Tomislav Gabric was born in the town of Metković in Croatia in 1933. He moved to the United States in 1962 to start his career in Los Angeles, California. Tomislav Gabric and his wife Lea married in 1964. They have one daughter Carole (Gabrić-Lewis). Mr. Gabric moved his architectural firm, Gabric & Associates to Corona around 1997. The firm is located at 903 South Ramona Ave in Corona. He completed as many as 1600 professional projects of various buildings throughout California. He was also a talented painter. On the left is his autoportrait from 1989.
Author: Nenad N. Bach and Darko Žubrinić
Rudy Tomjanovich elected to Basketball Hall of Fame in 2020
Former Houston Rockets player and head coach Rudy Tomjanovich was inducted in 2020 into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. Now 71 years old, Tomjanovich played for the Rockets from 1970 through 1981, and was head coach from 1992 through 2003. That run included Houston’s only two NBA titles in the 1993-94 and 1994-95 seasons. Rudy Tomjanovich is of Croatian descent.
Nasja Boskovic Meyer from St. Louis USA author of a collection of poems in Croatian
Here is yet another noted book by Nasja Meyer, member of Lodge 50 from St. Louis, MO, instructor of the Croatian language, and co-author of the well-known Croatian textbook “Croatia – The Country and Language” that she wrote with her daughter, Dr. Jasna Meyer. The new book is a collection of poetry titled “Five Red Rubies” (“Pet rubina crvenih”) published this summer in Croatia. The book is hard cover, printed on high quality paper and illustrated by a well known water color artist, Lenka Zavirsek, from Split. It contains over 200 poems, all but one in Croatian.
Croatia: The Country and the Language
This book can be used as a present for birthdays, weddings, anniversaries, Easter, confirmation, graduations, special days! Many of us wonder what we will give for gifts to our friends and relatives. We want to give a gift that is enriching and attractive, and we may spend hours deciding, looking for the “right” gift. For everyone who wants to learn more about the rich history and culture of Croatia and its language, Hrvatski Jezik. The book was written by Nasja Bošković Meyer and her daughter Jasna Meyer McCarthy, PhD.
The city of Zagreb struck in 2020 with the earthquake of 5.5 degrees on the Richter scale
As if the vicious corona pandemic was not enough! In March 22nd 2020, at 6:24 AM, the city of Zagreb was suddenly struck with the earthquake of 5.5 degrees on the Richter scale. This was the strongest earthquake in Croatia’s capital since 1880. We mention in passing another earthquake in Zagreb 1909, which was quite important, since it led Croatian scientist Andrija Mohorovičić to the discovery of the MOHO layer, conisdered as the most important discovery in the history of seismology (the science about earthquakes). The 2020 earthquake brought a lots of damage to the city, easpecially to its central part. During the period of one month only, Zagreb has experienced as many as eight hundred additonal smaller earthquakes and tremors. The earthquake damage is estimated at 5.52 billion Euros.
Danica Kragic Jensfelt leads a robotic project funded by European Research Council
Distinguished Croatian scientist Prof. Danica Kragić Jensfelt, Ph.D., professor of computer science at the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH) in Stockholm and a member of the International Scientific Council of the University of Rijeka, has won a kind of “scientific Oscar” for 2019. Her project Bimanual Manipulation of Rigid and Deformable Objects has been selected as one of 82 projects in the field of physical sciences and engineering to be funded by the European Research Council (ERC).
David Byler 1946-2020 was 8th generation Croatian-American and permanent correspondent of the CROWN
David Byler (1946-2020) served as a Lutheran Pastor as well as a permanent correspondent of the Croatian World Network – CROWN. Being an eighth generation Croatian-American, he has contributed in the past years some extremely interesting and insghtful articles to our readers. His wisdom, knowledge, passion and perserverence will be missed by us all. He is listed among twenty greatest Croatian Americans in the USA. David liked to be nicknamed Slavonac (Slavonia is a historical region on the North of Croatia). We express our sincere condolences to his family.
