Two CroatianKids

Flash Kid
Mon Mar 3, 2:28 PM ET

By Rich Karlgaard Sean John sold more than $200 million of clothing last year. Now, if you are older than 40 and don't have any teenagers, you might pause here, shake your head, let out a whistle, form a capital T with your liver-spotted fingers and ask: What the heck is a … Sean John? Answer: It's the clothing label of P.Diddy. You know, the rap singer.
Oh sure, of course. The economy stinks. But a rap singer yanks down two hundred megabucks a year.Natch. From clothes. From a line that didn't exist five years ago. Understood. Don't blow an artery, readers. P. Diddy is not our story today. No, our story is even weirder. It's the story of the guy who designed the ultrahip SeanJohn.com Web site. This designer, MaxOshman, well, he's a bit of a nerd who lives with his parents in uncool Montclair, N.J. Actually, it's cool that Max lives with his parents. He is 17 years old. Super Samurai In Palestine, 17-year-olds strap bombs to their chests and board buses. In America, a high school junior named Max Oshman pulled in $400,000 for his Web design work in only three months. Okay, it wasn't just Max. It was Max and 11 fellow geeks--a virtual team of 12. According to Max, "Some of them live in the U.K., two inCroatia, two in Sweden and the rest are scattered around in southern California, New York, Texas and Amsterdam." The leaders of this e-gang--they call themselves pLotdev Multimedia DevelopersLLC--are Max and Yves Darbouze, a 30-year-old Miami geezer. The e-gang's average age is 23. Max has never met any of his partners in person. A first-ever meeting in New York with partner Yves was in the works when Max and I talked. One supposes it's difficult for a 17-year-old to take business trips while keeping up a 4.0 average at Solomon Schechter School, playing point guard on the basketball team and laying out the school yearbook. How, then, does the pLotdev team communicate? "Mostly," says Max, "by e-mail. When we have a big project, we communicate via phone. We also have group talks using MSN Messenger." Max and Yves hooked up (by e-mail) after Max completed his first book, Macromedia Flash: Super Samurai--at age 15. Max's coauthor introduced him to Yves, who needed some Web design work done, thinking Max would be good for the job. "We spoke about the industry and where it was going, and we shared many of the same beliefs," says Max. "We decided that we would start a company." At the time Yves had no idea Max was 17. Max and Yves agree that a pair of Macromediasoftware programs will change the world. One is Flash, a 3-D graphics program; the other isColdFusion, which lets people update Web sites without a programmer. As Max described this software to me, I thought: Yes, makes perfect sense. Such cheap, off-the-rack software will indeed open up Web design to artists, the way Adobe opened up page design 15 years ago. Max, of course, would have missed my analogy altogether. Fifteen years ago Max was 2. No Face Time--Yet 

Max looks like any straight-A kid from suburban New Jersey. Don't be fooled. He speaks like a Madison Avenue mogul. About pLotdev he says, "We geared toward the entertainment industry--creative, very upbeat designs with a lot of motion and user interaction. We call this style high-impact design. Extremely engaging to the user." Do any of pLotdev's Hollywood clients balk on meeting a consultant four years away from a legal beer? "None of my clients has ever asked my age," says Max cheerfully. He pauses, then continues more guardedly. "Whenever there are face-to-face meetings, Yves goes. I take part in the phone meetings. We want to make sure clients base their decisions on our skills, not on fears that some 17-year-old kid is going to screw up their Web presence." Now Max buoys up. "In the next few months, however, I do intend to start going to meetings." For now, Max stays at home, batting out code on his HP Pavilion zt1130, Dell Dimension 4300 and newiMac. Old-Fashioned Hustle How does this young team ever manage to get in the client's door and pitch work? Pure old-fashioned hustle. "Sean John and [previous clients] Motown and Universal were recruited byYes," says Max. "He called, wrote and nagged people to death just asking to give us a chance. He wrote a ton of proposals. We wrote free demos to show them our work." These days pLotdev is reeling in the work. Current clients include Microsoft and P. Diddy's record label, Bad Boy Records. 

Visit Rich Karlgaard's home page atwww.forbes.com/karlgaard or e-mail him at publisher@forbes.com.   

Edited for CROWN by Ivo Bach

Monday, 03 March 2003

Franjo Glaser, widely regarded as one of Croatia's greatestgoalkeepers, died on Saturday aged 89.

Respected man
The Osijek-born custodian was not only respected for his ability on thepitch but also for his dignified bearing and sportsmanship. These traits wereremembered during a minute's silence held before Sunday's match between NKDinamo Zagreb and NK Varteks.

Early start
Glaser’s remarkable career took off when he made his debut for local teamNK Slavija at the age of 15. He then moved on to NK Hajduk Sarajevo andConcordia Zagreb before joining BSK from Belgrade during his military service.While there in the mid-1930s, Glaser won two Yugoslavian titles.

Successful time
He then moved on to Gradjanski Zagreb, the club now known as Dinamo, and enjoyedhis most successful period as a player. He won the Kingdom of Yugoslavia titlein 1937 and 1940 as well as the Croatian championship in 1943. In all, he played623 times for Gradjanski.

International honours
After the conclusion of the second world war, Glaser helped FK Partizan win theYugoslavian title in 1947 before ending his playing days with NK Mornar Split,where he was also a coach, in 1949. Glaser played 35 times for Yugoslavia and afurther eleven times for Croatia during its independence in the 1940s.

Coaching career
As a coach, Glaser took charge of a number of clubs including Dinamo, NK Kvarner[now known as HNK Rijeka], NK Proleter [who became NK Osijek], NK TrešnjevkaZagreb, Austria FC Klagenfurt (today FC Kärnten), NK Velež Mostar and FKSartid Smederevo. He spent his final years at a retirement home in Zagreb.

