text: Monday, September 09, 2013 APTA Recommends Changes to Proposed 2014 Medicare Payment Schedules The therapy cap and its application to critical access hospitals, PQRS, incident-to billing, MPPR, functional claims-based data collection, and OPPS adjunct bundling services are among the issues APTA addressed in comments last week to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS). The comments were in response to Medicare's 2014 payment proposals for the physician fee schedule (View APTA comments.), clinical laboratory fee schedule, other revisions to Medicare Part B payment, and the hospital outpatient prospective and ambulatory surgical center payment systems (OPPS) (View APTA comments.). The full comments are posted on www.apta.org and highlights are summarized below. For the physician fee schedule, clinical laboratory fee schedule, and other revisions to Part B for 2014, which were announced July 19, APTA made these recommendations: Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) CMS should not permanently apply the therapy cap to critical access hospitals. CMS can and should continue to interpret congressional intent to treat hospitals and CAHs in the same manner in the application or nonapplication of the therapy caps. Multiple Procedure Payment Reduction (MPPR) CMS should mitigate the impact of the MPPR cuts, including no longer applying the MPPR across multiple therapy disciplines and working with Congress on long-term reform of the payment system. Incident-to Billing Provisions CMS should ensure that its proposal requiring individuals who perform incident-to services to meet state requirements is included in the final rule. Physician Quality Reporting System (PQRS) CMS should not increase the number of required individual measures for successful reporting in 2014 from 3 to 9. Medicare should continue to allow measures groups, such as the back pain measure group, to be reported via claims-based reporting. CMS should not eliminate claims-based reporting in 2017. Medicare should allow measures 126 and 127 (diabetic foot and ankle care measures) to continue to be reported via claims-based reporting. Qualified Clinical Data Registry Requirements CMS should extend the deadline for registries to qualify for 2015 data collection from January 1, 2014, to April 1, 2014. A registry should not have to publically report detailed descriptions on measures under development, as the details might not yet be final. For new registries, the number of measures required for reporting should be 3 instead of 9. Public data reporting should not be required at the outset and should be vetted through a validation process prior to public release. Functional Limitation Data Reporting Recommendations APTA expressed concerns about the absence of 1 standardized tool to measure patient function. Providers should be able to demonstrate patient complexity via use of a modifier such as "low," moderate," or "high." In the future CMS should consider permitting providers to report functional limitation data through other mechanisms, such as registries or electronic health records, in addition to claims. In the acute care hospital setting, CMS should consider exempting from reporting observation status patients and Part A patients rebilled under Part B, as these patients do not exemplify the typical outpatient therapy episode of care. For patients who did not have a formal discharge, CMS should change the episode definition from 60 days from the last date of service to 30 days. ICF categories should be expanded in future years. CMS, APTA, and other key stakeholders should collaborate to develop a standardized core data set for functional limitation reporting. Ultimately, CMS should reform the payment system for outpatient therapy to a per-session system based on severity and intensity. For OPPS, APTA recommended that CMS remove physical therapy services provided by qualified physical therapists and physical therapist assistants from the list of potential adjunctive services included in the new 29 comprehensive APCs. APTA also recommended the removal of the direct supervision requirement for outpatient therapeutic services in CAHs under OPPS because it is burdensome, unnecessary, and not based on clinical need. Comments Any changes in 2014 for therapy service's for CAH's? Posted by george fitton on 12/6/2013 1:48 PM


text:
Frequently Asked Questions
Are there any special informational meetings or workshops I can attend to learn more about Sociology?
There are no regularly scheduled meetings or workshops. Students interested in declaring Sociology as a major should go the Department Office, Stevenson Hall 2084.
Who can I speak with in your department to learn more about this major?
The department staff can provide basic information about the major, but students interested in the major should bring specific questions to an advisor.
Who can I speak with in your department about my interest in declaring this major?
Contact the Sociology Department at 707-664-2561 or a faculty advisor.
Is there a GPA requirement for declaring this major?
Yes, there is an overall minimum 2.5 GPA requirement.
Is there any special application process to declare this major?
Yes, a prospective major needs to see a faculty advisor, fill out the declaration of major form, and they will also need to sign the department major agreement. Students hoping to declare a Sociology major should bring a copy of their Academic Advising Report (ARR) and any other documentation they think will be useful when meeting with a faculty advisor.
Is there a deadline every semester to declare this major?
No; however, with the exception of General Education courses, all Sociology Courses are restricted to majors and minors only, so students wishing to take Sociology courses should declare well in advance of registration so that the change of major form can be processed at Admissions and Records.
Are there other required criteria?
You must also have completed a Sociology course with a C- or above.
What prerequisites, if any, do I need to have completed before I can declare this major?
You must have an overall GPA of a 2.5 or higher as well as previously completed a Sociology course with a C- or above.
Do I need to be eligible for GE English and Math before I take your major pre-requisites?
Once I am declared, what classes will I need to take?
Students can refer to the Major Advising Worksheet. They should also consult with a faculty advisor every semester.
What career paths are available to people who major in this subject?
Take a look at our Jobs and Careers page
If I am currently declared and interested in changing my major, is there any course work from my current major that would count toward the new major I am interested in?
Only courses crosslisted with the Sociology Department. See an advisor for more information.
Once I decide this major will I have an advisor?
No advisor will be assigned. Students can consult with any faculty advisor.
Are there any highly recommended GE courses for this major?
Yes. Sociology 375: Classical Sociological Theory is a required course for the major.
What courses are restricted to majors/minors?
Soci 300: Sociological Research Methods; Methods Seminars and Soci 498: Senior Seminar. In addition, all non-GE courses are restricted to majors and minors, but may be available depending on enrollments.
Are there specific concentrations in this major?
What is required for a minor?
Sociology 201 (3 units) and an additional 17 elective Sociology units for a total of 20 units.
Can I work with a faculty advisor if I declare a minor?

subset: commoncrawl


text:
The annual Harbin International Ice and Snow Sculpture Festival has been held since 1963. It had been interrupted for a number of years during the Cultural Revolution, until it was resumed in 1985.
Harbin, the capital of Heilonjiang province of China, it is one of the main sources of ice and snow culture in the world. Geographically, it is located in Northeast China under the direct influence of the cold winter wind from Siberia. The average temperature in summer is 21.2 degrees Celsius, -16.8 degrees Celsius in the winter. It can be as cold as -38.1 degrees Celsius in the winter.
|Niagra falls sculpture
The festival lasts the whole month. However the exhibits often open earlier and stay longer, weather permitting. Ice sculpture decoration technology ranges from the modern (using lasers) to traditional (with ice lanterns). There are ice lantern park touring activities held in many parks throughout the city. Winter activities in the festival include Yabuli alpine skiing, winter swimming in the Songhua River, and the ice lantern exhibition in Zhaolin Garden.
The 2007 festival featured a Canadian theme, in memoriam of Canadian doctor Norman Bethune. It was also a Guinness Record of the largest snow sculpture: over 500 feet long and 28 feet high, using over 13,000 cubic meters of snow. The composition consisted of two parts: "Niagara Falls" and "Crossing the Bering Strait" (the latter depicting the migrations of the First Nations).
Swing saws are used to carve ice into blocks, taken from the frozen surface of the Songhua River. Chisels, ice picks and various types of saws are then are used by the ice sculptors to carve out large scaled ice sculptures, many of them intricately designed and worked on all day and night prior to the commencement of the festival. Deionized water can also be used, producing ice blocks as transparent as glass to make clear sculptures rather than translucent ones. Multicolored lights are also used to give color to the ice, creating variations on sculptured spectacles when lit up especially at night. Some ice sculptures made in previous years include: buildings and monuments of different architectural types and styles. Figures include animals, people and mythical creatures,there is also some slippery dips, ice slides and lanterns. Apart from winter recreational activities available in Harbin, these exquisitely detailed, mass produced ice sculptures are the main draw in attracting tourists from around the world to the festival.


