Gestão do conhecimento

Atualmente, um dos maiores desafios das organizações é administrar o conhecimento produzido por seus colaboradores no exercício de suas atividades.

Esse inestimável patrimônio inclui não apenas o saber oficial da empresa, mas também o conhecimento tácito, que se encontra implícito nas relações de produção cotidianas, do mesmo modo como o sal se mistura às águas do mar, e se manifesta nos resultados, conteúdo técnico, no conjunto de técnicas e metodologias, nas normas, processos, procedimentos operacionais, inovações etc.

Por Orlando Ribeiro

Estudos indicam que microalgas e pequenas plantas aquáticas podem ser aproveitadas como novas fontes de biocombustíveis.

Os resultados dos estudos foram apresentados durante o 2º Congresso Pan-Americano sobre Plantas e Bioenergia, em agosto, na cidade de São Pedro (SP).

Na ocasião, Richard Sayre, diretor do Enterprise Rent-A-Car Institute for Renewable Fuels (ERAC) , em Saint Louis, Estados Unidos, enfatizou a necessidade de investimentos em novas fontes renováveis de energia, como as algas, que podem ser usadas com sucesso para produção de combustíveis oleosos.

De acordo com o estudo do ERAC, quando comparadas com outras matérias-primas usadas na fabricação de biodiesel, as algas apresentaram os melhores índices de produtividade, atingindo 58.700 litros de óleo por hectare de cultivo, enquanto a palma, segunda colocada, produziu um total de 5.950 litros de óleo.

Segundo afirmou Sayre, “a gasolina pode ser substituída por etanol, porém outros combustíveis e produtos derivados de petróleo dependem de matérias-primas baseadas em óleo”.

Fonte: Agência FAPESP - Geradoras de energia e de limpeza

Por Orlando Ribeiro

Dez atitudes vencedoras

Em recente entrevista à revista Veja (no. 2176, de 04/08/2010), Bernardinho, o vitorioso treinador da seleção brasileira de voleibol masculino, formado em economia, autor do livro Transformando Suor em Ouro e concorrido palestrante motivacional, apresenta uma lista com dez atitudes vencedoras que podem abrir as portas do sucesso para qualquer pessoa em qualquer atividade profissional:

1. Paixão: é o segredo para vencer os momentos difíceis;
2. Motivação: é o combustível que empurra as pessoas para a frente;
3. Coragem e disciplina: qualidades essenciais para enfrentar desafios;
4. Perfeição: a eterna meta a ser alcançada;
5. Competitividade: estar sempre pronto para a luta;
6. Inovação: abrir espaço para o novo;
7. Liderança: pensar em si,mas nunca esquecer dos outros;
8. Espírito de equipe: somar e nunca dividir;
9. Profissionalismo: foco em competências e resultados;
10. Comprometimento: trabalhar duro para atingir objetivos.

Como se pode observar, não há receita mágica para as conquitas, e sim, dedicação e trabalho em tempo integral. Afinal, o sucesso não acontece por acaso.




Fonte: Revista Veja (no.2176, 04 de agosto de 2010)

Por Orlando Ribeiro

The happy end

John is an engineer and Sue is his fiancee. She is a teacher. They will buy a new apartment because they will marry soon. The buiding is near a beach. They are very happy. They will move on july.

Written by Fabiana Sales (Basic English student) on May 25, 2010.

Gil Vicente e o Auto da Barca

Gil Vicente não é apenas o mestre do teatro português, mas também um dos mais expressivos dramaturgos de todos os tempos. Seu humor e senso crítico apimentado ainda servem como referência para os autores contemporâneos.
A sua principal peça, O Auto da Barca, além de possuir um excelente texto, é também um registro histórico do uso do humor como instrumento de crítica social e política. E pensar que uma obra de tal valor foi escrita há 500 anos.

Confira a seguir, um vídeo com uma versão muito original do Auto da Barca.

