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The IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) has backed down from the claim that forty activists in the Gaza flotilla, who had resisted the ship's interception by Israeli commandos in international waters on Monday, are "al Qaeda mercenaries."
Some participants in the Gaza convoy are members of Insan Hak ve Hürriyetleri İnsani Yardım Vakfı –the Foundation for Human Rights, Liberties, and Humanitarian Relief– IHH, a Turkish non-governmental organizaion (NGO) established in the early 1990s. Its mission is to provide humanitarian relief in regions of conflict or that have experienced natural disasters. For the past six years, IHH has held Special Consultative status as an NGO (non-governmental organization) in the United Nations Economic and Social Council.
According to Max Blumenthal, when he and Lia Tarachansky, an Israel-based freelance journalist fluent in Hebrew, called the IDF requesting more conclusive evidence of al Qaeda affiliation than possession of bullet-proof vests and night vision goggles, they were each told, "We don't have any evidence." The IDF press release had been based on information emanating from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's National Security Council.
The next day, Blumenthal notes with satisfaction, the IDF's press office changed the headline to Attackers of the IDF Soldiers Found Without Identification Papers, although the browser retains the original accusation of a link with al Qaeda. The rewritten story, which still bears yesterday's date and the original time it was posted, omits any mention of a connection of the group with al Qaeda.
But the condemnation of IHH participants now ricocheting around the blogosphere isn't about to go away anytime soon. The sad truth, with all due respect to Max (and a great deal is due!), is that the IDF gave in on the paltry evidence gleaned from photos of night vision goggles and bullet proof vests because they believe they a weapon much more powerful–a pro-Israel blogosphere where no Israeli Jew can do anything wrong, and no Muslim can do anything right. And the claim that there is a link between "Islamic terrorism" and the participants in the Gaza flotilla doesn't need any pictures–a thousand words will do.
The link goes back to a strategy crafted in the aftermath of the events of Sept. 11, 2001. In the wake of the destruction of the World Trade Center and an attack on the Pentagon by Islamic extremists, Israelis expressed the hope that Americans might view their plight more sympathetic. Israeli leaders anticipated that that they would be invited not only to join, but to be in the forefront of the impending war against Muslim fundamentalism. The US priority, however, was enlisting and involving "moderate Arab states" in the "coalition of the willing" in the global fight against terrorism.
The timing was not particularly auspicious for Israel.
Then-Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was struggling to keep his own coalition together. Its right wing partners were demanding that he get tought with terrorist, expel Palestinian leader Yasir Arafat, and reject once and for all the idea of a Palestinian state in the West Bank and Gaza. Israeli aims and actions were on a collision course with the dynamics of US foreign policy.
Israel's Foreign Minister, Shimon Peres (now Israel's president), proposed that Israel affirm its agreement with US aims in the "war on terror." Several cabinet ministers agreed with the ingenious suggestion that the Palestinian Authority (PA) be presented as "Israel's Taliban," and Sharon announced that the PA would be considered as a state that harbors terrorists.
The fairly rapid routing of the Taliban (with unacknowledged cooperation from Iran) and a spate of suicide bombings in Israel occurred in the weeks leading up with Sharon's "working visit" to the White House on Nov. 21, 2001. According to the statement by the White House Press Secretary on that date, the topic of the meeting between Sharon and Bush was to be "the international campaign against terrorist and the pursuit of peace in the Middle East." Analysts expected little from the meeting. They were surprised. Sharon came away not only with the inclusion of Israel in the frontline of the "war against terror," but the unprecedented American affirmation of Israel's right to act both defensively and proactively in dealing with terrorists–a right that has gone almost unchallenged for nearly nine years. "Link to terror" became an elixir, believed to possess the almost magical property of being able to immunize Israeli policies from criticism.
So it's not surprising that, as the Gaza debacle unfolded on Monday, a link between the IHH and al Qaeda was discovered. Appropriately perhaps, it was announced by the Israeli Ambassador to Denmark, the land of fairy tales. The French news agency AFP reported:
Israeli Ambassador to Denmark Arthur Avnon said on Monday that his country only attacked the Gaza-bound aid flotilla earlier in the day after receiving reports that it had links to Al-Qaeda.
"The people on board were not so innocent… and I can not imagine that another country would react any differently," the ambassador added. Avnon lamented the loss of life, but said that Israeli soldiers were attacked when they boarded the ship.
It is worth noting that anti-terrorism expert. His mentor Steve Emerson, produced the 1994 Frontline television special "Jihad in America" and he is the author of, among other anti-terrorism tracts, Jihad Incorporated: A Guide to Militant Islam in the United States, both of which have been recognized as unfairly profiling Muslims. Spinprofiles points out that Kohlmann had been dubbed "the Doogie Howser of terrorism, at the outset of his career, and provides a useful litany of objections to both his qualifications and his methods. Among them:
Like other 'terrorism experts' Kohlmann tends to demonise Islamists groups, and to link disparate groups and individuals into an encompassing narrative of international terrorism. His 'expertise' are therefore very useful to prosecutors who seek to demonstrate the malevolent intent of a defendant in the absence of convincing evidence of their preparation or planning of acts of terrorism. As Kohlmann himself explains: "There are a lot of people who know a lot about the world, but they don't know what every terrorist group represents…I am able to bring this to life for the court." What in particular Kohlmann tends to "brings to life" is connections linking defendants to Al-Qaeda or Osama Bin Laden. This, in the political climate of the United States greatly increases the prosecution's chances of a conviction.
This makes him a perfect "white knight" for Israeli hasbarah, trying to calm the stormy seas surrounding the Gaza convoy fiasco.
According to Kohlmann, IHH is an example of an Islamic charity which diverted funds intended for humanitarian relief and used them to buy weapons:
Turkish authorities began their own domestic criminal investigation of IHH as early as December 1997, when sources revealed that leaders of IHH were purchasing automatic weapons from other regional Islamic militant groups. IHH's bureau in Istanbul was thoroughly searched, and its local officers were arrested. Security forces uncovered an array of disturbing items, including firearms, explosives, bomb-making instructions, and a "jihad flag." After analyzing seized IHH documents, Turkish authorities concluded that "detained members of IHH were going to fight in Afghanistan, Bosnia, and Chechnya."
Kohlmann cites a a French intelligence report which claimed that the terrorist infiltration of IHH extended to its most senior ranks. The report, written by famed counterterrorism magistrate Jean-Louis Bruguiere, charged IHH President Bulent Yildirim with having conspired in the mid-1990s to "recruit veteran soldiers in anticipation of the coming holy war [jihad]," and transferring cash, firearms, knives and explosives, parenthetically on behalf of IHH. Furthermore, an examination of IHH's phone records in Istanbul showed repeated telephone calls in 1996 to "an al-Qaida guesthouse in Milan."
Kohlmann's copious footnotes for each sentence dealing with these accusations all cite a single page of one report. It is in French and written by France's "first anti-terrorism judge," Jean-Louis Bruguiere, and Jean-Francois Ricard. Its hefty title is "Requisitoire Definitifaux aux Fins de Non-Lieu. De Non-Lieu partiel. De Requalification. De Renvoi devant le Tribunal Correctionnel, de mantien sous Controle Judiciaiare et de maintien en Detention." Cour D'Appel de Paris; Tribunal de Grande Instance de Paris. No. Parquet: P96 253 3901.2. Kohlmann's accusations against IHH all come from page112.
Bruguiere had been called as an expert witness at the Seattle trial of Ahmed Ressam, the would be "Millenium bomber" who targeted LA Airport 1999, and testified that IHH had played an important role in the plot. Under "repeated questioning" from federal prosecutors, according to the trial transcript as rendered by Kohlmann (one can't help wondering why the questioning would need to be repeated) Bruguiere depicted IHH as an NGO whose humanitarian work served as a cover for more nefarious activities.
Not surprisingly, as Kohlmann's report began circulating earlier this week in support of Israeli charges that the Gaza flotilla was linked to terrorism in general and al Qaeda in particular, Alfred de Montesquiou of the Associated Press interviewed Bruguere by telephone. Yahoo News published it under eye-grabbing headline "Interview: Turkish Aid Group Had Terror Ties. Bruguiere, currently EU's coordinator in a joint EU-US terrorism finance tracking program, is quoted as saying, "Elements within the charity supported jihadi operations in the 1990s." Nonetheless, he added that he didn't know whether they continued to do so. No mention appears to have been made of Bulent Yildirim. All Bruguiere apparently said was, "Some members of an international terrorism cell known as the Fateh Kamel network then worked at the IHH." Kamel was an Algerian-Canadian who Bruguiere claimed had ties to then nascent al-Qaida.
As an aside, it's ironic–but never even hinted at by Kohlmann– that Bruguiere also ordered the raids on the Mujehidin e-Kalk (MEK) in Paris in June 2003. An odd hybrid of Marxism and radical Islamism at the time of the Iranian revolution, MEK broke with the Khomeini regime after the latter gained control of Iran in 1979. During the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s, MEK fought on the side of Saddam Hussein in the Iran-Iraq war during the 1980s. Although it has engaged in terrorist acts and has the status of a quasi cult centered on its leader, Maryam Rajavi, it has nonetheless been championed as a possible instrument for regime change in Iran by many pro-Israel neoconservatives. Many MEK members are presently detained at Camp Ashraf in Iraq, US policymakers debate how useful these terrorists might be in achieving American strategic goals Unlike IHH, MEK is indeed considered to be a terrorist organization by the US government, despite the repeated efforts of the ranking Republican on the House Foreign Relations Committee, Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, to rehabilitate MEK's reputation. At the time of the 2003 raid, Bruguiere said he had uncovered a "criminal conspiracy with the intent to prepare acts of terrorism and financing of a terrorist enterprise." Shouldn't pro-Israel neocons supporting the MEK should also be exposed for their own "links to terrorism."