Edited for CROWN by Ivo Bach

Doctoral Research on the History of Southeast Europe

CALL FOR PAPERS
A Workshop for new Doctoral Research on the History of Southeast Europe
On 26-28 June
Hosted by the Centre for Advanced Study, Sofia, Bulgaria
The deadline for applications has been extended to 6 March. It is not too late to apply!
Send applications to info@cdsee.org. 
More information can be found below.
The programme is supported by USAID.
__________________________
Sheila Cannon
Projects Manager
Center for Democracy and Reconciliation in Southeast Europe
Krispou 9
54634 Thessaloniki
Greece
Tel. 30 2310 960820
Fax. +30 2310 960822
web: www.cdrsee.org  

www.reconcilingforthefuture.org     

CALL FOR PAPERS

A Workshop for new Doctoral Research on the History of Southeast Europe
On 26-28 June
Hosted by the Centre for Advanced Study
In Sofia, Bulgaria

The Center for Democracy and Reconciliation in Southeastern Europe (CDRSEE)
is convening a workshop to present, compare and discuss new doctoral
research relevant to the history of Southeastern Europe. The workshop will
be hosted in Sofia by the Centre for Advanced Studies (CAS). The CDRSEE
and the CAS are seeking to bring together younger scholars who have
undertaken the primary research for their doctoral dissertations or who
have completed their dissertations within the recent past (typically 3-4
years). In addition to dissertations from History Departments, those that
deal primarily with the history of any part of the region but are being
done or completed in departments other than History are also welcome.

Scholars from Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, FY
Republic of Macedonia, Romania, and Yugoslavia are invited to apply. A
limited number of spaces are also available for students who originate from
other countries but who are working on Balkan issues. The 15 selected will
be notified by March 17 and asked to submit a 5-page summary of their
dissertations' findings, methods and sources to the Center by April 15. At
the workshop, selectees will be asked to make a 15-20 minute oral
presentation on their work, as well as a 10-minute discussion on somebody
else's pre-circulated presentation to others selected, and to 6 senior
historians drawn from the Center's international Board of Eminent Scholars.
The majority of the workshop's time will however be devoted to a joint
discussion of papers and presentations.

Applications should reach the CDRSEE by the deadline of March 6, 2003. All
applications, papers, presentations and discussions will be in English.

Applications should consist of the following:
§ A short CV of three pages maximum
§ A one or two page description of your dissertation and its main theses.
§ An e-mail or other address for March 17 notification

Applications should be submitted by e-mail to info@cdsee.org.

The travel and accommodation, together with a small honorarium, will be
covered by the organisers. The list of senior scholars attending will be
available to selectees after April 1.

This project is supported by generousfunding from USAID.

The Center for Democracy and Reconciliation in Southeast Europe (CDRSEE) is
a non-governmental organisation incorporated in the Netherlands and based
in Thessaloniki, Greece. The CDRSEE seeks to foster democratic and
pluralist societies and to encourage cross-border cooperation and
reconciliation between peoples of the region. The workshop is a part of
the History and History Teaching Project of the Stability Pact for
Southeastern Europe, and is an annual event. For further information,
please consult the Center's web site: www.cdsee.org or contact us at
info@cdsee.org , Tel. +30 2310 960820, fax: +30 2310 960822.

The Centre for Advanced Study in Sofia (CAS) is an independent non-profit
institution set up for the promotion of advanced scholarship and academic
cooperation in the Humanities and Social Sciences. The idea of creating a
small "centre of academic excellence" in Sofia draws upon the traditions
and the practices of the Institutes for Advanced Study in the US and
Europe. The CAS vision is rooted in the belief that an intellectual
community is a natural breeding-ground for critical thought and in the
recent conviction that scholarship in the contemporary world is
increasingly becoming an interdisciplinary, collective and global
endeavour. For more information, see www.cas.bg.

PUTOVANJEHRVATSKOG DJEČAKA

UPOTRAZI ZA BOLJIM }
IVOTOM

Jerry Derich (Jerko Dragičević) 1899.-1963.

Jerko Dragičević je rođen 30. o~
ujka1899. godine u Supetru na Braču, otoku lociranom naspram Splita u Hrvatskoj.Kad god je govorio o ljepoti Hrvatske istodobno je sjetno naglaa
avao  ne mo~
ea
jesti ljepotu . Napustio je a
kolu u desetoj godini sa samo četiri godineizobrazbe. Svatko je u obitelji bio potreban u borbi da se prehrane i odjenu.Njegov otac Vicko nije nikad bio doma. Radio je na brodovima s kojima jeotplovljavao na dulje vremenske periode. Vicko se ~
elio preseliti u Ju~
nuAmeriku, ali je njegova supruga Lukre odbila napustiti domovinu. Kao dječakJerko je bio pod utjecajem prizora i pripovijesti o ljudima koji su se vraćaliiz Amerike, od kojih su neki bili odjeveni u klasična engleska odijela sazlatnim lancem i d~
epnim satom. Konačno je napustio svoj dom  jer je biotoliko gladan da se borio za preostale mrvice na kuhinjskom stolu . Na dannapua
tanja otoka Brača u potrazi za svojim snom njegova najmlađasestra Perina mu je dala nea
to malo novaca. To je bio znak takve dobrote iljubaznosti kojeg se Jerko sjećao do kraja svog ~
ivota.     

