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urn:lsid:ibm.com:blogs:entries-a27fff3d-0d1b-4145-b91e-6726fb6cadf1 Insurance - Tags - social_media Incorporate new approaches to address uncertainty and complexity. 5 2013-06-26T15:55:07-04:00 IBM Connections - Blogs urn:lsid:ibm.com:blogs:entry-6336bd93-ba3c-4cbc-bae4-9cb204131b81 Do incentives matter? Christian Bieck email@example.com 270001WK4F active Comment Entries application/atom+xml;type=entry Likes 2013-01-21T11:40:34-05:00 2013-01-21T11:44:03-05:00
When doing a study, we collect a lot of data. In the study I talked about last week, for example - "Insurers, intermediaries and interactions" - we asked 41 sets of questions in the intermediary questionnaire, and 49 to consumers. Unfortunately, we can't use all of that information in the report, for a variety of reasons. The finding has to be (statistically) significant and it has to be potentially interesting to the readers. And often you have some nuggets of information that are both, but that simply do not fit the narrative of the report.

Fortunately for the poor researcher (i.e. me) there is the blog. So today for some findings that did not make the report, one from each side of the interaction triangle. (You might want to read last weeks post first for context.)

The myth of monetary incentives

Monetary incentives matter, but as behavioral economists have shown repeatedly, they only explain part of economic behavior. Our study is no exception: intermediaries see neither level of commmissions nor the price of the products they advise on or sell as the most important value drivers. That's in the report. What is not (but still interesting) is taking this apart by country and or demographic.

Commissions matter more to captive agents than to brokers or multi-insurance agents (though is it still not #1). And it matters more in some countries than in others. There are exactly two places where both current and future commission levels are the #1 value drivers: Japan and Canada...

The equalization of interactions

The report looks at what interaction points (formerly known as channels) consumer search and buy through. Result: People buy from people, but search via all means available. When looking at how intermediaries interact with their customers, we see a similar picture. Today, it is face-to-face, telephone, email and snail mail (in that order). For the future, intermediaries see "modern" media growing strongly: social media, videoconferencing and instant messaging. Not surprisingly, more successful intermediaries are more forward thinking, with 2-3 times larger decrease in traditional and increase in modern interactions.

The longer you wait, the more you switch

One of the things we examined from several angles was "channel switch" - consumers searching by one or more interaction points, and then buying from an interaction not on the top-3 search list. Additionally, we looked at "company switch", i.e. again people not buying from on of the companies they looked at most.

Roughly 29% of consumers always make those switches, even when there is no time lag between searching and purchasing. The longer they wait, the larger the switch percentage is, though. When the lag is more than a month, switching jumps to 40% (43% company switch, 37% channel switch). Which means, once again: being easier to do business with and faciliting customer decision making will net insurers more sales...
 When doing a study, we collect a lot of data. In the study I talked about last week, for example - "Insurers, intermediaries and interactions" - we asked 41 sets of questions in the intermediary questionnaire, and 49 to consumers. Unfortunately, we can't use... 0 0 964 urn:lsid:ibm.com:blogs:entries-a27fff3d-0d1b-4145-b91e-6726fb6cadf1 Insurance 2013-06-26T15:55:07-04:00 urn:lsid:ibm.com:blogs:entry-fb6ab7f4-3d22-496d-be5d-e05c6231b796 Are insurers social animals? Christian Bieck email@example.com 270001WK4F active Comment Entries application/atom+xml;type=entry Likes 2012-11-26T07:38:56-05:00 2012-11-26T08:30:16-05:00
Sorry for the radio silence last week – an ugly bug hit me hard. Back in business, though – today social business, actually.

Most of us (at least in America and Europe) automatically translate "social business" to "Facebook". That's a good start, after all, Facebook is arguably the most prominent social network around, with more than a billion active users – that's roughly 14 percent of the world's population. Add all the other networks like Google+, Renren or mixi (the latter two Chinese and Japanese, respectively), and you get more than 20 percent of the world population doing social media.

So from a business perspective, it is certainly something worth looking at. And in February, I noted 7 reasons why I think insurer don't 'get' social media – still valid, in my opinion.

But social business is more than just Facebook and talking to the customer. The same technology that enables sharing information instantly and easily across the Web can also be used within companies – to find expertise and to increase knowledge transfer. And it can be used to generate and capture new ideas.

These three key areas – customer experience, workforce productivity and innovation – are the centerpieces of the IBM Institute for Business Value's new study "The Business of Social Business". It is based on a survey of 1,161 individuals and countless executive interviews across all industries. It's available for download here – have fun reading.

The report is cross-industry, but we do have results for insurance. Sorry, no download – you will have to invite me or one of my colleagues to present it…

edit:: oh, and the study is also available on the IBV tablet app - follow the links at the bottom of the study page if you don't have it already

 Sorry for the radio silence last week – an ugly bug hit me hard. Back in business, though – today social business, actually. Most of us (at least in America and Europe) automatically translate "social business" to "Facebook". That's a good start,... 0 0 1363 urn:lsid:ibm.com:blogs:entries-a27fff3d-0d1b-4145-b91e-6726fb6cadf1 Insurance 2013-06-26T15:55:07-04:00 urn:lsid:ibm.com:blogs:entry-eb8029b5-e4c8-4942-8ae0-95f5d724428f Are insurers asking the right questions about social media? Christian Bieck firstname.lastname@example.com 270001WK4F active Comment Entries application/atom+xml;type=entry Likes 2012-03-26T07:57:18-04:00 2012-03-26T08:02:36-04:00
Just some quick thoughts today. I presented in Singapore at an meeting sponsored by the Singapore Insurance Institute last week (there was some press coverage), and one of the main topics of interest was "how are social media changing the insurance landscape?"

The short answer: it's not.

The long answer: IMO, that's the wrong question. Yes, we are seeing all these new media, and yes, the insurance industry has to adapt – but the real question is "how can insurers adapt to changing interaction patterns". People have always liked to interact with other people of similar interests; gives them a topic of conversation that they care about. Technology has made it incredibly easy for affinity groups to converse – and social media are one of the results. In the end, social media are just a symptom, a new way for the social animal homo sapiens to get together.

Don't get me wrong, for a industry that is used to controlling what their customers hear and not to having a real dialogue, that sounds like a game changer. But the change is with the customer first, applications just follow. As Melissa Schaefer, my IBV colleague in the retail industry recently showed, the change is happening quickly – more people are using multiple interaction points (at the same time) to shop, whether for clothes, electronics or insurance coverages, and that number is growing as people get used to the technology. Despite what hypesters (does that word exist?) say, new technologies don't displace older ones – like tablets versus PCs. They simply get added to the mix.

The threat for insurers in all of these new conversations that customers are having with each other is the increase in transparency. I have written about that part before. The good news is that insurers – in Singapore and elsewhere – are starting to ask questions.When they ask the right ones, and are willing to accept the answers, the change in the landscape will be really interesting…
 Just some quick thoughts today. I presented in Singapore at an meeting sponsored by the Singapore Insurance Institute last week (there was some press coverage ), and one of the main topics of interest was "how are social media changing the insurance... 0 0 1117 urn:lsid:ibm.com:blogs:entries-a27fff3d-0d1b-4145-b91e-6726fb6cadf1 Insurance 2013-06-26T15:55:07-04:00 urn:lsid:ibm.com:blogs:entry-bbf04f9e-71e4-4a06-8706-2692a0bfbe9f 7 reasons why financial services providers don't get social media Christian Bieck firstname.lastname@example.com 270001WK4F active Comment Entries application/atom+xml;type=entry Likes 2012-02-27T07:15:01-05:00 2012-02-27T07:18:26-05:00
One of my side projects over the past 6 years of research has been to examine the question why insurers (and financial services providers in general)* seem to have problems with innovation. The use or non-use of social media is a case in point. For example, a recent (unpublished) study by the University of Cologne in Germany found that 60% of (German) insurers are at a low social media maturity level. Whether it is Facebook, Twitter or own company blogs, a majority of insurers is content to watch or do a little light dabbling instead of using the full potential.

Of course, that is Germany. US carriers seem more active. There you have some very active companies at a top maturity level – but without having seen an in-depth study my guess would be that that is the tip of the iceberg - at the bottom we would see a number quite close to the German 60%.

Why? Here are seven possible reasons, let's see if you recognize your company in some of them.

