Steve Winwood - Valerie

The nice part of Rio- Travessia/crossing dos Fortes 2012 - boia 4 (Hotel Meridien). It was broadcasted live by the main TV open channel. There were 2500 competitors. Athletes with the blue bonnet and amateurs with the white bonnet.

It was at the beach of Copacabana. The start was at the lifeguard 6 point, near the military fort of Copacabana. That used to be my prefered place of the beach. Actually, when I was a kid, my father had a heart attack while we were there along with my family and then we stayed there for 3 months during his treatment and recovery. The good part of that event was that we (my brother, sister and me) used to go to the beach everyday, we also stayed there during the Carnival, he recovered very well and lived for more twenty years. The only thing we had to do to get to the beach was to cross the Atlantica avenue. My dad used to watch us from the balcony of the apartment while we were in the beach, in the water.   

30 dolphins stranding and incredibly all of them were saved: While somebody was filming they queep coming to the sand. A biologist said that they were probably chasing a school of fishes and lost their way. The ones that's been saved stay safe and sound waiting for the ones that hasn't been saved yet. That's a good example for people, or nations, whose people still kill that kind of animals.

This week Porto Alegre completed 240 years and some events were organized.

 You can find more here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eQ3x3jPzWUI

One of the celebrations was a show with singer Maria Rita, making a tribute to Elis Regina, singing exclusively her songs, who was her mother and was born here. The show was in a stage built at Guaiba's riverside. Althought Elis Regina died when she was 4 years old, and she has her own personality, it's incredible how she resembles her mother when she sings.

Maria Rita- homenagem a Elis Regina- Águas de março(Tom Jobim), 24 de março de 2012- POA aniversário=240 anos.


 You can find the complete show on you tube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pruM5McnDQc&feature=related

A bus city tour:

On you tube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyspwP1jmQQ&feature=related

POA week- birthday events.

More on:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TESxa905ciE&feature=related

Gasometer=Gasometro tower:

In P.Alegre there is a big chimmey from an ald power down factory that they use today as a cultural center called: Usina do Gasometro. From time to time somebody decides to jump from the top of it . . . . .  with a parachute. In this video we see a brazilian couple that has done that from a lot of points in the Country. 


Last weekend a north american student jumped and that was reported by the local newspapers: http://zerohora.clicrbs.com.br/rs/geral/noticia/2012/03/americano-salta-da-torre-do-gasometro-3691007.html, the text says:
The student Jon Potter, 21, left the United States in December 2011 and travels to Brazil to ride ever since. On Saturday morning, along with Brazilian girlfriend, Stephanie Bercht, 24, drew attention to the jump base jump from the tower of the Gasometer, in Porto Alegre.

Potter is a base jumper for about two years and looking for places to jump as referrals from friends. The sport is practiced with a special low-altitude parachute. The name comes from the acronym Base (Building, Antenna, Spam and Earth), in Portuguese building, antenna, bridge and land.

Jon is studying to be a commercial pilot in Pennsylvania, but decided to take extended vacations to travel. Asked if he thought the idea dangerous to venture in Brazil as a hitchhiker, said smilingly:

 - I like to trust people, if not we can trust each other, then the world becomes a sad place.

Still, he confessed that to stand alone on the roads, few cars stopped, but with Stephanie at the opening of the people was higher. He said also that many invited them to stay in their homes.

The U.S. shows a particular fondness for the whole of Brazil, but said he was delighted with the Capital Porto Alegre. He highlighted the beauty of the setting sun of Guaíba river and when looking for a hallmark of Rio Grande do Sul, said with a laugh:

  -Comi An X and it's really good!

Even a little embarrassed, Potter agreed to show some of their knowledge in the Portuguese language. With unmistakable American accent, but correct grammar, revealed that three years ago lived in Manaus, (state of Amazonas/Brasil), and worked for three months as an English teacher.

The pair should then turn to Uruguay next week in search of other places to jump. The holiday, Jon assured, end in May when he returns to North America to continue his studies.

Rodeo.wmv

Jack Nicholson's brazilian ID!

I think I've seen this guy before ...

Brazil con man uses ID with Jack Nicholson’s photo - NYPOST.com

Xangrila.

End of February, beggining of March: the school year begins, but we still have summer until the middle of March. Sunday night the freeway was full of cars but there was no traffic jam. Everybody was moving back to POAlegre. We stayed the weekend rehearsing in a house in Xangri La RS=

It takes one hour from Xangrila RS to POAlegre.

http://www.google.com.br/search?q=xangri+la+rs&hl=pt-BR&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=zkZNT_OnDoqygwfN9OS1Ag&ved=0CHcQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=608

The South American Way - Carnaval 2012.

Fast Triathlon at Bardot seafront (orla Bardot) in Buzios/ RJ, Feb/2012.

Fast Triathlon - Buzios,RJ. Athletes posing with the Brigitte Bardot statue.

