The whole world is in very big trouble financially. Will the bailout bill help? No-one knows.

Financial collapses tend to also cause societal collapse. The 1930s didn't just spawn 25% unemployment, it also spawned ideological fanaticism that created such gems as Authoritarian Ethnic Imperialism (Fascists! Killed millions), Nationalist Ethnic Supremacism (Nazis! Killed millions), Authoritarian Socialism (Stalinists! Killed hundreds of millions), misguided social engineering experiments (Genocide! Prohibition! Sterilization! Also killed tens of millions) so unbending that a global war (Killed tens of millions) and a 6 decade long simmering world-spanning indirect conflict (Killed tens of millions) before things finally settled down again.

Are you willing to spawn another period of unrest that will kill another few hundred million people? Is "sticking it to the man" worth that to you?

I'd do ANYTHING to prevent that from happening again.

Much as Bush has caused amongst the Progressive movement a condition that Conservatives like to dub "Bush Derangement Syndrome" (or BDS), I have noticed a strikingly similar condition in Conservatives.  I shall, in their honor, dub it "Obama Derangement Syndrome".
It is characterized by several delusions that are taken as the Gospel Truth.
Derangement Symphtom #1: Belief that Obama cannot speak intelligently or spontaneously, and can only recite a script.
This is possibly my favorite delusion, as it goes against all evidence, except the fact that, in an affectation to appeal to people who appreciate "folksy" speech, Obama has adopted an affected thoughtfulness where, instead of law-school-professor like pauses (where his point sinks in) he pretends to be thinking and "uh" and "um"s.  Conservatives have taken this as a sign of idiocy, and have thus completely let down their guard and do not consider him a threat anymore.  They therefore simply cannot understand how it is possible he can convince so many people of his ideas.  They can't get it, and it's making them lose their minds.  In their universe, leaders bark orders like a drill seargent, so the affectation of a "kitchen table voice" just seems weak.
Derangement Symphtom #2:  Obsession with phantom scandals, non-issues and vague associates.

The Conservatives can't get over the fact that the "first wave" of smears they tried to pin on Obama all either dried up from lack of evidence, backfired on them horribly, or proved to be so absurd as to be laughable.  They still believe that these are not only true, but just can't understand why the "Mainstream Media" isn't playing a special report on the gay con artist guy or the 60's rebel guy, or the dead choir boy or whatever it is they believe 24/7.  It's not that they're ridiculous, on no, it must be a shh... it's a CONSPIRACY!
Derangement Symphtom #3: IOKIYAR only exists in their little world now, and it's not fair

For years the It's OK If You're A Republican phenomenon survived just fine, and hypocrisy went unquestioned, no matter how absurd it is.  This year however, it seems the electorate actually managed to overdose in IOKIYAR, woke up in the hospital, and asked the media what the hell happened.  As if by revealed wisdom, the media rediscovered Republican hypocrisy as though for the first time.  This is why the Republicans are going nuts over the "leftwing media", as IOKIYAR doesn't seem to apply anymore, which is apocalyptic news for them.  This is especially disturbing for them as they try to pin the financial disaster on Democrats and this time, noone is listening to them.  They've been trying nonstop for 2 weeks now, but without IOKIYAR, the story just can't get off the ground, since to accept such a fact, you have to ignore A LOT of Republican dirty business and pretend it isn't there.
All in all, it's becoming a very distressing time to be a Republican.  ODS is striking many of them very hard.

The Puntland pirates strike again.  It's sort of an open secret that the US tolerates the pirates from Puntland State of Somalia and allows them to prey on shipping lanes.  I now see why.

Paying a seven-million-dollar bribe, America tries to obtain permission from Somalia seafarers to enter and observe the stolen Iranian ship.

According to the reports, to justify this measure American authorities submit that this ship contains nuclear substances and arms. 

