Pretty, Smart
&
Mad as Hell

Ok guys, enough is enough. I have been reading your magazine for a long time now and am quite tired of your insistence on putting pictures of naked women in every issue. Take the July issue, for example, on page 6. The article "Love on Sale" talked about the decrease of movement in motels in 30%, correct? Tell me what was the need to put that girl's breasts picture to illustrate the article? You guys are abusing your readers and I don't care if in Brazil this is "good taste" because here it is not.

As a woman, I don't think Brazilian men respect them anyway, but you have to understand that you are in a country that respects women. And that is why I live here. Why don't you put pictures of naked guys, showing their penises off? Get a grip on yourselves, stop that macho mentality, and respect women.

From today on you have three subscribers less: me and two other friends (a girl and a guy). They also think Brazil is much more than breasts and butts. And I cannot believe that Brazilian women like your magazine either. Nobody likes to be disrespected this way. If they allow this to happen is either because they don't have another choice or because they don't know any better. It is very sad to see that the only Brazilian publication available in Los Angeles has to come from the hands of such immature and irresponsible men. Don't you think it is time to do something about it?

I wish you good luck in this country and wish the Brazilian women good luck too in dealing with the Brazilian men. Before I finish, as a Brazilian friend told me too, I have to tell you that I'm not a frustrated woman. I'm young, very attractive, very intelligent, have plenty of boyfriends and I make my own money. I'm single by choice, travel a lot and speak five different languages.

Veronica Hunt
Los Angeles

Late and
Messy

I am very disappointed with Brazzil because it takes until the end of each month to receive it. I don't mind paying an extra couple dollars to get the magazine in the beginning of each month. Please consider to raise the cost, so we can enjoy the magazine, otherwise this is going to be a big mess, getting the magazine in the end of each month.

Esdras Othon Leitão
Glendale, California

All the
Sex Games

I have a monthly subscription to Brazzil. Glad to see it in the mailbox when it arrives. I travel to Rio once a year and Brazzil keeps me informed about things. In your letters section, I'm always amused by the negative letters that accuse Brazzil of showing Brazil in a negative way. Having been there myself, your approach to truthfulness should continue.

I see the United States and Brazil to be more similar than most realize. Similar in the sense that you got a "have" group and a "have-not" group and the "have" group wants an image portrayed that everybody is a "have" group member and if you do find somebody who is poor and destitute, it is that person's fault. So you got the "have" group more worried about guilt avoidance and being blamed for the "have-not" group.

One way to pursue this agenda is to complain about magazines that show people suffering and not so fortunate. I guess that the "have" group thinks that if magazines and TV stop reporting on the poor then they won't be reminded because being reminded retriggers guilt. And one more thing: sex. The United States culture plays too many games with sex. I see in Brazil more openness and being more honest about the subject. In the U.S., it is not uncommon for a guy to be "put out to pasture" at 25 or 27 after having one or two children with his wife. So you got a married guy whose wife doesn't want to perform any more and he is expected to shut down his sex life at age 27. I'm always amused about the number of married U.S. guys I meet in front of the Rio Othon Hotel looking for action.

HBC
Via Internet
sagline@yahoo.com

For the
Curious

I received my first copy of your Brazzil magazine in the mail yesterday, and I was very pleased and impressed. I found your publication to be very well organized and informative, as well as remarkably well put together and edited, so that an American with high curiosity and interest in Brazilian culture could easily get a lot of valuable information. Your magazine covers societal issues, economics and finance, general public interest, and entertainment/fashion, all in a format that kept me fascinated and interested. Great job! Thanks again, and keep up the excellent work!

Robert Spence
Lake Forest, California

Expert
Kudos

I just visited your site and had a great time reading the story about Rede Globo and the notes on Jorge Zahar and Lúcio Costa. I'd like to congratulate you on the great job you are doing. Although Brazzil is a small operation, you are thorough and rigorous in your coverage and the editorial quality rivals that of any big media outlet. I sure do enjoy reading Brazzil way more than [leading Brazilian magazine] Veja! I would like to know if you would be interested in contributions. I do a lot of creative writing and I am also interested in Science and Technology writing. ( I am finishing my Ph.D. at MIT).

João Paulo Aumond
Massachusetts Institute of Technology
Cambridge, Massachusetts

Closer to
Brazil

Recently, I had the great pleasure of running into your Web site. For the first time I've seen an extensive coverage of Brazil that not only reports current events in every facet of Brazilian society, but also analyzes and explores issues, which constantly face the Brazilian people. As a native Brazilian who has lived in the U.S. for over half of her life, I find myself becoming more removed from Brazil daily. Yet, my interest in the culture, news, people, and institutions of Brazil remains strong. I thank you for doing such an incredible job of keeping us (i.e., Brazilian-Americans and others interested in Brazil) informed.

In reviewing the information of Brazilian communities in America, I haven't found any news regarding the New Orleans community. Even though it is not extensive, it is present in this city, particularly through an organization called the Brazilian-American Cultural Institute (BACI). I'm very grateful to the staff and all the superb writers of Brazzil for creating this great publication, and informing many about the country we love.

In a few weeks I'll be moving to metro Chicago to begin my undergraduate studies at Northwestern University, where I plan to major in journalism. If Brazzil offers a summer internship program, then please send me information; I would love to apply for '99. Or, if you would need a contributing writer in the Chicago area, I would gladly send samples of my writing from a selective internship at The Times-Picayune, metro New Orleans' daily, as well as other writings and a resume. The ability to learn about Brazil in-depth each month is truly exciting for me. Thank you for the knowledge.

