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~The West Texas Historical Association ~
Latest WTHA News
Welcome to the West Texas Historical Association Web page. Please feel free to browse our site and get to know us. Our executive and editorial offices are located at Texas Tech University.
Another successful conference has come to a close. Thank you to all who came to our Lubbock meeting. Photos from the meeting can viewed on our Flicker albums page. Fellow WTHAer Barbara Brannon also took numerous photographs which are viewable on her Flicker page. The 95th annual meeting of the WTHA will be in San Angelo, Texas, from April 13-14, 2018.
Donations sought:
Donations to the Student Scholarship Award and the R. C. Crane Heritage Service Award can be made online now by clicking on the donate buttons to the right.
We are seeking donations of items for a raffle for next year's conference. The money raised from the raffle will go towards funding the R. C. Crane Excellence in Heritage Award. Items sought include such things as shirts and caps (unused), books, mugs, history related posters, stuffed animals (new), gift cards, gift baskets, and other gift type items that would appeal to a potential raffle buyer. Does your organization have any of these types of give away items? We'd sure love to have them for the raffle. Contact Lynn Whitfield for more information or to make a donation.
Other News
A calendar of upcoming events [2017-2018 meetings, workshops, and links to related organizations and societies] is available for your convenience. If you have events you would like added to our calendar, please email us.
Upcoming events in 2017 to early 2018:
November 10-11, 2017 - Center for Big Bend Studies annual meeting in Alpine, Texas. Link
February 18, 2018 - Annual spring meeting of the East Texas Historical Association in Marshall, Texas. Link
February 7-10, 2018 - Southwest Popular and American Culture Association's Annual Conference in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Link
March 1-3, 2018 - 122nd Annual Meeting of the Texas State Historical Association in San Marcos, Texas. Link
March 2-3, 2018 - Texas Cowboy Poetry Gathering in Alpine, Texas. Link.
Our Members in the field:
On our On the Road pages we offer stories and photographs from the travels of our members to various part of the great state of Texas including:
Bill O'Neal and his lovely wife, Karon, have once again written up a detailed recap of our 2016 meeting in his blog, Lone Star Historian 2, along with numerous images of the presenters and attendees.
Congratulations to Alvin R. Lynn! His book, Kit Carson and the First Battle of Adobe Walls, is the 2015 winner of the Will Rogers Medallion Award.
Those attending this year's Frontier Days at Caprock Canyon State Park in Jerry Leatherman, Henry Crawford, and Marisue Potts. Ada Lester, pictured right, was promoting her upcoming Fort Elliott Buffalo Solder commemoration event set for June 14th.
Judge Vernon H. Cooks gave WTHA member Holle Humphries a tour of the refurbished courthouse of Miami. What a little gem of a building.
Tai Kreidler, Holle Humphries and Bill Neal recently the Downtown Medicine Mound Museum in Quanah, Texas. The Downtown Medicine Mound Preservation Group holds fundraising events in order to sustain the museum.
Tai Kreidler and Monte Monroe also visited with folks at the Muleshoe National Wildlife Refuge and the State Line Tribune to look over some of the collections available at these institutions.
Several members of WTHA attended the Quanah Parker Trail Giant Arrow installation on July 12, 2012, at 2:30 p.m. at the entrance way gate to the American Museum of Agriculture, located at 1501 Canyon Lake Drive in Lubbock, Texas. Those in attendance included Delores Moser, Robert Hall, Lynn Whitfield, Randy Vance, Emerson Tucker, Sally Murray, Monte Monroe, Holle Humphries, and Tai Kreidler. Henry Crawford, Randy Vance, and Tai Kreidler help erect the arrow before pouring in the concrete and water needed to stabilize the arrow. The Lubbock Avalanche-Journal ran a story with additional photographs under the headline "Arrows Still Falling in Comanche Battle with Buffalo Hunters.
The arrow installation in Abnerathy took place on July 4th in Hale County. More images of the installation are available here, as well as images from the arrow installations at Blanco Canyon, Borger, Channing, Lubbock, Plains, Rocky Ford, Spur, Sudan, and Swisher.
News from the Membership
The Recent Publications and Presentations page spotlights WTHA members activities from 2006-present. In the Bookstore section, you can view a listing of, as well as order copies of, books published by our membership.
Congrats to Patrick Dearen. On March 28th his book The Big Drift received the Elmer Kelton Fiction Book of the Year award from the Academy of Western Artists.
We also received news that Teresa Roberts Harkey, a WTHA Life Member, was one of three nominees for the outstanding Texas Librarian award from the Texas Library Association. Congratulations to Teresa and to her proud father, Travis Roberts who serves on the WTHA board.
WTHA sends our condolences to the family of Ralph Brock. Ralph was a member of WTHA and the Westerners Corral in Lubbock.
Jean Stuntz participated in the "Telling Our Stories in Print: A Roundtable with Local Books, Authors, and Publishers" session during the Texas Plains Trail Region's Tourism & Preservation Roundup 2014. Barbara Brannon and Tai Kreidler were also panelists for the session titled "Roundup of Projects in the Texas Plains Trail Region." The main speaker was Chet Garner from PBS's Day Tripper program. Garner allowed members of the audience to hold his Emmy award. Pictured to the right is Dr. Stuntz with the award.Congratulations go out to Sherry Robinson for her book, "I Fought a Good Fight: A Hisotry of the Lipan Apaches," which received the 2014 Fray Francisco Atanasio Dominguez Award from the Historical Society of New Mexico.
Bill O'Neal's speaker series "Gunfighterology" was recently featured by KLTV. A heavily published scholar, Bill is only the third person to hold the title of State Historian of Texas. Read the article here.
Sponsored by the Jones County Historical Commission, Cheryl Lewis gave a presentation on February 24th on Rath City (1876), Buffalo Hunters, Double Mountain, and the history of Jones and Stonewall Counties at the Jenkins Conference Center of the Anson Public Library.
In October, Bill Neal (pictured to the right) gave a talk as part of the book signing event at the Quanah, Acme and Pacific Museum in Quanah, Texas. Afterwards, Bill O'Neal, the Texas State Historian, gave a presentation and then presented the Southwest Collection/Special Collections Library with 38 reels of microfilm from the Quanah Tribune-Chief dated from 1889-1946. Bill Neal, Tai Kreidler and Bill O'Neal (pictured to the left) were also featured in the Vernon Record newspaper on October 20, 2013.
On the Road with WTHA has photographs and news from our membership's latest travels to promote the organization. The image to the right is from the Friday evening banquet for the opening of the Charles Goodnight Historic House and the Visitor's Center.
