Ljubisa Bojic

Zaštiti dete od oca narkomana!

2009-02-02T09:01:00.000-08:00

Roditelj narkoman u Srbiji može neometano da ugrožava život svog deteta, čak i kada ima sudski izrečenu privremenu meru. O tome kako treba da se poboljša zakonska regulativa brinuće se jedna druga priča. Ova priča se, pak, tiče onih koji o primeni postojećih zakona brinu. Ili bi bar trebalo da brinu.

Narkomani u Srbiji mogu neometano da ugrožavaju živote svoje dece, čak i kada ima sudski izrečenu privremenu meru. O tome kako treba da se poboljša zakonska regulativa brinuće se jedna druga priča. Ova priča se, pak, tiče onih koji o primeni postojećih zakona brinu. Ili bi bar trebalo da brinu. Ovo je priča o državnim organima, koji nismo sigurni da imaju sluha, da dovoljno zaštite majku i njeno dete od oca narkomana. Ne želeći da prejudiciramo dalje postupke nadležnih službi, ovim putem samo skrećemo pažnju javnosti na ovakve slučajeve.

Ko?

Jelena je majka četvorogodišnjeg deteta. Od supruga-narkomana, razvela se zbog njegove narkomanije posle tri godine suživota i preselila daleko od rodnog grada, kako bi otpočela novi život, sa novim čovekom.

Problemi kao da su tek tada počeli. Bivši suprug ne namerava da se tek tako pomiri sa činjenicom, da dete može da viđa, samo jednom u dve nedelje, i to vikendom. Dolazi i preti, pod dejstvom opijatima, a sve na šta Jelena i njeno dete nailaze, od zvaničnih službi, nije obećavajuće za njihov miran san.

Šta?

Članom 173. zakona o krivičnom postupku, koji se nalazi u glavi 11, o Podnescima i zapisnicima, "Sud je dužan da svoj ugled i ugled stranaka i drugih učesnika postupka zaštiti od uvrede, pretnje i svakog drugog napada".
Sud da radi svoje, policija da radi svoje!

Gde?

Ova porodica je utočište našla u jednoj od beogradskih, perifernih,opština. U relativno maloj sredini, ne nailaze na razumevanje okoline, niti bilo kakvu eventualnu zaštitu.

Kako pomoći?

Priključi se ovoj akciji za isticanje neophodnosti zaštite majke i njenog četvorogodišnjeg sina, ali ne tek tako, "reda radi, jer je ideja humana", već da bi ideja bila materijalizovana - odnosno da mlada majka i njeno dete dobiju adekvatnu pomoć. Zaštitu.

Kada?

Pomoć je prava - samo ako je pravovremena i potpuna. Odgovor na pitanje "kada?", i tebi, i sudu i policiji i institucijama za socijalni rad, je - ODMAH.

My links 11/02/2008

2008-11-02T12:30:00.001-08:00

Global Voices Online » Corporations Agree to Standards for Internet Freedom
tags: no_tag
- The Global Network Initiative has been launched. The Initiative is a code of conduct for corporations on privacy and free speech created by a coalition of human rights, media development and research organizations, and Internet and communications companies such as Yahoo, Google, and Microsoft. Its goal: to ensure that ICT companies acknowledge their “responsibility to respect and protect the freedom of expression and privacy rights of their users.”
  
  The Initiative was launched as a response to corporate participation in online censorship, especially in China. It took more than two years to craft, and much of that time was spent articulating a set of principles and devising mechanisms to encourage compliance acceptable both to human rights groups and to businesses.
  
  Rebecca MacKinnon, one of Global Voices’ founders, participated in the working group, and writes in RConversation:
  
  A few people have called me asking “does this thing have any teeth” or “is this thing more than just a figleaf for companies to get congress off their backs?
  
  Organizations like Human Rights Watch, Human Rights in China, Human Rights First, and the Committee to Protect Journalists would not be putting their reputations behind this thing if they didn't think it was meaningful.
  
  That said, the initiative must prove its value in the next couple of years by implementing a meaningful and sufficiently tough process by which companies' adherence to the principles will be evaluated and benchmarked.

Posted from Diigo. The rest of my favorite links are here.

My links 09/25/2008

2008-09-25T13:30:00.001-07:00

\\\\\\ barcamp Hong Kong 2008 //////
tags: no_tag
- BarCamp was born in Palo Alto, California in 2005. In just three years, it has become an international network of user generated conferences — open, participatory workshop-events, whose content is provided by the attendees — often focusing on early-stage web applications, and related open source technologies, social protocols, and open data formats.
  
  Last year's event drew in 100 participants from all walks of the Internet in Hong Kong; budding entrepreneurs, web designers, cutting edge programmers, mobile experts, game developers & designers, academics, bloggers, social media specialists, investors and media owners.
  
  This year we are expecting over 200 people at the full-day event, hosted at Oxford House in Taikoo Place, on the conference floor of Turner International Asia Pacific, owner of Cartoon Networks and CNN News.
  
  There will be five large conference rooms, two lounge areas, a coffee room and a bar. Presentations can be on any topic you like as long as it is about the Internet and people are wiling to listen. You are free to speak in Cantonese, Putonghua or English.
  
  Food, drinks and free wifi will be provided.
  
  Anyone with something to contribute or with the desire to learn is welcome and invited to join.
  
  Come, speak and learn at BarCamp Hong Kong!

My links 09/21/2008

2008-09-21T13:30:00.001-07:00

RConversation: Global Voices, generative media structures.. and the end of nationalism?
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- Global Voices, generative media structures.. and the end of nationalism?
  
  Photo by Neha Viswanathan: A small subset of the Global Voices bloggers who met in Budapest.
  
  (Apologies in advance for the length of this post. I've decided to subject my readers to this even-longer-than-usual "brain dump" because at least a few people out there are interested in some of the ideas related to global participatory media, and I'd like feed back on some of the outstanding questions faced by Global Voices.)
  
  At the end of last week's Global Voices Summit, one of our Middle Eastern bloggers came up to me and said: "nationalism is dead for me now." He said that ten years ago he was a strong nationalist. Being a blogger and debating issues with other people online over the past few years has greatly weakened that feeling. Now after four days hanging out with bloggers from all over the world, nationalism makes no sense to him any more.
  
  (For full accounts of the summit, see David Sasaki's excellent overview, Ethan Z's great series of posts, our media digest, the summit blog, technorati, google blog search, Rezwan's excellent roundup of summit bloggers, etc.)
New satellite to give Google Maps unprecedented resolution
tags: no_tag
- Google has taken the war over exclusive web content into space. Not directly, of course—the satellite that was recently launched into space on a rocket bearing the Google logo was the result of a joint venture between a commercial satellite imaging provider and the department of defense. In return for undisclosed terms, Google got two considerations: its logo on the side of the launch vehicle, and exclusive use of the mapping images that the satellite produces.
  
  The partnerships in the new satellite are extensive. The hardware was built by General Dynamics and put in orbit by Boeing; the funding for the project came in part from a commercial satellite imaging company, Geoeye. The rest of the funding came from the Defense Department's National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, which provides map-based intelligence resources. The launch took place yesterday from the Air Force's Vandenberg Air Force Base in California.

My links 09/04/2008

2008-09-04T13:30:00.001-07:00

Global Voices Online » Blogger of the Week: Siniša Boljanović
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- Siniša Boljanović had never blogged when he volunteered to report on Serbian blogs for Global Voices in 2007. He read an article about Global Voices in a Serbian online magazine and was so hooked on the idea of contributing, he taught himself to write in English and to use Wordpress for the first time in spite of one additional obstacle: Siniša is blind.
  
  Among the topics he has blogged about in the past year are, atrocities of war in his region, the arrest of Radovan Karadžić, human rights, Serbian politics, and Kosovo's independence claims.
  
  Siniša lives with his family in a town called Novi Sad, which is well-known for the EXIT music festival. He is a graduate of Serbian language and literature at Belgrade University. He does not have a personal blog, but is planning to create one in the future. More urgent are his plans to help start a new Lingua website, Global Voices in Serbian.
  
  In his spare time, Siniša likes reading books and sometimes writes short stories. Before he became blind, he liked to play tennis. These days he is a fan of Serbian tennis players Novak Djoković, Janko Tipsarević, Ana Ivanović and Jelena Janković, and also likes Roger Federer and Maria Sharapova.

My links 07/30/2008

2008-07-30T13:30:00.001-07:00

Jasmina Tešanović: Who was Dragan David Dabic? - Boing Boing
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- Who was Dragan David Dabic?
  
  For me this incredible story is only beginning. Soon Radovan Karadzic will be safely in Hague behind bars, rambling his strident defense just like his predecessor Slobodan Milosevic.
  
  We here in downtown Belgrade are left with this mysterious ridiculous character, Dragan David Dabic, who will vanish like a soap opera hero. I am sincerely afraid that "Dabic," his traces, deeds and words will be cancelled, manipulated, and abused by the press, by his friends, by his enemies, by his captors. There is a lot at stake with his capture: Unpleasant truths and unanswerable questions. We lived with Dabic for 13 years, he was one of us, among us, in the shadow half-life of Serbia.
  
  Two war criminals lived in my own street. Biljana Plavsic, the former leader of Republika Srpska, took power after Radovan Karadzic left in 1996. She pled guilty in the Hague and is now serving her sentence in Sweden. General Pavkovic was in charge during the pogrom of Albanians in Kosovo. He is sick of cancer.
  
  People in Belgrade feel bewildered and betrayed. For 13 years Serbian officials have claimed Karadzic was never in Serbia. He was hiding in the mountains as an Ali Baba together with his 40 hajduks ( Robin Hoods), he was sheltered in monasteries praying to God for his country. These myths were obviously planted by the people hiding him in downtown Belgrade. There Dabic led his weird public life, while the hapless Serbian population was held hostage for the misdeeds of Karadzic.

My links 07/24/2008

2008-07-24T13:30:00.001-07:00

J Stands for Jordan « Saxby’s Fifth Avenue
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- J Stands for Jordan
  
  April 1, 2008
  
  When I saw this week’s assignment, to explore the blogging culture of a country that starts with the same letter as your name, I immediately thought of Japan. I’ve always been interested in Japanese history and culture and Japan is certainly a place people around the world identify with modern technology. When I went to Global Voices Online, I actually only had two other choices, anyway: Jamaica and Jordan.
  
  Japan certainly had a lot of entries on a wide range of topics. Some of the posts were political. There was a post about the failure of “Second Life” in Japan. Others focused on sports. While there was a lot to read, nothing really stood out as being that different from what one would expect from Western bloggers.
  
  When I went back to the site today, a story on GVO’s home page caught my eye. Jordan’s Queen Rania is using YouTube to create a dialogue on differences between the Middle East and the rest of the world. Her Majesty, who is clearly contending with the late Princesses Grace and Diana for the Hottest Royal by Marriage title, wants web users, especially young web users, to submit not only their questions about the Middle East, but to also share stereotypes about the region in the form of vlogs. Between now and August 12, i.e., International Youth Day, the queen will address the submissions with, she hopes, input from others in the online community.
New Uses (to me) of Technology in Kenya « Shannon’s Corner
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- New Uses (to me) of Technology in Kenya
  
  This week our Social Media class assignment challenged us to review a country on Global Voices and listen to what the blogging community had to say. I started looking at Kenya and found myself excited with the various conversations taking place and in particular, those surrounding technology uses in their county.
  
  Overall, Global Voice Kenya discussions fell into three categories: social, political and technology and marketplace. Socially, bloggers introduced conversations on women, marriage and relationships. Politically, the landscape included discussions on their new cabinet, the results of their recent presidential elections and the power sharing deal Kofi Anan helped to broker. Of course, Barack Obama running for president in the U.S. also has the attention of Kenyans with the bloggers calling him “Kenya’s most favorite son”.

My links 07/18/2008

2008-07-18T13:31:00.001-07:00

The Class (KMD Digital Journalism 2008)

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Course： DIGITAL JOURNALISM
Semester： Spring
Instructor： Joi Ito
Language： English

Description：Journalism has been evolved around mass media, but with the rise of the Internet media, journalism is starting to drastically change, through web and blogging, as well as social networking. This course reviews and discusses how the current mass media-based journalism changes its form to account for the emerging media infrastructure.

The course will involve learning to use new tools for research stories, conducting interviews, photographing and recording, publishing stories and having conversations online. The students will be required to learn to use the tools and collaborate on actual works to be published during the course.

The Teams
    1Ds
    Kyah!
    OCTOPAS
    Sandwich

Walking route around Kragujevac city

2008-07-16T10:45:00.000-07:00

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My links 07/15/2008

2008-07-15T13:30:00.001-07:00

http://www.bs2009.org.uk
tags: conference

My links 07/12/2008

2008-07-12T13:30:00.001-07:00

Doug's PD Wiki - Beyond the sit and git session, this ...
tags: no_tag
- Current topics on this Wiki:
Teaching Writing Using Blogs, Wikis... - As readers of this book, we hope that...
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- Welcome to the Digital Writing wiki
  
  This wiki is designed to support the book, Teaching Writing Using Blogs, Wikis, and other Digital Tools, by Richard Beach, Chris Anson, Lee-Ann Breuch, and Thom Swiss, to published by Christopher-Gordon Publishers, Inc., in 2008.
  
  Within each chapter you will find references to topics on this wiki signaled by @ = Topic. To access these topics, click on the chapter topic on the sidebar and you will find these topics listed.
  
  As readers of this book, we hope that you will add your own material related to the topics in this wikibook: links, references, files, descriptions of teaching activities, or student work. To add material, click on edit, enter the password: digwriting, and insert text or links.
teachingmedialiteracy wiki - Welcome to the Teaching Media Literac...
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- Welcome to the Teaching Media Literacy wiki site
  
  This site supports CI5472, Teaching Film, Television, and Media Studies, a course taught at the University of Minnesota.
  
  It also provides additional, updated information for use with the website and book, Teachingmedialiteracy.com: A Guide to Links and Activities (Teachers College Press, 2007).
  
