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Hugo Chavez To Miss Inauguration, Government Says

“CARACAS, Jan 8 (Reuters) - Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez will miss Thursday’s scheduled swearing-in ceremony for his third term due to health problems, the government said in a letter to Congress read out on Tuesday.”

Helping Hands: For one doctor, reducing high kidney disease rates among Latinos is life’s work

“On any given day, Dr. Carmen Peralta might shuffle between seeing patients at her clinic and spending hours in the research lab. And as an assistant professor at the University of California, San Francisco, Peralta spends hours in the classroom, sharing her utmost passion with students: finding an effective way to reduce kidney disease rates among U.S. Latinos.

“It’s an issue that we have to take seriously now,” says Dr. Peralta, a native of Baranquilla, Colombia. “The problem of kidney disease will only continue to get worse in the Hispanic population and we don’t have any long-term strategies to tackle it.”

Capriles survives an opposition rout | Transitions

“Capriles’ win, together with the losses incurred by other political forces, means he is the clear front-runner to become the opposition candidate in case an election to replace Hugo Chávez has to be called. According to Venezuela’s constitution, a new election has to be called within the following thirty days in the event of a president’s death. Since Capriles has already campaigned across the country, he has the necessary name recognition to compete. His victory in Miranda also gives him the necessary political capital. The other two elected governors are Capriles allies with little name recognition outside their home states, and there have been no suggestions that they are looking to challenge him.

Moreover, even though the chavista forces proved they could win elections without Chávez (the president did not campaign for his other candidates), the low turnout is a warning sign. The roughly five million votes the PSUV candidates received are much lower than the 8.2 million Chávez got in October. They are also much lower than the 6.6 million votes Capriles picked up in October.

The stage seems set for the next phase, whatever it may be and whenever it may come. From what is known about the president’s health, it is highly likely that Venezuelans will have to go to the polls to elect a new president in the next twelve months. With Sunday’s results, Vice President Nicolás Maduro (the man Chávez has named as his successor) is the favorite to win.

But these latest elections have also clarified the picture for the opposition. It also has a candidate, one that is well known, tested, and battle-ready.”

A Real War on Inequality - By Daniel Altman | Foreign Policy

“When Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva took office as president in 2003, public spending on education had fallen to 3.8 percent of GDP. His predecessor, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, had already set the stage for Brazil’s surge by installing the bedrock of sound economic policies: a fiscal surplus, tight monetary policy, and a floating exchange rate. Lula, despite his association with leftist populism, committed to continuing these policies. But crucially, he also legitimized them by promising to share the gains of the resulting growth among all Brazilians.

By the time Lula finished his second and final term as president, spending on education had increased to almost 6 percent of GDP. School enrollment in Brazil has always been high, but the quality of education is climbing steadily, resulting in higher test scores and college graduation rates. Health spending also rose in both the public and private sectors, and here the progress is plain to see: mortality for children in their first five years has been cut in half, from 31.5 per 1,000 in 2002 to 15.6 in 2011.”

Brazil restaurants offer half price meals for people with gastric bands - Telegraph

“The rules do not apply to drinks or to por-quilo restaurants, which are popular buffet restaurants in Brazil in which customers pay according to the weight of their plate.

The bill, which was published in the Campinas Official Gazette, also said restaurants were obliged to display a notice reading: “This establishment grants discounts and/or half portions to people who have had bariatric surgery or any other gastroplasty.”

Breaches of the law will result in a minimum fine of around £140.”

Working Mothers in Brazil Earn Eleven Percent Earn Less | The Rio Times | Brazil News

“The unpublished research, seen by The Rio Times, also points to a significant wage increase when motherhood is postponed. In 2009 women who had their first child between 25 and 34 years of age earned on average R$8 an hour, while women who first gave birth between 18 and 21 earned slightly more than R$4.”

COUNSELLING BLOG: 8 Important Life Lessons

onlinecounsellingcollege:

1. You only have this moment so live in the “now”.

2. Life is over quickly so fight for what matters – your values and beliefs … hopes and dreams … and those you love.

3. If you make the sacrifice, you will reap the benefits.

4. Procrastination keeps you tied to yesterday. For what you…