The Brazilian Post - English - 74

www.brazilianpost.co.uk • Issue n. 74

GIVE ME MONEY, LOCAL MONEY

Read more on pages 2 and 8 >>

BRAZIL: p03Judgment of corruption scheme raises questions about Brazilian Supreme Court

BRAZIL: p04Find out the Connecting Information, Brazilian Post’s project to bring Brazil and London closer

With news that for the first time an entire UK city - Bristol has launched it’s own micro currency last month and with Brixton Pound celebrating it’s third birthday, The Brazilian Post have decided to focus on this exciting movement of complementary currencies.

Octo 23rd - Nov 05th 2012

LONDON EDITION

02 | October 23rd - November 05th 2012

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Complementary currencies for community development

By kate rintoul

A week doesn’t seem to pass without news of a scandal involving major business and banks. From Barclay’s rigging of rates to fare increases on public transport and news this week that Starbucks has not paid tax for three years, it is increasingly hard to know who you can trust and where, as consumers our money is going.With the huge multi nationals dominating the service and retail industry it sometimes feels like we don’t have a choice to take a stand against them but for the last three years those living in Brixton have been given an alternative. Launched in 2009 with the intention of keeping money and investment in the area, the Brixton Pound is dubbed, “money that sticks to Brixton” – a local currency that can be exchanged for sterling free of charge and used to pay for goods and services.Judging by the success of the Brixton pound –it is estimate that there is around £70,000 in circulation, it seems that this is a great way of boosting the local economy and giving more power to consumers of where they spend their money.With news that for the first time an entire UK city - Bristol has launched it’s

own micro currency last month and with Brixton celebrating it’s third birthday the Brazilian Post have decided to focus on this exciting and revolutionary movement.A growing sense of social awareness, the move towards alternative energies and also the crash of Western capitalism have all lead people to start looking for alternatives and across the UK these people have been the driving force in launching local initiatives. The UK now has five complimentary local currencies created by Transition Town groups, the Totness, Lewis, Stroud, Brixton and now the Bristol pound. All of these aim to keep money in the local area and encourage shoppers to buy local and for businesses to trade with each other.While some might not have heard of these local economies, the UK examples are one of many such projects around the world, many of which are in Brazil, which are proving the power of localism in a globalized world.With a large Brazilian and Portuguese community in Brixton we decided to find out more about how things are going in an area that has seen rapid change but also become on of London’s great example of local regeneration, Brixton.“We are probably the most successful

complimentary currency in the UK, in terms of businesses trading, the turnover, the fact that interest is still high and the innovative projects that we are continuing to launch.” Mehul Damani, Operations Manager at the Brixton pound tells me when we meet at Kaff, a bright and color bar/café on Railton Road. Having studied economics and worked in the operations department of a major investment bank, it was Damani’s work for Greenpeace and his involvement community projects that led him to working with the B£ and he hasn’t looked back since, building great relationships with local businesses and residents. “You really have to ensure that you keep your engagement levels with businesses and locals high so we make sure that we have a presence at community events and have our own events where we telling people about the Brixton pound all the time and encouraging them to use it.”The people behind the Brixton pound are also constantly striving to find new ways of encouraging and growing the currency, including the launch last year of ‘pay by text’, through which customers can top up and spend Brixton pounds on their phone.

>> Continued on Page 08

brazil | 03

oPInIon

Court ExceptionBy ari Silveira

Hailed by the oppositional media as a kind of redemption of Brazil, a watershed of ethics in Brazilian politics, the judgement of the scandal known as “mensalão” (big monthly payment) should be questioned in international courts of justice. All of a sudden, historical leaders of the Workers Party, with a record of struggle against the military dictatorship, after having survived imprisonment, torture and exile, have started to be branded in social networks as “the greatest villains in the history of Brazil”.To better understand this imbroglio, we should go back to 2005, the third year of the first mandate of the Lula government. Allegations of corruption in the Post Office were made against one of the parties that composed the base of support from the government, the PTB (Partido Trabalhista Brasileiro), which before the election of Lula always had been allied with the PT (Partido dos Trabalhadores)opponents. Cornered, the President of PTB, Roberto Jefferson (RJ) gave a bombastic interview, denouncing an alleged scheme bribes paid monthly to lawmakers who voted for the approval of projects within government interests, hence the name “mensalão” (big monthly payment). The case became the subject of a joint parliamentary committee inquiry and gave the opposition ammunition to attack the government and dream about the deposition of the then President, Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva.Investigations revealed that there was a scheme of distribution of funds, not accounted in the campaign, channelled to parliamentary members of the PT and allied parties, via an intermediary, advertiser Marcos Valério, who became known as “valerioduto” (valerioduct, play on words of viaduct). However, a direct relationship between the payments and voting results in Congress has never been established, nonetheless this argument has prevailed in investigations and throughout the trial. This version does have inconsistencies though: why would parliamentary members belonging to the same party as the nation’s president need to be purchased to vote with the government? And how does one explain that opposition lawmakers helped approve proposals of the government? Were they also receiving this monthly payment, the so-called “mensalão”?The investigations also shown up that Marcos Valerio scheme had started before the PT government. It had begun with PSDB, in the state of Minas Gerais in 1998, and involved the resources of Eduardo Azeredo’s campaign for Senator and the re-election campaign of President Fernando Henrique Cardoso. However, for the media, there was a stark difference in the treatment between the “mensalão PT” and the one of PSDB (Brazilian Social Democrat Party), which became known as the “mensalão mineiro”. It is worth noticing that this kind of distribution of funds among allied parties is a constant practice in Brazilian