  Links to material on this site are located in the Sidebar to your right.
Russell Gordon Archive on Serbianna.com | Front Page
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- Russell Gordon
  
  Biography
  | email author
  Russell Gordon is a journalist and photographer specializing in Yugoslavia
  and Mexico. He was a Mexico correspondent and has worked in more than two
  dozen countries and covered four armed conflicts. He covered civil wars
  and armed conflicts in Afghanistan, Cambodia, Yugoslavia and the Bosnian
  Serb Republic, ethnic hostilities in Burundi, and the Zapatista rebellion
  in Mexico. Former Latin Trade contributor and staff photographer at La
  Nacion Daily in Argentina, Russell Gordon plans to relocate to Serbia in
  2006 to continue his reporting.
  His website is: http://russellgordon.net
  Russell Gordon Archive
  
  Behind Kosovo's Façade
  October 23, 2006
  
  Dividing the Pannonian Sea
  July 19, 2006
  
  Missed Chances
  March 14, 2006
  
  Serbia: Time to Just Say No
  March 4, 2006

My links 07/10/2008

2008-07-10T13:30:00.001-07:00

Group Brilliance — Getting More from More: How Groups Can Successfully Innovate
tags: no_tag
- Kill the Killer Phrases
  
  July 9th, 2008 · No Comments
  
  In America, the National Rifle Association is fond of saying, “Guns don’t kill people, people kill people.” A debatable point to be sure. A variation on this is, “ideas don’t kill people, people kill people.” Ideas may not kill, but they can certainly add fuel to the ideological fires that consume countless human lives.
  
  In developing ideas, attitudes destroy the creative process. These attitudes find expression in killer phrases. Creativity in the initial stages is quite delicate and must be handled with care, like a baby. As ideas and concepts grow stronger through development, they can withstand criticism, but at the beginning don’t put your ideas into the middle of a football game. They won’t come out looking very good.
Welcome to the IdeaFactory - BrainStore.com - Industrial IdeaProduction
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- The IdeaFactory BrainStore develops ideas using an industrial process.
  For companies, organisations and private people. Reliably, and in record time.
Morningside Analytics
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- Morningside Analytics discovers and monitors online networks that form around particular ideas and identifies thought leaders with standing in these audiences.
  
  M.A.’s focus is blogs (short for weblogs), the Internet’s fastest growing information source.
Mapping Iran’s Online Public: Politics and Culture in the Persian Blogosphere | Berkman Center
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- Mapping Iran’s Online Public: Politics and Culture in the Persian Blogosphere
  Published April 05, 2008
  Authored by John Kelly, Bruce Etling, Internet and Democracy
  
  Download PDF
  
  This case study is part of a series produced by the Internet and Democracy project. The initial studies include three of the most frequently cited examples of the Internet’s influence on democracy. The first case looks at the user-generated news site, OhmyNews, and its impact on the 2002 Presidential elections in South Korea. The second documents nontraditional media and the use of cell phone technologies for information sharing and organization of protesters during Ukraine’s Orange Revolution. This third case analyzes the composition of the Iranian blogosphere and its possible impact on political and democratic processes. The objectives of these studies are to write a narrative description of the events and the technology used in each case, to draw initial conclusions about the actual impact of technology on democratic events and processes, and to identify questions for further research.
  
  Abstract
Joi Ito's Web
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- We just wrapped up the Global Voices Summit in Budapest. I unfortunately missed the first public half of the Summit, but participated in the meeting afterwords for the authors, editors and the staff. It was amazing to see so many countries and regions discussing issues face to face in combinations that only the UN would come close to. It was a really great meeting everyone and the last session was tear-jerking, listening to everyone's stories.
  
  Since the first Global Voices meeting in 2004, I've been peripherally involved, most recently as a board member. I'd seen the site growing and growing, but the scale, quality and commitment of the community involved in running this multi-national, multi-lingual blogging effort really hit me after attending this conference and I'm even prouder than ever to be able to part of this movement.
…My heart’s in Accra » Global Voices and collective decisionmaking
tags: no_tag
- Global Voices and collective decisionmaking
  
  Filed under: Global Voices — Ethan @ 9:00 am
  
  How do 70 opinionated people from around the world make up their collective minds?
  
  Easy. They use an opinion spectrometer.
  
  After a day-long brainstorming meeting about human rights issues online and a two-day conference, the Citizen Media Summitt, we’re now spending two more days discussing the future of our collective project. That means passionate, difficult conversations about big issues, like whether Global Voices editors and authors should be permitted to express strong personal opinions in their articles on the site.
  
  The opinion spectrometer in use at the Global Voices 2008 Summit
  
  We were introduced to the opinion spectrometer by Allen Gunn of Aspiration, though our deployment of the technique may be slightly different. If you’re interested in deploying the technology, we offer the technical description below:

My links 07/09/2008

2008-07-09T13:32:00.001-07:00

Google Public Policy Blog: Global Voices speak to the opportunities and risks of online speech
tags: no_tag
- Global Voices speak to the opportunities and risks of online speech
  
  Monday, July 7, 2008
  at
  8:52 AM
  
  Posted by Silvia Fukuoka, European Policy Analyst - London
  
  We are passionate about protecting the Internet as a platform for free expression, and recently we helped send thirteen bloggers and activists from around the world to a forum where they discussed how they put their belief in freedom of expression into practice on a daily basis.
  
  The Global Voices Citizen Media Summit in Budapest, Hungary was a chance for 200 of these prominent bloggers, citizen journalists and NGO activists to share their experiences promoting transparency and political reform, and to discuss crucial topics like internet filtering, censorship, the role of social media and the multilingual web. I was lucky enough to join the dialogue and was moved by many of the voices and stories I heard throughout the Summit.
  
  These bloggers are critical to the promotion of free expression and transparency on the internet. They engage in political debate and expose issues often ignored by more traditional information sources in their countries. Sometimes this entails great risks. In Egypt, for example, blogger Wael Abbas, one of the recipients of Google's travel scholarship, was harassed after exposing police corruption on YouTube. Oiwan Lam, another recipient, may face a fine and jail term for displaying nudity in art on her blog.

My links 07/06/2008

2008-07-06T13:31:00.001-07:00

MediaShift Idea Lab . Three Obstacles to a Truly Global Conversation | PBS
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GV Sumit 08 Impressions

2008-07-05T12:16:00.000-07:00

I went to my friend today, in an attempt to help out in building additional floor to her house in construction, or rather give moral support and bring refreshments to people working. They did a great job.

On my way to Budapest (25.06.) I saw this donkey, in small Zobnatica zoo . For further reference, I will call him, Gvsummit08 donkey.

Onto now. I am listening to Joichi Ito's (person on the right) crazy Last FM music, trying to write something meaningful, after a long time. Well GV Summit 2008 was a splash (in a positive way). I have met tons of friends. I mean, literary all of the participants of the Summit were very cool multi-nation, multi-lingua world citizens.

I remember us sitting near Danube. Since most of them were Asian, they were joking about their differences. It was dragging about Koreans using extra-hard chop sticks (contrary to all other Asians)and placing them on wall as art work. In this case, when drinking and laughing near the beautiful European river, the differences united them.

Amongst so many people I met Siniša Boljanović for the first time. He was contributing for a year or so to the project as an author. I introdduced him to GV. He spotted interview with Rebecca MacKinnon that I arranged for Serbian Link magazine. After that he sent me an e-mail. The fruitful cooperation kicked off. I was suprised when he told me he was blind. His determination to write in a language he does not know so well astonished me.

I was chating with Siniša and his friend Verica about his will to make a change. Siniša was thinking about an idea to help all the people with disabilities enjoy Global Voices.

During the Summit Parteem Rai mentioned on amazing idea. He said it would be an improvement to have avivable audio of all texts published on Global Voices. That led to Siniša recognizing his mission. I added some notes concerning the GV Radio project to GV Summit Internal Wiki:

It is highly significant to provide human readings, beacause otherwise GV would not be first human blog aggregator. I am strongly against any software that reads text automatically. The GV would be listened to as a radio by anyone (not only disabled persons) because lots of individuals prefere listening to the content, not reading. Having GV radio would boost our popularity and visiting rates. Those who learn English would also use this feature. We should provide both download and streaming audio. I suppose the best way to achieve audio content handled by humans is to hire one person to do all the readings. That way, our brand new podcast feature will stay organized. Persons who reads, edits and uploads the content should have voice capabilities of a radio announcer.

After coming back to Belgrade I made a press announcement about the Summit. This was sent out to the media from Journalists Association of Serbia.

I also blogged about human rights issues concerning Bogoljub Karić. In the text, except media censorship issues (or rather negative campaign and absence of investigative journalism in Serbia) towards Mr. karić, I wrote about people I met in Budapest where we discussed the situation. I sent this text to " Večernje Novosti" daily newspaper as a reader comment, and I doubt they will publish it.

I made a break on my road trip back to Serbia (01.07). We stopped in northern town of Kikinda. I was supprised to see the coat of arms of the town - head of a slayed Turk on a sword. I have got an explanation that this symbol was given to the town by queen of Austro-Hungarian kingdom during the wars to defend Christianity from the Ottoman Empire.

Rising Voices Trailer

2008-07-05T10:01:00.000-07:00

My links 07/04/2008

2008-07-04T13:30:00.001-07:00

Tech Leader » Heather Ford » Citizen media: Global, independent and rising
tags: no_tag
- Citizen media: Global, independent and rising
  
  Loading ...
  
  I was in the hotel lobby waiting for my room to be ready and madly typing on my computer when a wide-eyed woman peeped around the corner, looked expectantly at me and smiled. I smiled back, and the penny dropped when I overheard her talking about her excitement for the Global Voices Summit that I would be attending the next day. I’d obviously looked the part — and I was happy for it. I’d joined the Global Voices family for just three days and I wasn’t going to be missing a beat.

My links 07/05/2008

2008-06-05T13:30:00.000-07:00

iPhone in Hong Kong: Only 500 Available at Launch?! | The iPhone Blog
tags: no_tag
- Whoa! Looks like Hong Kong’s kung fu may not be as good as we thought it was. While their rates aren’t terrible, it doesn’t seem like many people will actually be able to enjoy them, least not at launch!
  
  Reader Janric sent this in:
  
  Unfortunately, you need to register in 3’s website and pray that you’ll be one of the random 500 lucky ones selected for the July 11 launch. In other words, the iPhone 3G launch in HK is very limited. You can only buy it on July 11 if you are one of the lucky 500 registrants. There is no information on their website on when it can be purchased by the public. I also called 3 customer service and they don’t know when it will be available after the July 11 launch. Hopefully I can get more details after July 8 (date of the draw for the 500).

Th Director

2008-06-01T01:59:00.000-07:00

Bibliographic details for "Akira Kurosawa"

Page name: Akira Kurosawa
Author: Wikipedia contributors
Publisher: Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia.
Date of last revision: 1 June 2008 01:07 UTC
Date retrieved: 1 June 2008 09:10 UTC
Permanent link: http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Akira_Kurosawa&oldid=216302617
Page Version ID: 216302617

Please remember to check your manual of style, standards guide or instructor's guidelines for the exact syntax to suit your needs. For more detailed advice, see Citing Wikipedia.

Waikiki is great place

2008-05-31T01:48:00.000-07:00

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My links 05/08/2008

2008-05-08T13:30:00.001-07:00

Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Society | Lecture on Web Journalism
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- Lecture on Web Journalism
  
  The First Serbian Web Journalism School of the Journalist Association of Serbia hosted on Saturday, 19 April, PhD Aleksandra Smiljanić, Minister of Telecommunications and Information Society, and MSc Nebojša Vasiljević, Assistant Minister. Minister Smiljanić has explained to the attendants the importance of projects currently implemented by the Ministry, such as e-Government establishment and online public procurement in Serbia. Furthermore, free softwares in Serbian have been offered to the public, for basic computer applications, which have been downloaded more than 20.000 times from the Ministry’s website. The Ministry aims at the penetration of the information society in the educational system, from introducing personal computers in primary schools to funding doctoral studies’ fellowships in the ICT sector, on Serbian universities.
  
  Minister PhD Aleksandra Smiljanić, and Assistant Minister MSc Nebojša Vasiljević, at the the Journalist Association of Serbia
  
  “Domestic ICT industry represents a great potential for decreasing foreign trade deficit of our country and rise of employment, thus we support its development and promotion”, said the Minister Smiljanić, announcing the participation of our industry in fairs that will be held in Africa and in Russia, under favourable conditions provided by the Ministry.
  MSc Vasiljević has delivered a lecture on the online contents editing. He has talked about the dynamics of publishing new information on websites, parallel roles of journalist, editor and photograph editor, importance of multimedia on the web, relationship with websites readers, as well editors’ ideas and technical opportunities.
  
  Minister PhD Aleksandra Smiljanić addressed the students of the First Serbian Web Journalism School
  
  The First Serbian Web Journalism School

Some students of Serbian Web Journalism School on Skype with David

2008-05-05T02:46:00.001-07:00

After brief introduction of participants, Marko Kolisev fired out his prepared questions for David Sasaki.

This week, we did video jornalism for web:
capturing (lighting, microphone and camera techniques, creative process, rules for video reporting and interviewing),
editing (basic skills in Windows Movie Maker) and
publishing (Youtube).

Here are some links:
Our School - www.webnovinar.org
Serbian Association of Journlaists - www.uns.org.yu
Feed of students works- www.google.com/reader/shared/17327366676444273279
and of course, outreach of GVO, Rising Voices - rising.globalvoicesonline.org/

My links 04/27/2008

2008-04-27T13:31:00.001-07:00

Serbian Orthodox Church [Official web site] - Annotated
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- The Serbian Orthodox Church to her spiritual children at Pascha, 2008
  
  20. April 2008 - 19:56
  
  P A V L E
  
  By the grace of God
  
  Orthodox Archbishop of Pec, Metropolitan of Belgrade-Karlovci and Serbian Patriarch, with the Hierarchs of the Serbian Orthodox Church – to all the clergy, monastics, and all the sons and daughters of our Holy Church: grace, mercy and peace from God the Father, and our Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit, with the joyous Paschal greeting:
  
  CHRIST IS RISEN!
FrogKingKwok Official Website 蛙王郭孟浩官方網頁 - Annotated
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- Kwok has produced numerous performances, sculptures, paintings and installations in over 3,000 art events all over the world since 1967. He has won several awards, including Hong Kong Arts Development Council Emeritus Fellowship in 1998. He started the “Frog King Kwok Museum” project in 2001.
  
