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Practice on the Frontier: Vignettes of Small Town Life by George W. Shanks
As I approach the end of four decades of the practice of law and I think back on the kaleidoscope of cases and characters I have encountered, the common theme of my memories is the experience of the practice of law in a small town. And I truly mean a small town. I was born and raised in Wilmington, Delaware — a city of one hundred thousand. I lived in Buffalo, New York, and attended law school in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I started my practice in Winchester, which by my standards still qualifies as "the big city." For another four years, I toiled on Capitol Hill in Washington, which only served to reinforce my Jeffersonian bias that all big cities are "pestilential." But for the last thirty-three years, I have been in Luray, legal and cultural center of Page County, the self-styled "Cabin Capital of Virginia."
During that time, I have seen the population of the county mushroom by nearly five thousand souls. We now approach the magical twenty-five thousand population total that will entitle the board of supervisors to a statutory pay raise, should they choose to bestow it upon themselves. At the same time, I have seen industry come and go (mostly go), even as our neighboring jurisdictions blossomed and flourished with economic development and all of the attendant joys and sorrows of population and transportation issues that are the handmaidens of the goddess Fortuna.
Through it all, Page County has remained relatively unchanged, unspoiled, unyielding in its conservatism, and unfazed by the maelstrom of activity outside its borders. In truth, life in this community off the beaten path is like Brigadoon without the sinking feeling.
In my first office in Luray — a garage that had been converted into a tiny two-room bungalow in the 1940s and was locally know as "the honeymoon cottage" for its original occupants — I was quickly to learn two truths about practice of law in a small town. The first was when an older attorney from out of the area dropped by after one Motions Day to visit my new chambers and receive the obligatory ten-second inspection. The attorney announced sagely, "Good! You have a back door. Every attorney should have a back door." I didn't fully appreciate the observation until my client base had grown a bit, although the back door was so close to the front door that using it in complete silence was an acquired skill. The second truth about practicing law in a small town (and it also involved the back door) was that during the moderate days of summer — in my first summer of practice they all had to be moderate, since I couldn't afford air conditioners — you could open the back door and smell the delicious aroma of the honeysuckle growing on the fence posts along the alley behind my office. I cannot tell you the names of all of my clients that first year, but I can smell today that delectable fragrance.
I remember, too, the sounds of my children's laughter as they played in the side yard between my office and our residence, fifty feet away. That sound, like the fragrance, is a gift bestowed only on those practitioners fortunate enough to practice close to home, at ground level, with windows that actually open, and with young children who think playing in the side yard is actually fun. (Remember, this is before Nintendo, PlayStation, home computers, MTV, and iPods.)
There is something about lawyering, more than any other vocation, in a small town that provides instant community-wide recognition. Well, maybe the greeters at Walmart are right up there, but they tend to be on the steep down slope of the work force. Being a big fish in a small pond can make up for a lack of local extended family. It took me decades to create a family in this rural county, and I am confident that after another quarter century I will still be counted among those who are "not from around here." Nevertheless, I have felt a part of the ebb and flow of this small community from the first day. (Getting ripped off by the local artisans everyone else knew to avoid was part of it, but that is quite another story.)
My children always knew that their presence and passing was noted (and monitored). Even it occasionally chafed when they were asked, "Is Lawyer Shanks your daddy?," it was precisely what I had hoped to achieve when moving to a small town. The politics of Hillary Clinton's book aside, the vigilance that expanded communities afford to energetic, exploring children can be a source of reassurance in the uncertain world of modern-day parenting.
As I was going through my closed cards the other day looking for an ancient file, it struck me that I had represented well over 15 percent of the countywide population during my practice here on the frontier. Attorneys in the big city touch just as many lives, to be sure, but they don't see them over and over again in their daily travels. To run into former clients — and, truth be known, opponents of former clients — in the grocery store check-out line, at the Tastee Freez when you're taking the family out for a summer eve's cone, or while ordering take-out Chinese, is a reminder of just how many lives we touch as we ply our profession. It is a source of both accomplishment and satisfaction and a constant reminder of the profound influence we wield as practitioners of the law.
The same is true of your relationship with your colleagues at the bar. I cannot recall when I first felt a genuine sense of collegial atmosphere within the bar — I feel sure it was before I sat down to write this piece, maybe even before the last time one of my learned colleagues drew to the court's attention how little I really knew about the law. In a small town, the contacts between attorneys are frequent, the characters genuine, the foibles endearing. Affectations and phrases of colleagues become sources of amusement, even comfort, as litigation takes its otherwise unpredictable twists and turns. And while the pressures of practice are no different in a small town, the "devil on my shoulder" desire to burn bridges and scorch earth, of necessity, is. When you see the same small cadre of lawyers (and judges) on a daily basis, when you come to realize how quickly Fortune's smile can fade from cause to cause and from client to client, and when you commit breaches of collegial etiquette, the results (and the lessons) are immediate. You either learn from them or go in search of a more impersonal venue.
Moreover, seeing your colleagues someplace else besides "the pit" makes the courtroom wounds less permanent. Next week, instead of sulking about some slight — real or imagined — you will be sharing the pride of opposing counsel's child's band solo or gridiron success or science fair award. And to appreciate the essential sameness in an adversary, to share his experiences, to personalize him, is to make peace, with him and with yourself.
There are some unhappy realities to the practice of law in a small town, the frequency of conflicts being principal among them. When your client base draws from a population of twenty-five thousand or fewer you are constantly confronted with people you have represented or opposed, or their families, or their associates. Prior privileged knowledge can and frequently does require a close ethical inspection in criminal, domestic relations, and personal injury practice. And the client base is not unfamiliar with the ground rules, as I was amazed to learn many years ago. After giving some "emergency" legal advice to a potential domestic relations client on my front porch one Sunday afternoon, I soon discovered that the interview had been replicated four more times that day. In one brief afternoon's work, all the local attorneys doing the contested divorce trade had been trumped from representing the other party. The case developed into a protracted, expensive bloodbath, but I was not involved, nor were most of my colleagues.
This is the other reality of the "unearned retainer" debate that seldom gets much mention, much less support: in a small community, being associated with a cause or a client has an immediate far-reaching ripple effect. If you are representing an unhappy spouse, you are not likely to be seeing any of the client's in-laws in DUI, criminal, real estate, wills and estates, worker's compensation, Social Security, or personal injury matters — at least until the dust settles and, perhaps, for years after.
Another aspect unique to small-town practice is free advice. I'm not talking about being buttonholed at Rotary Club or while coming out of church. I speak of "drop-ins," those who, as my dear legal assistant of twenty years used to say, "just want to speak a word with you." In the metropolitan areas where people are trained to endure the sacrosanct schedules of everyone from lawyers to the plumber, camping out in someone's lobby for an unscheduled half-hour interruption is the height of folly. In a small town, it is acceptable behavior and its rejection is treated with wounded scorn (and see the preceding paragraph for all those who will feel similarly rejected). The problem is compounded by the fact that these unexpected would-be clients often have the most delightful stories to relate (not that you can do anything to alleviate their legal woes). To turn them away in the name of the clock is to deny yourself a glimpse of the rich texture of small-town fabric. Of course, you are well advised to keep a can of aerosol spray in your drawer; many of the drop-ins coincide with stock sale day.
Closely aligned with the free advice crowd is the unpaid-fee group which, as you learn by the school of hard knocks, should dwindle over the course of your small-town practice to a manageable number no longer approximating the first mortgage on your home. But unlike the experience of our city friends, these folks will return. Believe me, they will return. After they have stiffed all the other soft hearts in the bar, you will see them again — probably in more dire circumstances than last time, and definitely more contrite. Exacting a fee under these circumstances ought to be the subject of a special ethical admonition, so delectable is the experience. In a big city, you couldn't live that long.
Resistance to change is another enduring part of the practice of law in a small town. With the construction of the Walmart, we gained another stoplight in the county. Now there are six green-yellow-red lights in the county (there were three when I arrived). You might think that such an environment would make the personal injury trade shrivel like a ten-year-old too long in the pool. Nothing could be further from the truth. In fact, the change-resistant factor has made the one dual highway bisecting the county a fertile source of litigation, invariably involving a befuddled visitor, usually from another time zone, and a local who simply can't get used to the dual highway that got put in back in the 1960s.
The mantra of change resistance — "That's the way we've always done it around here" — or its equally evil twin — "That's not the way we do it around here" — is also fertile ground for the zoning/building code/municipal law/real estate/right-of-way practice. Even folks who have lived here for generations don't like to be crowded by bureaucrats or anyone who disrespects a boundary line or a right-of-way, however tenuous the basis.
Finally, of course, there is technological change. Most of the local bar now possess fax machines and cell phones. We have computers, scanners, and digital cameras. Sometimes we even use them in our practice (not the cell phones — in the mountains, they're about as reliable as tin cans and waxed strings). But mostly, we pass along vital information over the counters in the record room of the clerk's office or in the parking lot beside the courthouse. Even in this e-world, word of mouth still sets the small-town standard: "Good news travels fast; bad news travels faster."
My young associate constantly remarks that I seem to know "everything." I have to smile benignly, recalling that when I was his age, I, too, knew very little and understood almost everything. I find now that the more I learn, the less I understand. If I practice long enough, I suppose I will know everything and understand absolutely nothing. But that's okay, because in a small town, while the world swirls around us, we all grow old together at the same pace and hardly notice the change.
© 2009 George W. Shanks
George W. Shanks is a partner of Miller, Earle & Shanks PLLC in Luray, VA, and is past-chair of the Virginia State Bar Conference of Local Bar Associations and Senior Lawyers Conference, serves on the Virginia State Bar Council, and is a member of the Executive Committee.


