tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-186013192011-04-22T00:36:12.713+03:00Dispatches from an American in RomaniaRomericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.comBlogger1171100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1147280844027943992006-05-10T20:07:00.000+03:002006-05-10T20:07:25.476+03:00

I'm sorry for the discomfort, but the sudden move was necessary. I had been planning a more graceful switch for a future date, but some unresolved issues with Blogger forced my hand.Please visit http://www.Romerican.com/ for the latest.

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1147121873141386192006-05-08T23:57:00.000+03:002006-05-09T00:04:41.536+03:00

Hack (hăk) v. - To play with a problem until a solution is found. While Romtelecom is busy trying to deinsert its cranium from the confines its collective sphincter, I do — in fact — have my internet service back. All my frustration at their lack of cluefulness had given me a whim: I plugged in the old broadband modem, complete with its old username and password settings for the cancelled

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1147109069227491402006-05-08T20:22:00.000+03:002006-05-09T00:06:58.723+03:00

It's always been a little funny to me when I meet so many young europeans who rag on America, claiming to detest the lifestyle and culture. These are typically the same people who watch Survivor and MTV, bop their heads to Eminem and Britney Spears, smoke Marlboros, read Cosmopolitan and Maxim magazines, and get excited about the latest fastfood offerings from KFC or McDonalds. Their

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1146944561650829382006-05-06T22:39:00.000+03:002006-05-07T20:48:07.880+03:00

Gentle readers, the move was successful and all but we've hit something of a snag regarding internet service. Romtelecom has me feeling a bit like I'm fenced into a corner. Essentially, it took a few visits to the local Romtelecom office near Hotel Aro Palace and the parcul central for a period of a week just to establish telephone service. That's up and running now, but apparently getting

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1146036348795846272006-04-26T10:12:00.000+03:002006-04-26T13:28:21.590+03:00

Alright, I have to turn out the lights for a short bit. If all goes well, things will be resettled today and then it's simply a matter of waiting for Romtelecom to feel like it wants to go ahead and re-establish phone service and fire up the internet connection at some point in time. Ha! In the previous post about moving, I forgot to mention her wonderful collection of garden gnomes. Here's

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1145948619670781482006-04-25T10:01:00.000+03:002006-04-26T13:18:37.570+03:00

Yes! Romania has its own version of that classic deliciousness of Kool-Aid we all know and love. It comes in familiarly-sized little packets at most magazines, alimentars, and grocery stores. For today's segue: You are not alone, my friends. I, too, once thought with amusement, "Why are these people calling that kiosk a magazine?" And for a short while I thought it was because the kiosk sold

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1145822224314857372006-04-23T22:44:00.000+03:002006-04-25T11:48:27.933+03:00

The Constitution of Romania provides for freedom of religion by stating (in Title II, Chapter 2, Article 29, Section 1): "Freedom of thought, opinion, and religious beliefs may not be restricted in any form whatsoever. No one may be compelled to embrace an opinion or religion contrary to his own convictions." In the 2002 census, 86.8% of the population declared they were members of the Romanian

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1145790776105730542006-04-23T14:02:00.000+03:002006-04-23T18:58:58.246+03:00

Gather round, my furry friends and let us bask in the glorious day which is Easter. Because Romania is just exiting the Dark Ages and still trying to catch up to the modern world of Western standards, there Easter is predictably late. Last year, it was a few weeks late. This year, it was only one week late. As you can see, Romania is truly making progress raising it's social standards. Why,

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1145738319699985942006-04-22T23:33:00.000+03:002006-04-22T23:38:39.700+03:00

I'm no longer sure how much more I can suffer for you, my dear readers. The burden of sampling local chocolate candy bars and other sweets and treats is starting to have its effect on my psyche. Ever stoic, I pressed onwards. The Ülker Luna is an interesting Turkish delight available at convenience stores all over Romania. Dare we unwrap its contents?! It's got a dark chocolate outer shell

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1145737438988750642006-04-22T23:22:00.000+03:002006-04-22T23:24:36.316+03:00

Some of you may not be aware that on the very top of Mount Tampa, Braşov has it's very own Hollywood Sign. Adeverat.

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1145736951326140272006-04-22T23:14:00.000+03:002006-04-22T23:15:51.356+03:00

Not only are the tomatoes fresher in Romania, but they are also better looking and far more tasty that what you can find the United States.

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1145735988126843502006-04-22T22:58:00.000+03:002006-04-23T03:59:26.296+03:00

It's just about Paşte now and over at Biserica Sfantul Nicolae, they've been out painting the trees to keep off the pests.

