Live to Jukebox

I am for certain not the most tuneful of my generation, guess that my hearing as never been adapted for music or languages. My father and mother could play the violin and piano respectively since it was expected that you played an instrument as part of your ability to entertain others, yet surprisingly both my parents would not help their children to play an instrument, my eldest probably learnt more from my father since they had time to get to know each other again after the second world war had finished, and my other brother seemed to be my mothers favourite and got away with learning to play the guitar in the house. My other brother and I did not manage to learn much at home, I learnt a little at the house of my grand parents, just enough to play the piano from sheet music but not enough to learn any pieces by heart. As children it seemed that music was always made from spoons, washboards or made up guitars. Very little radio and almost no television, music in the parlour was only played when there were visitors or my parents were on their own. I can remember buying records and then having to ask for them to be played on the radiogram, it was in my teens that my mother took me to the street market to find and buy a second hand turntable for my record collection.
I had a slightly different attitude to music than my brothers, I loved the wailing black music, Blues was my ideal and with that it took me into Soul and Reggae along with John Mayall's music which then took me into folk and Bob Dylan and the Yardbirds, Van Morrison and Eric Clapton, Rolling Stones and Traffic, Joan Beaz and Incredible String Band, Roxy Music and T.Rex, Winter Brothers and John Lennon.......etc
I am sure that this trend to make music was the same in Brazil, in the past it would be the collonial link, the way that those could remember their family roots, whether it be African or Portuguese, German or Spanish, Hollandes or Italian, the folk music played at home or in the street was a direct throw back to their roots and here in Brazil that is not such a long history. Carnaval again was much like this until the late 1950's but has now disappeared into a mass market of CD's and the band wagon pop group supporting their music sales, Samba is almost history, kept alive for tourists and brought out only once a year. It is best to go into the interior of Brazil to find these traditions on a more weekly basis, there is more need for the community to get together frequently and the desire for local groups to play and dance is still active as it is in Europe.
I have just been reminded of skiffle groups of my eldest brothers time and the college bands that always played to a fairly full house, in Exeter, Devon it was common in all the pubs to have some form of local band or musicians playing, as it was when I first went to Scotland, in fact I do remember that most pubs in London supported the piano player in preference to any music box, but that died out during the first two years that I was living in London and the jukebox was their replacement. There are a few hardy fellows that keep a few pubs in Edinburgh as music venues, either folk or jazz, and they are indeed welcome places for the student as nuch as the older listener. I have no real experience of this in Brazil and would not know if there is any such culture here, I would think that it is not their idea of a good nights music and unless the volume can be turned up it would not appeal to many.

early birds

I was into the garden early to get some watering done before the heat really made it impossible, but clearly not early enough to have seen my first Caju in perfect condition. I found this first home grown Caju on the grass below the tree but the birds had got there first, still it will go with some apples into the liquidizer for some suco later on today.

My friends-if you where here

I have mentioned this bar before but had no photos, now that Vitor, the owner, has been kind enough to supply me with photos and info I would like to recommend it, you could always stay with me and we could go together.




Thinking of Xmas, those of us who work with wood, and by that I really mean those of us that have been at the planting, the growing, the cutting, the dimensioning, the drying and then the forming of furniture and the restoration of antiques were wood has been used, know the historic value of it.
For all it has supplied a filter for the atmosphere, a fuel, a support, a house, a boat, tools for agriculture, ideas for gravity and for me a long productive career making furniture. The longitivity of trees is a symbol of security and family, shown to have more than 5,000 years life span for one variety alone, believed that possibly three or four more varieties live similar age if not in an area deforestation, these trees were planted well before Christ and possibly at the time of the Pyramids,thus spanning the whole of known history and still recording in their rings the climate history.

Pere Noel

Unique and delightful Christmas traditions are followed in France. The centre of attraction in all homes is the Nativity scene or crèche that is decorated with cute little clay figures called 'Santons' or 'Little Saints'. These colourful little saints are a special and age old feature of Christmas in France and are prepared all round the year by skilled craftsmen in the south of France. Popular Santons include shepherds, Magi, Holy Family besides local characters and dignitaries.

In France, Christmas Tree is not so popular but it is symbolic presence can be felt in the Christmas Cake. The traditional French Christmas Cake is prepared in the shape of Yule log and is called the buche de Nol, meaning "Christmas Log". This cake is a special feature of the Le rveillon - a grand feast of the season celebrated after midnight mass on Christmas Eve.

On the eve of Christmas, French children leave their shoes or wooden clogs called sabots by the fireplace so that their favorite Christ Child or Pere Noel could fill it with gifts. Children believe that Pere Noel travels with his stern disciplinarian companion Pre Fouettard, who tells Pere Noel about the behavior of each child in the past year. In some parts of France Pere Noel brings gifts for children on St. Nicholas Eve (December 6) and visits again on Christmas. In other places it is le petit Jesus who brings the gifts. Adults usually wait until New Year's Day to exchange gifts.

Latin Xmas.
Throughout South America Christmas is celebrated in a deeply religious way. The main focus of the season throughout the continent is the presepio ("the manger"). Often a whole room is devoted to the presepio display, complete with landscape and tiny figures made to scale. Though the central feature is the manger at Bethlehem, elaborate scenes will include hills full of shepherds gazing upon the heavenly host, the Wise Men crossing the desert on their camels, water mills, grottos, electric trains, and even sailing boats on the sea.

Brazil
Father Christmas is called Papai Noel. Many Christmas customs are similar to USA or UK. For those who have enough money, a special Christmas meal will be chicken, turkey, ham, rice, salad, pork, fresh and dried fruits, often with beer. Poorer people will just have chicken and rice.

Chile
As in most Latin American nations, Chile's Christmas celebrations centre on the church and the family. The nation's Catholics observe the novena, nine days of prayer and fasting before Christmas.

The chimneys on the homes are quite small in this warm climate, therefore Viejo Pascuero, the Santa Clause can climbs through the window with his gifts. Christmas Eve dinner is eaten very late, most often after Midnight Mass or Misa del Gallo, and consists of turkey and an array of salads, seafood, and olives, accompanied by the local wine, for which Chile is well known. Deserts always include Pan de Pascua, a sweet Christmas bread, along with fruit, cake and cookies.

Argentina
People go to the church with family, then come back to a family gathering. At midnight after eating they toast, then the adults' dance while younger people go out to see the fireworks. After this they go to sleep, but before opening the presents under the Christmas tree. That day is very special for because they are Christian and celebrate Jesus' birth on the 24th of December.

For the dinner it is pork, turkey, and a great variety of other foods. Then the table is covered with sweet things, cider, beer, and juice for consuming while waiting for the time of the toast. After the toast all the family chat, others play.