Jerkov prvi avanturistički pothvat i okra
ajje počeo 1920., kratko poslije Prvog svjetskog rata. Govorio je onesmotrenom regrutiranju u Francusku legiju stranaca. Istog dana njegovaprisezanja postao je svjestan kriminalaca oko sebe i svog jadnog odredia
ta.Iskoristio je priliku i pobjegao jedne kia
ovite noći puzajući ispod~
ičane ograde. Uskoro se priključio joa
nekim drugim Hrvatima kojisu kao skupina odlučili da bi im najbolje bilo uvojačiti se uBritansku vojsku. Nakon kratke obuke oni su bili poslani u Istanbul (Turska),kako bi slu~
bovali kao okupacijski bojovnici. Napetost i političko kaotičnookru~
enje zahtijevali su neprekidnubudnost kako bi se zaa
titili da ne budu izbodeni. Njegov subojovnik je bioizboden na smrt tijekom noći, a
to je bila učestana pojava. Po JerkuIstanbul je bio na većem prosjačkom a
tapu od Hrvatske; prljave ulicezaposjednute mnoa
tvom prosjaka. Oskudni preprodavci i torbari su sjedjeli napločnicima, ~
estoko vičući i moleći mase prolaznika da kupenjihova peciva, koja su podsjećala na pogačice, i druge sitnice.

Slu~
bovanjeu Britanskoj vojsci nudilo je pripadnicima drugih nacionalnosti, kao a
to je bioJerko, privilegiju da se usele u britansku koloniju po njihovom izboru. Po zavra
etkusvog vojnog roka u Britanskoj vojsci Jerko i nekoliko njegovih zemljaka (DinkoJustin, Lovro Zenčić i Frane Bo~
iković) imigrirali su u Kanadu.

Preplovili su Ocean na brodu  Ausonia koji je bio vlasnia
tvobrodske linije  Cunard . Stigli su u Quebec 23. rujna 1923. godine. Poa
tosu bili provjereni i obrađeni dobili su zaposlenje u prostranojunutarnjosti Quebeca. Bili su zaposleni kao drvosječe koje su sjekle drvaza električne vodove.Putujući kroz divljinu Jerko je bio začuđen i zadivljen ogromnimprostranstvima vode i a
ume koja su se činila kao da idu u nedogled. Poa
tosu doa
li iz zemlje koja ima kalifornijske vremenske osobitosti, bili sunepripravni za oa
tru i ljutu hladnoću sjevernjačke klime te na u~
asneuvjete ~
ivota u logorima. Brzo su kupili odjeću i zadu~
ili se u trgovini.Jerko se ponosio time a
to je bio u mogućnosti izbaviti svoje pratioce izincidenta opasnog po ~
ivot koji je bio prouzročen oa
trim zimskim uvjetimau logoru za drvosječe i koji je primorao Dinka Justina na plakanje. Tijekomnjihove druge radne godine u a
umi, Jerko i njegovi suradnici su nudili svojeusluge naveliko kako bi zaradili via
e novaca i otplatili dugove u trgovini.Postupno su naučili dovoljnofrancuskih riječikako bi komunicirali s francuskim radnicima. Na kraju njihovog ugovora bili sudostatno informirani kako bi se preselili u Montreal. Poslije kratkog boravka uMontrealu Jerko se preselio u Toronto.

Prijebraka Jerko i jedan njegov prijatelj su zarađivali za ~
ivot iznajmljivajućisobe u jednoj kući u Oak ulici u Torontu, gdje su prodavali piće iorganizirali kartaa
ke igre (poker). Jerkovo poznavanje s Irene Jessie McBrady, djevojkom irsko-engleskog podrijetla,koja je ~
ivjela u najbli~
em susjedstvu, brzo se pretvorilo u ljubav. Vjenčalisu se 6. srpnja 1927. godine kada je Jessie napunila a
esnaest godina. Postava
io~
enjen čovjek Jerko nije ~
elio izlo~
iti svoju mladu trudnu ~
enusituacijama u kojima se opijalo i kockalo. Poa
to je bio nekvalificirani stranactijekom godina depresije bio je primoran početi raditi kao perač posuđaza a
est dolara na tjedan. Tijekom radne stanke pomagao bi kuvaru u priređivanjuhrane. Naposljetku je stekao potrebno znanje i vjea
tinu kako bi postao kuvar zakratke narud~
be u restoranu  Muirhead u sredia
tu Toronta.   

Istodobnosu Jerko, Jessie i beba Lucy ~
ivjeli u stanu čiji je vlasnik bio jedanprijateljski ~
idovski par. Stanodavac je ohrabrio Jerka da krene u vlastitopoduzetnia
tvo (business), jer je vjerovao da samouposlenost dopua
ta strancimas ograničenom izobrazbom i neposjedovanjem specijalnih vjea
tina priliku zaosiguranje pristojnog ~
ivljenja. Stanodavac je nadopunjavao svoj vlastitiosobni dohodak popravljanjem i prodavanjem koria
ćenih vreća zakrumpir. Jerko je napustio svoj posao u mliječnom restoranu  Muirhead poslije dugog i nerijea
enog prijepora s drugim uposlenikom. Odlučio je okua
atise kao preprodavač voća. Kupio je mali kamion za tristo dolara, posuđenihod Jessinog ujaka Willija. Jerkov predani radni moral omogućio mu je dapostane uspjea
an samouposleni preprodavač i rasprodavač voća.Iako je imao ograničenu formalnu izobrazbu, on je razvio svoj vlastiti načinračunanja troa
kova, profitiranja i prodajnih cijena. Također je bionadaren za učenje različitih jezika kao: engleskog, talijanskog,francuskog, ruskog i poljskog. Bio je u mogućnosti izdr~
avati svojuobitelj koja se povećavala: Lucia Alice (1928.), Viola Frances (1931.),Jerry Vincenzo (1932.) i Helen Irene (1941.). 

