Of course tax breaks to capital heavy corporations which use their money to fire employees and relocate to cheaper labour regions has benefited Slovakia, but at some point you have to give the workers an opportunity to catch up, before they become lazy and get fired again.
With some people in Eastern Slovakia living on barely 300 Euros per month, this is the right time for decision-makers to remember that these citizens play a role in the economy. Once that is done we can continue with the purchase of airplanes, building of towers, parking of Hummers on the Polus stairs.
I was happy to see šrotovanie work because it's an example of western thinking which our government was right to import (as opposed to reality television which doesn't need to be imported). Some western ways do work. They are tried and tested; full success, every time.
I'm glad we went ahead with šrotovanie: encouraging people to get rid of old stuff, with which they have lived a lot of good times, and bad times, and look to the future.
Environmental politics is one of these concepts that work (you make money and you don't have to spend your time preempting retaliation because nobody likes you).
** the following does not need to be read**
Last night I watched Slovan-Skalica. Žigo is possibly the best Slovak player of his generation, so it's a real treat to see him in the Extraliga. In the first period Dome hooked Mikúš' face (a nice and energetic one) and there was blood everywhere. Dome got 2 minutes (for some reason Mikúš got 2 as well) and all the time I'm trying to understand. A stick foul and blood is 5 and the game - everywhere. Even on the moon. I'm still looking forward to the next game.
Bob Gainey, a former Montreal Canadiens player who is now the team's general manager, is torpedoing the Canadiens 100th NHL season. Six or seven games ago he fired the team's coach and former teammate, Guy Carbonneau. The team had been playing badly in January and February and with 15 games left in the season Bob decided to get involved… It did not look like a very planned plan. Since then the Canadiens have only won one game; the players are frozen by shock and the crowd is very unhappy. Bob has lived and played a lot, he should have known that bringing personal problems to work is not a good idea. Even though I grew up in Quebec City and have no particular affection for the Canadiens (as opposed to some of my friends), I do not hope Montreal misses the playoffs. But it is possible the Canadiens will lose all their remaining games. Hope your boxes are ready Bob.
It's now April, I was wrong. Looks like Le Canadien has gotten it together and will be in the playoffs. You can put the boxes away Bob.
It's great the Russians have put together a league to compete with the NHL; it will raise the standards. But I checked out the KHL website yesterday and they really need to work on it.
I think there's too much talk about the possibility that (Manchester) United will win 5 titles this year - it's not good.
It's very impressive to see how well Martin Škrteľ is doing. To play in Liverpool FC after having been raised in a loosely supported football system is unusual. I think he is a player that has potential to continue improving and become better.
Lance Armstrong, like Robert Mugabe, is an amazingly under-average person. It is hard to be such a good cyclist and be under-average but Lance finds a way. Yes, people like that have a right to be accepted.
I wonder if Argentina will play Tévez, Messi and Agüero at the same time. As a fan I think it would be great. If it worked it could result in a championship and The Diego would be partying.
