October 2008

Save the Children

by Craig Turp October 17, 2008 Bucharest

 A study released yesterday by the Romanian Child Protection Agency ANPDC startlingly revealed that more than 65 per cent of Romanians think it’s perfectly acceptable to beat children. Hardly a surprise, though it does rather explain an awful lot of what you see on the city’s streets.

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We Love English. Not.

by Craig Turp October 15, 2008 Media

 More bad English. Local television station Prima TV, whose one decent programme, Cronica Carcotasilor, is not as half as good as it once was (and which is in fact a rip-off of the Canale 5 show Striscia la notizie) recently launched its Autumn schedules, with the fantastic slogan, in English, We Love. The slogan We [...]

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The Tyranny of Free Content

by Craig Turp October 15, 2008 Bucharest

 Much consternation this morning in the incestuous world of the self-important Romanian blogger (honestly: if you understand Romanian you really should read some of the stuff these fools – who actually think they have something to say – post on their penis-extension blogs). Anyway, turns out that the Romanian Copyright Protection Agency (ORDA) wants to [...]

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UK Government Opens Bank in Romania

by Craig Turp October 14, 2008 Business

 Romanian branches of ABN Amro, the failing Dutch bank bought not so long ago by the Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS), are this week being rebranded in RBS colours; I would assume you have seen the huge banner ads around town or online at various Romanian news websites. As of yesterday however, the largest shareholder [...]

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The Mysterious Disappearing Case of the Kisellef Killer

by Craig Turp October 13, 2008 Bucharest

 Earlier this year Ana Maria Strauss, driving a big Audi, killed a young student who had made the mistake of trying to cross a busy Bucharest road on a zebra crossing. Now, in the first place it should be recognised that the student was being a bit dumb. I mean, everyone knows that people driving [...]

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All for the sake of 150…

by Craig Turp October 13, 2008 Bucharest

 Just 150 people took part in yesterday’s marathon, which apparently warranted the closure of half the city centre, and which meant that the city’s primary Municipal Hospital at Eroilor was all but off limits. 150. Even the Romanian specialist sports press gives the event less than a paragraph. On the other side of the world, [...]

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Something for the Weekend: The Bucharest Marathon

by Craig Turp October 10, 2008 Bucharest

 Romania’s first marathon will be held on the streets of the capital, Bucharest, this Sunday. Yep, it came as a surprise to us, too. The organisers are clearly hoping that word of mouth will encourage people to turn out, for we’ve seen not a single ad for the event in the local press. Indeed, given [...]

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