           Tijekom tisuću devetsto dvadesetih godina strana se imena nisu dobrouklapala s dominirajućim  engleskim protestantskim drua
tvom. Prijeulaska u poduzetnia
tvo Jerko Dragičević je promijenio svoje ime uJerry Derich poglavito zbog poslovnih razloga. Posao preprodavača voćaje bio vrlo tra~
en u ljeto. Jerry bi ustajao u tri sata ujutro, odlazio ipokupio svoje voće i povrće na tr~
nici  Farmers Market lociranoj u blizini  St. Lawrence tr~
nice. Potom bi se vratio doma, urediosvoju robu i imao zajutrak. Ponovno bi bio na ulici do osam sati ujutro i rasprodavao u različitim susjedstvima dok proizvodi ne bi bilirasprodani; ponekad do sedam sati uvečer. Da bi odr~
ao svoju snagu ikrepkost ia
ao je na počinak obično u osam sati uvečer.

            Jerryjai Jessie je zadesila velika i neočekivana sreća 1938. godine. Jedanstariji čovjek se nestrpljivo ~
elio čim prije rijea
iti svoje starekuće za iznajmljivanje u Berkley ulici, broj 216, u Torontu, jer ju jetrebalo odmah detaljno renovirati. Bio je naklonjen Jerryju i Jessie i ~
elioje da njima dopadne takuća pa se slo~
io da snizi cijenu s tri tisuće na a
eststo dolarakako bi se to izjednačilo s iznosom novca kojeg je Jerry uspio ua
tedjeti.Mala kuća je imala tri spavaće sobe u nizu, a bila joj je priključena  i ogromnastaja u stra~
njem dvoria
tu. Staja je posebice bila korisna za njegovoposlovanje s voćem i povrćem. Njegovi hrvatski prijatelji, koji sučesto bili nezaposleni tijekom godina depresije, dragovoljno i besplatno suiskopali podrum, te udarili temelj ispod raspadajućeg i visećeg poda ukuhinji i kupatilu. U znak zahvalnosti Jerry je organizirao izvanrednu zabavu ustra~
njem dvoria
tu. Pečeno janje i drugi specijaliteti su bili poslu~
eni.Potom je ponuđen sladoled za desert, a
to je bila velika počast u timgodinama depresije. Ispod noćnih svjetiljki pjevane su hrvatske pjesme siskrenim i dirljivim sjećanjem i radoa
ću.

Naa
i su dani istinski provedeni u znaku tradicionalne obitelji koja sesvaku večer okupljala za stolom na večeru. Nedjelje su bile specijalnejer je to bio slobodan dan kad bi Jerry u~
ivao u svom divnom vrtu i sviraohrvatske melodije na harmonici. Taj dan je bio jedinstven i po tome a
to biJerry odjenuo svoje klasično englesko odijelo (sako s tri dugmeta u jednomredu na prsima i prsluk) zajedno sa svojim zlatnim lancem i d~
epnim satom.Jerry je personificirao viziju uspjeha koju je bio predvidio kao dječak. }
ivioje svoj san. Mnoge nedjelje su provedene tako a
to bi Jerry vozio svoju iobitelji Kokich i Yustin na razna mjesta. Sjedeći na velikim drvenim koa
aramau stra~
njem dijelu njegovog tri-četvrt-tonskog V8 Ford kamiona ia
li bismona obli~
nje pla~
e kao Sunnyside, Kew, te na rijeke Humber, Rouge& ili nahrvatske piknike gdje bismo plesali, pjevali i jeli pečenu janjetinu.

Zimsko doba je uključilo u~
ivanje u drua
tvenom ~
ivotu kad smobili nazočni plesovima i koncertima koje je organizirala Hrvatska bratskazajednica. Badnja večer je provedena u domu Justinovih prepunom prijatelja.Tijekom slavlja Jerryjev se duboki glas mogao čuti ponad svih drugih dok supjevali domovinske pjesme. Za doček Nove godine svatko je pridonio i doa
aou Derichevo kućanstvo da nastavi slavlje. Jerry je volio ići u obli~
njamanja kina, poglavito ponedjeljkom i utorkom u zimskim mjesecima, kad mu jeposao ia
ao sporije i slabije. Osobito je u~
ivao u popularnim kaubojskimfilmovima.

           1952. godine u pedeset i trećoj godini ~
ivota Jerry se odlučiopovući s ulice i iz posla kao a
to je preprodaja i rasprodaja voća.Zajedno sa suprugom Jessie postao je ponosni vlasnik radnje za mjea
ovitu robu Crveno i bijelo na Pape aveniji, broj 500. Njihova kćer Lucy je ~
rtvovalasvoju karijeru tajnice kako bi pomogla svojim roditeljima u njihovomsamoprijegoru u uspjea
nom vođenju trgovinske radnje. Nekoliko godina poslije toga Jerryjevo troje najstarije djece se udalo io~
enilo. Jerry je prodao radnju i kupio kuću u Milton Place ulici, broj 8,te počeo raditi na Odjelu za voće i povrće u tr~
nom centru Knob Hill Farms . Jerry je uskoro naa
ao ovaj posao u  Knob Hill Farms centru prezamornim. Jessie je uvjerila svog mu~
a da je razumljivije kupitiradnju mjea
oviterobe na Mortimer aveniji, broj 468, i iznajmljivati kuću u Milton Placeulici, broj 8.

 Započeli su s novim poslovanjem (businessom) u rujnu1958. U ovoj trgovini Jessie je mogla pomagati svom mu~
u i dati mu priliku za kratke stanke za odmor tijekom radnog dana. 1963.godine u a
ezdeset i četvrtoj godini ~
ivota Jerry je bio sretan izadovoljan. Osjećao je financijskusigurnost i bio je ponosan na svoj novi dom i trgovinu. Djeca su mu takođernapredovala. Imao je četvero unučadi i jedno je bilo na putu.Njegove očinske obveze bi bile kompletirane s udajom njegove najmlađekćerke Helen, a
to je se trebalo ostvariti u prosincu 1963.

