I am sure this remarkable 102-year-old woman would never approve of the heading I have given to this story. Not long ago, I took a British friend to meet her at her house in Kasauli, an old quaint Indian town in the lower Himalayas. Fori smiled when she was told by my friend that his mother was “old” and in her early eighties. “You know at that age I was quite frisky,” she said, and...

Advanced age has its privileges, one of them to fantasize publicly about asking out a married woman without fear of being beaten up for it. So with apologies to my loved ones (and Todd, of course), my dream date for New Year’s Eve is bubbly Sarah Palin. Imagine being greeted at the door, corsage in hand, with congratulations for dodging death panels and some snappy remark like “How’s that hopey...

Kodachrome You give us those nice bright colors You give us the greens of summers Makes you think all the world’s a sunny day, oh yeah! I got a Nikon camera I love to take a photograph So Mama, don’t take my Kodachrome away ~Paul Simon This was a historic day, Paul Simon lived to see the day when Mama Kodak would take his Kodachrome away for good.  A victim of the digital age. Last Kodachrome...

As The Washington Post points out, her name was never Rosie and she wasn’t a riveter. But Geraldine Doyle and the original image of her that led to the iconic image of a working woman staring us into action are unlikely to fade from our political landscape any time soon. Thank you, Geraldine, and RIP.

In the news business, the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day is known as dead week. There is news, of course, but it generally centers around the weather, natural or man-made disasters. And, then, of course, are the year-end reviews to fill space. Among these noble efforts, all existing in the minds of the individual authors, is the Remmers Report annual awards ceremony where the trophies are named...

While I’m not going to try and speak for all of TMV I can certainly make this post on my own behalf. What would you like to see from my postings in 2011 ? Are there any topics you’d like to see covered in more detail ? Are there topics you’d like to see go away ? I’ll even entertain suggestions on changing my viewpoint on some issues but I won’t make promises there . In short as...

With Christmas Eve upon us I thought I’d offer my annual post on the origins of the Christmas Star (per astronomy) and thus offering thoughts on when he was really born. Most of us know that Christ was not really born in December or the year zero. A number of people have tried to look first to the Bible for clues about what the star did and when, then they went outside the Bible to find events fitting...

Earlier today, I watched the press conference with Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith and head football coach Jim Tressel. Five Ohio State players have been suspended from playing the first five games of next season by the NCAA. Smith indicated that Ohio State will appeal the penalties. (Another player has been suspended for one game of the 2011 season.) As an Ohio State alum and fan, I hope that Smith...

The New York Courts of Appeals, the highest court in New York State and the equivalent of other states’ Supreme Court, has ruled that a golfer need not yell “Fore” on a mis-hit shot. According to the Court of Appeals, those participating in sporting and recreational events assume the risks associated with the activity. In the case of golf, that includes getting hit with an errant shot. The case before...

As a rule I try not to use my postings on TMV to be too preachy. I see this site as a place for us to have good and vigorous political debates but I try not to troll for any of my pet causes. However once in a while rules are made to be broken. We are all in the middle of one the most festive times of the year. Whatever your faith (or lack thereof) we all enjoy this season as an opportunity to be kinder to our...

This is a La Niña year in the Pacific Northwest.  That results is wild and unpredictable weather.  The temperature yesterday was 61, today it was in the low 40s.  Cold moist air meant thunderstorms – heavy rain and hail.  But south of Portland there was something else. Tornadoes are rare in Oregon – we average about two a year and they normally just tear up some Willamete Valley...

It could be easy to say that the No Labels organization represents merely Republicans who can’t stomach the tea party people, but numerous left of center and progressive political figures are engaged with it as well (see the agenda’s list of speakers here). Watch and participate and comment, of course.

Anyone who has read TMV for more than a year knows I am a Christmas nut. In the spirit of the holiday season I am going to be doing my own ’12 (or more) days of Christmas’ by posting some holiday videos each day. Our readers will also know I am a big fan of the TV show Glee so it only seemed sensible to put the two together. As always the images and sounds remain the property of Fox and are in no...

