Plato's Allegory of the Cave
Apr 9, 2020
It provides a metaphor which has been used
for millennia to help us overcome superficiality and materialism. Socrates explains that we do not realize that there is more to reality than the shadows we see against a wall.
www.facebook.com/notes/291231...

The fear of being free, causes the pride to be a slave.
Jun 29, 2017
Is this a good description of the actual condition of the American people, as well as many others?
www.facebook.com/lourdes98/po...

Democracy Index 2024
Despite a record election year in 2024—when more than half of the global population went to the polls—Democracy Index recorded another democratic decline. The average score fell to 5.17, its lowest since the index began in 2006, down from 5.23 in 23.
www.eiu.com/n/campaigns/...

The Case for Puerto Rican Independence.
Apr 5, 2024
"The United States’ 125-year-old colony deserves independence, and Americans must dispense with the notion that it’s not their place to take a stand on Puerto Rico’s political status.
[...]
Free Puerto Rico!"
www.currentaffairs.org/news/2024/04...

You are not defeated when you lose, but when you give up.
Oct 10, 2017
“The single raindrop never feels responsible for the flood.”
D. Adams
"No individual is alone responsible for a single steppingstone along the path of progress, and where the path is smooth progress is most rapid."
E. Lawrence

DisAAdvantage Program
Jul 7, 2024
More than four months after arriving at my final destination, on Mar 4, 2024:
We have received your mileage request. Some flights take longer than others to be posted, so we ask that you allow up to 30 days for all eligible flights to reflect in your account.

Report for Mishandled Bag
Mar 3, 2024
Please accept our sincere apologies for the delay of your belongings. Our team is working hard to return them to you as soon as possible.
Thank you for contacting AA. We are sorry your baggage didn’t arrive with you
www.facebook.com/vapmachado/p...

Fix customer service, or else
Feb 6, 2025
The Office of Aviation Consumer Protection receives air travel service complaints and uses these complaints to spot trends or areas of concern and investigate and bring cases against airlines and ticket agents.
www.facebook.com/vapmachado/p...

American flies high and lies low
May 14, 2017
It all began, in the morning of April 6, 2017, when I showered, shaved and got dressed to travel. The first leg of our three flight trip from Killeen, Texas, to Lisbon, Portugal, went without a glitch (AA 5867).
www.facebook.com/notes/384160...

Customer Relations too big to fail
April 30, 2017
I would like very much to know why I was ordered to leave flight AA 1020, on April 6, 2017, at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.
The order to leave the flight was given to me by a member of the cabin crew.
www.facebook.com/notes/854944...

The Greek debt crisis
December 7, 2016
Who is at fault for the Greek debt crisis: Greece or Germany? 2015-04-18
www.quora.com/Who-is-at-fa...
www.facebook.com/notes/391914...

A sad story from Yanis Varoufakis' DiEM25
DiEM25, we have a problem, in Portugal.
Posts by VAPMachado, deleted by Judith Meyer. April 5, 2016 and April 6, 2016
(Topic deleted by Judith Meyer)
diem25.org/en/
Manifesto
diem25.org/manifesto-lo...
www.facebook.com/notes/301078...

Portugal Wildfire Management
February, 2018
"Over the next decade, the catastrophic risk of a potential fire season burning 500,000 ha or more in Portugal must be a serious consideration." [...]
"Firefighting tactics also contribute to the wildfire problem."
www.agif.pt/app/uploads/...

The American-Portuguese War
January 20, 2016
On March 15, 1961, unarmed civilians started being slaughtered in northwestern Angola. Holden Roberto, the UPA leader, initially denied complicity in the March events, but other members later took responsibility.
www.facebook.com/notes/169615...

The Anglo-Portuguese Hypocrisy
January 21, 2016
The Marriage of John I, King of Portugal and Philippa of Lancaster marked the beginning of the oldest English (Now British) diplomatic hypocrisy towards another country still in force.
www.facebook.com/notes/657144...

It's a dog's life.
November 26, 2013
Usually, everyone who has a dog usually calls him "Rover" or some such name. I called mine "SEX". Well, "Sex" is a very embarrassing name - and I would like to tell you why.
www.snopes.com/humor/jokes/...

You got to love this sequence
2013-04-14

Richard Wilkinson. 2011-10-24
youtu.be/cZ7LzE3u7Bw

Banned TED Talk. 2012-05-17
youtu.be/CKCvf8E7V1g

Ben Hecht. 2013-04-04
www.fastcompany.com/2681576/5-di...

Amazing how attempting to implement some of Ben Hecht's ideas has been disruptive to my career.

Federal European Union
January 9, 2013

Why? Why not? A Federal European Union, of 269 States that are either entire countries or country regions. Joining is voluntary, by popular vote (referendum) only. No Sate has more than 20 million people.
www.facebook.com/notes/318476...