18.12.09

Wonderland X Neverland (English Version)

On Sunday, there were two intriguing ads on the newspaper inviting immigrants to settle down on distant lands. Although, one of them was 46 years older than the other, they were historically considered young nations with some similarities. Both were federal constitutional republics and had huge territories. In Neverland, a concession of 16 acres was given to any immigrant. Besides the right to use the land for the first 5 years before being finally the proprietor of it, the newcomers had paved roads, public light system, rail roads, and everything else to build up small networks to supply the big centers. The train would come once a week to collect the local production and deliver it to the capital of each State. The rail road had been privatized for 10 years already, so there were no delays anymore. The Neverland Bank  also offered very attractive long-term loans.Although obligations and restrictions were enforced by a contract, the installments could be paid with no interest. The second choice for the immigrants was the Wonderland. Instead of a land concession, everyone would simply receive a very large piece of land, lifetime. However, in counterpart, the newcomers had to start the enterprise with a certain investment for a large scale production in the plantation. Local banks offered low interest loans, and the installments could be paid in cash or commodities.  However, this economic system was not made for everyone. In this modality, the new resident had to come up with  either his own initial capital or choose to be restricted by bank loan's contracts. There were no "local" production. The whole economy was "overseas oriented". On the other hand, since this was the format that the federal government established for the nation, it also provided several subsidies to import anything not available in the market, including slaves from Africa. There were no paved roads, public light system, nothing... Ships were in the harbor once a week to collect commodities and bring imported goods for the farmers. After reading the ads, Garcia couldn't hold himself, that was too much! He went straight to the Communist Party across the street.   He was wondering which of those young nations had "socialist" grounds or assets to spark a revolution.  He was planning to  be the revolutionary in one of them! At the Party, he sat in front of the leader and asked him which would be the best to emigrate to. The old man said: pick one person from Neverland and leave him during a week in Wonderland that he will easily tell you...

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Personagens

Cassandra: tradutora que trabalha para importante editora especializada em livros de biografia e historia. Ela e' o tipo de pessoa que nao consegue se encaixar numa vida social normal; encontra, muitas vezes, no isolamente, sua fulga, e nos livros seu refugio.

Cassandra: a translator who works for an important publisher specialized in biography and history books. She is the kind of person who cannot fit in a normal social life; she finds, most of the times, in self-confinement,
her scape, and in books, her refuge.
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Napo: ex-filho de militar e roteirista de cinema cuja vida foi acabada pelo alcool e drogas. Esta' em constante conflito interno consigo mesmo: perturbado, afetado. Atualmente, vive de pensao do sindicato.

Napo: ex-military-kid and film screenwriter whose life was ruined by alcohol and drugs. He seems to be always in a long-lasting and permanent state of self-conflict. Nowadays, he lives from the Union's financial support.
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Garcia: cobrador de onibus e membro ativo do partido comunista. Possui ampla biblioteca particular sobre o tema, tornando-se inclusive referencia partidaria. As vezes, seu fanatismo torna-se tao paradoxo que passa a ser ate' mesmo romantico.

Garcia: bus driver and member of the communist party. He became a political reference in the party due to the large collection of books in his private library. Such a fanatic with paradoxical ideas that sometimes he is called "The Romantic".
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Franz: editor de guia artistico-cultural. Participa de projetos pelo mundo afora, geralmente patrocinado por ONG's para atualizar e trocar experiencias. Seu constante desafio e' nao deixar transparecer sua falta de sentimento "nacionalista".