text:
February 27, 2005
Go to
our forums
to discuss this article
That sucking sound you hear
is NASCAR
fighting off Tony George in bankruptcy court, the fact that Champ Car had a 2004
season at all was a story in itself. But that doesn't mean Champ Car is out of the
woods yet. Most forms of racing in the USA are barely keeping their head
above water because of the juggernaut called NASCAR. That sucking sound they
hear whistling past their ear isn't a 4-barrel Holley Carburetor, it's the NASCAR
vacuum consuming sponsor dollars at an alarming rate.
Fresh off settling an out of court
antitrust lawsuit by SMI stockholder Ferko claiming that by owning NASCAR as well
as race tracks, the France family was acting like a monopoly by favoring race
dates for its tracks over others, charges of antitrust still loom over NASCAR's
One can argue that NASCAR didn't
become a monopoly because of underhanded business dealings, but because 1) It's a
well-oiled, well-run business that understands its customers. 2) Indy Car
Racing used to be #1 in the USA. Not anymore. The destruction of Indy
Car Racing by Tony George when he created the IRL and split the sport has just
made NASCAR's rise to the top that much easier.
Did the Frances support Tony when he
wanted to create the IRL? You bet they did. In 1994 NASCAR came to
Indy Car's holy grail, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, and a year later Tony
George announced the formation of the IRL just when CART was at its peak. It also
led to a partnership between the Hulman-George family and the Frances (ISC) on new
superspeedway tracks in Kansas and Chicago. Together they formed a term we
coined the 'oval-track cartel.'
The IRL would race on many of the
traditional NASCAR tracks with the hope of developing the IRL into the NASCAR of
open wheel racing - close, artificially contrived side-by-side racing. It
was thought the NASCAR fans would fall in love with the IRL too and the Frances
and Tony would have another avenue to make fistfuls of money. And more
importantly, Tony George would become the Bill France of Indy Car Racing.
Nice idea, but as we all know, it
failed miserably.....at least for Tony George it did. His dreams of making
the IRL the biggest most successful racing series in the world have crashed and
burned right along with the IRL's plummeting TV ratings and miniscule paid race
attendance. The split caused a bitter war within the open wheel ranks that
still festers today.
The end result was that the IRL opened
up a gaping hole in the middle line of open wheel racing and NASCAR raced to the
winning touchdown unabated. The France family couldn't have come up with a
better divide-and-conquer strategy if they tried. Tony George handed them
the keys to the palace on a silver tray.
With huge TV ratings and sponsors
clamoring to get on the quarter panel of every NASCAR Cup car and driver uniform,
how do the others survive when they are fractured and watered-down? Indy Car
Racing remains divided between the IRL and Champ Car, Sports Car Racing is divided
between ALMS and Grand-Am, and Drag Racing is divided between the NHRA and IHRA.
TV ratings for all other forms of
motorsports in the USA are so low, most are now time-buys and what sponsors they
did have are drawn to NASCAR's popularity.
To satisfy NASCAR's appetite for
increasing amounts of money the France family has begun to tap sponsors in
non-racing sports and it's looking to expand the sport globally.
Can Champ Car and others survive?
Champ Car team owners strategy of testing a whole slew of drivers in the
off-season with the hope that one of them will come up with the sponsorship to
field one of their cars for 2005 isn't bearing much fruit. Jaroslav Janis is the
latest driver to opt out of Champ Car. He made his International F3000 debut with Nordic midway through 2001, and
returned to that championship in 2003 with PSM after finishing third in Euro3000
in 2002. Last year he raced in the DTM. The drivers were announced in a press
conference in Janis' native Czech Republic.
Being run on a shoestring budget at the moment, Champ Car is doing almost zero
promotion of its series, hence is largely invisible to not only the American
public, but especially the European media and European sponsors. Hence, the series
is finding it difficult to land a title sponsor and teams are finding it difficult
to land primary/title sponsors, both from the USA and abroad.
Collectively NASCAR and F1 sponsors spend hundreds of millions of dollars annually
to promote their drivers, teams and F1. NASCAR itself spends over $1/4 billion a
year of promotion/advertising of its series. In contrast, Champ Car spends as
close to zero as it can to just keep the series afloat, hence finding sponsorship
has been difficult for all.
This is of course a case of which comes first, the chicken or the egg? Champ Car
needs to spend money, and a lot of it, to get the world to realize it exists and
emerge from the dark shadows of NASCAR. That
will in turn get the attention of other sponsors who will enter the series.
Success breeds success.
Where that injection of cash will come from to kick-start
a major Champ Car promotional effort remains to be seen. To date, its two primary
sponsors - Ford and Bridgestone, have done the bare minimum in their promotion of
their product around Champ Car. Whereas sister company Firestone runs ads for the
IRL all the time, it's rare that we see anything out of Bridgestone for Champ Car.
One ad did appear late last year, When was the last time you saw a Ford TV
commercial or newspaper ad featuring a Champ Car or one of its drivers?
As we saw with FedEx when it was the series sponsor, landing the sponsor is one
thing, getting them to activate their advertising to include the Champ Car series
is quite another. As NASCAR had in Winston, Champ Car needs a major title sponsor
that will not not only pay them a fee, but more importantly, market the heck out of its product
using Champ Car as the vehicle.
The same can be said for the IRL,
ALMS, Grand-Am and others - solving the chicken vs. egg promotion/advertising
dilemma while staying out from under the NASCAR steamroller is the issue they must
contend with every day.
The author can be contacted at
Go to
to discuss this article
Archived Editorials
More than meets the eye with CART's turbo move
It's time for CART to define its own future
Key upgrades at Road America
Back-breaking work
The rebirth of CART
The hidden costs of Indy Car racing
CART's road and street circuits click with the fans
Is it sport, or just P.T. Barnum show-biz?
Fontana - a victim of friendly fire
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Meet the Gonzalez brothers
ISC is making enemies in Miami
And the 2002 CART Champion will be….
A wakeup call for CART and the IRL
Chris Pook - making all the right moves
Promoting a race - Adelaide topped them all
AUTOCOURSE is THE CART Yearbook to have
Has anyone noticed?
Should CART race in Adelaide?
Remembering Bob Estes
2002 will be a critical year for CART and for Pook
Tongue-In-Cheek, we take out the crystal ball again
CART & IRL - it's becoming clearer where we're going
What's the holdup on Pook?
Will CART get Shanghaied?
2002 CART season shaping up just fine
CART Franchise Board fails to ratify new engines
Is Ginger just what the doctored ordered for Alex Zanardi?
Vannini plays hardball with Forsythe
Spotlight on Mexico City
Is Premier1 positioned where CART should be?
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Jim Russell Advanced Racing Course - Learning to race
CART - a stranger in a strange land
German 500 - measuring the media impact
An in-depth interview with Jonathan Vannini
CART N/A Engine/Car Update
Comparing CART and F1
Vannini advocates major overhaul to rescue CART series
Engines - There, that was easy, now let's race
Americans don't realize what they have in CART
A proposed solution to CART's engine dilemma
Ford Cosworth opens its doors
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A German's first-time CART experience
My thoughts on a variety of CART issues - by Jon Vannini
AutoRacing1 Exclusive - Is Shanghai in CART's future?
As CART goes global, what about its sponsors?
If Mexico City will get 350,000, would India get 400,000?
The inevitable globalization of CART
New CART TV deal - don't put the CART before the horse
CART in China - Why Shanghai is the best venue
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Setting the record straight on CART's German 500
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The Triple Crown - a proposal for CART's success
650HP, 750HP, 850HP, it doesn't seem to matter
Movie Review: DRIVEN
Ryan Arciero hopes to continue family dynasty
CART & IRL, a missed opportunity
Things are happening at CART
CART' Data Acquisition Systems - there's a new kid on the block.
CART's next moves will be crucial.
The greatest Long Beach GP of all-time.
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Andretti set to return to Indy
Sam Hornish wins Phoenix, de Ferran punted
Greg Ray wins Phoenix pole, deFerran 5th
CART Engines, If it ain't broke, don't fix it
And the 2001 CART Champion will be....
The HANS Device saved my fathers life
Soft walls or soft cars?
Safety- It's going to take more than just magic to fix
Safety - It's going to take more than just magic to fix
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DRIVEN is CART's best chance to become mainstream
Is CART's problem really a lack of American's?
CART vs. NASCAR - TV Coverage
Bubbas' rule auto racing
Book review - Autocourse 2000/2001
Do heroes make a sport, or does a sport make heroes
To-Do-List, for CART's new President
Lawsuits, Will Greg Moore's final legacy to racing be more than one of…….
Tire Warmers, an idea whose time has come
BrandingCART and their race cars
Will CART's next leader be a corporate visionary?
AddressingCART's TV issues
CART, do you know who you are?
Will CART miss this boat too, - Destined to shadow NASCAR?
Why the new Indy Lights cars should meet IRLspecs
SoftWalls - drivers take a stand while you still can
CART Fan Forum - Highlights from CART's very first Fan Forum
Warren Hughes - A name to remember
CART restarts - NASCAR Style
Mario Andretti Tribute - America's Driver of the Century
Shift w/o Lift- How it works
Aerodynamics- CART's chance to make progressive changes
CART's HP dilemma
Soft Walls - Finally, a safer wall system
BuddyRice deserves a shot at Champ Cars
Choices, Choices, we rate possible new CART venues
CART must avoid Detroit's politics
10ways for CART to invest $100million
Montoya and Ganassi do CART proud at Indy
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A year of progress shapes Rockingham
A solution for CART's franchise dilemma
Lausitzring nears completion, fighting hard to win CART date
Paul Tracy keeps his Kool, wins LBGP for2nd time
What is an American driver?
Warming-up at Nazareth
172mph in a Champ Car is the ultimate adrenaline rush
Standing Start Rules proposed standing start rules for CART
Standing Starts are they right for CART?
Champ Car's Minardi 2-seater is the ultimate ride
For Alex Figge and PCM it's baptism by fire
A tribute to Alfred J. Cipolloni
Champ Car owners move to silence critics
Establishing a firm foundation for Champ Car
One-on-one with Champ Car President Steve Johnson
J.R. Hildebrand is one American going places in a hurry
What's new for Champ Car for 2007 - Part 1
Champ Car positions itself for international expansion
Paul Stoddart confirms interest in Champ Car
An inside look at Champ Car TV production
Ho-Pin Tung wants to be Champ Car's first Chinese driver
Stephen King explains Justin Wilson's novel Investor's Club
One-on-one with American sensation AJ Allmendinger
Champ Car moving forward without the IRL
One-on-one with Paul Tracy
Bruce Delahorne explains CDW's sponsorship in Champ Car
One-on-one with Justin Wilson
Champ Car bosses won't be bullied
Part 2: NASCAR/ISC get dirty in Phoenix, out to destroy Open Wheel
Part 1: NASCAR/ISC get dirty in Phoenix, out to destroy Open Wheel
The Rahals: Like father, like son
Why and IRL/Champ Car merger will be a big boost for the sport
Headless Open Wheel Racing appears doomed
Richard Lyons looking at Champ Car for his next challenge
We salute the champions of 2005
Is Jay Howard the next Ayrton Senna?
Interview with Grand-Am President Roger Edmondson
Otaru, Japan Champ Car race moving closer to reality
Champ Car's global appeal may ride on mimicking the Team
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Champ Car's Surfers Paradise race promoter "gets it"
Champ Car cements another brick in its foundation
Custom built Champ Cars and Indy Cars
Interview with RuSPORT Team President Jeremy Dale
Conspiracy Theory: What Indy was really all about
Why the Champ Car/IRL war must end
How a
Champ Car and IRL merger might work
Will the battle for Long Beach destroy its Grand Prix?
Katherine Legge has her eyes set on Champ Car
Traveling Light Media - Just what the doctor ordered
Car lays out bold 3-year plan
Champ Car's 2005 driver lineup vastly improved
Hunter-Reay anxious to get racing again
with new team
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Open Wheel Racing needs a win by OWRS - Part
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The genius of one Bernard Ecclestone
CART Champ Cars, the next generation - Part 1
Details emerging on CART race in Seoul, South Korea
CART hits a Grand Slam in Mexico City. Now What?
Top-10 Challenges facing new CART owners
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For CART, time is of the essence
Making sense of CART's situation
Push-to-Pass means no more parades for CART
An interview with CART's David Clare
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CART must differentiate itself - clearly
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For CART, it's now or never
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2002 CART TV ratings by the numbers
Now is the time for CART to redefine its ladder system
CART gets a taste of tifosi passion in Mexico
affair in Mexico
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Changing of the guard?
Mom, apple pie, CART and....Formula1?
Why CART and Bernie make perfect dance partners
Miami should be a CART and ALMS kickoff party
David slays Goliath in Miami
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Taking it to the streets, why Miami is a war
CART, like the Phoenix, about to rise up from the ashes
There's more
than handwriting on the wall.....and here's the concrete facts
Day weekend 1952...A weekend I'll never forget
owners show support for CART
CART still
may be in cards for Villeneuve
Bryan Herta, USA's next best chance for F1
Is Paul
Ricard in CART's future?
CART's real attendance numbers
Is Brands
Hatch suitable for Champ Cars?
An Unappealing Appeal, George reigns in GEORGE-town
A candid
conversation with Chris Pook
More than meets the eye with CART's turbo move
It's time for CART to define its own future
upgrades at Road America
Back-Breaking work
rebirth of CART
hidden costs of Indy Car racing
CART's road and street circuits are clicking with the fans
Is it sport, or a P.T. Barnum show?
IRL at Fontana - a victim of friendly fire
CART's 2003 race venues #1 in the world
Meet the Gonzalez brothers
ISC is making enemies in Miami
Copyright 1999-2014 AutoRacing1 is an
independent internet online publication and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed
by the IRL., NASCAR, FIA, Sprint, or any other series sponsor.
This material may not be published, broadcast, or redistributed without
Copyright 1999-2014 AutoRacing1 is an
independent internet online publication and is not affiliated with, sponsored by, or endorsed
by the IRL., NASCAR, FIA, Sprint, or any other series sponsor.
This material may not be published, broadcast, or redistributed without


