Tagged With "Mayor Bill Overstreet"
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Re: Do you Like these Hotel Tipping Tips ?
also keeps you from being called unflattering names behind your back. No worries - I find that people don't mind calling me unflattering news to my face Dave B. has given this issue a lot of good thought. My policy in the US is to tip 15 percent for adequate service. I add and subtract 5 percent from there, depending. According to the guidebooks, many servers outside of the US are paid professional wages. In that case, we do not tip, but simply round up the bill. Hope that this is not wrong.
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Re: Sleepless in Cologne... Sea lions and zoo neighbors
My wife and I visited this very attractive zoo with pleasing fountains and gardens. I don't recall hearing the roar of sea lions, but I did get a candid photo when a pelican snapped his bill at my wife Diane when she ventured to close to their property. While many attractions can be closed on Sundays, we always looked for a chance to visit a European zoo.
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Re: Marriott to offer free wi-fi to all its Rewards member
And let us not forget the dreaded "resort fees". Defined as meaning anything the hotel wants it to mean. And charged whether we use the facilities it's said to cover, or not. Look in the dictionary for the definition of "chicken shit" and you'll find "resort fees". If everyone must pay it, it should rightly be included in the room rate. Even my favorite, AirBnB, makes options available for hosts - cleaning fee, security deposit, a charge for more than 1 person and even possibilities for...
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Re: Expensive Surface Pro 3, Great for Travelers
There are some features of a tablet that I've grown to like, but I really need a laptop too. This product seems to fit the bill for me combining them into one , but it's way out of my price range!
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Re: AirBnB vs New York. Update
Everything you say, P, is logical and fair. The problem becomes compliance and enforcement, not a separate issue. A segment of people will always try to game the system and it's impossible to enforce these kinds of regulations in such a complex and populous place. Even here, where I live in a relatively rural place, I suspect I'm the only one in a large county collecting and paying the short-term occupancy tax. I do it, not because I'm honest, but because I don't want to think about possible...
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Re: Portland Bill Revisited: Pictures from a small island
PortMoresby is very right DrF, Chesil Beach is a 'shingle' beach is 29 kilometres (18 mi) long, 200 metres (660 ft) wide and 15 metres (50 ft) high - and pretty steep too!! The 'shingle' (large round pebbles) varies from pea-sized at the north-west end (by West Bay) to orange-sized at the south-east end (by Portland). It is said that smugglers who landed on the beach in the middle of the night could judge "exactly where they were" by the size of the shingle. The beach has been the scene of...
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Re: General Grant National Memorial, New York
Did you know that in 2005, a proposal was made in Congress to replace Grant's portrait with Ronald Reagan's portrait on the $50 bill, but didn't succeed?
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Re: A Complete Guide to Buy Travel Insurance for your upcoming vacations
Just to add a personal note to these recommendations. I traveled for years without travel insurance, thinking that I could cover or recover lost reservations, luggage, etc. but friends' experiences made me realize that the medical and evacuation coverage is the real key. And then, a few years later we had an unexpected three-week hospitalization in Europe that ended with a medevac flight back to the U.S. The hospital bill was over $30,000 (much less than it would have been at home), and half...
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Re: Chip Credit Cards to Change the Way US Tips at Restaurants
Actually, that's only one way of looking at it...another is that it may push many people (I included) to resume cash tips. The "convenient" suggested amounts, which even now appear on many slips can be very deceptive, both because they usually place the normal or usual amount as if it were the lowest "acceptable" amount, but also because often—not always—they calculate percent not on the restaurant bill but on the total of the bill plus tax. The difference can be significant. Interestingly,...
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Re: Chip Credit Cards to Change the Way US Tips at Restaurants
We've had suggested amounts for years on the machines. I was just in Ireland where tips weren't usually included as an option on the bill I never had the right amount of cash. Frankly maybe I'm lazy but I don't mind having the option on the machine. It's been a while. Nice to see you all (metaphorically that is).
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Loganathan
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day, Nov. 7, 2013: Bicycle taxi, Santa Clara, Cuba.
Thanks for the link T&N. Bill Gates funds the School of Tropical Medicine here in Liverpool in its search for better treatment and a cure for Malaria. But tales of Save the Planet are all Hogwash. People who live in cool climates - like me - cant wait for the climate to warm up. When the Vikings discovered Greenland a thousand years ago they described it as a "Green and pleasant land with pastures and animals" - and now its just a frozen waste again ! Turn up the CO2 !
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Re: Gumbo's Pic of the Day. September 10, 2013: African Penguins, Boulders Beach, South Africa.
Yes, think about what items would fit well for thumbnail images that people could use as avatars. We can create a bunch, and I do have a number of penguin photos that fit the bill.
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Re: Walking in England
Here's a walk that fits the bill DrF !! Follows the peaks of hills and mountains that will take you to Hadrian's Wall. 256 Miles of wilderness. http://penninewayassociation.co.uk/the-route
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Re: Airfare bill would roll back consumer protection
It was a task to compare fares before the law, so I hope it doesn't revert back. Gotta love the name of the new bill. I guess it's opposite day again.
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All the Tea In...Charleston?
Tea gardens, as the farms are traditionally known, no matter the size, have been seducing me for over a decade. In Yunnan and Guangxi Provinces of China, Himachal Pradesh and Darjeeling in Himalayan India, in the Cameron Highlands of...
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Arctic Birds on Migration: Saskatchewan
Many of the Arctic birds are large white birds such as geese and swans but also include smaller and different coloured sandpipers and other birds. Where is the best place to see these magnificent Arctic birds? The most...
