In the wake of the 2008 Wall Street crash, it was reported that prominent bankers were paying retainers of up to $10,000 a month to keep their search results clean.
The government launched an attack on the cave in which he had taken refuge with his retainers, causing the roof to collapse, and burying those inside.
The Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques was bestowing blessings on a noble deed 13 families had waived their right, under Islamic law, to demand that the murderers of their relatives be beheaded amid a sombre host of robed princes and retainers.
Similarly, American politicos chart the clash of great families and their retainers.
Prostitutes get regular customers to send monthly retainers to their phones, earning them the nickname "scratch-card concubines", while corrupt government officials ask citizens for $50 in phone credit to perform minor tasks.
In this formerly nomadic society, which had only recently acquired the habit of settlement, princes moved around with soldiers, retainers and relations.
After all, the Pheu Thai party and its earlier incarnations, all led by Mr Thaksin or his retainers, have won the last five general elections, the latest by a big margin.
Under radical, modernising New Labour, when the queen entered the Lords' chamber only two of her retainers walked backwards, instead of the usual four.
By the time the half-starved Lucy is discovered, the incompetent local lawyer is unable to trace them.Lucy grows up, hermit-like, in the old house with two loyal family retainers who remain there.
She converted her Congress party from the proud party of the independence movement into something that sometimes seemed little more than a bunch of family retainers.
Some sailors, such as Alinghi's Russell Coutts and Brad Butterworth, are on retainers of nearly $1m a year.Tapping TV revenues might help.
