[People] What about Portugal?

[mrwho]

I'm sure most of the people outside Europe are not aware of what's going on in here. But even if the video title doesn't carry a significance for you, the rest of the video might be informative.

Just to say that, no matter what the difficulties are right now, we have a long history behind us.

Cheers!

[michaelc]

I am from england and 99% of the stuff on there i was not aware of or didnt know (the 1% is, i know where potugal is).

[hekotez]

I know where it is too... well i should since I am Portuguese hehe.
Its a bit sad to see where we have been... and where we are now... as a portuguese citizen... well, we've been thru alot in the past, regardless one way or the other, we shall overcome this too =)
A proud Portuguese on this little place near the sea planted... hehe

[fixthecopier]

That was very informative. I enjoy learning facts. Knowledge is power. Oh, that one about how most Americans think you are part of Spain. Well truth is, most American high school students could not find Europe on a map. Hell a big chunk of them could not find Europe on a map of Europe.

[blackcat4866]

I have been recently been reading a book (fiction) about the theory that Cristobol Colonne was really a Portugese Jew and a Templar, and only hid these facts since it was politically expeditious. The Crisopholus Colombo from Genova (a silk weaver) was a totally different person who lived in the same time period, and it was convenient to be confused with him.

I know it's fiction, but there are a number of reasons to believe that it is true. =^..^=

[mrwho]

Knowledge is power.

It's true. Knowledge is power - at the very least it gives you the power to make other people feel stupid.

[Jude]

I did not know that about Portugal.

[minimerlin]

And now you need the rest of Europe to bail your country out of debt!!!

[mrwho]

And now you need the rest of Europe to bail your country out of debt!!!

First of all, to be honest, the only reason I wanted this bailout to happen was that it would force our inept politicians to hand out the country's economy to someone more capable and not susceptible to back out in case of strikes and other manifestations. Because there are actions that need to be made, unpopular actions, and the politicians, being as they are with an eye on the next elections, are less keen to execute them. Someone from outside, not caring about elections, will to what they need to do to recover us from this situation.

Secondly, if this goes forward, we are not goint to be given money - it's a loan, with interest, and a heavy interest at that.

Thirdly, this is not about the bailout. It's about empathy - when it was needed, my grandparents extended a helping hand to Finland. And now all we get is a slap in the face.

Fourthly, this article in the New York Times shows that are people even outside Portugal that think the bailout is unnecessary - as I said, I think so too, it's just who's doing the work that matters.

[mrwho]

To be fair, here's the response to the video I showed up earlier. I really enjoyed it and made me rethink point three above - it's still somewhat valid, but this video reminds me that not all Finns are against giving help.

Iso hali!
Cheers!

[prntrfxr]

That was very informative. I enjoy learning facts. Knowledge is power. Oh, that one about how most Americans think you are part of Spain. Well truth is, most American high school students could not find Europe on a map. Hell a big chunk of them could not find Europe on a map of Europe.

We originally came from the state of Maine & migrated to the state of Georgia. At open house my father told one of my teachers where we were from. Her reply: "That's above Canada, isn't it?" I swear I've known some people who I bet don't even know or who have never heard of Portugal. I did not know half of what was in this vid. History here focused on the 13 colonies and the civil war.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre using Forums

[fixthecopier]

We originally came from the state of Maine & migrated to the state of Georgia. At open house my father told one of my teachers where we were from. Her reply: "That's above Canada, isn't it?" I swear I've known some people who I bet don't even know or who have never heard of Portugal. I did not know half of what was in this vid. History here focused on the 13 colonies and the civil war.

-- Sent from my Palm Pre using Forums

Yes, if you want to have some fun, grab a high school senior and ask him or her some basic questions like "What is the largest country by population? " or name 5 of the 7 continents" and dangle money in front of their face if they get it correct. When I was young my dad owned a globe and tv was boring so I know where most of the world is.

[charm5496]

didn't anyone take world history back in high school? I did and I read newspapers on a daily basis and get emails with information around the world including what is going on in Portugal.
Yes most American high schoolers are only taught american history, but for gods sake not all people on this planet walk around with there nose burried in a cell phone typing away?!?!?!

[mrwho]

I don't totally blame the education system. Of course it is to be expected to teach the pupils about its country's history first, then its country's neighbour's history next and, lastly, the more important marks of world history.

What worries me is the lack of curiosity to learn more about other stuff not taught at school but that, in the end, form what is known as general culture. I oftentimes catch myself grabbing my mobile phone or my computer to take a peek at Wikipedia about something that I saw, heard about or simply ocurred to me at the moment. Some examples from my browser's history: Word's Funniest Joke, 300 (Film), Monsoon, Gokstad Ship, Batdance, Molasses, The Legend of Zelda: The Windwaker, Larrabee (microarchitecture), etc etc etc.

With a free and powerful (albeit flawed, although I don't think severely so) tool at our disposal, I worry a bit that people don't have curiosity to know more about what's beyond our personal borders. In my lifetime I've never went farther than 550Km from my hometown - but that doesn't stop me from trying to learn more about other places that I'd like to see personally if I ever get the chance.

Sorry for the long rant, just needed to release some steam (not related to this topic, but it helped nonetheless).

[ZOOTECH]

"In my lifetime I've never went farther than 550Km from my hometown - but that doesn't stop me from trying to learn more about other places that I'd like to see personally if I ever get the chance."
Google street maps is great for visiting the places you might want to see or possibly visit in the future. We "took" my father-in-law back to Normandy on-line and he was able to see the beach he landed at during WW11; he was totally in awe by that.