Birthday of a nation

Today is the national day of Romania, the country I’ve been born in and lived in for the past (almost) 16 years of my life.

Happy birthday, Romania!

Let me tell you about 1917-1918. It was the period of Greater Romania (Romania Mare – picture 3). The first province to join Romania was Bessarabia (Basarabia), in March 1918, following the “October Revolution” of 1917, which brought about the collapse of the Tsardom of Russia. After Ukraine tried to annex the province of Bukovina, it requested help from the Kingdom of Romania, which sent an army to protect the Bukovinans. Using the right to self-determination, Bukovina joined the Kingdom on the 27′th October, 1918. In November a national gathering is convoked in Alba-Iulia and on the date of December 1’st 1918, 1200 delegations of the Romanians in Transylvania (yeah, Dracula, that’s the place!), in the presence of a popular gathering of over 100000 people, decide the unification of Transylvania with the Kingdom of Romania, thus uniting all the historical provinces populated by Romanians, creating the largest Romanian country ever to exist in time of peace.

It was the second time that the unification of every territory occupied by Romanians was achieved, the first being Michael the Brave’s (Mihai Viteazul – picture 2 – Mishu FTW! ) ) conquest in 1600, ended one year later, after his death.

Romanians have always been good patriots and close brothers, but sometimes we forget that. The sad thing is that it takes an important or even critical event as a war or a cataclysm to make us remember that we are all members of the same community. Patriotism is mostly forgotten during peaceful times, people going as far as joking and making fun of their own compatriots when they talk of the spirit of this country, a spirit that has helped us keep our own national identity during the years that have passed from the conquest of Dacia by the Romans, in 106 A.D.

Even then, Dacia was an important province and it was said that the leader Burebista (82-44 B.C.), who managed to unite the Northern part of the Thracians (Romania’s territory of today) under his rule, defeating the Romans and the Celts, along with other peoples, managed to bring together the greatest army from there to India, seeding fear among his enemies.

The Romanian countries fought in order to deny the Ottoman Empire in the Middle Ages access to Europe, refusing their advance countless times. Names like Mircea cel Batran (“Mircea the Elder”), Stefan cel Mare (“Stefan the Great”) Vlad Tepes (“Vlad the Impaler” – yep, that’s him) or Iancu de Hunedoara (“John Hunyadi”) struck a great deal of fear in the turks. Romania acted as a guardian of Europe, as the “Gates of Christianity” who stayed firmly shut in front of the Ottomans.

Romania has been an important country during the last couple of centuries, too. Bucharest, it’s capital, was even called “Little Paris” in the interbellic period. Although important territories were lost in the forties, first Bassarabia and Bukovina were lost to the Soviet Union after the Ribbentrop-Molotov pact, then a large part of Northern Transylvania to Hungary and the Cadrilater to Bulgaria, separating the Romanians politically once again, the spirit is still alive in the heart of every true Romanian, be him under the name of “Romanian”, “Moldavian”, “Ukranian” or any other such nationality, because we all have common ancestors, common roots.

One cannot forget his roots, or he will never fully understand who he really is.

I am a Romanian, and I’m proud to say it. Now, who are you?

ShiFt happens

As you may have noticed, I’ve changed the template.
These are times of civil unrest (actually, no they’re not, but let’s pretend it is so) so one must adapt to the changes of the environment, as the true animal he is.
I’d like to know your opinion on the new theme, any advices and criticism is highly cherished and recommended.
Don’t know if I’ll stick with this one yet, because I am currently trying out more interesting and never-before-seen-by-the-average-Joe-that-only-surfs-the-net-for-one-hour-a-week (wow, that’s gotta be the longest one I’ve come up with by now – give it up for t3h M0ony and his not-so-funny-or-functional-thingy/thingies) features for the blog.
I’ll keep you informed! I hope you’ll do the same, either by mail, or by comments.

Historical?

Yesterday I went to the football match Romania – Albania with 6 of my closest friends.

Of course we got there half an hour before the start of the game and we had to trample on (and get trampled on) a crowd of fans to get some tickets (and of course we twice sat in the wrong line, finally getting tickets for the 1st stand, although we wanted to go to the 2nd one). Some were jumping over the fence, some were selling overpriced tickets…everyday Romania, what can I say?

