Brazilian Trends

Banned: Paris Hilton Beer Ad Too Sensual for Brazil (video)

2010-03-08T15:09:00.000-08:00

Socialite Paris Hilton is persona non grata in Brazil, at least as far as her appearance in a beer commercial goes. The too “sensual” blond and alcohol apparently don’t mix.

The ad that has set Brazil on its ear features Hilton seductively rubbing a can of beer over herself while she sashays around a windowed office in plain view of passersby.

Complaints about the sensuality of the spot led to three investigations, and the ad has been pulled by the beer maker, Grupo Schincariol, the Associated Press confirmed.

The company said in a statement it saw nothing wrong with the commercial, but is pulling it for the time being.

The issue according to Brazilian ad watchdog group, Conar, is the fact that the commercial featured beer. Advertising regulations prohibit the sensual depiction of women in alcohol commercials.

While Brazilian beer ads are said to routinely feature women in bikinis, the context is in a beach setting, where such clothing is expected.

“The problem with the ad isn’t a lack of clothing, but its sensual nature,” Eduardo Correia, a Conar spokesman, told The Associated Press last week.

The beer in question, Devassa’s “Bem Loura,” translates “Very Blond,” which explains the Hilton connection.

Hilton is also featured in an Internet campaign wearing even more risque lingerie and high heels and supermarket displays, wearing a black dress similar to the ad’s.

This, incidentally, is same country that hosts Carnival, the ultra-raunchy celebration of carnal lust. But apparently it’s all about context.

Rio's Olympics 2016 (Bid) Video

2009-10-05T08:57:00.000-07:00

A quick snack of what to expect for the Olympics in Rio:

Rio wins right to host the 2016 Olympics

2009-10-05T08:51:00.000-07:00

RIO DE JANEIRO — Nearly 50,000 people cheered in celebration when Rio de Janeiro was announced as host of the 2016 Olympics, jumping and shouting in a Carnival-like party on Copacabana beach.

A huge roar was heard at the famed beach the moment International Olympic Committee President Jacques Rogge said the words "Rio de Janeiro" to announce the winner in Copenhagen on Friday.

As popular President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva and football great Pele celebrated in Denmark, the Cariocas, as Rio citizens are known, raised their arms to celebrate on Copacabana, frantically waving flags and hugging each other.

Silva called the win a "sacred day" as he was interviewed in Portuguese by Brazilian reporters in Copenhagen. Brazil's passion, he said, helped Rio win the Olympics against Madrid, Chicago and Tokyo.

"The other countries made proposals," he said. "We presented a heart, a soul, and the passion of Brazil's people."

The party in Rio was expected to go on well into the night, and officials said the crowd would easily surpass 100,000 people.

The Cariocas danced to samba as confetti was launched into the air in front of a massive stage set up for the victory celebration.

A banner half the size of a football field — with Rio's logo, an image of the Christ the Redeemer statue and the words "Rio Loves You" — was displayed.

"I loved it that they selected Rio. I really wanted that to happen," said 9-year-old Matheus de Melo Ferreira, wearing a bright yellow Ronaldinho jersey. "I'll get to see an Olympics from up close, it's going to be wonderful."

The Cariocas had been anxiously awaiting the result, taking advantage of a sunny day to watch the announcement on two big screens set up on the beach. Live concerts with popular artists had been entertaining the crowd since early in the morning, and the traditional Salgueiro samba group kept the party going.

Rio finally won the bid after failed attempts in 1936, 2004 and 2012.

The games will be the first held in South America and will take place by one of the most impressive backdrops — Rio's stunning beaches and famous landmarks, including the Sugar Loaf mountain and the Christ the Redeemer statue.

Brazil ians feel the games have the power to transform the entire region, promoting social integration and leaving a lasting legacy.

Winning the 2016 Olympics means more than the right to host the prestigious event, it means Rio and its 6 million people likely will benefit from the billions of dollars potentially available through new investments.

The government has promised significant improvements throughout Rio to get it ready for the games seven years from now, and the Cariocas hope they will benefit from the preparations in a city which is well-known for its natural beauty and fun-loving people but also for its violent crime and many slums.

Violence has always been one of the main concerns in awarding the Olympics to Rio, but the IOC apparently trusted Brazilian officials' guarantees that the city can provide the needed security.

Other concerns included a shortage of hotel rooms and challenges to guarantee effective transportation, but officials affirm everything will be in place ahead of 2016.

Brazil is relying on a strong economy to stand behind its $14.4 billion budget for the games — the largest among all bidding cities. The billions of dollars that will be spent prompted some local criticism.

There was a huge budget overrun during the Pan Am Games, and critics have been concerned it could happen again during the Olympics. Officials said they learned with the Pan Ams and won't make the same mistakes.

"If they do what they promised to do, it will be great," said 45-year-old retiree Edinalva Kzolw. "Rio can only benefit from this if everything is done correctly, but here in Brazil you never know. I'm hopeful on one hand and skeptical on the other."

Iron Maiden to rock Brazil ... again

2008-12-01T07:56:00.000-08:00

Head-banger in Brazil is getting very excited again!

Veteran hell-raisers Iron Maiden have announced five new tour dates in Brazil, within months of playing to capacity crowds in some of country's biggest music venues.

Last March, they packed the 40,000 capacity Palmeiras Stadium in Sao Paulo. Next March, they'll be following in the formidable footsteps of Formula One World Champion Lewis Hamilton, rock band Kiss and the Pope, no less, to wow the crowds at the Autodromo de Interlagos.

The race track is one venue they don't expect to sell out.

"Capacity is about 400,000. I don't think we'll get 400,000," Iron Maiden's manager Rod Smallwood told CNN, "We're set for about 60,000 and we hope to go past that."

The band has every reason to be confident of strong ticket sales in South America where fan loyalty verges on fanaticism. Video Watch part one of Iron Maiden Revealed »

When the band last toured Curitiba in Brazil in March 2008, thousands of ecstatic "Maiden" supporters kept them awake overnight by booming Iron Maiden music outside their hotel.

Across Latin America, they sold 250,000 tickets in less than one week to nine concerts in seven countries. In Colombia, they set a new record for the fastest ticket sales of any event.

Rapid ticket sales are expected this Saturday when seats go on sale for three new concerts in Latin America: Venezuela, Colombia and Chile.

Tickets for concerts in Brazil are due to go on sale next week -- along with seats for four concerts which are still to be announced, in four more countries, two of which will host Iron Maiden for the first time.

"We've always had tremendous success with the fans down there (in Latin America)," said Smallwood.

But why, many may be moved to ask? What is it about Iron Maiden and South America? Are they in love with Iron Maiden or is it heavy metal as a music genre that's really captured their hearts? What do you think? Sound off below.

Malcolm Dome, presenter of British heavy metal radio station TotalRock has a theory.

"The Latin way of life seems to connect with heavy metal enormously, It's not just in South America, it's the Latin communities in Spain and Portugal."

"I think it's got a lot to do with what heavy metal represents -- passion, energy, emotion, rebellion, a slight anarchy. I think it's the part of the Latin mentality," he added.

Iron Maiden may have been formed in a London pub the 1970s, but it wasn't until 1985 when they took to the stage at the original "Rock in Rio" concert that their South American fan base began to swell.

The band played one gig as guests of British compatriots, Queen, that was broadcast live across the continent winning them new fans, many of whom have stayed loyal over the years.

Claudio Vicentin, the editor of South America's best-selling heavy metal magazine Revista Roadie Crew, said, for some fans, heavy metal songs are their first introduction to the English language.

"In Brazil and South America many heavy metal fans begin to learn English translating the lyrics and singing together the lyrics on concerts."

"The fans here are very passionate about music. And then, once you like heavy metal, you are going to die listening to heavy metal. You are not going to love Iron Maiden just for one summer."

What is it about the music? "It's the energy of the sound," Vicentin said. "The guitar riffs, the melodies, the heavy drummer sound and the voice of the singer."

Right now, the band is taking a rest from a grueling schedule that started with the first concert in the "Somewhere Back in Time" tour in India last February. From there they went to Australia, Japan, the U.S., Latin America and Europe.

The tour resumes on February 9, when they'll pack up their version of a tour bus, Ed Force One, a 757 airliner decked out in Iron Maiden logos and take again to the skies for the first scheduled concert in Dubai.

As in previous legs, lead singer Bruce Dickinson will be in the pilot's seat, flying the entire band and their roadies from city to city.

One thing that will change is the line up.

"It will be different from last time, we'll have pyros with us which we didn't take last time (and) there'll be a few songs we didn't do last time."

Nice widget to get to know better latin music

2008-10-07T21:00:00.000-07:00

Found this site and thought very interesting the content. It provides the top latino searches of music artists, very good stuff. The site is the "Mas Buscados" from Yahoo! Latam.

Madonna now thinking of adopting from Brazil or India?

2008-09-08T06:57:00.000-07:00

Madonna is reportedly considering adopting another child from somewhere other than Malawi, after running into problems in the country.

The star was said to have been looking to adopt a young girl called Mercy from an orphanage in the African state, after adopting son David from there in late 2006 - but the girl’s family objected to the child being taken out of the country.

Now a source has told the People newspaper that the star, who is currently in the middle of her Sticky & Sweet World Tour, is consulting her Kabbalah advisers as to where to look next: “Madonna wanted give David a sister from the same country. But that won’t be happening any more.

“Brazil has been mentioned, although Madonna has yet to make any formal enquiries to the adoption agencies out there.”

The source added that Madonna was also considering adopting a child from India after a family holiday there earlier in the year.

Madonna and husband Guy Ritchie are also parents to 11 year old daughter Lourdes, from Madonna’s previous relationship with personal trainer Carlos Leon, and a seven year old son Rocco.

Soap Operas Lower Fertility Rate In Brazil?

2008-06-17T07:05:00.000-07:00

I found this pretty interesting article of a phenomenon that is currently happen in Brazil that could be an interesting solution to control fertility rate in poor countries.

Preeti Aroon reports on a Foreign Policy blog that soap operas seem to cut down the fertility rate.

Many factors account for the drop in Brazilian fertility, but one recent study identified a factor most people probably wouldn't consider: soap operas (novelas).

...

During the past few decades, the vast majority of the population, of all social classes, has regularly tuned into the evening showings. The study, conducted by Eliana La Ferrara of Italy's Bocconi University and Alberto Chong and Suzanne Duryea of the Inter-American Development Bank, analyzed novelas aired from 1965 to 1999 in the top two time slots and found that they depict families that are much smaller than those in the real Brazil. Seventy-two percent of leading female characters age 50 or below had no children at all, and 21 percent had just one child. Hence, the authors hypothesized that the soap operas could be acting as a kind of birth control.

Using census data from 1970 to 1991 and data on the entry of Rede Globo into different markets, the researchers found that women living in areas that received Globo's broadcast signal had significantly lower fertility.

The researchers controlled for many factors that might have biased the results.

So what is next? Maybe Western aid agencies should be funded to put up satellite TV over Africa. The TVs can be delivered with solar panels to villages all over Africa. This will increase demand for solar power and therefore accelerate the development of photovoltaics technology. So we'll get a two-fer out of this deal. But if the villagers watch soaps during the daylight hours will this be effective? Probably so if the soaps work by changing attitudes.

Leah Fortune is getting the world with her "Cambalhota Mortal"

2008-04-27T20:15:00.000-07:00

Brazil has a new promise women soccer raising star: a green-eyed blonde with freckled skin as bright as her smile. Her name is Leah Lynn Gabriela Fortune, and she's an American teenager raised in the Chicago 'burbs.

But Leah, or as the Brazilians call her, "Lay-uh," was practically milk-fed on "joga bonito" -- the beautiful game. She was born in San Paulo, Brazil to American parents, so it was only natural that Leah Fortune would subliminally absorb the game before she learned to walk. She has the futbol bloodline too, with a Brazilian grandmother and a father who was raised in the Amazon as a missionary child. Even if Leah hasn't learned to speak Portuguese fluently yet, she reflects a new generation of transnational soccer players in the United States. There's Tina Ellertson, who plays for the women's national team but could have played for Ghana or Nigeria; Jozy Altidore, who could have represented Haiti; and Giuseppe Rossi, who recently decided to play for Italy over the U.S. after coming of age.

"My whole family is crazy about soccer," said Fortune. "My dad introduced me to the game. He played when he was a teenager, and my mother owns a soccer complex. I was born into the game -- I just love it."

Apparently, the love is mutual. For the first time in her life, Leah finds herself signing autographs and staving off excited Brazilian fans like a regular Beckham-ess. Turns out dual citizenship is a blessing in disguise: Leah can play with one foot in each continent, straddling playing time between her club, Team Chicago, and the U-20 Brazilian national team. However, all bets are off once Leah turns 21, when she'll have to commit exclusively to USA or Brazil.

But for now, as the youngest player on the team at 17, Fortune is taking full advantage of the opportunities that come with a starting role for Brazil. That includes owning a trick the Brazilians had never seen before -- a flip throw-in in which she levitates the ball into the box with her hands. "Leah Cambalhota Mortal" was the headline streaming across Brazilian televisions and newspapers during the CONMEBOL South American U-20 championships this past March.

With a 30-goal surplus against opponents over the course of seven games, Leah and her teammates stormed through the CONMEBOL Tournament as if every game was a carnival. Following in the big footsteps of her idols, Marta and Kaká, Fortune and her teammates will travel to the U-20 World Cup in Chile, which will be staged Nov. 20 to Dec. 7.

In the meantime, the savvy junior will bring her newly acquired Brazilian samba, or jinga, to her Wheaton Academy high school team and Team Chicago crew in between training camps. Fortune recently orally committed to Clemson University, after considering Notre Dame and West Virginia, both top-notch programs. In regard to his new recruit, Tigers' Head Coach Hershey Strosberg wrote via e-mail, "I cannot imagine how tough it is for her to balance school, full-time training, living in Brazil and being away from family and friends. It speaks volumes to her courage and determination."

Maya Gabeira is the super Brazilian woman of surfing

2008-04-14T07:06:00.000-07:00

After a turbulent childhood, the 21-year-old Brazilian is conquering the male-dominated world of big waves.
April 11, 2008 by Pete Thomas

She'd moved from Brazil to Hawaii and had become passionately addicted to surfing large waves.

"Waimea was the first huge wave I ever saw, and I just felt that was what I wanted to do for my life," she says.

She'd ridden Waimea Bay, but not during one of those epic swells, when Oahu's entire North Shore falls under a booming assault that separates men from boys and transforms virtually all women into spectators.

She arrived in time to witness a gigantic set of waves breaking clear across the bay, blitzing the paddling channel. This occurs only when wave faces surpass 50 feet.

Gabeira was terrified. But friends told her the closeout sets were 30 minutes apart, so off she hustled, eventually gaining the lineup, where she bobbed like a tiny cork astride her 10-foot-4 gun.

"I caught four waves in four hours," she boasts. "And one was my very best wave, and I remember when I came in I was so high. And I think I was high for like 10 days."

The striking Gabeira had, at 18, become a bona fide big-wave surfer. She went on to tackle Maverick's near Half Moon Bay and Dungeons off South Africa.

Last summer she graduated to the daredevil sport of tow surfing, where jet-skis and ropes are used to pull surfers onto larger and faster waves, with fellow Brazilian Carlos Burle as partner and mentor.

That led to a trip to Teahupoo in Tahiti, where she overcame a savage wipeout to conquer some of the most dangerous waves on earth.Tonight Gabeira, who turned 21 on Thursday, will be one of three women honored during the Billabong XXL Global Big Wave Awards at the Grove of Anaheim. Gabeira is heavily favored to win the Women's Overall Performance award for the second consecutive year.

"She's shattered every barrier women's surfing has known when it comes to big waves," says Bill Sharp, director of the yearlong contest. "She routinely rides waves bigger than 99.9% of the men in the surfing world would ride."

Last August she hooked up with Burle, a fellow Red Bull team rider, and new doors were open -- behind which lay snarling, spitting and potentially maiming beasts such as those that surfaced Nov. 1 at Teahupoo.

Burle was eyed suspiciously by some who believed, perhaps, he was leading a lamb to slaughter.

"What do you say about a woman going out there and doing it? I'd say women, men . . . at the end of the day we've all got a shot," says Laird Hamilton, a legendary waterman, non-judgmentally. "If you've got a calling to go and ride waves like that, then more power to you."