Back to IHH: In a rejoinder to Bruguire's accusations which Montesquiou allowed him to offer about links between the IHH and terrorism, IHH Board member Omer Faruk Korkmaz insisted IHH was a legal organization: "We don't know Ahmed Ressam or Fateh Kamel," Korkmaz told AP. "We don't approve of the actions of any terrorist organization in the world." Fatma Varol, an IHH volunteer at its Istanbul headquarters challenged Bruguiere's Seattle testimony about the organization to CSM's Iason Athanasiadis: "IHH was not related to jihadis but formed to help people who need help, such as the Muslims of Bosnia who were suffering from the Serb genocide," she says. "It's only a humanitarian aid foundation bringing help to needy people wherever there's conflict."
Whatever a French anti-terrorism judge may have testified about IHH, the French government doesn't consider it a terrorist group. Despite rumblings in the right wing blosgosphere that the CIA is hinting at members of Gaza flotilla's terrorist ties, it's not on the US State Dept.'s list of Foreign Terrorist Organizations either, nor on Great Britain's. As Athanasiadis points out in the Christian Science Monitor, Israel is the only country in the world to ban the IHH as a terrorist organization–and only since 2008– primarily because of its sympathy for the Palestinian cause and Hamas. Athanasiadis also notes that "The current Turkish government has publicly supported the organization and hinted that it might send an armed escort with the next ship or ships running the Israeli blockade of Gaza."
Bulent Yildirim himself was among the participants in the Gaza convoy and was inteviewed by BBC News on Thursday. BBC reported that the activists, speaking on their return home, saod that in addition to the nine deaths caused by shots fired by the IDF, the Israeli commandos had also administered electric shocks and beaten passengers during their assault on the Mavi Marmara. Yildirim was identified as "head of the Istanbul-based Foundation for Human Rights and Freedoms and Humanitarian Relief (IHH), which organised the flotilla" as well as an eye witness to the events on the Turkish vessel:
Upon his arrival back in Turkey, he admitted some of the activists had grabbed the guns off soldiers in self-defence.
"Yes, we took their guns. It would be self-defence even if we fired their guns. We told our friends on board: 'We will die, become martyrs, but never let us be shown… as the ones who used guns'. By this decision, our friends accepted death, and we threw all the guns we took from them into the sea."
He described how a doctor and a journalist were both shot at close range, and said another activist was shot as he was surrendering.
"I took off my shirt and waved it, as a white flag. We thought they would stop after seeing the white flag, but they continued killing people," he said.
The English language Turkish news site Zaman also interviewed Yildirim upon his return to Istanbul.
In his initial statements upon landing back home at İstanbul Atatürk Airport, Yıldırım said everyone was shocked when the Israeli navy attacked the ship from the air and the sea using all kinds of equipment. "We thought maybe they were putting on a show for us. If we were in their waters, under Palestinian jurisdiction, then we would have imagined that they would attack us. They suddenly dropped people onto the ship. Our friends only put up civilian resistance. The entire press corps was there."
He said he told Israeli authorities during his interrogation that they were managing the process badly. "Then they asked us, 'Didn't you attack us with iron bars and axes?' I told them what I did was only self-defense. This was defense against helicopters and assault boats, against well-trained commandos. They lie when they say they were given permission to use real bullets after the 35th minute. They threw in gas bombs, which injured our friends. Only two of the initially fired bullets were rubber. The others were nail-like bullets. Our friend Cevdet was martyred. He is a member of the press. He was only taking pictures as the Israelis fired on us. They smashed his brain into pieces from exactly one meter away."
Perhaps the least likely statement to come from an alleged "al Qaeda" sympathizer or "anti-Semite" or operative comes at the end of Yildirim's Zaman interview:
Yıldırım vowed to fight the blockade of Gaza until it is lifted, "or we will come with bigger fleets from Egypt and from the sea. Let statesmen figure out what will happen then. We will pay a price, but so will you. All the conscientious people of the world stand united. We are not afraid of anything," he said.
He also responded to allegations that the flotilla attacked by Israel was of an "Islamist nature." Yıldırım said: "Had it been Muslims killing Jews, I would again go with a flotilla. We are against all cruelty."
The 600-700 participants–and the thousands behind the movements they represent–are a remarkably diverse, if unlikely, melange. It's not just Turks like Bulan Yildrim, who probably attracted the attention of the CIA and US military intelligence because he has been an outspoken critic of the US invasion of Iraq in 2003. The "Free Gaza" movement in Britain– its co-founders and its legal communications team, are English women between 65 and 85–including a Jewish holocaust survivor named Hedy Epstein– according to the Guardian. The Gaza flotilla has brought together Greeks and Turks, who for over a century have viewed one another as enemies: only from the Greek press does one learn that two of the six Gaza ships and three dozen activists in the convoy are Greek.
Not unlike the FBI's attempts to discredit the American civil rights movement as a tool of Soviet "communism" half a century ago, the Israeli government's hasbarah (justification) network is branding the global outcry against Israeli policies and actions as a manifestation of "terrorism." But in an age of very real terror threats, the vague and vacuous "link to terror" elixir–a drink-me brew Israel believes makes it appear more powerful or more vulnerable, but always in the right and beyond censure–may finally have reached its expiration date.
Marsha B. Cohen is an analyst specializing in Israeli-Iranian relations and US foreign policy towards Iran and Israel. She currently holds the position of Lecturer in the Master of Arts in International Administration (MAIA) Program of the University of Miami, Coral Gables, FL. Her articles have been published by PBS/Frontline's Tehran Bureau. IPS, Alternet, Payvand and Global Dialogue.


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Sompo International Holdings (SI), a Bermuda based specialty provider of property and casualty insurance and reinsurance, has decided to establish a new retail platform in order to facilitate the integration of all the operations of Sompo Holdings outside Japan.
Sompo Holdings, which has 45 licensed entities spanning 32 countries throughout Europe, North and South America, Asia and Oceania, the Middle East and Africa, has confirmed its plan to bring all international businesses outside Japan under the ownership of SI by 2020. SI has recently completed the integration of the business operations and staff of Sompo America. Integration of Sompo Japan Nipponkoa Insurance Company of Europe (SJNKE) will be completed shortly.
SI will establish a new retail platform which reflects the different business and operational needs of its current commercial property and casualty business (P&C) and the Sompo Holdings overseas retail businesses (Retail). Through this new retail platform within SI, Sompo Holdings will launch a new ecosystem function which will benefit all of the company's retail businesses around the globe by sharing expertise across countries and collaborating on the development of future products and underwriting models. SI has established a new Sompo International Retail Executive Team which it says is central to successfully developing a global Retail business to complement its existing P&C business. The Sompo International Board of Directors will have operational oversight and provide strategy for both divisions operating through their respective Executive Teams.
Mr Kengo Sakurada, president & CEO of Sompo Holdings, commented, "Our vision is to build the first truly global integrated insurance and reinsurance business. In the last year, Sompo International, under John Charman's leadership, has assumed oversight for all international commercial property and casualty products. Sompo International has also launched several key strategic initiatives to expand certain specialty lines of business as well as its increasing presence in Europe. The integration of our international retail business is the next vital step in fulfilling our shared strategic vision."
Mr John Charman, chairman and CEO of SI, added, "We remain steadfastly focused on our core commercial business, and the opportunities to build on our success with Sompo Holdings' financial support, geographic reach and licensing capabilities. At the same time, we are extremely excited to assume operational oversight and provide strategy for the international retail business of Sompo Holdings as we move forward rapidly to create and grow a highly profitable, integrated global platform that will be unique in the history of our industry."
SI is a global specialty provider of property and casualty insurance and reinsurance, headquartered in Bermuda. Through its operating subsidiaries, SI writes agriculture, professional lines, property, marine and energy, and casualty and other specialty lines of insurance and catastrophe, property, casualty, professional lines, weather risk and specialty lines of reinsurance. SI companies are wholly owned subsidiaries of Sompo Holdings, whose core business encompasses one of the largest property and casualty insurance groups in the Japanese domestic market.
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I Heart Denver Store is a special retail project to support the local creative economy. We are always on the lookout for new artists/designers who are energizing Denver's creative community and helping to make the Colorado art and design scene relevant on a global scale.
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The energy secretary, Steven Chu, was publicly using the phrase "Sputnik moment" two months before President Obama picked it up in the State of the Union speech to describe the need for a national effort to improve competitiveness in a technical field. Now he has moved on to a new space-challenge term: SunShot.Wisconsin wind farm bill meets stiff resistance
Just as President Kennedy pledged in 1961 that the United States would land an astronaut on the moon by the end of that decade — a moonshot — Dr. Chu said the United States should attempt a "sunshot" by aiming to cut the cost of solar power by about three-quarters by the end of this decade, to $1 a watt for utility-scale projects. That would translate to an end-user price of about 6 cents per kilowatt-hour, he said. "That would make solar energy cost competitive with other forms of energy without subsidies of any kind,'' he said in a conference call with reporters on Friday.