Venezuela
In Venezuela on December 16th families bring out their pesebres (cribs) which are specially designed depiction of the nativity scene. It is a custom to attend at one of nine carol services is observed by most Venezuelans. Firecrackers explode and bells ring to call worshippers from bed in the pre-dawn hours. Families attend a mass on this night and then return home to a huge and fancy dinner.
On January 6th when the children awaken they will discover that the straw that they had left beside their bed the night before has gone and in its place are gifts the children know that the Magi and their camels have been and when they go to look in the mirror if they have a black smudge on their cheek they know that Balthasar, King of the Ethiopians has kissed them whilst they slept.

http://www.christmas-day.org/christmas-story.html

In the garden today

I have been making sure that the garden is well watered, the sun as been very strong for the last few weeks and I know that as soon as the house is occupied I will no longer be in the garden, it will be left to Antonio, my occasional gardener, to water the plants on a nearly daily basis. The cashew tree that I planted as a seed, is finally fruiting, a little late in the season but at least I can see see lots of fruit developing, and I will ask Antonio to pick some fruit for me to taste.

Here are some photos of the garden this morning, I have lost some plants during the time I was away in Europe but the rest are recovering well and it should be nice and green for the visitors, they will even have some limão to pick but no bananas this time, another problem with going away during a time of growth, the plants need a lot of water to get the foliage that the fruit needs, and I find that it is also best to water over the plants as the bananas, and indeed the coconut tree, are a bit like ferns in the way that they collect water, funnelling it into the centre of the leaves. I have mentioned to Antonio that the banana needs at least 10 leaves per plant to give good fruit and this is done by good watering and cutting out a lot of the root sprouts that the banana naturally sends up.

o panetone

foto Globo..
Penso que é tempo para abrir uma prisão apenas para os criminosos políticos.
o que panetone, mentiras, mentiroso e mais mentiras, esses políticos não têm nenhum respeito para o público ou para a sua posição trabalho pública, para mim é o mesmo que os padres da Igreja Católica abusar jovens rapazes. Abuse muito serio.
Esta falta de respeito que existe em grande parte da população brasileira, tem de ser abordado dentro do setor público para que o público em geral a apreciar o que há um bom futuro para o Brasil e não continuar a pensar de hoje e não amanhã. Despertar para o fato de que leva muitos anos para criar um serviço de boa saúde, leva muitos anos para criar uma boa infra estrutura de estradas e comboios, é preciso que haja economia ter um futuro melhor, um carro novo improvável não melhorar da vida , sua vida tanto como um melhor sistema de transporte, um novo celular não dará uma vida melhor, e esses políticos apenas desperdiçar o dinheiro que eles roubem do público. Cuidado quando vota e escolha políticas seu bem...

O avanço do gado

O avanço do gado sobre a floresta amazônica - 80% das áreas desmatadas na região são usadas para pastos. Eu mencionei isso antes e estou lembrado novamente por este programa de manhãs Ecologia na TV Globo, que a principal causa de desmatamento é o desejo crescente mais carne de bovino, de todos os presente área do desmatamento na Amazônia, região cerca de 80 % é usado para a criação de gado, principalmente para as vendas de exportação. O que eu não tinha realizado é que gado fará com que o desmatamento sem homem cortando as árvores, o processo de gado andar e compactar o solo vai reduzir a capacidade para absorver a absorção de chuva e mineral no solo, também esta compactamente encoraja a introdução de cupins e eles, com a secagem das terras, por sua vez causa desmatamento natural.

I have mentioned this before and am reminded again by this mornings programme Ecologia on Globo TV, that the prime cause for deforestation is the growing desire for more beef, of all the present area of deforestation in the Amazon region about 80 % is used for rearing cattle, mainly for export sales. What I had not realised is that cattle will cause deforestation without man cutting any trees, the process of cattle walking and compacting the soil will reduce the capacity for absorbing rain and mineral absorption into the soil, this compacting also encourages the introduction of termites and they, with the drying of the land, will in turn cause the natural deforestation.

Aqui parte de artigo no internet

PHILIP M. FEARNSIDE
Instituto Nacional de Pesquisas da Amazônia (INPA), Caixa Postal 478, Manaus, 69083-000, Amazonas, Brasil.
e-mail: pmfearn@inpa.gov.br
http://www.unifap.br/ppgbio/doc/16_Fearnside.pdf

Brazil’s Amazon forest remained largely intact until the “modern” era of deforestation began with the
inauguration of the Transamazon Highway in 1970. Amazonian deforestation rates have trended
upward since 1991, with clearing proceeding at a variable but always rapid pace. Although Amazonian
forests are cut for various reasons, cattle ranching predominates. The large and medium-sized ranches
account for about 70% of clearing activity. Profit from beef cattle is only one of the income sources that
make deforestation profitable. Forest degradation results from logging, ground fires (facilitated by
logging), and the effects of fragmentation and edge formation. Degradation contributes to forest loss.
The impacts of deforestation include loss of biodiversity, reduced water cycling (and rainfall), and
contributions to global warming. Strategies to slow deforestation include repression through licensing
procedures, monitoring, and fines. The severity of penalties for deforestation needs to be sufficient to
deter illegal clearing but not so great as to be unenforceable. Policy reform is also needed to address
root causes of deforestation, including the role of clearing in establishing land claims.

RESUMO
A floresta amazônica brasileira permaneceu completamente intacta até o início da era
“moderna” do desmatamento, com a inauguração da rodovia Transamazônica, em 1970.
Os índices de desmatamento na Amazônia vêm aumentando desde 1991 com o processo de
desmatamento num ritmo variável, mas rápido. Embora a floresta amazônica seja desmatada
por inúmeras razões, a criação de gado ainda é a causa predominante. As fazendas de médio
e grande porte são responsáveis por cerca de 70% das atividades de desmatamento. O comércio
da carne bovina é apenas uma das fontes de renda que faz com que o desmatamento seja
lucrativo. A degradação da floresta resulta do corte seletivo, dos incêndios (facilitados pelo
corte seletivo) e dos efeitos da fragmentação e da formação de borda. A degradação contribui
para a perda da floresta. Os impactos do desmatamento incluem a perda de biodiversidade,
a redução da ciclagem da água (e da precipitação) e contribuições para o aquecimento global.
As estratégias para desacelerar o desmatamento incluem a repressão através de procedimentos
de licenciamento, monitoramento e multas. O rigor das penalidades deve ser suficiente
para impedir os desmatamentos ilegais, mas não tão grande que as impeçam de ser executadas.
Uma reforma política também é necessária para discutir as causas primordiais do desmatamento,
incluindo o papel do desmatamento no estabelecimento da posse da terra.

