Yesterday was Ash Wednesday (Quarta-feira de cinzas) and Zé Paulo decided to close out Carnival with a "roda de choro" at his parents house in Barra da Tijuca. He wanted it to be small and intimate, so he just invited some friends. However, most of Zé's friends are some of the best choro/samba musicians in Rio, so it wasn't a surprise as to the level of the roda. At one point the roda was almost like a mini orchestra. There were 5 6-string guitarists, 2 7-string guitarists, 3 bandolims, clarinet, cavaquinho .... an me, the only panderista in the roda! Many of these names won't mean anything unless you're aware of this local scene, but I want to list them for my own memories.

On 6 string there was:
Zé Paulo Becker, Bilinho Texeira, Rogerio Souza, Alfredo Del Penho (who also sang a bit)

7 string:
Carlinhos 7 cordas (who was part of Jacob do Bandolim's group and is about 80 years old!), Marcello Gonçalves

Bandolim:
Hamilton de Hollanda, Ronaldo do Bandolim and his son Tiago

Well, there were others, but that's enough for now. The highlight for me was playing with Hamilton and Ronaldo at the same time. I had never played with Hamilton before and it was really something. The two of them are without a doubt the 2 best bandolim players in Brasil and Hamilton is a true virtuoso (and about 27 years old). I had one on either side of me and it was wild.

The other highlights were playing trio with Rogerio and Hamilton (a tune of Rogerio's from a No Em Pingo D'Agua CD) and playing trio with Zé Paulo and Hamilton.

It was a pretty cool afternoon/evening.

Well, that's it for Carnaval 2004 and man am I tired. I just got back from the North Zone of Rio where I went to see a street bloco in Vila Isabel, a neighborhood reknown for its musical tradition in Rio. The bloco was a lot of fun, filled with "simpler people" who truly enjoy the Carnaval spirit. The best part however was the bateria (drumming). Serious! There were several guests present. The ones I spotted were Armando Marçal, Robertinho Silva, Marcos Esquleba and Zero. But the rest of the bateria was great as well .... especially the guy playing lead repinique who just blew everyone's mind away. The whole thing just grooved so hard and it was a nice way to end Carnaval.

I know, you're wondering what this article is doing in Tales of a Gringo. Well, I personally can't stand cigarette smoke and am always pretty disgusted when I see parents smoking around their kids. Please share this article with your friends who smoke and have kids.

Smoke in dust poses health risk
Parents who smoke could be exposing their children to worrying levels of nicotine through household dust.

A team at San Diego State University found tobacco trapped in household dust could expose children to the equivalent of several hours of smoking.

Levels were significant even when parents smoked outdoors.

The study, published in Tobacco Control, says smoke particles can cause a range of smoke-related illnesses such as asthma and sudden infant death.

It shows infants can be exposed to contaminants months after smoking has occured.

The report said children are more vulnerable to inhaling this type of second hand smoke because they spend more time indoors, are in close physical contact with the smoker, have higher breathing rates than adults and may swallow contaminated items.

Trapped in dust

Dr Georg Matt and colleagues studied 49 homes with an infant aged between two and 12 months old.

They took samples of dust, surfaces, the child's hair and urine, and placed nicotine monitors in the child's bedroom and the main living room.

They found in homes where the parents smoked outside levels of tobacco contaminants were still up to seven times higher than in houses where neither parent smoked.

In homes where adults smoked inside, tobacco toxicity levels were up to eight times higher than homes where parents smoked outside.

Dr Matt told BBC News Online the study shows parents may be mistaken that smoking outdoors protects their children from second hand smoke exposure.

"We need to start thinking about second hand smoke as more than just tobacco smoke that can be inhaled while someone smokes.

"Secondhand smoke consists of particles so small they can enter the deep lung where they can cause havoc just because of their small size.

Parents have to face up to the fact that while they smoke they are putting their children at risk.
Amanda Sandford, Research Manager, Action on Smoking and Health
"And it is stored in carpets, furniture, ceiling tiles, dust, curtains and clothes."

