Journalist Michael Sommers guides travelers to the best that Brazil has to offer, from surfing, hang gliding, and enjoying the sizzling nightlife in Rio to venturing into the Amazon to witness the Meeting of the Waters, where the Rio Negro and Rio Solimões join to form the world's mightiest river: the Amazon. Sommers also includes unique trip strategies like A Tale of Two Amazon Cities—which provides details on exploring the rainforest between Manaus and Belém—and Gastronomic Brazil, a mouthwatering tour of Brazil's cuisine. With expert advice on viewing popular attractions like Iguaçu Falls and Corcovado, as well as escaping the crowds in less frequented places, like Bahia's rustic fishing villages, Moon Brazil gives travelers the tools they need to create a more personal and memorable experience.
In this book, Victory Ford is the darling of the fashion world. Single, attractive, and iconoclastic, she has worked for years to create her own signature line. As Victory struggles to keep her company afloat, she learns crucial lessons about what she really wants in a relationship. Nico O'Neilly is the glamorous, brilliant editor of Bonfire Magazine - the pop-culture bible for fashion, show business, and politics. Considered one of the most powerful women in publishing, she seems to have it all. But in a mid-life crisis, she suddenly realizes this isn't enough. Wendy Healy's chutzpah has propelled her to the very top of the cut-throat movie industry. When it becomes clear that a competitor is trying to oust her, something has to give - and Wendy must decide between her career and her marriage.
Genre: Cientific fiction, Futuristic
In our world today a hummingbird is a small, brilliantly coloured bird that lives in the tall trees of tropical forests. In the far distant future, Hummingbird (Hummy for short) is a girl of sixteen who lives somewhere in the Galaxy, on a planet called Just Like Home. She has the name 'Hummingbird' in big letters on all her clothes, but she has never seen a real hummingbird. She has never seen any living animal or bird at all. The Book of Remembering says that there were once many animals on a planet called Earth, but that was before the Burning, a long, long time ago ...
Genre: children's novel, Little Lord Fauntleroy is a novel by the English-American writer Frances Hodgson Burnett, her first children's novel. It was published as a serial in St. Nicholas Magazine from November 1885 to October 1886, then as a book by Scribner's (the publisher of St. Nicholas) in 1886.
Lord Dorincourt had occasion to wear his grim smile many a time as the days passed by. Indeed, as his acquaintance with his grandson progressed, he wore the smile so often that there were moments when it almost lost its grimness. When young Cedric Errol's father dies, he becomes heir to the fortune of his English grandfather, the Earl of Dorincourt, and must move from working-class New York to England. Bad-tempered, cantankerous and bitter, the old man is slowly won over by the kind, generous and cheerful spirit of Cedric.
When a plot arises to deprive Cedric of his inheritance and another pretender steps forward as heir, Cedric's friends in America become involved in order to thwart the challenger. Through Cedric's unconditional love and trust he teaches his grandfather to show compassion to those who are less fortunate than himself.
You know about Batman, Superman, and Spiderman, but have you heard of Doll Man, Doctor Hormone, or Spider Queen?
In The League of Regrettable Superheroes, you'll meet one hundred of the strangest superheroes ever to see print, complete with backstories, vintage art, and colorful commentary. So prepare yourself for such not-ready-for-prime-time heroes as Bee Man (Batman, but with bees), the Clown (circus-themed crimebuster), the Eye (a giant, floating eyeball; just accept it), and many other oddballs and oddities. Drawing on the entire history of the medium, The League of Regrettable Superheroes will appeal to die-hard comics fans, casual comics readers, and anyone who enjoys peering into the stranger corners of pop culture.
Since the 1950s, when Pelé first started playing, soccer has been how the world sees Brazil, but it is also how Brazilians see themselves. The essence of their game is one in which prodigious individual skills outshine team tactics, where dribbles and delicate flicks are preferred over physical challenges or long-distance passes, where technique has all the elements of dance and, indeed, is often described as such. At their best, Brazilian soccer players are both athletes and artists. As Alex Bellos brilliantly reveals in his classic book, their game can symbolize racial harmony, flamboyance, youth, innovation, and skill―in short, it's a microcosm of the country itself.
