The justice system is not always about the truth

The death of Trayvon Martin as been largely talked about these last few days.
First of all it's always tragic when someone so young dies no matter the reason.
Second, once again US gun culture where everyone can have a gun license allowed for an ordinary man like George Zimmerman who was not a policeman, but a private patrol guy to carry it with him.
I will not discuss if he did it for racial motives (even because I do not know the guy), yet it seems a bit extreme for a grown man to use a gun against an unarmed boy.
As for the police work, I agree that it took them too long to apprehend Zimmerman, however I cannot blame the jury for the verdict for the justice system is all about proof, if you don't have that, you have nothing. Speculation doesn't count.
Who can honestly say they have proof of Zimmerman's xenophobia?
   

Amigos improvaveis

Para todos os amantes de animais:

Weakness and disloyalty

I think this time my country's government will fall.
With Victor Gaspar (the finance minister) and Paulo Portas (the foreigner affairs minister and leader of the other party forming the coalition in power) I cannot see a way which will allow our prime minister to stay in office.
Victor Gaspar couldn't handle the pressure of a society who is unable to understand that we are on the edge and there is no easy solution to keep us balanced no matter who gets to power. The key is to keep calm despite de criticism.
As for Paulo Portas... It's actually a much more devious man since he is only loyal to himself.
We only need to remember his past actions, first to get to his party's front lead as he used deceive to overthrow CDS' leader at the time, Manuel Monteiro and after to cause the fall of former Portuguese prime ministers, Santana Lopes is one example of that.
It's funny because I haven't any doubt Portas' ambition would love to get to number two on our government seats (which would happen now with Gaspar's resignation) however Passos Coelho's unpopular measures to meet the UE economical demands have caused a lot of popular contestation and Portas is not one to allow his image to get tainted...he prefers to do his dirty work quietly... stepping away now will allow him to try for a good result on the next election.
Again I cannot see how our government will manage to rule without CDS' support, but at least Passo's Coelho was man enough not to resign despite all the rubbish which came out of the opposition leaders mouths yesterday.
Good for him.
    

Cheers to the Egyptian Army!

Finally something happened which might change the tides to the Egyptian people:
Yesterday the Egyptian army decided to take a stand by the people, giving 48 hours for the government and opposition to reach an understanding which will better serve the people's will.
I can only congratulate them for this attitude!
Now we can only hope that, if it comes to it, the army remembers that the seats of power are not theirs to keep for rulers should be chosen by the people.
My country's revolution is a good example of a successful military revolution where there was no bloodshed so hopefully these will be the kind of guidelines the Egyptian army will follow now. 

Porque os sonhos comandam de facto a vida...

Samba Injai é um rapaz da Guiné Bissau com um especial talento para a dança.
Depois de um inicio de vida conturbado entrou para uma escola de dança Portuguesa e agora está a ponto de marchar para uma escola de Londres.
Aqui está a prova que por mais humilde que sejam as nossas origens, basta-nos apenas encontrar alguem que acredite em nos para que os sonhos se tornem realidade.
Agora só precisa de €3500 para se increver na escola Inglesa.
Nós deviamos juntar-nos para o ajudar.
Parabens Injai!

    Samba Injai was born in Guiné Bissau and after a difficult childhood managed to come to Portugal.
Is talent for dance was recognized and he started having lessons on a Portuguese dance school.
Now he was invited to study in London, but needs €3500 to be admitted.
I'm sure there must be a way we can help.

Think for yourself

What to say when someone you know disregards watching TV because, has she puts it," you learn nothing with it", and praises reading instead only to tell you it was through reading that she understood that terrorism is justifiable?
Dear me, first I had to ask what kind of reading was she having, then I had to ask myself, if she, like many young men/women who blow themselves up, hadn't been brain washed...
NOTHING JUSTIFIES TERRORISM!
We common citizens cannot be held accountable for our governments mistakes.
Throughout history there has always been tyrants whose only aim was to have the world at their feet, Look at Attila the Uno or Hitler.
Do you really think their whole people agreed with the way they rolled?
Besides there is no heroism on blowing yourself up to kill a bunch of innocent people, the heroism resides when you sacrifice yourself to save others.
And please next time you read, read something you can learn from, and not stop you from thinking for yourself.   

"Morte, Juízo, Inferno e Paraíso" de Bocage

Como nos últimos 2 sabados não tive tempo de publicar um poema no blog, aqui fica este do Bocage.

Morte, Juízo, Inferno e Paraíso

Em Que estado, meu bem, por ti me vejo
Em que estado infeliz, penoso e duro!
Delido o coração de um fogo impuro,
Meus pesados grilhões adoro e beijo.

Quando te logro mais, mais te desejo;
Quando te encontro mais, mais te procuro;
Quanto mo juras mais, menos seguro
Julgo esse doce amor, que adorna o pego.

Assim passo, assim vivo,assim meus fados
Me desarreigam d'alma a paz e o riso,
Sendo só meu sustento os meus cuidados;

E, de todo apagada a luz do riso,
Esquecem-me (aí de mim!) por teus agrados
Morte, Juíso, Inferno e Paraíso.


  

Brazil standing up

 

 

Brazilians have decided to stand up and fight for their rights.

 This includes the end of corruption and more transparency from their political class and the reduction on the public transports fare.

You might think this public transports demand is a small matter, but if you consider that their wages are incredibly low and that de government has raised the fares keeping the same old buses which on top of it all hardly ever arrive on time, you would be pretty pissed off too, wouldn't you?

So good on all those who fight for equality.

. 

Camões "O amor é fogo que arde sem se ver"

Aqui fica um dos mais belos poemas de Camões para este Sábado.

Amor é fogo que arde sem se ver;

É ferida que dói e não se sente;

É um contentamento descontente;

É dor que desatina sem doer;

É um não querer mais que bem querer;

É solitário andar por entre a gente;

É nunca contentar-se de contente;

É cuidar que se ganha em se perder;

É querer estar preso por vontade;

É servir a quem vence, o vencedor;

É ter com quem nos mata lealdade.

Mas como causar pode seu favor

Nos corações humanos amizade,

Se tão contrário a si é o mesmo Amor?

 

 

Bom fim-de-semama!

Welcome to the democracy planet

Today the Portuguese newspapers have reported a Russian demonstration against Putin.
Accordingly to it, the people would like to "get divorced from Putin" (on an obvious reference to his divorce from his wife).
The thing is none of us likes authoritarian governments, and none of us expects to be kept from speaking our minds on any part of our lives when we vote, (including our political opinions).
I've already written here that I don't think Russia is much of a democracy so it comes with no surprise to see that the Russian people is getting fed up with it and are now demanding the political prisoners' release.
Obviously Putin is not alone on his firm purpose to force his will on his people, Erdogan  is another one who is not willing to accept the meaning of democracy.
You could say Russia is not a democracy as we know it. You would be right, there is no such thing as a sort of democracy, either you are one or you aren't, and just because a country is now more open to the west it doesn't make it a democracy, especially if on its core things remained as before.
 Neither giving the right to vote to the people will be the only definition of what democracy is.
For democracy is about freedom.
Yes, freedom to choose who will represent us in parliament.
But also freedom to speak our own minds about every aspect of our society without having to be constantly looking over our shoulders for fear of being arrested or killed because of it.
 Represent us well and we will love you for it.
That love will lighten the burden of our duties  (for a democratic state is not all about rights).
However if you don't represent us at all we'll reserve ourselves the right to fight you for it.
And that's what men like Erdogan and Putin have chosen to close their eyes to.
The sad thing is that there will be always people like them reaching a powerful position.
The bright side is that there will always be someone amongst us to fight them back.
Welcome to the democracy planet.

