Sorry, Brazil's Carnaval Is Not a Free for All, All Out Orgy

It's Carnaval in Rio and I am honestly not that excited about it. I did the whole Rio experience last year with a bunch of blocos, performing in the Children's Parade, and going to two nights at the Sambadrome (one night of the Special Groups, the other the Champion's Parade). My experience at the Sambadrome was amazing, an incredible opportunity, one I felt no need to repeat this year.

The blocos were an interesting cultural experience, but after I had a claustrophobia-induced panic attack at one of them, I wasn't so crazy about them. Though I love dancing, I hate being in the sun and heat in huge groups of people, especially drunk ones. Plus, though the music is great, it's the same short song played over and over and over again and I find it a little tedious after awhile.

I do regret not going to any samba school rehearsals this year though; they're held indoors and are a lot of fun, where people seem more interested in dancing than in getting wasted. Another factor this year has been Eli, who was very sick for most of the week and isn't quite better yet, so I've been taking care of him and helping him take it easy.

It's not that I don't like Carnaval; I'm completely fascinated by it, but this year I prefer to take a step back and watch it from the sidelines. (However, I did have a fantasy that by now I'd have become a blogging celebrity in Rio and a local celebrity would invite me to his/her box seats at the Sambadrome. I have a very vivid imagination.)

But I digress, because the real point of this post is aimed at my gringo readers who haven't yet experienced Rio's Carnaval, as well as the hordes of horny Googlers accessing my blogs in hopes of finding naked pictures of Carnaval queens and videos of sex in the streets of Rio. There's a great deal of mystique and a wealth of misinformation when it comes to Carnaval, so I'd like to clear up a few misconceptions.

I. Nudity & Sex

First of all, nudity is not omnipresent at Carnaval in Rio. Though a number of women in the parade at the Sambadrome wear very little clothing, the rest of the participants wear elaborate, heavy costumes, and those are the dancers and musicians that make up the bulk of the parade. At the street parties (blocos), which are the second great pride of Rio's Carnaval, revelers dress up in costumes or put on silly hats or accessories, but most certainly do not go half naked. You're more likely to find men in drag than women in thongs at the blocos.

Though nudity is not nearly as widespread at Rio's Carnaval than people think, it is unfortunately one of the most commonly projected images of Carnaval, Rio, and Brazil to the rest of the world. As a result, many foreigners incorrectly link nudity to promiscuity, assuming that Carnaval is some sort of sexual free-for-all, an all out orgy.

But I have bad news for you: it's not.

There is no sex in the Sambadrome parade, there is no sex on the streets during the blocos, and there is no sex in public in general (there are, however, copious amounts of men peeing in public). The only instance of semi-public promiscuity I've heard about is at the Scala club's tacky Carnaval parties, but I'm not sure how bad it really is.

Due to heavy drinking, some people certainly hook up and some make out in public, but it's not much different from meeting someone at a club or a party. The same rules apply - there is no special sex loophole for Carnaval.

Comfortable with Nudity

Many foreigners believe that Brazilian women are sluts and whores. Let's examine why. Juliana Paes, a beloved famous Brazilian novela and film actress, is going to help me demonstrate.

First, there's Rio Carnaval, where women in the Sambadrome parade wear very little clothing and dance sensually down the avenue, sometimes practically naked.

Since Rio's Carnaval celebration is the best known of all Brazilian celebrations in Gringolândia (and probably Latin American ones, at that), this is the image that is projected of Brazilian women to the world.

Many men, as a result, falsely assume that all Brazilian women are scantily-clad, sex-crazed, and provocative beings, incorrectly connecting costumes and dance with sexual habits. Carnaval is a celebration and in the case of Rio's Carnaval, a performance. Dancing in a bikini does not translate to nymphomania.

Next, there's the Brazilian bikini. Though the G-string bikini is no longer in fashion, the teeny weeny bikini bottom is, and when gringos get to the beach in Brazil, their jaws sometimes drop. (Keep in mind, however, that unlike in Europe, going topless in Brazil is NOT acceptable).

Also, there's nudity. Brazilians are more comfortable with nudity than Americans, and you'll see more skin in the media, on TV, and in public more than you would in North America. However, showing skin does not mean a person is necessarily more sexually inclined than others; being more comfortable with it is a cultural trait.

The moral of the story? There are sluts and hos in every country, and you are no more likely to find them in Brazil than you would in England or the US. You may find more prostitutes, since prostitution is legal, but that certainly doesn't mean that all women act like whores. In fact, Brazilian women are generally more reserved about sex that North Americans.

