text:
by Chris Floyd
As Washington waits with bated bipartisan breath to unwrap the shiny Christmas present known as "the recommendations of the Iraq Study Group," it becomes more and more obvious that the newly empowered Democrats are walking into a trap.
But it's not an artful contrivance prepared for their demise by the infinitely devious Karl Rove -- the "political genius" who, since his appearance on the national stage, has managed to lose two elections (2000 and 2004) and eke out very narrow, dubious victories in two others. (And it wasn't Rove who cheated Bush into office in 2000, so that doesn't count even as a technical KO for him. The post-election coup d'etat was directed by Bush family fixer James Baker -- now chairman of the, er, Iraq Study Group.)
No, the trap awaiting the Democrats has been laid by reality itself. As so often noted here before, there is no good solution to the blood-puking hell that George W. Bush has wrought in Iraq. There is no path out of this killing field that won't involve more slaughter, more suffering, more hate, more grief. No "bipartisan panel" – certainly not one led by the lifelong peddler of Bush Family snake oil, Jim Baker, and the Democratic whitewasher for all seasons, Lee Hamilton – is going to find some new, unlooked-for way to untangle this knotted gut. They can only sift through the same reality that we all can see. The options are extremely limited, and all of them have ugly consequences.
Writer and documentary-maker Edward Cox gives a mostly excellent analysis of the situation in a recent Guardian article, Same as it Ever Was. (He is, I think, off base in a brief look at the 2008 presidential election, but this is a minor point in a penetrating takedown of the wildly unrealistic expectations rising around the "Baker Commission.") Very briefly, the main choices break down this way:
Known and very popular cialis coupon which gives all the chance to receive a discount for a preparation which has to be available and exactly cialis coupons has been found in the distant room of this big house about which wood-grouses in the houses tell.
1. More of the same. Basically continuing the current "strategy," if that's what it is, of "training" Iraqi police and military forces while maintaining a more or less full-scale occupation of the country. The fact that this approach is already a proven failure in no way precludes its continuation, with a few cosmetic changes here and there, at least until the end of Bush's term or the final collapse of the Iraqi government. This option will very likely lead to full-blown civil war.
2. Phased withdrawal, in-country. This would involve removing U.S. forces from direct occupation of Iraqi cities. Some troops would go home, but most would relocate to the giant permanent bases now being built in remote areas. These troops would continue to "train" the Iraqi security forces, while essentially abandoning the rest of the country to sectarian warfare until somebody comes out on top and we can sign oil deals with them. If Bush swallows the bone and decides to make any major changes, this is a likely scenario. Its many drawbacks are apparent, as Cox outlines, but again, the evident stupidity of a strategy rarely stops stupid leaders from implementing it. This option will very likely lead to full-blown civil war.
3. Phased withdrawal, "over the horizon." This the option first bruited by Rep. Jack Murtha, the former defense contractor bagman who unexpectedly became the point man for Establishment criticism of the war. This involves pulling all U.S. troops out of Iraq proper, but somehow keeping enough of them lurking over the border so they can rush in at any time and help the Iraqi government out of a jam. There are manifold difficulties with this approach as well, not least how happily the surrounding Muslim nations would welcome a long-term American military force darting in and out of Iraq – and attracting reprisals from terrorists and Iraqi insurgents on the host country's soil. This option is really only a fig-leaf for a later (or sooner) full withdrawal – at the "request" of the host nations, no doubt. In any case, Bush will not choose this option, because it defeats the entire purpose of the war – establishing a permanent U.S. presence in Iraq to secure dominance (or at least a tasty slice) of Iraq's energy resources and serve as a linchpin for further adventures in "full spectrum dominance" over geopolitical affairs in a "new American century." Such "hyper-power" dreams are of course receding into the distance with each passing year, but that doesn't mean that true believers in unlimited power and wealth for the American elite will stop chasing them. This option will very likely lead to full-blown civil war.
4. Phased withdrawal, piecemeal. This is similar to No. 3, except that as the troops come out, bit by bit, they come home rather than move to some transborder base for awhile. This approach could actually be the worst of all possible worlds, leaving a dwindling number of troops to face an increasingly powerful insurgency and ever more virulent sectarian militias, with mounting deaths on all sides until the inevitable last-second bugout of the handful of suckers left in the final "phase." This option will very likely lead to full-blown civil war.
5. Send in more troops. This is the "McCain Option": somehow scare up tens of thousands of new U.S. troops, presumably without a draft, and fling 'em into the fire, then, as Cox notes, "take the cities street by street and hold them through a massive security and intelligence clamp-down." But he also notes the further undeniable truth: "It is of course politically inconceivable, on either side of the Atlantic." However, this is the only serious option that would not very likely lead to full-blown civil war – mostly because it would unite many of the Iraqi factions now at odds into the mother of all insurgencies against the intensified occupation.
6. Immediate withdrawal – "immediate" here meaning as fast as humanly possible commensurate with a more or less secure and more or less orderly extraction. The troops come home, they don't dawdle on the doorstep in some other country for awhile. But Bush will certainly never adopt this option, and neither will the Democrats, who, as Cox points out, will be too eager to prove their still-vulnerable "national security" bona fides, especially with the 2008 election looming, and blanch at being labeled the party who "cut and ran" from Iraq. And yes, it goes without saying by now, this option will very likely lead to full-blown civil war.
7. Help us, Syria! Help us, Iran! This is the option now being proffered by Tony Blair (and mooted earlier by Don Rumsfeld's replacement, Robert Gates). It is so lame and unrealistic that it scarcely rates being mentioned at all, but there will be a good deal of blather about it in the days to come, so it should be dealt with. However, it is not entirely clear why either nation – having been demonized without ceasing by the Bush Faction, and put squarely in the frame for the old "path of action" regime change – would leap to help America out its spot of bother in Iraq. Cox points out the utter absurdity of this approach: Negotiations would doubtless involve some interesting elements. If the Iranians promised to keep their hands off the Basra oilfields, perhaps they could be allowed to develop whatever nuclear weapons they wanted, and if they absolutely insisted on being given free rein to wipe Israel off the map, well, there you go. Maybe Syria could be allowed to re-annex Lebanon, in return for leaving Iraq's Sunnis to their fate.
8. Partition. This is another idea so bad that it can hardly be taken seriously – except that it is taken seriously by a lot of people who, while perhaps not serious themselves, are in serious positions. It was a favorite of "conservative Democrats" in the last election, such as Tennessee's Harold Ford Jr. in his failed Senate race. Again, Cox deals with this idea succinctly:
Unfortunately, although the north is Kurdish and the south is Shia, most of the cities, including Baghdad, are mixed. In any case, the integrity of Iraq is the key to regional stability. An autonomous Shia south would effectively become part of a greater, and more dangerous, Iran. The Turks know that an independent Kurdistan would foster secession in their own Kurdish south-east. The Syrians would feel obliged to support their threatened Sunni co-religionists against the more numerous Shia. Neither, Russia, Israel or Saudi Arabia could be expected to view such developments with equanimity.
And, needless to say, this option would certainly lead to full-blown civil war.
These are the options; this is the reality. What will the vaunted "Baker Commission" do with this intractable material? Cox's conclusion is, I think, right on the money:
So, what's going to happen is this: Baker will recommend the status quo with minor variations, which will be hyped as dramatic revisions. Bush will announce that he completely accepts every jot and tittle of the Baker formula. What then? Bush has already signalled that, understandably enough, he now wants a bipartisan approach to the country's problems. As soon as the Baker report is on his desk, he will call in the leaders of both houses of Congress for a chat.
The Democrats will doubtless see the dangers of such an invitation all too clearly. However, Iraq has been their springboard to office. They will hardly be able to refuse to engage with the issue when given the chance. Indeed, Pelosi has already been talking of a "partnership" with the White House to solve the country's problems. To cut off the Democrats' escape route, Bush need only promise to accept any amendments they may choose to make to the Baker scheme. Doubtless, they will insist upon one or two tweaks, and flaunt them as major triumphs. Sheepishly, though, they will have to acknowledge that in all other respects the Bush-Baker scheme will pretty much have to do.
Thereafter, criticism of what will have become a joint approach will slowly begin to subside. Thus reinforced, the policy will trundle on much as it does now, bringing ever more misery in its wake. Voters will blame Congress more than the White House for this state of affairs, because, unlike Bush, the Democrats had appeared to promise a way out.
At this point – assuming that anyone is still reading at this point – the question arises: OK, Floyd, which of these horrible options would you choose? In which particular way would you inflict even more pain and suffering on the people of Iraq, who never asked to be invaded – or to be lorded over by a tyrant who was put in place and kept in place for years with the helping hand of the United States?
(continued after the jump)
I answered this question in April 2004 in a piece called No Direction Home: The Red Wheel of War Crime Keeps Rolling, and it still holds true for me today:
As the red wheel of Operation Iraqi FUBAR continues to roll, spewing hundreds of corpses in its wake, it becomes clearer by the hour that there is only one way for America to end this stomach-churning nightmare it has created: get out.
That's it. The occupying armies – including Bush's 20,000 corporate mercenaries – should leave now. They should never have been sent in the first place on this ghoul's errand: a war of aggression, a mission of murder and plunder – the perversion of every enlightened value of the civilization that the Coalition's "Christian leaders" purport to defend.
And what a sickening spectacle these "leaders" presented last weekend: George W. Bush and Tony Blair piously kneeling in prayer on Easter Sunday, pledging their fealty to Jesus Christ and His teaching of mercy and lovingkindness – while ordering missile strikes on crowded cities, while filling hospitals with the mutilated bodies of young children, while shoveling fat war profits to their cronies and contributors. Only the most craven, bootlicking sycophant could fail to be revolted at the hypocrisy of these murderous cynics. They are a perfect match in moral idiocy for their crack-brained brother-in-arms, Osama bin Laden.
Their chest-beating pronouncements about "staying the course" and "seeing it through" are just so much rag-chewing nonsense. The way to rectify a crime is not to keep doing it – or in John Kerry's ludicrous formulations, to keep doing it in some different, "better" way – but simply to stop doing it. The illegal invasion was a crime, the occupation is a crime, and if you would not be a criminal, you must stop committing crimes.
At the time, I admit I too entertained a fanciful notion that perhaps "a United Nations force – made up of troops from counties acceptable to the Iraqis – [could move in] to provide security and stability while the Iraqis themselves reconstruct their society, hold elections, etc. America and its war allies would have nothing to do with this stabilization force, beyond helping to fund and supply it." I noted even then that this was a very slim and tenuous hope – and of course it is a dead letter now. Under Bush's rule, Iraq has been driven into ruin and chaos far beyond the remedy of such a solution. Who would send "peacekeeping" troops there now? And who in Iraq would now accept them?
However, one other aspect of the immediate withdrawal scenario I envisioned could still be – and should still be – implemented today, if only to mitigate in some small measure the horror that America will inevitably leave behind, no matter what happens:
The departing Americans should then give the $18 billion slush fund now earmarked for Bush's "reconstruction" bagmen to the Iraqi people, as reparations for the Coalition's war crime. Iraq's foreign loans, procured by Saddam Hussein from sugar daddies like George Bush I, should be written off – and all of Little Bush's imperial edicts opening Iraq's economy for despoliation by his cronies should be rescinded. The United States and Britain should also be prepared to take in the vast horde of refugees who will flee the hardline Islamic regime that will doubtless be created in the ruins Bush has made of the once-secular state.
Here too, I fell short of present reality. America owes the Iraqis far more than $18 billion in reparations for Bush's war crime of aggression. Of course, they will get nothing of the sort – not one thin dime – from either Republicans or Democrats. Nor will there be any move from either party toward letting more dusky immigrants into the country, no matter how imperative our moral obligation to do so.
And so
immediate withdrawal, while still the "best" option on the table, is
far worse now than it would have been a year ago, two years ago, three
years ago. Again, this is the reality. This is what we can't escape.
There is no good way out. There is no good way forward. Tonight,
tomorrow night, and for nights uncounted to come, some innocent will
die in agony because of what we've done.
George W. Bush's innumerable sycopants like to potray him as a down-to-earth man of the people: a man's man, tough and fearless, a good-ole-boy...
"Shame on your greed, shame on your wicked schemes. I tell you this right now, I don't give a damn about your dreams." -- Bob Dylan,...
Bob Woodward has long been the voice of the American Establishment – or of certain quadrants of it, at any rate. When Richard Nixon's...
In February 2003, I wrote a column for the Moscow Times detailing Don Rumsfeld's personal – and profitable – connection with North Korea's...
Kissinger and The Mothers of the Disappeared in Argentina: America on the Brink of Horror. This blistering Buzzflash editorial deserves to be...
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SamSnedegar said:
et tu?
So I have to face them alone? We're not in Iraq to win anything; we're there to steal control of their oil. You seem to think we plan to give over control of the oil to some Iraqi set of puppets and then "do deals" with them.
Fuggedaboudit; it's our oil now and we do what we want with it. If it wasn't going to be that way, then we'd have made a deal with the UN to back our play, but we shut the UN out completely because we didn't want them dabbling in our oil business in Iraq.
And again, what the Democratic run Congress tries to do won't matter a whit; "Stay the course," means "steal oil," and since that is the ONLY reason we EVER had for an Iraq adventure, we will STAY THE COURSE forever, or at least until the world gangs up on us and forces us out of Iraq altogether as the Nazis were forced out of France and Italy and North Africa and the places they went to steal.
Davidco said:
Snedegar is right
In early 2003, the US began construction of at least four permanent major bases in Iraq. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/...94DB404482 These are on the order of other giant but semi-secret desert bases like that in Qatar which can be seen by satellite imagery. http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/wor...181591.stm Whoever controls these assets has control of access to petroleum stores throughout the region.
The new, state-of-the-art US embassy complex is slated for completion in 2007. It covers 105 acres - more than twice the size of Vatican City.
These multi-billion dollar installations cannot just be pushed off a carrier deck and left to rust at the bottom of the South China Sea as when we sailed away from the detritus of our last bug-out.
The winner of the 2008 election will probably be the second US president to use nuclear weapons. This time to keep US-built fortifications out of the hands of whoever emerges from the Iraqi Civil War.
The monumental waste will be of historic proportions and will signal the end of our meaningful participation in international affairs. We'll be viewed as a dangerous mad dog which is chasing its tail in the middle of Main Street while awaiting the coup de grace.
The Chinese will take a hit as they sell off their American debt instruments but the world will agree that somebody had to take charge and put us out of our misery.
shades said:
trying to find someone to blame, when you obviously have already, is pointless.


