No more feral cats at JFK

by Grant Martin on

Look out, the next security threat at John F Kennedy airport in New York isn’t terrorists, no, its cats. Reuters reports that authorities at JFK have started rounding up the feral cats that have been calling the airport home (seventy of them!). Animal rights activists were naturally up in arms, and have been protesting the Port Authority headquarters.

Seems that the airport workers (and the rats) have been feeding the animals, who have in turn been running around baggage claim and attracting more animals, such as birds. And when you mix birds and flying jets, well, then you have a safety issue.

Don’t believe me? Check out this video on YouTube. Make sure you have the audio on so you can hear the pilot saying “MAYDAY”.

I have an idea. Let’s the put the activists on a flight with a compressor stall we’ll and see how bad they want to keep the kitties afterwards.

Monte Cristo: Australia’s most haunted house

by Jamie Rhein on

When I was poking around to find a haunted house tour on You Tube–I don’t have the time to actually go to one–I found this one of a house that is spooky enough to give anyone the willies. The music is perfect. That droning organ music that is mixed with rattles and wind whooshes made me a bit antsy by the end. And, the setting really put me on edge. My dog just shook herself and I jumped. Seriously, I’m not lying. The filming is a perfect creep out.

Monte Cristo Homestead in Junee, Australia is said to be Australia’s most haunted house. Throughout the video, Mrs. Aussie Bear, who created it, includes heading titles that highlight the details of just what awful thing happened in each spot of the house. It’s said to be haunted by the ghost of Mrs. Crawley, one of the owners who only left the house twice in the 23 years after her husband died. Here’s a link from the homestead’s website that highlights some of the mysterious happenings.

The house is open for tours every day but Christmas.

Foreigners get warm welcome from Disney video

by Catherine Bodry on

When the U.S. State Department decided foreigners needed a friendly welcome upon entering the country, they turned to Disney. Disney has long been active in lobbying efforts for more welcoming treatment of foreign visitors, and has expressed concern about the USA’s declining share of international travelers. The company produced the video free of charge.

The short film is a montage of still scenes of the “American life.” Naturally it’s warm and fuzzy. There’s no dialogue, just smiling people repeating the word “welcome.” USA Today also reports that “viewers will see dramatic images of American icons like the Statue of Liberty and the Las Vegas Strip. They’ll also see ordinary cities and farms as well as sweeping outdoor vistas. The video has no shots of Disney property.”

You can view a clip of the video here, or visit some 219 consular offices or airports with customs facilities.

Tamarack: One-of-a-kind-center offers top-notch handmade arts and crafts

by Jamie Rhein on

A couple years ago, when I was writing a magazine article on best fall foliage places in West Virginia, a person working at a visitors and convention bureau told me that Tamarack Art Gallery is a place to shop. Actually, not a place, but the place. If you’re looking for anything artsy, Appalachian and West Virginian, this is it. (Not all art is Appalachian in subject matter, but it does showcase Appalachia’s finest work.) I was interested to see a feature article about the place in The Columbus Dispatch.

Part of the success of this gallery, I think, is that the crafts and art for sale are juried pieces. This means that artisans have to apply to get their work accepted–it’sa more formal and strict process for selecting what will pass muster. The result is a collection of high quality pieces that represent more than 2,800 artists. Therefore, if you shop here, you can’t go wrong. West Virginia’s art bounty is huge and Tamarack reflects this. Usually for less expensive pieces the gallery also pays the artists upfront instead of the artists selling their work on consignment. I like that. It seems fair. The reason behind the gesture is so artists have a shot at making a decent living from their work and have the support to practice their craft at a higher level.

Tamarack also has a restaurant that serves up traditional Appalachian fare. I wonder if there are soup beans and cornbread on the menu–or is this a Kentucky specialty? There are also changing exhibits and demonstrations. Here’s an audio slide show designed to bring you there. I love listening to the accents. They remind me of where my mom is from. By the way, you can also shop on-line if driving to this spot in West Virginia is too far.

Flight attendant gives hilarious safety message

by Jamie Rhein on

Happy Monday and this should perk you up. If you’ve ever spaced out during the flight attendant safety talks and casually wondered if perhaps you should actually look at the card in the seat pocket in front of you, here’s a video that will remind you exactly how many exit doors there are–and everything else you need to know in case of an emergency. All the information is accurate, it’s the delivery that gets your attention. Here’s a sample.

“If you don’t like our service, the flight gets too long, we have 6 emergency exits–2 at the front, 2 over window doors, and 2 at the rear–signs over head–lights on the floor– leave through those exits.”

The life vest, the seat becoming a floatation device, the oxygen mask and that seat pocket instruction are all covered. Thanks, Marilyn Terrell, our friend at Intelligent Traveler, for sending this hilarious gem our way. And thanks to rodizzl for recording the attendant and posting it on You Tube. Stellar.