Outra vez ...

O Europeu ainda não começou e os meios de comunicação já começaram a irritar algumas pessoas como eu , devido ao tempo de antena dedicado à selecção nacional e à vida privada dos jogadores nacionais . Mais uma vez , e numa altura em que outro assunto deveras importante - o aumento do preço dos combustiveis - ocupa grande parte dos noticiários , o povo português vai pôr os problemas de lado e prestar atenção a tudo aquilo que acontece com a selecção , dentro e fora de campo . O nosso país é assim , um país que continua a não querer enfrentar os problemas , arranjando formas de distração que apenas funcionam como meros mecanismos propagandisticos e que acima de tudo , dão azo a estereótipos . Foi revelado que grande parte dos portugueses vê os jogadores de futebol como ídolos , embora digam que preferem ter relações sexuais em vez de assitirem a uma partida de futebol - algo questionável , mas que não surpreende tendo em conta a mentalidade reinante , que acha que a ideia do macho latino é motivo de orgulho . Portugal como que navega em direcção a terrenos que talvez já tenham sido explorados por outros países , que arranjaram formas de o evitar . Isto não quer dizer que Ingleses , Espanhóis e Alemães são diferentes . Claro que esses povos e muitos outros vibram com os jogos das suas equipas e admiram os seus jogadores , mas dái a considerá-los ídolos , há uma grande distância . Para um português , ou para uma grande parte da população portuguesa , os escritores , os artistas plásticos , os músicos , não devem ser vistos como ilustres representantes da cultura portuguesa , tendo em conta que muitos acabam por dizer coisas que todos nós queremos dizer , sobre assuntos que todos nós discutimos , mas que ao que parece , devem ser relegados para segundo plano quando falsos valores patrióticos se colocam na linha da frente . Os meios de comunicação , que deveriam dar o exemplo , na maior parte dos casos , acabam por dar um mau exemplo . Daqui a nada vamos todos receber mensagens nos telemóveis com relatos dos treinos da selecção ou pior , relatos de episódios caricatos com a unha encravada de Scolari ou com os dentes de Nani.

The Big Question - Why I have a blog ?

A friend of mine , Nessa , has asked me to explain the reasons why I have a blog . I think that the reason why most of us have blogs is because , no matter how hard we try , we sometimes feel that no one is paying attention to what we have to say , especially when we talk about politics or any other controversial topic . The truth is , and this is something that even democratic countries such as Portugal , England , Germany and France have been discussing , there is no such thing as absolute freedom . Some may say that all societies need to have certain limits especially when the matter is freedom of speach , and I agree . But I also think that perhaps some of the things that we have to say , are not going to harm or even offend anyone , we want to say them because we think that some people just don´t seem to care about what is going on around them , maybe because they´re too tired or simply because they prefer not to think about it . I could say that the reason that made me want to create a blog was because I´ve sent emails to some of this country´s most important newspapers and to a very famous magazine , sharing my views on how I think , candidates for the upcoming ( I know they´re still a year away , but still ! ) regional elections should be interviewed . I drew a comparison between what happened in England and what usually happens here . British people were asked to elect their new mayors . London , due to its role as capital , drew most of the attention towards itself , which is reasonable considering that we´re talking about a city that is one of the world´s most important places , financially and culturally speaking . The three candidates were asked questions about some of the city´s biggest problems and exactly what would they do to solve those problems . They were even asked how long does a train journey from one part of the city to the other lasts , a question only two of the candidates had the answer to . Portugal , a country where journalists tell the prime minister that they´re not going to ask a rather pertinent question because they already know that he´s not going to answer it , could and I dare to say , should follow some of the things that were done in England . Journalists must be tough with our politicians , without being rude of course , because portuguese politicians have to understand that if they really want to occupy a certain job , it being mayor of Lisbon , minister of defense or even head of government , they have to deserve it . But I´m afraid their lack of ethics shall keep on going unpunished when some journalists refuse to ask questions just for the sake of maintaining their jobs . So I wrote that email and I sent it to two newspapers and one magazine and it hasn´t been published , that´s why I decided to write the exact same thing in my blog , for here I have my own permission to write what they want , without being afraid of what others may think , most of the times I mean . And it´s even greater when we come across people we can share experiences and points of view with - that´s why I have a blog . Take it away : luzescamaraaccao.blogspot.com .

On the train !

A obra que foi considerada por muitos como um exemplo a seguir no que à reabilitação urbana diz respeito e que acaba de completar 10 anos de existência , acaba também por ser considerada um verdadeiro desastre urbanístico . Embora questionáveis , palavras ditas por ambientalistas acerca do Parque das Nações não deixam de reflectir aquilo que tem acontecido não só nesta área da capital , mas por toda a cidade de Lisboa . Como estamos cerca de 30 anos atrasados em relação a outros países da Europa como a Inglaterra , a França e a Espanha , talvez não seja de estranhar este súbito boom de condomínios de luxo , cujos apartamentos custam milhares de euros devido aos seus acabamentos que nos garantem serem dos melhores a nível europeu . O Parque das Nações , que supostamente apresentaria não só ao país mas como a todo o continente europeu , uma nova ideia de cidade , acaba por apresentar um bairo grotesco , cheio de prédios , muitos deles mais parecem caixotes , sem habitantes ( apenas uma pequenissima minoria pode pagar 500.000 euros por um apartamento ) e sem qualquer perspectiva de um futuro promissor , com mais espaços verdes , mais infraestruturas . Numa altura em que o investimento estrangeiro parece não querer nada com Portugal , ou se quer , quer muito pouco , são contruídos edíficios de escritórios , alguns dos quais permanecem vazios . Quanto a nós , que vivemos nos súburbios , que continuam a ser afectados pelo mesmo problema , resta-nos passar de comboio e tentar ver o rio Tejo , quando a nossa carruagem pára em frente ao Centro Comercial Vasco da Gama .... pensar que à 10 anos não era assim.

