commentU07

Issue #60

Last Update October 22, 2008

Commentary September 2007 This is the sixth anniversary of our founding edition. In late September 2001, after scrapping most of the intended content of our premier issue to recognize and accommodate the events of 9/11, we published on the internet for the first time. Since then, we have endeavored to bring to a general audience an understanding of cutting-edge financial and technological developments, and to provide political commentary in a factual context. We are proud of the fact that we have read in detail and summarized for our readers documents that others comment on only second-hand; such documents as the Patriot Act, the Military Commissions Act of 2006, and the European Union Constitution. With these, along with theater, restaurant and movie reviews, we have tried to create a monthly publication that entertains, informs and sometimes enrages.

Over the course of these six years, we have changed the format of our home page, created a search facility for back articles, and enlisted new columnists with expertise in a variety of fields. We intend to continue changing and strengthening New York Stringer Magazine as the environment within which it operates continues to change.

We are pleased that some of our financial articles, such as those on event-driven futures, exchange mergers and automation, and pollution credit trading have informed our readers well before the major print publications got around to mentioning them, and that our technology articles on robotics, internet telephony, and the impact of digital technology on the music, video, publication and news businesses have similarly been early notifications of a changing world.

We are especially proud that our political coverage has been, in the main, prescient and right. We forecast the political dangers of the war metaphor for combating terrorism, were clear on the lack of necessity for invading Iraq, and warned against the dismantling of our Constitution by the Bush Administration.

Despite the name New York Stringer, our arts coverage has included performances and exhibitions in New England, the South, the midwest and the West Coast. We have reviewed jazz concerts, Early Music perfomances, folk concerts, jug band music, classical symphonic concerts and avant garde chamber music, not to mention Modern Dance performances, sculpture shows and painting exhibits, and Broadway and off-Broadway theater. We have compared pastrami sandwiches in New York delicatessens, praised outstanding Italian restaurants and contrasted popular steak houses, not to mention publishing edifying discussions of gins, and pickles.

All in all, on our sixth anniversary, we are pretty pleased with ourselves, but promise to do even better over the coming year. Thanks for reading.