Posted on July 5, 2010 - by admin

Sales Tax

Romania just increased it’s sales tax….VAT (value added tax) actually, but the result to consumers is basically the same.   The old tax was 19%.  Yes, nineteen percent…already darn high…especially for those of us from the US!   So, what would you imagine they increased it to?  19.25%?  maybe 20% at a max, right?   Nope.

24%     …a 5% increase, overnight!    That puts Romania in the top 6 around the world for highest sales tax (VAT).  In their company is Denmark (25%), Sweden (25%), Norway (25%), Iceland (25.5%), and Hungary (25%).   I don’t want to be mean, but there is a huge difference between all those other nations and Romania.  Those countries have infrastructure and government services (not to mention accountability) that FAR exceeds that of Romania’s by almost untold amounts.

What’s even more disturbing is that this policy change comes as a result of pressure from the IMF (International Mafia Federation).  So, this is essentially what is happening…  The IMF is telling Romania “fix your problem [budget deficit] or we will not give you any more money.”  Romania wants more from the IMF because they have grown dependent on them.  So Romania says, “tell us what we need to do”.  So, the IMF tells Romania HOW they have to fix the problem….raise your taxes on the average person.  In other words, the IMF is now dictating fiscal policy for a sovereign nation because they hold the purse strings.   So Romania adjusts the tax, which hurts the general public – middle to low income families, so that the IMF can give more money to Romania that will eventuallyend up in the hands of those that are already rich and prosperous…including many of the government officials and their personal projects….i.e. – their own houses and businesses.

Here we have government and multi-lateral ”de-development” agencies at their finest.  The final result will be that a) Romania’s general public suffers MORE, b) Romania does not learn how to actually reform itself into a sustainable society, and c) they become more and more dependent and indebted to the IMF and other like agencies….which those agencies feel is just fine.

Posted on June 25, 2010 - by admin

Bodyguards

Something strange is happening at my neighbor’s house.  There is an empty field between he and us, so whenever we are in the kitchen or the bedroom we have a full view of his place.  He has alot of land and his house is nearly double or triple the size of most other homes on the street.  During most weeks it’s usual that everyday there are people coming and going from his property; gardeners, house cleaners, repair men…and he seems to always be remodeling his brand new home.  And he lives there all alone.

For 4 days now, 24hrs a day, there have been cars, different cars, parked in the exact same place, in the exact same position on his driveway with young men sitting inside of them all day long.  Occasionally, they get out of the car to stretch or talk on the cell phone.  And when they do, it’s clear that they guys have spent alot of time at the gym….recently.  It is clear they are watching his property for some reason.  The house cleaners, the gardeners, the repair men have not been seen in almost a week.

Why are the security guys there?  Is my neighbor a Don in the mafia?  Is he part of the heroin ring that runs through Romania on it’s way to W. Europe?  Is he paranoid?  Is there going to be a shoot out or a drive-by on our street?

Posted on June 24, 2010 - by admin

Romanian Proverb

“The biggest trees may fall in a gale, but the weeds remain.”

“La vijelii copacii cei mari jos cad, iar buruienile pe loc raman.”

To understand this proverb you have to put yourself in the shoes of a people have have survived many, many horrible regimes and come out alive…not thriving, but alive.  You also have to put yourself in the shoes of a people who have no foundational trust in their leaders for centuries…and have seen many “big trees” fall.

Posted on June 22, 2010 - by admin

Romanian Proverb

“Ai facut o teaca, dintr-o piele de vaca”

“You used an entire cow’s hide to make a sheath for your knife.”

The general idea is that you started with lots of material but when you were done, you had wasted 95% of it just to get a simple job done.  I have personal experience with this one.  Dr. David and I were trying to hang a monitor (a heave one) on the wall in one of the exam rooms.  We measured, drilled, and hung, only to discover that the patient (a would be pregnant lady watching her own ultrasound) would not be able to see the display because of the angle.  So we rehung…and ran into another problem, the monitor would have impeded the doctor from being in the position he/she needed to be in.  So we hung it a third time.  When we were done, we had left 6 very large holes in the concrete/brick wall about 1-2 inches in diameter.  It looked like gunfire had hit the wall.  We laughed, and Dr. David taught me the saying above.

Posted on June 21, 2010 - by admin

Romanian Proverbs

Erzsebet, who helps us twice a month in the home recently bought us a gift; a book of Romanian Proverbs.  I thought I would share some of the more interesting one’s periodically.  Here’s the first…in English and in Romanian.

“In time, raindrops will bore holes in rocks, and even a poor rope cuts marble.”

“Picatura ploii piatra gaureste, si funia de tei, cu vreme, marmurile despica.”

I don’t want to comment too much on how these proverbs play into the culture here, but this one is especially interesting because Romanians have the tendency to be fatalistic and deterministic…with a touch of not being driven by time.  So, the idea I take from this proverb is that efficiency is not king…as it is in many western cultures.  The work will get done sooner or later…no need to push too hard.  What’s the rush?

Posted on June 15, 2010 - by admin

Random Photos

Caitrin...taking a more humble approach to her greatness.

Adriana kept on performing long after most the people had gone home.

Show girls...after the show.

Sebastian putting the drop-leg cross hold on his sister.

Posted on June 14, 2010 - by admin

First Ballet Performance

The girls have been taking a ballet class and this last Saturday they had a little performance.  Here’s some video.

Caitrins First Dance

Caitrins Second Dance

Adriana’s Dance

Posted on June 8, 2010 - by admin

Hymn

Holy, Holy, Holy
Reginald Heber & John B Dykes
—————————————–

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God almighty,
Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee.
Holy, holy, holy, merciful and mighty,
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity.

Holy, holy, holy, all the saints adore thee,
Casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea.
Cherubim and Seraphim, falling down before thee,
Who wert, and art, and ever more shall be.

Holy, holy, holy, Tho’ the darkness hide thee.
Tho’ the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see.
Only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
Perfect in power, in love, and purity.

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God Almighty,
All thy works praise thy name in earth, and sky, and sea.
Holy, holy, holy, Merciful and Mighty,
God in three Persons, blessed Trinity.

————————————————–

Just a good worship song, with a dash of theology.

Posted on June 7, 2010 - by admin

Cherry Picking – part 1

Why is this part 1?  Because it’s cherry season, and within a week we are due to pick another bumper crop at Dr. David’s house.  Those will be the ones we will use to make the cherry juice and cherry jam we have become world famous for.  But, we had a nice little picnic this afternoon with a bunch of people from our church, on a small piece of land owned by a couple, also in our church.  Here’s some snapshots of the afternoon:

Posted on June 6, 2010 - by admin

Tattoo me!

The other night, Becca was sitting on the couch with her pregnant belly exposed.  One of the kids (can’t remember who) said that her bellybutton looks like a nose (because it does, you know, sticking out a little bit from the increased regional pressure.)  So, I grabbed a marker and drew 2 eyes above the bellybutton and a mouth below.  That of course started a trend with all the kids lying down and asking me to tattoo them.  Below are the results: