Croatian Vukusic scores 25 points for Northwestern

No. 25 Virginia (4-0) at Northwestern (1-3) 9:30 pm EST

EVANSTON, Illinois (Ticker) -- No. 25 Virginia will look to continue the Atlantic Coast Conference's dominance over the Big Ten Conference when it visits Northwestern on Wednesday.

With big wins by Georgia Tech, Duke and Florida State on Tuesday, the ACC improved to 4-1 in the ACC-Big Ten Challenge this season.

The Cavaliers, who beat Minnesota at home in the event last year, face Northwestern for the first time.

Defense has been the hallmark with the Cavaliers holding each of their four opponents below 61 points.

On Sunday, Virginia posted an 85-58 win over Richmond. Devin Smith scored 26 points with five 3-pointers and Elton Brown added 12 points and 10 rebounds.

The Wildcats, who have failed to crack 60 points in each of their last two games, will attempt to halt a three-game losing streak.

Despite Vedran Vukusic scoring 25 points, Northwestern lost to Colorado, 66-57. A native of Croatia, Vukusic has averaged 17.3 points, but is shooting just 39 percent from the field.

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/preview?gameId=243360077

Honey 'could help fight cancer'

The humble bee may be able to help fight cancer
Honey and royal jelly could become part of the arsenal of weapons against cancer, researchers say.
A team from the University of Zagreb, in Croatia, found a range of honey-bee products stopped tumours growing or spreading in tests on mice.

Writing in the Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture, they say human cancer sufferers may also see benefits.

But they said the products should be considered for use along with, not instead of, chemotherapy treatment.

Tumour growth

The researchers looked at the potential benefits of bee venom and honey.

There is no doubt that honey has beneficial properties and can be very good for you

Dr Emma Croager, Cancer Research UK
They also examined compounds found in propolis, or bee glue, a resin-like substance which is used in the construction of honeycombs.

And they also looked at royal jelly from the salivary glands of worker bees - used as food for young larvae,

Tumours were generated in the mice via the injection of cancer cells, and each bee product was given to different mice before, at the same time, or afterwards.

It was found that giving honey orally appeared to inhibit the development of tumours when it was given before the injection of cancer cells - although if given afterwards, it appeared to fuel the development of secondary cancers.

Injecting the mice with royal jelly at the same time as they were injected with tumour cells significantly reduced the spread of the cancer.

And injecting bee venom into the tumour appeared to lead to it shrinking.

When propolis or caffeic acid, a chemical found in propolis, were injected, researchers saw significantly reduced subcutaneous tumour growth and an increase in the survival time of mice.

The researchers say it is not yet clear how bee products affect cancer cells.

But they suggest they may cause apoptosis (cell suicide) or have direct effects which are toxic to the cells, or which help the immune system fight the development of tumours.


The research team, led by Dr Nada Orsolic, said their study indicated honey-bee products could be a useful tool in the control of tumour growth in research.

They added: "The intake of honey-bee products may be advantageous with respect to cancer and metastasis [secondary cancers] prevention.

"Further animal and clinical research utilising these substances is suggested."

Dr Emma Croager, a science information officer at Cancer Research UK, said: "There is no doubt that honey has beneficial properties and can be very good for you.

"However, this work is preliminary and careful large-scale studies in people are needed to confirm if eating honey can protect us from cancer."


http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/4063377.stm

 Home Computer prediction 50 years ago

CROATIAN INVENTIONS
Adam S. Eterovich

Croatians invented double entry booking, the parachute, blimp, dural
aluminum, crab chioppino and forensic medicine. Their inventiveness
usually went to benefit other nations. These type of accomplishments should be publicized
in the American and world press. The Republic of Dubrovnik-Ragusa was one of
the great mercantile centers of Europe which practiced market capitalism long
before many other nations. Ideas of invention and freedom flowed thru her ports
and ships to many places in the world.

Invention of Double Entry Bookkeeping

Benedikt Kotruljevic (Benedetto Cotrugli Raguseo) of the Republic of
Dubrovnik wrote in 1458, "The Book on the Art of Trading" in which, among
other things, he presented the the principles and methods of double entry
bookkeeping as a necessary attribute of trade activity. Benedikt Kotruljevic, born in
Dubrovnik, Croatia 1416; Died Aquila 1469. was a merchant by profession,
a humanist by education, a scientist by vocation and a diplomat by invitation (in the
service of Aragon kings). He traveled all over the Mediterranean, of keen
observing and lucid conclusions, who polished his conclusions in the
discussions with humanists of the Court of Naples in which he lived for some fifteen
years. In his book, Kotruljevic was writing "On Orderly Keeping the Business
Records. The authors analyze that chapter on the basis of newly found manuscripts
of his "Book on the Art of Trade" finding there considerably more extensively
and in detail an elaborated system of double entry bookkeeping, than presented
in the contents of the book printed in 1573. Kotruljevic set forth
theoretical postulations and rules for keeping business records according to the
double entry principle to be valid also nowadays. He applied then the procedures giving
suggestions for the organization of business records keeping by a
merchant.

