In  a new study that  has come out, electronic devices and cell phones do have the potential to be dangerous to avionics during flight. While we do not have many details of the survey yet, this should be interesting if the airlines decide to ban use of all electronic devices.

Researchers, led by Carnegie Mellon University, say cell phones or laptops could disrupt cockpit operations, especially global positioning devices that are increasingly being used to help land planes safely.
Researchers monitored radio emissions from passengers on three airlines with the support of the Transportation Security Agency.
Carnegie Mellon’s Granger Morgan says the disruptions are enough to impact a plane’s navigation or other systems.
But he also says there’s never been an accident clearly caused by electromagnetic interference.
The researchers recommended that the Federal Aviation Administration and Federal Communications Commission work together to investigate in-flight use of cell phones. via WHO TV

In an interesting announcement, the Mayor of Columbus Michael Coleman presented a new airline Skybus that is planned to begin flying in 2007. The Skybus Airlines website does not offer much information but  an email address, a physical address, a board of directors and leadership team, and an image of their planned aircraft.

Being based in Columbus, Ohio and obviously a low cost carrier, the company looks like it hits some of the criteria for success in todays marketplace. I am baffled that a City Mayor would announce the arrival of a new airline. There are many hurdles to cross in getting an airline started before announcements that the airline will change the future of a city as large as Columbus.

We will follow the story of this company as time goes along.

Also on Coleman’s agenda was the announcement of a new hometown airline set for take off in 2007. “We will be launching Columbus’ first airline, Skybus,” beamed Coleman. By providing direct flights to more locations, it has the potential to create hundreds jobs here in Central Ohio.

“It will help us attract more businesses to the city as well as potentially increase conventions and tourism,” said Elaine Roberts of the Columbus Regional Airport Authority.  But with many airlines struggling, the plan may sound risky. It’s a chance, Coleman says, the city is willing to take.

“If we don’t begin to shed our fears and start doing things that will make a difference in our city, then we’ll never get there,” Coleman added following the address.

WBNS-10TV Columbus, Ohio: Transportation a Big Ticket in State of City.

If you are looking for a getaway, Louisville, Kentucky is a great city to visit. It is famous as the home of the Kentucky Derby, but there is much more to do in Louisville. Fine restaurants, top quality arts and theaters can fill the evenings, and Louisville also has some excellent museums for the day.

But the city does revolve around the first weekend in May when the Kentucky Derby happens. If you are unable to get to the city, Churchill Downs does offer a wonderful tour of the track and it’s Derby Museum.

The Louisville Zoo is a fun afternoon. They have over 1,300 animals to see with a new Gorilla Sanctuary that has recently opened.

The Louisville Slugger Museum also provides a great experience for the baseball fan. You can even get a personalized bat on your trip.

If you enjoy bourbon on occasion, the Maker’s Mark Bourbon House & Lounge is your place to visit. They offer over 60 different bourbons to taste and it has been referenced as an experience to remember (or try to) by bourbon lovers.

To learn more about Louisville, visit the Louisville Visitors Bureau.

An unscrupulous travel agent stole from elderly woman promising a trip to see the Oprah Winfrey show by changing $500 and never delivering. The Temple Hills, Maryland man faces up to 15 years in jail and 17 counts of theft for faking the tour to see Oprah and absconding with the money from these ladies. Investigators say that additional charges may be coming as there may be as more victims may appear.

Prosecutors said Terrance Hawkins, 44, of Temple Hills, charged $500 per person for a bus trip to Chicago and tickets to see a taping of Winfrey’s talk show, but that he never delivered. They said he ran a business known both as Royal Travel and Royal Stages Travel Group, and booked the trips between December 2004 and April 2005.

Investigators believe there may be as many as 70 alleged victims, many of them elderly women. “I can’t say that these ladies did anything that demonstrated a lack of caution, but you do want to make sure you check on the business license of people if you can, if you’re going to send them a large amount of money,” Prince George’s County State’s Atty. Glenn Ivey told WTOP Radio. via the Chicago Tribune

It looks like the state governments are not all that thrilled that Indian Casino’s are generating huge returns without  paying state taxes. So they are slowly starting to allow gaming licenses in their states. Rhode Island has opened the doors by allowing a single gaming license originally aimed at getting Harrah’s Casino to build a property. Now Donald Trump is in the mix as he is looking to attain the license.

