I tried - successfully - to establish and use my voipdiscount.com account today to call home. It's basically a voice-over-internet provider (voip) phone service that allows me to call home or anywhere using my internet provider. I used it to call my wife Cornelia and we talked for about an hour - supposedly the call was free, but I noticed there was a $0.21 a minute charge which ate into the credits I purchased.

Calling the USA from Brazil was supposed to be free, but the credit did disappear. I will have to check that, but either way it was a hour phone call for way less than it would have cost over a cell phone or a land line.

I also killed my first mosquito (I hope) here today. He landed next to me, and it reminded me that I didn't bring any insect repellent. That's someting I needed, but the bugs haven't been bad here. He probably came along because it is hotter here today (23 C) than it has been.

The problem with mosquitos here is they carry malaria and dengue fever. There is not a vaccine for dengue fever and it can be quite ugly - even deadly. And of course there is a small river right outside the press center.

Folks told me "Oh, you won't be in a malaria area in Rio. You don't need to worry or take the pills." Myresponse was I hope they told the mosquitos.

But I will have to make a point of getting some bug spray. The staff at my hotel leave the balcony door open during the day. Unfortunately it lets in more that the wind.