French fashion model, actress, singer and animal rights activist. She was one of the best-known sex symbols of the 1960s.

Icon of a generation, actress Brigitte Bardot used to come to Buzios, a small town in the coast of the state of Rio de Janeiro. She's  still admired and loved and it was built a statue for her. She also has done a good work fighting for the animals rights.

She condemned seal hunting in Canada during a visit to that country with Paul Watson of the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society.^[20] She sought to discuss the issue with Stephen Harper, Prime Minister of Canada, but her request for a meeting was reportedly denied.^{[citation needed]}

In August 2010, Bardot addressed a letter to the Queen of Denmark, Margrethe II of Denmark appealing for the sovereign to halt the killing of dolphins in the Faroe Islands. In the letter, Bardot describes the activity as a "macabre spectacle" that "is a shame for Denmark and the Faroe Islands ... This is not a hunt but a mass slaughter ... an outmoded tradition that has no acceptable justification in today's world"

During the 1990s she generated controversy by criticizing immigration, Islamization and Islam in France.

In 2008, she wrote a letter, a copy of which she sent to Nicolas Sarkozy when he was Interior Minister of France. The letter stated her objections to Muslims in France ritually slaughtering sheep by slitting their throats without anesthetizing them first but also said, in reference to Muslims, that she was "fed up with being under the thumb of this population which is destroying us, destroying our country and imposing its habits". The trial concluded on 3 June 2008, with a conviction and fine of €15,000, the largest of her fines to date. The prosecutor stated that she was tired of charging Bardot with offences related to "racial" hatred.

Athletes posing with Brigitte Bardot statue/ Triathlon 2012.

In addition to popularizing the bikini swimming suit, Bardot has also been credited with popularizing the city of St. Tropez and the town of Armação dos Búzios in Brazil, which she visited in 1964 with her boyfriend at the time, Brazilian musician Bob Zagury. A statue by Christina Motta honours Brigitte Bardot in Armação dos Búzios.

Bardot was idolized by young John Lennon and Paul McCartney. They made plans to shoot a film featuring The Beatles and Bardot, similar to A Hard Day's Night, but the plans were never fulfilled. Lennon's first wife Cynthia Powell lightened her hair color to more closely resemble Bardot, while George Harrison made comparisons between Bardot and his first wife Pattie Boyd, as Cynthia wrote later in A Twist of Lennon. Lennon and Bardot met in person once, in 1968 at the Mayfair Hotel, introduced by Beatles press agent Derek Taylor; a nervous Lennon took LSD before arriving, and neither star impressed the other. (Lennon recalled in a memoir, "I was on acid, and she was on her way out.") According to the liner notes of his first (self-titled) album, musician Bob Dylan dedicated the first song he ever wrote to Bardot. He also mentioned her by name in "I Shall Be Free", which appeared on his second album, The Freewheelin' Bob Dylan. (Wikipedia)

Brigitte in Buzios:

http://www.google.com.br/search?q=brigitte+bardot+in+buzios+fotos&hl=pt-BR&prmd=imvnso&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=_EpNT6zJDKTs0gHkqq3OAg&sqi=2&ved=0CCQQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=608 

Brigitte Bardot statue in Buzios.

John Mayer - Half Of My Heart. Tuesday, 14/02/12. In Brazil , Valentine's Day is celebrated on June 12 because it is the eve of June 13 , Day of St. Anthony , Portuguese saint with a tradition of matchmaking.

Dionne Bromfield (@dionneofficial)-Do you still Remember Our Love-Thames Festival, 11...There are songs that "almost" make you cry. That thought sends me to "Cry Baby Cry" from the Beatle's White Album.

The Beatles- Cry Baby Cry. The greatest band, forever.

After un bello disastro, absurd disaster,shipwreck in Italy, gauchos arrive safe at home.

There were 56 brazilians in that ship that sanked in Italy, 11 of them were from here, they arrived in Porto Alegre and went straight to enjoy a barbecue(churrasco). Barbecue is the traditional typical dish of the gauchos, and the best barbecue houses in Rio de Janeiro, São Paulo, Brasilia and the other capitals of Brazil are settled and managed by people from Rio Grande do Sul, spreading their tradition to the rest of Brazil. Gauchos also own barbecue restaurants all over the world, and you'll find them managing barbecue restaurants (churrascarias) in U.S.A, Russia, Europe, China, every Continent.

SUMMER 2012.

Porto Alegre, downtown, 5.30 P.m, on a working day.

A Ball:

Photo by NASA: 8.000 x 8.000 pixels.

