Oldies

Trees are sanctuaries. Those who know how to talk and to listen to them will find the truth –
Hermann Hesse

Portugal’s oldest tree – 3350 years old – can be admired in Mouriscas, the municipality of Abrantes. As one of the oldest trees in the world, it has provided shadow to innumerous people, from Celts to Romans and from Visigoths to Arabs. This monumental olive tree is not only a contemporary from pharaoh Ramses II and Moses (1250 years B.C) but also from you and me.

Olive trees usually become hollow from the age of 150 years. How can one then determine their age, when the oldest part of the tree has disappeared and dating methods like counting of annual rings or carbon 14 analysis are doomed to fail?
A team of the University of Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro (UTAD) recently discovered a reliable mathematic model for determining the age of hollow trees. With this method already hundreds of olive trees older than 2000 years could be identified all over the country.

Another recent breakthrough in the green world has been the unraveling by Portuguese scientists of the genetic code of their national tree, the cork oak (Quercus Suber – the name Quercus comes from the Latin word for oaks). Its DNA contains 953 million base pairs. More than rice but three times less than the human genome.

Cork trees are important, both for the local economy – exports amounted to almost 1 billion euros in 2017 – and the fight against global warming.

It was on the 21st of March last year that the 234- year- old cork oak from Águas de Moura, a small village in the district of Palmela, was declared ‘European Tree of the Year 2018.’ This tree is also the world’s biggest cork oak – according to the Guinness Book of Records – with an altitude of 16 meters, a diameter of 4.2 meters and a 30 meters wide treetop.

The Portuguese entry for this year’s event – since 2011 organized by the Environmental Partnership Organisation (EPA) in which 15 European countries participate – is once again an oak. This time the 150- year-old holm oak (Quercus Rotundifolia) from the council of Mertola in the Alentejo province.

Whether Portugal will prolong its title will only be known on March 19, when the outcome will be announced at a ceremony in the European Parliament in Brussels.

Bom fim de semana                     Enjoy the weekend           (pic Publico/Sapo)

 

 

 

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Jamaica

Portugal is one of the most racist countries in the EU – European Social Survey

Once again police violence against an underprivileged community has hit the headlines. This time the battlefield is called Jamaica. Not the home of Bob Marley’s reggae but a ghettoized neighbourhood of merely black Afro-descendants in the southern outskirts of greater Lisbon.

It all started with a quarrel between two residents, but it was when the police arrived that the story exploded. Police officers using excessive violence were captured by locals on video, that quickly went viral.

The next day around 300 black youngsters held a spontaneous demonstration at the prestigious Avenida da Liberdade, chanting ‘Stop racist police brutality’.
Police responded exorbitantly by firing rubber bullets and arresting four of the protesters.

Slums proliferated in Portugal from the 1970s onward due to immigration from the former Portuguese colonies of Angola, Mozambique, Cape Verde, Guinee Bissau and Sao Tomé & Principe.

‘It is in the outskirts where the segregation of Portuguese speaking African immigrants began. Many of these neighbourhoods are regarded as ‘sensitive’ by the security forces but that doesn’t correlate with crime rates. It’s all about racial bias within the police force’, explains social worker Antonio Brito Guterres in the British newspaper the Guardian. Although the state forbids to collect data on ethnicity or race, the police does make use of ethnic profiling as evidenced by confidential police reports from 2016.

This story of police brutality reminds of the well-known case from February 2015, when 17 policemen were accused of a number of crimes against a group of black young people in Lisbon’s quarter Cova da Moura. Four years later the public prosecutor has dropped the charges of racism, torture and falsifying testimonies against all police officers!

The UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination has repeatedly declared being very concerned with racism in Portugal and the lack of measures taken for the benefit of the black immigrant population.
But with the continued perceived impunity of the police and the unwillingness to even consider the issue of institutional racism in the country, tensions between African descent communities and the security forces will remain.


Bom fim de semana              Enjoy the weekend         (pic Observador/Público)

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Sugarloaf

For about 70 years Madeira was the most important sugar producer in Europe

The introduction of sugar cane farming by the Portuguese into Madeira towards the first half of the 15th century – some decades before Columbus discovered America – meant that sugar could be exported, at first through Lisbon and then directly to the ports of Flanders (Antwerp and Bruges). In this way the consumption of the ‘white gold’ spread across the whole of Europe, altering people’s eating habits.

Although the archipelago of Madeira – geographically isolated in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean – had already been shown on earlier maps, it was only in 1418 that the first Portuguese navigators landed on the island of Porto Santo and subsequently discovered the much bigger island, Madeira.

