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By Janet Evans
Wednesday, Oct 8 2008, 11:44 AM
Okay, we still aren’t officially in that “recession,” correct?
But I suppose if you are planning a wedding for next year you may be a little worried about honeymoon plans.
It’s bad enough worrying about the actual wedding expenses.
Well, why not take a tip from a couple from Hampshire, England (yes, my theme today is (those crazy Brits)?
They didn't mess around when it came to making money and got up to their elbows in trash to take a honeymoon to the USA.
John and Ann Till demonstrate how they spent the last three months trawling
the streets of Hampshire for rubbish
from the Daily Mail...
"For most couples, planning the perfect honeymoon is a labour of love. But John and Ann Till, it would seem, have worked harder than most.
The couple spent three months collecting an incredible 60,000 pieces of rubbish to gain 36,000 air miles in a supermarket recycling incentive scheme. "
Continued
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By Janet Evans
Thursday, Oct 2 2008, 11:45 AM
My daughter and I booked flights on AirTran yesterday and discovered yet another fee tacked on to our ticket.
Sure, it was optional….but, not really.
During the ticket purchasing process we were asked if we wanted to choose our seats ahead of time, and if so, there would be a $6 fee for each way, per person.
Well, since we would prefer to sit together, and since I prefer to sit away from the very last row of seats on the of the plane, next to the line of people who can’t seem to make it for two hours without lining up to visit the restroom, of course we had the extra $12 tacked on to our tickets. But it was our choice.
Just raise the price of the darned tickets and be done with it.
Cargo bays must be flying half empty the way it is with carriers now charging for the first bag. Flight times must really be improving with the lighter airplanes, and less fuel is probably being used. Maybe all that empty space in the cargo bays is transporting all that extra cash to the bank to pay off their debt.
Anyway, I love flying.
I can’t wait…I’m going to be going to Vermont.
I wonder if George W., just for fun, ever drops in on Vermont under cover.
Maybe Halloween would be a good time to do that since that’s when everyone dresses up as him anyway and no one would really be paying attention. They’d never believe it was him setting foot in their state. He really ought to do it…I mean, a President should really visit all 57 states, shouldn’t he?
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By Janet Evans
Wednesday, Aug 27 2008, 06:42 AM
Remember that book/travel guide, “100 things You Should Do Before You Die?” Well, perhaps the title should have been:
100 50 Things You Should Do Before You Die
Why?
Because the author, Dave Freeman, died this month at the age of 47, and he only got halfway through his list.
"This life is a short journey," the book says. "How can you make sure you fill it with the most fun and that you visit all the coolest places on earth before you pack those bags for the very last time?" that, according to Freeman, before he checked his baggage and lost his claim ticket...if you will.
Actually, he fell and hit his head while in his home in a freak accident. You may wonder why I'm being flippant about it. It's just that maybe it was meant to be, and he sure lived a more fulfilled life than most people.
It just goes to show you, if there's something you really want to do, and you are able to do it..go for it. You never know what crazy thing may happen to you when you least expect it.
Read the article HERE
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By Janet Evans
Thursday, Aug 21 2008, 07:00 AM
Finally the first airline (American) that will offer Wi-Fi on coast-to-coast flights began doing so yesterday.
Would you pay $12.95 to surf the net for three hours on a flight?
I know I would ...
.
Photo: Wired
I can see the increase of laptops going through security now...
For many it will be used for work. But I think for most it will be used for play.
I just think having the option available is a good idea, and the airlines will make a significant amount of money from it.
Read about it HERE
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By Janet Evans
Monday, Aug 11 2008, 11:50 AM
Pearl Street, Boulder, CO
I just returned from a week in Boulder, Colorado. I’ll be spending some time writing about some of my experiences there off and on during the week.