  「蛙王」郭孟浩在三十年藝術生涯中，從事繪畫、雕塑、裝置，以及觀念、即興、行為藝術等超過三千項活動。他的藝術行為每每出人意表，在世人眼中他是一個行為怪誕，甚至近乎瘋癲的人。「我是下一個世紀的藝術家，因為我的藝術走在時代前端，現在的人無法理解。」

My links 04/26/2008

2008-04-26T13:30:00.001-07:00

ABC News: What Dreams Look Like in Kenya - Annotated
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- If you are a 21-year-old male in Kenya, statistically, you are nearly halfway through your life. Extreme poverty, poor health care and an AIDS epidemic all contribute to a life expectancy of 46 years. In addition, recent political tensions in the country have led to the deaths of more than 1,200 people -- destroying homes and displacing tens of thousands. The future doesn't appear bright.

Alek Kezele: Most reliable sketchbook for next century

2008-04-15T16:00:00.001-07:00

Alek Kezele: Most reliable sketchbook for next century
Originally uploaded by Ljubisa Bojic

My links 04/15/2008

2008-04-15T13:30:00.001-07:00

Copywriting 101: An Introduction to Copywriting | Copyblogger - Annotated
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Copywriting tips for online marketing success from Copyblogger - Annotated
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- How to Be a Copywriting Genius:
  The Brilliantly Sneaky Trick You Must Learn
  
  by Sonia Simone
  
  By Sonia Simone
  
  Are your readers doing what you want them to do? Are they clicking through to your links, ordering your eBook or signing up for your opt-in? If not, you need to learn a master craftsman’s copywriting secret.
  
  This technique acts like a remote control to get your readers to take action. Press this “magic button” and you’ll see your results improve dramatically.
  
  The secret, masters-only technique to compelling your readers to act is to . . .
  
  Click to continue →
Strategy Stew - Annotated
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- Strategy Stew
  
  A place where business and marketing enthusiasts come for new ideas on trends, branding strategy, differentiation, positioning, links to experts and all things related to getting your ideal customer to CHOOSE YOU.

My links 04/09/2008

2008-04-09T13:30:00.001-07:00

Online Journalism Awards: 2008 Online Journalism Awards - Categories - Annotated
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- 2008 Online Journalism Awards - Categories
  
  (Enter the Online Journalism awards by submitting an entry here.)
  
  Please note: The contest will close on May 31, 2008. There will be no extensions. Sites created between July 1, 2007 and May 31, 2008 are eligible for submission.
  
  In response to the growth and development of online news since the award's inception in 2000, the Online News Association this year has made several changes in the competition's rules and categories. Two new categories are being introduced. General Excellence in Online Journalism - Non English and Online Video Presentation (see details below).
  
  1. Knight Award for Public Service
  
  This award recognizes digital journalism that performs a public service through compelling coverage of a vital community issue or event. Web sites will be judged on their use of journalistic resources, varied digital techniques and public information to engage a geographic community by reporting on and responding to the issue or event in question. Journalism that makes a difference and moves citizens to improve the place in which they live will be emphasized. The impact of the coverage on the community will be a major factor in the judging. Entries may be a single package or continuing project and may consist of one main URL and up to five supporting URLs. Evidence of results should be provided either as one of the supporting URLs or in the entry description.
  
  One award - $5,000 prize

Advertising is power

2008-04-06T04:48:00.000-07:00

Pictures of nature

2008-04-06T04:29:00.001-07:00

NATURE

From: Raissa_ro, 4 months ago

| View | Upload your own

SlideShare Link

blogging

2008-04-05T13:48:00.000-07:00

| View | Upload your own

My links 04/05/2008

2008-04-05T13:30:00.001-07:00

Make Internet TV : Shoot, Edit, Publish and Promote Your Videos Annotated

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This guide has step-by-step instructions for shooting, editing, and publishing online videos that can be watched and subscribed to by millions of people.

Very soon, this site will feature short videos from experienced internet video publishers. If you're interested in sharing your expertise, visit the Make Internet TV (MITV) wiki and find out how.

Clogger Summit » Video Blogging Annotated

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Six Tips To Shoot Good Video Clips

SHORT AND STILL AND SIMPLE

1. Keep it Short! Less than 1 minute, faster to upload on a slow connection. Less camera movement will create a video that compresses into a smaller file. Simple shots versus detailed shots compress better too.

STORY

2. Pick something to shoot that words can't describe. Video will illustrate your blog post.

QUIET PLACE

3. If person is talking, get to close to person because microphone is in camera. Find a quiet place.

CLOSE

4. Close ups are better than long shots with small camera. Do not use the zoom it makes the video blurry - see my video above, for example.

FRAME

5. Frame your subject. Rule of thirds

LIGHT

6. Avoid shooting into sun or backlighting or your subject will be too dark. Shoot in natural light, not inside if possible

From Boing Boing blog: Tunisian vloggers pwn us at the art of political remixes

2008-04-02T02:10:00.000-07:00

My links 03/27/2008

2008-03-27T13:30:00.001-07:00

Open Society Fellowship Annotated

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The Open Society Fellows will be idea entrepreneurs. The fellowship will generate new thinking to tackle some of the most pressing questions of our day.

—George Soros, founder and chairman of OSI

Innovate or Die - Aquaduct: Mobile Filtration Vehicle

2008-03-24T03:02:00.000-07:00

My links 03/20/2008

2008-03-20T13:30:00.001-07:00

Composition. Strunk, William, Jr. 1918. Elements of Style Annotated

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III. ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF COMPOSITION

Make the paragraph the unit of composition: one paragraph to each topic.

If the subject on which you are writing is of slight extent, or if you intend to treat it very briefly, there may be no need of subdividing it into topics. Thus a brief description, a brief summary of a literary work, a brief account of a single incident, a narrative merely outlining an action, the setting forth of a single idea, any one of these is best written in a single paragraph. After the paragraph has been written, it should be examined to see whether subdivision will not improve it.

Teaching Online Journalism Annotated

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1. Have a great opening. Grab the viewers at the very beginning with something unusual, unexpected, emotional, or otherwise “sticky.” Make them curious. Compel them to be interested — immediately. The best hook might be an image, or a quote, or even factual information.

Ken talked a good bit about how you learn what the story is, what makes it special. This is probably the core element that straight news reporting lacks, and that is destroyed in young journalists when they are required to run around chasing breaking news and covering events, meetings, and speeches.

You must be curious about what is going on, about what things really mean. You need to talk to people, ask a lot of questions — and above all, have honest curiosity.

On the surface, that might seem to be exactly what students are taught in their first reporting course. But it’s not. They’re not taught how to be curious, and frankly, many of them aren’t. Some journalists don’t even appear to be listening to what the interview subject is saying, and their follow-up questions (if they have any) fail to go deeper into the meaning of the story.

2. Dive below the surface, and stay there. If you’re curious enough to keep asking questions, you will find the real story, the interesting story. Put the pen down, turn the camera or audio recorder off, and just ask questions — and listen. Listen as if listening will reveal the holy grail, the winning lottery number, the key to happiness. Because if you listen well, and follow up with sincere questions, you’ll discover a good story.

3. Be a good team player (or, trust your colleagues). One of the things I love about listening to Ken is the respect he shows for the photographers and editors he worked with. He shares many anecdotes about how a photographer shot something that turned the story or made it sing; about how the photographer pointed something out to Ken, the reporter, that led him to ask new questions; about how an editor came back to him with a query that improved the whole package.

When he was interviewing someone in front of a large electronic door that barn swallows had learned how to open, Ken described how the photographer kept him and the interview subject standing there after Ken had finished asking questions. “Keep talking, keep talking,” was all the photographer said. Ken didn’t get it until finally, behind him, a swallow flew past the sensor and the door opened. That was the shot the photographer had been waiting for.

“You have to trust the people you work with,” Ken said.

4. Construct a story arc, and don’t ruin it with a weak ending. Ken didn’t talk about this, but I saw it in each and every story he showed. TV news packages often end with some really stupid bit of narration — often a total cliché — that makes me want to groan loudly when I hear it. Not Ken’s stories.

Ken’s stories build up to a climax, a high point, about 70 seconds into the 90-second total (three-quarters of the way in, just right), and then he brings it all to a conclusion with a quiet visual (makes me feel like I’m seeing a real ending) and an observation that either makes me think, or makes me feel good. (Yes, I know that sounds cheesy, and if you’re imagining most TV news, you’re right, it would be cheesy. Ken’s stories prove that it wouldn’t need to be.)

A good ending is not redundant of what went before. It’s new. What’s more, it’s completely in tune with the very idea of storytelling — at the end, I should have a feeling of satisfaction, or wonder, or discovery, or regret. I should care.

That makes people feel that they have heard “a good story.”

Is that all there is to telling a story well? Maybe so.

My links 03/17/2008

2008-03-17T13:30:00.001-07:00

Pacific Coffee - Coffee Solutions - Our World of Beans Annotated

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Our World of Beans

Premium

Salimba | Lupili | Yauco Selecto

		Salimba Salimba is grown in Eastern Zimbabwe AA Plus Estate at high altitude and far south latitude. With Salimba rotational programme that uproots and re-plants each field every 7 to 8 years, they are always harvesting from young coffee which is largely disease free. Salimba coffees are all hand picked red cherry with rich, sweet and sharp flavor.

		Zambia AA Plus Estate: Lupili This is a Zambia AA Plus Estate coffee that is grown in Northern Zambia at an altitude that ranged from 4500 to 4900 ft above sea level. Its sandy clay loam and climate with heavy rainfall in summer provide the nutrients to Lupili coffee for its particular personality of heavy-bodied, bold tasted with heavenly aroma.

		Yauco Selecto This is an excellent coffee from the top farms in the Southwestern Mountains of Puerto Rico. It has been recognized as one of the leading estate coffees in the world for it embodies the concept of a coffee that only one group being involved at all steps of the process which result in a reliably superior and consistent cup. The bean offers a full bodied with a creamy almost buttery taste and an arresting aftertaste. A hint of chocolate undertones completes the experience.

My links 03/16/2008

2008-03-16T13:30:00.001-07:00

International Forum for Democracy and Peace Annotated

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ENDANGERED HUMAN RIGHTS OF BOGOLJUB KARIC

22 February, 2008 11:34:00

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It has been more than two years now since Bogoljub Karic was exiled from Serbia. As a successful and west oriented businessman, Bogoljub Karic decided to step into politics and take part in presidential elections. He received support of more than 300.000 Serbian citizens in 2004. That same year, Karic’s newly founded political party, Strength of Serbia Movement won seats in parliaments of more than 100 cities within the country. Some circles of power decided to neglect the will of the people and stop Karic from taking part in politics by driving him out of the country in 2006.

For the last few months it has become more and more obvious that the whole system, including ministers, district attorneys, courts and various agencies are controlled by some circles of power. Their intention is to completely destroy the companies that are in any way connected to the Karic family.

More than 100.000 members of the Serbian Strength Movement are addressing the domestic and international public, but especially the President and Prime Minister of Serbia seeking basic human rights for their leader. They should guarantee Bogoljub Karic to defend himself and prove innocence without endangerment of his private security. They appeal for justice and ending the prosecution of Bogoljub Karic as act of reprisal against the man who represents a danger to the political authorities in power.

Bogoljub Karic is the only leader in the battle against the theft of national resources. He carries values of democracy and wants to restore dignity of economically weak European nation. These are the reasons why he was driven away, into political exile.

Bogoljub Karic is pro-European, democratic, and western oriented leader who has planted seeds of private iative and capitalism in various communist countries like the former Soviet-Union and China. What he has earned, was not bought in the scandalous bargain sale through Serbian privatization. Those who are persecuting him have problems with the fact that these so called “saviours of Serbia” have sold 2.000 companies including 5 national and 30 private banks for only 1.8 billion Euros whilst just one company, Mobtel, was built from only 6.23 million dollars of State capital investment to 1.513 billion euros, thanks to the business entrepreneurship and capability of its manager Bogoljub Kari?,.

The latest parliamentary elections were called for 21 January 2007. The police and the Ministry of Internal Affairs illegally refused to issue the certificate of residence for Bogoljub Karic, as one of the documents needed for his candidacy in the elections. When Karic announced his intention to come to Serbia in the course of the pre-election campaign, a bomb was planted under the car of his cousin Ranko Karic.

Various pre-election campaigns since Karic was exiled have been marked by media censorship toward his party’s candidates. This reflected in illegally withheld information on party’s activities from the public. Even the paid times were not available for promotion.

Strengths of Serbia Movement appeal the international public to support establishing basic human rights for its leader. The party is looking forward to contributing democracy and strengthening Serbian economy in modern era of knowledge as a driving force for better world.

Ljubisa Bojic,
Member of Executive Committee, Strengths of Serbia Movement,
Member of General Assembly, International Forum for Democracy and Peace.

Tubemogul.com - Features and Benefits Annotated

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What is TubeMogul?

TubeMogul is the first online video analytics and distribution company serving publishers large and small who need independent information about video performance on the Internet and automated upload to the Web's top video sharing sites.

TubeMogul's analytic technology aggregates video-viewing data from multiple sources to give publishers improved understanding of when, where and how often videos are watched, track and compare what's hot and what's not, measure the impact of marketing campaigns, gather competitive intelligence, and share the data with colleagues or friends.

My links 03/15/2008

2008-03-15T13:30:00.001-07:00

Thoughts on Problem Solving

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My links 03/12/2008

2008-03-12T13:30:00.001-07:00

World Malaria Day Annotated

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World Malaria Day – a day to make the world care

25 April is a day of unified commemoration of the global effort to provide effective control of malaria around the world.

World Malaria Day is an opportunity for malaria-free countries to learn about the devastating consequences of the disease and for new donors to join a global partnership against malaria. It is an occasion for research and academia institutions to flag their scientific advances to both experts and the general public. It is chance for countries in affected regions to learn from each other's experiences and back each other efforts. It is an opportunity for international partners, companies and foundations to showcase their results and reflect together on how to scale up what has been proven to work.

On World Malaria Day RBM partners will tell their own chapters of the powerful malaria story; a story of triumph and struggle; a story that grabs the world's attention to point it to the heart of the problem and engage the global community in becoming part of the solution.

Malaria has plagued humanity since ancient times and continues to haunt 40% of the world's population, infecting more than 500 million people per year and killing over 1 million. The burden of malaria is heaviest in sub-Saharan Africa but the disease also afflicts Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and even parts of Europe.

