This page uses Times NR CE / Latin 2 font for proper viewing.      Page extensively revised 26 Sep. 2005.

Famous Czechs

Sgt. Michael Strank (born in Jarabina, CZ) led the Marines who raised US flag over Iwo Jima in World War II on February 23, 1945.  Sadly,he was killed one week later.

 
Joseph Skoda developed modern medicine's diagnostic methodology. He co-founded Vienna's modern medical school in the 19th Century and was the first to switched from Latin to the vernacular (German) when teaching medicine--a radical if practical move.

 
Gregor Johann Mendel outlined the laws of heredity, genes, and hybridization by studying pea plants. This research made him the "Father of Genetics," even tho his research was, at least in part, a failed attempt to discredit Darwinism.
     What is less well known is, as Abbot of the Abbey of St. Thomas at Brunn, he was an adamant opponent of taxing religious houses. Ultimately the government dropped the tax--but the battle contributed to Mendel's ill-health and death.

 
Sigmund Freud was born in Príbor (Moravia). One would have to be nuts not to know what Freud contributed to psychiatry.

 

Jan Janský was the first to study blood, separating it into 4 types (A, B, AB, O)., thus leading to safe transfusions. He campaigned for people to voluntarily donate blood; and to this day, Czech blood donors are awarded a Janský medal („Janského plaketa“) for outstanding contributions.

 

Among the giants of Czech music are: Antonín Dvořák, Bedrich Smetana, and Jaroslav Vejvoda who composed "Roll Out The Barrel" in 1929 (originally titled in Czech "Sorry For The Love I Gave You").

 
Otto Wichterle invented a process in 1941 to make the synthetic fiber he called silon independent of the earlier American development "nylon" in 1935. He is best know for
inventing the contact lens in 1956, tho the Communist government sold his patented process to Americans. He was in and out of favor with the regime several times, until the Velvet Revolution elevated him to honorary president of the Czech Academy of Science. In 1993 asteroid #3899 was named after him.

 
František Křížík [don't try pronouncing it if you're not Czech]. Křížík became know as the "Czech Thomas Edison." Among his inventions was an anti-collision device for trains and the first electric arc lamp (a.k.a. Plzen Lamp).

 
The lightning rod was invented by Václav Prokop Diviš in 1753 (independently of Benjamin Franklin). He also constructed the first electrified musical instrument in history circa 1748: the Denis d´or ["golden Dionysus"]. The thing might be thought of as the first moog synthesizer!.

Astronomers Tyge (Latinized as Tycho) Brahe and Johannes Kepler did much of their important work in Prague. Brahe's amazingly precise data and Kepler's applied science led to Kepler publishing his first two laws of planetary motion as well as developing the scientific method of interpreting data.

The assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand led to World War I. He was Hapsburg Emperor Franz Josef Ferdinand's nephew and would have been next to rule. Instead, his death led to the end of Austro-Hungary and the first independent Czechoslovak Republic. [not to mention the band: Franz Ferdinand]

Famous Californians

Californians invented:
Barbie Dolls, the Boysenberry, the wetsuit, blue jeans, The Pill, Hollywood, The Beach Boys & surfer music, the computer mouse, white zinfandel wine, theme parks like Disneyland, the words "beatnik" and "hippie" [Herb Caen, San Francisco Chronicle], and the "Ancient Order of  E Clampus Vitus."

Writers with California connections:
Robert Frost, John Steinbeck, Lawrence Ferlinghetti, Alan Ginsberg, Bret Harte, Robinson Jeffers, Gertrude Stein & Alice B. Toklas, Mark Twain, and Robert Louis Stevenson.

Everett Ruess, "A Vagabond for Beauty," was a promising Californian artist and writer who disappeared in the Escalante, Utah area in 1934 at age 20. His mysterious fate elevated him to cult status to many. Talk about a Bohemian life!

Julia Child, The French Chef of Public Television fame, is credited both with raising American cuisine to the level of art, as well as practicality (i.e. bending down, picking up, cleaning off, and continuing to cook a chicken if dropped on the floor). What many don't know is Ms. Child was a spy during WWII, which lead to meeting her husband and being stationed in Paris where she enrolled in Cordon Bleu. The rest is cooking history.

