Subprime mess

I currently spend many hours per day working on matters related to the subprime mess. I have sat through countless mind-numbing presentations regarding how and why this mess developed. By far the best explanation I have found is here. It will take you 3 minutes to go through, you will laugh your butt off, and you will be genuinely better informed when you are done. So go; you will not regret it. (Warning: Some rough language.)

(For cross-post at Centerfield and comments posted there, click here.)

Late breaking news

Diebold Accidentally Leaks Results Of 2008 Election Early

Romney

Here is another reason why I am so glad this guy is gone from the race.

"If I fight on in my campaign, all the way to the convention, I would forestall the launch of a national campaign and make it more likely that Senator Clinton or Obama would win. And in this time of war, I simply cannot let my campaign, be a part of aiding a surrender to terror."

I'm hawkish, but this is slander. "Surrender" if Obama or Clinton become president? I dislike this man, very much.

Super-delegates

Link.

We've done a bad job of explaing this, but it is now basically mathematically impossible for either Clinton or Obama to win the nomination through the regular voting process (meaning the super-delegates decide this one, baby!).

Here's the math. There are 3,253 pledged delegates, those doled out based on actual voting in primaries and caucuses. And you need 2,025 to win the nomination.

To date, about 55% of those 3,253 delegates have been pledged in the voting process -- with Clinton and Obamb roughly splitting them at about 900 delegates a piece.

That means there are now only about 1,400 delegates left up for grabs in the remaining states and territories voting.

So, do the math. If they both have about 900 pledged delegates so far, they need to win more than 1,100 of the remaining 1,400 delegates to win the nomination through actual voting.

Ain't gonna happen, barring a stunning scandal or some new crazy revelation. So, they'll keep fighting this thing out, each accumulating their chunk of delegates, one of them holding a slight edge and bothing finishing the voting process with 1,600 or so delegates.

And then the super delegates decide this thing.

That's the math.

Sound logic, as far as I can tell. This year is going to so much more interesting than 2004. (Via Political Wire.)

(For cross-post at Centerfield and comments posted there, click here.)

Snark

Social issues don't drive my vote. But Mr. Romney's willingness to flip-flop on just about every hot-button social issue tells me all I need to know about the man. Vote McCain, or Vote Obama. Please don't vote for this used car salesman.

The enemy we face

Pure evil.

BAGHDAD, Iraq (CNN) -- Two mentally disabled women were strapped with explosives Friday and sent into busy Baghdad markets, where they were blown up by remote control, a top Iraqi government official said.

The bombs killed at least 98 people and wounded more than 200 at two popular pet markets on the holiest day of the week for Muslims, authorities said.

In both bombings, the attackers were mentally disabled women whose explosive belts were remotely detonated, Gen. Qasim Atta, spokesman for Baghdad's security plan, told state television. . .

On second thought, the pure evil aspect might be surpassed by the pure cowardice aspect.