New Guinea Infanticide

A story posted by the Times reveals that women in a very remote area of Papua New Guinea claim they kill their sons at birth to reduce the number of men available to battle:

In a chilling echo of Herod’s massacre of the innocents, Rona Luke and Kipiyona Belas said the women smothered their sons at birth to force an end to the tribal conflicts.

“All the women folk agreed to have all male babies born killed because they have had enough of men engaging in tribal conflicts and bringing misery to them,” they said.

It should be noted that the remoteness of the area in question is apparently one of the reasons for the extreme measures, and perhaps also why they are considered to be effective by the women. Otherwise one would assume that men would be drafted or drift in from neighboring regions.

Untreated Personality Disorders

While some argue for more guns among civilians as a deterrent, the Associated Press points out a troubling number of untreated disorders among young adults in America:

Almost one in five young American adults has a personality disorder that interferes with everyday life, and even more abuse alcohol or drugs, researchers reported Monday in the most extensive study of its kind.

The disorders include problems such as obsessive or compulsive tendencies and anti-social behavior that can sometimes lead to violence. The study also found that fewer than 25 percent of college-aged Americans with mental problems get treatment.

A weapon in the hands of a rational agent makes sense from many angles yet there is a troubling reality that many people struggle with substance abuse and outbursts of uncontrolled violence. This study helps bring the importance of good parenting, health care, and a broader picture of personal security into perspective.

Heartless

Written by: Kanye West, Benjamin Hudson-mcildowie, Malik Yusef El Shabbaz Jones, Ernest Wilson, Scott Ramon Seguro Mescudi, and Jeffrey Bhasker

In the night I hear them talk,
the coldest story ever told.
Somewhere far along this road
he lost his soul,
to a woman so heartless.

How could you be so heartless?
How could you be so heartless?

How could you be so
cold as the winter wind
when it breeze yo?

Just remember that you talking to me yo
You need to watch the way you talking to me yo
I mean after all the things that we been through
I mean after all the things we got into
And yo I know of some things that you ain’t told me
And yo I did some things but that’s the old me
And now you wanna get me back
You going to show me
So you walk round like you don’t know me
You got a new friend
Well I got homeys
But in the end it’s still so lonely

In the night I hear them talk,
the coldest story ever told.
Somewhere far along this road
he lost his soul,
to a woman so heartless.

How could you be so heartless?
How could you be so heartless?

How could you be so Dr. Evil
You’re bringing out a side of
me that I don’t know.
I decided we wasn’t gonna speak
so why are up 3 a.m. on the phone,
Why does she be so mad at me for,
homey I don’t know she hot and cold.
I won’t stop and mess my groove up
cause I already know how this thing goes.
You run and tell you’re friends that you’re leaving me,
They say that they don’t see what you see in me,
You wait a couple months then you going to see,
You’ll never find nobody better than me

In the night I hear them talk,
the coldest story ever told.
Somewhere far along this road
he lost his soul,
to a woman so heartless.

How could you be so heartless?
How could you be so heartless?

Talking, talking, talking, talk
Baby lets just knock it off
They don’t know what we been through
They don’t know about me and you
So I got something new to see
And you just going to keep hating me
And we just going to be enemies
I know you can’t believe
I could just leave it wrong
And you can’t make it right
I’m going take off tonight
Into the night.

In the night I hear them talk,
the coldest story ever told.
Somewhere far along this road
he lost his soul,
to a woman so heartless.

How could you be so heartless?
How could you be so heartless?

TÁCTICA Y ESTRATEGIA

by Benedetti, translation by Katya Rascovsky

Táctica y estrategia

Mi táctica es
      mirarte
aprender como sos
quererte como sos

mi táctica es
      hablarte
y escucharte
construir con palabras
un puente indestructible

mi táctica
es quedarme en tu recuerdo
no sé cómo ni sé
con qué pretexto
pero quedarme en vos

mi táctica es
      ser franco
y saber que sos franca
y que no nos vendamos
simulacros
para que entre los dos
no haya telón
      ni abismos

mi estrategia es
en cambio
más profunda y más
      simple

mi estrategia es
que un día cualquiera
no sé cómo ni sé
con qué pretexto
por fin me necesites

      Tactic and Strategy

My tactic is
      to look at you
learn how you are
love you as you are

my tactic is
      to talk to you
and listen
build with words
an indestructible bridge

my tactic
is to remain in your memory
I don’t know how nor
with what pretext
but to remain in you

my tactic is
      to be frank
and know that you are frank
so we don’t sell ourselves
simulations
so that between us there is no
curtain
      nor abyss

my strategy is
in contrast
deeper and more
      simple

my strategy is
that one ordinary day
I don’t know how
nor with what pretext
you finally need me