Sunday, January 31, 2010
Friday, January 29, 2010
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Second homes: St. Augustine, Fla., is on par with the best golf spots
Founded in 1565, St. Augustine is the USA's oldest city and attracts many admirers to its Spanish Colonial architecture. But today, a different "historical" attraction draws more than 300,000 visitors a year: Home to the World Golf Hall of Fame, St. Augustine is a magnet for vacationing and second-home golfers along Florida's northeast coast.The TPC Sawgrass Stadium Course, opened in 1980, put the area on the golf map. About 40 minutes north in Ponte Vedra Beach, it is the world headquarters of the PGA Tour and home to The Players Championship. Because of its novelty and annual TV exposure, the island par-3 17th hole is arguably the most recognizable golf hole on Earth, and the course is perennially ranked among the nation's top 10. The Stadium is just one of more than a dozen courses in Ponte Vedra Beach, including the TPC Valley and Sawgrass Country Club. The town is a popular golf second-home community, and such top PGA Tour stars as Vijay Singh have houses here.
"Ironically, it's the golf that gets people down here, but it's our beaches and proximity to the ocean that gets them to buy," says Rob Kearney of Kearney Real Estate Services, an avid golfer and Ponte Vedra Beach resident himself. "It used to be mostly second homes, but it has grown into a bedroom community for Jacksonville (about a 30-minute drive northwest), and there's something for everyone: condos, garden homes, single-family houses, inland, oceanfront, and on the golf course."
St. Augustine is home to the World Golf Village, a vast residential and resort community that includes the World Golf Hall of Fame, two famous courses, shops, restaurants, hotels, a golf academy and about 1,000 houses and condos, with 4,500 residences in the master plan.
"It's less expensive than the Ponte Vedra golf communities," Kearney says. "Outside the World Golf Village, downtown St. Augustine buyers typically like history and the arts and are more ocean-oriented."
More recently, the golf has stretched south to Palm Coast, where some of the game's most famous designers have built oceanfront courses. Many buyers consider this stretch to be an undiscovered pocket, more natural and uncongested than the coast north of St. Augustine.
A look at three St. Augustine area neighborhoods
• Ponte Vedra Beach: Like Pinehurst or St. Andrews, the PGA Tour's hometown is synonymous with golf. There are private and semi-private country club communities, including TPC Sawgrass, but prices are surprisingly reasonable. Realtor Rob Kearney says condos start in the mid-$200,000s, houses around $300,000. Waterfront houses fetch up to $7 million.
• St. Augustine: The nation's oldest city has a mix of suburban golf communities, most notably the World Golf Village, and more traditional beach-resort living, with many high-rise oceanfront buildings. "Condos in the golf village start at just over $100,000 and homes from $200,000. You can get beachfront condos for just over $100,000," Kearney says.
• Hammock Beach: This golf community about 30 minutes south of St. Augustine has courses by Jack Nicklaus and Tom Watson, tennis, large marina, restaurants, fitness facilities and spa. Second-home owners make up more than half the residents. In the luxurious new Ocean Towers, units run $600,000-$1.2 million. "On the resale market, homes start about $600,000, home sites at about $150,000 and three-bedroom condos around $450,000," says Craig Straky of the Luxury Realty Group of Florida.
Thursday, January 28, 2010
Most-annoying travel deceptions and scams
"What deceptions and scams are we likely to encounter in 2010?"
The short answer is, "Generally, it will be 'round up the usual suspects,' and more of the same seems more likely than something entirely new." Here's my take.
Mandatory add-ons
The mandatory add-on—a charge that isn't included in the featured price—is the deception most likely to flourish in 2010. The most obvious current offenders are hidden "housekeeping," "resort," and other such fees that hotels and resorts add on to featured base rates. Clearly, those fees should be included in the base rate, but they often aren't. They're particularly prevalent in Las Vegas and in prime winter-sun destinations, and they're more prevalent at upscale rather than budget accommodations, but you can run into them almost anywhere.
The big question is not just how many more hotels will resort to hidden add-ons this year—it's also about how many different sorts of travel suppliers will do the same. I expect lots more of both. The primary incentive for suppliers to resort to this deception is the ascendancy of the Internet as a prime travel buying channel. More and more travelers rely on Internet-based—often automated—price comparisons, and posting a price that's $10 to $30 less than the true price makes a hotel or other supplier look better in those comparisons. I suspect that it's the difference between a sale and a pass in many cases.
What I find especially curious is the fact that the big online travel agencies, such as Expedia, Priceline, and Travelocity, don't provide true all-up price displays for hotel accommodations that include those phony add-on charges. After all, they've been quite successful at posting all-up costs for rental cars, so I can't understand why they can't do the same for hotels and other suppliers. Maybe they will, someday, but I see no signs so far. Beware.
Airlines would do the same with add-on fuel surcharges, if they could. Fortunately, however, the U.S., Canadian, and most European governments prohibit separating fuel surcharges from the displayed total fares, so you needn't worry. Unfortunately, nobody apparently has the same authority to oversee deceptions by hotels and resorts.