text:
War and Foreign Policy
Those who believe in the free and unhampered market economy should be especially skeptical of war and military action. War, after all, is the ultimate government program.
History of the Austrian School of EconomicsPhilosophy and Methodology
If you want to know what Rothbard's vision applied to contemporary America would be like in practice, you should look to Ron Paul. Dr. Paul's career in Congress, marked by his opposition to war and the Fed, is the best example of the anti-elitist free market values that Murray supported.
Decentralization and SecessionPolitical Theory
Nationalism is not a unitary, monolithic phenomenon. If it is aggressive, we should oppose it; if liberatory, we should favor it.
Taxes and Spending
Big GovernmentTaxes and SpendingFiscal TheoryInterventionism


text:
This post, written by Josh Burt, is republished with permission from The Spoiler. Go there often if you like soccer stuff.
Cricket, so long associated with mustachioed alcoholics in blazers, is starting to resemble the new rock and roll. Hence, we'll take a very brief break from football here to doff a cap to 11 Englishmen who actually managed to live up to the hype.
Bravo, chaps!
Above is a clip of their Ashes winning victory jig.


text:
Top 12 holiday marketing ideas for retail
Small Business Guides
9 min read
The holidays can be the busiest and most challenging time of the year if you're a retailer. For many businesses, it can also be the most rewarding. Here are 12 holiday marketing ideas to make the holidays work for you, not against you.
1. Establish your objectives
Do you know exactly when the holiday season is for your business? You need to be specific by defining it with a start and end date. Mark the key dates on your calendar and include all the actions you need to do. Check last year's records if you're unsure.
Think carefully about your objectives for this period. Are they:
- new customers
- more customers
- more sales (for example, revenue)
- more sales per customer
- higher spend per customer
- more loyalty (or to bring back former customers)
- more awareness
- lower costs
- or a combination of these?
Remember, it's better to focus on a few objectives and do them well. If you try and do too much, that's when problems can occur. If you're not sure about your objectives – or if they're too vague – talk to your accountant or business advisor.
2. Plan ahead and learn from last time
You can never be too prepared. Budget in advance for holiday pay and unexpected costs.
Managing your inventory effectively is fundamental to retail success. Are your suppliers reliable and available? Meet with them and be honest about what you need. Pre-order and check when your orders will arrive. Don't be afraid to order too much if you can sell it after the holidays – it's better than running out. And have backup suppliers on call for 'must have' products or services.
Have you established if there are bottlenecks in your business causing inefficiencies? These could be in areas such as:
- ordering
- processing
- delivery
- payment
- customer service (face-to-face, in-store or online).
Look closely at these parts of your retail operation. If bottlenecks already exist, they may get worse during the holiday season. Isolate the problem areas and take steps to improve efficiency.
3. Consider extra staff for busy periods
So you've set your objectives, planned ahead, met your suppliers, and your campaigns are ready to go. But you may not have enough staff to keep up with expected demand. If this is the case, hire some extra staff or arrange for casual staff to be available if needed. You can find staff by:
- putting up a sign in-store
- posting a message via social media
- asking friends, family and your employees for recommendations
- contacting recruitment agents
- placing a 'We're hiring!' message with contact details on your website.
If you have staff helping you, give them the necessary training but try not to micromanage them. They're much more likely to give you good results if you give them the autonomy to make their own decisions. Encourage your staff to share their knowledge with one another before the holiday period hits and everyone's too busy.
4. Use cost-per-click or pay-per-click advertising to build awareness
Think about holidays promotions and campaigns that will meet your holiday objectives. Holiday promotions are also a good way to move excess inventory.
Segment your audience to target your high-value customers. Target both the customers who:
- spend the most, and
- bring you the most value, for example, because they spend the most compared with the cost to sell.
Use pay-per-click (PPC) advertising to direct the right traffic to your website. PPC advertising is internet marketing where advertisers bid for the most relevant keywords or phrases people use when searching for a product. If you advertise this way, you only pay when the ad is clicked. It's a cost-effective way to bring the right people to your site at the right time. Look at Google's AdWords or Bing Ads (for MSN and Yahoo) to find out more.
5. Encourage new or existing customers to your business
Bringing in new customers to your retail business may be one of your holiday objectives. But looking after your existing customers is often just as important. If you provide great service and nurture your current customer base, they'll be happy to keep returning to your store and recommend you to others. Think about which of these ideas could work best for you:
- free samples
- discounts
- vouchers
- seasonal giveaways
- competitions
- other incentives.
6. Remember the golden rules of retail marketing campaigns
Whatever the message of your marketing campaign, always ask yourself these five questions:
- Is my campaign measurable?
Always measure your campaigns or promotions for success. Whatever you do will have a cost – in time, product or advertising – and a benefit, for example, the business you generate as a result of the campaign. Compare your costs and benefits to learn more about your most successful and unsuccessful campaigns.
- Is my campaign personalised?
One of the advantages of being a small business is that you can personalise the way you communicate with your customers and prospects. Especially before, during, and after the holiday season. Consider private and exclusive shopping events (after hours) for high-value segments.
- Is my campaign shareable?
We all know word-of-mouth is still a fantastic form of advertising. Whether it's face-to-face or online, let your customers be your advocates by running campaigns that they can share in person or via social media.
- Is my campaign reusable?
Reuse previously successful campaigns or choose campaigns that can evolve. It will save time and generate familiarity and loyalty if your customers recognise a popular promotion.
- Is my campaign professional?
Don't rush your marketing or you risk looking sloppy and unprofessional. It's better to take the time and effort to look professional. Focus on quality.
You can never be too prepared. Budget in advance for holiday pay and unexpected costs.
7. Make sure your website is up-to-date
If you're like many retailers, your website is your biggest store. It never closes and your customers can buy your product 24/7.
Always make sure your content is accurate and up-to-date. When your content is incorrect it sends a message to your customers that you don't care. And don't forget to include your physical store opening and closing hours over the holidays.
If you have a customer helpline or chat facility that's only available during certain periods, let people know. If you'll be dealing with all enquiries during a certain window of time, let people know when it is. Customers are happier to wait if you manage their expectations.
Think about how you can enhance your website. Here are some holiday marketing ideas:
- Offer your customers free shipping (especially for holidays).
- Create video or product demos.
- Offer and promote an easy returns policy.
- Up the quality of the images you use online.
- Make sure your website works on mobile – test different screens and devices.
- Test your site with real people (make sure the purchasing process is as simple as possible).
If you have a high-volume website, test that it can handle additional holiday traffic without breaking.
8. Consider co-branding or partnering opportunities
The holiday season is also a time for new opportunities. Think about like-minded retailers or businesses you could partner with for mutual benefit.
A co-branded campaign is one where both parties promote or sell a product or service together. Or each business could sell or promote the other – for example, a fitness business could offer customers a discount at a healthy food store.
9. Be clever with your digital marketing
Remember that digital marketing is much more than just your website. Be smart with your marketing and remember that clever holiday marketing ideas coupled with the right technology can be far more effective than throwing money at ill-conceived marketing campaigns.
Use social media to drive marketing. It's free and effective when done well. But don't just give people a sales pitch for your product. Instead, think about generating timely, useful and engaging conversations, for example, "What are the top three items on your Christmas shopping list this year?"
Consider other digital marketing tools like:
- blogging
- ebooks
- email newsletters
- search engine optimisation
- holiday gift guides
- product tutorials
- customer-created gift cards
- teasers for new products or services for the next holiday.
Remember to test your campaigns with a few key customers first to test the waters. People have no reason not to be honest in their feedback.
10. Remain active and positive in your community
Everyone responds positively to businesses that give back to their community. Think about worthwhile organisations you can help out. This could be done via:
- donations (money, products or goods)
- volunteering time – both you and your staff can be involved
- sponsoring community initiatives
- free products or giveaways to worthy organisations such as local schools.
11. Let technology do the work for you
Save time and money with point-of-sale, payroll, and customer relationship management software that automates tasks. Point-of-sale (POS) software helps you track and manage your retail inventory. And it can also help you sell your goods online. As a retailer, you want a robust ecommerce platform (to easily market and sell your products) that will help also help you to:
- expand your retail business online
- better track your current retail inventory
- potentially reduce your credit card processing fees.
You should already have an idea about your key audience segments. Use customer relationship management (CRM) software to gain better insights into your customer database such as who they are, how much they spend (per week, per month, per year) and how often they buy from you. You can even use it to create detailed reports, for example, which customer segments are the most valuable over time.
It's important to invest in well-designed payroll software. This will make it easy to:
- process your payroll
- pay your employees
- manage taxes
- make sure your payroll information is automatically updated in real-time.
12. Extract insights and value from your data
The better you know your customers, the better your products and services will become. Use these tools to turn information into insights:
- Google Analytics
With Google Analytics, you can create custom segments, dashboards and reports about your website to find out what's working. Get help if needed, and use the information to inform your website improvements. For example, if you can see that lots of traffic to your website is being generated from Twitter and these are sales leads, perhaps it's time to invest more time in Twitter and less in other channels.
- Social media analytics
Word-of-mouth advertising is very powerful. You need to earn the trust of your audience so they'll recommend your products or services to their friends. You may already be using Facebook, Twitter and other social platforms to connect with your customers. Social media analytics tools like Hootsuite, Sproutsocial or Buffer can help you better understand how your social media marketing efforts are paying off and identify areas for improvement.
Check out our guide The golden rules of social media for business to learn more.
When you're heading into silly season, you need to be smarter than ever
Are you feeling overwhelmed just by reading this list? Don't be. Give yourself the time to go somewhere quiet and make a list of the most important holiday marketing ideas for your business. Invest the time now in the top priorities and it will pay off down the track.
Yes, holidays can be a challenging time of the year – and usually the busiest time for many retailers. But if you do it right by planning ahead, you can turn problems into opportunities. And don't forget to schedule a holiday for yourself at a less busy time. Just make sure you plan for it in advance.
You don't have to work harder in the holidays, but you can always work smarter. Don't just say you'll survive in the holiday season, make sure you thrive.


