Brazzil

Well, was quite an article, I had to put on my sunglasses after the first couple of paragraphs to atone for the rose-colored ones these authors used. Let's take some of these statements one by one.


"a record increase in the minimum wage, which the Lula government has taken from US$ 70 to US$ 150 in 3 years"

Well now, why didn't you put that value in REAIS??? Why the dollar? Because 3 years ago the dollar was anwhere from a 3-1 up to 4-1 exchange rate. Today it is down to 2.15 to 1. So, this increase certainly didn't double the minimum wage. But, with one of the WORLDS lowest minimum wages, one doesn't have to make much of an increase for it to be perceived as significant. 3 years ago the minimum wage in brazil was 240 reais per month, today it is 300 reais per month and supposedly increasing to 350 reais per month shortly. But our authors found it more advantageous to put it in dollar terms, since it looks better given the devaluation of the dollar.


"massive investments in infrastructure, from roads to airports"

And let me tell you, Brazil NEEDS MORE MASSIVE investments in infrastructure, in particular highways. They are dreadful and must account for a large percentage of auto deaths in brazil every year, which is a world leader in this category.



"and the Brazilian government's actions to break patents on several medications in a bid to stem the ravages of illnesses such as AIDS, hypertension and diabetes."

That was putting it very NICELY. "Break patents", what you meant to say is brazil STOLE the formulas, and basically gave the finger to the big drug manufacturers, and hey, I'm not crazy about those guys either, BUT, they do spend BILLIONS every year in research and development, and it is because of this we have cures for many of the diseases we have today. Not mentioning the fact that it is ILLEGAL, Brazil broke international law when they did this. So, basically, the brunt of the monies that these drug co's. make for R&D is on the shoulders of people in the U.S. Have you ever seen the prices for prescription drugs there??? If you don't have PRESCRIPTION insurance and you're seriously sick.....you're in serious trouble.



"Among the most sophisticated technology for uranium processing was developed in Brazil. While fully compliant with international non-proliferation treaties, Brazil has been known to have a uranium-processing program for years."

This is yet another, "100% brasieiro" project that it's principle components were stolen from French and German technology, and this is well known, and also claimed by the CIA.



"On the international stage, this new America in the Tropics is making a bid to take on a lasting leadership role. In 2005, Brazil announced its intention to seek, along with India, China, Germany and Japan, a permanent seat on the UN Security Council. "


First of all, China IS a permanent member of the security council, they don't need to seek it. There are 5 members, permanent members, the U.S., U.K., France, Russia, and China.

ANYONE can SEEK a permanent chair on the security council, obtaining one is another story. I wouldn't put too much stock on this if I were anyone, I believe Vegas currently has the odds at around 10 million to 1, so it might be worth a couple bucks if you're taking a vacation there.

"This centralization, essential for the decisive program of action set forth in the developmentalist Lula Doctrine, was bolstered by 20 years of military dictatorship from the mid-1960s to the mid-1980s. The period of the dictatorship did much to implant an acceptance of a strong central government in the Brazilian collective unconscious."

EXACTLY, and it's this "unconscious" behavior that prevents brazilian society from taking great strides, it prevents those with the ability to "speak out" and take "action" against this "cancer of corruption".

"Anecdotally, it is hard to find a Brazilian who, even now, 20 years after the demise of the military dictatorship, is willing to go out into the street without his national ID card, for fear of being arrested."

I would say that's a little dramatic, but I get your point, and the fact that it directly effects MOST in truly deciding to do something against the blatently corrupt. They still remember the "days of the dictator" and those that are in comfortable situations wouldn't risk them for all the tea in China.

"The Brazilian financial system is still victim to stark imbalances: the country's banks, among the world's most profitable financial institutions, charge among the highest interest rates in the world and the cost of capital is still prohibitive for most small- and mid-sized companies."

Just to set the record straight, Brazil has THE HIGHEST INTEREST RATES IN THE WORLD!

"Brazilian Internet use is growing exponentially. Orkut, a Google-owned virtual community, has over 7 million users in Brazil alone. The Brazilian government has also made the Internet an increasingly important avenue of communication with the country's 180-million strong population. More advanced in many ways than even First World countries like the US and Canada, in Brazil virtually all dealings with the government can be undertaken over the Internet."

This is definitely looking through rose-colored glasses. You absolutely cannot compare the technology in brazil, in quality nor price, with the U.S. and in most other first world countries. Firstly technology here is at least DOUBLE the price as it is in the states, and for SOME products as much as TEN times the price...and the average brazilian makes around 1/6 of the average american. So, you have inferior products, and technology that are MUCH more expensive. In the greater part of brazil, with possible exceptions in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, you cannot even get a CONSISTANT broad band connection. They are "problem laden", matter of fact, my very own connection in the last 3 weeks has went down, not only for me, but my entire city, THREE days within the last 3 weeks and EVERY DAY since monday of last week, for the last 9 days, throughout the day I'm receiving less than 100k/s and I'm paying for 1 MEG! But this is "normal" here, I've been living off and on here for 10 years, and it is a non-stop battle. Nearly all electronics, and matter of fact, it may be all, are imported, the prices on electronics are ridiculous. A plasma tv that you can buy in the states for $1,300 and a top of the line brand, you will pay 10,000 reais or more in brazil, and it will be a "no name" brand, or one of inferior quality.


"Although the real Brazilian GDP may be less than the US GDP in dollar terms, in terms of what that Brazilian GDP can buy within Brazil as opposed to what the US GDP can buy within the US, the difference may be much smaller than previously imagined."

Well, broad statement, need to be more specific, but first of all, the quoted brazilian GNP is around 600 Billion dollars, and that's taking into accont the weak dollar, the U.S. GNP is 12 TRILLION, 1/3 of the worlds GNP, and approximately 20 times that of brazil. Not to mention the fact, as I previously stated in respect to electronics, there are MANY items here in brazil that are MUCH more expensive than in the U.S. Take cars for example. If one has a honda civic here he's considered upper-middle class, if one has a honda civic in the states it's normally your son's or daughter's.A honda civic here in brazil today is right around 45,000 reais, you can buy them up to 52,000 reais, which is around 21-25 thousand dollars. You can pick up a honda civic in the states for 14K US, and then there's the situation with financing....should we even get into that?? In the states you have deals where you pay 0% interest for 60 months, and don't make your first payment until the 13th month!!

In brazil you're lucky to get a car loan for under 4% per MONTH.

"Socially, the Brazilian government is working overtime to spawn a well-educated, computer-literate middle class that can compete with the world and to lessen the disparities of wealth with massive social programs aimed at the redistribution of wealth."

Well, a hurculean effort will be required, no doubt. The problem is, brazil has MANY "programs", many "laws", and you ALWAYS here the same rhetoric, "well, we have a program in place", or, "we have a law about that, the problem is implementation!"

"It is true that the 2005 growth of the Brazilian GNP (2.3%) was disappointing"

Yes, it certainly was, considering the fact that the rest of the world grew on the average of 4%, so the entire world grew, and so did brazil, but it certainly didn't take advantage of the favorable economic atmosphere, didn't even make "par". But everyone knows, that when the "bust" comes, NO ONE misses that, you can reduce it, or it won't be as bad, but no one misses the "busts", brazil unfortunately missed the "boom".

