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Money in the Bank: How to Find Opportunities in a Fallen Sector
by John Deysher
In the past year or so, bank stock prices have fallen sharply, reflecting a negative shift in sector prospects.
Since summer 2007, the Value Line Bank Index is down 25% and the Thrift Index is down 30%. Some banks have reduced or eliminated their dividends, a sure sign of stress. The causes include:
Declining loan quality. Non-performing assets and loan charge-offs are rising across most loan categories—real estate/home equity loans, credit cards, highly leveraged transactions and others. At year-end 2007, about 1.4% of all loans were delinquent, according to the FDIC. That's the highest level since 1992, but still below the 2% level reached in 1990–91.
Net interest income is down. Banks are tightening credit standards and lending terms and making fewer loans. Consumer and business confidence is the lowest in years, resulting in lower loan demand.
Fee income is also down. Fewer loans means less fees, and a reduced securitization market inhibits banks' ability to flip new loans to the secondary market for a gain.
However, with declining stock prices comes opportunity. Many good banks have been tarred with the same brush as the troubled banks. And many high-quality issues we've been monitoring for years are coming into range.
How do you analyze a bank? Here's a brief look at how we do it.
How to Case a Bank
Banks are fairly easy to understand. Generally, they collect deposits and make loans to individuals and businesses. They have employees to pay and buildings and IT systems to maintain. They pay fees for deposit insurance and their share of income taxes.
Many types of banks and thrifts compete in the financial services sector. These include:
Universal banks: The repeal in 1999 of the Glass-Steagall Act has resulted in giant financial institutions and the blurring of commercial and investment banking activities. These supermarkets are often involved in deposit gathering, loan making, credit cards, securities brokerage and underwriting, insurance, mortgages and mutual funds. Examples include JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup, Bank America and Wachovia.
Super-regionals: These are banks that have grown in size and geographical reach to become major lenders throughout multiple geographic regions. Examples include SunTrust Banks, Wells Fargo and U.S. Bancorp, all of which Berkshire Hathaway owns.
Community banks: These are banks that focus their deposit gathering and lending in a particular region. Examples include many of the banks shown in Table 1.
Thrifts: These are savings & loans (S&Ls) and savings banks. S&Ls are federally chartered and tend to hold higher balances of housing-related loans. Savings banks (often located in the Northeast) are state chartered and often hold more commercial and consumer loans.
This discussion centers on the analysis of super-regionals, community banks and thrifts (I'll use the term bank to include all three). Universal banks, with their many business lines, are beyond the scope of our discussion.
Quantitative Factors
Several key ratios are helpful in understanding banks and thrifts. Some deal with profitability, some with loan quality, and others with capital adequacy. Professional investors look at all in evaluating the merits of a particular idea, compare how these ratios are trending versus the peer group, and attempt to understand any differences.
Profitability Ratios
Return on assets (ROA)
Assets are to financial institutions what sales are to non-financial institutions. The amount of net income those assets can generate is a primary indicator of a bank's health. Generally, ROAs of 1% or greater are considered strong.
Generally, smaller banks tend to have higher ROAs than larger ones.
Return on equity (ROE)
Net income as a percentage of shareholder's equity is another important indicator of financial health. ROEs of 12% or higher are considered good.
Net interest margin (NIM)
Net interest income is the difference between what a bank collects on its interest-earning assets (loans and investments) and what it pays on its interest-bearing liabilities (deposits and borrowings). Net interest margin is net interest income divided by average earning assets.
Higher margins are better, and net interest margins above 4% for banks and above 3% for thrifts are impressive.
Fee income/average assets
Fee or non-interest income is an important source of steady long-term profits, and includes everything from service charges on checking accounts to trust fees to safety deposit rentals. It may also include servicing income, which is income generated from servicing loans that are sold to others.
Fee income is less volatile than net interest income, and is highly prized and sought after in the marketplace.
Efficiency ratio (ER)
This is non-interest expense divided by the sum of net interest income and fee income. Just as important as interest expense are non-interest expenses like salaries, facilities and telecommunications.
Lower ratios are usually better, but reducing expenses too much might cause service to slip, resulting in customers going elsewhere.
High levels of fee income and high expense levels often go hand in hand. For example, it costs money to offer sophisticated trust services. An ER below 50% is very good.
$ Mil
|5-Year Average (2003–2007)
|CNB Financial (CCNE)
|Center Financial (CLFC)
|Harleysville National (HNBC)
|Horizon Financial (HRZB)
|National Penn (NPBC)
|Peapack Gladstone (PGC)
|Preferred Bank (PFBC)
|Trico Bank (TCBK)
|Wilber Bank (GIW)
|Yadkin Valley (YAVY)
E/A: Equity/Assets; ROE: Return on Equity; ROA: Return on Assets; R/L: Loan Reserve/Loans; NIM: Net Interest Margin; ER: Efficiency Ratio; P/B: Price-to-Book-Value Ratio; P/E: Price-Earnings Ratio
Loan Quality Ratios
In general, banks make loans to individuals and businesses.
Individuals may borrow on a secured basis to fund the purchase of a home, auto, boat or other big ticket item. They may also borrow on an unsecured basis (via credit cards for example) for smaller purchases.
Businesses may borrow to finance acquisitions, capital expenditures, working capital like accounts receivable and inventory, real estate purchases and construction. These types of loans are almost always secured and tend to be higher risk, but also higher return.
Home mortgages are the most stable and lowest risk, but generally earn banks their lowest returns. This is the reason thrifts, with their large percentage of home mortgage loans, usually trade at lower multiples than commercial banks.
Interest rates may be fixed or adjustable, which float with an underlying index. Banks generally like to borrow short term at lower rates and lend longer term at higher rates, pocketing the difference. This formula worked well for many years, but is vulnerable if short-term rates rise or long-term rates fall, resulting in a net interest margin squeeze.
A squeeze might also occur if loans are maturing faster than deposits in a falling interest rate environment, or if deposits are maturing faster than loans in a rising rate environment. Needless to say, there are lots of moving parts to be aware of.
Loan loss reserve to total loans
All banks have loan loss reserves designed to smooth out the negative effects of borrower defaults. They are found on the balance sheet as a reduction of gross loans (gross loans – reserve = net loans). The reserve is usually increased quarterly as an income statement item (loan loss provision) which may apply to a specific loan or to the loan portfolio in general. It is reduced quarterly by net charge-offs that actually write down or write off a loan that becomes non-performing.
This ratio should be 1.3% or higher.
Loan loss reserves have trended down in recent years, and many are worried that reserves have become too low. Several good years with minimal charge-offs have resulted in banks setting aside less in reserves for the inevitable "rainy day." At year-end 2007, the average loan loss reserve was about 1% of average loans, down significantly from a peak of 1.6% in 1992. Going forward, banks will almost certainly be required to increase reserves as more loans become questionable, resulting directly in lower earnings.
When a loan becomes bad, what happens?
When a payment has not been made for 90 days, the loan is considered past due and placed on non-accrual status, meaning the bank can no longer accrue interest income on it. The loan loss reserve is increased via a loan loss provision that reduces earnings by the same amount.
Once the loan is on non-accrual status, the bank will work with the borrower to make the loan performing, usually by increasing the term and/or lowering the interest rate. Sometimes this works. If not, the bank will write down the loan's value to the underlying collateral value and charge-off the difference.
If after several months the loan is still in default, the bank may have no choice but to foreclose on the property and transfer it to the bank's books. An additional charge-off (write down) may occur. At this point the property becomes Other Real Estate Owned (OREO), which is a separate line item on the bank's balance sheet.
Non-performing assets/total loans
Non-performing assets are non- performing loans plus OREO (discussed above). Banks don't like being in the real estate business, and generally view foreclosure as a last resort. This ratio provides an indication of how much of the loan portfolio might be impaired. It should be as low as possible—above 4% to 5% isn't good, and above 8% to 10% can be life threatening.
Loan loss provision/net charge-offs
In a given year, the loan loss provision should be at least 100% of the net charge-offs (gross charge-offs less any recoveries of previously charged-off loans). That is, the amount expensed for bad loans should at least equal the amount of loans actually charged off.
Loan loss provisions consistently exceeding net charge-offs is very conservative.
Loan loss reserve/non-performing assets
This should be at least 100%, meaning the value of every bad asset is covered by a reserve. However, a lower ratio is not necessarily bad if you have confidence that a bank's management is capable of collecting on the non-performers. Some banks take more collateral and have better work-out teams than others.
Higher is always better.
Capital Ratios
As regulated entities, banks and thrifts are required by the Federal Reserve and the Office of Thrift Supervision, respectively, to meet certain net worth requirements. This provides the bank with the ability to absorb the impact of bad loans that inevitably occur.
There are many different capital ratios. The key one is common equity relative to total assets, which should be at least 8% or better. If the capital structure includes convertible preferreds or debt, count each toward equity if the conversion/strike price is less than the stock price.
Many analysts include tangible equity only and exclude goodwill and other intangibles from common equity.
Goodwill can be significant at banks that make many acquisitions. It represents the amount of the purchase price in excess of the acquiree's book value. Accounting standards allow this to be carried on the acquirer's books as long as it earns a reasonable return. However, goodwill is subject to a yearly impairment test and should it become impaired, it must be written off immediately, reducing common equity by the same amount.
Non-Qualitative Factors
Insider ownership and insider buying
As with other industries, we're encouraged when the insiders have large positions that align their interests with ours.
Insider buying on the open market is usually a sign of bullish prospects.
Acquirer or acquiree?
Banking sometimes seems in the state of perpetual consolidation. A large bank seeking to expand into a new area will often view the acquisition of a small well-run community bank as more economic than starting a branch network from scratch. Once the transaction is complete, the acquirer will often reduce expenses to earn a return on its investment. Service often suffers and customers look elsewhere (perhaps some of you know the feeling). It's not long before a small "friendly" bank starts up to compete with the "impersonal" big bank. And so it goes...
Try to identify whether your bank is an acquirer or an acquiree. You can make money with either. A well-managed growth-by-acquisition strategy can generate solid returns. So can a strategy of investing in small well-run banks likely to be acquired.
Deposit growth
Banks typically fund their loans with deposits or borrowings. Deposits tend to be a cheap and stable source of funds.
Most checking accounts pay no interest; money market funds and CDs pay around 2% to 3% today. Banks must pay nearly double that to borrow if credit is even available. Deposit growth of 8% to 10% annually is good.
Dividend payout ratio
Many banks offer attractive yields these days. But remember, over time, a bank can't pay out more than it earns without dipping into capital, which will reduce financial strength. If the dividend per share consistently exceeds earnings per share, this may indicate a dividend cut may be coming.
Banking on Bank Stocks
Bank stock performance is driven by loan quality and earnings—both of which mirror the underlying economy. In today's slowing economy, it's often difficult to know how bad the loans are, or how low the earnings will go.
To maintain a margin of safety, stay with banks that have a history of rock-solid balance sheets, high returns, strong credit cultures and low-cost operating infrastructures. Start your search now using the metrics we discussed above. That way, you'll be ready when prices are right.
Coming out of an economic slowdown, banks usually do very well as the economy expands. Be ready.
Casing a Bank: Key Ratios and Other Factors
Profitability Ratios
Return on Assets (ROA)
ROA = Net Income ÷ Total Assets
ROAs of 1% or greater are considered strong.
Return on Equity (ROE)
ROE = Net Income ÷ Shareholder's Equity
ROEs of 12% or higher are considered good.
Net Interest Margin (NIM)
NIM = Net Interest Income ÷ Average Earnings Assets
Higher margins are better; margins above 4% for banks and above 3% for thrifts are impressive.
Fee Income/Average Assets
Fee income is less volatile than net interest income, and is highly prized.
Efficiency Ratio (ER)
ER = Non-Interest Expense ÷ (Net Interest Income + Fee Income)
Lower ratios are usually better, but reducing expenses too much might cause service to slip. An ER below 50% is very good.
Loan Quality Ratios
Loan Loss Reserves to Total Loans
Loss reserves are found on the balance sheet as a reduction of gross loans (gross loans – reserve = net loans).
Ratio should be 1.3% or higher.
Non-Performing Assets/Total Loans
Non-performing assets are non-performing loans plus other real estate owned.
Provides an indication of how much of the loan portfolio might be impaired; should be as low as possible (greater than 4% to 5% isn't good, and above 8% to 10% can be life threatening).
Loan Loss Provision/Net Charge-Offs
Loan loss provisions should be at least 100% of the net charge-offs. Loan loss provisions consistently exceeding net charge-offs is very conservative.
Loan Loss Reserve/Non-Performing Assets
Should be at least 100% (the value of every bad asset is covered by a reserve); higher is always better. But a lower ratio is not bad if bank's management has good workout-teams capable of collecting on non-performers.
Capital Ratios
Common Equity/Total Assets
The key capital ratio, and it should be at least 8% or better.
Non-Qualitative Factors
Insider ownership and insider buying: The more insider ownership, the better; insider buying is bullish.
Acquirer or acquiree? You can make money with either a well-managed growth-by-acquisition strategy, or a strategy of investing in small well-run banks likely to be acquired.
Deposit growth: 8% to 10% annually is good.
Dividend payout ratio: Many banks offer attractive yields, but if dividends per share consistently exceed earnings per share, a dividend cut may be coming.
Jim from TX posted over 4 years ago:
What a great writeup for the average guy, especially now that financials are beginning to bloom a little.
Steven from IA posted over 4 years ago:
Being ex-military I enjoy seeing "OREO" for foreclosed property. With all these articles I am getting better. I can tell if a firm is overly leveraged or if net income is poorly matched to earnings. I wish there was a simple dictionary that listed all the ratios and what value they should be. It does seem that every author has their favorite accounting term or ratio that I have never heard of before. I know it is not that simple and every industry, every company, has their own way of looking at often the same thing. I will remember "OREO".
C from RI posted over 4 years ago:
At the risk of Monday morning quarter-backiing here circa April 2012; John Deysher's post here is severely flawed in that it fails to do this same kind of analysis on all the people borrowing from the bank. Always be aware of portfolio managers touting their own benchmark's investments becasue they make money from fees and will sternly justify their fees by beating a benchmark, even if that benchamrk falls 50%
and they only lost their investors 46%. They don't care, they beat their 'benchmark'. Beating their benchamrk is all most portfolio managers care about, I say that because I heard a portfolio manager say exactly that on a trading floor where I used to work at a major mutual fund firm in 1996.


