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Call it the Circle of Life or Survival of the Fittest - wild animals in the wilderness die of starvation, diseases and predators. This is a natural part of life and most wildlife rehabilitators take a hands-off approach and let nature take its course. For instance, at Ano Nuevo I saw baby elephant seals lying on the beach in extreme distress. The ranger explained marine mammal organizations don't rescue these animals, as heartbreaking as the situation is. Instead, their mission is to rescue those creatures harmed due to human causes, such as caught in fishing nets and choked by plastic six-pack rings.

I realize that while it is not always a simple task to get things in order - or keep things in order - having your affairs in order is a thoughtful and meaningful endeavor. As we are in full swing of tax season and have many important documents already out, I thought some attention to time management might be helpful.

I bought a new car and it hates me. Worse, it's smarter than me. This is not a good thing.

When Mark Hoffmann is not delivering mail for the U.S. Post Office, he's busy creating art. Though the Morgan Hill resident calls himself a local artist, he has thousands of followers across the country. He is whimsical and fun-loving by nature - and it shows in his creations.

With the deadline to file for candidacy more than two weeks away, some intending to run for Santa Clara County elected offices in the June primary have already reported growing war chests for the upcoming campaign.

For many years all I did was run. Sometimes I would stretch, a little. Sometimes I would do some yoga, a little. But mostly I just ran. If I wanted to run faster, I ran faster in training. If I wanted to run farther, I ran farther in training—longer long runs, more miles per week. I would read about cross training—do some bicycling, swimming, elliptical. Never did it. Not much anyway. I like to run. I don’t have the time or inclination to go to a pool or a gym or dust off a bicycle.

According to the American Heart Association, every day nearly 1,000 Americans are killed by sudden cardiac arrest (SCA). Once SCA strikes, time is critical.  For every minute that passes without a patient receiving resuscitation, the chances of that person surviving decreases by 10 percent. Unfortunately, 60 percent of SCA victims don't get CPR until professional help arrives and often, it's too late. That is why the City of Morgan Hill has teamed up with Fire Departments within Santa Clara County and El Camino Hospital to launch the PulsePoint mobile app to all of Santa Clara County, according to a press release from the City of Morgan Hill.  PulsePoint is a location-based app that alerts CPR-trained citizen bystanders that a person nearby requires help, allowing them to start CPR before the ambulance arrives, and save valuable time. When 911 is called to report a SCA, the 911 operator sends a PulsePoint alert, which is received by nearby app users who are provided the location of the SCA emergency. The app can also help locate the nearest Automated External Defibrillator (AED) to use in resuscitation efforts. PulsePoint, when combined with CPR and AED training, is a powerful combination to potentially saving a life, according to the press release. Today's Good Samaritan laws are designed to protect those who decide to come to the aid of someone in need. If you live in Morgan Hill and have an Apple or Android smartphone, visit the Apple App Store or Android Apps on Google Play to download the PulsePoint app.  If you aren't CPR trained, sign up for training today by visiting the American Heart Association website at www.heart.org or the American Red Cross website at www.redcross.org/CPR-trainingFor more information on the PulsePoint mobile app visit www.pulsepoint.org

My husband and I recently spent a month in Rwanda, visiting his parents who have been Baptist missionaries there for 35 years. For my husband it was a trip home, a chance to be in familiar places, to be known, and to exhale. For me it was a chance to know my husband better by experiencing where he grew up, to be on vacation for a month, to spend the holidays with my in-laws as our gracious hosts, and to explore a new country.

Not surprised that the people polled say that police and fire protection is tops on the list of what they’re willing to pay for either via an additional half-cent sales tax or a parcel tax. It’s slam-dunk predictable. So, we’ll see how this “quality of life” tax evolves through the process and, perhaps, whether or not the people are willing to pay for it if a proposal gets through the City Council and onto the ballot. It’s hard to argue that the people shouldn’t have their “say”, so it’s a likelihood Gilroyans will get a chance to speak out come November ... never a dull political moment in little ol’ Garlictown, USA.

Who else is a fan of the Olympics? I know I am, and whenever they roll around - winter or summer - I often find myself glued to the television, not just cheering for the United States, but every now and then pulling for underdog athletes or medal-less countries.