Editorial
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – For those that don’t recognize the reference to the Eighties film Spinal Tap, that is what makes a the heavy metal sound system so good, it goes to eleven, not just ten like some speakers. There is no doubt, Rock in Rio was at eleven last Sunday night, and I hope they get there again this weekend.
In other news the Brazilian federal government is proposing an increase to R$817.97 by 2015. I’m no economist but I think this should go to R$1,100 as well, which make an annual salary R$14,300 (US$8,000 with today’s exchange rate) – the U.S. is at US$15,080.
The gap between the social classes in Brazil is still too large, and while Brazil may be behind the other BRICS in exploiting their own people, they excel in other important social issues – making Lula ‘the Man’ – and Brazil adored the world over.
The only place I’m thinking we should stay at ten is for our Print circulation, because the printers only work in increments of 5,000. We just sent our October issue to press Monday and pick up the new copies Thursday (much smoother then last month).
We’ve been planning to double the print run for some time, to 10,000, and are just waiting for our revenue, or some financing to help us cover the fifty percent out-of-pocket-costs increase. It is a bit of chicken-and-egg situation, as wider distribution equals more advertising revenue (in theory), but our business model has always been invest as we grow, slowly.
That said the last couple months we have been looking for a partner to help us grow the Print side of the business faster. Someone to help with financing and/or sweat equity on the circulation and advertising side of the business.
But of the right partner is better then no partner, and there are many ways to skin a cat (where did that idiom come from anyways). The goal is for December, which gives us about six weeks to come up with a plan… and maybe we will take it to eleven.
