Saturday, 21 September 2013
London Grammar falls from Coldplay's tree
Raphael Michilis Fonseca
Apparently we entered the COLDPLAY harvesting period. fter the opening of the season with Reload, by Sebastian Ingrosso, Tommy Trash and John Martin, now it is time to collect another fruit from Coldplay's tree of influence: London Grammar's Strong.
Is it only me who can hear Coldplay's Trouble all over Hannah Reid's vocal in this tune? I'm not trying to say it is a cover version, neither plagiarism. Her vocals are strong and the lyrics are beautiful. I prefer to see it as a reverence to Chris Martin, his friends and the incredible job they have been doing all of theses years.
Also, I had so many people listening to Reload and asking me what's the name of this new Coldplay's song? Yeah! Agree. For me it is nothing less than a Cold Play's electronic child.
I'm not complaining. I like the three groups. In different levels of course, and think we should give the due credit to Cold Play as the precursor of this movement. Can I call it a movement? Trend maybe? I don't know. Lets just enjoy it all.
Wednesday, 24 July 2013
Brazilian MP's are the most expensive in the world - I protest against it
Raphael Michilis Fonseca
R$ 33 millions (£9,62 millions) is the annual cost of a Senator in Brazil. A member of the lower house of the Brazilian Congress, Chamber of Federal Deputies, costs R$ 6,6 millions (£1,92 millions) a year to the taxpayer. R$10,2 millions (£2,97 millions) is the average annual cost of an MP in Brazil, the most expensive in the world, according to a study by 'Transparencia Brazil Institute.'
To have an idea of how tragic it is to the country, remember that the Brazilian Senate has 81 chairs, while the lower house is composed of 513 federal deputies.
Now it gets graphic and you may not want to read it as it may make you sick.
81
+513
594 x £2,97mi = £1,76bi/year
Shouldn't the protesters in Brazil be asking (better, demanding) the MP's to cut their own earnings down?
They are not the only ones in the Brazilian government sphere to earn absurd sums of money to do nothing or even work against people's interest.Compare it with how the MP's live in Sweden and you'll see how disgusting it is to have to pay for the politicians's luxury.
Watch the video for more details, in Portuguese though.
Think about it.
Also compare:
The minute 'worked' by a Brazilian MP costs R$ 11,545.00 to the tax payer, who earns a basic monthly salary of R$ 678.00.
MP R$ 11,545.00 /MINUTE
Taxpayer R$ 678.00 / MONTH
R$ 33 millions (£9,62 millions) is the annual cost of a Senator in Brazil. A member of the lower house of the Brazilian Congress, Chamber of Federal Deputies, costs R$ 6,6 millions (£1,92 millions) a year to the taxpayer. R$10,2 millions (£2,97 millions) is the average annual cost of an MP in Brazil, the most expensive in the world, according to a study by 'Transparencia Brazil Institute.'
To have an idea of how tragic it is to the country, remember that the Brazilian Senate has 81 chairs, while the lower house is composed of 513 federal deputies.
Now it gets graphic and you may not want to read it as it may make you sick.
81
+513
594 x £2,97mi = £1,76bi/year
Shouldn't the protesters in Brazil be asking (better, demanding) the MP's to cut their own earnings down?
They are not the only ones in the Brazilian government sphere to earn absurd sums of money to do nothing or even work against people's interest.Compare it with how the MP's live in Sweden and you'll see how disgusting it is to have to pay for the politicians's luxury.
Watch the video for more details, in Portuguese though.
Think about it.
Also compare:
The minute 'worked' by a Brazilian MP costs R$ 11,545.00 to the tax payer, who earns a basic monthly salary of R$ 678.00.
MP R$ 11,545.00 /MINUTE
Taxpayer R$ 678.00 / MONTH
Wednesday, 10 July 2013
University investigates 198 students involved in racist prank in Brazil
Raphael Michilis Fonseca
A group of university students are being accused of racism, sexism, and prejudice in Brazil.
They are subject of an internal inquiry at the Federal University in the estate of Minas Gerais UFMG.
The 198 graduate students are suspect of involvement in a prank that made references to slavery and Nazism.
The administrative process opened by the university against the students,
however, only investigates their involvement in selling and distributing alcohol during the prank event which took place last March 15.
At least half of the students investigated in the case, 99, are rookies who suffered the prank.
The University did not explain why the words racism, sexism, prejudice, slavery and Nazism were not included in the process.
