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NATICK - The first time Stacey Peasley sang before an audience, the then-third-grader got stuck playing King Arthur � instead of Guenevere � and had to sing "How to Handle a Woman�� in an elementary school production of "Camelot.��
But after "everybody cheered�� when the sophomore sang Bon Jovi�s "Wanted Dead or Alive�� during Skit Night at her Long Island high school and her class won, Peasley knew "taking a risks�� had paid off and she was meant to sing.
So after college, by day, she taught social studies to middle-school students for 10 years. At night, she played guitar and sang for a bunch of all-girl bands named Chiclettes, Crooked Foot and Guilty Pleasure.
Her marriage to Dean Peasley, a senior vice-president at Liberty Mutual, brought her Brookline and, then Natick in 2008.
In 2006, Peasley took her first child, Alyssa, to a library sing-along and the young mom�s musical career took off in a new direction.
"I looked around and all the kids and their parents and nannies were having a good time,�� the now 40-year-old mother of three recalled in her Natick home. "I�ve always loved to sing. I thought, �I can do this.� "
Since then, Peasley has combined her love of children and music into two CDs, several prestigious awards and lots of loyal fans from the kind wearing diapers and up to their parents.
"I still get to do something I love,�� she said relaxing as much as possible after 16-month-old Brooke woke up and started exploring the kitchen. "I might not be famous but I look forward to every performance.��
So do her fans and their parents.
As her family grew, Peasley�s music evolved, mixing humor with wry observations sung to an energetic beat.
Peasley released her second album, "Lucky Day,�� to an enthusiastic audience during a Saturday noon time concert yesterday at The Center for Arts in Natick. Singing in her rich alto voice and playing acoustic guitar, she was accompanied by her current band, guitarist Bill Doucette, drummer Bob Nisi and bassist Taylor Sullivan.
"I think children�s music should be rocking and energetic,�� she said. "It�s just like adult�s music but has kids� content.��
Her new CD features 10 songs she wrote, mostly inspired by the everyday joys and occasional frustrations of raising three children from 16 months to 9 years old.
Her youngest, Brooke, a dark-eyed bundle of energy whose insatiable curiosity sends her on burbling adventures around the kitchen while her mother gave an interview, inspired "Wrecking Machine.��
Growing up an only child in Long Island, Peasley "always loved to sing." Among her first musical memories was listening to the soundtrack of "Annie�� and teaching herself to sing "Maybe.��
Like lots of girls growing in the �70s and �80s, she listened to Cyndi Lauper, Blondie, Pat Benatar and, of course, Madonna.
As her confidence grew, Peasley put together several all-girl bands in which she was usually the lead singer and guitarist.
But she always loved history and earned her bachelor�s and master�s degrees in social studies and secondary education at Aldelphi University and wrote her senior thesis on Mary, Queen of Scot�s plot to overthrow Queen Elizabeth.
These days Peasley is winning fans and awards singing about a neighbor�s fish named Marley. Her songs are geared to infants to 10-year-olds and can be enjoyed by accompanying parents.
She wrote and released her first album, "Together,�� in 2011 which won Creative Child Magazine�s "Top CD of the Year Award�� and the Parents� Choice Foundation's Recommended Award and Nickelodeon Parents Connect award for best party entertainer.
In recent years, Peasley has performed�at the�Boston Greenfest, Fenway Park�s children�s entertainment room, the Coolidge Corner Theater and more.
Since Brooke�s birth, Peasley has modulated her schedule to include once a week "Mommy and Me�� music classes at Collores Kids Studio in Natick, monthly visits to a nursery school and three other local schools, birthday parties and concerts.
What�s the future hold?
"I�m working hard to make things happen,�� said Peasley. "It will be as big as it was meant to be.��
To learn about Stacey Peasley, visit www.staceypeasley.com and https://www.facebook.com/pages/The-Stacey-Peasley-Band.
Chris Bergeron is a Daily News staff writer. Contact him at firstname.lastname@example.com or 508-626-4448. Follow us on Twitter @WickedLocalArts and on Facebook.
Natick singer Stacey Peasley releases second CD for tiny tots
NATICK - The first time Stacey Peasley sang before an audience, the then-third-grader got stuck playing King Arthur � instead of Guenevere � and had to sing "How to Handle a Woman�� in an elementary school production of "Camelot.��


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Home Security Systems in Shapleigh, Maine
Home security companies in Shapleigh offer a variety of home security system features that help monitor suspicious activity and secure your property.
With wireless connections, easy-to-use features, and constant video surveillance, security system companies in Shapleigh enable homeowners and renters to feel protected whether they're in the comfort of their residence, away at work, or on an extended vacation.
Installing the best state-of-the-art home security from home security companies in Shapleigh can not only bring protection and peace of mind, but value to your property as well.
Best Wireless Home Security
Installing a wireless home security system that utilizes 24/7 protection offers unmatched surveillance to provide your home necessary protection from unwanted intruders and unforeseen hazards.
With mobile devices playing a more active role in our everyday lives, remotely connecting to home security systems in Shapleigh allows you to arm, disarm and control your home security system from the ease of your mobile device.
Installing wireless home security systems provides numerous conveniences that make controlling every security system wireless as simple as pushing a button:
- Touchscreen controller: An easy-to-use touchscreen controller serves as the main hub for all the security features, which can easily be adjusted.
- Wireless keychain remote: Easily disable or alarm your home security system in Shapleigh from the comfort of your own pocket.
- Real-time alerts: You'll never come home to unwelcomed surprises with real-time alerts sent straight to your mobile device.
- Remote thermostat control: Saving on heating and cooling costs with a remote thermostat control enables you to enter your home with the exact temperature of your choosing.
- Automated lighting: Keep your home lit while your away to create a home presence, as well as come home to a well-lit residence.
- Live video monitoring: Stayed updated in real time as you track and watch exactly what's going on at your home.
Home Security Motion Detection
Knowing and preventing dangers that exist within your home is another crucial aspect when hiring home security companies in Shapleigh. Smoke and fire detection products help recognize the issue before it becomes more of a threat.
Motion, door and window sensors detect any activity occurring in or outside your home in order to alert residents of any movement in or out of the residence.
The carbon monoxide detection alerts you to unsafe levels of carbon monoxide before it's too late. Fire and flood detection technology also enable monitoring from hazards to help prevent damage from becoming a catastrophe.
Best Outdoor Security Camera Systems
in Shapleigh, Maine
Cameras working 24/7 to video record all activities is essential to nearly any home security in Shapleigh. Indoor security cameras and outdoor security camera systems help monitor every corner of your home so no internal or external vulnerability can be exposed.
A video doorbell camera also lets you know exactly who is at your front door to help track package deliveries, deter solicitors, and protect property.
Easy to Install Security Camera System for your Home in Shapleigh
Connecting and integrating old security systems to new networks is essential when moving into a new location.
Upgrading to a new and more secure system can provide various benefits to your property including reliability, simplicity, and additional features.
Burglar Deterrent Gadgets
While security cameras provide effective deterrents, yard signs and window decals of security products alert potential burglars that they're being watched.
Alerting authorities to potential break-ins is an important aspect of home security in Shapleigh but taking proactive measures to help deter crime is essential as well. If a potential intruder does try to invade your home, the high decibel alarm produces a loud noise to scare trespassers and let them know security measures are in place.
Being able to provide 24/7 emergency help to your home is vital for any state-of-the art home security and alarm systems and a wearable panic button enables a quick and reliable connection to the authorities who can immediately help.
Having a backup battery alleviates worry about the system failing for a greater peace of mind.
- Flexibility: Customizing your monitoring system allows to adjust your settings based on your needs while you're home in Shapleigh, traveling, or at work.
- Affordability: A mobile app enables cost savings so you're not paying for unwanted services.
- Ease of use: With a simple interface allowing you to learn how to implement security features, it's no longer just for professionals.
Best Wireless Home Security
With so many reasonable security features at your disposal, now is the time to act to help protect your family and property in Shapleigh from unwanted intruders and unforeseen dangers.
Having the best home security companies in Shapleigh is not just for preventing theft and property damage - the peace of mind and security of knowing you've implemented the proper safety measures for your loved ones is something that can't be measured.

