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Earlier this month I gave an overview of Cara Schulz's candidacy for a city council seat in Burnsville, Minnesota. Schulz, a Hellenic Polytheist and staff writer for this publication, has long been active in politics. As a candidate for this non-partisan seat she has endorsed a "Socially Accepting and Fiscally Responsible" platform, and it looks like enough voters in Burnsville liked what they saw. Quote from her Facebook campaign page: "THANK YOU to everyone who volunteered, told their friends about me, and are heading to the polls today to vote. If you think people are selfish, not involved, or lazy … run for office – you will be disabused of those erroneous notions. I've been offered help before I could even ask and volunteers helped an insane number of hours. I've made some great friends and learned from kind mentors. I've met some incredible people from all over Burnsville. […] The final tally is in! Thank you to everyone who volunteered, sent me messages cheering me on, told others about me, and took the time to vote in the primary." Schulz will now advance to the general election in November, where the top-two vote getters will fill the two vacant seats on the city council. Our congratulations go out to Cara!
Author and Dianic Witchcraft Elder Zsuzsanna Budapest sent out a press release last week announcing that she had bestowed a blessing on Claudiney Prieto, part of Brazil's Nemorensis Dianic Tradition, for his work on behalf of the goddess Isis. Quote: "I was greatly impressed by Claudiney Prieto in Brazil, who has successfully nurtured an Isis revival. I have blessed him to be a Priest of Isis, which he already is. I saw what he has done and I think he serves the Goddess with his personal leadership. Everybody loves the man. He is dynamite in circle. Such a man with ten years of experience richly deserves the blessing. Both sexes are part of the rituals and sacred plays and always have been. This fits us well. I connect with this because I am also a play write. The original Isis plays have all been translated. It will be great fun creating a religious experience within the medium of theater for this community." Budapest went on to clearly state that this blessing was not a shift in her beliefs concerning gender and her tradition's Dianic rituals. Quote: "Although there was some initial confusion about the blessing, it was clarified that he was awarded by her as an honoring of his work with the Goddess […] Budapest honored Prieto and bound him as a priest to the Goddess within the constructs of Prieto's own Nemorensis Dianic Tradition and not her own Dianic Tradition, which is women-born only." The stated "confusion" and subsequent clarification is most likely related to the fact that Budapest's form of Dianic Witchcraft is open to cisgender women only, and this blessing could have been interpreted as a move away from that ethos. Such a shift would have been dramatic news indeed, as Budapest has received criticism from within the Pagan community in the recent past for holding "genetic women only" rituals that exclude not just men, but also transgender women, at Pagan events that are open to the public.
The Covenant of the Goddess (COG), one of the largest Wiccan and Witchcraft-focused organizations in the United States, is holding their annual business meeting, the Grand Council, this week in Atlanta, Georgia. Grand Council, which is held in conjunction with an open-to-the-public event called Merry Meet, is where the sprawling consensus-based organization elects its board and decides on policy. I've personally held forth on why I think COG could have a vital role in Wicca and religious Witchcraft's future, and The Wild Hunt has covered these meetings for the past three years. This year, Merry Meet will feature Selena Fox of Circle Sanctuary as a special keynote speaker. Quote: "We are very excited to have Selena Fox as our Guest of Honor for Merry Meet 2014 and as our Friday Night Keynote Speaker. Selena has been a leader and mover in Interfaith for many years and has worked, and continues to work, tirelessly within the Interfaith Community. Join us for what is sure to be a lovely evening of good food, camaraderie, and our shared passion for 'Standing on Common Ground'!" Stay tuned for a report on the event from Managing Editor Heather Greene in the near future.
In Other Pagan Community News:
- Polytheist and spirit-worker Sarah Kate Istra Winter has announced the publication of a short booklet on working with animal bones. Quote: "Working with Animal Bones introduces the reader to the biological processes which form bone; gives advice on how to find bones in a natural setting, and subsequently identify and thoroughly clean them; discusses the types of crafts that can be made with bones; and explores the history and modern practices involving the sacred use of animal bones, including divination. An annotated bibliography and list of online resources for collectors are also included." The book can be purchased at Etsy, or on Amazon.com.
- Over at the Patheos Pagan channel, The Staff of Asclepius blog has welcomed two new contributors: Nornoriel Lokason and CJ Blackwood. Quote: "Nornoriel Lokason is a thirtysomething Norse pagan and demonolater living in the Portland metropolitan area with spirits and a cat […] Nornoriel is a disability and LGBT rights advocate and in his spare time he enjoys thrifting, communing with nature, reading, and being an armchair historian. […] CJ Blackwood graduated from Illinois State University with a Bachelor's in journalism and a minor in English […] She's been a practing witch and Pagan for eight years. Her path began with eclectic Wicca, but has now taken her to dusky realms of warrior goddesses, creative goddesses, and crones."
- Hungarian Pagan band The Moon and the Nightspirit have released a new album entitled "Holdrejtek." Quote: "Just like its predecessor 'Mohalepte', 'Holdrejtek' is much influenced by a deep veneration for and love of nature as far as its concept is concerned, while this time, mastermind Mihaly Szabo approaches the subject in a less romantic and more intellectual way. The lyrics are rife with the philosophical idea of simultaneous oneness and duality of micro- and macrocosm, which is attributed to Hermes Trismegistos and his screed 'Tabula Smaragdina'." You can purchase the album digitally on iTunes and at Amazon.com.
