galleries have a surprisingly divergent history. While some institutions have long cultivated cooperative and collaborative relationships, other similar institutions have struggled to make any sort of formal or informal connections. In recent decades, increased focus on interconnectivity in curricular programming and in services and operations of academic institutions, these trends often buttressed by technological advances, are in many instances contributing to new or enhanced cooperation, even fusion of activities found among these players. Their borders are becoming more porous. The paper will discuss a range of working relationships developed over time at the presenter’s institution, which is a medium-sized, high quality senior college that is a part of the largest urban public university in the country. It will explore historical as well as newly realized and evolving collaborations joining its various arts-related entities, among them the Art Library, the Art Department and its Visual Resources Collection, the art museum (The Frances Godwin-Joseph Ternbach Museum at Queens College), art galleries (The Queens College Art Center and the Art Department’s Students Gallery), and recently also units representing the music, theater and drama, and media studies programs. Successful experiences as well as abandoned initiatives will be reviewed, and recommendations will be drawn from these models for initiating and establishing collaborations and developing long-term partnerships that benefit all parties and enrich their contributions to the institution and the community.

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Segmentation in a Newly Enlarged EU: Some Insights into Cultural Heterogeneity in Central Europe Heather Skinner, Krzysztof Kubacki, Gloria Moss, and David Chelly, University of Glamorgan, Trefforest, Wales, UK, University of Wales, Aberystwyth, Wales, UK and University of Glamorgan, Trefforest, Wales, UK and ESG, Paris, France

Enlargement of the European Union (EU) in May 2004 created a domestic European market of over 450 million consumers in 25 member states. Much of the recent literature has focused specifically on the challenge of integrating a diverse EU that now includes member states from the former Eastern Bloc. Although there is evidence to suggest that marketers may be tempted to treat these newly acceded members as a homogeneous target market segment, there is a high degree of diversity between these nations. This paper examines the literature on culture, identity, and self-concept and presents empirical results showing the diversity of these concepts within three of the former communist countries that are now full EU members – the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland. The findings suggest that homogeneous Central European identity appears to be a generalisation imposed on those countries by recent history. Despite many similarities, very strong differences exist between the Czech Republic, Hungary and Poland in terms of their national and cultural identities.

The Henlein Movement and the Fate of Czechoslovakia Ronald Smelser, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT In September 1933, an obscure, provincial gymnastics teacher named Konrad Henlein announced the formation of a Sudeten German organization which purported to represent the German ethnic group in Czechoslovakia in its totality--the Sudetendeutsche Heimatfront. This organization, which in several years would be transformed into a political party, the Sudeten German Party, would become in turn the focus for the shaping of Sudeten German identity, an instrument for the ethnic struggle in Czechoslovakia, the culmination of striving for an umbrella organization for all Germans in the country, and, finally, after years of struggle, a Fifth Column for the Nazi destruction of Czechoslovakia. What historical developments form the backdrop for the foundation of Henlein’s movement? What accounts for its widespread popularity and its stunning success in the 1935 elections? Was it a fifth column for Hitler from the very beginning or did it evolve into that role? What changed the Henlein movement from a radicalized party of ethnic German identification to a willing tool of Nazi Pan- Germanism? How did the Prague government respond to a party which had the potential both for loyal activism in the name of the most important minority in Czechoslovakia and for the role of Trojan horse in destroying that country?

The Difference that Gender Makes…or is it Sex Linda Steiner, Rutgers University, New Brunswick, NJ In the 18th and 19 centuries, and continuing well into the 20th century, people heatedly debated the difference that sex makes. The claim that a woman can’t be, in words of Henry Higgins, more like a man was applied to journalism. Male reporters, editors, and publishers were quite certain that sex mattered a great deal in journalism, that is, that women could not succeed as journalists. Women’s attempts to compete in the newsroom’s rough-and-tumble environment would damage women’s health and ultimately would “unsex” them. Some men came fairly close to arguing that men would be “unmanned” by writing about women’s issues or by serving female audiences. This paper will argue that explaning journalism practices in terms of “sex” is not as antique as it might sound. For more than 30 years, scholars and non-scholars have avoided explanations based on sex per se. Instead they refer either to gender or the “sex/gender system.” But the “sex/gender system” has lost its rhetorical usefulness. The paper will argue reintroducing references to sex has both rhetorical and explanatory value. Particular attention to will be given to war reporting, an extreme case of attention to bodies, but one that dramatically frames the gender-sex debate.

Anti-aging Medicine - Does it Really Work? Vera Stejskal, University of Stockholm, Sweden Charles University, Prague, CR Proper anti-aging medicine will not make you live forever, but instead will optimize your quality of life - for as long as possible. Anti- aging medicine treatments can range from anything as basic, but absolutely vital, such as what we eat, to hormone replacement therapy, which seeks to restore the levels of hormones when we grow older to the levels we had as young. As hormones regulate our appearance, mood, and body functions, amazing results can be achieved with natural hormone supplements. Because of our genetics we are all different and need to care for our health in different way. Some people who have been exposed to toxins such as metals through dental fillings, body implants, smoking, occupation and pollution may consider a detoxification program to optimize their body functions. Such treatments may include taking extra vitamin and mineral supplements or chelation treatments, which is now used for heart diseases and even Alzheimer’s. The role of metals in human aging is currently a hot research topic worldwide. The release of metallic mercury from dental amalgam, intake of methyl-mercury through ingestion of contaminated fish, exposure to cadmium, lead and nickel from foods and cigarette smoke are just few examples of daily metal exposure which may cause health problems in sensitive individuals. The danger of heavy and transition metals resides in their physicochemical properties; binding to sulfur (SH) and other groups in the mitochondria, enzymes and cell proteins. Fat-containing organs such as brain or collagen-containing structures are especially rich in SH-groups and therefore vulnerable to metal binding. Metals induce free radical formation, inactivate enzyme and mitochondrial activity and act as triggers in inflammation, allergy and autoimmunity. It is important to differentiate between metal allergy and metal toxicity. For example, hair analysis may show levels of mercury or other substances which are below the official “safe limit” – but the patient can still be allergic and react vigorously to the antigen. For

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allergic individuals, there is no “safe” limit. Even trace amounts of a substance pose danger if the substance triggers an allergic reaction. In this lecture I also discuss the MELISA® test which has been developed to diagnose metal allergy. Certain types of white blood cells, called memory accurately diagnose metal allergy. Certain types of white blood cells, called memory cells, remember its previous encounter with a particular foreign substance (antigen). Following renewed contact with the allergen, memory cells grow and divide. The role of activated lymphocytes is to protect against foreign invaders such as bacteria and viruses but also to eliminate abnormal cells such as cancer cells.