Invented the Parachute

Faust Vrancic, born in Sibenik in 1551, died in Venice 1617, was a typical
Renaissance "homo universalis". A notable scholar whose interest comprised
mathematics, physics, philosophy and technology, he spent some time at the
court of the German emperor Rudolf II who was also the sovereign to the
Croatians, Hungarians, and Czechs. His major work was "Machine Novae" (New Machines),
printed in Venice at the beginning of the 18 century, with the pictorial
(49 etchings) and textual descriptions of 56 different technical
constructions. He had anticipated the numerous technical inventions which were to be applied
later to water or wind powered machines, to mills, ships, boats and excavators.
His most interesting invention was, certainly, a parachute or "Homo volans"
(The Flying Man) as called by Vrancic himself. Faust Vrancic performed a jump
with his parachute somewhere in Venice in order to test it. This fact is
explicitly stated in a book written by English bishop John Willkins (1614-1672),
secretary of the Royal Society in London, only 30 years after the jump.
The title of his book which contains this important testimony about Faust Vrancic is
Mathematical Magic of the Wonders that may be Performed by Mechanical
Geometry, part I: Concerning Mechanical Powers Motion, part II, Deadloss or Mechanical
Motions, published in London in 1648.

Invented Forensic Medicine and Criminal Pathology

Eduard Miloslavic(1884-1952) was a descendant of Dubrovnik emigrants to
the USA, born in Oakland, California. His family returned to Dubrovnik in
1889. Eduard studied medicine in Vienna, where he became a professor of
pathology. In 1920 an invitation came from Marquette University in Wisconsin, USA, to
take the chair of the full professor of pathology, bacteriology and forensic
medicine. In subsequent years "Doc Milo", as colleagues called him,
inaugurated criminal pathology in the USA. As an outstanding specialist he was also
involved in investigations of crimes perpetrated by al Capone gang. He was one of the
founders of the International Academy for Forensic Medicine, member of
many American and European scientific societies and academies. He was active in
the Croatian Fraternal Union and also vice president of the CFU in the USA. In
1932 he moved to Zagreb, where he was a full professor at the Faculty of medicine.
He was lecturing also pastoral medicine at the Faculty of Theology in
Zagreb, and was known as ardent adversary of abortion and euthanasia. In 1940 he
was elected member of the prestigious "Medico-Legal Society" in London in 1941
and promoted the full member of the Tzarist Leopoldine Carolingue Academy of
Natural Sciences in Germany, and doctor "honoris causa" at the University
of Vienna, where he started his scientific career. He again moved to the USA (St.
Louis, Missouri), where he was working until his death.

Invented Crab Chioppino

In February 1929, Sunset Magazine adopted the editorial policy that still
guides it: a magazine of Western living for people who live in the West.
Over the years, the recipes that have appeared in its pages have become a history
of Western tastes. Such factors as climate, geography, and ethnic mixtures
have shaped its regional life style. Informality and a willingness to
experiment are a large part of everyday experiences in the West. They first presented San
Francisco's famous Cioppino in 1941, crediting its invention to San
Francisco fishermen from the Dalmatian Coast (Croatia) Dungeness crab is the star of
this robust shellfish stew; clams and shrimp add their flavors, too. It's
traditional to sop up the thick tomato and garlic sauce with lots of
extra-sour sourdough bread.

San Francisco Style Cioppino

1/4 cup olive oil or salad oil
1 large onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic minced or pressed
1 large green bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped
2/3 cup chopped parsley
1 can 15oz tomato sauce
1 can 28oz tomatoes
1 cup dry red or white wine
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoon dry basil
1/2 teaspoon dry oregano leaves
12 clams in shell, suitable for steaming, scrubbed
1 pound large shrimp (about 30 per lb), shelled and deveined
2 ive or cooked large Dungeness crab (about2lb each)
,cleaned and cracked

In a 6-8 quart pan over medium heat, combine oil, onion, garlic, bell
pepper, and parsley; cook, stirring often, until onion is soft. Stir in tomato
sauce, tomatoes (break up with a spoon) and their liquid, wine, bay leaf, basil,
and oregano. Cover and simmer until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. To
broth, add clams, shrimp, and crab. Cover and simmer gently until clams
pop open and shrimp turn pink, about 20 minutes longer. Ladle hot broth and some of
each shellfish into large soup bowls or soup plates.

Makes 6 servings.

Dalmatian Fishermen

Dalmatian fishermen from the Dalmatian coast and islands of Croatia were
fishermen and oystermen in the bayous of Louisiana, at Biloxi,
Mississippi, Mobile Bay, Alabama and on the Texas Gulf Coast for up to two hundred years.
During the Gold Rush of 1848 they came to San Francisco. Tadich Grill is
the oldest restaurant and fish house in San Francisco being organized by
Dalmatians from Croatia in 1849. Other famous fish restaurants were Mayes
Oyster House (1860's), Sam's (1860's) Chris's, Harpoon Louies, and many others, all
owned by Dalmatians. By 1880 there were over 250 Dalmatian fishermen in San Francisco. The
Fishermen's Association had Dalmatian-Croatians as presidents and officers
in the 1860's-1870's.Many of the Dalmatian fishermen left San Francisco for the state of
Washington, Canada and Alaska, others went to San Pedro in Southern
California. The largest concentration of Croatian fishermen can be found in San Pedro with
an approximate number of 10,000 in the San Pedro Harbor area.
In the 1830's Captain John Dominis-Gospodnetich operating out of Hawaii
barreled and shipped the first salmon out of the state of Washington to
the Eastern United States and established the Salmon Trade. His son John
Dominis-Gospodnetich married an Hawaiian princes who became the last queen
of Hawaii-Queen Lilioukalani and Dominis-Gospodnetich became the King-Consort.
The first European settler and fisherman on Santa Catalina Island was
Maricich. Another Dalmatian fisherman with his boat settled on an island
off the Canadian Coast and married an Indian woman and later was obligated to also
marry her two widowed sisters. He had 28 children and three wives. He became
wealthy and his picture with his wife appeared as a lable on canned salmon.
The Dalmatian-Croatian made a considerable contribution to the fishing
industry and style of fish preparation in the West.

