Hi, Gerard's new comments makes things clearer... It is more probable in some places in Brazil as it happens in some places in other countries. I remember clearly that when I went to the Embeeded Systems Conference in San Jose ( In the heart of silicon valley) my wife was walking around when police officers approached her and scoulted her more than 10 blocks because she was in a dangerous region of the city. It is much more a question of how safe you fell at the places. > "Could have happened anywhere" - yes. > But in some countries it would be far far less likely. How much more likely ??? Statistically how many proeminent people have come to Brazil and got killed and how many in the USA or any other country ? I am not sure about it. Specially the "far less" part. > In my country (where Peter Blake came from) he would not have dreamed of > employing ex US navy SEALs as security men or expected to need guns to > protect his yacht. It is a fact that some countries are more dangerous than > others. I would be pretty sure that the chance of this incident happening in > Brazil would be far higher than it happening here. This may indeed be > "pre-judgement" but represents what I understand to be fact. It may not in > fact be true. By what I saw on the news today maybe if he had not brought the guns he might have survived. It was really unfortunate. It is in fact pre-judgement and that is the bad part of it. You have to be aware of the risks in the places you are going but what stays, and that is the media fault, is that anywhere in Brazil is dangerous and that we have no law. That is not true. There are dangerous places and any jungle in the World IS dangerous. Any port in the World is dangerous. Every big city has dangerous spots. The "facts" that we "understand" are many times brought to us by the way the news are put out everyday. That was my main point... > I was impressed at the prompt arrest by your authorities of 7 men - > hopefully they are indeed the ones involved. To be sincere me too :-) I thing they would not risk getting the wrong people with all the press that is involved. Sometimes it is not so hard to grab the guilty. My only concern is that if it was assasination and not armed robbery followed by death. Then they might have gotten someone to put the blame on. Sorry for the rant but I have seem so many false things and weird generalizations said about my country so many times that sometimes if makes me talk. Best regards and let's all make our World more peacefull, Alexandre Guimaraes -- http://www.piclist.com hint: To leave the PICList mailto:piclist-unsubscribe-request@mitvma.mit.edu