text: ALLEGHENY COUNTY AIRPORT AUTHORITY SEEKING QUALIFIED COMPANIES TO DEVELOP REGIONAL AIR SERVICE PROGRAM PITTSBURGH, PA (November 14, 2011) – The Allegheny County Airport Authority announced today that it is accepting Statements of Qualifications from firms interested in providing consulting services related to developing the PIT Connector Regional Air Service Plan, on behalf of the Pennsylvania Air Service Committee (PASC) of the PA Bureau of Aviation. The complete request for qualifications is available at http://www.flypittsburgh.com/business_opportunities. The deadline to submit is 2 p.m., Tuesday, December 13, 2011. The goal of the PIT Connector Regional Air Service Plan will be to provide scheduled commercial air service between Pittsburgh International Airport and thirteen airports throughout Pennsylvania. These airports are: Altoona-Blair County Regional Airport, Arnold Palmer Regional Airport in Latrobe, Bradford Regional Airport, DuBois Regional Airport, Erie International Airport, Harrisburg International Airport, Johnstown-Cambria County Airport, Lancaster Airport, Lehigh Valley International Airport, University Park Airport, Venango Regional Airport, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton International Airport, and Williamsport Regional Airport. "The PA Air Service Committee has spent four years exploring development of the PIT Connector. For the right company, this project can be a successful enterprise and could lead to more jobs and commerce in Pennsylvania," said Gabe Monzo, Director, Arnold Palmer Regional Airport and PASC Chairman. "There is a need to provide continued and reliable air service to all commercial service airports throughout Pennsylvania. In state air service is poised to expand due to growth in the energy sector. The PIT Connector Plan will provide a logical solution to the state's aviation needs," said Glenn R. Mahone, Chairman, Allegheny County Airport Authority. The plan will provide the route plan, schedule plan, pricing model, traffic and revenue forecast, operating cost forecast, interline baggage transfer agreements, and estimated financial support requirements needed to make the PIT Connector a viable option for airlines.

subset: commoncrawl


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Hi everybody,
I started weaning my daughter when she was 8 months. She is almost 9 months now. It has been about 3 weeks and so far I have only dropped one feed. I plan to drop another one soon. (I work and don't want to/can't really pump anymore). The problem is that when I do nurse her she hasn't been very interested (this has been a problem for months now). She just wants to play or watch her brother play. So the morning feed doesn't go too well and then the afternoon feed (on days I don't work) she isn't too interested and then before bed feed isn't too long either. Sometimes she wants to nurse a lot during the night (more than once) but usually she only wakes up one time to nurse. I am worried that she isn't getting enough to eat. I used to worry before too but now I worry about it more. If I drop the afternoon feed and she doesn't take much interest in the morning and evening feeds what will happen. I have been planning to continue nursing in the morning and evening and nightime until she looses interest but I'm pretty sure she can't loose intrest yet right? It's too early for her to do that. If she keeps this up will I loose my supply altogether? I know I still have plenty of milk because I can hear her swallowing and because when she pulls off to look around I see the milk in her mouth. Could it be that she just drinks REALLY quickly? I mean like 3-5 min on one side and then 2-4 or so on the other? Or am I in for a problem in the long run?
Please help!


