(June 4, 2012)
[Please include your first and last names, and your city and state of residence. Thank you.] Plus ça change... Gilles d'Aymery's Blips #125 To the Editor: Gilles d'Aymery's May 21 Blips about the contrast between the Great ones, who count their money in millions, and the wide majority of those who have to spare today two euros to eat tomorrow sent me back directly to two novels of French writer Zola I read again recently : L'argent, and La Curée. Both of them show how, during the second empire, speculation allowed the birth of huge fortunes. The heroes in both these novels are two obscure brothers from the south of France who take advantage of the new political regime to become a minister for the first one, and a businessman for the second one. Zola clearly explains how Saccard, the businessman, takes advantage of the reconstruction of Paris to build a fortune, and then a few years later, a second one at the stock exchange. One thing appears clearly: the world hasn't changed in the last 200 years! Marie Rennard Annecy, France - May 24, 2012 ********** An idea for a Swans summer edition To the Editor: Within two weeks most American schools will be on summer recess, and most of the public will focus on baseball, barbecue, beer, and bikinis, while forgetting about the environmental, fiscal, cultural, and political collapse of American society into noxious penurious barbaric fascism. This indolent summer idle should last until the premier of the fall TV schedule (including the Barack and Mitt prizefight). During this interlude would be a perfect time for SWANS to publish a change-of-pace summer edition, I'll call it Les Trente Glorieuses, in which every SWANS contributor lists their 10 favorite books, 10 favorite works of music (or song), and 10 favorite motion pictures. SWANS readers would gain a cornucopia of recommendations for summer reading, listening, and viewing pleasure. I'll bet everybody would enjoy the result. Sincerely, Manuel García, Jr Oakland, California, USA - May 24, 2012 ********** We appreciate and welcome your comments. Please, enter in the subject line of your e-mail "letter to the editor," and specify the article or the subject you are commenting on at the beginning of your e-mail. Also, ***PLEASE,*** sign your e-mail with your name ***AND*** add your city, state, country, address, and phone number. If we publish your opinion we will only include your name, city, state, and country. Send your comments to the Editor. (Letters may be shortened and edited.) |