The state Legislature moved with remarkable speed during its special session to enact proposals advocated by Gov. Scott Walker.Wyoming House narrowly passes wind bill on second reading
The single great exception: a bill to restrict development of wind farms.
Of 10 bills considered by the Legislature in the special session that began Jan. 4, the wind siting bill is the only one that didn't clear the state Assembly.
Legislative leaders last week decided to stop consideration of the Walker bill, saying they would move to address wind siting in a different way. The move came one week after Wisconsin Manufacturers & Commerce, the state's largest business lobby, announced its opposition to the wind siting bill. It's the only plank of Walker's special session platform that WMC opposed.
The energy proposal runs counter to Walker's jobs agenda because it threatens to block several large wind power projects, with an investment valued at $500 million, this year and next, wind power advocates say. But Walker is concerned about the cost of wind power and says the state needs to have a better balance between wind development and property rights.
Legislation that would dramatically change the way Wyoming's wind energy industry is taxed — and the way the tax revenue is distributed — narrowly advanced in the state House on Friday.Arizona Solar Plant Picks Chinese Supplier
The bill, which faces a final House vote on Monday, would combine the upcoming $1-per-megawatt-hour wind energy tax and the sales tax on wind energy equipment into a single $3-per-megawatt-hour excise tax.
It would also change the way that tax revenue would be distributed and create a $15 million impact assistance account to help local governments pay for infrastructure costs associated with wind energy projects.
Right now, existing wind farms would pay the $1-per-megawatt-hour excise tax when it takes effect in 2012. A sales tax exemption on renewable energy equipment is set to expire at the end of this year.
Suntech, the Chinese solar giant, has won a contract to supply photovoltaic panels for a 150-megawatt project in Arizona, marking China's entry into a lucrative United States power-plant market dominated by American companies.U.K. Signals It May Cut Prices Paid for Renewable Energy Sources
The project is the first phase of a planned 700-megawatt project called Mesquite Solar to be built about 40 miles west of Phoenix and operated by Sempra Generation, a subsidiary of Sempra Energy. A California utility, Pacific Gas & Electric, will buy the electricity produced by the power plant's first phase, called Mesquite Solar 1.
The U.K. government signaled it may cut the prices paid for electricity from renewable energy sources, saying it began a "comprehensive review" of feed-in tariffs introduced last year.Study: Better turbine spacing for large wind farms
Evidence that larger-scale solar farms may "soak up" money meant for roof-top solar panels, small wind turbines and smaller hydropower facilities prompted the study, the Department of Energy and Climate Change said today in an statement. A review was originally planned to start next year.
The move will allow the government to change the above- market prices paid for wind and solar electricity by more than already planned when the new prices come into force in April 2012. The department said it will speed up an analysis of solar projects bigger than 50 kilowatts and that new tariffs may be mandated "as soon as practical."
"This is going to put the jitters into some market segments," Dave Sowden, chief executive officer of the Solihull, England-based trade group Micropower Council, said today in a phone interview. "It's the fast-track threshold of 50 kilowatts that is of concern, because that's going to catch a lot of rooftop installations. That's come as a surprise."
Large wind farms are being built around the world as a cleaner way to generate electricity, but operators are still searching for the most efficient way to arrange the massive turbines that turn moving air into power.
To help steer wind farm owners in the right direction, Charles Meneveau, a Johns Hopkins fluid mechanics and turbulence expert, working with a colleague in Belgium, has devised a new formula through which the optimal spacing for a large array of turbines can be obtained.
"I believe our results are quite robust," said Meneveau, who is the Louis Sardella Professor of Mechanical Engineering in the university's Whiting School of Engineering. "They indicate that large wind farm operators are going to have to space their turbines farther apart."


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Final, Orioles 5-3: Jarrod Saltalamacchia led off the 12th inning with a single into right field, but the Red Sox couldn't create much magic beyond that base hit.
The Orioles, who pushed across the winning run in the ninth inning Tuesday, won in dramatic fashion again Wednesday. Chris Davis' two-run, two-out single in the 12th was the difference.
Shane Victorino and Will Middlebrooks each had three hits for the Red Sox, who spoiled a few good scoring chances. Their biggest missed opportunity came in the third inning, when Boston couldn't score despite loading the bases with no outs.
Jake Peavy went seven innings for Boston. He gave up three runs on six hits while striking out eight and walking one. The right-hander had good stuff — evident by the eight K's — but he stumbled a bit toward the end of his outing.
The Red Sox could have clinched a playoff spot with a win, as the Indians lost to the Royals 7-2. Boston's magic number to win the AL East stays at three, as Tampa Bay rallied to take down Texas in 12 innings.
John Lackey and Chris Tillman will face off in the series finale on Thursday. The first pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.
Good night, everyone.
Mid 12th, Orioles 5-3: Franklin Morales was one strike away from escaping a bases-loaded jam. Chris Davis won the battle, though.
Davis smacked a two-run single into center field with two outs in the 12th inning to give the Orioles a 5-3 advantage.
Morales ran into trouble when J.J. Hardy and Brian Roberts hit back-to-back singles. They each moved up a station when a ball in the dirt got away from Jarrod Saltalamacchia, and the Red Sox opted to intentionally walk Steve Pearce with first base open.
Manny Machado popped out into foul territory with the bases loaded for the second out, but Morales couldn't put away Davis.
End 11th, 3-3: The Red Sox left the potential winning run in scoring position in the 11th inning.
Mike Carp, who pinch hit for Jonny Gomes back in the eighth inning, led off with an infield single. Brian Roberts charged Carp's slow roller to second base and couldn't handle it.
John Farrell then made a strange decision after inserting Quintin Berry as a pinch runner for Carp. Daniel Nava dropped down a sacrifice bunt on the first pitch, which begs the question, "Why wasn't Berry given a chance to try to steal second base upon entering?"
Berry moved up into scoring position on the sacrifice bunt, but the Orioles were then able to intentionally walk Will Middlebrooks to set up a lefty-lefty matchup between T.J. McFarland and Stephen Drew. Oh yeah, by the way, Drew had been 0-for-6 with five strikeouts in his career versus McFarland.
The whole thing played right into the Orioles' hands, as Drew grounded into an inning-ending double play.
Mid 11th, 3-3: Franklin Morales did a nice job in the 11th.
Morales took care of Adam Jones, Nick Markakis and Danny Valencia in order to keep the game tied 3-3.
Jones grounded to second base, Markakis flied out to left field and Valencia popped out in the middle of the infield.
Mike Carp, Daniel Nava and Will Middlebrooks are due up in the last of the 11th inning. They'll take their cuts against T.J. McFarland.
End 10th, 3-3: The Red Sox spoiled another leadoff single.
Will Middlebrooks started the ninth inning with a base hit before Boston's offense sputtered. In the 10th inning, it was Shane Victorino who singled to kick off the frame.
Victorino, who was nearly hit in the face with a pitch earlier in the at-bat, dropped a single into left-center field. He took a wide turn around first base before tossing on the brakes.
The threat was quickly erased, though. David Ortiz hit a ground ball to the right side of second base. Shortstop J.J. Hardy, who was pulled over because of the shift, made the play and flipped to third baseman Manny Machado, who covered second base. It was an unorthodox 6-5-3 double play.
Mike Napoli ended the inning with a flyout to left-center field.
Franklin Morales will take over for Boston in the 11th inning. He's still carving out a role in the Red Sox' bullpen, so it'll be interesting to see how he handles this high-leverage situation.
Mid 10th, 3-3: It's time to build a new scoreless streak.
Koji Uehara worked a perfect 10th inning upon entering the game. The Red Sox' offense will now come up with another chance to win it with the score tied.
Nate McLouth started the 10th with a line drive right at Dustin Pedroia at second base. It was hit hard, but Pedroia didn't have much trouble making the play.
Manny Machado struck out swinging for the second out. Machado saw three pitches and went down on an off-balance hack at a splitter.
Chris Davis lifted a high fly ball to center field with two outs that Shane Victorino easily handled for the third out.
Victorino, David Ortiz and Mike Napoli are due up for Boston in the 10th inning.
End 9th, 3-3: Will Middlebrooks led off the ninth inning with a single, but nothing materialized from there.
Tommy Hunter was the new Orioles pitcher in the ninth, and Middlebrooks greeted him with a line drive into right-center field. Hunter retired the next three hitters in order.
Stephen Drew drilled a ground ball to first base. Chris Davis made the play and tossed to second base, but the Orioles were unable to spin a double play. Davis' throw was a little off the mark.
Jarrod Saltalamacchia pinch hit for David Ross and struck out swinging for the second out.
The inning ended with Dustin Pedroia hitting a sharp line drive to right field that hung up long enough for Nick Markakis to make a play.
To extras, we go. Koji Uehara will pitch the 10th inning for Boston one night after his impressive streaks came to an end.
The Red Sox are 10-5 in extra-inning games this season, including 4-1 at home.
Mid 9th, 3-3: Junichi Tazawa enjoyed a perfect top of the ninth inning. The Red Sox' offense will now come up with a chance to win it.
Matt Wieters, J.J. Hardy and Brian Roberts went down in order in the ninth inning. Wieters struck out looking on a pitch located on the inside corner, and Hardy and Roberts both grounded out.
Will Middlebrooks, Stephen Drew and David Ross are due up for the Red Sox in the ninth.
End 8th, 3-3: Kevin Gausman came out for another inning and was impressive.
Gausman struck out the side. All three strikeouts came with the batter going down swinging.
