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Resident Evil 4 was an odd game. In previous games, you were usually a character trapped in some little zombie-infested town. In this one you play Leon, a special agent sent in to rescue the daughter of the President of the United States. While the game had great graphics and some spooky scenery, the scare factor was dialed WAY down whenever the characters started talking.
In fact, the game broke a lot of conventions set by the previous installments, and by other survival horror games in general. You weren't alone. No zombies. Ammo is much more plentiful. You are on a mission, instead of trapped by circumstances. You are a government agent, and not Joe Average.
I'm sure Leon got his current job due to his previous zombie-fighting experience, but if he had filled out an application, then I imagine it might have looked something like this:
- If the daughter of the President of the United States was kidnapped and held prisoner somewhere in the European wilderness, what would be the best force to deploy in order to secure her safe return?
A. 82nd Airborne.
B. A small squad of Navy SEALS.
C. Mechanized infantry with air support.
D. I'll just go in all by myself and wander about for a bit. How big can Europe be, anyway? - For the above mission, what would be the most appropriate gear?
A. Sniper Rifle, camouflage, and night vision gloggles.
B. Pump-action shotgun, body armor, and a GPS.
C. Automatic rifle, an ATV and a two-way radio.
D. Nine bullets and lots of hairspray. - If you find that villagers have attempted to cut off your escape route by building a little wooden wall accross the path, how would you proceed?
A. Walk around it.
B. Climb over it.
C. Burn it down.
D. Give up and head directly for the heart of the enemy base, even if it means passing through the very bowels of hell itself. - If you meet a very formidable yet chatty enemy and they seem to be too busy talking to attack you, what should your reaction be?
A. Shoot him in the head.
B. Shoot him in the gut.
C. Gun him down, cut him up, smash the pieces, burn what's left and bury the ashes in a deep hole. You can never be too careful.
D. Strike up a conversation. It's always great to meet new people! - When escorting the president's daughter to safety, where is the best place to have her stand?
A. Behind me, where she is easy to protect.
B. Beside me, where I can keep an eye on her.
C. Give her a gun in case she gets into trouble, and have the two of us move in tandem.
D. Oh geeze! I forgot all about her. Looks like she's run off again. - On this type of mission, how often do you check in with command?
A. I call them whenever the situation changes.
B. I call in if I need orders.
C. I check in every half-hour
D. I wait for base to call me. I like to avoid roaming charges. Sometimes I forget that I have a phone completely. - What types of threats frighten you?
A. Gargantuan monsters.
B. Psychos with chainsaws.
C. Bioweapons that transform you into a monster.
D. Midgets. - You find a massive, elaborate castle maintained by the enemy forces. What is the best course of action?
A. Go around the castle - the safety of the President's daughter is of primary importance!
B. Find a place to hide and wait for backup.
C. Determine where the enemy obtained the incredible funding required to construct such a thing, and figure out why they didn't spend that money on guns instead.
D. Assault the building directly. The president's daughter won't be safe until I find every secret door in the place! Oooh! And do the hedge maze!
If you answered "D" to any of the above questions, then congratulations! You are just what we're looking for. Get ready to enter the exciting world of presidential daughter-rescuing. Please return this application to recieve your hairspray and bullets.
The game teamed you up with a teenage girl, and whenever she was around (which was only half the game, as she gets re-captured on a regular basis) the game stopped being scary. She was a stinging reminder that the world you were in made absoloutly no sense, and that you were playing one of the dumbest secret agents in history. Imagine the movie Aliens. Now replace the character Cpl. Hicks with Carrot Top. That's the sort of fear-nullifying goofyness we're talking about here.
The Best of 2012
My picks for what was important, awesome, or worth talking about in 2012.
A Telltale Autopsy
What lessons can we learn from the abrupt demise of this once-impressive games studio?
Joker's Last Laugh
Did you anticipate the big plot twist of Batman: Arkham City? Here's all the ways the game hid that secret from you while also rubbing your nose in it.
The Mistakes DOOM Didn't Make
How did this game avoid all the usual stupidity that ruins remakes of classic titles?
Wolfenstein II
This is a massive step down in story, gameplay, and art design when compared to the 2014 soft reboot. Yet critics rated this one much higher. What's going on here?


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Research Finds Bosses Are Driving Employees Crazy with Weekend Emails [POLL]
It's Friday afternoon -- you've tied up most of the loose ends you still have hanging over your head from the work week, but nevertheless, the weekend is upon you and it is quitting time.
So, you shut down your computer, tell some of your co-workers goodnight and move on to bigger, better and more exciting adventures, right?
That's because your boss has your email address, and according to recent study by Right Management, he not only plans to use it, he expects a response.
In a survey of nearly 600 employees in the United States and Canada, researchers discovered that nearly 40 percent of employees say they are frequently harassed by pressing, need-a-response-now type emails from their bosses on the weekends.
"It's one thing to get broadcast or informational emails after office hours, but it's now a given that everyone has to check their emails at least once a day, Saturday and Sunday included," said Michael Haid, senior vice president of talent management for Right Management.
Researchers say that unfortunately, the weekend no longer belongs to the employee, as technology has made it so that work is never too far away.
However, it is important that everyone in the office understands employee communication expectations.
"If your work environment calls for employees to be in touch around the clock, then it's important everyone shares that same understanding," said Haid. "But if you are a boss that's working on the weekend because that is just your style and your only time to catch up, then let employees know if it's okay for them not to respond during their down time."
Haid also adds that in exchange for employees being required to answer work emails from home on the weekends there should be some flexibility allowed in the office throughout the week. Otherwise, workers run the risk of burnout.