No comments...

Sometimes images are worth more than words...

Think this is one of those occasions.

The clever ones

Guys since I couldn't get a ticket to Imagine Dragons tonight because it was sold out on the regular places and I refuse paying a ridiculous amount of money online for any kind of show (even found someone selling it for €200 when the normal prices were between €22 and €30!) I am going to wait for their return.
Unfortunately this happens because there are people who gives a lot of profit to these guys.
To all the clever ones... maybe you get rich soon...
I prefer not to give my contribution for that to happen as I believe that the only ones who deserve to be paid for their work are the artists.
Meanwhile I'll continue to enjoy their music.

"Maquina de fogo" de Antonio Gedeão

UAU,
Adoro este poema do António Gedeão!
Pode ser pequeno, mas é belo, tal como os corações deste mundo deviam ser.
Bom fim-de-semana para todos.

"Meu coração é máquina de fogo

luz de magnésio, floresta incendiada.

Combustar-se é o seu próprio desafogo.

Arde por tudo, inlama-se por nada."



Health 5 stars in Portugal

Not all is bad in Portugal.
Several foreigner come to Portugal to take care of their health.
According to the clinic clients, is cheaper, and the care is exceptional here.
Here's the TV program for you to watch.

Respect

This week there were three very serious crimes in two schools around Lisbon.
One was a rape attempt from three boys between eleven and twelve years old (the victims were a girl and a boy with the same age).
The other was a gang fight which ended with a twenty years old being stabbed and his consequent death.
These crimes happened on an area with social economical problems very near Lisbon.
Violence has been escalating these last few years in my country and although my Brazilian friends say this is nothing comparing to their country, one can't help but think what will happen in a few years time, when we have eleven and twelve years old already involved in such crimes.
In my point of view, the problem is the lack of civil education, both at home from their parents and at school from their teachers.
You may say that people's economical problems and environment are the most determinant factor for their behaviour.
However in my opinion, it might have some weight, yet it is not the principal.
Coming from a poor family where one of my parents didn't even know how to write, and the other has only learnt it at the age of forty,  I have a little resistance to accept that being born inside a humble family is the principal agent to turn you into heartless creatures.
If you treat your children with respect and teach them they should do the same for their fellow citizens they will grow caring about those who surround them.
I'm going to finish this message with my mother's words.
"Threat others like you would like to be treated"
An old value, but true.     

Os perigos da net

Hoje, um amigo meu avisou-me para ter cuidado com o que escrevo na net pois nunca se sabe o dia de amanhã e a liberdade que temos hoje pode deixar de existir.
Acho que o meu amigo tem razão ao dizer que os tempos mudam e que expressar opiniões que irão perdurar pode sim trazer-me problemas em tempos vindouros.
No entanto ter consciência disto não me faz mudar o que penso, nem me faz deixar de querer mudar mentalidades, tenho demaseado respeito pelo ser humano e pela liberdade para fechar os olhos quando vejo algo que a na minha opinião é errado.
Deixar de o fazer seria como negar quem sou.
Ora eu nunca fui capaz de viver de acordo com o que outros esperam de mim.
Para o bem e para o mal vivo a vida tal como a quero viver.
Comportar-me como se não tivesse cerebro com medo do que pode ou não acontecer no futuro, seria como deixar de viver.
Isso é algo que não está nos meus planos.

Syria once more

Yesterday UN has brought to light a series of human rights violations happening on a daily basis in Syria, including massacres, rapes, torture and forced migration.
This will come as no surprise to any person who has been following the conflict for the last two years.
And truly, I'm sure all of us know there are no saint's when it comes to war so both the government and rebels have been practicing this atrocities.
Some may say that the government does it in a greater scale. That night be true, but one can only imagine what the rebels would do if they had the same resources.
Especially because I don't think the people who has started this conflict to achieve a much deserved freedom, are now able to control those who joined them for their own agenda.
My question is the same as ever, when will UN have the guts to step into the conflict in order to protect innocent civilians?
It just upsets me that the two major countries in UN -Russia and US- can actually make the rest of the UN inactive just because they are the greater military powers in the world.
How many more will have to die for us to take a stand instead of remaining as mere spectators? 

For all those who, like me, love 30STM

Why is Turkey Fighting?

Sei que hoje seria dia de escrever a mensagem deste blog em português, mas a verdade é que acabei de ver este video e acho-o demaseado importante para lhe passar ao lado.

Aos meus compatriotas que não entendem Inglês, penso que podem por ligendas.

A man without a country

I'm going to tell you Suleimane Camaná's story.
Suleimane was born in Guiné-Bissau twenty five years ago.
His parents got separated when he was seven.
With no right to choose, he remained with his mother who travelled to Senegal.
For many years he lost track of his father.
At the age of nine he was already working doing errands in exchange for bread.
In the years that followed he would do a bit of everything, including carrying goods or work at a car garage, always without having any wages, only food in return (sometimes not even that, instead he felt the lashes of a whip).
His mother remarried when he was twelve and since he didn't like his stepfather, he's started to live on the streets.
His mother would die just a few years later.
One day he heard someone speaking of Europe, "the land of the white, where no one felt hungry".
He's decided then that there was where he wanted to be.
For six years he saved the little money he could demand from a few of his employers until  he finally had enough for that- much desired- boat trip.
Except that the voyage wasn't what he expected as a large part of his travel companions died along the way.
Finally the vessel drops them somewhere around Barcelona and a guide takes them to Switzerland by not very known pats...
Suleimane will remain in Switzerland for the next three years.
However one day he meets a man in France who tells him he has met his father who is now living in Portugal as a Portuguese Citizen.
From then until he gets his father's contact isn't hard.
His father's reassurance that it will be easy to get Portuguese documents with his birth certificate (which his father had kept all these years) raises Suleimsne's hopes to have a better future here in Portugal.
So with nothing but a hand full of dreams Suleimane arrives to his father's house in the north of Portugal.
However on the day after his arrival he is awaken to a much harsher reality.
On their way to take care of Suleimane's legal documents, he and his father are approached by the public security police inspectors who suspect they might be illegal because they are speaking creole...
With no Portuguese legal documents Suleimane is arrested.
The only contact allowed between father and son will be a single phone call in which the son informs the father that he's already in Lisbon.
Desperate to remain in Portugal Suleimane will beat the inspectors as they try to take him to the plane a few days later.
He is beaten back.
Realizing it will not come to anything he rips open his wrist with is teeth (in his mind anything is better than going back to his country even death).
The inspectors will handcuff him, tie his legs and carry him to the plane.
Unfortunately for the Portuguese inspectors, the Guiné authorities do not allow Suleimane back in his country for from their point of view he has no family or job perspectives there,
The twenty five year old is sent back to Portugal (on his way the inspectors try to reach an agreement with Morocco's authorities to leave him there, but they are not up for it).
Portuguese inspectors will try to deport Suleimane once more, yet the attempt will still be unsuccessful.
Living in fear of deportation Suleimane keeps himself locked inside his father's house, too afraid to come out should he find another inspector eager to send him away from the only relative he has, although a tribunal has forbidden his deportation for the time being.
I must say, I am not proud at all of the way Portuguese authorities handled this all case.
Are we humans or are we beasts?
Tell me, is it not better to provide Suleimane with the documents which would allow him to take part of the working class in Portugal and build a life for himself instead of force him to remain inside a house by fear of getting caught?
And don't tell me he will take someone else's job if that happens. These people work on heavy hard jobs and I don't see many Portuguese born citizen's applying for them...
Suleimane thought he had nothing when he had no money nor clothes he could call his own.
Yet we've proved him that he could loose what he didn't think he had, a country, his dignity and his will to live and fight for a better tomorrow.
What does it make of us?
(This happened in May 2013)

