Meltdown 2008: What Wall Street's crisis means for your finances

Article is decent, well intended, but lacking in precise detail. I would like to point out that this minor problem prevails to all invested funds, other than those under FDIC or other federal regulation.
An example of what I imply is what happened to many insurance companies following the RTC. Many found that they were invested in real estate through secondary investments, and consequently, they raised rates to compensate for their loss.
In plain and simple language - if you put up money to any financial institution they in turn invest the same not always within the scope of their control and therefore, it can easily be a case of someone owes to someone who owes someone else, eventually getting back to the initial financial house. If they can't recover neither can you.
That is the main problem with the markets - nobody knows the answer to where the money is and the turmoil is going to continue.
Only the brave are going to stay - the cautious will go to the mattress.

"Humpty Dumpty" in progress!

The housing problems and the accompanying credit
crisis began in the Clinton administration when Bill strongly
advocated making it possible for every family to own a home.
Pressure was applied to the large firms, who seemed to have an
endless supply of money, to bend and be flexible and to take a chance
so that everyone could buy a home. Clinton's people pushed through a bill and bouyed by the upward economy almost everyone voted for it, including McCain. That was in 1998. Remember? Oh yeah, you say! Today, we are now seeing the tragic results of such unwise policies and practices. Of course it's easy to blame Bush and forget about what Clinton did. The masses are always so short sighted and quick to kill the first person they can lay hands upon. Then, In 2005 Senator John McCain, much to his credit, recognized their were problems and presented a bill in the Senate which stated that there were massive housing irregularities, particularly within Fannie May and Freddic
Mac, and that these financial irregularities were not right and needed to be confronted and stopped or ithey would drastically affect our entire economy in a negative way. When McCain's bill went before the Senate, it was quickly killed by the Democrats!! Barney Frank and Chris Dodds led the opposition to McCain's bill.

Ralph, Ron, & Cynthia:

Now they're planning the crime of the century
Well what will it be?
Read all about their schemes & adventuring
It's well worth the fee

So roll up and see
How they rape the universe
How they've gone from bad to worse

Who are these men* of lust, greed, & glory?
Rip off the masks & let's see

But that's not right, oh no, what's the story?
There's you & there's me

That can't be right