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July 22, 2011That July day, while searching for financing for people with bad or no credit, we stumbled across a company, Alliance Credit Relief, with offices in Florida, New York and California. They checked out with the Better Bussiness Bureau with an A- rating. They had only been around about a year, with two negative complaints that had been successfully closed. I must have searched Google for hours, only encountering positive reviews. I took a chance, filled out a brief contact form and clicked submit. With no responses over the next 5 days, I continued to search, make phone calls and submit loan applications that were rejected almost immediately.With no aid in sight, my husband returned to work 3 weeks early after his hip replacement surgery, unable to take anything stronger than ibuprofen due to 2 hour commute each way and a previous addiction to tramadol. On his 4th day back to work, I got an excited phone call from him- Alliance Credit Relief contacted him, letting us know we had been approved for a $10,000 loan, payed out once our paperwork was completed and notarized.I was literally speechless, crying. Our nightmare was almost over and we might just make it out of Shoma alive. My husband forwarded me the paperwork and I got to work collecting the necessary information and paperwork. Our contact, Diane called several times, detailing how the process worked, when we could expect the funds to be transferred and to see if we had any questions. The next morning, my husband went to a notary, completed the paperwork and faxed everything to Diane. She confirmed receiving our forms, assuring us funds would be transferred by the end of the week.Smith Farm, Lake Worth, Florida (Smith Farm and homes for sale.)In the meantime, knowing that our loan had been approved, our agent found our next home in a gated community known as Smith Farm in Lake Worth. She, herself, had lived for 10 years in the community and was where most of real estate transactions occurred. The house had been empty for almost two years due to a foreclosure and the homeowner's association were willing to rent the house, despite our rocky tenant history.It was beautiful, on a cul-de-sac with a backyard that bordered on a shallow pond. Inside needed some cosmetic work, and the layout was a bit unusual- but the Tiffany style light fixtures compensated for everything. There had been no reported crimes in over two years. We submitted our application, provided one month's rent as a deposit and began arranging for a moving company to move the largest pieces. To save money, we would do the rest. Having only been in the townhome or less than 3 months, most of the boxes and packing supplies were in the garage.Not even 24 hours later, our agent had the lease. We signed and initialed everywhere. Because of our history, they asked for first, last and a security deposit, payable one week before moving in. It was a done deal or so we thought.The same day the lease was filed, we received a call from Diane. We were still scheduled to receive the funds Friday, but there was one issue that had to be settled. The guarantor of our loan was requesting funds for background checks, processing fees and the first month's loan payment. They requested the funds be wired to corporate headquarters in New York via Western Union. It seemed a bit unusual, but after talking to Diane, who assured us this was standard operating policy, we wired the funds as instructed. An hour later, we received confirmation of the transfer and when the funds would available- tomorrow.That night had to have been the best night's in months. We had a new home in a safe community and a small nest egg against future repairs or mishaps. The next morning, hoppng online, I was a little concerned that the funds were not there, but went about setting up utility transfers and enrolling our son in preschool. Later that day, I received a flurry of texts and messages from my husband to call him immediately. Diane had called, the funds could not be released until the following Wednesday due to a backlog of paperwork. I tried for over 3 hours to reach Diane or any other human, but could never speak to a live voice- only voicemail.Just by the end of the day my husband called again. Everything was ok, things like this happen all the time. But, he had had to transfer more funds via Western Union, to the same account as before. They wanted the first 3 or 4 monthly payments, which would be posted to the account, giving us a few months payment free. The only available funds was the rent payment where we were currently living, but we could replace those once we got the loan in 5 days.6939 Dawntree Ct. Lake Worth, FloridaIt was at this stage, that I realized something was very very wrong, but I kept it to myself. After months of hardship, my husband seemed relaxed and excited about our future. Several times a day, I sent emails, test faxes and called Diane only getting her voicemail. The night before we were to receive the money, would be the last time I would sleep through the night for years. The next morning, we checked our bank account- no funds. We waited a few hours checked again- no funds. We called Wells Fargo to see if a transfer was in processing. No and they had never heard of Alliance Credit Relief. My husband began calling every number related to the company, only this time, there was no voice mail. Just silence.Feeling the panic building, I went downstairs to the dreaded first floor office, booted up the computer and began searching for contact information we might have missed. On a whim, I checked in again on the BBB site and it was there I saw what lead to hours of shock, horror and uncontrollable sobbing.In the two weeks since I had first researched the company, there were dozens of heartbreaking complaints from others like ourselves who had been scammed out of all their life savings. Their stories were the same as our as- only the names were different. I remember screaming for my husband, who hobbled downstairs unable to comprehend what I was saying. Looking at the screen, he realized we had fallen prey to a master scam. His face lost all color and tears fell as he whispered “Oh my God, there's no money- we have lost everything”.Devastated, I ran out the front door into the street, trying to breathe. My son was hysterical- why are mommy & daddy scared and crying? My only thought was, the money in the bank is gone, we cannot pay rent for the place we are in, let alone to another place. I do not remember much of the next several hours. I do remember screaming over and over again, “ what are we going to do- you have to fix this”!. The remaining deposit on the new place was due in just days, and there was no way for us to get the deposit back. We were seriously days away from becoming homeless.We started reaching out to family and friends, none of whom were willing to help us. Many did not return our calls. I spoke with our agent who was trying to work out a solution to get into the Lake Worth house. Every call, text, email was met with rejection. That was until the agent called again. Both she and the agent representing Smith Farms were willing to put their commissions towards the remaining deposit. That left us 24 hours to raise $1800.The next call I received can only