CURITIBA – As the only Brazilian to make this year’s list of the top 25 most influential thinkers in TIME Magazine, Jaime Lerner is a renowned architect and urban planner whose theories and ideas have been implemented all around the world. Indeed it was his policies that helped turn the Brazilian city of Curitiba into one of the world’s greenest.

Jaime Lerner, former mayor of Curitiba and creator of one of the world's greenest cities, photo by Victor Soares/ABr.

Lerner was appointed mayor of Curitiba, the capital city of Paraná, in 1971–75, 1979–84 and 1989–92, but already in his first term he was keenly implementing social, ecological, and urban reforms.

Facing a number of obstacles from the outset including the city’s geographical challenge of being surrounded by floodplains, Lerner converted much of this useless terrain into parks which gave the city a top ranking in per-capita park area in the world. When Lerner ran into the dilemma of not having sufficient money to afford the tractors and petroleum to mow these parks, he came up with the innovative idea of “municipal sheep”, who keep the parks’ vegetation under control and whose wool funds children’s programs.

Another obstacle was the city’s waste problem; Curitiba had several neighborhoods impossible to service by municipal waste removal due to narrow roads. Rather than forsake these people, Lerner created a program that traded bags of groceries and transit passes for bags of trash, cleaning up these areas substantially.

When he wanted cleaner waterways he began another program that paid fishermen by the pound for any garbage they retrieved. This satisfied the fishermen because when it wasn’t fishing season they were still able to supplement their income, and the city saved millions in costs with these two “win-win” initiatives in place.

The Rapid Transit Bus, or Speedybus, helped revolutionize traffic congestion in Curitiba, photo by Luan Lenon/GNU Free Documentation License.

One of Lerner’s most significant contributions to the city was creating an extremely quick and efficient transportation system. When given the option of starting a costly mass subway development, Lerner opted to create the “Speedybus” line, using Swedish-made, articulated buses (fitting close to 300 people).

The city then built transit stops, more closely resembling train stations, which are completely equipped to handle large numbers of passenger traffic including handicap accessibility. The system is run and operated by private firms, yet the city still controls the routes and fares. His integrated bus system transports 2.4 million Curitibans every day.

The ideas and theories of Jaime Lerner should make Brazil proud and should inspire all of us to think about how we can improve the quality of life in our big cities for us and for future generations.

RIO DE JANEIRO – This weekend the usually quiet and somewhat faded glory of the Rio Jockey Club in Gávea will spark into life and recall the bygone days of high-society horse racing with the running of the Grande Prêmio do Brazil – the biggest prize in South American horse racing.

The biggest race on Latin America's equestrian calendar, the GP Brasil, takes place this weekend, photo by Jockey Club do Brasil.

The perfect opportunity to polish your cuff links and brogues, this year’s race on Sunday, August 1^st, promises to be extra special after recent changes at the epicenter of the city’s equestrian racing culture. Standing at 2.4 kilometers on turf, the trophy is the one prize that stands out above all others in the continent’s racing program, and will, as always, be hotly contested and controversial.

2010 has seen the club itself undergo something of a transformation in a bid to attract the crowds back to the grandeur of the grandstands. The gleaming marble hallways and polished wooden furniture, not to mention free entry, stunning views and the thrill of the races, make for a fine way to spend an afternoon.

Now a new bar and restaurant, expanded course-side seating and a marketing push to attract locals and tourists alike will come together for the Grande Prêmio, when prize money of R$400,000 attracts the great and the good of global racing.

The dress code is business-casual, keeping with the usual rules that flip-flops and shorts are banned in the “upmarket” stands, but around the world big race days are synonymous with high fashion, and Rio’s is no different. Business suits for the men, floating summer dresses and expensive hats for the women, as well as an annual fashion parade through the crowds in between the races.

The second entrance usually allows for considerably less formal attire, but again expect this event to see everyone making a sartorial effort.

The Gávea-based grandstand fills up ahead of the first race at the 2009 GP do Brasil, photo by Doug Gray.

Standard rules apply, with each-way (place), on the nose (vencedor), trifeta and quadrifeta (top three or four runners in correct order) the easiest options. Be warned that TV screens also show races in São Paulo at the same time, so be sure you are betting on the Gávea card.

