Today’s Birthday: Joseph Pulitzer (1847)

Joseph Pulitzer (1847)

Born in Hungary, Pulitzer immigrated to the US during the Civil War and served in the Union Army. He later became a reporter and purchased and founded several newspapers, establishing the pattern of the modern newspaper by combining investigative reporting with publicity stunts, self-advertising, and sensationalism. In his will, he established the Pulitzer Prizes, annual awards for achievements in American journalism, letters, and music. What famous saying about journalism is attributed to him? More… Discuss

ANA VIDOVIC J.S BACH SONATA BWV 1001 PRESTO Gm EN VIVO

Ana Vidović (born 8 November 1980 in Karlovac, Croatia) is a Croatian virtuoso classical guitarist. A child prodigy, she started playing guitar at the age of five, inspired by her brother Viktor. By the age of 11 she was performing internationally, and at 13 became the youngest student to attend the prestigious National Musical Academy in Zagreb where she studied with Professor Istvan Romer. Vidović’s reputation in Europe led to an invitation to study at the Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, U.S., with Manuel Barrueco, from where she graduated in May 2003. In an interview, she has stated that she plays lots of scales and uses a metronome.^[1]

Vidović has won an impressive number of prizes and international competitions all over the world. These include first prizes in the Albert Augustine International Competition in Bath, England, the Fernando Sor competition in Rome, Italy, and the Francisco Tárrega competition in Benicasim, Spain. Other top prizes include the Eurovision Competition for Young Artists, the Mauro Giuliani competition in Italy, the Printemps de la Guitare in Belgium, and the Young Concert Artists International Auditions in New York.

Ana Vidović has given over one thousand public performances since first taking the stage in 1988. Her international performance career includes recitals in London, Paris, Vienna, Salzburg, Rome, Budapest, China, Warsaw, Tel Aviv, Oslo, Copenhagen, Toronto, Baltimore, San Francisco, Knoxville, Houston, Austin, Dallas, St. Louis, Jakarta, Mauritius, and Zuidlaren. Vidović plays a Redgate classical guitar.

(Sourse: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ana_Vidovi%C4%87)

Japanese People Sense Of Civic Duty: The Real Strenght Of The Nation

I liked the tone of this article, and the conclusion that one draws, and especially the following phrase: 
“But Japanese people pride themselves on their sense of civic duty, and crime levels have remained relatively low despite the scale of the disaster.”

I’m sure some of you, reading the article will feel something, may be about your own experience in time of need: How were the people around you? Did anybody return, or have you ever have anything you lost beeing returned to you?

Well, I did: Few year ago, I was driving with the window down, some boxes on the passsanger seat of my car, and my wallet seated on top of the box.

Upon arriving home I noticed that my wallet was missing. I did not have time to panic though, as the telephone rang, and the voice of a man reassured me that his mother, who was seeting in front of their house, saw the wallet flying out of the car, as I was making my turn. He told me his address, I drove back the few miles, to the street, and the house where somebody, a stranger had returned to me everything I thought I lost, and had to spend weeks to report, recover, get duplicate, etc.
The old woman, seated on the bench on the porch, looked at me and told the middle age man standing by her: “It’s him”, upon which the man said: “we had to be sure it was your wallet, My mother recognized your car too, so here it is, as we picked it up from the lawn.” I thanked them, and told them how sorry I was to have troubled them, with having to find me.

The old woman noticed my relief, as her son handed over  the wallet, and with a smile she  kindly said: “You did not trouble us, I’m glad we were able to find you easily to return your wallet fast, thinking you may need it, as you seemed to be in a hurry…may be to the market to buy food”.

I left with a renewed sense of trust, and a prayer that the strangers we move around are honest people, just like the ones that I just met: Honest, self-respecting, good citizens, good friends, good neighbors.   We have to be like them, the one whom can be trusted.

Aftershock of 7.1 (7.4 by others) earthquake, Japan, April 8, 2011 (from France 24)

An outstanding article, you may like it too. besides, it needs to be publicized in everyday, no? Draw empowerment, learn from others, try to put yourself in their situation and play out your own life outcome after a natural disaster.