He said tobacco smoke is a complex mixture of some 4,000 chemical compounds, including eye and respiratory irritants, systemic toxicants, mutagens, carcinogens and reproductive toxicants.

Wake-up call

Amanda Sandford, Research Manager at Action on Smoking and Health, said the findings should be a 'wake up call' to parents.

"If you want to do all you can to protect your children then the answer is to simply not smoke, she told BBc News Online.

"Parents have to face up to the fact that while they smoke they are putting their children at risk."

She said tobacco smoke is one known factor contributing towards the rising rates of asthma in children.

It can also cause middle ear infection, lower respiratory tract infections, sudden infant death and cancer.

Around 50% of children in the UK live in a house where at least one parent smokes.

Up to 17,000 children are admitted to hospital each year as a result of passive smoking illnesses.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/health/3508035.stm

Published: 2004/02/24 01:40:09 GMT

© BBC MMIV

Yesterday Cordão do Boitatá paraded again during Carnaval. Just as the last 2 years it was wonderful, with moments of great euphoria. I was reading about it on Globo's website today when I spoted a photo of my friend Pedro Miranda. I sent the picture to him without realizing I was in it! That's me in the back, on the far left wearing a yellow top hat. I was camera-less yesterday, so I'm waiting for pics from my friend Duda.

Just seconds after posting this a friend called and said I was on TV yesterday playing.

Once again, such ridiculous contradictions in Brasil. Real women can dance naked in the parades, but no naked floats!! The Catholic Church never ceases to amaze me ...

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/3505109.stm

Samba safe sex message draws ire
A Brazilian samba group has agreed to tone down its sexually explicit floats during the Rio carnival on Sunday after prosecutors threatened to ban them.

The Grande Rio school will cover up some of its displays, which include a giant Adam and Eve making love and positions from the Kama Sutra.

Prosecutors argued that the figures were bordering on pornographic.

But the group says their samba theme promotes condom use and safe sex rather than promiscuity.

Frank message

"Let's Wear the Little Shirt, My Love," is Grande Rio's song this year, a slang reference to wearing a condom.

The school has been praised by Health Minister Humberto Costa for its efforts to deal frankly with the issue of safe sex, the Associated Press reported

Officials from the United Nations anti-Aids programme have also been supportive.

"Integrating HIV prevention messages into popular events is an effective way to educate young people about Aids and ultimately prevent new infections," Dr Luiz Loures said in a statement.

But Rio prosecutor Andrea Rodrigues Amin, acting on a complaint from the Association of Catholic Legal Scholars, said Grande Rio's theme had gone too far.

"Some figures inspired by the Kama Sutra, by their proportion, by their size... you can see that they have gone beyond erotic and already border on the pornographic," she told AP.

Free condoms

The reaction of church leaders in the world's biggest Roman Catholic country has been relatively muted.

"If it seeks to discredit, in the eyes of the world, Rio's carnival - that can be so beautiful - through one or another indecorous or unacceptable scene, then justice should intervene for the common good," Rio Archbishop Eusebio Oscar Scheid said.

Grande Rio's president Helio de Oliveira said they would make minor changes, covering up a bit but not hiding anything totally.

Carnival gets under way on Friday, climaxing with parades on Sunday and Monday by Rio's top samba schools.

The Brazilian government is planning to distribute 10 million free condoms during the festivities and is running advertisements encouraging people to use them.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/americas/3505109.stm

Published: 2004/02/20 01:12:24 GMT

© BBC MMIV

I just gave a class to one of my better students Eliane. When I arrived she immediately told me she was pretty depressed and explained why. One of her best friends from childhood was in a bad situation. Her husband, a sucessful self made businessman, had been kidnapped about 4 months ago in São Paulo. In January the wife negotiated with the kidnappers and paid ransom to them, but it wan't enough and they said they wouldn't release him. She hasn't heard back from them since. Eliane was with her over the weekend and it was still upsetting her.

