“Cruise to Victory”

Anton Srdanovic
 

The honorable James Ortenzio
and the
New York Republican County Committee
invite you to a special event for US Congressional Candidate
Anton Srdanovic
“Cruise to Victory”
Wednesday, October 6th, 6:00 pm

To be a passenger, there is a minimum suggested donation of $125

Please rsvp as soon as possible since space is limited!

If you are interested in helping to sponsor or need more information, please contact us at: Info@AntonForCongress.com
or call 212 / 831 – 6774

WWW site: http://www.AntonForCongress.com

John Kerry's letter to the Croatian Fraternal Union

September 23, 2004

Dear Mr. Bernard Luketich:

I would like to offer my greetings and best wishes to you and the Croatian Fraternal Union Federation on your 110th Anniversary. I would very much like to be here with all of you to help celebrate your achievements over more than a century of service to the Croatian American community, but the fight to take back the White House continues to take me far and wide across our great land.

For over a hundred years, Croatians have contributed to the rich diversity of immigrants that have made America what it is today. Our nation owes much to you and your families who sought to better their fortunes here, and who have contributed so much to our culture, our freedom, and our prosperity.

Today, Croatia continues to stand with America in meeting our greatest challenges; with forces fighting in Afghanistan and Croatian doctors treating injured Iraqi children in Zagreb. For all of this, America is grateful. America and the world is safer and stronger when we act with our allies. This administration has walked away from more than a hundred years of American leadership in the world and embraced a new and dangerously ineffective American disregard for the world. Time and again, this administration has confused leadership with going it alone and engagement with compromise of principle - they fail to understand that real leadership means standing by your principles and rallying others to join you.

As president, I will rebuild America's leadership in the world through strength and cooperation with its friends and allies. My administration will seek to expand relations between the U.S. and Croatia through greater dialogue and discussion at the highest levels of government as well as from the input and experience of Croatian-American groups such as the Croatian Fraternal Union.

Croatian Americans have contributed so much to make our country great. I will work to make certain that the United States and Croatia not only remain allies, but that we become even closer partners on issues of security, trade and investment, and culture. And I intend to work with our European allies to see that Croatia is able to take its place as a law-abiding member of the key institutions that helped to win the Cold War, including NATO and the European Union.

Sincerely Yours,

John Kerry
 

Doctor comes to aid of Croatian student
By Ann Strosnider, Sun Staff
September 25, 2004

Croatian student Boris Marosinac will be able to stay in Bremerton and complete his education at Olympic College, thanks to a generous retired doctor.

Dr. John Stanley of Bremerton came forward to put up the $15,000 required by student visa rules after a story about Marosinac's plight appeared in The Sun Sept. 17.

Stanley said he was happy to help and said Marosinac is helping him as well.

"We discovered that this young fellow is very good with computers," he said.

Stanley has a Russian student, Katerina Korosteleva of Vladivostok, staying with him, and Marosinac was able to set up her computer with the Cyrillic alphabet.

Marosinac, 20, had begun college in Michigan but moved to Bremerton after members of a church that sponsored him lost their jobs and were unable to keep up the funding. The Stanley family (no relation to Dr. Stanley) knew him slightly and agreed to take him in without knowing about the financial requirements. He is part of OC's fledgling international student program.

Dr. Stanley said he got involved with international students through Rotary. He began traveling to Russia to help set up Rotary clubs about six years ago.

Kathy Stanley said Friday that the response from the community has been overwhelming.

"In addition to Dr. Stanley, we've had dozens of calls," she said. "Some people wanted to offer money, some just offered their prayers that Boris would be able to stay in this country. I would like to thank Gerry Stamm of Olympic College and everyone who called. It has meant so much to us and to Boris."

One woman even called to see if the young Croatian could help her translate some letters from her deceased father. She was born in Croatia but moved to the United States after being adopted in 1956 and never learned to read and write the language.

Marosinac grew up in a time of war and dislocation in his native land. The fighting among Serbs, Croats and Muslims in the former Yugoslavia left 20,000 people dead and more than a quarter-million homeless.

When it looked like he might have to return home without a degree, he was discouraged because unemployment in Croatia is about 45 percent, he said.

"Beyond the education that Boris will be able to get, the lesson that there are good people out there means everything," Kathy Stanley said.