You know I liked the good doctor's article but I also appreciate it when someone comes in and levels the playing field a bit so to speak. I think it is good to hype Brazil a little bit but this guy sounds a bit too much like Ms. Sparks saying everything is coming up roses. I particularly liked the point about the euphemistically phrased "patent busting" - translation - stealing drug recipes from big pharmies. I agree, I am no friend of big pharmies but Brazil is breaking international law - period. And the US is flipping the bill!!

Only U.S. has the divine right to break international law. Only that they broke it to invade and kill. Brazil broke it to save lives...

Too bad Brazil has to steal to save the lives of HIV positive citizens but still can't manage to save the lives of the tens of thousands who are murdered by guns every year - the world leader in fact. What's going on down there SOY AND BEEF KING, AND NOW, SPACE SUPERPOWER?? Want to cast stones, be prepared to have them cast back when you live in glass houses. Oh and in the sense you are talking about, Brazil broke international law long before the US invaded Iraq.

See little fella Everybody in the world attacks the USA NO HOLDS BARRED - attacks from foreigners like you and from internally by citizens like me. Brazil loves to attack the US but cannot handle a little constructive criticism when it's their turn in the barrel. The US and Americans endure criticism and discrimination on a daily basis - I should know. Poor little Brazilians crying foul when someone has something less than wonderful to say about the new "America in the Tropics". Grow up sonny boy! I never voted for Bush. I hate the man and everything he stands for and have little in common with many of my fellow Americans but that doesn't stop me from hearing all kinds of ridiculous, hateful, discriminatory bulls**t from people all over the world and especially on this site. Buck up little guy and grow some thicker skin!!!

Although I think also that there was some possible exaggeration expressed by the authors, we have to admit that Brazil is doing very well here and there.

Of course, we do have many problems and the anti-Brazilian individuals here in this site would make sure to remind us every time they access this site and write something.

Those anti-Brazilians individuals repeat themselves over and over again, like a mantra, about our problems. I wonder if they have anything else to care about in their lives. They must have pretty boring lives, indeed!

So, if you do not have anything else to add that is original please go to some other web site that talks about the problems of your own country. I believe every country in the world has some s**t things to show unless you consider our s**t better.

A Brazilian

Tudo o mundo, enfia o dedo no cu e cheira!

I call bulls**t on a lot of the statistics in this article. 20 million people of Nissei descent? GET REAL ! Even if you count everybody with 1/4 Jap blood and up, there would probably be no more than 2 - 3 million. TOPS! With glaring errors like those, how can you believe anything else written there?
Also, he brings in a lot of extraneous stuff that doesn't make sense in relation to the topic of the article. Why?
Other than that, a very good article.

Wow! Lula has hired different spinners to do the tricks! how much are you getting for this job? whatever the amount you are getting it is coming out of our (taxpayers) pockets! The comparison to Golbery´s, is it to cuddle the military who hava an eye on Lula´s curruption scheme?
Shame on you!

"Only U.S. has the divine right to break international law. Only that they broke it to invade and kill. Brazil broke it to save lives... "


You know, the same arguement could be made for the U.S. and against brazil. In the U.S. there are MANY that claim that the war there is for the better good of the Iraqi people, that Hussein is gone, a known supressor of human rights and indulged in the torture and mass murder of his own people. Many say that in the long run, U.S. intervention is going to SAVE lives.


Also could be said that brazil's breaking of international law and justification of supposedly "saving lives", it could be said because they are cheating the very companies out of their deserved and legally entitled profits that they will have less money to spend on research and development and therefore may not come up with cures for other diseases, or it will prolong the process, hence killing many.

But you see brazil always has been a country of low morality, their helping their own people so f**k eveyone else, regardless of the situation, and of course, americans themselves feel this brunt of this first hand in the prices they pay for prescription drugs, the burdened is carried by them, so that others may benefit, and in the case of brazil, simply steal the formula, why not, stealing and "enrolar" are very common and accepted brazilian characteristics.

I know there are occationally rude comments expressed by many people here, but I hope the brasileiros will remember that people come to this site because they are interested in Brasil. If we were really anti-Brasil, we wouldn't waste our time.

My friend

They come here to to make negative propaganda about Brazil.

For a person to waist so much time writing so much bad things about Brazil is because they have a Negative propaganda Agenda


Pay Attention

Everytime you have someone writing something good about Brazil you have these propaganda people making full comment about the Bad side of Brazil.

Is just 101 negative propaganda

The first requirement of anyone engaging in an intellectual/policy debate is that he or she be able to give a proper account of the opposing positions. In this piece that authors act as if they have stumbled across some long undiscovered land “America in the Topics” and fail to recognize that they are trending over some of the most discussed issues in contemporary Brazilian politics. They have intellectual blinders on and only pay attention to the friendly data.

The Brazilian economy is not growing (unlike those of China, India, and Indonesia) and without growth, you cannot have development, or the increased political and economic power that come with it. Yes, the debt is down, Bolsa Famila, Bola Escola and ProUni are good programs – but no long-term development is possible until the Brazilian economy starts picking up pace and adding jobs.

Lula knows this. In nearly every speech he gives on economy policy he uses the words “growth”, “jobs” and “sustainability”. He argues that real growth is just around the corner, just about to begin... any day now.

Funny how these authors wrote over 3,000 words, but couldn’t manage to use the terms “jobs” or “employment” once. Such willful blindness is the sure sign of an intellectual hack, a deluded patriot, or a leftist trying to salvage some lost idealism. I used to be the later.

Excuse me; I’m going to go back to waiting for the economy to start growing. Wake me up when it starts.

For those of you who are unfamiliar with the Brazilian dialectic (actually one can hardly qualify it as a dialectic in this instance), this is your introduction.

The first premise is that some blow hard with an inflated CV, who usually studied at an American University mind you, comes in here trumpeting the wonders and altogether spectacular nature of the tropical paradise called Brazil. Invariably he or she will focus on a singular topic like Bio-fuel or Brazil’s newfound status as “space superpower” and herald it as if Brazil alone invented bio-fuel or space flight while the rest of the world stood by awestruck at the scientific and industrial capacity of the new “America of the Tropics”. Oh by the way – before you go jumping up and down, gloating about Brazil’s “supernatural” ability to produce ethanol, thank nature’s abundance for blessing you with a climate suitable for sugar cane but don’t think for one minute that American universities weren’t tinkering with ethanol while Brazilian industrial science was in its infancy. Unfortunately oil barons and other nefarious business interests whose main preoccupation for the last 30 years has been keeping bio-fuels off the market have dominated our own greedy country.

Second premise: Brazil is the most powerful country in the world!! With its 180 million inhabitants, a full 20% of who are illiterate, and an even greater number who are hungry, Brazil manages to surpass all expectations and exports 400 trillion tons of soy and beef each day!!

Third Premise: Brazilians take credit or at least partial credit for every single scientific development of the last 2 centuries. Yes Brazil did build the Opportunity and Spirit Probes currently circling Mars. Yes Brazil did build the first internal combustion engine (little known secret) and yes Brazil has already perfected nuclear fission using coconuts which will offer free power to the world for the next 5 billion years thanks to the kind and generous nature of HIS MAJESTY LULA! All may genuflect now! Brazil also invented the telephone, the computer and Nike Air-Shox shoes.

