Learn to Climb the Tree of Knowledge

23 September, 2011 Opinion 1 comment

Tree of Life Wild Rooster Marcus AgarEveryone seems to be an expert nowadays. At least, that is the impression that the Wikipedia generation would like to project. They equate the transient power of having information at their fingertips with the far more rarefied state of acquiring and retaining actual knowledge. It is much easier to live in a state of blissful ignorance, knowing that all the information is out there if needed, rather than to put in the graft and actually learn something.

Undoubtedly, the capacity to access almost any fact at any time is one of the benefits of the internet. It is the gift that keeps on giving. As long as the minefield of errors can be navigated and truth can be sieved from rumour, then the internet is an excellent resource. In part, it is also responsible for the reduced inclination for learning among young people.

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Recognise The Power Of Your Personal Brand

22 September, 2011 Opinion No comments

The power of a personal brand has long been recognised by the recruitment industry, which makes mileage out of ensuring they achieve the perfect fit as often as possible. It is now commonplace for employers and recruiters to delve into our online worlds and sniff back along the virtual snail trail that leads a path to who we are and what we stand for.

Every time we traipse around Facebook, Twitter, FourSquare and the like, leaving comments on photographs, posting status updates or sharing our opinions online, we leave behind indelible footprints that cannot be washed away by the tides of time. With the ever-broadening scope of social media, it is increasingly important for individuals, not just businesses, to bear in mind that their reputation and how others perceive them is impacted by their social interactions.

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Amulette by Amira & Bojan Z: An Album of Indisputable Quality, Beauty & Style

If anyone was in doubt about the highly distinctive purity, quality and class of Bosnia’s foremost female singing sensation Amira, then her new album Amulettewill put paid to their uncertainty. This third studio album represents a marked leap forward from her lauded earlier works and shows a singer who has grown in confidence, ability and audience. Amira is a world-class artist at the top of her game.

Sarajevo-born Amira Medunjanin has already proven that she is a dab hand at sevdah, the long-established Bosnian singing style that characteristically recounts tales of longing, love and loss. With three impressive albums, she has carved her name in the stone annals of the genre and received widespread plaudits for taking the rich heritage of sevdah and moulding it into her own fresh and distinctive forms.

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Where The Streets Have No Names

I cannot tell you how refreshing it is to walk around a city without a Starbucks, KFCor McDonalds on every corner. One or two is OK but, coming from a country raped by major brands, Serbia is uplifting. To enjoy shopping in markets or at small to medium sized local chains where the joy of discovery can still be found on the shelves, where browsing remains a pleasure and not a robotic chore, is a rare treat.

That Serbia remains a place of homegrown brands and independent traders is something that should be cherished and protected, else it goes the way of their EU neighbours, where many national retailers have been swallowed by the big boys. Anyone who has travelled has seen how countries brutally sacrifice many of their traders in favour of the glossy global giants. Now it is happening closer to home.

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