Finantial Crisis

Sibylle Dehesdin:
Hello and welcome everyone to this new edition of ECO TV, the monthly program of BNP Paribas' economists.

Today's edition is dedicated to the global financial crisis.

With Philippe d'Arvisenet's editorial on the crisis consequences on emerging countries.

Then, Eric Vergnaud will explain the Federal Reserve and the European central Bank's reaction to the present crisis.

And finally, François Faure will focus on the South Korea's situation.

* * *

Sibylle Dehesdin: First, let's welcome Philippe d'Arvisenet, BNP Paribas global chief economist. Hello Philippe...

Philippe d'Arvisenet: Hello

Sibylle Dehesdin: Many were hoping that emerging countries would avoid the crisis. Does it still make sense, in our days?

Philippe d'Arvisenet: Generally not. We expect growth in these countries to be further down next year. Probably in the province of 4.5 – 5%. They used to do something like 7.5%.

Sibylle Dehesdin: Yet there was no distribution of subprime loans. Howeve, several of these countries are very much affected by the crisis. Why?

Philippe d'Arvisenet: Sure. You have several mechanisms. First of all, if you take the big OECD countries, which have been impacted by the so-called subprime crisis, I mean the US, Euroland, UK, Japan, you have half of the planet, which is slowing down and of course you have consequences on the rest. Emerging countries export less, obviously. Some of them, which are specialised in exporting commodities, oil and so on, are affected not only because they export less, but at a lower price. So you have this traditional mechanism. Now, there are other things. Many of these countries experienced big capital inflows in the last few years. These inflows are now reversing; going back home if I can put it that way. Several reasons; first, we have a strategy which was called the “carry-trade”, i.e. you borrow in a low yield currency and you invest in a higher yield currency, though this is unwinding. Now you have a second thing: there was the idea that there was a future in emerging markets. So you had a lot of investment, for example in the stock exchange. That has burst now, and you have a movement of repatriation of capital towards the US and other places like this. Just because you have investors, hedge funds etc, which have to cover losses so they sell what they have in order to cover these losses. So you have a repatriation of funds.

One of the consequences of that of course is that you have a negative wealth effect in these countries with the stock down. Second you have a depreciation of many of their currencies. And third, because of this repatriation, when they need US dollars for instance and there is a lack of dollars of course obviously throughout the world... All this of course is impacting negatively.

These funds also were used in order to finance a boom in credit in several countries. And of course that has to come to an end. And together with another risk which is, you have especially in Eastern Europe or Central Europe countries in which people borrowed in foreign currencies, especially euro or Swiss francs, to buy homes in the Ukraine, in Hungary and in places like that if you will. And now with the depreciation of their currency; that is the appreciation of the foreign currency in which they borrowed, I mean the burden is much higher for them. So you have a lot of ingredients which add together.

Sibylle Dehesdin: Thank you, Philippe. And your editorials are online each week on the economy department's website.

* * *

Sibylle Dehesdin: And we are now with Eric Vergnaud to talk about the Fed and the ECB's reaction to the actual financial turmoil.

Hello Éric.

Éric Vergnaud : Hello.

Sibylle Dehesdin: Can you tell us what are the main distinctive problems the crisis created?

Éric Vergnaud : Since the outbreak of the current financial crisis, the Fed and the ECB have taken numerous initiatives to guarantee a smooth functioning of the payment system. They have managed the liquidity crisis in order to enable banks to be refinanced in spite of nearly frozen money markets especially after the collapse of Lehman Brothers

Sibylle Dehesdin: Can you be more precise on the banks reactions and measures they adopted?

Éric Vergnaud : The Fed and the ECB have modified their refinancing operations. They have increased their amounts and lengthened their duration. They have also widened the range of eligible collaterals.

The Fed has created new instruments to provide liquidity, event to non financial companies. In addition, the ECB was also very active in providing dollars to European banks thanks to bilateral swap lines set up with the Fed. Lastly, policy rates were cut at both sides of the Atlantic.

Sibylle Dehesdin: Are the results already effective?

Éric Vergnaud : market interest rate spreads have been starting to narrow thanks to central banks' decisions combined with national plans aiming to support the banking system. Nevertheless, money market tensions remain high and it will take some time before returning to a normal situation.

Sibylle Dehesdin: Thank you Eric.

* * *

Sibylle Dehesdin: Let's now welcome François Faure.

Hello François.

François Faure : Hello Sibylle.

Sibylle Dehesdin: As we were saying earlier with Philippe d'Arvisenet, the global financial crisis has started to destabilise emerging countries. In Asia, South Korea seems to be most affected. What's going on exactly in this country?

François Faure : Like most of emerging countries, especially Asian countries, the Korean stock exchange has followed the plunge of major equity markets. Actually, there are two main differences. First, the depreciation of the won - that began since the beginning of the year - has been much more pronounced than for other Asian currencies (about 25% against 5% on average since early September). Second, US dollar onshore interest rate has surged compared with US dollar offshore interest, I mean USD interest rate either in the US market or in international markets.

Sibylle Dehesdin: Do you think that such developments are justified by macroeconomic or microeconomic fundamentals?

François Faure : Globally yes. At the macro level, the economy has been decelerating since the beginning of the year mainly because of a cyclical reversal in the construction sector. Besides, the current account balance will post a deficit this year for the first time since 1997, net FDI flows including capital transfers are negative and equity portfolio investments left the country since mid-2007. As a result, external debt has ballooned and official fx reserves have been depleted since the beginning of the year. At the micro level, credit to households and especially housing credit has grown strongly so that Korean households as a whole are as indebted than American households. Lastly, SME are not in a good shape.

Sibylle Dehesdin: On October 19th, the government unveiled a package of measures to support the banking sector. What risks this plan is deemed to prevent?

François Faure : The risk of an external liquidity crisis actually. On the one side, the government will provide if necessary up to USD 30 bn to banks (but also to exporters) by using its foreign exchange reserve. On the other, the government will guarantee until June 2009 all external borrowings by Korean banks up to USD 100 bn. This latter measure is aimed at helping banks to roll over their short term external debt and to extend the maturity of the debt. Besides, recently, Korean will benefit from a USD 30 bn swap line with the US federal reserve.

Sibylle Dehesdin: Is there a real risk of external liquidity crisis like in 1998 or even a risk of systemic banking crisis?

François Faure : In a context of USD liquidity scarcity and given the substantial external financing needs of Korean banks, an external liquidity crisis is still an eventuality but we don't think that it will happen. First, because of measures I have just mentioned, second because of the still huge amount official fx reserves. On the systemic banking crisis issue, the present situation is quite different and in fact less alarming than in 1998. In 1997, a major part of the short term external debt was owed by Korean banks and they used it to finance short abut also medium and long term won-denominated loans to large corporates. At present, a large part of the short term external bank debt is owed by branches of foreign banks and is related to pure fx-hedging activities with counterparties which have resources in USD. As a consequence, external indebtedness is at present less risky than in 1997.

Sibylle Dehesdin: Thank you François.

We've come to the end of this programme. We'll see you next month for a new edition of Eco TV, the monthly programme of BNP Paribas' economists.

Posted by: Espinosa Ortíz Guadalupe (Copyright BNP Paribas)

What is Synesthesia? (Selected article posted by Elia Soto)

What is synesthesia?

Thomas J. Palmeri, Randolph B. Blake and Ren� Marois of the psychology department and the Center for Integrative and Cognitive Neuroscience at Vanderbilt University study synesthesia. They provide the following explanation:

When you eat chicken, does it feel pointy or round? Is a week shaped like a tipped-over D with the days arranged counterclockwise? Does the note B taste like horseradish? Do you get confused about appointments because Tuesday and Thursday have the same color? Do you go to the wrong train station in New York City because Grand Central has the same color as the 42nd Street address of Penn Station? When you read a newspaper or listen to someone speaking do you see a rainbow of colors? If so, you might have synesthesia.

Synesthesia is an anomalous blending of the senses in which the stimulation of one modality simultaneously produces sensation in a different modality. Synesthetes hear colors, feel sounds and taste shapes. What makes synesthesia different from drug-induced hallucinations is that synesthetic sensations are highly consistent: for particular synesthetes, the note F is always a reddish shade of rust, a 3 is always pink or truck is always blue.

The estimated occurrence of synesthesia ranges from rarer than one in 20,000 to as prevalent as one in 200. Of the various manifestations of synesthesia, the most common involves seeing monochromatic letters, digits and words in unique colors�this is called grapheme-color synesthesia. One rather striking observation is that such synesthetes all seem to experience very different colors for the same graphemic cues. Different synesthetes may see 3 in yellow, pink or red. Such synesthetic colors are not elicited by meaning, because 2 may be orange but two is blue and 7 may be red but seven is green. Even more perplexing is that synesthetes typically report seeing both the color the character is printed in as well as their synesthetic color. For example, is both blue (real color) and light green (synesthetic color).

Synesthetes report having unusually good memory for things such as phone numbers, security codes and polysyllabic anatomical terminology because digits, letters and syllables take on such a unique panoply of colors. But synesthetes also report making computational errors because 6 and 8 have the same color and claim to prejudge couples they meet because the colors of their first names clash so hideously.

For too long, synesthetes were dismissed as having overactive imaginations, confusing memories for perceptions or taking metaphorical speech far too literally. Recent research, however, has documented the reality of synesthesia and is beginning to make headway into understanding what might cause such unusual perceptions.

Research has documented that synesthetic colors are perceived in much the same way that nonsynesthetic individuals perceive real colors. Thus, synesthetic color differences can facilitate performance on tasks in which real color differences facilitate performance for nonsynesthetes and can impair performance on tasks in which real color differences impair performance for nonsynesthetes.

