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U.S. Airlines May Soon Have to Refund Luggage Fees If Bags Are Delayed.

Jessica Poitevien
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U.S. Airlines May Soon Have to Refund Luggage Fees If Bags Are Delayed.

Flying the Friendly Skies

Long gone are the days of “major” airlines generously allowing passengers to check-in their luggage for free. And while baggage fees are the norm, airlines don’t always offer the best service, with customers often complaining of lost or severely delayed luggage. Now, the Department of Transportation (DOT) is advocating for airline passengers dealing with luggage issues.

According to the Associated Press, the DOT has a new proposal that would require airlines to refund fees on checked bags if those bags don’t reach their destination on time. It will also grant refunds for fees on other extras, like in-flight WiFi, if the airlines don’t provide the service as advertised. Currently, airlines are only required to issue a refund if a bag is lost.

Airlines must compensate passengers for reasonable expenses incurred as they waited for their luggage if bags are simply delayed. This new proposal would mandate that airlines refund passengers their checked luggage fees for baggage delays of more than 12 hours from arrival for domestic flights or within 25 hours of arrival for an international flight. Last year, the government received airline service complaints from more than 100,000 passengers — many of whom specifically mentioned that airlines refused to issue refunds in situations that called for it.

In 2019, passengers paid U.S. airlines $5.76 billion in checked bags, not including the fees that some air carriers charge for carry-on luggage. The new DOT rule is meant to increase competition among airlines and empower passengers to pay for baggage and other services.

The proposal must now undergo a lengthy regulation writing process, but these new rules can go into effect as soon as next summer if finalized. According to the Associated Press, this baggage fee proposal is one of several airline-consumer regulations expected to come from the Biden administration.

Hawaii Will Soon Ease Travel Restrictions For Vaccinated Visitors.

Jessica Poitevien
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Hawaii Will Soon Ease Travel Restrictions For Vaccinated Visitors.

Hawaii has always been a popular vacation destination, but it experienced a boom during the pandemic as it offered a domestic escape that still felt worlds away. The Aloha State has had some of the country’s strictest regulations to help curb the number of COVID cases by requiring extensive testing and sometimes quarantining. Now, as Hawaii has reached some significant milestones in its vaccine rollout, the government is changing the requirements for inbound travelers.

Starting July 8, 2021, all fully vaccinated travelers will be allowed to skip pre-arrival testing and quarantine requirements, Governor David Ige’s office announced late last week. Travelers who have received both doses of a COVID-19 vaccine — or one, in the case of Johnson & Johnson — can upload their vaccination card to Hawaii’s Safe Travels Program.

Hawaii, Back to Fun, Sun, Water and Lovely Sand

The change in requirements comes as Gov. Ige says Hawaii is expected to reach a 60% statewide vaccination rate by July 8. Currently, 62% of all residents have received at least one dose of a vaccine, and 57% are fully vaccinated, according to Hawaii’s Department of Health.

“Our residents have sacrificed and worked hard to get to this point, but we still have more to do,” I.G.E said in a statement. “Please get vaccinated to protect yourselves and your loved ones. We are close to achieving a 70% vaccination rate, at which point all restrictions will end, and we can return to the lives we remember.” The regulations for un-vaccinated visitors will remain the same.

Before traveling, these visitors will be required to get tested at a “trusted partner” site (as stipulated by the state government) to skip quarantine. In addition to the changing travel protocols, restaurants will also be allowed to increase their capacity to 75% starting on July 8. When the state reaches an overall vaccination rate of 70%, Gov. Ige says Hawaii will lift all travel restrictions.

Britney Spears: Has her attorney sold out to keep the gravy train running?

Clinton Franklin
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Britney Spears: Has her attorney sold out to keep the gravy train running?

Major Racket?

It is easy to understand why many fans of pop star Britney Spears believe that her dad and conservator James “Jamie” Parnell Spears has declared her incompetent and unfit to manage her affairs. Many Britney’s fans think it is a rouse to gain access to her fortunes, estimated to be 60 million dollars.

