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If you are like most people, you learned history in classes that largely covered facts related to dates, places and people … and you probably couldn't wait until the school bell rang.
Sadly, children's exposure to history is often framed in a way that is less interesting and engaging than it could be, and it robs students of a curiosity about the past that could benefit their own future by understanding the richness of the human experience.
When it comes to the intersection of the financial markets and human history, there is a kaleidoscope of tales drawn from centuries of market mischief, mishaps and mayhem. This article reveals a few less-known but notable events drawn from the past half-millennium that might pique your own interest in the rivers of time that have led us to the present day.
Holland's Famed Tulipmania Was Driven by Two Viruses
You are probably acquainted with the fabled "tulipmania" that gripped Holland during the early 1600s. What most people don't know is that two viruses played central roles in this drama.
The tulip bulbs themselves were classified into three groups: the single-colored, the multi-colored and the "bizarres." This last category is most important, as bizarres were the rarest and most sought-after tulip. The reason these unusual flowers came about was due to a virus that interfered with the plant's ability to create a uniform color on the petal. It is today known as a "breaking" virus, since it breaks the plant's lock on a single petal color without killing the plant. The effect on the flower was striking, producing mosaic-like flames of color on each petal. Of course, the Dutch of the time knew nothing of such things; they merely took a strong liking to these rare and unusual flowers.
As tulipmania neared its frenzied peak, an outbreak of bubonic plague emerged in the land. The psychological effects of this varied from person to person, but for some, it created a reckless, fatalistic disregard for financial risk, since no one was sure if they would be alive or dead in the months ahead. The same plague was also to blame when an important auction of tulip bulbs took place and not a single buyer showed up, ostensibly out of fear of the disease. Of course, plenty of sellers were there, but with no one to sell to, it swiftly became apparent that the top was in, and holders of the bulbs scrambled to get out at any price.
1720s France and 1930s U.S. Share an Important Similarity
In early 18th century France, John Law had revolutionized finance in the country by introducing paper money in lieu of specie (money in coin). As the frenzy surrounding the mania known later as "The Mississippi Scheme" turned into panic, banks were under terrible stress from holders of the paper notes who demanded their "real" money (that is, precious metals) back.
As the crowds pressed in, the Royal Bank took measures to try to slow down the extraction of real money from its vaults. For example, if a person came to withdraw gold in exchange for notes, the teller would count out the change at a comically slow pace, thus frustrating the others in line and reducing the amount that physically could be taken out in the business day.
Another trick was to put clerks in line who were instructed to withdraw some gold and then simply return the coinage to the vault immediately afterward. This practice slowed down legitimate customers even further merely by making the lines longer.
Two hundred years later, a similar situation occurred in the U.S. as "bank runs" became commonplace during the Great Depression. Between 1929 and 1933, more than 43% (10,763 out of 24,970) of commercial banks in the country failed. Some banks, desperate to stay in business, resorted to ridiculous measures. One Utah bank instructed its tellers to work as slowly as possible, counting out small bills one by one, in order to reduce the pace at which money was being extracted by anxious account holders.
Although two centuries had passed, it seems there had been no innovation in methods of stalling anxious customers during a financial calamity.
Sir Isaac Newton Got Burned by the Bitcoin of His Day
The digital currency bitcoin famously ascended to unthinkable heights in 2013, only to crumble from its peak value during the first four months of 2014. A similar trajectory was experienced by shares of the South Sea Company during the time of Isaac Newton.
As mythic a figure as Newton is, he was still human, and he had watched jealously as his friends made fortunes in South Sea shares. He jumped on board early in 1720, enjoyed a portion of the ascent in the stock's price, and sold at a profit. As the stock kept climbing, he elected to put even more money in this time, hoping to "catch up" with the gains his peers had enjoyed.
Although the great scientist got to enjoy the stock's final vault to above 1,000 pounds, he watched, dumbfounded, as South Sea fell by its own form of gravity. In the second half of 1720, Newton's holdings created a loss of 20,000 pounds before he dumped all his shares. His earlier profits were wiped out, and his misadventure with South Sea was a financial folly from which he would never recover. He said of the experience, "I can calculate the movement of heavenly bodies, but not the madness of men."
Lincoln Almost Violated the Constitution Over a Hoax
Abraham Lincoln has the status of a near-deity in U.S. history. After years of civil war, however, he became an unwitting actor in an elaborate hoax. Following the hoax, he came dangerously close to infringing on the right of free speech enshrined in the U.S. Constitution.
During the war, the opportunities to profit from gold's dynamic price movements were not missed by the unscrupulous, and one fascinating account from 1864 captures this neatly. In May of that year, after four years of war, the Union was growing hopeful that a successful conclusion might be in sight.
However, on May 18, the morning papers the New York World and the Journal of Commerce came out with shocking news. They reported that the president had ordered an additional 400,000 men to be conscripted into the Union army on account of "the situation in Virginia, the disaster at Red River, the delay at Charleston, and the general state of the country."
The discouraging report and the demand for such a huge quantity of fresh soldiers sent a shock wave through the financial community. This was because the report made it seem obvious that things were not going nearly as well in the war as believed. Stocks tumbled, and hard assets such as gold soared in value. Some people became puzzled, however, because this important report was nowhere to be found in any of the city's many other newspapers.
Late that morning, crowds had gathered at the offices of both papers that had published the news. The editors assured the crowds that the story was true, producing the dispatch from the Associated Press with the matching information. The Associated Press, however, the ostensible source of the information, quickly issued a statement making clear that they had never sent out this dispatch. This soon caught the attention of the State Department in Washington with Secretary of State William Seward declaring the news dispatch to be "an absolute forgery."
It turns out that the forgery was a clever creation of Joseph Howard, the city editor of the Brooklyn Eagle newspaper. Howard, who was intimately acquainted with the workings of New York's newspapers, had come up with a scheme. He knew that bad news from the war would cause gold to rise in value. He also knew that the best way to get a dispatch into the morning papers would be to submit the dispatch when the newspaper staff was most vulnerable—that is, in the wee hours of the morning, when there were hardly any personnel around to verify the facts.
Howard worked with an accomplice to craft a realistic-looking Associated Press news release. Howard, along with Francis Mallison (a reporter for his journal), then distributed the news item at 3:30 in the morning to New York City's newspapers. Most of them were reluctant to print such an important piece without verification, but two of them proceeded to run with the story.
Of course, before any of this took place, Howard acquired as much gold as he could in his margin account. Once the grim news was raging throughout the financial community, he disposed of his position at a handsome profit, never suspecting the false item would be traced back to him.
It was, however. President Lincoln ordered the closure of both papers that had printed the dispatch, an order that was later rescinded. Lincoln's furious demand for the paper's closures, however, became one of the few black marks on his presidency since, in spite of the ugly circumstances involved, it went right to the heart of freedom of the press guaranteed by the Constitution.
The irony to the newspaper hoax was that only two months later, Lincoln did indeed order the conscription of more men into the Union army. However, the figure demanded was not the 400,000 that Howard had dreamed up for his bogus news release. It was, in fact, a full half million. Howard's fanciful fraud was, in the end, prescient.
Spotting Bubbles
There's no magic secret to spotting a bubble: After all, if there were, bubbles wouldn't last for very long. One consistency about bubbles is how obvious they seem in hindsight. As we now look back on the internet bubble, the Hunt silver debacle, the South Sea bubble or any of the others, it's all too easy for us to shake our heads at the foolhardiness of our ancestors and take comfort in our newfound wisdom. If only this were ever the case! Humans will always be able to concoct a new and, for its contemporaries, undetectable bubble.
Analogs to the past can be helpful, however, since—as the old saying goes—history may not repeat, but it does rhyme. There are a couple of big challenges to drawing parallels between the past and the present, however. First, as the world speeds up, through such developments as improved communication and new technologies, it becomes necessary to "translate" instances of the past to modern-day equivalents. The kinds of rumors or narratives that might have spurred on a market in the past might have spread "like wildfire" a hundred years ago, when "wildfire" could have been measured in weeks instead of milliseconds.
The other challenge, and probably the most important, is trying to divine when a top is at hand, even if the bubble is relatively obvious. Those who took advantage of the "top" in Nasdaq stocks in late December 1999 would have been extraordinarily close to pinpointing the peak of the bubble, but they would have also suffered a complete portfolio wipe-out as internet stocks vaulted a final 100% in the waning weeks of the tech bubble. Although speculators will undoubtedly leave money on the table by waiting, it's probably wisest to wait until it's evident that the bubble is deflating before taking action, even if you miss the first portion of the move downward.
The Wizard of Oz Is a Precious Metals Allegory
Late in the 19th century, there was a widespread struggle in the U.S. over whether silver or gold, or a combination, should be the basis for "sound money." The drama around this debate was captured allegorically in a popular children's tale published around the time entitled "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz."
The book was written in the late 1890s by L. Frank Baum during the throes of the gold/silver political dichotomy. The major elements of the book represented the circumstances and characters of Baum's surroundings:
- The yellow brick road was the gold standard;
- The silver slippers represented the silver standard (the slippers were changed to ruby in the movie version for aesthetic effect, since color in movies was very unusual in those days and the ruby slippers were very showy on screen);
- Dorothy Gale represented everyday American people who had been, metaphorically speaking, swept away to an unfamiliar circumstance by gale-like forces beyond their control;
- The Emerald City represented the "greenbacks," the political contingent—that is, the citizens themselves—that supported unbacked paper money;
- The Wizard, who runs the Emerald City, was the disingenuous politician who appears to be powerful and wise but is, in fact, a foolish man behind a curtain who is trying to frighten and control regular people;
- The Scarecrow, stuffed with straw, was the American farmer;
- The Cowardly Lion was William Jennings Bryan, the leader of the silver movement (Bryan was widely characterized by critics as indecisive);
- The Tin Man represented American's industrial interests;
- The Wicked Witch of the West stood for the American West; and
- The flying monkeys were the displaced Native Americans of the West (in the novel, the leader of the monkeys tells Dorothy, "Once we were a free people, living happily … this was many years ago, long before Oz came out of the clouds to rule over this land").
In the end, of course, Dorothy simply has to make use of the silver slippers—which she could have done at any time—to return her to the simple, safe and secure life she yearned for.
J.P. Morgan Held Bankers Captive to Get What He Wanted
Before the U.S. had a central bank, its closest equivalent came in the form of one man: J.P. (John Pierpont) Morgan. On more than one occasion, he single-handedly averted a major financial crisis (often profiting handsomely by doing so).
During one particularly dangerous crisis in 1907, known later as the Rich Man's Panic, Morgan brought together the most important bankers of the country to address the crisis on a Saturday night, and he gave them use of the library at his opulent New York mansion to do so. Morgan told the men that they needed to come up with a solution to the problem, and he left the library to attend to other matters. Only later did the bankers realize that Morgan had literally locked them inside the library.
When Morgan entered the room sometime later, no consensus had been reached, so he told the men that they needed to come up with $25 million to shore up the trust companies through the crisis or else the city would face unmanageable panic. After considerable prodding, Morgan was able to persuade the de facto leader of the group to sign an agreement to advance the funds, and the rest of the men followed suit. The agreement having been reached, Morgan produced the key and allowed the bankers out of the library at 4:45 that Sunday morning. Having successfully satisfied their leader (and captor), they were permitted to go home.
The Real Estate Crisis Had a Prequel in Thailand
You are already well familiar with the real estate crisis that gripped the U.S. starting in 2007. A full decade before that, and half a world away, Thailand experienced its own peak and collapse, although the origins of the high valuations were somewhat different from our own.
Thailand was one of the "Asian tigers," Southeast Asian economies that had attracted so much investment and speculation in the early 1990s. An important conduit for the free-flowing credit that pushed real estate higher was a large commercial bank named Finance One. For years, it had borrowed dollars from overseas banks and made loans to Thai developers in the local currency, the baht. This had been a profitable strategy, provided that regular payments kept flowing in from Thai business.
However, the first sign of trouble took place in February 1997, when property developer Somprasong Land announced that it was defaulting on its $80 billion loan portfolio, since it was unable to even make its $3.1 million interest payment. Other developers, who had their own bad news but had been hesitant to make public their misgivings about their ability to pay, swiftly followed in Somprasong's footsteps.
The details behind Finance One's default were grim: Its non-performing loans had doubled during the course of 1996, and in the first quarter of 1997, the quantity of non-performing loans doubled once more. As the banking sector in Thailand looked increasingly shaky, the Thai baht began to lose its footing as well. The Thai government responded by frantically deploying its own U.S. dollar reserves to try to shore up the baht.
What this required of the Thai government was to buy up baht and sell off its dollars. On the books, the government showed that it had depleted its dollar reserves down to $33 billion. What was hidden from the public, however, was that the amount in reserve was close to a mere $1 billion, since the government had already tied up so much collateral in currency futures contracts. When the Thai leadership finally announced that it had "discovered" this information, it was forced to let the baht float freely, which put the currency into a free fall, along with the nation's real estate interests.
Of course, the shock waves from a relatively small Asian economy were not as severe as would be experienced with the United States' own real estate debacle. The Thai crisis was, nonetheless, an interesting precursor to what happens when the close partnership between a nation's government, large commercial banks and real estate developers takes a turn for the worse.
OPEC Was Born in Texas
Most Americans understandably think that Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), was conjured up in the Middle East as a tool to artificially support crude oil prices, but the model for OPEC was actually an American creation. The U.S. organization was called the Texas Railroad Commission (TRC). It was established late in the 19th century in order to, as the name suggests, regulate railroads. As the 20th century dawned, and the decades passed, the domain of the TRC began to spread far beyond just rail lines, particularly with respect to energy resources. In spite of its name, the modern-day Texas Railroad Commission holds sway over many local industries with one notable exception: railroads.
The TRC's control of production levels in the oil industry gave it tight control over oil prices for most of the 20th century. Although it was established in Texas, the TRC was a crucial arbiter for the "Seven Sisters"—the big U.S. and Dutch oil producers—since no other body was so influential in controlling the price of crude oil. The countries outside of this domain closely studied the TRC's practices and effectiveness, since they had ambitions of their own about being bigger players in the global energy markets.
For much of the 20th century, oil was a relatively cheap and plentiful commodity. This made the focus of the TRC suppressing production levels to avoid a repeat of the crash in oil prices that Texas suffered in the 1930s, when a barrel of oil could be had for as little as 25 cents. The principal oil-producing states of the U.S. (Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma) had excess oil capacity, and the TRC had to regulate the flow in order to keep the price high enough for the industry to operate profitably. This was not always an easy task, since it is always tempting for any member of a cartel to break rank and increase their own profits by selling more of the product in question, but the TRC had been a consistent-enough enforcer of production ratios to garner the obedience of the oil producers in its domain.
After World War II and until the end of the 1960s, the nominal price for oil remained within a relatively narrow band of $2.50 to $3.00 per barrel. (In inflation-adjusted terms, this spans from $17 to $19.) Oil and its byproducts were typically American and always cheap, which led to a boom in large, gas-guzzling American automobiles. There was little need for energy efficiency on either the road or in gas-heated households. America had more oil than it knew what to do with.
Around this time, in 1960, OPEC was founded by five member countries: Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Venezuela. So even from its inception, OPEC was not an entirely Middle East entity. In the decade that followed its founding, other countries joined the organization: Algeria, Libya, Nigeria, Qatar, Indonesia and the United Arab Emirates. So while OPEC had a strong Arabian presence, it actually spanned three different continents.
History's Lesson
As we study and learn of the oddities and disruptions that take place over the course of time, probably the most financially germane phenomenon is the asset "bubble," which has taken many forms over the centuries, some of which have been mentioned here such as tulipmania and the South Sea bubble. The commencement, inflation and bursting of these bubbles follow a template common to similar financial catastrophes throughout human history, running along these lines:
- Some kind of shift happens (political, technological or otherwise) that opens up extraordinary profit opportunities that did not exist before, and early participants thrive;
- As word of the profits spread, a larger and more diverse array of individuals participate, and as opportunities become more scarce, leverage, excessive trading and outright fraud begin to creep in; and
- Once the original model can no longer support the participants, or once a fatal flaw is unveiled in the scheme, there is a rush to the exits. After most participants are badly damaged financially, there is a outcry from the public for justice to be rendered against as many culpable parties as possible. Upon reflection, most of the participants recognize they really didn't know what they were doing in the first place.
As history continues to unfold before you, keep this template in mind: It may provide the impetus to get on board with a potentially lucrative investment while in its relatively early stage, or it may save you from joining the crowd near a top, only to see yet another one of history's bubbles burst in front of your eyes.
This article was written by Timothy Knight for the May 2014 issue of the AAII Journal. He is the author of the book "Panic, Prosperity, and Progress" (John Wiley & Sons, 2014) and the creator the trading blog SlopeOfHope.com.