This year the favorite to take the grand prize is Sal Grosso, the four year-old of American stock who is trained by Venancio Nahid and ridden by Luíz Duarte. Not far behind in the book makers sights is Flymetothemoon (sic), who, at a year older, knows the Gávea course well and, coming from the same stable, could also land trainer Nahid the prize money.

Last year’s winner Jeune-Turc does not make an appearance this time around, but the R$5.4 million that was bet in the lead up to that race looks certain to be surpassed.

RIO DE JANEIRO – Lapa, Rio’s frenzied center of culture and nightlife, is undergoing major changes as a series of initiatives to improve safety, regulate business and conserve the heritage of the area take effect.

The street party in Lapa, photo by keetr/Flickr Creative Commons License.

Heightened presence and activity of the citywide public order guards, Choque de Ordem, in conjunction with the restoration and regeneration work by the Municipal Secretary of Culture project “Lapa Legal” are transforming a neighborhood that has suffered from neglect in the past and been notoriously dangerous.

One of the city’s most iconic neighborhoods, it is also a historic central neighborhood that fell from colonial grace to become a bohemian hub of culture and nightlife activity with a dark edge.

The home of samba, the Selaron Steps and the city’s most concentrated music scene, Lapa is one of the most visited parts of the city. As such, the current initiatives look to improve the area’s track record as a site for muggings, often armed.

Launched last month, Lapa Legal’s work includes introducing municipal guards on 24 hour patrol, improved illumination, ambulances, and creating a Lapa Cultural History Nucleus as well as pedestrianizing the area surrounding the Lapa Arches at weekends. There is also the ongoing restoration of the famous white Arches sponsored by Santander bank.

For Carolyn, 28, a British expat Lapa resident, the initiatives are an improvement on previous apathy to the area. ‘It’s good that it’s more open and it feels like they’re trying to make it safer, which is positive because they weren’t doing anything before.”

The most obvious development in recent months has been the establishment of an authorized night market running Wednesday to Sunday with up to 82 registered sellers. Along the Arches at Largo da Lapa run rows of Antartica beer-sponsored food and drink stands. For the vendors who successfully applied for a stand and license (recipients were selected at random), the changes in the area have been well received.

Diego Alencae, 19, from Pernambuco has sold beer and soft drinks in Lapa with his mother for three years and now works an authorized stand on the strip between the lanes on the main road. He says, “It’s improved relations for the stand sellers. It used to be a complete mess, crazy, and we were lost. Now it’s more organized and safer.”

Lapa Legal is starting to authorize vendors to sell in Lapa, photo by keetr/Flickr Creative Commons License.

While the bright blue stands are increasing, there are still many unauthorized sellers and regulation is yet to reach the parallel street, Rua Joaquim Silva, where Izabel Melo from Santa Teresa has had a caipirinha stand for the last four years.

She does not currently have a license but anticipates receiving one soon. She too is positive and says, “Everyone wants the change and to improve Lapa’s economy and tourism. For example, with the roads closed it’s much better.”

The reduction in crime and restoration work are universally welcomed, however some argue that the initiatives threaten to kill the cultural vitality of Lapa.

Serginho Ferret, 30, is a musician and jewelery maker from Rio Grande do Sul who plays his customized guitar to a dancing crowd under the Arches in Lapa: “Lapa was much more culturally alive in the past, like in the 1990s. I started playing in 2004 and there was art in the street and more space to make music.”

Lately Serginho, whose portrait appeared in Gustavo Stephen’s recent photography exhibition Images and Words in the Center of Rio at Centro Cultural Federal Justiça, has had his performances stopped by Choque de Ordem guards. “They don’t want us playing so they stop us and move us along without explanation,” he claims.

The balance between creating a safe, regulated area and retaining the vibrant spirit of Lapa is the greatest challenge in the attempt to develop and regenerate the neighborhood. Speaking at the launch of the Lapa Legal project last month, Rio mayor Eduardo Paes looked to reassure people that keeping the character of Lapa intact was part of the plan.

“There can be lively disorder, it’s part of the locale. No one wants to transform Lapa into Germany… but it needs organization,” Paes told his audience.

On Friday night, the groups of tourists The Rio Times spoke to were enjoying the caipirinhas and crazy atmosphere. Sipping a caipirinha in the market area of Largo da Lapa, Dan Williams from the UK had only arrived in Brazil the previous day. “It’s brilliant,” he enthused. “It does seem dangerous because of the stories people tell you, but it feels fine here.”