The 'Czech Dialoge' in the Service of Czechs Abroad Eva Strizovska, Cesky Dialog, Prague, CR The magazine Czech Dialogue celebrated recently 15 years of its existence. It is the only independent journal published in the Czech Republic which has- since its inception - addressed all its readers abroad - exiles, émigrés and compatriots and which is still being published. It is possible that it might stop its activity soon- as it happened to many other similar magazines. However, at the present, I would like to describe my experiences in this wonderful work.

Presenting the Past Commemoration of the Roma Holocaust and Contemporary Roma Politics Kimberly Strozewski, Charles University, Prague, CR

The Lety camp for Czech Roma first generated considerable attention in the late 90’s because of existence of pig farm on the site of a former concentration camp for Roma. Histories of the camp were written both by Czech scholars and Roma activists. In 1995, the Roma community erected their own memorial at the site of the former camp. Since then, the government has stalled on the removal of the pig farm. Roma groups and organizations fluctuate between concentrating on advancing Roma rights and documenting their history. Recently, the Lety debate re-emerged in the press when a Czech Nationalist group erected a counter- memorial near the Lety de-emphasizing the meaning of this site for the Roma community.

The question is, then, who controls the commemoration of these sites and what does this say about the inclusion of Roma in the Czech narrative of the Second World War or as a part of Czech history? How do the counter protest actions influence the politics behind the commemoration process? Can the controversy at Lety tell us something about exclusion/inclusion of the history of the Roma Holocaust in Czech Republic or does it tell us more about the contemporary politics of Roma activism? I believe site of Lety elucidates both. The history of the camp and by extension the Roma Holocaust, in the Czech case, is inextricably linked to post- 1989 Roma activism and politics.

It is not only the physical act of commemorating the site of Lety that constitutes how Czech Roma are documenting their history, but it is the current discussions over the removal of the pig farm at Lety by the Roma community and Czech public (be it in governmental circles, in the press or by nationalist party protests) that sheds lights on the forms the memorialization is taking and the history that is begin created.

I will investigate in this panel the ways that Czech Roma groups and their affiliate cultural institutions, such as Roma museums or community centers, have dealt the commemoration of Lety and the Roma Holocaust since 1989.

Reflections on Science Curriculum in the United States and the Czech Republic Michael Svec. Furman University, Greenville, SC

International comparisons are a useful tool that helps us explore the assumptions made about our schools, children, and the curriculum. It was in this spirit that the author spent five months in the Czech Republic teaching science education courses at Palacky and Ostrava Universities and learning about the Czech school system. A Fulbright Lecture Award made the teaching possible. The presentation will focus on curriculum and ask questions that were raised during the semester. The goal of asking these questions is to encourage discussion and analysis, not to advocate the superiority of any one system or the implementation of any one nation's methods. Schools are embedded within a culture and must be adapted to serve the needs of that culture. The most effective implementations balance an understanding of the culture with the evolving needs of that nation.

Trafficking of Men, Women and Children in the United States: From Sex Trade to Indentured Servitude Amy E. Swoboda, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE Human trafficking is becoming one of the most prevalent abuses of human rights on a global scale and appears to be increasing. Although problems with definition of this phenomenon exist, much of human trafficking occurs “underground” which makes it difficult for adequate quantification for research purposes. Globalization, better technology, larger markets and high profit potential are explored as explanations for human trafficking with particular focus on political and economic instability as a theoretical framework from which to best understand this global problem. The existence of human trafficking in the United States, including expansion of the definition to include indentured servitude, is examined in light of these explanations.

Mastering my Czech and Celtic Heritage Amy Swoboda, Lincoln, NE

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From learning Czech at Dobruska to tossing the caber at Irish Scottish festivals, to spending a semester studying abroad in Ireland at the National University of Ireland I will explore the roots of my heritage, comparing and contrasting the differences between my Celtic heritage and Czech heritage. I will use some of my personal experiences as well as some academic resources.

Community-based Mental Health: An Applicable Model for Use in the Czech Republic? Joseph Swoboda, Community Mental Health Center of Lancaster County, Lincoln, NE Models of providing effective and efficient mental health services in the United States, and in particular Intensive Community Support (ICS), a demonstrated effective community-based model for service provision to adults with severe mental illness, is compared and contrasted with respect to models used in the Czech Republic. Implications for adoption of the ICS model in the Czech Republic are presented with respect to issues of perspective shift, cost, reduction of hospitalization days and stigma and entrenchment of current services.

Evaluating Bees to Pollinate Hedysarum boreale, a Legume for Rehabilitating Rangeland in the United States Intermountain West Katharine A. Swoboda, Biology Department, Utah State University, Logan, UT Tons of seed of Hedysarum boreale Nutt. (Northern Sweetvetch) (Fabaceae) are desired for extensive rehabilitation of degraded rangeland in the US Rocky Mountains and Intermountain West. H. boreale requires bee visitation for seed set, and a manageable bee pollinator is needed to farm affordable seed. In this study, several species of native cavity-nesting Osmia (Megachilidae), and other native and non-native bee species, were evaluated for their effectiveness as H. boreale pollinators. Results suggest that Osmia bruneri Cockerell and Osmia sanrafaelae Parker could be developed for managed pollination of H. boreale. Both species proved to be effective pollinators of H. boreale, and were able to nest using H. boreale as their only source of forage material. Results also suggest that the European honeybee, Apis mellifera L. (Apidae), could be used for H. boreale seed production in some commercial settings.

What about Men? Development of a Treatment Approach for Men with Depression Utilizing the Insight for Women Model? Mary D. Swoboda, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE

Mental health researchers have noted that only one in seven men will seek professional mental help at some point in his life, whereas one in three women will do the same (Collier, 1982). The paradox is that, in general, men experience similar, if not higher rates of psychological distress (e.g. anxiety and depression) than women, and are two-to-four times more likely than women to complete suicide (Cochran, 2001).

Men’s reluctance to seek help is not surprising, however, since men are socialized to value independence and self-reliance, and to view help-seeking and emotional expression as signs of weakness or incompetence (O’Neil, 1981). Men who value traditional male role norms may also experience what O’Neil et al. (1986) refer to as Gender Role Conflict (GRC). This talk will explore these issues and also look at methods of treatment, specifically redesigning a cognitive behavioral treatment program for women, insight for women for use with men.

