Who's Who

The Book of Names is full of years worth of Czechoslovak Heritage Museum visitors. Paging through will tell the story of people from all corners of the world who came to visit. Will you add your name this summer?

(Remember to click on all photos for bigger views.)


If you visit the Czech Heritage Museum on Tuesday or Friday you most likely will get a guided tour of the museum from Paul Nemecek (at right), our library and museum volunteer and expert on geneaology. Paul is the president of CSAGSI as well. Here he is smiling for the camera with two young visitors who toured the museum last week. Call ahead of time at 800-543-3272.


These dried flowers and leaves were found by Paul one day a few weeks ago pressed into an old Czech-language book in the library; the book was leather bound and more than a hundred years old. Were the flowers there all this time? We don't know. But we liberated them and I photographed them for future use in the Journal somewhere (probably backgrounder material.)

Hey Playah

GAMERS—the kids will enjoy Alfy.com for the visuals, sounds, and bright graphics. Whodunit lovers might want to gravitate toward GameBoomers.com a site where you read stories and solve mysteries. Dig the retro games? Try 80smusiclyrics.com and get your Frogger on. Or are you a PLAYAH, lookin for cool racing and sports games? Then go to the very popular and very good miniclips.com. It is da bomb! Tip: try out Jet Ski but watch out for those big waves in heat three; try out On The Run but beware the lawn, the chase cars will corner you, and mercilessly crush you! (Until you are a puff of smoke!)

FRIDAY SWING—Thursday, June 1, is the CSA jingle deadline. Blog it, but keep it to 18 words max. The winner's name and the jingle will appear in the July/August issue and the winner will get a sensible-sized prize. (Read: cheap.) You don't have to be a CSA member to jingle. C'mon Insiderati, I know your creative minds have been just waiting to lay down some phat CSA rap.

QOTW (questionoftheweek)—how would you describe CSA....a fraternal....or an insurance company....or both?
So far the word on the street (and in the home office hallways) is:
41.5 %..............Fraternal
24.5 %..............Insurance
34 %.................Both

Oh we're so scientific with our polling! What do YOU THINK? ***Alert*** easiest CZECH FUN PHRASE ever ››› so all of you who have never guessed, it is now your time ››› what does 'Praha' stand for? Hint: it's a capital in the Czech Republic. ‡)

Flyby Czech History

Flying around in the Czechoslovak Heritage Museum. (My first video post!!!) Let me know what you think.

CSA Emblem, CSA Logo

The emblem CSA uses nowadays can be seen on the Journal's front cover each issue, usually in white with a different shade of blue or green as shadow. Here are some of those different colors.


The modern CSA logo, also seen on every front cover, employs a star underscoring the letters C and S which stand for Czechoslovak Society and helps form the letter A for America.

Opposable thumbs and all that

"Let's evolve together, baby." Yes, I used that line once in college. Got slapped too! And from a Zoology Major yet. Hope everyone had a real nice weekend. Speaking of slapped....anybody catch the Czech politician who walked over and slapped his fellow pol in the back of the head. Touched off a pier six style brawl. Happened right in the middle of a speech. Now that's what I call "the hard right." Been checking youtube.com for some video reply but haven't seen any yet. If you find a replay let me know Insiderati. GAMERS—this is a repeat, but check out candystand.com. Try the bowling game. Sweeeet!


Was planning to publish several nice CSA logos from over the years but they would not upload on the server for some reason, except for this vintage CSPS one which was discontinued a long time ago. (Had this whole "Evolution of CSA thing planned). Oh well! I'll try again later.

SO—on the the subject of defining CSA. How would you describe it? As a 'fraternal' or 'an insurance company' ?....or both? Click on 'Comments' below and leave your opinion. Next, I'll go "on the street" and ask people the same question; AND go back in time for a "behind-the-scenes" scoop from the early days of CSA circa 1850s to see how the founding fathers operated the Society. Tune in tomorrow, same bat time, same bat station.

hello from mellowtown

It's self-serve at FRIDAY SWING—so swingers, share your lodge news and/or gossip with the Insiderati. Can you feel Insider's lo-flow vibe? I thought you could. Take it nice and easy today and have a fun, safe weekend. FUN CZECH PHRASE: "Muzete tady pockat?"

The brightest day is today, make it all yours

A fine Wednesday morning at the CSA Home Office in the year two-double zero-six. (Click on the photo to get a big, beautiful view. Sort of glows doesn't it.)

