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The best inflatable movie screens make it possible for us to relieve the nostalgia of a drive-in with the latest pictures bursting to life before us – or rather, behind our backyard.
There is nothing like an outdoor movie night while busking under a canopy of stars and the fresh evening air filling your lungs. And no, you don't have to be the hopeless romantic who cannot resist the charm of a movie night out to enjoy it.
Whether you are a self-confessed movie buff, the super host who loves to throw a party every now and then, or an outdoorsy type who feels more at home outdoors than indoors, the lure of outdoor video entertainment from the comforts of home is irresistible.
Even though the World Cup is well and truly behind us, there is plenty left to go in the summer to make the most of the warm evenings. Besides, the bonus of screening a movie night in your own backyard is you can enjoy it well into the early fall when the temperatures are still comfortable. We have even seen them being used on camp sites. So just inflate your tent, then your screen – grab a beer and chill!
You don't need a dedicated outdoor theatre complete with a sophisticated projector and sound system to make it happen, although this gear will make it all the merrier.
Otherwise, a temporary setup should do just fine. All you need is a DVD player or laptop, a projector, a sound system or set of speakers, and a good blowup screen.
The Many Perks of an Inflatable Movie Screen
Inflatable movie screens offer a host of benefits of usage.
For starters, they can effectively brave the elements. This means even if the screen gets into contact with water (such as rain) it will not get damaged or broken – plus, it is easy to hose off for cleaning.
Inflatable projector screens are also highly durable. They are easy to clean off without exposing them to permanent scratches.
As well, they tend to be more mobile compared to regular projector screens. The fact that they can deflate makes them easy to pack and carry. In fact, you can fold and stash an inflatable screen in a standard suitcase with minimal effort. Conversely, setting one up is a cinch.
What's more, these screens are very affordable and in the long run, they prove great value for your outdoor home cinema. The hard part is choosing the inflatable projector screen that is right for you.
But that is why we are here.
Best Inflatable Movie Screens Money Can Buy You
We went out in search of some of the best inflatable movie screens currently on the market, and the following are the models that carried the day.
Loch IWS140 Inflatable Movie Screen
If you are on the hunt for a giant screen that guarantees high quality pictures, you can never go wrong with the Loch IWS140.
We are talking an actual screen width of 140 feet. The screen stretches an impressive 18 feet (216 inches) in diagonal, with an aspect ratio of 16:9 that ensures an amazingly immersive experience without having to worry about light bleed or losing any of the pictures.
Its immense size means this is the perfect screen for when you have large family gatherings or a large group of friends over. But that doesn't mean it takes long to blow up. According to the manufacturer, the screen builds up in as little as 30 seconds.
That is as fast as you are likely to get with a screen this size, and that can only be good news. Part of the low buildup time has to do with the fact that the face and the stand are a single unit. This makes setup a matter of simply turning on the blower and voila!
But the advantage extends beyond just the inflation speed. This face and stand attachment is what contributes to the unique design that really makes this inflated screen stand out. The screen is also made in the USA, not some cheap Chinese crap.
The Loch IWS140 accommodates both front and rear projections. Rear projection means you can project from the back with all the AV equipment behind the screen, allowing for a neater experience.
What's more, the package comes complete with an industrial-grade blower, tethers, stakes, and a storage bag.
So, are there any disadvantages?
Well, for one, while there are benefits to having a screen that is fixed to the frame, it also makes it harder to clean.
Users have also accused the ropes and stakes as not designed for heavy use, so you might find yourself replacing these after a couple of uses. If you can, consider picking up some standard tent stakes while you are at it.
Overall, though, this is as portable a cinematic experience as you are likely to get in the inflatables category, especially if you have the projector to unlock its full power.
What we Like
- Great, professional-looking design
- Crystal clear pictures and overall immersive experience
- Rear projection capability allows for a neater experience
- Includes a 110V air blower
What we Don't
- Screen is not detachable thus making it difficult to clean
EasyGo Products Inflatable Movie Screen
Next up on our list of best inflatable projector screens is the Inflatable Mega Movie Screen from EasyGo Products.
EasyGo Products is a Californian-based company that specialises in making creative products designed to make your life more handy and hassle-free, with their offerings spanning from kitchen items to outdoor equipment.
The Mega Movie Screen comes in two versions: the 14-foot (168 inches) Mega model and 17-foot (204 inches) Mega XL model.
The two are basically one and the same thing with size being the only differentiating factor, which in turn contributes to the difference in cost ($160 vs. $220).
One of the things the Inflatable Movie Screen by EasyGo Products is lauded for is its simplicity. If you are on the market for a screen that is extremely easy and convenient to set up, you need look no further.
This screen comes with an instruction manual that gives a step-by-step overview for fast installation. Once plugged in, both screens can inflate in less than two minutes.
When you purchase the screen, you also get a blower motor, inflatable stakes, rope, and a carry bag to store everything when moving around or not in use.
We say moving around because whilst most of the screens on this list are viable for commercial purposes, the Mega Movie Screen is lightweight enough to take with you on a camping trip, picnic or other outdoor adventure or event. Just imagine how much that would spice up some of your evenings!
To keep the screen inflated, the blower needs to be running throughout as with many inflatable screens.
The good thing is this is not a noisy motor so you don't have to worry about any noise when immersed in the film. The bad thing is the motor needs to be connected to a power supply as it cannot be powered by battery.
Something else worth noting about this screen is that it only supports front projection, but it is not like this is a handicap. This is especially given most people are likely to place their projector in front of the screen as opposed to the back, double so when it comes to smaller backyards or gardens.
As well, the white display canvas is easily detachable from the frame which makes it easy to clean – attaching the two is done before inflating.
On the downside, in addition to the inability to power by battery, the EasyGo Mega Movie Screen is not ideal for decking or patios as it needs to be staked to the ground.
By and large, however, you are not likely to find a better screen at this price range.
On top of that, you can revel in the knowledge that by purchasing this screen, your money is going towards a worthy cause. Every purchase from EasyGo Products helps to support orphans, as well as abandoned and abused children in a select group of countries in Asia, Africa, and South America.
What we Like
What we Don't
Gemmy Deluxe Airblown Movie Screen
With a 144-inch (12 feet) diagonal screen, the Gemmy Deluxe Airblown inflatable projector screen is not as massive as some models on this list, but it is still large enough to make a great backyard viewing even better.
What strikes you about this inflatable screen is its unique design which seems to place emphasis on the frame and base. They are absolutely massive and seem to keep up with a similar theme observed on all other releases by the Dallas-based Gemmy Industries.
Another area in which this screen tramples over the others on this list (and on the market for that matter) is the positioning of the actual screen from the ground. It is significantly raised, thus allowing for optimum viewing.
Support lines flank the frame rendering it practically immovable. Couple this with the giant base and you got a relatively stable setup which is just exactly what you need on windy days or windy areas – provided, of course, there isn't severe wind.
Regardless, wind creates ripples on the screen which leads to a blurring of the picture. The workaround to this is to position your inflatable screen such that the face of the screen is not in direct contact with the wind.
This screen also has a tendency to wrinkle easily, which is a bummer really, despite the fact that it is hardly noticeable when a movie is playing. But on the upside, this should not be an issue even for the sensitive eye if you are using a projector particularly designed for outdoor usage.
A quality projector will bring out the best in the Gemmy Deluxe Airblown, and it should be easy to see why it is widely regarded as one of the best inflatable movie screens on the market today.
The projection screen self-inflates within minutes, with two built-in fans located at the bottom of the screen. The fans are not loud as to be annoying, but they may become noticeable if you are thinking of doing surround sound.
All in all, with a current list price of $220 on Amazon, this Airblown punches above its weight, more so when you factor in the picture quality. And at the end of the day, that's what we all want from a good screen first and foremost, everything else secondary.
What we Like
- Great picture
- Height above ground
- Great stability
- Quick inflation
- Attractive price
What we Don't
- Screen creases easily
- Picture could be affected by windy weather
Holiday Styling Inflatable Projector Screen
The Holiday Styling inflatable projector screen measures 16 feet on the diagonal, although the actual viewable area is 12 feet.
There are several reasons that warrant it a slot in our best inflatable movie screens list.
This screen is constructed from triple grade 600DD material, which in layman language means a heavy-duty fabric built with durability in mind. Surprisingly, the screen is lightweight and extremely portable.
The whole structure is physically imposing, something that can be traced to the thick black frame that serves two main purposes: to provide the excellent stability this screen is known for, and second, to protect the screen from any damage.
If you don't have the space for the screen, the company has you covered. The model also comes with a smaller option that is 9 feet across the diagonal. This one also happens to be $100 cheaper and is currently fetching at $162 on Amazon.
The screen is surprisingly quick to inflate and deflate for a structure its size, and that can only be a plus. An electric blower is part of the package, a package that also comes with ropes and pegs to help anchor your gear to the ground, should you need to.
Something else you will love about the Holiday Styling Inflatable Movie Screen is that the white cloth fabric that makes up the screen attaches to the black frame with Velcro. This means you can pull the material tight enough to avoid any creasing.
But that is not all.
This screen is also capable of projecting from both the front and rear, so if you want to keep everything neat and tidy by putting all the equipment at the back, you have that choice.
The only caveat here is the thick frame from the back might interfere with the viewing in some instances, so the manufacturer recommends to project from the front.
If you consider that a downside, there isn't much else not to like about this Holiday Styling screen, maybe save for the fact that it doesn't come with a stow-away bag.
If that is a biggie for you, then you might want to consider a similar screen option in the Nozzco Inflatable Movie Screen.
The two are almost identical, with the major difference being that the Nozzco version comes with 10 bonus movie ticket templates user manual, and of course, the bag.
What we Like
- Good stability
- Front and rear projection
- Detachable screen
- Large and smaller model options
- No wrinkling
What we Don't
- Frame might obstruct viewing when using rear-view projection
- No carry bag
Buying an Inflatable Move Screen – Conclusion
Inflatable projector screens are the best thing to have happened since the impending demise of the drive-in theatre, a magical experience that a regular theatre could find hard to mirror.
And by opting for any one of the models we have featured in this article, you can be sure that you are investing in one of the best inflatable movie screens on the market today.
Inflatable movie screens are considered a bit of a plunge by some, but you don't need to be a diehard movie lover to admit this is a nice way to put your money into good use.
These screens are all great candidates for a commercial venture. But if you live in a calm area and want to relive the experience of an outdoor movie night out, the decision to invest in a blowup screen is one you won't regret.
Thank us later.


