LETTERS

"America, the Ugly" redux

I disagree with Mr. Raymond Mataloni's letter in your March issue. Mr. Mataloni takes exception to the differences that Ana Maria Bahiana (author of the book America from A to Z whose excerpts appeared in the January issue) asserts exist between Latin Americans and North Americans.

While I agree that differences in preferences for sports and music are a superficial method of distinguishing between the two cultures, I found his argument that Latin Americans and North Americans are more similar than different because they share the "common thread" of membership in the "new world" naïve and simplistic.

Yes, North and Latin Americans were discovered at roughly the same time and clearly represent non-European cultures. However, non-European culture does not translate to similar cultures. Several historical factors helped shape the culture (not to mention the structure of politics, economics, and society) that emerged in Latin America and North America.

North America was actually colonized. Families came over to settle in the new world. Latin America was colonized not for settlement but for the purpose of exploitation. Besides, the vast amount of Indians in Latin America had an impact on Latin American culture that did not occur in North America (policy of assimilation versus annihilation).

Mariano Magalhães Iowa City, Iowa

HAPPILY UNHAPPY

I gotta give it to you guys at News from Brazil. You certainly did handle my request quickly and efficiently. About two months ago I sent a snail mail letter from Sweden with $6 enclosed. There was also a very nice, cleanly written letter that clearly stated that I wanted e-mail notification when my subscription was processed. Was my request regarded? Hell no.

I talked to my father in the US and he told me that a couple of issues have been received. Thanks, so much, for being so efficient and following simple requests. A (dis)satisfied subscriber,

Peter T. Bense Gullbrandstorp, Sweden

Portuguese, please

Ellen Winogrond Oakland, California

Saying thanks with News

I would like to give a gift subscription to Lina Maldonado, of the University of Miami Latin American Program. Lina and her right hand Jesse are instrumental in assisting young Brazilian physicians come to the U.M. and join the world of American style medicine. They not only help in every little detail, they go further and become themselves part of an extended family. I think your magazine would be a welcome monthly addition to their busy small office in the University of Miami Medical School. Thanks for publishing such a quality and informative magazine on the current events (which you are amazingly up to date on) in Brazil... my favorite second country.

Scott Ennis Miami, Florida

At least you're cheap

I am a Brazilian living in California for 5 years and majoring in Computer and Information Sciences. I saw your page on the Internet and found it neat and easy to navigate. Congratulations! Among seven or so Brazilian magazines and newspapers, edited in the US, News from Brazil is by far the best one. I really enjoy reading it. Notwithstanding, I don't like its covers; always showing faces. And some articles, with white letters printed on black background don't make a perfect combination. But, for the price we pay for an annual subscription, which is a bargain...

Fernando C. de Oliveira San Diego, California

How about the address?

I thoroughly enjoyed the article by Daniel Sampler entitled "Sambaing on Line" (March 1996). However, it would have been nice if he would have at least once mentioned the address on the World Wide Web site so readers could check into the site. Or maybe this is one of those sites where you need the permission of the author to visit? Either way he should have at least given the address. Keep up the good work.

R. Buglione rbuglione@aol.com

Be our guest

I read the article "Sambaing On Line" of Daniel Sampler, and I liked it very much! Thank you for publishing it. In our samba school, Império do Papagaio, there's a lot of people who are not connected to the WEB, so I came up with this idea of translating the article in Finnish and publishing it in our magazine Sambista. Is it OK? Of course, we will mention the origin of the article, and we will also add a short description of News from Brazil.

Your readers can check out the WEB version of the latest issue of our magazine at http://www.eunet.fi/papagaio/ppg/sambista

Jupe - Império do Papagaio Helsinki, Finland

That was an epitaph

The article on Mamonas Assassinas in the March issue was great! I'd love to see some more of their song translations in your next and upcoming issues. I bought the CD recently and your write up and lyrics helped me appreciate much better what the group is all about.

I would also like to see in an upcoming issue a list of the top 20 (or 50) Brazilian CDs that you would recommend. With such a shopping list in hand, I'd be better off than buying Brazilian CDs blindly. You mentioned the Titãs Cabeça Dinossauro CD as being chosen by Jornal do Brasil as the best album of the 80s. That's a good enough endorsement for me, and I look forward to getting the CD.

Fred Klara Los Angeles, California

And what do you think?
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