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I like rational thought. Which is like I like Tom Gower, despite his Titans fandom. Tom (@ThomasGower) is the co-author of TotalTitans.com, a very good Titans blog, and a staff writer for Football Outsiders where he is co-writer for the weekly Scramble for the Ball. For the Football Outsiders Almanac 2011, he wrote both the Texans and the Titans chapters though next year he will be writing about a different division. He's a native Houstonian (born in Webster more specifically), and remained a fan of the Oilers after their move to Tennessee, and now lives in Chicago.
I'm used to Fisherball. I don't get this Titans team at all. Explain what you can about how the 2011 Titans team is different/same as previous years?
"When they hired Mike Munchak, who'd been on the payroll since 1983, I expected a lot of continuity. After the defensive collapse the second half of last year, it wasn't a surprise when new defensive coordinator Jerry Gray promised changes, but the offense has actually changed quite a bit.
With Chris Johnson and a former offensive lineman in Munchak as head coach, I expected the Titans the double down and exceed even Jeff Fisher's commitment to the run game. Even if the run game wasn't working, I thought they'd still run the ball into the ground. Instead, the running game hasn't worked, and they've decided instead to throw the ball all over the place and keep throwing. I had the sense they were throwing the ball a lot, especially on third down, so I ran the numbers and on 68 third downs this year, they've run the ball 6 times. On third-and-two or more, they've run the ball twice and thrown it 58 times. That's the kind of stat that just blew my mind when I sat down and figured out the numbers.
Defensively, the Titans are running a lot of 5-man fronts with rookie SLB Akeem Ayers on the line of scrimmage. They're definitely blitzing more than they did in the Jim Schwartz Era and a little more than they have the past two years, including DB blitzes and hardly-ever-succesful zone blitzes. They've also moved Cortland Finnegan to the slot in nickel situations, where he started his career, and he's helped close down some leaky angles.
The defensive line is also playing less aggressively, and the players reflect a preference for size over quickness in contrast to the previous regime (see the interminable articles on Jim Washburn and Philly's wide-9 this year). The biggest difference in results seems to be that the players, particularly the defenders in underneath zone coverage, are mostly doing a better job of being in the right place at the right time, which may be a reflection of Jerry Gray not being a raving maniac on the sidelines like Chuck Cecil was."
Any key Titans injuries?
"One of particular note: wideout Kenny Britt is out for the year. He's not the equal of Andre Johnson as a player, but I'd put his importance to the team in the same neighborhood, and possibly even greater. The offense struggled without him last year, and while they managed to beat the Browns without him, his absence was clearly felt against the Steelers. He had size, speed, knew the offense, and could do something after the catch.
The other players likely to be out this week are S Chris Hope, who's starting to show his age but good at being in the right place, and backup rookie MLB Colin McCarthy. Hope's backup Jordan Babineaux is a marginal starter who's just a guy."
What do you think are the strengths of this Titans' team?
"Matt Hasselbeck's presence at quarterback just emphasizes the Titans' deficiencies at the position the past couple years. He's good at reading opposing defenses and making quick, accurate passes in short and intermediate throws. He's been exactly what they were looking for, and provided something neither Collins nor Young could give them. If they were passing as ineffectively as they've been running, I think they'd still be a running team. Instead, they're throwing effectively.
Defensively, it's the lack of coverage busts we saw the second half of last year. I don't think they're a great defense, and a quarterback who's a plus thrower like Roethlisberger can find space against them, but they're good against non-elite quarterbacks."
And fans concerns with Titans?
"The running game was supposed to be better. I never quite understood the process by which this was supposed to occur, aside from possibly alchemy. The offensive line is a popular target of blame, and this is the third straight season the Titans have struggled to run the ball between the tackles with consistent success. Chris Johnson has compounded the problems some, continuing his previous occasional issue of looking for the big gain and being unwilling to dive forward for a couple yards. I like to think of the running game as comprehensively flawed.
Elsewhere on offense, Chris Palmer's offense puts a lot more on the receivers in terms of reading the defense and making route adjustments. Second-year wideout Damian Williams and third-year tight end Jared Cook in particular seem to have a great deal of difficulty in getting to the right place at the right time. With their mistakes, the Titans don't have a good second option on offense, and they need one.
Defensively, I think fans are mostly pretty happy with the play, though concerned about how the Steelers shredded them. There hasn't been much of a pass rush this year (they're 22nd in Football Outsiders' Adjusted Sack Rate), which will be a problem if more holes open up in the zones."
What do you think is the best way to beat the Titans?
"The Steelers had a pretty good gameplan offensively, focusing on a quick 3- and 5-step passing game designed to hit seams in zone coverage with the occasional deep shot. I'm not sure Schaub is quite the thrower Roethlisberger is, and the Texans don't have the same depth at wideout the Steelers did. I'd focus more on Arian Foster and the outside zone running game. The Titans are solid in the front seven, but they're not disruptive. The Steelers had some success with their bread-and-butter running game, and the Texans should probably do the same.
Defensively, I think you have to take away Nate Washington, which the Steelers did, and force the other guys like Cook and Williams to beat you. Sure, the Titans will try to run the ball, but it hasn't been anywhere close to a sustaining factor this year and the Titans are ill-equipped to take advantage of the Texans' weakness up the middle."
Who are some players that Texans fans may not know about who could have an impact on the game, positively or negatively?
"He's been around enough you've heard the name, but wideout Nate Washington is having the best year of his career. With Britt out, he's the one receiver who knows the offense and can be trusted to be in the right place at the right time. A lot of his success has come working inside this year.
Defensively, the guy I'll highlight is second-year defensive end Derrick Morgan, who'll be facing the Texans for the first time after missing most of his rookie season with an injury. He's not an elite edge rusher, but is a very solid player both against the run and the pass."
Any question you would like to answer that I didn't ask?
"Thank you for not asking me to make a game prediction, which I always consider a kind of silly exercise. I think especially without Johnson and Williams, these are probably two fairly evenly-matched teams, and I'm hoping for a close, competitive game that of course ends with my team winning."
Give Thanks to Tom
At this point I will say thanks to Tom for such a good preview, let's have a good game with no injuries and a Texans win. And by good game, I mean stomping a sinkhole in the Titans. Actually, Bud's stadium has had some sinkhole issues, so maybe that hits too close to home.
I'm not sure what to expect from this game other than it is likely going to be odd. Texans-Titans matchups usually have something weird happen during them.
The Game By The Numbers
Titans: Points (19th), Yards (19th) Pass offense (9th), Rush offense (32nd). Defense (9rd), Pass defense (12th), Rush defense (10th).
Texans: Points (14th), Yards (8th) Pass offense (11th), Rush offense (7th). Defense (10th), Pass defense (13th), Rush defense (13th)
Football Outsiders Efficiency Ratings (Considers per play situation compared to league average factoring in opponent–more than just total yards in conventional stats. More info at FO FAQs page)
Titans: Overall (8th), Offense (6th), Pass offense (4th), Rush offense (28th). Defense (11th), Pass defense (14th), Rush defense (5th) , Special Teams (26th)
Texans: Overall (14th), Offense (13th), Pass offense (9th), Rush offense (20th). Defense (15th), Pass defense (10th), Rush defense (25th), Special Teams (7th)
This is a very unusual Titans-Texans matchup. It's been a while since the Titans pass offense was ranked that high–the last time the Titans had a pass offense that was ranked below 5 was 2003 when FO had them ranked 1st. May change some with the absence of Britt but if they can't figure out the run, maybe it won't.
What My Spam Commenters Say.
I get a lot of spam. I have to look at it all because sometimes things go in the spam folder that are real people comments. Every once in a while I marvel at the spammers. Like this one from "Home Colon Cleanse"
****** amazing things here. I'm very satisfied to look your article. Thanks so much and I'm taking a look ahead to touch you. Will you kindly drop me a e-mail?
Just spam? Perhaps not. Maybe it is thoughtful words suggesting the Texans and their fans need an enema. It's my belief, however that 1. Colon Cleansing products are unhealthy, unregulated and who knows what stuff they put in them; 2. Colon Cleansing that can write a blog is disturbing; 3. And, without a doubt or reservation, I can tell you emphatically that I do not want it anywhere near my colon nor do I wanting it to touch me or correspond with it, no matter how complimentary or profanely it asks.
Random Writing You Might Be Interested in Not From Spammers.
If this post wasn't long enough for you, you can find more of my stuff elsewhere at:
Titans Blog: Know Your Enemy: Houston Texans This is a brief overview of what I think of the Texans right now.
National Football Post: Friday Forecast This is a team-by-team look at injuries and key things for each game. Nice seeing the different perspectives.
What Does The Word "Titans" Mean? An informative, educational YouTube video I directed/wrote years ago. It contains adult content because well, the origins of Bud Adams' team is vulgar and disgusting. I didn't make this up. This is truthful though likely not nearly as yucky as a portrayal by actual actors with blood and stuff. The way I figured it, win or lose, at least Texans fans don't have Bud Adams as an owner or have a team named after something yucky.
Bonus stuff I didn't write: Tom's writeup at Total Titans about the Texans after watching the last two Texans games I think is pretty fair, and highlights matchup issues with this upcoming game.
Your Prediction.
I've already predicted unpredictable weirdness for this game because that is what usually happens between the teams. Do the running games for each team return to their relative forms? Do the quarterbacks get teed off on? Does Finnegan pull a Finnegan? Will the Texans offense return to form in general? Is it a defensive game? A track meet? A blowout? A game that comes down the 4th quarter? No idea. I agree with Tom that the teams without Britt, Johnson, Williams make it more of a even fight.