"Portugal" e "Feira cabisbaixa" de Alexandre O'Neil

Ó Portugal, se fosses só três sílabas,
Linda vista para o mar,
Minho verde, Algarve de cal,
jerico rapando o espinhaço da terra,
surdo e miudinho,
muinho a braços com o vento
testarudo, mas embolado e, afinal, amigo,
se fosses só o sal, o sol, o sul,
o ladino pardal,
o manso boi coloquial, a rechinante sardinha,
a desancada varina,
o plumitivo ladrilhado de lindos adjetivos,
a muda queixa amendoada
duns olhos pestanítidos
se fosses só a cegarrega do estio, dos estilos,
o ferrugento cão asmático das praias,
o grilo engaiolado, a grila no lábio,
o calendario na parede, o emblema na lapela,
ó Portugal, se fosses só três sílabas
de plastico, que era mais barato!

"Feira cabisbaixa"

doceiras de Amarante, barristas de Barcelos,
rendeiras de Viana, toureiros da Golegã,
não há "papo de anjo" que seja o meu derriço,
galo que cante a cores na minha prateleira,
alvura arrendada para o meu devaneio,
bandarilha que possa enfeitar-me o cachaço,
Portugal; questão que tenho comigo mesmo,
golpe até ao osso, fome sem entretém,
perdigueiro marrado e sem narizes, sem perdizes,
rocim engraxado, feira cabisbaixa,
meu remorso,
meu remorso de todos nós...

The aid...

I've watched an interview with the Russian ambassador in the US saying the Russia is not aiding Syria's government on the conflict, but complying with a contract those two governments had made in 2007...
However, I read yesterday on a Portuguese newspaper that the Russian government was not happy that the EU decided to take off the embargo (partially) on Syria's weapon supplies so that the rebels could be armed, but continuing to deny its supply to the Syria's government.
Apparently Russian's vice foreigner affairs minister said  it was a mistake on EU's part and that Russia supplies weapons to the Syrian government because Assad's regime is the true regime so the supply of weaponry to that government is a stabilizing factor...
Truly, do they think we are all idiots?
Either Russia is fulfilling a contract made before the war on that region or aiding the "true regime".
So what's it going to be?   

Receber sem trabalhar

Durante anos tenho ouvido dizer que a UE pagou aos agricultores para deixarem de produzir.
No entanto não foi bem assim.
Pelos vistos os fundos da UE destinavam-se á modernizaçao e reestruturação da agricultura nomeadamente para cultivo de novos produtos.
Infelizmente muitos destes agricultores acabaram por não investir no sector acabando por ficar com os fundos para outros gastos pessoais (na minha vila foram Land Rovers e afins...).
A falta, ou escassa fiscalização sobre como esses fundos estavam a ser utilizados permitia que alguns dos agricultores se dessem ao luxo de só remexerem a terra sem cultivar nada quando ouviam dizer que uma destas fiscalizações estava em curso no caso de os fiscais irem ao campo o que não acontecia tão frequentamente como devia.
No caso do sector das pescas algo parecido se passou quando surgiram fundos comunitários para destruição e aquisição de novos barcos, pois grande parte dos pescadores acabou por optar ficar com o dinheiro a adquirir nova embarcação.
Dir-me-ão que não compensava usar o dinheiro nesta modernização pois uma grande fatia deste acabaria por ficar nas instituições governamentais através de taxas e impostos (até acredito que o mesmo se tenha passado na agricultura), mas a verdade é que esse dinheiro acabou por não ser utilizado para fim a que se destinava.
Até consigo imaginar as risadas que estas pessoas deram na altura, pavaneando-se pelo sua esperteza enquanto o país diminuia a sua produçao drasticamente.
É esta gula, esta ganância por bens materiais sem mostrar interesse em realmente trabalhar para os conseguir, juntamente com uma péssima gerência política que deixou o país no estado em que está hoje.
Pois não se queixem agora...trabalhem, só assim a situação mudará.

Buddism VS Muslim

There's a 1994 Burmese law which restricts the number of Rohingya muslins' children to two per couple. So far it has been ignored, however Rakhine's regime has decided to bring it to live in two zones near Bangladesh's border in Buthidaung and Maungdaw.
Accordingly to the regime this measure is to contain the increasing growth of the Muslim population in the country for they consider it as threat to their national identity since, to the Burmese people, the Rohingya people are foreigners in their country although the Rohingya have been in Burma since the XIX century (Burmese people consider them illegal immigrants since then).
Maybe the muslins who came from Bangladesh at that time were indeed illegal immigrants, but not now. Now these people are just as Burmese as the rest of the population, the only difference is their religion.
And as far as I know no true religion instigates violence, not Catholic, not Muslim nor Buddhism. In fact, I'm sure Buddha would condemn the violence demonstrated in this part of the region by people who believes in his teachings.
What are they afraid of?
How can a minority which represents only 4% of their population be a threat to their national identity?
A country's identity is build on traditions, struggles and strength. These qualities are part of many people around the world for this is how countries were built.
Someone's faith does not threaten it, what does is the darker side of us, that side which wants to dominate and when it's not able to, envies those who actually made it, which leads to extremism.
See, it's envy and greed, nothing to do with religion...
Do they really think that discriminating people based on their religion is right?
What about these people's human rights?
Or do they not consider them as human beings at all?
So tell me do you really think you have the right to live as you wish while others have to live as you want?

"Alimentos aos pombos"

Pelos vistos surgiu há pouco tempo uma polemica sobre se devemos ou não alimentar os pedintes que povoam as nossas ruas.Não sei o que vocês pensam, no entanto devo dizer-vos que não vejo qualquer mal nisso, de facto até concordo em alimenta-los uma vez que estes alimentos promovem o bem estar de pessoas que vivem em condições de pobreza extrema enquanto que dar-lhes dinheiro quando estendem a mão erá alimentar os seus vicios e não o corpo.
Poder-se-á dizer que existe muito boa gente que se serve deste serviço sem realmente precisar. Comcordo, mas se existem duvidas sobre se determinada pessoa está de facto intitulada a refeições gratuitas, deve ser feita uma averiguação das condições socio-economicas dessa pessoa e não generalizar ao comparar estas pessoas a pombos ou diminuir projectos de solidariedade  como Helena Roseta fez quando disse que " as pessoas oferecem-se para destribuir alimentos como quem alimenta pombos".
Insensivel sim, tanto para quem recebe como para quem de boa vontade abdica de parte do seu tempo pars fornecer essa ajuda.

