How will being induced affect my chances of having a vaginal birth?

moodyblue1188 · Posted 9/21/08

My ultimate goal is to have a vaginal/natural birth without any medical intervention. I am 39 wks/6days
I haven't had any noticeable contractions but I'm already 3 centi. 100% effaced and at +1 station. My midwife wants to induced me because I have group B strep. She is worried that I won't have any major/noticeable contractions till I get into the active part of labor... therefore not giving me a full 4 hours to recieve antibiotics for the group b step.
My questions
Will having my water broken automatically speed up labor?
Is there a chance that I will go past the 24 hour limit even if my water is broken?
Once given pitocin will they continually increase the dose until The baby is born?
Does pitocin always cause the baby to go into distress due to long and hard contractions?
Do epidurals slow down the progress of labor?
I want to be fully informed before I make any decisions and I figure you ladies are experienced and have been there and done that. I'd appreciate any information!
Thanks ladies! Sorry for the novel...


sheshebee · Updated 19 hours ago

I am wondering many of the same things. I am 41 weeks tomorrow and have an induction scheduled. They planned to start with breaking my apparently bulging water bag, I wa 3-4cm last week with lots of bh contractions, back aches, etc. Nothing much the past 2 days though. I am worried about it creating a 24 hr. time constraint - I'll need to ask more questions. I read a bunch about pitocin vs AROM to induce and it seems like a mixed bag so no help there. I am going to ask to postpone induction a day or two (DH is pretty ill) and hope to begin labor on my own (DD#1 was 1 week late). I also really want to avoid an epi this time - I got it at 8cm last time and it stopped/stalled my progression, needed pitocin, sat for hours, got a fever so both baby and I had to have antibiotics after birth (argh!!). If I have to be induced I think I will ask about the 24 deadline after water is broken and if that is the case I will ask to begin with pit at low levels and have it turned off once things begin, get unhooked and walk walk walk! Keep us posted.
Sheila


BabyJTS · Updated 18 hours ago

I'm a FTM so I can tell you what I've heard and read... BUT I am as progressed as you are and due tomorrow.... First off, any minute you could go into labor on your own. Second, you are HIGHLY favorable for an induction- your labor most likely will be relatively fast (because you are as progressed as you are).
They recommend that you don't have an epidural until you have dialated to 5 cm to decrease the chances that the epi will slow down your labor.
Because you are soo "favorable" you are not at risk for negative side affects- the concern for induction is mostly for moms who have NOT progressed and have a tight cervix.... Shoot- most likely they will break your water and you won't even need pitocin!
Keep me updated as I get my induction date tomorrow if this little guy doesn't pop out soon!


Shanay26 · Updated 18 hours ago

My water broke at 9pm the night before I delivered my DS. I also wanted a completely natural vaginal birth but because my contractions never became regular on their own I had to start pitocin at 1 pm. After that the nurse only increased the amount I received one time. She did however continually try to convince me to get the epidural. She said that the epidural would speed up the birth process, not slow it down. Because I waited as long as possible to have the pitocin the nurse was worried about me reaching the 24 hour mark. DS was born 23 hours and 15 minutes after my water broke. He'll be 2 weeks old tomorrow, and he's perfectly healthy. No complications due to my extra long labor. My point is that don't let the nurse or doctor convince you to do anythuing you don't want to do. I didn't and I'm so much happier with my entire experience.


name seeker · Updated 15 hours ago

With my first pregnancy my water broke about 8:30 pm on a Monday night and I had him at 8:06 a.m the next morning. I think labor is different for each person, but for me I feel things went relatively smooth and fast. I also was positive w/ gbs last time and as soon as I was admitted they gave me the iv antibiotic. In the early morning hours they started me on pitocin b/c I wasn't progressing as fast as they would have liked (I started out approx 1 cm dialated - so you are ahead of where I was!!). At 7:00 am they checked me and I was only at 5 cm and then he was born at 8:06 - and I only had to push two times for him to come out. I never had the epidural so I am not sure about that, but he was very alert and did great after the delivery. He was a little jaundice, but I don't exactly what causes that. Good luck with everything for you and my suggestion would be to just see how things go and do what feels right - you'll know when the time comes.