Fourth Premise: Any and all criminal conduct by Brazilian leaders is promptly ignored and swept under the rug. Any politicians with $250,000 dollars stuffed down their pants while attempting to pass through customs are subjected to the focused anger of the average Brazilian male for approximately 1.8 seconds soon thereafter returning to his favorite pastime - stopping dead in his tracks to stare at the bunda of each and every woman who passes them on the street OR playing soccer on the beach. Women will be incensed for approximately 2.3 seconds after which time they will go have a facelift and promptly plop themselves down on the beach and forget that their whole government is corrupt, inept and incapable of doing anything right.

Fifth Premise: Anyone attempting to disagree with the assertions or claims of the author or any Brazilian poster will be subject to labels like NAZI, GRINGO SCUM, IGNORANT BASTARD or worse. Any Brazilian by contrast is inherently correct and furthermore is a natural born expert on the American way of life despite never having set foot in the country, unless it was to go on a package trip to Disneyworld. If any poster HAS been to America it was to make a living wage and support their families back home. Brazilians send approximately 6 billion back home to their families each year but waste no time back-stabbing that same country that put food in the mouths of their children. Then they will turn around and criticize the capitalist system and all it stands for after they have parasitically fed off it for enough time so as to have amassed enough money to go back to Brazil, never having contributed anything to the American economy themselves. They will not consider this being hypocritical in any sense. These are the rules of engaging a Brazilian.

Sixth Premise: They will take every single criticism of their country and turn it into a debate over the legitimacy of the war in Iraq. Forget that the article was about something entirely unrelated to the war in Iraq, it will invariably turn in that direction as many Brazilian posters, knowing they are in a losing situation, will turn to the lowest common denominator. “Well at least we aren’t slaughtering women and children in Iraq” as if you and I were personally manning an M-60 machine gun, blasting away at whomever we please. They will assume that all Americans adore Bushco and that we love to see women and children die. They will never stick to the argument at hand, but rather question your personal integrity because your illegally elected leader made some disastrous decisions. BUT UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES ARE YOU TO CRITICIZE HIS MAJESTY – LULA!!!! He is a good, upstanding honest man from the Northeast who never had any knowledge of mensalao – perish the thought. Your leaders and country are susceptible to attack on every front but Brazil has nothing but people so happy they smile with their a*****es. Everything is wonderful. There is no hunger, slavery, child prostitution or government corruption. Of course your country demonstrates all these things and worse but Brazil is squeaky clean with streets paved in gold.

Brazil: Polls Show Lula Remains Untouched by Scandals over His Aides

I rest my case. Just look at the indignation Brazilians feel for a man who ran on a campaign of "no more coruuption" but who clearly helped his buddies steal millions from the Brazilian people . . . Of course no Brazilian actually thinks he knew anything about it but that's the happy, shiny Brazilian optimism we all know and love.

Sorry for the interruption - Now back to focusing attention on the war in Iraq

"but no long-term development is possible until the Brazilian economy starts picking up pace and adding jobs. "

What? The government have created millions of jobs.

If it could be more, it doesn't matter, but they did!

"I call bulls**t on a lot of the statistics in this article. 20 million people of Nissei descent? GET REAL ! Even if you count everybody with 1/4 Jap blood and up, there would probably be no more than 2 - 3 million. TOPS"

Do you live in some God forsaken place in the northeast and think you know everything about Brazil there's to know about?

Sao Paulo has the greatest population of japanese descendents outside Japan.

I already worked in a company where about 70% of all employees were japanese descendents.

Those here who criticize Brazil, dont criticize Brazil Society.
They criticize those who govern(ed) the country.
They are the ones who mismanaged the country at the expense of the Brazilian Society.
The Brazilian Society has been robbed every day for the last century by the 20'000 or so families
controlling and owning the country for their own benefits.
For further reference on that subject, everyone can just scroll down this same site, and read the articles written by Christovam Buarque,
Ex State governor, Ex Senator, Ex Minisiter of Education, and declared candidate for your Presidential Election.
His many articles are on the same subjects and same accusations of the forum members who criticize your actual government.

Why do Brazilian forum Members blinded when critics come from a foreigner member and not so much when it comes from a Brazilian ?
Patriotism, ego, nationalism is fine, but at the end you get facts, numbers, ratings, rankings, objectively done by International Agencies AND Brazilian Agencies. Just read also the comments from opposition parties on the actual government policies. They are not
nicer than the critics of foreign forum members. Anyone can also read what your businessmen are saying against this government. It is not flattering at all.
FIESP President, a 8 or 10 months ago even said that the actual policies are lamentable and miserable (his own words). Anyone can find it out, this was in an article on this same site.

Finally it seems to me that the above article is just a propaganda paid by Caïxa2 of the PT party in view of the next elections.
The reality being that all brazilian farmers are struggling, they produce at a loss their soya and beef.
Not later than yesterday Lula and announced a large US$ 7 billion government "help" to farmers. I guess that such an amount is not due because things are as rosy as reported in the above article. Brazil (with other S.A. countries) also asked à US$ 100 million loan from IADB to eradict cattle FMD. If things are so profitable, why cant the government afford such an amount for the well being of your exports ? Knowing especially that this amount will be divided by several countries and during 3 years. It means that Brazil share is most probably 30 % or so. Is Brazil so cash strapped while having $ 60 billion in currency reserves and even bought back some $ debts ?

Can no one see that something doesnt match ?????

I'll tell you what doesn't match . . .
This is an election year and Lula is out wasting money on highly public projects to spring his worthless ass back into office for another 4 years os lying, cheating and stealing. The money you are making in exports is being used to pay down SOME external debt but internal debt is another story. Bolsa this and bolsa that all cost money. New construction on roads and sending the first Brazilian to orbit have come at a great cost to the internal budget. You are still spending money you don't really have. That is what doesn't match my friend. Was it really worth the 50 million Lula allocated to send an astronaut into space to study insects? That goes for all countries - not just Brazil.

have been written by Brazilians readers ....on this site ???

Are you not totally anti FTA for your imports and totally FTA for your exports ?

Strange conception !
Isnt it ?
With whom do you make your biggest trade surplus ? With the country you hate the most. Strange inst it ?
What should this country do with you ?
In my view they should tell you to go to hell ! they dont need you but you need them to sell your goods !

And it is the same for the EU, giving you your second biggest trade surplus. They are number 2 on your list of most hatred countries.

Strange conception !

ISNT IT !

These 2 most hatred countries/regions give you 50 % of your overall trade surplus.

dont you realize yet, that they did not wait for you to develop but that without them as your biggest buyers you will just go to the starting block ?

You may then sell your goods to Angola, Cape Verde and all the Portuguese language countries. You will also have to negotiate with them for the payments of your goods. Probably not in cash....I bet !

"Those here who criticize Brazil, dont criticize Brazil Society."

No, those who criticize Brazil speak as if their home countries were corruption free paradises without any problems at all, and there's such a lack of problems they must speak compulsively about others problems.

I'm not against critics, but this site is made for negative propaganda.

If anyone posted any article in similar terms, but instead of citing the good things it said ONLY THE BAD THINGS, there would be a lot of Nazis around clapping their hands in approval.