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Woman live streams harassment she experiences at work
Makana Milho, a 21-year-old woman from Hawaii, has been minding her own business.
She is complying with her probation and completing her six days of community service.
Unfortunately, she has struggled to do this because sexual harassment by her supervisor has been interfering with her ability to do her work.
Her attorney, Myles Breiner, said Milho's supervisor drove her to a park when there was no one else around and asked for sex.
Milho, thinking quickly and fearing for her safety, turned to Facebook Live to secretly record and broadcast the situation:
In the video, you can hear the man promising her that she can go home early in return for sexual favors.
She said she was inspired by the actions of Philando Castile's girlfriend, who streamed her boyfriend's death on Facebook Live.
Milho had to take the video down after she faced even more harassment from victim blamers.
"The universe was spinning," Milho told The Daily Beast. "I thought he could do basically anything to me. I felt my power was stripped away from me."
She said people were making fun of her and she couldn't stand having a punchline made of something serious that happened to her.
Breiner said he agreed to advocate for Milho, a transgender person, because the judicial system has a tendency to disregard claims of sexual assault from other transgender people.
The man in the video, Harold Villanueva Jr. was charged sexual assault this week.
RELATED: Triple shooting captured on Facebook Live:

subset: commoncrawl


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Hi, my name is Hermano, and I'm from Brazil and will be living in Germany for a year and a half. First 6 months I will be in Köln! So I was wondering if you know someone there that I can train with and learn, I'm just starting in calisthenics...I would be glad if you know some parks that I could train in Köln!
Hope you can help!
Sorry for the english, I still don't know much Deutsch yet, in this 6 months I will be doing an intensive course in Köln!
Auf Wiedersehen!
|Registriert am:


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12 things I learned in my first year of using the Bullet Journal/
12 .You probably don't need all the collections you think you do
When you're starting out, you're probably mystified by the idea of collections. It can be exciting to want to add collections such as books you want to read, movies you want to watch, etc.
Unless you spend a year in one notebook, chances are your Bullet Journals will be high-turnover and you might be wondering whether these collections need to be migrated and carried over every time. The short answer is 'no.'
Instead, continue to add to the lists in the original notebooks and perhaps place a page tab so that you can easily locate them again when searching for these collections in your previous notebooks (you could also go by the index, but the page tabs give an indication of continuity with pages that are still purposeful). Another option is to give them a permanent home either in a separate notebook where you keep collections that don't need constant attention such as the ones mentioned. Note that you probably don't need to carry these collections around with you, either, in case you were thinking about carrying a notebook like this along.
The concept of 'collections' in the bullet journal is a generous term that project tasks, sketches, and journaling fit under, but it doesn't mean any of these need to be migrated to a new notebook.
The collections that should be in your notebook are those that are truly relevant and meaningful to your life in some way.
This can include quotes, project tasks, household cleaning, budgeting, gratitude, food log, notes, and others.
Also note that you don't need to have any collections at all if you don't want to.
Focus on creating collections that serve an immediate purpose in your life. When you get a new Bullet Journal, migrate the remaining relevant open tasks from pertinent collections.
11 .Keep in mind the word 'log' in the system.
The monthly and daily logs both act as a way to log what happened. When we think of what is contained in a month, we think towards the future and what will happen; same with the day, we think about what will happen during the day. With the Bullet Journal, the system takes into consideration that real life happens and not just what was planned on may want to be recorded.
As the day goes on, write down noteworthy things that happened such as a pleasant interaction you had with someone else, the new recipe you tried and how it was, what your thoughts are on, and such. This will create a treasure trove of memories to flip back through over the years.
Try to think of your bullet journal as your capture device with your daily log as a real-time record of it all. Each night reflect on the most significant things that stood out to you and in a short snippet log those in the month log. This will give you an excellent overview of what happened that month.
10 . Invest in a nice notebook to house your memories.
Take some time to leaf through notebooks and read reviews of the notebooks you're interested in. Consider contacting online retailers to ask if they'll send you a page sample so you can experience it for yourself.
Investing in a nice notebook will set a tone of longevity. It means that you're actually invested in preserving your memories. It may take a couple tries to get the notebook you like. Once you find the one you like writing in and holding in your hands, it can become a great comfort to leaf through the pages you've written in and created all on your own.
That's a wonderful treasure to hold. I'd preserve those memories in a nice notebook that's already set up for the Bullet Journal such as the Leuchtturm1917, specifically the official Bullet Journal one. The extra nice thing about getting the official one is that if you're ever in a situation where you're describing what the system is to someone, you can flip to the pages at the back and explain it to them a bit better.
Investing in a nice notebook indicates that you're committed to using a notebook that will safely house your memories, which you can take take comfort in the beauty of. This is a wonderful keepsake full of your life's adventures.
9. Design: Add touches of personality
This is a simple thing I learned early on that I love about the Bullet Journal. Because it is essentially a framework you can place in any notebook, you have to write the date each day. The way I was writing the day got old real quick, and I have found a fun interest in making the headers and dates of my Bullet Journal look nice. Trying out new things, even as simple as writing the date differently each day, builds a sense of ownership and provides a creative outlet. It gives it a touch of personality and if you like how you're using it, then that's ultimately what matters the most. Add some design elements that make it completely catered to your liking. I like to mainly write in black ink with bits of colorful headers interspersed throughout.
Add simple design elements to personalize your Bullet Journal and make it your own.
8 . Productivity: think about the next step.*
Sometimes when life demands a lot of us and we write down a lot of tasks, we get bogged down by the sheer number of tasks on our list. If this happens to you, instead of looking around the internet, searching for how to be more productive and get more done (ahem, me), think about the next thing that you could get done from that list.
Ask yourself what is the next thing you could do to move forward. Pick one and get that done. Spend little time deciding, and just do it!
7 . When you add things to the system, you're inviting complexity.
Throughout our Bullet Journal journey we probably think of new things to add to it for whatever reason and we excitedly get going with it. We see what someone else is doing and we emulate or tweak it to our liking. At some point you might feel frazzled and overwhelmed, disinterested, put-off, or stressed. If any of these ring true for you, consider paring down all of the new elements you added, rewatch the videos, carefully go through the website, and start anew. I've done this a few times in my journey and it has helped me to realize what is important and relevant versus what is "too much."
If something feels amiss, pare down to the basics and rewatch the videos here and here.
6 . Focus on simplicity.
This is similar to the point above, but is worth mentioning in another way. If you create layouts, think about how much time you're willing to invest and make them as simple as possible. I'm known for being one who draws up layouts in her Bullet Journal. As useful as these may be, sometimes they can be a time-suck and generate wasted time. Because it's important for me to have information laid out within the structure of a layout, I need it to be detailed enough to include what's important to me, but simple enough that I'll want to make it over and over again. This takes some experimentation to get the right structure for you if you go this route, but it's worth it in my opinion.
Another example is signifiers. In the beginning I had dozens, had trouble keeping up with all of them, and most didn't matter on a day-to-day basis. I've since pared down to using only a handful or so that give my bullets further contextual meaning.
Think about the amount of time you're willing to spend and whether what you're adding is actually benefiting your life and making you happy.
5 . Each notebook has a life of its own.
What I love most about cracking open a new notebook is knowing that it is a new opportunity to store my memories and reflect life as it is true for me in the moment. It develops alongside me and I can cherish all the lessons I've learned and look back on the experiences and thoughts I had at various stages of my life. It's great having something that keeps track of it all for me and develops alongside me.
Find comfort in knowing the legacy you are creating within the pages of your notebooks. Each notebook represents a slice of your life, a book you've created all on your own!
4 . Look in past notebooks for old themes and ideas
As many beautiful memories as previous Bullet Journals have, there are also many experiences in those pages that have some nugget of wisdom to learn from. The wonderful thing about writing things down on paper is the neural connections that are formed to increase the rate of remembering these mistakes. But, we're also visual creatures and as such need to be able to see things to see how they've changed and developed over time.
Leaf through your old pages and review what worked and what didn't work. Bring back experiments that went well, and learn from what you didn't like.
3 . Keep the concept of "use the right tool for the task at hand" in mind.
The Bullet Journal is great, but it cannot give you reminders to feed your dog or take your medications. As much as I tried in the last year, I kept taking my allergy pill at different times each day. It wasn't until I gave in and set a reminder on my phone that I started taking it consistently. At first, I was apprehensive about setting a reminder because I don't like my phone making noises at me. But, something needed to change since my allergies tend to flare up. So, I gave in and downloaded an app (didn't want to clutter up Google calendar with a simple reminder) to remind me to take my allergy pill. Now I take it at the same time each night, no longer spend an extraneous amount of mental bandwidth worrying about it and possibly taking it too late.
In this scenario, having a reminder app alert me to take my allergy medication was the best thing instead of relying on my Bullet Journal to remind me.
Do you need to be reminded of an event in three months? Use an online calendar. Write a novella-sized journal entry each day and burn through your otherwise task-based Bullet Journal? Use a dedicated notebook to journal in. Taking 4 classes at college? Use a dedicated notebook for each course and use the Bullet Journal to track tasks for all of them.
Use the tool that makes the most sense for what you're working on. Think about what you need the Bullet Journal to do for you and use it alongside other tools for maximum productivity.
2 . The system only works if you work it.
If you continually search for ideas and redo things you're going to find yourself wasting a lot of time and not actually getting anything done. Keep it simple. Trust how it's laid out and give it a try exactly as shown, at least once, for a set amount of time. I suggest a month or two at the very least. Keep in the mind the importance of migration and you'll be well on your way to a better Bullet Journal experience.
Review your notebook throughout the day and get things done. Each night, reflect, log noteworthy things in the month log, and migrate and strike-through what isn't worth doing or rewriting.
1 . Use it the way that YOU need to.
Think about this one very carefully.
Do you want it to help you be more productive? Do you want it to also help provide a space for reflection? Do you want to log your food? Create a system that makes sense for you and what matters to you.
Above all, make the Bullet Journal work the way you work. Take some time to learn the system and try out the framework exactly as laid out. As time goes on, you'll find what you like and what you don't like.
Focus on today
Unlike other productivity systems, the Bullet Journal holds a big emphasis on doing. It is not a system that has you dump in all of your tasks, then reshuffle them to all the different contexts. Instead, it's a system that has you think about what's important and relevant right now in your life and jot down the tasks you want to get done for the month. Then, each day, it asks you to quickly jot down the tasks that come to mind and grab a few from the month tasks list. Next, it's up to you to work on them. If you're having trouble figuring out which one to start on first, ask yourself, "What do I need to do right now?" and do that. Place an asterisk for priority to help you focus as you're working through your task list. Signifiers are optional and can unwittingly serve as a form of procrastination as they add context. Use signifiers** sparingly and intentionally.
Each night, look over your daily log and strike out any tasks that don't matter, migrate to the next day the few that do matter, and migrate to the month tasks list the ones you will not do tomorrow. Migration is the strongest component of the system because it forces you to be intentional about your time and what you're willing to invest it on.
Focus on doing. Write down tasks as needed, do what you can and let go of what you won't do by striking it out. Be intentional with what you migrate.
What have you learned from using the Bullet Journal?
*The concept of a 'next step' is something I remember from GTD, it's an excellent tip that works well in the Bullet Journal.
**Signifiers are symbols that give the bullets further significance. As a recap, the bullets are the checkbox/dot for tasks, dot/dash for notes, and open circle for events.
Notebook used in the header image:


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Roman laws acted as the basis for western civilization's laws when they were established during the medieval and early modern periods in Europe. They continue to influence both civil and common laws.
Roman laws acted as a basis for common laws throughout the west during the early modern and medieval periods. For example, they state that no Roman can be condemned for a crime until he can defend himself against his accuser, which is the same basis used for criminal trials. Similarly, they state that the accuser must prove that the criminal committed the crime, and that someone cannot be convicted based on suspicion alone. Such laws acted as a basis for kings establishing royal writs in Europe, which were used to govern the land.
Although few places directly practice Roman law today, the influences still remain. For example, it was the Romans who introduced the practice of writing laws out in the west, and countries continue to offer their citizens the same clarity. Many of the common law principles remain the same, such as the idea that all men are born free and the introduction of contracts to purchasing and hiring processes. In addition, the ideas behind civil laws remain the same, such as states and governments having the right to implement their own legislation.


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*Did you miss the previous posts about our move to Ireland? Start here.
One of our purposes for being in Ireland is for our college age children to go to school here. Cassie has already graduated college, but if she pursues graduate school, UCC (University College Cork, Ireland) is her college of choice. Notice I said "if". Since we've been here, she's been tempted by tantalizing job opportunities for Math majors. She'd love to work for Apple–she's applied for multiple positions there, located near Cork. She has also applied for a position at Aldi. She's networking in these areas and making progress. (I'm rooting for whatever makes her happy!)
But, little brother Nicholas will be starting his Freshman year – with or without big sister on campus to lean on.
FYI: For those of you who are curious about how the tuition compares to U.S. schools, it's comparable to out of state tuition for a state school, which is what we'd have to do if we wanted to move outside of the area anyway. UCC is on the list of schools eligible for federal student loans, which was how Brent and I got through school, and how Cassie did too. *SIGH* I would have loved to have paid their way, but we are doing what we can by providing food, lodging, and a warm smile every day… Anyway, it's all up to him how he handles the tuition. We got him to Ireland – now he can take it from here. I believe in him. He can do anything he sets his heart to do!
But… How does he feel about going to college? Here's our son Nicholas, visiting the UCC campus…not saying much…just walking.
The campus sure is beautiful! Even on a dark rainy day, in the dead of winter, the grounds are impressive…very! I saw Nicholas studying every tree, every building. Hmm… is he inspired to go to school? Will he finally finish the essay for his application?
Meanwhile, I left him alone and enjoyed the campus… Beautiful! I can't believe that flowers are growing in JANUARY! The patch that isn't blooming yet is a rose garden. I look forward to seeing the roses this spring (see the optimism in what I said? I'm assuming we get permission to stay beyond our 90 day stamp).
Look how gorgeous the colors are! IN JANUARY! I'm in Heaven!
This is classic Nicholas, waving whenever he sees me taking a picture of him. He looks like my little boy here – is he really ready for college? Let's give him more time to look around…
I can't believe we're really here! This campus existed only through photos on the school website, and now it's REAL!
WOW, just WOW! What does Nicholas think now? Doesn't it remind you of a scene from Harry Potter? Pure magic.
I love this series of photos I took from afar. There's my son, staring at the quad area of the UCC campus, all alone…looking so small in such a great space. It was a big moment for him. And as I tried to capture it, I felt like I was letting him go. (I will not cry, this will not be like the sand in our eyes when Brent and I watched Toy Story 3!)
And, the moment was over…. He was quickly joined by other visitors on campus. The spell had been cast – he was now a future college student!
He looks quite natural walking on campus, doesn't he?
I love this shot! Nicholas was amused by something a student penned on that banner. I don't remember now what it was, but he agreed with the sentiment of the poster and the added graffiti. I say he's ready for college!
LOVE this one – father and son visiting campus for the first time. I'm noticing how much bigger my son is and how much smaller my husband is. Look at them, they have the same walk. We girls notice this all the time – it's funny, and it's nice. Nicholas may wear a bigger shoe size than Brent now, but he still walks in his Daddy's footsteps – except now they walk together.
Just a reminder that this school is in IRELAND – the green, oh the green! Even in JANUARY!
Aww, this shot makes me tear up a little… there's baby girl, the little sister – not saying much. She's not ready for big brother to go to school.
I pointed out all of the sign posts and I took a picture of the campus map to help Nicholas find his way. That pretty much sums up how I've been as his mother all along – I give him the road map. It's up to him to decide which path to take.


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I am doing some paintings for my new show at the Pasadena Museum of California Art, which will also be a book release party for "Everybody Dies: A Children's Book for Grown Ups". This piece was done in Acrylic ink on Gessoed paper.
This was not a planned painting, I just kept laying on paint until it started to look like something. Have you ever seen a nest of daddy long legs spiders? The huddle together and look like one solid mass of black, but if you poke at them the big ball of blackness breaks up into hundreds of tiny little spider friends.
Please click this Amazon link to pre-order my new book.


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Welcome to our New Facility Use and Rentals Streamlined Process
TexCentro—Reserve. Respect. Repeat.
We appreciate your interest in renting one of our Wimberley ISD facilities. The District offers the rental of school buildings and grounds to the community for educational, recreational, civic and cultural activities to the extent possible under public school laws and regulations. As part of its stewardship of taxpayer resources, the Wimberley ISD Board of Trustees adopted a facility use fee schedule to accommodate community needs. Please review the Facility Use Calendar.
Here's how to register online to rent any Wimberley ISD facility:
- Review the Wimberley ISD Facility Rental Fee Guide
- Please read the Facility Use Rules and Procedures Agreement.
- Create an account on our new TexCentro Portal. Click on right hard corner—Log in to Request Facility Use. Once approved, you will be able to request reservations.
Note that all organized activities, including but not limited to adult and youth sport practices, one-on-one/group training, and lessons at Wimberley ISD facilities require completion of the application and an agreement to be in place before receiving access to any facility.
Please email any questions to the Wimberley ISD Facility Use Coordinator.
We look forward to serving all our local organizations!


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Festivals & Events:
Michael Franti & Spearhead
One of Telluride's favorite bands returns to the stage at Telluride Conference Center this summer. Michael Franti is offering an intimate yoga class before the show, also a Meet and Greet so check out all the varieties of tickets on sale for this event. See you there!
Tickets on sale Monday June 8th at 10am MST. All ages show.


