What I was relating to was the PLO/Hamas Axis not the Arab states/Israel conflict. I don't see Hamas and PLO receiving "Nation" status as long as they refuse to live in peace and "earn" their salaries by launching rockets and terrorist attacks on Israel. It's one thing for Arab states to "support" their national goals (Palestinians) It's quite another to pay for their weapons and suicide bombers.

Sorry if that wasn't clear from my comment. The Arabs and Israelis are going to have to settle things between themselves. Outside pressure won't help. Honest brokering might.

My lord!  All I can say is I can't wait for this election cycle to be over with.... 

We were pretty much on the same wavelength... in relation to the peace accord, I also meant the rebel/terrorist groups within Arab nations.  The recognised Arab states and Israel may still disagree on some things, but there hasn't been a conflict (as such) for several years now.  Hopefully it stays that way.

And you're right about the 'outside pressure'... won't resolve anything, and certainly not from a Republican regime many Arabs (terrorists AND otherwise) despise for its poor Capitalist record which is low on tolerance, understanding and compassion, in particular towards some Arab States.  Saudi Arabia might be considered an ally and it don't say much, but I think that's another case of 'keep your friends close and your enemies closer'.

This is a reasonably accurate of what really happened at Fannie/freddie from the NY Times, hardly a conservative publication.

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/10/05/business/05fannie.html?ei=5070

Certainly worth the read!

Good read, and thanks, Ken. Hope yer feelin' a shade (pun) better there me friend.

Well, When someone invests billions in something wot 'e don't understand, 'e be nutz!

And greedy and fearful!

The "I vas only following orders!" defense sort of went out with Nurenburg. "Congress was pressuring him so he ignored the advice of his managers...". Nonsense! He needs to accept responsibility and the resultant fines and pokey time along with quite a few others.

Lil-whip and others: I think what you all were saying about putting illegals to work on infrastructure projects is right, and I was wrong. These folks, and prisoners need to be working to improve our infrastructure. My anger and disgust about the current mess might be "tempering" that opinion.

In fact, that might be a good way (in FDR type projects) to help deal with the massive unemployment I expect from this mess. I think that "top down" approaches are very limited, but "bottom up" are (tongue in cheek) the opposite. If the unemployed are earning and saving (not spending more than they earn....part of the reason for this mess) there's a sound way of getting out of this 'ere mess!

Just my thoughts....don't consume until fully baked!

I agree 100%.  And exactly when in all this will congress accept any responsibility as well?  That has been my frustration watching this unfold.  As an independant voter, I was not buying all the Bush bashing as the sole cause of the issue and now we shall watch Barney Frank and Dodd lead the investigation as to what happened?  You've got to be kidding!  Whatever your political persuasion, this circus in Washington is what is really out of control and my sadness is that I do not believe either party will change it regardless of the Change or Reform slogans which are nothing more than milk for the masses as well as "it's the rich who are to blame". Diversionary targets, nothing more.  Reminds me of Hilter blaming the Jews for everything wrong in Germany. 

McCain's focus on earmarks won't do anything as it is such a small fraction of the total budget!  Obama's 95% of all Americans tax break is complete BS as 35% of Americans don't pay any tax now! The numbers simply don't compute, especially in light of the fact that since 1992 our national debt has gone from 24% of GDP to over 51% of GDP. Everyone concentrates on the budgets stats including the famous Clinton "budgget surplus" he left Bush.  All a numbers manipulation game.  The national debt continnued to grow throughout it all.  Followed by the disastererous spending spree of the Bush years. 

A pox on both their houses I say!

Of course, that leaves me with no one to vote for or at best voting for the one I think will do the least damage in the long run.  I do fear the drift to socialism more than anything else.  I defy anyone to show me a successful socailist country that does not rely on handouts and/or protection from others. This deal only strengthened that fear if you accept that capitalism means the wealth is in private hands as compared to socialism where the wealth is oned by the state.  The government accually taking ownership positions in some of the biggest financial concerns is a very problematic development in my view.  Can anyone seriously believe that they, as politicians, will take any regulatory or oversight positons that will negatively impact that investment of our money?

No, my friend. It frustrated the HELL out of me too! Don't expect them to do Jack Squat. I say we start the referendum to kick them out!

Again we agree 100%. The big lie ALWAYS wins: "Luftwaffe? Zer Vas No Luftwaffe. Zat vas ze Lufthansa! Ze Luftwaffe vas all a Chooish lie."

What we need is to produce/manufacture and be the best at it! That's how America became great and it's the ONLY frikkin' way to stay great. What the hell is so hard to understand here???

You said it. I just refuse to vote McCain/Palin because of their I.Q. (Idiot Quotient and Bush association) and believe in education as part of salvation. But never take your eyes off them for a second!

Incidentally, antisemitism is on the rise here since the crap has started hitting the fan (it ain't done yet). Why is it everytime someone gets in trouble, we end up getting accused?

Nicely put Kenwas.

Neither side of the government is willing to say otherwise, because it would hurt their election chances.

Entitlement will get us nowhere fast...I agree. More: The Governent needs to do it's job and enforce the laws. The credit crunch is based on people living beyond their means. The Mortgage crunch is based on that and the bloody greedy criminals that sold home loans that could not be possibly repaid, so there needs to be SERIOUS punative steps taken. The Congress needs to be punished for precipitating the atmosphere of abrogation of it's oversight responsibilities. There's no way around it. WE are getting punished anyway!

Well, we're all repeating ourselves. I'm not afraid of ideologies per se but rather the people who put them first... There ain't gonna be an easy fix to this mess, but the right fundamentals have to be put in place. Otherwise HRM QEII is gonna revoke the Treaty of Paris of 1789.

Yawn, this election stuff is soooo boring....

Whether it's McCain/Palin or Osama/BinLaden, who cares...

deleted duplicated post

Us'n members o' tha' crew wot gots ta' live wiffit, mate!

An' dinna be fergettin' the globe be gettin' smaller all th' time!

sorry....post didn't appear so redid it. now it's doubled.

DrJ. walks away shakin' 'is 'ead.

this is intended as a 'reply' to IslandDog's defense of Senator McCain not ever being mysogynistic from Sept.18 after a friend brought it to my attention...for some reason it didn't insert as I had hoped;

it's on video tape compliments of CNN;it is WELL know in journalism circles & to this day referred to as an indicator of the McCain temper that while on a campaign bus, in front of the embedded media, following Mrs. McCain playing with his hair & teasingly saying "someone is losing their hair', the candidate turned to his WIFE and responded thusly; "at least I don't spend an hour and a half in front of the mirror packing on the makeup like a trollop, you stupid C*nt"....it would be understatement to state that the female AND male media professionals were beyond incredulous that a man would speak to his WIFE like that IN FRONT OF THEM & their hearts ached for Cindy McCain's dignity in that gawd awfully beyond ackward moment; women's issues Palin - while mayor, female rape victims had to pay for their own rape exams;Dog...you gotta wean yourself off getting your political info exclusively on the Fox News network and start watching the dreaded 'main stream media'.....they truly are 'fair & balanced'.....

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!