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Maybe I am just growing old. I don’t know what’s happening, but 1981 seems just like yesterday to me. During that year, I was an officer in an elite regiment of the Belgian army, stationed somewhere in Western Germany, doing our very best to keep the Russians behind the iron curtain. I remember that the very first space shuttle was launched. In England, Charles married his Diana. Ronald Reagan began his first term as 40th President of the United States on January 20th. He was only a couple of seconds President, and Iran freed the hostages of the American embassy in Teheran. The Pope survived an attack on his life in front of his cathedral in Rome. Ronald Reagan survived an attack on his life outside a hotel in Washington D.C. as well. In France, the very first TGV (Train de Grande Vitesse - a real fast train) began operating between Paris and Lyon. A lot of things which seem just like yesterday have happened then.

And… the first news on the internet was born as well. Well… sort of. Watch the video below, it’s a real masterpiece of history.

Some quotes are really wonderful:

“Imagine, if you will, sitting down to your morning coffee, turning on
your home computer to see the day’s newspaper. Well, it’s not as
far-fetched as it may seem.”

“There are an estimate of 2 to 3000 home computer owners in the Bay area.”

“It only takes two hours to receive the entire newspaper through the phone.”

I wonder, how did we do it in those days? When I started my professional career, I didn’t have a computer. Nor did I have a fax. Or a cellphone. But we managed to make money, to run our businesses.

It seems like only yesterday, but having watched this video again, it seems like ages ago. We really did come a long way. But today, I am an owner of a home computer as well. As a matter of fact, quite a couple of laptops and home computers actually…

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Next Sunday, the Super Bowl is going to take place in Tampa, Florida, in the United States. Apparently, one of the biggest sporting events at the other side of the pond. Every year, this event is being broadcasted live and millions of Americans are watching it in front of their television. Being a European, I have never seen a game of American football, not on television, and not live. I must admit however that I would like to attend a game like this once. And probably, whenever I’ll be in the United States again, I will attend a game. I won’t understand the rules, but that’s not the most important thing. I am pretty sure that somebody in my neighbourhood will explain whatever I need to understand.

Especially to be broadcasted during this Superbowl, PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals), an American organisation that stands for the protection of animal rights, has made a clip in which some good looking female actors dressed in lingerie are pretty fond on vegetables. The message ends that vegetarians do have better sex!

But… NBC does not want to broadcast this ad, because inappropiate for the American public.  According to NBC, the ad depicts a level of sexuality exceeding their standards!

Hello? Wake up to the 21st century.

I guess “Nipplegate” is still on their mind. During the 2004 Superbowl, Janet Jackson showed (deliberately?) one nipple, and all hell broke loose. During many weeks, Jackson’s nipple was the talk of the town in the United States. Why is it that so many Americans are such puritans?

Hey guys, come to Europe once. Believe it or not, but we would never reject such an innocent clip on our television screens. In fact, we might reject it because it’s far too innocent.

Come to our beaches next summer. Most of the women are topless on our beaches. It might even come as a shock to you, but we even have nude beaches over here! And I am pretty sure that, once you are on these beaches, you’ll be the first to get out of your clothes…

Anyway, the clip does not depict a level of sexuality that exceeds my standards (on the contrary), so I am just putting it here!

Oh, and by the way… I am a vegetarian as well!

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Last Friday, a terrible thing happened in my home country: a 20 year old idiot entered a children’s day care centre and killed two babies, one adult and wounded twelve other babies with a knife. After the racist killings in Antwerp in May 2006, where another young 18 year old idiot killed a pregnant woman and a two year old child, and the Dutroux affair in the nineties, both the national and international press were focussing again on the terror in Belgium. The Dendermonde Killings. Obviously, everybody who thought to be interesting enough had to put in his or her little word in order to try to explain the whole terrible thing.

