FOUR INTERESTING VIRTUAL FARMERS

This is supposed to develop into something like a review of characters cum proposal for a different game or companionship with some ideas acceptable for people with creativity and similar hobbies.
At this moment all I want is use the great pictorial facility of Blogspot.
The actual text about the authors of these farms, what do I see in Farmville and how do I judge the people who play it - will be here in the days that come.
Thus, if interested, return. Will be fun.

I am talking about
Vesna Lompar
Tim Carey
Lav MGM and
Goran Bojkovski
actually how did they inspire this project of a post.
Take this only as a trailer.

The top ranked of the farms among my 200+ friends is the one in constant transformation and upgrade by its mistress my old time friend Vesna Lompar, a graduate in italian language and literatura (used to recite Dante by heart) and latter journalist with Radio Belgrade. She has been all over the world, I met her in Amsterdam ages ago where she lived and worked with her late husband whatever seemed attractive and we were often partners in travels (Austria, Florida, Jordan, Cyprus) until she decided to return her Dutch passport and settle in elegant comfort in the heart of Belgrade.

Have a look how does Vesna imagine her farm.



Vesna has a large collection of very highly ranked Serbian painters, loves to travel and spoke to me the other day how she succeeded bringing a salaried "housmaister" in the building thus transforming the derelict pile of flats into a clean, very safe (cameras, domophones and so forth) structure.


On the other hand Tim Carey is Englishman. Somebody told me: "Of course, it shows". There is this class-division visible, the high ground for the master and the low lands for the working peasantry! This is not true because I know the guy and he is a hard working European, I think, marketing manager of British American Tobacco company in Amstelveen. We do enjoy Remy Martin and he simply happens to have a spare uncorked bottle now and again, thus demonstrating style and funds, but he is a homey person. His farm has nothing to do with the structures of Lav and Goran.
There I want to make a point.


What Tim would not disclose is how he succeeded elevating the ground and trnfrt quite a persuasive 3-D feel to a virtually 2-D environment. Anyway, here is his comment placed elsewhere about this post:

Interesting idea... Was thinking last night on why the farm looks like it does...
You will have to excuse the crops that appeared (the intention was to have a farm with no crops (ie purely a county retreat)... I needed to generate extra funds to theme for Christmas which messed things up a bit... the hovel over to the right was storing my decorations.
My mathemtical mind was interested in the way you could make 3d effects with 2 dimensional building objects... hence the raised area (which due to the graphics had to be in the top corner).
I then wanted to balance this rigid structure with random trees planted throughout (with the side benefit of hiding those areas of the 3d structure that aren't possible to create using the tools available).
Where the class / English element definitly kicked in was the house... When I first picked this frustrating application I (and a number of friends) set ourselves the goal of getting the mansion... Within Farmville there is no real end to the game and the mansion seemed like a reasonable chequered flag.
With all this in mind - I wonder if it changes perception of the character as demonstrated by the farm? I set myself a clear goal, wanted a clear (and innovative) structure but still wanted an artistic feel to the final design.
Would be intersted to see where this blog goes.... The idea of using characterisation within games sounds interesting...
And finally... ;-) Great Blog !!!

(I am blushing all over)

Now, thew farm of Lav MGM is something different. It has a villa, it has a hell of a lot of items, it is same size, but, well, there is this atmosphere of a Balkan well-off, nouveau riche owner managing it. See how many domestic animals are all over the place and just compare it with Tim's farm where there is not a single hen or pig or even horse.

They may be neighbors all right but they come from two obviously different backgrounds and different cultures. The may both be quite amiable people but their differences will not help them striking lasting friendship: they think and behave differently.

I thought of proposing to those wizards of the Farmville to allow areal views of quadruple farms, actually five would be ideal, that one owner could have a view of the properties of his or hers immediate four neighbors.

But then, they, those software wizards and the money managers behind them, could also enlarge the game towards building the environment consciousness. Like compost production, like wind energy (imagine the lamps are lighted at night time, if it is not too expensive) and the farms stay dark (relatively) during the night (of the central server) but not so if you have your own windmill electric plant.

Sorry, I am being carried away...

Finally, the farm of Goran Bojkovski. My pre-predecessor as a boss of the YNTO (Yugoslav National Tourist Office) for the Netherlands was Petar Bojkovski, a good friend, passed some years ago out of consternation I would say. Goran here would not respond whether he is anyhow relted to that Bojkovski, an ethnic Slovak from Banja Luka who soke some Macedonian because he served his military obligation in Skopje. Anyway.

In a moment I will come back to add some comment over Goran's farm.
PS
PLEASE NOTICE THAT THE PICTURE ENLARGES WHEN YOU CLICK ON IT

The Macedonian desert

While cleaning the heaps of rubbish among my mountains of old clippings I have stumbled upon two items I have treasured ten years ago. Those are the first and the second in series of issued by the US Postal Service and represent the wildlife, plants and animals, of the Sonoran desert and the Pacific coast rain forest.