1. Too radical.
In a 2010 study on innovation we found that describing the financial services industries as non-innovative is not entirely fair – it really depends on your definition of innovation. FS providers are quite adept at incremental innovation, baby-steps of continuous, mostly internal improvement. Incremental improvement goes mostly unnoticed from the outside. For most insurers and banks, it is also unstructured, which means there is no process to improvement.

There is no baby-step to using social media. It is not improvement of something existing, but rather a big step, outside of most providers comfort zone.

2. Thinking in channels instead of interactions
Traditionally, the insurer-customer touch points have been fairly rigid. We sell, you have a claim, we settle. Insurers were not used to having a conversation, and if one was necessary, they had intermediaries to lead it. The rise of the internet has seen a lot of disintermediation, but the need for conversation is still there.

Insurers think in distribution channels: if you can't sell through it, what is the use? Introducing a new distribution channel is a big endeavor. Yet customers need to interact. The shopping process is a large part interaction, small part purchase, and so is the service process. Treating social media as interaction points (instead of a distribution channel) would enable conversation.

3. Numbers
Financial services are very strongly based on numbers. It is hard to calculate the impact of using social media, both on the benefit and on the risk side. On the up side, it belongs to the murky realm of marketing, where you don't which half of your budget is wasted. On the down side, you could misstep and ruin your brand. This murkiness is not unique to financial services, but if your business model relies on actuarial tables, it may be hard to overcome.

Which brings me to the next reason:

4. Control
Put simply, insurers make modern commerce possible by reducing uncertainty. For a fee, they take on a large part of my financial risk, which they can do because of the law of large numbers.

Even that law only works within a given set of parameters, which insurers need to control. Hence the rigidity of interaction. In social media, you lose control. If you open your Facebook page to all comments, then customers might say things about you you don't like. True, of course. But the problem is, they will say it about you whether you participate or not. The control over those things is gone anyway, whether FS providers like it or not. It would be better to take part and influence. Or at least listen and learn.

5. Politics
Just like innovation in general, distribution and interaction structures are mostly not planned but have grown over a rather long period of time. Without a comprehensive distribution strategy, adding something new can result in cannibalization, mixed messages and other unpleasantness. I remember the discussions we had during the rise of the world wide web in the 90s – intermediaries were the business would shift away from them if carriers introduced real online business. That fear wasn't completely unreasonable, but when providers did it right, adding online purchasing capability opened up new customer groups, those that weren't interested in purchasing from intermediaries in the first place.

Social media aren't the same – yet – but it is still another can of worms that internal politics are afraid to open.

6. Culture
One of the perks of my job is that, once in a while, I present to university students on studies or trends. The resulting discussion is always lively and gives me a glimpse into the future – after all, these are the people that will shape businesses to come.

Four years ago, when Web 2.0 was still new, I was invited to talk to a group of students about digital communities in FSS. The audience was a group from a specialized elite course for financial services, very smart young people groomed for management positions in the banking and insurance industries. I admit to being quite nervous before the presentation; after all, my audience where all digital natives, i.e. exactly the people who were supposed to be using those digital communities.

But guess what? Not only did I know a lot more about the topic than my audience (phew!), they pretty much all felt that using digital communities was a waste of time. It seems a conservative mindset is a prerequisite for joining the industry in the first place…

7. Inertia
Last but not least, most of us humans don't like change. In the business world, inertia on its own seldom prevents action, but combine with the six reasons above and it makes the difference between not quite acting and making some changes.

As I said, not all insurers (and banks) are bad at social media, and not all of the seven reasons apply to all. Where are you at social media?

(Hat tip: Jeff Bullas. I hope perusing his site has improved today's post – title and structure  )

* Note: most of the time in this post, I say "insurer" and mean the whole FS industry.
 One of my side projects over the past 6 years of research has been to examine the question why insurers (and financial services providers in general)* seem to have problems with innovation. The use or non-use of social media is a case in point. For example, a... 0 1 3210 urn:lsid:ibm.com:blogs:entries-a27fff3d-0d1b-4145-b91e-6726fb6cadf1 Insurance 2013-06-26T15:55:07-04:00 urn:lsid:ibm.com:blogs:entry-9eca1967-2c29-43a4-bc75-37b68673b8c0 Where are we on the path to Insurance 2020? Part Three: Virtualized Value Chain Jamie Bisker email@example.com 120000DW9G active Comment Entries application/atom+xml;type=entry Likes 2011-11-07T04:31:39-05:00 2011-11-10T10:07:08-05:00
The insurance value chain has not yet experienced the wholesale virtualization of major elements that still lay ahead. Instead of mass defections to online purchases of risk management services, or a significant reduction in the number of brick and mortar insurers, we are experiencing the impact of nascent virtual dynamics.

The larger insurance industry has discovered additional value in creating and maintaining a broad personal relationship with policyholders and consumers. Distribution professionals have touted this reality for many years but the new tools of virtualization are capturing and making it accessible.

What is being captured are those subtle realizations about customer and consumer preferences, attitudes, and other time critical data points that deep analytics have revealed to be the controlling factor in almost every interaction. More and more successful carriers recognize the value of this type of analysis and are investing to organize their data and exploit it. So whether a carrier needs to work on the identification or retention of their best customers, or quickly reroute a suspicious claim to a fraud unit, it is the attention to transactional detail that enables the highest levels of value exchange.

By recognizing and taking advantage of information gleaned from careful data analysis, carriers are making the value chain more virtual. This comes about by extending the same sort of care that agents and other professionals achieve in face-to-face exchanges to the exchanges that happen from the internet, smart phones and other mobile devices.

Another virtualization that is impacting the insurance value chain is also impacting most societies at the same time. The amplification of social interconnections in terms of reach, speed, and collaborative effect is preceded only by the introduction of the telephone. And even that watershed course of events is dwarfed in several dimensions by the rapid penetration and near ubiquity that social media achieves across the planet.

The question is how will insurers choose to use the codification of this vast collection of personal and business relevant information? Can they ride trendy waves and work to be more 'with it' than the next shop down the road, or across an ocean? Will they focus as they often do on the path of least resistance, using this new opportunity to merely pump up existing and tread worn ideas and operational activity?

It is time that the insurance industry recognize that the paths (individual and self-selected group actualization) and tools of change (deep analytics) are constantly being explored, changed, and directed by people with a changed mindset, not just those with a drive to fulfill the aspirations of those that mentored their careers. The evolution of our industry belongs to the smaller, more adaptable mammals, not to those that tend the sauropods in all their grandeur.

Next: Active and informed consumers

 The insurance value chain has not yet experienced the wholesale virtualization of major elements that still lay ahead. Instead of mass defections to online purchases of risk management services, or a significant reduction in the number of brick and mortar... 0 0 812 urn:lsid:ibm.com:blogs:entries-a27fff3d-0d1b-4145-b91e-6726fb6cadf1 Insurance 2013-06-26T15:55:07-04:00


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The ruin I have painted before from a different perspective. The other version I did is called Dusk, and is painted from a different angle.
14 1/2" X 22 1/2 "Fabriano Artistico 300 lb extra whiteThe original is lighter than this appears.
ruin watercolor summer sergeantsville country 2010
Intriguing work! Makes you want to know the story of this building! I really love the way you have done the doorways, nice effect!
They have old beams over the doors but for how long I don't know since they are exposed to the weather at every angle now. Last time I drove by the ruin, there was a for sale sign and I didn't know if it was the corner where it is located or a house further in. I can't imagine the area without this, but times do change. Thanks for your comment Angie.
Leave a lot to the imigination, Marriet!
I don't know how to do that yet. There are so many roads to take in this fun ambition. I look forward to getting back a studio of some kind (a large desk would do) and participating in some workshops. I started to so things big, full sheets, and I haven't got the room to do that at the moment. Perhaps some miniatures would be a good idea! Thanks for commenting Sally.
Always so kind; brief and uplifting. Thank you dear Sylvia!
wonderful colors Marriet… there'd be a few ghosts here to tell a story.
Thank you Cosimo. I certainly hope so, though not sure if they would be human! ")
fantastic work!!!!!!!
You are very kind to say this, Charmiene! Thank you!
I deeply appreciate your fave!
Wonderfully painted composition Maryann ….. Your signature art so Rocks Best wishes and thank you for your visit and lovely kind words to inspire …. Paulx
Hello Paul. Your kind words are always so refreshing and sweet! Many thanks for your visit.Your fan always, M.
yesterdays safe haven, todays,falling bricks and stone,nice feel here of a once lived harbor of many generations
Thank you. It's a small building, but I don't know what it could have been used for. Nevertheless,I like it and have kept an eye on it for many years!
this reminds me of a place I know in Woodstock, NY. really like this
Thank you Mark! Hope you have a really good day today! ")
wonderful painting:)
Hi Robin "). Thank you for the nice comment and your fave!
This is so very charming ~love the simplicity !
Thanks for the fave and the comment, Renee! It is simply a ruin on a cornerand one many people note, consciously or subconsciously. I started seeingit in my college days when it still had a roof.
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Dedicated to the life and work of Trevor "Trouble" Andrew, Desillusion x Nixon proudly present the launch of their latest collaboration.
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The movie introduces the 1st issue of Desillusion's new Guest Editor series to celebrate its 10-year anniversary. Trevor Andrew, who has been part of the Nixon family for many years, will make the debut of this line of six special issues, dedicated to some of the main characters of the board sports, art and music culture that inspired Desillusion for the last decade.