Music is a powerful instrument.

I've always thought that music was just an art meant to give us pleasure, ever since mankind discovered it thousands of years ago, however it seems it has much more benefits than that.
Have just read this article explaining how our brain responds to it and seemingly both music and emotions share the same part of our brain, this is probably why hearing a melody can make us feel joy or sadness according to the sound, yet apparently it also has positive effects on people with motor or language problems due to the increase of brain mass in the cortex.
It didn't mentioned if the kind of music we hear has any influence on our brain responses, but I believe it does for the way I feel when I'm hearing Mozart's requiem for example is completely different from when I'm hearing any of 30STM albums (and yes, this includes LOVE, LUST,FAITH + DREAMS which has been my faithful company for over a week and I must confess that it has grown on me to the point that "Pyres to Varanasi" became the only theme I don't like, the rest I've learnt to love).
I'm not a nerd in neuroscience so I cannot tell you all the changes music does to your brain, but I can tell you this, music is a powerful instrument.
Through it you can find yourself,  fight, change or even dream, because music represents life itself with moments of calm, fury and glory!

Soneto "Amor Vivo" de Antero de Quental

Novo Sábado, novo poema. Aqui fica "Amor vivo":

Amar! mas duns amores que têm vida...
Não serão vagos, trémulos harpejos,
Não serão só delirios e desejos
Duma doida cabeça escandecida...

Hão-de-se ver! e, como a luz fundida
Penetrar o meu ser-não serão beijos
Dados no ar- delirios e desejos-
Mas amor...duns amores que têm vida.

Com eles hei-de andar no mundo: o dia
Não pode vir fundi-los nos meus braços
Como névoas ideais de fantasia.

Nem os dissipa o sol coa luz erguida...
Pois que podem os Astros dos espaços
Contra uns débeis amores...se têm vida?

Bom Fim-de-semana!

To Zach Sobiech

Would like to pay tribute to a very brave young man who died from cancer yesterday at the age of 18. After  several operations and hard enduring treatment the doctors told him that he only had a year to live.
Since Zach loved music and wished that his massage prevailed after his death he decided to write songs instead of letters to those he loved.
I think the best way to honour his memory is showing you one of his songs.
Rest in peace Zach.

Old traditions

Usually I'm all in favour of keeping old traditions alive, after all those are part of our identity as a people.
However there is one particular Portuguese tradition which I actually hate and think that it should at least be taken from the streets of the town and taken to a fenced ground: the bull fights on the streets.
During this weekend I'll have to endure it though, for my town has its annual festivities and a major part of it is bull fighting on its streets.
I pity the animals more than I pity the people who are hit by it (some of them even die) for the bull did not choose to be on the streets with a bunch of people bothering him whilst the people had that choice.
They do not kill the bull, but if we think about it, the stress in itself from being surrounded by thousands of people must be huge to the animal.
Obviously most of my town disagrees with me and even get upset when I don't show any sorrow for those the bulls kill, yet I'm not one to pretend something I don't feel.
More than a century ago, when it all started I doubt that most of the people in front of the bull would need alcohol to face the animal, now they only do it after a few drinks... how brave they are...
And did I mentioned the streets full of drunk teenagers at 9 AM? What a sight it is so see 12 and 13 year old boys and girls unable to stand on their own feet...
Now tell me, is it not something to look forward every year?
 

Regras

Quem tem lido o blog sabe que eu e o meu ex- patrão tevemos alguns atritos relacionados com o meu ordenado e subsidio de férias pois ele estava relutante em pagar-me.
Verdade seja dita as minhas colegas tiveram o mesmo problema por isso não foi descriminação por ser estrangeira.
No entanto como sempre tive uma excelente relação com os idosos que vivem no lar, prometi-lhes que os visitaria durante o tempo que permanecesse na ilha (o que infelzmente não me foi possivel devido á instabilidade do meu ex-patrão que põs a policia atrás de mim porque não me queria na sua propriedade) o problema foi que ele não queria ser lembrado do dinheiro que me devia...
Apesar de eu saber que era contra a lei barrar-me a entrada no lar, e de as minhas colegas na altura lhe terem dito isso, pois os residentes têm direito a receber quem quizerem uma vez que pagam pelo quarto que ocupam, ele replicou que como a propriedade era dele faria as suas proprias regras.
Bem, estive lá estas ultimas duas semanas (um ano depois de sair) e a primeira coisa que fiz quando lá cheguei foi perguntar a uma ex colega se podia ver alguns dos residentes fora do lar já que alguns deles têm mobilidade e eu não queria ter problemas com o meu ex-patrão.
Foi-me então dito que não haveria problema em visita-los no lar pois o departamento governamental estáva agora a dirigir o local e o meu ex-patrão não tinha por isso qualquer influencia em quem visitava os residentes.
Por dois dias eu e os residentes tevemos momentos felizes até que o meu ex-patrão decidiu passar a manhã no local á minha espera...
Assim que eu chego á porta ele abre-a e começa a perguntar-me na sua maneira intimidativa, se eu sei que fui banida do lar. Eu calmamente repliquei que tambem sabia que poderia ver os residentes e nomiei o nome de um para que ele lhe fosse perguntar se ele me receberia.
Felizmente antes que ele me fechasse a porta na cara a gerente previsória apareceu na altura e permitiu a minha entrada levando-o dali.
Mal podia acreditar que tinha viajado milhares de kilometros para reviver todo o stress que passei nos meus ultimos tempos na ilha!
Mas devo dizer que algo de bom veio desta situação de tensão. Sem a ameaça de poder ser despedida a gerente provisória pode obriga-lo a seguir as regras governamentais que nós tanto nos esforçamos para ele seguir há mais de um ano atrás.
Desde esse momento o meu ex-patrão nunca mais me importunou e pude enfim despedir-me dos meus amigos como pretendia há um ano atrás.
Com o governo a tomar conta da situação tenho a certeza que os residentes ficarão bem, e isso é tudo o que importa. 
 

LOVE LUST FAITH+DREAMS

Hi there,
Sorry for not writing for so long, but I've been on holydays and I always make a point of not having a computer with me so that I don't fall into temptation...
So I'm just going to speak about LOVE LUST FAITH+DREAMS 30STM last album.
First I'm going to point what I really like about it:
The lyrics of the songs and the cord opening on "The race"...and the symphonic feeling of the album.
Unfortunately once the electronic sound kicks in I get a bit disappointed, maybe because (as I've said previously) it is not my kind of thing.
Yet, and because 30STM have been my favourite group for the last  10 years I'm trying to get use to their new sound (the more we hear it, the more we'll like it, right?).
Besides I like "Up in the air" so I'm sure I can get use to some of the others at least.
Obviously right now, my favourite is probably "Conquistador" but I also like "City of angels" (the lyrics make me think it is dedicated to LA and their experiences on that city) "Birth", "Northern lights" and "End of all days" so hopefully in a few months time I'm going to be ok with their evolution.
Oh, I've just realized that I fancy more tracks than I thought...