subset: commoncrawl


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When scouting for a high-quality used car, sometimes a private seller rather than a dealership offers better value.
But, while private sellers can offer great deals, there are some important considerations to remember. Let's look at some tips and advice on buying a car from a private seller safely and confidently.
Playing With Price
When buying a car from a private seller, pricing is one of the most important considerations. Unlike buying from a dealership, where prices are typically set, private sellers are more likely to be open to negotiation. Here are some tips for getting the best deal:
- Know the numbers. Before you start negotiating, research the car's value you're interested in on a site like Kelley Blue Book. This will give you a good starting point for negotiations and help you avoid overpaying.
- Don't be afraid to haggle. Private sellers often set their prices higher than they expect to get, so don't be afraid to negotiate. Start with a lower offer and work your way up until you reach a price you're both happy with.
Quality Counts
Another important consideration when buying a car from a private seller is quality. Unlike a dealership, private sellers may not have access to detailed vehicle history reports, and it's up to you to ensure you're getting a reliable vehicle.
- Take a spin. Always test-drive the car before making a purchase. This will allow you to see how the car handles, check for any unusual noises and ensure that it's comfortable to drive. If you notice anything unusual, ask the seller about it. You may learn something that can either make or break the deal.
- Read the report. Use the car's VIN number to obtain a CarFax report. This report will provide you with information on the car's accident history, service history, and ownership history, which can help you make a more informed decision.
- Inspect thoroughly. Use a detailed checklist like this one provided by DMV.org to check the car for any signs of wear and tear, rust, or damage. This includes checking the tires, brakes, under the hood, and many other points of concern. You can also do a pre-purchase inspection, where you bring the car to a mechanic to look over. Expect to pay between $100 and $200.
Comparison Shop
In addition to researching the car's value, it is a good idea to compare similar models from different manufacturers. This will give you a better idea of the overall value of the car you're interested in and help you negotiate a better deal.
To learn more about the car you're interested in, you can read online reviews from respected sources such as Edmunds and watch videos on YouTube. Reviews from other consumers can also provide valuable insights into the reliability and quality of the vehicle.
By comparing similar cars and reading reviews, you can better understand what to expect regarding performance, fuel economy, and overall quality. This can help you negotiate a better price and ensure you're getting good value for your money.
Protect Yourself and Your Purchase
As you consider whether this is the car for you, confirm what kind of title it has (and if it's worth the asking price). Vehicle thefts are rising, so confirming that the vehicle hasn't been stolen is important. According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, nearly 500,000 vehicles were reported stolen nationwide in the first half of 2023.
Titles Matter
A car can have a clean, salvage, or rebuilt title. Here's the difference:
- Clean title: A new car or one that hasn't been previously declared a total loss.
- Salvage title: This is when a vehicle has been totaled by an insurance company. Selling a vehicle with a salvage title in the US is illegal without disclosing it to the potential buyer.
- Rebuilt title: A car with a salvaged title that has been rebuilt and deemed safe and roadworthy. You can expect to pay less for a car with a rebuilt title than one with a clean title.
Washed Title? No Thank You
Sometimes, when a vehicle doesn't have the cleanest history, scammers will "wash" the title. This involves removing information like liens, determining if it has a salvage or rebuilt title, or determining if it has water damage. Scammers can wash a title by moving the vehicle to a different state, applying for a new title, or altering the original title.
While it might not seem like a big deal, owning a car with a washed title could mean you just purchased a car, hiding many problems. As a result, you could lose thousands of dollars without a drivable car for your troubles.
Avoiding Stolen Vehicles
Another consideration is making sure you're not accidentally buying a stolen vehicle. Running the car's VIN through a VIN check service such as Carfax can help reveal if there's anything questionable about a car.
If you feel like the seller can't answer your questions about why they're selling it, the vehicle's history, or where it came from, those are all red flags, and you'll want to walk away.
Buy Securely and Safely
When buying a car from a private seller, it's vitally important to ensure that you're obtaining legal ownership of the car in a safe and secure manner. With a little guidance, you can avoid some pitfalls:
- Complete a title transfer. Insist on a notarized title from the seller to ensure that you legally own the car. Avoid any seller who is reluctant to provide a title or who offers to sell the car without one.
- Consider cash alternatives. Paying with cash can be risky, as it's difficult to trace and can leave you vulnerable to theft. Consider using a check or money order, which can be easily traced and more secure. Also, avoid wire transfers or cashier's checks, as these methods are difficult to trace and can be used for fraudulent activities. Be wary of sellers who insist on these types of payments.
- Exercise caution. Scams are common in private sales. If you're buying from a private seller, research to ensure their legitimate and verifiable identity. Check their contact information and address, and consider meeting in a public place to conduct the transaction.
Buy and Drive with Confidence
Buying a car from a private seller can be a great way to save money on your next vehicle purchase, but it's important to do your research and take the necessary precautions to ensure that you're getting a reliable car at a fair price.
When you finally find that stylish new ride, protect yourself and your investment with the right auto insurance by working with a local insurance agent. You can also talk to your agent about adding extras like Auto Security to your policy.
ERIE® insurance products and services are provided by one or more of the following insurers: Erie Insurance Exchange, Erie Insurance Company, Erie Insurance Property & Casualty Company, Flagship City Insurance Company and Erie Family Life Insurance Company (home offices: Erie, Pennsylvania) or Erie Insurance Company of New York (home office: Rochester, New York). The companies within the Erie Insurance Group are not licensed to operate in all states. Refer to the company licensure and states of operation information.
The insurance products and rates, if applicable, described in this blog are in effect as of January 2024 and may be changed at any time.
Insurance products are subject to terms, conditions and exclusions not described in this blog. The policy contains the specific details of the coverages, terms, conditions and exclusions.
The insurance products and services described in this blog are not offered in all states. ERIE life insurance and annuity products are not available in New York. ERIE Medicare supplement products are not available in the District of Columbia or New York. ERIE long term care products are not available in the District of Columbia and New York.
Eligibility will be determined at the time of application based upon applicable underwriting guidelines and rules in effect at that time.
Your ERIE agent can offer you practical guidance and answer questions you may have before you buy.
Article originally posted on www.erieinsurance.com(opens in new tab)
A better insurance experience starts with ERIE.
Haven't heard of us? Erie Insurance started with humble beginnings in 1925 with a mission to emphasize customer service above all else. Though we've grown to reach the Fortune 500 list, we still haven't lost the human touch.
Contact The Insurance Pros today to experience the ERIE difference for yourself.


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Tips to success
How can I change my password?
To change your password proceed as follows:
1 - Log in to our web site using your username and password.
2 - In the right menu click on 'My membership'.
3 - Click on 'Change password'. Put your old password first and then twice your new password.
4 - After that accept the changes by clicking on the button 'Save changes'.
How can I recover my password?
Maybe it can be just a typing problem. First, please know that the password is case sensitive, it means that "Joe" is different from "joe"!
If you still have problems to log in, please:
1 - Go to our homepage.
2 - Click on 'Login for member' and type your user name
3 - Click "Enter"
4 - "Forgot password?"
5 - On the next page, enter either your user name or the email address you used when you registered.
6 - Send password
We will send you an email with your user name and password. If this does not work, we may still be able to find you in our members database. Send an email to firstname.lastname@example.com giving as as much detail as you can.
How can I avoid my password from being sent in the e-mails from the site?
If you do not desire to have your password in the messages sent by our Team, all you have to do is:
1 - Log in
2 - "My configurations"
3 - "Don't include your login and password in emails to you"
4 - Save changes
How to choose a safe password?
If you desire to use a safer password, please, try to make a it with numbers and uppercase and lowercase letters.
Always avoid to use: your name, pseudonym, the name of your pet, your child's name, birth date, just the same characters and any information that can be easily brought in contact with you.
Also, we would like to suggest you a very positive example of how to create a safe password: Think of a sentence that you can remember easily, such as "I always buy 5 sandwiches on Monday,". Then, take each of the first character of each word. Therefore, your password would be: Iab5som
Copyright ©2010 International Dating Services. All rights reserved.


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Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5 | Page 6 | Page 7 | Page 8
Non-Missouri Pics: Page 1 | Page 2 | Page 3 | Page 4 | Page 5
Miscellaneous Pics: Page 1 | Page2
Trashy Trailers For Sale: Page 1 | Page 2
Trailer Trash Comics: Page 1 | Page 2
Trailer Trash Quiz | Trailers In The News
Trashy Downloads | Trashy Links | Email Me
My Next Career an essay written by, J. Clawed
An Inflatable Church brings new meaning to a mobile wedding!
Visit the Missouri Trailer Trash Store !
This humorous site is dedicated to all the trailer trash in Missouri. However, I do have some pictures from other states also. So, feel free to send me some pictures and I'll gladly put them on my page. Bookmark this site and check back for updates. I live in Winfield, MO a rural area, so I have a lot to choose from. In addition, I travel around the state every now and then, and I'm always looking for pictures worthy of this site.
It is truly amazing how creative trailer trash can be. Just when I think I have seen it all, I'll see another one that is a piece of art in it's own unique way. Funny to say the least. What are these people thinking? Why is it they always have junkers in the yard that haven't run since Carter was president, and the cars they do have don't have any exhaust? Is louder better? They use anything they can find to create underpinning, if they have any at all. Their yards are full of clutter, toys and dogs.
Offended? You might be, but keep in mind, I'm not making fun of poor people. I'm making fun of trash. It doesn't cost a penny to pick up the yard. Besides, I LIVE in a trailer. Just because you live in a trailer doesn't make you trash, but needless to say, there are a lot of people out there that keep the term, "trailer trash" going. It's unfortunate to me, and all others that live in a trailer and keep it looking good, but it's a stereotype we all must live with. So if I must, then I may as well grin and bear it. I don't know why I get a kick out of trailer trash, maybe it's that no two are alike. A piece of art, if you will. Art that I wouldn't want to live by!
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Pattern Keeper in Winter Floral
Pattern Keeper in Winter Floral
- Machine Washable
- Handmade in the USA
Tired of finding your pattern in a wad at the bottom of your knitting bag? This handy little pattern keeper will solve that problem and with style.
The pattern keeper is perfect for a full-size knitting or crocheting pattern, no need to resize, just copy and slide it in the protective sleeve it will soon call home.
It measures 4 X 9.5 closed and has a ribbon snap closure to ensure that your pattern is safe. Open it measures 9.5 X 12 to fit a full-size piece of paper.
This pattern keeper features an anti-glare vinyl cover for your pattern that works brilliantly with highlighter tape to help you keep your place. It also has a second snap that will allow you to fold the pattern keeper back and set it up in a triangle so that it stands independently while you knit.
The inside and outside are two coordinating fabrics, so you can get your pattern keeper to match your favorite Erin. Lane tote or drawstring as well.
Did I mention it is washable, because, yea, it is.
*Fabric placement may vary product to product


