Brazzil

I would imagine that some hard core, red neck, Americans here will yell at you for saying things like that but thank you for the compliment to our Brazil. Just keep away from Brazilian politicians and, well, from the “too nice” Brazilians and the rest would be fine.

I would suggest to anyone thinking of follwoing this cult person who """wants to build a closed commuinity"" that they read the local newspapers in Brazil first. I have been to the above city many many time visiting reletives. Gas is not cheaper then here in fact at last look it was over $5.00 a gallon. Its impossible to travel anywhere outside the city with out running into the local police who are always putting up road blocks for ""beer money" if your an american expect to pay dearly for the ""beer money"".
Crime is very bad and you can not lay on the beach without getting accosted at least 50 to 60 times in a couple of hours from people selling everything from themselves or the babies. You can not drive down a city street and stop a stop sign without having 10 kids whating to wash you windows and if you dont pay expect to get your car keyed as you pull away. Its not the land of milk and honey while maybe for people with the money to pay the police, and build themselves a save place to go to to not see whats its really like.

LOL...when I read these types of articles I can only laugh and think...."he'll see."

I could address every single point he has raised and show him exactly how he is wearing "jizm" blinding glasses. And that's exactly what it is. He found himself a brazilian girlfriend. So he travels to brazil, Joao Pessoa nonetheless, I'll wager anyone 1000 dollars it's where his girlfriend is from, lol, and thinks, "wow, look at this, the beer is so cheap, and look at all the girls, everyone is looking at me and paying attention to me because I'm "different" and everyone is laid-back, relaxed. No rat race, everyone just "chillin'".

Here is reality;

You finally save enough cash that you believe will give you a good "start" in your new life in brazil, and once again, João Pessoa?? With all due respect, but that place is a s**thole even for brazil. But, it's where you're going because your chick is from there. So, maybe you've even convinced a couple friends to "invest" with you in this new venture of creating a "gringolandia" in joão pessoa.

First you go to open a bank account in brazil, you find you cannot unless you have a permanent visa. How to get a permanent visa, marry the girl. So, one and a half years after marrying a brazilian (and you teaching english and making 15% of what you did in the U.S.) you get your permanent visa and open your bank account. You open up a little company and by this time you have gotten the first good taste of the brazilian beurocracy via your marriage, opening up a business and bank account, and soon start to think, "why do they send me from one dept. to another and then back again, it's as if these people don't know what they're doing or where I'm supposed to go, and the lines are outrageous, and most of these places don't have A/C and it's frickin' 100 degrees in here, and why would they need that type of document or this one". You'll spend weeks accomplishing tasks that you are accustomed to accomplishing in a little more than an afternoon in the U.S. Much of it doesn't make sense to you, and justifiably so, as you've been raised to think about problems and situations logically, and that's where you're making your mistake.

So you start your way on your new project, naturally you need to hire architects, accountants, lawyers, and naturally buy land. Well, as soon as your white gringo-ass walks in the room the peoples eyes "light up" as if you've just walked into a village of cannibals immediately after lent and on a Saturday.

EVERYONE, including professionals, the architects, lawyers, everyone, you will discover afterwards, either charged you too much, or tried to charge you too much for the services they were rendering, and in some cases you've discovered that you were outright robbed and even some of these "professionals" aren't even qualified, or have the proper documentation or licenses, education, etc. You'll find out that for most of your "new friends and neighbors", that this is their right, to screw you, actually anyone, out of as much cash as is possible, and if you're a gringo all the better, you're like a sheep in the wolf's den.

So, your depending on your girlfriend for "help" in these areas and also with portuguese because she's brazilian, but she doesn't know jack-s**t about construction, but hey, I'm a general contractor in the states, lol.

So you buy your piece of land, first you had to transfer money here from the states, and you need to justify this money with banco central, it will take days to liquidate after it arrives, you will need the help of an accountant and possibly a lawyer, once again, another beurocratic system that truly boggles the mind how it exists and how people put up with it. Your accountant makes you aware that since you are making a foreign investment in brazil you don't have to pay any taxes on it entering the country....wooopeee, BUT, you will need a legal receipt or nota fiscal for EVERY CENTAVO that leaves your business account, and this account needs to be up to date and in order on a monthly basis. You find out later as well that you will be required to pay 148% taxes on your GROSS profit.....yeah, I know, don't ask.

So, you buy the land, you think you got a good deal, let's say you pay 200,000 reais for the land, which today, with the devaluation of the dollar, is not that cheap, it's 100,000 dollars. And, guess what....NO FINANCING...or, if you do finance.....50% per YEAR INTEREST.....LMAO!! You're not in the good 'ole USA anymore Bucky, no more 5% per YEAR....we're now talking per MONTH, and when the bank finally gives you a credit line in your checking account you'll pay up to 12% per MONTH for it(!), afterall this is Brazil, this tropical wonderland you've so accurately described, don't worry, be happy. If you miss a payment for more than 90 days, they'll take the land, pronto, no big deal.

So you pay out your 100K american in cash, but guess what, the owner of the land refuses to put the real price on the land title, he says he's only going to put 50K reais, you don't agree, but everyone, including your lawyer tells you "its how things are done here, jeito brasileiro, "praxe", now what to do? How do I justify this money going out of my account? 200K went out, but I only have a receipt for 50K??

So, you talk to your accountant, he tells you that you can "buy" a nota fiscal, a fake one of course, but it's going to cost you 10% of the value of the receipt, it doesn't matter that the immoral f**k who sold you the land created this expense, he's not paying s**t...so 150,000 x 10% you need to give your accountant 15K reais, in cash. Ok, you're learning the "system". You've just participated in fraud to the umpteenth degree as well as tax evasion, but hey, all in the name of a "better life".

In the meantime your girlfriend got pregnant, even though she told you she was on the "pill", you got a kid on the way, and the money you brought with you is dwindling, but you have a piece of land, your architectural projects will be done soon, thats another expense thats not cheap, but you'll "get by".

In the meantime you find out the architect didn't know his ass from a hole in the ground, have to replace him and start from scratch. Also the cash you paid him, it's lost, gone. And you didn't even get a "nota fiscal" from him, you received one from one of his other business', a gas station, for 30K reais, lol, quite a lot of gas and oil changes, but that's business in brazil, buy a tire for 100 dollars and receive a receipt for 50 dollars worth of donuts.

So anyway, you get a new architect, more cash, but he's good, the project needs several revisions, also you now need to get engineering projects done, another expense.

Finally the projects are done, you've gotten between 5-10 topographical maps/surveys done, because the land is never "defined" correctly on a land title, your architectural projects and engineering projects. So you enter the "prefeitura" or city hall to get your building approvals. Also, your land is near the ocean so it's considered "terra da marinha" which naturally is governed by a federal agency, IBAMA, so you have to enter your projects with them as well and get their approvals.

Just getting to this point it's taken you 2 years. During the last couple years you've greased more hands than jiffy lube as people that appear to have a 2nd grade education whom have an influential uncle have put them in a position in the local gov't. where you need their signature, for whatever, can be for something trivial, minor, they'll call you up and say, "we have a little problem, but it can be resolved, come down to my office this afternoon." And that's where the "cerveja" comes in, or bribe, however you'd like to characterize it.

Now for real the fun. Now you need the "real" permissions, from city hall and the federal environmental people. Your architect enters the projects, shortly after your lawyer calls you. "Hey, they want to have a meeting with us down at city hall." So you go, and once again, here it comes, the "cerveja", but this time it's not just a round or two, it's a f**king truckload of cerveja. What can you do? They've got you by the balls, you've already bought land, you've already got tons of money, time, effort, frustration into this project, you have to pay.

Two weeks later, your lawyer calls you again, IBAMA wants a meeting.....you get the point right? Same s**t.

Now, the above story is a true one, only the values of cash can be multiplied by many times. And I don't want to hear, "well, you've just had some bad luck, it's not like that for everyone",because I meet with foreign investors numerous times per year, Spanish, Portuguese, and English whom have already invested here, and have projects here. EVERYONE of them, without exception, have had these same experiences of beurocracy and corruption.....EVERYONE without exception.

Any person, especially a gringo, that has lived here in brazil for a while, and reading the above article just has to laugh. Obviously some young guy with some big dreams and a brazilian chick that's got his dick in a knot at the moment. Many people may say, "how negative, who are you to tell him what's going to happen to him". If I can convince him from taking hard earned money in the U.S. and "investing" it here, or/and getting it stolen, all in the name of frustration and vein, it's will be the best advice and lesson that he has ever learned or may ever learn.


Just a few points to illustrate how full of s**t, but it's not his fault, he's jizm blinded, this guy is.

Gasoline. It comes out to 5 DOLLARS per gallon in brazil. You weren't buying GALLONS in brazil bucky, you were buying LITRES. Today a litre of gasoline in brazil is around 2.53 reais/litre, or $1.25 per LITRE....there are nearly 4 litres in a gallon, actually 3.8, do the math.

Things are "cheap" in brazil? For who? For you? You make dollars, you're an american, tell that to the 80 million making less than 2 dollars a DAY in brazil. If one has a job for 2000-3000 reais per month in brazil they have a VERY good job, but MANY make 500-800 reais per month, try living on that. By the way, one question Richard, and be honest, how much is your brazilian girlfriend making in brazil? Does she have a job?

As far as your ranting about "terrorism", its just that, a rant. The U.S. gov't has some of its people so ape-s**t scared about terrorism that we've agreed to give up some of our constitutional rights, its ridiculous. The United States, of ALL the WARS we've been in throughout our history has been attacked ONE time in the continental U.S......ONCE on 9-11, and we weren't even in a war.

Once Bucky spends a few 24 hours here in brazil, gets to know the "system", sees firsthand the gross injustices of distribution of income, poverty, crime, prostitution, etc, that exist in epidemic numbers in this country he'll learn to appreciate what he's got/had in the U.S.

Ask yourself one question, if it's such a paradise in brazil, and its so bad in the U.S., why are all these brazilians doing whatever they can to live illegally in the U.S? They don't even care if they're legal, they just want out of brazil.

"Think Brazil... we are and we're glad as we are going to realize our dream. Why not realize yours as well?"

This guy sounds like he’s in his honeymoon phase here in Brazil - ah, I remember that too about 7 years ago. Everything was brighter, nicer, friendlier, etc. It’s a shame the honeymoon phase usually ends abruptly.

I give him 4 more months before he pops his first synapse, and 8 more months before he starts hitting the bottle like there was no tomorrow.

Soon after that, I suspect he’ll be bitching and moaning about the heathen Brazilian crooks to anybody who’ll care to listen. And no one will. His Brazilian friends will have taken him for everything, and moved on.

But all the power to you. As they say, “the dream never dies, just the dreamer”. Sadly in Brazil, both dreams and dreamers are snuffed out daily.

here,here-the moral of the story is guard yor cash with your life,as it is extremely difficult to earn it here!
BEWARE..................

quote:

"After Discovering João Pessoa I'm Moving to Brazil and Bringing My Friends".

Please, go yourself, but don't f**k your friends as well, they'll all you have after things go to s**t in brazil. Don't take them under with you!

quote:

"cash
here,here-the moral of the story is guard yor cash with your life,as it is extremely difficult to earn it here!
BEWARE.................."

Some folks get pissed off when I make some remarks about brazil, they shoot back, "but its like that in the U.S. too!" And most of the time its in defense of their pride, they don't know what the f**k they're talking about in particiular to the reality in both places. But I have to say, the above quoted statement is right on the money. NEVER in my life have I seen such people in MASS, and people that one would think would be moral, honest, because they're "professionals", but never have I seen such NUMBERS of people here in the northeast of Brazil that are constantly looking to ENROLAR or steal, take advantage of someone, whatever you want to call it.

Gotta love this guy......is he in partnership with that other damn Yankee dreamer Robbing Sparky? They´ve both got that same "like hey, I´ve like just discovered this really cool like place called Brasil.." attitude. Yet again looks like he´s also trying to promote some sort of business too. This time however it seems to be some kind of Cult for him and "some friends and a few choice others"??? Like who? the High Priest and some sex slaves??
As was said before, once the honeymoon period is over....crash!
He´d better get used to hearing "é brasil cara"! Those dollars are going to disappear quicker than you can say "how much!!!?"
As that the saying goes...you can cover a turd in chocolate but eventually it´ll still taste like sh*t...please excuse the language here.
Good Luck!
Silas

I do love listening to Brazilian “just of the boat” neophytes. Those that on first glimpse see the country as if it is some undiscovered jewel hidden away from the rest of the world, where everyone is happy go-lucky and there’s not a care in the world. I bump into them every now and again here, and listen with amusement. I always say, let’s talk again in 6 months. Few survive, those that don’t usually run back to their countries of origin, bitter, bewildered and more importantly broke. That said, good luck. The few that do survive usually do OK, but they are under no illusion what so ever of where they are now, and none see it as paradise.

and now, the dollar is 2-1, things aren't all that cheap here in brazil when one considers that you basically can't finance anything unless you're willing to pay a minimum of 3% interest per month. Electroncis and cars are anywhere from 50% to 200% more expensive than the U.S. And these big expenditures, once again, need to be paid in CASH, "a vista", or the banks will own you to the tune of 56% interest rate per year, and they just lowered it to that, the lowest it's been in TWELVE years, big news here, lol. Now you can divide a t-shirt 12 times "sem jurors" on your cartão, but when you really need something financed, something expensive, say hello to the highest interest rates in the WORLD...bar none!

Really, i dont know what image of Brazil they sell to US, but it is far from truth.

As someone said:
"I could address every single point he has raised and show him exactly how he iswearing jizm blinding glasses"

You say the economy here is going well, i tell you it would be 10 times better if people that control economy were worried about the country and not about stealing public money to themselves.

"I am telling you folks, Brazil is looking better and better everyday."

Richard, why dont you tell that to everyone in Brazil living below the poverty line? Why dont you go to the "favelas" and tell people how great their lives are and that they should thank god they dont live in a 1st world country.

People will sadly try to take advantage over you becasue you are not from here. For your own sake, i hope your wife is with you because she loves you.

Anyway good luck, and good riddance at the end, hope the good moments last long, because the bad ones post honey moon certainly will.

"Let's be honest, when England, Spain, Italy and places like that were once an option they have been all but taken off the table due to people being frightened of terrorist attacks in these places."

Oh yeah, jolly 'ol England was just fine "on the table" when the IRA were conducting their bombing campaigns there in the 1980's, Spain had "no problem" when the Basque insurgency was going full swing and Italy was just fine when the Red Brigade was killing people.

Ignorance, inexcusable ignorance...

As far as terrorism is concerned, is an american safer in the U.S. or in Brazil? Hamas and Hezbollah are in Foz Iguacu, Brazil, known fact. Think that law enforcement and the protection of americans would be greater in brazil, or the U.S.?

Don't know how comfortable I'd feel living in an "american" community in brazil where Hamas and Hezbollah are operating and would have easy "access".

"Don't know how comfortable I'd feel living in an "american" community in brazil where Hamas and Hezbollah are operating and would have easy "access"."

I´m more worried about João, the glue sniffing social misfit brought up on a steady diet of violence and apathy putting a cap in my ass for 5 reais, than I am about the big bad Moslem terrorists in Brazil.

ok fellas I've got it all figured out...........DO NOT BUY A HOME !!!!! Rent a home in Brasil ! it is so much cheaper, now the fun part begins, you will need to go to an orphanage and find the oldest single girl with no kids, hopefully an acceptable looking 16 - 18 year old, you'll have to make believe you are her retarded uncle, so they can't pick up on the gringo accent since DUH !!! is universally known as being retarded, she is caring for when the lease paperwork is signed or not since most owners will just rent out for $ 300 - 400 reals in a descent neighborhood in most cities and towns in Bahia with just a wink, so you'll have to drool on occasion while she wipes your mouth dry, but it will all be in her name to lessen your exposure, she will have no family to bleed your bank account dry hence the orphan part, now there is no guarantee as how long you can keep this up but rest assured you'll be able to stretch your moolah a whole lot more and be less exposed to the red tape lying rip off con artists in Brasil. Hell with all the $$$ you will save you can get your babe a new set of jubblies. There you have it mates, a sure fire way to avoid all the legal crap and government theives.

"If I can convince him from taking hard earned money in the U.S. and investing it here..."
Who the hell do you think you are? All of you bitter, toxic, internet saturated, information age-yuppie larva, spoiled, know-it-all brats!!! You really are pathetic sons-a-bitches! I mean seriously...don't you kids have somewhere else to play? Please tell us you have something to do with your time than rant and rave and salivate everytime someone writes an article with something nice to say about Brasil! Just admit who you really are...Brazillians who are so fed up with your own country, without any plan or knowledge of what to do about it...who got completely f%$#ed in Brazil and now you can't wait to tell everyone about it because you want everyone else to be as miserable as you! Life is what you make of it jackass, and not even you can tell anyone how or where to live it. And spare us your cover-up as a concerned experienced world traveller who's just trying to save the poor dumb foreigners from a bad trip! This guy Richard is obviously an older guy looking to retire somewhere else than the U.S. He's probably worked his ass off his whole life, and made a nice nest egg (which is something you young jack-offs will only dream of doing by the time you reach your 60's or 70's) and now he wants to do what he has the absolute right to do...whatever the hell he wants and wherever the hell he wants to do it and with whomever he wants!!! You try making a commitment to something important, something worth sacrificing for and working hard for and then sit back and let some punk critizise you because you found a beach to spend your afternoons on getting oil rubbed on you by your young girlfriend. I say more power to Richard and anyone like him, because his life already sounds a lot better than yours!