On Wednesday, the superstar went to court in an attempt to regain control of her wealth, affairs, and life from her father, James Spears.

The 39-year-old Spears told the judge that the restraint (conservatorship) placed on her by her father is abusive. And she petitioned the court to terminate the conservatorship.

As it stands, her father will not allow her to get married or to have children. He has forced birth control (IUD) inside of her body. Ms. Spears already has two children with her ex-husband (Rapper and model), Kevin Federline.

39-year-old Britney Spears and her (conservator) dad James Spears. VALERIE MACON/AFP/GETTY IMAGES; NICK UT/AP

James Spears does allow Britney to perform at live shows, a deal for which he gets a cut of 2.95% of her performance fee. Britney also pays her father a court-ordered fee of sixteen thousand dollars ($16,000) per month, in addition to producing his attorney’s payment and $2000 monthly to rent him an office.

The elder Spears has earned millions of dollars from Britney’s live shows over the years.  At her most recent court hearing, Britney told the judge that she feels like a slave to her dad. The pop star has now refused to do any more live shows.

Britney, personal attorney of Freeman, Freeman, and Smiley, has also been eating for free at the trough. Several legal experts have questioned his loyalty to his client. And many of her fans believe her attorney has betrayed her trust by giving her bad advice or willfully neglecting to give her proper legal advice to keep her in his grip.

Ms. Spears conservatorship began when she was 26-years-old, at the top of her game, and suffered a “mental” health crisis.  The pop star, mental health experts, legal scholars and her fans believe that it is highly unusual for such a young person to be held in conservatorship for so long without an end in sight.

Authoritarianism: President Trump Suggests Getting Rid of the Ballots and Having a Continuation of His Junta — Win or Lose.

Clinton Franklin
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Authoritarianism: President Trump Suggests Getting Rid of the Ballots and Having a Continuation of His Junta — Win or Lose.

Coup d’état.

The Ballots or Bullets? In a democracy or a dictatorship, there are only two ways known to man for the changing of or the transfer of leadership or power — and they are through the ballots or bullets. Whenever the transfer of power comes about by way of the latter, it most often occurs via a revolutionary war or a coup. While some coups are “bloodless,” most coup de’tats create a sudden disturbance of average life expectancy. Revolutionary wars aren’t bloodless coups; they are accompanied by horror, a broad stroke of extreme violence, and unnecessary deaths.

Trump’s Miley — The signs are clear, but no one wants to see them: This is how it all starts.

For decades, the United States military has defended democracies worldwide, and it has removed dictators from power and helped to established governments in its likeness, and fashioned a semblance sense of stability. The army of the United States falls under the command of the sitting president of America. He’s hailed as the Commander in Chief and the leader of the “free world,” by politicians and journalists.

President Donald Trump’s festered appendages

What happens when that president — the leader of the free world — runs afoul of the tenets that hold our democracy together and threatens to blow up the foundation upon which the nation stands? Will the military that he commands aid and abet him in tearing down the pillars of American democracy and contribute to the most significant internal conflict and bloodbath the world will have ever seen in the annals of the worlds’ history in the last 6000 years? There appears to be at least one United States General standing in Donald Trump’s corner who is willing to support a “strongman” form of government.

A lust for power and craven to ramrod wickedness on the powerless: Mark Miley, Trump’s sidekick

History shows that many madmen have risen to power by hook or crook. Usually, these demagogues speak the language of the “common” people and by appealing to their sense of loss and disenfranchisement. And frequently, those unread people are looking for a savior to protect them from (the others) those who are taking what rightfully belongs to them alone. Those despots are fond of fostering a bond between military leaders and “law” enforcement cliques. When it comes to the behavior and the words of Donald Trump, all the signs are there of a despot in the making.

