Cheap Flights to Auckland

http://www.flight-saver.co.uk/flights-to/auckland.html

San Antonio, Los Angeles, San Diego, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Chicago Sue Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz

Expedia, Travelocity and Orbitz are being sued for not paying millions of dollars in hotel taxes.





San Antonio filed a class-action lawsuit this week seeking to recover lost taxes, and Los Angeles, San Diego, Philadelphia, Atlanta and Chicago have filed similar suits. The state of Texas and two of its biggest cities, Dallas and Houston, are considering their own actions.

San Antonio is unhappy that online travel agencies negotiate room discounts from hotels, and sell the rooms at a markup to consumers. The Agents, though, only pay hotel taxes on the wholesale price.

"This scheme is being perpetrated by the Web-based hotel travel companies on every city and state in the country as far as we can tell," said Steve Wolens, a lawyer representing the city of San Antonio. "And they have been shameless about it."

What Steve Wolens intends on doing is passing the $2 million dollars in taxes that San Antonio loses onto the consumer looking for cheap flights. More taxes....hmmmmm Taxing my stay at a hotel is a form of robbery as it is!

The markup is a service fee, said industry spokesman Art Sackler.

Sackler, who is executive director of the Interactive Travel Services Association, said the governments misunderstand the role and responsibility of the companies and the laws governing the transactions.

The companies do not buy and resell rooms, he said. Rather, they negotiate a lower price based on the value of the service they then provide — creating a marketplace for consumers to find hotel rooms, he said. The markup is a service fee, he said.

So hotels are paying the appropriate taxes, and none should be collected from Internet companies, Sackler said.

Travel Fashion

Comfort is the key.

Travel chic
by Cynthia Lea Nellis
Easy vacation wardrobe strategies
You struggle with what to wear on a daily basis, so simplify your vacation wardrobe to maximize relaxation time.

With a few key pieces and a streamlined strategy, you can look chic, comfy and appropriate.

Here's an easy system for casual, warm-weather destinations:

Comfort is the key. When traveling, look for fabrics that stretch like cotton knits or blends (nylon/lycra/spandex) These items pack better and come out wrinkle-free.
Colors should be basic; separates should mix and match.. Black, white, khaki and denim are ideal, but don't be afraid of punchy colors like red or orange for summer.
Take at least one sarong. This is a lifesaver, because you can wear it to and from the beach and pool, wrap it around your swimsuit and take off for a four-wheel adventure, pair it with a tank top for brunch or cocktail hour.
Shorts and tops make an easy daytime uniform.

Hawaiian Wedding Apparel
Women's X-Small to 2X Seven Ladies Styles to choose from
www.mauishirts.com

Take a few extra tank tops to layer with button-up blouses or to wear on their own. Avoid logo Ts or flashy designer goods -- they'll both you make stand out as a tourist.
Dresses for night, either long or short, make looking pulled together a snap. A great black dress will take you anywhere.

A cardigan. Lightweight knit cardigans in basic black or white can be tossed around the shoulders, layered over a Tshirt or tank dress, or worn alone with dressy pants for dinner.
Buy accessories there. Leave your expensive jewelry at home and buy local treasures. If you are in the islands, add a recently purchased coral necklace or straw bangle bracelets.
Two pair of shoes -- are the bare minimum, casual sandals and dressy sandals. Two optional additions: thongs for the pool or sneaker/athletic shoes.
Dress like yourself. Vacations might seem ideal for trying a new look (it's not like you're ever going to see those people again) but don't be tempted to vary too far from your style. Not only will you feel uncomfortable, you'll waste lots of space and time with clothes you won't like wearing.
Take a hat. A summer vacation is one of the few places a large-brimmed straw hat is not going to look ridiculous. Take advantage!

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Travel Rules

Take easy-care fabrics. Lightweight wovens and knits can be washed and dripped dry in a hotel room.
Leave your expensive clothes behind if you travel with kids.
A big tote that zips on the top (to deter pickpockets) is a travel necessity.
Veteran travelers never worry about fancy luggage. Airline travel is just as hard on status luggage as practical bags, so don't waste your money.
Don't travel too light. It's better to have an extra outfit or two than to be stuck with nothing to wear (or worse -- overpay for something you'll never wear again from the hotel shops)

Screenlife Games

American Airlines
Passengers' time will fly while having fun
Following a successful pilot program last fall, American Airlines is to offer passengers a choice of games as part of its in-flight entertainments package.

The airline has teamed up with Screenlife, the company behind the hit DVD board game Scene It?, to offer its customers a variety of trivia-based games to test their TV and movie knowledge while they travel.

Mary McKee, Managing Director for In-flight Products at American, said she was confident that the additions would be a popular alternative to the traditional in-flight movies and TV shows.

"Screenlife games have the power to engage a diverse audience, so they're a great fit for American Airlines," McKee commented.

"Our customers enjoy the variety provided by the game content, and we are pleased to continue offering onboard trivia for their entertainment."

The 48 games programs will be included on 29,000 monthly domestic and international flights over the next 12 months and will be based on the concepts of variety and popularity that have made Screenlife the world's top-selling board game brand

Canada Can do Cheap Flights

Vancouver Las Vegas C$197

Harmony Airways







About Harmony Airways

Harmony Airways entered the airline business in firmly devoted to providing fast and reliable service throughout Canada and the United States. Today, Harmony Airways continues to maintain that standard with more top-of-the-line Harmony Airways aircraft added regularly. Harmony Airways serves destinations throughout the United States and Canada. With dedicated service and daily Harmony Airways departures throughout the United States and Canada, Harmony Airways has proven itself as a leader in air travel.

