March “lion” slams east coast

by Tom Johansmeyer on

From New Hampshire to the Carolinas, March came in, as the saying goes, like a lion. Snow, sleet and wind gusts reaching 30 mph have lead to for motor vehicle deaths, school closings and chaos at airports.

More than 900 flights have been canceled at New York area airports (JFK, Newark and LaGuardia). Hundreds more at Logan International Airport in Boston never left the ground, where the airport closed for more than half an hour to clear a runway. In Philadelphia, more than 40 people were stranded overnight.

Even the bus operators got into the delay and cancellation game. Greyhound and Peter Pan scrapped trips into and out of New York, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts and New Jersey.

So, get comfortable. It’s going to take a while to sort this mess out.

Recession vacations: do more with less

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Vacation plans are changing. This isn’t exactly a surprise. With layoffs mounting and a careful eye trained on every expense, long vacations are becoming short, and short trips aren’t straying as far from home. For some destinations, this is actually paying off.

A handful of smaller cities are pulling in visitors that normally would set off for grander locales. Charleston, SC and Fort Meyers, FL, for example sustained double-digit growth rates in January 2009 (relative to January 2008), according to American Express Travel bookings. Tuscon, AZ, Palm Springs, CA, and Portland, OR have also seen surges – 12 percent, 13 percent and 38 percent respectively.

Even Philly is on the upswing, which makes sense when you think about all those New Yorkers who need a quick break from the city.

So, why do these numbers look so good? Well, it’s hard to say. Drops in airfare and room rates are obvious drivers. Or, it could be some sort of marketing savvy. When you look at the data, there’s no common thread.

What is universal, it seems, is that everything is getting smaller. Trips are shorter, people are spending less and the destinations aren’t as far from home as they used to be. With the many bargains that are available, we may be able to do more with less, but overall, we’re still doing a hell of a lot less.

Aside from places like Fort Meyers and Tuscon, there are a few silver linings. “Girlfriend getaways” are still going strong, but the ladies are stretching their dollars. Renting one car instead of several, chipping in for a vacation home and picking a day spa over a destination spa are popular cost-cutting measures.

Home port cruises are on the upswing, as well. Guests can drive to the port (instead of flying), cutting down on the total cost of the trip. Like everyone else, these folks are cutting some deals, too.

Pick your corner of the travel and hospitality business, and you’ll find more than a handful of bargains. The decisions we make come down to what travelers can afford – rather than what they want. But, we’re still getting out on the road.

[Via MSNBC]

Check out some of these other wacky laws, place names and signs from around the world!


Groundhog Day: Phil and Spanish Joe say six more weeks of winter

by Jamie Rhein on

According to folklore, if a groundhog sees it’s shadow on February 2nd, there are six more weeks of winter. Actually, there would be six more weeks of winter anyway, so that’s beside the point. Here is the forecast from Punxsutawny Phil in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The famous groundhog presented the news this morning at 6 a.m. Phil did see his shadow.

The tradition of Groundhog Day has its roots in Celtic and Pagan traditions. February 1 is the date that marks the movement of weather away from winter towards spring. The pagan festival Imbolc , celebrated on the 1st is similar to the Catholic holiday Candlemas that dates back to medieval times. As Christianity edged out pagan beliefs, some cultural traditions persevered.

Nowadays, through the changes of time, we have been left with the tale of the groundhog and his shadow. Besides asking Punxsutawney Phil for the winter weather forecast, you can ask Spanish Joe. Although, Punxsutawney Phil has made Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania the place to be on February 2 because it has the largest Groundhog Day celebration ever, Spanish Joe has a following.

Spanish Joe is the only psychic groundhog in Ontario, Canada. It is said he can predict what the weather in Canada will be like all year long. He’s called Spanish Joe because he lives in the town of Spanish. At first, when I read his name, I thought he’d be wearing a sombrero, but no–Spanish Joe looks like any other groundhog. Although, as the story goes, Spanish Joe became Spanish Joe only after he was run over by a Greenpeace protest bus. It’s an odd story, but not much more unusual than any other groundhog story connected to Groundhog Day.

For a snippet of another odd, but also hysterical story, here’s a clip from the movie Groundhog Day. The movie takes place in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania on Groundhog Day over and over and over again, and was named by Stanley Fish of the New York Times as one of the 10 Best American Movies. Bill Murray is in top form in this one.

This is a scene well after Murray’s character finds out he’s living the same day over and over again. Part of the Groundhog Day Festival is shown. You have to love the polka music.

Other funny names of places: How about Intercourse?

by Jamie Rhein on

It’s great to have belly laughs. The article in the New York Times that Jeremy wrote about yesterday had me chortling out loud and reminded me about why Monty Python is so darned funny.

I thought Intercourse, Pennsylvania was bad, but the list of funny names in England was impressive. For some reason, Titty Ho caught me the most.

As I was reading the NY Times article, I kept thinking of Life of Brian and the scenes with Pontius Pilate. It also reminded me of Annie’s post on Big Bone Lick, Kentucky, a place I have actually been to. There’s also Beaver Lick, Kentucky.

Here are a few more funny names for places. Pennsylvania also boasts the town Blue Ball which is not far from the aptly named town Virginville. Then there’s Montana’s — Bald Knob Mountain. What about Bucksnort, Tennessee? Or Bumpass, Virginia?

This one seems apropos, Happy Camp, California. Who couldn’t use a little stay in Happy Camp these days?

For some Saturday entertainment, keep reading for the YouTube Life of Brian scene with Pontius Pilate.

Plan for sin, seven ideas

by Tom Johansmeyer on

You may not remember the “seven deadly sins,” but you’ve probably lived a healthy portion of them. Well, I have, and I’m sure I’m not alone. Jean Tang over at CNN.com has come up with a few ideas to help you live your forbidden fantasy. So, if you’re into envy, gluttony, greed, lust, pride, sloth or wrath, there’s a destination that will cater to your basest of desires.

Crave a step up in society (envy) as a helicopter shepherds you above the opulent homes of the wealthy Los Angeles ‘burbs, and gaze upon the celeb digs that you’ll never call home. Or, fill your stomach to the point of bursting (gluttony) on an 18 lb. hamburger at Bubi’s in Windsor, Ontario.

A few others:

  • Greed: ogle some of the largest private collections of Renoir, Matisse and Cezanne in the world at the Barnes Foundation in Merion, PA (near Philly)
  • Pride: recreate your body at the affordable Heartland Spa in Gilman, IL; two nights for two peopl start below $800
  • Sloth: Define your own movie marathon at The Roxbury in the Catskills from a 400-disk collection, and then do nothing but watch
  • Wrath: Kick ass and take names on the mean San Francisco streats with a bout of Muay Thai (Thai boxing) at Fairtex Muay Thai Fitness
  • Lust: CNN sends you to the obvious: Hedonism; I won’t bore you with the details

[Thanks, CNN, for helping us all indulge]