In one such task, people are asked to say the color of the ink a word is printed in as quickly as possible (for example, responding "pink" to and "blue" to ). For lexical synesthetes, these words take on unique colors. When the synesthetic color matches the ink color, responses are fast. But when the synesthetic color mismatches the ink color, responses are slow, presumably because subjects need to resolve the conflict over which color name to respond with. Although such results demonstrate that synesthesia is automatic, in the sense that they cannot turn off their synesthesic experience even when it interferes with a task, these results do not reveal whether synesthetic colors are perceptions or memories.

To demonstrate the perceptual reality of synesthetic colors, researchers have introduced synesthetic color differences into a variety of traditional visual-perception tasks. Searching for a among �s is a difficult task because the digits are so visually similar, differing by only a mirror reflection. If the was colored orange and the �s were colored green, the search task would be trivially easy because the orange digit visually pops out from the background of green digits. When shown a display consisting of monochromatic digits, we found that a synesthete could quickly find the target because for him was orange but was green (see image).

Vilayanur Ramachandran and Edward M. Hubbard of the University of California at San Diego, have reported complementary findings supporting the perceptual reality of synesthetic colors. In one task, they presented synesthetes with an array of equally-spaced letters and digits. Synesthetes reported that these arrays organized themselves into distinct rows or columns depending on whether the rows or columns of characters were the same synesthetic color. This perceptual grouping based on synesthetic color is analogous to the kind of perceptual grouping non-synesthetes experience with real colors.

Claims for the perceptual reality of synesthetic colors have been bolstered by recent functional brain imaging studies by researchers in the U. K. showing that synesthetic color activates central visual areas of the brain thought to be involved in perceiving real colors.

The neural mechanism by which synesthetic colors are automatically bound to alphanumeric characters remains a mystery. One possibility is that synesthesia might arise from some kind of anomalous cross-wiring between brain areas that are normally segregated in nonsynesthetic individuals. For grapheme-color synesthesia, there may be cross-wiring between digit and letter processing areas and color processing areas in the visual cortex, which occupy neighboring regions of the human brain.

The causes of synesthesia also remain unknown. Some scientists have suggested that everyone is born synesthetic but that the typical developmental trajectory results in these highly interconnected brain areas becoming far more segregated. We do not know why synesthetes retain some of these anomalous connections. A biological determinant may be partially at work in certain cases of synesthesia, because the condition tends to run in families; moreover, nearly six times as many women as men report synesthesia. Whatever its etiology, synesthesia provides cognitive neuroscientists with a unique opportunity to learn more about how the brain creates our perceptual reality.

Answer originally posted on June 17, 2002.

Enjoy the silence-Depeche Mode (Selected song and lyirics posted by Elia Soto)

Enjoy the silence
(Depeche Mode)

Words like violence
Break the silence
Come crashing in
Into my little world
Painful to me
Pierce right through me
Cant you understand
Oh my little girl

All I ever wanted
All I ever needed
Is here in my arms
Words are very unnecessary
They can only do harm

Vows are spoken
To be broken
Feelings are intense
Words are trivial
Pleasures remain
So does the pain
Words are meaningless
And forgettable

All I ever wanted
All I ever needed
Is here in my arms
Words are very unnecessary
They can only do harm

Enjoy the silence

Mom shocked by teen's modest clothing

Mom shocked by teen's modest clothing
WASHINGTON (AP) -- A shocking trend is gaining ground in teen dressing: modesty.
Here's an example: Last summer, my 13-year-old daughter needed a dress to attend a friend's bat mitzvah.
What we found was a black concoction with a neckline so low that my condition for buying it was a fill-in-the-gap black undergarment. She wasn't happy about it, but complied.
This June, for her eighth-grade graduation, my daughter debated between a slinky blue dress with a plunging neckline -- more lounge singer than middle schooler -- and a flowery cotton print that was strapless but not low-cut.
After much consultation with her friends, she opted for the strapless and decided to top it with a sedate, white cardigan sweater.
What had happened to teen dressing in those intervening 10 months?
Layering. The economic downturn. Traction from an entrenched parents' backlash against highly sexualized looks for their daughters. Oh, and fashion's do-or-die need to throw something new at the gigantic but fickle teen/tween market as quickly as you can say "MySpace" or "Facebook."
I like the result: too-revealing camisoles and tank tops now paired with a covering hoodie or graphic T-shirt. Dresses topped by '50s-ish cardigans or shrugs. Vintage '70s-ish pieces picked up cheaply at thrift shops.
Also, layered items are interchangeable and can be put together in different ways, so I think (hope) we're saving money.
Money is the name of the game for retailers, too, especially in the current economic climate. Apparel sales for the 13-to-17-year-old set were nearly $30 billion for the 12 months ending May 2008, according to market researcher NPD Group's consumer tracking service. Add "tweens" and near-tweens -- 7-to-12-year olds -- and college-age kids -- 18-to-24 -- and that figure soars to nearly $70 billion.
Overall, sales are increasing only slightly. Department stores are struggling to compete with discounters like Wal-Mart and specialty merchants like Hollister, Abercrombie & Fitch, PacSun, Aeropostale and American Eagle Outfitters -- which typically feature darker lighting and throbbing music to welcome teens.
And with the economy in a downturn, many teens had trouble getting summer jobs and have less to spend.
"We're in a very challenging time period," said Allison Levy, merchandise manager for menswear and childrenswear at the Doneger Group, which advises major stores on what fashions to buy. "We have to work harder to get them in the door and satisfy them. ... It's about capturing their attention."
That's done not just with colorful clothes in stores in malls where teens congregate, but also on the Internet, where they gravitate for social networking -- and fashion chitchat -- at sites like MySpace and Facebook. Teens also pre-shop online. My daughter, for instance, will check out Delias.com before she drags me to the store, her favorite place to buy skinny jeans.
The Internet also means that new fashion trends -- whether driven by music or by TV shows like "Gossip Girl" and "Hannah Montana" -- spread with almost viral speed and intensity. That feeds into tweens and younger teens' desire for their favorite celebrities' clothing brands, says Michael Stone, CEO of The Beanstalk Group, an authority on celebrity licensing who developed the Olsen twins' fashion brand when they were young TV stars.
"It's all media-driven," Stone said. "It's about girls seeing celebrities on TV shows, movie and concert tours and now they get to communicate about clothing on social networking sites. More communicating tools are available ... to spread the word about fashion a celebrity is wearing. That drives tween fashion."
In the emphasis on layering, many parents see a welcome trend that is long overdue.
"A lot of the very fashionable looks right now are very modest," said Brenda Sharman, national director at Pure Fashion, a Catholic-based organization that has put on modesty teen fashion shows in nearly two dozen U.S. cities. "It's almost a flashback to looking very demure and proper."
The group has long deplored the low necklines and sexy looks that have marked teen fashion, and they aren't alone. Last year, an American Psychological Association task force reported that cognitive performance and health can suffer when teens and young women make themselves into sex objects by wearing sexy clothing or styling themselves after sexy celebrities. Eating disorders, depression and low self-confidence can result.
Happily, there's evidence that the covered-up styles for teens might continue into next season and beyond.
At the spring Paris fashion shows, Stephanie Meyerson -- trend director for youth culture at Stylesight, a retail forecasting firm -- saw a definite "moving away from overtly sexual" in teen fashion, especially through layering and comfortable baggy looks.
"Girls are dressing for themselves, as opposed to dressing for guys," she said. "The guys might not like it but the girls are not wearing really tight shirts. They're covered up."
Covered up can mean put-together (think "Gossip Girl") or disheveled (a bit of Mary-Kate-and-Ashley grunge meets Amy Winehouse). And even that look can have sexual connotations.
"It's the one-night-stand look," Meyerson said. As in the disheveled morning after, clothes with a slept-in feel.
OK, so parents won't rejoice over that notion. But I'm rejoicing over anything that keeps my girl from looking like a lounge singer.

Addy Gutiérrez

Solipsism

Solipsism is the philosophical theory that the only thing that exists is the person who holds the theory. Everything else is generated by the mind of this person, and life can be thought of as a kind of lucid dream or hallucination. To ease comprehension, this entry is written as if the universe existed — things get confusing otherwise.

Arguments for Solipsism
The existence of the solipsist is normally argued on the basis of Descartes' famous statement Cogito Ergo Sum ('I think, therefore I am'). Beyond this, it is argued, nothing is certain. But we can say quite definitely that either the universe exists, or it doesn't exist — indeed, this is a logical tautology. To decide which we can use Occam's Razor.
Occam's Razor[1] is an example of a metatheory — a theory which describes how to choose between different theories. There is some evidence that using Occam's Razor tends to lead to more accurate and useful theories, though it isn't something that can be absolutely proved one way or the other. The principle is that given two theories, both of which are equally effective at explaining the given evidence, we should 'slice out' the more complicated one.
If the universe exists, then it must have some non-zero complexity. So the solipsist viewpoint is the simpler of the two. Therefore, it is argued, we can invoke Occam's Razor to slice out the universe, and decide that the solipsist viewpoint is the correct one.

