LETTERS

LETTERS

The first cases of AIDS in Brazil were diagnosed in São Paulo and
Rio de Janeiro in 1983. Today the country has one of the highest numbers of AIDS cases in
the world and more than twice as many AIDS cases than any other South American country.
Today there is an increasing number of women, adolescents, and people with a low income,
low level of education becoming infected with HIV. One way of reaching out is through
community-based HIV prevention programs and the distribution of condoms.
By Brazzil Magazine

I only have one question to make: Why do you make Brazil look soooo disgusting?!? All
the women are always naked and the songs are always the worst. You should be ashamed of
putting these kinds of things in your magazine as if the US didn’t have these things. I
guess you haven’t been watching the Jerry Springer show lately!

Via Internet
Xalinca@aol.com

What About
the Kids?

I am very concerned for the safety, health, education, civil rights, housing, and
nutrition of street children in Brazil, Honduras, Guatemala, and Nicaragua. I would like
more current information about them and how we all can help. The economic crisis in Brazil
may place street children in further peril. I am a member of Amnesty International and a
contributor to Covenant House. Please, send me information on the Brazil Project of the
International Child Resource Institute (ICRI) in Berkeley, CA. Apathy and feelings of
hopelessness and powerlessness in the face of human suffering and persecution are truly
deadly forces in this world! I am also very concerned for gay street children.

Richard E. Shannahan, Jr.
Lutherville, Maryland

Tops

I owe Bruce Gilman the best interview of my life. ("Persistence of Vision,"
December 1998, on Kuarup record company). I got the magazine and I was very pleased with
the result. Thank you very much for the treatment given to the copy. Perfect.

Mário de Aratanha
Kuarup founder and owner
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Grateful
Memories

I enjoyed very much reading Kirsten Weinoldt article about bossa nova. I
remember being young when it all started. Mother did not like it and called it "bosta
nova." She preferred our Gaúcho music anyway. Thanks for printing the
lyrics of the main songs. They are so innocent, especially when compared to the garbage
they write today. I wonder why the lyrics in English are so different and in many cases
not so pretty. A very well done article indeed. Thanks, Kirsten! I enjoyed her article on
Vovô also.

Geoniora G. Oliveira
Fountain Valley, California

Kudos
for Ilê

I just saw Kirsten Weinoldt’s Ilê Aiyê article in Brazzil magazine and wanted
to say I really liked it. And it’s nice to see them getting coverage in English. I added a
link to the piece on the "Brazilian Artists" page in the MPB Zone web site.

Chris McGowan
Los Angeles, California

Delighted
Carioca

I am a native Carioca living in Los Angeles for 18½ years. I have just read
John Miller’s article "How to Become a Carioca" and must say am delighted
with his impressions of Rio. I found them to be very truthful, with a great sense of
humor. He seems to have captured the essence of Rio with a light and curious approach
rather than critical. Perhaps because he knows this is a temporary situation? I sure no
longer have the same kind of patience when I visit. Please let me know if he has other
articles on Brazil and how I can access them, will you?

Teresa Kratzer
Tarzana, California

Amused
Carioca

I’m 17 years old and I live in São Conrado, Rio de Janeiro. I was searching for some
information about Brazilian politics in English for my American friend. And fortunately, I
found John Miller’s nice and funny article on Rio. Most of the foreigners here seem to be
scared about the city. But he can make those usual facts from our city be something fun to
read. Rio has so many problems, but when I go to the beach, or talk to my Carioca
friends, it feels like I’m in paradise. It’s a paradox.

André Arruda
Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Cheers

I’m an American living in Las Vegas. I’m visiting an old girlfriend in Rio in June for
three weeks. I just wanted to tell how much I enjoyed John Miller’s article on Rio,
especially about the caipirinha. I used to hang out with Meli (my girlfriend) and
other Brazilians when I lived in Philadelphia with her. They love to drink!

Eric Hoffman
Las Vegas, Nevada

No Pics,
Please

I really like your magazine. I spent a couple of years living in Rio Grande do Sul and
appreciate the opportunity to keep up on what’s going on in Brazil. I get your magazine
through Pointcast at work. My only complaint is the Rapidinhas section. Standards of
pornography are more strict in the USA, and that section often contains pictures
containing nudity. I realize that in Brazil it’s no problem, but my employer here would
have a big problem with it. I would prefer to see that section appear without photos, at
least on the Pointcast version. Thanks again for the news and information you provide.

John Green
Salt Lake City, Utah

Fact or
Fiction?

I have read of a woman of Bahia named Mãe Zeferina in the early 1800s who supposedly
led a Yoruba community in a slave revolt. I have not been able to find anymore information
on her and am beginning to believe that she was simply made up. Would anyone happen to
know anything about this individual? I am seeking to conduct research on Caribbean and
Brazilian Female Freedom Fighters who either led slave revolts or liberation raids on
plantations. Any assistance would be much appreciated.

Djehuti Sundaka
ahuguley@ix.netcom.com

Food for
Film

I hope you don’t mind me contacting you out of the blue. I am based in Paris, France
and I am researching for a French documentary film information on the Villas Boas
brothers. I found a couple of very interesting articles on them among your Web pages
dating 1998 but I wondered whether you had an article on their whole action since the
Roncador-Xingu expedition. If you don’t, which source can I contact?

Catherine Piante
Paris, France

A Shepherd
for the Times

I always enjoy Brazzil, it is the finest e-zine on the Net. I was heartened by
Priest Marcelo Rossi. This is what the Church needs so very much. This is the hope of the
Church, priests like this. Thank you for your continuing superb job. Truly the treasure of
the Internet is Brazzil!

Via Internet
HolyOne@nightmail.com

Search
Is Over

It was about time we had a magazine all about Brazil (in English). Many times, I look
for information about Brazil to pass it on to curious American friends, but it all ends up
in frustration. Congratulations for the idea.

Jorge Ferreira
Pikeville, North Carolina

Design
Advice

Hello, I’m a second-year student at Brown University. I have over four years experience
in print design and now have a portfolio of Web design. I just received a copy of your
magazine. I love the content a lot, because I am studying Portuguese and am planning to go
to PUC-Rio this coming August.

However, I think I could give you some tips as to how to design the publication. I am
looking for an internship-type position for the summer. Do you need an intern? My brother
lives in LA so I could relocate there for a couple of months. I have experience writing
journalistically, and would be interested in perhaps contributing once I go to Brazil. I
realize these may be bold requests, but I noticed that you said your operation consists of
"one person and a few volunteers," so I thought I would give it a shot. Thanks
in advance.

Janet Gunter
Janet_Gunter@Brown.edu

Proposal

I own a group of small communication companies, including a radio (FM and online), four
newspapers (two online only, one printed with regional reach and one that will be printed
and distributed in England starting in February). I’m talking about The Brazilian,
already online at http://www.thebrazilian.com, a newspaper for Brazilians living abroad.

Since we apparently have the same target but do not compete directly with each other, I
was wondering if you’d like to make an informal partnership. We could exchange links
between our sites and later try to develop some promotion together.

Marcel Leal
marcel@geocities.com

Can’t you find Brazzil
at your Brazilian consulate? Don’t ask us why, ask the consulate.

Send
your
comments to
Brazzil

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