Archive of articles - July 2000, page 5

Nuclear plants anger activists

No environmental issue in Slovakia invokes the passionate emotions the nuclear debate does. Burning questions over the safety of the Russian-designed plants are unlikely to vanish until they are completely shut down: the US Department of Energy in 1995 ranked one of the country's reactors one of the nine most dangerous in the world, while the company Electricité de France, a former key supplier to Slovakia's nuclear sector, said the reactor in question could never reach an acceptable level of safety, regardless of upgrades.But while Slovak energy officials say that safety concerns have been met through upgrades and the promise of shut downs beginning in 2006, other questions have arisen, concerns which are forcing the country's energy policy makers to examine the operation of the nuclear sector.

Bratislava graffiti artist misses the good ol' days

Graffiti has long been a means of advertising human needs, at times both a trade and an art form, always a vehicle for self-expression. Indeed, modern-day bathroom stalls and grade-school desks testify to the fact that at least some aspects of human nature haven't much changed over the years.The urge to fill empty spaces goes a long way in explaining how many modern graffiti artists get started, but does nothing to express the depth of their devotion. Bratislava's Marian Šoltýs, a 22 year-old auto mechanic, says the combination of adrenaline and artistic expression which is graffiti becomes an addiction. "Graffiti is a drug," he asserts. "Absolutely a drug. Once you start, you can't stop."Šoltýs first became hooked in 1993. A prolific doodler, he started listening to rap music in the late 80's and early 90's and became enamoured with the artwork he saw, much of it graffiti, in music videos. From there, he bought a can of paint and started spraying his tag, or signature, throughout his neighbourhood, developing his own style and gradually tackling more elaborate projects.

The case for fresh information

Most information available in papers, on TV, radio or the web is extremely dynamic and can rapidly become obsolete. Information has its own life span. It is therefore crucial to understand when the monitored information needs refreshing. A metaphor for this is, for example, a food store in which a stale, tasteless sandwich must be replaced by a fresh one. But while eating an old sandwich might cause just a stomach ache, using obsolete information to guide a crucial business move could ruin your entire business.How can you refresh the information at your disposal so that it attains a satisfying level of currency? Since information is a commodity that depreciates, its value may decline even before we use it. Its initial value is subjective and domain specific, while its "lifetime" is determined by the time of its usefulness. A web surfer, seeking specific information, needs to get the most up-to-date data, meaning that as soon as the information becomes outdated, it is necessary to go through the search process again. The surfer must decide clearly what to observe and when. Many information sources change on a daily basis, while others are modified monthly.

Review: An expat's reading of Czechoslovak history

Dzurinda's party(s) locked in conflict

The largest government party, the Slovak Democratic Coalition (SDK), remains bitterly divided over the future of a breakaway faction of SDK members led by Prime Minister Mikuláš Dzurinda. At issue remains the number of cabinet seats controlled by the Dzurinda faction, which other SDK members say should be more evenly divided between the party's five member groups.The SDK's inability to solve the squabble has angered other ruling coalition parties, who say that the feud is slowing the pace of economic reform and creating confusion over which faction each government minister appointed by the SDK represents."Clear relations are the basis of [government] stability," said Pavol Hamžík, chairman of the minor coalition partner Civic Understanding Party. Hamžík, who along with the Democratic Left Party has been particularly fed up with turmoil in the SDK, last week helped a bill to pass first reading in parliament that would forbid membership in more than one party - a direct challenge to the SDK's complicated membership system, which has been blamed for most of the party's current problems.

Community Calendar

International Women's Club in Bratislava

Try to be gallant, would you? We can't change that bill!

About 14 months ago I noticed an old French car parked outside where I live in Bratislava. The paintwork was faded and shoddy. In fact it looked like just about any other five year-old Peugeot, Citroen or Renault, except that its tyres were flat. It was an eyesore. I lived very close to one of Bratislava's top hotels, just across from the nation's National Art Gallery, and the car gave VIP visitors a very poor impression of Slovakia as soon as they walked out of the hotel. I thought at the time that very soon it would be taken away.Which is why I liked so much the real story of a friend's visit to a cinema in Bratislava last weekend. Paul, an expatriate, and Pavlina, a delightful Slovak girl, decided to live dangerously and see 28 Days at one of the capital's biggest cinemas. It was a Saturday afternoon matinee. Being a gentleman, Paul asked for two tickets. He offered a 1,000-crown note in payment. The cashier couldn't take it. She had no change. Pavlina paid. Paul thought it would be nice to take his date for a coffee in the cafeteria. They ordered two cups and a packet of peanuts. He offered the 1,000-crown note. The cashier couldn't take it. She had no change. Pavlina paid. Bear in mind here that 1,000 Slovak crowns is $23, or 15 UK pounds.

Review: Timeless palatial sculptures

Quote of the Week

OECD entry delayed over technical dispute

With anticipation running high that Slovakia would at long last receive an official invitation to join the Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) on June 23, government officials came away disappointed after acceptance was delayed on a technicality.The official reason cited for Slovakia's failure to receive the necessary unanimous support of all OECD members was a clash between France and the United States on audio-visual services. European Union regulations state that a certain percentage of films shown on member country screens must be produced in the EU, a policy which the US calls discriminatory since it feels the market should dictate which films are shown where. Slovakia, officials explained, had been caught in between, and must now wait to see which audio-visual rules it must abide by.

How does a headhunter operate?

Last month's article about the role of headhunters luring away your key people resulted in dozens of reactions both corporate and personal. In general, the corporate reactions were about wanting to know more about the way recruiters operate. Personal reactions were mainly about what a recruiter can do for people looking for a job.To start with answering the last question, I will have to disappoint the job seekers among you. Recruiters are rarely a great source of help in finding you a new job. Why? Recruiters are looking for applicants according to a very strict profile for a limited client portfolio. Their possibilities are limited, their job offers strictly related to their client base and most of them won't give you tips on where to find a job elsewhere if nothing is available with their clients (apart from some very positive exceptions).The basic principle behind this is that the company pays the recruiter to find qualified professionals, while the job seeker does not pay the recruiter to find him or her a suitable job. Although in many Western countries specialised agencies do help individuals to find a suitable job, I have not yet seen this kind of service in Slovakia except for the traditional outplacement activities, where agencies help redundant personnel to find another job.

This Week

News Briefs

Slovak gypsies seek asylum in Czech RepublicEC body faults Slovakia's anti-racist legislationMečiar returns to top of trust chart in JuneWHO survey puts Slovak health care 62nd in world

Women's b-ball an Olympic dark horse

Feisty point-guard Iveta Bieliková and workhorse center Anna Kotočová last appeared together on the court in April with the European club championship on the line. Although both of the basketball stars are Slovak, at the time they were playing for opposing teams: Kotočova netted 27 points for CJM Bourges of France, while Bieliková nailed a three-pointer for SCP Ružomberok with seconds remaining to send the game into overtime, where the Slovak side ultimately won 67 to 64.As hard as Kotočová played, and as much as Bieliková relished the victory, the pair now have their eyes on a common, higher prize - they will be team-mates and go-to players when the Slovak women's basketball team competes in the September Olympics in Sydney. Their appearance will mark the first time Slovak basketball has ever been represented at the games.

Around Slovakia

Gangster trial witness gunned downKukan fails to meet beer criteria