The post on the problems of doing business in Brasil is right -on, but even after you pay all of the bribes and start building the project, getting Americans to buy into a foriegn property is a difficult concept. Americans like to go where everyone speaks english, or in the case of mexico, where there is a large enough American community established. I suggest that our business plan should be changed to advertise your condo project in Europe and make sure when they come over to view it, you have the girls ready to do some pleasing!

I see nothing wrong with other folks telling this guy to take a hike and warn others that Brazil is not the promised land........better to be warned than be taken for a fool along with your $$$, it's hard enough to earn it here in the states only to have a bunch of crooked bastards rob you of it when you reach 65 and realize you have to go back home to get a job in McDonalds and sign up for MediCare. Brazil is a wonderful country but there are many pitfalls and thieves in waiting.

quote:

" I suggest that our business plan should be changed to advertise your condo project in Europe and make sure when they come over to view it, you have the girls ready to do some pleasing!"

I'm the one that wrote the third post, that actually already has a project here, and that's what we're doing, marketing it to europeans, for several reasons, some of which you mentioned.

BLA BLA BLA BLA!! We can almost see the veins bulging out of your red forehead! I bet you're one tough customer aren't you old-timer? Got some knowledge to share with us young jack-offs do you??

"Just admit who you really are...Brazillians who are so fed up with your own country, without any plan or knowledge of what to do about it...who got completely f%$#ed in Brazil and now you can't wait to tell everyone about it because you want everyone else to be as miserable as you!"

Well you naive, dumb-for-your age, go nowhere, done nothing geriatric bag of bones, I think most of the posters are actually Americans who have already been where Richard thinks he's going and it ain't pretty. So why don't you tell us all why it's such a great idea to move off to Brazil with your "nest egg" and drag your friends along with you? Come on Mr. Ratchet, share with us your wonderful home owning anecdote from Brazil. Thought so you dickless wonder!

I would question whether his friends have even been to Brazil before having decided to enter into the communal lifestyle in some gated community that resembles a giant neon sign reading "GRINGOS HERE - Lock and load at the gate". Each of us is actually trying to do Richard a favor so why don't you go piss off and replace your pacemaker battery gramps.

Hey Richard - wait until something goes wrong in your dream home and you need some "skilled labor" to rectify the problem. I know, skilled labor is an oxymoron in Brazil but you're going to find out all about it firsthand. Wait until your first plumber or contractor shows up for a job and starts borrowing YOUR tools to do a job he has supposedly been doing half his life. Then you'll get to correct his shoddy work anyway . . . Have fun!!

I told you that the RED NECKS would invade this thread!!

LOL

Mr. Conti, that is life here at Brazzil.com!

We can see that the pinhead Brazilian contingent is in attendance as well.

LOL - that was f**king hilarious - no really, we're all f**king rolling here! No go laugh yourself back to your novela mmkk?

I transfer $ from the U.S. (Hawaii) bought land in a remote island in the Northeast and a house in the South. No problems man! Now I happily commute between my (formerly) good Hawaii (too overpriced and crowded now) to a remote place where the only danger is stepping barefoot on oyster shells (ouch!).
Mr. Conti, go for it!
"Your fears will make you foolish." (Lawrence of Arabia).

where is your lovely island in the NorthEast, so I can transplant myself there and be your handyman with my wife and 4 children.

It's remote man. Diesel generator, flying parrots, capuchin monkeys, and the occasional anteater. Got internet and satelite though!
Aloha...

So what kind of drug are you smuggling into Hawaii from Brazil - coke? Hope that gets you a Colombian necktie someday. . . and as for

"flying parrots"

WOW Keol - Flying Parrots!! That's great!! As far as I know there is only one flightless parrot in the world which inhabits New Zealand (and you're far too stupid to know that) so what made you think that there was any other kind than those that fly?

Lamentably you have internet too but here's hoping you step on that oyster shell, get infected and drop dead soon . . . Take care now!

"I transfer $ from the U.S. (Hawaii) bought land in a remote island in the Northeast and a house in the South."

Why do I not believe you own anything but a pair of Havaianas . . . ?

LIE ON LIE!

"I think most of the posters are actually Americans who have actually been where Richard thinks he's going and it aint pretty..."
Well if this is the truth, then you guys are more pathetic than I thought. I mean, at least if your were Brazillians complaining and sending warnings about your own country...that would make a little sense. But to be Americans who were robbed on vacation, caught dysentary while backpacking, or got burned on a business deal gone sour...then just get over it, forget Brazil and move on? Ah, but you can't can you?! That's why you stay glued to this website...because deep down you can't get the country out of your rotten system, you probably pay your cable company extra for a satellite dish that picks up Globo...you can't wait for the Copa do Mundo to start, you still fantasize about getting laid in Rio, and you've got 3 months left on your tourist Visa and you're calling your Visa card to extend your limit so you can get those TAM tickets! If the majority of the negative posters here are really Americans...then please grow up, get over it and find another country to bash. No matter how much jawin' you do, no matter how overly dramatic you warn foreigners, no matter how much space you waste citing Brazillian 'beuracracy' issues...guess what? People will still spend vacations in Brazil, wealthy investors will still buy property in Brazil, senior citizens will still retire in Brazil, and old wrinkled balding fat pasty Americans will still get laid in Brazil!! So sorry to tell you that you won't change even 1 single mind with your foreboding trash talk! The world keeps getting smaller, while you're running out of usefull things to say. Take a vacation dude, stay far far away from Brazil. I hear North Dakota is nice this time of year!

Plenty good stuff there for the red neck band!

I will piss in your diesel generator, cook your flying parrots, and molest your precious capuchin monkeys and occasionally kick your anteater, load virus' in your PC and pee on your satelite dish till it rusts. Then off to the next gringo.

Don't forget the four bull mastiffs struting on the island...
Aloha nahenahe wahine...

I am really getting fed up with some of the shameless promotional crap that this site has begun to put here. This latest installment is so far removed from actual journalism and is even over board for a public relations piece. Its like a used car salesman is trying to get people to invest in Brazil, but he writes with the grammar of someone with down syndrome and the giddyness of a 13 year-old girl writing in her diary after her first kiss.
-And people on this thread wonder why there are negative comments?!-
It makes me suspect that they're in on this dispicable scheme to get naive cash-rich gringos to head to Brazil in the hopes it will better the economy without telling them the drawbacks of severe "shysterism" and possible death.
Just like goin' to Sleezy Ed's Used Cars; Sleezy Ed is telling you why that Ford Pinto is such a wonderful car- a good smooth ride, dependable and it sips gas. But he doesn't want to mention the fact that the floorboard is rusty and could fall out at any time, or that the engine overheats after 30 minutes of usage. And Sleezy Ed certainly won't tell you about what happens if you get rear-ended.

I could read in these comments a lot of Americans with their prides really hurting. I am brazilian-american, experienced in both sides and am back to Brazil.
BraSil does have a lot of problems, specially bureaucracies...and still represents a better place to live in since you invest all your life in Los Angeles and are stolen twice, flee to Mississipi a hurricane gets your ass, expect some help from government...no s**t..you can´t afford life in NY, so try your second nationality...and With All problems...it´s working better than all my life in this US! Welcome to Brasil, With problems, But Better.

Poor guy grew up in the US and can't even write in english. "prides" doesn't work unless your talking about lions. I'm sorry I like brazil but that could have been one of your problems in the US.

"invest all your life in Los Angeles and are stolen twice"

I hope you don't won't to get into that american/brasilan debate...over crime do you? Or let's say murder? Corruption? Prostitution? Money laundering? Income Distribution? Opportunities? Poverty? Slave Labor? Impunity? These are just a few things that braSil is a world leader in or one of.

yeah, this piece is unbelievable drivel, makes Sparks look like a genius (but wasn't this guy and his girlfriend, complete with hairy chest featured in one of her articles?!?), but it was worth it if only because it provoked the third post, which was a fine piece of writing.

Actually, in Rap's opinion, the bashers are in fine form and acceptably polite and even kind to this somewhat pathetic article writer. This is new and welcome. The guy really deserves to be raked slowly over churrasco, but I fear we all know that is probably going to happen literally, so there is no need for anyone to do it figuratively.

You are an American and come to this site to just attack Brazil.

"That's why you stay glued to this website...because deep down you can't get the country out of your rotten system, you probably pay your cable company extra for a satellite dish that picks up Globo...you can't wait for the Copa do Mundo to start, you still fantasize about getting laid in Rio, and you've got 3 months left on your tourist Visa and you're calling your Visa card to extend your limit so you can get those TAM tickets!"

You sound really well versed in the Brazilian scene there old timer. You like them there TAM tickets do ya? You're slow right? I mean half retarded? You gotta be. Besides that, you just can't seem to get away yourself can you? Just can't help yourself . . . You don't want to come back but you think someone here might give a flying f**k what you think. Trust me windbag - nobody gives a f**k so why not just go try and be clever with the rest of the nursing home crowd mmkk?

For me this was what firmed it right up though: you are that scuzzy American in Copacabana trolling for p**as . . .

"People will still spend vacations in Brazil, wealthy investors will still buy property in Brazil, senior citizens will still retire in Brazil, and old wrinkled balding fat pasty Americans will still get laid in Brazil!!

We can only assume that your fat, pasty white ass is using that shriveled little dick to contract some STD while I write this. God only knows what kind of nasty Baranga (no your Brazilian friends weren't saying "nice catch" in Portuguese when you brought her by to meet them) Good for you mate!! So keep on Jawin' (by the way what Confederate time warp did you just drop out of??) JAWIN'?? Ok Uncle Jessy - thanks from all us in Hazard County. Now time for your enema isn't it? Later dickhead!

If you want to do business sucessfully in Brazil, you must do as the Brazilians do:

Step 1: Make some good friends that you can really trust (preferably powerful ones). This is the hard part.
Step 2: Do your business in confidence. No one is going to screw with you if they know that your friends can hand them their ass for a necktie.

That's all there is to it.

One would never know it from reading the posts on this site, but there actually are honest, scrupulous, ethical, and friendly Brazilians, who make worthy life-time friends. Most Brazilians respect and admire the U.S. and its people. By and large, Brazilians are among the nicest people on the planet (and I'm saying this with the experience gained from spending time in more than 25 countries). It's the 10% that aren't that give the rest a bad rep**ation.

Face it, there are good and bad people in every country of the world, it's only the proportions that vary.

Your task as a visitor to Brazil it to embrace the good people, and avoid the bad ones.

in tha path of hurricanes? man, o man...

It's the 10% that aren't that give the rest a bad rep**ation.

I think you have your numbers reversed. I would agree that there are some fine upstanding Brazilians here, but I´d place that number at 10%. The rest are just filthy ignorant thieves.

I wouldn't say most, but without question there are some lovely brazilian people. And I would more agree with the above post than yours in respect to the numbers, I would say that unfortunately, the good brazilians are in the minority.

I try and justify the actions of even the unscrupulous people in brazil, the poor ones that steal your car or rob your house thinking that possibly they had not much of an alternative if they wanted to feed their families, but still, it isn't an excuse and justification for millions of people to have this type of behavior.

Unfortunately the people of brazil are poor, and of course I'm speaking generally, but anytime you have a country, and especially a large country such as brazil, where statistical figures are in the 30-40% population range of those making less than 2 dollars a day, that situation is going to breed crime. As one poster above stated, "it's very difficult earning a good wage in brazil." Let's say a wage of 5,000 reais per month, this is not easy, not only do you have to have a good education, pass difficult examinations, but you have to be lucky as well, OR, you have to have a relative in a powerful position that uses his influence.

With a minimum wage of 170 dollars per month, which is at that figure primarly due to the gross devaluation of the dollar in the last 6-8 months, is dreadful to say the least. Brazil has one of the lowest, if not THE lowest minimum wages on the planet.

Most of all it's education, the federal gov't. has no interest in educating everyone, as they know that when the majority of brazilians are educated, things will change here, naturally. Those truly in power will lose their power and the people will become wealthier, the middle class will explode, poverty will be signifantly reduced, new jobs and even new industries (for brazil) will be created, there will be no more 350 reais minimum wage per month, which was increased to 350 from 300 just last month. There are an estimated 12 MILLION school-aged brazilian children that are NOT in school. What are they doing? Working, or robbing, stealing, begging, hustling, because their families are living in conditions of "miseria".

Brazil is one of the most heavily taxed countries on the planet. The average tax paying brazilian, if he pays his taxes correctly, works 5 months of the year just to pay taxes. Small to medium sized business are taxed at 148% of their GROSS profits....how is that possible? One has to pay 48% more than he actually brought in?? What does one have to do? Take out a loan at 56% per year to pay taxes and expenses?? And just where is all this money? It's certainly not in the infrastructure in the northeast.

The "system" in brazil is designed to BANKRUPT you, that is why EVERYONE cheats on their taxes in some form or another, and it's quite understandable as to why. The very system is flawed. A system of apathy towards corrupt politicians that have slogans like "roubo mas fez" steal but gets things done. It's either steal and get things done or simply steal. A police force and justice system that is based on "conhescimento", or who you know. A labor force that is based in nepotism, especially for those good paying jobs. Just this year they finally made it a crime for judges to have their families in other positions of the federal gov't. Most all of whom never passed any sort of entrance exam required for everyone else and the position itself. Now what about everyone else, the politicians and those in powerful gov't. positions BESIDES judges....there is still a ways to go.

As far as brazilians attitudes towards americans and the U.S. there are a "few" who still like the U.S. and it's people. But MANY simply do not like americans, and because of the actions of the american gov't., not because of what some american did to him/her. The Lula gov't. has been combative towards the U.S. gov't. ever since he began to run for political office over a decade ago, saying he would re-nig on the debt to the IMF, not being able to understand and empathise with the terrorist attacks on 9-11, having a policy of "reciprocity" for the new identification process that was put in place for ALL foreigners. Groups that want to stir anti-american sentiments with outrageous conspiracy theories saying that the U.S. is going to attack brazil for the amazon, or its agua doce, actually sending generals to north viet nam to meet with their military and discuss the strategy they had vs. U.S. in the 60's and 70's during the viet nam war. Balking at the FTA and a leader in attempting to get the EU and U.S. to rid themselves of farm subsidies, all the while never contemplating removing the 50-100% tariffs on electronics or automobiles and also subsidizing their own agriculture industry in the form of low-interest "loans" that are available only to farmers.

Then you have the situation with brazilian illegals in the U.S. The second largest population of illegals in the country, and many brazilians are angry when they get denied a tourist visa, whether they have honorable intentions or not, it's quite understandable why a gov't. would deny a countrys people in mass that has the 2nd largest propensity for obtaining tourist visas and "overstending" their stay, trying to put it nicely. All the while the police force, especially in minas gerais, knowing allows 800+ coyote companies to exist, now selling their smuggling services for up to 15,000 dollars a head.

As far as staying away from the "bad" people and gravitating towards the "good", that's a difficult if not impossible task, unless we start marking people with scarlett letters.

I´m an Aussie, been here 3 years don´t have a Brasilian girlfriend, (wife wouldn´t let me) and live a fairly simple life compared to most expats and trying to make a living by teaching etc. In my humble experience, Brazilians are like natural survivors and as a result will steal, cheat and lie at any opportunity, they really just can´t help it. I´m sorry but that´s what I´ve experienced and even the locals themselves will claim you can trust Brasilians. I´ve never, ever heard a fellow Aussie tell me that you can never trust Aussies, or even someone from Europe say this about their people. Here in SP every Brazilian "friend" I have has advised me at some point not to trust Brazilians!
Have you ever met a Brazilian person that understands the meaning of remorse or regret or even shame? No, because they just don´t think like that. They´ll always blame someone or something else for every misfortune. Why do you think that corruption is so endemic here? It´s because everyone thinks that as everyone else must be at it they are justified in participating too. No blame, no shame.
Apologies to Brazilians reading this but I´m sure you won´t give a damn anyway. Gotta take Brasil as it is, if you don´t like it then you can leave, right.

Typo error meant to say.....
"even the locals themselves will claim you can NOT trust Brasilians...."
it´s a Brazilian PC so it´s prone to these things....

Well, have to say that I enjoyed your comment while being a little disappointed at the same time.

I'm an american that has been living in northeast brazil for 8 years. I've made several trips to Rio, Sao Paulo, and further south, to Florianopolis, Rio Grande do Sul, etc. And always had much better experiences there in the south, than here in the north-northeast in regards to respect, consideration, etc. Was truly hoping for there to be a significant difference down south as I've considered moving down there, but from what you're saying, it pretty much sounds like the same s**t. Although the everyday inconsiderate and rude actions by many in some of these places in the northeast is truly mind-boggling.

I have to say your post is "spot-on" in my experiences here. I've "almost" NEVER heard a "desculpa", they are VERY rare, even when someone does something that is blatently disrespectful, they have no shame, and pretend as if what they did simply didn't happen or as if its "normal".

