HEALTH: H1N1

Map of H1N1 Cases in Brazil

ECON STUFF: Chinese JAC Motors to Build Plant in Rio

JAC Motor Company of China

ina’s JAC Motors to build vehicle plant in Brazil

From:Dow JonesJuly 03, 2009

China’s JAC Motors (Jianghuai Automobile Co., Ltd) ) is to build a vehicle plant at the Acu port complex in Rio de Janeiro State, the Rio state government said in a statement.

The announcement came shortly after confirmation Wednesday China’s Wuhan Iron & Steel Co. Ltd, or Wisco would build a steel mill at the greenfield site in the north of Rio de Janeiro State.

JAC Motors is China’s leading bus chassis manufacturer. It produces 450,000 vehicles a year including light trucks and multipurpose vehicles.

China’s JAC Motors to Build Vehicle Plant in Brazil

From:Dow JonesJuly 03, 2009

China’s JAC Motors (Jianghuai Automobile Co., Ltd) ) is to build a vehicle plant at the Acu port complex in Rio de Janeiro State, the Rio state government said in a statement.

The announcement came shortly after confirmation Wednesday China’s Wuhan Iron & Steel Co. Ltd, or Wisco would build a steel mill at the greenfield site in the north of Rio de Janeiro State.

JAC Motors is China’s leading bus chassis manufacturer. It produces 450,000 vehicles a year including light trucks and multipurpose vehicles.

click for full article

LINKS:

• JAC Motors

HOW THINGS WORK: Jetinho

Bus Stop in the Wrong Place

MyMicro is a computer business.  It has been at this location for several years.  It is where I take my sick computers.  The other day while having my wife’s computer treated for some mysterious ailment, the owner and I started chatting about the new bus stop right in front of his store.  He said that this had been the “headache of the month”.  The headache started when the bus stop was being put in.   He pointed out to the crew chief that the new bus stop would block his parking spaces.    The crew chief said that was not his problem.  He then went to the Mayor’s office and explained to the head Engineer of bus stops the problems the new bus stop were causing his business.  The Engineer said that is not my problem.    Then the Jetinho kicked in.  The owner had a client who was a “deputado”.  He called him and explained his probem.   The bus stop will be moved next week (well, probably not that soon), but he will have to pay for the relocation of the bus stop, which he will gladly do.

This type of problem solving is called “Jetinho”.   It is the knack or ability to resolve or work around a problem using non-traditional means. Brazilians are born with the Jetinho; North American Gringos are not.  

On the positive side of this story, the city is impoving the bus stops so that one doesn’t have to stand while waiting for the bus and the waits can be long and gives some protection during the rainy season.

The picture also shows another common problem here in Brazil – illegal parking.  Parking is not allow at bus stops.  But his guy has a problem and his Jetinho is to use the bus stop for parking his car.  This complicates the bus driver’s picking up and unloading passengers as well as blocking one lane of the street.    Jethinho good for him, but screws up things for others.

And so it goes………

LIB: What Can You Say?

Surfing in Rio

Texto and photo from Globo Online reader Mr. Vicente Luiz Cantini

ECON STUF: Chinese To Invest US$ 4 Billion in Rio

Steel Mill to be built in Northern part of Rio State

The Governor of Rio de Janeiro State, Mr. Sérgio Cabral who is in China, announced that the Chinese company WISCO will construct a steel mill at Porto do Açu in partnership with Grupo EBX investments.  He says the project will create 20,000 jobs.

The Port, located approximately 280 km northeast of Rio, is under construction and should be completed by the end of 2011.

LINKS:

• WISCO: Wuhan Iron and Steel Group
• Grupo EBX – Brazilian Investment Company

CITIES-São Paulo: Google Street View Coming

Google Street View coming to São Paulo, Brazil

FolhaOnline annouced today that Google in cooperation with FIAT will offer Street View for the city of São Paulo.   FIAT confirmed that they are in talks with Google.  Google did not comment one way or the other.  More news is expected next week.

UPDATE: 2 July 09

Globo Online Rio and Belo Horizonte will also have Google Street View. The photo operation will begin this Friday in BH and the service is expected to be ready in 6 to 8 months.

ECON STUFF: China Development Bank Plans to Open Branch in Brazil

Chinese International Trade in Africa and Latin America

Fifteen years ago China would rarely come up in any conversation here much less one about international trade. Now it is rare when China is NOT mentioned when talk turns to Brazil’s international trade and investing partners.

There has been a steady increase in the flow of Chinese – Brazilian trade officials coming and going over the last couple of years, which now can be seen by the flood of Chinese products on the shelves of Brazilian stores.  The other day I was at Extra looking at those sandwich/grill makers and noticed that all were made in China; even the Black & Decker one.

The fact the the Chinese Development Bank will open an office in Rio shows how fast the situation has changed over the last years.