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Behe vs Lampreys: A modest proposal.
Intelligent Design advocates regularly claim that Intelligent Design is science. However, a recent paper on the lamprey genome demonstrates the sharp gulf between science and ID. One of the key icons of ID is Michael Behe's "irreducibly complex" clotting system. In 1996 he claimed that the clotting system was unevolvable, and no simpler clotting system could exist. In contrast, in 1987 evolutionary biologist Russell Doolittle hypothesised that the clotting system had been built up by co-option of duplicated genes. Doolittle specifically predicted that fish would lack key elements of the Mammalian clotting system (elements of the intrinsic or contact clotting system). Let's see how those predictions fared.
Since he first made his prediction, Russell Doolittle has been extensively examining the clotting systems of different organisms. By 2003, after over a decade of hard work, it was apparent that bony fish did lack the intrinsic clotting system, ironically the system that Behe describes in some detail in "Darwins Black Box". By 2003 it also seemed that jawless fish also lacked key elements of the intrinsic clotting system, in line with Doolittle's prediction and the opposite of Behe's claim.
Now, it would have been easy for Doolittle to rest there, with favourable evidence for his prediction. But no, he and his colleagues put it to a more stringent test, searching for clotting factor genes in the trace archive of the lamprey genome (a representative jawless fish). This is a massive bit of work, the trace archive is all the gene fragments generated before assembly of the genome, so they had to laboriously assemble and test each putative gene. What did they find?
That jawless fish lack factors IX and V. Now, this is a pretty important chunk of the clotting system to be without. When it was revealed that whales and bony fish lacked the intrinsic clotting system, Behe effectively replied "So much the worse for them". But in humans, lack of factor IX produces a bleeding disorder called haemophilia B, lack of factor V also produces haemophilia, and lack of both should result in a very severe bleeding disorder.
The reducible clotting system: Bony fish and jawless fish have a reduced complement of clotting factors compared to mammals. Jawless fish lack factors IX and V. Tissue factor and factor VII directly activate thrombin, but the explosive coagulation cascade is initiated by factors IX and V acting together. The older name for Factor V was proaccelerin, the activated from of factor V was known as accelerin, indicating its role in the explosive acceleration of clotting.
Factors IX and V are not peripheral pieces of the clotting system, but are the key section that produces the massive amount of thrombin needed for clotting in vertebrates. According to Behe, the severe bleeding disorder from loss of factors IX and V shows that the clotting system could not be built up from simpler systems, as the system can only function with all its parts.
To put it in Behe's imagery, the clotting system of the Lamprey is a mousetrap without a spring.
Yet jawless fish are doing quite well without factor IX and V. The implications of this for "irreducible complexity" are profound. An ID advocate might concede that "yes, the clotting system isn't really irreducibly complex, what about other systems?". But this example not only falsifies the claim that the clotting system is "irreducibly complex", but the logic of entire argument Behe uses. Behe has claimed that it is not possible to directly evolve a system such as the clotting system directly, because a smaller system will not work. Yet the jawless fish system shows just that, a system that lacks key component(s) of the mammalian system is completely viable and functioning. Behe's central argument is broken, knocking out parts of a system and showing that the system breaks does not mean it cannot evolve directly from a simpler system. The work on lampreys provides strong evidence for Doolittle's model of generating complex systems by rounds of duplication and divergence.
Note that in all this it has been the evolutionary biologists doing the heavy lifting. Generating predictions and models, testing clotting systems in various animals, cloning clotting factors, searching databases and finally, assembling genes from fragments. What have the ID apologists been doing in the 12 years since "Darwins Black Box" was published? Not a lot. Given the central role of the clotting system to their claims, one would have expected the ID folks would have been hard at work showing that the clotting system was irreducible.
Now, to be fair a lot of this is specialized work, that needs a serious biochemistry lab. But when the Fugu genome came out in 2003, nothing was stopping anyone from searching the Fugu genome for clotting factors. The databases were public, and you could do it at home in your spare time. No need to worry about discrimination from co-workers.
Did any ID person do that? No, it was the evolutionary biologists who came up with a testable hypothesis, and combed the Fugu database to test it.
Now the Amphioxus genome has come out. The Amphioxus is a simple, pre-vertebrate chordate, simpler than the Lamprey. We know that it clots its haemolymph (the Amphioxus equivalent of blood), and that it has a thrombin like molecule in its haemolymph, so we know it has a clotting system. Evolutionary biologists would predict that it has a reduced clotting system (see figure). ID advocates would predict that it would not.
So I have a modest proposal. I would like to invite Dr. Behe, or any other ID advocate, to predict which coagulation factors are present in Amphioxus, search the Amphioxus genome database and report on whether the genes found match their predictions. The database is free, you can do it at home, and the only cost is your time.
Time for ID advocates to do some science. How about it?
- Doolittle RF, Jiang Y, Nand J. Genomic evidence for a simpler clotting scheme in jawless vertebrates. J Mol Evol. 2008 Feb;66(2):185-96.
- Jiang Y, Doolittle RF. The evolution of vertebrate blood coagulation as viewed from a comparison of puffer fish and sea squirt genomes. Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2003 Jun 24;100(13):7527-32 (full article free access)
- Doolittle RF.The evolution of vertebrate blood coagulation: a case of Yin and Yang. Thromb Haemost. 1993 Jul 1;70(1):24-8
- Doolittle RF, Feng DF.Reconstructing the evolution of vertebrate blood coagulation from a consideration of the amino acid sequences of clotting proteins.Cold Spring Harb Symp Quant Biol. 1987;52:869-74.
- Davidson CJ, Hirt RP, Lal K, Snell P, Elgar G, Tuddenham EG, McVey JH. (2003). Molecular evolution of the vertebrate blood coagulation network. Thromb Haemost. 89(3):420-8.
- Davidson CJ, Tuddenham EG, McVey JH. 450 million years of hemostasis. J Thromb Haemost. 2003 Jul;1(7):1487-94.


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WishiHadThat.com Service
We Care! All of us here at WishiHadThat.com are ready to help you with your architectural project. Whether you're placing an order for crown molding or installing new ceiling tiles, we are here to help! Give us a call 1-800-419-1130 if you have any questions about our products or need help.
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To contact us online, visit our contact page and learn a little about our staff while you're at it. Or, you can call 1-800-419-1130 and speak to one of us.


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25 Apr 2008
Love is stronger than that which crucifies
Podcast: Play in new window | Download
Jesus said to them, "Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not believe will be condemned. And these signs will accompany those who believe: by using my name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up snakes in their hands, and if they drink any deadly thing, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover.â€
So then the Lord Jesus, after he had spoken to them, was taken up into heaven and sat down at the right hand of God. And they went out and proclaimed the good news everywhere, while the Lord worked with them and confirmed the message by the signs that accompanied it.
Scripture passage from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Catholic Edition, copyright 1989, 1993, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.


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Bostik: A global leader in adhesive technologies
Our business is about much more than sticking things together. For over a century, we have developed smart solutions that touch and improve people's daily lives.
Bostik adhesives can be found almost everywhere. From construction sites to schools and offices, food packaging to transport, our bonding systems are used in countless applications. Our products might be subtle but their impact is profound, contributing to a safer, more flexible, efficient and responsive world.
We are one of the largest adhesive and sealant companies in the world, employing some 5,000 people in 50 countries across five continents. Our customers come from diverse markets, most notably the industrial manufacturing, construction and consumer sectors.
DIY & Trade adhesives
From home improvements to repair and craft activities, we are committed to meeting the everyday needs of consumers and providing products which allow them to achieve professional, high quality results.
Construction adhesives
Our smart adhesive systems are used globally in the construction of new buildings and refurbishment projects. You will find Bostik solutions for flooring, tiling, waterproofing, sealing, decoration, assembly and insulation.
Industrial adhesives
Bostik adhesives are used in the manufacture and assembly of products in a wide range of sectors, including construction, transport, packaging, tapes, and lables. Our industrial activities are extensive and we partner with some of the biggest names in manufacturing.
Smart innovation
Our smart identity is underpinned by innovation.
We pursue innovation vigorously, applying the latest technological advances to developing 'smart' adhesives. Our archives are laden with examples of Bostik technologies that have disrupted markets - from potato starch-based wallpaper paste to elastic attachment adhesive for nappies.
Today, our commitment to innovation is as strong as ever. We innovate with our customers through a global R&D network comprising three international Smart Technology Centres and 11 Regional Centres, and we differentiate our business through this investment.