RIO DE JANEIRO – Fluminense let first place in the Brasilerão slip from their grasp with a draw against Botafogo on Sunday. It proved an action packed week for the Laranjeiras outfit after the CBF identified coach Muricy Ramalho as the man they wanted to take charge of the national side from Dunga.

New signing Emerson Sheik wheels away in celebration after giving Fluminense the lead against Botafogo on Sunday, photo by Wallace Teixeira/Photocamera.

The club’s directors refused to release Ramalho from his contract, forcing the CBF to appoint Corinthians boss Mano Menezes, to the relief of Fluminense fans happy with their team’s start to the season under the new coach.

Flamengo’s unbeaten record after the World Cup ended with a draw against Avai and defeat to Inter, but Vasco’s resurgence continued apace and Botafogo staged strong comebacks to snatch a point against both Palmeiras and Fluminense.

Round X

Flamengo 1-1 Avai
Flamengo slipped up with a 1-1 draw against Avai in the Maracanã after young striker Diego Mauricio gave the Rubra Negro the lead in the tenth minute, finishing off a slick passing move. Despite dominating from there on, their carelessness in front of goal was punished fifteen minutes from time when Gabriel scored an exquisite free-kick to earn the visitors a point.

Gremio 1-1 Vasco
Vasco secured a point despite a soaked Olimpico pitch, where a torrential downpour left it virtually unplayable. Both goals came in the opening ten minutes, when the pitch still had some life in it, with Vasco striker Nunes putting the Rio side ahead after six minutes, before Jonas equalized for the hosts.

Fluminense 1-0 Cruzeiro
After Corinthians surprisingly lost 3-1 to bottom side Ateltcio-GO on Wednesday night, 34,000 Flu fans turned out to see if their team could go top of the league, but it was Cruzeiro, led by former Fluminense coach Cuca, who had the better of the first half. Strong words from boss Muricy Ramalho at half time fired the team up for the restart, and defender Leandro Euzebio headed the only goal of the game in the 53rd minute to send Fluminense top.

Petkovic guards match winner Taison on Sunday, photo by VIPCOMM/AgenciaFla.

Palmerias 2-2 Botafogo
Botafogo again failed to collect three points, but their fans were delighted with a spirited comeback from two goals down to salvage a draw in the Pacaembu. All four goals came in a pulsating opening half hour; first Marcos Assunção and Kleber helped Palmeiras race into a 2-0 lead after seventeen minutes then Botafogo fought back with goals of their own from newly returned Jobson, who ran himself into the ground for his side, and defender Antonio Carlos.

Round XI

Vasco 2-0 Atletico-GO
Vasco’s upturn in form continued on Saturday evening with a comfortable victory over Atlético-GO in São Januário stadium. Knowing that three points were vital to put some distance between themselves and the bottom of the table, the players duly obliged. Midfielder Nilton opened the scoring in the 33rd minute with a wonderful curling effort from the edge of the area before Fumagalli made sure of the win early in the second half.

Internacional 1-0 Flamengo
Flamengo drew a blank in Porto Alegre as Internacional moved three points clear of them in fourth place. Hot property Taison, who has been linked with a move to Spanish side Valencia, scored with a 25 yard strike into the top right hand corner of the net after just five minutes. Mengo had little to offer in reply, and a new striker must be a priority if they are to defend their title.

Botafogo 1-1 Fluminense
Fluminense let the lead slip, and with it first place in the league, again looking nervous in the first half before becoming a stronger force in the second. Debutant Emerson Sheik scored the opener on the hour mark, linking up nicely with strike partner Fred before rounding Botafogo keeper Jefferson and rolling the ball home. But Tricolor hearts were broken after 75 minutes when substitute Renato equalized for the home side. The game ended in fiery mood, as Somalia and Danny Morais saw red for Botafogo, and Tiaguinho was sent off for Fluminense.

RIO DE JANEIRO – Petrobrás has released its latest Sustainability Report, which contains the thorough details of its 1,600 projects amounting to a total investment of R$464.5 million in 2009. The projects contribute to its social responsibility agenda in response to the consequences of oil extraction, which remains somewhat in the shadow of the oil refinery disaster in Duque de Caixas, Rio de Janeiro in 1997.