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{Photography.59.1}: Rich Mason {richpix} Tue, 30 Mar 2004 02:25:53 CST (HTML)
Open Range
Seen along US 85 which links the South and North Units of Theodore Roosevelt National
{Photography.59.2}: David Burke {tualatin} Tue, 30 Mar 2004 08:21:40 CST (1 line)
Good one, Rich!
{Photography.59.3}: Coyote {coyote} Tue, 30 Mar 2004 09:58:54 CST (HTML)
Attachment: WatchYourBack.jpg (46K)
{Photography.59.4}: Kai Hagen {kai} Tue, 30 Mar 2004 12:04:19 CST (1 line)
Wouldn't that be a pushme-pullyu?!
{Photography.59.5}: Coyote {coyote} Tue, 30 Mar 2004 12:14:12 CST (1 line)
Ah..... so you're a Dr. Doolittle fan!
{Photography.59.6}: Kai Hagen {kai} Tue, 30 Mar 2004 12:34:47 CST (1 line)
Once upon a time, perhaps. :-)
{Photography.59.7}: Kai Hagen {kai} Tue, 30 Mar 2004 12:36:58 CST (HTML)
Attachment: indadsbootsoct00web.jpg (29K)
{Photography.59.8}: Coyote {coyote} Tue, 30 Mar 2004 12:53:26 CST (3 lines)
Hahahahahaha! Priceless! Great t-shirt, too!
{Photography.59.9}: Myra {southsage} Tue, 30 Mar 2004 13:00:55 CST (HTML)
Keep 'em coming, please.
{Photography.59.10}: Kai Hagen {kai} Tue, 30 Mar 2004 13:08:42 CST (HTML)
I used to sell those to museums, Coyote...and others to zoos, etc. Have given away
zillions, but till have a couple of big boxes. No adult-sized version of that one,
though, unfortunately.
{Photography.59.11}: Coyote {coyote} Tue, 30 Mar 2004 13:17:04 CST (HTML)
Attachment: BlueLegsAndTail.jpg (49K)
{Photography.59.12}: Kai Hagen {kai} Tue, 30 Mar 2004 13:20:15 CST (1 line)
I want to know what's above the frame?!
{Photography.59.13}: Cleophus {cleophus} Tue, 30 Mar 2004 18:19:19 CST (1 line)
Great topic idea, Rich, and great pics folks!
{Photography.59.14}: {dianeh} Tue, 30 Mar 2004 23:26:27 CST (0 lines)
{erased by dianeh Tue, 30 Mar 2004 23:27:09 CST}
{Photography.59.15}: Diane Hamilton {dianeh} Tue, 30 Mar 2004 23:28:39 CST (HTML)
Anybody wanna buy a house?
Attachment: gssale.jpg (44K)
{Photography.59.16}: Diane Hamilton {dianeh} Tue, 30 Mar 2004 23:32:39 CST (HTML)
Attachment: moosehead.jpg (48K)
{Photography.59.17}: Suzanne Griffith {sggriffith} Tue, 30 Mar 2004 23:44:18 CST (1 line)
Is 48K the price? ;-)
{Photography.59.18}: Coyote {coyote} Wed, 31 Mar 2004 10:09:26 CST (HTML)
Attachment: GardenGuyStarfish.jpg (49K)
{Photography.59.19}: Diane Hamilton {dianeh} Sat, 03 Apr 2004 23:55:54 CST (HTML)
Attachment: taxistand.jpg (47K)
{Photography.59.20}: {coyote} Thu, 22 Apr 2004 23:15:28 CDT (0 lines)
{erased by coyote Thu, 22 Apr 2004 23:15:50 CDT}
{Photography.59.21}: Coyote {coyote} Thu, 22 Apr 2004 23:18:43 CDT (HTML)
Here's more of our yard art. Buddha in the Oxalis. Heh. Sounds like a best seller ;-)
Attachment: Buddha.jpg (47K)
{Photography.59.22}: Diane Hamilton {dianeh} Fri, 23 Apr 2004 08:18:05 CDT (7 lines)
Good Buddha! IT was taken on the beach in Wildwood, NJ. The beach has expanded there so it's like a half mile walk to the ocean from the boardwalk - or something like that. So they run a little beach taxi - I've never seen it. I took the picture in the fall after all the tourists and taxis were gone.
{Photography.59.23}: Cleophus {cleophus} Fri, 23 Apr 2004 19:29:47 CDT (2 lines)
{21} Nice Marlon Brando statue. :-)
{Photography.59.24}: Kai Hagen {kai} Fri, 23 Apr 2004 19:36:14 CDT (3 lines)
Cool Buddha! Nice pic!
{Photography.59.25}: Sandra Oliva {latina} Fri, 23 Apr 2004 21:52:50 CDT (1 line)
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subset: commoncrawl