"Oscar" de engenharia ligada ás renovaveis é português!

,Quem lê os meus blogs sabe que sou uma acerrima defensora do investimento em energias renováveis por isso é com grande prazer que divulgo aqui que o professor Vladimiro Miranda recebeu um prémio ligado a este setor!
Este prémo vem culminar um trabalho de 20 anos na investigação e desenvolvimento de modelos de energia eólica que usam a inteligência computacional para a integração desta energia em larga escala.
É fantástico  saber que exitem investidores que apostam neste setor tão promissor que utiliza a nossa inteligência aliada á inteligência artificial e á riqueza que a natureza nos deu!

Hollande and his promises

Watching the protests about Hollade not keeping his promises, made me ask myself if the French are really that naïve?
I mean did they really think that a politician would keep his promises? If it is hard (if not impossible) for them to do so when the economy is growing, how could a country's president manage to do it in times of recession?
What we can condemn is that he had made those promises in the first place for I do not believe he did not know the real state of his country's economy at the time of the elections and we can never promise what we can't keep.
Like any other politician he did what he had to do to get to the presidential seat, that is all.
French will have to get over it and try again on a new election although they shouldn't expect every promise to be fulfilled (even when a politician has every intention to keep his promises there are always external forces which don't allow him or her to keep them all).
This is why I don't agree with my country fellows whose only wish is to have new election so that another one stays ahead of Portugal's fate.
My county like many out there is a sinking ship, it has too many holes to keep afloat and it's no use to keep trying to save it by taking the water out with buckets for it always enters more than the one being removed.
What we need is a new ship, one which will only move forward, one which will sail towards development without fears.
  

Camões nunca é demais

Bom dia!
Sábado chegou e com ele ouro momento de poesia.
Aqui fica mais um soneto de Camões para o vosso fim-de-semana.
Divirtam-se!
Quando a suprema dor muito me aperta,
se digo que desejo esquecimento,
é força que se faz ao pensamento,
de que a vontade livre desconcerta.

Assi,de erro tão grave me desperta
a luz do bem regido entendimento,
que mostra ser engano ou fingimeto
dizer que em tal descanso mais se acerta.

Porque essa própria imagem, que na mente
me representa o bem de que careço,
faz-mo de um certo modo ser presente.

Ditosa é, logo, a pena que padeço,
pois que da causa dela em mim se sente
um bem que,inda sem ver-vos, reconheço.

 

The new cuts on the public sector

Our government has announced more cuts on public expenses and to achieve that has decided to cut on public employees salaries.
Amongst these measures it was decided to cut not only the actual salaries, but on those employees annual leave, raise the working hours from 35 to 40 per week without raising the salaries, offer compensations to those who willingly left their job and raise the employees' contributions to the state etc.
Some are very critic of these measures here in Portugal for they believe it will only raise unemployment even more.
I tend to agree with this, because I do not see my government trying to increase investment in my country by offering good conditions to investors who could bring excellent working opportunities to my country. Really offering them conditions capable of attracting these investors and make them believe it will be great for their businesses to come here.  I believe there is no economic growth if you don't invest, so all these cuts are not really helping our economy.
However the cuts on the public sector don't chock me at all.
Since I've always worked for the private sector and never had the same privileges, it doesn't seem so dreadful to me that they will now work the same amount of hours as I, nor that they will now have the same amount of annual leave.
The problem here is that they were used to all these privileges and now they see it slipping between their fingers. Obviously they don't like that.
To me it only makes our society a little bit more even.
Now what is missing is for our government to think on how they will help my country's economic growth.   

Salvar Elefantes em Moçambique

A WWF Moçambique está a apelar a pessoas de todo o mundo para assinarem um abaixo assinado para que as leis contra a caça furtiva de Elefantes sejam alteradas para penas mais pesadas numa tentativa de salvar esta especie de extinção naquele país Africano.
Segundo esta organização, cerca de um minhão destes animais são dezimados por ano para que as suas presas sejam vendidas no mercado asiático, especialmente na china onde o marfim é por demais apreciado.
Eu já assinei este abaixo assinado.
Na esperança que muitos de vocês façam o mesmo deixo-vos aqui a ligaçao   http://www.wwf.org.mz/campanhas/
Juntos vamos tentar salvar estes animais magnificos.

Should we enter Syria's conflict?

I had promised myself not to speak about Syria's conflict here, but the truth is, I cannot keep from doing so.
Over 70 thousand people dead and now there is evidences of chemical weapons being used and obviously affecting civilians.
Do we know who used it?
I don't.
Who can tell me without a shadow of a doubt that it wasn't the rebels doing so, to make us help them in their cause?
This isn't to say their's is the wrong side for I am always in favour of ending oppression agaisnt autocratic governments, however I believe it should be that country's people fighting for their freedom and outsiders should intervene only as a last recourse.
I do hope the rebels had nothing to do with these weapons' use since it would mean they are starting with the wrong foot on their road to reach that so expected freedom as actions like these only show that  whoever did it has no boundaries nor respect for human life.
So do I think it is time for our intervention?
 Yes I do.
I think everyone who values human beings lives thinks these way since too many people have died already for us ignore what is going on. Remember inaction is as reproachable as some actions.
Yet, I believe it shouldn't be one country's decision.
 I've always thought that the UN's organization was created to prevent another genocide like the one which happened on WWII from happening again so I think it should be on them to decide helping those people without waiting for a decision from US's government.
One country alone should never have to have that burden on its shoulders, this should be a join decision taking into consideration that it shouldn't take long to decide for human lives are being lost in the process.

Empresa Soger Satom é fraude?

Há algumas semanas atrás o meu cunhado respondeu a um anuncio de jornal que pedia mão de obra para uma empresa de construção.
No dia 25 de Abril recebeu um email da dita empresa contendo um contrato de trabalho para o meu cunhado assinar juntamente com informações que a Soger Satom considerava importante.
Primeiramente explicavam qual seria o salário por hora (€120), por dia (€840), por semana (€4200) e por hora extra de trabalho (€110), a este magnifico salário seria apenas deduzido 2% para impostos!
Logo aqui comecei a achar que a fartura era muita para uma simples posição de pedreiro...
E conforme lia a restante informação enviada pela empresa, mais desconfiada ficava de que se tratava de um esquema, vejamos:
Diziam que o 1º mês de alojamento (mês de experiencia) teria de ser pago pelo meu cunhado visto a empresa já ter tido problemas com antigos trabalhadores que aparentemente lhes teriam destruido alguns dos apartamentos que a empresa possuia para o efeito...
Quando fui investigar os apartamentos Dominion através do nº de telefone fornecido pela Soger Satom: 237 93231326 descobri 2 possoas que estavam a perguntar o que era aquilo uma vez que tinham recebido emails a dizerem-lhes que como a empresa não lhes pagava pelo alojamento dos trabalhadores os trabalhadores teriam de pagar o seu próprio alojamento. A isto seguia-se a explicação de como proceder ao pagamento.
Os dois acharam estranho receberem estes emails, eu achei estranhissimo.
Assim ao continuar a investigar a morada dos apartamentos que a empresa recomendava não encontrei nenhums cujo nome correspondesse ao indicado pela empresa, mas sim um com outro nome e nº de telefone...
Depois quando fui investigar a empresa em si descobri que a morada da sede que davam era francesa mas na designação do país constava as Filipinas e a area da empresa era na Asia!
Estão a vêr as incongruências?
 