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1145722995249915402006-04-22T18:27:00.000+03:002006-04-24T21:28:26.730+03:00

I saw a piece of Iasi stencil art over at Red View. A collection of Bucureşti permanent marker graffiti at Andu's. While Urban Delice pointed me in the direction of the guy who spraypainted Air Force One. [Update: An anonymous radical rightwing Republican realist wants us all to know that the tagging the President's plane was a hoax. Which makes sense, of course.] I snapped this shot while a

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1145641800839075682006-04-21T20:42:00.000+03:002006-04-25T14:48:47.406+03:00

When I first met Christina, the landlady of the apartment I've been renting, she seemed like a pure angel. Just full of sunshine and happiness, eager to help with every last little detail and always positive about issues and questions. That lasted a little while. Now, the apartment has some nice things about it. One thing I absolutely loved was that no one lived above me or below me, just in

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com18tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1145477567996873992006-04-19T22:49:00.000+03:002006-04-20T00:09:10.120+03:00

Not so long ago, I was wandering through zona Racadau (harta aici) of Braşov when I came across a perplexing sight. In this neighborhood of Ceauşescu block apartments, was a concrete park (yes, a concrete park) with a statue of Yitzhak Rabin. It seemed really out of place to see a commemorative piece such as this in Romania. And it's not because of Ion Antonescu. It just didn't strike me as

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1145474511572194212006-04-19T22:18:00.000+03:002006-04-20T00:15:05.370+03:00

Knowest thee thine prices, lest ye shall overpayeth! Judas 2:17

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1145473728385637862006-04-19T22:00:00.000+03:002006-04-20T19:30:29.710+03:00

Last October, I noticed the teenagers of Poarta Schei had been putting public garbage bins to a series of scientific tests. No doubt it was all part of an extra credit experiment sanctioned by the nearby high school to determine if Romania would have cleaner streets when the few trash receptacles actually being used by anonymous strangers started to disappear. And then in March, I saw the

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1145471558929265302006-04-19T21:23:00.000+03:002006-04-19T21:32:52.026+03:00

Wandering the dark and dangerous Transylvania wilderness, I nearly died instantly from a heart attack when the trail before me suddenly erupted into a surreal nightmare. Leaping out from its hiding place behind the bushes, a deadly Romanian mountain troll bared its fangs with shrieking wails as the ground trembled with each lunge it took toward me. I was saved at the last minute when a band of

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1145469879509395032006-04-19T20:55:00.000+03:002006-04-21T01:42:05.420+03:00

Just when I start to succumb to the (incorrect) stereotype that most Romanian companies are clueless, lethargic, or grafty, I come across yet another inspiring signal that marketing progress is indeed coming to the Romanian business environment the way I want to believe it is. Not long ago, I stumbled across an obviously good idea that someone (gasp!) actually implemented. Yes, they did the

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1145392829378533952006-04-18T23:39:00.000+03:002006-04-19T02:29:18.376+03:00

Care to try the Romanian version of potato chips? Well, okay, I suppose they're more like Cheetos. Except without the cheese. They're called pufuleţi (little poofs) and are found at most every magazin alimentara. The primary ingredient has devolved into a huge and massive controversy sweeping across the nation and threating to rip apart the social fabric of Romania by its very seams.

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1145312907259979422006-04-18T01:26:00.000+03:002006-04-18T01:28:27.280+03:00

I need to point out that a friend of mine has recently lauched his website for Seattle real estate. He is certainly a hard working agent and if you're in the market to buy a home in the greater Seattle metropolitan area, then it's hard for me to recommend any other Realtor(r) except Super Savage. Get 'er done!

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1145220973474712332006-04-16T23:53:00.000+03:002006-04-16T23:58:49.883+03:00

...it's easier to find Orangina in Romania than in the United States? That's a tasty benefit.

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1145022985139132982006-04-14T16:46:00.000+03:002006-04-14T19:29:36.633+03:00

Children often receive impactful education from real world events that occur outside of the classroom. These extracurricular influences are not always restricted by adult supervision, but can be initiated by the child himself. I recently documented one such study in Braşov, Romania. The boy in the foreground was throwing small rocks at the advancing subject, who was curious about (but not

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1144832602262252382006-04-12T12:02:00.000+03:002006-04-12T13:08:05.726+03:00

Hey, hey, kids! I'd say it's about time for another homestyle dessert, wouldn't you? Yessiree, Bob... the kind of wholesome goodness you can only make in your own kitchen (and we're not talking about a Betty Crocker box or a Toll House tube). You'll be happy to know that unless you're from Romania, the odds are pretty much 99.99% that you've never had, heard of, or thought about this dessert —

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1144658461876735602006-04-10T11:22:00.000+03:002006-04-10T17:24:07.016+03:00

The Baliff: Hear ye, all rise! The Honorable Judge Romerican presiding. [sound of murmurings and the fumbling for a gavel] TB: Please be seated. [pause] Be seated, please. [pause] Luaţi loc! [pounding of a gavel overtakes indignant gasps] R: Ladies and gentlemen, we are faced with the grave and somber task of identifying what vile concoction ranks as the second worst Romanian beer. I

