July 2019

“The function of wisdom is to discriminate between good and evil.” Marcus Tullius Cicero

The biggest villain of our time used his political position to divide the world. He rose to power “through charm, violence and cunning negotiations. He was an excellent speaker and surrounded himself with people who, like him, were not afraid to use violence to fulfil their political objectives.” historyonthenet.com

Once elected, as head of the state, he convinced lawmakers to grant “him temporary “emergency” powers for four years, enabling him to act without the consent of parliament or the country’s constitution.” He then divided his nation by singling out minorities and effected “decrees and regulations on all aspects of their lives. The regulations gradually but systematically took away their rights and property, transforming them from citizens into outcasts.” encyclopedia.ushmm.org Continue reading Editorial →

By Carole Reedy

Gangster movies are the inheritor of the Greek tragedy: it’s the only genre where the audience will be disappointed if there’s not a tragic ending. – Daniel Espinosa

When you hear the word “gangster” what comes to mind?  Capone, Chapo, Narcos, Chicago, The Sopranos, Italians, The Godfather? Certainly these, but there are many more names and places, which I discovered while searching for some of the most representative and well-written literature about the men, and a few women, whom we call gangsters.  Continue reading When Tragedy Beckons from Between the Pages →

By Roberta Malysh & Dwayne Hahn

It had been known as the coldest February in 40 years in parts of western Canada. Although they say you can always dress for the cold, the long dark days of winter seemed to stretch out and last forever. It is no surprise that “snowbirds” continue to seek some respite in warmer parts of the world. Continue reading Mexico, H4H Build, Bajos de Chila 13 →

By Marcia Chaiken and Jan Chaiken

Joaquin Guzmán Loera, aka El Chapo, ranks very high among the wealthiest gangsters who ever plied their nasty trade, very small among the short gangsters (El Chapo means Shorty), and very bloody among the most vicious.  As head of the brutal Sinaloa drug cartel he gained international infamy. Captured and convicted multiple times in Mexico, this year in New York El Chapo underwent a three-month-long sensational trial involving over 50 witnesses on ten charges. After a week-long jury deliberation, he was found guilty on all charges including trafficking heroin and cocaine and conspiracy to commit murder.  As this edition of The Eye is heading for publication, El Chapo is awaiting sentencing on June 25.  His sentence is expected to be life imprisonment. Continue reading El Chapo →

By Kary Vannice

When does a hero become a villain and a villain become a hero? Some well-known historical figures have proved that there is a very fine line between these two dichotomous designations. And we, as a society, have proved that we are quite willing to turn a blind eye to the unsavory, detestable, and sometimes even downright nefarious behavior of our favorite “heroes.” While, at the same time (so as not to be hypocritical), we offer the same treatment to “villains” when they prove to be less than the despicable creatures we thought them to be. Continue reading From Heroes to Villains and Back Again: What Really Counts? →

By Alvin Starkman, M.A., J.D.

With pageantry unrivalled in all of Mexico, the Guelaguetza is the most colorful and exhilarating of the multitude of festivals in Oaxaca.  And in a state with 16 different indigenous cultures, each with its own unique traditions including language, food, music, dress and dance, the annual July extravaganza draws both Mexican nationals and tourists from all corners of the globe.    Continue reading July in Oaxaca is Synonymous with the Guelaguetza, Indigenous Pageantry →

By Brooke Gazer

Crime occurs everywhere, but the wheels of justice spin differently from country to country. Here is an experience we had years ago in Canada, contrasted with how something similar is handled in Mexico.   Continue reading The Wheels of Justice →

By Linda Kelly

When my cousin Roberto Jones first visited Huatulco with his father and younger brother in 1974, they drove by Jeep from Puerto Escondido, where the family had had a summer house since 1962.  The drive from PE to Pochutla, on a new highway, took only about an hour and 45 minutes.  The drive from Pochutla to Huatulco – on a dusty, hilly, bumpy, rough mountain trail – took seven hours. Continue reading Roberto Jones, Owner of Agua Vital, and His 30 Years in Huatulco →

By Julie Etra

Joaquín Murieta Carillo was a Mexican miner, cowboy, and legendary ‘California’ character baptized in Álamos, Sonora, Mexico, in 1829. At that time the capital of northern Mexico (Alta California) was Monterey (originally named Bahía de Monterrey by the Spanish maritime explorer Sebastián Vizcaíno) in what is now the U.S. state of California – California, Nevada, Utah, most of Arizona, and parts of Wyoming, Colorado, and New Mexico were part of Mexico until the Mexican-American war (1848). California became a state (non-slavery) in 1850.  Continue reading Mexico’s Robin Hood:  Joaquín Murieta →