World Malaria Day is not a day for gloom and fear. It is a day of determination and optimism as the global community now has enough evidence that this fight can be won if partners collaborate efficiently on community, local, national, regional and international levels.

CGTalk - Gaia's Gift Annotated

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In the far future humanity finnaly understands the laws of nature and unlimited energy source

that is in constant motion.The inspiration came from Greek earth goddess Gaia and Fibonacci' spiral.

Gaia represents the energy of all living and unliving parts of the earth that are a complex interacting system

that can be thought of as a single organism.Combined with the old theory of Fibonacci about Golden spiral which shows us the perfect balance in nature.

And like Nikola Tesla once imagined that energy can be collected from all materia and transformed and used to help humanity accelerate the evolution.

So we finnaly made the machine that Tesla dreamed of, in the image of Fibonacci's spiral and with help and approval of Gaia.

Done in Photoshop and little bit of Zbrush specially for nVart

Hope you all like it and enjoy in it as i did making it

My links 03/11/2008

2008-03-11T13:30:00.001-07:00

Earth Day 2008 Events | Earthday Annotated

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Earth Day 2008: A Call for Climate

Earth Day 2008 is expected to be the biggest yet! From Tokyo to Togo, to our flagship event on the National Mall in Washington, DC and 7 other U.S. cities, we will be galvanizing millions of people around the world behind a Call for Climate, our global warming action theme. Hundreds of events are popping up all over the globe and April 22 should be a most memorable Earth Day. We will be asking people to call their government and urge significant and equitable action on climate change.

Our U.S. events, produced by Green Apple Festivals, will include A-list musicians and actors, environmental and community leaders, and dozens of exhibits. These special events are the place to be on April 20, right before Earth Day. Our Call for Climate will go out to the U.S. Congress on Earth Day, April 22 and we hope to generate 1-million phone calls to lawmakers! Mark your calendar and check this space for frequent updates!

Serbian media: GV's Rising Voices supporting first Web journalism school in the country

2008-03-07T15:31:00.000-08:00

I am proud to translate text published today by numerous Serbian media, including daily newspapers "Politika" and "Glas Javnosti".

School For New Media
(UNS info, 6. March of 2008.)

Serbian Asociation of Journalists will start first School of Internet Journalism in the country.

Except special features of Internet Journalism, future web journalists will learn how to make and edit web sites. Practical workshop will enable them to use photo, audio and video for web sites and Internet communication.

Web Journalism School is supported by famous organization for improvement of knowledge in area of Internet and citizen journalism, Rising Voices from Harvard.

School will last 12 weeks. Prerequisite for participants are basic skills in computing and web surfing. Fifteen candidates will be enrolled. By taking the final test, at the end of twelve weeks period, participants will be able to gain Web Journalist Certificate.

For more information, interested individuals should contact Serbian Asociation of Journalists in Resavska 21/1, Belgrade.

Original Text here.

If anyone can support this project financially or in any other way, you are welcome to contact me, as I can forward you project details in English.

My links 03/05/2008

2008-03-05T12:30:00.001-08:00

Front Page | Ashoka.org Annotated

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Ashoka is the global association of the world’s leading social entrepreneurs—men and women with system changing solutions for the world’s most urgent social problems. Since 1981, we have elected over 1,800 leading social entrepreneurs as Ashoka Fellows, providing them with living stipends, professional support, and access to a global network of peers in more than 60 countries.

With our global community, we develop models for collaboration and design infrastructure needed to advance the field of social entrepreneurship and the citizen sector.

Our Fellows inspire others to adopt and spread their innovations - demonstrating to all citizens that they too have the potential to be powerful changemakers.

Want to know more? Watch Ashoka Founder Bill Drayton discuss the history of Ashoka.

My links 02/26/2008

2008-02-26T12:30:00.001-08:00

Facebook | Péguy Philippe Annotated

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Kosovo, Serbia’s southern province, is the very essence of Serbian statehood and it’s spiritual and cultural identity. The cultural and demographic strength of Serbs is best illustrated by the presence of 1.500 monuments of Serbian culture identified so far.

In the old tradition the Serbian nation celebrates the bravery of their ancestors who met the invading Ottomans on the Field of Blackbird (In Serbian: “Kosovo Polje”) in 1389. "Our forefathers chose death over slavery. They lost the kingdom on Earth for the kingdom in the Heaven." This courage to stand for one's own beliefs, to defend one's own way of life over the wish of foreign powers to conquer and subdue remained the backbone of the Serbian consciousness and national identity.

Later on, the Battle of Kosovo acquired mythical dimensions of a crucial historical event, greatly affecting the destiny of the Serbian nation. The rich Serbian epic poetry’s many cycles of poems devoted to Kosovo are a pearl of that treasure and it was seen as moral and psychological support to the Serbian people during the centuries of horrendous slavery under the Turks

In 1912, Kosovo was finally liberated from the Turks and once again became part of Serbia.

-----------------------------------------------------------
------- The tragic story of Serbs in Kosovo --------
-----------------------------------------------------------
The ethnic cleansing of Serbs by the Albanian settlers has marked Kosovo’s history in the 20th and 21st century.

During World War II, Kosovo was siezed by Albanian fascists, who got a free hand to terrorize the Serbs.
Until August 1941 alone, over 10,000 Serbs were killed and between 80,000 and 100,000 Serbs were expelled, while roughly the same number of Albanians from Albania were brought to settle in these Serbian lands.
Mustafa Kruja, the Prime Minister of Albania, was in Kosovo in June 1942, and at a meeting with the Albanian leaders of Kosovo, he said:
"We should endeavor to ensure that the Serb population of Kosovo be – the area be cleansed of them and all Serbs who had been living there for centuries should be termed colonialists and sent to concentration camps in Albania. The Serb settlers should be killed."

After the war, the Commnist authorities favorized the Albanians at the expense of Serbs, and allowed the uncontrolled settlement of Albanian immingrants and tolerated different methods of ethnic discrimination against Serbs. When Kosovo got the status of an autonomous province in 1974, it basically received almost all of the powers the rest of the republics in Yugoslavia had. This gave them the means to engage in a silent ethnic cleansing of Serbs in Kosovo.

In a New York Times article published on July 12th 1982, it is stated that “the exodus of Serbs is admittedly one of the main problems that the authorities have to contend with in Kosovo, an autonomous province of Yugoslavia inhabited largely by Albanians.”
Regarding the Albanians that want to separate from Yugoslavia, Becir Hoti, a Government official in Kosovo stated that '”the nationalists have a two-point platform […] first to establish what they call an ethnically clean Albanian republic and then the merger with Albania to form a greater Albania.”

1871 - Serbs: 64% Albanians: 32%
1948 - Serbs: 24% Albanians: 65%
1971 - Serbs: 18% Albanians: 74%
1995 - Serbs: 7% Albanians: 90%
2008 - Serbs: 5% Albanians: 92%

In an attempt to prevent the secession of Kosovo, Serbian government in 1990 abolished Kosovo Albanian autonomy. The Albanian rebels formed the KLA and began attacks on Serb police and civillians, as well as Albanians perceived as being allied with the Yugoslav Government. In 1998 the Government brought in the army and police to quell the rebellion. The civil war lasted until 1999 when NATO, which was supporting the KLA (deemed a terrorist organization by the CIA only a few years before that), intervened against Yugoslavia and caused 500.000 Kosovo Albanians to flee the province to Macedonia and Albania.
After the war, despite the international presence, KLA organized the persecutions of the Serb population and more than 200.000 Serbs fled Kosovo. Only 90.000 Serbs remained living in total isolation, dispersed in several KFOR protected Serb enclaves.

Announcing: enrollment period, Serbian Web Journalism School

2008-02-25T04:09:00.000-08:00

Here are some of the promoting materials, first poster:

and then, for those who graduate, the diploma:

I want to highlight that we are very proud of SWJS logo!

My links 02/23/2008

2008-02-23T12:30:00.001-08:00

:: ifocos :: » Learning from ‘Global Voices Online’ Annotated

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If you need quick example of what We Media is all about, look no further than Global Voices, the citizen-media project founded at Harvard Law School’s Berkman Center for Internet and Society. Next week’s We Media Miami conference will feature a Thursday afternoon working group with Global Voices’ managing editor, Solana Larsen, and managing director, Georgia Popplewell. Today we hear from Jillian York, a Global Voices volunteer writer, and Lova Rakotomalala, a Global Voices Lingua editor, both of whom will be with us in Miami. First Jillian, an author and blogger, explains why she donates her time and writing skills to a project like Global Voices:

I’m a big fan of citizen media and get the majority of my news from blogs (although I admittedly am addicted to Reuters’ website as well). I am a frequent user of Newsvine and Facebook and, of course, I read Global Voices Online daily.

Rising Voices » Five Minute Phone Call with Eddie Avila Annotated

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type="application/x-shockwave-flash">

YouTube - Kosovo za patike

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Global Voices Online » Middle East: Wishing Kosovo all the Best!

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Kosovo is Serbia

2008-02-21T14:14:00.000-08:00

My links 02/18/2008

2008-02-18T12:30:00.001-08:00

Amigurumi Graduation Bear with cap and diploma on Flickr - Photo Sharing! Annotated

tags: diploma, journalist, professional, web, workshop

Congrats to the Class of 2006! This little bear is ready to graduate. She wears black cap with a pink tassel and is holding a diploma. She measures about 5" tall. Perfect gift for that special graduate.

My links 02/17/2008

2008-02-17T12:30:00.001-08:00

Hannah's Blog: Camp Bond-steel in Kosovo Annotated

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Camp Bond-steel in Kosovo

Is this another Guantanamo in the pristine mountains of Kosovo? What's the 21st Century term for "gunboat diplomacy?"

My links 02/16/2008

2008-02-16T12:30:00.001-08:00

Moodle - A Free, Open Source Course Management System for Online Learning Annotated

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Moodle is a course management system (CMS) - a free, Open Source software package designed using sound pedagogical principles, to help educators create effective online learning communities. You can download and use it on any computer you have handy (including webhosts), yet it can scale from a single-teacher site to a University with 200,000 students. This site itself is created using Moodle, so check out the Moodle Demonstration Courses or read the latest Moodle Buzz.

International Forum for Democracy and Peace Annotated

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As a result of last year's the conference, participants voted to form a new organization called "International Forum for Peace and Democracy" with the vision of working towards a peaceful, democratic and free world through the promotion of peace, liberty, democracy, justice, human rights, security and prosperity.

My links 02/15/2008

2008-02-15T12:31:00.001-08:00

freemagenta.nl » english Version Annotated

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“Every company should be able to protect itself from copying by the competition. T-Mobile as well. But every legal step that goes beyond this, is competition-forgery. In all honesty I think it’s impossible for T-Mobile to have claimed the universal rights on magenta. “

Tom Dorresteijn - Studio Dumbar

Bunt Bogoljub

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My links 02/14/2008

2008-02-14T12:30:00.001-08:00

DICTIONARY OF WAR - Novi Sad Edition, on January 25th and 26th, 2008 | new media center_kuda.org Annotated

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This winter, DICTIONARY OF WAR event will take place in Serbia where notion of war has a special meaning as a symbol of unresolved past, which in many ways determines the future of the territory of former Yugoslavia and its neighborhood – it is constituting form of a new order. To question different approaches to the subject of a war in this special edition of DICTIONARY OF WAR in Novi Sad has significant roll in analyzing present “power relations” in this specific region and wider. “Is genocidal war necessary for the organization of human society?” still reverberates through this region.

WEB 2.0 CITY on Flickr - Photo Sharing! Annotated

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Web Journalism premiere in Serbia

2008-02-13T13:28:00.000-08:00

Everything is set up to launch first Serbian Web Journalism School.

With six eminent lecturers, well prepared curriculum, access to premium online literature, we can't fail. Except me, some of the lecturers are: Lidija Kujundzic, jurnalist of NIN weekly magazine, Gradimir Joksimovic, editor of VIVA magazine, Zvezdan Mancic, head of Media Photographers Association, Danica Radovanovic, author of first Serbian Science blog, and GV contributor, Milos Stefanovic, founder of seminarskirad.com, something like Scribd, but only for academic papers. They will meet both journalism students and journalists who lack web journalism skills.

I will use this opportunity to thank David Sasaki, outreach director of Rising Voices, for the support and guidance.

Serbian Journalist Association's Classroom is packed with neat desktops with Internet access. We are scheduled to kick off in March. Authors already started writing Web Journalism Handbook in Serbian. The book will be completed when first generation of students get their certificate.

Next week, we are promoting the School in local newspapers and shall put the ad on bulletin boards at different universities.

We are still in need of some cameras, so our workshop can really be practice. We are seeking services of a translator, so the world can hear our voices.

I am sure we are going to overcome all the difficulties and have great fun during our workshop.

For much more information, but in Serbian only, here is our school's wetpaint page.

My links 02/07/2008

2008-02-07T12:30:00.001-08:00

Photos from Cyberjuan | Zooomr Photo Sharing Annotated

tags: no_tag

Avión abandonado, Aeropuerto de Iquitos. 6 de enero del 2008, 5.41pm.

This photo is Public

Uploaded on Jan. 19, 2008

My links 02/06/2008

2008-02-06T12:30:00.001-08:00

Andrew L. Shapiro Annotated

tags: no_tag

THE CONTROL REVOLUTION: How the Internet is Putting Individuals in Charge and Changing the World We Know was published in 1999 in the US by Public Affairs/The Century Foundation. Translations were published abroad in Chinese and Spanish. To buy the book, read an excerpt, or search the full text, click on the book cover to the right.

Google Image Result for http://www.lse.ac.uk/collections/media@lse/images/Lieurouw%20and%20Livingstone.jpg Annotated

tags: no_tag

Sonia Livingstone (BSc Psychology, UCL; DPhil Social Psychology, Oxford) joined the LSE in 1990 and is Professor of Social Psychology in the Department of Media and Communications. She is author of ten books, and has published widely on the subject of media audiences, focusing on audience reception of diverse television genres. Her recent work concerns children, young people and the internet, as part of a broader interest in the domestic, familial and educational contexts of new media access and use

Web Sites - Mindy McAdams Annotated

tags: no_tag

Online Journalism:
Links to good examples. Typology of online media elements. Research
about interactivity. Tips and resources.

