Undefeated

I'm a devout boxing fan. If you ask any of my friends they'll tell you the same. During my last boxing post, I was convinced that Oscar de la Hoya would be able to defeat "Pretty Boy"Floyd Mayweather, Jr. Man, was I wrong on that fight. Not only did I bet based on my heart and emotions, I came up $200 short. At the time I was in Prague and found a sports bar with some American ex-pats who were also die-hard boxing fans. I mean who else would be willing to start watching a fight at 5 am? Actually, you'd be surprised...

I've had no such luck finding a place in Rio de Janeiro to watch mega fights (e.g., Miguel Cotto vs. "Sugar" Shaney Mosley on November 10th of this year). Fortunately, there are some tech-savvy boxing fans who record and make the fights available on the internet. Have you heard of Bittorrent? If not, I highly recommend that you check it out. Some of the fights'image quality is amazing.

Anyway, I'm totally rooting for the underdog Ricky "The Hitman"Hatton (who borrowed his nickname from former famed wrestler, Bret "The Hitman"Heart and not Tommy Hearns) who at 43-0 is looking at his best. He's not at all an orthodox boxer, but boy does he have heart. He's so down to earth that when he flew into Las Vegas for his last fight, he called up a friend of his who picked him and his training staff up in a beat-up van. He's the people's champion and looking to put Manchester on the map as a place were great boxing champions hail from. After having watched HBO's newest promotional reality-based tv series, "Mayweather vs. Hatton 24/7", how could I not be rooting for this guy. With his Mancunian accent, he states, "I'm not just a pooncher, I'm a boxer too."

Not to be a player hater, but who can stand watching a guy like Mayweather? Of course he is wealthy beyond belief, but his lavish lifestyle and arrogant ways are what make so many people worldwide hate Americans. Besides his penchant for flash ($650,000 necklace, a $1M watch and a croney nicknamed "King Tut" who just so happens to carry his jewelry around in a box for PBF) he has even started a record label known as "Philthy Rich Records." This guy has never lost and will continue to flap his lip until he is beaten. I believe that time is slated for December 8th, fight night.

I never used to give PBF credit, but he has beaten everyone placed before him: De la Hoya, Castillo (twice - albeit the first time was very debatable), Baldomir, Judah, and Corrales. At 30 and closing in on 31, he is simply not going to take on too many more (dangerous) opponents. Shane Mosley lost his chance with his recent defeat to Miguel Cotto (I'm not sure he would have pulled off the upset), who, if Hatton doesn't take the victory, is the only other boxer out there that stands the chance.

I've read nearly every boxing story out there and predictions are all over the board. As for my prediction, which is without any bet tied to it, is that Hatton will only win if he can manage an early TKO (before round 8). After that, PBF will simply run around and coast into a decision since he's at home in Vegas. After my last sports book lesson, I have to say if you're going to put some money down, bet with your mind and not with your heart. PBF is a -220 favorite (meaning you have to bet $220 just to win $100).

Jose Luis Castillo's first performance against PBF in 2002 laid the blueprint for how to beat him - go to the body. PBF's defensive style of right fist held close to his cheek and left shoulder tucked high, makes it hard to him. However, De la Hoya showed that he can still thread some shots through.
Of course, Hatton will will have to deal with PBF's lightning fast speed and his incredible ability to slip a punch.

In case you don't want to take my word that the "Hitman" can do what no other opponent has been able to do in 38 previous PBS fights, I'll leave you with the opinions of four respected former champions:

Oscar de la Hoya: "I can see Floyd being over-confident. Ricky is younger and hungrier and he wants to prove to the whole world that he is a real fighter and can beat the best. I don't see it difficult at all for Ricky to win. I've been in there with Floyd and I know that his punching power is limited. I was actually leaving my head for him to hit me and honestly I didn't really feel anything.That will be a real advantage for Ricky, he'll have no respect for Mayweather's punches. I'm crossing my fingers that if Ricky wins, a fight between us would be a great possibility for Wembley next year."

Lennox Lewis: “Ricky’s got to go in there like a madman. He must go for an early win. Hatton has to rough him up against the ropes and not give him room...Hatton is a very strong, proud fighter. He can win.”

Barry McGuigan (Former WBA featherweight champion, hall of fame fighter and boxing commentator): "I feel that Hatton can pull off the upset, but I'm concerned about referee Joe Cortez. Cortez has been known to quickly break fighters apart during clinches and penalize infractions early in bouts. This could add to Hatton’s problems. I just hope referee Cortez lets Hatton fight on the inside. I’m real worried Mayweather will use the referee and pick pocket the fight."