A great part of the population from this city is on the beaches,  and many will remain there until March, when summer ends and the school vacations finish. Most of these people are families, people on vacations, housewives , grandparents, retired people and kids enjoying school holidays or those who get a temporary job on the coast. Those who are working in the city can enjoy the beach only on weekends. In the city is doing 25° Centigrades at 3:00 A.m, and 30°C at 6:00 P.m. Still we have some funny things to see here. In the rush hour, downtown, a man is doing funny things with a ball and I caught that scene on my smart phone. A ball...that's a good sugestion of a present for a kid, it's good for the health and is not a dangerous sport. Of course, it isn't good to play with a ball in the middle of the street, but you can also practice at home if you have a room for that, and you can also take your ball(s) everywhere you go.    
At weekends the city gets empty & the beaches get crowded. For example, Torres, wich population is 35.000 habitants, on summer receive about 400.000 people, mostly from Porto Alegre, and still there are the other beaches like Imbé ,  https://www.google.com/search?q=imbe&hl=pt-BR&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=TU0gT6y3BIOusQLTw9ijDg&ved=0CHsQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=571   , Atlantida, Capão da Canoa, Cidreira, http://www.google.com.br/search?q=cidreira+rs&hl=pt-BR&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=qe8iT9qfN8yztweo74iiCw&ved=0CEoQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=571   , Pinhal,  http://www.google.com.br/search?q=pinhal+rs&hl=pt-BR&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=UAcjT_zIK4mJgwfJ-P2UCQ&sqi=2&ved=0CGoQsAQ&biw=893&bih=549  , Casino: that has already been elected the largest continuous beach on earth!, http://www.google.com.br/search?q=praia+casino+rs+fotos&hl=pt-BR&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=WOweT5L1IpS-gAeo6-SODw&ved=0CCUQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=571   ,  Tramandaí   http://www.google.com.br/search?q=tramanda%C3%AD&hl=pt-BR&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=89ceT82ULYTatwey-ahD&ved=0CEsQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=571 , Laguna,  https://www.google.com/search?q=laguna+sc&hl=pt-BR&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=N1EgT_iaJ5P4sQLXo-moDg&ved=0CD0QsAQ&biw=1024&bih=571  , and the beautiful magic coast of Santa Catarina, http://www.google.com.br/search?q=santa+catarina+fotos&hl=pt-BR&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=xV4gT4SdK4fW2AXojummDw&sqi=2&ved=0CC8QsAQ&biw=1024&bih=608%20,where people from here also go during this season. (To name a few).
Best regards and have a terrific great weekend,

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Wellcome 2012.

This weekend, over 160.000 vehicles are leaving town heading for the coast. At certain moments around 60 cars per minute, and we are too. We'll play in two bars on the street between Capão Novo and Atlântida beaches, being around 10 km one of another. In the middle it is Capão da Canoa. We put the drums , bass & guitar in the car and there we go. The other band members are already there waiting for us.
We'll see the fire festival at the beach, hope it will be marvelous as all years.

Capão Novo,   http://www.google.com.br/search?hl=pt-BR&biw=1024&bih=571&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=cap%C3%A3o+novo+rs&oq=cap%C3%A3o+novo&aq=1&aqi=g3g-S7&aql=&gs_sm=c&gs_upl=106004l111035l0l112862l23l15l0l2l2l0l625l2703l3-3.1.2l7l0 ; we'll be back only next year: monday, 1/2/12.
Atlântida:  http://www.google.com.br/search?hl=pt-BR&biw=1024&bih=571&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=atlantida+rs&btnG=Pesquisar&oq=atlantida+rs&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=s&gs_upl=0l0l0l241886l0l0l0l0l0l0l0l0ll0l0

The freeway: http://www.google.com.br/search?q=rs+freeway+fotos&hl=pt-BR&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=6AX-Tq-zLcn_ggfSs5GBAg&sqi=2&ved=0CFkQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=629
Hope you have a good 2012!

Santa was seen here!

He was taking a break, recharging the batteries before continuing his journey around the world. Santa Clau's(Papai Noel) message is that dreams can come true. Happy holidays.

Feliz Navidad, Feliz Natal, Merry Christmas!

Summer/2012 didn't start yet, but everybody's leaving Porto Alegre for the beaches on weekends.

And so do we. We played last weekend in a little city beach we have here called Capão da Canoa: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Tupi_language and they invited us to play the Reveillon there, after midnight, at 2:00, on the first day of 2012.

Images : https://www.google.com/search?q=cap%C3%A3o+da+canoa&hl=en&biw=1024&bih=571&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=p4vvTpf3Nu-ssALmh725CQ&sqi=2&ved=0CEYQsAQ
Capão da Canoa:
http://pt.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cap%C3%A3o_da_Canoa

SUMMER NEVER ENDS, IT JUST MOVES FROM WHERE IT'S HAPPENING!

