CUT THE SALARIES OF POLITICIANS

Hints of Policarpo Quaresma* to save Brazilian economy/politics

This article was originally published on the blog AME O BRASIL (LOVE BRAZIL) in Brazilian Portuguese, with ideas to save Brazilian economics/politics from deteriorating even more. But the arguments of the theme could be applied in democratic countries, all over the world.

Even though the Blog AME O BRASIL have openly apolitical stance; we thought it would be good to reflect on what we can do to see the country better off.

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Those who love Brazil never really leave us - since we love Brazil, we must take care of it.

That being said, let's go to the first hint of Policarpo Quaresma*:

IF YOU HAVE TO CUT GOVERNMENT SPENDING, THE PRIORITY IS TO CUT THE SALARIES OF POLITICIANS

This is arguably the first and most valuable of our ideas, if you make a cold analysis you will find out that the problem government officials' huge salaries, generates all other issues.

One chooses to be a politician for two reasons:
1- Either he/she loves the country, or;
2- He/She is after the gains and consequent power of the function,

Once you take the money out of the equation the LOVE TO BRAZIL is what remains.

The money belongs the taxpayer, so our power over it. We must demand a total reduction of expenditure on the salaries of three powers, lower wages for the president of the republic, the end of salaries for Parliamentarians and councilors, the non-payment of assessors and full transparency of all this information.

Tip No. 03 - In Sweden State Deputies live in apartments of 40m2, (some of them in cubicles 18m2) with communal laundry, those who want to wash his clothes have to make an appointment on a list and wait his turn. The room has a sign which says städa upp !! (Equivalent to - wipe it all !!). Besides cleaning lady they have no right to desk, private adviser, car and driver nor cabinet. The general consensus is: "Politicians are elected to represent ordinary people and ordinary citizens work".

There should also be restrictive laws to prevent further increase of their wages on their own, coming from independent and audited regulatory agencies.

The thinking is simple: When I started working, my salary was R $ 800.00 and my rent was R $ 1,000.00 - if I were a politician I could increase my salary to R $ 3,000.00 so then, I’d have some money left for the rest of the month. This is the thinking of those who arbitrarily choose their own salary.

According to a study by Professor Emir Kamenica, along with colleagues from Columbia University, Princeton University, and DONG Energy, raising politicians’ salaries is unlikely to result in better governance. In fact, it may accomplish the opposite.

The researchers consider the effects of a salary increase on some members of the European Parliament (MEPs). In 2009, the European Parliament implemented a flat-salary payment system, and all MEPs began to earn identical annual salaries of €90,000.

Tip No. 23 - In Sweden, councilors and State Deputies receive no salary. Karin Hanqvist, Councillor who lives in Blackeberg in suburban Stockholm, exercises his duties as councilor house, works in a nursery because the only thing that gets of taxpayers is a computer and a bonus equivalent to R $ 280.00 per month.

They find that a salary increase led to politicians with less education. Doubling an MEP’s salary decreased by 15% the chance that an MEP had attended a college ranked in the top 500 in the world.

Maybe a salary increase would at least inspire politicians to work harder? Unfortunately, the increase apparently did little to improve how much effort politicians put into their jobs. The researchers constructed a variable to define shirking—noting a member’s voting record as well as how often he or she signed the daily attendance register but then left without attending the legislative session. They conclude that salary had an insignificant impact on both shirking and attendance.

* Policarpo Quaresma is a classic fictional character of Brazilian literature, created by Lima Barreto, who represents the ideas expressed in the blog AME O BRASIL

CIVILIZED BRAZIL – CIVILIZED WORLD

“Noronhense Insular Consciousness” in order to save the planet

After a boat tour, I had lunch at a local restaurant and went back to the pousada (Brazilian kind of bed and breakfast), as I reach the room I realized that I forgot my wallet in the restaurant. If it were in any other major city in Brazil or in the world I would be concerned, but in Fernando de Noronha is different. Half an hour later a girl rang the bell of pousada to give me back the wallet INTACT. A look of perplexed astonishment washed across my mobile face - "Here nobody steals" said the pousada administrator as he gently closed the door to the girl.

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Nowadays we are fully aware that many attitudes of the human population have become pathogenic in regard to our survival and well being (pathogenic - literally means someone who or something that causes suffering "πάθος pathos" suffering, passion "and -γενής - genes" cause ") in both interpersonal relations and the way we fail in taking care of our own planet. Human population grew indiscriminately, we are constantly destroying the environment in which we evolved, we occupy and dominate all the major ecosystems by expelling other life forms from there. In short, we are no longer a few bands of inconsequential primates roving the grasslands of East Africa as we were three million years ago.

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It is well known that the islanders tend to consciously use the scarce resources, collaborate each other and establish a relationship of respect and harmony with the community - otherwise - they themselves put their own survival at risk.

The hope that comes from this small island off the coast of Brazil. Recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage Site, Fernando de Noronha, 390km to the Brazilian coast, has much to teach about civilization to Brazil and to the rest of the world.