Lloyd Honeyghan (former WBC/WBA & IBF welterweight champion): “Ricky will find the blueprint in the way I beat (Donald) Curry (former WBC and pound-for-pound champ). I didn’t just go in and chuck punches. It’s got to be educated pressure with lots of lateral movement. If Ricky watches my fight against Curry he’ll see me constantly going forward but (also) moving, moving, moving. I’ve seen Ricky fight like that before. Mayweather’s definitely beatable. It’s a hard fight to say who’s going to win. I do worry about whether his (Hatton’s) corner knows enough to help him adapt to Mayweather’s style of fighting.”

So, who is your money on?

Run, Forrest, run!

Merriam Webster defines the word "motive" as follows: Motive (noun) - something (as a need or desire) that causes a person to act.

Since I have been in Rio for about 5 weeks now, I have been motivated by the physique-loving aura of the Cariocas (people from Rio). In Rio de Janeiro at any time of day or night you can see someone either working out, running or riding a bike. It is nearly impossible to not be motivated to transform your physique. And I don't mean just young people, but rather people of all ages. It's as if the sun calls out to these people and and causes them to run like lemmings to chase after the "fountain of youth."

I have attempted to join those individuals by "malhando" (lifting weights), running and biking. I picked up a hybrid "Caloi" brand bicycle. Although I like it, my next purchase will definitely be a road bike. The reason is that the riding position is much more comfortable on a road bike, especially for long bike rides. I have also been watching my diet and probably have shed 8 to 10 pounds of fat! For some reason, I just feel like I have more energy here and more motivation.

So far I have kept a running log as a way to track how I have been transforming my physique. My two biggest running accomplishments have been my running around the permiter (7500 m or 4.66 miles) of the Lagoa (lake) and the entire length (back and forth) of Copacabana beach (8000 m or 4.97 miles). As for my biking, I've gone from my apartment all the way to São Conrado beach, which is a pretty difficult ride since you have to cross a pretty steep hill on the way there.

Also, not visible on this map is a street called Rua Professor Gastão Bahiana.
This street basically connects the Lagoa to Copacabana and features an extremely steep hill, which I've only attempted once so far. I had to stop three times just to make it up because I refused to walk my bike up. I'm not sure stopping was the best idea because once you stop, it is that much harder to get going again.

One of the French exchange students, Romain, is training for a marathon in Paris. Maybe I'll join him the next time he tackles the Lagoa...

Taxi Driver’s Travis Bickle, a master pick-up artist (PUA)?

After having read several books on social dynamics and the art of seduction, I couldn’t help but be surprised to see such a powerful rendition of what today is known as the “art of the pickup” in a classic scene in Martin Scorsese’s movie, “Taxi Driver.” Despite my infatuation with New York, especially when it is represented on the silver screen in a way that is so original, raw and edgy, surprisingly, I had never seen this movie. Also, I probably would have never given much thought to this particular scene in the movie had it not been for my seeing it right at the height of reading this material.



For those who haven’t seen the movie or need a refresher on the characters, here goes: Travis Bickle (portrayed by Robert DeNiro) is a 26 year old drifter, former marine and Vietnam vet who takes the night shift of driving a yellow taxi in NYC because he “can’t sleep nights.” As he drives his taxi around one day during the day time, he spots a beautiful white, blonde woman in a building. He becomes obsessed with her, and begins to drive to her building on a daily basis. Eventually she notices him and his despondent awkwardness as she makes eye contact through the window while seated at her desk.


Betsty (We never learn her last name is portrayed by the foxy Cybil Sheperd), is an extremely attractive, well-dressed woman about 25 years of age who is one of the top aides at Senator Charles Palentine’s campaign headquarters; and just so happens to be the "target" or the woman of interest. Finally, something snaps in Travis and he decides to make a move. This time however, he is well dressed, wearing a red velvet blazer, a matching maroon-ish plaid long-sleeve shirt, khakis and brown cowboy boots. (Mystery the author of the book, "The Mystery Method”, would refer to his outfit as a “peacocking” avatar. As Mystery explains in his book, there are three stages to seduction: 1) Attract or “pick up”, 2) Build Comfort or “mid-game” and 3) Seduce or “end game”, each of which has subsequent phases.).

Listed below is the actual movie script dialogue (courtesty of: http://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Taxi-Driver.html) of Travis’ pickup of Betsy at Charles Palentine’s campaign headquarters, which is quite an unusual "gaming" location. Travis, while perceived as an "average frustrated chump" or (AFC) actually is not in that he suffers from no "approach anxiety" (i.e., the urge to run away from a woman possessing high replication value, even in the presence of an equally overwhelming urge to mate with her).

