Adorable Cruzade

An everlasting agony through a single night

Christmas and the holidays time off, usually concentrates families inside of their homes, sharing gifts and say words of wishfull thinking for the year to come.A tradition that keeps being renovated as soon as the new generations are introduced to the old man with a red outfit who spread values of joy and gifts to all the children across the world in a rush which envy most of the cab drivers.

It's so beautiful to see a kid praying at night, being quiet and having a good behavior in an year just to one night be awarded by Santa with something that they want at most. I remember when I was a kid the happiness when I got those "LEGO" toys and I played all along, thinking that life just coudn't get any better than that. but as time goes by, fortunately you start realizing the real value of Christmas and the New Years celebration.

Religion explains that we just should focus the celebration as the birth of Christ. These values are now little by little melting apart. While younger, I used to see churches filled up, all the streets used to be empty and stores remained closed till dawn of the next day. In just a short time, the needs that people used to have 20, 30 years ago are just not the same as we find right now, for a good reason: The city can't stop as much as the progress

However, the Christmas still is a party for the family. but the celebration of the New Years motivates millions all over the world. and even different cultures celebrates the date. People from China or Jewish sparkling fires at the sky at night Helding their hearts with hope for the new year and, hopefully that it can be better than the one that was left behind.

I own a vote for those whom keeps working hard at the night while billions are celebrating. Journalist, artists, Medics, Fireman, Police and others that turn possible at least that we can party peacefully. Expectations we all have, what still is hard to predict is what it's gonna happen after!

Tiddings of confort and joy to everybody
and Happy Holidays

Cordially
Rafael Gomes

Money: Weapon of choice?

Chasing profits, trading spaces, selling or buying whatever possible. It seems almost unthinkable that most part of the human beings already lived their lives without having the company of a currency that guide our lives in modern ages. What becomes the main reason for attack the capitalism and the evolution of thinking the way we treat the currency and how wonderful would be our life living in a place where a piece of paper woudn't worth anything at all.

Science such as Anthropology and Sociology try to explain that what did motivate the people to trade their things would answer precisely some main goals. The need of living together and build a social structure that at the same time could protect them form attacks of other humans or animals and also, find a way that could maintain substancially the life in a primitive society. the model looks very simple, but it helps to understand what lead the human society to loose their minds, specially if you live in a country where consumption is law.

The recent events throughout the world share the same view for those who barely can't figure out what to do..The financial crisis have spreaded all around and affects our lives differently. A homeless or an unemployer that can afford to pay the bill of its mortgage in US don't have the same feeling that a normal unemployer from Brazil. A global society at the same time, share the worries but even so, some delays of their effects, thankfully, can be healed as soon as the symptoms come clear.

Still we haven't left the word money out of our day. I'm not praying a speech that go straight ahead againts the principles of capitalism or the life in a a society such as what I and we all live. But it is time to use the money in a veyr intelligent way that can help brilliant minds to prevent or even stop problems in all other societies and in the meantime, build a self-sustainable economy capable to find other alternatives to live, without getting ourselves so connected to some straps of paper.

Meanwhile, people from other poor countries, in Central America and in Africa, still can't achieve a dollar to survive another day. Authorities and Personalities keep doing their talk of saving the poors buy minimizing the problem, with food or money. At once, being questioned if only money would help to vanish the porverty in Africa, an important CEO of a company said. "would only turn some dictators evn richier". And He's got the point.

Karl Marx and the whole fetishism about the capital and how to obtain it, can explain why these straps of paper move our lives in a way that just couldn't stop thinking of it. The more you have, the more you want it. I guess that if we drag our desires to some necessary things, like health or education.. we would still think about money. but would definately stop thinking about living life because of money.

Cordially
Rafael Gomes

The more wise, worse!

Why both candidates of US Presidency still act like others?

The race is coming to an end, within less than 20 days, America and abroad would finally know who is going to be the next one to live at Pensylvania Avenue, n. 1600. Not too long ago, it would be considered as the guy who would have the key to controll the world. But, just like I keep writting here over and over. These days are no longer exist. Well, even if both candidates could do some kind of miracle which, is pretty impossible

Barack Obama is a wise guy, has a very great appeal and know how to speech. he drives thousands of people crazy by saying words of activism and the need of rebuild the confidence. The reason for being an American. Somebody who were trained to implant this idea on everybody's mind. During all the debates, Mr Obama shown a great capacity of building itself and creating a tatic of being defensive and accompling his contender to someone who was not giving "shit" on the last debate.