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Finished this piece back in August after our first trip to Paris.
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2015 Grammys Nominations
See the 2015 Grammy nominees here!
See the 2015 Grammy nominees here!
There's nothing quite as infuriating as being stuck in traffic. While we tend to just put on 'Clouds' by One Direction and scream along to it dramatically in an attempt to get our frustrations out, comedian Lauren O'Brien found a far more productive — and hilarious -- way to spend that extra time: by doing impressions of various celebrities stuck in traffic.
The 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards took place on Nov. 9, and we've got a list of the winners right here.
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Maxim Magazine announced this week that Victoria Secret model Candice Swanepoel has earned the top spot on Maxim's 2014 Hot 100 List.
Remembering stuff that happened -- that's what the Internet is all about these days.
What a year for Lorde! Not only did the 17-year-old Australia native burst onto the scene with her smash hit 'Royals' and her debut album, 'Pure Heroine,' but for the first time ever she is also up for a dozen Billboard Music Awards in a whopping 12 out of 40 categories.
Karaoke is a great bar game in which people embarrass themselves by crooning popular songs -- badly. The best karaoke performances are not usually defined by your vocal skills but how much you can bring your personality into song at that moment. When it
You could say this reporter is looking for booger stories to cover.
R.I.P. to the twerk? Say it isn't so!


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Barm-e Dilak
Barm-e Dilak: site of a Sasanian rock relief in Iran.
Two of them can be found at Barm-e Dilak, nine kilometers east of modern Shiraz. The first one shows the king (to the right), offering an iris flower to his elegant wife, Ardašir-Anahid (to the left). Such representations of love are very rare in Sasanian iconography, which generally consists of audience, victory, or inauguration scenes. A similar image of love was carved at Sarab-e Qandil, where it is the queen who offers the flower to the king.
The second relief, which is only a few meters to the right of the first one, shows the king (left) with an important official. Both men make gestures of respect, which is not surprising for the courtier, but unusual for a king.
- Bruno Overlaet, "Flower and Fire Altar: Fact and Fiction on the Barm-i Dilak Reliefs", in: Iranica Antiqua 45 (2010) 337ff
- Louis Vanden Berghe, Reliefs rupestres de l' Iran ancien (1983 Brussels) 80-81, 136-137
... to Patrick Charlot.


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Starz has released their official Comic Con schedule for the Ash vs Evil Dead panel. The panel will take place July 10th in room 6A from 6pm-7pm.
Starz has released their official Comic Con schedule for the Ash vs Evil Dead panel. The panel will take place July 10th in room 6A from 6pm-7pm.
Entertainment Weekly has posted six exclusive pages of the Necronomicon from Ash vs Evil Dead:
See more here.
Starz has released the first photo of Bruce Campbell reprising his iconic role of Ash from Ash vs Evil Dead featured exclusively on Entertainment Weekly.
Starz has opened a Tumblr page for Ash vs Evil Dead where you can find exclusive Ash vs Evil Dead photos and stuff. They even have included a message from Bruce Campbell himself:
WTFLOL has posted the first teaser for their upcoming follow-up fan film Ash vs The DC Dead, a follow-up to their film Marvel Zombies vs. Army of Darkness.
After his initial run-in with a deadite infested New York City and a zombified Wolverine, Ash suddenly finds himself transported to a whole new dimension…
Scream Factory has announced on their Facebook page that they will be releasing a collector's edition blu-ray of Army of Darkness coming this October.
Today will be one of the more memorable days in our brand's history that's for sure! If you're still trying to catch your breath from our recent announcement of the upcoming Tales From the Crypt films, then steel yourself for the following…ARMY OF DARKNESS – the third film in the Evil Dead franchise, starring Bruce Campbell – is coming to Blu-ray "Scream Factory-style" in October! We will certainly aim to make it the most definitive version to own to date.
We know you'll have lots of questions on this one but we have no concrete details to report at this moment other than that newly-commissioned artwork (yes, its a "Collector's Edition") and pre-order links will be up next month and a full list of extras and specs will appear in early Fall.
There are no spec details yet but we'll keep you updated!
Starz has announced there will be a Ash vs Evil Dead panel at the 2015 San Diego Comic-Con. The panel will take place Friday, July 10th and will feature Bruce Campbell, Sam Raimi, Lucy Lawless, and Rob Tapert.
Press Release: "WHAT: STARZ to host panels for the critical and fan favorite "Outlander;" (returns 2016) featuring cast and creators including Executive Producer Ronald D. Moore, author Diana Gabaldon and actors Caitriona Balfe and Sam Heughan, as well as for the new original series "Ash vs Evil Dead," (first season premieres Fall 2015) featuring cast and creators including Executive Producers and original filmmakers Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert, and Bruce Campbell, plus Lucy Lawless, during San Diego Comic-Con 2015.
Joseph LoDuca is returning to his roots to score the soundtrack for Ash vs Evil Dead. Joseph sits down with Daniel Schweiger of Film Music Magazine to talk about his work.
Few composers who continually get pulled back into a genre that gave them birth have as much fun both screaming, and laughing about continually being clawed by their fateful, creative relationship than Joseph LoDuca. Born in Michigan around the same time as another native with whom he'd be joined at the hip, LoDuca was well into fulfilling his rock and roll aspirations with the big town likes of Jeff Beck and Bob Seger before getting the call to enter a possessed cabin in the backwoods. The result of his impressively frenetic, orchestral score done a dime was the beginning of horror history for both LoDuca and Sam Raimi, whose "Evil Dead" series spun both men into Hollyweird careers. LoDuca would become one of the hardest working composers in terms of TV hours on such sword-and-sandal, Raimi-produced series like "Xena," "Hercules" and "Spartacus," in addition to the modern-day adventures of "The Librarians" and "Leverage" amongst his monstrously prolific credits.
Starz has released a new teaser for Ash vs Evil Dead featuring Ash strapping on the famous chainsaw and saying, "Ash is back baby".
Update: Same teaser but with Ash saying "groovy".
Michael Bassett, the director of Ash vs Evil Dead has revealed on his instagram what The Necronomicon looks like on the show for the first time:


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Fraud and Abuse Control Pose a Continuing Challenge
HEHS-98-215R: Published: Jul 15, 1998. Publicly Released: Jul 15, 1998.
Additional Materials:
- Full Report:
(202) 512-7114
Office of Public Affairs
(202) 512-4800
Pursuant to a congressional request, GAO reviewed fraud and abuse in both Medicare's fee-for-service and managed care programs, focusing on: (1) the impact of inadequate program safeguard funding on efforts to combat improper Medicare payments; (2) ineffective management and oversight of fee-for-service payments and operations; and (3) ineffective oversight of Medicare managed care plans.
GAO noted that: (1) although the majority of health care providers participating in Medicare provide quality services and bill the program properly, its size, complexity, and rapid growth make it an attractive target for fraud and abuse; (2) more specifically, the Health Care Financing Administration's (HCFA) past program safeguard efforts have been hindered because budgetary constraints have reduced resources for these efforts as the number of claims has grown; (3) although the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) provided HCFA an ensured and increasing funding source for program safeguard efforts, shortcomings in HCFA's management of these efforts have contributed to Medicare losses; (4) for example, HCFA has been slow to employ the funds Congress provided under HIPAA; (5) HCFA has agreed to set contractor program safeguard budgets in a more timely manner in the next fiscal year; (6) in addition, HCFA has not adequately screened providers before admitting them to the Medicare program but is beginning to take steps to tighten admission standards for home health agencies, a well-known problem area; (7) Medicare's managed care program is vulnerable to other forms of fraud and abuse that could be reduced through competition among health maintenance organizations (HMO); (8) HCFA's oversight of the Medicare HMOs has often been ineffective; and (9) furthermore, HCFA's efforts to comply with the Balanced Budget Act of 1997 and provide information about HMO performance to beneficiaries so that they can make informed choices when selecting an HMO have been slower than necessary.
Jul 6, 2015
Medicare Part B Drugs:Action Needed to Reduce Financial Incentives to Prescribe 340B Drugs at Participating HospitalsGAO-15-442: Published: Jun 5, 2015. Publicly Released: Jul 6, 2015.
Jun 29, 2015
Medicaid:Service Utilization Patterns for Beneficiaries in Managed CareGAO-15-481: Published: May 29, 2015. Publicly Released: Jun 29, 2015.
Jun 24, 2015
Medicaid Demonstrations:More Transparency and Accountability for Approved Spending Are NeededGAO-15-715T: Published: Jun 24, 2015. Publicly Released: Jun 24, 2015.
Jun 22, 2015
Defense Health Care:DOD Needs to Clarify Policies Related to Occupational and Environmental Health Surveillance and Monitor Risk Mitigation ActivitiesGAO-15-487: Published: May 22, 2015. Publicly Released: Jun 22, 2015.
Jun 11, 2015
Mental Health:Better Documentation Needed to Oversee Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration GranteesGAO-15-405: Published: May 12, 2015. Publicly Released: Jun 11, 2015.
Jun 10, 2015
VA Health Care:Improvements Needed to the Monitoring of Antidepressant Use for Major Depressive Disorder and the Accuracy of Suicide DataGAO-15-648T: Published: Jun 10, 2015. Publicly Released: Jun 10, 2015.
Jun 2, 2015
Medicaid:CMS Could Take Additional Actions to Help Improve Provider and Beneficiary Fraud ControlsGAO-15-665T: Published: Jun 2, 2015. Publicly Released: Jun 2, 2015.
Jun 1, 2015
VA Health Care:Actions Needed to Improve Monitoring and Oversight of Non-VA and Contract CareGAO-15-654T: Published: Jun 1, 2015. Publicly Released: Jun 1, 2015.
Medicare Administrative Contractors:CMS Should Consider Whether Alternative Approaches Could Enhance Contractor PerformanceGAO-15-372: Published: Apr 30, 2015. Publicly Released: Jun 1, 2015.
Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act:Despite Some Delays, CMS Has Made Progress Implementing Programs to Limit Health Insurer RiskGAO-15-447: Published: Apr 30, 2015. Publicly Released: Jun 1, 2015.
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Kennesaw State (2-1) at (8) Notre Dame (4-0)
An outstanding start offensively has Notre Dame back in the AP Top 25. The Irish are probably much more prolific than any other team Kennesaw State will face this season.
Luke Harangody and the 23rd-ranked Irish look to continue their offensive surge as they continue the Chicago Invitational Challenge on Tuesday night against the Atlantic Sun Conference's Owls.
Notre Dame (4-0) is gearing up for Big East play nicely, averaging 88.5 points while shooting 54.1 percent from the field and 48.1 percent from 3-point range. The Irish beat Liberty 91-72 on Sunday in its first game of the Chicago Invitational.
One day later, Notre Dame returned to the top 25 for the for the first time since it was ranked 19th the week of Jan. 19.
The Irish have scored at least 80 points in each of their first four games. The last time they accomplished that feat was in the 1978-79 season, reaching 80 in their first five contests.
This will be Notre Dame's first matchup with Kennesaw State (2-1), which hasn't faced a ranked team since losing 74-65 to then-No. 8 Wichita State on Dec. 19, 2006.
The Owls will have their hands full trying to stop Harangody. The senior All-American scored 32 points, making all 10 of his free throws, versus Liberty.
It was his 10th game with at least 30 points.
"I'm trying to move to different areas on the floor and not let teams recognize what I am going to do every time," said Harangody, averaging 26.8 points and 9.3 rebounds. "When (I'm) behind the three-point line, that frees things up for Tyrone Nash inside."
Senior guard Ben Hansbrough entered the game averaging 16.0 points, but he was slowed by an ankle injury and finished with six in 21 minutes.
"We've learned to play a certain way offensively and it was a little bit thrown off because he's still sore and we're trying to get him healthy," coach Mike Brey said.
Hansbrough is Notre Dame's top transfer after helping Mississippi State advance to the second round of the 2008 NCAA tournament. His older brother, Tyler, led North Carolina to the national championship in the spring and is now a rookie with the Indiana Pacers.
When Hansbrough is healthy, the Irish are more dangerous offensively. Brey, though, believes his team also has room for improvement defensively.
Notre Dame gave up 39 points in the first half against the Flames, but forced 12 of Liberty's 19 turnovers in the second half and scored 23 total points off those miscues.
"We're not good enough to be disinterested defensively against people," Brey said. "We've got to be really locked in. Our margin for error is small."
Kennesaw State certainly can't afford many mistakes to have any chance of upsetting Notre Dame. Matt Heramb had five turnovers and the Owls allowed Saint Louis to shoot 58.0 percent in a 76-66 loss Sunday in the Chicago Invitational.
Forwards Jon-Michael Nickerson and Markeith Cummings had strong performances, finishing with 17 and 14 points, respectively. Nickerson is averaging a team-high 16.3 points, and Cummings has posted 15.7.
Team Comparison
|3 Pt%
|Kennesaw State
|8th, ATSUN
|Lost 1
|Notre Dame
|7th, BIGE
|Lost 2


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29 year old woman | Hooksett, NH, USA | Seeking men 25-33 within 30 miles
Smile...It's contagious! (:
I love love. I believe in loving and being loved. I believe that smiling is contagious and a genuine smile can change someones whole day. I want something real. No games. Quote: I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing; kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles. -Audrey Hepburn Ok so I work in retail as a manager and it makes it difficult to meet people outside of the bars. My hours can be all over the place unfortunately. But I still manage to find a way to get out and have some fun on my days off. I like to do all sorts of things. But I'm not a high maintenance kinda girl. Just love me for who I am and always be honest and loyal to me and I'm happy. I love a good ol' boy, just a down to earth, doesn't fuss over what kinda tshirt and jeans he throws on to go out and run errands kinda man, but can also dress nice to go out for the night.I love a guy thats into sports...I'm a huge football fan and come from a family thats very into gathering on Sundays to watch whatever game may be on...or all of them if you have redzone (: GO PATS! I like to throw this out there early because later can sometimes be a sad (for you) and awkward (for me) kind of discussion if you don't know going in. I had cancer when I was 23...went through chemo and radiation for 6 months and yes, I even lost all my hair. I totally rocked the bald look by the way (: But I kicked its and I am currently in remission and have been for going on 4 years. Ok, closed that dropped jaw...I'm ok and I've learned a lot about life. I try not to take anything too seriously. I try to always smile and make people feel good about themselves. I'm certainly not perfect, I have curves and blonde moments and I've made bad decisions before just like everyone else haha but I just love to have fun and I'm very easy going. I try to make the most out of any situation and can be happy wherever I am, because it's not about what you're doing and where you are, it's about the person/people you're doing it with. So email me if you think I might be the kind of girl you could spend your time with and want to get to know. I chose match for a reason...I tried the free dating sites for a few months, but no one is actually looking for the real thing. So I figured if people are going to pay the money (and its not cheap), than they must be looking for something real too. So no games gentlemen, I'm a real girl whose looking to find someone to start her real life. (: Submitted from mobile
Book club , Camping , Coffee and conversation , Business networking , Dining out , Hobbies and crafts , Movies/Videos , Music and concerts , Exploring new areas , Nightclubs/Dancing , Performing arts , Playing cards , Shopping/Antiques , Travel/Sightseeing , Watching sports
Dancing, Football, Other types of exercise, Tennis / Racquet sports, Walking / Hiking, Weights / Machines
I exercise 1-2 times per week.
I have Dogs
Middle of the Road
Anywhere new. I love to travel and I visit family in the UK every 2 years in the summer. I love Germany, most beautiful place I've ever been. And I love tropical destinations. I could never get enough of the beach.
Southern New Hampshire University, Manchester, NH
Movies (all kinds), music (mostly country), my dog (his name is Cash), reading, trying new restaurants, watching football. I love anything that will make me laugh.
Movies, dining out, having a few drinks, dancing, taking my dogs for walks or to a park, concerts, sporting events, spending time with family and friends.
Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn
Z{{Cta}} {{#if HasMoreInfo}} ?{{CtaSecondary}} {{/if}}
|What she is looking for
|5'7" (170cms)
|5'11" (180cms) to 6'8" (203cms)
|Body type:
|Slender, About average, Athletic and toned, A few extra pounds, Stocky
|No preference
|No preference
|No Way
|No Way, Occasionally
|Social Drinker
|Social Drinker
|Executive / Management
|No preference
|I'll tell you later
|No preference
|Never Married
|Never Married
|Have kids:
|No preference
|Wants kids:
|Definitely, Someday
|White / Caucasian
|White / Caucasian
|I'll tell you later
|No preference
|Bachelors degree
|No preference