Bellos, a veteran journalist and author whose star has continued to rise since Futebol was first published in 2002, revisits his search for what the great Brazilian striker Ronaldo has called the "true truth" of the Brazilian way of life. With an unerring eye for an illustrative story and a pitch-perfect ear for the voices of the people he meets, Bellos uncovers the nuanced role soccer has played in the history of Brazil and the lives of its people.
Updated and with a new chapter covering recent events in Brazil, this revised edition of Futebol is perfectly timed to coincide with the 2014 World Cup, as the world turns its rapt attention to Brazil and their Beautiful Game and the country once again becomes the capital of "the world's game."
It is a principle that supports the freedom of an individual or community, in public or private, to manifest religion or belief in teaching, practice, worship, and observance without government influence or intervention. It also includes the freedom to change one's religion or belief.
Freedom of religion is considered by many people and most of the nations to be a fundamental human right. In a country with a state religion, freedom of religion is generally considered to mean that the government permits religious practices of other sects besides the state religion, and does not persecute believers from other faiths.
Freedom of belief is different. It allows the right to believe what a person, group or religion wishes, but it does not necessarily allow the right to practice the religion or belief openly and outwardly in a public manner.
▪ Most and Least Religious countries
Do you live in a religious country? Let us find out!
Here are the top ten most religious countries in the world (by percentage of the population):
Those are countries with the biggest amount of people that feel religious, it also helps us to identify the adherence to a certain set of religious beliefs.
(Check the complete list)
Countries with the smallest amount of people that feel religious: In these places, religion is not an important part of daily life for most citizens; have you ever think how can it affect your life?
(Check out the list)
▪ Worst Countries for religious freedom
At its core, freedom of religion or belief requires freedom of expression. Both fundamental rights are protected in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, yet nearly half of all countries penalize blasphemy, apostasy or defamation of religion. In 13 countries, atheists can be put to death for their lack of belief.
The U.S. State Department names and shames eight “Countries of Particular Concern” that severely violate religious freedom rights within their borders. These countries not only suppress religious expression, they systematically torture and detain people who cross political and social red lines around faith. The worst of the worst are:
▪ Burma / Myanmar
MaBaTha’s influence reportedly waned significantly following the government’s public denunciation of the group in July, although members of the organization continued circulating anti-Muslim materials in some villages and continued fanning religious tensions using social media. (Read more)
▪ China
The constitution guarantees freedom of religious belief, a principle that Beijing says it upholds. But an annual report from the US State Department released in August said that in 2016, China “physically abused, detained, arrested, tortured, sentenced to prison, or harassed adherents of both registered and unregistered religious groups”. (Read more)
▪ Eritrea
Another Eritrean Jehovah’s Witness dies after release from prison.
(Read more)
▪ Sudan
Sudan’s interim constitution partially protects religious freedom but restricts apostasy, blasphemy and defamation of Islam. Muslim women are also prevented from marrying non-Muslim men. The country’s vaguely worded apostasy law discourages proselytizing of non-Muslim faiths. Christian South Sudanese living in Sudan are subject to harassment and intimidation by government agents and society, but untangling the religious and ethnic motivations for this persecution can be difficult. Muslims generally enjoy social, legal and economic privileges denied to the Christian minority population. Government authorities have reportedly destroyed churches in recent years, and Christian groups have reportedly been subject to disproportionate taxes and delays in building new houses of worship. (Read more)
▪ North Korea
North Korea’s constitution guarantees religious freedom, but this right is far from upheld. The state is officially atheist. Author John Sweeney says the country is “seized by a political religion” and that it considers established religious traditions a threat to state unity and control. North Korea allow for government-sponsored Christian and Buddhist religious organizations to operate and build houses of worship, but political analysts suspect this “concession” is for the sake of external propaganda. A Christian group says it dropped 50,000 Bibles over North Korea over the past year. If caught with one, citizens face imprisonment, torture or even death. Given the government’s extreme control over the flow of reliable information, it is difficult to determine the true extent of religious persecution in North Korea.
