Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Police brutality in the US!

So this is what I mean when I tell you the Police in Rhode Island is brutal, they do have a terrible reputation around New England.
This video really disturbed me, this freaking creep violent cop was found "GUILTY" today and will be sentenced in March.
He can get up to 20 years in jail for kicking this lady in the head!
I say it's a good day for justice in our tiny state!!!! ;)
Don't even get me started on the corrupt cop lying about our fall car accident. UGH!!! That will have a follow up post when we have updates on the story.


Monday, January 23, 2012

A country of three middle classes


The "Brazilian Dream" now within reach of millions!
 When we lived in Brazil in the late 90's these classifications for lower middle class and upper middle class were practically unheard in the media or anywhere else for that matter.
But now after the social initiatives implemented by President Fernando Henrique Cardoso and cleverly continued by President Lula THUG da Silva lifted millions out of poverty and into the middle class, we started to see all these new classifications of Class A, B, C, D and E.
It's encouraging to see the new President Dilma Roussef fighting to rid her government of corruption and continuing the policies that have lifted poor Brazilians into the middle class.
President Dilma has the highest job approval of all time for a Brazilian president.

The largest Brazilian Housing program of all times


All these new class divisions are totally news to me, and I always had a hard time understanding it.
Ok, so the news is that Brazil is a country where the middle class now is the majority, yes, 60% of the population in Brazil today belongs to the middle class and they are fiercely purchasing cars, appliances and new homes, boosting the economy into a level never seen before.



The majority of the Brazilian population belong to the middle class now!


Brazil relies heavily on it's internal economy and this is one of the principal reasons for the country's recent success situation despite the world's current downturn.
I found a good article at Folha.com in English that helped us understand the classifications of Brazil's 3 new middle class divisions.
I hope it helps you too.


Ray


ÉRICA FRAGA
FROM SÃO PAULO
Brazil is a country of the middle class. Six out of every ten Brazilians 16 or older already belong to this group, according to Datafolha.
With 90 million people, a number larger than the population of Germany, the Brazilian middle class, however, is far from being homogeneous.
The variety of indicators for income, education and ownership of consumer goods allows the division of this portion of the population into three distinct groups that separate the rich from the excluded.
The growing access to comfort goods, like electronics, computers and automobiles, is what brings the three spheres of the Brazilian middle class closest together.
Starting with the measurement of the possession of these items, the population is divided into classes designated by letters.
Middle class Brazil is that which is able to escape the levels D and E, leaving behind the excluded, but that still has almost no presence in class A.
Gains in income, a consequence of stronger economic growth and policies of income distribution, and greater access to credit have contributed to this trend.
"Increases in income that seem small to the elite have represented a revolution for the poorer classes," says the economist Marcelo Neri, of FGV (Getúlio Vargas Foundation).
If the possession of consumer goods brings the three Brazilian middle classes closer, income and education indicators still separate them.
Income and higher education are, for example, characteristics that distance Brazilians in the upper middle class from those in the other two levels. The lines that separate the members of the intermediate and lower middles classes are already more tenuous.
The income of the lower middle class is still, for example, higher than that of the intermediate middle class.
However, the younger members of the intermediate middle class have better economic perspectives due to the more significant educational advances in recent years.
This group is the one that grew the most in the country in the last decade. With 37 million people (16 years of age or older), they are second only to the excluded, who still form the largest class in Brazil, although their numbers have shrunk.
Despite the significant expansion of the middle class, there are those who still don't feel part of the group. This is the case with Rosiley Marcelino Silva, 46. Married and the mother of two adult sons, she lives on the sale of finger foods and the salary of her husband, a trucker.
"I don't think I have a middle class life. But today it is possible to survive," says Rosiley, who was classified by Datafolha as intermediate middle class.
The vulnerability of the new middle class is an issue that worries the authorities.
"We are trying to think of policies that help these people to avoid returning to poverty, because this is a risk," says Diana Grosner, economist for the Secretariat of Strategic Affairs for the Presidency of the Republic.
According to her, the government is now working on an official definition of middle class, and afterwards can divide it into up to three distinct groups in order to develop specific policies according to the needs of each of them.
TRANSLATED BY DAVE WOLIN

Friday, January 6, 2012

012 Global-We are HUGE fans!

      This is a joint post written by me with Rachel's ideas and suggestions.

