Improvements

At the beginning of the year I blogged about how Brazil wasn’t ready for two major events the FIFA World Cup 2014 and the 2016 Olympic games in Rio de Janeiro. Now, the Brazilian governments are actually making improvements for better security for Rio de Janeiro society and future tourists. The current president, Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, finally sent 800 army soldiers to the “favela(slum) do Alemao,” the most notorious slum Rio has.  Last Sunday the government’s armed personnel confiscated 40 tons of marijuana, 50 rifles and 9 antiaircraft guns. The government finally seized the land the loosed to heavily armed drug gangs. According to the Brazilian media, they will stay there until October of 2011 and establish “police pacification unit.” From the Alemao Complex they move to the other notorious slums in Rio.

Like the rest of the Brazilian population I was shocked when I read what was happening to Rio’s slums. We are finally seeing the government enforcing military power over the armed gangs that controls the slums. I believe that this is only the beginning of the improvements for the 2014 World Cup. If the Brazilian governments continues to make these types of action I believe that Brazil can have an organized a safe World Cup and Olympic games and also change foreign impressions about Brazil. 

What are you thankful for?

Family?

Food?

Friends?

Health?

Facebook?

You can be thankful for many things in life but what about our education? For the most part, college students take for granted their education. Freshmen dropouts are evidence of this; about 56% percent of those who enroll in a college are able to graduate after 4 years. The first step for academic failure that many freshmen take is to focus more on exploiting their newly earned freedom by going to parties. Second step is not going to class. Third step, when things are starting to go down hill, is to start relying in academic dishonesty in order to achieve a desired result with the minimal amount of effort required to complete the task. Eventually the student will fail or be caught. We don’t realize how fortunate we are to be able to study in American university, which millions of students all around the world would kill to have this privilege. What is more important to have fun or decent grades? Decent grades doesn’t mean not having a social life; halving B’s on every course doesn’t require much work, just turning in all the hw and passing the exam with a amiable grade. Are you thankful for your education?

Yes they CAN!

For the first time in Brazilian history a women was elected president! Being able to vote in the Brazilian presidential elections I did not vote for her, but I’m happy that she won because it shows how women are capable in doing many professions. Dilma Rousseff, elected president of Brazil may become a role model for many women, influencing them to follow their dreams, knowing that they are capable in having any profession a man can have. Having a woman, as president will give more rights to women, allowing them to have more power; eventually women will make their own money and will become less dependent on men, as well as to improving the economy. Having a woman as president is good for any country. I believe that USA next president should be a woman. According to the UN, “if you educate a woman, then you educate her children, her community and her country. If you give a woman power and respect, she will take decisions that benefit her family, and society as a whole.” Women will make the world a better place!

Hammer the Middle East

Another terror threat happened early this week. Two packages containing explosives were mailed to Chicago-area synagogues. The packages were found in Dubai and England. The explosives originated from Yemen, where Al-Qaeda, a terrorist group based in Yemen, continues to plan attacks against that United States of America.

How long do we need to fear terrorist attacks? I feel that president Obama has to stop fighting a war built around using "the scalpel'' instead of "the hammer”. I believe that the American government has to more ruthless towards Al Qaeda or any form of group or country against it. Violence creates peace and order.  For example, after dropping nuclear bombs on Nagasaki and Hiroshima Japan surrendered. I’m not saying to drop nuclear weapons o n the middle east but to be more cold blooded and get the job done.

My big brother

A few months ago one of my best friends moved away. His name is Amos and he is my older half-brother. Although Amos is 25, he still attends school; he is mentally and socially challenged; he has Down syndrome. Despite his disabilities, Amos lives every day to the fullest. He always has a good time and his enthusiasm is contagious.

Recently I read that about 90 percent of all pregnant women whose unborn children are diagnosed with Down syndrome choose to have an abortion. Having grown up with a Down syndrome brother, I would not choose for my wife to have a selective abortion. I first became aware of the ethical issues surrounding genetic testing when my tenth grade biology teacher showed Gattaca in class. The movie clearly demonstrates that the main character is quite capable of functioning in society despite his “imperfections.” The audience experiences the movie through Vincent; his struggles become our struggles and ultimately the movie appeals to our pathos as we get to know Vincent and he is no longer just a faceless human. For me, Down syndrome has a face and it is that of Amos. For those who do not know an Amos, abortion may be an impersonal, easy solution. However, I have learned through the years that although Amos may not be considered perfect in our world, he definitely has a place in it and can do many things, often better than his little brother can.

