bmags

QUOTE (Alpha Dog @ Sep 14, 2009 -> 10:42 PM) I thought the criticism here (so far) has been pretty tame. The only ginned up indignation seems to have just come from you. it's a very overused word pairing. One thing I already f***ed up, on another note, is the okay symbol here in the US, means f*** you in Brazil. Sorry.

QUOTE (lostfan @ Sep 14, 2009 -> 10:54 PM) Ok so first off Genius Girl's swastika is backwards, when it's facing to the left it's one of the sacred Hindu symbols. I had to explain to someone a couple of weeks how Hitler is so not the kind of socialist they think Obama is that he actually was at war with them but it was like talking to my dick so I gave up. Yeah. That conversation sucks. "Come on! Get up! One time baby One time!" and nothing. IT sucks.

Gee anyone think the reason conservatives on here don't want to admit how much better their fringe is at defining the dialogue and political agenda of this country, is because it would imply that the liberals don't dominate the media of this country?

that's brilliant. Thanks flaxx.

anyways, here's what I've been doing in Brazil besides watching the VMAs. benmagnuson.blogspot.com

yeah, not sure I can find the bitters down here.

QUOTE (Leonard Zelig @ Sep 14, 2009 -> 05:26 PM) Since you have internet access, there are several free podcasts on itunes that teach Portuguese. Probably a better way to spend your free time than watching MTV award shows. I'm already doing that, but thanks. I didn't see the VMAs but thanks!

I was about to ask if anyone in Chicago knows of the best liquor store for choice. I'll ask this again when I get back in months/year. In the mean time, Flaxx give me a nice american cocktail I can make with whiskey, likely johnny walker red (available everywhere here) for 3 young Brazilian ladies.

I just visited my brother's-fiance's-mother's house in Indaiatuba, her brother showed me around Campinhas, and took me to Bracas. Saturday I took the overnight to Curitiba and am staying with my brothers-fiance's friends in a really nice apartment. They are very pretty. So no, I'm not roughing it the way your mother and father did in a new country with no language skills. In one month I move into a hostel. Today I'm studying Portuguese all day. Tomorrow, off to Fisk language school and *wink* It is frustrating not knowing what is going on. When in conversation, I get the jist of what they are saying. When addressed directly, I get too nervous, can't put any vocabulary together and resort to pointing. I'm sure it's frustrating for them, and I feel selfish not having learned more before moving. But, hopefully soon I can talk like an idiot in Portuguese, and then talk like a normal person. Cheers to emersion?!

Yeah, he's still an idiot but I respect the fact that in his incoherent, false argument there was the implication that there were two revolutions in Russia, he just got every part of it wrong.

Yeah but ODB was worried about the children, whereas Kanye only seems worried about himself.

Does the ethiopia one seem terrible now?/green

QUOTE (BigSqwert @ Sep 14, 2009 -> 05:22 PM) I wonder when they realized they would run out of room for the lion placement to make sense.

Is Skol good? I unfairly connect it in my mind with skol vodka in the states. I think Original is Antarctica? I might be wrong, but I've definitely had Antarctica. They have tasty beers down here, though not much variety thus far. Cachaca, cheese, meat, all good. Also funny, when describing a brazilian item to you, it's always not how you would describe it. "Pao de quejo, it's like this wonderful bread that's soft with cheese on it" "Oh so it's like cheese bread" "No it's not cheese bread its pao de quejo". "Requejaio is like this creamy spreadable cheese you put on bread" "So it's cream cheese!" "No it's not cream cheese it's Requejaio"

there's no bush league in the music industry

yeah that's the best.

I hate taylor swift.

I'm not the most traveled person, but I've been around now, I just think people forget how good looking american women are. But i'm going to a big bar festival this weekend, I'll let you know from there. Women look different here, it's a skin tone I like, but it's not millions of adriana lima's walking all around me. But, their personalities are wonderful.

man people are stupid. Everyone wants their celebrities to be polite and nice, ooh hi i'm benji from good charlotte, I know I have tattoos and dress like a punk but you'd love to take me home to your parents blah blah blah I'll take Kanye, lady gaga and ODB and any other interesting and outrageous celebrity and you can take your suburban icons and know how much fun you would have going to the mall with them and sharing a nice bubble tea!

I mean I'm sure its different in coastal towns by the beach, and I've only been in Curitiba (1.7 mill people) for a day, but i'd probably find more beautiful women in the US on a given day than I've seen here.

QUOTE (StrangeSox @ Sep 12, 2009 -> 09:59 PM) fake naivety on my part. Most people have literally no understanding of Marxism, communism, socialism, nazism, Stalinism, 20/19/18/17th etc century history, capitalism/ modern economics or most other crap politicians emotionally play games with. "More czars than the USSR!" :facepalm: I recently had someone try to argue to me that the October Revolution put Marx into power with a socialist system first and then Lenin came along a while latter to install communism (socialism->communism slippery slope). :facepalm: well, I mean, in a juvenile way, very juvenile, he's closer to right than most idiots. The menschaviks who came to power in the Feb. revolution were closer to Marxists, then the bolsheviks came to power in october, who were just bats*** crazy.

Hard to believe just last Monday I was waking up in the suburbs. So, less than a week, a lot has happened. Lots of Chacaca. Lots of cheese. Lots of beer. Of interest, tiny glasses, just like Europe. As when I was in Europe, what I crave most is an absurdly large 44 oz soda packed with ice. But for beer you pay $3 reais and get a 22 oz bottle and small glasses. Milk is in cardboard boxes and not chilled when you buy it. I do find it tastier, but American milk is a bit crisper and has more of an "ahh!" factor. Cheese here is just better, probably because its less regulated. I went rafting in Bracas, i believe, beautiful town. Brazil is like the tropical version of the hidden valley ranch covers. Rafting down the river, huge bamboo trees on the sides, colorful flowers I don't know the names of. Huge birds I can't remember the names of. At the best point, theres really shallow rapids, where you get out of the raft and just slide down them. It was coupled on your right by a waterfull. Above the waterfall in the trees were monkeys, a lot, maybe 12, swinging around. This was a bit far so I couldn't tell you what type they were. Lastly, to top that off, toucans flew above and landed in the trees. And kudos to marketing, the first thing you think of absolutely is fruit loops. When we finished the rafting and they take you to the bus a big bottle of Cachaca was waiting. Everyone drank it straight. This bottle best described as raisin-flavored rum, you might even say rum raisin. A bbq on friday with wonderful cuts of meat, seasoned only with coarse sea salt, and cooked slowly over wood flames. It was wonderful. One cut, the best, picanha i believe, seemed to be a loin cut, but nonetheless was very tender and just made me want to fall over from the taste. So simple, so delicious. Meat here is very good quality and cheap. For instance, Filet mignon is about 5-6 dollars american cheaper. Beers tried: Bohemia, Original. Something else I forgot. All pilsners

QUOTE (whitesoxfan101 @ Sep 7, 2009 -> 09:29 PM) The only player on that list who I am worried about is Rios. I think Alexei will be fine (although he might be better suited back at 2B), Beckham will be fine, Getz is what he is, Q will be fine is he stays healthy, and Nix isn't all that important IMO. right, but you'd like to see these players finish with a nice line. I'd rather they not tank and finish with like .240 averages.

that was a pleasant game to watch

I do both. I win.