Sesc SP

History – A year of great popular mobilization. Thus was 1968, when outrage supplanted apathy and resignation, prompting multitudes to take to the streets in an effort to express their discontent with the established order. In Brazil, the intensification of the military dictatorship and censorship gagged the voice of the people and culturally mutilated an entire generation.

Indigenous work – In the state of Mato Grosso do Sul, the recruitment of Indians
for the cutting of the sugar cane that will feed ethanol mills raises an old question: to what extent can such activity be considered a decent alternative for the inhabitants of the local Indian villages?

Economy
• The rise in the employment and income levels of classes C, D and E is encouraging manufacturers of consumption goods to develop products to cater specifically to
those segments. A growing indebtedness of the popular layers, however, compromises
the continuity of such trend.
• The Brazilian market of desktops and notebooks is at full speed. Never before have so many machines been sold, and demand continues heated. The explanation lies in the economy’s good performance, the relatively weakened dollar value and an increase in credit lines. It is estimated that by 2010 Brazil will rank third among the world’s largest computer producers, only behind the United States and China.

Transport
• High accident rates in the roads across the country are a reason for concern. According to specialists, lack of oversight and certainty of impunity are the main causes for this situation, while the solution depends, basically, on educating drivers.
• The great number of helicopters in the city of São Paulo is beginning to become a problem. The noise made by these aircrafts, especially during landings and takeoffs, is annoying the population, who see the need to regulate and oversee the sector.

Seismology – Until very recently Brazil was believed to be immune against earthquakes. Reality, however, has proven the belief to be false. Successive earth tremors have occurred recently in the country, with one fatal casualty reported.

Winemaking – The wine produced in Brazil has been gaining space in foreign markets. Though still distant from traditional producers, the country has invested in improving its grapes and has obtained excellent results, as attested by the several international awards won until last year.

Memory – Appearing in the 1830s among the students of the Largo de São Francisco Law School, the secret society that became known as Bucha, founded by German Júlio Frank in the molds of the Germanic Burschenschaft, included several presidents of the Republic and other personalities of the history of Brazil among its members.

Hip-hop – Since they emerged, in 2003, in the Rio de Janeiro Lapa district, the battles of the Liga dos MCs have not ceased to grow and attract fans. Building on improvised rhymes,
in the modality known as freestyle, rappers challenge each other in contests that bring together participants from many parts of the country.

Ecodesign – Creating eco-efficient products and services, which consume fewer inputs and raw materials, is the current corporate trend. In this context, ecodesign has been gaining space and valuing professionals concerned with the preservation of the environment.

Informatics – The Brazilian Justice, notorious for its slowness, has been receiving the help of an important ally to speed up proceedings. Since March 2007, in some courthouses case filings are being processed electronically, that is, by way of computer.

Health – Little by little, what until recently seemed science fiction is becoming a reality. Medicine already employs sophisticated devices and prostheses made from special materials to return mobility and the capacity to lead an almost normal life to people with disabilities.

Arts – The contribution of the Japanese and their descendants to the Brazilian artistic production is impressive. In the field of plastic arts, there are countless examples of artists who created works of great originality and won international recognition.

Thematic panels – In a double edition, the insert brings two talks delivered at the Council of Economics, Sociology and Politics of the Fecomercio, Sesc and Senac. In the first one, tax law specialist Everardo Maciel brought into debate the government’s constitutional amendment bill that seeks to promote a tax reform in the country. Among other arguments against the proposal, he claimed that the changes proposed could be made without altering the Constitution.
In the second talk, journalist Matías Martínez Molina, a specialist in press matters, presented historic and economic data on the planet’s most important dailies. Among them, "The New York Times", "The Washington Post", "The Times", "Le Monde" and "Asahi Shimbun".