Invention of the Blimp and Dural Aluminum

David Schwarz, a Croatian Jew (1852-1897), invented the airship that is
today unjustly bearing the name of the German count Zeppelin. Indeed, Zeppelin
bought the complete project from Schwartz's wife, shortly after his
premature death. It is true that the `Zeppelin' constructed by Schwartz went down
due to a small technical error in the propeller. He was not able to finance a new
experiment. While preparing the project of his flying ship, which for the
first time was predicted to be made of metal, he had to resolve many technical and
technological problems. This led to the discovery of the special aluminium
alloy now known under the name dural, also called Schwartz aluminium.

Buzadzic, Miroslav. "Benedikt Kotruljevic of Dubrovnik Invented Double
Entry Bookkeeping in 1458." 21st EAA Congress in Antwerp, April 1998. Also known
in the West as Benedetto Cotrugli Raguseo.
Muljevic, Vladimir. "Hrvatski Znanstvenici Antun i Faust Vrancic."
Encyclopedia Moderna, 1993. Invented the parachute.
Sunset Magazine, "Crab Chioppino a Dalmatian-Croatian Contribution."
Sunset Magazine, 1941.
Zubrinic, Darko. "Eduard Miloslavic and David Schwarz." www.hr/darko  .
 

Escaping War’s Labyrinth of Fear and Sorrow

New Novel Follows Young Woman’s Plight to Discover Dreams despite War’s Devastation

Blanka Raguz delves into one woman’s courageous story of finding her dreams through the darkness of her homeland’s turmoil in The Labyrinth (now available through AuthorHouse).

            Martina Tomic blossoms into a young woman in her town of Vukovar, Croatia just before the fall of communism. The daughter of two reputable doctors, she spends her teenage years daydreaming about traveling to far-off places and aspiring to become a theater actress.

            Her dreams take off when she visits New York as an exchange student at the age of 13. While living with an American family, Martina experiences the world much different than the oppressing atmosphere of communism at home. Also, she develops a strong affection for the young boy of the family, Ian Erricson. During her stay Martina and Ian become close confidants and develop intimate friendship.

            Upon returning to Vukovar, Martina engages herself in studies and theater. However, her future is clouded by the country’s growing instability as the economic and political crises escalate.

            A few years later, Martina again visits New York. Time has matured her and she seeks romance with Ian, but a shocking discovery about him ends her hopes of a relationship and causes her to question her shortcomings and fears. She journeys back to Croatia to mend her broken heart. New hope rises as Martina’s dreams of acting become a reality and she meets fellow actor Goran, who fulfills her longing for love.

            War soon sweeps across Croatia, however, and shatters her world. Martina witnesses unspeakable destruction, during which many of her fellow countrymen are being killed, wounded or expelled. Along with the war disappears her life in theater. Martina becomes a hero as she buries her true desires to selflessly care for her countrymen. She joins her parents who work as doctors in Vukovar Hospital. She tends to dying patients and tells stories of hope to little children afflicted by the war’s calamities.

After a long siege, citizens of Vukovar face terrifying consequences as the town falls into the enemy’s hands. The fall of her hometown offsets a series of tragedies in Martina’s life as she enters a dark, invisible labyrinth of losses and sorrows.

After losing those she loves most to the heinous crime of genocide, she finds the courage to persevere alone. She escapes to New York to weave together the torn threads of her life, but the unforgiving metropolis presents a barrage of new challenges that threaten to break her once and for all.

            A gripping story that illustrates how love and beauty can triumph over war’s senseless destruction, The Labyrinth captivates readers with its power and emotion.

            Raguz was born in Croatia and received a bachelor’s degree in fine arts from New York University. Although she has lived in New York for many years, she maintains her strong interest in Croatia’s cultural heritage and history. The Labyrinth is her first book.

            For more information on how to orderThe Labyrinth go towww.blankaraguz.com or send e-mail to blankaraguz@aol.com

The Labyrinth – kratki pregled sadrzaja

The Labyrinth je triler sa mnostvom zapleta koji govori o ljubavi, izdaji i cijeni osvete. Prica se zbiva na dva kontinenta, Europi i Sjevernoj Americi. Glavna junakinja, Martina Tomic, odrasta u Vukovaru, Hrvatskoj, neposredno prije pada komunizma u Europi. Kcerka dvaju uglednih lijecnika, Martina provodi svoje pubertetske godine sanjajuci o putovanjima u daleke zemlje i planirajuci da postane kazalisna glumica. Njezin san da upozna svijet ostvaruje se kada u trinaestoj godini posjecuje New York u sklopu razmjene ucenika i provodi ljeto sa jednom americkom obitelji. Tu ne samo spoznaje svijet potpuno drugaciji od opresivne atmosfere komunizma kod kuce, nego i susrece Iana Ericcsona – djecaka u kojeg se zaljubljuje na prvi pogled. On stanuje u istoj kuci sa svojim strogim i dominantnim ocuhom Maximillianom Smithom i ekscentricnom ali prekrasnom polusestrom Kyrom. Tijekom boravka u Americi Martina i Ian postaju izuzetno bliski i razvijaju snazno prijateljstvo.