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The other technique we learned was "flying geese" units - yet another way of creating triangles - little half square triangles stitched onto the sides of a bigger half square triangle (it's all done with squares and rectangles and a bit of wasted fabric). These pieces give you a block called Memory (could use more of that!) So here's the rest of the homework - using all the techniques learned so far - half square triangles, quarter square triangles, square within a square, flying geese, and even some freezer paper piecing. Sawtooth Star Summer Winds Broken Dishes Farmer's Daughter and Yankee Puzzle And here I've laid out all the blocks on an old sheet, and rearranged them until I have a first draft of what the finished quilt may end up looking like (with all kinds of fabric sashes in between the rows and columns, and borders around the whole shebang, of course). Of course, I may decide that it needs to be bigger, and so go off and make 5 more blocks of some kind, but that's another matter. I'll let you know. Meanwhile, the fractal stripe handspun sweater continues to grow.
On a small island in Puget Sound, Farm Nana wrangles the dear wee beasties (Pygmy Goats, Pygora Goats, Alpacas, cats, and a swan), throws herself headlong into the fiber arts, and dyes/knits/felts/weaves/quilts/spins her way through life, the universe, and everything.
Monday, May 10, 2010
Quilting Blocks Again!
This is the last batch of fun and fabulous quilt blocks from the beginning quilting class. Two new techniques this month - the first involved using freezer paper to create accurate/intricate designs. Yes, this is the paper sold in groceries for wrapping your salmon or other non vegetarian item before you freeze it. It has the useful quality of sticking to fabric (when you dry iron it on) but being easy to remove and leaving no sticky residue. So this is how it happens: You stitch your pattern onto the freezer paper with the sewing machine needle (no thread please!) and iron it onto the first piece of fabric (protecting both iron and ironing board from sticky stuff with an ironing cloth or pad). Then you put your next piece of fabric in place, peel the paper back just to the stitching line, and sew on the next piece right along that edge. Here's what I'm talking about: I know it looks a little sloppy, but you trim it up now and then, and trim to size at the end, and when you're done, you have a beautiful "Storm at Sea" block (samples above are the little corner squares). If you make a whole quilt out of these blocks, it creates a wonderful illusion of curves, waves, and/or circles!
Posted by FarmNana at 4:24 PM 4 comments:
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subset: commoncrawl


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Here's a brief excerpt of an op-ed by Adam Mossoff & Devlin Hartline that was published in The Hill: Two recent op-eds published in The Hill argue that broad patent legislation—misleadingly labeled "reform"—is needed because the U.S. patent system is fundamentally broken. In the first, Timothy Lee contends that opponents "cannot with a straight face" … Continue reading "No Consensus That Broad Patent 'Reform' is Necessary or Helpful"
Tag: patent troll
Repetition of Junk Science & Epithets Does Not Make Them True
Here's a brief excerpt of a post by Adam Mossoff that was published on IPWatchdog. In their recent submission to the Washington Post's series on so-called "patent reform" and "patent trolls," James Bessen and Michael Meurer repeat the same junk science claims we've all heard many times before. In fact, the essay starts with a … Continue reading "Repetition of Junk Science & Epithets Does Not Make Them True"
It's Time to Say "No" to Junk Science in the Patent Policy Debates
Last March, forty economists and law professors submitted a letter to Congress expressing "deep concerns with the many flawed, unreliable, or incomplete studies about the American patent system that have been provided to members of Congress." These concerns were confirmed again last week when Unified Patents released a report on patent litigation with the same … Continue reading "It's Time to Say "No" to Junk Science in the Patent Policy Debates"
The History of Patent Licensing and Secondary Markets in Patents: An Antidote to False Rhetoric
The patent licensing business model is a flashpoint of controversy in the patent policy debates. Individuals and firms that specialize in licensing patented innovation – and companies that purchase patents in order to license them – have come under attack by the President, members of Congress, companies, lobbying groups, and others. On December 6, 2013, … Continue reading "The History of Patent Licensing and Secondary Markets in Patents: An Antidote to False Rhetoric"
The Nadir of "Patent Troll" Rhetoric
The venerable high-tech company IBM is no more a "patent troll" than any other legitimate company that engages in patent licensing. Yet, according to the very arguments of those who are using this ill-defined and misleading term, the shoe fits. The case in point is the recent demand letter IBM sent to Twitter, asserting violation of … Continue reading "The Nadir of "Patent Troll" Rhetoric"
GAO Report Confirms No "Patent Troll" Litigation Problem
As we previously reported, there are serious concerns with the studies asserting that a "patent litigation explosion" has been caused by patent licensing companies (so-called non-practicing entities ("NPEs") or "patent trolls"). These seemingly alarming studies (see here and here) have drawn scholarly criticism for their use of proprietary, secret data collected from companies like RPX … Continue reading "GAO Report Confirms No "Patent Troll" Litigation Problem"
Teleforum Panel on End-User Lawsuits in Patent Law on August 29 (free and open to the public)
End-User Lawsuits in Patent Litigation: A Bug or a Feature of Patent Law? A Teleforum Panel (Free and Open to the Public) Thursday, August 29, 2013 Noon – 1pm (EST) In the patent policy debates today, one issue that has proven a flash point of controversy is patent infringement lawsuits against consumers and retailers, such … Continue reading "Teleforum Panel on End-User Lawsuits in Patent Law on August 29 (free and open to the public)"
The Myth of the "Patent Troll" Litigation Explosion
[Cross posted at Truth on the Market] In a prior blog posting, I reported how reports of a so-called "patent litigation explosion" today are just wrong. As I detailed in another blog posting, the percentage of patent lawsuits today are not only consistent with historical patent litigation rates in the nineteenth century, there is actually … Continue reading "The Myth of the "Patent Troll" Litigation Explosion"
Guest Post by Wayne Sobon: A Line in the Sand on the Calls for New Patent Legislation
On June 9-11, the IP Business Congress sponsored by Intellectual Asset Magazine (IAM) hosted a debate on the resolution: "This house believes that the America Invents Act should be a legislative line in the sand and that no more reform of the US patent system is needed." The debate was moderated by Denise DeFranco, a partner with … Continue reading "Guest Post by Wayne Sobon: A Line in the Sand on the Calls for New Patent Legislation"
The SHIELD Act: When Bad Economic Studies Make Bad Laws
[Cross-Posted at Truth on the Market on March 15, 2013] Earlier this month, Representatives Peter DeFazio and Jason Chaffetz picked up the gauntlet from President Obama's comments on February 14 at a Google-sponsored Internet Q&A on Google+ that "our efforts at patent reform only went about halfway to where we need to go" and that … Continue reading "The SHIELD Act: When Bad Economic Studies Make Bad Laws"


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BubbleUPnP: Streaming Media Made Easy
In the mobile market, applications like Netflix and Pandora have brought streaming media to the forefront of our everyday use. Fully functional, mobile media server appplications though, are few and far between. BubbleUPnP looks to change that.
Designed by XDA Senior Member bubbleguuum, BubbleUPnP is a fully functional UPnP/DLNA control point and a UPnP media renderer. Designed to allow streaming media to and from your Android device, BubbleUPnP allow you to:
•stream music and videos from your UPnP/DLNA Media Server (Twonky, Asset UPnP, any NAS with UPnP, …) to your android device.
Codecs supported for audio: MP3, AAC (without DRM), WMA, Ogg Vorbis (with system decoders) WAV, FLAC, ALAC, LPCM (with custom decoders).Video playback is delagated to an external app (VPlayer highly recommended)
•stream music/videos from your UPnP/DLNA Media Server to your UPnP renderers (software or hardware) on your network with regular playback controls (play, pause, seek, volume, …).
•Internet streaming/downloading over a mobile or WiFi connection with BubbleUPnP Server
•UPnP tethering with BubbleUPnP Server (makes Media Servers from a LAN visible on another LAN)
•UPnP renderer: control audio playback of your android device from another UPnP Control point
•Download tracks, full albums and videos from your Media Server to your android device (with covers if available), to make them available in your favorite Android music and media player
•Now Playing screen with regular playback controls
•Editable playlist to queue tracks for playback
•Load and save playlists
This list continues on, so head on over to the thread here and set it up. Just remember to turn the bass down.