LINKS:

• China Development Bank Plans to Open Branch in Brazil
• Deutsche Bank – Dragon or giant panda? What China means for Brazil
• People’s Daily – Brazilian president invites Chinese banks, investors to Brazil
• Petrobras Gets $10 Billion China Loan, Sinopec Deal

NEW BLOG: Kiwi in Brazil

NEW BLOG: Kiwi in Brazil

I am a tall, lanky American girl married to a tall, lanky Brazilian boy and we’re living in Salvador. My name, pronounced by a friend in thickly accented Brazilian Portuguese was something like “kweeng” which, in consideration of my green eyes, turned into “kiwi”…so voila! I am Kiwi in Brasil. I never imagined I would be nicknamed after tropical fruit or be living in Brazil, but both seem to agree with me, at least so far…

• Go to Blog

CITIES-São Paulo: Photos from the 50s & 60s

Photos of São Paulo City from the 50s and 60s

If you live in Sao Paulo or know the city well, you will find these photos by Bent very interesting indeed.

Street Sao Paulo

Now go here and see photos of Sao Paulo today.

IN THE BRAZILIAN NEWS: June 09

Brazilian News the month of: June 09

• AF 447: The news month started off with the crash of Air France flight 447 about 1000 km of the coast of Brazil.  This was a difficult operation for the Brazilian Navy and Air Force, but they seem to have done a good job under the circumstances.
• The Senate: Big scandal in Brasilia.  The President of the Senate has been accused of spending money and giving out jobs secretly.  The Senate President used to be the President of Brazil back in 1986.  So now everyone is calling for him to resign.   Just last week the World Bank said Brazil’s culture of corrpution had not improved over the last 10 years.  The Senate scandal is in the same vain as the UK Parliament one.  Politicians spending money improperly.
• Iran: The media didn’t pick up on the happenings in Iran until people started getting killed; especially Neda.   Lula was in Geneva when asked about the riots.   He is said it is just like futebol game when the other side loses.  That didn’t go down well with a lot of folks.  The Brazilian State Department started making the rounds trying to explain what Lula “really meant”.  They do spin here too.
• South Carolina vs Argentina: Then the “lost Governor” story broke.  Which grabbed small headlines for a few days.  This was like one of the Brazilian TV soap operas (novelas) and Brazilians love these types of stories about Gringo politicans, since here few care what the politicians do after work.
• Michael Jackson: Blew everything else off the TV, newspapers and Internet.
• São Paulo Apartment Rents: Up to a four-month waiting list to get a one or two bedroom apartment in SP.  Rents running form R$1,000 to R$1,600.
• US$ and Bovespa: In the first semester of 2009 , the US$ has lost 15% and the Bovespa (stock market) is up 40%.   Lots of foreign money looking for investments in Brazil.  Latest investment fad (in my opinion) is wind energy.   Stick a big windmill out in the Certão with a sign on it reading “Gringo Joe’s Wind Energy Company” and sit back and watch the Gringo money rolling in.  :-)

WIB: Brazil Jobs Via Twitter

Twitter Logo

Seems Twitter offers lots of services.  From assisting protestors in Iran to finding  jobs in Brazil.  Amazing stuff.

• Find Jobs Via Twitter in Brazil

DIB: Lei Seca – Don’t drink and drive law

Stats of persons losing their driver's license due to drinking (image O Popular)

This information is taken from an article in the local Sunday newspaper ( O Popular)  in Goiânia.

The number of driver’s licenses suspended due to driving while intoxicated was 150 in the year before the Lei Seca was implemented while only 38 drivers had their licenses suspended since the one year of the Lei Seca.  Although more drivers were arrested this last year, fewer had their licenses suspended.  The article goes on to say that the process for suspending driver’s licenses favors the driver; not the police.  Thus, the low number of suspensions.

However, traffic deaths have fallen by 10% in Goiás State and deaths in hospitals as a result of traffic accidents are down 11% nationwide.  So, maybe the Lei Seca is helping, but there are still too many deaths due to driving and drinking that go unpunished.

UPDATE:

The FolhaOnline newspaper (SP) states in an article on 15 June that arrests for drunk driving increased 17.3% in the second semester (Jan-Jun) of the Lei Seca. The breathalyzer test was given to 13,341 drivers in the second semester.

From July 2008 to April 2009, there were 96,589 injuries due to traffic accidents; 23% less than during the same period in 2007-2008.  Traffic deaths were down 6.9%

INTERNET PORTALS: Terra Internet Portal

Terra.com.br - Internet Portal

I have been using Terra for several years.  I use them because the phone companies offering internet access require me to sign up at one of these Portals – there are three in Brazil, I think.   I pay R$22.61 per month.

Last week they sent me a notice, by post, informing me that my credit card had expired. The notice said to update my credit card information to prevent my account from being discontinued.   I update my info and move on; however, I wonder how in this day and age, teh company doesn’t send out an email alert advising me that my card on file with them is about to expire.   Other companies do this.  Very helpful. Prevents extra hassles for me and them.  But not with Terra.