text:
Tuesday's letters: Changing world
Published: Tuesday, May 21, 2013 at 4:30 a.m.
Last Modified: Monday, May 20, 2013 at 3:50 p.m.
To the editor: The good: In 1998, first lady Hillary Clinton met with Elizabeth Warren, who later said, For the next 25 minutes, I pounded Mrs. Clinton with graphs, charts and projections. I explained to Mrs. Clinton how the pending bankruptcy bill, favored by the administration, would effectively dismantle bankruptcy protections for families and make it more difficult for families to hold on to their homes.
The bill was passed by Congress but was vetoed by President Bill Clinton. Later a presidential aide explained to Elizabeth Warren, A couple of days after Mrs. Clinton met with you, we changed sides so fast that you could see skid marks in the hallways of the White House.
The bad: The same bill was reintroduced and passed into law by George W. Bush in 2001. Credit card giant MBNA was his single biggest campaign contributor.
The ugly: Sen. Clinton had received $140,000 in 2000 campaign contributions from banking industry executives, making her one of the top two recipients in the Senate. She voted in favor of the bill that her husband had vetoed.
I guess this is our world we live in. I just dont like getting used to it. How about you?
Harold Hellickson
Great column
To the editor: On May 4, Mike Tower had a column in the Times-News that anyone who has been or is in love should read. It was an expression of his long love for his wife. It happened to be in the paper the day before what would have been my husbands and my 35th wedding anniversary. Unfortunately, he died in September, and so we did not have the pleasure of celebrating what Mike and his wife enjoy.
All that he expressed could have been said about Don and me. So I say to all of you, please take the time to express your love and feelings while you can. You never know when that opportunity will be gone. Fortunately, Don and I were able to do so.
My thanks to Mr. Tower for the beautiful tribute to his wife, and dont forget to pass your feelings to a loved one while you can. We need more columns like this.
Bev Johnson
Wayne LaPierre
To the editor: Why in the world do so many people scorn Wayne LaPierres eminently sound solution for massacres make (more) guns, with good guys outgunning bad guys?
He certainly has all the facts, the statistics backing him.
Example: We have 300 million people and as many firearms; well armed, we have a picayunish 31,000 gun deaths yearly. Conversely, the other 22 first-world countries (with many millions of people and few guns) pay through the nose with an overwhelming 8,000 or so deaths. Right on, Wayne!
We can also rest peacefully if we have guns in the home. For every bad guy eradicated, a measly 12 good guys die to suicide, accident, homicide, etc. Again, right on, Wayne!
Joseph Haley
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subset: commoncrawl


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Hawaii's Natural Energy Institute to Host Pre-RFP Conference January 18
January 14, 2011
Hawaii's Natural Energy Institute (HNEI) will conduct a Pre-RFP Conference for their forthcoming Request for Proposal (RFP) to supply a "Turn-Key Hydrogen Production and Fueling System." The conference will take place from 9:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. EST on Tuesday, January 18 in Washington, D.C. The meeting will review equipment for the dynamic operation of an electrolyzer as a grid management tool. The conference will be hosted by:
Strategic Analysis, Inc.
4075 Wilson Blvd., Suite 200
Liberty Conference Center, 3rd Floor
Arlington, VA 22203
For those who cannot attend in person, a webinar will also be available. Please inform Mitch Ewan if you are planning to attend the conference. Webinar instructions will be emailed to those who plan to participate by webinar.
HNEI plans to release the RFP by Wednesday, January 13. The RFP to supply a "Turn-Key Hydrogen Production and Fueling System" will be released by The Research Corporation of the University of Hawaii (RCUH), on behalf of the University of Hawaii's HNEI. This is a component of a Naval Research Laboratory and U.S. Department of Energy project. See the RFP Pre-Notice for further details. Contact Mitch Ewan for more information.


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|Librarian One-on-One Assistance
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One-on-one assistance on a topic of your choice. Please let us know what you would like assistance with when registering.Get Directions to the FFL
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The purpose of this one hour in-service for the Albuquerque area is to review the indications, contra-indications and clinical techniques for Interim Therapeutic Restorations [ITR] in the young patient.
Upon completion of this course, the participant will be able to: 1. Identify the four documented sources of failures among Interim Therapeutic Restorations. 2. Name organizations which endorse the use of Interim Therapeutic Restorations. 3. List the benefits of glass ionomer as the material of choice for Interim Therapeutic Restorations. 4. Enumerate the ADA coding options for glass ionomer restorations.
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Hey Everyone, how's it goin? I'm a boomer - checking in from Maryland!
Hi Rich. You getting any springtime down your way yet?
Oh yes, finally in the 50's, today the 60's but back to the 50's tommorrow - but I'll take!B-)
I'm from the beautiful state of Idaho. I didn't search the whole thread but did't see any Idahoans represented. Guess it's up to me to represent. I don't post much but read alot (shy I guess) .
One more from California - crl8686 from La Canada, CA (Los Angeles suburb next to Pasadena).
2015 highlights...
@ 5K: New Balance Palm Springs 5K, Palm Springs, CA, 24:32
Angels Baseball Foundation 5K, Anaheim, CA, 24:24
Pride of the Valley, Baldwin Park, CA, 24:28
@ 10K: LA Chinatown Firecracker 10K, Los Angeles, CA, 52:15
Great Race of Agoura - Old Agoura 10K, Agoura Hills, CA, 51:40
Fiesta Days Run, La Canada, CA, 49:57
Didnt see to many from NJ....I'm a true Jersey girl!
I'm in NH too!
Girl pushups my ass!! I am NOT your typical Grandma!!
Hello all, from upstate New York.
Hello all you Lucky Nor'easters! How about coming down to Texas to train - 100 degrees and 67% humidity - more like swimming in bathwater than running!!!
To God be the glory!
You're not the only one from Jersey!
~continue to look ahead towards the goal and enjoy yourself getting closer~
FeelsSoGood wrote:
You're not the only one from Jersey!
Hey there, are you doing the Philly run in November or The distance run in September?
And I understand the heat in Texas. My friend lives in Austin and wants to move back to Jersey. I am trying to convince her not to..lol
~continue to look ahead towards the goal and enjoy yourself getting closer~
hey y'all from East Tennessee
Brand new to running but my hubby was a serious marathoner until his knees started to give out. Thought I might finally give this a try. Give us something to do together at retirement.
North Central Ohio
My hands are never cold when I'm running.
Annie here, from the state of Maryland
Add me from Tacoma...Did the Sound to Narrows in June and just did Bank to Bay last weekend....Gonna hit the NW Trek 5 K this weekend
ACTIVE is the leader in online event registrations from 5k running races and marathons to softball leagues and local events. ACTIVE also makes it easy to learn and prepare for all the things you love to do with expert resources, training plans and fitness calculators.