Free? Feh!
Another top deception will probably continue: fake "free" promotions, as in "free air on a cruise," or "free fifth night" on a hotel promotion, or "free companion ticket." As I've noted before, hardly anything is ever really "free." Specifically:
• Nothing is "free" if you have to pay for something else to get it, and
• Nothing is "free" if it's bundled into a package and you can buy the rest of the package, minus the "free" part, for less than the full package price.
At best, those "free" promotions are a deceptive way to make a price or a package look better than it really is; at worst, they're outright lies. I see no relief in sight for 2010: Expect plenty of "free" promotions this year.
Half the real price
Two widespread pricing deceptions feature prices at half their actual cost:
• "Each way based on round-trip purchase for airfares" has been around for a long time. The deception, of course, is that you can't buy any ticket at that price; the harm is that a few lines actually do sell their cheapest tickets one-way and they may lose business to lines that use deceptive practice. According to industry sources, the Department of Transportation has upheld its ridiculous approval of this deception mainly because of the personal bias of one top official, and I see no reason to expect any change this or any other year.
• "Per person double occupancy" has been around even longer, mainly for package tours and cruises. Although it's equally deceptive, it's so ingrained in the travel industry that nobody seriously expects it to change—and, fortunately, almost all of us have learned to live with it. There's one case, however, where it can be pernicious: When a hotel prices individual rooms that way. Hotel rates are one case where almost all of us expect a per-room price quotation, and a per-person rate can distort a price search significantly.
The outright scams
Outright scams—where the perpetrator has no intention of delivering on what's promised—have plagued the travel industry for decades. And some of them have been around for years, despite various sporadic enforcement actions:
• You can blame the lousy economy for what is currently the most active of the old-timers: "We guarantee to sell your unwanted timeshare interval if you pay $400 (or whatever) for a listing" promises that take your money and then do nothing. Regular timeshare maintenance and tax assessments are squeezing lots of travelers who have seen their income and assets dwindle, and many of those folks are desperate to get out from under those ongoing bills. Unfortunately, buyers know that many timeshares are on sale for as little as $1, and if they understand and want to buy a timeshare, they know they can pick one up on the cheap.
• I haven't seen much of two other hardy perennials recently: Travel certificates that promise really cheap vacation packages but don't really deliver and "card mills" that promise "huge travel agent discounts" if you buy their travel-agent ID that no supplier actually honors any more. I'm sure they're still around, but fortunately they're easy to spot and to avoid.
Beyond the obviously absurd emails from Nigeria (or somewhere), some of which involve buying air tickets, I haven't seen any new widespread scams emerging. Maybe the crooks have found that outright crime, especially identity theft, is more profitable than running a complex scam.
"You can't fix stupid"
Sadly, we'll probably continue to see instances where stupidity results in a de facto deception or other difficulty. Government certainly isn't exempt, either—how about that eight-year old boy on the terrorist watch list? But you'll continue to see complaints ignored, booking errors, incorrect items on your charge card, and the rest. In those cases, a combination of patience and firmness can usually resolve the issue.
Caveat emptor
As usual, alert consumers are generally immune to most scams and deceptions. Stay alert—and remember, "There's no such thing as a free lunch."
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
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Airlines brace for Kennedy runway closure
The Federal Aviation Administration is forecasting delays equivalent to those seen during the clogged height of summer. The impact for the rest of the country is uncertain, but flight delays in New York can potentially ripple across the air-traffic system.
The longest of JFK's runways — a 14,572-foot strip of asphalt so long it serves as a backup landing site for the space shuttle — will be closed until July 1, according to the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.
It will be resurfaced in tougher concrete, taxiways will be reconstructed, and new lighting will be installed, said Susan Baer, aviation director for the Port Authority. The improvements should help reduce some delays at JFK in the future, she said.
Meanwhile, major airlines are cutting flights and building extra time into their schedules, said JetBlue Chief Operating Officer Robert Maruster. The FAA will use new procedures to keep flights moving, said Michael Sammartino, the agency's director of system operations for air traffic.
"Everyone is concerned," Sammartino said. "Nobody is thinking this is going to be a cakewalk, but the preparedness has gone into it to allow for the best service for the customers."
Airline delays have fallen significantly in the past year, but New York's airports are still among the nation's most congested. Last August, JFK had the nation's third-worst record for delays, according to the federal Bureau of Transportation Statistics. About 30% of flights arrived late, and 26% were late departing.
Air-traffic controllers worry that the runway closure could trigger even worse delays. Controller Stephen Abraham said guiding planes on the airport's complex network of taxiways will be far more difficult after the closure.
"We're going to be doing things that we've never done before," said Abraham, chief of the National Air Traffic Controllers Association at JFK's tower.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
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Friday, January 22, 2010
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
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Universal Studios Korea Resort to open in 2014
Plans for Universal Studios Korea Resort, billed as the largest such Universal project in Asia, were originally announced in May 2007 amid hopes it would be up and running in 2012.
