Viator

Thursday, October 29, 2009

New York's El Museo del Barrio celebrates reopening with new exhibit

Galleries at El Museo del Barrio have reopened after an 18-month renovation.

El Museo del Barrio is the Museum Mile's only institution devoted to Latino art.

The museum's facilities have been reconfigured to include space for its permanent collection, a cafe, a new glass facade and a redesigned 4,500-square-foot courtyard. It is marking its 40th anniversary this year with public programming, events and performances.

The reopening included the launch of an exhibition entitled "Nexus New York: Latin/American Artists in the Modern Metropolis." The show explores connections between Latino and non-Latino artists working in New York in the early 20th century, and how their exchanges and cross-influences impacted avant-garde art movements. The exhibition includes more than 200 works by artists from Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Puerto Rico, Uruguay, as well as U.S. and European artists working in New York.

The show will be on view through Feb. 28.

The museum is located at 1230 Fifth Ave. between 104th and 105th Street. Manhattan's Museum Mile starts at 82nd Street with the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Other museums on that stretch of Fifth Avenue include the Neue Galerie New York, the Jewish Museum, the Museum of the City of New York, the Guggenheim and the Cooper Hewitt.

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Wednesday, October 14, 2009

FBI uses facial-recognition technology on DMV photos

In its search for fugitives, the FBI has begun using facial-recognition technology on millions of motorists, comparing driver's license photos with pictures of convicts in a high-tech analysis of chin widths and nose sizes.

The project in North Carolina has already helped nab at least one suspect. Agents are eager to look for more criminals and possibly to expand the effort nationwide. But privacy advocates worry that the method allows authorities to track people who have done nothing wrong.

"Everybody's participating, essentially, in a virtual lineup by getting a driver's license," said Christopher Calabrese, an attorney who focuses on privacy issues at the American Civil Liberties Union.

Earlier this year, investigators learned that a double-homicide suspect named Rodolfo Corrales had moved to North Carolina. The FBI took a 1991 booking photo from California and compared it with 30 million photos stored by the motor vehicle agency in Raleigh.

In seconds, the search returned dozens of drivers who resembled Corrales, and an FBI analyst reviewed a gallery of images before zeroing in on a man who called himself Jose Solis.

A week later, after corroborating Corrales' identity, agents arrested him in High Point, southwest of Greensboro, where they believe he had built a new life under the assumed name. Corrales is scheduled for a preliminary hearing in Los Angeles later this month.

"Running facial recognition is not very labor-intensive at all," analyst Michael Garcia said. "If I can probe a hundred fugitives and get one or two, that's a home run."

Facial-recognition software is not entirely new, but the North Carolina project is the first major step for the FBI as it considers expanding use of the technology to find fugitives nationwide.

So-called biometric information that is unique to each person also includes fingerprints and DNA. More distant possibilities include iris patterns in the eye, voices, scent and even a person's gait.

FBI officials have organized a panel of authorities to study how best to increase use of the software. It will take at least a year to establish standards for license photos, and there's no timetable to roll out the program nationally.

Calabrese said Americans should be concerned about how their driver's licenses are being used.

Licenses "started as a permission to drive," he said. "Now you need them to open a bank account. You need them to be identified everywhere. And suddenly they're becoming the de facto law enforcement database."

State and federal laws allow driver's license agencies to release records for law enforcement, and local agencies have access to North Carolina's database, too. But the FBI is not authorized to collect and store the photos. That means the facial-recognition analysis must be done at the North Carolina Division of Motor Vehicles.

"Unless the person's a criminal, we would not have a need to have that information in the system," said Kim Del Greco, who oversees the FBI's biometrics division. "I think that would be a privacy concern. We're staying away from that."

Dan Roberts, assistant director of the FBI's Criminal Justice Information Services Division, added: "We're not interested in housing a bunch of photos of people who have done absolutely nothing wrong."

Gone are the days when states made drivers' licenses by snapping Polaroid photos and laminating them onto cards without recording copies.

Now states have quality photo machines and rules that prohibit drivers from smiling during the snapshot to improve the accuracy of computer comparisons.

North Carolina's lab scans an image and, within 10 seconds, compares the likeness with other photos based on an algorithm of factors such as the width of a chin or the structure of cheekbones. The search returns several hundred photos ranked by the similarities.

"We'll get some close hits, and we'll get some hits that are right on," said Stephen Lamm, who oversees the DMV lab.

The technology allowed the DMV to quickly highlight 28 different photos of one man who was apparently using many identities. It also identified one person who, as part of a sex change, came in with plucked eyebrows, long flowing hair and a new name — but the same radiant smile.


The system is not always right. Investigators used one DMV photo of an Associated Press reporter to search for a second DMV photo, but the system first returned dozens of other people, including a North Carolina terrorism suspect who had some similar facial features.

The images from the reporter and terror suspect scored a likeness of 72%, below the mid-80s that officials consider a solid hit.