subset: commoncrawl


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The most stunning moment on the latest Kills' album, "Blood Pressures" (Domino), is the one that's perhaps most out of character. Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince have long been celebrated for their scuzzy take on electro-blues and punk, but the song "The Last Goodbye" puts them in a decrepit lounge at closing time, delivering a sparse, tough-but-tender ballad.
"I wrote that song in literally five minutes, as long as it takes to play it," Mosshart says. "It just fell out of the sky, the lyric, melody and guitar part came together in one go. But it changed dramatically. It used to be kind of a Patsy Cline song in four-four (time). It was a little more bluesy, a little more straight, so we tried to find a way to make it more interesting. We started roaming around the studio in a circle playing different instruments, trying different meters, and then Jamie started playing the Optigan (a '70s keyboard). And I said, 'That's it.' That completed the song."
The Optigan put the appropriate wobble in the song, keeping it in step with the duo's slightly skewed sensibility, and illustrating once again the chemistry between the two seemingly unlikely collaborators.
The two met in the late '90s when Florida native Mosshart was touring England, where Hince had already put in a decade with various bands. They bonded on outsider art and music, and saw an opportunity to start over, with no rules. At first they collaborated long-distance, shipping tapes between Florida and London, until Mosshart moved to the U.K. in 2000.
"We were rubbish as a band at first, but I always felt there was something there that said we should keep going, because it felt bigger than both of us combined," says the singer, who financed the Kills' first tour with her credit card. "I don't think he felt that confident in us at first; he was just going along with this crazy girl (laughs). But when we sat together and played guitars for the first time, I knew it was going to work."
Her confidence has been rewarded with four studio albums that have brought the duo increasing acclaim and enabled them to play concerts in front of ever-larger audiences. Though the music has expanded, the "band" has not – Mosshart and Hince sing and play all the instruments, aided only by recorded drum tracks on stage. They come from a long tradition of stripped-down bands that have used drum machines to devastating effect, including Suicide and Big Black, and they have no plans to change that approach anytime soon.
"We thought there would be someone else, but early on we realized how difficult it was just to find each other, how amazing that was, and so how the hell do we find someone else to fit in with this two-person gang we created?" Mosshart says with a laugh. "We were always so secretive, so immersed in what we were doing, that it almost seemed like an impossibility to bring someone else in. Over the years, we've gotten a little better at working with other people. We've even worked with some drummers as the stages got bigger and bigger, but creatively it's always been just Jamie and I. I have a feeling that's the way it will be until we wake up from this little dream of ours."
Drums and drum machines nonetheless have always played a vital role in shaping each album's sound. "Every time we go into making a record, the drums dictate a new kind of sound," Mosshart says. "We change up what we play – Jamie played live drums on the first one and we looped them. We used a cheap Rhythm King drum machine on the second album and an early hip-hop sampler on (third album) 'Midnight Boom,' and then a more current MPC (Music Production Center drum machine) on 'Blood Pressures.' Jamie set up an MPC station with headphones and was toiling away at all hours, jumping around the studio to no music except the drum sounds, and getting really excited. That transformed the way the record sounds. For us the drums are the backbone, they dictate the sound, and we have to match that with the songwriting and the vibe."
The drums may be the backbone, but the heart and soul is the dynamic between Hince and Mosshart, in the studio and especially on stage, where their give-and-take showmanship dramatizes the violence and tension in the music.
"I would say it's never comfortable being on stage, it's always terrifying," she says. "That fear and those nerves make it what it is. You're on stage facing a bunch of people playing something you put your whole heart and soul into. There's so much different energy flying around. The idea of it is so insane, but it makes us react a certain way. I can't remember doing good shows. You come off and it's like you went somewhere else. And then there are shows where things are breaking and the sound is bad, and you're thrown out of that dream world and you have to face the reality that it is not going how you want it to go."
When all else fails, the Kills inevitably salvage the evening by just being themselves – two people with an undefined chemistry.
"I think some of it has to do with just watching a male and female interact onstage," Mosshart says. "It allows a lot of flipped scripts. You get both sides of the stories, you get role changes, confusion, you get everything. But it's also precarious. I don't want to dissect something that works, but you can feel the difference straight away when something works and is meant to be and when it's not. It makes you appreciate how hard it is to find that person, that band, that thing that works. You can go through your whole musical career looking for it. So I feel lucky to be hear talking about it now."
The Kills: 8 p.m. Friday at the Riviera, 4746 N. Racine, $24; etix.com.


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Feds: Judge Wrong to OK Terrorist Suspect Release
Prosecutors say a federal magistrate judge made a mistake by agreeing to let a teenage terrorist suspect in Illinois out of jail pending trial.
A different judge will hear the government's appeal opposing Abdella Ahmad Tounisi's release Friday. Thursday's release order was stayed for 24 hours until a ruling on the appeal.
The 18-year-old Aurora teen is accused of seeking to join al-Qaida-linked militants in Syria.
Prosecutors say Tounisi helped a friend last year select possible bombing targets in the Chicago-area. Tounisi wasn't charged in that case, though his friend was.
Tounisi's lawyer notes he has no prior criminal record. But prosecutors' 16-page filing says that's irrelevant.
It says Tounisi has expressed a wish to die a martyr and that a terrorist crime typically ``may only be committed once.''


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Internship Opportunity
Internship with the World Forum for Harmonization of Vehicle Regulations
The WP.29 Secretariat is currently accepting applications from candidates for an internship on Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS). Interested post-graduate engineering students with focus on Transport and ITS issues and an excellent command of English are invited to send their Curriculum Vitae and a completed internship application form to firstname.lastname@example.com with a copy to email@example.com
Please note that Internships are offered free-of-charge and without financial remuneration. More details on the UNECE Internship Programme can be found at http://www.unece.org/oes/internships/internship_prog.htm.


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A guidebook of natural and social indicators for evaluating marine protected areas management effectiveness
Pomeroy, Robert S. ; Parks, John E. ; Watson, Lani M.
IUCN, Protected Areas Programme ; WWF ; United States, NOAA
IUCN, WWF and the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have developed this guidebook to assist marine protected area (MPA) managers in assessing the performance of their MPA. Based on this assessment, it shows how necessary changes can be made to improve management measures. It presents a flexible approach that can be used in many types of MPA and offers a variety of specific biological, socio-economic and governance indicators to measure the effectiveness of management actions in achieving MPA goals and objectives.
Gland : IUCN, 2004. xv, 215p. : ill.


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Butiran syarikat
Shenzhen Wardmay Technology Co., Limited
Application of Internet Protocol Camera and H.265 Compression Technology in Security Monitoring System
Abstract: This application note describes the application differences between advanced Internet Protocol (IP) cameras and analog cameras in a secure video surveillance system. Unlike traditional...
Camera repair surveillance camera repair tips
The surveillance camera is already a very widely used camera. So in the application and procurement of the majority of users, if the camera is broken, how can we repair the camera? So what about...


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When will my advertisement show?
Your ad can show at anytime, even if you are not the top bidder. Each advertisement is only shown once per visitor in a twenty-four (24) hour period. If you are the highest bidder in a demographic, your advertisement will be served first to any visitor. If that visitor returns, we select the next highest bid and continue selecting different advertisements. Your bid may be played anytime your account has an approved advertisement and one or more active bids.


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seca b940003001
seca b940003001
Stand for the blood pressure monitor seca b41.
- Mobility: With its extra-large scale, the seca b41 can also be used mobile in any area.
- Stability: The stable construction and arrangement of the rollers give the product high stability and high mobility at the same time.
The mobile stand gives the user high mobility for blood pressure measurement: from individual measurements to series of measurements in various rooms in the hospital.
Product information.
Technical product data and support.
Technical Data
|Main components:
|Steel, aluminum, PU
|Measure (W x H x D):
|840 mm (height)
|Net weight:
|2,6 kg


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Fight Night 15th June 2013
Fight Like a Pro was founded by Gavin and Michelle Topp and is the culmination of Gavin's boxing career and their passion to see men rise up and be all that they are called to be. For Men to operate in their full capacity and be the best sons, fathers, grandfathers, husbands, brothers, uncles, grandsons, and leaders in our community. Read more...
Phone: 0414 356 404
Postal: PO Box 2381, Burleigh BC, Q 4220
Email: email@example.com


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I've had this post in draft since August of last year. At the time, the post's provisional title was "Gonorrhea becoming antibiotic resistant."
Fast forward five months to now.
Newsflash! It is no longer a hypothetical future scenario. Gonorrhea has become antibiotic resistant.
This confirms the fears of both the Centers for Disease Control and the World Health Organization who warned last year that untreatable gonorrhea, the world's second most common sexually transmitted disease (STD), would soon become a reality. "These are the clinical cases we've been waiting for," said study leader Vanessa Allen of Public Health Ontario.
Researchers observed that 6.7% of patients with gonorrhea at one Toronto clinic still had the disease after a round of cephalosporins, which is the last antibiotic which doctors are able to use to cure the disease. Out of 133 gonorrhea-afflicted patients who returned for a follow up visit, nine remained positive with the disease, which is roughly one in 15 people.
Gonorrhea infects near to 700,000 Americans each year – producing symptoms such as painful urination, abdominal pain, genital discharge, itching and infertility in women. Women who contract both HIV and gonorrhea are more likely to pass HIV onto their children than women with only HIV.
Just one year ago, Gail Bolan, director of the CDC's sexually transmitted disease prevention program, had said that the "threat of untreatable gonorrhea is emerging rapidly." At that time, only 1.7% of test cultures of the disease were considered immune in laboratory environments. Vanessa Allen said it proves how fast antibiotic resistance is evolving in disease and that "the problem appears worse than we originally thought."
Although the nine patients in Canada eventually were cured with the injectable antibiotic known as ceftriaxone, Allen worries that the gonorrhea bacteria will soon develop resistance to ceftriaxone as well: "The next threat is when, not if, the same thing happens with ceftriaxone. And then what?"
To cope, the CDC recommends clinicians no longer prescribe a single antibiotic treatment for gonorrhea. Instead, doctors are advised to give patients an injection of ceftriaxone as well as a week-long course of oral azithromycin or doxycycline.
Meanwhile, the University of Toronto Student Union is merrily planning a sex orgy, oops, "an epic student sex club adventure" for next week, in the name of advancing the students' "sex education."
Sodom and Gomorrah, here we come! Whee!!!