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shoots flawlessly, just not exactly what im looking for
may need a little adjusting out fo the box due to shipping combined with dow 55
ive used dow 55 on the whole gun EXCEPT the bolt
there are no leaks, all internal hoses are fine, eyes function and board is working great
im shipping with it partially lubed, and set at Techpb-Mike's Recommended Alias Settings
Axes, etek 3, Ego 7/8
offer up, but anything other than that and you add
Marker: 2k4 Bob long Alias Timmy
Condition: 8.5
Color: Copper to black fade
Upgrades: Cp adj. ram cap, .689 BL barrel(made by CP), CP on/off, Hybrid clamping feedneck, Critical trigger
Known Problems: NONE, Shoot FLAWLESSLY!
Asking Price:$400 ( mostly looking for trades)
Shipping Options: USPS i pay
Trades of interest: See Above
Location of item: 20637
What is Included:Gun, Barrel, Asa, Reg, 1 set of detents, gun case from my empire Gearbag
See items i can add below
Edited by tripp, 16 January 2012 - 09:50 PM.


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Brine Pro Player, Jeremy Sierverts, talks with ILGear about his most memorable clutch moment, what it takes to be a clutch performer, and who he thinks is the most clutch athlete of all time.
What is your most memorable clutch moment?
I'm going back to high school days at McDonogh with this one. My senior year we played Boys' Latin early in the year in a very competitive game that ended up going into overtime. I believe we won the faceoff and called timeout and from what I remember we were called a play where I would initiate the play with a dodge from up top. I ended up being over played towards the midfield line, and decided to cut back door. I caught a great feed from Porter Curran and scored to win it in overtime. Later that year we played Boys' Latin again in the MIAA Championship and ended up winning 9-8 and earned the #1 ranking in the country that year.
What was going through your head?
Although it was a while ago I remember thinking I hadn't really contributed the entire game, and felt like there was going to be an opportunity for something great to happen. Fortunately that opportunity was presented to me and I was able to be successful in that moment.
Why is it so memorable?
I think it was so memorable because it was in overtime. Over my lacrosse career going back to when i was 5 or 6 years old, I think there were only 2 or 3 times that I scored the game winning goal, and that specific one was the biggest game at the time I had played in, which made it special. I think all overtime wins are special for the fact that you get to celebrate that goal with your whole team on the field which makes it the most memorable.
What's your definition of a clutch performance?
I feel like a clutch performance a lot of times is succeeding when everyone knows what's coming or has to happen. At the end of the game, offensively you know who is going to get the ball and you have to score, and defensively you know is going to be guarding the ball and they have to get a stop. The clutch performer is the one who gets it done.
What's your tip for younger players on how to be a clutch player?
I think the most important thing is to be in the moment. Understand the situation and what is at stake, but at the same time still be able to be relaxed and trust your hard work, skill, and talents that brought you to that point. Ultimately you have to rely on those skills to help you succeed in that moment.
Who is the most clutch athlete of all time?
I think you have to go with Michael Jordan. When it came to clutch moments, there was absolutely no question who was going to get the ball and he was able to be very successful in those clutch moments.


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Holiday activities in Honesdale
December 1, 2011 —
HONESDALE, PA — A number of special activities will take place in Honesdale over the coming week, including the Highlights for Children open house at 803 Church St. on Saturday, December 3 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The free event includes treats, entertainment, a children's craft room, puppetry and more. Also on Saturday, you can get winter photos of your pet, your child or both at The Cat's Pajamas, 107 8th St. from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., with all proceeds benefiting Dessin Animal Shelter. On Sunday, December 4 you can enjoy a holiday breakfast with Santa and a free photo gift at the Trackside Grill, 734 Main St. Seatings at 8 or 10 a.m.; reservations required at 570/253-2462. On Monday, December 5 there will be a holiday open house with refreshments, free mini-services, a free drawing and photos with Santa at the Apple Day Spa & Hair Restoration Salon, 152 Grandview Ave., from 5 to 7 p.m.; and on Wednesday, December 7 you can visit with Santa at R3 Hardware, 823 Main St. from 5 to 7 p.m. Call 570/253-5492.


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Metstastic Week ahead
With three Mets events this week, I can assure you you'll be seeing lots of fun pics of Mets bloggers partying it up. Hopefully, you'll also join us! Man, we're in the stretch now. I ain't gonna lie: Drinking will help.
Tomorrow, Tuesday night, a cornucopia of Mets blogging buddies are gathering at my favorite Mets-friendly watering hole, The Blind Pig (14th St. between 2nd and 3rd Aves) to watch the 2nd match-up of the 4-game Phillies series. If you wanna stop by to say hi, feel free! I love the Blind Pig so much, you'd think they hired me for publicity. (If I'm ever there with a dude, the bouncer, Jacob, tells him on the way out: "Treat her well. She's good people." Aww.)
Then Wednesday, Coop and I head out to the wilds of midtown to watch Mets at the Movies. I want popcorn. And a win.
Finally, Matty Cerrone's hosting a Metsblog night at McFadden's Friday, and I'll be showing up with my friend Diane. I went to a couple of these last year and had a blast. I could mention I will probably be wearing the perfect Mets tank top I finally found after four years of searching. But you probably don't care. Eh, you'll be seeing it soon in pics anyway🙂
I don't have many Mets fan friends other than the bloggerati, so it's always a joy to get together with a group that understands things like: "We need to beat the Braves." "Our team is too good to tolerate sloppy play." "Carlos D, you're about to get hot." "Keith is hilarious." Add to the fact that my Mets blogger buddies are just genuinely cool-*** peeps, and I hope you'll indulge a week of fun pics and event recaps.
Also, duh, I'll still be DVRing the games to look for the endlessly amusing Pick Me Up Some Mets moments😉
3 Comments
What's the word on the perfect Mets tank top? Is that a TOUCH thing or self-designed, and more importantly what's Jasper wearing these days?
Nope, not an Alyssa top. Found it at the Manhattan Mall clubhouse shop. It's simple, long enough (a rarity for Mets tops!), and fits perfectly. Usually in Mtes women's clothing, a small's either an extra small or a medium. Bah.
The Touch stuff hasn't been easy to find at stores. So far, I'll admit, what I've seen in person has been disappointing. The most common item at the Shea clubhouse store is a tiny black crop top with straps instead of a back. Alas, that's a bit too slutty for this Mets fan.
BUT if I were able to try on the full line rather than see a random piece here or there, maybe I could find a hidden gem. I've been wanting to see this item in person for a while:
I can be down with short dresses as long as they don't have straps where fabric should be😉
Have fun tonight Zoe – sorry I can't make it…but I think I'll be there Friday.
Go Mets!