Kim Moon-soo, governor of Gyeonggi province, where the resort is set to be built, blamed the worldwide financial meltdown for the delay, but said the large-scale project is back on track. Construction is scheduled to start at the beginning of next year, according to a release.
"Our Universal Studios in Korea is bigger than all the other studios combined," Kim said at a press event, referring to theme parks already operating in Orlando, Florida and Universal City, California in the United States, Osaka, Japan and another slated to open soon in Singapore.
"This will be a remarkable landmark in terms of tourism in Korea," he said.
A total of 15 partners are participating in the development, including South Korean conglomerate Lotte Group and builder Posco E&C. They signed a framework agreement Tuesday to raise capital for the 3 trillion won ($2.7 billion) project expected to attract 15 million visitors a year in South Korea and from abroad.
Kim said the project has the backing of South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, a former construction executive. He hinted, however, at frustration with the slowness of central government decision making and approvals for land and infrastructure issues.
"Singapore started one year ahead of us, but they are almost near completion so it's all coming down to speed now," he said.
The Singapore project will open during the first three months of this year, said Universal Parks & Resorts executive Peter Wong.
Developers expect the South Korean project to create at least 40,000 jobs, though Kim, the Gyeonggi governor, said the number would likely exceed 100,000.
The resort is to be built on a site in the city of Hwaseong, located south of Seoul and also close to the area's main international airport in Incheon. Nearly half of South Korea's population of about 50 million people are said to live within an hour's drive.
Developers have also placed great hope on attracting international visitors from increasingly affluent Asia, particularly nearby China.
Universal Parks & Resorts CEO Thomas L. Williams reiterated that theme Tuesday.
"The number of Asian international tourists is significant and growing," Williams said.
Besides the theme park, the project will include a water park, shopping center, hotels and a golf course and has renowned American director Steven Spielberg as creative consultant, Williams said.
"This kind of resort that can and will draw international visitors to South Korea is a sure thing," he said.
Williams, who declined to disclose how much Universal was investing in the South Korean project, said that plans for a theme park in Dubai were under "continuous review" with partners there.
"The impact of the recession has hit Dubai as it has everywhere else and so they're reconsidering their timeline," he told The Associated Press.
Universal Parks & Resorts is a division of General Electric Co.'s NBC UniversalAir France tells obese fliers to buy second seat, will refund if flight isn't full
The company, which has long offered obese passengers the option of buying an adjoining seat at a discount, said that passengers would be fully reimbursed for the second fare in 90% of cases.
A company spokesman couldn't provide figures on the number of passengers concerned by the measure, but said "It's a problem that the company faces."
Obese passengers who don't reserve a second seat may not be allowed to board, at the captain's discretion and if there is not an unoccupied adjoining seat.
"It's a question of security," spokesman Nicolas Petteau said.
The airline denied reports in the French press that it would oblige obese passengers to buy a second seat.
The policy will come into force starting in April.
Three years ago Air France was sued by a 353-pound passenger who the airline obliged to buy a second seat for a full New Delhi-Paris flight. Air France was ordered to pay $11,423 in damages and to reimburse the cost of the second seat.
Other airlines with similar policies on obese passengers include Southwest, JetBlue and American Airlines.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Spirit Airlines Launches Relief Flights to Haiti
Spirit Airlines has completed its first relief effort flights to Port-au-Prince, Haiti. Spirit’s first flight departed Fort Lauderdale-Hollywood International on Sunday afternoon loaded with 20,000 pounds of much-needed water for the people of Haiti. A second flight arrived in Port-au-Prince on Monday morning. The airline is currently working on a schedule for possible additional relief flights. “Spirit is working with Food for the Poor and their local team in Port-au-Prince who has greeted both of our flights to coordinate delivery of the supplies to the Haitian people,” said Brian Davis, Spirit Airlines’ senior director of airport affairs, who is on the ground in Haiti coordinating the efforts. “This ensures that the supplies are being distributed to those in need.”
The following organizations are assisting Spirit in this relief effort and have already delivered over 200 pallets of water to Spirit’s hanger: Food for the Poor and U-Haul of Margate delivered 20 pallets of water; Southern Wine & Spirits of Florida contributed 50 pallets of water; The City of Miramar and J.R. Transport delivered over 60 pallets of water; City of Miami Haitian Relief Task Force delivered 74 pallets of water; and Bad Boys 4x4 Club delivered 150 cases of water. Spirit’s passenger flights to Port-au-Prince remain cancelled until the airport reopens to commercial passenger traffic. For more information, visit www.spiritair.com.
Monday, January 18, 2010
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Sunday, January 17, 2010
Man of Haitian descent arrested in security breach at JFK
The breach delayed dozens of flights and caused headaches for travelers who had to exit the terminal and wait for hours as police swept through the building, the second such incident at a New York-area airport this month. The passengers at JFK were then shepherded through additional screening.
The man, Jules Paul Bouloute, 57, is of Haitian descent but lives in Brooklyn, said Steve Coleman, a spokesman for the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the airport. He was arrested on a charge of criminal trespass.