John McCullough stands by the newly installed Breedlove Airport marker. THC's William McWhorter attended the event on June 6, 2013, at E. 50th Street in Lubbock Texas, as part of Lubbock's D-Day celebration.
Authors Chuck Parsons and Norm Brown discussed their research and sign copies of "A Lawless Breed," the story of John Wesley Hardin, Texas Reconstruction, and violence in the Wild West on June 13, 2013, at Ruby Lane Books & Gallery on 127 E. Main in Post, Texas. Published by UNT Press as part of the A. C. Greene Series, the book presents newly found information about Hardin & his family including a chapter on his brother, Jeff Hardin, who lived in the Clairemont area and caused some trouble in Scurry County.
Several WTHA members presented papers in a sponsored session at the April 18-20th meeting of the Historical Society of New Mexico in Las Cruces, NM. WTHA session participants include Troy Ainsworth (chair), WTHA President J. Tillapaugh, Marisue Potts, and Robert Hall. Other WTHA members on the HSNM program included Jack Becker, Bruce Glasrud, Harry Hewitt, Cameron Saffell, and George Cooper. Next year's meeting will be held in Las Vegas, NM. WTHA members who are interested in presenting at next year's HSNM meeting should contact WTHA offices.
This year's meeting in Odessa has successfully concluded. Thanks go to all those who participated in our 2014 meeting, to the Odessa Convention and Visitors Bureau for all their help planning this wonderful meeting, and to the Petroleum Museum for hosting us for our Friday night dinner. Our incoming President, Bill O'Neal, regaled us with hilarious stories of his on the road adventures as the State Historian for Texas while our outgoing President, J. Tillapaugh, announced his ongoing dedication to preserving the history of the Permian Basin area by establishing an endowment. Both are pictured to the left.
Donald W. Whisenhunt, professor of history emeritus from Western Washington University, has a new book out titled "A Study of Utopian Movements and Ideas in the Great Depression: Dreamers, Believers, and Madmen."
Joe Specht spoke on the topic of Oil Field Songs at Buffalo Gap Historic Village on March 9, 2013.
WTHA sends our condolences to the family of Hubert Holiday Strom. Hubert was a long-time member of WTHA and served on our board.
Paul Carlson and Jack Becker's book, "Georgia O'Keefe: The Art of Desolation," was featured in a March 2012 issue of Texas Tech Monthly.
WTHA sends its condolences to the family of Ross McSwain. Author of the weekly "Out Yonder" column in the San Angelo Standard-Times for over 30 years, McSwain also wrote nonfiction books and was a well respected historian. The newspaper ran the article "Ross McSwain Remembered" on November 5, 2012.
Books by three of our members were recently reviewed in local newspapers. Patrick Dearen's "To Hell or the Pecos" was featured in the October 22nd issue of the Midland Reporter-Telegram. Bill O'Neal's "The Johnson-Sims Feud: Romeo and Juliet, West Texas Style," a tale about a feud between ranching families right before the Civil War was featured in the October 28th issue of the Brazosport Facts. Peter R. Rose's book "The Reckoning: the Triumph on the Texas Outlaw Frontier" was featured in Ross McSwain's October 6th article in the San Angelo Standard-Times.
Scott White's latest book, "Getting By in Hard Time: Letters from the Pitchfork Ranch,"gives a rare view on the running of the Pitchfork Ranch in the late 1930s during a time of economic depressions and drought. His other latest publication, Viento, centers around interviews conducted about ranching and wind energy.
Older news on WTHA members can be found here.
Who Are We?
The West Texas Historical Association has always been an organization committed to people who are interested in the history of West Texas. Because of our open-membership policy our association has been filled by a healthy cross-section of lay and professional historians. These include teachers, students, business people, farmers, ranchers, and engineers who have contributed to the growth of the organization. In addition, our membership has had solid institutional support from colleges, universities, libraries, museums, county historical groups, and corporations throughout the region and across the nation.
Pictured to the right: Scene from the WTHA Saturday business meeting, 2000.
Our Association is active. Each year we hold a conference in a West Texas city. We visit, present papers, and exchange ideas and information. We publish a selection of papers in our annual scholarly journal, the West Texas Historical Review. Also, twice a year, we put out a newsletter highlighting people, places, and events throughout West Texas. In addition, the Association works cooperatively with other historical groups such as the East Texas Historical Association and the Texas Oral History Association.
Pictured left: Former president Darlene Bellinghausen presiding over a session at the Midland meeting.
In addition, the WTHA promotes research and writing by giving cash awards. These include prizes for the best West Texas Historical Review article, the best nonfiction and best fiction books on West Texas, and the best student article. The Association also provides research funds on a competitive basis.
Please take time to look us over. Contact us if you would like to attend our annual meeting, present a paper, preside over one of the sessions, and submit one of your articles or books for an award. If you are from West Texas, or if in your heart you are a West Texan, we encourage you to become a member. Our dues are inexpensive. Our journal is well-known, and highly regarded. Our membership is international. And, the hospitality is just right.
Tai Kreidler, Executive
A Brief History
The West Texas Historical Association was organized in 1924 in Abilene at Simmons College (as Hardin-Simmons University was then called). In 1996 the WTHA moved its editorial offices to Lubbock and Texas Tech University, and in 1998 it moved its executive offices there as well. Since 1924 the association has held an annual meeting and published its scholarly journal, West Texas Historical Review (formerly the WTHA Year Book.) Officers and board members of the organization are all dedicated volunteers.
Throughout its long and distinguished history, the WTHA has encompassed a wide range of both professional and non-professional historians-- from lawyers and physicians to ranchers, business people, and teachers. Although their interests vary, members share a common desire to preserve the rich history of the West Texas region for present and future generations.
Pictured right: The book dealers tables and silent auction at the 2000 Midland meeting.
CONFERENCE SUMMARIES (includes photos and Session information)
The R. C. Crane Excellence in Heritage Award
The Student Scholarship Award
Updated on 11-14-17
Travis Roberts Jr. and Clint Chambers attended the WTHA session at the Center for Big Bend Studies meeting, 2010.
At the Frontier Texas Museum, some members take a photo op by a buffalo sculpture. Pictured are H. Allen Anderson, Patricia Clark, ?, Robert Hall, Cheryl Lewis and Travis Roberts Jr.
Lewis Earl and friends.
Texas Parks & Wildlife ranger Carl Hopper with Whitey the Longhorn, taken by Holle Humphries for the Texas Plains Trail.
A picturesque view of the bridge over White Woman Creek near Darrouzett, Texas, as captured by Bob Burton.
