Comments on: First Look: Need For Speed Undercover Now Available

By: richardtgeiser

richardtgeiser — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:35:48 +0000

Rafaela are greatly limited and somewhat grim. Rafaela will most likely follow in the footsteps of her mother as most young girls in Rocinha and have children by the age of fifteen or younger. For most of these girls, there is a daily struggle to face the cycle of poverty in which they are caught. For Rafaela and the other little girls, it is a challenge to get a good education as the teachers are often not fully literate themselves. In spite of all this, she is a happy child enjoying the present and full of dreams for the future.Rocinha is at the base of a mountain, on the outskirts of the city. It is typical for favelas to be built on steep slopes or other land that is quite unsuitable for construction. The higher up I chase.com climbed, the greater the poverty I found. Rafaela�s concrete house is half way up the slope. To get there, I had to climb the steep steps through the narrow alleys. These alleys serve as Rocinha�s sewage system and the choking stench is part of Rafaela�s life. The entrance.

By: richardtgeiser

richardtgeiser — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 16:35:06 +0000

her brothers. Like thousands of other children in cities of Brazil, her oldest brother has already left home to live on the streets. Inside, the main room is used for cooking, eating and hanging out. The only running water in the house comes from the cold water shower in the tiny bathroom. In another small room, located in the back are two wooden beds with only thin blankets serving as mattresses. This is the room where the whole family sleeps. Surprisingly, Rafaela�s family does have electricity. Their small TV provides some needed entertainment, but because it is illegally tapped into their neighbor�s cable the reception is really bad. It seems that everyone in Rocinha chase.com owns a TV and stereo, sharing cable lines indiscriminately. On first impression I was actually astonished by the commercial developments in such a poor community. The main street of Rocinha

By: patricksbiggs

patricksbiggs — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 14:49:18 +0000

Scenes like this are repeated in numerous favelas throughout the city and throughout the country. Although they are located adjacent to wealthy areas, the inhabitants of favelas are ignored and discriminated against by the rest of society. Well qualified job applicants from Rocinha are regularly turned down, because of the http://www.chase.com bad reputation of being a favela resident. Part of the dilemma of the favela is that it is a center for major drug-trafficking and, to a degree it is this industry that sustains the favela. Where the Brazilian government fails to provide basic services and education in the favelas, the drug traffickers provide more for the needs of the community. This may involve sponsoring an all-out salsa party with famous artists in the street on a Saturday night. It may also include policing and settling of disputes in brutal and ruthless ways. There is always the danger of being caught in a sudden shoot-out. Violent executions have been reported in some favelas. Not only is the Brazilian government to be faulted for failing to provide for the residents, it is commonly believed that there are corrupt elements throughout the government who have formal dealings with drug traffickers who run the favelas.