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The reason why I always felt “at home” with computers is my first homecomputer, a “CIP”. Which was my first, back in the late 80s.

A while back, I was having an argument (well, it’s more like I was trying to have a conversation with my designated troll, banned since) about the downside of population decline (PD). He demanded to know why is it bad (which is what I was trying to say) and I thought I provided some studies, but while searching, I was unsatisfied with the quality of the studies I had found. (The title term refers mostly to economy (i.e., population drops below the level required to carry the economy or more specifically old age pensions) whereas PD refers to demographics.) Since then, I’ve found a bit more so here it is.

Recently, a friend asked me to provide Romanian lessons. I directed her to Duolingo (invite) and, as I occasionally listen to Romanian eTeatru (or “teatru radiofonic”), it occurred to me that this is something worth sharing with the rest of the world.

I recently learned some interesting facts from a follow-up (by a Romanian news outfit) on the “Romanian Government attack” on the corrupt Adamescu family who is “not showing off” and it reminds me of a joke with Ivan, the American Spy.

My reservations notwithstanding, I suspect most of the people who voted for Iohannis do not really know who he is, apart from the fact that he is not Ponta. I'm trying to bring a bit more color and background to his wooden personality.

I sporadically come across Dan Alexe's writings. He's a smart dude, he's courageous, and he seems to constantly be bullying "protocronists / dacologists" whom he calls "dacopaths" ("dacopati" cf Romanian original, a term most likely inspired by the derisive and pejorative “psychopaths”). I thought I deconstruct / smite him a bit.

This could very well be a paid post, but it's not (unless you consider a free concert and a couple of Pepsi bottles as 'payment'). I was just passing by their tent and the music caught my ear; I enjoyed it while watching a cover of Talking Heads (Psycho Killer). All in all, a great opportunity to reminisce on what Pepsi meant in my childhood.

I have been staying away from the news of the moment, but this recent tragedy hits extremely close to home, whichever way a member of the Toronto Romanian diaspora (including myself) chooses to define that notion.

About a week ago I watched a number of TV series and movies worth discussing. One of them was about the Brits and the war, and it is somehow connected, in my mind, to UKIP and Farage.

For the longest time I've been meaning to write an article about how youth is not a virtue in itself, but a time when you're actually pretty dumb, and though in your older age you might look back with regret, that does not (or should not) make youngsters gods.

We finally get to present and hopefully elucidate our argument.

Incepusem sa discut in partea I datoria externa a Romaniei, starnit de o afirmatie facuta de Gheorghe Funar cum ca aceasta ar fi ajuns la 140 de miliarde de euro. Desi ar trebui sa reiasa din episodul anterior, aici ajungem la o oarecare concluzie in aceasta privinta.

Noam Chomsky este cel mai cunoscut dissident American. Spre deosebire de dizidenti in alte state, este viu, nevatamat, scrie carti, da interviuri, preda la facultate, calatoreste si viata nu i-a fost niciodata in pericol. M-am gandit c-ar fi instructiv sa ne uitam la cateva citate care pot – sau nu – sa fie relevante la situatia actuala a Romaniei.

Ce, credeai ca obtinerea unui pasaport romanesc in Canada poate fi povestita intr-un singur articol (primul despre pasaportul romanesc)? Nici pomeneala! Aici afli ce s-a intamplat mai pi larg.

Am fost la Consulat sa-mi scot pasaport, prilej cu care iar am inceput sa ma-ntreb daca eu chiar sunt roman, sau numai am alte asteptari. Daca insa te astepti sa ma plang de serviciile consulare, s-ar putea sa fii dezamagit.

Cand generalul de securitate Ion Pacepa a cerut azil politic in US, Ceausescu a avut un microinfarct iar Andries a scris celebrul sau blues. De-atunci, ghinaralul nostru a scris cateva carti care insa nu au prea fost luate in serios. Dupa introducerea si Stronach, il luam pe Pacepa in colimator (“unde e tipografia?”)

Imi vine greu sa urmaresc ce se-ntampla in Moldova, intre altele fiindca neputinta ma-nfurie. Mai mult, logica sau bunul simt par sa fi fost interzise si proscrise, odata cu diseminarea propagandei referitoare la implicarea Romaniei in “Revolutia Twitter”.

In partea a II-a a simfoniei Zamolxis inchinate primaverii si fetei cu ochi obo, mai multe amintiri si mai mult Prokofiev. Partea I este lectura obligatorie, macar pentru playlist care contine intreaga simfonie la sfarsit.

Am invitat niste pretenari la o seara de film, si cum am trimis invitatia nitel cam tarziu, m-am gandit s-o pun si-aici pentre cei care - ca si mine - isi citesc Reader-ul si Twitter-ul mai des decat email-ul.

Citeam recent in buda despre o emisiune, momentu' adevarului, descrisa de Buddha. Si nu mi-au placut concluziile si interpretarile lui. Si-n loc sa-i bag un comment, care-ar fi fost foarte lung, m-am gandit ca mai bine scriu un articol in tema.