Facial-recognition experts believe the technology has improved drastically since 2002, when extremely high failure rates led authorities to scrap a program planned for the entrances to the Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.

Lamm said investigators reviewing the galleries can almost always find the right photo, using a combination of the computer and the naked eye.

Marc Rotenberg, executive director of the Electronic Privacy Information Center, questioned whether the facial-recognition systems that were pushed after the Sept. 11 attacks are accurate or even worthwhile.

"We don't have good photos of terrorists," Rotenberg said. "Most of the facial-recognition systems today are built on state DMV records because that's where the good photos are. It's not where the terrorists are."

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Friday, October 9, 2009

Universal Orlando to Host Holiday Concerts, Macy's Holiday Parade


Universal Orlando Resort kicks off a brand-new holiday concert series featuring Christmas-music sensation Mannheim Steamroller and artists Natalie Cole and Chris Isaak. The concerts are a new way to experience the holidays at Universal -- and add to the Grinchmas celebration at Universal’s Islands of Adventure and the Macy’s Holiday Parade at Universal Studios. Holiday celebrations at Universal Orlando Resort begin Dec. 5 and run through Jan. 1. Mannheim Steamroller -- the iconic holiday music masters who have sold more than 30 million albums worldwide -- performs at Universal Studios on Dec. 5. Chris Isaak performs on Dec. 12 and Natalie Cole performs on Dec. 19. Each concert begins after that night’s Macy’s Holiday Parade. Cole and Isaak will perform a mix of holiday classics along with their most popular hits. The performances will take place at the new Music Plaza -- a new, outdoor permanent concert venue located in the heart of the Universal Studios theme park.


The Macy’s Holiday Parade at Universal Studios features the balloons and floats from Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade in New York City. In addition to the parade, Universal Studios guests can enjoy performances by marching bands from across the country, a nightly Christmas tree lighting, and themed holiday shows including The Blues Brothers, Woody Woodpecker’s Kidzone and Barney. At Islands of Adventure, the Dr. Seuss book “How the Grinch Stole Christmas” is brought to life in Grinchmas, a live stage show featuring an original musical score by Mannheim Steamroller. During the show, six songs are performed by a live cast, including The Grinch and The Whos from Whoville. As a part of the Grinchmas celebration, guests will also have the opportunity to meet The Grinch.


Guests of Loews Portofino Bay Hotel, Hard Rock Hotel and Loews Royal Pacific Resort will be immersed in the spirit of the season with tree-lighting ceremonies, special musical performances, holiday “dive-in” movie presentations and holiday dining events. Loews Portofino Bay Hotel kicks off the season on Nov. 27 with “Holiday Harbor Nights,” a wine-tasting, food and jazz celebration on the piazza. Hard Rock Hotel welcomes Santa to the Kitchen restaurant on Fridays in December, and Loews Royal Pacific Resort rings in the New Year with Aloha 2010, a New Year's Eve celebration. Guests can also enjoy the holiday cheer at CityWalk with decorations, live music on the plaza stage and strolling entertainment on select dates throughout the event.


All holiday entertainment -- including the Mannheim Steamroller concert, is included as part of admission to Universal Studios or Islands of Adventure. Take advantage of the ‘Tis the Season for Holiday Offers: a two-park, unlimited ticket, good for seven consecutive days is $99 plus tax; the Stay More, Save More at on-site hotels deal allows guests who stay for five nights to pay the price of three or guests who stay seven nights to pay for four. Guests who stay three or more nights between Nov. 29 and Dec. 17 enjoy a kids eat free for lunch and dinner deal. Plus, guests can receive complimentary Universal Express access to bypass the regular attraction lines. The Holidays Vacation Package includes a four-night stay for the price of three as well as seven days of unlimited theme park admission; $50 in Universal Dollars to spend on food and merchandise throughout the resort complimentary transportation between the hotel and theme parks; plus early park admission. Rates start at $210 per person. For more information,
call Supreme Clientele Travel @ 407-413-9578

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Thursday, October 8, 2009

Disney World's Epcot Adds RoboSim 4-D Simulator Ride

Kuka Robotics Corporation announced the usage of the RoboSim 4-D Simulator ride system as part of a new exhibit at Innoventions in Epcot at the Walt Disney World Resort in Lake Buena Vista, Fla. The addition of the RoboSim 4-D Simulator is an expansion of Kuka’s current presence at Innoventions at Epcot. Kuka currently sponsors Rockin’ Robots -- a 2,000-plus-square-foot interactive exhibit allowing guests to conduct a robotic band located in the Innoventions West building. The Kuka RoboSim 4-D Simulator creates a four-dimensional experience through 3-D robotic motion and “wind” by controlling air movements to stimulate the senses providing a more realistic simulation experience involving high speeds, quick direction changes and different climates for a unique sensation. The appeal of the two-seat simulator is that it does not fully enclose the rider, but allows the rider’s legs and feet to be suspended. The spherical carbon-fiber hood, which is integrated as part of the unique Kuka RoboCoaster ride system, immerses the rider into a true sensory experience by using high definition video combined with stereo sound and controlled air motion. The RoboSim 4-D Simulator is TÜV certified and includes safety devices such as smoke alarms and temperature monitoring. Video cameras and microphones allow RoboSim operators to monitor passengers at all times.

