P L E A S E, S U P P O R T S W A N S
Years from now, long after we've become part of the dust on the history books, who will be the great figures that defined this era? Edward Snowden, for exposing the lack of privacy that we pretty much knew about when we sacrificed it for the War on Terror? Trayvon Martin -- will his senseless death re-ignite the debate about civil rights or gun control? Unlikely on either account, and Gilles d'Aymery considers these cases distractions from the daily chaos in the rest of the world. Malala Yousafzai, the already much-lauded Pakistani girl and peace activist shot in the head by the Taliban for speaking out in favor of education for girls? One can only hope that she will survive to serve humanity as she so desires and as is so needed. "Let us wage a global struggle against illiteracy, poverty and terrorism, and let us pick up our books and pens. They are our most powerful weapons. One child, one teacher, one pen and one book can change the world."
We've all had significant influences in our lives -- Manuel García, Jr. responds to the frequent inquiries he receives about J. Robert Oppenheimer, a man of ideas who seduced political power for humanitarian ends. Glenn Reed, despite being more interested in arts than sciences, found a surprising and lasting lesson from a high school biology teacher. And Raju Peddada's horticulturalist grandmother taught him to experience nature with all of his senses.
Malala's powerful words are reminiscent of one of our favorite sayings, Hungry man, reach for the book, and in this edition our hunger is sated by Peter Byrne's review of Managing Democracy, Managing Dissent, which argues from the point of view of 19 essayists -- including Michael Barker -- that capitalism cannot be democratic, and Michael Barker's current target is homeopathy, which he puts on trial in Part I of his series on alternative medicine. In the poetry corner David Francis satires the blandest of the bland, while Guido Monte shares more of the thoughts he writes on little pieces of paper before going to sleep. We close with a timely letter from France on Edward Snowden, Julian Assange, US freedoms, hero-traitors, true heroes, and more.
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Manuel García, Jr.: Summing Up J. Robert Oppenheimer
J. Robert Oppenheimer was a man of ideas who seduced political power for humanitarian ends. More...
Glenn Reed: The Unexpected Lessons In Life Continue To Guide
A high school, biology lesson in careful observation persists throughout life More...
Raju Peddada: Wandering In Wonder Memories of a boyhood - Part I
Part I of the author's remembrance of his childhood in India, his horticulturalist grandmother, and his secret friend. More...
Michael Barker: Alternative Medicine? Homeopathy On Trial (Part I of III)
Not-so-alternative, alternative medicine. More...
Peter Byrne: Finding True North In The Crosswinds Of Crisis
The author's caught in the crossfire of the left and right as he reviews Managing Democracy, Managing Dissent, which argues that capitalism cannot be democratic. More...
Gilles d'Aymery: Blips #136
A few selected issues that landed on the Editor's desk during Europe's summer vacation where continuing economic recession, politics, and sports prevail; business as usual in the U.S. in spite of the Snowden distraction; the ignored chaos in the rest of the world; and more. More...
David Francis: Satire '99
A poetic satire on the blandness of the bland. More...
Guido Monte: little pieces of papers, again
More thoughts by Guido Monte before going to sleep and written on little pieces of papers. More...
A view from France on Edward Snowden, Julian Assange, US freedoms, hero-traitors, true heroes, and more. More...
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