While other authoritarian nations yearn for Democracy, Americans are yearning for Autocracy. DEMOCRATIC BACKSLIDING

As the United States of America goes, so goes the rest of the world. Simultaneously, the erosion of civil rights increase, and several dry runs of martial law is enacted in some states to test the will and the fortitude of the people. The times we are living in are peculiar. As Americans watch, its president huddles in private with Russia’s top spy — Vladimir Putin, with no public record of their conversations. What secrets is Putin keeping for Trump? Is Trump being tutored by Putin and Kim Un Jong on how to seize power? Simultaneously many white nationalists who once called for less government intrusion in their lives have now cozied up to Trump and, by extension Vladimir Putin and his totalitarian regime.

President Alibaba and his Lilly White team of 40 merry men

With about 57 percent of 167 countries of the world’s population enjoying some form of a democratic government, attempts of a sudden overthrow of the governments by an internal military (in less powerful countries) than the United States of America has decreased. But with a few corrupt power-thirsty Generals that are willing to play lapdog to a power-hungry President Trump, America could fast be sliding down the road of authoritarianism. There have been many threats made by Trump about switching the current form of government.

Ring the alarm: a peaceful transfer of power?

M1 Abrams Tanks Coming to a City Near You Soon?

When Playboy Reporter Brian Karem posed a question to Trump: “Will you commit to..a peaceful transferral of power after the election?” Trump: “…We want to get rid of the ballots, and you’ll have a very transfer—we’ll have a very peaceful—there won’t be a transfer. Frankly, there’ll be a continuation.” So come November 3rd or November 8th; if Biden is declared the winner, will Trump proceed with his plan to overthrow the American government — lead a Coup and over-rule the will of the American people?

Will Trump use the military to keep him in the White House to protect his financial records?

The only time the Constitution of the United States recommends a coup is: “Whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles, and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness.” There isn’t anything in the constitution that suggests a coup to support the wild lust for power of a mad man to cover his financial crimes nor to prop up a few lost power-hungry Generals.

Amtrak Relaunches USA Rail Pass Offering Cross-Country Travel for $299.

Jessica Poitevien
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0
Amtrak Relaunches USA Rail Pass Offering Cross-Country Travel for $299.


Though the summer months are officially upon us, that doesn’t mean it’s too late to plan your
vacation before the fall foliage starts to roll in. Pent-up travel demand from last year’s canceled
vacations has led to skyrocketing rental car pricing. Still, luckily road trips aren’t the only classic
mode of transportation that’s available this summer.


Amtrak has just relaunched its 30-day USA Rail Pass, and to celebrate, the company is offering
a $200 discount to help American travelers explore domestically. Normally priced at $499, the
USA Rail Pass is on sale for $299 now through June 22, 2021.


Amtrak’s USA Rail Pass allows passengers to take up to 10 rides over a period of 30 days. The
The 30-day travel period begins after passengers take their first trip, but like the popular European
rail passes, travelers can change their itinerary and routes along the way, allowing for some
flexibility in their explorations.

“We want to offer customers a truly unique way to travel this summer,” Amtrak executive vice
President Roger Harris said in a press release announcing the sale.
The USA Rail Pass is available for travel in Coach class, and upgrades to Business Class or
private room accommodations are unavailable. Unlike on an airplane, though, Amtrak’s Coach
class features wide, reclining seats with large windows to watch the scenic views pass by and
no middle seat.


The pass can be used to visit any of Amtrak’s 500 destinations, including cities such as
Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, and New York, as well as several popular national parks like the
Grand Canyon, Yellowstone, Rocky Mountain, and Glacier National Park.
And if travelers aren’t ready to hit the rails this summer, they can still purchase this discounted
pass, which is valid for use within 120 days of purchase with no blackout dates.
For more information and booking, head to Amtrak.com/USARailPass.

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Broward County Transit Leaps Into The Future With A State-of-the-art Transit Bus Terminal.

Clinton Franklin
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Broward County Transit Leaps Into The Future With A State-of-the-art Transit Bus Terminal.

Let's Ride!