Renata Pokupic Croatian mezzo-soprano praised for her expressive interpretations
Much in demand on the concert platform, Renata Pokupić appeared with Melbourne Symphony Orchestra, sang with the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra and with Collegium Vocale Gent as well as DSO Berlin. She has also sung with Orchestre de Paris and Orchestre des Champs-Elysees, with Hofkapelle Esterhazy, with Handel Festival Goettingen, with Scottish Chamber Orchestra, at Mozarteum Salzburg with Le Cercle de l’Harmonie, with Orchestre de Paris, with the Bach Choir, with the Academy of Ancient Music, with Classical Opera and had an extensive tour of “Tribute to Lorraine Hunt Lieberson” with the Orchestra of the Age of Enlightenment.
Branko Cikatic 1954-2020 the first K1 Grand Prix champion in Tokyo 1993
Branko Cikatić (1954-2020) was distinguished Croatian fighter, who was the winner of the first K1 Grand Prix Tournament in Tokyo in 1993 (in the finals against Ernest Hoost). At that time, he was at the age of 38, and is till these days the oldest winner of the K1 tournament. He was the winner of in various combat sports for thirteen times. In kick-boxing, he was the World Champion in 1981. He started his career in Solin, and then continued in his native city of Split. In 1989, the German journal Karate Budo Magazine decorated him with the Golden Glove, and proclaimed him to be the most popular combat sportsman in the world, in front of Chuck Norris i Jean-Claude Van Damme.
Croatian folk saga "Following the Sun" discovered on the island of Krk beginning before the Christian era
Rado Žic Mikulin and Leonard Eleršek are the authors of a monumental book Putom sunca (Following the Sun), dealing with the till now unknown saga from the island of Krk (the town of Punat) about the earliest Croatian history. It was registered by Rado Žic Mikulin from one of his grandfathers, and the saga has been passed to the present day from time immemorial. The saga starts before the Christian era, on the Tigris river. The authors provide a wealth of traditional verses from the island of Krk, as well as a number of very interesting old maps, describing the movement of Croatians to the coast of the Adriatic Sea.
Carmen Verlichak objavila je knjigu El Genocidio de Bleiburg
Krivodol PRESS, nakladnička kuća u Buenos Airesu, objavila je knjigu autorice Carmen Vrljicak El Genocidio de BLeiburg. Ta nakladnička kuća smatrala je kako je potrebno da ne samo Hrvati izvan Republike Hrvatske, nego i općenito hispanofona publika sazna što se dogodilo Hrvatima krajem Drugoga svjetskog rata. Bio je to jedan od najvećih. Knjiga sadrži veći broj svjedočanstava preživjelih koje je Vrljičak intervjuirala u Argentini. U nju su uvrštena i istraživanja Nikolaja Tolstoya
Starlings Rhapsody in Siroki Brig in Bosnia and Herzegovina – lesson for Europe and more…
Starling, or čvorak in Croatian, provides us with surprising lessons of social tolerance and help. See a short video from Bosnia and Herzegovina, shot in the city of Široki Brig (or Široki Brijeg, i.e., Wide Hill), which is not far from Međugorje. The duration of this very educative video is 1 minute and 19 seconds. Incredible starlings show on large transmission line was captured in the village Dobrkovići. The name of the Dobrkovići village is funny: Till the Moustache!
Miro Gavran in Vienna Austria and in Vilnius Lithuania 2020
In March 2020, Croatian author Miro Gavran will present his drama and prosaic work in Vienna and Vilnius. His comedy The Doll will premiere at the Theatre Centre Forum in Vienna on 5th March 2020. Tihomir Glowatzky translated the work into German and the play is directed by the renowned Austrian actor Hubsi Kramar. In the main roles are: Adriana Zartl and Christian Strasser; The Doll is produced by Carmen Wenger. It’s a jubilee, the 20th premiere of this play, which has had its world premiere in New York 2012 and since then it’s been produced in both Americas, Europe, Asia and Australia. It was recently published in China in the Anthology of East-European drama. A week later, on 13th March 2020, in the cultural Centre in Vilnius, Miro Gavran will promote his novel Kafka’s Friend in Laima Masyte’s translation, published by Ledikla Gelmes.
