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It's nice to imagine that the success of your career rests upon your basic competence at doing your job, but that's only half the picture.

Jo-Ann Stores is posting impressive sales and earnings numbers and is an example of a retail sector on which Walmart doesn't have a steel grip.

In this economy, enticing offers abound. But a lot of so-called bargains may turn out to be raw deals.

About Ireland Travel
Ireland Travel

  • Panic Stations - The Last Shopping Weekend Before Christmas

    When I first arrived in Ireland, I made a huge mistake. Having to pick up some last-minute presents (I only got a flight to Germany via Amsterdam at extremely short notice) I stumbled into Dublin City on the weekend. Early enough to get the shopping done in an hour or two. And I noticed it was becoming more claustrophobic every minute. By midday I threw in the towel and headed for a bus.

    Sitting on the top deck of the 38 I could not believe my eyes when we passed Henry Street. There was no street, there was a mass of slowly moving heads. Like an oily substance trying to move into several directions at once. And I swore to myself ... never again weekend shopping before Christmas.

    Should you be stuck this weekend, I have only one advice: Be the earliest bird! And try to get all your worms in one place. In record time. Make a list. So here's a list for you - of shopping areas where you'd have the best chance of doing power-shopping. Or which you should avoid totally if you have no more shopping to do.

    Panic Stations - The Last Shopping Weekend Before Christmas originally appeared on About.com Ireland Travel on Friday, December 18th, 2009 at 10:19:00.

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  • More on the Winter Solstice

    Yes, it's that time of the year again. As nights grow longer and the light seems to disappear, a new hope will be coming. The winter solstice marks the time when the sun climbs higher, stays longer and gives more warmth. The eternal cycle of growth and harvest starts again. No wonder that in almost all cultures this time was held magical, sacred.

    The unknown builders of the massive tumulus at Newgrange incorporated a fascinating feature into their construction, the inner chamber is lit by the first rays of the sun on solstice. Talk about special effects ...

    But Newgrange is not the center of the world, as a quick meandering through the About.com-verse shows:

    • Geography Guide Matt Rosenberg tells us more about the winter solstice from a "technical" point of view,
    • N.S.Gill highlights the solstice celebrations in Ancient and Classical History,
    • Molly Hall, Guide to Astrology, has an astrological take on the solstice,
    • there is even some fascinating material on the winter solstice in China and finally
    • K. Kris Hirst, About.com's Archaeology Guide, brings us back to Newgrange.

    Phew, around the world and through several millennia in a few clicks! By the way, should you discover a "northern bias" here ... the winter solstice in the southern hemisphere ist in June.

    More on the Winter Solstice originally appeared on About.com Ireland Travel on Thursday, December 17th, 2009 at 13:17:54.

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  • The Winter Solstice ... Not Just Newgrange

    The winter solstice has always been a "magic" time for mankind, regardless of the religious belief system subscribed to. The nights had become noticeably longer for weeks, the days murkier, the sun styling low on the horizon. You can just imagine cavemen muttering to each other "If this carries on, we'll have to invent fire to see anything at all!"

    But then everything changes ... the sun climbs higher at noon, the days get longer again. The winter solstice marks the lowest point on the daylight scale in the year. And after a few centuries of observation became a regular cause for celebration. As it still is today ... the date for Christmas might well be adapted from ancient sun-worship.

    At Newgrange in Ireland a "miracle" happens, weather permitting, every year during the winter solstice - as the sun rises, it illuminates the inner chamber of the tumulus.

    But this is not the only magical moment during the winter solstice:

    • At Maeshowe, Orkney's awesome Neolithic chambered burial mound, the setting mid-winter sun lights an inner chamber for about three weeks before and after the winter solstice. You can watch it happen via the live Maeshowe webcams. They will continue transmitting until February 6, 2010.
    • Brighton in England celebrates the lengthening days with its own local twist on a typical Northern fire festival - The Burning of the Clocks. The event includes a themed parade with as many as 1,000 participants, followed by the burning of paper and willow lanterns on the beach and a fireworks parade. Thanks to Ferne for those two hints!
    • Terri, our Guide to Scandinavia Travel, recommends a natural seasonal light-show ... the Northern Lights, which are best observed on the darkest days of the year.
    • If all this does not fit into your calendar and you need planning ahead: Lois Friedland points put that the winter solstice occurs in late June in the Southern Hemisphere. In Cusco, Peru, this shortest day of the year is celebrated with parades and festivals. In nearby Machu Picchu, travelers gather at dawn to watch the sun's rays spill shine through a window in the Temple of the Sun and light up a ceremonial stone.
    • Can't face all this and need pampering instead? No worries ... Susan Breslow Sardone has just the treat for you: In November 2008, the first ship in Celebrity Cruise's new Solstice class debuted... and she's a beauty.

    The Winter Solstice ... Not Just Newgrange originally appeared on About.com Ireland Travel on Monday, December 14th, 2009 at 05:40:35.

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  • Inland Waterways Ho-Ho-Horror - Here's Your P45, Merry Christmas!
    While most companies operating on or near Ireland's inland waterways are currently trying to assess the damage the recent (on ongoing) fl