UPDATE: As promised yesterday, Invisible Children has released a new 8-minute video to answer some of the criticism the organization has received. Video courtesy Fox News: UPDATE: CNN's Don Lemon interviewed 'Kony 2012' directors Jason Russell and Ben Keesey this afternoon about allegations by critics. Russell and Keesey revealed that they are preparing a … [Read more...] about The Nearly Forgotten U.S. Military Mission to “Stop Kony” (UPDATES)
The Primary Motivation for My Life
(Thought I'd share with TMVers the motivation behind anything I say, do, or write. . . . I don't always succeed, but I try). God wants to guard my heart. He desires to protect me from pursuing a path that will hurt myself and others. He is continually asking me to consider his way, his perspective. God is reality. He is the author of beauty, love, and life. God … [Read more...] about The Primary Motivation for My Life
No Moderates Need Apply
Juan Williams does a nice piece today at The Hill on the diminishing number of moderates in Congress. Moderates like Olympia Snowe are retiring from elective office out of frustration while others are being driven out of office in primaries and party purification rituals. The result is that voices of moderation, reason and civility continue to ebb. Williams reasons that … [Read more...] about No Moderates Need Apply
Santorum’s Dutch Ignorance (UPDATES)
UPDATE: Here's a different take on this story. UPDATE III: Santorum’s press secretary Alice Stewart repeatedly refused to answer questions by Dutch television station RTL4 about Santorum’s outrageous and false claims about euthanasia in the Netherlands. Asked at least three times by the RTL4 reporter to clarify Santorum’s incorrect figures and totally distorted … [Read more...] about Santorum’s Dutch Ignorance (UPDATES)
Taliban Vows Revenge After U.S. Soldier Murders 16 Afghans, Including 9 Kids
It sounds like a new cycle of violence is about to begin in Afghanistan, making efforts of the U.S. and Afghanistan government to do an orderly pullout and work out future ties much more difficult: NATO troops in Afghanistan are on high alert after the Taliban vowed to avenge the deaths of 16 innocent civilians - including nine children and three women - who were shot and … [Read more...] about Taliban Vows Revenge After U.S. Soldier Murders 16 Afghans, Including 9 Kids
China Versus the United States: Economics and Fair Play (Guest Voice)
China Versus the United States: Economic and Fair Play by Robert Coutinho Recently, I tried to comment on an article concerning the capacity of the U. S. worker to compete with foreign counterparts. The comment was too long. When I mentioned this to Joe Gandelman he suggested I write a Guest Voice column. I will post what I had been trying to say: You are under … [Read more...] about China Versus the United States: Economics and Fair Play (Guest Voice)
How Romney Might Beat Obama
As Republicans lurch toward choosing a nominee, the President’s worst mistake of a tumultuous first term is waiting to emerge in the election—-his Pyrrhic victory on health care reform. A new study shows that, more than any issue, it led to the 2110 Tea Party takeover of the House, costing Democrats “almost exactly the number of seats that decided the majority,” and even the … [Read more...] about How Romney Might Beat Obama
HBO’s ‘Game Change’ and the Missing Hillary Effect
Trailer #2 WASHINGTON - HBO's "Game Change" is great fun to watch, with Sarah Palin to Julianne Moore what Margaret Thatcher was to Meryl Streep. Woody Harrelson as Steve Schmidt gives an early take to what Sarah Palin says about the Queen Elizabeth II that is so priceless he deserves a mention simply for that one look. On ABC's "This Week," Nicole Wallace says … [Read more...] about HBO’s ‘Game Change’ and the Missing Hillary Effect
SNL’s Take On Rush Limbaugh Losing Sponsors
Here's SNL's take on conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh facing an exodus of sponsors. Will they say a month from now that we witnessed life imitating art? FOOTNOTE: There are tons of song parodies on You Tube if you do a search for Rush Limbaugh. Many are the ones he commissioned for his show. And then there is one done some 20 years ago by radio show that … [Read more...] about SNL’s Take On Rush Limbaugh Losing Sponsors
Big Political Dream
Fat chance.. … [Read more...] about Big Political Dream
Winning Short Musical Piece: Let’s Misbehave