Scenes like these are precisely what Petrobras hopes to avoid causing on Brazil's coast, photo by U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Within the oil sector that year, (including petroleum refining, alcohol production and nuclear combustibles), there were 1,397 accidents that exceeded fifteen days impact, 113 accidents that resulted in partial incapacity of the site, 47 accidents that led to permanent site damage, and five fatal deaths.

Since that time Petrobrás has worked hard to improve its social responsibility profile with projects covering employees’ welfare, environmental protection and social and community relations.

The new report is part of the company strategy to improve its sustainability index, which measures the extent to which international companies are ‘green’. Fears abound of the irreversible damages wrought by oil spills and other related disasters, and the latest incident in the Gulf led the ANP to temporarily halt planned expansion of British Petroleum in Brazil’s pre-salt reserves.

The Department of Health, Environment and Safety has been created to respond to workers’ conditions, especially in reducing accidents and occupational hazards for workers. On a larger scale, contingency plans have also been fortified in recent years; Petrobrás emergency planning is supported by the Environmental Defense Centers (EDCs). These centers, located at the operating sites, serve as the main body in charge of ensuring the maximum protection for its operating units in any emergency. Manned by up to twenty professionals in each EDC, the unit provides support to local contingency plans to contain environmental disasters, such as oil spills or any major technical damage in the rig.

Petrobrás invested around R$173.6 million on 868 social projects in 2009 alone, and with its flagship project “Development and Citizenship”, the company has put R$396 million into 1,891 projects since 2007. The social investment fund allocates resources in three main areas: income generation and job opportunity, further training and education for qualified professionals, and guaranteeing the rights of children and adolescents.

Environmental damage from oil spills can take years to recover from, photo by Chris Twomey/Wikimedia Creative Commons License.

The investments in energy efficiency and sustainable development (SD) projects of Petrobrás in the Amazon have now been the core elements of its environmental agenda. With the growing concerns of companies and public on climate change and pollution, Petrobrás now implements sustainability projects at various stages of oil extraction.

In the exploration and production stage, developing clean technology and reducing residues created from production have been its general objectives. Amongst many outcomes, water reusing in refineries of São Paulo and implementing a maximum admissible limit (MAL) for its solid residue generation are the main outcomes of its long-term environmental strategy. Between 2003 and 2008, its environmental program, following the eco-efficiency principle, has received over R$210 million.

But the future of Petrobrás and the oil industry cannot be saved by corporate social responsibility. With electric or hybrid cars on their way to becoming the norm in thirty years time, the industry is at a crossroads. What is clear is that to survive and remain profitable to its natural conclusion, oil must be handled with care by its producers, lest damage to the planet makes it an untenable resource.

RIO DE JANEIRO – The historic coastal town of Paraty welcomes superstars from the literary world next month with the eighth annual Paraty International Literature Festival (FLIP) from August 4th to 8th.

FLIP brings together some of the world's best writers, photo courtesy of FLIP.

The festival is a highlight on the international literary calendar and with a whole host of big names including Robert Crumb, Salman Rushdie and Isabel Allende, the 2010 edition promises to bring a five day carnival of words and ideas to the Costa Verde.

Initiated in 2003 by urban architect Mauro Munhoz and British editor Liz Calder, FLIP has established itself as one of the foremost international literary festivals.

The 2003 festival featured Don DeLillo, Chico Buarque and Hanif Kureishi and the subsequent seven festivals welcomed famous writers from all over the world.

2010′s program builds on this success presenting close to two hundred events over five days, with debates, talks, exhibitions, film screenings and workshops featuring some of the most exciting writers in the world today.

One of the leading lights of Latin American literature, Chilean author Isabel Allende has been described as the world’s most widely read Spanish-language author and alongside Gabriel Gárcia Marquez is a famous proponent of a South American magic realist tradition. She will be talking about her work and hugely successful career on Thursday, August 5th.

Also identified with magical realism but this time from the Indian subcontinent, Booker Prize-winning controversial novelist Salman Rushdie will be launching his latest work Luka and The Fire of Life and discussing his views on contemporary current affairs on Friday, August 6th.

The FLIP tents for the Festival's program of events, photo courtesy of FLIP.

Religious themes appear in highlights from Saturday with widely celebrated American cartoonist Robert Crumb talking about his latest work, a graphic version of Genesis, and influential British literary critic Terry Eagleton arguing against Robert Dawkins’ views of atheism.

