Blacknell.net

Politics, open government, and safe streets. And the constant incursion of cycling.

Category: Travel Page 14 of 29

Time for a Better Cuba Policy

By

On April 13, 2009

In Law, Policy, Politics, Travel

Sounds like Obama’s going to take some steps in the right direction with respect to the US’s policy on Cuba:

At today’s daily White House briefing, White House Spokesman Robert Gibbs will announce that the administration will lift travel, remittance, mail and business restrictions relating to the Communist nation of Cuba.

The changes will allow unlimited visits to family members on the island as well as unlimited remittances — the cash recent immigrants to the U.S. send to relatives back home. President Bush imposed stricter restrictions on both in 2004.

Well past time for this.

Update: Steve Clemons gets at what almost immediately bothered me about this policy change.  First, opening up travel only to Cuban-Americans is a necessary, but insufficient step, towards a better Cuba.  Second, creating a right (in this case, to travel to Cuba) based on ethnic origin (especially when it is not aimed at correcting a situation related to it)?  A really poor idea.

Adding a Lightbox

By

On March 23, 2009

In Personal, Travel

If all goes as planned, any photos I post from now on will be clickable, expanding into a lightbox. Like this one:

Worried that the sizing may be a bit too big.

Surf Photography

By

On March 23, 2009

In Tech, Travel

Wow.  You know, I was going to post a few of my surf shots this week, perhaps with some accompanying whinging about how hard it is to illustrate scale when shooting waves, but after this series by Clark Little?  I think I’ll just be quiet.

Chinese Investment in South Africa Paying Off

By

On March 23, 2009

In Society, Travel

So, there’s a:

peace conference [to be held in South Africa, that is] billed as an opportunity to showcase South Africa’s role as a human-rights champion ahead of its hosting of soccer’s World Cup next year. It was to bring together Noble Laureates and top soccer officials. In addition to Tutu and De Klerk, laureates Nelson Mandela and Martti Ahtisaar, Sepp Blatter, president of soccer’s international governing body, and actress Charlize Theron were invited to attend. The event had the blessing of the Nobel Committee.

Okay, sounds like a good idea.  Except:

South Africa has refused the Dalai Lama a visa to attend [the] peace conference in Johannesburg this week, a presidential spokesman said.

The Tibetan spiritual leader and Nobel Laureate did not receive a visa because it was not in South Africa’s interest for him to attend, said Thabo Masebe.

Nice job, guys.

A View

By

On March 11, 2009

In Personal, Travel

Waikiki from Diamond Head

A Picture

By

On March 9, 2009

In Personal, Travel

Weekend Music: Waikiki Edition

By

On March 6, 2009

In Music, Personal, Travel

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=efdfGeUKXuU[/youtube]

Last time I was here, this was a brand new hit, played in bars up and down the beach.

Please forgive the sporadic posting of late.  This space deserves better than its gotten from me lately, and I’m planning to right that.  Soon.

How to Write a Complaint Letter to an Airline

By

On January 28, 2009

In Society, Travel, UK

I have reproduced, for your education and viewing pleasure, the best airline complaint letter I’ve ever read.  I’m not really one for passing viral things around, but if you’ve not seen this yet, you really ought to give in a read. And yes, it has in fact been confirmed by Virgin Airlines as authentic.  Behold its glory after the jump.

Read More

What’s In Your (File) Wallet?

By

On January 6, 2009

In Law, Society, Travel

This enterprising fellow asked for – and got – a look at the records that DHS has been keeping of his travels:

My biggest surprise was that the Internet Protocol (I.P.) address of the computer used to buy my tickets via a Web agency was noted.

[ . . . ]

The rest of my file contained details about my ticketed itineraries, the amount I paid for tickets, and the airports I passed through overseas. My credit card number was not listed, nor were any hotels I’ve visited. In two cases, the basic identifying information about my traveling companion (whose ticket was part of the same purchase as mine) was included in the file. Perhaps that information was included by mistake.

Some sections of my documents were blacked out by an official. Presumably, this information contains material that is classified because it would reveal the inner workings of law enforcement.

Interesting.  If you think so, too, check out the end of the article, which provides easy to follow instructions about filing your own FOIA (Freedom of Information Act) request for your government files.  There were a couple of years where it seemed that I was getting SSSS (direction for secondary security) scrawled on my tickets every time I flew, and I’d meant to file a FOIA request to see if there were any clues about that.  But then it dropped off, and I forgot about it.  I’m curious again.

TSA and Jet Blue Pay for Stupidity

By

On January 6, 2009

In Society, Travel

I’ve been a little free with the words “stupid” and “idiocy” here of late, especially in connection with the recent behavior of AirTran.   The discussion that followed in the comments turned to whether or not it was worth it to stand up in the face of stupidity, especially when that stupidity came under the guise of “security.”  Well, it was worth it for this fellow:

JetBlue and the TSA have settled a lawsuit brought by a man who was refused boarding on an airplane because he was wearing a shirt with Arabic writing on it (the TSA said that this was like “wearing a T-shirt at a bank stating, ‘I am a robber.'”). They’ve paid him $240,000.

Raed Jarrar, the fellow who dared wear a t-shirt JetBlue and TSA didn’t like, writes:

All people in this country have the right to be free of discrimination and to express their own opinions[.]  With this outcome, I am hopeful that TSA and airlines officials will think twice before practicing illegal discrimination and that other travelers will be spared the treatment I endured.

If they can’t understand decency, make them familiar with the costs.

(I was surprised to find out that this is the same Raed Jarrar that writes RaedInTheMiddle, which I came to from the “Where Is Raed?” blog by Salam Pax.  Used to read Jarrar quite a bit in 2004-2005.)

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