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One of the world's largest fertilizer makers says it plans to cut 500 jobs globally as it deals with a significant decline in earnings.
The Plymouth-based Mosaic Co. is reporting that its first-quarter earnings are down 40 percent compared to a year ago. The fertilizer business has been plagued by low prices for several quarters.
The Star Tribune says Mosaic plans to cut 50 jobs at its Plymouth headquarters, which employs about 300. Mosaic's five-year plan is to cut $500 million in costs, including reducing its workforce of about 8,200 by 6 percent.
Location, ST | website.com


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This week on Y&R all roads lead to the drama of the 11,000th episode of the series on Thursday, September 1st. What will happen? Can Adam, Chelsea and their son, Connor get their happily ever after? Will Luca's crime put Summer and her family in danger? Will Neil finally make peace with his past? Watch the promo fro CBS Daytime below, and then let us know what you think will go down? Leave a comment »
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Silicon Valley Bank's monthly Currency Outlook provides insight into today's foreign exchange markets and the global events that impact your cross-border transaction strategies.
Since 2008, we have lived with the ramifications of the central banks' policy of printing money to prevent another Great Depression, but in the current conditions, foreign exchange rates are more easily forecast than they were prior to mid- 2008.
The central banks' money printing manifested itself in more government debt issuance. In the U.S., the Federal Reserve bought a portion of this new issuance as they embarked on Quantitative Easing, which also consisted of buying securitized debt such as mortgage-backed securities. Under usual circumstances, investors would have bought the debt which would have taken the money out of circulation. However, the Fed's actions left this money in circulation and increased the liquidity, keeping interest rates low. The lower interest rates should have helped boost the economy since not as much money was consumed by interest.
How do these past actions and conditions relate to foreign exchange and the relative strength or weakness of currencies?
Typically cash flows determine the value of a currency. Cash flows consist of the balance of trade — surplus or deficit — and investment flows. Since 2008 the almost sole focus has been on the investment flows, which skewed the situation. As interest rates declined, the countries with the lower interest rates suffered weaker currencies vs. those with higher interest rates. Since the end of 2008, with little yield anywhere, the 'carry trade' — when an investor sells a low yielding currency and buys a higher-yielding currency to make more interest income — became very important.
The European Central Bank's Decisions and the Long-Lasting Impact on European Economy
Two years ago many were confused when the euro did not weaken during the European debt crisis. The European Central Bank (ECB) had been under the stewardship of Jean-Claude Trichet who refused to lower interest rates as the socialist structure of the European economy is supposed to act like a safety net. When the economy weakens it does so more slowly than the U.S.'s more capitalistic model. It is also slower to recover. Although this makes it difficult to judge the health of an economy, the head of a central bank should know how to calculate what allowances have to be made to obtain a clearer economic picture.
Trichet left the ECB in October 2011. Mario Draghi, an ex- Goldman Sachs alumnus who became head of the European Central Bank, took a 'do whatever it takes' stance to keep the euro from breaking apart, and immediately lowered interest rates.
The ECB's most recent move on June 13 took the ECB's deposit rate (the rate banks get for lodging funds with the ECB) to -0.1 percent, costing the banks to invest! They also lowered the base rate to +0.15 percent causing the euro to weaken.
The carry trade part of international investment cash flows is a short-term indicator of currency weakness or strength. When a higher-yielding currency lowers its interest rates, investors withdraw their funds quickly, but it is a long-term indicator when a currency is in a higher interest rate cycle, as with the New Zealand dollar at the moment. The yield on the 10-year government bond is 4.4 percent, having risen from 3.15 percent in May 2013; the New Zealand dollar rose from 0.7650 to 0.8750 in the same time period putting it just 1 percent away from its highest level since 1981. New Zealand is a great example of how interest rate differentials are a good long-term indicator of currency strength.
Interest rate differentials moves are clouded by all the extraneous noise created by macroeconomic data, geopolitical news and domestic political policy.
The charts below indicate two different situations. The pre-crash reactions to interest rate moves were 'normal.' The moves since the end of 2008 are different as the lack of yield and the fear of what happened left the markets in a situation where investors tried to frantically recoup losses, and make money to cover shortfalls. This led to volatile markets and the irrational investing in 10-year bonds of the PIIGS that returned over 8 percent. If it had not been for the end of Trichet's reign and Draghi's takeover, the European economic outcome euro would have been a lot worse.
The Effect on German Bonds
The yield on German bonds has declined as has the euro from 1.48 to 1.35 in the last three years. It is interesting to note that the German bund declined to its current yield level of 1.5 percent as more conservative investors moved their funds to interest rate safe havens such as German bunds, U.S. Treasuries, and British gilts in mid-2012. As the economy normalized, the safe haven bunds were sold, and the yields rose from 1.5 percent to nearly 2 percent. The recent policy changes from the ECB have the 10-year yield back to 1.35 percent and the euro is in a weakening trend with lower yield.
Japan's New Leader Changed the Status Quo
Since Prime Minister Shinzo Abe took over in December 2012, the changes in Japanese policy are reduced interest rates and added liquidity; these changes reduced the Japanese yield and the value of the yen which lost 20 percent in six months. However, exporters benefitted as the prices of Japanese goods overseas declined.
In 2008 at the start of the economic crisis, the yen strengthened as a beneficiary of safe haven cash flows. At this time, people wanted to keep their money safe and were not so concerned about yield; hence, the yen strengthened 25 percent from August 2008 to the end of 2008.
The UK's Austerity Route
The story of the UK's pound is interesting as the UK took a totally different path than Europe and Japan. The UK's property bubble burst was similar to the property bubbles that burst in the U.S., Ireland, and Spain. In Japan and the rest of Europe, the problems stemmed from too much government debt as a percentage of GDP and eventually the housing debt ended up cascading into government debt as they bailed out failing banks. The UK bailed out banks, but as a counterbalance, it cut back on government spending to avoid exploding its debt as the U.S. had done. The austerity imposed increased the pain of the downturn, but now the UK economy has resurrected in the last year and is the fastest growing economy in the G10. Interestingly, tech has been a large part of the economic recovery. The interest rate chart illustrates the strong similarities between the UK and U.S.'s 10-year interest rates.
Why is the pound so strong as compared to the dollar? The foreign exchange (FX) market and interest rate markets tend to value currencies and bond yields against the market expectation of where they are going to be, not where they are. At the moment, the Bank of England(BoE) is expected to raise interest rates before the Fed. Also, the (BoE head, Mark Carney, plans to tighten mortgage lending. What form this will take is unknown, but it will effectively tighten one part of their monetary policy.
The pound example demonstrates the importance of looking at interest rate, differential moves, and comparing economies and central bank expectations.
Future of the Yen, Pound, Euro and Dollar
Of the three featured currencies, interest rates are expected to stay very low in Japan but today's (6/27) inflation data showed Consumer Price Index (CPI) at 3.7 percent annualized. As much as PM Abe's policies were to reflate the economy, there comes a tipping point when inflation cannot be ignored. With household spending falling to 8 percent for the same year, the danger seems to be more stagflation than deflation. This may call for another policy change which may strengthen the weak yen.
The yen is the currency pushed by macroeconomics more than yield differences. This is unique to the yen as it is the only economy to have suffered deflation for 20 plus years.
Long-term, the euro should decline compared to the dollar and other currencies with higher interest rates than those in Europe.
The pound's interest rate policy is in the hands of Mark Carney. He was the Governor of the Bank of Canada from 2008 until he joined the Bank of England in July last year. Another Goldman Sachs alumnus, his economic views are conservative. He guided the Bank of Canada through the crisis unscathed. With Carney's track record and with the heating economy, look for the pound to strengthen against the yen and the euro more than against the U.S. dollar.
If the U.S. raises interest rates, that change is half of what to consider when assessing the other currencies value against the dollar. When the market factors in such a change, the currencies will start to move. They will not wait until the change in interest rates actually happen.
Using the interest rate picture to evaluate currency strength is a long-term indicator. There may be short-term reactions to economic data and geopolitical events that put the currencies on a different track for a short period before returning to the longer-term interest rate driven trend.
Source: Bloomberg
South African Rand (ZAR) - S&P downgraded the sovereign rating of South Africa to BBB- from BBB, and changed its outlook from negative to stable. CPI remains high at 6.6 percent Y/Y for May, due to a spike in food inflation. The longest strike in South African mining industry ended after the world's largest platinum company agreed to sign a deal with the main union. The ZAR was positive in the latter half of June; however, it closed flat on a monthly basis.
Russian Ruble (RUB) – - Manufacturing drove industrial production to grow 4.4 percent Y/Y, although investment continues to shrink at -2.6 percent Y/Y due to the impact of geopolitical tensions. Retail sales growth declined again to 2.1 percent Y/Y. It also continued to introduce more flexibility to the RUB, by further widening the non-intervention band inside the corridor from RUB 3.1 to RUB 5.1 and lowered the intervention level from US$ 1.5bn to US$ 1bn. RUB carried its strength onto June as well, gaining a 2.6 percent due to oil prices on Iraq instability and despite some weakness mid-way in June, caused by the relationship with the Ukraine.
