Podcast appearances and mentions of Steve Skinner

Rob Thomas, Editor-in-Chief of Club + Resort Business chats with Steve Skinner, CEO of KemperSports, about the company's new partnership with Touchstone Golf. KemperSports, a 45-year-old golf management company with more than 200 properties in 35 states, has partnered with Touchstone Golf, which manages 41 properties primarily in the western U.S. The partnership aims to leverage each other's expertise, particularly in third-party management and local market knowledge. Skinner highlights the importance of technology and innovation in enhancing the golf experience and discusses future growth plans, including potential acquisitions and expanding into new markets. He also expresses optimism about the industry's future, driven by a new generation of golfers. Also in the news, the six-month golf course renovation project at the Okatie Creek Golf Course at Sun City Hilton Head in Bluffton, S.C., focuses on enhancing turf conditions and playability. As part of the course renovation, all greens will be hulled out and re-grassed with Tif Eagle turf, while fairways and tee boxes will be re-grassed with Celebration turf. Read about four ways clubs can leverage technology for workforce efficiency. Joe Morrison, Director of Business Development at Adams Keegan, says technology is revolutionizing many aspects of our lives, and country clubs are no exception. These institutions are increasingly adopting solutions to enhance efficiency. When integrated thoughtfully, technology can streamline operations, improve member experiences, and enhance workforce productivity, all while maintaining the personal touch that members value most. Lastly, a Florida Club hosts its annual ‘Celebration of Creativity' member art show. The annual art show at Orchid Island Golf & Beach Club in Vero Beach, Fla., included an artwork pop-up featuring 24 paintings for sale benefiting The Learning Alliance. “Supporting the community through philanthropic efforts is so important to our members,” says General Manager Rob Tench.

We discuss the phenomenal animation of "The Wheel in Space" by Iz Skinner and her partner Steve Skinner. It easily ranks in the top three of Doctor Who animations. We speculated about this animation having an official release before Josh Snares released his informative "Making of" documentary. Thus our podcast is a little behind the times due to the editing and production lag. To view the animation, you may watch the complete episodes on Gav Rymill's Missing Episodes Patreon or a playlist on TARDIS Timegirl's YouTube channel. Opening and closing music is from Wheel's soundtrack and was composed by Brian Hodgson. We recorded this podcast on 2 December 2024.

Seriah is joined by Wren Collier and Octavian to discuss a recent scientific article reporting on a study by researchers giving psychic tests to magickal practitioners, its results, and their possible meaning. Topics include a psychic testing phone app, Gordon White and Rune Soup, natural psychic abilities vs magickal practice, Wren's psychic research, Dean Radin, the change in magick between the 1800's and early 1900's, new age vs magick, Octavian's experiences in Fishing Creek with Ian and Timothy Renner, transliminality, transliminal dis-ease, problems of doubt, co-creation, preparation practices in ritual magick, altered psychological states, B.J. Swain, Olympic [Greco-Roman] spirits, Elysian mysteries, a bizarre experience in a veteran's cemetery, Steve Skinner, scent and spirits, unclean spirits, magickal practice and the paranormal, the three books of magick by Agrippa vs grimoires, chaos magick, the importance of astrology, Seriah's experience with magick and an unexpected result, Octavian's grandmother Julia Lupton and her astrological works, sublunar spirits, lunar mansions, Wren's c, Arabic astrology, astrological charting, traditional astrology vs scientific materialist psychological astrology, Chris Warnock, “Station to Station” podcast, Octavian's “Strange Dominions” podcast, Fae and nature spirits, a theory of Saturn and Bigfoot, a Biblical reference to hairy hominids, solar activity and psi, Robert Shock, the keys of Solomon and the moon, “Beyond Telepathy” by Andrija Pruharich, thunderstorms and magickal workings, electrical universe theory, black holes at the center of the Milky Way, Walt Thornhill, Immanuel Velikovsky, metaphor vs reality in astrology, the book “Gateways Through Light and Shadow”, neo-Platonism, drawing spirits into crystals, the “Seven Spheres” system of magick, physical manifestations vs the minds eye, analytical overlay, remote viewing, some of Octavian's personal experiences, and much, much more! This is a unique deep dive into SO much!

Seriah is joined by Wren Collier and Octavian to discuss a recent scientific article reporting on a study by researchers giving psychic tests to magickal practitioners, its results, and their possible meaning. Topics include a psychic testing phone app, Gordon White and Rune Soup, natural psychic abilities vs magickal practice, Wren's psychic research, Dean Radin, the change in magick between the 1800's and early 1900's, new age vs magick, Octavian's experiences in Fishing Creek with Ian and Timothy Renner, transliminality, transliminal dis-ease, problems of doubt, co-creation, preparation practices in ritual magick, altered psychological states, B.J. Swain, Olympic [Greco-Roman] spirits, Elysian mysteries, a bizarre experience in a veteran's cemetery, Steve Skinner, scent and spirits, unclean spirits, magickal practice and the paranormal, the three books of magick by Agrippa vs grimoires, chaos magick, the importance of astrology, Seriah's experience with magick and an unexpected result, Octavian's grandmother Julia Lupton and her astrological works, sublunar spirits, lunar mansions, Wren's talismans, Arabic astrology, astrological charting, traditional astrology vs scientific materialist psychological astrology, Chris Warnock, “Station to Station” podcast, Octavian's “Strange Dominions” podcast, Fae and nature spirits, a theory of Saturn and Bigfoot, a Biblical reference to hairy hominids, solar activity and psi, Robert Shock, the keys of Solomon and the moon, “Beyond Telepathy” by Andrija Pruharich, thunderstorms and magickal workings, electrical universe theory, black holes at the center of the Milky Way, Walt Thornhill, Immanuel Velikovsky, metaphor vs reality in astrology, the book “Gateways Through Light and Shadow”, neo-Platonism, drawing spirits into crystals, the “Seven Spheres” system of magick, physical manifestations vs the minds eye, analytical overlay, remote viewing, some of Octavian's personal experiences, and much, much more! This is a unique deep dive into SO much!- Recap by Vincent TreewellOutro Music is Fluttr Effect Live on The Last Exit with Transmission. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Steve and Judy Skinner wanted to buy a haunted house. They'd been lifelong skeptics, but after a paranormal experience in Eureka Springs, they wanted to know more about the paranormal. As a doctor, Steve wanted to study and experience the paranormal properly, so he needed a “lab.” A place of their own, where nothing could be manipulated. And in 2018, they found just what they were looking for in the small town of Brumley, Missouri…the Haunted Castle House. They soon realized they had purchased a very active home. In fact, it's been called the “Most Haunted House in the Midwest.” Even on Realtor.com, the listing for the house said, “Buy it if you dare.” The house has seen lots of trauma, tragedy, and death…which could account for the apparitions, noises, knocks, voices, and all of the paranormal activity under its roof. Today on the Grave Talks, Part Two of our conversation about the Haunted Castle House with owner Dr. Steve Skinner. If you'd like to read more about the Haunted Castle House's history or get information on tours, paranormal investigations, or candlelight tours, visit their website at hauntedcastlehouse.com. Become a GRAVE KEEPER and get access to ALL of our EPISODES - AD FREE, BONUS EPISODES & ADVANCE EPISODES!!! Sign up through Apple Podcast Channel or Patreon. Sign up through Apple Podcasts or Patreon http://www.patreon.com/thegravetalks

