MetaFilter posts tagged with romania

Manele, Romanian pop music

nickyskye — Tue, 14 May 2013 12:07:15 -0800

Modern Manele is a deliciously vulgar, cheesy-fun, bouncy Eastern European pop music. About Manele on Wikipedia. Ye old thyme Manele. More folky, less bouncy. Some other examples of modern Manele: Nicolae Guta & Sorina - Nunta Sandu Ciorba - Ha, ha, ha, te chelau

"God, you owe me a life - a living baby."

the man of twists and turns — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 02:33:31 -0800

Dr. Gisella Perl was a gynecologist living in what is now Sighet, Rumania, when in 1944 she and her family were transported by the Nazis to the death camp at Auschwitz. There, she was forced to work under Joseph Mengele in the camp hospital. After seeing the horrors and abuse leading up to the murder of pregant women, she "decided that never again would there be a pregnant woman in Auschwitz." Gisella Perl: Angel and Abortionist in the Auschwitz Death Camp Dr. Perl was later moved to Bergen-Belsen, and survived the war - her family, except for a sister, did not. Dr. Perl emigrated to the United States and lived there for several years, before finally moving to Israel. Her memoir I Was A Doctor In Auschwitz was later turned into the made-for-tv-movie Out Of The Ashes(IMDB), starring Christine Lahti. It is available on youtube.

Nadia has never cried.

Snarl Furillo — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 12:24:43 -0800

Nadia is perfect. Nadia is perfect. Nadia is perfect. Nadia never cries and never falls. Nadia is a covergirl. Nadia is a Hero of Socialist Labor. Nadia is very dangerous to her enemies. Nadia competes one-handed, with blood poisoning, and likes Robert Redford. Nadia escapes, parts I and II. Now, Nadia is very busy.

78 78s

carter — Sun, 29 Jan 2012 18:00:29 -0800

78 78s - In Search Of Lost Time - is a streaming mix of beautiful 78s from around the world, collected and curated by Ian Nagoski. "I started sifting through boxes of junky old 78s that no one else wanted about 15 years ago, and almost right away, I made a rule: Anything that wasn't in English, buy it." Ian's projects have been discussed here before.

E.M. Cioran

Trurl — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 06:28:11 -0800

Cioran's literary elitism is unparalleled in modern literature, and for that reason he often appears as a nuisance for modern and sentimental ears poised for the lullaby words of eternal earthly or spiritual bliss. Cioran's hatred of the present and the future, his disrespect for life, will certainly continue to antagonize the apostles of modernity who never tire of chanting vague promises about the "better here-and-now." ... If one could reduce the portrayal of Cioran to one short paragraph, then one must depict him as an author who sees in the modern veneration of the intellect a blueprint for spiritual gulags and the uglification of the world. Indeed, for Cioran, man's task is to wash himself in the school of existential futility, for futility is not hopelessness; futility is a reward for those wishing to rid themselves of the epidemic of life and the virus of hope. Probably, this picture best befits the man who describes himself as a fanatic without any convictions--a stranded accident in the cosmos who casts nostalgic looks towards his quick disappearance. - Tomislav Sunic WikiQuotes "On Being Lyrical" - from On The Heights Of Despair (1934) The Book of Delusions (1936) "A People of Solitaries" - from The Temptation To Exist (1956)

Is a black cat a deductable business expense?

reynir — Sun, 09 Jan 2011 08:45:46 -0800

The Romanian government has changed its labour laws, and in doing so has added a number of professions which weren't previously recognised but which are now subject to tax. Car valets, embalmers and driving instructors are unhappy to be added, but their protests aren't likely to be as scary as those of the...witches. Romanian witches are now regarded as self-employed, and subject to income tax and health and pension payments. Rather than marching or writing stern letters, they have threatened to curse the government, throw poisonous mandrake plants into the River Danube, and conjure spells using cat faeces and a dead dog. This isn't the first time recently that witchcraft has figured in Romanian politics: when Mircea Geoana lost the presidential race in 2009, he blamed supernatural interference: "People who were working for Basescu in this domain were present to the right of the camera [during a TV debate]" Mr Geoana told local television. Mr Geoana was mocked in the press for being a bad loser, but the subsequent publication of photos showing a well-known clairvoyant and parapsychologist (whose specialities are said to include deep mind control, clairvoyance, and hypnotic trance) in the President's close company throughout the campaign. The President and his aides have also been known 'to wear purple on certain days in an attempt to ward off evil'. In 2007 a judge was alleged to have attempted to cast spells on court staff, other judges and prosecutors. She was relieved of her position as court president and had her salary reduced for three months (although it's less clear how much of this was due to sorcery and how much to 'misplacing an important document'. Not all witches are upset about the change, though. Gabriela Ciucur lobbied the government for professional recognition, and has become the first to officially register a company dealing with 'astrology and contacts with the spiritual world'.

a long-lasting lunch break

eugenen — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 00:03:15 -0800

Bored of Ke$ha, Fergie, and their various American contemporaries performing "hip-hop"-"tinged" "pop"? Say "alo" to apple-cheeked Romanian-German star Miss Platnum. Maybe start with Mercedes-Benz and She Moved In, before moving on to her earliest and biggest hit, Give Me the Food. Bonus: A cover of Kate Bush's Babooshka.