The prints are a small technological wizardry. Each of those is 23x17 cm and contains 10 stamps at 33 US cents each. One needs to be careful when unplucking each stamp from the adhesive surface to place it on an envelope. So the letter will go with only a sticker of unrecognizable form, totally different from the appearance of a postal stamp. There is nothing on it but
USA
33
which, I think, was a result of a compromise not to ruin the general composition of that print of 10 post stamps. (The white frame out there is placed by myself, to indicate how this surface is divided.) I doubt that people would be willing to ruin such a souvenir (it cost a fraction of $3,30) simply to stic 33 cents postage on a postcard. Thus, this is ready cash, it is like the US Postal Service printing money.

On the back side of the print there is a message and a detailed explanation of the items on the front. One can learn. A very effective way of educating and of helping the people grasp the diversity of America and, eventually, like their country better and wish to travel to those places.

WHAT DOES IT HAVE TO DO WITH THE MACEDONIA?

Well, nothing and everything. The Macedonian postal service (Македонски Пошти) is practically a state owned firm. Their directors roam the world. But they have not ever risen to the level of understanding how much they could do, in the segment of philately, for example, for its country, its people and themselves.

They simply remain hopelessly provincial and do nothing to rid the Macedonian philately from the trash of corrupt practices suffocating it.

THE EXOTIC CUISINES OF THE WORLD

The recipes from the ancient imperial court of Macedonia:

the delicacies of the table of Alexander the Great

Even in hindsight and from a safe emotional distance "The Exotic Cuisines of the World" has been one of the finest,very well prepared and decently supported projects that I have brought to the market. Based on food and drink. the everyday staples of the humankind winged by the enormous political drive and resolution of former Yugoslavia to "export or die" the project had everything needed not only to attract the investor and the consumer alike but to impress them with its transparent, tightly woven legal, creative and commercial structure.

In short, it was bound to be a huge success.

The basis of the project was the export of Macedonan wines to the United States.

At that time Henry Kissinger and Lawrence Eagleburger were pushing very hard every imaginable Yugoslav product to the American market. I know that among the other reasons for their involvement even in day-to-day corporate businesses was a view that without significant exports Yugoslavia could not pay for the military procurement from the United States. Keeping the Yugoslav war machine as dependent on US deliveries as possible was one of the reasons they have embarked the ill-conceived and heavily promoted project of "Yu-go America". It was a flop, of course. But cars made in a Serbia (long ago abandoned "Yugo-Florida") for the American standard is one thing and wine for the taste of millions of expatriates quite another.

Thus, since the disastrous mistakes of the Eagleburger's strategy were already a hard factual lesson it was easy to fathom that there must be a different approach in selling Macedonian wine around California and Nappa Valey. Now the late Robert Mondavi had entertained me, as favour to the State Department, in his mansion and explained very many aspects of the wine industry, his ambitions, the tastes and the whims of the American wine consumer. He knew of the wines from that part of Europe but discarded them as "ethnic" product.

That specific remark was the core of the approach in the promotion of this project.

It had to be shaped in a most presentable form for the Americans of Slavic ancestry. Its content and packaging should make them proud to consume it, to extend it as a gift to their friends, associates, neighbors and relatives. Therefore, the package, a bundle, needed to relay not only on the wine but to the food it is to be consumed with and the mere idea of the promoted food recipes had to be as far removed from the ordinary staple as possible. It had to be associated not with the beans soup or feta cheese but with the food served on the court of Alexander the Great, for example,

That sounded exotic and attractive enough.

The numbers were impressive. There are 2,3 million Americans of generally Balkan ancestry who give at least six million presents annually. A package of three bottles of wine (red, white and rose) with a video-cassette (it was 1987) full of step-by-step preparation recipes interspersed with emotional folklore and vistas topped with a game, three free nights in a resort on the majestic Adriatic.

A film star like Robert Redford would guide through the content of the video and Safeway would be distributing the package.

So, how does one wrap up such a complex project?

To start with most of the wineries in Macedonia used the cardboard gift-box of three 0,7 l. bottles of wine.

The next thing was the video content. I turned to film director Stole Popov, a friend, no relative, and persuaded him to come to the district court and sign a contract that he will produce six films featuring master-chefs from various countries, some folklore, vistas and so forth. The man is an Academy Award nominee in a documentary category and I have promoted his superb film "Happy New '49" as a Yugoslav entry for best foreign language film, an affair that made us friends.

With that contract in hand I went to another friend, now late Gavril Gavrilski, the CEO of Makpetrol or Exxon of Macedonia. He signed a document for Makpetrol to finance export of up to 10 million bottles of wine.

Then another businessman, Dancho Shuturkov, the COO of Makedonija Tabak, came in with a proposal that I accept cash from an investor and if within two months an American firm formalizes a contract about the Macedonian wines - then Makedonija Tabak will be willing to become a partner for the rest of the Exotic Cuisines of the World.

The cash from the investor was a paltry $ 1,500 or two months rent for a fine but unfurnished flat on Larabee Str in West Hollywood.

With that and double of my own money I dawned in Los Angeles with intention to settle there for some time. Only one of the few friends I had in the area and around the country knew about my arrival and he, Steve Pope, a guy desperately trying to make it in films, dully met me on the airport where a Hertz car for a long-term rental was awaiting.

