November 23, 2010 SouthAmerica: This trend is also part of the massive decline of the United States in many areas, including its world class university system. Foreign Affairs' Jim Hoge on msnbc's Morning Joe - 11/22/10 http://www.thinktankedblog.com/thin...n-affairs-jim-hoge-on-msnbcs-morning-joe.html Jim Hoge have been the editor-in-chief of Foreign Affairs in New York City for the last 18 years and now he is leaving that influential publication. Right now they published a special edition of "Foreign Affairs" the last issue under his tenure, and they cover major trends that are under way. One thing that he said really called my attention "in the next ten years when they compile a list of the 5 best universities around the world, the United States will be lucky if they still have two US universities listed." I hope Brazil would be one of the countries that will have one of the top universities in the world by that time. .
LOL. I bet it won't. 100% guaranteed. You'll be fulfilling your rightful place in the world: a quarry for Asia.
. December 4, 2010 SouthAmerica: When I wrote an article in April 2010 saying that the time was up, and I suggested that the military took over the Brazilian government to clean up the drug traffickers and the criminal gangs from Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro â I did not get any reaction here on the ET forum, only in the comments section following that article. Then in August 4 , 2010 I mentioned on this forum that military were ready to take action and do something about the problem in Brazil. One more time my prediction was right on the nose. In the last 2 weeks the Brazilian Army has been engaged in a massive clean up job in Rio de Janeiro. And the Brazilian government gave police powers for the military for them to be able to do the clean up job. ***** http://www.elitetrader.com/vb/showt...erpage=6&highlight=dictatorship&pagenumber=24 ...August 4, 2010 SouthAmerica: Today a Folha de Sao Paulo has a frontpage article about the ongoing war against the narcotraffic in Mexico. In the last 18 days Mexico had 3,174 assassinations in relation to the narcotraffic â the equivalent of about 176 deaths per day. We are seeing just the preview in Mexico of a war against the narcotraffic â wait until this war reaches Brazil in full force. The military in Brazil is just waiting for the right time to start taking action â and what is happening in Mexico will look like nothing compared with what is in store for Brazil. ********* April 13, 2010 SouthAmerica: Here is the link to my latest article about Brazil, which was published on Brazzil magazine. The Brazilian Formula for Success - Dictatorship Written by Ricardo C. Amaral Brazzil magazine - Tuesday, 13 April 2010 http://www.brazzil.com/component/co...ctatorship.html .
. January 6, 2011 SouthAmerica: I had to post this article here on ET, because it's a great article about Brazil. ***** The Economist âGo south, young scientistâ An emerging power in research Science in Brazil Jan 6th 2011 | SÃO PAULO http://www.economist.com/node/17851421?story_id=17851421&fsrc=rss POPULAR with foreigners looking for sun, sea and samba, Brazil wants to turn itself into a hot destination for seekers of science. Though its own bright graduates still head to Europe or the United States for PhDs or post-doctoral fellowships, nowadays that is more because science is an international affair than because they cannot study at home. The country wants more of them to return afterwards, and for the traffic to become two-way. Brazil is no longer a scientific also-ran. It produces half a million graduates and 10,000 PhDs a year, ten times more than two decades ago. Between 2002 and 2008 its share of the worldâs scientific papers rose from 1.7% to 2.7%. It is a world leader in research on tropical medicine, bioenergy and plant biology. It spends 1% of its fast-growing GDP on research, half the rich-world share but almost double the average in the rest of Latin America. Its scientists are increasingly collaborating with those abroad: 30% of scientific papers by Brazilians now have a foreign co-author. Becoming part of the global scientific endeavour is about more than national pride. By doing their own science, developing tropical countries can make sure that it is not only the problems of people in rich, temperate places that get solved. São Paulo, Brazilâs richest state, is leading the effort. It has the countryâs best universities, including the only two that make it into the top 300 in both of the best-known global rankings. Its constitution guarantees the state research foundation, known as FAPESP, 1% of the state governmentâs tax take. That amounted to $450m in 2010, and comes on top of money from the federal government. This allows São Paulo to offer the money and facilities to attract foreign researchers. That will remain essential for a while. Brazil is short of established scientists, a legacy of the dire condition of its schools, even if these are now improving. âWe have money, and plenty of ideas,â says Glaucia Mendes Souza, an expert on sugar-cane genomics at the University of São Paulo who co-ordinates FAPESPâs bioenergy research. âWe need more research groups, and more people to lead them.