Many thanks to Roger Baker and Verena Lekebusch for their generous financial contributions.
For weeks we watched with helpless horror as the 24-hour news cycle displayed non-stop streaming underwater video of oil hemorrhaging uncontrollably from the ocean floor. As the bleeding worsens (and the estimates improve), the oil and its collateral damage are washing ashore, yet the video has all but vanished, replaced by propaganda in an almost Pentagon-like fashion -- which should come as no surprise since BP just so happens to be the recipient of billions of dollars in US government contracts to fuel the military's unquenchable thirst for oil. Jan Baughman illustrates the company's "environmental" response to Gulf War III and notes its similarities to Gulf Wars I and II. (For a look at the 2005 disaster from which the region has yet to recover, see Peter Byrne's book review of A.D. New Orleans After the Deluge.) Considering the man-made destruction of this region alone, Michael Doliner's analysis of what lies ahead with the demise of America and the fall of capitalism makes frightening sense. So too does Michael Barker's review of Jerry Gershenhorn's biography Melville J. Herskovits and the Racial Politics of Knowledge, on the success of liberal foundations in cultivating scholars to sustain political/economic status quo and co-opt public resistance. Barker also shares an interview he conducted with Gershenhorn.
Turning to cultural matters, Harvey Whitney, Jr. warns that the contradiction expressed with netspeak and the cheapening of leisure by technology may lead to the demise of language and restrict the creativity of the human experience. Writing from Rome, Fabio De Propris takes a look back at the Italian newspaper Il Manifesto as it prepares to celebrate its 40th birthday in the troubled 150th year of Italy. And wherever his travels may have taken him, Bo Keeley recounts his determination to walk the length of the Amazon and his subsequent adventure bussing, trucking, and thumbing the width of Brazil. Turning the page to Australia and Lenny Bruce, Charles Marowitz reviews the new account of the troubled comedian's final 13 days spent in Sydney. We close with Claudine Giovannoni and Guido Monte's poetic run along multilingual ways of breath and wind, of past times, of old hopes; and finally, your letters, including a stereotypical gaffe in an otherwise provocative Time piece; paper vs. plastic and sustainable forestry; and a couple questions on some global crises.
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Jan Baughman: Gulf War III
Cartoon irony on Gulf War III, BP's response to the catastrophic oil spill, and the political-industrial interests that sustain our wars for and against oil. More...
Michael Doliner: The Gang's All Here
Michael Doliner considers what lies ahead with the demise of America and the fall of capitalism. More...
Michael Barker: Foundations And The Racial Politics Of Knowledge
A partial review of Jerry Gershenhorn's intriguing biography Melville J. Herskovits and the Racial Politics of Knowledge (University of Nebraska Press, 2004). More...
Michael Barker: Interview With Jerry Gershenhorn
Foundation focused interview with the author of Melville J. Herskovits and the Racial Politics of Knowledge (University of Nebraska Press, 2004). More...
Harvey E. Whitney, Jr.: Techspeak And The Abuse Of Language
A warning against pollution of literature and spoken conversation by techspeak. How the contradiction expressed with netspeak and the cheapening of leisure by technology may lead to the demise of language and restrict the creativity of the human experience. More...
Fabio De Propris: Il Manifesto: On the Wrong Side and Kicking
A look back at Italian newspaper Il Manifesto, "A Communist Newspaper," as its front page reads, which is preparing to celebrate its 40th birthday in the troubled 150th year of Italy. More...
Bo Keeley: Amazon Walker
Adventure traveler Bo Keeley recounts his determination to walk the length of the Amazon and his subsequent adventure bussing, trucking, and thumbing the width of Brazil. Introduction by Art Shay. More...
Peter Byrne: Atlantis In The Gulf
On the non-fiction, man-made destruction of New Orleans and Josh Neufeld's graphic novel A.D. New Orleans After the Deluge. More...
Charles Marowitz: Damian Kringas's Lenny Bruce: 13 Days In Sydney
Charles Marowitz reviews Damian Kringas's Lenny Bruce: 13 Days in Sydney. More...
Claudine Giovannoni & Guido Monte: Respiro (Breath)
Giovannoni and Monte run along a multilingual and different way of breaths and winds, of past times, of old hopes. More...
A stereotypical gaffe in an otherwise provocative Time piece; paper vs. plastic and sustainable forestry; and a couple questions on some global crises. More...
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