Colorful cactus plants thriving in Palo Duro Canyon is photographed by Robin Clark.
Who says there's no wildlife in suburbia? Holle Humphries shot this photo of a wild turkey on the garage roof of a neighbor's house in the Tech Terrace subdivision of Lubbock, Texas.


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Open Box (Scratch and Dent) Ibanez Artcore AS73 Electric Guitar Transparent Cherry 888365692210
(Transparent Cherry888365692210)
Sku #519454006260042
Semi-Hollow and Hollow Body Electric Guitars
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A classic shape served up with stunning finishes.
With a 22-fret set mahogany neck, bound rosewood fretboard, and pearl dot inlays, the Ibanez Artcore AS73 Electric Guitar dishes out satin-smooth tone and sweet sustain. The double-cutaway, all-maple body is strong, resonant, and - with its fantastic finish options - very easy on the eyes. Chrome-finished hardware on the Ibanez AS73 ncludes ACH humbuckers, ART1 bridge, and tuners.
Case sold separately
Check the drop-down menu to the right to select colors and/or other options.
- HH PU configuration
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- Case sold separately
You don't see many guitars this tasty in this price range. Order now and get yours.
Artcore AS73 Electric Guitar Specifications:
- Artcore set mahogany neck
- Double-cutaway, all-maple body
- 22 frets
- Bound rosewood fretboard
- ART1 bridge
- ACH1 humbucker (neck)
- ACH2 humbucker (bridge)
- Pearl dot inlay
- Chrome hardware
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Reviewed by 2 customers
Comments about Ibanez Artcore AS73 Electric Guitar:
This is a high-quality, great sounding guitar for a very reasonable price. Construction is excellent, and for country, jazz, and rockabilly this can fit the bill quite nicely. Very nice range of tones. If you play a variety of styles, have a limited budget, and don't want to compromise on quality, this is a good choice.
Comments about Ibanez Artcore AS73 Electric Guitar:
Ive had this guitar for almost 2 years and love it..The construction is flawless inside and out,playability is sweet and it sounds awesome.I use it through semi-clean amp settings for BB King tones or overdriven settings for live Goodbye Cream tones and have a blast.I love how the tone compresses when this guitar is hit hard.Some people might not like this but for me this is the guitar responding to dynamics and feel.Wish it had a pickguard but with the vintage sunburst and creme binding mine looks beautiful.A keeper for sure.

subset: commoncrawl


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How Did Michigan Cities Get Their Names? Part 2
Last week, we shared the first part in our series explaining how Michigan cities were named. This week, check out part two, which shares the story of how five more states were named.
How the name of Michigan's capital city came to be is a fun story. In the 1830s, two brothers from New York tried to scam their fellow statesman by going to Lansing, New York, and trying to sell plots of land in an area of Michigan that was underwater most of the year. When men who bought plots of land realized they had been scammed, they settled in the area that is now metropolitan Lansing and renamed the area "Lansing Township" as an homage to their home village in New York. In 1847, the state constitution required that the capital of Michigan be moved out of Detroit. Lansing Township was chosen out of frustration with the process. In 1848, the area was eventually given the name of Lansing. From November 9 – 17, check out the Lansing Film Festival, which will feature foreign films, documentaries and student productions from around the world.
Ann Arbor:
There are a couple theories about the origin of Ann Arbor, but the most agreed-upon theory revolves around two men named John Allen and Elisha Ramsey, two pioneers who were part of a group of settlers who set up a community by the Huron River in 1824. Both Rumsey and Allen's wives were named Ann, and the word "arbor" means "a leafy, shady recess formed by tree branches, shrubs, etc.," which perfectly describes the landscape of the area in 1824. Explore this city that does things a little bit differently:
Surrounded in mystery and legend, Petoskey is said to be named after the son of a French fur trader and Ottawa princess. He was named Petosegay. The translation of the name is "rising sun," "rays of dawn," or "sunbeams of promise" due to the bright light that shone on his face near the Kalamazoo river when he was born. He was a successful merchant and trader, who also married an Ottawa princess. It's said a small settlement was started on his land just a north of Bear Creek and was named Petoskey (an English translation) after him. Petoskey is known for its bike trails, including Little Traverse Wheelway, a 26-mile stretch that follows the shoreline from Charlevoix north to Harbor Springs.
Bad Axe
While surveying Huron County in 1861, Rudolph Papst and George Willis Pack made camp and found a badly damaged axe at the site. The camp became known as Bad Axe Camp after a sign Papst placed at the camp and near a trail. When he returned from the Civil War in 1870, he founded a small city in the place of the camp. It was called Bad Axe.
Sault Sainte Marie:
The origin of the name of the oldest city in Michigan goes back to the 1600s, when French missionaries and fur traders went into the area, calling it Sault du Gastogne. In 1668, Fr. Jacques Marquette, who you may remember from the story of Ludington's history in part one, renamed the settlement Sault Ste. Marie, in honor of the Virgin Mary—the first "city" in the Great Lakes region. Fun fact: Native Americans gathered here more than 2,000 years ago for the wealth of fish and fur and called the area "Bahweting," or "The Gathering Place." In February, check out the 44th Annual International I-500 Snowmobile Race, also nicknamed "NASCAR on Ice."


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George Washington couldnt lie. Honesty is still the best communication policy with customers.
Legend has it that when George Washington's father asked him whether he'd chopped down his cherry tree, young Washington said, "I cannot tell a lie, I did it with my little hatchet." Whether truth or fiction, such rigorous honesty is refreshing because it's seemingly rare these days, plus it establishes real trust.
But woes betide anyone who breaks that trust by lying. Be it a cheating spouse, a president involved in a cover-up (even a president lying about being up under the covers with someone with a cheating spouse) or a restaurant brand losing its customers' confidence in its food or service—any dishonesty stings. We don't like broken promises, whether large or small, taken under oath or implied in an advertisement because truth in friendship and marketing is an unwritten social expectation.
Subway broke that trust recently when consumers caught stores selling 11-inch sandwiches billed as "footlongs." Their outrage showed that size matters to customers, even when it's just an inch of bread, cheese and meat. It's my guess, however, that people were most ticked that Subway came up short on integrity, not bread.
And how about the horsemeat-for-hamburger switcheroo in Europe? Why it's OK to eat bovines but not broodmares is a matter of discussion, but learning after the fact that your burger once was a beast bridled and beloved is a serious matter of indignation and indigestion to billions of people. William Hallman, director of the Food Policy Institute at Rutgers University put it best when he told ABC News, "People expected one thing and got another. What they got is culturally inappropriate for a lot of people."