This isolation cannot only determine the peculiarities about the fauna, flora and ecosystems, as well as people who live there. Differentiating them from everything that happens on the continent, this whole process and all the interrelationships in the archipelago are supported by a fragile balance that, when exposed to a lighter intervention, can be broken. Now we begin to understand that on a global scale, the planet Earth has the same fragility of such island, except that if the planet Earth deteriorates, we have no other place to flee.

"This great care is easy to be taken because it is a small island, but it became different when trying to apply it to the rest of Brazil."

Spinner dolphin (Stenella longirostris) following our ship

I used to go around and saying that, "There is no Brazilian city that has not an open sewer without treatment." Fortunately this formidable island reserved another good surprise to me again.

The Noronhense is as Brazilian as each one of us Brazilians, he just has the so-called "insular consciousness", which paradoxically leads him to better live together in order to manage the fragile planetary balance.

Below, I highlight some of the initiatives that come from “Noronhense Insular Consciousness”.

ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION

Navi Project - 3m x 2m, large lens, which enables underwater viewing

The Noronhense learn about ecology from young age, at home and at school, but tourists can count on the Navi Project, which aims to make a "Scientific Expedition Tour" by joining entertainment with information. The hidronave is a boat with Russian military technology, developed during the Cold War. Navi was manufactured in the city of Yaroslav, and has a 3m x 2m, large lens, which enables underwater viewing. There were already more than 500 expeditions, and in most cases, tourists saw several fish and even sharks and dolphins.

A certified instructor works as expedition guide, scientifically describing the underwater environment and explaining the delicate ecological balance of the region.

ENERGY

Since 1989 the Thermoelectric Plant of ‘TUBARÃO’, managed by CELPE, supplies power with diesel generators (not ecological at all), but recently the Federal University of Pernambuco, in partnership with the government of Denmark, started the implementation of wind turbines, reducing in its first stage 10% of consumption form its usual 80,000 liters/month of diesel.

In another green boost, it was inaugurated in 2012 the first solar photovoltaic power plant in the archipelago, situated in the Air Force Command, in an area of 5,000 m², the Solar Plant Noronha I have installed capacity of 400 kWp (kilowatt peak), resulting the estimated generation of 600 MWh / year, about 4% of the island's consumption.

The forecast is that by 2018 the island will be 100% supplied with solar and wind energy.

Sea ginger, a species of colonial fire coral - Millepora alcicornis seen trough the huge lens of Navi

ICMBIO

The Fernando de Noronha archipelago consists of 21 islands, islets and rocks. Most of them turned territory of Fernando de Noronha National Park, under the responsibility of ICMBio (Chico Mendes Institute for Biodiversity Conservation) a Brazilian agency of the Ministry of Environment and integrated into the National Environmental System (Sisnama).

IBAMA

Luiz Pagano and the Hidronave - Fernando de Noronha

The IBAMA (Brazilian Institute of Environment and Renewable Natural Resources) was particularly concerned with fishermen, giving alternative activities or enabling the non-predatory fish, so that they do not feel the impact of preservation project drastically. In fact, since the preservation of certain areas begins, the number of marine animals tends to rise, which only benefits the quality of fishing without environmental destruction. The fishermen came to see the importance of preserving in their own pocket.

Comfort and environmental education in Fernando de Noronha

PERMANENCE FEE

An expensive fee for Brazilian patterns, but that is absolutely necessary for the good maintenance of this sustainable development system. The limited number of visitors in Noronha also has benefits: it is easier to manage human typical problems, such as water consumption and electricity, generation of waste, and also allows a certain "isolation" that gives tourists in some places that liberating feeling of being in a deserted Island.

MABUYAS AND CAFUÇUS OF THE WORLD

Everyone who first steps on the island go through a curious process reeducation, similar to a detox that a former smoker realizes the days resulting from his decision to quit smoking. The benefits appear obviously stronger on the first day, are very noticeable a week later and for those who make the decision to become Mabuias ♀ and ♂ Cafuçus (affectionate nickname by which the islanders call women and men who choose to inhabit on the island) the period of ten years is crucial, both from the point of view of mental adjustments necessary to fit the realities of the island, and to get the legal right to inhabit it.

Knowing that is impossible to demonstrate the real importance of this "insular consciousness" without ever having been in Fernando de Noronha, I invite you to be a little more Cafuçus and Mabuias, and to treat our world like an island without any close continent around, with fragile ecological interconnections, worthy of great love, care and respect.

Mabuya (kind of Skink) - Mabuya atlantica or since 2009 Trachylepis atlantica -  affectionate nickname given by the islanders to women who were not born on the island, is also the name of a species of endemic lizard of Fernando de Noronha

Change Brazil through extreme methods...

You can change the way of conducting your country, by painting the people according to your own taste
If you could choose your salaryit would very high - We can not let the public office holders establish their own gains - Changes should start by severe punishment for social offenses at all levels of positions.

What if in 50 years I could increase GDP Brazil's per capita of US $ 11,208 in for more than $ 110,000, reduce crime at the level of almost zero, greatly improving the education of our people, give really good conditions for our elderly, end corruption, end the open sewers in all the cities, clean up our waters, etc.