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Monday, January 10, 2011
Who Likes Snow?
27 comments:
- Shawnee the Shepherd said...
I like snow the first time it snows then I has had enuff! We is getting a third big snow STORM tomorrow. I try to blow it your way, k?
- January 10, 2011 at 8:48:00 PM PST
- Maggie and Mitch said...
What? Your hoomans don't shovel you a spot where you can see the grass, Sparky?!
We loved your video!
Love ya lots
Maggie and Mitch
- January 11, 2011 at 2:06:00 AM PST
- the 4 Bs said...
hey Sparky! it's fun to see you playing in the snow. we love snow too!
- January 11, 2011 at 7:08:00 PM PST
- Lorenza said...
Pawesome snowy video!
I hope you all are doing well!
Kisses and hugs
- January 11, 2011 at 7:20:00 PM PST
- k9 said...
Hey Sparky! its always fun to play with snow. looking cool with cool ice
Dog Joint Supplements
- January 14, 2011 at 11:16:00 AM PST
- KEY WEST COLLIES said...
We love snow. Please send some to Key West.
Essex & Deacon
- January 20, 2011 at 5:36:00 PM PST
- euthymic said...
We dogs live in a tropical climate so we haven't experienced snow, but our humans have.
- January 24, 2011 at 6:24:00 AM PST
We're lucky enough to have a Husky, who loves the snow (and she's lucky that we live in Rochester, so she gets plenty of it). Me, I'm lucky to have a pair of flannel-lined jeans and new warm hat.
- - - - - - -
dog beds and more
- January 24, 2011 at 9:12:00 AM PST
- parlance said...
Very poetic piece, Sparky - especially the mysterious paw prints in the snow.
- January 25, 2011 at 3:53:00 AM PST
- Dog Walker Los Angeles said...
Sparky is very active nice to see the video i really enjoyed with this video ...
- January 26, 2011 at 10:04:00 PM PST
- euthymic said...
pooping in snow higher than one's bun can be like a cold ice spa...BOL
Mocha Barney, Ashley Pumpernickel, and Winniechurchill
- January 29, 2011 at 6:35:00 PM PST
- Jan's Funny Farm said...
Hmmmm, how did we miss this post? We check on you occasionally to see if you've posted. Hope you aren't overwhelmed with snow now.
- February 5, 2011 at 5:31:00 PM PST
- Amber-Mae said...
LOVED the video! And I like snow. I got to play in snow for the very 1st time 2 weeks ago but it was fake snow. I wish to play in real snow some day.
- February 20, 2011 at 8:03:00 AM PST
- The Thuglets said...
Sparky..we love the snow too. Great video!
We wish you would post more often ..we miss you!
Big Nose Pokes
The THugletsx
- February 25, 2011 at 12:13:00 AM PST
- Moco said...
Great snow video.
- March 23, 2011 at 8:27:00 PM PDT
- Mango said...
Sparky! I am so glad I found your blog. You know what? I remember you from a long time ago and that I used to read your blog and somehow it went missing in one of momma's ill timed sweeps of her google reader.
No worries, back in action and awaiting your next post.
- April 30, 2011 at 2:44:00 AM PDT
- Pet Sitter Los Angeles said...
Nice video!!!
loved the video, Now I am thinking for a weekend in the winter because i really like to play with snow..
Thanks for your blog!!
- May 20, 2011 at 9:39:00 PM PDT
- wow power leveling said...
I like throw snowballs when i was yong : )
- June 22, 2011 at 6:26:00 PM PDT
- Shane Kent Louis said...
I really enjoy watching the video! I like playing in the snow! ^_^
Dog Fence
- August 3, 2011 at 11:33:00 PM PDT
- Eric said...
Hey Sparky that video was well wicked!!
Weird or what this morning before I went walkies we had the TV on to watch a kids programme "Who let the Dogs out" all about little dustbin lids teaching us dogs tricks..and they showed videos of dogs doing tricks....and Sparky...I could hardly believe my pies.... I saw YOU...they kept showing quick snatches of videos and some of the videos were yours...yeah YOU pal. WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Your a legend in your own lunchtime all the way over the big pee. Lizzie too.!!!!! WOOOHOOO!!!! Smashing 'eh? It made my day.
Wiry love n kisses Eric xxxx
- November 5, 2011 at 4:43:00 PM PDT
- Keith Andrea said...
I really, really, really want to experience snow but how can I? There's no snow in our place..:(
Dog Fence
Pet Solutions
Its All About Bichon
- December 14, 2011 at 12:24:00 AM PST
- Willie Hallman said...
I really enjoyed Sparky playing in the snow. Sparky is a beautiful dog.
- January 14, 2013 at 11:40:00 AM PST
- Clark Thomas said...
Your hoomans don't shovel you a spot where you can see the grass, Sparky?!
We loved your video!Challenge coins
- July 3, 2013 at 4:51:00 AM PDT
- Logical Heating & Plumbing Solutions said...
LHPS Plumbing - boiler repair bromley are the experts to name for a wide range of home and commercial plumbing services to Croydon and the surrounding area, including CCTV drain inspections, installation of rainwater tanks, blocked drains and fuel service repairs. In case you are trying to discover a plumber from a good plumbing firm in an emergency, you will be glad to know that we now have a 24 hr plumbing staff for emergency plumbing services in Croydon, defending plumber croydon the complete of the Croydon Borough and surrounding areas.
- June 12, 2015 at 7:35:00 AM PDT
- Bren + Lucy said...
So much time to re-connect with you
christmas hampers with scotch
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Inspired and lovely
- October 17, 2015 at 11:26:00 PM PDT
- Mahesh said...
Telangana Film Chamber of Commerce was established in the year 2014, in Hyderabad, Telangana State, to cater the needs of the tollywood Art and Craft. Represent by its President Mr. Pratani Rama Krishana Goud, who has vast exprience in the film industries as an Actor, Producer, Director, Exhibitor.Telangana Film Chamber and Telangana Film Chamber of Commerce
- November 4, 2015 at 11:21:00 AM PST
- World of Animals, Inc said...
The video is just perfectly done and snow looks like it's no problem for you to have fun in. Great time and post. Thanks for sharing with us. Have a wonderful holiday weekend.
World of Animals
- August 31, 2019 at 7:53:00 AM PDT


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This was the first full day of adventuring after I arrived back from Costa Rica, being away from Lincoln and the worry that I wouldn't be let back into the USA. It was heaps of fun and we saw some really cool things in Las Vegas. We drove up from Los Angeles and our first stop was downtown, specifically the Downtown Container Park .
Downtown Container Park is full of boutique stores, restaurants and little cafes, salons, it has a playground for children and also an area with a stage and couches where they occasionally have music acts. We had lunch and a drink at Cheffini's Hot Dogs and also wandered around for a while.
We also went to Park on Fremont for their happy hour. We tried their garbage fries and had a drink while playing trivia with one another. The decor there was super quirky and the staff were really friendly.
We then went to the International Trump Hotel (full review here) where we entered through the compulsory valet with our banged up car. When we checked in, we tried out the $20 trick which I'd read about prior to staying.
To do the $20 trick, when you're checking in and the staff member asks for your credit card and ID, also hand over a $20 note. While doing this, ask if they have any complimentary upgrades available. At this point, they'll see what they have available and either upgrade you – or return your $20. There is no harm in asking when the worst case scenario is that they won't have anything to offer.
This worked spectacularly in our case as we were upgraded to a one bedroom suite overlooking the strip – which was very impressive!
We ended up spending the rest of the night at the hotel watching tv and we got room service which was awesome.
Here is the video of this day if you'd like to watch.
Thanks for reading!


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Pro Se
A publisher of Genre Fiction and New Pulp, Pro Se Productions announces an open call for submissions for an upcoming anthology featuring soldiers, battles, tactical strategy, and more. Harkening back to a classic story trope from the early 20th Century, Pro Se opens up for proposals for PULP AT WAR!
"We've had requests," says Tommy Hancock, Partner in and Editor in Chief of Pro Se, "since we started doing anthologies for a War book. Not one that was populated with futuristic battle or focused on ancient armies attacking one another, but a collection reminiscent of Armed Forces stories in the pulps, comics, and movies of the early to mid 20th Century. And it's a popular subgenre, in times of war and peace. Hollywood built a whole wing of its dream factory around John Wayne and other stars putting on fatigues and hoisting the flag high above their heads. PULP AT WAR gives authors the chance to write those sort of tales, but opens up the venue to any war from World War I forward. Having said that, though, we don't want spy stories or mysteries masquerading as war tales. These must be stories focused on the soldier, from the every day grunt living and dying for his or her country to the General who rides into battle ahead of the troops. Whatever the plot, these will be stories about the soldier in battle."
Proposals for PULP AT WAR must be focused on soldiers in actual armed conflicts taken from history. Beginning with World War 1, any known War or military action can be used as the setting and the central character(s) must be enlisted in the Armed Forces in some form or fashion. Also, no supernatural/extranormal elements may be included in the stories. The tales in this collection must be reality based fiction. Also, the Wars in question as well as the soldiers spotlighted do not have to be conflicts involving the US or necessarily United States forces.
Stories for PULP AT WAR must be 10,000 words in length. A proposal of 100-500 words must be submitted to firstname.lastname@example.com. Authors not previously published by Pro Se Productions must submit a writing sample of at least two pages with their proposals. Authors whose proposals are accepted must submit the first four pages of their accepted stories as quickly as possible for review by Pro Se staff. Final deadline for completed stories is 90 days following acceptance of proposals.
PULP AT WAR is scheduled for publication in mid to late 2015 by Pro Se Productions.
For more information on this title, contact Morgan Minor, Pro Se's Director of Corporate Operations, at email@example.com.
For more information on Pro Se Productions, go to www.prose-press.com. Like Pro Se on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ProSeProductions.


text:
New 2019 KiaForte S Sedan
- Stock: KE115978
- Fuel Economy
- 30.0/40.0 mpg City/Hwy
- Exterior Color
- Aurora Black
- Interior Color
- Black
- Body/Seating
- Sedan/5 seats
- Transmission
- continuously variable automatic
- Drivetrain
- front-wheel
- Engine
- 2.0L I-4 cyl
Highlighted Features
- Lane departure
- Automatic temperature control
- Wireless phone connectivity
- Exterior parking camera rear
- Front dual zone A/C
- Split folding rear seat
- Remote keyless entry
- Steering wheel mounted audio controls
Detailed Specifications
KBB.com Consumer Reviews
- 5.0
Love it
By Dale on Tuesday, July 30, 2019Got one for my wife first the EX Forte. Then got one for my daughter EX also . Don't under stand some people say they lack power from me driving they have plenty of power they blew my honda civic away lo.
- 5.0
Love it so much I own two
By Scooter on Sunday, June 30, 2019This is by far the best value in the compact class. I bought an S for my wife and loved it so much I traded my Buick La Crosse for one. Loaded with safety and tech features that would cost so much more from any other manufacturer. Drives and handles like an expensive sports car but priced so most anybody can afford one(or two in my case). If you want flat out acceleration this is not the car for you but for most everybody else this is the best value for the money I have ever seen from any manufacturer. Interior is top notch,easy controls and the regular stereo system is outstanding. You really need to test drive one and see for yourself.
- 4.0
Not a mini stinger/ Big on safety and economy!
By Car maniac Davy C on Wednesday, June 05, 2019No carbon copy of the famous stinger. But Kia has a ringer in a car here. You would be stupid if you do not test drive one of these cars. You will be like me and buy one of these because where else can you find a brand new car for under $18,000 that is full of options. This car is the size of a Chevy Impala. But what I love about it is it gets 40 some miles to the gallon about Everywhere I Go. I pushed it to the limits this weekend and went to a wedding in the mountains. It climbed all of the hills in the twisting turning roads. And handled about 110 miles an hour on the interstate with no problem. The funny thing is I still got 43.5 miles to the gallon. So people that complain about the power remember that when you go to the gas pump. The only major problem I have incurred is the short pipe it has to the gas tank when I pump gas . I have backsplash numerous times do to such a short passageway to the gas tank . So now I just put $20 in when it gets down there empty and call it a day . I have its cousin the 2013 Elantra. It's an awesome car but the most I ever get out of its 1.8 L regular transmission is 35 miles to the gallon and that's on a good day. This car has more room and feels a lot bigger than a subcompact car. I love all of the safety features like Lane assist and frontal impact crash stop. I love it when a high-dollar car comes like a Lexus or BMW or Mercedes and I can take my hands off the wheel and wave and say hello to them for paying $30,000 more. It also has dual climate control and has a nice expensive look to it. I love the old style vents and the nice 9-inch Android and apple autoplay. The chain drive automatic transmission that is CVT is doing good with gas mileage. It sounds like an electric car it's so quiet. Kia is getting a lot of things right. If you are not a prude and don't want to spend a lot of money on a car. You will get more than your money's worth out of the Kia XLS platform. It will only set you back 19 big ones and sometimes cheaper. Bought this car for my spouse . She never wants to let me drive it . I know why it's such a cool car she loves it . And so does my pocketbook . What a deal! I call this car the used car Buster!
*Suggested Retail Price(s) do not include license, registration, fees and taxes. Suggested Retail Price(s) does include documentary fee of $349.00.
* Although every reasonable effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of the information contained on this site, absolute accuracy cannot be guaranteed. This site, and all information and materials appearing on it, are presented to the user "as is" without warranty of any kind, either express or implied, including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title or non-infringement. All vehicles are subject to prior sale. Price does not include applicable tax, title, and license. Not responsible for typographical errors. RK Internet price is valid BY APPOINTMENT ONLY through our Internet Department and must be PRINTED OUT and BROUGHT TO THE DEALERSHIP. Please verify any information in questions with RK. Call 877-361-5332 to make your test drive reservation.


