“Ground Zero Mosque” reality check

by Sean McLachlan on

We’ve all heard about it–the so-called “Ground Zero Mosque”. Journalists, bloggers, and pretty much everyone else have been screaming at each other about whether it should open or not. All but absent from the debate, however, are hard facts.

Now the Village Voice has published an angry article with facts about the Ground Zero Mosque. First off, it’s a community center as well as a mosque. Secondly, it’s not at Ground Zero. The article has a map showing the proposed community center is two-and-a-half blocks away from Ground Zero at 51 Park Place. Even more revealing are photos of what’s also in the vicinity of Ground Zero–a Burger King, a bookie, and a titty bar. Nobody has called these places disrespectful to the memory of the victims.

Village Voice writer Foster Kamer goes off on people from outside New York City making judgments about the Park51 project, pointing out that the community center will have a 9/11 memorial and saying that people who want to stifle freedom of religion are almost as bad as terrorists. He also reminds us that dozens of Muslims were killed in the 9/11 attacks, including an NYPD cadet. Kamer then rips into the commercialization of Ground Zero. Thousands of tourists flock to it every year, feeding a small industry of guided tours and souvenir stands selling Chinese-made memorabilia. There’s even a hotel that’s using its proximity to Ground Zero as a selling point.

One thing Kamer doesn’t include, however, is a link to the Park51 project, so here it is. The site details what the developers are planning to do with the property.

Is an Islamic community center an appropriate thing to have two-and-a-half blocks away from Ground Zero? Is a titty bar? Is Ground Zero tourism respectful or simply ghoulish? Tell us what you think in the comments section.


Photo of 45-51 Park Place courtesy Gryffindor via Wikimedia Commons.

Five signs that the hotel meeting business is recovering

by Tom Johansmeyer on

Business meetings are back in style. Group customer is on the rise for the hotel business, signaling that the corporate crowd Is getting back out on the road. Joining the party are other groups, such as associations, sports teams, religious groups, social organizations and the military, according to USA Today.

The U.S. Travel Association is predicting a 7 percent increase in meeting and convention spending this year, with a forecast of $90.7 billion. Last year, this measure fell 15 percent, as the effects of the financial crisis and subsequent recession led to cancelations.

To get the big bucks back in the door, hotels and convention bureaus have been rolling out favorable pricing and sweetheart deals, and it’s starting to work.

So, how do we know this sector’s coming back? Here are five hints:

1. The meeting planners say so: A June survey by Meeting Professionals International showed 61 percent of respondents saying “that they’re seeing more favorable business conditions, including attendance, budgets and number of meetings,” according to a USA Today report. Only 15 percent responded this way in August 2009.

2. Hotel groups say so: InterContinental Hotels Group has announced that its group and corporate revenue climbed 10 percent in the first half of 2010 relative to the same period in 2009. Denihan Hospitality Group’s eight New York City hotels are showing an increase in group revenue of 26 percent year-over-year.
3. Even Grand Rapids has good news: The JW Marriott in Grand Rapids, Michigan has sold more than 1,500 group room-nights so far this year, up 20 percent from last year.

4. So does Fort Lauderdale: In this Florida town, group revenue is up 30 percent at the Harbor Beach Marriott. Corporate deals are still down from last year, but other groups are more than making up the difference.

5. Hotels understand what’s going on: Even though the market is coming back, hotels realize that they still need to price aggressively. Notes George Aquino, general manager of the Grand Rapids JW Marriott Everyone’s felt the turmoil of 2009. We don’t want that to happen again.”

[photo by msprague via Flickr]

The story of a great American road trip

by Jeremy Kressmann on

Have you ever fantasized about an epic cross-country road trip? Of jumping in a car, getting off the boring Interstates and discovering long-lost pockets of roadside Americana and one-of-a-kind natural wonders? This Summer, Nick Carr, writer of the wonderful blog Scouting NY, has done just that. Earlier this Summer, Carr set out with his girlfriend on an epic cross-country road trip. He’s been chronicling the adventure since early July.

For most of the year, Carr works as a New York City film scout, sharing his amazing explorations of New York’s lesser-known sights with readers. He’s taken his passion for those lesser-known places out on the road. Rather than take the most direct route for his cross-country sojourn, Nick planned his route along the historic Route 50, one America’s first transcontinental roadways, making himself a promise to avoid America’s Interstates.