Indian Rupee (INR)- Escalating tensions in Iraq continue to impact the INR. India imports nearly 80 percent of its oil requirements and Iraq is the second largest supplier of crude, after Saudi Arabia. The INR fell 1.7 percent in June as Brent crude climbed 4.1 percent. The rise in crude prices will affect the deficits and the inflation. INR underperformed compared to other currencies, closing 1.3 percent down.
Chinese Renminbi (CNY) - The PMI was stronger than expected at 51.0 for June, confirming a pick-up in growth. The government's effort to loosen its domestic policy stance was reflected in the May RMB and M2 loan growth, which were above market expectations. Retail sales growth quickened to 12.5 percent Y/Y in May from 12.1 percent in April. Industrial production growth increased to 8.8 percentY/Y in May, signaling a cyclical rebound. CNY rose 0.7 percent in June.
Brazilian Real (BRL) - Deceleration in the economy is expected to continue. Low employment levels due to the World Cup, are expected to change once the games end as more employers lay off temporary workers. Industrial production contracted 0.3 percent M/M in April, adding to the 0.5 percent M/M decline in March. Policy fundamentals, high inflation, stagnating growth and an overvalued currency should hinder further strengthening of the BRL, up 1.3 percent during June.
Thai Baht (THB) - The Bank of Thailand kept rates on hold at 2 percent. The disappointing growth in Q1 due to a contraction in domestic demand, tourism and political uncertainty, prompted the Bank to downgrade its 2014 GDP forecast to 1.5 percent from 2.7 percent. Political unrest has caused a decline in private consumption, and investment. Tourism, a major economic driver in Thailand, with receipts amounting to $42 billion annually has dropped to nearly 5 percent Y/Y in the first four months of the year. Despite unrest in Thailand, the currency managed to hold on to gains in June, closing 1.1 percent above the previous month.
Mexican Peso (MXN) - Real GDP expanded 0.5 percent Y/Y in April, pointing to a gradual recovery in the economy. Unemployment in May was slightly higher. The MPC surprised the market with a strong 50bp rate cut, and further emphasized that additional rate cuts in the near term are very unlikely. MXN sentiment has been negative for the best part of June, with the currency closing in the red at -1.2 percent.
South Korean Won (KRW) - The Bank of Korea continued to keep its monetary policy on hold at 2.5 percent. Headline inflation was up at 1.7 percent Y/Y in May, from 1.5 percent Y/Y in April, but core inflation trended down to 2.2 percent Y/Y. May export growth fell to -0.9 percent Y/Y from 9 percent in April, mainly due to changes in the number of working days. Sluggish currency movement were witnessed in the KRW, with gains at just 0.6 percent for June.
Singapore Dollar (SGD) - Headline inflation rose in May at 2.7 percent Y/Y, largely due to base effects in private transportation, which is expected to normalize in the latter half of the year. Non-oil domestic exports contracted 6.6 percent Y/Y in May. Manufacturing production is gradually slowing, expanding only 4.6 percent in April. Flat movement in SGD witnessed the currency close positively at 0.5 percent, most of which was in the first half of June.
Swiss Franc (CHF) - The SNB continued with its 3-month interest rate target range at 0-0.25 percent. The Bank reaffirmed its decision to defend the EUR-CHF floor of 1.20 and added that it would do so with the "utmost determination." Headline CPI inflation rose to +0.2 percent Y/Y in May, driven largely by gasoline prices. PMI rose to 54 in June from 52.5, its lowest level since June 2013. CHF witnessed a good comeback in the second half of June, gaining 0.2 percent.
Australian Dollar (AUD) -The RBA emphasized that interest rates would be on hold for some time, relaying a neutral bias and cautiously optimistic tone in its June board meeting minutes. Consumer sentiment slumped this month in response to the federal budget. The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 5.8 percent, predominantly due to the retracement of the participation rate. AUD slowly ramped higher for most of June, gaining 2 percent.
Canadian Dollar (CAD) - Headline CPI inflation surprised to the upside, coming in at 2.3 percent Y/Y in May, largely on rising energy prices. Inflation will pose a challenge to the Bank of Canada, which adopted a dovish stance. The unemployment rate was 7 percent for May, with full-time employment falling by 29.1K while the economy added 54.9K part-time jobs. Despite a weak start to June, CAD displayed equal gains the in the last 3 weeks of the month, as oil prices rose. posting a strong 2.3 percent gain for June.
British Pound Sterling (GBP) - The BoE unanimously voted to keep interest rates on hold in the June meeting. Meeting minutes were less hawkish after Carney's comments. Retail sales volumes fell 0.5 percent M/M in May. Despite this drop, the average levels in April and May were 1.7 percent above the Q1 average. Manufacturing continues to remain strong with CBI monthly survey showing the third highest reading for order books in the last 25 years. The number of people in work rose by 345K (1.1 percent) Q/Q and 780K (2.6 percent Y/Y) in Feb-April, the highest Q/Q gain in employment since data began 40 years ago. GBP was up 2.3 percent at the close of month.
Japanese Yen (JPY) - Japan posted a trade deficit of ¥909.0bn for May, wider than the April deficit of ¥ 811.7tn. The BoJ kept its monetary policy unchanged, and noted that the economy "has continued to recover moderately as a trend." The Cabinet Office revised its Jan-Mar GDP numbers to 1.5 percent Q/Q, and 6.7 percent annualized growth. The Abe administration released a draft version of its growth strategy, emphasizing productivity in the overall economy. The JPY closed June up 0.5 percent.
Euro (EUR) - The Euro area composite PMI fell from 52.2 to 51.8 in June, the weakest since November 2013. Weaker PMI's from Germany and France were the main contributors. Industrial production expanded 0.8 percent M/M in April, +1.4 percent Y/Y. Manufacturing output expanded by +0.6 percent M/M while energy production rose more sharply by 2.5 percent. The unemployment rate was unchanged at 11.7 percent. The EUR closed at +0.4 percent.
New Zealand Dollar (NZD) - The New Zealand economy expanded by 1.0 percent Q/Q and 3.8 percent Y/Y in 1Q2014, driven mainly by construction in both residential and non-residential sectors. The Trade balance rose to a surplus of NZ$2,232mn. The RBZ hiked the OCR by a further 25bps to 3.25%. The subsequent statement from the Bank did not hint at any pause in the tightening cycle. Despite a flat start, the NZD was the strongest performing currency during the month with a whopping 3.8 percent gain.
Israeli Shekel (ILS) - The Bank of Israel kept rates on hold at 0.75. The Q1 2014 GDP was revised to +2.7 percent Q/Q annually, up from +2.1 percent. GDP of the business sector was revised to +1.5 percent Q/Q annually, up from +0.4 percent. PMI is steadily increasing with May numbers at 55.6, up from 51.4 in April and 48.9 in March. May CPI was unchanged from April at 1.0 percent Y/Y. ILS made steady gains during the month, and the momentum picked up towards the end of June, closing at a +1.4%.
Danish Krone (NOK) - The Norges Bank left its policy rates unchanged at 1.5 percent; however, it changed its expected rate hike from the "summer of 2015" to end-2015. The drop in electricity prices continues to impact the headline inflation, which is declining after peaking in August 2013 at +3.2 percent Y/Y. CPI inflation in May was at +1.8 percent Y/Y. The PMI was unchanged at 49.6 in June. Manufacturing output remained flat for April. One more currency that faced the heat was NOK, closing at a -2.6 percent, with most of the damage in mid-June.
The views expressed in this column are solely those of the author and do not reflect the views of SVB Financial Group, or Silicon Valley Bank, or any of its affiliates. This material, including without limitation the statistical information herein, is provided for informational purposes only. The material is based in part upon information from third-party sources that we believe to be reliable, but which has not been independently verified by us and, as such, we do not represent that the information is accurate or complete. The information should not be viewed as tax, investment, legal or other advice nor is it to be relied on in making an investment or other decisions. You should obtain relevant and specific professional advice before making any investment decision. Nothing relating to the material should be construed as a solicitation or offer, or recommendation, to acquire or dispose of any investment or to engage in any other transaction.
Foreign exchange transactions can be highly risky, and losses may occur in short periods of time if there is an adverse movement of exchange rates. Exchange rates can be highly volatile and are impacted by numerous economic, political and social factors, as well as supply and demand and governmental intervention, control and adjustments. Investments in financial instruments carry significant risk, including the possible loss of the principal amount invested. Before entering any foreign exchange transaction, you should obtain advice from your own tax, financial, legal and other advisors, and only make investment decisions on the basis of your own objectives, experience and resources.
For general enquiries you can contact us in the following ways:
Silicon Valley Bank is registered in England and Wales at Alphabeta, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1BR, UK under No. FC029579. Silicon Valley Bank is authorised and regulated by the California Department of Business Oversight and the United States Federal Reserve Bank; authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority with number 577295; and subject to regulation by the Financial Conduct Authority and limited regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority. Details about the extent of our regulation by the Prudential Regulation Authority are available from us on request. Silicon Valley Bank is a subsidiary of SVB Financial Group, a Delaware corporation and is an affiliate of SVB Financial Group UK Limited. SVB Financial Group UK Ltd is registered in England and Wales at Alphabeta, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1BR, UK under No. 5572575 and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority, with reference number 446159. SVB Financial Group and its subsidiary Silicon Valley Bank are members of the Federal Reserve System and Silicon Valley Bank is a member of the FDIC.
Silicon Valley Bank is covered by the Financial Services Compensation Scheme and by the Financial Ombudsman Service. In relation to the Financial Services Compensation Scheme, please ensure that you review the important information on depositor preference that affects clients of Silicon Valley Bank in the UK.


