Obama Meets With Brazilian Leader

President Obama met with President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva of Brazil on Saturday at the White House
Published on the New York Times March 14, 2009
By Jonathan Ernst/Reuters from The Associated Press

.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva discussed the economy, energy and the environment Saturday during their first White House meeting.
Both leaders said the Oval Office sit-down was productive and they looked forward to seeing each other at the Group of 20 nations meeting in London early next month, followed by the Summit of the Americas in Trinidad in mid-April.
''I have been a great admirer of Brazil and a great admirer of the progressive, forward-looking leadership that President Lula has shown throughout Latin America and throughout the world,'' Obama said after the meeting.
''We have a very strong friendship between the two countries but we can always make it stronger,'' he said.
Silva said one of the points he raised was ''the importance of President Obama’s election and what it represents to the world and especially to Latin America.''
He said he and Obama ''are truly convinced'' that decisions coming out of the G-20 can resolve the economic crisis.
In a lighter moment, Silva said he tells people at rallies in his country that he prays more for Obama than he does for himself. With so many problems facing Obama in his short time in office, ''I don't want to be in his position,'' Silva said.
To which Obama added: ''I'll tell you what. You sound like you've been talking to my wife.''
Brazil has become a major U.S. trading partner, and its cautious economic policies have helped it weather the global financial crisis better than almost all other major economic powers. Brazil also has huge new sources of offshore oil and is the world's largest exporter of ethanol, which could give it an important role in helping the U.S. wean itself from Venezuelan crude and shift to cleaner sources of energy.
Brazil, however, has seen little progress on its demand that the U.S. lift a 53-cent-per-gallon import tariff on ethanol, a gasoline alternative. Its discoveries in the past two years of some 80 billion barrels of oil could help turn the country into a major crude exporter and put it in better position to bargain with the U.S.
Obama said he has admired Silva's efforts to develop biofuels and wants to follow a similar path developing cleaner sources of energy for the U.S. He acknowledged tensions between the two countries over ethanol, and suggested they can be resolved over time.
''It's not going to change overnight, but I do think that as we continue to build exchanges of ideas, commerce (and) trade around the issue of biodiesel that, over time, this source of tension can get resolved,'' Obama said.,
Silva said biofuel is an ''extraordinary alternative'' and that other countries eventually will jump on the bandwagon. He said that when Obama visits Brazil, ''I'm going to ask him to get inside a car that is run by a flex-fuel engine and he will feel very comfortable.''
Obama said he had such a vehicle but that there aren't enough gas stations in the U.S. that sell gas alternatives. ''So that's one of the areas we need to change, our distribution networks here in the United States,'' he said.
After the meeting and media availability, Obama escorted Silva to his waiting limousine just outside the Oval Office. ''I'll see you in London,'' Obama said.
Silva was the first Latin American leader to sit down with Obama.
Obama also privately raised the custody case of David Goldman, a Tinton Falls, N.J., man who is trying to bring his 8-year-old son back from Brazil. The boy was taken there in 2004 by his mother, who died years later while giving birth. She had divorced Goldman and married a lawyer from Rio de Janeiro. Both children are being raised by the lawyer's family.
This past week, the House unanimously urged Brazil to ''act with extreme urgency'' to return the boy to Goldman. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton said she has discussed the case with high-ranking Brazilian officials.
More than 100 people on Saturday afternoon stood in drizzling rain in front of the White House to rally for Goldman's case, many holding signs and chanting loudly about bringing the child back to America. Rep. Chris Smith, R-N.J., who has rallied to help reunite the father and son, read an open letter to Silva at the event, telling the crowd ''justice delayed is justice denied ... the time for action is now.''
On a lighter note, Obama said that when he does visit Brazil, he thinks he should see the nice beaches of Rio de Janeiro and make a trip to the Amazon, joking that Republicans would like to see him get lost there for a while.