Though Brazilians are comfortable making out with strangers (perhaps another factor gringos assume is part of the nymphomania stereotype), I believe Brazilian women to be less promiscuous than Americans. You'd be hard-pressed to find a typical Brazilian woman primping with her friends before going out saying, "Man, I really have to get laid tonight!"

In the end, that girl in the teeny weeny bikini may actually be a total goody-two shoes.

II. Lifestyle

Some gringos believe that Rio is like Carnaval all year long. Though you can find a few blocos and plenty of samba school rehearsals during the year, Rio is definitely not a perpetual Carnaval. Though the work culture isn't like São Paulo, people work long hours and go about their daily lives without partying daily.

I've noticed a certain something in the air during Carnaval, a skip in people's steps, a definite weight lifted and a feeling of relaxation. Carnaval is different from the rest of the year, a time when people let go and transform into something different. Carnaval is, after all, a social pressure valve, especially in Rio.

Since people assume that Rio is a party city, it attracts some gringos to visit or move here. It didn't for me. I think the nightlife is far better in Buenos Aires and New York, but aside from that, Rio is an incredibly cosmopolitan city with museums, galleries, cafés, restaurants, movie theaters, shows, outdoor activities, and cultural centers. There's a lot more to Rio than its nightlife.

III. Authentic Experience

Some tourists come to see Carnaval in Rio because they think it's the "authentic" Brazilian cultural experience. Though it's internationally one of the most famous manifestations of Brazilian culture, there are so many other celebrations and representations of Brazilian culture. There are Carnaval celebrations in hundreds of other Brazilian cities and a huge wealth of holidays and traditions you can experience year-round.

Also, Rio life during Carnaval is different from Rio life during the rest of the year. Few people work (with the exception of restaurants, hotels, malls, etc), the city slows down, and many Cariocas leave the city, while the tourists pour in. Seeing Rio outside of the Carnaval season is just as authentic, if not more so.

This article was written earlier this year during Carnaval. Rachel Glickhouse, born in 1984, spent two years living in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil after graduating from college in 2007. She now lives in New York with her Brazilian husband. She has also lived in Spain, the Dominican Republic, and Argentina and has traveled through Latin America. You can find more about her in her blog: http://riogringa.typepad.com.

Teen's ignorance was fatal

A YOUNG P-plater drove his car with the engine turned off and keys out of the ignition because he thought it would save petrol.
It instead resulted in his death and one of his passengers losing half her face, a coroner has found.

The bizarre act caused the steering wheel to lock and resulted in the vehicle ploughing into a garbage truck, killing the 18-year-old instantly and severely injuring his three passengers.

The driver, whose name has been suppressed by the Coroners Court, had had his licence for only one month before his death.

Coroner Rod Chandler released his findings yesterday into the crash which occurred last December on the Channel Highway at Margate.

Mr Chandler has described the act as "ignorant" and urged lawmakers to ensure young drivers not only gained the skills they needed to drive on the road but also general vehicle knowledge.

"In my opinion the removal of the key from the Nissan's ignition was the principal factor causative of this crash because it disengaged the engine thereby effectively disabling the vehicle and preventing the driver from steering it on a safe course," Mr Chandler said in his findings.

"Quite clearly it is an extremely dangerous act to remove a key from a vehicle's ignition whilst it is still in motion.

"I am satisfied that it occurred in this instance not because the deceased was being foolhardy or irresponsible but rather because of his ignorance of its effect upon his capacity to manage the vehicle.

"His tragic death should serve as a reminder to all parents, driving instructors and others involved in driver training of the need to incorporate in learner driver education advice upon fundamental motor vehicle mechanics including direction upon the danger of driving when a vehicle's engine has been disengaged."

Mr Chandler said one of the passengers stated the driver had previously turned off the engine and removed the key -- causing the vehicle to roll, also known as "coasting".

"The deceased's mother also comments that her son was frequently `worried about petrol', and that it would be unsurprising to her if he had removed the key from the ignition in an effort to conserve fuel," he said.

Mr Chandler said speed and the fact the male driver of the Volvo truck had some minor traces of marijuana in his blood had nothing to do with the accident.

"I find that this crash occurred as a consequence of the deceased deliberately removing the key from the ignition while his car was still in motion," he said.

"As a consequence, the engine disengaged and the steering wheel locked as soon as an attempt was made to steer the vehicle.