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Eye Health Center
LASIK Eye Surgery and Other Refractive Surgeries
In this article
Procedures Related to LASIK Surgery
Doctors have developed other surgeries similar to the standard LASIK procedure. These include the following.
- Wavefront-guided LASIK uses a highly detailed "map" of how light moves through the eye to guide the laser treatment. This shows even the subtlest distortions of focus. The goal is to reduce the chance of after-surgery problems such as glare, light "halos," blurry vision, and poor night vision.
- PRK (photorefractive keratectomy) corrects low to high nearsightedness, low to moderate farsightedness, and astigmatism. The eye surgeon removes the epithelium (surface cells on the cornea). The surgeon then uses the excimer laser to reshape the cornea. Healing occurs with help from a "bandage contact lens" applied at the end of the procedure. Initial healing occurs during the first week and may involve some discomfort. Full visual recovery may take weeks or months. For these reasons, LASIK surgery has generally replaced PRK, except for patients with corneas too thin for LASIK surgery or others with certain lifestyles or professions (such as professional athletes).
- LASEK (laser epithelial keratomileusis) is very similar to PRK. The difference is that the surgeon removes and then replaces the epithelium after completing the surgery. Like PRK, LASEK may be recommended for people with thin corneas. As with PRK, healing may involve some discomfort.
- Epi-LASIK uses a special instrument, the Epi-keratome, to create the corneal flap on the layer of cells covering the cornea (epithelium). Epi-LASIK is used primarily in patients who cannot have standard LASIK surgery.
Implant Refractive Surgery
Several types of refractive surgery rely on implants to improve vision. These procedures include the following:
- Intrastromal corneal ring segment (INTACS) implants
- Phakic intraocular lenses (IOLs)
- Accommodative IOLs, multifocal IOLs, toric (astigmatism correcting) IOLs aka refractive lens exchange or clear lens extraction
Each implant is described below.
- Intrastromal corneal ring segment (INTACS) implants. Semicircular pieces of plastic are implanted in the cornea. These objects are called INTACS (intrastromal corneal ring segments). They change the cornea's shape and adjust the person's power to focus. INTACS are inserted through a small corneal incision. The incision is closed with two small sutures, or stitches, or with a special tissue glue. Stitches are typically removed two to four weeks later. If necessary, INTACS can be removed. The cornea returns to its original shape within a few weeks. These were introduced just prior to the emergence of LASIK as the dominant procedure to treat nearsightedness. LASIK and related procedures have replaced INTACS for refractive surgery. INTACS are now primarily used in the corneal degeneration called keratoconus.
- Phakic IOLs. These are used for people whose degree of nearsightedness or farsightedness is too high for safe use of the excimer laser. The procedure is similar to cataract surgery except that the natural lens is not removed. The eye surgeon positions a vision-correcting plastic lens in front of the patient's natural lens. Because the eye is actually entered, phakic IOL surgery considered more invasive than LASIK. This has to be balanced against the benefits to people with extreme eyeglass or contact lens prescriptions who are not eligible for a laser procedure.
- Accommodative IOLs, multifocal IOLs, toric (astigmatism correcting) and refractive lens exchange. These implants are used to treat nearsightedness, farsightedness, astigmatism, and presbyopia. Vision-correcting, surgically implanted artificial lenses replace the patient's natural lenses. No corneal reshaping is done.
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Find more At Home in Arkansas
and at Providence Ltd Design
Je suis tombée en amour pour la cuisine... J'adore!
gros bisous
GORGEOUS!!!!! Love the elements, the flooring, the lighting, the gorgeous outdoor patio...it all works so beautifully. AMAZING.ReplyDelete
Gorgeous, Mona and her sister did a fabulous job. she is a very talented lady and has a heart of gold. Love everything about this home.ReplyDelete
What a beautiful home! I'm wondering what the flooring in the kitchen is.
All the best, Cindy
Thanks sooo much for such a wonderful post about the Parkinson home and our work. This was such a fun project and we are thankful to be working on others with Bill right now.
To Cindy...the floors through-out the main floor are stained concrete, except the Master bedroom...which is carpet. Hickory wood graces the stairs and upstairs. Thanks again. Mona
I love this house! In my opinion is it a perfect example of casual elegance.ReplyDelete
Where can I get that oval dining chandelier? I must have it!ReplyDelete


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iHOME Colortunes Noise Isolating Earphones
iHOME Colortunes Noise Isolating Metal Earphones let you enjoy crisp audio in comfort with total control. Find the perfect fit with three sizes of detachable, soft-yet-durable ear cushions to help reduce background noise. The in-line remote with microphone lets you answer and end calls, controls volume, play/pause, track selection, even voice commands for compatible iPod, iPhone and iPad models. Includes travel pouch.


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- Aug 18:
- Reports that Jahi McMath is coming home are false
- Jun 18:
- Jahi McMath being kept at New Jersey hospital
- Jun 12:
- Jahi McMath getting diploma for eighth grade, family says
- Mar 13:
- Jahi McMath: Family calls state report 'B.S.'; new medical record details emerge
- Mar 12:
- Jahi McMath: State releases report on Children's Hospital Oakland's handling of patients
- Feb 20:
- Jahi McMath: Complete text of letter from brain-dead girl's mother
- Feb 19:
- Jahi McMath 'much better,' her mother says
- Feb 1:
- Jahi McMath: Is it safe to have tonsil surgery at Children's Hospital Oakland?
- Jan 27:
- Jahi McMath video claims to show her feet and toes move
- Jan 25:
- Jahi McMath: five similar brain death legal cases
- Jahi McMath: Could her case change how California determines death?
- Jan 9:
- Jahi McMath: Medical experts say organ failure inevitable
- Jan 8:
- Jahi McMath: Girl given breathing, feeding tubes, attorney says
- Jan 7:
- Jahi McMath: Streetfighting lawyer takes heat, death threats for brain-dead Oakland girl's family
- Jan 6:
- Jahi McMath: Family says brain-dead teen's body may be too deteriorated to save
- Document: Medical analysis of Jahi McMath's deteriorating condition
- Jahi McMath: Brain-dead girl moved to undisclosed care facility
- Jan 5:
- Jahi McMath: Brain-dead teen's family moves her from Children's Hospital Oakland
- Jahi McMath: Timeline of events in case of brain-dead Oakland teen
- Jan 3:
- Jahi McMath: Mom can remove brain-dead daughter from hospital, judge rules
- Dec 31:
- Jahi McMath: Terri Schiavo group secretly leading transfer efforts
- Jahi McMath: Hospital fights in court to remove brain-dead girl from ventilator
- Dec 29:
- Jahi McMath: Statement of Children's Hospital Oakland
- Jahi McMath: Mom and lawyer say only remaining option for brain-dead girl is a New York care facility
- Dec 28:
- Jahi McMath: Family, attorney release letter addressing critics
- Jahi McMath: Family trying to raise money to get 13-year-old airlifted out of state
- Dec 27:
- Jahi McMath: Children's Hospital Oakland agrees to release brain-dead girl to long-term care
- Dec 26:
- Jahi McMath: 2 years ago, a girl wound up severely brain damaged following similar surgery
- Herhold: At bottom, the Jahi McMath story is a tale of a mother's guilt
- Dec 24:
- Jahi McMath: A mother's undeniable love is lost in divisive battle
- Jahi McMath: Judge denies petition to keep girl on ventilator past Dec. 30
- Dec 21:
- Jahi, her mom and 13 days at Children's Hospital Oakland
- Jahi McMath: Medicine's ability to keep a heart beating complicates how death is perceived
- Oakland: Emotional letter from Jahi McMath's mom to keep daughter 'warm'
- Judge grants restraining order keeping brain dead Oakland girl on ventilator through Monday
- Dec 20:
- Family of Oakland girl on ventilator furious after meeting with hospital officials
- Dec 18:
- Jahi McMath prayer vigil: 'God knows we want a miracle'
- Dec 16:
- Oakland: Girl declared brain dead after tonsil surgery may be taken off life support Tuesday
OAKLAND -- Discussing the events of the past week, Sandra Chatman said it "felt like somebody stabbed me in the heart."
Her granddaughter, 13-year-old Jahi McMath, has been declared brain-dead, just days after undergoing surgery to have her tonsils removed.
"They took away my granddaughter. That's how it feels," said Chatman.
Jahi's family, including her mother, Nailah Winkfield, huddled by her side at Children's Hospital Oakland for a sixth day Sunday, calling on the community for prayers and searching for answers on what went wrong during what was supposed to be a one-night stay for the family favorite.
Jahi arrived at the hospital Monday and was supposed to be released Tuesday, the family said.
Monday night, Chatman, a veteran nurse at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, noticed her granddaughter was bleeding from her mouth and nose. She later went into cardiac arrest.
Jahi spent Tuesday on a ventilator. By 2 a.m. Wednesday, doctors said she had swelling in her brain, and Thursday, she was declared legally brain-dead, family members said.
The hospital staff is reviewing what happened, as they do when any procedure does not have the anticipated results, said spokeswoman Melinda Krigel.
Jahi's uncle, 27-year-old Omari Sealey, said the hospital should have done more to stop the bleeding.
"There was a lack of urgency," Sealey said. "It's shock, it's disbelief. You never think something like this will happen to you."
Family members describe Jahi as a well-behaved, bubbly teen who has been looking forward to spending the holidays with family and attending an eighth-grade dinner dance at E.C. Reems Academy of Technology and Arts.
Jahi's family has asked the hospital keep her on life support for as long as possible, even if it means spending Christmas at the hospital.
"As long as she has a pulse, we want her on life support," Sealey said. "We want her to come home for Christmas. We want to give her presents. We want a chance for a Christmas miracle."
Krigel, the hospital spokeswoman, said "the hospital is very, very sad about this outcome."
"It's incredibly sad," Krigel said. "What I can add is that there is informed consent that comes with any surgery and that with any surgery, there can be unanticipated outcomes."
Before her surgery, Jahi took off her pearl earrings and gave them to Chatman. She asked Chatman to put them back on her as soon as she woke up from surgery. The pearls are now tucked inside Chatman's purse, where they will stay.
"It's so hard to look at them. I get choked up," Chatman said. "I'll keep them for a lifetime. In every purse I carry. They will always be with me."
Contact David DeBolt at 510-262-2728, and at Twitter.com/daviddebolt. Contact Rick Hurd at 925-945-4789 and at Twitter.com/3rdERH.