Steve and Judy Skinner wanted to buy a haunted house. They'd been lifelong skeptics, but after a paranormal experience in Eureka Springs, they wanted to know more about the paranormal. As a doctor, Steve wanted to study and experience the paranormal properly, so he needed a “lab.” A place of their own, where nothing could be manipulated. And in 2018, they found just what they were looking for in the small town of Brumley, Missouri…the Haunted Castle House. They soon realized they had purchased a very active home. In fact, it's been called the “Most Haunted House in the Midwest.” Even on Realtor.com, the listing for the house said, “Buy it if you dare.” The house has seen lots of trauma, tragedy, and death…which could account for the apparitions, noises, knocks, voices, and all of the paranormal activity under its roof. Today on the Grave Talks, Part One of our conversation about the Haunted Castle House with owner Dr. Steve Skinner. If you'd like to read more about the Haunted Castle House's history or get information on tours, paranormal investigations, or candlelight tours, visit their website at hauntedcastlehouse.com. Become a GRAVE KEEPER and get access to ALL of our EPISODES - AD FREE, BONUS EPISODES & ADVANCE EPISODES!!! Sign up through Apple Podcast Channel or Patreon. Sign up through Apple Podcasts or Patreon http://www.patreon.com/thegravetalks

For today as part of the Creative Control Network, on The Business of the Business podcast we welcome in legendary wrestler Skinner aka Steve Keirn. We will focus on his new book, the Keirn Chronicles Volume 2. Hosts John Poz and Lavie Margolin also discuss WWE, AEW, TKO, TNA, GFW, WrestleMania, Triller, GCW, Marigold, and so much more!Get 20% Off and Free Shipping with the code BIZ at Manscaped.com. That's 20% off with free shipping at manscaped.com and use code BIZ. Time to feel sexy and free this 2023 with MANSCAPED™Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/the-business-of-the-business--4870725/support.

For five decades now, our next guest's organization has been pioneering medical genetics across not only our state, but the nation, as well. Last month, they kicked off their latest initiative, a major effort in Alzheimer's research. Mike Switzer interviews Dr. Steve Skinner, director of the Greenwood Genetics Center in Greenwood, SC.

Steve and Judy Skinner wanted to buy a haunted house. They'd been lifelong skeptics, but after a paranormal experience in Eureka Springs, they wanted to know more about the paranormal. As a doctor, Steve wanted to study and experience the paranormal properly, so he needed a “lab.” A place of their own, where nothing could be manipulated. And in 2018, they found just what they were looking for in the small town of Brumley, Missouri…the Haunted Castle House. They soon realized they had purchased a very active home. In fact, it's been called the “Most Haunted House in the Midwest.” Even on Realtor.com, the listing for the house said, “Buy it if you dare.” The house has seen lots of trauma, tragedy, and death…which could account for the apparitions, noises, knocks, voices, and all of the paranormal activity under its roof. Today on the Grave Talks, Part Two of our conversation about the Haunted Castle House with owner Dr. Steve Skinner. If you'd like to read more about the Haunted Castle House's history or get information on tours, paranormal investigations, or candlelight tours, visit their website at hauntedcastlehouse.com Become a GRAVE KEEPER and get access to ALL of our EPISODES - AD FREE, BONUS EPISODES & ADVANCE EPISODES!!! Sign up through Apple Podcast Channel or Patreon. Sign up through Apple Podcasts or Patreon http://www.patreon.com/thegravetalks

Steve and Judy Skinner wanted to buy a haunted house. They'd been lifelong skeptics, but after a paranormal experience in Eureka Springs, they wanted to know more about the paranormal. As a doctor, Steve wanted to study and experience the paranormal properly, so he needed a “lab.” A place of their own, where nothing could be manipulated. And in 2018, they found just what they were looking for in the small town of Brumley, Missouri…the Haunted Castle House. They soon realized they had purchased a very active home. In fact, it's been called the “Most Haunted House in the Midwest.” Even on Realtor.com, the listing for the house said, “Buy it if you dare.” The house has seen lots of trauma, tragedy, and death…which could account for the apparitions, noises, knocks, voices, and all of the paranormal activity under its roof. Today on the Grave Talks, Part One of our conversation about the Haunted Castle House with owner Dr. Steve Skinner. If you'd like to read more about the Haunted Castle House's history or get information on tours, paranormal investigations, or candlelight tours, visit their website at hauntedcastlehouse.com Become a GRAVE KEEPER and get access to ALL of our EPISODES - AD FREE, BONUS EPISODES & ADVANCE EPISODES!!! Sign up through Apple Podcast Channel or Patreon. Sign up through Apple Podcasts or Patreon http://www.patreon.com/thegravetalks

Our guest this episode on The Chicago Golf Report podcast is Steve Skinner, the Chief Executive Officer of KemperSports. With a dozen facilities in the Chicagoland area, KemperSports’ team is […]

On this episode of Senior Matters, host Diane Johnson welcomes a member of Western Slope Homecare, Sasha, and a former KDNK Executive Director, Steve Skinner.

KSL TV, KSL NewsRadio, and FM 100.3 are proud to present “A Nightshift Christmas,” starring some of your favorite radio and television personalities, and narrated by Jeff Caplan. The program is inspired by a true story and occurs in one of the busiest places during the holidays, a department store. Security guard Carter Stone's holiday spirit is low as he juggles work, graduate school, and his disdain for Christmas music but when an unlikely, and poetic, coworker joins the team, he just might buy into the Christmas spirit. If you enjoyed this program, please consider donating to KSL's Quarters for Christmas. “A Nightshift Christmas” is sponsored by Minky Couture; the most luxurious and soft designer blankets, available in a variety of colors and sizes. Cast and crew: Starring Jeff Caplan, Matt Assily, Jon Smith, Doug Wright, Brooke Walker, Ryan Wood, Alex Kirry, Sheryl Worsley, Becky Bruce, Matthew Sadowski, and Rusty Keys. Featuring Richard and Gina Ledbetter. Director: Candice Madsen, audio production: KellieAnn Halvorsen Trent Sell and Josh Tilton, Executive Producer: Sheryl Worsley. The song A Christmas Poem was written and composed by Peter Rosen and mixed by Von Coffman. Saxophone solo by Matt Assily. Poetry written by Richard Ledbetter. Additional music provided by Universal Production Music as follows: “Christmas Magic,” composed by Emanuel Kallins and Steve Skinner; published by First Digital Music under the label Gotham Music. “Jingle Bells,” composed by Steve Sidwell; published by BBC Production Music, under the label BBC Production Music. "Play That Christmas Song,” composed by Kania Allard and Puerre Terrasse; published by Illustration Musicale -Universal Production Music France, under the label Galerie. “My Christmas Guy,” composed by La Griffe and Pierre Terrasse; published by Illustration Musicale - Universal Production Music France, under the label Galerie. “Dreaming of Christmas,” composed by Nathalie Mac; published by, Music House, under the label Music House. “Good King Wenceslas,” composed by Steve Sidwell; published by, BBC Production Music, under the label BBC Production Music. “We Three Kings,” composed by Steve Sidwell; published by, BBC Production Music, under the label BBC Production Music. “The Messiah: Hallelujah,” composed by George Frideric Handel; published by, Naxos, under the label Classical. “Carol of the Bells,” composed by Emir Isilay and Robert J Walsh; published by, First Digital Music, under the label Hollywood Music. “Oh, Come All Ye Faithful” composed by Andrew Deeley and Tim Sawtell; published by, Focus Music, under the label Focus Music. Some sound effects sourced from FreeSound.org as follows: "Ambiance outside a series of restaurants." by 140178sound."Chime C#," by Wormletter. "Mall people," by Gezortenplotz. "Girl walking in heels," by CyrileneRossouw."Footsteps male hard shoes," by Kev Zim. "Elevator the elevator closing the opening of the elevator floor signal," by Mario1298."Male laughter," by YvesIV. "Basement Motor/Boiler 2," by Caquet."Talking gibberish," by 170026. "Button click 06," by Fats Million. "Roomtone empty mall indoors 04," by Klanbeeld. "Party crowd 1," by Kolezan. "Vacuum cleaner," by Maurice_J_K. "Packing bookshelf," by Migaelvdw. "Glass wipe," by Moonlight Dancer. "Vacuum 1," by PhatKatz4. "Pen strokes and scribbling compilation," by Sheyvan. "Foley putting groceries away 3," by William J. Meyer. And "Picking up keys," by WeeJee vdH. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Today is Giving Tuesday. That's the day after Cyber-Monday following Black-Friday and it's a lead in to the giving season. And it's also the start of a new project by The Unity Values Foundation. That was a group created to change the world based on the values of individual people. Steve Skinner is with the group and he says they want to empower people to help others. They do that by fundraising donations from individuals and businesses to provide specific items or funds to registered charities. He discusses the "Wish List" to help the flood victims in the Eastern Zone.