We managed to buy tickets 5 minutes after the start of the game. We entered the complex and started running towards the stadium. After passing a couple of gates, we found out one of the two 1st stands was full, so we had to run another quarter-stadium to get to the second one. Finally getting there, we were checked (for weapons or other dangerous items?) and I was asked to leave a water bottle there. Of course I had two with me, so no harm done there. The trouble was the others had gone on without me, so for about a minute I had to guess the way they had taken, before finally finding them. We finally found 7 seats in a row in the corner of the stadium, put some paper on them (see, the Math notebook DOES help) and started watching the game, 10 minutes in.

I’ve nothing to say about the way the lads played. Wonderful! Half-time found Romania having a goal’s advantage over Albania, and us on our feet, singing and shouting the team on. Absolutely wonderful! We were clearly dominating the game, creating lots of opportunities and calmly controlling the ball. Gabriel Tamas scored in about the 53′rd minute from a well-taken-torpedo-like-struck free kick, making it 2-0 for us. Waves begun by the fans started traveling along the stadium, most of them being stopped by the rich guys over at the 0 stand. The atmosphere was of elation and complete happiness. 10 Minutes later, Daniel Niculae managed to score the 3rd goal for Romania but a couple of minutes later, Albania put one in, the score then being 3-1. Just one minute later, Gigel Bucur sent a good pass to Niculae, who managed to score again for 4-1. Bogdan Lobont, the goalkeeper for the Romanian national team, managed some spectacular saves for which the fans repaid him by shouting his name when Romania was awarded a penalty in the end of the match, wanting him to take it. He didn’t take it, but Ciprian Marica did, and he did it well, taking the score to 5-1 (‘70). One minute later, another penalty was awarded for Romania, forcing the referee to give the second red card for Albania’s team. The crowd once again shouted Lobont’s name, but Dica took the penalty, setting the score as it would eventually be until the end, at 6-1 for Romania.

Everybody was singing, everybody was cheering, we were all completely satisfied with the result.

After the match was over, we stayed a couple more minutes to watch the fireworks that marked the Romanian qualification at the Euro 2008, but also the end of an era. An era in which “Lia Manoliu” was the national stadium for the Romanian team, an arena which I’m sure most of us will remember for a long time as a monument, maybe even as long as we live. The stadium is being demolished, the demolition symbolically starting at the end of the match. In it’s place a new one will be built, much bigger and much more modern.

After the match, going out of the stadium, we kept on cheering the win and the qualification of our national team with much joy. At the end of the day, I can truly say it’s been a very spectacular and special one, that I shall never forget for as long as I live, due to the win we managed, the qualification, the historical event of the demolition being started and the friends that were close to me. ROMANIA FTW!!!111!!oneone!!1!!

Classic…

I’m sure that any serious gamer among you remembers the beautiful time he had playing the following game. If you haven’t played it yet, here’s a good opportunity to start. I guarantee that it is both addicting and VERY FUN.
I give you ….
SUPER MARIO – FLASH
I remember playing it on my first console, back in the nineties. I can’t even tell you the model of the console but I know the games played on cassettes.
I’ll do some research and find it out, because I sure loved that little wonder-box.
Be back soon with more details on the subject! ‘Till then, I leave you in the caring hands of the
most renowned and loved Italian plumber of all time. (*cough* Mario, that is! *cough*)

Tag! I’m it!

Seems like I got it from Tvvity.
What do I want for Christmas this year? What I’m thinking about right now are PS3 games like Haze, Assassin’s Creed or Call of Duty 4 (actually, I’m getting this one myself sooner than Christmas, I think). What else do I want? ….
A, yes, now I remember…well, that’s not going to happen anymore, so why bother you with it? *sigh*
On another, more cheerful note, how many of you still believe in Santa? I know I do.
Yes, I do know that no kind-of-overweight older-than-your-average-grandpa, red-wearing, pipe-smoking or chimney-climbing man visits me every year, but I’m talking about the true Santa, the true nature of Christmas all around the world. I’m talking about the fact that the real Santa DOES exist. Santa is the spirit that fills all of us around Christmas, that joy of being with the ones you care about, the warmth you get on a snowy day from watching the one you love, the excitement and surprise that overwhelm most children, the beauty contained in that one snow flake that keeps gliding through the air before it gently settles on the ground, among it’s infinite counterparts… you see, even the snow flakes spend Christmas with their loved ones. All of these feelings and many more represent Santa, who is in fact as real as you and me, and who does come each Christmas, not only in our house but, most importantly, in our souls.
The fact that we (most of us – I do know that some, if not most, of my readers are 4-year-olds, that’s why I’m trying to keep everything PG) know that no such old man is going to come doesn’t diminish the feeling I get from thinking about Christmas. As long as his presence is felt throughout the world, what would even be the purpose of him showing up?
And concerning my wishes for this holiday, I really don’t believe I have any. The people I care most about are all around me, I’m healthy enough (I think so ) and so are they, so what could I wish for? I know, how about wishing that everyone on this tiny planet would just join in on all the beautiful feelings nature has to offer, both outside, and inside.
I’m passing it on to whomever feels like writing about his/her Christmas wish/es. How about you, Denize, since you’ve written most of the comments on this blog? Whomever it is that chooses to continue, please post a link here so we can all read about it.