Pranking events are traditional in universities all over the country and happens every semester as an initiation/welcome ritual.
Severe university pranks in Brazil have gained media attention in several other occasions, when students who couldn’t swim died after being thrown into swimming pools for instance.
A group of university students are being accused of racism, sexism, and prejudice in Brazil.
 |
Student painted in black during prank. The sign reads: Rookie Chica da Silva.
Chica da Silva was a slave that became famous for having an affair with her
master, who later freed her. Through that relationship she gained prestige,
financial and influential power
|
The 198 graduate students are suspect of involvement in a prank that made references to slavery and Nazism.
The administrative process opened by the university against the students,
 |
Here Xica da Silva, born in the
same state where the prank
took place, was made into a
TV soap opera character.
|
At least half of the students investigated in the case, 99, are rookies who suffered the prank.
The University did not explain why the words racism, sexism, prejudice, slavery and Nazism were not included in the process.
Pranking events are traditional in universities all over the country and happens every semester as an initiation/welcome ritual.
Severe university pranks in Brazil have gained media attention in several other occasions, when students who couldn’t swim died after being thrown into swimming pools for instance.
Tuesday, 18 June 2013
BRIC - Desaceleração econômica pode tirar Brasil do grupo
Raphael Michilis Fonseca
O Brasil pode perder sua cadeira no clube de países emergentes BRIC. A ameaça é anunciada pela TV Americana CNN, que reúne hoje representantes das Nações Unidas, Organização para o Desenvolvimento e Cooperação Econômica e a Google em um debate online, através do Twiter, para discutir quais países sairão vencedores na corrida para escapar da crise financeira mundial.
A CNN vai discutir se os membros do BRIC, bloco formado por
Brasil, Russia, China e India, ainda têm chance se tornarem líderes econômicos
globais e heróis da recessão que já dura mais de cinco anos.
De acordo com a CNN, a desaceleração do crescimento econômico dos
membros do BRIC, bloco formado por Brasil, Russia, China e India, ameaça a
esperança de eles se tornarem líderes econômicos globais e heróis da recessão
que já dura mais de cinco anos.
O alarme soa ainda mais alto para o Brasil. Com um crescimento econômico
abaixo de 1% em 2012, o menor entre os integrantes do BRIC, a CNN questiona se
o país sequer merece ser incluído no grupo.
E a TV já aponta quais países devem tomar o lugar do BRIC como novo
destino para investimentos internacionais. Daqui para frente os holofotes devem
apontar para o Vietnam, a Indonésia e os países africanos ao sul do Sahara, com
previsão de crescimento de até 5,6% este ano, desempenho bem acima da media global.
Tuesday, 5 February 2013
Brazilian phone maker takes a bite out of Apple
Gradiente wins exclusive right to the iPhone brand name
Raphael Michilis Fonseca
 |
| The Brazilian IPHONE was launched in December 2012 and had been registered since 2000, seven years before Apple launched its first smartphone |
Now it is up to the Gradiente to decide whether Apple can continue using the iPhone brand in Brazil.
Neither company has yet released a public statement concerning the INPI's ruling.
The Brazilian electronics manufacturer, controlled by IGB Eletrônica, registered the brand name in 2000, seven years before Apple launched their game changing device that has since gone on to earn the company billions. The registration gave Gradiente came with a launching deadline of january 2013
In order to maintain exclusive rights to the brand, Gradiente was required to launch its IPHONE by January of this year. The company just beat the clock by releasing it in December 2012, just one month before the deadline.
This is not the first time Apple face legal battle over its biggest brand name. It already had to make deals with Cisco, who held the rights over the name in the USA.
The company founded by Steve Jobs filed registration of the brand in 2006, 2007, 2010 and 2011. Two years ago Apple obtained authorization to market the name linked to shoes, clothing and instruction mauals.
Monday, 28 January 2013
Four arrested in connection with nightclub fire that killed more than 230 in Brazil
Raphael Michilis Fonseca
Police arrested four people connected with the nightclub fire that killed 231 in Santa Maria, southern Brazil. Officials did not reveal the names of the detainees, but reports say they are the two co-owners of the club, Mauro Hoffman and Elissandro Spohr, and two members of the band Gurizada Fandangueira. Some reports also say the chief of security was among the arrested.
The suspects are being temporarily held for five days while police carry out investigation into the blaze. The imprisonment can be extended for five more days until the incident is clarified, Brazilian police said.