14. srpnja 1963. godine Jerryjev ~
ivot je iznenada skončan iako jebio u dobrom zdravlju i očekivanju staračke mirovine. Cijeli ~
ivot jese borio da pre~
ivi i napreduje. Pre~
ivio je opasne situacije, u~
asne ~
ivotneuvjete i zarade koje omogućuju puko pre~
ivljavanje. Za Jerryja je biloneshvatljivo da bi on mogao dobiti ia
ta bez borbe. Radovao je se sigurnom isretnom umirovljenju. Ali se sudbina umijea
ala! Cijela obitelj se vozila napiknik u park  Wilket Creek . Jerry i Jessie su slijedili druge u svomsvijetloplavom  Chevy kamionu. Upravo pri prelasku cestovnog nadvo~
njaka Don Valley preko puta  Don Mills , crni Cadillac je izgubio kontrolu iudario u njihov kamion. Jerry i Jessie su brzo prebačeni u bolnicu u kolimahitne pomoći. Jerry je ubrzo umro, ali je Jessie pre~
ivjela masivneozljede. Pet mjeseci nakon prometne nezgode Jerryjeva najmlađa zaručenakćerka Helen se udala. Njena je majka inzistirala na svadbi. Jessie nije ~
eljelada se ia
ta ispriječi sreći njene kćeri. Jessie je bila nazočnaslavlju, sjedeći u invalidskim kolicima s jednom nogom u gipsu.

Predpočetak Drugog svjetskog rata Jerry, koji nije imao rodbine u Kanadi,ponukao je mlađeg brata Petera da nekako dobije namjea
tenje na brodu kakobi ga to dovelo u Kanadu; iz pristania
ta bi Peter  nestao i uputio seprema Torontu. Kad samo jednom bude u Torontu, Peter bi bio siguran i zaa
tićensve dotle dok se ne bi mogao sam starati o sebi. Peter je zbilja stigao uEnglesku ali je promijenio svoju odluku i vratio se u Hrvatsku. Petera jezadesio rat u kojem je poginuo. Jerryjev je otac Vicko ubijen kad ga je njemačkibojovnik gurnuo i izbacio iz kamiona. Rečeno nam je da je njegova majkaLukre umrla slomljenog srca poslije rata.

Jerrynije nikada uspio posjetiti svoju obitelj na Braču niti je itko od njegoverodbine doa
ao u Kanadu. Jedino sjećanje na Jerryjevu obitelj bila jefotografija njegove obitelji u crnom okviru i nekoliko slika njegovih nećakinjai nećaka koje su mu poslali rođaci. Od samog početka Jerry sedopisivao sa svojom obitelji i uvijek slao malo novaca i odjeće, čak idugo poslije rata. Perinine dobrote i ljubaznosti se Jerry uvijek sjećao islao joj u spomen na to naročit poklon sve do kraja svog ~
ivota. Jessie jenastavila sa slanjem poklona Perini  joa
dugo vremena u spomen na Jerryja.

 Napisali: Helen Irene Derich Klar i Jerry Vincenzo Derich u Torontu, 2000.

Prevelas engleskog i uredila za tisak: mr. Ljerka Lukić,prof.

Prof.Lukić se posebice bavi proučavanjem, pisanjem i uređivanjemhrvatskih ~
ivotnih priča, ~
ivotopisa i zapamćenja (memoara), a
toobjavljuje u novopokrenutoj ediciji  Naa
i ~
ivoti .

Zasve daljnje naputke i smjernice javite se na:

e-mail: Ljerka-Susan@Rogers.com, brzoglasi faks: (416) 534-5442

900 Dufferin Street, P. O. Box 24026,Toronto, Ontario M6H 4A9, Canada

Edited for CROWN by Nenad Bach

 If you missed 

Klapa Tradition  

on NPR there is another chance this Friday March 7th 2003  @  9 PM EST(New York ), 6 PM West Coast, Live Webcast and Radio program on

KWAX - Millenium of Music - One hour of traditional a cappellaCroatian style.

Click here for direct broadcast

www.KWAX.com 

Once on their website, scroll down for Real Audio and clickthere.

Enjoy. The show is wonderful.

Best,

Nenad Bach

Edited for CROWN by Nenad Bach

Edited for CROWN by Nenad Bach

Croatian Fireman

Dear visitor!

I would like to introduce you to an interesting profession which
unfortunately is not enough appreciated in Croatia. We are talking about
professional fire fighting, a profession you have probably many times seen
on TV. How many times have you wondered how it would be to do this job? And
why somebody goes out risking his own life to save other people's lives.
People he probably does not even know.

My name is Kruno and I am editing the pages of the Fire Department of the
city of Bjelovar.

Through these pages we whish to bring this profession nearer to all the
people who want to find out something more. Additionally we want to inform
them about preventing a fire and how to properly put out a starting fire.

The pages are translated into the English and the German language . This is
because we connect with colleagues all around the world and through the
Internet we make contacts and achieve cooperation. This way we learn how
this job is done in their countries and how much do people appreciate the
work fire fighters do.

Thanks to the pages, in the last two years (of their existence), we did the
following:

a.. An article about our unit was published in a magazine in New Zealand
b.. We have signed a friendship agreement (the only one's in Croatia) with
the rescue organization American Rescue Team International
c.. Last year we hosted colleagues from the fire fighting unit of the city
of Zary in Poland and this year we will sign a friendly cooperation treaty
between the Fire Department Zary and the Fire Department Bjelovar
d.. Our pages are accessed from around (literary) the whole world, from
all continents
e.. Our old guestbook has around 350 entries from fire fighting colleagues
around the world.
In the near future we want to work on the promotion of fire fighting in
Croatia and the acquaintance of fire fighters and other people around the
world with our fire-fighting unit in Croatia.