Summer is arising here and every year our Christmas and Reveillon are under a hot weather. Porto Alegre has a big river, but on summer we only stay here if we have to work. If you like to catch some waves the deal is to stay at the Atlantic coast. The capital of our next state, Santa Catarina is on an island, they say the magic island, and IT REALLY IS : FLORIANOPOLIS: , http://www.google.com.br/search?q=florianopolis&hl=pt-BR&sa=G&gbv=2&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&ei=fOHhTvvxDYWatwfv36XmAw&ved=0CG4QsAQ&biw=1024&bih=571, . The water is warm in summer, and cold in winter. The south region is very different from the north. I've lived with my family in Belem do Pará, in the Amazonia legal, 6.000km from here, and it's like being in another country, reunited under the same nationality. In the north region it's never cold, the weather is always very hot, the whole year. From here I like Torres, Laguna, IMBITUBA: http://www.google.com.br/search?hl=pt-BR&gbv=2&biw=1024&bih=571&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=imbituba&btnG=Pesquisar, GAROPABA: http://www.google.com.br/search?hl=pt-BR&gbv=2&biw=1024&bih=571&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=garopaba&btnG=Pesquisar&oq=garopaba&aq=f&aqi=g1&aql=&gs_sm=s&gs_upl=294248l338195l0l340054l14l11l0l5l5l0l359l967l2-1.2l4l0, CAMBORIU: https://www.google.com/search?q=camboriu&hl=pt-BR&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=WmXeTpvJH-Po2AXNnZGzBQ&sqi=2&ved=0CHgQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=571, Praia Brava http://www.google.com.br/search?q=praia+brava+sc&hl=pt-BR&gbv=2&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=D9jgTvPbN8je0QH2rJysBw&ved=0CE0QsAQ&biw=1024&bih=571, Itajai, Porto Belo https://www.google.com/search?q=porto+belo&hl=pt-BR&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=D2LeToPEO8Gugwfoy9WLBg&sqi=2&ved=0CDkQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=571 , Barra Velha, Laranjeiras, http://www.google.com.br/search?q=laranjeiras+sc&hl=pt-BR&gbv=2&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=plDiTsrTGo2ltwfD0NWpBQ&ved=0CCEQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=571 ,Morro dos Conventos http://www.google.com.br/search?hl=pt-BR&gbv=2&biw=1024&bih=571&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=morro+dos+conventos&btnG=Pesquisar&oq=morro+dos+conventos&aq=f&aqi=g8g-S2&aql=&gs_sm=s&gs_upl=206854l214088l0l216213l25l19l0l6l6l0l546l2859l3-5.1.1l8l0, Itapema http://www.google.com.br/search?hl=pt-BR&gbv=2&biw=1024&bih=571&tbm=isch&sa=1&q=itapema&btnG=Pesquisar&oq=itapema&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_sm=s&gs_upl=423840l428464l0l430354l22l12l0l0l0l0l547l2578l3-2.3.1l7l0, for those who like naturism: Praia do Pinho, http://www.google.com.br/search?q=praia+do+pinho+em+sc+imagens+fotos&hl=pt-BR&gbv=2&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=xEviTqmeEMWTtwfSrsXEBA&ved=0CC0QsAQ&biw=1024&bih=571 ,Guarda do Embaú , http://www.google.com.br/search?q=guarda+do+emba%C3%BA&hl=pt-BR&sa=G&gbv=2&prmd=imvns&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&ei=m0biTvGmGcSJtwe1z-yOBA&ved=0CGMQsAQ&biw=1024&bih=571. They're so beautiful that it's difficult to choose one among them to stay. Florianopolis is the capital of the state of Santa Catarina and it has almost everything. Have a nice weekend .

Elis Regina - Madalena (Ivan Lins)

Elis Regina was born in Porto Alegre and started his career in a local TV program for children ( O Clube do guri- The kids club). She was a "gauchinha" from a working class "barrio". Her first recording was in Porto Alegre when she was sixteen, and then she went to the "center of Brazil"/ south east region, (Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo). She have a daughter with pianist cesarcamargomariano that is also a singer, Maria Rita was 4 years old when Elis passed away, www.maria-rita.com/.

 Português:                                                         English:


Madalena, o meu peito percebeu /  Madalena, my heart realized that
que o mar é uma gota / the sea is a mere water drop
comparado ao pranto meu / if compared to all my weeping
Fique certa, quando o nosso amor desperta /Be sure of one thing: when our love arouses
logo o sol se desespera/ the sun soon gets in despair
e se esconde lá na serra/ and goes hide behind that hill

Madalena, o que é meu não se divide/ Madalena, I don't share my things with anyone

Nem tão pouco se admite/ nor it's allowed to exist someone

Quem do nosso amor duvide/ to doubt of our love

Até a lua se arrisca num palpite: / Even the moon ventures to say a hunch:

Que o nosso amor existe/ Our love exists for sure

forte ou fraco alegre ou triste/ Be it strong or weak, happy or sad

Elis Regina in Porto Alegre before success:

Elis Regina - Madalena - Montreux - 1979

Eclipse em Belo Monte, Michel Blanco via Yahoo! Colunistas

Eclipse em Belo Monte, Michel Blanco via Yahoo! Colunistas:

Dúvida e desinformação rondam o projeto de Belo Monte. Porém, algo é certo: a usina será construída, com ou sem topless de Maitê Proença.