politics and not an isolated scandal, as the mainstream media tries to make us believe.Besides the Joint Parliamentary Committee of Inquiry, the Federal Police is also investigating the case. The investigations were referred to federal prosecutors and the general attorney, Roberto Gurgel, who made an official indictment to the Federal Supreme Court. Without concrete evidence, based only on evidence and testimony from defendants, Gurgel accused Dirceu, former chief minister of the Casa Civil, as head of the scheme. The indictment also implicated the former PT president José Genoíno. In the Supreme Court, the case was presided over by Minister Joaquim Barbosa, who accepted the arguments of Gurgel and asked the condemnation of all defendants.To appease the condemnatory rage of conservative sectors, most ministers of the supreme court were basing their arguments in a German law, an instrument called “Domain Suit Theory” which basically ended up being used to convict Dirceu and Genoino for corruption based on mere grounds and simplistic conclusions. According to the theory, if the party leader knew about the irregularities and did not use his power to prevent them from occurring, he too is liable. As explained by the jurist Peter Abramovay, from Getulio Vargas Foundation in Rio de Janeiro, in an article published in the newspaper Folha de São Paulo, the problem is that it would be necessary to prove that the defendant knew of wrongdoing and that he had power to affect it, and that his will was essential for it to occur. And concrete evidence did not materialise, only “subtle clues”.Also, the fact that the judicial process has not been entirely impartial has been called into question, because some defendants were afforded “privileged forum”, ie could only be tried by the Supreme, because of the position he occupied, and not others. Unlike what happened in the case of the

“mensalão PSDB,” all defendants were tried by the Supreme Court, the highest in Brazil’s judiciary hierarchy, with no appeal available to a higher court.Moreover, despite discrepancies in evidence, the interpretation that prevailed among the ministers of the Supreme Court was that the scandal was a scheme to buy votes in polls point, not a scheme to buy parliamentary support by distributing leftover campaign cash. This hypothesis is no less criminal, but it does dismantle the whole argument used to incriminate Dirceu and Genoíno. Another point was the questionable interpretation of the subsidy by volume, the usual practice of the media in which they offer discounts to agencies by the volume of advertisements, this could be misuse of the public money, when it involves funds of a state client, even if considered the private law (public or mixed company). The money from “valerioduto” campaign came from Visanet, now called Cielo,

which had the Bank of Brazil among its shareholders.The condemnation of Dirceu and Genoino sets a dangerous precedent. In Brazilian law, all defendant were considered innocent until proven otherwise. The burden of proof lay upon who was accusing. A conviction without evidence is a threat to the fundamentals of law, and it creates a huge legal uncertainty.Let’s see how the Supreme Court will behave from this point onwards. The expectation now is that the Supreme Court will take a take the same approach with other scandals, being investigated and prosecuted, as taken with the “mensalão PSDB,” and we will see it treated with the same rigor, otherwise, it will be proven that the case of the “monthly payment” had an Exception trial. We cannot allow the selectivity of media complaints, the old hypocrisy of using two weights and two measures, to continue contaminating our justice system.

10 Biggest ScandalsThe opposition and almost all the Brazilian media tried to sell the case as “the biggest corruption scandal of all history”, something that the numbers, alone attest against. While Veja – still the biggest selling weekly magazine in the country, but losing its audience, especially because of its disengagement with the factual truth and their gaping engagement in the campaign against PT and the left in general – and their bloggers try to support this version, an article in the Mundo Estranho magazine, from the same April Edition, demonstrated that the “mensalão” is ranked 9th place amongst the 10 biggest corruption scandals of the last 20 years, with an amount of approximately R$ 55 million (but that could arise till R$ 100 million).

Ahead of it are scandals such as the “sanguessugas” (2006), with R$ 140 million, the Sudam (Superintendency of Development for the Amazon) scandal (1999), worth R$ 214 million, “Operação Navalha”(Operation Razor) (2007), which was worth R$ 610 million, the “anões do Orçamento” (1992), with R$ 800 million, also the TRT-SP (1999), of R$ 923 million, the Banco Marka (1999), with R$ 1,8 billion, the one of the “vampiros” (2004), of R$ 2,4 billion, and the accounts CC5 of Banestado (2000), with an amount of R$ 42 billion. The Mundo Estranho ranking doesn’t includes the “privataria”, scheme of fraudulent privatizations that left a loss of R$ 100 billion to the public accounts during the government of FHC (1995-2002), the equivalent of, at least, thousand “mensalões”.

