At the age of twelve, Severn Cullis-Suzuki shocked partakers at the Earth Summit in Brazil in 1992. This video just came to my attention recently, even though it’s been online for over a year or so. (You can read the transcript here.)

Bob Marley’s emblematic “No woman, no cry” comes to mind, especially at the end — “everything’s gonna be all right.” Is it? Cullis-Suzuki wonders out loud if those words still carry, if we can still say that to our children — “it’s not the end of the world,” she goes on. And that was 16 years ago…

Can I lie to my child?

Read it here.

Several weeks ago, a mysterious tapping on our balcony glass door in the middle of the night disrupted the otherwise silence of this suburban, rather rural, location. Upon revision, it happened to be a huge hornet. The behavior was most unusual. Not only did it come at night, but always tried to get in through the door. Every day. For at least six weeks. No others came. I had a chance to photograph it while it lay still.

Just yesterday, I went out to the balcony to cut some coriander, a spice I blessedly found fresh, and alive, in this country just last month. I failed to close the door tightly. In its usual visit, the hornet squeezed in and started whirling around the lamps. It wouldn’t leave and, at some point, crawled under the furniture. I tried to stun it, but it always sprang back up. It never attacked. I finally stun it hard enough that it lay still, and took it out of the house.

Today I found that it’s harmless, and that its sting is nothing more than slightly painful. Today, silence is the only reminder that the insect tried to invade my home. In fact, we have invaded theirs. I miss the hornet. I wonder if it will ever come back, or if it even survived. I acted like a foolish human and would not allow it around my child. I tried to get it out, but it was more interested in flying around the lights. It persevered day after day after day, only to find a probable demise after succeeding to penetrate my realm. If I hurt it, I’m sorry.

Luciano’s fight is over. Never again shall his voice fill our ears and hearts. He has become a legend and shall be heard in the booming of thunder, in the peaceful flowing of a river, in the troat of a pluvian.

Considering that sixty is the new forty, it’s a pity to see someone so young gone.

Farewell. May you find peace.

La commedia è finita!

Before I keep rambling, I just came upon an interesting project that will announce on 07-07-07 what the new seven wonders of the world are. I made my choice. You can make yours.

Despite a turmoil not unlike what Chileans are experiencing right now, I have come to the conclusion that even evil deserves acquittal, as long as there is repentance. But that’s probably my Catholic upbringing talking.

He is dead, and that’s all there is to say.

You can read more about it at BBC News.

It’s been another year since I started rambling on this spot.

The layout has changed since 2004. The design had been in place since 2001.

The green design was implemented around this time last year. Today, I introduce the current design, based loosely on the previous one, but mainly, a migration to WordPress. I got tired of Movable Type. I have also added a miniblog of what I’m reading right now, coutesy of Rob Miller. Time permitting, I will add my comments and reviews of these books. I’ve also added links to items on my Amazon Wish List.

Here’s to another year of Carlos’ Realm on the WWW.

My brother and his wife dropped by from Holland to visit and meet my son Martin for a couple of days.

Since 2002, I have seen my brother twice, once for my wedding in 2005 and now. I guess not being around your loved ones can be a part of growing up. I miss him often.

Here he is, helping me out with things for the baby’s room…