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Tire theft suspect apprehended
Published: Tuesday, May 21, 2013 at 11:09 a.m.
Last Modified: Tuesday, May 21, 2013 at 11:37 a.m.
A woman helped detectives track down the man who allegedly stole her vehicle's four tires while it was at a dealership for service, the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff's Office said.
The burglary happened May 15 at Greg Leblanc Nissan, 1772 Martin Luther King Blvd., detectives said. The vehicle's stereo system and speakers were also stolen.
The tires and rims were advertised for sale on the Cajun Swap Shop website. A friend of the woman arranged to meet the seller, but detectives showed up instead.
The items were being sold on behalf of Jermaine Netters, 29, 103B Senator Circle, Houma, police said.
Netters is charged with felony theft over $1,500 and remains jailed in lieu of $15,000 bond.
Reader comments posted to this article may be published in our print edition. All rights reserved. This copyrighted material may not be re-published without permission. Links are encouraged.


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Q BART can solve its parking problems -- which your "Dirty Dozen" listed as the No. 1 gripe -- easily and quickly. Read Donald Shoup's book: "The High Cost of Free Parking." He is a professor of planning at UCLA.
Bruce "Ole" Ohlson
East Bay Bicycle Coalition
A And he is probably the foremost expert on parking in the nation.
Q His solution is to raise the price of parking until there is always a certain amount (15 percent) of space available in the parking lot so that everyone who is willing to pay the price is guaranteed of finding an open spot. The open parking spaces are, of course, provided by people who are not willing to pay that much for parking and find some other way to get to a station or find somewhere else to park.
BART is moving in that direction and is now charging $6 at the West Oakland station. Paying market rate for parking is just one of the costs of driving; get over it.
Bruce "Ole" Ohlson
A BART parking fares are going up at a number of stations and the agency has a policy of considering small increases every couple of years based on the average rate of inflation.
On Monday, parking at the Fremont, Union City, San Leandro, Fruitvale, Lake Merritt, Pittsburg/Bay Point, Pleasant Hill, Walnut Creek, Lafayette, Orinda, and Rockridge stops will be $2 a day, up from $1.50.
Then on Jan. 27, prices will go up at the Dublin/Pleasanton, West Dublin, Castro Valley, El Cerrito Del Norte, El Cerrito Plaza, North Berkeley, Ashby and MacArthur stations, also by 50 cents.
These periodic hikes are expected to raise $6 to $10 million a year. It costs BART $21.7 million a year to provide parking security, maintenance, lighting, landscaping and cleaning, while it collects $15.6 million a year.
Q Your "Dirty Dozen" in Sunday's paper finally goaded me into responding. I've lived in the East Bay since BART opened and over-filled parking lots have been my pet peeve from Day One. The solution is simple. Instead of charging $6 for a ticket to San Francisco and $2 to park my car at the station, just flip it over. Charge me $2 for the ticket and $6 to park the ol' SUV in BART's parking lots.
Think about it for a moment. Wouldn't YOU take a hard look at how you get to BART every morning if this were the setup, and wouldn't some significant proportion of you and your neighbors devise a cheaper way to get on BART, one which doesn't involve parking at the station?
Yes, you'll get tremendous flak from the "But I HAVE to drive and park my car!" crowd. Fine, pay the $6. There will be lots of vacant spaces available.
Dave Culp
A And ...
Q What happens to the hundreds of cars that can't find parking in the Fremont BART lots? They park at Raley's, the fitness center, the Hub, Washington Hospital, the medical building next door, apartment complexes, etc. It's so bad, you can't find parking ANYWHERE because of BART's ignorant decision-making. Not all people who can't find parking at BART drive to work. They park in the nearest spot they can find regardless of whose lot it is. That should have been included in your article.
Janet Kessler
A Parking at the Fremont lot was difficult 20 years ago when Mrs. Roadshow commuted to UC Berkeley.
Look for Gary Richards at Facebook.com/mr.roadshow, write him at firstname.lastname@example.com or call him at 408-920-5335.


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The Smoky Valley Community Foundation is pleased to announce the availability of scholarship dollars for area high school seniors for the 2014-2015 school year. Scholarships are available through several different funds at the Foundation.
The Judith K. Burch Scholarship: For high school seniors at Smoky Valley High School who will attend Bethany College.
The Dr. Charles Englund Memorial Scholarship: For students entering his/her junior or senior year at Bethany College majoring in a medical or pre-medical field.
The Mona Peterson Community Service Scholarship: For high school seniors in good standing from Smoky Valley High School, the Smoky Valley Home Educators or the Lindsborg Area Home Educators who are involved in community service activities.
The Smoky Valley Elementary Education Scholarship: For graduates of Smoky Valley High School or a home schooled senior living in the Smoky Valley school district who will major in elementary education.
Applications are submitted through an online process at www.smokyvalleycf.org and are due by March 31. For more information, call Robin Dutton, Executive Director at (785) 212-1536.
The Smoky Valley Community Foundation is an affiliate of the Greater Salina Community Foundation.
Location, ST | website.com


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On The View today, Elisabeth felt the need to respond to a joke Bill Maher made this weekend on Real Time which she happened to be the butt of. She goes on to make a mountain out of a molehill.
Elisabeth prefaces her response by saying she usually "I try to only engage real men in debate over the airwaves but I'll depart and address Billy Maher." She believes he's being unfair and chauvinistic, claiming "you can hide anything in the cloak of a joke" and says he missed Obama's call for civility. Barbara suggests it may be because of her politics and not her sex and when Joy asks if her feels are hurt, Elisabeth responds with "He doesn't have the ability to hurt my feelings because he's ...not a real man." Shots fired!


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Do you always find yourself dashing around to prepare a spectacular Thanksgiving feast? Save your breath (and your sanity) by planning ahead. Follow this checklist, filled with tips to help you host a smooth and stress-free get-together.
A Week or More Before
The Day Before
The Day Of
Courtesy of: www.teacherhelp.org


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Dr. Mark Jewett has been an internal medicine physician at Gifford Medical Center for his entire 36-year career. Originally from Pennsylvania, Dr. Jewett came to Randolph in 1976, where he has lived since with his wife, Gifford pediatrician Dr. Elizabeth Jewett. Together they have three grown children and one grandchild. In his free time, Dr. Jewett maintains a healthy lifestyle – hiking, biking, running, skiing, and sailing.
Except for a nine-month sailing trip in 2005, Dr. Jewett has worked at the Rochester Health Center. From 1976-2005, he also saw patients in Randolph.
Outpatient medicine is a passion for Dr. Jewett because it provides him an opportunity to interact with and help others. Sometimes that help comes in a cure. Sometimes it is with coping. Sometimes it is just to be understanding.
Below is his story as told in his own words, as featured in our 2012 Annual Report.
"Mitt Fowler and I were in residency together in Massachusetts when Gifford advertised for an internal medicine physician in the underserved Rochester area. We had come to Vermont to ski and liked the rural lifestyle. In fact, my role model as a child was an uncle who was a doctor in a town of 5,000 people, much like Randolph. That is what I envisioned for my life. So we convinced then hospital administrator Phil Levesque that it wasn't one internal medicine physician that he needed, but two.
Milt and I opened the Rochester Health Center in 1976 and soon Dr. Lou DiNicola joined us. We were all fresh out of our residencies. A federal grant helped support the launch of the health center – called the Green Valley Health Center at that time – and its first three years of operations. While we "worked" for Gifford, as was the standard at the time, Milt, Lou, and I and the health center were a private practice. It wasn't until about two decades later that we became employees of the medical center.
Initially I spent two days a week in Rochester, working in Randolph as well. In addition to Milt and Lou, other providers, including physician assistant Sue Burgos and family medicine provider Dr. Mark Seymour, rotated through Rochester throughout the years. But except for the nine months I took off in 2005 for my other passion – sailing – my trip from home in Randolph, over the mountain to Rochester, has been a constant for 36 years.
The road has changed over that time. In the early years when the top was a narrow dirt lane, I left a few mufflers behind. Since then it has been modernized, as has medicine. Initially as rural doctors, we took care of everything. There were far fewer specialists for referrals, we didn't yet have CT scans or MRIs, and a radiologist's availability to read X-rays was much more sporadic.
While I know today we're taking better care of people thanks to these advances, I miss being able to do it all. I believe in the primary care medicine model where doctors know everything about their patients and coordinate all aspects of their care.
What's nice about being in a community for 36 years is you get to see people over time. You see how people grow up in a community. You see how people grow old in a community. You see how people sometimes die in a community.
As an internal medicine physician, I see only adults. But even without youngsters in the mix, I still take care of up to four generations of the same family over time. To lose a patient – especially after decades of care – is painful for me as a doctor. It's painful because of the relationships formed. Those relationships are what allow me to help families because I too am feeling the loss.
In a couple more years I will retire. While I won't be driving over the mountain four days a week as I do now, I won't stop caring – for the people of the Rochester area who have entrusted me with their care for so many years or for people in need of health care. While this area will always be with me in spirit, it's my goal, if I'm still able, to sail my sailboat to the Caribbean and work in another underserved area, such as Haiti, providing care to new generations in need."
~ Mark Jewett, M.D.
Rochester Health Center Internal Medicine Physician


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It wasn't easy for Jawara White, not when a neck injury cost him his football career. But he stayed with it and the former linebacker graduated from Auburn on Sunday.
Click here for the original story.
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Which sex is the worst about washing up? Why is it so important? We've got the dirty truth on how and when to wash your hands.
Emergency Room Waits Getting Longer
Jan. 15, 2008 -- U.S. emergency rooms are more crowded than ever, and that's leading to longer wait times for treatment, a new study shows.
The study, published online today in Health Affairs, shows a 4% annual increase in wait times for treatment in U.S. emergency rooms from 1997 to 2004.
In 1997, a typical ER adult patient waited 22 minutes for treatment, compared to 30 minutes in 2004. That equals "an extra 1,550 years that Americans spent waiting in EDs [emergency departments] in 2004," write the researchers.
Wait times rose across the board, regardless of the severity of the patient's condition.
For instance, patients with heart attacks waited 20 minutes for emergency room treatment in 2004. That's 12 minutes longer than their typical wait time in 1997.
Why the delay? The study notes several reasons, including crowded emergency rooms, America's aging population, shortages of hospital staff and inpatient beds, and growing numbers of people without health insurance.
Some patients -- women, African-Americans, Hispanics, and people in urban ERs -- waited longer than others. Those patterns didn't change between 1997 and 2004, "despite widespread efforts to reduce disparities in medical care," write Andrew Wilper, MD, and colleagues, who work at Harvard Medical School and its affiliate, the Cambridge Health Alliance in Cambridge, Mass.
(What are your ER horror stories? Share with others on WebMD's Health Cafe message board.)