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Books discussed in this essay:
The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World, by Niall Ferguson
The Return of Depression Economics and the Crisis of 2008, by Paul Krugman
Any list of inventions that have transformed the human condition would include the plough, the printing press, the steam engine, and the generation of electricity. But perhaps the greatest of all is the creation of money, because money is the essential foundation of all modern societies. It is money that dispenses with the traditional quest for self-sufficiency and the clumsy reliance on barter, enabling people and organizations to specialize. Prosperous, technologically advanced societies could not exist without the widespread acceptance of money.
This is so obvious that we rarely think about it, but once we do, we instinctively recognize that money's existence is something of a miracle. After all, we routinely take as tokens embodying real value pieces of paper—whether bills or checks—with little intrinsic worth. Even more astonishing, we have moved from paper to electronic money. We regard digital computer entries that we cannot see or touch as repositories of value. That these leaps of faith occur billions of times a day defines money's requisite traits: trust and confidence.
We are now rediscovering this truth, because the world has experienced since August 2007 what is generally regarded as the worst financial crisis since the Great Depression of the 1930s. Some venerable institutions including Merrill Lynch, Bear Stearns, and Lehman Brothers have gone bankrupt or merged into stronger rivals. Large parts of the credit market—involving the "securitizing" of home mortgages, auto loans, and credit card debts into bonds—have shrunk dramatically. The economy has plunged into a deep recession. People wonder what happened. What caused confidence and trust to collapse?
The crisis also reminds us that the story of money is more than a curious historical detour. It's a central artery of civilization, because the spread of money led to the invention of finance, another building block of modern societies. Finance—whether by banks, securities markets, insurance contracts, or government—enables nations to save and invest for tomorrow. Along with specialization, the regard for the future made sustained economic growth possible. But as historian Niall Ferguson shows in his highly readable and informative The Ascent of Money: A Financial History of the World, money and finance have historically been a double-edged sword. They're usually a tremendous boon—and yet can also bring calamity.
"[P]overty is not the result of rapacious financiers exploiting the poor," he writes.
It has much more to do with the lack of financial institutions…. Only when borrowers have access to efficient credit networks can they escape from the clutches of loan sharks, and only when savers can deposit their money in reliable banks can it be channeled from the idle rich to the industrious poor.
But financial breakdowns shred the fabric of ordinary life, undermining political and social cohesion. Lenin allegedly said that the best way to destroy a society is to debauch its currency. Banking panics and market "crashes" can be fearsome. "[F]ew things are harder to predict accurately than the timing and magnitude of financial crises," Ferguson argues, "because the financial system is so genuinely complex and so many of the relationships within it are non-linear, even chaotic."
What can't be easily understood can't be easily controlled. The origins and causes of the present economic crisis beg for greater clarity. Ferguson's panoramic overview of finance and Paul Krugman's The Return of Depression Economics and the Crisis of 2008 get us part of the way to a better understanding. But there's more to the story than they imagine, or tell.
Money's Origins
We learn from introductory college economics that money serves three purposes: it is a medium of exchange, a unit of account (that is, a way of setting prices), and a store of value. Ferguson, the Laurence A. Tisch Professor of History at Harvard University and William Ziegler Professor at Harvard Business School, traces the earliest use of money to Mesopotamia about 5,000 years ago, when clay tablets were sometimes used to confirm specific transactions. The Romans had coins made of gold (aureus), silver (denarius), and bronze (sestertius), but for much of history most people had little recourse to money. In Civilization and Capitalism, 15th-18th Century: The Structure of Everyday Life (1992), the historian Fernand Braudel noted that the money economy "was nowhere fully developed, even in a country like France in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries…."
Until the last few hundred years, money generally meant metals whose natural scarcity was thought to guarantee their value. The Roman coins reflected this logic; gold was worth more because there was less gold. In the medieval world, the quest for wealth often became the pursuit of gold and silver. The Crusades, Ferguson contends, were at least partly intended to plunder the Muslim world of its precious metals. The explorations of the 16th and 17th centuries sought, too, to ease Europe's scarcity of metals. The discovery of vast silver deposits in Peru and Mexico made Spain a dominant power. Convoys of up to 100 ships transported the metals to Seville, where the crown took a fifth for itself. In the late 16th century, this metallic bonanza accounted for nearly half of Spain's royal spending.
Trade and war were crucibles of financial innovation. In Florence, the Medicis built their 15th-century banking empire in part by pioneering "bills of exchange": merchants who could not be paid immediately by their customers received "bills" (in effect, promissory notes) pledging payment at a fixed future date; the merchants could then raise cash by discounting the bills (that is, selling them at less than face value) with the Medicis'. Bonds were created, Ferguson relates, by Italian city-states—initially Venice and Florence—to pay for wars. Wealthy families were required to make loans that, in theory, would be repaid from taxes in peacetime.
Gradually, gold and silver coin (referred to as "specie") begat credit, new securities, and paper money. The Dutch invented the modern corporation—and common stock—with the creation in 1602 of the United Dutch Chartered East India Company, which received a government monopoly on the country's trade with Asia. In Amsterdam alone, there were 1,143 initial investors in this early "joint stock company." (The English East India Company, founded two years earlier, was only an eighth its size.) A stock market quickly arose to allow investors in the Dutch company to sell their shares. Paper money emerged as a way of minimizing the burdensome transfer of large stashes of coin. The Bank of England, created in 1694 to help pay war debts, received distinct privileges in return for investors "converting a portion of the government's debt into shares in the bank." The most important of these came in 1742: a partial monopoly on the issuance of paper notes in and around London.
Mississippi and the South Sea
By the 1800s, then, many features of modern financial markets had come into being. There were banks, stock markets, paper money, creditors, debtors, and investors. This system enabled merchants to get loans to ship goods before receiving payment and farmers to buy supplies before harvests. What we now call consumer credit barely existed. Stock and bond markets encouraged the aggregation of investment capital for new ventures—canals, railroads, textile mills, and (later) steel mills. Then as now, financial intermediaries—mostly banks and merchant banks (which sold bonds for governments, railroads, and other industrial concerns)—were thought necessary to evaluate the risks of lending and investing. It was their ability to separate good loans and investments from bad that gave them a moral claim to profits and protected other peoples' money. Risk was spread and calibrated.
That was the theory.
In practice, financial panics and crashes have a long history. Profits were not always ensured; money was not always protected. Among early crises, France's "Mississippi Bubble" and England's "South Sea Bubble," which occurred almost simultaneously in the early 18th century, are well known. Both crises involved attempts to reduce steep government debts, incurred mainly to finance wars, by offering shares in new entities that were granted exclusive privileges: in France, trade in the Louisiana territory west of the Mississippi River; in England, a monopoly on trade with Spain's South American empire (the South Sea). The prospective profits aimed to convince the countries' creditors to exchange their old claims for shares in the new enterprises. Today, we'd call this a "restructuring" of government debt.
Probably the advertised profits would never have materialized. But these schemes collapsed quickly, because the promoters could not resist speculative temptations. Early investors—including the promoters—stood to make a fortune if the price of their shares doubled or tripled. In France, John Law, a renegade Scotsman, designed and managed the plan, including a bank that could issue paper money. Law promised 40% dividends on shares of the Mississippi Company. The dividends were paid with paper money. Investors could buy new shares by borrowing (again, in paper money) against the old. In June 1719, the Mississippi Company issued stock at 550 livre per share. By early September, the price was 5,000; by early December, it was 10,025!
Inflation emerged with a vengeance, as the volume of paper money (which supplemented gold and silver) soared. By the fall of 1720, Paris prices had roughly doubled from two years earlier. Meanwhile, shares of the Mississippi Company dropped to 1,000 in December and continued to plunge. Riots erupted; Law was briefly imprisoned. In England, the South Sea Bubble was smaller and less ruinous because its promoters could not create paper money at will. South Sea stock rose by a factor of 9.5 from its initial prices to its peak, Ferguson relates. The comparable increase for the Mississippi Company was 19.6.
Fixing the System
Money and finance posed other perils. One was inflation. But that seemed a problem only when countries abandoned gold and silver—as the French did in 1720 and later in the Revolution—and printed vast amounts of paper money. Mostly, paper money was limited by a country's supply of gold. The Bank of England's paper notes could by law be redeemed for gold. By the late 1800s, most developed countries had adopted the gold standard. In the United States, paper money had always been redeemable for gold or silver, with the notable exception of more than $500 million of "greenbacks" issued to pay for the Civil War. In the late 19th century, Americans' main complaint was deflation, or falling prices, because new gold supplies didn't keep pace with the demand for money. Debtors, particularly farmers, felt aggrieved because they had to repay loans in more expensive dollars.
More than inflation, bank panics seemed a threat. Depositors might periodically lose confidence that they could get their money. Bad loans, or rumors of bad loans, could trigger runs. Banks would be imperiled because no bank can meet the simultaneous demands of all depositors for their money—most, after all, has been lent. A run on one bank might cause runs on others. The entire banking system could collapse, depriving borrowers of loans and depositors of cash. One solution, as argued in 1873 by Walter Bagehot, the legendary editor of The Economist, was to have the Bank of England—or any central bank—act as "lender of last resort." It would lend to solvent banks (whose assets exceeded their liabilities) in times of crisis. Depositors, reassured that they could retrieve their money, would leave it be.
Together, the gold standard and the lender of last resort seemed to ensure adequate financial stability. They buttressed confidence and trust. After the brutal Panic of 1907, Congress established the Federal Reserve—America's central bank—in 1913. But the Depression destroyed the prevailing consensus. Defending the gold standard and serving as lender of last resort were at odds. The first required central banks to be stingy with money and credit; the second, just the opposite. Temporarily, the gold standard prevailed, but the social costs were too great. From 1929 to 1933, two-fifths of U.S. banks failed. Ultimately, all advanced societies abandoned the gold standard. In 1933, Congress created deposit insurance; that would be the first line of defense against panic. Banks also would be strictly regulated and examined; banks engaging in shoddy or fraudulent practices would be shut. That was a second line of defense. And finally, the Fed could still be lender of last resort. That was a final defense.
In post-World War II America, these defenses seemed to have solved the problem of confidence and trust for good. True, there were occasional bank failures and stock market fluctuations. But these were seen as isolated events that did not impugn the system's overall integrity. Hardly anyone worried about financial panics. They seemed relics of a bygone era.
The 2008 Slump
We know now that this optimism was an illusion that helped foster the present crisis. Since the late summer of 2007, we've experienced a worldwide credit implosion that has depressed production, employment, stock prices, and confidence almost everywhere. Taking financial stability for granted, money managers, bankers, traders, government officials, and ordinary investors did things that destroyed financial stability.
The standard story of how this occurred is well-told by Ferguson, whose book was completed in mid-2008 after the housing crisis hit, and by Nobel Prize-winning Princeton economist and New York Times columnist Krugman, whose 1999 book was newly updated and published in December. The debacle starts with so-called "subprime" mortgages that were extended to borrowers with weak credit histories, low incomes, or both. These subprime mortgages were then bundled into various complex bonds—including "collateralized debt obligations" (CDOs)—that were sold to investors, who bought various "tranches" (or segments) of the mortgages' cash flows. Investors in the safest tranches had the first claim on mortgage payments, so they got the lowest interest rate but had the highest probability of being paid. Investors in lower tranches got just the opposite—a higher interest rate but more exposure to losses if borrowers defaulted.
The marketing of subprime loans was often sleazy. "Subprime lending hit Detroit like an avalanche of Monopoly money," writes Ferguson. "The city was bombarded with radio, television, direct-mail advertisements and armies of agents and brokers, all offering what sounded like attractive deals." Credit standards and loan documentation deteriorated. Some loans, later called NINJA—meaning borrowers had "No Income, No Job, or Assets"—were fraudulent. Still, these loans moved briskly along the financial assembly line—bankers or mortgage brokers made loans; the loans were sold to investment bankers who "securitized" them into bond-like securities; rating agencies like Moody's and Standard & Poor's graded the different tranches, allowing them to be sold to investors—banks, pensions, hedge funds—who thought they knew what they were buying.