Some time ago I addressed the break in trust between a Papa John's franchisee and thousands of its customers, whose mobile phone numbers were used to text them unwanted messages. Those customers gave the chain permission to communicate deals about Papa John's products only, not anything else. The abuse of that trust has resulted in a $250-million lawsuit against the pizza chain and its marketing partner and harmed both companies' reputations.
And here's what's really bad: Unlike in Washington's day, word of a lie travels fast. Word of mouth travels asymmetrically in that negative talk moves exponentially faster than positive talk.With instant mobile phone access to social media, what happens in Vegas never stays in Vegas. Be it a picture of a paramour or a stubby sub, people put such images on the web faster than a spouse or sandwich maker can begin to apologize for the infraction.
In reality, however, such rapid fire access to social media can be beneficial if you engage your customers in that medium and in a way that builds trust. When people criticize your brand in social media, respond quickly and honestly to convince everyone you take their concerns seriously. Learn where the mistake occurred, act to eliminate that problem in the future and consider sharing your corrective actions with your social media fans.
An additional step is to address the upset customer privately, saying you appreciate his concern and want to offer something to compensate for the error. In the end, the cost of a free appetizer or drink spent on retaining an offended customer is insignificant compared to the investment required to gain a new one.
Technology is a tremendous asset in the battle for public integrity because we have the ability to broadcast instantly what we're doing to correct our mistakes. Just as Washington admitted his fault and immediately regained his father's trust, we have the power to do the same and restore our customers' confidence. This is where social media becomes more a blessing more than a curse.
Three key questions that you should be asking, to help you keep your customers loyal:
1. Have you defined your customer communication policy? Ensure that your communication with customers is a high priority, and that your practices are transparent to them. For specific tips, look at our previous blog, Opt-in is not Optional.
2. What is your Mobile strategy?Mobile is increasingly the most preferred channel for customers. Customers like to be heard and often, they will express their negative feedback through third-party sites like Yelp, Tripadvisor, and Urbanspoon. But with mobile devices, your customers can directly share their feedback with you. And you can communicate with your customers directly, and resolve their satisfaction issues before they see the need to go to third-party sites.
3. Do you have a platform for managing and measuring Word of Mouth? Word of Mouth matters because it drives or turns away traffic into your restaurants. Is your marketing platform allowing you to manage and measure your Word of Mouth? It should allow you to encourage positive WOM and to quickly address negative WOM – across any social media. If you cannot measure the impact of Word of Mouth within your restaurant and at the Point of Sale (POS), you cannot manage it.
Topics: Marketing / Branding / Promotion, Online / Mobile / Social, Operations Management
Jitendra Gupta Jitendra Gupta is a Co-Founder and Head of Product at Punchh, a mobile engagement and actionable insights platform that includes branded mobile apps for campaigns, games, loyalty, online ordering, payments, referrals, reviews, gift cards, surveys, and integrates with social networks and operators' POS systems to gather 360° customer insights. Punchh helps restaurants increase same store sales and profitability by driving repeat visits, word of mouth, new customer referrals, and higher returns from marketing campaigns. www
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Microsoft Flight Simulator
EU Release date: n/a
US Release date: 31 Oct, 1996
user score
N/Aunrated 4 votes left
Microsoft Flight Simulator Summary
Latest news
Sniper Elite loses multiplayer servers, "Rebellion not consulted" over decision
10 December 2012 | By /staff
Developer Rebellion confirms that Sniper Elite's mulitplayer servers through Gamespy are no longer running, but not by a decision reached themselves. GLU Mobile pulled the plug 'without consultation'.
The studio had been paying the third-party so Sniper Elite fans could "play online for free," which they've been doing for the past seven years. GLU have targetted other older titles too, like SWAT 4.
Microsoft reveals GFWL line-up
26 October 2010 | By /staff
Helping reboot Games for Windows Live with Microsoft are a number of major studios like Capcom, Square Enix, Rockstar Games and 2K.
When the redesigned platform launches November 15th it will be offering titles like Fable: The Lost Chapters, GTA3, Max Payne and more.


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VIDEO: Jessica Chastain Wants to Show Off Her Golden Globe on TODAY
Jessica Chastain stopped by the TODAY show this morning to talk about her latest film 'Mama.' The actress recently picked up a Golden Globe Award for her role in "Zero Dark Thirty," and admitted she has to fight the temptation to show off her prize everywhere she goes. "A friend of mine told me I should just walk around with it leading me, like walk into the theater for [Broadway's] 'The Heiress' with my Golden Globe!" she told TODAY's Savannah Guthrie Friday. Check out the appearance below!
Chastain currently stars in Broadway's The Heiress as 'Catherine Sloper'. The show also stars Academy Award nominee and Emmy Award winner David Strathairn as Dr. Austin Sloper, the leading man of "Downton Abbey" Dan Stevens as Morris Townsend and Tony Award winner Judith Ivey as Lavinia Penniman. Written by Ruth & Augustus Goetz, The Heiress is directed by two-time Tony Award nominated playwright and director Moisés Kaufman.
Her latest film, MAMA is a horror drama film, directed by Andres Muschietti from a screenplay by Muschetti, Barbara Muschetti and Neil Cross. The film is produced by J. Miles Dale and Barbara Muschietti, with Guillermo Del Toro serving as executive producer. Oscar nominee Chastain, now making her Broadway debut in The Heiress, stars along with Nikolaj Coster-Waldau, Megan Charpentier, and Isabelle Nélisse.
In the film, a couple, Annabel and Lucas, are faced with the challenge of raising Lucas' young nieces, who were discovered in a forest after being lost there for five years. It becomes apparent that the girls are being haunted by a ghostly woman they believe to be their mother.Annabel plans to use the girls in a bid to bring back her own dead children.
Visit NBCNews.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy


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Victoria Beckham & Family Make a Stylish Arrival in ParisPosted by PZ on February 19th, 2013
|- 5 of Reese Witherspoon's Best Beauty Secrets
|- 5 Stars Who Use Expensive La Mer Skincare Products
|- 5 Celebrities Who Don't Pluck Their Eyebrows
Victoria Beckham, husband David and her ever-expanding clan were spotted arriving in Paris after spending time in London recently. Stepping out at the Gare du Nord, Victoria traveled in style wearing a blue leather top, navy leg slit skirt, cateye sunglasses and black pointy heels. Mrs. Beckham is known for her high maintenance style, even when it comes to traveling she won't be seen in jeans and trainers. Proving that every moment can be one to show off your impeccable fashion sense, Victoria is photographed looking stylish in her usual well dressed, super feminine way. Victoria never gets it wrong and sticks to her usual uniform of tailored skirts, form-fitting tops and amazing accessories.