Here's a zippy Busby Berkley (famous film choreographer of the 30s and 40s) inspired short film that won first place Music Video 2009 at the CSLA Golden Eagle Film Festival. FYI the singer in the 1928 recorded version of the song is none other than the song's composer, Cole Porter: … [Read more...] about Winning Short Musical Piece: Let’s Misbehave
Catholicism Is Not the Tea Party at Prayer
WASHINGTON -- The nation's Roman Catholic bishops will make an important decision this week: Do they want to defend the church's legitimate interest in religious autonomy, or do they want to wage an election-year war against President Obama? And do the most conservative bishops want to junk the Roman Catholic Church as we have known it, with its deep commitment to both … [Read more...] about Catholicism Is Not the Tea Party at Prayer
John McCain All Over the TV Shows
Arizona Senator John McCain is on TV so much as a guest on the news shows and reacting to the film "Game Change" that you wonder whether he's running for something. If so, his pitch could go something like this: … [Read more...] about John McCain All Over the TV Shows
Mr. Limbaugh on the Lord’s Resistance Army, Circa October 2011
After posting the “Stop Kony” story on another blog, several readers mentioned remarks defending the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) allegedly made by none other than Rush Limbaugh when President Obama announced the deployment of 100 military advisers to combat the LRA in central Africa. Incredulous, I checked the record. There are many accounts of Limbaugh’s defense of the … [Read more...] about Mr. Limbaugh on the Lord’s Resistance Army, Circa October 2011
U.S. Soldier in Kandhar Kills 16 Afghan Civilians Including 9 Children
This bloody story out of Afghanistan constitutes a tragedy that is sure to aggravate U.S.-Afghanistan tensions as the U.S. winds up its operations there. An American soldier murdered 16 Afghan civiliansl, 9 of them children: A US soldier in Afghanistan has killed at least 16 civilians and wounded five after entering their homes in Kandahar province, senior local officials … [Read more...] about U.S. Soldier in Kandhar Kills 16 Afghan Civilians Including 9 Children
Moral Game Change: Ike to McCain
Tomorrow’s water-cooler topic at work will be the HBO Sarah Palin movie, with riffs on the performances, accuracy and political meaning. It’s not likely there will be much talk about its morality. In 1962, an Eisenhower aide, Emmett J. Hughes, published “The Ordeal of Power,” revealing internal debates during his White House years. It was a first, and when JFK heard about … [Read more...] about Moral Game Change: Ike to McCain
‘How will Egypt Regain Custody of Fugitive Americans?’, Protesters Ask (Al-Gomhuriah, Egypt)
Last week, Egyptian military authorities decided to release 19 Americans ostensibly being held for their involvement in the foreign-funding of non-governmental organizations operating in Egypt. According to this news item from Egypt's state-run Al-Gomhuriah, dual protests in front of the U.S. Embassy demonstrated against their release by military authorities, and then turned on … [Read more...] about ‘How will Egypt Regain Custody of Fugitive Americans?’, Protesters Ask (Al-Gomhuriah, Egypt)
Limbaugh Triggers Avalanche of Earned Media for Civility’s Sake
The most recent avalanche of earned media for the concept of civility undisputedly derives from multiple rants enunciated by Rush Limbaugh - who would have thunk, eh? The Moderate Voice's own post, Talk Radio Bomb: 98 Advertisers Tell Premiere Networks to Avoid Shock Jocks, is testimony to this phenomenon. The initial set of rants that triggered the avalanche targeted a 30 … [Read more...] about Limbaugh Triggers Avalanche of Earned Media for Civility’s Sake
Sally Kohn: Fox’s Liberal Lesbian
Makes this good point: I find most liberals who are critical of Fox news don’t watch it. They have a perspective informed by clips they see on The Daily Show, or the most outrageous thing that they’ve ever seen passed around that Sean Hannity said, but they’re not watching the day-to-day news coverage which is really thoughtful and the probing debates on some of the hot topics … [Read more...] about Sally Kohn: Fox’s Liberal Lesbian
Seven Things About the HBO Film “Game Change” (UPDATED)
Last night HBO aired the film "Game Change," which has gotten mostly rave reviews. Five things: 1. It will go down as one of the greatest political films adapted from a book ever made. 2. It didn't do Saturday Night Live type or cheap caricatures of the key players. It featured actors and actresses who were truly trying to portray characters with all the actors' skills … [Read more...] about Seven Things About the HBO Film “Game Change” (UPDATED)