Since this is supposed to be my personal blog, and considering the post draught that’s been afflicting it lately, I think it’s only fair to start posting mini-reviews on books, records and movies I’ve purchased recently. So, let’s begin this with my three latest music purchases:
Jewel - Goodbye Alice in Wonderland: I used to be a big fan of Jewel back in the days when she was just a folk singer with a distinctive voice and a cool life story. My interest waned in direct relation to her compositions turn for the popular. But at R$ 17,53 (when the average price for a CD these days is R$ 30), I just couldn’t resist the opportunity to check her latest offering. Also, I recognized a few songs from her pre-Pieces of You days.
With very low expectations, I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. Yes, she still sounds mediocre when going for more popular fare (such as the bland “Words Get in The Way”). But there are some good folk songs in there - even some old-time favorites like “Last Dance Rodeo” and “1000 Miles Away” -, and she shows she can really rock out some more powerful melodies, like “Drive to You”, which I’d never expect from her. No wonder iTunes tagged it as a rock record when I ripped it. Also, her lyrics have taken a more mature turn which I really like. All in all, definitely worth the purchase.
Maria Rita - Samba Meu: I’ve always nurtured some sympathy for Elis Regina’s daughter, especially for her voice and figure. But even though I think she had some great songs in her first two records - like “Cara Valente” and “A Festa” - her choice in arrangements tended to be too much on the muzak side for my taste.
This time, though, she completely revamped her looks (definitely for the worse, I might add) and her sound, found some new composers and producers, and made a record entirely of old-school sambas. As skeptical as I was with this change, I only had to listen to a couple of songs at the store to know this was a keeper. The musicians are tight, the songs are great - with some classics thrown in for good measure - and her amazing voice is perfectly suited for this repertoire.
For fans of samba and Brazilian music in general, this is a must buy, even though the price is a little steep right now.
Wendy McNeill - The Wonder Show: I’d never heard about Ms. McNeill prior to her opening for indie icon Joanna Newson, at a show here in Porto Alegre last week. In fact, it was my girlfriend who bought her record after the gig, but since she left the CD in my car I thought it was only fair to mention it here.
Her live act is kinda weird, for she plays alone with an acoustic guitar or accordion, but makes great use of loops recorded right there to build a much fuller sound than you would expect from her tiny picture. She has a beautiful and pitch-perfect voice, which she uses to sing some interesting alt-folk songs that remind me a lot of Ani DiFranco. The album’s strenght - as with the aforementioned singer - lies in the lyrics, though, which are in turns poignant and sarcastic, making for very entertaining music. At R$ 15 the CD, it was a steal.
If you want to read only one thing about Iranian president Ahmadinejad’s visit to the US, go no further than Scott Adams’ blog (yes, that Scott Adams):
And who was the smartest person involved in yesterday’s events? George Bush. Criticize him all you want, but sometimes even a blind squirrel finds a nut. He shrugged off the whole controversy about Ahmadinejad’s visit to Columbia and let the Iranian President shoot himself in the foot. Well played.
As Träsel notes (.br), if you search Google for “national shame” in Portuguese, the first result you get is the link for the Senate*. Which just makes me wonder how long it’ll take before something like this makes its way to Congress.
A Polish paper has reported that a googlebomber (”23 years old Marek W. from Cieszyn”) has been arrested for creating a googlebomb that turned President Lech Kaczyński’s homepage into the top search result for Google searches on the word “kutas” (”penis”). Marek W faces up to three years in prison.
*It just occurred to me that people may not know the reason for this particular Googlebombing. The CliffsNotes version can be found in various pieces such as this from Bloomberg. What they don’t mention, and is quite an interesting thing, is that even though there were only 35 votes in favor of expelling Mr. Calheiros, when interviewed by newspapers, more than 40 Senators said they voted for it.
Well, since Bruce Sterling brought up the billboard ban in São Paulo again, I guess it’s okay for me to link to this transcript of NPR’s On The Media segment on it, a couple of months ago. After all, I had a hand in it, since their producer Jamison York got in touch with me due to my April 15th post on it, and I was able to help him get in touch with guys over at Folha de S. Paulo.
This is the coolest thing I’ve seen in YouTube for a long time. A herd of buffaloes, a lions’ pride and two crocodiles go at it in Africa. Well worth eight minutes of your time. (via Andrew Sullivan)
Are there political bloggers in Bolivia? Hopefully Gateway Pundit will pick up on this story and find someone with a little more understanding of the situation to comment on it. Anyways, the thing is that after kicking foreign companies from the country and nationalizing the gas industry, thus “reclaiming the country’s main treasure to its people”, president Evo Morales is facing the prospect of having to import the fuel (.br) from Argentina and Peru:
According to [Bolivian Hydrocarbonates minister Carlos] Villegas, who made the statements on a TV show this wednesday, the demand and offer relation for LPG in Bolivia is at its limit and should increase during the winter months, due to an increase in gas demands for use in heating.
A local newspaper says the country might be facing a shortage of natural gas and electricity, as well. The problem, it seems, is that the industry lacks the kind of investment it desperately needs to keep up with growing demands. According to the Folha de S. Paulo piece, the Bolivian Chamber of Hydrocarbonates says the problem has been going on for at least two years - about the same time Mr. Morales was elected -, and has gotten a lot worse lately.
I know little to nothing about Bolivian affairs, but I guess it wouldn’t be that wrong to suggest that the election of someone with such a nationalist agenda as Mr. Morales would scare investors off. And it can’t be just coincidence that after unilaterally kicking foreign companies out of the country and seizing their properties, he is having such a hard time finding people to invest in the Bolivian gas industry.
Opens the fridge to serve her a glass of water and makes a bold comment about a piece of butter, which he takes in one of his hands, and about Marlon Brando and Maria Schneider’s movie; Beth transpires. She is taken by excitement, nipples swollen; the mouth agape. There’s an almost imperceptible muscle movement at the nostrils. Costa comes closer, feels the female’s breathing, she tries to escape, reacts - “this is not right” -, she says, but gives in at the first kiss. Frees herself from her skirt and panties. Costa explores the territory, inspects her pubic hairs, the honey pot, caresses her strait buttocks, moves them apart, experiments with a buttered finger. They do it on the living room, Beth reclined, as if riding on the sofa’s arm, horizontal, permissive. (pag. 94)
This is a passage from Supreme Court Minister and now novelist Eros Grau’s book Triângulo no Ponto (which can either be “Triangle at the Point” or “Well Done Triangle” as in a well done meat). Head over to Bizarre Brazil for more on the Minister’s erotic prose.
Jewel - Goodbye Alice in Wonderland: I used to be a big fan of Jewel back in the days when she was just a folk singer with a distinctive voice and a cool life story. My interest waned in direct relation to her compositions turn for the popular. But at R$ 17,53 (when the average price for a CD these days is R$ 30), I just couldn’t resist the opportunity to check her latest offering. Also, I recognized a few songs from her pre-Pieces of You days.
Maria Rita - Samba Meu: I’ve always nurtured some sympathy for Elis Regina’s daughter, especially for her voice and figure. But even though I think she had some great songs in her first two records - like “Cara Valente” and “A Festa” - her choice in arrangements tended to be too much on the muzak side for my taste. 
Wendy McNeill - The Wonder Show: I’d never heard about Ms. McNeill prior to her opening for indie icon Joanna Newson, at a show here in Porto Alegre last week. In fact, it was my girlfriend who bought her record after the gig, but since she left the CD in my car I thought it was only fair to mention it here.