95

edgeways — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 11:51:23 -0800

Romania's Tirgsor Prison (for women), as photographed by six inmates. (mild nsfw content)

"Au Soleil (To The Sun)"

circular — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 00:48:31 -0800

"Au Soleil" is based on my memories of a cycling trip I undertook across Eastern Europe from Berlin to Istanbul. Vimeo video. A (surprisingly relaxing) short multimedia documentary, created using open source 3D animation software and a keen artistic eye. The film took me 4 months from initial concept through modelling, rigging, texturing, animation, rendering, compositing, editing and sound design. Most of the animation was produced using blender, and was quite a learning experience: at the start I had no idea what an IK constraint was or how to use the NLA editor, my previous animation experience being mostly limited to boring old arch-viz. Pretty incredible work for an amateur!

1989, revolution in Eastern Europe

Kattullus — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 09:49:20 -0800

The BBC World Service has put together a special report on the 1989 revolutions in Eastern Europe (they also have a simpler portal). There is a wealth of material, including TV reports on key events from the BBC archives, interviews, a map timeline, a report on Catholicism's role in the 1989 revolutions, a first-hand report of what it was like to gather news in East Germany during that time and much more.

Herta Müller is the 2009 Nobel Laureate in Literature

Kattullus — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:10:13 -0800

This year's Nobel Laureate in Literature is Romanian born author Herta Müller, who writes in German, as predicted yesterday by M. A. Orthofer of The Complete Review and Literary Saloon. Here's an interview with Herta Müller and a short bio.

Beautiful music by Romanian composer Ciprian Porumbescu

crazylegs — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 12:12:07 -0800

The fiddle is usually associated with the hillbilly mania of people like Michael Cleveland (the nerdiest master ever to wield a bow), or the can't-get-it-out-of-your-head knees up party sound of celtic music. The violin, on the other hand, is associated with the elegance of orchestral music. They're actually one and the same instrument, applied to different sounds. And nobody wrote for this instrument more movingly than the Romanian composer Ciprian Porumbescu (1853-1883). Listen to his Ballad for Violin and Orchestra with your eyes closed, and weep for the suffering of the world.

Revolution in Moldova

vkxmai — Tue, 07 Apr 2009 21:24:09 -0800

Following the 5 April parliamentary election results in the Republic of Moldova, in which the Partidul Comuniștilor din Republica Moldova won nearly 50% of the vote, thousands of young people began a series of protests largely organized through Twitter, text messaging, and FaceBook. The protests quickly reached a boiling point early today, when Parliament was stormed. Much of the coverage in the European press is limited to Romanian-language reporting. Some of the most compelling imagery and video clips, however, speak for themselves. Smaller groups of people across Romania, including Bucharest, have shown their support for the anti-communist protests in Basarabia, as the Republic of Moldova is often referred to in Romanian. Recent reports have also indicated that buses carrying supporters from Romania into Moldova, as well as Moldovans attempting to enter the capital, Chișinau, are being turned away. Moldova’s current president, Vladimir Voronin, believes that there was an attempted coup d’état. The EU’s foreign policy chief, Javier Solana, has also weighed in on the events. The Eurasia Daily Monitor offers insightful coverage and opinion pieces on the politics of the region. The wikipedia article on the Republic of Moldova, despite arguments over the official language of Moldova and recent nomenklatura changes by the Voronin government, is quite in-depth. The article on the breakaway region of Transnistria is also useful for understanding the Russian response to the recent events.

Online Visual Journalism

netbros — Sun, 01 Mar 2009 21:45:33 -0800

They call themselves Visual Journalists. Prime among them is the Bombay Flying Club, a group of photo-journalists who are using the latest web and flash technologies to frame their online news gathering and documentary storytelling. The Afghan Diaries is a three-part documentary about Danish soldiers who put their lives at risk in order to defend our "peace loving nations" against global terrorism. Life After the Tsunami. Four years have passed since that horrible South Asian disaster. See the results of relief efforts. Bucharest Below Ground follows people living in the abandoned heat pipes behind the Casa Radio building. Children call this home. In a fast paced world where time is money and materialism is more important than anything else, some people give up everything to live in harmony with nature. Into the Wild is the portrait of a man who owns nothing, yet is happier than most. Wave after wave, they formed a veritable river of humanity that flowed onto the banks of the Ganges to celebrate the greatest spiritual festival ever held in the history of the world, the mighty Kumbh Mela. And from the San Jose Mercury News, Left Behind, a visual journey through some of Mumbai's worst slums areas. Shot around Bandra East, Mahim and Dharavi, there's also some great footage from the Deonar dump site situated on the outskirts of this mega city. All this, as insight into some of the video and multimedia pieces that we will be seeing a lot of coming from visual journalists in the near future. With the new Canon 5D Mark II at hand, productions like these, will inevitably be a lot easier to produce.

