2011 is Disappearing Below the Horizon: what a year!

Sunset in Lisbon (borrowed from a relative)

Farewell 2011!

In January I dared presenting my forecast for the year and in February I foresaw that this year would “be a fiery blogging year!” and by Jove it was!

Politically speaking, we had a surprising year: Bin Laden was found and scythed from the face of the earth; Gilad Shalit came back home; tyrant leaders in Muslim nations were confronted with the wrath of the People; Gaddafi expired; the West no longer fears China (now it sees it for what it really is: an investment and investor); Syria entered the threshold of change; Palestine tried to circumvent agreements and basically failed (thus, teaching us all a great lesson: honour your agreements and when you’re the weakest link, be humble); Iran began to slide and it hints that Ahmadinejad’s days are numbered; India’s people showed their resolve in fighting corruption; Brazil’s economic bubble began to burst; South Africa’s President expelled a disenchanted member of his party (and a possible successor); Russia is breaking the Putin-Spell; President Sarkozy revealed the world his lack of class (by trying to insult a leader of a sovereign country) and the Eurozone realised that Europe desperately needs a “change we can believe in”...etc etc.

Unlike the media, I will not give emphasis to the “Occupy X” Movements because, generally speaking, I am suspicious of their real motives and agenda.

2011 witnessed some loving moments: the Duke & Duchess of Cambridge got married as did the Prince of Monaco & Her Serene Highness (perhaps too serene but with an excellent sense of style & fashion).
I’d mention that Kardashian girl, but I do not have much patience for people who marry for the sake of marrying and then divorce at the end of 72 days.

2011 saw Portugal sacking the socialists and electing a proper right wing government that managed to reduce our 9.1% deficit to 4%, in 6 months alone.
Many Portuguese are crying, as if they were professional mourners, because the government cut subsidies; it reduced unemployment benefits, it increased taxes; it increased working hours by 30 minutes (in the private sector); it removed 4 bank holidays (2 religious and 2 secular) off the calendar; it froze salaries (in the public sector) and, because it sold its share in EDP (Electricity of Portugal) to the Chinese who paid 50% more than its worth.
The whining Portuguese seem to have forgotten that the majority of the Lusitanian electorate sanctioned these austerity measures the day they elected the new government (since most of these measures were included in the Campaign Programme of the Social-Democrat Party).

It was a very interesting year indeed: the globe underwent a profound change (promising destruction of the old) that warns us about the advent of a new Era.

My dear friends and loyal readers, I would like to thank you for having read & spread my thoughts. I hope our friendship and interaction continues to grow in the coming year: it will be an honour to step into the new world order with you.

Happy 2012!

Hannukah Sameach & Merry Christmas!

Hanukkah 2010 (borrowed from a relative)

To the Jewish communities all around the world: Chanukkah Sameach (Happy Hanukkah)!!

Tonight, begins the 25th of Kislev (under the Jewish calendar) and therefore commences the Festival of Lights. The Shehecheyanu will be sang, the first candle will be lit while a blessing is recited.
Hanukkah not only commemorates the re-dedication of the Second Temple, in Jerusalem, after it was defiled by the forces of Antiochus IV (who had profaned almost all of the temple's ritual oil), but it also celebrates the miracle of the oil.

The Miracle of Hanukkah
Of all the desecrated ritual oil, only one container remained sealed with enough oil to keep the menorah lit for a single day (since the Light must always burn in the Temple [Ner Tamid], as a symbol of God's Eternal Presence). However, Elohim made the oil burn for eight consecutive days (exactly the time needed to prepare new oil).

From the 25th of Kislev until the 2nd of Tevet, the duration of this festivity, it is pertinent to thank Hashem for all the miracles He performs before the Jewish People (and He does perform many - the existence and the thrive of the Jewish State, for example, is testament to that).

During the festive week, the Jewish people prepare fried dishes like Sufganiyot and Latkes. A Portuguese-Jewish family member also prepares Kosher Cacos, Rabanadas and Sonhos.

While eating sufganiyot, I repeat: Happy Chanukkah to you all! 

Christmas Tree (borrowed from Here)

Merry Christmas! 

This coming weekend, on the 25th of December, Christian communities celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ (the most loved and admired Jew in the world).
It is a time of Love and Peace (on earth and among the men of good will) celebrated with a lot of light and loads of candles, as well.

The Miracle of Christmas
Once upon a time, a virgin conceived immaculately and the Christian Messiah was born. He cast a Light upon a barbaric world and his Wisdom changed the mentality and behaviour of Men.
I wish Christians would focus more upon the spiritual significance of this holiday, but I know that it is hard for most of them to renounce the pressure of consumerism.

In Portugal, Christian (or like many call themselves: culturally christian) citizens eat several goodies during Christmas: see here. I can't help but to correlate Christmas' festive fried delicacies with Hanukkah's fried goodies because the Portuguese eat a lot of fried sweets during this time of year too - it's not surprising though, since 70% of the Portuguese have Jewish blood boiling in their veins.

While tasting filhoses I repeat: Merry Christmas to you and you! 