Celebrating 22nd February the Day of Croatian Glagolitic Script and Glagolitism
On 22nd Febrary, 1483, the first Croatian printed book has appeared in the Glagolitic Script. It shows that Croatian glagolitic priests were able to adopt very early Gutenberg’s technology of movable type. Only 12 copies of the books have been preserved, 5 of them kept in Croatia, and 7 scattered throughout the world: in the Russian National Library (former Russian Imperial Library) in St Petersburg, in the Austrian National Library in Vienna (former Austrian Royal Library), in the Vatican Apostolic Library (two copies), and in the Library of Congress in Washington. On the photo a monument to Gutenberg in Zagreb from cc. 1890, the first one in Europe appearing outside of German speaking area.
Croatian Post successfully made its first drone delivery in Feb 2020
The drone flew autonomously, from the Zadar port of Gaženica to Preko on the island of Ugljan at a speed of 35 km/h, for about 12 minutes. This flight is a part of a pilot project with the Croatian company AIR-RMLD which develops commercial and industrial services using drones. Drones have already proved their usefulness in crisis situations, for example, when medicine or antidotes needed to be delivered in hard to reach areas. Today, Croatian Post is testing smart solutions faster and more often than ever before – from augmented reality goggles, pallet-carrier robots to electric vehicles and drones. On the photo, the city of Dubrovnik seen by a drone.
Akiane Kramarik spirituality of painting
Akiane Kramarik: “…Realizing that nobody, except for my mother, cherished my work, I became more and more disillusioned. One time I threw my painting in the rain outside. And as it was landing into the puddle someone caught it. Just in time. It was my mother. Out of breath she shared something, ‘Last night I had a strange dream. I saw thousands of people waiting for your art. The line stretched all the way to the horizon.’ ” At the age of 4 she started dreaming about God, indicating that God inspired her to start painting and writing poetry about Him. She has dedicated her life to God and is focused on making the world a better place.
Bobby Fischer 0 – 1 Vladimir Kovacevic the only major defeat of Bobby Fischer in his chess career
In 1970, a chess tournament (Tournament of Peace) was organized in Croatia which took place in the town of Rovinj on the Adriatic Sea (Istrian peninsula). Fischer was undefeated in the previous four years. His defeat against Vladimir Kovačević, then a little known Croatian player, was a world wide sensation. Of course, despite this defeat, Fischer won the convincingly this trounament, which included 10 other grand-masters (including some of the best Soviet players). Vladimir Kovačević became international grand-master six years later, in 1976.
Croatia's silver medal at 2020 European Handball Championship big success
Croatian handball team has an amazing continuity of top results at European and World championships in the past decades. Congratulations to our team: Domagoj Duvnjak (on the photo, one of the best players today), Zlatko Horvat, Igor Karačić, Luka Cindrić, Željko Musa, Luka Stepanović, etc., under the baton of Lino Červar. Mr. Červar is the most successful coach in the history of Croatian handball. He guided our team to World Championship gold in 2003 and the Olympic title in 2005.
Ante Glibota's speech at the Symposium on Art organized in the Hofburg Imperial Palace in Vienna 2020
Ante Glibota: “I am delighted with this happy initiative coming from our friend Prof. Zhang Xiaolong, Vice President of National Academy of Art of China from Beijing, who is also an excellent artist and thinker, to organize in the heart of Central Europe, in Vienna, which was and always remains one of the essential centers of the great artistic, scientific and philosopher’s adventure of European civilization, this meeting between historians, artists and thinkers to briefly exchange ideas and reflections on the art and thought of these two major civilizations that are the millennial Chinese civilization and ours, European.”
Golden formula of Croatian language "ČA – KAJ – ŠTO"
The golden formula of the Croatian language “ČA – KAJ – ŠTO” is a Croatian intangible cultural asset listed on the List of Intangible Cultural Property of the Republic of Croatia in November 2019. The author, Dr Drago Štambuk, is proponent and author of the concept of preservation of knowledge and practices provided by the close connection of Croatian language. We also announce the Scientific Conference on Computer Linguistics and the Golden Formula of the Croatian Language, to be held on May 22 to 23, 2020 in the city of Osijek. On the photo is the Petris Glagolitic Miscellany from 1468, written in all three Croatian dialects: čakavian, kajkavian and štokavian.