Monthly Archives

Apr 25 2016

I have an unlocked Mifi hotspot. I can stick any sim card in it I want. So if I’m going to be in a country for awhile and need mobile data, I can stick a local sim card in it for the best rates.

But if I’m going to be there just a short time, I’ve been using Gigsky. Their sim card lets me buy a local plan for a fixed amount of data through their app. I get better data rates than roaming and faster speeds than T-mobile (3G/4G versus 2G). I have to buy a new prepaid plan for each country I visit, though.

Via ScottC there may be an even better solution.

Continue Reading »

Apr 25 2016

There’s a new BBC documentary exploring alternate theories of what happened to the Malaysia Airlines MH17 from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur that crashed on July 17, 2014 after being shot down. The Boeing 777-200ER was carrying 283 passengers and 15 crew. All were killed.

It’s fairly settled that the plane was shot down by a surface to air missile filed from within Ukraine, in an area controlled by pro-Russian forces (the “Donbass People’s Militia”). However, this new BBC documentary explores alternate — pro-Russian — theories of the event.

Continue Reading »

Apr 24 2016

A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips.

Continue Reading »

Apr 24 2016

Rosalind “Roz” Cole was an agent who represented several celebrities including Andy Warhol, Errol Flynn, and Olivia de Havilland. She owed $1 million to the Waldorf Astoria in New York when she died.

She stopped paying years ago and refused to leave. Her family doesn’t want her estate – worth more than $2 million – to pay because the property should have “resolved [this] while Cole was alive.”

Continue Reading »

Apr 24 2016

The airline that can’t rid itself of rats on its planes can’t negotiate when purchasing planes, either.

They’ve had to ground their Boeing 787s multiple times, and incurred losses as a result, but “There is no provision for (financial) compensation with respect to technical problems in Dreamliner under the agreement signed with Boeing.” They have to accept Boeing 777 aircraft that they do not want, too.

Continue Reading »

Apr 24 2016

Terminal 1 of Minneapolis-St. Paul airport is named for Charles Lindbergh, who grew up in Minnesota. The 2.8 million square foot, 114 gate terminal houses Delta’s hub as well as operations for United, American, Frontier, Air Canada, Alaska, and Air France.

Now there’s a change.org petition to strip Lindbergh’s name off the terminal and redesignate it for Prince.

Continue Reading »

Apr 24 2016

Virgin Atlantic is offering 30% off economy awards booked by May 11.

This is better than their usual sales (back in the fall they offered 20% off) though one they’ve offered before as recently as February which even discounted premium economy.

Continue Reading »

Apr 23 2016

A 38 year old man refused orders to stop taking video of flight attendants with his phone.

He was flying IndiGo from Kolkata to Mumbai while shooting the video. Crew confiscated his phone and police met the aircraft on arrival.

Continue Reading »

Apr 23 2016

Vying to be the creepiest passenger ever faces stiff competition. There was the Japanese man watching porn and groping the woman seated next to him and the naked couple having sex in their seat while halfway covering up with their jackets.

But a 42 year old Pakistani from Staten Island who manages a Subway was convicted this week for being worse than any other passenger, ever.

Continue Reading »

Apr 23 2016

Honesty and transparency sound old fashioned, but I’m serious.

Don’t talk about ‘enhancements’ that are really devaluations. Your customers resent being lied to.

Continue Reading »