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Barack Obama? That's My Name, Says Six Brazilian Politicians

CitizenSugar — Wed, 17 Sep 2008 14:30:03 -0700

Remember when using Barack Obama's middle name was a big deal? Yeah, vaguely right? Well it seems like his moniker has become less of a slight and more of selling point, at least for six politicians in Brazil, all of whom have changed their names to "Barack Obama." It's not just a tribute, but a sneaky election tactic.

Brazilians have embraced the candidate enthusiastically in a country with a large population of African descendants and a corresponding minority of space in government. It's thought that by adopting the name of the Democratic candidate, the politicians will have a better chance of being elected. A quirk of Brazilian election law allows candidates to run under the name of their choice, so Obama seems a likely pick.

To see the story of one such name-switcher,

Photos on Impoverished Houses Show Women Are Heroes

LibertySugar — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 03:00:56 -0700

The Morro da Providencia favela is one of Rio de Janeiro's most violent neighborhoods. A French photographer named JR went to the Brazilian neighborhood to take pictures of women related to the victims of violent clashes between police and drug traffickers. He then placed the pictures on the facades of the houses as part of his global project called "Women Are Heroes." By shooting women in their daily lives and posting them on the walls of their country, he hopes to reveal female dignity.

JR has brought his project to Sudan, Sierra Leon, Kenya, and Liberia, and will soon visit India, Cambodia, Laos, and Morocco. Through his work, he believes the story of these women will travel around the world. He says, "We went to see women who had struggle in their lives. When you hear the story you're like woah, maybe the person is dead inside. But then when you ask her to do faces, then you can see life."

To see a starkly realistic video trailer for the project,

Uncontacted Human Tribe Sighted in Amazon

LibertySugar — Fri, 30 May 2008 14:30:31 -0700

Anthropologists have discovered an "uncontacted tribe" living in Brazil deep within the Amazon. Aerial photos show red-painted people, living in huts, and ready to defend themselves with bows and arrows. If you think you're out of touch with world events, think again.

This situation blows my mind. To think that there is an independent human society living on this planet, with no knowledge of the dramas, histories, religions, languages, cities, wars, and everything else that makes up the rest of us, is almost unfathomable.

Despite the wealth of information this tribe could provide the outside world, experts warn against contact. Modern outsiders, including loggers, miners, and cattle ranchers, will kill these people for their land — a typical historical narrative. If not killed by violence, members of previously contacted tribes have died from common diseases.

Does this story amaze you as much as it amazes me? Will we be able to quell our fascination enough to leave these people alone and save their lives? How do we know we're not an uncontacted society?

Technology Being Used to Fight Street and Web Crime

LibertySugar — Wed, 16 Apr 2008 09:00:11 -0700

Ever wish your laptop could do more than just order you up a pair of shoes? How about using it to fight crime? Victims of crimes in Brazil can now log onto Wikicrimes and pinpoint the exact intersection of the criminal attack. Created by a Brazilian professor, the site asks contributors to provide details such as whether the perpetrator was armed or whether a third party can confirm the incident.

The unavailability of police data in Brazil has prompted the public to warn others by amplifying the power of word of mouth with the internet. To see how Google aims to stop sexual predators,

Dengue Outbreak, Doctor Shortage Plaguing Brazil

LibertySugar — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 15:00:27 -0700

A medical crisis is erupting in South America. A dengue fever outbreak in Brazil has infected 55,000 people, and killed 67 Brazilians so far this year. Half of those killed by the mosquito-borne illness are under 13-years-old. Victims experience harsh symptoms including, high fever, headaches, joint pain, eye pain, nausea, vomiting, and a rash.

Unfortunately there are not enough doctors to tackle the outbreak. Patients must wait at hospitals for as long as 28 hours. People from the rural areas are flooding the municipal hospitals. Eighty new cases are being diagnosed every hour. The Brazilian military intervened, building three field hospitals trying to address the demand. The situation is so drastic that the governor of Rio de Janeiro may ask Cuba to send doctors.

This is a huge humanitarian crisis! The more time it takes for those infected to get treatment, the more likely the infection will become fatal. If you haven't heard about it yet, are you surprised?
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