TRAVIS (at Betsy's desk): I want to volunteer (Here Travis starts off with an "opener", a short story or comment used to get a group's attention and earn their acceptance of your presence. It is the the first stage of "pickup". The opener is known as the A1: Opener phase, which has as its immediate goal to reach social acceptance or a "hook point." By achieving the hook point, it demonstrates "social proof" or showing that others value you highly. Now that the set is open, it’s time to create attraction the next phase of the Attract phase or A2: Female-to-Male Interest).

TOM (at Betsy's desk, is the campaign manager and "obstacle" or friend of the target. He could also be classified as an "orbiter", a nice guy who poses as a woman's friend but secretly wants to have sex with her.): If you'll come this way.

TRAVIS (Travis elbows Tom off; turns towards Betsy): No. I want to volunteer to you.

TOM (under his voice): Bets.

BETSY (waves TOM off with a short gesture, indicating everything is OK. Tom walks away. Curious, she says): And why is that? (Here Betsy is demonstrating A2 or Female-to-Male Interest).

TRAVIS (TRAVIS is on his best behavior. He smiles slightly): Because you are the most beautiful woman I have ever seen (With this statement, Travis jumps right to A3: Male-to-Female Interest. Mystery writes she must be baited to invest herself in the interaction by expressing a "direct statement of interest" or an explicit verbal statement making clear your growing interest in a traget).

BETSY is momentarily taken back, but pleased. TRAVIS' presence has a definite sexual charge. He has those star qualities BETSY looks for: She senses there is something special about the young man who stands before her. And then, too, there is that disarming smile. He is, as Betsy would say, "fascinating" (In this moment, Betsy is giving off "Indicator of Interest" or IOIs to Travis).

BETSY(smiling, more IOIs): Is that so? (pause) But what do you think of Charles Palantine?

TRAVIS (his mind elsewhere): Who mam?

BETSY: Charles Palantine. The man you want to volunteer to help elect president.

TRAVIS: Oh, I think he's a wonderful man. Make a great, great President.

BETSY: You want to canvass?

TRAVIS: Yes, mam.

Betsy is interviewing Travis, but she is also teasing him a little, leading him on in a gentle feminine way (In this body language driven portion of their "conversation", Betsy continues to give IOIs to Travis. Senator Charles Palentine’s campaign headquarters represents their meeting location or pick-up locale also known as the stage for Comfort building or C1).

BETSY: How do you feel about Senator Palantine's stand on welfare?

This takes TRAVIS back a bit. He obviously doesn't have the slightest idea what Palantine's stand on welfare is, in fact, he doesn't have any idea about politics whatsoever. TRAVIS thinks a moment, then improvises an answer.

TRAVIS: Welfare, mam? I think the Senator's right. People should work for a living. I do. I like to work. Every day. Get those old coots off welfare and make 'em work for a change.

Betsy does a subtle double-take: This isn't exactly Palantine's position on welfare. She remain intrigued by Travis.

BETSY: Well, that's not exactly what the Senator has proposed. You might not want to canvass, but there is plenty more other work we need done: Office work, filing, poster hanging.

TRAVIS: I'm a good worker, Betsy mam, a real good worker.

BETSY: (gesturing) If you talk to Tom, he'll assign you to something.

TRAVIS: If you don't mind, mam, I'd rather work for you.

BETSY: Well, we're all working tonight.

TRAVIS: Well, Betsy mam, I drive a taxi at night.

BETSY: Well, then, what is it you exactly want to do?

TRAVIS: (bolstering courage) If you don't mind, mam, I'd be mighty pleased if you'd go out and have some coffee and pie with me (Here Travis is attempting to move their interaction to the next phase – "mid-game" or the C2 portion of the comfort building phase).

Betsy doesn't quite know what to make of Travis. She is curious, intrigued, tantalized. Like a moth, she draws closer to the flame (This is what is known as "Cat-string theory" or keeping "bait" just of of the target's reach and continually enticing her in small increments).

BETSY: Why? (This statement is called a "protection shield", which are strategies, built up over time, that collectively enable women to avoid constant approaches from men).

TRAVIS: Well, Betsy mam, I drive by this place here in my taxi many times a day. And I watch you sitting here at this big long desk with these telephones, and I say to myself, that's a lonely girl. She needs a friend. And I'm gonna be her friend. (smiles) (Here Travis “disarms” Betsy by temporarily removing himself as a threat in the eye of Betsy by “negging” her. A “neg” is a subtle, yet negative statement that puts the target off-guard and makes her question her own value, increasing yours on a relative basis.)

