Not one contribution in over 5 weeks. This is very dispiriting. Please, good people, help us with our operating expenses. Support Swans financially. Make a donation. Thank you.
Whether voters will elect to continue the social revolution or opt for economic growth remains to be seen at the time of this publication. Wait -- we're not talking about the US election -- that's still a month away. We refer to Venezuela, which President Obama must be watching to see if Hugo Chávez is next in line of fallen leaders, right behind Mustafa Abu Shagur of Libya in the ever-frosty Arab Spring. Meanwhile, Americans continue to babble over the debate debacle, or debate victory, depending on their perspective. Manuel García, Jr. reminds those in the debacle camp that you cannot vote to end corporate capitalism and the American Empire -- that requires social action. But then again, football season's underway; no time for revolution now... Or perhaps they're unemployed and have given up on the prospect of change from either presidential party. Glenn Reed looks at life and Labor Day weekend from the bleak perspective of the "99ers." Gilles d'Aymery chose to watch some French film clowns instead of the debate circus -- more on that and correcting what France's nominally-Socialist government's economic plan does and does not do, fact-checking on Bernard Arnault's French defection, and the country's not-so-funny cultural clashes in his humorous Martian Blips. And on the Fascism front, Michael Barker reviews Peter Staudenmaier's Ph.D. study, Between Occultism and Fascism: Anthroposophy and the Politics of Race and Nation in Germany and Italy, 1900-1945.
The feminist movement is a reminder of the possibilities of cultural change when will prevails. Following the recent death of radical feminist Shulamith Firestone, Jonah Raskin pays homage to all of the women who made a man out of him. Another notable passing of late is historian Eric Hobsbawm, "whose scope and pertinency was unrivaled," according to Peter Byrne's remembrance. (See Jonah Raskin's perspective on his inspiring comrade in the Letters to the Editor.) In contrast, Byrne adds in a book review, there were no trumpet calls when Italian writer Antonio Tabucchi died on March 25, but his honor went intact to the grave with his corpse. Turning to music, we travel to Santa Fe where Isidor Saslav attended the excellent performance of Karol Szymanowski's King Roger, and speaking of travel, Raju Peddada summarizes his recent travelogue with reflections on journeys and the charting of unexplored regions of our psyche. We close with Guido Monte's poetic ponder on whether it's possible to think the impossible, along with your letters -- keep them coming. And please consider a financial contribution -- you'll have more impact with your donation to a bevy of Swans than to a herd of donkeys or elephants.
# # # # #
Manuel García, Jr.: Voting Illusions And Reality 2012
You cannot vote to end corporate capitalism and the American Empire, that requires social action. More...
Gilles d'Aymery: Blips #130
A few selected issues that landed on the Editor's desk, from the humor of Le gendarme de Saint-Tropez to the real clowns -- the presidential debaters of the U.S.; correcting what France's nominally-Socialist government's economic plan does and does not do; more fact-checking on Bernard Arnault's French defection; to the not-so-funny cultural clashes in France. More...
Michael Barker: Fascism and Anthroposophy - Part I
Part I of a review of Peter Staudenmaier's PhD study, Between Occultism and Fascism: Anthroposophy and the Politics of Race and Nation in Germany and Italy, 1900-1945. A study that "reveals the limits of a spiritual renewal approach to individual and social change, and of an unpolitical conception of new ways of life, even with the loftiest of aspirations." More...
Glenn Reed: The Limbo Of The Long Weekend
A look at Labor Day weekend from the bleak perspective of the unemployed and underemployed. More...
Jonah Raskin: Feminism Made A Man Out Of Me
The author reflects on the death of Shulamith Firestone and the feminists who made a man out of him. More...
Peter Byrne: Eric J. Hobsbawm, 1917-2012
A brief obituary on British Marxist historian Eric Hobsbawm whose scope and pertinency was unrivaled. More...
Peter Byrne: Words Have Meanings: Antonio Tabucchi, 1943-2012
There were no trumpet calls when Italian writer Antonio Tabucchi died on March 25, 2012, but rare for a public intellectual, his honor went intact to the grave with his corpse. More...
Isidor Saslav: King Roger At Santa Fe
A review of the Santa Fe Opera's 2012 performance of Karol Szymanowski's King Roger. More...
Raju Peddada: Journaling The Journeys
Reflections on travel and the charting of unexplored regions of our psyche. More...
Guido Monte: Blinders
Guido Monte wonders if, in spite of all, it's possible to think the impossible. More...
On Eric Hobsbawm; Michael Barker's work on the Nazi past of Konrad Lorenz and the newly formed Yahoo group naziethology; a revealing report from France on the controversy of freedom of expression and Muslims vs. French secularism, and the thoughtful observations by the Bureau of Public Secrets' Beyond Voting. More...
# # # # #
Let us know if you wish to receive an e-mail regarding each new edition (twice a month) with the Note from the Editors, and please become a subscriber. See our Donate page.
« Previous | Current Issue | Next »