"That is impossible!!! changing Brazil? - Nobody can do it", you probably weighed.

Lee Kuan Yew did it!

Lee Kuan Yew was one of the few people who managed to realize the dream of born in a country, identify its problems, change them, and live in his own utopia.

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To achieve an effective change, it is necessary that we stop being repetitive in meaningless tasks, we should re-assess our strategy and then, depart for the action.

Extreme ways

"We have to do differently! Or else we will not survive". This was the recurring appeal of Lee Kuan Yew for the people of Singapore during the first years of its independence.

Adherent to the discipline, Lee advocated severe punishment for social offenses, including physical punishment, theorizing without inhibition on the pedagogical power of example to influence collective behaviour, forbidding them to spit on the ground, making little noise in their own homes, strongly combating vandalism of public goods and hence the crime.

Last March 23, 2015 we have lost the protagonist of one of the great economic success stories in the world, Singapore owes much of its prosperity to a record of honest and pragmatic government, the legacy of Lee Kuan Yew, who has died aged 91. He retired as prime minister in 1990 but his influence shaped government policy until his death, and will continue to do so beyond.

In an emotional televised address, his son Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong paid tribute to him.

"He fought for our independence, built a nation where there was none, and made us proud to be Singaporeans. We won't see another man like him."
Mr Lee oversaw Singapore's independence from Britain and separation from Malaysia. His death was announced early on Monday. He had been in hospital for several weeks with pneumonia and was on life support.

Why LKY was able to make it:

1) Most (political) leaders are too self-serving and power-hungry (and even if they don’t start out that way, the winner effect has a tendency to warp their brains over time). That may be what happened to Napoleon;

2) Few people have the raw intelligence and rational ability required;

3) How many people have the strength of character to give up their entire lives to building a corporation or a country?

4) Most countries are too culturally and ideologically messed-up by popular opinion to accept the notion of a benevolent dictatorship;

5) Most (larger) countries have too many vested interests of different sorts, and corruption already runs too deep.

Adherent of the discipline, Lee advocated severe punishment for social offenses

Some Lessons of Wisdom to Learn from LKY

#1 The Importance of incentives

Putting the right incentives in place is THE single most important factor determining the long-term success of an organization, corporation, or a country. It is the leadership’s role to assume that people will game the system ruthlessly, and therefore make it as hard as humanly possible to do that.

Unlike many other countries–such as Sweden, where most politicians are incompetent–LKY, like Napoleon, Caesar, and the Founding Fathers, understood that government must be meritocratic.

#2 The importance of prevention: Be ruthless with wrongdoers

LKY, like many other intelligent people, understands the importance of prevention.

Mistakes should never have to be fixed, they should be prevented.

Most problems stem from incompetence or negative psychology (bad habits and lack of discipline), and as such they have a strong tendency to repeat themselves, especially on a countrywide level. It is nearly impossible to fix a problem once it has become culturally rooted.

The problem is that most people are not able to think long-term and deal with incremental change.

Instead, they make the mistake of allowing problems to grow like cancer, until they cannot be stopped. Only then does the media start reporting on it – in a not-so-constructive way, asking: “Who is to blame!?”

Playing the blame game is for children.

Grown-ups think in terms of prevention.

#3 The importance of public perception

Not only did LKY put in the right financial incentives, thereby attracting the most competent ministers, but he also increased the respect and status by which the Singaporean politicians and statesmen are treated with.

LKY set a strict policy of non-acceptance against satire, crude jokes, or caricatures of himself and the leadership:
“If you keep on mocking your leader, poking fun at him, everyday, and he has no right to reply, it is very difficult for him to command your respect”.

#4 Human beings are not equal–and never will be!

Only a person with a strong character can speak the truth, especially when his position in life depends on it. Fortunately, LKY was such an individual, and he dared to dish out ‘harsh truths’:

The human being is an unequal creature. This is a fact.

All great religions, all great movements, all great political ideologies start off saying ‘let’s make the human being as equal as possible’. In fact, he is NOT equal–never will be.

True to his word, in an interview during 2013 at Shell’s 120th anniversary, LKY was asked “what is the meaning of life?”, and answered the following:

Life is what you make of it. You’re dealt a pack of cards, your DNA is fixed by your mother and your father. . . Your job is to do the best of the cards you were dealt.

#5 Do not trust or follow mainstream media, popular culture, and set your own course

I have never been overconcerned or obsessed with opinion polls or popularity polls. I think a leader who is, is a weak leader.

In many countries, like the U.S, elections are based on polling and popular media. It’s called populism. Politics has become similar to entertainment TV and reality shows. LKY wouldn’t have that, and (rightly so) put his foot down.

Besides, opinion polls and focus groups are not to be trusted. People lie or answer under a pretence of political correctness.

--

Should we create the party LKY, the "People's Action Party" (PAP, in English: People's Action Party, Simplified Chinese 人民 行动 党 pinyin: Rénmín Xíngdòngdǎng) here in Brazil? Would we succeed in having the ideology and methods in full use here?

