Paula – Portfolio 3

General Motors and the hope of tax payer’s

The USA and the whole world are facing a big and severe crisis. It had started in the “heart” of the global economy, the United States. Its president, Barack Obama, is doing lots of effort to try to prevent the total loss of credibility and money in the north america economy.

Criticism will always exist, like what happened when the presindent helped General Motors with tax payer’s money. If he hadn’t done this, problems probably would get worst, and maybe the US would be facing a heavier recession than is facing now. In this case the government’s intervention was necessary to avoid the collapse of GM. It could have provoked a new wave of banks shutting down. Also, GM will become more competitive, with new and modern cars.

But these critics that spreaded out has a point that should be analyzed very carefully. If GM restructure succesfully, it’ll benefit the american economy, and the government will make profit, but if the opposite happen the economy can be damaged, and the tax payer’s as well.

The american society will, from now on, look very closely to these process of trying to re-emerge the company, longing for good news.

Paula – Portfolio 2

Life after death

People need to believe that there is something after death. For certain persons it’s a need to continue living. The humanity, long ago, and actually nowadays have always strongly believe in Paradise. It’s natural to have faith in existence when the body is gone for good. The soul continues to exist somewhere.

 A common belief between religions throughout the world is that life exists after death. Obviously, it is easier to cope with diseases, and the threat of death if the person believes there is something else. It is mainstream that human mind plays a big role in the heal of an illness, or the opposite, its deterioration, so this belief can be very positive. It has a strong power in the cells and in the metabolism in general.  Psychologists and psychiatries acknowledge that it decreases the fear of people who are passing through distress situations. The power of imagination is really overwhelming.

Groups of people who lives under strict regimen, and with life in danger most of time, like in a refugee field, might believe they’ll be free and safe after death. Sometimes it works as a relief  for them, not to be insane, living in threatening conditions.

So, people should believe there is something after death, for faith reasons and also to increase their well-being, mentally and emotionally.

Paula Portfolio 1

Inexperient or naive people generally creates lots of expectation about something they’ve been waiting for. I’ve experienced this kind of feeling when I received the news of my acceptance in the trainee program of a big investment bank. On May 30 of 2007 when my cell phone rang I jumped. When I ring it off I was feeling a mix of  joy and happiness. I was accepted. It was like a dream coming true. My thoughts were pointing to a direction that I was gonna work there forever, with a completely transformation in my lifestyle. For me, this job, at that time, meant that I was gonna be a “business woman”. I was kind of enjoying this idea.

During my first day in the bank, I had an odd sensation. I felt that I didn’t belong to a “bank’s environment”, with lots of competition among the employees, quick decisions to be made, with, sometimes, little racional involvement. When I left the bank that day, I was confused, but positive. Things would get better.

That strange feeling accompanied me for one year and nine months. I definitely wasn’t part of that “world”, where agility, rapidity and, often, aggressive behavior are fundamental keys to success. I made a tough, but the right decision, so I left the bank in March of this year.

It was shocking for my parents, because, for them, the bank was ideal for me. The salary was great, and it was an unique opportunity given to me. But they didn’t have any idea of what I was going through, dwelling on this job day after day, dealing with unpleasant people.

I do not regret working there. I’ve learnt a lot. My knowledge has increased much in technical areas, as well as my emotional intelligence.

The lessons I acquired from that experience are precious. People will always have a penchant for telling what they think is the best. I couldn’t fit the type of profile the bank requires. I insisted, but, finally, I’ve realized I’m supposed to follow my values and principles. I believe a job has to bring happiness and satisfaction, not only money or a status.

Paula #4 –

The press and the media should not have the right to snoop into the lives of the celebrities. This kind of tireless invesgation has one goal: to increase the “market” for gossip news, a consequence of the entertainment industry, where teenagers are the main target of gossip columns, sometimes there are malicious comments

For instance, lady Diana’s accident in Paris is related to a hot pursuit of paparazzi to her car. Her driver lost the control of the car and a terrible accident happenned killing Princess Diana, her loved and the driver. This terrible acident shows that a public person is actually incurring risks and how guarded  this person have to be. It also shows that these photographers have surpassed all the limits of what they are “allowed” to do while working. The papparazzi are not supposed to pursuit anyone, this is an invasion of privacy, a violation of a human being right.

The famous people have to establish a limit witch have to be respected by the media, otherwise there will be law penalties.

Paula #3 – Nature versus Nurture

I believe that nurture has a great and major role in a child education. Children that lives and grow in a healthy environment, with parents that  spend time with them, doing such things as reading to them and explaining their’s son and daugher’s their homework have a real improve in their learning skills. Also schools that prepare well their students, stimulating them to read lots of books, to study hard for tests have an important weighty.

For example, a child that was born in a slum, in a miserable family. If this child receives a good education, going to an excelent school, with good teachers, with acess to books, information and a salutary place to study, the chances for this kid to succeed are higher than if the kid would have continue to live in the slum with no or really bad conditions at all.

In the future, probably parents will be able to choose genes they would like to modify in their kids. For instance, if the parents don’t have mathematical skills, and nowadays it’s something important to have, they will be able to ask the doctors to put the gene of math abilities in the fetus. It’s very odd and dangerous. If this kind of experiments begins, society will be a herd of modified people, that will not worry anymore with standards of education.

Paula #2 – Birth Order

I believe that birth order affects behavior. The oldest, in general, have more responsability than the other, because they can suffer a tougher penalty depending on what they do, in order to show the youngest moral compass. Decisions made by the youngest, that maybe would be disapproved by the parents, sometimes doesn’t occur because the oldest had already done this type of action, and the parents can deal easily with the situation, that is not anymore a novelty for them. They have passed through this before. 

I’m the oldest in my family, I have a youngest sister. Although we have a small difference of age, this little difference affects the construction of personality. I’m more concerned with things related to safety than her, and she doesn’t worry much about the consequences of her actions.

That’s why I believe that birth order affects the construction of personality.

Paula # 1 – Introduction

I was born in Rio de Janeiro, the most amazing city in Brazil, due to its beaches, nature and its natural beauty. My parents came to São Paulo with me and my youngest sister when I was only two years old, so during my adolescence we always went to Rio to visit my grandmother and grandfather.

I graduated in Economics last year, in june. During the last year of the university