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Category Archives: Rag Bloggers
Michael James : Baseball in Moscow and ‘Turf Accountant’ in Belfast
Turf Accountant, a betting parlor in Belfast, Northern Ireland, August 7, 1990. Photo by Michael James from his forthcoming book, Michael Gaylord James‘ Pictures from the Long Haul. Pictures from the Long Haul:Playing baseball in the USSR and drinking Guinness … Continue reading
Posted in Rag Bloggers
Tagged Athletes United for Peace, Belfast, Dublin, Ireland, Memoir, Michael James, Moscow, Pictures from the Long Haul, Soviet Union
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James McEnteer : Escape to Ecuador
Edward Snowden and the flag of Ecuador. Image from Salon.com. Rehanging the crepe paper:Escape to Ecuador Edward Snowden is the latest insider who pulled back the curtain to reveal the wizardry of American Freedom as the diabolical machinations of a … Continue reading
Posted in Rag Bloggers
Tagged Bradley Manning, Ecuador, Edward Snowden, James McEnteer, Julian Assange, Surveillance
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Jean Trounstine : Censoring What Prisoners Read
Werewolf erotica: Too sexy for prisoners? Image from The Atlantic Wire. ‘Werewolf erotica’ too ‘sexy’?Censoring what prisoners read The truth is that prisons want to control behavior. They want to ‘reform’ prisoners, which usually means they want to turn out … Continue reading
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Tagged Censorship, Constitutional Rights, Jean Trounstine, Literature, Prison Reform, Prisons
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Ron Jacobs : Onward, Through the Fog of War
Syrian refugees in Arsaal, Lebanon, on the Syrian border. Photo by Ed Ou / NYT. Enter Obama:Onward, through the fog of war There will be no progressive secular government in Syria after the bloodshed ends. Indeed, there may not even … Continue reading
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Tagged Middle East, Ron Jacobs, Syria, Syrian Civil War, U.S. Foreign Policy, U.S. Imperialism, U.S. Military
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BOOKS / Alan Wieder : Thai Jones Draws ‘A Radical Line’
Generations in the struggle:A ‘retro-review’ of Thai Jones’ A Radical Line Throughout A Radical Line the progressive fights of Thai Jones’ extended families, Weather Underground and earlier, are connected to the collective struggle against class disparity, racism, and the Viet … Continue reading
Alan Waldman : ‘The Kumars at No. 42’ is Funny and Original British Fake Talk Show
Waldman’s film and TVtreasures you may have missed: A side-splitting 53 episodes of this faux chat show aired from 2001 to 2006. By Alan Waldman | The Rag Blog | June 24, 2013 [In his weekly column, Alan Waldman reviews … Continue reading
TRAVEL / David P. Hamilton : Aubervilliers Is Paris ‘Red Belt’ Suburb That Defies Expectations
Some public housing units were interspersed with gardens and balconies, connected by curving pedestrian walkways. Photos by Sally Hamilton / The Rag Blog. Paris suburb defies expectations:Visiting Aubervilliers in the ‘Red Belt’ Although Aubervilliers at night might be a scary … Continue reading
Posted in Rag Bloggers
Tagged Aubervilliers, Cultural Diversity, David P. Hamilton, France, Paris, Paris' Red Belt, Public Housing, Sally Hamilton, Socialism, Travel, Working Class
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Harry Targ : Waist Deep in the Big Muddy, Again!
Smoke from fighting in the northern Syrian city of Aleppo, December 1, 2012. Photo by Javier Manzano / AFP / Getty Images. One more time:Waist deep in the Big Muddy The case is clear that increasing the United States’ military … Continue reading
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Tagged Arab Spring, Harry Targ, Libyan Intervention, Middle East, Syria, Syrian Civil War, U.S. Foreign Policy, U.S. Military
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Jack A. Smith : Obama, China, and the Middle East
Samantha Powers, Susan Rice (“two cats among pigeons”), and President Obama. Photo by Charles Dharapak / AP. Foreign policy pivot?Obama, China, and the Middle East Obama has transferred the brunt of U.S. foreign/military policy away from the Middle East and … Continue reading
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Tagged China, Jack A. Smith, Middle East, Obama Foreign Policy, Samantha Power, Susan Rice, Syrian Civil War, U.S. Military, Xi Jinping
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Bob Feldman : Texas Still Ranks High in Poverty and Segregation by Race and Income, 1964-2012
Poverty in Texas has continued to grow in recent years. Image from WebGovernments. The hidden history of Texas Conclusion: 1996-2012/Final Section — Texas still ranks high in poverty and segregation by race and economic status and low in health care … Continue reading
Posted in Rag Bloggers
Tagged Austin, Bob Feldman, Demographic Change, Houston, Poverty, Racial Segregation, Racism, Texas History, Texas Politics
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Robert Jensen : The Craziest Person in the Room
The craziest person in the room: Reflections on how a mediocre white guy can try to be useful It’s the job of people with critical sensibilities — those who consistently speak out for justice and sustainability, even when it’s difficult … Continue reading