- The Moon Books blog interviews Morgan Daimler, author of "Fairy Witchcraft: A Neopagan's Guide to the Celtic Fairy Faith." Quote: "I often think I know where my path is going but it rarely does what I expect. I never thought I'd have a religious blog, or write books, especially not books about honoring fairies! In fact that's something not too long ago I'd have said I would absolutely never do. There were points where I would have said, 'no my path is clear-cut and exactly this', but I realize now that nothing is that easy."
- The FaerieCon East convention, held in Baltimore in November, has announced its Mythic Track headliners: Raven Grimassi, Stephanie Taylor Grimassi, Byron Ballard, Ivo Dominguez, Jr., and Michael Smith. Quote: "At FaerieCon, we strive to bring you an engaging and unique blend of programming options. Opportunities to deepen your experience and enrich the magic of this weekend. In addition to our lineup of best-selling authors and amazing artists, our MYTHIC TRACK explores ancient wisdom, esoteric studies and metaphysical philosophies." [Transparency Note: I work for the company that produces FaerieCon East.]
- Speaking of East-Coast events, do check out the epic speakers lineup for the combined Between The Worlds / Sacred Space conference in March.
That's all I have for now, have a great day!


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subset: commoncrawl


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Collections Online
Manuscript poem in the "Eliot Indian Bible"
To order an image, navigate to the full
display and click "request this image"
on the blue toolbar.
"When sturdy storms are gon and past
shall pleasand calmes appare
I oftimes see in ashes deepe
ly hiden coles of fire
with fervent thou"
These five incomplete lines of verse appear on a blank leaf at the back of the Massachusetts Historical Society's copy of John Eliot's Indian Bible (Mamusse Wunneetupanatamwe Up-Biblum God, 1663). The handwriting suggests that the poem was added to the page in the late seventeenth or early eighteenth century, but what are we to make of it? The line of text at the top of the page ("for my ... John [illegible word]") doesn't seem to offer any clues, and may be unrelated to the poem. The verse is not mentioned in early bibliographies of Eliot's Bible or in MHS catalogs, and in fact it really doesn't even make all that much sense.
"When Shall I Ly With..."
The poem's message became clear following the discovery of a later version of the poem and its explanation in an article titled "Autograph Albums in the Ozarks" by Vance Randolph and May Kennedy McCord, which appeared in a 1948 issue of The Journal of American Folklore. Randolph and McCord give a full version of the poem as
"When Winter's days are past and gone
May pleasant calms appear,
I know sometimes in ashes deep
Sleep hidden coals of fire,
With these few lines
You will a question find,
Sweet is the answer, mark it well,
Friend, farewell, farewell."
They add, by way of explanation: "The 'question' mentioned in the above text is found in the first word of each line; just read 'em from top to bottom." Although the poem as written in the Indian Bible is only partially complete and the wording differs slightly, we can be confident that the intent was the same. This type of verse, known as an acrostic, was popular in England and America throughout the colonial period, but why someone thought that the blank endleaf of a Bible was an appropriate place to pen these lines remains a mystery.
The Eliot Indian Bible
John Eliot's single-handed translation of the Bible into the Natick dialect of the Massachuset language was the first printed Bible in North America, and the largest single printing project of the colonial era. For a sample of the translation, see the online presentation of the first page of Genesis. Samuel Green and Marmaduke Johnson produced a first edition of one thousand copies of the complete Bible, of which just a few dozen remain in existence. Most copies of Eliot's 1663 Bible (see the online presentation of the title page) were destroyed during King Philip's War in 1675-1676, but a second, improved, edition was published in 1685. The copy belonging to the Massachusetts Historical Society is signed "Enoch Greenlefe His booke 1672," and was donated to the Society by a Mrs. Coffin in July of 1793. The names John Bennett, Elisha Bennett, and John Brown are also written on the rear endleaves.
Who Was John Eliot?
Known as the "Apostle to the Indians," John Eliot (1604-1690) was a Cambridge-educated Puritan minister who emigrated to Massachusetts in 1631. He settled at Roxbury, and served as pastor of the local church until his death. Eliot became interested in missionary work and by 1646 had learned enough Natick to preach to local Indians in their own language. In 1649 he wrote "I do very much desire to translate some parts of the Scriptures into their language," and soon undertook that arduous task. Supported by the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in New-England, a fund-raising organization founded in England, Eliot's efforts bore fruit with the publication of the New Testament in 1661 and the complete Bible in 1663.
Suggestions for Further Reading
Eames, Wilberforce. Bibliographic Notes on Eliot's Indian Bible and on his other translations and works in the Indian language of Massachusetts. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1890. Extract from A.C. Pilling, Bibliography of the Algonquian Languages. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1891.
Randolph, Vance and May Kennedy McCord, "Autograph Albums in the Ozarks." The Journal of American Folklore 61:240 (April-June, 1948), p. 182-193.
Winship, George Parker. The Cambridge Press 1638-1692: A Reexamination of the Evidence concerning the Bay Psalm Book and the Eliot Indian Bible as well as other contemporary books and people. Freeport, NY: Books for Libraries, 1968 reprint.