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Monday, October 5, 2009

United's new twist on fees: $249 for a year of checked luggage

United Airlines put a new twist on baggage fees Monday, introducing a sort of all-you-can-carry fee for luggage.

The airline said travelers could pay $249 for the right to check two bags every time they fly United or United Express for a year.

The annual fee covers domestic or international flights. It also covers standard checked bags for up to eight companions traveling under the same confirmation number as the subscriber, United said.

United charges $20 to check the first bag at the airport and $30 for the second. So a traveler would break even checking two bags after five trips. A family traveling together might break even or even save money on their first trip.

The nation's third-largest airline called it an "introductory price." It didn't say how long the price would be available, or how high it might rise once the introductory period ends.

The fee does not cover charges for oversized and overweight bags.


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Saturday, October 3, 2009

Delta, Northwest frequent-flier programs are now merged

Delta Air Lines has completed the integration of its frequent flier program with that of its subsidiary, Northwest Airlines, Chief Executive Richard Anderson said Thursday.

The combined program has more than 70 million members.

Separately, another airline executive said that about half of the old Northwest Airlines planes that will get Delta's colors have been repainted, and the rest will be finished by mid-2010.

Atlanta-based Delta, which became the world's biggest airline operator with its acquisition in October 2008 of Eagan, Minn.-based Northwest, remains on course to obtain a single operating certificate by the end of this year.

Anderson said in a recorded message to employees that the changeover in the frequent flier program occurred Wednesday night.

"It's all SkyMiles now," Anderson said. "We have a single frequent flier program now, with a single database with a single technology platform."

The changeover means that Northwest frequent flier members have had their WorldPerks converted to SkyMiles and will have SkyMiles issued to them in the future for eligible travel and credit card purchases, Delta spokesman Paul Skrbec said.

He said frequent flier members would be notified, and that process would continue through October.

Representation and seniority list integration has been resolved for pilots of the two carriers and for several other work groups. The issues remain unresolved for the two biggest work groups, which include flight attendants and ground workers.

Anderson told employees in his recording that he hopes the issues are resolved soon. He urged the unions that represent pre-merger Northwest employees in those groups to not delay a vote.

"Everyone of you is entitled to prompt resolution of representation issues," he told all Delta employees.

Meanwhile, Delta has painted about 138 of the 250 Northwest planes that are getting a new paint job, said William Lentsch, Delta's senior vice president for Minnesota operations. That doesn't count smaller planes for Northwest's regional operations Compass and Mesaba airlines.

Northwest planes that are being retired, such as some of its aging DC-9s, aren't getting the Delta colors, he said.

Minnesota lawmakers called Lentsch to testify at a committee hearing for an update. They're especially interested because Delta has agreed to keep 10,000 jobs here through 2016 and 400 flights a day at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport.

Lentsch also said that Delta:

• Employs about 13,000 Minnesotans, and that most of the job transfers to Delta's Atlanta headquarters are finished. He said he doesn't expect them to get close to the 10,000 floor anytime soon;

• Is meeting its commitment for 400 flights a day at the Minneapolis airport.

Northwest ticket and gate agents in Minneapolis and Detroit are getting week-long training on Delta's new, integrated computer systems, he said.

The integration is happening at a time when the industry is shrinking dramatically because of a sharp drop in business travel and steeply discounted leisure travel. He said the airline industry's capacity is down about 7% compared with a year ago — the steepest drop since 1942, the first full year the U.S. was fighting in World War II.

The industry is in "a very weak revenue environment," Lentsch said. "We don't see any real near-term recovery on the revenue side."

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Rare Leonardo da Vinci sculptures on display in Atlanta

Leonardo da Vinci once spent nearly two decades creating a 26-foot sculpture of a horse to honor a royal Italian family, only to have the plaster masterpiece destroyed by French soldiers.

The Italian artist best known for his paintings and inventions rather than sculpting abilities created more than a dozen sculptures in his lifetime, many of which have disappeared.

A rare U.S. exhibit of the remaining few sculptures and dozens of sketches by da Vinci and his contemporaries will open Tuesday at Atlanta's High Museum of Art, featuring art never seen outside of Europe.

The exhibit will remain in Atlanta until February, when a modified version will travel to the J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles. It includes pieces from the Vatican's art collection, the Louvre in Paris and the royal collection at Windsor Castle in England.

"One of the marketing lines that fell on the cutting room floor was, 'Approved by the queen and blessed by the Pope,"' said the museum's deputy director, Philip Verre.

The centerpiece is a nearly 30-foot recreation of da Vinci's destroyed horse statue, which towers over the plaza outside the High. Inside the museum are the meticulous drawings and anatomical notes he made of the Sforza family's horses in hopes of perfectly capturing the animals' motion.

