New Fast Food Era - Taxing and Educating

A new public debate is currently going on these days - the coming into force of a new law regarding the taxation of fast food in Romania.
Despite the fact that the big fast food chains are complaining, the Romanian Minister of Health and the Prime Minister alike are backed up by the European Union officials in Brussels and even encouraged to set an example to all European countries in this respect.
Even if this measure started from the critical need to collect money for the government budget, it can definitely turn into a new source for education programmes to support healthy dieting and raise awareness of healthy lifestyles.

The 2nd Mourning Day - Bucharest

20 years ago, people in Bucharest continued what heroes in Timisoara had started - but again the outcome was bloody - 40 new young heroes died in the first hour alone.

Highly-trained snipers were shooting civilians from the top of the buildings - mercilessly.

But people would shout: "We shall die, but we shall be free!"

The 1st Mourning Day - Timisoara

December, 17th 1989 - the day when shootings against civilians start.

More than 200 children grow up without their fathers - like Monica Silaghi who sees her father's blood on her 15-year-old hands.

More than 100 families are forced to live with traumatic memories all their lives.

The "Romanian-Romanian war" starts. 'Securitate' people close the doors of the Cathedral so that civilians cannot seek refuge inside. Young heroic people die on the steps of the Cathedral...

"The Trap" - Another Lesson We Must Learn

The day of April the 7th marked another day we should remember - thousands of Moldavian students and youngsters came together in an act of freedom - of opinion, of communication, of rights. Can they all be wrong? Can't they all be heard by the big democratic officials? "The Trap" is a striking recount of what happened...
Quite often I am under the impression that history is just repeating...

"Home Alone" - Documentary on Migration Effects

The local TV station 1TV has recently broadcast their striking "Home Alone" documentary on the situation of the elderly people left behind by those who go to the west in search of a better financial life. What do they leave behind? - "Pain - Loneliness - Poverty - Hope - Tears". Home Alone shows the naked heart-breaking truth of thousands of people over 60 years old who live a real drama under the powerless gaze of authorities... "You haven't died for 90 years, you won't die one or two months" is the shocking answer of a Romanian youngster to his elderly mother before heading for the west...The problem is they never stay away for just one month - so easily months turn into years until they themselves get tangled in their own life problems and become powerless themselves ...
Again, I believe that this is not just a local problem - as we have recently seen, any local problem is a global problem that will affect us all - in one way or another, sooner or later...

"How about JUST a million?" David Heinemeier Hansson on Startups

My top-talent-IT-specialist sister-in-law sent me a link with David Heinemeier Hansson from Ruby on Rails, talking about how to tackle online business. In a time when we are concerned about how to make much more money and profit, David HH's speech is interesting for each one of us for his simply good-sense ideas:

1. the theory "get a billion or die trying" is fundamentally wrong - why should we waste our lives under this pressure when profit can come more naturally?

2. think more about small problems that people have around you - thousands of people may have the same problem worldwide

3. spend less but more productive time at work - no need to work 12+ hours a day

4. online business is not movie industry - the online field is generous and open to many winners

5. "call your own shots and run at your own pace" - what can be more motivating?

6. the simplest ideas run with professionalism bring you happiness and profit

7. Enjoy "Fortune 5,000,000" - be happy to be part of the low end where people provide solutions to many other people who pay little contributions rather than one huge organization that pays a huge sum of money - why carry the pressure?

Mr. Barack Obama's Speech

Mr. Barack Obama's speech on 20th Jan. in Washington DC marks the voice of leadership - not only of the USA, but the voice of all leaders of countries as they should be.
We are still expecting Obama here. Do you have him?

Under Spiderman's Tragic and Fatal Spell: What Do We Teach Our Children?!?

An 8-year-old boy, Leonard R, from Targu Ocna (Romania) dies after he hangs himself while playing Spiderman ("Desteptarea", august 2008, nr 5588,p.4) - the tragedy shocked people in the local community. Leonard, after watching a cartoon at his aunt's place, returns home and plays with a rope tied by a beam and jumps,like "Spiderman", into the void - can this be the repeated tragedy of many of our children? Is it just a matter of time?
When are we going to be responsible and reevaluate and rethink our values and attitudes towards ourselves and the ones around us? How can we stop the destructive consumerist power of money-making and establish a harmonious balance? In an age when we talk about Millennium Development Goals (UNESCO)and establish Education as one of the most important aspects in our local and global society, we should go beyond, much more beyond words and theoretical ideas...we need attitudes and action plans on the part of governments and civil society!

Local Elections: "I am not ashamed to look in your eyes."

On the 15th of June, the second round of local elections finished. It marked the end of an aggressive period in which promises - empty or not, lies - white or 'black', hopes - for the best or not, and dreams - more or less realistic, all mixed up screamed on the streets and in mass media in a frenzy for persuasion. The apparent energetic optimism for the future contrasted heavily with low confrontations, mass manipulation, dubious project presentations, etc.
Being the witness of all these, I have recently come across a poster which vaguely (or not) reminded one of the intense election campaign a few days ago. The poster reads: "I am not ashamed to look in your eyes". Ironically, time has passed over it, leaving its mark and revealing the naked truth...
Is politics different in Romania or is it the same everywhere in all countries where there are financial interests?