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By Father Scott M. Lewis, SJ
Special to Catholic News Service
We have all seen the Holy Thursday scene so many times: a few embarrassed-looking parishioners in front of the congregation with their shoes off and an alb-clad priest trying to wash their feet without stumbling or falling. Everyone seems relieved when it is over.
But the footwashing that Jesus performed in chapter 13 of John was not intended to give us another liturgical ritual. It was supposed to be a paradigm for authentic Christian life.
Washing the feet of the guests was considered the lowest task in a household and no Jewish slave would ever be asked to do it. So when Jesus puts a towel around himself and begins to wash their feet we can imagine their shocked and stunned silence. There are echoes of Philippians 2:1-11 –- assuming the condition of a slave –- as Jesus begins his task.
The synoptic Gospels portray the disciples squabbling among themselves at the Last Supper about who is the greatest. John considers this question so important that he is willing to omit the institution of the Eucharist in order to relate this scene. But the footwashing will illustrate love to the limit and can be seen as an interpretation of the meaning of Eucharist rather than a replacement.
Peter's objections are often thought to reflect humility or feelings of unworthiness. That may be the case but there is another possibility. Peter might have seen all too clearly what Jesus was doing and was struggling to come to terms with it. The paradigm that Jesus mimes for them is one of renunciation of status, honor, and ego and runs counter to human values and human societies. This was an essential element of spirituality in the early Christian communities. No wonder Peter was squirming. But Jesus was adamant and uncompromising: unless I wash your feet you can have no share with me!
As Jesus dons his robe again, he recognizes that only later will they understand what he has just done. He is teacher and lord, and if he is willing to serve others in what is considered the lowliest way without feeling slighted or diminished then how much more should his disciples?
Humility has a bad reputation — understandably so — because of how it is often invoked to oppress and control others. The humility that Jesus models is not one of subordination or domination. New Testament scholar Sandra Schneiders describes this as a "radical new order of human relationships" between equals. Disciples are invited to draw their sense of worth and honor from their relationship with Jesus Christ and the love which they share with one another.
At the conclusion of the supper he gives them a "new" commandment: "Love one another, as I have loved you." Chapter 15 will clarify the manner of this love: No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. Love alone is to be the identifying sign of the Christian disciple, not what one eats, drinks, or wears, nor the manner of ritual and prayer.
In what sense is this commandment new? Christianity did not invent love. When Jesus refers to love of God and neighbor as the greatest commandment in the other three Gospels he quoted from Deuteronomy and Leviticus. But it is new in the sense that it is the first and essential commandment given by Jesus in the new age that he has inaugurated by his incarnation, ministry, death, and resurrection.
The spirituality that Jesus invites us to follow in every aspect of our lives is a continual letting go of pride, fear, and desire for honor, power, and recognition. In its place we should be eager to lay down our "life" (ego, selfishness, and personal advantage) for the sake of others.


