Caroline Kahl

Quotation of the week

George W. Bush:
"When I am talking to Angela Merkel it seems like I am not talking to a woman".
Pardon me?

Fearless or total indifference?

Just read the post of someone who referred to another posting on a site, to me the worst utopia of this country, controversies between romantic patriot Brazilians and some stupid "white men" who always know it better, you know the country I am referring to, n´est-ce pas? You probably know the site.
Us foreigners fore sure have to have "no fear" kind of attitude in this country, I fully agree! But the proper word for the big part of the population of this marvellous country is not "lack of fear" but a INDIFFERENCE and a lack of HONESTY, and attitude which drives us fearless foreign fellows crazy every day in this country. Them and their most common saying: "Se Deus quiser!", something which we cannot grasp with our socio-cultural background.
And the saddest part, no one can blame big part of the Brazilians for it in their daily battle to combat hunger and to simple survive.
Who cares that an ex-governor enters into hunger strike to stop the media reporting on his dirty corruption record of the past if he and his wife BTW desperately need to go on a diet after so much public deficit spending and fraud, besides mixing politics with their religious confession? Ninguém merece!
The media is gonna dig a lot of dirt this year of elections, all candidates are under supervision, them, their friends & family.  And that is great.
Be responsible for your acts and for your attitude, do your homework and you got notting to fear!

Tax Incentive

Really surprised to open the newspaper Valor Económico yesterday and coming across an advertisement of BNP Paribas promoting an investment fund dedicated to non-resident foreigners. That was fast, I thought, just one day after the Brazilian government announced its tax incentive decree. Too quick I learned today, the promoted fund does not comply with the conditions of the PM  as announced last night by the CVM (Braz. Security and Exchange Commission). Excempt from the tax incentives are also several countries considered tax paradise, check the list.
But then again, it is all about 15% witholding income tax and Brazil has closed treaties with various countries in order to avoid a double taxation.

Thank you Mr. President!

Lula has created two new national parks in the Amazon rain forest and expanded another to protect an environmentally sensitive region where the government plans a major highway project. 3,7 million acres are now saved by decree in a region which reaches the size of Western Euope and has already lost about 20% due to exploration, development, logging and farming. Last year the forest lost a year-record 10.000 square miles.
Politically a very "explosive issue", just recalling the acts of violence in the region exactly one year ago. Representatives of the Wood Industry criticize the way these measures are taken alone by the government in Brasilia and which may result in even more conflicts with the rural producers many of whom would be forced to leave. Some invaded the area illegally, others where "placed" there by the government 20 years ago, without regulation. They occupy the land but most do not own it legally.
The representatives and the industry are proposing to the National Congress the implementation of a project for a sustainable wood exploration by giving limited concessions to companies.
Other groups regard the decree and its measures as just another step to further exploit woods in the rain forest, and they demand mecanisms which prevent that international companies profit from it. But it is good to see that the government is acting now.

Politics and Fashion

Vivienne Westwood has offered to dress the German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Make it the right mixture: "apalling politics and a look that gives her an incredible presence."