Comments for Brazil's Path to First World Is Strewn with Crime, Pollution and Diseducation at http://www.brazzilmag.com , comment 0 to 20 out of 43 comments http://www.brazzilmag.com Tue, 01 Dec 2009 06:22:24 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.2 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/10621/1/#pc_21569 you should send this to Ogobal or some other news paper . my wife and i move about the world and she has been to Texas , and 11 other states and 9 other countries . and in her words wants to have nothing to do with brasil other than making sure her mom & dad are some what safe . how do you like UT and the other schools you have been to and seen fatima found it hard to beleive that the schools were big and clean & quite not kids running around all over the place . and if someone bumps into you they say most the time i am sorry . people hold open the doors for people they dont even know . most shops are quite and clean - forrest allen brown Mon, 06 Apr 2009 13:44:21 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/10621/1/#pc_21490 My grandmother is 80 years old and can therefore not move about as easily as my mom or myself. In an attempt to make things less difficult for my grandmother, my mom and I took turns helping her walk about, she was bumped into harshly, struck from the front and back several times by passersby. Not once did someone excuse himself or herself or apologize until my mother and I made it clear that what they did was unacceptable. Later, in the food court, we were shocked to see the amount of trash people left at their tables (possibly justifiable, given the fact that the trash cans were overflowing), but what came next nearly revolted me. The three of us sat down to get something to eat, I stood up to order food for myself and my mother/grandmother, when I returned to our table a woman was pushing her purse down against my side of the table as if to signal that she was trying to claim the table for her party, disregarding the presence of my mom/grandmother. I said 'EXCUSE ME' as loud as I could in her ear to signal to her that the table was in fact occupied by a third person, who was not going to let her bad manners go unnoticed. The behaviors of those mentioned above were revisited later throughout the trip in such places as the highly acclaimed cultural mecca of Lapa and Copacabana districts, both nightmare locations for tourists. Aside from the intense amounts of trash/pollution, both areas are highly unsafe. I literally feared for my life several times throughout the trip. I discussed those issues with many locals during my three-week stay, and while many-but not all admitted to recognizing the gravity of the problem, most of those I spoke with seemed to disagree with the source or solution for Rio’s downfall. It appears that everyone always wants to blame the government for how disgusting and disrespectful people are, and while I don't rule out the fact that a corrupt and indifferent system can have detrimental effects on society, responsibility is something that needs to come from the people themselves. People need to stop relying on the government for their poor ethics. No one needs the government to tell them that bumping into people carelessly, throwing trash in the streets, or being disrespectful is wrong. Even if kids' parents aren't teaching them to pick up after themselves and act as civilized beings, as we grow older we understand the extent of our actions. As far as crime rates, I can understand that the government has a huge part of responsibility for Brazil's high inequality index, but there are many countries in the world that prove that old excuse wrong, i.e. India. Some will say that certain actions are acceptable because they can attributed to cultural norms, however, much of older generation of Brazil is disgusted by the current situation. So is this a cultural norm? Why find excuses for an obvious problem that will only perpetuate the disgusting trends? Some of the people who posted on the blog are embarrassed by the fact that the article is exposing the truth about their beloved city to the world. Instead of hiding the problem, talk about what needs to be done to fix it. Next time you witness one of the above mentioned occurrences make your disapproval known, otherwise soon enough Rio will be completely destroyed. - Gabriel Sat, 04 Apr 2009 05:39:07 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/10621/1/#pc_21489 This is going to be ugly... As a 22 year-old student who migrated to the US from Rio de Janeiro, Brazil 12 years ago, and has since then visited the country, I feel like I have substantial reason to agree with this article's blatant truth about the embarrassment Brazilians have created for themselves. For those of you who disagree with the article's honesty, take a moment to realize it and let the truth be known. Fix the problem, don't hide it. Last Christmas I flew to Brazil after a seven-year hiatus. It was the first time I had returned since a junior high trip and still managed to experience culture shock. Why? Because people have no respect or pride for what they have. The country is falling apart along with its inhabitants. My last visit to Brazil plagued my mind and heart from beginning to end, beginning with airport facilities and staff. The customs portion of the airport was filthy, outdated, and disorganized with the personnel to match. Much of the staff seemed bothered to be at work, and what's more, a woman from the customs