On Saturday’s there is a beautiful organic green market. The produce is out of this world. The colors fabulous. We found the freshest all white corn…which I haven’t see around here in ages. Carrots in shades of orange, red, yellow and gold. Beautiful, ripe, juicy peaches. Honey that looked like it was just scooped out of a hive from inside a tree, with comb included. Every type of green and herb you can think of and a beautiful array of wildflowers.
Many, many people in this area ride bicycles. It’s a way of life. And talk about clean. It looks like someone scrubs the landscape everyday. It’s spectacular.
One of the things I noticed while I was there was that there are a lot of what I’ll call free spirits. A lot of people doing their own thing. I like that very much, to an extent. Boulder is full of very artistic people. Pearl Street runs through a section of downtown. For blocks it is an outdoor festival of people, day and night, seven days a week. There are all types of shops and restaurants, which have outdoor seating. It is a very casual and inviting environment. It just draws you in. If you have any type of talent (or even think you do) you are welcome to set up in the middle of one of the squares and show it off, and hope to make a few bucks while you are at it. You’ll find all sorts of talent…jugglers, piano players, violinists, guitarists, Australian didgeridoos, American Indian wind instruments, acrobats, every day…all day.
Ah, yes…free spirits…a section with one of those fountains that has holes in the pavement where you don’t know when the water will pop up. With children running through having a great time. Mom’s sitting on park benches watching the children…people all around. Some mom’s breastfeeding off to the side. People, as usual, talking on cell phones. Tourists with cameras.
Then I see it…The three-year old looking little girl running through the fountain, back and forth over to the benches to her mom, who was near the crowd. And I cringe. This is not a back yard. This is a very public place. This is Boulder, Colorado…where the unsolved murder of JonBenét Ramsey is still lurking. Yes, this is free spirited Pearl Street, with the free spirited mom, who isn’t thinking about the internet age, and the cell phones with cameras as her little girl, naked, is running through the water in the fountain. Innocent? Of course. Just a little girl on a hot day…but this is not a commune. This is not a back yard.
Young moms and dads…you can’t be so free spirited when it comes to your children, not in public places…not anymore. You are watching your child, yes. But you don’t know what evil person is also watching. You don’t know who may have, in one split second, taken a photo of your little girl or followed you home.
This is where I am glad I am most conservative of all. I just have to ask, “What were you thinking?”
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By Janet Evans
Monday, Aug 4 2008, 11:54 AM
Actually, I never was sleepy enough on an airplane flight that I would use those grungy pillow and blankets shoved up in the overhead compartments. I've said it before, airplanes aren't the cleanest places. They've seen better times.
I've seen couples make a bee-line for their seats, grab the first pillows and blankets they can find, cover up from head to toe, and sleep through their entire flight..as if they were on a trans-Atlantic flight. It's like they have a routine down ...they've done that before.
I'll pass, thank you very much. That's why the announcement of yet another charge for a service...$7 for a freaking "Snooze Kit" on Jet Blue doesn't bother me, as far as me buying one. It just bothers me that the airlines mismanaged their businesses and now they are nickel and diming everyone and their brother.
I know, I know...they can do it...and so they will...like charging for water on U.S. Airways. Whatever. I can surely last a 2-3 hour flight without a beverage, a pillow, a blanket, a bag of pretzels...and even the bathroom. Matter of fact, I don't understand why two thirds of an airplane must visit the bathroom on the airplane in the first place. Next they'll be putting in a coin slot for that too.
But back to pillows....
"The carrier has done away with the recycled blankets and pillows used on its flights, and will begin offering an "eco-friendly" travel blanket and pillow that can be purchased for $7 on flights longer than two hours. The pair will come in a kit with a $5 coupon to home furnishings retailer Bed Bath & Beyond.
The carrier claims the pillow and blanket feature a fabric technology, developed by CleanBrands LLC, that blocks pesky critters like dust mites, mold spores, pollen and pet dander.
JetBlue already offers free "Snooze Kits" on overnight flights from the West that include an eyeshade and ear plugs.