The newly introduced sugar-based economy called for important innovations such as ‘sugar mills’ and ‘grinding stones’, together with the use of special moulds that gave rise to the famous ‘sugarloaves’, the form in which refined sugar was produced and sold until granulated and cube sugars were introduced in the late 19th century. A tall cone with a rounded top was the end-product. The larger the loaf the lower the grade of sugar. A common size that time was 6.4 kg but the finest sugar from Madeira came in small loaves of only 1.4 to 1.8 kg.

From the very beginning of its origins in Madeira, production completely relied on the use of slave labour. Captives were taken along the coast of North and West Africa and brought to work at the sugar mills. When the sugar production in the much vaster territory of Brazil got underway in the 16th century, Madeira lost its privileged position. Sugar from South America was simply cheaper.

Sugarloaf mountain (Pão de Açucar) is the famous mountain in Rio de Janeiro at the mouth of Guanabara Bay in Brazil. Its name is said to refer to its resemblance to the traditional shape of the concentrated refined sugar loaf. The mountain became part of a World Heritage Site declared by UNESCO in 2012.

Bom fim de semana                                              Have a sweet weekend

 

 

 

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Epiphany

January 6. Epiphany – Kings Day – Dia de Reis.
In Portugal the day to eat Bolo Rei, a ring-shaped cake with a small hidden surprise inside. Also, the day to put all Christmas decorations away. In neighbouring Spain, the presents under the Christmas tree will only then be unpacked as it were the three kings, who brought gifts for the new-born Christ.

On January 6 the Orthodox Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus as they follow the Julian calendar (introduced by the Roman emperor Julius Cesar in 45 BC), instead of the Gregorian one ( proclaimed by Pope Gregorius XIII in the late 16th century), nowadays used in most countries.

Who were those gift-bearing ‘wise men’ – otherwise known as the ‘three kings’ or the ‘magi’ – and where did they come from?
The Bible tells us very little. Their story appears only once in the Gospel of Matthew (2:11), where they are described as ‘strangers from the East’ who come looking for the child whose star they observed ‘at its rising.’

An 8th-century monk from Monkwearmouth in north-east England – St Bede de Venerable – described the magi as follows. ‘The first was called Melchior, king of Persia, an old man with white hair and a long beard who offered gold to the new-born king of the Jews. The second, Caspar, king of India, was young and beardless. He presented to the child his gift of incense, a homage to his divinity. The third, of black complexion and with a heavy beard, was called Balthasar, king of Arabia. The myrrh – also used for embalming – he held in his hands, foreshadowed the death of Jesus.

According to other sources dating back to medieval times, the visitors were mystics from a mysterious land called Shir. Descendants of Seth, the righteous third son of Adam, and the guardians of an age-old prophecy, that a star of indescribable brightness would someday appear ‘heralding the birth of God in human form.’

When the long-awaited star appears, it is not simply ‘sighted at its rising’ – as described in Matthew – but rather descends to earth, instructing the magi to travel to Judea and guiding them along their journey.

Finally, inside a cave on the outskirts of Bethlehem, the star reappears to them as a luminous human child – the Christ child! There, the men kneel down and present the baby Jesus with their three famous gifts – gold, incense, and myrrh. Tradition has it, that in later years they were baptized, became bishops and spent the rest of their lives spreading Christianity in distant lands.


Bom fim de semana                                         Enjoy the weekend

 

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Portrait2018

Five years after the peak of its economic crisis, Portugal’s future looks bright. There is more confidence, more consumption and there are more young people in college.
In December the country succeeded in paying off the last installment of the 78 billion euro loan to the EU and the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The accelerated repayment saves the country 1.2 billion in interest costs.


The resident population consists of 10,3 million people, that is 2% of the population in all 28 EU member states. One-fifth of the Portuguese (2 million) lives abroad.
As a result of a very low birth rate and a negative migratory balance, the number of Portuguese is decreasing, despite the fact, that in the last decade nearly half a million ‘new’ citizens – mainly from Brazil and Cape Verde – have been added.

Thanks to the increased life expectancy – 81 years on average – the population is not only shrinking but also aging. There are nowadays much fewer children under 15 years (14%) than elderly over 65 years (21%).

The country’s workforce is relatively low skilled. The majority (54%) has no secondary or higher education, much more than in the rest of the EU (16%).
Special in this respect is, that more women than men are in the possession of a doctor’s (PhD) degree (55%), therewith ranking 5th in Europe.

Unemployment has – since the crisis – been halved to 6,7% but compared to northern European countries the minimum wage is still low ( 676 euros per month ).

Furthermore, the percentage of temporary contracts (22%) is relatively high ( 14% in the EU).

Remarkable is the low number of women working at the police force (7,5%), with its second to last position – just before Italy – in Europe.


In digital terms, the country is also lagging behind. Two-thirds of the companies have a website (77% in the EU) and three-quarters of the households are in the possession of an internet connection ( 87% in EU). That might also be the reason, that by far the most popular girl’s name – Maria – hasn’t changed since ages.