INTRODUÇÃO
A ocupação intensa da Amazônia começou no início da
década de 1970. Embora áreas extensas ainda permaneçam
intactas, a taxa de perda da floresta é dramática,
em especial no “arco do desmatamento”, ao longo
das bordas sul e leste. A perda da biodiversidade e os
impactos climáticos são as maiores preocupações. A
vastidão das florestas remanescentes significa que os
impactos potenciais do desmatamento de forma continuada
são muito mais importantes que os já severos
impactos que ocorreram até hoje.
O combate ao desmatamento no Brasil é uma prioridade
para o governo e para as organizações internacionais.
O monitoramento e a repressão são, atualmente,
as estratégias principais. Uma fiscalização efetiva e
a arrecadação de multas daqueles que não possuem
autorização do Ibama, contudo, devem ser acompanhadas
pela compreensão necessária dos aspectos sociais,
econômicos e políticos para se tratar o problema por
meio de mudanças na política.
A EXTENSÃO E O ÍNDICE DE DESMATAMENTO
Em 2003, a área de floresta desmatada na Amazônia
brasileira alcançou 648,5 x 103km2 (16,2% dos 4 x
106km2 da floresta original da Amazônia Legal, que é
de 5 x 106km2), incluindo, aproximadamente, 100 x
103km2 de desmatamento “antigo” (pré-1970) no Pará
e no Maranhão (Figura 1; INPE, 2004). O índice atual e
a extensão cumulativa do desmatamento abrangem
áreas enormes. A extensão original da floresta amazônica
brasileira era, aproximadamente, equivalente
à área da Europa Oriental. O índice é freqüentemente
discutido no Brasil em termos de “Bélgicas” já que a
perda anual equivale à área desse país (30,5 x 103km2),
enquanto que a soma cumulativa é comparada à França
(547,0 x 103km2). A presença européia, por quase
cinco séculos, antes de 1970, desmatou uma área ligeiramente
maior que Portugal. Os valores atuais do
desmatamento podem ser obtidos na website do INPE
(http://www.inpe.br). As explicações oficiais, assim
como os motivos pelos quais os índices do desmatamento
flutuam (decretos influenciando os incentivos
e programas para fiscalização e arrecadação de multas),
no entanto, são provavelmente incorretos, como
explico aqui. Além disso, uma variedade de questões
técnicas sobre as próprias estatísticas permanece em
aberto (Fearnside & Barbosa, 2004).

CAUSAS DO DESMATAMENTO
Na Amazônia brasileira, o peso relativo dos pequenos
fazendeiros versus grandes latifundiários altera-se continuamente
devido às pressões econômicas e demográficas.
Os grandes latifundiários são mais sensíveis às
mudanças econômicas, tais como as taxas de juros e
outros investimentos, subsídios governamentais para
o crédito agrícola, índice de inflação e preço da terra.
Os incentivos fiscais foram um forte condutor do desmatamento
nas décadas de 1970 e 1980 (Mahar, 1979).
Embora um decreto em 1991 tenha suspendido novos
incentivos, os antigos continuam, ao contrário da impressão
sustentada por afirmações de autoridades do
governo de que tudo acabou. Outros incentivos, como
o crédito subsidiado pelo governo com taxas bem abaixo
da inflação, tornaram-se muito mais escassos depois
de 1984.
Antes do Plano Real, em 1994, a hiperinflação dominou
a economia do Brasil durante décadas. A terra era
muito valorizada e os preços atingiam níveis mais altos
do que poderiam ser justificados como um insumo para
a produção agropecuária. a retirada das florestas possibilitava
reivindicações pela terra e o desmatamento
para a formação de pastagens era o mais barato e mais
efetivo nesse sentido, embora seja questionável até
onde essa atividade era usada como especulação de
terra (Hecht et al., 1988; Farninow, 1998; Fearnside,
1987, 2002b). A especulação de terra foi importante
até por volta de 1987, quando houve um aumento subseqüente
do lucro da pastagem a partir da produção de
carne bovina (Mattos & Uhl, 1994; Margulis, 2003).
A recessão econômica brasileira é a melhor explicação
para a queda nos índices do desmatamento de 1987
até 1991. Os fazendeiros não tinham capacidade de
expandir suas áreas desmatadas tão rapidamente e o
governo não tinha recursos para a construção de rodovias
e para projetos de assentamento. O impacto das
medidas de repressão (p. ex., patrulhamento com
helicópteros, confisco de motoserras, multas) foi, provavelmente,
menor. A mudança política sobre os incentivos
fiscais também foi ineficaz. O decreto suspendendo
os incentivos (nº 153) começou a vigorar em 25 de
junho de 1991 – subseqüente à maior queda observada
no desmatamento (Figura 1). Mesmo naquele último
ano (1991), o efeito teria sido mínimo, porque o
mês de agosto foi a data média das imagens do satélite
Landsat para o conjunto de dados de 1991. Em seu
ponto mais baixo, em 1991, muitos fazendeiros foram
impossibilitados de usar seus recursos para investir em
desmatamento porque o então presidente, Fernando

Banco Mundial dá financiamento a gado na Amazônia

Publicidade

da Folha de S. Paulo

Está aprovado. O Conselho de Diretores da IFC (Corporação Financeira Internacional, na sigla inglesa), o braço do Banco Mundial (Bird) que financia a iniciativa privada, decidiu ontem emprestar US$ 90 milhões para o Grupo Bertin, a segunda maior empresa de carnes do mercado brasileiro.

O dinheiro será usado para um grande projeto de expansão do conglomerado, que tem capital 100% nacional. Parte desses recursos vão ser aplicados na Amazônia (Pará, Rondônia e Mato Grosso), o que está preocupando os ambientalistas.

"Essa aprovação diminui ainda mais a credibilidade da IFC, que já está bastante erodida", disse Roberto Smeraldi, diretor da Amigos da Terra Amazônia Brasileira. "É mais um problema para o banco, que terá de mostrar que as suas ações não causam dano ao ambiente."
http://www1.folha.uol.com.br/folha/ciencia/ult306u16101.shtml

Um relatório divulgado nesta segunda-feira pela ONG ambientalista Greenpeace acusa o governo brasileiro de financiar indiretamente a destruição da Amazônia por meio de recursos destinados à criação de gado em áreas desmatadas ilegalmente.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/portuguese/noticias/2009/06/090601_greenpeace_gado_amazonia_rw.shtml
http://www.greenpeace.org/brasil/amazonia/gado/gado-na-amaz-nia

Price of Petrol

I have just been reminded of a conversation that I had with a friend about a year or so ago, it was at the time of a huge oil price surge and limiting of supplies in Europe. The Brazilian news channel SBT was mentioning the extraction of oil from Brazilian wells, and this as reminded me of what my friend said during our chat, that 'oil is too valuable to waste on vehicles of any sort. The reality is that the world of humans is now almost totally reliant on plastics and the basic component for manufacture of plastic is oil. This reliance will no doubt lead to a more enviromentally friendly vehical, although I am not sure how the jet aircraft will be superceeded and the desire for travel abroad be made some what more an unnessasary diversion for those that can afford the cost. Here are some remarks from the Institute for the Analysis of Global Security:
"China’s ability to provide for its own needs is limited by the fact that its proven oil reserves are small in relation to its consumption. At current production rates they are likely to last for less than two decades. Though during the 1970s and 1980s China was a net oil exporter, it became a net oil importer in 1993 and is growingly dependent on foreign oil. China currently imports 32% of its oil and is expected to double its need for imported oil between now and 2010. A report by the International Energy Agency predicted that by 2030, Chinese oil imports will equal imports by the U.S. today."
"China's expectation of growing future dependence on oil imports has brought it to acquire interests in exploration and production in places like Kazakhstan, Russia, Venezuela, Sudan, West Africa, Iran, Saudi Arabia and Canada. But despite its efforts to diversify its sources, China has become increasingly dependent on Middle East oil. Today, 58% of China's oil imports come from the region. By 2015, the share of Middle East oil will stand on 70%. Though historically China has had no long-standing strategic interests in the Middle East, its relationship with the region from where most of its oil comes is becoming increasingly important."
"A key driver in China's relations with terrorist-sponsoring governments is its dependence on foreign oil to fuel its economic development. This dependency is expected to increase over the coming decade."
"In the Western Hemisphere China concluded oil and gas deals with Argentina, Brazil, Peru, and Ecuador. But its main country of interest is Venezuela, U.S.' fourth largest oil supplier. A series of oil agreements signed in early 2005 allow Chinese companies to explore for oil and gas and set up refineries in Venezuela. Chinese state-owned oil companies have also begun seeking ambitious oil deals in Canada, the top petroleum supplier to the U.S. China’s continued penetration into the Western Hemisphere could have profound economic and political implications for the U.S. Considering the fact that both U.S.’ and Mexico’s domestic crude production are falling, the U.S. cannot afford to lose chunks of the crude produced by the two countries that together supply a third of its oil imports. With less oil available to the American market the U.S. will be forced to seek this oil elsewhere, primarily in the Middle East, hence becoming more dependnet on this tumultuous region."