noelyk · Updated 9 hours ago

I just had my son 9 days ago, and had to go through a 23 hour labor. I've prepared myself to have a natural childbirth free of medical interventions. I'm not completely sure how different it could be for a group B strep situation. However, to share my own experience, I had to make changes to my plan due to slow progress of my labor. Contractions were there, but the dilation did not keep up. I was admitted at 3 cm dilation, and I still believe I could've stayed at home longer rather than staying at the hospital for early labor. As much as I was aware, when the nurse convinced me that it will happen soon, I decided to stay.
I now look back and see that's where it almost went worng, cuz the next thing they wanted to do was give me Pitocin to quicken the contractions, and also said my water bag was persistent and if I continued on this pace I couldn't avoid a C-section. Unfortunately, the C-section word got me all worried and I had my membrane ruptured and waited on the Pitocin.
With the dilation still delayed and the contractions still only 3-5 mins apart, I was warned of the timelimit, and it seemed I had no other choice than to take the Pitocin. After discussion, we okayed to the minimal dose of Pitocin. And that's when the contractions pace went up and the pressures were much higher. The nurse of course, strongly recommended the epidural many times, however, that was the last thing I was going to give in.
After a 23 hour long labor, our baby was born, and I was told that the pushing happened so fast, after all the time we spent in labor. It probably had a lot to do with the absence of epi, since I could feel exactly where to release and push when the baby started to crown.
Well, to answer your questions as much to my experience. Although keep in mind, I am merely a FTM with a single birth experience and exposure to many books and reading materials..

Will having my water broken automatically speed up labor?
-> I do believe it did have some effect, however, in my case, there was no need to speed up the labor, so if I were to do it again, I would never let them break my water.

Is there a chance that I will go past the 24 hour limit even if my water is broken?
-> Totally possible. That was going to be my case, which is why they used the words "Let's move things along" "You seem stuck". Once your water is broke they put you on a time frame and if your progress isn't cooperative, the more likely you would wind up getting more interventions.

Once given pitocin will they continually increase the dose until The baby is born?
-> Not sure bout this, but in my case, yes, my nurse tried to increase the dose without my consent, and I had to stop her from touching the IV line. You have total control over this part, I believe. But as I said, once you're monitored with the EFM (External Fetal Monitor) and there's a timeframe since your water breaks, either with or without increase, they want your baby OUT.

Does pitocin always cause the baby to go into distress due to long and hard contractions?
-> Being FTM myself, that's what I read in the books as well, and by experience the pain level in the monitor does shoot way above normal contraction levels. You feel the contraction much more, which makes it harder for you to engage in your relaxation or breathing techniques. (I was thankful to survive each contraction after the other with 2 mins interval breaks in between) I could see that our baby's fetal heartbeat tended to dip down at each peak of the contraction once the Pitocin really kicked in. And trust me, that became a reason for another intervention. Oxygen mask! To help the baby from getting sufficient oxygen supply and soothe the distress they say. I've heard that if this period is prolonged, you might end up having to deliver by C-section without the option to wait and push.

Do epidurals slow down the progress of labor?
-> I did not take the epidural, so I don't know this part by experience, but I was told by the nurse and alos by many books, that yes, it would counteract with the Pitocin in the matter of progress, which is sort of a catch 22 in concept. You need the Pitocin to quicken the process, then the epidural to soothe the excruciating pain that comes from the Pitocin, then the epi slows the progress, so you need to increase the Pitocin level.. and it goes on.

I want to be fully informed before I make any decisions and I figure you ladies are experienced and have been there and done that. I'd appreciate any information!
-> I totally agree with you, and believe me, I've tried everything to get myself prepared as much as I could before the real labor started. However, I'd say, there was still surprises for me. Just remember, like Shanay26 mentions above, no matter how the doctors or nurses view your labor and try to convince you, it's your decision, and make sure they fully inform you with every reason and make your own decision. I personally wouldn't have my membranes ruptured ever again. However, it seems like you have a special situation, which would require different needs. Be wise, and keep asking for explanations when unexpected options arise. For me, the challenge was to keep myself calm and relaxed even with the disappointment of having to opt for some of the interventions that I did not intend to have during my birth. I still believe we did the best we could, and it resulted in a precious, memorable birth for all of us.