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1144443162174794072006-04-07T23:52:00.000+03:002006-04-09T10:42:58.663+03:00

Is it an insect killing device? A new video game? The new nickname for the lastest member of Robotron 5 Thousand? Declaration in a comic book? Your status after too much ţuica? Stand back, you fool! I am about to unleash mai multa energie from the pressured confines of its wrapping container device. Witness the power, feel the rush. Cross for your fingers for luck and don your safety

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1144234799691103582006-04-05T13:31:00.000+03:002006-04-09T10:42:13.486+03:00

When I first moved to Braşov, I had rented a tourist apartment for a week in order to give myself time to personally inspect any permanent residence before signing a contract. Made sense then, makes sense now. During those first seven days, my temporary accommodations were located within a few meters of a sleepy little bar undergoing changes. Bar Western is located on Nicolae Balcescu

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1144059509715090042006-04-03T13:16:00.000+03:002006-04-03T13:18:29.733+03:00

I promise you've found a wonderful neighborhood when all it takes is a door handle and lock like this one to protect a home from would-be thieves.

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143889865300646212006-04-01T13:48:00.000+03:002006-04-01T21:30:50.526+03:00

Famous labelmakers of haute couture gathered in Italy on Saturday to throw a spectacular gala highlighting the latest fashion trends featured in their Spring 2006 collections. Buyer representatives for the largest American merchants were on hand to assess the profit potential of the seasonal line up as well as discuss possible marketing campaigns to encourage consumers to salivate over planned

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143808323045335392006-03-31T15:26:00.000+03:002006-03-31T19:43:33.226+03:00

When I arrived in Romania for the first time ever, I had landed in Otopeni Airport (since renamed as Aeroportul International Henri Coanda) in Bucureşti and encountered what was to become the very first of many similar conversations I would have with taxi drivers all over Romania. No matter the judetel, no matter the town, most taxi conversations sound something like this first one. And,

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com13tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143616287045070762006-03-29T09:44:00.000+03:002006-03-30T23:45:28.070+03:00

It started out as a simple walk one afternoon. Wandering the backstreets of Poarta Schei as the adults eyeballed me, muttering comments under their breaths, and teenage girls giggled at the unimaginable idea of an American possibly being interested in photographing their "boring" old streets, I inadvertantly stumbled across an abandoned religious memorial of some sort. Both the interior and

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143488851389593142006-03-27T21:57:00.000+03:002006-03-31T12:51:08.780+03:00

Yes, my friends, as we survey the vast culinary offerings of Romanian cuisine, we stumble upon a sort of recipe for Romerican's Original Pui Zacusca®. Mmm mmm mmmmm. That's right, you heard it here first: my first ever self-created masterpiece. Break out your pencil and paper (or just print this out, eh?) as you're dazzled beyond your wildest imagination. Step right up, step right up! First

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143396588971589952006-03-26T21:03:00.000+03:002006-03-26T21:13:19.980+03:00

Atenţie Garaj. Nu Parcaţi. No Blocaţi. One street. One hour. Braşov, Romania.

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143315173083418832006-03-25T21:27:00.000+02:002006-03-25T21:35:07.496+02:00

Relative Distances Paris to Berlin 545 miles / 878 kilometers Braşov to Minsk 578 miles / 931 kilometers Houston to El Paso 672 miles / 1081 kilometers Seattle to San Francisco 684 miles / 1102 kilometers New York to Chicago 714 miles / 1149 kilometers

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143308232931718212006-03-25T19:25:00.000+02:002006-03-26T21:03:13.973+03:00

Hey, hey, kids! It's officially Spring 2006 in Romania. According to legend, if Braşov Bula doesn't see his shadow while cowering in the cold rain, there will be six more days of winterlike weather. However, if Bula does not see his shadow because he is happily snoozing in the sun as birds chirp and bees start hunting for flowers, then it is clearly Spring. Local tradition states that when

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143301749576240042006-03-25T17:48:00.000+02:002006-03-25T21:22:07.180+02:00

(photo via Sai17) (photo via Svaboda) (photo via Sai17) (photo via lyakh) (photo via Mirritil) (photo via Reuters) (photo via RightWays) (photo via Charter97) (photo via _l_u_f_t_) (photo via Svaboda) (photo via Charter97) (photo via _l_u_f_t_)

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143300871257620412006-03-25T17:33:00.000+02:002006-03-25T17:34:31.256+02:00

BR23 writes: I just read unconfirmed reports about one protester killed by the police, with a skull broken.

