The Thread you can all ignore Brazil, Brazil, Brazil.

[Macunaima nli]

It hasn't been quiet AT ALL, Altius. The media is predictably ignoring some stories entirely. Several north zone favelas are at war right now, what wih all police being relocated to the Olympic areas. But because this dosn't threaten tourists, it's become a non-story.

[The Jim Jones Cocktail Hour]

Some of those incidents would have occurred if the police weren't all in Zona Sul.

Some of those incidents would arguably have been worse if the police were involved.

More incidents would likely have been sparked by the police if they had the resources to spare.

Some of those incidents aren't confined to Zona Norte. Gunfire in Cantagalo in the past 24 hours was falling in Ipanema, forcing some street closures.

Local media isn't exactly that far behind the foreign. Watch the prominence, placement, headline size etc of a shooting in Maré vs one in Leblon. To be fair Maré has been getting a lot more attention from foreign media than it would have as a result of the wall of shame Olympic posters blocking the view and the fact that the Guardian has 'embedded' some local journalists in Maré and other communities.

[Altius]

It hasn't been quiet AT ALL, Altius. The media is predictably ignoring some stories entirely. Several north zone favelas are at war right now, what wih all police being relocated to the Olympic areas. But because this dosn't threaten tourists, it's become a non-story.

Well, I more or less assumed that was the case but made the comment anyway because I thought the post would be funnier that way.

I know, I know... As always, I'll keep working on it.

[Macunaima nli]

Well one bit of nice news: my mother in law has been chosen to represent all the volunteers on the podium at the closing ceremony. We are quite chuffed here in Chez Silva-Blanchette!

[The Jim Jones Cocktail Hour]

Well one bit of nice news: my mother in law has been chosen to represent all the volunteers on the podium at the closing ceremony. We are quite chuffed here in Chez Silva-Blanchette!

Parabens!

I always knew that the death of Havelange would bring good things, apart from being a marvellous thing in its own right. So far it has delivered.



Of course the sight of one odious and corrupt creep (Temer) providing elegies for another was delicious. My wife has been in a mild state of mourning at the passing of Elke Maravilha, so Havelange's passing provides karmic and familial balance.

Mac, this can't wait until December. We need someone to disinter Havelange and flush him down the pipeline. Gramacho would have been the perfect final resting spot but the old cunt hung on too long. I think the best option with an appropriate level of public ceremony is to float him in an open faced casket down the Rio Claro or any other suitable open drain.

[Guest]

Stop kidnapping our swimmers, ye bastards!

[Macunaima nli]

Stop plagarizing Hunter S. Thompson, JJ. I saw what you did there.

[The Jim Jones Cocktail Hour]

Quite unintended but I'll cop the comparison. Vou festejar!

Stop kidnapping our swimmers, ye bastards!

Well actually, that might not be quite what happened. Mr Lochte's story seems to have more holes in it than a colander. There's a fairly major time discrepancy (2-3 hours), conflicting versions of events between those allegedly robbed and then there's the whole thing around why they didn't report the alleged crime. Mr Lochte has said 'he didn't want to get in trouble'. Curious. So curious a Brazilian judge ordered that his passport be seized so he could answer questions but the bird had flown the coop and is only talking via his lawyer.

Bets on the not atypical gringo tourist visits baile funk party on some morro and makes new friends scenario?

[Guest]

Google "Ryan Lochte asshole".
Instructive.

[The Jim Jones Cocktail Hour]

It gets better. The security footage of the fab four returning to the Olympic village shows them arriving three hours later than they claimed, absent any signs of harm or even looking shaken up. It also shows watches, wallets, phones and other items claimed to have been stolen still in their possession.

http://globoesporte.globo.com/olimpiada ... icano.html

Oh dear!

I do hope none of them have been silly enough to have made an insurance claim. A Brit tourist was arrested for making a false claim of robbery in Rio two years ago.