He even mapped out the machines he needed to invent to cover the giant plaster horse in bronze and how to transport it once it was completed. Those plans never came to fruition, though, because the bronze intended for the statue was used to make cannons for a war with France. When the French army invaded Milan, the plaster horse was destroyed by soldiers.

The exhibit also includes three pieces believed to have been sculpted in part by da Vinci, though his name was never put on any of them, said exhibit curator Gary Radke, a Syracuse University humanities professor. Those are a silver sculptured panel depicting the beheading of John the Baptist, a small bronze horse and a terra-cotta angel relief.

"These are just drop-dead gorgeous," Radke said during a tour of the exhibit Wednesday. "For me, it is a real joy to help people see that Leonardo was a student of sculpture as well as a master sculptor himself."

The exhibit also features a marble statue of a bearded prophet by Donatello, the first time a life-size sculpture by the artist has ever visited the U.S. It also includes three bronze statues of John the Baptist preaching to a Levite and a Pharisee by Giovanni Francesco Rustici, a student of da Vinci who was influenced by his teacher's work.

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Rio wins 2016 Olympic Games in landslide over Madrid


Rio de Janeiro rode a wave of International Olympic Committee sentiment to award the Olympics to South America for the first time, winning the right to host the 2016 Summer Games on Friday in a landslide victory over surprising finalist Madrid.

Rio earned 66 final-round votes to Madrid's 32.

"From the bottom of my heart, I should say this is the most emotional day in my life," said Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, alternating between sobs and exuberance. "Rio deserves it, and Brazil deserves it."

Chicago was considered a frontrunner along with Rio coming into the vote. But despite President Obama's participation in Friday's final presentation and Michelle Obama lobbying IOC members here the last three days for her hometown, the Second City suffered a stunning first-round exit.

Tokyo went out in the second round, leaving Madrid, which had the powerful backing of former IOC president Juan Antonio Samaranch, as the only challenge to Rio's historical opportunity.

Samaranch, who ran the IOC from 1980-2001, offered up a heartstring-pulling argument during Madrid's presentation, saying: "I know that I am very near the end of my time. I am, as you know, 89 years old. May I ask you to consider granting my country the honor and also the duty to organize the Games and the Paralympic Games in 2016?"

Madrid's chances were hurt by the 2012 Summer Olympics (London) and 2014 Winter Olympics (Sochi, Russia) already being in Europe.

In the end, it was Rio's passionate pleas to finally include South America in the Olympic rotation that won out. Rio's victory leaves Africa and Antarctica as the only continents that have never hosted an Olympics.

"They've never had the opportunity," IOC member Willi Kaltschmitt of Guatemala said of Rio. "Now they present a very good candidature. So I think the IOC thought it was time to rotate."

When Rio bid for the 2004 and 2012 Summer Olympics, the IOC didn't name it a finalist either time. This Rio bid, bolstered by Brazil's relative financial stability throughout the global economic downturn, was the best ever to come out of South America or Africa but still could present some challenges over the next seven years.

"They were mainly strong because there was this wish of the Olympic movement to show more universality," IOC executive board member Denis Oswald said.

Rio's relatively high crime rate was an omnipresent part of the discussion over Rio's candidature, and Rio's projected expenses were the highest among the four bid cities — at more than $14 billion — because of the amount of new venues and infrastructure needed.

In addition, Rio will host the 2014 World Cup, a fact that has the IOC concerned about effects on 2016 Olympic marketing and sponsorship.

"They managed to divert attention from all the risk areas they had, as did everybody else," IOC member Dick Pound of Canada. "You have got to admire the delivery of that result."

President da Silva has very actively campaigned for the bid, even traveling to Beijing and London to consult with the Olympic organizing committees in those cities.

He said he told President Obama to attend Friday's IOC vote in Copenhagen while the two were at the recent Group of 20 summit in Pittsburgh.

"If you don't," he said he told Obama, "I'm going to win."

"Then he came. But God wished that we would win even if he came."

The Rio 2016 bid team borrowed liberally on Obama's presidential campaign slogan of "Yes, we can!" At almost every presentation it made to IOC voters, the team also showed a map of the world with markings where all Olympic Games have been awarded. South America and Africa, of course, were blank.

"It's an important message to send it to a place that never had the Olympic Games," Namibian IOC member Frankie Fredericks said. "It's an important message to the rest of the world that it's possible to host the Olympic Games."

Details on Rio's bid:

Competition Dates:

Olympics: Aug. 5-21

Paralympics: Sept. 7-18

Theme: Live your passion

Venues: Fourteen venues would be within 10 minutes of the Olympic Village and seven venues within 10 to 20 minutes. The four venue zones are the Barra (14 venues), Copacabana (four venues), Maracana (four) and Deodoro (seven).