Winship, George Parker. The First American Bible: A leaf from a Copy of the Bible translated into the Indian language by John Eliot and printed at Cambridge in New England in the Year 1663. With an Account of the Translator and his Labors, and of the two Printers who produced the Book. Boston: Merrymount Press, 1929.
Witness to America's Past: Two Centuries of Collecting by the Massachusetts Historical Society. Boston, 1991.


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Sheriff: Officers shoot, kill robbery suspect with loaded gun
Driver tried to run Gang Task Force over during traffic stop
Investigators with the Department of Justice looked into an officer-involved shooting in Stockton on Sunday that resulted in the death of a robbery suspect.
He was identified Monday as 33-year-old Gary Allen Hawkins, of Stockton.
The San Joaquin County Gang Task Force said it tried to stop a man driving a vehicle that it believed was involved in a robbery that happened on Friday.
Officers got out of their patrol cars to make contact with the man when he accelerated his vehicle in reverse and tried to run them over, according to deputies.
A deputy and an officer opened fire on the driver, investigators said.
One officer fell to the ground, but was not hurt.
After the shooting, detectives said they found a loaded gun on the driver's waistband.
The man was taken to the hospital, where he later died.
A Stockton police officer and Sheriff's deputy are on paid administrative leave.


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Titan Girls Claim Win In League Qualifier
WEST?BEND – The Titan girls of Graettinger-Terril/Ruthven-Ayrshire took top honors in Thursday's Cornbelt Conference league qualifier at West Bend.
After GT/RA's 219 stroke score, the host Lady Wolverines placed second with a 231. Harris-Lake Park was third with a 233, while North Union shot a 236 to finish fourth. Clay Central-Everly was fifth with a 282 and Corwith-Wesley-LuVerne was sixth with a 286.
Macy Gunderson of HLP was medalist with a 50, while Jennalyn Thul of WBM/GCB was runner up with a 51 stroke score.
For the Titans, Caroline Koekenhoff shot a 52, while Kelley Harris shot a 53. Destiny Akridge added a 56 and Sara Harris shot a 58. Cassy Hampson carded a round of 64 and Alyssa Hoffman recorded a round od of 69 to round out the Titans' scoring.
For West Bend-Mallard/Gilmore City-Bradgate, Jennalyn Thul led the effort with her round of 51. Cassie Gearhart followed with a round of 55. Heather Brown shot a 52 and Victoria Simms carded a 53. Megan Garrard added a round of 60 and Emily Bormann shot a 76 to round out the WBM/GCB scoring.


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An elderly koala (13 years old) named Banjo was stolen from an Australian wildlife park on Tuesday. Thieves had broken into Banjo's enclosure with bolt cutters. An anonymous phone call led authorities to a dumpster outside the wildlife park, where they found the frightened and dehydrated koala in a plastic bin covered with a crate.
According to Banjo's keeper, Tim Faulkner, "It's good to have him back. People can't care for this sort of thing. It's not a dog."
Koalas are marsupials native to Australia who feed mainly on eucalyptus leaves. They generally live 10-15 years.
To learn more about Banjo, see:
The Age
To learn more about koalas, see Animal Fact Guide's article: Koala.


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Skaldic Poetry of the Scandinavian Middle Ages
Teaching Texts (Teach)
ed. Tarrin Wills;
1. Old Norse Pronunciation Guide (Pron) - 2
2. Vǫlsunga saga — chs 6-8 (Vǫls) - 45
3. Skáldskaparmál — chs 1-6 (Skm) - 45
4. Hrólfs saga kraka — chs 34-35 (Hr) - 27
5. Laxdœla saga — ch. 33 (Laxd) - 35
not in Skj
Download the companion handbook (Tarrin Wills) here: Introduction to Old Norse.
The skaldic database has been adapted here to include prose texts for teaching purposes. The text of Hrólfs saga is from Guðni Jónsson's edition in Fornaldar sögur norðurlanda (1954); Skáldskaparmál is based on the text in Anthony Faulkes's Viking Society edition; Laxdœla saga and Grœnlendinga saga are taken from the Íslenzk fornrit series. The text of Vǫlsunga saga is from Gordon's Introduction to Old Norse, with incest restored. The first section of Hrólfs saga includes a close, unidiomatic parallel translation by Tarrin Wills. The glossary has also been produced by Tarrin Wills.
Select an individual section of text by clicking on the numbers next to the texts on the right. Once you have selected a section of text, moving the mouse cursor over a word will give the headword, grammatical information about the word, and notes where they are included.
Select the 'concordance' tab for a glossary of a text once selected.
When viewing individual text segments, The 'quiz' tab will randomly select a word which you can then answer grammatical questions about.
Audio for each segment of text can be heard by using the embedded player, where available.
This is a backup server for skaldic.abdn.ac.uk. Any changes made here will be lost.