Using a Memo Game in an English Lesson

The use of ludic activities, as a memo game for example, can be very useful in several situations.

Professor David Crystal Explains Global English

Professor David Crystal is one of the most important linguists nowadays. In this video he explains in few words and clearly not only the origin of Global English, but also what it really is as well as why it is acquiring a so remarkable global position.

If you are an English language lerner and are interested in knowing more about the current hole of English around the World, you can't help to watch this video. Feel free to comment!

An Insane Playoff Stunt

Crazy! Wonderful! Unbelievable!

You could use one of this adjectives to label the acrobatic stunt of Bango, the funny Bucks' mascot, from a 16ft ladder to throw down at the Bucks home Playoff Game 4 at the Bradley Center.

Don't you believe it? So check the video and make your comment!

Síntese histórica da Língua portuguesa

Esse vídeo faz uma breve e interessante síntese histórica da língua portuguesa. Que tal dar uma olhada e descobrir o mundo de aventuras que envolve a nossa língua materna?

São Paulo's old times

Dear friends & students, I'd like to recomend you to watch this spectacular video about São Paulo. In addition to taking the opportunity to practice your English listening and understanding, you will also be able to keep contact with an old view about the "terra da garoa" that exists no more. It is really a document about São Paulo's history and culture. So enjoy it!

Fighting against "dengue" on the net

It seems that the social games wave can be used as a good weapon to solve public health problems in Brazil. The Health Deparment of Minas Gerais State has created a social game called "Dengue Ville" inspired on the Facebook's one "Farmville". However, Degue Ville has been created to operate on Orkut, the most popular social network in Brazil.

In addition to orkuteers, the fighting campaign against "Dengue" in Minas Gerais State is also available for twitters on matadordadengue.

Source Folha Online
Text in Brazilian Portuguese: Na onda de games sociais, "Dengue Ville" mira o combate à doença


Orlando Ribeiro
03/20/2010

Making things happen

This morning, I really don't have anything special to write about. However, writing is something crucial for a writer. So, thinking of an attractive subject to serve as inspiration, I suddenly discovered that one has to make things happen if he really wants to write a text.

After reflecting some minutes on this matter, I don't have any subject to write about yet. However, I found two excellent quotations which can lead me to find (or invent) a good story. Please, read it with me:


"I don't want to sit around and hope good things happen. I want to make them happen." — Drew Barrymore

"Here's to the crazy ones, the misfits, the rebels, the troublemakers, the round pegs in the square holes... they push the human race forward... because the ones who are crazy enough to think that they can change the world, are the ones who do." — Steve Jobs


Dear friend, take this opportunity and reflect about this matter too. Who knows if you can find something good to think and write about. For my part, I continue looking for my inspiration...

Have a nice day.


By Orlando Ribeiro
on 02/24/2010

Do you have courage to bobsled?

Vancouver is giving the World the opportunity to experience marvelous moments with the 2010 Winter Olympic Games. One of the sports that catchs my attention is bobsled. But, as on can ask me, what is bobsled? So I have only one tip to give you, my friend: remember that famous movie named "Cool Runnings"? Yes. That is bobsled!

Bobsled is a winter sport which is also known as bobsleigh, bobsleding or bobsledge was created in the 19th century by Americans and Englishmen who was on vacation in St. Moritz, Switzerland.

In its practice, teams composed by two or four people make timed runs down a narrow, twisting, banked, iced half-pipe track in a gravity-powered sled.

The first time Men's four-crew bobsled took part in Winter Olympic Games was in 1924, and men's two-crew bobsled was added in 1932. Women's bobsled started competing in the early 1990s, and women's two-crew bobsled appeare for the first time in the 2002 Winter Olympic Games. Furthermore, there are very important Bobsled competitions as American, European, and World Cup championships.

International bobsled competitions are ruled by the Fédération Internationale de Bobsleigh et de Tobogganing (FIBT).


