Riots in Brazil

[GostHacked]

http://www.cbc.ca/news/world/story/2013/06/17/brazil-protests.html

Brazilians upset with high cost of public services that are lacking.

Protesters massed in at least seven Brazilian cities Monday for another round of demonstrations voicing disgruntlement about life in the country, raising questions about security during big events like the current Confederations Cup and a papal visit next month.

Authorities had hoped to avoid the sort of bloody confrontations that shocked Sao Paulo last week and the outpourings of dissent were mainly peaceful. But small bands of protesters broke glass trying to get into the main congressional building in Brasilia, and some demonstrators clashed with police in Rio de Janeiro.

The unrest initially was set off last week by anger over a 10-cent hike in public transport fares, but protesters have moved beyond that issue to tap into widespread frustration in Brazil over a heavy tax burden, politicians widely viewed as corrupt and woeful public education, health and transport systems.

Yet, another country and the people are pissed at the corruption in government. The rate at which protests like this are happening around the world seem to be on the increase, that could be just my perception (don't want confuse anyone regarding perception taken as fact).

I don't speak the language, but there are some interesting vids to watch here.

http://blogs.estadao.com.br/estadao-urgente/manifestantes-fazem-quinto-ato-contra-o-aumento-da-tarifa-de-onibus-em-sao-paulo/

[Hudson Jones]

The unsustainable system is crumbling. It will hit us and our comfort bubble in time.

Edited June 19, 2013 by Hudson Jones

[-TSS-]

Brazil is a country of rapidly rising population but the country has crumbling and hopelessly outdated infrastructure. Instead of investing on improving the infrastructure the government is going spend large sums of money on next years soccer world cup and the olympics in Rio two years later. The people are justifiedly angry at the government who seem to got their priorities wrong. It is a very thin layer of society which will benefit from hosting those two sporting events in Brazil.

[sharkman]

The unsustainable system is crumbling. It will hit us and our comfort bubble in time.

Wow, that sounds intriguing, HJ. Tell me, how will it hit us Canadians? What will be the trigger?

[Boges]

Canada has hosted a few Olympics so I'm not sure.

Granted Canada would never host a Men's World Cup, we don't have enough large stadiums for that. I'm sure there'd be riots if people wanted to build 60,000 seat stadiums in Winnipeg for a tournament.

Then again Brazil is the epicenter of great Soccer.

[GostHacked]

Wow, that sounds intriguing, HJ. Tell me, how will it hit us Canadians? What will be the trigger?

Somewhat the same as we have seen in many other countries.

High costs, taxes and very little return for the people. Corrupt government colluding with banks to screw people over. A slightly different situation in Brazil, but more and more around the world you see pissed off people taking to the streets. Spending money on projects that provide some short term benefit, with no long term gain. Not enough money to help the poor, but enough money to build new facilities for the World Cup and the next Olympics.

Greece, Italy, Germany, France, UK, USA, Canada, Indonesia, New Zealand, Australia, Brazil, Chile, Russia, China, Japan, Portugal, Spain, India, Nigeria, and on and on and on and on......

There is this general air of people stating to do something about the so called leaders we elect to office who turn out to be no better than the last option while taking the country further down the hole.

No matter what country you are talking about, people are getting pissed and are becoming more vocal about it. They took to the streets because all other options failed. Our leaders are not listening.

[Hudson Jones]

Wow, that sounds intriguing, HJ. Tell me, how will it hit us Canadians? What will be the trigger?

Canadians are numb to the direction we're heading towards. Wages are staying low, cost of living is going up, cost of gas is going up, the gap between the rich and poor is getting larger, but we're numb to it, and we're afraid to challenge the comfort bubble we've created around ourselves... Oh look! a new cactus club with crap food but hot waitresses opened up! Let's go for some crap food and $9 martinis and take photos and post them on facebook, pretending that our lives have meaning and we're happy!

The trigger will be when 1 out of 3 people find that they can no longer live under the current system. When their credit cards have reached their limit and they have to pick between buying food or paying for utility.

Edited June 19, 2013 by Hudson Jones

[bush_cheney2004]

The trigger will be when 1 out of 3 people find that they can no longer live under the current system. When their credit cards have reached their limit and they have to pick between buying food or paying for utility.

Oh shucks.....you mean they will have to go back to being poor people like those who built Canada in the first place ? No more "free" health care ?

No American cable TV or Netflix ? No more foreign automaker jobs ? A pity.

[Hudson Jones]

Oh shucks.....you mean they will have to go back to being poor people like those who built Canada in the first place ? No more "free" health care ?

No American cable TV or Netflix ? No more foreign automaker jobs ? A pity.

Yes. Oh shucks for you. You will not be able to sleep at night knowing that under the current trend, there will be even more people who will not be able to feed their children. That many will not be able to pay rent or their mortgage.

Stay strong BC2004.

[bush_cheney2004]

Yes. Oh shucks for you. You will not be able to sleep at night knowing that under the current trend, there will be even more people who will not be able to feed their children. That many will not be able to pay rent or their mortgage.

