Potato on a Stick

Potato on a stick

It seems every country in eastern europe and the balkans has had its
period of empire and a period of suffering at the hands of the despot,
including the long brutal arm of Russia. In the middle of the 1800's
Romania exiled an incompetent prince, and at the suggestion of
Napoleon III selected a Prussian army officer to be their King. He
walked across the border, was coronated and ruled acceptably for 48
years. At some point he learned to speak romanian The communists ruled
for longer until the revolt in the late 90's when the yoke was thrown
off and the despicable Ceaucesceau (sp?) killed. In the revolution
plaza there is an elegant statue of Carol I astride his horse. One
foot of the horse is lifted, meaning, according to the sublimely funny
poem of Billy Collins, that the rider died in bed. Juxtaposed is a
bizarre statue, object, thing--white steel columns rise together about
4 stories high. 4/5 of the way up a patternless conglomeration of
black iron forms what can best be described as a potato which holds on
to the white steel.Some modern art dissembler will have to explain why
that symbolizes a revolution. It is mockingly referred to by Romanians
as a potato on a stick. Perhaps the irony is because the people threw
off communism only to become ruled by wolves--who, as in russia, have
appropriated all the desirable assets of the country, leaving the
people free but no better off.
Did you know that Exxon has not yet paid one penny of the gigantic
court judgment against them for the oil spill in Valdez Alaska how
many years ago.
Off to Azerbijan.
Ron M