Author Archives: RagBlog

The current debate over a corporation owned by the government of the United Arab Emirates managing six US ports is intrinsically absurd. The factors that make it absurd, however, are not discussed openly, because to do so would call into … Continue reading →

“My attitude about the defense of this country changed on September the 11th when we got attacked. I vowed then and there to use every asset at my disposal to protect the American people.” President George W. Bush in response … Continue reading →

Here’s the pic:

I’ve come to understand that “history” is important. It defines the context in which those who come after (and even those who were present) extract the “meaning” of events after they have passed. The phenomenological (what a word) process through … Continue reading →

The nice thing about imperialism is that it motivates others to defeat it. For now, most countries are still tip-toeing around the U.S.A. because of the nuclear arsenal and due to the destabilizing effect on international economic activity of cutting … Continue reading →

What’s cheap? It’s relative. If you’re living paycheck to paycheck, forget Parisian holidays. Under those circumstances, spending a month on vacation almost anywhere is unlikely and Europe is a bourgeoise indulgence beyond your means. Even on the relative cheap, we … Continue reading →

The ultimate test of every parent, I believe, is whether our children grow up strong, confident and as happy as anyone can be in this troubled world of ours. With a daughter like Cassi, how could the world not be … Continue reading →

I drive down the farm to market roads and see ragged yellow ribbons rotting on the gate posts. The symbol of a boy or a girl that has been sent off to fight in a war, in a place they … Continue reading →

“Senate Republicans Strike Immigration Deal.” (New York Times, April 6, 2006) “As outlined by Senate Republicans late Wednesday, the compromise would place illegal immigrants in three categories: Those who have lived in the country at least five years would be … Continue reading →

To AustinThe Rag, September 14, 1970, Volume 4, Number 40 Sweet Suck City,You never turned me down,Except when it mattered.You always gave me shelter,Except when I needed it.You never locked your doors at night – But how your daytimes devoured … Continue reading →

Forget that lame rap about old dogs and new tricks. Mere blocks from where I scored my first cannabis product, and 40 years later, I’ve discovered a new, improved way to smoke hash. In that long ago inaugural event, an … Continue reading →

Last week the BBC published an article about a recent poll of “6,000 world travelers” who rated the French as the rudest people in the world. Articles on this theme appear periodically, perfect examples of non-news filler that so-called newspapers … Continue reading →