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Blogs Robin Lindley On Lonesome Highways: Haunted by History, an Interview with Writer/Photographer James A. ReevesDec 17, 2013 6:11 pm
On Lonesome Highways: Haunted by History, an Interview with Writer/Photographer James A. Reeves
Full article: http://hnn.us/article/143769
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- 150 years later, schools are still a battlefield for interpreting Civil War
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William Walton Series Piano, Vocal, Guitar Sheet Music: 1 items found
Vocal Music
Composed by William Walton (1902-1983). Edited by Steuart Bedford. For voice & piano/guitar. William Walton Edition. Level C-D (moderately difficult - difficult). Full score. 256 pages. Published by Oxford University Press (OU.9780193360013)
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Piano, Vocal, Guitar


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Groton - James Messina started making movies at age 12 with a digital camera he bought with money earned mowing lawns.
Now the senior graduating from Robert E. Fitch High School is getting noticed for his movies about skateboarding.
Messina placed in the top 10 of the 2012 TransWorld SKATEboarding Cinematography Contest with his YouTube video "Planned Existence." Messina has also made two feature-length films about skateboarding, including "Culture Shock," which premiered May 31 in Mystic.
"He's very driven," said his father, Jeffrey Messina, pharmacist and owner of Fort Hill Pharmacy in Groton. Melissa Messina, James' mother, teaches math at Ledyard High School, painted signs at one time and took art classes, her son said.
James Messina's subjects have always involved action sports. Initially, he filmed snowboarding and set up elaborate courses in the yard, building a wooden ramp and using a section of utility pole and a metal stool as obstacles. He lit the course to film at night, his father said.
"Even if we got, like, three inches of snow or four inches of snow, he would shovel it from other parts of the yard and put it on the ramp," Jeffrey Messina said.
James Messina said he's not sure what attracted him to film, but he enjoyed editing clips of snowboarding because it extended the winter.
He and a friend, Ian Boyd, made a snowboarding movie in eighth grade and another in high school. Then Messina realized he could also film a summer sport. He went on his own.
"It's kind of cool to be able to show the parts of skateboarding that people don't get to see unless they're there," he said. He can't show the same by skating because he's not as good as everyone else, he said.
"He's skating along with the subject" as he films, Jeffrey Messina said. "They go slow. He's just crouched down with his board."
He's suffered some broken camera equipment, but no broken bones.
James Messina said he added weight to the camera so it wouldn't shake.
"Culture Shock" took about two years to make, he said. Messina, who travels to Boston, Providence and New York to film, recently went to Michigan. Last summer, he visited San Diego and Los Angeles. His films also include some local spots like the Skate Park in Groton and a building foundation on Route 12.
"I've never seen a kid with this much passion and focus," said his aunt, Chelle Messina of Groton.
At the end of the summer, James Messina is moving to California to try to film skateboarding for a living. He said he looked at film schools last summer, but didn't find one he liked. So he told his parents he was going out on his own. His friend, who skateboards, is also moving.
"I'll probably evaluate again after a year and see where I'm at," he said, "but as long as I'm not hating life, I'll probably stay out there as long as I can."
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UPDATED: Motor vehicle accident on I-95 north in Groton cleared
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Waterford beats East Lyme 4-3 to win District 6 Babe Ruth (14) title
Newly signed state budget changes funding for cities and towns
Community members celebrate SCOTUS decision of same-sex marriage
Message with possible racial overtones found in New London jury room


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I've got an issue with the front end of a magento site, it is throwing a 500 error. The back end admin is absolutely fine and functional, I'm able to log in no problem and there is no loss of product data.
I have un-commented out line 70 in my index.php file -
#ini_set(\'display_errors\', 1);
in order to see the errors, and this is what now displays when you load up the front end of the site - Fatal error: Class \'Mage__Helper_Data\' not found in /var/www/vhosts/beta.mydomain.com/httpdocs/countrytoys/app/Mage.php on line 520
I reckon the double underscore here is to do with a module being missing or something..
This problem came to light after I refreshed all cache types in the admin area, but I suspect the problem was there beforehand but just bared it's head after the cache refresh.
So far I have tried/checked -
deleting the contents of var/cache, var/session
The base URL in the db is correct
made all directories 755 permissions, and all files 644, I have also tried making index.php 755, and 777 on suggestion from other forums.
checked htaccess, all seems fine.
the physical files are all there on the server.
system.log seems to be consistently pointing to line 93 in Autoload.php -
2011-09-12T15:18:52+00:00 ERR (3): Warning: include() [function.include]: Failed opening \'Mage//Helper/Data.php\' for inclusion (include_path=\'/var/www/vhosts/beta.mydomain.com/httpdocs/countrytoys/app/code/local:/var/www/vhosts/beta.mydomain.com/httpdocs/countrytoys/app/code/community:/var/www/vhosts/beta.mydomain.com/httpdocs/countrytoys/app/code/core:/var/www/vhosts/beta.mydomain.com/httpdocs/countrytoys/lib:.:\') in /var/www/vhosts/beta.mydomain.com/httpdocs/countrytoys/lib/Varien/Autoload.php on line 93
Other things I can think of that I have recently done include adding google analytics through admin, altering the code for links at the top of the site in app\design\frontend\default\blue_toys\template\page\html\header.phtml and entering some paypal details in order to set up the payment gateway.
installation details - ver -126.96.36.199, Theme - custom installed theme
Can anyone help? thanks, Luke