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Yoga is learning to live in present moment 24 hours a day, so no matter what you are doing...whether it is making supper, washing dishes or working at your chosen vocation, if you are in present moment you are doing yoga!
Vinyasa Flow Classes: This class utilizes the sun salutations and links the asana (pose) with vinyasas (basically a sun salutation). It is a more challenging class and it is usually advisable to take a beginners class before you come to this class. Monday 6:30 PM and Wednesday at 5:45 PM
Gentle Vinyasa Flow: This class is a gentler form of the vinyasa flow class. We use a modified version of the sun salutations and move at a slower pace than the traditional vinyasa class. The use of blocks, straps and blankets make the poses available to most. Beginners will do well in this class. Thursday 4:00 PM
Gentle Class: This class does not use the sun salutations and thus can be an option for people who have limitations and cannot do full sun salutations. We focus on using the asana and breath to open the energy of the body and build flexibility. The use of blocks, straps, and blankets are used to make the poses accessible to most people. This class is appropriate for beginners as well as the more seasoned yogi. Tuesday AM 8:30-9:45
Chair Yoga: This is a good class for anyone who would love to get the benefits of yoga, but a regular or even gentle class is just too strenuous. Or perhaps transitioning from being on the mat to standing, or balance is a problem. We will do everything seated in a chair, or supported by the chair. Wednesday 9:00-10:15 AM
Restorative Yoga: Fridays 8:30 AM In this class we will practice gentle yoga poses with the support of Bolsters, Blankets, and Straps to allow the body to relax into the pose and receive a long deep stretch. We will also use the therapy balls during this class to help relieve tension in the joints. This class is appropriate for anyone, even if you have never done yoga
Introduction to Yoga: This class is offered in a six week session and is intended as an introduction into the breath and asana of yoga. We will spend time learning how to breathe and then move into the practice of yoga, learning the asana in a slow and safe manner. If you would like to sign up for this class, contact Dana at her email or at 320-266-5476.
Private Yoga Session: Not ready to do yoga in a class? I will do private yoga sessions by appointment. It will be tailored to what you are looking to gain from yoga and to your current yoga abilities. To inquire about this or set up a yoga session, contact me at the above phone or my email email@example.com
The studio will be closed on the following Holidays:
New Years Day, Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas Day
All yoga classes have a strong emphasis on the breath. Prior to class you should refrain from eating within 2 hours of the class,
The studio does have mats, blocks, straps, blankets, and bolsters, but you can feel free to bring your own if you like.
All classes are $12 drop in rate, or $54.00 for a six week session one day a week, or $96 for a six week session two days a week. With the session prices the classes must be used up within the six weeks. Unlimited yoga for six week session $150
Private Yoga sessions: $45 a private class


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Total Confidence
". . . touched His cloak." Mark 5:27
"If I could see a miracle, I would have faith in Jesus," is a phrase we all have heard spoken thousands of times by skeptics and well-meaning seekers. But faith is nothing more than having full confidence in God, and nothing less. The synagogue official and the woman do not come to faith after they are healed; they had full confidence in Jesus prior, that led to their healing. These two stories in Mark chapter 5 are here to show the strategic role faith plays in getting things moving forward.
Faith; Opens the Door.
Faith brings the power of God to those who are powerless. Faith can be wavering, imperfect, bold and brave. What counts is that it has to be directed towards Jesus. What saved the father's daughter and this woman was their faith directed towards Jesus.
Faith; Overcomes Detours.
Jairus had to brush off the sad announcement. He had to give a cold shoulder to the laughter of the mourners, he had to overlook opinion of his religious friends. The woman had to push her way through the crowd and overcome any sense of shame and fear of contaminating others. Faith steps forward in the midst of intimidation, despite fear. Faith goes forward and refuses to give in and acknowledges Jesus' power to heal.
Faith; Observed in Our Decisions.
Faith is something that can be seen. Neither the man nor the woman identify Jesus as the Messiah, or even as a prophet. They are unclear about who He is, but they believe He has the power to heal and put their faith to the test. Faith doesn't wait, it steps out.
Faith; Originates in Desperation.
The ruler and the woman did not take their situation lying down. They refused to be passive. They hurled themselves at Jesus, fully confident He would provide. For everyone who is shy, ashamed or afraid, we are to come boldly to Jesus and give Him our full confidence.
Are you holding back from giving your full confidence to Him? Have you been afraid of being disappointed? Don't be! Let your desperation drive you to Him.


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If we want to compare Hollywood with something on TV, it is Netflix. It is the new home for amazing TV and media content. With all the time available in the world, a user can make the best out of it by having a Netflix subscription. It is cheap, fully customisable and wireless.
Netflix users' need a Netflix app, an internet connection and a Netflix Com Activate code to get going in a smooth way. This is sort of a third-party authentication to safeguard users from fraudulent. Here we will discuss why Netflix shows error code 1012 and how to solve it.
About error code 1012
Now that we know that Netflix has a security measure which is more efficient than our everyday credit card security, let's talk about the issue. Help.Netflix.Com explains that a Netflix account always has a payment method attached to it for future subscription renewal. It also supports pay per view and one-click payment if credit cards are attached, which is one of the most common payment methods. Now, 2-factor authentication makes sure that there are no accidental payments made.
This 2-factor authentication is achieved by using Netflix Com Login. Once we are inside the system, we need some other kind of authentication which can be done using parental settings. Parental settings are done so that the kids do not make any kind of accidental purchases. Parental settings make use of a code, which can be set by parents. Once their children try to purchase something, they cannot do so without the parental lock being removed or if they know the code. It also filters out explicit content, meaning that the user is safe from any content which is not intended for them to see.
How to solve the error code 1012?
The error code 1012 can arise out of a lot of issues and on a lot of devices. So, we will go step by step to ensure that the error code is removed and resolved. As the Netflix Help Center confirms, the issue might arise from a lot of spots in the service chain. It can be an issue with the app such as not updated or cache issues. The issue can also be with the Netflix information which is stored in the app. It can be information related to the account username, password as well as payment method. All of this information can be added and modified from various places.
Hence if you change the password from PC but do not update the app, the error code might show up. There can also be any issue with the www Netflix Com Activate where repetitive activation is needed after some months if Netflix senses that you have changed the device. So, to solve the problem, try modifying the internet connection settings. Check if the internet is working. If it is working, we will move on to the next step.
Try to reinstall the application. This will remove the cache and all of the processes would have to be done again. So, as Netflix.Com Sign In Help suggests, try logging in with the latest information credentials. Once it has been done, check if the app is working now. If it still is not working, try resetting your device which is normally a device running iOS in this case. it can also be done by using hardware buttons. This would erase any data you have on it and a fresh start would be needed. Hence a data backup is highly preferred. If all of these do not work, try resetting the network you are on and try changing the network.


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Tale of Two RRSPs Calculator
Try the calculator below >
Your RRSP is one of the most effective tools available to help with retirement planning. This financial planning calculator lets you explore five strategies to enhance the growth of your investments. Each strategy on its own can make a significant impact on your investment but combining all five strategies has an even greater impact.
See Also: Infographic: 10 Ways to Grow Your RRSP
See Also: Will the Money Last?
1. Increase your annual investment
The best growth in your investment will be achieved when you contribute as much as possible in each of your working years.
2. Invest early in the year
Your investment will grow to a larger value simply by changing the time of year when you contribute.
3. Start investing early in life
Investing early in your career, even if you start with smaller contributions, is one of the best ways to grow your RRSP.
See Also: Start Early Calculator
4. Invest longer by retiring later
Retiring later, even by a few years, can add extra contributions and growth to your investment.
5. Earn a higher rate of return
Earning a higher rate of return, even by 1% or 2%, can make a dramatic difference over the long term. Stay within your risk tolerance level when seeking investments with higher returns.
Use the calculator to explore these five strategies: increase your monthly or anual investment, invest earlier in the year, start investing early in life, invest longer by retiring later and earn a higher rate of return.