.
VOCABULARY:

.
Looked forward: Past of look forward – phrasal verb to feel pleased and excited about something that is going to happen
Forward-looking: adjective - Someone who is forward-looking always plans for the future.
Leadership: Noun (U) - the position or fact of being the leader
In a lighter moment: expression - in a less tense moment
Rallies: Noun (C) - a public meeting of a large group of people, especially supporters of a particular opinion
Trading partner: Closely involved in buying and selling, or exchanging, goods and/or services between people or countries
Huge: Adjective – Very big
Offshore: adjective, adverb - away from or at a distance from the coast
Wean: phrasal verb (wean somebody off something) - to make someone gradually stop using something that is bad for them
Crude: Noun (U) - oil in a natural state that has not yet been treated
Path: Noun (C) - a route or track between one place and another, or the direction in which something is moving
Acknowledged: Verb (T) to accept, admit or recognize something, or the truth or existence of something
Overnight: adjective, adverb - suddenly and unexpectedly
Jump on the bandwagon: expression - to become involved in an activity which is successful so that you can get the advantages of it yourself
Networks: Noun (C) - a large system consisting of many similar parts that are connected together to allow movement or communication between or along the parts or between the parts and a control centre
Custody case: Legal dispute over the legal right or duty to care for someone or something, especially a child after its parents have separated or died
High-ranking: adjective - having an important position in an organization
Drizzling: Verb (I) – Present Continuous of Drizzle - rain in very small light drops
Chanting: Present Continuous of to Chant - verb [I or T] to repeat or sing a word or phrase continuously, or to sing a religious prayer or song to a simple tune
Crowd: group noun [C] a large group of people who have gathered together

Learning in the News - XXV

Palace birthday party for Charles
The palace released pictures of the royal party entering the ballroom
The Queen is hosting a lavish reception at Buckingham Palace to mark the Prince of Wales' 60th birthday.
From BBC News
.

.
Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall have been joined by Princes William and Harry and the Duke of Edinburgh to celebrate the occasion.
Among more than 400 guests were European royalty, friends and members of the prince's charities.
The evening began with music from the Philharmonic Orchestra, of which Charles is patron. He is 60 on Friday.
In a short address Princes William and Harry thanked everyone for attending and paid tribute to their father as "an inspiration to us and so many others".
The princes also joked that because of their father's age they were having an electric chairlift installed at his Highgrove home in Gloucestershire.
Before the royal family sat down to a private dinner, family, a drinks reception was held in the palace ballroom, normally used to stage investiture ceremonies.
Guests were entertained by chamber music mostly written by British composers.
Among the foreign royals who made the trip to London were Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, and ex-King Constantine of Greece.
Entertainment
The celebration was a private event, but pictures were released showing the royal party walking into the ballroom.
The Queen, wearing a champagne-colored dress, led the way with Charles. They were followed by Prince Philip and Camilla, who wore a pink dress, and last in the group were William and Harry.
A party is being staged at Highgrove by Camilla on Saturday, at which Rod Stewart will perform for guests.
Robin Williams, John Cleese and Rowan Atkinson were among the performers at the New Wimbledon Theatre in south London on Wednesday, in a comedy show in aid of the Prince's Trust charity.
.
Vocabulary
.
Lavish: adjective more than enough, especially if expensive; very generous
Charities: (Plural of charity) - noun [C or U] a system of giving money, food or help free to those who are in need because they are ill, poor or homeless, or any organization which is established to provide money or help in this way
Patron: noun [C] a person or group that supports an activity or organization, especially by giving money
Attending: Present Continuous Form of the verb to attend - verb SLIGHTLY FORMAL [I or T] to go to an event, place, etc
paid tribute: Past tense form of the verb to pay tribute to somebody - to praise someone or something
Joked: Past tense form to the verb to joke - verb [I] to say amusing, funny things
Investiture: noun [C] FORMAL a ceremony in which someone is given an official rank, authority, power, etc
Guests: Plural form o Guest - noun [C] a person who is staying with you, or a person whom you have invited to a social occasion, such as a party or a meal
led the way: Past tense form of the verb to lead the way - to show the way by going in front
aid: noun [U] help or support

LEARNING IN THE NEWS - XIX (For Beginners Level of Business English Students and Up)