Po povratku kuci, Martina se posvecuje ucenju i kazalistu. Medjutim, ni sigurnost Vukovara niti ljubav unutar toplog obiteljskog krila, ne uspjevaju je zastititi od politickog i socioloskog previranja u zemlji. Od smrti predsjednika-diktatora, do rastuce ekonomske krize i politickih bitaka, Martina postaje svjedokom ogromne promjene u drustvu i odrasta zabrinuta za svoju buducnost.

Nekoliko godina kasnije Martina odlazi u jos jednu posjetu New Yorku. Kao mlada djevojka na samom rubu otkrivanja vlastite zenstvenosti, biva zatecena svojom ljubavi prema Ianu. Njezin drugi posjet razotkriva joj neocekivana otkrica o njemu. Usljed toga Martina se suocava sa vlastitom seksualnoscu, nedostatcima i strahovima. Vraca se u Vukovar odlucna da odustane od ljubavi koju ne moze imati. Nakon sto vrijeme ublazava njene rane, Martina se sprijateljuje sa Goranom, mladim kolegom iz kazalista. To prijateljstvo prerasta u romansu. Usred drustva koje se oko njih raspada, Goran ostaje svjetla tocka u njezinom zivotu.

Komunizam se rusi i novi val politickih promjena zahvaca Europu, a u Hrvatskoj izbija rat. Martinin rodni grad pada pod opsadu. Martina postaje svjedokom neizrecivih unistenja, tijekom kojih mnostvo njenih sunarodnjaka biva ubijano, ranjeno ili protjerano iz svojih domova. Usporedo s tim, nestaje i njezin zivot u kazalistu. U nastojanju da pomogne svojim sunarodnjacima, Martina se pridruzuje svojim roditeljima koji rade kao lijecnici u Vukovarskoj bolnici. Njeguje ranjene i umiruce, te kazuje price ispunjene nadom vukovarskoj djeci pogodjenoj ratnim strahotama.

Nakon duge opsade, gradjani Vukovara suocavaju se sa zastrasujucim posljedicama nastalim padom grada u neprijateljske ruke. Pad njezinog grada prouzrokuje niz tragedija u Martininom zivotu i predstavlja njezin ulazak u mracan, nevidljivi labirint gubitaka i tuge.

Ostavsi bez icega, sama sa brojnim uspomenama koje je nastavljaju proganjati, Martina odlazi u New York u namjeri da se udalji od rata i pokusa pokrpati komadice svog rastrganog zivota. Ali nemilosrdna metropola postavlja pred nju nove izazove, mnogo vece nego sto je ikada mogla i zamisliti. Ne samo da joj vraca u zivot Iana, covjeka kojeg je jednom voljela a onda izgubila, nego je prisiljava da ponovno prozivi sablasne dozivljaje iz proslosti i da se suoci sa misterioznim uzrocima njene osobne tragedije. Time pada jos dublje u labirint ispunjen tajnama i lazima, ne uspjevajuci pronaci izlaz ili nekoga kome bi mogla vjerovati. Unutar labirinta testiraju se svi bivsi i postojeci odnosi u Martininom zivotu, maske bivaju otklonjene i misterije razotkrivene. Jednom za svagda, Martina se suocava sa beskrajnim pitanjima. Hoce li ikada uspjeti pronaci put koji vodi iz labirinta, razbiti okove proslosti i otkriti novi smisao svoga narusenog postojanja? Hoce li moci ponovno posloziti komadice mozaika zauvijek raskomadanog nemilosrdnim ratom?

Prica koja potpuno zaokupljuje citatelja, The Labyrinth ilustrira nastojanje ljudskog duha da nadvlada mracne prepreke u zivotu i pokazuje kako ljubav i ljepota pobjedjuju nad besmislenoscu mrznje i ratnih razaranja.

Dodatne informacije o knjizi, kao i upute kako naruciti knjigu, mozete dobiti na web straniciwww.blankaraguz.com ili ako posaljete e-mail nablankaraguz@aol.com

SHORT INFORMATION ABOUT THE AUTHOR: BLANKA RAGUZ

www.blankaraguz.com

Blanka Raguz was born in a historic town of Pozega, Croatia.  She developed an interest for writing at a young age and nurtured it by keeping diaries and recording everyday life of then communist Yugoslavia.  Her ambition was to break away from the communist propaganda that surrounded her and that she resented and to experience complete freedom of expression in the United States.

Raguz arrived in New York in 1987 and immediately felt a sense of belonging in the one-of-a-kind metropolis, eventually earning a B.A in Fine Arts from New York University and making a life-long commitment to writing screenplays and stories.

The Labyrinth is Raguz’s first novel. Although a work of fiction, the story is based and inspired by true events, namely the Croatian war for independence and the fall of the legendary town of Vukovar in 1991. The story also grew out of the author’s compassion for the defenders of Vukovar, which was sacrificed for the country’s freedom.