What really comes up to our eyes is his wife. Michelle Obama seems to be someone that keeps their feet underground. A charming lady with very strong positions. She definately doesn't seem that she would be the ordinary first Lady. A lawyer that took most part of her carreer doing social services for the hopeless and.a very determinated woman. At least these are mine impressions about her

Couldn't say that much to his vice-president, Joe Biden. Although most part of the democrats say that he is a very talented guy, He hasn't shown at least, so far that he can really be a smart choice for Obamas government. However He got skills to develop if they get the elections.

Otherwise, John Mcain counts on his history to enforce its position. With the speech of being the most prepared to be the next president or calling the americans to see his past and took their on conclusions to expect what would be the future with him as the next president. John Mcain maybe, is one of the most liberals of the republicans.Tradicionally, the candidates of the party are all believers.. people with a strong faith.

The background that might be force to John is Mr Bush, But, having the economy colapsing and with the retrospect of doing abusive mistakes, like Iraqs war or alot of others. Won't help a lot to bring some voters for him. Reason that could be a great advantage for Obama. His candidate for the vice-president is Sarah Pallin and she calls much more atention. Known for saying things with absolutely no sense at all. Most part of the "Big Shots" don't give total credit to her. Wait and See!

Attacking a candidate for not being very experienced for the job, or looking for some dirty stamps on others shirt always were their ways to win the battle.Wether is right or wrong,It's away beyond for me to analyse it.

The pools show that Obama is leading the race but it is hard predict who's gonna be. Americans used to be very conservative but the enviroment claims for a change, as quick as possilbe. Whoever gets the presidency will face a real different world.

Cordially
Rafael Gomes

Melting Markets can restore the faith of the Investors?

To Overcome old habbits would be guarantee of better solution to chill the markets?

Surprisingly, most part of the defensors of liberalism are not coming out in public to defend the state to not interveine on the market.what it begun with a result of easy money drooling out of banks and landing in the hands of the consumers in US. Possibly they wouldn't ever imagine that the headquarters of liberalism could pass through a situation once more, where its own values are now put into the test

The buzz are not hard news at all. Actually, the signs of that were pretty much clear. when you got a current deficit that are not reduced, tax cuts implement by the actual government, competition with products from all over the world, inflation and huge investments on war supplies, together they combined int a disaster for the real economy, not only for the US but for all over the world.

And What us, poor Brazilians located on the middle of the edge of south america, should I be worried with this?! In a short time period? No, even so because for the very first time in a while, we are not really influenced by their decisions, The central Bank of Brazil has done its dutty pretty well. from moratory to be creditor in less than 5 years. That's really something if you compare our reality to other countries, like Argentina

In a Long term period, I wouldn't say so. Just like the US, Brazil has implanted a measure to easily access the real state to most part of brazilians. It's easy to see right now most part of people with a very low budget to buy its own house. The thing is, capitalism is cyclical and it wouldn't take too much time to a real crisis install in Brazilian soil and really put its fundaments on the line.

Structural reforms such as previdency and too many others are now stucked at the congress and the public spends are still rising up. It's not a healthy reality if you realy want to prevent crisis to arrive down here. When a government spends too much what it collects could be damaging and our neighbour below are now paying a very high price.

Easy credit is investment, it is helpfull and change the whole scenario of the country. As most part of you people could see, it seems like Brazil is rebuilding itself with constructions everywhere around. When easy credit is given with long terms to pay. It shows not only that the bank is completely confident on its buyer. but confident on the mood of the economy as well. If something else goes really bad, everything colapses.

When you see constructions for housing costing a too much higher prices, get smart because the especulation was the cause of 1929 crisis. So far, Brazils price of real state are below of the international market. The point is - If this price are high enough for our reality.

Too hard to gamble the fate of our country, that's why the elections could help us out to make a good decision.

Cordially!
Rafael Gomes

An Awful Remedy

Why the new global situation can be the main excuse for military actions.

Despite most part of the experts constantly have said, the 21st century would be a marc of the human glory (politicaly and economicaly). The century has come with challenges that still would be easely found two, three hundred years ago. like, eliminate the poverty, fight against plagues and deseases that still keeps spreading all over the world, like aids. and , Fighting for lands, which seems to be the reason for a running to get fully armed.

In fact, to fight for lands use to walk on side by side with the human evolution since the very beginning. Thousand years ago, civilizations such as Romans and Persians abandoned their regions and leave, searching for lands (and taxes) creating an efficient enviroment of sustainability of its regime. And it worked, but, only before they use their legions to slaughter another thousands for its own good.

What there is behind all of this? Nicolas Machiavel, (The Princip) an important figure of the renaissance guide us through a cruel and dfinitive reality of the man while he is on the power. That the fight for power is the main "colera" that bring down kingdons and states. Evil and Kindness is just a point of view to prevent the result that most part of humans, want in its subconscious. Indeed, that would be reasonable if you relate this psychological phrase to what happened on differente countries nowadays.