But the blanket and pillow kit is the latest in a string of a la carte items the company says are providing a revenue boost to help offset the soaring price of jet fuel."
and the water...
"This morning, US Airways began charging fliers $2 for bottled water and sodas and $1 for teas and coffees. First class members, trans-Atlantic passengers and a select group of others are exempt from the extra fees.
“This is another clever way to masquerade airfare increases without increasing airfares,” says Randy Petersen, editor of Inside Flyer Magazine. “Everything has been passed along to the consumer.”
The Tempe, Ariz.-based airline is among many other carriers scrambling to cut costs and boost revenues amid skyrocketing fuel prices. For now, other major airlines including AMR Corp.’s American Airlines, Delta Air Lines Inc., and Northwest Airlines Corp. say they won’t resort to the a la carte beverage system yet but will continue researching all possible ways to save money. Discount carriers AirTran Holdings Inc., JetBlue Airways Corp. and Southwest Airlines Co say they will also continue serving complimentary beverages. "
You know, I just can’t see blaming everything on rising fuel prices. The airlines were in trouble far before rising fuel prices… Yet Southwest Airlines keeps making a profit.
I’m sure they will be blaming it on President Bush and global warming too…Why not…that’s where the blame for everything is put….
Jet Blue to Charge $7 for Pillow/Blanket Kit
No More Fee Water on U.S. Air
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By Janet Evans
Thursday, Jul 31 2008, 06:19 PM
Seriously, I’m wondering what’s up with the reports of ticks. Now there are two. One on an airplane in the U.S. and one on a ferry in Italy. I find it strange. I also find it strange to hear operators of airlines or other forms of travel say they check for these types of things. That's ridiculous and I don’t buy it.
Flight from Denver Delayed By Ticks
Italian Ferry Cabin Infested With Ticks
Ticks are very small and if you have ever seen the time they take between flights to clean a plane (if you want to even call that cleaning) there is no way they are checking a plane for insects. Maybe they do that at some other time. But if someone or someone’s carry on luggage or belongings has an infestation, checking a plane at some other time isn’t going to do any good.
I’m just wondering why there are more ticks this year in the first place. I don’t believe either story has reported whether the ticks were wood ticks or deer ticks. Deer ticks are the ones that carry Lyme disease. If you are going hiking, check yourself for ticks.
And here is how to safely remove a tick…as recommended by a nurse:
Apply a glob of liquid soap to a cotton ball. Cover the tick with the soap-soaked cotton ball and let it stay on the repulsive insect for a few seconds (15-20), after which the tick will come out on its own and be stuck to the cotton ball when you lift it away. “This technique has worked every time I've used it (and that was frequently), and it's much less traumatic for the patient and easier for me. Unless someone is allergic to soap, I can't see that this would be damaging in any way. I even had my doctor's wife call me for advice because she had one stuck to her back and she couldn't reach it with tweezers. She used this method and immediately called me back to say, "It worked!"
Deer Tick
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By Janet Evans
Monday, Jul 14 2008, 08:54 PM
Back in June I blogged about vacationing in Dubai and their real estate dealings. Dubai prides itself in being a sophicated and cosmic center of architecture and activity.
They have a problem though. They have one foot in their religious beliefs and culture and the other in attracting tourists from all over the world...and this is causing a huge clash.
The latest problem is on the beaches. Nude sunbathing isn't going over very well in Dubai. There's a lot of gawking going on ...
"Over the past two weeks, police have detained a total of 79 people whose behavior was "disturbing families enjoying the beach," Zuhair Haroun, a spokesman for Dubai's Criminal Investigation Department, said Monday.
First-time offenders may be issued a warning, but if caught twice, tourists could be referred to the public prosecutor for possible criminal charges, authorities said. "
Dubai detains 79 for indecent behavior on beaches à here
If you surf around the internet regarding visiting Dubai, you’ll find quite a few questions from people who aren’t sure of the protocol for visiting the area. People are confused regarding how to dress and the customs.