Our little boy is now 9 days old and is adjusting pretty well so far. He was wide awake with alertness on birth and I was able to bond and breastfeed him on my chest right after delivery. It was the most precious moment I could ever recall and so worth the decision not to take epi no matter what.

Wish you the best of luck and blessings on your special event awaiting you ahead. Hope you get to give the most fulfilling and blessing birth that you've been preparing for.


moodyblue1188 · Updated 1 hour ago

Thank you Sheshebee, BabyJTS, Shanay26, name seeker, and Noelyk! I Appreciate your responses and wisdom! It's nice having other women I can relate to and ask for advice! I will definetly keep all of what you guys have said close to heart. Thanks again
I wish the best of luck to you ladies in your journeys of motherhood.

http://community.babycenter.com/talk/a1272025/how_will_being_induced_affect_my_chances_of_having_a_vaginal_birth?

Cocktail Franks in a Blanket

ㅎㅎ 제목이 참 재미있지요?
어떤 분이 이 finger food를 보시고 하신 말씀이예요.

오래전 금요예배후 간식담당을 맡았을 때
이 핑거푸드를 만들어 갔는데 많은 분들이 좋아해 주셨어요.

코스코나 식품점 냉동칸에 다 만들어 놓은 Cocktail Franks in a blanket이 있지만
크로상 도우를 써서 만들면 훨~씬 보기도 좋고 맛이 있답니다.

계속 손이 가는 핑거푸드.
맛있게 먹으면서도 걱정입니다.
다 없어지기 까지는 절제가 되지 않거든요.
꼭 만들어 보세요. 너무너무 간단하게 만들 수 있답니다.
아이들 간식으로도 좋고 식사 전 애피타이저로도 좋아요.

Cocktail Franks in a Blanket
(담요 속의 칵테일 프랭크 쏘세지)

[재료]

칵테일프랭크쏘세지 14온스 (396그램),
크로상 도우 8온스 (226그램), 비스켓 도우 7.5온스 (212그램),
계란 노른자 1개, 스프레이 오일

* 왼쪽부터 비스켓 도우, 크로상 도우
(Pillsbury Cresecnt Dough Original), 스프레이 오일.
아래는 칵테일프랭크쏘세지.

[만들기]

1. 칵테일프랭크쏘세지를 준비한다.

2. 쿠킹쉬트를 쿠킹 foil로 씌우고 스프레이 오일을 뿌린다.

<크로상 도우로 만들기>
3. 크로상 도우 (한 통에 8쪽이 들어있다)

4. 한 쪽을 반으로 자른 다음...

5. 2등변 삼각형의 모양이 되도록 4쪽으로 자른다.


6. 도우 한 쪽 위에 쏘세지를 올려 놓고...
7. 돌돌 말아준다.

<비스켓 도우로 만들기>
8. 비스켓 도우는 한 통에 10쪽이 들어 있다.
9. 반으로 자른 후...


10. 도우를 길죽한 모양이 되게 만든 다음 쏘세지를 올려 놓고

11. 돌돌 만다.

12. 계란 노른자를 준비해서
13. 붓을 이용해 도우 윗부분에 계란 노른자를 칠한다.

14. 화씨 350(섭씨 180도)로 예열한 오븐에 15분 동안 베이크한다.
오븐마다 화력이 약간 다르므로 노릇노릇해 질 때까지 굽는다.

15. 잘 구워진 미니쏘세지. 뜨거우므로 약간 식힌 다음...

예쁜 은쟁반에 담아 써빙한다. 그냥 먹어도 되고
케찹이나 Dijon maustard에 찍어 먹어도 맛있어요.


[팁] 크로상도우로 만든 것이 비스켓도우로 만든 것보다 저는 더 맛있습니다.
그래서 두 가지를 다 만들기보다는 크로상도우로만 만드는 게 좋겠습니다.

http://blog.dreamwiz.com/estheryoo/6528750

Why Making a Career Change Can Look Good on a Resume
By Diana Ransom / The Wall Street Journal Online / August.22, 2007

Say you want to quit your job in sales to become a bartender. Or maybe you're ready to bag your law practice and open up that café you've been dreaming about since undergraduate school.

Should you or shouldn't you? And what are the implications?