Barra: The Olympic Village will be located here with nearby venues for gymnastics, tennis, swimming and diving among other sports. There are three existing venues built for the 2007 Pan American Games. The IOC noted in its evaluation commission report that the zone requires "considerable infrastructure and accommodation development."

Copacabana: The iconic beach will host four temporary venues, including beach volleyball.

Maracana: The track and field stadium will have a capacity of 60,000. The Maracana Stadium (capacity 90,000) will host the opening and closing ceremonies and soccer. Built in 1950 for the World Cup, Maracana Stadium will be upgraded for the 2014 World Cup. The plans call for a redevelopment of the Port of Rio de Janeiro.

Deodoro: This cluster would hold venues for mountain bike, BMX, equestrian and shooting.

More about the bid: The Olympics have never been held in South America, which has a population of 400 million, including 180 million under the age of 18. The city of Rio has a population of 6 million.

The economy is the 10th largest in the world. An IOC poll before the vote showed 85% support the bid in Rio and 69% nationally. The bid proposed a budget of more than $14 billion. Federal, state and city governments have guaranteed the financing. More than 7 million tickets will be available with 31% priced less than $20 and an average ticket price of $36. As part of the Games' legacy, 24 million trees will be planted in the city by 2016.

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Friday, October 2, 2009

JetBlue Launches New Service to Barbados

JetBlue Airways is continuing its expansion into Latin America and the Caribbean by starting service to the island of Barbados. To celebrate the inaugural service, JetBlue is offering a special $99 sale fare each way for U.S. originating travel between New York and Barbados. Flights are on sale through Tuesday Oct. 6, for travel between Oct. 8 and Dec. 16, 2009. Black-out dates and other restrictions apply. For more information, visit www.supremeclienteletravel.biz

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Cuba: Close, but no cigar for U.S. tourists


The country famed for vintage architecture, rum, cigars and '50s cars has a new spin.

Cuba and its tourism industry are ramping up with hip hotels, Chinese-made tour buses and restaurants serving trendy international dishes, partly in anticipation of an influx of Americans and their greenbacks.

At the rooftop pool of Havana's Hotel Saratoga, where rates run $200 and up and two-story suites have humidors and marble bathrooms, young Brits order mojitos. On the street below, near crumbling apartment buildings of Old Havana, a boy peers through the hotel restaurant's window and stretches a hand toward patrons nibbling delicacies unavailable to the average rice-and-beans-eating Cuban, miming hunger.

In the 50th anniversary year of the revolution that brought Fidel Castro into power, tourism is the No. 1 moneymaker, while locals might subsist on $20 a month and omnipresent food rationing.

U.S. citizens can't legally travel to Cuba because of a 1962 U.S.-imposed trade embargo with the Communist island 90 miles south of Key West.

But the regime favors U.S. tourism, and stateside hotel and cruise execs are quietly scoping out the scene.

Illicit Americans walk the cobbled streets of Old Havana, photograph pastel-colored Spanish Colonial buildings and historic churches, buff up their salsa, puff on mellow cigars and lie on the largest Caribbean island's white-sand beaches.

They slip in via Canada, Mexico and other Caribbean countries, and immigration officers keep them out of trouble back home by not stamping U.S. passports with the taboo "Cuba" imprint.

About 41,000 of last year's 2.3 million visitors were from the USA, including legal Cuban Americans, Cuban officials say. Cuba welcomes U.S. tourists, attracted despite the chance of fines or surrender of passports if caught when re-entering the USA.

Visitors are drawn by Cuba's "unique flavor, sensualism, beautiful people," says Christopher P. Baker, author of Cuba guides, including Moon Cuba.

"In Cuba, everyone is happy, even if they've got nothing," says Havana-bound Liuber Leiva, 33, of Miami, in gold earring and baggy shorts, at the Miami airport. He shows how to get bags shrink-wrapped to thwart theft and negotiate daunting lines of Cuban Americans with stacks of gift-loaded suitcases. They now can visit without restriction.

"Here, you make money, but you might not know your neighbor," he says. "There, you just go on over and have a party. At my family's house, there's gonna be 50 people drinking, eating a pig's head."

Havana says 'hola' to hedonism

Indeed, past white-capped nurses checking fliers for flu at the Havana airport and roadside posters proclaiming the glories of Che Guevara, Fidel and brother Raul Castro (who now nominally runs the country and supports U.S. tourism), radios blare merengue and pachanga, and a mother is glimpsed through a window boogieing while breastfeeding.

Lovers entwine on the sea-front wall on steamy nights, escaping un-air-conditioned apartments shared by extended families. And what pleasure seeker wouldn't love a city whose many museums include ones dedicated to chocolate, tobacco and rum? Visitors are encouraged to join the party.

Many a Havana restaurant features a band, even at lunch. At Café Taberna — one of the vintage eateries gussied up in Old Havana by a Cuban firm called Habaguanex — New Jersey Cuban-Americans leave their husbands and plates of chicken and pork to spontaneously sway their hips to the Septeto Matamoros band. At El Floridita, a tourist trap billed as the home of the daiquiri, a singer accompanies the sipping of the $6.50 lime concoction.