The first years of the 20th century were important to the configuration of the contemporary world. the years that preceded the first world war were generaly good economicaly. But the production was filling up the storages, there was no market enough to sell their products at the edge, countries like England and Germany went out for a running, seeking for countries, elsewhere, Africa an Asia was at the sight. Realizing that, other countries would easily take away countries that would be consumer of their products, The murdered of Archduke Ferdinand was just the drop on the ocean, to start the war.

As much as what happened on the world war I, the world war II, the seeking for market was melting up former relations between countries. Quckly, Nazism and Fascism were spreading their values through the countries and the mind of people. People who were totally confident on their actions. Big Constructions could build up their countries, places where inflation and production were bringing down their economy and their faith.

In History, moments of total desperation use to be those moments where the military actions appear, then privations of liberty and expression followed by death and silence. an enviroment that the whole south america had to deal with between the 60's to the 80's. Althought having military components can seems to be a chaos for the democracy, in south America the 70's would be remembered as the decade of the miracle. The economy had an impulse and countries such as Brazil and Chile had a grown of 10% an year.

That is an Awful medication, but, Would the Military Forces capable enough to implant peace and stablish a good enviroment for the development? The 90's and the beginning of the 21st century has come with a challenge. To overcome old values that are still considered good to pacify danger places and also, deal with the new global reality. To Face and unkown enimy and be smart enought to always be ahead of it.

Cordially
Rafael Gomes

The Menace to our Green

How Brazil should accept help from other countries without let them take a piece of the Amazon.


It's now often to see some "big shot" or a great authority discussing about saving the amazon, or to preserve the most important green area that still exist on the world, or even that it's a huge area and the Brazilian government hasn't shown efficiency to stop the level of the deforestation, or to stop the smuggle of wood out of borders of the country. The accusation of acting too late after the things happen is right now spreading all around the great countries and considering the amazon as a matter of international policy.

The amazon is a huge area and the good thing about is - not well explored, which is not a bad thing after all, there are a lot of species overthere with no contact to human kind. Discoveries are made little by little, pretty much because of the access dificulty, the forest and the whole animals for some part of scientist must stay right there, respecting their evolutions and the right time to be revealed. Others pledging for help to discover as many as it can, because the progress won't be patient enough to let them evolute.

Just a few days ago, pictures made by a Brazilian agency shown a group of native indians who haven't any kind of contact with the modern world. The indians with the body painted with collors extracted by specific trees threating the chopper with narrows, almost like they were scared with what they've seen for the very first time. The images captured right now in every country of the world, explains how unexplored the region is and how diligent must the Brazilian government act in the defense of their own interest and from other countries as well.

The candidate for the democrat party, Barack Obama declared in a local jornal that: "Amazon is a global patrimony". Most part of the Brazilian government and the most nationalist understood that the statement was a possible intervention of the US policy on Brazilian homeland issues. It's not what it seems. After that, Obama explained how important the Amazon is to the world and that must be on the agenda of any government that cares with the enviroment.

Well, It's not that much as well, to buy a huge area of the amazon is quite easy, and some billionaires have done, not a long time ago, a sweeden entrepeneur was considered guilty for Brazilian authorities to acquire a huge area and implant a program of saving plants and reforestation. The officials said that he hasn't been doing any of this for a while and will pay millions to repair the damages.

The former secretary for enviroment issues, Marina Silva asked to leave the government because she felt she wasn't good enough to implant her actions to fight againts the smuggle or the burn of huge areas for farming or the increase of the growing of cities at the region. The government choosed to put a name that will work in favor of the agenda and. So far, there are no expectations of reducing or the stop the smuggle or the deforestation, it's a shame but right now, not only the government bur the Brazilian people have to understand that the Amazon is an international matters and a local respect.

Cordially!
Rafael Gomes

When our Striving Values are Mistreated

Overwhelming issues use to appear when we face moments of absolutely incapacity. While you feel no motivation at all for continuing what you do, specially whether you are doing a work that you’ve struggled a lot to get. It's a cruel reality, However shouldn't be considered as a big loss. Perhaps because in everyone's path, the journey that we all have to trial will constantly bring ourselves down, somehow.

Kinda morbid way to see the things lately, but it seems to smash right up on our heads the frustration of most part of population that can't stand living their lives without getting an oportunity to show what they can do. People pacing up and down into the stores, all alone, running out back and forth, with no direction silencing their desires in favor of getting anything that will give its sustent for about a month or else.