Problems with Solipsism
Solipsism is widely seen as a rather depressing view of the world, and it should come as no surprise that the argument for it is hotly contested. There are essentially four different ways that people argue against solipsism, depending on their viewpoint.
The first and simplest way is to claim that Occam's Razor is not a good method of choosing between models. Indeed, the suggestion that Occam's Razor supports solipsism is a commonly used argument against its validity.
The second objection is to the claim that solipsism is simpler than the universe. If solipsism is true, then all that we think is the universe must be a dream in our mind. However, for this to happen our mind must be large enough to simulate an entire universe. Something able to simulate the universe must be more complicated than the universe itself, surely?
Well, say the solipsists, it depends. If the simulation was inaccurate, perhaps not bothering with any of the detail beyond the solar system, then it could be simpler. This is, amazingly, a testable theory — if these people are correct then eventually, given clever enough experiments, we should be able to find glitches in the structure of the universe. There are even some who argue that quantum physics is the result of these glitches, in the same way that aliasing is the result of computer pictures being made up of pixels.
The third objection is that the theories are not equally good at explaining the evidence. If the universe is the product of one's imagination, people say, then why isn't it more to their liking? Surely they'd want to create a universe that smelt better, where beautiful men (or women) are throwing themselves at their feet?
The final objection is more pragmatic, and ignores the question of what ultimate truth is altogether. Instead, its proponents claim that it is more fun to live our lives assuming that the universe is real, and more of a challenge, regardless of whether it happens to be true or not. Given this, why encumber your mind with solipsism?

Weak Solipsism
The weak version of solipsism is that the universe and everyone else exists, but the weak solipsist alone exists as an independent conscious being, and everything else in the world is an object, with no ability for independent thought. The argument for this position is very similar, but it renders the second and third objections to normal solipsism redundant.
However, this argument does have other problems — the main one being that it violates the principle that our position in time and space is not special or unique. Weak solipsism violates this principle in a huge way, because it claims that the weak solipsist is unique in being conscious.

Beyond Solipsism
Some people go beyond solipsism and claim that not only does the universe not exist, but nothing exists at all, including the person arguing this position. A more detailed explanation of this idea can be found in the Illuminatus! trilogy by Robert Anton Wilson. Essentially it is built upon similar arguments to solipsism, except that Descarte's argument for the existence of self is declared invalid.

Reverse Solipsism
Reverse solipsism is the claim that the reverse solipsist does not exist, but everything else does. The person arguing this position normally claims that whoever is listening doesn't think, so they can't prove that they exist. 'Think back', they say, 'when was the last time you actually thought?' Furthermore, it is claimed, no thinking person would be listening to such a total load of hogwash (this is the normal cue for the listeners to get up and get a beer). Meanwhile, everyone else in the world is getting on with their lives and being productive and thinking, so they do exist.
The Final Proof
From the Researcher of this entry:
See, you're still reading! If you were thinking, you wouldn't still be reading this. Evidently, I was right, you don't exist. Or rather, you do. From your perspective, you don't exist. From mine, you do. From your perspective, I exist. From mine, I do not.
There's no arguing with that, is there?

Jared Ramírez
[1] Essentially, it is the idea that one should not believe something for which one has no evidence; or, alternatively, that of two ideas which explain the same evidence, the simpler idea is to be preferred.

Resident Evil 4

Posted By Toño Perez Castañeda

Real Gone

Real Gone

I’m american made, bud light, Chevrolet
My momma taught me wrong form right
I was born in the south; sometimes I have a big mouth
When I see something that I don’t like
I gotta say it

Well, we´ve been driving on this road
For a mighthy long time
Payin' no mind to the signs
Well this neighborhood's changed
It's all been rearranged
We left that dream somewhere behind

Slow down, you´ gonna crash
Baby you are a screaming
It's a blast, blast, blast
Look out you got your blinders on
Everybody is looking for a way
To get real gone, real gone
Real Gone

But there's a new cat in town
He's got high faded friends
Thinks he's gonna change history
You think you know him so wel
lYeah you think he's so swel
lBut he's just perpetuating prophecy
Come on now

Slow down, you are gonna crash
Baby you are a screaming
It's a blast, blast, blast
Look out you got your blinders on
Everybody's lookin' for a way
To get real goneReal gone
Real gone
Real gone
OH

Well, you can say what you want
But you can't say it 'round here
'Cause they'll catch you and give you a whippin'
Well I believe I was right
When I said you were wrong
You didn't like the sound of that
Now did ya?

Slow down, we're gonna crash
Baby you were screamin'
It's a blast, blast, blast
Look out, you've got your blinders on
Everybody's lookin' for a way
To get real gone

Well here I come, And I'm so not scared
Got my pedal to the metal
Got my hands in the air
Well look out, you take your blinders off
Everybody's lookin' for a way
To get real gone, real gone
Real Gone
OH!
Real Gone
Real Gone.

Posted By Toño Perez Castañeda

RECORDING AND READING "ADDING UP THE MANY DANGERS OF TOBACCO" (PODCAST)

http://www.manythings.org/voa/scripts/2008-12/VOA_Special_English_2008-12-01_-_Adding_Up_the_Many_Dangers_of_Tobacco_--_and_Finding_New_Ones.html

BEAUTIFUL LIAR LYRIC

BEAUTIFUL LIAR

(Beyonce and Shakira)
Ay, Ay, Ay
Nobody likes being played
Beyonce, Beyonce
Shakira, Shakira (hey)

He said I'm worth it, his one desire
I know things about 'em that you wouldn't wanna read about
He kissed me, his one and only, (yes) beautiful Liar
Tell me how you tolerate the things that you just found out about

You never know
Why are we the ones who suffer
I have to let go
He won't be the one to cry

(Ay) Let's not kill the karma
(Ay) Let's not start a fight
(Ay) It's not worth the drama
For a beautiful liar
Can't we laugh about it
(Oh) It's not worth our time
(Oh) We can live without 'em
Just a beautiful liar

I trusted him, but when I followed you, I saw you together
I didn't know about you then 'till I saw you with him again
I walked in on your love scene, slow dancing
You stole everything, how can you say I did you wrong

You never know
When the pain and heartbreak's over
I have to let go
The innocence is gone

(Ay) Let's not kill the karma
(Ay) Let's not start a fight
(Ay) It's not worth the drama
For a beautiful liar
Can't we laugh about it
(Oh) It's not worth our time
(Oh) We can live without 'em
Just a beautiful liar

Tell me how to forgive you
When it's me who's ashamed
And I wish could free you
Of the hurt and the pain
But the answer is simple
He's the one to blame

(Ay) Let's not kill the karma
(Ay) Let's not start a fight
(Ay) It's not worth the drama
For a beautiful liar
Can't we laugh about it

(Oh) It's not worth our time
(Oh) We can live without 'em
Just a beautiful liar

BEAUTIFUL LIAR VIDEO

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wISKe3zoBSw

GIVE IT 2 ME MADONNA

Give It 2 Me -
What are you waiting for?
Nobody's gonna show you how
Why work for someone else
To do what you can do right now?
Got no boundaries and no limits
If there's excitement, put me in it
If it's against the law, arrest me
If you can handle it, undress me
Don't stop me now, don't need to catch my breath
I can go on and on and on
When the lights go down and there's no one left
I can go on and on and on
Give it to me, yeah
No one's gonna show me how
Give it to me, yeah
No one's gonna stop me now
They say that a good thing never lasts
And then it has to fall
Those are the the people that did not
Amount to much at all
Give me the bassline and I'll shake it
Give me a record and I'll break it
There's no beginning and no ending
Give me a chance to go and I'll take it
Don't stop me now, don't need to catch my breath
I can go on and on and on
When the lights go down and there's no one left
I can go on and on and on
Give it to me, yeah
No one's gonna show me how
Give it to me, yeah
No one's gonna stop me now
Pharrell: Watch this
Get stupid, get stupid, get stupid, don't stop it (What?)
Get stupid, get stupid, get stupid, don't stop it (What?)
Get stupid, get stupid, get stupid, don't stop it (What?)
Get stupid, get stupid, get stupid, don't stop it
Get stupid, get stupid, get stupid, don't stop it
(To the left, to the right, to the left, to the right)
Get stupid, get stupid, get stupid, don't stop it
(To the left, to the right, to the left, to the right)
Get stupid, get stupid, get stupid, don't stop it
(To the left, left, right, right, left, left, right, right)
Get stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid stupid...
(Left, left, right, right, left, left, right, right)
Don't stop me now, don't need to catch my breath
I can go on and on and on
When the lights go down and there's no one left
I can go on and on and on
Give it to me, yeah
No one's gonna show me how
Give it to me, yeah
No one's gonna stop me now
You're only here to win
Get what they say?
You're only here to win
Get what they do?
They'd do it too
If they were you
You done it all before
It ain't nothing new
You're only here to win
Get what they say?
You're only here to win
Get what they do?
They'd do it too
If they were you
You done it all before
It ain't nothing new
Give it to me, yeah
No one's gonna show me how
Give it to me, yeah
No one's gonna stop me now
Give it to me, yeah
No one's gonna show me how
Give it to me, yeah
No one's gonna stop me now
Give it to me

IN MY PLACE (with lyrics)

UNAM: THE CENTRAL UNIVERSITY CAMPUS 2nd Draft

UNAM: THE CENTRAL UNIVERSITY CAMPUS
(CIUDAD UNIVERSITARIA’S CENTRAL CAMPUS)
Do you study at Ciudad Universitaria (University City) of the UNAM? It is supposed you know the History of that amazing place where you are studying or working, or furthermore, because you are Mexican. Don’t you? You are on time to read a little about Ciudad Universitaria of UNAM, the place where you spend the most of your time everyday. Have you ever asked yourself when was your school built? Or maybe who painted the murals on some of the buildings in Ciudad Universitaria? In this article you will found some basic information that an university student, professor or worker of UNAM should know.
The old university was located since the sixteenth century in the Centro Histórico (Historic Center) of Mexico City, in the same place where later was built the Suprema Corte de Justicia. In Benito Juarez’s time, that seat was closed and the schools were established in some ancient buildings around the Centro Histórico, such as the Escuela Nacional de Medicina (Medicine National School) occupied the old Inquisition Palace, the Engineering School in the Mining Palace, the ancient Law School in the Santa Teresa la Antigua’s cloister, etc. When Justo Sierra founded the New University, in 1910, where added others seats like the Saint Charles Academy, in other words the Architecture School, and Philosophy and Letters School and Science School. The main idea of Justo Sierra was the “spatial unity” of the University. But it was until the middle of the 1940’s when the University Council argued about the construction of the CU. On December the 31st in 1945, the Congress approved the Law of the Foundation and Construction of CU. In its planning, CU was devised to be of use for 25,000 students, as well as professors and the staff work. However, CU has lost none of its functional character today, even tough now the Cu’s population it is over 150,000.