Crime and punishment is the theme of a discussion between American writer Lionel Shriver, whose 2005 novel We Need to Talk About Kevin is an international bestseller and winner of the Orange Book Prize, and Brazilian psychological thriller writer Patricia Melo.

Elsewhere, the future of the publishing world is under discussion with Director of the Harvard University Library Robert Darnton and Penguin chairman John Makinson pondering the written word in the digital age.

As well as the main program of talks and events, two parallel programs will be supplementing the literary proceedings. The cutely titled Flipinha is the festival’s educational program for young people that works throughout the year conducting theater, music and poetry workshops. The resulting works will be performed during the FLIP festival in short half-hour to hour-long sessions.

Started last year, FlipZona is the festival’s digital strand, working with audio and visual projections, animations, photography and discussions with writers and professionals.

The forward-thinking focus of the festival takes a national perspective with the choice of this year’s tribute. FLIP 2010 pays homage to Brazilian sociologist Gilberto Freyre, whose writings on Brazil have continuing significance in this moment of exciting development in the country. Explorations of his work and influence are featured in the main program.

On the whole though, FLIP is very much an international festival with an incredibly varied selection of authors and it is this blend that program director Flávio Moura believes to be key: “It is precisely this diversity that makes Flip one of the most representative meetings of literature. The richness is in the meeting of these different voices, in the mix that makes all the difference.”

Tickets for the main program are R$40 (author’s tent) and R$10 (screen tent). Tickets for selected event are available from Tickets For Fun. Others need to be purchased from official vendors at the festival in Paraty.

RIO DE JANEIRO – Though still a long way from reaching a conclusion, the leading candidates in the presidential election race have already begun to accumulate fines for illegal campaigning and propaganda.

PT candidate Dilma Rousseff in Porto Alegre, the capital city of Rio Grande do Sul, where she began her official campaign trail, Wilson Dias/ABr.

The Tribunal Superior Eleitoral (TSE, Supreme Electoral Court), which is in charge of overseeing the campaign practices of the candidates, so far has fined Dilma Rousseff of Partido dos Trabalhadores (PT, Workers’ Party) seven times, and José Serra of Partido da Social Democracia Brasileira (PSDB, Brazilian Social Democratic Party) three times for breaching campaigning laws.

The majority of Dilma’s and all three of Serra’s fines are for early propaganda, as the Electoral Law prohibits campaigning and commercials until the last three months before the elections, which is scheduled for October 3rd. Both candidates have been accused of illegal propaganda in different states before the end of June, when the campaigns officially began.

Dilma has accumulated a total of R$33,000 in fines, for five incidents involving early campaigning, one for using the free time allotted for political party commercials on TV and radio networks in order to promote herself as a presidential candidate, and another for the installation of an outdoor sign at the size of 23 x 25 meters. The maximum size allowed for propaganda materials is four square meters, in order to give equal opportunity to all candidates and parties, regardless of their economic weight or political power.

Serra, on the other hand, was fined a total of R$15,000 for making campaign-related promises in different events he attended in the states of Bahia and Santa Catarina in May.

PV candidate Marina Silva at the party's national convention in Brasília, where she declared her candidacy for presidency, photo by Fabio Rodrigues Pozzebom/ABr.

Marina Silva of Partido Verde (PV, Green Party), despite initially getting accused for early propaganda in the state of Rio Grande do Norte, was later cleared of all charges. The accusation was made on the grounds that a banner with Marina’s picture and the words “Marina is the face of Brazil” was used at an event in which she was given honorary state citizenship; however since there was no proof that she was aware of the banner’s existence, she was subsequently absolved.

Despite the strict interpretation of the Electoral Law with regard to campaign propaganda and the multitude of resulting charges and fines, a recent study revealed that only four percent of the fines are actually paid, as the system allows for countless appeals, motions and delays.

The latest opinion polls put Dilma in the lead among the presidential candidates, with one poll showing that she has 41 percent voter support, compared to Serra’s 33 percent, while another gives her a smaller lead, with 37 percent to Serra’s 36 percent, thus statistically tying the two candidates due to the poll’s error margin.

Marina Silva, on the other hand, has been maintaining a ten percent support rating, with another tenth of voters remaining undecided, and four percent planning to vote blank, while the other seven candidates each have less than one percent of declared voter intentions.