Teaching Online Journalism: My blog about
topics related to my work, since December 2005.

Writing for
the Web: One page of tips.

Blog Research:
Links and resources related to journalism and blogging.

Best J-Schools in the U.S.: A brief
guide and a short list.

Online Journalism @ Squidoo:
Helpful links and explanations to get you started. Also,
some books you might find useful.

Verifying Information
on the Web: How to make sure it's true.

Inventing
an Online Newspaper: The story of how we put The Washington
Post online in 1994.

Citizen media

2008-01-27T05:33:00.000-08:00

| View | Upload your own

Wikis in Plain English manual

2008-01-22T06:04:00.000-08:00

Another well made instruction web leaflet.

RSS in Plain English, video manual

2008-01-22T06:02:00.000-08:00

I am working on a Web jurnalism school. So I will be posting some realated things like this simple manual to now not new RSS technology.

Censorship on web commenting

2008-01-22T05:02:00.000-08:00

PhD candidate at The University of Tokyo Chris Salzberg sent this message to GV authors group:

"I just finished reading Gilad's post about censorship on web
commenting in Israel, and realized that this is something like the
sixth story on some sort of Internet censorship or filtering in a
"first-world" (apologies for the term) country that I've read in the
past month or so. I am used to hearing these stories coming out of
China and Iran, but does anybody else here get the feeling that there
is an uncoordinated move going among rich countries of the world as
well now to begin filtering/regulating content?

Here's a handful of posts I've been reading (and one that I wrote):

Israel: Talkback Law for Censorship on Web Commenting Passes Initial
Knesset Voting
http://www.globalvoicesonline.org/2008/01/17/israel-talkback-law-for-...

The Australian "clean feed"
http://scrawford.net/blog/the-australian-clean-feed/1092/

Japan toughens up on Internet regulation
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nc20080116a1.html

Should AT&T police the Internet
http://www.news.com/Should-ATT-police-the-Internet/2100-1034_3-622652...

In the last one, they mention:

"the movement to involve ISPs in monitoring and filtering traffic has
been growing internationally. In November, ISPs and content producers
in France signed an agreement, backed by French President Nicolas
Sarkozy, to begin testing filtering technology on carrier networks. A
similar movement is afoot in the United Kingdom. And late last year,
officials in Australia said they hoped ISPs would implement filtering
technology to remove pornography from Internet connections that
connect to schools."

Some of these stories are about filtering of copyrighted material,
others are about censorship of various forms of "bad content". The two
are often not linked, but my impression is that they tend to reinforce
each other (once you're scanning for one, you might as well scan for
the other).

Just wondering if anyone else here has also felt that things are
changing. I don't normally watch Internet censorship/filtering issues
(up until now it hasn't been a major issue in Japan) but my feeling is
that there is a kind of uncoordinated "consensus" building among
various parties that open communication may not be the only option,
even in the "free" countries of the world.

I could also be reading this from a few stray data points, in which
things will just die down again shortly and nothing substantial will
change.

If not, though, GV would be uniquely placed to cover this in an
international context."

Change is in the air

2007-11-02T13:11:00.000-07:00

This week shows that power to unite grows stronger within global community of Internet enthusiasts.

David Sasaki uses podcast to describe progress of social assistance program titled HiperBarrio. This effort continues in former capital of kidnapping, Madellin Columbia. Today, libraries are being built in poorest areas and youth are trained to use new technology. Libraries Network Project states:

Each library will interpret a central role in their communities to develop information centers with Internet access, online catalogs, virtual libraries, and so on.

They seek “simple solutions to common problems” and “the recipe for a connected community”.

The main focus of students and professors of Bangladesh Nari Jibon is struggle for justice. Thanks to citizen media, citizen journalists gather to help to Nadine and Rahela. Dr. Kathryn B. Ward says:

[...] the power of some citizen media has been shown in the outpouring of blog and Facebook entries and support for Nadine who is recovering in New York City from an alleged assault-rape by her husband, Sajid Huq, who was arrested by NYC police. His first hearing is scheduled this week as well. At the same time, many of the popular English Bangladeshi blogs and newspapers have ignored this case except for the Daily Star. All of us need to continue to watch the progress of this case in the USA as well as provide support/protection for Nadine's family in Bangladesh, which reportedly has been harassed for her filing the case in the USA.

Authors from Bangladesh write about Afsana Pervin. Not so long ago, she was a housewife. But, she decided to change her life. Afsana is a successful student of Nari Jibon organization now. Dr. Ward blogs about how to end domestic violence in that country, and finds ignorance as important cause. M. G. Rabbany (Sujan) talks about a history of a famous Porabari chom chom sweet. You can find out interesting stories about Fisher Man and Street Beggars as well.

Turning to Bolivia. Hugo sums up weekly posts. He writes about reactions to the fact bars and canteens near UPEA university got burned. Ruben Hilari says support should be given to students who have drinking problems, because they want to have normal future.

Boilivian Rising Voicers try to depict simple life in their neighborhood for global audience

Cristina Quisbert presents announcers from Bolivia at Voices Bolivian blog. They are youngsters who shout routes at a bus station for those who can’t read the signs. She writes, they are useful for community and one of them says, he would like to become a bus driver. Announcers became part of daily life in migration area of El Alto.

Veronica writes about tradition, and famous Niche tombs. Then comes the commentary about high frequency of fairs held in the city. If there was no Voices Bolivian , would you find out what was the meaning of the world’s longest word.

ARUSKIPT'ASIPXAÑANAKASAKIPUNIRAKISPAWA

which means "we must always be in communication"

Look at Ndesanjo Macha Global Voices contribution to see extraordinary stories about how African Nata village got its first blog. This helped its only clinic to fight HIV/AIDS. The medical institution recently got Internet access. This all improved communication in the region and saved many lives, as it inspired donators from outside the village.

New media connected everybody. They even gathered dancers from all around the world in Africa. Oso Pecoso went to Uganda. He met rapper Abramz who formed “Break dance Uganda”, to give free dancing classes for everyone. This passion serves as a good way to overcome many social divisions (tribes, classes, neighborhoods, languages, political affiliations) and help younger generations have brighter future. Musician Abramz has real Web 2.0 life philosophy.

When he meets someone with skills he doesn’t have, he asks for help and learns from them. And, in return, he then spreads those skills to anyone who asks.

Project’s myspace account contributed to connect young dancers with people from other corners of the planet. Numerous musicians came to the school to both learn and teach. They connect and share experience. They don't make Uganda, but the whole world, a better place.

Let’s support those Rising Voices projects that are still to give results. Siera Leone initiative uses new technology to help rebuild that country, after conflicts. “Neighborhood Diaries”, will train underprivileged youth living in Kolkata’s slums to be citizen journalists.

Rising Voices

2007-07-04T23:05:00.000-07:00

Radisa Pavlovic is head of Workers Resistance, an organization representing labor from local factories, including former employees of Zastava car maker company and other laid off individuals. As the process of transition continues, the number of those who can't find job grows, here in central Serbia. This people need voice, at least. I decided to apply for Rising Voices grant in September to provide education, motivation and technology to individuals in need, so they can go online, tell their stories, establish contacts with some international organizations and maybe even get help. If nothing else, I am sure they will get moral support from communities of blogers and news media from everywhere around the globe. They can share facts about corrupt privatization in Serbia, describe the way state treats them and talk about their human rights issues. Masess of people in their fifties are on the street, after long careers in local companies. Think about how they feel, as they have no possibility to get employment again, because only young work force is needed. On the other hand, they don't have enought years of work for pension.

The other field of RV work is Kosovo and Metohia question. Picture below shows Serb and Albanian youth talking how to connect and overcome difficulties that were created during centuries of hostility in southern province. I strongly believe young activist can make a difference. We need to come close, and do our best to boost economy. We would all love to live better and enter the EU. Why should we make conflicts and disagreement, when we can bond and interact. Young people who visited their Albanian counterparts in city of Pec kicked off the wave of understanding and talk. Next step further is Albanians visiting Belgrade. I want to encourage both refugees from Kosovo and Metohia, who live in Serbia and Albanians, to highlight their perspectives with positive and human elements. I want them to write about their neighbors. The initiative could help some of them get back to their homeland and make us all closer.

There is something magical in the air

2007-06-26T13:56:00.000-07:00

Not to forget to note CNN and CFJ nominated my blog among the best 12 in Europe. A great journalist, Emmanuel Chain was chairman of the Judges. Congrats to the winners of the competition.

The buzz

2007-06-13T15:42:00.000-07:00

I paid a visit to Peter Deli tribute site today. It was sad to look at the pictures of a person who is not with us, any more. But He didn't die. Many people view the content of his life history web site, and some of them, like myself, feel he is a friend they never met. I know it is strange, but this is a cyberspace location I bump to once in six months, like visiting an old mate. I may have done that, because of what happened earlier in the week. I met my high school friends, during our alumni day on Sunday. Neat celebration was arranged in the evening. We stayed at the restaurant until early morning. It is a strange feeling to see so many old friends, for first time, after six years. Although I graduated from Delia School of Canada in Hong Kong, I was studying high school in Serbia for few years.

Last week I launched first official Strengths of Serbia Movement blog. I am trying to to revive old brand by projecting new image of the organization, the one which will get to our citizens soles. Old Greek philosophers used term kalos kagathos, to make a parallel between our character and outside beauty. Essential advertising effort is to communicate our id, with the audience. I am trying to implement new standards in domestic political marketing operations. Blog is just one of the moves.

At the end, I would like to share following video with you. John Kennedy posted this at Global Voices:

2007 China goes crazy for capitalism, hundreds of thousands of new stock market accounts being opened each week. A song for the times.

The rising stars of world tennis

2007-06-10T11:25:00.000-07:00

Three Serbian tennis players, Novak, Jelena, and Nenad, got to the quarter finales, while Ana made it to the finales of French Grand Prix tournament. Few thousands citizens welcomed our national heroes today, in front of Belgrade city assembly, as they arrived from Roland Gaross. Spree of positive PR continues these days as country gets a lot of media attention, because of its talented artists and athletes. Their success will show young people hard work pays off.

Novak Djokovic, new role model of the youth, shared his life philosophy during the tournament as he said: "There is always room for improvement. I think that's a positive thing. Because even Roger, you know, he's a perfect player in everybody's eyes, but I think he still thinks that there is improvement to be made. Nobody can be perfect. You always make mistakes and you try to improve your game. There are a lot of things I need to improve on, and I'm aware of that, and I am happy because of that. Because I'm really looking forward to work for it."

Novak has a sense of humor too:

Saban is becoming a soldier

2007-06-02T11:08:00.000-07:00

This photo is portraying a celebration in Milatovac village, near Kragujevac city, in central Serbia. The reason for the village fiesta is departure of Ivan Ristic, called Saban. Ivan will spend next six months serving national army. His neighbors are here, to mark this day, because the act of going to the military is strong custom in the society, especially in rural areas.

Ο ΣΟΥΠΕΡ ΛΟΓΟΣ ΜΑΣ ΣΤΟ ΒΕΛΙΓΡΑΔΙ

2007-05-25T12:10:00.001-07:00

Here is a speech, special guests Sakis, Kostas, and Harris gave at the beginning of our leadership and motivation seminar held this month in Belgrade:

"The reason for this movement was the Greek government. It wanted to vote a new law which would abolish free studies and would import business inside the universities. This new law also says that the police have the right to come inside the buildings. Now, the police are not allowed to come inside the universities without taking first the permission of the professors and the students.

The government wants to change this in order to have policemen inside the universities all the time in order to stop every student movement in the future. The new law also says that there will be cameras and security guards inside the buildings. Furthermore, we will pay for the books and the food in the cantinas. Now, they are all free. Another thing is that there will be a limit in the duration of our studies. For example, my department’s studies are for 5 years and I am able to finish them whenever I want. Because of this law, I have to finish until 2012(because I entered in 2002). Our government also wanted to cancel the article 16 from Greek constitution. If this article had been cancelled, it would have been possible to be founded private universities. We are against these universities, because students who would study there could enter without giving any exams before. We believe this is not fair. Our fight started last year and we, the students, occupied most of the departments. We also did huge demonstrations, where we faced the police violence. All these actions happened after general meetings’ decisions in every department. More than 80% of the students supported the movement.

The result of this movement was our victory. The government should have 60% of the votes of the Greek parliament in order to cancel the article 16. At the beginning, the two biggest political parties agreed, but after our movement the second biggest party decided to retire. So, the government did not have the necessary votes. Now, it is not possible for anyone to see private university in Greece for the next 7-8 years. The government was only able to vote a law, for which 50% of the votes were necessary. But we are ready to take action against this law by ignoring it.

In conclusion, when the students, and generally young people, are united and fight all together, they can win .Unfortunately, nowadays many young people are not interested in these problems and they do not care about political events. But we hope for a better tomorrow. We are very happy to see that young people have meetings and discuss about solutions of their problems in a capital of an important country like Serbia."

Glimpses for training

2007-05-25T03:44:00.000-07:00

My friend from Pakistan, Ali Gohar is Chief Executive of Just Peace International. Friends call him Ali Baba. He is an expert in the delicate "conflict transformation" discipline. He arranges some workshops in the south of Afghanistan, and organizes other events which contribute to the peace in this crises region. I met him few months ago, at the YDLN conference in Istanbul, where we founded the International Forum for Peace and Democracy.

I want to find out more about the conflict management issue. I have worked with numerous teams during last few years. Conflict have to arise in any group, by nature. That is why I started applying innovative technique, in which everybody writes personal bad sides, or failures in his or her work. Member of the team, sticks that piece of paper on the board, where everyone could see it. I started writing my mistakes first, as an example, and then explained my friends, that recognition of our own bad deeds, draws a road to self-improvement. Here is a theoretical excerpt from Ali Baba's paper:

"Conflict management; It is aimed at preventing inter-group tension from becoming violent, or in preventing that tension or violence from spreading to other places.

Conflict resolution, Removing to the extant possible, the inequalities between the disputants by means of mediation, Negotiation, and/or advocacy and testimony on behalf of one or more parties in conflict. [...] [Those are] activities that seek to discover, identify and resolve the underlying root causes of the conflict. May involve problem solving or conflict analysis workshop, research training and education; inter group dialogue reconciliation and others.

Structure Reform; Efforts are made to correct system inequality by fostering social or political changes.