The rest of the Beckham clan are barely noticeable compared to super stylish momma Victoria – she stands out for miles! While the kids are dressed casually (thankfully it doesn't look like she's forcing them to wear anything too dressy), she doesn't mind doing her own thing and she may look typically "posh" but she seems to be a great mom too – don't all of the kids seem so well mannered and trained? They don't ever seem to act out, definitely not in front of the cameras anyway. Is Victoria striving to be the most perfect human ever? Because her attempt is pretty much on target.
Category: Uncategorized


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Mr. Paul Brennan has posted another nice translation. This one is the set of taijiquan classics compiled by Li Yiyu, from the same hand-written manuscript reproduced and transcribed in Gu Liuxin's 太極拳術 (The art of taijiquan). Here's the link: http://brennantranslation.wordpress.com ... -classics/
By the way, this work includes the Essentials of Playing Hands 打手要言, embedded in which we find the text later known as The Explanation of Taijiquan 太極拳解. Last fall a number of us had an extended discussion and group translation of that text on this board: viewtopic.php?f=7&t=1596 It would be interesting to compare Brennan's translation with our collective efforts. Of course, our renderings stretch over several pages of the thread, and never actually coalesced into an integrated translation.


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The Video Association of Dallas celebrates the films of the Dallas VideoFest Oct. 9-13. The longstanding, 26-year-old VideoFest opens at Gilley's in Dallas on Wednesday, Oct. 9. It moves to Alamo Drafthouse Cinema in Richardson Thursday, Oct. 10, and more than 140 screenings take place in Richardson until Sunday, Oct. 13.
VideoFest (VideoFest.org) is now the oldest and largest video festival in the United States and continues to garner critical and popular acclaim. VideoFest prides itself on bringing films to the theater that are rarely available to be seen anywhere else. Films in categories such as Experimental/Art Films, Animation, Narrative and Documentary Shorts, as well as Documentary and Narrative Features and some hard-to-find Classic TV episodes and Classic Films, are often in the mix.
Event times:
Wednesday-Friday, 7 p.m.-11 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday, noon -11:30 p.m.
Tickets are $150 for an all-festival pass, which includes access to everything including the lounge. Most individual screening tickets are $8 and are available both online at videofest.org or at the door.
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Puppy: Charlie
Friends: 20
Member Since: May 19, 2008Add to Friends
We picked Charlie up in PA after an eight hour drive and a night in a hotel. He was wonderful on the way back- sleepy and playful, affectionate, and no accidents in the car! He loved being let out at our stops, though. :D He's really charmed his way into our hearts in the few days we've had him so far. He's a little angel, so well behaved. I don't know what we did without him. :DView Profile


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Beckett to see specialist about finger numbness
By Austin Laymance / MLB.com
ANAHEIM -- Injured Dodgers pitcher Josh Beckett will see a nerve specialist on Monday, the next step in determining the cause of the numbing sensation in his fingers.
Beckett is scheduled to visit Dr. Gregory Pearl in Dallas, Texas, the same surgeon who operated on Cardinals pitcher Chris Carpenter's right shoulder last season.
Beckett, on the disabled list with a left groin strain, had his throwing program shut down last week after the numbness in his fingers continued during a bullpen session.
"The frustrating thing that I'm having right now is I don't have pain, I just have ineffectiveness and numbness where I can't actually feel the baseball," Beckett said on Thursday.
Beckett is 0-5 with a 5.19 ERA in eight starts this season. He said he continued to pitch despite the lingering issue because the Dodgers were short on starters earlier in the season after losing Chad Billingsley for the year and dealing with Zack Greinke's broken left collarbone.
"It's something I've been dealing with," Beckett said of the numbness in his right fingers. "I'm not sure exactly when it came on. It wasn't painful. At the time we were losing starters left and right, so I felt like I needed to pitch because I didn't have any pain."
While Beckett is still searching for answers as to the source of the issue, his strained groin has progressed to the point where the veteran was able to run on Thursday.
"I don't think my groin is going to hold me back anymore once we figure out what's going on with the other stuff," Beckett said.
Hamstring strain sends Kemp to 15-day DL
ANAHEIM -- For the second straight season, Dodgers outfielder Matt Kemp is on the disabled list because of a hamstring issue.
Kemp was placed on the 15-day disabled list on Thursday, the result of a mild right hamstring strain. Last season, Kemp missed more than two months with a left hamstring strain.
In a corresponding roster move, the Dodgers recalled catcher Tim Federowicz from Triple-A Albuquerque.
"It's disappointing," Kemp said. "This is my second year being hurt. It's a small little obstacle, but I'm used to playing every day. The second year getting hurt is kind of frustrating. But it's part of the game and I've just got to deal with it.
"It's something that can be worse, so you prevent it now and you don't want to linger on the whole year. So I'll get it taken care of right now. The earlier, the better."
Last season, Kemp rushed back from the disabled list after missing 14 games. But he required a second stint on the disabled list after aggravating the injury two games into his return and missed an additional 37 games. But Kemp said he's learned from that.
"I had hamstring problems last year, I don't want to be in the same situation where I come back and hurt it again and sit out another month," Kemp said. "That's just not what I want to happen this year."
Kemp strained his right hamstring while pursuing a double in the gap in right-center in the bottom of the seventh inning during Wednesday's 4-3 loss to the Angels. He was immediately removed from the game.
Kemp said he would continue to hit, and weight train to strengthen his left shoulder following offseason surgery that has zapped him of his power. He's hitting .251 with two homers and 17 RBIs in 51 games.
"I never want to be away from the game, but I have to at this moment because I'm hurt," Kemp said. "I'm just going to work, hit, do everything that I have to do to be ready right when I come off the DL. I can hit as much as I want, it's just the running."
The Dodgers are optimistic that Kemp will be sidelined for around 15 days.
Manager Don Mattingly said Kemp could have avoided a DL stint if the medical staff was confident he would miss only a few games, but that was not the case.
"If it was going to be three or four, I think we would have bit that bullet," Mattingly said. "But it didn't sound like it was real confident that it would be three or four, though. It didn't sound like a major one, either. So we kind of get a bullet but don't take it in an artery."
Andre Ethier made his second career start in center field on Thursday, with Scott Van Slyke in right field. Mattingly said the Dodgers expect to promote a center fielder from the Minor Leagues by the end of the weekend, though he did not mention specific candidates.
Ellis nurses oblique issue as Federowicz gets start
ANAHEIM -- Dodgers catcher A.J. Ellis is dealing with an issue in his left oblique, manager Don Mattingly said on Thursday.