People come to the United States to vacation and they are allowed to do just that. If you are going to attend a place of worship while you are here, you may do so, and you may dress appropriately.
If I vacation in another country, I want to do that, vacation. I am not going to wear a berka as a U.S. citizen if you want me to spend my money in your country. And either you allow nude sun bathing or you don’t. Which is it? You can’t ask Westerners to come to your country in droves and then expect them to not be Westerners.
Perhaps the Muslim men in Dubai should be home with their wives rather than hanging around the beaches gawking at other women, anyway.
You can’t have your cake and eat it too.
(AP) With backdrop of the
Burj Al Arab hotel, People
enjoy the Umm Suqaim
public beach in Dubai.
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By Janet Evans
Tuesday, Jul 8 2008, 06:30 AM
That term has been around since, well, 1976.
Now there is a new term involving the couch.
It’s a “couch surfer.”
You may be surprised as to what that is.
The couch potato already is planted on the couch in front of the T.V.
A couch surfer is usually a younger generation (but not always) traveler who plants themselves on stranger’s couches all over the country and world via searching the internet for a vacation.
“While the cultural exchange that enlivens the world of couch surfing is as old as human wanderlust, the phenomenon itself has moved into the 21st century with a formal movement with a website, a mission statement, precautions, and sophisticated referral and vetting procedures to protect the safety and good intentions of both hosts and travelers. In short, says futurist and social analyst Marian Salzman, it is the universe of social networking itself, simply pushed into the real world.
"It's a new kind of social," says Ms. Salzman. Younger travelers "want to see the world in the way they live now, which is totally connected, with hundreds of casual friends." It's a powerful, word-of-mouth way to make connections with people all over the world, says Cameron Siewert, content manager for the online travel site, IgoUgo.com. And it makes travel accessible in a way it hasn't been before. “
While that all sounds great...we all know that danger must be lurking out there.
Read the full story from Christian Science Monitor
Around The World On 80 Couches à here
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By Janet Evans
Saturday, Jun 28 2008, 08:35 PM
As I’ve said before, my daughter travels often, and has been to Thailand and China many times. She flies business class and is treated very well on the flights. I know once she did fly in coach on a last minute trip to China and it wasn’t the best experience. The flight, which had very few Americans on it, was very noisy, for one thing.
I don’t know about you, but I’ve been trapped on an airplane for a short period of time. I’ve heard those horror stories of people being kept against their will on an aircraft six, seven, ten, twelve hours at our own U.S. airports, under horrible conditions.
When I’ve been stuck it’s been for, at most, forty minutes. That was enough to be panic time for me. There is no air movement because the air doesn’t come on unless the engines are going. It just gets so hot.
I know that’s the time of year I have travelled though because my daughter reported a flight one morning where it was so frigid, with below zero temperatures, and she was on the first flight of the morning. The heat happened to be broken and the flight really should have been cancelled. The passenger’s teeth literally chattered the entire trip.
Anyway, I don’t know what I would do if I was trapped on a flight. No way could I last all those hours without fainting without air.
But on last Friday, on a flight that had about 200 people flying from Beijing to the city of Yantai, China….52 passengers actually refused to leave the plane when they were told to because their flight was cancelled.
First, they spent three hours sitting in the plane because of bad weather. Then when the other passengers left, those 52 decided they were going to stay on that plane.
I know Beijing isn’t that bad of a city that staying on a plane 12 hours was better. Even the airport looks pretty nice.
What’s up with that?
Read the article from Reuters
Passengers Sleep on Plane After Flight Was Cancelled à here
Beijing Capital International Airport
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By Janet Evans
Wednesday, Jun 11 2008, 07:01 PM
Seriously, I think I’ll pass on the vacation to Dubai….
After all, they can’t have their cake (oil) and eat (sell) it too (right).