The forces of nature show that Chaos is the antagonist of cosmos, in the same way the waves are preceded by undertows, that left parties intercalates power with to right party. Thus, after the disorder we must surely have the long awaited order – I just don’t know how it will come.

Maria Eugenia’ suitcases for Brazilian TV Show ‘Adotada MTV’

Maria Eugenia Brazilian TV Show ‘Adotada MTV’ and her 'Cameo' bags

Luiz Pagano was contacted by his niece Maria Eugenia Suconic, protagonist of Brazilian TV show MTV “Adotada MTV” (Adopted in Portuguese) to create some little faces that would be printed in suitcases and other objects that appear in the second season of the program.

"The suitcases could not carry only illustrations of her face,they should go beyond" describes Pagano "The drawings must carry part of her personality everywhere she goes ".

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To go on with the suitcases, the artist decided to use and adapt the ancient art of cameos.

The term cameo comes from the word "Kame'o" used in Kabbalistic language to designate a "magic square", i. e. a kind of talisman worn by ladies who commissioned artists to carve these pieces over shells.

The technique has since been undergoing through periodic revivals, at the beginning of the Renaissance, and again in the 18th and 19th centuries. The French neoclassical revival began with the support of Napoleon.

Why Cameo? - Responds Pagano "I can not use the term ‘camafeo’ (Portuguese for cameo) because shells are traditionally used as a basis for engraving cameos, in this case I replaced it with suitcases. I decided to use the cabalistic term 'cameo' as a way to wish good luck to my niece in this new season".

Chocolate and Cupulate – from the Amazon rainforest to the table of the best international restaurants

Dona Nena Facilities at Combu Island - Amazon Rain Forest

When sophisticated customers of DOM restaurant in Sao Paulo Brazil eat their exotic desserts made with Dona Nena’s chocolate, they are not able to realize the astonishing sequence of management of ideas, resources, and people mobilized for it to reach their tables.

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Before going further with this matter, it is important to say that, to celebrate the 15 years of life and seven years Blog, after a long history of generating ideas in the Blemya decided to get out of the office and go to the field to search a beautiful job of talent, of people and of science – the history of chocolate and cupulates of Dona Nenas, from the island of Combu.

Along with Pernod Ricard team of mixologists, we created the Tembi-u project (from neologic Guarani "tembi'uapokuaa" which literally means "knowledge or science of making food"), with the aim of bringing Brazilian culture elements of excellence to bartending society and world cuisine.

Luiz Pagano with the team of Tembi-u Project 

To get the facilities of Dona Nena, we start from Belém (estate of Para, Brazil) towards Combu Island, by the river Guamá, three kilometers via “voadeiras”, a typical vessel in the Amazon basin.

It was only in 2006 that Dona Izete dos Santos Costa (Dona Nena), which use to sell objects made out of the fruit of the cocoa, called biojewels, decided to sell an old family recipe of chocolate and “brigadeiros” (Brazilian delicacy made with chocolate and milk jam) in Batista Campos Square in Belém PA.

Everything was going well, but one problem led Dona Nena to have the first of many good ideas.

Cocoa beans used to make the brigadeiro was ground in a pylon, in a laborious and tiring method. When thinking of something that would grind with less effort, she found in meat grinder a viable alternative, it not only offered less work to do the recipes but also found that the quality of dough had improved a consistently.

Dona Nena avoiding that ants could attack the box of bees

She realized that the grain was thinner and the process had become more hygienic, beyond what, she managed to have an uniform dough without adding sugar, creating a 100% cocoa chocolate formula.

Her new recipe was discovered by the chef of award-wining restaurants Recanto do Peixe/do Bosque, Thiago Castanho, and thus the delicious chocolate bars packed in the cocoa leaf, cocoa powder, brigadeiros and nibs (granulated cocoa covering to Brigadeiros) went beyond the state of Pará and came to the also award-winning restaurant D.O.M. of the chef Alex Atala,

She did not stop there, she had also developed the so-called 'Cupulate' bars and brigadeiros made not with cocoa dough, but with the mucilage from cupuaçu. The result is a delicious dessert, rich in amino acids even sweeter than chocolate and less bitter.

Standard EMBRAPA bee box for uruçu species (Melipona flavolineata) 

Even the fructification of cocoa and cupuassu had scientific interference, in order to respect the environment. Dona Nena added to its already large repertoire of innovations “the beekeeping”, in a joint project with Embrapa (Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation), Eastern Amazon and Federal University of Pará, the resources came from a financing of CNPq.

Five boxes of stingless bees of yellow uruçu species (Melipona flavolineata) have been installed on the property of Dona Nena, on the island of the Combu.

Yellow uruçu specie (Melipona flavolineata) 

Besides the spread of beekeeping and the resulting environmental education, these initiatives change for the better the lives of the local population around Dona Nena, "not only these bees pollinate cocoa and cupuaçu" she says, "but also help in fructification of another important source of income here on the island, the açai ".

Luiz Pagano lecture in which he shared the experiences acquired in the amazon at Tembi-u project

According to the researcher Cristiano Menezes, the goal is to enable the producer in the management of stingless bees techniques and demonstrate the results for the other residents of the island, in order to attract them to the activity. In addition to the pollination of fruit trees such as açaí, the uruçu yellow bees produce honey that can be exploited as a source of income.