The same day, one of the regional Flemish Ministers, Youth Minister Bert Anciaux wrote on his blog: “I had to think about the hundreds of babies in Gaza that were also consciously killed by an agressor that has not been brought to justice”. Because of these twenty six words,  of which I took the liberty of translating them into English, Mr. Anciaux is getting all the critics in the world thrown over his head.

The President of his “new-home” political party SP.A is distancing herself from these words but will still support him. As did the Federal Belgian Government. The Liberals said he should think twice before making such a remark. The Christian Democrats said they would no longer support Anciaux. I ask myself if they ever supported him in the last couple of years, but that’s another story. Even the International Herald Tribune mentioned it.

In this matter, Bert Anciaux, as usually, let his heart speak out. But as President Richard Nixon once said during the famous interviews with David Frost in 1977: “It is good if a politician has a heart, but he also should have a head. And a great politician should always have his head speak above his heart.”

When I read all this, while being at home with a sort of flue, I can only ask myself one question: don’t these politicians have anything better to do? In my humble opinion, these politicians are just using Anciaux’s words as an excuse to silence him as a pretty popular collegue (who is not my favourite) a couple of months before the elections of June 2009.

And while doing this, they simply pass by the fact that two little innocent babies have been denied the right of living a happy life. As is the fact in Gaza, where hundreds of innocent babies have been denied the same right. As is the fact in Israel where also babies have been killed over the last couple of years.

A child is a child, wherever this child lives in this world…

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I just found a website with some truely amazing pictures about the historic event that took place last Tuesday in Washington D.C. when Barack Obama was sworn in to become the 44th President of the United States.

Just click here and I hope you will enjoy the pictures as much as I did.

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So this morning the world woke up with a new American leader. Hope he’s got, change will come, however difficult this will be. His popularity is enormous, I can only hope his popularity will stay. Meaning… he will be able to lead this world out of the crisis it’s gotten into. He became a presidential President, from the very first second he took the oath. During the past eight years, I’ve only travelled three times across the pond, as I wasn’t a big fan of the Bush administration. I must admit that I am already looking forward to jump on a plane and cross the Atlantic again, to see this new America with my own eyes…

I was in a plane somewhere between Brussels and Faro, yesterday, when Barack Obama was sworn in. Strange, I was taking a nap, and woke up at exactly 05.59pm Brussels time, one minute before he became the 44th President of the United States. I didn’t see these events live, but by posting them here, it’ll be easy to relive these historic moments…

Part I

Part II

Part III

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So a historical day has finally arrived. Within a couple of hours America, together with the rest of the world will be welcoming Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States. For the very first time in history, there will be a president who’s not white. Only this fact is a real landmark in the rich history of the States, a country where only forty years ago, Dr. Martin Luther King was killed because of the colour of his skin. Barack Obama is very, very popular. I somewhere read that 7 out of 10 Americans really want him. For the very first time in several decades, this president is the personalisation of the real American dream. Just like Abraham Lincoln, he made it to the very top from a very common background. Just like Abraham Lincoln, who had to unify a country that was divided after the civil war, this president became the president of all Americans because of his promise of hope and change.

And from today onwards, he will have to start working on the hope and change. Hope won’t be a problem, as the rest of the world is supporting him. But his job won’t be easy. His country is at war, and is almost bankrupt. As is the rest of the world, his country is undergoing a huge financial crisis, to be compared with the crisis of the thirties. But another Roosevelt’s ”New Deal” won’t be sufficient enough to get to the necessary change.

America is not alone in this world anymore. Obama will have to seek accordance with Europe, the Middle East, Russia, but also with new economic powers like China, Brasil, India… And the whole world will be watching his reactions on the crisis in the Middle East.

Only yesterday, I went through Alex Haley’s bestseller: Roots. The United States have really come a long way, from Kunta Kinte to Barack Obama.

Unfortunately, however much I would have loved to be sitting in front of my television to watch the events in Washington later today, I will be thirty thousand feet high, flying back to Portugal when Obama will be sworn in.