The Scorecard with Barry Cronin and Mike Esposito begins this hour with a conversation with Steve Skinner, CEO of Kemper Sports, who talks about the golf world since the pandemic started. Ron Green Jr. joins later to offer his insight on next week's Ryder Cup. (09-18-21) See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This week, Heather and Matthew chat with Dr. Steve Skinner of the Greenwood Genetic Center, a nonprofit that provides clinical genetic services, diagnostic lab testing, and much more. We dive into how the center has evolved over the past four decades, the unique services they provide, and the future of genetic testing and research. Tune in to epsiode 49 now!

We WON! On April 19, 2021 KFFR was granted an "Award of Excellence" from the Colorado Broadcasting Association for "Best Podcast" for small markets in 2020. Our daily program was called the "KFFR Coronacast," and was hosted by Steve Skinner and Stacy Stein. It would have never happened without support from station founder and producer, Denis Moynihan.   We were up against some very well-funded radio stations. I have always believed that the audio canvas provides everyone the same opportunities to create valuable, quality programming.   The podcast went for months. This podcast is our half-hour edit entry.

THE D&K REPOSS NON LEAGUE SHOW 08/02/21 JIM COOPER , STEVE SKINNER , PAUL HALSEY , BEN SMITH

Episode 1920 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about Steve Skinner, of Troy, Ohio, a young sailor who served in the Vietnam War. The featured story appeared in the Daily Advocate of Greenville, Ohio and was … Continue reading → The post Episode 1920– Vietnam was a young man’s war appeared first on .

This week, we explore one of the most unlikely stories we've ever covered. A low level MMA fighter, who only chose to fight as a second career, as it took a back seat to robbing drug dealers, running a drug empire, torturing retirees with hot kitchen utensils, and murdering people in cold blood.  He had to stop fighting, due to a little murder rap, that sent him on the run to South America, where he somehow started another mini empire! This story is unreal!   Fight professionally as a hobby, have a drug empire as your day job, and run away to another continent to avoid murder charges with Steve Skinner!!   Check us out, every Tuesday!   We will continue to bring you the biggest idiots in sports history!!    Hosted by James Pietragallo & Jimmie Whisman    Donate at... patreon.com/crimeinsports or with paypal.com using our email: crimeinsports@gmail.com    Get all the CIS & STM merch at crimeinsports.threadless.com    Go to shutupandgivememurder.com for all things CIS & STM!!    Contact us on... twitter.com/crimeinsports  crimeinsports@gmail.com  facebook.com/Crimeinsports  instagram.com/smalltownmurder# See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

We are all obsessed with the human body. And nowhere do you find the body more on display than at the beach. If you really want to go all the way, you have to go to a nude beach. In our parents’ days, we heard of nudist colonies, places where young and beautiful beatniks smoked weed and drank wine and frolicked in mud baths in the altogether, all together. We all saw the compelling posters. I don’t know about you but I spent a long winter building up body fats and dry skin, including an occasional itchy rash. My doctor said my skin looked “dry” and urged me to use skin moisturizer, something we tough guys often forget as we are putting on the Carharts. Like many of us mountain people, I split for tropical climes this off-season, seeking moist air, beaches and a chance to air out the wrinkles and folds that had been under many layers of protective clothing. Maybe it’s because the islands are blowing up, but I found shockingly cheap airfare to Maui and got on that plane. When we touched down and they opened the cabin doors for arrival, the plumeria-scented breeze was like an instant balm. The lips felt moist. The red spots vanished, and the air was full of oxygen and deeply nuanced scents. After a couple of days chasing turtles in the tourist hotspots, we decided to attend a locals’ traditional party on a not-so-secret beach on the far end of the island. A quick stumble over a lava hill led us to a strip of sand with gentle waves and scattered with locals. A closer look revealed that many were “pants down.” You know what they say, “When in Rome, do as the Romans do.” So I went pants down and headed straight for the water, where other like-minded nudists were bobbing about. Swimming naked is liberating, to say the least. Without too much graphic detail, salt water beats the pants off of synthetic fabrics every day. The ocean is the wetsuit. And the wetsuit suits me. After the bobbing, it was time for a dash back to the beach chair. Not too fast. Must avoid flapping about and drawing attention with quick movements. Not too slow. Don’t want to risk evocative strutting, either. No, the nude-beach cadence should be slow and carefree. I snuck a look around. I couldn’t understand why everyone was not staring at me. It was as though a rare species of albino sloth seal had emerged from the ocean and no one noticed. I made it to the chair, popped up the umbrella, plopped down and made a nonchalant gaze directly in front of me into the endless ocean. Glancing around, I saw other ghastly species mingling among the beautiful people. No one is perfect, and nowhere is this more obvious than a nude beach. Most of the people you wouldn’t mind seeing naked were clothed, and most of the people you’d prefer to see clothed were naked. The hairless apes were at this particular beach for a weekly gathering of the tribe. There were many old hippies, smoking joints in their wrinkled leather suits. I saw a lot of lonely looking guys but some had their gals with them. It made me wonder, where did these old hippies come from? How did they get here and how did they live? Maui is expensive, and these retirees did not look like the working type. Late in the afternoon there was a steady stream of new recruits arriving, bringing drums and drinks. A small group started the drum circle with a bleached, mistimed pulse that went nowhere but somehow changed the atmosphere to something more electric. More and more drummers showed, and before long an exotic African couple were leading the ensemble with a simpler, more compelling tribal beat and simple commands that really got things going in the right direction. I almost forgot I was naked and started moving my hips. As the light lengthened there was a higher ratio of clothed to non-clothed partygoers. I slipped on my shorts and walked closer to the circle. Having my eyes suddenly behold a nude man when I forgot where I was because of the music is unsettling and startling. I would have to get used to it. There were still more fissures on display than on the Big Island. This scene was going off and it was time to split, time to weave our way through the naked crop, some sitting, some prone, some up, some down, some sideways. Some sitting on a towel, staring into a cell phone as if to say, “I feel naked without my device.” I saw a lot of cell phones out there on Maui, mostly on the popular public beaches where waves, wildlife, sand and sunsets were right there, front and center. All you had to do was look up. But some couldn’t, and it made me a little sad. Because to be human means we all share the same flesh, the same habits and the same lameness. Some are better than others at covering it up, but everyone eventually sags and the grim reaper comes for us all. Steve Skinner thinks we should bring back streaking. Reach him at nigel@sopris.net.  

New to Smile Radio every Friday 2-3pm get a slice of the American Pie with "The Beth Williams Indie Singer/Songwriter Show" playing a mix of the best Indie Americana, country, folk and acoustic music!   On this Show: Beth has a great selection of Indie Folk, Americana, Country and Acoustic music featuring songs from Cass Clayton, Sarah Pierce, Templeton Universe, Tim Garon, The Limestoners, Greg Forrest, Paul Frazier, Bob Rea, The Lindells, The Pryde, Sunnie Haeger, Steve Skinner, Joe Alan And of course music from the shows host - Beth Williams. On Smile Radio every Friday Afternoon 2-3pm (U.K Time) Listen Live: www.smileradio.co or download the free app. Social Media: facebook: www.facebook.com/smileradioyorkshire Twitter: www.twitter.com/smileradio3 Instagram: www.instagram.com/smileradio3  Home of the best new, independent music, great entertainment and good times!

