I’m always out there looking for words in Romanian that you can’t easily find in the dictionary or that the online translation websites aren’t smart enough to handle. Today’s word is purici (poo-reetch), which under ordinary circumstances just means “fleas”, as in the jumping, biting insects that sometimes infest mammals. Etymologically the only related word in English is pruritis, the “fancy” medical term used for … Continue reading WOTD: Purici
I have to admit that yesterday my curiosity was greatly piqued by the way certain information was transmitted. The big “super immunity” story, by which the Romanian Parliament re-classified themselves as private sector employees in order to escape jurisdiction by the anti-corruption agencies, was a hot topic all over Romanian media yesterday. What surprised me though was that Alison Mutler and the crew down at … Continue reading Lay on, Macduff!
I often complain about a real lack of transparency in Romania but there is one notable exemption – the activities of the parliament are duly noted and rapidly updated on its website. Likewise, although there’s no American-style CSPAN with a live feed of the parliament floor, the media (and public) are allowed to witness the proceedings. Mind you, there are some shortcomings in the parliament’s … Continue reading A commercial enterprise of the people, by the people and for the people
Ever since I read The Brass Check on my first e-reader about 10 years ago (yep), I’ve been fascinated by which news stories that people who are hyper-aware of the media know about and which stories seem to drift into the general population’s consciousness, as if my magic osmosis. Last night I was doing yet another interview (nothing new or original was discussed) and the … Continue reading Akum noi toti govarim pa romaneste
Back in the year 1985 an enthusiastic and well-meaning young woman gave me a copy of the novel Nineteen Eighty-Four, telling me that it was a “science fiction” book written 30 years earlier that predicted a bleak future for humanity. Since it was only a year “later” (than the title), I read the first few pages but as I was expecting something about spaceships and … Continue reading The Ministry of Truth
All Things Romania 