This year we celebrate 130 years of fire fighting in the city of Bjelovar.
For this reason, until October when the main ceremony is held, we whish to
mark the anniversary in many different ways.

For example, it is my wish to invite a musical band to do a video clip in
our Fire Department (in the garage, among the fire trucks, the gear etc.).
At first I thought of the band U2 because they, among other things, do a lot
of humanitarian work. We fire fighters do humanitarian work, too, so we
could join these two activities.

I would like to invite foreign news agencies that might find it interesting
to make a report about how this profession is executed in Croatia.

At the end I would like to invite our people, Croats, who live outside
Croatia and who can come to our ceremony in October, to contact us by
e-mail.

Greetings from the man of the Fire Department of the city of Bjelovar.

Now I call you to visit our internet site (  www.vatrogasci.info ) and get in
touch with us by e-mail (  vatrogasci@bjelovar.com ).

Kruno
kruno.fuckor@bj.hinet.hr
 

Postovani!

Zelio bih Vas upoznati sa jednim zanimljivim zanimanje koje nazalost nije
bas cijenjeno u Hrvatskoj. Rijec je o profesionalnom vatrogastvu. Zanimanje
koje ste vjerojatno mnogo puta vidjeli na TV-u. Koliko ste puta se zapitali
kako je raditi ovaj posao? I zasto netko ide riskirati svoj zivot da bi
spasio zivot druge osobe. Osobe koju vjerojatno i ne pozna.
Moje ime je Kruno i uredujem stranice Javne vatrogasne postrojbe grada
Bjelovara. S tim stranicama zelja nam je pribliziti ovo zanimanje svim
ljudima koji zele saznati nesto vise. Takoder informirati ih o tome kako
mogu sprijeciti nastanak pozara, te kako na vrijeme pravilno ugasiti pocetni
pozar.
Stranice su prevedene na engleski i njemacki jezik. Zato jer se povezujemo
sa kolegama sirom svijeta, te preko interneta stvaramo kontakte i suradnju.
I saznajemo kako se ovaj posao obavlja u njihovim zemljama. Te koliko ljudi
cijene posao koji vatrogasci obavljaju.
Zahvaljujuci stranicama u ove dvije godine (koliko postoje), napravili smo
slijedece:
- objavljen je clanak o nasoj postrojbi u casopisu u Novom Zelandu,
- potpisali smo prijateljski sporazum (kao jedini iz Hrvatske) sa
spasilackom organizacijom American Rescue Team International
- prosle godine smo ugostili kolege iz vatrogasne postrojbe grada Zary u
Poljskoj, s kojima cemo ove godine potpisani prijateljsku suradnju izmedju
postrojbe Zary i postrojbe Bjelovar- na stranicama imamo posjete iz (doslovno)
cijelogasvijeta, sa svih kontinenata- u knjizi gostiju je oko 350 upisa od kolega
vatrogasaca iz cijelogsvijeta.

U skoroj buducnosti zelimo raditi na promoviranju vatrogastva u Hrvatskoj,
te upoznavanju vatrogasaca i drugih ljudi sirom svijeta, sa nasom
vatrogasnom postrojbom u Hrvatskoj.
Ove godine obiljezavamo 130 godina vatrogastva u gradu Bjelovaru. Stoga
zelim do desetog mjeseca (kada ce se odrzati glavna svecanost), na razne
nacine obiljeziti ovu obljetnicu.
Npr. zelja mi je pozvati muzicku grupu da snimi spot u nasoj postrojbi (u
garazi, medu vatrogasnim vozilima, opremom i dr.). Najprije sam razmisljao o
grupi U2 zato jer se oni izmedu ostalog bave i humanim radom. Takoder i
vatrogasci obavljamo humano djelo, tako da bi spojili ove dvije djelatnosti.
Zelio bih pozvati strane novinske agencije, kojima bi mozda bilo zanimljivo
snimiti reportazu kako se ovaj posao obavlja u Hrvatskoj.
A za kraj zelio bih pozvati nase ljude Hrvate u inozemstvu koji mogu doci na
nasu svecanost u desetom mjesecu, da nam se svakako jave na e-mail.

Primite puno pozdrava od djelatnika Javne vatrogasne postrojbe grada
Bjelovara! Pozivam Vas da posjetite nase stranice ( www.vatrogasci.info ) i javite nam se
vatrogasci@bjelovar.com .
Kruno

Edited for CROWN by Nenad Bach

CroatiaEnded Up Being The Solution

Vecernji List (Zagreb daily)
March 2, 2003
Why Croatia Should Say Yes to America
by V. M. Raguz

When deciding on the difficult issue of whether or not to give outright support to the US regarding Iraq, Croatia should consider its own experience with the right to self-defense and unilateralism. The operation Storm was carried out in 1995 despite opposition from the United Nations Security Council, and, we should not forget, only the clandestine support of one state - the US.

In the end, the controversial Storm reintegrated the bulk of the occupied territories, saved Bihac, and offered BiH a chance for survival. As pointed out by a Washington Post editorial when the Storm ended, Croatia ended up being, not the problem, but the solution.

[Croatia's experience suggests that on the issue of self-defense, a state must be allowed to say on its own when enough is enough.] Zagreb waited for four years for the Security Council to act: to restore Croatia's territorial integrity and establish security. The UN employed UNPROFOR and UNCRO and had at its disposal numerous Security Council resolutions, but it failed repeatedly.

In fact, in early July 1995, after the Srebrenica massacre, it appeared as if the UN policy in the region was about to collapse completely. [The Europeans were preparing to withdraw from BiH, and the Americans were preparing a plan that would have divided BiH in two, and allowed the Republika Srpska a referendum on independence as early as 1997.]