UNAM Identity
Coat of Arms
During Director Jose Vasconcelos term in office, the University received the current design of its coat of arms, which shows a Mexican eagle and an Andean condor, a two-headed bird, protecting a Latin American map, from Mexico's north border to Cape Horn, a representation of the unification of Latin America people: "Our new and old continent, predestined to include the fifth race, a cosmic race, melting those scattered, and offering unity."

Goya Cheer
The origins of the Goya cheer are a little bizarre. In the early 1940s, a very skinny boy, Luis Rodriguez, was attending Preparatory School, who through time became the most enthusiastic cheerleader. He was nicknamed "Palillo" (stick). Palillo arranged entrance to the theaters for some students, who preferred watching movies than going to school, with the movie theaters' supervisors. The movie theaters close to the Preparatory school were: Rio, Venus and Goya. When some students wanted to go to the movies, they shouted out Goya! That is the story behind the university cheer, which now all university members echo.
¡GOYA! ¡GOYA!¡CACHUN, CACHUN, RA, RA! ¡CACHUN, CACHUN, RA, RA! ¡GOYA! ¡¡UNIVERSIDAD!!
The Ciudad Universitaria ensemble

The Ciudad Universitaria ensemble was designed by architects Mario Pani and Enrique del Moral. The CU, as most people call it, rises up above a sea of volcanic lava, where the volcano Xitle, today extinct, engulfed 2,400 years ago, and has been instrumental in the major urban growth that Mexico City has known in the second half of the 20th century: since the beginning of its construction, avenues have come into being, others have been enlarged, like the Insurgentes Avenue, one of Mexico City’s most emblematic.
The Central Campus encloses in a main east-west axis and other secondary north-south axis: the Rector Tower in the center; The Central Library, The Philosophy and Letters School, The Law School, The Economy School and The Odontology School in the northeast; The University Olympic Stadium in the west; The Architecture School, The Engineering School, The Chemistry School, The Courts (built with stone like the ancient Mesoamerican pyramids) and Sports Fields in the southeast; The Humanities Tower II (The ancient Science School) and the called “Islas” in the middle; and finally The Medicine School in the East.
The Central Library is the main symbol of UNAM. The author of that beautiful building is a Juan O’Gorman’s work, who was architect and painter. The most important character of the Library is the huge mural that covers its four facades. That is, the building has four murals with these themes: The north wall tells about the Prehispanic Past, the south wall the Colony Past, the east wall the Cotemporaneous World, and finally the west one about the University and Modern Mexico. All the murals are made with multicoloured stones from different regions of the country.
Another symbolic building is the Rector Tower which has three painted murals by a famous Mexican painter, David Alfaro Siqueiros. These murals include the painting, besides the sculpture. Others knowing murals in CU are the one of the Medicine School by Francisco Eppens, the one in the Audience “Alfonso Caso” made by José Chávez Morado and the ones which are located in the Stadium, work by Diego Rivera.
The University Olympic Stadium used for the 1968 Olympic Games and the 1986 FIFA World Cup, resembles a volcano surging out the of the earth. Like other CU buildings, it was constructed with volcanic stone from the Xitle. It was designed by the architect Augusto Pérez Palacios. In addition to Diego Rivera decorated its façade with a high-relief multicoloured mosaic symbolizing the homeland, peace, university and sports.
The Central Campus provides a space for leisure. Its platforms, talus and staircases, and the opened spaces remind the Mesoamerican cities, such as Teotihuacan , Monte Albán, Palenque and many others.
Through the time, many buildings were annexed. For example, the Centro Cultural Universitario which includes the Sala Nezahualcóyotl, Psychology School, Accountancy and Administration School, The new Science School, The Political Sciences School, The CELE (Centro de Enseñanza de Lenguas Extranjeras), The CEPE (Centro de Enseñanza Para Extranjeros), many Institutes, departments and museums like the Universum, the MUCA (Museo de Ciencias y Artes) and the new MUAC (Museo de Arte Contemporáneo).
The CU is a very big successful for The Mexican Plastic Arts owing to its wonderful architecture, sculpture and painting. The architecture of the Ciudad Universitaria is so admirable that all of those who are not students or are part directly of the University identify with it. Despite their mistakes, CU is an extraordinary construction, is an amazing place we have to learn to appraise and preserve.

JESUS/ADELA/SANDRA GROUP 605

UNAM: THE CENTRAL UNIVERSITY CAMPUS 1st Draft

UNAM: THE CENTRAL UNIVERSITY CAMPUS
(CIUDAD UNIVERSITARIA’S CENTRAL CAMPUS)


Do you study at Ciudad Universitaria (University City) of the UNAM? It is supposed you know the History of that amazing place where you are studying or working, or furthermore, because you are Mexican. Don’t you? Well, it doesn’t matter; you are on time to read a little about Ciudad Universitaria of UNAM, the place where you spend the most of your time everyday. Have you ever asked yourself when was your school built? Or maybe who painted the murals you can admire in some of the buildings in Ciudad Universitaria? In this article you will found some basic information that an university student, professor or worker of UNAM should know.
The old university was located since the sixteenth century in the Centro Histórico (Historic Center) of Mexico City, in the same place where later was built the Suprema Corte de Justicia. In Benito Juarez’s time, that seat was closed and the schools were established in some ancient buildings around the Centro Histórico, such as the Escuela Nacional de Medicina (Medicine National School) occupied the old Palacio de la Inquisición (Inquisition Palace), the Escuela de Ingenieros (Engineering School) in the Palacio de Minería (Mining Palace), the ancient Escuela de Jurisprudencia (Law School) in the Santa Teresa la Antigua’s cloister, etc. When Justo Sierra founded the New University, in 1910, where added others seats like the Academia de San Carlos (Saint Charles Academy), in other words the Architecture School, and the Facultad de Altos Estudios (Philosophy and Letters School and Science School). The main idea of Justo Sierra was the “spatial unity” of the University. But it was until the middle of the 1940’s when the University Council argued about the construction of the CU. On December the 31st in 1945, the Congress approved the Law of the Foundation and Construction of CU. In its planning, CU was devised to be of use for 25,000 students, as well as professors and the staff work. However, CU has lost none of its functional character today, even tough now the Cu’s population it is over 150,000.

The Ciudad Universitaria ensemble

The Ciudad Universitaria ensemble was designed by architects Mario Pani and Enrique del Moral. The CU, as most people call it, rises up above a sea of volcanic lava, where the volcano Xitle, today extinct, engulfed 2,400 years ago, and has been instrumental in the major urban growth that Mexico City has known in the second half of the 20th century: since the beginning of its construction, avenues have come into being, others have been enlarged, like the Insurgentes Avenue, one of Mexico City’s most emblematic.
The Central Campus encloses in a main east-west axis and other secondary north-south axis: the Rector Tower in the center; The Central Library, The Philosophy and Letters School, The Law School, The Economy School and The Odontology School in the northeast; The University Olympic Stadium in the west; The Architecture School, The Engineering School, The Chemistry School, The Courts (built with stone like the ancient Mesoamerican pyramids) and Sports Fields in the southeast; The Humanities Tower II (The ancient Science School) and the called “Islas” in the middle; and finally The Medicine School in the East.
The Central Library is the main symbol of UNAM. The author of that beautiful building is a Juan O’Gorman’s work, who was architect and painter. The most important character of the Library is the huge mural that covers its four facades. That is, the building has four murals with these themes: The north wall tells about the Prehispanic Past, the south wall the Colony Past, the east wall the Cotemporaneous World, and finally the west one about the University and Modern Mexico. All the murals are made with multicoloured stones from different regions of the country.
Another symbolic building is the Rector Tower which has three painted murals by a famous Mexican painter, David Alfaro Siqueiros. These murals include the painting, besides the sculpture. Others knowing murals in CU are the one of the Medicine School by Francisco Eppens, the one in the Audience “Alfonso Caso” made by José Chávez Morado and the ones which are located in the Stadium, work by Diego Rivera.
The University Olympic Stadium used for the 1968 Olympic Games and the 1986 FIFA World Cup, resembles a volcano surging out the of the earth. Like other CU buildings, it was constructed with volcanic stone from the Xitle. It was designed by the architect Augusto Pérez Palacios. In addition to Diego Rivera decorated its façade with a high-relief multicoloured mosaic symbolizing the homeland, peace, university and sports.
The Central Campus provides a space for leisure. Its platforms, talus and staircases, and the opened spaces remind the Mesoamerican cities, such as Teotihuacan , Monte Albán, Palenque and many others.
Through the time, many buildings were annexed. For example, the Centro Cultural Universitario which includes the Sala Nezahualcóyotl, Psychology School, Accountancy and Administration School, The new Science School, The Political Sciences School, The CELE (Centro de Enseñanza de Lenguas Extranjeras), The CEPE (Centro de Enseñanza Para Extranjeros), many Institutes, departments and museums like the Universum, the MUCA (Museo de Ciencias y Artes) and the new MUAC (Museo de Arte Contemporáneo).
The CU is a very big successful for The Mexican Plastic Arts owing to its wonderful architecture, sculpture and painting. The architecture of the Ciudad Universitaria is so admirable that all of those who are not students or are part directly of the University identify with it. Despite their mistakes, CU is an extraordinary construction, is an amazing place we have to learn to appraise and preserve.
Now, with this information you know a little more about CU and only if you want you can look for more information in the internet, books or newspapers, it is your decition.