Supreme Court during the judgement of “mensalão” (big monthly payment). Photo: agência Brasil

brazil | 04 | October 23rd - November 05th 2012

tBP ProJeCt

Connecting Information: Bringing Brazil and London closer The constant evolution of media transforms not only the media and the news format - increasingly disseminated through digital means - but also the relationship between sender and receiver. If control of the media by a few groups represented a monopoly on what is or is not news, today we live in an increasingly connected society, which uses the internet to broadcast what is happening around us, without the need for intermediaries to deliver the story to the people.The so-called revolution of networks has changed the way people communicate with each other and with the global world in which we live. London, one of the most cosmopolitan cities in the world, has a large Brazilian community, and with the intention to communicate with this audience, The Brazilian Post was born two years ago. In parallel, Brazil has become the focus of global attention for its international presence and is increasingly attracting interest around the world.With this in mind, TBP launched a project that seeks to open our publication to different viewpoints and thus increase the diversity of the news and views we disclose. This project is called Connecting Information, a tool which connects universities and this newspaper.Aiming to show Brazil in its all diversity, the TBP has partnered with Brazilian universities so their students, especially those studying in journalism and social communication courses, could send us material produced in classrooms – content which shows us a more

inland Brazil, more traditional and (why not?) more Brazilian.“In addition to a greater diversity of sources and information, the project will provide readers of TBP content that is often not in the headlines of major newspapers in the country, which is normally restricted to the Rio-São Paulo regions. Our Brazilian

audience in London are often seeking more local information in their regions of origin. And in this sense, we believe that Connecting Information can help us meet this demand, since the intention is really to spread local content from all regions of Brazil. Even for English readers in London, it’s interesting to see local news and content that will not be seen in large communication networks

worldwide,” emphasizes creator of the project and editor in chief of TBP in London,

Ana Toledo.The success of this project

made us eager to expand it and now we are seeking partnerships with British universities and their students to enable us to express an even greater sense of the news surrounding us in London and that which is often not conveyed in major international newspapers. Those interested can contribute news stories concerning local, as well as national and international, issues by contacting us by email [email protected].“The idea is an exchange of information that allows us to increase even further the diversity, m u l t i c u l t u r a l i s m and quality content inside TBP. At the same time, we hope to open a space to

publish material produced within

universities. We do not have a closed format. Our goal

is to inform by the exchange of knowledge,” says Ana Toledo.To learn more about the Connecting Information project and about the work being done by TBP, visit our web site (www.brazilianpost.co.uk) and our Facebook page (www.facebook.com/thebrazilianpost).

Mammoth London Language exchange

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CommunitygroUPS

Swapping languages and learning with new friends By nathália Braga

In such a cosmopolitan city as London, meeting people of different nationalities is an inevitable part of life here, but making friends in a foreign country or with people who may not speak your language, is not always easy. Now this can be overcome with the help of language exchange groups that help you explore the multifaceted side of the British capital and learn a new language.There are countless groups like this in the capital and all follow a similar format: the meetings take place once a week in a central London pub, which is arranged beforehand via websites or Facebook. Generally, meetings are there to help people practice two main languages for example English or Portuguese, Chinese and English but depending on who is attending this is also mixed with other languages from Italian, Spanish, French to Japanese. The weekly events are also very social and a great place o meet people with events taking place in London’s pubs and parks.Over the course of the evening and a few drinks, people make new friends who want to learn their language and get to know each other. In the case of Portuguese-English enhance groups, a person fluent in English will converse with a native Brazil to learn Portuguese, but also teach English. Many people prefer this to more traditional approaches as this informal conversational exchange allows much more interaction and an opportunity to ask questions than in a classroom.“People can definitely improve the level practicing another language with native speakers. Many people study English or other languages in school or at home, but do not have the opportunity to practice outside these environments. By practicing what they have learned in studying, they are much more likely to remember and develop new vocabulary,” says Chandresh, the organizer of the Mammoth London Language Exchange. The group

was established last November and attracts a mix of men and women between 18 and 40 interested in learning different languages most frequently English, French, Russian, Portuguese and Japanese.There seems to be an insatiable appetite for this kind of learning. Mammoth now has more than 2,000 members, with about 200 attending the weekly meetings on Wednesdays at a pub near Leicester Square and about 100 people go to other types of social events, which according to Chandresh, is one of the great sides of Mammoth. “During the year we have done over 60 events, including parties, pub crawls, walks in different parts of London, dinners, museum visits and hiking. All of which have been free.”

Entertainment and learningAnother group, which is part of the West End Club London, was created about seven years ago and meets on Thursdays at Penderel’s Oak pub in Holborn, usually to practice Italian and English, but periodically with other languages too.“People feel at home. When I created the group, I wanted to create this atmosphere because I’ve lived outside, including Brazil, and I know how hard it is to make friends in a town where you don’t know anyone. When you go to a pub alone, shyness can stop you approaching people, but when you are in a group it is much easier. I am very happy that people come, learn, make new contacts and always have fun with us,” says the director of the West End Club London, Umberto Gambardella.The meetings are advertised through the site Meetup.com, which also publishes meetings that also take place at Penderel’s Oak with a focus on English and Portuguese on Wednesdays at 7.30pm. For Ian Proctor, the organiser of this group, one of the main benefits of these events is not only the chance to talk to people fluent in the language, but also to discover different accents and slang that are not in grammar books.“The purpose of the group is to allow people to practice

