Travel Log: August 2004 Archives

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Bea Arthur

Bea Arthur
comedienne or mad bomber?

Beloved TV actress Bea Arthur of Golden Girls and Maude fame got a bit wacky at Boston's Logan airport last week, setting off a security scare when a Transportation Security Administration security official found a pocketknife in her purse. According to a report on Philly.com, the 81-year-old actress went a bit off:

"She started yelling that it wasn't hers and said 'The terrorists put it there,' " a fellow passenger said. "She kept yelling about the 'terrorists, the terrorists, the terrorists.' "

After the blade was confiscated, Arthur took a keyring from her bag and told the agent it belonged to the "terrorists," before throwing it at them.

As she boarded the plane, she told the TSA employees, "We're all doomed."

A spokeswoman for Cape Air says, "Miss Arthur was cracking jokes and was a real character."

Rick Bruner | August 30, 2004 | Permanent link | Comments (0)

McNeil River Offers Exclusive Brown Bear Trip

This summer, 257 lucky people were chosen from an applicant base of 1,500 to enter Alaska's 114,400 acre McNeil River state sanctuary to see the brown bear close up. CNN reports the sanctuary is 250 miles south of Anchorage reachable by water plane. Chosen visitors bring their own backbacks backpacks full of necessary items and sanctuary guides lead groups of ten through the wilderness on four day excursions. The program was designed not only for the sheer pleasure (or fear) of seeing bears, but to get bears used to seeing people as non-threatening entities.

Steve Hall | August 30, 2004 | Featured Destinations | Permanent link | Comments (6)

Find Spelling Errors, Win a Guide Book

As you've probably noticed if you're a regular reader of BizNetTravel, I suck at spelling, but Steve really sucks at spelling. In the interest of turning a weakness into a strength and as a shameless stunt to build regular readership for the blog and introduce new customers to our travel agency, we hereby announce that we will award travel guides to readers who can spot mistakes of spelling, punctuation or grammar on the BizNetTravel Travel Log. Here are the rules:

• Be the first to spot an error by noting it in the comments feature of the post in question

• To win a book, you must find errors in two separate posts

• Any one reader can win a maximum of two books

• No going back into the archive. This promotion starts now for posts going forward

• Unless we chose choose to extend it, this is a two-month promotion that will expire on October 31

• American spelling rules apply. References to settle any disputes will be Websters.com for spelling, The New Well-Tempered Sentence for punctuation and The Deluxe Transitive Vampire for grammar

• If you find legit errors in two separate posts, we will send you a travel guide of your choice from among these titles from DK Publishing

Rick Bruner | August 28, 2004 | Permanent link | Comments (5)

ATA to Offer Business Class

The Indianapolis Star reports the financially strapped ATA Airlines will add business class to all 62 of its 737s and757s. The planes will have between eight and 12 first-class sized seats added in the front of each plane. Pricing for a flight between Midway and Indianapolis will be $199 to $299 as compared to the economy class price of $99. Indianapolis to LA will be $249 one way and no business class fare will exceed $399.

In October, ATA will add flight to Dallas and double the number of flights to New Yotk's LaGuardia from its Indianapolis hub.

Steve Hall | August 26, 2004 | News | Permanent link | Comments (5)

Businesses Shift to Low Fare Airlines, Travelers Lose Perks

All those frequent flyer miles you've accumulated allowing you the get that free upgrade to first class may soon be worthless. As businesses continue to tighten the belt on travel costs and force employees to travel on discount airlines, those who have earned thousands of miles on "traditional" airlines may be unable to use them. Many corporations such as Black & Decker are moving away from majors like Delta to economy carriers like AirTran. USA Today reports major airlines will react to this shift by lowering mileage requirements or by completely revamping programs.

Steve Hall | August 24, 2004 | Trends | Permanent link | Comments (2)

Unique Manhattan Cruise on Board a Sludge Boat

What could be more romantic than a night-time cruise around Manhattan? How about doing so aboard a "sludge boat." That is, a boat carrying the city's treated sewage. Sadly, or thankfully, the trip is available only to the Citizens Advisory Committee to the Department of Environmental Protection, which manages NYC's sewage system. For the past six years, the department has been conducting an annual summer sludge boat cruise for the committe, and it's a big hit. Go figure.

A transcript and audio story on WNYC.org, NY affilaite station for NPR:

• Part I
  
• Part II

Rick Bruner | August 24, 2004 | Travel Ideas | Permanent link | Comments (0)

DC Fly-by

Very cool intereactive aerial map of Washington DC. The site gives a great overview of the layout of the city, and it lets you click on icons and sites to see details in pop up windows. Great for kids.

Rick Bruner | August 23, 2004 | Good Resources | Permanent link | Comments (1)

Hooters Gambling on Las Vegas Hotel

First they had a successful — one might say bodacious — restaurant featuring chicken wings and buxom waitresses. Then they had (naturally) an airline. Then a swimsuit contest and a line of potato chips. What follows naturally for this brand extension? A Las Vegas hotel-casino, of course!

You gotta love their slogan: "Delightfully tacky, yet unrefined." Another successful application of the Mencken principle of economics: "No one ever went broke underestimating the intelligence of the American people."

Rick Bruner | August 23, 2004 | Featured Destinations | Permanent link | Comments (1)

Remaindered Links:
Hotels unmasking air marshals, Polution Tourism in Montana, Weirdness in Ohio

• PittsburgLive.com: Discount hotel policy threatens to blow the cover of anti-terrorist air marshals

• StarTribune.com: Unknown prankster causes panic on Carnival Cruise with bogus announcement for the crew (only) to abandon ship

• CNN.com: Former copper mine cum toxic lake a tourist draw in Butte, Montana

• CNN.com: An explanation for why airline food is so bad: your sense of taste is diminished by one third at high altitudes

• RockyMountainNews.com: Looking for a wacky time in Dayton, Ohio? Check out the Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, a collection of weird things.

• BizJournals.com: Delta restructuring plan reconfirms they are in it for the long haul with a new long-haul strategy

Rick Bruner | August 23, 2004 | News | Permanent link | Comments (0)

The 'Almost Las Vegas' Vegas Resort

There's a town near Las Vegas called Henderson, a mere 17 miles from the strip, that is home to Lake Las Vegas Resort. Out of the desert rises a 320 acre lake, three championship golf courses, a Ritz-Carton, a Hyatt Regency and a Mediterranean themed MonteLago Village. In addition to hotels, the lake is surrounded by residential development where the likes of retired golf pros, executive and Celine Dion live.

Like many self-contained resorts, Lake Las Vegas Resort has all the usual amenities including a marina, water taxi, casino, boutiques and restaurants. Unlike Las Vegas, it's environment is quieter and older so if you are looking for a more laid back Las Vegas vacation, this might be the place to check out. Or, have the best of both. Stay at Lake Las Vegas Resort and head up to Las Vegas when the urge arises. CNN reports.

Steve Hall | August 23, 2004 | Featured Destinations | Permanent link | Comments (0)