If you drive a car in virtually any city or town in this country you probably think the parking ticket situation couldn't be worse. Silly you. It's actually much worse in other parts of the world, and nowhere worse than in the U.K. There are so many god-awful parking tales coming out of the U.K. these days they appear in its media almost as often as local weather reports. … [Read more...] about Parking Privatization — Beware The Slippery Slope
Cannabis: Young & Old Love To Go To Pot
In many parts of India you can see people enjoying bhang/hashish (or cannabis/marijuana) by the roadside without attracting a look of surprise or disapproval. It is only when the Western world began to raise hue and cry that people in the urban areas began to smoke/drink it discreetly at the occasional activation of the dormant laws. In nearly 80 per cent of India it is … [Read more...] about Cannabis: Young & Old Love To Go To Pot
Don’t Mess With Macy’s
There's the old joke about the heartless corporation that is so bad it will do anything to collect a debt. Well Macy's in Sacramento, California seems to have taken this to a whole new level. It all began when Ken and Patty Blomberg got into a dispute with the store over the purchase of some rugs that they never got but Macy's still wanted them to pay for. That dispute … [Read more...] about Don’t Mess With Macy’s
Olbermann Right, Matthews Wrong On Rush/NFL
Those who read my postings know that I am not a fan of either Rush Limbaugh or Keith Olbermann and I often am critical of the crap they spew from opposite ends of the political spectrum. I'm also not a very big NFL fan so I really don't care who owns what team. But I have been bothered by the recent controversy where people said that Rush should not be allowed to buy a team … [Read more...] about Olbermann Right, Matthews Wrong On Rush/NFL
Monty Python DVR Alert
For anyone who is, like me, a Monty Python fan, this is a DVR alert. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the legendary group and over on the Independent Film Channel they will be airing a 6 part documentary which will offer a look at the best of the best and the story behind the story. It starts this Sunday the 18th and continues all week. So get those DVR's set … [Read more...] about Monty Python DVR Alert
Guest Voice: Health Insurance House of Mirrors
Hello there, Dr. Estés here w/ a tale of being mix-mastered in the house of mirrors passing for health insurance-- or not. The cadeusus w/ sword and serpent once meant instinctive balance of mind/spirit, (serpent considered helping messenger between heaven & earth) w/strong dose of protectiveness toward body via symbol of flaming sword, to fight afflictions. Nowadays, seems … [Read more...] about Guest Voice: Health Insurance House of Mirrors
Americans Hope and Pray as a Silvery Balloon Speeds Across the Skies of Colorado
I am sure most of our readers were glued to the television sets for almost two hours this afternoon, hoping and praying for the safety and life of 6-year-old Falcon Heene, if he happened to be aboard the ill-fated silvery balloon. We all held our breath when the balloon more-or-less-gently touched down in a field, and while the rescuers and emergency personnel searched … [Read more...] about Americans Hope and Pray as a Silvery Balloon Speeds Across the Skies of Colorado
15-Year-Old Set On Fire By Classmates
Just one of the heartbreaking details in this story is that it began on the boy's 15th birthday. Terrified of going to school, his mother called and set an appointment with the safety officer. He never made it. Her tears lay bare the horror of it. I believe we all should share in that horror. We carry some blame. This kind of violence, like the recent Chicago beating death … [Read more...] about 15-Year-Old Set On Fire By Classmates
Are the commons not so tragic after all?
There is an interesting article from the Science section of the New York Times that turns a now-cliche phrase on its head: The Non-Tragedy of the Commons --- Cross-posted between Random Fate and The Moderate Voice. --- … [Read more...] about Are the commons not so tragic after all?