Do you know these children?

Asparagirl — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 12:32:10 -0800

Do you, or an older relative of yours, recognize any of these children? More than 70 children separated from their families during WWII, now all elderly men and women, are using the Internet to try to find some answers about their pasts, their families, and sometimes even their own names. They are soliciting help and suggestions in the comments sections on each story. Sadly typical story: "The infant was hungry and crying, so her mother asked for milk from a Polish couple that happened to be on the train station. The Polish man brought milk for the baby. Then the Jewish mother asked if they would want to take the baby as their own because she could not keep it. This couple did not have any children, so after some consideration, they agreed. They asked the Jewish mother who she was, but she told them that it was better for them and for the baby not to know who she was. She then gave her newborn baby girl, who was probably one month old, to the Polish couple. The Polish couple raised the girl as if she was their biological daughter and never told her how she had come into the family. The girl grew up, married and had a son. It is this son who wants to find his Jewish roots..."

Cosmin Bumbuţ

fire&wings — Tue, 08 Jul 2008 07:41:36 -0800

Cosmin Bumbuţ, Romanian photographer. [nsfw] His fantastic photographs of the mines at Rosia Montana are a good place to start. Another site with some additional work (and poorer navigation.) here. Short bio here.

"New Wave on the Black Sea"

lovejones — Mon, 21 Jan 2008 11:16:00 -0800

Comprehensive profile, in the NY Times magazine, of the new crop of talented Romanian filmmakers. Be sure to check out the interactive component of the story, with clips and commentary on several recent films.

Euro-ricers in Romania

Doohickie — Mon, 19 Nov 2007 17:36:05 -0800

Pro-street Romania Auto Club Yeah, bad parody, but if you do anything with cars, you know these people.

The Merry Cemetery! It rhymes!.

arse_hat — Sat, 27 Jan 2007 22:12:59 -0800

In the county of Maramures in Romania is Sapanta or The Merry Cemetery. From 1935 Ioan Patras, carved oak crosses with a scene from a life or death like the death of a young girl or this questionable bit.

Urologist slices perfectly ok penis

elpapacito — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 18:49:05 -0800

Should have worked in a sushi bar. Newsoftheweirdfilter : before entering an hospital in order to have corrective surgery on your testicles, make sure your surgeon of choice isn't 1. slightly insane 2. short tempered 3.holding a scalpel (probably SFW, but may elicit a perpetual lack of trust in doctors).

Countess Dracula

sluglicker — Sat, 18 Mar 2006 16:39:56 -0800

Elizabeth Báthory is hot. I'd do her. The thing is she holds the world record (according to GWR) for being the most prolific serial killer in history. Supposedly, she may have tortured and killed as many as 2000 young girls, which probably makes her bi or lesbian (not that there's anything wrong with that). Some say she is the real inspiration for Bram Stoker's Dracula.

Master Manole

empath — Sun, 18 Dec 2005 13:33:30 -0800

Master Manole built the Curtea de Arges Monastery. According to legend, he couldn't complete the work without sacrificing someone dear to him, and his hubris upon completing the work lead him to a tragic end. It's a touching story, and now you can play the game.

is this fundamentalism?

cbjg — Tue, 21 Jun 2005 03:57:42 -0800

Nun crucified at Romanian exorcism. A Romanian nun has died after being bound to a cross, gagged and left alone for three days in a cold room in a convent, Romanian police have said. "I don't understand why journalists are making such a fuss about this. Exorcism is a common practice in the heart of the Romanian Orthodox church and my methods are not at all unknown to other priests," Father Daniel added.

UPDATE: She was buried yesterday and the Principal monk has been charged with false imprisonment leading to death.

bucharest gourmet

pieoverdone — Mon, 14 Mar 2005 06:43:28 -0800

While looking to cook something new, I found a woman's story of growing up in Romania and her immigration to the United States.

No hope? No direction? We have answers.

loquax — Tue, 31 Aug 2004 21:14:46 -0800

Mint Rubbing: time and life management technique developed in Romania and practiced by millions of people worldwide. Learn to properly rub mint online and join the RMRA for free! Don't forget the testimonials and ancient wisdom...