">From Reuters"U.S. growers produce nearly $35 billion worth of marijuana annually, making the illegal drug the country's largest cash crop, bigger than corn and wheat combined, an advocate of medical marijuana use said in a study released on Monday. ..."Like all profitable agricultural crops marijuana adds resources and value to the economy," he added. "The focus of public … [Read more...] about Marijuana top US cash crop

Show of Bipartisanship on Energy Tax CreditA bipartisan group of 42 senators is urging President Bush to extend renewable energy tax credits for five years when he sends Congress his fiscal 2008 budget in early February. In a letter to the president, the lawmakers pointed out that the tax incentive for renewable energy outlined in the Energy Policy Act of 2005 is set to expire … [Read more...] about Show of Bipartisanship on Energy Tax Credit

Washington is giving serious thought to sending more than 20,000 troops to Baghdad mainly to militarily defeat the Mahdi militia of the nationalist Shiite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr. This could be America’s greatest blunder so far and also cause the world to see it as an act of desperation. Supporters of this option hope it would strengthen Prime Minister Nuri Kamal … [Read more...] about On sending more troops to Iraq

The harrowing story of Donald Vance, detained by America in Iraq for 97 days. His "crime"? Being caught in a raid of a company involved in weapons smuggling. The problem? He was the whistleblower who called for the raid in the first place! … [Read more...] about An American Detainee

Today's Literary Quote of the Day is from Virginia Woolf's Jacob's Room:Each has his past shut in him like the leaves of a book known to him by his heart, and his friends can only read the title.As always, share your thoughts or drop one of your own favorite literary quotes in the comment section of this post. … [Read more...] about Literary Quote of the Day: Virginia Woolf

I was not initially amused to read over the weekend that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid "offered qualified support Sunday for a plan to increase U.S. troops in Iraq," according to the AP. After all, it's one thing for Silvestre Reyes to come out in favour of an increase, quite another for the Senate's top Democrat to do so. But Reid does not support an increase just for the … [Read more...] about Reid’s risky strategy

H/t 'Interested' From Macnelly.com. … [Read more...] about They Can’t BUY Me!

Church or School? That is the question An interesting article at the NYT about a teacher who seemed to have some difficulty distinguishing a school building from a Church:Before David Paszkiewicz got to teach his accelerated 11th-grade history class about the United States Constitution this fall, he was accused of violating it. Shortly after school began in September, the … [Read more...] about God and School

The Guardian reports that life isn't quite as good for Ahmadinejad as he might wish:Early results from last Friday's election suggested that his Sweet Scent of Service coalition had won just three out of 15 seats on the symbolically important Tehran city council, foiling Mr Ahmadinejad's plan to oust the mayor and replace him with an ally. Compounding his setback was the … [Read more...] about Setback for Ahmadinejad

The Wall Street Journal on why Obama may not run:Just about everybody seems convinced that Sen. Barack Obama is going to run for president. The Chicago Sun-Times, his hometown paper, is writing as if his candidacy is an established fact. Newsweek magazine cites sources close to him who claim that he's "about 80 percent" certain to run. Obamamania will continue to build until … [Read more...] about WSJ: Why Obama May Not Run

My favorite Diva... by far My good friend Alexandra von Maltzan from All Things Beautiful announced today that she has been nominated for the Grande Conservative Blogress Diva 2007 Award, hosted by Gay Patriot. Obviously, there are many divas in the blogosphere, but there is - in my mind - but one true Diva, with capital 'd': Alexandra. I would like to encourage all of you … [Read more...] about Grande Conservative Blogress Diva 2007… How’s This a Contest?

Hat Tip: Dr. Barnett Report: China weighs covert ops to overthrow North Korea's KimChina has begun drawing up plans to attack North Korea, according to the Paris-based Intelligence Online newsletter. Hu Jintao, head of the Central Military Commission, has ordered the Chinese military to draw up the attack plan as a move "deliberately meant as a threat to the regime of Kim … [Read more...] about China weighs covert ops to overthrow North Korea’s Kim

Florida pols find center fieldLooks like the political middle is going to be crowded in 2007. Gov.-elect Charlie Crist's centrist approach to leadership is suddenly catching on with fellow Republicans, perhaps another sign that Gov. Jeb Bush's my-way-or-the-highway style is waning. House Speaker Marco Rubio and Senate President Ken Pruitt last week gave Democrats unprecedented … [Read more...] about Florida Legislature Embraces Centrism

I was a toddler the last time protesting college students in this country actually feared for their lives. Today, stories like this one make non-experts like me wonder if the ISG report went far enough in its recommendations. Sure, go ahead, negotiate with Syria and Iran. And while you're at it, support the voices of dissent within those countries. Stir up the pot there … [Read more...] about The Simple Wisdom of John Lennon

TMV regulars know that I love New Jersey. This is because I have frittered away countless summer days on its lovely beaches when I could have been baiting its jack-booted Turnpike troopers or being an extra on "The Sopranos." It is in the spirit of comity and good humor that I present this Valentine to the Garden State on this the 223rd anniversary of the day it entered the … [Read more...] about New Jersey: A Garden State of Mind

How about this? … [Read more...] about What Grade Would You Give Newt Gingrich On “Meet The Press”?

In another excellent piece, Foreign Policy Watch details them HERE. … [Read more...] about The Main Differences Between Sunnism And Shi’ism

NOTE: The Moderate Voice often runs Guest Voice columns from readers from the right, left and center who don't have blogs or who have blogs or websites and enjoy posting here due to our diverse readership. Their opinions do NOT necessarily reflect that of TMV or its writers. One of our most frequent and popular periodic contributors is Michael Silverstein, aka Wall Street … [Read more...] about Guest Voice: Wall Street Poet’s “Predictions for 2007 (and beyond)”

Brace yourself to meet, via You Tube, Mrs. Miller. Mrs. Elva Miller of Claremont, California became a big hit in the late 60s and early 70s, appearing on the Ed Sullivan Show singing rock and pop hits in a voice that made people think she could NOT be serious. She was. And she developed a following because she took her music — mega-vibrato, missed beats and all — … [Read more...] about The “Unique” Musical Stylings Of Mrs. Miller

...holds lessons that we need to learn, although we refuse to even see the warning.    The legacy of Chernobyl --- Cross-posted to Random Fate. … [Read more...] about A forgotten disaster…