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DUBLIN, Ireland - TD Securities has expanded its Irish presence with the opening of a new office in Dublin, located at One Molesworth Street.

Headquartered in Toronto, Canada, TD Securities is a corporate and investment bank operating out of 15 offices in key financial centres around the globe. The company provides capital markets products and services to corporate, government and institutional clients. TD Securities is part of TD Bank Group, a Top 10 North American bank by total assets, total deposits, and market capitalization, with C$1.3 trillion in assets and over 87,000 employees.

TD Securities has had a presence in Dublin for more than two decades and previously announced its intention to expand in the city. As a fully licensed broker-dealer, the company will grow its presence in Dublin to up to 80 people by the end of this year, including front office, support and control and technology roles.

"TD Securities' decision to expand their operations in Ireland is a further sign of the global international financial services centre that we have built here, resulting in the creation of thousands of highly skilled jobs. TD Securities has been a part of the Irish financial landscape for over 20 years. It is very encouraging to see the continued expansion of the company in this way and I look forward to witnessing its growth into the future," Ireland's Minister for Finance Paschal Donohoe said Tuesday.

"With the natural growth of our business in Europe, we need to be where our clients are," Peter Walker, Vice-Chair and Regional Head for Europe and Asia-Pacific, TD Securities said Tuesday. "Our long-standing history in Ireland and Dublin's deep talent pool resulted in the city becoming a critical part of our European strategy."

Commenting on the opening of the new office, IDA Ireland CEO Martin Shanahan at the official opening ceremony said: "Ireland is a major international centre for financial services and technology businesses. Today's office opening by TD Securities is a major endorsement by a leading global investment bank in Dublin as a location for hiring both highly skilled capital markets and technology professionals."


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Quite aside from the threat to life and property, and the emotional toll taken by drunk driving, there is also a huge financial impact. Too many people take the risk of trying to drive home after "a few drinks", and end up finding themselves not quite as sober as they thought. Even if any tragedy is avoided, a driver in Nevada could still end up paying about $10, 828 in total costs before all is said and done.
How DUIs Impact Car Insurance There are a lot of deleterious effects of DUIs, and one of them is the increased risk assessed by car insurance companies. A driver with a DUI is a high-risk diver and can expect any insurance premiums to double – or their policy to simply not be renewed.
According to Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), the average first time offender in DUI cases can see car insurance rates range between $3,600 and $6,600 a year. These rates could remain for up to seven years, depending upon state law. Any additional claims filed or any additional traffic violation may raise the rates still further.
The Further Price of DUI Only people in major cities with an excellent public transportation system can get along well without a car. It is almost a necessity for survival. It will cost more than just additional insurance premiums to recover from a DUI. While it varies from state to state, a DUI offended can generally expect to pay for:
Towing ($300 - $1,200) Bail ($250 - $2,500) Fines and Court Fees ($500 - $2,500) Average Attorney Fees ($2,500) Mandatory Education and Treatment ($350 - $2,000) Electronic Home Monitoring ($150 - $2,250) Ignition Lock ($730 - $2,800)
Towing ($300 - $1,200) Bail ($250 - $2,500) Fines and Court Fees ($500 - $2,500) Average Attorney Fees ($2,500) Mandatory Education and Treatment ($350 - $2,000) Electronic Home Monitoring ($150 - $2,250) Ignition Lock ($730 - $2,800)
Aside from the above costs is the time it will take to fulfill and complete all these obligations. It takes time to get the car from towing, and to sit in court, and to take classes – not to mention any possible jail time. Some states even suspend driving privileges, even on the first offense, making it that much harder to get to court or classes.
A DUI is a criminal offense, which means an offender's driving record will have a black mark. Getting a job in certain occupations will be much more difficult, in much the same way finding affordable car insurance will be more difficult.
Is It Possible to Get Affordable Car Insurance After a DUI? A DUI is a vast mistake, but it is possible to come back from such a disaster. Keeping clean after a conviction will slowly lower car insurance rates, especially if the offender was young at the time. It is even more important for a driver with a DUI to shop around for lower premiums. The options will be diminished, but that is no reason to sign up with the first provider that is willing to take on someone with a black mark on their record. Research and compare, just as usual, and most importantly avoid any other accidents or tickets.


text: California SB 582 has passed and is now awaiting signature from the Governor Jerry Brown. This bill allows regional planning authorities to require employers to offer commuter benefits – pre-tax deductions that can be use for public transportation or cycling costs incurred by bike commuting. That's right, you may soon have the opportunity to pay for those tires shredded by road debris with pre-tax funds. Folks familiar with Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) for health care will be familiar with this concept. These plans are, in essence, an FSA for commuters. Jerry Brown has 12 days to either sign or veto. You can get the details of the bill, including the full text, here.