The polls also reveal that Dilma holds a clear lead among women voters, as well as generally in the states of Rio de Janeiro, Bahia and Pernambuco, while Serra has been leading in the more affluent Southern states of Rio Grande do Sul, Santa Catarina, as well as in São Paulo, of which he was the governor until he resigned in April to become a presidential candidate.

CARTAGENA, COLUMBIA – From the lapping turquoise waves of the Caribbean rise centuries old ramparts erected to rebuke the onslaught of pirates from a bygone time. Sailboats and yachts ply the waters of the port while the walls protect the gem-colored colonial buildings of Getsemaní, the 500 year old waterside region of Colombia’s famed city Cartagena.

The beautiful streets of Cartagena hold numerous hidden treasures, photo by Doug Gray.

Walking under the gates of one of South America’s oldest cities, it’s easy to be taken back in history. Cartagena de Indias is heavily fortified and for good reason – the city was raided by everyone from Basques to French noblemen on the pillage, to English pirates like Sir Frances Drake ever since the Spanish first built a town on the site of a former indigenous Kalamari village. Later, Getsemaní became an area inhabited predominantly by slaves.

Cartagena’s beaches lie mostly in the Bocagrande area, a short bus ride from Getsemaní. Music combines with sun and sand to make every weekend a party here, and although the seawater isn’t the most beautiful of the area, you can take boat rides out to nicer waters from the shore.

If you are looking for a little more isolation, take a launch out to Playa Blanca from Muelle Turistico de la Boguita – a nearby, pristine stretch of beach little more than an hour’s boat trip from town. The ride out is nearly as beautiful as the pristine crescent of white sand – you’ll skip off the waves alongside flying fish and cliff-side grottoes.

If you enjoy the place enough, you can pitch a hammock overnight at Wittenberg’s Place. If you go out on a new moon when the sky is black enough, a midnight’s swim will be highlighted in bright phosphorescent plankton.

The white Sands of Playa Blanca, photo by mallox/Flickr Creative Commons License.

Sizzling Caribbean street food offers spices that contribute to some of Colombia’s best cuisine. Culinary staples such as coconut rice and fresh fried fish accompany a range of cheap juices squeezed straight from the fruit.

Like most Colombian cities, Cartagena moves. Whether it’s the ritzy clubs of Bocagrande or famous Getsemaní fixtures like Mister Babilla, there is nearly always something to do on weekends.

If you’re in the market for cheap emeralds, this is also the place to be, but the large number of naïve cruise liner tourists is naturally accompanied by an equal amount of hustlers hawking fake gems. Be careful what you get yourself into – many of the same hustlers are involved in currency scams offering exchange rates that are obviously too good to be true.

As Colombia’s most touristic city, Cartagena doesn’t lack in accommodation. Whether it’s super budget hostels within the walls of Getsemaní like the classic Casa Vienna or ritzy hotels in Bocagrande, there is no shortage of rooms, just hunt on the internet until you find your preference. Flights to and from Cartagena go through the Rafael Núñez International Airport and start at around USD$849 (off season) for a round trip from Rio.

RIO DE JANEIRO – The Brazilian premiere of the new animated movie Despicable Me was held as part of the annual animation festival Anima Mundi in Rio de Janeiro last week, attracting a large, enthusiastic crowd, foreshadowing that it is on its way to becoming another hit following the recent fully or partly animated 3D films, such as Toy Story 3 and Alice in Wonderland.

The main character of Despicable Me, Gru, is a villain whose reputation is in decline, photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures Brasil.

Despicable Me, which will play in Brazil with the name of Meu Malvado Favorito, which translates as “My Favorite Villain”, has already proved to be a big success in the United States, grossing about USD$120,000,000 within its first ten days in theaters.

With continuing advances in computer-generated imagery and the rapid popularization of the blockbusting use of 3D technologies in cinemas, animated films, which are notoriously expensive and time-consuming to produce, are currently living their golden age worldwide.

Animations not only have the narrative flexibility to allow a more effective use of new technology, but also they are specifically designed to appeal to as large an audience as possible, due to the high costs associated with their production. Thus, mainstream animated movies tend to primarily have entertaining, child-friendly plots, while possessing more adult-oriented subtexts and cultural references, along with a myriad of tiny details that would please even the pickiest film geek.

Despicable Me succeeds on all these fronts, despite having a risky premise, by not only lacking a hero, but actually having a villain as its main character. In Gru, a classical-style villain in danger of losing his notoriety to Vector, a young, up-and-coming villain who favors minimalist Apple-store aesthetics, the movie manages to create an essentially unlikeable character with whom it is nevertheless easy to identify.