text: Hamline to host renowned feminist scholar on November 30 Professor Sara Evans of the University of Minnesota will be on campus Tuesday, November 30 for Hamline's annual Humanities Symposium lecture series. This year's symposium theme celebrates ninety years of women's right to vote. Evans will deliver a keynote address, open to the public, entitled, "From Victoria Woodhull to Hillary Clinton: Women, the Presidency, and Public Life." She will also give a lunch-time lecture, "Personal Politics/Identity Politics: Second Wave Genius or the Weakest Link?" and host a coffee hour discussion."We are excited to bring a scholar of Professor Evans' caliber to campus. She is among the top scholars of American women's history, and her work has helped a number of academic fields expand their thinking about issues of civil rights and social justice," said Hamline professor Kristin Mapel Bloomberg. Evans is recognized as a leader in feminist scholarship and has contributed to this area as a director of the Center for Advanced Feminist Studies at the University of Minnesota and as a consultant and member of the board of editors for the journal Feminist Studies. Her numerous research awards include her appointment as a Fellow for the Society of American Historians as well as honors from the American Council of Learned Societies, and the National Academy of Sciences. Her books include Personal Politics: The Roots of Women's Liberation in the Civil Rights Movement and the New Left and Tidal Wave: How Women Changed America at Century's End. The Hamline University Symposium on the Humanities was created to ensure a heightened visibility and strengthened commitment to the humanities at Hamline. The symposium is funded by the Endowed Chair in the Humanities, which is held by a distinguished professor from a central discipline in the humanities. The chair's activities and the symposium lecture series work together to raise the visibility of the humanities at Hamline and to signal the importance the university places on this central intellectual area. NOVEMBER 30 EVENT DETAILS "Personal Politics/Identity Politics: Second Wave Genius or the Weakest Link?" For this lunch lecture, in Sorin Dining Hall room A and B, 1535 Englewood Avenue, from 11:30 a.m.–1 p.m. Bring your own lunch (or RSVP here ASAP for a free cafeteria lunch). Informal Coffee Hour with Sara EvansMeet Professor Evans and continue the conversation from lunch or begin a new conversation. This event is from 2:30–4 p.m. in the Student Center HUB, 1551 Hewitt Avenue."Victoria Woodhull to Hillary Clinton: Women, the Presidency and Public Life"The keynote lecture will be held at 7:30 p.m. in Klas Center, Kay Fredericks Room, 1535 Taylor Avenue on Hamline's Saint Paul campus.All events are free and open to public. For more information please contact Kristin Mapel Bloomberg at 651-523-2091 or email@example.com.


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Release Date: November 13, 2017
BUFFALO, N.Y. — It has begun. Six years after the decision was made to relocate the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences at the University at Buffalo downtown, the move-in is underway.
Up the street from the new John R. Oishei Children's Hospital, where physicians (including UB faculty), staff and patients relocated last week, the move into the sparkling new building at 955 Main St. on the Buffalo Niagara Medical Campus is proceeding in a series of carefully coordinated stages.
Earlier this month, more than 50 administrative offices of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences began the first phase of the move; the next one occurs later this month, with additional phases happening over the next several months.
Michael E. Cain, MD, vice president for health sciences and dean of the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, described the relocation as "a thoughtfully coordinated move."
Complex moves
"We designed this move to take several months on purpose," said Cain. "It's a complex move and we can't interrupt classes once they've started."
For that reason, students in the Class of 2021, the school's largest, began their studies on South Campus in August. They head downtown starting Jan. 8, when all classrooms and instructional facilities will be operational.
"Our number one priority is that the building be ready for students when classes start on Jan. 8," said Alan J. Lesse, MD, senior associate dean for medical curriculum and professor of medicine in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
For that reason, the new simulation laboratories, where students get their first hands-on experience, must also be ready. This includes the Behling Simulation Center, where students work on extremely lifelike mannequins, and the Clinical Competency Center, where students interact with volunteers specially trained as "standardized patients."
Moving the equipment in these centers and its mannequins is a multi-stage process. Some equipment was moved in the first phase earlier this month, but much of it won't move until the semester is over to ensure that instruction proceeds without disruption.
How to move a research lab
While the need to have the instructional facilities up and running is challenging enough, the biggest challenge may be that posed by the Jacobs School's many biomedical science research labs, which will move to floors three, four and five in the new building.
"Moving research labs is a very challenging process, involving many different factors," said Anthony A. Campagnari, PhD, senior associate dean for research and graduate biomedical education, and a professor of microbiology/immunology in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences.
"All research labs are not the same," he said. "There is often specialized, very expensive equipment that must be disassembled, packed, moved and reassembled by specific vendors to insure proper functioning in the new lab and sometimes to maintain the warranty."
He said the sheer range of items that need to be carefully packed and handled can pose challenges because labs contain many large pieces of equipment, such as refrigerators, freezers and centrifuges, as well as smaller equipment, such as water baths and pH meters.
"Most labs also have a significant array of glassware and each piece must be individually wrapped," he said. "All chemicals and reagents must be clearly labeled and any hazardous materials require specialized packaging and transport by authorized personnel such as UB's Environmental Health and Safety staff."
Handling with care
Chemicals, reagents, cell lines and microorganisms often must be stored and transported at very cold temperatures (-80 degrees Celsius) requiring special packaging and handling.
"Of course, there is the additional issue of timing, as most of the research labs will have ongoing experiments that cannot just be stopped at some random point to move the lab," Campagnari continued. "This whole complex process must be carefully coordinated with each individual researcher in order to minimize down time."