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(This story appeared in today's edition of USA TODAY.)
Saturday marks the end of an era in mixed martial arts.
Strikeforce, the fight promotion that began as a kickboxing organization and transformed into one of the UFC's fiercest competitors before UFC's parent company, Zuffa, bought it out in early 2011, will air a final event on Showtime (10 p.m. ET/PT) from Oklahoma City.
The UFC will absorb many of its fighters, and the Strikeforce name will drift off into MMA history.
It's a bittersweet ending, says Strikeforce founder and CEO Scott Coker, who got his start promoting martial arts events in 1985 while working part time as a Bay Area karate instructor and attending classes at West Valley College in northern California. At the time, Coker says, he knew nothing about being a fight promoter, "but I felt confident I could go out and sell some tickets."
He never guessed that 27 years later he'd be watching the organization he created take its final bow on the national stage.
Strikeforce's journey into the MMA world began in March 2006, when it promoted the first MMA event in California after the state athletic commission officially adopted the sport.
The promotion initially planned for about 6,000 spectators at San Jose's HP Pavilion, Coker says, "but it just kept growing and growing."
Before organizers knew it, more than 18,000 fans had poured in to see former UFC champion Frank Shamrock battle Cesar Gracie.
At first, Strikeforce's ambitions were strictly local. It operated mainly out of HP Pavilion, also home of the NHL's San Jose Sharks. Near the end of 2007, when the Sharks owners at Silicon Valley Sports and Entertainment Inc. expressed an interest in buying a 50 percent ownership stake in Strikeforce, Coker saw the opportunity to create something bigger.
In 2009, Strikeforce, with help from its new partner, purchased fighter contracts and an existing TV deal with CBS and Showtime from struggling MMA promoter ProElite.
"That's when I think Strikeforce became a national promotion and basically went from four shows a year in our local arena here to 16 events a year all over the country," Coker says.
Soon Strikeforce signed marquee fighters such as Fedor Emelianenko and Dan Henderson, and launched an ambitious heavyweight tournament that pitted some of the sport's best big men against each other.
But when Zuffa made an offer to buy out its largest competitor, Coker says his partners felt it was time to get out of the MMA business and refocus on hockey. UFC President Dana White initially promised it would be business as usual at Strikeforce after the sale. Now, a little less than two years later, Strikeforce's TV deal is expiring, and its doors are set to close after Saturday's last hurrah.
"I think this is a good way to close the chapter, and it's something that I'm going to celebrate," Coker says. "I've been in the fight business 27 years. That's a long time, a long run, and I'm going to celebrate this."
For more on "Strikeforce: Marquardt vs. Saffiedine," stay tuned to the MMA Rumors section of the site.
(Pictured: Scott Coker and Daniel Cormier)


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The iPhone and iPod touch make use of some fairly new hardware and software technologies, so it's no surprise that companies are still trying to figure out who owns the rights to which pieces. The process has been generating scads of patent infringement suits against Apple, including one that was filed last week. In the suit, a company called Picsel Technologies is alleging that the iPhone is infringing a patent related to the redrawing of displays.
Given Apple's recently-awarded multi-touch patent and the company's statement about protecting its intellectual property, it's a bit ironic that the company is getting hit with a suit involving the "display" part of "multi-touch display." Picsel is alleging that technology used in the iPhone infringes on one of its patents, number 7,009,626. The patent describes a way to redraw a display by creating and displaying an approximation of the screen while the final version is rendering. After the final version is ready, it gets displayed instead of the approximation, and the whole process has the net effect of making redraws more viewer-friendly.
The patent also discusses the zooming and scrolling of a display and talks about dividing the screen into a number of sections in order to generate the approximation; at first glance, it certainly sounds like it could apply to the iPhone. The document doesn't specify exactly how the iPhone and iPod touch infringe the patent, but we'll probably see that if (or when) the case progresses further. As with most patent cases, Picsel is asking that Apple be prevented from using the technology, and for lots of damages. I could see Apple going either way (settlement or further legal process) with this one, so keep an eye out for Apple's response.


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John Harbaugh berates an old man, Gronk dances, Dempsey gets one-upped by Honduras, and Illinois pulls off a shocker. Here are the best videos of the week.
What Was John Harbaugh Ranting About During The Blackout? We Asked A Lip Reader
We wanted to know what Harbaugh was yelling at that poor old man. So we asked a lip reader. Watch »
G/O Media may get a commission
Here's More Footage Of Rob Gronkowski Dancing Shirtless In Vegas
A second Summer of Gronk has arrived, and it's already off to a roaring start. We're excited. Watch »
Here's Clint Dempsey's World Cup Qualifier Goal, And Honduras's Bicycle Kick Equalizer
Dempsey scores a beautiful goal. Honduras scores an even better one. Watch »
Illinois Shocks No. 1 Indiana On A Last-Second Layup
Nothing fancy. The picket fence. A little bit of Hickory in Champaign. Watch »


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Players have McClendon's full attention early
PEORIA, Ariz. -- A common sight early in Mariners camp is new manager Lloyd McClendon pulling hitters aside to offer advice during or after batting practice. After working as the Tigers' hitting coach the past seven seasons, McClendon is not shy about providing insight, and he is finding willing listeners in his new players.
First baseman Justin Smoak was the subject of McClendon's attention Wednesday and said it was eye-opening.
"He grabbed during BP for a couple things, and everything he said made sense," Smoak said. "It was pretty good. You have to respect the fact that he's been with some really good hitters. It's pretty interesting. It's awesome. When somebody wants to help, it's good to hear what he has to say."
Smoak said the skipper suggested some adjustments in his stance that reinforced an approach he was already working on with hitting coach Howard Johnson.
"I was a little wide," Smoak said of his stance, "and he asked me why. He said when he first saw me a couple years ago, I was more narrow, and he liked that better with bigger guys. And it felt good. That's where I was when I first got called up. It's interesting to hear him say that. He remembered, so it was pretty cool. He was on top of it."
McClendon said Smoak, like most hitters, needed to better understand his swing path and get his bat in the strongest position as it comes through the strike zone.
"It's not about muscling up or swinging harder; it's about getting the bat in the proper slot to get it through the zone," McClendon said. "And if you do that, positive things will happen. I think he liked what he felt, and it's something to build on."
McClendon uses Robinson Cano as an illustration of a smart hitter in batting practice who strokes line drive after line drive, not worrying about clearing the fences or impressing anyone.
"One of our challenges is to get our guys to understand how you take batting practice," McClendon said. "For me, hitting home runs in BP means nothing. I want to see the path; I want to see you staying inside the ball. A lot of times, a good swing doesn't mean it even leaves the cage, but the path was there. And that's what I'm trying to get the guys to understand."
And that is exactly what the team's first-year skipper is doing in his one-on-one conversations around the cage.
"I speak individually, because each hitter is an individual," McClendon said. "The way you address it is to simply tell them. If you don't like what you see, tell them. And HoJo and I talk about it, and he's working with guys on certain things. But it's part of the process. We have to change. It hasn't been working. It's about wins, not developing. You have to change, you have to make adjustments."