Bouloute was in Haiti during Tuesday's earthquake but took a flight on Saturday from Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, to Orlando, where he caught a connecting flight to New York City, Coleman said.
It wasn't immediately clear where Bouloute was when the earthquake struck, and it's unclear how or when he got from Haiti to the Dominican Republic, Coleman said.
Bouloute's phone number was unlisted. He was expected to be arraigned Sunday in Queens, Coleman said. Port Authority police were questioning him Saturday night.
Authorities earlier said the security breach was caused by a passenger who was exiting Kennedy's Terminal 8 and opened a door that was supposed to be used only by airport workers.
Coleman said security cameras recorded the incident just before 3:30 p.m. A similar incident happened two weeks ago at a New York-area airport: A security breach at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey on Jan. 3 forced passengers to be re-screened.
Authorities were initially unsure Saturday whether the person had been coming or going from the JFK terminal, and they evacuated the secure areas of the building while they investigated. The Transportation Security Administration said its agents and Port Authority police were involved in the investigation.
People waiting to get on their flights said they were awe-struck that someone could just walk through a restricted door at the airport.
"They have such big signs, I don't know how you can miss that," said Teijo Niemela of Lambertville, N.J., as he waited in a security line for a delayed flight to Helsinki. "That makes me angry about the whole system. We pay a lot of money because of someone's mistakes."
Judy Erickson, a hairdresser who was waiting to get on a flight to Los Angeles, also said she was baffled by how easy it was for the passenger to go into a restricted area. "All those doors that you're not supposed to go through should have a guard or security," she said.
Terminal 8 handles both domestic and international flights for American Airlines.
A spokesman for the airline, Charley Wilson, said some flights were being delayed, and some planes were waiting on the tarmac for permission to proceed to their gates. He said the airline had estimated flights would be delayed two to three hours.
Security officials began to let passengers back in around 6 p.m. but weren't sure how long it would take for everyone to pass through security checkpoints.
Inside the terminal, hundreds of people waited in a long line outside the security gate. Dozens of people sat on the floor with their bags.
"The rest of us are made to suffer," said Meganne Harvey, 22, who was trying to fly home to San Diego after a trip to Paris.
The incident is the third evacuation in five months at airports that serve New York City.
A Rutgers University graduate student from China, Haisong Jiang, 28, was charged last week with trespassing in the security breach at the Newark airport. Flights were grounded for hours and passengers were re-screened while air safety officials searched for a man who had walked through the exit of a security checkpoint.
Jiang's arraignment is set for Jan. 28 in Newark.
In August, a terminal at LaGuardia was evacuated after police tackled a disturbed man who was carrying a device that looked like a bomb but turned out to be harmless.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
Most support ethnic profiling in air security
Americans are divided over whether President Obama's response to the foiled bombing of a Detroit-bound jetliner on Christmas Day went far enough, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds, amid broad support for the controversial practice of ethnic profiling in airline security. By 3-1, those polled favor the idea of subjecting airline passengers to more intensive security checks if they fit a profile of terrorists based on age, ethnicity and gender.
A previous USA TODAY poll, released Monday, found even stronger support for the use of full-body scanners at airports even if they compromise passenger privacy.
The findings could fuel an already heated debate about whether profiling is appropriate or effective. "It's just a fact of life that it is a very effective way of at least deciding who we should secondarily screen," says Rich Roth, a security consultant who works with airports.
Michael German of the American Civil Liberties Union says moving toward profiling would be "sending yourself on a fool's errand" because studies show past terrorists defied such labels — and would-be terrorists would simply circumvent whatever profile law enforcement created. "It's actually counterproductive," German says, increasing anti-American sentiment among the targeted groups.
Two-thirds of Americans say they followed closely Obama's announcement last week about addressing security shortcomings exposed by the failed attack. Agencies didn't revoke the visa of the suspect or prevent him from boarding the jet despite a series of red flags.
Among those paying at least some attention, 42% say Obama's measures didn't go far enough; 38% call them "about right" and 4% say they go too far.
There was no significant increase in the percentage of people expressing concern that they or their families might be victims of terrorism. "Despite the high level of focus politically by the Obama administration and from Republicans, the American public doesn't seem too fazed by the December bombing attempt," says Frank Newport, Gallup's editor in chief.
In the poll, 49% approve of Obama's handling of terrorism; 46% disapprove. The president's rating on health care has skidded to a record-low 37%-58%. On the economy, his rating is 40%-56%Amtrak to add Wi-Fi to some trains free, for now
Amtrak will offer wireless Internet service on the high-speed trains that ferry passengers along the busy Northeast corridor, in another bid to lure business travelers away from the airline shuttles.Wi-Fi access will be available starting in March on Acela trains traveling between Boston, New York and Washington, says Amtrak spokesman Cliff Cole. Initially, the service will be free.
Upping the competition with airlines such as Delta and US Airways, which offer short flights to travelers up and down the East Coast, is one reason for the new service, Cole says.
"That's part of it," he says. But, "It's more about our initiatives to add services for our passengers and create a better riding experience."