The next steps will involve visits to demonstrate the techniques of artificial feeding insects. "As this time of year honey production is reduced due to the low amount of available flowers, bees require supplementary feeding," explained researcher Cristiano Menezes. With the end of the rainy season, the blooms intensify and bees return to produce honey.

chocolate and cupulate bars, packed in the cocoa leaf, cocoa powder, brigadeiros and nibs
(granulated cocoa used to cover Brigadeiros)

Porjeto Tembi-u and Blemya intend this actions to be the beginning of a series of others activities for valuation of people and their cultures, into viable and sustainable economic projects.

Blemya 15 years

History of Blemya - Luiz Pagano & Mauricio Bozzi - importing vodkas from Russia
Веда – русская водка

What is Blemya?

Through the representation of Blemya, Luiz Pagano personifies Brazil in relation to other countries in the world. For him, Blemya represents the Brazilian people, who are often perceived as different and sometimes even frightening in the eyes of the rest of the world. However, Pagano sees this difference as an opportunity for transformation.

Blemya, is portrayed as a little female monster, an evolved being, in perfect harmony between intuition and science, with the heart next to the brain. This symbolic representation illustrates the ability of the Brazilian people to unite emotional and rational elements, integrating intuitive wisdom and scientific knowledge.

By reframing the perception of Brazil, Pagano seeks to show that the country has the potential to achieve a harmonious social, cultural and scientific evolution. His artistic vision challenges stereotypes and highlights Brazil's ability to integrate different aspects and perspectives, seeking to build a better future.

Luiz Pagano is an explorer of Brazilian identity, a defender of Brazil's cultural richness and traditions. Through his art, he promotes the country's appreciation and encourages transformation, inviting us to rethink our perceptions and embrace diversity as a path to a brighter and more promising future.

Background

In the year 1271, Marco Polo a Venetian merchant made a 24-year journey to Central Asia, of which he spent 17 years in Mongol-controlled China alone and served as a special foreign envoy to the great Kublai Khan - Probably had no idea that his adventures would change the world.

Upon his return, Marco brought no great personal riches, just a few trinkets, a handful of pearls, and gifts for family and friends. But the great treasure was not limited to these material goods - it was much bigger than that, he brought "Il Milione".

'Il Milione' the Italian for Million, was the name of the book detailing the events of the trip. Among his short stories, readers will find accurate accounts of this unknown land, such as the idea of paper money, the pasta, a great success in Italian cuisine to this day, among other things.

But there we can also find some absurd supernatural events and a surprising bestiary, including men with characteristics of dogs, eagles able to fly carrying elephants and 'the Blemias' - faceless creatures with their facial features on the chest.

Nowadays, the surface of the planet is no longer a great mystery, on average, more than 8 million people are flying all over the planet, we map every square centimeter of the earth - globalization, which grew massively in the 70s and 80s in the brought great benefits, but still, some great monsters are on the loose - xenophobia, racism, discrimination between the sexes, among others.

Ignorance seems to be the leader of these monsters, it's the worst of them all together - we need a good monster, bigger, stronger, able to overcome ignorance and all other monsters.

So, with the presence of this effective monster, called ignorance, we created a more effective hero: Blemya.

Blemyas belong to a race that evolved from humans, there are only asexual beings in the tribe, and they are individuals of brilliant intellect and high morals.

They are all so smart that they managed to survive in secret from the rest of humanity for millennia, helped humanity to reach the end of world wars and save us from nuclear armageddon, but the work ahead of them is enormous....

And then, the Blemyas give the tip on how to make their population grow:

Keep all situations peaceful;

Strive to know yourself - find out what your best version is and be that person;

There is no way to change the past, but from now on, only make decisions that make you have a happier Karma;

Don't judge people and situations;

See things from the other person's perspective - practice empathy;

Rise up;

Always stay up to date with the Blemya Blog (www.blemya.com)

You know the rest...

Our history

In 1997, I joined the Mauricio Bozzi, a great salesman and a great friend to create a international business company specialized in new product introduction, with some kind of difficulty in the market, named Bozzi & Pagano.

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In the initial years, business was really prosperous, Dynamic Cooking Systems industrial line, American competitor of Viking ranges had a representation agreement with us, and we also outsourced the sales team of Austrian energy drink Flash Power, while this category had not yet specific legislation in Brazilian territory. Our businesses were performing outstandingly at that point.

We felt privileged to have this big luck in business, we travel; we were always at parties, and on top of such great happiness we were always conjecturing how could we have a better world.

Mauricio was a very enterprising guy, focused on making money, but also was really dedicated to help friends in their needs. It was frequent for us to make a massive shopping in a supermarket for unemployed friends, or collecting some old clothing for donations. In 2008 we lived the boom of energy drink, we earned more money than we needed and we start to devote a relatively small portion of our earnings to help needy friends.

Blemyas over the years

Due to some of our own immature moments at the time, we were omitting from our wives these little 'spending with friends' and every time they asked about where was some given sum of money that we had won, we said that a 'little female monster' had eaten it, giving them the impression that we were spending money with an extramarital love affair.