be considered a gift from God. My mother's best friend was going to gift us $1000 to end this nightmare once and for all. At that moment she became more than a family friend, she become my mom until the day she died two years ago. Admonished at our amazing luck I headed upstairs to overhear the most heartbreaking conversation between my husband and Grandpa Dave, the man he called his father and friend. In tears, he outlined what had happened and begged to borrow $800 under any terms and conditions. I had never heard him sound so low, defeated and scared. And the answer was no.A few hours later, Grandpa Dave called, saying he had a friend, who would take out a cash advance from his credit card the next morning. We could settle the terms of repayment later. Exhausted, we collapsed in bed, after trying endlessly to reach Diane or anyone at the loan company. For several hours, then days, we waited for Grandpa Dave to return our messages. He called a week later, like nothing had happened, chatting away about future fishing trips. To this day, I have yet to forgive him for demeaning and hurting my husband so deeply.In the meantime, our agent scrambled to buy us time to get the remaining deposit money. Two days later, the fates decided we had suffered enough and a work acquaintance of my husband's reached out and said “how much do you need and where should we meet up”? I literally almost fainted from the shock and instant release of fear and suffering. As simple as that, someone saw we desperately needed help and stepped up. Our families and closest friends offered nothing.First picture taken at our Lake Worth homeThat afternoon, we dropped off the remaining deposit money before any more mishaps crossed our paths. By the end of the week, we began moving our possessions ourselves, with the paid assistance of a few day laborers hanging out in front of the local Home Depot. Some pieces that were too heavy or could not be maneuvered down the narrow staircase, we left behind.To make this a fresh start, we spent the night at a hotel, swimming, walking to the beach, shedding months of pent-up anger, frustrations, sadness and fear. We no longer had to worry about the sounds of gunfire in the night or being attacked while taking out the trash. But we would deal with financial complications for years. Unfortunately, we had no choice but to declare bankruptcy. Multiple movings, lost deposits, thousands in medical expenses as well as the loss of our meager savings left us no other choice.In the months to follow, I spent hours calling, emailing, faxing Diane and the non-existent company she “worked” for. Only once, after we had settled into our new home, was I able to successfully contact her. To the bitter end, she claimed our application was still in processing, just waiting for a few last pieces of paperwork. I began sobbing hysterically, screaming over and over “where was the money and how could you do this to people already at rock bottom. “ She never said a word and didn't hang up. She put me on speaker phone, as I could hear the laughter and comments from fellow co-workers / scammers.We contacted the police, FBI and state attorney general seeking options to catch the scammers, before they could destroy other families. It was in the early days of the Western Union scams and the only advice we were given- don't make the same mistake twice. Give up any lost fantasies of recovering your money. By the time the recipient walked out the doors of Western Union your money was gone. An interesting observation. Every now and then I google certain names and companies. About a year ago, a small investment company in Pennsylvania, with a manager known as Diane began racking up numbers of fraud complaints with the BBB.Our story was just one of thousands. Many lost so much, their jobs, families and lives, unable to deal with the shame and consequences of being victimized. We considered ourselves relatively intelligent people. I have a PhD and my husband a MBA. We thought we did our research and that this was a legitimate solution to our financial woes. Our degrees and common sense did not prevent us from being victimized. Our desperation made us easy and willing participants.It is only due to the kindness of mere strangers that we did not end up.on the streets or worse. We still deal with the consequences of those desperate choices almost ten years later. But perhaps the greatest lessons for ourselves and our son, is the importance of reaching out to those in need, friends, family members even total strangers. Many teeter constantly on the brink of financial ruin, a flat tire, illness or temporary job loss can be catastrophic. We help whenever and wherever we see a need. Bottles of water for the homeless on hot summer days, blankets in the winter. We have anonymously paid utility bills or assisted in the payment of mortgages. Sometimes the only help we can provide is a hug or just to listen. When we hit rock bottom, we needed help. Our families looked the other way, while two almost strangers gave what they had with no strings attached.

This isn’t complex, and it isn’t new. Recall, in President Obama’s first term, Mitch McConnell had his famous quote:The single most important thing we want to achieve is for President Obama to be a one-term president.Not serving the voters, or his own constituents. But if you think about this simple statement, you understand that if your top priority really is to take down a political rival, then you are placing that priority above all else. And McConnell did: above what was best for the country, best for his constituents, best even for the Republican Party, at least in the short term. Because that meant that, no matter how much you agreed with Obama’s policies, no matter how much he supported any specific thing you did, you had to scorch the earth and kill that thing. Because when you make that sort of decision, you don’t oppose that person on any moral, intellectual, or ideological ground. You oppose them simply because they’re not you.This, of course, lead to some fairly ludicrous things. For example, Mitch McConnell wound up filibustering his own bill, because enough Democrats supported it to have it pass on bipartisan grounds[1]. A thing he and much of his Party wanted becomes unacceptable if the other Party agrees with you… is there even a name for that level of exclusionary hyper-partisanship? As many crocodile tears as McConnell cries every week about the lack of bipartisanship, it’s all theater.We just saw this same sort of thing again with the American Rescue Plan that just passed, entirely on Democratic votes. And yet, most of the country, including 54% of all Republicans and 65% of Independents, supported this bill. You don’t get much more bipartisan than that.Except that you do. The McConnell-lead Republicans have been upside-down on a large variety of issues with 70%, 80%, even 90% popular support by voters across the political landscape. The simplest slam-dunks you’ve ever imagined can’t get though the Senate without a filibuster, simply because it’s more important to McConnell to block any good thing that might happen under a Democratic President than it is to serve his constituents or the greater good of the country.The great American philosopher Julius Henry “Groucho” Marx managed, way back in 1932, to