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Simon Cowell is about to play "X Factor" shuffle again, supposedly considering Katy Perry, Shania Twain, Jessica Simpson and Kim Kardashian as "possible replacement judges" next season, claims Star magazine.
Our own super secret sources say the list also includes Axl Rose, David Letterman, Charlie Sheen's cat, Courtney Love, Bigfoot, Queen Elizabeth, and Bob Hope who remains in the running even though he's currently dead.
The magazine says there's a "crisis" at the show, and that all of Cowell's fellow judges "have either ditched out or are about to."
Well, there's a Starbuck's across the street from the studio, so Britney Spears may not be going anywhere.
Actually, it was reported earlier this week that Spears hasn't performed up to the expectations of Cowell and other executives. And L.A. Reid has announced he'll be leaving. No word yet on what Demi Lovat's intentions are.
Star lists Perry, Twain, Simpson and Kardashian as potential Cowell recruitment targets then, of course, gives itself an out by saying that they may not joining the show after all. Oh. OK. Star also claimed Cowell was supposedly trying to break up Spears and Jason Trawick while also allegedly controlling Lovato's dating life.
Contact Tony Hicks at firstname.lastname@example.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/BayAreaNewsGroup.TonyHicks.


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Tonight the New York Knicks head to the Barclays Center to face the Brooklyn Nets in the first chapter of New York's newest rivalry. The Knicks are off to one of their best starts in franchise history with a record of 9-3 and a lead in the Atlantic division. The Nets are right on their heels with a record of 8-4 and still have the city buzzing with excitement over the new arena.
Not everyone feels that this battle among cross-city rivals should be dubbed a "rivalry" though. One person making that argument is J.R. Smith who's averaging a career-high in points (15.5), rebounds (5.5), assists (2.8), and steals (1.6) this season. We caught up with the Knicks shooting guard to discuss why he thinks the Nets are the "JV team" of New York, Twitter drama, and his celebrity crushes.
Interview by Ralph Warner (@SoloWarnerBro)
You guys have neighbors now that the Nets are in Brooklyn. What were initial thoughts when you heard about the move?
[Being a New Jersey native] it had affected me a little bit, but at the same time the stadium wasn't getting a turnout year after year. So, I can understand the move from a business standpoint. To see them in Newark and actually having them there for the last two years, I think it was great for the state of New Jersey. A lot of kids started coming to the games even though they weren't the biggest ticket like they were back in the days.
Do you think there could be a legitimate rivalry between the Nets and Knicks?
Man, [the Nets] are like the JV team. [Laughs.] We're the varsity team, they're the JV team. They just got here, we been here, they still have to prove themselves.
Due to the lockout last season, you spent some time playing overseas in China. What was your favorite part about playing over there?
We're the varsity team, [the Nets] are the JV team.
My favorite part was just being out of the US. Just to be able to experience a different culture, a different life, to see what's really going on around the world. We take so much for granted from being over here, it's amazing to see how people are living in other parts of the world.
Was there anything particularly difficult about playing over there?
Just the food. I couldn't adapt to the food as well. It's a night and day difference. It's hard to go out there and compete at your best when you're already playing on low fuel. [Laughs.]
What was your go-to meal out there?
KFC popcorn chicken. I was eating that everyday. [Laughs.]
Getting back to your life in the US and your current team, who's the funniest teammate that you have on the Knicks?
The funniest teammate that I have on the Knicks has to be Iman Shumpert. He is the funniest dude ever that I've come across.
Do you have any particular stories you can tell?
I mean, every day it's something new with him. [Laughs.] You never really know what to expect. One day he tells you he wants to be an astronaut in the middle of playing basketball. Then he'll say he wants to become a rapper/interior decorator/stylist.
How are his rhymes?
He's actually a great rapper. People really underestimate him, but he's really good.
RELATED: The 10 Sexiest Groupies of Rock History


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Speckled Roman Numeral d4, Arctic Camo$0.85
Out of stockThis 12-sided die has Roman numerals I-IV printed on it three times each, making it effectively a D4. Learn More


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The Marceline High School basketball teams have been on quite the winning streak lately. The teams traveled to Westran late last week, and hosted LaPlata last night. The event at Tiger Fieldhouse was senior night for the teams.
In the girls game, the Lady Tigers simply outclassed their opponents, taking the lead on a large opening run and not looking back. In that first quarter, play from Sydnee Brooks, Abby Gauthier and Kendra Gladbach moved the Lady Tigers along.
In the second frame, Marceline moved the game inside with Madison and a Morgan McCormick not letting much past them in the paint. Molly Shoop and Kelsey Gardner would shine defensively for the Lady Tigers, showing fire all over the court.
In the end, the Lady Tigers lead was so great that the team was able to play all of their players for a good bit of time in the second half. Marceline won this game by a final score of 53-40.
In a bit of Lady Tigers trivia, the recent LCC Championship was the first one secured by Marceline's girls in 20 years.
In the nightcap, the Tigers and LaPlata played close early on, and throughout the first quarter. A special note had to be made about the effort of some of the Tigers players.
Chase Hilsabeck was a man among boys in the game, containing LaPlata's talented point guard and scoring. Brett McGlothlin was all over the court on both offense and defense. Brennen Floray was back to form as a dominant force in the paint.
Blake Linebaugh and Frankie Herring also made their presence felt. The Tigers would go on a 20-5 run to close the first half, and would not look back. Throughout the third frame, the Marceline boys built their lead to just under the mercy clock amount. In the fourth quarter, the Tigers subbed out their starters to allow all of the team to see quality playing time. Marceline won this game by a final score of 65-37.
Location, ST | website.com


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Size70 m²
Floor No.3(with elevator)
- Internet/WiFi
- Kitchen
- Elevator in building
- Balcony/terrace
- Towels
|CALLE CORCEGA, 08026 BARCELONA, Spain
|Property type
|Private room
|Property ID
|Acceptance rate
|Response time
|A few hours
|Calendar updated
|4 days ago
Flat with living room ( 39' TV at your disposal), dinning room, kitchen and bathroom. The balcony has room enough for having a seat on the sunshine and having your breakfast there!
Centrally situated in Dreta de l'Eixample, 50 metres away from nearest tube Station, San Pau - Dos de Maig, on the blue line (L5) and 5 minutes away from Encants tube station, on the L2, purple line. Minutes away from the yellow line going to Barceloneta, and the rest of beaches, Gracia quarter, city center... Perfectly connected!
Free wifi
Quiet neighbourhood. Classic Barcelona's Eixample building from the beginning of XXth Century, high ceilings.
Lift in the building.
Restaurants, bars and terraces, supermarkets, bakery, pubs, all services on the same street.
Have a vacation in Barcelona living as one of us, away from all the crowds of turists, you can get to everywhere is less than 20 minutes. This is a proper area of the real Barcelona.
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The flat ist 200 m away from the metro station, some shops and supermarkets are nearby. The rooms are frendly, modern (IKEA) and clean, and the equipment works orderly. The hostess also lives in one of the rooms of this flat. We felt very well here und that is to thank the charme and the frendliness of our hostess.
We were staying with my sister for 5 days and the stay was very good!The location is perfect -close to Sagrada and there is a metro station nearby. Mireia is a nice person! The rooms are clean and there are always leans towels. Ww enjoyed staying in her apartament!
Very good situated location - metro, grocery stores, bars, cafeterias nearby . Less then 15 minutes walking to see Sagrada Familia. Room was clean and very cosy.
I can honestly recommend it. Thank you Maria!
We went to Barcelona on the 2nd of June, and we spent there 7 nights! The appartment is really nice and warm, Maria is really nice and friendly person! If we have the chance to go there we will be definitely stay at Maria's!
My friend and I had a very pleasant stay at Maria's. The location could not be better - La Sagrada Familia, a metro station, supermarkets, shops and cafés are within walking distance. The room is definitely big enough for two and the balcony is big enough so that one person can sit outside, it was also very useful to dry our clothes. Everything was nice and clean! We can only recommend to stay at Maria's! :)
We had a marvellous time in Maria's Appartement, it was very clean and everything looked new and modern, just the way we like it. The room isn't really spacy and we missed a bit of space in the cupboard to put our stuff into and hooks in the wall to hang up some clothes, yet we managed in some way :-) The room even has a small balcony from where you can see Gaudi's Sagrada Familia, which is in walking distance.
The flat is very convenient to be reached, the metro SAN PAU just 2 minutes walk away - if you buy the T10-ticket at the red vendor machines in the metro stations (=10 rides for EUR 10,30) it is really cheap to get around in the city - this ticket is also valid for the train RENFE from the airport, which takes you to the station SANTS in the city, from where you change to the line towards SAN PAU to reach the flat.
There are several bars, restaurants and stores in the surrounding to buy food and drinks. The flat lies in the 4th floor, reachable by elevator.
Maria is a really nice person - yet we only met her for a few minutes, as she used to leave the flat before we woke up and slept already when we returned late at night.
We can 100 % recommend to stay there. Thank you so much, Maria!
We had an very pleasant stay at the appartment of Mar. She is very friendly and make you feel at home. She is living in the appartment herself as well, but don't bother if you do not want to you hardly notice her presence. We enjoyed her presence and got some tips for restaurants, also we learned about her daily life in Barcelona. The place is clean. We can recommend a stay with her.
Very nice an clean room in good neighborhood. Mar gave us excellent and useful hints for our stay. We liked the place very much. The location is really central. The next Metro-Station is only a minute away. Very uncomplicated to get the keys. A very good experience. Thank you, Mar.
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Why Republicans Should Ignore Palin's Call to Impeach Obama
Sarah Palin, the Republican vice presidential nominee in 2008, is advocating the impeachment of President Barack Obama. "It's time to impeach," she wrote, "and on behalf of American workers and legal immigrants of all backgrounds, we should vehemently oppose any politician on the left or right who would hesitate in voting for articles of impeachment."
I am a pretty fierce critic of the president myself, but let me be among the first to say that Republicans would be insane to follow Ms. Palin's counsel. Mr. Obama would never be forced from office, the effort would do tremendous damage to the GOP and conservatism, and it would further rend the nation, all on behalf of a campaign whose end result would produce … President Joe Biden?
Impeachment is such an obviously bad idea that one could plausibly assume this is a desperate shout-out to garner attention, an effort to win praise from the few remaining Palinites in America. (It tells you something when the controversial culture warrior Pat Buchanan is a temperate, restrained voice compared with Ms. Palin.)
More In Think Tank
- Uzbekistan's Islam Karimov, and the Backstage Intrigue When a Dictator Dies
- The ACA Marketplace Problems in Context (and Why They Don't Mean Obamacare Is 'Failing')
- Donald Trump's Telling Two Words on Immigration
- Seven Things About the 2016 General Election Campaign So Far
- The Zika Undercount and the Virus's Growing Threat to Public Health
- GDP, Zika, Health Care: Three Issues for Hillary Clinton and Donald Trump to Discuss
On the other hand, Ms. Palin does seem to represent a certain mind-set. What matters to her is not mastering issues or even being conversant on them; it's politics as theatrics, as a show, as a way to prove one's purity. The conservatism of prudence and of realism, of moderate temperament and judicious judgments, seems alien to her. She wants to fight, even (and maybe especially) if it means losing. And notice the threat, too. She's calling for Americans to "vehemently oppose any politician on the left or right who would hesitate in voting for articles of impeachment." So voting for President Obama's impeachment isn't enough; those who even hesitate to do so deserve scorn. Impeachment of the president has now risen to a self-evident truth. For Ms. Palin, advocating a suicide run isn't enough; she wants to punish those who don't join her in self-immolation.
Ms. Palin has spent much of the past half-dozen years doing pretty much all she can to vindicate those who said she was woefully unprepared to be vice president. She has become her caricature. Threatening and mocking Republicans who don't take up the impeachment banner — they lack "cojones," she says — is simply more evidence of this sad turn of events.
Peter Wehner is a senior fellow at the Ethics and Public Policy Center. He served in the last three Republican administrations and blogs regularly for Commentary magazine.


