Facts! (and not) my Facts! — Part One

I haven’t been blogging for a while, but I think I’ve gathered a lot of energy (and at the moment, a lot of headache), so I’m writing. What about? What else to write about?! 

About Nobody’s Land - Romania

But I won’t go on stating my view, but stating pure facts as well. Something that many journalists failed to do. But then again… the Romanian journalists weren’t even sure how many deputies voted for, how many against and how many were present upon the debate over the suspension of Traian Băsescu!

Though there’s a big ammount of excerpts in order to have a comprehensive picture, I suggest you read the full texts, by clicking on the links!

 

1. Băsescu - Reuters’ key facts [Full article]

* EARLY LIFE: [...]
– A rank-and-file communist party member, a must for any ocean-going captain in the 1980s during the rule of former dictator Nicolae Ceauşescu, Băsescu’s only claim to fame was praise from the party newspaper in 1985 for being a good sailor.

* BECOMING MAYOR:
– After communism collapsed in 1989, he became transport minister in a centrist government, spearheading the privatisation of Romania’s vast but rusting commercial fleet.
– In 2000 he won a landslide victory against the Social Democrat Party (PSD) candidate for Bucharest mayor, Foreign Minister Mircea Geoană, with a campaign whose symbol was the red pepper — a staple of Romanian cooking and a warning to his rivals that he stings.
– Famous for trying to rid the capital of hordes of stray dogs, he dismissed angry reactions from Western animals rights activists. “I am elected by the people of Bucharest, not the dogs,” he told Reuters at the time.

* BĂSESCU AS PRESIDENT:
– Băsescu was declared winner of the 2004 presidential election runoff, snatching victory from the favourite, former President Ion Iliescu’s hand-picked protege Prime Minister Adrian Năstase.
– In 2005 Băsescu started the process of opening of Securitate records when he ordered the secret services to transfer their files to the National Council for Studying Securitate Archives. Researchers of the country’s communist-era secret police cleared the president in October 2006 of accusations he collaborated with the feared Securitate.
[...]

What I did yesterday…

First of all, I put this post in “Trips” because I’ve realized that even if I was still in Łódź, it was actually outside the city somehow.

The Western part of the city is actually cut off from the main city. There are lots of busses and all, but they have been “enlighted” themselves even before the revolution. That the living should be done somewhat outside the city, since there’s no gain to be 5 minutes away from your work, but live in a noisy environment. We (Romanians) haven’t understood that! Nor did we understand a simple fact - that many things nowadays can be solved just by sitting on your computer, in your home!!! And we are supposed to be good IT people… aycks!

Good idea/Bad idea but still… heaven! =)

Good idea: buy & bring beer! Don’t forget the cheese chips!

Bad idea: put it in the freezer to “chill” quickly. This is what George had instead of beer =))) Half beer, 1/4 beer ice and another 1/4 beer foam!

Heaven: always have beer around you ;) Especially when you cook! It will make the cooking such a much nicer experience :p

Liver

I’m sure that Xavier will remember this =) And it is Cătă’s finding, not mine. But I cooked it :p

1. Take as much liver as you want to it :) We have chosen “cow liver” but I’m sure it would be the same with other types as well. Cut it into pieces, the size of two spoons. The following will be sized for 3 people!
2. You will need 3+1 average-size onions that you could chop in half and then slice the halves, so that you get onion-sticks.
3. You will also need a “family” of garlic beans =) (very poetic expression). Chop the garlic as you want, but not too small.
4. Put the 3 onions in a pan, with oil and cook until the onions are glassy - just before they get soft.
5. Put a cup of water, and then the garlic and the liver in the pan. Put the cap on the pan.
6. When the water if half done (like after 10 minutes), add any spices you want. We added parsley, mixed pepper and dill. Do not add salt yet!
7. Let it cook for some more time, without the cap on (some more 15 minutes), add some salt and the other onion.
8. In about 15 minutes, it should be ready. Do not throw the onions or the garlic - they are perfectly eatable :) enjoy!

Recipe(s)

Ok… I may not be a master, but I think I can manage when it comes to food.

And, if others are really in a hurry, or are simple confused about what to do, then I’ve decided to be there for you :P

No, I won’t act like the super-hero who comes to the rescue… I’ll just share my crazy/stupid ideas of cooking.

I will start with the last one, and then continue with future and past ones (I’ve taken photos of each :D ).

Oh, and there will be no names for them =)

This one on the right goes like this:

1. 1/4 of one paprika, and 125g of pasta (I’ve been using Barilla no. 5 - I know, very picky). When the pasta is half done (almost after 4 minutes), you put the chopped paprika in the same water with the pasta, and let it boil along. During and after the boiling, you can add any spices you want, but do add salt and a bit of oil (any type) while boiling. Afterwards add some olive oil and salt.
2. Take 100-150g of whatever semi-prepared meat you have (that is… not raw meat. I have used some sort of veal bacon - hard to tell with all of this Polish around :p ). You take a spoon of butter, and you warm it up in the pan, then you add the chopped “meat”. You add basil, oregano and pepper as you wish, and you cook until the oil has vanished. Then add two full spoons of tomato sauce (concentrate) and put one cup and a half of water. Add more spices as you wish, and cook until the sauce has the desired consistency.
3. You can slice some cucumber as well - it will blend well with the spicy sauce!
4. Enjoy!

My new wall :p

LATER EDIT

1. Gift for “Man’s Day”!
2. Perfect for Easter (rabbit)
3. Very good for my ego =))))))) But even so… who would have thought about something like that?!?! Ok, ok.. I have thought of buying a similar one, but it would have been too weird! But hey, now I have the excuse: I got it as a gift :p

Coming up…

I have 2 “big” posts coming up… but I think that I will delay the publishing for after-Easter, I guess. Various reasons. These posts will be related to:

1. The Skin-Affair
2. Abortion

Ankieta/Chestionar/Survey

I’ve got a mail from Agata, with a message from Monika, a student at International Relations Faculty.

She was asking foreign students to fill in a survey called Climate of Lodz “to see how international visitors (as You!) see Lodz after their staying in the city.”

I couldn’t help but send her some nice comments as well, after filling in the survey. =)