Teahupoo, like Waimea, has killed and seriously injured surfers. Its waves are not as towering but contain just as much water. Fast-moving swells are compressed into the reef. Long walls jack swiftly upward and heave lips that are frighteningly thick.

Barrels are literally round enough to fit a bus and those lips smash upon water only four to six feet deep.

"I was scared. Of course I was scared," Gabeira recalls.

Her first try was from behind a jet-ski driven by Raimana Van Bastolaer, a local legend. It was a large set wave, though, and Van Bastolaer, sensing his partner was too deep, tried to abort.

But Gabeira had already let go of the rope and was on the shoulder, and found herself too high on the face, getting sucked upward.

A ledge had formed in the face and she managed to air-drop onto her back, whereupon she was quickly sucked over like a clump of lifeless kelp and smashed anyway.

"I was just hoping for the best, and ready for the worst," says Hamilton, who raced to her rescue.

"You don't know what you're going to get, or if it's going to come up in chunks or in one piece."

Finally, she was able to tuck nicely into several blue barrels to further establish herself as a budding star in this male-dominated universe.

She's honored to be part of tonight's awards ceremony, she says, but her brown eyes sparkle and her smile widens when she reveals the real reason she's looking so happy.

Lenny Kravitz considering move to Brazil

2008-02-05T01:49:00.000-08:00

Lenny Kravitz has revealed that he was tempted to move to Brazil after sales of his Baptism album failed to live up to expectations.

The singer, 43, performed at the Live Earth concert in Rio De Janeiro last July after spending two years on the road with the 2004 LP.

He then headed to a remote jungle farm for a week to recuperate and ended up staying four months.

He said: "There was certainly the temptation to just stay gone. There was no stress, less time spent on decisions. And I reconnected with knowing that God gives you everything you need."

However, he added that he had resisted the urge to quit the music industry, saying: "But I came out of the jungle and I came back with a fresh outlook."

Kravitz is to embark on a two-year tour following the release of new album Love Revolution next month.

He recently announced that he will not be having sex again until he is married.

Brazil to Host 2014 World Cup

2007-11-06T18:02:00.000-08:00

ZURICH, Switzerland (AP) — The country with the most World Cup titles will finally get another chance to win one at home.

Brazil, which has won a record five World Cups, was awarded the right to host 2014 tournament Tuesday by FIFA's executive committee. The South American country hosted the competition once before, losing to Uruguay in the 1950 final.

The unanimous vote came on the same day the 2011 Women's World Cup was awarded to Germany. Germany, the host of the 2006 men's World Cup, beat out Canada.

"We want to be good hosts again," German Chancellor Angela Merkel said during a visit to India.

Brazil was the only candidate for the 2014 World Cup because the rotation system meant it had to be played in South America. Colombia had said it would bid, but pulled out in April.

"If you think the task of FIFA was made easier because Brazil was the only candidate, it's not true," FIFA president Sepp Blatter said. "For us it was a real challenge to have the same list of requirements, the same recommendations and conditions for only one candidate, than we had two. Perhaps we put the bar higher than if there had been two."

After announcing Brazil as the 2014 host, Blatter handed the World Cup trophy to Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, who flew in for the event.

"Soccer is not only a sport for us. It's more than that," Silva said. "Soccer for us is a passion, a national passion."

He added: "If everything works out well, we will win once again a World Cup."

In Brazil, 50 mountain climbers hung an enormous national team jersey bearing the slogan "The 2014 World Cup is Ours" from majestic Sugar Loaf mountain in Rio de Janeiro. At the Maracana Stadium, workers spread jerseys across the field reading, "The new Maracana is ours and so is the 2014 World Cup."

"We are a civilized nation, a nation that is going through an excellent phase," Brazilian Football Confederation president Ricardo Teixeira said. "And we have got everything prepared to receive adequately the honor to organize an excellent World Cup."

Brazilian Sports Minister Orlando Silva, national team coach Dunga and veteran striker Romario were among those that also made the trip.

Since launching its bid, Brazil stressed that a World Cup will extend far beyond sports.

"Over the next few years we will have a consistent influx of investments. The 2014 World Cup will enable Brazil to have a modern infrastructure," Teixeira said. "In social terms will be very beneficial."

Tuesday's presentation was smoother than the one in July, which was laden with statistics and underlined Brazil's status as a developing nation with repeated images of its car factories.

Blatter had recently questioned Brazil's infrastructure and bid plans, but FIFA said last week that a stadium-inspection trip in August showed the country could put on an "exceptional" tournament.

However, there have been delays in hosting some major events, problems with violence in the streets and the country's public transportation system is often overloaded.

The Brazilian soccer confederation estimates that construction and remodeling of stadiums will cost about $1.1 billion, though that could vary significantly depending on the cities chosen to host games.

Blatter said the lack of competition from other South American nations was one reason behind FIFA's decision Monday to do away with the rotation system that gave each continent a turn at hosting the World Cup. The decision takes effect with the 2018 tournament.

Germany has won the last two Women's World Cup titles, including this year's tournament without conceding a goal. It also has won the European Championship six times.

"Women's football is a great development opportunity around the world," German soccer federation president Theo Zwanziger said. "The ball finally is also there for the girls and the women."

Germany's presentation included a video showing career highlights of Birgit Prinz, a two-time FIFA player of the year.

"I'm just looking forward to the 2011 World Cup," said the Germany captain, who has scored more than 100 goals in nearly 170 international appearances. "It's going to be a great event."

The Germans listed 12 cities as sites, with the opener in Berlin and the final in Frankfurt.

Canada's bid was based on the strength of its under-20 World Cup this summer, which set attendance records for Canadian sports events and FIFA under-20 tournaments.

"We are in a competition," Blatter said in remarks to Canada. "And in competition there is always a winner and a loser. So I wish you well."

Brazilian movie Elite Unit - Heroes or Anti-Heroes?

2007-10-16T12:22:00.000-07:00

The recently released film "Tropa de Elite" (Elite Squad) has sparked unprecedented debate in Brazil about the role and actions of the security forces as they combat drug trafficking mafias in shantytowns.

While some regard it as an apologia for police brutality, others argue that the movie merely shows the reality of the fight against the drug trade, with its good and bad sides.

"Tropa de Elite", directed by José Padilha, explores the inner workings of the Rio de Janeiro Special Police Operations Battalion (BOPE), whose methods have frequently drawn fire from human rights groups.

More pirated versions of this film were in circulation than of any other movie in the history of Brazilian filmmaking, even before it was released in theatres on Oct. 5.

The story is told from the point of view of a member of the battalion, in his daily combat against drug traffickers in the "favelas" (shantytowns).

While it portrays the BOPE troops as knights in shining armour compared to the "corrupt" military police, it also shows them torturing detainees to extract confessions, and cold-bloodedly executing suspected drug traffickers in the favelas without a qualm.

It is precisely this straightforward and apparently uncritical approach which makes some people uncomfortable about the film. Arnaldo Bloch, a columnist for the newspaper O Globo, described its message as "fascist."

Bloch, who defied the initial wave of commendations for the movie’s cinematographic technique, said the film becomes a mouthpiece for the BOPE’s own vision of itself, portraying the characters as heroes, and justifying what he called, with irony, "minor slip-ups" like torture and summary executions.

What most disturbs human rights activists are reports of film audiences’ reactions. People applaud and cheer en masse at the scenes showing the execution of a trafficker, or torture.

Some shout "Caveirao!" (big skull), the name given in the favelas to the BOPE’s armoured patrol cars, which carry the battalion’s logo, a skull pierced by a dagger.

"The shouts of ‘Caveirao!’ and the cheers for scenes of torture do not surprise me. They fit the present concept of a war between ‘us’ and ‘them,’ at a time when many people are willing for any and every measure to be taken against their ‘enemies’," said Cano.

According to the sociologist, the BOPE symbolically represents the idea of the "incorruptible cop," the "warrior" who kills to defend his people.

"I think the BOPE is, in fact, less corrupt than the other forces, but it’s not squeaky-clean. They, too, get their financial rewards. For example, it costs more to hire a BOPE police officer for private security work than an ordinary policeman," he said.

BOPE members describe themselves as the most effective urban warriors in the world, and that appears to be the vision of them in the book that is the basis for the movie, Cano said.

"The book leaves room for the interpretation that they are heroes fighting on behalf of society. The ‘Rambo’ phenomenon, that vision that U.S. movies have of the guy who breaks the law in order to save society, is very similar," he said.

It portrays "going beyond the law itself to save society in an emergency situation," a focus that Cano would have preferred to be more clearly critical, rather than just a straightforward account.

"From a marketing point of view, it leaves the door open for the book to be read by everyone: those who support the brutality as well as those who criticise it," he pointed out.

But officials in the state of Rio de Janeiro do not share that view.

José Mário Beltrame, secretary of security, and Rio de Janeiro Governor Sérgio Cabral said the picture was "excellent." Cabral added that the film "faithfully portrays the public security problems we face."

But the movie, which shows a police officer shooting a drug trafficker in the head, and suspects tortured to extract confessions, caused concern among some members of BOPE, who tried unsuccessfully to prevent it from being screened.

Actor Wagner Moura, who plays the lead role as Captain Nascimento, was also concerned that some people in the audience look on his character as a hero.

"I wonder how a Swedish audience would react to this movie. I don’t think they would see those torturer policemen as heroes, any more than many people who have seen it here do," he said in an article he wrote for O Globo.

But Moura reacts angrily to critics who say the film is deliberately "fascist."

"In my opinion, ‘Tropa de Elite’ contributes to what’s most important at a time of crisis: open debate, the antithesis of fascism," he wrote.

Film critics, on the other hand, pointed a finger at the cosy relationship shown between drug traffickers and non-governmental organisations (NGOs) active in the favelas. These, according to the police in the movie, are guilty by omission or commission of being accessories to the criminals, as are the upper and middle classes for consuming drugs.

Human rights groups like Amnesty International often criticise the violent methods employed by BOPE when they drive into the favelas and shoot at innocent targets from their notorious caveiraos.

Brazilians stablished new record: 84 surfers in the same wave

2007-09-10T18:55:00.000-07:00

Eighty-four surfers caught the same wave at a Brazilian beach Sunday to smash the former world record of 73, set last year in South Africa, the event's sponsor said.

Clad in green t-shirts proclaiming the event as a part of the anti-global warming campaign, the surfers stood, crouched and laid on a fleet of boards on a small wave to sink their South African rivals, who themselves last year broke the earlier Brazil record of 42 on the same curler.

Event sponsor Earthwave, founded by the Kahuna Surfing Academy in Cape Town, sought to have surfers take tries at the record Sunday in nine different countries, from Australia to Reunion, South Africa, Portugal, Britain, the United States, Brazil, Argentina and then Tahiti, to highlight the problem of climate change.

In Capetown, 310 surfers joined the event but were only able to muster 71 on the same wave this year.

In Santos, southeast of Sao Paulo, 120 joined the event and 84 of them managed to get on the same wave.

"Most important was we were able to call attention to the very serious problem of global warming," said Rico de Souza, Earthwave organizer in Brazil.

Gisele Bundchen to walk down the aisle

2007-08-24T19:48:00.000-07:00

Gisele Bundchen is reportedly set to wed boyfriend Tom Brady.

The Brazilian model and the American footballer are said to be keen to tie the knot in the US this winter. The smitten pair, who have been dating since 2006, want a small, private ceremony and Gisele has already started looking for her wedding dress.

A source said: "They'd like to keep it small and simple. She's looking at designs by Chanel and Dior."

Gisele, 27, recently revealed she will be happy to be a stepmother to Tom's unborn child with ex-girlfriend Bridget Moynahan. She said: "If you love someone, you love everything that comes with him. I found it easy to understand." Earlier this year, Gisele admitted that her "greatest achievement" in life will be having children. The beauty - who previously dated actor Leonardo DiCaprio - said: "Everybody is different, but for me, having a family will be my greatest achievement. "

Supermodel Gisele To Star in U2 Video

2007-07-16T20:09:00.000-07:00

Gisele Bundchen is set to star in the u2's next music video after becoming friends with front man Bono.

The pair met when Gisele appeared in ads for Bono's RED charity campaign for no fee.

Giselle is one of the highest paid supermodel in the fashion industry and is notoriously picky about the jobs she does.

However she is no stranger to the film set after appearing in the 2004 film Taxi and she's just signed up to star in the film version on Dan Brown's bestselling Angels and Demons.

Gisele caused outrage when she publicly criticized the Roman Catholic Church for its "outdated" view on contraception last month.

The Brazilian supermodel - who previously dated Leonardo DiCaprio - believes the church should change its views because "no one is a virgin" anymore and contraception is necessary to stop the spread of sexually transmitted diseases.

Brazil Crushes Argentina in Final

2007-07-16T15:25:00.000-07:00

On July 15, thanks to its impressive form in previous matches, Argentina was the clear favorite to win the final of the 2007 Copa America. Its rival Brazil had been much criticized by the local press after losing its first match against Mexico and only managing to draw with Ecuador in its second.

The final was played at the Pachencho Romero Stadium in Maracaibo and, apart from bringing together the two most powerful squads in the continent, was a chance to see who would win the personal duel between Lionel Messi and Robinho. Messi plays for Barcelona in the Spanish first division, while Robinho plays for Barcelona's archrival Real Madrid, which recently became champions of the 2006-2007 season.

Brazil struck the first blow, however, after only three minutes of play, as Julio Baptista scored a spectacular long-range goal from nearly 30 meters. Just four minutes later, Juan Roman Riquelme nearly equalized after a great combination of passes; but his hard shot hit the crossbar of Doni's goal. It seemed that after this missed opportunity the Argentinean players sensed that it would not be their afternoon. They were further demoralized in the 40th minute as captain Roberto Ayala scored an own goal while trying to intercept a cross by Daniel Alves of Brazil.

Brazil continued playing effective football for the rest of the first half. Argentina's attempts to score were constantly blocked.

It would be Alves again who would give the knockout punch for Brazil in the 68th minute as he finished off a well-created counterattack with a precise low shot. From then on, Argentina became completely demoralized and gave up trying to equalize.

With this victory, Brazil has now won the Copa America on eight occasions. Mexico took third place after defeating Uruguay 3-1 on July 14.

The general opinion of the South American press and fans is that this year's edition of Copa America was a total success due to the impressive new stadiums built for the occasion by the Venezuelan government and the many goals scored (86) during the competition.

Brazil is home for Pan Ams, aiming for 3rd place

2007-07-11T19:43:00.000-07:00

The Americas' biggest sports festival is taking place at home, by the famous beaches of Rio de Janeiro, with Sugarloaf mountain and that newly crowned world wonder, the Christ the Redeemer statue, in the background.

Enthusiastic Rio citizens will be watching a sporting competition of this type for the first time, and it's an event that ultimately could prove that Brazil is capable of hosting a World Cup or an Olympics.

But despite all the hype and excitement, not even the most optimistic athletes — or analysts — believe Brazil has any chance of dislodging the United States and Cuba from the top of the medals table during the July 13-29 Pan American Games.

The most the Brazilians are hoping for is to improve their medals take from the 2003 Games in the Dominican Republic, possibly overcoming Canada for third place in the overall standings.

"Historically, the country hosting a competition such as the Pan American Games improves its performance," Brazil's delegation chief Marcus Vinicius Freire said. "And we hope this happens with Brazil, too. It's always an advantage to compete with the fans' support and at the local venues."

Brazil had its best performance ever in the Dominican Republic, winning 123 medals, including 29 gold. Canada won the same number of gold medals, but finished ahead of Brazil in the final count with 128 total medals. The United States finished first with 117 gold medals, and Cuba was second with 72.

"Our goal is to finish third in Rio," Freire said. "But it certainly won't be easy,"

Brazil hasn't finished as high as third at the Games since Winnipeg in 1967, when Cuba didn't have the dominant team it has fielded in recent years.

The United States is expected to bring only a few of its top athletes, but not even that is likely to boost the host nation's chances to surge to the top.

"Brazil will be able to field complete teams in most sports, and the athletes will get an emotional boost from playing at home, but it will remain very difficult to overcome the U.S. and Cuba in total numbers," said Ed Hula, editor of Around the Rings, a global news organization devoted to Olympic sports.