Travis rarely smiles, but when he does his whole face glows. It is as if he is able to tap an inner reserve of charm unknown even to himself (This is accomplished by the fact that Travis doesn't "telegraph" his interest for more than just coffee and pie. Of course, he wants much more than that, but in not telegraphing interest, Betsy is completely disarmed.).

BETSY: I don't know...(Here Betsy is "congruence testing" Travis. Congruence testing is conscious or unconscious screening by women in the field to determine if a man will be able to adequately support and protect her offspring. She wants to see if he's willing to overcome her objections. If a man can't overcome a woman's objections, he will be perceived as having demonstrating "lower social value.").

TRAVIS: It's just to the corner, mam. In broad daytime. Nothing can happen. I'll be there to protect you (The act of Travis and Betsy changing venues, i.e., going from the campaign headquarters to the diner is known as “bouncing.” The diner represents a "comfort-building" location, which is a quiet, secluded setting where you can share in lengthier dialogue.).

BETSY: (smiles) All right. (relents) All right. I'm taking a break at four o'clock. If you're here then we'll go to the corner and have some coffee and pie.

TRAVIS: Oh, I appreciate that, Betsy mam. I'll be here at four o'clock exactly. (pause) And... ah... Betsy...

BETSY: Yes?

TRAVIS: My name is Travis.

BETSY: Thank you, Travis.


And that ladies and gentlemen is a true pick-up! At this point, Travis and Betsy are set on going to build more comfort at a public diner. Of course this is a Hollywood movie, but the important point to note is that an AFC can get a beautiful woman! The movie script is entirely too long to go any further. For those who have seen the movie, you know whether Travis has what it takes to take Betsy to the "end-game" or "seduction phase" or whether he has a "great collapse." An important concept to note is the "7 hour rule", which is the average length of cumulative comfort building it takes before a woman is ready for seduction (i.e., sex). Of course this is a movie, but based off the elapsed time they spend together, maybe you can make the call? Other advanced topics seen later on in the movie include, "kino" or physical touching of any kind, short for "kinesthetic." As well as "kino escalation" or progressively more intimate physical contact.

"Ode to the Brazilian-cut Panty"

Outside of Brazil, Brazilian women have notoriety for being exotic and extremely beautiful, which is no doubt an accurate portrayal of them. However, inside of Brazil, one needs to make a regional distinction in order to hone in on the particular physical traits common to that region. Two of the most well-known Brazilian supermodels are Ana Beatriz Barros (seen below is from the state of Minas Gerais, which borders Rio de Janeiro) and Gisele Bündchen (seen above is from Rio Grande do Sul, a region full of German immigrants), both of whom are tall and slender, do not have great butts.

Since I'm a face person, I think Ana Beatriz is one of the most beautiful women in the world. However, I also like butts and this blog is all about butts - Brazilian butts, but more specifically Brazilian-cut panties. Why? Well, although I love a thong like any man out there, I think the Brazilian-cut panty leaves a little bit more of a surprise of what exactly is inside those jeans. For those who don't know what a Brazilian-cut panty is, here is a quick description - it's somewhere between a thong and full coverage, but (no pun intended!) probably a little closer to a thong if you want to get technical.

Oh I forgot to mention that Rio de Janeiro (city and state have the same name) is a butt lover's fantasy come true. Due to the racial mixing that goes on, most Carioca (people from Rio) women have "bundas" (butts) or "bundãos" (big butts) - think Sir Mix-A-Lot's "I Like Big Butts" song. It should be the unofficial theme song of Rio. Anyway, back to the Brazilian panty.

While most women, at least in the US, detest the VPL (i.e., visible panty line - learned the term this summer), I'm all about it! In Brazil, the women wear their jeans tighter than Puerto Ricans or Colombians - way tighter. So, since they don't wear thongs, these girls have killer VPLs. Now, I don't go around all day every day only looking for that, but it's one of those nice "gifts from the gods", if you will.

I had to find these images on the web since I'm not the kind of guy to take pictures of girls that up close. Anyway, I hope you enjoy them from afar because I'm certainly enjoying the Brazilian-cut panty VPL up close! Note: some of the jean pictures don't have VPLs because the companies are trying to sell the jeans not the model, but since the jeans are so tight, just imagine an upside down triangle on a nice, juicy butt! Oh, I almost forgot, "it's all about the white pants!"