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Conception - Flow review
|Release date:
|April 1997
01. Gethsemane
02. Angel (Come Walk With Me)
03. A Virtual Lovestory
04. Flow
05. Cry
06. Reach Out
07. Tell Me When I'm Gone
08. Hold On
09. Cardinal Sin
10. Hand On Heart [Japanese bonus]
11. Would It Be The Same
The fourth and final album Flow from the progressive/power metal band Conception. Even though it's the last album from Conception until they broke up they left a nice comfortable album to rock out to. Flow contains more melodic and clear vocals from lead singer Roy Khan, along with nice guitar rifts and drum beats. The album feel more electro and different from the any other Conception album. You might think that it's a bad choice for the band to change up their style a bit but I can say that this album will not disappoint any Conception fan because they still make sure to put their mind and effort into their albums.
The music is more atmospheric and outgoing then any other Conception album but still has that power and metal we like to hear in their music. Roy Khan's voice in this album goes from clear/angelic to daring and mood swinging in some of the songs. The voice of Roy is probably one of the best I've heard in metal.
Production on this album is maybe the best of all Conception albums and that includes performance as well. This in perhaps the best Conception album because more of the songs in this album have that energy and spirit that keeps me rocking out. The beat and the spirit in the songs are keys into the performance of the band. Songs like "Gethsemane" and "Cardinal Sin" have a nice electro beat into them that really sounds like the 90s. "Would It Be The Same" is probably the best song here because it has a rocking drum beat in it and the lyrics are some of the best on this album. The best feature on this album is the magnificent lyrics that have great impact on all of the songs; it's just amazing.
It's a disappointment the band split but I can say that Conception left a classic album behind In which I highly recommend to any fan of power/progressive metal and to every fan of Conception.
Best Songs: "Gethsemane", "Cardinal Sin", "Cry", and "Would It Be The Same".
Rating breakdown
Written by Epictemptation | 26.10.2012
Guest review disclaimer:
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
This is a guest review, which means it does not necessarily represent the point of view of the MS Staff.
Hits total: 4935 | This month: 4


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Johnny Depp showed up late to set on "virtually every movie", according to his former agent.
Tracey Jacobs claimed that the Pirates of the Caribbean star developed a reputation for arriving late to movie sets, which made people in the film industry "reluctant to use him".
The acting agent – who has represented stars including Gwyneth Paltrow, Jennifer Lopez, and British actor Simon Pegg – gave testimony on Thursday 19 May in the ongoing defamation trial brought by Depp against his ex-wife, Amber Heard.
Depp is suing Heard for $50m (£38.2m). He alleges that Heard implied that he abused her in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed about domestic violence.
Heard is countersuing for $100m (£80.9m), accusing Depp of orchestrating a "smear campaign" against her and describing his lawsuit as a continuation of "abuse and harassment".
Jacobs took the stand via video deposition on Thursday (19 March).
She was let go in 2016 after 30 years of working with Depp – during which time she said she helped to make him "the biggest star in the world".
Jacobs testified that she does not know why Depp "terminated her" but added that he "terminated almost everyone in his life, so I was along for the ride".
She said that Depp had become a difficult client in the final years that they worked together, claiming that he would "show up late to projects".
Among the film sets that the actor was allegedly late to was Pirates of the Caribbean 5.
"Crews don't love sitting around for hours and hours for the star to show up," Jacobs told the court. "People talked – and it made people reluctant to use him."
Jacobs spoke about having to fly to Australia twice during the filming of Pirates 5 to speak with Depp about his punctuality on set. She claims that part of the actor's allegedly unprofessional behaviour was due to an increased use of alcohol and drugs.
She alleged that Depp "romanticised" drug culture and had "fundamental issues with anger", which worsened over time.
Jacobs recalled referring Depp to Dr David Kipper, citing the medical professional's previous success in helping high-profile celebrities get sober.
On Wednesday (18 May), Heard's acting coach Kirsty Sexton claimed Depp was "very concerned" about Heard working on movies with James Franco.
Sexton's testimony followed after footage of Franco visiting Heard at her apartment the night she filed for divorce from Depp was played to jurors.
You can follow along with The Independent's live blog of the trial here.


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A PAC that supports Hillary Clinton is preparing to launch an online campaign to fight people who criticize her. This is part of the ongoing Democratic strategy to stifle free speech and harass critics.
The Los Angeles Times reports:
Be nice to Hillary Clinton online — or risk a confrontation with her super PAC
When the Internet's legions of Hillary hecklers steal away to chat rooms and Facebook pages to vent grievances about Clinton, express revulsion toward Clinton and launch attacks on Clinton, they now may find themselves in a surprising place – confronted by a multimillion dollar super PAC working with Clinton.
Hillary Clinton's well-heeled backers have opened a new frontier in digital campaigning, one that seems to have been inspired by some of the Internet's worst instincts. Correct the Record, a super PAC coordinating with Clinton's campaign, is spending some $1 million to find and confront social media users who post unflattering messages about the Democratic front-runner.
In effect, the effort aims to spend a large sum of money to increase the amount of trolling that already exists online.
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The plan comes as Clinton operatives grapple with the reality that her supporters just aren't as engaged and aggressive online as are her detractors inside and outside the Democratic Party.
The lack of engagement is one of Clinton's bigger tactical vulnerabilities, particularly when compared with rivals like Donald Trump, whose viral social media attacks are legion, and Sen. Bernie Sanders, who is backed by a passionate army of media-savvy millennials.
Some experts on digital campaigns think the idea of launching a paid army of "former reporters, bloggers, public affairs specialists, designers" and others to produce online counterattacks is unlikely to prove successful. Others, however, say Clinton has little choice but to try, given the ubiquity of online assaults and the difficulty of squelching even provably untrue narratives once they have taken hold.
Trending: Joe Biden Is Quietly Lowering Expectations For Democrats In The Midterms
At the same time, however, using a super PAC to create a counterweight to movements that have sprung up organically is another reflection of the campaign's awkwardness with engaging online, digital pros said.
Keep this in mind the next time you're reading the comments on YouTube or Reddit.


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Snapchat has finally released the iPhone X exclusive AR lenses. For those who may have forgotten, these lenses were the ones that were demoed during the iPhone X keynote back in September 2017.
There are three AR lenses in total, which are the ones you see above. These are only available on the iPhone X and work with the TrueDepth camera. Compared to the standard lenses within Snapchat, the iPhone X ones use the significantly more advanced front camera and use multiple data points to map the filter precisely to your face that moves even more realistically with your expressions. The filters also react to the light around you and you see accurate light and shadow effects based on your ambient lighting conditions, something the standard lenses don't. They also automatically blur the background.
The new AR lenses are a definite improvement over the standard affair and help distinguish the TrueDepth tech from simple front facing cameras. It's curious though what took Snapchat seven months to release these since they were first announced and why we still have just three. Snapchat will also have to do more if it wants to stop users from jumping over to Instagram, especially after the recent backlash to the redesign.


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The Ironwind Campaign is a d20 Future Point-Buy setting, designed for a campaign based around military mecha pilots. It's mostly anime-inspired, drawing on the various Gundam and Robotech series, among others. It's designed for use with Eclipse: The Codex Persona and The Practical Enchanter (also available in Shareware editions, HERE and HERE).
Ironwind Campaign Restrictions:
Earth Federation. 2699 AD.
Military Package Deal: All characters are on active military service as Mecha pilots working for the Earth Federation and will be expected to have appropriate skills and abilities. Noncombatants are not acceptable. They will be using issued Mecha (although they may apply the customization rules) and get the Mecha Piloting, Mecha Weapons, and a bonus Military Feat for free. Point-based characters must adhere to the limitations of the general adventurer framework but may take Duties for +2 CP/Level. Class-based characters get an extra bonus feat at levels 3, 6, 9, and so on, instead. Everyone gets a personal kit (as per the Kits sheets), kits for any skills they happen to have at 10+, and a kit of their choice. They are also issued military smartclothes, a weapons pack, a survival pack, and another kit of choice (as long as it has something to do with a military job). The characters may add some additional minor items, but are presumed to be on military salaries unless they've arranged for some outside income somehow.
General Notes: All magical, psychic, and other supernatural abilities are limited to L0 and L1 effects, at least for most campaign areas – although their ranges, and sometimes their areas of effect, are considerably increased. Races other than "human", templates, and template abilities are not available.
Modified Abilities: Block (limited to major – 30 point- resistance, no catch or deflections options), Expertise (mecha pilots may trade -1 on BAB for +1d6 damage with mecha weapons up to the usual -5/+5d6 maximum), and Fortune (minimum of one-quarter effect).
Restricted Abilities: Action Hero (heroism option only), Adept (once per character only), Augment Attack (being in a mecha, or attacking one, does not count as a specific situation), Augmented Bonus (maximum of once per character), Blessing (must be specialized and requires special permission), Celerity (may add +10 to ground movement, may not add other movement modes), Damage Reduction (maximum of DR 5), Deep Sleep (no cosmic awareness, true prophet, or stasis), Doubled Damage (must be extremely specific, GM permission required), Dweomer (L1 limitation applies), Enhanced Strike (no hammer option or returning option on hurling available), Equipage (basic effect only, must be corrupted: won't work if you've been searched/imprisoned/etc), Favored Enemy/Foe (requires GM permission, must be limited to a small subgroup of the campaign foes), Inherent Spell (L1 limitation applies), Imbuement (only works on personal weapons, not on Mecha and Mecha weapons), Immunity (generally available against ordinary drugs, toxins, and diseases, not available against defenses, range penalties, damage, or aspects of reality, requires specific GM approval), Innate Enchantment (maximum of 12 CP worth, maximum of L1 effects), Mana (the only available natural magic is resilience), Martial Arts (both the skill and feat based versions do not work while you're in a mecha. Martial Art skills, including the master and occult techniques, do work in personal combat however), Mindspeech (no outreach, spell transfer, spell sharing, spirit speech, or skill sharing), Mystic Artist (performance arts only, no blatantly supernatural effects, such as freedom, greater summoning, puppet master, block, rule the horde, carrier, and dance of the trees. No great projection, seeking, or whispers basic modifiers and most advanced abilities are not available), Mystic Link (basic effect only), Occult Sense (requires GM approval, intuitive psychic senses are fine, actual new senses generally aren't), Opportunist (requires GM approval), Presence (no superior version), Reflex Training (circumstances require GM approval, the 3/day version is fine), Rider (no might, advanced psychic bond, sensory link, or sharing), Ritual Magic (subject to the L1 limit, at least within the solar system, and so relatively useless), Rune Magic (subject to the L1 limit), Skill Focus (no stunts or epic stunts), Stoic (no juggernaut), Thaumaturgy (subject to L1 limit), Trick (requires special GM permission. Tricks in general do not work on Mecha, although there may be a few special mecha-only tricks which do), and Witchcraft (pacts require GM approval, there aren't any spirits around, and advanced abilities are subject to review).
Banned Abilities: Anime Master, Berserker, Blood Curse, Body Fuel, Bonus Attack, Chain of Ki, Channeling, Cloaking, Companion, Countermagic, Costly, Create Artifact, Create Item, Create Relic, Device Use (there aren't any), Domain/Path, Dominion, Eldritch, Empowerment, Far Shot, Grant of Aid, Healing Touch, Hexcrafting, Hysteria, Invocation, Innate Magic, Karma, Leadership, Maneuver, Metamagic, Occult Combat, Occult Skill, Path of the Dragon, Power Words, Rapid Strike, Returning, Sanctum, Schooling, Shadowmaster, Shapeshift, Shaping, Siddhisyoga, Smite, Specialist, Spell Conversion, Spell/Power Resistance, Spell Shorthand, Spell Storing, Spirit Weapon, Test of Wills, Theurgy (both the Feat and the magical technique), Timeless Body, Traceless, Triggering, and Unity (not needed).
The Issue Mecha: These are PL6, Huge (Str +16, Hide -8), 200 Hits, Hardness 10, AC +4 (40′ move, -2 Armor Check penalty), and have 7 external hardpoints and 11 equipment slots. They normally come with an external Beam Sabre and Flight System/Jetpack, internal Sensors (select your own functions), Shield (+6 AC), and Targeting (+3 To Hit) systems, leaving 5 external and 8 internal slots available for other equipment and weaponry. While these can be selected freely, multiple weapons and extra ammunition are strongly recommended.