â Fortunately, this is a good moment to lure foreign scientists. Research funding is being squeezed in Europe and North America. Although Brazilâs super-strong currency may bring fears of deindustrialisation, it also makes all kinds of imports cheaper. But snaring academic superstars will be hard. Though Brazil pays junior researchers well by international standards, the same is not true at the top of the scale. Publicly funded universities have no flexibility to offer more money to seal a deal. Nor can they offer research-only contracts: all tenured academics must teach undergraduates. Permanent positions can be filled only by open competition: heads of department cannot simply identify the best candidate and start negotiating. And those competitions include a public examinationâin Portuguese. Still, FAPESP is trying. It has advertised two-year fellowships at some São Paulo universities in Nature, a scientific journal read globally, and though most responses came from scientists early in their careers, it is mostly the more senior ones who are being invited for discussions. FAPESP hopes that during those two years they will learn Portuguese (lessons are included) and that some will want to stay. Perhaps the main thing Brazil can offer scientists is plenty of room to grow. âYou can have your own laboratory here,â says Anete Pereira de Souza, a plant geneticist at the University of Campinas, another big São Paulo state university. âYou can start an entire new area of research. Here, youâre a pioneer.â from PRINT EDITION | The Americas ***** âBrazilâs dentists continue to innovateâ By Jonathan Wheatley in São Paulo Published: January 6, 2011 Financial Times (UK) http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/039e7200-19b9-11e0-b921-00144feab49a.html#axzz1ANNS6dBI One of the many surprising things about Brazil is that its dentistry ranks among the best in the world. The skill of its dental practitioners and the size of its market, expanding rapidly over the past few years, have attracted some of the worldâs biggest dental supplies companies, such as Dentsply and Ultradent of the US and KaVo of Germany. .
January 24, 2011 SouthAmerica: We need to be a realist and recognize that the currency game is not going to change for a long time regarding China and the United States, because of the internal problems that it would cause for the economies of these 2 countries. The time is now for Finance Minister Guido Mantega to announce ASAP what I have been suggesting since last year: a 35 percent devaluation of the real, and adopt a fixed rate currency system for the real pegged to a basket of currencies including the US dollar and the Chinese yuan to anchor the real against the US dollar and the yuan â and keep the new currency system until the market conditions change and at that time the Brazilian central bank would make the necessary adjustments. If Guido Mantega does not follow this strategy then the real will continue appreciating against the US dollar and the yuan with catastrophic consequences for the Brazilian economy. ***** âConcern rises over 2012 Brazil inflationâ By Joe Leahy in São Paulo Published: January 24, 2011 Financial Times (UK) http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/0dcd229e-27d3-11e0-a327-00144feab49a.html#axzz1Bz1OkUPC Brazil may have to take stronger action to dampen future inflation expectations, a study by the central bank has shown. The weekly survey of 100 economists who cover Brazil indicated that inflationary forecasts for 2012 have risen for the first time in several months, indicating that policymakers may have to implement more interest rate increases and other measures than initially anticipated. âInflation expectations are becoming seriously unanchored, as inflation consensus projections keep moving relentlessly higher,â said Marcelo Carvalho, head of Latin America research at Banco BNP Paribas Brasil, in a research note. Keeping inflation under control is one of the main challenges facing the new government of President Dilma Rousseff, amid risks that the economy is over-heating following a credit boom last year and rapid growth in consumption. The rising inflation is threatening to push Brazilâs policy interest rate, already among the highest among large economies at 11.25 per cent, even higher. This is in turn attracting hot money from abroad and strengthening Brazil's currency, the real, damaging the competitiveness of domestic manufacturers. The central bank survey showed that economists expect inflation of 5.53 per cent for this year, higher than 5.42 per cent in the previous weekly survey and above the central bankâs target of 4.5 per cent. More worrying for the central bank, however, is that economists also raised their average forecast for 2012 to 4.54 per cent, the first time they have deviated from the official 4.5 per cent target in recent months. âMore than just a short-run blip in inflation, the consensus is now beginning to question the central bankâs commitment to bring inflation down to the target in a timely fashion,â BNPâs Mr Carvalho wrote. The central bank only last week raised rates by 50 basis points and economists expect at least another 100 basis points of increases. The survey indicates, however, that the markets doubt this will be enough to bring inflation back into line with central bankâs own targets. This could force the central bank to undertake more severe monetary tightening or other actions, such as macroprudential measures that could include increasing reserve requirements and deploying other tools. .
