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In a separate thread, ashiker602 commented on his experiences in Porto Alegre and tealady had some follow-up questions. For that I certainly defer to fellow forum member tomcal who has been so very generous over the past few years in providing panoramic images of the beautiful scenery that PA has to offer! I just wanted to comment in a new thread, so as not to hijack the Atlantico one, to tealady and some others, if you become attached to Porto Alegre and its offerings, including its natural resources then you may want to consider also exploring more of Rio Grande do Sul and the Serra Gaucha. Well accompanied, you can have some incredible experiences exploring wine country in Bento Gonçalves, which, despite certain limitations, has progressed very nicely over the past decade. Casa Valduga (among others) is a longtime favorite in the Vale dos Vinhedos. I also like the Marson Vinicula in Cotipoa - quite a drive, but a scenic one. Once you have engaged in the wine tastings (hire a driver so you can freely partake!) and stocked up on your favorite vintages, proceed to Gramado, which has some wonderful pousadas (B&Bs) and upscale restaurants. I like going there in the"cold" of winter outside of the film festival crowds, in a romantic hideaway complete with fireplace. Once there,visit neighboring Canela. If you're lucky there will be snow flurries (happened to me a couple times). Lots of memorable experiences in excellent company. And a real opportunity for those young men you'll be meeting in the capital to get out and see more of their state.

Or that would be Bruce Jenner to those of you NOT in the know. Bruce revealed his NEW self today on the cover of Vanity Fair magazine, shot by famed photographer Annie Leibowitz... Grandma thinks she looks ABSOLUTLEY AMAZING, stunning classy and elegant. She puts the Kardashian clan to SHAME...... I really hope Caitlynn is as happy as her pic is Beautiful...... She's spent her money well !

Not for the telling but for the living. Best regards, RA1

To any G7 or above who might be reading this thread &/or taking notes for later action: I'm the one who clicked the 'I don't care' box. Just wanted to get that straight from the get go. I guess I've nothing more to say except bless your heart and thank you for your attention.

If the type is too hard to read. Zoom to +120

The Arctic is heating up but the rest of us are getting colder. On the average, all is OK? Does this make sense? Is this just another adjustment of Mother Earth? Stand back, She rules. Best regards, RA1

Not potential Harpies -- rather, kinetic ones!

Just this past week a female Chilean tourist was stabbed in the neck. She was sitting in the Praca Paris near Cineladia catching some rays when a mugger came up to her to steal her purse. I assumed he was attempting to cut the shoulder strap and instead forced the blade into her neck. She lived. The same thing happened the Friday afternoon before Dr. Jaime Gold was murdered on the shore of Lagoa Rodrigo de Freitas. A woman from Taiwan was catching some rays when a mugger came up and attempted to slit the shoulder strap on her purse. Instead the point of the blade went into her neck and she was killed. To an earlier poster, with the new bus patterns in effect, the area around Meio Mundo is definitely safe until 10 PM Monday-Friday. Saturdays much less so. Just past the Metro entrance at Uruguianna at the Mercado Popular ans Sa'ara it can get really scary. My biggest concern at the moment is walking anywhere and dodging all of the street vendors with no jobs that are clogging the sidewalks. It makes it difficult to transit/escape any danger in the city quickly. Anyone who looks like a gringo/estrangeiro/foreigner becomes a sitting duck for any manner of robbery/mayhem.

To reiterate: We all need to take personal responsibility for our actions. A united nation is a whole bunch of like minded individuals. (Does that make me a Harper and you all potential Harpies?) Best regards, RA1

The learned Doctor just gets better and better. http://en.m.wikiquote.org/wiki/Benjamin_Franklin

It's the DOJ itself interviewing and reporting here, not CNN. The secrecy and cynicism in how all these laws and authorities were cooked up and applied just fails to convince me. I don't think the Founders were as naive as we seem to think them when we let this kind of thing go on unexamined and unchecked. And to say we face greater existential threats than they did seems exaggerated, if not ludicrous. Dr Franklin remains as trenchant as ever. "Those who would give up essential Liberty, to purchase a little temporary Safety, deserve neither Liberty nor Safety."

tealady If you like what you find in PA, then you may eventually want to consider exploring outside the capital. I started a separate thread on that if you are interested.

Geezer. Guardian is just now reporting: Patriot Act expected to expire at midnight It looks like the plan in the Senate is just to wait out Rand Paul and allow provisions of the Patriot Act to temporarily lapse for a few days. According to Senator John Cornyn, Republican senators will offer amendments to strengthen the USA Freedom Act and then go on to a cloture vote to end debate tonight. Unless Rand Paul agrees, which wont happen, itll put off a final vote until Tuesday at the earliest.

YES! In fall 1972 (I originally typed 1092 but it only feels that long ago ) when I started 8th grade, it was overwhelming to observe that seemingly every hot boy in the class had, over the summer, (1) learned how to dress stylishly, i.e., in ultra-tight jeans, and (2) had a growth spurt down there where it mattered.

What a find! FLAP FLAP FLAP

For me, living in the middle east for a most of this year, I have to say that I hope it does not expire. I NEVER would have said that one year ago. In fact, I would have said the opposite. However, having seen things this year has changed my mind. I don't mind a little or a lot of privacy violation in order to keep us safe.

Sorry to say, RP cannot get out of his own way. Best regards, RA1