During his journey, he’s shared his amazing photos of Wild-West nostalgia in Dodge City, KS, forgotten pleasure palaces in Utah and glimpses of rural small town Illinois. Carr brings a true explorer’s eye to his trip, unearthing buildings, people and places that have long since vanished from the average traveler’s radar.

If you’ve ever dreamed of taking a Great American road trip, or want to relive your own fantastic voyage from years-gone-by, check out Nick’s blog. You can read the full journey starting out East, through Indiana and Ohio, into Illinois, Missouri, Kansas City, Dodge City and Pike’s Peak, CO, Colorado Gold Mines, Utah, Salt Lake City and Nevada and most recently, the Hoover Dam.

[Photo by Flickr user are you my rik?]

JetBlue memo: Steven Slater’s slide “as dangerous as a gun”

by Tom Johansmeyer on


The Associated Press has unearthed an internal JetBlue memo, and it’s pretty clear that the airline doesn’t view disgruntled flight attendant Steven Slater as a hero. In fact, JetBlue‘s memo has characterized his actions as inexcusable.

Loved because he left his job in grand fashion – despite the fact that “aviation is in his blood” and he wants the gig back – the emerging reality suggests that Slater really put himself and other people at risk of injury or worse.

Even if Slater was reacting to an uncooperative passenger, JetBlue isn’t interested in his excuses. The company’s chief operating officer, Rob Maruster, wrote in the memo, “If Mr. Slater’s story proves to be accurate, and even if there was a precipitating event that motivated his behavior, that still doesn’t excuse his actions.”

And, let’s not forget that Slater was arrested and charged with criminal mischief, reckless endangerment and trespassing. He entered a plea of “not guilty” and is out on $2,500 bail. According to a report by MyFoxNY, he faces felony charges.

Perhaps the most frightening part of the Slater saga – aside from the fact that a person whose “primary job is safety,” as the flight attendants like to say, lost his mind in something that’s nowhere near a crisis situation – is that he could have injured or killed somebody.The fact that he deployed an emergency slide, notes the memo, is “the most distressing aspect” of the situation. According to The Associated Press report:

“Slides deploy extremely quickly, with enough force to kill a person,” the letter to employees read. “Slides can be as dangerous as a gun.”

Maruster added that the “episode does not reflect the professional and sincere service you deliver to our customers every day.”

Fortunately, when he used this “gun,” Slater also had a beer in his hand. This guy might be getting the “hero” treatment by working folks everywhere, but here’s the question nobody seems to be asking: would you want to rely on him where you work?

Delusional JetBlue flight attendant Steven Slater wants his job back

by Tom Johansmeyer on


Who wants a job that drove him so nuts he went ballistic and jumped out the back door of a plane? Well, that would be Steven Slater, of course. The flight attendant now famous for popping the escape chute, grabbing a beer and going home from JFK airport in Queens – who has been thinking about this for the past two decades – wants his job back. And, that makes sense, since he isn’t likely to get his own reality show.

The man whose father was a pilot and mother was a flight attendant has the aviation industry “in his blood” says his Legal Aid defense attorney, Howard Turman, who continues, “That’s what he likes to do.” Of course, the fact that Slater has a funny way of showing it went unmentioned.
According to USA Today:

“His hope is to return to the aviation business,” Turman is quoted as saying by The Associated Press. AP writes that “Turman portrayed his client as hardworking, loyal and surprised by his own overnight fame. Slater ‘wants to thank the world for its understanding,’ Turman said, referring to the Internet and media response to his client’s public unraveling.”

And, Slater wants to go back to JetBlue. After all, Slater believes, according to Turman, “JetBlue is a wonderful airline which he (Slater) has loved working for, and wishes to continue working for. He understands the problems, but it has been a fair and understanding airline.”

Now, it seems, the limits of that understanding will be tested. JetBlue seems unlikely to welcome the wacky flight attendant back with open arms, according to an internal memo covered by the Wall Street Journal. Though the story of how Slater bailed hasn’t been corroborated, the airline says his actions were “unacceptable.”

Duh.

Fortunately, there are many opportunities open to him, especially if he can get Hertz to give him O.J. Simpson’s old gig. Slater clearly knows how to make a run through an airport.