Let’s hope there won’t be a lunatic among the huge crowd who thinks his historical day has arrived as well.

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This can’t be Europe. This must be the most Northern country in Africa! It really is not difficult to answer the question why Portugal has become one of the poorest countries in Europe. And will soon become the poorest! I believe it was Alexandre Dumas, a famous French writer who lived in the 19th century who once said that Africa begins at the Southern side of the Pyrenées. Well, Spain has made a certain evolution for the better, but he sure was right about Portugal.

What happened? This morning, I was supposed to see my doctor at the health service over here in Vila Nova de Cacela for a three monthly check-up and another blood test. Since I had a heart-attack on my 46th birthday almost three years ago, I am taking care of my health, so I want this check-up every three months. As usual, I had booked the appointment a couple of weeks ago and the new lady behind the counter had booked me at 09.30am. Last month, she told me I was going to be the first patient to be seen by the doctor. I arrived at ease, around 09.10am this morning, knowing that the doctor always arrives in between 09.30am and 09.45am. I was going to be the first patient, so I could wait a little while.

After having cued up to pay for the visit, the new lady told me I was going to be the seventh patient this morning, as there were six people who had arrived earlier! I couldn’t believe what she was telling me! Apparently, a new lady behind the counter, so new rules as well. Forget the modern way of doing business, turn back the clock one hundred years and live forever happily ever after! Who needs an agenda? First come, first served, as it used to be the case in ancient times…

As I have unexpectedly a plane to catch later today, and I had a whole lot of administrative tasks to do for my company, I couldn’t wait all morning in the very cold building. So I asked for a new appointment for next month. Guess what? Despite the fact that the new lady is sitting behind a computer, and apparently putting the appointments in the computer, she couldn’t fulfill my request. As, according to her, she had not yet an agenda for 2009 going beyond the end of January! Can you believe this??? Every outlook system has got an agenda for the next couple of decades, but the Portuguese health service has no access to any agenda!

I then agreed for a new appointment on January 27th, and I told her I will be there at 08.00am sharp when she opens the door. In order to be the number one person arriving, so she can take notice of that. I will then go back home for breakfast, and will return at around 09.30am to see my doctor.

This happened earlier today, in Portugal, on the 15th of January of 2009!

Incredible! In Portugal, nothing has changed since the glorious days of Alexandre Dumas.

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I just read something weird on an online newssite. A twenty two year old female student by the name of Natalie Dylan, is selling her virginity online, in order to be able to go to university. She’s been offering herself for the last six months, and apparently, already ten thousand assholes have made a bid. The highest bid to the day is, according to that online article, the nice sum of € 2.800.000! For a one night stand with a virgin! But… apparently she thinks her virginity is worth even more, and hasn’t yet accepted the offer! She got inspired by her older sister who, in order to be able to go to university worked as a prostitute for three weeks, and as a result of that, she was able to graduate nice and easily.

Somehow this article made me think of the 1993 movie “Indecent Proposal” with Robert Redford and Demi Moore, where Redford offered one million dollars for a one night stand with Demi Moore. I remember that this movie was the talk of the town during those days. Some people thought this was over the edge.

I thought that the movie could have been made even better, if some other actor would have played Redford’s role. At that time, a lot of women would have gladly paid a million dollars to have a one night stand with Redford. Provided they could afford it of course.

But, let’s just say that Redford was playing Woody Harrelson’s role (Demi’s husband), and Redford’s role was taken by a character actor like, for example Gene Hackman? I honestly think the movie would have been even more the talk of the town at that time.

But today… reality overtakes fiction. How stupid can a man be to even make a bet on the virginity of a young girl? What does he really expect of a night with somebody who’s got absolutely no experience at all? Does he really think a virgin pussy is worth all that money? Is he so desperate because no other woman is interested in his tiny little dick? It’s almost impossible to not be a tiny little dick! Or maybe he’s a moslim, who wants to learn how a virgin feels like, once he’s blown himself to paradise where all the other promised virgins will be waiting for him? I bet a lot of these so-called martyrs will have been disappointed when they finally arrived up (or down?) there! And who told them it were all going to be female virgins?