It might be a nice place to live (oil is cheap and they can wear white shoes all year long).
Poor things though…
I guess we aren’t giving them enough.
Isn’t over $4 a gallon doing it?
They can't seem to complete their newest treasure...the tallest building on the planet...that's right, I said "planet"....the Burj Dubai.
Computer-generated view of Burj Dubai once completed
"Construction of the world's tallest building, the Burj Dubai, has been delayed and will be completed only in September next year, the developer was quoted on Tuesday as saying.
The tower, which is expected to reach a final height of 900 metres (2,953 feet), was due for completion in the bustling city state at the end of 2008. "
Ouch....You can read that story from Breitbart ç here
Then, today, this….they're snapping up more real estate in the U.S.
Chrysler Building, NY
"The latest Big Apple trophy being coveted by oil-rich sovereign wealth funds is the landmark Chrysler Building.
Sources say the super-rich Abu Dhabi Investment Council is negotiating an $800 million deal for a 75 percent stake in the Art Deco treasure that has defined the Midtown skyline since 1930. "
Read that in the New York Post ç here
Did I hear that correctly in that video? It only rains a couple times a year?
Hmm…
Nope....somehow I think there might be too much control over my blogging ç here
I'll stick around in Franklin.
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By Janet Evans
Friday, Jun 6 2008, 11:15 AM
Looks like airports are going to be seeing a little more than your underpants, since eventually over 2000 of the nation's airports will be replacing metal detectors with body-scanners that can see through your clothing. You've probably heard of these scanners before...they can see your body parts very clearly.
"Body-scanning machines that show images of people underneath their clothing are being installed in 10 of the nation's busiest airports in one of the biggest public uses of security devices that reveal intimate body parts.
The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) recently started using body scans on randomly chosen passengers in Los Angeles, Baltimore, Denver, Albuquerque and at New York's Kennedy airport.
Airports in Dallas, Detroit, Las Vegas and Miami will be added this month. Reagan National Airport in Washington starts using a body scanner today. A total of 38 machines will be in use within weeks.
"It's the wave of the future," said James Schear, the TSA security director at Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport, where two body scanners are in use at one checkpoint.
Schear said the scanners could eventually replace metal detectors at the nation's 2,000 airport checkpoints and the pat-downs done on passengers who need extra screening. "We're just scratching the surface of what we can do with whole-body imaging," Schear said."
Read the full story on USA Today
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By Janet Evans
Sunday, May 25 2008, 06:24 PM
Beginning June 15th, American Airlines will charge $15 for your first checked bag each way….
I guess it’s time to start dressing in layers when you go on a flight.
But before you know it, maybe they will start charging passengers by their weight.
So wearing layers might backfire.
And wearing layers might make that possible strip search take much longer.
You just can’t win.
Maybe it’s just better to say home.
Which is what may start happening more often the way things are going.
Somehow it doesn't seem right that those with baggage should shoulder the whole burden for the higher cost of gas. Why not just raise the price of the tickets and be done with it?
All I know is, if I have a choice between American and another airline, I won't fly American.
Read the story from the Seattle Times ç here
SCOTT OLSON—GETTY IMAGES
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By Janet Evans
Saturday, May 17 2008, 06:25 AM
Antique "Mobilgas" gas pumps at Cannondale Crossing antiques
shopping center in the Cannondale section of Wilton, Connecticut.
Manufactured by "Zokheim" of Fort Wayne, Indiana
$4.00 È
So, what’s your limit?
What's your limit before you start to seriously alter your lifestyle?
Have you reached it yet?
Is it the $4.00 mark?
Is it higher than that?
Was it lower?
When, and, if that time arrives...
What changes will you make?
Cut down on trips to the store?
No eating out?
Drop your weekend activities and stay close to home?
No vacations?
Would you consider getting rid of one of your cars?
What will you do?
Watch a video of what some people in Michigan are doing....
