Dashing dachs

Are you sure you've got me in the frame? This dashing gent (the one in the hat) was attracting a lot of attention outside the supermarket today.

It is easier to get a blip under one's belt when one actually gets out of the house occasionally....

Watching the news this morning saw the extent of the flooding and devastation in and around Rio after the very heavy rains. Not catastrophic, on the scale of natural disasters - unless, of course, your house, road and district have been invaded by mud, ruining all your food, furniture and belongings just before Christmas.

It happens every year, every year money is promised by the state and federal government, every year it is "invested in improving infrastructures" - i.e. disappears - and nothing ever improves. Change of government next year, but voting is obligatory, votes are easily bought, and the most we'll do is exchange one lot of corrupt politicians for another. People here have very short memories, too - currently leading the race is a previous governor with a highly dubious record, who was succeeded by his wife (funny how often that happens in Latin America), who was even worse. Strangely, they became quite rich in the process.