Note from the Editors

It is time to go to press, and we still don't know if America is about to collapse into socialisticommiemarxism over so-called health care reform that will not even take effect until the insurance companies have pillaged the public for another 4 years, so we'll have to save our analysis of the outcome for next time around. And frankly, we have much more interesting matters to discuss than the faux debate over health care reform, or sick care non-reform as Gilles d'Aymery aptly calls it in his real-life look at health insurance, the last of the so-called progressives, failing banks, succeeding billionaires, and the greatest country in cyberspace. (Aymery, along with Marie Rennard, also shares some thoughts on and links to the comrade and extraordinary French singer Jean Ferrat.) Should the watered down health care bill pass, time will tell if its proponents are correct in their assertion that any reform is better than none, though Joel Hirschhorn argues otherwise; while Charles Marowitz, feeling pessimistic, just needs a good rant. The hope for true reform remains dim when considering Michael Barker's history of Planned Parenthood. Barker demonstrates why their activism serves the interests of capitalist elite and not those of their target -- the rest of the planet. Meanwhile, please take a moment to write to attorney Lynne Stewart, who was imprisoned after representing Sheikh Omar for the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center. Martin Murie tells the tragic story of his friend and fellow antiwar activist, and the fate of attorneys who dare represent accused terrorists.

Moving away from our impoverished society to our rich culture, Paul Buhle welcomes the radical comics that are picking up steam, and Femi Akomolafe pens Nigerian humor on the return of the country's missing president, who's still MIA. Art Shay anxiously awaits Johnny Depp's purported portrayal of his friend Nelson Algren on the big screen, and wonders if Danny DeVito will shrink to new lows to play him. Isidor Saslav presents Part Two of his operatic observations, an article that landed Swans co-editor in the bureaucratic Permissions Request lap of the Gray Lady, leading Aymery to consider Fair Use, copyrights, and copynorms. Peter Byrne spins a yarn about his open gate through which a mysterious woman meets him each morning for conversation.

Dans le coin français, Christine Spadaccini performs her linguistic acrobatics with ironic observations on France's Day of the Woman. In the wake of a vulgar news item Jean-Claude Seine reminds us that racism is alive and well in France. Marie Rennard tells everything you want to know about snails -- there is much to learn about them. Christian Cottard shows how life, books, the life of books, and destiny can be surprising; and we end le coin with a short poem by Simone Alié-Daram.

We close this issue with Guido Monte and Silvia Dello Russo who remember the mysterious verses of old and recent poets, and your letters.



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Tidbits Flying Across the Martian Desk

Gilles d'Aymery:  Blips #98

A few selected issues that landed on the Editor's desk, from so-called progressive Dennis Kucinich's reversal on the public option in support of Obamacare, some real-life examples on the cost of health insurance, and a creative suggestion to ensure real reform; to the world's billionaires and their increasing net worth on the backs of the rest of us, and a better use for their money; some disturbing economic and banking news; the greatest country in cyberspace and the one that's decades behind; to remembering the extraordinary French singer Jean Ferrat, and more.   More...

 

 
America: Myths & Realities

Joel S. Hirschhorn:  Weak Reforms Are Worse Than No Reforms

For serious, even revolutionary reforms, we must let things get worse to build public suffering and outrage, to increase public demand for true, systemic reforms.   More...

 

Charles Marowitz:  The Pessimist's Rant

Under the stresses of the American demise, the first thing to go is our traditional sense of righteousness as we turn into ourselves and the opiate of empty-headed entertainment.   More...

 

Michael Barker:  Planned Parenthood For Capitalists

A brief history of Planned Parenthood demonstrates why their activism has always served the interests of a small capitalist elite and not the best interests of the targets of their work -- the rest of the planet.   More...

 

 
Activism under the Radar Screen

Gilles d'Aymery:  The Gray Lady And Copyright Insanities

Gilles d'Aymery considers Fair Use, copyright, and copynorms after landing in the Republication Permissions Request bureaucracy of the New York Times.   More...

 

Martin Murie:  The Lynne Stewart Story

After representing Sheikh Omar for the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, attorney Lynne Stewart was imprisoned and made a shameful example for trial lawyers who might think twice about defending accused terrorists.   More...

 

 
Hungry Man, Reach For The Book

Paul Buhle:  Radical Comics

Paul Buhle considers the increasing popularity of radical comics, from Crude Behavior to the underground retro Fortune Cookies.   More...

 

 
Africa

Femi Akomolafe:  Nigeria: Thank God Our President Is Back

An imagined debate on the virtues of Nigeria's missing president Yar'Adua, who returned to his country but has yet to appear before his people.   More...

 

 
Arts & Culture

Art Shay:  Collaboration

Art Shay remembers his novelist friend Nelson Algren, and contemplates the pre-production script of Algren's life to be memorialized by Johnny Depp, with a rumored Danny De Vito as a taller version of Shay.   More...

 

 
The World of Music

Marie Rennard:  It's A Nice Word, Comrade

Marie Rennard recalls comrade, dreamer, poet, and singer Jean Ferrat, who had the memory of the past and the hope of the future, and whose social and political convictions exemplified an entire period of French history.   More...

 

Isidor Saslav:  Ruminations On Rusalka, The Ring, Cyrano, And Shreker - Part II

Part Two of a potpourri of operatic observations. Another rarity at the Met.   More...

 

 
Short Story

Peter Byrne:  The Open Gate

The author's fictional account of his open gate through which a mysterious woman met him each morning for conversation, not money.   More...

 

 
Le coin français

Christine Spadaccini:  La dame de la péniche aux camélias

Une journée de la femme, pour quelle femme. Celle qu'on est, celle qu'on rêve ?   More...

 

Jean-Claude Seine:  Le corps français traditionnel

Carnaval de Cayenne, carnaval politique ? Un corps français si peu traditionnel...   More...

 

Marie Rennard:  Hélix

Ce qu'on a trouvé en cherchant à savoir si la tête d'un escargot repousse après décapitation.   More...

 

Christian Cottard:  Comme...

Comme c'est étonnant, la vie, les livres, la vie des livres et le destin.   More...

 

Simone Alié-Daram:  Le café

Poème: Sans fumer, s'enfumer le passé.   More...

 

 
Multilingual Poetry

Guido Monte & Silvia Dello Russo:  Blurred Vision

Monte and Dello Russo remember the mysterious verses of old and recent poets.   More...

 

 
Letters to the Editor

Letters

On Dave Patterson's novel Greenways and alternatives to a better world, exception to Charles Marowitz's review of Avatar, praise for Marowitz's brilliant literary archealogy in his unearthed interview with T.S. Eliot, and an emotional appeal on the daily tragedy in the Channel of Sicily.   More...

 

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THE COMPANION OF THINKING PEOPLE

SWANS - ISSN: 1554-4915
URL: http://www.swans.com/library/past_issues/2010/100322.html
Created: March 22, 2010