Leprosy in the Bible Jaroslav E. Sýkora, New York, NY Leprosy is a disease in humans (also known as Hansen´s disease) caused by the bacillus Mycobacterium leprae. This term "leprosy" is commonly used (more for convenience than for medical accuracy) as a translation of Hebrew sara´at in the Old Testament and Greek lepra in the New Testament. Scholars now generally agree that none of the terms refers at all to leprosy, does so only as one among many skin conditions. Sara´at in the Old Testament describes phenomenologically discrete lesions or defects which are found on human skin, in fabrics, and on walls or houses. lepra in the New Testament is used of human skin diseases, following the Old Testament tradition. The legal part of the Bible (Leviticus, Deuteronomium) offers instructions and cure procedures there where symptoms of sara´at appear. The paper intends to approach the issue in these views: 1. Scientific Diagnostic Suppositions; 2. sara´at and God´s Punishment; 3. Pollution effect; 4. Purification sites; 5. Why is sara´at Impure; 6. leprosy in the New Testament.

Managing Employees in Slovakia and Bulgaria: Success Factors and Strategic Implication H. Takei, The Center for Advanced Business Studies, City University Europe/VSM, Trenčín, SR

Central-Eastern Europe regions have been popular for foreign direct investment (FDI). Studies on FDI in the regions have been performed to describe types, trends, and flows of the FDI. Currently, there is a strong need for research on post-FDI operations and success.

This research focuses on human resource treatment in the post-FDI operations in Bulgaria and Slovakia. We use our case studies to compare our results to various empirical studies on the post-FDI human resource treatment in the regions from 1995 to 2000. Based on the comparison, we discuss current success factors and some strategic implications for better human resource treatment in the two countries.

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Our results showed no difference in items of the success factors. In both countries, fairness, 2-way communications and information sharing are considered as the most important treatment factors. However, there seem to be some differences in levels of importance of the factors between Bulgaria and Slovakia.

Bulgarian employees expressed that cares/understanding was one of the most important factors while Slovak employees considered the element less important. Bulgarian employees felt more importance of cares/understanding than that of fair appraisal/reward while Slovak employees considered fair appraisal/reward is more important.

Strategic implications from this study are (1) there may be a need for strategic considerations for universal success factors and local preferences, (2) clear structures and rules ensuring both fairness must be established, and (3) two-way communication flows must be established to encourage not only information sharing but also local employees’ participations.

Shakespeare's Bohemia, Englishmen and Women in Renaissance Bohemia Alfred Thomas, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, IL

Most editors of Shakespeare's "The Winter's Tale" assume that the seacoast ascribed to Bohemia in Act III was either the product of the playwright's ignorance of east-central European geography or pure fancy. This paper sheds new light on Shakespeare's play by showing how the "desert of Bohemia" is not simply a feature of Greek romance but alludes to Rudolfine Bohemia as a place of political refuge for persecuted Catholics just as Perdita finds a safe haven from the tyranny of her father, King Leontes. The main section of the paper explores the experience of some of these English exiles, including Edmund Campion, who taught rhetoric at the Clementine College, and Elizabeth Jane Weston, who became the greatest neo-Latin poet of her generation. The conclusion of the paper returns to "The Winter's Tale" and makes the case that the wish fulfilment of the play's ending expresses Shakespeare's ecumenical desire for reconciliation and peace between English and European Catholics and Protestants on the eve of the calamitous Thirty Years' War (1618-48).

More then the Symbolic Power of a Student Death; the Role of National Memory in the Regime Change in Czechoslovakia Marcel Tomášek, School of Social Studies, Masaryk University, Brno The weekend following the violent clash of students with police on 'Narodní trída' a rumor about the death of Martin Šmíd spread, mourning and grieving his supposed death led to the nation-wide show-up of discontent with the existing regime; the first stance of discontent on the national scale exposed since the events following the tragic self-imposed death of Jan Palach in 1969. The events of 1989 in Czechoslovakia are considered to be an example of an outburst of traumatic effects clearly related to the collective memory of Jan Palach's desperate self-destructing act. This tragic and traumatic motive of student death as sacrifice connecting the events of 1989 and 1969 is audaciously considered to be a "last drop" factor in the collapse of the communist regime in Czechoslovakia. Still, it is suggested that this factor carries the indispensable key to the unresolved mystery behind the surprisingly smooth and essentially non-violent collapse of this refined single party power system with extensive, well-organized and privileged repressive structures. How it happened that classically understood power - as associated with party state and its institutional structures and the political echelon holding control of this state - could have been contested, disregarded and at the end forced to its knees? What social mechanisms and occurrences were in play which have made this flawlessly constructed network of power and grip on society irrelevant and with it associated threat insufficient for inflicting finally even a minor deterrence? Despite the strong and decades-long closure tendency as persuaded through the all-inclusive means of the totalitarian state which can be described as 'organized forgetting'(Connerton 1996, 14), in Neal's vocabulary (1998) 'the degree the nation dwelled upon the trauma' of the 1969 events turned out to be unprecedented. Resurfaced memories and trauma of nation sweeping happenings in 1969 made - the means of crumbling “apparat” of Brezniev imposed clan regime as confronted with legitimacy eroding perestroika - irrelevant and negligible.

Thermoelectricity: a Component of the Comprehensive Solution to the Energy Crisis Ctirad Uher, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI

The world faces a major challenge to find a solution to the insatiable thirst for energy. With the rapidly developing economies of Asia, the pressure on the energy resources will only grow. There is no easy solution to this problem and no technology that can single- handedly provide the answer. Rather, it will take a combination of many technological advances to ease the energy burden. One such contributing technology is thermoelectricity. Currently, the efficiency of thermoelectric devices (both coolers and power generators) is rather low, no better than 5%, and it relegates thermoelectricity to only niche areas of applications. The culprit is the existing thermoelectric materials the quality of which is measured by the so-called thermoelectric figure of merit Z. The figure of merit, or its dimensionless equivalent ZT where T is the absolute temperature, combines three important but somewhat interdependent transport parameters, namely the electrical conductivity , thermal conductivity and the Seebeck coefficient S, ZT = S2T/ . The idea is to achieve the highest possible ZT. The current best thermoelectrics have ZTd 1. For thermoelectricity to have a greater societal and technological impact requires the development of novel thermoelectric materials with ZT t 2 which would yield efficiencies of 15%.

