Got some spare money? Share it with me! After all if it's "spare money" you don't need it. And I do.
If you send me that spare cash you support MY CAUSE and help me through these times.
You see, I live in Portugal, whose Prime-Minister, Passos Coelho, said recently: "being unemployed does not have to be a negative signal, being laid off should not be stigmatised" to add it can "also represent an opportunity to change lives. It represents free choice, and the mobility of society itself."
I guess he refers to himself, as he has changed life, for the better, and he has got a permanent job, paid by us that cannot afford enough to live (yeah, that's politics for you). And knowing how Portuguese tend to forget things, he will probably stay in office - or with a position that will grant him a good pension... paid by us, again - in the near future. That's the Republic of Bananas we live in.
So, being unemployed for the last two years - yeah, I know, I should not feel bad, it's a challenge to change my life... at 57 years old - I need help from the community.
I had this idea for a virtual beggar but found I was not the first. Since 1998 there have been cases of virtual beggars on the web. and because most of the websites have gone, I think they may have reached their goal: became rich!
So, I decided I would apply to be the first European Union Virtual Beggar. You see, I've nothing to loose.
I am a writer and photographer with some webdesign skills, but I can not get steady work. It's the economy people say. So I get people that want to use my pictures for free (some even take them form my website believing all is free on the web... but the things they post there in some cases), people that tell me I charge too much for my webdesign (they wanted it free too) and other people that don't give a damn to the things I want to write about. I thought I could change to a job in construction work, but I am to old for that and, anyway the economy problems are taking that sector down too.
With a president (of this bananas republic...) that says we need to look back to the sea for our future (does we think we should sail and discover new worlds like Vasco da Gama did?) and a prime-minister that believes being unemployed represents free choice (he should change his medication, I guess...) there is not much hope for my country. And in the short term I need to pay bills, because I need to keep paying taxes or I'll be excluded from the system. And because I've been a freelancer for ages, I've no access to things like unemployment support from the government... to whom I've paid taxes, and still do, for more than 30 years.
After all I just want to work... but there's no work. So I need a dime... or an Euro. And be sure it will be used for good things. Just send it to my Paypal account, on the link on the sidebar. And... Thank you!