First days in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

9/8/07
Arrived at Rio de Janeiro International Airport @ 815 am after 12+ hours of flying. Danilo was waiting for me. He was still the same guy, but this time with a full beard (to look older and convince his law clients he isn't a rookie) and an additional 25 pounds of (mostly) muscle on his frame. We cruised around the city a little bit and arrived at his cousin Felipe’s apartment in Copacabana. His apartment is on the same street where I used to stay when I lived here 5+ years ago – Nossa Senhora de Copacabana. You can find it on Google Maps (http://maps.google.com/), just type in this address: Nossa Senhora de Copacabana 300, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Despite the fact that I have been traveling extensively in 2007, Rio is the kind of place that even the most prepared travelers need to prepare for. While Rome, Italy might seem chaotic to the untrained eye, there is certainly an order to the madness. In Rio, there is just madness! Rio is the kind of place where a taxi or bus driver will hit an old lady who is not fast enough to cross the street. In Rome, they would at least apply the brakes!

I think the striking difference between Rio and even Mexico City is that many people are on the brink. There is so much "informal" business (black or grey market activities) that takes place, just so people can scratch out an existence. And by "scratch", that would be putting it lightly. These people push, haggle, intimidate and do whatever they can do to get that Brazilian Real out of you. Being in Rio has made realize just how privileged we are in the States, even those "ghetto fabulous" individuals. Rio is quite a bit more expensive than Mexico City and in many ways rivals that of other large cities such as New York. The cost to ride the bus is R$2.20, which is a little more than a dollar to an American, but to a Carioca “fica caro” (is very expensive) and the subway is just slightly higer at R$2.35 per ride.

Since my fellow Thunderbird student/friend, John Frazier, is looking to buy a car, I was in shock when I found out that a 2003 VW Gol (smaller than a Golf) is going for R$20,000 (~$10k USD). I soon found out that any car in Brazil is very expensive due to import costs. For example, a new Mitsubishi Pajero (Montero) is roughly R$120,000 – nearly $60,000 USD! What Brazilian can afford that? You’d be surprised how many do, despite the fact that the PPP per capita is only $9,108 USD. It shows you just how striking the income disparity truly is.
Back to my living situation. So Felipe, who is more like a familiar person as opposed to a direct cousin of Danilo, is a 38 year-old, bass guitar player who plays computer games (free version of Dungeons & Dragons) literally all day and night. As Danilo describes him, he is “desligado” or a person who is zoned out (doesn't smoke weed, only Clove cigarettes). He is the son of Gastão, the owner of the apartment. The apartment is of average size – two large bedrooms, a large living room/dining room, bathroom, and a room for a servant. Right now we’re five guys in 3 rooms. I wish I had the servant’s room, which is about the size of a large coffin. I have plenty of closet space, but can’t wait until I can get my own place.

Of course, knowing me, you’d think I’d have been smart enough to pack better for this trip. However, since I was in Europe for 2.5 months and then NYC for 3 months, I pretty much had all of my possessions in 2 large suitcases and 2 carry-ons. The problem? I don’t have a lot of tropical clothes. So I still need to buy some shorts or “bermudas” as their known locally.

Later that day Danilo took me to “Casa & Video”, roughly a Target equivalent (very rough that is). I can’t remember how São Paulo is, but Rio seems less developed to me than I recall. In Mexico, for example, there is Wal-Mart so you can get everything you need - 24/7. Here, most products are made in the domestic market and aren’t really up to par as far as quality goes.

We later spent part of the afternoon in Laranjeira’s (Danilo’s neighborhood, which in Portuguese means "orange groves" due to oranges being grown there in the past. Brazil is a tropical country, remember?) listening to “Chorino” a type of Brazilian music, drank some beers (a new one from Petropolis is called Itaipava) and ate “pastel de carne e frango”, a type of breaded dish stuffed with meat and other goodies. I couldn’t help but think of the song “Rio de Janeiro” by the Favela punk band – Moleque de Rua.



After that, we stopped by Rachel's (Danilo's girlfriend) parents’ place in Botafogo. Talk about a nice place! Her father works for Petrobras, the national petroleum company of Brazil. So he's pretty loaded. They treated me to food and even let me take a nap in the guest bedroom! Rachel has two sisters, one older and one younger one. The older one is an English teacher and is married with two kids. The kids both have their father’s eyes and are very attractive.

In the evening we went to, Icaro, a bar/restaurant in Niteroi to go to Rachel’s friend’s birthday party. He was a spoiled rich kid who had all of his friends there as well as his parents. I probably shouldn’t dog on him too much, but he was a little stuck on himself. His birthday cake was amazing, so kudos to whoever picked that cake. We ended up partying until 2 in the morning and I was totally beat after a previous night of airplane sleep.