team (who was sitting in a chair for most of the process) got up to yell at an American man for trying to open a closed off chain (there was a huge maze of a cue that was practically impractical to move about with airport luggage carts) while complaining that 'in his country' he would have been arrested for such audacity. Keep in mind this was a day before Christmas and he carried only a backpack and a heavy cart full of toys, I'm assuming to distribute to impoverished children from her country. This woman represented the face of the unprofessional and unfriendly customer service industry of Rio. Next, the bathroom was despicable, made of frail/cheap materials, and toilet paper so thin it looked transparent. Outside the airport things didn't look much better. The facade of the airport was physically falling apart, it seemed like it hadn't been maintained since the 1970's, a foreshadow of what was to come-what stuck me the most was the ride from the airport to my grandmother's house. Polluted roadways, rivers, bays, beaches plague the majority of Rio. The favelas (slums) have grown exponentially into troubled poverty-and-crime-stricken districts, hiding much of all that's left of the city, at least for now, some of its natural wonders. To make matters worse, those who inhabit the slums of Rio (the majority impoverished blacks and immigrants from northern Brazil-victims of the system) are not the only ones to blame for trashed city streets. In fact much of the middle class is known for carelessly leaving trash on beaches, throwing trash in the sidewalks and out of car windows. Earlier bloggers tried comparing Rio’s pollution to factories in the U.S., and while that form of pollution is horrid, nothing can be more easily controlled than an impulse to physically pollute the ground we walk on. Pollution by private plants and inappropriate sewage systems are problems the citizens need to proactively fight about with the government, push for publicity. The shopping malls are no exception to the trash and lack of respect of the people. One day my mom and I decided to go to a nearby shopping mall in the Tijuca district and were appalled with what we experienced. - Gabriel Sat, 04 Apr 2009 05:38:12 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/10621/1/#pc_21160 Great article on Brazil’s Economic Outlook The "Source" of the article referred to is WSJ. Some stats are slightly skewed. But one paragraph that caught my attention was the following: But Mr. Guerra said his party is betting that the economic downturn will hurt Ms. Rousseff’s chances. “She will not be there in 2010 as the candidate of success and the candidate of growth, because the success will end,” he said. Guerra is right. - João da Silva Wed, 25 Mar 2009 20:31:14 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/10621/1/#pc_21158 I found this great article intitled 'Article - Brazil’s Economic Outlook Becomes Focus in Political Battle'. It's really interesting and poses some interesting questions for Brazil's economy. Cehck it out - http://www.absolutbrazil.info/article-brazils-economic-outlook-becomes-focus-in-political-battle/ - junior Wed, 25 Mar 2009 17:11:05 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/10621/1/#pc_21139 Somewhat wrong....IDIOT ! China is by now the world biggest POLLUTER...despite having a fraction of the U.S. GDP !!!!!!! AND WHAT ABOUT BRAZIL AND THEIR POLLUTION...MUCH HIGHER THAN THE USA...WHEN COMPARED ON A PER OUTPUT BASIS ???????? Your cities are just full of dirt and garbages everywhere you go to ! More or less the same for your 7000 kms of beaches. And I have not included yet your industrial pollutions...where the name of the game is....EVERYTHING GOES TO RIVERS AND OCEAN !!!!!!! The USA has not built ONE oil refinery in several decades. Why....in your view ? Lack of money, technology ? Doubtful. And Brazil is speeding up building new oil refineries...TO EXPORT MORE OIL DERIVATIVES SUCH AS GASOLINE...TO THE USA !!!!! Guess who is going to pollute the most, in the not too distant future. The one producing gasoline or the one importing gasoline ? Eventually you should check who on earth pollute the most....on a per capita & per output basis ! Tsssk tsssk...this is not the USA....contrary to the World Disinformation Medias ! IT IS.......SAUDI ARABIA !!!!!!!!!!!! GUESS WHY ! Hopefully you understand why Florida and California are against new oil exploration, production and oil refineries !!!!!! Lets already applaude the newer mega oil production in Brazil ! Even if you produce 8-10 millions barrels per day (unlikely in the next 20 years, even with Petrobras own estimates)..YOU CAN HAVE A CLUE OF YOUR FUTURE POLLUTION ! Sadly even such a high production would still NOT MAKE YOU AS WEALTHY AS SAUDI ARABIA....ON A PER CAPITA BASIS !!!! Not only Saudi Arabia population is a fraction of Brazil, but their production costs are a fraction of your Tupi fields ! Last but not least, Venezuela has already far more proven oil reserves than Brazil. Does that make them wealthy and a developed nation ? Same for Iran, Algeria, Russia. Many wealthy (but undeveloped) middle east oil producing nations produce only oil and some derivatives using developed nations technology.....unless proven otherwise ! What else do they produce ? What else can they produce ? NOTHING ! And the same is as true for Brazil ! Even Your grains productions are due to foreign companies inputs...such as grains seeds, pesticides, fongicides, tractors, harvesters, transportation trucks, etc etc. Let me even include that most of your grains EXPORTS are due to foreign companies such as Cargill, Bunge, Archer Daniel, Louis Dreyfus, etc etc Brazil STILL doesnt even have a car manufacturer, when the other BRIC nations ALREADY have their own ! As a mega nation, Brazil is the least technologically developed in most industries ! Hard to swallow...but so true ! - ch.c. Tue, 24 Mar 2009 05:48:10 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/10621/1/#pc_21137 SO RIGHT ! In the EU...ALL PARENTS....RICH OR POORS...GET AUTOMATIC BOLSA FAMILIA...BASED ON THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN THEY HAVE. 2 SIMPLE EXAMPLES : - In my country, Switzerland, parents get US$ 180.