We’re still children… aren’t we?

I believe every one of us still holds a part of his childhood self. We should all take a moment from our busy lives and play sometimes. It doesn’t matter the age we are, the place we’re from, the lives we have. Everyone still has a part of themselves that is eager to burst out and play. No reasons, just fun. Moments in which you forget all your worries, all you duties and debts. Now isn’t that bliss? We should all try to never forget to relax, because the stress needs to get out somehow, and if you don’t do it by playing, it may come out in a more undesirable form. So my advice for today is : “Shut up and HAVE FUN!”

Go here for FULL-SCREEN fun!

The world is me

Yesterday I saw something I didn’t think possible, especially in our society’s current state of degradation. I saw a man, with a dog, picking up off the ground the dog’s poop in a small bag.
Wait, what? A man actually doing what should be considered normal, but what actually is considered the rarest of rarities in this society? Someone actually doing the right thing, not just talking about it? Wow, no way!
I was walking down the street when I saw him. I passed him and then I realized. I walked backwards for a couple of meters, and watched him pick up the poop in a bag, because I truly couldn’t believe my eyes. I felt a sense of gratitude… a sense of care for the man that I didn’t know, but who proved that, as I stated in a previous post, there still is hope for us. There still is a chance that the world is slowly changing for the better, that sometime, maybe not for a couple of decades, maybe not even for centuries, but sometime in the future, all the ideas and values that some have given their lives for will be obeyed, unforcefully respected and priced as they ought to be.
That thought alone warms my soul.
You see, I think that most of the man is created and influenced by his environment. I consider that, no matter the core of man, no matter the traits that are said to be passed on, generation after generation, by genes, one is shaped by the world he grows up in, the world he lives in, the world he dies in. Society creates us, but we are the ones who create society. Society is me, and society is you. A crum makes the bread and without it, that bread is never the same. People change us, people teach us, people (and places, but mostly it’s the people) make us who we are, but we, in turn, teach and change others, who will do that to others, and so on and so forth. So, it’s all a cycle, a cycle in which some ideas are lost, some are modified, just like in a game we used to play in school. It was called “Telefonul fara fir” in romanian, that would be “wireless telephone”, right )? Someone would start by whispering something to the next player, and he would whisper to the next, and so on. The point was to see how much information accurately reached the end of the line. We had tons of fun with it, but it proved that almost every time, information is changed by the bearer.
This can be extrapolated, leading to the idea that one adds his own thoughts, his own identity to the message he bears, to the teachings he’s learned, to all that he interacts with.
Society will only change with the change of the people who make it. The base is that people are the society, their personalities define it, their laws govern it. Changes in mentality are the means by which the world evolves, and regresses. It all starts in your mind. You, and only you, are capable of telling good from evil, because good and evil are relative concepts. Good and evil can be restricted to some extent, to create some basic ideas that everyone accepts, but the little things, the ones that truly matter, are detailed in each of our minds.
We all owe it to ourselves, and to the ones who have tried to make us better people, to think alone, to judge by ourselves what is good and what is bad, to question everything around us, and not to take anything for granted. “Why?” is the basic question that leads to progress, progress of mind, thus of society, and thus of the entire world. I refuse to be told what to do, and often react quite nervously even to people whom I wouldn’t want to hurt, because I feel that one’s liberty of thought and one’s freedom of speech constitute one of the species of freedom, the most important and most sought after type of freedom – one of the types of freedom that is essential to one’s existence and without which none can live.
You cannot say that you are alive if you do not think by yourself, if you are not the one who pulls the strings in the puppet show you call “life”. The easiest way to tell if someone is intellectually asleep, or worse, dead, is to ask the fundamental question: “Why?”. “Why do you think that way?”, “Why is that which you claim true?”…”Why?”. Some can still be awoken from this lifeless dormitation that plagues life.
I told you earlier that the prospect of the world changing, although kind of distant and uncertain, warms my soul. It should warm yours, too…

I’m shot! (a.k.a "Un fleac! M-au ciuruit!")

