Dispute Between American Airlines and Travelport Continues

American Airlines and Travelport LP, a ticket middleman, have just delayed a duel between the two companies reminiscent of ones in the past that have resulted in American flights disappearing from popular travel websites and ticket brokers.

In a statement from both American Airlines and Travelport that was released yesterday, the two companies stated that agreements that are set to expire in the next couple of months have been extended to last until the end of the year. One of the deals that included Worldspan, an affiliate of Travelport, was set to expire on Sunday.

Travelport's "global distribution systems", which include Worldspan, Galileo and Apollo, provide information about airline flights and fares to travel agencies around the world. American Airlines wishes to deal more directly with travel agencies in order to reduce distribution costs and to tailor offers to customers directly.

American Airlines has also accused Travelport of breaking antitrust laws by raising fees and burying information about American flights, making travel agents see flight information and prices from other airlines before they see those from American. Several lawsuits have arisen due to the dispute involving AMR Corporation's American, Travelport, Sabre Holdings Corporation and online travel agencies which include Orbitz Worldwide Incorporated. The dispute even got so bad that American Airlines flights didn't even appear on Orbitz or Expedia.

Both American Airlines and Travelport LP have declined to comment on the current situation.

Source: Bloomberg Businessweek - American Airlines, Travelport extend agreement

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VACATION! BEACH! SUN! FAMILY! FOOD! Bethany Beach Delaware!

Everybody loves the beach (or the unit that is airconditioned and looks out on the beach..). The 'beachies' have a sand chair, reading material, a cold drink, a beach towel, maybe a beach umbrella, a friend or two, music available, french fries at some point in the sunbathing day, a quick dip in the 'cool' ocean or (if you are lucky) the pool, and finally the conversation spoken (or not) about where will I eat tonight...

Then it is crabs or ribs or corn on the cob - progressing to movies or boardwalk or cards or a walk on the now cool beach. If you are lucky, you see the sand cleaner machine in action making things ready for the next day.

If you are really lucky you see dolphins just off the beach or wind surfers or kayakers.

Finally just to make you sigh in pleasure you see this marvelous moon.

Heros in Our Back Yard, Dayton Ohio

Honor to the Heros

Locals were among the glitter and warmth of an evening celebration to enroll four men honored by being named into the National Aviation Hall of Fame. This year of the 50th annual ceremony was particularly special to admit Iven C. Kincheloe, Carles E. McGee, S. Harry Robertson and Thomas D White to the ranks of men and women honored.

The hundreds of people attending the black tie dinner at the Dayton Convention Center included Neil Armstrong, Amanda Wright Lane, Col. Thomas Moe, Frank Borman, Gen. Richard Cody, and Sec. of the U. S. Air Force, Michael B. Donley.

These awards are for past heroic efforts and great contributions to the history of aviation. As the biographies were read by the presenters, these men may have not been in the limelight but were outstanding by the sheer donations they have made over the years.

Col. Charles E. McGee, USAF retired was the only honoree able to accept the award on his own behalf. The acceptance speech given by this 91 year old man gave great credit to the men under his command. His 409 aerial flights over three wars is a record that tells he was in

the air with the men in his squadron. He was a fine leader who gained their loyalty, respect and admiration.

We had the particular pleasure of sitting with Betty Tach Blake. Mrs. Blake was in the first class of WASPs in 1943. These WASP pilots ferried the airplanes from coast to coast as they were manufactured. What that statment does not tell you is that these women were also the test pilots of each plane as they were inspected but not flown before they were transferred to their final destination.

Watch for the announcement next year. if at all possible you will be thrilled to attend the Dayton Ceremony.

Skydiving Middletown Ohio

Here we are in Middletown Ohio for a bit of adventure in Vertical Travel.