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This talk outlines the world-wide effort to identify new highly efficient thermoelectrics and the state of their development. Among the most prospective new thermoelectric materials are compounds called skutterudites, complex chalcogenides, and, surprisingly, even certain oxides. They all are typified by a rather open crystal structure that can be suitably altered to optimize the electronic and thermal properties. Availability of novel thermoelectric materials with ZT 2-3 would make thermoelectricity superior in the areas of spot cooling and thermoelectric refrigeration competitive with vapor compression refrigeration. Moreover, such efficient thermoelectric materials would make harvesting of waste industrial heat and its conversion into electrical energy an economically viable process.

Czech Migrations to the Balkans Zdenek Uherek, Institute of Ethnology, ASCR, Prague, Czech Republic The discussion in this paper presents an overview of reasons for emigration from the Czech Lands to the Balkan countries. The ensuing migration streams are then explained, placing migrations to the Balkans in the broad context of European migrations. The details of specific migrations are explored. And finally, the resultant present-day settlements of Czechs in the Balkans are considered. Their basic characteristics, including their cultural activities, are presented for analysis.

Technology Interchange between Japan and the Czech Republic Asako Umezu, Toyota IT Development Center, Tokyo, Japan Prior to 1990, the main exports from Czechoslovakia to Japan were hops, aluminium, and glass products. A student exchange program between Czechoslovakia and Japan began in 1976. The present plans are to intensify interchanges in science, as well as in culture and the arts. I will discuss the future possibilities for the formation of joint companies and other forms of technical cooperation in the future.

Pensioners in the Czech Republic 1994-2003 Asako Umezu, Toyota IT Development Center, Tokyo, Japan

Between 1994 and 2003, I have conducted five surveys by questionnaires and iinterviews on issues concerning pensioners in the Czech Republic. As a result, I determined the variations in the living costs by households, for singles and couples, in various localities. On the basis of the population dynamics since 1960, I have calculated the pension costs for the various instances.

The Dual Effect of Resellers on E-Business Adopting by Manufacturing Firms Vladimir Vanyushyn, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden

Adopting e-business offers significant benefits to manufacturing firms, both in lowering costs and increasing sales. Despite the growing importance of and academic interest in e-business adoption, the empirical studies that examine how the resellers affect the decision to adopt e-business are rare, particularly in the area of smaller manufacturing firms. This paper investigates the effect resellers have on e-business adoption by manufacturing firms. These effects turned out two-fold in business-to-consumer and business-to-bsiness settings. Fear of alienating a reseller can impede the adoption, while the resellers’ intentions to invest in e- business can facilitate the adoption. Both effects are more pronounced for firms with fewer than 50 employees and almost irrelevant for firms with more than 200 employees. The explicit channel cannibalization effect is insignificant.

The Contribution of Czech and Slovak Architects and Urbanists in the Culture and Historical Heritage of Bulgaria (1878- 1944) Valentina Varbanova, Municipal Enterprise “Old Sofia” with Sofia History Museum, Sofia, Bulgaria

Following the Liberation of Bulgaria in 1878, foreign experts from Italy, Germany and Austro – Hungarian Empire keep visiting and staying in Bulgaria. A good number of them are from Czech and Slovak origins who have been guided in their choice to work in and for Bulgaria by their unselfish feelings of Slavonic commitment and self-sacrifice. In the period from 1878 to 1944 a total of over 200 Czechs and Slovaks work in Bulgaria in various fields of education, culture, architecture and the arts. The so-called “Czech cultural occupation” represents an important historic phenomenon in our history and during the last decade has been the object of investigation by historians, artists, and architects. The short communication presented is still the unpublished book “To the Czechs with Love” (title), or “The Tribute of Czechs and Slovaks in the Cultural and Historical Heritage of Bulgaria” (subtitle) . There are data and facts gathered in it and an analyses is made of the activities and work of Czech and Slovak experts who have left significant work in the fields of urbanization, architecture, construction, civil engineering, fine arts and craftsmanship, history and archaeology, historical parks and gardens and education and instruction of young Bulgarians. The present study encompasses the contribution of Czech and Slovak experts only in the fields of city - planning and architecture for the period from 1878 to 1944. The study incorporates a register of names, sites, schools, professional societies and mutual bonds between Bulgarian and Czech specialists in the indicated sphere of action. The all – European significance of the trail – blazing work of the Czechs and Slovaks in the organization and building of the New Bulgaria since the beginning of the 20th century has been explicitly stressed.

Problems with Rehabilittaion of Leopopld Hilsner in Austria in 2006: Is Anti-Semitism still Alive in Central Europe? Petr Vasicek, Vivantes Clinics, Berlin, Germany

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Efforts have been done in the past years in the Czech Republic, Austria, Italy, Israel, Switzerland, the United States and in Germany to remember Leopold Hilsner - victim of Czech and Austrian ant-Semitism and ritual murder accusation of 1899. The Charles University Prague dedicated a symposium of three days to reflect about Hilsner and the Czech Society 1899. The Hebrew University Jerusalem was invited to a lecture about the message of the Hilsner case in 2000. Much worse was, and still is the case in Austria: only private initiatives made possible to restore Hilsner grave at the Jewish Cemetery in Vienna. Or to install a plaque at the former site of Hilsner' s house in the Jewish second district in 2002 - an act joined by Charles Heller of Toronto, composer of synagogue music and relative of Hilsner. But the worst thing is that Austrian authorities refuse even a posthumous rehabilitation even in 2006: Efforts by the Green Party in the Austrian parliament were rejected in the same way as the idea of commemorating Tomás Garrigue Masaryk in Vienna by the City Council 2 years ago. I.e., in a city which is proud of so many ant-Semites as leading figures of the city' s history and "culture." And. in Prague, the director of the Austrian Cultural Institute dared to declare one year ago the Hilsner Case is a purely Czech matter ignoring that he was twice condemned to death by the Supreme Court in Vienna. Needless to mention, the Austrian Embassy in Germany rejected to sponsor both Hilsner exhibition that took place in Berlin late 2005. It seems as if anti- Semitism was still high in present-day Austria.

Teaching Composition and Music Theory in the U. S. (Alabama 2005 experience) Jan Vicar, Palacky University, Olomouc, CR

The paper brings a comparison between Czech and American music teaching methods, as well as between the Czech composition and music theory students from AMU Prague and Palacky University Olomouc and those from Birmingham-Southern College, Alabama. I spent as a Visiting Adjunct Professor at the Birmingham-Southern College, Birmingham, Alabama the fall semester 2005. I replaced an important composer Charles Mason who won American 2005 Roma Prize and stayed in Italy. I taught 12 students composition individually, using mostly examples from the Central European contemporary music culture. In an advanced music theory class, I compared American theoretical system (especially complicated concept of augmented sixth chords) to the more natural Czech one (Czech concept of chromatic alterations, secondary dominants and sevenths, mediant function, following the German traditional models). My teaching was very successful and I was happy to contribute to the better knowledge of Czech musical culture in the US.

