Category: Accident Analysis / Reconstruction Forensic Analysis of Injury and Death by Asphyxiation TASA ID: 1785 If you were to dive into a pool and hold your breath, how long could you spend underwater? Probably less than a minute unless you conditioned to lower your metabolic rate like a meditating Yogi. However, with practice, many people can hold their breath for about two minutes. What do breath-hold diving, suffocation, strangulation, and drowning have in common? Read more
Category: Accident Analysis / Reconstruction Assembling Materials for Your Accident Investigation/Reconstruction TASA ID: 366 The more information the accident reconstruction analyst has in the beginning of the investigation, the better advantage(s)he has in analyzing your case. Contrary to popular belief, every accident is different in some form. However, gathering the basic information on most accidents remains constant. Read more
Category: Financial/Economic The Current Financial Crisis TASA ID: 1258 The United States has been in the midst of a financial crisis since mid-2006 that resulted from residential real estate foreclosures. The foreclosures caused severe pressures in subprime mortgage markets and ultimately in global money markets. As a result of stricter accounting standards and downgrades by credit rating agencies, various complex mortgage backed financial instruments had to written down on financial institution balance sheets. As housing prices declined, financial institutions worldwide faced severe losses that threatened their survival. By September 2008, severe credit tightening was becoming evident. In response to these events, Congress passed legislation authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to spend up to $700 billion to purchase troubled financial assets. Read more
Category: Financial/Economic A Primer on Subprime Mortgage Loans TASA ID: 322 There are other factors that may cause a borrower to fall into the subprime category. For example, some borrowers might be classified as subprime despite having an excellent credit history because they choose not to provide the lender with the opportunity to verify their income or assets stated in the loan application process. Loans of this type are called "stated income" loans or "stated asset" (SISA) loans or "no income-no asset" (NINA) loans. Due to a subprime lender's perceived higher risk in making these types of loans, the borrower is considered a subprime credit. Read more
Category: Crime Investigation, Fire Investigations Fire and Explosion: When Expertise Matters TASA ID: 4701 A 14-year old was accused of endangerment by exploding an incendiary device. An incendiary device is a bomb that is designed to start fires. The teenager learned how to create this device while surfing the internet - the instructions told how to build THE WORKS BOMB by using aluminum foil, a commercial toilet cleaner, and an emptied soda bottle.The teenager’s behavior was immature and potentially dangerous, but fortunately, it took place in a large open space with no one else in attendance; therefore, no one was injured. However, the police were alerted and arrested the young perpetrator on the spot. Read more
