Mailbox

Today in Mailbox: Magazine theme tune once again; ice hockey and Czech-Canadian relations; new driving regulations; Leos Janacek's Cunning Little Vixen. Listeners quoted: David Walmsley, Jess Dixon, George Myles, Frank Miata, Paul Kail, Brian Kendall.

Welcome to Mailbox. After a short break we are back to our normal schedule. In the meantime we have received quite a heap of letters and emails from our listeners from all over the world.

First of all, David Walmsley and Jess Dixon, both from Canada were intrigued by the theme music Daniela Lazarova has chosen for her weekly feature Magazine and they would like to know what it is. The music was copied off an ancient reel from the Czech Radio archives and the label on the case says it is "Jungle Jamboree" by Duke Ellington, played by The Jazz Fiddlers in 1976.

The number of our Canadian listeners seems to be on the rise or at least they are very good letter writers. This e-mail is from George Myles from Ottawa:

Dominik Hasek, photo: Dan4th Nicholas, CC BY-SA 2.0

"What has prompted me to write was your announcement the other day that Dominik Hasek has signed on with the Detroit Redwings hockey team for one more season. I thought when I heard that piece of news that the 'Dominator' is a common denominator between us, and if there is any one thing that binds the Northern Hemisphere together it must be hockey. We were terribly sorry he was hurt in the Olympics, and we had been counting on him to backstop the Ottawa Senators this year in the finals. It was not to be, but we will be watching the Detroit games as much as the Ottawa games next winter. Continue with your Radio Prague English segments. They do a great deal to foster unity between our countries."

We have frequently reported in the last couple months on the new traffic regulations in the Czech Republic and also on the number of lives they are believed to have saved on the roads. Despite those figures, there are some who would like to see the rules made more lenient. Frank Miata who lives here in Prague diagrees.

Photo: archive of ČRo 7 - Radio Prague

"In the face of the fact that almost 50 Czech citizens are now alive because of the new laws, idiots continue to complain that the law is not perfect. Anyone who crosses the street by the Czech Radio Station knows that drivers still speed up to avoid having to stop for people in the cross walk. The use of cell phones while driving is widespread and the police need to monitor people's conduct behind the wheel because many drivers are careless and thoughtless of the possible consequences of their actions. I just love watching the police pull cars over by the intersection by the radio station. It makes for a safer city."

Staying with the topic of unsafe driving, in response to our recent report about a lady who has been running a shelter for hedgehogs, our Prague listener Paul Kail sent us this.

"It's wonderful to hear that at least one person in the Czech Republic has compassion for hedgehogs. The mentality of most car drivers in the country, however, is clear from her survey: they would rather kill them or maim them for life than swerve a few centimetres to the side."

And a lady who wished to remain anonymous but did sign her name listens to us... in Canada.

Photo: CzechTourism

"I just wanted to let you know - occasionally I hear Radio Prague on CBC (the Canadian Broadcast Corporation) at 5:15 AM, and I really like the show. The variety of news, human interest, culture, sports, etc., is refreshing, and in such a short time it gives the listener a sense of what Prague and the Czech Republic is like. I would like to remain an anonymous fan, but wanted you to know that we here in western Canada appreciate your work!"

And finally, before we repeat our competition question for August for one last time, there is good news for our listener Brian Kendall from England whose request we quoted in July. He wrote he would like to hear "The Cunning Little Vixen" by Leos Janacek covered in Radio Prague's classical music programme Encore one day. Well, the good news is that David Vaughan will be featuring the piece in Encore next Sunday.

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And the promised question for August:

"We would like you to tell us the name of the Czech-born tennis, soccer and ice hockey player who was born in 1895 and was this year inducted into the International Tennis Hall of Fame."

You have until next Thursday to send us your suggestions to the usual address, [email protected] or Radio Prague, 12099, Prague. Thanks for listening, good-bye.