Mike Napoli, Mike Carp and Daniel Nava went down hacking in the eighth against Gausman, who compiled five strikeouts in two innings of work.
Carp, who pinch hit for Jonny Gomes in the eighth, will remain in the game in left field.
Junichi Tazawa will start the ninth inning for Boston after recording the final out of the eighth.
Mid 8th, 3-3: Craig Breslow and Junichi Tazawa combined to keep the O's scoreless in the eighth.
Breslow started the inning and recorded back-to-back outs to kick things off. Chris Davis flied out to left field and Adam Jones grounded down to third base.
Nick Markakis kept the frame alive with a ground ball back up the middle and into center field. John Farrell decided to turn to the right-hander Tazawa at that point.
Tazawa got locked in an eight-pitch battle with Danny Valencia. Valencia ended up hitting the ball hard, but it was right at Daniel Nava in right field for the third out.
End 7th, 3-3: Kevin Gausman took over in the seventh inning and retired the side in order.
Gausman needed just five pitches to record two outs. Dustin Pedroia struck out looking on a pitch on the outside corner and Shane Victorino followed with a first-pitch flyout to center field.
David Ortiz failed to hold up on a 1-1 pitch and fell behind in the count, 1-2. He battled by fouling off three straight pitches, but Gasuman ultimately struck him out with a 98 mph fastball.
Craig Breslow will start the eighth inning for Boston after seven innings from Jake Peavy.
Peavy gave up three earned runs on six hits in his seven innings. He struck out eight and walked one while throwing 113 pitches (75 strikes).
Mid 7th, 3-3: Jake Peavy bounced back nicely in the seventh inning after getting touched up with two outs in the sixth.
Brian Roberts and Nate McLouth both put the ball on the ground. Roberts grounded down to first base and McLouth grounded to second base.
Manny Machado lifted a fly ball to left field and Jonny Gomes easily camped under it for out No. 3.
End 6th, 3-3: Mike Napoli answered in a big way.
Napoli crushed a solo homer to straightaway center field to lead off the bottom of the sixth. Napoli now has 23 homers this season, and he hasn't been getting cheated. This one was another absolute shot.
That was the only damage Boston did in the sixth inning, although the Sox threatened for more.
Will Middlebrooks and Stephen Drew picked up back-to-back singles with two outs to chase starter Wei-Yin Chen. Chen was replaced by Francisco Rodriguez, and K-Rod took care of David Ross to exit the inning.
Orioles manager Buck Showalter came out to contest a call in the sixth inning, as it looked like Middlebrooks had been picked off second base. Tim Timmons called Middlebrooks safe, though, Showalter didn't agree.
Mid 6th, Orioles 3-2: The Orioles hit the ball hard while grabbing a lead in the sixth inning.
Jake Peavy got two quick outs. Chris Davis hammered a line drive to deep right field that Daniel Nava hauled in on the edge of the warning track, and Adam Jones drilled a comebacker that deflected off Peavy and over to Stephen Drew, who tossed to first base for the second out.
Peavy found himself in trouble with two down, though, as Nick Markakis and Danny Valencia struck back-to-back singles.
Matt Wieters, who already had one RBI double to his credit, added another one. He ripped a double to right field in the sixth inning that plated Markakis with Baltimore's third run.
End 5th, 2-2: David Ortiz left a runner on third base in the fifth inning.
Dustin Pedroia connected on his 40th double of the season with one out. He slapped a ball off the left field wall and hustled out of the box to slide in safely with a two-bagger.
Pedroia moved up to third base when Shane Victorino grounded to first base. Ortiz couldn't cash in, though. He struck out swinging to end the inning.
Mid 5th, 2-2: Jake Peavy stumbled for the first time in the fifth inning.
Danny Valencia singled to lead off the fifth, and Matt Wieters drove him in with a lined shot over Shane Victorino's head in center field. It was similar to Valencia's triple in the ninth inning of Tuesday's game, as Victorino raced back onto the warning back while coming up just short on an over-the-shoulder bid.
J.J. Hardy followed Wieters' double with a ground ball to short that Stephen Drew played on the run. Wieters took third base on the groundout.
Brian Roberts tied the score at two apiece with an RBI double of his own. He ripped a line drive into the left-center field gap to plate Wieters with Baltimore's second run.
Peavy struck out Nate McLouth and got Manny Machado to pop out into center field to end the inning and leave Roberts at second base. The Orioles have seized some momentum, though, and the Red Sox must really be kicking themselves for not taking advantage of their bases-loaded, no-out situation in the third inning.
End 4th, Red Sox 2-0: Wei-Yin Chen enjoyed a 1-2-3 fourth inning.
Daniel Nava hit a ball on the screws to lead things off. It was right back at Chen and the left-hander snagged it, drawing some ooh's from the Fenway Faithful.
Will Middlebrooks and Stephen Drew ended the inning with flyouts to right field and left field, respectively.
Mid 4th, Red Sox 2-0: The Orioles don't have a good handle on Laz Diaz's strike zone right now.
Jake Peavy struck out two more hitters looking in the fourth, as Manny Machado and Chris Davis went down for the first two outs of the inning. Peavy has seven strikeouts total and five have involved called third strikes.
Peavy plunked Adam Jones on the back side with two down in the fourth. Jones then moved up to second base on a balk.
Nick Markakis couldn't cash in with a runner in scoring position. He flied out to end the inning.
End 3rd, Red Sox 2-0: The Red Sox missed out on a golden opportunity.
Boston loaded the bases with no outs in the third inning, as Dustin Pedroia, Shane Victorino and David Ortiz reached on three consecutive singles that were all very different in nature.
Pedroia led off with a base hit into center field. Victorino pushed a bunt up the first base line and beat out Wei-Yin Chen's throw. Ortiz smoked a line drive that hit off Chris Davis' glove.
Mike Napoli, who has three grand slams to his credit this season, came up with the bases juiced and drilled a line drive to short on the sixth pitch of the at-bat. It just didn't have enough elevation to get into left field, as J.J. Hardy made a leaping grab.
Jonny Gomes ended the inning with a double play. He hit a 1-2 pitch back to the mound. Chen made the play and fired home to start a 1-2-3 twin killing.
If this game remains close in the later innings, we could look back at the third inning as a key moment.
Mid 3rd, Red Sox 2-0: The Orioles got their first baserunner in the third inning. Other than that, it was more of the same from Jake Peavy.
Peavy recorded two outs in the air to begin the third. Matt Wieters and J.J. Hardy flied out to right field and center field, respectively.
Peavy tried to put Brian Roberts away with a few fastballs after Baltimore's second baseman evened the count, 2-2. Roberts fouled off a couple of pitches, though, and ultimately walked when Peavy missed with a cutter.
The walk didn't hurt Peavy. He struck out Nate McLouth to end the inning, giving the right-hander five K's thus far.
End 2nd, Red Sox 2-0: Will Middlebrooks singled to lead off the bottom of the second inning. That's where Boston's offense stopped this time around.
Stephen Drew struck out looking on a perfect pitch down the heart of the plate for the first out.
David Ross ended the inning by grounding into a double play. Manny Machado charged in to make the play and then delivered a strong throw to second base. Brian Roberts was forced to hurry his throw, but it was good enough for Chris Davis to scoop for the out. Good turn all around by the O's.
Jake Peavy heads back to the mound with four strikeouts through two innings.
Mid 2nd, Red Sox 2-0: Jake Peavy is working at his usual brisk pace. And he has taken care of business in the first two innings.
Peavy tossed another perfect frame in the second. He once again picked up two strikeouts and now has four K's total.
Peavy first struck out Adam Jones swinging. Then, he froze Nick Markakis with a fastball on the inside black.
Danny Valencia, who was responsible for breaking Koji Uehara's consecutive batters retired streak Tuesday, grounded to short to end the inning.
End 1st, Red Sox 2-0: Majestic.
That might be the best word to describe David Ortiz's first-inning home run.
Shane Victorino singled with one out. Ortiz then jumped on the first pitch he saw from Wei-Yin Chen to give the Red Sox a 2-0 lead.
Ortiz absolutely crushed Chen's offering. It was hit a mile into the air and landed about 10 rows deep in right field — to the right of the 380-foot marker. Ortiz now has 28 homers this season. (For more on Ortiz's season, check out BostonFanFavorites.com.)
Jonny Gomes added a bloop single into right field in the first inning before Chen got out of the frame.
Mid 1st, 0-0: Jake Peavy struck out two while tossing a scoreless first inning.
Peavy started his night off by striking out Nate McLouth. McLouth lasted just three pitches and went down looking at a fastball.
Will Middlebrooks, who has returned from a battle with the flu, made a nice play for the second out. Manny Machado hit a high chopper down to third base that Middlebrooks leaped to grab before tossing across the diamond.
Chris Davis, who went deep in Tuesday's game, ripped a line drive down the right field line with two outs. There's hardly any foul territory down in that corner, but Davis found some. Peavy ended up striking out Davis on the next pitch.
7:12 p.m.: Jake Peavy's first pitch is a strike. We're underway at Fenway Park.
6:58 p.m.: The Red Sox can clinch a playoff spot with a win and an Indians loss. If they do clinch a spot Wednesday, don't expect too much of a celebration, though.
"Our stated goal in spring training was to win the division," John Farrell said. "Just getting in, there will be an acknowledgement and maybe something we'll share as a group, but I would not want that to be the pinnacle, by any means."