High gas prices forcing drastic lifestyle changes à here
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By Janet Evans
Monday, Apr 7 2008, 06:15 PM
 A woman grills rats at Dinh Bang village,
nearly 13 miles outside Hanoi.
Kham / Reuters file
No...I won't...
Maybe my brave daughter would have tried grilled rat though.
She travels all over the world in her job and has been to Vietnam.
The last time she was in Thailand there was a fruit called Durian, a whitish-green colored fruit about the size of a head of lettuce with spikes all over it.
It’s one of the biggest exports from the area.
But there are signs up all over the place saying it is banned from places like her hotel.
Why? It’s the smell.
It smells like rotting flesh with a touch of rotting onions and/or pungent cheese.
She was brave and did try it…she said it wasn’t too bad.
Are you a traveler?
If so, do you always try new foods when you are in a new country?
Or do you look for a McDonalds as soon as you get off of the plane?
Check out a story from MSNBC
The Cultural Resonance of Food í here
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By Janet Evans
Tuesday, Apr 1 2008, 07:05 PM
Just in time for the Summer Olympics…or that summer trip.... "Imagine yourself half way around the world, let's say, in Beijing, sitting in a luxurious restaurant, viewing the menu, choosing your delights and simply ordering them in English from the menu without saying one word in Chinese. Even the prices are converted in Dollars. A dream? A mirage? Not if are you using foodJoker.com.
As a revolutionary restaurant guide written in English, and 9 additional languages, foodJoker.com presents global dining in 21st century the way it should be: simple, enjoyable and full of informative content."
Read the article and check out FoodJoker.com on News Blaze
Waiter, Do you speak English?
A Restaurant Search Engine to Service the World! í Here
What a great idea!
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By Janet Evans
Friday, Mar 28 2008, 11:45 AM
It’s just a fact since 9-11…
And everyone who travels by air should know it by now.
The rules are more strict.
Some metal detectors are set higher than others.
You must remove your jewelry before passing through metal detectors.
TSA workers are not always consistent.
But here’s a warning for you…especially for women.
If you are planning on traveling by way of Lubbock, TX, and you have nipple rings….
Remove them at home.
Read about what one woman went through in Texas when she was required to remove her nipple rings in order to board a flight, including having to use pliers to do so, on MSNBC
Nipple Rings Cause Airport Security Issue í here
Oh, boo hoo
You know what?
I don't feel too sorry for Mandi Hamlin.
If she's got some medical reason she can't remove her freak jewelry before she comes to the airport, maybe she can come with a doctor's release.
I know what I can take and what I can't when I go.
Yes, it's strict.
But with the metal left on her body, it could, in a rare case be masking something else that could be hidden on her.
I know that's reaching...but who knows who that one terrorist will be?
And if you are on a plane, do you want TSA to take a chance?
Should they apologize, if that's all she is asking for?
Well, if they were in fact laughing at her, or rude, then yes.
But not for making her remove the jewelry.
And you've got to hand it to Attorney Gloria Allred...she sure can pick the cases.
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By Janet Evans
Thursday, Mar 27 2008, 06:30 AM
DHS Begins Collecting 10 Fingerprints from International Visitors at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport
Release Date: March 25, 2008
For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
Contact: US-VISIT Public Affairs, 202-298-5200
CBP Public Affairs 212-514-8324
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) announced today that it has begun collecting additional fingerprints from international visitors arriving at New York’s John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK). The change is part of the department’s upgrade from two- to 10-fingerprint collection to enhance security and facilitate legitimate travel by more accurately and efficiently establishing and verifying visitors’ identities.
“Biometrics have revolutionized our ability to prevent dangerous people from entering the United States since 2004. Our upgrade to 10‑fingerprint collection builds on our success, enabling us to focus more attention on stopping potential security risks,” US‑VISIT Director Robert Mocny said.