Too handsome!

I couldn't believe the article I've read on today's paper, apparently it is a crime to be handsome in Saudi Arabia!
Dear, it would be laughable if it wasn't sad really.
Three men were expeled from the country because there was a risk of "women falling at their feet forgeting their moral values"...
The article came with two photos of this "too handsome a man to be allowed in Saudi Arabia" and Believe me, he is handsome, but not a God for women to be throwing themselves at his feet...
Besides one would think that women who were taught to keep their thoughts to themselves would not behave so openly towards a man.
And here I was, happy with the small changes women have achieved in that part of the world on this past few years such as being allowed to ride bicycles and cars, being allowed to enter the Olympic games, or the "No more abuse" campain wich fights agaisnt domestic violence in this country.
 Yet this just shows us how long the road to equality is in these countries if they think women cannot resist a pretty face.
Maybe this comes from the fact that Saudi Arabia men think that their women are being influenced by us, women from the west, but I got news for them, not all of us can't resist a handsome man.
This kind of thinking has to stop for we are not sexual maniacs who cannot see a man in front of us without having sex with him. Just as I am sure there are men in these counties who don't treat their women as if they weren't people. Certainly there will be traditional women in these countries who will be more stuck to old values than young men  therefore be  stricker with the women from their family and even resist teaching their sons that treating women as their equals is actually a sign of respect towards human race.
This is the mentality we have to change so that people can be treated as people without being blamed even for their genes.

"Lágrima de Preta"

Esta semana escrevi em defesa da igualdade entre pessoas de diferentes raças, religiões e tendencias sexuais por isso pareceu-me apropriado findar a semana com um poema de António Gedeão que fala tambem de igualdade Camado "lágrima de preta"

Encontrei uma Preta
que estava a chorar,
pedilhe uma lágrima
para a analisar.

Recolhi a lágrima
com todo o cuidado
num tubo de ensaio
bem esterilizado.

Olhei-a um lado
do outro e de frente;
tinha um ar de gota
muito transparente.

Mandei vir os ácidos
as bases e os sais,
as drogas usadas
em casos que tais.

Ensaei a frio,
experimentei ao lume,
de todas as vezes
deu-me o costume;

Nem sinais de negro,
nem vestígios de ódio.
Água (quase tudo)
e cloreto de sódio.

President VS PS

Wow, the socialist party members got really upset with our President yesterday because Cavaco Silva is against new elections!
They accused him of not beeing impartial due to the fact that he belongs to the same political party as the government (the social democratic party).
As you know by my previous posts, I'm not stuck to a particular party, I even have my doubts about the relevance of the President figure on the government because the only main thing he can do is to block a certain law for 3 times, after that the law can be approved with our without his consent, so I hope I can say what I thnk without being accused of partiality.
And I feel exactly as the president.
There is no point on having another government at this time, we need stability and this eagerness to take the government out so that they can seat on that chair is unreasonable and qite franckly utopic for no one will be able to take us out of the hole we are in without pulling together for a commun gold.
Join together to make our economy grow, it's time we find people to invest on us. 

Desculpem-me todos aqueles que não gostam de 30STM, mas como eu adoro, não consegui resistir a dilulgar o novo video aqui. Bom feriado para todos!

Love is love

Have you ever heard someone saying "I have nothing against black people, some of them are actually nice, but races shouldn't mix..."
And some of them will include religion and sexuality in this way of thinking!
This really puts me off!
It is racism and prejudice though those who say it don't regognize it as such!
Do these people mean black people stop being nice when they marry white people?
The thing is there are good and bad people in any race so we shouldn't generalize.
Can't they see people's charecters should not be measured by the colour of their skin, religion or sexuality, but by their actions and inactions? By what they stand for and not from some "traditional values" which only prove how unable to evolve some people are, after all their minds are still stuck on centuries past!
Love does not take any of it into account and that's what makes this feeling so great!
All of those who oppose to inter-racial relations, who defend that people from different religions or that people from the same gender should not be allowed to marry do not know what love is.
My God does not tell me who to love, He only tells me to love!
And that is what I have the intention to do 'till the day I die, who cares if those I love are black, white, yellow or red? If they have an accent or if they worship  God under a different name (or even do not pray to any God at all)?
And guess what homosexuality is not contagious, you won't bacome gay just because you hung out with gay people, (I should know for I have friends who are and it never changed me) and they are great human beings!
 Despite the frustration these "traditionalists" make me feel, I can't help but feeling sorry for them, sorry for their little minds.
At least at the end of my life I can say I've loved unconditionaly.
How many can say the same?

Solidariedade em Lisboa

No dia 21 de Abril fui a Lisboa Para participar na corrida sempre mulher. Uma iniciativa de apoio a mulheres com cancro de mama. Aqui ficam as fotos.

Our dream world

I have already spoken about what I think of the unemproyment rate here in Portugal and what I think of the many people who preffer to be on an unemployent pay than work, after a while some even preffer not to work at all.for they have someone to provide for them (note that I am talking of some).
It's funny how people keep telling me there is no work available for all.
I say, maybe not, but we must be willing to try new things.
Last week there were farmers asking for workers to work their fields, they said there were not many portuguese asking for work so they contracted people from Croatia and Romenia...and then people conplain that there are too many foreigners in Portugal and that they come to take our jobs...
BS!
What happens is that they are afraid that these people take their place on the "not so heavy" jobs. What they do not think is that for a foreigner to get those positions they have to be better than anybody else while they expect to get it just because they are portuguese!
It's actually hilarious that my country fellows who don't have studies assume they should be able to get a job well above their capacities.
Moreover, I do not see portuguese who have a degree working on construction, or in the case above, on the fiels so I do not see how foreigners are taking their jobs, yet there are foreigner doctors in Portugal who are working well under their abilities without complaining publicly about it.
When I worked abroad, I too worked on any job I could lay my hands on.
Some will be better than others, but you'll endure it because you need to.
We shouldn't hate these people, but admire them instead for they work to survive whereas some of us will only do it if that job allow them to have the lifestyle they dreamed of.
If all of us were able to do only what we wanted for a living, we would live in our dream world.
It would be perfect for us though I don't know how would our society survive without people to provide for our basic needs...
Would we go back to pre-historical times when our uncestors collected roots and fruits to survive?

"Pedra Filosofal"

Sábado chegou!

E que maravilhoso dia está!

Desejo-vos um ótimo fim-de semana.

Aqui fica um dos meus poemas favoritos, desfrutem!



Shameful indeed

Even as a foreigner I feel desappointed with the fact that in US, only 54 members of congress voted in favour of more restrictive laws to buy guns on their country (it would have passed if it had been 60).
It's amazing how much power some instituitions have on people who should be representing their people and don't do it, because they are terrified to loose their perfect job.
Obama said it had been a shameful day for Washington, and it was.
After all, what else can we say when 90% of the people wasn't heard (or worse, ignored)?
And then they come and say Obama shouldn't have used the victims' families...
Wow, so the people who have been directly afected by the permissive gun laws on their country have no say about it?
Do they really think like this in a democratic country?
Shameful indeed.