They didn't. Ratings proved optimistic. When subprime borrowers began defaulting, a chain reaction ensued. Banks and other investors suffered large losses. To cover the losses, they had to sell other financial assets, or raise new capital. Selling other stocks and bonds drove down their prices, creating more losses for the entire system and generating a larger need for capital. In addition, many banks, investment banks, and hedge funds had relied heavily on borrowed money—"leverage," in financial jargon. At some investment banks, leverage ratios exceeded 30-to-1: there was $30 of borrowed money for every $1 of capital. As losses mounted, lenders (often other banks and investment banks) grew increasingly skittish about renewing their loans. That intensified the pressure to sell assets. The sturdiness of this jerry-built structure of interconnected loans and credits depended on trust and confidence, but trust and confidence were rapidly eroding.
Government tried to bolster confidence through injections of credit and capital. These efforts only partially succeeded. The Bush Administration engineered the rescue of the investment bank Bear Stearns in March 2008. It did not rescue Lehman Brothers in mid-September. That decision created more losses, deepening mistrust and worsening the crisis. The subsequent $700 billion Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) added money to the system but not enough to restore confidence. All the financial setbacks weakened the real economy of production and jobs. Suffering huge losses on stocks and homes, American consumers curbed spending. Securitized lending for homes and vehicles fell dramatically. Other countries felt the effects through lower exports to the United States and declines in their financial markets. Global investors sold worldwide, not just in American markets.
Scapegoating the Crisis
Though complex, this "deleveraging" resembled an old-fashioned bank run. Lenders suddenly hoarded cash in the face of growing losses and threats to their own sources of credit. The usual explanations for the crisis—greed, herd behavior, and stupidity—are accurate, up to a point. All along the financial supply chain, mortgage bankers, investment bankers, and rating agencies collected hefty fees and passed the risk on to someone else. Quick profits substituted for independent judgment. Because everyone was doing it, it seemed okay. But why did all these people—many of them very smart—succumb so easily? It had been almost eight decades since a similar financial collapse had occurred. During these decades, greed, herd behavior, and stupidity hadn't taken a holiday.
The standard view is that, since the 1980s, government's relaxed regulation of financial markets had permitted reckless behavior that otherwise would have been restricted. Securitization of hedge funds and investment banks in the 1990s created a "shadow banking system"—a parallel network for channeling investment and credit—that was largely unregulated. As Krugman puts it:
As the shadow banking system expanded to rival or even surpass conventional banking in importance, politicians and government officials should have realized that we were recreating the kind of financial vulnerability that made the Great Depression possible—and they should have responded by extending regulation and the financial safety net to cover these new institutions.
On paper, enlightened regulators might have averted the crisis. Mortgage bankers and brokers could have been prevented from making abusive, unrealistic loans. Investment banks and hedge funds could have been limited in their leverage. Rating agencies could have been better supervised. But all this is hindsight. The unstated—and unrealistic—assumption is that regulators would have spotted financial vulnerabilities that their private counterparts missed. Two bits of evidence suggest that this is wishful thinking. First, regulators didn't prevent subprime blunders at the most heavily regulated financial institutions, commercial banks. Second, regulators at the Securities and Exchange Commission were explicitly warned about the Bernie Madoff swindle and still couldn't find it.
It's doubtful that government regulators are smarter or better informed than private bankers and investors. True, they have a different mandate and face different incentives: not profit maximization and self-enrichment, but crisis-minimization and bureaucratic power, prestige, and independence. But they are not miracle workers. Chances are that they, too, would not have defused the emerging crisis. Free-market ideology is a convenient explanation and scapegoat for the crisis. But it does not really explain what happened; Ferguson and Krugman don't get to the crux of the matter.
Mistaking Profits for Wisdom
People are conditioned by their own experiences. With hindsight, we know that investors, traders, and bankers engaged in reckless risk-taking that created economic and financial havoc. But while this dangerous speculation flourished, its participants mostly thought that the economy and financial markets had become safer. The paradox is that, believing the world was growing less risky, they took actions that made it more risky.
In some ways, their self-deception was understandable. By many indicators, the economy and financial markets seemed remarkably tranquil. Since the early 1980s, the economy had suffered only two modest recessions, those of 1990-91 and 2001, each lasting only eight months. Though job creation was sometimes sluggish, peak monthly unemployment during these decades reached only 7.8%, well below the monthly highs of the 1970s (9%) or the early 1980s (10.8%). Even after the dot-com speculation of the late 1990s and the September 11 attacks, the economy had not gone into a deep slump. The business cycle seemed tamed, if not conquered. Economists called this improvement the Great Moderation.
For Wall Street, these years were a bonanza. As interest rates dropped, investors moved into stocks. In 1982, the Dow Jones Industrial Average itself averaged 884. By 1989, this was 2,509; by 1999, 10,465. Bond prices rose, because interest rates and bond prices are mirror images: lower rates mean higher prices. In 1982, AAA-corporate bonds carried rates of nearly 14%; by 1999, they were down to 7%. On both stocks and bonds, investors earned fabulous profits, year in and year out. Falling interest rates also boosted housing prices, because buyers could afford to pay more for homes. In 1981, interest rates on 30-year fixed mortgages averaged nearly 15%; by 1999, they were down to 7%. Existing homeowners enjoyed huge windfalls in higher prices.
Everything seemed less hazardous and more predictable. In many markets, "volatility" declined. As a financial term, volatility measures typical swings in prices—of stocks, bonds, foreign exchange. Higher volatility signifies greater risk; traders don't know what prices should be. Less volatility suggests less risk. By 2004, volatility in financial markets had dropped sharply. Everyone was aware of it. Risk seemed in retreat. Governments took note. A 2006 study published by the Bank for International Settlements, whose members are government central banks, suggested that the improvement might be "permanent." The reasons included the growth of sophisticated money managers ("well informed agents") and new securities ("risk transfer instruments") that permitted more hedging. Ironically, these would later be cited as causes of the financial crisis.
If risk had retreated, then once-dangerous practices were safer. Investment banks and hedge funds could assume more leverage (which improved profitability) because volatility (threatening big losses) had declined. Lending standards for mortgages could be relaxed, because even if borrowers defaulted, the relentless rise of home prices would protect lenders against losses. Foreclosed homes could be sold for more than the value of the loan. So, all manner of adventurous behavior was rationalized. Carelessness and complacency were made respectable, even as greed and herd behavior were indulged. In Congress, Democrats pushed the giant government-created mortgage lenders Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac to expand credit for poorer borrowers. Investment houses created and marketed new securities. On Wall Street, there developed a culture of ostentatious, often obnoxious self-congratulation. Some of its wealthiest practitioners assumed airs of superior insight, mistaking profits for wisdom.
Too Much Success
What virtually everyone overlooked was that much of this bonanza was the result of good luck, not greater financial acumen. It was the consequence of falling inflation, one of the momentous (if poorly appreciated) economic events of our time. From 1979 to 1989, consumer price inflation dropped from 13.3% to 4.6%; by 2001, it was 1.6%. Interest rates followed inflation down, because rates reflect an inflationary component. Lenders want to be compensated for the erosion of their money. As rates dropped, stock prices, bond prices, and real estate prices rose; investors shifted out money from savings accounts and money market funds to stocks. Economic expansions lengthened because high inflation had been destabilizing. Consumers borrowed more and spent more, because they counted some of their new stock and housing wealth as saving. Stronger consumer spending bolstered America's economy—and the world's, too, because Americans bought vast amounts of imported goods.
It is hard to argue that the defeat of double-digit inflation, engineered by Federal Reserve chairman Paul Volcker and President Ronald Reagan in the early 1980s, was a bad thing. It was the fundamental cause of the long economic expansions of the 1980s and '90s. Falling inflation created "virtuous circles" for both financial markets and the "real economy." But, perversely, it also led to bad consequences, because its great benefits induced economic imbalances and beliefs that were ultimately self-defeating. The great profits made in financial markets gave money managers, investment bankers, and analysts an exaggerated sense of their own skills and understanding. Long expansions and shallow recessions encouraged lenders to make loans to weaker borrowers. In 2005, only 3% of subprime mortgage borrowers were in default (by late 2008, the figure was 13%).
Given the initial rise in stocks and home prices, households could borrow more. But they could not endlessly increase the ratio of their debt-to-income—which is what happened, in part because lending standards became more lax. Americans could buy more imports, but trade imbalances based on a "strong" dollar that overpriced U.S. exports and under-priced imports could not grow indefinitely without making some countries like China and Japan too export dependent. Because they were so reliant on Americans' ever-rising indebtedness to buy imports, the structure of the world economy became dangerously unstable. And the "strong dollar"—the linchpin of the entire system—would not have existed without the low inflation that buttressed faith in the dollar's purchasing power.
What this suggests is that prolonged prosperity was the underlying cause of the great financial meltdown. Too much success bred failure. Overcoming high inflation was a triumph, but the ensuing prosperity warped private behavior and public policies in ways that undermined prosperity. Money managers, lenders, and many ordinary Americans were lulled into a false sense of security, control, and optimism. So were government officials. After the dot-com bubble and 9/11, the Federal Reserve cut short-term interest rates to 1%. Such a move was possible only because the Fed was a credible anti-inflation fighter. With modest inflationary expectations, low interest rates didn't cause price increases. Cheap credit softened the recession but also exacerbated the housing bubble and financial speculation. Riskier borrowers, at home and abroad—including financial institutions—got loans. Too much trust and confidence destroyed trust and confidence.
Balancing Markets and Regulation
Modern, advanced democracies are dedicated in part to the delivery of as much prosperity as possible to as many people as possible for as long as possible. The troubling implication of the current crisis is that this promise is itself a source of instability. Behind the promise lies the presumption that economic and financial knowledge have improved sufficiently to allow governments to supervise and manage the financial system and the larger economy. We had supposedly gone beyond the era of inevitable "booms and busts." The advance in knowledge meant that governments could legitimately be held accountable for economic performance. In a general sense, this will surely continue. The promise won't be revoked, and the presumption won't be repudiated. If some policies don't succeed, others will be proposed. But the innate human tendency to overdo things suggests that the very striving for a perpetual, ever-improving prosperity creates its own booms and busts.
The present crisis is evidence of this maddening interplay. What defines today's crisis is that it originated in the behavior of households and financial markets, which came to rely on too much debt, and in the lopsided international trade imbalances that were inherently unstable. Whenever the resulting prosperity seemed threatened, government—mostly through the Federal Reserve—moved aggressively to extend and prolong it. The initial success of these policies fed the illusion that financial instability had been contained and the Great Moderation was an enduring feature of our system. As these assumptions subconsciously spread, ordinary Americans, businesses, and investors acted increasingly in ways that made the assumptions false.
The news is sobering for ideologues of all varieties. For those who place great faith in "markets," the lesson of the present crisis is that they are sometimes given to destructive instability and, though they may ultimately self-correct, the wild swings—either up or down—may involve such huge social costs that no democratically-elected government could watch passively and wait for them to play out. For those who believe in the virtues of government regulation and government intervention, the lesson is that too much intervention to produce "sustained growth" achieves at best pyrrhic victories: temporary gains from longer expansions that are followed by deeper, longer, more punishing slumps.
There is, it seems, no self-evident "happy medium," no utopian mix of market power and government power that will achieve perpetual expansion. It might be better to tolerate more frequent, milder recessions and financial setbacks than to strive for some superficially more appealing but unattainable ideal. But just what that mix would be and whether it would be politically acceptable are hard to know. The fact that so much economic activity now involves international flows of goods, services, and money compounds the difficulty. These questions have not inspired much rigorous thinking, in part because people are preoccupied by the present crisis and in part because politically attractive solutions seem hard to imagine. The financial meltdown has led to an intellectual meltdown.