The only reason there appears to be so many critics amongst the posters here is that enough of us live in Brazil or have lived there long enough to recognize a PR fluff job when we read one. More and more often the authors of these articles resemble Ms. Sparks - remember her. I have lived in Brazil and have a love/hate relationship with Brazil as do many readers. I also have a love/hate relationship with my own country but the difference is my country, the USA, receieves plenty of media scrutiny and crticism. Maybe we as Americans have grown thicker skin but Brazil just can't stand to hear the other side of the story that is all too often omitted for the sake of glamorizing Brazil. Most of us know there is a darker side to the McArticles written here and want the readers to know the whole truth. I spend a lot of my time on other message boards decrying the abhorrent behavior of my own president and the generally brain-dead population of Americans who think everything is still hunky dory. Why can't Brazilians do the same and accept a little criticism from a country that has already been through much of what you are headed for with your new and improved super export and SUPER CONSUMER status?

Brazil government is against the FTAA, but is negotiating a FTA with the EU.
They are craving, begging to have it signed and at the same time have harsh critics on them !
I bet.....the EU is expecting another attitude and other change in social and edconomic policies from the Brazilian leaders before signing.
The EU has been enlarged with several ppors Eastern Europeans countries.
We help them, but they know they have to play by the EU rules in social inclusion, tax collection,basic and high investment in education, positive economic developments, infrastructure.

It happens that these countries are developing at over twice the rate of Brazil.
Asian countries too, grew at over twice the rate of Brazil.
Most Latam, S.A. and Caribeans
countries are also developing at a much faster rate than Brazil.
It happens that Brazil grew only slighlty better than Haïti.

Brazil, wake up, stand up, it is time for A CHANGE FOR THE BETTER NOT THE WORSE !!!!

You have been taken for a ride for 1 century by your governing leaders and your minority elite. You have been brainwashed by them since then. Their policies should have protected you and not themselves.

"the USA, receieves plenty of media scrutiny and crticism"

I seriously doubt it. Brazil's own media bashes Brazil mercilessly, not to mention the foreign media that only talks about the bad things.

Not only Brazil, but every single developing nation is bashed by the media.

And you buy this crap and believe in it.

"It happens that these countries are developing at over twice the rate of Brazil."

Your over generalization of matters is disturbing. This piece of data may work in the opposition political campaign this year, BUT ANY BRAZILIAN IS WELL AWARE OF THE ECONOMIC STABILITY WE HAVE LIVED FOR MORE THAN A DECADE.

Although it's not enough to be perfect, but I wouldn't bash it so easily. It has its merits.

Now go on with your sophisms trying to get some more applause from the Nazi audience in this site.

Hey Gringo Monkeys

I'm standing here behind you with a coconut stuck up my ass waiting for you to milk it
Down with Butcher Bush

Sorry everyone I was just trying to get the drop on that f**king retard Keol . . . He was sure to be in here sooner or later!

quote:


"Your over generalization of matters is disturbing. This piece of data may work in the opposition political campaign this year, BUT ANY BRAZILIAN IS WELL AWARE OF THE ECONOMIC STABILITY WE HAVE LIVED FOR MORE THAN A DECADE."


Economic stability for over a decade???That's what one would think that doesn't know any better. Inflation well over 10% in many years, the real fluctuating in the world market anywhere from 20% to 75%, that's what has happened in the last 10 years....you call that stability??

The reason you call it so is because to YOU it is stability, to the rest of the world, at least the first world, it's insane.

I am also an american, and living in brazil for the last 10 years, own a business, have brazilian family, etc. These "pieces" that try and paint brazil, as the author in this article describes, as a "new america in the tropics", are absurd at best, talking about permanent seats on the UN security council, how brazil has uranium processing plants that are "100% brasileiro", which is bulls**t by the way, choosing to look at only the positives, but not at reality.

Until the grave problems in wealth distribution are addressed, education principally, infrastructure throughout the country, and other BASIC fundamental problems, brazil will NEVER be a power to be reckoned with. I'm not stating this because I like it, I'm stating this because it's reality!

But there are a segment of brazilian population, in particular the ruling factions, that just LOVE these pieces, they want everyone to be PROUD of brazil, to look past the little problems like starvation, wealth distribution inequality, one of the lowest minimum wages on the planet, slave labor, 2nd in the world in numbers of prostitutes, #1 in the world in hate crimes and murder against gays, world leader in murder and crime and corruption, police corruption and brutality, drug cartels controlling major metropolitan cities.....let's just forget all that, let's look at our ethanol production....world leader, let's look at the fact that we just sent a man to outerspace, let's look at the fact that we're having record surpluses in trade, etc, etc, etc.

I mean come on guys, I feel quite sure, that there are MANY here that aren't brazilian, that would LOVE to see, and not only love, but have an INTEREST in seeing brazil move forward, improve, gain wealth and respectability. But the fact remains that the very SYSTEM that is in place here in brazil is one of corruption, if you're a newly elected politician, you either participate in the system or else. If you plan on trying to change it, well, you'll disappear, plain and simple.

Here's my opinion on Lula, I really think that the guy is an honest guy, with all due respect, he's too stupid to have a plan of corruption as what has taken place and think he'd get away with it. I think the guy had the best of intentions, but then he got elected, now he's in the "hot seat", then shortly after he discovers the "system" that he has to participate in, and he either participates, or tries to change the system, something that no one is going to do without blood being shed. He had to play along and attempt to do what he thought was right, as much as he could, along the way. Doesn't excuse what has happened, doesn't excuse the fact that he more than likely damn well knew what all these aides and self-appointed ministers were doing in the name of the very party he represents.

In summation, brazil is at a minimum, 5 generations from becoming a "power to be reckoned with", or even, for the first world countries, a country to be taken seriously. Until brazil can clean up this mess it has at home, it's certainly not going to be able to dictate on a world level.

Self-sufficient in fuel; #1 exporter of livestock (and soon to be in soybeans and much more); #4 exporter of airplanes; 15% of the fresh H2O in the planet; larger than continental US with less than half of its pop.; any 100 yards of the Amazon has more bio-diversity that the whole of North America; plus a vibrant, happy, friendly & fit people; the best chicks anywhere. In summary, let them open their traps and let their sewage spill roll out. We live in the tropics!
They hid in their tornado bunkers after shoveling snow and cleaning mudslides. They got to be bitter...(hurricane season about to start...focus your efforts in cleaning the New Orleans s**thole! Tchau babacas!)

e sempre a mesma discussao, quem que inventou o aviao ?

Self-sufficient in fuel; #1 exporter of livestock (and soon to be in soybeans and much more); #4 exporter of airplanes; 15% of the fresh H2O in the planet; larger than continental US with less than half of its pop.; any 100 yards of the Amazon has more bio-diversity that the whole of North America; plus a vibrant, happy, friendly & fit people; the best chicks anywhere. In summary, let them open their traps and let their sewage spill roll out. We live in the tropics!
They hid in their tornado bunkers after shoveling snow and cleaning mudslides. They got to be bitter...(hurricane season about to start...focus your efforts in cleaning the New Orleans s**thole! Tchau babacas!)