Let's play KNOW YOUR CSA LODGES:
How many are there? Which state has the most? Which lodge is the oldest still operating? Youngest? How many are west of the Mississippi? Five questions. Do you have five answers? Click on the word Comments below and leave your guesses. Answers Friday, unless of course I'm bored, and then the answers might be tomorrow. ahhhhahahahaha! Oh, the mighty power Insider doth wield!

Hump day, in New Zealand Folk Parody circles, is also known as "Business Time" especially after five p.m. Go ahead, google it. I know you want to. See if I care!

Deal Me In

GAMERS....a couple of you asked about a good casino gaming site OTHER THAN yahoo. coffeebreakarcade.com has been mentioned here before. Once there, click on Casino Games button and you'll find plenty of table action to choose from. They have a nice Texas Hold 'em room where you play against those poker dudes you see on television. Personally I like the Roulette Table.

There are quite a few ads coming in for the CSA Convention Program Book (which I am busy working on in between working on the Journal and the Insider blog). That's a real good sign. The program book will be chocked full of supporters of CSA's 38th Quadrennial Convention August 6-8, Lisle, Illinois. Quadrennial means it happens every four years, just in case you were wondering. Lisle is a western suburb of Chicago and about a 45-minute drive from downtown Chi-Town (in case you were wondering that, too!). Okay, the infomercial is over now, you can come back.

PUT JUNE 14 on your calendar if you want to come join CSA for Flag Day. There's a flag ceremony, entertainment, and refreshments—all outdoors, weather permitting. It starts at 10 a.m. at the CSA home office (122 W. 22nd Street, Oak Brook). Bring your friends and get patriotic. You might even get your photo taken for Insider or the Journal!


Colorful foliage on the grounds of the CSA Home Office, Oak Brook, Illinois.

I'm Just A Jingle-O

THANKS ALL who commented on Fridays blog. (Had some emails and in-person chit-chat.) And what were you playing on your stereo all weekend? At my house the So-Cal 60s and 70s lived again in Beach Boys, Jan & Dean, etc. .... JINGLE THIS WAY—you have until June 1 to write a jingle that will be published in the July/Aug issue. Your name will get put "up in lights" AND you will win a meager prize, emphasis on meager. So jam your brilliant ruminations into 18 words (to fit those little billboards in the mag). Make it have something to do with CSA, the Journal, or even Insider. We'll pick the one that makes us laugh the most. .... SIT DOWN FOR THIS—Deborah Zeman announced she will not be running for Prez this election and has decided to leave CSA's employ to pursue other endeavors. After 20 years she wants to move on to new pastures. This has got to be some of the saddest news Insider has ever had to report. We will miss her greatly. She is finishing her term through September to help with the new president's transition. (Thanks Deborah, I will need help moving into my new digs....hee-hee-hee!) Add this to your summer planner—there must be a major summer blowout farewell party for her. .... AND FINALLY—let's give a big applause to Miss National CSA Michele Salkauskas for her year wearing the CSA crown. She's not only been a solid contributor for the Journal, she has been a supporter of the Blog too. Now she graduates college and speeds off on her tour of China in a few days. Best of luck M. Send Insider a postcard from the Great Wall! (Tell me if it's really all that 'great' okay?) .... NO ONE guessed The Popper question last week. I'll give you a few more days.

"Beware the Ides of May!" Insider just coined that so don't try to sneak off with it okay? I'm watching you!

Cut To The Chase

It's "Fast Car" Friday here at Insider. Are you a motorhead? Cy, a co-worker, and I realized recently that we share an affinity for driving fast cars, uhhh, fast. He tells me he's owned a 'Vette and a Camaro Z28 among many others. His son is building a Shelby Mustang! Whoa! Here are some photos for Cy and anybody else into the cool car classics.



Peter Yates directed it, Robert L. Fish wrote the novel, and Steve McQueen starred in it along with his Highland Green-colored Shelby Fastback Mustang. The movie, of course, was Bullitt. It was May, 1968, and it was San Francisco. But it wasn't easy to get it done there. It almost didn't happen. The SF mayor famously said "you guys build me my swimming pool and the city is yours." Done and done. McQueen was the epitome of cool wasn't he? Copy and paste this entire URL and you'll read a great article from San Francisco Chronicle reporter Peter Hartlaub about the filming of the quintessential cool american car movie: www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2003/10/26/MO305198.DTL



Are you a fan of the song Deadman's Curve? Is this an urban legend or based in reality? At: www.snopes.com/music/songs/deadman.htm you can get in on the debate. Here's what they say: "Exactly where Los Angeles' version of 'dead man's curve' can be found is the subject of some debate, but by general consensus it's a tight corner of Sunset Boulevard near the Bel-Air Estates north of UCLA's Drake Stadium.