The US has been waiting for the UN to do its homework in disarming Iraq for even a longer period. Zagreb remembers all of the Security Council resolutions that remained un-implemented. Washington has a litany of similar resolutions that also exist only on paper. In fact, the Bush Administration has challenged the Security Council to implement its resolutions, or lose relevance. Did we not hear the same appeals in the early 1990s, when the radical Serbs were disobedient day after day.

Now the US has said enough is enough. Its national security, and of much of the Western world's, is being threatened by the radical regime in Iraq, its weapons of mass destruction, and its history of supporting international terrorism. As a victim of such terrorism that seems to have no bounds, the US is compelled to exercise its right to self-defense, now that it appears that the Security Council has failed.

The US faces strong worldwide popular opposition to its likely invasion, but when has there been popular support for war. What is important is that the US has substantial support of allied governments in Europe and elsewhere. They will provide support in various ways, including combat.

Croatia will also be in position to help, but that help will likely be limited to intelligence sharing and use of airspace and territorial waters [for transport of materiel and personnel]. What limited assistance, given the assistance the US provided Croatia in 1995, to liberate itself from terrorism and secure its statehood.

The US help in 1995 was substantial indeed. When the Zagreb plan to deblockade Bihac and reintegrate Krajina was presented in Washington by special envoy Miomir Zuzul in mid-July, the US jumped in and provided intelligence and direct military assistance. By the time the Storm started, Washington had set up a 40-person intelligence-gathering base in Sepurina that monitored the Serb troop movements using Predator drones. On the day the Storm commenced, under the guise of enforcing the UN no-fly zone, the US sent in two special-purpose Prowler aircraft to disable the Serb communication systems.

To be sure, the US did not do this to help Croatia, but to help the Bosniaks in BiH. To that end, after the Storm, it used the Croatian Army troops in western Bosnia to supplement the first NATO air intervention since WWII. [Nevertheless, Croatia substantially benefited from the US role. So when it has to make those difficult decisions today, it just may recall that relationship from 1995.]

On the eve of the Storm, the Security Council was preparing a Presidential Statement calling on Croatia to desist. As usual, the Croatian diplomats were working the halls and lobbying the members of the Council to change some hard wording in the draft that was being circulated. Croatian charge d'affaires Vladimir Drobnjak approached the US ambassador Madeleine Albright as well, with the same request. She was brief, took him by the hand, and said: "We shall see what can be done, and by the way, good luck tomorrow."

Thinking back to 1995, about the only thing Croatia can do to Larry Rossin's (US ambassador in Zagreb) requests these days, is take him by the hand, and say clearly, we shall see what can be done, and certainly, good luck later in the month. Not much to ask.

V. M. Raguz was adviser to Croatian diplomats at the UN in 1995, and later BiH ambassador to the EU and NATO. This article is based on his essay written for the "Journal of Croatian Studies." 

Touching "come back" to the roots in Gorski Kotar

AMERICAN MIHALEVICH PEOPLE HAVE VISITED A HOMELAND OF THEIR ANCESTORS

Touching "come back" to the roots in Gorski Kotar
Our roots perform a big part of what we are. I would want that my daughter also see the land of her ancestors, because if we wait any longer, a connection with these roots will be lost.But,when we`ve come here and whenwe've visited our relatives, we`ve realized the meaning of the words that we are the sameblood, no matter how many kilometers we are separated, says Jenny