Stressing that the local authorities of (Somalia) the Region of Puntland to try to help Americans in their measures, it said in this report:

For some reason Americans have no courage to attack the ship. 

Authorities from the Iranian Navigation Organization have announced that the cargo ship "Iranian ship which has been rented by a German company, contains chemical substances and industrial products.

Iran has rejected reports that its vessel hijacked by Somali pirates in the Gulf of Aden was carrying a 'dangerous consignment'. 

The pirates were angry because when they opened the cargo of the Iranian ship, several Somalis died, while others lost hair and suffered skin burns, Reuters quoted Andrew Mwangura, of the Kenyan-based East African Seafarers' Assistance Program, as saying. 

"It must have been a very dangerous chemical," he added, without identifying the substance. 

Iran's shipping company, however, said on Monday that the report was a 'sheer lie', adding, "The ship - Iran Diyanat had no dangerous consignment on board." 

It also dismissed allegations that the ship fetched a $200,000 payment from its owners, saying, "Despite hopeful progress made in talks with the pirates, no ransom has yet been paid to them." 

Iran says:-Mwangura claimed that the Iranian ship was supposed to be released, but now the pirates are saying the $200,000 was for facilitation only. "They want more money for the ransom." 

"Iran reserves the right to file a lawsuit against Andrew Mwangura at an authorized international court for spreading lies," Iran's shipping company said. 

It added that all 29 crew members are in good health and that the company is doing its utmost to release the bulk carrier as early as possible. 

The ship was carrying 42,500 tons of minerals and industrial products for a German firm at the time it was hijacked in the Gulf of Aden off the Somali coast on August 21. 

Several international cargo ships have been hijacked near Somalia. 

Somali gunmen reportedly hold more than 10 ships for ransom at Eyl, a lawless outpost, once a fishing village.

Here is the full text of the bill.
Or if you don't feel like reading 30 odd pages of legalese, here is a summary:

Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Reform Act of 2005 - Amends the Federal Housing Enterprises Financial Safety and Soundness Act of 1992 to establish: (1) in lieu of the Office of Federal Housing Enterprise Oversight of the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), an independent Federal Housing Enterprise Regulatory Agency which shall have authority over the Federal Home Loan Bank Finance Corporation, the Federal Home Loan Banks, the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae), and the Federal Home Loan Mortgage Corporation (Freddie Mac); and (2) the Federal Housing Enterprise Board.

Sets forth operating, administrative, and regulatory provisions of the Agency, including provisions respecting: (1) assessment authority; (2) authority to limit nonmission-related assets; (3) minimum and critical capital levels; (4) risk-based capital test; (5) capital classifications and undercapitalized enterprises; (6) enforcement actions and penalties; (7) golden parachutes; and (8) reporting.

Amends the Federal Home Loan Bank Act to establish the Federal Home Loan Bank Finance Corporation. Transfers the functions of the Office of Finance of the Federal Home Loan Banks to such Corporation.

Excludes the Federal Home Loan Banks from certain securities reporting requirements.

Abolishes the Federal Housing Finance Board.

Some nuggets from the bill's guts:
McCain had no part in constructing this bill, it was created by Chuck Hagel, Elizabeth Dole and John Sununu.  McCain tacked his name on at the last minute as a co-sponsor.
This bill would have actually replaced the existing Dept. of Housing and Urban Development with the "Federal Housing Enterprize Regulatory Agency", which would be appointed directly by President Bush, which would actually remove any semblance of independent, nonpoliticized action that the HUD had left, and created a "Mortgage Czar".  This guy would have a 6 year term, cancellable of course at the pleasure of the President.
This bill would not have solved the issue of "bundling", all it would have done is make it more difficult for someone to get a mortgage.  Subprime or not, the Mortgage Czar would have unlimited authority to define "unacceptable risk".
Several statutes are also "worse than the disease".
Contrary to what McCain is saying, it was not voted down "by the Democrats", it never made it out of its senate committee, the "Committee on Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs" ordered the bill to be reported with an amendment, but were generally favorable to the bill.  These amendments (to the "worse than the disease" aspects) were never amended and the bill died.