Steve had picked a selection of derelict henhouses as accommodation befitting in his judgement an expatriate from the old country. the guy is rather colorful character with an Actors Guild membership card hand signed by Ronald Reagan. But he knew that he could never be an actor.
((Please click the map to enlarge))

Within a week I had rented under contract the garden-level apartment Nr. 209 at a very decent (garage with dedicated place, swimming pool, jacuzzi) address only a block downhill the tres chique section of Sunset Boulevard. The property there has a wide automatic, sliding iron door to the underground garage and airs a feel of a hacienda. The address on 950 North Larabee Str in West Hollywood, 90069 Ca. was not only respectable because of the neighborhood and all those fine tenants, mainly professionals and single, but because of the easy access to public transport and all the facilities, parks, hospitals, gig supermarkets and vfariety of bookstores, shops and restaurants.

The next day after moving in - I got a telephone 213-652.5597 with a wire extending right down to the pool. I cannot really remember whether there were no wireless machines or whether they were prohibitively expensive, which is illogical from our present feel of the market. The installation of the phone does not require any hassle because it is all done without people coming home and meddling with the line but it took me a day deciding what to phone, how long wire, a recording machine, that sort of stuff.

Since I had a credit card issued in Yugoslavia and cash and the phone number costed something nothing I decided that my own checkable telephone and address is more important for the bank, whichever I chose, than appearing with a request for an account as a stray dog, no checkable and documented fixed address and an open account phone number. So the big woman of Pacific Bell looked at the American Express credit card but opted for the cash.

By noon the next day i had 200 visit cards and decided to open an account with a branch of Bank of America where customers arriving by car could validate their tickets. A subtle message and a chance to drop a line like "Will you please validate this so that I can take this brand new Buick out". This does not seem much, but, then, it does not hurt anybody. I was left with impression that bankers like to know the basics of their clients and it helps to inquire whether they have correspondent banks in South-East Europe,that my funds will come via Stopanska Banka and while you appear to inquire you also supply information. Within an hour I have ordered personalized checks and deposited all my $4500 on it. Well, not exactly: I was left with some 2,500 DM and a handful of dinars which were left in cash.

My electricity and gas was supplied by contract with the Southern Ca. Edison Co. acc. nr. 55-42-616-1458-28 and then, with all these insignificant papers, diligent people issued me a Social Security # 563-95-7192 card (crucially important document for entering the labor market, a huge advantage over millions of people scrambling for work and residence papers. Nobody ever asked me for my coveted Californian ID.

So, within the first 10 days after my arrival, before doing anything else I was established as a perfectly legal alien residing in the USA. I am very proud of that achievement. Ten years before that not even the mighty Yugoslav federal government could influence the Greek smalltime bureaucrats to grant me a resident and working permit in Athens although I was officially elected and sent out there under UN ratified and obliging international agreements representing the Yugoslav National Tourist Office. What ambassadors and deputy foreign ministers could not do in six months with the Greeks I have singlehandedly done it in ten days in the City of Angels swarming with illegals from all corners of the planet.

The summer days in California begin at dawn with sweating the late nights out and go on for ever with almost every minute planned well in advance. My stomach churns when I see these "promoters" sent by the Macedonian government abroad and compare their exorbitantly costly (about $115,000 gross annually) incompetence and inefficiency with the simple daily output clocked by my poor self while in the US. Between six and seven in the afternoon I would have a 3-4 mile slow run along Cynthia, then Elevado, downhill Elm and then eastbound towards home by way of Carmelita till Oakhurst slowly up and dive in the pool. This strategy paid and within a week from every third or fourth porch a casual but good humored "hi there" would greet my appearance. Some of those faces Jackie SImons among others I soon begun meeting and exchanging pleasantries in the Safeway store.

In Hollywood one does not sell wine from Macedonia. One goes to Hollywood to buy film related services.

I have an Academy Award film director under contract to deliver me an almost edited 90 min. film within three months. I need 100,000 video cassettes of top quality. How long will it take you to deliver them, packed in sleeves and how much is the video cassete and how much the sleeve with wrapping? Here you are with my credentials and these are the people who know me in Hollywood..

So after a week, with all the documents safely in my pocket, I appear at Dan Tana's on Santa Monica Boulevard. The guy greets me, he does remember me very well from the time I threw a big lavish party (for the account of the Yugoslav Consul-general from San Frncisco) at his place. He asks what I am doing and I tell him I need two thing: one is a top-quality video-cassette producer for 100,000 copies of a special feature film and a link to Robert Redford's agent who I need for two appearances, 3 minutes introduction three minutes closing statement for a Yugoslav tourist-gastronomy item. We shall pay him with a Lipitzaner stud. Dan Tana begins asking because all this does not make much sense although he is sharp minded as a Wilkinson Sward. http://www.dantanasrestaurant.com/

-What is the film all about?

Then I see Richard Gere and with my best smile I say:

-Just to say "hi" to Richard,- and I go directly to poor Gere.

TO BE CONTINUED

.

Radovan Karadzic Defies the Tribunal

I TOLD MY MACEDONIAN-SPEAKING VISITORS THAT RADOVAN KARADZIC

WAS GOING TO DEFY THE COURT, THE TRIBUNAL IN THE HAGUE.

WAGER WAS OFFERED.