Ringo Star first show in Brazil: He came from Buenos Aires, Argentina, and his first night in Brasil was in Porto Alegre. He played here on thursday, 11/10. He brought together a band of great musicians and nice persons. From here they went to São Paulo (12 and 13/11), then Rio de Janeiro(11/15), Belo Horizonte(11/16), Brasilia(11/18), and finishing his brazilian tour on sunday in Recife(11/20). Seeing each one of the Beatles individually we understand why the Beatles were so great. In 7 years (from 1963 to 1970), they did a revolution in contemporary music. Pearl Jam also played here the following day, 11/11, and Jean Luc Ponty 0n 11/22.

One year ago Paul McCartney played here, on 11/07/2010. He stayed at the Sheraton Hotel, http://www.sheraton-poa.com.br/ ,one block from a bar called Sgt.Peppers, http://www.peppers.com.br/site/ , where we play with a band sometimes. That bar have the same name of the Beatle's album.
We also played in this bar last year, one day before Paul McCartney's show here. We came to know later that the members of Paul McCartney band came to the bar one night after we had played there and they got onstage!  
This year we played at the Sgt.Pepper's pub on 11/09, one day before Ringo's show, that was 11/10.
We will play again at the Sgt.Peppers next 12/07/2011 and you're wellcome!      
The All Star band show was delicious & the band was:
Wally Palmar(The Romantics)guitar: "Talking in your sheets", "What I like about you" and more. 
Rick Derringer( The McCoys) guitar:"Hang on sloopy" and an incredible guitar solo.
Richard Page (MrMister), bass guitar, sang "Broken Wings" with Ringo Star and Greg Bisonette on the drums doing a tribal beat to that song that was fantastic.
Edgar Winter, keyboards, "Free Ride", "Frankenstein" & others.
Gary Wright, keyboards, sang "Dream Weaver" and more. Gary Wright played on some George Harrison solo first Lps. 
Greg Bisonette, recorded with David Lee Roth the great album "Eat them and smile" and many others, drums. 

Olê, olê, olê, olê, Ringo, Ringo! Ringo said that he like to hear that. He presented Edgar Winter: The "first man on earth in musical history" to put a strap on a keyboard and use it like a guitar!

Jean Luc Ponty:

Jean Luc Ponty played New Country when he returned for the bis at the final .During the show he played parts of the albums: "Imaginary Voyage", "Enigmatic Ocean" and "Cosmic Messenger".

Pearl Jam: Eddie Veder, worring with the integrity of a 8 year old boy in the first row, called him onstage, plus his sister and her boyfriend, and put chairs for them on the stage!:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbyUWoYhS6A 

Leia mais sobre esse assunto em http://oglobo.globo.com/cultura/mat/2011/06/28/ringo-starr-anuncia-primeiros-shows-no-brasil-924784516.asp#ixzz1cgHB5gL2 
© 1996 - 2011. Todos os direitos reservados a Infoglobo Comunicação e Participações S.A. 

STEVIE WONDER appearing on a TV show in Brazil in 1970 singing a popular brazilian song called "Sá Marina" (the name of a girl). He has a flirt with brazilian music, so it was no surprise that we saw him singing "The girl from Ipanema" in Rock in Rio/2011. Some of his songs like : "Superwoman", "My cherie amour" and others have some kind of a bossa-nova beat. They can be played on a guitar with the bossa-nova fingerpicking style and chords and they fit perfectly. This "genius" recycles the information that he gets and brings us a better thing.

Stevie Wonder, his daughter and the crowd singing Tom Jobim - Garota de Ipanema in Rock in Rio 2011.

Stevie Wonder Live in Brazil '71: breaking it all!

JAMIROQUAI - LITTLE L @ ROCK IN RIO

Miss Universe 2011 in S.Paulo/BR.

I don't use to see beauty contests but this time I started watching and went until the final end.

 I didn't analyze too much, and althought Miss Brazil wasn't my favorite (as well as the other 4 weren't), I started to support her among those 5 girls that remained as the choices cause this girl is from P.Alegre(POA). I was thinking that maybe her victory would help to divulge our state, but anyway maybe that wouldn't help too much because Giselle Bundchen (as well as Shirley Malmann, Ana Hickman,ex-Miss Universe Ieda Maria Vargas and others)  are also from here, G.Bundchen is from a little inland village from our state called "Horizontina" , a few hours from POA and almost the whole world knows her, but nobody knows this part of the world exists. When I was a partner in a society, we had an employee that was from her city, he was a friend of her family and he knew her when she was a child. From there she went to São Paulo, in the beginning sharing an apartment with other girls.
The president of Bandeirantes network TV, the channel that broadcasted the Miss Universe 2011, (the man that appears on this video with the blue tie) , negotiated with Donald Trump to have the rights to transmit it, and he put as members of the jury people like Helio Castro Neves ??? (Formula Indy racer pilot) and Isabelli Fontana, maybe only because they work for Bandeirantes TV, the third TV channel in importance in Brasil.