I was cruisin' in my Stingray late one night
when an XKE pulled up on the right
and rolled down the window of his shiny new Jag
and challenged me then and there to a drag.
I said, "You're on, buddy, my mill's runnin' fine.
Let's come off the line, now, at Sunset and Vine.
But I'll go you one better if you've got the nerve.
Let's race all the way to
Dead Man's Curve."

Dead Man's Curve, it's no place to play.
Dead Man's Curve, you must keep away.
Dead Man's Curve, I can hear 'em say:
"Won't come back from Dead Man's Curve."

....Couldn't resist the J&D lyrics, it's playing on a loop with...."Shut Down" by the Beach Boys. It certainly IS a Friday, isn't it?

Blogs to the left, blogs to the right

The internet is full of the newsworthy and the strange. By now you've probably surfed the blogosphere far and wide. So tell us....which blogs are your favorites?

Fun Czech Phrase for today: Jaká je polévka dne?

Popper: can you name the Slovak Republic President?

Old situations, new complications, nothing pretentious or polite....tragedy tomorrow, comedy tonight

In honor of Insider's SIX MONTHS BLOGGING let's laugh along with our favorites from movies and t.v. Give it up for your favorite shows and personalities. Name your favorites that make you double-over and crack-up. Below are scene from a few shows to start you thinking (do you know what shows they are?). Click on the word Comments below and share your favorites, make your guesses on the photos below, or throw Insider a line from a show and I'll try to guess. Let's get interactive today. Insider will be watching closely—and responding to you all day—so blog a message and then come back often today.


"The man said it's buried under a big 'W'."



"You hang around on the west side of the building with Jerry all day long just laughing your life away."




"Perhaps, perhaps, perhaps..."


C'mon and blog. It doesn't hurt one bit. If this is your first time, just click on the word 'Comments' and then type your message in the new window. Click 'other' or 'anonymous' and then click 'publish'. You don't have to become a blogspot member. It's easy. So leave a message to commemorate our Six Months at Insider! —I think we've thrown out the training wheels finally..........look ma, no hands!..........CRASH!"

Blurred Reality

Here's a tidbit from V. Klaus' visit to CSA a couple weeks ago. A few of us had code names. See, we got such a kick out of the secret service hovering around, that we wanted to be part of it.... so we made our own code names. We were Buffy, Redbird, Mick, Silver, and Shadow. We were stealthy and cooool. The secret service was fine with it—just so long as we didn't take any of THEIR cool code names! (Apparently, we didn't!) Some in the crowd that night looked slightly perplexed by all of our phrasing, such as: "Compound secure, Shadow?" "Affirmative, Mick." "What's your ten-twenty Redbird?" "At my station, Buffy." "The bird has landed, Silver." "Reading you loud and clear."


'Moving' pictures....Vaclav Klaus was getting into his black Navigator to leave when all of a sudden he popped back up on the running board and waved once to the crowd and then ducked in, all in one move. I was a few feet away (in the middle of a pack of his security people) and snapped this photo. Since he never stopped moving it came out in a blur. Darn it!

May Issue of the Journal

G'day Insiderati! Having a nice Monday? (Is that even possible?) Go on and try anyway. You deserve a calm, enjoyable Monday. (At least once a year, anyway.) Make it today. Our May issue is rumbling along on its way to mailboxes all across the U.S as we speak. Some may get it by air, some by sea, and some by mule-pulled wagon. We can't tell just how the mysterious U.S. Postal Service works. We just have to trust those good people. (Images of "Newman" are drifting past right now.)

This is the Directory issue with updated lodge and sales rep information. On our front cover is Eagle Scout Joel Salvino from 'Zona. The back cover mentions the final notice for entering the Miss National CSA contest, with a deadline of June 9. The Czech Republic president's visit to CSA last month occurred while this issue was already on press, so look for photos of his visit in the June issue.

Blogeritaville

"Blogs will be dead in five years". That's what an analyst said recently. His screed went like: "blogdom will run out of gas. Corporations who more and more frequently use blogs for "official company mantra" are already laying down a layer of soot across shiney domes all over Blogville," or something like that. "The bandwagon," he announced, "has rolled past." Could this be true? Or will this prophecy go the way of the guy who claimed, in the 1940s, that the computer would never catch-on and "never weigh less than a ton." How about the "expert" who once said (in the 1950s) that television wouldn't stay popular, calling it just "a passing fad." I'm kinda doubting blogs will pass. But I could see them evolve into less of a bulletin board and more of an interactive chat, maybe even with video and all that.

