• In 1991 I succesfully passed VOA tests and exams, but when it came to employing me in newly formed Croatian Service, they backed of, saying that my immigration status was not resolved. They declined to sponsor me for immigration purposes, explaining that this is not possible for them to do. Yet, I learned later that three of five persons employed in Croatian Service were in situation similar to mine, and they were sponsored. Later Croatian community leaders in the U.S. spoke in outrage that persons employed are either of Serbian origin or that their spouses were Serbs. For me it just proved that getting a government job in the U.S. is not much different than getting a government job in Yugoslavia. (more details)

• Since I helped several Columbia School of Journalism students with their assignments about ex-Yugoslav communities here (some of them later actually went on to be reporters from Sarajevo), they encouraged me to apply to that school myself. I did, only to learn that despite excellent recommendations, fine test results, good TOEFL and GRE scores, rich experience in print and radio journalism, they would not admit me because I did never find time or peace of mind to graduate college in former Yugoslavia, and I never had money to do it here. They could not bend the rules. Yet, three persons with similar record (no B.A., from Eastern Europe) were admitted to another of Columbia's graduate schools (SIPA) at the same time. Talk to me about "equal opportunity" and "affirmative action" crap.

• ZTN, becoming a major cyber-event in former Eastern Europe, atracted attention of that glossy publication aimed to upper middle class American nerds financially capable to upgrade their systems monthly. So, one day I received a call from John Perry Barlow who wanted to write the story, but didn't know where to go. However, he didn't go due to a personal tragedy. And for a year nobody at Wired picked up the idea. Then I decided to write the article myself. I asked Wired submissions if they'd like me to write that article. They said OK, so I wrote it. Then they said that they have no interest in publishing it. Yet, five months later they published the story about ZTN by another writer.

• Two times I tried to get funding from Open Society Institute, George Soros's humanitarian foundation that helps independent media around Eastern Europe. First I wanted them to help finance my non-nationalist radio talk-show at WNYE and WNWK in Croatian language. I was rejected on grounds that Soros may sponsor only projects that are not based in the U.S. Second time I applied for a scholarship they offered. I was rejected because they said that I came to the U.S. too early. Grants were designed for those who came here in or after the academic year 1990/91. I arrived in January 1990, which was too early. A small detail that I could not come at all (due to sudden death, for example), if I waited longer, was elegantly brushed aside.