Obama Throws Crumbs To Seniors
Biting the hand that feeds me, I think it is a bad idea that President Barack Obama is urging Congress to kick in an extra one-lump $250 to each of the 57 million seniors, veterans and people with disabilities because they will not receive cost-of-living increases in 2010 from Social Security benefits. It's not that I prefer to go without. If Congress goes along with the … [Read more...] about Obama Throws Crumbs To Seniors
Barack Obama … Bird of Peace!: Kitabat of Iraq
After being invaded by the previous U.S. administration based on faulty information, how do Iraqis feel about the current president of the United States winning the Nobel Peace Prize? In the first translation on the subject we've had from Iraq, Abd Al Razzak Al Rabihi doesn't spare the use of exclamation points in his understandable outburst of exasperation. He writes for … [Read more...] about Barack Obama … Bird of Peace!: Kitabat of Iraq
Political Executions In Iran
I just ran across a PBS site dedicated to covering ongoing events in Iran. Iran's post-election turmoil and the ensuing human rights crisis entered a new phase this week, after authorities announced death sentences for four defendants following the mass trials held for more than a hundred people accused of fomenting unrest and challenging the election results. It has raised … [Read more...] about Political Executions In Iran
“Tonight, We Are All ‘Too Irrational To Be Dealt With Sanely'”
Can you imagine -- I mean, can you only just imagine -- if anyone on the left had actually published something as overwrought -- as utterly irrational -- as this? … [Read more...] about “Tonight, We Are All ‘Too Irrational To Be Dealt With Sanely'”
Ranking The Presidents
Guest Post By C.L. Smith aka "Leonidas" C.L. Smith is a frequent, right of center commenter on The Moderate Voice and has been invited as a Guest Voice. ********** Every so often I look back at an eassy/article from the past that is one of my favorites. It doesn't really pertain to current events directly, but it always seems to indirectly. John Silveria wrote a … [Read more...] about Ranking The Presidents
U.S. Military Bases are Alright, Under One Condition …: Semana, Colombia
GENIE ASKS UNCLE SAM: 'WILL IT BE A MILITARY BASE, A COCA BASE OR A DATA BASE?' How do Colombians feel about the seven military bases the United States intends to build on their nation's land? According to this off-color tongue-in-cheek column by Colombian writer and art professor Lucas Ospina, it's alright with him - with one important proviso. For Colombia's Semana … [Read more...] about U.S. Military Bases are Alright, Under One Condition …: Semana, Colombia
Hypocrisy, Hate Crimes, and the Apparent Bigotry of John Boehner
Check out this CBS News article. House Republican Leader John Boehner opposes a bill that would expand hate crime legislation to include gender, sexual orientation, and disability. Currently, the legislation includes race, color, religion, and national origin. His rationale is that hate crimes legislation should only cover "immutable characteristics." Apparently, sexual … [Read more...] about Hypocrisy, Hate Crimes, and the Apparent Bigotry of John Boehner
Disconnect: Dow 10,000, Jobless 10 Percent
Symbolism comes with a heavy hand these days as Stock Exchange traders cheer at the Dow hitting 10,000 while the national employment rate heads for double digits. The disconnect between Wall Street and Main Street keeps widening as money jugglers, who caused the credit crisis that led to bailouts with taxpayer billions, are getting record bonuses while those who do real work … [Read more...] about Disconnect: Dow 10,000, Jobless 10 Percent
ATTENTION: Proposal for a TMV Prognostication Competition
I would like to invite all writers, editors, commentators and readers to make some major predictions for the future that they believe will transpire by or around certain future dates. I ran this idea by Joe Gandelman last week who told me to run with it. These “revelations” can concern science, technology, environment, wars and militaries, climate change, healthcare, … [Read more...] about ATTENTION: Proposal for a TMV Prognostication Competition
Citizenship and the Census
Along with Sen. Bob Bennett (R-UT), Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) has introduced an amendment that would, according to USA Today, "exclude illegal immigrants from the population count used to allocate congressional seats after the 2010 Census. It also would require the Census to ask people whether they are citizens." Well, I like the first part, not the second. I generally favour … [Read more...] about Citizenship and the Census
Rush Limbaugh Deflated
RJ Matson, The St. Louis Post Dispatch This cartoon is copyrighted and licensed to run on TMV. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited. All rights reserved. … [Read more...] about Rush Limbaugh Deflated