What I love is when you talk to some about this, especially over the internet, you either have your die-hard brazilian lovers or brazilians themselves that try and equate this type of behavior with the states, or europe, as if it happens there as well and is accepted. Without question, it is one of the most difficult parts for many brazilians in getting accustomed to the U.S. If you don't respect other people, places, property there, you will have a problem with someone.

Looks like that there are a lot more people than I thought posting on this site that don't know really know Brazil and how to live in it.

Hints: try learning to really speak Brazilian Portuguese, well enough that people mistake you for a Brazilian, and try getting out of Rio & Sampa.

"Hints: try learning to really speak Brazilian Portuguese, well enough that people mistake you for a Brazilian, and try getting out of Rio & Sampa."

I would have agreed with you about a few years back when my Portuguese was spotty at best. Yet as the years go by and my fluency increases exponentially, understanding 100% of the conversations only makes matters worse and you can see the ignorance for what it truly is.

Folks I had spent a lot of time with when I stumbled to understand them, I’ve given up on totally now that I understand every word. There’s just not a hell of a lot to communicate with knuckle dragging simpletons. At first, giggling through simple gestures to communicate while drinking a pinga was all good fun, now I find the general chit chat amongst the majority trivial, littered with historical untruths and simply put, dreary.

Don´t get me wrong. I do have a few good mates; well educated, well versed on international politics and well grounded in reality. I cherish them dearly and would have gone mad if I didn’t get to meet at least a few Brazilians who can freely talk about a number of subjects that don’t have to do with futebol, bundas or “oh those nasty Americans”. However, they are tough to come by. And yes, I will agree with the poster who says, "even educated ones will tell you to be careful with whom you place your trust".

"... a lot more people...don't know really know Brazil and how to live in it" I bet you´re a Brazilian! Or maybe you´re married to one?
You see that is exactly the attitude of the Brazilians isn´t it......I can just hear a local smugly saying "well, it´s YOUR fault, you probably don´t understand the way we do things here.....etc" I´ve had it said to me a few times I can tell you...always seems to be used as some sort of justification not to complete a job properly or to overcharge or give really, really s**tty service.

I totally agree with the previous posts and yes, I do speaka da lingo and have travelled all over. Brazilians everywhere in Brazil are just naturally damn rude and inconsiderate. Just walk down the street, go into a shop or take the metro or bus.
And it is true too, everyone says that you can´t trust Brazilians (well, except for the person saying it, of course). Many times someone will say this then try and convince you that they are the exception and reel off lots of endless yarns illustrating their honesty. They always turn out to be the same in the end. Anyone else had this?
Silas

Honestly I'm shocked that anyone would submit such rambling, poorly-written article (i'm being kind by using the word "article). Have a little pride, and at least have some one proof read it. I won't even begin to address the content of the "article", because, quite honestly, it would be offensive to assume anyone would actually buy this trash.

"Learn how to write
Written by Guest on 2006-05-03 10:50:45
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Honestly I'm shocked that anyone would submit such rambling, poorly-written article (i'm being kind by using the word "article). Have a little pride, and at least have some one proof read it. I won't even begin to address the content of the "article", because, quite honestly, it would be offensive to assume anyone would actually buy this trash."

Yikes - look who's talking...

are a peopple of few words; "Myself, Me and I."

Their success hasn't gone to their head - just to their mouth.

Butcher George Bush, The Number-1 Terrorist in the World

keol

Man I thought it was all in my head about the crazy way those Brazilians think but it is right on, they have this BS sense of entitlement that it is an obligation to rob , cheat, steal and con you cause if they don't someone else will, and if you catch them doing it they act as if " oh well, you got me, so can you give me $$$ as a loan so I don't have to steal behind your back ? " Sorry for the brazilians reading this actually no I'm not sorry cause even my Brazilian friends here in the states tell me they can't stand their own countrymen.

Keol ya ole dawg, here again i see. It´s yer bud G.W!! Howz that tranny operation goin? I hear they´ve already cut yer pecker off, so it´s just a matter of waiting for them there dnag hormone shots to take effect, and ya´ll be able to give out again on the streets of Copa! Suure hope all goes well fer ya, I know your Bob´s hambuger gig didn´t pan out, with ya raiding the till an all - but no worries a few jabs up the ass by tranny loving square heads, and you´ll have ample dosh to feed yer 12 rabid youngins!

Cheers Georgy Boy

No, 15th generation American, born & bred in the good ol' USA, and married likewise. Sorry to disappoint you.

Maybe you guys need to be a bit more discriminating in who you associate with.

The fellow who wrote this article is an old fart, with lots of money. He #1) lives in one of the most expensive parts of the US, next to New York, and San Francisco. He #2) is starting a community. Alot of the gripes said her are that of regular people like myself. This guy has money to play with, money to blow and money to help dry his dishes. This guy will come to Brazil, find out how difficult it is to do any business there, spend loads of cash, find out his 20 year old girl friend is using him, and he will go home. I feel bad for him, but due diligence is worth it. He's a sad old man trying to have a little fun. Oh well, he will blow hundreds of thousands of dollars and go home . . . poor guy. I hope he still gets to see his grandchildren.

Well, it was interesting when it began, and it was nice for a while...but this site needs to drop off the edge of the net world! This has become nothing more than some underground pirate newsper, with no regard for relevant content nor basic grammer! On top of that, they have this open forum which should be an intellectually stimulating extension of the material introduced by the authors.Instead, it has become a twisted battlefeild in cyberspace where those filled with hate and fear argue with those filled with idealism and the love of travel! There are so many good websites devoted to serious topics, not only about Brasil, but about world travel and world issues...that I cannot imagine wasting one more click on Brazzil.com. Those of you, Brazillian...American...or whomever, who live in Brazil or travel to Brazil...and enjoy it; I urge you to never visit this site again, you will find nothing here of value and any argument you post will not change anyone's mind. Just as those who post warnings and hatred for Brazil will not change anyone's mind! Let these poor people fester within their fear and bitterness, and let them only speak to one another...sharing their utopian view of a world where no one should ever dare venture far from their safe home...where people should be afraid of any one who is different...where people hide behind closed doors, cursing the sunlight when it shines through their curtains. Those of you who love Brazil...tourist, native, or ex-pat...know why you love it. Don't ever let any sorry pessimist change your view! These people will still be hiding in their dark rooms, with their eyes blinded by a monitor and their fingers calloused by punching too many keys spelling curse words...while you and I drink the best beer in the world, eat the best food in the world, while taking in the best beaches in the world, enjoying the company of the happiest and most generous people in the world.

Never be ashamed of where you're from...it wasn't your choice & you do the best you can.

Never be ashamed of where you went...the world is a book, and to not travel is to only read one page (St. Augustine)

Signed,
An American living in Brazil and loving every day! (I know this is what pisses all you posters off, as you would like nothing better than to see foreigners fail...the way you all failed!) But too bad! You keep your misery and this website...maybee that's all you have!

I thought my dream bubbble butt Brasilan mamacita was all mine, till I paid a neighbor a block away without her family knowing, to keep an eye on her. Well she wound up being a little slut but her family still swears she's Mother Teresa's first born virgin child, when the gringo cats away the brasilian bunda will play. She still e-mails me for $$$, sorry honey, I will utilize her on my next trip there and bang the crap out of her ass while cursing her out in english, " Take it bitch, take it like a freakin' whore you little cum slut ! "

quote:

"Looks like that there are a lot more people than I thought posting on this site that don't know really know Brazil and how to live in it.

Hints: try learning to really speak Brazilian Portuguese, well enough that people mistake you for a Brazilian, and try getting out of Rio & Sampa."

First of all, I speak fluent portuguese, but, by my appearance, and my accent, everyone knows that I'm a foreigner after the first 30 seconds of conversation, and I speak excellent portuguese. Certainly no one is going to mistake me for brazilian, even if I live here another 40 years and speak perfect portuguese.

Secondly, "how to live in brasil", would really like to hear how one is "supposed" to live in brasil?

So far, from my eight years of experience, one must be very cautious in letting others know he has money. You must live below your means, live very modestly, don't buy an expensive car, and I'm talking about one of 50,000 reais or over, which in the U.S. is a "normal" car, not wear jewelry, anything other than plastic or silver plated that is, keep to yourself, don't trust anyone and always have the presumption that a stranger being nice to you is out to rob you or enrolar. For if people know you have cash your family and yourself are ripe for a kidnapping.

Never insult or speak derogatory about the brazilian gov't. or brazilians, or the beurocracy, or anything pertaining to life in brazil, even though you live there, contribute and participate, as a foreigner you don't have that right, according to the brazilian mindset....look at what happened just this past monday in the states with the 1+ million ILLEGALS "demanding" their "rights"(?), if that happened here in brazil with 8 million illegal argentinians burning brazilian flags and waving the argentinian flag in every major brazilian city you can rest assured there would have been bloodshed.

So is this how a foreigner is "supposed" to live in brasil???

No wonder millions are trying to flee!

George Bush is a monkey, but I like to have sex with primates.

Keol

Do you guys know that I was in the last film John Holmes ever made???

Keol

I make 20 salario minimos per month! Lula gives one every time I suck him off!

Keol

Did the move,"still working on the project" . Is it easy, no. Would I change anything if I could go back, yes. There is a saying in this forum, that says it all..."Brasil is not for pussys"I would be scared to live here at 70 years old. I love Brasil(and my hot girlfriend), but the "fairy tale" of living here forever, has defiantely changed some......

After 3 years, you've had a good taste. Not sure exactly what your business experiences are, but I can tell you from experience, if you ever have a significant amount of cash, and are looking to invest, buy property, build homes, apts, start your own business, BE CAREFUL!!! There are masses just waiting for this very "opportunity". Matter of fact, you'd have a much better chance at the tables in Vegas.

Will someone please tell me why there is no good Pizza in Brazil? For Christ sake...the word Pizza has ZZZ's and BraZZil has ZZZZ's. Why don't they put suace? Why do they put ketchup? And for God's sake man...why do they put CORN???!!! Corn! for crying out loud! The Italians who first introduced Pizza to Brazil must be turning over in their grave..or rather...sliding in their olive oil! True Pizza is a sacred culinary art form and the Brazillians mock it! How can anyone live in a country like this??? God forgive me! I'd sell my soul for a Little Ceasars large pepperoni right about now!!!

What happened to you dude? Had too many family vacations in Disney World?? Your first mistake was to think living anywhere would be a fairy tale! Don't blame Brazil...s**t happens all over this green and blue ball. You're scared to live in Brazil when you turn 70!? Man, just hope and pray you even make it to 70...then you can bitch about what friggin' country you ended up in.

After having read the above “fantasy” article and the “reality” posts following, there is not much more to add. It is a beautiful to have a dream place that is better than the U.S. unfortunately the third world is the third world and if you are from the first world how will moving to the third world make your life better?

Even if you had a million dollars and have lived in Brazil for a few years it would be no different than if you are teaching English in Brazil to win your bread. The fact is the third world remains the third world.

If you like 3rd world life rich or poor, Brazil is probably the best country for you! In fact a more logical article would be how to live in the 3rd world and be happier that living in the 1st world.

If you are moving to Brazil consider that the cost of meals is cheaper than the U.S. now here is a good reason to move to a 3rd world country!! But then again think about how this is offset after having your SUV plated with body armor and bullet proof glass!

Here you can have as many full time maids as you can afford, whereas in the U.S. you
are to cheap to hire one. But then again this is offset by the fact your Brick and Cement House needs 8 foot walls surrounding it with razor wire on top.

People are nicer here in Brazil. Offset by the fact you learn the nicer ones are going to be the ones who are going to screw you eventually.

No terrorism or natural disasters in Brazil, offset by corruption, slums, slum lords, filth, the uneducated, poverty, lack of respect, lack of manners, on and on.

Brazil is like sweet wine to your lips, but gives you one hell of a stomach ache. I suggest moving to Cuba the communist in Brazil say that it is way better than the U.S. and you can take that to the "Banco" my friend!

LOL...good post above! Spot-on!

I agree with all the great things Brazil has to offer, people, natural beauty etc. The only concern I have to being a foreigner in someone else's country. Just listen to the hatred of the U.S.A on this site and consider the political moves happening right now in Bolivia and Venezuela. Can a foreigner even purchase property in Brazil?

Sniff Sniff!! Someone hand me a Kleenex . . .

I just finished your post and I'm getting all misty now!! That was so moving. I think you really reached a lot of people in here today with THAT ENORMOUS CROCK OF f**kING MELODRAMATIC BULLs**t!!
Well those "curse" words should make for about 5 callouses don't you think?

OH by the way Mr. "Grammer" (f**king retard!!) here is a list of all the grammatical and/or spelling errors in your post:
"pirate newsper"
"battlefeild"
"Brazillian"
"maybee"
"Those of you, Brazillian...American...or whomever, who live in Brazil or travel to Brazil...and enjoy it; I urge you to never visit this site again, you will find nothing here of value and any argument you post will not change anyone's mind."
WTF was that BTW?? It was a sentence fragment however. The semicolon was not needed either.

OH I just have to repeat this one - "Grammer" LOL!
Come on, you have to admit it's pretty funny how you misspelled GRAMMAR while lecturing the rest of us about our lack of attention to grammar!!!!

Adios moron. Here's to your greatest adventure of all - mastering your own native language while refraining from lecturing others about their lack of ability. f**king a*****e! Ouch - don't worry - just another callous!

Had a girlfriend and thought she was the one, not so, just a gold digger as well as her family, smiling at me all the while I was being robbed in one way or another. Everyone with their hand out and telling me of an opportunity to make boatloads of money in a bakery, computer store, real estate, bread and coffee shop etc etc etc..........and that was in Colombia where my mom is from................went to Brazil to visit family I never met from my fathers side and it was the same damn thing. I give up.............gonna go to the Appalachians and find me a barefoot toothless country girl and raise rabbits.

Sampa has great pizza, better than almost any place in the U.S. To make it even easier, try any place in the Bexiga near central Sampa, or in Villa Madalena.

yes, you can purchase property, you just can't open a bank account unless you have a permanent visa, lol. And you can't open a business either, unless you have a brazilian partner or someone who has a permanent visa in brazil.

There's a joke in Brazil that goes something like:

God had just finished making the world, and one of his assistants says "Look here there are tornados, here earthquakes, there tidal waves. But look at Brazil, it has none of those things. It doesn't seem fair". To which God replies, "Oh, but wait until you see the people that I'm going to put there".

Good Pizza?????, you be here to long gringo you go home now!!!

I dry out the paper thin crust that they use, and use it for 3-ply toliet paper!

OK, fine. If you're in Sampa try this place...

http://www.bairrovilaolimpia.com.br/HTMRESTAURANTES/HPSALIBE/Bacio/bacio.htm

That is, if you don't want everything to "end up in pizza". :-)

If you are thinking about moving to brazil consider this…..

THERE IS NO MIRICLE WHIP HERE!

But the good news is they have mayonnaise!

BTW remember to bring lots of your preferred lubricant for your CU!
You are gonna need it!

quote:


"If you are thinking about moving to brazil consider this…..

THERE IS NO MIRICLE WHIP HERE!

But the good news is they have mayonnaise!

BTW remember to bring lots of your preferred lubricant for your CU!
You are gonna need it! "


ROTFLMAO!

Not much in the way of peanut butter here either. But you can always make your own peanut butter & KY sandwich.

Question?

What do you get when you mix a Rooster with a jar of peanut butter?
.
.
.
.
Answer: c**k that sticks to the roof of your mouth!

Pensa nisso bicho!

speaking of roosters...can you guys find a way to remove them for the large metropolis' here in brazil??? I'm awoken every morning at 5:30 am by.....c**k-A-DOODLE-DOOOO, and I live in the capital of a city, in the richest neighborhood that exists here!

Without getting into the whole historical roots of immigration into Brazil. Brazil has more Italians than the United States, Brazil has more Japanese than the United States, she boasts a fair number of Germans, Lebanese, and other peoples. Approximately 30% of her population is racially mixed. Her football (soccer) stars while playing professionally in Europe for bigger bucks (and per sports and market demand European pro soccer players make far more money that US pro soccer players), seem to regroup, and return under the Brazilian flag to play for Brazil and the Brazilian people in the World Cup, and they do it with pride and zeal.

If all Brazilians hated Brazil and one another, if so many foreigners hated Brazil and the Brazilian people, I don't understand what rationally explains all that I wrote above in my first paragraph? Surely sexual congress does not mean two people love each other, yet on the other hand if you hated all Brazilians and wanted to get the hell out of the country as fast as you can... why the hell stick around and create a family with the Brazilian men and women you hate so much, creating a population of 30% mixed? I mean there are married peoples in Brazil. An example coming to my mind is the great patriarch of the famed Gracie family, whom was the product of a Scottish immigrant father and Brazilian mother (they were married). His Scottish father become Brazilian national, helped a Japanese immigrant to Brazil out in some way, and out of gratitude the Japanese man taught his children Jujitsu. It was one of those kids - the one to become famed as the patriarch of the Gracie martial arts family - that created Brazilian Jujitsu.

