Timely Travel News-With An Uncommon Delivery
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The Drive is a driving tour through the most devastated neighborhoods in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. This is the trailer to The Drive: Lakeview. It provides a sample of what's included in the entire segment that's currently in post-production. The Lakeview neighborhood of New Orleans was not devastated by hurricane force winds so much as by the flooding caused by the breached 17th Avenue Canal and London Avenue Canal Levees.
Labor Day travel is expected to increase this year, if only slightly, and some of that end-of-summer wanderlust can be attributed to gas prices that have fallen of late.
That's the assessment of AAA Mid-Atlantic, the nation's fifth largest auto club, which says 452,000 residents in the region will take car trips of 50 miles or more over the holiday weekend.
They will hit the roads a week after gas prices fell 6 cents, bringing the average price for self-serve regular to $2.88 in Maryland, for example. That compares to the $3.09 motorists were enduring one month ago. Last year at this time, the price of a gallon of unleaded regular gas was 22 cents cheaper.
The recent drop in prices at the pump is the biggest two-week decline since last September, when refineries in the Gulf of Mexico came back online in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, some oil industry anaysts say.
"The recent drop in local gasoline prices is encouraging news to motorists and all consumers alike, who have been pinched all summer long by the second highest gasoline prices in history," AAA Mid-Atlantic's John B. Townsend II said in a statement.
With gas prices traditionally dropping after Labor Day, further relief could be on the way, AAA said.
Cool Stuff!
See live inbound traffic for a number of US-based airports, live and in 3D using Google Earth. I've only just begun to browse the site, and so far it looks rather useful.
Anyone know of similar such online tools?
Leave a comment!
FLIGHT TRACKER
Reports indicate that renewed gang-related violence flared in Sao Paulo over overnight on 29 - 30 August 2006. Most attacks were directed against financial institutions located in upscale neighborhoods of the city of Sao Paulo. Attacks targeting private vehicles and at least one police station and a police vehicle also occurred in the interior of the state. Following the attacks, the police force increased security at all police stations, as in the past these have been the main targets of the attacks. Despite the attacks, business is being conducted as usual in Sao Paulo on 30 August.
The Primeiro Comando da Capital (PCC) criminal organization, which staged attacks in May, July and early August, is claiming responsibility for the attacks and threatening "attacks in proportions never seen before" to protest against what they consider to be unfair treatment of prison inmates. Authorities were aware that violence was going to resume in the state, as they had intercepted a written order to renew the attacks. Reports indicate that the PCC has ordered the kidnapping of a politician, which would reportedly take place on 30 or 31 August.
Travelers to Sao Paulo and those already in the city should exercise increased caution in the coming days, particularly during night hours, when most attacks occur. In addition, travelers should keep abreast of local developments at all times.
Hundreds of demonstrators are expected to take part in an anti-crime march on 30 August 2006 at Plaza de Mayo in downtown Buenos Aires. Juan Carlos Blumberg, who is the father of a kidnap-for-ransom victim killed in 2004, is organizing the march. In the past, Blumberg has organized demonstrations that have drawn thousands of protesters. In 2005, he managed to introduce modifications in the criminal code that increased prison times for those who commit violent crimes.
The protest action has widespread public support; however, some opponents believe that the march is a political strategy of the opposition (Blumberg will possibly run for governor in 2007) and that the toughening of the criminal code has also resulted in a more violent police force. There is a possibility of a counter-demonstration organized by pro-government groups. Reports indicate that at least 1,000 police officers will be deployed in the area to prevent any violence from occurring. The demonstration is scheduled to begin at 1915 local time.
