Review of
fiction, education, science, current events, essays, book reviews, poetry
and Anthroposophy
Number 60,
July - August 2008
"Woman in Sun" - Edward Hopper (USA 1882-1967)
Click on the donkey's ass to browse in the
SCR E-book Library
“We may well have come to the point where the use of the term ‘gene’ is of limited value and might in fact be a hindrance to our understanding of the genome. Although this may sound heretical, especially coming from a card-carrying geneticist, it reflects the fact that, unlike chromosomes, genes are not physical objects but are merely concepts that have acquired a great deal of historic baggage over the past decades.”
William Gelbart, geneticist
"...Shamans have used music for thousands of years to create special moods, young men are prepared for killing by stirring marches, churches use inspirational music to hold their flocks together, and it is known that real spiritual teachers use music, but this is so delicate a thing that it is used carefully, by specialists, in special circumstances. But we deluge ourselves with music, of every kind, soak ourselves in it, often feed it direct into the brain with machines designed for this purpose - and we never even ask what effect it may be having. Well, I, for one - and I know there are others think it is time we do ask."
Doris Lessing
The Editor’s Page offers another “true tale”, this time about how the army tried to make a man of me.
What’s Bob Dylan up to? Backing Barack Obama – among other things. Check out the recent interview.
In “Features” Doris Lessing expresses her widely shared doubts about how modern music affects our psyches (bilingual).
Gaither Stewart spotlights T.S. Eliot’s “Murder in the Cathedral” to expound some uncomplimentary opinions about the Catholic Church and the USA. Ken McClure philosophizes about poetry and consciousness.
In “Current Events” Pepe Eliaschev, a well known Argentine journalist, has some nice things to say about the USA – thanks to Barack Obama. This is especially interesting because the reputation of the United States in Argentina – and about everywhere else – is as far down in the dumps as it can go. Also because Gaither Stewart, an American, soundly bashes America, whereas Aliaschev, an Argentinean, praises its ability to change.
In the same section James Ridgeway sees a reflection of Bobby Kennedy in Obama, and Rick Shenkman tells us how ignorant we are and what it means for elections. Chip Ward warns of the dangerous radioactive nuclear energy activities in the American West.
After all that heavy stuff you may now relax in the “Fiction” lounge with a weird Chess Game by Herman Hesse, a story about the dirty war in Argentina by Frank Thomas Smith and the continuation of George Orwell’s “1984”.
In “Anthroposophy” Keith Francis’s third and final lecture on Alchemy and Anthroposophy appears, as well as more of Rudolf Steiner’s Guidelines.
Poetry: How many of you have actually read John Donne’s poetic piece from which “For Whom the Bell Tolls” derives? Here’s your chance. We also offer a bilingual chapter of the Argentine epic poem “Martín Fierro”.
Under “Books”, I tell of my tardy but intense love affair with Doris Lessing.
A Movie Review of “Ironman” by Nick Turse is really an essay about what the movie has to say about Hollywood’s relationship with the military-industrial complex.
You can find us under the
Southern Cross constellation in the Traslasierra Valley, Province of
Córdoba, Argentina. Visitors always welcome. Just follow the sign that
reads: La Cruz del Sur. See you next time.