O dia para o Negro-Consciência Negra 2009

Talvez seja o desejo do Brasil para ver sempre o lado brilhante da vida por mascarando a que existe nas sombras, não para pedir também grande parte o presente, mas muito ver no passado.

Esta semana como interposto nos pensamentos de Negros no Brasil, as atitudes e os sucessos estão a ser valorizados, mas por trás disso reside outra cultura e de um processo retrógrado. Não sou eu com qualquer forma de discriminação, nascido em Birmingham, Inglaterra e portanto, usado para culturas de África, Carabinas, Índia e Ásia do tempo de 1950's tardia, ainda vejo discriminação por mim no Brasil todo. É bom ter avaliações dos tempos coloniais, como seria a apreciar o regime militar no Brasil, todos os anteriores vezes têm seus períodos de boas e ruim, é tão difícil de apreciar um desejo da parte de muitos brasileiros de Afro re criar uma imagem de sucesso de uma base de escravatura, este continua desejo de manter a imagem da África como um Estado de mãe é para mim um elemento mal compreendido os problemas do dia de hoje, lembrando um dos últimos americano e a continuação de problemas.
Eu podem associá-lo para o restauração de crenças Nazi na Alemanha, um desejo de re criar os gloriosos passados de uma nação copiando alguns elementos é certo trazer em conflito. Em muitos aspectos, que isto é materializado na natureza da família e sua quebra até, aqui no Brasil a parte da mulher é vista quase como o do escravo negro e ela vê sua luta que a do passado colonial escravo , é mais aparente na Comunidade Afro brasileira devido a aceitação contínua de preto como um baixo grau de trabalhador, um lembrete de continuação do passado e ainda ainda não resolvido. Enquanto continuar a ver a maioria da riqueza em mãos dos brancos no Brasil e o poder do Governo e a lei também nas mãos de brancas, há pouca chance de uma mudança para melhor educação e melhores cuidados de saúde, é do interesse dos ricos para permitir que os Afro brasileiros continuar a pensar de si próprios como pobres e os únicos com um plano de fundo do escravo, isso é porque é que, para um não como este processo continuado de amor com herança africana, vejo ele como as pirâmides, para mostrar o valor do seu passado, mas não a re criar, para lá também o uso de escravos da África central trouxe poder para alguns indivíduos corruptos

Novos remédios genéricos

Os altos preços dos remédios fazem com que muitas pessoas passem por dificuldades sentindo dores ou permanecendo doentes, por não poderem comprar os devidos medicamentos.
Mas ainda bem que tiveram a feliz idéia de instituir no país a produção de medicamentos genéricos, pois o Brasil é um dos poucos países do mundo que utiliza essa prática. O remédio genérico é mais barato porque os fabricantes não cobrem os efeitos colaterais, mas eles possuem a mesma qualidade de um remédio “não genérico”.
Quando um remédio “original” está no período de proteção da patente ele não pode ter sua fórmula genérica, mas quando a tal patente cai os laboratórios já começam suas pesquisas para produção dos mesmos. Foi o que aconteceu em setembro de 2009 alguns remédios perderam suas patentes e para o bem do bolso do consumidor, agora será mais acessível comprar alguns medicamentos que são bem caros em suas formulas originais.
Tais remedos que estão sendo produzidos e começaram a ser comercializados até o final de 2009 serão o colírio “Xalatan”, outros que ficarão livre da patente são o “Elidel” para doenças de pele e também o “Aloxi”, que é muito usado em tratamentos de câncer. A partir do ano de 2010 outro remédio também ganhará sua versão genérica será a vez do “Zyprexa” esse para transtornos emocionais e em 2011 o famoso “Viagra” para impotência sexual. Mas os laboratórios lutam para conseguir que os remédios genéricos possam ser comercializados antes das datas previstas. Por fim um remédio que também teve fim a sua patente é o “Líptor”, tal medicamento é usado no tratamento de colesterol, além de ser o mais vendido em todo mundo, os novos preços poderão ser reduzidos em 35%ou até mais, bom para os consumidores que precisam dos remédios e poderão ter acesso a eles por valores mais em conta.

http://www.guiadicas.com

esteticamente agradável genitais

figos uma lembrança de filme 'mulheres em amar'
Em uma artigo hoje, de BBC UK questão de senso no cirurgia intima. Eu conhece muito mulheres e náo pensai uma fase quando eu achar de mulher ficou conhecimento do prazer visual de seus genitais deixe sozinhos querer agradar um homem suficientemente para sob ir cirurgia para alterar a aparência deles. Vejo muita razão para alterar outras partes do corpo mas muito pouco para genitais

As mulheres são submetidos a cirurgia para criar genitália perfeita no meio de uma "chocante" falta de informação sobre os riscos potenciais do procedimento, diz um relatório.

Investigação publicada no jornal britânico de obstetrícia e ginecologia também questiona a própria noção de esteticamente agradável genitais.

As operações para melhorar a aparência dos órgãos sexuais por motivos psicológicos e físicos estão a aumentar.

Mas cirurgiões disseram que o relatório mais jogado os riscos de um procedimento estabelecido.

Pesquisadores da University College Londres revista todos os estudos existentes sobre labial cirurgia - o que geralmente envolve a redução da quantidade de tecido que sobressair dos lábios que cobrem a vagina. Eles descobriram que tinha havido pouco trabalho para documentar os efeitos de lado mais longo prazo.

Labioplastimia, como é conhecido, custa cerca de 3.000 libras privada e é oferecido por uma variedade de razões: algumas mulheres se queixam que vestida de roupa apertada ou Equitação uma bicicleta é desconfortável, enquanto outros dizer são envergonhados na frente de um parceiro sexual.
Mas, ginecologista consultor Sarah Creighton e psicólogo Lih-Mei Liao desafiado a ética da cirurgia de mulheres para o endereço foi de tais inseguranças, sugerindo a oferecer anúncios para uma "homogeneizada, pre-pubescent genital aparência" que criou essas inquietações em primeiro lugar.

