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Almost 25 years after Spielberg’s film *Back to the Future* predicted the use of rubbish as a fuel for cars several projects that transform household waste into fuel are on their way thanks to bacteria originally used for compost heaps, which have been now genetically engineered to produce Ethanol by braking down the cellulose in food and other organic substances.

Here we transcribe the entirety of these lines by “Guri”, the owner of the ice-cream parlour in Chacras de Coria, Mendoza, Argentina. “About the death of Silo”, in which he recounts his 25 year relationship with Mario Luis Rodríguez, Silo, who always bought his ice-creams and ate them on the terrace of his ice-cream parlour.

The ceremony for Silo’s departure took place on Friday 17th September, in the city of Mendoza, in the presence of his friends and loved ones who attended from different parts of the world. Pressenza has released a video of this event. Now Silo’s disciples will spread the ashes in 20 Parks for Study and Reflection in America, Asia, Europe and Africa.

Following the death of Mario Luis Rodríguez Cobos (better known as Silo), the humanist organization Convergence of Cultures will pay tribute to its source of inspiration on October 2nd next, coinciding with the International Day of Non-Violence. They will participate along with other organizations inspired by his ideas, in ceremonies that will take place in different countries.

Silo’s spiritual dimension is inexhaustible and his death leaves us with a teaching whose scope, both unpredictable and vast, is difficult to measure. This phrase, uttered in these very complex and clichéd times, seems to speak of someone with an opinion on anything and everything; but Silo did not have anything to do with what is in the media, nor was he a stage act.

Silversmith Mr Chung Wei-wen is a Taiwanese working independently in the foothills above Taipei, producing silver accessories and teapots. Highly skilled and with strong demand for his artifacts, with his teapots he tries to reach into the mind of his clients with his more humanistic philosophy that pits itself against today’s profligacy and materialism.

*I got the emailed news from Santiago, Chile, about noon simply saying: “Mario leave this world this night. A big and warm hug. Luis Felipe”. This is my long time pal in the Humanist Movement and I was to hear that over forty of our friends were gathered in his apartment at the time of the emailing. I had not seen Silo personally since the Spain meeting around the year 2000.*

Mario Rodriguez Cobos – more commonly known as Silo – the prolific Argentinean author and founder of the Humanist Movement which has activists in over 100 countries around the world passed away today in his home town of Mendoza, Argentina surrounded by family members after battling with Kidney failure for many months.

*Those who know something about Grameen Bank will know it is a Bangladesh outfit and idea so where was that country in Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post’s Business Section September 16, 2010, article “Grameen in mainland microfinance venture”? Not even a passing reference to the originator nor the proud originating country!*

The Obama administration has reportedly finalized a $60 billion deal to sell advanced military aircraft to Saudi Arabia. It would be the largest-ever single arms deal in US history. State Department spokesperson P.J. Crowley declined to confirm the plans until the White House submits the deal for congressional approval.