Suzanne Laychock, PhD, senior associate dean for faculty affairs and facilities, professor of pharmacology and toxicology in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, and faculty liaison for all matters pertaining to the move, explained that staggering the time between the moves of labs gives researchers and movers "some breathing space." It also allows for some of the larger equipment, such as freezers and fume hoods, to be installed and up and running before investigators move in.
Most labs will move in January through March with the exception of Laychock's lab, which is moving this Thursday as a test case of the planned move coordination. This first lab move will inform the move organizers about whether the logistics are on target or need to be modified for later moves.
Baby grand
In addition to the critical scientific and educational infrastructure, the move will also include some items of sentimental value, including the baby grand piano now stationed in the Lippschutz Room on the South Campus.
"I refused to leave the piano behind," said Laychock. "Some of our medical students and faculty are very accomplished musicians and they get a lot of enjoyment from it. Our monthly Music is Medicine lunchtime series in the school atrium will also benefit."
She noted the piano is scheduled to be moved this month, possibly in time to add to the festivities at the building's donor reception on Nov. 28 and the grand opening in early December.
While most people haven't yet moved, the word from those who moved in the first phase has been very positive.
As Nancy Nielsen, MD, PhD, senior associate dean for health policy in the Jacobs School of Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, reported last week:
"It is a really spectacular building, lots of natural light everywhere, and easy to navigate," she said. "Everything was delivered in good shape. The movers executed flawlessly with my packed boxes. My computer, printer and phone worked immediately. We need to thank the many, many folks who are making our momentous move possible."
In addition to UB's outstanding medical school staff, University Facilities and Environmental Health and Safety, those who are making the move a success include the move consultants, Vargas Associates Inc., and the moving company, Corrigan Moving Systems.
Ellen Goldbaum
News Content Manager
Tel: 716-645-4605
Twitter: @UBmednews


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Hembree closes out Giants standouts
While the Class A Advanced San Jose Giants -- like their parent club in San Francisco -- were unable to defend their championship in 2011, there were still successes in the Bay Area and beyond.
Among the highlights: The Class A Augusta GreenJackets (70-68) won the second half South Division title in the South Atlantic League, while the Double-A Richmond Flying Squirrels (76-66) and the Rookie-level Arizona League Giants (41-15) advanced to the playoffs.
But no affiliate shared San Jose's experience: Pursuing an unprecedented third straight California League crown, the Giants (90-50) were one of two Minor League teams to reach the 90-win plateau. But they were eliminated in the North Division Finals.
"Anytime you end the season like that and don't come away with a championship, you have to get that feeling out of your stomach," starting pitcher Chris Heston said. "We'll use it for motivation for next year."
Heston and five others who spent time in the Capital of the Silicon Valley this season make up the majority of the system's stars.
Giants Organization All-Stars
Catcher -- Tommy Joseph, San Jose (127 games): The 2009 second-round Draft pick enjoyed a strong second pro season. Despite being San Jose's youngest player, the 20-year-old Joseph collected 22 home runs and 95 RBIs -- both club and career highs -- while batting .270. He ended the season as San Francisco's No. 6 prospect.
Director of Player Development Fred Stanley said Joseph turned his season around once the organization moved fellow catcher and No. 9 prospect Hector Sanchez to Fresno. In fact, on June 6, Sanchez's final day at San Jose before returning late in the season, Joseph was batting .237 with five longballs. "He started to really take off," Stanley said. "He's understanding the importance of catching and not taking a bad at-bat with him behind home plate."
No longer taking a turn at first base and only occasionally serving as designated hitter, Joseph batted .297 or better in each of the final four months and plated 48 runs in 49 games between July and August. Sixteen of his homers came in the second half, and he was named a Cal League postseason All-Star.
"I have been with Tommy since day one," said Heston, a member of the same Draft class. "I have seen him grow into what he is now. The strides that that kid has made, it's pretty unbelievable. He stepped up and filled the role and did way more than anybody expected of him. I am excited to see what he's going to become in the years to come."
San Jose manager Andy Skeels is also convinced.
"Tommy is going to be a big leaguer for a long time," he said.
First base -- Brett Pill, Fresno (133 games), San Francisco (15 games): The 27-year-old put together his best season as a pro. Pill batted a career-best .312 and piled up 25 homers and 107 RBIs -- both tops in the organization. What's more, he struck out in fewer than 10 percent of his at-bats.
The reason? Stanley said Pill's improved pitch recognition has boosted his offensive capabilities. Strong makeup helps, too.
"He's an iron man," Stanley said. "He's a solid defender. He was just supposed to fill in at second base since we were hit with injuries, but he ended up playing [57] games there. Not many first basemen in the big leagues can do that."
"It was a really stretch for him to play second base," Grizzlies manager Steve Decker added. "We were really behind the eight-ball. All we had to teach him was [how to] turn the double play. And [the position switch] didn't affect his hitting, which can happen."
Pill made his Major League debut on Sept. 6 and went yard in his first at-bat. The former seventh-round pick batted an even .300 in 15 games for skipper Bruce Bochy.
"When he got called up, the clubhouse cheered," Decker said. "Definitely a feel-good story."
Second base -- Ryan Cavan, San Jose (130 games): The third-year switch-hitter batted .270 and racked up 55 extra-base hits, including a system-high 38 doubles, and a career-high 90 RBIs. That said, his defensive improvement is a primary reason he's on this list.