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After last night's blown save in the Phillies 6-2, 11 inning loss to the Nationals, Jonathan Papelbon had interesting things to say. Do you think he calls out the team here?
49 Comments
Well yea. Two things happened in the top of the 9th:
1) Howard SUCKED and couldn't catch that ball because his range is awful and he's too slow.
2) Galvis' throw to Papelbon, who got to first on time, was very low and just not good at all. Which is tough given that he was a defensive replacement…
However, Paps needs to buckle down –that's two blown saves in the series. If there's a misplay or error, we should still expect him to work himself out of it. He's one of the top closers in all baseball.
a defensive replacement is put in just for that…defense. no excuse for that play
Of course not, other than that no one is perfect, not even excellent defensive players. Unfortunately that was not a good time for the inevitable occasional mistake.
Not to mention the 3rd strike on Desmond that was called a ball.
Anyone else hate seeing Werth happy in our ballpark?
Bring on the Mets
why shouldn't Werth be happy, he managed to escape the unbelievable misery of this current team. But yes, bring on the Mets
Interesting — records over the last two months (since 4/19):
Phillies 29-28
Braves 30-29
Nationals 27-30
That's what he needs to do stop sugar coating it and put them on blast. Maybe it will be an eye opener.
But Howard didn't scoop and pick three other balls to save outs?
lets get rid of some of the dead wood & bring up some new player D Young out Mayberry out Glavis out Manual out
You're a homer! D Young can go. That's about it. Let Charlie finish the year, Galvis stays, Mayberry stays. You must know a lot about baseball…..
There were a few questionable issues from the entire game.
1. Delmon Young hitting .193 against Lefty's starting in place of Mayberry hitting .293. Not to mention Delmon is slower than freaking mollasses and his range SUCKS, and he has a minus arm.
2. Should Howard have started against a Lefty? He is not much better against lefty's at .206, though he at least had been swinging the bat lately…unlike Delmon.
3. Should Papelbon have been put out there for a 3rd straight game…should he have staed out there as he was completely FLAT, not to mention, the Ump was doing no favors for him.
4. Should Galvis have replaced Frandsen? That should have been an error on Galvis. I like the kid, but that is exactly what Pap's was talking about with Fundamental baseball. Sure an Arguement can be made that Howard should have gotten that ball, as well all know his range sucks, he power is greatly reduced, and he still strikes out way too much, but still, Galvis had the ball, and threw it in time. The problem was, he threw a dart at Pap's feet. Had that been a decent throw, it was a win.
This was a pathetic shameful loss and a waste of a very good start by Kendrick again. The offense sucked, the defense dint help with the hit in the ninth, Stutes…Nevermind. Completely inexcuseable to have that type of offenseive showing after the first inning. Almost HALF of their hits and ALL of their runs came in the first inning…PATHETIC.
And #5, why did Rollins (apparently his decision) choose bolt on a hit and run with a guy at the plate (Howard) who is not a contact hitter and when he probably would have won the base on a straight, well-timed steal – especially since he was challenging a pitcher with a high percentage of successful of steals against him (and no Molina behind the mask).
But your #1 point will become the #1 question when looking in retrospect at the 2013 season.
Why was Delmon Young on the team and why in the name of all that is holy was he starting in RF?
I still contend that Young possesses compromising pictures of RAJ with a sheep.
At least I can't think of a more logical reason – like one that has something to do with standard baseball sense.
#2 Hell no Howard should NEVER start against a lefty. Let's see, hm….4 K's. NEVER!!!!
@c. schreiber, agree in principle. It just doesn't seem to work that way.
Shin-Soo Choo is worse than Howard vs. lefties, and he plays vs. lefties
Andre Ethier is worse than Howard vs. lefties, and he plays vs. lefties
Michael Bourn is worse than Howard vs. lefties, and he plays vs. lefties
Justin Morneau is worse than Howard vs. lefties, and he plays vs. lefties
Papelbon's greatest value is his trade value. He will hopefully translate into a future starting third baseman. Please Paps, speak softly and carry the big stick.
Young third basemen we have plenty of. How about an outfielder?
He can call out his team for fundamentals but if he is referring to the play from the leadoff hitter in the 9th, how about throwing strikes instead getting to a count where he sits dead red and rips it.
Winner, winner, chicken dinner!!
I actually missed that inning was eating a late dinner. Then when i went back to watch and saw that it was tied…Oh !@$% as Q-bert would say…
It's funny how the pitchers are the only ones voicing opinions about this season. They need to find frandsen a spot in the outfield. he is the most consistent hitter with men on base. Bench Delmon Young.
The moment Jimmy got his new contract gone was the firey leader that would say the Phillies are the team to beat. The leadership of this team is just going through the motions it reminds me a lot of Bobby Abreu. If Howard is hurt put him on the DL and call up Ruf to play 1B. I get it people dont want to break up this team but when we have guys that could be traded to get younger and possibly better for the future we should do it.
Statistically go back to the month of Howard's new contract and look at the Team since then.Husband getting treatment for cancer and the guys waiting for treatment all are choking at trying to understand the Phillies behavior. Someone went back and charted the behavior of some players since that contract, and it is interesting. We are looking at the bulk of money at the top of the lineup which is yielding far too few rewards. Howard hits a home run and suddenly he is a hero, the next nine games he strikes out. Rollins, well he no longer has to work for the next three years, attitude and all we are stuck with him. Who in their right mind and salary cap would take Howard or Rollins. Someone remarked they hated to see Werth happy, sorry but we enjoyed seeing him in the outfield, as well as Victorino and Ibanez. I still follow their games and enjoy their success and vote for them in the All Stars. We will get thru this and see brighter days in baseball, in six years we will have these unbelievable contracts gone and hopefully new blood.
@joycedaffodil, statistically since Howard got his contract, they have:
– won the 2010 division title with the most wins in baseball
– won the 2010 NLDS
– won the 2011 division title with the most wins in baseball and in team history
That's a heck of a lot of success, and a record that the vast majority of teams and fans would give their left arm for.
By the way Rollins is still a very good player. His attitude is fine — it's the same attitude that led him to declare the Phillies the team to beat in 2007.
Oy, Pat. Pat, Pat, Pat.
That's the 2nd time this week you have placed a question mark in the headline of an article that was as clearly a rip, throw under the bus, or whatever you wanna call it by 1 Phillie over another.
First, Ruben compares Howard to the formerly seemingly unmovables who were moved pointing out that all those mentioned before Howard were wanted. I don't get the ?.
Now, what more would you like Papelbon to say than flat out questioning Howard's positioning before wondering if the ? belongs directed at Howard and/or the bench jockeys that make those decisions.
To me, it wouldn't be a leap of journalistic faith and just headline Amaro Fails to Defend Howard or Papelbon Exerts Frustration Toward Team. There are few questioins about the club. I've seen better. Incredibly, I've seen worse. They continue to shoot for the all-time title of Most Average Baseball Team Ever Assembled. And for cryin' out loud, they aren't even CONSISTENTLY average. It just nets out that way, carrying sooooo much frustration.
I ROFLMAOd.
Palpabon should not talk, he is not even palpable.
The Phillies would have won this game in the 9th inning IF HE DID NOT GIVE UP THE TYING RUN.
Palpabon's line is atrocious for a closer. I hope he gets traded. Hey Palpabon, in case you are wondering, here is your stats last night from a 2-1 PHILLIES LEAD in the 9th…
Try to find the strike zone and keep that ball down.
Pap has been solid, save for Monday night. Galvis on the other hand has been atrocious. That could have been avoided though by Charles the Moron not pulling KK in the 8th to give Basturdo. That was where the game was lost. KK was cruising all game, sitting at a decent pitch count and had two outs none on. Charles decided to be cute and play the pitcher matchup setting the stage for bringing in Galvis who has been a slug at the plate and defensively.
By my count, Charles is directly responsible for at least 10 losses via managerial ineptitude.
I totally disagree that putting in Bastardo cost them the game. Kendrick may indeed have gotten the lefty batter, but there would have been no way he would have pitched the ninth had he thrown even a few more pitches to that hitter. Bastardo got his man, so that was no issue. It was that botched up ninth (and that was a team effort, pitcher included) that cost the game.
Pat – I see you are turning into a TV/Radio "journalist" i.e. trying to juice the fans with contrived controversy. I congratulate you on making the big time but would appreciate it if you kept the blog true to its original purpose.
BTW, I was at the game and noticed that with runners on 1st and 2nd Rollins turned away and Pap was trying to get his attention re where he was playing. Eventually Rollins saw him but did not adjust. That may be what Pap was thinking of.
No controversy here, the team is not built to win.
The big play of the 9th inning was the walk to Laroche.
Rule 1. When pitchers walk guys they are asking for trouble.
Rule 1(a) When pitchers ask for trouble they almost always get it.
Who didn't see that single from Werth coming?……………………anybody? ……….Bueller?…………….Bueller?…………
To be honest this is what Charlie should be saying. Props to Pap for doing this. The truth hurts sometimes.
This is what they all should be saying. To each other. And maybe they are.
Saying it to the media is just deflecting blame.
Papelbon was outwardly complaining about fundamentals, but inwardly I'm pretty certain he was blaming himself.
He's right about those fundamentals, though. It's why Manuel often says they need to play better baseball and that they aren't playing to their capabilities. I just wish he could do more about it, but I think that's now Amaro's job. It's an average (or below average) roster and coaching won't make it any better.
Pap's right. The fundamentals needs to be taken care of, point blank, said and done. We didn't do that — no one did. Fundamentals win or lose games in extra innings.
Galvis' play was unfortunate, but one has to look at his entire defensive record this season. He's hit a rough patch here, but has still made far, far, FAR more good — and sometimes even incredible — plays than errors. What happened in his throw to Pap was unacceptable, but it is not a mark of a bad player, just an inconvenient time for the inevitable rookie mistake. I do not think anyone can lay this loss on Galvis' shoulders.
Pap himself should be above calling-out. He is a pitcher; the pitcher's job requires him to adapt to the situation; if an error happens, well, the pitcher's gotta deal with it. If the pitcher gives up a homer on a two-strike, two-out count in the bottom of the ninth, well, the pitcher might have to look at his play, too.
But, as always, GO PHILS!
First, I think someone better get in touch with KK and tell him to stop packing his bags, they're playing home this weekend.
On the botched play at first.
The 25 million dollar player could have caught the ball. And the 12 million dollar pitcher should have got out of the inning anyway despite that play.
Hey guys here's a good idea, when the media comes to the locker room, let's blame the defensive replacement player making the minimum !!
After all it was his bad throw right?, and it was also his fault while sitting on the bench for 8 innings that his team couldn't get one hit right?, and his fault that the roster has Mini Mart and Delmon Young on it right? And his fault that Charlie sends Jimmy on a hit and run with a guy at the plate that can't make contact right? Yup it's all Freddy's fault.
Excellent points lol
you said it all in a nutshell lefty! couldn't agree more. galvis has been steller in the field ALL year. he made a mistake on a throw. if the ump calls that pitch a strike which it was we'd all be saying how great paps is. and a sweep. martinez and d. young? what can i say that hasn't already been said.
Lefty – very well stated.
I forgot about that hit and run. I guess the only explanation for that was that they figured he might throw a ball in the dirt. Always a good pitch with 2 strikes on Howard.
And I know it worked it ,but yanking ( a very effective) Kendrick for Bastardo?
Bastardo against anybody these days isn't a good matchup.
Perhaps Galvis is getting to cocky out on the field.
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Yo John put the doobee down and get yourself together..
Lol…good one Schreib..Pap's probably only here another month..
John, John, I totally understand the points you've made. But how can you say that, when Kendrick pitched the game that he did?
Did you ever notice that music has colors?
WOW – WTF?? Doobie, Crack, LSD – some kind of mind altering substance was used in this post. LOL
I think you watched too many commercials during the game and need a serious rest.
only able to vote 25 times
This is a poorly run team.
The fundamentals have not been there for a very long time.
I don't post a lot because yea I have been right the last 3 plus years. Wish I wasn't.
I own a fantasy baseball team. I sit Ryan Howard vs Gio Gonzalez. The Yahoo match up rating is one star. The lowest possible rating. I sit him against any left hander who can throw hard at all.
But my real life team trots him out there.
There is a disconnect here and its been disconnected for a long time.
For me I am still a fan and watch the games and have fun with it.
But the reality of no hope with Ruben GMing and Charlie managing is there.
Until that is fixed this is going to be your team.
Then, you are not going to like the following quote from Monty, copied from a philly.com article. When talking about Ruben, he said, "God knows we're all trying to bat 1.000 on decision making. The reality is, I think we do better than the .300 standard in baseball." Isn't it encouraging to know that he sets the bar at a 30% success rate for his GM? Couldn't he have accepted that OBP is a better statistic than BA and asked for a 35% success rate?
That's closer to the weatherman's average success rate.
If he went by the Phils' OBP, it would be less than 35%.
I, too, could not fathom that one. Sure, every GM makes mistakes, but the good ones do far better than even 35%. That success rate would get anyone except a weatherman or a politician canned and probably blackballed.