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After the worst Red Sox season most of us have lived through - it's been 47 years since they finished with a worse record - the front office has fired Valentine as manager.
Executive Vice-President/General Manager Ben Cherington:
Our 2012 season was disappointing for many reasons. No single issue is the reason, and no single individual is to blame. We've been making personnel changes since August, and we will continue to do so as we build a contending club. With an historic number of injuries, Bobby was dealt a difficult hand. He did the best he could under seriously adverse circumstances, and I am thankful to him.President/CEO Larry Luchhino:
[P.S. I never wanted him in the first place.]
This year's won-loss record reflects a season of agony. It begs for changes, some of which have already transpired. More will come. We are determined to fix that which is broken and return the Red Sox to the level of success we have experienced over the past decade. Difficult as it is to judge a manager amid a season that had an epidemic of injuries, we feel we need to make changes. Bobby leaves the Red Sox' manager's office with our respect, gratitude, and affection. I have no doubt that he will continue to contribute to the game he loves so much and knows so well.Principal Owner John Henry:
In our meeting with Bobby today, he handled everything with dignity and class, and it is deeply appreciated. Ultimately, we as owners are responsible for arming our organization with the resources-intellectual, physical, and financial-to return to the levels of competitiveness to which we aspire and to which our fans are accustomed. Our commitment to winning is unwavering. It is a commitment to this team, to this city, and to these fans who have supported us through thick and thin. We have confidence in Ben Cherington and the kind of baseball organization he is determined to build.Valentine:
I understand this decision. This year in Boston has been an incredible experience for me, but I am as disappointed in the results as are ownership and the great fans of Red Sox Nation. It was a privilege to be part of the 100 year anniversary of Fenway Park and an honor to be in uniform with such great players and coaches. My best to the organization. I'm sure next year will be a turnaround year.The Globe's Peter Abraham notes: "Not since 1934 have the Red Sox fired a manager after only one season."


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LANSING, Mich. – The Republican-controlled Michigan Senate has passed legislation that would restrict and regulate abortion practices including requiring a health professional to screen patients to ensure they aren't being forced to end pregnancies.
The measures previously passed by the GOP-led House were approved Wednesday by a 27-10 vote. The legislation returns to the House for its final review before going to Republican Gov. Rick Snyder.
The bill package also enacts regulations related to the disposal of fetal remains. It additionally requires private medical offices to be licensed as freestanding surgical outpatient facilities if they perform at least 120 abortions annually and undergo annual state inspections.
Critics say the rules are confusing, contradictory and designed to restrict women's reproductive freedom. Supporters say they are commonsense, overdue reforms that keep women safe.
Michigan House approves new emergency manager law


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Are Boynton Beach Rent-to-Own Homes a Scam?
If you've spent time driving around Boynton Beach Florida or browsing Craigslist or other sites, you may have seen advertisements that read, "Own a home for $500/month. No credit check!" While it seems too good to be true, local rent-to-own homes are a viable option that many Boynton Beach residents are taking advantage of. But… Are Boynton Beach … Continued


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nonmarketable security(redirected from Nonnegotiable Instrument)
Nonmarketable security
Securities that cannot be easily bought and sold.
Nonmarketable Security
A security that may not be bought or sold. Generally, a nonnegotiable security may be redeemed by the issuer, but this is often subject to some limitations. Low-risk instruments such as savings bonds and certificates of deposit are examples of nonnegotiable securities. They are also called nonnegotiable securities and nontradeable securities.
nonmarketable security
A security that may not be sold by one investor to another. This type of security is generally redeemable by the issuer, although within certain limitations. U.S. Treasury savings bonds and most certificates of deposit are nonmarketable securities. Also called nonnegotiable security.


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The political mudslinging between the Democratic and Republican presidential campaigns have been subject to much scrutiny, and on Wednesday's episode of "The Daily Show," host Jon Stewart took a swing at the Republican accusation that Obama is running a "divisive" campaign based on "hatred."
"Are the Republicans really that blind to the depths of their own vitriol?" asked an incredulous Stewart.
Campaigning in Virginia, Vice President Joe Biden raised a few eyebrows with a remark about Romney's push to scrap Wall Street regulations, which Obama signed into law after the financial meltdown in 2008.
U.S. & World
"Unchain Wall Street," Biden said. "They're going to put y'all back in chains."
Outraged Republicans pounced on the comment, taking Obama to task for his "hateful and divisive" rhetoric.
Stewart threw to a clip of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, who challenged Fox News host Greta Van Susteren "to name one prominent Republican who even comes to close to what like the Alan Graysons, the Harry Reids, the Joe Bidens come up with and spew to the American publican, I can't think of one prominent Republican who talks the way they talk."
"Does the lake behind you have reflective properties?" mocked Stewart. "If so, you may find the answer to your riddle."
Turning the tables on the Republicans, Stewart proceeded to show a montage of Palin's own vitriol, in which she accused Obama of palling around with terrorist and called Nancy Pelosi a "dingbat."
Stewart concluded that there are only two explanations as to why Palin didn't know of any "prominent Republicans" who spewed divisive vitriol.
"One, not even Sarah Palin believes she's a prominent Republican anymore," Stewart deadpanned. "Or two, Sarah Palin can no longer hear herself speak."
Check out the full clip, courtesy of Comedy Central:


text: A teen with an absentee single mother attempts to accelerate her transition into adulthood with the help of her best friend, and she learns some important lessons about growing up in the process. Ansiedad (Cierra Ramirez) doesn't have a father, and her mother Grace (Eva Mendes) is hardly an inspirational role model. Insulting, inconsiderate, and often too busy with work or men to give her daughter any real attention, Grace is in the midst of an affair with a married doctor (Matthew Modine) when her handsome co-worker (Eugenio Derbez) tries to sweep her off her feet. Meanwhile, Ansiedad begins to grasp the concept of the archetypal "coming-of-age" story in English class with the help of her concerned teacher, Ms. Armstrong (Patricia Arquette), and decides that it's high time she left adolescence behind. Together with her best friend Tavita (Raini Rodriguez), Ansiedad hatches a plan to speed up her development, even if it means willingly sacrificing some of her own innocence along the way. Little does Ansiedad realize that growing up isn't just about getting older, but getting wiser as well.


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For the little kids - or big ones! I love wild animals and having had a baby recently I know I am not the only one. A cheeky monkey, stripy zebra, elegant giraffe and prowling tiger all feature in this fabric's design.
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One thing I always want to see when I play in a game or run a game is a single place that I can say is home for the characters. Somewhere that the players can set down some roots and have a home, have some regular contacts they meet with, and a chance to shape their own environment. To that end, I was wondering if I can interest everyone in building a habitat that can be used for exactly this purpose.
I suggest we build Extropia. Sunward won't have it included and I don't want to wait until the Outer Rim book. Extropia would be perfect for this kind of project based on the nature of the habitat. I might have a great idea for an NPC that runs a security company, but someone else might too. In Extropia, both could and should exist as competition for each other. The habitat is as large as some of the largest cities on Earth today so has tons of room for our creations. Heck, depending on how we approach this, we might be able to just slip in everything we design into whatever they come out with for Extropia in the Outer Rim book!
I've been thinking a little bit about NPC design and it seems to me a standardized statblock will have to be worked out. Perhaps filled out PDF character sheets? It'd certainly cover everything but I wonder if it might be too much information for ease of game play. I was toying with the idea of each NPC having a Solarchive entry that players could search for when looking up the NPCS. Also, I really like the idea of including an entry on each character for "Their price". Extropia is all about buying, selling, and contracts, so this could be what they want most, something they'd be willing to do just about anything to get.
Anyone want in on this project?