Now for the flip side:

Highest murder rate in the world by guns. One of the highest rates of child prostitution in the world. Millions upon millions living in favelas and utter poverty. Millions going to bed hungry. 80% literacy rate compared to 95-100% in the rest of the modern world. Highest traffic fatality ratein the world and fewer and fewer kids attending school each year - not more!! Embraer airplanes have the highest rate of mechanical failure of any in the world. Yes we do have to dig out from our snowstorms - god bless America for having the wonderful stuff. And unfortunately for your ignorant Brazilian ass, you will never see it in your lifetime because you will be busy picking up aluminum cans off the beach. We also charge Brazilians $100 a day to fall on their asses attempting to ski on it. Oh and your precious Amazon will be destroyed in less than 50 years at the rate you are going today. You destroyed an area the size of the state of Mass. last year alone. It is sterilized and gone forever kiddo. You drink bottled water for having all that precious fresh water and yes Brazil is slightly bigger than the size of the CONTINENTAL US but there is that little problem with Alaska - also one of the most biologically diverse and beautiful places known to man. Of course you could never hope to see it on a windshield washer salary, but I can tell you - it's incredible.

Yeah you're agriculture is doing so well that the Brazilian government is subsidizing it. This is what your fellow Brazilian pointed out in this thread:
"Not later than yesterday Lula and announced a large US$ 7 billion government "help" to farmers. I guess that such an amount is not due because things are as rosy as reported in the above article. Brazil (with other S.A. countries) also asked à US$ 100 million loan from IADB to eradict cattle FMD."

So babaca, before you start jumping up and down for joy look around at the favelas and the 13 year old prostitutes walking the street. Then think about how much of the Amazon you burned to the ground today. That should put a real smile on your face eh dickhead?
And Brazilians are so happy in Brazil that we catch about 10,000 per month trying to sneak into the US to escape the nightmare that is Brazil. Food for thought f**kless wonder!

Hey babaca - read this about your utopian South American paradise:
http://www.brazzil.com/content/view/9575/

After reading CIA caftbook on Brazil (http://www.cia.gov/cia/publica.../2001.html), I was aware of Brazil has a GDP = $1.568 trillion (2005 est.) while United States, $12.41 trillion (2005 est.) taking into account GDP (purchasing power parity).
It is well-known that Brazil has an informal economy of 40%, not computed in the figures, which leads the actual size of BR economy to $2.1952.

If I calculate so simple rate, the ratio between BR and US economies is around 1/ 5,65 instead of 20, as repeatdly and wrongly said above.

Please check CIA factbook.
Dull dad

"Brazil has a GDP = $1.568 trillion (2005 est.)"


CIA factbook? Check the brazilian gov'ts. own figures! With the dollar at 2.15-1, brazil has a GNP of roughly 650 BILLION, it comes no where close to ONE TRILLION!

Wow! That should make the gringos feel real good and special! More doritos to you!

Why not to check http://www.cia.gov/cia/publica.../2001.html instead of write void words?


Bests,
D. Dad

Funny you mention doritos s**thead!! That's just one more American product you import and eat by the boatload in Brazil. Actually a higher GDP equals more doritos for you.

quote:



"Brazil has a GDP = $1.568 trillion (2005 est.)"


You see that little "est" dips**t??? That means ESTIMATED...and who do you think knows the numbers of the brazilian economy better, the brazilian gov't. or the f**king american CIA??? Would't doubt it at all if it was the CIA.

Check the link. Pls read it. http://www.cia.gov/cia/publica.../2001.html
What a guy....

This is how Lula is making Brazil into a new world power?? Gotta be able to read to become a superpower my friends . . . Check out this article:

Illiteracy Rate in Some Brazilian States Runs from 20 to 30%

http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/6092/53/

This thread is just another example of an author who sprinkles everything with cinnamon and sugar to make it all taste good but it still smells like bulls**t to me.

From CIA report, available at:

http://www.cia.gov/nic/NIC_globaltrend2020_s2.html

Experts acknowledge that Brazil is a pivotal state with a vibrant democracy, a diversified economy and an entrepreneurial population, a large national patrimony, and solid economic institutions. Brazil’s success or failure in balancing pro-growth economic measures with an ambitious social agenda that reduces poverty and income inequality will have a profound impact on region-wide economic performance and governance during the next 15 years. Luring foreign direct investment and advancing regional stability and equitable integration—including trade and economic infrastructure—probably will remain axioms of Brazilian foreign policy. Brazil is a natural partner both for the United States and Europe and for rising powers China and India and has the potential to enhance its leverage as a net exporter of oil.

Found in same report, at
http://www.cia.gov/nic/NIC_glo...0_es.html

With these and other new global actors, how we mentally map the world in 2020 will change radically. The “arriviste” powers—China, India, and perhaps others such as Brazil and Indonesia—have the potential to render obsolete the old categories of East and West, North and South, aligned and nonaligned, developed and developing.

Barring an abrupt reversal of the process of globalization or any major upheavals in these countries, the rise of these new powers is a virtual certainty. Yet how China and India exercise their growing power and whether they relate cooperatively or competitively to other powers in the international system are key uncertainties. The economies of other developing countries, such as Brazil, could surpass all but the largest European countries by 2020; Indonesia’s economy could also approach the economies of individual European countries by 2020.

"The economies of other developing countries, such as Brazil, could surpass all but the largest European countries by 2020"

so you COULD surpass all in europe besides, france, germany and england, well we should hope so, brazil is nearly the size of the entire continent of europe, and keep in mind, the U.S. has a higher GNP than the entire continent of europe. Just have to love these "conjecture" folks!

As the authors of the piece, we are pleased that it has spawned so much commentary and controversy.

We would like to clarify a few points.

First, those readers who point out the obvious and undeniable challenges Brazil faces before it can properly be termed a world power (among them, an unacceptably high illiteracy rate, systemic government corruption, underemployment, and uneven economic growth) are quite right.

Nevertheless, what the article sought to do was not to serve as an ufanista paean to Lula, but to outline a values shift in Brazilian policy. More specifically, the article seeks to show how Lula is systematically implementing the desenvolvimentista or developmentalist program for Brazilian social, political and geo-strategic development. We believe it is noteworthy that Lula has been quietly and persistently reviving the desenvolvimentista program of action that began in the government of Getulio Vargas and that has a lot to do with the training given to future Brazilian military leaders at the US Natonal War College.

We would like to address a few points that have been raised:

1. On a purchasing power parity basis, the Brazilian GDP is about 1.6 trillion according to the CIA World Factbook. In comparison, the US GDP, which stands at about 12.5 trillion according to the same source, is approximately 7.8 times greater. If calculated on an exchanged rate basis, the Brazilian GDP falls to about 600 billion. Thus, our point simply was that, when calculated on a purchasing power parity basis, the Brazilian GDP is much bigger than it seems. Moreover, if we factor into the purchasing power parity figure (1.57 trillion or so) a 25%-50% increase due to the so-called "gray market", the Brazilian GDP grows to about 2 to 2.35 trillion, much bigger than the deceiving 600 billion figure often cited.

At any rate, the US government itself calculates that Brazil is the 9th largest economy in the world.

With regard to Internet users, Brazil is in the top 10 worldwide, with 25.9 million users.

With regard to agriculture subsidies, most agricultural powerhouses, from Canada, to the US to Western Europe, heavily subsidize agriculture. It should come as no surprise that Brazil does as well.

In terms of the Brazilian real, the increase in the minimum wage during the Lula years has been 46% (240 to 350 reais). It is by no means an insignificant increase, whether calculated in US dollars or Brazilian reais.