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The Big Picture: The Alignment Framework
Alignment is a condition in which the key elements of an organization—its people, strategy, customers, and processes—work in concert to serve its primary purpose. thereby increasing value for stakeholders. For business organizations, that means growth and profit. For not-for-profit entities, the desired outcome may be "accomplishing the mission" or, for a hospital, "providing better patient care at lower cost." Whatever the enterprise or its goals, the degree to which those key elements are integrated and working in concert will determine how quickly and successfully it will fulfill it primary purpose.
Over 30 years of empirical research has confirmed that businesses that are aligned and integrated outperform their competitors on every financial measure.
Simply put, alignment drives efficiency and effectiveness, and all the good things that follow from them. To achieve alignment, everyone must be on the same page, understanding the organization in the same way.
Every enterprise for which we have worked, whether industrial, government, or healthcare, here or abroad, operates with the four major elements. Each has a strategy. Each employs people to execute the strategy. Each has customers. And all have processes for satisfying customer needs. These four elements must work together hand in glove. The relationships between them form our alignment framework (Figure 1.1), which helps people understand the story of the business—that is, how the business works.
The framework has two axes, one vertical and another horizontal. The vertical axis links people with strategy; the horizontal axis connects business processes with customers. Both are animated by what we call The Main Thing, the ultimate purpose of the organization and the unifying concept to which every employee and every unit can contribute.
Vertical alignment describes a condition in which every employee can articulate the enterprise's strategy and explain how his or her daily work activities support that strategy. Horizontal alignment breaks through the boundaries that so often separate companies from their customers. Employees in horizontally aligned organizations notice the linkages shown in the figure between strategy and customers, between people and customers, and so forth. Alignment between these elements is as important as alignment on our two axes. A strategy, for instance, that doesn't align or make sense for customers will undermine everything that the organization and its people attempt to do. The same can be said for strategy and processes. A brilliant strategy for addressing customer needs will do little good if the organization has not developed business processes that efficiently and effectively deliver the goods!
The four elements in our framework—strategy, people, processes, and customers— must be aligned and realigned to achieve high performance. Here are five things that any executive—and any unit manager—can do to achieve the kind of alignment we advocate:
- Articulate the essence of the business, which we call the Main Thing. Your people should embrace it at a visceral level.
- Define your most important strategic goals and link them to the performance management system
- Insure that your people understand the strategy, understand how they will contribute, and have the skills and resources they need to make the strategy work
- Assure that the voice of the customer informs your strategy and is heard by every employee
- Redesign business processes in response to customer requirements
Of course, that which is aligned must be kept aligned! Alignment is not a natural condition. Without the sustained commitment of leadership, organizations tend to fly apart. The antidote is regular repetition of goals and review of performance against those goals.
Achieving and maintaining alignment in a turbulent and fast-changing world may be the most important chore for today's leaders. But it's well worth the effort. As Fred Smith, Founder/CEO of FedEx once told us: "Alignment is the essence of management."
To continue the discussion, to dive deeper into the topic and to take the first step to getting your own organization fully aligned, click here and let us know when the best time for us to speak with you and get you more information Click here


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Guacamole is even better with the addition of sweet Dungeness crab.
Chefs have a way of making things indulgent in the best possible way. Take this recipe by Jose Garces of Amada restaurant in Philadelphia, for example: Two of everyone's favorite flavors—crab and guac—combine for a terrific appetizer.... Read More
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Congregation Beth Sholom
Congregation Beth Sholom is a modern Conservative Jewish Congregation dedicated to spiritualistic new visions and dimension without removing our ancestral traditions. We are located at 441 Deer Park Avenue in Babylon Village, New York (mailing address is PO Box 64, Babylon, NY, 11702).Our spiritual leader is Rabbi Abraham Axelrud, Ph.D.
We wish to invite all Jewish individuals and families, including interfaith couples and families, to join us in worship and education in our newly renovated sanctuary and vibrant religious school. We have programs for young and old from all backgrounds; education and tutoring for the young; adult education; senior groups; youth group; and more. We hold Shabbat services on Friday evenings at 8 PM (except in July and August) and Saturday mornings at 9:30 AM (every week, all year).
We have a newly renovated ballroom and catering facility that is available to celebrate your next simcha.
For more information about our synagogue or to join, please call our office at 631-587-5650 or email email@example.com.
We will arrange a personal tour and have a member answer all your questions.


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Monticello brings festival to West Lawn
The 4th annual Heritage Harvest Festival combined music and food with a love of the land and a walk through Virginia's agricultural heritage. And the September 11 installment was the first time this Festival took place right on the West Lawn of Monticello.
–->See SLIDESHOW
5 comments
deleted by moderator
One regal goat enjoying his 15 minutes of fame. This picture should make goat history. Thomas Jefferson would approve !
This was a great festival. Tons of interesting exhibits for kids, family friendly atmosphere, and gorgeous setting.
Maybe Monticello will hang this regal goat portrait in the room with Lafayette and other luminaries that have graced the lawn of Jefferson's home. Hilarious ! Thanks for the slideshow, looks like a fun and educational time for all ages; hope they make this an annual event.
West Lawn = last Morgan Harrington sighting before she was found dead 10 miles down the road.


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Greinke dominates Padres in playoff tuneup
Mattingly rests Dodgers righty after five scoreless innings
SAN DIEGO -- Threading the needle between trying to win games and preparing his roster for the playoffs, Dodgers manager Don Mattingly got away with both Sunday.
But his true priority -- the postseason -- was clear when he lifted healthy starting pitcher Zack Greinke after only five innings in a scoreless tie, a game the Dodgers went on to win, 1-0, over the Padres with a four-pitcher two-hitter.
Adrian Gonzalez, who singled with one out in the seventh inning, scored the only run when Michael Young's two-out double was bobbled by San Diego right fielder Will Venable for an error. Gonzalez, playing with a tight quad, originally was held at third base until the misplay.
Mattingly has said he would like to earn the home-field advantage in the playoffs, which will require winning most, if not all, of the remaining regular-season games. But his explanation for pulling Greinke with a two-hit shutout clearly points to saving the pitcher's arm for October rather than wearing him down in a September victory with a playoff berth already clinched.
"It's all about Zack," Mattingly said of the quick hook after 72 pitches. "He's going on regular rest, even short rest if you consider coming back for a day game after pitching in a night game. He'll get an extra day the next two times."
Mattingly and pitching coach Rick Honeycutt gave Clayton Kershaw three extra days of rest before allowing him to pitch seven scoreless innings Saturday night. Because of Monday's day off, both get a fifth day of rest before their last regular-season starts on Friday and Saturday. Hyun-Jin Ryu starts Tuesday in San Francisco with three extra days' rest.
Greinke was lifted for a pinch-hitter when his spot led off the top of the sixth inning, having retired his last nine batters and allowing only two hits. He lowered his ERA to 2.67 in the no-decision, running the string of starts in which he's allowed two earned runs or fewer to 11.
Greinke said he didn't ask for his shortest start of the year but was "fine with it. The main thing, all my pitches were working."
Backup catcher Tim Federowicz, working with Greinke for the first time since June, issued the same reviews heard about Greinke throughout the past two months, as he hasn't lost a start since July 25.
"He hit his spots, was usually down, had command of all four pitches," said Federowicz. "He knew going in it would be a short start."
J.P. Howell, credited with the division-clinching win Thursday in Arizona, raised his mark to 4-1 after relieving Greinke. Chris Withrow, just back from the birth of his first child, pitched into a seventh-inning jam with a pair of walks, but struck out Logan Forsythe and got Mark Kotsay on a tapper to escape.
Withrow also pitched the eighth, with Paco Rodriguez and Brandon League warming in the bullpen. Kenley Jansen got the save, his 27th.
"Kenley's always pumped up in big games," said Federowicz. "It's good to see that, because we've got a lot of big games coming up."
The Dodgers got a bit of a scare in the ninth inning when Andre Ethier, making his first appearance in a week since turning his left ankle, appeared to roll over it swinging at a Luke Gregerson changeup. Mattingly said it looked awkward but Ethier said he didn't believe he reinjured it.
Offensively, all the Dodgers could get off Andrew Cashner was the one unearned run that resulted from Young's double. Since coming to the Dodgers from the Phillies, Young is 15-for-39 (.385) and he turned several flashy defensive plays at third base. In keeping with his unselfish reputation, Young turned answers about his defense into praise for Dodgers pitching.
"The credit goes to the pitching staff," he said. "Defense always feeds off them. They throw a lot of strikes, keep a great tempo."
Each club had one scoring opportunity early.
For the Dodgers, it was the top of the third when Greinke reached second on a one-out ground-rule double. But Yasiel Puig grounded to first and Carl Crawford struck out.
For the Padres, it was the bottom of the third when Reymond Fuentes led off with the only walk from Greinke, Rene Rivera singled him to second and Cashner bunted them over. But Greinke got Alexi Amarista to pop up to shortstop and Young made a difficult play behind third base and threw out Ronny Cedeno to save the run.