Brazil already has "a better performance than the United States and Cuba in several sports, but it's still complicated to think about overcoming these two Olympic powerhouses in the medal count," Freire said.

With the games' biggest delegation, 661 athletes, Brazil could dominate in several sports, including volleyball, beach volleyball, handball, futsal and sailing, all competitions in which the nation has excelled internationally in recent years.

Brazil will remain a favorite in soccer, but chances for gold are not that high in the men's event, which will be played with under-18 squads.

The women's team, winner in 2003, will have its top stars — including FIFA world player of the year Marta — and better chances for a medal. The competition will be mainly against the United States, which is sending its under-20 team, and Canada.

Brazil's biggest stars in other sports include Olympic medalists Rodrigo Pessoa, who won the equestrian show jumping title at the 2004 Athens Olympics, and sailor Robert Scheidt, an eight-time world champion.

"It's an enormous challenge to participate in a competition of this level in our country," Pessoa told the Veja news magazine.

Other top contenders include gymnast Daiane dos Santos, swimmer Thiago Pereira, and table tennis player Hugo Hoyama, the nation's top gold medalist in the Pan Am Games with eight. He is tied with former swimmer Gustavo Borges.

Another one of Brazil's biggest hopes for gold is Jadel Gregorio, who has the year's best mark in the triple jump. He finished fifth in the Athens Olympics and holds the South American record.

In the marathon, Marcia Narloch and Vanderlei Cordeiro de Lima — famous for being attacked while leading the Olympic marathon in Athens — are among the favorites. And women's long jumper Maurren Maggi is second in the world rankings.

Brazil hosted the Pan Ams in Sao Paulo in 1963, when the event was much smaller. Sao Paulo was to host the competition again in 1975, but a meningitis outbreak and other internal problems eventually forced the Pan Ams to be moved to Mexico City.

Supermodel Gisele Bundchen takes on Catholic church

2007-06-11T19:25:00.000-07:00

Gisele Bundchen is the biggest international star on the runway during Rio's Fashion Week, but she's also making headlines for criticizing the Roman Catholic church's opposition to condom use and abortion.

Bundchen, who paraded Tuesday night for the Colcci label, told the Folha de S. Paulo newspaper that the church's take on contraception is hopelessly outdated because it was adopted when "the women were virgins, the guys were virgins."

"Today, no one is a virgin when they get married," Bundchen said.

She made the comments less than a month after Pope Benedict XVI criticized government sanctioned abortion laws and birth control during a five-day visit to Brazil, the world's most populous Roman Catholic nation.

While most abortions are banned in Brazil, the government hands out more than 300 million free condoms each year to prevent AIDS and unwanted pregnancies.

"To prohibit condoms is ridiculous; just think of all the diseases transmitted without them," the 26-year-old supermodel told the newspaper.

She added: "How is it possible to not want people to use condoms and also not have abortions? It's impossible, I'm sorry."

Bundchen isn't the first Brazilian celebrity to clash with the Roman Catholic church over contraception.

Popular singer Daniela Mercury was pulled from a 2005 Vatican Christmas concert over her participation in an anti-AIDS campaign promoting condom use.

Miami Festival of Brazilian Movies - June 1 to 9, 2007

2007-05-22T16:59:00.000-07:00

After a successful 10th anniversary, the Brazilian Film Festival of Miami is back for its 11th year and hope to build on the buzz and momentum of the previous year to create even more visibility for Brazilian cinema in the U.S. and secure its spot on South Florida's cultural calendar.

The Festival, produced by Inffinito Foundation and City of Miami Beach, is the largest competitive showing of Brazilian movies held outside of Brazil. All the films in competition are being screened in the U.S. for the first time. Over 20,000 people - Latinos, Brazilians, Americans and tourists alike - are expected at the screenings at the Colony Theatre where over 30 films will be screened.

Film screenings are at 7 pm and 9 pm, with an 11 pm late night screening on Friday and Saturday nights. Tickets for the screenings are US$ 10 each. Guests can also purchase a VIP pass for US$ 120, which includes access to all screenings, private parties, and the closing night award ceremony.

The nine-day Festival will take place in South Beach from June 1 to 9, 2007. Tickets for the screenings at the Colony Theatre will go on sale on April 30th and can be purchased online at ticketmaster.

The Festival will bring actors, directors, producers and executives from the Brazilian and American film industries together to screen Brazilian productions, all previously unseen in the US.

The Brazilian Film Festival of Miami launches on Friday, June 1st, with a free opening party at the North Beach Band Shell, where an outdoor screening of Carla Camurati's Irma Vap - The Return, the 2006 Best Picture Public Choice, will be projected on the giant screen.

The 2006 Best Short Film award winner, What's up Tocayo, will also be screened at the opening party. It's a short-film documentary made in Havana, Cuba about a Cuban mother, Mirian Torres, who tries to show us the world through her point of view. The free party will begin at 6 pm with a performance by The Brazilian Samba School and music by DJ Marcelo and will be followed by the outdoor film screening at sundown (approximately 8:30 pm). Last year's opening event brought 1,300 guests to the North Beach Band Shell, where guest partied the night away under the stars.

Between June 2nd and 8th the Colony Theatre will present over 30 short and feature productions, among them: Noel-The Samba Poet (2006) about a young medical student who becomes a samba music star and gets carried away by all vices of stardom until an illness complicates his life; 1972 (2006), a film by José Emílio Rondeau about a rock star from Rio de Janeiro looking for love; Cartola (2006), the story of one of the most important composers of Brazilian music and a history of samba based on one of its most distinguishable figures; Dirty Money (2006), a well-crafted comedy of errors, which addresses the distortions created by capitalism in a culture of corruption; Unforgettable (2006) by Paulo Sérgio Almeida about an actor who uses the magic of cinema to get revenge on his wife and his best friend who are having an affair; Urban Snap-shots (2006), which chronicles a day in the life of five middle-class women in Rio de Janeiro; and Zuzu Angel (2006) about a fashion designer who becomes entrenched in a fight against the military regime after her son gets killed, putting her own life in danger. Never before seen in the US, all the films were finished or released to the Brazilian public between 2006 and 2007 and will now compete for top Festival honors.

Brazilian film legend Ney Latorraca will receive a special tribute during the festival. Selected films from his filmography will be screened at the Colony Theatre throughout the Festival.

At the festival's closing ceremony, to be held on June 9th, a jury comprised of movie industry professionals will select the year's best in 11 categories, including Best Feature Film, Best Director and Best Screenplay. The winners will be presented with a Crystal Lens Award, a trophy designed by Brazilian sculptor Helena Bressane. The Best Picture Public Choice will also be awarded to the best feature and short films, as voted by the audience.

The Brazilian Film Festival of Miami will be followed up in New York by the Cine Fest Petrobras Brasil, which takes place August 5th to the 12th. The New York Festival will kick off with a concert by AfroReggae at Central Park SummerStage followed by the screening of Zuzu Angel.

Brazil's Romario scores 1,000th goal

2007-05-21T19:03:00.001-07:00

Romario's 1,000th goal wasn't scored in the Maracana stadium, and it came from a penalty kick.

But soccer-mad Brazil still breathed a sigh of relief Monday – one day after the 41-year-old striker ended a nearly two-month cliffhanger worthy of a Brazilian soap opera.

President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva phoned Romario to congratulate him on the goal. Romario converted a 48th-minute penalty in Vasco da Gama's 3-1 victory Sunday over Sport of Recife in the second round of the Brazilian national championship.

Romario claimed his 999th goal on March 25 against Flamengo and then kept an entire nation waiting by failing to score for the next three games while Vasco was eliminated from the Rio de Janeiro state championship.

"This is a historic moment for me and world soccer," Romario said. "I have been chasing this goal real hard and at times I thought I may never reach it."

He wasn't the only one to have his doubts.

Former Vasco coach Renato Gaucho complained that the quest for No. 1,000 had hurt the team. Romario's wife Isbella Bittencourt objected to having to keep the children up late to watch the games and fans complained about ticket prices at the Maracana stadium.

Romario, who had said he would retire after scoring his 1,000th goal, now plans to stay on with Vasco until the end of the national championship.

Many in soccer consider Romario's achievement dubious, pointing to 71 goals he counts that were scored as a teenager and as an amateur, as well as others scored in training games and unofficial matches against small clubs.

His tally already was revised several times because he initially counted goals scored in matches that never happened and in games that ended 0-0.

According to FIFA, Romario has 929 career goals.

Pele had 1,281 goals in 1,363 matches but also had to wait for four games after scoring 999 goals. He too scored his 1,000th goal with a penalty kick.

Brazilian Bossa Nova star set for new US tour

2007-05-03T20:25:00.000-07:00

Broken hearts usually figure in Bossa Nova songs but as Brazilian singer Bebel Gilberto gets ready to hit the road again, it's a broken foot that is on her mind.

The daughter of Bossa Nova legend Joao Gilberto broke her foot a few weeks ago in New York. She faces a second round of surgery in Rio de Janeiro this week before embarking on a tour U.S. and Canadian tour starting in Miami on May 19.

The injury has forced Gilberto and her band to use Internet technology to polish the arrangements for the songs they will perform for the tour which starts in Miami on May 19.

"The band and I had to finish our rehearsals by Skype but hopefully everything will be fine," Gilberto said referring to the Internet telephone network in an interview from her apartment in Rio de Janeiro.

Her just-released third album "Momento" is similar in style to her previous efforts which sold millions and made her an international star. It is lush, dreamy and electronic with arrangements influenced by bossa and samba songs.

The lead song "Momento," written with Japanese guitarist Maza Shimizu, is an upbeat, pumping tune ready to please urban types around the world.

The 40-year-old Gilberto said it was her best recording experience to date.

"It was the quickest process, the least painful and the one that gave me more pleasure," she explained.

Besides writing or co-writing many of the songs, Gilberto also included songs from other artists. One of them, "Cacada" was written by her uncle, the Brazilian music legend Chico Buarque. It has a rootsy northeastern flavor thanks to a Brazilian percussion instrument called zabumba.

From New York, her home when she's not in London or Rio, she partnered with the rock band Brazilian Girls, on the song "Bring Back the Love," which is sure to send listeners to the dance floor.

"They are all my friends, we go to each other's houses, they are really close to me. And had a lot of fun together doing this song," she said.

Her U.S. tour includes dates in Miami, New York, Westhampton Beach, in New York, and Washington, as well as two jazz festivals in Vancouver and Ottawa.

Concerts that had been scheduled for Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago but were canceled because of her injury foot injury will be announced later, according to her record company.

Bundchen bumps Brady baby rumors

2007-03-26T20:48:00.000-07:00

If Gisele Bundchen's having a baby, it's news to her. The Brazilian beauty, who's famously dating Pats QB Tom Brady, spoke to gossip mongers in Madrid this week and said reports that she's in the family way are false. It was the first time the sizzling supermodel has directly addressed persistent Internet rumors that she, like Brady's ex-girlfriend Bridget Moynahan, is pregnant. "It is impressive as these [stories] appear in the media,"

Bundchen said, according to a translation posted on the Brazilian website glamurama.com.br. "If it was truth, I already would have 10 children. But I am not pregnant nor [do] I intend to be so early." Her denial notwithstanding, the whispers inexplicably continue. The new issue of Us Weekly says Brady and Bundchen "refuse to clear the air," but the mag goes on to admit that Gisele showed "no sign of a bump" as she frolicked recently in the Costa Rican surf. Us also quotes someone who lives next door to Brady's parents, who says, "They're a wonderful family. I would hate to see any scandal touch them."

Bundchen was in Madrid to promote her new line of sandals, "Ipanema Gisele Bundchen," and though reporters were asked to refrain from personal questions, they fired off a few anyway. Brady, meanwhile, who's back in Boston for the Patriots' off-season workouts, has not commented on his romance with Bundchen. But there is no question the couple is still cozy. According to the New York Post, the pretty pair enjoyed a romantic dinner on St. Patrick's Day at the Spotted Pig in the West Village.

Brazilian pop star Gil tours U.S.

2007-03-20T14:32:00.000-07:00

Famed Brazilian singer Gilberto Gil is embarking on a U.S. tour to promote his album "Gil Luminoso," released last Thursday. The musician kicked off his first concert date in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

Gil will perform in several cities throughout the month of March. Two shows are lined up back to back in California on the 24th and the 25th.

The tour will come to a close in Florida - first at the Miami Performing Arts Center in Miami, followed by a final date in Tampa.

The 64-year-old is currently serving as Brazil's Minister of Culture. Gil said, "As a minister, I have very little time to dedicate to music, so I have made choices marked by minimalism and taken a certain care in not to bet on adventures."

As a founder of the Tropicalism movement, the artist has also won a Grammy for best world music album, which he was awarded with in 1998.

Concert tickets are available via ticketmaster.com

Gil's U.S. Lineup:

* March 16 - Ann Arbor, MI
* March 18 - Washington, DC
* March 20 - New York, NY
* March 21 - New Bedford, MA
* March 24 - Los Angeles, CA
* March 25 - Berkeley, CA
* March 27 - Davis, CA
* March 28 - Redwood City, CA
* March 30 - Miami, FL
* March 31 - Tampa, FL

Rodrigo Santoro is King Xerxes on epic movie: 300

2007-03-05T13:46:00.000-08:00

So what's it like to play a God? For Rodrigo Santoro who plays Xerxes in the upcoming film "300" based on the graphic novel by Frank Miller it's all about stepping on the little people. "It was a real trip, but I had to just go for it." Santoro is referring to a scene in the movie where Xerxes steps down from his enormous golden throne onto a set of stairs, which are actually real people.

For Santoro playing such a role could be challenging at times. The make-up process alone could take up to five hours each day, but that time assisted him in getting into character. "It was great. I had time to get into my character; it was all about me."

Did playing a God of Persia ever get to Santoro's head? "There was one day on set I had on this velvet blue cape, heavy chains around my neck and I kept stepping on my cape. It was just a joke, but I clapped my hands and said, 'Don't I have a helper?' This guy from the costume department said, 'I'm your helper.' It was great, but I felt bad."

Santoro conducted a great deal of research in order to really dive into the role, but was quite familiar with "300" prior to ever auditioning and used the graphic novel as his ultimate guide. "I knew about it. I had a friend who was really into it. When I looked at '300' I thought wow, this would be a great movie."

However, Santoro almost didn't get the role. Producer Gianni Nunnari was familiar with Santoro's work and asked him to fly to Los Angeles for an audition, but the actor couldn't make it as he was filming another project. "I ended up sending a tape, but I had lost 35 pounds for another role so I was really really skinny. They decided to bet that in four months I could come back and become a giant."

Playing a "giant" one as evil as Xerxes can prove to be, "Tricky," as Santoro had to make sure he never became one dimensional in his performance. "I didn't want to play a caricature. I saw him as very insecure and weak past all of his strength. "

Working against a blue screen can also provide its own set of challenges, but Santoro was up to the test. "It's definitely a challenge. You just have blue walls and nothing around…you don't have any idea. The final result, it's amazing to see it. There are a couple of shots with myself and Gerard Butler. It was an intense process."

Santoro hopes audiences will enjoy the film and believes it will appeal to a wide spectrum of people, both fans and non fans of Frank Miller's graphic novels. "It's a great ride, really original."

What's next for someone who just played a God, a role on the hit ABC television series "Lost" for starters. "The "Lost" experience is very unique. I don't know my character's back-story…it's a completely different process." However, don't think you can get any spoilers here. "I can't say anything or I'd have to kill you. Stay tuned."

And stay tuned we will. "300" opens nationwide on March 9th and "Lost" can been seen Wednesday nights at 10pm on ABC.

Quincy Jones planning movie on Brazil

2007-02-19T20:36:00.000-08:00

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil - American music producer Quincy Jones is developing plans to shoot a movie about Brazilian music during next year's carnival celebrations, something he called one of the most spectacular events on the planet.

"You'd be surprised how many Americans don't know about Brazil's carnival. It's one of the most spectacular spiritual events on the planet," Jones said Thursday while doing prep work for the movie, tentatively entitled "Brazilian Soul."

Carnival begins in Rio Friday when the mayor hands the key to the city over to the Rei Momo, or carnival king.

Jones said the movie would be shot on high definition video and directed by Brett Ratner, who is currently filming Rush Hour 3.

