Virada Cultural Paulista | The Second Life Effect

Why we avoided the Sambodian Virada Cultural Paulista | 2012, or, traduttores traditores. Neuza and I have not been consuming our fair share of Sambodian culture lately, owing both to ennui and to the odd work schedule of a traduttore traditore. We are also somewhat puzzled over the latest pet project supported by federal and state [...]

Rio-Sampa: Trading Places?

The Rio de Janeiro based tip sheet Relatório Reservado passes along a rumor about the future of Brazil’s CME-afiliated commodities exchange, to wit: that Rio governor Sérgio Cabral is engaged in lobbying for a change of venue for commodities and derivatives trading, or possibly the creation of a third venue, in his home state.. The move is [...]

Satanic Mills and The Pigs of Steel

A black-hat carvoaria in Piauí — entire debt-enslaved families engaged in illegal deforestation and the defrauding of carbon-steel production standards.   It is a shame that Brasil Econômico is hiding today’s report on the black-market carbon industry behind its pay-to-play firewall. Although it has taken some time to get up steam, the BE — which takes the [...]

Copersucar Ready to IPO

Copersucar’s booze-fueled Formula 1 model. I told them so, but they only wanted to pay me $0.05 a word for the wisdom so I blew them off. One of the largest ethanol and sugar exporters in the world, Brazil’s Copersucar has filed with the Brazilian SEC-equiivalent to go public and sell shares on the Bovespa [...]

Brazil, the BSA and Big, Bad Tobacco

I call it the unholy pentagram and I am really shocked at some of its propaganda practices. One of its local partners, for example, made — and publicly announced, in an obscure corner of its usability nightmre Web site — a deal with Brazil’s leading business dailies to publish “special sections” promoting its aims. The [...]

Softex | Hard Sell from Intel

Softex, the software development arm of BNDES, announces:, and I translate an excerpt or two: Intel Brasil and Softex announce the signing of a Tecnical and Scientific Cooperation agreement that establishes a mutual commitment to the Brazilian software and IT services industry, inceasing Brazil’s share of a sector that already brings inUS$ 18.5 billion and [...]

The CC Wars | Defining Commons Ground in the Latifúndio of Samizdat Digital

I hereby take back the foregoing. Do not copy and remix my deathless prose without my permission and without citation of the source, and certainly without reference to the context of what I said. Reaction to a decision by Brazil’s Ministry of Culture to withdraw Creative Commons licensing from its content and the content of [...]

Obama Walks the Corda Bamba | Barack in Rio

“I feel as though folks in Rio like me …” Carlos Latuff, alt.cartoonist of the year, on the state visit of Obama, which naturally has been overshadowed by dramatic images of Libyan jets going down in flames and whole fleets steaming along the Mediterranean coast. Those who kept their attention focused on the bilateral talks [...]

The Landless Gringos Movement | New Ban on Land Sales to Non-Brazilians

Cane fields, São Paulo. Critics question the wisdom of betting so heavily on monoculture. One hears that these vast stretches make great hiding places for pot cultivation. It came out it in the Estadao BRASÍLIA – The government has resolved to ban new sales and mergers, to or with foreigners, of Brazilian firms with landholdings in [...]

Barack Hits the BRICs

Newish and noteworthy, and originally published in Valor Econômico – With Obama visit, Brazil hopes to become a “global actor” — Portal ClippingMP. I translate some passages from the analysis In talks with Hillary Clinton, Brazilian foreign minister Patriota heard praise for the performance of Brazi-led U.S. troops in Haiti and Brazil’s handling, as a [...]