Please, click on the link to watch a wild ride on a bobsled on Youtube.

Source: Wikipedia

By Orlando Ribeiro
on Feb 20, 2010

Festival Brazil in London

From Jun 19 to Set 5, 2010 Festival Brazil is presenting in London not only what a "baiana" has, but also the Brazilian multifaceted cultural heritage which includes music, visual arts, dance, literature, debates and food.

Conceived to emphasize the importance of Brazil in the world scenario, Festival Brazil will show Brazilian stars like the singer Maria Bethânia, the song-writer Gilberto Gil, the legendary psychedelic rock band Os Mutantes and the tropicália star Tom Zé.

In addition, the Festival Brazil will still count on many other attractions including the fantastic performance of the world masters of capoeira; the Campana Brothers, Brazil's most famous designers; Socrates, the captain of the great Brazilian football team of the eighties; Arnaldo Antunes, a writer and performer who is beyond boundaries thanks to his poetry and music experiments in video and fine arts.

In truth, Brazil has much more than football, beautiful women and beaches to offer the World. Please access the Southbank Centre website to get detailed information about the event.


Fonte: Southbank Centre

Festival Brazil Video

Londres receberá festival de cultura brasileira (portuguese)

By Orlando Ribeiro
on 02/15/2010

Valentine's Day Tradition

Valentine's Day , traditionally known as Saint Valentine's Day, is an annual celebration that takes place on February 14. It celebrates love and affection not only between lovers, but also between companions.

The history of Valentine's Day is surrounded by various fanciful legends. According to the Infoplease Encyclopedia, It has his roots in a ancient Roman festival called Lupercalia, which celebrated fertility every year on February 15. In the 5th century, Pope Gelasius I recast this pagan festival as a Christian feast day, establishing February 14 to be St. Valentine's Day.

According to tradition, Valentines's day is a special day on which lovers give expression to their love for each other by gifting flowers, offering candy and other sweets as well as sending greeting cards (aka "valentines").

Currently, Valentine's Day counts on particular symbols including the heart-shaped outline, doves, and the charming figure of the winged Cupid. Since the 19th century, handwritten valentines have been replaced to mass-produced greeting cards.

SOURCE: Wikipedia.org

Please, visit the following links for getting more information about the Valentine's Day:

Valentines's day (wikipedia.org)

Valentine's Day History (Text)

Valentine's Day History (Video)


By Orlando Ribeiro
02/10/2010

Below, beneath, under

Prepositions are really a difficult subject for students. Frequentley they face trouble to understand their meaning as well as their application. That is the case of the prepositions bellow, beneath and under.

Let's check some information and examples about them:

Below
1. under, beneath, underneath, lower than: The boat dipped below the surface of the water.
2. less than, under, lower than, smaller than, not as much as: Night temperatures can drop below 15 degrees Celsius.
3. subordinate to, under, subject to, inferior to, subservient to, lesser than: What is the title of the position below general manager in a restaurant?

Beneath
1. under, below, underneath, lower than: She found pleasure in sitting beneath the trees.
2. inferior to, below, secondary to, not good enough for, lower in status than, not as im

portant as: She decided he was beneath her.
3. unworthy of, unfitting for, unsuitable for, inappropriate for, unbefitting: Many find themselves having to take jobs far beneath them.

Under
1.
a. In a lower position or place than: There is a rug under a chair.
b. To or into a lower position or place than: She rolled the ball under the couch.
2. Beneath the surface of: under the ground: They swam under water.
3. Beneath the assumed surface or guise of: He traveled under a false name.

According to Thefrredictionary the preposition under offer more alternatives of use. We only posted three of them. So if you ned to know more, please visit the website. Anyway, there's nothing but practice to guide us in dominating the use of prepositions.

SOURCE: Thefreedictionary.com


By Orlando Ribeiro
02/10/2010

Dining or having dinner?