Conflict transformation; Activities that seek to change the conditions that give rise to the underlying root causes of the conflict, to prevent the out break of further violence, and to sustain a transformation from conflict habituated to peace- oriented.

Conflict prevention, [...] [is] generally, legal, military and political activities that involve officials from those fields—conflict resolution and transformation can also involve officials, but are deeply socially—or community based activities that involve high motivated and committed people from many disciplines and walk of life.

Conflict settlement; Activities that seek to arrive at an agreement on the identified issue around which the parties are in conflict. May involve Task-force discussion, negotiation, mediation, arbitration or other peace making activities. Reconciliation; In Assifa’s Paradigm is the re-establishment of community by those alienated and divided by conflict reconciliation and divided by conflict.

Reconciliation has four-connected dimensions. A, Spiritual dimension; Reconciliation with God (B) Personal /psychological dimension; Reconciliation with self. (C)Social Dimension; with neighbor, community, society. (D) Ecological Dimension; Reconciliation with nature"

Able men of a pluming company emergency repair unit

2007-05-25T01:11:00.000-07:00

My grandmother and aunt live in a suburb. They didn't have water for two days, because a pipe broke. So, I was seating in their a garden yesterday, soaking up the sun, and enjoying the outdoors. Finally, I spotted the "emergency repair unit track" slowly approaching the area. When they parked, in front of our estate, the "emergency repair man", from a pluming company, quickly got off the car, came to our yard fence and started grabbing cherries from a tree. He was enjoying tasty fruits, instead taking care of a pluming failure, which left whole neighborhood without of drinking water for few days. Anyway, after he finished gourmet desert, repairman came to our garden. He gave me empty bottle, and asked me to fill it up with water! I told him, of course, that I was sorry, but we didn't have water at that moment. He said, "no problem". I guess, that was a point when he realized, why he was at the scene. The guys finally concentrated themselves, in a chill out manner of course, to stop water, from making a lake on the road, as it was spraying out extensively from a pipe.

What others say about our transportation system

2007-05-24T10:59:00.000-07:00

I liked Zvrlj's description of a local bus company:

If you see the sign of "Autosaobracaj" Kragujevac, try to avoid that bus. There are chances to travel normally, but you can hear a proposal from bus-driver to stand for 10 hours as there are no place to seat down, and the fact that you have reservation for the seat, payed two days in advance, may not help, as they have sold the same reservations to the others. But they care to protect their customers from kittens, so your kitten would not be allowed to enter "Autosaobracaj" bus. So, if you want to be sure to have seat in the bus or if you travel with pet, no matter how small it is – avoid "Autosaobracaj" Kragujevac. You can read at the "Autosaobracaj" web presentation: "In our business philosophy, the word 'friend' dominates – it refers to all employees, to all business partners and to all our passengers… Therefore, our motto is JOURNEY WITH THE FRIEND!" – what a hypocrisy!

Can blogs unite the world?

2007-05-21T08:59:00.000-07:00

John Brea says:

"I don't think the focus of Global Voices should be to teach the West about itself and the world. I personally think this is a very Western-centric point of view! We all need to learn more about ourselves and the world and that comes from having a truly global conversation. I don't believe that non-Westerners understand any more or less about themselves and the world. It's just that Western ignorance is more dangerous."

Youth leadership seminar held in Novi Sad

2007-05-19T10:14:00.000-07:00

More than fifty young people gathered on 19th May, in northern Serbian city of Novi Sad, to share their perspectives on youth activism. I arranged special workshop, where individuals took part in simulating campaign planing and brainstorming ideas for effective press conference. Our main aim was to trigger team spirit and connect the participants, therefore achieving synergy.

Prayer's domino effect

2007-05-17T16:26:00.000-07:00

Just few days ago a funny thing happened. Major news outlets reported that main course of discussion at the Serbian assembly session was to determine which political party is supported by the 2007 Euro song winner, Marija Serifovic. Milutin Mrkonjic, who presided the meeting invited the singer to visit parliament building. When she came in, Mrkonjic said, “Fellow deputies, please turn around and greet Marija Serifovic. We will be having a short break. Lets we all go to the lobby to have a juice with our Marija.”

I was walking around the downtown Belgrade with my Greek friends, after the Eurovision broadcast, on 12th May. They were chasing towards the hotel to take camera, so they could film the traffic chaos and tremendous celebration, as thousands of young people stormed the city center to sing the "Prayer".

Big leap forward in the country of wonders

2007-05-17T08:24:00.000-07:00

What made former minister of Energetics, Radomir Naumov accept to become head of a Religion outpost in a newly formed state government? The only logical explanation, is that he intends praying for the rain, to feed numerous hydro energy power plants across the country. This "case" proves, everything can happen in Serbia. Though, it is true, Naumov, with his beard looks like Minister of religion. Congratulations to all the political parties which took a part in the process, as they formed one of main institutions in our society, condolences to the citizens of Serbia.

Team building strategies and leadership

2007-05-17T02:25:00.000-07:00

I held a successful seminar in Belgrade, on last Saturday. Participants liked it, so some of them approached me with a suggestion to arrange two regional workshops on the same topic. It was great to see so many young leaders coming from local youth organizations, gathered at one place. My basic task was to make fun atmosphere, for the participants to find out more about each other, connect, and share views. A lots of credit goes to my Greek friends, student activist from Thessaloníki, who spoke about their latest protests against politicians who wanted to turn universities to money making operations. The next event is scheduled for coming Saturday in Novi Sad. Our respected activists, Bojana Ris and Vanja Zubic are preparing the next meeting. We shall use this occasion to have a short visit to largest agricultural expo in this part of Europe.

Political landscape in devided Serbia

2007-04-29T14:07:00.000-07:00

A year ago, politicians argued we didn't need election as it could destabilize the country at the time when Kosovo and Metohia status would be decided. The ruling structures changed the decision by triggering parliamentary elections in January this year, days away from UN's special representative, Martti Ahtisaari presented his plan to resolve dispute in the province.

It seems, that now, they don't consider government so important for Serbia, as four months passed since ballot stations closed across the country without forming "the institution". There are three major points of power, and it looks if current Prime Minister, Vojislav Kostunica would want them all! Latest rumors suggest that Democratic Party leader, Boris Tadic accepted to trade PM chair for Ministry of Interior position, as the finance post is already taken by Mladjan Dinkic. Kostunica refused the offer, which may produce new election race. In the mean time, so called technical "government is keeping" the nation "on its feet".
Some say two Serbia are hard nationalistic and liberal, democratic and non democratic, progressive and traditional, real and imaginative. I would argue that notion. There is only one Serbia. People want to be better off, but as it always is, they are manipulated into division, and mobilized to work towards spreading mantra of hate, or poison of illusion.

But there are two interest groups on country's economical and political stage. Power is held by Kostunica's Democratic Party of Serbia, and Dinkic's G17+, which is considered outpost of numerous businessmen, including post communist tycoon Miroslav Miskovic, Milan Beko, Vuk Hamovic, and Vojin Lazarevic. Some of them are used to inflate "state money", and buy off the country by taking role in the privatization process. This group is unofficially supported by ultra right Serbian Radical Party, and officially sheltered by Socialist party, thus making minority government...

The other group is leaded by president Boris Tadic's Democratic party, which won second place at the last election. Second player, Serbian Streanght Movement was wiped out from the parliament, as authorities issued arrest warren against its Russian oriented leader Bogoljub Karic, who refused to get back to the country, and asked for political exile. He received huge support of traditionalist and undecided voters, mainly on the right side of political spectrum, when he took part in the 2004 presidential poll winning 19 % of votes. Karic is president of Serbian Enterpriser and Industrialist Union, which gathers heads of small companies, mainly unhappy with high taxes and bad atmosphere for business created by the government. His business counterparts are Zoran Drakulic, CEO of East Point, and Vlade Divac, famous NBA basketball player who tries to invest in his home country, and "sugar king", Miodrag Kostic. They all experienced certain difficulties to take part in local privatization process! The third player is Liberal Democratic Party, positioned on the left of the political spectrum, allegedly supported by the US, and local NGOs. Cedomir Jovanovic is dynamic and modern leader vowed by the youth. He was one of key associates of late PM Zoran Djindjic. Jovanovic's party is accused to be working against interests of Serbian people, as its officials argue, southern Serbian province, Kosovo and Methia is already lost.

Integration of news media and citizen reportes

2007-04-22T01:49:00.000-07:00

Here is a nice show slide I found. It tells how the citizen journalism is changing mainstream media. Currently, I am writing a paper about stage of citizen journalism in the world. We have all noticed major news companies asking citizens to send photos, videos, and comments about latest breaking story.

What to tell about Virginia shooting

2007-04-19T12:34:00.000-07:00

I think, the main point we have to get over, is the need for a tremendous change of mass media philosophy, following the Virginia Tech shooting and other events which are related with influence of primarily TV. That doesn't mean, crushing Hollywood style "aggression and sex" entertainment access, but adding new state sponsored component to the media, empowering them to make impact by applying "positivism approach" specially created by psychologists and media professionals.

International Forum for Peace and Democracy

2007-04-19T02:10:00.000-07:00

Letter to Young Democratic Leaders Network participants:

Two weeks passed since our first meeting in Istanbul. Big thanks to all the people that organized the event. In the meantime, I wanted to share some pictures of our time in Turkey.

I would like to introduce you with a political theory which I presented at YDLN forum. Please click here to read more about political positivism.

On the other hand, I am satisfied with the Kosovo and Metohia issue development in front of the UN Security Counsel, so far. The province is integral part of Serbia. Its independence would be dangerous precedent for world peace. Hope Russia won't back up its support this time Viktor.

Here is a movie about Serbian Strengths Movement and its exiled leader Bogoljub Karic. You may take a look at the website as well. We hope the government will perform according to manners of democracy and rule of law and let Mr. Karic who won return to Serbia.

It would be nice if Mr. Gohar would share some of his valuable knowledge on conflict resolution with us. I would appreciate if you send me some power point slides about the issue. I am dealing with team motivation and especially conflict resolution in youth teams, but I am interested in the whole area. Thanks in advance.

I have seen your web sites. Fred Alvarez's blog depicts his character and temperament. I tried to understand the text, but I see its great anyways. Same goes for Hagamos Demoracia. Web portal of largest Indian party is impressive. Really interesting read. I still have to learn why blog about Malta's culture, politics etc. is called Wired temples. Lot of things posted there could inspire you to visit the European island. Georgia's impressive attempts to reform are reviled at DRF found site. YIFC is facing wall made by generations of Israelis and Palestinians. They may want to share experiences with Just peace international, which has been dealing with conflicts in Afghanistan area for long time. Our network value can be seen in the similar problems we are facing!

I certainly hope our executive committee is working to make our home on the web. The most important assets are blog and mailing group. The website itself isn't so crucial, as the tools of interaction are.

At the end, I would like to ask all of you to write some notes about our Young Democratic Leaders Network gathering in Istanbul. It would be best if you do that in your own language an post it somewhere on the web (your blog or forum), and then send me the English translation by e-mail. That way, I will be able to promote our new organization, and publish global conversation about new effort to unite people who care about issues of peace and democracy, as I am author of Global Voices Online (a non-profit global citizens' media project, sponsored by and launched from the Berkman Center for Internet and Society at the Harvard Law School). So, please do that soon, before inspiration goes away!

happy Easter and holiday of spring Pesah to those that celebrate!

Doors to unexpected city

2007-03-24T17:04:00.000-07:00

Official opening of the photo exhibition titled "Doors to unexpected city - Hong Kong" happened at Kragujevac Student Cultural Centre , just few days ago, on 20th march. Members of the press and number of interested individuals paid a visit to the gallery and enjoyed photos of Hong Kong. Alison Hui, Steve Lei, Ted Hung and me tried to present other side of Hong Kong to Serbian citizens. This set of images will find its way around the country. We plan, next in the series of exhibitions, to be held in Belgrade.

The other step of the cultural exchange is to showcase artworks from Serbia in Hong Kong Fringe club (estimated in summer of 2007). Main aim is to bring together cultures of east and west with a message of understanding based on our similarities.

Other segments of the "Doors to unexpected city" effort is a text published with Danas daily newspapers in the summer of 2006, and the four parts documentary broadcast on Serbian K9 TV, early this year. The video will be shown again next week. Some other TV programs expressed interest to broadcast this set of documentaries too. I will try to post it online.

Media positivism

2007-03-11T04:40:00.000-07:00

Let we develop positivism as a new ideology - and the only one that can’t hurt anybody. Let’s alter use of media for the greater reason.

In the following weeks, I will be sketching the speech I plan to deliver at the summit of Young Democratic Leaders Network which will be held late this month in Istanbul. I shall introduce my political positivism theory to the audience of hundred young leaders coming from all around the world.

Political PR

2007-01-28T03:16:00.000-08:00

During previous months I have been working on a political campaign here in Serbia. I was engaged as a PR manager of Serbian Force political movement. I took part in a team motivation and leadership process too. Now, that elections are finished, there is a chance to relax.

The most frustrating thing was, that I didn't get power to decide about brand building strategies. On the other side, I invested a lot of quality work. I am happy with what I did in my areas of work. I am waiting to see if things will change in the organization, and finally able to focus on other more important things apart politics.

While I try to concentrate on my Global Voices work, you can take a look at the picture. These girls are really great. They both believe in idea of change and have beautiful smiles. Think about it.

my new year words for all of you out there

2006-12-31T03:56:00.000-08:00

Photo: Rock musician Vlatko Stefanovski, Ljubisa Bojic and distinguished guests celebrating Serbian-Macedonian friendship

Dear friends,

lot of greetings for the new year!

Let all your wishes come true!

Let we all contribute to bring world together!

Let our asset be as much positivism as possible!

Lets stimulate similarities in people!

I wish you continue your mission in this world!

I am sure you will be victorious!

Ljubisa Bojic

Interview with Jenny Wong Deli about HR practice

2006-12-23T07:05:00.000-08:00

This interview will be published with Belgrade weekly magazine Lider.

