Monday, July 28, 2008

The French Lady

Thus, my dearest friend, the “crazy french lady”, Kristell Renault, is coming to Brazil! Yes it is. She bought her tickets few days ago and is due to stay for 6 weeks during the Brazilian summer (escaping the European winter). Her plans include many places all over the country and I will be very glad to spend some time around with her.

 

She just loves brazil. Loves Brazilian food and music. Loves Brazilian people and speaks a little bit  (not so little) of Brazilian Portuguese! Just Kristell.

Posted by Douglas at 13:12:37 | Permalink | Comments (1) »

Friday, July 25, 2008

Again

Down again… Friday, Friday…

The same old stories, phone calls, muted phone calls, lack of phones calls…

Convergence…

Posted by Douglas at 18:15:01 | Permalink | No Comments »

The brazilian rock music

One of the past days I was reading a new about a new band that was considered a success, they sold about 200,000 CDs, even though they came from a “rich” country.

 

I started to think about the Brazilian rock. I do remember that Raimundos, with their independent album sold over 100,000. Many bands sold about one million (considering one album) as Skank, Legiao Urbana, Mamonas Assassinas, Paralamas do Sucesso, RPM, Titas, Capital Inicial, just to cite a few.

 

I was wondering about the importance of the Brazilian rock in my life. In the end I grew up listening to them. Their lyrics and sound are, somehow, attached to my human being.

 

Last week, after I watched, alone, the new concert of Capital Inicial, I stopped to think about the importance of this music in my life. Since very young I listen to rock music. Manly Brazilian rock. It is part of myself.

 

It rather true that I am not listening it for a long time. Last months I am closer to old rock music and a bit of jazz (external influence), but, deep inside, I am still a sort of rocker…

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Wednesday, July 23, 2008

A Inflação no Zimbabue

Posted by Douglas at 11:41:32 | Permalink | No Comments »

Let’s Go The Way You Know

I want you here
I want you everywhere
Please, just stay with me
You are the one I care
It’s like a dream coming true
The stars keep shining
and the sky is blue
You make me happy
and you make me smile
When we are together
when you’re by my side
Let’s go the way you know
Let’s go the way you know

alt : http://www.youtube.com/v/FEK3SZOOFPs&hl=en&fs=1
A musica me chamou tanta atenção…

Posted by Douglas at 03:06:11 | Permalink | Comments (1) »

Tuesday, July 22, 2008

In the angry times

So, ones question was raised yesterday, are people more or less honest when they are in anger?

In fact, during the angry moments, people throw out most of their most deep feelings which were hidden due to the sense of correctness. The anger is our most uncontrollable and wild instinct; it is our real animal side. In this sense it can be a moment to explode and spread out unspeakable thoughts.

On the other hand, the rage can be mainly composed by the sense of revenge, which is, by it own nature, poisoned. In this sense people are just the opposed of honest, they speak to break out the known truths. The poison is made to deconstruct the sense of the things, delivering an “out-of-the-floor” taste.

Therefore, it is not straight-forward to see what are the real origins of the communication in angry times. It can be in both sides, moreover, it can be a non-linear and complex composition of them.

Lol… Following the comments of my friend Cinthia: “but, when it comes from a woman, it is poison!”

Comments are welcomed in this subject.

With Kind Regards,
Douglas Vieira

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Monday, July 21, 2008

Brazil…

So, that Brazil is a rich country, becoming even richer, is a clear fact to everyone. The business, schools and even the state is more mature, giving condition to a proper economical development. This economical development brings into the society many layers of people which were prone to commit some sort of crimes, especially to survive.

This way, the claimed economical strengthen gradually decreases the criminality. However, there is a type of crime which is a bit beyond the economical structure, the mafia and related ones.

Even though the economical growth can mine, it cannot destroy it. To combat the organized crime it is required a deeper action of the state and the society.

As long as I am sure that the economical growth is here to stay, looking my father’s company for instance, it is time to turn our eyes to the social structure. Re-organizing, re-thinking, is a fundamental step now. We are already rich, and I know as I see a much higher standard of life in here than in Europe, but we must organize!!

In UK only 10% of the police force caries a gun. In average less than 50 people die from fire guns. Even though there is a wide spread use of drugs, the access to heavy drugs is limited. But the most important, they discuss and try to improve. We need to think, short, medium and long terms.

Is it enough to have big houses (that we really have), eat picanha (we do…) and have big cars (not so big yet)?