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Barre council agrees to upgrade tasers
BARRE City councilors agreed this week to upgrade the stun guns carried, but rarely used, by their police officers, and to enter into an agreement with Taser International to automatically replace all of the weapons in five years.
Acting on the recommendation of Chief Tim Bombardier, councilors unanimously agreed to buy a more advanced version of the Tasers they purchased for police with a federal grant just four years ago.
Since that time Bombardier told councilors his officers have collectively fired their Tasers a total of seven times twice deploying them on people with mental illnesses and sparking one lawsuit that he said still is pending.
Though the Taser was ineffective in one instance, Bombardier said they have generally worked as advertised and have an unquantifiable deterrent effect.
According to Bombardier, the dont-mess-with-him-hes-got-a-Taser mentality exists, and the mere presence of the weapons on his officers duty belts probably prevents physical altercations that could result in injuries to the officer, the accused, or both.
Theres really not a way to put a number on the deterrent factor, but its there, he said, noting thats why he bought the bright yellow version of the weapons instead of the less obtrusive black ones.
Bombardier did not say how many times officers have unholstered their Tasers but, he said, they have only actually been used on the seven occasions.
According to Bombardier, Tasers have successfully been used to subdue four combative individuals and a fifth who was higher than a kite and displaying what he characterized as assaultive behavior.
They were also used twice in 2010 on residents with mental health issues.
On one of those occasions the weapon was less-than-effective, prompting an officer to repeatedly use its drive stun ability to subdue a 58-year-old homeless woman who, he claimed, stubbornly refused to place her hands behind her back so that she could be handcuffed and taken into custody for refusing to leave the parking lot of local convenience store.
The other incident occurred several months later when police were asked to check on the welfare of a 39-year-old Summer Street man that they claimed threatened to cut his throat with what proved to be an empty hand. Both guns and Tasers were drawn during that incident though criminal charges were tossed out by a judge who, after reviewing the officers sworn affidavits, concluded the man had broken no laws.
Asked by Councilor Michael Smith if there have been any substantive allegations of misuse, Bombardier said the city is facing one Taser-related lawsuit, but he did not elaborate.
Bombardier said all of his officers have since received special training on how to handle people with mental illnesses and agreed with Smiths observation that it might be wise to make taking that training a requirement before any new officers are issued Tasers.
Bombardier defended the need to replace equipment that was purchased four years ago next month and urged the council to take advantage of a program that was launched by Taser International last year.
According to Bombardier, three of the citys Tasers are out of service, and several cartridges have cracked a problem he attributed to where they are worn on some officers duty belts.
Bombardier said that problem would be solved by upgrading from the Taser X26 model to the Taser X2. Moreover, he said, because it is an upgrade the council would be able to use drug forfeiture funds to finance the unbudgeted purchase of 18 new Tasers for roughly $20,000. That figure reflects a $2,160 credit based on Taser Internationals offer to buy back the citys existing arsenal of electronic control devices for $120 apiece. The credit would drop to $100 per unit on Oct. 1.
Meanwhile, Bombardier suggested the council take advantage of a program that will require the city to make an annual payment of $3,582 $199 for each of the 18 new stun guns to Taser International for the next five years. In exchange, he said, the city will receive a no-questions asked five-year warranty, one spare Taser, and a guarantee that all of the electronic control devices will automatically be replaced at no added expense in 2018.
The council approved both requests.
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Bill requires teachers, staff to report bullying
Educators fear a bill that would fine teachers and staff who fail to report bullying could have unintended consequences.
Republican Rep. Garey Bies, of Sister Bay, is circulating the legislation that imposes a $200 fine for failing to report students who bully. Wisconsin Association of School Boards spokesman Dan Rossmiller says he fears the proposal could lead to teachers over-identifying student behavior as bullying because they don't want to risk being fined.
Bies tells the State Journal that parents say teachers aren't doing enough to stop bullying. State Department of Public Instruction policy defines bullying as "deliberate or intentional behavior using words or actions, intended to cause fear, intimidation or harm." It says bullying behavior can be physical, verbal, or indirect, such as spreading rumors, social exclusion, or cyber bullying.
Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.


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Magnetic Calendars
Sort By:
By providing the target audience of your next campaign with magnetic calendars, you can ensure that they will remember relevant and important dates. Encourage clients to reorder on an optimal schedule by distributing a reminder agenda or help student athletes and their families keep track of the season's games and practices complete with their team mascot and/or colors. Additionally, they offer high visibility for your imprint and they can be attached to nearly any surface for frequent reference. Think about the amount of times the average person opens their refrigerator each day. What about each week? Or annually? Now imagine the enormous number of impressions your marketing message can receive when imprinted on a magnetic calendar right in the middle of your target audience's kitchen.