6:46 p.m.: You may or may not be aware of the "Boston's Best Newcomer" tournament that is currently running on NESN.com. It's aimed at determining which of the Red Sox' 2013 additions best embodies Boston baseball.
We're down to the final four — Koji Uehara, Shane Victorino, Stephen Drew and Jake Peavy. Cast your Round 2 votes and check out the Round 1 results at the links below.
6:14 p.m.: John Farrell said Wednesday that he could see the Red Sox carrying 11 pitchers into the postseason.
"Everything points to us going with 11 pitchers," Farrell said on WEEI's Salk & Holley. "So we just by virtue of the schedule are going to drop down to four starters. That's going to cause some decisions. … We'll get to that point in due time."
It remains to be seen if and/or how Ryan Dempster and Felix Doubront fit into Boston's postseason plans, as the rotation appears set with Clay Buchholz, Jon Lester, John Lackey and Jake Peavy. Farrell did say, however, that he'd like to see any starters who move to the bullpen for the playoffs pitch in relief before the end of the regular season.
6:04 p.m.: Dollar Beard Night at Fenway Park appears to be a huge success. There are beards everywhere, and the game is a sellout.
5:26 p.m.: Will Middlebrooks, who had been battling the flu, will be back in the lineup. He'll play third base and bat seventh.
David Ross will get the start behind the dish and bat ninth.
Wednesday's complete lineups are below.
Red Sox (92-60)
Dustin Pedroia, 2B
Shane Victorino, CF
David Ortiz, DH
Mike Napoli, 1B
Jonny Gomes, LF
Daniel Nava, RF
Will Middlebrooks, 3B
Stephen Drew, SS
David Ross, C
Jake Peavy, RHP (11-5, 4.03 ERA)
Orioles (80-70)
Nate McLouth, LF
Manny Machado, 3B
Chris Davis, 1B
Adam Jones, CF
Nick Markakis, RF
Danny Valencia, DH
Matt Wieters, C
J.J. Hardy, SS
Brian Roberts, 2B
Wei-Yin Chen, LHP (7-7, 3.99 ERA)
8 a.m. ET: Tuesday was a strange day for Major League Baseball.
Earlier in the day Tuesday, Braves closer Craig Kimbrel — arguably the best ninth-inning man in baseball — blew a two-run lead and suffered a loss when defensive wizard Andrelton Simmons made an error on a ground ball up the middle that he typically handles. Hours later, Koji Uehara's incredible streaks of 37 consecutive batters retired and 30 1/3 consecutive scoreless innings were both snapped as he suffered a loss versus the Orioles.
Amazingly, the world did not end. Instead, the sun rose Wednesday morning, and we'll once again have baseball Wednesday evening.
Jake Peavy will go up against Wei-Yin Chen on Wednesday as the Red Sox look to lock up a playoff spot. The Red Sox could have clinched a playoff berth Tuesday with a win and an Indians loss, but neither came to fruition — the Indians rallied for a victory over the Royals. Boston's magic number to clinch the AL East sits at three.
Wednesday's first pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. Be sure to tune in on NESN and follow along right here.
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Assorted notes and ramblings of mine. Mostly about endurance sports. Some serious, some not so serious. Some work related, others personal.
Monday, May 3, 2010
The Difference With Road Racing
Did my first cycling road race in two years on Sunday. Was perhaps in over my head based on where my fitness is at, but I re-learned what is a key thing with road racing. The main difference compared to what many people do with their bike riding is the unpredictability of when and how long you are going hard and how much time you have to, "recover", before you have to go hard again.
I was able to hold my own in the group for the most part, but what really caught up with me and did me in, was exactly what I stated above - there was no rhythm or reason to when we were going really hard and I was above the red-line and then the time that we were not going so hard, and I was below my red-line. It's not like I can say, "Hey, guys. I am over my heart-rate, power cap here can we back off a bit?" When there is an acceleration in the group, you don't know if you will be going hard for 20 secs, 2 minutes or maybe even 20 minutes! Furthermore on the other side, you have little control over your recovery - you have to somehow figure this out and recover on the fly - in most cases, you have to recover, while still going nearly all out.
It was a 70k race and I made it to about the 40K mark before coming off the back with three other guys on a false flat. This is when you realize, when the main group is gone, they are gone! The four of us had a go at getting back on, but 2m becomes 20m, becomes 200m, quickly in these situations! We agreed to work together and to ride it in from there. That was fine with me as I was merely looking for a good hard effort today and no heroics, so we all took our tuns with good pulls on the front and finished it up. And in another strange twist of road racing, the guy who had been clearly the strongest in our quartet, and I figured would take the sprint amongst the four of us, was not a factor at all when we had a go of it at the end! Appearances are never what they seem, at many levels in road racing.
There really is no substitute for racing in terms of gaining the key and specific fitness needed for bike road racing. You can do all the interval training you like, but when matched with riders of similar ability and fitness, it is that specific race fitness that is key. In particular, being able to handle the randomness of when you are going really hard and not so hard and being able to recover quickly and be ready to go hard again!
I need a few more weeks and a few more races to get that back.
2 comments:
- MarkyV said...
Au contraire! :)
"There really is no substitute for racing in terms of gaining the key and specific fitness needed for bike road racing. .... being able to handle the randomness of when you are going really hard and not so hard and being able to recover quickly and be ready to go hard again!"
Train to acquire the tools that you will need to handle those instances and you will be better off. But racing into fitness is 1) a good way and 2) a helluvalotta fun!
- May 3, 2010 at 7:36 AM
- Fleck said...
"Train to acquire the tools that you will need to handle those instances and you will be better off"
You are absolutely right about the above. I guess I forgot to mention that I don't really "train" that much any more. I ride where and when I can and I leave it at that!
Still, it's really hard to simulate exactly the physiological demands experienced in a longer harder road race in training. That's why racing is key to get you into the type of shape you need to be in.
- May 3, 2010 at 8:12 AM


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The one memory that has haunted me for the past two years and still hurts to this day is when I had to tell my oldest that her baby sister gained her wings. I dreaded her arrival at the hospital. She was expecting a baby sister, but she got an angel sister instead. The look in her face when realization set in tears up my heart. I wish to this day that I could have carried her heartache and I wish she didn't have to feel the loss at such a young age.
My oldest, Sunshine, dreamed of the things she wanted to teach her baby sister. I listened to her plans and hopes. I saw her smile and her joy over sharing her bedroom with her baby sister. She excitedly helped me put the baby clothes in the dresser after they were washed. I watched her as she helped me split the room she had to herself for three years by herself to make room for her baby sister.
I also watched as joy and happiness had been stolen from her face when she realized we weren't taking a baby home from the hospital. The way she joyfully ran into that hospital room asking for her baby sister turned to fear and heartache.
My heart aches as I remember her asking me, "Mommy, why is all of my siblings taken away from me?" or "Why did God allow this to happen to MY sister. I wanted her." She cried to me as I held her.


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Connect your business in the Cloud
We have been providing customers with e-commerce shopping systems for many years now and for most, they are an extension of their off-line business yet are not united seemlessly, forcing the site owner to re-enter information into 3rd party accounts packages.
Times are changing and we are now seeing an explosion in cloud based solutions which unite various aspects of a business and the software(s) they choose to run it. We are now integrating multiple applications within a a single cloud based system that enables a live data flow to and from the e-commerce system and 3rd party softwares.
Automate your workflows and connect your business
Forget about cut and paste. We are now able to connect your e-commerce store with up to 50 different applications ranging from CRM, Email Marketing, Accounting, Billing, Invoicing, eCommerce stores and more. There's no need to download excel spreadsheets or match up CSV files. Connect your apps and synchronize your data!
Configure, Test, Schedule and relax ….
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- Orders received by E-Commerce Platform
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In almost all cases, customers will have orders arriving which are then re-entered into an accounts package. We can change this and connect each of the applications to automatically flow customer data, orders, invoices, payments receipts and more into a single cloud based file which is the pushed into your chosen accounts based systems.
Example PUSH
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The data can be scheduled hourly or more and the API (software which connects the systems) can be adjusted to suit your needs. For example, if a company is running two websites like the example above, we can easily import clients as site1_ and site2_ and even ebay_ so that customers are tagged to allow you to easily differentiate between customers on the centralised system.
What Our Customers Are Saying
"All I can say is a BIG thank you, from me AND my bookkeeper. Through to detailed answers to my initial enquiries, amazingly fast setup of all the integrations (currently 6 platforms connected) and timely fixes, You have helped make our live's easier! With an increasingly important need to seemlessly share data between various systems and key stakeholders this is an amazing solution."
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Contact us on 0800 756 9975 for more information


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About Wordflirt®
Founded by Claudia Loens in 2002, Wordflirt® began as a hobby writing business. As an author of several novels and nonfiction titles, Claudia helped small businesses and individuals with their writing projects, such as bios, resumes, newsletters, web content, and more.
In 2008, the company added Social Media Marketing for business, Internet Marketing, and Custom Website Design. Today, they are a global, boutique marketing agency with experience in a variety of industries, including real estate, mortgage, radio, sports, book authors, business and therapeutic coaching, retail, private school, restaurants, and more.
Our Mission
To make the power of a strong digital presence available to every size business.
To help our clients grow, and pay it forward by adding value wherever possible.
And to have fun doing it!
Meet Your Wordflirt® Team
Claudia Loens
Excited to help you grow!
