Opinion, By Michael Royster RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Like all Cariocas, the Curmudgeon has always maintained that Rio de Janeiro, the “Cidade Maravilhosa,” is the most beautiful city in the world. And like most Cariocas, the Curmudgeon has maintained that São Paulo is, well, if not downright ugly, at least it’s not in the [...]
Opinion, by Pia Granjon Lecerf RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Olà! Did you go and look at the fabulous outdoor exhibition of Yann Arthus-Bertrand, French photographer, reporter and true ecologist? The photos are pieces of art and as he says himself, “Earth is the most beautiful artist.” How strongly do I agree with that! Some [...]
Opinion, by Michael Royster RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – “Brown vs. Board of Education” is without doubt the single best known judicial decision in the history of the world. On May 17, 1954, a unanimous United States Supreme Court (SCOTUS) held that segregated schools were inherently unequal, and hence unconstitutional. On April 26th, 2012, the [...]
Opinion, by DJ Spooky RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – “One supreme fact I have discovered: it is not willpower, but fantasy-imagination that creates… imagination creates reality.” – Richard Wagner Geography is crucial for my work. My most recent book is about Antarctica. I took a studio there and went to several of the main ice [...]
Opinion, by Aklilu Shiketa RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Foreign Minister of Brazil, Mr. Antonio Patriota, recently disclosed that Brazil today has more embassies in Africa than the United Kingdom. Only between 2003 and 2010, Brazil opened seventeen new embassies in Africa. President Dilma Rousseff visited three African countries already. She has established Africa Working [...]
Opinion, by Pia Granjon Lecerf RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Here is a sentence an English friend who lives in South Africa posted on Facebook: “Met a Japanese couple on the cliff next to our house this evening. I asked if they had seen any whales. They said ‘Not one. We think they realized we [...]
Opinion, by Michael Royster RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – A few generations ago, the rallying cry for granting Petrobrás a monopoly in Brazilian oil production was “O Petróleo é Nosso!” Last week the U.S. and Brazil signed Letters of Intent designed to do much the same for the sale and marketing of each country’s typical [...]
Opinion, by Pia Granjon Lecerf RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Here I am with my brother in law, on a beautiful sunny Carioca day, in Santa Catarina, near downtown Rio, with a couple who lives there and to whom I was asking my way. We chat a bit while I help them carry their daily [...]
Opinion, by Mona Sukkarieh RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – The recent visit by Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff to India is more than a mere exercise in diplomatic exchange. Her participation at the BRICS summit on March 29th in New Delhi was followed by an official state visit during which she held bilateral talks with India’s [...]
Opinion, by Michael Royster RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – It’s been a good week for outrage, in Brazil and abroad. A Brazilian higher court held that two defendants could not be convicted of the rape of two 12-year old girls who were prostitutes. Outrageous! On Maundy Thursday, the Pope issued a roundhouse condemnation of women [...]
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