Another victim in the next-gen console-war : me.
As you already know (if you’ve cared enough to have read my posts), I’ve been researching for a while now. All that research seems to have paid off. About a week ago, I decided to buy a next-gen console. “Why?”, you ask? Because I had been reading so much about it that I thought I knew all the advantages and disadvantages, both for now and for the future, and I got sooooo hyped that I decided the console that I had to own and abuse for a couple of years would be… ta-da-da-dam… yes, you’ve guessed it, the PS3!

I got it – Starter Pack – on thursday from the local Mall for a whopping 1900 RON (that’s about 800$).
I know, I know, “You’re one crazy Sony fanboy!”. Actually, no. At least you can’t call me a Wii-tard or a Gaylo lover (in fact, I do like Halo – a lot), or any other Wii or 360 related insult for that matter. *sigh* Ok, bring on the flaming!
Well, I’ve had it for almost 4 days now and I’m damn proud of it. They didn’t have Resistance or an extra controller at the store anymore, so I’ll have to pay them another visit next week to pick those off. I purchased Warhawk, so I can only currently play that and Motorstorm, which came with the Starter Pack.
What can I say? The PS3 compelled me to buy a HD-Ready Tv (I’m thinking of writing a guide to buying an HDTV, actually). I think it a blasphemy, a sin to have a source like a PS3 or an Xbox360 and not connect it to a HD-compliant Tv, instead playing it on your tiny couple-of-decades-old 4:3-ratioed CRT. A sin, I tell you! THE LORD SHALL SMITE YOU, O, BLASPHEMOUS ONE! Being a God-fearing mortal that I *still* am (even though I own a PS3 – shouldn’t that, like, make me a gaming mini-god or something??), I chose, after careful deliberation/googling, LG’s 32lc51 to do my bidding.
I must say, one fact that upsets me is the lack of support Sony has for many european countries. I was anxiously waiting to enter the Playstation Store and download some free demo’s or other free content, but it seems that Romania hasn’t got a Store of its own. That would be just fine with me, if it wasn’t for the fact that Sony doesn’t allow you to access any other country’s Store but yours. That implies that, unless you have an account with a location of a Store-supported-country, you can’t get any Sony free content. Not fair, one would say! I searched for a solution and found out that one can have multiple accounts, so one can add an account with an american, let’s say, residence. That enables the use of that country’s Playstation Store. “Finally!” I said…now I’m downloading about 6 almost-one-gigabyte-sized demos that’ll help me choose my next games.
Also in the news, I’ve found another sales-counting site which states that Wii is, in fact, the market leader. About time, I say! I give you, VGCHARTZ!
I hope I’ll get around to writing some reviews of all the new features and also of the few games I’ve managed to play so far on the PS3, but for now, “sayonara”!

Good times

Sorry for the lack of new material lately, but I’ve been kinda caught up with school…
Today I played some soccer with some friends and during the last game, I fell on my back. Now I’ve got some bruises and a potentially sprained right wrist…
Very sexy, huh? …

Nice shirt

A couple of weeks ago, I received a t-shirt with one of my favorite bands – HIM. There was an image depicting Ville’s (Ville Valo – lead singer of the band) face on the front of the shirt and the same image in black and white on the back. Although I thought it to be kind of macabre, his face being edited to look like it’s decomposing, I didn’t pay much attention to this fact.
About a week ago, I was supposed to meet a friend at the local Mall. I decided to wear the t-shirt I just told you about.
While walking to the door to leave home, I passed by a mirror and was kind of shocked for a moment to see the corrupted face on my t-shirt looking at me.
On the way there, I noticed a group of kids in front of me on the side of the road turning to look at my shirt. Then, two of the girls let out a small scream of shock I guess, at the sight of Valo’s face. The other ones were just smiling at the shirt as I passed them. When I got there, a teenage girl sitting on the steps started looking at the shirt and asked me where I’d got it from, and if I thought she could find one for her. I told her what she wanted to know (by that time I had met with my friend) and entered the Mall.
While we were walking inside the Mall, I noticed two little faces popping out from behind a big column. The kids started staring at my t-shirt and then disappeared behind the column. When we were passing it, we saw the children heading towards their parents and the parents looked at my shirt, looking quite amused.
Anyways, I thought I’d show you the shirt in cause and ask you : Is it really that frightening )?
Here it is :

Click!