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50 Cent, Lloyd Banks, & Tony Yayo Performing "Get Up" At The 2008 VGA Awards
50 Cent's performance at the VGA awards
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Well roared, compañeros!
In León, Sandinista veterans keep the history of revolution and insurrection alive
Gusts of wind blast through the tall, glassless windows of the Museo de la Revolución in León, shaking up history in the process. Dead leaves and sand rustle on the worn tiles of the museum hall and, finally, some of the faded information boards come crashing down from the pale pink walls. Marcelo Leonel Pereira, 56, nom de guerre Oscar, holds on to his black beret, which sports two silver star pins and a black-and-red striped flag, and drops his wooden pointer stick. The history of Nicaragua's glorious revolution on the ground? Never! Pereira kneels and gathers up the yellowing photos and newspaper clippings, restoring order to the past. A past he helped to create, and which now lives on in the former Palace of Justice.
This is where, separated by a narrow lane from the Parque Central at the heart of Léon, the museum opened its now badly peeling wooden doors in 1990. The soul of the revolution breathes here, spreading far beyond the square with its venerable, shady sycamore trees; it is present in the flag of the Sandinista National Liberation Front, and it celebrates its heritage
on the brilliant white façade of the city hall, which proclaims in proud black letters: "León. The first city in Nicaragua to be liberated."
León was founded in 1524 by the Spanish Conquistador Francisco Hernández de Córdoba, 30 kilometers away from its present site. When Momotombo volcano erupted 100 years later, the original city was wiped out and rebuilt further west. León features classic colonial architecture: squat houses, streets that follow a rigid grid pattern, monumental churches. The ruins of León Viejo are a UNESCO World Heritage Site, a listing that the new León (population 150 000 and the second-largest city in the Central American nation) also fully deserves.
The treaty giving Nicaragua independence from Spain was signed in León in 1821. The famous poet Rubén Darío penned his passionate verses here at the end of the 19th century, while drinking himself to death with equal passion. In León the poet Rigoberto López Pérez shot the dictator Anastasio Somoza García in 1956. This is León's heritage: a city of intellectuals, of artists – and of fighters. Always rebellious, always on the side of liberty. Nowhere else in Nicaragua is the history of revolution so closely entwined with a city's soul.
Few people are as familiar with the scenes of historic events as Oscar. He commanded the 80-man battalion Arlen Siu, named for the revolution's first female martyr, and was a revolutionary in the "First War," which is how Oscar refers to the revolution of 1978 and 1979, when farmers and students fought against the dictatorship of the infamous Somoza clan. But the clan fought back: Supported by the U.S., the old regime retaliated against the Sandinistas under Daniel Ortega, who is still the country's president. That was the Second War, and Oscar was also part of it, this time as a patriotic defender of his native León in the battle against the soldiers of the Contras. His battle cry has always been "For the liberty of Nicaragua!," which he shouts through the museum's echoing hall, raising a clenched fist in the air.
It was also during his years as a freedom fighter that he gained his two stars – trophies he cut from the epaulettes of the two soldiers killed in the brief skirmish that followed their ambush on his unit. Oscar has been Marcelo Pereira again for a good forty years. And instead of making history, he makes it come alive, together with eight old comrades-in-arms, who are now colleagues. For 50 córdoba admission – the equivalent of 1.60 euros or under two dollars.
Pereira's jeans are stained, his shoes are worn down, but his T-shirt with the face of guerilla leader Augusto César Sandino is spotless. He guides small groups of tourists and school groups through the columned hall of the museum. None of the veterans has gotten rich, a feat that only a few particularly zealous party officials managed to achieve. And that's probably why a museum tour is a little like an improvised performance.
Solidaridad! Libertad! Victoria!
Some of Pereira's colleagues tie the red bandana of the revolutionaries over their mouths and gallop around the rooms with an old bazooka between their legs, others pretend to lob fake Molotov cocktails. Oscar prefers to recount the highlights of his years as a freedom fighter, the index finger of his right hand pointing upwards. His slogans are his ammunition: "Solidaridad! Libertad! Victoria!" he thunders, until even he bursts out laughing.
Anyone interested in discovering the traces of the revolution elsewhere in the city can simply ask the group sitting in the museum courtyard. For the equivalent of eight euros, one of the "old guard" is usually prepared to toss his cigarette away, briefly nod to the portraits of the "Liberators of Latin America" on the wall behind him and set off on a private guided tour to the gigantic domed cathedral of Léon with its accessible roof, to the walls with the enormous murals, to the portraits of the martyrs of the revolution, to the Park of Poets, and to houses that seem like shrines, where candles illuminate busts and inscriptions.
Despite its bloody history, the main danger in León today is the blistering sun. Like the rest of Nicaragua, the provincial capital is safe, but mainly visited by backpackers and intrepid tourists. However, there is a definite sense that while León still lives in a proud past, it is also vigorously moving forward. The streets that once saw bitter battles now house tattoo studios and restaurants, and fashion from all around the world is sold in the shops and stalls at the converted market hall.
Anyone wanting to take a look at the future of the city can stroll under the colonnades of the university, the starting point of the revolution. From here the students took to the streets in 1978 and gathered against Somoza's troops. Today, the students work alone on their laptops instead of collectively planning a revolution. When they gather, it's usually at the basketball court on Cancha 23 de Julio square, named in memory of the students shot during the uprising that was suppressed in summer 1959.
In front of a gigantic mural, the city's youngsters meet to skateboard and race their BMX bikes, with the truncheon-wielding police and fleeing students providing a backdrop for their latest stunts. Maria Lopez is one of these skaters. The slight 21-year-old expertly jumps ramps and steps, and seems to be light years away from the passions of the past. Although the city has officially permitted them to use the square and some streets as a skate course, the older generation can sometimes be "narrow-minded" and does not have enough sympathy for the wishes of the young. The battle today is not for liberty, but for jobs – which are difficult to find in Nicaragua. Almost as important is the question of who's DJing this evening at the Kush Bar or Café ViaVia. In nighttime León, choosing between salsa, merengue and bachata is a tough decision.
The old revolutionary Pereira and his pals don't want to dance, preferring to spend the evening with a bottle of the local Flor de Caña rum in one of the comedors, the simple restaurants along the city's narrow streets. New worries leach into the old anecdotes: a rumor that a five-star hotel will be moving into their beloved museum, but there's still hope. While the central location may be an investor's dream, the compañeros aren't prepared to give it up without a fight. For Pereira the situation is perfectly clear: "If the city ignores our demands for compensation and a new location for the museum then we'll burn the building down. Even if we lay down our lives in the process!" The fight remains the same – only the opponents change.
What to see and do in Léon
Natural show
Nicaragua has nearly two dozen volcanos, some of them active.
Heavenly sleep
El Convento is a luxury hotel in a former monastery.
French connection
Delicious croissants and café au lait in Central America.


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WASHINGTON (Reuters) - At least two U.S. states running their own Obamacare health insurance exchanges expect new insurers to enter their marketplaces and bolster competition in 2015, officials said on Friday.
Kynect, which is Kentucky's marketplace, and the Rhode Island Health Benefits Exchange have had separate talks about 2015 with health insurers that could opt to join the online marketplaces set up under President Barack Obama's healthcare reform law. Kentucky also expects an expansion of physician networks available within current plans.
Increased competition would increase consumer choices and tend to put downward pressure on health insurance cost trends. It could also help ensure the future of Obama's Affordable Care Act, which depends on the success of new online marketplaces.
Kentucky and Rhode Island are among states with the most successful Obamacare launches. Obama himself highlighted Kentucky's performance in his State of the Union address on Tuesday.
Each state also has only a small number of insurers. Kynect currently has three insurers and has enrolled more than 44,000 people in private plans since its October 1 launch. The Rhode Island exchange, with two insurers for individual consumers, has enrolled about 12,000 people.
It was not clear whether more competition would be in the offing for other states with their own exchanges or the federal government, which runs a marketplace for 36 states that have chosen not to operate their own.
"We expect our number of carriers to certainly grow and our networks to become more robust," said Audrey Haynes, a one-time aide to former President Bill Clinton who is now secretary of the Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services.
Christine Ferguson, director of the Rhode Island exchange, predicted an expansion would result from insurer interest in individuals and small-business employees. "We are definitely in conversations with other carriers to come in. And I think we'll be successful with that," she said.
Both women were speaking to reporters at an event hosted by the nonprofit Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, which tracks healthcare trends.
Healthcare marketplaces, which began operating in all 50 states and the District of Columbia on January 1, allow consumers who lack coverage to purchase private health insurance, often at federally subsidized rates.
But a botched autumn launch of the federal marketplace and lagging enrollment among younger adults have raised concerns about the success of the marketplaces, with critics predicting big increases in costs down the road.
Haynes said officials in Kentucky had spoken to managed care plans owned by larger national insurance companies. "We've heard that they want to come into the market," she said.
California, which operates the nation's largest state-run healthcare exchange, has 13 insurers and has enrolled more than 625,000 people through private plans since October 1.
The state has barred new insurers from entering its marketplace in 2015, but officials say they are confident about the current roster of insurers.
"All of the plans with Covered California are really recognizing that this is a long-term play and are looking at things like benefit design, how do we improve the benefits," Peter Lee, executive director of the California exchange, told the same forum.
Reporting by David Morgan; Editing by Tom Brown


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In the comments of my post on EMR and EHR titled EHR Vendors Using EHR Certification Excuse, Jeff offered a frank comment about the realities EHR vendors face in this current climate:
I went through EHR certification for a EHR product – for the sake of this discussion it can remain nameless as you can insert any EHR name and it will share the same issues. The process was cumbersome and I agree is not worthwhile for our clients. However at least 90% of our clients were requesting it and all of our sales pipelines say they required it. The interaction you describe I have had. I don't think it's the fault of us as a vendor as much as the short sightedness of the committee that created the certification rules. We had to implement fields/screens/buttons that served no purpose in the type of practice we supplied our software to. That did not matter to the certification proctor, we had to show it or we failed and lost a lot of money. Getting certified threw off our development cycle at least 6 months. During that time we had to push off many good customer requested enhancements. In hindsight would our customers prefer we did not get certified – probably, but could our company take a chance at not being able to renew contracts or get new sales. No way, not for a government mandated push.
This reminds me of a video I recently saw that asked the question, "What do we want EHR certification to do?" The problem here is that I think everyone has a different answer to that question. Until we define what EHR certification should really accomplish, it's hard to make criteria that are beneficial and easy to understand. In the rush to meet the regulatory requirements I think we missed creating the bigger vision of why we're doing EHR certification at all. That's why we're where we're at today.


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Original URL: https://www.theregister.com/2007/12/03/tjx_settlement_agreement/
TJX agrees to pay banks $41m to cover Visa losses
Up to 100 million accounts stolen
Posted in The Channel, 3rd December 2007 22:08 GMT
TJX, the US retailing giant, has agreed to reimburse banks nearly $41m in losses stemming from the theft of as many as 100 million credit- and debit-card accounts in the world's largest data breach.
The tentative deal, which still must be approved by issuers representing 80 per cent of affected Visa cards, calls for TJX to pay up to $40.9m in costs for reissuing cards and covering fraud losses. TJX, parent company of Marshalls, TJ Maxx and other stores, also agreed to promote security standards that issuers have long tried to get merchants to adopt.
In return, banks agree not to sue TJX or its partners and Visa will suspend a portion of the fines it levied against TJX as a result of the breach.
The settlement, which was announced here, came a day after some 300 banks suing TJX lost their bid to have the lawsuit treated as a class action, a status that would have greatly lowered the cost of pursuing the case.
Visa is the largest payment card network. TJX has yet to disclose a deal with MasterCard, which also sustained losses as a result of the breach.
In January, TJX revealed that intruders penetrated its network defenses and over a 17-month span stole personal information relating to 45.7 million accounts. Evidence presented in the banks' lawsuit suggested the number of accounts exposed in the heist was actually 100 million.
TJX has been roundly criticized for running a network that was riddled with security holes. Among other things, the company protected wireless networks with Wired Equivalent Privacy, an encryption scheme that can be broken in less than an hour using off-the-shelf hardware and software. ®