Truly must-see tv. With chalkboard font, round numbers, simple illustrations and generosity in applying assumptions. If only everyone had the time (and platform) to do the same with all the inane claims made, from the left or the right. Original post at Writes Like She Talks.

Back in July, Patrick Edaburn blogged on The Moderate Voice about California’s Supreme Court turning majority female (this became reality just this week). Today, with Ohio Governor Ted Strickland appointment of his former running mate, Yvette McGee Brown, to Ohio’s Supreme Court, my state will join that club. She will join three women already on the Court. You can read more here. I’ve...

What is the long-term significance of the disclosures by WikiLeaks? And how are international journalists coping with interpreting the huge mass of once-declassified material suddenly flung into the public domain? These two articles – one from Germany and the other from France – give a European accounting of the answers. According to the first article headlined WikiLeaks Makes Real a Global Public...

Ron’s nice “Yule Tree” post made me poignantly aware of a totally different tree that my family and I, along with possibly over one hundred other Austinites, will be gingerly—many with tears in our eyes—decorating tonight. You see, tonight marks the 20th “Tree of Angels” ceremony. A beautiful ceremony which we have been supporting and attending here in Austin, Tex. for about a...

As the US establishment, and many in the American media, have begun to build up hysteria against WikiLeaks and virtually calling for the assassination of Julian Assange, I am reminded of the warning by President John F. Kennedy which is so relevant even today (See You Tube). Kennedy warned that there was a “danger to the survival of our nation if our traditions don’t survive.” Kennedy said:...

A woman goes to the post office to buy stamps for her Hanukkah cards. She says to the clerk, “May I have 50 Hanukkah Stamps?” The clerk says, “What denomination?” “Oh my God”, the woman says, “has it come to this?” “Give me 16 Orthodox, 22 Conservative and 30 Reform.” Chappy Chanuka to those who are celebrating. Hattip for the joke to David Cunix. And...

Just sit tight and seriously – ask yourself, how would you react if Nancy Pelosi had sought to do this? From The Hill: Speaker-designate John Boehner (R-Ohio) intends to commandeer a swanky office space adjacent to the House floor and build a women’s restroom for female lawmakers. For years, men have had the luxury of using facilities located adjacent to the House floor, just outside the Speaker’s...

I heard about this group, No Labels, a week or so ago. Did some digging, wasn’t too sure about it, just been listening, have a friend who’ll be there in NYC for the launch. And now, Howard Fineman is up with a lengthy piece about it, just this afternoon. You can read it here. Do we think Scarborough unloaded on Sarah Palin today so that he could do it before the launch of a project geared to extinguish...

Glad he’s making the same point I did over the last few days. From Politico: If Republicans want to embrace Palin as a cultural icon whose anti-intellectualism fulfills a base political need, then have at it. I suppose it’s cheaper than therapy. But if the party of Ronald Reagan, Paul Ryan and Marco Rubio wants to return to the White House anytime soon, it’s time that Republican leaders started standing...

With Newsweek placing Sarah Palin at an estimated annual earnings of $14 million (topping all women and coming in at #6 overall) on its list of the 50 highest-earning political figures of 2010, it’s time for everyone to sit back and let her narcissism work for us. Enough with the “we must ignore her.” She’s not going away folks, not until she becomes so uncomfortable with the negative...

As we gather with our loved ones we should not forget those who we must always be thankful for The men and women of our Armed Services. Many of whom cannot celebrate with their families today. May God Bless Them All. More videos can be found here

I have had the privilege of writing at The Moderate Voice for about two-and-a-half years. Looking back at what I have written, a few things become apparent. First, it is incredible how much can happen in such a relatively short period of time. Second, it is interesting how some things never change or take an awful long time to do so. Third, it is humbling—perhaps embarrassing—to see how many subjects...