perfectly encapsulate Mitch McConnell’s approach to legislation.Here’s another one that McConnell is almost frantically opposing, with even greater support. The For the People Act[2] , also known as HR-1, is a bill that passed the House of Representatives — on a near party-line vote. That, despite a wide range of support among all Americans. What’s got McConnell’s panties in such a twist over this bill? It’s general purpose is to improve our Democracy. In 2017, the US’s record on true vs. ideal democracy fell below the threshold separating full democracy from flawed democracy[3] . This bill is designed to improve democracy[4] in several ways:It offers tools to combat voter suppression and make it easier for registered voters to actually vote.It includes provisions for automatic voter registration and same-day voter registration, and prohibits interference with such registration by state or local officials.It established a formal set of qualifications for voter roll purges based on interstate cross-checks.It would outlaw hyper-partisan gerrymandering. It was one thing when a star chamber of party-in-power greybeards would draw district lines to give themselves an unfair advantage — to effectively make the votes of the opponents from the party not in power worth a little bit less than those of the party in power[5] . But these days, district lines are being drawn by complex computer programs, including deep learning AIs, which can deliver the maximum possible advantage to the party in power.It includes campaign finance reforms. This includes a small donor public financing system and an overhaul of the Federal Election Commission.It requires voter-verified permanent paper ballots. With all the whining by the Republicans about alleged voter fraud, you’d think a hacker-proof ability to accurately conduct a recount anywhere in the country would be a thing they approved, eh?It requires states to allow any eligible voter to vote by mail, sets a uniform schedule for mailings and counting, and sets standards for mail-in voter identification.It includes ethics reforms — improvements to the standards of ethics for our elected officials, and it extends these to the President and Vice President. It also addresses the “revolving door” between industry and government.It established requirements for security in voting machines, which I was even surprised to discover, don’t exit in any meaningful way. It would also provide financial assistance to states and localities for upgrades to compliant machines. I’ve built radios for government use that have to be certified as secure the NSA, but right now, no such requirements are in place to ensure our voting security.Voting machines would have to be made in the USA.It establishes a Federal “bug bounty” for independent cybersecurity assessments of voting systems.It requires that all political committees report any contacts with foreign governments offering contributions or other assistance.It closes the major loopholes that allow dark money to be used in campaigns. Gaps in existing laws allow secretly sourced funds — potentially even from hostile foreign governments — to be used in elections.It extends the current political transparency laws (the “and I approve” message at the end of every TV ad, for example) to all forms of online and digital media. And it requires large media companies to maintain public statistics on add buyers and add viewers.Political PACs placing ads will be required to disclose their top donors IN THE AD. 501(c) organizations engaged in political activity would be required to disclose their top donors to the IRS in order to maintain tax-exempt status.And a whole bunch of other stuff. Now, yes, Mitch McConnell is against this bill, but rather frantically so. Why? Well, for one, it’s unlikely that their placing ads trying to convince anyone that it’s good to allow billionaires to keep secretly buying elections would be all that popular, even among rank-and-file Republicans. There’s nothing specifically liberal or conservative about this bill. And of course, both sides of the aisle have taken advantage of gerrymandering, dark money, and other woes this bill attempts to address. And let’s take a gander at their desperation, thanks to “Dark Money[6] ” journalist Jane Mayer’s article[7] (thanks to Robert Meservy for suggesting the emphasis):The speakers on the call expressed alarm at the broad popularity of the bill’s provision calling for more public disclosure about secret political donors. The participants conceded that the bill, which would stem the flow of dark money from such political donors as the billionaire oil magnate Charles Koch, was so popular that it wasn’t worth trying to mount a public-advocacy campaign to shift opinion. Instead, a senior Koch operative said that opponents would be better off ignoring the will of American voters and trying to kill the bill in Congress.But here’s the thing — McConnell has lead the Republicans to oppose all sort of legislation with broad appeal, and they still get re-elected. And under Trump, they managed to pass a spectacularly large handout to the uber-wealthy, and still got re-elected. Why? Well, it’s two things that mesh perfectly.Let’s assume I’m running against my opponent for mayor of my tiny beach town. There’s not much to do here, but some people think it’s an important job, and I manage to win. I get in office, I do a good job, I get re-elected. But this next time, I decide it’s a cushy job, I get lazy, maybe deal in a few buddies into sweet, sweet local government deals, etc. And yet, someone, next time around, I still get re-elected. The expectation is that the locals will “throw the bum out”, but they don’t. So I’m thinking I don’t really need to represent my constituents at all… I just need to place some good ads and trash the opponent. The kickbacks from my buddies was a big help in that last election’s spending, but in this new term, I’m going to find richer buddies. And so it goes.McConnell understands that the majority of the over $1 billion in dark money spend on US elections since 2010 was there to benefit Republican election. That does not mean that the candidates receiving that money were as corrupt as Evil Mayor Dave in my example, or corrupt at all. But McConnell and his inner circle, the group that’s in a mad panic right now about how to defeat HR-1, they know exactly who they are in all of this[8] [9]. When you’re corrupt, you oppose the cleanup of corruption. When you’re better at cheating the the other guys, you oppose a clean game. And after years of that, you feel you depend on the corruption, depend on the cheats, in order to win anything.The problem is, the cheating just gets worse all the time. Over 250 voters suppression laws have been passed in states since new year. Not all are as heinous as Georgia’s: famous for their 10 hour voting lines, they have now made it illegal to give water to anyone on line (though see below — it’s more complicated than that, of course). But they’re doubling down on the cheating for 2022 and 2024. Thing is, none of these changes are partisan in ways that will hurt the Republican Party in the long run. And in fact, they’ll likely help it, because the current idea of McConnell’s, to keep wining with more cheats, more billionaires, and fewer voters every year is clearly unsustainable. If