Most Christians worship secretly. If discovered, they are “taken to political camps (kwanliso); crimes against them in these camps include extra-judicial killing, extermination, enslavement/forced labor, forcible transfer of population, arbitrary imprisonment, torture, persecution, enforced disappearance, rape and sexual violence and other inhuman acts.” CSW reports documented cases of believers being “hung on a cross over a fire, crushed under a steamroller, herded off bridges, and trampled underfoot.” (Read more)
▪ Religious Persecution Cases
▪Catholic Inquisition
In 12th century, torture became an integral part of all capital legal proceedings. Also, it was often practiced by the inquisition in most European countries in cases of heresy, blasphemy, adultery and many other similar ‘crimes against God’. Beside common means of torture like beating, suffocating and burning Roman-Catholic Church used others, more depraved ways of extracting confessions and execution of its victims… (Read more)
▪ Ku Klux Klan
The Ku Klux Klan, with its long history of violence, is the most infamous — and oldest — of American hate groups. Although black Americans have typically been the Klan's primary target, it also has attacked Jews, immigrants, gays and lesbians and, until recently, Catholics.
(Read More)
▪ Governmental persecution
In Eritrea, if you are Catholic, Muslim, or a member of the Orthodox and Evangelical churches in Eritrea then it seems you can breathe easy.
However, those who believe and practice minority faiths are routinely persecuted, according to human rights groups. (Read more)
A church in northern China had been demolished not long ago, this, not being the a case apart, which sparks fears of a wider campaigns against Christians as authorities prepare to enforce new laws on religion.
(Read more)
▪ Some Persecuted Religions
▪ Jehovah’s Witnesses
Anti-terror legislation is being used to target those whose faith is only ‘extreme’ in terms of its commitment to non-violence. It should be a warning to us all. (Read more)
From the Korean War period to the present, South Korea has relentlessly prosecuted young Witness men who refuse military service, and the government has not provided any alternative to resolve the issue. The result? South Korea has sentenced over 19,200 Witnesses to a combined total of more than 36,700 years in prison for refusing to perform military service. (Read More)
▪ Muslims
“Ultra-nationalist Buddhist group Ma Ba Tha has been spreading anti-Muslim rhetoric across Myanmar for years. Cosmopolitan Mandalay is at the heart of this hostility – which many fear is here to stay.” (Read more)
▪ The word "prejudice"
comes from the Latin roots "prae" (in advance) and
"judicum" (judgment), which essentially means to judge before. When
we "pre-judge" someone, we make up our minds about who they are
before we actually get to know them. Prejudices or "pre-judgments"
are not based upon actual real-life interaction with a person or group it is
often born of stereotypes and forms
the fertile soil of discrimination.
For instance, a person may
hold prejudiced mentally towards a certain ethnic group or gender etc. (e.g.
sexist).
▪ The word ‘stereotype’ comes from the French adjective ‘’stéréotype’’,
which itself comes from the Greek στερεός (solid) and τύπος
(type). The earliest example in the Oxford English Dictionary of
this usage is from a 1922 essay by Walter Lippmann in the journal Public
Opinion: “A stereotype may be so consistently and authoritatively transmitted
in each generation from parent to child that it seems almost like a biological
fact.”
For instance, a person may stereotype
a certain group of people, by the pre assumption based on some members of that
group etc.
▪ The word ‘’Discrimination’’ from the Latin ‘’discrīminātus’’, which means literate to separate,
can be considered the
culmination of both previous terms, it is the behavior or action to make a distinction in
favor of or against an individual, a group of people or something (being also most of the time negative) especially
based on sex, race, social class, etc.
For
instance: a person might discriminate another by their different way of
dressing.
▪ The effects of social norms on prejudice:
According to McLeod, S. A. (2008) on Prejudice
and discrimination, Minard (1952) investigated how social norms influence prejudice and
discrimination. The behavior of Afro-descendants and Caucasian miners in a town
in the southern United States was observed, both above and below ground. (Read more)
▪ Affirmative Action
An Affirmative action is anaction or
policy favoring those who tend to suffer from discrimination, especially in
relation to employment or education; it is also known worldwide as a positive
discrimination. Thinking like that it would be right to affirm that
this kind of attitude or policy is for the best, isn’t it? Not so fast…
Ten myths about affirmative action:In recent years, affirmative action has been debated
more intensely than at any other time in its thirty-year history. Many
supporters view affirmative action as a milestone,
many opponents see it as a millstone,
and many others regard it as both or neither, as a necessary, but imperfect,
remedy for an intractable social disease. Here are some of the most popular
myths about affirmative action, along with a brief commentary on each one. (Read more)
▪ Social media prejudice
Is it possible to be preconceived while
networking, when we are comfortably set in our couches using smartphones or
even during games online? Sadly but indeed it is.The social networking site as we probably know very well today,
such as facebook, Instagram, twitter and many others, are formed by human
beings, and being imperfect as we are, any tool we possess has the potential of
being used as a tool for prejudice.