      So, dear friend (our blog's madrinha), and fellow blogger Rachel from Rachel's Rantings in Rio  wrote me this morning and suggested we shared these awesome new calling option we recently found out and have been using to call Brazil from the US and to call the US from Brazil, a super convenient and cheap way to fit any budget and need.
      It's not only affordable international calling but a super cool option for people living in the US like Gil and I, and Rachel's family for example, to have our own exclusive local Brazilian phone numbers. 
      Yes, you heard me right, now, your family, friends and loved ones living in the US can have their own local numbers in Brazil, so when you are ready to call them, you dial that local Brazilian number and the phone rings in their preferred number in the US, it can be a cell phone or home phone, no difference, for a low fixed price, unlimited minutes and no catches and no hidden fees.
       "012 Global" has several different plans with all kinds of different options and prices to fit your needs and budget.
       Gil and I chose the U$14,00 a month plan, we pay this fixed amount every month and we have our own local ( 011 ) Sao Paulo phone number. This plan was perfect for me, principally because I am looking for jobs in Brazil and by having a local Sao Paulo number I can share this number on my resume when applying for jobs in Brazil and the Brazilian companies looking at my resume will be much more likely to call me when seeing a local Brazilian phone number on the resume.
       So, when anyone calls my local (011) Sao Paulo number, the call rings in the US, and get this, you can program up to 3 different US numbers to your local Brazilian number. 
       Example: When my mother dials my local Sao Paulo number, she hears a recording that says: press 1 for home, press 2 for cell, press 3 for office. 
       Yes, isn't that cool? Your local Brazilian number works as a local call for your loved ones or anyone calling you in Brazil and they have a choice to reach you in any of those options. Up to 3 different numbers, we programed our HOME, CELL AND WORK. :)
       I have a big family and they are all super excited that they can now dial my "LOCAL SAO PAULO" number and I answer the call on any of my phones in the US.
       My mother calls me everyday and gives me the inside scoop of all the gossip going around in the family, in her building, worth to mention that my parents have lived in the same building in Sao Paulo since I was 6 years old, that is 36 years my friends. That building is like a small town within the big city.
       My brother and my sisters now tell me that I am better informed about what is going on with "The Family" than they are, and they live there. I am in New England and folks in Brazil are calling me to get the freshest news and the family's hottest gossip!! ;)
       Just about a month ago, I shared this great new option with Rachel's mom and she joined the same company and "surprise", I got a U$10,00 credit to call Brazil from the US on my account, that is like more than 1000 minutes, it was a very cool gift.
       Rachel's mom chose the same plan we did, so now Rachel can dial a Rio de Janeiro number and her Mom answers on her phone in the US, all this for a fixed montly price, and the plans have unlimited minutes, so you can talk FOREVER!!! :)
       So, keep in mind, you get about 1000 minutes worth of "International" US to Brazil calls if you refer a friend. :)
       Another good thing to remember, 12 Global also has a system for you to call Brazil for dirt cheap prices. They are actually the best way to call Brazil I have found. Their prices are even better if you call a Rio or Sao Paulo area code. I have saved my debit card on file with them so I get automatic recharges from my Bank.
       I hope I was clear enough, this can be kind of confusing. So please don't hesitate to write comments and ask questions if something wasn't clear.
       Before anyone ask, I have no connections with this company, won't benefit in any way from this post, and don't know anyone who works for them.
       I am simply sharing with you guys a great new way we found to keep in touch between the US and Brazil.
       Rachel, Gil and I have been using 012Global for a couple of months now and we are HUGE fans and definitely recommend you take a look at it.
       Please find the link below where you will be able to explore their website and their many different options and plans.

Abracos
Ray  
  
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Unlimited

With these plans you can talk unlimited to many destinations and get a local virtual number in many countries such as Brazil, Israel, Argentina and much more.
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Pay as You Go

With these plans you can call to many destinations at the best rates available and pay only for what you really use, no hidden charges, no expiration!

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Iowa Nice!! :)

Disclaimer: If you get offended by moderate foul language, skip this video/post.

I love Iowa for many reasons. Here you can find out a few of them.
I am having a lot of fun with the fast approaching Iowa Caucus. Here is a video that made me laugh, a lot.
Enjoy! :)