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You buy games at GameStop. You buy games hardware at GameStop. You may sometimes even buy a magazine or action figure. Very soon, though, you'll be able to add something a little unexpected to the list: mobile phone plans
The multinational games powerhouse will soon, in the US at least, turn itself into a telecommunications provider, offering a range of pre-paid and contract-free deals that rely on the user bringing their own phone to the table (GameStop won't, at least for now, be offering phone + plan deals).
Prices range from $5 to $55 a month depending on your data. Oh, and GameStop's plans will operate on AT&T's network.
I'm trying, real hard, but I cannot think of a single reason why anyone would want to do this.
GameStop Mobile launches as AT&T virtual carrier, gives us rare bring-your-own GSM in US (update) [Engadget]


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Gomes will try to earn time against righties
FORT MYERS, Fla. -- While most positions are set in the Red Sox's lineup entering the season, the one place where at-bats are up for grabs is left field.
Newcomer Jonny Gomes will play against all lefties, but he also has a chance to earn his share of time against right-handers.
"If you succeed at platooning, you should have the opportunity to have more on your plate," said Gomes. "Am I putting my foot down to have some more time? No. Absolutely not. I do whatever helps the team. Last year, I platooned with a couple of guys and no one ran their mouth, nobody did anything, and that all leads to success and that all leads to winning. As soon as you've got guys butting heads for playing time, it all starts to go downhill a little bit."
Last year for the Oakland Athletics, Gomes had 279 at-bats.
"I came into camp to play 162 [games]," Gomes said. "It's not my choice. I don't make the lineup, but when my number is called, you can count on it that I'll be ready."
In his career vs. lefties, Gomes is a .284 hitter with 50 homers, 154 RBIs and an .894 OPS in 934 at-bats. Against righties, Gomes is a .223 hitter with 86 homers, 257 RBIs and .732 OPS in 712 at-bats.
"We know for a fact that he's been much stronger against left-handed pitching," said manager John Farrell. "That's a given. But we're not going to limit -- if he shows he can handle some right-handed pitching -- we're not going to take that away from him. We're going to give him opportunities to do that in Spring Training and certainly as we get into the start of the season."
Ryan Sweeney and Daniel Nava are among the left-handed hitters who will try to earn some at-bats in left.
Though veteran first baseman Lyle Overbay has never played the outfield in his career, he might get a chance this spring.
"It's been discussed," said Farrell. "[I'm] certainly not going to limit it right now. There's a possibility that will happen."


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I tried your scene. First of all, when using normal maps, always use the normal shader or it takes it as a bump/height map and only considers luminance.The normal map's channels seem to be inverted. I'm no expert on marble but in my opinion, the cracks should go inwards, not outwards.The red color in the normal map should be projected from the right but is coming from the left. Seems as if it was made for a game engine.(or at least generated with those setups)It just looks like the channels were swapped or inverted(doesn't look like a standard OpenGL normal map), you can fix that easily in the normal shader's menu.Here's what I changed:I left 3. as it was for comparison. That's the look you wanted.For 2. I inverted Red and Green. The result is the same as 3. (A bit hard to see with that light setup)As for 1. I used the normal shader again and just inverted the green. Red wasn't necessary to be changed anymore. Dents go inwards.(Latest Daily build)
just click on flip Y (green), it is not a long or hard process.Corona normal map is OpenGL normal, no direct x Normal.
When loading a normal map in the texture picker, the options Flip X, Flip Y, and Wide specify how the normal map was created. The most common standard is 'Flip Y', so this is selected by default.


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Chase N. Cashe returns with a new video for his Rich Kidd-produced track "Die With Money." This is taken from his Heir Waves mixtape out now. Directed by Bmike.
Chase N. Cashe – Die With Money (Official Music Video)
Chase N. Cashe – Reporting Live
New Orleans rapper Chase N. Cashe returns with a brand new single titled "Reporting Live", produced by Free P.
Chase N. Cashe – The Heir Up There 2 (Mixtape)
Chase N. Cashe returns with the second installment of his 2012 mixtape The Heir Up There. The project contains features from Hit-Boy, Les, Troy…
Hit-Boy & Chase N. Cashe – Go Off (Feat. Travis Scott & Quentin Miller)
The Surf Club collaborates with Travis Scott and Quentin Miller on a new track titled "Go Off".
Currensy & Chase N. Cashe – Cathedral (EP)
Currensy releases a brand new EP called Cathedral, produced entirely by Chase N. Cashe. The project contains eight new tracks with a feature from…
Chase N. Cashe – Do It Big Baby
In support of DJ Shaad Smooth's compilation mixtape MUSE, Chase N. Cashe recorded a new track titled "Do It Big Baby."
Chase N. Cashe – Stop Playin' (Official Music Video)
Chase N. Cashe comes thru with a visual for "Stop Playin'" which appeared on his album The Best There Is…. Directed by Damir.
Chase N. Cashe drops a new record "Araab Crazy", produced by AraabMuzik.
Chase N. Cashe – World Peace (Official Music Video)
Chase N. Cashe is back with an official video for his Willie B.-produced joint "World Peace," directed by Dan Centrone. This is lifted from his…
Chase N. Cashe – .45 Freestyle
Chase N. Cashe drops off a new track titled ".45 Freestyle," produced by Frank The Butcher. The beat is cold as hell on this one….
Bronx rapper Al-Doe is back with a new Chase N. Cashe-produced single titled "All I Care About," the first offering from his forthcoming Keys Of…
Chase N. Cashe – Corner Store (Official Music Video)
Chase N. Cashe liberates a video for his track "Corner Store," lifted from his new Cashe Rules EP. Stream the project for free here.
Chase N. Cashe – Me And Mine (Feat. Casey Veggies) (Official Music Video)
Chase N. Cashe catches up with Casey Veggies to shoot a video for their collaboration "Me And Mine," lifted from his new Cashe Rules…
Chase N. Cashe – Me And Mine (Feat. Casey Veggies)
Chase N. Cashe gets some help from Casey Veggies on his latest release "Me And Mine," which will appear on his forthcoming Cashe Rules…
Chase N. Cashe – I Can Do That
New Orleans rapper Chase N. Cashe is teaming up with ScionAV to release a new project titled Cashe Rules. Today we get the first…
The Best Of Both Offices Compilation Vol. 3
Immanuel J. Smith releases volume 3 of The Best Of Both Offices compilation series. Vol. 3 holds new and exclusive music from the likes…
Minneapolis, Minnesota rapper 612FatBoy drops off a Chase N. Cashe-produced track titled "Get Dis Money." His new mixtape Fat Sauce is coming this September…
The Latest
Future "Perkies" (Produced by Metro Boomin)
Debonair Brown "Embrace It" (Official Music Video)
A Boogie Wit da Hoodie "Reply" (Feat. Lil Uzi Vert)
Future "Last Name" (Feat. Lil Durk)
Lil Peep "Everybody's Everything" (Album Stream)
Tory Lanez "Chixtape 5" (Album Stream)
Kanye West "Jesus Is King" (Album Stream)
Kirill & Jaco "Hublot" (Official Music Video)
Lil X "New Kid on the Block" (Album Stream)


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Effective Date: February, 2016
Crock-Pot.co.uk is an electronic marketplace for products distributed by Jarden Consumer Solutions (referred to as "we," "us" or "our") and its affiliates. We understand that your privacy is important to you and we established this Privacy Policy to explain what information is collected on Crock-Pot.co.uk ("Site") and how it is used. By using this Site, you agree to the collection and use of information as set forth in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree to this Privacy Policy, please do not use this Site.
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We use web beacons to collect information about you and to provide a more tailored and user-friendly service to you. We may use cookies to record session information, such as items that you add to your shopping cart, to record past activity or to provide better service when you return. Authorised third parties may link your name, address and email address to other information which they collect, such as past online/offline purchase information and Web usage from other sites. You can set your browser to refuse cookies, but without our cookies you will not be able to complete a purchase or take advantage of certain features of this Site.
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7 Incredible Grand Tours You Can Actually Afford
Sometimes a one-week vacation just isn't enough. From a safari journey around Africa to an extensive cross-country tour of the U.S., we've rounded up seven grand tours that give you the largest amount of adventure for the smallest amount of money per day.
Sometimes a one-week vacation just isn't enough, especially when you wake up the last morning of your trip and don't want to leave yet—it's too soon, and you've just begun to discover what makes your destination so special. Luckily, there are longer grand tours that provide you with enough time to fullly explore a new place, whether it's a month-long journey through Southeast Asia or an in-depth two-week Ireland adventure. We've scoured the world of extended travel deals for packages that give you the most bang for your buck, listed here in order from the least amount of money you'll spend per day to most. At first it might seem like you are spending a little more than usual on some of these trips, but the perks included—meals, intra-country transportation, airport transfers, professionally guided small-group tours with a personal touch—and the unique travel experiences you'll get more than make up for any initial sticker-shock.
India: basics on a budget
Highlights: Visit ancient forts and colorful modern cities throughout Northern India.
Looking to do some traveling abroad while on a budget? This three-week tour of Northern India and Rajasthan is full of unique experiences—an overnight camel safari in the desert, anyone?—and gives you just enough free time to explore the cities on your own. You'll also get guided tours of New Delhi, Bikaner, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Pushkar, Udaipur, and Jaipur, plus the chance to experience sunrise at the Savitri temple in Pushkar and wrap things up with a scenic boat trip down the River Ganges during a candle flower ceremony.
The breakdown: This three-week tour of Northern India and Rajasthan will cost you about $67 per day including 19 nights' accommodations, all ground transportation within the country, and several guided tours. G Adventures, from $1,349 per person for a 20-day trip. Average group size: 10-16 people.
Central America for the trail-blazing history buff
Highlights: Tour ancient ruins and jungles in Mexico, Belize, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, and Costa Rica.
Dreaming of visiting the ancient Mayan ruins of Tulum, Palenque, Chichén Itzá, Tikal, and Copán? This extensive small-group tour starts in Mexico City with a vast cultural tour of Mexico—explore the colonial buildings of Puebla, Oaxaca, and San Cristobal de las Casas before heading north to the Yucatán cities of Palenque, Mérida, and Playa del Carmen. Next, you'll cross the border to Belize and soak up the Central American sun in Caye Caulker, before heading south to Flores, Guatemala—shop for the perfect souvenir at the local markets of Chichicastenango and take time to roam the colorful city of Antigua. Ponder the past at the Mayan ruins in Copán and relax on the beaches of Roatán Island during your time in Honduras. From here, the tour heads south through Granada and Ometepe Island in Nicaragua before finishing up with trips to Costa Rica's tropical cloud forests, Arenal Volcano National Park, and San José, the country's capitol city.
The breakdown: You'll end up spending $71 per day including all ground transportation, guided tours, and 45 nights' accommodations in hotels, one night in a local homestay, and one night on an overnight bus. Intrepid Travel's Central America Explorer, from $3,295 for a 46-day trip. Average group size: 16 people.
New Zealand: affordable island-hopping for nature lovers and adrenaline junkies
Highlights: Tour New Zealand's North and South Islands for less.
Get to know this intriguing kiwi nation with a three-week trip through both islands. The tour starts and ends in Auckland, and includes some truly "only in New Zealand" experiences like Maori cultural encounters, sea kayaking in the Doubtful Sound, surfing lessons in Raglan, and a trip to Franz Josef National Park. Other adrenaline-pumping activities include a mountain biking excursion and the chance to take on the Tongariro Alpine Crossing, one of the most popular one-day treks in the country. Hiking, biking and opportunities to skydive and bungee jump are also available if you're feeling extra gutsy.


