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!