For more than four years, U.S. Department of State (DOS) consular officers and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officers have been collecting biometrics—digital fingerprints and a photograph—from all non-U.S. citizens between the ages of 14 and 79, with some exceptions, when they apply for visas or arrive at U.S. ports of entry.
“Quite simply, this change gives our officers a more accurate idea of who is in front of them. For legitimate visitors, the process becomes more efficient and their identities are better protected from theft. For those who may pose a risk, we will have greater insight into who they are,” added Paul Morris, Executive Director of Admissibility and Passenger Programs, Office of Field Operations, CBP.
The department’s US-VISIT program currently checks a visitor’s fingerprints against DHS records of immigration violators and Federal Bureau of Investigations (FBI) records of wanted persons and known or suspected terrorists. Checking biometrics against the watch list helps officers make visa determinations and admissibility decisions. Collecting 10 fingerprints also improves fingerprint matching accuracy and the department’s ability to compare a visitor’s fingerprints against latent fingerprints collected by Department of Defense (DOD) and the FBI from known and unknown terrorists all over the world. Additionally, visitors’ fingerprints are checked against the FBI’s Criminal Master File.
On an average day at JFK, almost 14,400 international visitors complete US‑VISIT biometric procedures. Visitors from Mexico, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, France and Japan comprise the largest numbers of international visitors arriving at JFK.
JFK is the tenth port of entry to begin collecting 10 fingerprints from international visitors. Washington Dulles International Airport began 10-fingerprint collection on
November 29, 2007. Hartsfield‑Jackson Atlanta International Airport, Boston Logan International Airport, Chicago O’Hare International Airport, George Bush Houston Intercontinental Airport, San Francisco International Airport, Miami International Airport, Orlando International Airport and Detroit Metropolitan Wayne County Airport have also begun 10-fingerprint collection.
US‑VISIT is evaluating 10‑fingerprint collection at these airports. It will use the results to inform the deployment of the technology to the remaining air, sea and land border ports of entry that will transition to collecting 10 fingerprints by December 2008.
Since US‑VISIT began in 2004, DHS has used biometric identifiers to prevent the use of fraudulent documents, protect visitors from identity theft, and stop thousands of criminals and immigration violators from entering the country. US‑VISIT, in cooperation with CBP, is leading the transition to a 10-fingerprint collection standard. This upgrade is the result of an interagency partnership among DHS, FBI, DOD and DOS.
###
This page was last reviewed/modified on March 25, 2008.
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By Janet Evans
Saturday, Mar 22 2008, 01:00 PM
Let’s put it this way….
It will cut down on the long lines.
"Among all the protests, pollution concerns and talk of boycotts surrounding the Beijing Olympics, a more basic problem has arisen for organizers: the toilets."
"At the more than 30 test events held by organizers, the presence of squat toilets at many of the new and renovated venues has drawn frequent complaints."
"We have asked the venues to improve on this, to increase the number to sit-down toilets," YaoHui, deputy director of venue management for the Beijing organizers, said Wednesday. "Many people have raised the question of toilets."
"The issue came up again over the weekend when the San Diego Padres played the Los Angeles Dodgers at the new Olympic baseball venue. The portable toilets trucked in were of the style used widely in Asia, but rarely in the West. "
My daughter has been to China several times, and is going again in May.
Her report of "squat toilets" was not the most positive.
And for those not accustomed to these facilities...well, let's just say, it takes some practice.
Read the rest of the article from MSNBC
Olympics flush with problems - squat toilets ç here
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By Janet Evans
Sunday, Feb 3 2008, 08:55 AM
During the era I was born, there was such optimism regarding the future.
Especially with travel...here on Earth and in space.
You have to wonder, with the increased population since that time, where has that vision gone?
We have crowded highways, pollution, we're all in a hurry.
Why are we stagnant?
What happened to this?
Magic Highway USA Disney-1958
Witness an artifact from a time where the future was greeted with optimism.
I guess we'll just have to be happy with the "Information Highway,"
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