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The IITAA requires that the State review and revise the technical standards at least once every three years. We are now beginning this process. A primary goal will be to align the IITAA Standards with the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C)'s Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0, which were released in December 2009, and with the pending updates to the Federal Section 508 Standards.
Thanks to everyone who joined us for the kickoff meeting teleconference on August 19:
If you are interested in participating in the workgroup, please sign-up at:
If you haven't already, please review the following information regarding WCAG 2.0 and the proposed draft of Section 508:
We are interested in your thoughts about if, how, and when the IITAA Standards should be "harmonized" with the new Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 and the proposed Section 508 standards. We appear to have consensus that we should:
Our formal recommendation is posted at:
If you have additional suggestions, please let us know what you think:
Harmonizing IITAA standards with WCAG 2.0 and Section 508 will make accessibility easier for vendors, less confusing for webmasters, and easier to enforce within organizations and statewide.
I am okay with harmonization as long as we prepare the techniques and tools to ensure compliance in a way most developers can understand. Most developers want to know as specific as possible so there is no grey areas of what accessibility is. I think if we make clear techniques, harmonization is a good idea.
Harmonizing IITA with WCAG and 508 makes sense. It should make maintaining and teaching the standards easier. I know as a developer it will be easier to implement one set of standards as opposed to trying to make sure I cover all three.
I think that we should harmonize with new Section 508 standards, then create our own technical guidlines based around the most common technologies like HTML.
The general concensus of the group is to harmonize the standards at the "Success Criteria" level and then develop a set of "Sufficient Techniques" organized and written to be usable by developers (e.g., like the current IITAA Implementation Guidelines).


text: the Saturday, March 9, edition. Part 3 will discuss in detail the self-publishing process and be featured in an upcoming edition. BEEVILLE – One of the fastest, easiest and most cost-efficient ways to get your book out there on the market is by turning it into an e-book. E-books are digital books that you can read on your tablet, smartphones and home computer. There are tons of online e-book publishers out there, and most will create and list your book for free. Some will even send it out to the big booksellers websites like Barnes & Noble, as well as popular media sites like iTunes, or send it out to libraries. And with the entire thing being digital, distribution is a piece of cake and usually won't cost you a dime up front. And even though you won't have a physical copy of your best-seller, you can send links or e-mail coupon codes to friends or on social media websites and give your consumers direct access to your product. And, honestly, almost everyone has a PC or smartphone nowadays which makes it easier than ever to market your book. But one key point that you must always carry along with you is this: Just because you can, doesn't mean you should. The market is flooded with amateurish horse flop that can, in turn, make it very hard to find anything worth reading. So, do everyone a favor and maybe keep that book about your grandma's cat on your desktop where it belongs. E-books Smashwords.com looks to be the most popular of the free sites. Just sign up, upload your book and artwork and, within a few days, your work's available at the Apple iBookstore (50 countries), Barnes & Noble, Sony, Kobo, Baker & Taylor, Diesel, Page Foundry and more. But it's free for a reason. They don't offer many services as far as editing or formatting goes, and those are two very important steps that must be taken if you're to be taken seriously in the publishing field. They do offer free downloadable guides to help out with everything from design to marketing, which is really helpful. It's relatively easy for anyone even slightly computer literate, as they walk you through the process. Amazon.com's Kindle Direct Publishing is pretty easy and also walks you through the whole process. You can only publish to people who have Kindles; but with 700,000 units sold last year (compared to Apple's 11.8 million iPads) it's still a pretty decent market. Plus, Amazon lists its top 100 bestsellers, which reviewers and publishing houses regularly use to find new talent. Bookbaby.com offers e-book publishing but not for free. They have package deals starting at $99 up to $249, along with a $19 annual fee. However, they don't take any percentage as a fee and offer online distribution. Judging a book by its cover So, you have your book all ready for upload, and then they ask for the cover image. Do you have a cover image? If you do, is it professionally made? Is your name even on it? I'm guilty all the time of judging a book by its cover. Take a look at the e-books that Amazon showcases, and you won't find any amateur cover art. Some of the websites I mentioned do offer cover art creation for a small fee, and for most, that may be the way to go. Also, one of the easiest ways to get a really great cover is just by looking through sites like Shutterstock.com or iStockphoto.com and find something that looks good and relates to your story. You'll have to pay for the pictures, but it's not too bad, and they're usually professional photos. Or if you have a buddy in graphic design that you can trust, ask him. If you create an original image, at least you'll never see another book with your cover. And always make sure to include the title of the book, clear and legible, as well as your name. Don't include your Facebook address or your website link. That's pretty tacky and unprofessional looking. See how the pros do it and follow their example. Paul Gonzales is the entertainment writer at the Bee-Picayune and can be reached at 358-2550, ext. 116, or at email@example.com.


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Phil Palma subscribes to the "keep it simple, stupid" school of songwriting. Strangers In Daylight's singer, songwriter and guitarist trades in snappy rhythms and catchy hooks with minimal frills.
"That's where I come from," Palma said, citing pop-rock heroes from The Kinks to Spoon. "I like the less-is-more approach."
He's not alone. When his friend Jamarr Mays stumbled upon Palma performing original songs at an open mic three years back, he was stunned and insisted they start a band. With the addition of Mays' Pirate bandmate and former DJ partner Michael Murtha on drums, they had themselves a power trio. (Producer Marc DiCenzo recently joined the live show as well.)
Their instant camaraderie translated into fun-first rock 'n' roll unburdened by pressure to become famous or blaze new trails.
"If you end up thinking of your favorite band when you hear us, hooray," Murtha said.
Their philosophy, like their songwriting, is simple: This is a band by friends, about friends, for friends. Every aspect of debut album "Letters of Transit," from the engineering to the cover art, was done by friends of the band.
It's not that they're shooing away success — they want as many people to listen as possible — but in a world where 75,000 physical albums are released every year (not to mention countless digital releases), Strangers In Daylight believe music should be more love than labor. The internet isn't some golden ticket to fame and fortune.
"While it's leveled the playing field, it's also widened the playing field," Mays said.
With that in mind, Friday's release party with band pals The Receiver and Psychic Wheels is designed to be a blowout bash, not a launchpad to stardom. Strangers In Daylight have a 19-song setlist planned, with all the songs from the album plus loads of newer material.
"There are going to be balloons," Palma said. "Lots of friends, lots of balloons, lots of photographs being taken."


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by Anton Shilov
Apple said on Wednesday that it would start selling white iPhone 4 version on Thursday. The launch of the white iPhone 4 after a year delay may point to postponement of the release of the next-generation iPhone smartphone from early June to a later date.
The white version of the iPhone 4 has the same technical specifications and capabilities as traditional black one. The company demonstrated white iPhone 4 for the first time in mid-June, 2010. But after launching the black version of the phone last summer, the company announced delay of the white flavour of the iPhone 4. After several months of postponing the release of the white iPhone 4, the firm said it was unsure about its release date, which essentially put the product on hold.
"[Creating the white iPhone] was challenging. It is not as simple as making something white. There's a lot more that goes into both the material science of it–how it holds up over time…but also in how it all works with the sensors," said Phil Schiller, a senior vice president of Apple, in an interview with All Things Digital, adding that white material needed some protection and some sensors did not behave well with white cover.
The current launch of the white iPhone 4 should be considered as a product refresh rather than a new driver for major growth. If Apple had planned to announce the next iPhone at its worldwide developers conference (WWDC) in early June, 2011, it would not have launched the white iPhone 4 now due to potentially short life-cycle of the product.
Current rumours expect Apple to update its iPhone lineup in fall, presumably in September. The next-generation smartphone is projected to featured dual-core Apple A5 processor, new screen and some other improvements.
Apple did not comment on any information concerning next-generation iPhone.


text:
Casa Annasr
Haven of peace in a green, Casa Annasr invites you to relax in the quietness of the nature, to enjoy a truly intimate and quiet corner in a house with 5 rooms and 2 suites, opened the park off Bouhachem ...
Around, many walks, discovery of villages with their markets, waterfalls Akchour the Mediterranean coast ... to live at your own pace.
At home, meals at local flavors, are served at your own pace.
You can also avail of a is a restaurant and: large Moroccan living room area
-Children under 7 years stay free of charge when using existing bedding in parents room
-Children over 7 or adults are charged EUR 13 per night and person when using existing bedding.
The maximum number of extra beds in a room is 1.
-Free Wi-Fi intenet connection available in the whole premises
Availability & RatesTo view availability and prices please select dates and click 'Update Dates'
B&B Facilities & Policies
- 24 Hour Reception
- Air Conditioning
- Free Breakfast
- Breakfast Not Included
- Cable TV
- Cafeteria
- Credit Cards Accepted
- Free Internet Access
- Free WiFi
- Hair Dryers
- Self-Catering Facilities
- Parking
- Restaurant
Cancellation PolicyThis property has a 1 day cancellation policy. Failure to cancel within this time will result in a cancellation charge equal to the first night of your stay.
DirectionsShow MapHide Map
Our property is located in Chefchaouen, a small town located in northern Morocco between Ouezzane and Tetouan.
Geo Location: Latitude: 5.2697222 Longitude: 35.1713889
Located Near
Bus Station
Geo Location: Latitude: 5.2697222 Longitude: 35.1713889
The hotel is located 50 meters from the bus station,
? 700 meters from downtown,
? 45 km from the Mediterranean,
? 130 km from the airport of Tangier
? 60 km from golf courses,
? Small Taxi at the heart of the Medina: 10 Moroccan dirhams. (For information)


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Alpinist Tech Jacket
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Date published: 2013-08-15