JESUS/ADELA/SANDRA GROUP 605

Radiohead -Everything in its right place

Radiohead

Everything In Its Right Place

Kid A, Kid A, Kid A, Kid A

Everything, everything, everything, everything..

In its right place

In its right place

In its right place

Right place

Yesterday I woke up sucking a lemonYesterday

I woke up sucking a lemon

Yesterday I woke up sucking a lemon

Yesterday I woke up sucking a lemon

Everything, everything, everything..

In its right place

In its right place

Right placeT

here are two colours in my head

There are two colours in my head

What is that you tried to say?

What was that you tried to say?

Tried to say.. tried to say..Tried to say.. tried to say..

Posted by Stephany Cisneros Villaràn

Vertigo U2

Selected video Addy Gutiérrez



U2 Lyrics - Vertigo

Unos, dos, tres, catorce

Turn it up loud, captain!

Lights go down
It's dark
The jungle is your head
Can't rule your heart
I'm feeling so much stronger
Than I thought
Your eyes are wide
And though your soul
it can't be bought
your mind can wander

Hello, Hello
Hola! [Spanish for Hello]
I'm at a place called vertigo (¿Dónde está?) [Where is it?]
It's everything I wish I didn't know
Except you give me something I can feel
Feel

The night is full of holes
Those bullets rip the sky
Of ink with gold
They twinkle as the boys play rock and roll
They know that they can't dance
At least they know

I can sell the beat
I'm askin' for the cheque
Girl with crimson nails
Has Jesus 'round the neck
Swinging to the music
Swinging to the music
Woooao

Hello, Hello
Hola!
I'm at a place called Vertigo (¿Dónde está?) [Where is it?]
It's everything I wish I didn't know
But you give me something I can feel
Feel

Check mated
Oh yeah
Hours of fun...

All of this, all of this can be yours
All of this, all of this can be yours
All of this, all of this can be yours
Just give me what I want and no-one gets hurt

Hello, Hello
Hola!
I'm at a place called Vertigo
Lights go down and all I know
Is that you give me something I can feel
You're teaching me ...aaahhh
Your love is teaching me how
How to kneel
Kneel

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah...
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah!

Steve jobs Stanford commencement speech 2005 part1

Steve jobs Stanford commencement speech 2005 part2

Great Moments in Presidential Speeches

DAVID BOWIE---LITTLE WONDER

(Jared Ramírez---605)

Stinky weather, Fat shaky hands
Dopey morning Doc,
Grumpy gnomes
Little wonder then, little wonder
You little wonder,
little wonder you
Big screen dolls,
tits and explosions
Sleepytime, Bashful but nude
Little wonder then, little wonder
You little wonder,
little wonder you
I'm getting it

Intergalactic, see me to be you
It's all in the tablets,
Sneezy Bhutan
Little wonder then, little wonder
You little wonder,
little wonder you
Mars happy nation,
sit on my karma
Dame meditation, take me away
Little wonder then,
little wonder
You little wonder,
little wonder you

[CHORUS]
Sending me so far away, so far away
So far away, so far away
So far away, so so far away
So far away, so far away
So far away, so so far away

Little wonder
You little wonder, you
Little wonder
You little wonder you

BEATING STRESS

LearnEnglish Professionals
BEATING STRESS AUDIOSCRIPT

A financial trader talks about the stresses of his job and how he beats it.

Interviewer: So why exactly does your job have a reputation for being stressful?

Financial trader: Stress is generally driven by the feeling of er being out of control of a situation and the feeling of a situation controlling you. Trading financial markets combines both these scenarios. Your erm financial position can change in a matter of seconds and what changes that position is generally a situation beyond your control as a trader. It is possible to lose in… in seconds what may have taken you a year to make. It’s the feeling of uncertainty, being out of control that causes the stress.

Interviewer: How do you relax in the evening?

Financial trader: I very rarely do anything work related so it’s easy to escape 'The markets'. I generally go to the gym or go for a run, especially if I’ve had a bad day. I always cook a meal rather than have a take-away to do something my brain would regard as creative. I find it quite therapeutic! More often than not I will watch some TV before going to bed as I find it helps me to wind down. If I go to bed straight after work it’s harder to sleep.

Interviewer: What do you do to beat stress at the weekend?

Financial trader: I like to be busy and active. I like the feeling of having achieved something over the weekend and it being productive. I definitely don't like wasting days. Most weekends are a mixture of household jobs like fixing something, shopping or gardening and socializing with friends. I also go to watch Arsenal at least once a week.

Interviewer: Do you think what you do to relax is an effective way to beat stress?

Financial trader: I don't think there is a specific rule about how to beat stress. I generally find that what I do is effective for me.

Interviewer: Would you consider changing your job because of the high stress factor?

Financial trader: I have considered leaving my job due to stress related factors. I do however think that an element of stress is a good thing and if used the right way can er actually be a positive thing. It can lead to a change in direction, erm success and, and stimulate you to do something new.

Interviewer: What do you enjoy about the stressful aspects of your job?

Financial trader: Having said all that, I do actually enjoy an element of uncertainty. It keeps you on your toes! I enjoy a mental challenge. Trading triggers a very wide range of emotions second by second. How you deal with and manage those emotions dictates short, medium and long term trading performance and success.

Interviewer: Do you become less stressed the longer you do the job or does it become more stressful as you go on?

Financial trader : I would say it remains constant. The source and the nature of the stress changes and how you deal with it changes due to experience, but, but, it's always there.

www.britishcouncil.org/professionals.htm
The United Kingdom’s international organization for educational opportunities and cultural relations. We are registered in England as a charity

