Vlad the Ukrainer

Charles the Simple. Aethelred the Unready. Ivan the Terrible. Archibald the Loser. Alfonso the Sloberrer. Sviatopolk the Accursed. Catherine the Great (Horsefucker). Not the finest monikers. I would not wish to be known as Brendan the (any of those things). Nor would you – especially because you’re probably not named Brendan.

None of them come anywhere close to Vlad the Impaler. “Impaler” is much more specific and evocative. Vlad the Impaler might be less well-known today than Vlad the Ukraine-invader, and Putin has earned himself many nasty appellations, but nothing will be as memorable as “the impaler.” Besides, Putin needs no sobriquet in Romania; here, "Putyin" means "small."

I’m well within a one-day train ride of Vlad’s castle. I’m also a one-day train ride from neo-Vlad’s invasion of Ukraine. Hmm. Which would you choose to explore next?

I will also visit there to hang out with the Trans community. Unless I’m missing something, people who were born in Transylvania, and grew up there and vote there, are Trannies with a capital T – regardless of transgenderism. They might be offended at transexuals for co-opting their name, just like the roughly 114,000 citizens of Lesbos. On what basis would “true” Trannies or Lesbians be denied special treatment offered to those groups? Could some smartass rename a small town “Bisexua” and apply for funding or other benefits meant for bisexuals? If you mixed the resulting MSNBC and Fox News coverage of that story, would the resulting annihilation destroy earth?

And now for some photos worth discussion.

Why are ribs so often promoted as the world's finest prepared food? My hosts took me out for dinner. The waiter, unprompted, said I should get the ribs because they are "the best in the world." Ever heard a waiter promote the best fruit salad in the world? Remember that one place that advertised the world's finest ketchup? How many chefs vie for best oatmeal? Breadsticks? Eggplant parmesan? Mashed potatoes? Chicken strips? Corn, peas, or even a vegetable medley? Every restaurant in Austria (and many hardware stores) sold half-cranberry-juice-half-water drinks, but none claimed superiority. wrt their menu. Of course. 

No, it wasn't a rib joint. The menu included several pages of other items. I was really having fun with my plan to choose something I couldn't identify and probably never had before. Ribs don't qualify.

I was thus pleased with the humble self-promotion shown below:

I find the following business a little scary. I keep wanting to go quietly flip the "open" sign. If they're really blind, how would they know? I might save future customers' eyes from blind barbers' scissors. 

From a quick online search, they provide a free drink with each haircut. Yeah. Might dull the pain. I am tempted to go there for a haircut, but I first have to learn how the Romanian version of the old joke ending with "...I lost this arm in a sawmill."

And what have we here? These look like two well-known brands in the US without the branding. Like the preceding picture, there is an explanation that is more correct and less funny, but then you're missing the point of this blog.