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Hacker's Creek Kennel offers the best dog training in the Bloomington and Ellettsville areas!
At Hacker's Creek Kennel we provide:
- Behavior Evaluations
- In-Kennel Training
- Private Lessons (In-Home or on the property)
- Dock Jumping
- Introduction to Water
Our certified professional dog trainer Jeff Hacker is formally educated and have combined experienced in obedience, waterfowl dogs, dock diving, agility, clicker training, protection, scent work, search and rescue, and a wide range of behavior problems. We also have on-staff Haley Brewer, who is a a graduate from Purdue University in the field of Animal Behavior and Well-Being.
Please vist our Meet the Trainers Page, In-Kennel Training Page & Private Lessons Page for more information!
To schedule an evaluation, ask about our training programs or if you have any behavior questions please call the office!


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WASHINGTON (AP) — The wife of Mexican drug kingpin and escape artist Joaquin "El Chapo" Guzman has been arrested on international drug trafficking charges at an airport in Virginia.
The Justice Department says 31-year-old Emma Coronel Aispuro, who is a dual citizen of the U.S. and Mexico, was arrested at Dulles International Airport on Monday and is expected to appear in federal court in Washington on Tuesday.
She's accused of helping her husband escape from a Mexican prison in 2015, and prosecutors say she was also "engaged in planning yet another prison escape" before Guzman was extradited to the U.S. in January 2017.
Additionally, the Department of Justice says Aispuro participated in "a conspiracy to distribute cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin and marijuana."
Guzman was sentenced to life behind bars in 2019. Prosecutors say he is the leader of the organization known as the Sinaloa Cartel.