Claudia Loens
Founder & Chief Wordflirt® Officer
Connect with Claudia
After working as a High Tech Recruiting Consultant in Silicon Valley for over 20 years, Claudia naturally embraced social media when it became mainstream. As an early adopter of LinkedIn for networking and recruiting, she became well versed in applying social networking for business. She has studied all of the platforms, including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, YouTube, Pinterest, and Instagram.
In 2012, Claudia left her corporate cubicle to focus on Wordflirt® full time. As a lifelong writer of stories, poetry and articles, Claudia was able to incorporate her love of writing with her passion for networking to morph Wordflirt® into the company that it is today. It has become her personal passion to help individuals and small businesses succeed in creating a powerful digital presence.
Claudia lives in Silicon Valley in Northern California with her husband and four daughters. She enjoys cooking, traveling, long walks on the beach, reading, and a good cup of coffee.
Dave is the Technical Guru behind the scene at Wordflirt®! With his technical ability, tenacity, and passion for learning, he makes certain every design is functional, optimized, and looks great!
Prior to Wordflirt®, Dave worked at a semiconductor company for almost 30 years, led teams across multiple continents, and holds six patents. He also has co-created several iPhone apps and developed multiple websites under his company, Pro App Creators, LLC. Dave joined Wordflirt® in 2013, and has been the leading technologist behind every site the team has developed.
Dave enjoys spending time with his wife, working out, attending Journey Christian Church in Irvine, CA, is a certified John Maxwell team coach, and is very passionate about the non-profit he serves in, www.onefleshawakening.com.
David Braun
Give me a good challenge!
David Braun
Chief Operating Officer/Development Guru
Connect with Dave
Melissa Nielsen
I love to create!
Melissa Nielsen
Vice President, Social Media for Small Business
Connect with Melissa
Melissa Nielsen joined Wordflirt in 2012 to help create and curate content on a freelance basis. She enjoys coming up with new ideas for content, and creating custom images for our clients. Recently promoted, Melissa is now in charge of our Small Business division for Social Media.
Located in Portland, Melissa held the position of Wardrobe Coordinator and Catalog/Art Department Assistant at Hanna Anderson for over 10 years prior to joining Wordflirt.
In her free time, Melissa is the mother of two active and adorable children. They recently adopted their latest family member, Henry from a local animal shelter. Claudia and Melissa are life long friends, having met in Middle School.
Bryan started his career in the BPO industry and has worked in different areas, such as customer service and mentoring agents. He then transitioned to working as a freelance web developer who primarily focuses on building websites using WordPress. Upon joining Wordflirt, Bryan has grown in terms of skill and has been helping in looking and providing solutions to meet the needs of our clients. (He's taught us a bunch too!)
Outside Wordflirt, Bryan lives with his funny and adorable grandmother. He loves spending time with his grandma and taking her on walks. He also spends quality time with his girlfriend and they are planning to marry soon. He likes reading books, eating in different restaurants and collecting stuff. Bryan is very happy to have found Wordflirt.
And we at Wordflirt are thrilled to welcome Bryan to the team!
Bryan Valentino
I love to make websites look cool!
Bryan Valentino
WordPress Web Developer
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In addition to the team members above, Wordflirt® employs a variety of partners, and part time specialists to augment their skill sets.


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This book is listed in:
- Health & Wellness ( 942 )
The Best Thigh Exercises: 10 Days to Thinner, Stronger, & Sexier Legs
Book Description
Want to get a leg up on the world? Look no further than your lower body. The leg muscles, which consist of the quadriceps, glutes, and hamstrings, along with the calves and shins, are the largest muscle group in the human body, according to Livestrong.com, a partner of the Lance Armstrong Foundation...When it comes down to it, the legs, particularly the thighs, are what give the body its "mojo," its momentum, its power--not to mention its sex appeal, hence the reason you need to keep them in tip-top, prime condition.
Women are meant to be leggy. It's in our blood, our DNA, our genes--and, as science has shown, directly relates to our overall beauty quotient...So, how does one go about slimming, strengthening, and sculpting--all by next week? That's where Erica Romer comes in. She's here to dish you the meat of it, how to get ripped, righteous legs in just a mere 10 days. Impossible? Think again. With the help of this guide, and some tips from Romer, you'll have sexier, smokin' legs in no time--guaranteed.
Erica Romer is a multimedia journalist with a decade of experience spanning print, broadcast and electronic platforms. A magazine editor of three award-winning publications, including the country's leading beauty magazine, Erica is a quintessential authority on the art, science and study of beauty as a culture in and of itself. She has interviewed countless experts in the aesthetic, anti-aging, medical, and fitness realms, as well the very plastic surgeons, cosmetic dermatologists, and aesthetic dentists responsible for giving Hollywood starlets their famous...assets, if you will. A reporter at heart, Erica has interviewed the founding fathers--and mothers--of the beauty world, seeking out the industry's frontrunners to ensure her stories are medically sound, scientifically accurate and, most of all, cutting-edge. Her works have taken her as far as the United States Department of Agriculture for a story about organic beauty, as well as the White House during a Marine One launch of President George W. Bush and his daughter, Barbara (back in her days as a reporter). Erica's most rewarding experience to date, however, was the personal accomplishment of completely transforming her body composition, with the help of a personal trainer and a regimented diet and exercise program. Erica lost a whopping 10 percent of her body weight, giving her a greater glimpse into the health-beauty connection, and making her profession as a beauty/fitness writer even more personal. She shares the celebrity secrets, tips and tricks she used firsthand to help readers change not just their figures...but their lives, as well. If you're looking to tighten, tone, and transform by Friday, then Erica's latest ebook, "The Best Thigh Exercises: 10 Days to Thinner, Stronger & Sexier Legs," is the compelling read you've been looking for!
"The first thing you must exercise, before ever setting foot in a gym, is your understanding of how fat and physique are related" Romer declares. Based on input from experts like Performance Enhancement and Physique Specialist of South Florida Hesham Fawzi, CSCS, Romer demonstrates that what is key "is to control the type of fat you put in, so you don't a) gain weight or b) mistakenly burn muscle, which...drumroll...burns fat. Not what you expected? That's okay. It will all make sense soon."
Tactics to avoid Pitfall #1: Succumbing to Soreness: "Pre-Exercise Warm Up: By lightly warming up and moving the muscles prior to a workout, you're aligning your mind and body, letting your system know it's time to prepare for strenuous activity. Your heart will speed up, pumping oxygen more feverishly throughout the body; your muscles will fire; your flexibility and mobility will increase, and you'll loosen up the joints, tendons, and tissues, priming them for higher intensity."
- Hardcover: 52 pages |
- Publisher: Hyperink |
- Publication date: Apr 28, 2012 |
- Language: English |
- Format: Ebook


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Many early roads that snaked through the hills and hollows of Kentucky have been lost to history, their names and locations forever erased from the memory of man. Most were named after a settler who held a patent on land through which the road ran. However, remnants of the some of these roads exist, and their stories linger in local folklore.
Road names were known to change over time, perhaps when the pronunciation of a road wasn't clearly understood. Such seems the case with Kay's Branch Road.
Patrick Isaac Soliman, 1982, first degree possess controlled substance, probable cause established, transfer to Grand Jury, continued on Oct. 10, buy/possess drug paraphernalia, third degree possession of a controlled substance.
James Stamper, 1979, second deree wanton endangerment, not guilty, pretrial on Oct. 13, and third degree terroristic threatening, bond $1,000 surety.
Eric Stivers, 1977, resisting arrest, continued on Oct. 13, and second degree fleeing or evading police.
Laura N. Willhoite, 1984, contempt of court, review on Oct. 27.
5 years ago
Oct. 3, 2012
Local and presidential races will dominate Nov. ballot
Properly preparing food became second nature to fifth graders this week at the Owen County Cooperative Extension Office. With a mixture of fruits, vegetables and other foods, students had the chance to create a five-course meal that they would then eat.
To bring a greater knowledge of food to Owen County fifth graders, Owen County Extension Agent for Family and Consumer Sciences Judy Hetterman led students in the grant-funded nutrition education program titled Recipies For Life. The program offers students the opportunity to learn more about the good they eat.
Danny and Kendall O'Toole along with big sister, Reese, proudly introduce the newest addition to their family, Beckham Robert.
Beckham was born at 12:46 p.m., April 14, 2017, at Baptist Health Lexington. He weighed 9 lbs. 2 ounces and was 20 inches long.
His paternal family includes grandparents Dan and Diane O'Toole, uncles Denny O'Toole and David (Celeste) O'Toole and great-grandparents Bob and Wanda Mills.
Special to the News-Herald
The Rebels soccer team failed to score at home last week against the strong defense of the Gallatin County Wildcats with a 2-0 loss.
The team traveled to New Castle Thursday in hopes of defeating the Henry County Wildcats on senior night. Owen County's defense was no match for Henry Couny's swift offense that outscored the Rebels 8-1 in a tough battle.
Ricardo Perez was the only Rebel to connect for a goal against the Wildcats.
The Rebels were back at home Saturday with a match against Garrard County.
The Lady Rebels continued their winning streak last week with two victories added to their season record.
Monday's senior night ended at halftime after the ladies shutout the Gallatin County Lady Wildcats with a 10-0 mercy rule.
Freshman Izzy Herdman led the Rebels with seven goals followed by Destinee Epperson with two and senior Jodi Ransdell with one.
Senior Maci Osborne and McKenzie Edgett, along with Ransdell, were all recognized before the game during a senior night ceremony.