Anyway, I just couldn’t help sharing these thoughts with you. I don’t have the money, but even if I had ten or a hundred times that much money, I would never pay for that. Not even for a one night stand with a dozen porn stars!

But I guess everybody is different!

And just came to think of it… I would have preferred Demi above Nathalie. Not only was Demi much more beautiful and experienced, she was also a lot less expensive!

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Earlier today, I was passing a bakery and bought a couple of sandwiches. I only had to pay 3,58 euros. I gave the girl behind the counter a bill of five euros, together with 58 eurocent in coins. The young girl took the money, and was looking with big eyes of astonishment to the cash machine, obviously not knowing what to do. In my best Portuguese, I tried to explain her that she had to give me back two euros. She still didn’t understand anything, so she called the manager. This woman as well told her what to do, but she still didn’t understand it. She almost began crying. I guess the modern way of learning mathematics has made a dramatically evolution over the past decades.

Let me try to explain what I mean by giving you an example of a test in a mathematics examination during the past years:

One question to answer in the sixties:

The owner of the local bakery makes a total turnover of € 100,00 at the end of the day. The cost of production is 4/5 of the total turnover. How much money does the baker have as a profit?

The same question to answer in the seventies:

The owner of the local bakery makes a total turnover of € 100,00 at the end of the day. The cost of production is 4/5, or € 80,00 of the total turnover. How much money does the baker have as a profit?

The same question to answer in the eighties:

The owner of the local bakery makes a total turnover of € 100,00 at the end of the day. The cost of production is € 80,00 of the total turnover. How much money does the baker have as a profit?

The same question to answer in the nineties:

The owner of the local bakery makes a total turnover of € 100,00 at the end of the day. The cost of production is 4/5, or € 80,00 of the total turnover. How much money does the baker have as a profit? Please choose the right answer between following options:

(o) € 20,00

(o) € 40,00

(o) € 60,00

(o) € 80,00

(o) € 100,00

The same question to answer in the year 2000:

The owner of the local bakery makes a total turnover of € 100,00 at the end of the day. The cost of production is 4/5, or € 80,00 of the total turnover. The profit he makes is € 20,00. Is this answer

(o) right?

(o) wrong?

The same question to answer in the year 2008/2009:

The owner of the local bakery makes a total turnover of € 100,00 at the end of the day. The cost of production is 4/5, or € 80,00 of the total turnover. How much money does the baker have as a profit? If you know how to read, please put a cross at (o) 20,00.

(o) 20,00

(o) 40,00

(o) 60,00

(o) 80,00

(o) 100,00

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Because from time to time, it’s good for the health to laugh a little bit, here’s what I received earlier today. Reading this text put an early Sunday-morning-smile on my face. I hope it’ll put a smile on your face as well, when you read this…

A lonely widow, age 70, decided that it was time to get married again.

She put an ad in the local paper that read:

HUSBAND WANTED:

MUST BE IN MY AGE GROUP (70’s),

MUST NOT BEAT ME,

MUST NOT RUN AROUND ON ME &

MUST STILL BE GOOD IN BED!!!

ALL APPLICANTS PLEASE APPLY IN PERSON.

On the second day, she heard the doorbell. Much to her dismay, she opened the door to see a gray-haired gentleman sitting in a wheelchair. He had no arms or legs.

The old woman said, ‘You’re not really asking me to consider you, are you? Just look at you…you have no legs!

The old man smiled, ‘Therefore, I cannot run around on you!’

She snorted. ‘You don’t have any arms either! ‘

Again, the old man smiled, ‘Therefore, I can never beat you!’

She raised an eyebrow and asked intently, ‘Are you still good in bed?’

The old man leaned back, beamed a big smile, and said, ‘Rang the doorbell didn’t I?’

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