Miss Universe 1963 Ieda Maria Vargas

Joss Stone - RIGHT TO BE WRONG (Live SWU Music and Arts Festival, Brazil...

Elton John Rock in Rio IV 2011 Saturday Night´s Alright

Rock In Rio 2011 - Song by Renato Russo (1960-1996), poet and vocalist from the band "Legião Urbana" (a band from the eighties), performed by banda "Capital Inicial". Que País é Esse: What kind of country is this. Tradução: Português → English= What kind of country is this? In the favelas, in the Senate, There's mess everywhere, No one respects our Constituition, But everybody believes in the progress of our nation, What kind of country is this? What kind of country is this? What kind of country is this? In the Amazon river , In Araguaia, Baixada Fluminense, Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais, and in the Northeast, everything's in peace, I'll rest when my death comes, But the bloodshed goes on and on, Staining papers, truthfull documents, To bosses and kingpins' relieve, I say: What kind of country is this? What kind of country is this? What kind of country is this? This 3th world thing, if it's just abroad mocking, let it alone, But Brazil will become rich! We'll earn thousands in money when we sell the souls of all our indians in an auction, What kind of country is this? What kind of country is this? What kind of country is this.

Song: Que país é esse: What kind of country is this?
Lyrics:
Nas favelas, no senado : In the favelas, in the Senate,
Sujeira pra todo lado: There's mess everywhere,
Ninguém respeita a constituição: No one respects our Constituition,
Mas todos acreditam no futuro da nação:But everybody believes in the progress of our nation,
Que país é esse? Que país é esse? Que país é esse? What kind of country is this,
No Amazonas, no Araguaia iá, iá,: In the Amazon river , in Araguaia,
Na Baixada Fluminense Mato Grosso, nas Gerais e no Nordeste tudo em paz:
Baixada Fluminense, Mato Grosso, Minas Gerais, and in the Northeast, everything's in peace,
Na morte eu descanso, mas o Sangue anda solto,Manchando os papéis, documentos fiéis: I'll rest when my death comes, But the bloodshed goes on and on Staining papers, truthfull documents,
Ao descanso do patrão: To bosses and kingpins' relieve,
Que país é esse? Que país é esse? Que país é esse? Que país é esse?
I say: What kind of country is this? What kind of country is this? What kind of country is this?
Terceiro mundo, se for Piada no exterior: This 3th world thing, if it's just abroad mocking, let it alone,
Mas o Brasil vai ficar rico: But Brazil will become rich,
Vamos faturar um milhão, Quando vendermos todas as almas dos nossos índios num leilão: We'll earn thousands in money, when we sell the souls of all our indians in a auction.
Que país é esse? Que país é esse? Que país é esse? : What kind of country is this?

She kissed a boy! (Julio, de Sorocaba) in Rock in Rio2011...

Claudia Leitte - Beijar Na Boca /Satisfaction (Rock In Rio)

Claudia Leitte Rock In Rio 2011

Sigourney Weaver speaks against Belo Monte -interview 3

Belo Monte International Solidarity Actions. We (Brazil) need International help to stop the mega project of Belo Monte hydro-electrtic power station. It will be a catastrophic environmental impact for all the planet.We're seeing the world's presidents reunited in UN-New York to discuss the economical crisis. Is it possible that there is not one leadership able to approach that subject with the brazilians. They're too busy thinking about the economical crisis, yet that will pass, but the damage & destruction for our planet will be forever. , A significant part of the rainforest will be extinguished forever. Biodiversity will also loose some forms of life (animals and plants).

Defending the Rivers of the Amazon, with Sigourney Weaver

9/11: It was one week ago. When a flower die, another flower will always grow in its place, the garden will flourish maybe stronger and more beautiful.

Amazonic flower "Victoria regia".

My sympathy for all the families affected.The important thing is that we won't forget that. We must also think about the lives that were saved! We must remember Tom, Mark & the heroes of the 93 flight, who told the terrorists: Get Out of here! and fought with them. We can't estimate how many lives were saved by them. Our country is our home and some cares must be taken. You wouldn't allow a stranger to get into your home and start spreading orthodox rules, professing beliefs that go against yourself and praying for a God that you don"t believe! People with suspect rituals and perverse tendencies must be always checked, One by One, until we have a better world. They may pray the whole day but they'll never achieve their aims! We can beat them with a flower. The world must go forward and not backwards.

The latest fashion for dogs: tennis shoes.

Redenção Park, (Our little Central Park):

That is is not Rob Zombie! That is a brazilian soldier ready for a mission in the jungle. One weekend ago it was the army week and the troops from P.Alegre went to celebrate in the Redenção Park: , http://www.aredencao.com.br/, is the site of that park.

