Need a break from the eternal optimists? Here’s a bit of international news reporting that, sometimes, it’s best to call in your chips and re-think the whole matter.

According to OnlineJournalism.com, a Romanian Web-zine has announced it is shutting down because its editors have come to the conclusion that there is nothing that can be done to change Romania for the better.

Made in Romania (written in Romanian only) was writing on the realities of present-day Romania. The decision to shut the publication down was made after one of its editors accompanied a Japanese journalist in a visit to a Romanian village destroyed by a storm. The Japanese journalist brought with him $6,000 raised from readers' donations, and the sum was to be given to several families hit by the disaster.

The journalist discovered that the villagers had sold for profit the extra construction material received from from neighboring towns and counties. Others were trading the materials for drinks in the local pub. The Web magazine reported that the villager who received the money from the Japanese journalist shouted that he would use it to buy drinks for everybody in the village for 10 days.
No doubt, upon second consideration and with a bit more judicious application of those funds...they could stretch it to 12 days.