elections are cleaned up, the Republicans will change their politics, perhaps dump the racism or the plutocracy, and they’ll be just dandy and competitive as ever before you know it. But that doesn’t mean McConnell and his gang get to come along for that ride. And that’s ultimately it — it’s all about them. Not you, not me, not America, and heck, not even the long-term health of the Republican Party.A Deeper Dive: the Georgia Water ThingSo here’s the actual scoop on that, Georgia’s SB202[10] . The claim from Georgia officials is that this part of the new law is designed to combat “electioneering” — political/campaign workers handing out any sort of favors trying to influence a vote. This was already illegal in Georgia, but for one, the new law extends the range from 25ft to 150ft[11].There are certainly electioneering laws in many if not most states, that prohibit campaigners from operating within a certain distance of a polling location. In Delaware, that’s 50ft. In super-liberal California and pretty-durn-conservative Texas, the line is 100ft in both states. Other states ban political activity as far away as 300ft from the polling location. Some include the parking lot and related areas, not just the building. So the 150ft change by itself isn’t particularly heinous. These laws generally apply to both active (handing out stuff) and passive (wearing buttons, pens, shirts, hats, etc. representing campaigns).In fact, this sort of thing is normal enough that I was a little freaked out this year. I went with a group called “Play for the Vote” to play some intentionally non-partisan music for folks waiting on long lines in Pennsylvania. Look at all those signs!! Well, it turns out, the rule in PA is 10ft. Yikes!The weird thing was that Georgia Republicans were out there, being very quick to say that anyone giving water to a person waiting in line would be subject to arrest. No word about being a partisan operative within 150ft of the polling location… so what’s the deal? At the very least, it tells me that this law is being used as a scare tactic, which is, of course, a big part of how voter suppression works. If they manage to frighten away potential voters or non-partisan groups that simply want to hand out water, they will have suppressed the next vote. Note that it’s still quite legal for polling officials to set up self-service water stations, even in the polling location, but we didn’t hear that from the Georgia Republicans.And of course, if Georgia weren’t already infamous for intentionally engineering 5-10 hour voting lines, no one would have worried about it either. The simple fact is that voter suppression isn’t any single thing, but it’s multiple things all stacked together. It’s tweaking perfectly-reasonable-sounding laws into very restrictive realities[12] .So is this real? I figured I had to look into it further. And why broadcast this so loudly? Could be they’re simply making this a red herring. There are truly heinous things in the new law. You’re now required to include your driver’s license or voter ID card number (you know, that voter ID card that people can’t easily get, because that’s the intent) on a mail-in vote — particularly hard on the elderly and disabled, people who have traditionally voted by mail because they lack the ability to drive themselves to a polling location, and the poor, who can’t afford a personal car.Another provision allows the State Election Board to replace local election officials at any time and apparently, for any reason. This might a have flown a bit under the radar if it were not for the several phone calls to Georgia officials Watson, Raffensberger, and others, asking, essentially, for vote counts to be doctored. There was not real means of executing that request under Georgia law in 2020. This new law would technically permit what Trump had asked to be done, albeit corruptly.So what about the water thing? Yeah, the new law actually is much worse. They didn’t simply extend the electioneering boundary. In fact, electioneering isn’t even an acceptable scapegoat, as they very specifically included “anyone but poll workers” in the set of people who can be arrested for handing out food or water. So it really is a pure voter suppression move, and not simply an adjustment out of concerns for undue partisan influence on voters at polling locations. It also extends the boundary not only to 150ft, but to “Within 25 feet of any voter standing in line to vote at any polling place.” which does suggest that even a kilometer away along that 10 hour line, even a neutral party could see a year in prison and a $1,000 fine by handing a voter a bottle of water[13] .Footnotes[1] Mitch McConnell filibusters himself after Dems call bluff[2] Annotated Guide to the For the People Act of 2021[3] The US has been downgraded to a 'flawed democracy'[4] How to Fix American Democracy[5] Gerrymandering Is Even More Infuriating When You Can Actually See It[6] ‘Dark Money,’ by Jane Mayer (Published 2016)[7] Inside the Koch-Backed Effort to Block the Largest Election-Reform Bill in Half a Century[8] Republicans freak out over HR1: They don't want America to have fair elections[9] It's Hard to Top This as a Case Study in Plutocratic Contempt for Popular Democracy[10] Page on ga.gov[11] EXPLAINER: What does Georgia's new GOP election law do?[12] Dave Haynie's answer to How do you actually vote in the USA? What is the process from home to the vote being registered?[13] PolitiFact - The facts about Georgia’s ban on food, water giveaways to voters

~~LONG DISCOURSE~~‘Olá’…which is how we Portuguese write and say ‘Hello’! As you embark on your Portuguese adventure, keep in mind we Portuguese tend to be gentle anarchists living in a state of peaceful disorder.The average Portuguese is almost always late, too serious, rather formal and critical. We still drive like maniacs, parking wildly on sidewalks which is nowadays “fine-able”, many loving to take two spaces when parking; shameful, selfish and also punishable by traffic law. Others like to evade responsibility and many are corrupt. I guess this means some of us are dishonest crooks, but certainly NOT most, on the contrary. We are tight fisted despondent complainers with a high tendency for negativity. Exhibiting a smart-alec (chico-esperto) attitude towards law and authority, we detest taxes and can be envious of others, but we are also: amiable, deferential, indomitable, apathetic, humble, tough, dauntless, cynical, courageous, compassionate, grouchy, submissive and beleaguered.Waiting for fortune to smile upon we love to play lotteries, good company, and a good shot of coffee. We are conciliatory, tactful, effusive and spontaneous, but we can also be SOB’s, blowing our tops off on occasion if royally pissed off, so please…don't piss us off (!). In the end, we are eminently reasonable, with a sadness of the soul, and a joviality in our nature. A unique bunch, but of course, not all Portuguese fall within the said personality traits. We are far from being perfect, being no better than others. Believe it or not, we even have a few (gasp) *jerks* lurking around…well.. they are few. Portuguese have been around almost 900 years as an independent nation. We know ourselves pretty well, so believe me when I say the great majority, (some more some less) click the ‘boxes' above