Travel 01 (May 08 - Jun 11)

[winston]

Transportation Security Administration Making Travel Easier? By Lori Allen

You know the airport-security drill. Take off your shoes. Empty your pockets. Off with your belt and metal jewelry. But now there's one less hassle at American checkpoints. As of this past August 16, you can leave your laptop in its bag. If, that is, the bag is "checkpoint-friendly" and TSA-approved.

If you already own a laptop bag, it probably won't make the cut. But more than 60 manufacturers are coming up with new TSA-approved designs, many of which are available already.

Here's what to look for when shopping for a new laptop bag:

There are three approved styles:
(1) The "butterfly," which zips in half and lies flat, with your laptop on one side and the rest of your stuff on the other.
(2) The "trifold," which has a laptop section that folds out.
(3) The "sleeve," a simple laptop case without any bells and whistles.

Make sure there are no pockets, snaps, zippers, or buckles on the outside of the laptop compartment of the bag. (And keep in mind that the only thing you can put in that compartment is your laptop.)

Don't get a bag with thick dividers or emblems/seals on the outside. They give the TSA screener a foggy image.

For more details - and to see some diagrams of acceptable bag designs - check out TSA's site at TSA.gov.

[winston]

Deep Vein Thrombosis (DVT).

If you have a leg pain – especially in the calf or the groin – Steven Galson, M.D., wants you to call your doctor right away.

Dr. Galson is the Surgeon General of the U.S., and he recently launched a new campaign to make the public more aware of the dangers of deep vein thrombosis (DVT).

Every year more than 100,000 Americans die due to pulmonary embolism (PE) caused by DVT blood clots that break apart and move from the leg to the lungs where blood flow is blocked. DVT can easily develop in healthy people who sit in confined, cramped quarters for long periods – most commonly on very long airline flights.

Other factors that increase the risk of DVT include:
Recent surgery
Injury due to a fall or car accident
Broken bone
Birth control pill use
Hormone replacement therapy drug use
Smoking
Obesity
Advanced age

[winston]

It's Fun to Know: Is This the World's Silliest Festival?

Question: Where do you go to help gobble down 1,500 pounds of beans - and then watch outhouses race?

Answer: Arkansas

October 23 through 25, participants in the 26th annual Arkansas Bean Fest and Championship Outhouse Races will gorge on pinto beans. Then they'll cheer from the sidelines as outhouses on wheels are raced by drivers sitting on fake toilet seats.

(Source: OzarkGetaways.com)

[winston]

If you are thinking of going to the Bird Nest Stadium, you can now take a cab directly to the Stadium.

It is also worth paying the RMB50 to go inside the stadium. You can even go down to the middle of the stadium where they have the 100m races etc.

However, do lower your expectation when you go there:-
1) Most of the pictures of the Bird Nest shows a lake in front of the stadium. It is actually a very very small body of water.
2) The Bird Nest is actually quite small inside despite what you see on TV

Just next door is the Water Cube. I walked around the Water Cube but didn't get a chance to go inside as they have sold off the tickets. They do have a 7.30pm show but i did not want to wait 3 hours for it..

[winston]

A few American Airlines have started to do this

- Singapore Airlines will charge an extra $50 for economy class seats that offer more leg room such as those close to the emergency exits.

[winston]

If you all happened to be in BJ, try to check out the new National Centre for Performing Arts. It is next to Tianamen. Very impressive building. From the inside of the building, looking out, it is very beautiful.

A word of caution: Some of the foreign plays there are very boring so make sure you know what the show is about b4 you buy your ticket..

Here's a picture for you:-

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/China_Nati ... nd_Theatre

Looks much nicer than your "Durian" in Singapore , right ?

[winston]

It's Fun to Know: Where Lost Luggage Goes to Die

You know those suitcases that just never show up at baggage claim? Chances are the airline "mishandled" them. It happens to about seven bags per 1,000. Most are reunited with their owners within 24 hours. But if the airline can't find the owner after 90 days (if, for example, it doesn't have an identification tag), the suitcase may end up at Scottsboro, Alabama's Unclaimed Baggage Center.

This business buys luggage in bulk from the airlines, and then sells the contents at bargain basement prices. About 60 percent of it is clothing, including designer labels. The rest is mostly jewelry, sporting goods, and electronics, though unusual items like suits of armor, antiques, and Egyptian artifacts have been found as well. And, yes, they also sell the luggage.

