Smith, the former chairman and CEO of Security Pacific, recounts his desperate search for a merger partner that ended with Bank of America.

Hedge fund manager Scott Fearon explains why failure in business is not only common, but necessary—and how spotting it early can pay off

The Federal Reserve is one of the most disliked entities in the United States at present, right alongside the IRS. Americans despise the Fed, but they’re also generally a bit confused as to why they distrust our central bank. Their animus is reasonable, though, because the Fed’s most famous function—targeting the Fed funds rate—is totally backwards. John Tamny explains this backwardness in terms of a Taylor Swift concert followed by a ride home with Uber. In modern times, he points out, the notion of credit has been perverted, so that most people believe it’s money and that the supply of it can therefore be increased. This false notion has aggrandized the Fed with power that it can’t possibly use wisely. The contrast between the grinding poverty of Baltimore and the abundance of Silicon Valley helps illustrate the problem, along with stories about Donald Trump, Robert Downey Jr., Jim Harbaugh (the Michigan football coach), and robots. Who Needs the Fed? makes a sober case against the Federal Reserve by explaining what credit really is, and why the Fed’s existence is inimical to its creation. Readers will come away entertained, much more knowledgeable, and prepared to argue that the Fed is merely superfluous on its best days but perilous on its worst.

Ex-CIA Johnny Walker of all people should have known Charlie wouldn't die easy. Soon after they meet again, this time atop a Mexican pyramid ruin, agent Summers squirms, rope-bound between two pillars. She's become an unwilling pawn of Charlie's evil plan to wreak revenge on Walker. Charlie never was known for fighting fair—at the apex of the battle between them, Charlie puts Walker into a deep hypnotic trance with a buzzword his thugs got from Walker's psychiatrist after they shot him. A sudden noise brings Walker out of his frozen state, but as Charlie pulls the trigger, two shots ring out.

In a paranormal romance story, Stacy Winters falls from a ladder at work, hits her head and dies. The store manager gives her CPR and brings her back where she wakes no longer as Stacy Winters, but in a strange parallel world, with the new name of Ellen Moore and to her horror, no memory of ever having a life in this new world. Ezekiel is a soul gatherer being punished for the terrible sin of throwing away his precious gift of life by committing suicide. His assignment as soul gatherer was to help Stacy’s soul out of her dead body, and escort her to heaven. However when she was brought back to life, her life’s clock was reset. Ezekiel now waits for her new life’s clock to run down. However, something has happened. While Ezekiel watched Stacy from afar, he fell in love with her.Ellen notices an incredibly handsome man watching her who is always dressed in black. She has a suspicion of who he is and was sure, when she saw Ezekiel on the street helping a soul his dead body. She later confronted him with the knowledge. He admitted, yes he is a soul gatherer, and works for heaven hoping to gain absolution for his sin. Ellen and Ezekiel continue to meet and become friends even though Ezekiel knows contact between a spirit from his world, and a mortal in this world is forbidden. Their relationship grows and they begin to wish for the impossible, a life together

The book deals with the problem of Non-Performing Advances (NPAs) in public sector banks and its impact on the banks' books, banking and financial system of the economy. Recognizing the inevitable and festering nature of the problem, the author has come out, inter alia, with a statistical model as an innovative, simple and practical solution to contain NPA formation to ensure a strong balance sheet for banks and improved image of the borrowers. The author claims that the solution will prove to be a win-win situation for all stakeholders of banks including the economy, and its constituents Government, shareholders, depositors, borrowers, employees and others. Salient Features Changes brought about in banks under Banking Sector Reforms. • Emergence of NPAs in banks. • Problem of NPAs: Its causes and effects. • Performance of Public sector banks on management of NPAs. • Impact of NPAs on the economy, banks’ balance sheets and profit and loss accounts. • Suggestions to contain NPAs from the angles of banks, borrowers, Government, Regulator and others. • A Statistical Model developed to contain formation of NPAs, strengthen banks' balance sheets and develop an emotional rapport between banks and borrowers.