iPad 3? Already? And a 3D one?
Wow, technology news these days make their way around the globe faster than celebrity gossip - more so if they are rumours - or upgrades.
You know, Im still enjoying my iPad (one).
I was considering the second version, when the tabloids rummoured a new one is on the works.
I then read a piece about iCloud on the local paper today. Steve Jobs came out of nowhere to announce it and make investors happy. Yeah, Apple is also getting ahead on the smartphone battle, leaving Blackberry behind.
Returning to iCloud story. It means to gather all media stuff you have and store it in this cloud. You can access it from your remote Apple devices. 5GB is for free, but service is 25 bucks a year. Brazil is not on the plans to get the service, yet.
There is the new operational system, IOS 5, to launch soon too. 200 (!?) new functionalities, like weather and stock markets on your screen right away.
And I was talking about... iPad 3! Hhm, after all those news, it turned out not to be that interesting anymore. But you can read more here. And here. More stuff here too.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
Friday, June 3, 2011
Worth studying?
Since I have arrived in Brasilia, Brazil, I started to look for jobs. Of course, in Brasilia, the most bureaucratic city in Brazil, the majority of jobs are government's. If you are not Brazilian you should know you need to be approved in tough exams in order to join the government force.
That's what Im doing at the moment: studying for the exams. The thing is I'm a bit frustrated. The reasons are as follows:
1) The competition is far worse than anything else you are aware of (except for navy seals recruitment)
2) gov jobs are a dead end for someone's career
3) public administration in Brazil doesn't function well, actually it is horrible
The competition for those jobs is high and jobs in private companies are quite competitive too, but the salaries in government are a lot better than in most private companies. The job market situation in Brazil lately is favorable mostly to jobs in demand, such as hospitality, retail, and on the other end, technicians and engineers in constructions and stuff. It's hard to pay rent and support a family with an initial - and average - private company salary.
When Fernando Collor was president, he signed a law to give stability to public workers not only in the federal sphere, but to all others linked to government - public banks, post, police and so on. That decision relieved workers about the possibility of getting sacked (almost impossible). If anyone imagined something like pursuing a career in government, it has been revoked from constitution, then you are stuck in the position you applied for in the exam day til retirement.
All this turns productivity at work pretty bad, no, maybe, terrible! When you work in a job you CAN'T get fired, then you know things aren`t right. Carlos Osmar Bertero, in a World Bank and Brazilian government request, in 1994, made a document (sorry, it`s in Portuguese) where he expresses his opinion on public management in Brazil - in brief: "Almost all things that oppose the common sense are practiced. Performance and quality of services to the population are poor and the costs to the nation are not low."
I think you get my point. Well, now, excuse me, I have to go back to my studies.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
MarciOnline: Bayão
MarciOnline: Bayão: "Os alemães são os maiores fãs do Brasil. Todo alemão que tem uma casa, principalmente das classes B e C, faz no fundo do quintal uma praiaz..."
Monday, February 28, 2011
Responsible Tourism
Traveling as a tourist means enjoying things rapidly. Escaping from routine is like a relief for the mind and soul, though. People book accommodation, transportation, tours - if they have chance to do in advance - but sometimes forget to be responsible. That is the fact of caring about the environment at the destination.
Travelers should notice that it’s not only them that will remember the trip. The locals will remember it too. Whenever people visit different places than their own, there are positive and negative effects.
Responsible tourism tackles challenges in tourism nowadays. It started as a demand that ecological organizations would ask from societies. It grew up to guides and manuals edited by companies interested in the wellbeing of the planet.
Tourism is a lucrative business, generating almost six billions dollars in Brazil alone, in 2008. It’s going to be as lucrative as there are things to see. It makes sense to promote responsibility in tourism. All sides need to understand how to minimize their impact/actions – the tourists when bringing lots of packaging to remote areas for example, and the businesses owners, whose facilities don’t comply with energy saving rules.
Things are slowly changing. There are documented stories, like the ones at the InterContinental New York Barclay Hotel. It recently minimized its effects in the neighborhood by composting food scraps, and recycling different materials. The business is just following other hotel steps.