Portuguese and English, and more than that, get used to the speed of speech and a native accent. Another detail is that people are beginners, intermediate and advanced. That is, people who already speak well can come to maintain their skills and those in the early days of learning can put theory into practice and get feedback,” Proctor says.He also says that it is a pleasure to help with translations and doubts, which are frequent requests of members but his biggest reward comes from seeing how each can evolve in the fluency of the language. “I’ve been doing this for about five years and I definitely saw improvement in vocabulary, fluency and confidence in our members. We encourage people to start talking because practicing is the best way to improve the conversation. Although you’re not required to participate every week, we encourage people to come as often as possible.”Another group focused on Portuguese and English is the Caipirinha Club, which began with the goal of providing students the opportunity to exchange Brazilian and English. Attended by about 40 people, the meetings take place every first Thursday of the month at

Las Iguanas Bar in Spitalfields Market, at 6.45pm. In addition to this, visits and tours are organized to attend shows, restaurants and events related to Brazil. “When you’re learning, it makes all the difference to talk to a native. People can

enrich your experience of living in another country,” says the creator of the group Fátima Carvalho.So now that you know, enjoy the different options and start to improve your fluency in any language you want!

http://hilarious-consequences.blogspot.co.uk http://www.steaknightcomics.com/steaknightcomics.com/RRR_BOOKS.html

OMBUDSMANThis is your chance to let the Brazilian Post’s team know what you think. Send your feedback and get involved! Send your emails to [email protected]

“It’s the first time that I read the Brazilian Post and I liked the way

that the newspaper write bout the relationship between Brazil and

the Uk. While the Brazilians can read news about their country, we

can know more about Brazil”.

- Nikki Mc Mullan, Scotland

Community | 06 | October 23rd - November 05th 2012

Community| 07

ProFILe

The wardrobe king By rômulo Seitenfus

The desire to succeed in what he does, a hunger for winning top clients, passion for creating or strengthening professional relationships. These are the characteristics that mean that the phone of the Brazilian super-stylist Junior Ribeiro never stops ringing.I came to Oxford Street, in central London, to interview the king of wardrobes. Here with all of the major stores surrounding you, the streets become a parade for people from all walks of life to strut. The noise of traffic and the frequent sight of London’s iconic black cabs pulling up to pick up and drop off hoards of fashionable women seem like a fitting place to hear about Ribeiros’ life in fashion. In his line of work as an Image Coach Ribeiro invades the customer’s closets and studies their taste to transform and create their ideal style. He goes to the shops of Europe’s most cosmopolitan cities in search of the hottest trends or designer must-haves. But more than a celebrity shopper, Ribeiro also tries to educate and instill a personal understanding of quality, good taste and style in the overhaul of a public figure’s look.For Ribeiro, improving self-image and confidence are

the main tools in achieving the transformation and also helping his clients feel better in social

and public situations. “Many people have low self-esteem and difficulty in identifying what they like, they are not comfortable with

the image they have, and this is reflected in

social moments. It is very important to feel confident both at work and in your social life. I think that as a coach,

should work both on the inside and outside of the

person,” he reflects.When asked about the first contact with the client, the highly professional Ribeiro explains: “First I analyse their physical type, then I ask them to complete a questionnaire, I initiate a strategic study based on this and their previous style. After this comes the reorganisation of their wardrobe in which we try and remove aspects that they are unhappy

with or that are not helping them. In some cases, it can be dramatic as there have been times when their entire collection is not right for their body or personality and should no longer be there. After this editing we then begin to plan, search for and purchase elements of a new style, this all helps to define a good image.”The change process is performed and perfected by a network of professionals providing a multidisciplinary service. “We collaborated to revolutionise and invigorate personal change. I accompany my clients to the salon, gyms and also while shopping for clothes to help them understand their choices. In general, I usually suggest a new haircut, for women lessons in make up application is good, for men personal grooming, visits to a nutritionist and working with a personal trainer who can really help turn things around. Ribeiro takes care in ensure his clients feel supported at all times, “there are cases in which the search for the image change comes from low self-esteem, going back to problems faced in childhood or adolescence. In serious cases I offer an appointment with a psychologist. The idea is to unite your physical image with healthy self-esteem and general well-being.”Rebeiro says that seeing the positive impact of his work encourages him to want to help even more people. “Many people have a distorted self-image. Something I always talk about with my client is that it is important to feel good about yourself every day, because the lasting change is done primarily

through your own internal mirror, positive self image can lead to great success in the outside world. It’s impressive to hear how my client’s experiences have changed. They tell me that they notice the glances of approval after the change and that friends and people around them express it. This positive feedback from others about their appearance will significantly influence and help them in the realisation of their projects, goals and dreams.”Rebeiro also has some pearls of wisdom for our readers, “refinement and elegance are key aspects. Do not accept the ordinary or simple. It has to be different,” he warns.“Good taste is not connected to finance. You can dress well, even without owning a designer piece. There are interesting and alternative shops scattered through London’s neighborhoods where you can find most interesting and amazing clothes for good prices. Of course if you want to wear the big brands that is great, but they aren’t necessarily the best places to express your won good taste and self-style. Understanding your body shape, personality and taste are really important. There is no use going into major stores unless you understand your choices but equally you don’t need to spend much to look great. Spending a lot is not as important as good taste and enduring personal style”.