Fanatismo!

Já devem ter percebido que não tenho qualquer filiação politica, o meu voto e ganho por quem conseguir convencer-me de que é capaz de alcançar uma parte dos objectivos que foram prometidos durante a campanha eleitoral.
Assim, como podem imaginar já votei na maior parte dos partidos em Portugal (para descgosto da minha mãe que é fiel a apenas um).
Penso que é por isto que o que se está a passar na Venuzuela é incompreensivel para mim.
Como é possivel que pessoas se matem umas ás outras num conflito resultante de resultados eleitorais?
Sete pessoas mortas por algo que deveria ser resolvido juridicamente.
Se as pessoas pensam que houve irregularidades no ato eleitoral remetam o caso para os tribunais. Deixem-nos resolver a questão.
Entretanto vivam e deixem viver!
Qualquer tipo de fanatismo é projudicial em qualquer sociedade.
Não temos já provas que cheguem disto?

Tribute to Boston's marathon victims

 

Sem palavras

Com a tragédia que aconteceu ontem em Boston não me apetece realmente falar sobre qualquer outra coisa porque tudo perde importancia diante de um acontecimento destes, até ficamos sem palavras perante a crueldade humana, por isso aqui ficam simplesmente as minhas sinceras simpatias para com as vitimas e familiares.

Because a "no" means "NO"

I'm sure you've heard about the canadian girl who was rapped by a group of boys and ended up commiting suicide, because she couldn't handle what the school's students were saying about her on social networks.
We had a case here in Portugal a few months back, where a teenage boy was forcing a twelve year old girl to have sex with him and his friends and then they recorded it on their mobile phones to show it around...
Fortunately she hasn't killed herself.
This crimes have been happening more and more recently.
 It is more obvious to me that kids are loosing boundaries about what is wrong or right, and their parents should be the first to ask themselves what the hell are they doing wrong, 'cause if a boy thinks it's ok to rape a girl because he feels like it, or because he thinks she is a slut, SOMETHING IS WRONG!
A NO doesn't mean yes, or a maybe. It means "NO" and it should be taught as just that to our children.
Parents must give their children the necessary values to respect those around them,then they should teach them to think for themselves, otherwise they will be weak and easily influenced by others.
To all the girls who were actually ok with these boys' actions in their school, I've got news for you, there are no such thing as sluts, this is just a pejorative word to describe girls who are more outgoing then you. This difference should be celebrated and not judged for we are all entitled to live our lives as we want to live it.
To this I call freedom.

"Capitães da areia"

No sabado passado não tive oportunidade de enviar-vos o poema habitual, mas vou retificar isso esta semana.
Aqui fica "Capitães da areia" de Pedro Abrunhosa pois embora não goste particularmente da voz deste cantor Português gosto bastante dos seus poemas.
Espero que gostem.
Bom fim-de-semana!

The new "Super men"

Throughout centuries women have been forced to suffer the humiliation of rape whenever their countries were at war.
Or even after that war had ended..(some time ago I've watched a documentary about UN soldiers raping vietnamese women after Vietnam's war. Their excuse was that they had remained on the territory for too long after the conflict ended).
Guess what, there is no excuse for such acts!
One would think men would evolve and finally realize the atrocity of it.
No such luck.
Apparently is exhilarating for some soldiers, to chase and dominate women.
After all like I heard a Congo's governmental soldier saying on TV yesterday, they are easy prey.
Cowards!
What was it that he said?
Oh, that he was following orders from his commanding officer!
 I would grant him that and give a small discount, if he hadn't said this moustrosity immidiately after: "When I raped, I felt free."
I wonder if he would feel the same if he had been the one being raped...
This makes them both (commander and private) guilty of the same crime and both should be punished for it.
As long as such crimes are overlooked,some higher ranked soldiers will always feel free to abuse those who cannot defend themselves, just as some of those under their command will always feel this axhilaration obeying such orders for these men are weak therefore hunger to have the sense of power such violent act gives them.

PS I'm sure must of you will condemn these kind of acts coming from soldiers, but I have just read on the newspaper about an Afgan who raped two women in Austrália and his defence lawyer alleged that he wasn't familiar with the notion of "sexual consent"...
Australia's people is now debating if people who have no notion of the concept should even be allowed to enter their country.
Now imagine what's like to be a woman in such countries...

Obrigada

Hoje quero fazer aqui uma homenagem a todos aqueles que abdicam do seu tempo (e vida) para ajudar outros que vivem em dificuldades.
O nome de Maria Coceição, uma hospedeira de bordo que em 2003 ficou tão impressionada com o que viu numa viagem ao Bangladesh que fundou uma escola naquele país para crianças com necessidades e luta agora para angariar fundos de modo a dar continuidade ao projecto, uma vez que o numero de alunos aumentou, é apenas um por entre os muitos nomes que nunca chegam a ser conhecidos.
De entre os nomes cohecidos saliento ainda Hunter Halder, um americano a viver em Portugal, que por iniciativa própria falou com restaurantes para que doassem os restos de comida que não chegaram a ser servidos, a pessoas com carencias economicas. Começõu por ser só ele a fazer a distribuição, mas visto o alastramento do movimento cada vez mais pessoas se juntam a ele para ajudar.
Escolhi apenas exemplos de particulares pouque estes provam que uma pessoa pode sim mudar o mundo, mas existem instituições que são por si só um exemplo a seguir, como é o caso do banco nacional contra a fome, cuja ajuda tem alimentado familias inteiras em tempos dificeis.
Para todos eles, muito obrigada! 

Believing

I must confess I've been an Obama's fan ever since I've watched one of his speaches on TV, at Heatrow airoport back in 2007.
I think what made him different at the time was that I've trusted his words.
I have not changed my opinion since then. I still strikes me as a reliable leader,
I am aware I might be wrong since I am watching it from a distance, I hope not.
I am sure some amaricans will not agree with me, especially if their life has not changed or has changed for the worst during Obama's administration, but seen from here he gives me hope of finding someone as trustworthy to rule my country. Is this honest quality in him that makes me still have faith in democracy.
I was very glad to hear he is atempting to change US gun control laws. I hope he succeeds.
As an outsider is terrible to watch TV reports about kids killing their school colleagues.
Don't be mistaken, dispite having more restritive laws on this subject, we still have people killing family members or neighbours on a fit of rage, because hunting is one of men's favourite sports in my country which puts rifles in a lot of portuguese houses...
I believe reason will provail.
People think americans are too full of themselves to change, I am not amongst those people.
People can change, they just need to believe in that change.

"A doença e as mortes dos Reis e Rainhas na dinastia de Bragança"

Li este retalho de estórias dos Reis e Rainhas da dinastia de Bragança no final do ano passado e achei algumas delas bastante interessantes, particularmente no que levou alguns deles á morte. Aqui fica a sugestão.

