THANKS TO PRIMARIES IN OHIO, RHODE ISLAND, TEXAS AND VERMONT, AND THE RESULTS ENSUING THEREFROM, such could be the "make-or-break" day for the Presidential campaigns of Hillary Rodham-Clinton (Democrats) and Mike Huckabee (GOP) based on how final results--and the ensuing delegate numbers for nomination @ their parties' respective conventions this summer in Denver and the Twin Cities, respectively--turn out by the end of the day.

Which, in Texas' case, could be all the more interesting thanks to early voting results; by one estimate, 65% of Texans eligible to vote per the Electoral Rolls used the early voting route--including one particularly memorable march by students @ Prairie View A&M upon the sole early voting site in the county; the better to dilute its traditional GOP electoral strength.

And, in Ohio's case, could be complicated by Divine Intervention in the form of severe weather forecast for the Buckeye State, judging by the following Right Wing Watch item:

Fervent Huckabee supporter Janet Folger's prayer at an event in Chillicothe, Ohio with Huckabee's wife:

If it's a blizzard that would keep the people home who would not vote the right way, Father, I pray for a blizzard. Out of this prayer meeting in this little town in this great state we pray that you would move mountains.

(For "vot[ing] the right way," per the above, read "vote Straight Republican," and without question or reservation, dankie jou.)

Come to think of it, with Huckabee having some 20% of the delegate numbers John McCain has to win the GOP Presidential nomination, expect the former Arkansas governor, true to previous categorical pledge, to withdraw if the results from today's primaries push McCain over the required numbers.

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COULD IT BE LIKELY THAT THE GOP IS CONSULTING ASTROLOGERS AND FORTUNE-SMELLERS OF THE WORST REPUTE to divine electoral strategems for Indecision 2008?

I mention this because the British National Archives has released newly-declassified intelligence from World War II which note that the wartime Special Operations Executive, a branch of MI5 devoted to war intelligence for His Majesty's Forces, recruited a Hungarian of questionable repute named (depending on source) Ludwig von Wohl or Louis de Wohl to find out what sort of astrological forecasts Hitler was receiving to devise Nazi war strategies from a Swiss astrologer by name of Karl-Ernest Krafft.

As the BBC reports:

De Wohl claimed that as Hitler relied heavily on Krafft's predictions, which were based on mathematics surrounding birthdates, the British could gain a unique insight into his thinking if they knew the astrological advice he was receiving.

The plan appealed to some leading figures, including the Director of Naval Intelligence Admiral John Godfrey, who found Hitler's erratic strategic moves hard to work out.

While his plan was enthusiastically embraced by member of SOE and the Political Warfare Executive, MI5 and MI6 were appalled.

"One of our senior officers comments that he cannot believe that anyone is going to re-employ this dangerous charlatan and confidence-trick merchant," a report from MI6 said.

Another MI5 officer said none of de Wohl's predictions had come true, apart from his forecast of Italy's entry into the war, which he made when it was "quite patent to anybody with the slightest knowledge of international affairs".

Historians now say that Hitler took no notice at all of astrological forecasts.

And you have to wonder if His Fraudulency's Great Within relied heavily on fortune-smelling and Other Forbidden Arts and Sciences to devise war strategy in the ur-RAHOWA Against International Terrorism, usually late @ night and in highly-disreputable parts of Washington....

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MEMO TO THE ZEALOTS AND TRUE BELIEVERS OF "REGULATORY RELIEF" as the Last and Only Hope to save free-market capitalism as Great White Father:

Results of what may best be called deregulation in the liquor-licencing laws in England and Wales have turned out to be rather mixed, despite notions that allowing pubs and bars to remain open 24/7 if so desired would create a "cafe culture" across England's Green and Pleasant Land.

For one, only 470 pubs in England and Wales have 24-hour opening licences, while some 1,400 have applied for same.

For another, overall crime numbers have fallen by 1% and violent crimes have fallen by 10% since the licencing-law reforms went into force, although some areas have seen increases in assaults on police officers and "anti-social behaviour" in consequence.

On top of that, the notion of liberalised closing-hour laws reducing binge drinking has been put paid to, showing studies suggesting quite the opposite.

In any case, Parliament is now considering fine-tuning the licencing laws to help control disorder and violence caused by drinking by imposing measures such as:

• Timelier closures of pubs where Notorious Incidents of Disorder have occured;
• A "two strikes" rule to revoke the licences of such establishments caught serving to under-18's;
• Adopting a "yellow-card/red-card" system to warn licencees and sellers about violating licencing laws;
• Increasing from £500 to £2,500 the penalty for anyone choosing to ignore a "stop drinking" order; and
• Establishing a rating system of local neighbourhoods based on how bars and nightclubs therein pose clear and present danger based on factours such as crime/disorder, public nuisance and harm to children.

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IN A SOMEWHAT RELATED VEIN (AS IN CORPORATISATION OF "NON-ESSENTIAL" AND "NON-STRATEGIC" GOVERNMENT SERVICES), another dear article of faith among conservative Zealots and True Believers--our British brethren have an interesting case study which should serve as a caution to such seeking to denationalise Amtrak in the name of saving passenger rail in the United States.

Again, from the BBC:

Rail operator First Great Western has been warned it could be stripped of its franchise if services do not improve.

Speaking in the Commons, Transport Secretary Ruth Kelly urged company managers to "get a grip".

She said the firm was being put "on notice" to improve services, which had been "unacceptable for far too long".

First Great Western said it had already put in place a £29m package of improvements, which includes hiring more drivers and guards.

In a statement the company said it accepted it had not provided the service level its customers deserved.

"We have put in place a remedial plan that has been agreed with the Department for Transport, it said.

"We are already seeing improved performance and this includes our latest cancellations figures for February, which are the lowest level of cancellations for 18 months."

'Worst Great Western'

Ms Kelly said the company had recorded the highest level of passenger dissatisfaction in a survey last autumn.

North Wiltshire MP James Gray remarked how services from Paddington to the West Country and Wales used to be called "the Great Western Railway or even God's Wonderful Railway" but now it was known as "Worst Great Western".

Ms Kelly said: "I certainly agree their performance has been unacceptable for far too long."

She said a package of improvements announced last month, which is part of a remedial plan agreed between the operator and the government, included a doubling of compensation for disrupted services, new rolling stock and more cheap tickets.

'Red card coming'

Stroud's MP David Drew said he welcomed the "slap of firm government" but urged her to go even further in tackling "countless delays and cancellations".

Mr Drew said: "This yellow card is welcome but what do we now need to expect to make sure that if they don't reform themselves, there will be a red card coming in due time?"

Ms Kelly told him: "First Great Western have definitely been put on notice. Their performance has to improve. That's why we have agreed a remedial plan.

"If they breach that remedial plan it is open to me to withdraw their franchise."

In other words, the only way any denationalisation of passenger rail services can be effective is if the public as much as passengers are all the more watchful of their maintaining mininum standards, and holding the operator responsible.

In short, transparency--not the opacity which conservatives prefer in the name of saving capitalism from itself.