IDa book: Courage, Oshoa movie: Bravehearta song: Oceano - Djavana drink: Red Winea moment to remember: When I first stepped foot in LondonWhat has your child taught you? Not to take life so seriouslya bar: Chinese Pavilion in Lisbona Restaurant: Gaucho Canary Wharf, Londona place to meet: Austriaa place to return: BarcelonaWhat would we find in your own closet? You will not find anything that wouldn’t look good on me, but jeans and jacket are my wardrobe staples.if i were your coach image, is there anything i should eliminate from your wardrobe? A knitted shirt that is looking a little scruffy.If you could go back in time, who would you choose to hug: My fathera fear: Not living my dreamsan amazing cultural experience: Seeing U2 perform in Lisbon

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08 | October 23rd - November 05th 2012

>> Continued from Page 02

This, along with the team’s great energy and design of the paper notes mean that many consumers have taken up the idea and are the biggest users of the Brixton pounds. Mehul says that businesses are the harder party to get on board. “I guess one of the other challenges is making sure that business have enough places to be able to spend the pound once they’ve got them. With the paper currency, businesses are able to exchange them back into sterling, but that’s not really the idea. Being in the city area it’s not easy to link up business with primary producers, we are getting around that by increasing the number of businesses that accept the Brixton pound but also bringing in more service providers like web designers and electricians.”With this in mind I was curious to see how local businesses felt about the Brixton pound so went to Brixton Village and Market, bustling areas which are also a great community led project to find out more.Almost every shop in the Village and Market accept the Brixton pound, with some offering discounts though levels of appreciation seem to waver from store to store. One of the fruit and veg sellers tells me that he accepts the pounds but is quick to exchange them back into sterling. Other stalls seems even less enthusiastic about the project, as I am met with a stern “no we don’t accept them” and an obligatory frown.Of course this is not the full story and it is the independent restaurants here that are the force behind the recent transformation of the area and the success of the Brixton pound.Sarahwehn Sheldon, co-owner of the exciting Mexican restaurant Casa Morita in Brixton market is very enthusiastic about the Brixton pound and her passion for the scheme is almost contagious. “We’ve been open just over a year and have worked with the B£ from the start, even before we opened one of their reps came down to see how we were getting on and tell us about it. Many of our regulars pay this way and while not all of my suppliers are in Brixton I use the balance to pay my council rates and also to put towards activities in the area such as our staff Christmas party.” Casa Morita is a great example of the positive effects local currency can create, joining the scheme has been a good way of promoting the business, with adverting available and has also helped them financially with the cover of fees such as market rates, it is also great to hear

how companies invest in one another.To find out more about the Portuguese-speaking community’s reaction to the Brixton Pound, I spoke to Bella Cardoso is one half of the husband-wife team behind one of London’s’ most established culinary destinations, A&C co. Continental Grocers. “The organisers were really keen from the outset to have us involved and eventually I said we would because my husband just doesn’t see the point of it. While I

wouldn’t say it’s made any difference to us financially or in terms of publicity, it has been good to be part of something so positive. When the Brixton Pound launched there was a lot of media hype, even around the world and it was great to see Brixton in the news for good reasons rather than what we usually are.” While Bella acknowledges that her customers are different to some of the other Portuguese owned businesses she can understand why it might not always be so easy for people to make that commitment to use Brixton pounds, “It’s a difficult time and people have less to spend, therefore they are very careful with their money and while they support the idea might see it as a bit of a sacrifice.”Located just next door to A&C Continental is the cheque exchange shop, where business can go to change Brixton £s back into sterling. When I speak to the cashier there he tells me that two or three businesses come in each day to do so. This seems a shame and is proof that more needs to be done to bring business around to the Brixton Pound.When I first started researching the Brixton pound I felt that the strong sense of community, of which many Brazilians are part of would be the most conducive factor in the success of the currency but in

reality it is the multiculturalism of the area that seems to be the biggest stumbling block. Local businesses import a vast array of products to cater for the needs and tastes of their customers from round the world, this means that like Bella, shopping locally is not an option. But outside of this there seems to be invisible walls in Brixton between the different groups, while anyone can go and enjoy Columbian, Portuguese, Japanese, Mexican and British food there is perhaps not as much interaction and even some resentment between the different groups and it is sad to see the Brazilian community.While national pride and interaction with your countrymen is important, the benefits of becoming part of your local community and being open to new experiences can truly enrich your life and save you money.For those of our readers living close to Brixton I will ask you to find out more about the Brixton pound, the benefits include discounts, with many restaurants offering money off but more than that it is a great way to start getting to know others and becoming part of something very unique and special.I also realize that many of our readers live in different parts of London so would ask for you to maybe take a look around your local community and see what is on offer. You are in London at a very unique and positive time in its history, there are fantastic local project from cooperative nurseries, to charities, to activities for the family that you are entitled and very welcome to be part of.So let’s get London’s communities talking, exchanging ideas (including the Brixton £) and most of all enjoying each other’s company. The Brazilian Communities optimism, warmth and kindness are world-renowned so lets show this city what we’re made of.

