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A hellish week has finally come to an end, with one crisis -- the Boston massacre, overshadowing another -- the West Texas explosion, while the US senators stayed out of sight, not wishing to look the Newtown shooting victims' families in the eyes and explain why they voted against expanding background checks for guns. Given all this and more, you probably didn't hear about the week's political scandals in France; Gilles d'Aymery fills you in on the confabulating, plagiarizing chief rabbi and the tax-evading budget minister, with some words on the art of lying courtesy of Mark Twain, some thoughts on the Boston tragedy, and a pitch for a new anthology on elite manipulation of the rest of us. Manuel García, Jr. eloquently captures the marathon bombings: "An explosion of anger incubated in a bubble of ignorance from a sense of powerlessness kills festive innocents in a moment of surprising finality," as he asks that we open our hearts to peace and compassion. And while not quite as eloquent as Gabrielle Giffords -- be sure to follow the link to her editorial on the Senate's shameful vote against gun control -- Jan Baughman looks at the lesser-known tragedies of children shooting children, children shooting parents, parents shooting children...with her own appeal for fewer guns and tighter restrictions.
Food has been on the minds of our contributors of late, and this time around Michael Barker begins a series on the history and myths of the macrobiotic movement, while Raju Peddada examines the deleterious effects of industrial fishing on our ecosystem. On the culture front, Peter Byrne reviews Poetry of the Taliban, which reveals a richness of words and culture unknown to the Western world, and we re-introduce you to the musical richness of the late Isidor Saslav, and his first Swans article on concerts and an opera in New York. We close with Guido Monte's sublime tribute to Italian poet Tonino Guerra, and letters from Swans contributors on each other's food articles.
To quote the wise 8-year-old Martin Richard, "No more hurting people. Peace." Rest in peace, Martin.
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Gilles d'Aymery: Blips #134
A few selected issues that landed on the Editor's desk, from the recent plagiarism and lies in France and Mark Twain's recommendations on the art of the latter; the Boston nightmare of domestic terror that's already raising foreign flags; and a pitch for the new anthology on the techniques used by the elite to manage democracy and dissent. More...
Manuel García, Jr.: Open Your Heart To Compassion
Open your heart to compassion to bring peace to your world. More...
Jan Baughman: Child's [Gun] Play
A tragic look at accidental shootings that occur when guns get in the wrong hands. More...
Michael Barker: The Macrobiotic Faithful (Part I of III)
Part I of a critique of George Ohsawa's Taoist-inspired macrobiotics.. More...
Raju Peddada: So, You Like Your Shark Fin Soup, Eh?!
What we eat creates the industry: the deleterious effects of industrial fishing on our ecosystem. More...
Peter Byrne: Taliban Hearts And Flowers
A review of Poetry of the Taliban, which reveals a richness of culture unknown to the Western world. More...
Isidor Saslav: Concerts And An Opera In New York
As readers know our beloved Isisdor Saslav passed away on January 26, 2013. He blessed Swans with his love and knowledge of music. So, from time to time we will endeavor to repost his work. Here, today, is the very first piece he contributed on March 12, 2007. More...
Guido Monte: To Tonino Guerra
Guido Monte remembers the memory of a great Italian poet, Tonino Guerra. More...
A bit of internal dispute on food, from the controversy over omega-3 supplements vs eating fresh foods; whether Hitler was a vegetarian and if it really matters; and recommended reading on the consequences of consuming of red meat. More...
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