My epiphany was like that of John Cusack in Martian Child. Cusack adopts a little boy who is troubled and thinks he is from Mars. Throughout the movie Cusack keeps trying to get him to realize that he isn’t. It is not until Cusack is in a situation at work where someone says to him, "why can't you just be who we want you to be?!?" that he finally understands that he has been trying to get the little boy to be someone other people want him to be. Often over the years, I didn’t want to have a Down syndrome brother. I was worried about what my friends might think and embarrassed when the other kids made fun of him. Frequently I would be impatient and annoyed and wish he would just leave me alone. Sometimes I would feel guilty like the day that Amos asked me, “Why do people always look at me?” and I realized how hard it is for him. In those moments, I just wanted to put my arms around him and protect him from the hostile world.

         I now realize just how much he means to me and as I consider the future, I want to embrace life the way he does.

A few months ago Amos moved about 5000 miles away. Recently I received an email from him, saying he was okay and asking if I was okay and telling me that if anyone was bothering me to just let him know and he would take care of it. It’s nice to know that my big brother is taking care of me.  Although he often tried to be just like me, really I am the one who should imitate him in all the areas that really matter.  Someday I want to be just like my older brother.

Giving food/money to the poor = earning votes for the next presidential election.

This Sunday, October 3, 2010, was a very important day for many Brazilians. After 4 years, we are again forced to vote for a new president. The candidates are: Marina Silva, a former environmentalist, representing the Green Party; she works tirelessly to defend Brazil's rain forest. Jose Serra, a centrist from the Brazilian Social Democracy Party and former mayor and governor of Sao Paulo. For last, Dilma Rousseff, A one-time Marxist guerrilla, with no experience in being a leader in politics, chosen by Brazil's most popular leader in history to succeed him.

The IBOPE, the polling institute indicated the following for Sunday’s presidential election:

%

Dilma – 13 – PT 51%

José Serra – 45 – PSDB 30%

Marina Silva – 43 – PV 18%

But the margin of error was plus or minus 2 percentage points.

If election does go to a second ballot, it would be Rousseff against Serra. Unfortunately, Rousseff will probably win because of her boss, the president Luis Inacio Lula da Silva, which he is leaving office with 80 percent of approval ratings.  The president, also known as Lula, stayed in power for eight years during which 20.5 million people have been lifted from poverty.

When it said that Lula lifted 20.5 million people from poverty I became furious with the lie and of course these 20.5 million people will support Lula’s successor. Lula didn’t actually lift 20.5 million people out of poverty; he only gave food and money to the people in the northeast of Brazil, the poorest part of Brazil. I think it was the wrong thing to do, instead of investing the money in the economy he spent on the people who doesn’t contribute to the growth of Brazil. Now the people who received the money and food from the government will get used to not working for food. So there is no reason for the people to work in order to earn money and feed themselves. The people who are receiving from the government are getting used to the easy life; doing nothing and yet being provided with money and food. And of course they don’t want this to end so they definitely vote for Lula’s successor, Dilma Rousseff.

I believe that Brazil deserves a president that has experience in being a leader and I believe that Jose Serra is the right man for the job. Serra is the former mayor and governor of Sao Paulo, the 10^th richest city in the world. Should DIlma Rouseff  be elected as president ?

Is Brazil ready ?

http://online.wsj.com/video/rio-hotel-hostages-escape-shootout/6E7FEC04-6303-4B2A-A794-B1D71758E068.html I watched this short video about how a group of armed gunmen, after having a shootout with the police in Rio de Janeiro, entered Rio de Janeiro's International Hotel, taking 35 civilians hostage. The situation was resolved. Towards the end, the reporter says, "Violent crime is a major problem in Rio, where heavily armed drug gangs controls its many slums.... and it will host 2014 World Cup and 2016 Olympic Games." That made think if Brazil is actually ready to host these two major events.

Being a Brazilian, I am excited that my home country has the opportunity to host these major events, but I’m also a realist and Brazil is not ready. I lived in Brazil for 17 years and I know that violent crimes are a major problem all around Brazil. I have seen and experienced the violence; I’ve been kidnapped, shot at and now, when I visit, I’m always with an armed bodyguard and I only drive around in bulletproof cars. The violence in Brazil is a major problem and it will affect the 2014 World Cup and the 2016 Olympic Games.

I love my country, but I think that Brazil is not ready to host these events.

Forgotten teachers

American culture has a lot to offer, but not everything. Zeitoun’s children adapted so much to the American culture, that it is difficult for them to learn the life lessons their father has to offer. Just having to teach the idea that things have value and becoming emotionally attached to it, as a way to live life by goes against Americas consumerist culture. 

An individual can learn a lot from a society’s culture, and many do, but the individual must not forget to also learn from their parents. Sometimes parents are an undiscovered source of information. Even though some parents may be rude or mean; usually they have something to teach. In Brazil, many of my American friends adapted to the Brazilian culture, ignoring the lessons their parents tried to teach them. They only understood when something bad would happen to them.

I think we should all adapt to our host culture, however we should not limit ourselves to the new culture and forget the lessons of our parents and elders who have learned from their own lives and can teach us the lessons they have learned.