and below, as we are also hospitable, helpful people that love our visitors, but while in Portugal please:Do not address us directly in your language, especially if Spanish. Not because we might not understand you, (many don't) but because we are not Spanish! Our beloved national languages are Portuguese + Mirandês, and although some speak a certain ‘Portunhol’, don’t assume. Always ask if it is ok to address us in Spanish, because as a principle, we find it disrespectful that in our own country someone addresses us using the next door neighbor's language. So please…don't just start yapping away in Spanish, or in any other language without first asking if we speak it, ok? In Lisbon, Porto and a few other larger cities, most youngsters and middle aged individuals speak English; not so much in smaller or surrounding areas of older population. Having said this, most Portuguese attempt to help you even if only knowing a few words of English, or any other language they might have picked up living abroad, or just thru their own academic studies.Do not compare our country and people to your country or countrymen: English, Spanish, Americans, whatever. In Iberia we are seen as a unique rebel clan, so digest this slowly, without questioning our modesty, as I assure you it is quite high…like our Winter humidity.After centuries of disasters, economic mistakes and political instability, Portugal still has a lot to accomplish. While knowing the world better than most and ourselves too, we have owned our destiny for 877 years, co-sharing 60 of those with Spain; this due to a Portuguese monarchic succession crisis. So believe it when I say, Portugal and its people will be around for a long while, and we will survive Covid19.Portugal is not a ‘banana republic’. Although it may look like it is, don't fool yourself thinking so, because we are different and just a bit crazy. Only we, the Portuguese can say that (in many ways) we are a banana republic, but not outsiders; how dare you!? ;-). Here we follow rules and codes of conduct, except for the currupt politicians and bankers that think themselves above the law. That is until they are caught, but still many get away with murder even after caught AND tried.Politically and socially we like to fly under the radar. We hate show-offs, but centuries ago we were a world power and show off's we were. Nowadays, we mind our own business despite being involved in the EU. Once in a while we show the world our other side by reminding mankind not just that we exist, but that we are also alive and relevant, at least once every 500 years. We accomplish this feat maybe with an ‘avant garde’ brilliant approach or methodology, or by keeping to our financial obligations in a time of crisis, and suddenly, we are ‘geniuses’ and and an utterly fantastic country of people, the world rendering itself at our feet; at least for a while, then we go dormant again for centuries.Despite no longer being powerful nor rich (GDPwise) we have many riches under our soil and maritime waters. We are a decent democratic country, where people’s rights are protected by the constitution, but in day to day living, hummm… it can be another story.Portugal and citizens have changed and not always smoothly nor for the best. Portugal has some of the world's lowest crime rates but… there is crime. Still, compared to the number of inhabitants it is very low. Part of it is because we successfully addressed, and lowered the effect of illegal drugs in our society, as well as the number of our HIV cases, being now a global example on how to curb/ eradicate drug use, (and trafficking) which has lowered our criminality. But don't fool yourselves, drugs are still around and being confiscating more and more. Still, we continue to be the world’s 3rd safest country despite the economic problems and the number of foreigners, refugees and emigrants we accept. Our low crime society has brought us quite a lot of world attention, accolades and newcomers. They want a more peaceful, simple lifestyle. We want their tax dollars, investment and entrepreneurship, but most of all, their friendship. We offer a peaceful but very simple place where they can live peacefully, smoke a few joints, build their Mongolian huts, bring up children, grow their own crops in peace, quiet and sunshine. They can do this here without the ‘secret police' harassing them, and we hope maybe they can help us grow this country, and who knows…maybe stay for good. So our approach to drugs and addiction tells you a lot about Portugal, the nation and its people. We detest criminality, weapons and war, yet in 1974 we had a revolution that overthrew a 50 year old dictatorship.This fascist government depleted our economy with involvement in a colonial African war that drained our coffers, and killed thousands of our young men. But ours was a “peaceful” revolution with rebel military officers wearing (real fresh) carnations on the butt if their riffles, and only five people were killed. Not by the revolutionary military but by the deposed government fascist police; PIDE as they were know then, or the International Police of State Defense.As far as diplomacy goes, Portugal has no attritions as it gets along with everybody. We hate to rock the boat, although NOT so in the XV and XVI centuries. Back then you better believe we rocked your boat, your land and your people if you didn't conform and faught us. We have a warrior Celtic “edge” that comes alive when pushed, meaning that if what we really want is denied, or if you fight us, and put us under threat we can be extremely violent. Presently, that edge is hardly ever except in football games, but in the past, it was often used dictatorially, forcefully, unfairly and immoraly, but at a time when all powers got away with those kinds of actions…well… wait a minute…they still do...silly me!Our citizens are neither dumb nor stupid, and it shows given educational opportunities and jobs. Strangely, independently we tend to be inefficient, almost lazy, but surprisingly not so as a group, and most certainly not with our backs against the wall. Still governing effectively is not our ‘forte’. Working more hours than other EU countries, Portugal is still an inefficient country that would cause major heart attacks to American CEO's and managers! Yet citizens demand social benefits and high quality of life without wanting to foot the bill. The ones that correctly understand that nothing comes for free tend to be few. Jobs and careers are difficult to find and sadly underpaid for many. For example, attracting youngsters to a career in political science is hard. Political pundits here work hard as in our political arena there aren't just Republicans, Conservative or Liberals, there are many parties, including Communists, Greens, Extreme Right, Religious Conservatives, you name it and they all want a seat in Parliment and a piece of the pie. Just as an example, the Açores Islands an autonomous region of Portugal, will be voting soon for parliament seats, and there are 'just” 13 different political parties represented in the running, and this is an autonomous island archipelago. We still have another island and the mainland, so you get the idea, too much work & effort, not enough play!Yes, we might be economically inept but let's be fair, we are a tiny country, the