Broward County Transit (BCT) is growing in leaps and bounds. On Wednesday, June 23, 2021, the second-largest transit system in the nation’s third most populous state – Florida, opened a new state-of-the-art bus terminal to serve its customers better.

At a ribbon-cutting ceremony, BCT transit director Chris Walton clearly stated that the Lauderhill Transit Center is just the start of more extraordinary things to come to Broward County Transit. BCT and its expanding services and technological capabilities will work to serve the public better.

According to Walton, the County negotiated a deal with Lauderhill Mall managers to lease the space for (on which the bus terminal is built) for only ten dollars ($10.00) per year for the next thirty years. The new LTC safe and modern, customer-friendly transit facilities remain a significant transfer center or connecting point for riders wishing to get on the 18, 19, 36, 40, and 81 routes.

Lauderhill Bus OPR Shonda

BCT Bus Operator Shonda M.

Lauderhill BRWD County COMM Barbara Sharief

Broward COMM Barbara Sharief

Lauderhill Commissioner 6-23-2021 @BCT

Lauderhill Comm Denise D Grant

One or more of the routes mentioned above will take riders as far east – in Broward County — as one can get on land – to the beaches in Fort Lauderdale or as far west as the Sawgrass Mills Malls in the City of Sunrise. Routes 18 and 19 will take passengers throughout three counties of Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach. 

The 44 route agency is rapidly expanding its fleet of buses and routes. With nearly 200 new NABI added to its fleet of almost 400 buses, BCT holds the envious title of the only tri-county public transit agency within the state of Florida. The agency continues its three counties trek through Miami-Dade, Broward, and Palm Beach Counties, highlighting the agency’s new sleek buses with majestic colors of Royal Blue, gold, silver, and white.

Buses leaving and entering the Lauderhill Transit Center have priority traffic lights. Bus Operator can press and hold the turn signal switch, which will trigger the traffic light turning arrow and allow the bus to enter or exit the facility.

Attending the ribbon-cutting event were a slew of dignitaries, including County Commissioners Barbara Sharief and Dale Holness, State Senator Nan Rich, Lauderhill Commissioners, Ray Martin, Mellisa Dunn, and Vice Mayor Denise D. Grant.

The multi-million-dollar Lauderhill Transit Center bus terminal has an array of safety features and amenities for its customers and visitors, including a visible presence of G-Security guards. The County is in the process of negotiating a contract with the Broward Sheriff Office (BSO) to provide an additional layer of security for the riding public.

 

There are hosts of safety-conscious citizens who believe that Broward County Transit customers who visit the 10-million dollar transit hub and the county employees who work there would be served better if the City of Lauderhill Police Department provided the security detail facility since this is their city. They are more familiar with the lay of the land.

Broward County Transit customers with special needs

The Lauderhill Transit Center (LTC) also has a photo ID station, where senior citizens and customers with a disability can have their picture ID made as proof to ride the bus at a discounted price or to purchase their Daily, 10-Day, or monthly bus passes.

Transportation Hub

Broward County Transit Leaps Into The Future With a New State-of-the-art Bus Terminal

This Hotel Brand Is Giving Away a Year’s Worth of Stays at Properties Around the World.

Jessica Poitevien
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0
This Hotel Brand Is Giving Away a Year’s Worth of Stays at Properties Around the World.

After more than a year of canceled and postponed travel plans due to the COVID-19 pandemic,
people are itching to get back out there and explore the world. So to make things a bit easier — at
least for one lucky person — IHG Hotels & Resorts is hosting a giveaway, and the grand prize is
a year’s worth of stays at its various locations.
The contest is all a part of the hotel brand’s new “Department of Epic” program, designed to
“help guests bring their travel dreams to life.”

Photo Courtesy of IHG Hotels & Resorts. 