We’re joined by Steve Skinner of Mach 1 Rocketry and Ronald Dunn of Birmingham Rocket Boys to talk about Mach 1 and their new line of fiberglass rockets, as well as the Bama Blastoff event happening at the Dee River Ranch in west of Aliceville, Alabama. The event boasts a 16,800 foot standing waiver and 12,000 acres of mostly open recovery area. Want to learn more about this and BT tube sized fiberglass rockets? You’ve come to the right episode! Note: If you are a patron of the show, you get about a half hour of additional content on this episode...

Posted on August 25, 2018 by CG We're joined by Steve Skinner of Mach 1 Rocketry and Ronald Dunn of Birmingham Rocket Boys to talk about Mach 1 and their new line of fiberglass rockets, as well as the Bama Blastoff event happening at the Dee River Ranch in west of Aliceville, Alabama. The event boasts a 16,800 foot standing waiver and 12,000 acres of mostly open recovery area. Want to learn more about this and BT tube sized fiberglass rockets? You've come to the right episode!

Some analysts say the golf business is dwindling. Others contest that after years of decline, the industry has stabilized and is now positioned for a resurgence. Regardless of what the stats show, the golf industry will always need creative and innovative leaders to keep golf interesting and enjoyable for all of us. Leaders like Steve Skinner, CEO of KemperSports, who joins us on today's episode.

Host Michael Williams reports on his visit to Media Day at Shinnecock Hills, the site the 2018 U.S. Open, where he played the course. How are the current conditions? He weighs in on the Unlimited Mulligan Challenge made by Dave Portnoy of Barstool Sports that day, as well. Also, famed Architect David Kidd talks about how he created Bandon Dunes at the age of 25, and Steve Skinner of KemperLesnik gives his views on the health of the golf business.

  by Steve Skinner, Aspen Daily News Columnist   Tuesday, September 12, 2017   I’m feeling squashed again. And the feeling’s just begun. Proceed with this seedy column at your own risk. Hope you have a thick skin. The views and opinions expressed forthwith are my own and do not reflect the new and upstanding ownership of this newspaper. Anyone who goes to the store and purchases a zucchini right now is certifiably nuts. No offense but this is zucchini season, which is kind of like hurricane season, except that it’s raining zucchinis instead of water. What we have here is something of an emergency: a squash surge. I’m with you. I don’t particularly care to eat zucchini. Eating it straight up in a salad or steamed on the side brings me a borderline gag reflex. It must be good for me then, right? My daughter writes a blog (Moodystark). In “s--- you don’t need,” she writes that the No. 1 thing you don’t need in your life is zucchini. Coincidentally, the last thing on the list of things you don’t need in your life is “food that doesn’t taste good.” It’s not my fault. I tried and tried to get her to eat zucchini. To her credit, once a year, she always sampled whatever zuke incarnation I presented. But not even fresh-picked baby zucchini masterfully sautéed in butter and garlic could pass her yuck test. Zucchini bread? No. She knew it was in there. My eating habits have changed. If someone hands me a local zucchini, I’m going to find a way to ingest it. Local food is the healthiest, best-tasting and freshest. Whenever possible, I eat the locally sourced stuff. Even donuts. And yes, even zucchini. If you are going to eat it, eat the local stuff. Did you know that you can put a zucchini through a spiralizer? One of these hand-crank peelers cleverly turns zuke meat into long green noodles. Dress with carrot-top pesto and you are off to the races, yes? Stop! I am practically hurling just thinking about it. Noodles need to taste like noodles. Sorry. Disguising only works when you disguise the taste. It’s fine to disguise the look but more important to disguise the taste. If I have to deal with zucchini, I will often slice it, lube it, salt it and grill it. I know it sounds cruel but the babies are the tastiest. One of the most palatable ways to gag down zucchini is to grill the babies. The big monsters are woody and bitter. The longest zucchini courgette ever officially measured by the Guinness World Records was 8 feet, 3.3 inches and was grown in 2014 by the wonderful wizard Giovanni Batista Scozzafava in Niagara Falls, Canada. He claimed that he had used “no manure” on the plant, just lotsa Niagara water. I recently discovered that zucchinis can be poisonous. Zucchinis can and have killed! Maybe I have an inner sense that repels me from dangerous vegetables because I knew something was up. Perhaps I don’t like zucchini because they, like other cucubita pepe, including pumpkins, contain cucurbitacins. These toxic steroids help plants fend off predators. To add insult to injury, the toxin often adds bitterness to the squash. If you come across a particularly bitter zuke, you might want to skip it — you can thank me later. Wikipedia features a story of an elderly couple sickened by eating zucchini that the neighbor brought over. They noticed a bitter taste before they keeled over. The man died, and the wife barely made it. You guessed it: cucurbitacins. Still, you are probably more likely to choke to death on a squash than die from too many cucurbitacins in your fake noodles. Last Sunday night, I was presented with a zucchini casserole. The steaming concoction was layered with fresh mozzarella, basil and tomato sauce and topped with squash blossoms (yellow zuke blossoms are considered a delicacy in many countries, including Mexico). I must admit that it was pretty tasty considering that I knew what it was. Zucchini grows well in our climate. Keep the predators out, add sunshine and water and stand back. Never turn your back on a bed of zucchini as it can triple in size when you are not looking. Harvest those pepos early and often for best results. Look under the leaves because the big ones have a way of hiding under there. If you find yourself inundated by zucchini and your friends start locking their doors and pulling closed their shades when they see you coming, take heart. Get busy preserving, pickling and candying. Then you can give zucchini to your friends for Christmas. Steve Skinner nearly went out of his gourd when he heard that these fruits we treat like vegetables are actually swollen ovaries of the zucchini flower. Reach him at nigel@sopris.net.  