‘’Social networking as we know creates
an "echo chamber" in which a network of like-minded people share controversial theories, biased
views and selective news, academics found.
This means that any bias held is
simply repeated back to them unchallenged and accepted as a real fact.’’Says a study by The Telegraph journal. (Read more)
There is also a study about human
behavior with and without social Medias: The study compared crowd-sourced and
social media recruits to in-lab participants. Check it out!
▪ Different types of prejudice
Different kinds of prejudice lead to different forms of discrimination. (Read more)
▪ Unconscious bias
Are
you preconceived in any way? Do you know what unconscious bias is?
Find
out at the videos below.
▪ Prejudice Consequences
Prejudice affects the everyday lives of millions of people across the
globe. Prejudice held by individuals unnaturally forces on others who are
targets of their prejudice a false social status that strongly influences who
they are, what they think, and even the actions they take. Prejudice shapes
what the targets of prejudice think about the world and life in general, about
the people around them, and how they feel about themselves. Importantly,
prejudice greatly influences what people expect from the future and how they
feel about their chances for self-improvement, referred to as their life
chances. All of these considerations define their very identity as individuals.
Deforestation is clearing Earth's forests
on a massive scale, often resulting in damage to the quality of the land.
Forests still cover about 30 percent of the world’s land area, but swaths half
the size of England are lost each year. (National Geographic)
This advertisement was created for WWF’s campaign in order to raise awareness on deforestation.
▪ Deforestation Causes
▪ Mining Coal Industry: Strip mining clears trees, plants and topsoil. Mining companies scrape away earth and rocks to get to coal buried near the surface. Mountains may be blasted apart to reach thin coal seams within, leaving permanent scars on the landscape. In this way, strip mining destroys landscapes, forests and wildlife habitats. It leads to soil erosion and destruction of agricultural land. (Read more)
(We do not own any
rights for this movie or its characters. All rights are reserved to its
creators and those for whom they have given the rights.)
▪ Laudering:
Illegally logged timber in Brazil is being laundered on a massive and growing scale and then sold on to unwitting buyers in the UK, US, Europe and China, Greenpeace claimed.
"Logging in the Brazilian Amazon is absolutely out of control. The current control system is being used to launder illegal timber," said Marcio Astrini, a campaigner who was part of the two-year investigation. (Read more)
(We do not own any rights for this movie or its characters. All rights are reserved to its creators and those for whom they have given the rights.)
▪ Wildfire Caused by Global Warming
The effects of global warming on temperature, precipitation levels, and soil moisture are turning many of our forests into kindling during wildfire season.
Higher spring and summer temperatures and earlier spring snowmelt typically cause soils to be drier for longer, increasing the likelihood of drought and a longer wildfire season, particularly in the western United States. These hot, dry conditions also increase the likelihood that, once wildfires are started by lightning strikes or human error, they will be more intense and long-burning.
(We do not own any rights for this movie or its characters. All rights are reserved to its creators and those for whom they have given the rights.)
▪ Effects of Deforestation ▪ Loss of Species:
Seventy percent of the world’s plants and animals live in forests and
are losing their habitats to deforestation, according to National Geographic.
Loss of habitat can lead to species extinction. It also has negative
consequences for medicinal research and local populations who rely on the
animals and plants in the forests for hunting and medicine.
▪ Water Cycle:
Trees are important to the water cycle. They absorb rain fall and
produce water vapor that is released into the atmosphere. Trees also lessen the
pollution in water, according to the North Carolina State University, by
stopping polluted runoff. In the Amazon, more than half the water in the
ecosystem is held within the plants, according to the National Geographic
Society.
▪ Soil Erosion:
Tree roots anchor the soil. Without trees, the soil is free to wash or
blow away, which can lead to vegetation growth problems. The WWF states that
scientists estimate that a third of the world’s arable land has been lost to
deforestation since 1960. After a clear cutting, cash crops like coffee, soy
and palm oil are planted. Planting these types of trees can cause further soil
erosion because their roots cannot hold onto the soil. "The situation in
Haiti compared to the Dominican Republic is a great example of the important
role forests play in the water cycle," Daley said. Both countries share
the same island, but Haiti has much less forest cover than the Dominican
Republic. As a result, Haiti has endured more extreme soil erosion, flooding
and landslide issues.