“At IHG Hotels & Resorts, our teams connect people through travel, and we’ve missed making
that happen,” Claire Bennett, chief customer officer at IHG Hotels & Resorts, said in a
statement. “With the launch of our Department of Epic, we’re helping kick start the memorable
and epic experiences people have been waiting for — strengthening family bonds, celebrating
milestone moments, uniting far-flung friends, forging business partnerships — across our hotels
around the world.”
And since IHG properties can be found in every continent, the lucky winner of this contest will
have plenty of locations to choose from for their year of adventure.
In addition to the hotel stays, the winner will also be treated to several other perks to make their
travels even more special. Upon arrival at each new hotel, they’ll receive a complimentary

a basket full of their favorite snacks. Once a month, they’ll be able to enjoy a meal at one of IHG’s
award-winning restaurants, and at select hotels, they’ll have a private car to get around their
destination. Spire Elite rewards membership will also be awarded.
After a year of comfy hotel stays, the winner will surely find at least one mattress they can’t live
without, so IHG is also gifting the winner of this contest with a deluxe mattress from any hotel of
their choosing. To really bring the hotel experience home, they’ll also receive a collection of
Kimpton robes.
To enter the contest, travelers can head to Instagram or Twitter and create an entry by “telling
us you are ready to travel without telling us you are ready to travel” and using the hashtag

IHGTellMeContest. Entrants should also follow and tag the @IHGhotels account.

Participants can submit up to five entries on each platform for a total of ten. Entries will be
judged on their originality, quality, and creativity. The contest is open now through July 20,
2021.
For the full rules and regulations, click here.

LOS ANGELES (AP) — “The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” struck the top box office target.

Mariah Bethyuel
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LOS ANGELES (AP) — “The Hitman’s Wife’s Bodyguard” struck the top box office target.

The Lionsgate’s film starring Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson and Salma Hayek brought in $11.6 million domestically to claim the No. 1 spot in its debut. The action-comedy — which appeared in 3,331 locations — is the follow up the 2017 breakout hit “The Hitman’s Bodyguard.”

The “Hitman” sequel notched “A Quiet Place Part II,” which took hold of the second spot in its fourth weekend of release. The Paramount horror-thriller, which stars Emily Blunt and was directed by John Krasinski, earned $9.4 million. The film became the first of the pandemic era to reach $100 million domestically.

This weekend, “Godzilla vs. Kong” became the second movie of the pandemic to cross $100 million. The film has garnered more $442.5 million worldwide.

Meanwhile, the Jon M. Chu-directed “In the Heights” continued to struggle. The adaption of Lin-Manuel Miranda’s Broadway musical dropped a few slots to sixth this weekend.

The Warner Bros. film earned more than $4.2 million, a 63% drop from the previous week. The critically-acclaimed musical film has recently been called out for its lack of dark-skinned, Black Latinos in leading roles.

However, Paul Dergarabedian, senior media analyst for Comscore, believes the movie fell victim to lofty expectations. He said musicals often take a while to develop an audience.

“There were so many things going on with this film,” Dergarabedian said. “There were very high expectations when it opened last weekend. And because of the strong reviews, I think there were some overblown expectations. With the big projections, people were emotionally tied to the movie. The box office projections were overblown. That set unrealistic expectations.”

“Peter Rabbit 2: The Runaway” placed third in the box office with $6.1 million, while “The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It” claimed the fourth spot with $5.15 million. It barely edged the Emma Stone-led “Cruella,” which came in fifth with $5.1 million.

“Spirit Untamed,” “12 Mighty Orphans,” “The House Next Door: Meet the Blacks 2” and “Wrath of Man” rounded out the top 10.

Dergarabedian expects a big weekend for Universal Pictures’ “Fast and Furious” new installment “F9,” which releases in domestic theaters June 25. The film starring Vin Diesel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, Ludacris and Jordana Brewster has already earned nearly $300 million internationally.

“This is about winning over audiences who watched a lot of content on the small screen,” he said. “Now, they will be able to see a movie that has been long delayed but is tailor-made for the big screen and that theater communal experience. Escapism will be the watchword when it comes to Furious 9.”

Associated Press: By JONATHAN LANDRUM Jr.