The judge, jury and executioner made the decision. The sentence: Death. Death by car. Death head-on. Fast death. Famous killer.The judge decided that the members of the defense team were all the same. They deserved the same fate. If he could have wielded more power, he would have sentenced them all to death and then followed through.But the only power he had was the power that was handed to him, like so many other young American kids. This self-proclaimed judge had free access to fast cars, weapons, freedom of speech, freedom of movement and freedom to believe, believe, believe. Like so many of us, he ultimately had the freedom to do whatever he wanted, however bad that may be.Heather Heyer was one of the guilty party. Her crime was standing in the wrong place at the wrong time with the right message. She was walking a crowded street in Charlottesville, Va., peacefully saying “No Place for Hate” to a group of misguided, maniacal haters who felt umbrage, outrage, righteous anger and self-entitlement.“Alt-right” demonstrators were protesting the planned removal of a statue honoring Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee. Counter-demonstrators were protesting the message of the protesters.The judge saw his opportunity: a cluster of guilty, sanctimonious protesters with the gall to challenge his right to free speech and all that he held dear. He would make them understand.The seas parted in front of Heather, and the judge came roaring in with his 4,226-pound Dodge Challenger, pedal to the metal. The American muscle car can reach 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. The front end of the speeding car rammed Heather and 19 others before backing away and escaping in a hurry. Heather Heyer died.That could have been me standing there, my daughter or my friend. Maybe it could have been you, your daughter or your friend.Heather Heyer died for the rest of us. She died saying what so many of us think when confronted by racist hate. She said, “No way!”Saturday was a lovely day in Charlottesville. Temperatures got into the 80s. There were some passing clouds. A sprinkle of rain was reported in the area.Heather could have gone birdwatching in Shenandoah National Park. She could have been strolling the peaceful grounds of Monticello, home of Thomas Jefferson’s former living quarters.Instead, Heather Heyer and a crowd of her neighbors spent that day responding to an urgent situation in their neighborhood. A “Unite the Right” rally was in town and people were gathering to protest. They had guns, body armor, hate. They were united in the desire to do battle both ideological and physical.“If you knew Heather, you would know that she loves everyone, and all she wants is equality for everyone, no matter who you love, no matter what color you are,” her close friend Marissa Blair said in the aftermath.I’m with Heather.Frankly I was shocked seeing these hate groups all in one place. The Charlottesville Police Department was apparently expecting 2,000 to 6,000 attendees at the rally. Where were their mothers? Which country were they defending? Why were they carrying weapons and torches? And why in the world were they so angry?They already had everything in the world a racial supremacist could want.Our great country allows people the freedom to be righteous fools. That was on display Saturday on the streets of Charlottesville. Media images of the Unite the Righters makes them look larger than they are. The world watches in horror at this behavior. Our country was once the moral compass of the world and is now swiftly becoming the moral morass of the world.As common sense flies backward in a new political wind, we must once again fight for civil rights, women’s rights, environmental justice, peace and civility.We will all have to take up our “No Place for Hate” signs and stand on the street, vulnerable fodder for the loose cannons of free, angry young men. Going out there means that we, too, are ready to die. Because it really could happen, fast and furious.Thank you, Heather Heyer, for taking one for the team. Thank you to the 19 others who fell beneath the wheels of the judge on Saturday. Thanks to those who changed their plans that day, deciding to stand together with one voice against the fiercely senseless and shrill voices of hate.To say Heather Heyer was a professional and a caring active member of her community does not scratch the surface of who she was.“This is our city. We work here. We live here. And we didn’t want neo-Nazis and alt-right and racists to come into our city and think they could spread freely their hate and their bigotry and their racism. We wanted to let them know that we were about love, that we would overpower them … We were peacefully protesting and we were just standing up for what we believe in … And that’s what Heather stood for. That’s why she was out there, that’s why we were out there,” Blair said on CNN.On Sunday there were rallies and protests in Seattle, Wash. My daughter would likely be out there. I saw footage of violent anger. In the background on the corner of the street stood a man with his elementary school-aged daughter. They were standing there for you and me. They were sitting ducks.Steve Skinner sees that we must stand together. Reach him at nigel@sopris.net.

by Steve Skinner, Aspen Daily News Columnist   Friday, August 4, 2017     These days I’m into a mix of local trails. Call it a trail mix. Someone has to get out there and mix it up with the bushes, grasses and moose. Why not me?   The best part about the local woods at this time of year is that there are edibles everywhere. While a lot of the state is looking for edibles in marijuana dispensaries, some of us have been finding them along the trails.   Causes and conditions of weather, soil, luck and sunshine have conspired to provide us with a bumper crop of serviceberries this season. This purple bush fruit has been slowing down my walks as I pause to peruse, pick and plant plump berries onto my willing taste buds.   Sweet. Juicy.   The serviceberries are the star of the show. There are enough of the plentiful, purple juice sacks along the trail to share with humans and bears or I wouldn’t be writing about them. I’d keep a silly gooseberry secret.   There are tons of fruits on the vine, and we can’t possibly eat them all.   Gooseberry health benefits? Of course.   According to reliable internet sources gooseberries are low in calories. A 100-gram bowl of berries adds only 44 calories to your body, which you will burn off picking the darkest and best berries … always found on the highest branches of the shrub, just out of reach. The caloric intake of that bowl of berries represents just 2.7 percent of a human’s recommended daily donuts allowance.   That same 100 grams of nectar include 46 percent of our recommended daily intake of vitamin C. Most would agree that this is much better than getting C from a tart, chewable vitamin disc, prepared in a factory using chemically synthesized vitamin powder. (They do taste good, though, yes?)   Serviceberries are moderately packed with scientific stuff like flavones and anthocyanins, compounds which help with the little stuff like inflammation, neurological disease, cancer and getting old. They are pretty good antioxidants as well.   It’s easy to put them down. You can miss the tall bushes right along the trail but don’t walk past the serviceberries. Bring a baggie and pack some out. If you are going to make them into a pie, some say you should pick the green fruits. Some recipes call for skinning the little devils but that hardly seems necessary — it’s all delish. Experiment!   Warning: There are poisonous berries out on the trail, too. Please don’t blame me if you mistake Death Camas for gooseberry. By the same token I cannot be held responsible for people downing a handful of delicious-looking but poisonous red honeysuckle berries instead of mild and juicy gooseberries. You have to know what to look for!   Alongside the serviceberries on the trail today you will find a few currants (related to gooseberries) and some little tiny raspberries and strawberries that are packed with more flavor than a Jolly Rancher. Many of these nectar pods are growing close to the ground. The true hunter will sometimes bend down low to spy the micro-strawberries hiding shyly in the shade of the foliage. They may appear too small to pick, but there’s more natural flavor in one of these than you will find in a whole plastic container full of massive, wooden strawberries grown on factory farms. Once you go natural you won’t want to go back.   Another low-hanging fruit you can forage for now is the too-good-to-be-true thimbleberry. Unless people are sure of what they are getting, they may avoid the thimbleberry. In all honesty the plant and fruit looks so good that it must be poisonous. Maybe this fear explains why there are so many of them within arm’s reach on many local trails.   Thimbleberries look kind of like raspberries, but they stand up on tall vine bushes that have no thorns. The juicy fruits are fragile and often fall apart on red-stained fingers. They don’t travel well so it’s best to eat them on the trail.   According to womenfitness.com thimbleberries are beneficial to digestion. According to folk medicine, baby thimbleberry shoots can be dried and used to help stop diarrhea (although nothing works for that better than Immodium A-D).   These occasional rains we are getting now makes it almost certain that berry season will linger on. Some stuff is just getting going. Putting a little trail mix into your daily diet may have health benefits beyond just walking. Watch for bears and berries, and enjoy happy picking, pecking, perusing and popping!   Steve Skinner hopes to see you out there having a berry good time. Reach him at nigel@sopris.net.   Published in the Aspen Daily News July 25, 2017

I love this guy. Of all my friends and associates Jim is one of the most exotic. He makes really big bucks and then he makes a really big difference in the local community and the world by giving it all away to the right causes. Generosity is one of the noblest and most satisfying pursuits for all of us as is evident in this conversation with Jim Calaway. He lives with his wife, Connie, his dog Lacey and his cat Jazzy in a modest house in Carbondale, Colorado. He is surrounded by friends and dignitaries that love and appreciate his company. I am happy to be in Jim's circle of friends. Photo of Jim and Connie and Lacy Calaway: CMC Foundation   Original theme by Steve Skinner. Performed by Steve Skinner. Louie Girardot plays bass.