Nancy Valeria Randall
New Orleans, Louisiana

Sign
Me Up

Brazzil Magazine offers a cornucopia of information about a wide range of topics on Brazil and its people. I find the format of this magazine exciting, informative and entertaining. Please process my request for a subscription immediately.

Donald Slazinski
Ann Arbor, Michigan

Thanks for
the Link

I have been a subscriber to your magazine for a few years and find it to be great. I am president of a small beverage company in Seattle that produces guaraná soft drinks made from Brahma concentrate. I just put up a Web site and included a link to your site. I hope that is OK with you. Keep up the excellent work. You can check us out at www.solrio.com 

Lee Raaen
Seattle, Washington

What I Was
Looking For

I am a London-based electric bassist, working with `worldbeat music' band Zubop . I have only recently connected to the Net, and I was delighted to find Bruce Gilman's interview with Jovino. I first encountered Hermeto on Live Evil, but really only became aware of the enormity and depth of his work through my friend Mark Wood (a fine guitarist - I'm sure Jovino would agree: he has more than once played with Hermeto's group). I first saw the group in the early eighties when they made their London debut at Logan Hall.

Earlier this year, British magazine Avant published an interview I did in 1994 with Itiberê Zwarg, when the group was here for the Brasil/UK Big Band' tour. There had been occasional articles about Hermeto in various UK magazines, but many of these had covered similar ground—all of them neglecting certain areas in which I was interested, to do with the functioning of the group, rehearsals and so on. Indeed, I have never seen anything on these topics until this afternoon, when I discovered Brazzil's article.

Duncan Noble
London, England

Brazil
in Brazzil

I appreciate the fact that you make all the major publications in Brazil available online to everyone. Brazzil.com is the site for Brazil.

Amman M Said
White Plains, New York

Come
to Paris

I have been visiting your site and I appreciate it. I am not Brazilian. but my family is. There are about 5,000 Brazilians in Paris (when there is no World Cup, that is). What do you think about having a French edition of Brazzil? I am sure people would like it.

Fitz Patrick
Paris, France

Keeping the
Flame Alive

I went to Brazil last summer for three weeks on a school trip and fell in love with the country. Just trying to keep up with what is going until I can visit again.

Harry A. Schrecengost
College Park, Maryland

Any Help
Will Do

I must write an essay about Brazil but I do not know what to write about. Can you please help me?

Nandi Deterville
Via Internet

Send Help
and Fast

I'd appreciate if you could provide me the electronic address of the Brazilian-American Cultural Institute and/or data for a research paper regarding the cultural relations between Brazil and the U.S. under all aspects, as well as directions on how to find good material on this subject. P.S.: I'm running out of time. I'm really counting on you for the success of this project.

Dawisson Lopes
Brazil, Via Internet

Want to See
on Paper

I'm so glad I found your site. It's really great and will keep me reading for a long time... but I would also like to see a hard copy. Please send me a sample copy.

Craig O'Manion
Marietta, Georgia

Pleased
Reader

I am very pleased to receive my first issue of your magazine. For me it is very important to keep in touch with my native country. I am a Portuguese teacher working in New York and I would like to advertise my lessons in your magazine.

Natalia
New York, New York

Textbook
Text

I read Bruce Gilman's article "Times of Gall" on Tropicalismo and I enjoyed it a lot. It is very well written and I intend to read and study it with my friends.

Osmar Moreira dos Santos
Brazil, Via Internet

Full Name
Search

I am very interested in the Brazilian singer Joyce. Do you know her full family (surname) and why she only goes by her first name? Any other biographical info on Joyce is appreciated.

Zeldin Family
Miami, Florida

Japan
Asks

I am trying to get some information on places in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. I thought about placing my questions on your Forum, but I didn't know which thread to use. I am a translator (from English into Japanese) living in Japan, and in the book I am translating right now there is one episode which takes place in Brazil, in the state of Rio Grande do Sul. Actually, the story takes place in a fazenda near Lagoa dos Patos, and in one of the sentences it says: "The people (of the fazenda) are held highly locally and in the municipality of Viamão."

So I wanted to find out the relationship between these two places. I went to libraries and looked through the maps of Brazil, but I couldn't find either "Lagoa dos Patos" or "Viamão". That's why I started searching the Net. Then on one of the Web pages, I learned that Viamão "may" be the state capital city of Rio Grande do Sul, because I found this sentence: "Viamão, capital do Rio Grande do Sul..." I don't understand Portuguese, but I guessed. Is this correct? If not, is Viamão a city, county, town, or village? And I also wonder if "Lagoa dos Patos" is part of Viamão. Would you please let me know if my guessings are correct? I am sorry to bother you, but there are not very many Web sites in English about Brazil...

Ayumi Kajiyama
Tokyo, Japan
a-kaji@ca2.so-net.ne.jp 

Let the
Tune On

Oi, Brasileiros, your Web page is totally awesome. How about keeping the music going the whole time one is reading your page? After all how better could it get to hear the music from Brazil while reading about the world's most loved country. Thanks for every day on Brazzil.

Jay M. Trennoche
Hawaii Via Internet
nvb@hawaiian.net

For Brazil
Lovers

I would love a sample copy. This looks like a great publication for those of us who have traveled to and fell in love with Brasil and her people. Would like to see a Dallas listing. Keep up the good work.

Steven King
Dallas, Texas

Gap
Filler

Atlanta and its vicinity have very little to offer in terms of Brazilian culture and news. I am looking for a publication that could bridge the gap between the very superficial coverage that CNN affords to Brazilian issues, and a more in-depth and balanced analysis. Please send a free sample of your magazine.

Licia Lewis.
Hoschton, Georgia

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comments to
Brazzil