Here's the shortest blog I ever wrote. I have two words for President Obama rescinding Bush's ban on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research today. It's an expression in Latin. Laudate deum. … [Read more...] about Thank You Mr. President
The Key To Our Healthcare Need is “Quality”
The Key To Our Healthcare Need is "Quality" by Jim Bell When President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed into law the Social Security Acton August 14, 1935, the national focus on taking care of its citizens began with a simple idea to create a mandatory annuity with payroll deductions which, had they gone to an insurance policy, would have paid a much greater dividend in the … [Read more...] about The Key To Our Healthcare Need is “Quality”
Bye American (Guest Voice)
Bye American by Will Durst Can we stop with the waving of the sharp instruments for a minute and speak rationally to this whole ugly recession mess we find ourselves currently mired in? C’mon. You know what recession mess I’m talking about. You’re packing a bag lunch and taking mass transit to visit the public library to use their ancient computer to check out the job … [Read more...] about Bye American (Guest Voice)
Comment Box Problems
Currently, for those of you using Mozilla Firefox as a web browser, the comment box is pushed to the bottom of the site. Commenting still works but you will have to scroll to the bottom of the page in order to do this. I have notified Disqus (our comment hosting provider) about this and we are working to resolve this issue as soon as possible. Furthermore, the comment policy … [Read more...] about Comment Box Problems
The Ultimate Epithet: The Grandmother Who Climbed a Fence to Fight for Union Rights
By Mark Soifer My grandmother sailed from Russia in a cattle boat cradling her infant son, Joseph. She was not an admirer of the Czar. My grandfather followed soon after deserting the army and crossing the continent on foot. The family settled in Chester, Pennsylvania, an industrial town on the Delaware River near Philadelphia. My grandfather died of exposure to chemicals … [Read more...] about The Ultimate Epithet: The Grandmother Who Climbed a Fence to Fight for Union Rights
Spring Forward!
Happy Monday, and welcome to another week at The Moderate Voice. For those of you who were busy or out of town over the weekend, remember that we set the clocks forward yesterday. This means that most of you will be losing one hour of sleep. Unless, of course, you earn more than $250,000 per year, in which case you will lose two hours and eleven minutes. (Rimshot!) The good … [Read more...] about Spring Forward!
Rethinking The Mortgage Problem
Over the past few weeks there have been various discussions on how to resolve the mortgage and housing problem. Since this is an subject that crosses my desk with some regularity I have understandably given it a great deal of thought. In looking at a few of the proposed solutions I find that some could be quite helpful while others might not do much good, at least not in my … [Read more...] about Rethinking The Mortgage Problem
North Korean ‘Election’ Results
In a stunning triumph North Korean leader Kim Jong Il has won re-election to the North Korean legislature. He managed to win 100% on 100% turnout in his legislative district which means nobody in that district will die of lead poisioning tonight. Observers tensely await the outcome in the other districts to see how many other seats will be decided by 100% vote with 100% … [Read more...] about North Korean ‘Election’ Results
244-Year Old British Bank, Lloyds TSB, Nationalized
Some big names are going down in this crisis. We've already lost Bear Stearns and Lehman Brothers - both of which date far into the 19th century. General Motors may be next in the American line of fire. But Great Britain, where modern industrial capitalism was born, has finally sealed the fate of one of its oldest firms. Lloyds TSB, first created in 1765, has now been taken … [Read more...] about 244-Year Old British Bank, Lloyds TSB, Nationalized
A Serious Blogger Needs Your Help ASAP (Things That Matter)
EDITOR's NOTE: This was posted this weekend and is being reposted now. The blogger, Kathy, is about $200 short of her goal as of Monday. Please read this (if you haven't yet) and if you agree, perhaps you can help her out. Here's her UPDATE. About two years ago I lost my father to lung cancer. I also just learned that a high school music teacher who was a mentor and dear … [Read more...] about A Serious Blogger Needs Your Help ASAP (Things That Matter)
World Gobbles Up US Treasuries to Fund Our Deficit
Traditionally, when the US runs a budget deficit it sets off a cycle of rising interest rates. After all, sale of US treasuries goes a long way toward financing the operations of the US government - particularly when tax revenues don't meet expenses. And when the US has has to increase the sale of treasuries to fund the deficit, investors can demand a higher yield in return. … [Read more...] about World Gobbles Up US Treasuries to Fund Our Deficit
Rush Limbaugh Is A Big …
Liberal comedian Al Franken wrote a book titled Rush Limbaugh Is A Big Fat Idiot. Conservative David Frum wrote this week's cover story for Newsweek Magazine under the title "Why Rush Is Wrong." I have avoided the comic opera now playing between Limbaugh and the White House which has borrowed Clintonian tactics of setting up Rush as a straw man. Despite how much Rush … [Read more...] about Rush Limbaugh Is A Big …
On Living an Ethical Life in the Absence of an Afterlife
A thought for the day: I thought that if I became an agnostic I would have no grounds for ethical behavior. I'd have no moral compass. And I thought that that would probably lead to become a completely licentious reprobate. But as it turns out, that's completely wrong. I think I actually have more of a sense of the meaning of life now than I ever had as a believer. There are … [Read more...] about On Living an Ethical Life in the Absence of an Afterlife
Who’s REALLY To Blame For The Stock Market Collapse?
