Lázaro Ramos, Brazilian black actor and Globo TV star came to the US to record the last chapter of a series for the Sunday evening show Fantástico, with the kind of visa granted foreign journalists. When Lázaro arrived, the immigration officer let his co-worker, a white, and with the same kind of visa, go by and held him for questioning.

After waiting without any explanation, Lázaro's friend got help from Varig, the Brazilian Airline Company, whose executives took charge and managed to have Lázaro released after 40 minutes.

The actor received no apologies or explanations for the reason why he was held. This is the third time Lázaro goes through such an unpleasant experience upon entering US grounds.

One of the times, Lázaro was coming to New York, where his films were being shown and the producers of the event were paying a tribute to him.

Pier 57 Gets Brazilian Touch

Brazilian architect Michel DeFournier became famous for the resorts he created, a total of 16 throughout the world. The last one is Jequitimar, owned by SBT TV mogul Sílvio Santos, on the São Paulo coast. De Fournier is now finally coming to New York.

Partnering with Italian Giuseppe Cipriani, owner of the famous restaurant chain, De Fournier will build a restaurant complex at Pier 57, New York's trendy spot. The estimated cost is US$ 150 million. De Fournier will arrive in the Big Apple in style. It could not be any other way.

Vale Wants Canadian Canico

Brazilian Vale do Rio Doce, the world's biggest iron ore producer is bidding US$ 612 million for Canadian Canico Resource Corp., which is already established in Brazil, as a producer of nickel.

The unsolicited offer is ready and about to be sent to Canico, and the company's financial director Paul Sweeney has said that they will analyze it promptly.

But Canico's executive director Michael Kenyor has told Reuters news agency that he sees the bid as opportunist. He explained that other companies are interested in Canico, without naming any, which led analysts in the field to say this is a good sign of ongoing negotiations.

Canico is presently building a nickel mine in the northern state of Pará, next to Vale's mine in Carajás. It all seems very fitting indeed.

Brazil Finds More Oil

EnCana, another Canadian company, announced recently the discovery of oil at Bacia de Campos, after finalizing production tests. According to Júlio Moreira, general director for EnCana in Brazil, it is estimated that only one well in the area may be able to produce at least 5 thousand barrels a day.

American Kerr McGee, EnCana's partner in the project has estimated the field's reserves between 100 and 200 million barrels, but the first commercial station will not be operating until 2009 or even 2010.

Brazilian Petrobras announced good news around the same time. Light oil was found in the southern region of the state of Espírito Santo, near the Parque das Baleias (Park of the Whales). Although the company has not said much at this point, experts say it looks very promising.

Jobim Remains Alive

New York genius Woody Allen lives in the same building as Ana Jobim, widow of Tom Jobim. Recently he wrote her a thank you letter after the doorman handled him the book "Cancioneiro Jobim" and the CD "Inéditos" Ana sent him.

Allen also thanked Ana for allowing him to use Jobim's songs in his movie. But the most important part of the letter was when Woody Allen said that Jobim had always been a hero to him and how he wanted to pay a tribute to his genius in his film.

And this is not the only story that shows that Tom Jobim is alive through his work. Dutch singer Josee Kooning paid a tribute to Jobim at the reopening of the De Philharmonie Theatre in Haarlem, near Amsterdam.

The repertoire comes from "Jobim Sinfônico," and Paulo Jobim and Mario Adnet, who joined the concert with the Metropole Orchestra, did the arrangements.

Another tribute to Jobim happened at the Village Vanguard, in New York. During five nights of full house the Slide Hampton Sextet did the show "Slide plays Jobim."

Brazilian musicians who live in New York were invited to join in the show, singer Maúcha Adnet, drummer Duduka Fonseca and pianist Hélio Alves, all Jobim specialists.

Drops

* Rumor goes that the buying of 40% of Brazilian Banco Pactual by Goldman Sachs is slow because the Americans are waiting for the clearing of a problem with André Esteves, Pactual's biggest name, by Central Bank. He is to be man number one of Pactual-Goldman.

* The Emmy Award winner TV drama series "Lost" hired a Brazilian Hawaii resident. Marjorie Mariano, from São Paulo, a professional surfer. Good timing.

* The third biennale conference of the Association of Studies of the African Diaspora in the World is happening for the first time outside of the U.S. in Rio, in October. The choice was made because of Brazil's importance in the history of the Diaspora and the size of its afro-descendent population.

* Calvin Klein, the Brazilian from New York, bought an apartment in Rio at Arpoador beach, and now is building a store at the Fashion Mall, with a branch at Shopping Leblon.

* Brazilian Minister Celso Amorim and Condoleezza Rice have been spending time on the phone, and meeting in person, planning Bush's visit to Brazil confirmed for November 6. Amorim offered powder milk and fresh water to help victims of hurricane Katrina.

* From Brazilianist Thomas Skidmore, about President Lula: "Lula has probably lost his capacity to lead the country. He will be from now on a decorative piece, a president whom no one sees because he is too busy meeting with foreigners." Sad, but true.

* BNDES finished the financial deal for 4.5 billion reais that will allow President Lula to announce soon the beginning of the railroad Transnordestina, which will link 8 northeast states in Brazil. Finally, some good news...

Clara Angelica Porto is a Brazilian bilingual journalist living in New York. She went to school in Brazil and at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Clara is presently working as the English writer for The Brasilians, a monthly newspaper in Manhattan. Comments welcome at clara.angelica@gmail.com.

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