Have another hit … of Avermectin residue   Welcome cannabis enthusiasts. Welcome to Aspen in the beautiful state of Colorado. We finally have some snow now ... and since 2012 ... legal recreational weed!   Welcome vaporizers, lollipop lickers, bongers and blunters. We have the drinks, the drops, the candy the buds, the kief and the bubble hash. It's all here for you. We have warehouses full of Mary Jane budding and blooming in the area right now. Get your “Sour Diesel,” “Strawberry Cough,” “Blue Dream” and “Chemdog.” No waiting.   Marijuana is a pervasive industry providing jobs, infrastructure investments, taxes and tourist dollars to the state. When you look past the bud counter you will see that it is raining money. Make sure that your umbrella is upside down.   In the old days, when Aspen had a lot of hippies and hipsters, local police took a laid back approach to weed, which was good. Now it's legal the police don't have to worry too much, unless your rental car is so fogged up with bong juice that the police can't see who's driving.   I supported legalization. I voted for it. If someone wants to grow some plants in the yard, let them. Let the sun come down and let the water drip in and let the photosynthesis happen. It's only natural.   Here in the valley, jars full of super strong nuggets are available in many casual retail environments. As you gawk at the products you might wonder how did those buds end up looking like that? They are beautiful! They are so big and hard and hairy and enticing and smelly. The nugs of chronic in every jar look like centerfolds from High Times magazine. Welcome.   The thing is, commercial growers have figured out how to grow wonderbud very quickly. Environmental conditions at large grows are strictly controlled. They know how much to fertilize, how much fungicide to use, which insect control chemicals work best and which minerals and other ingredients make the buds grow fat and sticky. If fat and sticky is what you want, there are many shelves for you here.   Don't get me wrong. I want everyone to have a good time.   I'm just surprised when I see the labels on dispensary pot canisters. The ingredient list on these labels is a mile long. The type on the list is so small that I have to use my strongest reading glasses just to see them. I see more than 35 ingredients. There's no way I could pronounce them all. It's chemical mumbo jumbo!   Some of the ingredients listed on these labels are product names, so you really have no idea what is in your whacky tabacci.   Agromineral 72? What the hell is that? Probably a mineral concentrate and biostimulant but I cannot find the listed ingredient anywhere in cyberspace as it is listed on the weed label I am looking at now.   I saw a label from a Denver dispensary listing stuff like Spiromesifin in its “ingredients used in production” label. Spiromesifin a mite killer. Might be a mighty strong might killer.   In June a marijuana cultivation business in Denver recalled all their products after discovering unsafe levels of pesticide residues in everything they make.   I'm not saying that the weed you buy locally has any such chemicals. I'm certain that the list that you see on that $15 doobie are as benign as a banana. Well, pretty sure.   Big money spoils everything.   In October of this year the appropriately named, “Tree of Wellness” store in Colorado Springs and Colorado cannabis provider recalled products statewide that, according to the Denver Health Department, contained Spiromesifin, Myclobutanil, Spinosun and Avermectin.   Nothing says, “Let's Party!” like vaporizing Myclobutanil residue.   Oh well, I can't hope to keep up with the times.   In the good old days the neighbor grew a few plants in the compost pile outside. You could take a puff and still ski down S-1. Even though his plants grew high and thick, I'm pretty sure Joe wasn't adding molybdenum.   I discovered that Sodium Molybdate is a good source of molybdenum and another ingredient you will see on some commercial bud labels. According to Wikipedia, the agriculture industry uses one million pounds of Sodium Molybdate per year as fertilizer. Everyone's doing it. Must be safe.   Commercial growers want stuff that grows as fast, fat and as finished as possible. They use ingredients and growing conditions that maximize the potential and potency. It's science.   Have these combinations been tested on lab rats? Or are they just par for the course like a lot of the commercial produce we consume?   Go to the grocery store. The biggest bell pepper is not always the best, right?   Thank the cannigods that recreational weed is now legal in California, Nevada, Maine and Massachusetts. The more the merrier. Now maybe everyone won't have move to Colorado just to smoke weed. I don't have anything against smoking weed. I'd just hate to see Colorado get too popular, or should I say “potular?”   I know. I know. “Everybody must get stoned.” I'm not complaining.   I just never knew that they could get that many ingredients into a bong hit.   Steve Skinner thinks you should pay extra for the organic stuff. Reach him at nigel@sopris.net.   Photo of Dead Bob by Steve Skinner. Steve Skinner's music is at steveskinner.bandcamp.com        

I head to Arizona to hang out with notorious river runner, Katie Lee. Katie remembers her first run of the Grand Canyon in 1953 and so much more. This is a rare opportunity to reminisce with the one and only Katie Lee. Recorded March 21, 2017 in Jerome, Arizona.  Katie protests at the Glen Canyon Dam in 2000 - Steve Skinner photo. Driftwood for real - Courtesy Katie Lee   Steve Skinner's music is at steveskinner.bandcamp.com

Be sure to listen through to the end for one of Katie's great river songs. Read her and weep by Steve Skinner, Aspen Daily News Columnist   I admit it. I am a little bit nervous. Imagine getting a chance to spend some time with a really big rock star and you’d probably be nervous, too. I’m not bragging here. Just because I know a couple of really big rock stars, they can still make me nervous.   I know you are wondering … who is it? Jimmy Page? Mick Jagger? Joan Jett? Meatloaf? Beyonce?   Not that kind of rock, silly. I’m talking Navaho sandstone, Wingate sandstone, bluffs, buttes and beaches. Canyons, seeps, silts and serenity. I am of course talking about the one and only river goddess, Katie Lee.   Yes, she is a rock star, a river pioneer of the first order. Katie is a living legend, a sage, bard and beauty. She sings and speaks with a spirit that runs deeper that the Grand Canyon.   Although I’ve known Katie for more than 20 years I want to make sure that when I land in her living room this week that I am at my best, alert to her every utterance and nuance, keen on hearing her stories and capturing them for us all. Katie is into her 90s now and still as sharp as a tumbleweed thorn hidden on a secluded beach in Cataract Canyon.   Katie was an icebreaker. In 1953 she was one of the very first women to boat down the Colorado River in the Grand Canyon. That’s an accomplishment in itself but what is truly remarkable is that she wrote it all down in a stunning journal, capturing the essence and beauty of canyon rivers and the environment from a perspective that none of the men who went before her were able to do.   When I started running rivers in the mid-1990s I fell hard. I was gripped by the silence, the sunshine, the rushing water, the hot sun and the ever changing face of the mysterious river. I’d go out for weeks at a time, sometimes alone. On those solo trips I’d find myself weeping, raw emotion pouring from a well I never knew I had. I could just go outside and be a speck of dust in an ancient landscape that held so many secrets and wonders that they were untouchable.   I read all the river and nature books I could find, sometimes twice. I’d have river maps and whitewater books and nature journals by my bedside. These were my salve, holding closed the wounds of river experience that would never heal over the course of a dark winter. Winter was for surviving and preparing. The rest of the year was for bobbing along.   I became so obsessed that I had to get out on a river every month of the year. I had a few friends that would sometimes go out there with me in the snow and ice but that did not really matter. It was a personal relationship that I had developed with moving water, especially in the bleak embrace of the desert. Going solo gave me the opportunity to let my hair down and I used to have a lot of it. Nothing feels like standing on your cooler with a hot wind blowing through long blonde locks and no one to see you but your maker, who would not judge.   Katie Lee had connections with some of the old school Aspenites, many of whom I got to know through my mother in law, Su Lum. They were artists and writers and adventurers. I took it for granted that I would always have company like this. Of course, many of those fantastic people have passed on now and I have memories that flicker and falter and can sometimes make me sad and forlorn. I can go back and read the words of Hunter S. Thompson but that is a weak substitute for sharing a pipe with him in his kitchen, reading his letters and notes.   But Katie Lee is very much alive and I am bent on hitting the road to Jerome, Arizona to interview her and capture as much of her essence as I can, in her own habitat.   Katie came into a man’s world and utterly exploded the genre of nature and river writing that had been dominated by men, men, men. Like Major Wesley Powell and Wallace Stegner, she wrote about the same stuff that the rest had like history, sandstone, strata, bushes, animals, currents, stars and wind but her heart was smitten and she was very good at understanding and expressing the experience on an emotional level. She was a poet.   Katie was lucky. She found a couple of gentlemen that were seasoned river runners who were willing to escort this lovely television starlet, folksinger and free spirit into places that no one knew. It didn’t take long before Katie had changed the way the boys did their river trips. Katie stopped at every side canyon and explored the mystery of what was around the next curve. She spent more time in the water than out and was not shy about shedding her clothes and sitting in a pothole with a marvelous laugh on her lips.   And, starting with that first trip in 1953, she wrote it all down and took photographs. Otherwise you just wouldn’t be able to believe what she experienced. Causes and conditions led Katie and her friends to explore and understand the magical play land of Glen Canyon like no one else had. They explored and even named many of the side canyons that are now drowned under the still waters of Lake Powell.   She was just getting to know and appreciate the nearly 200 river miles of Indian artifacts, natural wonders and geologic history when she learned that the “Bureau of Wreck the Nation” was getting ready to dam and destroy her natural habitat. This of course broke her heart and transformed her from free spirit to free radical, a diehard opponent of that concrete plug and all it destroyed. I honestly believe that she felt the loss of Glen Canyon the most, because of all that knew the place, she knew it best.   Katie says that when she looks back at that first river journal she was at a loss for words — what a joke! Here’s an except from her June 18, 1953 journal on her second day down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon:   “We talk halfway through the night about life, the river, the canyon, the beautiful places—Toroweap, Nankoweep, Havasu, Shinumo, Thunder River, Matkatamiba, Vishnu, Kwagunt, Deer Creek Falls, the river, geology, star bright sky, the river, people, history, moonlit water, shadow play, riveriveriver … There’s an art gallery in the lower Granite Gorge where the river brings his finest tools of sand and silt to sculpt and polish quixotic, not to mention erotic forms in the granite cliffs—configurations that would make the greatest artist envious.”   That’s from her book, “All My Rivers Are Gone,” a corker of a tale published in 1998. Every word is like a perfect drop of nectar spilling from a spring where you don’t want to miss a drop. Reading it will make you want to drop what you are doing and go cry into the receding waters of Lake Powell.   Soiled appears Tuesdays in the Aspen Daily News. Reach Steve at nigel@sopris.net. Published Tuesday, March 21, 2017   Original theme written by Steve Skinner.   Steve Skinner's music is at steveskinner.bandcamp.com  