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Facebook sexism campaign attracts thousands online
By Zoe Kleinman
Technology reporter, BBC News
- Published
Thousands of protesters are demanding tougher action from Facebook over posts that they say degrade women.
More than 50,000 have tweeted in support of the FBrape campaign and around 5,000 have emailed brands whose advertising appears around the content.
The campaign focuses on content that portrays rape and violence against women positively. Facebook has removed many examples already.
A separate petition online has gathered more than 220,000 signatures.
The new campaign has been organised by 40 women's groups and individuals, including US-based Women, Action and the Media (WAM) and the Everyday Sexism project, a UK-based Twitter feed that encourages women to share incidences of perceived sexism.
In an open letter to the social media giant, the groups demand "swift, comprehensive and effective action addressing the representation of rape and domestic violence on Facebook" and say they are also asking Facebook users to contact companies whose adverts appear around the offending content.
Sky, American Express and Dove beauty products are among the brands affected.
The letter also lists examples of material that the group feels is unacceptable.
They include Facebook groups with titles such as "This is why Indian girls get raped" and individual uploads of graphic photographs showing abused women.
One image of a woman lying at the foot of a flight of stairs is captioned "Next time, don't get pregnant".
'Target people's interests'
Dove, a brand owned by Unilever, said it was "most upset" by the images, but both the brand and Facebook said the examples given had since been removed from the site.
"Dove takes this issue very seriously and does not condone any activity that intentionally insults any audience," said global communications director Stacie Bright.
"We are working to refine our targeting terms in case any further pages like these are created. Facebook advertising targets people's interests, not pages, and we do not select the pages our adverts appear on."
Both Ms Bright and a spokesperson for Facebook told the BBC that the examples mentioned in the letter had now been removed from the site.
"There is no place on Facebook for hate speech or content that is threatening, or incites violence, and we will not tolerate material deemed to be genuinely or directly harmful," said Facebook in a statement.
"We try to react quickly to remove reported language or images that violate our terms and we try to make it very easy for people to report questionable content using links located throughout the site."
The company added, however, that not all material that some users might consider to be "vulgar and distasteful" actually violated its policies.
Sheer frustration
Laura Bates, founder of the Everyday Sexism project, told the BBC the campaign had been born out of "sheer frustration" from a large number women who had tried to complain about the material and had then contacted her.
"Obviously it's difficult to moderate a platform with one billion users but it is disproportionately affecting women," she said.
"Facebook does crack down on issues like anti-Semitism and has been praised for it but when they see images of women being raped they don't consider that to be a form of hate speech.
"A lot of women are saying it's preventing them from using Facebook."
The social network has previously been taken to task for removing pictures of women breastfeeding infants and displaying their chests after mastectomy operations, she added.
"I don't think you can use the smokescreen of free speech when you take down other images which are often of women's bodies," said Ms Bates.
She also said that the groups and Facebook were "in communication" and both were hoping for a resolution as soon as possible.


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(By Delegates Manypenny, Fragale, Guthrie, Mahan
and Talbott)
[Introduced January 30, 2012; referred to the
Committee on Natural Resources then the Judiciary.]
A BILL to amend the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, by adding thereto a new section, designated §7-10-6, relating to the control of potentially dangerous wild animals, as specified, to protect the public against health and safety risks and to establish criminal penalties.
Be it enacted by the Legislature of West Virginia:
That the Code of West Virginia, 1931, as amended, be amended by adding thereto a new section, designated §7-10-6, to read as follows:
§7-10-6. Dangerous wild animals.
(a) The purpose of this section is to protect the public against the serious health and safety risks that dangerous wild animals pose to the community.
(b) The following words and phrases when used in this section have the meanings given to them unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Animal control authority" means humane officer as described
in article ten of this code.
"Potentially dangerous wild animal" means one of the animals identified in subsection (c) of this section.
"Person" means any individual, partnership, corporation, organization, trade or professional association, firm, limited liability company, joint venture, association, trust, estate, or any other legal entity, and any officer, member, shareholder, director, employee, agent or representative thereof.
"Possessor" means any person who owns, possesses, keeps, harbors, brings into the state or has custody or control of a potentially dangerous wild animal.
"Wildlife sanctuary" means a nonprofit organization, that cares for animals defined as potentially dangerous and: (1) No activity that is not inherent to the animal's nature, natural conduct or the animal in its natural habitat is conducted; (2) no commercial activity involving an animal occurs including, but not limited to, the sale of or trade in animals, animal parts, animal by-products or animal offspring or the sale of photographic opportunities involving an animal or the use of an animal for any type of entertainment purpose; (3) no unescorted public visitations or direct contact between the public and an animal; or (4) no breeding of animals occurs in the facility.
(c) Potentially dangerous wild animals are the following
types of animals, whether bred in the wild or in captivity, and any
or all hybrids thereof:
(1) Lions, tigers, cougars, jaguars, cheetahs, leopards, snow leopards and clouded leopards;
(2) Wolves, excluding wolf-hybrids;
(3) All bears;
(4) Animals from the family hyaenidae, such as hyenas;
(5) Rhinoceroses;
(6) All nonhuman primate species;
(7) All elephant species;
(8) All species of the atractaspidae family of the squamata
order from the reptilia class and the dispholidus typus of the
colubridae family of the same order and same class;
(9) All species of the elapidae family of the squamata order from the reptilia class, such as cobras, mambas, kraits, coral snakes, and Australian tiger snakes;
(10) All species of the hydrophiidae family of the squamata
order from the reptilia class, such as sea snakes;
(11) Water monitors and crocodile monitors from the varanidae family of the squamata order from the reptilia class;
(12) All species of the viperidae family of the squamata order from the reptilia class, such as rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, bushmasters, puff adders, and gaboon vipers; and
(13) All species of the crocodilia order from the reptilia class, such as crocodiles, alligators, calmans and gavials.
(d) The provisions of this section do not apply to:
(1) Institutions accredited or certified by the American Zoo and Aquarium Association or a facility with a current signed Memorandum of Participation with an Association of Zoos and Aquariums Species Survival Plan for breeding of species listed as threatened or endangered pursuant to 16 U.S.C. § 1533;
(2) Duly incorporated nonprofit animal protection organizations, such as humane societies and shelters, housing an animal at the written request of the animal control authority or acting under the authority of this section;
(3) Animal control authority, law-enforcement officers or county sheriffs acting under the authority of this section;
(4) Veterinary hospitals or clinics;
(5) A holder of a valid wildlife rehabilitation permit issued by the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources;
(6) Any wildlife sanctuary as defined subsection (b) of this section;
(7) A research facility as defined by the animal welfare act, 7 U.S.C.A. 2131, as amended, for the species of animals for which they are registered. This includes, but is not limited to, universities, colleges, and laboratories holding a valid class R license under the animal welfare act;
(8) Circuses, defined as incorporated, class C licensees under the animal welfare act, 7 U.S.C.A. 2131, as amended, that are temporarily in this state and that offer performances by live animals, clowns, and acrobats for public entertainment;
(9) A person temporarily transporting a legally owned dangerous wild animal through the state if the transit time is not more than twenty-four hours, the dangerous wild animal is not exhibited and the dangerous wild animal is maintained at all times in a species-appropriate cage or other travel container such that there is no opportunity for physical contact with any member of the public; or
(10) A person displaying animals at a fair approved by the West Virginia Department of Agriculture.
(e) This section does not require a city or county that does not have an animal control authority to create that office.
(f) Behaviors prohibited under this section are as follows:
(1) A person may not own, possess, keep, harbor, bring into
the state or have custody or control of a potentially dangerous
wild animal, except as provided in subsection (d) of this section;
(2) A person may not breed a potentially dangerous wild animal;
(3) A person in legal possession of a potentially dangerous wild animal prior to January 1, 2013, and who is the legal possessor of the animal may keep possession of the animal for the remainder of the animal's life and shall:
(A) Maintain veterinary records, acquisition papers for the animal, if available, or other documents or records that establish that the person possessed the animal prior to January 1, 2013; and (B) Present the paperwork to an animal control or law enforcement authority upon request. The person has the burden of proving that he or she possessed the animal prior to January 1, 2013.
(g) The animal control authority or a law-enforcement officer
may immediately confiscate a potentially dangerous wild animal if:
(1) The animal control authority or law-enforcement officer has probable cause to believe that the animal was acquired after January 1, 2013;
(2) The animal poses a public safety or health risk;
(3) The animal is in poor health and condition as a result of the possessor; or
(4) The animal is being held in contravention of this section.
(h) A potentially dangerous wild animal that is confiscated under subsection (g) of this section may be returned to the possessor only if the animal control authority or law-enforcement officer establishes that the possessor had possession of the animal prior to January 1, 2013, and the return does not pose a public safety or health risk.
(i) When the animal control authority or law enforcement acts under subsection (g) of this section, the animal control authority or law-enforcement officer shall serve notice upon the possessor in person or by regular and certified mail, return receipt requested, notifying the possessor of the confiscation, that the possessor is responsible for payment of reasonable costs for caring and providing for the animal during the confiscation and that the possessor must meet the requirements of subsection (h) of this section in order for the animal to be returned to the possessor.
(j) If a potentially dangerous wild animal confiscated under this section is not returned to the possessor, the animal control authority or law-enforcement officer may release the animal to a facility such as a wildlife sanctuary or a facility exempted in subsection (d) of this section. If the animal control authority or law-enforcement officer is unable to relocate the animal within a reasonable period of time, the animal may be euthanized but only when all reasonable placement options, including relocation to a wildlife sanctuary, are unavailable.
(k) This section applies to animal confiscations on or after January 1, 2013.
(l) A city or county may adopt an ordinance governing potentially dangerous wild animals that is more restrictive than this section. However, nothing in this section requires a city or county to adopt an ordinance to be in compliance with this section.
(m) A person who violates the provisions of this section is
guilty of a misdemeanor and, upon conviction thereof, shall be
fined not less than $200 nor more than $2,000 for each animal with
respect to which there is a violation and for each day the
violation continues.
(n) The animal control authority and its staff and agents, local law-enforcement agents and county sheriffs are authorized and empowered to enforce the provisions of this section.
NOTE: The purpose of this bill is to provide for the control of specific potentially dangerous wild animals to protect the public against health and safety risks and to establish criminal penalties.
§7-10-6 is new; therefore, it has been completely underscored.