Bom fim de semana                                                    Enjoy the weekend

 

 

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Impairment

‘Assistance, work and independence’

‘We aren’t  2nd hand citizens!’

Last May, Joao Rodriguez – a 95% physically restricted and wheelchair dependent quadriplegic from Figueira da Foz – was happy his brother could bring him to Lisbon, to attend the nationwide demonstration of disabled people, demanding a raise in the budget for the Support Centres for Independent Living. Some protesters only send their shoes, as they were too physically impaired to personally attend the march in Lisbon.

Eduardo Jorge – quadriplegic, bedridden since age 28 and living in a nursing home – requires continuous care for 24 hours a day. He owns a house and wants to be cared for at home, but doubts if he will get there the  24/7 support, he desperately needs. He demonstrated last week outside Parliament in his bed.

Support Centres for Independent Living (CAVI) is a state-funded pilot project providing ambulatory assistance to disabled people older than 16 years, who are at least 60% physically impaired.

The intention of the government is to subsidize each centre with 1,4 million euros for a period of 3 years, by which the centre has to support 10 to 50 persons – 70% of them with assistance up to 40 hours a week and 30% for more than 40 hours ( to a maximum of 24 hours per day).

‘Far too little’, says Diana Santos, president of the Centre for Independent Living, who organized the demonstration in May.
‘At least 5 million is needed for each centre, especially if you want to help 50 people properly.’

In addition to a greater autonomy, pressure groups demand more jobs and better accessibility of public buildings and spaces.
Although Parliament already in 2004 adopted a law, obliging companies to employ a minimal number of disabled personnel – 5% in public institutions and 1% in private enterprises – in practice these numbers are far from being met. Unemployment among physically impaired people even increased by 24% between 2011 and 2017.

The Trade Union Association of Portuguese Judges (ASJP) declared in an open letter to the Minister of Justice this year, that at least 55 courts of law are not accessible for persons with reduced mobility and 74 more have architectural hurdles. There is a lack of specific facilities like parking lots, ramps for wheelchairs, adapted elevators and lavatories.
‘This really has to change, not only because it is legally required but also because of dignity, equality, and solidarity.’

BOAS FESTAS                            HAPPY HOLIDAYS              (pic Público/Sapo) 

 

 

 

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Violation

‘Sex without consent is rape’ – Istanbul Convention, 2011

‘Violence against women is a crime and a shame for the country’
– Rosa Monteiro, Secretary of State for Citizenship and Equality


Although in Portugal verbal sexual harassment is a crime – with penalties varying from a fine of up to 120 euros to a year in prison – violence against women is increasing.

In the first ten months of this year, already 24 women have been killed by their (ex) partners or close relatives. Four more than in 2017.

‘As long as our society maintains its patriarchal and male chauvinist features, aggression against women is legitimized’, says Elisabeth Brasil of the Assassinated Women’s Observatory (OMA), accusing the government of not providing the necessary support to the victims of domestic violence.

The legal system doesn’t seem to be very woman-friendly either and courts often continue to disclaim the perpetrators and hold the victims accountable. Only one-third of the convicts for sexual crimes – rape, sexual coercion, and abuse – end up in prison, while most of them walk free with a suspended prison sentence.

Conceição Cunha, professor of Criminal Law at Porto’s Catholic University, also has the impression that condemnation to imprisonment is low for sex crimes. Lawyer Leonore Valente Monteiro isn’t surprised at all about the low number of convictions, especially ‘if the abuse doesn’t leave physical marks.’

In the meantime, the government becomes convinced that the legislation on sexual crimes needs to be reviewed in the light of the Istanbul Convention, ratified by Portugal in 2013. This Council of Europe Convention on preventing and combating violence against women and domestic violence states very clear in article 36, that ‘a sexual act without voluntary consent is a crime.’

But not only the Portuguese legislation is inadequate on women abuse, maintaining a culture of blaming the victim and perpetuate impunity. Amnesty International shows in their report ‘Right to be free from rape’, that the majority of the European countries continue to acknowledge rape only if there is proof of physical violence or coercion. Merely 8 of the 31 member states define rape based on the ‘lack of consent’, as defined in the Istanbul declaration.


Bom fim de semana                Enjoy the weekend                 (pic SAPO/LUSA)

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Doggies

Chained dogs suffer from stress and behavioral problems and are also more vulnerable to being attacked by other dogs

November is the month of Magusto – the traditional autumn festival –but from now on November will also go down in history as Month of Summits.

Earlier on tens of thousands of visitors invaded the Altice Arena at the Web Summit and on the 24th and 25th at least 1500 dogs are expected to take possession of the LX factory in Lisbon at the Dog Summit (https://www.dogsummit.pt).

