Swans: Jan 3, 2005

[Louis Proyect <lnp3@xxxxxxxxx>]

http://www.swans.com/
January 3, 2005 -- In this issue:

Note from the Editor:  We've been in the midst of an unending, year-
end/new year rain storm, trying to keep our spirits up in the coldness,
darkness and dampness of our environment. Hey, maybe we should
have gone on the Love Boat Cruise that John Steppling alludes to in
his review of our last 2004 edition. Or maybe we should whine about
losing the job that has been paying for this endeavor for so many
moons. Or maybe we should join the happy few at Amazon and
Wal*Mart and see our investments grow accordingly. Well, we do
not own any shares at all, but we do have shelter...and have not been
swept away by a tsunami or a powerful army, or left behind to face
illness and chaos... So here's to a hopefully saner year ahead, and
good health to all...

We begin this year with a new formatting design that keeps with the
philosophy of simplicity and ease of downloading, for which Swans is
known. We've made a few incremental changes too (more to come);
but no January 1 would be complete without our Infamous
Predictions?, which we are publishing again here, along with some
serious thoughts from Milo Clark on the spineless media, election
fraud, and the sinking value of the dollar, and other not-so-serious
views on next year's news from Manuel García. Jan Baughman
describes the Christmas gift that she and many other Americans
received this December, and Gerard Donnelly Smith provides advice
on how to deprive the global hegemony of its power. Follow Gerard's
recommendation: pour yourself a shot of whiskey, and read about
how to boycott Halliburton and the war profiteers... The amorality
and hypocrisy of these corporations -- and their politicians -- is
staggering (hey, what's new in the land of honey?), yet, as Milo Clark
points out in a second article, we the people continue to support the
system. How long "we the people" will deny the obvious is anyone's
guess... Can we unite? Can we move from resistance and dissidence
to a proactive, visionary project? Are we condemned to continually
whine or can we begin once and for all to move forward? Bring on
your ideas, bring on your vision...from the bottom up, not the top
down, and without tanks in the streets and guillotines galore.

The 1930s to 1950s was a golden era of music, says Philip
Greenspan, who goes on praising the unsung heroes -- the lyricists --
and shares some of his favorite works. Not all icons age gracefully
though, as Charles Marowitz shows in his review of Ray Monk's
Bertrand Russell: The Ghost of Madness 1921-1970. Marowitz
describes Russell's demise and the repudiation of his doctrine and
persona. Finally, Joe Davison offers a tale of a con game in the Paris
textile exchange of time past; and the Martian editor's musing is on,
among other tidbits, American "generosity" and the negative effects of
Amazon.com and Wal*Mart (boycott them!), as well as an important
dépêche from Chicago researcher David Peterson on "Prison USA..."
We close this issue with the Letters to the Editor that include John
Steppling's review of our last issue of 2004. Enjoy!

As always, please form your OWN opinion, and let your friends (and
foes) know about Swans.

                                            *****

Here are the links to all the pieces:

http:/www.swans.com/library/art11/ga188.html
Things Evolve, But We Do Not "Change," Sorry...
- by Gilles d'Aymery

http:/www.swans.com/library/art11/xxx111.htm
2005 Predictions
- by Swans

http:/www.swans.com/library/art11/mgc145.html
Three Short 2005 Vignettes
- by Milo Clark

http:/www.swans.com/library/art11/mgarci28.html
Twenty News Stories To Appear In 2005
- by Manuel Garcia, Jr.

http:/www.swans.com/library/art11/jeb140.html
Livin' The American Dream
- by Jan Baughman

http:/www.swans.com/library/art11/gsmith36.html
Boycotting the Hegemony -- Part One: Halliburton
- by Gerard Donnelly Smith

http:/www.swans.com/library/art11/mgc146.html
Morality, Reason and Reichs
- by Milo Clark

http:/www.swans.com/library/art11/pgreen56.html
Let's Hear It for the Lyricists
- by Philip Greenspan

http:/www.swans.com/library/art11/cmarow04.html
Philosopher, Heal Thyself
Book Review by Charles Marowitz

http:/www.swans.com/library/art11/joedav05.html
A Parisian Con Game
- by Joe Davison

http:/www.swans.com/library/art11/desk009.html
Blips #9
- by Gilles d'Aymery

http:/www.swans.com/library/art11letter57.html
Letters to the Editor

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Thank you for reading Swans.

Gilles d'Aymery


--
Swans

"Hungry man, reach for the book: It is a weapon."  B. Brecht


Louis Proyect
Marxism list: www.marxmail.org