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Start Slideshow
- Kilmore House-IntermodeThe Kilmore House is a striking home set on a large ranch to the north of Melbourne, Australia near the site of the Ash Wednesday fires. Designed by Intermode (the prefab arm of Carr Design), the home is a prototype of the firm's modular, modern home concept. Composed of a series of modular pavilions, the Kilmore House makes use of efficient prefab construction, solar passive design and rainwater collection while creating a strong connection with the landscape.1
- Kilmore House-IntermodeIntermode's housing model makes use of a variety of pre-designed modules that can be joined together to create homes customized for clients' needs.2
- Kilmore House-IntermodeAll homes are based around a 1,200 mm spine wall that contains all the utilities and storage areas freeing up the other elevations for flexible living areas and glazing.3
- Kilmore House-IntermodeIntermode's modules include a variety of bedrooms, bathrooms, studies, play rooms, living rooms and kitchens that can be lined up together to create one long house or grouped pavilion style. The Kilmore House has a combination of linear configurations and groupings to create the 5 bedroom, 3 bath home.4
- Kilmore House-IntermodeLocated on a 500 acre cattle ranch in Kilmore to the north of Melbourne, the home enjoys a strong connection with the landscape.5
- Kilmore House-IntermodeFloor to ceiling glazing takes in the views and sunlight, while deep overhangs protect it from overheating.6
- Kilmore House-IntermodePassive solar design is combined with renewable timber resources, extensive water storage, high performance walls, roof and glazing systems to create an efficient home.7
- Kilmore House-IntermodeWhile definitely on the higher end of the prefab market, Intermode's goal is to build modular home solutions that offers clients elegant, top end design principles at a predictable cost and within a predictable time frame.8


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Venus Cupid Aphrodite Eros Ancient Greek and Roman Coins
Coins of the Goddess of Love and her Winged "Angel" of Love
Venus is the Roman equivalent of the Greek goddess Aphrodite. Cupid is the Roman version of the Greek Eros. Both of these colorful characters played significant roles in history. It was the judgement of Paris, naming Aphrodite the "fairest of them all" whom granted him the love of Helen; whose love launched the Trojan war depicted in the Iliad and the Odyssey. Other colorful characters of history such as Julius Caesar had Venus as the patron deity and claimed decent from the goddess herself. Both Venus and Cupid have been depicted on ancient coins of the ancient Greeks and Romans stretching from the B.C. times to even the mid-to-late Roman empire. She was the mother of the Roman people through the link to her son Aeneas who fled Troy. Her functioned included those of beauty, sex, love, fertility and desire.
Cupid, Greek Eros, translating from Latin word "Cupido" which means "desire" is the god of erotic love, affection, desire and attraction in Roman mythology. He is often depicted together with his mother the goddess Venus.
See an amazing collection of ancient coins depicting her and search for coins that depict both her and Cupid.
Coins Available for Sale:
- See all coins of the Roman goddess Venus
- See all coins of the Greek goddess Aphrodite
- See all coins of the Roman god Cupid
- See all coins of the Greek god Eros
Authentic Ancient Greek & Roman Coins Featuring Venus Aphrodite Cupid Eros
Roman Republic JULIUS CAESAR Family VENUS CUPID Mark Antony Silver Coin i46293
Silver Denarius 16mm (3.87 grams) Rome mint, circa 103 B.C.
Reference: Julia 4; B.M.C. 1405, esc.; Syd. 593; Craw. 320/1
Head of Mars left, CAESAR behind, letter and dots above.
Venus Genetrix in biga left, drawn by two Cupids, before them lyre, letter and dots above, L . IVLI . L . F in exergue.
Family member of Caesar the dictator. Grandfather of Mark Antony. The Julia gens claimed it's decent from Venus herself.
Roman Republic Julius Caesar Family Venus Silver Ancient Coin CONSIDIA 7 i45466
Silver Denarius 20mm (3.60 grams) Rome mint, circa 46 B.C.
Reference: Considia 7; B.M.C. 4090; Syd. 993; Craw. 465/4
PAETI behind head of Venus left, diademed and laureate.
Victory in quadriga left, holding wreath and palm, C . CONSIDI in exergue.
PLAUTILLA Caracalla Wife 202AD VENUS CUPID Ancient Silver Roman Coin i46570
Silver Denarius 20mm (3.52 grams) Rome mint: 202-205 A.D.
Reference: RIC 369 (Caracalla), S 7074, BMC 429 –
PLAVTILLA AVGVSTA – Draped bust right.
VENVS VICTRIX – Venus standing left, leaning on shield, holding apple and cradling palm; Cupid to lower left.
Venus in Chariot with Cupid 106BC Ancient Silver Roman Republic Coin i41974
Silver Denarius 20mm (3.80 grams) Rome mint, circa 106 B.C.
Reference: Memmia 2; B.M.C. 1329-46; Syd. 574; Craw. 313/1b
Laureate head of Saturn left, letter or letter and dot below chin, harpa and ROMA behind.
Venus in biga right, Cupid flies above, L . MEMMI / GAL in exergue.Venus was the tutelary divinity of the Memmia gens.
JULIA DOMNA Silver Ancient Authentic Roman Coin VENUS Fertility Cult i26637
Silver Denarius 19mm (2.97 grams) Rome mint 196-211 A.D.
Reference: RIC 580 (Septimius Severus), C 198
IVLIAAVGVSTA – Draped bust right.
VENVSFELIX – Venus standing left, holding apple and pulling dress.
Roman Republic 46BC Silver Coin Julius Caesar Family Gemini Venus Cult i28585
Silver Denarius (21mm, 3.65 gm.) Rome mint: 46 B.C.
Reference: Cordia 1; S-440.Cr463/1. Syd 976. RSC-(Cordia)-1.
Conjoined heads of the Dioscuri right, each wearing pileus surmounted by star, RVFVS III VIR behind and below. MN . CORDIVS behind Venus Verticordia standing left, holding scales & scepter, Cupid on her shoulder.
Galeria Valeria 310AD Ancient Roman Coin VENUS Sexual love Cult i44272
Bronze Follis 25mm (5.44 grams) Heraclea mint: 310 A.D.
Reference: RIC 50 (Heraclea)
GALVALERIAAVG – Diademed, draped bust right.
VENERIVICTRICI Exe: */HTΔ – Venus standing left, holding apple and raising skirt.
CARACALLA Silver Antoninianus Ancient Roman Coin 'Venus the Victorious' i46769
Silver Antoninianus 24mm (4.66 grams) Struck circa 198-217A.D.
Reference: RIC 311d
ANTONINVSPIVSAVGGERM – Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right.
VENVSVICTRIX – Venus standing left, holding Victory and spear with shield.
Roman Republic C. Norbanus 83BC Rare Ancient Silver Coin VENUS Commerce i28514
JULIUS CAESAR Lifetime 44BC Portrait Ancient Silver Roman Coin Venus Rare i46313
Silver Denarius 19mm (3.89 grams) Struck February-March 44 B.C.
P. Sepullius Macer, moneyer
Reference: RSC 40; B. 48; B.M.C. 4175; Syd. 1074a; Craw. 480/14
CAESAR DICT PERPETVO, his laureate and veiled head right.
P . SEPVLLIVS MACER, Venus Victrix standing left, holding Victory and scepter, star set on ground to right.Probably the most famous portrait issue of Julius Caesar. This series illustrates the dictator's break with the Roman custom forbidding the depiction of living individuals on the coinage, which may have contributed to the mounting fears (perhaps justifiable in retrospect) that he wished to do away with republican institutions and establish a new personal monarchy in Rome. These fears, combined with jealousy of his success and power, led to Caesar's assassination on the Ides of March, 44 B.C. At the same time that the portrait subtly elevates Caesar's status to that of a king, it also reveals his human frailty: the laurel wreath that Caesar wears was awarded to him by the Senate, but he reportedly wore it in public at all times in order to hide a bald spot.
JULIA DOMNA Septimius Severus Wife Silver Roman Coin Venus Love Cult i24607
Silver Denarius 17mm (2.63 grams) Emesa mint: 193-196 A.D.
IVLIA DOMNA AVGV – Draped bust right.
VENERI VICTR – Nude Venus with half-covered buttocks standing right, leaning on column and with legs crossed, holding apple and palm.* Numismatic Note: Rare, type from the Emesan mint.
JULIA SOAEMIAS 220AD Elagabalus Mother Silver Roman Coin Venus Cult i21501
Silver Denarius 18mm (3.04 grams) Rome mint: 220-222 A.D.
Reference: RIC 241 (Elagabalus), S 7719
IVLIA SOAEMIAS AVG – Draped bust right.
VENVSCAELESTIS – Venus standing left, holding apple and scepter; star in right field.
JULIA MAMAEA Sestertius Big RARE Ancient Roman Coin Venus Cupid Erotic i46443
Bronze Sestertius 30mm (24.42 grams) Struck circa 222-235 A.D.
Reference: RIC 694 (Severus Alexander), BMC 190 (Severus Alexander), C 62
IVLIAMAMAEAAVGVSTA – Diademed, draped bust right.
VENERIFELICI – Venus standing right, holding scepter and Cupid; S C across fields.
APHRODISIAS in CARIA 3rdCenAD Boule Eros Cupid with Torch Greek Coin i44355
CARTEIA Spain after 44BC Ancient Greek Coin of Romans Cupid Dolphin i37417
Bronze Quadrans 18mm (4.36 grams) Struck after 44 B.C.
Reference: ACIP 2609; RPC I 116
Turreted head of Fortuna right; behind, trident.
Cupid riding dolphin right.
Antiochos VII Euergetes 138BC Ancient Seleucid Greek Coin Eros Cupid Isis i36811
Antiochos VII, Euergetes (Sidetes) – Seleucid King: 138-129 B.C.
Bronze 18mm (5.60 grams) Struck 138-129 B.C.
Reference: Sear 7098
Winged bust of Eros ( Cupid) right wreathed with myrtle.
Head-dress of Isis; on right, ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ / ANTIOXOY; on left, EYEPΓETOY; MH monogram in left field, beneath, crescent and Seleucid date ΔOP (=174=138 B.C.)
Roman Republic Maxsumus RARE Silver Coin Cupid Eros Jupiter Cult Temple i34394
Silver Denarius 19mm (3.35 grams) Rome mint: 75 B.C.
Reference: Egnatia 3; B.M.C. 3276-84; Syd. 788; Craw. 391/2
Bust of Cupid right, bow and quiver on shoulder, MAXSVMVS behind.
Jupiter and Liberty within distyle temple, C . EGNATIVS CN . F . in exergue, CN . N . on
right, number on left.
ANTIOCHUS IX Cyzicenus SELEUCID KING 112BC Rare Ancient Greek Coin i23746 EROS
Bronze 20mm (4.94 grams) Struck 112-111 B.C.
Reference: Sear 7173; SNG Israel 2743; BMC 4.94,27
Winged bust of Eros right.
Nike advancing left, holding wreath; on right ΒΑΣΙΛΕΩΣ / ΑΝΤΙΟΧΟΥ; on left, ΦΙΛΟΠΑΤOΡΟΣ; in field to left, Seleucid date.
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Article by Ilya Zlobin, world-renowned expert numismatist, enthusiast, author and dealer in authentic ancient Greek, ancient Roman, ancient Byzantine coins and beyond.
Read More Here: Goddess of LOVE Aphrodite also Known as VENUS with EROS & CUPID on Ancient Greek Roman Coins