It's Barack Obama. Or so suggest Fox News' Chris Wallace and Brit Hume. Oh. But wait: a look at the actual numbers suggests that Hume's partisan moment is a bit....inaccurate. Hume's characterization of Obama's plan also sounds like something you'd find by following a link below a news story on memeorandum (this weblog excepted OF COURSE) than coming from an ostensible … [Read more...] about Who’s REALLY To Blame For The Stock Market Collapse?
Update: On the Shame That Is Darfur
In my post yesterday, on the human slaughter in Darfur and on the International Criminal Court's (ICC) issuance of an arrest warrant for Sudanese head of state Omar al-Bashir, I mentioned columnist Nicholas D. Kristof several times. Mr. Kristof has been the one consistent, eloquent and persuasive voice since the Darfur "conflict" started several years ago. True to form … [Read more...] about Update: On the Shame That Is Darfur
Looking Through The Hour Glass Darkly
As I was setting my clocks forward an hour this morning, I couldn't help but wonder if I was the only sane person in this world asylum. What an absurd practice. What difference in anyone's lives does it make by adjusting our clocks by one hour to when the sun rises and sets? Apparently I am not alone. Marc Pascal, certainly a brighter light bulb than myself in this area, … [Read more...] about Looking Through The Hour Glass Darkly
“The Nutty Professor,” In Memoriam
When General Petraeus took over Iraq, he adopted many social science and human rights viewpoints into his strategy. While many of the points had harsh critics both from the military and academics, I think they can be described as an unmitigated success. I applauded him at the time, but they have worked far better than my expectations...it's too bad that repairing the … [Read more...] about “The Nutty Professor,” In Memoriam
Madoff Saga Fallout
At the time of this writing Bernie Madoff hasn't officially admitted anything and the crimes he is believed to have committed are still just alleged. I nonetheless have been having an active correspondence with a fair number of people about this man and his legal travails and gotten a slew of opinions that are both fascinating and scary. My correspondents generally feel, for … [Read more...] about Madoff Saga Fallout
Ack, My Head Hurts. What Is Happening?
The financial crisis has become surreal. We have Republican Senators and Alan Greenspan arguing for nationalization of failed banks, Democratic leaders arguing against it, and under the surface, the dominant economic theory of the last 30 years (monetarism) is failing spectacularly. But, my friends, I have run across something that is making me doubt my sanity. In today's … [Read more...] about Ack, My Head Hurts. What Is Happening?
Daylight Savings Time: Arizona Got This One Right
Daylight Savings Time: Arizona Got This One Right by Marc Pascal The state that was the third to last to be admitted to the Union on February 14, 1912 (followed by Alaska and Hawaii in 1959) was a backwater place until the late 1960s. Suddenly both old and young and everyone in-between began to move here for the year-round warm sunny weather, spectacular scenery, … [Read more...] about Daylight Savings Time: Arizona Got This One Right