The film would be shot both in Rio de Janeiro and in Salvador da Bahia.

The carnival in Salvador, a seaside city some 1,200 kilometers (750 miles) to the northeast, has become a growing attraction for foreign tourists in recent years because most of the action takes place on the streets, rather than in a stadium as in Rio.

Jones who has been visiting Brazil since 1956, visited Salvador's last year.

"This is life force music, that's why it's so powerful," he said.

Youtube Blocked in Brazil - Cicarelli effect

2007-01-08T06:46:00.000-08:00

The popular video sharing site YouTube is now blocked in Brazil due to a local court decision last Thursday. The site was ordered to block the uploaded sex videos of Brazilian media starlet Daniela Cicarelli (photo) and, although it complied, many users kept re-uploading it to the site. After the failure of YouTube to keep the video off of the site, the domain was blocked nationwide at a DNS level. Predictably, many Brazilians are annoyed and I've started to receive even SPAMs protesting on this blocking. From the article: 'The case now goes automatically to a three-member panel of judges who will decide whether to make the order permanent and whether to fine YouTube as much as US$119,000 (euro91,000) for each day the video was viewable, said Rubens Decousseau Tilkian.

Brazilians win 15km St Silvester

2007-01-02T03:36:00.000-08:00

Brazilians Franck Caldeira and Lucelia de Oliveira Peres won the traditional 15km St Silvester on Sunday amid driving tropical rains in a contest dominated by local favorites.

It was the first time since foreigners were allowed in the race starting in 1947 that Brazilian runners won both the men's and women's races. But Brazilians had an advantage this year because some top foreign runners decided not to participate.

Latin affair

The 23-year-old Caldeira finished in 44 minutes, 7 seconds, beating Brazil's Clodoaldo Gomes da Silva by 1 minute, 7 seconds through Sao Paulo's skyscraper-lined avenues and twisting streets. Paulo Alves dos Santos of Brazil was third in 45:17.

Caldeira, whose best previous finish was sixth in 2003, pulled ahead with 7km remaining and built on his lead toward the end, leaving da Silva and dos Santos to contend for second and third place.

He said the outcome of the race proved that Brazilians should get more international recognition in athletics, noting that he eclipsed last year's time by Marilson dos Santos of Brazil by 14 seconds. Dos Santos, who went on to win this year's New York Marathon, also sat out the race.

"I ran it under 45 minutes despite the rain," Caldeira said. "I'm sure those who didn't believe in me are applauding for me now."

In the women's race, the 25-year-old Peres finished in 51 minutes, 24 seconds, beating Brazil's Ednalva da Silva by 29 seconds.

Peres

Peres, who finished fourth last year, sprinted to a wide lead ahead of da Silva with 3km remaining and broke through the tape just as the storm that lasted throughout the men's race unleashed its first downpour. Colombia's Bertha Sanchez finished third in 53:29.

"I managed to keep my rhythm and everything worked out," Peres said. "This is really emotional, I've trained for this race for a long time, and I was ready to win."
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Cat + Dog = ??? (Only in Brazil)

2006-11-16T19:26:00.000-08:00

I saw this note on Reuters and thought that would be fun to post it here...

Brazilian student Cassia Aparecida de Souza, 18, holds her cat Mimi together with what Cassia claims are Mimi's own offsprings born with dog traits last Friday, three months after mating with a neighbour's dog, in the southern Brazilian city of Passo Fundo, Rio Grande do Sul state, November 15, 2006. A geneticist from the Passo Fundo University plans to take blood samples from the animals to verify the claim by Cassia and her husband Rogerio that the puppies are part of Mimi's litter of six, of which the three that were born with cat features died soon after birth, leaving the surviving three dog-like offsprings.

Horror movie Turistas show Rio's dark side

2006-11-15T09:19:00.000-08:00

Opening December 1st is the horror movie, Turistas, starring Josh Duhamel and Melissa George.

At first glance, this movie looks like Hostel, Part II but instead of tourists being tortured in the basement of a hostel, this group of backpackers/surfers get lost in a Brazilian jungle near Rio de Janeiro, which just happens to be holding an ominous secret like an organ thieving blackmarket or something.

Instead of focusing on the gnarly parts of the movie like someone waking up in a tub of ice with suspicious scars around their kidneys, we'll tell you where to go in Rio and stay alive.

Where to Stay:
Seeing as this movie may turn you off about backpacking, why not check out the Rio Internacional Hotel which is ranked #1 on TripAdvisor. The place has great service, an English-speaking staff and supreme views of the beach. But it is a costly trip at around $250 a night.

Where to Surf:
There are a bunch of good places to surf in Rio. Who knew the place was akin to California and Hawaii when it comes to hanging ten. Sidestep has the list of beaches worth checking out. May we suggest surfing at Arpoador Beach in Ipanema which is closest to the main part of Rio?

Where to Avoid:
According to Fodor's Travel Wire, they particularly recommend avoiding the downtown area, especially Saara, after dark because it's deserted.

Walking on the beach at night is probably not a good idea, and although many tourists like to wander off the beaten path when they're traveling this isn't always a good idea in Rio---stick to the well-populated areas.

If you can't get enough, then visit the Turistas MySpace page where you can look at pictures of a shirtless Josh, read his character Alex's lame-o blog and predict which backpackers will die first.

Brazil defeat Al-Kuwait Sports Club 4-0 in a friendly international

2006-10-08T21:10:00.000-07:00

KUWAIT CITY: Brazil stars rewarded some 20,000 spectators with a majestic display on Saturday to defeat Kuwait’s league champions Al-Kuwait Sports Club 4-0 in a friendly international.

Playing for the first time in this tiny oil-rich Gulf state, the five-time world champions, though missing renowned stars like Ronaldo and Adriano, found no difficulty in dominating the game from the start to the finish.

Real Betis striker, Rafael Sobis, among the new stars added by coach Dunga, opened the scoring in the 17th minute with a powerful shot from just inside the box after receiving a perfect pass from Robinho.

MIDDLE EASTERN SAMBA: Kuwaiti fans decked out in Brazilian colours for the friendly match on Saturday.

Real Madrid striker Robinho added the second goal in the 36th minute with a stunning solo effort, netting over goalkeeper Khaled al-Fadli after skilfully getting past three defenders.

Robinho remained the main threat to the inexperienced Al-Kuwait defenders until he was substituted after 50 minutes.

The world’s player of the year midfielder Ronaldinho entertained the crowds with some perfect passes before he was substituted at the interval.

The Brazilians lost no time into the second half in adding to their tally when Sobis set substitute midfielder Daniel Carvalho clear into the penalty area with only goalkeeper to beat in the 53rd minute.

AC Milan star Kaka, on as a substitute, scored the fourth goal in the 78th minute in an impressive solo effort when he went past three defenders and shot from the penalty spot.

The Brazilians, who were cheered by an enthusiastic crowd, missed several easy chances to increase the tally.

Al-Kuwait Club came close to scoring twice, both from free kicks with the last one hitting the bar in injury time.

Robinho, seen attempting an overhead kick, scored once in the 4-0 win over Al-Kuwait Sports Club.

Brazilian legend Pele watched the game which was held to commemorate the 45th anniversary of Al-Kuwait Club.

The Brazilian squad was given a hero’s welcome on their arrival on Friday at Kuwait International Airport as hundreds of football fans gathered to receive them.

Many of them followed the players’ motorcade to their seaside hotel, some 20km from the airport.

Ball boy scores a goal in Brazil

2006-09-15T13:15:00.000-07:00

In a bizarre incident in a football match in Brazil, the referee awarded a goal when a ball boy put the ball into the net and also refused to change the result despite video evidence.

In the 89th minute of a third division football match, Santacruszense shot the ball just wide of the goal.

The referee Silvia Regina de Oliveira, who is the first woman to officiate at the highest level in Brazilian football, apparently had her back to the net when this happened.

The ball boy, clearly inspired to do his bit for the home side, instead of returning the ball to the keeper tapped it into the net.

The referee thought the ball had gone in and signalled a goal. The rival players accosted her while the TV commentators celebrated in typical latino style.

Strangely enough, despite the video evidence the goal still stands.

Instead the referee faces a suspension, the period for which is not known as yet.

Oliveira said she should have trusted her own eyes instead of relying on the judgment of the linesman who is the one who signalled the goal.

Here is the video evidence:

Brazilian Girls Music Review

2006-09-14T09:23:00.000-07:00

Brazilian girls in Brazilian Girls? Negative. More like Three Dudes & a Chick from Rome with a bossa-nova-meets-electronica vibe.

The four members of the Brazilian Girls met in 2003, while jamming together at Nublu, a downtown New York club that has served as their spawning ground. Playing together every week (they still do when they're in town) they wrote and recorded the twelve originals of Brazilian Girls over a couple of months, letting the nuances of their songs evolve over time.

Coming from different corners of the globe (Sabina was born in Rome, and raised in Munich and Nice; Didi from Buenos Aires, Argentina; Jesse and Aaron from California and Kansas, respectively), each member of Brazilian Girls has an impressive past of prior works. One snagged a Latin Grammy® Award; another has scored several important independent films. They have all performed and collaborated with prominent artists

After self-titled debut album, Brazilian Girls return with the eagerly anticipated Talk To La Bomb. Expect to hear on the 12 new tracks their innovative fusion of electro, dub, pop, punk and dance music to more elaborate and edgy arrangements.

For those who live in NY, they will be playing tonight (09/14) at Spiegeltent, Fulton Street Fish Market at South Street Seaport (by the Brooklyn Bridge); 10pm, $30.

Brazilian diva, Gisele Bunchen, photographed for Apple Mac campaign

2006-09-06T20:28:00.000-07:00

Rolling Stone cover girl Gisele Bundchen was reportedly contracted by the Cupertino, Calif.-based Mac maker for the shoot (photo below), which took place in Manhattan last week.

On her official web site, Bundchen briefly mentioned that she had recently been photographed by Apple. However, the blurb was removed without explanation.

The 25-year old diva is rumored to have been compensated handsomely for her part in the new campaign. According to Vogue magazine, she is believed to have pocketed "more than a million" for the shoot.

Bundchen has been named "Model of the Year" and "The Most Beautiful Girl in the World" by Rolling Stone. Her portfolio includes appearances in ads for such brands as Victoria's Secret, Louis Vuitton and Versace.

Though primarily a model, Bundchen has also dabbled in the acting business. She starred in the 2004 film "Taxi" and most recently played a part in the 2006 flick "The Devil Wears Prada."

Brazilian Day Festival in New York

2006-08-28T14:13:00.000-07:00

The 2006 Brazilian Day festival takes place on 46th Street between 5th Avenue and Broadway, and on 6th Avenue between 43rd Street and 57th Street.

After a brief setback at this year's World Cup, where Brazil lost in the quarterfinals, people are celebrating in the streets for beloved Brazil once again. The occasion is Brazil's Independence Day, a party celebrating their separation from Portugal every first Sunday in September (the official date is September 7th). Last year over 1 million people reportedly danced in the streets, eating traditional food and listening to two stages of live music.

The 22nd annual green-and-yellow festival is highlighted by energetic musicians on the main stage at 46th Street and 6th Avenue. The axe music of Babado Novo, the hugely popular Banda Calypso, the country singer Leonardo, and the young brother-sister singing duo Sandy & Junior are featured performers. Traffic is restricted to pedestrians, but still come early, especially if you want to hunt for authentic food like feijoada, canjica baiana and -- if you look hard enough -- picadinho de Jacare (alligator meat). Come early, stay late and samba all day!

When: 09/03/06
What: Brazilian Day Festival
Time: 10:00AM-7:00PM
Where: between 43rd Street and 57th Street - New York
Official Site: Brazilian Day Festival

Brazilian Felipe Massa claim the first F1 win of his career

2006-08-27T18:19:00.000-07:00

Massa, 24, who has taken his first pole position a day earlier, never put a foot wrong aboard his Ferrari as he won by 5.575 seconds from Fernando Alonso and Michael Schumacher - who was under the Renault driver"s rear wing at the end.

Massa wore the look of a man who was overcome with deep satisfaction during the post-race celebrations on the podium, and afterwards admitted that it was the best moment of his career.

"It's like a dream come true," he said. "I've worked so hard during my career for this moment. It's amazing. Looking back to everything I'd done in my life to get here, there are lots of emotions.

"I did a very good start and had a very good first lap. The car was well balanced during whole race.

"Every single part of the race the car was responding in a fantastic way and I could just keep the gap and not drive too aggressive."

The current overall leader Fernando Alonso of Renault finished in second place, ahead of the seven-time champion Schumacher, who came in third. The Spaniard extended his driver's championship lead to 12 points ahead of Schumacher, with just four races remaining.

David Lee Roth sheduled to play in Brazil

2006-08-27T18:06:00.000-07:00

Former VAN HALEN frontman David Lee Roth has been confirmed as the headliner of the Brazilian edition of the Live N' Louder festival, set to take place October 14 at Arena Skol Anhembi in São Paulo. Roth will not be appearing at the Mexican Live N' Louder date, which is scheduled for October 7 at Palacio De Los Deportes in Mexico City. The previously announced Argentine date for the Live N' Louder festival (October 12 in Buenos Aires) has now apparently been scrapped, although this has not yet been officially confirmed.

The Live N' Louder festival – October 14, 2006 at Arena Skol Anhembi in São Paulo, Brazil:

DAVID LEE ROTH
STRATOVARIUS
SAXON
SEPULTURA
AFTER FOREVER
GOTTHARD
DORO
NEVERMORE
MASSACRATION
MINDFLOW

Brazilians got gold and silver on the X Games Vert Skate

2006-08-23T11:18:00.000-07:00

On Thursday night at The STAPLES Center, Sandro Dias' first run was good enough for gold. It was also the Brazilian's first skateboard vert gold medal at the X Games. Bob Burnquist nabbed silver and Bucky Lasek took home the bronze. Andy Macdonald missed the podium, just 0.25 points behind Lasek.

Dias best finish in skate vert was a bronze at X Games 11, but he holds several vert titles from the Latin X Games and Asian X Games.

"I thought my score was too high," quipped Dias, when asked if he was surprised his first run was enough for the victory. "But I love the judges."

That winning run included a backside 540 McTwist to tail, a gnar jar 540, heelflip to frontside slider and ollie to fakie.

Burnquist, another Brazilian, and Lasek both had strong runs with opportunities to take the gold, but in the end came up short. Burnquist fell on his final two runs on a switch kickflip after a frontside air to backside air.

"I feel very good about that run, because I connected every obstacle and it flowed all the way through," said Burnquist. "The switch kickflip that I couldn't land I'll definitely lose sleep over that because I usually can land it. I think that if I had landed that, I might have got the gold."

Lasek put together a run that included a frontside air 540, ollie flip fakie and stalefish.

"My body felt good for as battered as it was," Lasek said. "I was feeling it on my third run but I was seeing about eight walls ahead of myself and fell on something easy."

'House Of Sand' a beautiful drama

2006-08-22T06:20:00.000-07:00

PLOT: This Brazilian turn-of-the-century drama finds an elderly mother and pregnant daughter living in the remote desert after being dragged there by the younger woman's husband. Eventually, circumstances beyond their control shape their destinies in ways they couldn't have imagined.

Incredibly, the Brazilian film, The House Of Sand, was a special presentation at last year's Toronto International Film Festival.

I say incredibly because I can't believe it took this long for such a lovely film to see the light of day in Toronto.

Essentially a dramatic saga within an art-house film, The House Of Sand tells the story of two Brazilian women who find themselves living in extremely difficult conditions in the middle of nowhere at the turn of the century.

The younger woman Aurea (Fernanda Montenegro) is pregnant and at the mercy of her demented older husband Vasco (Ruy Guerra) and has also brought along her sick, elderly mother Don Maria (Fernanda Torres).

In the movie's striking opening scenes, the two women struggle to walk in their long skirts through the glorious-looking sand dunes of Maranhao, Brazil, and those humans-versus-the-elements images evoked by Jane Campion's The Piano come to mind.

"This is no place for a child -- this is no place for anyone," Aurea tells Vasco, who isn't willing to listen.

Fortunately, or unfortunately, the workers hired by Vasco soon desert the camp after being confronted by a hostile group of runaway slaves.

The next morning an outraged Vasco attempts to continue working on the house, built out of palms and clay on the sand near a lagoon, but perishes almost immediately.