With regard to patent-breaking, this is a common practice with respect to new technologies. For example, the US and other industrial nations broke many patents in the late 19th and early 20th century, up to the 1930s.The emergency situation Brazil faced in the 1990s with the alarming spread of HIV infection should be taken into consideration when looking at this issue.

With regard to the size of the Nissei population, we apologize for our mistake. The actual size is closer to 2 million. We regret the typo.

With regard to Brazilian unemployment, we believe it is important to take into consideration the full extent of Brazil's informal economy, which, as with so many economic and statistical measurements in this country, radically alters the picture when taken into account.

Finally, we would just like to reemphasize the point of the piece: despite its many problems, there are many clear signs that Brazil is marshalling its considerable strengths in areas as diverse as alternative energy, agribusiness and pharmaceutics to make a play for emerging power status - just the strategy General Golbery laid out in his 1954 classic, Geopolitica Brasileira.

Portrayed as ill-informed and bumbling, Lula is not being given credit for this reshaping of Brazilian development policy. We recognize the corruption in his government, but taking the longer view of history and the perspective of geo-strategic analysis, Lula has definitely changed the course of Brazilian policy and put Brazil on the road to emerging power status, as recognized by the US government.

Regards,

The Authors

"For example, the US and other industrial nations broke many patents in the late 19th and early 20th century, up to the 1930s."

Examples please

I have to disagree with the patently pro-Lula comments you make as well. I would rather give most of the credit to Lula's predecessor. Many Brazilians, my wife included, believe Lula is getting the credit for the hard work of Cardoso. He [Lula] ran on a platform of ending corruption and you and I both knew he lied to the Brazilian people and was COMPLICIT in the mensalao scheme - period. Lula does not deserve a second chance!

"Moreover, if we factor into the purchasing power parity figure (1.57 trillion or so) a 25%-50% increase due to the so-called "gray market", the Brazilian GDP grows to about 2 to 2.35 trillion, much bigger than the deceiving 600 billion figure often cited."

First of all, this so-called "grey market", do you or ANYONE think that the brazilian gov't. is getting a piece of this?? Of course not, it's why it's the "grey" market. Believe me, I've purchased properties, apartments, homes, here in Brazil. One NEVER receives a title for the REAL price, I purchased a piece of land where the owner refused to put a value of more than 20% of the actualy purchase price!!! Why? To enrolar the brazilian gov't. To not pay taxes! This is called here "praxe", it basically means "business as usual". It is an accepted practice that is done by 90+% of the population, including judges and politicians, everyone knows about it, everyone does it.

If one is going to take these types of business practices into account when talking about economies, you would have to take them into account for all of them. So in the U.S. one of the biggest economies that certainly isn't taken into account when calculating GNP is illegal drugs. Unfortunately, 60% of the WORLDS illicit drug trades takes place in the U.S. A report from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce states that approximately 100 BILLION dollars per year is spent in the illegal drug market, 2.5% of the U.S. GNP and over 17% of brazil's stated GNP. That is a HUGE industry in the U.S. that certainly goes unreported to the official numbers. Illegal gambling, another HUGE "underground" industry that certainly goes unreported. Last year, in 2005, there was an estimated 21 BILLION dollars wagered by U.S. citizens alone and only via internet gaming sites, this does not take into account so-called "local gambling", which according to a study/report done 20 years ago, in 1986, and I quote,

"An estimated $32 billion was wagered illegally in 1986, resulting in gross revenues of approximately $5.6 billion. Another estimate places the illegal gaming handle at about $48 billion with gross revenues of $2.4 billion. The most significant forms of illegal gambling in the United States are numbers, betting with bookmakers....." And this report was from 20 years ago! And you can believe that this market certainly has not diminished, it has increased SIGNIFICANTLY in the last 20 years.


So you see where this is leading us I hope. To no REAL solid numbers whatsoever, it's why one needs to be evaluated on numbers that are actually reported, and if we start getting into all this "conjecture" and "grey market" industries, the U.S. certainly has them as well, and if taken into account they would also have a dramatic affect on GNP there.



quote:

"With regard to patent-breaking, this is a common practice with respect to new technologies. For example, the US and other industrial nations broke many patents in the late 19th and early 20th century, up to the 1930s."

Until the 1930's, 80 years ago. Wonder why until only then? Because international law became an issue, and enforceable as well. Everyone understands that brazil had a problem with the spread of HIV and it was alarming, it was alarming for EVERYONE, that does not justify breaking international law. Let's imagine for a second if ALL countries did exactly what brazil is doing. These drug companies wouldn't have those billions they invest every year in R&D, you may not even have drugs available today to combat aids and numerous other drugs for other diseases, and FUTURE drugs for other diseases. Brazil shouldn't be held up as a good example for this, it should be criticized by the international community for breaking international law. Look at what these same drug companies have done and are doing for poor countries in Africa, look at the donations by AMERICANS to these african countries to combat AIDS.

Now, let's hear someone chirp in about "the illegal war in Iraq", lol.

Companhia do Vale do Rio Doce announced today US $1.3 billion in dividends, or about 40% of the value (US $3.3 billion) for which Cardoso sold off 42% of its shares in 1997!

Cardoso gave away 42% of CVRD in 1997 for about $3.3 billion US, and 7 years later CVRD's total market cap stood at 25 billion!

A sweetheart deal, one of many in Cardoso's Brazilian Privatization Program.

"Believe me, I've purchased properties, apartments, homes, here in Brazil. One NEVER receives a title for the REAL price, I purchased a piece of land where the owner refused to put a value of more than 20% of the actualy purchase price!!! Why? To enrolar the brazilian gov't. To not pay taxes! This is called here "praxe", it basically means "business as usual". It is an accepted practice that is done by 90+% of the population, including judges and politicians, everyone knows about it, everyone does it.
""

If your above words are true, then it means that BR GNP is a lot higher than that official one???
I am astonished.
Let me understand...

Wholly Dull

you purchased property,apartments,homes etc..... my friend ,i have been living in Australia for more than 25 years,i have purchased many cars and land and few other things,and when you buy it private is no diferent,everybody likes to avoid taxes,so please don't make a big thing out of it!!the human race are very strange creatures,does not matter where we live,in places like Brasil you see it more that's all...get over it mate!!

hate to tell you this pal, but if you're american or live in the U.S., it simply doesn't happen there. I am american, I have 10 homes, apts, and pieces of land total in the U.S. There is NO WAY in hell that people there are willing to accept a title for a lower value than what they paid, they just don't/won't do it, not to mention the fact that if you do this in the U.S., it is a serious crime, as it is in most countries. Not only is one committing FRAUD, but you're also taking part in tax evasion. Don't know if you've seen this or not my man, but MOST mobsters in the U.S. get put in prison for TAX EVASION.....it's a serious crime that gets you time in the federal penitentary!

If one tried to sell a piece of real estate, whatever it may be, for 300,000 dollars, but told the buyer he was only going to give him a title for 200,000 dollar, in the U.S., the buyer would look at him as if he were crazy and just laugh! It doesn't happen there! People aren't so worried in f**king the gov't. out of a few dollars that they would diminish the value of their own assets and net worth with the banks. Because there is such a low interest rate in the states most people mortgage properties as well as borrow, it's only intelligent, when you can make more money with your "cash" per year in investments than you pay in interest when borrowing.