Later, Mauricio started working as an employee of Flash Power and I tried to keep Bozzi & Pagano Company alive on my own. In April 2000 we tried to introduce a multi distilled cachaça in Brazil, and to export it to some countries that we had contact, but the business were not going well. One day I went to show this cachaça to a French chef of cuisine, friend of mine here in São Paulo... he made a frustrating assessment:

"Are you only working with this cachaça?" Asked the chef, I said yes and then he retorted "that cachaça is horrible, you'll have no future with her. I’ll introduce you to some friends of mine, who are behind a cool business here in Brazil."

And so, on a Monday, May 8th, 2000 I started working as an employee in the introduction of Veuve Clicquot in Brazilian market. On Thursday of the same week, I went for a beer with Mauricio to celebrate.

He was delighted to see me working with this brand and also with the help that such a great chef had given me. In the bar table, we spoke also about the cachaça company, which had little chance of success in the format it adopted and which one of the partners was a relative of Antoninho da Rocha Marmo, a holy child, responsible for numerous miracles in the city of São Paulo.

We recall the many people who we had helped in our prosperous times and we decided that if one day we return to prosper again, we would dedicate part of our earnings to research and development of intelligent mechanisms of humanitarian aid, and thus, our ‘little female monster’ would live again.

At that moment I remembered a dream I had, it was about a trip I’ve made with the family of Marco Polo, in which we’ve found a futuristic city of Blemias, headless monsters that had their faces on the chest.

The Blemias were part of a race that had evolved from humans, there were only women in the tribe, and they were individuals of bright intellect. In my dream, they were so smart that they managed to survive in secret from the rest of humanity for millennia, in a city on the heights with an ingenious holograms projector that disguise the whole city as a mountain.

Dream of Blemyas - Luiz Pagano's Agenda May 11th, 2000

These beings were helping humanity to achieve the end of the world wars, and to get rid of the Cold War in the 80s and 90s - the reproduction of the blemias, even in my dream, were a mystery too.

We decided that the name of this great social welfare company would be blemia, nothing more appropriate for a company dedicated to foreign trade, such as Marco Polo was, having a blemia as an institutional mascot. The blemia or Blemya, as we wrote, would be the company whose mysticism and kindness toward our society would be as big as the holy child, Antoninho da Rocha Marmo.

In 2007 I created a blog for the company Bozzi & Pagano and also for Blemya, once we could not have Blemya as a real company, we would make it live virtually.

My partner passed away in December 2010 and we never managed to revive the Blemya in its full form, at least in the design we had create that Thursday afternoon. But Blemya lives - the blog has had nearly 200 thousand accesses and much of our ideas, some pioneers, are widely discussed on the Internet.

As we've seen, Blemyas exists in only one gender, feminine. The reproduction of the Blemias is no longer a mystery, it happens when one man (the masculine form for mankind) helps another in a very genuine spirit.

For me it is a great pride go through with this project, I'm sure that someday we will live in a post-scarcity society, in which religions will respect each other, within the omnism principle, that we will understand that the concept of waste does not exist, and that our maximum proposal, that we are individuals that must interconnect, one to another, on this planet, with the spirit of fraternity and mutual help.

Spece Rusian Roulette

Warning!!  be aware of the falling spaceship

URGENT - MONSTER'S ATTACK WARNING IN PROGRESS

In this extraordinary issue of Blemya monster report, an urgent alert about the unmanned Progress 59 spacecraft that is doomed to burn up in Earth's atmosphere in the next few days after failing to deliver more than 3 tons of supplies to the International Space Station, NASA astronaut Scott Kelly told reporters in a series of televised interviews. Video directly from Progress 59 has shown it to be tumbling in an out-of-control spin.

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The fireball could be bright enough to see in broad daylight, Krag said. But with more than 70% of the Earth’s surface covered by water, and only 3% of the land heavily populated, the chances are slim that anyone will witness it, let alone be struck by debris.

Holger Krag, head of the European Space Agency’s space debris office in Darmstadt, said the risk of anyone being hit by falling parts of the Progress vessel are extremely remote. In six decades of spaceflight, no one has ever been hit by falling space hardware, he said.

“It doesn’t all come down in one piece. Most of the destruction happens between 80km and 70km high, and a very limited number of components have the potential to survive. These are scattered over a huge distance, up to 1,000km, so you might find a single piece every 100km or so,” Krag told the Guardian.

BUT don't worry!! every year 100 tonnes of space hardware re-enter the atmosphere, with the majority of it burning up before it hits the planet. Defunct satellites and spent rocket bodies fall to Earth every week. Larger items, such as the Progress cargo vessel, re-enter roughly once a year.

Blamya says - I'm affraid of no falling spaceship...

Playing hide and seek in the clouds

Cloudrunner is a type of ‘air jet sky’, which uses an involucre full of gas, as its accessorial force, conjugated with support propellers, as helicopters or 'drones' does.