By Jeneen Wiche
N-H Columnist
Sept. 27, 2017
Cattle Receipts: 411
Sept. 20: 435
Last Year: 407
Compared to last week feeder steers and heifers sold $2-$4 higher, plainer cattle steady. No test on slaughter cows, bulls $3-$4 lower on a very limited test.
Feeders: 373
Slaughter: 33
Replacements: 5
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The Owenton News-Herald is your source for local news, sports, events and information in Owen County and Owenton, KY, and the surrounding area.


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Losing it
"20/20" (9 p.m. Friday, KSTP, Ch. 5) is mad as heck and isn't going to take it anymore — or at least not for an hour when anchors Elizabeth Vargas and David Muir look back at some of the newsmagazine's most memorable pieces on road rage, athletes going wild and courtroom shenanigans.
Toronto blue
Melissa McCarthy and Sandra Bullock aren't the only female cops kicking butt. "King" (9 p.m. Friday, Reelz), a Canadian-produced procedural, focuses on a homicide detective (Amy Price-Francis) who's the most likely to capture the bad guy and the least likely to get invited to any of her colleagues' birthday parties.
Short and sweet
Warwick Davis' dream of a "Willow" sequel is one step closer to reality in "Life's Too Short Special" (9 p.m. Friday, HBO). This punctuation mark on the seven-episode series, created by Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, will best be remembered for giving Sting, Liam Neeson and Johnny Depp the best comedic moments of their careers. Well, second best for Sting. That album of lute songs still cracks me up.
I think we're alone now
In a new edition of "Celebrity Wife Swap" (7 p.m. Sunday, KSTP, Ch. 5), Nia Peeples and Tiffany trade places. Immediately afterward, they ask if it's possible to switch decades so they can relive the '80s, an era when they actually mattered.
Neal Justin
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Bill Pay
General Questions
Is paying bills online hard to do?
Paying bills online is easier and takes less time than opening the envelope containing your paper bill, reviewing it, writing a check and keeping and filing manual records of your payments. Once you've enrolled and entered your Payees, just enter a payment amount, schedule the payment date and you're done.
To make paying bills online even easier, you can receive your bills online from many of your Payees/Billers as well.
What is the difference between a Payee and a Biller?
Nothing. The two terms are used interchangeably to indicate someone to whom you make a payment, whether or not they actually send you a "bill" or invoice.
Do I need any special software or hardware to use Bill Payment?
No special software is necessary.
If I pay bills online, do I give up control of when payments are made?
Absolutely not. You'll always be in control of your accounts. You decide whom, when and how often to pay. Need to cancel or change a payment? No problem, as long as it's done before the processing date.
What is the Payment Assistant?
The Payment Assistant is an application layer that displays over the mini-modules on the right hand side of the Payment Center to assist the user in making payments, whether that user is new or experienced. The Payment Assistant provides a progressive experience, helping the user advance from basic capabilities of online bill pay to more advanced features at the appropriate time.
What is an Application Layer?
An application layer is a layered page that allows the user to interact with the product while the Payment Center page below it remains open as well. The primary page fades so the user can focus on a related task without distractions. Once the application layer is closed, focus is returned to the Payment Center. Application layers are not blocked by pop-up blockers.
Setting Up & Maintaining Payees/Billers
Who can I pay using Bill Payment?
You can pay almost any individual or business as long as they have a United States mailing address or receive mail at an FPO or APO address (APO - Abroad, APO - America or APO - Pacific). Please note that the following payment types are prohibited: Tax Payments, Court Ordered Payments, and Payments to Payees/Billers outside of the United States.
What if I do not have an account number for one of my Payees/Billers?
Sometimes you will want to set up a Payee/Biller with whom you do not have an actual account number. It's easy. Simply enter the customer service phone number for that company to enable a database search. If the database does not find a match, you may enter the rest of the information yourself.
How do I delete a Payee/Biller or change their payment information?
Delete Payees under the Payee Set Up tab. Under this same tab you'll also find the option to change a Payee's information.
What is the "Quick Add Biller" box?
For new bill pay users and customers who have only one or two billers stored in the system, the "Quick Add Biller" box provides a shortcut for adding more payees to your list of billers. Once you have several billers stored in the system, you will no longer see this box. When the box is no longer displayed, you can still add new billers any time you choose using the method shown in the tutorial.
Can I pay some of my bills from my main checking account and some of my bills from another account?
Yes. If you have more than one account with us, you'll see a dropdown menu at the top of the payment form listing all your accounts. You can select any of the accounts shown in the menu as the source of the payment. Be sure you note the funds you have used from the account selected, and keep in mind the account must have a balance adequate to cover the payment you are issuing.
Payment Processing
How do I know if a payment has been sent?
When you pay bills online, the service automatically creates a record of your payments that you can view at any time. This allows you to check the status of your payment and always have a general account of where you are.
How many days does it take for my payment to reach the Payee/Biller?
Most transactions will be processed five (5) Business Days before your selected Scheduled Payment Date. It is understood that, due to circumstances beyond our control, even once they are received, some transactions may take a day or even a few days longer to be credited by your Payee/Biller to your account with them.
What do I do if my Payee/Biller never received my payment?
If you have a question regarding a payment, use the Messages link at the bottom of the page. This link allows you to contact South Shore Bank via a fully secure environment regarding your account. Please provide a Payee/Biller contact name (if possible), address, and phone number.
What do I do with the part of the invoice or bill that I usually mail back to the Payee/Biller with my payment? Doesn't the vendor need that to process my payment?
You do not need to do anything with that portion. Bill Payment will provide all of the necessary information to the Payee/Biller with each payment.
How far in advance can I schedule a payment?
You can schedule a payment up to one year in advance of the payment due date. Do not forget to allow five business days in between the scheduled payment date and the due date. A good example of when you might schedule a payment that far in advance could be to pay annual dues to an organization or association, or to send a birthday or anniversary check to someone.
What about payments I make every month for the same amount?
Easiest of all: establish a recurring payment. A recurring payment must be made at specified intervals (i.e., weekly, biweekly, semi-monthly, every 4 weeks, monthly, bi-monthly, quarterly, semi-annually, or yearly) for the same amount each occurrence. Set the payment frequency and the amount you wish to pay and, however you set it, your payments will be made as indicated. All you have to do is deposit the money to cover the payments. Set it and forget it!
How is the payment sent to my Payee/Biller?
You will not always know if your payment is sent electronically or by paper check. While many payments will be made electronically, some Payees/Billers cannot receive electronic payments (such as individuals). Those Payees/Billers will be sent payments by paper check.
When is the money for my payments taken out of my account?
Your account will be debited on your scheduled payment date.
Without a check stub or a canceled check, how can I prove that I made a payment?
One of the advantages of paying your bills using Bill Payment is that there are generally far fewer opportunities for errors to occur. However, in the event that you do need to provide proof of payment, there are many different tracking systems in place. For example, your financial statement will reflect debits to your account, and include the name of each Payee/Biller.
How can I stop a scheduled payment?
All online payments can be canceled before they are processed (5 or more business days prior to the requested due date). Once the payment has been processed, additional modifications are not possible.
Getting Help & Signing Up
How do I sign-up for Bill Payment?
To sign up for Bill Payment, you must be enrolled in our Online Banking service. Once enrolled, just log into Online Banking and select the Bill Payment link. Sign up for Online Banking.
Who do I contact if I encounter problems when paying bills online?
As with any questions about your checking account, contact our Customer Information Center for assistance. You can call us at (781) 682-3715 or email us at cic at sssb dot com.
What are e-Bills?
E-Bills are your regular statements delivered to you electronically by your Payee/Biller. You can choose either to have the Bill Pay service pay the bills automatically (under a certain dollar amount) through e-Bill Auto-Pay, or pay the bills according to your chosen schedule or amount.
How do I set up my Payee/Biller for e-Bills?
The fastest way to create e-Billers is to choose from the pre-defined list. The Merchants on this list capable of sending e-Bills are indicated by an asterisk(*).
Will I still receive a paper bill in the mail from the e-Biller?
No. You will no longer receive your paper bill. However, you can print out any bill if you would like to keep a paper copy for your records. Your bills, statements, and notices are available online for six months from their arrival date; then they are archived.
How do I know when I have new e-Bills to pay?
When you log on, you'll see the number of new bills, statements, and notices you've received. Also, you'll receive a reminder e-mail to notify you of new bills in your account mailbox if they have not been viewed within four days of delivery.
When will I receive my e-Bill each month?
Most Payees/Billers will use their established billing cycle, so you can expect to receive your bill at approximately the same time of the month that you currently receive your paper bill.
If I don't understand something on my e-bill what should I do?
For questions specific to a particular e-Bill, contact that e-Biller directly.
Person-to-Person Payments with Popmoney
How secure is Popmoney?
From the moment information is sent to Popmoney to the time it is stored and accessed again, it is encrypted using industry leading software, hardware and algorithms. Security is also utilized at specific points and actions in the product. For example, to help prevent an unauthorized person from fraudulently depositing someone else's payment, one-time passcodes are used. For every initial payment to a new email address or mobile phone number, a one-time passcode is sent to the user. The user must provide that passcode back to Popmoney to verify his "ownership" of that mobile number or email address before he can deposit the payment.
What are the different ways I can send money to someone?
You can send money to someone using their email address, mobile number or bank account information:
Email address: your contact will receive an email with instructions on how to direct the payment into his or her bank account.
Mobile number: a text message will be sent to the recipient on your behalf with instructions on how to direct the payment into his or her bank account. You may want to tell your contact that standard message and data rates may apply.