So sad...it will be unfortunate that there will be fewer obese children and adults. So many more on food stamps...oh wait...you don't have food stamps in Canada. I guess Canadians will just starve or cross the border to scavenge in American landfills instead of outlet mall shopping in New York or Michigan or Washington State.

Dark days indeed....so SAD.

Edited June 19, 2013 by bush_cheney2004

[Hudson Jones]

That's good BC2004. Never miss an opportunity to gloat about how you care so little about anything outside of your tiny, miserable little bubble.

[Hudson Jones]

Unless technology can catch up, shortage of food and water will be the next biggest disaster to hit us.

[bush_cheney2004]

That's good BC2004. Never miss an opportunity to gloat about how you care so little about anything outside of your tiny, miserable little bubble.

My miserable little bubble is bigger than yours. Go fix your own bubble before worrying about somebody else's.

[bush_cheney2004]

Unless technology can catch up, shortage of food and water will be the next biggest disaster to hit us.

Or not.....never have so many lived so well as a proportion of the world's population. The sky is not falling...with or without "technology".

[-TSS-]

I think the point is that Brazil wants to present itself to the outdide world as a modern economically viable country as it hosts the two biggest sporting events within two years. All that is just a charade and the people know it. The ancient Romans said that people need bread and circus. We do agree, however, that bread is more important but the government of Brazil seems to disagree.

[DogOnPorch]

My miserable little bubble is bigger than yours. Go fix your own bubble before worrying about somebody else's.

One of my favorite lines from your American TV cartoon series, "King Of The Hill" is from Kahn Souphanousinphone who stated that he spent two extra years dodging bullets in the Killing Fields rather than move to Canada. Many of the writers on that show were Canadians...lol.

http://kingofthehill.wikia.com/wiki/Uh-oh,_Canada

Edited June 19, 2013 by DogOnPorch

[DogOnPorch]

I think the point is that Brazil wants to present itself to the outdide world as a modern economically viable country as it hosts the two biggest sporting events within two years. All that is just a charade and the people know it. The ancient Romans said that people need bread and circus. We do agree, however, that bread is more important but the government of Brazil seems to disagree.

Many so-called 'world cities' seem to be pushing these events in a huge 'Keeping-up with the Jones' sort of deal. You're not a cool city until you've done this, this and this...etc.

[Hudson Jones]

Or not.....never have so many lived so well as a proportion of the world's population. The sky is not falling...with or without "technology".

Your mistake is that you think resources stay constant. They don't.

Those wacky, tinfoil hat wearing scientists are pointing to what is happening now and what will happen in the future when it comes to water shortage.

Food prices are going up as demand for food is growing and the proportion of supply and demand is changing.

These are things that are happening outside of your bubble.

[bush_cheney2004]

These are things that are happening outside of your bubble.

Wrong....there is no shortage of food, there is a food distribution challenge. Much of the world's "food" is wasted by various means.

Get a smarter bubble to live in.

[Hudson Jones]

Nothing to see here folks. Move along.

[jbg]

Hudson Jones, on 18 Jun 2013 - 1:29 PM, said:

The unsustainable system is crumbling. It will hit us and our comfort bubble in time.

I agree that building Pharaoh-naic projects in poor countries is a horrible idea. So was siting the Olympics there.

That's good BC2004. Never miss an opportunity to gloat about how you care so little about anything outside of your tiny, miserable little bubble.

These two posts are among the first time I've agreed with you. At least there's no Jew- or Israel-hatred here. Edited June 25, 2013 by jbg

[-TSS-]

The biggest riot expected tonight as it is the final of the Conferedations cup.

[Guest American Woman]

Wrong....there is no shortage of food, there is a food distribution challenge. Much of the world's "food" is wasted by various means.

Sadly, this is true. Bringing food to those in need isn't the solution; food rots while waiting to be distributed or without the means to distribute it.

[Bryan]

People tend to get impatient right when they need to be seeing the bigger picture. Brazil is just starting to climb out of being a straight-up third world economy. As soon as there are a few green shoots, people want all of it right now.

The Olympics and World Cup and other such events are not just the window dressing people think they are. Big things get built to host them, providing jobs. People come from all over the world to see them, providing even more jobs. Politicians and dignitaries come to them providing opportunities to build ties with other nations. Being seen on the world stage as "coming up" gives them cache when engaging in commerce -- more people are interesting in seeing what they have to offer, and are willing to pay a larger price than before.

Things may well be as bad as they say in Brazil, but this level of rioting at this particular time is cutting off your nose to spite your face. The good things may not come to pass if the world has a negative view still lingering.

[Hudson Jones]

Interesting info: Bolivia and Peru are experiencing major shortage of quinoa, since becoming so popular in the West. The price of quinoa has gone up seven times since 2000. This means what once used to be part of the everyday diet of many Bolivians and Peruvians, is now too expensive to get. Instead, they are being shipped to us.

Food distribution is of course a problem, as is food waste, but the biggest problem we will be facing on our planet will be food and water shortage. That is of course if we continue moving forward the way we are.

Edited July 1, 2013 by Hudson Jones