Hidden Treasures: Murph’s of Morrisville, Pennsylvania

by Gadling Staff on

Murph’s of Morrisville is located (unsurprisingly) in Morrisville, Pennsylvania, and serves a wide variety of staple and specialty sandwiches for breakfast and lunch.

If you’re unfamiliar with Morrisville then you’re no doubt unaware that it’s full of delightful places to eat. Directly across the Delaware River from Trenton, New Jersey, Morrisville is a frequent lunch destination, and while it has a wealth of local eateries serving sandwiches (several of which are quite exceptional) Murph’s has some stand-out menu selections that make it worth special note.

When examining the menu, make sure to pay extra attention to the roast beef and roast pork sandwiches. The intense flavor resulting from Murph’s treatment of their meats makes even seemingly simple signature sandwiches like their “Roast Pork Italiano” burst with flavor. If you’re looking for breakfast, try the salami or Italian sausage and egg sandwiches, as they are among the most unique options on the menu.

Located in a shopping center at 1 East Trenton Avenue (Store 3A, near the rear of the shopping center), Murph’s is just down the road from Route 1, making it easy for anyone to find, even those stopping along their way to another destination. Definitely a hidden gem, Murph’s of Morrisville is worth driving a few extra blocks for a lot of added flavor.

John M. Warenda is Seed.com contributor.

New York area airports no longer immune from the whole body imaging machine

by Scott Carmichael on

After the rest of the country, the large New York area airports are next in line to receive the infamous whole body imaging scanners. The Port Authority announced that La Guardia, JFK and Newark will receive 39 of the machines (24 for JFK, 14 for Newark and 1 for LaGuardia).

As of right now, the machines are still voluntary, and are only used when you have been selected for secondary screening. You are allowed to opt-out and request an old fashioned pat-down, but TSA agents often “forget” to point this out, as a manual screening takes more time.

The machines themselves are still quite controversial, and not without their problems – just ask Rolando Negrin, who beat up his supervisor after he was mocked for his “small manhood” during a TSA training session. Jo Margetson is probably not a big fan either, after a checkpoint operator complimented her on her “gigantic tits“. But more importantly, the safety aspects of these machines have not been fully tested.

The first batch of machines will be installed in New York next month.

[Photo from Getty Images]

Foreign tourists to be charged $10 “travel promotion fee” starting September 8

by Scott Carmichael on

We’ve been covering the proposed “travel promotion fee” since last year – and what originally started as a silly idea, has now become reality.

Starting September 8, visitors to the United States will be required to pay $14 to cover the costs of the ESTA travel authorization system ($4) and to fund the 2009 Travel Promotion Act ($10).

The fee is valid for unlimited entries during a two year period. Only tourists that enter the United States under the Visa Waiver Program will be asked to pay.

Ever since it was first announced, I’ve found the whole concept of charging tourists a fee to help promote tourism to be moronic – people visiting the United States should not be the ones that have to pay to promote tourism, they have already picked the U.S. as their destination.

According to the U.S. Travel Association, the Travel Promotion Act will generate $4 Billion and 40,000 jobs, while reducing the deficit by $425 million over a ten year period.

If the supporters of this bill really believe a relatively minor investment in overseas travel promotion could generate $4 billion, then the funds should come from tax payers, not from tourists. In the end, every dollar these tourists have to spend on getting their ESTA travel authorization will mean fewer dollars spent in shops, restaurants and hotels. To think people will just pay the fee without feeling ripped off is plain stupid. Since the fee has to be paid for each family member, a family of five will spend $70 before they even leave their country.

Tourists will need to apply for the ESTA authorization before traveling to the United States. They will need online access and a credit/debit card, which also means some tourists may simply pick a destination that does not make them jump through hoops.

To learn more about the new ESTA fee and the Travel Promotion Act, check out the Homeland Security site on the fee rule.

Steven Slater Video: Watch the nutty flight attendant ride to infamy

by Tom Johansmeyer on


The above video comes from NBC New York, which claims the exclusive on it. Seventeen seconds in, you can see the emergency slide pop out from the right side of the plane (which is actually on your left). It happens in the center of the screen, but you need to look carefully, because the view is partially obstructed. The slide pops out toward the front of the plane. At 26 seconds, you can see disgruntled flight attendant Steven Slater step out of the plane and start to slide down, though this was shot from a distance, so it’s easy to miss.

What you don’t have to look carefully to notice is that there is activity around the plane. There are people outside guilty of nothing but doing their jobs, making it clear that he risk associated with Slater’s activating the slide very real. It isn’t hard to see why an internal JetBlue memo likened it to a gun.

Click here for five interesting post-meltdown jobs for Steven Slater >>

Hidden Treasures: Bo’s Ice Cream, Tampa, Florida

by Gadling Staff on

When people typically think of Tampa, they think of the beach, nightlife and attractions. However when I think of my hometown, only one thing comes to mind – ice cream.

Bo’s Ice Cream, located at 7101 N. Florida Avenue, has been serving up tasty ice cream creations in the same location for more than 50 years. Bo’s has survived so long is because they only use the best quality ingredients when making their ice cream. While driving down the highway on any given afternoon, you will see a line winding down to the street with people from all over patiently waiting for their treat.

Bo’s is famous for their unique ice cream flavors and candy toppings. When I was a kid, all of my cones came “cherry dipped”, with a hard red candy coating. As an adult my new favorite is the blue raspberry dip. Just be sure to bring a friend (or five) if you decide you want the large size banana split.

Afternoons or early evenings are the best time to visit.

Stephie Mark is a Seed.com contributor.