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Monthly Budget Template: How to Create a Basic Template
Creating a monthly budget template can be daunting, especially if this is your first time doing so. No need to worry. We are here to help. Here, we will tell you how to create a basic template for your monthly budget. If you haven't start budgeting yet, our brief guide should help you to get started.
When to Budget
Before we tell you how to let's talk about timing first. That is, when is the right time to create a monthly budget template? The answer is before the month starts. Indeed. You are planning a month ahead. Planning ahead gets you ahead with life and money and makes you better prepared mentally and financially.
How to Create
1. Income
First, make a list of your reliable sources of income. Put sources of income that you get regularly. Don't include income that you get irregularly. If the amount of your income is not fixed, use the average instead.
2. Fixed Expenses
Next, list your fixed expenses. The fixed expenses here are the costs that you pay for certain items like mortgage, rent or insurance every month.
3. Common Monthly Expenses
These are the variable and discretionary expenses that you pay for each month. The amount of the expenses varies depending on your usage. The variable expenses are for things like electricity, water, gasoline, and the likes, while the discretionary expenses are for nonessential things, like dinner in a restaurant or TV streaming service.
4. Unique Monthly Expenses
Also, include unique monthly expenses as well. Keep in mind that the expenses of a month might not be the same as the next. There are always unique monthly expenses like membership fees, anniversary, school pictures, etc.
5. Planned and Actual Amount
To better monitor your spending habits, you should include not just the planned budget to spend but also the actual amount. This will make adjustments a lot easier.
A Zero-Budget Approach
When you budget, make sure that you get zero when you subtract your expenses from your income. That doesn't mean that you have to spend every single penny you have. Rather, it means that after all of your expenses are covered, you should redirect the remaining money to your financial goals be it savings, vacation fund, and so on.
That is how you create a basic monthly budget template. It isn't that hard to create a template for your monthly budget. Now that you know it, you can start to budget for the next month. Do remember the zero-budget approach to ensure that you spend your money efficiently. We hope this helps.


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Just the mention of bed bugs makes many people squeamish and uncomfortable. Being bitten by bed bugs that come out in the dark at night and bite people without warning while they are sleeping in their own beds is a nightmare for many people. While most people do not live with bed bugs in their homes, everyone must be concerned about bed bugs if they sleep outside of their homes, including in hotels and resorts while on vacation or while visiting friends and relatives. As anyone who has had a run-in with bed bugs can attest, getting rid of them is difficult and many efforts are unsuccessful.
A recent bed bug case in Maryland resulted in a large Maryland jury verdict in favor of the bed bug victim. The $800,000 verdict awarded to the 69-year-old tenant for the hundreds of bed bug bites she suffered in her own apartment was in response to her claim that her landlord knew about the bed bug infestation before she even moved in but failed to properly treat and resolve the infestation and failed to advise her about the condition of her apartment.
The woman's ordeal began shortly after she moved into her apartment in September 2011. She requested that the landlord fumigate her apartment but he failed to do so. She later learned that other tenants had complained to the landlord regarding bed bugs but the landlord did not address their complaints either. When the woman was evicted from her apartment, the bailiffs left her personal belongings outside on the curb, where they were promptly stolen (talk about karma!).
After hearing the woman's story, the Maryland jury deliberated for only 45 minutes before returning its verdict, which included $650,000 in punitive damages. The property is in foreclosure.
On a related note, on July 16, 2013 a company called Chemical Free Solutions LLC that advertised its cedar-based product called "Best Yet!" as a bed bug and head lice repellant has agreed to settle federal claims of deceptive advertising because the product has not been proven to work as advertised. The company also falsely advertised its product as having been invented for the U.S. Army, according to the FTC. The company agreed to not make any claims about the effectiveness of its product unless it is able to produce scientific evidence to support the claim.
As part of the settlement, the former owner of the company agreed to pay $4.6 million and the company itself agreed to pay $185,206, which payment was suspended because the company cannot afford to pay.
Bed bug bites are disgusting and emotionally disturbing to everyone who suffers from them. Bed bug cases throughout the United State are on the rise due to increasing incidents of bed bug infestations. Bed bug lawsuits recently have resulted in sizeable recoveries for bed bug bite victims.
If you have a bed bug claim in Maryland or in another state, click here to visit our website or call us toll-free at 800-295-3959 to be connected with Maryland bed bug lawyers (or bed bug lawyers in your state) who may be able to assist you with a bed bug claim.
Turn to us when you don't know where to turn.
You can follow us on Facebook, Twitter, Google+, and LinkedIn as well!


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Tech Company Xactware Solutions Breaks Ground on New Building
Utah based company Xactware Solutions broke ground today on their new two-hundred and ten thousand square foot facility.
A crowd of employees cheered as Governor Gary Herbert, Congressman Jason Chaffetz and executives from Xactware used shovels to break ground on a new state of the art company campus. Xactware was founded in Utah in 1986 and creates software for professionals who need estimates, replacement costs, and trending data on buildings or structures. Jim Loveland, President and CEO at Xactware Solutions, says the company's quick growth in the last few years is almost unexpected.
"We're excited. Obviously when we broke ground on our last building-90,000 square foot campus- we never thought that just a mere four years later we'd be looking for another location, another campus," Loveland says.
Governor Herbert says companies like Xactware are thriving in Utah as a result of the state's unique dynamic.
"Because of a good, skilled labor force, that's young, energetic, high tech savvy, bilingual, we've now created an atmosphere that business entrepreneurs want to be a part of," Herbert says.
The building is part of a larger Traverse Mountain project and it's anticipated to be finished by February, 2014.


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London, UK -- (SBWIRE) -- 08/16/2012 -- With just seconds remaining of last years premiership, Sergio Aguero scored a fine effort that completed an injury-time turnaround against Queens Park Rangers and gave the Citizens the goal that so cruelly denied the red half of Manchester.
Both the Manchester clubs are likely to be the most popular with punters before Saturday's big kick-off and, considering both Manchester City and Manchester United finished 19 points clear of third-placed Arsenal last time, it's not surprising the pair head the points index.
Manchester United and Chelsea have been busy in the transfer market and, although the transfer saga revolving around Robin van Persie is still undecided, that hasn't stopped Arsene Wenger bolstering his squad as the Frenchman looks to lead his Arsenal side to their first title since 2003-04.
Bolton, Blackburn and Wolverhampton Wanderers found themselves at the bottom of the pile last spring and the trio have sunk back into the Championship. Their replacements, Reading, Southampton and West Ham, will battle to try and secure the 38 points that has been on average enough to stay up in the last decade.
Despite winning the Championship, Reading have been tipped up by many as the side most likely to make a quick return to English football's second tier but punters should perhaps be more wary of 'second season syndrome' – the moniker given to sides who struggle after an initial great first season in the top-flight. Ipswich, Manchester City, Reading and Birmingham are all examples from the last ten years of teams who were promoted to the Premier League, performed well above people's expectations but then suffered relegation the following year.
Swansea, Norwich and Queens Park Rangers made history last term when it was the first time since the Championship was rebranded in 2004-05 that all three promoted sides had stayed up. But all three clubs have either seen players come and go, managerial changes or off the field controversy which will arguably set them up for a struggle.
In the battle for a top four finish and the lucrative prize of Champions League football, Chelsea got themselves out of jail last season by winning the European competition having only managed sixth in the league. That meant Tottenham Hotspur missed out and both London rivals will be battling with the likes of Arsenal and last year's surprise side Newcastle for a premier European berth. 68 points has been the average mark clubs have needed since 2002-03 to secure fourth place.
Manchester United last year amassed 89 points, the highest amount ever not to have won the Premier League. The average winning points haul has been 88 points while only Chelsea (95 in 2004-05 and 91 in 2005-06) and Manchester United (92 in 1993-94 and 91 in 1999-00) have broken the 90 point barrier.
Overall Manchester United (12) have the most titles since the Premier League started in 1992-93. Blackburn Rovers (1), Manchester City (1), Arsenal (3) and Chelsea (3) are the only other clubs to have ever won it.
Players have needed to score an average of 26 goals to secure the Golden Boot Award in the last ten year period and only Cristiano Ronaldo has scored more than 30 goals. Kevin Philips in 1999-00 is the last man to win the honour outright playing for a side outside the traditional Big Four – Arsenal, Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United.
Interestingly, no side has ever won the Premier League having finished outside the top three the previous year which suggests we won't have a new winner this year.
About The Sporting Index Group
The Sporting Index Group is best known as the world's largest sports spread betting business, offering the widest range of markets and taking some of the largest bets on sporting events around the world. Markets include rugby spread betting, cricket spread betting and football spread betting.
The Group has 180 staff, all based at its London HQ. It is privately owned and is the undisputed world leader in sports spread betting, dominating the global market with an estimated 80% market share. Today it makes thousands of markets on upwards of 500 events every week, offering the sports fan the opportunity to bet on a wide variety of sports, political and showbiz events, as well as on a portfolio of unique virtual games. Clients transact via its websites, award winning mobile phone applications, and a 24/7 voice telephony service. Sporting Index's B2C business continues to grow in the face of a fiercely competitive online betting market.
At the heart of the business is a world class trading, modelling and liability management capability that is widely acknowledged as amongst the best in the global betting market. The Group combines the latest technology with unrivalled trader expertise to service its core sports spread betting clients as well as an increasing number of wholesale customers who rely on the company's fixed-odds in-play pricing data to underpin their own sportsbook operations via the Sporting Solutions brand. This has quickly established itself as a leading data provider with a number of flagship betting brands signed up.
Sporting Index is authorised and regulated in the UK by the Financial Services Authority and the Gambling Commission.