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Ottawa – NOT the coldest Capital in the world!
Ottawa is a vibrant and charming small city — so pleasant that it’s hard to believe it’s home to soooo many politicians. Of the national capitals I've visited, Ottawa seems the most livable to me (ie. if...
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Bye Bye Sky-High Rental Car Fees
Recently, a company charged me $ 9.00 a day for the privilege of using an e-toll pass to pay $ 2 in tolls during a week's rental. Renting a car used to be somewhat simple - reserve, present license and credit card, drive, return, pay...
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You can get that sinking feeling at Titanic museum
In Pigeon Forge, TN, the Titanic sinks every day—and for $27 you can go down with the ship, or perhaps be one of the survivors. The Titanic Museum (which has another copy at Branson MO) offers visitors the identity of a passenger, and a guided...
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Nashville, Tennessee.....the Elvis tour continues!
Until I attended my first medical meeting in Nashville, I'd never thought much about visiting this mid-sized city, an oversight on my part. Nashville's a fun destination in many ways, especially if you're a fan of Country music. I...
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Route 66 - Pasadena to Needles
Last summer I had the opportunity to do something I had always wanted to do - drive a significant portion of Route 66. Having spent 4 days in LA, I started a drive to Albuquerque to meet up with The Amazing Ms. D. Instead of rushing down the...
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Gold Country, California: Auburn
Auburn is a town at a crossroads. Interstate 80 passes through from the Sierra Nevada Mountains, the desert of the Great Basin and the nation eastward, and west to San Francisco. It was the main route migrants traveled coming west,...
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Airbnb to be legal in London
Britain's Parliament is now considering a bill, proposed by the Housing Minister, to remove London-only restrictions that have made it illegal for tenants and homeowners to rent out their space for short stays without complicated planning permission...
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Bill Speidel’s Underground Tour of Seattle
Seattle's Pioneer Square is only the icing on the cake of Seattle's early history, preserved below. Samantha takes us along on a tour.
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Back to Oaxaca: Xochimilco
PortMoresby finds her ideal neighborhood for a return visit to colonial Oaxaca, Mexico.
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Nov. 3, 2017: Auditorio Adan Martin, Tenerife
Ian Cook shares some beautiful images and the history of the beautiful modern opera house in Santa Cruz.
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Arctic Tern Colony, Long Nanny, Northumberland
Ian Cook shares a gallery of photos and detailed natural history of this fascinating bird, which has the world's longest migratory routes.
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Svartisdal, Norway, Part 2
Bob Cranwell continues his tale of visits to the Svartisdal region in Norway, and some of the potential perils of hiking around this beautiful piece of geography.
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July 26, 2017: Lady Liberty—The Statue of Liberty
Samantha takes us to visit the famed Statue, and fills us in on its history.
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Bait-and-switch airfare legislation is back
A House committee gives new life to letting airlines hide the taxes (and the total price) until late in the ticket-selling process.
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House panel votes big changes for FAA
The House Transportation Committee is working on the FAA appropriation bill, and is proposing a slew of new rules to go with it.
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U.S. air traffic control still up in the air
House and Senate committees disagree with each other over airline-backed plan for privatizing air traffic control.
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Moraine Lake Rockpile Trail -- Banff National Park's best Short Hike
If you like hikes that aren't too strenuous and filled with gorgeous views, this one should be on your bucket list.
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Visiting Key West and the Hemingway House
Stephanie shares a visit to the Key West, a highlight of which was exploring the Hemingway home.
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40% find hotel bill errors
Chicago survey finds frequent errors, mostly fixed. Be sure to check yours!
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Are U.S. airfares a bargain? Only with competition
TravelGumbo recommends a must-read analysis of domestic airfares and what makes them less of a bargain than many people think.
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Aug. 25, 2017: The Big Drawer, North Vancouver
A mural and an unusual sculpture commemorate the vast shipyards that used to be North Vancouver's biggest employers.
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The Bathing House, Howick, Northumberland
Ian Cook shares a lovely and historic cottage with one of the finest views in Northumberland.
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Sicily: We'll split the bill for your stay
Sicily wants its tourism back, and it's willing to put up some serious incentives to get it going again.
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French MP: 'Let me pee in peace'
A French legislator calls for a ban on illuminated ads over urinals, claiming they are intrusive and bad for the environment.
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Start planning now for family vacations
Thinking about next summer? Travel expert Marilyn Jones has some suggestions to get your planning started!
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February 14, 2020: Green Heron, Everglades National Park
DrFumblefinger spotted this green heron while hiking in Everglades National Park.
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Italy buying back Alitalia
The Italian government is moving to re-nationalize the airline after the current crisis put an end to previous plans for new ownership.
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The National Automobile Museum, Reno (Where Gumbo was #369)
Gumbo was visiting one of America's greatest car museums -- the National Automobile Museum in Reno, Nevada.
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Cuba closes the door, sets new rules
With a fairly low rate of Covid-19 so far, Cuba takes strong measures.
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Venice flood: News keeps getting worse
As flooding continues in Venice, the city and its residents face not only a huge cleanup and repair bill but big future losses to its key tourism business.
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December 23, 2019: Black Oystercatchers, Alaska
DrFumblefinger shares photos of black oystercatchers, spotted on the shore of Katmai National Park.
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Expedia takes stand in resort fee war
Expedia has adjusted its listing algorithm to push hotels with resort fees down the list, giving them new reason to reconsider the fees.