Brazilians are all familiar with such scenario...Every day, as soon as the radio and tv are turned on, Countless lines are formed outside big stores and factories, selecting people for internshift that filled up the schedule of most part of youngers who are tyring to get their first chance in a job. Or even those who were just dropped out of the college, well-prepared but without any instruction that might apply them on the market.

Worldwide the situation is not as different as it is in Brazil or other developing countries, the big mass of labors that are starting their career combined to the number of unemployees might lead the world to another crisis. Previously, those who lived on the countries of the Third World and had the grave of completing the college, would have to improve their knlowledgment by apllying into masterdegrees and PHD courses to achieve better positions in companies.

Today even the ones who were borned on North America or Europe are having to do all of this to get a real good life and, in spite of it's being good that they are dealing the same problems as we all do. The gap between who are well-prepared and who aren't are widding up.

Capitalism is cyclical, and what can appear to be a disaster will be the chance of other generations to build up another sustainable oportunities. Human beings are inventive enough to scale new priorities that, in the future, can become new jobs and add the huge level of labors that are still filling out the lines, seeking for a decent living.

Cordially!

Rafael Gomes

Emotional Rollercoaster

How to get efficient measures to be protected against Americas down under path

It's just like an easy riding around the park with you puppy at 8 o clock am when absolutely for almost no reasonyou find yourself fighting for nothing because someone have dumped you, or somebody have told you something untruth.that's so much like what the world have been going through lately since the american standard way of living was pretty much declining now, what started with a buzz, the sparkle seemed do cause a big boom.

And much part of that because, of the american way of living, when you got a population vivid to get their times spending cashes with no controllthis could be the worst scenario for any kind of economist. if we realize that the result could be even nastier that's because we all depend on them, without its "support". Could we barely walk on our feet? (not in the past) but the situation just got better with an eye blink.

For so much long time the level of interest rates in US have really prompted all other economies to fix a wide gap on their budgets to fill in with money (dollars mostly) and be able to act without IMF's presency nearby. Generaly, it just worked out, a lot of other countries who couldn't spend an year without having to get some active action from the organization on its economy.The level of assistancy made by IMF has droped on the last five years, a lot of people believe that the prosperity of US was finally spreading up all over the world.

It's not that wrong after all, if they're buying our products, that means that we have earned some funds. In fact, I believe that the international enviroment of the past 5, 6 years was good enough to fill some pockets of politicians and of some countries as well, as much as India, Brazil or China. In 2007 for the very first time a measure taken by the Chinese government was able to burn some companies of Uncle Sam's country. and it ain't seems that the thing will not easily get over.

The old-school lessons taken by all the countries financed by IMF's have helped most part of developing countries to rail their path, that's because Brazil, India or China will not suffer as much as they were in the past. They got a very well rounded budget to cover any casualties that might appear around. However, we still can not predict the future and it seems that it's not gonna be shinning as a sunny day, good to take your dog out for a walk.

Cordially!

Rafael Gomes

A remarkable voice, A dazzling view!

Flowers blooming around the park, the smell of wet field coming right through your nose, the cold freshing wind with a sweet air, inspiring and touching for loving couples. The autumn use to be a season for love or sorrow. However its charming goes away far than a sad night or a blue heart. Maybe that's the reason why most part of jazzist musicians loves singing of the season.

And speaking on the witch, LOL (kidding) It ain't no secret (maybe for those who doesn't know anything about me) I'm a loving fan of jazz. Why of that? not even I can describe the right feeling while hearing it some kind of excitement and a joy. Fortunately the very first time I heard was a song by Louis Armstrong, Since then I keep listenning to the oldies and the new ones.

The Art of Jazz is based on the improvising, while a single talent can build up a whole band, a Talent band can put down a house. Great Musicians such as Duke Ellington, Milles, Dizzie, Goodman, Coltrane and too many others that lively knew how to put their hearts in a guitar or a bass and shared their pain or joy without none of us could ever noticed.

Thanks to some beloved friends who decided to show me the path of good music. A few Days I was finally able to buy the DVD of Diana Krall - Live at Paris(2001) (photo) and it keeps playing on and on till some scratches appears at the cd. With a well-selected set list she drives you crazy through some great scenes of old school jazz, from Louis Armstrong, to Nat King Cole, giving a tribute to Frank (Sinatra), She is absolutely outstanding on the show, you can realize the satisfying moments surrounding the musicians.. (such as Anthony Wilson or John Clayton and Jeff Hamilton).

Althought She has a great technique and a virtuoso singer, it's not the time to say that she may be compared to Billie. But I'm pretty sure that she will be right there any sooner. So far, the Goldie blondie really worthed every penny spent on it.

Cordially

Rafael Gomes