Charles P. Ginsburg invented the practical video tape machine for television recording. It was first used by CBS TV in 1956.

Reuben Lucius "Rube" Goldberg One of the most famous cartoonists in history. He earned lasting fame for his "Rube Goldberg machines"—devices that are exceedingly complex and perform very simple tasks in a very indirect and convoluted way. The board game"Mouse Trap" is based on such a contraption.
http://www.rubegoldberg.com/html/gallery.htm

Lillie Hitchcock Coit "5" Back in the day [5 October 1863] San Francisco welcomed it's first (probably America's first) official female firefighter when she joined Knickerbocker Fire Company No. 5--thus the "5" added to her signature. She was a free sprit, non-conformist, and appropriately a contemporary of Emperor Norton's, tho nothing is known of their interactions.

Emperor Norton -1, Emperor of the United States and Protector of Mexico a.k.a. Joshua Abraham Norton [?14 Feb. 1819 - 8 Jan. 1880]. America's first and only emperor. Among his progressive efforts as benevolent sovereign, he ordered a bridge be built from Oakland to San Francisco precisely where it was built 100 years later. He also deplored anti-Asian racism and famously stared down a mob of would-be Chinese-bashers heading for San Francisco's China Town. All hail Norton!

Ishi [1860? - 1916] was the last Yahi Indian, a tribe that settlers had hunted to extinction. He was discovered in Oroville in 1911 and relocated to California's Museum of Anthropology where he contributed invaluable knowledge about his culture and language until his death.

Burt Rutan designed the White Knight/X-37 reuseable space craft and the Voyager aircraft--the first to fly around the world without stopping or refueling.

Dr. Paul B. MacCready and Dr. Peter B. S. Lissaman created the human-powered aircraft Gossamer Condor and Gossamer Albatross. That later was flown (peddled) by bicyclist Bryan Allen across the English Channel.

Herstory: with Czech Connections

In 1918 T.G. Masaryk became the 1st Czechoslovakia's 1st president (elected to office while visiting the United States!).

He married American Charlotte Garrigue in 1878 and took her last name as his middle-name.  (Czechs do not have middle names as a rule.) This act was characteristic of his presidency. He championed women's equality throughout his political career.

President

T.G._Masaryk

Shirley Temple Black was US Ambassador to Czech Rep. 1989-1993 (during the

Velvet Revolution). And yes, that's Shirley Temple of movie fame. In 1935 she became the first child star to win an Academy Award.

 

Madeleine Albright: 1st Czech born American representative to the United Nations,

America's 1st Woman Secretary of State, as well as 1st Secretary of State of Czech ancestry (male or female so far as can be determined).

Are the CA & CZ Folklore Parallels Myths or Legends?

Legend has it the Czech lands were proclaimed by „Praotec Čech" (Forefather

or Grandfather Czech) from atop Rip Hill.  Some say it happened there because

he was tired by the climb and the years of searching for the land of milk and honey.

That hill was as far as he was going!

 

Generations later, Princes Libuše was in charge both politically and spiritually.

The ruler cum soothsayer looked into the future and saw her Czech capital becoming a mighty city "on the threshold of the stars." Thus she named it „Praha“ (Threshold), a.k.a. Prague.  [And they say Gold Country names are weird.  That and American

spelling.  How does Praha transliterate into Prague?!   (here's a hint)]

 

Libuše sent out a white horse to find a husband.  Bad move.  The nag brought

back a guy who established the chauvinistic Přzemyslid Dynasty which began

subjugating women.  No myth that part.

 

Subsequently, legend says, Libuše's female warrior, Vlásta, decided to re-establish

women's rule.  Vlásta gathered an army of like-Lysistrata-minded gals (including

the Amazon Šarká) and declared war on men.  From that point stories very greatly, tho the men always win, duh!? It's called HIStory.

 

In one operatic version, Šarká comes to her senses (i.e. falls in love & goes

straight) renounces the Women's War; marries Ctriad; defeats Vlásta; dies tragically (of course) as the fat lady sings.

