FUNDRAISING DRIVE: It may be too early to raise our level of anxiety but we haven't received one donation in the past two weeks, since the beginning of this $2,500 fundraising drive and in spite of the Special Issue on Immigration, which scope and quality we hoped would make readers and friends open their minds, their hearts, and their wallets. It has not happened...yet. As a reader-supported publication we are totally dependent on your support and generosity. Please help Swans, which is deeply and intrinsically rooted in the rich terroir of solidarity, remain an ad-free rational island in an ocean of commercial make-believe. Please donate now!
In September 2010, Gilles d'Aymery began his cogent series on Why The Economy Is Not Coming Back; since then, the indicators continue to look bleak -- read today's Part II for further explanation as to why the system is in a bind. In the meantime, yet another economic scandal began to reveal itself, with the major banks halting foreclosures to look into the practice of robo-signing people out of their homes. Finally, a halt to foreclosures -- something our resident economist recommended in January 2008 as part of a real stimulus package! And yet...the same people who keep repeating that we can't raise taxes in a recession because it will hurt job growth would have us believe that the foreclosure moratorium will hurt...the housing market! We clearly haven't been successful mall shoppers if we're now expected to forfeit our very homes to stimulate the economy... Speaking of propaganda, Michael Barker reviews Jeffery Klaehn's edited collection, The Political Economy of Media and Power, challenging capitalist hegemony and the mainstream media's role in fueling it, while Michael Doliner posits that we've been driven to the present situation through the creation of the American "new man," an ambitious, uneducated product of unreason. Economic disparity is taken to new levels in Ghana, as Femi Akomolafe reports, where politicians and police rule the roads with siren-blaring motorcades and brazenly flaunt their ill-gotten wealth.
After all that, it's high time for a cultural escape, starting with Charles Marowitz's pleasant surprise that George Bernard Shaw is indeed still relevant as demonstrated by the South Coast Rep's production of his play Misalliance. Demonstrating a return to relevance in Italian culture (possibly given its current economy) is the American author John Fante, whose writing is free from the typical stiff formality and covers topics that would be avoided in that country. And for an introduction to some very talented female autobiographical comic book artists, turn the page to Paul Buhle and follow the links to the creativity of Sophie Crumb, Lauren Weinstein, and Vanessa Davis.
Next we journey to Carmel, California, which Charles Marowitz considers the closest thing to Montmartre in America -- unspoiled, artistic, and calming to the soul (with a hefty price tag, we might add), and Peter Byrne takes us on a happy train trip through the eyes (or imagination?) of a child. Claudine Giovannoni & Guido Monte's multilingual verses take us to Africa, and Maxwell Clark creates a poetic tribute to revolutionary poet Charles Bernstein. We close with your letters on our special edition on immigration, and ask that you do a small part to help keep the Swans economy afloat.
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Gilles d'Aymery: The Economy Is Not Coming Back: Part II: The Reasons it Won't
Part Two of this series on why the economy is not coming back takes a look at the reasons why it simply can't. More...
Michael Barker: Jeffery Klaehn's The Political Economy Of Media And Power
A review of The Political Economy of Media and Power, a book edited by Jeffery Klaehn. More...
Michael Doliner: The New Man
The American "new man" is the product of unreason, believing that greed is good and that the U.S. embodies the Enlightenment ideal of freedom. More...
Femi Akomolafe: The Inspector General Of Police And His Convoy
Ghana's politicians and police rule the roads with siren-blaring motorcades, brazenly flaunting their ill-gotten wealth in the citizens' faces. More...
Charles Marowitz: Misalliance by George Bernard Shaw
Just when Charles Marowitz thought that George Bernard Shaw's popularity was waning, the South Coast Rep's production of Misalliance proved him dead wrong. More...
Fabio De Propris: Fantenomics
Italian literature has always been antiseptic, hence Italy's love for the novels of John Fante, the American-born son of an Italian immigrant, whose writing is free from the typical stiff formality and covers topics that would be avoided in their country. More...
Paul Buhle: The Personal And The Political
Paul Buhle considers the talented female autobiographical comic book artists including Sophie Crumb, Lauren Weinstein, and Vanessa Davis. More...
Charles Marowitz: Becalmed In Carmel
Exploring Carmel, California -- the closest thing to Montmartre in America, unspoiled, artistic, and calming to the soul. More...
Peter Byrne: A Happy Train Trip
A short story about a child's train ride and his father's attempt to uncover the closely-guarded (or imagined?) details. More...
Claudine Giovannoni & Guido Monte: africa
Giovannoni and Monte combine their emotional breaths on Africa. More...
Maxwell Clark: Charles Bernstein: Poet
A poetic tribute to revolutionary poet Charles Bernstein. More...
On Swans special immigration issue -- a "marvelous example of the very special and worthy nature of Swans," with ringraziamenti speciali to Guido Monte's students, whose keen, thoughtful insights give us hope for a more tolerant future; plus Ken Knabb appeals to Californians to pass Proposition 19 and legalize marijuana. More...
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