Harmony Airways

Harmony Airways and priceline
Priceline.com offers great deals to all Harmony Airways destinations. Harmony Airways has teamed-up with priceline to provide the lowest fares for the most Harmony Airways customers. With priceline, traveling to your favorite Harmony Airways destination is a simple mouse-click away

POSTED BY CHRIS TITAN AT at 2:31 AM 0 comments
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Pain and Wastings :
Las Vegas looks good to Canadians

Canadian Dollar Cracks 90 U.S. Cents

ASSOCIATED PRESS

TORONTO (AP) -

The Canadian dollar cracked 90 U.S. cents on Tuesday, setting a new 28-year high and helping Canadians to realize cheaper U.S. imports of everything from vegetables and clothing to computers.

The loonie rose to 90.38 cents, up more than half a cent from Monday's close and its highest level since 1978, when Pierre Trudeau's Liberal government ran the country and disco was still king. Canada's dollar coin has a bird, a loon, on one side, from which the nickname is derived.

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The currency had an intraday peak of 90.42 cents, as the American greenback weakened against most foreign currencies and investors remained optimistic about the Canadian economy and robust oil and gold prices.

Many analysts are predicting the loonie could soon hit 95 cents or even be on par with the U.S. dollar, something that hasn't happened since the 1970s.

But while the Canadian dollar's increase was good news for Canadians traveling to the United States and Canadian businesses importing machinery and other goods, economists warned it is sure to squeeze exporters in the country's industrial heartland of Ontario and Quebec.

"The guy on the street who is thinking of going to the U.S. this summer is going to feel a whole lot better because purchasing power has gone up a lot," said Warren Jestin, Scotiabank's chief economist.

"In terms of manufacturing and jobs, it's not good for Ontario because we are so focused on the U.S. marketplace - roughly 90 percent of our exports in the province go there," Jestin said.

That's because a higher loonie pressures profits for manufacturers - one of the nation's largest employment sectors - which could result in the loss of thousands of jobs.

The Canadian dollar has not traded above 90 cents since February 1978, but closed just shy of that mark in November 1991.

It hit an all-time high against the greenback on April 25, 1974, at $1.04.

Cheap Flights to Las Vegas

Search for Deals


Las Vegas is the perfect destination for a weekend trip. Shop, dine, see a show and just let go in the ultimate vacation city. Looking ahead to Chaos Magick, we've compiled our low fares* from cities across the U.S. for travel to Las Vegas. Even better, all the fares shown include all taxes and fees, so what you see is what you get!

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Sample Round-trip Fares
Click a sample fare, and the cities will appear in the search form. Don't see the city you want? Choose one from the drop-down menu.
Chicago-Las Vegas $222
Los Angeles-Las Vegas $101
Newark-Las Vegas $283
Phoenix-Las Vegas $127
Seattle-Las Vegas $225

"Last-Minute Deals"

From Mark Kahler

Three Key Words...

Search the phrase "Last-Minute Deals."

A friend got some unhappy news.

A close relative was seriously ill, and wanted him by her bed side. He lived modestly in the American Midwest. She was calling from Spain.

A generous love offering from his church provided more than $1000 USD for the trip, but would that be enough to fly to Europe four days later?

Surprisingly, the answer is "yes!"

Travelocity has a "last minute deal" that provides roundtrip airfare from Chicago on a Wednesday to Madrid for $573-690 USD/person, and includes a compact car rental at no additional charge.

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Their last-minute deals are offered from 14 to three days prior to departure, and they vanish with no warning whatsoever. Often, these arise from a few extra seats that turned up empty. When the seats are filled, the deals are gone.

How did I find this deal? I simply typed the phrase "last minute deals" into a search engine.

Almost every airline finds itself with a few empty seats. Reduced revenue is better than nothing, so they often put up some great deals.

My friend's trip to Spain was in early March. Making the same attempt in the height of summer season probably would have ended with less favorable results.

But no matter what time of year it is, take a look.

Visit a "last-minute" Web site.

This mode of travel has become popular with people who are not obligated to go anywhere. They like the idea of traveling somewhere cheaply and spontaneously.

It explains why Web sites like Site59 and 11thhourvacations have enjoyed success. Airlines unload last-minute empty seats and travelers receive discounts normally reserved for long-anticipated itineraries.

The airlines also offer these sorts of deals directly on their Web sites. Finding the page you need might take a little exploring. Sometimes they're called "special offers" or "promotions" instead of "last-minute" deals.

It is likely you will search all the last-minute deals and find nothing. What then?

Time Travel 1940's "Air France"

(Click Link, Please)

"Economy-Class Syndrome"

New York Times News Service
Jul. 12, 2005 04:45 PM


People who take long airplane flights may want to wear graduated-compression stockings when they fly; those who don't are considerably more likely to suffer deep vein thrombosis, blood clots in the veins of the legs that can be fatal if they travel to the pulmonary arteries.

A systematic review that appears in the July issue of The Journal of Advanced Nursing concludes that the elasticized stockings, which apply increasing pressure from the ankles up, are highly effective in reducing the risk of clots.

"We cannot declare that graduated-compression stockings can be used as the sole substitute for the usual recommendations: mild exercise, drinking water, wearing comfortable clothes and so on," said Feng-Ping Lee, a co-author of the review.

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But Lee added that even though all participants in the studies were given the customary advice, those who did not wear graduated-compression stockings were still more than 12 times as likely to develop deep vein thrombosis as those who did.

The researchers, examining nine randomized controlled trials of the stockings, found that the below-knee style was very effective in preventing what is sometimes called "economy-class syndrome."

The types that go above the knee, however, were not helpful in reducing the risk, according to the research.

Lee, who is an assistant professor at Fooyin University in Taiwan, said the graduated-compression stockings were available at medical supply stores and on the Internet. He added that "based on our review, we feel it would be worthwhile for air travelers" to wear them.

Time Travel

Can you travel in time?