Também sugeriram que qualquer dor aparentemente causada por sobressair também pode ter uma raiz psicológica - notando que a genitália masculina sobressair muito mais sem causar grande desconforto.

Aconselhamento e apoio, portanto, poderiam ser uma alternativa preferível a cirurgia, eles defendem.

Excisão o número de mulheres em vias de labioplastimia nacional é desconhecido, como a maioria das operações é realizada de forma privada, mas no ano passado procedimentos sobre o NHS ( saúde nacional Grã Bretanha) aumentaram 70 % no ano anterior, para 1,118.

Em estudos que datam de 1950, examinada por investigadores, a insatisfação com a forma como a vagina parecia foi a principal razão para cirurgia, com pacientes também a falar da baixa auto-estima e dificuldades sexuais.
Mas, em vez de curar problemas sexuais, Dr. Creighton sugeriu cirurgia pode exacerbá-los por prejudicar o fornecimento de Nervo para a área, prejudicar a sensibilidade sexual e satisfação.

Ela também sugere que as mulheres que são submetidos a este procedimento podem ter problemas semelhantes no parto como aqueles que sofreram mutilações genitais femininas, em que partes da vagina espiritualismo são removidos.

Ele é agora bem documentado que as mulheres que tenham sido submetidos a tal Circuncisão são mais suscetíveis de experiência significativa rasgões e sangramento após a mão-de-obra e até mesmo a morte de seus bebês, problemas que estão ultrapassadas pela entrega caesarean .

"Cirurgia labial precisa ser rigorosamente avaliadas no futuro e mais longo prazo," disse o Dr. Creighton.

"Além disso, a investigação de qualidade é necessário para melhorar a nossa compreensão dos motivas psicológicos por trás da decisão das mulheres a sacrificar sexualmente sensível tecido que contribui para experiências eróticos, para uma certa aparência genital, que costumava ser uma obrigação apenas para alguns modelos de modo."

Pacientes 'Aterrorizarem'
Douglas McGeorge, passado o Presidente da a associação britânica de cirurgiões plástica estética, rejeitou a comparação com a excisão, alegando que era uma operação relativamente menor com algumas complicações possíveis.

"Eles já passou um pouco a parte superior. Essencialmente este é apenas sobre Removendo um pouco de polpa solta, deixando para trás um labia elegante aparência com o mínimo de cicatriz. O procedimento não interfere com a função sexual.

"As mulheres querem isso por uma série de razões - algumas encontrar desconforto andar de bicicleta por exemplo, mas para a maioria é estético, que é verdade.

"Revistas de garoto"são olhou por namoradas e torná-los a pensar mais sobre a aparência. Vivemos tempos em que estamos muito mais abertas sobre nossos corpos - e alterando-lhes - e labioplastia é simplesmente uma parte do presente."

Angélica Kavouni, um cirurgião cosmético que exerce a labioplastia, disse foi um erro "aterrorizar pacientes" com sugestões de conseqüências a longo prazo.

"Este é um procedimento que temos vindo a fazer desde a década de 1970. Qualquer operação executada riscos faz mal, mas quando isso seja feito corretamente não há muito poucos problemas.

"Vi mulheres que enviei fora porque não acho que eles têm um problema, mas para as mulheres com hipertrofia grave - quando o tecido é escuro e trava para baixo - não há uma maneira simples de lidar com ele. O respostas que recebo é de fato muito positivo".

BJOG editor Prof. Philip STEER disse o estudo "sublinha a necessidade de investigação multidisciplinar investigar a gama de fatores que afetam a função sexual e o bem-estar das mulheres.

"Informações fiáveis sobre riscos e benefícios da cirurgia labial, bem como abordagens alternativas, são vitais para assegurar a escolha informada para as mulheres".
http://www.baaps.org.uk/content/view/60/60/
http://www.urogyn.org/aestheticvaginal.html
http://labiaplasty.blogspot.com/
http://www.altermd.com/female_genital_surgery.htm
http://www.mamashealth.com/plastic/vag.asp

Churrasco

o autor Luiz Fernando Almeida Caixeiro, compilou (em um livro) diversas receitas especiais para churrasco (cliquem aqui, para fazer o download do livro ou http://www.pampaecerrado.com.br/livro_churrasco.pdf).
Tem mais 80 recites no livro com fotos para explicar bem todas momentos de preparativo. Aqui uma para ver...

Costela de Novilho Precoce ao Molho de Vinho

A proposta desta seção (e também da “Corte do Mes”) sempre foi familiarizar os leitores com os procedimentos básicos no manuseio da carne, como cortá-la aproveitando todas as possibilidades e especialidades de cada peça e como tratá-la antes dos temperos e do fogo. A partir desta edição, o “Corte do Mes” e o “Passo-a-passo” passarão a compor uma única matéria, montada e demonstrada pelo Sidney Maluf, mostrando mais do que simplesmente os cortes. Vamos mostrar também o resultado, numa receita que, com certeza, vai provocar o seu apetite. Começamos com uma maneira simples e muito prática de preparar uma costela de novilho precoce, aproveitando toda sua riqueza de textura e sabor. Essa peça, costela de novilho precoce, pode ser encontrada em casas especializadas já cortada e pronta para uso. É só seguir os passos do tempero e do cozimento. Mãos à obra, que o resultado é surpreendente.

Ingredientes

• 1 costela de novilho precoce pesando entre 7,5kg e 8kg
• 1 litro de vinho branco seco
• Sal grosso

A peça inteira da alcatra mede em média 80 centímetros e contém cinco tipos de cortes bem distintos em seu interior. As mais conhecidas e festejadas são a picanha, que virou sinônimo de churrasco, e a maminha, macia, suculenta (não para bifes) e ideal para assados e carne de panela. Retirando-as do alcatra, sobra o miolo da alcatra, de onde se obtêm mais três cortes importantes. O mais nobre é o tender-steak, que pesa em média 150 gramas (que pena) e existe apenas um por peça de alcatra. Sua retirada é estratégica, pois sem isso não se chega aos dois cortes do miolo do alcatra: baby-beefe e o olho, carnes de sabor acentuado, que devem ser cortadas em bifes grossos (largura de dois dedos) antes de ir à grelha. Neste Passo a Passo você vai aprender a separar os cinco cortes do alcatra, o que vai fazer você ganhar ainda mais consideração entre os amigos de churrasco e ainda economizar um bom dinheiro, já que se estes cortes fossem comprados separados o custo seria bem mais elevado. Um quilo do tender-steak, por exemplo, custa mais de R$ 30,00. Você também vai acompanhar passo a passo o preparo do baby beefe e do olho do alcatra. Os outros três cortes têm receitas nas páginas seguintes.

Modo de preparar

1º Limpe completamente a costela deixando a peça pronta para a receita.
2º Usando uma faca bem afiada, retire com muito cuidado o matambre (tecido gorduroso que fica entre a pele e a gordura). Se ele não for retirado, vai impedir o correto cozimento da peça e a carne poderá ficar dura. Aproveite o matambre para usar numa receita recheada.

3º Sem aprofundar muito o corte da faca, faça alguns talhos transversais na gordura. Na medida em que a carne for assando, esses cortes se abrem e facilitam o derretimento da gordura.