According to the online dictionary Thefreedictionary.com the verb to dine comes from the Old French term disner, contracted from Vulgar Latin disjējūnāre and its pronunciation is: dine [daɪn].
The referred verb presents three different applications:

1. (intr) to eat dinner: he didn't dine yesterday.

2. (intr; often foll by on, off, or upon) to make one's meal (of): the guests dined on roast beef.

3. (tr) Informal to entertain to dinner (esp in the phrase to wine and dine someone): He wines and dines Betty like a queen.

Special meanings:
Dine in:  eat at home - He dines in on wednesdays.
Dine out: eat at a restaurant or at somebody else's home - He dines out at the Carlton all the week.
As we just finished to discover, when someone is hungry he can solve the problem having dinner or dining.

By Orlando Ribeiro
02/1/2010

The First Goal

Everyone should consider wisdom as his first goal. Please read and reflect deeply on the following quotations, and see how useful for life wisdom is.

"There are many obstacles to overcome, but toil, grit and endurance will help you to overcome them all. Help yourself and others will help you." — William Boyce

"It's human nature to stretch, to go, to see, to understand. Exploration is not a choice, really; it's an imperative." — Michael Collins, Apollo 11's command module pilot

"The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a man's determination." — Tommy Lasorda

"It is a characteristic of wisdom not to do desperate things" (Henry David Thoreau).

"In those homely sayings was couched the collective wisdom of generations" (Maya Angelou).

Brazil Inaugurates The First South American Chip Plant

The first South American chip plant, called Centro Nacional em Tecnologia Eletronica Avançada (Ceitec), was inaugurated on last February 5, 2010 in Porto Alegre City, Brazil. Created in 2008, Ceitec received investments of R$400 million from the Brazilian Science and Technology Ministry.

Located in a complex of 14600 squared meters, the company targets to develop semiconductors in Brazil, generating conditions to consolidate the advanced microelectronic industry. That segment corresponds only to 1.7% of  Brazilian GDP.

Although it is a little bit late to begin, nothing is impossible when work and dedication are in the scene.

Source: Agência Brasil - Governo inaugura primeira fábrica de chip da América Latina (Portuguese)

Orlando Ribeiro
on February 6, 2010.

Fix the dinner: is it right?

Teachers should never understimate students because they always have important previous knowledge. Today morning I got one more evidence about this statement.

Mr. Sidnei, one of my English students, built a good sentence using the verb "to fix" in the sense of  "to prepare" in the simple past tense. I have never used this meaning so I considered it at least strange. However, I told him I would look for that meaning later.

Dear Mr. Sidnei, you were right about using the verb to fix in that sense. Check the explanation I have got on thefreedictionary.

Fix:
To make ready; prepare:

"fixed the room for the guests";
"fix lunch for the kids";
"fixed himself a milkshak"

Thanks for helping me to get another view about this matter as well as for let me not forget that teachers don't know everything!

A big hug!

Success doesn't happen by chance

Everybody wants to get success nowadays. So, what do you think to take a look at the following three quotations about success?

"Success seems to be connected with action. Successful people keep moving. They make mistakes, but they don't quit."(Conrad Hilton)

"Our success should not be a random event, but the result of conscious actions." (Tony Jeary)

"What distinguishes winners is the will to prepare to win." (Tony Jeary)

Did you like? Please send your comments!

Getting involved or getting committed?

What is the diference between getting involved and getting committed with anything?

Can you answer that question? If you can't, please read the following story carefully. I assure you that after reading it you will surelly know the difference.

A pig and a chicken are walking down a road. The Chicken looks at the pig and says "Hey, why don't we open a restaurant?" The pig looks back at the chicken and says "Good idea, what do you want to call it?" The chicken thinks about it and says "Why don't we call it 'Ham and Eggs'?" "I don't think so" says the pig, "I'd be committed but you'd only be involved."

Now you know for sure.