I know in the US we have the Ku Klux Klan. While a minority in size now, they were in the 1930's a very large group in numbers, weilding influence in local and federal government. The Ku Klux Klan argues for racial segregation because they hate blacks (and also Jews and Catholics). It stands to reason KKK members do not marry black women (whether or not they have sexual congress with them). In light of this, somehow I'm not won to the belief Brazilians hate hate Brazil and other Brazilians. Nor am I won to the belief all foreign travelers and immigrants hate Brazil and Brazilians.

Which also begs the question... Why do Americans that dislike Brazil so much come to a Brazilian dedicated site? I mean I'm not fond of the KKK and so I never visit any of their web sites (if they have any at all).

I have a similiar situation, except that I live near a whorehouse and I am awoken
every night at 1:00 am. Hearing....... ANY c**k WILL DO!

I THINK WE ARE BOTH UP s**t CREEK!

quote:

"and per sports and market demand European pro soccer players make far more money that US pro soccer players)"

Maybe that's because americans believe that soccer is for girls? ie. the women's american soccer team? American baseball, basketball, and football players make more than any other athletes in any other sports....PERIOD! It's why you see ALL nationalities playing in the NBA, NFL, and MLB! It's the cream of the crop, world-wide.

As for your other question, why would people come here, maybe there are foreigners that find themselves in brazil that have been misled, or arrived under false illusions, and after spending a couple 24 hours at least want to educate those that may get whitewashed with the kind of dribble this article portrays.

Quote: Why do Americans that dislike Brazil so much come to a Brazilian dedicated site?

Question?
Why do Brazilians that dislike the U.S.so much come to a Brazilian dedicated site?

Answer this and you answer your own question. in-fact you are left with even more questions like why do Brazilians who have never been to the U.S. hate the U.S. so much? Why do Brazilians hate so much hatred for countries better developed than it is?

and why do brasilians that hate the U.S. so much migrate in mass....risking life and limb to arrive ILLEGALLY?

Answer that.

Americans suck...love live butcher bush.


keol


LOL!

Why does a 2nd generation plasma T.V. cost the same as a new car here??

Lula and company need to pay for blowjobs.

Dude,

The only thing more fun than baiting your ass...is watching you come to the surface with your big mouth chompin' down on my hook! You are as predictable as you are stupid and sad! Is that really the best you can do?...cite spelling errors while trying to prove you still have something important to say to all the world??? Here fishy fishy fishy fishy...come and bite me! Impress us all with your big teeth?! Like I said...you are so predictable, and that;s what makes fishin' so much fun! ...Catching little worms like you!! Ha Ha, someone grab him by the neck and wiggle my hook from his foaming mouth!

Lula and company need to pay for blowjobs.

Quote:
Maybe that's because americans believe that soccer is for girls...

Thats a fact in the begining it was considered a more docile sport in comparison.

Why do'nt Brazilians play real American Football???

thought you were outta here? :shrug:

I still want to know why the Pizza sucks in Brazil?

When is the dumb fish gonna bite again?
Oh...he just did!

I think one of the reasons the pizza sucks is
that they put corn on it..In the milatary corn is known as tracers..or tracers rounds..
The sauce sucks, more like catsup.
The crust is too thin.

But if you eat enough of anything you get used to it....

So what is the corn for?????????????????

Lie On Lie!!!
Lie On Lie!!

The corn is to remind your ass that you had pizza for dinner last night!

Most of you here seem to be a bunch of a holes and Brazil Bashers
I do congratulate those of you trying to make any sense with them but why even honor their ridiculous lies with aany kind of a response at all ?
I will not be back here as I do have better things to do

LMAO...funny how they just don't want to believe they're own reality!! LMAO!!

it's TRUUUUUE!! Corn, ketchup, mayonaisse, no miracle whip, on PIZZA!!!

Hardly no tomato sauce on pasta dishes, but what are we talking about?? This is the 3rd world, be f**king happy you don't have feijão on your pizza!

Quote:
I will not be back here as I do have better things to do

Like robbing someone or spanking your monkey??

try to find pizza in the New Orleans s**thole. Africa is a better place...

Try buying oceanfront property in the Gulf states. Namibia is a better place...

Try wearing a Rolex in brazil....LOL.

Like robbing someone or spanking my monkey ? They say the guilty are usually the first to accuse others of such things eh !!
Your Mom probaly spanked you a few too many times and your Dad probaly spent a lot of time spanking his Monkey Thank the power to be that they did not procreate another such thing like you !!!

ohh for the love of god, go change your kotex and eat some feijoada and farinha.

Try Spanish in Nebraska!

Ahhh for the grace of the dollar almighty, eat some burger & freedom fries...

"Ahhh for the grace of the dollar almighty, eat some burger & freedom fries..."

snappy comeback!

hey, what happened to the peanut gallery??

Quote:

"It's why you see ALL nationalities playing in the NBA, NFL, and MLB! It's the cream of the crop, world-wide."

My reply:

I feel pretty confident in saying soccer is played by more nationalties than any other sport. I mean just because there are a lot of Eastern Europeans in the NBA doesn't constitute it a more universally enjoyed or played sport - professionally or otherwise - than soccer.


Quote:

"As for your other question, why would people come here, maybe there are foreigners that find themselves in brazil that have been misled, or arrived under false illusions, and after spending a couple 24 hours at least want to educate those that may get whitewashed with the kind of dribble this article portrays."

My reply:

Granted the article was pretty rosey. But so what. Many nationalities have chosen to stay in Brazil and make it their home. They must like something about it. I mean the Japanese are not an illiterate, poorly educated, and stupid people. I find it hard to believe so many of them would immigrate to Brazil if their fellow countrymen communicate back to them that Brazil was as bad as some of you are making it out to be. Better yet Japanese Brazilians wouldn't display love and pride in their country of Brazil. But so far as I can tell they do.

Quote:

"and why do brasilians that hate the U.S. so much migrate in mass....risking life and limb to arrive ILLEGALLY?

Answer that."

My reply:

While the article in question may have been overboard and to rose colored to many.

Maybe most Brazilians coming to the US do risk life and limb to enter the US, by crossing across the desert with little water like many Mexicans do, or by floating on intertubes or jimmy-rigged rafts like many Cubans do? Maybe they do, but if so I'm unaware of dangerous passage as their most common form of entrance into the US. So far as I'm aware most fly into the United States or take other fairly safe forms of route in. However I could be wrong, as in the part of the Midwest I'm in (a large metropolitan though) it is a very rare thing to run into a person from Brazil. You do meet them, but only a handful in your life time (in the city I'm in).

quote:

"I feel pretty confident in saying soccer is played by more nationalties than any other sport. I mean just because there are a lot of Eastern Europeans in the NBA doesn't constitute it a more universally enjoyed or played sport - professionally or otherwise - than soccer. "

No one was talking about world-wide popularity, the remark was pertaining to "salary" of professional athletes. Most american sports are not the most popular world-wide.

Alex Rodriguez has the highest salary of any professional athlete, a dominican, playing major league baseball, at 30 million per year excluding endorsements. The minimum salary per year in the NBA is 400,000 dollars for your first year, in your 2nd, its 640,000, and goes up from there....that's minimum.

No question that the most popular "world" sport is soccer, afterall, you need little more than a popcan and a couple of sticks to play.

Quote:

"Quote:
'Maybe that's because americans believe that soccer is for girls...'

Thats a fact in the begining it was considered a more docile sport in comparison.

Why do'nt Brazilians play real American Football???"


My reply:

Actually I use to have less respect for soccer till I played it. I know have a high respect for the sport, and even more so for the girls and women of any nationality that plays it.

I played American football my freshman year of high school. Wrestled my junior year of high school (took a job my senior year though ) and got into western boxing in my adult years. (I also played basketball in my teen years pretty frequently on more than one playground or basketball court)

I can tell you from having played soccer a number of times with a few European and Latin American dudes, that it is a fairly physically rough sport. Granted it's less physically rough than football but I would say it's far more physically rough than basketball. That's my experience with it anyways.

quote:

"I can tell you from having played soccer a number of times with a few European and Latin American dudes, that it is a fairly physically rough sport. Granted it's less physically rough than football but I would say it's far more physically rough than basketball. That's my experience with it anyways."

Really??? No s**t! Players only get paralyzed playing american football, and die during training camp, not saying this is good, but just describing the physical aspect. I played american football, basketball, baseball, from 6 years of age until 18 competitively.

Soccer is a sport for girls in the U.S., period. My 9 year old niece plays soccer in the U.S.

Quote:

"Really??? No s**t! Players only get paralyzed playing american football, and die during training camp, not saying this is good, but just describing the physical aspect. I played american football, basketball, baseball, from 6 years of age until 18 competitively.

Soccer is a sport for girls in the U.S., period. My 9 year old niece plays soccer in the U.S."

Dude do you know how idoitic that sounds? (in reference to your gender comment about soccer)

So your 9 year old niece plays soccer, and this proves what? As though 9 year old girls in the US don't play basketball. Hello! In fact isn't there a professional women's basketball league in the US - WBA or something like that? Girls in the US today play every sport in America basicly - yes even hockey, American football, and they even compete in western boxing both amature and pro. And I guarantee you there have been more deaths resulted in the sport of boxing over the last decade then there has been in American football during that same ten year period.

By the way, the US cultural phenominon known ad refered to as "Soccer Moms" is mainly a reference to suburban moms that take their *young sons* to soccer practice and games. Its a fact soccer is rising sport amongst males of the US. Likewise it is fact that baseball is a declining sport amongst males in the USA.

I actually thought I might get get a response would be fairly sober and level headed. I see know at least some of this banter on here is just hyper machoism and hyper nationalism.

Looked on the internet, and I interestingly found from a couple different sources that while western style boxing compiles far number of deaths per year than American football, the fatality rate between the two is much higher per 100,000 people in American football. At least when isolating it down to *sanctioned* amature fights and American college football.

Here's a link regarding women in boxing and a female fighters death. Just providing it to show women compete in physically rough sports too. If college football is tougher, or more violent, fine, still does not negate the value of soccer.

But all this is kind of digressing from the original subject of the thread so someone else can have the last word on *sports* if they wish.

Anyways here's that link:

www.louschuler.com/archives/2005/04/girls_will_be_b.html

the point of the post, which has nothing to do with this topic, was the popularity of the sports, soccer in the U.S. comes in 5th, at the max, as far as sports that american boys/men play/compete.

Soccer has traditionally been known as a "sissy" sport, right or wrong. Soccer is growing in popularity finally, and soccer mom's primarily are mom's that are taking their kids to "practice", whatever sport that may be, and in this case, primarily their daughters. Baseball is still america's game, but the latinos and japanese are also excellent. No one used to even compete with the U.S. in hoops but now europeans, and even argentinians are making a run, and theres even a couple good brazilians, nene for one. American football is still 100% american, and unfortunately numerous athletes die every spring during training, in high school, college, and even the pro's.

Brazil is not a good deal! Period. I provide IT services at an hourly rate; no one in Brazil is willing to pay even a third of what I get in the US. Can anyone make the case that Sao Paulo (the ONLY place in Brazil that does Software Quality Assurance), has comparable (or chaeper) living costs to Orlando?

The only thing more fun than baiting your ass...is watching you come to the surface with your big mouth chompin' down on my hook!

Who is baiting who moron?

"Is that really the best you can do?...cite spelling errors while trying to prove you still have something important to say to all the world???"

Aren't you the one who pointed out how we give no attention to grammar here but when someone points out grammatical errors in your own post (and they were plentiful) they're suddenly an idiot? What a loser!! Typical hypocritical s**t-for-brains American ex-pat in Brazil . . .

Come on YOU HAVE TO ADMIT it is funny that you tried to point out our GRAMMATICAL errors by incorrectly spelling "GRAMMER" yourself!! Come on - you have to admit it - just for the irony! You're such a moron!

You know for a self-righteous idiot who does nothing but whine about the participants and their vitriol you sure are hanging around a lot. What's wrong? Didn't you say goodbye to Brazzil.com? Look at the hypocrite go . . . And stooping to the level of all those he criticizes as well. Funny thing that. Call it baiting and try to pass it off as a game but looks like someone is developing callouses on those fingers hanging out here on a place he bid farewell to. YOU ARE A LOSER!! BTW there are apparently two of us who think you're a f**king idiot. I didn't write the post you were responding to here.

It is time the website owners need to look into how it is being run if it wants to be taken seriously. Both articles and posts need moderating.

sniff sniff

A badly written piece of fluff.

I have no problem with people stressing the positive aspects of Brazil (in fact I encourage it). HOWEVER, shamelessly promoting something like a used-car salesman, and trying to pass it off as a meaningful article is ridiculous!!! Particularly when you are attempting to encourage RETIREES to pack up, and leave for a third world country, taking with them their hard earned savings. Unless they know the culture very well, speak the language fluently, have large and secure retirement savings, and have extremely trustworthy friends living in Brazil, DON'T EVEN CONSIDER MOVING HERE AFTER RETIREMENT! My intention is not to be derogatory, but rather practical. I think it's amazing how people (like the author) either intentionally or perhaps unintentionally take advantage of those who have the most to lose!

To Americans and others who live in Brazil but don't like the country, please just go home. You have a choice. Like any other country Brazil has its problems. However, the USA, EU, Australia, etc., have their own problems. Nothing is perfect. One person made the comment that Brazilians are ignorant. Well, I hate to blow you bubble but Americans are not some of the most enlightened people on this planet, especially the ones in the red states; and these are people who have graduated high school. At least Brazilians have the excuse of their country being a developing country. What excuse do Americans have for being ignorant, and there are so many? As far as I know, Australia isn't known for being a cradle of enlightenment. On the contrary, it is better known for its redneck culture.

You first!!

Please, we'll happily swap the brazilians in the states for the americans in brazil!!

At least the americans in the brazil aren't here ILLEGALLY and raping the system...as if that would be possible!!

You are obviously one of those ignorant people who think every Brazilian in the US is an illegal, or anyone from the third world. While the community has received a heavy influx of undocumented people since the 1980s, it does have a quite solid number of legals and citizens at its base. Just read the 2004 Immigration Yearbook, printed by Homeland Security and available online, if you do not believe me. However, this is beyond the point. I think anyone who is disatisfied with a host country, to the point of spewing venom about it, should just leave. The same applies to those Brazilians who live in the US and keep complaining about it. Folks, you have the option of going home.

And by the way, quite a few of us are native-born Americans.

illegal brazilians outnumber the legal ones by 3-1!

I have posted this here already. This site is full of bitter american nazis trying to make other people feel as miserable as they do.

I already sent an e-mail to the webmaster, but he does nothing. Maybe he is a Nazi himself, that would explain the ignorance displayed in this site and no action taken from his part.

You seem to know "precise" information about Brazilians, considering official statitics about the undocumented population of the US as a whole ranges anywhere from 11-25 million people. As far as I know, no one knows for sure what the size of the Brazilian community in the US is. You also seem to have a special interest in our community. It makes me wonder. Relative to the overall undocumented population, we are a drop in the bucket. Yet, you seem to harbor a special hate for us.

No, in relative to statistics, brazilians only second to mexicans in numbers of illegals. The U.S. has an estimated 12 million(low estimate), up to 20 million(high estimate), of illegals. Mexico represents approximately 40% of this illegal population.

The brazilian gov't. puts the number of illegal brazilians in the U.S. at 650,000, the U.S. gov't. puts it anywhere from 900,000 up to 1.3 million. There are only 400,000 LEGAL brazilian immigrants in the U.S. as of 2004.

There are 192 countries in the world, I wouldn't say that 10% of a countries illegal immigrants perpetrated by ONE country is being a "drop in the bucket"!

"I already sent an e-mail to the webmaster, but he does nothing. Maybe he is a Nazi himself, that would explain the ignorance displayed in this site and no action taken from his part."

Ever heard of FREEDOM OF SPEECH? This website isn't based in China. If you don't like what's posted on this site you have the option of leaving.

"Ever heard of FREEDOM OF SPEECH?"

Ever heard of moderated forums? A moderator exists for keeping the conversation on topic and the lower level people out (intellectual midgets) so the conversation is intellectually interesting and thought stimulating for everyone.

What happen here is not freedom of speech, it's freedom of hate. If you enjoy with hate in your life, please keep it for yourself, because people of a higher kind are not into it.

"Ever heard of moderated forums?"

Yeah, but...

"A moderator exists" not here, so stop crying and stop pigeon-holing people who talk negatively as "intellectual midgets". Some may be hate-filled idiots, but there are many who are simply in touch with reality.

If your so desperate for thought stimulation and intellectual interest (wow, you're so sophisticated), maybe this can get your noddle turnin':

"Yes, all good things do tend to have their bad side, as does even Brazil, and even João Pessoa. You will have a lengthy plane ride, which happens to be a nice flight, but may be considered a little expensive to some.

Once you get to Brazil you will soon realize that this is about the only thing that will take your time away from truly relaxing, and cost you some money. Everything else is a joy, and a bargain. When you sit down and figure it all out, it ends up costing you much less then going to many other places."

What do you make of what the salesclerk, I mean, "author" is saying here? Honestly, what is your opinion of the tidbit in quotes?

continued from post above...