9/9/07
As Eazy-E once rapped on his “Straight Outta Compton” album, “woke up quick, at about noon, just knew I had to be in Compton soon.” I bested him and woke up at 1 pm. My body simply needed some rest. I took a stroll around “Copa” and went to one of the best grocery stores in all of Rio “Pão de Açúcar.” This grocery-shopping experience, as well as the experience I had in Celakovice, Czech Republic, reminded me of how good we have it (read spoiled) in the US. As an American, I love American breakfasts, whether that includes bacon, potatoes and eggs or cereal and milk. Milk as we know it simply does not exist in Brazil. I still am a little chicken to try it, but basically you buy it in a box and after opening it you have to refrigerate it and it only lasts for three days.

So after about an hour or so perusing the shelves, I settled on some safe bets – cans of tuna ($2/can!), pasta (no cream sauce available – damn), and some stuff from the deli (e.g., Gnochi Bolognese – the Italians really do eat the best food in my mind).

I also bought some phone credit for Danilo’s extra cell phone, which he is allowing me to use during my stay in Rio. He has really gone out of his way to make sure I get set up. He’s even been offering help to John about whether to buy or rent a car. I’m glad I bought him a present (dress shirt) from the US – too bad it barely fits. I mean who knew he gained 25 pounds!

That afternoon I called Mariana (a friend I met the first time I came to Brazil) to see if she wanted to meet up. She chose a great local bar in Ipanema – Devassa, which means something related to the beach (still trying to figure that out). In any event, it was nice to see her after 5.5 years. Although we’ve been in touch a little bit thanks mainly to IM, it is quite the experience to see somebody after such a long time. There are certain people you meet in your life and you just know that you’ll always be friends for life. After catching up on our lives, Danilo and Rachel joined us. We drank Chopp or draft beer. They have several different types of ale beer from light (Loira) to medium (India) to dark (negra). I most enjoyed India, but I have to admit that Brazilian beer leaves much to desire. Maybe I’m just spoiled, but the Czech Republic’s “Staropramen” is still my favorite beer in the world – even outpacing Stella Artois, Heineken, Grolsch and XX Lager. What can I say – I’m a lager man all the way.

Later on, Mariana’s boyfriend, Rodrigo, shows up. I thought he was a lot bigger than he actually is because I didn’t see him walk up to the table. Don’t get me wrong, the dude is jacked, but he’s only about 5’6”. He seemed like such the mismatch for Mariana. But since he lives in “Barra” short for Barra da Tijuca (actually a small island off the coast), has a car and access to cash, I can see why she dates him – the opportunities to escape her situation of having to ride buses and taxis, etc., etc.

Danilo and Rachel both left at about 10:30 pm to get a good night’s rest before a typical Monday morning. I stayed with Mariana and Rodrigo for about another 30 minutes. I was all set to take a taxi back to the apartment, but Rodrigo offered me a ride, which was a favor, since Barra is quite far from where I’m staying in Copacabana. It turns out he works for a clothing store in the Barra Shopping Mall. He’s obsessed with Diesel jeans, which cost R$800 (or $400 USD) in Brazil. Brazil is turning out to be more expensive than I thought…US Fiscal and Monetary policy is not keeping pace, hence the continual slide of the US dollar against other top market economies’ currencies.


9/10/07
Today, I decided not to enroll at the IBEU language school to take a Portuguese class. It will cost over $600 and I don’t want to waste money until I get my apartment set up. Just as I was getting ready to step out, Danilo called me and asked if I wanted to join him for lunch. I took the metro from the “Copacabana Arcoverde” station and took it to the “Carioca” stop. It only took about 30 minutes, which was a welcomed change from having done so much long-distance travel the past few days. Danilo’s office is very nice. He rents space from a four-partner law firm who had one partner leave thereby opening up space for him. He pays R$1,000 per month to rent an office, which accommodates himself and his understudy, Orivaldo. We ended up going to an area very close to where Hugo and Thiago used to work. Danilo called his friend Milton on the way and he joined us for lunch. Milton designed Danilo’s website: www.ferreiramendes.com. It’s a nice, simple site. Danilo has asked me to translate the site from Portuguese to English for him, which I willingly will do for free. I really enjoy the relationship I have with Danilo. I think we understand each other on many levels.


After lunch we made plans for how I can get to the Federal Police station in Niteroi on Tuesday morning. I’ll need to take a couple of buses and a boat to get there. I’ll be sure to bring the classified ads of the newspaper to keep me occupied while I wait.

Later that afternoon, we went to Danilo’s house to change into our gym clothes to work out. His grandma prepared me a Nescafe “cafezinho” (little coffee, like espresso). We headed over to Danilo’s gym - Saúd e Forma. He did his own routine, while I worked out with Beatriz, a dark-skinned Carioca (uma “nega”) trainer. She had me do about 8 different upperbody exercises and then I later ran on the treadmill for about 15 minutes.

