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ELLIOTT'S E-MAIL
http://www.elliott.org

March 25, 2002

> Inside

* Less is More
* Driving Right
* Column Deathwatch: Week Four
* Las Vegas Savings
* Not Getting My Dollar's Worth
* Cheap Software for the Road
* Where's Mickey?
* Southwest.com is Superior
* Take a Shot
* Mo' Money, Less Security

> This Week in Travel

** Less is More
Travel agents are angrily denouncing Delta Air Lines' long-awaited decision to eliminate their commissions - a move matched by the carrier's competitors almost immediately - as a hidden fare increase. They claim airlines are effectively raising ticket prices by forcing travelers to pay higher agency booking fees. But the airline industry's actions won't harm anyone. Read the whole story at http://www.elliott.org/vault/oped/2002/less.htm

> By the Way

** Driving Right
If the airfare isn't right - and the miles aren't available - what's the longest distance you're willing to drive? Has it changed since Sept. 11? Do you prefer the car to the plane now - and are you saving money? Send us an e-mail, and please don't forget to include your full name, what you do for a living, and contact information. Your response might appear in a future story.

** Column Deathwatch: Week Four
Although The Associated Press and Tribune Media have shown some interest in picking up one or more of the columns that are published in this newsletter, I've reached a conclusion that I just can't write an average of five columns a week and still maintain the high standards that you expect. Making matters worse, many of my writing colleagues have cut their rates to pre-1970 levels. Some are even writing for free. I'm no closer to deciding what to cut - or what to replace it with. But your ideas are always welcome. Send them to editor@elliott.org

> Our Sponsor

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> Elliott's Commentary

** Las Vegas Savings
You don't have to get lucky to save money in Las Vegas. If you search the Web you'll find a lot more than a coupon for a cheap (or even free) breakfast. Rooms, shows, and restaurants are all on sale online. In our continuing Travel Tightwad series on how to save money at a particular destination, here are my favorite URLs for Vegas deals. In The Travel Tightwad at http://www.elliott.org/tightwad/2002/vegas.htm

** Not Getting My Dollar's Worth
Last September she reserved a luxury car from Dollar Rent A Car in Detroit. But what she got wasn't luxury: a Chrysler 300M that was too small for two weeks of travel for four adults, a trunk too small for four suitcases plus a cooler, a leaky tire which required filling daily, a broken cup holder, and a bizarre mirror that would change positions when gears were changed. The Travel Troubleshooter tries to sort it out. Read the details in The Travel Troubleshooter at http://www.elliott.org/ask/2002/dollar.htm

** Cheap Software for the Road
You've already spent hundreds of dollars on a personal digital assistant, or thousands on a laptop computer. Why blow more money on software? That's a question budget-conscious travelers have always asked themselves. But according to the Aberdeen Group, it's something that all travelers - in fact, all technology users - are pondering today. Aberdeen expects to see a decrease in software and technology spending through the end of this month, as the economy struggles to regain its footing. What better time to review inexpensive software options for your computer than now? Check out The Travel Technologist at http://www.elliott.org/technology/2002/cheap.htm

** Where's Mickey?
Next time you're standing in line for a ride at The Magic Kingdom in Orlando, notice the walls. Check out the sculptures. The landscaping. Look closer. Three circles - two small, one large. Isn't that … a mouse head? It probably is. Hidden Mickeys, as they're commonly called, are everywhere at Walt Disney's theme parks. But nowhere can you find more of these subliminal rodents than in Orlando, where the phenomenon is believed to have started. Spotting the famous logo is becoming a pastime for distracted parents - and an obsession for a handful of park visitors who follow each mouse sighting as if they'd seen a solar eclipse. In Destinations at http://www.elliott.org/vault/destinations/2002/mickey.htm

> There's much more news and commentary about travel. Click on http://www.elliott.org for details. <

> Ticked.com Talk

(Note: Some of these URLs are long and may break up in your e-mail program. If they do, just cut and paste them into your browser, or go directly to http://www.ticked.com and follow the hard links.)

** Southwest.com is Superior
Cheap Charlie says the basic rule for Southwest in all phases of their operations is, "Keep it simple." That attitude pervades the company from the simple no-assigned-seat approach, to the all-737 fleet, to the no-interlined-baggage system, to the employee attitude of doing whatever it takes to keep the airline flying profitably and keeping the customers satisfied. Maybe that's why Charlie also likes Southwest's Web site. Click on http://www.ticked.com/cheapcharlie/2002/chsouthwest.htm

** Take a Shot
When Terry Riley was asked to translate some of the most popular travel safety terms into Japanese, he expected to get expressions such as an airline customer service agent inquiring, "Have your bags been in your possession since you packed them?" Or a cabby asking, "Where to, Mack?" Or a bellman saying, "Just a moment please. I'll get you a claim check." But that's not what happened. Go to http://www.ticked.com/errtravel/2002/errjapan.htm

** Mo' Money, Less Security
Ponder this: Let's say you have a brand new monster SUV worth something like $50 grand, asks Ed Hewitt. I have a 1993 Chevy worth something like 50 ten-dollar bills. You have obviously paid more for your seat riding on the same roads that I do, but we're both paying our fair share to our federal, state, and local governments to maintain the roads. Does your added expenditure buy you an expedited ride through road security checkpoints, like, say, a red light? Of course not. But that is exactly what frequent fliers and airlines want at airport security checkpoints, and the government seems inclined to give it to them. Click on http://www.independenttraveler.com/resources/article.cfm?AID=388&category=13

> For links to other engaging travel opinions, visit http://www.ticked.com today. Don't forget to bookmark the site. <

> Other Sponsors

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** Bonjour Paris
A virtual trip to France for lovers of all things Parisian and French. Visitors to http://www.bonjourparis.com will find travel information, food, wine and hotel tips, as well as lively cultural information.

** Travel-Comments.com
How was your last trip? Go to Travel-Comments.com and talk about it. Travel-Comments.com is a new Web source for travelers and potential travelers to post and view comments about segments of their travel experience, whether it's air, car, hotel, cruise or restaurant. Visit http://www.travel-comments.com

> Charter Underwriters

* AirJet Airline News - News updated hourly at http://www.airlinebiz.com

* Applied Psychology - Security tips online at http://www.appliedpsychology.com

* Bonjour Paris - This site's French connection at http://www.bonjourparis.com

* Journeywoman - The premier travel resource for women on the Internet at http://www.journeywoman.com

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