size of Indiana...squeezed in the West coast of Iberia, for centuries doing nothing but fight Spain, France, or Indians in the subcontinent, Muslims, Buddhist, all over the world, pirates, you name it. Portugal also has had major bad luck and huge setbacks, but while at it, we did nothing but for the most part govern corruptly and inefficiently, and there is always a price to pay for that. Today, Portugal is light years ahead of what it was like fifty years ago. Life then was more like a Christian Albania of the West, but like I said, despite the advancements, there is still a long road ahead. The current government not voted in by a majority, is that of half Goan half Portuguese born PM, António Costa. It still seems to be working alongside our fantastic, and much loved President, Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa, but let's see how long it lasts.In Portugal, a simple country it is not unusual seeing our President walking about in Lisbon without any type of escort, caught in the act of having his shoes shined, or being at the beach by himself, goofing off with older school kids, telling people or chastising them for being careless and engaging in taking selfies. This IMO is absolutely adorable, and he is loved by the great majority. Yes, in Portugal this is peace of mind and simplicity of living at its best.Portuguese deep inside are sweet, accomodating people, not just to visitors, but towards all forms of life in general…except for bullfighting. This wretched ‘sport’ continues to stubbornly hang around on in our culture, but IMO its days are counted.Many visitors are surprised by our rather taciturn ‘closed faces’ and demeanor. I admit the ambiguities in national character can confuse or scare some away. We are sweet and kind, but sometimes we don't show it. We can also be nutty and like I said, park on sidewalks while people walk on the street, but our life is hard with valid reasons for sour puss’ faces; let's face it, free parking is hard to find! ;-). If people only bothered to find out why first, instead of just jumping to conclusions or complaining they would understand us better. BTW Portuguese love doing this, (complain) so feel free not letting us get away with it, because rather than first research the issues, we tend to point fingers or just complain and do nothing about it! Irritatingly Latin I know…On average, we also can be whiney cynics. The country - its citizens have never been better than at present, yet we are never satisfied, complaining nonstop… see… I am complaining about our complaining! But seriously, after traveling in 43 different countries I can tell you I have seen way worse, and that my people are some of the nicest you will ever meet and get to know, that's for sure, but you need to reach out as well.Since the 1974 Revolution that overthrew a fascist dictatorship, Portugal has come a long way and taken important strides towards progress, equality, and human rights, but like already stated, much still needs to be done especially when it comes to people’s mentalities; education is key. Most here don't bother with their civic or social responsibilities, so no sense complaining for WE are all responsible for taking care of Portugal and ourselves. Government dependency has to stop, and we must work hard to accomplish more without complaint. Responsibility toward positive change rests upon all of us, not just politicians. We must lead by example, not thru cheap talk, but hard work, but ok… enough of this…what must you know before moving to Lisbon and being part of our society?When addressing us always say: ‘Bom Dia’ (good morning) or whatever side of day it may be. If you don’t, it is NOT polite and most will remind you of your (bad) manners by totally ignoring what you first said, wishing you ‘Good Day’ then asking how they can help you. As expected, then you need to greet ‘bom = whatever' and repeat yourself again, which is a problem with me. By the time I backtrack and utter my ‘good whatever’ then fast forward, I have already forgotten what I had said, or initially asked! Greet when you meet someone or when you first walk into a smaller store, be it the local bakery, hairdresser, flower shop, but not necessarily a huge Jumbo Supermarket or a Corte Inglês. We don't expect you to be a parrot but in smaller places, be personal as we like that. When you bid someone a good day, chances are you will get back a chorus of good whatevers, particularly in smaller towns, where it is a true ‘faux-pas' witholding good wishing to older folks.Many, not knowing any better, comment on how shy, reserved or embarrassed we are upon praise. Portuguese tend to defer as they are not used to praise, but I assure you, this is not a national trait, especially in bigger cities, where you find all kinds of Portuguese. For the most part, we are a ‘no nonsense’ group that can, and is confident despite cynical, historical complaining, chronic ‘negativity’, sadness, gloom, and at times, a rude side. We do not trust easily, at least not right away. With Spain right next door for centuries giving us reasons to worry and distrust, we just cannot blindly trust or smile immediately without first knowing if you are trustworthy. Morroco, in Northern Africa and further south has given us major headaches as well, maybe because we attempted too many times to steal and ransack their cities. Our history with these has not always been peaceful, but challenging and downright painful often presenting us with huge losses including a temporary (60 year) loss of our independence to Spain.Portuguese have led very hard, painful lives thru the centuries, and our history has never been easy on us. We dealt with Inquisitions which spread to some of our territories abroad, like Brazil, Goa and Macau. The loss of our Jewish population, their wealth, know-how, trust, and what we did to them was the worst mistake in our history; the slave traffic was another. We sadly acknowledge these mistakes but world history is full of them. Believe me, we have learned our lesson the hard way, but the constant Spanish attacks, destructive earthquakes, killer tsunami, three Napoleonic invasions, brief loss of independence to Spain, the loss of Brazil, Civil War, fall of our Monarchy, Fascist dictatorship, African Pro-Independence Guerrila Wars 1961–1974 on three different fronts (Guiné - Bissau, Angola, Mozambique) loss of Nagar Haveli, our Goa, Daman & Diu, (India) in 1961, were all huge heartbreaks that combined, ruined us until finally a good thing, the April 25, 1974 overthrow of a fascist government. But there was a counter coup attempt in 1976 that almost drove us into another civil war, along with constant political bickering. A good thing the coup failed, but the political bickering continues to the day.With all these challenges and disasters, I wonder how we made it as a people and a nation, for the effects of all of these disasters affect us to this day; no wonder many Portuguese look sad. And that is why most Portuguese love Fado. This is our own musical genre, our blues music, reminding us longingly of a better past, maybe a past love gone wrong, a deep yearning for something or someone now gone. Portuguese have been forever enamored with their past, from ruling the world for several generations to… well…now we struggle. Yet, it is in