People are accepting these attitudes more and more. Tourists are probably going to include good deeds in their ‘to do’ lists in a future not too far (hopefully).
Travelers should notice that it’s not only them that will remember the trip. The locals will remember it too. Whenever people visit different places than their own, there are positive and negative effects.
Responsible tourism tackles challenges in tourism nowadays. It started as a demand that ecological organizations would ask from societies. It grew up to guides and manuals edited by companies interested in the wellbeing of the planet.
Tourism is a lucrative business, generating almost six billions dollars in Brazil alone, in 2008. It’s going to be as lucrative as there are things to see. It makes sense to promote responsibility in tourism. All sides need to understand how to minimize their impact/actions – the tourists when bringing lots of packaging to remote areas for example, and the businesses owners, whose facilities don’t comply with energy saving rules.
Things are slowly changing. There are documented stories, like the ones at the InterContinental New York Barclay Hotel. It recently minimized its effects in the neighborhood by composting food scraps, and recycling different materials. The business is just following other hotel steps.
People are accepting these attitudes more and more. Tourists are probably going to include good deeds in their ‘to do’ lists in a future not too far (hopefully).
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Malbec Wine
Now that I’m in my home country again, it’s often easy to enjoy food I really like, which is food made in Brazil. They are açaí ‘smoothie’, pão de queijo, feijoada – Brazilians know better. My friends in town introduced me to something new, but not something from my own country.It’s simply wine, which I know, but from Argentina, the Malbec wine. This is a wine I wasn’t aware of.
My friends, Daniel, Márcio, and I were drinking beer at Daniel and Carol’s place one day, when Carol called our attention for a TV show, which topic was wines.
The program’s segment was showing the Malbec wine. That particular wine is delicious, according to them. Unfortunately, I couldn’t taste right there.
Back home, I commented the wine to my sister. She said the wine is made of grapes only grown at the Andes Mountains. ‘Uhh’, I thought – it is real special wine. I haven’t heard about it overseas.
Few days later I already tasted my first Malbec. Today I tried this one named, Elsa Bianchi, from 2009. Both of them are great. The latter is though crisp.
What I found out is that Malbec is minor wine in California, and it’s added to other wines only to give a bit of consistency. Bordeaux and Médoc, in France, use it in a very small scale. Nonetheless, Malbec is very good in Argentina, ‘where the heat and dryness bring out the best of your character’.
It is enough for me to keep enjoying it.
 |
| Malbec grapes. Picture from http://wine-tasting-reviews.com/ |
Now that I’m in my home country again, it’s often easy to enjoy food I really like, which is food made in Brazil. They are açaí ‘smoothie’, pão de queijo, feijoada – Brazilians know better. My friends in town introduced me to something new, but not something from my own country.It’s simply wine, which I know, but from Argentina, the Malbec wine. This is a wine I wasn’t aware of.
My friends, Daniel, Márcio, and I were drinking beer at Daniel and Carol’s place one day, when Carol called our attention for a TV show, which topic was wines.
The program’s segment was showing the Malbec wine. That particular wine is delicious, according to them. Unfortunately, I couldn’t taste right there.
Back home, I commented the wine to my sister. She said the wine is made of grapes only grown at the Andes Mountains. ‘Uhh’, I thought – it is real special wine. I haven’t heard about it overseas.
Few days later I already tasted my first Malbec. Today I tried this one named, Elsa Bianchi, from 2009. Both of them are great. The latter is though crisp.
What I found out is that Malbec is minor wine in California, and it’s added to other wines only to give a bit of consistency. Bordeaux and Médoc, in France, use it in a very small scale. Nonetheless, Malbec is very good in Argentina, ‘where the heat and dryness bring out the best of your character’.
It is enough for me to keep enjoying it.
Friday, December 31, 2010
Brazil and the South African experience
Nice place to surf and play soccer.
Many South Africans claim, however, it was a World Cup owned by FIFA, soccer's international organizing body, instead of a World Cup by South Africa. The point of view of how tickets were sold and the opening concert organized was predominantly European. An aspect that Brazil has to take care of.
