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Tag Archives: Popular Culture
FILM / Cheap Thrills? ‘Avatar’ Kicks Butt
Avatar is shallow, predictableAnd totally awesome! By Pollyanna O’Possum / The Rag Blog / December 24, 2009 Avatar, the new, multi-million dollar James Cameron’s 3-D sci-fi flick, opened to mixed reviews on Dec. 18, with some criticizing the film’s length … Continue reading
Posted in RagBlog
Tagged Criticism, Film, Pollyanna O'Possum, Popular Culture, Science Fiction
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Juan Cole : Michael Jackson, Islam and the Middle East
Michael Jackson. Photo from Getty Images. Michael Jackson was deeply hurt and humiliated by the experience [of his 2005 trial], and his withdrawal to Bahrain and search for a different tradition of spirituality may well have come out of that … Continue reading
Posted in RagBlog
Tagged Deaths, Islam, Michael Jackson, Middle East, Musicians, Popular Culture, Popular Music
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Star Trek and the ‘Prime Directive’ : We’re Still Meddling
Star Trek’s post-cold war, multi-ethnic, multi-gender and multi-specie crew: early imperialist warriors or noble seekers?Aboard the Imperial Star Ship Ameriprise…Heading for the Final Frontier By William Astore / March 27, 2009 I grew up in the 1970s on reruns of … Continue reading
Posted in RagBlog
Tagged Diversity, Imperialism, Popular Culture, Science Fiction, Star Trek, Television
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The Mamas and the Papas : Vintage Rockers with their Parents
Frank Zappa and the folks. Photos by John Olson / Life Magazine. David Crosby standing with father Floyd at dad’s place. How very cool. Sixties/seventies rockers with their families. These photos, from the archives of Life Magazine, show rock luminaries … Continue reading
Posted in RagBlog
Tagged American History, Music, Musicians, Popular Culture, Rock 'n Roll, Seventies, Sixties
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Let’s Bring Culture Not Only to the White House, But to All of American Government
My only question is why would we not desire a Ministry of Culture? Such a government department or agency is commonplace in other nations; why would we not want one in the US? Richard Jehn / The Rag Blog Robert … Continue reading
Thomas Cleaver Goes Hollyweird : Who Would Play Sarah Palin?
Tina Fey could play Sarah Palin. Not.‘Reese Witherspoon, reprising her role as Tracy Flick in Election, who despite her angelic face is vindictive, manipulative…?’By Thomas Cleaver / The Rag Blog / September 10, 2008 OK, I am sure all of … Continue reading
Posted in Rag Bloggers
Tagged Actresses, Film, Filmmakers, Hollywood, Popular Culture, Presidential Campaign, Sarah Palin
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Bo Diddley : Who Do You Love?
Bo Diddley. Photo © Neal Preston/CORBIS.Bo Diddley’s beat changed the course of rock music. And his lyrics evoked a history that reached all the way to Africa. By Ned Sublette This article appears in the August issue of Smithsonian magazine. … Continue reading
Posted in RagBlog
Tagged African-American, Entertainers, Music, Musicians, Popular Culture, Rock 'n Roll, Songwriters
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MUSIC : Gringos Recording Mexican Songs…
Doug Sahm and The Texas Tornados, 1996:(From Left) Flaco Jimenez, Sahm, Freddy Fender, and Augie Meyers. Class personified: Nat King Cole.The bueno, the bad and the muy uglyBy Gustavo Arellano and John Nova Lomax Mexican artists have recorded English-language songs … Continue reading
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Tagged Mexico, Music, Musicians, Popular Culture, Rock 'n Roll, Texas
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Ruling : Janet Jackson’s Breast Not Indecent
Appeals court sides with CBS, throws out fine for ‘wardrobe malfunction’By King Kaufman / July 21, 2008 A federal appeals court in Philadelphia has thrown out the $550,000 fine the FCC imposed on CBS for airing Janet Jackson’s breast for … Continue reading
FILM : Hollywood’s Response to War
How Vietnam Gave us Dude, Where’s My CarBy Michael Bronski One of the most amazing cultural responses to the war against Iraq has been the plethora of documentary and feature films produced by independent companies and even Hollywood studios. From … Continue reading
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Tagged Film, Filmmakers, Hollywood, Independent Film, Iraq War, Popular Culture, Vietnam
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The Muppets, Me and Public TV…
Caroll Spinney with Big Bird and Oscar the Grouch. Photo by Victor Dinapoli.And the power of popular cultureBy Michael Winship / July 13, 2008 Take a moment to forget about politics and the pickle of our worrisome world. A recent … Continue reading
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Tagged Alternative Media, Entertainers, Popular Culture, Public Television, Television
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Mexican Comic and Stamps Draw Charges of Racism
Houston: Customers ask Wal-Mart stores to remove Memín Pinguín comicBy Leslie Casimir / July 8, 2008 See “Stamps Racist, Civil Rights Leaders Say,” at end of this article. Beloved by Mexicans for his dim wits, street smarts and playful disposition, … Continue reading