Scientific Path from Prague through Oxford to Pennsylvania V. Vitek, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA

In the sixties there were many scientists in Czechoslovakia whose research was state of the art and who enjoyed international recognition. In 1964 I was fortunate to join one such group at the Institute of Physics of the Academy of Sciences. The portrayal of excellent people leading this group, as well as of the atmosphere in the scientific community, will open this talk. Owing to the professional links of the Prague group with British scientists I joined in 1967 a group at Oxford that had similar scientific interests. Since I spent in England almost twelve years, I shall devote a part of the talk to this period. The main topics here will be the educational process at Oxford, opportunities for a non-native to get established in the British science community, development of broad international contacts and comparison with the United States where I moved in 1978. The final part of this talk will be devoted to the American experience. It will include discussion of the educational system in the USA from kindergarten to the graduate school and comparison with European system, description of the hard path of a young academic towards attaining the tenure, struggle to establish funding for research and other aspects of academia in America. Finally, I shall discuss opportunities for Czech and Slovak students in science and engineering to carry out graduate studies in the USA.

Advances in Prevention and Treatment of Alzheimer Diseases Ladislav Volicer, University of South Florida, Tampa, FL and Charles University, Praha, CR

Although in some cases Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is caused purely by a genetic defect, in most cases it is caused by combination of genetic predisposition and environmental influences throughout the life. So far, we know of one gene, gene for apolipoprotein E, which increases the risk of development of AD, but there are probably some other genes also involved. Environmental influences include stress, brain injury and possibly education. The risk of developing AD is decreased in individuals involved in intellectual and physical activities, eating diet rich with vitamins, antioxidants and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (fish). The risk of clinical dementia is also decreased by prevention of brain vascular changes because individuals who did not have any vascular damage were not demented before death despite presence of significant AD changes in their brains. Progression of AD can be delayed by treatment with cholinesterase inhibitors and memantine. These drugs act mainly by temporarily improving symptoms of dementia but do not affect significantly the underlying disease progression. Promising future therapies, such as immunization against beta amyloid protein, may lead to prevention or reversal of the pathological process that involves neurotoxic effects of the beta amyloid. In the meantime, it is important to provide adequate treatment for individuals who have AD and to help them to maintain their quality of life. In the advanced dementia, this treatment includes providing meaningful activities, managing behavioral symptoms of dementia, and avoiding inappropriate aggressive medical interventions.

Cultural Symbols at Texas Polka Dances Martina Vranova, Masaryk University,. Brno, CR

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In this paper I want to adopt an ethnographic approach to Texas polka dances. I understand the cultural act of polka dances as a performance through which the Czech American ethnic identity and a sense of a community is constructed. Polka dances serve as settings for “orchestrating” cultural symbols which then participate on the process of creation, preservation and transfer of ethnic identity.

Czechoslovak Sokol Abroad Jan Waldauf, Sokol Canada, Toronto, Ont., Canada Czech, later Czechoslovak Sokol units abroad were established by immigrants from the Czech lands and Slovakia in many countries to which they emigrated. They became centers of ethnic Czech and Slovak life as, in addition to gymnastics and sports, they also fostered and maintained the heritage of their old homeland through cultural and social activities. Prior to the Second World War a total of 50 Sokol Units existed in 14 countries, all of them organized in the “Sokol Abroad” district of the Czechoslovak Sokol Organization. During the Second World War with Sokol banned and dissolved in most European countries, the Sokol Abroad District functioned first from Paris, later from London where Sokol units were also established in the Free Czechoslovak army and air force. During the brief post-war period 1945-1948 the Sokol Abroad district was again part of the Czechoslovak Sokol Organization. However, since Sokol was no longer allowed in countries occupied or dominated by the Soviet Union, the number of its units was substantially reduced from the pre-war total. Following the communist coup d’etat in 1948 and dissolution of Sokol in Czechoslovakia, Sokol members who left the country, established a unique temporary organization, “Sokol in Exile”, with 26 Sokol units in refugee camps in Germany and Italy. Following their emigration Sokol members joined existing Sokol units in countries of their settlement or founded Sokol units in countries where none existed – Australia, South Africa, Netherlands, Morocco, Rhodesia, Sweden and Switzerland. To coordinate the activities of Sokol units scattered in many parts of the world, a central organization was established in 1951 named Czechoslovak Sokol in Exile, renamed one year later to “Czechoslovak Sokol Abroad”, associating 30 Sokol units in twelve countries. In addition to physical education, gymnastics and sports activity, it organized schools and courses for its instructors, published continuously a monthly magazine, and organized seven major Sokol slets in Vienna, Zurich, Montreal and Paris; these slets became manifestations of the whole Czechoslovak community abroad as other organizations held their own conventions, meetings and other events in conjunction with them. Czechoslovak Sokol Abroad was also active in public affairs and had to continually ward off efforts by the Czechoslovak communist government to disrupt its activities. Following the collapse of the communist regime and having been purposely established as a temporary successor to the Czechoslovak Sokol Organization dissolved by the communists, the VII. Convention of Czechoslovak Sokol Abroad in 1994 resolved to terminate its activities by the end of 1995. Sokol in Canada Jan Waldauf, Sokol Canada, Toronto, Ont., Canada Sokol was brought to Canada by a group of Czech miners who arrived in western Canada’s coal mining region straddling British Columbia and Alberta near Crow’s Nest Pass; in 1911 they established Sokol units in the mining towns of Michel, B.C., and Frank, Alberta, which were also the first two ethnic organizations of Czechs and Slovaks in Canada. The First World War, and declining coal production resulting in the closing of mines, caused a general exodus from the region; following a drastic decline of membership during the early thirties both Sokol units ceased to exist. Meanwhile new immigrants from Czechoslovakia established Sokol units in Montreal, Winnipeg, Toronto and Goldburg; due to the great distances separating them they had to conduct their activities in isolation with their only link with each other being their membership in the “Sokol Abroad” district of the Czechoslovak Sokol Organization. During the Second World War, following the arrival of the Bata organization in Canada, a Sokol unit was established in Batawa, in relative proximity of Toronto, enabling these two units to organize several joint events in support of the Allied war effort, some also in cooperation with American Sokols in the Cleveland, Ohio area. After the war and the Communist coup d’etat in Czechoslovakia in 1948, and to a lesser extent after the Soviet occupation of Czechoslovakia in 1968, new waves of refugees arrived in Canada, among them many Sokols. This resulted in increased activities of existing units and the founding of new units in Kitchener, Noranda, Ottawa, Vancouver and Windsor, as well as in the establishment of “Sokol Canada”, associating all Sokol units in Canada for the first time in a national organization. Since its establishment, Sokol Canada organizes several competitions and other events annually as well as its own periodic slets with a total of eleven having been held to date in Toronto, Montreal and Noranda. In addition to its own activities, Sokol in Canada participates at Sokol slets in the United States and Europe and its members made a significant contribution to Canada’s physical education, gymnastics and sports by excelling as competitors and serving in various capacities as organizers and leading officials in Canadian organizations. Since the founding of the first two Sokol units in Canada 95 years ago, a total of fourteen units were established. Some ceased to exist for a variety of reasons, most of them economical; presently Sokol units exist in Toronto, Montreal, Ottawa and Kitchener- Waterloo-Guelph.