A first-class cabin on an Emirates flight includes a TV, writing table and full bed.
Chester Higgins Jr./The New York Times

The Best Seat in the Plane
By PERRY GARFINKEL
The New York Times - Published: March 11, 2008




Remember when first-class seats meant the best on the plane? That’s not always the case anymore.
In the last decade, some airlines began eliminating first class, while keeping the amenities that make their highest-paying passengers feel like the most important people on board. They just call it by a different name. Delta Airlines, for example, calls its prime seats BusinessElite class on international flights. Continental Airlines calls them BusinessFirst.
The airlines themselves were in part responsible for the declining number of first-class seats. Once they improved business class — with bigger seats that open into fully flat beds, menus by celebrity chefs, individual entertainment systems and airport lounges where first- and business-class travelers rubbed elbows — “it became more difficult for travelers to justify the additional exorbitant price of first class,” said Peter P. Belobaba, manager of the M.I.T. Global Airline Industry Program. The recent rise of all-business-class airlines has just added to the pressure on first class.
On a trans-Atlantic flight from New York to London or Frankfurt, a typical round-trip business fare would be about $5,500. A so-called true first-class seat would run about $8,500 and up.
“With corporate business travelers demanding the most comfortable ride possible but not willing to pay the price, the demand for first class shrunk,” Joanne Smith, a senior vice president for Delta, said. “So it made no financial sense for us to continue it.”
By stepping down to business class from first class, travelers lose the additional space separating seats, a higher ratio of flight attendants to passengers and that intangible amenity, prestige.
This is not to say that first class is disappearing. A few airlines showcase a new first class that humbles traditional first, in which passengers find privacy in enclosed suites or pods, with ottomans, tables, double beds and designer amenities to satisfy the most affluent traveler.
“In some circles, flying first class remains the status symbol of a person’s success in business,” Mr. Belobaba said.
Edward Sims, a group general manager for Air New Zealand, said first class is “as much a marketing platform that the airlines use to promote their elitism.” Some airlines, he said, “will live with semi-empty first-class seats just so they can show attractive visuals in the brochures.”
Air New Zealand offers a combination business-first class, Business Premier; an in-between class, Pacific Premium Economy; and Pacific Economy — in effect renaming but returning to the three classes of the post-World War II era.
In the early days of commercial aviation, before about 60 years ago, a chief executive, middle manager and department director flew in the same class. They had no choice; there was one cabin, one class. Then came first class, business and coach (also called economy).
Now, the need to stay competitive and profitable has resulted in an industrywide seating shake-up. Depending on the airline, the route and the aircraft, travelers can choose from among six classes. Along with the three traditional classes and premium business, there is also a class between economy and business. British Airways calls that class World Traveler Plus, while Virgin Atlantic has named it Premium Economy.
Then there are the handful of airlines — Emirates, Singapore, Virgin Atlantic, Qantas and Cathay Pacific among them — working on the premise that there are no limits on pampering the prestige class. Singapure Airlines was the first with super-first-class seating, suites it has called the “class beyond first.” A flier who has purchased one of those suites gets a cabin within a cabin, entered through double sliding doors.
In airlines that offer this class, fliers will find leather seats with electronic massage; a full-size bed (some convert into doubles) made up with Givenchy duvets and cushions; 23-inch plasma flat-screen TVs; and on-demand dining.
Singapore’s suites are currently available on its A380 flights from Singapore to Sydney. On March 18, the airline will introduce them on its Singapore-to-London route. Round-trip fares will be $14,179 for the first-class suites, $6,354 for business and $1,482 for economy.
Still, in an indication of the new strength of the business-class seats, Singapore is also moving into all-business-class service on some routes.
Frills and added classes aside, for many business travelers it comes down to the basics: comfort, time and money.
“Flying is valuable office time to me,” said Andrew M. Sacks, 40, president of AgencySacks, an advertising group in Manhattan. “If I get the space I need to work and a good seat, I justify the expense by getting a week’s worth of work done on an eight-hour flight.”
Even so, he said he could not rationalize spending close to $13,000 for a pair of Continental’s BusinessFirst seats for himself and Julie Fisher, a vice president at the agency, to fly to Barcelona in November 2006 for a Leading Hotels of the World convention.
Instead, they bought three coach tickets at $500 each, left the middle seat empty and brought their own veritable smorgasbord from Balducci’s that was, he said, “as savory as anything they were serving up front.”
.
VOCABULARY:
Amenities: Anything that increases physical comfort: comfort, convenience, facility (often used in plural). See comfort/discomfort – In this text it refers to the toiletries offered for its passengers, i.e. comb, perfume, after shave lotion, paper tissue, etc…
rubbed elbows: (easier explained in Portuguese) expressão usada quando os assentos estreitos, fazem com que o passageiro fique todo o tempo tocando o passageiro do lado com o cotovelo
Humbles: marked by meekness or modesty; not arrogant or prideful
Enclosed suites: Suites surrounded on all sides; close in
Pods: Something resembling a pod, as in compactness
Ottomans: An upholstered low seat or cushioned footstool (o que chamamos de Puffs no Brasil)
Affluent: wealthy, rich, with means
Handful: a small number or amount
Pampering: Treating with indulgence and often overtender care
Double sliding doors: (easier explained in Portuguese) Portas duplas deslizantes
Duvets: a soft quilt usually filled with the down of the eider - Synonyms: eiderdown, continental quilt – (o que chamamos de edredom)
Cushions: (easier explained in Portuguese) almofadas
On Demand: When needed or asked for, as in She's always ready to sing on demand, or Nowadays infants are generally fed on demand. This usage is a broadening of this phrase's meaning in finance, that is, "payable on being requested or presented," as in This note is payable on demand. [Late 1600s]
Frills: Something costly and unnecessary: extravagance, extravagancy, luxury
Veritable: Being truly so called; real or genuine
Smorgasbord: (Scandinavian) an assortment of foods starting with herring or smoked eel or salmon etc with bread and butter; then cheeses and eggs and pickled vegetables and aspics; finally hot foods; served as a buffet meal
Savory: Appetizing to the taste or smell

