Our "arab spring" is coming :)

[Kerberos2002]

Anyway, is good to all remember that things deteriorated to this messy situation ONLY AND ONLY because economy is not doing well, inflation is rising, and the wage is becoming shorter and shorter.

In this scenario some people would be complaining as well (people always complain ), but the claims would be not so intense and would remain at Twitter and Facebook domain.

Overall prosperity is the main goal of any society, no matter the ideology.

I think we're arguing semantics here. The Brazilian people correctly believe that their government is not spending their money wisely, despite some of the highest tax rates in the Western Hemisphere. While Lula enacted some policies that were economically stupid, he gave the appearance of wanting to help the common man. The new government is more concerned with its own image than it is with helping the people it is supposed to represent. And now it's facing the consequences for this.

Agree,is not any secret here in Brazil that Lula´s party has a project to stay as ruler (how to win next election), no long term project planning how the country will be in the next decade or so.

The voices were heard in the streets and political analysts were quick to celebrate the results as strengthening democracy. Yes, democracy is alive, but a critical examination of the implications of this extraordinary experience may point to issues that touch on the quality of democracy we have. President Dilma Rousseff realized the issue.

In addition to recognizing the legitimacy of the protests, drew attention to the counterpoint of them in relation to what he called "traditional institutions". In saying that understands the repudiation of the streets to corruption, misuse of public resources and deficits of health policies, education and transport, indirectly pointed to those responsible: the legislature and the executive itself.

And, in the demonstrations, and political parties have been harshly rejected, the target of the raids were Congress, the Assembly of Rio, the city of São Paulo and the Bandeirantes Palace. Has it been a mere coincidence or a symbolism need?

Despite the overwhelming support for the democratic regime, all the polls show that there is considerable unease with the institutions of representation. People do not feel the object of attention of these institutions.

Were different and the streets do not need to be taken by the crowds. The question is whether, beyond the rhetoric about the triumph of democracy, the party leaders and the heads of parliaments will have to decipher if the criticism about the lack of connection between representatives and represented. It is because we have democracy that the streets are saying that we need more participation in democracy.

source : http://www.estadao.com.br/noticias/i...,1045007,0.htm

Interesting analysis of USP (Universidade de Sao Paulo) reasearcher. The lack of faith on our representative an institutions was know from long time, but somehow reached a dangerous level.

And indeed, the mob was furiously rejecting any party flag in the protests, they were immediately destroyed and people start screaming "No party!, No party!".



Some protest pictures in different Brazilian cities


http://blogdobg.com.br/wp-content/up...6-682x1024.jpg

http://blogdobg.com.br/wp-content/up...4-1024x682.jpg

https://fbcdn-sphotos-g-a.akamaihd.n...84414209_n.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BNOwlSECYAADHmk.jpg:large

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BNOxSWzCAAEw3Dy.jpg:large


left "people has awaken"
right "I will tell a secret to you : in the ghettos we never sleep"





a police officer (military police)

"Come to streets, less stadiums, more schools"






this is really weird, the police officer is the commander of the police group that started to attack the protesters with tear gas, later in the video. Yeah, the boss of the policemen was with the mob assuring that police would not be violent and is hit by its own police! Some things happen only in Brazil... People start to scream to the commander "Dá a ordem!!" like "Give the command order!!" to issue the policemen stop with violence.

[Ominous Gamer]

[earthJoker]

I think it's time for the right team to solve the problem.

[Kerberos2002]

nice article from the independent, the party for FIFA is indeed over...


http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/f...r-8669855.html

[RandBlade]

nice article from the independent, the party for FIFA is indeed over...


http://www.independent.co.uk/sport/f...r-8669855.html

Bullfuckingshit.

Brazil "won" the rights to host the World Cup as the only nation to apply after FIFA said it was only South American nations allowed to apply under a continental rotation policy (only implemented prior to gift it to South Africa and then duly cancelled after Brazil). The next hosts are controversially for different reasons Russia (alleged corruption) and Qatar (tiny nation and dry officially). Neither of which is likely to host it on the cheap. Russia loves to flex its muscles on the world stage and Qatar is not known for doing anything on the cheap. Other nations are desperate to host the World Cup still too, England which hosted the last Olympics would love to throw a party for FIFA though isn't likely to be awarded it.