  Frank Eriksen was a radio star     by Steve Skinner, Aspen Daily News Columnist.     No one forgets the first time they see Aspen.   When I first saw Aspen it was summer, 1982. I was free as a bird, having just graduated from college. I had “half the car” and about $500 in my pocket. My college roommate and I were driving around the West looking for a place to live, work and ski.   When you are in that state of mind, Aspen pretty much knocks you over. The ski area comes right into town. The Roaring Fork River snakes downvalley. The aspen trees quake in the breeze. Independence Pass is in the back yard.   A scratch deeper showed so much more. The music festival, the live local music scene, the local newspapers, casual celebrities and rock stars, great food and always a party.   Having gotten hooked on radio in college, imagine my delight at discovering an epic radio station in Aspen right in the middle of the dial at 97.7 FM. I say KSPN was epic because it fit my idea of the ideal commercial radio station: Local DJs, local news and sports, live broadcasts, humor, witty talk and really good music. I was naive enough to think that this was how commercial radio was and would always be.   KSPN buzzed. There was a receptionist, several sales people, news reporters, a sports reporter, a music director, a manager, a program director, a production director, live announcers day and night, etc.   I had to work there. And I did. I discovered that it wasn’t hard to get an overnight shift, even five overnights shifts a week. KSPN was my broadcasting school.   Among the formidable talent, one guy really stood out.   Frank Eriksen was a DJ who was fully able to take advantage of the fun, freedom and flexibility of the place. He was funny, fast, professional, unprofessional, irreverent and spontaneous. He drove it like it was stolen, getting away with it all because he had a voice that made you listen. Frank made you listen. There was no not listening to Frank. He had the voice.   Frank passed away in January of this year. Aspen lost an icon.   He was on the air for about 10 years in the ’80s, and he made Aspen a much better place. Frank was a master broadcaster with a sparkling personality.   I started hosting the jazz show on Sundays at 9 p.m. on KSPN. That was my opening. Jazz followed the show “Static,” KSPN’s weekly hour-long talk show. Frank was the host with program director Lee Duncan, local Judge J.E. DeVilbiss and sometimes other local authorities and personalities. They took phone calls from locals. They partied. They laughed.   Frank often made phone calls and took phone calls on the air during his regular show. He would jump on an issue of the day and make it part of the program. He was brilliant and unstoppable.   It was often thrilling to be at KSPN, often because of Frank’s spark. In those days, we broadcast live from the World Cup, the Coors Bicycle Classic, parades and lots of local events. I thought this was normal.   KSPN was led by smart and talented people who had the humility and common sense to realize that the best thing you could do in a live broadcast situation was hand the microphone over to Frank Eriksen. For all intents and purposes, at the time KSPN was the only game in town. Almost everyone in town listened, and we DJs could not go into a club or restaurant without being treated like royalty.   Frank set the bar high, and people in town were lucky and spoiled to have him at their ear-tips. The station suffered a huge blow when it was sold the first time in the mid-80s, but when the station sold again, around 1989, the hammer fell, and the experts from out of town thought they could do better than Frank Eriksen. They let him go, and the townspeople let out a collective groan.   As the voices of anguish rose around his ears, the new morning show host and program director asked me what he should do about the uproar (I think he was from Nebraska).   “Put Frank back” was the only possible answer. But it was too late for that. Everything in town had already changed so much. It was a sad day when Frank packed up his belongings and moved out of Aspen. That was the silent end to a very festive era.   Frank ended up on the Front Range and started his own voice-over company. I would still catch him on various commercials as I scanned the dial on visits to Denver and Boulder. You could not mistake his voice and delivery. Like I said, he made you listen. No matter what the subject, he was smart and you felt smart listening.   I called some of the KSPN posse from the glory days to reminisce about Frank and the station. Duncan was the program director, the morning show host and the guy who hired Frank and, eventually, me. He and Frank were roommates and partners in crime.   Duncan told me a story about doing the morning show with a raging hangover. He opened the window for a little fresh air, put on a long tune and headed to the couch in the hallway. While he was sleeping the record ended. A local cop walked up to the window and put the record on again from the beginning. We were all in town to have a good time, and we helped each other out. That was the culture.   Duncan and Eriksen had their disagreements, but they always made up and stayed friends.   “Humor. His humor was amazing. He was quick. He was really good and he was funny,” Duncan told me.”   Fellow DJ Leigh Anne Lindsey remembers Frank’s power.   “He was completely at ease with people. He was a mountain and you couldn’t rock him,” she said.   “I always wished I could be a fraction as talented as him,” she added.   Thanks to Facebook, Lindsey reconnected and got closer to Eriksen. They toured wine country in California and talked about the challenges and opportunities in each other’s lives.   “He was magical. Mystical. Mysterious. Deep. Thoughtful. Hilarious. He could whip out those quips with that deadpan, straight-faced, hooded-eyes look. Then chuckle with his whole body and soul when he either saw you laugh, or take him too seriously. You’d see that slim grin appear. You had to be careful around Frank because you never really knew when he was serious. Or not. (It wasn’t easy for me because he had the knack for catching me off-guard because I’d think he was telling me the truth when — nah. Just jokin ;-) .”   That pretty much says it. That was Frank.   I know I speak for a lot of us when I say that the legendary Frank Eriksen lives on in our fondest memories of Aspen. For a while he was the absolute star of a vibrant and vital local radio station. He should be in the Aspen Hall of Fame. His voice echoes on in our hearts.   Steve Skinner didn’t realize at the time that those were going to be the good old days. Reach him at nigel@sopris.net.   Original theme by Steve Skinner.   Steve Skinner's music is at steveskinner.bandcamp.com