For more information on the Brixton Pound visit: http://brixtonpound.org/.To find out what’s going on in your community visit the local library, search online and even look on Facebook.

the study attributes the shift to the economic crisis

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latin americaStUdY

Changes in migration between Latin America and Europe

By guilherme reis

In a reversal of trends, there has been are marked increase in the number of Europeans traveling to Latin America and also a decrease in the number of migrants from Latin American and the Caribbean (LAC) entering the EU. So conclude the results of a European Union (EU)-funded IOM study released last week on migratory flows.Unsurprisingly, the study attributes this shift down to the economic crisis affecting the EU, and in particular Spain, the main destination country for LAC nationals.“I think the current European crisis Is pushing people to consider changes and moves (for example people coming from Spain to the UK in the last few years, even on a second migration). However, there might be other reasons to go to LAC such as weather in many cases, how we LA people welcome foreigns, the advantageous exchange rate for people who receive pensions or some sort of income in the EU, an idealised view of our ‘exotic’ mood, and possibly the ways in which we all can explore other ways of being in new contexts”, said to The Brazilian Post Mabel Encinas, from the Department of Learning, Curriculum and Communication of the Institute of Education - University of London.

According to the report, in 2008 and 2009, more than 107,000 Europeans, including dual nationals, left their home countries to live in a LAC country. Most went to Brazil, Argentina, Venezuela and Mexico. The main source countries were Spain (47,701), Germany (20,926), Netherlands (17,168) and Italy (15,701).The largest group was young, single Spanish and Portuguese men with higher levels of education in social sciences or civil engineering, who emigrated to LAC countries hoping to advance their careers. While the study confirms that migratory flows from LAC countries to the EU have gradually increased since 2000, they decreased from a peak of some 400,000 in 2006 to 229,000 in 2009.It is also noted that almost 4.29 million people from LAC countries still reside in the EU, notably in Spain, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Italy and France, compared to almost 1.25 million EU citizens are currently living in LAC countries.

Asked what kind of problems and benefits the increase in migration from EU to LAC could mean, Mabel said “difficulties in planning, maybe at a council and country level; maybe negotiations could come in place to offer papers reciprocally. I dream with a world

where everybody could live wherever they want, but this would imply a more equalitarian world”. The study also highlights the importance of intra-regional migration. It notes that over four million migrants residing in LAC come from another country in the region, most commonly Colombia, Nicaragua, Paraguay, Haiti, Chile, Argentina and Bolivia.The main countries of destination for intra-regional migrants are Argentina, Venezuela, Costa Rica and the Dominican Republic.Touching on the link between migration and development, the study notes that women in particular have been pioneers in migration from LAC to the EU, and the remittances they send back to their families in their home countries have been essential to development in the region.Remittances from the EU to the Community of Latin American and Caribbean States (CELAC) reached $7.25 billion (USD) in 2010. Those from CELAC to the EU were $4.66 billion.Remittance flows inside the CELAC region reached $4.57 billion in 2010, with Colombia, Nicaragua and Paraguay benefiting most from remittances sent by their nationals working in Venezuela, Costa Rica and Argentina.

European people living in Brazil (selected countries /2000) Portugal 212 917

Italy 54 958

Spain 43 545

Germany 19 530

Poland 7 449

*Database from World Bank

Main countries of origin of people from L.A. living in Europe (2010) Ecuador 632 252

Colombia 485 859

Brazil 443 806

Argentina 388 947

Peru 317 922

*Database from World Bank

Main countries of origin of people from Europe living in L.A. (2010) Spain 354 941

Italy 354 340

Portugal 273 467

Germany 75 681

France 47 724

U.K. 45 142

*Database from World Bank

Users can see and modify projects

Betaville indicates where there is space for development

the project for a pollution filtration

10 | October 23rd - November 05th 2012

technologyneW IdeaS

Betaville: the real-world Sim City for the urban community Five piers jutting out of Battery Park in Manhattan, designed in the image and likeness of the crown of the Statue of Liberty. This is how designer Levis Reyes envisages the southern tip of Manhattan Island in New York, United States.And to develop this urban project Reyes did not need planning permission: he used Betaville, an online collaborative application that allows users to build in the empty spaces of the city, akin to the computer game Sim City, where players can simulate their own metropolis.Betaville allows users to walk or fly through the city streets, see how much energy is used in some of the buildings of downtown Manhattan and Brooklyn, and see if there are alternatives to improve efficiency. While a person designs a building, others may see and modify the proposal.But this is not just a hobby. The creators of Betaville hope that these projects can become a reality.Carl Skelton created the Betaville platform when he was director of the Brooklyn Experimental Media Center at New York University. After failed attempts to incorporate public input on

urban regeneration schemes, Skelton noted that games can be a good way to encourage citizen participation. He says the success of Sim City made him think about the potential of such a project.Betaville is one of several projects that use video games to engage the community in urban planning. In Participatory Chinatown players complete a series of tasks in a model of Chinatown in Boston and comment on the overall project. Community PlanIt, which primarily focuses on Detroit and Boston, allows users to comment on their urban environment.However, what differentiates the Betaville application to others is that it allows users to express clearly how they want their city to be built.It was developed with the help of a team from the University of Bremen in Germany, and focuses mainly on projects based in New York. But, according to the creators, the idea is to make Betaville a global platform.Plans for a more efficient design for a university in Haiti look like becoming the first Betaville project that will come to fruition in the real world. There are

also projects in Turkey, South Korea and Canada.While some architects view Betaville with a skeptical eye, many believe that the platform can help professionals realize

their work in a virtual environment that opens up different ways for creative minds to share their ideas.Go to www.betaville.net for more information.