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358-Room Resort Also Has Over 16,000 Sq Ft Of Meeting Space, A Spa, Five Restaurants - Ko Olina, Hawaii/
Speaking of good… any Four Seasons opening is a good thing. Another Four Seasons in Hawaii is a really good thing. It's not "new" new, in that it used to be the JW Ihilani, but since everything will be different… Enter the new Four Seasons Resort O'ahu at Ko Olina.
Adjacent to the Lanikuhonua ("where heaven meets earth") Cultural Estate and nature preserve, the newest Four Seasons in Hawaii is located on the ocean in the resort community of Ko Olina, meaning "place of joy." Note… I have a very stupid cultural question… when Hawaiians are talking does one say, "Hey where are you going today", and the other replies… "To the place of joy where heaven meets earth. Wanna come?" And the first guy answers, "Nah… been there, done that."?
Sorry… getting back on track… just 17 miles from Honolulu International Airport, the 358-room resort also has over 16,000 square feet of meeting space, a spa, five restaurants… and as a total surprise for an Hawaiian resort… a great beach and a bunch of pools. And remember, after relaxing for a few days at this resort, you can head over to the Four Seasons Lanai and un-wind.


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Club History
Minto Golf Club was founded in 1928 and the course was constructed over a period of 4 years. It was designed as a 9 hole course and was first played in 1933. The clubhouse at the time stood on the ground adjacent to the 15th green at the lower end of the present 18 hole course. In 1973 more land was acquired and 10 new holes brought in to play in 1977. A short par 3 was dropped from the original 9 holes.
In 1992 a new clubhouse was built with assistance from some of the members. The panoramic view from the windows and terracing are very much admired and appreciated by visitors to the Club.
The most prominent feature in view is Ruberslaw Hill. This peak (1392 feet) was made famous during the period of the Covenanters. Secret meetings were held at the top of the hill at a place known as Pedens Pulpit, named after Alexander Peden who wore a ghoulish mask to protect his identity. (The mask is on view in the Museum of Scotland, Edinburgh.)
Further alterations were made in 1999 to the 4th & 5th holes with construction of a completely new 8th hole. This hole was officially opened in 2001 by Mrs. R. Oliver, the wife of the late Mr. J.K.M. Oliver, a well known racehorse trainer and past Captain of Minto Golf Club. Mr. Oliver was known to his many friends as the 'Benign Bishop', hence the name of the 8th hole.
Further improvements to the course have been made in 2005 through 2007 with new tees and bunkers strategically positioned resulting in the standard scratch being raised to 68. See course layout for further details.


text: On November 11, 1991, Captain Harold Daniels was bludgeoned by an inmate armed with a sock filled with bars of soap in the main rotunda tunnel near Gate 8, at Stateville. Captain Daniels died on February 29, 1992, as a result of the assault. Four inmates were indicted, but none convicted.


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Amazon will debut its third pilot season August 28 on Amazon Instant Video in the U.S. and the UK as well as Amazon's instant video app . Once again, customers will be invited to give feedback. Amazon is making five pilots available: The Cosmopolitans, a romantic comedy set in Paris from Whit Stillman, with Adam Brody and Chloë Sevigny; Jay Chandrasekhar's marriage comedy Really, with Sarah Chalke and Selma Blair; 1980s comedy Red Oaks, produced by Steven Soderbergh; Marc Forster's vigilante drama Hand Of God, toplined by Ron Perlman and Dana Delany; and Shaun Cassidy's thriller Hysteria starring Mena Suvari. "There is something for everyone in this season," Amazon Studios director Roy Price said. Amazon Studios has several other comedy and drama pilots in various stages of production, Mad Dogs, Cocked, Point Of Honor, Salem Rogers, Down Dog, The Outlaws, The Man In High Castle and Just Add Magic. Amazon's most recent pilot season resulted in four series pickups, Transparent, Mozart In The Jungle, Bosch, The After.
Hand Of God
Marking the television debut of renowned filmmaker Marc Forster (World War Z) and written by Ben Watkins, Hand of God stars Golden Globe winner Ron Perlman in his first lead television role since Sons of Anarchy as "Judge Pernell Harris." Hand of God also stars Dana Delany as the Judge's protective wife "Crystal Harris," Garret Dillahunt as "KD," the born-again sociopath whose violent tendencies are exploited by Pernell, Andre Royo as the slick, smart, gregarious, and greedy mayor "Robert 'Bobo' Boston," Alona Tal as Pernell's grieving daughter-in-law "Jocelyn Harris," Julian Morris as the questionable preacher "Paul Curtis," Elizabeth McLaughlin as the preacher's sultry girlfriend "Alicia," and Emayatzy Corinealdi as Pernell's call girl and confidante "Tessie." The show centers on the powerful Judge Harris, a hard-living, law-bending married man with a high-end call girl on the side, who suffers a mental breakdown and goes on a vigilante quest to find the rapist who tore his family apart. With no real evidence to go on, Pernell begins to rely on "visions" and "messages" he believes are being sent by God through Pernell's ventilator-bound son. Forster, Watkins, Perlman, Brian Wilkins and Jeff King are Executive Producers, and Jillian Kugler is co-Executive Producer.
#HandOfGod will be released Aug 28 on Amazon! YOU get to rate it & decide if it goes to series. http://t.co/djkbocKnGl
— Julian Morris (@Ju1ianMorris) August 11, 2014
It's official. #HandofGod goes live August 28! Let the countdown begin… pic.twitter.com/1vPPrnKN0n
— Ben Watkins (@_Benipedia_) August 11, 2014


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J Mac brings us former gymnast Kelsi to show off her monster booty. Kelsi was a blast to hang out with. She showed us some of her acrobatic skills and did a phenomenal naked, walking handstand while pulling her legs apart spread eagle. This is one gal J Mac was ready to marry and there is no reason to agree with that decision once you see how amazing this woman is! She showed off her flexibility over and over again to the utter astonishment of us all! Kelsi is absolutely one of the best girls we've had all year long! This is a can't miss update!
Date: July 13, 2017


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Join your Chapter's Group Page by going to Connect then Groups. Don't forget your Council and any of the other special interest groups in the TU community. You can also connect with your friends when you click on thier user name.
The Stonefly Society Chapter Blog
Probably can't see me. Read More
There is a group for Utah women who flyfish. Check it out on Facebook at Utah Women Flyfishers. Read More
Be sure to support Utah wildlife by purchasing your Utah hunting and fishing license. Read More
This Is Fly Magazine takes a look into the personal account of one man's adventures on the famous Green River outside of Dutch John, Utah. Flip... Read More
2014 Utah Single Fly dates are set! Read More
Recently a Facebook posting about the Wyoming Cutt-Slam program jolted loose some memories regarding the native fish of Utah. Read More
Teams prepare to launch their boats on the Green River's "A" section during last week's Utah Single Fly event held near Dutch John, Utah. Read More


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The 1966 Westall UFO Incident - 200 Witnesses, No Explanation
On April 6th 1966, around 200 school students and teachers were witness to a strange object in the skies above their school in Westall near Melbourne, Australia. Almost 50 years later and there is still no explanation as to what it was these people saw, and with evidence limited to the varying testimonies of the witnesses, it remains unlikely that one will ever arise.
It all started as a late morning sports session was wrapping up on the school's cricket oval. As the children and teachers prepared to head back in, murmurings of a strange object in the sky began to turn heads.
"We were out on the oval playing sports," said witness Terry Peck in a TV documentary. "One of the kids yelled out 'Look, look up in the sky, a flying saucer', and I remember we all looked up and, it really was a flying saucer." Peck continues "It was a round silver disc, it seemed to be very low over the school and I remember kids screaming and running inside."
But it wasn't just the children that witnessed the object. The massive panic spread through the school like a wave, and many teacher both inside and outside the building were witness to the events unfolding on the oval. Verbal reports from teachers are unfortunately lacking, however of those that do exist, be they from adults or children, almost all of the reports agree that the object was able to move at an alarming speed, something it demonstrated after its initial hovering above the school.
After the initial disc-shaped object was spotted, some witnesses reported seeing a collection of five smaller objects circling and following it. Initial explanations that these objects were small Cessna-like aircraft seemed thwarted when local air traffic control and military authorities both confirmed there was no air traffic in the area at the time. However, this lack of record should not rule out the possibility that civilian or military aircraft were present at the time. Whatever these objects were though, their appearance almost immediately led to the disappearance of the silver disc, which swiftly made for a nearby pasture known as 'The Grange'. The school children, or at least the ones who weren't too terrified, set off in pursuit of the object.
According to her friends, a girl by the name of Tanya was the first to reach the site. What happened when she got there will never be known because by the time the rest of the group arrived, Tanya, according to some witnesses, was found passed-out on the grass. What caused this momentary lapse of consciousness remains a mystery, but the consensus among her companions was that Tanya had touched the object as it lay seemingly dormant in The Grange. However, one of her friends remembers it differently...
"Tanya had gone back to school and had basically gone to pieces," said Tanya's friend, Jacqueline Argent. "There was definitely an ambulance on the oval and I was told she had been taken away in the ambulance. And that was the last time I ever saw her."
Whether Tanya had made it back to school or not, the ending seems to be the same.
With the school abuzz following the exciting events of the morning, the school's Principal called an emergency assembly of the school's student body and faculty. There, he told the school's population that what they saw wasn't real, it didn't happen and they should absolutely not discuss it any further. The Principals words were added to by a group of suited officials who advised the children that what they saw was nothing but an experimental craft. The children were once again warned that they should not speak of the incident ever again.
Despite this enforced silence, journalists soon caught wind of the story and they came to the school in their droves. But when they started to conduct interviews with the witnesses, the local police force intervened and ordered them to stop what they were doing and leave school grounds with immediate effect. So jumbled are reports about what happened that day, many teachers are reported to have claimed that there was no object and it was, in fact, a case of mass hysteria. But for many of the child witnesses this explanation goes against everything they believe they witnessed.
The reports by some children that mysterious officials mentioned experimental aircraft would seem to bolster the common theory with cases like this, that the object was military in origin. But when investigators have requested information from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), they have been met with silence. Stranger still, when freedom of information requests were made and RAAF files turned over, not a single file mentioned the events of April 6th 1966. This silence and mystery is echoed in almost all avenues of investigation, written reports are few and far between and requests for information from local police and air traffic authorities return nothing of value.
In fact, the only documented explanation for the events was provided when a local newspaper revealed that a weather balloon was released earlier that morning. The wind that balloon was released into may well have taken it on a path over Westall, but you try and tell the witnesses that what they saw was a weather balloon and you would be met with nothing but raised eyebrows.
Is there a case that this could have simply been a weather balloon sparking chaos and panic among a young school populace? Of course. The fact that witness accounts are so varying would certainly add credence to such an explanation, but even if it were a weather balloon, there a number of questions that witnesses would surely like answered. How and why were these mysterious military representatives on the scene so quickly? If it was a weather balloon, why was silence urged by them and the principal? Conversely, if it was a secret craft, does it really need to stay secret today, almost 50 years since the incident occurred? All of these questions, and more, are ones that witnesses to the Westall UFO incident want answers to.