Beating_Stress Adela Rubio

SECURITY IN MEXICO *THIRD DRAFT*

The perception of insecurity is still a serious problem in the Mexico. The majority of people surveyed said that insecurity is still the main problem in poor countries, as they believe that there is a high or very high possibility that they could become a crime victim.
Crime is among the most urgent concerns facing Mexico as is the case for many other Latin American. Drug trafficking and organized crime has also been a major source of violent crime in Mexico.
Mexico has experienced increasingly high crime rates, especially in major urban centers. The country's great economic polarization has stimulated criminal activity in the lower socioeconomic strata, which includes the majority of the country's population. Crime continues at high levels, and is repeatedly marked by violence, especially in Mexico City, Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, Michoacán and the state of Sinaloa.
As we know, there is nothing more precious than family safety and unity. The better the communication that exists among all members of your family, the more prepared everybody will be to prevent crime. Children are exposed to easily preventable dangers if they are not properly trained by their parents. Here we have some of the most important recommendations that you will teach to your children, using this security recommendations you can be sure that you will better protect your children, whether they are at home or around town.
Children, as well as domestic employees, must be taught never to admit strangers into your home or car.
Very visibly list your local emergency numbers near your telephones and on the refrigerator.
Starts by listing your own work phone, cellular number, remember that The Mexico City Police can be reached by dialing 060 or 061; this includes fire and ambulance service.
Children and domestic employees must be able to provide - in case of an emergency - their names, complete home address, district and delegation, and phone number. They should memorize this information.
When answering the phone, instead of providing their names, children and employees should say "Bueno," or hello. Ask "¿Con quién quiere hablar?" ("Who do you want to speak to?") Never volunteer your address or the names of anyone that lives with you.
Teenagers must be told that the use of drugs in Mexico is strictly forbidden and that drug laws are firmly enforced. Mexico has the largest population anywhere in the world (other than the U.S.) of foreign prisoners serving sentences for drug crimes. Impress these facts on them.
Warn teenagers against clubs that serve alcohol to minors, and also of the risk of being served drugs mixed with their drinks. Most kids nowadays are internet-educated.
Three rules apply here:
First, they should never agree to meet anybody they met via the internet, no matter what age they claim to be.
Second, they should never disclose details about their physical location, unless it is with people they know and trust.
Third, they should report anything that is disturbing or offensive in the internet to their parents. Emergencies and Your Neighbors the more well-known you become with your neighbors the better। should your home, children or leased property ever be in any danger and these people will prove invaluable. They may extend a helping hand or simply notify you of suspicious activity.
Now another important point, is the security in our home, our house has to be secure. Crime prevention at home is its own unique area of security specialization. The more attention you give this issue now, the more capable you will be in preventing problems in thefuture.Before you move in to your new place, it is important that you conduct a survey of potential security improvements you can make to your residence, whether it is an apartment or a house. Make a copy of the list below to assist you. If these improvements are found to be necessary, then your employer may be able to require the landlord to make them, preferably before the lease is signed.Physical barriers. Check that security bars on doors or windows are in good condition. Examine other deterrents to illegal entry that exist on the premises, including door and window locks.Perimeter security, including the use of guards. A dog can be useful for additional intruder detection.Communications. Whether in the form of a cellular phone, land line or radio, dependable communication is essential in the event of an emergency.Alarms may be useful. However, they require continued maintenance and are not always reliable.Become familiar with your neighborhood. Identify your closest emergency services and make sure all family members know what to do and are familiar with dialing procedures to ask for medical assistance or police.Domestic Employees this is an area that requires special attention in residential security. When hiring domestic help, we recommend that, whether or not the employee comes from a reputable company or via a reliable friend, you ask for his/her date and place of birth, home address, telephone number, and the names of close relatives who you could call in case of an emergency. Also, insist that employees provide letters of recommendation that cover at least 5-7 years of prior work experience. Make sure that you call or write to the previous employers to confirm these references. Also, you should ask the people giving the references for suggestions on how to establish a good rapport with the employee.Domestic employees will become a vital part of your family and, the better informed you are about their past, the more peace of mind you will have when you leave your family and property in their care. Treating them as a family member will facilitate this, so create the means for better communication. Tell them what you like and dislike and your policy on visitors. In your absence, they need input from you on how to react, and how to assist your children, in case of an emergency. They must have crime prevention in mind if your children are under their responsibility.
At the present time the insecurity has been increasing the drug traffickers have been taking over our city each time we hear more cases of murders and kidnappings in which the majority of the people are young. Because of this, there have been some recommendations from the Municipal Police Department have been issuing some Security recommendations, which we share below:
If you mark the high unit of the Army, or AFI PFP: 1. Lower the speed of your vehicle 2. Lights flashing lights for the 'alert' that will address the so-called 3. Light turns on the interior and put your two hands on the wheel visibly 4. Bring in your vehicle only things needed to do more quickly review 5. Cooperate at all times with the federal forces and maintain calm 6. If there is Security Forces or Army Convoy in circulation, avoids possible to exceed these vehicles at high speed 7. Always brings identification in case you may be required 8. Avoid the main avenues in peak hours or peak vehicular If you mark the high unit with a recent model unknown armed commando (commonly Suburban, Tahoe, Durango) 9. Stop immediately, don´t run away, or try to evade the high, you can be confused and shoot, and (commonly these people (assassins) are not sure whether or not it is his victim, preferring to ensure the high marcarte and if that is what it is, ‘lift’ 10. Turn the light inside and put their hands up, keep calm, do not put on the defensive, as they 'go' to what they will and the lowest rate can irritate the unrest by making them lose their patience and thus 'act'. 11. Usually you are asked to sign you, do it without hesitation (remember that anything that fears nothing should) and show your passport or identification. 12. NO question or talk, answer what you ask no more talk of more. (Commonly: where you live? Do you do? Who is the vehicle? Etc.)13. Though it may seem incredible the assassins NEVER are mistaken to be safe that their victimizer is aboard the vehicle, in case of doubt, prefer to stop for sure. If you don´t be the person they let you go.14. Avoid exposing and possibly not leave late at night, if so, passes through places with traffic, and lighting systems. Avoid shortcuts. If these are near where a confrontation:
15.Tight soil and cover your head with both hands, if such a vehicle, throw yourself to the floor of the unit and seeks to protect children if they are you do not go out running of the unit, can be confused with a criminal fleeing the scene of the crime. 16. Something important to remember is that we must work together again in these revisions, because they are preventive and targeted guards our security. 17. Avoid exposing and possibly not leave late at night. 18. We hope that this situation is resolved soon, but while it lasts, Stay informed and vigilant at all times.19. Please share this information with staff that lack access NOTE: The civilian population is NOT the targets of these attacks, damage to civilians are caused fortuitously found at the sites confrontation. Your security is important to us, please follow the recommendations issued and recalled that in your house and your job.
These recommendations are primarily for young people who do not measure the consequence of their actions, and also have been attacking places like nightclubs, bars etc.
The following is an article which reported the acts that have recently happened in such places in deferments states of the Republic:
Last week, the day on October 4 Tiger alerted the authorities that a black van with tinted windows passed meters back of patrols every 15 minutes starting around 8pm, from that moment began to leave to spend a little patrols until recently quit, then almost at 2am, out of the van MING black doors opened, leaving her four Central Americans who went to two women at the point of shrapnel, one 19 and another 20, leaving them in that MING time, unfortunately still missing, reward for calling them, are daughters of middle-class family, the two families have received 2 packages until today, the first containing a little finger, the second contained the complete left hand, sliced from the wrist. Last Tuesday in the home straight to Cholula two black vans will move to shut down a Peugeot 306, was a family, the father of her disfigured face with the cache of machine gun, the mother had two stab wounds deep in the English and preventing could get standing, the child has been kidnapped in the same Peugeot stolen, the parents told the newspaper that everything happened so fast that they were unable or call 066 by cell phone, there is still no news of the baby. We all know that this cannot continue happening, we must be very careful, because we cannot go out and have fun with dens. LOS ZETAS Guerrillas are Central Americans from El Salvador, Guatemala, Peru, etc ... are people who have participated in warfare, that means we have much experience in torturing people, using weapons and deal with the government. Like everybody, you know very well who they are and what is THE ZETAS its Modus Operandi, the latest news we have had to have been supported by the Police, Government of Puebla, so you have access to file federal returns as the dens, and other people, therefore there is a good eye on BARGUILAZO since, in this' dive 'very well know that children are literally, are easy prey, children of wealthy folks, THE ZETAS are well aware, have seen come out thence to girls under the age of 15 years, they know who rape, kidnapping and stabbed. BARGUILAZO to prevent this slaughter always check the bags of women seeking to remove cigarettes, using as a pretext because the new law ANTI-SNUFF, THE ZETAS enter the dens, who are carefully observed breaking the law, Bone, who are smoking, and the merged into the bathroom to pick back of knife, whether it is male or female, you say: 'Your violas the right of nonsmokers in the same way you break us to you' stop beating up unconscious, rape, drugs this has happened in several dens in Puebla like Boutique. Living with fear is NOT LIVE, but better to prevent In the UDLA I know some events that have been presented since it arrived in Puebla LOS ZETAS nearly two months ago. Not that much is true, but the step ... And abducted three boys, two of them in Angelopolis of 14 years and one in the crosswalk of the IBERO in broad daylight, and so many percent of the more affluent families of Puebla who are on a list to the government of Cholula hand to make chaos and in Veracruz, Monterrey and Tijuana. If you think that by being a family or people from middle class, upper-middle are acquitted, they are wrong! Last week we were in a notorious den of Cholula which they take the youth who they like, and those who violate see them because we do not have, if they go with a boyfriend or friends, everything is as easy as giving them a shot , And is the least of which are carried cell phones and all that, a kid from a well-known college in Puebla was maimed and his remains were thrown into the vacant spaces are located behind the dens of Cholula and a couple more had their throats slit, without Unofficial reports added. TIPS: 1. Be tolerant. If you're driving and you see someone who loves you come to exceed or, grab a hand, you do not know who he is, or why is his hurry. Stop fighting because somebody is encouraging the trafficking or because you're closed, better take a deep breath, count to 10, and RATE YOUR LIFE. 2. Be careful. Frequenting bars, clubs, dances tables, is no longer safe. Drug trafficking has taken over these places, and at any time can get to dive in and you're close. Better talk to your friends that frequent and begin to meet to have fun at the home of acquaintances. 3. It was humble. We know that we lack humility Poblano, PIPOPES us, we like to show off what we have and show that we are wealthy ... well, at least the majority. Well, this time asking us to stop being so. If you have money ... that good for you, but try not to yell at 4 winds with BMW or wasting your money in a restaurant, etc.. The zetas are very determined and really go around looking for people with money who can pay a juicy rescue. 4. be cautious. In these times to be brave has their consequence. If you see someone you know or are doing harm to someone where they have kidnapped. BUT ... you don’t talk by your cell phone or a local. Use a pay phone and spoke on anonymity. 5. It was nimble. If you're in your car in the middle of a shootout, down to the floor of the vehicle and cover your head with both hands, if you have children inside the car, take it, strong and cover him down with them. If you're walking and you go somewhere like shooting, do not go out running because you can confuse the better tight to the ground and cover your head with both hands. 6. It was smart. Drug trafficking also owns the dirty business, such as piracy. Stop buying piracy, but you reach the money to buy an original CD then go to an internet cafe and get your music, but do not buy CDs. pirates to buy it because supporting the economy of these individuals.
7. Are reserved. Shut your mouth in public places and not talk 'that crime in Puebla until you have the forelock!’... Or that 'you know where the zetas' ... that' you do something to stop crime '... no friends ... no longer know who got next to you on the restaurant, at a Mass in the park ... better reserve your comments and let the "authorities" do their job. 8. Be careful. If you have children who are not even of legal age and love to get out, it's time to ban the exits after 9 pm, the mob loves to operate at night, will give you breaks.9. It was suspicious. We no longer know who we are neighbors, who draw us talk or who are our customers. Better try not to socialize at the moment with people who do not know, we do not know what their intentions. 10. It was subtle. Post your photos on Facebook, Hi5, MySpace ... it's fun, but try not to publish photos from your last trip to Europe, or you’re lucky to have gone to support the Mexicans in the Olympics in China, or the convertible car that ... Until you bought on the internet are investigating the owners of the other and there are going to realize how you are going to ... you or your family. This post comes from Monterrey, Puebla and expected passage by traveling thousands of emails from people who live unsafe. Feel free to resend it and conscience to someone else, times have changed, if the authorities do nothing, we will have to start with this.

Jealousy: Is it the same for men and women?