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The Slovene daily newspaper, Dnevnik, is currently running a kind of 'Mystery Shopper' project whereby foreigners living in Slovenia are sent to various locations across the country to assess things such as accessibility, information received at the local tourist office, restaurants and cafes, accommodation and activities in the area. As can be seen from the article below, which is all in Slovene hence my precis here, last week two Czech girls visited Radovljica and gave it rave reviews, well except for the accommodation which was slated. In fairness, however, Grajski Dvor hotel is currently undergoing refurbishment after a long period of closure and is most certainly 'a work in progress'. Personally I think its promising and encouraging that a local businessman has been willing to undertake this big renovation project to ensure that the hotel will, eventually, be returned to its former glory and will stay in local hands. I actually went to see the newly refurbished rooms for myself last week and what struck me most was how clean the place was. For a 3 star hotel, which doesn't pretend to be anything more, offers reasonable rates and is very centrally located, I think it's worthy of a bit more than the 3 out of 10 awarded. Other than that, they gave everything 10 out of 10 meaning Radovljica currently leads the list of places visited and assessed so far! https://www.dnevnik.si/1042715656/magazin/prosti-cas/dnevnikova-izvidnica-radovljiska-pravljica-a-le-s-polno-denarnico What struck me as most surprising was that despite having lived in Slovenia for several years, the girls had never heard of Radovljica. Surely almost everyone who lives in, and visits, Slovenia knows Bled – of course – well Radovljica is just 7km from Bled! So, whether you live here or are on holiday, next time, just turn off the motorway one junction before the exit for Bled and come and see it and sample it for yourselves – don't miss out! This is a summary of what the pair did, saw, ate, drank etc. On day one they arrived by car, just a 30 minute drive from Ljubljana. They first went to the Tourist Information Centre, which is 'very easy to find' – its the first building on the right on entering the old town centre – http://www.radolca.si/en/tic/ The welcome and information they were given in the tourist office was excellent, even though they tried hard to play the role of 'annoying tourists'! They were given maps of local walking trails, suggestions for what to see and do including rafting, canyoning and kayaking, and ideas for places to eat and drink. Unfortunately the weather wasn't conducive to outdoors activities so, following the suggestions given in the Tourist Information Centre, they first visited the Museum of Apiculture, which is housed in the magnificent Radovljica Manor, where they were given a short guided tour to learn about the history of beekeeping in Slovenia and where there is an actual hive you can watch bees come and go. They bought some honey-related gifts and souvenirs and then continued into the adjoining Municipal Museum. Next up was a visit to the well-known Lectar Inn. This restaurant with rooms and gingerbread-making workshop is much favoured amongst Slovenes and visitors from far and wide. It is run by husband and wife Lili and Jože, assisted by their family and a loyal staff, dressed in Slovene national attire. The ground floor houses a restaurant, the upper floor has accommodation, and downstairs is the gingerbread heart workshop where visitors can watch, and upon prior reservation also try for themselves, the art of making these traditional souvenirs. In the evening they went to the Academia bar and were surprised at how lively it was, having thought of Radovljca as being 'a bit of a sleepy town'. In fact Radovljica has a lot of restaurants, cafes and bars – a surprising amount for a town of its size where you can try out some specialities from the Taste Radol'ca restaurants too – http://www.radolca.si/en/inns-and-restaurants/ The next day they walked on the new Sava River Trail – http://www.radolca.si/en/the-sava-river-trail/ Enjoying the walk so much they ended up continuing to the ruins of Lipnica Castle (Pusti grad) and the Natural Science Trail – http://www.radolca.si/en/lipnica-castle-natural-science-trail/ This is just the tip of the iceberg of things to see and do in the area but I hope it at least provides some ideas and inspiration. © AdeleinSlovenia 2015
The Kokra Canyon / Summer Highlights in Radovljica
The old town of Kranj, the capital of the Gorenjska region, sits on a terrace above the 30-metre deep Kokra canyon, which was formed by the Kokra river carving its way into the conglomerate terrace dating back to the Ice Age.
The recently constructed Educational Trail runs for about 2km beside the Kokra river and is best accessed down the long flight of stairs beneath the bridge over the river in the centre of the old town. It makes a great addition to the old town centre which sadly, like so many other town centres these days, is in decline due to the many out-of-town shopping centres that have sprung up here, there and everywhere. The trail means a walk through the old town can now be extended somewhat before returning to enjoy a cuppa and a cake at one of the many cafes which, together with the town's museums and a meagre sprinkling of shops, are largely all that remain in the old town centre.
After descending down to the river you can walk along either bank of the river and make a circular route. However, unfortunately at present its not possible to walk the circular route as some weeks back a lorry travelling over the narrow bridge, unsuitable for lorries, at the far end of the canyon, managed to reduce it to a twisted wreck of metal and concrete. It is hoped they will repair the bridge as soon as possible but nevertheless its still a nice enough place for a short stroll whilst visiting Kranj.
Its still possible to make an almost, albeit very short, circular route by descending the stairs and staying on the same side of the river i.e. don't cross the bridge, and continue until just short of the mangled bridge, then take the road uphill which leads back to the old town centre.
Its interesting to note that in Dol, on the right bank of the river, there was once a public bathing resort. The resort, which opened in 1900, was open from June to September and was divided into sections for men and women. It was in use until 1916 and then again for the short time after the First World War. Today, just the remains of the foundations of the changing rooms, and the stairs on the riverbank serve as reminders.
Kranj is well served by public transport, so reaching the town from Radovljica, which also has excellent transport links, is easy. Regular buses and (slightly less regular) trains run from Ljubljana – Jesenice, stopping at, amongst others, Kranj, Radovljica, and Lesce-Bled stations.
The Radovljica Summer Events Programme is now available and there's plenty for everyone. Some of the highlights include:
* Fresh Thursdays – Live Music every Thursday evening in Linhart Square – the heart of the old town centre
* The 33 Radovljica Music Festival – 8th to 23rd August – Part of the European Early Music Network. More information here: http://www.radolca.si/en/what-to-do/events-1/radovljica-festival/83/260/
* Theatre Festival in Kropa – 19th June to 3rd July – More information here (in Slovene): http://www.radolca.si/kaj-poceti/dogodki/festival-gledalisca-kropa-2015/83/785/
* Flea Markets – Every first Sunday in the month (throughout the year) from 9am – 1pm
* Free Guided Tours of Radovljica – Every Tuesday – More information here: http://www.radolca.si/en/guided-tour-of-radovljica/
The entire programme can be found here: http://www.radolca.si/en/db/radolca/file/zgibanka%20prevodi_web.pdf
© AdeleinSlovenia 2015
Hiking: Kropa and the top of Jelovica
When the weather is as hot as it has been in the past couple of weeks, which by the way I'm most definitely NOT complaining about, its time to seek hiking routes that are, as much as possible, in the shade. So this week here's my suggest for a great circular route, which is entirely in the cool of the forest, leading to the highest point of the Jelovica plateau and beginning from the one of my favourite villages in this area – Kropa.
Whenever I visit Kropa when the sun is shining, I have visions of myself living there. The village, with the Kroparica stream running right through its heart, and the houses embellished with wrought iron, really does look lovely when its bathed in sunshine. However, I know in reality, that life here probably isn't that easy as the village's location, nestled snugly at the foot of the far eastern corner of the Jelovica plateau in the Lipnica Valley, means not only that it is somewhat remote, but also that during the winter months there are very few hours of sunshine, which is something I definitely wouldn't cope with! So, I just have to make do with visiting – and I'd certainly you do too!
For those without a car the Hop-on Hop-off tourist bus also visits Kropa every Tuesday during the summer months. More information and the timetable can be found here – http://www.radolca.si/en/hop-on-hop-off-radolca/
My walk leads first to the the Vodice Highland (Vodiška planina). Since I prefer to take the steeper shorter route up and the less steep but longer route down, I have described it in that direction. However, of course if you prefer it can just as easily be done in reverse, instead following the signs for Vodice rather than for Jamnik as described below.
Begin at St. Leonard's Church, one of the two churches in the village. There is a small parking area here or otherwise park in the centre of the village, by the memorial, and take the steps which lead between houses up to the church.
Take the path signed 'strma pot' – this means 'steep path' – and it is! It takes just over an hour to reach the Vodice highland.
On reaching the highland, if the mountain hut is open, take a rest and enjoy some of the great home-cooked food – štruklji and strudel are particularly recommended here!
If you don't want to continue any further, from here you could take another longer, and slightly less steep, route back to the village. Alternatively, continue with the hut on your right and outbuildings on the left, a further 100 metres or so until you see a sign to Jamnik and Dražgose.
From here the path is obvious and just keep following the signs to Jamnik (where there is a choice, choose Jamnik not Dražgose). The path climbs slightly up to the highest point of the Jelovica plateau, Črni vrh, at 1304m. Of course one of the downsides a walk in the cool forest can be the lack of views, so be sure not to miss the 2 viewpoints. The first is just a few minutes from here where there is a clearing with panoramic wonderful views across the Radovljica plain and the peaks of the Karavanke and Kamnik Savinja Alps.
From here on the path begins to gradually descend. Just keep following the signs to Jamnik, just being careful after reaching a dirt road where the path goes right then shortly after left more steeply down through the forest. It is marked but the first sign is easy to miss.
Another viewpoint is reached by taking a 2 minute detour of the path at the sign that says 'klopca' (benches). From here you can see directly down to the village of Kropa and get a real sense of just how hemmed in it is.
Eventually the path meets, and crosses, the winding road that comes up from Kropa, leading to the church on Jamnik. If you want to see the church then it is necessary to walk on the road for a while until the branch off towards the church.
Otherwise, immediately on crossing the road the path continues on the other side, levelling off in places, before leading back down to the village of Kropa and the 2nd of the village's churches, the Church of the Mother of God.
On returning to the village you should also take some time to look around the village. Everywhere you look there are reminders of the village's past when it was the cradle of Slovene iron-forging and most of the homes and buildings exhibit some form of wrought ironwork.
A particularly great time to visit Kropa is during the annual Blacksmiths' Festival (Kovaški smaren) which this year takes place on 4th July. More information can be found here – http://www.radolca.si/en/what-to-do/events-1/iron-foging-festival/83/153/
Top Ten Summer Activities in Radovjlica
Phew, last week was, and thus far this week is, a scorcher. I'm not, though, complaining! I never do when it comes to the heat as I much prefer it to the cold, snow and drawn-out winters. There is no shortage of things to do when the weather is like this, so this week I thought I'd offer some suggestions, in no particular order, for surviving the summer heat in, and around, the Radovljica area.
1. ICE-CREAM! Lots of it! Ok, so I said above 'in no particular order' but I confess that ice-cream comes in at, or at least near, number one on my list! I can think of at least 6 places that sell ice-cream in Radovljica, though there's probably more, many of which produce delicious homemade stuff too.