Do you think he is covering all of the bases for the reader? A "lengthy plane ride" is the most notable drawback of moving to Brazil?

According to the "Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the United States, 1990-2000," Office of Policy and Planning , U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, which is widely cited as the best source of the undocumented population of the US, the country of origin of the estimated unauthorized resident population of the US is ranked as follows: Mexico (68.7%), El Salvador (2.7%) Guatemala (2.1%) Colombia (2%), Honduras (2%), China (1.6%), Ecuador (1.5%), Dominican Republic (1.3%), Philippines (1.2%), Brazil (1.1%), Haiti (1.1%), India (1.9%), Peru (0.9%), Korea (0.7%), and Canada (0.7%). Please see uscis.gov/graphics/shared/aboutus/statistics/Ill_Report_1211.pdf. More recent reports by the US government suggest that this ranked remain basically the same. Please seehttp://www.uscis.gov/graphics/shared/statistics/ and specifically http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/...k04En.htm. To say that Brazil has the second largest illegal population in the US. is simply ludicrous. However, Brazilian are being the ttarget of a great deal of hostility due to concentration in certain areas, e.g., around Boston such as in Milford and Framingham.

Sorry, for the above typos.

According to the "Estimates of the Unauthorized Immigrant Population Residing in the United States, 1990-2000," Office of Policy and Planning , U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service, which is widely cited as the best source of the undocumented population of the US, the countries of origin of the estimated unauthorized resident population of the US are ranked as follows: Mexico (68.7%), El Salvador (2.7%) Guatemala (2.1%) Colombia (2%), Honduras (2%), China (1.6%), Ecuador (1.5%), Dominican Republic (1.3%), Philippines (1.2%), Brazil (1.1%), Haiti (1.1%), India (1.9%), Peru (0.9%), Korea (0.7%), and Canada (0.7%). Please see uscis.gov/graphics/shared/aboutus/statistics/Ill_Report_1211.pdf. More recent reports by the US government suggest that this ranking remains basically the same. Please seehttp://www.uscis.gov/graphics/shared/statistics/ and specifically http://www.uscis.gov/graphics/...k04En.htm. To say that Brazil has the second largest illegal population in the US. is simply ludicrous. However, Brazilias are being the target of a great deal of hostility due to concentrations in certain areas, e.g., around Boston such as in Milford and Framingham.

People should also check the following web site: http://www.fairus.org/site/Pag...ntersb8ca. Take a look at the Census Bureau estimates for Germany, 113,327. The INS estimate for Brazil, 77,000. The Census Bureau estimate 1,113,683 Europeans live illegally in the US. No one every talks about this illegal immigration. Race has a lot to do with the discussion on immigration. What this is all about is the fear of the "browning of Ameica."

you're using stats from 10-16 years ago??

Brazilians HAVE the SECOND largest population if illegals in the U.S. today, and have had since 2002!

Yes, right. Why don't you cite your sources smart ass? I guess you are too stupid to have any.

Until Mexico reinstated a visa requirement for Brazilian citizens, they were the second-largest group caught trying to enter the US illegally throught the Mexican border. However, they are not the second largest population of illegals in the US, at least as far as estimates are concerned.

"Yes, right. Why don't you cite your sources smart ass? I guess you are too stupid to have any."

No one is being a smart-ass here, just because they don't agree with you I guess you label them as a "smartass", lol.

First of all the number of the brazilian population in the U.S. is GROSSLY underestimated, especially in census counts. Illegals in particular don't participate in census counts thinking they will get caught if they participate.

According to census numbers and some, there are less than 40,000 brazilians in the metroboston area!!! Real stats and studies have shown that this area has the largest population of brazilians which vary from 250,000 up to 350,000.

quote:

"According to Maxine Margolis, author of An Invisible Minority: Brazilians in New York
City, the discrepancies started well over a decade ago. The 1990 census, for example,
recorded only 9,200 Brazilians in New York City, while the local Brazilian consulate
estimated 100,000 Brazilians at that time. The Brazilian foreign office placed the number
at 230,000; Dr. Margolis also noted that comparisons of the Boston Archdiocese and
Brazilian consulate records with U.S. census records show a startling 10 to 1 difference." !!!

What is a statistical fact is that brazilians have become the #1 nation for illegals being caught that are recognized as OTM(other than Mexicans). Last year, 2005, having 15,000+ brazilians that were CAUGHT trying to enter via Mexico, wonder how many actually got in? With 800+ coyote companies operating in Governador Valadares alone, obviously there isn't a lack of demand, and 150 passport requests per DAY in governador valadares!

As far as the "browning" of america, lol, that's already happened. The majority of people living in the state of california are mexicans or from latin america....the majority! Which, by the way, is costing the STATE of California 38 BILLION dollars per year in taxpayer money in education and healthcare alone. Not mentioning what it's doing to the quality of education for LEGAL american citizens!

Since the year 2000 the attempts of brazilians trying to enter the U.S. illegal is only surpassed by Mexico.

As of 2000, there were an estimated 200,000 brazilians living in Florida, as of which 80% were "undocumented", or illegal, and an estimate that this population was increasing by 20% per year.

Illegals in the U.S. are NOT making things better for americans, they're making it, and have made it WORSE. Americans are deservedly sick and tired of this "importation" of those looking only to "enrolar" the system. Mexicans sent back to mexico last year an estimated 38 BILLION dollars, Brazilians sent back 6 BILLION.

There is no hate specifically for brasilians here, there is a disdain for those looking to illegally take advantage of the U.S. and its taxpaying citizens! Which brazil is a part, and besides mexico, the most significant and growing participant on the planet.

Here in brazil the gov't. puts difficult restrictions on those from poorer countries, and without a college degree, in obtaining a work visa or permanent visa....isn't it only fair that countries like the U.S. do the same? Afterall, brazil has been BIG on a policy of reciprocity.

If you can't go to the U.S. LEGALLY....then please, don't go! That's only logical isn't it? Only moral? Only legal? Only what brazil itself demands from people living here.

The U.S. is tired of importing poverty while the american taxpayer foots the bill!

"June 30, 2005 Brazilians Streaming Into U.S. Through Mexican Border NYT By LARRY ROHTER just two days in late April, Border Patrol agents in south Texas detained 232 Brazilians who had entered the United States illegally. All told, more than 12,000 Brazilians have been apprehended trying to cross the United States-Mexican border so far this year, exceeding the number detained in all of 2004 and pushing Brazilians to the TOP of the category known as "other than Mexicans." Mexico, facing growing complaints from Washington, is now contemplating restoring visa formalities for Brazilians. That in turn has led to a fever among potential migrants here in the vast heartland of south-central Brazil to obtain a passport and head for Mexico before the door there starts swinging shut. At the Federal Police office in Governador Valadares, the main city in this fertile region of rolling hills, the line of people seeking passports each day stretches around the block. Those waiting one afternoon did not want to talk with a reporter about their travel plans, but the Federal Police delegate for the region, Rui Antônio da Silva, estimated that 90 PERCENT were headed for the United States via the Mexican route. "We believe that just in this region there are about 300 gangs that offer this service to people," he said. "It's a very lucrative business, and a lot of people are involved." People here who have been approached by trafficking rings said that the going rate at the moment for door-to-door transport to Boston, the preferred destination of illegal Brazilian immigrants, is about $10,500. That is more than two years' income for the average Brazilian, but effectively 30 percent less than a year ago, because the American dollar is weaker now. Brazilian officials and residents of this region said that unlike smuggling situations in many places, migrants do not pay in advance and do not pay at all if they fail to reach the United States, which greatly reduces the financial risk to potential migrants. Mr. de Andrade's widow said her husband had offered a small parcel of land he owned as collateral. After he died, in an automobile accident in northern Mexico, the smuggler returned the land. The accelerating outflow of people has come as a surprise to Brazilians and a blow to their self-image. This nation of 180 million has, after all, traditionally attracted millions of immigrants from Europe and Asia and prides itself on its social mobility. "Just look at who our president is," Teresa Sales, the author of "Brazilians Far From Home" and a professor of sociology at the University of Campinas, said, referring to Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a former lathe operator. "In the past, even when things were going badly no one would have imagined leaving the country, because of the expectation of rising socially." Not only that, but Brazil's economy has been doing well recently. Furthermore, many of those leaving are not poor peasants, but YOUNG PEOPLE MORE EDUCATED THAN THE GENERAL POPULATION, including architects, engineers and other professionals. "What we have to accept that this flow has to do with lack of opportunity, not with poverty or unemployment," said Ana Cristina Braga Martes, a specialist in immigration issues at the Getúlio Vargas Foundation, a leading research institution. "It's mainly the lower middle class from prosperous states, not the poor, who are going, and it's because they can't earn a fair wage here and have bought into the idea of the American dream." One sure sign that"fazer america, making America" has entered the popular imagination is that in March, Brazil's largest television network began broadcasting a soap opera called "America," which follows a young woman's efforts to get to the United States through Mexico and to adjust to life in Florida. Experts disagree about whether it is encouraging Brazilians to head north, but more than 40 million people are watching nightly. In an effort to discourage the flow, Brazilian priests in Massachusetts have recently published a letter on the Internet alerting illegal immigrants to the dangers they may confront on their way to the United States. "When they don't die, the migrants are subjected to violence or raped, and experience humiliating situations like sleeping in cemeteries, walking for miles and miles through the desert or drinking water from sewers," their document warns. Since the 1960's, Governador Valadares has sent a stream of immigrants to Boston and nearby cities, but the stream has been growing larger. Mayor José Bonifácio Mourão estimates that 40,000 people from his city have emigrated to the United States. "Almost every family, including mine, has relatives in the United States," he said. But American authorities report increases in illegal immigration from all of Brazil's southern, more prosperous states. "It is as if we have infected other regions with the migratory virus," said Weber Soares, a research specialist in immigration issues at the Vale do Rio Doce University in Governador Valadares. The Brazilian government estimates that between 1.5 MILLION and THREE MILLION Brazilians are living abroad, MOST IN THE UNITED STATES. Last year, according to a congressional estimate, the emigrants sent nearly $6 billion in remittances back to Brazil, or about the same amount earned by Brazil's leading export product, soybeans. Until a few years ago most Brazilians living illegally in the United State went as tourists and simply overstayed their visas. But that changed when the United States tightened visa requirements after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks and Mexico changed its visa policy. "We started because it was something the business community asked for and to deter the mafia falsifying visas around our consulates," the Mexican ambassador to Brazil, Cecília Soto, said in a telephone interview from Brasília. "But it has become a problem these last couple of years, and we have seen that the mafias of human traffickers in both countries are clearly working together." She said Mexico planned to send an official delegation soon to discuss immigration problems. Many here maintain that any effort to crack down on trafficking schemes is bound to fail. The smuggling rings will not be eliminated, the argument goes, but only be driven deeper underground. "Nothing indicates that this flow will diminish, despite the efforts to scare people into not going," Mayor Mourão said. "The incentives to go up there to the U.S. are still high. If anything, the tendency is for the flow to increase."

"First of all the number of the brazilian population in the U.S. is GROSSLY underestimated, especially in census counts. Illegals in particular don't participate in census counts thinking they will get caught if they participate."

You are correct about this. We simply don't know the size of this popualtion. You seem to understant this. However, you also seem to be quite confortable using faulty data to justify your claims. That does not surprise me since it is a common practice of the far right. Data are often manipulated for political use.

"What is a statistical fact is that brazilians have become the #1 nation for illegals being caught that are recognized as OTM(other than Mexicans)."

This does not make them the second largest illegal community in the US. Your discourse of #1 is also interesting; the attempt is to create fear.

"According to census numbers and some, there are less than 40,000 brazilians in the metroboston area!!! Real stats and studies have shown that this area has the largest population of brazilians which vary from 250,000 up to 350,000."

Real stats and studies? First, all we have are poor estimates. Second, you mention studies but you don't provide any citations. You know why? There are no studies on this. Everything is based on extrapolations of the 2000 Census and immigration reports--which you said are old. There is very little data coming out of field observations. Newspaper articles, which you cited, are biased sources of information-- any basic college course in social science methodology would teach you that. Maxine Margolis' study was never meant to be a quantitative analysis of the Brazilian community. Hers is an ethnographic study, supposed to provide a glimpse of what the community is all about. By definition, ethnographic studies involve in-depth interviews with small samples of people. Small samples are statistically non-representative of the population as a whole, even though they can provide a framented picture of people's lives.

This is not to say that there is not a problem of Brazilian illegal immigration to the US. Of course, there is. It is also quite severe. However, migration cycles rise and fall. This happens even with Mexican immigration, and Mexico is so near. At best, we can say the Brazilian undocumented community is growing at an accelerated rate, a rate that no one knows precisely what it is. In addition, no one knows the size of the community, not even the Brazilian government, which you keep citing. Consular officials will tell you that Brazilians seeking their services are afraid of filling out questionnaires, especially those involving their immigration status.

"Illegals in the U.S. are NOT making things better for americans, they're making it, and have made it WORSE. Americans are deservedly sick and tired of this "importation" of those looking only to "enrolar" the system. Mexicans sent back to mexico last year an estimated 38 BILLION dollars, Brazilians sent back 6 BILLION."

This a matter of your opinion. There are studies validating what you are saying while others show quite beneficial effects, despite remittances. This is very political. Results often depend on the types of variables used in the study.

Do you think the United States will be able to deport 12 million people? Assuming that that it could, what are the political implications of this move? It certainly would not able to maitain its human rights and democratic rhetoric. It would certainly not be able to maintain its ideology of "A County of Immigration" either.

"There is no hate specifically for brasilians here, there is a disdain for those looking to illegally take advantage of the U.S. and its taxpaying citizens! Which brazil is a part, and besides mexico, the most significant and growing participant on the planet."

I am sure then that you feel the same way about undocumented immigrants from Canada, Ireland, and other European countries. Correct?

A Conference on Brazilian Immigration.
In March 2005 there was a Harvard University conference in Boston.

This is how it was reported by Liz Mineo in the MetroWest Daily News (Boston) - Sunday, March 20, 2005:

"One would never know the size of the Brazilian population by looking at the figures from the 2000 U.S. Census, which managed to count a mere 212,000 Brazilians in the entire country," said [U.S. Scholar Maxine] Margolis. "And this despite the fact that, for the first time, data from the Census was meant not only to identify those born in Brazil, but also to include those born of Brazilian parents in the United States." While U.S. Census 2000 says Brazilians number 212,000, unofficial estimates by leading scholars range from 800,000 to 1.2 million. The disparity of numbers nationwide is reflected in Massachusetts, where according to Census 2000, there are 36,000 Brazilians, while unofficial estimates say there are between 150,000 and 230,000. Scholars have given several reasons for the Brazilian undercount: from fear among undocumented Brazilian immigrants that they will be deported if they respond to Census forms to confusion concerning U.S. Census forms, which don't include a category for Brazilians. Census forms include a box for Hispanic/Latino, and it's been reported that Brazilians often don't check that box, with many checking the White category.

quote:

It would certainly not be able to maintain its ideology of "A County of Immigration" either.

Oh yes, it certainly would. It is INCORRECT lableing "illegal immigrants" as "immigrants". The vast majority of immigrants that came to america throughout its history have done so through legal channels. This has changed over the last 15-20 years.

An person residing in a country ILLEGALLY is NOT afforded the same rights as a citizen....you do understand that don't you? Also, why should people, that don't even have the right to be in a country, be afforded SOCIAL SERVICES that are being paid for by american taxpayers? When someone has an "illegal" status in the U.S. they have broken the law....period. Whether they were dishonest during the interview process in obtaining a temporary visa, or they entered the U.S. illegally via mexico, canada, or whatever other location. As you probably know, the U.S. gov't. is considering making it a felony in having an illegal status. That takes away ones right to vote, to work in many different types of jobs, possible prison, and immediate deportation.

Human rights?? Deporting illegals has NOTHING to do with human rights UNLESS those people are immigrating from a country where serious human rights abuses are occurring, such as countries that have committed genocide, or like the situations that are taking place currently in Darfur. Human rights has NOTHING to do with the illegal immigration problem in the U.S. Is it everyone's right to reside in the U.S.A.?? LOL...give me a break. And democratic rhetoric?? Hate to tell you this, but the VAST majority of americans are in FAVOR of a complete overhaul of the current system, and for consequnces to be dealt for those 12-20 million illegals. If this happens, and it will, soon, that is the reaction of a democratic government.

One has to love people such as yourself that believe that the U.S. should be the only country on the planet to sit idly be while millions upon millions thumb their noses at our system, circumvent it in any way possible, take jobs from americans, put huge financial burdens on taxpayers and our healthcare and educational systems, and as far as studies are concerned, I can show numerous legitimate studies that have been done by the american gov't. and NGO's proving the overall NEGATIVE impact the vast numbers of illegals are having on the american educational, healthcare, and social services systems.

MANY illegals in the U.S. are doing little more than raping the system, all the while sending as much money back to their countries of origin as is possible....this is NOT immigration. The very definition of immigration is to settle in another country making that country your HOME country.....not to temporarily go there, get all the benefits you can, send as much as you can outside your new "home" country, and return to your country of origin at a later date. That is NOT how the U.S. was settled, that is NOT what the immigrants did throughout our history....this is EXACTLY what vast numbers, particularly brazilians, do today.



quote:

"I am sure then that you feel the same way about undocumented immigrants from Canada, Ireland, and other European countries. Correct?"