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Cell biology is taught in classrooms around the world to provide students with a firm conceptual grounding in biology. This text provides basic, core knowledge about how cells work and uses colour images and diagrams to emphasize concepts and aid understanding.Julian Lewis is the author of 'Essential Cell Biology', published 2009 under ISBN 9780815341291 and ISBN 0815341296.[read more]
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The White Sox set their 25-man roster on Saturday morning by optioning right-handed pitcher Dylan Axelrod to Triple-A Charlotte and reassigning RHP Brian Bruney, C Hector Gimenez, INF Rey Olmedo, LHP Leyson Septimo and LHP Eric Stults to Minor League camp.
With those moves, the White Sox have 12 pitches, two catchers, six infielders and five outfielders set to break camp. Eduardo Escobar was selected as the final position player, as expected, while Zach Stewart and Nate Jones round out the seven-man bullpen.
In that relief crew, the White Sox have four players with 70 days of big-league experience or less and three in Addison Reed, Jones and Hector Santiago, with 30 days or less. General manager Ken Williams said Saturday that he knew two weeks ago Jones and his fastball in the high 90s would make the team.
Here's the Sox 25-man (Active) roster.
And here are Kenny Williams' comments on today's roster decisions.
BTW, Nate Jones was working on his changeup yesterday:
Jones added a cutter/slider to his repertoire last season and has worked on his changeup over the past six weeks. He showed that change during his one inning of work Friday against the Royals, bouncing back from walking the first two hitters he faced to pitch a scoreless inning
Here are the Pitch-F/X readings for Jones' appearance yesterday.


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They set "The Blacklist" in Washington, but in truth it inhabits a Manhattan studio where "Law & Order" lived for two decades. Judging from its out-of-the-gate robust ratings, good reviews and swift full-season pickup, this new NBC crime thriller could be settling in for a long stay of its own.
One day last week, filming dwelled in the FBI's cavernous, mood-lit War Room, where world-class criminal "Red" Reddington has held forth since, for reasons unknown, he surrendered to authorities to help them catch the high-profile outlaws he used to assist. Even more puzzling, he has agreed to switch sides on the strict condition that he only deals with rookie FBI profiler Liz Keen.
These unlikely partners are played by James Spader and Megan Boone, and an all-important chemistry between them clicked right away, like the rest of the series, which arrived last month with remarkable sure-footedness, spared any hint of new-show confusion and doubt.
U.S. & World
"Oh," laughs Spader on hearing this assessment, "there's a LOT of confusion and doubt! We don't know WHAT we're doing yet! But we're getting it done. By Monday night at 10 o'clock" — Eastern time, he means — "we're getting it done!"
Spader, a veteran of dozens of films as well as TV series that include "Boston Legal" and "The Office," has fastened on a short break from filming to step into the afternoon sunshine, light a cigarette and talk with a reporter over the roar of 12th Avenue traffic.
"I might have been looking for him," Spader muses when asked how he came to play Reddington. "I wanted someone who was irreverent, and, even at the most difficult times, saw the irony in the world around him. And he's really not afraid of the unknown. I don't think he's afraid of much."
Reddington — glib, charismatic but beneath it all, a bad guy — finds his ideal counterpoint in Liz, a good guy plagued by doubts about her husband's true identity, her own unsettled career and, most of all, why Reddington has chosen her as his information conduit.
"I fought for that role," Boone says during an interview later in the studio's lunchroom, where she leaves no doubt she is dining out on Liz.
"It's a good fit," Boone declares. "She's got a lion's heart and feet made of clay. She's kind of a loner. There's something inside her that's always hidden from everyone in her life. I have those elements in my personality."
Boone made her film debut in the cult hit "My Bloody Valentine" and had a supporting role in "Sex and the City 2." On TV, she starred in the short-lived "Law & Order: LA."
She says her "Blacklist" co-star has been "really supportive. He believes in me more than I believe in myself sometime." Even so, does she feel intimidated going head-to-head with a veteran actor like Spader?
"Of COURSE!" she chortles. "But the intimidation is helpful: If you're playing my part and you're not intimidated by Red Reddington, there's something wrong. So I incorporate every feeling I have into my scenes with him. That's what makes it honest and alive."
Spader agrees they're in sync.
"Megan is incredibly eager and game, and with very little experience — and very open about that," he says. "Our relationship is a function of the relationship of the characters in the show. So it works pretty well for both of us."
And like the characters, the actors who play them remain in the dark about mysteries "The Blacklist" is spinning.
"The things that I'm sure about have to do with Liz's character," says Boone, "and not the circumstances of her life. Those seem really ambiguous and up for grabs right now."
"I know enough for me to be able to do my job," says Spader. "If I have a question because I can't wrap my head around something, I get an answer to it. That's all I want to know."
It's a show that trades on secrets, as does its stars, one of whom, despite her breakout role in a breakout series, continues to live largely incognito.
Boone reports that friends ask if, after "The Blacklist" hit the air, anyone began recognizing her on the street.
"I say, 'WHAT street?!' I get into the production van in the morning, I go to set, I go home at night. I don't GO on the streets."
But maybe there's another reason no one picks her out.
"After work, I take my hair off," she confides, giving her long, brown tresses a tug. "This is a wig. Underneath it, I have short hair."
"The Blacklist" airs on Mondays at 10 p.m. on NBC.