Everyone experiences the green-eyed monster. Dr. Gail Saltz, a psychiatrist and ‘Today’ contributor, explains why you feel jealous and how to control it
updated 3:26 p.m. CT, Fri., Oct. 27, 2006
Jealousy is an emotion all of us experience at some point in our lives. Who hasn’t felt the desire to have your loved one to yourself? Or been hurt when he appears to be devoting his time and attention to someone else? This is completely normal. But some of us seem to be able to control their green monsters better than others. Why?
People who feel secure and like themselves tend to be less jealous of others and less possessive of their partners, while those who have experienced abandonment or betrayal in their lives can become overwhelmed with jealousy. As children, they may have felt abandoned when their parents divorced, or they may have had parents who were emotionally unavailable. Or when they were growing up, they saw infidelity, so they may fear that their partners will always cheat, even if they have no cause to feel this way.
And people who feel deep down that they are not really a desirable person or partner, they may always think in the back of their minds: “I’ve got to hold on to them and keep control or they will leave me.” If you feel jealous, or if your partner does, it doesn’t matter. Eventually, jealousy will erode your relationship and destroy your marriage.
Jealousy is a way to exert control in a relationship. For example, many women will try to prevent their husbands from seeing or talking to certain people. This is not only impossible, but it can also be smothering. Sadly, many women live in fear that their husbands will stray and feel threatened when he spends time with his guy friends. Some women are even jealous of their husbands’ jobs, because when they’re not at home they’re not spending time attending to them. (Men can be jealous for the very same reasons.) What drives this insatiable jealousy? Insecurity! It is the woman’s belief if her husband, or partner, is not thinking of her every moment, then he doesn’t love her as much as she loves him. She feels vulnerable and afraid of being hurt or abandoned.
Some women struggle with the intensely jealous husband. Some men will try to control their wives’ every move. If a man doesn’t trust his wife and he wants her to constantly prove her love, he will eventually drive her away. She will simply be emotionally exhausted. (Once again, women can also be possessive of their mates.) Of course, her desire to get away from her husband to have some time to herself will make him even more controlling. It’s a vicious cycle. And often it ends the marriage. Sometimes a partner who constantly accuses the other of cheating will actually drive him, or her, into an affair. The thinking is that if they are going to “do the time,” then they figure they might as well do the “crime.”
There are two different views about the both the origins of jealousy and the different ways men and women experience jealousy. One school of thought is that jealousy is an adaptive evolutionary mechanism. Researchers in this camp have found that men tend to be more jealous about sexual infidelity, whereas women are more disturbed by emotional infidelity. Their reasoning is that men needed to know that their efforts to feed and protect their mates actually propagated their genes and not some other man’s. Women, on the other hand, needed to hold onto a man’s emotional love in order to be fed, protected, and sheltered.Another group of researchers found that culture had more of an influence on jealous behavior than evolutionary needs. They concluded that men and women tend to become most jealous over sexual infidelity, but they think that both of their jealousies are far more influenced by societal and family experience than by survival of the species.
Whatever the origins of jealousy, there’s no question that it can be both beneficial and destructive. If a woman feels a tinge of jealousy, she may work harder on having a healthy relationship with her partner. Or she could become so jealous that she becomes overly possessive or incredibly angry and eventually destroys her relationship. It’s all a matter of how jealous you are.
Getting control of your jealousy does not mean getting control of your partner, it means getting a handle on your own emotions. Here are some ways to find out why you’re feeling jealous:Uncover where it came from. Where was your jealousy born? Did your dad leave after your parents’ divorced? Or was your older sibling the clear favorite of your mother? Did your last spouse cheat on you? Figure out the situation that led you to feel so insecure about any partner.
Examine your self confidence. If you don’t love yourself, how can you truly believe anyone else would love you? Why don’t you like yourself and think about how to change your perspective so you can see yourself more accurately and positively.Stop enabling. If your partner is jealous, don’t allow him to control your behavior. Eventually, you will feel angry and resentful, and act out in ways that may make him feel even more insecure. Tell him calmly and nicely (not during a fight) that you love him, but he has a problem with jealousy and you are not going to operate under lock and key. Set fair ground rules. Everyone needs friends and interests outside her relationship. Discuss this openly and honestly with your partner and make some compromises about how much time you will spend with him. Don’t sneak around to get your time with friends. This will only make your partner even more suspicious and jealous. The more open and up front you can be, the better.Dr. Gail Saltz’s Bottom Line: Jealousy is an emotion all of us experience at some point in our lives. This is completely normal. But we need to be able to control our green monsters, so they don’t harm our relationships.

Reviews (Third draft)

Jose Antonio
Stephany
Gudalupe

The Bucket List
Director: Rob Reiner
Starring: Jack Nicholson, Morgan Freeman, Sean Hayes, Beverly Todd, Rob Morrow.
Genre: Comedy-Drama
Year: 2007
Runtime: 1 hour, 37 minutes

Have you ever thought about what would you do if you have three months life remaining?

Edward Cole (Nicholson) and Carter Chambers (Freeman) are two people completely different. Edward is a multibillionaire hospital magnate, who enjoys tormenting his servant Mathew, Carter is an amateur historian family man who wanted to become a history professor but now is working as a mechanic. They have only one thing in common, they’re dying of cancer. They met in hospital during their stance, they become very good friends and soon they will go on board in a globe-trotting adventure.

Comment

When you know you almost die, then loads of things come to you mind, you want to do anything that you can but how? This situation is very strange and nobody wants to be in that, the perception of life changes radically, we become more sensitive, we start thinking about everything. Nobody wants to die, all those ill persons have to live their last life in the happiest way they can.
This is a film with a special message about friendship, find enjoy each day as the last one.


Mulholland Drive

Director: David Lynch
Starring: Naomi Watts, Laura Elena Harring, Justin Theroux, Ann Miller
Genre: Drama, Mystery, Thriller
Year: 2001
Runtime: 146 min.

After a car accident in Mulholland Drive, a dark-haired woman (Laura Elena Harring) escapes her own murder and sneaks in an apartment where she meets an aspiring actress named Betty Elms (Naomi Watts). The woman assumes the name "Rita" but she is amnesic, so Betty decides to assist her in discovering her identity. Later on they fall in love.

There are different stories: Diane Selwyn, who was found died; Adam Kesher, who is a Hollywood director working in a film where Camilla Rhodes is the star; an enigmatic figure called The Cowboy, a man who works killing people and the Club Silencio. Finally they all are mysteriously joined.

In the end, the character’s roles are exchanged and you discover the real identity of each one. Nothing was as it seemed, but you don’t know how it is possible.

Comment
This movie exhibits elements of surrealism and mixes dreams and reality. The time is not lineal and has several instances of temporal disruption.

Mulholland Drive is really amazing and it’s necessary that you keep your attention in each one of the details in order to understand it. However, after watching the movie, you will have a lot of doubt.
If you want to get some clues, you could access to the official web page:
http://www.mulhollanddrive.com/press.html
and also this fans web
http://www.mulholland-drive.net/home.htm


I ROBOT

Director: Alex Proyas
Starring: Will Smith, James Cromwell, Bridget Moynahan.
Genre: Science Fiction.
Year: 2004
Runtime: 1 hour, 46 min.
The story takes place in 2035, in a world filled with robots. Del Spooner (Will Smith) is a Chicago Police homicide detective, who hates robots. Del is sent to investigate the death of Dr. Alfred Lanning (James Cromwell), a scientist at U.S. Robotics, who fell out of an office window, an apparent suicide. Del has an uneasy feeling that his friend Lanning was murdered, and he needs to find out who did it and why. With the help of Susan Calvin (Bridget Moynahan), the company psychologist, they both try to find answers to the mystery.

Comment

The technology and science show a new form of live, creating artificial intelligence and artificial brains, showing the rules for the robots behavior, that three laws, not is functional in the reality, we don’t know what could happen if an intelligent robot was in the streets walking like a real human, he could attack to the humans…

Other important topic is linked with the feelings, until what point a robot could be able of to develop feelings respect of others mechas or respect the humans, can you imagine a couple of lovers where a boy is a human and the girl is a robot? This situation is complicated but the scientist forecast around 2050, we are going to have a society between humans and mechas.

SECURITY IN MEXICO CITY *SECOND DRAFT*

*LETY, DAMIAN, DALIA

The perception of insecurity is still a serious problem in the Mexico. The majority of people surveyed said that insecurity is still the main problem in pur country, as they believe that there is a high or very high possibility that they could become a crime victim.

Crime is among the most urgent concerns facing Mexico as is the case for many other Latin American. Drug trafficking and organized crime have also been a major source of violent crime in Mexico.

Mexico has experienced increasingly high crime rates, especially in major urban centers. The country's great economic polarization has stimulated criminal activity in the lower socioeconomic strata, which includes the majority of the country's population. Crime continues at high levels, and is repeatedly marked by violence, especially in Mexico City, Tijuana, Ciudad Juarez, Nuevo Laredo, Michoacan and the state of Sinaloa.

As we Know, there is nothing more precious than family safety and unity. The better the communication that exists among all members of your family, the more prepared everybody will be to prevent crime. Children are exposed to easily preventable dangers if they are not properly trained by their parents. Here we have some of the most importante recommendations that you will teach to your children, using this security recommendations you can be sure that you will better protect your children, whether they are at home or around town.

Children, as well as domestic employees, must be taught never to admit strangers into your home or car.

Very visibly list your local emergency numbers near your telephones and on the refrigerator.

Start by listing your own work phone, cellular number, remember that The Mexico City Police can be reached by dialing 060 or 061, this includes fire and ambulance service.

Children and domestic employees must be able to provide - in case of an emergency - their names, complete home address, colonia and delegación, and phone number. They should memorize this information.

When answering the phone, instead of providing their names, children and employees should say "Bueno," or hello. Ask "¿Con quién quiere hablar?" ("Who do you want to speak to?") Never volunteer your address or the names of anyone that lives with you.

