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Welcome to Swans Commentary http://www.swans.com/ February 22, 2010 *** Many thanks to Nicole Montalette for her generous contribution in support of our coin français. See http://www.swans.com/about/donate.html *** Note from the Editors: While the world debates the veracity of Tiger Woods's mea culpa, we have a few more compelling matters on our minds, from political analyses to literary debuts. American myths and realities made their respective appearances in the 2007-redesigned US passport. Upon recently renewing hers, Jan Baughman discovered that what was once a discreet entrée for travel is now an embarrassing propagandist pamphlet filled with quaint freedoms and the stark reality of God's standing in this country -- enough to make the American revolutionaries turn in their graves. (Speaking of revolutionaries, Peter Byrne conducts a fantasy visit to a very real "Comrade" Cort Greene, who took exception, to put it mildly, to Swans no multi-posting policy. Despite Peter's best arguments, logic did not prevail...) Haiti's history has been rewritten too, but Femi Akomolafe corrects the record in an excellent review of how French and American imperialism transformed this once prosperous land into one of the poorest nations. The world opened its pocketbook when the earthquake decimated this already decimated country, but was it all in the name of altruism? Michael Barker's latest exposé examines the hidden source of business power disguised as Corporate Social Responsibility. And if you're feeling bullish about the recent economic news, before you head to the mall to empty your pocketbook read Gilles d'Aymery's political-economic elucidation of the myths and realities behind the GDP canard and other statistical lies, among other insightful tidbits about the price of Haiti compared to Louisiana -- a truly shocking comparison. Now for the moment we've all been waiting for! Charles Marowitz recently discovered a hidden treasure in the form of a never-before-published interview he conducted with T.S. Eliot in London circa 1957-58. A "jeune" Marowitz explores Eliot's perspective on poetry and drama, playwrights and writers. Many thanks to Charles for finding and sharing this gem with the world. In another wonderful literary exchange, Isidor Saslav recounts his 40-year admiration of, and ultimate meeting with, Louis Auchincloss -- a lifelong book collector's ambition fulfilled. Another gem to debut on Swans is an intriguing and realistic short story set in Lithuania, "The Sundial," by French author Christine Spadaccini. Which leads us to le coin français, where Marie Rennard, Jean-Claude Seine, and Simone Alié-Daram share their views on the current debate on "l'identité française," or the French National Identity -- a calculated political machination engineered by President Sarkozy to divert the polity from the worsening economic situation and rally the reactionary right-wing electorate by stigmatizing the Muslim community. Finally, Guido Monte takes us on an existential journey in poetry, and we close with your letters, on Femi Akomolafe's rare and valuable reporting on Africa, Steve Shay's vivid imagination, and a few extra words from Art Shay, ESQ. # # # # # All the articles and the Letters to the Editor can be accessed from Swans front page. Please go to: http://www.swans.com/ You can also access our past issues at: http://www.swans.com/library/past_issues/past_issues.html And you have access to almost 14 years of archives by date, author, and subject at: http://www.swans.com/library/archives.html # # # # # Swans (aka Swans Commentary), ISSN: 1554-4915, is a bi-weekly non- commercial ad-free Web-only magazine which provides original content to its readers. We encourage pulp publications to republish Swans Work in print format. Please contact the publisher at <aymery AT ix.netcom.com>. Please, do not repost Swans Work on the Web and other mailing lists: "Hypertext" links to any pages of Swans.com are authorized; however, republication of any part of this site, inlining, mirroring, and framing are expressly prohibited. (You are receiving this E-mail notification for you have expressed your interest in Swans and the work of its team. If you wish not to receive these short notifications, simply reply to this E-mail (delete the content) and enter the word REMOVE in the subject line.) Cordially, Gilles d'Aymery -- Swans "Hungry man, reach for the book: It is a weapon." B. Brecht ________________________________________________ Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