Raguz lives in Astoria, New York and continues to find inspiration in the cultural and historic heritage of both her Croatian homeland and her adopted new home, New York. She is currently working on another novel.

http://www.authorhouse.com/BookStore/ItemDetail.aspx?q3=BpV8dJBuUas%253d

Croatian Madonna to settle in Clifton
 

Tatiana Cameron is touring the country, performing in "Emmanuel." She and her husband, Matthew, plan to raise their sons, Dante (left) and Evan, in Clifton. They came to the United States from Yugoslavia.
Provided Zoom There is something special about Cincinnati that appeals to Tatiana Cameron, a classical theater performer. Cameron, 34, and her husband, Matthew, 34, are on a tour across the country as she performs "Emmanuel.''
 

The Camerons have two children, Dante, 4, and Evan, 2. They have been staying in Clifton for the past few weeks and plan to raise their children here.
 

"My husband and I have been traveling since we were married five years ago,'' she said.

Cincinnati offers something different from growing up in Communist Yugoslavia, where she said she celebrated baptisms in the dark to avoid detection.

She went on to become a pop star and became widely known as the "Croatian Madonna.''

She and her family have been criss-crossing the country in a motor home while she performs at churches.

She was trained in classical theater in New York, but has successfully mixed her classical singing with pop. She has just released an album in Croatia titled "The Best of Golden Collections.''

Tatiana Cameron, with a cellist, a keyboard player and a percussionist, will perform at St. Pius X. Church in Edgewood at 7 p.m. today.

Grants for XU instructors

Philanthropist Roger Grein believes in mixing giving and education.

Grein, a certified public accountant in Reading, sponsors a program that gives grants to Xavier University instructors and their students to be awarded to community-based organizations within the subject area of their courses.

Grants totaling $4,000 have been awarded to George Farnsworth, biology, for an environmental studies seminar; Heather Gallew, occupational therapy, for occupational justice; Irene Hodgson, modern languages, for Spanish translation and interpretation; and Melody D'Ambrosio, education for language arts and social studies.

Organizations that will be receiving the grants will be selected in January.

Skyline collecting coats The Skyline 500 Coat Challenge runs through Wednesday to benefit the FreeStore/Foodbank. Those who donate a clean winter coat (any size) in good condition will receive a $5 Skyline Chili gift card. Donations must be made to the FreeStore/FoodBank's drop-off center, 112 E. Liberty St., Over-the-Rhine, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041205/NEWS0105/412050421/1061/NEWS01

Same Difference

Particularly noteworthy are "Have a Reason, Have a Faith," a song by Nenad Bach; and "Unseen," a beautiful veil dance performed by Kristi Little.

The cast of Same Difference

 

New York
Same Difference
Reviewed By: Brooke Pierce

Same Difference: NYC Faith Stories in Words, Music, & Dance is a performance piece put together by an interfaith collective seeking to find common ground between people of the Jewish, Muslim, and Christian religions. It's a crucial time for these "People of the Book"; in the aftermath of September 11, the need for understanding is greater than ever. Knowing this, the artists behind Same Difference (many of whom were involved in a similar earlier project entitled Sept. 11: In Our Own Words) interviewed over 100 New York City residents, each representing -- to one degree or another -- one of the three faiths. Thoughts and stories from these interviews have been woven together to simulate a kind of onstage dialogue. Accompanied by live musicians and singers, the piece is rounded out by a handful of songs, dances, and photo/video footage.

Although Same Difference could be counted as another installment in the increasingly popular genre of "documentary theater," it is not nearly as slick as some of its forebears, such as The Laramie Project or The Exonerated. Performed at the Church of St. Paul & St. Andrew, where it was first conceived, Same Difference is more reminiscent of a lively church theatrical, with all of the good intentions and mixed results that such an enterprise usually entails.

Each of the dozen or so principle actors in the piece takes on several personae, but there is little attention to detail as far as the "characters" are concerned; director Sarah Brockus's aim seems to be to focus on the words themselves rather than the distinct personalities of the individuals interviewed. Some of the actors succeed better than others in making particular characters stand out -- e.g., a devout young Muslim woman and an interfaith couple. Unfortunately it's difficult to single out the actors by name since they are credited only as "Man 1," "Woman 2," etc.

For the bulk of the play, the presentation style is very relaxed as the characters share their feelings, anecdotes, and ideas on such topics as religion and food, interfaith relationships, and tradition. Though Brockus's direction is a little clumsy at times and some of the performers are unpolished, this freewheeling discussion format is a refreshing and entertaining approach. The music and dance
elements of the piece are not as seamlessly integrated as one might hope, but it is nice to see artistic responses to these subjects. Particularly noteworthy are "Have a Reason, Have a Faith," a song by Nenad Bach; and "Unseen," a beautiful veil dance performed by Kristi Little.

Eventually, and inevitably, the focus of the piece turns to September 11 and Jewish-Muslim relations, at which point the show's lightheartedness disappears. Early in the proceedings, many of the interviewees appear comfortable, even enthusiastic, about living in
an interfaith community; in the face of difficult questions concerning Israel and Palestine, however, that easygoing tolerance fades away and people start falling into two groups, each one accusing the other. (This divide is also illustrated through Jill Jaffe's dance
piece "The Battle.") The most provocative aspect of Same Difference is that it dares you to agree wholly with any of the opinions it presents. At one moment, a pro-Israel man makes a very good point -- and then a Palestinian woman offers a heartfelt rebuttal. The challenge is to open your mind and understand both sides.