LEARNING IN THE NEWS X - HOW DOES THE ELECTORAL SYSTEM WORKS - THE NEXT PHASE AFTER THE SUPER TUESDAY'S VOTE

How Does the Electoral College Work?



Now that the American People voted, this is the next phase on the American Election System - through their votes the American People elected the“electors” who will cast their votes for the most important post in the world!!!



Also, please read the previous posting about the Guide to the American Government and How the American Election System Works those postings will give you a better understanding on the whole system.

A Guide to America's Electoral System

As most Americans learned in school and re-learned during the election, Americans do not directly elect their presidents and vice presidents. They actually elect "electors," who make up the Electoral College and cast the critical electoral votes for the nation's top two jobs.
The following is an Electoral College FAQ, courtesy of the Federal Elections Commission.

How are electors chosen?

The political parties (or independent candidates) in each state submit to the state's chief election official a list of individuals pledged to their candidate for president and equal in number to the state's electoral vote. Usually, the major political parties select these individuals either in their state party conventions or through appointment by their state party leaders, while third parties and independent candidates merely designate theirs.

Who cannot serve as an elector?

Members of Congress and employees of the federal government are prohibited from serving as electors in order to maintain the balance between the legislative and executive branches of the federal government.

How many electors does each state get?

Each state is allocated a number of electors equal to the number of its U.S. senators plus the number of its U.S. representatives.

How does a presidential ticket win electoral votes?

Whichever party slate wins the most popular votes in the state become that state's electors -- so that, in effect, whichever presidential ticket gets the most popular votes in a state wins all the electors of that state. (The two exceptions to this are Maine and Nebraska, where two electors are chosen by statewide popular vote and the remainder by the popular vote within each congressional district.) Colorado may change its system of allocation with Amendment 36 on the state's ballot.

When are electoral votes cast?

