It's a another day in sunny (a positive point), windy (a problem), and fiery (a reality) Southern California. And as Californians -- particularly San Diegans -- arose in their homes and some 500,00 of them stressfully arose in their shelters or temporary lodgings, the news was not good. The winds are still going strong. There are wind advisories. And the end of the windy … [Read more...] about Massive Southern California Fires Fuel Unprecedented Mass Evacuations
The swoon that was: Fred Thompson and the “values” of the Republican Party
"Thompson's fall from grace" was the headline of a post by my friend Steve Benen at Talking Points Memo. While Romney and Huckabee led the way at the religious right's recent self-glorifying two-day "Values Voter Summit" in Washington, much to no one's surprise, Thompson placed well back in fourth, a distant fourth, behind Romney and Huckabee, a close 1-2, and Paul, a decent … [Read more...] about The swoon that was: Fred Thompson and the “values” of the Republican Party
Hillary Trick or Treat
Brian Fairrington, Cagle Cartoons … [Read more...] about Hillary Trick or Treat
Battle For the Heart & Soul of Libraries
I have more than a passing acquaintance with the question of whether electronic media will replace books because of my day job in a rare book and manuscript library that sits within a larger library with nearly 3 million bound volumes and millions of electronic resources. The answer in my neck of the woods is that books will coexist for the foreseeable because it is the … [Read more...] about Battle For the Heart & Soul of Libraries
Let the Americans Try and Stop Us! …
Is the United States prepared to stop Turkey from entering Northern Iraq? Judging from this op-ed article from Turkey's largest newspaper, Hurriyet, that may not be advisable ... "What if American F-16s come in front of us to block us? Let them try, that's their business. … Our targets will be on Barzani's military and economic targets. Our goal will be to transform the … [Read more...] about Let the Americans Try and Stop Us! …
Guest Poet: The Right Payroll Priorities
Another poetic gem from TMV's favorite poet, Michael Silverstein, aka Wall Street Poet: Hard times are coming for many U.S. companies. In order to stay afloat they will have to cut payroll costs. There are two choices when doing so. They can fire 200 workers whose average pay is $50,000 a year. Or halve the salary of one $20 million a year CEO. Each choice saves $10 million … [Read more...] about Guest Poet: The Right Payroll Priorities
Rudy Giuliani
Bob Englehart, The Hartford Courant … [Read more...] about Rudy Giuliani
Baldilocks, Fare Well For Now
I know Baldilocks as the first blogger to link to one of my posts when I began coblogging at the Moderate Voice seven months ago. Baldilocks, hmm, I thought, thank you! And what an unusual name you have. I found out Baldilocks is a sharp woman, with a close shaved head on purpose, and a beautiful first name: Juliette; She is insightful, tough, heartful and especially, well … [Read more...] about Baldilocks, Fare Well For Now
Glenn Beck: Partisan Demonization Amid Southern California’s Devastating Fires
SAN DIEGO, CA -- I just drove 250 miles from Central California down to San Diego County -- a county that has parts of it literally under fire. By Mother Nature -- and now by a talk show host. I saw the plumes of smoke. Outside of L.A., I saw helicopters flying away from a smoky area. Several fire engines with lights flashing zipped down the highway. Local news talked about … [Read more...] about Glenn Beck: Partisan Demonization Amid Southern California’s Devastating Fires
Burma: How Things Are
This is a picture of Than Schwe's latest publicity stunt in Burma, posting in public places, photographs of his innocent victims in chains and often beaten. Each prisoner is forced to hold a sign admitting to their crimes against Than Schwe. They were rounded up for as little as clapping as the monks and nuns marched, for as little as giving food to the holy people. One grim … [Read more...] about Burma: How Things Are
TMV & The Common Ground
My post earlier this month on the “vicious underbelly of the blogosphere†rearing its ugly head in the Graeme Frost affair reverberated far and wide, including a reference in a Washington Post op-ed column and in this article in NRC Handelsblad, a Dutch newspaper. (Sorry, no link available.) NRC Reporter Tom Jan Meuss refers to The Moderate Voice as “a weblog that is … [Read more...] about TMV & The Common Ground
