ET PLURIBUS UNUM

It's been a while since I last pointed out a less favorable trait of the my people. Not to loose practice, I will resume badmouthing the Poortuguese today, right after I finish with the English.

No really, I do have to hand it to the English – in spite of everything, they do have many qualities. One that I most admire, is how close they stick together and support each other – especially when they’re in a foreign land… wasted, passed out in their own puke, at the verge of an alcoholic induced coma, their just about sober mates will not give up on them, although they barely keep their own shorts above the crack of their arses…

It’s indeed remarkable, how they stand up for each other, in the good times and in the bad times. They are a gregarious lot. Pubs, societies, resorts, hooligans… the English relish the chance to go out in packs.

Italians are known to support their own, as well. The Poortuguese, however, show very poor unity with their fellow countrymen, at home or abroad. That is something quite peculiar, in a people that are basically just one people, sharing one language and one culture…

Alas, it’s mostly “every man for him self”. True friendships are rare, despite all the warm handshakes and pats on the back. People are seen for they value, as in “what can you do for me?” or “I’ll scratch your back, you scratch mine” etc. Often, this quickly turns to back stabbing, rug pulling and other nasty treachery moves.

I reckon this is still pretty much a tribal country. People more quickly hold allegiance to self or local interests than to the commonwealth…

It’s really a shame, for the only time in history that we were as one, that’s when we went and influenced the world and mankind...

"The Special One"

HAVE YOU SEEN THIS GIRL? Vanished May 3rd 2007, while on holiday.

I have some reservations about using my usual sarcasm in this post. We all feel for Madeleine and her family; and with all our hearts we wish that the little girl is returned safe and sound to her parents - she is indeed the special one here.

However, I have to set the record straight in what regards the over-the-top criticism the British Media has been spewing out, over the way the investigation is being conducted, so far...

Let me start by reversing the game: a Portuguese child vanishes in the UK - would anyone dare to say that child would get the same attention, the same media frenzy, the same scramble by the British authorities? Honestly? Not even near.
And what if the Portuguese Police or Portuguese media wanted to tell your people how to run the investigations?

Just like when England lost to Portugal in the World Cup Germany'07, the British tabloids rushed to find an escape-goat, they are out again looking for someone to blame...
From their "British superiority" they look down, yet again, to the tanned southerners who are lucky to live in a "warm" climate, otherwise they'd surely die, if food didn't grow in the trees... This "superiority" complex, this arrogance... where have we heard this before? Oh right, "The Special One", Jose Mourinho, the tabloids favorite target... "We know best, we do it better"... look who's the "special one" now...

We are all frustrated by the lack of immediate results from the investigation, and although there is always something that could have been done differently, it is insulting the way critics have been pouring down like Portugal is Britain's colony!!!
Things work differently around here, and that doesn't necessarily mean "worst"! Just accept that people and an investigation are more important than selling newspapers! Portugal is only the unfortunate background to this Bristish crime and drama; furthermore, Scotland Yard has many things not to be proud of (who's forgotten about the Brazilian lad shot last year, in Oval tube?)...

Many people in Portugal believe that the "secrecy of justice" rule (which prevents too much information from being revealed to the public before the end of the investigation) is archaic and should be used sparingly; I agree, but the tantrums British media have displayed, are unacceptable.

Many people in Portugal also believe that, to leave very young children on their own, when they could have free babysitting, it is a crime, and actually so does the law – many people even called that, 3^rd world behavior...

Yes, Portuguese Police may be less “experienced” in some sort of crimes that are rare here (thank God), but to even suggest that they are less capable, it is the same as to suggest that British parents are less able parents…

Dude, That's Our Country

Ok now, all of you foreigners with two living brain-cells who keep getting mighty Portugal confused with shanty Spain, read the following and find out the difference between the two countries - an account made by a foreigner who visited an old Portuguese town, Olivença, occupied by Spain with the help of Napoleon's army, since the early 19th century; a situation akin to Gibraltar...

"Wandering around the old part of the town, what strikes me is how much cleaner and tidier Olivenza is compared with most Spanish towns. Then there is the noise - or lack of it. Walk through any town in Spain any time out of siesta hour and the decibel level can leave you wincing. In Olivenza people speak quietly - like the Portuguese, in fact. The past has left other positive traces. I have never seen a Spanish bakery with such a wide variety of pastries and marzipans as the one just off the Plaza de España. And the restaurants serving Olivenza's 11,000 population have plenty of Portuguese dishes on offer - notably cod, which is as close as food comes to being a religious offering in western Iberia". by Anthony Jefferies

THE TELEGRAPH, 19-Aug-2006

Land of Confusion

Democracy and Freedom. It’s like broccoli and spinach. They’re good for you, but not everybody wants them. On the other hand, tobacco - it’s harmful, but many people don’t care. That's the beauty of Freedom and Democracy.

Many Americans have questioned themselves as why some people (namely in Iraq and Afghanistan) don’t seem to greet democracy and liberty with open arms, but rather with bullets and explosive belts.
Even if this western gift would not be wrapped in violence and coming from the hands of the “infidels”, many people in the Islamic countries would still not accept the offer of democracy and freedom lightly. Many aspects of their tradition and religion are at odds with democracy and liberty, and people could not be expected to change so considerably, from night to day. After all, in Christian Europe, this change took some 500 years to mature! That’s what good-intentioned Americans didn’t understand. Maybe if they’d pay more attention to other cultures and other countries, they could learn that democracy and liberty are not among the highest priorities everywhere in the world. It’s probably shocking to find it out like that, but when people don’t have security, food, money or a home, most likely they don’t have education either; so that’s probably why they don’t think democracy and freedom can help them to put food on the table and a roof over their heads. Then again, some people may have very little or just enough to get by, and still live happily in a state shy of democracy (and vice versa). Because whatever you selling, they ain't buying. Also, the way you come literally knocking down their doors, along with their houses, without being invited and merely supported on poor excuses, that may also inhibit the locals to adopt your democratic ways...