the morning paper harbinger of good and ill - - I step over it - Dave McCroskey That little gem of haiku has pretty much summed up my feeling of general news overload. When I'm sitting at the local coffeehouse/bakery and the average Joe or Jane talks to me about the news or some news they have heard, I'm all attentiveness personified. But when I see it on the … [Read more...] about My fugue state called News
GOP: Not A Whole Lott of Lovin’
Senate Minority Whip Trent Lott will become the sixth Republican senator to announce that he is stepping down in this election cycle if reports of his resignation are true. The Mississippian's term doesn't expire until 2012 and Republican Governor Haley Barbour would have to appoint a replacement to serve before a special election is held. We'll probably know soon enough … [Read more...] about GOP: Not A Whole Lott of Lovin’
McCain Unadorned
Granted, I might be the last remaining McCain fan among TMV's authors and readers, but I still believe there's something to be said for the elegant simplicity of his latest campaign ad, including its marked focus on his record rather than his opponents' flaws. Then again, I'm not sure even I want a candidate proficient at angering people. Yes, I think we need a President with … [Read more...] about McCain Unadorned
Labeling Conservatives and Liberals: The Frickin’ Final Say-So on Liberalis and Conservativos
If I Were Queen of the World: Look, what do I know? What does anyone know, really, that isn’t all just made up by somebody somewhere on the backside of a stall door of a gas station louie up in Idaho? One driver reads the porcelain newspaper there, repeats the latest jargon to another driver and pretty soon it's all over the CB's where it's picked up on a police scanner … [Read more...] about Labeling Conservatives and Liberals: The Frickin’ Final Say-So on Liberalis and Conservativos
Guest Book Review: On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan
This is another Guest Book Review by fiction writer Jessica Schneider who also writes for the highly visited site Cosmoetica, is Book Editor for Monsters and Critics and is the only contributor to her own blog. ADVISORY: Some of this review deals with adult-oriented passages. Book Review: On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan by Jessica Schneider On Chesil Beach by Ian … [Read more...] about Guest Book Review: On Chesil Beach by Ian McEwan
Obama And Romney Trade Barbs On Drug Use
It's time to induct another person into The Moderate Voice's highly-coveted Get A Life Club. This time it's someone running for political office. The Get A Life Club Award is given to an individual, group or institution that reveals his/her or its need to get a deeper sense of perspective due to an obsession with P.C. or other things blown way out of proportion. Other … [Read more...] about Obama And Romney Trade Barbs On Drug Use
Guest Poet: The Shaven
Another poetic gem from TMV's favorite poet, Michael Silverstein, aka Wall Street Poet. POET'S NOTE: A few years back someone did a parody of Poe's poem, "The Raven," in the New York Times. It was called "The Maven" and was so good that out of respect I've held back from doing my own take-off of this poem. Now it's time to move on. And with that in mind, I offer "The … [Read more...] about Guest Poet: The Shaven
Why Dracula Should Fear China
The answer is HERE. (I better double check my mezuzah...) … [Read more...] about Why Dracula Should Fear China
Green Hot Air
Monte Wolverton, Cagle Cartoon … [Read more...] about Green Hot Air
Bush’s Last Chance To Change His Image…& the World?
Venue: Annapolis, Maryland. Subject: Middle East Peace Conference. Major Participants: The USA, the Israelis, the Palestinians, the Syrians, and the Saudis. This week, beginning Tuesday, will see President George Bush make his first, and almost certainly his only, major attempt to bring an end to the world's most intractable conflict, reports The Independent. How … [Read more...] about Bush’s Last Chance To Change His Image…& the World?
True Spirit of Christmas
Brian Fairrington, Cagle Cartoons … [Read more...] about True Spirit of Christmas
Once a Terrorist, Always a Terrorist?
I just finished reading a report about efforts by Indonesian authorities to "deradicalize" hard-core jihadi members of Jemaah Islamiya and other groups. This isn't the only place that such a thing has been tried -- similar programs have been instituted in countries like Singapore, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Britain. By using a variety of tactics, the aim of these programs is to … [Read more...] about Once a Terrorist, Always a Terrorist?
“Racism as Subjectification”: Draft Posted
You may have noticed a brief skip in my blogging these past few weeks. While there have been many reasons for this -- finals, applications, holidays -- the excuse I'm currently settling on is that I've been finishing up my latest article. And I am pleased to announce that I have just posted a completed draft of "Racism as Subjectification" online to the SSRN (you can download … [Read more...] about “Racism as Subjectification”: Draft Posted
Has Time Expired For Fred Thompson’s 2008 Republican Presidential Nomination Candidacy?
Actor and former Senator Fred Thompson's candidacy has always been one of the most interesting in the 2008 GOP Presidential nomination sweepstakes. You can't quite say he was drafted but there was a virtual clamor by some to get him in the race. After all, he was the perfect anti-Giuliani, the anti-Romney, the anti-McCain and reminded many in his plainspoken manner, with … [Read more...] about Has Time Expired For Fred Thompson’s 2008 Republican Presidential Nomination Candidacy?
Positive Campaign Commercials
They're trying something new in this political campaign--subtlety. The '08 candidates are using this unlikely weapon out of fear that voters may be turned off by the customary sledgehammer attack ads. So reports Howard Kurtz in the Washington Post, citing commercials that ooze with good feelings about themselves but hide embedded barbs for their rivals. A Romney ad … [Read more...] about Positive Campaign Commercials
Hillary, Obama Fight
Paresh Nath, National Herald, India … [Read more...] about Hillary, Obama Fight
Joni Mitchell Is a Goddess
One test of the greatness of a singer-songwriter is whether and how successfully their catalogue is covered by other musicians. By that token, Joni Mitchell is a goddess. But then we already knew that, didn't we? As I have traveled around the jazz radio webcast dial in recent weeks, I have heard selections from Mitchell's extraordinary songbook covered by Judy Niemack, … [Read more...] about Joni Mitchell Is a Goddess
Nawaz Sharif is Back Home!
On landing in Lahore after a long and forced exile in Saudi Arabia, Pakistan's former prime minister Nawaz Sharif proclaimed that his objectives were to "rid the country of military rule and to strengthen democracy". But how? General Musharraf continues to have the full backing of the US administration...But Sharif may like to cash on the friendship he may have developed with … [Read more...] about Nawaz Sharif is Back Home!
Is CNN Sick? Or Merely Slick?
There is much to find fault with the cable television news networks, but it has puzzled me how many bloggers waste their time -- and bandwidth -- endlessly harping about the perceived shortcomings and biases of CNN, Fox News and MSNBC. God knows that they have plenty of both, but aside from occasionally giving CNN the back of my hand over its fascination with stories on … [Read more...] about Is CNN Sick? Or Merely Slick?
Nawaz Sharif’s Plane Takes Off: Saudi King Gifts Him Bullet Proof Cars
Nawaz Sharif, the exiled former prime minister of Pakistan, has boarded the plane in Saudi Arabia and should reach his country at 5.25 pm (about 1200 GMT), his nephew told news agencies. Meanwhile Saudi King Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz has gifted to Sharif two bulletproof Mercedes cars and also lent a helicopter for use during the elections from his personal fleet. Well if … [Read more...] about Nawaz Sharif’s Plane Takes Off: Saudi King Gifts Him Bullet Proof Cars