Links are from sites with varying viewpoints. Opinions expressed do not necessarily express the views of TMV or its co-bloggers. Senator Dick Durbin Apologized for his controversial remarks saying what he read in a document about American treatment of prisoners abroad sounded like something out of Nazi Germany. But what did YOU read about it? Did you read that he cried? Didn’t sound sincere? Do you think he made a mistake? Or he meant it? Make up your own mind by CLICKING HERE to see a video...

To those who think animals don’t have feelings and aren’t on this earth for a reason or can’t possibly fit into a spiritual scheme, READ THIS: A 12-year-old girl who was abducted and beaten by men trying to force her into a marriage was found being guarded by three lions who apparently had chased off her captors, a policeman said Tuesday. The girl, missing for a week, had been taken by seven men who wanted to force her to marry one of them, said Sgt. Wondimu Wedajo, speaking by...

Politicians do change their positions but Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist has probably set a record: abruptly changing his position within hours after meeting with President George Bush. First, First announced that he wouldn’t be putting President Bush’s nominee for the UN Ambassador John Bolton to another vote because, basically, there would be no point. There is no sign that the Democrats are going to relent on their filibuster, ostensibly called because the State Department isn’t...

If you’re not someone wrapped up in the obsession over the case of Terri Schiavo and have asked yourselves: “Don’t they have any shame?” you now have the answer. No. Now the poor dead woman’s grave marker has been literally dragged into it.,,, First, there was Florida Governor Jeb Bush who, right after the autospy report concluded that Terri Schiavo’s brain was the size of a pea and that she had not been abused ordered a new investigation into the 911 call. Except...

The watchword for the new chairman of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting Kenneth Y. Tomlinson has been “objective.” But does that mean trying to strike a neutral balance (a la C Span) or does “objective” mean a conservative perspective? It seems to mean the latter if THIS is any indication.

…after four decades, the Mississippi court system worked, resulting in a conviction on three counts of manslaughter.

After winning a bitter recall election as an outsider who would end business as usual in Sacramento, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger now ranks as one of the most unpopular governors in California history. He’s getting so far down in the polls his biggest worry soon will be sniffing dogs. The San Francisco Chronicle reports: Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger suddenly ranks among the most unpopular governors in modern California history, as residents grow increasingly unhappy about the action...

The foward-looking experiment by the L.A. Time’s editor Michael Kinsley in “wikitorials” has bitten the dust, RIP after just two days after some readers turned them into wickedtorials by posting…ahem…eye-opening illustrations: A Los Angeles Times experiment in opinion journalism lasted just two days before the paper was forced to shut it down Sunday morning after some readers repeatedly posted obscene photos. The L.A. Times wanted an interactive readership, but this...

Yet ANOTHER anti-Syrian politician has been murdered in Lebanon — the second in a month…a month when the United States contended there is a Syrian “hit list” of Lebanese politicians Damascus allegedly wants to knock off. Even if you look at the barebones details on this killing, you have to note: it’s interesting that the only leading politicos that are being killed are those who oppose Syria. Reuters reports: An anti-Syrian politician was killed in Lebanon on Tuesday...

Links are from sites with varying viewpoints. Opinions expressed do not necessarily express the views of TMV or its co-bloggers. The Outrageous Comparisons Of The Week: A MUST READ now-weekly feature from Steve Donoghue (You’ll love it) hear a blogger kangaroo who only writes in lower case: you can listen to skippy the bush kangaroo (mentioned by Jon Stewart) by (warning that there is an adult joke) CLICKING HERE. Teen Drinking: Is this case judicial overkill, or what? Seeking An Apology From...

In terms of his prospects of overcoming a filibuster by Senate Democrats, President George Bush’s beset nominee for UN Ambassador John Bolton might as well be singer Michael Bolton. Only Michael Bolton might fare better. The bare-bones news report could not be more grim for the White House — and for Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist, who has to endure yet another instance of his goal not being met: For the second time in a month, Senate Democrats blocked a vote on Monday evening on the...

If THIS “ARTWORK” made from Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi’s fat could fetch so much money, just think what art made from fat from Tom DeLay’s head would sell for: An art work purportedly made from excess fat from Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi has been sold for $18,000 (£9,862). Switzerland-based artist Gianni Motti claims to have bought the fat from a clinic where the leader had a liposuction operation performed. He moulded it into a bar of soap...

Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney is making some political moves.

