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“But the more rural the American, the more dependent he is for his way of life on the U.S. government. And the more rural the American, the more likely he was to have voted for Donald Trump. So you might think that Trump, when he took office, would do everything he could to strengthen and grow the little box marked “Rural Development.” That’s not what has happened.”
“In the red southern states the mayor sometimes would say, “Can you not mention that the government gave this?””
“There was a rift in American life that was now coursing through American government. It wasn’t between Democrats and Republicans. It was between the people who were in it for the mission, and the people who were in it for the money.”
– Michael Lewis, The Fifth Risk
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Noted Infamous Drug Trafficker Found Guilty Or Trafficking Drugs: The notorious boss of Mexico’s Sinaloa drug cartel, Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, was found guilty on all 10 counts of drug trafficking after a three week trial in a New York courtroom. Guzman showed no emotion as the verdict was read. Sentencing will take place June 25; the 61-year-old is expected to receive life without parole in a maximum security prison. Prosecutors presented reams of documents, and over 50 witnesses testified about dramatic prison escapes, gruesome killings and million-dollar political payoffs to politicians, army commanders, police and prosecutors.
The trial gave a glimpse into the inner workings of the Sinaloa cartel, named for the Mexican state where Guzmán was born. It also cast a harsh glare on the corruption that allowed the cartel to flourish. Prosecutors said Guzman, who had consolidated his power in Mexico through bribes, murders and war with rival cartels, trafficked tons of cocaine, heroin, marijuana and methamphetamine into the US over more than 20 years, smuggling them in via secret tunnels, tanker trucks, the chassis of passenger cars, even packed in rail cars passing through legitimate points of entry.
Guzman was arrested in Mexico in 2001 but escaped by hiding in a laundry bin before being escorted to a mountainside hideaway by corrupt police officers. He was arrested again in 2014 but escaped that time from a high-security jail by riding a motorcycle through a mile-long lighted tunnel, complete with rails, built for him by his gang members. He was arrested again in 2016, and extradited to the US in 2017. At trial Guzman’s defense counsel didn’t deny his crimes, arguing instead that their client was a fall guy for government witnesses who were more evil than he was. The entire defense case lasted just half an hour; defense lawyers will appeal the verdict.
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Will That Be Credit Or Credit?: Sweden is considered a pioneer in digital technologies, and that could account for why the country is moving so quickly toward becoming a cashless society. A nationwide survey in 2018 showed only 13 percent of Swedes reported using cash for a recent purchase. Instead, most people are making purchases by digital transaction, online or with the country’s most popular mobile payment app, Swish. Buses and trains no longer take bills or change; train passengers can even store digital tickets on microchips in their hands. But there’s a definite downside to doing away with cash transactions — it can be a real challenge for the most vulnerable groups in society. Many retirees, people with disabilities and newly arrived refugees struggle with digital transactions. (NPR)
Aid Leads To Violence In Venezuela: Three weeks ago Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido invoked a constitutional provision to name himself interim president, arguing that Nicolas Maduro’s re-election last year was a sham. The US and most other Western countries have recognized Guaido as the legitimate president, but Russia and China back Maduro, who retains control of the military. Maduro has refused to allow much needed humanitarian aid, including food and medical supplies, into the country. Last week an aid convoy supplied by the US and Colombia arrived on Colombia’s border and is being held in warehouses. Maduro denounced the aid as a US-led plot to overthrow his socialist government and vowed to keep it out of the country. On Tuesday Guaido told a huge rally of supporters in Caracas that the convoy would enter the country on February 23, setting the stage for what could be a bloody showdown. (Reuters)
Farmers Want Modi To Produce Growth In Produce Price: India’s farmers are between a rock and a hard place. Minimum prices for many commodities set by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government means decreased profits for farmers, who often have to take out loans to make ends meet. Farmers have staged giant protests and marches, demanding that Modi forgive their debts and fix higher prices for produce. An onion grower who made just $15 from his most recent harvest said: “The government neglects farmers. It gives tax breaks to big business and plays up controversies over Hindu temples and such — all for votes. But look at us! We’re dying here.” It’s a complicated issue; those opposed to higher price guarantees for farmers argue it could lead to inflation. Then again, agricultural workers and farmers will be a powerful voting bloc in the upcoming national elections, expected in May. (NPR) Additional read: Slum golf: the sport that stormed the streets of Mumbai: When a group of young caddies who worked on a golf course were told they weren’t allowed to play because of ‘exclusivity’, they got creative (Guardian)
Trick Or Very Large Treat: An individual identified only as A. Campbell made an appearance last week at the Spanish Court Hotel in Kingston, Jamaica to collect his Super Lotto prize winnings, amounting to some 158 million Jamaican dollars. He was wearing a white cape, black gloves and the mask from the classic slasher film “Scream.” Campbell said he actually won last November, but afterwards felt sick for days “because I was thinking so much.” When he finally showed up February 5 to pick up his check, he said he was feeling better. (WaPo)
ABC Not As Easy As 123: Writer Mithila Phadke moves to Beijing, becomes overwhelmed by the prevalence of numbers in daily life, and explains why they are so much more important than in other cultures and countries. Turns out it’s all about time and effort. Numbers for purposes like websites’ names, for example, are easier and faster to type than Chinese characters, and a string of numbers is easier to memorize than words in a foreign language. (BBC) Additional read: Pompeo warns allies Huawei presence complicates partnership with U.S. (Reuters)
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The Economy Is Living On Borrowed Time: The Federal Reserve Bank of New York published its report Tuesday of US household debt and credit. It showed some red flags emerging in 2018’s fourth quarter that could signal a looming downturn. According to the report, credit card inquiries fell, student-loan delinquencies remained high, riskier borrowers drove home automobiles, and overall debt edged up to a record $13.5 trillion. Mortgage debt slipped for the first time in two years, but other forms of borrowing rose. Credit card debt, at $870 billion, matched the 2008 recession’s pre-crisis peak. The administrator of the Fed’s center for microeconomic data said: “Growing delinquencies among subprime borrowers are responsible for this deteriorating performance, and younger borrowers are struggling most acutely to afford their auto loans.” The Fed raised rates four times last year, but now is monitoring the slowdown overseas, the expected slowdown at home, and muted US inflation. (Reuters)
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A Way Resolve A Vex About The Ex: Not currently in a relationship? Ever had a bad breakup? Don’t bemoan Valentine’s Day— Ventilate negative emotions in a creative way. Submit your ex’s name to Australia’s WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo and you might get one of the world’s most venomous snakes named after that, well, snake of an ex-partner. Plus, on the entry form you get to write down all the cold-blooded things that make your ex so reptilian and send it halfway around the world. But if that’s not enough emotional detoxification, the El Paso Zoo invites you to name a cockroach after an ex. Then on Thursday, the zoo will live stream feeding that cockroach to a meerkat. (WaPo, NPR)
Bezos, Oh Brother, and His Billions Will Complicate His Valentine’s Day
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