He says the efforts are paying off. From September 2004 through June 2009, Amtrak's share of the market between New York and Washington, compared with the airlines, rose to 61% from 50%. Its share of the market between New York and Boston rose to 50% from 39%, Cole says. "When you look at what we did compared to the airlines over the last ... year, we made significant inroads," he says. Internet access is "a service people have been asking for. We've been testing it, and we're ready to roll it out in March."
The Acela express service gets passengers from New York to Washington in two hours, 50 minutes — 30 minutes faster than a regional train. Wi-Fi access can make time fly faster and lets travelers peruse the Internet longer than if they're on a short flight and have to log off for the rides to and from the airport.
Amtrak also plans to add Internet availability to Northeast regional trains, Cole says, and to eventually offer it beyond the East Coast.
By offering Wi-Fi on some of its Northeast runs, Amtrak is moving onto turf that's been dominated by Delta. Delta began offering Internet access on some domestic flights in December 2008. For the Northeast shuttles, and other flights under 1½ hours, the charge is $4.95. The price goes up to $12.95 for trips that are three hours and longer, says spokesman Paul Skrbec. For mobile devices, the price is $7.95.
By the end of June, Delta expects to have more than 540 aircraft equipped with Internet access. Although other airlines are adding Wi-Fi access, Skrbec says Delta has the largest Wi-Fi-enabled fleet in the world.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
New York Concert Calendar
Universal Orlando Set to Kick Off Mardi Gras Celebration
On Feb. 6, Universal Orlando Resort will kick off its 15th year of Mardi Gras – the biggest and most authentic Mardi Gras celebration outside of New Orleans. Clients will experience the spirit of Bourbon St. in the heart of Universal Studios, with festivities including live concerts by artists like Flo Rida, Sheryl Crow and Chicago, authentic Cajun cuisine, a spectacular parade and tons of beads.
With a combined total of more than half a billion records sold worldwide, this year’s Mardi Gras lineup features an eclectic mix of 13 of the biggest names in music. From hip-hop to pop, country to rock, and R&B to disco, there will be something for everyone. Along with Flo Rida, Sheryl Crow and Chicago, Mardi Gras guests will enjoy live performances by headliners like “The Queen of Soul” Aretha Franklin, country sensation Dierks Bentley, hip-hop artist Akon, multi-platinum selling rock band 3 Doors Down and the No. 1 selling American band of all time, Beach Boys.
In addition to seeing top-name talent perform on the main stage, guests can also visit Universal’s very own “French Quarter” – a replica of the New Orleans’ famed district – and groove to the authentic bayou sounds of bands directly from New Orleans. To commemorate this special year, guests will enjoy a heritage-themed Mardi Gras parade featuring new colorful renditions of floats from past year’s events. Universal worked with New Orleans-based Blaine Kern Artists, Inc. to incorporate new elements into some of the most memorable floats in the event’s history. The twelve vibrant floats will cruise the streets of Universal Studios during the festivities, filled with riders tossing beads by the handful to excited park guests.
Universal Orlando’s Mardi Gras celebration is the biggest and most authentic celebration outside of The Big Easy, featuring hundreds of costumed characters, tons of souvenir beads, Cajun cuisine and an elaborate parade featuring floats designed by Blaine Kern Artists, Inc – the same company that designs floats for the New Orleans parade. The 2010 Mardi Gras celebration kicks off on Feb. 6 and runs every Saturday night through April 17, with additional dates on Sunday, February 14 and Friday, April 9. Mardi Gras is included in admission to Universal Studios. For more information,
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
Madri Gras 2010 Concert Line-Up @ Universal Studios Orlando
On February 6, Universal Orlando will kick off its 15th year of Mardi Gras - the biggest and most authentic Mardi Gras celebration outside of New Orleans. Guests will experience the spirit of Bourbon Street in the heart of Universal Studios, with authentic Cajun cuisine, a spectacular parade with tons of beads and live concerts by top-name talent. This year's headliners are:
- Sat., Feb. 6: KC and The Sunshine Band
- Sat., Feb. 13: Heart
- Sun., Feb. 14: Kool & the Gang
- Sat., Feb. 20: Blondie
- Sat., Feb. 27: Dierks Bentley
- Sat., March 6: Akon
- Sat., March 13: Aretha Franklin
- Sat., March 20: Miranda Lambert
- Sat., March 27: 3 Doors Down
- Sat., April 3: Beach Boys
- Fri., April 9: Sheryl Crow
- Sat., April 10: Flo Rida
- Sat., April 17: Chicago
Madi Gras @ Universal Studios Orlando Concerts Line-Up...