HR Practice in Hong Kong and China

Jenny is a Senior H.R. Consultant. She is a veteran human resources practitioner with years of local and regional experience. She has worked in the electronic manufacturing, utilities, airline, chemical and construction industries. She is a speaker for HKU Space's courses in HR and "Special and Business Etiquette for Executives". Jenny has worked for Fairchild Semiconductor, China Light & Power, Cathay Pacific Airways, W.R. Grace, Franki Contractors, Bilfinger + Berger Ag and Freyssinet . Her notable accomplishments include setting up and running various Human Resources Departments and systems for companies and subsidiaries in the Asia Pacific region.

My friends at Turkish restaurant in Hong Kong: Jenny Deli is in the middle

Q: What is the essence of HR?
A: In my personal opinion it is simple, it is just the basics i.e. about people. Human
resource management is the management of people. And it is universal. Understanding people and interaction are of paramount importance.

Q. Can you foresee some trends?
A: The trends of HR management depend largely on the country, the economy, the employment market and the employers of the particular place.

In Hong Kong, since the economy is picking up, businesses are expanding after a long period of slow down the HR trend will be the selection of talents, retention of quality staff and skills improvement.

In mainland China, in the big cities: there is a shortage of skilled labour and skilled employees so retention and training of staff will be the trend

In Asia, the challenge of HR practitioners is the “loyalty” of employees. This loyalty concept has been abolished by the numerous layoffs and restructuring of companies after the Asian financial crises. Employees did not have job securities any more so they did not need or want to be “loyal” to one employer. Employees have witnessed those loyal but “expensive” employees were the ones on top of the list for layoffs in past years. Now the employees will leave the companies for just a few dollars more. In the 70s and 80s Japan and Hong Kong employees used to be on top of every employees attitude surveys regarding loyalty. Last year in one of the surveys done in about 12 countries in Asia and some newly emerging markets including Brazil and Mexico, Japan was on the bottom of the list and Hong Kong ranked the bottom 4th

Q: What is the stage of Labor Laws in Asia?
A: I cannot answer this one for the whole of Asia. In Hong Kong, the labor laws are still far from the ILO standard. The recent suggestion for setting of the minimum wages has been turned down in the Legislative Council. The pro labor parties were very disappointed. They have advocated this for over 10 years.

Q: What was your toughest negotiation and why?
The toughest negotiation with the construction workers union which I have encountered was the one held a few years ago when the Company had just changed ownership. It was about the workers’ annual wage increase percentage. We could not reach an agreement and the Company chose to freeze the wage increase for the coming year.

Previously, except one time in 20 years the management and the workers union could always reach an agreement though in some years it might take numerous meetings and bargaining before an agreement could be reached.

The reason for the failure was due to the different management and negotiation style adopted by the new European employer, which was new and incomprehensible to the workers representatives. The previous informal style of meetings was changed to a structured business/negotiation meeting style, which is very common in the western culture. The workers representatives were all Chinese and were used to the informal meetings (somewhat like family gatherings) could not and would not understand the proceedings and the resolutions passed in meetings. It was stated clearly in the last scheduled meeting that the Company would offer the final percentage of increase. The workers refused to accept the Company proposal and were hoping for another rounds of talks, which never happened.

I found this negotiation the toughest one because both sides did not understand each others’ styles and the rules of the game. Both sides just worked on one-sided agenda and there was no communication at all.

.
Q: What are the issues in Hong Kong concerning multicultural surrounding and how to improve interpersonal relations at workplace in international community?

The Government is proposing to pass a law on anti racism at workplace and educational institutes. In fact, Hong Kong is not that multicultural because Hong Kong Chinese is the majority of the population i.e. 97%. The other nationalities are just minority.

It is always the concern of the foreign companies or multinational companies/institutions in Hong Kong that the level of working English standard is not too good. Also, there are different styles in management; some times they are conflicting and this affect communication and effectiveness. For example, the western managers often expect that their employees can stand up and express their views publicly and do presentation in public. For managers who are not aware of the cultural aspect will be frustrated when the local employees find it difficult or do not want to do these. They will find the local employees not corporative or even to the extent of being incompetence. Therefore, cross-cultural management is rather important in the multi cultural communities. The cross-cultural misunderstandings also prevail in families, which employed foreign domestic helpers.

I would suggest improving cross-cultural awareness and communication between employers and employees in any international community. Interpersonal relationship cannot be built or improved upon cultural misunderstanding.

Q: What do you pay attention when choosing employees in general terms?
A: I would pay attention to the candidates’ personality, way of thinking and potentials. Also, I will pay attention to whether he/she can fit into the organization culture.

Q: What was the most exciting task you have come across?
A: I have found all the HR tasks challenging and exciting. The most exciting and rewarding tasks for me were the ones, which I could see the employees and supervisors of different cultures worked alongside each others with team spirit and understanding as if there was no boundary in their cultural differences..

Rebecca MacKinnon interview from Link: Serbian magazine for media professionals

2006-11-12T01:37:00.000-08:00

Ljubisa Bojic: Why did you turn blogging from a successful news career?

Rebecca MacKinnon: I worked for CNN, based in China and Japan, for nearly 12 years total. For the second half of that time I was CNN's Beijing bureau chief and correspondent, then CNN's Tokyo bureau chief and correspondent. It was indeed a dream job that many people aspire to, and I was incredibly fortunate to have this opportunity early in life, becoming CNN's Beijing bureau chief at age 28. I had tremendous opportunities - I went to North Korea five times, traveled around the region, interviewed heads of state, and spent six weeks on the Pakistan-Afghan border soon after 9-11. Then in 2004, I went on leave from my job in Tokyo to do a one-semester fellowship as a visiting journalist at the Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics, and Public Policy at Harvard's Kennedy School of Government. The focus of my research was to examine the impact of blogs and online citizen media on international news.

I was supposed to return to my CNN job in June of that year, but I decided that it was a good time to make a career change and leave CNN. While CNN had been a good job, I had become increasingly frustrated with the direction the company was taking. I felt that there was an increased emphasis on "infotainment" and less interest in in-depth journalism, except for war zones where U.S. troops are involved. My bosses were telling me that my "expertise" was "getting in the way" of doing the kind of stories they needed, and asked me to cover my region "more like a tourist." One of the reasons I had wanted to be a foreign correspondent was so that I could help bridge gaps of understanding between people in different countries. I did not want to play a role in further reinforcing stereotypes. I saw tremendous potential with internet-based citizens media to help people around the world speak up for themselves in their own voice, rather than having to wait for a journalist to quote them. Fortunately, after I decided not to return to CNN, I was offered a research fellow position at Harvard Law School's Berkman Center for Internet & Society. There I began collaborating with my colleague Ethan Zuckerman on projects related to international blogging, which eventually led to a meeting of global bloggers at Harvard in late 2004, then Global Voices was launched in 2005.

Ljubisa Bojic: Can GV online beat the global TV infotainment and how?

Rebecca MacKinnon: I don't think "beat" is the right way to describe the aims of Global Voices. We are not setting out to compete with mainstream media organizations, actually. We are trying to provide an alternative. Then people around the world can decide what they prefer to pay attention to. It's not about which media is right and which media is wrong. The problem is that until now, too few large multinational media organizations, based in a handful of Western countries, have had far too much power and influence over the global news environment. Nobody deserves to have so much concentrated power. But we are not trying to drive anybody out of business either. There should be as many different options as possible for the public to choose from. There needs to be ways for the public to talk back to the media as well - blogs, podcasts, videoblogs and other forms of citizen media provide a way to present your own perspectives on your country to the rest of the world. Global Voices wants to help amplify those perspectives. We are also trying to directly influence international news organizations like the BBC and CNN, rather than "beat" them. We welcome them to use our material, to get story ideas from the blogs we are aggregating, and to discover more diverse perspectives from citizens of the countries they cover. When this happens, we believe we have succeeded in amplifying the perspectives of people that the media might not otherwise have known about. We know that BBC has already begun to use Global Voices as a reporting resource, and many bloggers who GV links to have been interviewed by the BBC. We know that some CNN correspondents and shows use GV as a resource also. This, we believe, is a measure of success in our goal of diversifying the global media ecosystem. We are not interesting in "beating," "dominating," or "conquering."

Ljubisa Bojic: What kind of impact the Global Voices Deli summit is expected to make? What are the goal?

Rebecca MacKinnon: The GV Delhi Summit is our annual meeting. We are a virtual organization: we have no office. We have no physical headquarters located anywhere. Our editors and contributors live all over the world. All our editorial work is conducted online via e-mail and live online chat (we rarely even use the phone!). One major goal of the Delhi meeting is simply to give our authors and editors an opportunity to meet one another. A second goal is to take stock of what we have accomplished so far and brainstorm about our future direction in a way that is not so easy to do when people are scattered across the globe in so many time zones. We will center this brainstorming around three main questions:

- How can we use the Internet to build a more democratic, participatory global discourse about what is happening on our planet and how human beings in different parts of the world are impacting each other in countless ways we don't realize every day?

- How do we bring more unheard, ignored, or disadvantaged voices into the global online conversation?

- How do we help people speak and be heard - even when powerful people try to stop them from doing so?

A third goal is simply to celebrate the accomplishments of GV's fabulous authors and editors over the past year. One year ago, GV was just getting started. Today it is already a globally influential citizens media organization. It's a chance to thank and honor our community, and publicize their impressive accomplishments.

Ljubisa Bojic: Some enthusiasts are planning the Balkans blogger's conference. Is there any assistance they can acquire from GV?

Rebecca MacKinnon: That's a great idea! GV is scrambling to raise funds to maintain our own core operations so I'm not sure we could help with financial assistance, but I'm sure that some of our members would be happy to help out with advice and ideas. We would also be happy to make introductions to some potential funders.

Ljubisa Bojic: Can they expect you joining them as a special guest speaker?

Rebecca MacKinnon: In theory, I would be thrilled to go. In practice it will of course depend on the schedule. As you probably know, I am moving to Hong Kong in January to begin teaching new media at Hong Kong University's Journalism & Media Studies Centre. My teaching schedule will keep me tied to Hong Kong until the semester ends in May.

Veronica Khokhlova on her editorial work at Global Voices

2006-11-08T12:56:00.000-08:00

This is a part of an article about Global Voices. It will be published with Link, Serbia's journal for media professionals. GV's regional editor for East and Central Europe answered my questions:

1. I'd say writing is "my favorite way of expression." As for blogging, it's nice to have some time away from editors asking to explain such seemingly obvious things as, say, Dostoevsky or Chernobyl. When I read other people's blogs, I love the immediacy of some of their writing, how raw it may still feel, and how other, unexpected, angles are often exposed.

2. Yes, it's like journalism, only instead of actually interviewing people, I translate them. And it also feels good to be taking myself on a daily tour of our region's blogosphere AND at the same time serve as a guide to someone else.

3. Ukraine is doing much better than Russia. But the huge problem is that the media can write about almost anything and as critically as they feel like - but it doesn't change anything one bit, it doesn't inspire politicians and other authorities to react and introduce some changes.

Balkans Blog Roundup

2006-09-21T15:21:00.000-07:00

On September 11, Viktor of Belgrade Blog writes:

[Serbia] just won the water polo European championship, and here’s a short video with the atmosphere from the streets of Belgrade (Kolarceva street, more precisely). It’s like this, after all major successes in sports, but this is the first time we did it under the name of Serbia, so cheers for that...

This sport event overshadowed Montenegro elections, which received minimal media coverage in Serbia. Montenegrin Prime Minister’s Milo Djukanovic party received the majority of votes in the first parliamentary elections after the official declaration of independence of this new state...

Some questions raised by the Croatian Index.hr forum dwellers (HRV) deserve attention as negative aspects of joining the European Union get constantly neglected by the mainstream media...

At Modrica, a discussion board frequented by fellows from Bosnia and Herzegovina (in further text B&H), a question has been raised about the country’s future (BIH)...

Read more at GV.

Serbia: Guca and Exit Music Festivals

2006-09-16T03:14:00.000-07:00

Traditional Guca Trumpet Festival is held anually in Guca, a town hours south of Belgrade, near the city of Cacak, from Aug. 30 to Sept. 3. The event remains the main topic of the country’s bloggers these days. Their talk ranges from pure drivel about how it feels to have a piece of history turned into a mainstream event, to harmless remarks made by happy visitors who experienced the actual event in Guca, to criticism of the Serbian Prime Minister using this celebration for his premature political campaign, to a serious debate which depicts what some call a “Serbian sociological phenomenon.” What should be simple blogger chats turn vigorous and scathingly rich as online residents compare two national music festivals (traditional and localized Guca to modern and west-oriented Exit). By reading Serbian blog writers wrangle about what appear to be, at first glance, innocent issues, one could easily conclude how deeply the nation is divided. They show how troubled Serbian society is at the moment, healing after decades of madness throughout the region.

read more at GV.

my first information victory

2006-09-14T02:22:00.001-07:00

I remember what I perceive my first information victory. It dates to my elementary school time. Due to economic difficulties during sanctions and inflation period our teachers decided not to arrange us what we call small graduation party. That was when I decided to print dozen of well designed flyers (by simple word software) containing ultimate strike warning to our educators and principle. I handed out those to my rebellion schoolmates to post them around schoolyard. The next thing I saw was my biology teacher looking at the writing as if she has seen a ghost and tearing them up. It was challenge for her to spot all the pamphlets so she called other colleges for help. Head teacher and principal had nowhere to go except to grant us with a celebration party.

previously recorded

2006-09-05T15:06:00.000-07:00

Serbia: Ahtisaari and the Future of Kosovo & Metohia

2006-09-05T08:44:00.001-07:00

This hot "Ahtisaari statement" topic is what my next Global Voices article is about. Here is one part of the text:

Serbian forum dwellers are confused and terrified by the statements made by the UN representative Martti Ahtisaari, who is authorized to tackle international negotiations to determine the final status of Kosovo and Metohia (K&M in further text). During the set of negotiations held in Vienna on August 8, Ahtisaari announced that Serbs would have to pay for Milosevic’s politics implemented in the province of K&M during his rule. At SerbianCafe.com forum (SRP), Magare refers to a previous set of negotiations that put an end to NATO’s bombing of Serbia in 1999. Ahtisaari’s mediation then led to an agreement signed in the Macedonian border town of Kumanovo, which resulted in Serbian forces withdrawing from K&M and hundreds of thousands of Serbian refugees fleeing the territory. It came as a surprise to see such a biased diplomat involved again:

Is Martti Ahtisaari the same person who showed Milosevic a table panel and told him - if you don’t sign the Kumanovo agreement, Belgrade will be flat as this table?! […] It’s like this: say, I am negotiating with someone intending to rob my house. Since I am outnumbered, as I live with my wife and granddaughter only and there are at least thirty criminals waiting outside by my door, it comes down to calling the balancing person Martti Ahtisaari to level things out, as he should be fair and square. […]

to see whole article clik: Serbia: Ahtisaari and the Future of Kosovo & Metohia

First story from Serbia on GV

2006-08-31T07:00:00.000-07:00

I'm thrilled. GV is what freedom of written word really is and that's why its going to turn even bigger! Getting some real issues on when conventional media aren't responding!

