Note from the Editors

After another two-week mainstream non-news cycle, it is with much anticipation that we present Part Two of Michael Doliner's "Short History of Stupidity" in which he considers the Jacobian revolution, the transfer of power from aristocracy to the bourgeoisie, the latter's resulting monomaniacal quest for moneymaking, and the perpetual lies and enormous bad conscience at the heart of bourgeois life. Doliner's comprehensive analysis provides a fitting backdrop to Michael Barker's latest philanthropic exposé examining the African National Congress, the Free Africa Foundation, and how foreign aid is an integral tool by which global capital and American neoconservatives conquer foreign markets. Power, lies, and monomania in the form of quasi-lobotomized congregations of Paulistas, Palinistas, Tea Baggers, and the flailing left permeate Gilles d'Aymery's Martian Blips, along with FDIC chairwoman Sheila Bair's bullish lies, damned lies, and faulty statistics, some thoughts on real change, and more. Returning to Africa from an insider perspective, perhaps Femi Akomolafe's recent accounts of AWOL Nigerian president Yar'Adua led to his recent resurfacing -- Femi constructs a humorous debate on who is the better leader, Yar'Adua or South Africa's "virile" Jacob Zuma.

Turning our attention to culture, we learn that even the art world is not impervious to elite exploitation. Peter Byrne reports on advertising magnate Charles Saatchi's move from manipulation of the public to manipulation of artists and their work. Meanwhile, in the throes of the annual Oscar orgy, Charles Marowitz dons his critic cap to review the blockbuster movie Avatar, a production with an incredulous narrative that is brutally and rollickingly violent and damnably clever -- but so what? On a musical and societal note, Harvey Whitney, Jr. sings the jukebox blues from the deep South, exposing the industry's meddling with consumer choice at the dawn of the digital revolution, while concertmaster Isidor Saslav waxes lyrical in Part One of a potpourri of operatic observations.

Closing with the incredible power of the written word, Christine Spadaccini weaves a poignant short story on suicide by lily, the ravages of Alzheimer's disease, and the plight of political refugees in France and those who are punished trying to help them. Guido Monte and his students blend verses about war and peace with the words of John Lennon and Bertolt Brecht, and Martin Murie offers a brief review of Barbara Ehrenriech's Dancing In The Streets, with a reminder for us all to get some sociality into our restricted lives. We close with your letters, on Dave Patterson's new anti-capitalist book Greenways as an antidote to Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged; our tax dollars at work in alleged trespassing deer hunter Bo Keely's mistaken identity ordeal in the California justice system; and the collection of Kenneth Rexroth's columns republished by the Bureau of Public Secrets. A question Gilles d'Aymery keeps asking: Is another world possible, and if so, when are we going to start building it? Answers most welcome...



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Patterns Which Connect

Michael Doliner:  A Short History Of Stupidity - Part 2

In part two of Michael Doliner's Short History of Stupidity, he examines the Jacobian revolution, the transfer of power from aristocracy to the bourgeoisie, the latter's resulting monomaniacal quest for money-making, and the perpetual lies and enormous bad conscience at the heart of bourgeois life.   More...

 

Michael Barker:  Buying Freedom For Africa

A critique of the African National Congress and George Ayittey's Free Africa Foundation.   More...

 

 
Tidbits Flying Across the Martian Desk

Gilles d'Aymery:  Blips #97

A few selected issues that landed on the Editor's desk, from failing banks and the FDIC's Sheila Bair's bullish lies, damned lies, faulty statistics; the armed, anti-government, quasi-lobotomized congregations of Paulistas, Palinistas, Tea Baggers and the flailing Left that would otherwise align with them; to why Keli Carender has it wrong and charity isn't the answer; to what just might be, and more.   More...

 

 
Africa

Femi Akomolafe:  President "SEX MACHINE" Zuma's Virile Libido

Femi Akomolafe presents a humorous debate on who is the better or worse president, South Africa's virile Jacob Zuma, or Nigeria's AWOL Umaru Yar'Adua.   More...

 

 
Arts & Culture

Peter Byrne:  Orientalism In London

On Orientalism and Charles Saatchi's move from manipulation of the public to manipulation of artists.   More...

 

Charles Marowitz:  James Cameron's Avatar

In the technological evolution of film innovation, the blockbuster movie Avatar presents an incredulous narrative, is brutal and rollickingly violent, and damnably clever -- but so what?   More...

 

Harvey E. Whitney, Jr.:  The Jukebox Blues

This article discusses controls on consumer choice through digital jukeboxes prominent in bars and restaurants in the USA.   More...

 

 
Short Story

Christine Spadaccini:  The Lily Suicides

A poignant short story on suicide by lily, the ravages of Alzheimer's disease, and the plight of political refugees in France and those who are punished trying to help them.   More...

 

 
The World of Music

Isidor Saslav:  Ruminations On Rusalka, The Ring, Cyrano, And Shreker - Part I

Part One of a potpourri of operatic observations.   More...

 

 
Multilingual Poetry

Guido Monte:  War (Paix Pace Peace Paz)

Saieva, Monte, and his students try to blend verses about war and peace.   More...

 

 
Hungry Man, Reach For The Book

Martin Murie:  Barbara Ehrenreich's Dancing In The Streets

A brief review of Barbara Ehrenriech's Dancing In The Streets, with a reminder to get some sociality into our restricted lives.   More...

 

 
Letters to the Editor

Letters

Dave Patterson's new anti-capitalist book Greenways as an antidote to Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged; our tax dollars at work in alleged trespassing deer hunter Bo Keely's mistaken identity ordeal in the California justice system; and the collection of Kenneth Rexroth's columns republished by the Bureau of Public Secrets.   More...

 

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THE COMPANION OF THINKING PEOPLE

SWANS - ISSN: 1554-4915
URL: http://www.swans.com/library/past_issues/2010/100308.html
Created: March 8, 2010