Author Archives: Thorne Dreyer

Health Care Reform : Our Christmas Eve Present

Posted on December 29, 2009 by Thorne Dreyer

Congress’ health care reformPromises huge returns for all ‘Their principal job is to reinforce the great ideas of yesterday while suppressing the great ideas of tomorrow.’ — Deepak Chopra on skeptics. By Janet Gilles / The Rag Blog / December … Continue reading →

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Corruption in Panama : Former President on the Lam

Posted on December 29, 2009 by Thorne Dreyer

Panama’s ex-President Ernesto Pérez Balladares earlier this year. Panama’s ‘Toro’ is currently wanted by law enforcement, if not by Panama’s voters. Photo from telemetro.com.Panama’s ‘Toro’ goes underground Warrant issued for arrest of ex-President Ernesto Pérez Balladares for laundering money from … Continue reading →

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Avatar : Contradictions of Cameron’s Animation Masterpiece

Posted on December 28, 2009 by Thorne Dreyer

The contradictions of capital-intensive history:James Cameron’s animation masterpiece The stunning experience of nature, culture, and politics does achieve an important spiritual reversal of the Cowboys and Indians plot. By Greg Moses / The Rag Blog / December 28, 2009 “I’ll … Continue reading →

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Carl Davidson : Obama, the Democrats, and the Months Ahead

Posted on December 28, 2009 by Thorne Dreyer

Carl Davidson. Photo by Thomas Good / Next Left Notes.A report and perspective from the rust belt:Obama, the Democrats and the months aheadBy Carl Davidson / The Rag Blog / December 28, 2009 Carl Davidson will be Thorne Dreyer’s guest … Continue reading →

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Deadly Environment : Latin American Anti-Mining Activists Murdered

Posted on December 27, 2009 by Thorne Dreyer

A close up of murdered anti-mining activist Marcelo Rivera’s eyes on a mural painted in front of the cultural center that he founded in San Isidro, El Salvador. Photo by Dominque Jarry-Shore / The Dominion.Grassroots movements met with deadly violence:Mining … Continue reading →

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Dark Ages Redux : Trickle Down Feudalism

Posted on December 27, 2009 by Thorne Dreyer

Doge Enrico Dandolo preaching the Crusade. Gustave Doré (1832-1883) / Wikimedia Commons.The reincarnation of the Dark Ages:White evangelicals are the new Crusaders In place of mote-defended castles surrounded by thatched-roof shanties will be ‘gated communities’ (sporting high-tech surveillance to keep … Continue reading →

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Health Care Plan : No Cause for Celebration

Posted on December 27, 2009 by Thorne Dreyer

Drawing from West Midlands No! Campaign.Health Care Reform:Progressives must stand their ground This bill is not universal, not equitable, not affordable. It will not end bankruptcies, and will not end deaths due to denials and delays in health care. By … Continue reading →

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Obama’s First Year : A ‘B-Plus’? Get Real!

Posted on December 27, 2009 by Thorne Dreyer

Cartoon from Orange County Register.A year at the helm:Does Obama make the grade? By Ted McLaughlin / The Rag Blog / December 27, 2009 President Obama has been in office for nearly a year now. I had not thought about … Continue reading →

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U.S. in Afghanistan : 1979-2009

Posted on December 27, 2009 by Thorne Dreyer

Afghanistan: Mujahedin in 1984. Photo from U.S. Foreign Policy in Perspective.The thirty years war:The United States in AfghanistanBy Harry Targ / The Rag Blog / December 27, 2009 When the Soviet Union sent 85,000 of its troops to Afghanistan in … Continue reading →

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Coltan in Venezuela : Chavez Putting Chips on War?

Posted on December 26, 2009 by Thorne Dreyer

Above, image from Intimidad Violada. Below, capacitor made with coltan.Valuable electronics ore mixes with oilTo produce rumbles of war with Colombia By Marion Delgado / The Rag Blog / December 26, 2009 WARS. There are so many of them that … Continue reading →

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Life During Wartime : Barack’s Xmas Nightmare

Posted on December 24, 2009 by Thorne Dreyer

CLICK ON IMAGE TO ENLARGE Political cartoon by Joshua Brown / Historians Against the War / The Rag BlogThanks to Dr. S.R. Keister /The Rag Blog

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Lester ‘Red’ Rodney : The Sportswriter Who Helped Break Baseball’s Color Line

Posted on December 24, 2009 by Thorne Dreyer

Sportswriter Lester “Red” Rodney, September 2007. Photograph by Byron LaGoy / Wikipedia Commons.More than a sportswriter: Lester ‘Red’ Rodney: 1911-2009By Dave Zirin / December 24, 2009 It didn’t make SportsCenter, but one of history’s most influential sportswriters died this week … Continue reading →

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