4º É hora de colocar o vinho branco espalhando bem com a mão para que toda a peça seja envolvida.

5º Distribua uma porção generosa de sal grosso sobre o lado da gordura.

6º Envolva toda a peça com seis voltas de papel celofane próprio para churrasco.

7º Separadas a picanha e a maminha, limpe com todo o cuidado o miolo da alcatra, retirando todos os nervos e o resto do sebo. Isso é muito importante para se chegar aos três cortes restantes. Caso queira uma carne mais magra, tire também a gordura;

8º Agora é a hora de separar o tender-steak, que fica na parte superior da alcatra e é reconhecido por sua cor vermelha mais escura em relação ao resto do miolo. Ele também é preso por uma membrana que se pode sentir com as mãos. Sem retirar o tender-steak não se chega aos outros dois cortes;

9º Depois desse tempo, retire com cuidado o papel celofane e leve a peça de volta à grelha por mais 45 minutos ainda com a parte do osso voltada para baixo. Vire e deixe mais 15 minutos sobre o braseiro só para dourar.

Obs: Esta costela também pode ser preparada no forno, que deve estar com a temperatura alta (entre 180º e 200º). Deixe assando por 15 minutos e, depois, baixe a temperatura para 150º. Então, asse por mais quatro horas.

Para vocês terem das receitas maravilhosas, dêem uma olhada no índice:

1. BABY BEEF

2. Bife de Tira

3. Costela de Novilho Precoce ao Molho de Vinho

4. Steak de Miolo de Acém

5. Acém Fatiado

6. Alcatra Grelhada com Molho de Vinho Tinto

7. Alcatra Recheada

8. Bife de Chorizo à Martin Fierro

9. Boi no Rolete

10. Bom Bom de Alcatra com Alho

11. Capa de Filé

12. Carne de Sol

13. Carpaccio de Filé Mignon

14. Churrasco com Tempero Injetado

15. Contra Filé Borboleta no Espeto

16. Cupim Recheado com Provolone

17. Espeto de Carne Moída com Bacon

18. Espetos Mistos

19. Fígado Inteiro no Espeto

20. Filé Mignon Aperitivo

21. Fraldinha (Vazio)

22. Lombo de Porco

23. Lombo de Porco Assado na Cerveja

24. Maçã do Peito à Max

25. Medalhão de Filet

26. Medalhão de Mignon

27. Medalhões à Moda da Casa do Churrasqueiro

28. Medalhões de Picanha no Espeto

29. Músculo com Bacon

30. Pão de Alho

31. Peito de Peru com Bacon

32. Pernil com Coca-Cola

33. Picanha com Bacon

34. Picanha de Forno

35. Picanha de Porco no Espeto

36. Picanha Delícia Receita da Capa

37. Picanha Dona Felicidade

38. Picanha Fatiada

39. Picanha Fatiada com

40. Picanha Grelhada com Molho Chimichurri

41. Picanha na Parrilha

42. Picanha no Avesso Recheada

43. Picanha no Sal Grosso

44. Picanha Nobre

45. Picanha Recheada com Bacon

46. Picanha Rubaiyat

47. Picanha Suína com Champignons

48. Rocambole de Carne Moída

49. Galeto Atropelado

50. Galeto Desossado

51. Anéis de Cebola

52. Batatas à Provençal

53. Batatas Condimentadas

54. Bolinho de Bacalhau

55. Bolinho de Frango Crocante

56. Camarão à Paulista com Palmito Especial

57. Carne de Sol com Farofa e Mandioca

58. Cebolas Recheadas

59. Charuto de Presunto

60. Coração de Frango na Cerveja

61. Drummets e Tulipas com Limão e Mel

62. Lagosta do Chef

63. Rã à Doré

64. Rã à Milanesa

65. Rolinhos Primavera

66. Salsicha Aperitivo Temperada

67. Molho Boracéia de Nescafé

68. Molho Branco Picante

69. Molho de Beterraba

70. Molho de Menta

71. Molho de Mostarda

72. Maionese de Ovos de Codorna

73. Mini Brócolis com Alho Pipoca

74. Rocambole de Palmito

75. Salada de Moyashi com Presunto

76. Salada Picadinha de Repolho

77. Tomate Cereja com Mozzarela de Búfala

78. Bolo Mesclado

79. Pavê de Abacaxi e Côco

80. Pavê de Chocolate

81. Torta Tropical

Não preciso beber muito para gostar de churrasco, mas tipo Brasileiro para beber e dormir depois.....

Long distance purchases

I guess I knew that having seen a nice small property, within my price range and in the village that I liked, it would have its snags. One thing was that I saw and viewed the house in the morning of the same day that I had to leave for Scotland, I had seen another house before hand and certainly the small one had appeal, not just the price, but I really never thought that it would be possible for me to buy since I was leaving and would not return for several months.
After returning to Scotland, I had my eye operation and was some what house bound for two weeks, during this time the house in France stayed on my mind and seemed to be such a good idea that I started to think about making an offer, encouraged by friends wanting me to make some effort to stay nearer to Britain, at least for some of the year, and also encouraged by my three months of work in France.
When I returned to Brazil I decided I would at least try to buy the property and if I failed I would look at more houses on my return to France. I wrote to friends in France and the mayor of the local village to get information on the house and a derelict neighbouring house. The result was my offer and an acceptance of it, so I am now in the process of buying a house in another country at a distance, long at that, and also in another language to my own and the country that I am presently living in.
A few days ago I received the request for a deposit and to sign a first contract, the preliminary emails to France had all been in French and it was only after my offer had been accepted that I had the Notaire write to me in English. However, the contract is in French and now having fully understood the details I am required to sign and return the document, all OK and fairly straight forward, except that the signature needs to be verified and witnessed, and here I have come up with a slight problem. It was not totally a surprise to me to find that the system in Brazil requires me to have a certified translation of the document for them to certify my signature on the document, even though it is not to be used in Brazil and not for any Brazilian use.
I had contacted my Brazilian solicitor, last night, by email and arranged to meet him today in Salvador.
I had planned to go by omnibus as its cheaper than the petrol for the car and less fraught in the parking, but the painter waited until late last night to tell me that he needed more paint, so i decided I would drive to Salvador. Like most cities, Salvador is fairly congested early in the morning and it requires extra time to get into the centre and park. I arrived in time and before my solicitor, was given a newspaper to read and offered water to drink, and after some time my solicitor rang the office to say that he was 30 minutes late and for me to wait, after some time he rang again to tell me to see one of his colleagues to settle my problem with the document. It was quickly apparent that I was not going to be able to have a solicitor verify the signature and that I would need to go to a Cartorio to have this certified and stamped.
The office of my solicitor happens to be close to a Cartorio so I walked there, only to find that the office did not open before mid day so i then decided to go to another which was close to the beach in Salvador and on the route back to Jauá. I arrived there and found a parking space and quickly rushed in to mark a time to 'abrir a firma' and authenticate my signature, passed the queue on the staircase, normal here, only to spot on the door a notice saying that this agency does not 'abrir a firma'......so I returned to the first Cartorio and waited to get a number for the queue, but wasthen told that this agency also did not do this work and I would have to go to another.
I was now feeling that the painter would be waiting on paint so I decided to return home and get the paint on the way back.
I stopped off at the stockist and bought the list of things that the painter wanted, having loaded the car I asked one of the assistants if there was a Cartorio close by, he replied that there was and gave me instructions to find it. I arrived there and parked, on entering the building I was struck by the lack of queue or any body, on asking I was told that the agency did not function over lunch break, but it would be prudent for me to ask some in one of the other departments to see if they could help.
This I did and waited for another person to attend me, this lady directed me to another department and there I was told that I could not get the document authenticated because it was in French, I assured them that I only wanted the signature verified and not the document, they assured me that it was not possible without an authenticated translation of the document for them to be able to authenticate my signing of the original. So I am now going to return to Salvador and visit the French consulate there, I have written to the consulate but not received a reply, that is why I decided on my solicitor's help in this matter.
I remember when I was getting my permanent visa I had to have the marriage certificate translated by an approved translator and it took ages as well as being expensive, so I am hoping that the consulate can resolve this without more trips to Salvador.
5th November. Friday
hi Jane I have managed to find the French consul and get him to authenticate the documents, cost R$48, so cannot be bad at that, mind you what a job to find him, the internet has all incorrect information and since no one had replied to the emails I had sent I decided just to go to the address on the internet. I am not very sure of Salvador, it as a road system second to non, very difficult to work out where you are and what direction you are pointing in, I suppose I must get a compass. As it happened i actually drove in without making a mistake and parked, walked to where the consul should be and then asked folk in the area, but no one knows anything, I eventually asked a key cutter who was just outside the building were the consulate should have been and he said it had been there for more than 20 years but no more. I asked inside and they agreed that the consul had moved but to somewhere in the Barra. This is vague by any standards but I decided to try and find him in any case, so I back tracked and again manage with luck to find the area without a mistake and parked. Remembering a time when Graca and I had eaten crepes in a French bar with an art gallery and language school, so I went there. By luck it was the right place and the consul had just that minute arrived. Well he ushered me in and sorted the document very quickly, he says that he has lived here for 35 years and every year he gets one months holiday and returns to France. We chatted a short while and he told me that he also has a friend that has had a bad time married to a Brazilian lady, but he has children by her as well.

