After 41 years together I finally found out the meaning of Zdenka’s name. Several people told me the English version of the name is “Sidonia.” I am content to ignore that.

Every name has a meaning, and finally, yesterday’s edition of the Prague daily, “Lidove Noviny” printed the authoritive etymology of “Zděnka.” Each day in this part of the world is someone’s “Name’s Day.” That has always baffled me. After all, I am interested in only one Zdenka, so why should I care about a day celebrating all of them? They’re thousands and thousands of Zdenka’s in this country.

Well June 23rd was “Zdenka” Day… and it was also “Pavlina” Day. My Zdenka’s name is “Zdenka Pavlina Deitchová!”

(Pavlina = Pauline)

The name Zdenka is derived from the Old Czech name, “Zdeslav” That won’t meaning much to you, but the root of the name is from The Czech word “dělat! which means “to do.” It is a name for a person of action! No one is more active than my Zdenka… And there is more:

Pavlina or Pavla (from Paul or Pauline) is someone very small !

There you have it: My Zdenka is both active and small! Both names fall on the same day! Do you imagine that her mother was at all aware of this coincidence or special meaning?

[Incidentally, you may notice the hook or “haček” above the n in “Zdeňka” in the headline above. That mark is supposed to soften the ň sound. My Zdenka rarely uses that mark in her name – only in official documents.]

Zdenka and I were shopping in the humungus Carrefour Hypermarket near us in Prague, with its vast acreage, (The staff are on rollerskates!), and its stupifying array of foodstuffs. Zdenka tossed a fresh pineapple into our shopping cart, and it reminded me of the recently reissued DVD of Miloš Forman’s film, “AMADEUS, The Director’s Cut.” That great film was shot entirely in Prague in 1983, 20 years ago when it was still under communism. On the second disc of the DVD set there is a documentary about the filming here, telling about the incredible difficulties they had. One of the actors told about how he brought a fresh whole pineapple from the States as a gift for one of the Czech personnel. No one had seen a whole pineapple here for maybe 40 years, and the spikey fruit created a sensation. It and was passed from hand to hand as a holy object. Seeing this episode reminded us once again of the incredible changes we have seen here. The consumer society is now so total that young Czechs can’t even imagine how such a simple food item was once a wonder.

THE GREATEST STORY EVER TOLD

In the earliest of human times, the foxiest realized that death was the most universal fear, and that if eternal life could be convincingly promised, absolute power and control of the mulitudes could be had.

Thus religions were established, gods were created, and their self-anointed spokespersons have ruled us ever since.

We can’t confirm any eternal life, but we do know that millions have died horribly in religion’s name.

Other millions have gained comfort and hope in their beliefs, however ephemeral. So who can tote up the balance sheet?

We give power to the priests, and they give us faith. Perhaps it’s a decent deal,as long as we’re able to accept fairy tales as fact, and ritual as reality.

But hey, everyone loves a good story, and this one is the greatest ever told.

-G,D.

PS: God was created in the image of Man. That’s how we know he’s a good guy.

IN GOD THEY TRUST

I was really tickled by the great American uproar early in 2002 over a guy who had finally announced that the Emperor is naked.

When I was a school kid in Los Angeles, our pledge of allegience to the flag of the USA every morning was this:

"I pledge allegience to the flag of The United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one nation, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all!"

I was shocked as an adult when I heard that in 1954 Congress inserted the words "under God."

Finally, some brave guy has called attention to the fact that this was clearly unconstitutional; that the U.S.Constitution is based on the principle of the separation of church and state. I've read that even Thomas Jefferson, when drafting the Declaration of Independence, (written of course long before the Constitution), was pressured into adding the phrase, "by our Creator," when declaring that we are endowed with "certain inalienable rights." No "Creator" endowed us with the right to Life, Liberty, & The Pursuit of Happiness; the American rebels were simply demanding it.

I have also long puzzled over why it was ever decided to put "In God We Trust" on each and every U.S. coin, or why churches are afforded a tax-free existence.

But it has fallen to a lonely and pilloried American doctor to finally proclaim the nakedness in all this, and to get a court ruling to support his claim!.

But what will the Supreme Court decide on this, if it is ever allowed to reach it? Will it bow to public clamor, or will it read the Constitution which it is established to uphold?

One senator bellowed, “I won’t let some crazy athiest tell me what I can say!”
A few others might retort, “We‘re tired of having a majority of religious zealots
force their slogans down our throats.” I agree with the litigant: Religious pledges have no place in public schools.

The school prayer crowd is chanting, “No one is forcing any child to recite the pledge!” Hah! How many young kids are willing to isolate themselves from the pressures of the pack?

-G.D.