Shariah Law: not necessarily anti-democratic

Golden Mosque in Manila (in Top Ten Marvels) 

Shariah, in Arabic, means “path”. It could be said that Shariah Law designs the moral and religious path for all Muslims, based on the Quran and on the Sunnah.

Muslim Brotherhood leads in Egypt. In Tunisia, Ennahda (an Islamist party) won the elections. Before such scenario the West renewed its fears: will these parties implement Shariah Law? How will this affect the diplomatic strategies and will the West be forced, once again, to negotiate with crazy rads?

Implementing the Islamic code, in Muslim nations, doesn’t necessarily imply an adhesion to Islamic fundamentalism nor does it have to be anti-democratic. Shariah is interpreted differently by modernists, reformers, traditionalists and fundamentalists; signifying that Muslim nations seeking to implement Democracy need to decide what kind of society they want for themselves and apply the Islamic code accordingly. Instead of trying to interfere with their internal affairs, we should only help them in the path to democracy.

Religious codes are not new or anti-democratic.
Western societies are extremely democratic and yet endeavour to follow the Noahide Code:

1. Prohibition of Idolatry
2. Prohibition of Murder
3. Prohibition of Theft
4. Prohibition of Sexual immorality
5. Prohibition of Blasphemy
6. Prohibition of eating flesh taken from an animal while it is still alive
7. Establishment of law courts. 

The Jewish State is an extremely democratic society and yet its Mishpat Ivri (the Jewish Law or jurisprudence) is based on Halakha (“the path” - the traditional Jewish Law which includes Biblical Law and Rabbinical Law). Mishpat Ivri refers to aspects in religious law considered relevant to “non-religious” and to “secular” Law, such as contracts, property rights, ownership, public law, international law, negligence, legal liability, copyright etc.

If our societies can reach a compromise between religious codes and laicism so can Muslim societies, once they set theocracy, authoritarianism and specially fundamentalism aside (this is, if they wish their nations to profit from sustainable human and economic development).

I thoroughly appreciate one aspect of Shariah: the salah (= connection). The idea that one stops 5 times/day to pray to (or connect with) God, thus bathing in the divine love & tolerance, promises a Muslim society able to connect with all of God’s creation…Muslim or not, religious or not.

We wish Tunisia and Egypt wisdom in concatenating Shariah, modern society and globalisation.

Miscellaneous Thoughts on Iran

The Isle of Death by Arnold Böcklin

Iranian students attack the British Embassy in Tehran and a plethora of thoughts pace around my mind...

Watching foreign affairs analysts discussing Iran, on TV, can be rather fatiguing. First, they all say the same things; secondly, we can sense their disappointment before the American and Israeli military inaction. Watching foreign affairs analysts’ bloody fangs while debating Iran is like watching an even cheaper version of the Twilight Saga.

The US military presence in Iraq is coming to an end; and its presence in Afghanistan will soon end as well. The Arab Spring/Summer/Autumn (and nearly Winter) will eventually fade away as people topple dictators (one-by-one) or as intelligent political leaders make the reforms their people demand for.

So, what’s next on the foreign affairs institutions’ agenda? A conflict with Iran.

The most curious thing is that these institutions seem to be more than willing to give Iran what it wants the most: to see the West yielding to its provocation in order to weaken it even further (it may seem odd but by focusing on the wars, against Bin Laden and Saddam Hussein, the West neglected its economy and went on a military spending spree that unfortunately weakened its economic power – BRICS took advantage of it and Iran rubbed its hands with a grin on its face).

The West should refrain itself from waging wars against whomsoever, before getting economically stronger. However, hard power is to be used against Iran, yes, but in a smart and cost-effective fashion.  

And speaking of the Persian Nation: those who are attacking Embassies in Tehran...are they night students? I looked at them trashing the British Embassy and my immediate thought was “Ah, they work in the RevolutionaryGuard during the day to pay their college tuition”. I mean, the so-called students seem far too old to be simply labelled as “students”; besides it doesn’t make much sense that the very same Iranian students that practically gave birth to the “Arab Spring” would now protest to defend those they wish to topple...

It is always interesting to see Western journalists striving for an interview with President Ahmadinejad and, I would like to know why because he always says the same things, he hypocritically speaks of freedom and human rights, he always finds a way to be obnoxious, he always tries to offend Western Values and he always manages to bring Zionists into his monologue. What I am about to say may not seem correct, but it would be incorrect of me not to say it: I think Pres. Ahmadinejad smokes something before his interviews, and it is not tobacco.

What I admire in Ahmadinejad is his OCD: as a Mayor of Tehran he kept the city spotless and as a President he makes sure that the country is absolutely clean, lest he catches a disease when travelling around Persia. Good for him! It would be interesting if African leaders would follow Ahmadinejad’s example: be a dictator but keep things clean.

Persia could seek regional power in a more positive way, but instead it chooses to be powerful through the sponsorship of terrorist groups such as Hamas and Hezbollah.

Divide, disseminate evil and destroy to conquer...that’s the new Persian philosophy.