The two women then find themselves alone, having to fend for themselves in rather grim and desolate surroundings.

But their plight almost immediately gains the sympathies of of one of the initially hostile runaway slaves, Massu. He's played by Brazilian singer-turned-actor Seu Jorge, who was so memorable in The Life Aquatic as the Portuguese-singing, Bowie-covers-playing shipmate.

Massu fishes on the ocean with his young son and lives in a simple, rustic hut, and offers up what food he can, but a rival for Aurea's attentions soon comes in the form of a dashing army officer (Enrique Diaz) who's leading a scientific expedition through the desert.

The House Of Sand, which follows the women's lives over six decades, is remarkable for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that it marks the first time that the acting mother and daughter team of Montenegro and Torres have appeared in a movie together.

Both convey beauty, strength and dignity in their respective multiple roles -- to say anything more would give too much away -- and are thoroughly believable and incredibly moving.

Meanwhile, the panaoramic imagery (the movie was shot in a national park in Brazil) is awe-inspiring, whether it's Auera sleeping amongst the dunes in the starlight, or later witnessing a rare solar eclipse in the middle of the day.

Director Andrucha Waddington (Me You Them), who has an extensive background in making commercials, finds that experience paying off as the astonishing visuals become just as important as the accomplished acting.

Often little has to be said to say so much.

The House Of Sand is in Portuguese with English sub-titles.

BOTTOM LINE: Incredible desert scenery and moving performances by real-life mother and daughter Brazilian actresses Fernanda Montenegro and Fernanda Torres make this art-house film one of the must-sees of the year.

Brazil's Ceni becomes most deadly goalkeeper in football history

2006-08-22T06:09:00.000-07:00

Rogerio Ceni of Brazil scored twice on Sunday night to become the biggest-scoring goalkeeper in football history with now 64 goals.

Ceni, 33, first scored with a free kick and then on a penalty in a 2-2 draw of his club Sao Paulo at Cruzeiro Belo Horizonte.

Citing the ruling body FIFA, news reports said that Ceni's double gives him 64 goals overall, two more than Paraguay goalkeeper Jose Luis Chilavert (62) scored in his career.

'The record makes me very happy. But I am happy for every goal my team scores,' said Ceni.

The 16-times capped Ceni has been at the Sao Paulo club since 1990. He was voted Brazil's best goalkeeper three times by the Placar football paper and was Brazil reserve keeper at the 2002 and 2006 World Cup.

Brazilian jeans Forum starts new ad campaign

2006-08-08T22:01:00.000-07:00

Different than other jeans brand, the Brazilian company Forum decided to focus its new campaign against the unethical problems Brazilians face in their everyday life (corruption, violence, poverty, etc). The result is a very fun, yet concious campaign. Here are some photos of the new ads:

4th Annual Brazilian Film Festival of New York

2006-08-04T19:31:00.000-07:00

After a successful 10-year celebration in Miami, the Brazilian Film Festival (BRAFF) prepares to launch its fourth edition in the Big Apple. From August 6th to 13th, 2006, the festival will once again offer New Yorkers a versatile programming schedule comprised of more than 20 of the most relevant Brazilian film productions. Most of them are either N.Y. or U.S. premieres. Festival attendees will also have the opportunities to attend panel discussions with directors, producers and actors and enjoy Brazilian musical events featuring local and international talent. The films will be competing for the Crystal Lens Awards - Best Public Choice for feature film chosen by the public. From August 7–13, screenings will be held at Tribeca Cinemas (54 Varick Street at Laight Street).

Opening night festivities begin at 7 pm, Sunday, August 6th at the Summer Stage in Central Park with an incredible performance by musician Lenine, who, according to Rolling Stone magazine provide us with “a samba-rock fusion more rhythmically aggressive than bossa nova but just as melodically lush, with Hendrix-ian guitar and fat electrobeats pushing the sound into heavy funk territory”. Lenine won two Latin Grammys in 2005 for Best Brazilian Contemporary Pop Album (InCité) and best Brazilian song (Ninguém faz Idéia). His blend of MPB, rock, hip-hop, and traditional music is the perfect way to open the Brazilian Film Festival of New York.

Following Lenine’s performance, and still under a Brazilian music spell the film This is Bossa Nova – The History and Stories, takes over the Summer Stage, for a special
outdoor screening. This documentary directed by Paulo Thiago takes us to the birth of Brazilian music in the early fifties that would attain definite international recognition in 1962 with the memorable concert at New York’s Carnegie Hall. This is Bossa Nova – The History and Stories recently won the Proud to be a Brazilian Award during the 10th edition of the Brazilian Film Festival of Miami.

Tickets for The 4th Brazilian Film Festival of New York are available at the Tribeca Cinemas box office (54 Varick Street, at Laight Street) and online (www.tribecacinemas.com).

Ticket prices are $12 for adults, $8 for seniors and students. VIP Pass: $120. Admission to all screenings, panels, and Galas. Free access to the Festival’s Lounge in Tribeca Cinemas. Complimentary beer.

For more information and online tickets, log on to www.brazilianfilmfestival.com or call 1877 273 4563

The most beautifull Brazilian Actors/Actress

2006-08-03T19:49:00.000-07:00

The Brazilian magazine, Contigo, just launched a list of the top 50 most beautifull faces of the Brazilian TV. This is the third year that the magazine promotes this survey among its users, and after 30 days and more than 10 thousand votes, here is the final TOP 10 list by gender:

The most beautiful woman on Brazilian TV:

1- Angelica

2- Fernanda Lima

3- Ana Paula Arosio

4- Cleo Pires

5- Juliana Paes
6- Malu Mader
7- Mariana Ximenes
8- Carolina Dickman
9- Ivete Sangalo
10- Adriana Galisteu

The most beautiful man on Bhttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifrazilian TV:

1-Reynaldo Gianecchini

2-Marcello Antony

3-Bruno Garcia

4-Willian Bonner

5-Bruno Gagliasso
6-Henri Castelli
7-Fabio Assuncao
8-Vladimir Brichta
9-Caua Raymond
10-Murilo Benicio

Full list is available here

Starbucks to open its 1st store in Brazil

2006-08-02T18:26:00.000-07:00

Starbucks in May said it would open its first store in Brazil within a year through a joint venture with Cafes Sereia do Brasil Participacoes SA, a Brazilian holding company that also runs McDonald's and Outback Steakhouse restaurants.

Brazil is the No. 2 coffee-drinking nation behind the U.S. The first Brazil store is set to open next year in Sao Paulo.

Starbucks plans to open 1,800 stores overall this year. Thomas Weisel Partners LLC analyst Matthew DiFrisco estimates Starbucks will exceed that goal with about 1,950 stores in 2006.

The company had opened 1,543 stores through the first nine months of the year, or 86 percent of its goal, New York-based DiFrisco said in a July 24 research note. For the past two years, Starbucks had opened about 66 percent of its targeted new stores by the end of the third quarter, he said.

So now, it is time to wait and enjoy Starbucks in Brazil...

Sexy beasts

2006-07-28T06:29:00.000-07:00

CSS formed as a joke. Now the Sao Paolo rock group are having the last laugh. Sophie Heawood caught up with them in New York

CSS are a rock band who play loud guitars, write songs about Paris Hilton being a bitch and have been snapped up by Sub Pop, the legendary Seattle-based record label who nurtured Nirvana, Mudhoney and Wolf Eyes. So it comes as some surprise to learn that they are in fact a bunch of young Brazilian women and one gay man who met at art school in Sao Paolo and began a band as a joke because they couldn't play any instruments. Despite being in awe of their legendary label mates, ask them who they listened to while making their debut album and they mention Christina Aguilera, Kelis and Britney Spears. CSS are more than a little confusing.

Just as well then, that said album, an eponymous work which is actually a compilation of various of their Brazilian releases, is a sexy, twisted and hilarious beast. It's a feminine take on post-punk, with vocals that veer between harsh shouting, icy electroclash and a more sensuous tone, driven by bass-heavy funk and a real pop sensibility in the hook. It's the most perplexing thing to come out of Brazil since Ronaldinho, and something which Sub Pop's co-founder, Jonathan Poneman, claims to be "enormously excited" about.

The band have now learned to play "properly", though they've lost none of their giddy excitement about the joy of being in a band, or about the smut they can get away with in their English-language lyrics. Sitting on a bed with all six of them feels like trying to ride a space-hopper with a litter of newborn puppies, wriggling and giggling and trying desperately not to fall off.

That the bed is in New York's Chelsea Hotel provides even more titillation, as the band have been eagerly searching for the spot where Sid Vicious killed Nancy. It seems that room no longer exists - no matter, they amuse themselves by breaking onto the roof instead. Their band name stands for Cansei de Ser Sexy, which translates as Tired of Being Sexy, and New York style magazines love them, as do the trendy Brooklyn audience who they will wow later today with songs such as Artbitch and Music Is My Hot Hot Sex.

Yet CSS still seem to be confused by the nature of attention they are receiving. "People in Brazil ask how we can be tired of being sexy when we are so ugly," says Ana Rezende, one of the band's several skinny-limbed and well-tattooed guitarists, as the others howl with laughter. "In Brazil. they call us little monsters," adds her fellow guitarist Luiza Sa. "This guy said we were the ugliest thing he had ever seen." "So it's confusing when we talk to people in other countries," claims Lovefoxx, the beguiling half-Japanese frontwoman who writes most of their lyrics. "It scares me," she adds, looking about as scared as Mike Tyson. "People have been going on about how sexy our songs are, how we're obsessed with sex, and we're like, are we? And then we realised we are! But actually we never noticed it before."

Adriano Cintra, whom it would be tempting to call the band's token male, were he not responsible for writing most of their music, reckons it must be because Brazilians talk about rump-pumpy so much that they don't really notice it. A likely story.

"It's like our name, people get so many meanings out of it, like, oh these are women who are sick of being sex objects and they want to be known for their intelligence," adds Rezende. So it doesn't mean that? "No! It doesn't mean anything!" Meaningless their name might be, but purposeless they are not. Their current single, Let's Make Love and Listen to Death from Above, was written with the sole purpose of getting the Canadian rock duo Death from Above 1979 to look at them.

"I wanted them to Google themselves and find us," says Lovefoxx, whose dream came true at their recent Toronto show, where DFA's Sebastian Grainger approached her and said he wanted to take a photograph. "And I was talking to him and I was not freaking out, I was just talking like a regular person!" "What, you moved your mouth and noise came out?" ask her band. "Yeah, just like a regular person, it's strange, I know," she deadpans.

The silly question is pertinent: Lovefoxx is nothing like a regular person. A former presenter on a late-night Brazilian music video show, she used to entertain herself by wandering around Sao Paolo with a beer and an iPod, much to the consternation of passers-by. "People look at you with anger in their eyes, like they hate you, because you are dancing in the street at 3pm," she says.

Sometimes her annoyance turned to violence, such as during a ruckus with a nightclub host who initially refused her entry without ID and then said she could come in because she was famous, which annoyed her even more. "I had just seen Fight Club and so I said, 'This conversation is over,' just like in the film. Then he said that I was just a dirty little bitch from CSS, so I said, 'you know what you are? You're a fat guy with titties that wears a tiara'." The rest of the band had to dive in to save her when he lunged for her.

As for Paris Hilton, she got a CSS song of her own because Rezende used to ogle pictures of her on a fotolog of drunk celebrities. "She was always photographed drunk, cross-eyed, falling over. She's drunk because she's rich and she's rich because she's famous and she's famous because she's rich. Which is really weird. It seemed kind of cool at the time, but now ... "

They're no longer convinced. A Brazilian TV station tried to set up a meeting between the band and the star when she was appearing in a Brazilian shopping mall. It failed, but the band were amused to hear that the heiress has been seen dancing to their song at a party.

CSS owe some of their success to the American DJ Diplo, currently touring with them. He first heard the group when he was in Brazil stocking up on baile funk, the sound of the favelas. Don't be fooled into thinking that CSS come from poverty themselves though - the shanty towns of Rio are a world away from the Sao Paolo art scene where the members of CSS found each other. Several of the band studied art or film at a leading private college. Cintra made good money writing jingles and bass player Iracema Trevisan is a fashion designer - the band joke about her nose job.

Sao Paolo is also a city that lacks a decent alternative music scene. "Everything is either too big or too small. Brazil is full of boring bands who just stand there. Like those people who come to clubs and won't dance," explains Sa. "In Portuguese we call it holding the wall. We only like the people who get drunk and go crazy on the dancefloor." With their pedigree it looks like they shouldn't have any trouble finding a fair few of those.

· CSS's Cansei de Ser Sexy is out now on Sub Pop. The band play The Stealth, Nottingham, on September 2, then tour

ABC's Lost signs 'Brazilian Tom Cruise' Rodrigo Santoro

2006-07-26T07:23:00.000-07:00

Just how many people are on that island? ABC's hit series 'Lost' has finally figured out that we really, really don't like re-runs and has changed it's format to a split season schedule.

And now they are bringing in more eye candy for the ladies. Rodrigo Santoro who TV Guide calls the 'Brazilian Tom Cruise' is online according to an exclusive report from TV Guide.

***

On the TV Guide blog:

Lost has found its new mystery man — and you're reading about it here first! Rodrigo Santoro, best known to American audiences as the hot dude Laura Linney crushed on in Love Actually, is joining the cast this fall.

I know what you're thinking, "Rodrigo... Whatchoo Talkin' 'Bout Willis?"
That was my initial reaction, too. Well, the 30-year-old actor may not be a household name here in the States, but there apparently is no bigger movie star in Brazil than him. Don't take my word for it, though. Read on, as Lost boys Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse proudly discuss their latest find.

***

He was quite a hit on 'Love Actually' as was Pirates of the Caribbean's Keria Knightley.

Carlton Cuse tells TV Guide - well in true 'Lost' form - uh nothing:

"We don't really want to be at all specific about what we're doing with the character or what he's going to play. Part of the surprise and the enjoyment of watching the show is sort of getting a chance to meet a new character and see how his role is going to unfold in relation to the rest of the cast."

***

But now things seem to be getting out of balance. The gals now have Doc, Mr. Eko, Sawyer and the 'Brazilian Tom Cruise' while many of the ladies have been killed off.

Will there be another femme signing soon?

Dunga named new Brazil manager

2006-07-24T18:59:00.000-07:00

Former Brazil midfielder and captain Dunga was surprisingly named as the country's new national team coach on Monday.

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) said on its official website that Dunga agreed terms after a two-hour meeting.

"I want to bring the same determination I had as a player," Dunga, who captained Brazil's 1994 World Cup-winning team, told the CBF's website.

Dunga replaces Carlos Alberto Parreira who resigned last Wednesday.

Brazilian fashion springs out in Sao Paulo

2006-07-22T21:39:00.000-07:00

There's more to Brazilian fashion than rubber flip-flops and sexy bikinis: Sao Paulo Fashion Week, now in its 10th year, kicked off their Spring/Summer '07 season at the Bienal, a modernist building nestled inside the lush Ibiraquera Park.

Brazil's top designers proved there's plenty to look forward to for summer 2007. Elegant sundresses in brilliant hues made a bold and beautiful impact on the runways as did the metallic-inspired creations that continue one of this year's hottest trends.

Here are some photos that highlighted the event:

Daniella Sarahyba

Ana Hickmann

Giane Albertoni

Ana Claudia Michels

Raica Oliveira

Adriana Lima

Yasmin Brunet

Isabeli Fontana

Brazil's Os Mutantes to tour America

2006-07-22T21:17:00.000-07:00

The Brazilian psychedelic rock band Os Mutantes recently reunited and has plans to travel the United States.

The band, named after a science fiction novel, was set to make its New York debut Friday at Webster Hall, The New York Daily news reported.

"It's ridiculous," Os Mutantes member Sergio Baptista said. "It's also fantastic."

The band formed in the '60s and began experimenting with combining and altering different forms of music, ultimately helping to create the Brazilian tropicalia movement.

Os Mutantes broke up in 1972, but its members reunited four months ago for a tribute concert to the movement they helped create and were quickly offered the U.S. performances by American promoters.

The new lineup features a minimum of 10 members, including new singer Zelia Duncan who has taken the place of original member Rita Lee, the Daily News said.

ZIDANE a new way to solve problems...