 

A more herstoric variant has the amazons killing Ctriad and are only defeated

when all the male armies of all surrounding nations gather and attack. And Šarká

survives!  Except... (of course) she decides to commit suicide by leaping from

White Rock rather than be captured.  But wait!!  The rock opens; she goes in; and

there she awaits the next period when women are politically mistreated at which time she promises to come forth and avenge them!  (Her lack of appearance pretty much disproves that myth.)  [Or would disproving myth prove it fact? Hope so.]

 

No matter which story one prefers, women's rights are not delivered. Now here's the slight California connection. (my apologies)

 

California's place name comes from the 16th Century Spanish book, Las Sergas de Esplandián which explains "...to the east of Eden, lies California, an island peopled by a swarthy, robust, passionate race of women living manless like Amazons.  Their island..., abounds in gold."  Šarká would be proud of us.

We thank Radio Prague for their excellent resources: http://archiv.radio.cz/history/

Czech-out the story of Bruncvík and his 2-tailed lion by clicking his image left.

Below you'll see how the lion is used as the symbol of Bohemia. So much for Bruncvík's 15 minutes..

CA Flag:
Red, White, Blue, Brown, Gold, a little Green...
California's Bear Flag was raised in 1846 in defiance of Mexico which then claimed California. The short lived declaration of a sovereign California [Bear Flag] Republic nevertheless established the emblem.  Its white background symbolizes purity, the red star and bar--courage; the grizzly displays strength. The lone star also denotes sovereignty (emulating Texas, the "Lone Star State").

Tech Talk:
        Transportation, Communication, Computers

CZ Major Airports: 2 / International Airports: 1 (Prague)
CA Major Airports; 12 (at least) / International Airports: 5 (or more)

CZ Railway Miles: 5,863. This is perhaps the densest railroad system in Europe!
CA Railway Miles: ......... Trains? In California? Really? Who knew?!

 

Los Angeles:  by one estimate 25% of L.A. is dedicated to the automobile (637
                         miles freeway and 25,146 miles streets.  Then there's parking!)

Prague:  Perhaps 25% of Central Old Prague is car-free!

 

CZ  Freeway Miles:  310  which is "equivalent to" 1,550 miles (adjusting for size
CA  Freeway Miles: 15,200                                                                       because CA = 5 x CZ)

CZ  Street Miles (excluding freeways):      79,000   equiv. = 395,000  (x5 to adjust)
CA  Street Miles (excluding freeways):     169,200

*CZ    Internet Service Providers (2004):           295,677
*USA Internet Service Providers (2002):    115,311,958

*CZ     Main Telephone Lines (2003):         3,626,000
*USA  Main Telephone Lines (2003):     181,599,900

 

*CZ     Cellphones in country (2003):         9,708,700 (approx 33% of pop.)
*USA  Cellphones in country (2003):     158,722,000 (approx 50% of pop.)

*CZ     Interenet users (2003):        2,700,000
*USA  Interenet users (2002):    159,000,000
*http://www.odci.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/ez.html

Language: Mish-mash?  or  Míšmáš?

RUR?   (Are you 'R'?)  „Noh.  Ja jsem robot!"*

This work gave the world the Czech term „robot,“ which means "a drone laborer."

 

* "Yes.  I am a robot!"

And how can  cheque = check = Czech?

Cuz it's English, the grabbag language--capiche?

This much we know.  You can forget about the "y" ending. (It's a Czech grammar thing, so it's okay to ignore it.)  All you need is Česk, love.

Prior to World War II, English dictionaries spelled the region's name numerous ways, including:  Chekh,  Tscekh,  Tshekh,  and Tsech.

But since English spelling avoids logic. The heck of it is, the answer lies in where

we got the word from, not to whom the word should belong.  The Poles called their southern neighbors 'Czech.'  And the Oxford English Dictionary confirms Robert G.

Latham stuck us with the Polish spelling in 1850.  How he triumphed long after his death, we don't know.  Perhaps an over-reaction to the Germanic spellings (remember "Freedom Fries" and "Liberty Cabbage"?).

So there you have it, Tho it applies to CZECHs it's Polish!!! Orthographic chauvinism!  Closet Polish sympathizing! A lexicographer did this to us all!  Grrrrrr...