Spreading Southern California Fires Take Toll And Spark Deja Vu
CNN - NASA Satellite Photo Showing California Wildfires LEBEC, California -- The skies in Lebec, right outside "The Grapevine" incline that takes travelers upwards towards Los Angeles, are bright blue at the center -- and speckled with increasingly darker shadings of brown stemming from the bottom of the horizon. The winds blow -- winds strong enough to fan spreading … [Read more...] about Spreading Southern California Fires Take Toll And Spark Deja Vu
Center of Attention
A round up of recent commentary by assorted voices who either attempt to strike a balanced note on heated debates and controversial issues, or improve our ability to find our own sense of balance by exposing us to new information and different points-of-view. -------------------------- The ed board of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, my hometown daily and one of the leftest … [Read more...] about Center of Attention
Democrat Rangel Rips Into Giuliani’s Personal Life
If you're a Democrat, Republican or independent who wasn't in a coma during Bill Clinton's presidency you'll remember that many of Clinton's backers, Democrats and many other Americans argued that going after a politician's private life was a way to "get" him when he couldn't be gotten on the issues. Republicans leaped not only over Clinton's testimony but on talk-radio and … [Read more...] about Democrat Rangel Rips Into Giuliani’s Personal Life
Torture and Confession
Awhile back, I wrote a post for The Moderate Voice about the torture debate in this country. A few days after putting the piece up, I noticed a comment by a man who went by the pseudonym "mondliath." He had written the response after much of the discussion had died down, so I doubt that many people had a chance to read it. A Western expatriate, mondliath testified to having … [Read more...] about Torture and Confession
Iraq War: ‘Strap Yourself To The Tree With Roots, You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere’
Buy me a flute/And a gun that shoots Tailgates and substitutes/Strap yourself To the tree with roots/You ain't goin' nowhere -- BOB DYLAN Looking back over the long arc of the war in Iraq – a misadventure that shows no sign of ending any time soon -- the predominant themes are the arrogance and ignorance of a presidential administration that has done virtually … [Read more...] about Iraq War: ‘Strap Yourself To The Tree With Roots, You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere’
Hungarian Uprising 1956: To Remember Those Who Remember
Like the Burmese presently, like other innocent groups risking their lives for true liberty just to be allowed to live in free and decent ways without governmental oppression... in 1956 the Hungarian young, middle-aged and elderly, took to the streets to rail against the Soviets, fighting for freedom for Hungary. When the marchers were met in the streets by Russian soldiers … [Read more...] about Hungarian Uprising 1956: To Remember Those Who Remember
Take A Peek At Repptide
Take A Peek at Repptide -- a fascinating (and addicting) concept in tracking opinion on the Internet. And it's a site that promises to be a resource for weblog writers who want to come up with an idea for a post: Repptide tracks a slew of fascinating items (which are rated). It's creator explains it's mission this way: What's repptide? It's probably best described as an … [Read more...] about Take A Peek At Repptide
Guest Voice: “Feeling Like†versus “Being A Member Of†A Religious Minority
NOTE: The Moderate Voice from time to time runs Guest Voice posts by readers who don't have their own website or who do but 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 by Jill Miller Zimon who has a great blog Writes Like She Talks. She … [Read more...] about Guest Voice: “Feeling Like†versus “Being A Member Of†A Religious Minority
This Just In!!
THIS JUST IN from investigative reporter Andy Borowitz:Dean Reassures Democrats: ‘We Will Find a Way to Screw This Up’ DNC Chief Determined to Uphold Losing Tradition Amid a growing belief that there is no way the Democrats can blow the 2008 presidential election, Democratic National Committee chief Howard Dean sought today to reassure the party faithful that the party … [Read more...] about This Just In!!