Cavan committed 26 errors at Class A Augusta in 2010 but cut that down to five this year.
"When he came in, we told him that if he was going to get out of A-ball, he needed to tighten it up," Stanley said. "He took it on as a challenge. He is one of hardest workers we have in the organization. He may not have the foot speed of second base prospects in other organizations, but he understands the game."
"I just think he made a lot of careless errors [in 2010]. He realized, in the grand scheme of things, that he is a baseball player, not just hit a hitter," Skeels added.
Third base -- Adam Duvall, Augusta (116 games): Duvall batted .285, drove in 87 runs and totaled 56 extra-base hits, including 22 homers. As a result, the 2010 11th-round pick out of the University of Louisville was named a South Atlantic League mid- and postseason All-Star.
"I tell you, we didn't expect him to hit that many homers," Stanley admitted. "Especially in our ballpark in Augusta, it's a graveyard out there sometimes and, quite frankly, he did it without a lot of protection behind him."
Shortstop -- Joe Panik, Salem-Keizer (69 games): The Giants' first-round pick in June signed quickly and produced even faster. Panik, who spoke with MLB.com last month, led all Giants farmhands with at least 300 plate appearances in batting (.341) and posted an impressive 28-to-25 walk-to-strikeout ratio. He spent all but one game in the lineup's first, second and third slots.
Panik went 4-for-5 with six RBIs on July 17 and also had some memorable moments defensively.
"He is one of most accurate throwers I have seen in our organization in a long time," Stanley said. "He may not be as acrobatic as [fellow shortstop prospect Brandon] Crawford, but he makes all the plays. He takes charge."
After taking Northwest League MVP honors, the St. John's University product batted .323 in 27 Arizona Fall League games, was selected to play in the Rising Stars Game and was named to the AFL's All-Prospect Team.
Gary Brown, San Jose (131 games): The 2010 first-round pick led San Francisco's full-season Minor Leaguers in batting (.336) and was the only player in the organization to reach triple digits in runs scored (115). He also paced his peers with a San Jose team-record 188 hits and triples (13). Each of those stats -- plus his 53 stolen bases -- ranked among the top three in the Cal League. Not surprisingly, the Giants' No. 1 prospect, was awarded the MiLBY for Best Class A Advanced Hitter.
His defense did not go unnoticed.
"He's a true shutdown center fielder," Skeels said. "He can get into the gaps and he's got a huge arm. [Opposing] third base coaches realized, 'If we run on him, we're going to get thrown out.'"
Added Heston, "He gets to balls some guys don't."
Does Brown have a weakness? He's pointed to his 74 percent success rate on the basepaths.
"As he moves up the ladder, they'll work with him on stealing bases," Stanley said. "Pitchers at Double-A and Triple-A will keep an eye on him, and he'll need to adjust."
The 23-year-old Cal State-Fullerton product went 11-for-50 at the plate in 11 AFL games before ending his long season prematurely due to illness.
Justin Christian, Richmond (73 games), Fresno (64 games), San Francisco (18 games): The lead-by-example vetran common to most Minor League rosters, Christian did a whole lot more than stand tall in the clubhouse. The 31-year-old batted .338 at Fresno, tallying 33 extra-base hits, 41 RBIs and 36 steals for the Grizzlies.
"Justin Christian was one of the most dangerous players in the league; he was a five-tool guy at Triple-A," Decker said. "Sometimes a change of scenery helps."
Decker also prodded Christian to make a change in technique. The former noticed the latter trying to slap at the ball, pushing it toward the opposite field. "What I told him," Decker recalled, "is, 'If you're good at pulling the ball, pull the ball; don't get away from your strengths ... ' Then he, all of a sudden, turns into this Rickey Henderson-type leadoff guy for us."
Christian appeared in 18 games for the big club, his second stint in the Majors during a weaving and winding career.
"He's a great example for our younger players," Stanley said. "He doesn't take anything for granted."
Tyler Graham, Fresno (127 games): During his third straight year spending time at Triple-A -- he got more than 400 at-bats for the first time as a pro -- the Oregon State product batted .273 and scored a career-high 82 runs. Graham, 27, snagged a coveted spot on the Giants' 40-man roster on Nov. 18, protecting him from the Rule 5 Draft. His speed is a significant reason: He stole a system-best and Fresno-record 60 bases in 72 attempts.
"He hasn't always had an opportunity to play every day, but he has [become], over the course of three years, our best base-stealer at any position," Stanley said. "He's fearless. Everybody knows what he's going to do and he says, basically, 'Stop me.'"
Added Decker: "He's a green light guy. Even when they're looking to stop him from stealing, they can't."
Honorable mention goes to Francisco Peguero, who batted .312 in 87 games between San Jose and Richmond. The 23-year-old is the Giants' No. 2 prospect.
Utility -- Edgar Gonzalez, Fresno (137 games): Gonzalez led all Grizzlies in batting (.315) -- if not for Christian (.338), who spent more time at Double-A -- and smacked 30 doubles and 14 homers while piling up 82 RBIs. His versatility kept him in the lineup: He played at least 23 games at three infield positions (second base, third base and shortstop) and in the outfield.
