Happy Birthday Eiffel Tower - 120 Years Old

Tourists lined up to visit the Eiffel Tower in Paris Friday. The tower celebrated its 120th birthday this week, and has been visited by more than 200 million people. (Michel Euler/Associated Press)

Deserted Mexican hotels offer flu-free guarantees to lure visitors

By Adam Thomson in Cancún, Mexico
Hotels in Mexico’s coastal resort of Cancún, one of the world’s most popular getaways, are adopting extreme measures as holidaymakers scramble to cancel bookings in the wake of the swine flu scare.

Visitors to one hotel, The Royal, are being offered a “flu-free guarantee”: anyone who contracts the flu virus within 14 days of checking out gets three free annual holidays.

Discounts abound elsewhere in Cancún, where Bestday, a Mexican-based internet broker, says four in five of the 31,000 hotel rooms it monitors in the city – and in the Riviera Maya coast to the south – are empty. The figure was one in five before the outbreak.

Complete Story from Financial Times

At Wrigley for the Cubs v Cards!

United Airlines Says Overweight Travelers Will Need To Buy Extra Seats Or Be Denied Entry To Planes

United Airlines will begin aggressively enforcing a new policy that allows it to charge heavier passengers twice to fly.

United will now implement new policies for passengers they deem to be overweight.

Under the rules outlined by United, passengers who "are unable to fit into a single seat in the ticketed cabin; are unable to properly buckle the seatbelt using a single seatbelt extender; and/or are unable to put the seat's armrests down when seated" will be denied boarding unless they purchase an extra seat.

If no empty seat exists, the passenger will be forced to take a later flight.

Complete Story

American Airlines to offer in-flight Internet

In flight internet is a go, but no VOIP service (Thankfully).


DALLAS (AP) - American Airlines plans to expand Internet access to about half its fleet of aircraft over the next two years as it attempts to raise revenue and improve customer service.

The company said Tuesday it will install flying Wi-Fi hot spots on about 300 planes used in the continental U.S. and charge up to $12.95 for browsing the Web, sending e-mail or connecting with corporate VPN sites.

American has been testing in-flight Internet service for several months on 15 planes. The airline declined to give figures on usage during the test, but an American technology executive called the response positive.

"American Airlines is a very financially driven airline," said the executive, Doug Backelin. "We are especially careful in how we're spending, but this is a good strategic investment, something our customers will value."

AMR Corp.'s American is one of several U.S. carriers getting into Internet service. Delta Air Lines Inc., the world's largest airline operator, plans a quicker rollout, from about 80 planes currently to more than 300 late this year and more than 500 by the end of 2010.

Both airlines will use the Gogo service from Aircell. American will add access to many of its McDonnell Douglas MD-80 series aircraft beginning this year and on new Boeing 737-800 jets as it receives them.

Aircell sets the prices and shares revenue with the airline, although neither company would discuss their financial arrangement.

Prices will range from $5.95 for some redeye flights to $7.95 for using a handheld device, $9.95 for using a laptop computer on a flight up to three hours, and $12.95 for using a laptop on a longer flight. Aircell plans to add other prices for day passes and perhaps monthly subscription rates for frequent fliers.

Travelers can sign up on the ground and connect once the plane reaches 10,000 feet in altitude. They'll use their browser to connect to Aircell's Gogo portal site.

In theory, if enough passengers are online at the same time the speed of the service would degrade. Aircell Chief Executive Jack Blumenstein said that mass hasn't been reached on any trial flights. Each plane will be outfitted with three overlapping Wi-Fi signals, he said.

Backelin said the Internet access will be filtered to block pornographic sites - the airline at first said it wouldn't do that, but relented after hearing complaints from customers and flight attendants. And American won't allow voice-over-Internet phone service, to keep chattering to a minimum.

In customer surveys, Backelin said, "there was a very loud chorus telling us, 'Do not allow voice-over-IP calls in the cabin.'"

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

As you may know, I spent New Years 2006 freezing in Times Square with half a million of my closest friends.

