User:Biruitorul/Sandbox

The Moldova issue
That's one side of the story. See Moldovenism for more background. I think the State Department is correct, and expresses a common scholarly view: Moldovans are part of a wider Romanian ethnic group, but in the 2004 census, the great majority declared themselves as Moldovan rather than Romanian, for two reasons: first, Moldovans were taught under half a century of Soviet rule that "Romanian" is a dirty word, associated with fascism; and second, Moldovans do have a distinct regional identity - just like people in various parts of Romania (Transylvanians, Oltenians, etc). Also, the languages are indeed the same in their literary form, but just as with other variants of Romanian, Moldovan people do have a distinct accent when they speak. Now, when the 2% number is tossed about, it only refers to a very technical definition: 2% of Moldovan inhabitants declared themselves Romanian in 2004. But you can't tell apart a Moldovan from a Romanian - the difference is a political one.

Let's try an analogy. Say that at the 1930 US Census, 70% of people from California said they were "American", 20% Mexican and 10% Japanese. Then in 1940, Mexico annexes California, and until 1991, when the independent California Republic is formed, inhabitants are told that America is evil, that they're Californians, and that they speak Californian. Then in 1991 there's talk California might rejoin the US, but LA County is occupied by the Mexican Army and the Republic's government is pro-Mexican, and keeps on telling people they're Californians and speak Californian. So of course by 2004, only 2% of people will identify as Californian, as opposed to 70% in 1930, and 68% will call themselves by the new, purely political designation of Californian. (And yes, this is an analogy and I'm aware there's no "American" ethnicity.)

The situation in Moldova is sort of similar. Not exactly - bits of Bessarabia, the historical region that roughly overlaps Moldova, are now in Ukraine, and the Jews there were mostly either killed or fled during and after WWII, and some Russians and Ukrainians came in during the Soviet period. Nevertheless, 56.2% of people in Bessarabia were Romanian in 1930, and in 2004, 76% were Moldovans and 2% Romanians. Now of course, people can call themselves whatever they please, but we are in fact talking about the same group of people, nearly all of whom happened to adopt a different name. So while technically correct, saying that Moldova is "2% Romanian" rather obscures the issue.

Pending
Men are not sprung from Zeus; they are creatures of flesh and blood and do not exist in a vacuum. Consequently, when writing a biography of someone, it is important that, whenever possible, you give a brief but informative description of his parents, siblings, spouse(s) and children, and also that you do not skip directly from birth to age 18 or 25, or worse yet start in medias res without even a mention of birth, but rather that you give some short but meaningful information about the subject's childhood. Additionally, men do not simply leave the earth (unless they are named Jesus, Elijah or Enoch): they die somehow. Try to make clear how that happened, and how they spend their declining years, if possible.

Arad: M.Nicoara; Oradea: Mihai Eminescu; Bistrita: Liviu Rebreanu; Brasov: Andrei Saguna; Braila: Nicolae Balcescu; Calarasi: Barbu Stirbei; Sf Gheorghe: Mihai Viteazul; Targoviste: Ienachita Vacarescu; Craiova: Elena Cuza; Galati: Vasile Alecsandri; Targu Jiu: Tudor Vladimirescu & Spiru Haret; Giurgiu: Ion Maiorescu; Miercurea Ciuc: Octavian Goga; Deva: Decebal; Slobozia: Mihai Viteazul; Baia Mare: Mihai Eminescu; Targu Mures: Al. Papiu-Ilarian; Piatra Neamt: Petru Rares; Ploiesti: I.L. Caragiale; Satu Mare: Doamna Stanca; Zalau: Silvania; Sibiu: Octavian Goga & Brukenthal; Suceava: Petru Rares; Alexandria: Alexandru D. Ghica; Ramnicu Valcea: Alexandru Lahovari; Focsani: Alexandru Ioan Cuza & Unirea

Zece Prăjini, Potlogeni, Borla, Sălaj, Prislop, Sibiu, Cuciulata, Ravensca, Jac

Elena Băsescu, Maria Băsescu, Teodor Baconschi, Sorin Ovidiu Vântu