ABSOLUTELY!!! I don't care, as the majority of americans don't care, WHERE these illegals are coming from, it just has to stop. It doesn't matter to me, or to most, if their english, spanish, polish, canadians, mexicans, or brazilians. Undocumented workers, not paying taxes, and those employing them, americans and others, must STOP! And I'm in every bit as much in favor of making it a felony for those caught employing illegals as the illegals themselves!

So what? What are the methodologies behind these estimates? Anyone can fart numbers, even scholars. Having a Ph.D. does not make one right. The figures also do not tell me the distribution of the popualtion in terms of legals, illegals, naturalized and native born citizens. Please stop citing newspapers. IIt seems that it is all you have. Give me studies, give me solid data.

Perhaps it's that whole issue of national sovereignty. Or maybe it's the $38 billion a year spent on social programs for illegals. Or the fact that illegals depress wages for lower income jobs held by Americans and legal immigrants by 8 percent. Or maybe it's the base racism of supporters of illegal immigration who say "They do jobs Americans won't do" - which suggests some jobs are too good for Americans, but it's okay if we make the brown people do them. Maybe it's the fact that the argument that the American economy "needs illegals" is empty rhetoric that ignores basic fundamentals of economics, and is laughably disprovable.

Maybe it's the fact that American employers exploit the illegals. Or the dishonesty of the claims that illegals "built this country" when in fact a small percentage may have provided manual labor, but they did not provide the capital, the vision, the engineering, and the risk Americans did. The mule doesn't build the farm. After all, if they "built America" why is it that they couldn't stay south of the border and "build Mexico or Brazil."

Maybe it's the fact that the tide of illegal immigration serves as a pressure valve for the corrupt, stagnant, socialist government in Mexico and Brazil, meaning it will remain in power and keep the people there poor. Maybe it's the fact that people who are breaking the most fundamental law of a nation - its borders - are being offered a free ride while others queu up and take the right path to become immigrants and citizens. Maybe it's the fact that we can't continue importing poverty. Maybe it's the fact that illegal immigration is a net drain on the economy to the tune of tens of billions a year.

Maybe it's the fact so few assimilate, and they want to import the same corrupt, backwards, illiberal, banana republic values that have kept the rest of Central and South America in the third world. Maybe it's the fact that amnesty now means 48 million illegals in another 20 years, based on our experience with amnesty for 3 million in 1986. Maybe it's the notion of Reconquista. Maybe it's the fact that illegals have driven Parkland Hospital into near ruin, and DISD is next.

But really, do you really care why? All people like you see is racism. So what does it matter?


Continue to contact the Senate Judiciary Committee --

---NO AMNESTY

---NO GUEST WORKER



Senate Judiciary Committee:

Sen. Arlen Specter (R-PA) - 202-224-4254

Sen. Orrin G. Hatch (R-UT) - 202-224-5251

Sen. Charles E. Grassley (R-IA) - 202-224-3744

Sen. Jon L. Kyl (R-AZ) - 202-224-4521

Sen. Mike DeWine (R-OH) - 202-224-2315

Sen. Jeff Sessions (R-AL) - 202-224-4124

Sen. Lindsey O. Graham (R-SC) - 202-224-5972

Sen. John Cornyn (R-TX) - 202-224-2934

Sen. Sam Brownback (R-KS) - 202-224-6521

Sen. Thomas A. Coburn (R-OK) - 202-224-5754

Sen. Patrick J. Leahy (D-VT) - 202-224-4242

Sen. Edward M. Kennedy (D-MA) - 202-224-4543

Sen. Joseph R. Biden (D-DE) - 202-224-5042

Sen. Herbert H. Kohl (D-WI) - 202-224-5653

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) - 202-224-3841

Sen. Russ Feingold (D-WI) - 202-224-5323

Sen. Charles E. Schumer (D-NY) - 202-224-6542

Sen. Richard J. Durbin (D-IL) - 202-224-2152

Despite your rhetoric, here is a prediction. The Senate will eventually approve a bill that involves some type of legalization. First, there are the ideological reasons mentioned above. Second, this country is addicted to cheap labor, from industry to the many working families that rely on immigrant labor, e.g, Mexican nannies in California and elsewhere, to take care of their children. Unless there is some sort of a popular movement to revamp the system, of which I might be unaware, corporations rule in this country. That is one reason why the Immigration Acts of 1921 and 1924, some of the toughest in history, did not include provisions to block immigration from the Western Hemisphere. Agribusiness demanded cheap labor from Mexico. These days it is more than agribusiness alone. The reality is that corporations don't give a damn about the American middle class. What they care about is the mighty dollar. Despite the rhetoric of "we the people," they rule. If tough lesgilation prevails, there will be so many loopholes to bring in cheap labor that it will resemble a swiss cheese.

http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/back504.html

Centers for Immigration Studies:

There's a study for you, that is not only about illegal immigration, but the effect of total immigration and their affects on the american work/labor force. One can certainly deduce, that the 12-20 million ILLEGALS certainly are only exasperating this situation.

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,189792,00.html



The small picture, too, is a concern, said Mark Krikorian, executive director of the Center for Immigration Studies. Although he concedes that definite benefits for some specific sectors of the economy come from the illegal workforce, the OVERALL COSTS TO AMERICAN CITIZENS OUTWEIGHS THE BENEFITS of illegal immigration.

"There's no question that illegal immigration, that unskilled immigration of all kinds, is a losing proposition," Krikorian said.

Krikorian's group just released a study this week that says illegal immigration is most harming the unskilled sector of the labor force. Krikorian said it shows current U.S. immigration policy isn't looking out for its own citizens.

A study of Census Bureau data revealed that while U.S. unemployment is under 5 percent, unemployment among high school dropouts is 14 percent and among those with only a high school education is about 7 percent, he said.

Krikorian said that shows that despite the claims otherwise, for non-immigrants "there isn't full employment in the low-skilled labor market."

Krikorian said that until immigration policy changes, the problem boils down to a simple point — low-wage citizen workers are being crowded out of low-pay jobs by illegal immigrants.

"These are crummy jobs and ... they're getting crummier," Krikorian said.

You are citing foxnews!. It might be desperation. LOL. Bye! This conversation is going in circles. Interesting notheless.

you're right about one thing, there is a definite portion of american industry that is addicted to cheap labor, and the U.S. is now reaping what it has sewn over the last 20 years.

A drastic increase in security of our borders is now necessary, and has been occurring over the last 5 years, spending of BILLIONS of dollars. As mentioned above, our health and educational systems are declining drastically in many areas and regions, a direct effect of vast numbers of illegals, despite the BILLIONS the american taxpayer is paying because of these created deficiencies, or at least exasperated deficiencies. California alone is paying 38 BILLION dollars per year that can be directly attributed to illegals, 1000 DOLLARS year per household only in the state of california. Not to mention the crimes that are being perpetrated on the mexican border and within mexico itself. These people, brazilians especially, that are "signing up" by the thousands monthly to get smuggled across the border truly have no idea what they're in for, many are murdered, die, are raped, robbed, etc. But thats what one must expect when doing business with criminals. Those that participate in this activity are participating in an illegal activity, so these "coyotes" certainly aren't the most moral people on the planet, lol.

After hearing real stories of MANY that have hired these coyotes, only to find themselves inside a nightmare with little to no escape, one would wonder why they would ever subject themselves to such possibilities and probabilities. As this very article is stating, "the more I hear about the U.S. the more I want to move to brazil", someone should tell that to the brazilians, because according to their own actions in MASS, things obviously aren't all that hunky-dory in paradise.

"You are citing foxnews!. It might be desperation. LOL. Bye! This conversation is going in circles. Interesting notheless."

Bozo!! That was an article on Fox News, that is quoting the Director from the Center for Immigration Studies!!!

Please, go to the Center for Immigration Studies itself!!

http://www.cis.org/

I agree that Fox News is biased, as ALL news outlets are, but that doesn't mean it spews 100% bulls**t. Look at Globo for christs sake, it's brazils Fox News...and the worst part is you really don't have much choice here in brazil other than Globo!!

http://www.cis.org/articles/2006/2006poll.html



WASHINGTON (May 3, 2006) – A new Zogby poll of likely voters, using neutral language (see wording on following pages), finds that Americans prefer the House of Representatives’ enforcement-only bill by 2-1 over Senate proposals to legalize illegal immigrants and greatly increase legal immigration. The poll was conducted for the Center for Immigration Studies.


On immigration generally, Americans want less, not more, immigration. Only 26 percent said immigrants were assimilating fine and that immigration should continue at current levels, compared to 67 percent who said immigration should be reduced so we can assimilate those already here.


While the Senate is considering various bills that would increase legal immigration from 1 million to 2 million a year, 2 percent of Americans believe current immigration is too low. This was true for virtually every grouping in the survey by ethnicity, income, age, religion, region, party, or ideology.


When offered by itself, there is strong support for the House bill: 69 percent said it was a good or very good idea when told it tries to make illegals go home by fortifying the border, forcing employer verification, and encouraging greater cooperation with local law enforcement while not increasing legal immigration; 27 percent said it was a bad or very bad idea.


Support for the House approach was widespread, with 81 percent of Republicans, 72 percent of independents, 57 percent of Democrats, and 53 percent of Hispanics saying it was good or very good idea.


When offered by itself, there is also some support for the Senate approach, thought not as much as for the House bill: 42 percent said the Senate approach was a good or very good idea when told it would allow illegal immigrants to apply for legal status provided they met certain criteria, and it would significantly increase legal immigration and increase enforcement of immigration laws; 50 percent said it was a bad or very bad idea.


There were few groups in which a majority supported the Senate plan, even when presented by itself, exceptions included Hispanics 62 percent of whom said it was a good or very good idea and the most liberal voters (progressives) 54 percent of whom approved of it.


When given three choices (House approach, Senate approach, or mass deportation), the public tends to reject both the Senate plan and a policy of mass deportations in favor of the House bill; 28 percent want the Senate plan, 12 percent want mass deportations; while 56 percent want the House approach.


But when given a choice between just the House and Senate approaches, without the choice of mass deportations, the public prefers the House approach 64 percent version to 30 percent.


One reason the public does not like legalizations is that they are skeptical of need for illegal-immigrant labor. An overwhelming majority of 74 percent said there are plenty of Americans to fill low-wage jobs if employers pay more and treat workers better; just 15 percent said there are not enough Americans for such jobs.


Another reason the public does not like Senate proposals to legalize illegals and double legal immigration is that 73 percent said they had little or no confidence in the ability of the government to screen these additional applicants to weed out terrorists and criminals.


Public also does not buy the argument we have tried and failed to enforce the law: 70 percent felt that past enforcement efforts have been "grossly inadequate," while only 19 percent felt we had made a "real effort" to enforce our laws.

http://www.cis.org/articles/2004/fiscal.html


Now that is an in-depth study.

THE HIGH COST OF CHEAP LABOR

-some highlights;


About the Author

Steven A. Camarota is Director of Research at the Center for Immigration Studies in
Washington, D.C. He holds a master’s degree in political science from the University of Pennsylvania and a Ph.D. in public policy analysis from the University of Virginia.

Dr. Camarota often testifies before Congress and has published widely on the political and economic effects of immigration on the United States. His articles on the impact
of immigration have appeared in both academic publications and the popular press
including Social Science Quarterly, The Washington Post, The Chicago Tribune, Campaigns and Elections, and The Public Interest. His most recent work published by the Center for
Immigration Studies includes: Immigration in a Time of Recession: An Examination of Trends Since 2000; Where Immigrants Live: An Examination of State Residency of the
Foreign-Born; Back Where We Started: An Examination of Trends in Immigrant Welfare
Use Since Welfare Reform; and The Open Door: How Militant Islamic Terrorists Entered and Remained in the United States, 1993-2001.




Executive Summary

This study is one of the first to estimate the total impact of illegal immigration on the
federal budget. Most previous studies have focused on the state and local level and have
examined only costs or tax payments, but not both. Based on Census Bureau data, this
study finds that, when all taxes paid (direct and indirect) and all costs are considered,
illegal households created a net fiscal deficit at the federal level of more than $10 billion in 2002. We also estimate that, if there was an amnesty for illegal aliens, the net fiscal deficit would grow to nearly $29 billion.

Among the findings:

• Households headed by illegal aliens imposed more than $26.3 billion in costs on the

federal government in 2002 and paid only $16 billion in taxes, creating a net fiscal

deficit of almost $10.4 billion, or $2,700 per illegal household.

• Among the largest costs are Medicaid ($2.5 billion); treatment for the uninsured ($2.2

billion); food assistance programs such as food stamps, WIC, and free school lunches

($1.9 billion); the federal prison and court systems ($1.6 billion); and federal aid to

schools ($1.4 billion).

• With nearly two-thirds of illegal aliens lacking a high school degree, the primary reason

they create a fiscal deficit is their low education levels and resulting low incomes and

tax payments, not their legal status or heavy use of most social services.

• On average, the costs that illegal households impose on federal coffers are less than half

that of other households, but their tax payments are only one-fourth that of other

households.

• Many of the costs associated with illegals are due to their American-born children, who

are awarded U.S. citizenship at birth. Thus, greater efforts at barring illegals from

federal programs will not reduce costs because their citizen children can continue to

access them.

• If illegal aliens were given amnesty and began to pay taxes and use services like households

headed by legal immigrants with the same education levels, the estimated annual

net fiscal deficit would increase from $2,700 per household to nearly $7,700, for a

total net cost of $29 billion.

• Costs increase dramatically because unskilled immigrants with legal status — what

most illegal aliens would become — can access government programs, but still tend to

make very modest tax payments.

• Although legalization would increase average tax payments by 77 percent, average costs

would rise by 118 percent.

• The fact that legal immigrants with few years of schooling are a large fiscal drain does

not mean that legal immigrants overall are a net drain — many legal immigrants are

highly skilled.

• The vast majority of illegals hold jobs. Thus the fiscal deficit they create for the federal

government is not the result of an unwillingness to work.

getting back to the topic at hand, americans moving to brazil, in particular older ones looking to retire. One can just imagine an older american, set in his ways, accustomed to getting problems solved in a fairly quick and efficient manner, having been raised in business climate that gives priority to the customer, and values the retention of his business, then the business climate in brazil, where no one gives a rats ass if they resolve your problem nor how long it takes to resolve it. Where the very systems of customer service are designed to frustrate the customers to such a degree that most eventually give-up on their complaint as its costing more in phone calls and time then they will benefit. And to even the most dedicated to solving a problem, a median wait time period of 2-3 months to resolve even the simplest of problems like a mis-billing.

wow, i was crackin up reading all of the comments!!! i thought that the man who wrote the original article sounded like a total jackass! almost made me embarrassed to be an american... except i'm a woman and pasty old white retired men don't represent any one but themselves!
there isn't a place on earth that has everything you could ever dream of, and there was you can bet that it would be owned by some rich ass or some corrupt government and the rest of us wouldn't be able to see it let alone enjoy it anyways!!!
and what kind of person buys land in a foreign country and actually creates a "community" ?! isn't that just recreating the same crap he was leaving the US for in the first place? nobody wants newcomers spoiling everything with the bad habits they bring with them... my advice to retirees/investors searching for what they think is the perfect new country------ stay your asses at home! if you absolutely must come to places like brasil, do it on a vacation!
give something back to wahtever community you are tagerting to reside in, don't just take take take from it because you feel you have the financial power to do so!!! don't you think that the government is already raping the citizens enough as it is?!?!?!?! now they have to have the likes of people like the author vamping on them, expecting- no demanding- all the hospitality they fell entitled to????

we live in a global community..."have passport, will travel" but damn! if you are going to move to another country, try to learn the language and culture BEFORE you get there, don't move there and then try to terach eveyone around you YOUR language and bulls**t customs.


I pity the residents of the town this guy is planning on moving to with a few of his chosen friends... may they take him for all he's got

wow, i was crackin up reading all of the comments!!! i thought that the man who wrote the original article sounded like a total jackass! almost made me embarrassed to be an american... except i'm a woman and pasty old white retired men don't represent any one but themselves!
there isn't a place on earth that has everything you could ever dream of, and there was you can bet that it would be owned by some rich ass or some corrupt government and the rest of us wouldn't be able to see it let alone enjoy it anyways!!!
and what kind of person buys land in a foreign country and actually creates a "community" ?! isn't that just recreating the same crap he was leaving the US for in the first place? nobody wants newcomers spoiling everything with the bad habits they bring with them... my advice to retirees/investors searching for what they think is the perfect new country------ stay your asses at home! if you absolutely must come to places like brasil, do it on a vacation!
give something back to wahtever community you are tagerting to reside in, don't just take take take from it because you feel you have the financial power to do so!!! don't you think that the government is already raping the citizens enough as it is?!?!?!?! now they have to have the likes of people like the author vamping on them, expecting- no demanding- all the hospitality they fell entitled to????

we live in a global community..."have passport, will travel" but damn! if you are going to move to another country, try to learn the language and culture BEFORE you get there, don't move there and then try to terach eveyone around you YOUR language and bulls**t customs.