Reach reporter Ann Strosnider at (360) 792-9219 or at astrosnider@thesunlink.com.

http://www.thesunlink.com/bsun/local/article/0,2403,BSUN_19088_3209626,00.html

Croatia's prime minister Ivo Sanader

addresses the United Nations General Assembly in New York
 

Croatia's prime minister Ivo Sanader addresses the United Nations General Assembly in New York, September 22, 2004. REUTERS/Ray Stubblebine

John Kerry a true Croatian Friend

Op-ed

John Kerry is not saying this just before election. I witnessed his comments in 1991 - 1995, when it was the most difficult for us. Recently, few weeks ago while cleaning my basement, I found a note saying "Send thank you notes to Senator John Kerry and Joseph Biden, for their support". I remember when I wrote those notes, and that was at the time when George Bush senior, Lawrence Eagleburger and the rest of the administration supported embargo on "Yugoslavia", which in reality meant, let the aggressor (Serbs) win. They had arms, more than they could use it and we Croatians had NONE. We still won, in part, thanks to people like John Kerry and many other friends that we had in America.

Nenad Bach

Editor in Chief, CROWN Croatia.org

Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry issued the following statement Sunday in remembrance of Croatia’s Statehood Day:

“Today I join the people of Croatia and Croatian descent as they celebrate Croatia's Statehood Day.  Over a decade has passed since Croatia declared its independence from Yugoslavia in the early 90’s.  Independence has not always been easy, but in joining the Adriatic Charter in 2002, Croatia has taken positive steps toward securing its own peace and becoming integrated into a Europe whole and free.  I congratulate Croatia on the progress it has made and urge Croatians to continue working for peace, justice and democracy in their country. 

For over a hundred years, Croatians also have contributed to the rich diversity of immigrants that have made America what it is today.  Our nation owes much to those hard-working men and women who sought to better their fortunes here, and who have contributed so much to our culture, our freedom, and our prosperity.  Croatians around the world have earned the right to celebrate their independence on this day.”

www.johnkerry.com

For Immediate Release May 30, 2004

Contact: George Kivork, 202-712-3000

Photographer: Kerry-Edwards 2004, Inc. from Sharon Farmer

Save Croatian Language at University of Toronto
URGENT!

Dragi studenti--i bivsi studenti,

I trust that all of you are doing well. I just wanted to let you know
that the Croatian language program at the University of Toronto is in
dire need of financial help. The program has a significant number of
students studying the Croatian language but it requires a cash infusion
by the end of this week in order to continue. There are severe
consequences for University of Toronto students if courses are cut.
Upper year students who thought that they could pursue a degree in
Croatian will be unable to do so and may not graduate on time.

The program needs $10,000 per year in order to survive. Half of that
has been raised thus far.

I am more than thankful for the past generous support given by membersof the
of Canadian-Croatian community and other South Slavic communities. I
appreciate everyone's efforts to save this worthwhile program.

Outside of the homeland, there are only three dedicated university programs
to the study of Croatian. We cannot afford to lose this program at the
University of Toronto.

If you can, please make a donation to this worthwhile cause. If you
can only give $10, that's fine - every donation is important.

Checks may be sent to:
Croatian Language
Department of Slavic Languages
University of Toronto
121 St. Joseph Street
Toronto, Ontario
M5S 1J4

Checks should be made out to "University of Toronto Croatian
Language". A tax receipt will be issued for your contribution.

As the decision will be made by this Friday, it is important to send
your donation right away. Please also email me and inform me of your
donation and the amount of your donation, in order to ensure
that your pledge will be recorded, just in case your cheque does not
arrive by this Friday. If you have any questions, do not hesitate to
contact me directly at: rbogert@chass.utoronto.ca

NIKAD SE NEMOJ ZAMORITI U DAVANJU ALMI MATER I MATERINSKOM JEZIKU!

Prof. Ralph Bogert
416-222-3569
 

FUSE Gori vatra

I thought some of you might me interested in seeing this movie. I heard it was excellent. The ACF auditorium is rather small, so my recommendation is to go to the 6 pm screening as it will be less crowded.

Austrian Cultural Forum New York
11 East 52 Street (between Fifth and Madison Avenues)
Phone (212) 319-5300
www.acfny.org

September 23, 2004, 6 pm and 8 pm , ACF

FUSE Gori vatra
Bosnia and Herzegovina, two years after the war. Teanj, a small picturesque Bosnian town. On the surface - good, open-hearted people, a market place, tradition, and neighborhood. Under the surface - ethnic intolerance, crime, prostitution and total corruption. Then, news arrives about the forthcoming visit by US President Clinton. Under the supervision and with wholehearted assistance of the international community observers a frenzied race with time starts in an attempt to build democracy in seven days. In this race the whole town goes completely crazy...