- per month....per child... ! Amounts are even raised with children ages until they reach majority or start working. In France, when U.S. citizens Angelina Jolie & Brad Pitt decided to reside to give birth to 2 geminis on top of their 3 kids, they got AUTOMATICALLY US$ 2500.- or so, per month from FRENCH BOLSA FAMILIA .... PLUS 1 FULL TIME NURSE...PAID BY THE GOVERNMENT !!!!! Has this created "crime factories" ? Not yet....for sure ! The sad truth is that Brazil crimes factories are due to poverty, racism, social & wealth INEQUALITY....BY FAR THE WORLD WORST...WHEN COMPARED AND ADJUSTED TO GDP PER CAPITA. Simple as that and I challenge anyone to prove me wrong ! Brazil is basically an UNjust society from A to Z ! And when injustice prevail everywhere, crimes rates can only be much much much higher than least unjust societies ! - ch.c. Tue, 24 Mar 2009 04:12:14 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/10621/1/#pc_21125 Well written. I do not agree with all your points, but I think you got your position across well. By the way, those of you who criticize a person's English are just acting as infants. Let us learn to agree to disagree. - Charles U. Odiase Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:25:24 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/10621/1/#pc_21121 To the idiot who said "oh yes right, go to America... schools and universities, they shoot people every minute and that hasn't stopped their economy growth...". Eventually you should check by yourself but....but...but.....BRAZIL has 5-6 times MORE HOMICIDES RATES THAN THE USA....ON A PER 100'000 CAPITA !!!!!!! And this also has NOT STOPPED BRAZIL FROM....GROWING THEIR ECONOMY...OVERALL !!!!!! And it is funny that millions of Brazilians criticizing the USA are ready to pay US$ 10'000.- to be be smuggled illegally in a country they CONSIDER AS MUCH WORSE THAN THEIR OWN COUNTRY !!!!! Even more funny when taking the "official" unemplosment rate, somewhat similar in the 2 countries. What a shame for Brazil knowing that 50 % of youths deaths, aged 15-24 years, are from VIOLENT DEATHS ! And also with milliions of street children, 1000 municipalities officially offering sex with minors. And with more Trannies than in Thailand. Do Brazilians love to take or be taken....in the rear ? For sure Robbing Hook is taking 95 % of Brazilians in their rear. And Brazilians applaude HIM, begging for more, deeper and harsher ! That should explain then why Brazilians also enjoy going with Trannies...to show they can also take someone in their rear. The difference being that Robbing Hook takes your money while getting you in your rear, and Brazilians continue to pay Trannies to get them in their rear ! Brazilians love to pay TWICE and even THREE TIMES....WHEN RED TAPE COSTS ARE INCLUDED....BUT NEVER ACCOUNTED FOR ! And stupid question to the article from reporter "President Lula's effort to pay off the International Monetary Fund was a large step to joining the First World and hoisting Brazil at least into the status of the nouveau riche." Does that means Argentina who also repaid the IMF is into "the status of the nouveau riche". ??????? And are ALL emerging countries NOT with IMF loans also into "the status of nouveau riche" ????????? Scratch your head Brazil instead of caressing your navel ! You are eons away of having "the status of nouveau riche". Ohhhh yesssss you have your minority elite already rich before Lula election and now even more richer. But that includes 5 % of your population, not more. And is it with an annual US$ 10'000.- per capita, PPP adjusted, that Brazil consider itself as a "nouveau riche" ?????????????? Whoaaaaaaaa ! Especially knowing that in your 6 wealthiest states, the average income per worker is Brl 1300.- or around US$ 500.- PER MONTH OR US$ 6'000.- PER YEAR....in the 6 wealthiest states. What about the other 20 Brazilians states ? Lets face it again, your average income means what the word average means : AVERAGE ! BUT....BUT....BUT.....BRAZIL HAS ALSO ONE OF THE WORLD WORST INCOME INEQUALITY ! This helps the AVERAGE only....NOT THE REALITY......much darker and shameful ! 