Author Archives: Thorne Dreyer

BOOKS / Ron Jacobs : Incarceration Complex: ‘Beyond Walls and Cages’

Incarceration complex:The desire to imprison Walls and Cages provides example after example of how central the business of incarceration is to the U.S. power elites in the twenty-first century. By Ron Jacobs | The Rag Blog | August 7, 2013 … Continue reading

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Michael James : ‘El Triumph’ in Tamaulipas, Mexico, 1962

Check Point, Tamaulipas, Mexico, June 16, 1962. Photo by Michael James from his forthcoming book, Michael Gaylord James‘ Pictures from the Long Haul. Pictures from the Long Haul:El Triumph in Mexico,Check Point, Tamaulipas, 1962 I’m working hard to keep the … Continue reading

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Alan Waldman : ‘Inspector Lynley Mysteries’ Feature Aristocratic Police Detective

Waldman’s film and TVtreasures you may have missed: Nathaniel Parker and Sharon Small are excellent as the mismatched-but-successful crime-fighting pair. By Alan Waldman | The Rag Blog | August 6, 2013 [In his weekly column, Alan Waldman reviews some of … Continue reading

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HISTORY / Bob Feldman : A People’s History of Egypt, Part 5, 1879-1890

Sir Evelyn Baring, later Lord Cromer, coined the term “Veiled Protectorate.” Painting by John Singer Sargent / National Portrait Gallery, London / Wikimedia Commons. A people’s history: The movement to democratize Egypt Part 5: 1879-1890 period — Britain rules Egypt … Continue reading

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Beverly Baker Moore : May Day Memories, or Consciousness-Raising Through Vegetables

Rally during May Day demonstrations, Washington, D.C., 1971. Image from Waging Nonviolence. May Day memories, orConsciousness-raising through vegetables The cop riding shotgun stayed behind the wheel while his out-of-control buddy leapt out screaming. He was all blown up, beet-red in … Continue reading

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Robert Jensen : Peace Talks Are New Chapter in an Old Book

Peace talks: the players. Image from AP Graphics Bank. Peace talks:A new chapter in an old book Discussions about the issue, whether among citizens or by officials at the negotiating table, must begin with an acknowledgement of the power wielded … Continue reading

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Lamar W. Hankins : Alcoholics Anonymous, Nonbelievers, and the Constitution

Alcoholics Anonymous “praying hands” medallion. Image from Alternatives in Treatment. Alcoholics Anonymous, nonbelievers, and the Constitution AA proponents argue that the ‘higher power’ found in its steps can be whatever one wants it to be. Yet plainly religious practices go on … Continue reading

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EXTRA : Rag Blog Editor Dreyer Does it in Public this Friday!

Poster art by James Retherford / The Rag Blog. The banner, designed by famed comix artist Gilbert Shelton, is from the original Rag, Austin’s legendary underground newspaper published from 1966-1977. Rag Blog editor Thorne Dreyer just keeps getting older! “Growing old … Continue reading

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RAG RADIO / Thorne Dreyer : Prof Jay D. Jurie & Texas NAACP Pres Gary Bledsoe on Trayvon Martin

Central Florida Prof. Jay D. Jurie, left, and Gary Bledsoe, president, Texas NAACP. Rag Radio podcast:The Rag Blog‘s Jay D. Jurie andAustin attorney Gary Bledsoeon the legacy of Trayvon Martin They discuss the trial, racial profiling, the ‘stand your ground’ … Continue reading

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BOOKS / Ron Jacobs : Crary’s ’24/7′: Wake Up Little Susie!

Wake up little Susie:We’re in trouble deep Crary’s book provides a historical survey of capitalism’s growing encroachment on individual human life. By Ron Jacobs | The Rag Blog | July 30, 2013 [24/7: Late Capitalism and the Ends of Sleep … Continue reading

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Alan Waldman: ‘Not Going Out’ is an Extremely Funny British TV Sitcom

Waldman’s film and TVtreasures you may have missed: Brilliant Lee Mack writes and stars in this truly wacky, unpredictable series. By Alan Waldman | The Rag Blog | July 30, 2013 [In his weekly column, Alan Waldman reviews some of … Continue reading

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Tom Hayden : Secrecy Protests Split American Elites

Image from ElectronicFrontierFoundation / Flickr. Protests against secrecy drive elites into debate A virtual empire composed of distant and interconnected private and public elites contradicts representative democracy as virtually all Americans understand it. By Tom Hayden | The Rag Blog … Continue reading

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