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Viriato
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Portugal
Aug 1999
time: 05:14
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M.Y. 2110 sent to Qantaga.
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Viriato
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Portugal
Aug 1999
time: 05:14
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M.Y. 2111 sent to Qantaga.
I expressed myself badly. When I wrote 'free acess' I was actually thinking of 'unlimited acess'. Nowadays nothing if for free. neither in Portugal, in the USA or in any other country  .
We are going to have the 'flat fee' very soon. All ISPs are getting their prices ready. But until now it only existed in cable and, more recently, in ADSL.
Although our national day is not as important as the 4th of July for you we do celebrate it in the same way, I think. It's just a question of scale .
Every year the cerimonies are celabrated in a diferent city with the President present. We have parades, speechs, many people on the streets and, of course, fireworks at the end.
I pay my phone company about 1/3 dolar (100 escudos) per hour at nights, weekends and hollidays, and twice as much the rest of the time.
In this moment all my accounts are 'free'. I don't pay anything to the ISP. It's the phone company that gives a percentage of what I pay them to the ISP I'm using.
My phone company is part state run and part private. It begun its privatization a few years ago when the access was liberalized.
The ISPs I use are private.
I hope that was clear enough. If you want to know more just ask .
Until tomorrow 
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theohall
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Aransas Pass, TX USA
Feb 2001
time: 23:14
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2113 sent to White Elephants (verified it was in the sent box this time).
Viriato - no, I won't really miss the states.
Since watching sports for me mostly consists of getting games off of DirecTV, by the time I retire from the Navy (12 years from now), the same things I get here should be available there. They already are for regular satellite dish owners which I would invest in if things don't change.
I won't miss the prevalence of violence in major cities, hearing about yet another school shooting on the news because kids have too easy access to guns, or just hearing about someone else being shot on the news in general. When the worst crime is petty theft every once in awhile compared to hearing about someone being killed every day, where would you rather live?
I won't miss American work hours if I decide to get a job. The 10-2 4-8 (5-9 summer) hours with 10-2 on Saturdays are great working hours compared to the 7-4 or 5 for shore duty and 7-7 working hours at sea I've dealt with for the past few years.
The only things I will really miss - earlier releases of movies, getting the latest new PC game (although Europe has been getting more than their fair share lately before US release) and the sheer choices available when shopping. Interestingly, I seemed to have more choice in Spain than Corpus Christi, TX provides.
Besides, Spain is a beautiful country with a very rich culture and one can visit although those other European countries for considerably less cost when living in Europe already. I missed Portugal but do hope to visit there sometime.
Man - that was long.
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theohall
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Aransas Pass, TX USA
Feb 2001
time: 23:14
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MY 2115 sent to White Elephants.
Just so you know, I don't hate America, but do tend to focus on the negatives a little too much. Maybe it's the way news is brought to us with so much of it focusing mostly on the negatives.
This weekend is a fine example with the majority of the coverage being the upcoming federal execution of Timothy McVeigh. Instead of using the time to let us Americans see what good things people are doing, they are going to spend an inordinate amount of time following every little step of an execution.
There are lots of positives here though - better choices in apparel (except for shoes - Spain has that one locked for me), cheaper food, better access to technology at lower prices, so I know they are there. It's just the focus on the negatives really drives me crazy. This attitude of mine comes from having spent time in/visited Spain, Italy, Denmark, England, France, and Canada and seen how much more people focus on the positives.
The terrorists in Spain - yeah they are a problem, but they aren't the major focus in every news story every day of the week the way bad news is focused upon in the states.
Something odd - while food is cheaper in the states, restaurants overseas seem to be cheaper in general than restaurants in the states and they make better food.
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Viriato
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Portugal
Aug 1999
time: 05:14
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I forgot to tell you that I'll be home tomorrow so we can give a boost to our game.
I suppose you're right theohall. Although things in europe are also going that way there's still a big difference towards the states.
And I agree with your point on the restaurants. In Portugal and Spain you can eat in a good restaurant for a fair price. In France or England that's a whole different thing.
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03-06-2001 02:49
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Viriato, 
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