Tagged With "Chicago City Council"
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Re: Notes and Noticings from the road
Actually, I think the banks have a fairly minimal (as small as I can make it) impact on my currency transactions, in part because I never deal with exchanges; I use bank ATMs. That way, the exchange takes place not on my account, but as an interbank transaction at the base rate banks use with each other. I used to use my ATM card from Citibank, but eventually they began charging a 3% foreign exchange fee even on withdrawals. At that point, I opened an account with Charles Schwab, a brokerage...
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Re: And the tallest US building goes to?
The judges have chosen the "fairest in the land". I would be happy to tour both buildings. The ingenuity of architects and engineers never ceases to impress me. Some buildings that I have particularly enjoyed touring - the World Trade Center and the Rockefeller Center in NY, the dome of St. Peter's in Rome, all of St. Paul's in London, the Reichstag in Berlin and all of the small historical buildings at Greenfield Village, Michigan.
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Re: Lighthouses of Lake Havasu – Part 2 of 3
Makes me want to go out, buy an RV and go see all the lighthouses in the world! I love lighthouses, and to have so many in one place, even if they're "just" replicas, is great! Thanks, Samantha.
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Re: Lighthouses of Lake Havasu – Part 2 of 3
Cool idea, lighthouses all over. Do boaters on the lake count on them, or just for fun?
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Re: Lighthouses of Lake Havasu – Part 2 of 3
They are cool to see. Some are just for fun, but many of them do actually light up to help the boaters.
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Re: Frank Lloyd Wright's Nathan Moore House (Where Gumbo Was, #121)
Thanks for the informational post. I have always liked Wrights work. We will be in Chicago next year and this would be great to see. Thanks again for the pictures.
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Re: Chicago's Harold Washington Library: Where Gumbo Was (#59)
I thought it looked like a newer building but I love the design!
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Re: TSA strands 450 overnight: could it get worse?
What a mess. The very agency that is to protect citizens from terrorist activity is creating an environment wherein "tent communities" are springing up at America's airports. How embarrassing is that. Talk about a target rich environment for the bad guys. The TSA's funding, even with "cuts", is about US$ 7.3 billion for 2016. In contrast, Canada, which has 1/10th the population of the USA, has an airport screening budget of about CDN $0.56 billion, and Transport Canada acknowledges it has...
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Re: TSA strands 450 overnight: could it get worse?
Most countries around the world exchange ideas and processes to fulfil the common good. But some countries refuse to enter into a dialogue and share ideas. Russia is another one.
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Re: TSA strands 450 overnight: could it get worse?
To be fair to the TSA (which I find hard to do), the $7.3 billion is not all for screening, only about half is. That said, while airports are looking to outsource the screening, maybe they should hire Transport Canada! As for the PreCheck point: TSA can't seem to make up its mind. When it started, they semi-randomly selected 'extra' people to go through it, on the theory that they would like it enough to buy it—and some did, but not enough. Then the people who had paid for it started to...
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Re: TSA strands 450 overnight: could it get worse?
The few US airports that have private security companies handling the screening are reporting good results and I think that's a good option for the airports. My guess is for liability reasons, airports are scared to dump the TSA. After seeing the comments by DrFumblinger and PHeymont, I do think we can learn from Canada on this. I did a little more reading on Canada's airport security. It seems all major airports in Canada have private screening. The airports give out three year contracts.
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Re: Van Gogh comes to Airbnb: $10 a night
Link to the listing: https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/10981658?s=9qhtAoOY
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Re: Willis Tower and Our Skydeck Experience—Chicago
I haven't been on this one, but I have gone to a few, including Empire State and the old World Trade Center in NY. I always enjoy the view, but if there's an open observation area, I find myself with small chills and odd feelings in my legs as if I were going to fall...no matter how secure it is! So for me, it's the view plus a thrill ride!
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Re: Willis Tower and Our Skydeck Experience—Chicago
I've been to the Hancock tower in Chicago, but not the Sears tower (I like that name better to). The views sure are spectacular. As for me, I'll admire the view without going into the skybox, thank you very much!
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day. May 5, 2014: Spring in Chicago!
Isn't it interesting how the red tulips seem 3-dimensional. I noticed it in the Ananda pictures too. Very nice, DrF.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day. May 5, 2014: Spring in Chicago!
i love Chicago and your photos really capsured the feel of Spring. A note for cheapskates like me ,is parking is expensive.
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day. May 5, 2014: Spring in Chicago!
I'd like to comment on design as it applies to the Pic of the Day thumbnail that appears on the homepage. I've been trying to choose pictures for this feature that look attractive in the small scale we first see, that will invite viewers to click on it to see it full-sized, along with whatever else we post. I think this one is a great example of what looks good in such a small size, clear design elements, in this case the central flower bed with a linear frame of pavement, trees and...
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day. May 5, 2014: Spring in Chicago!
Thanks for the comment, PortMoresby.
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Shhh! Your suitcase is disturbing my sleep!
Well, the headline's not a joke. The city council has passed a law taking effect next May that imposes fines up to 500€ for dragging suitcases with hard wheels along the alleys and bridges of Venice. The claim is that the noise drives everyone...
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Update: Loyalty Programs and Credit Cards
For some of us, credit cards are more than a convenient way to pay—they are the lifeline to free travel through loyalty programs. Between points for purchases and bonuses for opening or upgrading credit card accounts, it's possible to get quite...
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WiFi in the air spreads on regional jets
The networks of regional flights that connect the major airline hubs to smaller cities are getting wired...or rather, wirelessed. Delta has already added some, United recently announced plans, and yesterday, American put in its bid, announcing that...
