Every week The Slovak Spectator brings you a selection of three short stories from across Slovakia in which pessimism and negativity are absent.
Scottish nurse remembered in Turzovka
The gravestone of Margaret McCullum in Turzovka. (source: Facebook/British Embassy)
The Helensburgh Advertiser, a local newspaper in Scotland, has written a piece about one of the town's natives, Margaret McCallum. She was a nurse who worked for the Red Cross and was sent to Turzovka, a town in northern Slovakia, after the First World War to help the poor in the area.
Thanks to the Red Cross mission, and to McCallum, first aid was provided to, among others, soldiers serving from the recently formed Czechoslovak Army. An epidemic hospital, feeding stations and social and medical care centres were built in the region too.
“She was recorded as being good at giving baths to typhus victims brought to her station,” the newspaper notes.
However, she herself contracted typhus and died in Czechoslovakia in September 1919. The nurse's final resting place is in Turzovka. Her hometown newspaper underlines that McCallum remains admired in Slovakia to this day, and the local branch of the Red Cross maintains her grave.
During the summer, British Ambassador Nigel Baker visited her grave.
“The locals, and us, will never forget her sacrifice. The memory of her unites us,” the British Embassy in Slovakia wrote on its Facebook page.
Red sky at night
An aurora borealis, as seen in Prešov, eastern Slovakia. (source: Jano Štovka via Facebook/SHMÚ)
An aurora borealis was recently visible in the skies over Slovakia.
People were able to observe the effect, sometimes known as the northern lights, which is caused by charged particles from the Sun hit the Earth's atmosphere, in the early hours of November 3 . However, in order to see the glow with the naked eye it was necessary for there to be clear skies and for the viewer to be away from major sources of artificial light, such as cities.
The effect appeared on the northern horizon; it is more commonly seen at more northerly latitudes, especially nearer to the Arctic.
In recent days, the police had to debunk a hoax that been spread about the end of the world and Slovakia, an event that was purportedly signalled by the red aurora borealis and a recent earthquake in eastern Slovakia.
Car from Rihanna’s video
The converted Škoda that appears in a Rihanna music video, 'Shut Up And Drive'. (source: Marcela Ballová)
The unique Škoda Rabbit AK-47, constructed by Czech tuning master Adam Králik, has changed hands. Double Red Cars, a museum that is contained in a former plant in Brezno, central Slovakia, has become its new home, writes My Novohrad.
There is no other car like this. It took Králik two-and-a-half years to construct it, and it was featured in a music video by pop star Rihanna that was filmed in Prague about 15 years ago.
Králik bought the car on which it is based, a legendary Škoda Rapid 130 model, in 2007 for just €66. He then transformed it into the Rabbit AK-47.
Read other good news published by The Slovak Spectator:
An iconic Bratislava pharmacy will offer something unique.
A traditional Christmas Bazaar returns to help charities in Slovakia.
He’s developing a cure for diabetes, and his research is cited worldwide.
English-Slovak singer Gigi Ann Green speaks about music and why she feels different in Slovakia and in England.
Will Bratislava become home to one of the tallest skyscrapers in the EU?
A Czech train operator plans to connect Slovakia with German and Belgian coastal towns.
POLITICAL CARTOON OF THE WEEK
Unique Slovak dilemma
Earlier this week, Slovakia learned about a Labour Ministry plan to cut funding to NGOs cia the 2-percent donation scheme, through which people and firms can support various sports and cultural clubs and NGOs.
The 2-percent tax assignment has become a vital source of income for thousands of organisations and clubs, but Prime Minister Robert Fico disapproves of NGOs that are critical of him and his administration. Instead, the government wants money from the scheme to to be channelled towards a long-repeated promise to increase pensions.
This move could, however, harm many organisations, including those that substitute for the state in a number of areas, including social care.
In the picture, satirical artist Cynická Obluda (Cynical Monster) asks who deserves 2 percent of a person's taxes more?Nevládneorganizácie (non-governmental organisations) or nevládni rodičia (infirm parents)?
Two percent will go to "nevládnym" in any case, Cynická Obluda adds, cynically.
You can send me your tips on good news stories about Slovakia or funny memes at: peter.dlhopolec@spectator.sk. Thank you!