Travelers who recall Cuba's musty hotels and often unpalatable fare are surprised by the upgrades (though old-building plumbing can be iffy).

The Saratoga has a spa and menu of pillows. Hotel Telégrafo boasts rooms with boutique-chic touches. And Hotel Raquel is a Jewish-themed lodging with a rock from Jerusalem in the lobby.

The Old Havana spiff-up "is a bit artificial, but I enjoy seeing the real neighborhoods" of the nearly 5-century-old city, says Danish tourist Thomas Bligaard, 20, sunning on the Raquel's rooftop.

Wi-Fi and in-home restaurants

He and other visitors savor Cuba traditions, such as dining in restaurants in private homes. These paladares, started to bring in extra cash for families, have become institutions. Antique-filled La Guarida, in a run-down apartment building, is romantic and sophisticated. At La Cocina de Lilliam, you ring a bell at the gate of a home in a residential neighborhood and dine on smoked salmon and tiramisu.

Havana's grande dame, the 1930 Hotel Nacional de Cuba, modeled after The Breakers in Palm Beach, Fla., is still imposing, with columned arcades and stone towers, even if many rooms could use an update. That's where Kevin Costner, Steven Spielberg and Benicio Del Toro stayed during cultural-exchange trips. Americans with special visas can visit without penalty in certain cases.

Though it now has Wi-Fi, the Nacional is a throwback to Havana's pre-Castro glamour-tourism days, when gambling was legal (the Castro regime outlawed it). Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner honeymooned at the Nacional. Today's visitors still order drinks while overlooking Havana's harbor. Tablemates might include made-up, miniskirted ladies looking to meet a businessman or two.

Another tourist magnet with the mystique of bygone days is Ernest Hemingway's villa outside the city. It's frozen in time, with bottles still on his drinks cart, shoes in the closet, stuffed animal heads — even his fluctuating weight written in pencil over the bathroom scale. Hemingway regularly visited El Floridita for a cocktail.

But Cuba isn't always a daiquiri-fueled fiesta. Residents tend to be fearful of speaking their minds about politics to visitors, looking over their shoulders to see if they are being overheard in a country where freedom of expression is limited. The phrase "no es facil" (it isn't easy) is used when travel glitches — waiting for luggage, trying to figure out attraction schedules or to change tour plans — arise. Bureaucracy is big here. So is surveillance of tourists and journalists. And while service is more efficient than in years past, it is not always a strong point, which may not play well with American tourists known for wanting their own way, and pronto.

"More work is needed to bring (Cuba) up to standard" to handle a horde of Americans, says hotel consultant Charles Suddaby of Toronto.

The tourist hustle, love for sale

Despite black flags signifying U.S. "terrorist" acts planted outside the U.S. diplomatic mission in Havana, most Cubans profess love of Americans, if not U.S. policies. So do touts called jineteros. The nickname is based on the Spanish word for jockey, meaning they ride on tourists' backs. A Havana fixture, they're as annoying as the smell of garbage that permeates some parts of the city.

Jineteros nuzzle up to visitors offering cheap cigars, a room in a private home or their "sisters." "I love you!" they may yell in English at a foreign woman, in hopes of getting into her pocketbook.

At Casa de la Música, a popular downtown Havana nightclub/dance hall that lures locals and vacationers, attractive twentysomething Cubans snuggle with visitors of either sex. Some relationships last for a night, some for years, with the foreigner returning to proffer presents and cash to make his or her beloved's life easier.

While everyday Cubans may chat or invite you into their homes, in the tourist zone, lots are "out to make a buck" or a wrest a tip, says tourist Simon Murphy, 40, of Dublin. He and buddies spent the night before fending off hustlers and provocative local ladies.

Tour guide Ludwig Díaz Montenegro, an efficient 35-year-old with a good command of English, keeps pesterers at bay as he proudly shepherds visitors through attractions such as cigar factories, not to mention the bureaucratic maze. "Americans want to see what Cuba is really like versus the information they have been fed," he says. "U.S. tourists are welcome here, not just in terms of economics, but socially. Here, (we don't) deal with a person's mind-set versus another person."

Says United States Tour Operators Association president Bob Whitley: "If Americans don't like the policies of the government of a country, they (can) choose not to go. But a lot of people want to see Cuba because they've been denied the right."

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Thursday, October 1, 2009

Cockpit chatter cited in six crashes

Airline pilots regularly violate federal law by chit-chatting or joking during critical phases of flight — the kind of distractions that may have played a role in two recent fatal crashes that killed a total of 62 people, according to government records.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) has cited violations of the "sterile cockpit rule" in six crashes since 2004, a USA TODAY review found. In addition, the pilots of a commuter plane that crashed Feb. 12 near Buffalo were casually talking minutes before the accident that killed 50 people.

More than half — 11 out of 20 — of the cockpit recording transcripts released in serious accidents during the past decade contain evidence of violations, USA TODAY found.