Fast Track Devastation

Last weekend my friends collected me and took me to a small bar on the edge of a mangrove river, it is just a few kilometres up the road from where I live but almost a light year away from the attitudes in Jauá. The modern Brazilian is sold on cheap thrills and long term payment for them. Credit is growing along with the amount of rubbish that is dumped at the side of the road, it as become some one else's problem, it was always left to the poor to collect the rubbish for recycling, now they want to have more rubbish of a better quality, so the general rubbish is still left on the road.
As we drove to the bar I commented that this road was once just coco nut trees, bamboo, shrubs and mangrove, now it is largely built up or in the process of being built on. It is always the case, the world over, that there is a road built, then petrol stations, then builders merchants and finally houses for the workers. In an article on MSN about a BBC team filming the building of the trans-Amazonian BR-319 it is apparent that this will go the same way.
After the first houses go in the road will gradual fill in along its length, then the housing will move interior away from the road. At the moment it is the raising of cattle in huge reserves that is main cause for deforestation, followed by soya farming, the cutting of wood for timber use is minimal and can easily be sustainable, I presume the government have the intention of helping the commercial exploitation of Brazil by supporting the building of grand highways.

Frustrations

Here is a photo from the Telegraph UK and shows the lack of horror on these young faces, the title given was 'body trolley'.
There are so many small frustrations at the moment, ranging from the lack of information fed back to me by the Notaire in France, the misdirection of where I should have gone to sort out the last piece in my long attempt to get the house and apartment separated for sale, the still ongoing court cases that are so close to me getting my money refunded but still they seem just out of reach, the next door neighbours semi wild dogs that are ferrel bound in the road outside to copulate for most of the day and with lack of any romance, the TV never seems to give a good picture when I would like to whatch it, the struggle to get any contact with my optician to arrange an appointment to get my eye pressures tested and along with that the new lens have given me eye sight between one metre and infinity and the reading glasses only are good at a set thirty centimetres distance, so I have a distance without good focus and unfortunately that is the distance that I am most needing for general work and painting.
Now I am sure that I do not understand the fine points of why any one wants to take drugs in order to end up robbing and killing. I have some small knowledge of drugs in that my ex girlfriend at school, when I was sixteen years old, had a desire to fit in with some friends who where much older and whom took drugs. To keep as close to her as I wished I also started to take some drugs, but for me the loss of control was not good and I found that the negative effect on her behaviour was too much for me. Her friend was also an invalid and I am sure that this fed is sense of resentment and the desire to opt out, I did feel that he was wishing to thumb his nose at the society he felt did not give enough to him, my ex started a similar path but also tried several times to commit suicide, it was after two of these attempts that I gave up on the relationship, much to my parents and teachers relief, especially as I was in the middle of exams and was not spending time at home or studying, for me my ex was my passion but for her the drug circle was the centre of her life.
Now on the television in Brazil it is overwhelming the amount of sadness and distress that drugs are causing, it is bad enough with alcolhol but even there it is hard to think of a person killing or robbing another to get another beer. I cannot see how it is possible for the public and the government here to just accept this situation, for they certainly do. The highlighted police raids and shootings are for me a consequence of work on both sides, these are jobs for the police and the drug dealers and not a desire to eliminate the problem. It would be unthinkable in Europe to go into an area of population and start shooting at will without removing civilians first, it would also be unthinkable to not have surveillance sufficient to monitor all the city if this was your major problem. London as more cameras than almost any city I know and if it wished the police can view most streets at almost a 24 hour cycle.
The ever growing divide of parental responsibility and the general apathy of the public to any violence must all contribute to the growing drugs problem, it is so easy for dealers to intimidate, move freely and bribe authorities. For me a serious approach from the government would indeed help as it would with hunger and deforestation.
The next door neighbours are invaders of the house, it is not theirs but they have taken over it some two years ago, I guess there is a problem with the original deeds and that is why the owners cannot get the swatters out. This large family may well not let their daughters out onto the street, as some families do, but they do not feel the need to have their animals castrated, so there is an ever growing number of cats and dogs as well as a growing collection of ferrel dogs that are attracted to the house by the other dogs, for me there is a parallel with Brazilian life. The bureaucracy and its desire to keep everything floating in air for as long as possible, since it does not have the staff or time to resolve the current back log, which is why it is impossible to bet a direct and correct answer over house documents or to resolve a court case quickly, is also to my mind part of the problem that allows for drugs to be a major industry. The other day a small factory was discovered producing cocaine, the amount seized was nearly ten tons, this is one small outlet, and yesterday, in Bahia there was a chap arrested for an infringement but found to have a huge amount of drugs on him as well as armour, the one gun that he had was an army sized piece, and similar to the one that must have been uesd in Rio de Janeiro last week, to bring down the police helicopter. These people do not value any thing or any one, how on Earth they have been reared by a mother and father and ended up with this attitude I am at a loss to see. The latest television reports have mentioned the mayor and justice of the peace of a town, being arrested for drug taking, this is middle class cocaine use, for what ! surely it is so much better to help others than to slide into this personal gutter, especially when you have funds that allow for good food and entertainment.
I am not sure if the past is an example to follow but it is certain that the fuure needs to be looked at with very different objectives. If the lack of work is the problem then this should be the priority of the government, it is not good enough to help the rich get richer on the basis of annual turnover, when the poor see very little returning to them, it can not be good to feel that when you are poor you will not get medical treatment or good education, these things need to be addressed far more swiftly than they are at present, even worse if if you are in a country that boosts that it as everything that anyone needs and more.
The other irritant is the amount of times my keyboard does not put up a capital "I"....
Notice how carefully the drugs are packed, this quantity and type of drug is daily seized by police in Brazil. Again a photo from the Telegraph.UK

