Our apologies for not having anything to say at present about the upheaval in Iran, whose spiritual and political leaders were glad to have their actions overshadowed by the sexual shenanigans of America's spiritual and political leaders, who in turn were saved by the death of Michael Jackson and the mass migration of the press corps to... Neverland. How fitting. We do have a few things to say, however, about the health care crisis in this country, with Jan Baughman and Gilles d'Aymery pondering profitable illnesses and pseudo-reform, respectively. We also have a few words from Martin Murie regarding those who contend that war -- another profit industry -- is an inevitable function of the human species. We may one day address the hypocrisy of those conservative leaders caught picking at the forbidden fruit, but for now we'll focus, with the help of Michael Barker, on more subtle hypocrisy and the self-defending capitalist would-be saviors of the planet. It's a full plate.
We'll pass for now, since there's plenty in the mainstream media, on the death of the androgynous icon who paved a musical path for African Americans -- then sculpted and bleached himself white -- and instead look at Moris Farhi's gender-bending novel, A Designated Man, which Peter Byrne reviews. Charles Marowitz pens an apropos sonnet for seniors bewailing their (highly profitable) ills, while Guido Monte shares his paradoxical haiku. In the French Corner, Marie Rennard reviews the contradictions of French ideals and policies of discrimination using a famous song by Charles Trenet that we publish in both languages; newcomer M. L. Gambié offers a poetic short story; and from Simone Alié-Daram, a poem on the European elections voting day. We close with your letters, on French bread controversies, health care reform, Rappin' Raju, and news from Canada on a nuclear first-strike and the influence of the Jewish Lobby.
As always, please form your OWN opinion, and let your friends (and foes) know about Swans. It's your voice that makes ours grow.
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Jan Baughman: Health Care Profits Of Doom
It's time that We the People weigh in on health care reform and demand a national health care program before those who profit from our illness slam the door on it once again. More...
Gilles d'Aymery: Blips #87
A bipartisan health care report landed on the Editor's desk, complete with everything from principled (empty) rhetoric and deception to compromise and hypocrisy -- everything but what the majority of the American people want, which is a public health option. More...
Martin Murie: Murder From Above
Various voices on war: We must master the art of the politically impossible to end war. In the words of Tiziano Terzani, "a society gains much more strength by its moral resolution than it does by acquiring new weapons." More...
Michael Barker: Buying The Environment To Save Capitalism
A critique of John Burton's neoliberal environmental group, the World Land Trust. More...
Peter Byrne: Gender Bent And Bleeding
A review of Moris Farhi's latest mythic novel, A Designated Man. More...
Charles Marowitz: Sonnet For Seniors
Shakespearean scholar and playwright Charles Marowitz pens a sonnet for the seniors, with all their aches and pains to compare and contrast. More...
Marie Rennard: Douce France, doux pays de mon enfance...
La France clame depuis des siècles son attachement aux humanismes et aux droits de l'homme. Liberté, Egalité, Fraternité, mais dans les faits, comment sont respectées ces valeurs fondamentales ? More...
Charles Trenet: Douce France
La chanson « Douce France », par Charles Trenet; in French and in English. More...
Marie-Laetitia Gambié: La maison du ruisseau
Il est des endroits secrets abrités du regard du monde, des cachettes où l'on n'accède qu'avec le coeur. More...
Simone Alié-Daram: Jour d'élection
Ambiance de journée électorale au printemps. More...
Guido Monte: Paradox
Guido Monte dreams a little haiku between Rimbaud and Eliot, about the paradox of our life. More...
Some thoughts on Graham Lea's French bread essay and a defense of bread-making machines, some additional facts in support of Gilles d'Aymery's article on the American sick-care system, a shout-out to Raju Peddada on Rap, and news from Canada on a nuclear first-strike and the influence of the Jewish Lobby. More...
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