Comments that range from mimicking a chicken to expletive-laced jokes were captured on cockpit recordings. Since 1981, federal law has barred such banter while taxiing and flying below 10,000 feet.

Pilots need to improve their discipline, according to some safety advocates.

"It is sending a signal that following the regulations are not necessary," said NTSB board member Robert Sumwalt, a former airline pilot.

"We're seeing too many of these slips," said Federal Aviation Administration chief Randy Babbitt.

Among the examples in NTSB records:

• Pilots on a Great Lakes Airlines flight into St. Louis were making chicken noises and talking in character as they taxied on Sept. 7, 2008. The plane suffered substantial damage to the tail when it struck a building, but the four passengers were not injured.

• The pilots of a Comair jet talked about other people applying for piloting jobs for 30 seconds as they taxied in Lexington, Ky., on Aug. 27, 2006. The plane crashed while trying to take off on the wrong runway, killing 49 of the 50 people aboard.

• The pilots of a Corporate Airlines commuter plane approaching Kirksville, Mo., on Oct. 19, 2004, joked they should tell passengers "you people should all shut the (expletive) up." The pilots descended too low and struck the ground, killing themselves and 11 of 13 passengers.

Edwin Hutchins, a University of California, San Diego professor who has studied pilot behavior, cautioned that most violations are minor, and research hasn't shown a threat to safety.

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Super-Inclusive meets Panama! 25% off this month


Check out the Savings & Packages!  

For more information and reservations call Supreme Clientele Travel @ 407-413-9578

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Book Things to Do Worldwide! We offer over 5,500 sightseeing tours & activities in over 400 destinations

Holiday tours, sightseeing, attractions, activities and the best things to do in more than 50 countries across the world.
Supreme Clientele Travel finds everything you need to make your travel experience unforgettable.
Travel to find out about cultures, people, places and see what the world has to offer.

Whether unfamiliar or familiar, in a far-off land or around the corner, our goal is to help
you have an unforgettable experience every time you travel.

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AirTran Becomes Official Airline of the Orlando Magic

AirTran Airways has become the official airline of the Orlando Magic. The Orlando-based airline is also a "Champions of the Community" partner for the new Amway Center. The multi-year partnership begins this season and includes team and facility access, brand recognition visibility, and category exclusivity. Additionally, AirTran Airways will also support Orlando Magic community programming, which focuses on literacy, health and wellness, and the arts, with a special emphasis on the Parramore neighborhood surrounding the new Amway Center. With the opening of the new Amway Center for the 2010-11 season, AirTran Airways will also have a first-of-its-kind brand integrated space -- The AirTran Airways Flight Deck -- located in the inner bowl of the arena viewable by all fans. For more information, visit www.airtran.com.

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TSA ok's body scan at airports...Do you see what is happening?

Follow my blog @http://refuse2beprogrammed.blogspot.com/  I posted this being in affect on July..Its being publicized now!

Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano endorsed the use of body scanners Wednesday to screen airline passengers despite concerns that the machines create vivid images of people under their clothing.

Napolitano told the House Homeland Security Committee that body scanners are "actually less intrusive and easier" than being patted down by an airport screener.

Last week, Tulsa International Airport became the first airport to use a body-scanning machine in place of a metal detector, which has been the main device to search airline passengers since screening began in 1973. The Transportation Security Administration plans to use the scanners in place of some metal detectors at five other airports, including San Francisco, Miami and Las Vegas, saying the machines detect plastic and liquid explosives that evade metal detectors.

Napolitano's support came after Rep. Dan Lungren, R-Calif., suggested addressing privacy concerns by creating an "I-don't-care line" at airport checkpoints for travelers such as himself who don't mind the scanners.

"I'm serious about this," Lungren said as the hearing-room crowd broke into laughter. "I think if you had an I-don't-care line, many of us would rather go through that. Some of the privacy issues that might bubble up would be alleviated."

"We actually have an I-care-deeply line," Napolitano replied, saying that passengers who don't want to go through a body scanner can opt to walk through a metal detector. Napolitano said the technology "seems to be very promising at the least," and that the main issue for the machines "is going to be, can we make it more rapid so we don't have lines at airports."

The American Civil Liberties Union says the machines provide "a virtual strip-search" and that deploying them in airports could lead to their use at train stations, arenas and office buildings.

Passengers step into the 9-foot-tall glass-walled machines that bounce harmless millimeter waves off people to create a metallic-looking image that airport screeners view on a monitor in a closed room. Faces are blurred and the images are deleted as soon as a passenger is cleared through a checkpoint. The process takes a little longer than metal-detector screening.

Napolitano, the former governor of Arizona, also told lawmakers it "will be difficult if not impossible" to meet a 2012 deadline Congress set in 2006 to screen all shipping containers in overseas ports for nuclear and radiological materials. The department has to negotiate agreements with foreign ports to install detectors to screen the 11 million containers that come into the U.S. ports each year.