2. THE SAVA RIVER – in it, on it, by I, or even over it. You won't catch me dipping even my big toe in it – it's too cold for me – but those hardy enough to brave the icy water can take a dip in the river at various places. I prefer to walk by it, the new Sava River Trail is ideal as the trail benefits from the coolness of, in places, running right at the river's edge, and also through the forest – http://radolca.si/en/the-sava-river-trail/. Others may prefer to enjoy the Sava river by partaking in one of the many water sports on offer such as rafting, kayaking, canyoning or canoeing – http://www.radolca.si/en/rafting-kayaking-canyoning/, or you can even zip over it on the zipline at Tinaraft.
3. FOREST – Since around 60% of Slovenia is covered by forest, and the Radovljica area has its fair share, there's more than enough to go round and ample space and opportunities to enjoy the forest, be it walking through it or seeking respite in the shade, The vast Jelovica Plateau, which forms the backdrop to Radovljica, is a great place to start, though do go armed with a map as 'vast' is an understatement! Vodiška planina, as seen below, has a mountain hut serving tasty homemade food and is a popular spot with locals. More here – http://www.radolca.si/en/jelovica-plateau/
4. SWIMMING – Radovljica has an Olympic-size swimming pool and during the summer it's open-air. There is also another outdoor pool in Kropa. More details about both can found here – http://www.radolca.si/en/swimming/
5. MOUNTAINS – Head up into the mountains for fresher, cooler air. The Karavanke mountains are less crowded than the better known Julian Alps, and are right on the doorstep. Don your hiking gear (hiking boots, poles, rucksack, food & drink etc.) and a map, and head off to discover the Karavanke – http://www.radolca.si/en/karavanke-range/
6. CYCLING – Mountain biking in the cool forests of the Jelovica plateau or road biking on one of the many cycle routes around the area. Take your pick! http://www.radolca.si/en/cycling/
7. TASTE RADOLCA WITH A VIEW! Seat yourself in one of the Taste Radol'ca restaurants, enjoy a cold glass of something, and/or some homemade local food, and soak up the views. One of the best views can be found at Kunstelj Inn, but then nowhere exactly has a bad view! During the heat the usual hearty Gorenjska staples (stews, soups, roasts etc.) can seem a bit heavy but grilled dishes, such as the traditional Balkan cuisine found at Jostov hram in Podnart, hit the spot – http://www.radolca.si/en/restaurant-jostov-hram/
8. OUTDOOR CULTURE AND EVENTS – The Summer Events Programme includes a wealth of outdoor concerts, open-air street theatre, open-air cinema, and much more. More information can be found here – http://www.radolca.si/en/what-to-do/
9. CAVING – Well, where could be cooler, in more ways than one, than a cave! – http://www.radolca.si/en/caving/
10. HOP-ON HOP-OFF TOURIST BUS – Actually, this is ideal regardless of the weather. Get on and off the bus at various places along the route and see sights of interest. The bus runs on Tuesdays and Thursdays during July and August. More information here – http://www.radolca.si/en/hop-on-hop-off-radolca/
So, that's my list which I hope provides some inspiration and ideas for spending summer days in, and around, Radovljica. I do hope, thought, that I'm not tempting fate by talking about the glorious weather since I seem to recall that this time last year the weather was similarly wonderful, but thereafter it went rapidly downhill for the rest of the 'summer'. Fingers crossed for this year!
© AdeleinSlovenia 2015
gostilna Walking Pokljuka's Highlands / Radovljica Ceramics Festival 2015
I've had a bit of a cold hanging around for the past few days, maybe the weather is to blame due to a week of temperatures in the mid-twenties followed by half a week of rain and temperatures barely reaching 10 degrees. This week, however, with the exception of a blip yesterday, it looks set to warm up again and hopefully I, and the weather, are now on the up!
I'm not good at being ill so, unless I'm really at death's door, I still prefer to get outdoors in the fresh air rather than be cooped up indoors. Though, since I was feeling a bit lacklustre I needed a more gentle alternative and therefore a trip to the Pokljuka plateau was just the ticket. The vast plateau really does offer something for everyone. I usually go for longer hikes and baulk at the thought of driving part of the way, but this time I did let the car take some of the strain! There are endless places to walk of all lengths and difficulties, though, it is best to stick to marked paths and forest roads as one could very easily get lost in the great swathes of forest. Nevertheless, it doesn't really matter where, how far, or how high, you go on Pokljuka, every path offers its own magic.
I began by driving past the Kranjska dolina highland, from where Stol, the highest peak in the Karavanke, can be seen in the background.
Next I set off, on foot, towards Lipanca and the Blejska koća mountain hut. However, instead of continuing up to the hut, I took another path back down to rejoin the road, reaching one of my favourite highlands, Planina zajavornik. The whole of Pokljuka lies within Triglav National Park, which means there are certain rules to abide to protect nature and, as can be seen below, there are bears in the area, though the chances of meeting one are probably one in a million!
I then enjoyed a rest in the sun among the wildflowers. The sun was lovely and warm though the wind was a bit nippy hence why I'm wrapped up in an old bivvie bag! There are a smattering of small wooden houses on the highland and, during the summer months, cheese, yoghurt and sour milk can be bought direct from the herdsmen.
On Saturday it was the main day, Market Day, of this year's Ceramics Festival in Radovljica. Aside from the monster of a hail storm early afternoon, it was a fine day that drew visitors – locals and tourists alike – to browse and buy from the stalls where they could chat directly with the ceramists themselves. There were also workshops, for adults and children, for those interested in having a go at making something for themselves. The Festival was officially opened on Thursday at an event attended by Radovljica's Mayor and the ceramist Grainne Watts from Ireland whose exhibits could be seen in the lobby of the Radovljica Mansion.
As a collector of elephants, though I don't actually recall when or why I started collecting them, these colourful ornaments caught my eye.
Later on Saturday, as part of Vurnik Days (Vurnikovi dnevi), the event 'Pozdrav trti' (A Toast to the Vine) took place at Kunstelj Inn in Radovljica. The vine is in the garden at Kunstelj Inn which offers great local food and one of the finest views in town. The vine, of the original variety Žametna črnina, is a descendant of the world's oldest vine (as recorded in the Guiness Book of Records) which is found in Slovenia's 2nd biggest city, Maribor. More information about Kunstelj Inn can be found here – http://www.kunstelj.si/
Historic (and nosey) Tržič!
in 1985, the old town centre of Tržič was designated the status of a cultural and historical monument. Though, as with so many town centres these days – and not only in Slovenia – the old town centre itself is not the thriving hub it once was. It is, however, still home to some interesting and unique buildings and features, particularly the portals embellished with flowers, and the windows, known as 'firbec okno' – the word 'firbec' refers to a nosey person – from where nosey residents could look at the goings-on in the town by looking through the glass pane at the bottom of the protruding window, without the need to lean out of the window. Today, just one of these remains and can be seen on display on the main road through the old town, Koroška cesta, as seen in the photo below. Another of the features of the town are the red roofs on the buildings in the historic part of the town.
Tržič is most known for its shoemaking industry; it is home to the company Peko which, in its heyday, was a major player in the industry. Though the company still exists, it is sadly no longer the force it once was and many of the town's residents have lost their livelihoods but the firm's products can still be brought throughout Slovenia. Tržič also gets somewhat overlooked in terms of tourism, which is a shame, as it does contain some architectural and cultural treasures, as well as many sights of natural interest in the surroundings.
The Dovžan Gorge, which I wrote about in a previous blog ( https://adeleinslovenia.wordpress.com/2013/09/) is one such place and, in the past few years, has been ugraded with a new walking path and renovated bridges. The gorge is located a few kilometres north of Tržič where the waters of the Tržiška Bistrica river have carved out their path through the gorge, which is particularly known for its rich geological conditions and palaeontologic sites. One of the biggest events in Tržič is Shoemaker's Sunday (Šuštarska nedelja), held annually on the first Sunday in September. At this time the streets of the old centre come to life as up to 10,000 visitors descend on the town. The event was originally intended to showcase shoemaking in the area, with demonstrations and sales of products at bargain prices. These days however, since the shoemaking industry is all but lost, the event continues but with a wider range of other products and stalls, together with local food and an accompanying programme of entertainment. Talking of food, which I do like to do – and especially about food in the Radovljica area, particularly the restaurants that participate in Taste Radol'ca – it seems I'm not the only one singing the praises of Slovene food these days as can be seen in this article which mentions one of the Taste Radol'ca restaurants too – can you guess which one? http://www.afar.com/magazine/is-slovenia-the-worlds-next-great-food-destination © AdeleinSlovenia 2015
Daffodils on Golica / Slovenian Beekeeping Facts
Today is World Museum Day and therefore there is free entrance to Radovljica's Museum of Apiculture and Municipal Museum, as well as the Blacksmith's Museum in Kropa (more information about Radol'ca's museums can be found here – http://www.radolca.si/en/museums-and-galleries/
Slovenia has taken the lead in proposing to the EU that there should be a World Bee Day – the proposed date is 20th May – to contribute to the awareness and importance of bees and beekeeping.
Few people probably actually realise the huge impact and importance that bees have on our lives and the significance of their worrying decline. It's certainly something I have become a lot more aware of since moving to Slovenia where beekeeping is a traditional agricultural activity of great economic significance. The Radol'ca area also plays a big part in this, being home to both the Museum of Apiculture and the Beekeeping Education Centre of Gorenjska in Lesce.
Here are a few fascinating Slovenian bee facts that I've uncovered:
- There are currently 12,545 beehives, 146,755 bee colonies and 9,885 beekeepers registered in Slovenia.
- The Beekeeping Association of Slovenia brings together 203 beekeeping societies and 16 regional beekeeping organisations.
- With four beekeepers per 1000 inhabitants, Slovenes are at the world top of beekeeping nations.
This article, entitled '11 Amazing Reasons to Save Honey Bees' draws attention to some of the most important points and is particularly interesting reading – http://earthjustice.org/blog/2015-april/11-amazing-reasons-to-save-the-honeybees
On Sunday I hiked up to the peak of Golica, a mountain in the Karavanke range known for its white daffodils which, every year in May, cover parts of the mountain appearing like a white snow-like carpet. This year, the daffodils bloomed quite early thanks to the warm spring and now is the perfect time to see them as within a week they will be past their best. Mind you, every one else obviously had the same idea as I've never, in my 8 years of living in Slovenia, seen so many people on a mountain! I go every year at about this time but usually midweek when there is hardly a soul to be seen, however, due to the amount of work I now have, I had no choice but to go at the weekend. There were literally processions of people going up and down, mostly Slovenes but also a fair few from the surrounding countries such as Croatia, Austria and Italy, such is the popularity of Golica in May!
Fortunately, as I've been there many times before, I was able to take the quieter and longer route up to the highest point of Golica at 1836m, before descending to the mountain hut Koča na Golica (1582m), though, I didn't hang around there on this occasion as there wasn't an inch of space to be had!
There are a number of ways of reaching Golica. Among them, routes lead from the villages of Planina pod Golico, Javorniški rovt or from the Dom Pristava mountain hut though the former is the most popular and most direct route. Always one to choose a circular route if it is possible, I always opt for the route which leads past the Sava Caves (Savske jame) and upwards through pastures, before traversing the high ridge with stunning views of Slovenia on one side, and Austria on the other. After the final ascent a gully leads down to the hut From the hut, a path leads down through the forest, eventually returning to the start of the route.
© AdeleinSlovenia 2015