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PITTSBURGH — CONSOL Energy Inc. announced Oct. 24 it has closed on its previously announced agreement with Hess Corporation to jointly explore and develop CONSOL's nearly 200,000 Utica Shale acres in Ohio.
In the transaction, Hess Corporation acquired a 50 percent interest in nearly 200,000 Ohio Utica Shale acres owned by CONSOL in consideration for $594 million, of which $60 million was paid at closing.
CONSOL and Hess Corporation have entered into a joint development agreement in which Hess Corporation will pay approximately $534 million in the form of a one-half drilling carry of certain CONSOL working interest obligations as the acreage is developed.
The effective date of the transaction is Aug. 1, 2011.
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Seacoast Rotary looking to help area nonprofits
PORTSMOUTH — Area nonprofits are encouraged to apply for assistance from Seacoast Rotary Club. Applications are due by 5 p.m. Monday, March 31.
Seacoast Rotary members on April 1 will review all applications and determine which nonprofits will receive part of $17,000 the club will spend to give back to the community.
"Many Seacoast Rotary members call the allocation selection evening one of the best nights in Rotary," said Patrick Lyons, allocation chairman for the Seacoast Rotary Club.
In 2013, the allocation committee selected 14 area nonprofits including Pease Greeters, AIDS-Response Seacoast, End 68 Hours of Hunger, New Heights Adventures for Teens and the Richie McFarland Children's Center.
"We look for a specific criteria where Seacoast nonprofits are helping Seacoast residents; we're also looking for project-based requests, as we do not fund the budget for an organization," Lyons said.
The members will also use the pool of applicants to select the beneficiaries for the 2014 Turkey Trot 5K race. In 2013, the three organizations chosen split $27,000 that the race raised. Applications and information can be found on the Seacoast Rotary's Web site, www.seacoastrotary.com, under the allocations section.


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Fans of James Bond movies aren't likely to recognize the hero of this new James Bond novel. Fans of the original Ian Fleming books may have less trouble seeing aspects of their man here, if only dim resemblances. Which isn't to deny that "Solo," by William Boyd (who was tapped by the Ian Fleming estate to write the latest instalment of 007's adventures), is a perfectly well-carpentered and, at times, suspenseful novel. It just doesn't feature a hero, who - aside from some pretty generic traits like an eye for the ladies, an ability to kill and an appreciation for expensive cars and a good meal - really feels like the Bond we have come to know over the last five decades.
Of course, Boyd is working without the tools that filmmakers have at the ready: that atmospheric, instantly recognizable theme music; the razzle-dazzle car chases and explosions; and, most important, the talents of Daniel Craig or Sean Connery, the two actors who have come to embody James Bond thoroughly on screen. Boyd's hero lacks the psychological detail and taut existentialism of Craig's Bond, and he lacks the tough savoir-faire of Connery's.
He also seems oddly deficient in irony, style and dangerous competence - those essential Bond traits. Often, he comes across as more of a weary civil servant than one of Her Majesty's licensed-to-kill agents. When we first meet Boyd's Bond, he resembles any ordinary, upper-middle class Londoner on the verge of a midlife crisis: worried that he's coming down with a cold, thinking about changing his hairstyle and fretting about the renovations to his flat. His 45th birthday has summoned memories of his experiences during World War II, and he finds his mind repeatedly drifting back to the past.
Though "Solo" is set in 1969, Bond's assignment has little to do with the Cold War, which powered so many of Fleming's books. Instead, it involves an African civil war (which seems loosely based on the Nigerian-Biafran war that began in 1967) and a struggle over access to newly discovered oil reserves. Boyd has wisely divested his Bond of the casual racism that occasionally percolated to the surface in Fleming's novels, but he seems to have made other nips and tucks to 007 for no discernible reason.
Boyd's Bond drinks whiskey and soda, beer, bourbon, brandy or wine more often than his famous martinis. The car he covets is not an Aston Martin or a Bentley, but something called a Jensen Interceptor. And he sets off on his mission without his trusty Beretta or Walther PPK, armed only with some knockout drugs disguised as after-shave and talcum powder. There is little of the original novels' pulpy energy or of the movies' inventive fantasies here - not to mention less humor, and no glamour whatsoever.
After being told by M to go to the small West African country called Zanzarim and intercede in its devastating civil war, Boyd's Bond starts reading Graham Greene's "Heart of the Matter" in hopes that it might furnish some insights into the region. Once there, he starts having a crisis of confidence: "As his surroundings had grown more primitive and elemental, so, it seemed, whatever strength, capability and powers he possessed appeared more insubstantial and weak. What was it about Africa that unmanned you so? He wondered, turning over and punching the hard kapok pillow into a more amenable shape for his head - why did the continent so effortlessly remind you of your human frailties?"
Boyd grew up in Ghana and Nigeria and has written brilliantly about the continent before - in the hilarious 1982 novel "A Good Man in Africa" and "An Ice-Cream War" (1983), which was expansive and affecting. In this case, he does an evocative job of conjuring up the rugged landscape of the fictional Zanzarim, and describes his hero's adventures there with plenty of authority.
There is, however, an unnerving disjunction between the essentially escapist nature of the Bond genre and this novel's harrowing descriptions of the Zanzarim civil war and its fallout, including mass murders and villages filled with dead and starving children. There is a similar disjunction between Bond's traditional opponents - the evil Cold War SMERSH, or cartoonish madmen intent on wreaking nuclear havoc or achieving world domination - and the mission Bond is given in this novel by M: to neutralize (i.e., assassinate) a talented rebel leader known as the African Napoleon, who seems to be prolonging the war and standing in the way of what might benefit Britain, the United States and the oil companies in that region. For a character who, as Simon Winder noted in an insightful 2006 book, "The Man Who Saved Britain," arrived to uphold British self-esteem just as its vast empire was breaking up, it feels like an uncomfortably neo-imperialist assignment.
To be sure, there is a maniacal villain in "Solo": one Kobus Breed, a Rhodesian mercenary and clever psychopath, who is also out to exploit an African charity for his own nefarious ends. Breed has a gruesome penchant for having meat hooks driven through the jaws of his victims and stringing their corpses up in trees and threatens to do the same to Bond. The violent showdown between them is arguably the most Bond-like sequence in this novel. Readers will root for Bond, of course, but not because he's James Bond or a close facsimile thereof, but because he's this thriller's designated hero.
'A James Bond Novel'
By William Boyd
322 pages. Harper. $26.99.
© 2013, The New York Times News Service