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rowversion (Transact-SQL)
Applies to: SQL Server Azure SQL Database Azure SQL Managed Instance
Is a data type that exposes automatically generated, unique binary numbers within a database. rowversion is generally used as a mechanism for version-stamping table rows. The storage size is 8 bytes. The rowversion data type is just an incrementing number and does not preserve a date or a time. To record a date or time, use a datetime2 data type.
Each database has a counter that is incremented for each insert or update operation that is performed on a table that contains a rowversion column within the database. This counter is the database rowversion. This tracks a relative time within a database, not an actual time that can be associated with a clock. A table can have only one rowversion column. Every time that a row with a rowversion column is modified or inserted, the incremented database rowversion value is inserted in the rowversion column. This property makes a rowversion column a poor candidate for keys, especially primary keys. Any update made to the row changes the rowversion value and, therefore, changes the key value. If the column is in a primary key, the old key value is no longer valid, and foreign keys referencing the old value are no longer valid. If the table is referenced in a dynamic cursor, all updates change the position of the rows in the cursor. If the column is in an index key, all updates to the data row also generate updates of the index. The rowversion value is incremented with any update statement, even if no row values are changed. (For example, if a column value is 5, and an update statement sets the value to 5, this action is considered an update even though there is no change, and the rowversion is incremented.)
timestamp is the synonym for the rowversion data type and is subject to the behavior of data type synonyms. In DDL statements, use rowversion instead of timestamp wherever possible. For more information, see Data Type Synonyms (Transact-SQL).
The Transact-SQL timestamp data type is different from the timestamp data type defined in the ISO standard.
The timestamp syntax is deprecated. This feature will be removed in a future version of SQL Server. Avoid using this feature in new development work, and plan to modify applications that currently use this feature.
In a CREATE TABLE or ALTER TABLE statement, you do not have to specify a column name for the timestamp data type, for example:
CREATE TABLE ExampleTable (PriKey int PRIMARY KEY, timestamp);
If you do not specify a column name, the SQL Server Database Engine generates the timestamp column name; however, the rowversion synonym does not follow this behavior. When you use rowversion, you must specify a column name, for example:
CREATE TABLE ExampleTable2 (PriKey int PRIMARY KEY, VerCol rowversion) ;
Duplicate rowversion values can be generated by using the SELECT INTO statement in which a rowversion column is in the SELECT list. We do not recommend using rowversion in this manner.
A nonnullable rowversion column is semantically equivalent to a binary(8) column. A nullable rowversion column is semantically equivalent to a varbinary(8) column.
You can use the rowversion column of a row to easily determine whether an update statement has been run against the row since the last time it was read. If an update statement is run against the row, the rowversion value is updated. If no update statements are run against the row, the rowversion value is the same as when it was previously read. To return the current rowversion value for a database, use @@DBTS.
You can add a rowversion column to a table to help maintain the integrity of the database when multiple users are updating rows at the same time. You may also want to know how many rows and which rows were updated without re-querying the table.
For example, assume that you create a table named MyTest
. You populate some data in the table by running the following Transact-SQL statements.
CREATE TABLE MyTest (myKey int PRIMARY KEY
,myValue int, RV rowversion);
INSERT INTO MyTest (myKey, myValue) VALUES (1, 0);
INSERT INTO MyTest (myKey, myValue) VALUES (2, 0);
You can then use the following sample Transact-SQL statements to implement optimistic concurrency control on the MyTest
table during the update. The script uses <myRv>
to represent the rowversion value from the last time you read the row. Replace the value with the actual rowversion value. An example of an actual rowversion value is 0x00000000000007D3
DECLARE @t TABLE (myKey int);
UPDATE MyTest
SET myValue = 2
OUTPUT inserted.myKey INTO @t(myKey)
WHERE myKey = 1
AND RV = <myRv>;
IF (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM @t) = 0
RAISERROR ('error changing row with myKey = %d'
,16 -- Severity.
,1 -- State
,1) -- myKey that was changed
You can also put the sample Transact-SQL statements into a transaction. By querying the @t
variable in the scope of the transaction, you can retrieve the updated myKey
column of the table without requerying the MyTest
The following is the same example using the timestamp syntax. Replace <myTS>
with an actual timestamp.
CREATE TABLE MyTest2 (myKey int PRIMARY KEY
,myValue int, TS timestamp);
INSERT INTO MyTest2 (myKey, myValue) VALUES (1, 0);
INSERT INTO MyTest2 (myKey, myValue) VALUES (2, 0);
DECLARE @t TABLE (myKey int);
UPDATE MyTest2
SET myValue = 2
OUTPUT inserted.myKey INTO @t(myKey)
WHERE myKey = 1
AND TS = <myTS>;
IF (SELECT COUNT(*) FROM @t) = 0
RAISERROR ('error changing row with myKey = %d'
,16 -- Severity.
,1 -- State
,1) -- myKey that was changed
See also
ALTER TABLE (Transact-SQL)
CAST and CONVERT (Transact-SQL)
CREATE TABLE (Transact-SQL)
Data Types (Transact-SQL)
DECLARE @local_variable (Transact-SQL)
DELETE (Transact-SQL)
INSERT (Transact-SQL)
MIN_ACTIVE_ROWVERSION (Transact-SQL)
SET @local_variable (Transact-SQL)
UPDATE (Transact-SQL)
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The report helpfully encapsulates many of the calls for better oversight, monitoring and accountability that HRF, Amnesty International and others have been calling for with regard to companies, like Blackwater, Titan, KBR…, whose personnel have engaged in human rights abuses from rape and torture to killing, with impunity.
It also posits some fresh ideas into the conversation, such as extending the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) to these companies and reforming state secret and other privileges that often get in the way of justice for victims.
However, the report suffers from an oversimplification, with an implied reference to fossilized examples as representative of the scope of the problem. In this sense, it feels like a recycled agenda from a "multi-stakeholder" conference.
We should be working together to progress most of the recommendations in the report, but a few things should not be sacrificed in the name of appearing practical: human rights abuses should be prosecuted because we don't tolerate them, period, not just because they foster hostility toward us and undermine military missions; the US shouldn't consider whether to ban contractor roles in rendition, it should prohibit any role in rendition, which is illegal; UCMJ application to company personnel shouldn't be revised, it should be repealed — why should we potentially subject the entire world (the result of subcontracting of third-country nationals) to the US military justice system?
Finally, let's tell it like it is: many companies that provide services directly or indirectly to military operations shun "military" as part of an identification of their industry, instead often preferring "security" contractor or provider which sounds more benign. With few exceptions, HRF's report should make them happy. Even its title does not mention the word military.