Perhaps it never should have been awarded to Brazil in the first place - unlike every other host city they've not faced stiff competition for the rights to host it. But the idea that the party's over is maladroit nonsense.

The article's writer claims that the legacy from the London Olympics is negligible as a further example to his case but that marks him out to be a clear loon - as a whole the country completely backed the 2012 London Olympics and I've never seen Brits as a whole so proud to be British. Opinion polls at the end of last year put at about 90% plus backing in hindsight of hosting the Olympics and opponents to it in hindsight are few and far between eccentrics. Maybe Brazil has lessons to learn, maybe FIFA and the IOC do too (especially to awarding them back-to-back to the same nation) but I find that whole article to be incredible - as in not credible.

[earthJoker]

The article is an example of wishful thinking. It's particularly common among newspaper commentator to think if they argue long enough in the same way that their writings magically become true.

[GGT]

Can anyone name a country whose economic growth and prosperity can be traced back to hosting the World Cup (or Stanley Cup, or the Olympic Games, or any other world sports event)....and show it was sustained over time?

[earthJoker]

The Stanley Cup is not a world sports event, it's like Super Bowl or Champions League finals. Nothing like WC or Olympics.

[GGT]

The Stanley Cup is not a world sports event, it's like Super Bowl or Champions League finals. Nothing like WC or Olympics.

Okay....is there any nation that can trace their long-term, sustainable, economic growth/posterity to hosting the World Cup, or Olympic Games?

[earthJoker]

I doubt it.

[GGT]

I share your doubts. Not many people make vacation destination plans for Kitzbuhel or Lake Placid just because they once hosted the Winter Olympics. And not many vacationers make the UK, Greece, or LA their destination because they once hosted the Summer Olympics.

Sports (as economic stimulus) may be nearing its end, similar to World Fairs.

[RandBlade]

Okay....is there any nation that can trace their long-term, sustainable, economic growth/posterity to hosting the World Cup, or Olympic Games?

No but that's not their raison d'être in the first place so is moot.

[Loki]

The Stanley Cup is not a world sports event, it's like Super Bowl or Champions League finals. Nothing like WC or Olympics.

Especially since the Stanley Cup requires no additional preparation, and is played in the home stadiums of the teams that are in the finals...

[earthJoker]

Yeah, like CL and SB. They are quite similar events that all make a huge surplus for the one who can held it.

[RandBlade]

CL Final is in a pre-set stadium not related to the teams in the finals.

[Flixy]

CL finals aren't played at the teams home grounds though. We had the UEFA cup finals in my city a few years ago, which meant tens of thousands of Spanish and English supporters swarming the center great atmosphere, and I'm sure hotels, bars, restaurants all had a great weekend. No additional preparations aside from closing a few streets and other crowd control stuff. I'm pretty sure it was profitable, plus a lot of city promotion. I'm not sure how the location was determined though. But yeah, nothing like Olympics or WC.

I suppose that if the venues that are newly built, or upgraded, are actually used after, it may cost a lot but not be a complete waste, and national pride, unity, city/country promotion aren't worthless either.

Does the IOC keep as much of the revenue as FIFA?

[Loki]

Yeah, like CL and SB. They are quite similar events that all make a huge surplus for the one who can held it.

I'm pretty sure both the SB and CL are not played in the home stadiums of the finalists (though there's an outside chance that one of the finalists might get lucky). Regardless, no new infrastructure is built for the events. Only Olympic and World Cup scam artists require substantial new infrastructure.

[earthJoker]

I said similar not the same. And where was the last years CL final

Regardless, no new infrastructure is built for the events. Only Olympic and World Cup scam artists require substantial new infrastructure.

Oh good, at least one gets the point: Existing infrastructure, in stadiums usually used by clubs of the same league (Wembley was an exception rather than the rule).