One of the first paradigms that Santos=Dumont had broken, took place on July 4th, 1898, when he flew in his balloon called ‘Brasil’, which used hydrogen for ascensoral power in its 113m3 involucre, with only 19.7feet in diameter, the smallest balloon ever built. After that, he has broken many other paradigms up to the first flight of the ‘heavier than air”, by his14Bis.

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Undoubtedly, the airship that Santos Dumont liked most was the so-called 'Baladeuse' (carriage in French), in the year de1903.

It was indeed an 'aerial chariot' with an involucre of 220m3 of hydrogen, driven by a 3hp Clement Bayard engine, this wonder came to 18.6 mph. The goal of Dumont with the 'Baladeuse' was to create an urban vehicle to serve as a practical and elegant individual transportation.

Since then, very little has been developed in relation to the individual air transportation, the autogyro and jetpack are the closest thing to it.

Since science seems to be stuck on this segment, the dream of reaching skies, jumping from cloud to cloud, after 110 years, is still a distant dream.

Order not to lose hope, the team of blog NIMPS in partnership with Blemya created in a fictional way, the 'CLOUDRUNNER', also called 'cloudracer'.
This is a type of ‘air jet sky’, which uses an involucre full of gas, as its accessorial force, conjugated with support propellers, as helicopters or 'drones' does.

Cloudriders playing hide and seek over the moving clouds 

Ascension engines of the 'Cloudrider' are not so demanded to take the aircraft from the ground, since a sophisticated gas mattress with a ‘gas mixing system’ under different pressures, almost does that alone.

It reaches great heights and the flight can be silent on some specific atmospheric conditions, favorable for disengage the engine, and its speed varies according to the wind velocity.

According to our imaginary test pilots, it is impossible to describe the emotion of playing hide and seek in the clouds, like a mischievous young angel, therefore, only a poet like Wallace Stevens to describe the sweet sensations of delight in the clouds.

“The Pleasures of Merely Circulating

The garden flew round with the angel,
The angel flew round with the cloud.
And the clouds flew round and the clouds flew round
And the clouds flew round with the clouds”.
Wallace Stevens

Opportunities for you to change your life in 2015, if you 'LOVE BRAZIL'

01 – Create blockbuster movies that make real money with 100% Brazilian heroes

The Blog 'LOVE BRAZIL - <3>] - has listed 14 business opportunities that can make you a millionaire from 2015 on. The marks shown in the bottom left corner of the images show whether these initiatives have already been made (green) or if it does not exist (red):

01 – Create blockbuster movies that make real money with 100% Brazilian heroes

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For this theme we should mix movies elements such as those that deal with the Japanese culture, as Ultraman and Godzilla, with the spirit of 'love your city' presented by 'Ghostbusters' for New York. So we created the 'Heroes of the Obelisk', 32 superheroes, each with specific superpowers and characteristics of the Brazilian people, defending the city of São Paulo from cruel villains like 'The Anahngá', a terrible monster from Anhangabaú Valley and corrupt forces of flesh-and-bone enemies from the big tropical city.

02 - Build a factory of shirts with motifs of Brazilian tribes paintings

02 - Build a factory of shirts with motifs of Brazilian tribes paintings

This idea works well for the small entrepreneur, who with little investment ,can get to have multiple variations of several tees, taking into account the 238 indigenous peoples of Brazil.

 03 - Using the fact that Brazil is the country that invented Aeronautics and produce new aircraft.

 03 - Using the fact that Brazil is the country that invented Aeronautics and produce new aircraft.

Thank God that companies such as Embraer, ITA and the FAB, in a joint effort, had this vision (if you do not love Brazil, you probably believe that who invented the airplane were the Wright Brothers, and them, this topic will not make any sense at all)

The KC-390, the revolutionary aircraft intended to replace the already tired Hercules, fully designed and constructed in Brazil, was presented at last November 21, at Embraer's factory in Gavião Peixoto (SP). For the first time, the press and representatives from over 32 countries had the opportunity to see firsthand the largest aircraft ever developed and manufactured in Brazil.

04 - Provide smart solutions and engineering to the ‘Favelas’ 

04 - Provide smart solutions and engineering to the ‘Favelas’

The ‘Favelas’ (Brazilian slums) are part of history, culture and Brazilian society, trying to exterminate the slums to make public housing has proved a very mistaken policy.

The solution presented by Blemya blog in 2010 (http://blemya.blogspot.com.br/2010/01/estado-de-arte-no-empreendedorismo.html ) was to create a company specialized in bringing sanitation, comfort and infrastructure in the state of art, at low prices to the ‘Favela’ areas.

05 - Toy Art of Orishas and Brazilian dolls

05 - Toy Art of Orishas and Brazilian dolls

Great potential to become a cult (at least it made big success on my blog, I have several emails asking to buy one (http://ameobrasil.blogspot.com.br/2012/11/orixas-em-toy-art.html ). Following inspiration in Blythe doll, created in 1972 by designer Allison Katzman, and gained prominence in 1997, when the journalist Gina Garan began to photograph it in several places, thus giving inspiration to his book "This is Blythe".