Directed by Pjer Zalica, Bosnian/English, 105 min. (comedy)
Script: Pjer Zalica
Cinematography: Mirsad Herovic
Editing: Almir Kenovic
Music: Sasa Losic
Producers: Ademir Kenovic, Zijad Mehic, Franz and Karin Novotny
Production companies: Refresh Productions Sarajevo, Novotny & Novotny
Filmproduktion GmbH
Release: August 11, 2003, Locarno (Award: Silver Leopard)

Cast: Enis Beslagic, Bogdan Diklic, Sasa Petrovic, Izudin Bajrovic

Pjer Zalica filmography
Fuse 2003, The End of Unpleasant Times (short) 1998.
Documentaries: Mostar Sevdah Reunion 2000, Children Like Any Others 1995,
MGM-Sarajevo 1994, Godot Sarajevo 1993, School of Military Skills 1993, The
Man Called Boat 1992.

Free admission. No tickets or reservations necessary.

Book review: 'April fool's Day' by Josip Novakovich

Here's a review from the Minneapolis Star Trib:
Reviewed By Brad Zellar, Special to the Star Tribune
September 19, 2004 APRIL0919

Book party on Sept. 29, 7:30pm, at Dactyl Foundation, 64
Grand Street (one block north of Canal). . . Free wine!

Ivan Dolinar, the fractured protagonist of Josip Novakovich's forlorn and frequently hilarious first novel, "April Fool's Day," is a Croatian man trapped in the teeth of history and at the mercy of the universally merciless machinery of the state. Caught up in the bloody fragmentation of Yugoslavia, Dolinar's journey takes him, in alternating surges of hope and despair, through the full, horrifying range of human possibility.As such Novakovich's novel is a sort of Balkan conflation of Louis-Ferdinand Celine's coruscating post-World War I novels  "Journey to the End of the Night" and "Death on the Installment Plan," with obvious nods to a host of other absurdist classics, from Gogol's "Dead Souls" to "Slaughterhouse Five." Yet while we might have seen countless variants of Novakovich's picaresque tale over the centuries, what makes "April Fool's Day" such a jarring experience is how contemporary and raw the history it recounts still
is; time and again you have to remind yourself that this is not, as it so often seems, a novel born of the World Wars. And what makes the book such a strange and special achievement is the fact that Novakovich is a Croatian expatriate who emigrated to the United States at the age of 20 and now writes in his second language, a precise yet wonderfully gymnastic version of English.
"April Fool's Day" takes Ivan Dolinar (the title alludes to his birth on April 1, 1948) from the cradle to the grave and, quite literally, beyond. Along that bleak, hamstrung journey Novakovich subjects his anti-hero to all manner of barbarism, indignity and suffering, and Dolinar is a marvelous creation, equal parts bumbling philosopher and resigned victim of fate.
As a boy, Ivan is fascinated by the spectacle of power as represented by the Yugoslavian leader, Marshall Tito. He soon enough becomes disillusioned, however, when a medical school prank lands him in a labor camp for four years. Upon his release the country begins its descent into chaos, and Ivan observes Tito's special forces breaking up a demonstration in Zagreb: "The police, riding on parade horses, attacked the demonstrators and clubbed them, fracturing skulls and clavicles. Ivan watched it from the sidewalks. He had little sympathy for the nationalists -- how could you be a nationalist? A nation is a huge group of people, and each group of
people has a lot of jerks in it, so if you identify yourself with the group, you partake of the jerkdom." When war breaks out, Ivan nonetheless finds himself conscripted to the Serbian army and partaking of the jerkdom on a large and appalling scale. He deserts, only to be captured by a battalion of Croats, pressed unwillingly into service once more, and taken
prisoner yet again, this time by Chetniks. Novakovich tempers his descriptions of the horrors of war with black humor and moments of grace, and as Ivan is marched through
the blasted countryside he is struck time and again by surreal visions, disturbing and frequently beautiful, emerging from the carnage all around him: "Past a burnt-out and gutted steel mill, the decimated regiment of Muslims and Croats stumbled through a field of
bomb craters," Novakovich writes. "Water filled the craters, out of which rough-skinned gray frogs leaped like beating hearts that had deserted the bodies of warring men and now roamed the doomed landscape. Ivan found the sudden leaps of so many hearts out of the gray earth unsettling. He could not see any of them until they were in the air, so it seemed to him that the earth was spitting up useless hearts and swallowing them back into the mud."
Ivan eventually makes his way through many such doomed and unforgettable landscapes to what is left of his home and his life, only to discover that not much of either remains; he literally spends the last third of the book as a dead man, and even as he slowly
dissolves into a permanent piece of local folklore, Ivan the ghost is still searching for the connections and answers he failed to find while he was stumbling around on the planet, still "hankering for any trace of love and faith to give [him] the sensation of being alive in
the face of empty eternity."

