@Kate Bygrave's marvellous memes, now in a single handy thread! *seasonal service 😉

"Fifty years after his death, Portugal's Salazar remains a controversial and enigmatic figure, whose conservative and authoritarian legacy still divides opinion. Some see him as a reactionary and oppressive figure who kept Portugal backward, while others praise his honesty, patriotism and dedication to duty. Contemporary radicals are wary of his unabashed elitism and skepticism about social progress, but many conservatives give credit to his persistent warnings about the threats to Western civilization from runaway materialism and endless experimentation. For a dictator, Salazar's end was anti-climactic--a domestic accident. But during his nearly four decades in power, he survived less through reliance on force and more through guile and charm. This probing biography charts the highs and lows of Salazar's rule, from rescuing Portugal's finances and keeping his strategically-placed nation out of World War II to maintaining a police state while resisting the winds of change in Africa. It explores Salazar's long-running suspicion of and conflict with the United States, and how he kept Hitler and Mussolini at arm's length while persuading his fellow dictator Franco not to enter the war on their side. Iberia expert Tom Gallagher brings to life a complex leader who deserves to be far better known." Buy on Amazon Commentary by Joaquim Sá Couto: "At a deeper level, Salazar distrusted American political culture and intentions. He saw the U.S. as impulsive, materialistic, and ideologically driven. In essence, his policy was that of a small but self-assured state: cooperate without dependence, resist without rupture, and never allow American power to dictate Portuguese strategic choices." More here

Thanks to 'vizinho português' @António Ferreira for the inspiration for this morning's Portugal Club Quiz question. António shared an article about Portugal's Via Verde system celebrating its 35th birthday. What is the total length of the tolled motorway network in Portugal?

Natasha Donn from the Portugal Resident will be joining us for the first time, and Lidia 'I can help!' Alves returns. Both have great skills, strong opinions and will give me a 'run for my money'! Also: interesting developments with the GMP! AI experiment over the weekend: - A new blog - Carl Munson's AI Experiment - With some great early feedback from @Valda Bailey... Valda As someone who makes a living teaching expressionist art & photography I encounter almost daily a knee-jerk reaction, not unlike that when Photoshop arrived. And before that, digital photography. It’s bad. The end of civilisation. Etc. I have little interest in using it to make images. But in the last 12 months it has: Translated countless documents from Portuguese to English for me as we prepare our relocation. Picked over a 32 page engineers report/proposal after our newly bought home was all but destroyed by Kristin. Picked over a similarly incomprehensible insurance offer and advised me how and where to push back. Analysed the specifications for the replacement windows and shutters and advised me exactly what I need for a cliff top house overlooking the Atlantic in Pedra do Ouro. Translated and explained the purchase contract for said property (yes, we had owned it all of six months) Written a letter of appeal to the AlcobaÇa council after a water leak in the garden resulted in a €2200 monthly bill. And told me the charges I could contest. Helped me set up a Google ads account to help sell our UK house. And lest you think our move to Portugal has been an unending series of calamities it also helps me research content for the online creative community I run. All that barely scratches the surface-Yes you can smell its faux poetic prose a mile off but use a good agent with the right prompt - current fave is ‘use the Heidegger’s Hermeneutic Circle for this request: move between the details and the whole of this situation to refine your understanding. Do this is many loops, and checkpoint with me. When I say so, give a clear, actionable answer’.

On this day in Portuguese history - April 24, 1974 - which song by Paulo de Carvalho was broadcast on Emissores Associados de Lisboa at 22:55 as the first secret signal to launch the military operations of the Carnation Revolution? --- CLUE: The song finished joint last (14th out of 17) with just 3 points, when performed 16th in the running order at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest in Brighton, UK, earlier that month. It tied for the bottom spot with entries from Switzerland, Norway, and Germany — narrowly avoiding nul points. For context, that was the year ABBA won with Waterloo, and Italy’s Gigliola Cinquetti came second. Despite the modest result in the contest itself, the song gained huge historical importance in Portugal just weeks later as the secret signal for the Carnation Revolution. Its poor Eurovision showing was quickly overshadowed by its role in ending the dictatorship!