As I predicted over the weekend the 'Palin Bounce' has now become the 'Palin Anchor', which shall slowly drag down his numbers until November.
The reason is simple, Palin has reminded the same social conservatives who were excited by Palin that she isn't their nominee, McCain is.  Palin shall forever hence contrast a "real conservative" with what McCain is, essentially a RINO.
Additionally, the fiscal conservative wing is freaking out.  Romney (the fiscal conservative Jesus) lambasted the McCain/Palin economic policies and statements only a few days ago.
The economy is a winning issue, and Dems should push to flip the fiscal conservatives to their column.  Dare we hope for a Romney endorsement of Obama?

Dems have hit McCain on everything Dems find offensive about the man, but to be honest Obama already has the votes of people who will be offended by his pro-war, conservative agendas.
McCain has many "nose holder" conservatives in his camp who are voting for him because they see him as the "lesser evil".  Democrats don't need to win these guys over to win the election, just demoralize them enough to stay home.
And there is much to demoralize them.  MUCH.
For instance, amongst conservatives, McCain is known as "the Traitor", "Captain Amnesty", and many less pleasant nicknames.
"Captain Amnesty" is from McCain's long support of amnesty for illegal immigrants.  Conservatives HATE this policy, while Democrats are by and large indifferent to it.  Pushing ads pointing this out will not lose Democrats many votes, but will cause Republicans to literally begin fistfights.
The problem of course is that Democrats have integrity, which in politics is usually a liability.  Just as the conservatives have to hold their noses to vote for McCain, progressives will have to hold their noses to defeat him.

I'm not really sure why everyone panicked after Sarah Palin was selected as VP and McCain got a bounce.  Not only are McCain and Obama now within the margin of polling error of each other again, but while Obama hit the magic 50% figure on September 1st, McCain failed to do so with his big bounce.
Also, Obama and McCain's polling numbers are BOUNCES.  Prior to the Democratic National Convention, Obama polled between 44% and 45%.  Now he is at 45% again.  Before either convention McCain polled at between 44% and 45% AS WELL, and is now at 47%.  If the trend over the last 2 or 3 days continues, tomorrow they will be tied and by Monday Obama will be ahead again.
So let's all take a deep breath and cease the wailing and gnashing of teeth.

How much longer is the government going to keep funding and supporting Ethiopia and the pro-western administration in Somalia when they do things like this?

Joint government and Ethiopian soldiers shot dead more than 40 civilians after they dismounted them from civilian vehicles in southwestern Mogadishu witnesses and elders said.
 
It was the latest in a series in which The Ethiopian and Somali troops have killed civilians who have come too close to troops wary of attacks by rebels.
 
The troops have pulled up civilian vehicles at Arbiska area near Afgoi district ordering the passengers to drop down from the vehicles where some of the handcuffed travelers were shot dead while other were shot dead in the vehicles they were traveling.
 
"When the vehicle was stopped the soldiers, fearing an attack, arbitrarily fired on it," it said. The man died later of his wounds.
 
Dozens others were wounded in that attack those were rushed to Mogadishu hospitals.
 
No comments could be reached from the government/Ethiopian officials on this incident.

From Wikipedia's article on Aidan Hartley

Aidan Hartley (born 1965), formerly was a foreign correspondent for Reuters news agency, assigned to Africa.

Hartley was born in Nairobi in 1965. Hartley covered the tumultuous Africa of the 1990s - wars in Somalia, famine in Ethopia, genocide in Rwanda. He is the author of The Zanzibar Chest: A Story of Life, Love, and Death in Foreign Lands, which was short-listed for the Samuel Johnson Prize. He is currently a columnist for The Spectator, and a correspondent for Unreported World.

