Shorts

Apology to Our Readers:

In our last issue due to a technical error, we incorrectly printed a post-dated article, Stojan Cerovic's Diary "Avalanche Has Started" instead of his current "Recognition and Destruction". Please notice the update in this issue. We apologize to the author and our readers.

Zoran Stanojevic, deputy editor

Plaster

It has been noticed that Federal Sports Minister Zoran Bingulac is burning himself down with work - he has been seen at government sessions with his arm in plaster. And how did he get the plaster? Minister Bingulac enjoys riding his bicycle, even at long distances. So, he was once riding down Mt. Rudnik. As it happened, he was riding downhill and fell off the bike. The minister somehow made it to Spa Vrujci and was from there taken to the Valjevo hospital. Although it was Sunday, the doctors gathered for the occasion to diagnose the dislocation of his arm. As it was a minister's arm, it was put in plaster by Health Center Director, Dr. Miroslav Sreckovic, himself. Once the minister was there, and with his arm in plaster, whiskey was found to be drunk to the minister's health. After the whiskey, the minister and the director were so delighted that the arm had been so well taken care of that Bingulac took off his wrist watch intending to give it to the doctors. After one more toast, the director refused to accept the watch saying that he was not only a doctor and a director but also a socialist and that his professional morale and party awareness did not allow him to take the watch because, as they both knew, Bingulac was not a patient but a minister.

Gule

Momcilo Cvijan Gusak, better known in Bijeljina as Gule, asked reporters to take pictures of him wearing anti-aircraft defense uniform. Gule wore the uniform to defy NATO aviation. The reporters did him the favor. Gule, who as a member of the guard called 'Panthers' lost one leg for the freedom of the Serbian people and the Bosnian Serb Republic, says: "It will not sound morbid if I tell you that I would not regret to lose the other leg, too, for the Bosnian Serb Republic, for the freedom of our children, our people, for the clear blue sky over the most Serbian state. We shall succeed."

Protests at Union of Writers of Serbia

A black flag has been fluttering on the front balcony of the Union of Writers of Serbia (UKS) building, overlooking Francuska Street, for over two weeks. According to the decision of UKS leadership, this is the writers' protests against NATO intervention in Bosnia. It is also a sign that all the events to be held under this roof will have a similar tone.

On the ground floor, there are two paintings of the cross in the corners and between them a bulletin board on which one can read verses of the 19th century poet Lukijan Musicki. Under the verses, there is a notice saying that the book of protest may be signed upstairs. And in the upstairs hall, next to the collected signatures, a wax candle burns all day. The list of signatures begins with the demand that "the unannounced NATO war against the SERBS should cease immediately." The first signature belongs to poet Slobodan Rakitic, UKS president. Signatures of other officials follow, but the list does not include the names of all the writers who are in the UKS leadership.

The atmosphere: "I am desperate," a citizen wrote beside his signature. Another one wrote: "Destroy and then negotiate about peace with the survivors." "All the wounds of my people hurt me," wrote someone else. "Yugo(slavia), our Hiroshima, the disgraceful scar of mankind, although you are in Japan, you have a sister in the Balkans," is one of the messages among the 230 signatures collected in the first ten days of the protest.

Toothache

In the developed countries, a thirty-year-old has all his teeth, while an average Yugoslav between the ages of 35 and 45 has had 10 of his teeth pulled out. Only 20 percent of the people here regularly take care of their mouth and teeth hygiene, World Health Organization dental health expert, Dr. Jovan Vojinovic, told Tanjug.