The Bank of England Governor says we are facing the worst financial crisis the world has ever seen. Meanwhile, he is presiding over the British version of "quantitative easing" which, in essence, is simply a modern version of printing more money. Looking around, it seems striking to me how many government officials and big bankers are simply flailing about looking for some way out of the trap rather than coolly considering how they got into it. But that is human nature, after all.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid triggers the "nuclear option" in making a change of Senate rules. The details are rather complex and arcane but it essentially boils down to the majority stripping the minority of one of their filibuster-related prerogatives. At the end of the article one Republican staffer hits the nail on the head when he says, "just wait until we get the majority". Indeed.

There is some sentiment among members of the Republican National Committee to strip New Hampshire of its favored status in the presidential primary process after word is received that our Secretary of State may move the primary date up to January 3. This move, if it happens, would be as a result of the moves of other states, thus triggering the state law that requires him to keep the primary at least one week ahead of any similar election. John DiStaso of the Union Leader talked with Secretary of State Bill Gardner about why Nevada's caucuses would be a "similar election' in his Granite Status column. So, what is the bottom line? Bill Gardner does not care what the leadership of either political party has to say about the matter. He is required to follow state law, and he will, even if it means holding the primary on Halloween, Thanksgiving or Christmas. As for the parties, until such time as they make their national conventions relevant again, they should expect the states to continue to ignore their complaining (and I won't hold my breath waiting for the conventions to become relevant again...that ship has sailed).

Robert J. Samuelson writes about our one-sided trade war with China. It appears that the Chinese are still the only side fighting, and I expect that trend to continue.

Charles Krauthammer writes about the possibility that our Einsteinian conception of the universe is completely wrong.

Jay Cost thinks the Wall Street protest movement may be just a sign of things to come.