Delaware Senator Joe Biden has thrown his hat in the ring in the 2008 Democratic presidential nomination sweepstakes — ensuring it will be a lively race, indeed: Sen. Joseph R. Biden Jr. (D-Del.) said yesterday he plans to seek the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008 unless he decides later this year that he has little chance of winning. “My intention is to seek the nomination,” Biden said on CBS’s “Face the Nation.” “I know I’m supposed to be...

Cross posted at The Smoking Room The Washington Post ran a rather silly evergreen (meaning it can run anytime) about the debt college students get from…buying coffee drinks everyday. What might have been entertaining as a 500-word fluffy column on curious college priorities is instead a 1,200 word, Nation-esque scold more suited to Joe Camel. OxBlog’s David Adesnik has a thorough mocking of the article for its attempt to portray college students as victims of the coffee cabal (or...

It’s such a pity to watch Ralph Nader. TMV grew up in Connecticut and was raised on newspaper and radio reports about this young crusading lawyer who was taking on the corporations. Then came 2000 when he seemed like a “spoiler.” But it could be argued — and it was by his supporters and Nader himself — that he was a person of conscience who genuinely felt there was little different between George Bush and Al Gore, even on envirornmental polices. Fast foward that to 2004....

Some critics, newspaper columnists and non-fans think actor Tom Cruise is all wet — but at the London debut of his new click “War of the Worlds” that became reality when a phony reporter squirted him in the face. The four culprits involved were working on a new comedy show for Britain’s Channel 4, but now they have a bit more more than work on their plate: they were arrested and released on bond, but will have to return to the police early next week. They may be charged with...

As the whole subject of torture is pitchforked into the headlines we get this disturbing report from the New York Times about torture by insurgents: KARABILA, Iraq, Sunday, June 19 – Marines on an operation to eliminate insurgents that began Friday broke through the outside wall of a building in this small rural village to find a torture center equipped with electric wires, a noose, handcuffs, a 574-page jihad manual – and four beaten and shackled Iraqis…… The men said they...

Remember San Diego’s fires of two years ago? After the fires many publications and broadcast outlets said it would be possibly generations before any of the burned area grew back. But there were other voices — voices saying (in the wilderness) that Mother Nature occasionally destroys her trees and wonderful wildlife and they do come back faster than the experts often quoted had said. Those other voices are right. Yesterday TMV’s foster son and his two invited him on a LOOOOOOONG...

EGADS! The Moderate Voice’s foster son and his 9 year old daughter and 13 year old son invited TMV to go with them on a LONG hike up a mountain yesterday…and he is hopping into bed ASAP. Our posts will resume here after 5:30 a.m. San Diego time this morning. In the meantime, why not SCROLL DOWN and catch up on posts you may have missed..and leave some comments (hopefully nice ones telling us how much you love us).

It looks as if Syria will have yet another headache: a landside victory in Lebanon of candidates led by former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri’s son in the final round of parliamentary elections. This final stage in the elections, staggered over four weekends, means the anti-Syrian opposition will have a much bigger voice in modern Lebanon. CNN reports: Candidates led by the son of slain former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri were projected to win a solid victory in Lebanon’s final round of parliamentary...

Bill Frist might use today not just for prayerful reflection, but political self-analysis because New York Times columnist David Books has what almost sounds like the beginning of a political obituary thread. No, Frist can’t be counted out in the 2008 Presidential sweepstakes yet since he has scored big points with the people with whom he wanted to score them, even though he lost some key battles. And related battles aren’t over yet. But Books’ column “What Makes Fill Frist...

College graduates get all kinds of advice from people. Here’s some: Again, you can’t connect the dots looking forward; you can only connect them looking backwards. So you have to trust that the dots will somehow connect in your future. You have to trust in something – your gut, destiny, life, karma, whatever. This approach has never let me down, and it has made all the difference in my life…. Sometimes life hits you in the head with a brick. Don’t lose faith. I’m...

Today is the final round in Lebanon’s high-stakes elections. The bottom line of what’s at stake: whether Lebanon will get out from underneath Syria’s grip. One leading candidate now claims that grip is just a “rumor.” An enormous amount is hanging in the balance and there is considerable drama as to which way it will go. The AP notes: The election is Lebanon’s first ballot free of Syrian domination in almost three decades, after Syrian forces pulled out in April....

A Northern California pizza shop owner is being accused of helping a mercendary in Afghanistan who was after Osama bin Laden get dough. Lots of dough. But this wasn’t used for pepperoni pizzas. It was used to help fund the bounty hunter’s efforts to get a rise out of people he captured and interrogated in his own private interrogation camp in Afghanistan. The government thinks its a half-baked idea and has jailed the bounty hunter, whose lawyer used a not-for-a-family-blog word to describe...