06 - Serve Brazilian dishes in your restaurant

06 - Serve Brazilian dishes in your restaurant

The cult chef Alex Atala is the main protagonist of this my article and of course, leads Brazil to the world and to the Brazilians as a 'good thing'. Opened in January 2009, the restaurant Dalva e Dito brought to the city of Sao Paulo, a culture already well entrenched in Belém do Pará, to value our dishes as Brazilian culture.

07 - Edit segmented magazines about TUPI-POP culture 

07 - Edit segmented magazines about TUPI-POP culture

Like the J-Pop culture (Japanese) and K-Pop (Korean), we also have segmented and enjoyed the culture of our indigenous people, with ads in ‘ Tupi Antigo’, Nheengatu, and other local languages.

08 - Apply indigenous body paintings techniques in your spa 

08 - Apply indigenous body paintings techniques in your spa

The Pihin technique (indigenous body painting), seeks to bring urban civilization supreme balance through the ancient knowledge of the art of the indigenous body painting (http://ameobrasil.blogspot.com.br/2013/09/spa-pihin-ou-spa-nova-tupi-uma-nova.html ). Also known as 'the complete therapy', the Pihin technique promotes the improvement of the individual in all its aspects; physical, aesthetic, mental, spiritual and psychological, besides being a great manifestation of affection from one person to another.

09 - Make cosmetics with natural Brazilian products

09 - Make cosmetics with natural Brazilian products

Natura is one of the most exciting examples of culture 'New Tupi'. Founded in 1969 by Jean-Pierre Berjeaut and the current president, Luiz Antonio da Cunha Seabra, Natura had the goal of selling personal care products that were produced with natural formulas, high quality and at competitive prices.

The line 'Natura Ekos' uses 14 Brazilian biodiversity substances, the supply and distribution of benefits generated, over the years, more than R $ 8.5 million in funds. Thus, Natura Ekos supports social development, strengthening the economy and taking care for the environment in the communities.

10 – Go surf in Pororoca (longest Brazilian tidal bore)

10 – Go surf in Pororoca (longest Brazilian tidal bore)

As example of the investment made by Red Bull in winter sports, in Switzerland and Austria, Brazil also enters this scenario, with the practice of sports among the forces of nature, also sponsored by the Austrian energy drink brand.

In 2005 Serginho Laus managed to accurately measure what is surfing the tidal bore of the Araguari River; He was 12.18 mph, for a distance of 7.33 miles, which lasted 36 minutes.

The ABRASPO - Brazilian Association of Surfing in Pororoca is the entity that since 1999 years promotes and disseminates surfing the tidal bore. This is also a way to encourage tourism and cultural exchange between the young audiences.

11 - Manage a hotel/restaurant Ethnicity

11 - Manage a hotel/restaurant Ethnicity

Choose an indigenous ethnic group, then, with the aid of its own members let your customers eat dishes of the tribe, learn their stories and mainly help the tribe to disseminate their culture and raise funds for its own expansion of land in a sustainable way.

12 - Create The Kaüim, a new segment of beverages

12 - Create a new segment of beverages

The Cauim remains a ritual beverage of the Indians produced only in their tribes and the distilled cassava, ‘the Tiquira’, still being produced with bad quality.

I've been doing a series of experiments in order to produce the Cauim (Kaüim in Old Tupi) http://ameobrasil.blogspot.com.br/2013/09/receita-em-tupi-antigo-para-o-preparo.html
and I'm sure this can be a great dinning drink to accompany Brazilian dishes, like the Sake and Sochu.

13 - Create zoomorphic items

13 - Create zoomorphic items

Inspired by Indian objects, and also in Frank Gehry's Fish Lamps, we see this 'lamp Pirarucu'.

14 - Express your own history

14 - Express your own history

Give value to your Tupi-Pop culture, like the Japanese with the J-Pop and Korean with K-Pop, valuing their rituals, their music, their culture, incorporating urban attitudes of today and being happy with their very own essence. In the photo, woman uses a plexiglass botoque (piercing) window.

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The good news is that the few Brazilians are increasingly proud of Brazilian products and this generates a great business opportunity for entrepreneurs who 'LOVE THE BRAZIL(in reference to a Brazilian Blog with the same title http://ameobrasil.blogspot.com.br )'. The bad news is that there is much still to be done.

Entrepreneurial brands like Havaianas, Natura, Alex Atala’s restaurants DOM and Dalva e Dito, understood and doing great with this bet.

It would be inconceivable for a Brazilian, in the year 1973, to go to a Brazilian food restaurant, take cachaça, a classic poor ‘Boteco’ drink at the time, using a pair of ‘Havaiana’s’ sandals, spending the equivalent of US$ 450.00 on the tour.

In other hand, Japanese culture insists in supporting Japanese companies. This is why Microsoft has been doing much worse than Sony in Japan. The same sort of thing exists in the US too. Many american like to support American companies, so the 360 demolished the PS3 in the US. But in Brasil, we still believe that everything that comes from abroad is better that Brazilian stuff.

Some time ago, in the seventies, launching products related to Brazilian culture would be a certain failure, today things have changed a lot, but still has a lot yet to change, which means that it we still have a lot of business opportunity ahead.