"In the result it was unable to be diverted from its set course so that it moved from its northbound lane into the opposite lane and into the direct path of the Volvo truck."

The crash happened last December when the teen was driving towards Hobart on the Channel Highway with a group planning to travel to Launceston.

As the Nissan was approaching a left-hand curve it suddenly crossed to the opposite side of the roadway and into the path of the truck travelling towards Margate.

The driver of the truck braked heavily and tried to swerve but was unable to avoid a collision with the Nissan.

Would you remarry?

HONEY BACON, Kim Geale and Wendy Kennedy talk about how they feel about remarrying.

Honey Bacon, widow of former Premier Jim Bacon, says she has not ruled out re-marrying but thinks it's unlikely she would ever meet the perfect man again.

"I never thought I'd get married the first time," the 56-year-old says.

"I never thought that I wanted to -- or needed to -- get married.

"It wasn't until I met Jim that I realised I wanted to do it because I wanted to shout it from the rooftops."

Honey, who was married to Jim for 10 years before he succumbed to lung cancer, says she still loves her husband and can't imagine marrying someone else.

"I don't know whether I would ever feel that need again, but I'm sure it does happen to people," she says of re-marrying.

"It's about meeting the right person that you absolutely trust 100 per cent and want to share your life with.

"The chance of me meeting somebody is fairly remote... I wouldn't expect it. I am still in love with my husband."

Heart FM breakfast radio host Kim Geale is about to remarry fiance Andrew Napier after her 20-year-marriage to her first husband ended 12 months ago.

"My theory is just go for it," says Geale, who plans to wed in Hobart next January.

"Whether you get married or not the commitment is still there -- but if you get married you get the party to celebrate the attraction."

Geale, 42, says when her first relationship broke down she never imagined she would remarry, especially not so soon.

"I wondered how I'd ever meet anyone," says Geale, who has a 15-year-old son.

"I'm too old to go clubbing; I'm too young to hang out at parents without partners meetings and I didn't want to be the token single woman who got invited to barbecues because there was a guy there who was also single."

Her fiance, a school teacher, has been married before and has a 10-year-old daughter.

Hobart personality Wendy Kennedy says she would re-marry if she met the right man.

"If you'd asked me a few years ago I would have said that I didn't want to get married again," says the 48-year-old singleton who has a 19-year-old son.

"But now, because I've been single for quite a while, I actually quite like the concept of getting married again.

"I don't like the chances of it happening because I'm such a homebody and don't go out much.

"But I think as you get to middle age and mellow out you realise that it would be quite nice to have someone around."

Teens save schoolbus driver from basher

A bus driver says he might have been bashed to death by a passenger had it not been for the quick actions of a group of schoolchildren.

Ian Magee, a 56-year-old grandfather of nine, was attacked on his Auckland Metrolink bus just after picking up the last of a group of about 25 children - ranging from primary to high school students - in Mangere.

He said the "no fuss" morning turned ugly when a man - said to be in his 50s - got on board and started swearing at the children for being too noisy.

Mr Magee said he told the man to be quiet, but he walked towards the back of the bus yelling profanities and racist remarks at the children. "That was it," Mr Magee said. "I stopped the bus. It looked like he was going to hit one of the kids."

He told the man to get off the bus. Instead, the angry passenger grabbed Mr Magee, dragged him on to the street and started punching him.

"He hit me the first time on the side of the head, which stunned me a bit. The second hit, I got an eyeful of blood in my right eye."

The attacker hit Mr Magee another six to eight times while he was on the ground, as children on the bus screamed and pleaded with him to stop.

"That's when I saw three to four pairs of feet go past me and I don't know what [the students] did - yell or push him away - but it did the job. He ran off across the road."

Mr Magee said other students called the police and an ambulance.

A group of boys aged 16 and 17 from St Paul's College in Grey Lynn have been identified as the students who came to Mr Magee's aid during the attack, which happened just before 7am on Tuesday.

"I didn't see any of them. I don't know their names, but they are good kids," Mr Magee said.

"If I'd just had the little kids [on the bus] I would have got more of a pounding.

"They saved me and they saved the younger ones too."

Tramways Union Auckland chairman Gary Froggatt said the incident was shocking and he praised the teenagers' actions.

"On behalf of the union, we're extremely grateful to the students who assisted Ian. It showed courage and most likely has saved this man's life."

Mr Froggatt said the union was planning to acknowledge the students in a ceremony on a date to be set.

A South Auckland man has been charged with assault and is to appear in the Manukau District court tomorrow.