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143300504398108762006-03-25T17:25:00.000+02:002006-03-25T17:28:24.400+02:00

Unbelievable. Outrageous. RushMush provides the translation of Lipski. 4:45 pm The crackdown. In the area by the "Lukoil" ad, the special forces have started real people hunting. Cursing like crazy, going into the buildings' backyards, the SpezNaz dispersed, detained, and beat people. Kozulin got detained. An amromred MAZ truck pulled up. Hunting people like some twisted scene from Planet of

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143300261305574912006-03-25T17:23:00.000+02:002006-03-25T17:24:21.306+02:00

Reuters reports: Belarussian police on Saturday detained the two opposition leaders who lost to President Alexander Lukashenko in elections a week ago, Russian news agencies reported.Alexander Kozulin and Alexander Milinkevich had been leading days of rallies against what they called electoral fraud.

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143300105012553252006-03-25T17:19:00.000+02:002006-03-25T17:21:45.036+02:00

Lukashenko order his goons to attack unarmed and peaceful protesters at a rally for freedom in Minsk, Belarus. AP reports: Riot police and protesters clashed Saturday in the Belarusian capital, with police setting off percussion grenades to try to disperse the crowd. Police blocked thousands of marchers on a road, advancing toward them as they beat their shields with truncheons. Protesters

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143299138029618142006-03-25T17:00:00.000+02:002006-03-25T17:05:39.316+02:00

As it turns out, there were "several thousand" protesters (according to various media sources who declined to give an accurate estimate) who made it to the park after police pushing them away from the central Kalinovsky Square (formerly, October Square). Protesters duped police by reorganizing quickly and the police were given orders to chase them down. (photo via Reusters) There, Milinkevich

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143289628233838722006-03-25T14:24:00.000+02:002006-03-25T17:30:18.403+02:00

Svaboda has managed to release a photo of the crowd which was turned away from the central square by police and is now reorganizing in a nearby snow-covered park. (photo via Svaboda) While it's heartening to see the crowd growing to a couple thousand (or more), it's also disappointing to realize there is no mass turn out of tens of thousands. Either the people fear Lukashenko or they want him

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143288449416339852006-03-25T14:03:00.000+02:002006-03-25T19:25:41.866+02:00

BBC is reporting the crowds to be several thousand now. Several thousand protesters in the Belarus capital Minsk are holding a spontaneous rally over the disputed presidential election. They moved in to the main streets after special forces closed off October Square, the site of a tented protest camp cleared away by police on Friday. Several hundred police have been slowly pushing back the

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143287862231722172006-03-25T13:55:00.000+02:002006-03-25T13:57:42.233+02:00

According to Reuters, the crowd has grown from a couple hundred to one thousand, now. More than 1,000 protesters chanting "Shame!" and "Long live Belarus!" defied a ban and confronted police on Saturday as they tried to stage a rally in Minsk against President Alexander Lukashenko's re-election.Riot police, clad in black and equipped with batons, drafted in reinforcements to handle crowds who

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143284643608311032006-03-25T12:47:00.000+02:002006-03-25T13:50:04.006+02:00

By now, tens of thousands of people should have taken to the streets to protest the fraudulent elections, the arrest and mistreatment of hundreds of pro-freedom demonstrators, and general will for additional independence from the pocket of the Kremlin. IF they're going to rally at all, that is. A few days ago as the initial round of protests proved that Belarus did not have to live in daily

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143217267453573392006-03-24T17:57:00.000+02:002006-03-24T18:22:54.246+02:00

The unrecognized break-away republic of Transdnistria (or Trans-Dniester) looks as though it is preparing to bolster it's independence from Moldova by increasing the number of Russian troops occupying Moldovan soil. Of course, Moldova is strongly protesting the presence of any Russian soldiers illegally in it's territory. Russia seem pretty clear in it's support of Transdnistria and has been

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143214083223663132006-03-24T17:10:00.000+02:002006-03-24T17:35:38.526+02:00

It finally happened in Minsk, earlier this morning. The protesters have valiantly kept a peaceful demonstration for over 5 days to bring attention to the fraudulent elections in Belarus which were faked by dictator Alyaksandr Lukashenko and his KGB secret police with full approval of the Russian government. In the past, protesters have been quickly detained and beaten, but as the world looked

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143132973367107782006-03-23T18:48:00.000+02:002006-03-24T10:59:51.983+02:00

My friends and colleagues, we take this unprecedented break in Belarus news coverage in order to bring you the first in a new series on Beer In Romania. And what better place to start than the bottom, eh? As you will come to learn, anything labelled as Dracula is probably the worst in Romania. Why? Well, it's pretty simple really. The kind of entrepreneurs promoting the Dracula brand of

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143130116789700352006-03-23T17:59:00.000+02:002006-03-23T18:09:06.693+02:00

Dictator Al-Hassad, current puppetmaster of Syria and leader of the socialist Ba'ath Party (you know, Saddam Hussein's buddies) who have ruled with an iron fist for 35+ years, has announced his support for Lukashenko. So, he joins KGB's Putin of Russia and the ever flamboyant Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran. Not exactly the kind of friends I'd choose, but then I'm not a tryant bent on crushing my