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Michelin's new maps focus on food
Michelin, the French company that makes tires, maps and food ratings has now leveraged the maps and food into a new product—quick reference maps of where to eat. The first in the series, the "New York City Map of Great Places to Eat 2015" went...
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KLM Flash Sale: NYC to Kilimanjaro RT for $798
If Mt. Kilimanjaro has been on your mind since reading Hemingway in high school (or if you've seen the movie), here's your chance. KLM has a 24-hour flash sale at $798 RT from NYC, or $848 if you're leaving from Chicago or DC. The fare is only...
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New plans "Motivate" Alta Bike Share
Alta, the biggest US player in the bicycle sharing market (with contracts in New York, Chicago, Columbus and other cities) is under new management—and a new name. The company's moving from Portland to NYC, has hired Jay Walder, an experienced...
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O'Hare, Atlanta share 'busiest airport' honors
Chicago's O'Hare has reclaimed at least part of the "world's busiest airport" title it held for years until Atlanta's Hartsfield/Jackson passed it in 2005. The title is split now, with O'Hare having the most departures and arrivals, and Atlanta having...
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Airport playgrounds take off for kids
The GO Group supplies limos and shared shuttles at airports, but they've also taken a look at what goes on inside the airports, and found what they call the Top Five Airport Playgrounds for Kids, including the "Kids on the Fly" shown below at...
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Chicago set to open new rail-line park
Chicago will open its new Bloomingdale Trail, a park built on 2.7 miles of abandoned railway on June 6. That's 6/06 if you write it a different way, and 606 is both the root of Chicago area codes, and the name of an overall park project (the606) that...
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She believes she can fly...no ticket needed!
Marilyn Hartman seems to have a need to fly, and no intention of bothering with mundane issues such as tickets or security. The 63-year-old California woman has a long history as a serial stowaway, and a number of arrests while trying. Considering how...
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American completes "re-banking" its hubs
American Airlines has completed a series of schedule changes at its Miami, Chicago and Dallas hubs to create shorter layovers, and so far it appears to be working. That's the report from a respected airline blog, Cranky Flier . A few...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Feb. 28, 2015: Rookery, Chicago
View looking up through the ornamental stairs of the Rookery building's lobby in Chicago. The Rookery is the product of an unusual architectural "collaboration." The quotes are because the original 1886 building, a masterpiece by Daniel Burnham...
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Gumbo's Pic of the Day, March 3, 2015: Chicago by Night
City skylines can look the same after a while, but seeing them at night is a different experience again. As part of a USA trip, I wanted to visit as many iconic skyscrapers as I could. The Sears Tower in Chicago was on my list and I...
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AA teases West Texas with 787 dry runs
When an airline gets a new type of plane for the first time, its pilots need to learn to fly it. And no matter how many hours go into work on a simulator, there's no substitute for the real experience. Case in point: American Airlines got its...
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United testing revamped boarding areas...and scents.
Gotcha on that last one. Yes, United's plan to re-invent boarding areas includes a signature scent that you'll get a whiff of as you approach the plane! On a more down-to-earth basis, the new areas being built at several Chicago O'Hare gates,...
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Amsterdam on JetBlue? Orlando on Icelandair? Codeshare coming!
JetBlue Airways and Icelandair, which already have an interline partnership, have asked for U.S. government permission for a codeshare agreement. If approved, JetBlue would place its code on seven Icelandair routes from the U.S. to Iceland, and eight...
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September 28, 2017: Reno Arch, Reno, Nevada
This iconic landmark is a prominent feature of downtown Reno.
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July 8, 2017: Ship of Fools, Nürnberg
A statue in Nürnberg, based on an Albrecht Dürer woodcut, is a metaphor for a threatened world.
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June 7, 2017: Insel Mainau, Bodensee
George G shares a snapshot from a visit to Mainau Island on Lake Constance in Germany. Known as the Island of Flowers, it's covered in parks and gardens.
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June 13, 2017: Ornate Interior and Yorkshire Stone
All Saints Church in Northallerton, England is a treasure hidden in plain sight, and revealed by the camera of Paul Hunter.
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Ultimate recycling projects: Not wasting waste
What to do with it—in this case, human waste—has led to some unusual recycling projects in Italy and Denmark.
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Venice and Tourists: New plan mixes carrots and sticks
Venice is using a mixture of carrots and sticks to try to reduce the crush of tourists by spreading out the load.
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Venice moves to ban take-away food
Venetian officials want the food off the street: they say it disturbs the city's atmosphere and identity.
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A Tour of Stained Glass in Old San Juan
Old San Juan has a wealth of gorgeous stained glass in a variety of styles. Jonathan L shows us some of the best.
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Fort Beausejour/ Fort Cumberland (Where Gumbo Was #232)
Gumbo was found at Fort Beausejour/ Fort Cumberland in New Brunswick, Canada.
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London's new treasure: An urban wetland preserve
London gets a new treasure: an urban wetlands now open to the general public for the first time—and admission is free.
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Barcelona plans big changes for La Rambla
Barcelona is looking at plans to 'reclaim' its famed La Rambla with less clutter and congestion.
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Churches of Park Slope, Brooklyn
PHeymont explores the varied and mostly 19th-century churches in one of Brooklyn's premier neighborhoods, and explores the area's history.
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Amsterdam tightens lock on Airbnb
Amsterdam's war on what it considers excess tourism impact takes a new twist with licensed short-term rentals with a ban in the city center.
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Amsterdam gets OK to ban tourist shops
Amsterdam's struggle against over-tourism gets a final OK from the country's courts.
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New protection for ancient artifacts
A new high-tech method gives valiuable objects an invisible signature that can trace it back to its home if stolen.