Ви реков вчера да отвориме кладилница (мислам обложувалница) дали Радована Караџиќ ќе го спакуваат вржан како буџола (ди парма) па во судница со крпа во муцката или не. Сега го канат, бичим го молат, да се појави утре на судење. Он им вика дека милион страници обвинение не може да ги прочита, бара одлагање.

Ај сеа на бас: Јас велам дека ќе му продолжат време эа реплика на обвинителниот акт. Еве ситна фанта, по 5 евра.

ЈОХАН И РАДОВАН
Караџиќ прави шоу а мене умот кај Јохан Тарчуловски. Србите го криеја 13 години. Нашите Јохана со кебе преку глава эа 13 минути гитла у Шевенинген. Радован обвинет эа едно трилион мртви удира контри, авукатите негови такуѓере а нашине лиэно-маэно а он ни да бекне. Брат Љубе оди по венчавки го эабраи. Све чекам Дуковски да спичка драма, Љубиша да ја режира у Атеље 212 со опасен рап на Стихи.

WHAT AN IDIOT "This trial (of Radovan Karadzic) is important for the victims who will finally see justice being done,"said Serge Brammert, chief prosecutor of the ICTY z. What an idiot. The indictment (by Carla del Ponte) claims that most of those victims (14,000 in Sarajevo + 5,000 in Srebrenica) are dead. THEY cannot see or hear anything. Mислам дека энам што САКАЛ дудуков да каже. Ама не оди. Тешка глуперда

ШЕШЕЉ ИЗЛЕГУВА

Светски доктори го гледале Војкана Шешељ и потпишале наод дека може да скине секој момент.
(Овај болесник, Шешељ) ima povisene vrednosti LDL holesterola ... i znacajan rizik za razvoj ateroskleroze i svih drugih kardiovaskularnih komplikacija.
Prediktivna verovatnoca razvoja ”nepovoljnih kardiovaskularnih dogadjaja” (смрт) ... je oko 30 %.
Uzimajuci u obzir vrednosti pritiska koje su se kretale i preko 175/105 mmHg. ovaj bolesnik (Шешељ) ima i do osam puta veci rizik za kardiovaskularnu smrt.


Ај сеа де. Паметен е. Ги надмудри.
Како ли ке го дочека Србија ...

THIS IS FROM 26/27 OCTOBER 2009 FROM MY FACEBOOK PAGE

Argentine Chicken in the Heart of Aksaray, Istanbul

On October 21 2009 еден дамнешен, роден скопјанец, баш ефенди, ми беше домаќин на Аксарај во Истанбул. Си направивме таатли, ептен домаќински муабет. З
Значи ефенди беј Halim Ozturk, е дојден овде таму 1958 и се покажа дека ем направил мала семејна империја ем си останал еснафлија какви сега ретко се среќаваат каде и да одиш. Седевме под големите чадори на ресторанот Arjantin Pilic (”Аргентинско пиле”) и со јени раки и една маса иэгара специјалитети, го меэевме Скопје и пријателите од едно дамна минато време...
Неэаборавно гостопримство ...

Ме поткани пред некој час едно девојче од Кавадарци да кренам фотки што деновиве ги правам ниэ Стамбол. Кај неа врнело како од кабел а овде сончевина како растопено элато. Ај добро. Ама дали легендите под фотките да ги стокмам эа локална или эа светска консумација. И, реков, ај эа глобална употреба. Франгле. И така. Не се гневите эаради ова. Мојот англиски и беэ тоа е эа смеење.
Veronika Kostadinova
многу убави слики
фала Деди

My Friend Bunyamin Atik, composer, industrialist & charmer

Се пакувам полека за нов лет кон Босфор и слушам некоја фина музика што ми ја препорача Bunyamin Atik, еден шармантен индустријалец, поет, композитор, бонвиван, а згора на тоа инвеститор во Македонија, ене го со Груевски потпишува договор. Летово ни направи една олта по Босфор со неговата јахта,...

Ќе заборавев за малку.
Here is one of the composed songs by our friend Benyamin Atik.
А и пее и свири покрај тоа што компонира и прави (големи) пари.
He also sings and plays instruments, sails, drives a huge Harley and runs around Istanbul as a youngster.

Е баш ова ни го своиреше, пратејки се сам на едно гитарле, тоа индустријалецот кој ни ја остави јахтата нам на кормиларење а самиот: музика и ритам.
Чудо човек, Трпе, чудо ...
You may like to hear this on a YouTube clip. Here is your link.

RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN HONORS DEDI

RECEP TAYYIP ERDOGAN, prime-minister of Turkey:
GROZDAN K. POPOV
(is a hell of) a
DISTINGUISHED SENIOR CITIZEN OF THE WORLD

THIS APPEARED ON MY FACEBOOK PAGE.

Ќе паднев у бесвес' кога ме проэваа да се испентарам на бината во сала со некои 1000 гости а таму ме чека премиерот на Турција Реџеп Тајуп Ердоган со една голема кутија и во неа толкаа плакета на која иэдлапчиле дека сум ”Бележит Сениорен Граѓанин на Светот” или со други эборови ”Старец эа мерак”.
Од кај нас такво приэнание доби и колегата ИЛХАМИ ЕМИН, ене го на другите фотки до мене.
Абе што да ви раскажувам, ептен екстра кобасица сум од сеа натаки ...