SFDI AND GDP Growth in the Czech Republic and Poland – Theory and Empirical Evidence for the Impact of Foreign Bank- Induced Technology Transfers, Improved Corporate Governance and Pull Effect on Economic Growth Jennifer Weichselbraun and Peter R. Haiss, University of Economics and Business Administration, Vienna, Austria

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While real-sector trade and investment has received ample attention in the literature with regard to its impact on economic development in transition economies, evidence on the impact of financial-sector trade and investment is scarce. This paper discusses the impact of foreign bank presence on financial sector development and GDP growth in the Czech Republic and Poland. While real sector trade and investment is usually found to have improved technology transfer, spurred restructuring and growth especially in the early stages of transition, we argue that financial trade and investment in addition improved corporate governance and pulled in further investment via signal effects. Delayed financial sector reform and FDI may have led to lower GDP growth.

The Czech Communities in Virginia John Wells, Virginia Department of Transportation, Chesterfield, VA In the years after the Civil War, there was a general movement by the State, local governments, railroads and private interests to bring new settlers to the South, with promises of inexpensive land and temperate climate. Small numbers of Europeans immigrants, who had initially settled in the Northern and Midwestern stated, relocated to the South in the later 19th century. This paper documents the Czech communities that developed throughout Virginia, with a special emphasis on the communities around Petersburg, Virginia. The location of farms, churches, cemeteries, schools and other ethnic sites are documented, with notations of buildings that have been recorded on the Virginia Department of Historical Resources’ Landmarks Register.

“New” Europe’s Perceptions and Misconceptions of a Potential EU Member State: Turkey. Michael Werbowski, Prague-based reporter, Prague, CR In this talk I will examine the current state of the Turkish economy, its social make up as a secular Muslim state, and attempt to determine just how ready it is to join the European Union. However as the title suggests I will explore the changing perceptions of Turkey in the eyes of the “new” central European EU member states. By means of numerous sources such as media , academic papers and diplomatic sources I will attempt to assess the current impressions and concerns among central Europe citizenry to the prospect of a secular Muslim nation (whose population of 80 million outnumbers that of Poland ,Hungary , Czech and Slovak republic’s combined) becoming a full fledged member of the EU.

The Czech Nation and its Armies in Warfare, Victories, Defeat, and Nation Building Dagmar Hasalova White, Northern Virginia, Community College, Annandale, VA The historical Czech military establishment is mainly a reflection of Central European military developments. Only the Hussite wars were an exception. Then the Czech forces became a model for the armies of neighboring countries. The oldest Czech military organization was limited to a very primitive defense. Prior to the 13th century, infantry was the mainstay of the national army. The 13th and 14th centuries were dominated by knights and heavy mounted cavalry. During the Hussite wars the infantry was supported by armed wagons and shooters. In the 16th century and the beginning of the 17th century (until the Battle of White Mountain) the Estates relied on mercenary armies and the 17the and 18th centuries are dominated by Imperial mercenary forces. In the 18th and 19th centuries the State had already a permanent army based mainly on Prussian and Napoleonic models. After 1867 the army entered the modern era. From the history of the Czech warfare it is obvious that when the King based the expansion of his realm on the support of his army imbued by a national spirit, he was successful. The idea of a national army reached its peak during the Hussite wars when the Hussite armies were able to defeat a far superior enemy. The tragedy of the defeat at the Battle of White Mountain was that the uprising of the Estates did not find support nation wide and relied on mercenary forces. A new national army was not born again until the First World War when it had the legions and with it the independence of Czechoslovakia. Hopefully, the national spirit won’t be tested in the future in the defense of the homeland as it was during the Second World War when it fought with allies abroad and in the resistance on the home front. Today with globalization, NATO peace keeping mission, and the European Union the organization and purpose of the army is changing.

Castrati, Prima Donnas and the Golden Age of Bel Canto Dagmar Hasalova White, Northern Virginia Community College, Annandale, VA Bel canto was the vocal art of the 17th and 18th centuries. It enthralled European audiences who flocked to hear the virtuoso performances of their favorite castrati and prima donnas in roles of Baroque operas. In this period opera was little more than a concert in costume, lavish sets, impeccable technique and virtuosity of fioritura (florid) singing. Why then, if female singers were available in the 17th and 18th centuries were the superstars in the opera firmament castrati. An erroneous and unfortunate interpretation of St. Paul’s admonition to the Corinthians (I-14:34) barred women from singing in church choirs and sometimes from theaters. As a result, castrati substituted for women in vocal music for two centuries. The treble voices of young boys were not able to satisfy the demand of the prevailing musical style. Spanish falsettists were therefore imported for the Sistine Chapel. The secret of their range, strength, and flexibility was surgical. Although the Church did not condone this practice, it did not hesitate to use them to the fullest. Castrati became the darlings of opera audiences. Their wealth and fame produced an avalanche of castrations as a means of escaping poverty. Over, 4,000 boys in Italy were castrated each year; few attained fame and riches. Most female singers of this epoch were pupils of castrati or learned by observing or imitating them. With the decline of opera seria and the emergence of prima donnas the popularity of the castrati ended in the late 18th century. After the French Revolution and Napoleonic wars prima donnas ruled supreme on the operatic stage. In my paper I will deal with the vocal, medical, and social phenomenon of the castrati, the emergence of prima donnas, and the

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etiquette of opera goers in the 17th and 18th centuries.

