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TSA PreCheck program to be expanded, details sketchy {Gadling}
Feb 10th 2012 11:01AM TSA Pre-Check is freaking fantastic. Gate C30 at DFW is the place to be. I've gone through several times, and it's like a return to pre-9/11 security. You put your bag up on the belt and make sure you don't have any metal on you, step through the metal detector, and you're done. No pulling out the laptop, liquids and gels, while still limited in quantity/volume, stay in your bag, your shoes stay on, and your coat stays on. I'm thrilled to see it expanding, I only wish they had a dedicated Pre-Check line to get to the agent so that if you know you're eligible you can bypass all the folks that aren't to get your ID checked, and I wish it was going to be in Omaha, where I'll be traveling every week for the rest of the year.
The best food trucks in New York City {Gadling}
Jan 17th 2012 2:34PM Dangit! This article came about 2.5 weeks too late for me! The wife and I spent a week in NYC and I had some good street food, but nothing worth writing home (or on a blog) about!
Crisis averted as U.S. Customs seizes Kinder Surprise chocolate egg {Gadling}
Jan 12th 2011 12:42PM Wow, I'm apparently a hardened criminal, I bring back as many of these as I can get my hands on every time I go out of the US. I love the chocolate and the toys are always cute/fun to play with for about 30 seconds.
Whoever decided that CBP should be wasting their time on something as innocuous as Kinder eggs should be jailed for misappropriation of government resources... and for being a douche.
Westin teams up with New Balance to give travelers a reason to stay fit while traveling {Gadling}
Jan 5th 2011 8:00AM Wow... not sure how I'd feel about rental/loaner running shoes/apparel. I guess it's no worse than bowling shoes or roller/ice skates, but somehow rental running shoes seems weird to me. People tend to sweat more in running shoes than in bowling shoes or skates. The idea of sticking my foot into a shoe that some other Joe Q Schmoe has sweat a bucket and a half into just isn't appealing. I'll stick to making my health a priority and leaving enough room in my bag for my own pair of running shoes and clothes. Same would go for heart rate monitors...
Other equipment, though, I might be easier. Loaner hydration belt? As long as the bottles are good and clean. Loaner stride sensor/GPS watch? Awesome!
Christmas list: five things I want from the airlines {Gadling}
Dec 23rd 2010 9:59AM I don't think an FA should have the right to be rude to the passengers, but no one should ever expect an FA to bend over backwards to satisfy ridiculous passenger demands. Beverages, snacks, meals, blankets, headphones, these are all done as a courtesy to the passenger. The FA is there to see to the SAFETY, not the comfort and happiness of the passenger. Once safety is taken care of, if they have time they can engage in a little bit of customer service, but safety is, and always should be the number one priorty.
Why you shouldn't be concerned about airport x-rays and patdowns {Gadling}
Nov 18th 2010 11:28AM I rarely respond to an article with such an inflammatory statement, but here it goes: The author is apparently either an idiot or hasn't traveled RECENTLY.
The pat down process has CHANGED. They no longer run the backs of their hands up the fronts and backs of your legs, stopping before nearing your crotch/butt. They now run the palms of their hands over your entire body, including the insides of your legs "UNTIL RESISTANCE IS FELT." Unless the author has a different anatomy than the rest of us, this means genitals are going to be touched (through clothing).
I travel twice a week every week. I opt out of advanced imaging (backscatter and millimeter wave) every time I am directed to one of the machines. I do this for privacy AND health reasons. I have a family history of cancer on BOTH sides and I am actively trying to avoid exposing myself to more carcinogens (such as radiation) than I absolutely must. I fortunately have yet to experience one of the so-called "enhanced pat downs," that are the new norm for people that opt out, but I know this: The minute anyone intentionally puts any kind of pressure on my genitals with their hands, I will demand a police officer and file a complaint for assault by contact. At the risk of sounding crass, my junk belongs to my wife, and she has not given the TSA permission to touch it.
Grant Martin, this is an article you should be ashamed of. You've apparently missed all of the recent updates to TSA policy and the as-yet unstudied health impacts of the blasts of radiation created by advanced imaging scanners, which means you failed to do your research. That's just poor journalism.
Airport efficiency: the world's winners {Gadling}
Jul 23rd 2010 11:56PM Ok, I really want to know what criteria they are using to determine whether an airport is "likely to drive you nuts." I flew in and out of Atlanta every week for over a year and a half, and that airport drives me freaking nuts!
1. 9 times out of 10 your flight WILL be delayed. Long tarmac waits are a matter of course, because ATL runs more ops per day on 5 runways than DFW runs on 7!
2. Gate changes are a matter of course, especially when you have a tight connection. Connecting in Atlanta is such a miserable experience that my wife has literally threatened divorce if I ever book a flight for her with a connection in Atlanta again.
3. Their new CONRAC absolutely sucks, requiring a customer to walk approximately a mile from their gate to their car and stopping on the way at the conference center, where NOBODY gets off the tram.
4. No people movers outside security (e.g. moving sidewalks, trams, etc.) means you have a LONG walk ahead of you no matter where you're going unless you have a ride that knows *exactly* where to pick you up.
5. Their wifi is HORRID, frequently booting users and blocking connections for no apparent reason. Boingo finally suggested that I turn off all instant messenger clients, avoid any rich content (e.g. HTML5, Flash, etc.) and stick to the most basic of web browsing to keep from getting booted from the network!
That said, I will give ATL credit on one thing... it is one of the cleanest airports I've ever flown to/from/through. They really do take their "opening day fresh" motto seriously!
Hulu Plus subscription service rumored: $9.95 a month for access to older shows {Engadget}
Apr 22nd 2010 8:26AM @lettcco
Agreed, I would gladly fork over a few bucks a month if I could have an app on my TV or a box that could legitimately access Hulu and play all of its content without having to bring a PC into the mix.
Comcast only wants to share 3D feed of The Masters with cable {Engadget HD}
Apr 8th 2010 11:42PM @Mitchell
I just bought a Samsung 55" and I'm eagerly anticipating the arrival of my 3D glasses and the go-live (tomorrow) of TWC's Masters content. I'm a 3D owner and a golfer and I absolutely cannot wait to see the Masters in 3D. I could not be happier with the prospect of being able to watch sports in 3D.
I keep seeing people trash this 3D tech, but you know what? I was buying a new TV anyway, so I went ahead and sprung for the 3D option. I needed another BD player so I could have one in the bedroom, so I picked up the 3D capable one. Did I spend a little bit more than I would have on 2D tech? I sure did, but not by as much as you would think. And at the end of the day, the TV I bought looks GREAT for 2D, so even if I only pull out the 3D glasses as a novelty when friends are over, I'm still happy with my purchase.
Inside the award winning SpringHill Suites by Marriott {Gadling}
Mar 24th 2010 2:55PM Wow... this looks as nice as the full-service Marriott I stay in every week in Georgia! Kudos to Marriott for pushing things in the right direction with their lower end properties, now maybe I can talk my spoiled wife into staying somewhere cheaper on our trips! :)
