calvisson-leblon

  Since moving to Brazil in 2003, I've had mixed feelings, it has become a love-hate relationship . I love the country most of the time, except for three months a year, from March to May, when I must file my taxes.  Lion is the nickname of the Brazilian internal revenue service, the tax man in other words, and t he lion's greed has massively grown over time.  Globally, paying taxes is disliked, but in Brazil, it infuriates scores of taxpayers, including me, it is an existential concern.   I keep wondering who is benefiting from my big cheque to the lion .  My funds have little chance to go to a countryside school, a rural hospital, let alone to a needy teacher.  On the contrary, my money may end up wasted on pink elephant projects, the election campaigns of shady politicians, the super salaries of judges I have never heard of or, and in a worst-case scenario, be embezzled. Because of the growing costs of the parliamentary amendments, Brazil may be unique ...

At John Kennedy Airport in New York City, I was detained, shackled and sent back to Brazil.   This was a nightmare I had, a couple of days before flying to NYC.   I experienced insomnia and grew concerned over reports of individuals having their US visas revoked, others being denied entry to the country, and some even placed in detention centers.   All had expressed criticisms of Trump's policies.   American immigration officers have revived the rarely used practice of searching electronic devices of international visitors.   I self-censored by hurriedly cleaning my inbox of all messages and comments relative to Trump.   Welcome to free speech in Trump land! On March 20, I spent a restless night on my American Airlines flight flatbed seat.   A lousy airline which even treats its business class passengers badly.   Tickets are astronomically expensive, and the service is poor.   This time, slippers were missing from the amenity set, but passe...