More than a million tourists visit the 40,000-square-foot facility every year, making it one of the most popular attractions in the state.

(Source: Entrepreneur.com)

[LenaHuat]

I once made an unfathomable mistake of not claiming my baggages upon my return to Singapore.
Realized it only when I arrived home

When I claimed them at the Lost Baggage counter, the counter lady told me that she couldn't believe her eyes when she spotted luggage tags with a Singapore address.

[winston]

It's Fun to Know: Bolivia's "Road of Death"

Your seatbelt isn't going to do much for you if you get into an accident on Bolivia's Nor Yungas Road. Known to locals as the "Road of Death," it's steep, prone to landslides, and unpaved. Plus, it has thousand-foot drops, few guardrails, and is only about 10 feet wide. Not only that, the weather in the area is often foggy and/or rainy. Hundreds have died since the road was built in the 1930s, many by careening off a ledge in their vehicles.

Fatal accidents have decreased since 2006, when an alternate (and much safer) road opened and siphoned off most of the traffic. These days, folks on the Road of Death are usually traveling to small villages that are inaccessible any other way. But they are joined by tourists searching for a thrill and cyclists eager for a death-defying downhill ride. And the dangers of the road remain. Several bikers die there each year.

(Source: National Geographic)

[winston]

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*** Article: Five Keys Things to Help Reduce Your Holiday Stress - By Linda S. Pucci, Ph.D. ***
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Most of us are in the middle of holiday preparations. Unfortunately, for many of us, it is a time that becomes more and more stressful every year.

Holiday stress can negatively affect us in three areas -- physically, financially, and emotionally. When we are stressed we can become physically tired or sick; we go into debt and cause ourselves ongoing financial problems; and/or we get angry, frustrated, or irritated. Our relationships with our spouse, family, or significant others suffer.

Obviously, none of these are good ways to celebrate the holidays!

Stress is almost always the result of having expectations about how things SHOULD be. Usually, if you are experiencing stress, it is because you have given these expectations more significance than they deserve. Many people expect themselves to create a "perfect" holiday. They become involved in trying to do too much. HOWEVER, THIS YEAR CAN BE DIFFERENT!

Start with the very important assumption: "I CAN'T DO IT ALL!" You will need to look for places where you can eliminate things that contribute to your stress.

1. Make a list of the things you had planned to do for the holidays. Include EVERYTHING you might need to do, such as decorating the house, baking Christmas cookies, caroling with a church group, attending holiday concerts, shopping for presents, cooking a big meal, etc. As you look at your list, identify which things are most stressful for you.

2. Identify your values. Think about what is really important to you over the holidays. Consider ONLY doing things that are consistent with these values. For example, if your goal is to spend a meaningful holiday with family, you might want to skip other holiday parties.

3. Share your goals with others. Find out what is important to other members of your family. You might discover that the things you thought were so important really aren't. Discuss the idea of reducing holiday stress. Enlist their support. Your family and friends might be happy to have you less stressed!

4. Make a plan to deal with the stress. Look for ways to simplify. Ask yourself the following questions:

* Is this ABSOLUTELY essential to my goal?
* Could I do this another time? Would postponing it hurt?
* Could someone else do it? Could someone else help me with this?
* Is there an easier, faster, or cheaper way to do this?

Eliminate things that you find very stressful. Buy something to bring to a neighborhood party, rather than making it from scratch. Have a "potluck" Christmas Eve dinner, with each of your relatives or friends bringing a dish. Choose not to send Christmas cards this year, but call or email people you really wish to contact.

Be creative. Be bold. It's O.K. to suggest that you draw names for gifts, have a "grab-bag," set a dollar limit, or not exchange gifts at all. Remember how RELIEVED you will feel when you can enjoy (rather than be stressed about) the holiday! Others might be relieved too!

5. Set boundaries. Don't let others talk you into things you don't want to do. If you aren't sure you want to do something, say "No" to it this year. If you can't or don't want to do something you've "always done," start your own holiday traditions. Remember, you can say "no" without giving a reason. You don't even have to tell them why you are saying no. You can just say, "Sorry, I'm not going to be able to plan the banquet this year."

YOU really are the one in charge of how much stress you'll have this year. Take some steps to make it the least stressful holiday you've ever had!