Making a radical career change at any age is risky. But for many workers -- especially those in their 20s -- a career change, not just a job change, can be a welcome addition to your resume, say some career counselors and recruiters.

While sticking to one career demonstrates focus and dedication, changing course "shows a degree of risk taking and self-awareness," which can be attractive qualities to some employers, says Joseph McCabe, a vice chairman for CTPartners, an executive search firm in Boston.

It's also a part of being young, he says, adding that most people "in their 20s right now won't wind up working for the same employer their entire career."

Take a Chance
A younger person usually has more opportunities to change than does someone who has been working for a while, says David Bowman, chairman of TTG Consultants, a human-resources consulting firm in Los Angeles.

And the younger person has less money, which can be a good thing when you don't have to give up a lot to follow your bliss.

"Once you start making hundreds of thousands of dollars a year, you can't readily make that career change and replicate your current salary," says Mr. McCabe.

Employers at this stage also don't necessarily focus on your experience as much as your "core competencies" -- that is, your natural abilities and your capacity to learn. Additionally, younger people often don't have families and other debt obligations that might hamper major changes.

Weigh Costs and Benefits
"You really need to think like a statistician," says Marty Nemko, a career coach in Oakland, Calif., and author of "Cool Careers for Dummies." Consider the odds that your investment of time and money in a change will result in a happier or more lucrative career.

Mr. Bowman suggests seeking the advice of individuals who know you both personally and professionally. They can help you identify pros and cons that you may not have considered.

That's what 27-year-old New York resident Jenna Carl did before quitting her job as a management consultant to go to Spain to teach history.

"It's safer to keep going in the same field," admits Ms. Carl, who is preparing to move in October, "but I would have been denying my passion."

Be Selective
But while young people should feel free to experiment with different careers, too many dramatic moves -- even in today's transitional work force -- can raise red flags to future employers.

Additionally, job hoppers face a possible loss of retirement savings. Your new employer may not offer a 401(k) plan, and if it does, it may not match your contributions right away, if at all.

Another consequence: You could lose pace with your peers. Say you and a co-worker started your jobs at the same time. As you leave in search of greener pastures, your former peer is likely rising in the ranks while you're effectively starting over again.

Get Your Story Straight
Changing careers takes "focus and commitment," says Mr. Nemko. To be successful, carefully consider how each move you make will affect the rest of your career and be able to articulate that for future, and former, bosses.

Once employers see that you thoroughly thought this out, they may not hold one or even two job switches against you.

And whatever you do, don't burn bridges, warns Mr. McCabe: "As long as you leave professionally and gracefully you will likely get an invite back."

Bank of America Invests $2 Billion In Countrywide
By JAMES R. HAGERTY, VALERIE BAUERLEIN and LINGLING WEI / WSJ / August 23, 2007

Bank of America Corp. acquired a $2 billion equity stake in Countrywide Financial Corp., a move aimed at dispelling a crisis of confidence among creditors and investors in the nation's largest mortgage company.

The move, which received quick approval from federal regulators, amounted to a private-sector bailout of the mortgage giant. In recent weeks, it had struggled to raise the financing it needed to fund its business, stoking concerns among investors about its prospects and pummeling its stock. Worries about the fate of Countrywide, which originates one out of every five mortgages in the U.S., have been a major factor in the recent tumult in financial markets.

News of the investment came late yesterday afternoon, just hours after Wall Street investment bank Lehman Brothers Holdings Inc. announced that it was closing down a subprime-lending business and two days after another big lender, Capital One Financial Corp., closed its GreenPoint mortgage arm. Those operations joined scores of small to midsize lenders that have collapsed over the past six months amid growing anxiety over a surge in home-loan defaults and a weakening housing market.

"Countrywide is a survivor," Angelo Mozilo, chief executive officer and co-founder of the Calabasas, Calif., company said in an interview late yesterday.

Indeed, Countrywide had argued that it would endure the current mortgage meltdown and emerge even stronger as competitors vanished. But the company was caught up last week in a storm of speculation as it found it could no longer tap the market for commercial paper, or short-term corporate IOUs, which was a major source of its funding, and an analyst from Merrill Lynch warned in a report that Countrywide could face bankruptcy in a worst-case scenario.

