JACK MELLIGAN, a prison guard in Sacramento, was tired of staring at his brown, patchy lawn a side-effect of the drought that has parched California for the past three years.
The prisoners' stories, which could not be independently confirmed, reveal partial breakdowns of order beneath the surface of a still-functioning system, as well as the day-to-day negotiations that prisoners and guards engage in to survive a patchy conflict where neither side is entirely secure.
New Ireland coach Joe Schmidt said his main emotion was relief after his side's "patchy" 40-9 opening autumn international win over Samoa.
Stevenage's league campaign got off to a typically patchy start; with the side recording just one win from their first five games of the season.
He helped an inexperienced side belie their patchy early domestic form and bravely fight back after a first-half onslaught put the hosts ahead.
The Azzurri, England's first Group D opponents at the World Cup this summer, produced a patchy performance against a makeshift Republic side.
CD23 staining was distributed throughout the GC of control animals, but was frequently patchy, with preferential staining at one side of GC, probably in the light zone (LZ) in placebo-treated animals.
Instead, they are sticking with Denis Betts, under whom the side's form has been patchy since his hiring at the start of this season.
Stephen Kearney's side were sometimes good, sometimes patchy as they beat Samoa in their Group B opener last weekend, but were far improved on Friday as they virtually assured themselves of top spot.
Although the details are patchy (and we are only hearing one side of the story), it has prompted an interesting debate: how much should you spend on a wedding gift?