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Once a hot ticket during the summer concert season, Sarah McLachlan's reconstituted Lilith Fair tour has recently seen its momenteum slowed by poor sales and a slew of defecting headliners.
On July 1, the tour cut ten dates across the country, canceling shows in Austin, Dallas, Charlotte, Tampa and Salt Lake City among others, reported Entertainment Weekly.
Additionally, big name acts like Kelly Clarkson and Norah Jones have pulled out of scheduled dates for various reasons.
U.S. & World
A statement released by Lilith co-founder Terry McBride addressed the cancellations in a matter of fact way.
"We are in the midst of one of the most challenging summer concert seasons with many tours being cancelled outright. Everyone involved with the tour would like to apologize to the fans and artists scheduled to play in these markets, and express appreciation for all the support for the festival's return. Lilith remains the only tour of its kind, and we are confident that fans will be amazed by what each date has to offer."
But it's not just the ladies who've been affected by slupming sales. Other major acts like Christina Aguilera, Rihanna and The Eagles have been affected by lack of demand, and others, like U2 and Simon & Garfunkel, have been cursed by the injury bug. Many industry analysts blame the poor showings on the continuing effects of the recession, a sentiment McBride agrees with.
"It's the reality of this summer," said McBride in an interview with Rolling Stone. "It's just across the board. Main Street is still in recession. We're not out of this yet. Did we see that four months ago? I don't think anyone did."


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Mayor's Office
Mayor Chris Beutler today recognized the City Public Works and Utilities Department and Lincoln Public Schools (LPS) for collaborating on an artistic snow plow project. Students and art teachers from nine LPS schools painted 10-foot long plow blades with images they felt represented their school and or community.
"These murals on wheels are assigned to the participating schools' snow routes so the students will be able to see the plows they painted doing their job this winter," Beutler said. "I want to thank the City employees involved for the hard work and creativity they've shown on this project. This is an excellent example of our Public Works and Utilities employees reaching out to the community to educate the public about the many ways this important department serves our City."
Participating schools were Beattie, Holmes, Huntington, Kahoa, Kooser, Lakeview and Zeman elementaries; Mickle Middle School; and Lincoln North East High School.
The program was initiated by Roger Tiedeman, a District Manager in the Street and Traffic Operations Division, who read about a similar program in Wisconsin. The City now has 18 snow routes covering nearly 1,200 miles, and this year, the snow routes were adjusted to better incorporate our schools. Tiedeman proposed the artistic snow plow program as a way to educate the public about the routes
"We hope this will be an annual event so other schools have the opportunity to participate," Tiedeman said. "The program has helped to strengthen our relationships with the community and share information about our winter weather response efforts."
Mayor Beutler also encouraged the public to plan ahead for winter weather and to keep parked vehicles off City streets when it snows. Information on City snow operations is available at lincoln.ne.gov (keyword: snow).


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No. 24 Texas A&M women beat Rice 80-57
Kelsey Bone had 24 points and 14 rebounds and No. 24 Texas A&M beat Rice 80-57 on Tuesday.
Bone, who has scored 15 or more points in her last seven games, led four Aggies in double figures. Kristi Bellock scored 12 points on 6-of-8 shooting, Karla Gilbert also scored 12 and Adrienne Pratcher had 11 points. Texas A&M led 49-30 at halftime.
The Aggies (10-4) made 53 percent of their shots from the field and only attempted two 3-pointers, missing both. All four of A&M's losses are to teams ranked 11th or above.
Jessica Kuster had 18 points and eight rebounds and Megan Palmer scored 15 points for the Owls (8-5). Rice shot 37 percent from the field.
Texas A&M leads series 30-10 between the former Southwest Conference rivals.


text:
Greeting: Sending you breast wishes!
Our "good pop. bad pop" card is letterpressed by hand on an antique press. It is printed with ink ink on thick, brilliant white 100% tree-free cotton paper. It is paired with a neon pink envelope.
5.5" x 4.25" folded card, blank inside.
© 2017 Paper Epiphanies. All Rights Reserved.
Breast Wishes Card


