Letters

Lesson number 1
I disagree with both, Ana Maria Bahiana (author of the book America from A to Z) and Mariano Magalhães whose letter appeared on the April 1996 issue. The basic problem many Brazilians have in trying to understand the United States is that we are a democracy.
Every four years starting in 1789, we have had a presidential election. Furthermore, democracy is deeply rooted in the American mindset and character. The opposite is true in Latin America.

Most Latins don’t seem to have the ability to comprehend that we had the industrial revolution and great inventors such as Henry Ford, Walter P. Chrysler, the Duponts, John Deere, George Washington Carver, etc. Finally, we never had the Counter Reformation and the religious fanatics that Spain and Portugal brought to Latin America.

Milton Peters

Northridge, California


Badly missed

News from Brazil should apologize to all Paulistas for the biased information provided in the article “The Other São Paulo”. It’s a shame for a Brazilian magazine to publish such bad and poor article without even revising the contentprovided by the publishing house Lonely Planet. I was especially upset with the section about Santos.

Since I am a Santista I’d like to say a
few things that you absolutely missed. Santos is one of the top 20
international tourism destinations in the country. It’s home for many
worldwide events including sports, music, festivals, and environmental
seminars. The beaches are clean (believe it or not), and also don’t
forget about the historical importance of the city in politics and
avant-garde art production.

Juliano Siqueira

fsjcs3@aurora.alaska.edu


Under the skin

 

My wife Deborah recently subscribed to your
publication and we have been delighted with it, as it offers a
balanced, “warts and all” panorama of Brazil. We developed an interest
in your country by stages, starting with Formula 1 auto racing (Nélson
Piquet), then the music, and on to the politics and history. We have
frequently been dismayed by the less than honorable role that the US
has played in the latter area.

It was thus a distinct pleasure to find a
source of current news, background and opinion. Our only frustration is
to be found in the excerpts from some of our favorite authors, as we do
not read Portuguese. Anyway, keep up the good work. We enclose a coupon
and payment for a gift subscription for our good friend Dan, who shares
our interest and will no doubt be as pleased as we are with your
magazine. P.S. An article on the activities of Nelson Piquet since his
retirement would please us greatly.

Howard Schmitt

Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania


In Germany, waiting
My husband and I miss a lot the latest news about
Brazil brought by your magazine. I am Brazilian and my husband is
German and while we were living in Monterey, California, we had a
chance to subscribe. My husband does not speak Portuguese neither has
he been in Brazil, but through News from Brazil
he started to know about my country and my culture.

 

We are restarting our subscription and would
like to see more ads about travel packages for trips around Brazil. We
are planning to go there at the end of this year and are having a hard
time finding out travel agencies here in Germany with a good deal to
Brazil.

Luciana Barda

Düsseldorf, Germany


A must
I would like to renew my subscription to News from
Brazil
. Enclosed is a check for $3. News from Brazil
is the most interesting and sophisticated journal of Brazilian news
and culture published stateside. I consider it indispensable reading.
Samuel Cohn

Austin, Texas


Falling short
I have received two issues of your magazine and am very impressed. The Economy and Literature sections in particular
are interesting although I also am hoping to see a little more current politics included.

 

Megan Savage

Aurora, Colorado


Couldn’t resist
I loved your magazine so much here’s a subscription order for a friend who lives in Miami, Florida. Thanks for such an
excellent magazine!

 

Jeff Akers

Boulder, Colorado


Let it go
This is from one of your all-time fans. Please lose
the gifs in you welcome screen (the ones that only say “Back Issues”
and “Ads”). Despite the fact that they only say very little they take
forever to load. Tell the guy who made such a pretty, muddled,
unnecessarily complex WEB page for you to dump the gifs!

I find that I simply don’t revisit WEB pages
that take so long to load up. I could get a cup of coffee and a
sandwich for all the time it takes. It might be different if they were
really hip graphics. But they are simply signs with a little bit of an
old magazine cover behind it — and in black and white.

Gerry Scott-Moore

gsm@netcom.com


Tested and approved
After reviewing your publication I was very impressed with your coverage of local and international Brazilian events.
Therefore I would be interested in subscribing to your publication. Enclosed find a check for a one year subscription.

 

J. Jorren Austin

Burtonsville, Maryland


Studying Brazil
I am from Mexico City and I am studying
International Business. Since I am doing a special report about Brazil
I would appreciate more information about the main heroes of Brazil and
about ethnic groups, as well as the most significant events celebrated
in your country.

 

Mabel Escobar Navarrete

al438501@campus.cem.itesm.mx


All things considered
Thanks for the beautiful coverage of the social, political and economic “climate” of Brazil. Here’s my subscription renewal.

 

Manuel De Moussy

San Francisco, California

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