My first story was published yesterday. You may click here to view it .

My author profile with GV can be seen here.

Serbia: Unemployment and Low Salaries

While Serbian citizens are preoccupied with bare survival, the country’s media and politicians focus on the need to extradite individuals wanted by the Hague tribunal. A few days ago, Serbian Prime Minister Vojislav Kostunica announced he would not put up with people like Mladic, who is accused of committing atrocities in Bosnia and Herzegovina during the civil war in the nineties. Kostunica said: “Nobody will be above Serbian interests, even if his name is Ratko Mladic.”

It gets even worse as light entertainment is widely offered throughout the mass media. Brainless questions aimed at “intriguing” the minds of society members are offered, for example, by a Serbian daily newspaper Blic: the paper is choosing a fantasy Women Government by letting readers vote via their mobile phones. Blic writes that 29,583 individuals have taken part in the vote. They interviewed each lucky lady winner of the 21 elected to lead various government ministries. Bombarded by trivial issues, Serbs are forced to watch politicians acting as entertainment stars in prime time TV shows, talking about serious topics and answering diary-type questions.

to see the rest of the story click Serbia: Unemployment and Low Salaries

Richard Quest

2006-08-27T00:48:00.000-07:00

I cannot believe what just happened. A cat got stacked in my father's car engine. He felt odd smell while driving. Suddenly vehicle stopped. People gathered around him. They found a huge dead cat in engine department. I assume it got into the car from below during the night at the parking lot. So its Sunday now and there is no way for us to get to the auto mechanic. Why did she have to choose our car for cat-suicide? I am sure she has eight lives left. Dacia Logan(the car) is not so tough though.

I watched Richard Quest's show yesterday on CNN international. The show was about family and how important it is for every human being. Quest went exploring his ancestor routes but he also faced some embarrassing stories during chitchat of his family gathering. One of them was about young Richard going around with microphone interviewing about everyone around. It reminded me about my childhood when my brothers and I made fantasy shows filming just for fun.

Anyway during the show Quest interviewed Veronica Gotti's husband. He said something that motivated me: there is no could’ a, there is no should’ a, there is only gotta! Every day when you get up do it 100% or you are dead!

Citizen journalists

2006-08-26T01:18:00.000-07:00

OK, here is one part of the interview I made with professor Yuen-Ying Chan with some of her interesting perspectives.

Q: You returned from the States to found Journalism and Media Studies centre at HKU. What is your vision for this place?

We have very clear vision from the start of the center. We are very clear that we have to promote journalism standards in Hong Kong, China and the region. We also want to promote Asian voices in international media and we think that is very important. Because the issue is who is telling our stories, stories of China, Hong Kong and Asia. We need to train our generation of journalists to tell those stories to the world. So since the creation of the centre we are very clear that this is professional program. We are training students for the real world. We are preparing them to work in local but also international media. We teach fact-based journalism, we teach very hands-on. Our faculty are all very experienced journalists who came to this program with experience of twenty or thirty years in the industry. They were able to impart not only skill but also passion in orientation of our students.

Q: How do you see future of mass media?:

We are in trend more international media expanding their power and their reach. But on the other hand I think it is encouraging because more people now are doing journalism. Now anyone can become a journalist. They open up channels and alternatives for other voices. But it also means that we have to promote professional standards and even better training for what we call now citizen journalists. Everyone can become a journalist and that’s empowering! For that we have reasons to be very optimistic despite the multinationals. Now you have a chance to talk back.

Q: Will we have alternative TV programs broadcast on internet as well?

I think that’s entirely possible because now you can pose videos, news on the internet, accessible worldwide. Traditional and mainstream media pay more attention to alternative media. Smart international are seeking help from citizen journalists. If you are on location when news happens you can capture the story and you can feed it to internationals. And it has happened like in the London bombing or like in various breaking news events. You have the tools. But we have to prepare ourselves. We have to be better in our skills, in our delivery. We also have to be very mindful of ethical standards. I think the same standards like in [traditional journalism]] apply to alternative media. It is about going for the truth, balance and telling an interesting story.

State meditation

2006-08-24T14:37:00.000-07:00

Serbian people need pressure more than Hong Kong people need relaxation.

Pressure free life is not good for any one's mind. I would like to see our nation at work. I would love to see my fellow countryman passionate and worried about their job results. But first let provide them with opportunity to get decent jobs. By creating something for ourselves we can get whole nation going forward at full speed. Politicians with their actions and results killed spirit of Serbs. We need to change our state from inside in order to get a result. We need to change our way of thinking and perceiving things. This country is getting sold at low price and there is no way to turn it back. On the other side China is opening up at slow paste making it transition process less painful

On the other hand I would love to see Hong Kong people not being intimidated by secondary school exams because their children future would depend on result slip. Few hours in some stupid gym turned classroom will judge their knowledge. No way. It goes beyond. After getting home from work Hongkonger has less space to relax and enjoy outdoors. Residential and commercial developments built very quickly. Not so many place to visit in a attempt to walk around the countryside in a quest for a cleaner air and determination to look some greens instead of mountains of boxes (where people) live stacked on each other. So Hongkongers tell your bosses: We want little bereaving space, and we want it now!

Corruption

2006-08-24T08:27:00.000-07:00

Here I am on a plane headed to Belgrade. Behind me one Serbian man and a Armenian lady start conversation. What a better topic to kick off chat than with corruption issues. Man tells her what he encountered when he was awaiting flight in Moscow. Apparently lady at the counter asked him for bribe when he needed a wheelchair to use it around the airport as he was recovering from a medical operation at the time. On the other side Chinese looking lady tells him about police asking her for bribe in her homeland. They go on and on about corruption. What a beautiful way to connect people. I think they were slowly getting in love while we were getting closer to Belgrade.

Back in Serbia I continued with in-hurry lifestyle not giving myself enough time to take a rest. Gosh I have to plan that weekend mountain getaway.

Laguna Verde

2006-08-21T20:32:00.000-07:00

Yesterday I was walking along the sea in Hung Hom's Laguna Verde. It seemed as if nothing has changed. People are still taking those relaxing walks, sightseeing in the same way, but in different surroundings all over again. I love the smell of the water over there. I adore seeing the same people fishing at the bank. I've never spoken to them but I always perceived them as friends. I wonder if they eat their catch or fish just for fun because waters of Hong Kong harbour are not really pure. I used to walk to the traditional Chinese parks with beautiful pagodas, watch people do their Tai Chi, then enter Fisherman's Wharf shopping mall just to feel quick breeze of civilization, get out at the other side towards European style gardens surrounded by thirty story residential buildings, and then back to the walkway passing by coastal guard headquarters, the basketball court and public swimming pools, to have a short stop near a hidden fish-shaped fountain, take a deep breath and have a look too see what's the most popular buffet dish a few meters away at Harbour Plaza hotel's restaurant. Usually, at that point some old dark, scary cargo boat comes out from nowhere and I watch it pass by. It looks so mysterious. In just a few minutes I get inspired again ready to get back to whatever it was that I am doing. But it would not simply just going home. That's why I continue along the hotel's walkway, which is my favorite kiting place. I don't know why that is though as my kite regularly lands on the third floor terrace. Anyway, when I pass by Harbour Plaza's outdoor bar, where we used to have drinks in the evening, I bump into the Pacific Coffee Company. PCC's comfortable sofas, nicely selected magazines, books and free internet just beat Starbucks. The staff here are really welcoming. I remember one guy looking like Jacky Chan four years ago at that Whampoa Garden PCC. He still works there. I didn't have time to check if the same old lady still works at Hung Hom ferry pier. She used to rush me if I was late by shouting some words in Chinese. Probably something to the effect of “The ferry is leaving, hurry up!”

That is right. I am packing up today because my plane is leaving tomorrow! Gotta hurry up!

Jenny Deli

2006-08-20T07:17:00.000-07:00

Had a few attempts at trying to approach my laptop in order to write this entry. I figured out it that it is not good idea doing that with "Cup Noodles" in my hands... But I am so impatient to write a story which a good friend of mine narrated to us (her guests) in a beautiful summer house near Discovery Bay.

It is common for HK people to hire maids. Thirty years ago when Jenny married Peter Deli, they decided to have someone take care of their house. Back then, Chinese women were housekeepers (they still are, mostly Mainland Chinese, but it’s not as common!), not Filipinas, Indonesians, Thais and other Southeast Asians. That’s how young Mrs. Cheng came to the Deli household. She expected to be working for a Chinese family, but upon seeing Peter or ”gwai lo” (a derogatory expression used to refer to white people, which literally means “white ghost”) was a quite a shock for her. Influenced by American movies, she thought all white people were sexually obsessed, which is why she was initially afraid to take the job. Finally brave enough, Mrs. Cheng accepted the offer and ended up becoming part of the family and changing her opinion about gwai los so much that she actually requested to serve a white family when the Delis had to leave Hong Kong!

Anyway Mrs. Cheng is still helping Jenny at that village house. She treated us with marvelous lychee tea when we arrived at her house surrounded by many trees and greenery. She sings Chinese opera very well and I am sure all the guests at the Deli household are thankful to her for playing them some of her performances on a tape recorder!

Veronica Khokhlova

2006-08-19T18:56:00.000-07:00

I will write for Global Voices and I am really excited about that. Veronica Khokhlova is the regional editor for Global Voices for Central and Eastern Europe (based in Ukraine now) and she will set up my account starting on Monday. I hope to submit my first article by the end of next week after my return from Hong Kong. My main aim is to contribute to the understanding of Serbia and the rest of the world. This sort of mission is one that I am ready to undertake. I will have a chance to publish stories in my style about what core life in Serbia and Balkans is really about.Today I will be headed to Lantau Island's Mui Wo beach and village to visit my friend Jenny Deli with Alison (a Chinese girl I met in Cattle Depot Artists’ Village) and hopefully Marija (a Serbian girl born in Canada). I plan to have a relaxed day without so much filming and photographing for my documentary and art exhibition. We’re planning on taking off at 1:45PM from Central's ferry pier no.6 so I don’t have so much time.

Yuen Ying Chan

2006-08-19T06:47:00.000-07:00

Meeting professor Yuen Ying Chan who is the head of The University of Hong Kong’s HKU Journalism and Media Center was a delight. She introduced me to her work and mission to bring the best of what the world has to offer to HK in order to train the new generation of Chinese journalists to be able to give insightful stories from China, thus improving understanding between east and west, north and south.This is my first entry in which I am not writing about events which have occurred today. It’s sort of a test to begin writing about a person who made a great impression on me these last few days. It is getting pretty late and I have to go. Hope to blog more soon...

Ljubisa Bojic

Zaštiti dete od oca narkomana!

My links 11/02/2008

My links 09/25/2008

My links 09/21/2008

Global Voices, generative media structures.. and the end of nationalism?

My links 09/04/2008

My links 07/30/2008

My links 07/24/2008

J Stands for Jordan

April 1, 2008

New Uses (to me) of Technology in Kenya

My links 07/18/2008

Walking route around Kragujevac city

My links 07/15/2008

My links 07/12/2008

Welcome to the Digital Writing wiki

My links 07/10/2008

Kill the Killer Phrases

July 9th, 2008 · No Comments

Mapping Iran’s Online Public: Politics and Culture in the Persian Blogosphere

Published April 05, 2008

Global Voices and collective decisionmaking

My links 07/09/2008

Global Voices speak to the opportunities and risks of online speech

Monday, July 7, 2008at8:52 AM

My links 07/06/2008

GV Sumit 08 Impressions

Rising Voices Trailer

My links 07/04/2008

My links 07/05/2008

Th Director

Bibliographic details for "Akira Kurosawa"

Waikiki is great place

My links 05/08/2008

Lecture on Web Journalism

Some students of Serbian Web Journalism School on Skype with David

My links 04/27/2008

The Serbian Orthodox Church to her spiritual children at Pascha, 2008

My links 04/26/2008

Alek Kezele: Most reliable sketchbook for next century

My links 04/15/2008

A 10-Step Copywriting Tutorial

Strategy Stew

A place where business and marketing enthusiasts come for new ideas on trends, branding strategy, differentiation, positioning, links to experts and all things related to getting your ideal customer to CHOOSE YOU.

My links 04/09/2008

Advertising is power

Pictures of nature

NATURE

blogging

My links 04/05/2008

Six Tips To Shoot Good Video Clips

SHORT AND STILL AND SIMPLE

1. Keep it Short! Less than 1 minute, faster to upload on a slow connection. Less camera movement will create a video that compresses into a smaller file. Simple shots versus detailed shots compress better too.

STORY

2. Pick something to shoot that words can't describe. Video will illustrate your blog post.

QUIET PLACE

3. If person is talking, get to close to person because microphone is in camera. Find a quiet place.

CLOSE

4. Close ups are better than long shots with small camera. Do not use the zoom it makes the video blurry - see my video above, for example.

FRAME

5. Frame your subject. Rule of thirds

LIGHT

6. Avoid shooting into sun or backlighting or your subject will be too dark. Shoot in natural light, not inside if possible

From Boing Boing blog: Tunisian vloggers pwn us at the art of political remixes

My links 03/27/2008

Innovate or Die - Aquaduct: Mobile Filtration Vehicle

My links 03/20/2008

My links 03/17/2008

My links 03/16/2008

ENDANGERED HUMAN RIGHTS OF BOGOLJUB KARIC

My links 03/15/2008

My links 03/12/2008

My links 03/11/2008

Serbian media: GV's Rising Voices supporting first Web journalism school in the country

My links 03/05/2008

My links 02/26/2008

Announcing: enrollment period, Serbian Web Journalism School

My links 02/23/2008

Kosovo is Serbia

Monday, July 7, 2008
at
8:52 AM