Brazilian authorities say the final answer to who are the responsible for the fire in the nightclub will hardly be found in less than 30 days of investigation.
The club owners argue that the establishment had been inspected by a fire marshal and had a temporary authorisation to be open. Police informed they suspected the owners of the Kiss club could be getting rid of evidences.
The journalist and Doctor in Political Science, Leonoardo Sakamoto, also argues that the lack license is not an automatic answer to find the culprit for this episode that left the country standing still.
He says in his column on www.uol.com.br that long bureaucratic processes and corruption play a major part in irregularities in licensing businesses in Brazil.
According to Sakamoto there is a well known mafia installed around the processes of emission and inspection of licenses to bars, restaurants and nightclubs in Sao Paulo and many other cities in Brazil. He also says it is almost impossible to clean public service from those mafias.
“The fact is that any mayor that try to change this reality, simplifying e digitalizing the process to obtain certificates and licenses and punishing public workers involved in corruption is more likely to fall before manage to tackle the mafias”, said Sakamoto.
On the other hand of the discussion, yesterday, Sao Paulo Mayor's Office announced a meeting with nightclub owners to revise licensing legislation and inspection in the city. Control of attendees, and emergency exit are two of the main subjects Sao Paulo officials want to discuss with club owners.
Sao Paulo's director of the Venues' Use Control, Silvio de Sicco, said his department has only 19 engineers, but they were enough to do the licensing and inspection work.
"I'd like to have 200 people, but the ones I have are enough, because they are exclusively focused in that activity," said de Sicco adding that periodical inspections are done in nightclubs in Sao Paulo with priority on those that congregate more people and serve alcohol.
The meeting date is not set yet and does not aim to change the current legislation, as the mayor's office say they are enough. The idea is to hear entrepreneurs's opinions on how to enforce them more efficiently, said Nunzio Briguglio, Sao Paulo's Communication Secretary.
Police arrested four people connected with the nightclub fire that killed 231 in Santa Maria, southern Brazil. Officials did not reveal the names of the detainees, but reports say they are the two co-owners of the club, Mauro Hoffman and Elissandro Spohr, and two members of the band Gurizada Fandangueira. Some reports also say the chief of security was among the arrested.
The suspects are being temporarily held for five days while police carry out investigation into the blaze. The imprisonment can be extended for five more days until the incident is clarified, Brazilian police said.
Brazilian authorities say the final answer to who are the responsible for the fire in the nightclub will hardly be found in less than 30 days of investigation.
The club owners argue that the establishment had been inspected by a fire marshal and had a temporary authorisation to be open. Police informed they suspected the owners of the Kiss club could be getting rid of evidences.
A BROADER VIEW
Now Brazilian population asks for a broader investigation into who are the responsible for the tragedy. Through social media and comments in news websites they claim that authorities should also to be investigated.The journalist and Doctor in Political Science, Leonoardo Sakamoto, also argues that the lack license is not an automatic answer to find the culprit for this episode that left the country standing still.
He says in his column on www.uol.com.br that long bureaucratic processes and corruption play a major part in irregularities in licensing businesses in Brazil.
According to Sakamoto there is a well known mafia installed around the processes of emission and inspection of licenses to bars, restaurants and nightclubs in Sao Paulo and many other cities in Brazil. He also says it is almost impossible to clean public service from those mafias.
“The fact is that any mayor that try to change this reality, simplifying e digitalizing the process to obtain certificates and licenses and punishing public workers involved in corruption is more likely to fall before manage to tackle the mafias”, said Sakamoto.
On the other hand of the discussion, yesterday, Sao Paulo Mayor's Office announced a meeting with nightclub owners to revise licensing legislation and inspection in the city. Control of attendees, and emergency exit are two of the main subjects Sao Paulo officials want to discuss with club owners.
Sao Paulo's director of the Venues' Use Control, Silvio de Sicco, said his department has only 19 engineers, but they were enough to do the licensing and inspection work.
"I'd like to have 200 people, but the ones I have are enough, because they are exclusively focused in that activity," said de Sicco adding that periodical inspections are done in nightclubs in Sao Paulo with priority on those that congregate more people and serve alcohol.
The meeting date is not set yet and does not aim to change the current legislation, as the mayor's office say they are enough. The idea is to hear entrepreneurs's opinions on how to enforce them more efficiently, said Nunzio Briguglio, Sao Paulo's Communication Secretary.
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