On February 6, Universal Orlando will kick off its 15th year of Mardi Gras - the biggest and most authentic Mardi Gras celebration outside of New Orleans. Guests will experience the spirit of Bourbon Street in the heart of Universal Studios, with authentic Cajun cuisine, a spectacular parade with tons of beads and live concerts by top-name talent. This year's headliners are:
- Sat., Feb. 6: KC and The Sunshine Band
- Sat., Feb. 13: Heart
- Sun., Feb. 14: Kool & the Gang
- Sat., Feb. 20: Blondie
- Sat., Feb. 27: Dierks Bentley
- Sat., March 6: Akon
- Sat., March 13: Aretha Franklin
- Sat., March 20: Miranda Lambert
- Sat., March 27: 3 Doors Down
- Sat., April 3: Beach Boys
- Fri., April 9: Sheryl Crow
- Sat., April 10: Flo Rida
- Sat., April 17: Chicago
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Monday, January 11, 2010
Delta hikes checked-bag fee to $23
Attention air travelers: That tug at your wallet is about to happen again, courtesy of the world's biggest airline. Delta Air Lines Inc. is raising its fees to check your first bag on a domestic flight by $8 and the second bag by $7. That will mean $23 for the first bag and $32 for the second.
It will continue to cost you even more if you don't pay the fees in advance on the airline's website. Delta is calling that add-on a surcharge — $2 for the first bag and $3 for the second. You will have to pay the surcharges if you check your bags at an airport ticket counter, kiosk or curbside.
The new fees are for travel beginning Tuesday on tickets purchased on or after Jan. 5. Tickets purchased before then, regardless of when the travel begins, are subject to the current fees — $15 for the first bag and $25 for the second.
The domestic bag fee increases apply to travel in coach within the 50 states, U.S. Virgin Islands, Canada and Puerto Rico.
Elite frequent fliers, first class fliers and certain other customers, including active military personnel on deployment, are exempt from the fees.
A Delta spokeswoman called the airline's fees "competitive" with other carriers.
U.S. carriers began in earnest imposing fees on checked bags and other once-free amenities in 2008 to help combat rising fuel prices. The fees continued, and in some cases increased, even after fuel prices plummeted. Now, oil prices are on an upward trend again, though are nowhere close to their peak at $147 a barrel.
Benchmark crude for February delivery settled at $82.52 a barrel on the Nymex Monday.
The upward trend in fuel prices comes at a time when airlines were hoping to gain some positive momentum from the improving U.S. economy. U.S. carriers, including Delta, over the next two weeks will be releasing their fourth-quarter and year-end 2009 financial results.
Most OK with TSA full-body scanners
Air travelers strongly approve of the government's use of body scanners at the nation's airports even if the machines compromise privacy, a USA TODAY/Gallup poll finds.
Poll respondents appeared to endorse a Transportation Security Administration plan to install 300 scanners at the nation's largest airports this year to replace metal detectors. The machines, used in 19 airports, create vivid images of travelers under their clothes to reveal plastics and powders to screeners observing monitors in a closed room.
"It would seem much more thorough than the process that we're doing now," poll respondent Joel Skousen, 38, of Willcox, Ariz., said. "It would put me more at ease getting on a plane."
In the poll, 78% of respondents said they approved of using the scanners, and 67% said they are comfortable being examined by one. Eighty-four percent said the machines would help stop terrorists from carrying explosives onto airplanes. The survey was taken Jan. 5-6 of 542 adults who have flown at least twice in the past year.
Only 29% of respondents say they are more concerned about air safety since the alleged Dec. 25 attempt by a Nigerian passenger to blow up a Northwest Airlines flight. Bombing suspect Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab got through an airport metal detector in Amsterdam with powder explosives in his underwear.
"Nothing happened," said Lynne Webster, 33, of Albion, Neb. "Security will only get better because of a scare."
Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano said Thursday that the TSA "should accelerate" the scanners' installation and may buy more than the 300 machines it owns.
Privacy advocates, such as the American Civil Liberties Union have denounced the scanners as an invasion of privacy.
"To use these scanners, I would feel rather violated," said poll respondent Malena Jackson, 35, of Denver. She worries that the images would be saved, even though the TSA says they are deleted immediately. "Just hearing that doesn't really make me comfortable," Jackson said.
Passengers can opt to be patted down by a screener instead of going through a scanner. Only 22% of poll respondents said they prefer a pat-down to a scan. "In a pat-down, I do feel like you're invading my physical space," said Dennis Skiles, 62, of Livonia, Mich.
TSA acting Administrator Gale Rossides said the poll results "demonstrate public understanding" of the need to use the scanners.
Sunday, January 10, 2010
Full-body scanners to be put in Canadian airports
Transport Minister John Baird said 44 machines will be purchased. Twelve will be put in place later this month, and the rest will be operational in the spring.
Transport Canada spokesman Patrick Charette said the scanners will be used only on passengers boarding U.S.-bound flights. He said Washington requested that Canada deploy new scanning equipment.
Toronto, which has Canada's busiest airport, and Vancouver, host of the Winter Olympics next month, will get the first scanners.
Passengers will given a choice between a full-body scan and a physical search. Passengers under the age of 18 aren't required to be scanned
Baird also said they will set up an airport watch system to look for suspicious passengers and flag them for enhanced screening.
"We've got to stay ahead of the terrorist elements," Baird said.
