The Department of Homeland Security doesn’t just keep our skies safe from nail clippers, they also protect us from copycat Rubiks Cubes. When the two agents arrived at the store, the lead agent asked Cox whether she carried a toy called the Magic Cube, which he said was an illegal copy of the Rubik’s Cube, one of the most popular toys of all time. He told her to remove the Magic Cube from her shelves, and he watched to make sure she complied. After the agents left, Cox called the manufacturer of the Magic Cube, the Toysmith Group, which is based in Auburn, Wash. A representative told her that Rubik’s Cube patent had expired, and the Magic Cube did not infringe on the rival toy’s trademark. Virginia Kice, a spokeswoman for Immigration and Customs Enforcement,…
Monthly Archives
Monthly Archives for October 2004.
Flexing Political Muscle
The Mayor of Chicago may block Airtran from acquiring ATA’s gates at Chicago-Midway. Airtran’s offer of cash has to be approved by the bankruptcy court and the city of Chicago. Mayor Daley says he’ll only permit the transaction if Airtran will hire all of ATA’s Midway employees — a stupid move Airtran seems to me too smart to agree to.
Diary of a Fired Flight Attendant
Queen of Sky, the Delta flight attendant who was suspended for posting pictures of herself (taken in uniform) online, has been fired.Now the offending pictures are back on her website. And she reports that she has hired a public relations firm.
The Lighter Side of Politics
George W. Bush and John Kerry are ninth cousins twice-removed, and have geneological links to Vlad Dracul, the 15th-century Transylvanian warlord who inspired “Dracula.” Kerry’s cousin Michael Paine was friends with Lee Harvey Oswald. Paine stored Oswald’s rifle which was used to shoot John F. Kennedy. Links via Wonkette.
View from the Wing Has Gone to the Crapper
Free toilet paper.
Partnership Plus
Gary Steiger of Free Frequent Flyer Miles notes a program called Partnership Plus which offers points for surveys on clothing that convert to American and United miles. The potential is 2,000 free miles a year for short surveys each month.
New Sydney Option
New routes always represent a good chance for award ticket redemption. Since they’re new, the allocated award seats haven’t been taken yet after all. Air Canada will be flying non-stop from Vancouver to Sydney beginning December 16. If you have United or USAirways miles, this represents a new way to get to Australia.
More on Queen of Sky
The BBC is covering the Queen of Sky story about the Delta flight attendant who has been suspending for posting a picture of herself in uniform on her blog.
ATA Files for Bankruptcy
American Trans Air has filed for bankruptcy. It says it will continue current operations while in Chapter 11. It hasn’t received debtor-in-possession financing and will instead seek to use cash held as collatoral for the federally back loan that it received. This move generates risk for taxpayers but is similar to what was recently approved in the USAirways bankruptcy filing. American Trans Air has agreed to sell gates at Midway and landing slots at Reagan National to Airtran. That deal will have to be approved by the bankruptcy court, and creditors may well argue that some other as yet undisclosed offer is superior — so the Airtran deal is hardly done.
GroceryMiles Bonus
Register and shop 10 times at Safeway and Vons between October 29, 2004 and November 30, 2004 and earn 2500 United miles.Only one trip to the market per day counts, and each qualify trip requires spending of at least $25. The bonus can be earned twice.Update: Edited to correct the start date of the promotion.