THE REACTIONS WERE NICE.
Predrag Terzioski
Kakov senior be Dedi, ne te davame pa ti si u cvetu mladosti.
Cestito za plaketata,ali sega za sega, zamrzni go clenstvoto.
Ismek,ismek arakdisim , rahat zaman yok.
Zvane Drnkovski
Ti lici
Boris Georgievski
skraja da e! ne te mislam jas za star, ova senior citizens sto go napisale Turcive, vsusnost znaci "iskusni" :)))
pozdrav od Keln
Aneta Sekulovska
Bravo, bravo, bravo....
Dedi. Cestitki od Sekulovski. Kolku ke bideme sega gordi i vazni sto go poznavame Graganinot na svetot
Sanja Radjenovic Jovanovic
bravo, a kako se najde u konkurencija tamo?
bas si srce, ko son koneri si sto stariji to lepsi. ama ima i eden vic ke ti go pratam na message da ne go citaat site.
pozdrav

this is a link to A BUNCH OF OTHER PICTURES OF HONOREES

A sketch for a skeleton of a CV

Grozdan Koco Popov are my given, father's and family names.

Born:

11.08.1939 in Kumanovo, Republic of Macedonia

Address:

Donau 42, 1186KM Amstelveen, The Netherlands

e-mail:

grozdanpopov@mac.com

telephone:

+31206403744

cell phone:

+31642485859

citizenship:

twofold, both Netherlandse passport and Macedonian passport

Marital status:

Married since 1963 to Mrs. Marija Cvetkova-Popova, lawyer;

Son Mr. Igor Popov, born 1963 and daughter Mrs. Irina Popova, born 1967

Languages:

Mother tong Macedonian; English written and spoken; French, Dutch and Greek, reading and communicating; Bulgarian and Serbo-Croat for fluent communication;

Bankers:

ABN-Amro, ING and Stopanska banka;

EDUCATION

1954

Graduated with a final exam the elementary and intermediary school "Goce Delcev" in Scopje

1958

Graduated with a final exam the higher education at the Gymnasium "Josip Broz Tito" in Skopje;

1960

After six semesters discontinued studies at the Faculty of Economy, University of Skopje

Enrolled as a part time student with the Faculty of Philosophy begun studies of English language and Literature

with History of Arts as minor subject;

1963

Received a British Council scholarship and attended three semesters of studies in phonetics and literature at the University College, London University;

Between November 1963 and April 1964 writes as a ±special correspondent± for the newly established "Vecer" daily in Skopje; attends the Shakespeare seminar, shows and festivities in Stratford-on-Avon;

1966-1967

Between September 1966 and and August 1967 completes the the obligatory military service with the JNA (Yugoslav People's Army) as a conscript in the auxiliary communications battalion of the Yugoslav Air Force in a rank of private radio-telegraphist regiment of major Bakic;
Completes the text of a guide-book on Greece commissioned and payed by NIP "Nova Makedonija" but due to the military coup in Athens the book is not published;

1969

Graduated from the University "Kiril & Metodij" in Skopje with a major in English language and literature and a minor in History of Arts;

1979

Enrolled post-graduate studies with the Institute of politicology of the University "Kiril & Metodij" embarking a course on Ideology and the media

PROFESSIONAL

1959

Launched the first independent, privately financed publication in Macedonia, a youth monthly magazine "Tribina" which after half a year was discontinued by the authorities

1960

Employed in "Nova Makedonija" daily as a city-desk reporter;

1963-64

Correspondent from London, Great Britain for the first evening daily newspaper "Vecer" November 1963 June 1964;

1964

City-desk editor of the daily "Vecer";

1965

Arts and culture editor of daily "Vecer";

1966

Deputy editor-in-chief of "Journal" the " first colour weekly magazine in Macedonia

Feature and comics editor of daily "Vecer"

1969

Upon request from OZEHA (the largest Yugoslav advertising agency) designed and executed (in unison with the Macedonian state radio) a campaign for their prime customer, chocolate and conditionery factory "Evropa" in Skopje. It was the first ever betting game tied to a consumption of a chocolate. One million dinars were offered every week and an avalanche of reactions killed the campaign but the chocolate, known as "medallion" (it was in a form of a golden coin) was launched.
The coupons promoted Istanbul Hilton hotel and other clients. The game implied influence on the editorial policy of "3 gongs" Rather complex for execution game but huge success.

From left, the commercial director of Evropa, Mr. J. Panchevski, the editor and anchor of "3 Gonga" Gjoko Georgiev, the presidfent of the workers' council of "Evropa", the director of OZEHA Kocho Dinev control the regularity of the first drawing of the One Million Dinars prize!