Generally speaking - Aspen Daily News 3.28.17   Generally speaking it would be nice to see some forward progress around here.   It seems like we are back in the the era of “I got mine, Y'all get Yallzes.”   For example, in general, the USA should err on the side of caution when it comes to the environment.   Leave it in the ground? Why yes, as much as possible, thank you. At least until we know what's going on, right?   If I was boss I'd call for a “total and complete shutdown of fossil fuels exiting the United States until our country's representatives can figure out what is going on.”   From my perspective it's bad enough that our country is burning fossil fuels at such an alarming rate. To extract extra for sale to other counties adds to the problem of climate change. Businesses are benefitting from climate change. Often the companies that are commodifying our resources for profits are companies from other countries. What?   Scott Pruitt is the new boss of the Environmental Protection Agency. He calls human involvement in climate change a “religious belief.” Oh my God are you kidding me?   The Clean Power Plan, our nation's plan to address climate change is being swept away in a blaze of orange and Pruitt is here to let us know that Obama's “efforts to kill jobs across this country through the clean power plan,” are over. Yikes!   In my view we gotta go slow until the new renewable technology takes over. Let's make it official: Sip it.   In the general scheme of things I think it makes sense for everyone in our country to have health care, even if it's administered on our behalf by the government. Maybe it's necessary. In who's best interest is it to orchestrate the implosion of the Affordable Care Act?   Why not fix the Affordable Care Act so that everyone is covered and we can get back to the rest of the business at hand?   I would probably be a millionaire right now if I had only saved the money that I paid to insurance companies for decades for coverage I never used. Generally, I have been healthy and my money just went to accrue profits for an impersonal and clunky corporation and their suits.   Now I finally qualify for some health care assistance and my well-insured elected officials want to take my coverage away in favor of horrid, but myriad options. What?   Commodifying health care has never worked. The insurance companies are in business to make profit, not to get us to the doctor when we need help. Profiting from administering our health care seems unnecessary. A process where everyone can get the care they need is possible and humane. Why not try it?   We have to take care of our veterans. They should all get the same level of care as our elected officials, if not better care. Once leadership figures out how to cover everyone they could work on getting us into fewer world conflicts so that we have fewer injured warriors. Save those guys for when we really need them.   It would be interesting to see what happens if we invest in the healthcare system first and then cut back on the warring. That would be putting America first.   I get the general idea that cutting back right now on foreign aid and stopping grants for national food assistance programs like “Meals on Wheels,” is immoral and unnecessary.   There is a major famine descending on, Somalia, South Sudan, Nigeria and Yemen. Reducing aid before we assist with this imminent threat to humanity would be a shame. I think America should put Africa first and share what we have right now. There are up to 20 million lives at stake. We could use our amazing military to help with the project.   Cutting funds for food assistance programs to seniors in need like Meals on Wheels might not be the most compassionate idea. Some seniors really need good food ... delivered. Besides, someone is checking up on someone who might need checking up on at the same time.   So, yes, it's all fake news. He's right again, generally speaking.   The media reports on tweets and trivia while the whole shooting match is falling down around our ears. The real news is happening behind the curtain, in the background. Because officials are distracting us by legislating where people go to the bathroom we are missing out on the world scene. The press and the FBI is looking in mattresses and under the telephones in the Trump Towers.   Golf is being played.   We are missing out.   Soiled appears Tuesdays in the Aspen Daily News. Reach Steve at nigel@sopris.net.   Original theme by Steve Skinner.   Steve Skinner's music is at steveskinner.bandcamp.com  

Today we invited Neato Frames out to the NEW cabin in the Virginia woods to talk about all things drones, what it's like to bootstrap a business in such a competitive industry and where the world is going in terms of quad racing.Nichy Zuhoski is the designer of the frames and also a bit of a mad drone scientist! You can find him as @nichyneato on Instagram.Justin (aka Steve) Skinner is the man behind the man and also the crazy enough to powerloop Jesus. You can find him as @itwillbefun.fpv on Instagram or itwillbefun on YouTube.Mike's broken 180 When you break something, break it right! Mike crashes a drone into his foreheadQuantum Goggles with Pantyhose... Hey baby, how you doin'? Hawaiiballs by FinalGlideAUJustin Powerlooping JesusChewbacca was the safe word...

Sam Amick, NBA reporter for USA Today joins us to discuss the Cavs-Warriors NBA Finals matchup as well as discuss new head coach hires and NBA free agency. Steve Skinner, CEO of Kemper Sports stops by to preview the 2015 U.S. Open which will be played on a Kemper golf course - Chambers Bay. Skinner gives us a scouting report on the course and we also discuss golf is marketing itself to today's generation of young people. read more

Surf and Music Gig raise money for Cornish Foundation The ETL international longboard competition was held for the second year running at Watergate Bay, the two star event on the tour was headlined by O’Neill and organized by local surfer Ben “Skindog” Skinner who has just returned from Ireland with the European title. The final saw a UK head to head with O’Neill team riders Skindog and Adam Griffiths battling it out in a close heat which saw Adam taking his first ETL win. Ben Skinner said “It’s been a great weekend although the conditions of the surf have been tough, all the sponsors of the event have done an amazing job and we have once again put on a great showcase for British surfing”. Ben skinner who is one of the ambassadors for the Joe Way Appeal which has raised £93,000.00 for 20 charities in the 3 years since Joe passed away also put together another Joe Way Appeal fundraising event to the weekend of surfing. The Phoenix Pub at Watergate hosted this years event and the line up was the best of Cornish music which saw Charlie Wingfield, Grey dog and Ben Sutcliff show the European visitors how vibrant the music and surf scene is in the UK. The money this year is being donated from Joe’s Appeal to the Matt Upsher foundation which was set up after the well know teacher and musician from Perranporth tragically died last year whilst surfing His Brother Tom spoke about his brother and introduced Grey Dog which is the Band his brother played with, Tom said "My brother had a soul that reached out to so many people, his passion and enthusiasm was infectious, and it is this spirit we hope to continue, with the work of the Matthew Upsher Foundation. We are delighted to have been invited to work with The Joy Way appeal, and are extremely thankful that the Foundation is the chosen beneficiary of tonight’s event. Its great to have the support of The Joe Way appeal, Ben Skinner and all of the people that have worked so hard to put together such a great event. It gives us all such a sense of positivity that we can come together and raise the awareness of the Foundation." Ben added “Matt taught me how to play the guitar and was a real soul surfer he is deeply missed so to be able to donate some money to his foundation is a real honour”. £1145.00 was raised with an auction and prize draw that saw great prizes from O’Neill Clothing and Wetsuits, Skinners ales, Perranporth signs, 100% organic and a local artist Martin Hawkes who donated a print on the day which was taken away by one of the French competitors. Matt Way Joe’s Dad said “It was a great night and we are really grateful for the generosity of all the Companies that gave such amazing prizes and the people who gave money. It was a really privilege to meet Tom and work with the musicians who all knew his brother. Steve Skinner did a great job with the auction and just as we thought it was all over a local guy donated £100 to have a surf lesson with Skindog”. For more information and to see the PODCAST from the gig go to www.joewaypaddle.co.uk

10th April 2011 pm - Rom. 12 - Steve Skinner

This coming week, on the 20th of October, Chancellor George Osborne will be unveiling the results of the Comprehensive Spending Review, and what’s expected to be the most savage cuts ever to public services in England. In politics, however, things are seldom new. You just need a long enough memory to recall previous booms, cuts and recessions. And, as they say, those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it. For that reason this episode features a protest album that was recorded in 1977. The Cuts Show, by “CounterAct” was a touring review made to educate people .. especially students .. about the public sector cuts being made at that time by James Callaghan’s Labour Government. The show was accompanied by a protest album .. omitting the show’s narrative, but including all the songs. Listen carefully to the lyrics, because it’s all there .. the need to satisfy financiers, threats to welfare and health spending, education, scapegoating.. and more. The show was produced 33 years ago, yet it could have been today. It even features a nod to David Cameron's 'Big Society' The performance was recorded at Riverside Recordings and featured Rich Armitage, Will Ashton, John Gill, Ruth Law, Chris Reason, Dave Simmonds, Steve Skinner and Caroline Stephens.

The Let's Talk ARENA Show! Pre-recorded 10 minute interview with Todd by Steve Skinner will start the show followed by more ARENA album and tour talk.