Fascinating Prague
The capital of the Czech Republic is one of the most important historical preservation areas in central Europe. Prague’s unique urban centre has been a UNESCO world cultural and natural heritage site since 1992.
Prague is a great city for romantics. Remnants of the city’s history are found on nearly every corner.
A stroll through the Old City past Powder Tower (1475), the old town hall and other equally beautiful baroque architectural treasures leads to the Charles Bridge, one of the most photographed in the world.
Prague Castle was built on the Hradshin River by a property developer named Premysl sometime around 870, and Prague soon became the epicentre of the House of Premysl.
Vratislav I, the first Bohemian monarch, transfered the royal household to Vysehrad Castle in 1085, probably due to a power struggle with his sibling, Bishop Jaromir.
Prague Castle remained the seat of the bishops of Prague for decades. The Cathedral of St. Vitus, another early building, is also located on the castle grounds.
Prague grows up.
Protected by the two castles, a sea of German and Jewish businessmen and local craftsmen led to rapid expansion on both sides of the Muldau River. The largest fortified section was near the already ancient Prague Castle. Prague received its city charter in 1234 from King Wenceslas I, who made it his primary residence.
Shortly thereafter, the “New Town” districts of Mala Strana and Hradshin were ffounded. The fourteenth century brought yet more prosperity to Prague. In 1348 the first university in central Europe was founded here, Charles University, named after Emperor Charles IV.
In the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries, Prague was torn by two religious wars. The Hussite Wars (1419-1437) and the Thirty Years War (1618-1648) left bad memories.
The events that set off both of these wars took place in Prague. These include the famous “defenestrations”, in which Catholic officials and dignitaries were thrown out of windows by dissenters, the first time by Hussites, followers of rebel reformer Jan Hus, and later by Protestants, setting off the Thirty Years War.
The victims of the first defenestration did not fall far, but luckily landed in the arms of a mob waiting outside to lynch them. The second time was from an upper story, but the Catholics were saved because they fell into a heap of manure. From the Catholic point of view, divine intervention had intervened. The two long, debilitating wars slaughtered hundreds of thousands, setting back development for many years. Like other afflicted cities, Prague lost most of its international standing during this time.
Prague in Spring-Time.
In 1945, Prague became the capital of the Soviet Socialist Republic of Czechoslovakia. Communist leadership precipitated a deep-seated financial crisis: the Soviet central planning bureau contributed to nearly complete economic disaster.
In the spring of 1968, public criticism grew and much of the population became increasingly radicalized. Street demonstrations of the “Prague Spring” were news all over the earth.
Ultimately, power struggles within the ruling party led to the invasion of Prague by Warsaw Pact troops on 21 August 1968, and the brief period of expression was ruthlessly terminated.
It would be 1989 before Prague separated itself from Russian control, and in 1993 was named capital of an independent Czech Republic.
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Sales Training Manual Review
I’ve just finished reading Ross Macmahon’s sales training manual
titled “40 Days to sales Excellence”.
Although not an easy read, because is is so crammed full of vital information, there are some excellent tactics examined for seasoned professionals as well as sales rookies.
Topics include:
* Do The 2% challenge to double your results
* Become the “Lucky Salesman” to easily lift results
* Create Questions that get you closer to the sale
* Investigating and developing company, product and personal USP’s (Unique Selling Points).
* Creating ‘radio adverts’ (elevator pitches) for all parts of the sales presentation.
* Learn the secrets of the Lazy Salesman “Free Accelerators” - power techniques to quickly and easily lift results.
* Learn the importance of creating personal measure to get continuous improvement
* Performing proposals and how to create them
* Personal PR – How and why
* Breaking the Procrastination cycle to put more time in your day
* Partnership to success
* Performance presentations for the professional salesperson
* Getting your momentum back
* Qualification to enhance your selling by up to 10% or more
* First impressions – we can all do better
* Referrals and creating a program to make it happen
* The internal sale – is it your most important sale?
For more information, please visit the sales training book web site. You will be pleased you did. The accompanying sales training course is available here.