After vowing to never freeze on New Years again, I spent New Years 2007 on the Copa Cabana beach in Rio De Janeiro, Brazil. There, along with 85 degree weather, and 3 million of my closest friends, I sported the traditional white wardrobe and rang in the New Year Brazilian style.

This year, continuing on the warm New Years' trend, I will be enjoying the New Year down in beautiful sunny Mexico. But do not worry, my friends Hope and Change are here enjoying the warm 80 degree weather with me!

Can we ring in the New Year in style? YES WE CAN.

I hope you enjoy your New Years bash wherever you are and best wishes to you and yours this upcoming year.

Bundled Up and Headed Back to Chicago

I am leaving sunny 30 degree Washington, D.C. en route for Chicago today. I am looking forward to seeing everyone, but not looking forward to the single digit temps! Over the weekend, the wind chill in Chicago was reported as -30. Oh my!

Halloween in Sin City

I am spending the next five days celebrating Halloween in Las Vegas - pictures coming soon.

The Rough Streets of San Diego

Apparently the streets of San Diego inspire to be like those of Memphis and New Orleans - here is a little street fight I caught on tape on Saturday night.

Greetings from San Diego

Made it safe and sound. Been exploring the 'Gas Lamp District' most of the afternoon. More pictures to come.

Up and Away

I am traveling today, 7 hours and 41 minutes worth of travel to be exact. Total trip spanning 2,312 miles.
Which, interestingly, is about half the distance and time it took me to get to Rio De Janeiro last December.

Today's travel schedule includes Denver, Colorado this morning and then San Diego, California this evening.

I will attempt to post a few pictures from San Diego when I get settled.

Hello Philly!

I am in Philadelphia this week - stay tuned for more pictures and updates.

So Long Chicago!

Back to D.C. I go, but so long and thank you for all of your amazing food and your lack of humidity! See you again soon!

Sweet Home Chicago

Back in Chicago for a few days - sure is nice to have a break from the DC Humidity!

Obama at the Gate

Here I am at the Brandenburg Gate - May 2008


Obama at gate splits German pols

By NICHOLAS KULISH and JEFF ZELENY
Link to Story - Click Here
The New York Times

BERLIN — With its pillars looming in the background, the Brandenburg Gate may have seemed the perfect campaign stop on Sen. Barack Obama's highly anticipated European tour, an ideal spot to burnish his foreign-policy credentials.

Instead, the plan — dissected in the German news media but never confirmed by the Obama campaign — has exposed fissures in the German government, with the conservative chancellor, Angela Merkel, strongly criticizing the proposal and the Social-Democratic vice chancellor and foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, favoring it.

The uproar has underscored the hazards Obama faces by taking his campaign overseas.

Merkel disapproves of having this symbol of German division and reunification pulled into the U.S. election fight.

"To use the Brandenburg Gate in some ways as a campaign backdrop, she has a limited sympathy for this and expresses her skepticism over pursuing such plans," spokesman Thomas Steg said Wednesday. "No German candidate for high office would think to use the National Mall or Red Square in Moscow for a rally, because it would be seen as inappropriate."

But then the normally staid government news conference turned into a German political faceoff.

Steinmeier's spokesman, Jens Ploetner, disagreed, saying the foreign minister would welcome Obama or his Republican rival, Sen. John McCain, to speak at the gate, calling it "an expression of the vital German-American friendship."

The gate stood behind the Berlin Wall for nearly three decades, becoming a symbol of Europe's division during the Cold War.

Berlin was a regular stop for U.S. presidents, most famously PresidKennedy, who won the hearts of locals by declaring, "Ich bin ein Berliner," though not at the gate itself. But it was here that President Reagan gave a famous speech June 12, 1987, ordering, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall."

"The Brandenburg Gate was often a forum; why shouldn't it be for Obama?" said Johannes Mueller, 72, of Berlin, out for a bike ride Wednesday evening. "I also listened to John F. Kennedy at the Schoeneberg town hall in the '60s, and if I will be around, I'm sure I will stop and listen to Obama."

Obama is unusually popular in Germany. In some ways, he's a victim of his own popularity.