Canadian officials last week banned most carry-on luggage for U.S.-bound passengers in an effort to ease lines at security checkpoints. Passengers complained of chaos and long lines at Pearson International Airport in Toronto after the failed Christmas Day attack.
The suspect in the failed Northwest Airlines bombing had changed planes in the Netherlands and gone through security, but not through a full-body scanner.
Baird said the plane would have blown up some where over southern Ontario en route to Detroit's airport had the suspect's attempt been successful.
"Given the recent terrorist incident on Dec. 25, our government is accelerating its actions to protect air travelers," Baird said.
Canada tested a scanner at a small airport in Kelowna, British Columbia, in 2008. The scanners received the blessing of Canada's privacy czar last October.
Britain, Nigeria and the Netherlands earlier announced plans for body scanners.
Canada has tried to make traffic between the U.S. and Canada run efficiently since the Sept. 11, 2001, terror attacks. More than 70% of Canada's exports go to the U.S., and Canada has more flights to the U.S. than any other country.
Jennifer Iorio, a passenger at the U.S. departure lounge of Montreal's Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport, predicted the security measures would probably add an extra half-hour to the already time-consuming airplane boarding process.
"I wish there were other methods that were less invasive, but if it's something they have to do for airport security, I agree with it," Iorio said.
Friday, January 8, 2010
2010 Concert Tours & Tickets
For more information, seating charts, and tickets call Supreme Clientele Travel @ (866)782-9838
If you thought 2009 had some big concerts, take a look at my list of music’s hottest artists kicking off their tours in 2010:
Norah Jones hits the road this spring for a two-plus-month, 36-city tour of US theaters to support her recently released album, "The Fall."
http://ticketsus.at/supremeclientele?DURL=http://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/853994
Mariah Carey returns to the road next year, mapping an eight-week North American tour in support of her latest studio album, "Memoirs of an Imperfect Angel," which surfaced in August.
http://ticketsus.at/supremeclientele?DURL=http://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/767870
Michael Buble has finally unveiled the remaining venues for his late-winter/early spring arena tour of the US behind his chart-topping October release, "Crazy Love."
http://ticketsus.at/supremeclientele?DURL=http://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/869115
Never Shout Never, the musical brainchild of singer/songwriter Christofer Drew Ingle, will headline the 2010 Alternative Press Tour, celebrating the 25th anniversary of the tour's namesake magazine.
http://ticketsus.at/supremeclientele?DURL=http://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/1366641
The Black Eyed Peas are gearing up for an ambitious 2010 roadtrip behind their fifth studio set, "The E.N.D.
http://ticketsus.at/supremeclientele?DURL=http://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/726127
Everclear has mapped the second leg of its "In a Different Light" tour, this time canvassing the South and parts of the Midwest behind the new album.
http://ticketsus.at/supremeclientele?DURL=http://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/776809
Muse has added a slew of new dates to its forthcoming US arena tour behind its recently released studio set, "The Resistance."
http://ticketsus.at/supremeclientele?DURL=http://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/710165
Eric Clapton has announced that he will team with for a 2010 solo tour with fellow rock legend Roger Daltrey of The Who.
http://ticketsus.at/supremeclientele?DURL=http://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/768018
Alicia Keys has begun assembling dates for a spring arena tour to support her just-released studio set, "The Element of Freedom."
http://ticketsus.at/supremeclientele?DURL=http://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/807171
Owl City will start their tour early next spring as the band--led by musical prodigy Adam Young--continues to support this summer's "Ocean Eyes.".
http://ticketsus.at/supremeclientele?DURL=http://www.ticketmaster.com/artist/1311930
Twitter for cars: Ford tech reads your incoming tweets aloud
Ford Motor CEO Alan Mulally will announce Thursday at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas that the automaker is incorporating a Twitter application into its next-generation Sync in-car communication system. It is one of three free apps — the others are online entertainment services Pandora and Stitcher — in the first wave of what Ford hopes will become a portfolio of mobile-phone-like apps available for tech-minded motorists.
"It's about bringing the Internet to the car," said Charles Golvin, principal analyst at Forrester Research. "What they're doing is making it really easy."
Sync, co-created with Microsoft, is a system that lets drivers operate their Bluetooth-enabled smartphones and music players with voice commands and have text messages read to them, among other functions. Since Sync was unveiled three years ago, Ford has sold more than 1 million vehicles with it.
Encouraging outside developers to create apps — useful and fun applications sold or offered free — for the system seemed a logical next step. The goal is to get in on the apps revolution that has helped make mobile devices such as Apple's iPhone and iPod Touch so popular.
"It's not a trend. It's a tsunami," says Doug VanDagens, connected services director for Ford. "We have to get into that game."
Ford's first plays:
•OpenBeak. Bringing in Twitter, which lets users send short messages to the masses, seemed a natural. OpenBeak, formerly called TwitterBerry, is an app that makes it easy to use Twitter's most popular functions from mobile devices.
•Pandora. This Internet radio service boasts 40 million users worldwide. It lets users custom-tailor music in song lists that can be paused or skipped through.