Last week, Countrywide borrowed $11.5 billion from a syndicate of 40 banks to shore up its finances, and it would have survived even without Bank of America's help, Mr. Mozilo said, but he added that this "vote of confidence to the world" will make the company stronger. In after-hours trading yesterday, shares of Countrywide jumped $4.06, or nearly 19%, to $25.88.

Bank of America's investment involved Countrywide nonvoting convertible preferred stock yielding 7.25% annually. The preferred can be converted into common stock, subject to restrictions on trading for 18 months. A full conversion would give Bank of America a 16% to 17% stake in Countrywide's common shares, Mr. Mozilo said.

Mr. Mozilo dismissed as "frivolous" for now any speculation that the investment could lead to a full merger between Bank of American and Countrywide, but he said the two companies would explore "where we can provide services to them better than they do themselves, and vice versa.... We'll continue discussions."

Immediate reaction to the deal was positive. "I'm not sure $2 billion will help them a whole lot, but the good news is, hopefully, there will be more to come if Countrywide needs it," said analyst Chris Brendler at Stifel Nicolaus, a securities firm based in St. Louis.

"It shows a sign of faith from Bank of America that they are supporting Countrywide, and that's huge," said Richard Hofmann, an analyst at CreditSights, a bond-market research firm in New York.

Mr. Mozilo noted that Bank of America has provided financing for Countrywide's lending since 1970, shortly after the founding of the home-loan company. He declined to specify when the two sides began discussing the equity investment but said it came together "over a relatively short period of time," and that regulators were kept informed.

The investment puts Bank of America much more deeply into the turbulent but sometimes highly profitable home-mortgage market. In the first half of this year, Bank of America was the fifth-largest originator of home loans in the U.S., with a market share of about 7%, according to Inside Mortgage Finance, a trade publication. Countrywide was No. 1, with a market share of 17%, well ahead of No. 2 Wells Fargo & Co., at 10.5%.

One of Bank of America Chairman and Chief Executive Kenneth D. Lewis's first acts after he became CEO in 2001 was to remove Bank of America from the subprime-mortgage business, which caters to borrowers with weak credit records. Bank of America cited the risk and volatility of that business. At the time, the bank took a $1.25 billion charge, about half of it tied to subprime loans.

But Mr. Lewis has been eager to build scale in prime mortgage loans. Bank of America, the nation's largest retail bank, with 5,700 branches, hasn't been a major mortgage player, relative to its size. It originated $95 billion in mortgages in the first half of 2007, less than half of Countrywide's $245.13 billion, according to Inside Mortgage Finance.

Bank of America, which reached its coast-to-coast size with a dazzling string of acquisitions, is also bumping up against a regulatory cap that bars any U.S. bank from an acquisition that would give it more than 10% of the nation's total bank deposits. That leaves pursuing more mortgage customers as one of the bank's few potential routes to growth. Bank research shows that its customers with a mortgage tend to be credit-worthy and profitable, with an average of five accounts at the bank.

Bank of America in May rolled out a national "no-fee" mortgage program. Under the program, Bank of America doesn't charge borrowers for loan applications, title insurance, appraisals and flood certifications or require them to get private mortgage insurance -- part of a bid to secure customers' long-term business. To qualify, borrowers must have at least one account with Bank of America and obtain their loan through one of the bank's retail channels.

Word of Bank America's investment in Countrywide came as the dwindling number of large mortgage lenders still active in the market sought to regain their balance. IndyMac Bancorp Inc. said it will resume offering large prime loans known as "jumbo" mortgages, those exceeding the $417,000 ceiling on loans that can be sold to government-sponsored mortgage investors Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.

Over the past two weeks, investors have been so spooked by doubts over possible losses on mortgages that they have shunned even relatively high-quality loans simply because they don't carry a Fannie Mae or Freddie Mac guarantee on payments of interest and principal. IndyMac's move is a sign that the market for jumbo loans might be settling down after a spike that has sent rates on 30-year fixed-rate jumbos to an average of around 7.5% from just under 7% in early July, according to HSH Associates, a financial publisher.

IndyMac said it plans to keep the jumbo loans in its portfolio until demand from investors improves.