Wilsonianism in the 21st Century Lewis M. White, US Department of State, and Wilsonian Club, Washington, DC In his speech before the United States Congress on April 2, 1917, President Woodrow Wilson said that United States must enter World War I on the side of the Allies because “the world must be made safe for democracy.” In this and other speeches he described a world order in which disarmament, democracy, and free trade would lead toward a more peaceful world. The Wilsonian triad— peace, democracy, and free trade—are the ideas that have conquered the world. Wilson was far ahead of his time because this triad was not the trend in the interwar years when the opposite was the trend and the result was an even more destructive war than World War I. Every American administration since World War II has been “Wilsonian.” In his second inaugural address President Bush made the spread of democracy the nation’s primary mission. In his State of the Union address this year he stated that there were now 122 democracies in the world. A number of countries that had unfriendly nations on their borders in the twenties and thirties are now allies with every nation on their border and protected in a common defense against aggression from beyond their borders. There are now 149 members of the World Trade Organization, including China and Cuba. Countries like Germany and Japan have shown the possibilities of rapid development through trade if there are no obstacles. There have been many armed conflicts between nations and within nations in the post Cold-War period but none between the major industrial countries. Nor does it appear likely that there will be. The war in Iraq has the goal of implementing democracy, an open economy, and peace in a part of the world where it has not existed. World cooperation will be needed to deal with the spread of weapons of mass destruction and control of existing stocks.

Historic Genocides, A Case Study of Anti-Semitism in the First Crusade Raymond Whitlow, Luther College, Decorah, IA In the spring of 1095, Pope Urban II called on Christian soldiers to carry the cross to the Holy Land, beginning what is now known as the first crusade. On May 27th, 1096, one of the first crusader armies, under Count Emich of Flonheim, slaughtered the Jewish population of Mainz, killing over a thousand people. The Mainz massacre was not unique, but massacres by crusading armies occur over only a brief period during the first crusade. This paper analyzes the rhetoric used in Pope Urban’s address at the Council of Clermont as well as in period documents to examine how the crusaders saw themselves licensed as God’s warriors. Additionally, the label “infidel” is examined in the same documents to demonstrate that the crusaders did not differentiate between Jew and Muslim, and used their status as crusaders to justify attacking European Jews. My thesis is that these sudden and drastic attacks on Jewish populations, while symptomatic of a deeper anti-Semitism, are also a result of the particular rhetoric used by the pope and others to justify the crusades.

Transparency in Trade Micro and Macro Concerns Timothy L. Wilson, Umeå University, Umeå, Sweden It has been suggested that corruption has become increasingly more important for understanding general development processes and policies. The driving force for greater transparency, i.e. less corruption, is the understanding that honesty should indeed be the best policy. In this paper, some of the current literature on transparency/corruption is reviewed, which appears to be primarily of a microeconomic nature. In that regard, game theory helps to understand the pervasiveness of corruption. A specific case of interest is the existence of a major transparent, i.e. “honest,” firm in a corrupt environment and how that scenario is likely to play out. Macroeconomic indices are available that relate to both transparency and competitiveness, which permit analysis of growth potential and actual growth. Although there appears to be a significant relationship between potential and transparency, regression results appear to suggest different relationships for industrialized and emerging economies for current observations. Finally, some concluding remarks are included that reflect current thinking on the relevance of greater transparency at the state level.

Half-Truths of College Leadership in the 21st Century Robert Wilson-Black, Moravian College, Bethelehm, PA 1) It's all about heritage and mission (sort of) 2) It has to be run like a business (sometimes) 3) Philanthropy is a cure-all (if you can find money) 4) Liberal arts colleges are the wave of the past (though they flourish) 5) American colleges of today owe everything to European models (as we depart from them) 6) Moral questions are at the heart of any college (depending on how you define moral)

The active tensions that keep university and college leadership interesting and difficult on both sides of the Atlantic are at once old and new. Questions about university education in 13th Century Paris or 16th Century Prague and questions surrounding higher education leadership today in America and Europe are eerily similar: finances, sponsorship, disciplines, canon challenges, state involvement, new technologies, libraries, orthodoxy, mission and student behavior to name a few (remember that those Franciscans were accused of giving students apples and beer as a bribe). The modern manifestations of these leadership challenges would naturally have been foreign to leaders even 100 years ago (health care costs, sexual harassment, artificial intelligence, DNA as history, intellectual capital and for-profit cross-continental corporate universities), but in that sense change is the constant as their

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issues might have seemed foreign in form to their counterparts 300 years before. By attending to the "half-truths" of college leadership in the 21st Century listed above, during this presentation we can minimally find comfort in understanding these issues, opportunity in internationalization of our concerns and pleasure in at least temporarily solving or addressing our shared issues.

The Impact of Social and Legislative Policy on Federal Entrepreneurship Joan Winn, University of Denver, Denver, CO Women are the conduit to social change. Economic literacy, self-sufficiency, self-concept and self-determination begin in the home. Therefore, it is in society’s best interest to encourage women to be self-supporting and self-directed. Since independent business ownership promises more control, autonomy, and self-fulfillment than traditional corporate employment, many women are drawn to entrepreneurship. Encouraged by the lure of self expression and self-sufficiency, women-initiated startups outpace those of men. Between 1997 and 2004, women-owned businesses grew 23%, compared to 9% overall; employment in women-owned firms grew 24%, compared to 12% overall; and revenues increased 46% compared to 34%. But despite the high number of women-owned startups, their size, profitability, technology, and sustainability lags behind men. In the U.S., women own 30% of all privately owned businesses; in the U.K., women account for 26% of business owners. Despite the near-parity in employment under communism, in Romania, Croatia, and Poland self-employment as a percentage of total employment is 32.6%, 25.9%, and 23.3%, respectively, for men, and 17.4%, 14.4%, and 18.4%, respectively, for women. Self- employment in Lithuania and the Czech Republic follow close behind, with 19.2% and 18.8% of men and 12.7% and 9.0% of women, respectively. Family structure, traditional perceptions about women’s and men’s role in society, role models, and educational opportunities exert different forces on women than on men who choose to form independent businesses. Healthcare and maternity benefits through large corporations is inversely related to new venture initiation for women. Lending practices geared to high-growth ventures cut off small and medium enterprise development, and are biased against labor-intensive service industries which tend to be populated by women. Legislation and policies that subordinate a married woman’s status to that of her husband, perpetuate the impression of women as second-class citizens. The economic, political and legal forces at work in women’s decision to start their own businesses should not be dismissed lightly. As one might expect, in countries with high employment rates, entrepreneurship and self-employment are low. Many women opt for corporate jobs that provide health insurance and maternity leaves. Schedules and policies that penalize women with children when they enter the workplace perpetuate a cycle of women’s dependence. In transition countries, women cite tax and legislative changes, corruption and contract violations as barriers to forming sustainable independent businesses. Childcare has become an increasing concern because fewer women have access to parents (who may still be working) and grandparents (now elderly). Legal system insufficiencies and high (perceived) corruption contribute to an informal business sector (under the table receipts) and confusing landscape for achieving and measuring success. This presentation will examine some of the legal and societal hurdles that prevent more women from creating sustainable businesses. While some of these hurdles may be rooted in a culture and social structure that exerts pressures against breaking the status quo, there are legal and policy changes that can exert positive change.