[Dreadnaught]

http://online.wsj.com/article/BT-CO-...24-709898.html

SAO PAULO--Embattled Brazilian President Dilma Rousseff on Monday pledged her administration to a search for solutions to long-standing national problems and will propose a national plebiscite on a constituent assembly to consider political reforms.

"We need a public debate on a plebiscite for a constituent assembly on political reform," she said in a televised speech during a cabinet meeting. "Political reform has been on the nation's agenda for many years."

I hope that mangled sentence is a mistranslation. A debate on a vote for an assembly to debate about reform.

[LittleFuzzy]

Are you mocking the democratic process Dread?

[Dreadnaught]

No, just couldn't help notice the particularly drawn-out statement being made. She's not even calling for a vote, but calling for a debate over whether there should be a vote to possibly empower a group of people to then vote on doing something.

[RandBlade]

No, just couldn't help notice the particularly drawn-out statement being made. She's not even calling for a vote, but calling for a debate over whether there should be a vote to possibly empower a group of people to then vote on doing something.

Read your own constitution.

Consider it akin to having a debate leading to a referendum about whether a constitutional convention should be called.

[Dreadnaught]

I know. I would just expect someone trying to look decisive to actually call for the constituent assembly, instead of calling to talk about the possibility of calling a constituent assembly.

[GGT]

I'm pretty sure both the SB and CL are not played in the home stadiums of the finalists (though there's an outside chance that one of the finalists might get lucky). Regardless, no new infrastructure is built for the events. Only Olympic and World Cup scam artists require substantial new infrastructure.

Who're you kidding? Sports routinely need new "infrastructure". US stadiums and arenas are heavily 'subsidized' by tax payers. Whether it's for state universities, AAU, semi-pro or professional sports, it's huge business. And it's not just for basketball, football, and baseball...but also tennis, swimming, cycling...even car racing.

[Loki]

Try reading the first sentence in bold again. Concentrate on going through the entire sentence this time.

[GGT]

Your last sentence is just plain wrong, Loki. It's not just World Cup or Olympic 'scam artists' that require substantial new infrastructure.

[Loki]

FOR THE EVENTS. No new stadium or other infrastructure is built specifically for the Super Bowl, Stanley Cup Finals, or Champions League Finals.

[RandBlade]

Your last sentence is just plain wrong, Loki. It's not just World Cup or Olympic 'scam artists' that require substantial new infrastructure.

Yes it is. Name another event that requires substantial new infrastructure (whereby substantial is typically multiple new stadiums).

Support for building a universities sports equipment is normally done as support for that university not as support for an event.

[GGT]

FOR THE EVENTS. No new stadium or other infrastructure is built specifically for the Super Bowl, Stanley Cup Finals, or Champions League Finals.

My turn to challenge your reading skills. "Sports" encompasses more than your few examples. Routine EVENTS are often used to justify new building and beefing up infrastructure (roads, bridges, parking garages, public transit, sewerage, etc.) And it's not limited to major league sports wheeling and dealing for new stadiums/arenas (with threats to move their franchise to a more "subsidy-friendly" competing state). It happens at the student athlete, amateur, and semi-pro level, too.

States use sports, and sporting events, as economic stimulus all the time. Taxes and infrastructure are tethered to entertainment and sports....with education/academics used like feeders/farms. Examples:

A Texas county will spend millions on a new HS football stadium (because it's grooming ground for Texas university football, Bowl "events", and entry into NFL) but they'll eliminate academic programs and/or cut teacher salaries to pay for it.

States with existing facilities will spend millions to improve and attract "sport events" and its sponsors. We use things like Pan-Am Games, Goodwill Games, Para-Olympic Games, Special Olympics, and everything in-between....but it all begins at the youth level, using public facilities, most often found at public education sites.



Rand, the British system is vastly different from the US. You don't use or fund university sports (or athletic scholarships) like we do. I was an Indiana resident when the Pan-Am Games was used as a precursor to hosting future Olympic Trials. They built Natatoriums, Gymnasiums, Cycling arenas....even in venues 100 miles away...which meant building new roads/highways, adding public transit buses and light rail.

[RandBlade]

None of what you've described remotely sounds like the same league as WC or OG hosting.