Countrywide last week outlined a strategy under which it planned to use its Countrywide Bank unit, a federal savings bank, to fund nearly all its loans, up from more than 70% at present. The bank provides a much more stable source of funding than the commercial-paper market and other short-term instruments that were the only source of funding for dozens of smaller lenders that have collapsed in recent months. The savings bank also can borrow from the Federal Home Loan Banks, government-sponsored cooperatives.

After announcing the Bank of America investment, Countrywide's Mr. Mozilo said Countrywide would proceed with its plan to rely more heavily on its bank.

Bank of America, which earned $21.1 billion last year, has increasingly been willing to take equity stakes in other companies, agreeing in April to join two private-investment funds and J.P. Morgan Chase & Co. in paying $25 billion for student lender SLM Corp., more widely known as Sallie Mae. The Charlotte, N.C., company also agreed last year to pay $2.5 billion for a 9% stake in China Construction Bank, one of China's Big Four lenders.

Bank of America's Mr. Lewis said in a statement that the $2 billion should prove to be a very profitable investment. "We believe that in the current turmoil the stock market has been underestimating the value in Countrywide's operations and assets," he said.

But Mr. Lewis also said the investment was an important step to restore confidence and liquidity in the nation's credit markets. "This investment reflects our confidence in their business and recognizes the importance of the company in providing home financing across the country," he said.

Conspiracy Theory = 음모이론?

[Why] 누가 대통령을 쏘았는가
이인식의 '멋진 과학'… 케네디 암살에 배후? 달착륙은 조작?
음모이론, 파급력 큰 사건에 잘먹혀

이인식 과학문화연구소장
2007.07.27

미국 주간지 ‘타임’ 7월 2일자 커버스토리는 제 35대 미국 대통령인 존 F. 케네디의 생애와 업적을 회고하면서 그의 죽음을 둘러싼 의혹도 상세히 다뤘다. 1963년 11월 22일 텍사스주 댈러스에서 그를 저격한 암살범의 배후에 미국 중앙정보국(CIA)이 있다고 확신하는 사람들이 아직도 적지 않다고 보도했다. 케네디 암살에 음모가 개입됐다고 믿는 미국인의 비율은 1968년 3분의 2에서 1990년 90%로 껑충 뛰어 올랐으며, 44년이 지난 오늘날에도 75%에 달하는 것으로 나타났다. 1969년 7월 20일, 미국의 아폴로 11호가 달 착륙에 성공하여 우주비행사가 인류 역사상 최초로 달 표면에 발자국을 남기는 쾌거를 이루었다. 하지만 달에 꽂아 둔 성조기가 바람에 펄럭이는 중계 장면이 문제가 됐다. 대기가 없는 달에서는 불가능한 일이 발생했기 때문에 달 착륙은 조작극이라고 주장하는 사람들이 나타난 것이다. 그것은 성조기를 매단 깃대가 흔들릴 때 우주비행사가 손을 대서 일어난 현상이었다. 그러나 소련과의 우주 경쟁에서 승리했음을 보여주기 위해 미국 정부가 속임수를 꾸며냈다고 생각하는 사람들도 여전히 존재한다.