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World champion skier Erik Guay's dream of an Olympic medal is over.
The Montreal native, one of Canada's top medal hopes in alpine skiing, announced Wednesday that he will miss the Winter Games that begin Feb. 9 in Preongchang due to a back injury.
The 36-year-old has yet to decide whether to retire this year or next, but has no plans on sticking around for the 2022 Games in Beijing.
"I can definitely say I will not be there," Guay said. "This was my final shot at the Olympic Games.
"As far as whether I'll continue next year or not, that's still a question mark. I think the remainder of the season is probably going to be finished for me."
After a difficult season battling back problems it's with a heavy heart that today I have made… https://t.co/KDJT4GklOl
— Erik Guay (@erikguay) January 31, 2018
Guay was named to the Canadian team this week, but after testing his back, decided he was in no condition to compete.
"I had my doubts at the end of last week," he said on a conference call. "I felt my back wasn't progressing the way I want.
"But I wanted to wait until the last minute."
An Olympic medal is about the only prize Guay has never won, although he came achingly close at the 2006 Winter Games in Turin, Italy, and in 2010 in Vancouver.
He felt that, despite his age, Pyeongchang would have been his best chance. He entered this season ranked fifth in the world after winning gold in the suger giant slalom and silver in the downhill at the world championships in March.
Guay has been dealing with back trouble all season. He was forced to pull out of a race at Lake Louise in November, then revealed in early January that he had a ruptured disc in his back and would skip a couple of World Cups to return home to recover.
He hasn't raced since injuring his back again on Dec. 16 at Val Gardena, Italy.
Guay said can do off-snow traning and can even get on skis, but as soon as he goes into the tuck position, the back locks up and the pain returns.
Guay said it would be wiser to skip the rest of the season because his ranking will be somewhat protected due to his injury, while if he returned for only one race and did badly, he would drop out of the world's top 30. That would make it difficult to climb back into the top group.
"I think, from a safety standpoint, I'll take the rest of the season off and try to rebuild my strength and try to get my back in a good place and then I'll make a decision down the road on whether I want to compete next year," said the father of four daughters. "It would be a shame to go out this way, though.
"I have it in my mind that I'd like to continue next year."
The three-time Olympian is Canada's most accomplished alpine ski racer. Guay has reached the World Cup podium on 25 occasions. He was also the 2011 world champion in the downhill.
"It's definitely disappointing to have Erik miss out on the Olympics and we know this was a difficult decision for him to make," said Alpine Canada athletic director Martin Rufener. "He would certainly have been a medal contender if he was healthy.
"Despite Erik missing out, I'm very proud of the contingent of athletes we are sending to the Games and I know we will make Canada proud."
Canada will send 13 alpine skiers to the Feb. 9-25 Games. There will be Canadian entries in all disciplines, including downhill, super-G, alpine combined, giant slalom, slalom and the team event.
(Bill Beacon, The Canadian Press)


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After making its 7DAYS EuroCup debut in 2018-19 and reaching the Top 16, AS Monaco took another major step forward last season. The club from the principality along the Mediterranean showed right away it will be a tough team by racing away to a 16-point home win over the 2019 semifinalist MoraBanc Andorra. Head coach Sasa Obradovic saw his men split the next two games, both on the road, before blasting ratiopharm Ulm by 17 points to move to 3-1. Monaco lost a tight game at Segafredo Virtus Bologna before suffering its worst loss of the season, 95-68 at Andorra, to drop to 3-3. Monaco bounced back with three straight wins before losing again to Virtus 72-81 at home but qualified again for the Top 16 with a 6-4 mark. Monaco was knocked off at home to start the next phase against Galatasaray Doga Sigorta Istanbul, but rebounded yet again, winning at UNICS Kazan only to fall at Rytas Vilnius in Round 3 for a 1-2 record. Obradovic's men re-grouped to beat Rytas 25 points at home and Galatasaray by 12 in Turkey. It's last game of the season, as it turned out, was Monaco's biggest exclamation point, a 25-point rout at home of UNICS. Monaco won Group G with a 4-2 record, gaining home-court advantage for a quarterfinals rematch against Virtus. The rest of the season was canceled due to the COVID-19 global pandemic, which also cost Monaco an opportunity to possibly continue fighting for the French Cup, where it had also reached the quarterfinals. Monaco was a force in the French League, too, sharing a three-way tie for first place at 21-4 when the season ended. Now, with head coach Zvezdan Mitrovic back on the bench, Monaco will be looking for big things again in the 2021-22 7DAYS EuroCup.
With its basketball section dating to 1928, AS Monaco boasts a long tradition in the sport. The team's first success came in 1950 with a second-place finish in the French top flight. After a few fallow years, Monaco returned to the first division by winning the second one in 1973. That decade also saw Monaco's first foray into international competition with a couple of Korac Cup outings, as well its first chance for a major trophy, frustrated by a loss to Limoges in the French Federation Cup Final in 1983. Monaco then suffered a dramatic slide in fortunes, dropping as far as the fourth division until a remarkable revival in the last few years. The club conquered the fourth, third and, finally, second divisions between 2012 and 2015 to rejoin the first. The 2015-16 campaign finally saw the red-and-white side claim its first serious title with a triumph in the Leaders Cup, a trophy it defended the following year. The 2017-18 season was Monaco's strongest yet, with a third consecutive Leaders Cup trophy complemented by runner-up finishes in both the French League and Basketball Champions League. In 2018-19 season Monaco made its 7DAYS EuroCup debut by winning its regular season group and reaching the final game of the Top 16 needing a win to reach the quarterfinals. Monaco fell at the hands of Rytas Vilnius, but bounced back by reaching a fifth-and-deciding game in the French playoff finals, where it lost to LDLC ASVEL Villeurbanne. Last season, Monaco advanced from the regular season in the EuroCup and then took first place in its Top 16 Group G to lock up home-court advantage in the quarterfinals, which ended up not being played. Monaco was atop the French League with a 21-4 record when it, too, ended abruptly. For the 2020-21 campaign, Monaco has brought back as head coach Zvezdan Mitrovic, who guided the club's promotion to the French League in 2015 and its rise to the status of a regular contender in the EuroCup.


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In the middle of a forest, there was a hunter who was suddenly confronted by a huge, mean bear.
In his fear, all attempts to shoot the bear were unsuccessful.
Finally, he turned and ran as fast as he could.
The hunter ran and ran and ran, until he ended up at the edge of a very steep cliff.
His hopes were dim.
Seeing no way out of his predicament, and with the bear closing in rather quickly, the hunter got down on his knees, opened his arms, and exclaimed, "Dear God! Please give this bear some religion!"
The skies darkened and there was lightning in the air.
Just a few feet short of the hunter, the bear came to an abrupt stop, and glanced around, somewhat confused.
Suddenly, the bear looked up into the sky and said,
"Thank you, God, for the food I'm about to receive…"


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Parker Posey Will Be Nicole Kidman's Frenemy In Grace of Monaco
From The House of Yes to Best in Show, and even Josie and the Pussycats, there is something distinctly and deeply satisfying about watching Parker Posey play entitled bitches. Really no one does it better. She somehow manages to create characters audiences loathe yet envy. So it's a brilliant move on the part of the producers of Grace of Monaco to have signed Parker to play a calculating lady-in-waiting in the court of Grace Kelly's Monaco.
Nicole Kidman will star as Kelly with Tim Roth portraying her beloved Prince Rainier III, and Variety reports will play scheming social climber Madge Tivey-Faucon. With a name that fussy, Madge seems destined to be a part for Parker. Directed by Olivier Dahan, who helmed the 2007 Oscar-winning biopic La vie en rose, the film will be a less humorous affair than Parker is generally associated with, but let's not forget the indie actress has delivered fantastic performances in dramas too, from Hal Hartley's cryptic Henry Fool to Zoe R. Cassavetes' astounding and tender Broken English. So, this should be a part where Parker can really sizzle.
In talks to join the cast that also includes Paz Vega and Frank Langella is Heroes' Milo Ventimiglia, who was most recently seen in the Adam Sandler comedy That's My Boy. Should he sign on, Ventimiglia would take on the role of Rupert Allan, Kelly's publicist who went on to serve as a consul general to Monaco, and ultimately was honored with a Chevalier of the Order of Grimaldi for his service. As he is set to reteam with Sandler on Grown Ups 2-—because yup, that's happening—this could prove a major opportunity for Ventimiglia to get the notice of filmmakers who favor more prestigious pics.
Grace of Monaco is going into production very soon, beginning in France before moving on to Belgium.
Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News
Staff writer at CinemaBlend.


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Wings of Eagles Discovery Center is an accredited 501(c)(3) organization that provides STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) educational programs for youth and houses an aviation museum collection on display to the public.
An aviation museum experience with airplanes, history, STEM, and an exclusive exhibit on how to live on Mars, along with two separate Mars Mission based Escape Rooms
Wings of Eagles Discovery Center is a regional STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) facility in central New York state that provides formal and informal education for Kindergarten through 12th graders using aviation and space technology themed lessons. Our programs use hands-on and interactive methods to engage students in STEM subjects. We provide educational programs throughout the year through Summer Day Camps, Saturday Project-based Learning programs, extended day programs and in-school programs where teachers can either bring their class to Wings of Eagles or we bring Wings of Eagles to them.
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