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An insider's view of what is really happening in the Harris County Criminal Courts
Thursday, March 1, 2012
The Primary Is Officially Set
Additionally, the filing deadline for elected positions has been extended from now until March 9th.
I'm not a politician, but I've heard varying opinions over whether a late primary helps or hurts incumbents. I have no idea what the correct theory is, but I do know that now more than ever, it is time to get out the word on who to vote for.
As a side note: when we reach May, I will become even more insufferably persistent in making sure that you all got out there and voted for Mike Anderson, Kristin Guiney, Joe Vinas, and Renee Magee in their contested races.
Mark your calendars.
42 comments:
The fact that Jim Barr has the nerve to run for judge again is absolutely appalling.
Guess Who?
- March 1, 2012 at 4:32 PM
- March 1, 2012 at 9:36 PM
Primary Watch: Woodfill still has not paid his property taxes. Penalty increased today. What a shining example of leadership. Maybe Lykos can float him a loan.
- March 1, 2012 at 9:48 PM
Ben Levi - you are a moron.
Murray - no love for Brad Hart?
- March 2, 2012 at 6:45 AM
You really need to inform your readers about the importance of electing Kristin Guiney. As you know, Lana Shadwick will be a disaster of epic proportions if elected.
- March 2, 2012 at 6:47 AM
- Murray Newman said...
A ton of love for Brad Hart! He was my first chief and one of the most stand up guys I've ever met in my life. I just listed the contested races to emphasize how important it was to get out there and vote.
- March 2, 2012 at 7:14 AM
- Murray Newman said...
And I will be writing about Guiney. However, writing about Shadwick is difficult. She has bounced around to so many jobs and been so, um, notorious, I've just got to find the time to sit down and cover it all!
- March 2, 2012 at 7:17 AM
"We are eager to show the public all the evidence in this case." - Patricia R. Lykos (2/1/12)
"The Harris County District Attorney's Office has long been eager to share what we know with the public. Now that the grand jury's proceedings have ended, we will be responding—vigorously.
In the days to come, our website—HarrisCountyDA.com—will feature a new section devoted to setting the record straight." (source: www.harriscountyda.com).
Ms. Lykos:
For a while, we have wondered whether there was something wrong with your internet connection or website. We are so relieved there isn't. We know this becasue every time Mr. Jolly posts something about you on his website, it is immediately posted on your website. It's oddly strange how that works.
New idea: Perhaps Mr. Jolly should post the evidence first so that you can then link to it from your site. We look forward to seeing it.
P.S. We love the shorter bangs - it looks fantastic.
- the public
- March 2, 2012 at 8:25 AM
I think 9:36 is tongue in cheek (no double pun intended). Wasn't it candidate for judge Ben Levi back in the day who was caught in a jail broom closet w/ pants unzipped w/ female client just before the election ? Hence play on words of "bought" honor ?
- March 2, 2012 at 9:02 AM
To Day _____,
Thanks for the entertainment! We look forward to it.
- March 2, 2012 at 9:24 AM
Can anyone give a report on how the Republican meeting in Bay area went last night?
- March 2, 2012 at 11:34 AM
DEBATE btw Mike Anderson / Pat Lykos last night in Clear Lake : Lasted 40 minutes - Mike was impressive and won the debate if judged by audience reaction. Mike made best point of evening when pointed out DIVERT results in an inability to show a jury the prior DWI if a successful graduate of DIVERT happens to offend again after 2 yrs passes. In other words if a DIVERT graduate even 1 day after 2 yrs passes drives drunk and kills somebody, the jury in the new case will have no way of knowing about the prior DWI. There were gasps of amazement from the audience when that was pointed out by Mike. Also pointed out was that about 1/3 of DIVERT defendants are removed from the program after entry and after being deemed qualified and screened. Lykos spoke of low recidivism rates only for the 2/3 of those remaining in the program.
Lykos touted her "new" programs such as Animal Cruelty. She failed to mention that program was initiated by past DA administrations but not with a name on it.
Mike concentrated on his experience as a prosecutor having tried many felony jury trials as opposed to Lykos who never was a prosecutor. Lykos said she tried several civil cases, some in family court. Mike said he had a passion to protect victims and stop the bad guys while Lykos concentrated more on social programs she says do the same thing.
- March 2, 2012 at 1:51 PM
At Thursday nite's downtown spaghetti warehouse republican judicial debate ..... straw poll results are (I'm listing only those contested crim bench races), Well over 100 participating:
Elsa Alcala: 98.7%
Summerlin 19.7% to Vinas' 80.28%
Guiney's 78.6% tp Shadwick's 21.4%
Magee's 98% tp Barr's 2%
Barr, Shadwick were no-shows. The word is Shadwick knows KGuiney is beating her butt, oh wait a minute, Shadwick was back at the office working overtime on some of those appellate blockbusters for which she is so famous.
Heard Kristin was stellar; Shadwick might be finally learning that lesson. Lana is well advised to stay late working, as well as working thru lunch, on the appellate briefs
- March 2, 2012 at 3:15 PM
Did everyone hear about the Clear Lake Republicans @ Bay Oaks Country Clubs' Candidiates' Forum which was held last night? Both Mike Anderson and Pat Lykos attended. Some highlights for your enjoyment:
Someone who appeared to me to be highly Hooper-esque asked Mike, "You are against DIVERT, but your wife is a criminal defense attorney, so I guess she likes it..." To which Mike Anderson replied, "Well, my wife has never taken the 5th.." KABOOM !
An attendee asked Pat Lykos why she approved a plea in the case of Randy Sylvester, who killed his kids and burned their bodies....?" To which Pat Lykos had NO reply ! There goes that tough Pat Lykos pleading down a death eligible capital case again, and even worse, she probably doesn't even remember the case now.
Pat Lykos, again, made the false statement that she did not seek HPOU's endorsement. To which Mike Anderson was rightly compelled to respond, "Now that's just a lie.." Terrific job, Mike! Thank you for not letting her get away with that one.
Wonder if she will ever stick her neck out at one of these gatherings again. Mike is always there : )
- March 2, 2012 at 6:07 PM
Whether Patsy decides to stick her neck out and lie in the future, she is on the record for having claimed she never asked HPOU for their endorsement. Attendees from HPOU reported that she did ask them to endorse her and then asked, "Please don't ruin my day" (by announcing a no-confidence vote).
Mike is right that she is a liar just like Big Jolly was right about her being a liar and a gutter politician. Mike needs to bring these discrepancies up in every public form she appears at and call her hand.
- March 2, 2012 at 6:38 PM
Results were just announced for non-judicial races in Downtown Pachyderm's straw poll Thursday night at Spaghetti Warehouse:
Mike Anderson 65.79%
Pat Lykos 34.21%
Way to go Mike!!! There was a huge crowd there. Great event!
Republican Activist
- March 2, 2012 at 7:02 PM
Although somewhat off the track, hearty congratulations are due the HCDAO and particularly neophyte prosecutor Lykos on the first successful, and most significantly, legal DWI prosecution in the annals of Harris Couty judicial history as ostensibly reported on KTRH radio today. Since the prior 794,623+ DWI convictions (who is counting)in Harris County, it is rumored, were secured without the assistance of BAT van/DPS evidence or Lykos' trial expertise, motions for new trial and/or expungement will be probably filed in these cases by the HCDAO on 3/5/12 to remedy the "culture of corruption" of the prior administrations.
Calvin A. Hartmann
- March 2, 2012 at 7:59 PM
Is it true that Judge Belinda Hill appointed a prosecutor pro tem now?
- March 2, 2012 at 8:37 PM
Attention Leadership Team!
It appears by all the information coming in your days are number in the HCDAO. Patsy, are you going to retire or go back to work at the County Attorney's Office? Jim, are you going to become part of the PDs Office? Hannah, are you going to follow Patsy back to CAO? Joni, will you be headed to a constable's office or back to being a baliff? Roger, being the smartest of the bunch, we know you are back as judge.
December will be well worth it this year. Watching each of those cleaning out offices they should have never been in. The world as we knew it will be back on its axis.
- March 2, 2012 at 8:54 PM
Lyin Lykos and Gutter Politics
I don't know Mr. David Jennings (Big Jolly), but I have a sense that he isn't a mean guy and I think he is probably even a nice guy. I know previous posters have commented on these articles and I don't want to pick on Mr. Jennings by highlighting them again. I do want to make a point – about the public's ability to TRUST our elected DA, Pat Lykos. Mr. Jennings should take credit where it is due. He called it RIGHT over the course of one year – from March 2008 to March 2009:
In March 2008, he described DA Lykos as a "Gutter" politician:
In March 2009, he dubbed her "Lyin Patty Lykos."
According to a previous post, Judge Mike Anderson plainly called her out (That's a lie.) at the recent Clearlake debate - when she AGAIN stated that she DID NOT seek HPOU's endorsement.
There is the infamous "I know nothing of that…[errrrr]…I certainly didn't authorize it" bizarre and obvious lie [and quintessentially guilty eye downturn shift] when Ted Oberg asked her about investigating the grand jury. The whole grand jury cursory internet investigation inquiry can be the subject of a whole post – just focusing on those fateful words here:
As an aside, the very best article on the web about THAT and an awesome summary of the BAT Van mess is here – the writer, Alex Wukman, actual uses the word "Watergatey" [lesson for those who don't pay attention to history: It is the cover-up that gets 'em.]:
And the BAT VANS – again another whole article for someone else. But, ABC13's Ted Oberg has a well-researched timeline that you should check out – more lies about when our DA knew about the problems. She says she didn't know until July 2011, but Rachel Palmer sent her a detailed email in April 2011:
We have the whole grant writing and political consultant subterfuge. A previous poster asked why the office doesn't hire a real journalist. They did – a couple of them – good ones – Bill Murphy and George Flynn. Didn't work out so well. Real journalists insist on performing the time-consuming and inconvenient task of "checking facts." That doesn't work out so well when what you REALLY need is a "reputation manager" - who can also write grants on the side.
So – these are just a few things that I'm noticing – a regular guy who isn't involved in politics, sitting on my porch, drinking coffee, and searching the internet. It is that EASY to spot the lies.
The solution: Tell the truth. You don't have to explain it and you don't have to remember it. And, in this case, the truth might set someone free: DA Pat Lykos
- March 3, 2012 at 9:24 AM
Doubtful Lykos can go back to DAO if the DEMS stay in charge there. She's also lost her sugardaddy Robert Eckels so she may just have to go to the farm where she can at least boss around her cows.
Leitner will have to go back to private practice. He can't stand the paycut to go to the PDO especially since he couldn't work Intake.
Hannah needs to do what she does best- just stay at home and bake cookies.
Roger obviously saw the hand-writing on the wall and started feathering his new nest over a year ago. Maybe if he gets elected, some of his integrity will return.
If Joni is allowed to stay (after being demoted), she can probably be a loyal employee because she's loyal to whoever the boss is and will do whatever she's told- right or wrong.
You could sell tickets to packing day. It will be a hoot!
- March 3, 2012 at 10:45 AM
Many voters, thinking it's too late for their vote to count in the presidential primary, will stay home. That will help incumbents on the local level.
Better really get that vote out if you want Anderson to have a chance.
His quips about "social programs" are troubling to me. I don't like many things about Lykos, but at least she is working on alternatives that reduce overcrowding and don't ruin peoples' lives because of one stupid mistake.
This is not a comment on the more serious crimes. She may not be prosecuting those hard enough.
And she is evidently as comfortable prosecuting with faulty evidence as Holmes and Rosenthal were, but I'm sure Anderson would be too, so there's no real choice here.
- March 3, 2012 at 11:22 AM
You do realize that its not the DAO's rsponsibility to administer social programs. Its sole purpose is to prosecute.
- March 3, 2012 at 12:34 PM
A week or even a day in the political world can seem like a lifetime.
All indicators on this Blog and at Republican candidate events look very promising for Mike. However, I have NO DOUBT even Mike would say: "Thank You all so much for your enthusiasm, but QUIT TALKING ABOUT PUNISHMENT BEFORE WE GET A GUILTY!"
Other than posting here, what have you done from an activist standpoint to get OTHER people to vote as you are?
We forget that much of this is still inside baseball and that this Blog is ground zero - home -base. To the rest of the voters in Harris County, they don't know the truth either way.
Sure there will be a barrage of commercials leading up to the Primary which is THIS SUMMER!!!!
What are you (the most loyal supporters) doing right now to get your politically ignorant neighbor or friends to even register to vote and then exercise that right?
This is a marathon, not a sprint. If you want Mike Anderson to WIN - start your personal voter "tree" like an Amway multi-level marketing approach. This will be the concrete base from which commercials etc. can build on to get to the so / so interested voters. Seriously, who FEELS like voting anytime - especially in the lazy, hazy days of summer, after a holiday weekend? For some they view voting as jury duty.
Unlikely, but a token third party opponent could jump in to skew the vote. What Rage says has some merit. Bottom line: Be ever vigilant and get busy getting those vacationers registered to vote, and making sure they vote early! Remember what Winston Churchill said during the German Blitz of London: "Never give up.
Never give up. Never give up".
However, to only blog and NOT ACT - you are NOT swaying one voter but rather preaching to the choir. Sure some others may read this blog, but I'm talking about more than this. Don't assume, stop celebrating prematurely and start DOING.
To do otherwise is only engaging in mental cathartic masturbation! Stop talking all giddy about the DAY AFTER like some sophomore at their first Homecoming dance!
Now that the Primary is set in stone - GET SERIOUS! GET MAD! GET MOVING! If you take this personal in a negative way – then good! What are you going to do about it?
- March 3, 2012 at 12:58 PM
No - you are both wrong. The prosecutor's sole duty is to "Seek justice and not merely convict".
- March 3, 2012 at 1:06 PM
Well according to Lycos the prosecutor's sole job is to make her look good. And she hired the consultant to tell us that in 2009.
- March 3, 2012 at 1:54 PM
Thanks 11:06. Sad that even current prosecutors don't understand that.
Also, diversion programs are not social programs. They still punish, to some extent or other. They may suck, or they may work, but they are not social programs.
- March 3, 2012 at 2:47 PM
Rage 2:47
Well damn Rage, if you commit a crime you deserve some kind of punishment! True Justice always involves an element of punishment.
- March 3, 2012 at 5:00 PM
Actually, I you think about it correctly, "True" Justice could result from a NOT GUILTY or even NO BILL or DISMISSAL - all depending on the specific case facts.
- March 3, 2012 at 8:40 PM
1:06....took the words right out of my mouth, thanks for posting that.
8:40, I sure wish the ADAs working in there right now knew that this is how it is supposed to be, not everyone tells the truth, and sometimes they are believing the wrong side, seek JUSTICE not a win for your resume!
- March 3, 2012 at 10:39 PM
With a small amount of research you would have discovered that Mike volunteered his time to preside over one of the drug courts while serving as a district court judge. As administrative judge he spearheaded the creation of the veteran's court and the mental health court. If you spent 5 minutes talking to Mike you would quickly realize that he is a man of integrity, and if a case cannot be proven BRD, it will not be prosecuted in his administration. Justice often times means dismissing a case and Mike is committed to justice, not statistics, not winning at all costs, not glory, but justice. If you doubt that, talk to him, talk to a veteran Houston police officer, talk to lawyers he's worked with...they'll all give you the same response.
- March 4, 2012 at 12:03 PM
Anon 12:03
If Mr Anderson is all about justice, why isnt he standing up against all the injustice and lies that you handful of haters are spreading against Lykos and the District Attorneys Office.
- March 4, 2012 at 3:18 PM
A family member of mine went through the justice system here in Harris county. I've seen what a joke the Harris county DA's office is. This persons case should have never seen inside a court room. So my families gift to all you ADA's is another four years of Lycos. I know it petty, but I can't help how I feel.
- March 4, 2012 at 3:37 PM
- Murray Newman said...
Anon 3:18,
Why don't you specifically enumerate the "lies" as you see them, and we will see what we can do about addressing your concerns.
- March 4, 2012 at 3:47 PM
Patterns of Behavior
Here are some examples of 1) DA Pat Lykos giving completely different statements on IMPORTANT issues and 2) her propensity to deny responsibility and drop others in the grease. This is regarding the issue of law enforcement doing science. When it fits her designs, she says they are the best solution for DWI testing [i.e. scientific testing] and when it doesn't they don't. If you spend some time googling her name and searching for issues, you will too see it is quite easy to notice this PATTERN of behavior.
12/13/11 – Law Enforcement SHOULD Be Doing Science
Lykos Quote 12/13/11 abc13: "I have no idea what this grand jury is doing. I can tell you the DPS is this state's premiere law enforcement agency," said Lykos
This was her quote regarding switching the DWI testing from Lone Star College (a non-law enforcement agency) to the DPS. She should have taken a cue from Judge Emmett who said "Don't have any comment."
This was the day that Harris County Officials - County Judge Ed Emmett and Harris County Commissioners El Franco Lee and Steve Radack - testified in the Grand Jury probe of the DA's Office. [Curious what they think of DA Pat Lykos after that]
12/13/12 – Law Enforcement SHOULD Be Doing Science
Lykos Press Release 12/13/12: "We have been very concerned about outsourcing to non-law enforcement entities and the problems created by personnel turnover. This results in needless resetting of court cases, impacting inmates awaiting trial, witnesses, and law enforcement. The DA's Office recommended the breath alcohol testing services contract with DPS. The decision, of course, and the negotiations belonged to Harris County Commissioners Court and the Harris County Purchasing Office."
DA Pat Lykos released this statement the same day that Harris County Officials County Judge Ed Emmett and Harris County Commissioners El Franco Lee and Steve Radack testified in the Grand Jury probe of her office. So, she says they don't like using non-law enforcement agencies – AND – she also takes this opportunity to say that she only "recommended" this change, but it wasn't her responsibility which agency was chosen. [Note to anyone close to DA Pat Lykos – she will drop you in the grease and RUN.]
01/10/12 – Law Enforcement SHOULD NOT be Doing Science
Lykos – Interview KUHF 01/10/12: "Scientists should be running laboratories, law enforcement should not. No police chief should have to make a decision on whether you put units on the street, or you put money in lab, and so, it's vital. And it also gives the appearance of impropriety when law enforcement controls science."
Even though many people had ALREADY been working on the new Forensic Science Center for several years, Lykos honed in on the glory by appearing at Commissioner's Court to urge "fast-tracking" the project. KUHF also had an interview with the county judge - Emmett - he indicated they were already working on this project and implied they didn't need to be urged.
01/25/12 – Law Enforcement SHOULD be Doing Science – 475,000 Reasons
01/25/12 – abc13 - DA Pat Lykos gave HPD $475,000 for DWI testing equipment – and dodges journalist Ted Oberg's questions by resorting to platitudes, instead of honestly and plainly answering specific questions. DA Lykos: "What we're saying is don't drive drunk. No more victims." When Oberg continued to press her for specifics, she denied responsibility and dodged, "I will certainly acknowledge there are special interests who have demagogued this issue, who have smeared the Houston Police Department and our office -- and that these have been unfair attacks."
- March 4, 2012 at 6:08 PM
Judge of the Year - Lykos
On DA Lykos' official website, she states that she received the "•State District Judge of the Year – Harris County Deputy Sheriff's Association."
At the recent Clear Lake republican debate, she said she didn't want or seek the police unions' endorsement, but THEN mentioned that she received the Judge of the year award from one of them.
Can someone give us info about this? Is it true? What organization? What year?
- March 4, 2012 at 6:24 PM
Very good Lie-kos time line on one specific matter with two direct opposite views at different times.
Kind of explains why - as posted here before - the need for several different political spin "communication" - "reputation rehabilitation" consultants being paid on the County dime.
Oh and remember, "she" never ordered the investigation of the G.J. either.....but then she did....but it wasn't really an investigation. Or was it?
One thing is for sure. At least we know how she feels about the law enforcement agency investigating HER office: "I can tell you the DPS is this state's premiere law enforcement agency," said Lykos
- March 4, 2012 at 6:24 PM
Anon 3:00, I agree. Show me where I have said anything different.
Anon 10:03, good for him. He seems to be campaigning against all other diversion programs now, and in any event all I said was that his campaign rhetoric was troubling. Never denied he hasn't done some things worth mentioning.
As far as dismissing cases that can't be proven, however, this state is full of prosecutors who say that exact same thing. Prosecutors with names like Sebesta, Rosenthal, Bradley, and Holmes. Prosecutors whose cases have been overturned and defendants who have been exonerated, often due to withheld evidence, but usually due to the use of faulty evidence. Every one of those prosecutors would swear until their dying day that they did nothing wrong and that they convicted the right guy.
You see, if all they do is push cases they think they can convict, they will push an alarmingly high percentage of cases. It's easy to get a conviction. Prosecutors use jail house snitches with the worst felonies on their record, and juries believe them because they testified for the state. They use things like dog-scent line-ups, or faulty BAT van evidence, that they know is junk science, yet they "know" they've got the right guy. They don't turn over exculpatory evidence because it doesn't make sense to them, or they don't see how it's possible based on what they "know" of the case, or they've had a different witness say something else or an expert explain it differently, so the evidence "really isn't" exculpatory.
Every one of those prosecutors would claim to be as stand-up as you say Anderson is. And I hope you're right. I don't think DIVERT is "technically" legal, but neither is it a social program. I hope Anderson, if elected, is "different". I'm not voting for him, but neither am I voting for Lykos, so at least we can agree on that. Until the next (hopefully) DA shows a willingness to abide by what we now know to be the better way to do things where evidence is concerned, they are all suspect.
- March 5, 2012 at 6:44 AM
There is a good "piece" in the recent Houston Press about how Roady (D.A. Galveston) handled an Intoxicated manslaughter case. Bottom line: He and Donna sat down in a conference room, heard the defense out and the case was dismissed. Common Sense approach! Good Job!
- March 5, 2012 at 8:41 AM
8:41, that sounds amazing, I wish the HC ADAs going after my family member would at least sit down and speak with the defendant before judging them and insisting they need to be put away. There are two sides to every story and thats where common sense comes in to guide you. I guess common sense isn't a prerequisite for being a DA here.
- March 5, 2012 at 10:59 AM
To anon 8:41 :
I agree - Jack is doing a great job in Galveston and too bad Lykos and Bridgewater caused Harris County to lose Donna Goode (one of the best prosecutors ever).
That Intox Mansl article in Houston Press is Feb 2-8, 2012 written by gifted journalist and writer George Flynn.
- March 5, 2012 at 6:27 PM
Good News! Johnny Holmes speaks out...
- March 6, 2012 at 7:45 PM


