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Enjoying the results of the Civilian Conservation Corps
Cindy Belt Recreation & LeisureWhenever we travel, we look for evidence of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). It was formed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1933 to provide jobs for young unmarried men to help bring the country out of the Great Depression. From 1933 to 1942, approximately 3 million men worked on planting trees, building roads and bridges, constructing fire towers, fighting fires, installing drainage systems, stringing telephone lines, and developing state and national parks.
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Maintaining the edge: How much practice is enough?
Eric Lamberson Law Enforcement, Defense & SecurityA good friend and I recently explored the topic of how much practice — dry practice and range time — is enough to maintain acceptable levels of defensive shooting skill. I define acceptable skill level from a self-defense perspective as the ability to fire Sharp Shooter on an IDPA classifier, pass the FBI qualification, or achieve similar performance on a state or nationally recognized course of fire. My friend Steve is an IDPA six-gun Master and his shooting skill level is well-documented; however, as a result of medical challenges, Steve was effectively unable to practice his pistol skills for six months.
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Taking a vacation when you don’t have enough vacation time
Catherine Iste Business Management, Services & Risk ManagementSummer is a great time for a new job. From new grads looking to put their foot in the door to seasoned professionals just waiting for the summer to move their family across the country for an amazing opportunity, summertime is a great time to transition. Unfortunately, it is also a great time to take a vacation. For new employees at any level, this can be a challenge. Here are a few things to consider when trying to take a vacation without enough vacation time.
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Observing the latest hospitality tech from HITEC 2019 in Minneapolis
Linchi Kwok Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementI was in Minneapolis recently for HITEC 2019 (Hospitality Industry Technology Exposition & Conference), marking the third time I attended the conference's exposition. This time, I paid special attention to the new technologies and products on the exhibition floor, such as those using facial recognition or AI in providing robotic services. I was unable to recognize any revolutionary innovations at the exposition, but I believe two of my observations may warrant some discussion.
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Interior Department announces proposal for hunting, fishing expansion
John McAdams Recreation & LeisureHunters and anglers received some good news earlier this month when Secretary of the Interior David Bernhardt announced plans to further expand hunting and fishing opportunities on dozens of properties managed by the National Wildlife Refuge System all over the United States. You're right if you're thinking you've heard news like this before: then-Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke made a similar announcement expanding public access for hunting and fishing on National Wildlife Refuges a year ago. The plan announced by Secretary Bernhardt opens additional public lands to hunting and fishing on top of those opened last year.
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Are you ready for a ‘nakation?’
Dave G. Houser Recreation & LeisureTravel trends come and go — from eco travel to medical tourism and spiritual travel to tornado tourism. One of the latest trends appears to be all about stripping things down to the basics. And we mean that literally. The "nakation" — aka clothing optional tourism — is becoming one of the fastest-growing segments of the travel industry. Shirking that outer layer at nude beaches and resorts and even on clothing optional cruises has become the vacation choice du jour for hundreds of thousands of free-spirited Americans.
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Travel2020: Making the most of Maui
Lark Gould Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementGetting "Maui'd" goes way beyond vows over the surf. Maui is a compact island and, if a full vacation is not in the offing, a few days of “Valley Isle” bliss can add up to some impacting Maui memories. For starters, Maui is the second-largest of the Hawaiian Islands at 727 square miles, but getting from place to place in Maui can be handled, at most, in about four hours. "Maui is particularly well-positioned for business travelers who may be trying to fit some vacation time in Maui into a packed schedule," said Leanne Pletcher, marketing director for the Maui Convention and Visitors Bureau.
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Move over staycations, it’s time for micro-cations
Bambi Majumdar Travel, Hospitality & Event ManagementAllianz Global Assistance recently released its 2019 Vacation Confidence Index, which states that micro-cations are the newest travel trend for millennials. This generation seems to have veered away from long, leisurely vacations and is instead looking to take shorter breaks even though they love to travel. Quite often, work-related stress, expenses and even clashing schedules for working couples all pile up to make vacation planning an overwhelming task. However, this is not just the case for millennials.
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Adapting hotel design for bleisure travel
Michael J. Berens Interior Design, Furnishings & FixturesOne the biggest trends in the hospitality industry today, bleisure travel has hotels vying with one another to lure travelers to their properties as destination locations suitable for combined business and relaxation activities. As is often the case in hospitality, they are adapting a hotel’s design as well as its operations to provide the atmosphere and amenities bleisure travelers are seeking. With demanding travel and work schedules, more and more of today’s business travelers, seeking to adjust their work-life balance, are extending their stays to engage in leisure and wellness activities.
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What’s wrong with American RVs today?
Cindy Belt Recreation & LeisureLet’s be honest. There are a lot of articles talking about how wonderful RV life is. There aren’t as many discussing the problems of newer American RVs. I don’t know if it is only American models but that is where I see the complaints online. While it is true you can buy an RV and have no issues, you are taking your chances every time you buy a brand-new RV. 3 out of every 10 RVs require serious repair by their second year. But this doesn’t define "serious." Many "minor" issues can prevent you from camping for the weekend or can be a major hassle if you are living full-time in an RV.
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