11

Economy

British engineers create petrol from air and waterA small British company has developed a way to create petrol from air and water, technology it hopes may one day contribute to large-scale production of green fuels.Engineers at Air Fuel Synthesis (AFS.L) in Teeside, northern England, say they have produced 5 litres of synthetic petrol over a period of three months.The technique involves extracting carbon dioxide from air and hydrogen from water, and combining them in a reactor with a catalyst to make methanol. The methanol is then converted into petrol.By using renewable energy to power the process, it is possible to create carbon-neutral fuel that can be used in an identical way to standard petrol, scientists behind the technology say.“It’s actually cleaner because it’s synthetic,” Peter Harrison, chief executive officer of AFS, said in an interview.“You just make what you need to make in terms of the contents of it, so it

doesn’t contain what might be seen as pollutants, like sulphur,” he said.The work is part of a two-year project that has so far cost around 1 million pounds.The green petrol will not appear on forecourts any time soon, though.“We can’t make (the petrol) at pump prices, but we will do eventually,” Harrison said. “All we need is renewable energy to make it, and so when oil becomes a problem we will be able to make a contribution to keep cars moving or to keep aeroplanes moving.”AFS said it was confident the technology could be scaled up to refinery size in the future. Each of the processes that go into making the fuel already take place separately on an industrial scale.For now, however, AFS plans to build a commercial plant in the next two years that will produce around 1,200 litres a day of specialist fuels for the motorsports sector, Harrison said.

Better UK borrowing gives government hope on budget goalBritain’s public finances deteriorated much less than feared during the first six months of the current tax year, giving Chancellor George Osborne some hope of meeting his budget goal even as the economy remains weak.The key measure of public sector net borrowing used in official forecasts was 2.6 billion pounds higher than a year earlier for the April-September period, compared to an overshoot of 10.6 billion pounds previously estimated for April-August, the Office for National Statistics said.“This is much, much better than they would have thought only a month ago,” said Brian Hilliard, economist at Societe Generale. “It’s still an overshoot compared to the plans but it does make their life a bit easier.”Until the release of September’s data, the government had looked on track for a big overshoot of its 2012/13 goal to reduce public sector net borrowing to 120 billion pounds, as tax revenues in a recession-hit economy had failed to keep pace with government spending.Public sector net borrowing, excluding the transfer of Royal Mail pension assets, stands at 65.1 billion pounds for the first six months of the tax year, compared to 62.4 billion pounds at the same point in 2011.Economists expect the next six months to be more supportive for the public

finances, as the economy is forecast to leave recession.September’s data - which incorporated big revisions to the April-August period - showed that government spending had risen by just 2.1 percent, compared to provisions for a 3 percent rise for the year as a whole.Borrowing data for September alone was also better than markets had expected.Public sector net borrowing excluding financial sector interventions - the government’s preferred measure - fell to 12.809 billion pounds from 13.501 billion in September 2011, its lowest September reading since 2008, the ONS said.This was below economists’ average forecast in a Reuters poll for 13.5 billion pounds.Eliminating Britain’s structural budget deficit lies at the heart of the political programme of the coalition of Conservatives and Liberal Democrats, but an initial aim of achieving this by the next election in 2015 has receded to 2017.The Labour Party has urged a slower pace of deficit reduction, arguing that Osborne’s approach is self-defeating because it acts as a disproportionate drag on growth.Osborne will announce the new budget forecasts on December 5, and the International Monetary Fund and many other economists expect the forecasts

to show he is likely to miss a secondary goal of putting public sector net debt as a share of national income on a downward path by 2015.

Net debt totalled 1.065 trillion pounds - or 67.9 percent of GDP - in September, up from 63.6 percent of GDP a year earlier.

The Gladiators of the Modern Era

The spectacle of one-on-one combat has always drawn large audiences. The relationship between man and physical combat is old and since the age of empire, contestants have faced each other in arenas to entertain baying crowds. From the Gladiators of ancient Rome to the bare-knuckle fighters of the Victorian era, the sport of fighting still retains its hypnotic and brutal draw to this day.The UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) is a sport that draws great parallels with such violent contests of the past, and it is the most important organization in MMA (Mixed Martial Arts). The biggest stars of the sport are treated like the gladiators from ancient history, with names such as Anderson Silva, the middleweight champion since 2006, and Georges St. Pierre, the

welterweight champion since 2007, resonating in the consciousness of the mainstream sports fan.The exposure of MMA continues to grow on TV and UFC’s boss, Dana White, sees no reason why the sport can’t become one of the biggest sports in the world.Despite some protests over the violent content of their events, White continues to attract more fans and sponsors to the sport. The 43-year-old supremo promises even more for 2013, with plans in place for the ‘biggest fight of the century’; the unbeatable Anderson Silva versus the unstoppable Georges St. Pierre, face to face in the legendary 110,000-capacity Dallas Cowboys stadium.If Dana realizes his plans, the spectacle would be the largest in the history of MMA, and would certainly compare with the biggest sports events in the world.