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Zookeepers across the country are bolstering hygiene practices after an outbreak of drug-resistant staph infections swapped between caretakers and a sick baby elephant at the San Diego Zoo.
At least 20 zoo workers turned up with methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus skin lesions last year, but only after a caretaker infected the elephant calf being hand-raised because her mother couldn't care for her.
It's the first known incidence of MRSA in a zoo elephant and the first known transmission of the potentially lethal bug from zoo animals to humans, according to an investigation released this week by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
The incident underscores worries about community-acquired strains of MRSA, which can be transmitted across species, said Dr. Kimberly May, a veterinarian and spokeswoman for the American Veterinary Medical Association.
"It's a big public health concern for us," May said. "It's been recognized that humans can give it to animals and animals can give it back to us. It's a pretty scary cycle when you're talking about MRSA."
Animal health experts are reviewing hygiene procedures ranging from handwashing to protective equipment, said Dr. Paul Boyle, senior vice president for conservation and education for the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
"It's a particularly high profile organism," he said. "It makes you say 'Jeepers, what's going on?'"
Sanitation is a constant concern at zoos, where staff members work to protect both humans and animals, Boyle said. "We're visiting the process that already occurs," he said.
Zookeepers cared for calf around the clock
Close contact between San Diego zookeepers who fed, bathed, groomed and played with the female calf likely led to the outbreak, said Dr. Donald Janssen, the zoo's associate director of veterinary services.
"This was a pretty unique situation, the need to have intimate contact with an elephant calf," he said, adding that members of the public were never at risk because of the situation.
Some 55 workers cared around-the-clock for the African elephant, which was born in November 2007, but failed to thrive after her mother couldn't provide enough milk. The site of a feeding tube inserted to help the calf gain weight became infected and MRSA lesions later developed on the animal's leg and elbow, said Dr. David Sugerman, a San Diego-based member of the CDC's epidemic intelligence service.
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The CDC report concluded that a caretaker colonized with MRSA likely infected the calf, who in turn spread the infection to the other workers.
MRSA infections typically don't respond to most front-line antibiotics. Most cases are mild skin infections, but they can progress to become life-threatening blood or bone infections. Health officials have been concerned about growing numbers of cases of MRSA acquired not in hospitals, as in the past, but in community settings.
The 20 zookeepers who developed confirmed or suspected MRSA skin infections were those who had closest contact with the calf, the report showed. Most of the infections were very mild; three of the workers received antibiotics.
None of the other African elephants at the zoo, including the calf's mother, tested positive for MRSA.
The CDC report recommended better training and increased attention to hand washing, protective clothing and disinfecting surfaces.
The calf had to be euthanized in February, not because of the MRSA infection, but from another opportunistic bacterial infection, said Janssen.
"It's always a very sad situation when you lose an animal like this," Janssen said. "It was a bad loss."
© 2013 msnbc.com Reprints


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My little brother goes to Walpole High School and on Thursday asked to watch the USA vs. Slovakia game during Spanish class. When his teacher said no he called her a communist. She gave him a detention for it. Attached is a picture of the detention slip she gave him
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I have started reading Statistical Physics by F. Mandl and I would appreciate some help with the following exercise
A system consists of $N$ weakly interacting subsystems. Each subsystem possesses only two energy levels $E_1$ and $E_2$, each of them non-degenerate.
Obtain an exact expression for the heat capacity of the system.
Alright, I haven't got a clue. Let's start with definitions.
The heat capacity is given by $$C = \frac{\partial E}{\partial T}$$ with $E$ the mean energy, $T$ the temperature. Then we also have $$\frac1T = \frac{\partial S}{\partial E}$$ with the entropy $S = k\ \ln \Omega(E)$.
Now, for a given energy $E$, there is a (unique) number $n \le N$ with $E=n E_1 + (N-n)E_2$. And with this $n$ we get
$$ \Omega(E) = {N \choose n} = \frac{N!}{(N-n)!n!}$$
And then I thought about writing the heat capacity as $\frac{\partial E}{\partial n} \frac{\partial n}{\partial S} \frac{\partial S}{\partial T}$ or something like that. But in everything I have tried, I'm having trouble to differentiate with respect to $T$. I don't really get a grip on how the other things depend on $T$.
Thanks for your help!


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Thu, 10 Dec 2009
The IUCN National Committee of France will organize its upcoming National Congress on Nature, on 20 January 2010, around the theme of the International Year of Biodiversity.
2010 is the year to assess the commitment of France and the international community to stop the erosion of biodiversity. The Congress will provide an unique opportunity to identify solutions and initiatives to achieve this goal.
The IUCN French National Committee will gather its Members, experts and partners during the Congress in order to debate the situation and propose recommendations for greater ambition on biodiversity.
Additional information and detailed programme.
Press release (in French).
Work area:


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You can read about Day 1 or Day 2 here.
The third and final day dawned a little grey, but there was little time to admire the scenery as we had to kick off before 9am in order to fit everything in. The first session was from Ruth Murray-Wedster from Lucidus Consulting . Ruth used to work for Intute, which was very noticeable as about half her opening section seemed to be an advert for the late and somewhat lamented service. Thankfully the real meat of the session was a workshop, in small groups again, looking at metrics/KPIs and repositories. As someone who keeps a fair amount of these (and whom will be working on them a lot this week) I was quite interested to see what other people are doing in this area. In the workshop we looked at metrics we had been asked to keep by our stakeholders, those we felt offered an actual representative view of the repository activity and the challenges that prevent us from gathering some of these.
I suggested I would love to know how far people read through items in my repository, that something has been downloaded 500 times is one thing – but how far did they read? This is a stat that YouTube provides for your videos on the site, and is an excellent way to discover just how many of your viewers have engaged with the material. In the same way the base metric of downloads tells me nothing about the interaction with the scholarly research; although short of locking the PDFs down to view only mode or the like on the LRA I'm unaware of how we'd measure this one.
I had a very interesting side discussion with Paul Stainthorp and Theo Andrews about our own use of Google Analytics, and just how deep we each delved (or didn't) into the schmorgesborg of data that this provides. Interestingly in many aspects each of our respective repositories seems to score similar values for, although the devil is very much in the details. Our group agreed that many of the metrics that are demanded of us (last year's SCONUL audit came in for particular criticism for being somewhat poorly thought out) are not especially representative of the level of impact or activity w.r.t. repositories; no doubt due to most of them being requested by those who were not familiar with the repository world's working. A definite need for those of us managing these resources to engage with these people more, or perhaps a lobbying/information role for both the RSP and UKCoRR.
After a break (and an advert for UKCoRR) we had the final two sessions of the morning. Personally I would have reversed the order of these sessions as the final one from Amanda Hodgson on the Research Communications Strategy work from the CRC offered little content I'd not already gleaned from their website. Perhaps when their work is more advanced this session might have more to offer. However, the preceding session from Miggie Pickton (Northampton) on her project researching researchers through their data was more engaging. Miggie even engaged us in a small workshop element as we looked at our own experiences, and tied in nicely to the sessions the previous day from Max and Mark. it also tied into elements of digital preservation and curation, a topic no one talk had tackled but a recurrent theme in many.
And so the Winter School came to a close. It had been a highly valuable three days, in what can only be described as a first class venue (squeaking door aside), and a credit to Jackie and her team for putting it on. My thanks to all the speakers and organisers! At the very least I've taken away the thought that me and my team face a lot of the same challenges as other repository teams, even where their exact circumstances and working environments are different. That alone brings a certain level of comfort.
What's next? Well I'm hoping to read through the slides from the various speakers over the coming days again and perhaps pick up on one or two elements that I only half caught at the time, or that perhaps might spur me and my team on in our work in the coming year.


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During Advent Karlsruhe turns into a magical Christmas world with the illuminated Christmas market on the market square with St. Nicholas and Santa Claus, with romantic tours by horse-drawn carriage, with kids' land St. Stephan, with ice skating and curling on one of Germany's largest open-air ice rinks at over 1000m2 and including a winter lounge. The medieval Christmas market in front of Castle Karlsburg (in the suburb of Durlach) promises an exciting trip back through time. Dive into a world from times gone by with campfires, torches, craftsmen, musicians, jesters, knights, and minstrels, with crossbow shooting and mouse roulette, and as a grand finale a fantastic fire show. A wonderful experience for all the family.
Christmas market - opening times:
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