Text writer: Smiljana Radovic
Cameraman : Roni Brmalj 

    "With stomach for the bread", in exile in 19th and 20th century went a lot ofCroats, and they were,depending how much time has passed since they've left, becomingrelatives to whom one is coming once in a lifetime or those who has stood here simply has erased them from the generationmemory. Since that time America has, until nowadays, become in popular stories a land in which honey and milk flows and from where packages with Truman eggs arecoming. Today exiles are no longer illiterate farmers and they are highly educated youngmen, but for all of them the common thing is that this land couldn't afford conditions for a decent life.
    The story of parents of 86-years old John Mihalevich from the U.S.A. is one of the many similar stories that are talking about poverty and going over the Big Pond.But,why this story is different is that John has decided todiscover, together with his children, what does a land of his ancestors look like,what is hiding under the unknown name Fuzine,what kind of people are distant relatives whose ancestorsdidn't push off to a distant continent.... For the first time the land of his ancestors John met this summer,and conversation with that American man and other "culprits" for this adventure we`ve guided in a restaurant"Volta" in Fuzine,at a place that runs Renata Korica,who is also in family relations with Mihalevich people,where the reunion and companionship with music took place for american as well as croatian side of the Mihalevich family.
" My father has exiled from Croatia at the beginning of the last century, and the road has drifted him to Iowa.His first goal was to collect enough money so as to return to his homeland and find his wife,since he didn`t want to marry anyone but a croat girl.His plan has realized,they were married here and they have come back to the States.They`ve had 8 sons and 2 daughters,and the living ones are my brother Phillip and I and both sisters, Catherine and Margaret.He has settled again in Iowa and worked in a coal mine until the 1925.when he got a job in a hospital" said John. "This was one of the reasons why I later went to the medical school and became a doctor".The whole story is confirmed with data that were taken out from the arhives by Bosiljka Grubisic,an ancestor from the part of the Mihalevich family that has stood in a homeland.These data are saying that Phillip Mihalevich from Fuzine,Breg 214,on May,16,1908,married Katarina Rupe from Fuzine.
Meeting full of emotions
    Besides the history of their family in the States,John and the other visitors from America have spoken much more about what was "wind out" in their hearts and soul since they`ve stepped on a soil from where a long time ago "with stomach for the bread" their ancestors pushed off.
" Tears were coming to my eyes when I`ve seen a birthplace of my parents.I am delighted that we are here;when we came to this beautiful land,to Gorski Kotar, one question has come to all of us on mouth:"why would anyone want to leave this wonderful country?"But,from the stories of my parents,and from the stories of many relatives from Croatia that I`ve met,I know that they were forced to do so because of the bad conditions,or what they simply said – bread.As far as I know,my parents had here a garden,but I don`t know whether my father has worked here,and I think if he had worked,he would be a wood-cutter",said John,looking all the time on his sons and daughter,messaging that in that adventure are all equally "ducked" with equally strong emotions when they met a land in which their parents or their grandfathers,has fell in love. 
Prejudices are carburetted
    All the children of John Mihalevich Sr.,Don,Rick,John Jr.,Rob and Jenny,have pointed out the great hospitality of masters of the house in Gorski Kotar,because,as they emphasized,they`ve received them as they`ve never gone.To proove that they feel here as if they are at home,on question what do they think about our victory over Italy,Rick, the youngest son of John, has pulled out the dress of croatian national team,with a remark that when he returns home he will show it to everyone. One of the good indicators how they were emotionally shaken with the visit to the ancestors`land,was when they were asked who will win in a possible game between Croatia and USA- they simply didn`t know the answer. Besides they were surprised with natural beauties of a small country as Croatia is,in talking with their relatives and other Croats, they `ve understood that many of their comprehensions about our country were wrong.But,what was the most important,in touch with pure air of Gorski Kotar prejudices were carburetted.As well as many other strangers
they also couldn`t understand at all war events and that in Jugoslavia,in a same country,have lived same people.
Phenomenal experience
    "This is one phenomenal experience,specially getting to know your customs and habits.American nation is actually a nation of exiles, and in honor of an american dream many of us have forgotten our roots.My family has decided to "visit" our roots because they perform a big part of what we are.I would want that my daughter can also see land of her ancestors,because if we wait any longer,a connection with these roots will be lost.But,when we`ve come here and when we`ve visited our relatives, we`ve realized the meaning of the words that we are the same blood,no matter how many kilometres we are separated.The best part of this trip was to see how my father experiences all that,specially the moment when we`ve visited the church in which his parents were baptized and married. Our two cultures are so different,because in our country there is no such a feeling of permanency,in difference from this place that seems so long lasting",said John`s daughter Jenny,once again coming back on a story about hospitality of people from Gorski Kotar because" here they gave them to eat and drink much more than they can consume" and suddenly she said that "women here are beautiful,and men look like manly".
Family tree
    Among twelve Americans we found the main "culprit" for the visit of " a cradle of civilization",Gaylene Mihalevich Billington,a daughter of Andrew,son of Phillip Mihalevich,for whom this has been a second visit to Croatia. Before first visit the american side of the family have already finished their ancestry,but the missing parts were data from the 18th and 19th century. The group of 6 Mihalevich people with one of their friends visited our country 2 years ago;the only thing they `ve known was that they originate from Fuzine and they were searching whether there still exist some members of their family in Croatia.They have come over the "Atlas" agency who has found a relative and it was Bosiljka Golik Grubisic,whose mother was a syster of Katarina Rupe.First contacts of family Rupe with the Americans was realized by Ivica Hus, Bozidar Kauzlaric and Ervin Grubisic with his wife Jasna.Delighted with a landscape and a reception in the family,Gaylene has decided to bring along Mihalevich people in Fuzine.Intended – realized,so in June,together with 13 members of the Mihalevich family and their 3 friends,in Gorski Kotar came also 9 representatives of families Crnic,Iskra,Frkovic and Blaskovic,originally from Mrkopalj.After they`ve seen Mrkopalj and Begovo Razdolje,they`ve visited also a birthplace of Phillip Mihalevich, father of John Mihalevich,where the descendant of family Mihalevich, Ivana Sljepcevic,in the house in Street Breg,has done a reunion.As for an introduction in reunion of american and croatian relatives that was taken its place in "Volta",there was a big tablet with Mihalevich` family tree.
Data burried in archives
    "To accomplish all that,data from registers of births,marriages and deaths for the 18th ,19th and 20th Century were needed to be gathered.Now we have data for the ancestor Peter Mihalevich and his wife Maria from the year 1775.The data were found in Register`s office Delnice,State Archives in Rijeka and Croatian State Archives in Zagreb.It lasted 2 years in full,and the most informations I`ve found in State Archives in Rijeka.If it hadn`t been a comprehensive help of M.S. Mladenka Merdzanic,leader of the library,who has patiently introduced me in all that and has been always here ready to jump to help,this would have never been done.On the other side,in Mrkopalj, a poet Ankica Crnic has offered me a big help; herhusband Franjo has the relations with families Frkovic and Blaskovic"said Bosiljka Grubisic,emphasized that because of the dislocation of sources the research lasted so long.Small districts and towns have no money so it exists no possibility here in near future that inarchives, on one place,one can find the books ,in which data about forgotten relatives long ago of nowadays depopulated Gorski Kotar are placed. Leaving Fuzine,after us,we`ve left numerous Mihalevich family whose members have long into the night tried to store as much memories as they can,never again to be lost.

 In family also a staged Mihalevich people
One of the curiosities connected to the Mihalevich family is that to this family belong also 2 well-knownCroatian musicians, Mario and Branimir Mihalevic,who pointed out that " there can be no more beautiful day than this one in which he has extended number of members of his family to such a big number and realize how yourrelatives are group of so many different people"
My Uncle John Mihalevich and his first cousin Bosiljka Grubisic  met for the first time and he is 86 and she is 77. What a meeting this was, you can only imagine the tears. Uncle John's mother and Bosiljka mother were sisters. If you would like anything else let me know, until then thanks a million for all your help this day.

Gaylene Mihalevich Billington