Posted by Douglas at 04:28:48 | Permalink | Comments (1) »

Sunday, July 20, 2008

Ligações telefônicas

Então, como escrevi anteriormente foi uma semana de muitos eventos importantes, alguns inusitados.

Recordo-me de umas das aulas de musica que fiz (sim fiz aulas, umas dez, mas fiz). Nesta discutíamos o conceito do silencio em uma composição musical. No final das contas o silencio é tão importante em uma musica quanto o próprio som. Determinante.

Então, como o titulo do post diz vou escrever sobre ligações telefônicas. De um tempo para cá o meu telefone tem tocado com números desconhecidos, ou números que há tempos eu não via. E lógico, não os esperava entre as minhas chamadas. Alguns, de uma forma ou de outra eu sabia que tardava, mas não falhava.

Um destes números distantes insistiu em tocar ao longo da semana. Seria sexto sentido? Parece que este número advinha e aproveita as brechas.

Um outro, embora eu sabia que ligaria, me surpreendeu por ter me ligado no meu numero residencial. Me surpreendeu pois não passei este numero, mas foi uma ligação bem recebida depois de tanto tempo.

Como disse no começo, tão importante quanto o som é silencio. Teve uma ligação que esperei desde o começo da semana. Muitas pendências, muitas mesmo, mas esta ligação não veio. No questions asked….

“É engraçado como algumas decisões são tomadas de forma errada, né?”

Então, sou calculista, mas uma coisa aprendi com a vida: quando não há direção lets blow with the wind. Então, parece que o vento está mudando de direção, de novo.

Once upon a time I was hearing an almost illiterate man talking about his life.  He was saying that his life has turned 360 degrees. “Literate” people laughed. I kept on listening. Of course turning that is returning to the starting point. Nevertheless, you return to the same point but, now, with the knowledge of the others degrees. All of them! I thought, would they laugh with it was me, a “scientist”, telling that?

Once, in one of my technical presentations, I said something like this, I think it was during my PhD examination. My intention, of course, was to cause furor. It was half offensive, but in the end a pretty smart strategy to make the opposites lay down their arms. In the end I have deduced a very classical technique using very fancy approach. That was it, now we were in the right side of the square, the same well-know from before, but with one slight but determinant difference, we knew we were there!

Yes, I have to say it is not a very trivial way of thinking, and for sure, it was not the intention of the aforementioned character. He wanted to say 180 degrees, which clearly implies up-side-down. But turning 360 can be a very smart strategy, even tough rough, just about to be unbearable.

Thus, lets the answers blow with the wind…

Posted by Douglas at 04:47:25 | Permalink | No Comments »

Saturday, July 19, 2008

Oxford

So many things has happen these last weeks that i did not have the time, and the guts, to write down. One of them is related to the lovely oxford university.


I am in a close contact with Vasile last weeks for several reasons, and, one of them, my possible return to work with him. It sounds very good to take a couple of years and be a researcher at oxford university, however, things are not as simple as they appear.


My initial plan, and what we agreed in my last trip to uk, was a two years contract with some benefits, as extra time to “co-operate” with my home university in Brazil. Nevertheless, due to funding reasons, Vasile asked me to stay 4 years, instead of the 2 previous arranged.


Of course i am honored that he consider me a good professional, but, staying more 4 years abroad does not sound so good for me. In the end I got a bit afraid of living there for such a long time.


In the end of the day I am not so young anymore, although I still look pretty young. In 4 years time I will be 33…

And Europe, including oxford, can be a reasonably lonesome place. This scares me. If I say I will stay 2 years and things do not flow fine, I can stay 1 and a half and go somewhere else. But if I agree to stay for years I will have to stay at least 3! This is a complex point.


There is Giulia, who is becoming a teenager. There are my parents, that, in the end of the day, still need me a lot and I cannot ignore this fact. There is me. Yes, me…


Would “why does it always rain on me” be the soundtrack or “flowers in the window”? I mean, can I be happy there as it is being pretty tough to be happy here?!


Talking with Newton, he told me, it is rough to stay more 4 years alone there. He is right, and he knows what is it about.

These last weeks, especially these last days, were filled with a strange dynamic that took me out of tune. This blog will be a little thoughtful in the next days, so, maybe I can understand what is going on better.

In the end of the day Oxford is still Oxford (University)…

Posted by Douglas at 18:28:09 | Permalink | No Comments »

Down tonight…

Posted by Douglas at 03:54:34 | Permalink | Comments (1) »