Sadly, I’m far busier these days than I’d like to be, so I haven’t been able to write about the topics that are on my mind. Today, however, I thought I’d translate a news story from this part of the world just as a reminder that sometimes the big stories are informed by the little ones. Everything between the lines is my translation. He Heard … Continue reading Sounds in the Cellar
I often get accused by my critics of being too focused on the negative aspects of Romania, a surprising behavior for a person supposedly so fond of the place. But from my perspective, showing concern is just another way of showing how much you care. Nonetheless, I thought it was time for an unambiguously positive story! Sticks and Swords Despite the Romanian press’s shaky journalistic … Continue reading Bătaie în curu gol
Considering all the racist shit that’s been going on lately, I thought it was worth discussing a few basic definitions. Today, we use the word “country” (Ro: țara) rather loosely, sometimes meaning a sovereign political entity and sometimes in the older sense of a territory inhabited (predominately) by one people. For example, we say that Romania is a “country”, but there are several “countries” inside … Continue reading Nation vs. State
When we last left the neverending saga of Rosia Montana back in July, it seemed like things had finally come to a peaceful end. The area was going through the process of becoming a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and, well, the Romanian government was going to have to cough up around 4.4 billion dollars for its stupidity. As a wise man once said, when you … Continue reading Opening Up a Can of Gold Worms
Over the weekend, I had the misfortune of watching the (Romanian) internet blow up over a video posted on YouTube. Ostensibly, it shows a faceless Romanian man filming with a hidden camera as he tries to order some food at a Kaufland in the town of Odorheiu Secuiesc but get refused service because he didn’t speak Hungarian. Antena 1, the conservative television news network, covered … Continue reading Race Baiting for Fun and Profit
All Things Romania 