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Cardiac ablation is a procedure that can correct heart rhythm problems (arrhythmias). Ablation usually uses long, flexible tubes (catheters) inserted through a vein in your groin and threaded to your heart to correct structural problems in your heart that cause an arrhythmia.
Cardiac ablation works by scarring or destroying tissue in your heart that triggers an abnormal heart rhythm. In some cases, ablation prevents abnormal electrical signals from traveling through your heart and, thus, stops the arrhythmia.
Cardiac ablation is sometimes done through open-heart surgery, but it's often done using catheters, making the procedure less invasive and shortening recovery times.
When your heart beats, the electrical impulses that cause it to contract must follow a precise pathway through your heart. Any interruption in these impulses can cause an abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia), which can sometimes be treated with cardiac ablation.
Ablation isn't usually your first treatment option. Ablation is a treatment option for people who:
Cardiac ablation does carry risks, which include:
Your risk of having these complications may increase if you have diabetes or kidney disease.
Your doctor will evaluate you and may order several tests to evaluate your heart condition. Your doctor will discuss with you the risks and benefits of cardiac ablation.
You'll need to stop eating and drinking about six to eight hours before your procedure. If you take any medications, ask your doctor if you should continue taking them before your procedure.
Your doctor will let you know if you need to follow any other special instructions before or after your procedure. In some cases, you'll be instructed to stop taking medications to treat a heart arrhythmia several days before your procedure.
If you have an implanted heart device, such as a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillator, talk to your doctor to see if you need to take any special precautions.
Catheter ablation is performed in the hospital. Before your procedure begins, a specialist will insert an intravenous line into your forearm or hand, and you'll be given a sedative to help you relax.
After your sedative takes effect, your doctor or another specialist will numb a small area near a vein on your groin, neck or forearm. Your doctor will insert a needle into the vein and place a tube (sheath) through the needle.
Your doctor will thread catheters through the sheath and guide them to several places within your heart. Your doctor may inject dye into the catheter, which helps your doctor to see your blood vessels and heart using X-ray imaging.
The catheters have electrodes at the tips that will be used during the procedure. Once in place, the electrodes will send electrical impulses to your heart and record your heart's electrical activity. This will help your doctor to find the abnormal heart tissue that is causing the arrhythmia in your heart.
Once the abnormal heart tissue that's causing the arrhythmia is identified, your doctor will aim the catheter tips at the area of abnormal heart tissue. Energy will travel through the catheter tips to create a scar or destroy the tissue that triggers your arrhythmia.
In some cases, ablation blocks the electrical signals traveling through your heart to stop the abnormal rhythm and allow signals to travel over a normal pathway instead.
The energy used in your procedure can come from:
Cardiac ablation usually takes two to four hours to complete, but complicated procedures may take longer. During the procedure, it's possible you'll feel some minor discomfort when the dye is injected in your catheter or when energy is run through the catheter tips. If you experience any type of severe pain or shortness of breath, you should alert the cardiologist performing the procedure.
Following your procedure, you'll be moved to a recovery area where you'll need to lie still for four to six hours to prevent bleeding at your catheter site. Your heartbeat and blood pressure will be monitored continuously to check for complications of the procedure.
Depending on your condition, you may be able to go home the same day as your procedure, or you may need to stay in the hospital for one day. If you go home the same day, plan to have someone else drive you home after your procedure.
You may feel a little sore after your procedure, but the soreness shouldn't last more than a week. You'll usually be able to return to your normal activities within a few days after having cardiac ablation.
Although cardiac ablation can be successful, some people need repeat procedures. You may also need to take medications, even after you've had ablation.
To keep your heart healthy, you may need to make lifestyle changes that improve the overall health of your heart, especially to prevent or treat conditions that can cause or worsen arrhythmias, such as high blood pressure. Your doctor may suggest that you:
Original article: http://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/cardiac-ablation/basics/why-its-done/prc-20022642
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Wednesday, February 8, 2012
The one where Addison fake chokes and then I almost kill her
and also why quite possibly some social workers might come to my house any minute now to take my children away....
Today Addison had her 2 year wellness visit. Yes, she is a proud member of the 1-Percentile-for-your-age club weighing in at 21 pounds 14 ounces. And yes, she watched Signing Time on her DVD player and melted down when I took it away because she was aggressively banging it against the floor. And of course, she refused to sign or take any steps for her Pediatrician making me appear to be a big fat liar.
But none of those were the all time low of our doctor appointment visits.
The low would be right after I gave her an innocent granola bar.
She had been whining and then signed "eat" so I gave it to her even though the doctor had JUST told me I should stay away from giving her things to eat in between meals because it is bad for her teeth.
So I winced as I handed it to her- knowing she would melt down if I didn't but also knowing that the doctor was judging me as he had JUST told me that should be avoided.
As she was nibbling away on it Chubbs style (AKA scarfing it down while snorting in appreciation) He talked about cutting her food up to make sure she didn't choke.
Just as he said the word "choke"...yes, yes she did.
I heard her produce an uncomfortable cough. and then another. She was clearly trying to work a too large chunk of granola bar past her tiny throat.
I panicked. The doctor was watching me kill my daughter right in front of him because clearly I had just broken not one but TWO rules. 1. Allowing her to "graze" 2. Not cutting it up in small pieces for her
Feeling the shame burn on my cheeks, I grabbed her up and quickly positioned her over my knees so that I could help her work out the chunk so that she could begin breathing again.
As I was putting her across my lap to start patting her back with upward motions, the little choking stinker launched herself forward...off my lap.
She was wearing only her diaper and her naked skin is hard to grab.
So then I was breaking 3 rules. 1. Allowing her to graze 2. Not cutting it up into chunks 3.Dropping her on her head
worst. mother. ever.
I grasped her soft self as she was slipping effortlessly to the floor and somehow managed to snag her seconds before her head was split on the hard tile floor of the doctor's office. (while the doctor was looking on with a gaping mouth. He had stopped talking about choking since there were clearly bigger issues at stake here)
It would have been a true case of adding insult to injury except it was Addison's injury...and completely my insult.
I couldn't even meet the doctor's eye as he then explained to me some more efficient ways that I could help her in the future (safer ways, apparently). He also said that she was fine and I hadn't needed to do that at all because clearly she wasn't choking. His eyes were shouting "JUDGMENT" and "MUST CALL SOCIAL WORKER".
As I looked at Addison's mischievous face, she stared curiously at me as if to say "Hey mom, I got this. Why did you just try to kill me?"
fail and fail.
Utterly humiliating. I then tried turning in my notice on this whole mommyhood gig since clearly it's just not working out, but no one was around to accept my resignation. Puzzling.
To punish me...
After her shots, Addison screamed in anger (she NEVER cries at shots and such) and then signed "chocolate" and "daddy" while glaring at the nurse who was still holding the needle. I'm pretty sure she then signed something along the lines of "Please take me away from this crazy lady" and then of course "chocolate" again. Because Addison bookends everything with the sign "chocolate" (smart, smart girl)
overall, I'd say it was a pretty successful trip...although we might need to find a back-up Pediatrician because I'm guessing we might now be on their "DO NOT ADMIT" list. and I might introduce myself as the nanny for future appointments just in case we're on that social worker's list already.
19 comments:
- Patti said...
you poor thing. I'm sure he's seen worse, and if nothing else you gave him something to tell the wife and kids around the dinner table at home tonight.
BAHAHA. I'm such a friend!
Lily is a month older than Addison and just barely over 17 pounds. I guess she's not on the chart :( :(
P.S. What is the sign for chocolate??
- February 8, 2012 at 7:36 PM
- Heidi Ehle said...
Liddy STILL isn't on the chart 1st off.
Second, several months ago, I actually DID drop Liddy. Somehow between me standing up with her in the midst of a mini freak out session and her bucking against me, she flipped right out of my arms. I barely had time to register that I wasn't holding her any more and make a quick grab for her before she hit the floor with a huge resounding THUMP. She looked up at me like I was Satan, then started screaming. My husband came running from where ever in the house he was at the time thinking that I had just fallen. I calmed her down and then I cried for a solid 30 minutes. I've been a mom 3 freakin times and I have NEVER dropped one of my babies. That's like rule number one of HAVING a baby. awful. mother of the year material.
for over a week, any time a thump occurred in our house, my husband would come running again...obviously thinking that I dropped her. Nice to be trusted. lol
Don't feel too bad. It happens. There isn't a reason to resign. :)
- February 8, 2012 at 7:50 PM
- Sarah said...
Ugh what a crappy visit. I have never heard about not feeding between meals, and its effect on teeth...I feel like almost every Dr. will tell you something different. And I say, "Go you" for being proactive with the choking! You had a Mommy instinct that something wasn't right and you moved into action. Some people would freeze in panic...
And seriously, what is the sign for chocolate? I think this mommy needs to learn that one!
- February 8, 2012 at 7:52 PM
- mummalove said...
Well, apologies in advance for laughing at another's misfortunte, but thanks for giving me a good giggle this morning and hopefully it's an appointment you CAN laugh about in hindsight ;) I have absolutely no doubt that you are a wonderful mum and no one would be willing to accept your resignation. Hope your day improved after the appointment x
- February 8, 2012 at 8:07 PM
- Ceara said...
What?! No eating between meals?! Psshhh. My kid would be starving all the time if we did that. If the kid is hungry, feed her. Just brush her teeth before bed like everyone else does and she'll be just fine. And I'm sure Addison appreciates you putting in that extra effort to save her life :) That's one way to look at it!
- February 8, 2012 at 8:33 PM
- teresa said...
the bottom line - she's breathing! so, in my book it's a good day. you're a great momma.
ps and i join the others in asking "what is the sign for chocolate?" =)
- February 8, 2012 at 8:35 PM
- Grandma Smith said...
OK, I raised 3 children, including your husband, and can't imagine toddlers (preschoolers, grade-schoolers, etc.) not snacking between meals. Especially w/ the thought that she's very small, I would think the doctor would want her to get every bit of nutrition you can get into her! If she were obese, he might have a leg to stand on. I'm sure he'd just read a dental journal and was trying it out on you.:)
None of us are perfect, but you're obviously doing a fine job as a mom. Hey.....what other 2 year old can sign chocolate and at least 6 adults want to know what that sign is?
- February 8, 2012 at 9:19 PM
- Mouseymom said...
Sooooo hilarious!! thank you for sharing your misfortune with us!
- February 8, 2012 at 9:26 PM
- April Vernon said...
Terrible days always make for amusing blog posts at least! Tomorrow is a new day!
- February 8, 2012 at 9:41 PM
- gail said...
You are a rock star mom! I'll tell your pediatrician...
- February 8, 2012 at 9:48 PM
- The Stanfields said...
Wow. Bless your heart. But at the end of the day - she's still breathing and (hopefully) sleeping. Peek at her now - a perfect little sleeping angel! Tomorrow's a new day... good luck with it!
- February 8, 2012 at 10:24 PM
- ch said...
Ummm...by addison's age pudge had broken her arm (on my watch...thanks to a drop off the bed onto a VACUUM) and jace had been treated TWICE for a blocked intestine due to household items he ate while under my supervision.
I think you're in the clear. But nobody could have told the story better. Still giggling...
- February 8, 2012 at 10:32 PM
- Anna Theurer said...
Uck! What a terrible day. You gotta look at it as Addison is still alive, Carter is still alive, and you are still alive. That all spells SUCCESS! I am really not sure about your doctor saying no eating between meals. I never recommended that to any of my patients. To keep blood sugars and insulin production at a steady level, it is actually best to eat 5-6 small meals a day. Plus, what toddler doesn't have snacks? Anyway, that is just my opinion so I say go with your mama gut.
- February 8, 2012 at 11:40 PM
- The Görnandts said...
Laughing with you. Ok, and at you. Well, not at you, but how you can tell it. You're so funny! My opinion: 1. No snacking between meals - um, what!? He has obviously not been a stay at home dad any day of his life. My children would fire me if they didn't get snacks. And actually, isn't eating lots of small "meals" throughout the day overall healthier than gorging for 3? Just sayin.
2. Cutting things up into small pieces is well and good and all, but if Chubbs is anything like she sounds like she would be putting, like 10 pieces in at once. So, um, yeah. Nice thought anyway.
3. OK, so you dropped your kid. It happens. Cracks me up that it had to happen at the doctor. Murphy's law. Someone sue Murphy.
Love your stories.
- February 9, 2012 at 10:09 AM
- Jenny said...
Hahaha...this was hilarious! Chubbs sounds like a handful, I guess there is never a dull moment with her around :)
- February 9, 2012 at 12:22 PM
- Lisa said...
At about the same age I "let" Cate fall off an exam table that was about waist high. She literally bounced and cried for about 10 seconds. The doctor had just walked in and looked at me with his mouth wide open then after a pointed glance at the sign about not leaving children unattended on the table (I was like a foot away getting her a snack)decided to ignore it, I guess since she was obviously fine - I was mortified.
- February 9, 2012 at 12:30 PM
- thebauer4 said...
I haven't been reading your blog long but wanted to let you know it happens. The fact that you can admit it means you are "mom of the year." Those who can't admit their mistakes are the ones to worry about. I also love that Grandma weighed in with the chocolate comment, LOVE IT!!!!! Thanks for the laugh today, I needed it.
- February 9, 2012 at 3:19 PM
- thebauer4 said...
I haven't been reading your blog long but wanted to let you know it happens. The fact that you can admit it means you are "mom of the year." Those who can't admit their mistakes are the ones to worry about. I also love that Grandma weighed in with the chocolate comment, LOVE IT!!!!! Thanks for the laugh today, I needed it.
- February 9, 2012 at 3:19 PM
- Not a Perfect Mom said...
Brooke is now a proud member of the 3rd percentile club! Holla!
And your ped is a douchenozzle...who the hell doesn't give their kids snacks?
Find a new one, this one blows
- February 9, 2012 at 5:44 PM