Danilo was in a hurry to take his girlfriend to church so he left me by a bus stop to get home. I asked the bus driver if his bus went to Copacabana, which it did. I’m not sure when they changed the setup, but now the “trocadores” (change givers) on the bus sit behind the driver instead of in the rear of the bus as they did six years ago…

Ad Campaigns, Slogans & Spokespeople

My latest obsession? Watches (and their ad campaigns). I'm a proud owner of a TAG Heuer blue Aquaracer chronograph watch. I love it. After having owned a Swiss Army model for 8 years, lasy May I found it high time to step into the world of luxury watches and bought the TAG. I recently saw a Lenscrafters ad that read something like, "Your watch tells you how far you've come in life, what do your glasses say?"

Maybe I'm converting into a materialistic individual, but as I continue to travel and become exposed to the "finer things in life" (think Roger Federer's custom-made white Nike Wimbledon sports blazer he wore at the beginning of each of his 2007 Wimbledon matches), I've had an increased desire to have a couple of nice "things."

Of course, I'm not talking about buying things I can't affort (yet) like a Rolex watch, but those items that are within in reach. For example, after having seen a Finnish brand TW Steel oversized-face watch (by the way, bigger faces are very popular right now) in a Karlsruhe jewelry store window, I knew I had to have it. I was able to see the price tag dangling from the black leather strap, 350€, ouch! The way the Euro is thrashing the USD (as of my writing it's 1.37197 USD/1 Euro), I knew I wasn't ready to throw down $480 on the watch. However, after looking online, I saw the same watch online for $330. Even though this company is a small, non-Swiss player in the market, I can already feel the power of their marketing. They have a jazzy online capability to view their catalog as if you were actually flipping through the actual catalog pages. But more than a cool webpage, I look at the spokespeople companies use to see if it's a brand I want to identify with.

Rolex, despite its overly complex webpage, has a great slogan and ad campaign. What grabs me most about their advertising are two things: their spokesperson (who better than #1 men's tennis player in the world, Roger Federer?) and Rolex's tagline, "A Crown for Every Achievement." After watching Federer's incredible 5 setter defeat of Nadal in this year's Wimbledon finals, and then having immediately watched a Rolex commercial and hearing its tagline and music, I could only imagine what it must feel like to own one of their watches and be wearing it at that precise moment. Right then, you know you're wearing the best watch in the world and feel like a champion. That sensation of winning, being on top of the world and being a champion - what a great feeling!

Getting back to TW Steel. I appreciate that they too go after a spokesperson who matches their perceived place in the world - amongst the best watchmakers in the world. Not the King, not # 1, but they believe they have a place at the top. Their spokesperson, Tommy Robredo, is a top-ten men's singles tennis palyer (ranked #7 in the world as of 7/27/07). On their catalog, it states: "One of the best professional tennis players in the world (Robredo)...He even wears his TW Steel during the heat of a match. Need we say more?" Mind you, not even Federer wears his Rolex during matches.

Here's a blurb on TW Steel's (marketing) philosophy:

TW Steel, Big in Oversized Watches.

Since its inception, TW Steel has been completely specializing in the manufacture of big watches. Distinguishing design combined with reliable technology are the pillars the company's philosophy is based upon. The two dots in the TW Steel logo are the graphic representation of the philosophy. Partly as a result of this, TW Steel has succeeded in obtaining a leadership position worldwide in the oversized watches market segment within a very short period.

The three very distinctive collections - based on top Swiss or Japanese technology - offer the modern man or woman plenty of possibility to find the right type of watch that best suits his or her personality. Whether it is a model from the Canteen Style, Goliath or Grandeur collection, with TW Steel on your wrist you will always XXXX admiration for your choice.

The Canteen Style collection is identifiable by the cases with the hook/crown cap and the leather straps with the two steel dots."

I'm trying to figure out which one Robredo wears the TW 4, TW 6, or TW 11.

I'm impressed by the vision behind this company. They've decided to pursue a niche market and have done incredibly well. All of the reviews I read online are from customers who are infatuated with their watches. Many of them are repeat customers.

Cinque or is it Fünf?

How can you not like Europe? Even after a disappointing shopping experience in Milan, I was pleasantly surprised with Karlsruhe's shopping possibilities. I had gone to Milan with the hopes of buying a nice Italian suit, but "only" came away with a slick pair of "fatte a mano," hand-made, shoes from Firenze (go figure!), a belt and a pair of Sisley slacks. Unlike Rome, Florence and Paris for that matter, Milan simply didn't offer the same type or number of small boutiques.