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143102015098443602006-03-23T10:07:00.000+02:002006-03-23T10:20:15.116+02:00

It seems that Lukashenko may be trying to rile the peaceful protesters by sending in agitators to harass them in hopes of sparking a physical conflict. Any serious scuffle would, of course, lead to an immediate order for violence against the demonstrators... in the name of national security. If the reports are accurate, it would be highly unusual for there to be a somewhat constant flow of

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143100635513037862006-03-23T09:50:00.000+02:002006-03-23T09:57:15.563+02:00

There's an excellent piece discussing what Niall Green at the World Socialist Website had to say about Belarus recently over at the Belarus Elections 2006 blog... and it sounds like he's regurgitating the Ministry of Disinformation's propoganda ticking in over the wire from Moscow. Read the biting exerpt: I know, you, guys, have a problem with capitalism. But your hatred of it makes you

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143062954712165472006-03-22T23:19:00.000+02:002006-03-22T23:29:14.913+02:00

As reported by Charter97, Andrei Dynko, editor for Nasa Niva newspaper in Minsk, Belarus, was arrested and sentenced to prison for supposedly cursing with an obscenity. Two police officers testified against Dynko at the immediate trial, each claiming to have taken him into custody at two different locations. Regardless of the contradiction, the corrupt judge Alena Kraichyk saw fit to throw him

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143061284288843412006-03-22T22:58:00.000+02:002006-03-22T23:02:54.910+02:00

Belarus solidarity protest reaches all the way to New York. Watch the brief video snippet. To see the entire, inspiring video, download here from RightWays.

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143060202685044602006-03-22T22:41:00.000+02:002006-03-22T22:43:22.700+02:00

(photo via Svaboda via RightWays)

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143057072412596762006-03-22T21:45:00.000+02:002006-03-22T22:07:26.516+02:00

The brave protesters in Minsk, Belarus are bedding down for an unprecedented 4th night of occupying the Kalinovsky Square (or October Square, if you're communist). Despite the arrest of an estimated 400 hundred protesters, some of whom are being beaten by Belarus KGB on orders from dictator Lukashenko and then given prison sentences just long enough for their wounds to heal before being

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143055015104784182006-03-22T21:03:00.000+02:002006-03-23T09:38:52.836+02:00

Here is a quick round-up of the lackluster coverage in Romania. Note that there seems to be no official statement from any of Romania's political leaders on this issue. That, to me, is a tragedy and belies their supposed perspective on liberty in former Soviet empire. Ziua [Romana]Rompres [English]Nine O'Clock [English]Evenimente Zilei [Romana]Jurnalul National [Romana]Bucharest Daily News [

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143052918797797012006-03-22T20:38:00.000+02:002006-03-22T22:11:45.660+02:00

"The history of Germany is somehow a copy of Belarus's history at some point. At the time Germany was raised from the ruins thanks to a firm hand. Not everything that was connected to a certain Adolph Hitler in Germany was bad. Remember his rule in Germany. The German order had grown over centuries. Under Hitler this process reached its culmination. This is perfectly in line with our

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1143047918312545472006-03-22T19:03:00.000+02:002006-03-22T19:38:54.370+02:00

Last night the crowds were warned to leave, the power was cut, a dubious alliance leader Kozulin abruptly quit (there's some speculation this junior partner is a communist collaborator who was operating as a mole), people were being arrested in the dead of night... but despite all that, according to various reports circulating about, it appears the number of protesters who slept over night in

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1142977169622626782006-03-21T23:32:00.000+02:002006-03-22T00:48:44.260+02:00

In 1863, a young Belarussian man named Kastus Kalinovsky fought for Belarussian independence (playing a large part in the Polish-initiated uprising against the Russian Empire) by leading the Belarus insurrection agasint Russia. He was later arrested as leader of the revolt and hung in March 1864. But his ideas lived on as Belarus continued to push for autonomy and in 1905 forced the Russian

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1142976377411059892006-03-21T23:23:00.000+02:002006-03-21T23:26:17.653+02:00

Yes! Excellent news for lovers of freedom: BBC reports that ambassadors from 11 EU nations arrived in the Minsk square to talk to and be amongst the protesters. Finally, the EU (more or less) takes a bonafide stance.