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Dallas Home School Athletic Association is hosting a regional track meet in the Dallas area. The meet is 7 May 2011 and is open to all home schooled youth, whether on a track team or not.
Details and updates can be found on our website: www.hsaaregionals.org but here are some of them:
3 age divisions: 14 & under, 16 & under and 18 & under.
To be eligible, athletes must be at least 50% home schooled.
There is a registration fee of $20 per athlete.
Athletes may compete in up to 5 events.
Spectators/family are admitted free.
Registration deadline is 2 May.
For more information, please visit the website. if you have a direct question, you can email Lisa at email@example.com
Regional Track Meet for Home Schooled youth
Post information about homeschool sports and other extracurriculars here!
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[Osnabrueck, Germany; May 6. Image via Getty]
A flamingo rests during a rain shower in its enclosure at the zoo in the northern German city of Osnabrueck on May 6, 2009. A new Africa section named 'Takamanda' is to be built at the zoo. AFP PHOTO DDP / DAVID HECKER GERMANY OUT (Photo credit should read DAVID HECKER/AFP/Getty Images)
And for the cute:
A six month old southern white rhinoceros calf (Ceratotherium simum) Lisimba (L) walks with his mother Lulu in their indoor-home at Budapest Zoo and Botanical Gardens in Budapest on May 5, 2009. Due to the brother-sister relationship of the zoo's rhinos, veterinarians of the Budapest Zoo in co-operation with their colleagues from Germany and Austria used artificial insemination. This was the second successful birth of a rhino in the Budapest Zoo using artificial insemination. AFP PHOTO / ATTILA KISBENEDEK (Photo credit should read ATTILA KISBENEDEK/AFP/Getty Images)