"He's a professional hitter," Stanley said of the older brother of Red Sox All-Star Adrian Gonzalez. "If I had a runner at third base, he'd be one of the top guys on my team I'd want at the plate."
In fact, Gonzalez batted .343 with runners in scoring position with RISP and two outs. Numbers like these left some wondering why the Giants didn't promote him after injuries and instability crumbled their middle infield.
"His most valuable [trait] was his attitude," Decker said. "He could have really got frustrated when he didn't get called up, and he didn't."
Right-handed starting pitcher -- Chris Heston, San Jose (24 games): Heston won 12 of 16 decisions and compiled a 3.16 ERA in the hitter-happy Cal League and fanned 131 ovr 151 innings. In a 1-0 victory on May 21, the sinkerballer held Stockton to three hits over eight shutout innings.
"He's got a huge upside," Stanley said of the 2009 12th-round pick. "His secondary pitches are getting stronger. To pitch in the big leagues, you have to be able to pitch backwards, because sometimes you don't have your best fastball."
Heston emerged in a rotation flush with talent: Craig Westcott (13-4, 3.42 ERA), Kelvin Marte (12-6, 3.47 ERA) and Andy Reichard (9-4, 3.38 ERA) all ranked in the top five in the league in ERA.
"It was fun because me and Craig are real good friends. Anytime that we were pitching, we were always rooting the other one on. And we also had Kelvin Marte. We all competed against each other," Heston told MLB.com. "Anytime everybody is pitching well, you want to go out there and do better; that's healthy competition. You go out there and you want to do a little better than the last guy."
Left-handed starting pitcher -- Eric Surkamp, San Jose (one game), Richmond (23 games), San Francisco (six games): San Francisco's No. 5 prospect went 10-4 with a 2.02 ERA to earn Eastern League mid- and postseason All-Star honors. Surkamp, 24, struck out 165 over 142 1/3 innings before making six Major League starts -- his first -- to end the campaign.
"Going to the big leagues, pitching him in big games like that is going to be a great confidence-builder for him," Stanley said of the 2008 sixth-round pick. "He's going to be a real important part of our Major League staff soon."
Relief pitcher -- Heath Hembree, San Jose (26 games), Richmond (28 games): No word works better here than domination. Hembree posted a 0.74 ERA and a 44-12 strikeout-to-walk ratio over 24 2/3 innings for San Jose, then logged a 2.83 ERA and a 34-13 ratio in 28 2/3 frames for the Flying Squirrels. Employing a 94 mph fastball with movement -- a straighter version peaks at 98 mph -- the 2010 fifth-round pick recorded 38 saves between those two stops.
"He's one of those guys every organization would love to have," Stanley said. "He likes to be in that [closer] role, he's a guy that loves to challenge [batters]."
Opponents batted .188 against the 22-year-old right-hander who ended the year as the Giants' No. 7 prospect.
"This kid is a lot of fun to watch. As a manager, he makes you real smart," Skeels said. "He was a kid we were excited about in Spring Training, but you never know with first [full-season] guys. He really had a big breakout year for us."
Veteran right-hander Danny Otero also deserves a mention. In 56 games between Richmond and Fresno, the 26-year-old went 4-4 with 13 saves and a 2.31 ERA, striking out 76 in 74 innings.
Andrew Pentis is a contributor to MLB.com.


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Professional Community for Car Dealers, Marketing, Advertising and Sales Leaders
Your dealerships online reputation can literally make or break your business success. Why's that? Because, statistically speaking, around 90 percent of all consumers use the Internet to research businesses when they are looking for a product or service.
Your online reputation will determine whether those consumers choose you or one of your competitors. You can also be sure that if you do not manage your online reputation, it will be managed by other people, who will inevitably post reviews, comment on your business in forums and social media sites, publish blog write-ups concerning your business, and more. For this reason, you need to do everything you can to ensure that what people see when they find your business online is as positive as possible. How do you do that? Here are three helpful tips to make sure your online reputation is protected:
Online reputation marketing is a complex process, but it is also tantamount to your business success. To make the most of your online reputation, you may want to enlist the help of qualified and competent professionals like us, Prime Automotive Marketing. We can be reached by phone, at 401-528-7850, or by email: email@example.com
Rick Mosca
Founder & CEO Prime Automotive Marketing
Views: 629
Tom, I get your point, but perhaps you miss my point. As I said "Google, and people type in either the dealer name, or a keyword, i.e "chevy dealer, city, state. There they see the dealer score (1-30) and a link to reviews. With the keyword searches, they see the 7 box and and compare each one.
How many people actually put in the word reviews as you did ? What if they are just looking for phone numbers, and addresses? Try the the same search you did "dealer reviews" but with the word reviews, just "dealer" or "car dealer" You get the Google 7 box, and reviews
Even Google instant suggestion list does not show reviews. As you begin to type "car then d ... it suggests "car dealerships", and "car dealers" again the 7 box and dealerrater is not on page one.
The point is That Google 7 box is RIGHT IN YOUR FACE ! and Google actual searches show people are actually searching "car dealerships", and "car dealers without the word review
Alexander mentions DealerRater. That's fine but how many people go there or have even heard of them? 85 to 90% use Google, and type in either the dealer name, or a keyword, i.e "chevy dealer, city, state. There they see the dealer score (1-30) and a link to reviews. With the keyword searches, they see the 7 box and and compare each one.