2006-07-13T10:52:00.000-07:00

do it like zidane...

Brazil still atop; Italy new No.2

2006-07-12T18:06:00.000-07:00

Despite an early exit from the World Cup, Brazil continue to lead the FIFA rankings. But the big gainers in the rankings, released on Wednesday, are world champions Italy, who have jumped 11 spots to be second in the world.

World Cup finalists France have gained four spots to be No. 4 while Argentina, who were ousted on penalties in the quarterfinals by Germany, have gained six places to be No. 3. World Cup hosts and third-placed Germany climbed 10 places and are ranked No. 9 while England are up to No. 5 from No.10. Czech Republic, ranked 2nd before the tournament, is the new No. 10 team.

Other major losers were the Netherlands (down 3 places to No. 6), Spain (down 2 places to No. 7) and Portugal (down 1 place to No. 8). Switzerland and Ukraine, who overachieved in Germany, have experienced a huge leap in rankings. The Swiss rose 22 places to 13th while Ukraine climbed 30 spots to 15th. The USA, ranked fifth two months ago, fell to 16th and Mexico lost 14 places to 18th.

Paraguay and African newcomers Ivory Coast made it to the top 20. Ghana rose 23 places to 25th while Australia gained nine places to 33rd.

Iran upstaged Japan as the top-ranked side in Asia but is placed 47th. The east Asians lost 31 places to be ranked two notches lower. South Korea fell 27 places to 56th while Saudi Arabia dropped 47 places to No. 81.

FIFA’s rankings after the World Cup

1. Brazil 1630 pts
2. Italy 1550
3. Argentina 1472
4. France 1462
5. England 1434
6. Netherlands 1322
7. Spain 1309
8. Portugal 1301
9. Germany 1229
10. Czech Rep 1223

Viva Italia, Soccer world champion

2006-07-11T19:12:00.000-07:00

Well, as a brazilian, I couldn't care less for the finals of the World Cup. However, now that is over I need to congratulate my italian audience and wish you guys to keep the hard work and who knows some day, your team will won the same number of world cup as Brazil (just kidding!). ;-)

Here are some photos that will be immortalized...

Gisele Bündchen is on the cover of Arena Magazine

2006-07-10T14:47:00.000-07:00

The Brazilian Top Model, Gisele Bundchen is on the cover of Arena Magazine. On the magazine, she mentioned that she feels old and not attractive anymore... (what!?) Take a look on the photos and tell me if you agree with her.

Run Ronaldo, Run!!!

2006-07-07T10:57:00.000-07:00

Another game to make your day a little bit happier... Brazil is out of the World Cup 2006 after suffering a bending blow by 1998 champions - France. Pele's football breathing nation is blaming one person for his substandard performance - Fat little Ronaldo... the pudgy, gap-toothed soccer-rer who wears the magic number 9. In this hilarious game, Ronaldo runs across the field, huffing and puffing while kicking the football with Argentinian captain Crespo hot on his studs. Keep Ronaldo away from the burgers and milkshakes as they will slow him down. Collect the golden shoe to give him a speed boost. The end goal of this game is to make Ronaldo run (the one thing he was not doing while he was on the field!) and get to the ball before Crespo does! All in good humor, we love Brazil really. Run Ronaldo, Run!

Liked this game? You also should check out this one:
>> Are you good playing Penalty?

WE LOST THE WORLD CUP...

2006-07-06T13:53:00.000-07:00

Quick note to my readers: it has been some time now that I don't post any news here, I guess I am still in shock with the Brazilian loss against France. Actually, the whole country is still trying to rationalize the defection. Nothing against the French, they deserved the victory, but individually the Brazilian team had much more to offer, but everything end-up with promises. Maybe next cup, four year from now…

These pictures well summarize the Brazilian reaction after this infamy game

Music keeps the Brazilian stars rocking

2006-06-30T06:15:00.000-07:00

Ronaldinho has his own band, Gilberto Silva plays the guitar in his spare time and Robinho likes to compose and sing his own sambas.

And that's just for starters.

"Soccer and music go well together," said Brazil defender Roberto Carlos, whose favourite bands are from his home country. "I brought a lot of Brazilian music with me. "It's good. It helps me relax."

Brazil's 23 players at this year's World Cup have had a busy schedule with training and playing. And that doesn't leave much time for fun off the field.

But with the little free time they do have, they usually play table tennis or organise soccer video game tournaments on the secluded grounds of their luxury hilltop castle.

Others play golf, enjoy a walk around the tranquil gardens or visit with family and friends.

But playing and listening to music is a pastime they all share and one which accompanies most of their off-the-field activities.

"I can't say that if we sing, we are going to play better or it will inspire us to play better," said Gilberto Silva, who used to play the mandolin and now plays the guitar. "We sing and play instruments because we like it.

"It's part of us Brazilian people. When the players board their green-and-yellow bus, they always bring music with them, either in the form of iPods or portable CD players.

But they are usually put away in favour of the percussion instruments brought on board by Ronaldinho. Or because Robinho starts up a pagode - a type of Brazilian samba.

"When we go onto the bus and have to sing something, Ronaldinho starts most of the songs," Gilberto Silva said.

Training sessions at the Brazil camp are usually filled with laughter in a relaxed atmosphere. But the players say that representing the team favoured to win the World Cup comes with its pressures.

According to Ronaldinho, there's nothing like a few tunes to help the team unwind, especially before a big game.

"All the Sambas are nice," the bongo-playing Ronaldinho said. "We have a lot of fun and enjoy each other's company. Everybody goes in (to a match) feeling relaxed."

Robinho, who plays the 'cavaquinho' - a traditional Brazilian four-stringed instrument - is also a samba singer. "We always sing samba, before a game and on our way to train. Music is always with Brazil," Robinho said.

Brazil hoping to end Zidane's career

2006-06-29T06:10:00.000-07:00

Brazil will try to finish off Zinedine Zidane's career without a hint of a flourish for the Frenchman.

Brazil meets France on Saturday in the World Cup quarterfinals, in what could be Zidane's last match if his team fails. Zidane has said he will retire from soccer at the end of this tournament.

"We know France is going to be a difficult opponent," Brazil striker Robinho said Wednesday. "But we hope Zidane will have to end his career against us."

The Brazilians still haven't forgotten what Zidane did to them in 1998 when France won its world title.The midfielder starred in the final against Brazil, scoring twice and leading the host to a 3-0 victory at Stade de France.

"I was really little, but it's a sad memory," said the 22-year-old Robinho, who now is Zidane's teammate at Spain's Real Madrid and calls him a friend. "I hope the story will be different this time."

Zidane helped France advance to the quarterfinals Tuesday by setting up the deciding goal and then scoring one of his own late in the team's 3-1 victory over Spain.

"I hope he makes his last World Cup match on Saturday," said Brazil's assistant coach Mario Zagallo, who in 1998 was Brazil's head man. "I don't know if it's going to be his last (career) match, but I hope it's his last match at this World Cup."

Zidane will soon end a 12-year international career which also saw him lead France to the 2000 European Championship. He was FIFA World Player of the Year three times. At the club level, he has won every major honor with Juventus and Real Madrid.

"He regained his form during this World Cup," said Brazil defender Cris, who plays for five-time French champion Lyon. "If you let him do his thing, he'll unbalance the game so we have to pay special attention to him. He is the most dangerous player."

Zidane retired from international soccer for the first time after France was eliminated by Greece at the 2004 European Championship. He decided to return in August 2005 in time for France's final four World Cup qualifiers.

Six current Brazilian players got to see Zidane up close in the 1998 World Cup: Ronaldo, Dida, Ze Roberto, Cafu, Roberto Carlos and Emerson.

Ronaldo, Cafu and Roberto Carlos started in the final in which Zidane ended Brazil's title hopes.

According to Robinho, Zidane has never belittled Brazil.

"He respects the Brazilian team," Robinho said. "(He) jokes sometimes, saying that Brazil is always winning the World Cup."

Although Brazil has been the most successful team in the tournament's history, it doesn't have a good record against France.

In addition to losing the 1998 final, Brazil was eliminated by France in the quarterfinals of the 1986 World Cup in Mexico, losing on penalty kicks after a 1-1 draw.

Brazil's only World Cup win over France came in 1958, when Pele scored a hat trick in a 5-2 victory in Sweden.

The teams played two other times since the 1998 final, with France winning 2-1 in the 2001 Confederations Cup in South Korea and then playing Brazil to a 0-0 draw in a 2004 friendly in Paris.

Brazil earned its spot in the quarterfinals by beating Ghana 3-0 behind goals by Ronaldo, Adriano and Ze Roberto.

World Cup Muses - Part III

2006-06-27T21:39:00.000-07:00

Well, you already know the drill... When there is a Brazilian game, the least you should expect is that the crowd will be very hot!!! Here are the pictures of the day:

ooops!

>> World Cup Muses - Part II
>> Brazil's Fans Embellish Sunday's Game
>> World Cup Muses - Part I

Brazil beat brave Ghana

2006-06-27T21:31:00.000-07:00

Ghana likes to think of itself as "the Brazil of African soccer."

On Tuesday, the Ghanaians were trumped by the real thing.

Ronaldo became the World Cup's all-time leading scorer, pacing Brazil to a 3-0 victory in Dortmund, Germany, and sending the reigning world champions to the quarter-finals.

Ronaldo scored in the fifth minute of the match Tuesday, beating goalkeeper Richard Kingson on a breakaway to collect his 15th career goal at the competition and pass Gerd Muller of West Germany on the all-time goal scorers' list.

Muller, nicknamed Der Bomber, scored 14 goals in 13 games for West Germany at the 1970 and 1974 World Cups.

"I want to continue to increase the record," Ronaldo said, "but without forgetting that the main goal in the World Cup is winning the title. We know that we are going to face more difficult rivals every time, and we have to be prepared for that."

Brazil has now won a record 11 straight games at the World Cup and has not lost since the 1998 final.

Ghana put forth a brave effort against the Brazilians, carrying the play for long stretches and creating several dangerous scoring chances, but it lacked finishing and a definitive scoring touch. Whenever Ghana, competing at its first World Cup, did fire a dangerous shot on net, it was repelled by the outstanding goalkeeping of Dida.

"We won the game, but the result doesn't show it was not an easy game at all," Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira said. "The first half they did well, they should have scored. They had chances."

Now, Brazil will face Frace, who won today's game against Spain. It will be a Brazilian opportunity for revenge from 1998's world cup final. GO BRAZIL!!!

Are you good playing Penalty?

2006-06-27T14:12:00.000-07:00

Once again, Madonna says "No" to Brazil

2006-06-26T21:05:00.000-07:00

After much antecipation, it has been announced today that Madonna will not be performing in Brazil (once again). It is sad, but true. If you are a hard fan, maybe consider the alternative of taking a plane to US and watch one of her shows...

Italia x Australia

2006-06-26T20:59:00.000-07:00

I found this charge on the web and it simply resumes my feeling after watching the game.

World Cup Muses - Part II

2006-06-24T20:33:00.000-07:00

More highlights of the muses that are making this World Cup a more interesting event to watch...

>> Brazil's Fans Embellish Sunday's Game
>> World Cup Muses - Part I

What are you Ghana do…

2006-06-23T14:21:00.000-07:00

…when they come for you?

Brazil advances to the round of 16 and faces Ghana next tuesday. Parreira says he hasn’t decided the team formation yet. Maybe he just wants it to remain secret so Ghana won’t be able to plan in advance, or maybe he was awestruck with the performance by most of the second squad yesterday and now has to reflect on the changes he’ll do. More on that on the near future.

In the meantime, Ghana is very much ready for Brazil and they aren’t afraid to win - Parreira admits they’ll be a tough opponent. Oddly enough, Ghana was the first team Parreira ever coached: in 1968, straight after getting his degree, Parreira went to Ghana to work as a coach for their national team. He was 25 at the time.

Brazil beat Japan 4-1 to top World Cup Group F

2006-06-22T19:49:00.000-07:00

Brazil finally impressed with a 4-1 superb victory at their last round robin match against Japan here on Thursday and further ensured a place in the last 16 of the World Cup after topping the Group F on 9 points with three wins from as many matches.

The five-time World Cup champions, having been sitting comfortably atop the group with their unspectacular 1-0 win over Croatia and a 2-0 victory over Australia, scored through double-scorer Ronaldo, Juninho Pernambucano and Gilberto to deny an earlier 1-0 lead by Japan, and substituted Kaka and Ronaldinho with 20 minutes remaining.

All-time leading scorer of Brazil Ronaldo thus became the joint highest scorer in World Cup finals history with 14 goals as he scored twice against Japan, alongside Gerd Mueller of Germany.

"Ronaldo has been playing for the good moment. He might not be playing today in the best physical condition, and I hope he'll perform much better and score more goals in next phase," said Brazil's coach Carlos Alberto Parreira.

"I'm very happy I've made such a significant improvement physically and technically during the competition," said Ronaldo.

"Patience is the key word. I managed to stay calm and patient in all the difficult moments," he added.

After Thursday's match, Brazil, who have made appearances in all the past 17 editions of the tournament and won it in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, 2002, extended a winning streak in the World Cup to ten victories.

They will next take Ghana in the first match of next round on Tuesday after the World Cup debutants from West Africa overcame the United States 2-1 earlier on the day to survive the Group E as the runners-up next to Italy.

Brazil's Fans Embellish Sunday's Game.

2006-06-18T14:00:00.000-07:00

Yes! Another difficult game but Brazil got the victory and the points to advance to the next phase. Huge support from its fans could been seen in the Munich Stadium. Here is a little bit of the vibe:

World Cup Fans Highlights

2006-06-17T20:36:00.000-07:00

During this World Cup, one thing is for sure: The show happens not only inside the field but also in the audience. Look at these soccer fans and make your own conclusions.

ooops, I guess it was very hot there...

Brazil - 2006 FIFA World Cup - The Official Guide

2006-06-15T20:29:00.000-07:00

The official guide about Brazilian World Cup history. GO BRAZIL!!!

Brazilian muses at the World Cup

2006-06-15T19:52:00.000-07:00

Another section of photos from the Brazilian muses collected around the stadiums in Germany. No wonder the Brazilian team has such great support for its fans.

Hey, there are not Brazilian!!!

Ronaldinho, is that you?

Swedish muses invade Germany

2006-06-15T19:44:00.000-07:00

They were not Brazilians but wore the yellow jersey and brought a festive atmosphere to the city. I just love the WorldCup... Go Sweden!

Ronaldo gives Brazil a scare

2006-06-15T14:51:00.000-07:00

Brazil striker Ronaldo has undergone medical examinations at a clinic in Frankfurt after complaining of headaches and dizziness.

The 29-year-old Real Madrid star, who suffered similar problems before the 1998 World Cup final against France in Paris, has been given the all-clear by medical staff.

Ronaldo was booed off the field after giving a disappointing display during Brazil's 1-0 Group F win over Croatia in Berlin on Tuesday night.

The Brazilian Football Federation's website said: "Ronaldo complained that he was feeling dizzy on Wednesday and was admitted to a medical clinic for a check-up and further examinations. No problems were found and Ronaldo has been passed fit to continue training."

Brazil boss Carlos Alberto Parreira has vowed to faith with Ronaldo for Sunday evening's clash with Australia and said: "Ronaldo has not been playing for the last two months and has had only two friendlies so it was natural he felt a bit heavy as it was very hot, but I'm sure he will improve as the tournament goes on.

"Ronaldo will start against Australia because he needs to gain pace, and he is a decisive player."

Brazil Fans Party hard on Germany

2006-06-13T15:03:00.000-07:00

Part of the fun of being a Brazilian is to enjoy each moment, specialy when it is the World Cup. Even during a very thought game, like this one against Croatia, Brazilians managed always to keep their good humor:

Kaka scores in Brazil's 1-0 victory over Croatia

2006-06-13T15:00:00.000-07:00

Brazil's quest for a sixth World Cup title is off to a raucous start.

Kaka delighted the Brazilian fans who have sambaed their way to Germany, scoring in the 44th minute, and the defending champions won a record eighth straight World Cup game, beating Croatia 1-0 on Tuesday night.

But the Croats gave the Brazilians more of a game than most expected. They had several chances in the second half, including a shot by Dado Prso in the 51st minute that went off goalkeeper Dida's hands.