1970

Special rowing correspondent covering the devastating earthquake in Chimbote, Peru that took more than 45,000 lives;

Journalism does not only need a reporter capable of writing accurate and persuasive stories. This trip was made possible by the willingness of the then BOAC (British Overseas Airways Corporation, now BA, British Airways) to listen to arguments about the benefits of being promoted through a small-time provincial newspaper. Please see "The BOAC to Peru project"

Covered the UK general elections and the emergence of Edward Heath as prime-minister;

Also reported from New York, about Security Council sessions in the United Nations;

1971

Elected Secretary-general of the Union of Journalists of Macedonia (Zdruzenie na Novinarite na Makednija, ZNM)

contributing greatly in the establishment of the Inter-disciplinary studies of journalism at the "Kiril and Metodij" University in Skopje, developed a network of international connections of the ZNM,

Organized the first ever medical check-up of all journalists in Macedonia;

1972

With 24 distinguished editors from around the world was a VIP guest of the Federal Republic of Germany on the occasion of the XX Olympic games in Munich, met with Willy Brandt, wrote and published extensively about the social, economic and other aspects of the Olympic games for Germany;

Organized and lead the first Macedonian basketball team tour across Canada;

Appointed deputy editor-in-chief of "Vecer" daily newspaper;

Special foreign correspondent assignment in Egypt, Cad, Zaire and Guinea;

1973

VIP guest of the US Department of State and the US Information Agency on the distinguished European Economic Journalists' Tour meeting during a 4-week long cost-to-coast sojourn for in-depth interviews with various secretaries George Schultz, Kats, of the US Government departments, the Pentagon, Mayor Daley and Milton Friedman in Chicago, John Marriott Sr.;

Launched the first tourism-only weekly colour magazine "WEEKEND" published it as a supplement to daily "Vecer";

1974

Upon Communist Party orders. submitted to prolonged investigations for ideological deviation and relieved of the duty of deputy editor-in-chief of the daily newspaper "Vecer" as "liberal";

While everybody is dead-pan serious, I explain (to the strongman Dragoljub Stavrev, far right, mayor or Skopje, prime-minister, federal minister and president of the presidency of Macedonia among other positions) the editorial policy and why we have transformed the "party directive" into a highly readable copy: printed on treble thew usual number of pages "Vecer" sold out in two hours. My friend and editor Milco Kocev, next to Stavrev, was also relieved of his duties.

Appointed editor of "Pocinka", the tourism and weekend colour supplement to "Nova Makedonija daily;

Appointed city-desk editor of the "Nova Makedonija" daily newspaper;

Special correspondent for "Nova Makedonija" during the final weeks of president Richard Nixon's Administration and the transitional period;

1975

Relieved of all editorial duties and appointed Senior correspondent on finance and banking;

Guest of the Australian Government and Quantas Airlines on a study trip on ethnical minorities, their integration in the society and role in developing trade and economic relations with expatriate countries;

Re-Elected for a new 4-year term as Secretary-general of the Union of Journalists of Macedonia;

1976

Special assignment correspondent from Jerusalem.on the late president Anvar El Sadat's peace mission to Israel.

Subsequently covered the month-long peace talks in Cairo, and president Jimmy Carter's peace initiative and Menahem Begin's visit to Egypt;

1977

Represented the Union of Journalists of Yugoslavia at the UNESCO sponsored initiative session of the Club of the CESC (Helsinki) journalists in Paris;

Organized the first session of the Club of the CESC journalists in Ohrid and Skopje, Macedonia sponsored by Blagoj Popov, the prime-minister of Macedonia;

It was a feat bringing all these KEBS (OBSE) specialized journalists, headed by Henry Schwoebel from Le Monde, fifth from right, into the southernmost corner of Macedonia to establish a Club with an ambition to promote a New Information Order for the world.

Established the basis for the Club of Journalists in Skopje crowned by acquisition through a Government grant of property as a possession of the premises инownership of the ZNM;

Was a joint manager of the Conference on the New linformation Order, organized by the Union of the Journalists of Yugoslavia in Belgrade;

Initiated the Union of Journalists of Macedonia drive to establish interdisciplinary studies in journalism at the University of "Kiril & Metodij" in Skopje, formalising the arrangement successfully.

Guest of the Swedish royal house on occasion of their majesties official visit to Yugoslavia. Extensive reporting from Sweden on economic and political topics crowned by a special interview with the King and the Queen;

Upon their majesties' invitation, over a high tea at their palace, an introductory of the record briefing before their official visit to Yugoslavia and then an interview in Ohrid after a memorable dinner and dancing shared by both King and Queen who carried home my personal gift: a book of Macedonian embroidery

1979

Resigned from "Nova Makedonija" upon appointment to the position of director of the Yugoslav National Tourist Office for Greece and Cyprus. Remained in Athens for the full four-year term of the tenure;

With d-r Milan Mazi, deputy minister for economy of SFRY, represented Yugoslavia in the bilateral negotiations for tourist cooperation signed in Athens

1983

Returned to "Nova Makedonija" daily as a foreign affairs senior editor writing on NATO and OECD countries.

1984

Guest, for the second time, of the US State Department on the occasion of the Presidential Election; a guest speaker to the Secretary's Forum during 5 weeks study trip;

1985

Guest of Information Office of Her Majesty's Government at an invitation by the British ambassador. Intensive study-trip on the question of ethnic and cultural diversity in UK and in particular Wales, Ireland and Scotland.

1986

Engaged by WDR (West Deutsche Rundfunk) as their special correspondent for Macedonia;

1986

Guest of the Ministry of culture and Tourism of the Republic of Turkey, a 5-weeks long educational and fact gathering study-trip for the updated edition of a guide-book on Turkey;

1987

Appointed Promotion & PR manager for the official Yugoslav entry ("Happy New '49" a Stole Popov f1lm) in the Best Foreign Film category for the Academy of Motion Pictures (Oscar) Award in Hollywood, USA; Despite all odds organized hugely successful previews, discussions (Elia Kazan, George Milkovich) and shows in New York, The Kennedy Watergate Center in Washington, Los Angeles and Hollywood.