Near the end of the piece, one man admits that interfaith communication may have finally broken down. After hearing the barrage of insults, accusations, and excuses that these seemingly tolerant people begin hurling at each other, it's tempting to agree. But, obviously, the very existence of this piece -- which was created with the support of the United Methodist Committee on Relief, Congregation B'nai Jeshurun, and the American Sufi Muslim Association, among other organizations -- proves that the faithful of New York City are still aching to reach out to one another. If Same Difference lacks a certain theatrical eloquence, it is nonetheless a meaningful and enlightening expression of that desire.

http://1067litefm.theatermania.com/content/news.cfm/story/2981

Hey everybody,

Please help spread the word about tonight's Cinewomen screening of our short documentary demo of SAME DIFFERENCE
(Tues., 11/30/04). The price of admission includes three films plus free beer & pizza. Details are below. I'll be speaking on a really
short panel (@one question each) afterwards. Thanks for your help.
Much love, Eileen www.samedifference.org

Cinewomen NY Screening Series www.cinewomenny.org
at 2 Boots Pioneer Theatre, 155 East 3rd St. (off A) www.twoboots.com

TIES THAT BIND: The Religion of Family - Nov 30th 2004 at TWO BOOTS
====
Same Difference
[Dir Joe Dorman and Sarah Brockus 15 mins]
[Co-Producer/Writer Eileen Weiss]
New York City faith stories in words, music and dance. A powerful work which combines original music, dance and drama was
created from interviews with over a hundred New Yorkers about their faith, anger, fears and hopes before and after 9/11. A joint
venture by an interfaith group of artists.

We Are The Littletons
[Penny Lane, experimental, 11 min]
A tangled web of found objects, intercepted correspondences, reenactments and total fabrications centered around Eve Portian
Littleton Rodriguez, an artist with "movie star good looks" who mysteriously banished from her post-card perfect American family.

Without Apology
[Susan Hamovitch, documentary 75 min]
The story of the filmmaker's family's 'dark secret' -- her brother Alan, born with a disability so severe he would never learn to speak.
Institutionalized in 1958, a taboo family topic for more than thirty years, Alan is only now -- after the expose of his state-run facility,
the radical overhaul of medical thought on retardation and autism -- emerging as a member of his family and of the world.
====
Cinewomen NY Screening Series
www.cinewomenny.org
at Pioneer Theatre, 155 East 3rd St. (off A)
www.twoboots.com

Tuesday, November 30, 2004
Admission: $9.00
Box Office Opens: 6:30PM
Seating: 6:45PM
Screening with Q&A: 7:00 - 9:00PM
Free Beer/Pizza Party: 9:00 - 10:00PM

Freedom from Despair is a Brilliant Film, Says Tolucan Times
 

THE TOLUCAN TIMES
IDEAS by Kevin McKena
International Student Film Festival Hollywood – a Big Screen Blast
This year’s International Student Film Festival Hollywood was a true celebration of fine films. The festival received more than 200 submissions from over 20 countries, and screened both high school and college students’ films. All the film screenings took place at the historic El Portal Theatre in North Hollywood.

I have been volunteering for and entering film festivals since film school at the San Francisco Art Institute. An actress I liked at the time was a volunteer at the San Francisco Film Festival and suggested I volunteer. I did and got the girl, and saw a lot of real good films for free. So film festivals have always been especially entertaining for me.

The International Student Film Festival Hollywood’s goal is to give student filmmakers from around the world a unique opportunity to showcase their work in the entertainment capital of the world.

Veteran film editor Robin Saban, whose years of work in entertainment inspired him to create an outlet for promising student filmmakers, started the festival in 2003. Robin reached out to more than 400 universities and high schools worldwide to generate awareness and excitement for the festival.

I also have accepted a seat on the festival’s board of directors. I believe it is extremely important that young and talented filmmakers get some recognition for their labor. Not to mention, film festivals are a lot of fun. Our board of directors believes that by combining our efforts to aid student filmmakers, both here and abroad, we bring the world of cinema closer together and also contribute in helping unite the earth through the art of film. I was impressed and moved by the high quality of work produced by these talented young filmmakers. Some of these films look like Hollywood directors with big budgets directed them.

The opening night party was a blast and more than 300 people showed up. The food, by Arli’s Catering, was awesome. The festival presented many awards for filmmaking, including the Young Director’s Award presented to Jennifer Lynch, an accomplished director and actress, her credits include “Boxing Helena,” which she wrote and also directed. Her next project slated for 2005 is a movie called “Surveillance” which she co-wrote and will also direct.

More than 2,000 people attended this year’s festival, many traveling thousands of miles to see these amazing student films from all over the world.

Also attending the festival was Academy Award-nominated actor John Savage. Savage performed the narrative for the brilliant film, “Freedom from Despair,” which won in the documentary category and was directed by up-and-coming young director Brenda Brkusic.

For the last few years Savage, who starred in classic films like “The Deer Hunter” and “The Onion Field” has dedicated his life to humanitarian efforts. In addition, Savage was recently nominated for ISFFH’s 2005 Humanitarian Award. Thank you, John, for your commitment to making the world a better place.
Full article: http://tolucantimes.com/columns120104/McKenna/index.html

www.freedomfromdespair.com

VOICE OF CROATIA INTERNATIONAL RADIO SEGMENT WITH BRENDA BRKUSIC ON CROATIA TODAY
 

You can listen to the interview on www.ljepanasadomovinahrvatska.com  at the following link:
http://www.lijepanasadomovinahrvatska.com/audio04/06.12.04.%20%20Brenda%20Brkusic.mp3

Text from the interview below:

Josip Serdarevic: Many different stories have been written about Croatia, its history and the homeland war over the last 15 years. But one important point has been lost in all the contradictory reports and facts and figures; namely that the whole basis of Croatia’s modern independence movement was to get itself out from under communist tyranny. Brenda Brkusic is a young American filmmaker of Croatian decent who actually delved deep into the roots of the war in Croatia, unlike most foreign based directors who were lost in a myriad of ideological propaganda from all sides and left most things open ended and unanswered.