So, today, Saturday afternoon, Terra calls me informing me that my card has expired and would I give them my card number.  Gave them a big “NO” and informed them (a young woman or an old one with a voice of a young one) that the information was in my account at Terra and to debit the new card.   That is when the woman did a Bill O’Reilly on me.   Started explaining everything again and TELLING me I didn’t understand….blah, blah, blah.   She got rude, I got rude…I’m not into rude on a Saturday afternoon.

Well, now Terra is going to send me a Bulletin Bancário, which will require me to go stand in line at the bank (maybe payable at the ATM…not sure), but regardless – they take my time, to get my money.   All this on a Saturday afternoon…..    This ain’t the way things should work.

So next week begins my “Change The Way I Access The Internet” mission.   It will be a mission.  I have little hope that it will go smoothly; nor quickly.  I expect there will be much ‘rude’.    I’ll be the pissant against “the system”, but….such is life in the modern world.   It is at times like this I wish I were rich …….  :-)

LINKS:

• Bill O’Reilly – American Fox News Fruitcake – King of Rude
• Terra

NOW & THEN: Post Office

Story One:

In 1965, my Mother sent me a letter with 20 bucks in it.  She mentioned that she had sent it in following letters, but never showed.  After several weeks, figured it had been stolen.   But then it arrived.  The envelope had been opened, but $20 was there.  Amazing.  And this was out in Mato Grosso on the border with Paraguay … I mean cowboy and Indian country.  Isolated community.

Story Two:

Levis were a hot item back in the 60s here in Brazil.  People would stop you on the street and want to buy them off you on the spot.

Had my Mother send me down four pairs.    Was notified that they had arrived, but had to go to post office in Vitoria, ES to pick them up.  When I got there, postal employee told me there was a duty of X amount, which as I recall was about one month’s Peace Corps salary (US$50).  Didn’t have it.  Told him to send them back.  Figured someone in the post office would be wearing my new Levis the next week.

Fast forward.  Was at home in California on leave from Peace Corps for one month.  Doorbell rings,  Postman there.  Has a beat up box with four pairs of Levis.   Took five months but made it back to the US.

Correios do Brasil – Brazilian Postal Service

NOW:

The Brazilian postal system is good.  It offers a wide range of services – bank, money transfer, express mail, import and export for small companies and much more..  There are 12,644 post offices in Brazil.  It is always ranked high in surveys of the most respected institutions in Brazil.

Letter to the US takes 3-5 days.

THEN:

Story One:

Amambaí, Mato Grosso do Sul - Sept 1965. Post Office to the left.

In 1965, I was serving as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Amambaí, Mato Grosso (later divided and became Mato Grosso do Sul), which was 100km from south of Ponta Porã, which was located on the Paraguayan border.  Amambaí was the last village before reaching the Rio Paraná.  This was frontier country.  We were a long way from everything, but despite or isolation; we had a post office.  It was much.  Actually, it was a wooden shed and it looked like it would collapse any moment, but it was our link to the outside world.

My Mother sent me a $20 bill in a letter. She mentioned this in a previous letter, but the letter with the money never arrived. However, several weeks later, it did arrive. The envelope had been opened, but $20 and the letter were there.  I was shocked. To this day, I wonder what the story was about this letter.

Story Two:

In October 1965, I transferred to the State of Espirito Santo and worked in the town of Domingos Martins about an hour out of Vitoria; the capital and an overnight bus trip from Rio de Janeiro.   I was back in civilization.

The young men were style conscious and  American blue jeans were in great demand, especial the brand LEE.   Guys would stop you on the street and want to buy them off of you right there and then.  I had my Mother send down four pairs.   After about two months, I was notified that they had arrived at the main post office in Vitoria, ES and off I went to get my four pairs of Levis jeans.   When I go to the post office, the postal clerk told me there was a duty of X amount, which as I recall was about one month’s Peace Corps salary (US$50). Didn’t have it.  I told him to send them back.  I figured someone in the post office would be wearing my new Levis the next week.

Fast forward.  About five months later, I was on Peace Corps home leave in California.  One day the doorbell rang and there stood the postman with a box all beat to hell wrapped in tape – yep, the four pairs of  jeans where there!

A different time.

Letter to the US took 15-25 days.

LINKS:

• Amambaí, MS, Brazil
• Correios do Brasil
• Domingos Martins, ES, Brazil
• Lee
• Levis

CITIES-Rio: Sugarloaf Cable Car

Sugarloaf (Pão de Açucar) and Morro de Urca Rio de Janeiro

The cable car going to the top of Sugarloaf does so in two stages.  The newspaer FolhaOnline reported today that the second stage cable car at will be out of service from June 15-21.  The first stage going from Praia Vermelho (Red Beach) to Morro de Urca (Urca Hill) will continue to operate.

The second stage cable car is being replaced by a newer model purchased in Switzerland and an upgrade of the electrical system.  This has already been completed on the stage one cable car.