our glorious past that somehow we find solace, just not enough to keep many from leaving Portugal, never to come back. Many forgot past, present & future and left never to return. Our Jewish brothers either tortured, forcibly converted or expelled centuries ago. The Hawaiians of Portuguese descent, the fishermen of New Bedford, (USA) the huge communities in France, Germany, Brazil, Australia. These are just some examples of the millions that left Portugal for good. Our history affects us in so many ways, that sometimes we look sad and don't even realize it, so…don't be alarmed or put off. It doesn't mean we dislike you or hate the world; if anything, many here just hate their own inner little world. Our ‘look’ changes 99% of the time the moment we are introduced to someone and get to know them better. We don't open totally to strangers, but once we do, the beauty of being Portuguese emerges. A good exercise for a 1st time visitor is to sit and watch us. Some look happy in company of friends or family, other look sullen, worried, not in a happy place, but all changes once they run into a friend, family member, classmate or someone they may know. Too much initial, impersonal boisterousness is looked upon with distrust, being given the “look” consisting of a possible raised eyebrow, as your mental status is internally, but briefly questioned. How can you be so happy when most of us live on minimum salary, if we have a job at all!? You, my foreign friend, may be lucky enough to have employment that allows you to travel, but we Portuguese, don't we deserve a job too? Obviously, the sad reality of many can put anyone in a bad mood, so try to understand this about us.Interestingly enough, we still debate historial facts, decisions and consequences 500+ years after the fact, as we see them as pivotal reasons for some our current problems, but also to justify our sour moods and failings to the world. But my poor people worry about unemployment, having mouths to feed, medicines they cannot afford and other bills, family issues, older parents, and let us also not to forget our Armed Force Veterans. For their sacrifice they get measly pensions, some still fight old demons, reminding you that PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder) still affects many that saw action during our African colonial wars of the 1960’s & 1970’s. Depression is quite high amongst them, and the general population. Drug addiction affects many, this despite our intelligent drug policy. It greatly reduced the number of HIV infections and junkies, but let's face it, some are such ‘goners’ that not even an intelligent policy is enough. As such, many will never be clean, but our free health services do try to help them the best possible. So OK…we may not be as bubbly happy as Brazilians or Spaniards, but we are not all chronically depressed.We love to have fun and celebrate. There are always several types of events going on like shows, sport events, concerts, plays, etc, and ohhh… here’s another Portuguese trait… we ‘like’ to stare! We know we shouldn't do it because it is really bad manners, but you may look or dress very differently. Maybe you are a hot babe, or you look a mess, or you are sassy…we stare! Gone are the days we could afford nice hand made clothes, good quality shoes, or expensive name brands. Those days are long gone, as unfortunately, our low salaries and high taxes just don't cut it anymore. Many people stare when they see someone or something different, probably wishing they could be in ‘your shoes’, cool & sophisticated, traveling as you are. As our history plainly shows we love traveling, but most here just cannot afford it, so we ‘take you in’…please, do not be offended.Our demeanor may be taciturn at times, but it changes when we are with family, friends, when you address us, we find you may be hurt, or when we realize you are a nice person; then we safely open up. We like to help, so don't be afraid to ask or reach out for I promise, we do not bite. We love our visitors, some of us happily deviate from their own tasks to take someone where they need to go, assuring they are secure and heading in the right direction, imagine that…but while in Portugal, call on your patience. If you do not have it, develop this grace, for you will need it here.Waiting 30 minutes to sometimes hours in line or queuing up, is done patiently rarely without complaint by most. As such and not shockingly, customer service in Portugal is terrible! Calling a business nr. and it ringing 20 -30 times before someone finally answers, (if they do) is not an exception to the rule, it can be THE rule! I am talking customer assistance centers, doctors’ offices, lawyers, general trade businesses, government entities, hospitals, you name it. Someone answering the phone after one week of trying is a lucky break, a blessing in many occasions worthy of celebration, especially with me, as I have the patience of a hedgehog.Have you ever asked a Portuguese a reason “why”? “Why can you not take a message for this person” after your 15th call to someone that still has not set up their voice mail?! Did you get a shrug or told to call back? Worst, did you get a smart ass response like : “Ohhhh I don't know…” well, welcome to the club! Most people here just leave it at that and walk away, but these attitudes drive me absolutely insane! No one is supposed to know all, but for God's sake, move your ass and find out! That lack of effort is infuriating to some (me) paralysing to others. It may be a Portuguese thing and a German trait gotten from their IV-V century AD invasions, subsequent mingling into our DNA and becoming engrained in ‘Portugality’. The thought process can be something along these lines: “I hate to bother my boss, and it is not in my job description to know it all, so if I don't know something, I will say so! I am not going to bother and interrupt my supervisor or another colleague and look stupid, I might even lose my job down the line over such a thing, so if I don't know, I don't know”! Yes…it's a beauty... like I said, most here just leave it at that, thank you for the effort and walk away, because we really do not like to bother people nor cause scenes, so they suck it up, walk away muttering and cursing under their breath, a resigned look in their faces; that is…unless that Portuguese is ME! Yes, yours truly here hates inefficiency and burocracy, which in Portugal is absolutely ridiculous and incredibly irritating, so what am I doing living here you ask? THAT’s another question, but already having visited so many countries, I can tell you Portugal is far from being the worst, and it certainly isn't going to change anytime soon because you, nor I like the burocracy! I hate it to the point of shamefully admitting to public tantrums, including a few face to face rows with government officials over their incompetencies. But being that I suffer from hypertension, on occasion I have ended up hyper ventilating, as horrified onlookers try to placate and calm me. I admit, making a scene has gotten some things done my way faster, but only because I was an “enfant terrible" and caused a scene. In the long run, it changed nothing except the way these entities now feel about me, which is, resentful! Next time, I will NOT get anywhere faster because now I am flagged as a