French Living and Property

As I now have more than just a fleeting interest in France, I have been scouting for photos of building types and also for information about building regulations. In doing so I came across this site which apart from its interest to those wanting to live in France, it is of good interest to a wider public. I have put their index of information sheets, it may not go direct to the site by clicking on my list but you can get an idea of the spread and use the link below to get there.

---

http://www.totalfrance.com/index.html


Animals
* Caring For Dogs In France


Building
* Construction/Renovation Process In France (Regulations, Insurances, Permissions, Experts and Taxes)
* Drainage
* Fosse Septiques - New Installations and maintenance
* Planning for a Septic Tank Installation
* Septic Tanks 1 - Regulations, Workings, Installation, Maintenance
* Septic Tanks 2 - Explaining Performance of a Septic Tank


Business
* From farming to a horse livery business
* Making a living in France


Computers and Internet
* Enjoy life in France with the right technology
* The Facts - Broadband
* The Facts – Dial-Up
* What are the alternatives if Broadband Speed is Essential, but the Service is not Available?


Currency Exchange
* Automate your regular overseas payments saving yourself time and money
* Currency dealers - ten good reasons to use one
* Euro Currency Buyers FAQ
* Euro currency exchange on French property
* Euro Currency Update - September 09
* How to stay financially ahead of the game in France
* Latest Currency Report - 29th September 2009
* Living in France?
* Making regular international payments?
* Making the most of your Sterling in France
* Moving back to the UK?
* What’s going on with sterling and the euro?


Education
* French Education - Never Too Young To Learn !
* Primary Education In France


Employment


Food
* TF CUISINE - Christmas Cakes, Pies & Desserts
* TF CUISINE - Christmas Chocolates & Truffles
* TF Cuisine - Comforting winter puddings
* TF Cuisine - Warming Winter Soups
* TF Cuisine - Warming Winter Stews


French Life
* Downshifting - The Six Step Solution.
* Rain Water Collection for Economy, Efficiency & Ecology


French Regions
* A Taste of the Limousin - Living in Bellac
* A WELL KEPT SECRET - Charente-Limousine
* La Vendee
* Roussillon - where the Pyrenees meet the Mediterranean
* The Auvergne - A Haven For Outdoor Sports Enthusiasts


Gardening
* Bedding schemes
* Kevin's Garden Diary Part 1 - Jan & Feb
* Kevin's Garden Diary Part 2 - Spring
* Kevin's Garden Diary Part 3 - Summer
* Kevin's Garden Diary Part 4 - Autumn
* Kevin's Gardening Step-by-Step Guide: Single and Double Digging
* Pruning Ornamental Shrubs
* Trees - Some Background Information
* Weeds
* Winter Flowers


Health
* Choosing a complementary health insurer - what to consider
* Exclusive Healthcare National Helpline
* French Healthcare System - A Basic Guide
* Healthcare in France - FAQ
* If you need glasses take a look at this...
* Planning for Accidents in France
* Recent changes to the French health system
* Welfare survival tips to help you through hard times


Legal
* A Precis of French Succession Law
* Buying French Newbuild Property
* French Social Security Contributions, Q&A
* Inheritance Issues and Taxation
* Legal Issues: The Buying Procedure
* Selling a French Property - Contractual Issues
* Taxation of French Buy to Lets
* What is the process that will need to be followed to deal with a French probate?
* Why do probates in France take so long and what can be done to speed them up?


Money
* Banking Vocabulary & How to Write a French Cheque
* FINANCING YOUR DREAM HOME IN FRANCE
* How do the recent changes in the Inheritance/Gift Tax law affect me?
* New France-UK Double Taxation Treaty signed – Could it affect you?
* Tax and Estate Planning with Assurance Vie
* The French Mortgage Process


Motoring
* Decisions, decisions - RHD cars in France
* How To Register a British Caravan In France
* Registering your UK Vehicle in France


Property
* A Guide To Choosing An Agent/Immobilier
* A warning about buying land in France, or how I nearly lost 80,000€
* Buying A Property In The Department Of Creuse, Central France
* Choosing a dream property - Don't be Rushed!
* House Sitting Part 1 - Information For Owners
* House Sitting Part 2 - Information For Aspiring Sitters
* Learn to Love Your Agent Immo!
* Long-Term Lets - Information for Owners
* Long-Term Lets - Information For Tenants
* Never Too Late! How Father Buys a Flat in Bergerac, SW France, Only Days Before His 81st Birthday
* Property buying tips for France in general and Languedoc-Roussillon in particular: The 30 most important things you need to know
* Steps To Buying French Property
* Steve's Homebuyer's Check List
* The buying process
* The buying process: How to buy property for sale in Languedoc Roussillon – ten steps to French property buying heaven.
* The financial issues surrounding house sales in France


Renovation
* 3 - Phase Electricity Supplies
* Central Heating - How big a radiator do I need?
* DOWN TO EARTH – SAFELY
* Electric Water Heating
* French Electrical Systems
* Planning Permission Requirements For Renovation
* Smoke Alarms
* SOLAR ENERGY
* The Answer My Friends ... Wind Turbines
* Timber Infestation in Buildings
* To Renovate In France ... Or Not?


Scams and Cons
* Beware 'Wire Transfer' or Certified Cheque' purchase offers
* Beware! Property Renters, Item Sellers & the Nigerian Scammers


Shopping


Sport and Leisure
* 'Winterising' Your Pool
* The Law & Safety for your Swimming Pool


Tax and Financial Advice
* Are you liable to inheritance tax in Britain or France?
* How a Financial Adviser in France can help
* How can you fight against the effects of inflation?
* Is your French home subject to Capital Gains Tax?
* Pensions & Tax - facts and some advice for British ex-pats
* Savings options when living in France


Telecommunications
* French Telephone Lines
* The Facts - Line Rental Installation and Faults
* The Facts - Telephone Call Traffic and How to Save Money
* The Facts – Low Cost Calls from the UK to France


Translation
* Not getting lost in translation...
* Sworn Translating and Interpreting - Who Does it & What Do They Do?


Transport


TV and Satellite
* Obtaining UK and French Television in France - Part 1
* Obtaining UK and French Television in France - Part 2
* UK Telecom launches UK TV service for free!