Teenagers must be told that the use of drugs in Mexico is strictly forbidden and that drug laws are firmly enforced. Mexico has the largest population anywhere in the world (other than the U.S.) of foreign prisoners serving sentences for drug crimes. Impress these facts on them.

Warn teenagers against clubs that serve alcohol to minors, and also of the risk of being served drugs mixed with their drinks.Most kids nowadays are internet-educated.

Three rules apply here:

First, they should never agree to meet anybody they met via the internet, no matter what age they claim to be.

Second, they should never disclose details about their physical location, unless it is with people they know and trust.

Third, they should report anything that is disturbing or offensive in the internet to their parents.Emergencies and Your NeighborsThe more well-known you become with your neighbors the better। Should your home, children or leased property ever be in any danger, these people will prove invaluable. They may extend a helping hand or simply notify you of suspicious activity.

Now another important point, is the security in our home, our house has to be secure. Crime prevention at home is its own unique area of security specialization. The more attention you give this issue now, the more capable you will be in preventing problems in the future.
Before you move in to your new place, it is important that you conduct a survey of potential security improvements you can make to your residence, whether it is an apartment or a house. Make a copy of the list below to assist you. If these improvements are found to be necessary, then your employer may be able to require the landlord to make them, preferably before the lease is signed.
Physical barriers. Check that security bars on doors or windows are in good condition. Examine other deterrents to illegal entry that exist on the premises, including door and window locks.
Perimeter security, including the use of guards. A dog can be useful for additional intruder detection.
Communications. Whether in the form of a cellular phone, land line or radio, dependable communication is essential in the event of an emergency.
Alarms may be useful. However, they require continued maintenance and are not always reliable.
Become familiar with your neighborhood. Identify your closest emergency services and make sure all family members know what to do and are familiar with dialing procedures to ask for medical assistance or police.
Domestic EmployeesThis is an area that requires special attention in residential security. When hiring domestic help, we recommend that, whether or not the employee comes from a reputable company or via a reliable friend, you ask for his/her date and place of birth, home address, telephone number, and the names of close relatives who you could call in case of an emergency. Also, insist that employees provide letters of recommendation that cover at least 5-7 years of prior work experience. Make sure that you call or write to the previous employers to confirm these references. Also, you should ask the people giving the references for suggestions on how to establish a good rapport with the employee.
Domestic employees will become a vital part of your family and, the better informed you are about their past, the more peace of mind you will have when you leave your family and property in their care. Treating them as a family member will facilitate this, so create the means for better communication. Tell them what you like and dislike and your policy on visitors. In your absence, they need input from you on how to react, and how to assist your children, in case of an emergency. They must have crime prevention in mind if your children are under their responsibility.

SECURITY

LETY. DAMIAN, DALIA *FIRST DRAFT*

CHILDREN'S SECURITY
There is nothing more precious than family safety and unity। The better the communication that exists among all members of your family, the more prepared everybody will be to prevent crime. Children are exposed to easily preventable dangers if they are not properly trained by their parents. By following these recommendations you will better protect your children, whether they are at home or around town.

Safety tips and security recommendations for kids

• Children, as well as domestic employees, must be taught never to admit strangers into your home or car।
• Very visibly list your local emergency numbers near your telephones and on the refrigerator। Start by listing your own work phone, cellular number and the name and number of your pediatrician and hospital. The Mexico City Police can be reached by dialing 060 or 061, this includes fire and ambulance service.
• Children and domestic employees must be able to provide - in case of an emergency - their names, complete home address, colonia and delegación, and phone number। They should memorize this information.
• When answering the phone, instead of providing their names, children and employees should say "Bueno," or hello। Ask "¿Con quién quiere hablar?" ("Who do you want to speak to?") Never volunteer your address or the names of anyone that lives with you.
• If you live in an apartment building, show children all the evacuation routes and what to do in case of an emergency।
• Teenagers must be told that the use of drugs in Mexico is strictly forbidden and that drug laws are firmly enforced। Mexico has the largest population anywhere in the world (other than the U.S.) of foreign prisoners serving sentences for drug crimes. Impress these facts on them.
• Warn teenagers against clubs that serve alcohol to minors, and also of the risk of being served drugs mixed with their drinks.
  
  Most kids nowadays are internet-educated। Three rules apply here:
• They should never agree to meet anybody they met via the internet, no matter what age they claim to be।
• They should never disclose details about their physical location, unless it is with people they know and trust।
• They should report anything that is disturbing or offensive in the internet to their parents.
  Emergencies and Your Neighbors
  The more well-known you become with your neighbors the better। Should your home, children or leased property ever be in any danger, these people will prove invaluable. They may extend a helping hand or simply notify you of suspicious activity.
  

RESIDENTIAL SECURITY
*LETY, DAMIAN, DALIA
Crime prevention at home is its own unique area of security specialization. The well-being of those close to you cannot be over-emphasized. The more attention you give this issue now, the more capable you will be in preventing problems in the future. What follows is a summary of the most important precautions you need to take if your employer is not able to provide you with a professional to help you with residential security.

Before You Move In

Before you move in to your new place, it is important that you conduct a survey of potential security improvements you can make to your residence, whether it is an apartment or a house. Make a copy of the list below to assist you. If these improvements are found to be necessary, then your employer may be able to require the landlord to make them, preferably before the lease is signed. Alternatively, you could negotiate with the landlord if you are the direct tenant.

Ten Basic Precautions
These may include but are not limited to simple things such as:

• Security lighting. This includes not only the house and its access points, but the building interior and front facade.
• Physical barriers. Check that security bars on doors or windows are in good condition. Examine other deterrents to illegal entry that exist on the premises, including door and window locks.
• Perimeter security, including the use of guards. A dog can be useful for additional intruder detection.
• Communications. Whether in the form of a cellular phone, land line or radio, dependable communication is essential in the event of an emergency.
• Alarms may be useful. However, they require continued maintenance and are not always reliable.
• Property boundaries legally define the areas in residences or apartments that are yours to occupy as a tenant. Being aware of what is your leased property is important, especially when sharing common grounds with neighbors.
• Parking is a very important consideration, especially in Mexico City. If you are moving into an apartment building, make sure you identify your assigned parking spaces and most importantly, make sure they are for your exclusive use. Assume you will be driving in and out at odd hours. Ask about accessibility.
• Become familiar with your neighborhood. Identify your closest emergency services and make sure all family members know what to do and are familiar with dialing procedures to ask for medical assistance or police.
• Make sure you establish your own simple rules for self-protection, such as keeping your drapes closed or leaving yard and perimeter lights on at night. Solenoid switches are available locally at a reasonable cost. These activate your lights at night and turn them off automatically when daylight appears.
• Domestic Employees
  This is an area that requires special attention in residential security. We recommend that you review our Domestic Help in Mexico article in the Living Section for more information.
• When hiring domestic help, we recommend that, whether or not the employee comes from a reputable company or via a reliable friend, you ask for his/her date and place of birth, home address, telephone number, and the names of close relatives who you could call in case of an emergency. Also, insist that employees provide letters of recommendation that cover at least 5-7 years of prior work experience. Make sure that you call or write to the previous employers to confirm these references. Also, you should ask the people giving the references for suggestions on how to establish a good rapport with the employee.
• Domestic employees will become a vital part of your family and, the better informed you are about their past, the more peace of mind you will have when you leave your family and property in their care. Treating them as a family member will facilitate this, so create the means for better communication. Tell them what you like and dislike and your policy on visitors. In your absence, they need input from you on how to react, and how to assist your children, in case of an emergency. They must have crime prevention in mind if your children are under their responsibility.
• Rapport with the Community
• Your neighbors will normally identify you as a foreigner by the way you look, talk or act. This is something that is most likely unavoidable. Becoming a messenger of good faith or a true diplomat, so to speak, will help you gain their understanding and support, which is especially important in case you need to be notified of an emergency. Get to know your street grocery store owner, laundry manager, local market vendor, building attendant, even the garbage collector. All of the above people represent possible sources of help should you ever need it. Mexicans are friendly and supportive to most expatriates. Use this to your advantage.
  
  By Mario Gonzalez-Roman, a retired Foreign Service National Security Advisor to the United States Embassy, currently a private Security Consultant, columnist at www.securitycornermexico.com

A SERIOUS PROBLEM IN MEXICO CITY.

The perception of insecurity is still a serious problem in the Mexico. The majority of people surveyed said that insecurity is still the main problem in pur country, as they believe that there is a high or very high possibility that they could become a crime victim.

Crime is among the most urgent concerns facing Mexico, as is the case for many other Latin American countries. Mexican drug trafficking rings play a major role in the flow of cocaine, heroin, and marijuana transiting between Latin America and the United States. Drug trafficking has led to corruption, which has had a deleterious effect on Mexico's democracy. Drug trafficking and organized crime have also been a major source of violent crime in Mexico.
Mexico has experienced increasingly high crime rates, especially in major urban centers. The country's great economic polarization has stimulated criminal activity in the lower socioeconomic strata, which includes the majority of the country's population. Crime continues at high levels, and is repeatedly marked by violence, especially in Mexico City, Tijuana, Ciudad Juárez, Nuevo Laredo, Michoacan, and the state of Sinaloa. Other metropolitan areas have lower, yet still serious, levels of crime. Low apprehension and conviction rates contribute to the high crime rate.
The high incidence of crime in Mexico has also poured across the border and influenced crime in the United States, aggravating problems including drugs, illegal immigration, and gangs. To combat this increasing problem, cross-border cooperation has increased between law enforcement agencies in the United States and Mexico in recent years.