And if captain Niko Kovac hadn't left with what appeared to be a rib injury just before halftime, the outcome might have been very different.

Croatia now plays Japan on Sunday, a game it needs to win after Australia's surprising victory on Monday. Brazil plays the Aussies on Sunday.

The Brazilians are soccer's royalty, and this game had all the feelings of a final. Flashbulbs were popping all night, and there was a Carnival atmosphere at Olympic Stadium.

A fan in a Croatia shirt even got on the field with less than 10 minutes to go, running around until Prso led him off.

And just as they usually do on soccer's biggest stage, Brazil came through when it needed to.

Dribbling up the right side in the 44th minute, Cafu spotted Kaka in the middle and made a perfect pass. Kaka collected it and was past Niko Krancjar with one quick tap of the ball.

It was the first World Cup goal for Kaka, voted best midfielder in the Champions League in 2005.

The top 10 reasons to love Brazil

2006-06-12T07:55:00.000-07:00

Great article from "The Sunday Times" (UK):

The top 10 reasons to love Brazil

1 Football fans
Supplemented by local members of the Brazilian diaspora, they appear in their thousands, are not over-troubled by gratuitous displays of near-nudity and often attract the eye of the world’s cameramen. Like Jade Goody, but for different reasons, they make everybody else feel good about themselves.

2 Kaka
Control yourselves, ladies, he is recently married. And if you were thinking of having a good time, remember too that Milan’s highly rated playmaker Ricardo Izecson dos Santos Leite is also an evangelical Christian. Still, ladies, the Good Lord has indeed provided him with a fine set of cheekbones and a come-hither smile. Even if it only means come hither to church.

3 Beach volleyball
To a Brazilian, it is the apotheosis of almost superhuman combat, combining teamwork, intense fitness, power and accuracy. Those who suggest it’s an opportunity for low-budget satellite TV stations to ogle the jiggling of bikini-clad, olive-skinned women miss the point entirely.

4 Ronaldinho
Ronaldinho looks like a rabbit and has its sexual stamina, too. Hence the testimony of lapdancer Lisa Collins, who bedded him and later gasped to The Sun: “By the eighth time that night I was exhausted.” Crikey.

5 Ronaldo
As Luke Chadwick would testify, being a footballer does not make you the most handsome millionaire on the block. Ronaldo Luiz Nazario da Lima is and always will be rather tubby. Yet his success as a (sort of) athlete has given succour to fellow tubbies the world over. Remarkably, he has apparently had sex, too.

6 Ayrton Senna
In 1994 Senna’s funeral was a state occasion and brought São Paolo to a standstill. That he was almost crazed in pursuit of speed, that his row with Alain Prost was one of the great feuds in sporting history and that he would (and perhaps did, the evidence is inconclusive) sell his own grandmother for a better place on the starting grid, means nothing.

7 Pele
Arguably the greatest footballer the world has ever seen, but certainly the proud possessor of the most mellifluous voice the world has ever heard. And everybody loves him, mainly because whichever country he’s visiting is the one he erroneously tips to be the next force in world football. Just don’t go into business with him — or mention his controversial stint as sports minister.

8 Mexico 1970
Pele. Tostao. Rivelino. Jairzinho. All of them in the same team at the same time. Truly, the planets had aligned during that memorable June. We shall not see their like again. We had not seen their like before. They even had a weak defence and a comedy goalkeeper, the far from feline Felix, to give the others a chance.

9 Rafael Scheidt
Crazy name, crazy guy. The then Celtic manager John Barnes purchased him for £4.8m after seeing a craftily edited video. The end came when Martin O’Neill apparently told him: “I like footballers who are not like you. Ones who play well.”

10 Milene Domingues
English football can offer Coleen and her shopping. The former model and former Mrs Ronaldo is an accomplished footballer in her own right. The green-eyed minx holds the world’s keepy-uppy record, managing to keep the ball up a mere 55,187 times. Beat that Posh Spice.

Brazil turns its attention to preparing against Croatia

2006-06-12T07:46:00.000-07:00

With its players in form and rested, Brazil is thinking exclusively about its debut against Croatia in Berlin on Tuesday.

Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira has already lectured his players about the opponents, and the team has been practising with Croatia's style of play in mind.

"He showed us a couple of videos and talked about how they will likely play against us," midfielder Kaka said. "We'll be talking about Croatia a lot until game time on Tuesday."

It will be Brazil's first match in its quest for a record sixth world title. The defending champion will then play Australia on Sunday in Munich and Japan on June 22 in Dortmund.

"We'll see even more things about Croatia," defender Juan said. "It's important to know what we are going to face."

Parreira had a meeting with players Friday night to discuss the opener and showed videos of Croatia's recent matches.

Until now, the team's preparation had been focused mostly on resting its players from the gruelling European season. Only three Brazilian players don't play for European clubs.

Brazil's physical trainer said Brazil is rested and will be in good condition for its debut.

"We made good use of our preparation," Moraci Sant'Anna said. "The team will not be 100 per cent, but it will be enough for a good start."

In the team's last training sessions, Parreira setup Brazil's reserves in a scheme he expects the Croats to use, with several players crowding the midfield to try to contain Brazil's offensive power.

"We are sure they will play defensively against us," Parreira said earlier in the week. "They are not going to come out attacking."

Supporters of Brazil wave their country's flag during the so-called "Fan Party" in front of Berlin's Brandenburger Gate 07 June 2006

Brazil's second-stringers beat the starters 3-0 in the practice Saturday afternoon, with two goals by Juninho and one by Fred, both Lyon players.

Brazil has sent observers to all of Croatia's warm-up matches, including the 2-1 loss to Spain last Wednesday. He warned his team not to read too much into that game, in which Croatia made several substitutions.

Parreira has long announced Brazil's starting lineup, which includes the "magic quartet" with Kaka, Ronaldinho, Ronaldo and Adriano on attack. The coach said he's focusing on preparing the team mentally, and only fine-tuning the squad.

Parreira has been constantly saying he expects a tough opener against the Croats, which finished third in the 1998 World Cup in France.

"It's crucial we get to a good start," Parreira said. "We need to gain confidence for the rest of the tournament."

The Croats are not too optimistic with their chances.

"We will try to win, but it is no tragedy if we lose against a team everybody is touting as perhaps the best Brazilian team ever," Croatia coach Zlatko Kranjcar told a press conference Saturday.

Brazil and Croatia drew the only two times they played, including 1-1 in a friendly last August.

Brazil has been training in the small town of Koenigstein, outside Frankfurt, where it's based for the group stage.

Brazilians united by common passion

2006-06-08T20:05:00.000-07:00

CNN - Every Brazilian football fan dreams of the day he will see his country playing in the World Cup.

But although only a privileged few will ever get to actually watch the team playing its "beautiful game," back home more then 170 million hearts will beat together when the ball starts rolling.

Famous for its carnival "party spirit," the World Cup is one of the events that best captures the Brazilian way of life.

Proud of having so many of the world's best players gathered together in the same team, the whole country dresses in yellow and green in support of the world champions.

Flags, balls and lights decorate streets, shops and cars while houses, buildings and walls become the canvas for artists who paint themes inspired by the tournament. Even the pavements and roads are painted.

You can see a bit of everything: the Brazilian flag, the players, a Ronaldinho bicycle kick, and the cherished trophy. The most important thing is to express the collective national passion with different colors and shapes.

This practice has become so normal that streets now compete to win the title of "Rua Show de Bola," awarded to the best decorated neighborhood, with local councils providing paint and brushes, flags and posters.

To be in Brazil during the World Cup is a unique and unforgettable experience. Whether you are black, white, rich or poor, everyone feels the same excitement when the referee blows the whistle to start the game.

That's why, when Brazil play, the day effectively becomes a national holiday. Friends and families get together, there are no classes at school and businesses allow their employees to go home early.

Rosinha Garotinho, governor for Rio de Janeiro state, recently decreed that public departments must finish their activities by 1 p.m. on June 13 and June 22 -- the dates when Brazil play Croatia and Japan.

Even food and drink is carefully prepared ahead of each match, with barbecued meat, beer and caipirinhas being the menu of choice.

From the moment the ball is kicked off you can shout, cry, curse the referee and even pray to the saint you carry on your necklace. A quick look out the window and the town is dead: no noise, nobody on the streets and no traffic.

But the silence doesn't last too long. After the first goal, the town wakes up, coming to life with shouts of "Goooooooool" from all sides.

Small pieces of papers fly everywhere, while fireworks complete the explosion of happiness. And that's not all. By the end of the game, crowds gather in the squares, the streets are closed to allow a victory celebration with plenty of samba and other Brazilian rhythms.

That's why Brazilians say that every four years they have two carnivals: one in February and the other one in June.

Arriving as favorites once again, Brazilians everywhere hope to confirm their country's sporting supremacy and celebrate the collective joy that football brings.

Ronaldo's girlfriend, Raica Oliveira, broke hearts around the world

2006-06-08T20:01:00.000-07:00

Raica Oliveira, the model girlfriend of Brazilian soccer star Ronaldo, says that she will never pose nude during Fashion Week in Rio. And people wonder why the sport can never quite catch on in America.

Simple Minds and Pelé delight crowds in Berlin

2006-06-08T19:56:00.000-07:00

Boasting international stars and a laser show, Berlin staged a big party at the Brandenburg Gate on Wednesday for thousands of fans to get in the mood for the World Cup.

Thousands of people thronged the historic Brandenburg Gate in downtown Berlin, a symbol of the city's Cold War division, on Wednesday evening to soak in the mounting excitement gripping the city as the clock ticks down to the soccer World Cup 2006.

Fans were in a good mood all aroundBildunterschrift: Großansicht des Bildes mit der Bildunterschrift: Fans were in a good mood all around

Foreign fans from Brazil, Paraguay, Poland, Ecuador, Netherlands and Switzerland, many in colorful costumes, joined thousands of German revelers sporting red, black and yellow hats, outlandish wigs and other whacky fan paraphernalia to sway to an international music line-up and see some soccer legends in the flesh.

British rock group Simple Minds kicked off the concert for the official Berlin fan party to welcome visitors to the month-long event, which begins on Friday when host Germany take on Costa Rica in Munich.

Portuguese pop singer Nelly Furtado, British group Right Said Fred and Italian singers Gianna Nannini and Andrea Bocelli also entertained the around 100,000-strong crowd.

Sporting celebrities, including Brazilian soccer legend Pele and former British soccer World Cup champion Bobby Charlton, were enthusiastically cheered by the fans.

"It's God's gift that I'm still so popular and famous even though I haven't stood on the pitch for 25 years," Pele said.

The party closed with a soccer film by German director Sönke Wortmann, who won acclaim with his 2003 film "The Miracle of Bern," fireworks and a laser show.

World Cup Toilet?

2006-06-06T08:31:00.000-07:00

Do you think brazilians are crazy about soccer? Well, think again... This toilet was found in a gasoline station in Poland, apparently it gives drivers a chance to practice their skills while at restroom. This idea would be a blockbuster in Brazil.

Brazil left a good impression and good memories in Weggis

2006-06-06T07:18:00.000-07:00

It was great to have them here

WEGGIS (Switzerland): Around 7,000 fans gathered to bid farewell to Brazil's football stars on Saturday, with life in the small Swiss town that hosted the team's pre-World Cup preparation gradually getting back to normal.

People dressed in yellow-and-green packed the 5,000-seat arena — and nearby hills — to watch Brazil's last training session in the lakeside resort town here.

Brazilian fans and local residents danced and chanted, as the players practiced ahead of their warm-up against New Zealand in Geneva. Brazil will then head to Germany to defend its World Cup title.

``It was just great to have them here,'' 16-year-old Larissa Hegglin said. ``Everything changed around here just because of them.''

Transformed

Weggis, located by Lake Lucerne and the Swiss Alps, transformed itself to welcome the Brazilian national team — and the more than 10,000 people who flocked to town each day just to be near the players.

Brazil flags were nearly everywhere, and Portuguese was heard on the streets just as often as the usual German.

``I sill can't believe they were here,'' said 17-year-old Jana Radi. ``We were so lucky.''

Weggis officials estimated the town's financial return ranged from $3.8 million to $8.2 million.

``What is important is that Weggis has become a famous spot for soccer teams,'' town official Josef Odermatt said, adding that French league champion Lyon had already reached a deal to stay in town for its pre-season training in July.

The Brazilian Soccer Confederation reportedly received $1.5 million to have its team prepare in the central Swiss town.

The Brazilian delegation left town a couple of hours after the team's last practice session and some of the nearly 800 journalists covering the five-time world champion had also left. Some of the temporary food shops near the arena — built exclusively for the Brazilians — were closing too.

Brazilian music — usually the samba — could still be heard, but not as loudly as in the past 13 days.

Tickets sold out

All 45,000 tickets put on sale for Brazil's training sessions — which began on May 24 — were sold out despite a price of $18 each.

At one point, additional security guards had to be called after five fans invaded one of the team's practice sessions. One of them, a Brazilian woman, was able to get a hug from star player Ronaldinho.

The Brazilian players gathered midfield to applaud the fans. ``It was all very, very nice,'' Brazil defender Roberto Carlos said. ``Everyone was very happy.''

Home to about 4,000 people, Weggis was chosen as Brazil's training site after many offers from around the world, including from locations in France and the United Arab Emirates.

Brazil will play its World Cup opener against Croatia on June 13. It will then face Australia and Japan.

``We are all off to Germany now,'' the 26-year-old Brazil fan Guilherme Fonseca said.

25,000 expected at Brazil session

2006-06-06T06:18:00.000-07:00

The first public appearance by the world champions on German soil in Offenbach next Thursday is sure to have a carnival atmosphere.

The 2006 FIFA World Cup OC is expecting a capacity crowd for the much anticipated training session which kicks off at 4.45 p.m.

Preparations are already well underway for dealing with these unprecedented numbers. The capacity of the time-honoured arena of the Offenbacher Kickers has been set at 25,000.

"Our approach to organising this training session will be just the same as for a sell-out Bundesliga fixture," lained Helmut Sandrock, head of the Tournament Organisation department of the OC, after visiting the stadium on Whit Sunday with representatives of the police, the Kickers club and the private security firm hired by the OC.

Entry is free but fans will need a ticket to get their samba soccer fix.

Several booths will open on Tuesday 6 June and possibly also on Wednesday at the Kickers‘ Bieberer Berg ticket office for the distribution of tickets to see Ronaldinho and Co. in the flesh.

The limit will be set at four tickets per person, and the stadium will open at 1.45 p.m, some three hours before the scheduled start of training to ensure that no-one misses out on the action.

400 security personnel will be on hand to safeguard Carlos Parreira’s men.

Brazil 4-0 New Zealand - ready for World Cup

2006-06-05T07:44:00.000-07:00

Brazil convincingly won their only international World Cup warm-up match against New Zealand in Geneva.

Real Madrid striker Ronaldo struck just before the break to set the world champions on their way against inexperienced opponents in Switzerland.

And the gap in class told in the second half as the All Whites fell away.

Inter Milan striker Adriano doubled the advantage on 51 minutes before AC Milan playmaker Kaka and Juninho Pernambucano of Lyon added late goals.

"The team played well and dominated New Zealand physically in the second half," said coach Carlos Alberto Parreira.

"But we will need to be better than that at the World Cup. We have things to improve including the ball out of defence and the co-ordination of the four men up front."

Parreira started with his first-choice team and they came close to opening the scoring after just three minutes, but keeper Glen Moss tipped a vicious Roberto Carlos shot wide.

Brazil took time to find their rhythm before creating a flurry of chances that culminated with Ronaldo opening the scoring.

Cafu had a shot blocked by Moss and then fired over after Kaka escaped down the left and sent a pass across the area.

Moss also denied Adriano after Ronaldo and Ze Roberto combined to slice through the New Zealand defence. Kaka then shot wide from the edge of the area.

Ronaldo missed an easy chance when he headed over unmarked after being picked out by Cafu but atoned by opening the scoring from close range after Kaka slipped past two markers.

Ronaldo, playing his 99th match for Brazil, almost added a second minutes later with Kaka again the provider, but his flicked shot past Moss hit the woodwork.

Adriano rifled in the second from the edge of the box and Kaka scored on the break in the 85th minute before substitute Juninho slotted home in injury time.

