Cross-posted to Random Fate. PARIS and GRENOBLE, France – The “Non!” vote has carried the day, in no uncertain terms. However, it is important to remember the wise words of an American politician, the equivalent of which I have yet to encounter here in France: All politics is local.    -Senator Thomas P.”Tip” O’Neill I visited Paris the weekend before the election, and while I walked about town I looked to see any signs of advocacy for either a...

President George Bush held a press conference today in which he blasted as “absurd” the human rights organization Amnesty International’s report that likened U.S. treatment of terrorism suspects at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, to a gulag in the old Soviet union. This will likely spark a new round of debate. But what did the President actually say? ABC Newsonline reports this: United States President George W Bush has lashed out at Amnesty International, suggesting it has been hoodwinked...

The decades-long political and journalistic mystery of who the source “Deep Throat” was in the momentous Watergate scandal that destroyed Richard Nixon’s presidency is now, 100 percent solved: the Washington Post has now confirmed that former FBI bigwig W. Mark Felt was the man: The Washington Post today confirmed that W. Mark Felt, a former number-two official at the FBI, was “Deep Throat,” the secretive source who provided information that helped unravel the Watergate...

Has the ever-tantilizing mystery of Watergate’s “Deep Throat” finally been solved? No, we’re NOT talking about the “Deep Throat” pictured at left — but that’s who this “Deep Throat” was jokingly named after. This refers to the decades secret of the mysterious source who helped The Washington Post bring down the Nixon administration. And, according to Vanity Fair, W. Mark Felt, who retired from the FBI after rising to its second most senior...

Ah, yes, they’re both singing that old standard “I Love Paris.” The big news is that hotel heiress and “The Simple Life” reality TV star Paris Hilton is engaged to her boyfriend, Paris Latsis, her spokesman reports. Perhaps it’s their names that make it sound so romantic. It might not sound as romantic if they were both named “Newark.” Details: “They are happy and excited,” Hilton spokesman Rob Shuter said Monday, confirming the story first...

There’s bad political news for President George Bush, coming in the form of a Washington Post article declaring:”Bush’s Political Capital Spent, Voices in Both Parties Suggest.” This is bad news for Bush for several reasons: It’s a watershed political story. Every unfolding political story has a kind of “script.” This now declares that Bush has used up his political capital and is, in effect, if not running on political empty heading into dreaded lame-duck...

Our occasional linkfest giving you interesting reading from sites representing varying viewpoints. Opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Moderate Voice or his co-bloggers. Has Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist Flip-Flopped On Stem Cell Research? Charging RINO looks at the issue. This Ties In With A Question About The GOP: Is there now what Bull Moose calls a neo-AuH2O faction in the GOP? He explains: Barry Goldwater was the first prophet of the conservative insurgency....

Iraqi terrorist leader Abu Musab al-Zarqawi is reported to have posted an audio address to his Osama bin Laden on Monday telling him that he’s OK after being wounded in a fire fight with U.S. troops. This AGAIN points out the caution citizens, policymakers, and the military need to exercise in taking unconfirmed website reports as truth. The last big story about al-Zarqawi that quoted a website as say he had been wounded and whisked out of Iraq made it sound as if he was seriously wounded. This...

The Washington Post’s Howard Kurtz profiles Buzz Machine’s Jeff Jarvis, one of the most independent and thoughtful bloggers who many on the right, left and center consider a must read — and you WILL learn a few new things.

THIS JUST IN from reporter J. Thomas Duffy” Piercing, Shattering Noise Rocks DC Area Authorities Trace To Capitol Bldg; May Be Frist Presidential Hopes Washington, D.C. was rocked early last evening with a piercing, shrieking, shattering-type noise, heard for scores of miles beyond the nation’s capital. As emergency switchboards were flooded with calls from concern and frightened citizens, local police departments, aided by a division of federal agents pinpointed the center of where the...

Or is she?

Here’s a list — and we totally disagree with its number once choice (which to us is a theme as catchy as chalk scraping on a chalkboard). And, yes, you can click and listen to the top 25 themes.

So what’s going on with Senator John McCain? Chris Nolan writes about McCain…and says we should be keeping an eye on the McCain/Arlen Specter combo that could mean the GOP’s conservative wing won’t have a clear path from hereon in: There is, however, something else brewing that’s almost as interesting as McCain’s out-of-the-closet presidential ambitions. In fact, this particular fight might serve as the platform on which McCain builds his presidential campaign....

It doesn’t matter what political party you belong or don’t belong to. It’s Memorial Day…time to give thanks, reflect, and remember. There’s just one Memorial Day post we reccomend today: Tom Watson’s. UPDATE: We also have to add this remarkable post. An account of how Citizen Smash joined another blogger, and some kids at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego…and what they did to honor every single person buried there.

A shocker…A failure of leadership…A body blow… An embarrassment to France…A repudiation… Those are adjectives that some are using in the wake of France’s rejection of the European Union’s first constitution. And they’re popping up in news stories not just about the vote outcome but about French President Jacques Chirac and France’s political establishment. The news reports, editorial reaction, and weblog comments are as devastating as the VOTE....

There were powder keg issues such as Terri Schiavo, the nuclear option, environmental policies and yet, with some erosion, the White House and Karl Rove have been riding high. Yet, is all this about to change — perhaps swiftly? The reason: the stem cell issue is simmering and on the verge of the boiling point. Even if you don’t factor in the recent House or Representatives vote, the stem cell issue is potentially devastating not only because it directly impacts so many Americans —...

I don’t know, but a policeman was waiting for him.

People switch all the time. But do you think this switch will get Bill Gates’ notice?

This is something of a weird day for TMV. He leaves at 9 a.m. San Diego time to head up to L.A. for a show, then heads back down the coast at 1 p.m. Due to traffic it could mean being stuck in the car most of the day. We will try to post a post or two in the afternoon…so keep checking back. If traffic is awful it may be difficult to get back until early evening (there is another show around 7). Three things: Our co-bloggers may post today, although several of them may be out of pocket due...

Some say its surprising. Other say: “DUH!” What do YOU think about this?

….and this could well be an instance that comes to the attention of Bill Gates.

Then this may be a way not to do it.

Oliver Stone was arrested in Beverly Hills. And, no, it wasn’t for Crimes Against Humanity for his latest film Alexander. The orders didn’t come from a shadowy cabal in New Orleans. And the arresting officers weren’t necessarily Natural Born Ticket Givers. He was arrested for drug possession and driving while intoxicated. Oliver was allegedly stoned. (Perhaps he had been reading his reviews.) It’s a seemingly straightfoward arrest — we’re waiting for the suggestion...

As gasoline prices near $3 per gallon in parts of the country spurring inflationary concerns, a debate rages amongst informed geologists on whether this is a temporary crisis or an omen of times to come. The AP’s Matt Crenson takes a look at this discussion and emerges with a lot of interesting information. Could the petroleum joyride — cheap, abundant oil that has sent the global economy whizzing along with the pedal to the metal and the AC blasting for decades — be coming to...

Then here’s a great holiday (or any day) reading idea for you: visit Mikes Blog Round up here (which is the website of the always lively liberal video/opinion site Crooks And Liars). Some of these entries are GREAT.