Vector, the antagonist of the movie, is a young and modern villain determined to replace Gru, photo courtesy of Paramount Pictures Brasil.

The villain wars between Gru and Vector that dominate the movie’s plot involve a conspiracy to shrink and steal the moon, and the three orphaned sisters Gru plans to make use of to achieve this goal, who in return slowly help reveal the human being deep inside of him.

The film takes the audience on a roller-coaster ride of emotions as Gru moves from pathetic to sympathetic, all wonderfully scored by original music from hip-hop artist Pharrell Williams and Brazilian composer Heitor Pereira. An actual roller-coaster ride also tests the boundaries of 3D imaging to the fullest.

Speaking after the Rio screening, producer John Cohen explained that to ensure the film translated to every culture, they worked with an international team, mixing artistic elements from different parts of the world and giving priority to physicality and physical comedy.

Gru’s scarf, Cohen mentioned, emerged as the principal defining feature of the character, and the production team ended up treating it like a character in itself, even going so far as putting one artist solely in charge of its animation.

Despicable Me opens in Brazil on August 6th, after another special screening in São Paulo on July 30th; and if the success of recent 3D, animated movies is any indication, it is the newest contender to smash the box office this winter.

One can only imagine the new heights this ever growing animation-mania will reach in Brazil, when Rio, the upcoming movie by the Brazilian director Carlos Saldanha opens in 2011.

RIO DE JANEIRO – Brazilian Environmental Minister Izabella Teixeira announced on Monday, July 26th, that the National Contingency Plan (PNC) for open sea oil exploration and production will be in place by September. The Plan takes into account new global parameters regarding deep-water drilling as influenced by the ongoing disaster in the Gulf of Mexico.

Environmental Minister Izabella Teixeira, photo by Valter Campanato/ABr.

Clean up efforts were halted this past weekend as British Petroleum (BP) employees and clean up crews experienced their first real weather scare since oil started spilling into the Gulf’s waters following the explosion of the offshore Deepwater Horizon oil rig on April 20th.

Tropical Storm Bonnie entered the Gulf of Mexico with Tropical Storm status on Friday, with a straight trajectory from Southern Florida to New Orleans, Louisiana, passing directly over the BP well. Drilling of relief wells was interrupted and the platform drilling ships and other clean up vessels were moved out of the storm’s path.

The storm’s force dissipated as it crossed over the Gulf, which fortunately meant for significantly less damage than expected. Winds spread the surface slick, thereby lowering oil concentrations and facilitating natural bio-degradation.

Vessels have returned and clean up efforts have since resumed, but the incident was a reminder to oil companies, investors and environmentalists around the world of the gravity of the current situation and the need to ensure higher standards in deep-water drilling.

Teixeira will meet with American representatives responsible for containing the BP oil well leak this Friday. According to the Minister, Brazil’s greatest concern is being prepared to adequately deal with disasters such as the latest situation in the Gulf, deemed completely technical and off the charts in terms of risk management around the globe.

The new contingency plan is being negotiated with the National Petroleum Agency (ANP), the Brazilian Environmental and Natural Renewable Resources Institute (IBAMA) and involved companies, such as Petrobras. A presidential decree will be signed by President Lula once an agreement is reached in order to institute the new Plan.

It is images like this from the 2006 Black Sea oil spill that the Government hopes the new measures will help to avoid, photo by Igor Golubenkov/Flickr Creative Commons License.

Teixiera told O Globo news, “Nobody ever imagined a situation like this one. And it is necessary that we work with prevention procedures. I think this is most important, that we increase our prevention measures.”

In addition to procedures to increase prevention, the Plan includes actions for environmental care in case of accidents, as well as security procedures to be adopted by the Brazilian government and the private companies it hires.

BP is now racing the clock to permanently kill the oil well as the hurricane season in the late summer months approaches. Had Bonnie remained a tropical storm or become a hurricane clean up efforts could have been seriously hampered, as all projections indicated that oil would have been pushed to currently unaffected shorelines.

Only days before a temporary cap was placed on the well that stopped the oil from gushing into the Gulf after over eighty days at a rate of thousands barrels per day. The cap created minor leaks along the ocean floor, but has been left in place to contain the predominant flow of oil while relief wells are being drilled.