Our family regularly enjoys the CBS crime-drama Numb3rs. No, it's not the greatest TV ever made, but it's just quirky enough to hold our attention. That, plus it feeds a certain wishful thought of mine, that life would be so much easier if everything could be boiled down to mathematics. Of course, it can't be, but a little math here and there can shed remarkably clear light … [Read more...] about The Math of Political Hypocrisy
Who’s Polarizing Whom?
Presidential polls keep telling us Hillary Clinton and Rudy Giuliani are “polarizing†voters. Even as they widen their leads by more than 2-1, the two front runners are beset by sizable minorities who swear never to vote for them under any circumstances. The new Los Angeles Times/Bloomberg numbers show the former First Lady “viewed unfavorably by 44% of respondents†… [Read more...] about Who’s Polarizing Whom?
Is Putin Really That Popular?
Garry Kasparov, the main opposition candidate for the Russian presidency, has repeatedly denied that Putin's approval rating is as high as 70-80% (as a number of polls have suggested). He argues that Russia is a police state and, as a result, poll numbers can't be trusted. Is he on to something? I explore this idea over at Foreign Policy Watch. … [Read more...] about Is Putin Really That Popular?
Will Mother Nature Give Southern California A Break On Fires?
Is an angry Mother Nature about to give Southern California a break on the massive fires that have caused $1 billion in damage? Hopes are now guardedly high: A massive aerial assault and a break in harsh winds helped firefighters make their first major progress against Southern California's firestorm, raising evacuees' hopes of returning home for good. But flames were … [Read more...] about Will Mother Nature Give Southern California A Break On Fires?
California Wildfires
Bob Englehart, The Hartford Courant … [Read more...] about California Wildfires
Look At What Bork Hath Wrought
I am pausing to note the 20th anniversary this week of Robert Bork's rejection as a Supreme Court justice because I've just finished the best current-affairs book to come along since forever – The Nine, Jeffrey Toobin's insightful story of the "secret world" of The Supremes. Bork, of course, is best known as the origin of the pejorative verb to bork, which is defined as … [Read more...] about Look At What Bork Hath Wrought
Around The Sphere Blogging Roundup October 25, 2007
Our link-fest offering readers links to blog posts from websites of many different viewpoints. Linked posts do NOT necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV or its writers. Where Is The National Guard? New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson asks a question that has started making the rounds of progressive talk shows: in natural disasters such as California, are there sufficient … [Read more...] about Around The Sphere Blogging Roundup October 25, 2007
Guest Voice: Does Larry Sabato Really Want A Constitutional Convention?
NOTE: The Moderate Voice from time to time runs Guest Voice posts by readers who don't have their own website or some people who do who want to present their viewpoint or just another perspective to TMV's highly diverse readership. Guest Voice columns do not necessarily reflect the opinion of TMV or its writers. This is TMV's third Guest Voice by Joel S. Hirschhorn. Special … [Read more...] about Guest Voice: Does Larry Sabato Really Want A Constitutional Convention?
California en llamas
Antonio Neri Licón, Milenio, Mexico … [Read more...] about California en llamas
Fight Between Turks and Kurds Already Resembles U.S. Invasion
Is the situation between Turks and Kurds in Northern Iraq spinning out of control, much like it has in the rest of the country? According to the op-ed article from Brazil's leading newspaper O Globo, "As is occurring in the south of Iraq, the bloody rearrangement of the internal situation seems to go on without the Americans - who uncovered the boiling pot of conflicts in the … [Read more...] about Fight Between Turks and Kurds Already Resembles U.S. Invasion
America’s Collaborators: Are They Sunni or Shiite?
Are Iraqi Shiites getting a bad rap for collaborating with the Americans, when it's really the Sunnis who are the biggest aiders and abettors of the 'occupier?' According to this op-ed article from Iraq's Kitabat newspaper, "Look at a map of the Arab nation from the Atlantic Ocean to the Persian Gulf and put your finger on any of the puppet regimes allied with America, and then … [Read more...] about America’s Collaborators: Are They Sunni or Shiite?
The Scene In Burning San Diego County
View it and weep (I have seen some of this first-hand): This excellent video is produced by my professional alma mater, the San Diego Union-Tribune newspaper. And there are human interest stories (tons of them) like this: UPDATE: But some residents are critical of the efforts so far. Stuart O'Neill, writing in The Democratic Daily, says he has seen first-hand … [Read more...] about The Scene In Burning San Diego County
California’s Still-Raging $1 Billion Damage Wildfires Touch Marine Base (UPDATED)
I was driving up the I-5 last night at around 9 p.m. on a night when the fires continued to rage in California. I was heading north to Cerritos, CA, in the L.A. area -- and did not expect what I saw shining in the darkness ahead. It was quite a jolt: The hills were alive. And not with the sound of music... As my car moved closer towards Marine base Camp Pendleton I … [Read more...] about California’s Still-Raging $1 Billion Damage Wildfires Touch Marine Base (UPDATED)
Dodd-mentum!
That other Senator from Connecticut is finally starting to gain some traction in his Presidential campaign. And he's doing it the old-fashioned way: taking gutsy (but correct) positions, at the right time, for the right reasons. Dodd may not ultimately have the star power to win the nomination. But at the moment, he's pushing Democratic candidates (and the political debate … [Read more...] about Dodd-mentum!
A Flip-Flopper’s Confession
Yes. I'm a flip-flopper. Of the first degree. Item #225 on the very long list of reasons I could never run for public office. The latest example: The proposed (and languishing, but not yet dead) expansion of the S-CHIP program. First, I was generally in favor of it. Then, I was soundly against it. And then ... the factors that prompted me to change my position were … [Read more...] about A Flip-Flopper’s Confession
So much for those carbon dioxide “sinks”
(Note: I apologize for the link-heavy opening paragraph, but I've done a good deal of writing about the climate crisis over at my place, and these links will take you directly to some of those posts.) I haven't blogged about the climate crisis in some time, except to comment on Al Gore's Nobel win -- as J. Kingston Pierce and J. Thomas Duffy did, too -- but it's been in the … [Read more...] about So much for those carbon dioxide “sinks”
More Blackwater Sewage
AP via MSNBC: State Dept. security chief to resign in aftermath of Blackwater shooting WASHINGTON - The State Department's security chief announced his resignation on Wednesday in the wake of last month's deadly Blackwater USA shooting incident in Baghdad and growing questions about the use of private contractors in Iraq. Richard Griffin, the assistant secretary of state … [Read more...] about More Blackwater Sewage
Secretary Gates Is Not “Satisfied” with NATO
U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates is expected to call for more European contributions to Afghanistan at the NATO Defense Ministers meeting in the Netherlands today and tomorrow. His message to Europeans is according to an interview with Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty that they should "fulfill the commitments that their leaders made in Riga [at the NATO summit in November … [Read more...] about Secretary Gates Is Not “Satisfied” with NATO
The Crusader: Ayaan Hirsi Ali
It makes me cringe when I hear references to Ayaan Hirsi Ali. An ex-Muslim, a former Dutch parliamentarian, and a feminist, Hirsi Ali is often trotted out as some sort of spokeswoman for moderate Islam. A few years back, she wrote a book ("Infidel") and produced a movie ("Submission") that condemn harsh treatment associated with Islam; since then, she's been a celebrity. As … [Read more...] about The Crusader: Ayaan Hirsi Ali
California Fire Bear Grieves
Daryl Cagle, MSNBC.com … [Read more...] about California Fire Bear Grieves