Yee Haw! Another interesting episode in the history of the Middle-East. Where, in the past, different sects went at each other's throat by merely using conventional weapons, they upgrade their weapons in Episode 1 000 005 of this thought-provoking book. O, as Charles points out: "Oops, my mistake. Upon closer reading, I see this is all about peace".The oil-rich Arab states on … [Read more...] about Nuclear Arms Race Here We Go!

I bought into the conventional wisdom that the Iraq Study Group report would provide the necessary political cover for President Bush to make some badly needed course corrections. I was wrong. The new CW is that harrumphing over the report by conservative hawks will provide the necessary cover for The Decider to reject much of the report. More here. … [Read more...] about The Iraq Study Group & Conventional Wisdom

Allow me to start by acknowledging the obvious irony: My first post on The Moderate Voice is anything but moderate. But sometimes, to reach a moderate or centrist conclusion, we must all start with an extreme suggestion, so we can work our way back to the viable middle. And that is precisely my intent here. I know we'll never stop political lies … any more than we'll … [Read more...] about Goodbye Political Lies

I've never quite understood the fascination with all things Mafia, but two new reports just out – one on the state of organized crime in New England and the other on mobster economics – as well as a new book bound for the bestseller list show that this phenomenon, pickled in Hollywood brine, is alive and well in contrast to the mob's victims. I would be disingenuous if I … [Read more...] about Our Ongoing Fascination With All Things Mafia

The political reporters have a new narrative. The broadcast and print talking heads have a new unknown (who he is and how he will fare) that is morphing into a known (why, it looks like he'll make the leap!). The subject: Democrat Barack Obama, who is being pitchforked into the headlines — which could be causing a few worries for Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton, if she … [Read more...] about 2008 Presidential Race Speculation Becomes Obama Orama

Who says the younger generation doesn't discover very old music? Here's an instant classic lip sync of a now politically-incorrect song (somewhat underacted here): … [Read more...] about And Now A Lip Sync Break 4 U

I find it very unfortunate that this blog award issue has appeared to have fractured so many relationships in the blogging community. I will never understand why people would take such a fun opportunity and turn it into stereotypical online flaming. Alas.... I am lucky that my blog is in a much lower-key category--the only interaction I've had with my fellow nominees is … [Read more...] about To The Polls!

">Prime Minister Tony Blair has long hinted that he harbours doubts about the ideology of multi-culturalism that has done so much to divide one British person from another. Recently, he finally expressed those doubts – plainly enough to infuriate both professional multi-culturalists in the public sector and the Muslim Association of Britain, which described his remarks as … [Read more...] about The Limits of Multi-Culturalism

Kurt Vonnegut Jr. As all of you know, I read a lot. I thought that it would be nice to start a new, daily routine: the literary quote of the day. For those who already read a lot, perhaps you recognize the quote and want to leave a comment about it / the author... or perhaps it makes you realize that you did not read the specific essay, article, book, story, poem, etc. it … [Read more...] about Literary Quote of the Day: Kurt Vonnegut Jr.

Jimmy Carter's new book attacking Israel isn't meant to sway liberals away from supporting the Jewish state. It's meant to sway evangelicals. … [Read more...] about Carter’s Targets

This may sound strange... but we at TMV want you all to stop voting for the Weblog Awards. Well, you should not stop voting entirely, please continue to vote for David Schraub and for Ed Morrissey, but stop voting for The Moderate Voice in the "Best Centrist Blog" category. Wonder why? Here's the answer, from Ann Althouse's blog:Don't forget to... ... vote. Here. You can vote … [Read more...] about Stop Voting and… Acting Obsessed Are We?

Ed has a good post up about Iran and - what seems to be - its reaction to the report of the Iraq Study Group. His conclusion: The Iranians analyzed the Iraq Security Group report most accurately; it's obviously a proposal for withdrawal and failure. Teheran would love to see this happen, but now sense that they can name their price to help us comprehend our utter defeat against … [Read more...] about Time to Deal with Iran

Reuters via MSNBC: Augusto Pinochet dies, Chilean TV reports. Chilean military hospital reports death of controversial former dictatorCUE: Holly Near's "Hay Una Mujer Desaparecido" … [Read more...] about Pinochet has died

We now know what killed Alexander Litvinenko... radioactive tea:POISONED former KGB spy Alexander Litvinenko WAS murdered by radioactive tea, it was revealed yesterday. Scotland Yard detectives have quarantined cups and saucers which show signs of being heavily contaminated with polonium 210 from the Pines Bar at the Millennium Hotel in Mayfair, Central London. They are … [Read more...] about Want Tea?

In a jaw-dropping result Saturday, an underwhelming 16% of registered voters in Louisiana's 2nd District returned William "Dollar Bill" Jefferson to Congress for another term. From NOLA's Times-Picayune: Overcoming the specter of a roiling federal corruption probe that threatened to draw the curtain on his 16-year career on Capitol Hill, U.S. Rep. William Jefferson survived … [Read more...] about The confounding re-election of William Jefferson

The Times of London reports that high level US officials negotiated with Iraqi insurgents about the situation in Iraq. Sadly, those negotations ended after two months. The reason? They felt betrayed (in the words of best conservative blogger, Ed Morrissey) when al-Maliki's government was formed:At the first meeting with Khalilzad on January 17, the insurgents expressed concern … [Read more...] about U.S. Negotiated With Iraqi Insurgents

The Congressman from New Orleans who keeps large sums of cash in his freezer has been re-elected. NOLA Blog Washington Post … [Read more...] about Expel William Jefferson from Congress

The daily reminder: please do not forget to vote for this year's Weblog Awards. TMV has been nominated for Best Centrist Blog. You can vote every 24 hours, until 15 December. TMV is currently second, the gap with Althouse is growing. Secondly, please do not forget to vote for co-blogger David Schraub's blog The Debate Link. It has been nominated for Best of the Top 3501 - 5000 … [Read more...] about Weblog Awards 2006

Wondering who owns this cat? Go to Kiko's House to find out! … [Read more...] about One Famous Cat

The Moderate Voice is reviving its Get A Life Club©. To become a member of the TMV's Get A Life Club© someone must be so incredibly politically correct or inane in turning a small thing into a screaming or legal crusade that they deserve special recognition for leaving us truly stunned. And we have double lifetime inductees here:When a Bellmead father received a … [Read more...] about Four Year Old Suspended For “Inappropriate” Hug Of Teacher