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Rock veteran Otway dubbed himself "rock'n'roll's greatest failure" after many unsuccessful attempts to produce a second hit single to follow his 1977 classic (Cor Baby, That's) Really Free with Wild Willy Barrett. However, a mere quarter century later, he was back on Top of The Pops with the wonderful disco pastiche, 'Bunsen Burner' and back in the charts as a birthday present from his adoring and patient fans. And, more recently, his "Beware Of The Flowers Cause I'm Sure They're Going To Get You Yeah" voted the seventh greatest lyric of all time in a BBC poll.
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Vollhardt, Ines M. G. and Tscharntke, Teja and Wäckers, Felix L. and Bianchi, Felix J. J. A. and Thies, Carsten (2008) Similar diversity of cereal aphid parasitoids in simple and complex landscapes. Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment, 126 (3-4). pp. 289-292. ISSN 0167-8809Full text not available from this repository.
Structurally complex landscapes may enhance local species richness and interactions, which is possibly due to a higher species pool in complex landscapes. This hypothesis was tested using cereal aphid parasitoids (Hymenoptera, Aphidiidae) by comparing 12 winter wheat fields in structurally complex landscapes (>50% semi-natural habitats; n = 6) and structurally simple landscapes dominated by agricultural lands (>80% arable land; n = 6). Surprisingly, landscape structural complexity had no effect on aphid parasitoid species diversity. In complex landscapes 12 and in simple landscapes 11 species were found; 9 species occurred in both landscape types. Hence, arable fields in high-intensity agricultural landscapes with little non-crop area can support a similar diversity of cereal aphid parasitoids as structurally complex landscapes. This finding suggests that cereal aphid parasitoids may find necessary resources even in simple landscapes, making generalisations concerning the relationship between landscape composition and biodiversity in arable fields difficult.
|Item Type:
|Journal Article
|Journal or Publication Title:
|Agriculture, Ecosystems and Environment
|Uncontrolled Keywords:
|Faculty of Science and Technology > Lancaster Environment Centre
|ID Code:
|Deposited By:
|Mr Richard Ingham
|Deposited On:
|30 Nov 2009 14:46
|Last Modified:
|17 Sep 2019 00:45
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It occurs to dilation of blood vessels, resulting in the inactivity of the circulatory system, depriving the central nervous system of blood supply needed.
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text: Share: Comments Print June 3, 2013 at 2:30 PM Monday OTA report — Lynch again absent, Michael back from injury Posted by Bob Condotta The Seahawks are off the field following today's OTA, which was open to the media. Absent once again was running back Marshawn Lynch, who was also not present two weeks ago, but participated last Tuesday. He apparently did participate in a few workouts two weeks ago, just not in the one open to the media, and was there all last week. Coach Pete Carroll did not talk to the media today — he will speak on Thursday when the OTAs close — so there was no explanation other than the obvious, that these are voluntary workouts. Also not present were OL Breno Giacomini, DB Antoine Winfield and rehabbing DT Chris Clemons. Among those present but not participating were DE Cliff Avril, OG James Carpenter, SS Winston Guy, CB Tharold Simon, WRs Stephen Williams, Brett Swain and Charly Martin and TE Cooper Helfet. Here are a couple of other quick observations and notes: — Rookie TE Luke Willson struggled a bit in the OTA open to the media last week. He made a lot more plays today, including a diving grab and another when he ducked inside a defender to steal the ball away. — With Lynch out, Robert Turbin and rookie Christine Michael got the majority of the reps with the ones. It was a good day for Michael, who missed last week's OTA that was open to the media nursing a hamstring injury. — Free agent Derrick Coleman, listed simply as a running back, appears to be getting a lot of work at fullback. Listed at 6-foot, 233, the UCLA product is similarly-sized to the team's two listed fullbacks, Michael Robinson (6-1, 240) and Spencer Ware (5-10, 229). — Richard Sherman (who else?) had maybe the defensive play of the day with an over-the-shoulder interception of a deep pass from Russell Wilson intended for Golden Tate during a 7-on-7 drill. — DT Brandon Mebane also got a pick of a pass that had been deflected by Kam Chancellor. — OL John Moffitt, who missed last week's open OTA while dealing with legal issues, was present. — Rookie Michael Bowie got some work with the first team at tackle with Giacomini out. — CB Walter Thurmond, hoping to stay healthy, also appeared active throughout the workout, getting some work with the first unit in place of Winfield. Comments