Brad Zellar is a Minneapolis writer and former bookstore owner.
 

"Novakovich knows how to tell a story"  - The New York Times

April Fool's Day Josip Novakovich  Larger view Hardcover, September 2004  List Price:   $23.95  Our Price:   $16.76  (Save 30%)  Barnes & Noble Member Price:  $15.08   People who bought this book also bought: Fahrenheit 451 Ray Bradbury Memorial Day Vince Flynn The Zero Game Brad Meltzer Animal Farm George Orwell, C. M. Woodhouse (Introduction), Preface by Russell Baker Executive Power Vince Flynn   Product Details: ISBN: 0060583975 Format: Hardcover, 240pp Pub. Date: September 2004 Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Barnes & Noble Sales Rank: 199

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/09/19/books/review/19CASEY.html

Croatian Art Displayed

in the Empire State Building
 

Contact:
Croatian National Tourist Office
350 Fifth Ave. #4003
New York, NY 10118
Tel: 212-279-8672 Fax: 212-279-8683
Email: cntony@earthlink.net

New York, NY – Sept. 10, 2004 -- Where was the tie invented? Croatia, of course!
See the orginal Croatian tie, or “cravat”, the next time you’re at the Empire State
Building’s Fifth Avenue Gallery, where the newly opened Exhibit on
Croatian is running from Sept. 10 until Nov. 22nd, featuring more than 40 works of
art, authentic Croatian artifacts and promotional posters.

Croatia is a nation of almost 5 million people, nestled in the heart of Europe on the beautiful
Adriatic coast. Being an integral part of Europe, it is a place of great cultural heritage, and 6
UNESCO Sites! This ancient land is also one of the world’s newest travel destinations, made
popular by its wealth of history, tradition, and heritage, and its friendly people that welcome
you!

Croatia has eight national parks. The best known of these is Plitvice Lakes. There are over
1,000 islands, islets, and reefs. They are well-preserved, perfect for eco-tourism. Croatia
became a popular world cruise destination, and has many interesting ports-of-call, such as
Dubrovnik, Korcula, Split, Trogir, Zadar, and Pula. Excellent accommodations, such as
boutique-style and five-star hotels, offer many options for both leisure and business
travellers.

Croatia is also home to rich culinary traditions, a combination of Mediterranean and continental
cuisine. It is the home of world-renowned Zinfandel wine, whose vineyards are found in
southern Dalmatia. Continental Croatia’s Kutjevo vineyards are known for their Grasevina
and Riesling white wines. The Istria region is known for good food and its award-winning
white truffles. One of these truffles even set a record in the Guinness Book of Records!

The Croatian exhibit features breathtaking posters of Croatian
cities and well-known tourist resorts such as Dubrovnik, Pula, Bol, Krk, Murter, and Zagreb.
In addition, there are stunning photos that capture scenes of young and vibrant Croatians. One
window display salutes New York, showcasing the riveting sepia works of Maksimilian
Vanka, a world-renowned Croatian artist, and his 1932 portrayal of old New York. Also, there
are wonderful watercolors by the painter Antun Mates that portray Fifth Avenue with its
famous Empire State Building.

In addition to paintings and photography, the exhibit features original embroidery
costumes from Zagorje region near the Croatian capital, Zagreb, artifacts showing
history of Croatia like the Stone Tablet from Baska on Krk Island written in 11th-century
Glagolithic script,and the Clay Dove, an artifact from 3000 BC. Visitors will also be
marveled by the magnificent works of world-renowned naďve artist Ivan Lackovic-Croata,
one of the founders of Croatia’s Naďve School of Painting in Hlebine.

The works of contemporary artists like Nives Kavuric Kurtovic ‘s Caged Bird is
beautifully displayed, as well as Duro Pulitika’s Dalmatian Villages. Young artists
like Miljenko Bengez, already known throughout the New York art scene, has
an Imaginary City, and young and talented Antonija Ruskovic
and Sanja Rescek are also featured, whose works all add to the uniquely
Croatian flavor of the exhibit, which will give visitors a taste of Croatia right
here in Manhattan!

The exhibit was put together by the Croatian National Tourist Office in New York,
whose General Manager Nena Komarica organized and selected the unique variety
of works and promotional material.

According to Ms. Komarica, “This is the first time that Croatia is featured in the Empire
State Building, and we are taking this great opportunity to show our country as an
upcoming tourist destination for Americans.”