Study: Anti-breast cancer drug may cause severe symptoms

Beijing (ANTARA News/Xinhuanet-OANA) - A study from a research center in Seattle recently shows a drug which is known widely to cure breast cancer may lead to even severer symptoms, according to news reports on Wednesday.

Introduced in 1978, tamoxifen is used to prevent recurrences of cancer in women who have already undergone surgery to remove their tumors. However, a new research recently suggests it raises the risk of getting a more aggressive cancer in the healthy breast by more than four times.

"All treatments have risks and benefits," said Dr. Christopher Li, an associate member of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle. "If you consider the full balance, for most women the benefits are going to far outweigh the risks."

The new study, which assessed the likelihood of developing a new cancer in the second breast, found that women who took tamoxifen for five years were 60 percent less likely than non-users to develop a new estrogen-sensitive tumor in the second breast, and 40 percent less likely to develop a new tumor of any kind in the second breast.

Several breast cancer experts said they are concerned that breast cancer patients who heard about the new study might stop taking their tamoxifen, even though the main reason to take the drug is to prevent the cancer they already have from recurring and spreading, which can lead to death.

Other experts agreed that the study is no reason to give up on tamoxifen. "The thing we have to remember is tamoxifen saves lives," said Dr. Victor Vogel, national vice president of research at the American Cancer Society.(*)

India to ban Chinese telecom products near borders?

In view of intelligence reports on threat to national security from terrorist attacks, the government is likely to restrict deployment of Chinese equipment by private service providers in border states and states facing Naxalite problems.

The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has called a meeting of Chief Executive Officers of telecom service providers on August 28 with Telecom Secretary, Siddharth Behura.

“Among other issues related to security, the meeting will also consider threat posed by the use of Chinese equipment by service providers, especially in border areas,” a senior DoT official told Hindustan Times.

On the agenda is a Home Ministry report, which says Chinese equipment should not be used in border areas, following which Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd was not allowed to place orders for Chinese equipment, the official said. DoT is considering whether this restriction should be extended to the private operators.

The step has been prompted by warnings from the intelligence agencies that Chinese telecom products could have embedded elements or windows which would enable the telecom company to launch a cyber attack into the equipment, either shutting it down or completely corrupting it, if it so desired.

Private telecom service providers source GSM equipment from, among others, two Chinese vendors — Huawei and ZTE. Huawei has invested $200 million (Rs 980 crore) in setting up an R&D centre in Bangalore.

“Our equipment and solutions strictly comply with global security standards,” a Huawei spokesperson said.

D.K. Ghosh, CMD of ZTE said: “We are Indians first and employees of a Chinese company later. Our primary intent is security of the country.”

India's unwise military moves

In the last few days, India has dispatched roughly 60,000 troops to its border with China, the scene of enduring territorial disputes between the two countries.

J.J. Singh, the Indian governor of the controversial area, said the move was intended to "meet future security challenges" from China. Meanwhile, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh claimed, despite cooperative India-China relations, his government would make no concessions to China on territorial disputes.

The tough posture Singh's new government has taken may win some applause among India's domestic nationalists. But it is dangerous if it is based on a false anticipation that China will cave in.

India has long held contradictory views on China. Another big Asian country, India is frustrated that China's rise has captured much of the world's attention. Proud of its "advanced political system," India feels superior to China. However, it faces a disappointing domestic situation which is unstable compared with China's.

India likes to brag about its sustainable development, but worries that it is being left behind by China. China is seen in India as both a potential threat and a competitor to surpass.

But India can't actually compete with China in a number of areas, like international influence, overall national power and economic scale. India apparently has not yet realized this.

Indian politicians these days seem to think their country would be doing China a huge favor simply by not joining the "ring around China" established by the US and Japan.
India's growing power would have a significant impact on the balance of this quation, which has led India to think that fear and gratitude for its restraint will cause China to defer to it on territorial disputes.

But this is wishful thinking, as China won't make any compromises in its border disputes with India. And while China wishes to coexist peacefully with India, this desire isn't born out of fear.

India's current course can only lead to a rivalry between the two countries. India needs

to consider whether or not it can afford the consequences of a potential confrontation with China. It should also be asking itself why it hasn't forged the stable and friendly relationship with China that China enjoys with many of India's neighbors, like Pakistan, Nepal and Sri Lanka.

Any aggressive moves will certainly not aid the development of good relations with China. India should examine its attitude and preconceptions; it will need to adjust if it hopes to cooperate with China and achieve a mutually beneficial outcome.