November 17th after 1989: Commemoration in Post-Communist Czechoslovakia Deanna Gayle Wooley, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN This paper examines the dynamics of commemoration after the fall of communism in the Czech lands. It focuses on the November 17th anniversary and its connection to the 1989 events popularly known as the "Velvet Revolution" throughout the 1990s, which is understood as a transitional period during which the negotiation between dismantling old structures and instituting new ones played out against a more general search for an identity for the new state. In the paper, the ways and means by which discourse concerning the revolutionary events developed in the public arena will be explored within the context of November 17th, which was generally accepted as the most appropriate date to commemorate the events of 1989. The broader social, political and economic developments in the transformation-era Czech lands will provide the backdrop for considering the ways in which the public perception of the "Velvet Revolution" evolved. Using concrete examples, the paper will map out the development of this discourse with particular consideration for: the ways in which previous structures and ideas influenced the creation of the new symbolic order in both form and content; the ways in which people struggled to subvert or invert the concepts of the previous era based upon their understanding of it; the struggle between different groups to define the meaning and significance of the date; and finally the consequences that this contestation had for creating a new symbolic order based upon the experiences of the self-consciously anti- totalitarian "Velvet Revolution". In doing so, the paper addresses questions of post-communist political legitimization and national identity in an effort to historicize the process of "coming to terms with the past".

Institute for Language and Preparatory Studies of Charles University - Czech Language Teaching and Teaching of Professional Subjects in the Czech Language for Foreigners - Foreign Language Teaching Karel Zastera, Charles University, Prague, CR The Institute specializes in training foreign students interested in studying at universities in the Czech Republic. The program is aimed at intensive Czech language learning and studies in technical field, social sciences, humanities and medicine. The whole program can be studied also in the English language. Students of the Czech language can obtain the CCE - Czech Language Certificate Exam /European Language Passport/. Furthermore, the Institute covers other foreign language courses resulting in certified exams: British exams PET, FCE, CAE; Spanish exams DIE, DBE, DSE; Czech exams - The English language elementary

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state exam and the English language comprehensive state exam; the Russian Federation Ministry of Education exam from the Russian language as foreign language - Basic, Elementary and 1st certificate level. The paper will acquaint participants in the Conference with individual departments, courses and teaching methods.

Activities of Slovak Honorary Consul for Indiana, Kentucky and Tennessee Steve Zlatos, Indianapolis, IN A presentation concerning the roles and activities of current Slovak Honorary Consuls in the United States. The qualifications for and appointment process of the honorary consul position, as well as the location and geographic jurisdiction of each of the consulates will be explained. The presentation will also outline the various responsibilities and duties of the honorary consuls, their interactions with the Slovak Embassy in the U.S., and their role in promoting positive political, economic, cultural and educational ties between Slovakia and the U.S. There will be an opportunity for a discussion and question and answer period following the presentation.

Scientific Contribution of a Czech Nobel Prize Winner Petr Zuman, Clarkson University, Potsdam, NY If a glass capillary is attached to a reservoir of mercury, at the orifice of the capillary a small drop of mercury is formed every 2 - 4 seconds. After the drop has grown sufficiently large, it drops off. This process provides an always-fresh metallic surface, suitable for electrochemical investigations. To achieve a fresh, clean, well reproducible surface was the idea, which led in 1922 Profesor Jaroslav Heyrovsky to use such electrodes for electrolysis. In electrolyses we follow reductions or oxidations of dissolved compounds. In the process the electrons are either transferred from the electrode to the species in the solution (reduction) or from that species to the electrode (oxidations).Professor Heyrovsky carried out small scale electrolyses using the above described dropping mercury electrode immersed into the investigated solution in a cell, which contained another electrode, the potential of which does not change during the experiment (a reference electrode). Professor Heyrovsky applied to the two electrodes coltage, which he gradually increased and measured the current, flowing between the two electrodes. Resulting current-voltage curve offered information about the qualitative and quantitative composition of the investigated solution. Resulting electrochemical analyses of inorganic and organic compounds was fast and sensitive. It found applications in analyses of alloys, waters, pharmaceuticals and components of the environment, as well as theoretical applications in chemistry, biochemistry, biology and various areas of the health sciences. Currently this technique and its congeners are applied, for example,, in investigation of the chemistry of DNA.

Initial Stages in the History of the Czech Academy of Sciences and Some of its Institutes Petr Zuman, Clarkson University, Potsdam NY After the end of World War II and recovery from the devastation caused by occupation of Czech countries by Nazi Germany, the activity of some of the scientific organizations, functioning before the War, was resumed. This involved, for example the Royal Czech Society of Sciences, Czech Academy of Sciences and Arts, Czechoslovak National Research Organization, Masaryk's Academy of Working Men (predominantly for technical disciplines), Czechoslovak Agricultural Academy and Moravian-Silesian Academy of Natural Sciences. Already in 1946 a decision was taken to form a Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences as a central, state institution. The idea was to create an organization that would act as an umbrella for existing organizations and societies.. In parallel, the State Office of Planning developed their own plan to form State Center of Research Institutes, which would be subordinated directly to the Government. After the communist takeover in 1948 the Communist Party decided - in order to achieve control of the scientific research - to form a Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences, as an organization owing and controlling its own institutes, following the example of the Soviet Union. Whereas previously most of the research in Czechoslovakia was carried out at the Universities and Institutes of Technology, with more restricted research carried out in industry, in the Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences (CSAV) the research was to be carried out independently of the institutes of higher education. A State Committee to plan the development of the Academy was established, headed by L. Stoll, V. Prochazka, B. Havranek and V. Jarnik. In 1950 the State Office of Planning founded six research Institutes, called Central Research Institutes, among them the Central Institute of Organic Chemistry (headed be Prof. F.Sorm), The Central Polarographic Institute (headed by Prof. J. Heyrovsky) and the Central Mathematical Institute. The CSAV was formed by law in 1952 and became functioning on January 1, 1953 and the Central Institutes became one of the initially formed Institutes.

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