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Book your room at Reunion Resort, A Salamander Golf & Spa Resort
Get an overview of this hotelUpscale Kissimmee resort near theme parks
+VIP Access™ Hotel
We carefully hand-picked this hotel based on its dedication to service and excellent guest reviews.
Expedia +gold members receive free room upgrades and +gold and +silver members get other perks upon availability at check-in.See details
Near Walt Disney World Resort
Reunion Resort, A Salamander Golf & Spa Resort is a 13-minute drive from Walt Disney World Resort, and 20 minutes from SeaWorld® Orlando and Universal Orlando Resort. Gatorland and the Kennedy Space Center are 25 minutes and an hour by car respectively.
Golf, spa, restaurants
The resort is packed with activities, including 3 championship golf courses, a waterpark, a kids' club, and a full-service spa. The 5 restaurants range from chic to casual, and serve everything from steaks and seafood to Italian cuisine and cocktails.
Balcony or patio
Warm and traditional in style, rooms and villas come with an iPod® dock so guests can listen to their own tunes while surfing the Web with WiFi. All units have a balcony or patio with views of the golf courses or the grounds. Equipped kitchens with fridges and microwaves are popular with families.Would you like to give us feedback? Share it! Opens in a new window
Reunion Resort, A Salamander Golf & Spa Resort7593 Gathering Drive Kissimmee FL 34747
Hotel Amenities
Hotel Amenities
Reunion Resort, A Salamander Golf & Spa Resort features a full-service spa, a golf course, a complimentary water park, and 11 outdoor swimming pools. Guests can unwind with a drink at one of the resort's 2 poolside bars. A business center is on site at this 5-star property.
High-speed wireless Internet access is complimentary. 9 meeting rooms are available. This luxury resort also offers a children's pool, a health club, and a spa tub. Complimentary self parking and valet parking are available on site.
Reunion Resort, A Salamander Golf & Spa Resort is a smoke-free property.
- 24-hour front desk
- Arcade/game room
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
- Barbecue grill(s)
- Billiards or pool table
- Breakfast available (surcharge)
- Business center
- Children's club (surcharge)
- Children's pool
- Free newspapers in lobby
- Concierge services
- Conference space
- Dry cleaning/laundry service
- Elevator/lift
- Express check-in
- Fitness facilities
- Free self parking
- Free valet parking
- Free WiFi
- Full-service spa
- Garden
- Gift shops or newsstand
- Golf course on site
- Health club
- Laundry facilities
- Luggage storage
- Meeting rooms 8
- Multilingual staff
- Number of bars/lounges - 4
- Number of coffee shops/cafes - 2
- Number of floors - 11
- Number of meeting rooms - 8
- Number of outdoor pools - 11
- Number of poolside bars - 2
- Number of restaurants - 4
- Outdoor tennis courts - 6
- Picnic area
- Porter/bellhop
- Rooftop terrace
- Safe-deposit box at front desk
- Shopping on site
- Smoke-free property
- Spa services on site
- Spa treatment room(s)
- Spa tub
- Supervised childcare/activities (surcharge)
- Tennis on site
- Total number of rooms - 260
- Tours/ticket assistance
- Free use of nearby fitness center
- Free water park access
- Waterslide
- Wedding services
Family Friendly Amenities
- Arcade/game room
- Babysitting or childcare (surcharge)
- Children's pool
- DVD player
- Free Wi-Fi
- Kitchen
- Laundry facilities
- Microwave
- Outdoor pools
- Outdoor tennis courts
- Refrigerator
- Separate living room
- Sofa bed
- Soundproofed rooms
- Washer/dryer
- Water park access (complimentary)
- Waterslide
Available in all rooms: Free WiFi
Available in some public areas: Free WiFi
Free self parking, Free valet parking
Room Amenities
- Air conditioning
- Bathrobes
- Bathtub or shower
- Blackout drapes/curtains
- Cable TV service
- Ceiling fan
- In-room climate control (air conditioning)
- Coffee/tea maker
- Free newspaper
- Free toiletries
- Cookware, dishware, and utensils
- Designer toiletries
- Dishwasher
- DVD player
- Free local calls
- Free WiFi
- Hair dryer
- Hypo-allergenic bedding available
- In-room massage available
- In-room safe (laptop compatible)
- Iron/ironing board
- Kitchen
- Microwave
- Patio
- Phone
- Pillowtop mattress
- Private bathroom
- Refrigerator
- Room service (limited hours)
- Separate living room
- Separate sitting area
- Sofa bed
- Sofa bed size
- Soundproofed rooms
- Stovetop
- Television
- Washer/dryer
Where to Eat
Full breakfasts are available for a surcharge and are served each morning between 6:30 AM and 11 AM.
Forte - This restaurant specializes in Italian cuisine.
Eleven - Onsite restaurant. Guests can enjoy drinks at the bar.
Clubhouse Restaurant - This restaurant specializes in American cuisine and serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
Grande Lobby Sushi Bar - This bar serves light fare only.
Room service (during limited hours) is available.
Nearby Things to Do
Guests can play rounds at the 18-hole golf course and enjoy the facilities at the waterpark with a waterslide. 11 outdoor swimming pools are on site along with a children's pool. Other recreational amenities include outdoor tennis courts, a health club, and a spa tub.
Children under 16 years old are not allowed in the health club, fitness facility, or spa tub without adult supervision.
The recreational activities listed below are available either on site or nearby; fees may apply.
- Bicycle rentals on site
- Golf driving range on site
- Golf lessons on site
- Golfing on site
- Hiking/biking trails on site
- Tennis lessons on site
- Yoga classes/instruction on site
Spa Services
Reunion Spa has massage/treatment rooms and couples treatment room(s). Services include deep-tissue massages, hot stone massages, massages, facials, nail services, and hair salon services. A variety of treatment therapies are provided, including aromatherapy and reflexology. Special occasion make-up is also available.
- Hot stone massage
- Deep tissue massage
- Swedish massage
- Prenatal massage
- Reflexology
- Couples treatment rooms
- Manicures and pedicures
- Body scrubs
- Aromatherapy treatments
- Massages
- Body treatments
- Facial treatments
To make requests for specific accessibility needs, complete the "Special or Accessibility Requests" section of "Trip Preferences" when you book your hotel.
- Accessible bathroom
- In-room accessibility
- Roll-in shower
Hotel Policies
Check-in time starts at 4 PM
Minimum check-in age is 21
Check-out time is 11 AM
Payment types
- Pets not allowed (service dogs only)
You need to know
Extra-person charges may apply and vary depending on hotel policy.
Government-issued photo identification and a credit card or cash deposit are required at check-in for incidental charges.
Special requests are subject to availability upon check-in and may incur additional charges. Special requests cannot be guaranteed.
Only service animals are allowed
No rollaway/extra beds available
No cribs (infant beds) available
- Resort fee
Optional extras
- Fee for buffet breakfast: USD 15.95 for adults and USD 7.50 for children (approximately)
Hotel Name
- Club Reunion Grand Resort Resort Wyndham
- Resort Resort Club Reunion Grand Wyndham
- Resort Resort Club Wyndham Reunion Grand
- Resort Resort Wyndham Reunion Grand Club
- Reunion Club Wyndham Grand Resort
- Reunion Grand Club
- Reunion Grand Club Wyndham
- Reunion Grand Resort Resort Wyndham
- Reunion Resort & Club Wyndham Grand Resort
- Wyndham Resort Resort Club Reunion Grand
- Reunion Resort Salamander Golf Resort Kissimmee
- Reunion Salamander Golf Kissimmee
- Reunion Salamander Golf
We should mention
Reservations are required for massage services and spa treatments. Reservations can be made by contacting the resort prior to arrival, using the contact information on the booking confirmation. A resort fee is included in the total price displayed.
Awards & Affiliations
- The property is a member of Preferred Hotels & Resorts.
Special Offer
Book a stay in any room and rate plan and receive $100 off the purchase of a pair of Universal 3-Park Unlimited tickets.
Full details at check-in. Restrictions may apply.