On the Monday following the second Wednesday of December, each state's electors meet in their respective state capitals and cast their electoral votes -- one for president and one for vice president. In order to prevent electors from voting only for "favorite sons" of their home state, at least one of their votes must be for a person from outside their state, though this is seldom a problem since the parties have consistently nominated presidential and vice presidential candidates from different states.

When are the electoral votes announced?

The electoral votes are then sealed and transmitted from each state to the president of the Senate who, on Jan. 6, opens and reads them before both houses of the Congress (the Senate and the House of Representatives).

How are a president and vice president chosen?

The candidate for president with the most electoral votes, provided that it is an absolute majority (one vote over half of the total), is declared president. Similarly, the vice presidential candidate with the absolute majority of electoral votes is declared vice president.

What if no presidential candidate wins a majority of electoral votes?

In the event that no one obtains an absolute majority of electoral votes for president, the U.S. House of Representatives selects the president from among the top three contenders, with each state casting only one vote and an absolute majority of the states being required to elect. This has happened twice in American history. If it were to happen this cycle, President Bush would likely win re-election; a majority of the 50 congressional delegations are dominated by Republicans. Similarly, if no one obtains an absolute majority for vice president, then the U.S. Senate makes the selection from among the top two contenders for that office.

When are the new president and vice president sworn in?

At noon on Jan. 20, the duly elected president and vice president are sworn into office.

What are the arguments in favor of the Electoral College?

A common argument in favor of the Electoral College is that it forces the candidates to pay more attention to less-populated states that they would otherwise ignore. Those who are proponents of the two-party system claim the winner-takes-all result of the Electoral College helps avoid political instability and deadlock that would arise should the system be broken. Some argue the Electoral College system gives power to minority groups by allowing a relatively small number of voters in each state to make a difference in determining which candidate gets that state's electoral votes. Others argue the Electoral College maintains the federal system of government, which was designed to reserve such important political powers to the states as making a choice for the presidency and vice presidency.

What are the arguments against the Electoral College?

Some argue against the (mostly) winner-takes-all system allows for a candidate who loses the popular vote (as happened in 1824, 1876, 1888 and 2000) to win the presidency. Opponents claim it discourages voter turnout by making people feel their vote does not make a difference in noncompetitive states. Some say it violates the "one-person, one-vote" ideal since each state has a minimum of three electors, regardless of its population. This gives residents of the smallest states, which based on their population might otherwise be entitled to just one or two electors, more influence than residents of larger states. The current system does not require electors to vote the way they are pledged. This is an argument of lesser consequence, as the situation rarely happens, but there is, in fact, nothing preventing electors from voting for whom they choose.

VOCABULARY:

Actually: truly, in fact, as a matter of fact
make up: constitute, compose, comprise
cast: select
pledged: (past of pledge) a serious or formal promise
appointment: an appointing or being appointed; specif., a naming or selecting for an office, position, etc.
party leaders: líderes do partido (easier to explain in Portuguese)
third parties: outros partidos (easier to explain in Portuguese)
merely: being nothing more than
branches: divisions
Whichever: no matter which
Slate: a list of candidates proposed for nomination or election
Statewide: extending throughout a state
Remainder: those remaining
Ballot: a ticket, paper, etc., by which a vote is registered
Seldom: not often; rarely; infrequently
Sealed: selado (easier to explain in Portuguese)
Contenders: competitors
sworn into: (past of swear into) to induct into office by administration of an oath (É quando no ato da posse o Presidente faz o juramento de posse do Cargo)
duly: properly, in a due manner or time
otherwise: something or anything else : something to the contrary (equivalente a “caso contrário”)
proponents: advocates, who argue in favor of something
claim: require, to ask for especially as a right
winner-takes-all: expressão: o ganhador leva tudo - (easier to explain in Portuguese)
deadlock: a tie score, a situation in which agreement in an argument cannot be reached because neither side will change its demands or accept any of the demands of the other side
argue: to speak angrily to someone, telling them that you disagree with them
turnout: the number of people who are present at an event, especially the number who go to vote at an election
regardless: despite; not being affected by something
be entitled: to have the right to do or have something