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Date of Award:
Document Type:
Degree Name:
Master of Science (MS)
Civil and Environmental Engineering
Committee Chair(s)
Kevin Heaslip
Kevin Heaslip
Anthony Chen
Paul Barr
Work zones present a risk to drivers and to personnel constructing the roadway. In 2005 work zones accounted for 2.5% of fatalities nationwide, 3.5% for the state of Utah. The goal of this research is to make work zones safer by quantifying the risk that they present to drivers. The approach of this research has been to review part 6 of the Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) and compare the differences from the 2003 and 2009 editions, conduct field studies of Utah work zones, and develop a tool for measuring risk in work zones. In the 2009 MUTCD an effort is made to provide additional safety measures to disabled pedestrians. Also, guidelines are set for the use of new technology for work zones, flagger procedures, and incident management. Research was done to ascertain what several states are doing to promote safety around work zones. The states that are highlighted in this report are Arkansas, North Carolina, Illinois, Pennsylvania, New Mexico, Minnesota, and Virginia. These methods include integration of a Smart Work Zone system, late lane merge, investigation of higher quality traffic control devices, and application of other technologies to make drivers aware of work zone conditions. Discussion about the various technologies available and their effects on traffic found through research is also provided in this thesis. Research for safety and safety regulations continues.
An audit process developed at Utah State University and the Illinois Institute of Technology was used to conduct an evaluation of work zones in Utah. The audit was instrumental in evaluating the measures being used on highway and interstate roads work sites. The results and observations of this research were utilized to make standards concerning conditions of signs and delineation devices. Also observations were used to determine risk factors pertaining to a work zone. These factors were implemented in a spreadsheet that served as an analysis tool for quantification of risk in a work zone. Eleven projects in highways and arterials were audited and analyzed with the analysis tool developed. The risk scores attained from this tool range in value, and though the values may not be an exact value of the present risk, the tool still proved to be effective as an estimation device for auditors and contractors alike. The tool also proved efficient in quickly identifying the areas of concern in the work zone, and giving an estimate on the impact that improvements will have on the safety of workers and drivers. For the 11 work zones audited, the recommendations were enforcement of speed limit, improvement of signs in the work zone, and use of positive protection, among others.
This work made publicly available electronically on April 6, 2011.
Recommended Citation
Lindheimer, Tomás Ernesto, "Safety Evaluation of Work Zone Practices in Utah" (2010). All Graduate Theses and Dissertations. 871.
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Belarus prepares to expand its visa-free zone
In October-December 2016, almost 2,000 tourists took advantage of new visa-free regulations to visit Hrodna Region. In response to the increasing amount of foreign tourists, Hrodna Region has started working on two important initiatives: visa-free railway voyages and launching low-cost flights to Hrodna airport.
However, making railway services and the Hrodna airport accessible visa-free will not attract many more tourists if more tourist services are not first developed. Extension of the visa-free territory to the whole of Belarus and investment in the development of services would significantly improve the popularity of Belarus for tourists.
Two months visa-free
On 26 October, Belarus announced visa-free entry for tourists. According to presidential decree 318: 'Concerning the introduction of visa-free entry and departure for foreigners', tourists can stay up to 5 days on the territory of Hrodna Region
From 26 October to 26 December, almost 2,000 foreign nationals visited the visa-free territory. The majority of tourists (1,358 people) were Lithuanians, followed by Poles (795). Belarus has also attracted tourists from Germany, Spain, Italy, and Portugal, as well the USA and even Africa.
Aleh Andreychyk, Head of the regional Sport and Tourism Management committee, told Belta that the Old Town, zoo, farmsteads, and night clubs proved the most popular destinations for tourists. Although many tourists highlighted the cheap prices, the insufficient amount of English spoken in services became an important issue.
Opinions on visa-free regulation
In December, Hrodna.life conducted series of interviews with tourists who had came to Belarus according to the visa-free regime. A Spanish family which had recently visited Hrodna noted that Belarus should work more on its image and marketing with the help of experts like those you can find at Indexsy, if it wants to attract more tourists to the country, which remains unknown and under-discovered for many foreigners.
Another traveller from Brazil noted that Belarus is far from the typical Soviet country due to its architecture and developed technologies. Michal Sikorski, a Polish blogger, visited Hrodna and posted a video report. Michal called upon Belarusians to preserve their uniqueness and highlighted the architecture of Hrodna, as well as its night clubs.
Local activists from Hrodna have also noted the significant increase in tourists over the last two months. Yauhen Skarabutan told Radyjo Racyja that these are only the first steps on the way to a visa-free regime between Belarus and the EU.
The next step for visa-free regulation
The Head of Hrodna Region executive committee, Uladzimir Kraucou, reported that due to the increasing amount of tourists, the visa-free zone needs to be extended. Although this might sound as if the authorities are suggesting enlarging the visa-free zone, amendments to the law really only entail expanding visa-free access to railway and flights.
For now, it is only possible to enter Belarus visa-free by car or bus. Visa-free trains from Poland to Belarus would attract more tourists. When travelling by car, visitors have to purchase insurance and spend an unpredictable amount of time on the border. Train travel would remove these arguments.
Authorities in Hrodna Region suggest making the recently launched train route Hrodna – Białystok – Warszawa – Kraków visa-free.
Moreover, Hrodna Region is proposing to launch low-cost routes to Hrodna airport and include the airport in its visa-free zone. Today, the airport is very small and underdeveloped, with only several routes. Low-cost flights from the EU would require investment in airport equipment and better transportation with easy access to town.
The last proposal is still being discussed. Authorities suggest creating a new border checkpoint at 'Safieva – Lipchany'. Hrodna Region authorities note that they are working actively on extending visa-free regulation. Nevertheless, these proposals, even if quickly implemented, are insufficient for making tourism to Belarus truly popular.
Small steps, small achievements
So far, Belarus has taken small steps to liberalise its visa regime. The number of tourists to Belarus has significantly decreased since 2010. Introducing visa-free entrance to one of the Belarusian regions two months ago was the first attempt to open up the country. However, learning from the experience of neighbouring countries could help improve the model for developing local tourism.
For instance, Podlaskie region has created a centre for promotion of the region. The centre actively participates in campaigns aimed at attracting tourists to the region, primarily from Belarus. Recently, at the centre's initiative, the Bialystok Opera sold tickets to Belarusians in exchange for free visas. Creating such a centre in Hrodna could develop new methods of attracting tourists to the region.
The minor extensions suggested by Hrodna authorities have so far been ineffective in changing Belarus's image and popularity among foreign tourists. Introducing low-cost flights to Hrodna will be unlikely to encourage many more tourists to visit Belarus until the airport is better-equipped and connected to the town. The low level of English knowledge, reflected in the lack of English or Latin writing in public spaces will create an additional obstacle for tourists.
Bialystok, the closest Polish town across the border with similar population, has 18 hotels on Booking.com. Hrodna only has five Read more
Extending the visa-free territory to the whole of Belarus would be much more effective. A recent example of successful visa liberalisation is Kazakhstan, where visas are no loner required for citizens of 37 developed countries for up to 30 days. The country aims to create a large international financial centre and receive direct investments from states such as Austria, Canada, and Sweden. Such a measure in Belarus would make the country more popular in the West. The increased degree of openness brought about by a visa-free regime could only be beneficial economically, socially, and culturally.
However, amending visa regulations will not attract a large amount of tourists unless services are developed first. At the moment, it would be savvy for Belarus to invest in the tourism sphere, at least in Hrodna Region. For comparison, Bialystok, the closest Polish town across the border with more or less the same population, has 18 hotels. Meanwhile, according to Booking.com Hrodna only has five. More hotels and hostels, along with better food and entertainment services, would encourage foreigners to visit Belarus more than once.
All that said, the successful introduction of the visa-free zone in Hrodna Region and the possible extensions to regulations still point to the intention of the country to open up and improve relations with the EU. The next logical step for Belarus could be the ratification of the cross-border movement agreement, which Poland and Lithuania have already approved, and cancellation of visas for developed countries, as in Georgia, Kazakhstan, and Ukraine.
UBERgiving, feminist debates, Katoŭka clashes – Belarus civil society digest
Awards ceremonies encourage the most prominent civil society leaders and events of 2016.
DisRight Office's study: only one-fifth of tourist attractions in Minsk is fully accessible for disabled. Advertising of underwear sparks the feminist debate. Situation in Belarus still frozen, human rights defenders say.
Almost 5 tonnes of clothing collected by UberGIVING campaign. APB BirdLife launches a wolf blog. MFA Head meets with Baćkaŭščyna NGO.
This and more in the new edition of Belarus civil society digest.
Summarising the civil society activity in 2016
Civil society awards. In the end of December, several awards ceremonies took place to encourage the most prominent civil society leaders and events of 2016. Belarusian human rights community awarded its annual National prize. A newly-established award Zrabili!/Done! found the most effective community activists. On 17 December, the youth RADA Awards ceremony was held. On 23 December, the Assembly of NGOs for the eighth time delivered its Civil Society Champions Award.
Top 10 projects of Belarusian crowdfunding. Nasha Niva newspaper rates Top 10 of the most successful crowdfunding projects. The record year is $35,000 collected for seriously ill children with special needs, due to a sensational story in Imena magazine. Along with charity projects, crowdfunding campaigns to publish books or CDs, release games, improve the urban infrastructure were also successful in raising funds.
Bright People of 2016. Naša Niva newspaper composed a list of the most visible people and events of 2016. The Persona of the Year is named Kaciaryna Siniuk, the founder of Imena magazine, which collects money for people in need, the disabled, and orphans. Public activist of the Year is Andrej Kim, who translates foreign films in Belarusian and organises their screenings in the city cinemas.
Human rights
Only one-fifth of tourist attractions in Minsk is fully accessible for disabled. The Office for the Rights of Persons with Disabilities presented the results of the study on the availability of tourism in Minsk. 68 tourist attractions were studied – 36 of them were rendered radically inaccessible, 12 were marked as accessible. The initiative aiming to make tourism accessible was launched in the spring of 2016.
Feminist debates. Centre for promotion of women's rights Her Rights appealed to one of the profit companies with a demand to remove the advertising poster, where a woman in lingerie eats macaroni. The Centre believes that the ads is sexist and degrades women. The correspondence between the NGO and the company provoked heated discussions in social networks.
Watch DOCs Belarus. On 15-18 December, the Minsk venues CECH and TUT.by Gallery hosted the festival of documentary films on human rights Watch DOCs. This year the festival focused on such topics as youth struggle for life and dignity, a clash of East-West cultures, and people who are changing the world. A local NGO Zveno organised the festival that was supported entirely from local sources.
Situation in Belarus still frozen, human rights defenders say. Certain positive changes have taken place in the sphere of human rights over the past year, but the problem of their protection is still relevant. For example, the number of persons punished this year for holding peaceful assemblies has tripled; fines of $300-500 are a strain on protesters' incomes.
Social activism
Almost 5 tonnes of clothing collected by UberGIVING campaign. On 10 December, for eight hours, KaliLaska/You are Welcome fund and Uber taxi collected 4.7 tonnes of clothing from the residents of Minsk. Those who could not participate in the action can bring clothes anytime to KaliLaska fund that distributes the clothes to people in need.
Social Boost Hackathon. During 48 hours non-stop (on 16-18 December) Minsk hosts social Hackathon to attract IT specialists to create projects useful to people. The Hackaton plans to create new projects and products in such areas as charity, ecology, education, urban environment, improving the quality of life of people, equal opportunities, etc.
Green and urban activism
APB BirdLife Belarus launches a wolf blog to allow to Belarusians to observe the life of wolves in the Bielaviežskaja Pušča through the Internet. A few wolves have special GPS-collars to monitor the daily life of predators. The initiators believe that such a study may change the stereotypical attitude to wolves as a forest pest and return them a deserved place a significant element of the ecosystem.
Protection of trees in Katoŭka. On 6-7 December, local residents and environmentalists defended the Katoŭka park in Minsk from municipal services, who tried to cut down trees. The confrontation came to the use of physical force. A Catholic church plans to be built in the park so 10% of the trees should be cut down. Environmentalists say deforestation is illegal, as the construction plan has not passed the necessary expertise.
The City show starts the 2nd season. A preliminary acceptance of applications is opened at the project website. The City has a unique format that brings together a professional reality show and implementation of urban projects. The City-2 is a continuation of the similar project that in 2016 released 11 video episodes demonstrating how grassroots activists are trained and then implement their ideas in local communities.
State-civil society interaction
MFA meets with Baćkaŭščyna NGO. On 13 December, the MFA Head, Uladzimir Makiej, met with the representatives of the World Association of the Belarusians Baćkaŭščyna/Motherland, Aliena Makoŭskaja and Nina Šydloŭskaja. The sides discussed the cooperation between the MFA and the NGO to work with compatriots abroad, as well as the arrangements to the 7th Congress of the Belarusians of the World.
BAJ meet Information Minister to discuss distribution of independent press. On 7 December, Belarusian Association of Journalists (BAJ) representatives had a meeting with Information Minister Lilija Ananič to discuss the burning issues of journalistic community, namely, unequal conditions for state and independent mass media, the influence of Russian media content, etc.
Belarus Digest prepared this overview on the basis of materials provided by Pact. This digest attempts to give a richer picture of the recent political and civil society events in Belarus. It often goes beyond the hot stories already available in English-language media.


