By Barry Jagoda Reunions to celebrate the “good old days” are privileges of growing older. Three such emotional, memorable events happened to me this month. Joining 200 high school friends and acquaintances brought back warm memories of growing up in the suburbs of Houston 50 years ago. Then, after 40 years, getting back with Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter—in Atlanta and in … [Read more...] about As We Age, Learning Important Lessons from Our Own History
Time-lapse photos show just how quickly the world’s glaciers are disappearing
An elegy for ice Justin LaBerge via Flickr The world's glaciers are disappearing quickly. The rapid melting of Iceland's Sólheimajökull glacier is tangible. When I visited in 2013, our guide punctuated every few steps by saying, "Ten years ago the glacier would have started here .... five years ago the glacier would have started here." Each… … [Read more...] about Time-lapse photos show just how quickly the world’s glaciers are disappearing
Military Weekend: It’s ‘Touch ’n Go’
It has been a rough week all around. So, with the weekend around the corner, here is some lighter stuff, courtesy of one of the lesser-known -- yet very popular and professional -- military/Air Force bands and ensembles. The U.S. Air Force Rock/Pop ensemble "Touch 'n Go" is based at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, part of the United States Air Forces in Europe Band. It was … [Read more...] about Military Weekend: It’s ‘Touch ’n Go’
Review of The 5th Avenue Theatre’s Production of The Secret Garden: Sleepy Beauty
After watching The 5th Avenue Theatre’s opening night production of The Secret Garden I was reminded of my recent trip to the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival. While visiting the tulip festival I was at first overwhelmed by the acres of vibrantly colored tulips in full bloom. From a distance, the rows of flowers looked as if they were solid ribbons of color. Some fields were … [Read more...] about Review of The 5th Avenue Theatre’s Production of The Secret Garden: Sleepy Beauty
The real O’Reilly factor: swinish entitlement endures (Guest Voice)
Frankly, the news that Bill O'Reilly has finally got his walking papers doesn't move me to joy. O'Reilly reigned at Fox News for more than two decades. He reveled in his lordly stature, his self-regard puffed up by adoring fans across America. These acolytes even now are readily casting blame upon the women who called out… … [Read more...] about The real O’Reilly factor: swinish entitlement endures (Guest Voice)
Ghost in the Shell review
[Taken from the Chocolate Films blog] This is a piece about Ghost in the Shell but let me start off by talking about one of the best video games of 2016, Uncharted 4: A Thief’s End. This game is sure to be considered a Playstation classic but it’s also notable because it survived a race related controversy. There is a character called Nadine in the game, a kickass mercenary … [Read more...] about Ghost in the Shell review
Cartoon: THEY’LL LET ANYONE IN HERE (UPDATED)
Much has been made of the Trump administration concealing the visitors log so the public can’t see who’s leaving a trail of slime in and out of the White House. It really makes me wonder what kind of sludge they would be ashamed to be associated with if they’re sharing photos of the likes of Sarah Palin, Ted Nugent, and Kid Rock standing around Trump at the Resolute Desk. Wanna … [Read more...] about Cartoon: THEY’LL LET ANYONE IN HERE (UPDATED)
Julian Assange’s Arrest, ‘A Priority’ – Attorney General Jeff Sessions
The recent presidential elections in Ecuador held a personal significance for this author for two reasons. First, as a native of that small, beautiful South American country, I remain interested in its social, political and economic progress and future -- so much of it dependent on the newly elected president. Second, as an American, indignant at the damage that one man … [Read more...] about Julian Assange’s Arrest, ‘A Priority’ – Attorney General Jeff Sessions
Trump’s Broken Promise Could Break Another Promise
Smoke has been billowing skyward from the Trumpster fire for nearly 100 days - I know, it feels more like 100 weeks - and his refusal to release his tax returns is only stoking the flames. Basically, his broken campaign promise to release his tax returns (a promise he had voiced repeatedly) is now imperiling his grandiose campaign promise to overhaul a tax system that he … [Read more...] about Trump’s Broken Promise Could Break Another Promise
Russia’s Shadow-War in a Wary Europe
As the French prepare to vote Sunday in a presidential election marked by acrimonious debate about Russian influence in Europe, there’s little doubt about which candidate Moscow backs. Last month, the combative populist Marine Le Pen of the right-wing National Front flew to Moscow to meet with President Vladimir Putin. It was a display of longtime… … [Read more...] about Russia’s Shadow-War in a Wary Europe
Site work continuing
Hello readers. The Moderate Voice has been through a large number of issues the past 6 to 9 months. Site attacks primarily but also how to align itself in the current hyper-active 24/7 news cycle with social media. We've held on, more or less, to the traditional blog style format. But that will change to better accommodate more types of news from many angles … [Read more...] about Site work continuing
Ex NFL Superstar Hangs Himself to Death.