Quicker learning process

According to a study made by North-American researchers the learning performance of a certain task can be monitored as well as forecasted.

The study, whose results were published on the Cerebral Cortex Journal on January 20th, has verified that about 25% of the performance variation of both men and women  trained in a electronic game can be estimated through the measurement of brain structures.

In accordance with its authors, the study shows important features about the brain functioning while learning a new task. The paper Striatal Volume Predicts Level of Video Game Skill Acquisition (DOI:10.1093/cercor/bhp293), by Eudald Carbonell, from the Instituto Catalao de Paleoecologia Humana e Evoluçao Social, and others, can be read by subscribers of the Cerebral Cortex Journal.

Source:  FAPESP AGENCY

Please click on the link to read the full paper (in Portuguese): Rapidez no aprendizado

By Orlando Ribeiro
January 27th, 2010

Global economic crisis can set back education worldwide

According to the UNESCO's 2010 Education for All Global Monitoring Report, the aftermath of the global economic crisis is supposed to deprive millions of children in the world’s poorest countries of education.

In addition to the large number (72 million) of children out of school, a combination of slower economic growth, poverty increasing and budget pressures could spoil the progress reached in the past decade.

As setbacks in education produces wider consequences, the report recomends that the developed countries as well as the Group of 20 scale up the resources required to avoid damaging budget cuts in the poorest countries.

Source:  UNESCO - Financial crisis threatens to set back education worldwide, UNESCO report warns

By Orlando Ribeiro
01/20/2010

Software Manufacuting Project Course

Escola Politecnica da USP offers a Software Manufacuting Project Course provided by its Ongoing Education Program. The registrations can be done until January 30th, 2010.


The course is directed to software engineers, managers and project developers as well as other experient IT professionals. Access the link (in portuguese) bellow to get extra information:

Poli abre inscrições para curso de Projeto de Fábrica de Software

Source:  Revista Espaco Aberto

By Orlando Ribeiro
01/18/2010

UNESCO IYB Biodiversity Science-Policy Conference

UNESCO (United Nations Edicational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) is promoting an important conference about Biodiversity entitled "UNESCO IYB Biodiversity Science-Policy Conference". The event will take place at UNESCO Headquarters, Paris, 25 to 29 January 2010.

The conference offers an opportunity to know new scientific findings on biodiversity and ecosystem services, including the so discussed global and climate changes as well as the related implications for policy-making.

Source:  UNESCO - UNESCO IYB biodiversity science-policy conference

By Orlando Ribeiro
01/16/2010

Produção de conteúdo para website corporativo

A empresa EWhost Serviços de Internet solicitou nossos serviços para o produção de conteúdo em língua portuguesa para o website institucional de uma empresa do segmento de distribuição de peças e acessórios de bicicletas, localizada no Estado do Paraná.
O conteúdo já foi produzido e está aguardando a aprovação final do cliente.

Orlando Ribeiro
08/01/2009

Avaliação comunicativa em língua inglesa

 A empresa Contato Recursos Humanos solicitou nossos serviços para aplicação de um teste de avaliação de autonomia comunicativa em língua inglesa em três candidatos que participavam de um processo seletivo para a função de gerente industrial em uma grande empresa do ramos farmacêutico, localizada no interior do Estado de São Paulo.

Orlando Ribeiro
08/01/2009

Os problemas da educação pública

Richard Lambert, diretor geral da  Confederação da Indústria Britânica,  comentou recentemente que a Inglaterra deveria estar envergonhada  com sistema de educação pública e a cultura da mediocridade por ele criada.
Além disso, o líder industrial britânico também afirmou que milhões de libras estão sendo disperdiçados nas escolas por causa da constante falta de objetividade política dos ministros.
Como se pode observar, os problemas da educação pública não estão limitados apenas às terras tupiniquins como muita gente pensa.

Clique aqui e leia o artigo completo(em inglês)

Por Orlando Ribeiro