▪ Life Quality
Soil erosion can also lead to silt entering the lakes, streams and other
water sources. This can decrease local water quality and contribute to poor
health in populations in the area.
India is one of the oldest
civilizations in the world with a kaleidoscopic variety and rich cultural
heritage. It has achieved all-round socio-economic progress during the last 70
years of its independence. It’s also one of the largest country in the world,
India stands apart from the rest
of Asia, marked off as it is by mountains and the sea, which give the country a
distinct geographical entity. Bounded by the Great Himalayas in the north, it
stretches southwards and at the Tropic of Cancer, tapers off into the Indian
Ocean between the Bay of Bengal on the east and the Arabian Sea on the west. [Read more]
Agra
Agra is a city on the banks of the river Yamuna in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh, and is also one of the most populous cities in India. Agra is a major tourist destination because of some famous touristi spots, for exemple : Taj Mahal, Agra Fort and Fatehpur Sikri. The city was first mentioned in the epic Mahabharata, where it was called Agravena, Agravena meaning "the border of the Forest”.
People from all around the world may not have heard about Agra, but everyone knows the beautiful ivory white-mausoleum Taj Mahal. This wonder of the world is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and it continues to hold the magical appeal, attracting approximately eight million touristis a year.
Agra has one of the finest Mughal forts in India, this red sandstone and marble architecture exudes power and grandiosity. Agra Fort was primarily begun by Emperor Akber in 1565 as a military structure and was later transformed into a palace by his grandson Emperor Shah Jaha.
▪ Tomb od Itimad-ud-Daulah Itimad-ud-Daulah is sometimes referred to as the “baby Taj” or a draft of the Taj Mahal, as it has been constructed with the same elaborate carvings and cut-out Stone work inlay techniques.
Is the perfect place to visit. Located in the narrow streets behind Jama Masjid where multitutes of colorful little shops spill over, women bargain and cars dodge one another. You can found clothing, shoes, authentic snack stalls and Agra´s famous marble-work. (Read more)
▪ Cuisine
▪ Chickpea Curry
A classic and easy chickpea curry, is one of the favorites in India and has become a worldwide sensation It’s a perfect for a crowd , especially if you serve it hot along with fried Indian leavened bread like poori and bhatura. (Check out the recipe)
▪ Palak Paneer (Spinach and Cottage Cheese)
The most popular paneer recipe at Indian restaurants is, by far, palak panner. It’s nothing more than spinach and cheese and it’s a mildly flavored dish that is super healthy too. (Read more)
Ras Malai is sweet dumplings made from cottage or riccotta cheese soaked in sweetened, thickened milk delicately flavored with cardamom. Serve it chilled and garnished with slivers of dried fruit. (Read more)
Gulab Jamun is, by far, the most famous sweets or dessert in India.This delicius dessert consists of dumplings traditionally made of thickened or reduced milk, soaked in rose flavored sugar syrup. (Read more) Check ou Gulab Jamun recipe
▪ Habits
The
people of Agra are known for their charm and serene nature. They have a
traditional style of dressing and contemporary lifestyle. Agra has always had
strong focus on education and a unique cultural heritage, influenced a lot by
the Mughals who had transformed the city into a centre of commerce, art and
learning.
Journalist Michael Sommers guides travelers to the best that Brazil has to offer, from surfing, hang gliding, and enjoying the sizzling nightlife in Rio to venturing into the Amazon to witness the Meeting of the Waters, where the Rio Negro and Rio Solimões join to form the world's mightiest river: the Amazon. Sommers also includes unique trip strategies like A Tale of Two Amazon Cities—which provides details on exploring the rainforest between Manaus and Belém—and Gastronomic Brazil, a mouthwatering tour of Brazil's cuisine. With expert advice on viewing popular attractions like Iguaçu Falls and Corcovado, as well as escaping the crowds in less frequented places, like Bahia's rustic fishing villages, Moon Brazil gives travelers the tools they need to create a more personal and memorable experience.