I've always wondered why kidnapping is so much more popular here in Brasil than in the US. It ranges from grabbing the super-rich down to more street level stuff where you'll get dragged to your ATM machine to take out money.

Eliane told me there's a theory about the popularity of kidnapping in Brasil... especially Rio and São Paulo.

Years ago there was a prison on Ilha Grande and it was home to both political and criminal prisoners. Many of the political prisoners were products of the military dictatorship and many of them participated in kidnappings. When they finally got to Ilha Grande, after being tortured, etc.., they participated in an exchange of ideas with the criminal guys (drug dealers, etc...). Thus was born criminal based inner city kidnapping in Brasil... at least it's one theory.

Last night was another night at Centro Cultural Carioca with Zé Paulo. I wound up playing 3 songs. To my right was Beto Cazes, as always, but this time on my left was Marcio Bahia, Hermeto Pasqual's drummer and without a doubt one of Brasil's best. Talk about good company!

I walked past a newstand yesterday. I glanced quickly at a newspaper headline/photo. The gist was the following ...

20,000 people had lined up on about 10 city blocks to apply for 600 government jobs (not sure which ones). The pay for these jobs is miniumum wage which I believe is around 240 reais/month.

That's less than 100 dollars right now.

The Brazilian government revised it's drug sentencing laws today ... for the better! They have ended imprisonment for drug 'users'. Now penalties will revolve around community service, education, etc.. The other good news is that drug dealing sentencing has gotten a 'bit' harsher - from 3 - 15 years has changed to 5 - 15 years. The thing that I'm sure won't change will be the police shaking people down for possession or smoking in public ... but now their brides will probably be for less ;-). At least now I know I won't wind up in Bangu for smoking a joint! Read the Globo article in português ...

12/02/2004 - 13h29m
Plenário da Câmara aprova projeto que acaba com a prisão para usuário de droga
Evandro Éboli - O Globo

BRASÍLIA - O plenário da Câmara aprovou nesta quinta-feira o projeto que cria o Sistema Nacional de Políticas Públicas sobre Drogas, que acaba com a pena de prisão para usuários e dependentes. A votação foi simbólica e enfrentou a resistência de parlamentares da bancada evangélica, que temem que o projeto acabe estimulando o consumo de drogas. O plenário fez apenas uma alteração no texto segundo a qual o usuário não será chamado de réu, mas de infrator.

Pelo texto aprovado, o consumidor que for pego em flagrante será levado imediatamente à presença de um juiz ou juizado especial, que na hora vai determinar a pena alternativa que ele deve cumprir, como advertência, prestação de serviços à comunidade ou participação em programas e cursos educativos sobre prevenção de drogas. Nas localidades onde não houver juiz ou juizado especial disponível, o policial que fizer o flagrante fará um termo circunstanciado no qual o usuário se compromete a comparecer à Justiça.

As punições podem ser aplicadas por, no máximo, cinco meses. Mas o texto aprovado também prevê penas mais duras para traficantes. A pena para tráfico, hoje entre três e 15 anos, ficará entre cinco e 15 anos. Como o texto que veio do Senado sofreu alterações na Comissão de Constituição da Câmara, o projeto voltará para o Senado.

There are times when life in Rio can push my buttons. The last few days have just been full of frustrations, disappointments and annoyance. That lack of functionality that plagues Brasil's reputation at times rears it's ugly head. Then there's the problem of responsibilty at the personal/individual (including business) level. Then we move on to the economic realities....

But before I get too dark ... end of entry!

My buddy Bernardo was held up at gun point earlier this week in the downtown area (Centro) of Rio after work ... around 6:30pm. The "interesting" thing about a lot of these stick ups is that usually these guys don't take people's wallets. They go for cash, cell phones and jewlery. It's just such a drag to hear these stories .... constantly!

My excited mother called me from Santa Fe yesterday to tell me my little sister Julie just got engaged to her boyfriend Sam. She's almost 32, but she's still my little sister, so it's bizarre! Congrats sis ...