text:
Dorie Greenspan's Double Chocolate Cupcakes Recipe
This is a more grown-up version of the modern cupcake. It's not too sweet, with super-moist chocolate cake that contains semisweet chocolate and cocoa powder, and a luscious, ganache frosting on top. The recipe is from Dorie Greenspan's Baking: From My Home to Yours, a book that inspired me to learn to bake and eventually "go pro". I love topping them with spun sugar for birthday celebrations.
- Yield:12
- Active time: 30 minutes
- Total time:1.5 hours
- Rated:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 ounces bittersweet chocolate, melted and cooled
- 3 ounces bittersweet chocolate, coarsely chopped
- 1 tablespoon confectioner's sugar
- 2 tablespoons cold, unsalted butter, cut into 6 pieces
Getting ready: Center a rack in the oven and preheat to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Fit the 12 molds of a muffin tin with paper muffin cups. Place on a baking sheet and set aside.
Make the cupcakes: Whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside. Working with a stand mixer or a hand mixer and a large bowl, beat the butter at medium speed until soft and creamy. Add the sugar and beat for two minutes, until it is blended into the butter. Add the egg, then the yolk, beating for 1 minute between each addition and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Beat in the vanilla, then reduce the mixer speed to low and add half the dry ingredients, mixing only until they disappear. Scrape down the bowl and add the buttermilk, mixing until incorporated, then mix in the remaining dry ingredients. Scrape down the bowl, add the melted chocolate, and mix it in by hand with a rubber spatula. Divide the batter evenly into the prepared molds. Bake for 22 - 25 minutes, or until the tops of the cakes are springy and a tester inserted in the centers comes out clean. Transfer the muffin pan to a cooling rack and allow the cakes to cool for 5 minutes before unmolding them. Cool to room temperature before glazing.
Make the glaze: Melt the chocolate in a heatproof bowl over a saucepan of simmering water.Transfer the bowl to the counter and allow it to sit for five minutes. Stir in sifted confectioner's sugar, followed by pieces of cold butter. Stir until the butter completely disappears into the chocolate. Use a small spatula to spread the glaze on the cupcakes or dip them if the glaze seems very thin (if you'd prefer, allow the glaze to cool more, then spread.)
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Jamie started speaking in full sentences when he was only 10 months old and was reading by the time he was 3½. Ellen showed a gift early in life for numbers and could manage addition and subtraction at the age of 4. Mimi's talent for art was readily apparent in the detailed pictures she drew of her family and her use of perspective and color at age 3.
If you're raising a child with advanced intellectual, artistic, or physical skills, you already recognize the challenges, one of which is providing stimulation and support. Experts advise parents of highly gifted toddlers to give a gifted child ability-appropriate, rather than age-appropriate, experiences. If your son speaks with a complex vocabulary, then you should respond in kind. If your daughter seems to enjoy the company of older children, facilitate those relationships. Or if your child wants to spend all his time reading, provide a range of books on various topics.
When your child has exceptional abilities, helping them develop can be an enormous responsibility. Make sure your child is in an environment that provides the appropriate stimulation for their particular abilities and skills. Nurture and encourage questions and explorations.
The gifted child can be many ages at once. While a child's intellectual or artistic talent can appear mature, emotional development often matches that of peers of the same age. "Ellen can handle math a lot better than her brother who is 2 years older," her father says, "but if they're both squabbling about what to watch on TV, the age difference becomes really apparent and she acts just like any other whiny 6-year-old."
Many parents of gifted children were themselves gifted children and are able to empathize greatly with their children. "I was excited to see Mimi develop a love of art," says her father, a talented filmmaker, "but remembering my own need for independence as a child, I've tried to simply direct her passions, rather than foist upon her my own way of doing things."
Gifted children often see ordinary things in different ways, make connections easily, or see things that others simply cannot see.
Giftedness is defined very broadly by education experts, and definitions vary. Definitions include things like:
Giftedness isn't just limited to academic ability. It also includes areas like creativity, artistic ability, leadership ability, and activities like dancing or sports.
The US educational system is age-structured and assumes that most children develop similar abilities at the same time. Gifted children often don't fit into what we normally think of as age-appropriate activities.
If your child is identified as gifted, you will probably want to talk with teachers and administrators to find out what kind of special programs are available.
A child who demonstrates knowledge of certain subject matter and superior abilities can skip ahead a grade or 2. This, however, can create social adjustment problems. While their cognitive or special abilities are advanced, kids who skip grades might not be in sync socially.
An alternative is to limit acceleration to particular subjects. The child can stay with classmates, but take advanced classes in certain subjects. "Ellen does math with the fourth graders," reports her father, "but studies all other subjects with her regular classmates. This way she maintains her relationships with her friends, but gets to explore mathematical concepts that challenge her."
Not all public schools have the funding to provide special programs for the gifted. After a few frustrating years in the local school system, Jamie's parents moved him to a private school that specialized in gifted children. "Jamie was bored in school and as a result had many behavior problems," said his mother. "Now that he's getting more attention and is more stimulated, he seems to be a lot happier."
Parents have the option of home school education. To do this, you need to have the ability and patience to teach, as well as commit to having one parent home during the day.
After school programs and special summer schools can also provide gifted children with engaging and stimulating experiences to help them develop their talents and realize their potential.
"We knew that elementary school couldn't give Mimi the environment in which to grow her artistic skills, so we have her in special after school programs during the week," says her father. "Then during the summer, the whole family goes with me to Maine where I teach in an art camp, and Mimi gets to sit in on classes there."
Children who have a special gift often feel different and misunderstood. They may find it difficult to meet others with the same interests or feel there is no one their own age with whom to share this special part of themselves.
One way of dealing with the issue is to explain that there are different kind of friends, and that they can share different parts of themselves with more than one person. You may want to explain that although their school classes have people of the same age, it's all right to have friends that are older and younger.
"Mimi has neighborhood friends with whom she plays soccer and dolls, but when we go to art camp in the summer, her friends are often pre-teens who are 3-4 older than she is," her father explains.
Ellen's parents have found that her love of numbers gets her a lot of attention with the older children, but she prefers her same age friends for many play time activities, such as sports and movies. "Ellen's best friends are still her same age friends, but she likes to compete with the older kids in math and she shares with them a love of complexity and problem-solving."
Allowing your child to take the lead is probably the best course of action. You can jump in with a compassionate explanation if problems start to develop.
Center for Gifted Education and Talent Development
University of Connecticut
National Association for Gifted Children (NAGC)
Canadian Education Association
CanTeach: Educational Resources
Alvino J. Considerations and strategies for parenting the gifted child. The University of Connecticut website. Available at: http://www.gifted.uconn.edu/nrcgt/reports/rm95218/rm95218.pdf. Accessed September 25, 2017.
What is giftedness? National Association for Gifted Children website. Available at: http://www.nagc.org/resources-publications/resources/definitions-giftedness?id=574. Accessed September 25, 2017.
Last reviewed September 2017 by EBSCO Medical Review Board Michael Woods, MD, FACP Last Updated: 8/31/2015


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Street Address:
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WASHINGTON (AP) — Republican lawmakers and industry groups are vowing to fight President Barack Obama's climate change plan and its first-ever emission limits on new power plants. But they're finding their options are limited — at least in the short term.
Although the emission rules are just one component of Obama's plan, critics are looking for an early win to show they have the fortitude to fend off other sweeping actions Obama plans to take, like pollution standards for existing plants.
Environmental Protection Agency officials say they've spent tremendous energy examining potential pitfalls and ensuring the rule holds up to scrutiny.
"Our best defense is to do it right," EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy said Monday. "We think that it will stand the test of time."
The rules would require new coal-fired power plants to install expensive technology to capture carbon dioxide. No U.S. plant has done that, largely due to the cost. Opponents say that makes the rule ripe for challenges.
A look at the options:
For Obama, the upside to using his regulatory powers is that no vote from Congress is needed. But if lawmakers don't like a regulation, they can pass a resolution to block it. Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell, whose state of Kentucky is a major coal producer, says he'll do just that.
The Congressional Review Act provides for expedited Senate consideration with a simple majority vote. And the Republican-controlled House would have little difficulty passing it.
Still, it's incredibly tough to do. Since the act was established in 1996, it's only been used successfully once.
Even if Republicans could muscle the resolution through both chambers, it's nearly impossible they could override Obama's certain veto.
Lawmakers could use amendments to other bills to undercut the regulation, or try to starve the EPA of funds. But Democrats who control the Senate would work to block those moves.
The Supreme Court has already ruled the EPA has authority, under the Clean Air Act, to regulate greenhouse gases. But that doesn't mean the EPA won't get sued.
"The chances for legal action are 100 percent," said Jeffrey Holmstead, the EPA's former air and radiation chief under President George W. Bush.
A large number of coal-friendly states are expected to join trade groups in suing. The American Coalition for Clean Coal Electricity, which represents the coal industry, alluded to legal action when it accused Obama of effectively banning new coal plants. "It's almost certain the courts will have to settle this issue," said ACCCE President Mike Duncan.
Opponents say the rule's key vulnerability is a Clean Air Act provision requiring the EPA standard to reflect the best emissions reduction technology that's been "adequately demonstrated." The EPA says four plants under development plan to deploy the technology. Critics say that's hardly proof it's commercially available or economically viable.
Still, lawsuits won't be immediate. Opponents must wait until the EPA finalizes the rule before they can sue — a process that will take months.
If all else fails, Republicans can try to bludgeon Democrats with the issue in the 2014 elections. After all, a slew of Democrats who backed cap-and-trade emissions legislation lost their seats in 2010, helping Republicans seize the House.
If Republicans strengthened their House majority and reclaimed the Senate, they'd be better positioned to obstruct Obama on this and other elements of his climate plan.
Many of the most competitive Senate races —like West Virginia, Kentucky and Louisiana — are in key energy-producing states where the issue could resonate deeply.
Not all Democrats support Obama's plan, and the fact that lawmakers didn't have to vote on the regulation may help. But National Republican Congressional Committee spokeswoman Andrea Bozek said it's up to Democrats to distance themselves from their president.
"It's their responsibility to explain it," Bozek said. "That D next to their name allows us to highlight their support for Obama's policies that are hurting jobs in their district."
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Christian Von Koenigsegg once told Swedish online magazine Nyheter 24 that he invested all of his family's money in the car company he started at age 22 in Angleholm, working eight years without a salary and seven at a paltry sum. Such is the life of an über nerd with a dream.
In this episode of Driven, J.F. Musial tours the Koenigsegg factory — housed at a former Swedish airbase — and gets a ride in an Agera R on foggy runway. Naturally, though, car nerds will lose their propellers over the insider's look at how a few awesome Swedes develop and build one of the most exotic sports cars in the world.
Pull up a big bowl of Corn Pops, crack open a Jolt Cola and enjoy.