Colonialismo pós-colonialista

Os colonialistas substituiram a palavra "atraso" por "pobreza", para poderem continuar o projecto colonialista sem ofender o bom tom.

A metamorfose da rosa

A teoria de que a flor é uma folha modificada... Já o velho Goethe dizia.

Camponeses detidos em apartamento

Uma vez em Góis vi um casal de camponeses velhotes sentados na varanda de um apartamento. Estavam vestidos como quem vai para as terras. Coitadinhos, os filhos concerteza estavam a pensar que estavam a fazer um favor aos pais de os trazer para o apartamento deles. Eles, no entanto, estavam aí a olhar tristes e aborrecidos para a rua, completamente deslocados. Queriam usar a pouca energia e muita vontade que tinham para botar erva ao vivo ou sachar o milho. Via-se pelas caras. Estar ali de mãos repousadas no colo, na varanda de um apartamento desaconchegante, era um verdadeiro calvário para eles. Soltem-nos! Deixem os voltar para a casita a cair aos bocados, com a lareira e os dois bancos de pau tosco, que lá estarão bem melhor. Estas raposas do mato, detidas nas armadilhas da modernidade.

What do these men have in common?

Richard Douthwaite, Zeca Afonso and John Seymour

Traditional, local handicrafts?

There is a village that is famous for its pottery, there are potteries working since several generations. In the area there is a special green clay that is fired in a way that the pottery gets all black. In a single little village there are about 10 potters and 7 pottery establishments. Now, surprisinlgy, most of the potters do almost not use local clay, but instead they buy cheap red clay from a refining plant in the south west of the country. They get 1Kg of clay for about 20-25 €cent, while extracting local clay would cost them about 0.50 cent. So, nowadays the potters of the area benefit of the past fame of the village for pottery, for doing pottery with foreign clay could be done everywhere.

Serious handicap

A very serious handicap is self-righteousness. People who think they are always right and see correcting one's opinion as a weakness, have, in fact, a very serious learning difficulty. They are blocking off all opportunities to learn, because they are, uch, so enlightened.

Little treasures

After by chance observing a fish otter I found this little Undines bathing in the river.

Yes, I ventured having a cold shower in this bath - but only when I really, really needed it!...

"Hey, what's going on there?"

Stencil talk

What is it?

You use ready made sentences and expressions for a usually superficial conversation, so you do not need to use your inteligence or reveal any emotions. You can also use common knowledge or a distanced scientific approach to talk about things in an uninvolved way. At the same time you can pretend you care or are involved, when in fact the conversation and the topic are completely indifferent to you.

When is it used?

Some people use it always. It's such a handy thing, allowing conversations to happen without any real exposure. It is the best way not to come close or get to know anyone and not to be known as well.

Examples:

Giving an unsolicited lecture to an acquaintant.

Small talk about the weather or "How are you? Well, thanks, fine."

Saying one had the emotions the listener would expect you to have, e.g. "When my daughter was born it was the most amazing thing in my life!" instead of talking about the real thing.

Using a lot of local expressions and easy jokes, e.g. "I hate you"; "estou noutra onda"; "é a vida"/ "such is life"...