Resigned from "Nova Makedonija" daily newspaper because of ideological differences;

Worked part-time with outdoor . advertising equipment producer in Los Angeles;

1988

Elected Secretary-general of the National Tourist Office of Macedonia;

1989

Elected representative of the Yugoslav National Tourist Office for the Netherlands, appointed director of the office in Amsterdam with a four-year tenure; Yugoslav National Tourist Office dissolves in 1991;

1991

Correspondent for the Macedonian Television, "Republika" daily, Macedonian Radio, and a stringer for the WDR and the BBC, "Zbor"

Appointed member of the Publishing Board of the "Macedonian Newsmagazine", the first English language media in Macedonia;

1992 to 2002

Running in the rat race

2003 to present

A bit of this and that

OTHER PROFESSIONAL AND CREATIVE WORK

1966

Translated the novel "To Kill The Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, from its original into Macedonian. Publisbed by "Makedonska Kniga" Publishing House;

1967

Translated the "Naked Ape" by Desmond Morris for ZID publishing house which could not publish it on grounds of "immorality";

1967

Received a commission to write a guide book on Greece. The paid text and the project frozen because of the military coup in Greece;

1968

Published, independently, a guidebook titled "Everybody's Turkey", in Serbo-Croat;

1970

Translated the novel "Rabbit Run" by John Updike for the United Publishers "ZID" which published it for the first time in Yugoslavia receiving laudatory reviews

1985

FC "Vardar" qualifies for the UEFA Cup and upon the request of the Mayor of Skopje and the leadership of the club represents the most popular soccer club of Macedonia first at the draw of the pairs and then, as the guest of the club, at the official contacts with FC Dundee in Scotland. For the return leg in Skopje conceptualizes, produces and finances the first ever "official program" for any sporting event in Macedonia. Please click here if interested in the full racount of this project;

Practically every single project I have created is a story of co-operation, expert work and complex arrangements seemingly easy to set in motion. There were less than 12 hundred people in the packed stadium of some 30,000 fans ready to shed a dollar for this souvenir edition

1988

Once elected secretary-general, revitalizes the Macedonian National Tourist Office (Turisticki Sojuz na Makedonija) by tireless work over its organizational structure, principal documents, program, delegating people from provincial offices to travel to federal level meetings, mobilizing funds, moving the presidency to action-designed conferences out of the capital, bringing federal and commercial funds into the emptied account, publishing and supporting audacious initiatives;

The project "Summer in Macedonia" results with a small info-booklet of 42 pages designed solely for distribution abroad although it was a vehicle for collecting funds from 36 advertisers. In the left bottom corner, on Lake Prespa, two close allies, Mr. Avramchev and Mr. Zarichin, members of the Presidency of TSM and bosses of the richest regional offices and Click here please if interested in this far-reaching project.

1988

Creates and designs a publicity campaign "Macedonia in a Search of a Young Rembrandt" targeted at 450,000 Dutch tourists visiting Yugoslavia every year;

1989

Creates and executes in Zagreb, Croatia, a week-long enthusiastically received presentation titled "The Herbal Holidays in Macedonia" (*) in musea and top locations of the Croat capital;
...
The presidency of the YNTO elects and appoints me its representative (director) of the Office for the Netherlands with a seat in Amsterdam.

1990
In co-operation with Victor Smit from Advic B.V. and Vincent Prange conceptualizes and executes complex most successful publicity campaigns. The number of arrivals, overnights and expenditure by Dutch tourists in Yugoslavia reaches all time high, record levels;
With d-r prof. Slobodan Unkovic, recor magnificus of the University of Belgrade, after a series of interviews in the Netherlands, co-authors a remarkable study about the specifics and potentials of the Dutch tourist market,

From top left: The office opposite the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is refurbished in style; d-r prof. Slobodan Unkovic, then rector of Belgrade University, latter president of the Parliament, ambassador to China, with Mrs Cvetkova-Popova and Victor Smit, probably the best advertising copy writer in the Netherlands; Presentations on Vakantiebeurs are full of events, craftsmanship presentations and maximum innovation; The Dutch are equestrian nation> for the first and last time ever I bring 20 famous lipitsaner horses from Lipica stud farm for the Jumping Amsterdam event attended by the crown prince; A special (please see the explanation) ad in the largest Dutch daily attracts maksimum attention. Overnights by Dutch tourist hit highest point ever.

1991

With Victor Smit who runs a fine advertising enterprise ADVIC b.v. works on a complex project envolving importers of renown carmakers, Dutch automobile association ANWB, yugoslav hoteliers and local authorities to produce in one million copies the pilot of the Yugoslav Automobile Newspaper (Autokrant Jopegoslavie) as a multifaceted vehicle for Yugoslav tourist promotion. This beautiful project is torpedoed by the looming atrocious wars on the Balkans.