Napolitano's predecessor, Michael Chertoff, also had said the 2012 deadline would not be met.

   

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Waldorf Astoria Orlando opens today!


Waldorf Astoria® Orlando

A world unto its own, Waldorf Astoria® Orlando lords over 482 pristine acres in Bonnet Creek, a crown jewel unlike any other. Elegant and refined, passionately devoted to the well-being of each and every guest, our newest Waldorf Astoria honors its heralded pedigree while charting exciting, new territories in its quest to exceed even the most outlandish expectations.

The Waldorf Astoria Spa by Guerlain®

The Waldorf Astoria Spa by Guerlain® is a 24,000 square foot spa that includes 23 indoor and six outdoor treatment areas. Body therapies performed are transforming and soothing massages can enhance overall well-being.

Gentle facials rejuvenate the skin. And aromatherapy wraps cleanse the body. To complement these highly personalized services, products from Guerlain® are available, enabling guests to enjoy a quintessential spa experience.



LOCATION:

Surrounded on three sides by Walt Disney World® Resort, the Waldorf Astoria Orlando is minutes away from most Orlando sites with convenient access to Epcot Drive, Interstate 4 and Osceola Parkway through Buena Vista Drive.

The property is 20 minutes from Orlando International Airport and five miles from private jet preferred Kissimmee Gateway Airport.

Nearby Orlando attractions include Cirque du Soleil, Orlando Ballet, Orlando Museum of Arts, and Bob Carr Performing Arts Centre.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

Waldorf Astoria Orlando offers a total of 497 guest rooms including 169 suites with separate living rooms and spacious bathrooms, Executive Suites and two Presidential Suites. All rooms feature marble bathrooms, televisions, dual-line telephones, complimentary in-room premium cable, video check-out and Internet access.

Business and local newspapers will be delivered each morning.

The original Waldorf Astoria is credited with popularizing room service, and the Waldorf Astoria Orlando will offer it 24-hours daily with an extensive menu for palettes of all ages.

RESTAURANTS & BARS: 

The Waldorf Astoria Orlando brings New York's most diverse dining destination to Florida. Four acclaimed restaurants will serve distinctive cuisine made legendary. Aquamarine and RJ's Grille are new additions to the Waldorf Astoria brand.

Peacock Alley® is a New York inspired restaurant, bar and private dining opened mid-day through late night. Located in the heart of the bustling main lobby near the famed lobby clock, the restaurant serves as the hotel's "living room." It will feature a small plate menu, aperitifs and creative cocktails and live music.

Bull & Bear Steakhouse® is a clubby, classic steakhouse that will attract an international set, including guests and Central Florida devotees. An elaborate mahogany bar will be a scene for cocktails and watching the restaurant's electronic stock ribbon. A private dining room will offer breathtaking views of the Waldorf Astoria Golf Club. The Bull & Bear will be open daily for dinner and present a wine list featuring highly acclaimed boutique vintners.

Oscar's®, a stylish and contemporary American brasserie, is dedicated to casual dining in an informal setting. The best of comforting, contemporary American dishes are married with re-interpretation of Veal Oscar and Eggs Benedict, which made the original Waldorf Astoria famous. The bar at Oscar's offers a menu of inviting appetizers to complement a selection of craft and micro-beers and wines served by the glass. Oscar's will be open for breakfast, dinner and weekend brunch.

Sir Harry's Lounge, the quintessential cocktail lounge, is open afternoon through late night and provides a subdued, yet inviting atmosphere with conversational groupings of cozy chairs around checkerboard tables. It features an "American Dim Sum" style menu, modernized, pre-prohibition cocktail menu and exclusive, ultra premium liquor selection.

Aquamarine is open mid morning through sunset and offers light poolside cuisine featuring "Shaken not Stirred" salads, grilled fish and a signature WA hamburger. Cabana and pool ambassador service includes chilled towels, smoothie samplings, frozen fruit kabobs and cucumber facial mist.

RJ's Grille, located at the Waldorf Astoria Golf Club, pays homage to celebrated golf course designer Rees Jones and serves as the 19th hole for guests.

Waldorf Astoria Orlando guests also have convenience access to Hilton Orlando Bonnet Creek's array of dining options with include La Luce®, featuring signature Chef Donna Scala; Harvest® Bistro, Sucré®, Beech®, Sena Bar + Lounge®, and Zeta Bar®.

GOLF:
The 72-par Rees Jones designed championship golf course Waldorf Astoria Golf Club will feature personalized services including clubhouse-to-cart Club Care, transporting woods and irons directly to the course and back to guest's home country club. Golfers will enjoy the ultra-modern pro shop stocked with designer apparel, exclusive gifts and the latest equipment on the market. Central Florida's premiere golf course staff will schedule PGA certified instruction, coordinate tee times and manage corporate outings and tournament events. The course measures 7,108 yards with a slope of 139 and a rating of 74.6.



For more information and reservations call Supreme Clientele Travel @ 407-413-9578

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