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Kelven Ng
During my time living in London in 2011, I had the opportunity to visit some incredible places. Scotland and the Isle of Skye was a place I longed to visit for so many reasons and I finally had the chance to do that in August 2011. Hope you enjoy the read below.
Over the course of my traveling so far this year I think there are a few things that I realized. One prominent thing I came to recognize was that while I enjoy going to the big and showy metropolitan cities, I really came to enjoy being in the peace and quiet of the country side. This coming from a person who was born and raised in Vancouver, I realize that this might come off as being a little strange. The thing is, every city to me is just that... another city. You don't get the raw differences and characteristics that are unique to the countryside. It might have been after going to Ireland that I realized how much I enjoyed it, so with that in mind, I decided to go to Scotland following my trip to Turkey.
Saying that, the first place that I flew into was Edinburgh, another big city ... But we had plans to go into the country side a few days later so that's ok. It was the Fringe Fest in Edinburgh when we got there. This is a huge event that takes place every year in the month of August in which performers of all kinds set up shows across the city. Stand up comedy and musicals are primarily the hit attractions I think but it seemed like there were huge amounts of people taking part in this. It's too bad that by the time I got there, it was the last few days of the festival already and most of the tickets were selling out like hot cakes (I can't believe I just used that reference?). That and I was suffering from food poisoning from my last night in Turkey..... Wanting to hurl every 2-3 hours was not conducive to enjoying the festival in the cold weather that was easily 20 degrees lower than in Turkey.
I'm going to sidetrack here but I had to pack a huge bag for this 2 week trip through Turkey and Scotland because I knew the temperatures would be different but I didn't know I was going from 35+ degree weather in Turkey to about 7 degrees in Edinburgh! So... food poisoning turned into general sickness and flu afterwards. Oh well. All part of the experience!
Moving along... I met up with a friend, Elsa, and we explored Edinburgh together, seeing all the major sights. We took in the views of the city from The Scot Monument (the stairs were extremely narrow mind you. My whole 145lb body barely squeezed through one of the corridors near the top). The thing about Edinburgh is that although it is a big city, you can clearly see the distinction between the Old Town and the rest. The old town was almost medieval looking and needless to say, perfect for picture taking. It also had an abundance of greenery all around as well. People who go to Edinburgh should definitely make the effort to go up to the top of the Arthur's Seat. Situated on the east end of the city, the Arthur's Seat is a very popular exercise and leisure activity as people will job, climb, or waddle along. The views from up there are magnificent. Though a little cold and sick, the view made the climb well worth it. I hear it can be very muddy going up the track during days of rain though so be careful and wear appropriate exercise gear. If you are wearing jeans or nice clothing, you're bound to get dirty.
After staying 2 nights in Edinburgh, we travelled north by train to the city of Aberdeen. There isn't much to see here in terms of tourist attractions but we needed to get up here to rent a car which we had prebooked from the airport. From there, we started our road trip towards Glencoe, Ballachulish, Isle of Skye, and the Loch Ness.
Glencoe and Ballachulish
Because the two locations are about 1 mile apart, it just makes sense to put them together. I had seen pictures of the Glencoe on google and couldn't believe my eyes. With that image in mind, we had to drive south west and go through that area for sure. The views didn't disappoint despite the cloudy weather we had. There were mountains on either side of the road whose scale really made you feel insignificant in ways that you cannot imagine. The glen converged on the road as well so it was like you were driving straight through a mountain pass. It was pretty incredible and so amazingly grand in scale. I can only imagine what this would look like during a nice sunset (which we did not have unfortunately). We only spent a night in Glencoe but we did take a photography safari from 6-9pm in hopes of catching the sunset. We were driven around by a local who is a fairly well known photographer in the area and he took us to some spots that he believed would give us some good photo opps. I am happy to say that we were not disappointed. Karl is a great guy who is patient, knowledgeable and keen to teach. He had a group of 4 including us and we all varied in experience but he had no issues with making sure that we all received some attention. In total, I think we shot at about 3 locations in the 3 hours but he did spend a good amount of time talking about technical skills, composition, and just general approaches to landscape photography. I came out of it with a deeper understanding of composition and dynamic range through bracketing so it was well worth it for me. The following pictures were taken during this safari.
If you are in the area of Glencoe during your stay in Scotland and want to learn more about landscape photography, definitely contact Karl. You can find his website here. I would highly suggest you ask for a sunset safari because if the weather cooperates (big IF), you are primed to get some amazing shots no matter what your skill level. Karl will take you to spots he believes provides you with good viewpoints for the kind of light you're getting so at £35 for the evening, even 1 good shot will make it worthwhile. Unfortunately we had dark and cloudy weather but you make what you can from it! Hence why all the pictures above are black and white or heavily desaturated haha.
We spent the evening in the Ardno House in Ballachulish. It took us a little while to find this place in the dark but when we did, we were pleasantly surprised. After being in hostels for the past 1.5 weeks, it was so nice to come into a warm and cozy home with a huge bedroom, comfy bed, and enormous private bathroom. Alan is the owner of this place and he was nice enough to bring in an extra bed for the floor as the room was only a double and we need a twin. At only £72 for the night, it was a steal honestly. The breakfast was plentiful and incredibly filling. Alan did a great job in suggesting places for us to go along our drive to the Isle of Skye the next day as well. This Bed and Breakfast was only about a 10 minute drive from the Glencoe region so it's very convenient if you plan to hike or explore this area further.
Isle of Skye
We had both heard about the Isle of Skye from a number of people and the resounding opinion was that it was gorgeous and that it was a beautiful place. We knew we had to go there considering the reviews and the pictures we had seen. So from Ballachulish to the Isle of Skye we drove. It took about 5 hours to get to Portree in the Isle of Skye but the drive was stunning. We were told by Alan that there was a very nice view point if we took the ferry from Glenelg instead of taking the highway so we decided to head for that route. We made the left at the Shiel Bridge and looked for signs for Glenelg. As we drove, the roads got very narrow (only one car could fit through many of the passes and there were winding corners as well). Though, that's what it is like driving in the UK in the countryside. It was the same in Ireland as well. Roads were fast, narrow, and there were a lot of blind turns so that you have no idea what is coming at you – it was great fun! Not sure that Elsa shared that enthusiasm with me though!
We followed the road until we saw some stops with high vantage points. There were a few amazing stops for overhead viewpoints of the land and water below. We even ran into some highland cows! They seriously look like the rocker version of our North American counterparts. Too cool right? :)
After spending some time taking pictures like crazy people, we headed back down towards the ferry. It was a little sketchy to be honest. The platform to get on the ferry was barely on connecting bridge and you just had to think that a slight turn the wrong way and your car would have fallen or tipped over into the water. Anyway, it was only a short ferry ride and we were officially on the Isle of Skye. From there, we drove along a path that was just filled with more opportunities for photos. We stopped more than a few times along the way to Portree as we kept snapping away.
We spent 2 nights in the Isle of Skye because we knew that there was so much to see here. We really just roamed around the island for the two days and stopped wherever we saw fit. If we spotted a location that could potentially be a good spot for photos come sunset, we made a note and came back. Luckily, we did get a sunset on one evening after it had chucked down with rain. It goes to show you that just because it rains, it doesn't mean that you won't get some good weather for photos afterwards. I am still a newbie at landscape photography but one thing I know that I enjoy is clouds and the sunset colors. I would take clouds over a clear day any day, it just adds so much more drama to the photo. So we stuck around in the car and waited for the rain to stop... and when it did, we quickly ran outside to catch the last bit of light...
We spent the two nights at the Cruinn Bheinn just about 7 miles out of the town of Portree. The room was large for the two of us and the beds were so comfortable! I had no trouble sleeping those two nights that's for sure. The breakfast portions were huge and the food was quite good – just about everything I could ask for! I even got a lot more grapefruit bits than I requested and who can complain about that? :) The price was only £34 per person per night with breakfast included and for a 4 star bed and breakfast, I would come back here again and again.
Loch Ness
Most people who know about this place know of it because of the reference to the Loch Ness monster. As children we pictured the monster as being a mysterious brontosaurus (Land Before Time?) like creature who roamed the Loch and scared the jebeezus out of the people who encountered her. Well we didn't see the monster I'm afraid but we did see a great sunset. After finding our bed and breakfast in the very small town called Foyers, we drove out to eat at the local pub in White Bridge. The food was probably the best we had in Scotland – I had a huge craving for steak and Elsa had some haggis and they were both very good and just what we needed after spending hours on the road. After dinner though, we had seen that the sky was opening up and that we could be in for a sunset so we drove along the Loch Ness until we saw a bit of an opening. Sure enough, we got a beautiful sunset that night ... Though we did encounter a swarm of midges out there (pesky little fly looking things that sucked your blood much like mosquitoes...).
We stayed at the Foyers House for the night. Foyers itself is an extremely small village/town and there isn't much there to do or see. There are certainly more populated towns to visit if you are staying in the Loch Ness area including Fort Augustus. It was good for us because we really just wanted to put our heads down to sleep here and head back out in the morning but for those looking for a place to stay and to relax... this may not be the spot. We paid £58 between the two of us that night so it was cheap but again, not much cheaper than the previous two places we stayed at and those were much nicer.
What did I think?
After our night in the Loch Ness, we had a long drive ahead of us towards Aberdeen where we had a flight to catch back to London. On our way back we passed through Inverness and we stopped for a few pictures along the way. The sun was out and we found a wheat field so who can complain? :D We even had McDonalds for lunch. Made my day (it was just one of those cravings that comes every month or so but it was so satisfying... until I finished the meal). When we got to the airport, we were both exhausted. I had been on the go for about 2 weeks and we had driven over 700-800 miles through Scotland. While it flew by I think I was tired enough to go home and get some rest. It actually startled me a bit but I looked forward to getting back to London. Great... just when I am about to leave :/


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Columns & Blogs
Andy Furillo: Houston Astros are baseball's team on the rise
The Houston Astros may not make the World Series this year, or even the American League Championship Series, but baseball fans need to familiarize themselves with this organization, even if the people in charge are getting rid of Tal's Hill.
Named for former club president Tal Smith and a landmark of the Gulf plain, the 90-foot-wide hill rises in center field at Minute Maid Park to a distance of 436 feet from the plate. Next year, they're reducing that to 409 feet, a wise move for a club that hit 230 home runs. As a bonus, it will create just enough space for an off-track betting parlor, or at least a spot to drop off your FanDuel or DraftKings selections – same difference.
Tony DeFrancesco has been part of the Houston organization for five years. Sacramento baseball fans remember him from his seven seasons as manager of the River Cats, during which they won four Pacific Coast League and two Triple-A championships. DeFrancesco moved in 2011 to Houston's affiliate in Oklahoma City, then got called up in 2012 to manage the big club. After going 16-25 during his interim tenure, DeFrancesco managed back in Oklahoma City and, this year, in Fresno, where the Astros had moved their top minor-league club. The Grizzlies won the Triple-A title, bringing joy to Fulton Mall.
From Oklahoma City to the foot of Tal's Hill to Chukchansi Park, home of the Grizzlies, DeFrancesco watched from within as general manager Jeff Luhnow built the organization into a powerhouse. Luhnow, the former scouting director for the St. Louis Cardinals, was the subject of a computer hack by somebody who wanted insight into an organization in which five other clubs besides the Astros and Grizzlies also won division championships or made the playoffs this season.
"I think he had a vision," DeFrancesco said of Luhnow in a telephone interview from Kansas City on Thursday, before the Astros beat the Royals 5-2 in the opener of their American League Division Series. "The whole goal for Jeff is not being good for one year, but to be good for five or 10 years, to keep it going, so it's not one and done. The minor leagues are the bread and butter. You get prospects, you get to move some chips."
Houston signed second baseman Jose Altuve out of Venezuela before he would have been old enough to vote in the United States. Altuve, now 25, led the American League in batting last year and had another 200-hit season this year. Although Altuve preceded Luhnow, shortstop Carlos Correa, 21, did not. Just the two of them will keep the Astros in contention long after the leveling of Tal's Hill.
Altuve, Correa and every other guy in the Houston lineup can knock the ball out of the park. The team's 230 home runs were second in the majors behind Toronto's 232. Five Astros hit at least at least 22. First baseman Chris Carter's 24 homers helped salve a .199 batting average, not to mention 151 strikeouts. Carter struck out 212 times in 2013. In our transition away from fossil fuels, the Astros should place a windmill near the plate every time Carter steps up.
Carter, who has 90 home runs in three years with Houston, played for DeFrancesco in Sacramento. The story was the same here as it is there – whiff and wallop.
You've just got to put up with the strikeouts. But he's going to hit 30 to 40 home runs.
Fresno Grizzlies manager Tony DeFrancesco on Houston's Chris Carter, a former River Cat
"You've just got to put up with the strikeouts," DeFrancesco said. "But he's going to hit 30 to 40 home runs."
Home runs have figured huge for Houston in the playoffs. Colby Rasmus and Carlos Gomez each hit one in Tuesday's wild-card win in New York. Rasmus and George Springer popped ones in Thursday's Game 1 victory over Kansas City, the defending American League champ. Rasmus homered again in Friday's 5-4 loss to the Royals.
The Astros this year gave up top prospect Domingo Santana to get Gomez, a veteran, in an exchange of outfielders. Rasmus came up with the Cardinals, so Luhnow knew all about him and signed him as a free agent, and the outfielder came through with 25 home runs. Springer, with 36 homers combined in the past two regular seasons, is a second-year outfielder out of UConn.
Astros ace Dallas Keuchel led the league with 20 wins, 232 innings and a 1.017 WHIP. If he doesn't win the A.L. Cy Young Award, the voters should be banished to the wilds of Tal's Hill until it is sent the way of Boot Hill. He is scheduled to start Game 3 against the Royals on Sunday, with a chance to . put the Astros back ahead.
Keuchel won only 21 games his first three years in the majors, but DeFrancesco knew as soon as his interim managerial season of 2012 that the Astros had a winner in the making, even though Keuchel then was only 3-8.
You look in a guy's eyes, you know what their makeup is. Sometimes the numbers and the stats don't show what kind of guy they are. He's got focus. He's got drive.
DeFrancesco on Astros ace Dallas Keuchel
"You look in a guy's eyes, you know what their makeup is," DeFrancesco said. "Sometimes the numbers and the stats don't show what kind of guy they are. He's got focus. He's got drive."
As a manager in the A's organization, DeFrancesco was schooled in the importance of analytics. With Houston, he's in a place where the numbers are boiled to perfection, down to the only aggregates that really count – the ones in the standings. And the Astros figure to be at or near the top of them for years to come.
Andy Furillo: 916-321-1141, firstname.lastname@example.com