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Liliana Castillo: Freedom New Mexico Lonzo Lassiter is an instructor at ENMU and works with KENW-TV as much as possible. He helps with video, audio and often builds sets.
Clovis resident and Eastern New Mexico University instructor Lonzo Lassiter began what he calls the second half of his life at age 50 when he attended college for the first time. Prior to that, he worked in construction and carpentry but after three surgeries, doctors told him to find something else to do for a living. A few weeks into recovery, Lassiter became bored and began taking classes at Clovis Community College.
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"I was hooked," Lassiter said. "The next semester I took a full load. One of my classes was a communications class and that hooked me too. I learned that I've been miscommunicating my entire life."
He became involved with the theater department at CCC and that's where he learned stage lighting and audio production. That knowledge lead to his involvement with the Clovis Music Festival.
Even then, Lassiter said he never thought he'd want to teach. After transferring to ENMU and graduating with a bachelor of arts degree in communications, he became an adjunct professor while working as a student employee at KENW-TV. As a full-time instructor, Lassiter said he enjoys working with students more than he ever thought he would.
What's your favorite TV show, past and present? One of my favorite TV shows from the past is "All in the Family." It was very entertaining and was able to showcase some of the social problems of the time in a way that really made you more aware of them. It presented as many sides of the argument as possible in a comedy setting but it caused you to think about the social injustices of the time. There are few shows I currently watch and one of my favorites is "Breaking Bad." It is very entertaining with lots of action and I love that it is shot in Albuquerque. You get to see how a person can get caught up in a bad situation, make a bad decision in search of a solution to the problem and then things just go from bad to worse. Much like "All in the Family," it deals with current problems facing society today.
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One movie I could watch over and over again is… "Little Big Man" with Dustin Hoffman and Chief Dan George. I have probably watched it five times within the past year. It is a classic in my opinion and one of the best. The acting, cinematography, casting and music are an incredible combination that create a fantastic movie.
In an alternative life, I would have been a… Folk singer in the '60s. I love that style of music and many others, but that was such a great time for music that carried a message besides being entertaining, and it would have been really cool to meet some of those folds such as Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger.
If I had an open plane ticket to anywhere, I would go to… Ireland. It just has so many cool places to see.
The most unique place I've ever traveled is to… Merida, the capitol city of the state of Yucatan, Mexico. I went there as part of a class from ENMU with Dr. Mary Ayala. I studied Mexican culture and civilization and Mexican literature. It was an amazing place, as were the people.
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What is your favorite taste? My favorite taste and smell are both coffee. I love my coffee. I cannot function without it.
If money were no object, what would you do to make the world a better place? I do not believe money can solve the most important problems in the world. Better communication and understanding each other's cultural differences would improve the world so I guess if the money was spent toward that end it might make a difference.
After a long, hard day, I love to… Go home, hide out in my private space and listen to music. I love many different types of music and my choice of music depends on what kind of day I have had. I might listen to hard rock one day and old blues the next. Sometimes I just have to dig through the albums and CDs until I find one that seems to fit my mood that day.
What is your most prized possession? One of my most prized possessions is a Hamilton Railway Special pocket watch my dad gave me on my 21st birthday. It got damaged a few years ago when I left it in my jeans and my wife washed it, but I plan to have it repaired no matter the cost. My dad bought the watch used from Herb Edwards, who was a jeweler here in Clovis in 1952 when I was nearly 1-year-old.


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"Bucket List Asheville for 2012"
The Asheville Chamber of Commerce has just published an interesting Bucket List for Asheville that has some interesting suggestions. We thought we would pass along this information to former and future guests at our Asheville Bed and Breakfast. Someone at the Chamber does have an interesting sense of humor, as they emphasize that you need […]
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