Stories and News

Stories and News No. 881 While the US President Obama was visiting Hiroshima at the Memorial of the atomic bombings , embracing one of the survivors , a female elephant named Hanako died in Tokyo, described as the loneliest in the world by many animals rights activists. It was a 'gift' by the Government of Thailand and had lived most of her life completely alone in a small concrete fence at Inokashira Park Zoo. Exactly as much the time that separates us from those bloody days in August, Hanako lived about seventy years . More precisely, she survived ... Before and after . Photo from The Telegraph I know. Indeed, I remember. I know and remember what I know what they says about elephants. We have good memory. Maybe I had not been an elephant. Maybe I was just a lucky exception of the above rule. Because I know. I know and remember. That it has not always been so, the captivity called life. There was a before and an after. They say. The people by the sof...

Stories and News No. 880 Last year there were found the remains of 66 years old Geraldine Largay , who had been reported missing in July of 2013 after leaving the Appalachian Trail during her walk. Details revealed only recently, the woman, aware of going to die has left the following message: "When you find my body, please call my husband George and my daughter Kerry. It will be the greatest kindness for them to know that I am dead where you found me — no matter how many years from now." Before surrendering, Geraldine has survived twenty-six days ... What's left of me. Photo from The Guardian What's left of me in twenty-six fragments. One , the first time, all the first times, each first time that we have lived together, convinced that the miracle would be repeated again. Rarely it goes really like that, but we can certainly not complain of this. Two , the steps I did, all the steps that I did, but only small ones, respectful for the time and the perso...

Stories and News No. 879 According to a report published by Human Rights Watch , thousands of children work in the tobacco industry in Indonesia , where they are exposed to nicotine poisoning and pesticides. Indonesia is the fifth largest tobacco producer in the world... We are the sons. Photo from The New York Times Yours, if you want. Someone else, if you prefer. But there is little difference, almost none, in this our life. We are all equal here on the ground, even at the same point we would come if we got up. Yes, I know it is absurd, all this. But this does not prevent us to live it. Maybe the opposite happened, as the ghost named normality that so much they used to talk about, above the perennial clouds, ran down on us. Pure chance would be fine too, we would be here waiting for him, anyway. You will see a very few distinctions in our doing. The game is in our bare fingers wielding death. And the school is in the very opened eyes measuring how long the cruel...

Stories and News No. 878 Who were the victims of the flight MS804? 66 people, including 56 passengers from 12 different countries, seven crew members and three security officers. This is one of many questions that those who remain arise. When a plane falls... When a plane falls. When a plane falls means that the dream of flying is over. Because when a plane falls it leaves you the gift of fear. And when a plane falls you cannot help but put it there, on the scale always ready to welcome our time’s terrors. But when a plane falls, heaven forbid that the weight will steal the show to courage. Since when a plane falls do not say that audacity of those who made the short trip was spent in vain. When a plane falls you cannot help but cry. Because you were not there with them. And at the same time, when a plane falls, you cannot help but feel relief. For the same reason. When a plane falls we are obsessed by the answers that the dark box will deign to reveal. Because whe...

Stories and News No. 877 The clashes in Idomeni between police and refugees, including thousands of children , are becoming more violent. A story of monsters... Monsters. Real monsters, now, we are no more afraid of. We have learned to fear the others. The mistaken ones. Among the most improbable, I have to mention fires spitting dragons and blood donor mosquitoes . Tsunami that return villages and landscapes even refurbished. Earthquakes that offer just likable syncopation to those who have already danced enough, until now. Seas wrecking in the finally safe hearts of the children on the barges. Hunters who dismantle guns while reassembling animals, fragment after fragment, as a puzzle. But also ghosts who tell bedtime stories and a happy ending nightmares. Lethal injections of syrup for cough and cough syrups that treat vengeance sickness. Civilians who blow their life up in the public square. And some of the most extraordinary examples of the blind in this w...

Stories and News No. 876 Once again torrential rains and floods befall on Sri Lanka. Right now we speak of three buried villages, 137 thousand people forced to leave their home, 36 dead and at least two hundred families missing. Fortunately, there is magic... Be fast. Hurry, do not waste time, grab the camera, indeed, the smartphone and steal the moment. The proof. The indisputable evidence that the spells work. Of course the demonstration is all yours, you who are watching. Try to understand, my brother and I are now veterans of such discoveries. It has occurred so many times that it became an ordinary miracle. Anyway do not believe that this will move us to the unexpected result. Get used to the normal wonders. The spectacle never fails with us, even now it colors the heart, at this very moment. Because it is a shared fire. Because it is the only life we have. Together. We do not need invincible superhero teams even fighting each other. The rest of us cannot af...

Stories and News No. 875 It seems that the Labour Sadiq Khan could become mayor of London. And, as pointed out by some newspapers, he would be the first Muslim mayor in the town... Let's assume. Let's assume that you was not in London. Yes, I am talking to you who are reading. Let's say you look at this page from a completely different city. Mine, for example. Or even yours, there is no difference. Then you starts to read the news and find the alleged striking freshness: the first Muslim mayor was elected in our city . Yes, let it be yours. Or mine too. Do you realize the comments? Now he will fill us with mosques, they will build it anywhere, in fact, attending will be obligatory. And how will the rest of us find time to watch football... oops, I meant to go to the Mess? He will impose the veil on our women and force them to submit to males, even if we are famous in the world for the respect we have for ladies… The Quran, I forgot the Quran. He will ob...

Stories and News No. 874 The photos and the video of Tess Asplund trying to stop with her raised fist the neo-Nazis marching in Sweden are viral. But who wins? Alone against many . What is the news? It already happened. It does even now, despite only them and she know that. The fact will repeat again, tomorrow and the day after. Because it is normal, banal human arithmetic, simple balance of playing sentiments, namely, imbalance . It is an uneven dance, a foregone conclusion, I would say tattered, a so predictable victory to be out of the list of every bookmaker on earth. Alone against those . Where is the wonder? It is a natural physics of emotions, pure logic of equally pure aspirations, inescapable consequence of axiom born with man. Or maybe I should say woman . It is David against Goliath in the real world, it is Puss in boots that defeats the ogre along the rugged borders of the latter, and even the little Hansel who saves her brother by tricking the witch...

Stories and News No. 873 The front page news have variable and constant occurrences. Among the latter you never fail to read about terrorism and immigrants. Above all, what is really omnipresent is the impetuous protest of the irritated average citizen... On the road. Two men meet. Or collide, the choice is yours. A moment after the unexpected crossing of existences, one of them says: "Did you see the dirt here around? It's a shame." "In fact, though..." "It's normal, with all these illegal people who have no respect for our city. You know that there is a squatter camp right here? But this time in the upcoming elections I’ll give my vote to him, so we’ll finally kick them off." "Perfect, but..." "Of course, you’re right, that is not the whole problem. Do we want to talk about carefully? " "All right, if maybe..." "Let's talk, then. There is no room for everyone, here, no work for us, let alon...