25 % of your population are under nourrished ! Is this a "nouveau riche" country ? :o :o :o :o :o :o - ch.c. Mon, 23 Mar 2009 12:44:27 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/10621/1/#pc_21119 For all you Lilliputian minded people . I was born in Texas i did not jump the river , as so many of you lesser minded people think costa is the president of your so called love affair for bashing the US so i offer up myself to open attacks on my self to see and watch how small minded all of you are . and the education all of you have . you hate the US but yet you go the school there . you hate the US but yet you write in English . You hate the US but yet you get a tourist visa and never leave you hate the US but yet you live there . you hate the US but you want out handouts you hate the US but you demand rights from it you don't have in your own country like the USA & in Brazil if people would spend more time doing something to right the wrong instead of bitching about it they would booth be better places ( don't you think ) yes the US has a long way to go but in 265 year ti has achieved more than BRAZIL ever has or will in another 200 years . - forrest allen brown Mon, 23 Mar 2009 10:07:21 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/10621/1/#pc_21114 Is it free? is it diurna, (held during daylight hours)? Does it involve some kind of care for the children involved? - Ric Mon, 23 Mar 2009 00:41:35 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/10621/1/#pc_21106 Some comments: - those "strategic oil reserves" that you mention are deep under the seabed, and it still isn't clear whether it's economical or not to extract that oil. So bragging about those reserves is at least dubious. - what do you mean that "crime is a leftover from the control economy from the past"? If the truth were so simple! I, on the other hand, think that crime in Brazil is SYSTEMIC, and thus stems for many different reasons, like bad schools, inequality, racism, provincialism, and lack of culture. - you say that "many of these problems will subside because of the emerging middle class". This is dubious as well, again. It could well happen that the current crisis decimates the middle class further. - I do not agree that Bolsa Familia amounts to "free daycare". At least those kids stay in school, instead of wandering around. I absolutely cannot see why Bolsa Familia creates "crime factories" from the schools. - Tietê and polution in Brazil - as I understand a Tietê restoration/rehabilitation project is under way, and the last time I was in Sao Paulo the progress was clearly visible. There are other places that are more critical that Tietê, in my opinion that's the Guanabara Bay that nowadays is merely a huge, rotten cesspool, with all that sewers unloading directly into the bay. It's an absolute ignominy and a crime against nature. - jakob Sun, 22 Mar 2009 16:36:58 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/10621/1/#pc_21104 Is a term coined about 20 years ago by the USA Afro community to describe free public education which fills black kids heads with concepts that are wrong historically and damaging interms of their future success. The thought is that by more ethnic studies they would have more successful lives, an unproven concept. The term is meaningless as used in this article. - Ric Sun, 22 Mar 2009 00:55:57 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/10621/1/#pc_21101 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHpSCHxb780 WOW, CosteLata, you are indeed a talented old bag . ;) You sing well. ;D - .. Sat, 21 Mar 2009 22:39:12 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/10621/1/#pc_21097 Go Watch Yourself... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHpSCHxb780 Costa - ......... Sat, 21 Mar 2009 17:01:10 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/10621/1/#pc_21096 Go Watch Yourself... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dHpSCHxb780 Costa - ......... Sat, 21 Mar 2009 16:59:23 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/10621/1/#pc_21095 Don't ask me which head I will fix for you.. You know I treat both of your heads cause they all need to be treated as both don't work well.. but I love you anyway, Costeleta - ...... Sat, 21 Mar 2009 15:59:15 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/10621/1/#pc_21094 So my dear Costeleta, please tell them who the real Costinha is What a question darling... You are the real Costa honey.. the impostor must be someone using your well-known name to advertise a new brand of Viagras.. Don't worry honey, your Paris Hilton is here to protect and love you.. Me, the one who loves America, and can't wait to trek across the Mexican dessert, burrow under that fence to finally see civilization Now, you're getting me angry honey >:( You promised me so many times you were going to jump over that fence into America and then buy me a ticket to join you and start a new life outside the jungle here in civilization.. but it's just been promises so far.. Costeleta - ...... Sat, 21 Mar 2009 15:50:50 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/10621/1/#pc_21091 their campaign is to choke any other opinion not sympathetic to theirs It's like Charles Manson accusing Jeffrey Dalmer of being cruel. - Lurker Sat, 21 Mar 2009 14:26:43 +0100 http://www.brazzilmag.com/content/view/10621/1/#pc_21089 Costeleta my dear, it appears there is an impostor here! Another puss infected mind trying to emulate a sane Brazilian. Tell the truth my vaginally infected Rio-pro, tell them all that only I lord Costinha, the ladyboy one week from being a post OP tranny, is the only Costinha Fake the funk? I shake the stink! My ass has been tapped more than political phones during the mensalao. Henhehe. We're so fucking corrupt, we make the Chinese look honorable. So my dear Costeleta, please tell them who the real Costinha is. Me, the one who loves America, and can't wait to trek across the Mexican dessert, burrow under that fence to finally see civilization. They sell glue in Texas right? God enslave Brazil - oops, too late. God Love America Costinha Heheheh - ........ Sat, 21 Mar 2009 12:42:35 +0100