I pity the residents of the town this guy is planning on moving to with a few of his chosen friends... may they take him for all he's got

Kill your local USA- citizen. f**king Yankees, stay home!!

Where do you learn the CULTURE and LANGUAGE of a country BEFORE you get there? Think you are asking a little too much of us simple gringos, we can pick up some lingo and keep plugging away once we are here. But to do alll that before we leave jeez you some sort of genius bud, we dont all operate on your intellectual and cross culturally sesntive level.

about coming to Brasil and expecting to live like in the US. But what about someone in his 50s who just wants to live simply with the locals - not in an American gated comminity?

The only modern convenience that I want that is not available in the favelas is indoor plumbing - and I hate cars and haven't worn a watch in decades. Does anyone know what happens to people like that?

I've been in Brasil four times - once for 4 months. The first time was the best: I got to Salvador before it went Disney. I have found the people to be friendly and I've never been treated that badly except for the time I was robbed by some glue-sniffing types in Sampa and then they didn't even manage to get all my money. I had 40 reais and they only got 20.

I'm disgusted by what my country has become. Does anyone think I might be able to live a modest existence in Brasil. I am well-educated and have some useful scientific skills.

quote:

"I have found the people to be friendly and I've never been treated that badly except for the time I was robbed by some glue-sniffing types in Sampa and then they didn't even manage to get all my money. I had 40 reais and they only got 20.

I'm disgusted by what my country has become."

How many times have you been robbed in your country?

Every 2 weeks money is taken from my paycheck and used to finance the slaughter of innocent people by the tens of thousands. I'd much prefer to finance somebody's drug habit. The slaughter that my money finances gives rise to terrorism which could result in my death at any time.

LOL...well, obviously you're talking about the U.S. I can tell you that one is much more likely to be murdered in brazil, for whatever reason, than someone in the U.S dying from a terrorism attack.

"The slaughter that my money finances gives rise to terrorism which could result in my death at any time."

Paranoia! Paranoia! Bin Laden's coming to get me!

The above poster is right, you a have far, far, far better chance of being robbed and killed at random in Brazil than you do of having a terrorist kill you for christ's sake! Where's your logic?

However I will agree that some of your taxes are funding what the ol' US gov't is doing in the Middle East right now. And that of course is killing thousands, but they're ultimately trying to make life easier for you by freeing up more oil reserves that our arab pals are sitting on out there, and ultimately dropping energy costs for you in the USA so that you can be happier and not move to Brazil. Yes, in the meantime they are breeding more terrorists. Not to mention that the methods of which they are going about letting those commodities hit the market easier are questionable. Also questionable is the Brazillian gov't doing nothing about the thousands of slaves in the middle of the country picking corn for the E85 you could pump into your car, which by the way would run like a lawnmower on crack afterwards. Maybe you would be better off with Brazil's self-sufficient energy program and E85. Well, good ridance! More oil for the other Americanos!

I will not under any circumstances own another automobile - no matter where I live. I haven't owned one for ten years and I didn't drive it much when I did own one. Even living in a country that is energy independent (I don't know if Brasil is yet) fueling them with biofuels and operating them would cause severe environmental damage if their use is widespread. Imagine what the air would be like in Sao Paulo if the percentage of Brazilians that drove cars was even half that of the U.S. Imagine how many worker would be enslaved to produce the ethanol (I didn't know that Brasil used corn for ethanol production. I thought it was all sugarcane-based.)

I know Brasil is not perfect but I doubt that it is any more corrupt than the U.S. I also know that the murder rate is among the highest in the World. But here I am forced to finance Imperialism. I am also forced to support the imprisonment of a larger fraction of the population than anywhere else in the world. These people are enslaved as well.

I am extremely unmotivated living in this system. I really can hardly function in my job or in society. I feel like I am barely alive.

quote:

"I know Brasil is not perfect but I doubt that it is any more corrupt than the U.S. I also know that the murder rate is among the highest in the World. But here I am forced to finance Imperialism. I am also forced to support the imprisonment of a larger fraction of the population than anywhere else in the world. These people are enslaved as well."

My friend, move to brazil, and after a few years you tell me which gov't. is more corrupt.....you'll see the blatent corruption that happens on ALL levels of gov't. here in Brazil. Even city councilmen participate in corruption, it's a system of corruption in brazil, you participate or you don't.

You're forced to support the imprisonment of a larger fraction of the population than anywhere else in the world???? Please, explain, you've lost me there. Are you talking about the percentage of americans that are enprisioned??? Well maybe that's because our justice system, in comparison to most others, works. People actually go to jail if they commit crime. Why do you think there are so many murders here in brazil? Because they rarely get caught. Did you know that in most places in brazil when a murder occurs the police don't even take fingerprints, and naturally DNA is out of the question. They take a couple photos, talk to the neighbors, and if there weren't any eyewitnesses, basically case closed.

As far as your last 2 sentences, lol, you sound like you have some serious mental health issues. Might be good to talk to a psychologist about those.

to the above post: I couldn't agree more. What's with this whiny sap? If he feels so crippled by living in the USA I suggest he moves to Canada; Brazil would eat him alive. Then sign him up for some mental therapy.

" Did you know that in most places in brazil when a murder occurs the police don't even take fingerprints"

that's because they don't have a national database for fingerprints to match them up against, it would do no good in them taking fingerprints to run a match. The ONLY reason for them taking fingerprints would be if they had a suspect, then they would have to take his and match them up against one another.

When brazil started fingerprinting americans in retaliation for the U.S. doing it to everyone after 9-11 when entering the country, brazil, after the first few months, had to dump all the fingerprints they had previously taken, the system they had/have in place system didn't have the space for all that data. Truly laughable. They'd bite off their nose to spite their face.

OK. The last couple of sentences were sappy and I'm kind of embarrassed that I wrote them, even though there is some truth in it. I'd also have to admit that many people would recommend therapy - although I'm inclined to think that I'm sane in an insane society.

I'm not convinced that I'd be eaten alive in Brazil. My experience doesn't support this view. Most people seemed decent enough. My impression is that if want to live like most people and not get involved in somebody's get-rich-quick scheme you'll do fine.

Wow!!!!
If there are millions of Brazilians coming to America, I'm going to Brazil!!
Somebody has to take care of all of those fertile women!!!!!!

Environmental damage???

If everyone in Sao Paulo flushed their toilet at the same time, the city would have no water.

Why I like all my americans browned on both sides with some fava beans and red wine.

Sounds like Richard Conti is a nice guy who just wants to have fun with the time he has left; more power to him.
I'm not sure it is wise to advertise the development of a gringo village in Brazil.
As Americans, we would be the visitors in someone else's land.
We shouldn't just go there and be a slug on their society by using their house girls, cooks and personal trainers.
If and that is if you decide to visit Brazil, be nice, know that you are representing America and expect things to be different.
Buy or rent, live there or visit, we should do so with respect to the host country.
I’m happy for Richard if he does have a Brazilian girlfriend. There are many very nice Brazilian girls inside and outside Brazil. Just be careful whom you choose to be with.
Heck, you can get rip off by many a girl right here in the USA, so let’s not knock the girls from elsewhere. It happens everywhere.

Is there any pro-America American here???
All I hear is about the whinning on Iraq and the war on terrorism.
America DOES NOT use terror to promote its agenda, regardless whatever some may say.

If George Bush created the current level of terrotism around the world, what do you call those acts of terror before he was elected?

I pay my taxes and will elect the leaders who best represent my views. SO much about all this non-sense.

By the way, I grew up in Brazil and will be sworn in as a US Citizen next week.

I immigrated to be an American. The americans in this site sound like hippies with the impossible ideals of "piece on earth".etc.. pure Miss Universe answers to world problems...


Cant wait to tel the Brazilian government to shove my old papers up their asses.

Brazil started all wrong in 1500 and it will be backwards for eternity..

This guy is so far into the honeymoon phase, its pathetic. If it sucks in the USA, its not much better here. Its very expensive here (sorry to dissapoint our Florida friend) crime is bad, no really really bad, and the government is inept. I can tell you want to do some business in Paraiba, this will not sel in the USA so you had better re visit and learn about Brazil before you write the garbage you did. Brazil has many great things about it, but be realistic please!

One right here! Welcome to the US, my new fellow American! I get disgusted by some of these self-loathing anti-americans on here,too.

"I'm not convinced that I'd be eaten alive in Brazil. My experience doesn't support this view. Most people seemed decent enough. My impression is that if want to live like most people and not get involved in somebody's get-rich-quick scheme you'll do fine."


HAHAHAHA!!! And just how much experience is that oh crazy one??!! Seeing that many people are recommending you getting therapy....LOL. Shouldn't you be doing other things to try and insure your survival, and a postive contribution to society than posting your delusional opinions on the 'net.

I'm a pro-america american, and although the U.S. doesn't use terror to promote its agenda, it has certainly been using the "threat of terrorism" to instill fear and promote certain groups agendas.

Don't get me wrong, I've been living in brazil for 6+ years now, this country is a joke, truly a shame for most brazilians who have nothing to do with the situation. And yes, it's ludicrous at best when someone starts to spout off that brazil is a better place to live, or to retire, than the U.S., and especially for a U.S. citizen. It may be cheper...in SOME areas, but much more expensive in others. And certainly don't expect to get the same level of service and the type of services, quality of services, here in brazil that is available in the U.S. This should be common knowledge, afterall, brazil is the third world.

quality of character goes a long way in Brazil, in both personal and business relations. Brazilians are generally fun loving and full of life, so it's no surprise that these miserable antisocial losers had a bad experience there. For those reading who are looking for any real advice....don't take these forums too seriously. They are being flooded by two or three pathetic individuals who are upset becasue people don't treat them with respect (rightfully so), or even notice they exist (outside the internet). They are extremely jealous of people who are happy, getting laid, living life to the fullest, and not sitting in their parents basement at 40 years old posting angrily on forums all day. They attack Brazil because it represents an image of beauty, happiness, and sex.....all of which their life lacks. Don't worry though, you won't encounter them like this in real life, they will be the ones sneaking around quietly wearing Canadian flags while they travel. The anonyminty of the internet provides them with the courage they need to realease their anger and jealousy

quality of character goes a long way in Brazil, in both personal and business relations. Brazilians are generally fun loving and full of life, so it's no surprise that these miserable antisocial losers had a bad experience there. For those reading who are looking for any real advice....don't take these forums too seriously. They are being flooded by two or three pathetic individuals who are upset becasue people don't treat them with respect (rightfully so), or even notice they exist (outside the internet). They are extremely jealous of people who are happy, getting laid, living life to the fullest, and not sitting in their parents basement at 40 years old posting angrily on forums all day. They attack Brazil because it represents an image of beauty, happiness, and sex.....all of which their life lacks. Don't worry though, you won't encounter them like this in real life, they will be the ones sneaking around quietly wearing Canadian flags while they travel. The anonyminty of the internet provides them with the courage they need to realease their anger and jealousy

Whoa-ho! Looks like somebody's a little riled up! Thanks for pigeon-holing everybody who offers constructive critcism into a neat little package that suits your beliefs. You only WISH that a 1/4 of that little rant you went on was true. How can you mix honesty with being a loser?!

"Whoa-ho!" lol what kina nerd says that. The dudes post might have been a bit harsh but it's probably mostly true. I've never been to Brazil but I have some friends who went for vacation and one who worked there for a few years and they all had a great time. To the guy who wrote the article, go there and have a good time. I hear it's one of the most beautiful countries in the world

quote:

"They are extremely jealous of people who are happy, getting laid, living life to the fullest, and not sitting in their parents basement at 40 years old posting angrily on forums all day."

No, brazilians aren't in the basement at 40 years of age, but a large percentage are still living with mommy and daddy.

As far as brazil being portrayed as some tropical paradise with dancing girls and sipping caipirinhas beachside, that is how many want to portray brazil and decide to ignore the reality, which of course is a very sad one with one of the highest murder rates in the world, an estimated 40 million living on less than 2 dollars a day, the highest level of unequal distribution of income on the planet, the second leading country in the world in regards to number of prostitutes, and ALWAYS a corruption scandal on the local, state, and federal levels, highest interest rates in the world, bar no one.

Great place to kick back and retire.

Top 10 Reasons to Live in Brazil:

1. Your car broke and you can't leave.
2. You can't get a date, but you live within walking distance to Help Disco.
3. You like eating mostly meat.
4. You can live without Peanut Butter.
5. You really enjoy bad tasting cakes.
6. You enjoy waiting six months for the plumber to fix that leaky pipe.
7. You like being in a place that has the most beautiful women in the world.
8. You can actually get to the ocean. No one has bought the land and gated it off.
9. Cheap clothes and food.
10. You have a desire to pay 3 times what you pay in the US for electronics.

Top 10 Reasons to Live in the USA:

1. You want to be around women who want to act like men. (oh, that's sexy)
2. You want to pay 10 times the property tax rate.
3. You can get most things done very fast! Now comes the bill :-(
4. You don't have to worry about knowing your neighbor. They won't speak to you either.
5. You want to pay several thousands of dollars for a home, then install Brinks Security.
6. You live for the day someone trips in your yard and sues you for everything you
have worked so hard for.
7. You like having two friends.
8. You like paying state tax on your income (most states)
9. You enjoy your trips to the doctor, where he/she spends 5 minutes with you, only to
give you some antibiotics or something else unrelated to what is wrong because his golf
or financial portfolio is on his mind and he really needs to get to his next patient
because he doesn't give a flip about your health anyway.
10. You like your dentist grinding your teeth down and installing caps. He does it because the profit margin is higher than doing fillings.

There are numerous differences between living in Brazil and living in the US.
Live where you desire. Realize the differences and enjoy what life you have left.
Both locations have the pluses and minuses.
Why not enjoy the best of both?

"1. You want to be around women who want to act like men. (oh, that's sexy) ."

I am a Brazilian that prefers assertive American women than Brazilian bimbos with empty brains.

Dear friend,
Don´t come to Brazil. Stay right there in the States and bear all crime films on TV, musical trash, egotists ,obese people, ugly women, selfishness.and
ignorance about other lands.
Yes.. please stay there together with your countrymen.

O que você está fazendo aqui ainda cara? Volta. volta logo pra lá.
Aquela vida tipo 1984 deve ser mais apropriada para você. Você pode traduzir isto para os seus patricinhos ignorantes e biased.

"Whoa-ho!" lol what kina nerd says that. The dudes post might have been a bit harsh but it's probably mostly true. I've never been to Brazil but I have some friends who went for vacation and one who worked there for a few years and they all had a great time. To the guy who wrote the article, go there and have a good time. I hear it's one of the most beautiful countries in the world.

Never been to Brazil eh? Get f**ked then . . . You don't know s**t and won't until you've been. Every once in awhile some s**t for brains like you comes in and tells us "how it is" in a country you've never set foot in. What a loser!!! BTW - your friends had a great time because prostitutes, like cocaine, are cheap and plentiful in Brazil . . .

LOL!!!

Couldn'ta said it better myself

Where you can sit around fat ugly pessimistic miserable bigoted people like yourself and compare notes.

Americans LOVE to focus on the negative and pessimistic while Brazilians just live their friggin lives and try their best to enjoy them.
To an American the glass if overflowing with piss. To a Brazilian the glass is overflowing with capirinha.

Come on...
I bet you are 12 years old.

Reference your comment: "I am a Brazilian that prefers assertive American women than Brazilian bimbos with empty brains."
PLEASE...come to America and take the women. Please.
I'd take a peaceful brazilian woman way sooner than I'd even consider a nasty mouthed american bitch.
So come on. Come to America.
The women are like a cute puppy, but they grow up and turn into a big, ugly mut that will crap on you sooner or later.

I'm enjoying the comical back and forth banter, but I'm afraid I'm missing out on some of the terms. What are these abreviations...LOL, BTW, etc. Someone help?

It means:

LIE ON LIE! And it is written by the guy who writes probably 90% of these ridiculous posts!

What the hell does that mean?????????

well, as I'm typing this there have been over 100 attacks in the state of sao paulo alone during the last 36 hours. There have been 52 people killed in the state of sao paulo alone, and 62 uprisings in prisons all throughout brazil....this all in the last 36 hours.

During this time period, there have been 32 fatalities in IRAQ!!!!!

WHOMEVER THE f**k SAYS THAT BRAZIL IS A PEACEFUL, LOVING PEOPLE IN SOME TROPICAL PARADISE WONDERLAND HAS NEVER BEEN HERE AND DOESN'T KNOW HIS ASS FROM A HOLE IN THE GROUND!

http://oglobo.globo.com/online...173846.asp



HORROR IN SAO PAULO!!!!



GREAT PLACE THIS BRAZIL.....

the death count is now up to 63. In the states we have a saying, "the inmates running the asylum", here in brazil, that is actually what happens.

Organized crime and drug gangs are so prevalent and powerful here in brazil, they are working hand in hand with powerful people within the police, the military, and politicians, to the point where they actually run cities like Rio de Janeiro when all is done and said.

It's truly a shame that the people of brazil have to put up with such criminal behavior, and not only from the criminals, but the very people they elect and put in positions of public security.