 ”Donald Trump wants to ‘put Johnston, R.I., on the map’ with a resort-casino to rival what Harrah’s Entertainment has proposed for West Warwick. For the last several years, state lawmakers have been negotiating terms and tax rates for an exclusive casino-operating license with Harrah’s alone.

“Yesterday, James B. Perry, president and CEO of Trump Entertainment Resorts, came to town to launch what he described as a campaign to persuade Rhode Island lawmakers to set the terms and tax rate themselves and then allow competitive bidding for a single casino-operating license.

“…He said the Trump organization — and its Rhode Island development partner, David H. Nunes — also took their cue from recent comments by high-placed lawmakers that led them to believe the legislature is again open to the recommendation made in 2003 by a House gambling study commission for competitive bidding…”

The rebuilding of the Mississippi Casino business continues in the wake of Hurricane Katrina’s devestation to the region. In addition to the 2 casinos reopening, the Penn National is also looking to buy some land and build an inland casino in Biloxi in the near future. New legislation passes will allow casinos to be built on dry land as opposed to barges in the past.

“Penn National Gaming Inc. hopes to reopen its two Mississippi casinos destroyed by Hurricane Katrina before the end of the year.

“The company said Wednesday it plans to open a 30,000-square-foot temporary casino in Bay St. Louis, Miss., and reopen its barge in Biloxi, Miss., during the fourth quarter. Both casinos have been closed since Katrina came ashore last August.

“Insurance proceeds are expected to cover the costs of reopening both casinos.

“Peter M. Carlino, Penn National chairman and CEO, said the Biloxi barge is in transit for repairs. He said the goal is to return the barge to operation at the same location.

Have you had a bag lost or damaged in the past year? Well, according to a Bureau of Transportation Statistics survey, the chances of your bag missing have gone up as the airlines have cut back on staffing.  

Reports of mishandled bags on domestic flights rose 23 percent in 2005, from 4.91 per 1,000 passengers in 2004 to 6.04 per 1,000. That’s an average of about 9,700 lost or damaged bags each day. Last year, airlines were cutting jobs as the number of domestic passengers surged to the pre-September 11 level of 590 million.

Of the 20 carriers that reported to the Transportation Department, Atlantic Southeast Airlines had the highest rate of baggage complaints — 17.41 per 1,000 passengers — and Hawaiian Airlines had the lowest, at 2.95 per 1,000. Every checked bag now must be screened for explosives. According to a recent federal report, the Transportation Security Administration screens about 75 million bags a month. via CNN.

Conde Nast Traveler has a part one  of it’s list of the Top 20 Beaches in the United States. Their site goes into great detail on each beach, but I thought it would be a good list for people to start with and discuss. I have been to all of the East Coast beaches, and they are all nice. Obviously this list has been created for the people who want to see and be seen, not only for the quality of the beaches. So take it with a grain of salt. And let us know the beaches you like that have been left off the list, or why beaches that are on the list should not be on it.

• South Padre Island, Texas
• Panama City Beach, Florida
• Clearwater, Florida
• Naples, Florida
• South Beach, Florida
• Cumberland Island, Georgia
• Assateague/Chincoteague, Maryland and Virginia
• Cape May, New Jersey
• The Hamptons, New York
• Martha’s Vineyard, Massachusetts
• Cape Cod, Massachusetts

It looks like the Australian government has found a way to keep Singapore Airlines from competing with Qantas. They have allowed the discount Australian Airline Virgin Blue to fly between the USA and Australia.

SINGAPORE Airlines’ bid to fly between Australia and the US could be deferred for another two years, with the Howard Government deciding to buy time by allowing Virgin Blue to compete head-to-head with Qantas on the lucrative route.

After agonising over the decision for more than a year, cabinet will consider a proposal within a month to defer Singapore Airlines’ entry to the Pacific route, The Australian understands.
Transport Minister Warren Truss appears increasingly convinced that a budget Australian-owned carrier - rather than a premium “third-country” brand such as Singapore Airlines - will boost falling tourist numbers in the critically important market between the east coast of Australia and the US.
“If our objective is to have more people come to Australia, tourists and the like, then to achieve that we need a different product than that provided by the current services,” Mr Truss told The Australian yesterday.  via The Australian