1997년 8월 31일, 영국의 다이애나 황태자비는 파파라치, 즉 유명 인사를 쫓아다니는 프리랜서 사진작가를 피하려다 자동차 충돌사고로 숨졌다. 그러나 남자관계가 복잡한 그녀가 권력을 누리는 것이 마뜩잖은 영국 왕실이 교통사고에 작용했을지 모른다고 의심하는 사람들이 적지 않다. 이처럼 사건의 배후에 보이지 않는 힘이 작용한다고 보는 시각을 ‘음모이론’(conspiracy theory)이라고 한다. 음모이론은 세상을 움직이는 것은 정치권력보다는 대중이 전혀 눈치 채지 못하게 영향력을 행사하는 거대한 힘이라고 전제한다. 사람들이 음모이론에 현혹되는 까닭은 복잡한 쟁점을 극단적으로 단순화하려는 경향이 있기 때문이다. 어떤 일이 발생하건 그 뒤에 거대한 힘이 개입되어 있다고 여기면 복잡한 사건이라 할지라도 이해하기 쉽기 때문이라는 것이다. 2003년 3월 영국 런던대의 패트릭 레만 교수는 영국 심리학회에 발표한 음모이론 연구 보고서에서, 인간의 심리 저변에는 파급효과가 큰 사건일수록 그 원인도 거창할 것이라고 추리(major event-major cause reas oning)하는 성향이 깔려 있는 것 같다고 주장했다. 레만 교수는 대학생 64명에게 신문에서 잘라낸 것처럼 보이는 기사를 제시했다. 물론 이 기사는 가짜로 만든 것이었다. 가상 국가의 대통령에 관해 4종류로 꾸민 기사였다. 첫 번째 기사는 대통령이 총을 맞아 죽는 것으로 되어 있다. 두 번째 기사는 대통령이 피격되지만 목숨을 건진 것으로, 세 번째 기사는 총알이 대통령을 빗나갔으나 알 수 없는 원인으로 피격 직후 사망하는 것으로, 네 번째 기사는 총알이 빗나가 대통령이 살아남는 것으로 작성되었다. 레만 박사는 이러한 신문기사를 읽고 암살범이 단독 범행인지 아니면 배후에 다른 세력이 있다고 생각하는지 물었는데, 대부분 저격수 뒤에 어떤 세력이 있다는 쪽으로 의견을 내놓았다. 결론적으로 사람들에게는 주요 사건에 거대한 원인이 숨어 있다고 추리하는 성향이 농후하다는 사실이 확인된 셈이다.

▲ 이인식 과학문화연구소장
영국 주간지 ‘뉴 사이언티스트’ 7월 14일자에 기고한 글에서 레만 교수는 음모이론이 수그러들지 않는 이유 중의 하나로 인터넷을 지목했다. 다이애나 황태자비의 죽음에 얽힌 이야기를 제공하는 웹사이트가 2004년에 3만 6000개를 넘었을 정도이다. 2001년 9월 11일 미국에서 발생한 테러의 배후에 CIA가 있다고 주장하는 다큐멘터리 ‘루스 체인지’를 웹사이트(www.loosechange911.com)에서 내려 받은 횟수가 1000만 번을 상회한 것으로 집계되었다. 음모이론은 정치적 목적으로 활용되는 사례가 빈번하다. 12월 대통령 선거를 앞두고 상대방 후보를 흠집 내기 위해 갖가지 음모 이론이 인터넷을 통해 기승을 부리지 말란 법이 없다. 16세기 이탈리아 정치가인 니콜로 마키아벨리는 ‘군주론’(1532)에서 정적을 제거하기 위한 음모가 성공하는 확률은 그리 높지 않다고 설파한 바 있다.

Bank of America Acquires LaSalle
By AP / Ieva Augstums / TIME / Apr. 23, 2007
(CHARLOTTE, N.C.) — A year after making a successful $34.2 billion move into credit cards, Bank of America Corp. found yet another multibillion opportunity to grab more customers.

The Charlotte-based bank said Monday it will purchase LaSalle Bank Corp. from ABN Amro North America Holding Co. for $21 billion in cash.

The deal, initially announced by ABN Amro Monday when the Dutch bank agreed to sell itself to Barclays for nearly $91.2 billion, fills a big hole in the bank's nationwide branch network by making it Chicago's largest bank.

It also raises questions about Bank of America, who is up against a federal cap that bars it from making acquisitions that would give it more than 10 percent of all U.S. deposits. The bank, which is the nation's second-largest after Citigroup, recently controlled just over 9 percent.

"I think there is a huge opportunity here, but the near-term costs are what people initially see," said Jefferson Harralson, an equity analyst with Keefe, Bruyette & Woods Inc. in Atlanta. "Long term, it's a great strategic move for them."

The net cost to Bank of America will be $16 billion after a return of $5 billion in excess capital.

Bank of America said it expects the deal to immediately enhance its earnings per share and about $800 million in after-tax cost savings. Restructuring costs also are expected to be around $800 million, the bank said.

Investors and Wall Street offered mixed reactions, sending shares of Bank of America down 53 cents, or 1 percent, to close at $50.51 on the New York Stock Exchange.

Analysts at Friedman, Billings, Ramsey & Co. said "we like this deal, particularly as this strengthens BofA in the third-largest deposit market in the U.S.," referring to Chicago. They maintained their "outperform" rating on the stock.