In this piece in his "Hearts and Minds and Holy War" series filmed near the end of 2006, Aidan traveled to Mogadishu to meet with the leaders of the Islamic Courts Union at the height of their power, and interviewed the leaders of the Islamic Courts as well as dozens of ordinary people throughout Mogadishu.

Shortly after he left Mogadishu, the Ethiopian army rolled into Mogadishu and ended the Islamic Courts Union's rule.

He returned last month to investigate reports of horrific atrocities committed both by the Ethiopian backed Transitional Federal Government and the Ethiopian military in his latest piece, Warlords Next Door. (skip past Hiraan.com's promotional bits before the videos begin)

I have been closely following the events surrounding the rise of the Islamic Courts and the Ethiopian army's invasion, and Aidan definitely provides his lifetime of experience in African and specifically Somali affairs and delivers a truly insightful and though provoking piece.  He really caught my attention in how he nailed the state of things in his 2006 piece, and this piece on Warlord Next Door brought things full circle.

For those of you who do not know about the war in Somalia, this is a critical piece of journalism that you cannot ignore.  This forgotten conflict must get out there and be known and understood.

Overturning Roe vs. Wade
Removing more civil liberties
No health care reform
No help for those hardest hit by economic troubles
Continuation of war with Iraq
New war with Iran
Further crumbling of our infrastructure
More jobs moving to China
Government controlled by lobbyists
Further support for thieving despots around the globe
Further strengthening of Iran
Further alienation of our allies in Europe
Further attacks on the constitution

The power of holding two contradictory beliefs in one's mind simultaneously, and accepting both of them . . . . To tell deliberate lies while genuinely believing in them, to forget any fact that has become inconvenient, and then, when it becomes necessary again, to draw it back from oblivion for just so long as it is needed, to deny the existence of objective reality and all the while to take account of the reality which one denies — all this is indispensably necessary. Even in using the word doublethink it is necessary to exercise doublethink. For by using the word one admits that one is tampering with reality; by a fresh act of doublethink one erases this knowledge; and so on indefinitely, with the lie always one leap ahead of the truth.

- From 1984 by George Orwell

There have been many examples of doublethink in regards to criticisms of Obama, especially in this primary season. 

- Obama is an extremist liberal or even a communist who praised Reagan and voted for Cheney's energy bill
- Obama is an extreme atheist anti-religion, an extreme Muslim terrorist AND a Christian demagogue (TRIPLEthink!)
- Obama doesn't have the experience with the political establishment of Washington politics and he's got too much experience with the political establishment of Chicago politics.
- Obama is a partisan black nationalist who hasn't done anything specifically for the black community and doesn't deserve their support.

There are so many I could go on forever.  Doublethink is the weapon of choice against Obama by Republicans and the more partisan of Clinton supporters and will be in the future.

They are voting against Obama.  Proof positive of that was the 8% who couldn't bear to vote for either of them in North Carolina, even if it meant Obama getting a better margin.

Let's take a trip down memory lane to just 2 months ago.  Remember when these same "working class white folks" were swarming to Obama's banner of hope and change, and it was the elites and "minorities" (Latinos) who were winning states for Clinton?  Remember those inverted electoral maps in Wyoming and Idaho, where the cities went for Clinton and the countryside to Obama?

How did things change so dramatically?

They never did.  They listened to Clinton and Obama, and made a decision based on the candidates and what they proposed.

While many of the folks who voted for Clinton in the south gave Obama a chance to speak his message and simply considered Clinton the better candidate, I believe the majority never gave him a chance, and made up their minds about him without once listening to him.

There's still time to raise a couple million and hold a caucus on June 3rd for Michigan, and then put the caucus results before the credentials committee.

So to win the nomination, Obama needs to get roughly 78 more superdelegates and add-on delegates in addition to the roughly 107 delegates he can be expected to get from the remaining 6 contests.

The climactic showdown, with the fate of the nation in the balance!