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There aren't many foods more closely associated with Maine than the lobster. So it's pretty scary that this valued American crustacean could one day soon become a Canadian treasure- a change that could have a devastating impact on Maine's local economy… While we can't know for sure what the future holds, it seems that as ocean temperatures continue to increase, lobsters will likely keep moving north, study researcher Malin Pinsky, of Rutgers University, told Business Insider… At a rate of 43 miles per decade, it could only be 30 years or so until Maine lobsters are mostly in Canadian waters… Two factors will impact how quickly this happens, Pinsky told Business Insider: Greenhouse gas production and the rate of ocean temperature increase. If temperatures and gasses continue to rise, Pinsky says lobsters moving to Canada is, "not out of the question."
Newsroom Home / Audiences / Faculty / A Big Shift is Coming to the Maine Lobster Population — And it Could Devastate the Local Economy


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Casa Magna Colorado Belicoso
Everyone loves a trip to their local humidor because if you're like me and hate window shopping, you KNOW you're coming home with some goodies. Does anyone actually window shop cigars? Anyway, the humidor I visited is a small, convenient place to get some favorites. If I wanted to peruse a wider variety and maybe plop down in a lounge, I'll visit one of the larger more established locations that isn't so convenient.
My goal was to get maybe 5 sticks, but somehow I always manage to get ten or eleven. You know how it is. I ended up with maybe eight or nine cigars and stupidly started looking for something new to try. Back in the corner of the small, walk-in humidor I saw the name "Casa Magna". I'd either recently overheard someone sharing their bromance over this cigar and read a brief write-up. I thought to myself, "hmmm, only seven bucks…"
I vaguely recalled the label, liked the look and with a 'meh', I grabbed a belicoso (the only vitola they stocked apparently), stuffed it into my baggie and headed for the casa. Once home, I did a little research and realized, 'wow, I'm really late to the table.' Again. The accolades and glowing articles gushed from my laptop one after another.
Number 1 cigar of 2008…numero xxx 2009…2010…ad infinitum. Let me tell you the next couple of weeks were brutal as I waited. And waited. Even though I enjoyed several great cigars during this time, I couldn't get my mind off that Casa Magna. Finally, Wednesday rolled around and nuffs enuff…date night for my puro and I.
This lauded puro, steeped in honors, was crafted by the master blender, Manuel ("Manolo" to his friends) Quesada. The gentleman of cigars. The Quesada family's tobacco origins date back to the 1880s in Cuba, but the current generation of Quesada genius really got started in 1974 in Santiago, Dominican Republic. Celebrating over 40 years, beginning with their company, Manufactura de Tabacos S.A. (Matasa), Manuel Quesada, his brother and his father, Manual Sr., kicked things off with "…$100, a chair and a phone."
This was a huge risk as the Dominican Republic was still a tobacco backwater in some respects. The Quesada family were focused on brands like Fonseca, Cubita and Nat Sherman and then the cigar boom hit in the 80s and 90s. The proliferation of brands, sizes and strengths dropped on the market like an H-bomb and demand skyrocketed. Faced with a massive decision to either ride the wave of "smash and grab" and gouge cigar prices or keep to their business plan, keep prices low and stick around a while, the Quesadas shrewdly opted for the marathon, not the sprint.
Quality over price. While this "right is might" attitude worked for a while during the "boom or bust" phenomena, the Quesada family has seen its share of hard times, including personal tragedy. Now operating as Quesada Cigars, you can still find the venerable Fonseca brand along with new Casa Magna, Quesada and Regius brands still made with the same passion and unflinching demand for quality that has come to symbolize the Quesada name.
- Profile: Medium-Full
- Vitola: Belicoso
- Length / Ring Gauge: 6.25″/ 54
- Purchased: Local Humidor
- Origin: Nicaragua
- Wrapper: Nicaragua Cuban-seed Colorado Ligero
- Binder: Nicaragua
- Filler: Nicaragua
- Cutter: Xikar XO
- Lighter: Colibri Firebird 3-jet
- Price Range: $6.50 – $8
The belicoso and torpedo vitolas are my favorites as the conical shaped head is more enticing – the quintessential cigar. The Casa Magna, rolled in Nestor Plasencia's factory, has an eye-catching embossed gold foil band emblazoned with the brand, coins and a simple red ribbon reflecting the cigar's wrapper – Colorado. The wrapper is a sumptuous marbled chocolate color, slightly veiny and almost invisible seams, including the cap.
She's packed and wrapped as tight as a set of Spanx on a washed-up starlet. The wonderful aromas from the wrapper included hay, tea and chocolate. The foot aromas were a sweet, spiced apple. It took three, quarter inch cuts to get the draw just right which allowed for a delicious palette of spiced apple and dark chocolate.
The initial draws took my breath away with a rich, smooth complexity. This was beyond unique. This was special. During the initial third, the well-blended notes of hay, toasted nuts, a light pepper and baking spice danced on my tongue. There is a slight malty profile lingering in the background with just a hint of ginger. The finish is a creamy coffee flavor that is out of this world. Cigarvana. The combustion is even and the char line is dead on.
The middle third started with a dud, thanks to my Quesada-induced daydreaming and the Magna went out. After the relight, she offered a bit more strength and body as the earthy notes begin to kick in. There is notes of oak nicely balanced with the baking spice. The finish is toasty which continues into the final third. Burn is still great and char line dead on.
The final third features a full-bodied earthy profile with lots of oak. The spice is excellent and the toasty finish never gets old. This is not overpowering as the balance is so good and it never gets harsh or chalky. The Magna has been nothing but smooth and tasty. The burn and combustion are superb and other than the relight due to my boyish wandering into la-la-land, I can't think of anything that wasn't delightful.
Every aspect of this cigar is thoroughly enjoyable from its aesthetics and cold aromas to the feel of the wrapper and the flavor palette. With a 93 rating and Cigar of the Year honors from Cigar Aficionado in 2008, I'm about 9 years late. No matter, I still got to experience it. If this is what the CA staff experienced, this speaks volumes to the quality and consistency of this brand.
Like a well-kept secret, hidden in the back of a humidor, fate would lend me a hand indeed. I cannot believe such deliciousness could exist for under $8. This could easily sell for $15 or even $20, and you know what, I'd still buy a box. Or three. Quesada wasn't kidding. Their focus is on quality, flavor and consistency without resorting to a quick price grab because they certainly could. Its nice to learn that such character is alive and well in the cigar industry and business in general. A quality I admire and prize. Thank you Manolo! – In Fumo Pax!


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How £2,000 helped to tame cats in Suffolk
Having been part of a national charity for a number of years, Jayne Roberts decided to set up on her own in 1997, when Suffolk Animal Rescue was born.
Her charity's ethos is to help any dogs that need help regardless of whether or not they are 'easy' breeds or types to rehome, as well as feral cats, which many organisations do not take in because they are not 'cost effective' and require time and rehabilitation. Suffolk Animal Rescue specialises in feral cats because they need the most help and, once tamed, they will reward you tenfold with love and affection.
Jayne said of the Animal Rescue Foundation: We received £2,000 – a fab donation. This went a long way to cover the neutering costs of a couple of large feral cat colonies we were trapping and getting in at the time. Obviously vet bills are our biggest expense, so this was a great help to us."


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My problem I am having is when I use execl, it close my main program. I want the program I create can open other programs or create other actions with linux. I am looking to help getting on the right path. Should I be using execl? Why does it close the main program after it runs execl?
while (y0 != "no")
cout << endl;
cout << "How many I help you? Enter Command";
cout << endl << "open" << endl << "close" << endl << "delete" << endl << "search" << endl << "Enter what program or file like to action ";
cin >> y0 >> y1;
if (y0 == "open")
cout << y1 << endl;
if (y1 == "vlc")
strcpy(y3, "/usr/bin/");
strcat (y3, y1);
cout << "Enter path ";
cin >> path;
strcpy (y2, "/home/john/Videos/");
strcat (y2, path);
execl (y3,"vlc",y2);
if (y1 != "vlc")
strcpy(y3, "/usr/bin/");
strcat (y3, y1);
execl (y3, "a");


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Tony Iaccarino, Ph.D., is a Research Manager at DHM Research. Tony is responsible for communicating with clients to identify their goals, designing qualitative and quantitative research that meets their needs, and providing rigorous analysis resulting in actionable strategic insights.
With his extensive policy knowledge, research skill, and community engagement experience, Tony works to identify solutions to vexing policy and governance challenges. He has managed research projects on a range of issues, including regional parks and transportation, public education, affordable housing, legislative redistricting, the initiative process, tax policy, pension reform, behavioral health, and criminal sentencing. He believes deeply in the ideal of informed citizenship to enhance the public good, having administered a nationally recognized public deliberation program for the evaluation of Oregon ballot measures, while also spearheading efforts to identify measurable civic engagement indicators for the Portland metro region.
Tony has a B.A. in History from U.C. Berkeley and a Ph.D. in History from U.C.L.A. He taught American political history at Reed College, managed the research program for the City Club of Portland, and served as Policy & Projects Director for Healthy Democracy. A resident of Oregon since 1999, he enjoys hiking and camping, coaching youth soccer and basketball, reading historical fiction, and keeping his family's Italian culinary tradition alive.
Some Clients You May Know:
Clean Water Services, City of Bend, City of Salem, City of Portland, City of Tigard, and Oregon Business Council.