troublemaker! Live and learn, I now go with the flow. It is not worth getting a heart attack over these things, and it’s quite embarrassing having my own co-citizens stare at me as if I have gone mad! But one can only take so much, and if no one complains nothing gets done, so complain but be gentle. In Portugal it is what it is; you do what you need in order to get things done, but always with kindness and a smile.Now a major problem in our society is that many go outside legal guidelines, and THAT is a huge problem! Corruption is everywhere, but it is also being quite forcibly addressed by the Justice Department. People now more than ever realize “the buck stops here", and nobody is safe from being locked up, so don’t ever say to a government employee: “Here's 50 €uros for candy, just make sure it is done tomorrow"! Things in Portugal take time and social graces are never forgotten, even with 20 people patiently waiting on queue. Maybe this ‘who cares' attitude is the reason why Portuguese tend to on average, outlive others, with our males living 78.3 years and our wonderful ladies living up to 84.5. This a 81.5 average and world ranking at 19. However, given the advancements here on so many fronts, we are expected to be in the top 5 counties by 2040 in life expectancy, so get used to us. But, and there is always a “but", the stresses in a life full of monetary difficulties and burocracies take a toll, making most look older than their years, which smoking, unprotected Sun exposure, and bad genes don’t help either. Plus some are so poor they can't even afford a new hair cut, or to maintain their hair coloring services, and that sometimes makes us look older than what we are; not that this includes me! No, no… I am 56 but look 40, so good genes here, but then again, I am not your average Portuguese.Despite the hurdles of life, Portuguese like to show they are organized, so get used to always take a queue ticket at a supermarket deli, meat, fish, bread or sweets’ counters; same at butcher shops, post offices, banks, medical clinics, pharmacies, government offices, etc. The ticket dispensers are normally located at the store's entrance, or on top of the particular specialty counter at supermarkets or other businesses. If you don't take the ticket and just bumm around waiting, smiling or staring at the ceiling, soon you will realize that patrons that arrived after you (but with a ticket) are being called and served before you, which is bloody irritating!Waiting at a bus stop? Don't sneak aboard in front of others already on queue! It is ok to do so at a Metro or a train station, but never at a bus stop! Yes… yes…I know this makes NO sense and yes…I admit we can be rather irrational at times, but it makes us an interesting bunch, don't you think? Look… if I’ve been waiting for the bus longer than you, should I not board first for a chance of nabbing available seats? Chances are I’ve been on my feet 10 hours while you are here on holiday! If you jump queue you can get an earful if I am tired and in a bad mood, or you just might just be called to attention, as many understand foreigners may not know about this pet peeve of ours, so for the most part you will be forgiven, but some national riders can be zelous over this NOT so silent protocol, and may give you a word or two, so you are forewarned. On a bus, if you decide to take the front row seats these are normally held for special needs/ handicap riders. The areas are identified with a notice along the wall of the bus, so if you seat in any of these and are NOT pregnant or are a young child, elderly or injured, should these type of riders get on-board, you need to give it up, or you could be asked to move. If you ride with a pet, it must ride in a travel container, and you must pay the pet ticket.Taking public transport in Lisbon during peak hour traffic is nuts! Expect to go standing, crammed like a sardine in a tin can. It’s as bad as the Tokyo Metro, especially on the more popular routes. If you have no choice but to ‘jam crush,’ hang on to overhead grab bars, seat handles, or stationary poles and pleeeaaasseee …wear deodorant!!! Nothing we hate more than being stuck in a full bus smelling of gym lockers! Yuck…Portuguese drivers can be total idiots and bus drivers are no different, though some are maniacs too, and believe it when I say, they used to be worse! To drive ‘carefully’ with 50+ riders onboard means speeding thru residential areas at 70 km per hour, especially if the bus is running late, which is simply dangerous and irresponsible. Hang on fast! No use getting off and running for your life; you might just get stampeded by the riders outside rushing to get YOUR bus! If your intention is to wait for the next bus, chances are it will be just as jam packed, and driven by Batman's the Joker! In rush hour riding chances are you go standing, and count yourself lucky if you are found to be in a comatose state after a 30 minute ride. Can you move, feel your toes or any other body part? Do your hands and lips turn purple while on board our buses or metros? Ohh and please don't expect the ‘25 foot rule’, (personal space) or you won't get anywhere for another week. I just love seeing (while seated, of course) the look of despair in the faces of riders fighting the crowds inside the crammed buses while attempting to get off, before the doors slam shut.The driver takes off like a bat out of hell, fly brooming to the next stop as they frantically yell: “STOOOOOP" clawing, scratching the crowds blocking their exit! So theatrical, it’s almost as bad as riding the trains in Bombay. Well, the Portuguese have not yet mastered the art of “roof riding”, but I am sure our bus drivers have from all the swerving, screeching, and swash buckling moves I have seen. Having said this, it is also shockingly unusual to read, hear or see accidents involving public transport, because seriously, it is hard to believe this, but - not- all Portuguese drivers are nut jobs, only most of them. They are just soooo lucky, and so are we…courageous riders.Before trying to open bank or utility accounts, give proof of address with rental agreement or your home purchase contract, national ID/ or passport and confirmation of income. If you are a foreign individual, good luck if you have an account opened in one month! Utilities electric mostly, can take up to 5 days to install, and you may need to pay for some services up front, like gas line inspections, etc, but water install tends to be faster, normally 2 days later. Internet & cable can take 2 or 3 weeks to install, sometimes less depending on the region and service provider you use.Another thing to remember is our 700 telephone numbers are chargeable, so not only are you getting -bad- customer service but you must pay for it too!Enjoy Lisbon and branch out to see the rest of Portugal, much more down to earth, less crazy, very clean and organized for the most part. Lisbon is my beloved city, and the one that welcomed me to this world. I LOVE it like no other but it is getting too busy, crazy and dirty. Portugal’s interior is really tranquil, bucolic, so pretty, peaceful, vast and empty, so try it and I hope you like it. Portuguese are smart but a rather complex and (sometimes) crazy tribe, yet…modesty aside, I admit that for Iberians, we are quite a nice bunch! :))