Thorne Webb Dreyer, Editor
RECENT POSTS
Author Archives: Thorne Dreyer
Bill Ayers : Obama and Education Reform
“Arne Duncan was the smart choice.” Nominee for education secretary Duncan, with President-elect Obama, speaks to children at a school in Chicago. Photo by Jeff Haynes / Reuters.‘Since the Obama victory, many people seem to be suffering a kind of … Continue reading
Posted in RagBlog
Tagged Arne Duncan, Education, Educational Reform, Obama Cabinet, William Ayers
Leave a comment
2009 and the Economy : Not So Good
‘It is getting awful damn hard to be optimistic about the US economy these days. If the problem can be fixed at all, it will probably really require an unprecedented degree of global cooperation.’By Roger Baker / The Rag Blog … Continue reading
U2 Drummer : ‘Bono’s Friendship With War Criminals Makes Me Cringe’
British PM Tony Blair hobs with Bono during the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, January 26, 2007.‘The normally reserved musician has launched a stinging attack on his frontman for his involvement with the two world leaders in an interview … Continue reading
Posted in RagBlog
Tagged Bono, Humanitarian Aid, Music, Musicians, Social Activism, Tony Blair, U2
3 Comments
Brandon Darby : Austin Activist Outed as FBI Spy
Austin activist and admitted FBI informant Brandon Darby. Austin has its very own FBI spy. Recall that Scrub Bush took all the FBI agents off enforcing banking laws, and put them to work watching political groups here at home. — … Continue reading
Posted in RagBlog
Tagged Austin, Common Ground, Convention, FBI, Informants, Katrina, Political Activists, Republican, Texas
14 Comments
Herdshares, Melamine and the Crazed Priorites of the ‘Regulators’
I wonder what sort of regulatory model we have arrived at that finds it commendable to break up small groups of people wanting to raise and consume a natural product with no harmful properties and yet ignores a massive, fraudulent, … Continue reading
Posted in Rag Bloggers
Tagged Farming, FDA, Government Regulation, Health, Melamine, Nutrition, Organic Food
2 Comments
Houston : The Unexplained Death of Spook Roland Carnaby
Roland Carnaby, left, in an undated photo with Houston Police Chief Harold Hurtt taken at a HPD Policeman’s Ball. Photo provided by family / KHOU.com. Roland Carnaby had claimed to be a CIA agent and showed identification. The CIA quickly … Continue reading
POETRY / Alyce Guynn : Cardinal in Pyracantha
Cardinal, detail from quilt / Wolven CyberArts Cardinal in Pyracantha A wind chime plays softly the melody of memory soaked in winter sun Bright the contrast between then and now like the cardinal in my pyracantha bush The breeze behind … Continue reading
Hamas Rockets, Smart Bombs and Israeli Politics
‘Even smart bombing is bound to cause civilian casualties and much of the Israeli bombing is less than smart. So, of course, when the body count of Palestinian civilians exceeds the body count of Israeli civilians (as it always does) … Continue reading
‘Terrorist’ : A Word That Comes After ‘Arab’
“Arab terrorist,” played by Albert Moses in a Nescafe commercial. Since the classic definition of “terrorism” is the use of violence against civilians to achieve a political goal, Israel would seem to be inviting an objective analysis that it has … Continue reading
Posted in RagBlog
Tagged Gaza, Hamas, Israel, Mainstream Media, Terrorism, U.S. Foreign Policy
1 Comment
Rabbi Arthur Waskow : The Politics of Gaza and Beyond
The SS Free Gaza and the SS Liberty, with human rights workers and supplies from the Free Gaza Movement successfully landed in Gaza early the evening of Aug. 23, 2008, breaking the Israeli blockade of the Gaza Strip: has been … Continue reading
Posted in Rag Bloggers
Tagged Ecumenism, Gaza, Hamas, Israel, Peace Movement, U.S. Foreign Policy
Leave a comment
:
SHINE! 2009
New Year’s greeting from Stephanie Chernikowski | The Rag Blog | December 31, 2008
New Years Day : J. D. Salinger Turns 90
Still Paging Mr. SalingerBy Charles McGrath / December 31, 2008 On Thursday, J. D. Salinger turns 90. There probably won’t be a party, or if there is we’ll never know. For more than 50 years Mr. Salinger has lived in … Continue reading