Why ?

Why have children at a time when the world is already overcrowded with billions of people ? Why feel encouraged by prime ministers and ministers alike who say that the government is willing to help families who feel like having more than just one child , considering that in the near future that child , boy or girl doesn´t matter , will feel the need to have a car and spend some of the world´s remaining natural resources such as oil and water , just to fulfill his basic needs ? Why do we think that the human race must keep on living when our biggest accomplishment as far as messing with the environment is concerned is something called global warming that is already wrecking havoc throughout this planet claiming the lives of millions of innocents , most of them seen as third world citizens , for their countries are usually called " third world countries " even by those who were in the same position they were a few years ago and would still be extemely poor if it wasn´t for some organizations whose founding principles were and still have to be cherished , but seem to have been forgotten . Why have children , when governments are far more interested in building huge airports , speed trains , freeways just to name a few of our great government´s plans ?

Why not face it : from the moment we set foot on this planet , sort of speak , we´ve been ruining it , now all we have to do is wait for the final day to come - until then , enjoy the time you´ve got left .

Review : Iron Man

The summer movie season kicked off with a good start with the release of Iron Man , directed by actor/director Jon Favreau . Iron Man is based on the comic book of the same name , created by legendary cartoonist Stan Lee , the man behind Spider-man and The Hulk ( whose next installment will be released in June , starring Edward Norton , Tim Roth and Liv Tyler ) . The film tells the story of a brilliant yet arrogant and very irresponsible scientist/businessman Tony Stark who after being kidnapped by a mysterious terrorist group named The 10 Rings realizes that his life needs a dramatic change . While held captive , he befriends another prisioner who helps him build Stark´s first armor called Mark 1 . A series of misfortunes claim the life of Stark´s newest friend but our hero does manage to escape the clutches of his captors and returns to the U.S , where everyone , including his best friend Jim Rhodes , business partner Obadiah Stane and love interest Virginia Pepper Potts thought he was dead . Back in Los Angeles , Stark becomes the hero that will be known as Iron Man , whose main quest is to fight crime and injustice , amongst other atrocities that happened because of him and his extremely advanced weapons .

The best thing about Iron Man is that it doesn´t take itself too seriously . Films such as Spider-man and Batman Begins were huge box office successes because of their quality , but in the end one did get the feeling that some aspects of the stories were given too much importance . Whilst in Spider-man , Peter Parker kept thinking about the words that were told to him by his grandfather " with great power , comes great responsibility " , Batman preoccupied himself with making Gotham a safer place . In Iron Man , the idea of a guy who suddenly suffers a change of heart and decides to fight injustice is also what drives the film , but it is not given too much importance , or at least the actors involved in the project didn´t think that they were starring in a film that would be considered a masterpiece or a classical drama ( it´s a blockbuster , not Shakespeare ) . Unlike other films , the special effects in Iron Man really help telling the story and they´re not overused . The film looks more like an adventure film than an action motion picture . The production design is simple and it does not overshadow the thing that has been giving the film great reviews : the actors .

Robert Downey Jr. was a rather controversial if not questionable choice , but after we see him on screen we find ourselves believing that he really is Tony Stark . Downey , who in last years has been making headlines due to his drinking problems , gives Stark a certain charisma and a certain sense of self mockery that perhaps other actors would have put aside . His arch enemesis , Obadiah Stane , is played by Jeff Bridges who also manages to deliver the goods , especially in the final moments of the film , where he becomes the Iron Monger ( a sort of Iron Man on steroids ) . Bridge´s character is , of all the characters , the one that feels more real considering the world´s current political situation and America´s stance on terrorism and other topics that seem to require military intervention . Gwyneth Paltrow is clearly enjoying herself and there is a certain chemistry between her and Downey that must have caught critics by surprise , for they resemble those famous screen couples of the 1940s and 1950s . Their dialogues are certainly one of the best things that the film has to offer . The only actor who doesn´t manage to achieve such a great level acting , when compared to his counterparts , is Terence Howard but considering that Iron Man will most likely have a sequel , and for those of you acquainted with Iron Man´s universe , Howard´s character will become Stark´s super-hero ally : War Machine ( Jim actually gets to say a line that warns us of what is yet to come ) he must be given the benefit of the doubt .

But Iron Man isn´t perfect . We feel that some characters are only there to make Stark , or the actor who plays him , feel big . Bearing in mind that this is the first of what looks like a future saga , and the studio was obviously taking a great risk , the villain of the picture - who is quite evil - doesn´t end up being as charismatic as previous super - hero villains that have shown up on the big screen such as The Green Goblin , Dr. Octupus , Harvey "Two Face" Dent or even Catwoman . Some lines , especially those that are said in the last 15 minutes of the film , are amazingly corny and the action sequences could have been more inventive ( the air sequence reminded me of The Hulk ) .

But for now , Favreau and his companions are enjoying the success of this first Iron Man film that has already grossed 177 million dollars in just two weeks . The stakes are high and one can only hope that what was wrong with the first film , either disappears or is clearly dealt with ( no film is perfect ) , and what was right , ends up being given more screen time .

Iron Man : 0 a 10 : 6