The problem here in brazil comes into play my man when you are a "foreigner". Let's assume YOU come to brazil, you are a foreigner, you want to buy some land, and an apartment or two. Most open up a "pessoa juridica", or a business. When you're cash enters brazil you have to "justify" this money with banco central/Banco do Brasil. You tell them you are making an "investimento do estrangeiro", or foreign investment in brazil, you don't have to pay taxes on this money when it enters the country, but YOU DO need a "nota fiscal", or legal receipt for EVERY CENT when it leaves your account. So, what do you do when you buy a property for 400,000 reais, but the seller only agrees to put 100,000 reais on the title?? 400K left your account, and you only have proof for 100K! Where did this other 300K go?? To buy cocaine or some other illegal activity? Do you know what you have to do??? You have to BUY a "nota fiscal" from someone, and you pay anywhere from 5-10% of the value of the receipt. So, for a foreigner to buy a piece of property here in brazil you normally have to not only participate in tax evasion, but also FRAUD to the umpteenth degree!

People normally take "dirty" money and launder it, with foreigners purchasing in brazil, they're taking "clean" money and making it dirty!!!

I agree to above comment on tax fraud either in BR or US.
"People normally take "dirty" money and launder it, with foreigners purchasing in brazil, they're taking "clean" money and making it dirty!!!"
This is the matter!

Of course, there are loads of crimes committed in the US against the IRS and the government in general; I believe that one may take a look on the number of legal actions the IRS (and states) mounts up every year against tax payers. A lot of people in the US do get their time in jail for defrauding the government. The difference is that in the US the government has a serious interest in catching and punishing those criminals. Therefore, Americans are not so law binding citizen as our American friend above wants to convey however they have more solid reasons to worry about dealing with Uncle Sam.

In Brazil, my country, we also have laws but our government is foolishly neglecting its obligations and because of this lousy attitude from our government, we are not so worried in been punished because we believe that we can always get away.

So, the big difference is on how the law is enforced in the USA against the way we enforce the laws in Brazil. In that matter, we have a lot to learn from the Americans.

"So, the big difference is on how the law is enforced in the USA against the way we enforce the laws in Brazil. In that matter, we have a lot to learn from the Americans."

Truer words have not been spoken. You can apply this same logic to driving, violent crimes, personal threats, and the rest of it. Everyone is basically out for themselves, however, in some countries it is easier to get away with it than others. In Brazil, you literally get away with murder. How many homocides a year? And what is the % of those actually caught? Shuttering, IMHO.

quote:


"Of course, there are loads of crimes committed in the US against the IRS and the government in general; I believe that one may take a look on the number of legal actions the IRS (and states) mounts up every year against tax payers. A lot of people in the US do get their time in jail for defrauding the government. The difference is that in the US the government has a serious interest in catching and punishing those criminals. Therefore, Americans are not so law binding citizen as our American friend above wants to convey however they have more solid reasons to worry about dealing with Uncle Sam."


I did not say that people don't try and cheat the IRS...they do cheat the IRS, but it is not as blatent and "matter of factly" done there as it is here in Brazil.

Now, what I did comment on, and say that IT DOES NOT HAPPEN, is people buying a piece of real estate and agreeing to receive a land title, house title, etc., for a LOWER value than what was actually paid. THIS ACTIVITY DOESN'T HAPPEN IN THE U.S.

Why?? As I stated above, it's not in the best interest of the buyer, also, it's simply something that is NEVER done, any person in the right mind knows that they would NEVER sell their house, apartment, land, etc, if they told the prospective buyers that they had to accept a title for 30%, or 50%, or 70% of the actual value. It's not in the buyers best interest, he's also participating in fraud and tax evasion, and in the U.S. the IRS doesn't f**k around, they nail your ass.

And to the one poster above who stated "look at all the tax evasion cases" in the U.S. That's right, look at them, and look at how many are here in brazil!! Not many in brazil huh??? And look at how many perpetrate this CRIME......EVERY HUMAN WHO BUYS OR SELLS A PIECE OF PROPERTY!!!

So, what's that tell ya? Once again, like nearly everything here, justice here is VERY lackadaisical, very LAX, not only towards tax evasion, but towards just about anything. Why do you think that Brazil is on the list of top 3 countries that people "escape" to when they've broken the law in a first world country....they come to brazil where the law is little more than a document.

"So, the big difference is on how the law is enforced in the USA against the way we enforce the laws in Brazil. In that matter, we have a lot to learn from the Americans. "

Well, not only "how" it's enforced, but to "whom" it's enforced. There is definitely one thing, actually many, but there is one thing that brazil has completely ass-backewards, and that's the politicians, law enforcement officers, the leaders of a community, and of the country, the law needs to be applied to them STRICTER than it is applied to the average "man on the street". They need to be held to a HIGER standard than John Q. Citizen!!! But this is so far fetched here that if you tell this to a brazilian he'll just smile and grin....it's so far from reality that there would literally have to be a catastrophic even take place in brazil for this to occur in the next century.....like revolution.

In the states you have deals where you pay 0% interest for 60 months, and don't make your first payment until the 13th month
where can i get this sweet deal in miami area

check out any Mitsubishi dealership. They did have this deal last year, not sure if it's still good. But the deals on financing are unreal in the states compared with other countries. You'll be pleasantly surprised!

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" In his essay " The English People", published at the end of World War II, George Orwell wrote that the English have known for 40 years... something that the Russians and the Americans have yet to learn:they know that it is not possible for ANY ONE nation to rule the Earth".
Marian Kester Coombs
Washington Times - 12/25/98

In America there are incredible things, persons and animals.
I was very impressed by the GOOFUS BIRD which is said to build its nest upside down and fly backward, not caring where it is going , only where it has been. ( Maybe you know the author of this story. His initials are JLB )

And this song also impressed me because "Where there is smoke there is fire".

HOUSE OF THE RISING SUN
Nina Simone

There is a house in New Orleans
Call it the Rising Sun
And it´s been the ruin
Of many a poor girl
And me, oh Lord, I´m one.

I really pity the poor girls but
I think this is a lie because New Orleans has been blown away by that hurricane. What´s its name?
Oh, you know it.
It seems the authorities did not care about it to the last minute.

Poor South.
"Destruction of forests to make place to tree monocultures is a well documented fact in many Southern countries. A similar but less know process is also happening in the southeastern region of the USA. The states of Alabama, Louisiana, Tennessee and North Carolina have been and coninue to be invaded by huge loblolly pine (pinus taeda) plantations. They are cloned "supertrees" selected for swiftness of growth, straightness of trunk, and resistance to drought, diseade, and insects.
...Some figures show the alarming dynamics of the conversion of forests to plantations. Nowadays there are 156 chip mills in the region, being 110 of them less than 10 year old. Some can grind up to 3,000 acres of woods per year, clearing the way for vast tree farms. Between 1989 and 1995, exports of Southern hardwood chips grew 500 percent. The Us Forest Service estimates that plantations, which today are 36% of all pine stands in the South, will make up 70% within 20 years.

www.wrm.org.uy/bulletin/36/USA.html - 09/07/04

I´ve also heard some stories about Alaska, but I don´t know whether I should believe them . Anyway, poor USA.
Hey, isn´t the US blowing the horn about rainforests?