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|System: X360, PS3, PC
|Review Rating Legend
|Dev: Spark Unlimited
|1.0 - 1.9 = Avoid
|4.0 - 4.4 = Great
|Pub: Gamecock
|2.0 - 2.4 = Poor
|4.5 - 4.9 = Must Buy
|Release: Nov. 4, 08
|2.5 - 2.9 = Average
|5.0 = The Best
|Players: 1-8
|3.0 - 3.4 = Fair
|ESRB Rating: Mature
|3.5 - 3.9 = Good
by Amanda L. Kondolojy
January 16, 2008 - Classical mythology has always been a fascinating subject, especially in the world of video gaming. And no discussion about Greco-Roman lore is complete without mention of the fabled box of the first female-- Pandora. This box held all of the evils of the world, and those who open it would meet a terrible fate. The fabled Pandora's Box has been used in videogames before, both in House of the Dead 4 and most recently in the first God of War title. But no game has focused entirely on this fabled object. That is, of course, until now.
Legendary is the newest title from publisher Gamecock, and many people have high expectations for it. The game begins in modern-day New York, with thief-for-hire Charles Deckard just doing his job. His task: stealing a very ornate box from the local museum. Deckard isn't usually a curious fellow, but he can't help looking inside this beautiful box. And as you might predict, that is where the trouble begins.
The box contains a portal which houses an entire cast of mythical beasts that includes (but is certainly not limited to) larger-than-life gryphons, angry minotaurs, and, of course, everyone's favorite, hairy, scary werewolves. All these creatures spew forth out of this portal and begin to destroy New York City in the space of a few minutes. And all the while you have control of Deckard, and you have no weapon.
After the race to escape the beasts that you've unwittingly unleashed is over, the real gameplay begins. Apparently a secret organization called the Black Order set you up to open Pandora's Box, and was expecting you to die in the process. But as heroes often do, you survived, and now the planet's survival also rests on you. So now it's you vs. the Black Order, and if you lose, the world ends. No pressure, right?
In addition to the promising story, Legendary also looks to incorporate some pretty cool battle elements. Early on in the game, when Deckard first opens the box, he is branded with a symbol. This symbol allows him to suck the life-force out of the beasts from the box that he has killed. So in order to survive in this game, you'll have to do a lot of killing. And of course the Black Order goons don't count as beasts, so you may find yourself seeking out the monsters before you confront your human foes. Either that or you could let the beasts kill the Black Order members, as they seem to hate all humans and don't typically bother asking what organization you belong to before they kill you.
So you've essentially got the beasts who kill everyone, the Black Order who want to kill you, and then you want to off both the Black Order and the beasts. But in order to do said killing, some weaponry is in order. And while Legendary will offer you most of the FPS staples (assault rifle and handgun, for example), the game will also feature some original weaponry that looks pretty cool. Chief among this original weaponry is the SAW, which is essentially a machinegun that has been put on steroids. This big behemoth shoots some stunningly powerful bullets, but it is pretty slow when it comes to rate of fire. So even though it is a pretty awesome gun to behold, you might want to keep the assault rifle handy just in case.
In addition to the single player story mode, Legendary will also have some pretty cool multiplayer options that take advantage of the game's unique character-types. The main online mode will feature resistance and Black Order teams that will engage in battle while fending off beasts. The beasts will be non-playable, and will be more of an environmental force than an actual opponent. This will serve as the core framework for the online modes, and while details about different ways to play are not yet available, I'm sure there will be ways to tweak the online gameplay and customize the experience.
Legendary looks like a great game that incorporates a fantastic gameplay with some pretty solid FPS-style action. The story is intriguing to say the least, and the gameplay looks like it will be a lot of fun for those who enjoy both supernatural games and the FPS genre. And the fact that the whole thing is based on the ancient story of Pandora's box gives it a pretty strong "cool" factor. This is definitely a title to look out for later this year!
Amanda L. Kondolojy
CCC Freelance Writer
Game Features:


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Handmade wood veneer lamp, made from cherry wood veneer. Each lamp is intuitively composed and will therefore always be slightly different from the next. It creates a unique focal point in a lounge/living room, kitchen or bedroom, and casts beautiful shadows on walls and ceiling.
40 x 30 x 30 cm
Does not include lamp fixture, lampshade only.
Please use energy saving light bulb only.