Ellis was held out of the lineup for Thursday's Freeway Series finale against the Angels.
"We feel like it's a day or two days," Mattingly said on Thursday afternoon. "We'll see how that goes."
Could Ellis require a stint on the disabled list?
"If this thing would go the wrong direction, it would be [a DL situation]," Mattingly said.
Ellis played Tuesday's game against the Angels with discomfort in his left side, but was able to throw out Erick Aybar attempting to steal second and went 1-for-3. The catcher dealt with a similar issue during Spring Training, but only missed a few days.
With Ellis' health in question, the Dodgers recalled catcher Tim Federowicz from Triple-A Albuquerque on Thursday to fill the roster spot that opened when Matt Kemp was placed on the disabled list with a mild right hamstring strain.
Federowicz was the starting catcher on Thursday, with veteran catcher Ramon Hernandez getting the start as the designated hitter.
With Kemp out, Dodgers mull options in center
ANAHEIM -- The Dodgers are in need of an everyday center fielder with Matt Kemp sidelined for at least two weeks by a mild right hamstring strain.
Andre Ethier shifted from right field to start in center field on Thursday for only the second time in his career. Scott Van Slyke started in right.
But manager Don Mattingly said that Ethier is only a short-term option in center field. The manger feels the same way about Skip Schumaker, who has been Kemp's backup this season.
"We're looking for a true center fielder," Mattingly said. "We'll see where we go."
Management is leaning toward promoting an outfielder from Triple-A Albuquerque, where Tony Gwynn, Elian Herrera, Matt Angle and Nick Buss have spent time in center field.
"That's what it feels like to me, more than anything else," Mattingly said.
At this point, the Dodgers say they are not considering bringing up top prospects Yasiel Puig or Joc Pederson from Double-A Chattanooga. Puig has been playing the corner outfield spots, while Pederson has been the primary center fielder with the Lookouts.
Puig played center field on Thursday, though, with Pederson scheduled to have the day off. Only Herrera and Puig are on the 40-man rotser.
Mattingly said the Dodgers' player development personnel would make any decisions regarding a promotion for Puig and Pederson, though the manager cautioned that it might be too early to call either outfielder up to the Major Leagues.
"You end up hurting those guys sometimes," Mattingly said. "It sounds great, but it ends up hurting them in the long run."
The manager said the Dodgers would promote a center fielder from the Minor Leagues by the end of the weekend.
As for Ethier, he played center field only once last season and once during the 2010 All-Star Game. Ethier said Mattingly asked him to play center field on Thursday and he obliged.
"The whole year we've been figuring out a way to patch up things where guys are hurt and have injuries," Ethier said. "It needed to be done today."
Worth noting
• The Dodgers reinstated right-hander Stephen Fife from the 15-day disabled list on Thursday and optioned him to Triple-A Albuquerque.
Fife began the season at Triple-A and was called up on April 21 to start at Baltimore in place of the injured Chad Billingsley. Fife allowed four runs on seven hits in 4 2/3 innings in that outing and went on the disabled later that week with right shoulder bursitis.
Fife made a rehab start with Class A Rancho Cucamonga on Tuesday and went four innings, allowing four runs (three earned) on six hits with three strikeouts and one walk.
Austin Laymance is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.


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Menlo head coach Craig Schoof, however, couldn't call on senior Dylan Mayer for a big hit because Mayer was sidelined with a broken ankle. And when Schoof needed senior Freddy Avis to pitch in the most critical moment of the season, Avis was sidelined by illness and tightness in his right arm.
What it all added up to was a season of high expectations ending in a frustrating 10-6 loss to Pacific Grove in the Central Coast Section Division III championship game last Saturday at San Jose Municipal Stadium.
There was no three-peat for the Knights and no dogpile to participate in at the end of the game. And, while a CCS trophy is always nice for the trophy case, the award wasn't the one Schoof and his team wanted.
Still, said Schoof, "that doesn't diminish what we accomplished."
Menlo won the West Bay Athletic League title, earned a No. 2 seed for the section playoffs, compiled a 22-8 record, and had to juggle its lineup to the point of having its starting catcher moving to the mound — and still nearly pulled off the first three-peat in program history.
"In all honesty this is the most proud I've ever been of a team," said Schoof. "To go through all that adversity and all the expectations — it's tough."
The toughest part was having top-seeded Palma knocked out of the tournament in the first round and having a path cleared to a possible sixth CCS title.
"Just to get to three CCS championships is an accomplishment in itself," said Menlo starting pitcher Jake Batchelder.
Pacific Grove came into the title game with the No. 9 seed, but left with the championship trophy and its third CCS title — the first since 1999 — to cap a 20-10 season.
The Knights' bats looked solid in the first inning when Avis belted a triple over the out-stretched arm of the Pacific Grove right fielder. Avis later scored on a bases-loaded walk by Will King. A sacrifice fly by Austin Marcus made it 2-0 after the first inning.
The Knights looked in control in the third after scoring two more runs on an RBI double by Marcus and and RBI single by Sam Crowder.
Momentum, however, swung in the other direction for Menlo in the bottom of the fourth inning when Pacific Grove scored six runs on three hits and two walks. The Breakers got a break when, with two outs, Menlo shortstop Mikey Diekroeger couldn't come up with a slow roller for the final out. Pacific Grove took advantage as the next five hitters reached base safely and PG grabbed a 6-4 lead.
Menlo responded to the deficit when Avis led off the fourth with a towering home run over the right-field fence for a 6-5 game.
Avis just missed hitting a homer in the second, but the fly ball drifted down the right-field line and landed foul in the bullpen. Avis wound up striking out.
Menlo tied the game at 6 in the fifth inning on a walk to Marcus, a bloop single to right by senior Carson Badger and a fielder's choice by Graham Stratford, which scored Marcus.
Despite getting back in the game, the momentum shift for Menlo was short-lived after Batchelder had to leave the game — reaching his five-inning limit after pitching five frames in an 8-2 semifinal win over Monte Vista Christian in the semifinals.
Schoof, however, couldn't bring in Avis to close out the Breakers. Avis, who couldn't pitch in the semifinals due to illness and tightness in his throwing arm, was still unavailable for anything but DH duty. Projected as a possible high pick in the upcoming MLB draft or destined for a solid career at Stanford, it was too much for Schoof to risk by having Avis throw.
Instead, Schoof brought in Marcus, his junior starting catcher. While Marcus had thrown a one-hitter with 13 strikeouts in the quarterfinals, he had limited pitching experience. And this, after all, was the biggest game of his career.