US PLAN TO LURE NURSES MAY HURT POOR NATIONS

As the United States runs short of nurses , senators are looking abroad. A little-noticed provision in their immigration bill would open the gate to nurses and, some fear, drain them from the world´s developing countries.
The legislation is expected to pass this week, and the Senate provision, which removes the limit on the number of nurses who can immigrate, has been largely overlooked in the emotional debate over illegal immigration.
Senator Sam Brownback, Republican of Kansas, who sponsored the proposal, said it was needed to help the United States cope with a growing nursing shortage.
...The exodus of nurses from poor to rich countries has strained health systems in the developing world.
nytimes.com - 05/24/2006

By George, how cynical some people are!

"About 31 million (MILLION)CRIMES ARE REPORTED IN THE UNITED STATES ANNUALLY. tHAT´S ABOUT ONE CRIME PER SECOND".
...on any given school day it is estimated that upwards of 100,000 kids are armed with guns while at school and some 160,000 additional students are absent as a result of being bullied.
...on average, American families spend more than $4,000 each year to participate in criminal justice systems, install private security measures, replace stolen property, or repair harm to victims.
http://www.thecrimebeatmagazine.com/ 05/19/2006

Everyday American newspapers report thousands of crimes. It´s hard trying to hide the fact, but I concede that some people are just ignorant.

Not to make it all too tragic.
.
" By Richard Lederer
Saint Paul´s School"

- One of the fringe benefits of being an English or History teacher is receiving the occasional jewel of a student blooper in a essay.I have pasted together the following "history" of the world from certifiably genuine student bloopers collected by teachers throughout the United States, from eight grade through college level."

(The inhabitants of Egypt were called mummies. They lived in the Sarah Dessert and traveled by Camelot. The climate of the Sarah is such that the inhabitants have to live elsewhere, so certain areas of the dessert are cultivated by irritation. The Egyptians built the Pyramids in the shape of a huge triangular cube. The "pramids" are a range of mountains between France and Spain.

Socrates was a famous Greek teacher who went around giving people advice. They killed him. Socrates died from an overdose of wedlock.

Then came the Middle Ages. King Alfred conquered the Dames, King Arthur lived in the Age of Shivery, King Harlod mustarded his troops before the Battle of Hastings, Joan of Arc was cannonized by George Bernard Shaw, and the victims of the Black Death grew boobs on their necks. Finally, the Magna Carta provided that no free man should be hanged twice for the same offense.

Thare lots like this.Do you want the address? OK.

http://www.intrepidsoftware.com/bloopers.html

Now I understand why the US needs foreign nurses, technicians, scientists., etc....

Gostaria de citar um excelente artigo no site Observatorio da Imprensa. Ele se chama Mitos da Imprensa sobre a Amazonia. Mostra que existe uma tremenda diferença entre o que a imprensa (oficial) diz e a realidade , a qual é bem mais promissora e em linha com este artigo aqui.
Vale a pena ler para não continuar sendo enganado e , sendo mal informado, fazer o jogo dos inúmeros interessados em abocanhá-la.

Lá vai o endereço:

http://observatorio.ultimosegundo.ig.com.br/artigos.asp?cod=3780FC003

Autor do artigo=Paulo França

Why are you all so angry? Angry because someone took a stand to talk good about a nation that has been struggling by saying how it's improving?! Steal or not to steal? Lye or not? Over the years how many cover ups did the CIA do to its own people and nations around the world? So that the US can be the super power that it is today, if the US did it, why can't another nation do whatever it takes to improve and better the quality of life of their own people? Oh wait, the US can but others can't?!
The truth is... You amerikkkanz (the above haters) can't stand the fact that the US imperialism is falling and another is on the rise (not Brazil per say but ANOTHER nation). The truth is... all the negative comments made in regards to the authors material is because the truth hurts, they just don't want to hear about another nation being the world's super power, hopefully China! Hey guess what? Brazil has better relations with China than the US. Chinese government can't stand UNCLE SAM (ck your history book). TIME FOR A NEW ERA.

' AMERRRICA "UBER ALLES "

Long live Amerrica the saviour.

saviour of what? It's own interest?!

our vast and superiour military has a presence in over 120 countries.our new recruitments are at all time highs.our high tech weapon systems are so advanced that we can fire at pinpoint range a missle anywhere in the world ,right up the ass of some international crimminal.our teenagers are so computer literate that they are envied the world over.we have more millionaires then any countrie in the world.we have the largest middle class in the world.we have billionaires who single handedly have more wealth then the entire GNP of most countries.ARE WE ENVIED? ARE WE HATED? ARE WE LOVED? i suppose . ARE WE AMERICANS PROUD PATRIOTIC AND STEAD FAST IN OUR BELIEFS IN OUR NATIONS GREATNESS! THE ANSWER IS YES!!!!

AND FOR YOU BRAZIL . FOR YOUR THEFT OF OUR DRUG PATTENS. FOR YOUR CULTURE OF LIES DECEPTIONS CRIMINALITY FOR YOUR VILE ANTI AMERICANISM.FOR YOUR criminal trafficing , your exporting of your illegals to the usa bringing with them the same criminality they left brazil with.WE AMERICANS OBSERVE TAKE INVENTORY AND PREPARE OUR RESPONSE.WE ARE CLEVER CALCULATING AND POCESS UNTOLD RESOURCES TO RESPOND TO FORIEGN NATIONALS WHO FIND IT SPORT TO DECEIVE AMERICANS.YOU ARE A BLOOD SUCKING PARASITE3RD WORLD.THINKING THAT YOU CAN PULL THIS s**t WITHOUT CONSEQUENCES.WHEN IN FACT YOUR SELF DESTRUCTIVE WAYS ONLY WILL ISOLATE YOUR SELF FURTHER IN THE BOWELS OF YOUR OWN MAKING.GOOD LUCK IN YOUR DREAMS OF A GREATER SO.AMERICAN SOCIALISM/MARXISM.IF YOU NEW THE HISTORY OF THAT POLITICAL THOUGHT YOU WOULD REALIZE THAT IT IS A CRIMINAL BANKRUPT SYSTEM THAT HAS NEVER SUCCEEDED.NOW TAKE BACK YOUR CRIMINAL ILLEGAL ALIENS WE DON,T WANT THEM .

cowboy sukers! i rather have o imcome of 1000reais per months in brasil and a really nice BRAZILIAN GIRL hot blood! than work in the us for about 80.000us a year and end up with a cold women who after a couple glass of wine would cheat on you with 3 guys at the same nite! im saying beacause i lived in us and i did it! cowboys cornos!

I see this article - written by Antonio Barros and Claudio Aragon in 2006 - is an astonishing anticipation of events that led Brazil to become among the 5 main economies of world.
I base my point of view on the strong development of oil industry, continuous growing of agricultural business, spreading of Brazilian companies throughout the world.
Nice to see this.
Antoine

I base my point of view on the strong development of oil industry, continuous growing of agricultural business, spreading of Brazilian companies throughout the world, the growth of Brazil medium-class to some 50 MI, as well as dozens of important facts that show Brazil as a increasing source of power in world scenario.
Antoine

More and more I see how this paper remais fitted to current status of Brazil.

Antonio