February 4, 2011 SouthAmerica: Since before Dilma Rousseff was elected president of Brazil, I have been saying to a lot of people let's give her a chance to show what she can do. I believe she will be OK, and she will try to do her best, and have an excellent administration. ***** âRousseff makes her mark on Brazilâ By Joe Leahy in São Paulo Published: February 4, 2011 Financial Times (UK) Brazilians got an early glimpse of the governing style of their new president, Dilma Rousseff, when she faced her first crisis after floods and mudslides ravaged the hills near Rio de Janeiro. Reaching the area within 24 hours, Ms Rousseff was spare but to the point in her comments to the media after touring the ruins â Brazil needed to provide better housing for the poor in flood-prone regions to avoid a repeat of the tragedy, Brazilâs worst natural disaster with more than 800 killed. She quickly followed up with plans to build new homes for the displaced and earmarked funds for a national flood alert system. After a month in the job, Ms Rousseffâs sober, business-like style contrasts sharply with that of her effusive predecessor and former boss, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, a former unionist who was equally at home shooting the breeze with metal workers as he was rubbing shoulders with global business leaders in Davos. Yet while many Brazilians liked Mr Lula da Silvaâs personal touch, Ms Rousseffâs quieter, more systematic approach may be just what the Latin Americaâs biggest economy needs to consolidate the rapid growth of the past few years, analysts say. âDilma is not Brazilâs new president but Brazilâs new chief executive officer,â said a fund manager with a large US investor in Brazil. âShe has all the personal characteristics to be Brazilâs best president, one who gets the priorities right and is strong enough to move forward with them.â An experienced administrator â she was Mr Lula da Silvaâs chief of staff until she stepped down in March last year â Ms Rousseff is a trained economist and skilled technocrat. By comparison, Mr Lula da Silva had little formal education. Cabinet ministers have been the first to notice the difference in styles between the pair. Meetings now start punctually and she frightened some by holding her first cabinet session on a Friday, when many ministers would normally already have joined the weekend exodus. âShe likes to read everything, sheâs very detailed. If a high official comes to her for a meeting, he or she should know everything about the subject, otherwise they are in big trouble,â said a government insider. âShe likes to establish goals and deadlines as well, which is quite new in BrasÃlia. Sheâs a very demanding person.â On policy, while Mr Lula da Silva embarked on a spending spree at the end of his presidency, Ms Dilma is promising budget cutbacks. There is speculation she will shave as much as $40bn-$50bn from the budget, to help reduce a fiscal deficit that reached 2.7 per cent of gross domestic product last year and is being blamed for rising inflation. The new president has also managed to cap an increase in the minimum wage despite threatened opposition from coalition partners. And she has introduced greater coherence on monetary and exchange rate policy, particularly the governmentâs efforts to prevent further appreciation of Brazilâs currency, the real, against the dollar â a struggle known locally as the âcurrency warâ. âThe âcurrency warâ comes with her blessing,â said David Fleischer, a political analyst at the University of BrasÃlia. âSheâs okayed how this is being played out.â This emphasis on performance is being driven by political necessity, analysts say. Ms Rousseff lacks Mr Lula da Silvaâs popularity. If she wants to stay in power, she must deliver stable growth of 3-5 per cent. She also has her share of sceptics in the markets. With inflation hitting its highest level since 2008 last year, many economists believe the government and central bank need to act more urgently. âThey do not sound as hawkish as seriously deteriorating market inflation expectations would justify,â said Marcelo Carvalho at Banco BNP Paribas Brasil in a note to clients about the central bank. Yet those expecting to see splashy headline initiatives from Ms Rousseff will be disappointed, says the US investor. Her strength is on execution, pushing through micro-reforms in areas such as taxes, pensions and labour law that will have a big difference in the long run. âBrazilians want to see more bang for their buck; taxes are very high and government services very poor. Sheâs going to take over and improve that,â said the US fund manager. .