Back to Karlsruhe. The city offers a number of small boutiques, a couple of large, stand-alone department stores and a mall. Since I picked up a couple of items in Paris, I needed to buy a small carry-on sized suitcase. I never made it to the luggage store in the mall since I got caught at Peek & Cloppenburg. I tried on several suits and came close to buying a sleek, grey Hugo Boss. Just when I was ready to leave the store, the sales rep informed me that there were more suits on the top floor of the store.

I figured they would have a couple other varieties, but once I got there I was blown away with the vast number of suits available. The first sales rep, although she was cute, couldn't really speak English. So she passed me to her co-worker, Patrick, who turned out to be an extremely knowledgeable salesman, despite how young he was. I told him what I was looking for a slim-fitting suit in either a European 46 or 48 (a US 36 or 38). After having tried on about 10 different styles and brands, I selected 3 that I liked best - 2 Hugo Boss suits and 1 German designer suit with a brand name of "Cinque" (5 in Italian).

I ended up liking the "Cinque" suit the best. It's a solid black, slim fit suite sized 48. It features English vents, low-rise pants and a very slim silhouette. Since the store closed at 8, I didn't have time to go back to grab a skinny Joop tie. Joop is the last name of German designer, Wolfgang Joop, and his stuff is hot! I can't wait to find a place in NY that carries his stuff. I had previously known about his cologne, but never knew he carried such great suits.

Getting back to Cinque, here's a blurb I found online:

"Around 20 years ago two men got together with the aim of leading the rather dull world of German fashion down a new path. They were no longer ready to accept the German view that shellsuits constituted "leisure clothing" and that "business clothing" should be ripped off a soon as you return from the office - even if such views were understandable, given what was on offer. It was now time to look towards Italy for inspiration - and thus Cinque was born.

Cinque fashion provides material evidence that those apparent opposites in the Italian character, passion and coolness, are in fact close allies. Despite a passion for detailed finesse, there's no question of a Cinque collection ever stretching good fashion taste. Be it ladies‚ or men's off-the-peg clothing, leisure or business outfits, or accessories - the aesthetic of cool always takes pre-cedence. Nothing is too perfect, nothing too slick.

Mercedes stands for safety, Marlboro for cowboys. Yet few fashion labels have succeeded in penetrating the public conscious with a clearly defined brand image. The image Cinque wishes to evoke is the world of Italy. After all, what is Cinque if not the embodiment of Italian style? Inner passion and high emotion, forever with a smart appearance and cool air. Unaffected fashion creations which substantiate Cinque's claim to be the emissary of these Italian ideals."

Fashionably late in Germany? I think not...

I can't believe nearly two months have gone by since my last post. Maybe it's a good thing because it means I'm being active and away from my computer, but it also signifies so many good memories not (yet) recorded.

In any event, I'm preparing for my second international assignment of my summer internship wtih Pfizer. This time I'm heading to Karlsruhe, Germany, which is very close to where my good friend Anthony had his wedding in Achern. I was chatting with a fellow intern about some of the required understandings of cultural nuances in order to perform effectively while working abraod, which we've learned about at Thunderbird. I started reviewing the Cultural Navigator (http://www.culturalnavigator.com/), which provides in-depth perspectives of cultures from around the world.

Here's an example of Germany's Cultural Orientation Inventory:Each category on this cultural pinwheel describes precisely how the "stereotypical" German might react in particular circumstances. As I was reading about how German's perceive time (they are what is known as "fixed" as opposed to a more Latin "fluid"), I came across this description: "In German social situations, the expression "fashionably late" does not exist."

Then I thought, "well where did the phrase "fashionably late" come from?" No dice on Wiki. However, I found this blurb on a random post on Yahoo, which provides a contemporary tongue-in-cheek answer to the age-old question, how late is "fashionably late"?

That depends on the function. For weddings, church services, theater performances, and business functions, it's best to arrive on time. For holiday and cocktail parties, several etiquette guides agree on a half-hour window. For a late-night wingding, all bets are off. How do we know this? A Yahoo! Search on "fashionably late etiquette" resulted in a plethora of handy tutorials for the socially curious. At the top of the heap, columnist Elizabeth Wellington claims that being fashionably late is out of date -- "promptness is the latest trend at social gatherings these days."

But while it's impolite to show up late, it can be downright fatal to show up early. For business functions, the manly resource Ask Men advises to "never be early," but also notes that "thirty minutes late should represent a barrier you don't want to cross."

For more casual gatherings or parties that start "around 10-ish," arrival time comes down to personal preference. As this article from the USC college paper points out, you can show up late and look cool, or show up on time while there's still alcohol.

(Posted at http://ask.yahoo.com/20040719.html on Monday July 19, 2004)