Marcus started the sixth and gave up a leadoff single. It got worse for Marcus after that with a stolen base, some walks and a sacrifice fly that gave Pacific Grove an 8-6 lead.
Menlo tried to bounce back in the bottom of the sixth when senior Chris Zeisler walked with one out. On a grounder by Batchelder, however, Zeisler was called for obstruction as he slid into second base. Batchelder also was called out on the play, ending a potential threat. Schoof came out to protest, but to no avail.
Marcus continued to struggle with his control in the seventh, loading the bases. A walk and another balk call made it 10-6 and Menlo's dream was over.
It was a tough finish for the Knights, who started four sophomores on Saturday — Diekroeger, Stratford, King and Crowder.
Not having Avis available to pitch also was crucial. The Stanford-bound senior, who throws his fastball in the 90-94 mph range, had been the winning pitcher in Menlo's past two championship games and could have been again had he been available.
He departs along with Zeisler, Badger, Julian Ryles, Marc Adler, Batchelder and Mayer. The seniors helped compile a four-year record of 98-26, four straight appearances in the CCS playoffs, two titles and one second-place finish.
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E3 2013 headlines • Page 2
Destiny: match-making, public areas and social interaction discussed by Bungie
Destiny's persistent world is full of online features running constantly in the background, but Bungie doesn't necessarily see it as an MMO. Lead engineer Chris Butcher has discussed how the game's match-making, public areas, dynamic events and social features work within its ambitious world.
Dragon Age: Inquisition's open-world is "pretty ambitious," says BioWare GM
Dragon Age: Inquisition's open-world is "pretty ambitious," according to BioWare general manager Aaryn Flynn.
Warner a "believer in the Wii U," console just "off to a slow start"
Warner Bros. Interactive Entertainment president Martin Tremblay has said the firm is still confident in Wii U, it's just the console got off to a slow start.
Fallout 4 shown behind-closed-doors at E3 - rumor
Fallout 4 is the rumor du jour today, with Bubblenews reporting that Bethesda showed the game behind-closed-doors to select press at E3 last week. Follow through the break for more on this, along with your daily dose of salt.
Call of Duty Ghosts: next-gen AI development held-up by lack of final console tech
Call of Duty: Ghosts is heading to PS4 and Xbox One some time after the game hits current-gen formats on November 5. However, Infinity Ward's executive producer Mark Rubin has said that the creation of next-gen AI is taking longer than the game's visuals due to the studio not having final consoles yet.
Killer Instinct: Xbox One season pass confirmed, paid fight roster discussed
Killer Instinct has received a bit of flack since it was announced for Xbox One, mainly because it's now a free-to-play game that charges players for additional character. Everyone gets Jago for free, but developer Double Helix Games has argued that the game's fight roster has been kept small because gamers don't want a lot […]
Titanfall: Xbox One's cloud computing helped Respawn think differently, says Zampella
Titanfall developer Respawn Entertainment is using Xbox One and Windows 8's cloud computing technology to enhance its debut shooter. Announced at E3, the game is heavily interwoven with online aspects, and studio founder Vince Zampella has discussed the power of the cloud in a new interview.
Thief PS4: 33-minute presentation shows raw gameplay & mechanics
Thief developer Eidos Montreal has published a 33-minute presentation of its next-gen stealth title running on PS4. The clip has insight from the team and plenty of gameplay to tide you over for now.
Microsoft's ecosystem doesn't encourage small development, says Molyneux
Microsoft's ecosystem across Windows and Xbox formats isn't encouraging the influx of indie-to-small developments as it should, former Microsoft Game Studios exec Peter Molyneux has cautioned.
"You're all being played": Bleszinski slams Sony's lack of used game blockers as a PR tactic
Former Epic Games designer Cliff Bleszinski has been on something of a Twitter crusade lately, stating that the used games and AAA markets cannot co-exist while big budget games cost so much to make. Bleszinski has now suggested that Sony does have anti-used measures up its sleeve, and is using outrage over Microsoft's Xbox One […]
Call of Duty: Ghosts might not hit Wii U after all
Call of Duty: Ghosts executive producer Mark Rubin said in an interview last week that the Infinity Ward shooter was heading to Wii U. That may no longer be the case.
Games are being traded in because they're too short, says Mad Max dev
Mad Max and Just Cause developer Avalanche Studios makes massive games, and founder Christofer Sundberg has suggested that the reason so many games get traded in is because they're too short or offer little motivation to return.
"Winning is determined by a much longer time-scale": Gara on Sony's bid in the next-gen war
PS4 had a good showing at E3 last week, but SCE UK chief Fergal Gara has stressed that while he feels Sony won the day,he has stressed that the winner of next-gen will be determined on a much longer time-scale.
Battlefield 4: multiplayer save transfer between current and next gen builds being considered
Battlefield 4 developer DICE may include some kind of cross-game transfer between current and next-gen versions of the shooter, according to the studio's general manager and vice president Karl-Magnus Troedsson.
E3 2013 Latest
Destiny: match-making, public areas and social interaction discussed by Bungie
Dragon Age: Inquisition's open-world is "pretty ambitious," says BioWare GM
Warner a "believer in the Wii U," console just "off to a slow start"
Call of Duty Ghosts: next-gen AI development held-up by lack of final console tech
Killer Instinct: Xbox One season pass confirmed, paid fight roster discussed
Titanfall: Xbox One's cloud computing helped Respawn think differently, says Zampella
Thief PS4: 33-minute presentation shows raw gameplay & mechanics
Microsoft's ecosystem doesn't encourage small development, says Molyneux
"You're all being played": Bleszinski slams Sony's lack of used game blockers as a PR tactic
Games are being traded in because they're too short, says Mad Max dev
"Winning is determined by a much longer time-scale": Gara on Sony's bid in the next-gen war
Battlefield 4: multiplayer save transfer between current and next gen builds being considered
"Deeply flawed": research firm slams Microsoft's entertainment strategy
Killzone: Shadow Fall gets 21-minute PS4 gameplay walkthrough
PS4's DRM stance has set a 'nice precedent', suggests Sony exec
Pikmin 3 'Bingo Battle' multiplayer mode shown on Wii U, Miyamoto presents
E3 poll results: VG247 readers pick this year's show winners
The Legend of Zelda Wii U will be neither "ultra-realistic nor cartoony-realistic," says Aonuma
Assassin's Creed 4: Black Flag gameplay video is full of ship carnage
Microsoft to sell its first-party Xbox One games at current $59.99 price point
Visceral "working on something very exciting," Dead Space franchise "isn't cancelled"
Splinter Cell: Blacklist: Fisher favors shadows over gunplay


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WACO — Brooklyn Pope scored 18 points and Brittney Griner added 14 points and 10 rebounds to help second-ranked Baylor beat No. 13 Oklahoma State, 83-49 on Sunday.