On another front....whenever someone (not directly associated with CSA) asks me what I do, I proudly answer I am the editor of the Journal. The next question is always: "what is CSA?" This brings me to a dilemma. Do I say "CSA is an insurance company." Or do I say: "CSA is a fraternal society." (The fraternal option induces furrowed brows so I then explain how it was founded as a widows and orphans fund in 1854 and is the oldest fraternal and offers its members benefits when they buy a policy....but that brings me right squarely back to insurance. Is it a chicken-and-egg thing or what? I 'm researching CSA history, fraternals in general, and insurance companies, and thinking of launching a new series (both on the blog and in the Journal) called "Defining CSA". It would contain a mix of anecdotal stories of CSA's beginnings, observations from you guys and Journal readers about what defines CSA for you, and details about what makes a fraternal a fraternal. (And that's not doubletalk.)

Oh-kay then. I've filled today's blog with tons of words and now I'll move on to my Journal work. You're sick of reading by now and my index fingers are getting tired of typing. Have a real nice Thursday. CZECH FUN PHRASE: vidite tu krasnou vodu?

Big Weekend Coming

The 59th CSA Bowling Congress is Friday-Sunday, May 5-7, held at the Belair Bowl in Fairview Heights, Illinois. If you are participating, take some photos and send them to the Journal. The 3rd Youth Sleepover and Survivor Challenge is May 5-6 at Sokol Spirit, Brookfield, Illinois. You can RSVP up until tomorrow to Adam Wilt at 708-804-4400 or email AdamW44@aol.com. Join Hands Day is Saturday, May 6. Check out their website in the Links at right. Insider hasn't heard much about the CSA Golf Tournament other than it being held the weekend of September 9.


Here's a shot I've been working on recently. I'll probably use it as background in the Journal. You can click on the photo to get a bigger view.

"I think I'd like a chocolate sundae with whipped cream and a cherry on top."

They're having way, way too much fun over at Lodge Estlian's website (click on link at right). They announce an Attendance Prize Winner each month. Currently it's Yarmilla Benesh. The winner gets a $50 Home Depot Gift Card. Niiiccceee!!! Way to go you guys. That's clever. (Blog and let us know how it's working.) I'd like to see some other lodges work on getting websites established....Lodge LA makes use of the nicely done website: American Czech/Moravian/Slovak Los Angeles & Orange County Community Page (also in the links at right). There is great info on that site from CSA, Sokol LA, and WFLA Fraternal Club among others, and links to Insider. Thanks for the links and the complimentary emails as of late. (Awww shucks!...Insider is blushing at the attention.) Speaking of links....nice to see so many people 'linking up' with us. I'd rather use the term "hook-up" because it's just so cool but it means something else entirely doesn't it?! Insider gets many, many visitors and that's what's REALLY cool. Thanks Insiderati, especially Ann, John, Michele, Deb, Larry, Paul, Dick, Helen, Jean, Rose, Gerri, Bob, Dot, Dale, Katherine, Maryellen, Michael, Aja and the blarneyful 'peaches', and everyone new who visits too! Keep on a-rockin me ba-by ‡)

Think I'm gonna design an Insider Frequent Blogger Card for you guys. You already have 'The Cache' here at Insider Nation (he-hee), now you just need the cool plastic to carry in your wallet and show it off. (But Seriously!) And I'm going to work on it this summer at my home office in between jamming on my electric guitar to such tunes as (overt song references coming): Jimmy Buffett's "Margaritaville", anything by The Who, and the Supersuckers "Eastbound and Down". I am! It's written right near the top of my "Decade At A Glance" planner just before "Buy Case of Sunscreen" and just after "Re-write my Caddyshack 3 script and submit to Bill Murray (again)"!

Well I gotta go now.... "eastbound and down" and all that, as the song says. I'm still thinking up something for next week's "SIX MONTH ANNIVERSARY of INSIDER" (yes I was yelling that intentionally). Might do a 'guess the movie lines' with the winner getting a bag of candy. Kissables, naturally. Sample: "the way he just went sailing out there (smacks his hands together once)....he just went, sailing out there." Anybody guess it? Hint: has four of the same words in the title!