Moments before the fourth and final goal defender Lucio's powerful header from Robinho's cross-cum-shot was ruled out for offside.

New Zealand's only real chances fell to Hibernian's Chris Killen in the first half and striker Vaughan Coveny, who saw his shot blocked by Lucio when New Zealand were still only a goal down.

It was the fourth match of a European tour for coach Ricki Herbert's team and followed a loss to Hungary, a draw against Estonia and victory over Georgia.

World Cup Muses - Part I

2006-06-02T21:46:00.000-07:00

Don't like soccer? Not interested in the World Cup? Well at least there is something that should be interesting... Which team would you pick to win this competition?

Paula de Mora

Maria Lovrich

Cellina Racchi

Alejandra Suarez

Maria Gimenez

Belen Cini

Jenny Willians

Paula Tavella

More muses on Gata da Copa

Survey: Brazil will win WC

2006-06-02T14:27:00.000-07:00

Berlin - A majority of Germans see Brazil winning the World Cup, but only one in 10 think the host nation will do it.

A survey compiled for the main ARD television network showed 54% of those questioned favouring the South Americans to defend their title.

A total of 10% thought Germany would win, while 4% fancied Italy and another 4% Argentina. A total of 21% thought Germany would reach the final, while 14% saw them failing to make it past the group stage.

The survey also showed that 93% were happy with the security arrangements for the tournament, which kicks off on June 9 with the host country playing Costa Rica in Munich.

WALES: The boy from Brazil

2006-06-01T06:49:00.000-07:00

A SPOOF football ad shot by a North Wales student on his university campus has proved a cult internet hit.

Gripped by World Cup fever, Greg Snow and his mates made a film inspired by a Nike commercial showcasing the breathtaking skills of a galaxy of Brazilian stars.

The original advert saw the boys from Brazil - including Ronaldo, Roberto Carlos and Ronaldinho - display an array of tricks and flicks in an airport departure lounge and dressing room.

Greg, 18, from Llanaber, near Barmouth, and his three pals used Manchester Metropolitan University's campus as a backdrop for their own tongue-in-cheek copycat production.

And they even set up an Internet website - www.montyfootball.com - which has attracted a staggering 250,000 hits.

The students boot their ball along corridors in their hall of residence, juggle it through canteens and trap it up trees. Even the halls' toilets feature as the lads head the ball over cubicle walls.

The five-minute film was made over three days using a digital camera.

At one point the ball helps pot a black on a pool table as it whizzes around. A student is also seen juggling the ball on his bottom.

Greg, a first-year product design and technology student and Blackburn Rovers fan, last night said he was amazed by the reaction.

He said: "We were just sitting around revising and the ad came on. We all play football for our hall of residence and thought it would be a bit of a laugh to do our own."

Nike's latest dressing room ad is part of Eric Cantona's Joga Bonito campaign to encourage people all over the world to "play beautiful" football.

The students dubbed their offering " Joga Bonito- Mancunian style" and hope their cult status could see them starring in a real Nike ad.

Greg said: "We love the Nike ads and some of us are quite skilful. We had a lot of fun trying out the tricks. My favourite was juggling the ball on and off the DJ's turntable without the music jumping.

"It's unbelievable how popular this video has become. We only put it on the internet because the file size was too big to email to our mates. We have had messages from all over the world, including Brazil.

"We haven't heard from Nike yet. We are hoping they might want to use us in an ad. We would be cheaper than Ronaldo."

A university spokesman said: "The students' video is highly creative and a good advert for the fun you can have coming to university."

Here is the video:

Knee injury rules Edmilson out of World Cup

2006-05-31T10:49:00.000-07:00

Brazil midfielder Edmilson has been ruled out of the World Cup. The 29-year-old Barcelona utility man, who can also operate in the centre of defence, suffered a knee injury in training on Monday in Switzerland but he was only pulled out of the squad by the defending champions today following the results of an MRI scan.

A statement on the website of the Brazilian Football Federation (CBF) said: 'After a meeting between the coaching staff, the team captain Cafu and Edmilson at the Thermoplan Stadium, Edmilson was told he has been removed from the Brazilian squad that will play in the World Cup on Germany.'

Edmilson will be replaced by Sao Paulo midfielder Mineiro.

Brazil crush Swiss local Lucerna side 8-0

2006-05-31T10:40:00.000-07:00

Once again Brazil got plenty of practice in front of the goal after coach Carlos Alberto Parreira stuck to his preparation of playing small teams.

Brazil played against Lucerne, a local Swiss side, and fielded a strong side as they ran out 8-0 winners.

Kaka, Adriano 2, Ronaldo 2, Lucio, Juninho Pernambucano and Robinho all got on the score sheet as Brazil ran out comfortable winners.

Friendlies so far:
Sun 28 May: Brazil 13-1 Fluminense
Wed 31 May: Brazil 8-0 Lucerne

Next game will be Sunday (4th June), against New Zealand. Below some pictures from the game:

Fans flock to watch Brazil

2006-05-28T11:11:00.000-07:00

Weggis, Switzerland -- Fans have been hiking to higher ground in the hopes of catching a glimpse of Brazil's soccer stars as they prepare for the World Cup.

With all 45,000 tickets sold for Brazil's training sessions in the small lakeside resort town, those left out are doing whatever it takes to peek over the stadium fence. A hill overlooking the 5,000-seat arena built for Brazil has attracted many fans, despite the mud and rain.

"It's kind of far from the field, but at least we can see the players," said Daniela Aschwanden, one of nearly 200 people on the hill watching Brazil practice yesterday. "It's great. I can't complain, even with all this mud."

Others tried to get a closer look, climbing onto parked cars and even bicycles to look over the stadium fences.

Stadium tickets sold out, despite costing $18 (U.S.) each. Organizers said as many as 10,000 people a day have been flocking to Weggis, a town of only about 4,000 citizens.

On Tuesday, Brazil's coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira, threatened to bar the public from training sessions if the hysteria surrounding the national team began interferring with his preparations. The team has even chosen a secret training site in case things get out of hand.

Hughes defeats veteran Gracie during UFC 60

2006-05-28T10:58:00.000-07:00

Welterweight champion Matt Hughes dominated UFC Hall of Famer Royce Gracie to win a non-title mixed martial arts fight in short order Saturday night.

The bout was halted at 4:39 of the first round with Hughes on the back of a prone, face-down Gracie dealing more than 15 unanswered blows to the head of Gracie.

Hughes had earlier almost submitted Gracie, twisting the Brazilian's arm into a painful armbar hold. Gracie offered little offence during the bout and was on the defensive throughout.

"Of course I'm disappointed but he is the welterweight champion," Gracie said.

"I've got a couple more in me," he said when asked if he would keep fighting. "Let me go home and heal this up. I'll be back. I'll be back."

The main event of UFC 60: Hughes vs. Gracie at the Staples Center pitted one of mixed martial arts' legends against one of its most dominant champions.

Royce Gracie is a 39-year-old submission artist who won the first Ultimate Fighting Championship event in 1993 and last fought in the Octagon ring in 1995. Gracie, who retired from active competition from 1995 to 2000, exited the 175-pound bout with a 13-3-3 record.

In recent years, Gracie has averaged one fight a year, mostly on the K-1 circuit in Japan. The Brazilian, who now calls California home, was out of active competition from 1995 to 2000 and since then has fought six times to 30 for Hughes.

World Cup Animated Screensavers at PopularScreensavers

2006-05-26T10:56:00.000-07:00

Found this site that offers free World Cup screensavers for the 32 teams. Needless to say that the Brazil theme is one of my favorite ones... :-)

>> PopularScreensavers

Ronaldinho is "attacked" by fan during practice

2006-05-26T10:49:00.000-07:00

A Brazilian woman ran onto the pitch and hugged striker Ronaldinho as the world champions finished a training session, watched by around 5 000 fans, in Weggis on Friday.

At least four other fans followed her onto the field, raising worries about security and underlining the concerns about the carnival-like atmosphere which has been created around the world champions in the small Swiss village.

Brazil's players had finished an attack-versus-defence practice and were doing stretching exercises on the ground when the incidents happened.

The blonde-haired woman jumped the fence around the field and appeared to land a kiss on the World Player of the Year Brazil striker Robinho jokingly threw a mattress over the pair.

Ronaldinho appeared to take it as a joke and even waved goodbye to the woman as she was led away.

A security official said that five people were arrested and taken away by police for questioning. He said that one appeared to be drunk and bit a policeman.

Brazil have been in Weggis since Monday to prepare for the World Cup finals where they face Croatia, Australia and Japan in their first-round group.

But instead of peace and quiet, their training sessions have been watched by around 5 000 people a day in a purpose built arena where the crowd is less than two metres from the pitch.

Practices have also been televised live in Brazil and scrutinised by around 800 journalists.

Coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, who initially said that training would be closed off if the crowd became too boisterous, said on Thursday the players enjoyed the carnival atmosphere.

Check out the photos of the incident:

First set of photos from the Brazilian Soccer Team in Swiss

2006-05-24T21:22:00.000-07:00

Now the focus is 100% to the World Cup! The Brazilian Team has been training hard in Switzerland for its first game against Croacia, and here you can check the first set of photos of their practice:

Swiss Samba - Brazilian culture invades Switzerland pre World Cup

2006-05-24T14:00:00.000-07:00

WEGGIS, Switzerland - Scantily clad Samba dancers and drummers took over the usually serene streets of this small lakeside Swiss village yesterday as the resort town hosting Brazil's World Cup preparations was jolted by an unprecedented Brazilian Carnival.

Local residents mingled with Brazilian fans for a street parade following Weggis's inauguration of a 5,000-seat arena built to accommodate the Brazilian national team.

"This is just fantastic, you wouldn't see anything like this in Switzerland if it weren't for the Brazilians," said 42-year-old Rolf Leeb, a resident of nearby Lucerne who said he extended his vacation just so he could see the Brazilians.

Globo will transmit all 64 world cup games online

2006-05-23T15:08:00.000-07:00

The Globo media group has reached an exclusive agreement with FIFA to broadcast all 64 games of the 2006 World Cup live over the Internet, a Globo executive said Monday.

Frederico Monteiro, marketing director for the Globo.com Web site, said Globo was the only group in Brazil -- and perhaps the world -- that will transmit every game live from Germany over the Internet using video streaming.

"It's the biggest event in the history of the Internet in Brazil," said Monteiro, adding that initial studies suggest as many as 100,000 people could tune in for the games.

Monteiro declined to disclose the cost of the deal except to say it was a "very large sum."

The entire tournament will be available to subscribers for a one-time fee ranging from 7.90 reals (US$3.43; euro2.69) to 14.90 reals (US$6.40; euro5.02), depending on the user's Internet connection speed.

Ninety-five percent of Brazil's 185 million people have access to television, while only about 35 to 40 million Brazilians have access to the Internet.

Monteiro said that because of the time difference between Brazil and Germany, most of the games would take place during working hours in South America, when many people could tune in via computer.

Companies in Brazil traditionally give workers time off to watch the national team in the World Cup, and Monteiro said businesses probably wouldn't object if workers watched soccer during business hours.

"This is Brazil. The boss will probably be watching, too," he said.

>> Globo

Brazil's soccer team leaves for Switzerland for World Cup preparation

2006-05-21T21:37:00.000-07:00

RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil (AP) - Brazil's national soccer team prepared to leave for Switzerland on Sunday to begin its quest for a record sixth World Cup title.

Defending champions Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, Roberto Carlos and 11 other players were to leave late Sunday from Rio's Antonio Carlos Jobim International Airport, arriving Monday in Zurich, the Brazilian Soccer Confederation said.

Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira, co-ordinator Mario Zagallo and the team's medical and training staff will travel with the team.

Eight team members that play for European clubs will report to the squad directly in Switzerland, the CBF said. They include Cafu, Dida, Edmilson, Fred, Gilberto Silva, Lucio, Kaka and Ze Roberto.

Juninho, who plays for Lyon in France, will fly to Switzerland from his home state of Pernambuco, in northeastern Brazil.

The team will train until June 4 in Weggis, a serene resort town of 3,000 people by Lake Lucerne, in the shadow of the Swiss Alps.

The World Cup starts on June 9 in Germany, when Brazil will seek an unprecedented sixth title. Brazil won the title in 1958, '62, '70, '94 and 2002.

Brazilian Squad defined for World Cup

2006-05-15T07:41:00.000-07:00

Now it is official! Here is the list of the 23 Brazilian players for the World Cup:

Adriano (Internazional)
Cafu (Milan)
Cicinho (Real Madri)
Cris (Lyon)
Dida (Milan)
Edmilson (Barcelona)
Emerson (Juventus)
Fred (Lyon)
Gilberto (Hertha Berlim)
Gilberto Silva (Arsenal)
Juan (Bayern Leverkusen)
Juninho Pernambucano (Lyon)
Júlio César (Internazionale)
Kaká (Milan)
Lúcio (Bayern Munique)
Luisão (Benfica)
Ricardinho (Corinthians)
Roberto Carlos (Real Madri)
Robinho (Real Madri)
Rogério Ceni (São Paulo)
Ronaldinho Gaúcho (Barcelona)
Ronaldo (Real Madri)
Zé Roberto (Bayern Munique)

Skol Beats 2006 Pictures

2006-05-14T16:14:00.000-07:00

These days Brazilian youth don't just shake it to samba and capoeira. For the last few years, electronic four-on-the-floor has been making headway in the world's hardest partying nation and the Skol Beats Festival is now one of the highlights of the nation's dance music calendar. Spread over seven main stages, 59 thousand people danced and had fun to over ninety house, techno, trance, electro, breaks and drum 'n' bass artists.

After 20 hours of happiness, here are some pics of the party:

Main Stage

Prodigy

+50000 enjoyed they party

DJ Marky, reference for his brazilian DnB

Check out sites:
>> UOL Musica
>> !ObaOba
>> Rraurl

Brazil soccer manager says World Cup roster complete

2006-05-14T16:06:00.000-07:00

Brazil's soccer manager Carlos Alberto Parreira said on Friday that he has drawn up the list of 23 players for the World Cup in Germany in June, but said he would not publish it until Monday.

At a launch for his book -- Training Winning Teams, Parreira said: "I have no doubts, I only need to consider a couple of things before Monday."

He added that there would be no surprises on the list. "Everyone knows who the finalists are, and that is a good thing, because the team is the fruit of three years' work."

When asked if being favorite to win was a bad thing for Brazil, he replied: "That favoritism began oversea, not in Brazil. And that story is one repeated by our rivals. Brazil will have to humble if it wants to win the World Cup."

Manuela Saadeh at Bella da Semana

2006-05-04T21:01:00.000-07:00

She is from Rio, has 27 years old, and loves the ipanema beach. Her favorite food is japonese and italian, and her favorite part of body is her breasts. Any doubt about it?

Here are some photos extracted from Bella da Semana:

Maria Rita carries the torch for Brazilian music

2006-05-03T13:31:00.000-07:00

As eerily similar as Maria Rita’s voice is to her late mother’s, Elis Regina, Rita has also managed to find her own style, singing pop-flavored play lists with a jazzy feel, backed simply by piano, acoustic bass and drums. On her self-titled debut album, she connected with audiences by making hits out of the Rita Lee-penned “Pagu” and the blues-tinged “Nao Vale A Pena” (It’s Not Worth It), and earned two 2004 Latin Grammy Awards for Best New Vocalist and Best Brazilian Album.

On Segundo, her sophomore album, she covers O Rappa’s anti-conformist “Minha Alma” (My Soul), giving an acoustic feel to what was originally an electric, hip-hop-inflected tune. The amusing, up-tempo “Feliz” (Happy) allows the singer and her band to take themselves less seriously, while on “Conta Outra” (Tell Me Another Story), Rita seamlessly inserts funk elements into a straight samba song.

This is her first proper U.S. tour—previous appearances were delayed when she became a first-time mom—and fans have been eagerly awaiting Rita’s live performance since sampling her flavorful style on her live DVD.

What: Maria Rita concert
When: May 5
Where: Irving Plaza, 17 Irving Pl. (at 15th St.), 212-777-6800; New York
How Much: $ 23-37

Maradonna to wear Brazilian jersey - Part II

2006-05-01T14:08:00.000-07:00

I commented in another post about this brazilian commercial for Guarana. It seems that Maradonna is doing anything to get extra bucks...