Contents
July-August 2012
ELECTION 2012
The Pentagon President
Why the national security state will be the big winner this November by William J. Astore, from TomDispatch
Follow the Dark Money
The down and dirty history of secret campaign spending by Andy Kroll, from Mother Jones
Out of the Margins, Into the Fray
The Vermont Progressive Party rekindles hope for a viable third party option by Steve Early, from In These Times
THE NEW ANTI-ECONOMY
Trash Eaters
The refined art of dumpster diving by Scarlett Lindeman, fromGastronomica
Housing A Movement
One man’s guide to squatting within the law by Chris Smith, from California Northern
Earthship, New Mexico
One woman’s surreal adventure living off the grid by Samara Reigh, from Brooklyn Rail
CRIMINAL CHILDREN
Zero tolerance and the criminalization of children by Annette Fuentes, Rethinking Schools
Stealing A Bag of Potato Chips
And other adolescent crimes of resistance by Victor M. Rios, from Contexts
Restorative Justice 101
How one big-city district cut suspensions and expulsions by Jeremy Adam Smith, from San Francisco Public Press
EMERGING IDEAS
Citizen Philosophers
Teaching justice to Brazilian teenagers by Carlos Frankel, from Boston Review
Let Them Eat Kale!
In Harlem, a community farm share for the people by Claire Thompson, from Grist
GLEANINGS
Can These Bones Live?
The ghosts of Guatemala’s disappeared beg to tell their stories by Emilie Teresa Smith, from Sojourners
The Only Good Abortion is My Abortion
The semantics behind one of life’s most difficult decisions by Maggie Koerth-Baker, from Boing Boing
Where Does Love Go When It Dies?
Remembering lost loves and hoping they do, too by Chelsea Fagan, from Thought Catalog
MINDFUL LIVING
The Temporary Universe
Finding ways to accept our nature by Alan Lightman, from Tin House
The Medicine of Poetry
How the right words can save your life by Kim Rosen, from Spirituality & Health
MIXED MEDIA
Drawing the Soul
An interview with JULIACKS, whose zine, Swell, took to the stage this year by Suzanne Lindgren, Utne Reader
Atari, Meet Activism
The video game fantasy of making the world a better place by Anthony Kaufman, special to Utne Reader
Reviews:
Film
The Money Is Blowin’ in the Wind: a review of Windfall
Not Forgotten: a review of How to Survive a Plague
Structural Poetry: a review of How Much Does Your Building Weigh, Mr. Foster?
Silent Chaos: a review of El Velador
Music
Songs of Love Gained and Lost: a review of Aimer et Perdre
Telescopic Star Party: a review of Dry Land Is Not A Myth by White Arrows
Unlikely Partners: a review of Country Funk 1969-1975
New Orleans’ Adopted Son: a review of In New Orleans by Willy Deville
Honky-Tonk Rockin’: a review of O’ Be Joyful by Shovels & Rope
Born of Wishes: a review of Life Inside the Body by Hope For Agoldensummer
Books
Harness That Anger: a review of The Historic Unfulfilled Promise by Howard Zinn
Palahniuk Revisited: a review of Invisible Monsters Remix by Chuck Palahniuk
Fantastic Voyage: a review of The Expedition: Book 1 — Dark Waters by Jason Lewis
Parody That Teaches: a review of Me, The People by Kevin Bleyer
Editor’s Note
by Christian Williams
Forward
by Eric Utne
Dispatches from:
Scientific American (The Persistence of Poison)
Climate Law Blog, The Atlantic, StateImpact (Don’t Just Stand There, Sue Something!)
The New Republic (Fatal Attraction)
Yes! (Proclaim Liberty Throughout the Land)
Sustainablog (Power to the People)
Earth Island Journal, Marcellus Earth First! (Fight Back the Frack)
New Internationalist, Pacific Standard (Dark Continent No Longer)
Saturday Evening Post (Unbreakable Heart?)