Their caretakers – with or without their four-legged friend – will be treated to numerous workshops and lectures on training, healthcare, nutrition, and wellbeing. Moreover, the vast exposition area will accommodate a great variety of start-ups and companies offering a large number of services and products to the beloved animals.

‘This project is a first in Portugal’, say Cristina Pena and João Brochado – the couple that organizes the event – in the newspaper Público. ‘We want to emphasize a positive approach in the rearing of dogs instead of an aversive approximation. We often come across training methods based on punishment and negative reinforcement, leading to aggressiveness and anxiety in the dog.’

Therefore, much attention will be given to training methods that respect the welfare of the animals. Except for renowned trainers from home and abroad, there will also be veterinarians and behavioralists among the speakers.

Animal protection associations – like the civic movement Unchain your Dog  (http://www.quebraacorrente.pt) – will of course not be missing from the event.

‘In the end, the one who has to be educated is the caretaker, not the dog.’


Bom fim de semana                                                         Enjoy the weekend                   

 

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Conference

‘The best technology conference on the planet’ – Forbes
‘Where the future goes to be born’ – The Atlantic
‘The giants of the web assemble’ – Wall Street Journal
‘A great conclave of the tech industry’s high priests’ – New York Times

What do have 70.000 visitors (from 170 countries), 1200 speakers ( one third are women), 2500 journalists, 2000 start-ups, 210.000 coffee cups and a metro strike in common?


They are all part of the Web Summit 2018 (www.websummit.com) – one of the world’s biggest technology and innovation conferences – to be held in Lisbon’s Altice Arena (November 5-8).


The spectacle will be preceded by a Surf Summit in the seaside town Ericeira, continued after hours by a Night Summit downtown and concluded with a Sunset Summit in the Portugal Pavilion at the Parque das Nações.

The event – created to connect technology with industry – is the global stage for conducting business, recruiting talent and promoting brands.
In 2016 held for the first time in Lisbon, this year’s manifestation will be even bigger and better than the one in 2017, with a tree planted for every participant to encourage sustainability.

Since the two previous editions yielded 300 million euro annually on accommodation and transport, government persuaded the organization to maintain the Websummit in Lisbon over the next ten years – until 2028 – and is willing to invest therefor 11 million euros per year.

‘I think the summit is a great idea and excellent for the reputation of the country’, says António Saraiva, president of the Confederation of Portuguese Industries (CIP). ‘But I doubt a revenue of 3 billion euros in 10 years. There are very little honest investments with such a big profit.’
‘What do these estimates rely on?’ Where is the rationale?
To me, it smells a little bit like a show-off with next year’s elections coming up.’

The Portuguese Hotel and Restaurant Association (AHRESP) is more optimistic, expecting the 70.000 visitors to spend at least 61 million euros during their stay in the capital.
That the metro will strike on the first and last day of the happening is unfortunate but inevitable in a country like Portugal.

Enjoy your stay                                                                              (pic SAPO)

 

 

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Traffic


The Lisbon metropolis – with 18 municipalities –  accommodates about 2.8 million inhabitants, who all seem to have the same addiction: their car! Unfortunately, a still growing number of Portuguese use the car at the expense of public transport,  5 times less utilized for commuting.


Each day 370.000 vehicles drive into the capital, in general with only the driver inside.
Most cars enter Lisbon from the south of the Tagus – via the A2 and A12 – and via the northern A1.

The third busiest route is the A5 from the famous seaside town of Cascais, also called ‘the death road’ because of the high number of fatal accidents every year.

These large numbers of automobiles not only provoke endless traffic jams in the center but also severe air pollution. Diesel cars are by far the most sold and emissions of nitrogen oxide in Portuguese cities are 8 times above the European standard. Even higher than in urban Germany.

Furthermore, the number of fatal accidents to pedestrians –mainly to people over 65 years of age – is increasing and nowadays the highest in the past five years.

The solution to reducing the use of cars seems straightforward: create alternatives! With this in mind, Fernando Medina, Lisbon’s mayor, advocates a radical reduction in the cost of public transport (metro, bus), extend the number of bus lanes in the metropole and –by means of state funding – enable a free bus lane on the A5 between Cascais and Lisbon.

But the government should do much more. Only 15% of public transport in Portugal is subsidized, compared to 50% in the EU. Moreover, cycling has to be encouraged and the network of cycle paths expanded. Today only a tiny fraction (1%) of the population uses their bicycle for commuting, compared to 7% in the rest of Europe.

The fact that Lisbon has recently won the European Green Capital Award for 2020 creates expectations.
Now it has to be done.

Bom fim de semana         Enjoy the weekend        (pic Expresso/Sapo/Público)

 

 

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