•Stitcher. A personalized, on-demand radio system. Users can pick radio programs they want to hear, and listen on their own schedules.
Drivers won't be able to compose tweets (though that may come), but the system reads them as they stream in. Even at that, some tech watchers question its value.
Listening to tweets can be distracting to drivers, says Phil Leigh of Inside Digital Media.
He says the more potent applications are likely to be Pandora and Stitcher. "If you have Pandora, you don't need satellite radio," Leigh says.
Pandora's founder is thrilled. Listeners in cars "is kind of the Holy Grail for us," Tim Westergren says. "Half of all radio listening happens in the car."
Adds Stitcher co-founder Noah Shanok: "This is huge for us."
10 great places to cross-country ski for free
Baby, it's cold outside, so you might as well enjoy it. SnowSports Industries America designates January as Learna Snow Sport month, and many ski areas are offering novices free cross-country ski and snowshoe rental and instruction for Winter Trails Day on Saturday. The group's Mary Jo Tarallo shares thoughts on some of those spots with Kathy Baruffi for USA TODAY.
Weston Ski Track
Weston, Mass.
"Weston Ski Track has scenic trails along the Charles River, 20 minutes west of Boston, (with) consistent snow conditions through February," Tarallo says. "The close proximity to Boston allows visitors to go snowshoeing or skiing in the morning and enjoy the sights of the city in the afternoon." Get free snowshoe trail passes and try out snowshoe demos on Saturday. 781...; skiboston.com/skitrack/events/specialevents.php
Sugar Mountain Resort
Village of Sugar Mountain, N.C.
"Although Sugar primarily is known for skiing and riding, parts of that same terrain doubles as snowshoe trails, and there is plenty to enjoy," Tarallo says. "Those who prefer a less energetic climb can meander along the easier pitch of lower mountain trails." Guided snowshoe tours are free this Saturday. 800-784-2768; skisugar.com
White River West Sno-Park
Mount Hood, Ore.
"White River West Sno-Park is an undeveloped snow play area near Mount Hood where an introduction to snowshoeing with free use of snowshoes (and cross-country skis) from REI will be available for first-time users from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday," Tarallo says. Free, guided hikes also will be offered. Parking passes, available at local sporting goods stores, are $3. 503-617-6072; rei.com/stores/hillsboro/index.html
Cross Country Ski Headquarters
Roscommon, Mich.
"Learn how to fall down and get back up again, then go on a tour to Trappers Cabin for free hot dogs, hot cocoa and a bonfire," Tarallo says of the activities planned for Saturday. They're open to first-time snowshoers trying out their prowess on 22 kilometers of trails. 800-832-2663; cross-country-ski.com
Kirkwood Cross Country Ski & Snowshoe Center
Kirkwood, Calif.
"The trails here meander through serene meadows along scenic ridgelines with wide-open views of the Sierra. The trails are machine-groomed, with special snowshoe lanes next to the ski lanes," Tarallo says. Beginners can try out snowshoes for free on Saturday. Or make a reservation for free cross-country ski lessons, also on Saturday. 209-258-7248; kirkwood.com/pages/x-countrycenter/x-cevents.asp
Rocky Mountain National Park
Estes Park, Colo.
"The Estes Park Winter Trails event on Jan. 16 in Rocky Mountain National Park is part of the town's Winter Festival and Earth Fest Celebration, Jan. 15-18," Tarallo says. Snowshoes and demonstrations are free, but a $20 national park entry fee applies. 800-443-7837; estesparkcvb.com
Soldier Hollow Cross Country Ski Resort
Midway, Utah
"Many new, easy trails have been added since the Winter Olympics were held here in 2002," Tarallo says of this resort in the Heber Valley, about an hour from Salt Lake City. Participants get free lessons, ski equipment and snowshoes from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday. Soldier Hollow also sponsors Ski for Light, a cross-country ski program for the visually impaired. 435-654-2002; soldierhollow.com
Fort Snelling State Park
St. Paul
Fort Snelling State Park staff and local outdoor organizations will provide snowshoe demos, geocaching for beginners, naturalist-led hikes and dog sledding information at Picnic Shelter A. "Enjoy a big bonfire, sip hot cocoa and celebrate winter," Tarallo says. 612-725-2724; wintertrails.org
Nordic Ski & Snowshoe Adventure Center
Smugglers' Notch, Vt.
"The trail network here features beautiful cross-country ski and snowshoe trails for every level from beginner to expert," Tarallo says. "On Saturday, this family-friendly center is providing an afternoon of snowshoeing and cross-country skiing free for those new to both sports." 802...; smuggs.com/pages/winter/skiride/winter-events.php
Bretton Woods Nordic Center
Bretton Woods, N.H.
"Located at the base of Mount Washington with spectacular views of the White Mountains, the 62-mile trail network here passes through open fields, glades of spruce trees and along beaver ponds and streams," Tarallo says. On Saturday, trail passes and rentals are free for first-time cross-country skiers and snowshoers. A free introductory cross-country clinic also will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. 603-278-3322; brettonwoods.com/nordic