Aaron Hernandez had a signed a forty million dollar contract in 2013 to play tight end for the NFL's New England Patriots. Turns out there was problem. The problem it seems, is that he was a high school gang banger and couldn't give up the lifestyle and killed another human being. Today, he hung himself to death in his jail cell. They are good people; military … [Read more...] about Ex NFL Superstar Hangs Himself to Death.
Cartoonists have field day with cartoons on O’Reilly firing (Cartoon roundup)
It’s time to pull the plug on repeal-and-replace
WASHINGTON -- House Republicans are apparently ready for yet another attempt to snatch health insurance away from constituents who need it. Someone should remind Speaker Paul Ryan of a saying often attributed to his legendary predecessor, Sam Rayburn: "There's no education in the second kick of the mule." Having failed miserably to win passage of an abomination of a bill -- … [Read more...] about It’s time to pull the plug on repeal-and-replace
Four and Score
Four-twenty, a slang term for ingesting intoxicating forms of cannibis, a/k/a marijuana, comes to us, urban etymologists tell us, from a group of California high school stoners who met at that time in an appointed place to partake of the outlawed hemp. CBS even commissioned a poll just for the occasion: Support for marijuana legalization at all-time high CBS News — … [Read more...] about Four and Score
North Korea Is the Other Way (UPDATES)
UPDATE IV: Good Ending Defense Department: A pilot safely ejected and was quickly recovered by a helicopter assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 4 aboard USS Carl Vinson while conducting routine flight operations during a transit in the Celebes Sea. The incident occurred as the F/A-18E assigned to Carrier Air Wing 2 was on final approach to Carl Vinson. … [Read more...] about North Korea Is the Other Way (UPDATES)
‘Global Fallout’ Seen If North Korea Crisis Escalates
World powers such as France, Germany, Britain and China have an obligation to stop North Korea from triggering a worldwide crisis over its nuclear weapons program, the European Union's foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, warned Thursday. As tensions between the U.S. and North Korea have risen in recent days, with both nations exchanging increasingly tough warnings… … [Read more...] about ‘Global Fallout’ Seen If North Korea Crisis Escalates
Cartoon: BYE BYE, O’REILLY (Cartoon and Column)
The political world got a bit of a jolt yesterday when Fox News kicked their longtime ratings giant and right-wing pundit Bill O’Reilly to the curb yesterday over repeated charges of sexual harassment. I know. It’s tearing you apart. There are many takeaways to this with the first for conservatives being, “but what about Bill Clinton?” Anyone who throws out the Clinton … [Read more...] about Cartoon: BYE BYE, O’REILLY (Cartoon and Column)
Our government is not a Trump property
WASHINGTON -- Two issues are paramount in American politics. The first is whether President Trump will get away with his arrogant dismissal of the public's right to a transparent government free of corrupting conflicts of interest. The second is whether those who would hold him to account remain focused, mobilized and determined. They are related. There are many reasons to … [Read more...] about Our government is not a Trump property
The Patriot As Sleazebag: Why Rudy Giuliani May Be The Worst Person In The World
Politics always has been populated by sleazebags, but every generation or so one comes along who is so vile that he stands out from the pack. So it is with Rudy Giuliani. The stories of Giuliani's sleazyness are legion, and that is quite an accomplishment since he came into most of our lives on the highest of notes -- as "America's Mayor" who took charge after the 9/11 … [Read more...] about The Patriot As Sleazebag: Why Rudy Giuliani May Be The Worst Person In The World