The news in Rio

Always interesting to read the papers here and see what's newsworthy in Rio:

- The US presidential primaries are getting almost more press here than they get in the US. With a detailed explanation of the US presidential election system works (I think a lot of Americans could use an explanation like that), which starts to seem even more arcane and nonsensical than it already does when you see it written out so clearly: "Unlike the system in Brazil, in the United States the number of votes gained does not determine the winner. Sometimes a candidate can become president despite winning fewer votes than the loser, as happened in the year 2000 when Bush beat Gore, although Gore had more votes." Oh yeah. Sigh.

- As of TODAY, cars and motorcycles in Rio must past an emissions test to be registered. Apparently some drivers have taken it as a personal insult if the car fails: "If your car fails the emissions test, it does not mean you are a bad driver or that you don't take care of your car. Even a very careful driver who takes good car of his car, and makes sure the windshield wipers and lights all are working and the car is clean, may not know that there is a hidden problem within the car that affects its emissions." The motorcycle riders, or "motoboys", have also been required to put reflective stickers on their helmets - and to actually WEAR the helmets instead of dangling them on their arm - but unfortunately the city government forgot to tell anyone to order enough stickers. They're all sold out, the motoboys can't find them anywhere, and the few stores that still have stickers have doubled or tripled the price.

- A FULL page was devoted to whether or not the little foil covers on the tops of Itaipava beer cans actually help prevent the spread of disease. (Brazilians are very clean people, but Rio is filthy, so everybody gets paranoid about little details like this.) There was even a question-and-answer session with a microbiologist:
Q: Many people wipe the beer can with the edge of their shirt. Does that help?
A: Are these the same people who have been jumping around in the sun all day playing volleyball? The shirt is much filthier than the beer can.
Q: What about those who pour some beer on the top of the beer can, to help clean it off?
A: That isn't enough alcohol to even get the bacteria drunk!

Conclusion: The foil covers don't help. Other helpful advice: "Look around the bar to see if there are any rats."


- Front page news was the fact that Mangueira's new queen of the bateria was absolutely gorgeous in a glittery gold bikini last night at the Sambodromo rehearsal, in her debut, and completely won the crowd's heart. This got equal billing with the the US presidential primary. Yeah!