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Ranger Engine Rebuild
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Now that we are entering the fall season, it's time to pull out the crockpot! Nothing says comfort food like a beef roast slow cooking all day with your favorite vegetables! This Balsamic Beef Roast and Veggies is that perfect meal--the balsamic vinegar and beef go wonderfully together! Take a bite of meat, potato, and carrot all at the same time. Pure Heaven. As an alternative, you can also make a gravy with the meat juices. (Recipe courtesy of The Magical Slow Cooker)
|Prep Time
|20 minutes
|Cook Time
|8 hours
- 3-4 lbs Beef Roast
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp Pepper
- Cooking Oil
- 1.5 lbs Red Potatoes quartered
- 1 small White Onion
- 1-1.5 lbs Carrots peeled (cut up if they are large)
- 1 Garlic Clove
- 1 tsp Dried Thyme
- 1 tsp Dried Oregano
- 1/3 cup Balsamic Vinegar
- Sprinkle the roast with the salt and pepper. Set a large pan over medium-high heat on the stove top. Coat the pan with cooking oil. When the oil is hot, brown the meat on all sides. Place the roast into the slow cooker. Arrange the potatoes and onion around the roast, sprinkle over the garlic, oregano, and thyme.
- Drizzle over the balsamic vinegar. Add the carrots on top of the roast.
- Using a 6-quart oval or larger slow cooker, cover and cook on LOW for 8 hours without opening the lid during the cooking time.
- Slice or shred the meat, serve with the potatoes, carrots and onion. Drizzle over juices.
Share this Recipe


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November 06, 2013
CNAS Experts Say Adaptive Officer Corps is Essential to Meet Complex 21st Century Security Challenges
As accountability issues within the senior officer corps dominate the headlines, experts at the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) have released Building Better Generals, a report that urges policymakers and military leaders to redouble their efforts to create an "adaptive and creative officer corps" that is prepared to address a wide range of 21st Century challenges.
CNAS Responsible Defense Program Director, LTG David Barno, USA (Ret)., Deputy Director of Studies Dr. Nora Bensahel and Research Associates Kelley Sayler and Katherine Kidder stress that not only will the future security environment be volatile but that "the massive defense enterprise will collide with the realities of declining defense budgets and constrained U.S. global military capabilities." They add that more than a decade of irregular warfare has "distorted the skills of the officer corps and much reduced the time that has been available for professional military education and broadening assignments," threatening to leave officers poorly prepared for future challenges. Thus, the authors say it is wise to invest in flag officer assignment, education and evaluation to ensure a senior leadership "capable of preventing, and if necessary, winning the next war."
Download Building Better Generals.
General Barno, Dr. Bensahel, Ms. Sayler and Ms. Kidder argue that to ensure the "best system to select, develop and educate today's officer corps" any initiative should have three primary objectives:
- Divide flag officer development and assignments at the two-star rank and above to enable specialization and to recognize the different demands on operational vs. enterprise roles
- Invest in expanded education and lengthened assignment tours for flag officers
- Reestablish clear performance accountability at the three- and four-star levels
Such an approach, they conclude, is necessary to enable tomorrow's military leaders to "effectively lead the defense enterprise and be able to fight and win the nation's future wars."
# # #
The Center for a New American Security (CNAS) is an independent and nonpartisan research institution that develops strong, pragmatic and principled national security and defense policies. CNAS leads efforts to help inform and prepare the national security leaders of today and tomorrow.


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Treatment Services
Addiction and Dual Diagnosis Treatment at its Best
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Levels of CareClick to learn more.
COVID-19 Coronavirus Update
Arrow Passage Recovery is still accepting new patients at this time.
We currently have zero diagnosed cases of COVID-19, and are taking extra precautions to protect the health and safety of our clients, staff, and community.
If you have any questions or concerns, please call us at: 844-347-0543
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We offer personalized services for each patient who enters our program, including one-on-one therapy. Our phased treatment services are timed to meet your unique needs — every patient moves at their own pace. These phases address a variety of life areas to successfully return you to the outside world with a strong sobriety after leaving our facility.
Personalized Treatment for Your Unique Needs
Recovery from addiction is a personal experience. That's why Arrow Passage Recovery offers a variety of treatment types to offer the level of support you need to heal from addiction or a dual diagnosis.
Thorough evaluations determine the extent of the dependency and which treatment type will work best to help address it. Our treatment services include residential, partial hospitalization, intensive outpatient and outpatient offerings.
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Our diverse team of experts is fully prepared to accommodate what you're looking for in a treatment program. Our specialized tracks include but are not limited to:
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Treatment at Your Own Pace
We don't offer a cookie-cutter 30-day program, and believe in progressing through levels of care toward independence. We understand that embracing your personal journey to recovery is necessary for long-term success, and support your transition to each level of care when you are ready, not when time is up.
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Reports show that about 50% of people suffering from addiction are also suffering from a mental health disorder. This is a complex and urgent condition because multiple disorders can negatively affect each other in a dangerous way. Arrow Passage Recovery has the experience to simultaneously and effectively address co-occurring disorders for maximum effectiveness.
Levels of Care
Thorough initial assesment determines level of entry. Clients can move up and down through levels of care depending on the situation.


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Rivals challenge Bluffton Outpatient Center
COLUMBIA - The Bluffton Outpatient Center, which won reversal last month of a regulatory defeat, is embattled again.
Competitors of Hilton Head Hospital - which is proposing the outpatient center - argue the decision to grant a permit violates the state constitution and Certificate of Need Act.
A letter dated April 13 from St. Joseph's/Candler to the S.C. Department of Health and Environmental Control lays those and other charges out against the March 29 decision by state regulators to reverse initial denial of a certificate of need (CON) for the Bluffton Outpatient Center.
St. Joseph's/Candler is fighting the proposed Hilton Head Hospital project on a host of fronts, including the charge that it was against the law for the state agency to rehash a decision already issued. The letter argues that DHEC was not allowed to modify its initial decision unless ordered by the Administrative Law Court or a higher court. The letter also says the DHEC Board had no legal authority to remand a decision back to the staff level.
On Feb. 6, state health officials had denied the certificate, which is a tightly regulated permit needed to build the $18 million facility. Hilton Head Hospital appealed the denial that month.
In March, DHEC staff asked the board to remand the matter back to them for more consideration. The agency board agreed, and then on March 29, the DHEC staff threw out its Feb. 6 denial and granted Hilton Head Hospital a certificate of need for the Bluffton Outpatient Center.
That brings the dispute to the April 13 challenge, in which the rival hospitals are requesting the DHEC board take another look at the staff's decision to grant the certificate. The certificate of need program is intended to eliminate waste, contain health care costs and ensure that under-served populations and rural communities do not see their health care options shut down.
Both St. Joseph's/Candler and Beaufort Memorial Hospital had registered their objections with DHEC to the proposed 60,000-square-foot Bluffton Outpatient Center, arguing that the facility would divert their client base in order to meet its projections.
"We have been totally transparent in this CON application with all DHEC officials documenting that this project meets community need and consolidates existing services in Bluffton," said Kelly Presnell, Hilton Head Hospital spokeswoman.
"This project has strong support from local physicians and community leaders. We are confident that the regulatory process will result in an outcome that will be best for the Bluffton community."
Indeed, Bluffton Mayor Lisa Sulka had hailed the project in her State of Bluffton address in March.
The center is planned for 12 acres near the intersection of U.S. 278 and Buck Island Road, in Bluffton Commons at Belfair development and has already gathered local and zoning approvals.
Asked Thursday afternoon if he was one of the community leaders backing the Bluffton Outpatient Center, Sen. Clementa Pinckney, a Democrat, said he has not pressed the case for any of the area's health systems in the current medical race.
Pinckney, whose district includes all of Jasper County, part of Beaufort County and others, also said no one from the hospitals has asked him to intervene, and he does not intend to step in.
But the senator said he attended a St.Joseph's/Candler reception held a few weeks ago.
"It was an informal event, and no one said, 'We want you to do such and such for us,'" said Pinckney.
He said the race between rival health care systems signify "growing pains" that reflect the area's population boom.
Pinckney said he supports the state's certificate-of-need regulatory process, and that it should be allowed to work in order to ensure the public's interest is served.
"The public is most concerned about, 'Can I get an appointment with a doctor? Can I get medical care?'"


text:
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Living in a vast open area can be amazing, especially if you've lived in a city before. You'll feel so liberated and it's a pretty easy going life. Although some would disagree with us right there; some folks like living in busier places. However, if you live in the shadows of Alaskan mountains then we're just going to assume that you like being outdoors. A lot of people love riding their motorcycles as they explore the expanse of the roads.
Living in a place means that going on outdoor adventures is a past time activity that you kind of need to elevate the boredom. Now here's where you need to be careful. There are many areas near the mountains where you can even get lost for a bit and might not be able to reach out for help. The closer you get to the mountains, the weaker the cell reception becomes. You could be out of range after having strayed away from your home and not be able to navigate.
When you find yourself in such a predicament, you can resort to your trusty commercial satellite image app – inReach Explorer. As the name of this app implies, it's a satellite imaging app for those who've lost their way and need to find it whilst being unable to call and ask for directions. With your commercial satellite image app in your pocket, you'll never be lost in the wilderness again.
You can use the app to find your way or even to send a satellite distress signal that other users can see. It's an app that everyone who wants to truly explore the outdoors should always have. If everyone had an app like this, then the amount of missing person cases will be greatly reduced.