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1142974513818260932006-03-21T22:52:00.000+02:002006-03-21T22:55:13.820+02:00

In an effort to reduce press visibility, the Lukashenko government has cut power to October / Kalinovsky Square which means photos and videos are a little harder to come by. Apparently, the more hardcore protesters will continue to camp out in the square and remain there up to and through the 25th of March. However, Saturday the 25th is being planned as a large protest day which does give the

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1142973494060767102006-03-21T22:18:00.000+02:002006-03-21T22:45:11.776+02:00

Again, thousands of people took the streets of Minsk tonight, for the third night, to protest the fraudulent elections and demand a new vote which is both free and fair. The Belarus information warfare group must be doing one heck of a job, as most of the internet sites seem very silent at this time. But what little appears in Russian, it does seem they are out protesting again. Milinkevich is

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1142958147138241452006-03-21T18:17:00.000+02:002006-03-21T18:28:56.263+02:00

Watch this video from today showing protesters in the October Square of Minsk, Belarus as they wait for darkness to fall and hope their fellow citizens realize a regime change is within reach, if they but show up one more time in force. (Film ruthlessly stolen from Svaboda via Calibrono)

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1142957172218386892006-03-21T18:03:00.000+02:002006-03-21T18:06:12.906+02:00

Декларация народа Республики Беларусь

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1142953092585640802006-03-21T16:57:00.000+02:002006-03-21T18:47:00.330+02:00

Here are more photos from Belarus from the 2nd night and 3rd day. (photo via Litota's Journal) (photo via Litota's Journal) (photo via Litota's Journal) (photo via Litota's Journal) To see more (without English) visit Litota's Journal.

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1142923727123874602006-03-21T08:36:00.000+02:002006-03-21T16:35:05.366+02:00

It happens today. Tonight. (photo via AP) We will see what change there is in the tide. Today should be the day when we find out whether or not Belarus can break the back of communism and join a free Europe. (photo via AP) The first night, they surprised themselves by turning out around 27,000 protesters but the dictator was prepared for them and was willing to put up with a little noise.

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1142888798379353032006-03-20T23:04:00.000+02:002006-03-20T23:28:25.963+02:00

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1142881882534925602006-03-20T21:06:00.000+02:002006-03-20T22:21:50.283+02:00

(photo via Svaboda) There is a renewed sense of hope for liberty in Belarus! Get back out there, people. Pick up your flowers and signs, button up your coats, and lock arms once again. It can be done! Right now, it appears as though 27,000 people may be taking to the streets of Minsk! (photo via Publius) (photo via Right Ways) The White House has called for new elections in Belarus. All

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1142843514611590872006-03-20T10:17:00.000+02:002006-03-21T10:12:16.790+02:00

"We don't need democracy with hullabaloo. We do need the type of democracy where people work and get paid, even if not much, but enough to buy bread, milk, sour cream, cottage cheese, and sometimes a piece of meat in order to feed their children and so on. Well, as regards meat, let's not eat too much of it in summer." -Dictator Alyaksandr LukashenkoNot so far from here, Belarus put up a

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1142708556273592452006-03-18T21:02:00.000+02:002006-03-18T21:04:12.040+02:00

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1142694141007887272006-03-18T17:01:00.000+02:002006-03-19T22:31:52.366+02:00

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1142607696150966562006-03-17T16:39:00.000+02:002006-03-18T14:08:45.043+02:00

Aye, tis a wanderfil dae tah-dae an' all tha Eire will be awt in tha pubs ta poor down a bit of the black stuff. Even 'ere in Romania, of carse. Now, ya don' need ta be missin' awt on tha fun, boy-o. Grab yar friend an' head down to yar lowkal Irish pub is all ya need. But, hey, why not start with a little Irish music on the internet. There are several Irish pubs in Romania. Right here in

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1142405992871803072006-03-15T07:31:00.000+02:002006-03-24T00:47:09.550+02:00

We're interrupting this program to bring some multicultural tolerance for our wonderful neighbors who live across an imaginary line. They'll be out late tonight celebrating their 1848 contribution to the waves of nationalistic revolutions spanning across Europe, when Lajos Kossuth stood up to look the Austrian Habsburgs square in the monocle and said, "Nein!" Boy, were the Österreicher's ever

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1142359004170945662006-03-14T19:56:00.000+02:002006-03-14T19:56:44.170+02:00

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1142280310423402192006-03-13T21:59:00.000+02:002006-03-14T19:56:00.160+02:00

(Inspired by an off-hand quip carelessly tossed around in Miercucea Cuic.)

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1142193971171015692006-03-12T21:56:00.000+02:002006-03-13T00:51:25.190+02:00

Recently declassified and released under the Freedom of Information Act, we're able to bring you a few details of the sordid Pizza Mare scandal. Local residents of the Braşov area were shocked to discover the true magnitude of the alleged Blue Viking delivery of a half-million dollar order to Alex. According to official security camera photos, the monstrosity was significantly larger than her,

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1142168367766559792006-03-12T14:40:00.000+02:002006-03-12T18:45:34.766+02:00

Pasta and cinnamon? Walnuts and honey? Sugar and water? Hallelujah! I must confide in you that I loathe hearing about Yet Another holiday celebrating some dead christian from 900 years ago as if it were an impactful relevancy today. Now, mind you, I don't mind the historical education about St. Nimeni who was killed by a ravenous pack of undomesticated hampsters while trying to bring