The facilities are spacious both in the hangar and in the sky. Pilots take up to 16 passengers per jump opportunity. This is after

L.A. Residents Prepare for Carmageddon

Carmageddon. Not only does this refer to an old, crazy video game about blowing up cars and what not, it also refers to the term residents of Los Angeles are giving to the inevitable and epic traffic jam that is resulting from the closure of a 10-mile stretch of the 405 Freeway until this coming Monday morning. To top it all off, the part closed for construction is located between two of the country's busiest interchanges.

The 53-hour shutdown, which just may delay motorists that long in detours, is happening in order for construction crews to demolish a bridge as a part of a $1 billion freeway-widening project. In response to this shutdown and the inevitable problems it will cause, L.A. is opening its emergency operations center for the weekend.

It wouldn't be Hollywood if celebrities weren't involved, so a number of famous actors and actresses have been doing commercials and the like in order to warn motorists about the impending traffic jam with the simple message of "Stay Away!" This has inspired a plethora of leisure destinations outside of L.A. to offer special "Escape Carmageddon" discount packages. However, most people that live and work in and around the gridlock area have no choice but to buck up and hunker down for the weekend.

Other businesses are taking action as well. The UCLA Medical Center has secured 600 dorms and apartments as temporary residences for hospital staff so as to prevent doctors from getting stuck in the traffic during an emergency. According to the Posie Carpenter, Chief Administrative Officer for the UCLA Medical Center, "We see this as a big disaster -- only it's a planned disaster." Other businesses, like the Getty Center art museum, have said that they will be closed for the entire duration of Carmageddon.

*For more information on technology rentals in Los Angeles visit our Los Angeles Computer / Audio Visual / And Office Equipment Rental Page!

Source: Reuters - Los Angeles braces for weekend of "Carmageddon"

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Hamilton Ohio 4th of July Parade

HAMILTON 4TH OF JULY PARADE

Hamilton parade had it all - in spite of the skies that continued to sprinkle the people lining the parade route. The organizers had participants from any and all directions - Shandon, Seven Mile, Madison, Edgewood, Cincinnati Christian, veterans organizations, churches, all emergency services, car clubs, scouts, and naturally Hamilton schools. Hope you enjoy their pictures and the service and pride that says "I am proud to be an American".

Decrease in 4th of July Travelers Predicted by AAA

Gas prices were sweet there for a while. I don't know about you and your town, but here in and around Middletown, Ohio I saw gas prices drop to as low as $3.25 a gallon. However, that sweetness was short-lived as the Fourth of July weekend approached. I literally saw gas increase at least $0.20 in a matter of hours towards the middle of this week and it appears that I'm not the only one as AAA predicts nearly one million fewer people will be traveling this 4th of July thanks to higher gas prices and increased air fares.

According to AAA, travel will decrease by 2.5%, with roughly 39 million Americans traveling 50 miles or more from home during the long weekend that begins today and ends on Monday, July 4th according to Jim Lardear, a spokesman for AAA. This number is down roughly one million from the 40 million travelers observed last year. "AAA is projecting a slight decline in the number of Independence Day travelers, mainly due to fuel prices being about one dollar higher than last year," Lardear stated. "Increased fuel costs also are responsible for a shift in demographics of the typical Independence Day traveler, as higher prices impact lower income households more significantly."

Last year 41% of those with a household income of $50,000 or less traveled on Independence Day. That number is expected to drop to 33% for this year while the number of households making $100,000 or more is expected to increase from 26% to 35% according to Lardear. Even though fewer travelers are expected to load up the car and hit the road this year, PennDOT will stop all maintenance and construction projects to allow smooth sailing for those fortunate enough to make it out of the house.

I am one of the lucky (or unlucky depending on your outlook) to be traveling this weekend. I am headed on a two-hour car ride to Columbus, Ohio so hopefully the gas prices don't eat up my cash too much. I suppose I can always give up food for gas.

Source: phillyBurbs.com - AAA projects fewer people to travel on 4th of July

Power Point Projectors
Most business class projectors will do a good job displaying your PowerPoint presentation. If you have a small presentation group, a 2000 lumen LCD projector will be able to produce a nice and clear picture. For larger audiences you should consider a 5000 lumen LCD projector.