Cloudy or Bright?  Davis Shines!
Davisites usually enjoy sunshine about 285 days per year. That's approximately 78% of the time.

Praguers average only 146 days of sun with clouds predominating 60% of the year.

Capital Ideas:
The 14th century was Prague's Golden Age. At that time it was one of Europe's largest and most cultured cities. During this period Prague built St. Vitus Cathedral, Charles Bridge, and established the first University in Central Europe (Charles University in 1348).

The Golden Gate Bridge has enough steel wires in its cables to circle the earth at the equator 3.5 times. It is so big workers paint the bridge year round starting over as soon as they finish.

Charles Bridge is stone.  No paint needed or wanted, ever!

The San Francisco-Oakland Bay Bridge was ordered built by Emperor Norton 1, on August 18th, 1869.  It is nearly three times as long as the longest bridge in the world. Its Yerba Buena Island Tunnel is the largest diameter bore in the world (65'w by 52'h) and could accommodate a four-story building standing upright.

 

The bridge is rightfully known (to cognoscenti) as The Emperor Norton Bridge or Empire Bridge. Should anyone tell you that's wrong, they're not one of us.

Korbel Wines:  A CzechoCalifornia Success Story

The Korbel brothers emigrated from Bohemia in the mid-19th century. In 1882 they established their successful Champagnery / Winery / Brandy Distillery in the Russian River region of Northern California.

Note1: Korbel means "goblet, drinking cup" in Czech. Perfect, eh?
Note2: The Russians who settled the area first called the river Slavianka which
            means Slavic woman.  

Expensive Brew:
In the Czech Republic, beer is cheaper than Coke. A half liter at the local pub cost 30¢ (7-8 CzK) while a half liter of Coke costs 85¢ (21 CzK).

Or they did last time we Czeched.  ;-)

(Click foto for info)

Beer Rules!  Czechs Champs!
Czech proverb:  Blessed is the mother who gives birth to a brewer.

Czech males are the biggest beer consumers in the world. A Czech man, Honza Zampa, holds the record for downing one liter of beer in 4.11 seconds!

Czechs pride themselves as the world's largest per capita beer drinkers, consuming 41.5 gallons (157 liters) per person in 2003.

Beer is called "Liquid Bread" by Czechs and is consumed in that manner.

Beer Duels: Californians Chumps?
The United States ranks 11th among nations in per capita beer consumption. Our annual per capita beer consumption is "only" 23.95 gallons.

California consumes the most beer, but only due to our huge population. In fact we rank 16th among the states in consumption, imbibing 19.5 gal./yr.

[New Hampshire is 1st;  Nevada 2nd. Neither of which is a fun fact for us.]

Christmas Customs:
On 6 December children are visited by a Devil and/or Angel and/or St. Mikoláš. A good kid gets small gifts, candy or fruit.  A bad child is threatened to be taken away by the devil in his sack. The Angel or St. Mik can intercede on the child's behalf.

Bad children receive a potato or piece of coal in their stocking from "Old Nick."

Carp is a must for Christmas dinner. They are bought live and kept alive (in the

bathtub if necessary) until prepared. On the second day of the Christmas Holiday:

turkey, goose, duck, or wild rabbit is traditionally served.

Easter Customs:
Exquisitely hand decorated eggs are made to be given as gifts.

A boy may make a „pomlaská" of braided willow twigs in hopes of garnering decorative ribbons from girls to attach to it.
However, a girl might choose to throw a bucket of cold water at an annoying young man rather than yield a ribbon.  [For more details ask a Czech or do a web search. This is not a "PC" game in any Californian sense and we're going no further into its nasty little secrets. Bet you're curious now!]

(Click to see pomlaskás.)

It's very important to wear a new item of clothing on Easter.  Not doing so is the

equivalent of "stepping in it."

Mushroom Hunting:  a Czech National Passion!
Every year on St. Václav Day weekend [weekend closest to 28 Sept.], thousands of Czechs go to the forests in search of the special Václavky mushroom.

Czechs generally take mushroom hunting as seriously as they do other recognized

sports. No! They consider mushrooming more important than sports.  They are

extremely competitive fungi finders.  Do not even think about jumping another

Czech's fungus claim!