Brazilian Championship: Final StretchWith just a few rounds left in the Brazilian Football Championship, much is still at stake; even the destination of the title, which increasingly looks likely being Fluminense, is still uncertain. The course of the season, which at the beginning was viewed with suspicion by many, today is showing that even without semi-finals and finals has a great deal of emotion, and this year is no different.With the fierce fight for places in G4, which guarantees the presence in the next Copa Libertadores (South American football’s biggest championship), and the battle even more intense down the other end in the Z4 (the relegation zone), each game is being played as a final.Giants such as Flamengo and Palmeiras have produced a campaign far below expectations and, as a result, the threat of relegation has not left the pair of clubs since the start of the championship. The most serious predicament is reserved for current Copa Brazil champions Palmeiras, who have failed to click this season and now, in the final straight, need to win all their remaining games and cheer against their direct opponents if they are to be saved from having to compete in the Second Division.Other big clubs are also suffering an irregular championship, such as Santos,

Cruzeiro, Internacional and Corinthians - the latter has been using the Brazilian Championship just like training, since their main goal is the World Club Cup in December (and a likely match against Chelsea).There is still room for surprises, but, based on mathematical calculations and with the help of the stars, this commenter made his own predictions - remembering that football is not an exact science and that predictions almost never come true (look at it more as a guess). If you disagree or have another opinion, please send us a comment on Facebook.com/thebrazilianpost. For me, Fluminense will be champions, going to Copa Libertadores with Atlético-MG, Grêmio and Vasco; Bahia, Palmeiras, Sport and Atlético-GO will be demoted.

12 | October 23rd - November 05th 2012

sport by Tico Silvério

george St. Pierre and anderson Silva

Fluminense is in the first position

sport | 13

FootBaLL

Should Kaka’s National Team return be permanent?By Jamie Jubon

Former World Footballer of the Year Kaka recently returned to the Brazilian national squad for their friendly matches earlier this month against Iraq and Japan after a lengthy absence of over two years.The Real Madrid play maker marked his return with a goal and an assist against Iraq, before playing a key role in a highly impressive 6-0 demolition of Japan.It was his first appearance in the famous yellow and blue shirt since Brazil bowed out of the 2010 World Cup at the quarter-final stage after a defeat against the Netherlands.Will the former national hero’s return be a permanent one though?Mano Menezes surprised everybody by recalling him for the two friendlies. It was especially surprising considering Kaka had made only three appearance for his club team prior to the international recall.However, the manager opted to pick him after being less-than-impressed by his team’s performance in a dour 1-0 friendly victory over South Africa. The team were uninspiring and lethargic in their win against Bafana Bafana and Menezes hoped to inject some fresh optimism and enthusiasm with the re-introduction of Kaka.Judging by his two performances in the friendly matches, his return for the national team may well be permanent for the time being, regardless of his form for Real Madrid.His club manager, Jose Mourinho, has made it clear that he sees Ricardo Kaka as little more than a squad player at the Bernebeu at the very best. The signing of Luka Modric has pushed him even further down the pecking order and the days of him at least emerging as a substitute for Los Blancos in the big games seem to be at an end.Despite this, Menezes still included him in his squad, and his two displays against Japan and Iraq should convince his international manager to again select him for the friendlies against Colombia and Argentina next month and perhaps even the match with England in London next February.You can understand why he has been brought back into the team. Kaka has never been a negative impact on a dressing room, as such. He reportedly argued with Mourinho over the summer when his manager was allegedly trying to force him out of the club but since then he has got down to business, been professional and never chosen to speak out in the media.From the outside, it seems as though he has been dignified and behaved just as we would expect Kaka to behave. He has scarcely played for Real Madrid over the last six months, and yet we haven’t

heard any disruptive statements from him.Contrast this to his team-mate Cristiano Ronaldo, who earlier this season declared his ‘sadness’ at Real Madrid. The Portuguese didn’t go public with his reasons for his sudden disillusionment, but the general consensus was that it regarded him not being offered enough money with his new contract.Kaka’s predicament is far more distressing and yet he has remained silent. It may be that his style off the pitch may well have contributed just as much to Menezes’ decision as his style on the pitch.He can also be an example to some of the younger members of the Selecao squad.

It will do the likes of Neymar and Oscar no harm at all to be training with a consummate professional such as Kaka, and this type of education for the young players could be invaluable.In less than two year’s time, there will be Brazilian players with the weight of the Brazilian nation on their shoulders, many of whom have never had the experience of playing in a World Cup. Neymar, Oscar, Hulk, Leandro Damiao and more will be making their World Cup debuts on home soil, an exiting prospect but one that will no doubt leave some of the debutants feeling slightly apprehensive.Having an experienced campaigner like Kaka around, even if he doesn’t get on

the pitch, could be just what the young players need for extra motivation as well as some extra know-how in their ears.The type of guidance that Ryan Giggs and Paul Scholes give to players around them at Manchester United could be looked at as an example of what Kaka could provide.Kaka has been at very highest echelons of the world game, being crowned greatest player on the planet, becoming a champion of Europe with AC Milan, and for a couple of weeks, being the most expensive footballer of all time when he joined Real Madrid.He still has plenty left to offer Mano Menezes and the National Team, if not on the pitch but most certainly off it.

advertorial | 14 | October 23rd - November 05th 2012

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doctor Sylvia Chukwuemeka

15