This year's Tour de France couldn't have come at a better time for President Sarkozy, who found himself in the center of a soap-operatic family feud between France's wealthiest woman -- cosmetic giant L'Oréal's matriarch -- and her heiress daughter, complete with the butler's secret tapes, allegations of tax evasion, and rumblings of illegal contributions to le president's campaign. As the cycling fans clear the Champs-Elysées after another amazing Tour and turn their sights to the unfolding sociopolitical spectator sport, Gilles d'Aymery recaps the events of his second-favorite competition (after the World Cup, bien sûr). In the meantime, Peter Byrne discovered France in India, which he recounts in an amusing tale intertwined with an Indian Francophile, national character, and a road that leads back to Swans French editor.
On a more somber note, Bo Keeley writes from Mexico, weaving a fascinating rags to riches story on laissez faire and the impact of the US recession on the border towns, where corruption is a way of life and survival can be found in the garbage heaps. According to Femi Akomolafe the outlook is not much brighter in Ghana, whose corrupt and inept government continues to ignore the fundamental and solvable problems, from preventable diseases to flooding, that victimize its citizens year after year. It is noteworthy in this context to read Paul Buhle's recent talk on US foreign policy and the different theological and political journeys of William Appleman Williams and Reinhold Niebuhr, along with Michael Barker's analysis of elite "reform" and progressive social change. Debating such topics is a challenge even in the university setting, as Harvey Whitney, Jr. has discovered, and he considers the invocation of fallacy in academic discourse, while Michael Doliner addresses fallacies in a less-academic treatise on phony bastards.
On a cultural note, Charles Marowitz remembers Peter Barnes, whom he considers probably the most brilliant anti-social playwright England produced in the last quarter of the 20th century; Art Shay waxes poetic over the warranty; and we close with Guido Monte's blending of verses and phrases of poets and writers from many different times and worlds. No letters to the editor this time around. Sorry (or should we be?) we do not publish anonymous comments, which we receive in bundles time in and out, but never, ever publish.
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Gilles d'Aymery: The Miracle Of La Grande Boucle
A look at the history and traditions of the annual miracle known as the Tour de France -- 2010 did not disappoint with its incredible athletes and stage-to-stage drama. More...
Peter Byrne: Doing India French
Peter Byrne's India travels led him to Rue Saint Gilles and an imaginative tale for Swans' like-named editor. More...
Bo Keeley: Laissez Faire And The Depression
A rags to riches, south of the border story of the plight of America's Mexican migrants forced to return home to the shadows and dump rings of the Great Recession. More...
Femi Akomolafe: Here We Go Again!
Ghana's corrupt and inept government continues to ignore the fundamental and solvable problems, from preventable diseases to flooding, that victimize its citizens year after year. More...
Paul Buhle: William Appleman Williams Versus Reinhold Niebuhr
A presentation made by Paul Buhle on June 26, 2010 at SHAFR that examined the different theological and political journeys of William Appleman Williams and Reinhold Niebuhr. More...
Michael Barker: From Sharp To Lovins: Elite Reform as Progressive Social Change
A review of Brian Martin's criticism of Gene Sharp and Amory Lovins. More...
Harvey E. Whitney, Jr.: On The Fallacy Of Proclaiming Fallacies
Harvey Whitney, Jr., considers the invocation of fallacy in the course of political debate and academic discourse. More...
Michael Doliner: Phony Bastards
An examination of the phony bastard phenomenon in literature, politics, and ordinary life. More...
Charles Marowitz: Remembering Peter Barnes
Charles Marowitz remembers Peter Barnes, probably the most brilliant anti-social playwright England produced in the last quarter of the 20th century. More...
Art Shay: The Repair Chronicles
A poetic chronicle of the cost -- and profit -- of making repairs. One can only hope that the breakdown happens under warranty. More...
Guido Monte: Babel, From The Beginning
Monte blends verses and phrases of poets and writers from many different times and worlds. More...
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