Along with these facts, South African minister of tourism inquired the hospitality industry, whether the hotel prices were too high or not. It follows concerns that the flight tickets became costly too. This practice is not new, and it is observed in other sports as well, when there are major events schedulled.
The infrastructure of the country was questioned by New York Times readers, in relation to declarations by Danny Jordaan, head of the South African committee. He stated that the infrastructure in South Africa for the World Cup would be superior than 'any previous tournament host', but the train tickets were difficult to book, and the train station's staff wasn't helpful prior to the beginning of the competition.
Brazil has to observe such problems in order to deliver a beautiful show. FIFA has to work together with the country's committee to understand the internal ambience, and the Brazilians need to improve the organization of the tournament.
Saturday, December 25, 2010
100% Pure New Zealand
New Zealand was a good ride. One week and a half of short trips and sightseeing. Before that, I was living in Australia for a long while, and, my apologies to all, I thought both countries would be the same. I mean, there is a sense of community between the two nations, and it caused me to think they were one.
Of course, they are not the same. Different history, different politics, industries… Different mentality. Yes, it does make a difference. Not staying as long there as I did in Australia, I could not say whether there was a huge difference between societies or not. It is too short a time to tell.
What I could see was the sightseeing, and the difference was there. Auckland – the city that I stayed the most – has billboards displaying reasonably good ads. They were quite intelligent and cheeky. There was something inside of me telling 'I kinda knew it'.
What I’m saying is, Australia's advertising industry compared to New Zealand's is creatively poor ( not only New Zealand ). I wanted to stay In Australia for good, but thankfully I did not. My aim was building a career in marketing and advertising. I do not think I would be happy there. On the other hand, I heard about New Zealand’s advertising, and I liked it.
Billboards near Beach road,in Auckland,NZ.
It is not only me saying Australia does not make good advertising. The British media coverage website, The Drum, reveals that in 2009, the ASB, the Australian Advertising Standards Bureau, received 4000 complaints in relation to bad ads. In 2008, the same association in the United Kingdom, got 2500 viewers complaints.
Australian tourism campaigns turn out to be known for bad taste, instead of good publicity. This opinion is also shared on the Truth.Travel website. There is also a channel on YouTube on bad Australian ads called Badaussietelly. No need to say anything else perhaps.
New Zealand ads are fun and witty, and this is something Australia is finding hard to be. In this sense, only an alternative Aussie TV program about advertising, The Gruen Transfer, would bring the discussion on prime time, and talk about it. Nonetheless, it pokes its jealous finger on NZ’s ads.
Of course, they are not the same. Different history, different politics, industries… Different mentality. Yes, it does make a difference. Not staying as long there as I did in Australia, I could not say whether there was a huge difference between societies or not. It is too short a time to tell.
What I could see was the sightseeing, and the difference was there. Auckland – the city that I stayed the most – has billboards displaying reasonably good ads. They were quite intelligent and cheeky. There was something inside of me telling 'I kinda knew it'.
Billboard near Halminton, NZ.
What I’m saying is, Australia's advertising industry compared to New Zealand's is creatively poor ( not only New Zealand ). I wanted to stay In Australia for good, but thankfully I did not. My aim was building a career in marketing and advertising. I do not think I would be happy there. On the other hand, I heard about New Zealand’s advertising, and I liked it.
It is not only me saying Australia does not make good advertising. The British media coverage website, The Drum, reveals that in 2009, the ASB, the Australian Advertising Standards Bureau, received 4000 complaints in relation to bad ads. In 2008, the same association in the United Kingdom, got 2500 viewers complaints.
Australian tourism campaigns turn out to be known for bad taste, instead of good publicity. This opinion is also shared on the Truth.Travel website. There is also a channel on YouTube on bad Australian ads called Badaussietelly. No need to say anything else perhaps.
New Zealand ads are fun and witty, and this is something Australia is finding hard to be. In this sense, only an alternative Aussie TV program about advertising, The Gruen Transfer, would bring the discussion on prime time, and talk about it. Nonetheless, it pokes its jealous finger on NZ’s ads.
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