Brenda Brkusic: The film is about the Croatian people’s struggle to overcome oppression from Communist Yugoslavia – a regime that suppressed Croatian culture and religion and liquidated over 720 Catholic priests. It is based on the incredible story of a young man’s life threatening escape from his homeland of Croatia in 1957. The film portrays the Croatian people’s fight to save their war-ravaged homeland in the 1990’s and it exposes the truth about Croatia’s history that was never shown in the American mainstream media.

Josip Serdarevic: Brenda Bkusic is from Chicago, Illinois and moved to Los Angeles on an academic scholarship from Chapman University. Her senior thesis was the film entitled Freedom from Despair a documentary about the Croatian people’s struggle against the Yugoslavian Communist regime. The film has since gone on to win awards at numerous film festivals propelling Brkusic into the lime light at only 23 years of age.

Brenda Brkusic: The film has done tremendously well and has been highly praised by both Croatians and non-Croatians. It had had a world premiere in the Amnesty International Film Festival at the Directors Guild in Hollywood. I felt like by screening the film they were finally recognizing the Croatian story as a true and valid history that has been neglected for too long. They also want to put the film in University libraries in the United States, so I feel like that’s a big step for all of us as far as having a reference about our history.

Josip Serdarevic: Once word got around about the film’s principal themes, some influential figures got behind it and provided it with a much higher profile than an average student film would get.

Brenda Brkusic: Nenad Bach has always been a big support of the idea of the film and he offered to compose the score for the film. And he recommended me to a few famous actors in Hollywood: Michael York, who has been very involved with Croatian things and he did the voice-overs for the interviews that are in Croatian. John Savage who has acted in Academy Award Winning films, he did the narration for the film. And also Congressman Dennis Kucinich, he was just running for President of the United States and he is interviewed in the film as well. So I had support from a lot of great people and I was very lucky to have these names attached to the film it gives the film a lot of creditability, of course.

Josip Serdarevic: The reasons for Brenda Brkusic’s impetuous for the project are much closer to home. Given that she’s a second generation American, she does have some distance from Croatia and its events, but her objectivity doesn’t obstruct the personal attachment to the film’s topics.

Brenda Brkusic: When the war broke out in 1991 I was only 10 years old and my parents became very active in trying to get the first President George Bush and the American media to recognize Croatia’s freedom movement. And seeing them stand up for justice in that way made me appreciate our culture more but also made me want to know more about why my father was so interested in wanting to help his homeland and why he had escaped Yugoslavia to come to America as a young man. That’s when he told me the story of how he suffered as Croatian in Communist Yugoslavia and how he risked his life to escape. I knew that this was a story that represented millions of people who had done the same thing and that story had never really been told before.

Josip Serdarevic: The film has done well for itself and has been screened all of the United States and at the Dubrovnik Film Festival. Brkusic plans to extend screenings of the documentary in Canada and Australia. Interested viewers from both sides of the border can catch the film at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Windsor, Ontario this Sunday, December the 12th.
 

U utorak, 07. prosinca 2004. predstavljen je prvi hrvatski ICT klaster BEAM ICT Alliance,

koji cine renomirane tvrtke BIT-ART INFORMATIKA, EKOBIT, ALTERBOX i MULTILINK.

Predstavnici BEAM Alliance, gospoda Marko Šušnjar iz BitArta, Vedran Brnicevic iz Ekobita, Denis Kotlar iz Alterboxa, te Boris Krstanovic iz Multilinka, iznijeli su na konferenciji za medije, razloge svojeg okupljanja. Cetiri vodece hrvatske ICT tvrtke udružile su svoje resurse, znanje i iskustvo, kako bi bile konkuretnije, kako na domacem tako i na globalnom tržištu, omogucujuci razvoj i implementaciju složenih rješenja baziranih na informacijskoj i komunikacijskoj tehnologiji.

U drugom dijelu konferencije za medije, predstavljen je prvi zajednicki projekt novoosnovaneBEAM ICT Alliance, e-Hospitality skup, kojeg su organizirali u suradnji s tehnološkim liderima i partnerima Cisco Systems,Kassena i Microsoft te zastupnicima tvrtki Epicor|Scala - Silicon Master i micros.Fidelio – Hugin Sweda. Skup je namijenjen celnim ljudima vodecih hotelskih kuca. Namjera skupa je upoznati hotelijere sa cjelovitom BEAM ponudom usluge integracije (ICT infrastuktura te sistemska, aplikacijska i podatkovna integracija), a s ciljem racionalizacije poslovanja hotelskih poduzeca, podizanja razine kvalitete usluga uz povecanje zadovoljstva gosta i ostvarivanje novih izvora priliva te pospješenje promocije i prodaje. Bez obzira da li se hotelijeri spremaju tek projektirati, renovirati ili podignuti kategoriju svojih kapaciteta,

BEAM ICT konzorcij može ponuditi izvodenje integriranog rješenja temeljenom na bogatom iskustvu svojih clanova i vrhunskoj tehnologiji i rješenjima globalnih tehnoloških partnera.

