Dear Readers,


We are going to press this week with the Fall/Winter issue of Kosmos Journal. We have a long relationship with Snyder Printer in Troy, NY, assuring us of quality recycled paper and special treatment of our stunning photographs. This issue has 150 images - more than ever. The impact of our authors' words is greatly enhanced with evocative imagery and our galleries of carefully chosen photographs stand alone as journalism without words.

People Power|The Global Commons, our new issue, will hit the bookstores the first week in November. We continue following the social trailblazing of those people who are defining their own destiny and cooperating with others to form a new economy of the 'People.' This inspiring movement is the global commons approach, where people claim their inherent rights to the natural and social resources that are gradually being enclosed by the private sector and governments. For example, natural resources in Africa that are needed for food production are being privatized while 1 in 7 people on this planet do not have enough to eat. A whole new economics is growing beyond markets and government putting people in charge.

In our new issue, economist James Quilligan, one of the leaders of the global commons movement and a member of the Kosmos Board of Directors, offers an exclusive on the strangling hold of exponential interest rates and why we must go beyond green technologies to solve the climate crisis. Leo Burke, who is bringing the commons framework to university curricula, spells out why we must all become commoners in a clearly written introductory article that is perfect for readers who are new to the commons. Jay Walljasper shares a chapter from his forthcoming book, What We Share: A Field Guide to the Commons. Shadia Fayne Wood, a talented global justice photographer, provides our cover image and a compelling collage of people power. Susan Witt rounds out this section with her experience on local economies and the transition of the Schumacher Society into the New Economics Institute, right here in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, where Kosmos is also located.

Michael Vlahos, a noted war historian and former member of the CIA, writes a compelling article on America's Forever War and how most Americans are unaware of the cost to our lives, our worldwide reputation and our future trajectory. Why is the US population not up in arms about the 1 trillion dollars we have spent in the last decade killing people and destroying cultures, while our own economy, education, and infrastructure are collapsing?

One of our favorite advisory board members, Alfredo Sfeir-Younis, writes about 11 important values of the new emerging civilization from his experience traveling to dozens of countries giving mass meditations and private consultations. Roberta Baskin, a seasoned investigative reporter, tells us about her own experiences in the field, revealing the unfortunate decline of investigative reporting and what this means for our democracy. Bert Parlee, a long time integral practitioner, offers a timely article on a unique integral perspective on optimism - not one most of us have considered in these transformational times. And our favorite journalist from Europe, Farah Lenser, takes us to the opening of the Palestine Cultural Center in the heart of embattled Jenin and shows us how some Palestinians are resisting through culture rather than violence.

Beautiful photos of the Kosmos-sponsored trip to the Forbidden Kingdom of Mustang in Nepal by our webmaster Sander Feinberg accompany the story by fellow trekker and Kosmos Assistant Editor Stephanie Shorter about this physically challenging and culturally expanding 11-day journey. The determined work of Kosmos board member and UN representative Tara Stuart made the trip to this ancient land of preserved Tibetan Buddhist culture possible.

Our art galleries present the award-winning photographs for the UN Millennium Development Goals and exquisite photos of nature by Remi Benali, an award-winning international photographer known for his highly publicized photos of the first cloned sheep, Dolly. These and other images bring Kosmos stories to life with a sensitivity that feels the pain and joy of living in these times. Our greatest hope is that you will be motivated to join us in creating the new world rising.

Warm wishes,
Nancy