March 21, 2011 SouthAmerica: Here is Barack Obama speech in Rio de Janeiro â Brazil â March 20, 2011 Barack Obama speech in Rio de Janeiro â Brazil â March 20, 2011 http://tv.estadao.com.br/videos,PRE...DE-JANEIRO-INTEGRA-EM-INGLES,133549,260,0.htm ***** SouthAmerica: Why they did not arrange for Barack Obama to speak to all the members of the camara of the senators and deputado federais em Brasilia? Who was in the audience that were present at that theater in Rio? Barack Obama did not give any credit for all the foundations that the military dictatorship planted in Brazil that resulted in Brazil being energy independent, and in many other areas of the Brazilian economy that Brazilians are collecting the fruits today; fruits that were planted during the dictatorship years. Barack Obama gives too much credit to Brazil's success to the fact that Brazil is a democracy, but the reality is: a lot of this prosperity that we had in Brazil in the last 8 years it has been provided with the compliments of China. And China is not a democracy, and that country has had the best economic performance in the world in the last 30 years, and China's economic performance has lifted the boats of more than 250 million people in China. .
March 26, 2011 SouthAmerica: Barack Obama trip to Brazil in March 2011 The Bellingham Herald/Knight Ridder - WA Friday, Mar. 25, 2011 âObama's Latin America visit falls very shortâ By Juan Blanco Prada President Obama's just-concluded Latin America visit revealed American cluelessness in the face of a rapidly changing region. Obama spent two days in Brazil, by far the most important part of the trip. Nevertheless, his stay there was largely a failure. During his sojourn, Obama declared that he "appreciated" Brazil's intent to obtain a permanent seat at the U.N. Security Council, far from the strong support the United States has given to a similar bid by India. Indeed, while backing India is seen by the United States as a counterbalance to China, having the same posture toward Brazil is still perceived as detrimental to American regional leadership. However, such U.S. dominance is irreversibly waning. As the area becomes more prosperous and democracy deepens its roots throughout the hemisphere, Latin American countries are developing stronger ties among themselves and with other nations. In the case of Brazil, China has replaced the United States as its main trading partner. But perhaps more important is the fact that Brazil itself has replaced the United States as the main economic partner of many countries in the region, both in terms of trade and direct investment. And yet, despite all that is at stake for American interests in Latin America, Obama's visit didn't go beyond rhetorical compliments. Obama did not respond, for instance, to Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff's request for the United States to make good on its free-trade discourse by reducing barriers to Brazilian agricultural products and biofuel. The next stop of Obama's trip was in Chile, where the main event was a speech directed to all of Latin America that was supposed to signal the opening of a new era in hemispheric policy. Once again, expectations fizzled due to lack of concrete proposals to back up the much-publicized assertion made by Obama that Latin American nations are America's "equal partners." While he acknowledged that the United States exports more to this region than it does to China, Obama didn't signal he is willing to lift trade barriers and end subsidies that reduce the ability of those "equal partners" to sell their products in the United States. But if the absence of real proposals can be remedied through further dialogue, it is harder to mend the symbolic missteps of this visit. There was a failed attempt to address the people of Brazil from a venue associated with the national struggle. And overaggressive security resulted in four Brazilian ministers being turned away from an event they were scheduled to attend with Obama, since they refused to subject themselves to body scans and pat-downs. Furthermore, it took some chutzpah for Obama to praise the restoration of democracy in Chile and the rest of the region while ignoring the crucial role of U.S. diplomats and CIA agents in destroying it from the 1950s through the 1980s through military coups and death squads. While few truly expected a full apology, many hoped for at least an acknowledgement of past misdeeds and a commitment to not repeat such interventions. There is indeed a new reality in Latin America that is impossible for American leaders to ignore. Latin Americans are determined to become masters of their own destiny. If the United States is to make the best of it through a true partnership of equals, it must begin by acknowledging past errors and making good on its rhetoric about free trade, democracy and human rights. Speeches alone won't do. http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2011/03/25/1934489/obamas-latin-america-visit-falls.html .
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ I think because if Obama acknowledge the progress to Brazil is happened when the military dictatorship is strong, USA people can write in the media he is communist. Is like some people can not acknowledge Cuba have made the good health care under dictatorship. If someone is saying something good about the healthcare, they will call them communist. But really they are not communist, and they are against the human rights abuse.