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By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
7/26/2013 (1 year ago)
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
Beginning at first with the "Arab spring, protests against the Bashar al-Assad regime in Syria was at first peaceful and orderly. They quickly changed once rebel forces rose up against the government, leading to a long series of standoffs and massacres through the city street. The death toll from the Syrian conflict, including countless men, women and children has now reached the six-figure mark, at 100,000 reported dead. Officials with the United Nations now say there is no military solution to the ongoing conflict.
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
Catholic Online (www.catholic.org)
7/26/2013 (1 year ago)
Published in Middle East
Keywords: Syria, United Nations, rebels, death tolls, President Bashar al-Assad
LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - United Nations chief Ban Ki-moon appealed for new efforts to convene a peace conference, calling upon the Syrian government and the opposition to halt the violence, saying it was "imperative to have a peace conference in Geneva as soon as possible."
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, who stood nearby added that "There is no military solution to Syria. There is only a political solution, and that will require leadership in order to bring people to the table."
The overall Syrian death toll to date last month was nearly 93,000, with unarmed civilians bearing the brunt of the attacks.
In the meantime, the U.S. and Russia are trying to convene an international conference in Geneva, along with the United Nations, to try to agree on a transitional government based on a plan adopted in that city a year ago.
Kerry said he talked to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Wednesday and that both countries remained committed to bringing the warring parties together to further peace efforts. "We will try our hardest to make that happen as soon as is possible," Kerry said.
These efforts came hours after Syrian state media reported that a car bomb explosion near the capital of Damascus killed at least seven people and wounded 62. According to official state journalists, the bomb hit the al-Siyouf Square in the Jaramanah district of the capital.
The government blamed "terrorists" for the bombing, which is a loose term used by the Syrian government for rebels who are fighting a two-year-old civil war against President Bashar al-Assad.
Bombs had previously hit Jaramanah, which is a religiously mixed area under military control that houses supporters and opponents.
After rebel gains around the country, the army has pushed back in recent weeks and reinforced the capital while rebels hold outlying areas. The fighters use mortars and car bombs to hit areas still held by the government.
St. Anthony
St. John the Baptist
St. Florian
St. Benedict
St. Mark
St. Barbara
St. Joseph
St. Matthew
St. Christopher
St. George
St. Joseph of Cupertino
St. Isidore the Farmer
St. Jude
St. Gerard
St. Francis of Assisi
St. Brigid of Ireland
By Nikky Andres (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
Islamic State militants were captured and slaughtered on camera by a rebel group in Syria. The members of the rebel group were clad in orange jumpsuits, usually worn by ISIS prisoners and led 13 shackled jihadis to their deaths. MUNTINLUPA, PHILIPPINES (Catholic ... continue reading
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
It was a heinous new low for the terror group Islamic State. There are reports from Syria that the jihadists have now beheaded two women for acts of what they describe as "sorcery." LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - These heinous acts are reportedly the first ... continue reading
By Atarah Haely (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
The ancient, fortified city of Hippos-Sussita in Israel, located in the eastern shore of the Sea of Galilee, has surprised archeologists with a new addition to their host of history-defining discoveries. Director Michael Eisenberg, the excavation's director announced ... continue reading
By Nikky Andres (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
ISIS is known all over the world for their radical cruelty and use of rapid executions. Now, the jihadi militants have carried out yet another act of brutality, beheading two women in Syria, who they accused of "sorcery," according to activist reports. MUNTINLUPA, ... continue reading
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
Vatican Foreign Minister Paul Gallagher along with Palestinian counterpart, Riad al-Malki, signed a peace treaty recognizing the "State of Palestine." Signed in a ceremony in the Vatican, the goal is that the recognition will promote peace with Israel - as well ... continue reading
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
Re-entering the Syrian city of Kobane, long held up as a symbol of Kurdish resistance, Islamic State indiscriminately shot and killed dozens of women and children in a 24-hour period. The death toll hovers around 120, but that number may rise. LOS ANGELES, CA ... continue reading
By Matt Waterson (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
An Indonesian Islamic State fighter who was infected with AIDs has been executed by the Islamic State after he was accused of knowingly passing on the disease through blood donations. LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - The currently unknown Indonesian man ... continue reading
By Catholic Online (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
Two men accused of breaking the fast during Ramadan are shown being brutally flogged by Islamic State soldiers in a new series of shocking photographs. LOS ANGELES, Ca (Catholic Online) - As released by the Islamic State Information Office of the State of the ... continue reading
By Linky C. (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
A Summer in Syria online campaign, using the hashtag #SummerInSyria was meant to gather positive images of experiences in the country, despite four years of gruesome civil war. However, instead of gathering positive feedback from social media users, the #SummerInSyria ... continue reading
By Matt Waterson (NEWS CONSORTIUM)
While Kurdish militia units have had some recent success in their fight for survival against the Islamic State in northern Syria, a leader with the militia says they have no intention of attacking the Islamic State's capital of Raqqa, and such an offensive should ... continue reading