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1141983271809853772006-03-10T11:25:00.000+02:002006-03-11T17:17:06.280+02:00

Cosmote is the fourth big player to enter into Romania's burgeoning mobile telecommunications marketplace where penetration is estimated at 60% and total profits for 2005 were umpteen million. For the record, Cosmote is owned by Greek giant OTE. Fun fact: OTE also owns Romtelecom, the aging fixed land phone monopoly previously discussed here. Obvious observation: Cosmote and Romtelecom are

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1141810738821487042006-03-08T11:11:00.000+02:002006-03-08T11:42:56.203+02:00

I must admit I was disappointed to read a blurb in Ziarul Financiar about how dealerships of new cars are trying to push legislation through the parliament under the guise of protecting the environment. The lie is to claim dealers support a new "ecological" tax on used car sales because it will benefit the Romanian population. WRONG! New car dealers and importers only support a new tax on used

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1141805401218602232006-03-08T10:08:00.000+02:002006-03-08T17:41:22.650+02:00

What a great little gag! Some clever dude has a website where you can approximate your likeness into a representation of what you would look like as a character on The Simpons. Here I am. You can make yourself into a Simpson, too. I've shown you mine; show me yours!

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1141723553215958712006-03-07T11:24:00.000+02:002006-03-07T21:33:06.830+02:00

Remember the good old days? I don't. Can't claim I was around in 1927 or anything. I will, however, admit that glass bottles remain nostalgic (though I have no cause for it). In the US, we normally stroll down the refridgerated section of the several local supermegaultra grocery stores, where employees avoid talking to you by staring at the ground or scanner laser beams, so that we can find

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1141669999904830972006-03-06T20:29:00.000+02:002006-03-07T11:49:52.616+02:00

...and it keeps changing, too. Approximately every week (not exactly, but close enough) for the past month or so, the weather has gone through dramatic changes in Braşov. The winter was relatively light for most of November, December and even January. We finally got some dumping in late January and it was a frozen tundra for a couple weeks. Then, around the halfway mark of February, the sun

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1141639500680947482006-03-06T12:03:00.000+02:002006-03-06T19:01:00.846+02:00

So, you're on a Mac and want a nice looking IAX softphone VoIP client for your Asterisk account? Romania may have a solution for you: LoudHush. LoudHush is IAX softphone client for VoIP use with your Asterisk on Mac OS X. What's Asterisk? Basically, it's a software PBX and the allows you to have your own VoIP network at home or office where you make calls to regular fixed land phones around

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1141559478581913142006-03-05T13:43:00.000+02:002006-03-06T01:47:41.370+02:00

Exciting stirii for the digirati. Now, nod your head a few times and follow along nice as you please. The adoption rate for internet services in Romania has been booming for a couple years now. I remember in May of 2004, I had the distinct impression the IT market was just passing out of the lukewarm stage and headed into a simmer. Internet cafes were everywhere, with young people

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1140874359038498342006-02-25T15:27:00.000+02:002006-02-25T21:02:18.983+02:00

So, why is it Romanians have different reactions to the two interesting cases being tried in public lately? Both of which involve a man dying, but the reaction is different. In first case, Romanians are furious about the death and outraged by the injustice of the accused being let off the hook. In the second case, the Romanians are surprised and sad about the death but seem to be fighting

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1140724399639512582006-02-23T21:47:00.000+02:002006-02-23T23:51:57.573+02:00

Yeehaw, campers! Six guns a-blazin' n more serious than a cowboy's tombstone, iffin ya know whut I mean, there. Deveni launched American localization services in Romania. The aim is to help Romanian firms who want to sell to Americans (or other English-speakers international business) by getting the grammar straight, the context right, and cultural lingo down pat. The reality is Romanian

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1140724015496460392006-02-23T21:41:00.000+02:002006-02-23T22:25:13.410+02:00

Thanks to the mysterious American in Belgrade, whom I probably found via Expat Anchor, I've managed to make my own addition to the Tocaniţa recipe which is none other than celery root. Mmmm.... just chop about half or a third of that puppy into little cubes and toss it right in with the other veggies. The way I figure: it's gotta add different vitamins to the mix and it doesn't taste half bad.

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1140641999139918852006-02-22T22:57:00.000+02:002006-02-23T21:53:34.310+02:00

Congratulations to my good friends The Teague's on the birth of their first daughter! There's no doubt that her equally-proud big brother will keep a watchful eye out to protect her. Congratulations on your little sister, Cucaracha! Someday, she'll regard the world as veritable fools in a madhouse. "Every day now lays bare the cowardice and vindictiveness of these maniacs, and the stupid

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1140020946687831492006-02-15T18:24:00.000+02:002006-02-16T15:58:05.256+02:00

Translated into Romaneşte, brrreeeport would be brrraaaporte or possibly a brrreeelatare. Localizing the whimsical social experiments of the blogosfera could have interesting and new results for the trivially inclined.