The violence in Sao Paulo is at or near prisons. Most Brazilians don't see this.
It's the drug lords just pushing back as they like to think they run things and they don't.

If we place the top 10 stories from the Washington Post in here and say that America is not a great place to live or that its horror!!!!! then this would be the same type of fear mongering.

Brazil is a good place to live.
America is a good place to live.
Both have pluses and minuses.
Where you live is up to you.
Have fun, reduce your risk by traveling with others, dress like you are average, leave the jewelry at home, and be careful everywhere.
I hope you have a good life. Most of the people in the world are hard working and good people.

OK, I see the poison oozing out of the corner of your mouth, but maybe you can still save yourself from your cynicism and stupidity.

I would invite you to read:

Bill Bryson, Kurt Vonnegut, George Orwell, A.J.Langguth (Hidden Terrors - The Truth About U.S. Police operations in Latin America - Pantheon Books, New York, 1978 ), Steven Lukes ( The Curious Enlightment of Professor Caritat ), Michael Moore, Anthony Burgess, JUST TO START WITH.

But, don´t forget reading your daily newspapers where you can find every American blemish clearly exposed.

If you had read the L.A.Times - 05/14/2006 you could have seen this:

Emerging Nations Powering Global Boom.

" The soaring economies of China, India, Russia, BRAZIL and other emerging nations increasingly are setting the pace , overshadowing the slower growth of the US, Europe and Japan, where the benefits of the expansion have eluded many workers. "

That´s all. Be sure I am not going to ever read whatever crap you may write back. I´ve have spent too much time with a worm like you .

Bye, Hope you don´t die from your own poison.

quote:


"The violence in Sao Paulo is at or near prisons. Most Brazilians don't see this.
It's the drug lords just pushing back as they like to think they run things and they don't."

Most brazilians don't see this?? And the NINE BUSES that were set ablaze in the streets of Sao Paulo??? People aren't seeing that? The drug lords like to THINK they're running things?? Oh really? So they're not running things huh? Tell me this, do you think that a group of organized crime, drug dealers, could literally shut down entire sections of an international city such as New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles as they have done on numerous occasions in Rio de Janeiro???? You saw what happened during the riots in the nearly all black neighborhoods of southcentral LA 15 years ago! You send in the police, and if you must, the national guard.

As I'm sure you know, its very difficult for those in power to truly take a tough stand against this type of activity against these drug lords....because MANY of brazils own military generals, police, and politicians are receiving payoffs from these very drug lords and gangs!! This is what you get when you have a country that is so ripe with corruption that the prisoners are not only running the prisons, but actual cities!!

Firstly the military police force, the civilian police force, and the politicians need to discover just who is on the "take" in these departments and put them in prison, and just how difficult is that going to be when you have some VERY powerful people that are on the take.

This is absurd, and please, don't try and compare this with activities that happen in the U.S.!! Over this time period since these riots have begun they have nearly DOUBLED the death toll in IRAQ!!!! And that's a f**king war where suicide bombing is the soup de jour!!

sorry, just reading the news from last night!!! There have now been 65, SIXTY-FIVE, buses set ablaze in the state of sao paulo!!! 45 in the capitol of Sao Paulo!!! There are now 4,000 buses that ARE NOT RUNNING!!!! HOW'S THE f**kING SECURITY FOR THE SECOND LARGEST CITY IN THE WORLD!! AND I HEAR MANY HERE SPOUT OFF ABOUT TERRORISM IN THE U.S.??? BRAZIL NEEDS TO WORRY ABOUT ITS OWN CITIZENS!!

buddy, this is what you get when you keep a people down as the brazilian system does with populations that reach the 40-50% range.


You reap what you sew.

"Bill Bryson, Kurt Vonnegut, George Orwell, A.J.Langguth (Hidden Terrors - The Truth About U.S. Police operations in Latin America - Pantheon Books, New York, 1978 ), Steven Lukes ( The Curious Enlightment of Professor Caritat ), Michael Moore, Anthony Burgess, JUST TO START WITH."

Michael Moore??? LMAO!!! What an idiot!!! So I guess this is once again, all an american conspiracy against brazilians huh? Today's brazilian reality is a direct result of the U.S. and it's policies and has nothing to do with the vast corruption that invades every nook and cranny of brazilian government. For the love of christ, wake up and spit!! Until brazilians take responsibility for the s**t reality they've created for 40% of its population it will NEVER even begin to solve these problems.

what I don't understand is when I go to many brazilian news internet sites the main picture on these sites are of the brazilian national team football coach!!!

It appears that Sao Paulo is in a state of civil war!!! One would think that would take preceidence over soccer!

Gang attacks kill scores, disrupt Brazil's biggest city

Monday, May 15, 2006; Posted: 9:48 a.m. EDT (13:48 GMT)


Relatives of inmates watch as shock troops enter a prison Sunday in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Sao Paulo (Brazil)
Riots

SAO PAULO, Brazil (AP) -- A criminal gang's deadly wave of attacks on police and prison riots extended into Monday, raising the reported death toll to 70 during four days of violence that have started to choke normal life in South America's largest city.

Brazilian news media reported that the federal government was preparing to send troops to enforce control of Sao Paulo.

Officials said Sunday that the death toll had reached at least 52 after at least 100 separate attacks since Friday, but the Globo TV network reported that additional overnight attacks had raised the toll to "more than 70."

Most of those dead were reported to be police officers targeted by a powerful criminal gang protesting the prison transfer of some of its leaders. Officials said they had arrested at least 72 suspects.

Attacks on public buses prompted many companies to halt service, stranding thousands of people trying to reach work on Monday.

Officers in bulletproof vests set up checkpoints to search vehicles, and barriers were placed in front of many police stations.

Assailants attacked patrol cars, bars where off-duty policemen gather, a courthouse and a highway police outpost. Local media reported that the assailants used guns, shotguns, grenades, machine guns and homemade bombs.

Witnesses to the killing of police officer Jose Antonio Martinez told the Folha Online that two men wearing face masks approached as the officer was dining with his wife, shot him several times in the head and ran. His wife was unhurt.

"We can't let this pass," Nilo Faria Hellmeister, a police officer and friend of Martinez, told the news service.

A few miles away, witnesses said two groups of men bearing heavy caliber weapons appeared in front of a fire station and began shooting at random, killing a firefighter identified only as Alberto.

Dozens of new prison rebellions also broke out, with 41 uprisings under way across Sao Paulo state Sunday afternoon. Inmates were holding more than 229 prison guards hostage.

TV images showed the buses engulfed in flames, while Folha Online said passengers were ordered out of the vehicles before bandits set them ablaze.

Enio Lucciola, spokesman for the Sao Paulo State Public Safety Department, said the attacks and prison rebellions, planned by the First Capital Command, known by its Portuguese initials PCC, "were the most vicious and deadliest attacks on public security forces that have ever taken place in Brazil."

The rebellious inmates, however, have not made any demands nor have they harmed any of their hostages, said Jorge de Souza, a press spokesman of the Sao Paulo Prison Affairs Department.

Relatives stay in prisons to 'show solidarity'
He said visiting relatives were inside several of the prisons but that "we don't consider them hostages because they are there to show solidarity with their jailed relatives. They don't want to leave."

For Walter Fanganiello Maierovitch, an expert on organized crime and Brazil's former drug czar, the PCC resorted to "terrorist tactics," launching attacks that were reminiscent of the violence seen daily in Iraq.

The attacks were in response to the transfer of several imprisoned PCC leaders, a practice authorities use to sever prisoners' ties to gang members outside prison.

Eight PCC leaders were among 765 inmates transferred to a remote, high-security facility in the far western tip of Sao Paulo state.

Caught by surprise
Lucciola said authorities were prepared for some kind of PCC attack once the transfer of its leaders became known.

"But we never imagined it would be so big or ferocious," he said. "It caught us by surprise."

The PCC was founded in 1993 by hardened criminals at the Taubate Penitentiary in Sao Paulo but remained a relatively obscure group until February 2001, when it organized the biggest prison uprising in Brazil's history.

The gang is involved in drug and arms trafficking, kidnappings, bank robberies and extortion, police say.

During a 10-day period in November 2003, the PCC attacked more than 50 police stations with machine guns, homemade bombs, shotguns and pistols. Three officers and two suspected gang members were killed and 12 people injured in the apparent attempt to pressure authorities to improve prison conditions.

The 2001 prison uprising organized by the PCC resulted in the deaths of 19 inmates as the rebellion spread to dozens of penitentiaries and jails across Sao Paulo state.


THE TITLE OF THIS ARTICLE SHOULD BE;


THE MORE I EXPERIENCE IN BRAZIL, THE MORE I'M 100% CERTAIN I NEED TO GET MY ASS BACK TO THE U.S.!!!

"THE MORE I EXPERIENCE IN BRAZIL, THE MORE I'M 100% CERTAIN I NEED TO GET MY ASS BACK TO THE U.S.!!! "

Thank God for that! Please do leave.

"Bill Bryson, Kurt Vonnegut, George Orwell, A.J.Langguth (Hidden Terrors - The Truth About U.S. Police operations in Latin America - Pantheon Books, New York, 1978 ), Steven Lukes ( The Curious Enlightment of Professor Caritat ), Michael Moore, Anthony Burgess, JUST TO START WITH."


Michael Moore?! Are you f**kin' kidding me?! Wow, you're really well read!!!! What a loser!

I've been to Brazil, married a Brazilian. That said, I wouldn't want to live there. I actually did give some thought to doing so, but the change of going from a first to third world country would be too wrenching for me. Brazil has some great attributes, but I couldn't make the leap.More power to those who can, but they shouldn't fool themselves into thinking it's paradise with at discount prices. There's a reason ( many )things are cheap.

quote:


"THE MORE I EXPERIENCE IN BRAZIL, THE MORE I'M 100% CERTAIN I NEED TO GET MY ASS BACK TO THE U.S.!!! "

Thank God for that! Please do leave."

Watch Bush's speech tonight at 8 pm EST....we're sending the ARMY to the border now!!! Good luck brazilians and everyone else that is coming to america to enrolar!!!

where's all the brazil lovers???


chirp...chirp...chirp....LOL.

Hey Keol...you out there buddy? Or were you on one of those 70 buses that went up in flames? Don't go to sleep tonight....they're a comin'!!

as emotional service dogs.

WHILE most people who train animals that help the disabled — known as service animals — are happy that deserving people are aided, some are also concerned that pet owners who might simply prefer to brunch with their Labradoodle are abusing the guidelines.

No one interviewed for this article admitted to taking advantage of the guidelines, but there is evidence that it happens. Cynthia Dodge, the founder and owner of Tutor Service Dogs in Greenfield, Mass., said she has seen people's lives transformed by emotional-support animals. She has also "run into a couple of people with small dogs that claim they are emotional support animals but they are not," she said. "I've had teenagers approach me wanting to get their dogs certified. This isn't cute and is a total insult to the disabled community. They are ruining it for people who need it."

I can see enrolar take advantge is not an exclusive brazilian feature as some illusional freaks who write on this site love to think they can fool anyone to believe in other than themselves . I think people who come here to insult Brazilians, besides all the reaons that has already been said by others posters, are just wisely saving themselves, what losers, some money from long long therapy ssessions by releasing their anglo saxon resentfulness and sea of negative sentimets .The more I hear these English speaking foreigners open their mouths towards anything else besides their asses the more I get nauseated. Go get a dog and don't forget to dine with it in your US, Australia or EU restaurant because you make no diference for Brazil. The reason that make one come to a foreign land does all the difference. You came just to make money, work, then that's all you will get here, nothing else, much probably because you don't have much to give yourselves.
Foreigner who live, work, have families in Brazil think they are entitle to say whatever they want about the country and its people. you are not welcomed in these lands you can be sure. don't open your mouths do it just virtually, you'll be safer this way. Obviously that is an wasted advice as you seem to be so coward and lixo.

G O H O M E

don't come here, do us a single asked favor and forget forever Brasil.

So losers nothing to me tonight? Don't know if you'll have this change so soon.

well i got bored reading all the crap but would like to point out that the yanks dont play football, they play some kind of girly rugby where they have to play with pads to protect themselves while the cuddle around on the floor. Football is what the rest of the world plays with their feet.

I would love to see you get hit by a buy who weighs 250 lbs with sprinters speed, head on without wearing pads. You would die. But I know that statement was just put in there to try to make americans irritated. The fact is I actually like soccer. After all, my 60 year old mom still plays.

This blog is like a brazilian conversation.
We might get home by 2 AM.

Sorry Conti.
All this arguing and bad words
are really depressing.
I think I understand your feelings about leaving the US.
I was reading the web this morning and read some scary news.
I will quote a few ( a very few )highlights.

2 KILLED, 4 WOUNDED IN BROOKLNY SHOOTINGS.
New York - Two men were killed - one by a pair of bicycle-riding gunmen and four others were wounded during several shootings in Brooklyn, police said Saturday.
Foxnews.com 05-16-06

FATHER ALLEGEDLY TOLD GIRL TO LIE IN COURT
Girl told DA, "You can´t make me say (nothing ) I don´t want to say".
PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania (AP) - A man accused of telling his 18-year old daughter to lie on the witness stand about a schoolyard murder was charged with witness intimidation.
www.CNN.com/2006/LAW

THREE DEAD, TWO WOUNDED IN FATAL OHIO STANDOFF.
Sunday May 14,2006
Associated Press

SWANTON - Ohio - A man who stabbed his wife shot an investigating deputy, then held his family hostage before he and the couple´s two children were found dead, authorities said.
www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,195378,00html

MAN WHO STOLE TO PAY DOMINATRIX GETS REAL PUNISHMENT
Tuesday, May 2,2006
NEW YORK (Reuters) - An executive at a heart disease charitable foundation who embezzled close to a quarter million dollars over two years to pay a dominatrix to beat him was sentenced Tuesday to two to six years in prison.
www.cnn.com/2006/LAW?05/02/dominatrix.ap/index

TOLEDO, Ohio (AP) - A priest was convicted Thursday of stabbing a Roman catholic num to death .
... Sister Margaret Ann Pahl was stabbed 31 times through an altar cloth, with the punctures forming an upside down cross. He annointed her with a smudge of her blood on the forehead to humiliate her in death, prosecutors said.

www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/05/11/nun.slaying.ap/index.htm

CNN.com
NEW YORK (AP) - "Sopranos" actor Lillo Brancato Jr. , charged with murder in the killing of a police officer asked a judge on Thursday for a separate trial because he wants his co-defendant to testify in his defense.
www.cnn.com/2006/LAW/05/04/sopranos.killing.ap/index.html

xxxxxxxxx

Unfortunately I can´t extend the quotes list because I have a lot of things to do now.
I do this out of sympathy.
It must be very distressing
reading the US papers every day.
Sorry for not quoting the "politics" news.No time left.
Some day, maybe.

HAHAHAHAHA!!!

HAHAHAHAHA!!!

Just like a "proudful" brazilian to dig up some murder stories in the U.S. and try to equate it to this s**t here!!

Do you want the murder statistics for Brazil????

It has one of the highest murder rates in the WORLD!!

The U.S. averages 10 murders per 100,000 people, in Brazil its 30+ per 100,000, more than THREE times more than the U.S.!!

In brazil MANY murders don't even make the newspapers, it's people killing each other in the favellas so who gives a s**t right?? Business as usual. In the states, 100% of murders that are reported make the news....quite different than here in brazil.

Last year brazil had 50,000+ murders, as it did in 2004 as well. Last year the U.S. had just under 30,000 murders, nearly half the number in brazil, and the U.S. has 120 MILLION more people!!! One can assume that if brazil had a population of 300 million people that it would have in the neighborhood of 90-100,000 murders per year!!!!

Over the last few days in Sao Paulo more people have been murdered than in the U.S.'s war in Iraq!!!! A f**king war!!!! And at least american soldiers are killing OTHER people during WAR, brazilians are simply killing themselves!!!!

Please, don't make yourself out to be so ignorant in an attempt to compare the reality, the danger, that exists in brazil with the U.S. But it's par for the course for many of you bozo's, but I know for certain, that deep down you know the truth, and it just kills you!

Dear Richard:

I might feel delighted by your nice comments about living in Brazil, but as I’m not the kind of person who is alienated by flattering words, I prefer to think that you are just a selfish, individualist character, who’s only interested in getting pleasure with an easy life.

In your nice “dissertation” about Brazil, you forgot to mention that, the very same region where you used to live (Nordeste), the chasm between rich and poor is even higher than in other parts of Brazil. In fact, there’s little social policies, and to make things worse, “Nordeste Brasileiro” has become a paradise for foreigners, especially Europeans, who come here for our “hot, hopeless girls”. Although it’s also true that many Brazilians are equally responsible in this issue.

What we need here, dear Richard, is investment on education, health, and more social policies to tackle corruption and prostitution of our people. I’m fed up with promises from bad politicians, who are very good at political rhetoric. And especially the poor people from Nordeste are the victims of a nasty political system in Brazil, as they are easily deceived by the dirty Brazilian Media.

So, come on Richard, try next time to enlarge the scope of your understanding about Brazil. There might be people who would love your flattering words, by I’m not the sort of person, who is easily deceived by nice, soft words.
P.S. Sugar-daddies