Political circles have been buzzing about the expected visit for a week, and the prospect that he could draw an enormous crowd, from neighboring countries as well. But because Obama is not the president — only a candidate for president — he runs the risk of appearing presumptuous rather than presidential.

While Obama spent his Fourth of July holiday in Montana, a member of his advance team was in Berlin to meet with politicians, including the mayor, Klaus Wowereit, who Tuesday expressed support for Obama's speaking at the gate, if he chose to do so. The city government has the final say.

No plans have been finalized for Obama to speak at the Brandenburg Gate, according to campaign aides. The site is one of several possible locations, aides said, and the decision would not be influenced by the comments of Merkel.

For more information about the Brandenburg Gate Click Here (Wiki)

Polish in Baltimore

Baltimore used to have a thriving Polish population. However, as the prices started to climb the Poles slowly moved out. I did not find any Polish beer while visiting - however there is a Katyn Massacre Memorial in Baltimore - information about the Massacre is below.

The Katyń Massacre
In 1918, Poland regained her independence after enduring three partitions and domination for 123 years by Russia, Prussia, and Austria. Barely 21 years later, on September 1, 1939 Nazi Germany invaded Poland from the west, triggering the Second World War. On September 17, the Soviet Union, in cooperation with the Nazis and without a declaration of war, invaded and occupied eastern Poland. Thus, Poland was partitioned a fourth time. In spite of having been only partially mobilized because of strong pressure from its Allies, England and France, Polish forces valiantly fought both invaders for weeks before being overwhelmed and forced to lay down their arms.

Both occupiers ruled by terror against the Polish people. The Soviets deported some 1.5 million Polish citizens to Siberia. They seized some 250,000 Polish military personnel and sent over 20,000 army, navy, air force and frontier-guard officers to three prison camps in the Soviet Union: Kozielsk, Starobielsk, and Ostashkov. Most of these officers were reservists: doctors, professors, school teachers, lawyers, judges, civil servants, priests, ministers, and rabbis. They were Poland's leaders and thinkers, the flower of Polish intelligentsia. They were men of all faiths; but to hardened Communists they were class enemies and, therefore, enemies of the Soviet Union.

Through the severe winter of 1939-40, the prisoners defied political indoctrination and endured interrogations by the Soviet secret police (NKVD) about their backgrounds and their political views. In March they were ordered to gather their belongings and were told they were being returned to Poland. For the next few weeks, day after day, 200-300 of them were taken away by train. They were then transferred to special prison buses, locked singly into cramped cubicles and taken deep into the Russian forests. There, each victim's hands were tied behind his back and, if he struggled, he was bayoneted and sawdust was thrust into his mouth to subdue him. His greatcoat was pulled over his head and a second cord was tied around his neck. The cord was passed down the back, looped around the bound hands, and tied again at the neck so that every move of resistance only tightened the noose. Then, one-by-one, each prisoner was murdered with a pistol shot to the back of the head.

It was not until the collapse of the Soviet Union that the truth was acknowledged. In 1989, the head of the Communist Party broadly admitted Soviet guilt. In 1991, other mass graves were uncovered near Kharkov and in Mednoye. These graves contained the bodies of the murdered officers from the Starobielsk and Ostashkov camps. In 1992, the Russian President released to Poland secret documents, including the death sentences signed by Stalin and by the head of the NKVD at the time of the atrocities. The world finally knew the truth after 50 years of lies and deception.


For More information CLICK HERE

Wiki-Article

Baltimore, Maryland

Enjoyed the day in Baltimore - and then headed off to Little Italy for a fantastic dinner. For more information on Baltimore CLICK HERE

Fireworks Time!

Videos


Photo Gallery - Click here

Hello from Alexandria, Virginia

Headed down to Alexandria, Virginia for an afternoon of fun. Wonderful history - Robert E. Lee's Childhood home, a bar that was frequented by George Washington and Thomas Jefferson, and a beautiful view of the river. For more information check out the links below:


Wikipedia Link

City of Alexandria Virginia Website