Bank account information (routing and account number): the money will be deposited directly into your contact's bank account. You will also have the option to send an email to your contact.
When will the recipient receive the funds?
Funds will normally be available to the recipient on the next business day if you are sending money to someone who has used Popmoney and has selected the Automatic Deposit option. Funds will also be available on the next business day if you have provided your contact's bank account information. In some cases, like when you have exceeded payment limits, the funds will be available in three business days.
What can I use Popmoney for?
Popmoney is easy and convenient for you and the people you send money to. They can simply receive the money into their bank account online, saving them a trip to the bank. The following are just a few of the convenient ways that you can use Popmoney:
- Send money to your child at college
- Send a gift to family and friends
- Reimburse friends for that fun outing
- Pay your babysitter or your lawn care service
- Pay rent to your landlord or roommates
- Request money from your friends for their portion of a bill
Can I cancel a payment?
Yes, you may cancel a payment anytime before or on the send date. Your contact will be notified if you cancel a payment after a payment notification has been sent.
What are the fees associated with the service?
A fee may be charged for each Popmoney transaction. Fees for the transaction are displayed below the amount field.
Can I send money internationally?
No, currently you can only use Popmoney to send money within the United States. If you send a payment to your contact's email or mobile, your contact will be required to provide a US bank account to receive the funds. Otherwise, the payment cannot be processed and the funds will be returned to your bank account.
What is Popmoney?
Popmoney is an innovative personal payment service offered by leading financial institutions that eliminates the hassles of checks and cash. Now, sending and receiving money is as easy as emailing and texting. And you don't need a new account to send or receive money. Just use your current bank account.


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A British conspiracy theorist found dead in Poland was "terminated" by "sophisticated elements" who then "brought him back" having "reprogrammed" him, a friend has claimed.
Max Spiers, 39, sent a text to his mother saying "if anything happens to me, investigate" days before his body was found.
He was found lying on a sofa in a flat in Warsaw, where he had gone to give a talk about conspiracy theories and UFOs.
His family were told that he had died from natural causes, although his mother said that no post-mortem examination was carried out.
Miles Johnson, who also researches UFOs, told BBC Radio Four's PM on Monday that Spiers "knew he was going to die" after working to expose a "enemies within other realities".
He said: "We have now got an unthinkable situation. Max has died for his country and the people on this planet. We're dealing with aliens.
"We're dealing with a predator within humanity, a fifth column, which has been successful so far in causing us a great deal of damage and harm.
"People like Max were involved in exposing that fifth column. He knew he was going to die. He knew he was in a trap. He told his mother that."
He told host Eddie Mair that Spiers was trying to expose "enemies in other realities".
Johnson claimed he was "briefed" that he too had been a target but said it "was not suitable to say on air" who was pursuing him.
"Max did die but they didn't get him. Ok." Johnson added. When Mair said he did not understand, Johnson said: "We're talking aliens. We're talking concepts that are beyond normal comprehension here."
Johnson added Spiers was "taken" by "very sophisticated elements", then "terminated" and then "brought back" to be "demonstrated as a weapons system".
"[He was] reprogrammed and that was part of the trophy. Because he was for sale to enemies of all us but they didn't get him," Johnson said.
Mair asked whether Spiers was alive or dead. When Johnson said he was "not quite either", Mair whispered into his microphone: "What does that mean?"
Johnson said: "They have control of us, alive and in our death state."
Friends of Spiers, who came from Canterbury, Kent, said he vomited a black liquid before he died and are calling for an inquiry into his death.
He made a career out of investigating UFO sightings and alleged cover-ups.
One of Spiers' theories was that Nazis and Zionists were now "working in alignment" after a war stretching back "50,000 years".
Spiers voiced his ideas in a sit-down interview with Polish YouTube channel Porozmawiajmy TV. It is believed to have been the last interview that he gave.
He said: "If you look at the word Zion you just change a vowel around and switch the letters around and you have the word Nazi.
"I don't believe that they were always running with each other, I do believe they were at odds.
"This is a war that stems back 50,000 years. They just weren't called Nazi and Zion, that's just a modern-day nom."


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In the budget for 2017, the Minister for Finance announced new tax incentives for the development and commercialisation of intellectual property (IP). The tax incentives will provide concessionary tax rates on income from qualifying patents and other IP rights.
The incentive program—known as the "intellectual property development incentive—has an effective date of 1 July 2017, and will use a "modified nexus approach" which is a substance-based test. To qualify, businesses must undertake research and development (R&D) in Singapore. The tax incentives include:
Further details are expected to be released in May 2017.
Read a March 2017 report [PDF 291 KB] prepared by the KPMG member firm in Singapore
The KPMG logo and name are trademarks of KPMG International. KPMG International is a Swiss cooperative that serves as a coordinating entity for a network of independent member firms. KPMG International provides no audit or other client services. Such services are provided solely by member firms in their respective geographic areas. KPMG International and its member firms are legally distinct and separate entities. They are not and nothing contained herein shall be construed to place these entities in the relationship of parents, subsidiaries, agents, partners, or joint venturers. No member firm has any authority (actual, apparent, implied or otherwise) to obligate or bind KPMG International or any member firm in any manner whatsoever. The information contained in herein is of a general nature and is not intended to address the circumstances of any particular individual or entity. Although we endeavor to provide accurate and timely information, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate as of the date it is received or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. No one should act on such information without appropriate professional advice after a thorough examination of the particular situation. For more information, contact KPMG's Federal Tax Legislative and Regulatory Services Group at: + 1 202 533 4366, 1801 K Street NW, Washington, DC 20006.


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You will want to add this book to your library!
P. O. Box 2097; 50 Middlebrook Avenue, Staunton, Virginia 24401
The Cromwell Collection is a catalog of a range of military, cultural, and documentary artifacts associated with the Commonwealth of Virginia. The collection has been assembled both to provide tangible specimens and to record their known history with respect to identifiable Virginia provenance. Believing that these examples will justly rest on their own merits without the inclusion and distraction of hearsay, rumor, or historical fabrication ........
from the introduction to
Giles' book......
Shenandoah Muse is pleased to offer on-line sale of the THE CROMWELL COLLECTION
a wonderful 367 page hardbound book.


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When you have young children, your whole world revolves around them, and so should your home. If you want to make life as free of stress for yourself as possible, the key it to make your home childproof.
Of all the rooms in the house, the potentially most dangerous, and most used, is the bathroom. If you set your water temperatures too hot, the children could scold themselves. If the bath doesn't have an anti-slip surface, the kids could slip and hit their heads. When you have little ones, you need to ensure that your bathroom is a safety conscious space.
As well as from the safety side of things, it's also important to design a fun bathroom that your kids are happy to spend time in. Many children have aversions to bath time, and the best way to get them out of that is by creating a bathroom that they'll love.
There are so many reasons why you need to design a bathroom that is family friendly and safe for your little ones. To help you create the perfect space, I have put together some useful tips:
Be safety conscious
The most important factor when it comes to creating a child-friendly bathroom is safety. A family bathroom should always focus on safety first, and style second.
One of the most dangerous things in bathrooms is the temperature of the hot water - it can be boiling. However, by turning down the water heater, you can reduce it to a safe temperature.
The type of lighting that you have doesn't matter, although the Designer Lighting By Quorum International is worth taking a look at. What's important is that you have a pull down light switch so that you reduce the risk of electrocution. Everyone knows that wet hands and light switches don't mix. That's why it's essential to have a pull-down light in your bathroom.
Don't make the room too childish
While you want to create a bathroom that your little ones will love, what you don't want to do is make it too childish. It's all well and good decorating the walls with pirate ships and mermaids, but this will remove all sophisticated style from the room.
Add features that your kids will love, but don't make them permanent. Paint the walls in a neutral or pastel shade - white, cream, duck egg or mint green, and then use accessories to make the room more fun.
Play figures positioned on shelves; mermaid or pirate-themed artwork and bright towels are ideal for adding a touch of fun style. Painted walls, pirate wallpaper and brightly colored features, on the other hand, are not the best idea.
Opt for child-friendly features
Children, especially young kids, often need help in the bathroom. So it's important that things like the shower cubicle are large enough for that. Make sure to choose a shower that is easy to access - a sliding door is a good option so that you can help your little ones, if they need a hand.
Kids like to splash in the bath, so it makes sense to opt for a large bath. That way, they can splash around to their heart's content, but won't cause too much mess for you.
Top tip: Make sure that both your bath and shower have built in safety grips, to prevent slipping. Falling over in the bath or shower can lead to a nasty injury, and can easily put kids off of bath time for life.
Make it cozy
No one, and I mean no one, likes to get undressed in a cold room, especially not a child. If your bathroom is always cold, this will put your kids off of using it.
To make sure that your kids enjoy bath time, make sure that your bathroom has lots of heating. This can include a heated towel rail for warming their bath towels, a radiator and underfloor heating.
Follow these tips above, and you can create an awesome family bathroom that your kids will love. Just remember that when creating a family space, it's crucial that safety comes first, and style, second.


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Cavorting among moutains
The air so thin, there.
Ndinombethe. Ubuntu.
I wonder, does the thin air allow for clearer seeing… outside and in?
Lovely 'cavorting' haiku ~ hope you, indeed, went west!
Happy Weekend to you!
artmusedog and carol (A Creative Harbor)
Don't let the thin air go to your head. I hope you have a great time on your visit.