There was a military exhibition and they also took the army band. On winter POA is crowded. In compensation on summer, from december to march, when the school is over, everyone who can do it, leave the city going for the coast cities and POA stays empty. It's good for one side, you don't have traffic jams and it's quiet. Those who can afford, middle class people, also own houses & apartments or at least rent estates on the coast cities, to where they take their families to stay until the first day of march. Only those who have to work return in the workdays. Every year, on february, 28, the freeway  is again full of cars and buses, everybody's returning. And on the 1st day of march everybody's here again! The city is full of kids going to school, traffic jams and people looking for jobs. And that will last until december, when they leave this city again.
We used to go to this park. At the age of 12, my sister stood up with one foot on the Gander boat, the other foot on the anchorage. The "Gander boat" slowly took distance and she fell all dressed up in the water. She hasn't life-saver, it wasn't deep water, but it was funny to see. 

The Independence Day of Brazil: It was 189 years ago, in September, 7, in 1822. Last wednesday, a March against corruption was done in front of the National Congress and street demonstrations in the main state capitals. Less corruption is what this country needs. Unfortunately the congressmen weren't working, but they must have seen it on the TV. It is a national holiday in all the country, nobody works on september,7, we have only essential services. When you have corruption among the Congressmen you don't have ethics to clean the society. We must start the clean-up from the top.

34º Expointer 2011 - Porto Alegre/RS

President Dilma came to POA last weekend for the  Expointer. She has a daughter, a grandson and a house here, but she decided to stay at the Plaza São Rafael hotel so she wouldn't transtorn the neighboorhood with the security operation! She came a year ago for the marriage of her daughter.

Tetsuo Sakurai-Dennis Chambers-Greg Howe..during their tour!

Gentle Hearts Tour 2004 - The invisible way. WHEN WORDS ARE USELESS, THAT'S WHEN THE MUSIC MAKES SENSE, TAKES PLACE, FILLS THE SPACE, TO EXPRESS THINGS THAT YOU CANNOT EXPRESS BY WORDS.

Promise Ain't Enough (1998) - Hall & Oates

Foo Fighters - Wheels

POA/RS-Batizado:

Mais uma Brasileira na familia! Rodrigo, mi sobrino, and his wife Cristiane brought their daughter Rafaela for the first time to POA.

There are more than 145 churches in POA, and Saint Sebastian church is one of them. This collective baptism was in Saint Sebastian church in Porto Alegre. Athough Rodrigo is now living in São Paulo (2 years), where Rafaela was born, they decided to bring her to baptism in Porto Alegre cause he loves too much this medium size city, his birthplace. He's now playing along with the São Paulo Symphonic orchestra and have to live in São Paulo. So Rafaela is a "paulistana", (born is S.Paulo). He has already toured the U.S (Chicago, Boston,and other cities) and Europe with this orchestra. Before that, two years ago, he was playing with the Porto Alegre Symphonic Orchestra(OSPA) and before that he stayed four years in the Julliard School, New York, (one of the most important in the world), where he studied violoncello. He was in New York on september, 11/2001, in the Lincoln Center. That day we got worried, until a friend of him called his mom telling he said he was all right! All the students were oriented to leave their rooms with a pillow and go to the basement. Telephone calls to Brazil were difficult, but in one or two days the routine of classes were normal again. He plays violoncello since he was 5 years old, and before Julliard, he stayed in Hartford/NY. He played in several orchestras here, and took classes with brazilian cello player Antonio Menezes, Steven Thomas from Hartford University/NY, among other great cello players. In N.York he has already played the Carnegie Hall. Antonio Menezes invited him to study in Basel, Switzerland, and Steven Thomas invited him to study in Hartford, where he stayed, before he run a test and went to Julliard. My mom and sister- his grandma and mother- are going next friday, 15, to stay a week with him in São Paulo.

Interview with Jeff Skunk Baxter by Robby Lawrence Hollywood Music in Me...

 notice what  is happening in the background...

An intelligent Rock Star: Jeff "Skunk" Baxter. For Safety's sake! Video links, http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/10480407/ns/today/

He played in a band with Jimy Hendrix when they were beginning! Jimmy Hendrix admired him. Then he started Steely Dan.

Three remarkable LPs: 1.Can't buy a thrill, 2.Cowntdown to Ecstasy, and 3.Pretzel Logic. These three albums/Long Plays, are part of the best music made in the 20th century. All musical genders included, from Stockhausen to Miles Davis. Too much talent in the same band, inspiration, imagination, creativity, transpiration in the right proportion and instrumental skills.