The project is based on the huge number of Dutch tourists traveling for holidays by car, on the 450,00 new vars purchased annually and on the link between the lettering of the Dutch and the registration plates of the (former) Yugoslav cities, towns and boroughs. The two letters "ST" mean nothing for the Duch car owner or driver but in the republics of former Yugoslavia "ST" mean that that particular car (eventually a BMW or Jaguar) comes from Split, the city of Emperor Dioclecian. Such a link in this project implied €1500 cash value. Please see how!

1991

With d-r prof. Zlatka Popovska creates, designs and prints in Amsterdam, as a personal donation, 25,000 posters for the election campaign of the late Kiro Popovski who becomes vice-president of the parliament;

1992

Establishes Balkan-Babylon Consulting, a family partnership firm (Dutch V.O.F. or Venotschaap onder Firma) registered with the Kamers vaan Koophandel of Amsterdam, specializing in tourism, marketing, PR, investment, advertising and publishing. The Macedonian government is the first client and in cooperation with Mr. Victor Smit from Advic B.V. it produces the first tourist maps and folders for the Dutch market and despite protests by the Greek embassy designs and executes a most successful pavilion presentation during the Vakantiebeurs Utrecht in January 1993

There are people who believe that lots of billboards with a family on a sandy beach and a tiny "from" followed by a huge " €285 a week all inclusive" is enough for success. They insult the acumen of the customer. This is a different complex multifunctional project I designed and executed firmly believing in it. Please do have a look at the Aristotelian wijnplank project..

1993

Contracted through Balkan-Babylon Consulting to conceptualize and execute for the Ministry of economy of Macedonia the presentation of the tourist industry of that country at the ITB Berlin, the largest and most important tourist business-to-business event in the world

Philips Nederlandse Bedrijven N.V. becomes another customer and contracts Balkan-Babylon for its investment projects (reconstruction of the airports and PTT equipment) in Macedonia

In a capacity of Advisor for Philips on a basis of a Letter of Intent by the Macedonian Government organized a work visit for five directors of the electronics giant to Macedonia with business talks between Philips team and the prime-minister, CEOs of the largest firms, mayors, rectors and the Civil Aviation authority.

Philips directors and myself disappointed by blatant corruption. Huge complex project goes down the drain.

1994

With Zito-Luks A.D. from Skopje, the largest bakery producer in Macedonia, registers a joint-venture firm "Rovako" D.O.O. on 50:50 basis (a terrible mistake) specializing in wholesales for catering industry with an exclusive retail showroom DOM for English fine bone china.

Royal Worcester Ltd grants Balkan-Babylon a status of sole dealership for Macedonia.

Arranges a Representative status with Josiah Wedgwood & Sons. Ltd

Royal Porcelaine Limoges, Churchill China Plc. from Stoke-on-Trent, Dunoon , Wren, Royal Mosa become exclusive suppliers.

1995

The business developed and then William Turner Master Cutlers from Sheffield, Sola Zeist cutlery, Mayflower Glass Co.Ltd., the renown Royal Talens B.V., Hallmark, Wavin Trepack, R.D. de Jong Papier, produced for us under our design packaging in plastic and paper.

...

Balkan-Babylon was exclusive exporter (in our special packaging) of dry yeast for the Macedonian consumer market from Gist Brocades. the world leader in yeast and bakery additives production,

On the basis of oral, telex and phone enticements the project "SUPER KVASEC" ("Super yeast") was conceptualized and designed in-house from scratch. 250,000 sachets of 8 gr. yeast were produced and delivered with 55,000 booklets and sleeves. Please read the full account about this amazing, costly and if you ever intend to deal with Macedonian firms - dramatically revealing project.

We have designed and through Studio America executed special forms of light-truck advertising for the DAF delivery vehicles we have exported to Macedonia.

1996

Due to one of the few gross errors of judgment of characters combined with total lack of due intelligence Balkan-Babylon accepts to become the General Agent for the Benelux of MAT, now the defunct Macedonian Airlines. The significant investment of funds, prestige and the revival of Macedonia as a tourist destination is gambled away by the gargantuan duplicity and total incompetence of the owner-managerial group of MAT; Please see "The Bitter Experience of Dealing with the Macedonian Airlines"

For the Dutch market Balkan-Babylon publishes and distributes (1000 copies circulation per issue) 8-page bulletins in English and in Macedonian languages separately, about the significance and other practical information related to the Skopje-Amsterdam direct flight;

2004

Registers domains for web-portals www.albanija.com, www.britanija.com, www.germanija.com, www.grcija.com (fully operational) www.bugarija.com, www.turcija.net (fully operational)

2005

Begins blogging with the Dutch "De Volkskrant" facility as Spectator (Harvesting Dutch Absurds)

2006

Published the illustrated traveler's companion "Turcija". Lavishly reviewed by Mr. Guner Ismail, former minister of culture of Macedonia and Blagoja Ivanov, renown author and retired University professor, the book is introduced by HE Melpomeni Korneti, ambassador of Macedonia in Ankara.

The 400+ pages heavily illustrated book is instant success and second enlarged edition follows same year.

2007

Guest of the Government of the Turkish Northern Cyprus Republic on occasion of the independence jubilee with the prime minister of Turkey, Recep Tayup Erdogan attending.

2009

From prime-minister Recep Tayup Erdogan receives in Istanbul "Distinguished Senior Citizens of the World" award