BitArt Informatika je tvrtka cija je osnovna djelatnost izrada cjelovitih softverskih rješenja prema potrebama klijenata. Posljednjih pet godina fokus tvrtke je na raznim Business Intelligence rješenjima za partnere na zapadnoeuropskom tržištu. Tvrtka ima bogato iskustvo sa datawarehouse sustavima i procesima gdje uspješno integrira Web tehnologiju i baze podataka. Vodena vizijom, snagom i voljom njenih mladih ljudi uspješno se nosi sa izazovima moderne tehnologije na zadovoljstvo njenih klijenata

Ekobit je tvrtka koja se bavi informatickim savjetovanjem i razvojem softvera za domace i strane korisnike. Ekobit je, radeci godinama za pretežito zapadnoeuropske partnere, stekao znacajno iskustvo u vodenju projekata i razvoju aplikacija u nizu vertikalnih industrija.

Alterbox je vodeca regionalna tvrtka za ucinkovita komunikacijska rješenja i servise temeljena na naprednim telekomunikacijskim i Web tehnologijama. Misija Alterboxa je kreiranje tehnologija koje ne postavljanju vremenska i prostorna ogranicenja, prilagodene ljudima za prirodno komuniciranje.

Multilink, Inženjering rješenja i konzalting, vodeca je hrvatska tvrtka na podrucju prihvata, primjene i prijenosa informacijske i komunikacijske (Internet i mobilne) tehnologije. Multilink savjetuje, osmišljava, projektira, izvodi i implementira integrirana rješenja za elektronicko/ mobilno poslovanje (bazirana na Microsoft tehnologiji) te streaming medija rješenja. Svojim klijentima Multilink pruža i usluge sistemske integracije, obuke korisnika te tehnicke potpore. U uredima u Rijeci i Zagrebu upošljava 25 djelatnika te veci broj vanjskih suradnika. Multilink je utemelnjen 1989. godine.

E:marko.susnjar@bitart.hr         E: vbrnicevic@ekobit.hr

E:denis@alterbox.hr                 E: boris@multilink.hr

Postovani,

U prilogu Vam saljemo press release vezano uz pokretanje prvog hrvatskog ICT klastera BEAM ICT Alliance i skup „e-Hospitality“ odrzan jucer, 7. prosinca, u Grand Hotelu Bonavia u Rijeci.

Kontakt osoba za sva pitanja u vezi e-Hospitality projekta i BEAM ICT Alliance:
Sabina Prpic
Marketing & Sales Manager
Multilink d.o.o.
Zagreb, Fallerovo setaliste 22
T. 01 364 82 73
F. 01 364 82 74
M. 098 305 834
sabina@multilink.hr

Srdacan pozdrav,

Jasna Herceg
Sales & Marketing Associate

MULTILINK d.o.o.
Rijeka, Wenzelova 2/I
+385 51 321 111 :: 321 003
+385 98 222 482
www.multilink.hr

Freedom from Despair

Wins Best Documentary

at the New York International Independent Film Festival

 

It was announced yesterday that Brenda Brkusic's feature film Freedom from Despair won the Grand Jury Prize for Best Documentary at the New York International Independent Film and Video Festival where it played at the Village East Cinema on November 21, 2004 as a part of the festival. The festival screened and judged over 350 films during its ten day run, making the competition tough for Freedom from Despair which took home the highest documentary honor. A list of winners can be seen on the festival’s website at
http://www.nyfilmvideo.com/2004/ny2004/nyawardsnov04.htm

Shawn Kittelsen, a staff member for the New York International Independent Film Festival wrote before the festival: “it's quite honestly one of my favorite selections for the festival year. As a former NYU film student I must say you have quite an impressive work here, in terms of both technique and content, something that you should rightfully be very proud of. This film is important in so many ways and I want to make sure it gets the reception that it deserves. On a personal note, I'm looking forward to meeting you and hopefully getting the chance to hear about your experiences shooting this and what you're up to next. Thanks for making such a great film to celebrate at this Festival.”

Krasnic, Dizdar, Brkusic, Bach

Brenda Brkusic was in attendance at the festival screening due to her arrival in New York for an earlier screening of the film at St. Rafael’s Croatian Catholic Church in Manhattan. The screening was a fundraiser to help Brenda with the film and was sponsored by the Croatian National Association, a non-profit organization that has set up a way for Brenda to receive tax-deductible donations for the film. Brenda would like to thank all the beautiful people in New York who volunteered to help organize the screening, especially event coordinator Nick Krasnic, the Priests and volunteers at St. Rafael’s Parish, Michael Kustra and all those who gave kind words of support and donations after the film.

Also in attendance at both screenings that day was the film’s music composer Nenad Bach who happened to be celebrating his birthday. Both Brenda Brkusic and Nenad Bach were interviewed after the New York International Independent Film Festival about the making and importance of Freedom from Despair for the New Zeland TV and local New York TV channel. The New York International Independent Film Festival marked the third Best Documentary award for the film since its release in May.

The next screening of Freedom from Despair is set for Sunday, December 12, 2004 at St. Francis of Assisi Church in Windsor, Ontario with an approximate start time at 3pm. For more information or to find out how to get involved, please visit www.freedomfromdespair.com . The Croatian National Association is currently working together with Brenda and volunteers from various cities to organize their 2005 screening line up.