  Videos:



http://www.apbspeakers.com/speaker/jeffrey-baxter

 http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/10480407/ns/today/

 DEFENSE CONSULTING CAREER:
Baxter fell into his second profession almost by accident. In the mid-1980s, Baxter's interest in music recording technology led him to wonder about hardware and software that was originally developed for military use, i.e. data-compression algorithms and large-capacity storage devices. As it happened, his next-door neighbor was a retired engineer who had worked on the missile program. This neighbor bought Baxter a subscription to Aviation Week magazine, provoking his interest in additional military-oriented publications and missile defense systems in particular. He became self-taught in this area, and at one point he wrote a five-page paper that proposed converting the ship-based anti-aircraft missile into a rudimentary missile defense system. He gave the paper to California Republican congressman Dana Rohrabacher, and his career as a defense consultant began.
Backed by several influential Capitol Hill lawmakers, Baxter received a series of classified security clearances. In 1995, Pennsylvania Republican congressman Curt Weldon, then the chairman of the House Military Research and Development Subcommittee, nominated Baxter to chair the Civilian Advisory Board for Ballistic Missile Defense.
Baxter's work with that panel led to consulting contracts with the Pentagon's Missile Defense Agency (MDA) and National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. He now consults to the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S. intelligence community, as well as for defense-oriented manufacturers including Science Applications International Corporation ("SAIC"), Northrop Grumman Corp. and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. He has been quoted as saying his unconventional approach to thinking about terrorism, tied to his interest in technology, is a major reason he became sought after by the government.
"We thought turntables were for playing records until rappers began to use them as instruments, and we thought airplanes were for carrying passengers until terrorists realized they could be used as missiles,"^[1] Baxter has said. "My big thing is to look at existing technologies and try to see other ways they can be used, which happens in music all the time and happens to be what terrorists are incredibly good at."
Baxter has also appeared in public debates and as a guest on CNN and Fox News Channel advocating missile defense. He served as a national spokesman for Americans for Missile Defense, a coalition of organizations devoted to the issue.
In April 2005, he joined the NASA Exploration Systems Advisory Committee (ESAC).
Baxter was a member of an independent study group that produced the "Civil Applications Committee Blue Ribbon Study" recommending an increased domestic role for U.S. spy satellites in September 2005.^[2] This study was first reported by the Wall Street Journal on August 15, 2007.^[3]
Baxter is listed as Senior Thinker and Raconteur at the Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition.^[4]

Baxter is a Senior Fellow and Member of the Board of Regents at the Potomac Institute for Policy Studies [1] .

Parabéns a todas as maes vivendo na terra ou no céu. Elas estão bem! Happy mother's day for every mother living on earth or in Heaven. They must be in Paradise. Without YOU nothing would be possible, with YOU, everything exists!

Grandma:

Festival Internacional de Balonismo de Torres -RS

Balonismo em Torres:

A Travelin Band: Last weekend we went to play in a bar at the beach. We took the freeway from Porto Alegre. It takes 1 hour to get there, at the coast, 40 km south from Torres, in a beach called Capão da Canoa. It also happened the 23° international balonism festival,(from wednesday, April,20 to Sunday 24/04.) in Torres.

Sea Route:Ruta del Mar/Rota do Mar, along the large beach- 40km south from Torres, 1km from the coast, to go in the north direction, turn to left, to south, at right.

Clean energy, the best solution!

Salto nas furnas de Torres

THE LARGEST BEACH ON EARTH!

Torres , the beach of my childhood & adolescence, is a city where the litoral of Rio Grande do Sul begins. After that last rock seen behind , route south, there are no more elevations on the coast of RS, it's 622km of continuous beach,  just sand and sea, a fine thin sand that caress your feet. After that, Brazil ends and there is Uruguay. Cassino beach, the last beach at south, is the largest beach on Earth,  one single beach with "255km"of extension.

Torres aereal view: This entrance is Mampituba river, boundary with the state of  Santa Catarina , at north. From Torres, route north, you'll have to go 7.000km straight line, or 8.500km boarding the coast, till the end of Brazil at north. But it's not a continuous beach.

Praia da Cal - Torres abril 2009

Surfe na Praia da Cal - Torres - RS

FOR JAPAN WITH LOVE

Some things last forever! They met fancy dressed (both) for carnival, in Buenos Aires, Argentina, and here I am. So, have a good Carnival!

 Family album. 

On a country road in the farm:

Mrs.Liana Bertolucci Andrade (Argentina) and Mr.AntonioAndrade (Brasil) ready to attend a reception at the Brazilian Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina, back in the sixties: MAMÁ y PAPÁ.

Mamá Liana.

The family and a llama in a trip to Los Andes. I'm pretending to ride the animal, almost on its neck, but in reality I had fear that the llama would jump and I would fall down and crash on the floor. Cordoba, Argentina.

Heaven's Ranch: Sister, brother & me on the farm.

Heaven's Ranch:

Fazenda do Céu/Heaven's farm. On a country road. Rio do Sul, Santa Catarina, Brasil

Florianópolis, Sta.Catarina.

                                   Methamorphosis, the transformation:

Mamá now. After a well succeeded 3 bypass surgery a year ago, at Saint Francisco hospital in P.Alegre,  she's really good and ready for at least one more decade. We're watching close .