 

New ideas needed

I can't stand hearing portuguese politicians on TV anymore!
Instead of the constant pleeding for the government to quit, or demanding new elections, I wished opposition and government could get together to find solutions which could take us all out of this deep dark hole we are in for a change!
After all it's very doubtful that our economy would change if this government fell and other went to its place. I don't see them helping with new ideas, only speaking harsh words between them, and that is what we've always seen here.
People trying to undermine others so that they can take their place in the wheels of power.
None of them seems interested on representing the people who put them in parlament, only on representing themselves.
The truth is I don't believe any of them has a solution to the situation they've put us in.
This lack of ideas was what had previous governments doing bad investiments and that's how we've got to the present situation.
That's what you get when you are represented by a buch of idiots who pretend to be clever.
It's just a shame that most people in Portugal is too naive to read the meaning behind their words.

Aviso a logistas

Na quinta- feira tevemos um incidente na loja com um homem cujas intenções nos pareceram dúbias.
Estamos convencidos que a intenção dele era afastar-nos da caixa. para que podesse retirar o dinheiro.
O esquema é o seguinte:
1-O homem entra na loja e pede-nos um artigo que esteja o mais afastado possivel da caixa, depois pega no telemovel e finge estar a falar com a mulher pedindo-lhe a opinião ou perguntando-lhe se ela quer mais alguma caisa.
2- Como eu estava acompanhada, ele pediu outro artigo tentando que a outra pessoa o fosse atender para que a caixa ficasse livre. Felizmente a pessoa em questão não pode atender o pedido por questões de saúde, mas disse ao homem que ele podia ir buscar o artigo ele próprio, se quizesse. Como ele recusou, ela pediu-me para o fazer por ela permanecendo ao balcão. Foi nesta altura que começou a desconfiar do homem.
3-O homem força uma oportunidade para entrar atrás do balcão tentando ficar perto da caixa. No nosso caso veio buscar um artigo que estava à vista e que poderia muito bem ter sido pedido a uma de nós....
Como eu passei a maior parte do tempo no outro lado da loja só me apercebi que o homem estava a tramar algo nesta altura.
O homem, vendo que não tiravamos os olhos dele, acabou por dizer que ia buscar a mulher para pedir a opinião dela sobre os artigos que escolhera.
Obviamente não voltou à loja...
Soubemos pouco tempo depois que o mesmo homem tinha tentado o mesmo esquema em outras duas lojas na area da Azambuja...

For the people and by the people

Do you know that a french minister has been acused of having a banck account abroad?
He has already admited it so probably he'll have to face some kind of punishment.
We have to give some credit to the man for at least being honest now.
Were it in my country, he would still be doing appeals to the supreme court and saying he was ennocent each time his conviction came, meantime skipping, any real punishment and continuing to work on his public office ...or he could be one of those who flee abroad  returning only when the crime expiring date comes, managing then to fool enough people to get re-elected... or perhaps he could do better, and find a way to lie his way out of it, even though more and more evidences agaisnt him came to light, which proved the lies,  (263  checks not yet used from an account our ex- politician said he didn't have, is at least strange, is it not? And I'm not even talking about the other checks belonging to his family which were found at the same place...)
Maybe if Cahuzac had had some lessons with our "Crook Masters" he would have now passed master on the "crook school"...
But then, maybe we should see it on the bright side... at least we don't have our rullers changing laws and going agaisnt our freedom of choice like it happened in Hungary recently.
None of them are making racist speaches, going agaist womans rights (and I was so happy to read that in Saldi Arabia women were finally allowed to ride a bicycle...),condemning your sexual orientation, nor saying homeless are illigal and making laws to force them to work or else they will pay a fine or go to jail, (yes I think working emproves your self-esteem, but that doesn't mean you should force it on them,  after all where's the freedom of choice there? Let's not forget that a large percentage of the homeless are old people who have health problems).
Not that anyone's opinion will be of any use to change Hungary's point of view, but they should think this through and find a way to reach middle ground by explain to those who can work, how having something to do will improve their life and let them decide if they want to work or not.
Also those people should have a right to a wage (or it will be slavery) if they accept to work and that wage should not be different from the one of someone who has never been homeless so that there is no descrimination either.
A fair constitucion should defend equal rights to all without descriminating social classes, religion, gender or sexual orientation.
Such values should be defended by those we put in power, for a government should stand by its people and work for its people and not for its own, family members, or friends interests.
Some may look at it and say that fortunately there is always someone liveng in worse conditions...I say that fact is the worst of it all for no one should be forced to live without freedom.
The good thing is that hope is the last to die, so I dream of a day when this will actually happen.
What a world it (would) will be then...

Quem me dera ser Suéca

Já vos falei aqui do que penso de José Socrates e do seu tempo de mandato.
Como ele, existem muitos mais que tentam por todos os meios arranjar "tacho" para si e para os seus.
Isaltino Morais-Presidente da Camara de Oeiras- é apenas um exemplo (quem diria que um simples taxista ganharia o suficiente para ter uma conta de milhares de euros na Suiça. Como é bom ser cunhado de um autarca português...)
A salientar que  o Sr Morais jura inocência e defendeu que pediu um emprestimo à CGD (onde é que eu já ouvi isto?) para pagar a sua defesa (ao todo já fez 44 recursos). UAU, este banco é mesmo porreiro, será que a mim que sou cliente da CGD há anos, tambem me emprestam dinheiro sem garantia alguma...
Mas esta "capacidade" para aldrabar outrem parece ser uma caracteristica comum a muitos portugueses, senão vejamos.
Manuel Correia- Ex-provedor da Santa Casa da Misericórdia- começa hoje a ser julgado por peculato e falsificação de documentos. Aparentemente ordenou a esta instituição um pagamento mensal ás filhas (incluindo subsidio de férias e de Natal) sem que estas tenham prestado qualquer serviço á Santa Casa...
Um outro caso envolve profissionais de saúde, 57 médicos, 8 farmácias, armazenistas e até alguns utentes.
O esquema era simples, os médicos prescreviam receitas médicas de medicamentos com maior compartecipação do estado a serem levantadas por utentes (que sabiam ou não do que se passava) nessas 8 farmácias, que por sua vez, e dependendo dos casos entregavam ou não os ditos medicamentos aos utentes podendo depois vendê-los novamente Os armazenistas, estavam mais voltados para a exportação de medicamentos a preço mais alto (por exemplo para Angola).
São casos como este que me fazem crer que o país está, e sempre esteve, a saque. Devo dizer-vos que esta mentalidade de "venha a mim o meu reino" nunca nos levará a lado nenhum.
É por isso que embora adore o meu país, por vezes acho que devo ter uma costela de algum país nórdico, pois de vez em quando gostava de ser Suéca para não ouvir destas coisas...

Travelling

One of my passions is travelling.
I think I could do it for years without ever getting tired.
I don't know where I got it from since no one in my family is as restless as I.
I've tried to explain it to most of my frienda as well, with no apparent result.
They just don't get it when I speak about how fascinated I am for the diversity of people and cultures- which make our world so beautiful to live in- or even the urge to search for different smells, tastes or colours that remain with you long after we leave a certain place.
To all those who can't understand it with words, maybe they'll be able to do it through these photos.

Egypt

Egypt

 Egypt

 Egypt

 Egypt

 Egypt

 Egypt

 Egypt

 

India

 India

 India

Egypt

 India

 India

India

Turkey

 Turkey

 Turkey

 Turkey

 Turkey

Nepal

 Nepal

 Nepal

 Nepal

 Nepal

India

India

Egypt