Massive Blackout Hits Brazil Posted by Rachel on Nov 11, 2009
Last night, a massive blackout hit Paraguay and many states in Brazil, including the cities of Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro, affecting millions of people. Brazil lost 17,000 megawatts of power when the largest hydroelectric dam in the world, Itaipu, suddenly lost power. There were mixed reports about which states were affected; the first…
New Music: A Filial Posted by Rachel on Nov 10, 2009
A Filial is an up-and-coming hip-hop band from Rio de Janeiro who recently released a new album, $1,99. Some members of the group grew up in Rio’s bohemian Santa Teresa neighborhood, and their music reflects a variety of genres, including bossa nova, jazz, tropicalia, rock, and rap. They first got started by releasing an album…
Aprenda inglês com a Transparent Posted by Rachel on Nov 9, 2009
Já que temos alguns leitores brasileiros aqui no Portuguese Blog, queria compartilhar com vocês outro projeto da Transparent: o blog Transparent Inglês, escrito especificamente para os brasileiros. O autor do blog, Adir, é um brasileiro que dá aula de inglês e sabe muito bem ensinar diferentes idiomas. No blog, tem posts para todos os níveis…
Cooking Vocabulary Posted by Rachel on Nov 6, 2009
Today, we’re going to take a look at some cooking vocabulary. to cook = cozinhar dining = gastronomia cooking = culinária recipe = receita cup = copo teacup = xícara de chá spoon = colher soup spoon = colher de sopa teaspoon = colher de de chá can = lata batch/bunch = maço unit =…
Weird but True Posted by Rachel on Nov 5, 2009
There are plenty of weird but true stories that come out of Brazil, and this one is no exception. This week, a man thought to have been killed in a car crash showed up at his own funeral. Ademir Jorge Gonçalves, age 59, was out drinking with friends in Santo Antônio da Platina, Paraná when…
Rio de Janeiro Elected Best Gay Global Destination Posted by Rachel on Nov 4, 2009
The Logo network’s website, TripOutGayTravel.com, part of the MTV network, elected Rio de Janeiro as the Best Global Destination City for gay travelers this week, beating Buenos Aires, Barcelona, London, Montreal, and Sydney. The election took place at the International LGBT Tourism Conference in Boston. The announcement comes on the heels of Rio’s Olympic selection…
Lyrics Practice: Fernanda Abreu Posted by Rachel on Nov 3, 2009
Fernanda Abreu was of the first singers to popularize the funk movement, though her music was considerably more pop than today’s funk. This is one of her most classic songs, called Rio 40 Graus, that has some wonderful lyrics that really embody life in Rio de Janeiro. They’re really long, so I’ve included just a…