So while 3rd party sites such as DealerRater or OK, The most important sites, are Google places/maps, Google +, Yelp, InsiderPages, CitySearch, Yellow Pages (YP), and few others.
I have seen dealers who have a 4 or 5 star rating on DealerRater, but a 2-3 star (or 10-15 score) on Google.
Where do most consumers actual search ???
There's a bunch of overlap and I suppose it depends on how we're definging "management", in my opinion. You have to still manage your reputation, goes for negative and postive reviews, communication is the key. Sitting around, doing nothing while reviewers knock you down isn't going to help matters. Agreed, it's a great idea to be proactive and market your ratings, especially if you're near a 5-star at the likes of DealerRater, Edmunds, etc. However, that's if you have a stellar rating. Not all dealers have great ratings and have to start somewhere. Too many dealers have ignored the need to manage their reputation. Review sites don't have to ask for a dealer's permission to create a review page dedicated to them.
Like anything else in a service industry, Social Media and Reputation Management service companies vary in terms of their effectiveness and overall strategy and knowledge of certain markets and demographics. One reason I use a Social and Reputation Management tool (SaaS-based) that strives to support the automotive retail niche market, solely.
Yes you need to monitor your reputation online but you need to do so much more than being notified when a bad review is posted, you need to be proactive and become a 5 Star Reputation Dealership, and then you need to market that 5 Star Reputation.
Dealers need to be cautious of companies contacting them with Reputation Management services because anyone offering reputation management services is probably new to the game and are not really able to help you with your reputation, what you need is a company that offers Reputation Marketing, then when you get your reputation where you are considered a reputable dealer then you do reputation management. Reputation Marketing is proactive marketing where as reputation management is re-active marketing.
It is much easier, and cost effective to stay ahead of the reputation game by being proactive rather than playing from behind with a re-active strategy.
It's one of the reasons DealerRater, Edmunds, Cars.com, etc. have grown over the years. 'Tis true, the majority of potential buyers do check this stuff. I know I do, my wife does and I would presume the majority of women buyers (massive buying power) do as well. It's no secret, get yourself a good reputation management (CRM) tool, notifiying you when a negative review has been made. Even if it's positive, jump on the opportunity to highlight yourself as well.
Great advice! Thank you!
Rick Mosca, Thanks for the post and sound advice... My favorite part is when you describe how a dealership's reputation will be managed either by the dealer, or those who choose to post reviews, blogs and commentary about that dealership. This is so true. A dealership's reputation is never left unmanaged, it is really a question of WHO is managing it!
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Improve production, increase harvests, feed schoolchildren: a wager won in Senegal
At 200 schools in the Kedougou region of Senegal, children are now eating locally-produced rice, thanks to a programme financed by Brazil and implemented by WFP and FAO. Some 1,000 small producers provided 250 tonnes of paddy rice—half their total production—to school feeding programmes last year, and farmers consumed or sold the rest of their harvest on the local market, increasing their income. The initiative is a prime example of South-South cooperation and of integrated development set to expand.
With support from the Government of Senegal, the programme, launched in 2012 under the name "Purchase from Africans for Africa," strengthens food security as well as the economic and social development of rural communities.
Thanks to financing from Brazil, who developed a similar programme at home as part of its "Zero Hunger" initiative, producers in targeted regions were organized into farmers' organizations. FAO provided training on agricultural techniques and seeds to farmers, while WFP purchased half of what they produced for schools meals programmes.
"We're killing two birds with one stone : students receiving meals at school now eat locally-produced, high-quality rice, and by selling our excess production on local markets, we are building our financial resources," explains Mamadi Diallo, the president of the rice producers' union in Bandafassi, a district in the Kedougou region located 800 kilometers southeast of Dakar.
"Thanks to this new income, we will soon be able to take care of our needs and those of our children, without the help of FAO and WFP," he continues.
The Senegalese government has supported the initiative and hopes to eventually take over management of the school feeding programme. "School feeding could play a central role in a national policy that promotes local cereals as a way generate additional income for local producers," explained the Minister of Education Serigne Mbaye Thiam during a recent visit to Bandafassi with first secretary of the Brazilian embassy in Senegal Marco Sparano, WFP country director Ingeborg Maria Breuer, and FAO resident representative Vincent Martin.
"Combining our knowledge and expertise will allow populations in Bandafassi to be sure that their children are well-fed by providing them with high-quality food from farm to plate," Mr. Martin explained.
The initiative will likely expand to other parts of Senegal. "The programme opens up new commercial opportunities for agricultural producers in the country, in addition to raising literacy levels and improving education results," Ms. Breuer said.
"We remain convinced that countries of the global South can ensure their development while reinforcing South-South cooperation by fostering equal relationships and sharing our experiences, notably in family agriculture, rice cultivation, organic agriculture, and the purchase of agricultural equipment," declared Mr. Sparano.
After a year of experimenting, the Purchase from Africans for Africa project will consolidate lessons from its inaugural year, expand crop area and continue to improve production. Farmer organizations will be equipped with reliable hullers, allowing farmers to transform crops themselves.
The programme will then be implemented in other regions, with the ultimate goal of turning over management to communities and Senegalese authorities to ensure its sustainability.