Florida Governor Threatens to Sue the CDC If Its Conditional Sail Order Is Not Lifted Soon.

Jessica Poitevien
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0
Florida Governor Threatens to Sue the CDC If Its Conditional Sail Order Is Not Lifted Soon.

As temperatures rise, signaling the approach of summer, tensions between the state of Florida and the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are also heating up. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has threatened to sue the CDC if it doesn’t lift its “conditional sailing order” on cruise ships in time for them to resume sailing out of U.S. ports this summer.

On Friday, March 26, DeSantis made this declaration at Port Canaveral as he gathered with executives from several major cruise lines, including Carnival, Royal Caribbean, Norwegian Cruise Line, and Disney Cruise Line.

With three major cruise ports in Florida, millions of travelers pass through the Sunshine State specifically to board a cruise ship. Most sailings to the Bahamas, Caribbean, or Mexico start their journeys in either Miami, Fort Lauderdale’s Port Everglades, or Port Canaveral.

According to The Points Guy, Ashley Moody, Florida’s attorney general, also attended this meeting and is rumored to be exploring the state’s legal options ahead of this potential lawsuit against the CDC.

Gov. DeSantis wants to resume sailing before cruising season to prevent more revenue losses as several major companies such as Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruises, and Crystal Cruises have already announced plans to sail out of Bahamian and Caribbean ports this summer.

Currently, the CDC has a conditional sail order in place, which outlines several benchmarks that cruise lines must meet before they are allowed to resume U.S.-based operations. The document is 40 pages long with major guidelines including:

• providing a plan that will keep ships ’crews safe and healthy

• conducting a “simulated voyage” to test the ability of the cruise line to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 on its ships

• certification that ships meet all the requirements in the conditional sail order

With vaccine rollout going according to plan in most of the U.S., Gov. DeSantis, among others, believe the rules may be outdated and need to reflect the progress in both understandings and fighting the COVID-19 virus.

The CDC has not yet released any comments in response to Gov. DeSantis’ threat.

United Airlines Invests in Supersonic Airplanes That Will Cut Flight Times in Half.

Jessica Poitevien
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0
United Airlines Invests in Supersonic Airplanes That Will Cut Flight Times in Half.

United Airlines may soon have the fastest fleet in the sky with its newest investment in supersonic planes that can fly at speeds up to 1,300 mph — that’s twice the rate of today’s fastest passenger airliners

Last week, United Airlines signed a commercial agreement with aerospace company Boom Supersonic to purchase 15 ‘Overture’ planes. As part of the agreement, United will also have the option to buy an additional 35 jets.

According to Travel+Leisure, these futuristic planes will cut the flying time on some routes by half. Flying from Newark to Frankfurt, for example, could take four hours as opposed to the usual seven-hour trip, while a San Francisco to Tokyo flight could be reduced from over 10 hours to just six.

“United continues on its trajectory to build a more innovative, sustainable airline, and today’s advancements in technology are making it more viable for that to include supersonic planes. Boom’s vision for the future of commercial aviation, combined with the industry’s most robust route network in the world, will give business and leisure travelers access to a stellar flight experience,” United CEO Scott Kirby said in a statement. “Our mission has always been about connecting people, and now working with Boom, we’ll be able to do that on an even greater scale.”

Beyond being super fast, the Overture aircraft are also more eco-friendly than the average plane currently operating in the skies. These supersonic planes are expected to be net-zero carbon and fly on 100% sustainable aviation fuel, Travel+Leisure reports.

“United and Boom share a common purpose — to unite the world safely and sustainably,” Blake Scholl, Boom Supersonic founder, and CEO said in a statement. “At speeds twice as fast, United passengers will experience all the advantages of a life lived in person, from deeper, more productive business relationships to longer, more relaxing vacations to far-off destinations.”

Boom Supersonic is currently working to bring the Overture planes up to safety and operating standards. The company is expected to deliver the aircraft to United Airlines in 2026 to carry passengers by 2029.

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