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1139928182412545812006-02-14T16:39:00.000+02:002006-02-15T17:26:00.876+02:00

"Not welcome." Romania should post this sign on it's borders. After World War II, the United States and Britain carved up Europe and delivered half on a plate to the Soviet Union in order to placate Stalin. Almost overnight, millions of people were sold out by the Allies and shackled in the chains of communism. In these dark days, Romania had the most extensive secret police force in the

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1139607909852712912006-02-10T23:44:00.000+02:002006-02-16T14:03:58.543+02:00

Don't let all the smiles of the erroneously designed DVD cover fool you. The Death of Mr. Lazarescu is not your typical summer blockbuster. It will not dazzle you with special effects or sexy celebrities. It does not have a flag-waving ending where F-16s zoom overhead to the sounds of Rock You Like A Hurricane. No, this film attempts to represent the gritty details of the reality of life and

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1139243389843595982006-02-06T17:26:00.000+02:002006-02-06T20:45:54.530+02:00

It's a clear sign of a healthy dose of free speech when three insane people can rant in self-contradicting terms about bizarre things. America may be the king of crazies, but the Romanians are contributing their own candidates for the race to the bottom. First at bat, Grigore Foculescu struck out in his attempt to establish the 3rd Millenium Party and run for mayor of Bucureşti, complete with

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1138719294702866202006-01-31T16:51:00.000+02:002006-02-28T20:57:13.130+02:00

A good number of people have asked me about Romanian food. In many ways, the typical diet here is more plain and simple, along the lines of British food or pork-heavy German dishes, rather than more flavorful cuisines of, say, Bulgaria, Mexico, or India. Having said that, there are many dishes were are absolutely outstanding! One of those delicious culinary delights is Tocaniţa, a distinctly

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1138544371513482122006-01-29T15:53:00.000+02:002006-01-31T18:34:14.830+02:00

Good news, campers! The Hungarians are flying across Romania's borders to help us out with some air travel expenses. And, now, with more frequency to more destinations... Sounds like an advertisement? Well, it's almost an endorsement, so to speak. "Everyone" knows Tarom, the national airline of Romania, has long been terribly overpriced. I've checked their prices since 2003 and always found

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1138401915001817882006-01-28T00:28:00.000+02:002006-01-28T01:54:02.823+02:00

I wanted to ask Slashdotters what they thought about the recent clashes between the US, China, and Google. We know the Bush Administration is seeking the search records of users from Google, under the guise of unconstitutional pornography legislation, but it could involve much deeper questions given that the scope of their request is so wide (and not just from Google, who is resisting at this

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1138057926758033942006-01-24T01:11:00.000+02:002006-01-24T13:28:56.560+02:00

When I think about it, the Lion King broadway show must have really tittilated all the furries. I mean, here are people getting paid to live the life, right? Fully grown adults dancing on stage in semi-aboriginal dry grass headress, wearing animal based costumes (some even in fur), while singing and jumping and twirling and role-playing. And they get paid for it. Yes, I imagine the FurNation

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1138053757325614852006-01-23T23:24:00.000+02:002006-01-24T02:15:02.443+02:00

Are ya down with the marketing droid buzzwords? Surely, even a worker bee product-obsessed consumer such as yourself realizes the inherent synergetic worth of value-added distributor partners who leverage sticky initiatives in order to maximize strategic mindshare solutions while utilizing customized functionalities of impactful platforms which, of course, allows dynamic client communities to

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1137939230601752002006-01-22T16:09:00.000+02:002006-01-22T23:32:54.036+02:00

If you have been starting to think Romania is possibly a little different than America, I might whisper in your ear that you could be right. As we continue our carefully controlled scientific experiments in pursuit of truth, let us examine the disparities between our commonality. Following me? Mmmm... American pizza. It would be heresy to suggest a better pizza could be found any place in the

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1137514726925622292006-01-17T17:58:00.000+02:002006-01-18T16:40:23.750+02:00

Those crazy kids from the geek conventions have whipped up some home-cookin' for y'all. Mmmm, savor the flavor of Anonym.OS. It's a special Live CD which you can use at home, at work, or on the road. Download a copy today and burn yourself a CD. What? You don't understand? After you burn it, pop the CD into your cd-drive and reboot your machine. When your computer boots off the CD, you'll

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-18601319.post-1137256959092512312006-01-14T18:36:00.000+02:002006-01-14T19:03:33.036+02:00

I've not paid exact attention to how long this "new" behavior has been occurring, but it seems like just the last few months. When searching on Google, I notice that, lately, whatever domain is listed as the #1 search result tries to set a cookie on my browser. Right from within Google before I even visit the site! It happens on Windows, OS X, and Fedora Core using FireFox. (I wouldn't be

Romericanhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12615326217450978128noreply@blogger.com0