For the past several months, Bank of America Chairman and Chief Executive Ken Lewis has expressed his bank's interest in the Chicago market, particularly the strength of LaSalle, in speeches and conference presentations.

While not desiring to be the leader in every market in the U.S., "Chicago is attractive to us," Lewis said during a call with analysts. "The opportunity arose and we acted."

Chicago-based LaSalle is a top-20 U.S. bank holding company, with $113 billion total assets.

The combination of LaSalle and Bank of America creates a leading banking franchise in Chicago, the No. 3 banking market in the United States, and in Michigan. Together the banks would surpass current market leader JPMorgan Chase & Co. in Chicago and set up a battle with that bank, the nation's third-largest.

In the last four years, Bank of America has increased its retail presence in Chicago from a single financial center to 56 locations. Once combined with LaSalle's 141 Chicago area offices, Bank of America will have more than 14 percent of the deposit market share in Chicago.

The purchase, which is expected to close later this year, also will mark Bank of America's retail branch entry in Michigan, where it will have 264 offices and be the largest bank with a 23 percent deposit market share. Bank of America also will acquire LaSalle's six offices in Indiana.

While Chicago has experienced a surge in bank branches, Michigan has suffered economically from a loss of auto industry jobs. Last month, Comerica Inc. said it will move its banking headquarters to Dallas from Detroit to be closer to its faster-growing markets.

"The Detroit franchise is going to be a challenge to grow because of the economic backdrop," Harralson said.

Analysts also are questioning how Bank of America will get around the federal deposit cap law.

In 2004, the bank acquired FleetBoston Financial. A year ago it added millions of names to its ledger through its purchase of credit card issuer MBNA Corp. Currently, the bank has pending purchases of wealth management company U.S. Trust Corp. and a stake in the student lender SLM Corp., known as Sallie Mae.

Last month, when the Federal Reserve Board approved Bank of America's plan to buy U.S. Trust, it said the buyer held $612 billion in deposits, or 9.1 percent of the U.S. total before the purchase. With LaSalle's approximately $57 billion deposits and U.S. Trust's $9.4 billion deposits, the bank would appear to be slightly over the 10 percent threshold.

Bank officials said they are confident they can meet the requirements.

"We will not plan on changing our retail deposit strategy," Lewis said.

Ganesh Rathnam, a banking analyst with Chicago-based Morningstar, said the bank will more than likely just "not pay as high on their CDs as other banks do," thereby meeting the requirement, he said.

In all, Bank of America had $1.46 trillion in assets at the end of 2006, second only to chief rival Citigroup Inc. — the nation's largest financial services company with $1.88 trillion in assets.

Harvard Square’s Greenhouse shuttered
by Greg St. Martin / Metro Boston / APR 24, 2007

CAMBRIDGE. As Kathy Nini sat at a table in the Greenhouse Coffee Shop, her late husband’s Harvard Square restaurant, she painfully turned away about 20 customers who walked in during a half-hour span yesterday morning. That’s because yesterday marked the first day in which the popular Cambridge institution had closed its doors for good.

The restaurant, known for its cake, all-day breakfast and unique painted mirrors to create the feel of an actual greenhouse, opened in 1977 and only closed twice annually — for Thanksgiving and Christmas. But, after Nini’s husband, Joseph, passed away recently, she’s been told the restaurant would have to close down.
“I’m glad my husband wasn’t here to see this. He’d be devastated,” Nini told Metro. “All our regulars have said is, “Where are we going to eat our breakfast?”

When reached yesterday afternoon, Richard Getz, the property’s manager, would only say the restaurant is closing because the owner passed away, and there are a few “exciting options” as to what will move into the location.

Over the years, a handful family-run businesses in Harvard Square have given way to larger corporations. But, according to Denise Jillson, the Harvard Square Business Association’s executive director, a lot of thought is put into keeping local businesses in the area when others leave.

“I think there needs to be a good mix,” said Jillson, adding there are 350 retail stores and 90 restaurants in Harvard Square. “You need the larger corporations as an anchor. You couldn’t just have locally-owned businesses because people come to depend on the Gap or Origins, which was even locally owned until a few years ago.

“When you’re dealing with so many property owners, it’s a challenge,” she said. “But there’s a really thoughtful process that takes place about who takes the space available."