Odyssey Sims had 13 points and Destiny Williams 11 points for the Lady Bears (12-1, 2-0 Big 12), who extended the longest active home-winning streak in the country to 47 games.
Liz Donohoe scored 13 points and Toni Young had 12 points and 11 rebounds for Oklahoma State (11-2, 0-2), which has dropped two straight games after winning their first 11.
Baylor could move back into the No. 1 spot in the poll on Monday after No. 5 Notre Dame beat top-ranked UConn 73-72 on Saturday.
The Lady Bears opened the second half with a 20-3 run to take a 62-29 lead.


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Day after dizziness, J-Up rests
By Joe Morgan / MLB.com
ATLANTA -- Braves outfielder Justin Upton did not play in Wednesday afternoon's 10-5 loss to the Phillies at Turner Field, but he was available to come off the bench after exiting Tuesday night's 5-2 loss with dizziness and lightheadedness.
"Obviously, I want to be out there with the guys, but if I'm not feeling right and I can't help the team, it's better to have somebody out there 100 percent," Upton said. "[I feel] a little bit off, and my strength's a little bit down, but other than that, I feel pretty good."
Although Upton's status for Thursday's game in Washington, D.C., remains up in the air, the outfielder does not think that his current predicament will be a long-term issue.
"It's kind of an isolated thing," Upton said. "I guess we'll see how long it lingers, but for the most part, I'm hoping I can get back to myself in the next couple of days."
Early homer pushes Gattis' hit streak to 17
ATLANTA -- Evan Gattis wasted no time extending his hitting streak to 17 games, the longest active stretch in the Majors.
The Braves' catcher drilled a two-run homer off Phillies starter Roberto Hernandez in the first inning of Wednesday's series finale, tying the score at 2.
Gattis was given a night of rest on Tuesday despite hitting .406 with seven home runs and a 1.246 on-base plus slugging percentage in the first 16 games of his streak. His run stands as the longest produced by a catcher in Braves history.
Checkup shows Venters' elbow is on track
ATLANTA -- The ulnar collateral ligament in Braves reliever Jonny Venters' surgically repaired left elbow was deemed sound after he received an MRI exam and met with Dr. James Andrews.
Venters has not thrown since receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection a week ago, and he will be shut down for another three to five weeks as the shot takes effect.
"Everything's good," Venters said. "I'm just going to take some time and let that ligament mature a little more and start throwing here in a little bit."
Although Venters hopes he'll be able to throw again in four weeks rather than six, he is mainly relieved the recent soreness he experienced -- even after rest -- was not something more serious.
"I was a little worried because it wasn't feeling much better after a week of rest," Venters said. "Once he looked at the MRI and said ... everything's good in there, I felt better."
The Atlanta bullpen's recent woes are not lost on Venters, who has endured frustration since undergoing Tommy John surgery early last year. The southpaw wants to help his club, but he also has to keep his long-term health in mind.
"It's tough, because I want to pitch and I want to help this team and I want to get out there as soon as possible -- and that's what I'm going to do," Venters said. "I think that's best for my career. … Whenever it's ready, it's ready. Hopefully, it'll be sooner than later."
La Stella bumped to leadoff, Heyward to fifth
ATLANTA -- On Wednesday, for the first time since last July 27, a healthy Jason Heyward did not bat leadoff for the Braves. Manager Fredi Gonzalez decided to bat rookie Tommy La Stella atop the order and bump Heyward down to the fifth spot.
Although La Stella finished 0-for-4 with a walk, posting only his fifth hitless performance in 19 Major League games, the Braves tallied five runs in a 10-5 loss to the Phillies and Heyward reached base three times across four plate appearances in the heart of the order.
When Gonzalez approached Heyward about the lineup change, the outfielder simply told his skipper, "Whatever you want. Whatever you want me to do."
"I think the world of Jason Heyward," Gonzalez said. "I think that he can hit anywhere in the lineup and be productive, and so that's the reason he's hitting fifth, right behind [Evan] Gattis. And Tommy's a guy, I've been watching him over 15 games or so, 17 games. He [may not be] a base stealer or a base burner, but I think he runs the bases well enough. I put him out there in the leadoff spot to do his thing. He doesn't have to change anything in his approach. He's got a good eye at the plate and is going to put the ball in play."
La Stella's first career game in the leadoff spot came on a day when Atlanta held B.J. Upton, Justin Upton and Andrelton Simmons out of the starting lineup to rest. But Gonzalez may not be so quick to bump La Stella back down when those three return as the Braves hit the road for an 11-game road trip beginning Thursday.
Although Wednesday ended in defeat, Atlanta plated five runs on nine hits with three regulars out of the lineup. If La Stella continues to rake at his current clip -- he is batting .343 (24-for-66) with a .410 on-base percentage -- the young second baseman could potentially spend more time in the No. 1 spot.
"You know me; I don't do things [as a] just knee-jerk reaction, so I may," Gonzalez said. "We'll see how it goes today, and then when you plug in B.J. tomorrow and you plug Simmons in there tomorrow and you plug in Justin again there tomorrow, we'll see how the dynamic of that lineup works."
Meanwhile, Gonzalez is hopeful that Heyward's recent tear in the batter's box might help jolt an offense that has struggled to consistently score runs. Heyward is batting .297 (43-for-145) with six homers and a .378 OBP since May 10.
"He's been productive in the leadoff spot for almost 100 games," Gonzalez said. "But then we also hit two years ago -- 2011 or maybe 2012, he hit third and was productive in the three-spot. He's a special guy, so we'll see how it goes."
Worth noting
In-park balloting at Turner Field for the 2014 All-Star Game ended on Wednesday, the final contest of the Braves' six-game homestand. However, fans can still cast their votes for starters at MLB.com and all 30 club sites -- online or on a mobile device -- using the 2014 All-Star Game MLB.com Ballot Sponsored by Experian until Thursday, July 3, at 11:59 p.m. ET.
As of the latest ballot update, released on Sunday, three Atlanta players rank among the top five vote-getters at their positions. Justin Upton, who ranks ninth among outfielders, has had the most ballots cast in his name among Braves players (1,003,943).
Freddie Freeman is the closest to earning a starting spot, as he ranks third at first base behind Arizona's Paul Goldschmidt by roughly 370,000 votes.
Joe Morgan is an associate reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.