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Copyright Elliott Publishing. All rights reserved. For more information, call (305) 453-4781 or send e-mail to us.

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

October 6, 2003

>> Inside <<

* No Value Ad-ded?
* Mobile Phone Madness!
* Don't You Dare Click Here
* New: Ticked.com Top Ten
* Traveling? Don't Forget Me
* Elliott on 'Savvy Traveler'
* Travel Notes
* Defending Your Knees
* Where's My Waiter?
* Airline Ticket Switcheroo
* Can SkyMiles Be Saved?
* Site of the Week: JJ's Fall Foliage Page

>> First Off <<

** No Value Ad-ded?
A year ago, when we removed all the banners and pop-ups that so many of you had complained about, we made a deal with you: If you helped the site by becoming underwriters, we'd keep the annoying ads off. Well, so far so good - in our last four fundraisers, you've generously supported this site with your pledges. And we're very grateful for that. But as this October fundraiser begins, we find ourselves at a proverbial crossroads. Our expenses have risen, and we might have to begin relying on some form of advertising again in order to continue paying the bills. We don't like ads, but we also don't want to go out of business. Help us keep the ads off our site by making a pledge now.

>> Underwritten By <<

** Knee Defender
Stops reclining seatbacks so your knees won't have to. Unique, patent pending Knee Defender puts you in control when facing aggressive seat recliners. Lightweight, pocket-sized, all-plastic, and simple to use. Just slip Knee Defender onto the arm of your drop-down tray table and you're set. Reviewers say it "works like a charm" and "for business travelers who need space for their knees or only to work on their laptop, this is a must-have." Only $9.95. Order one today.

>> By The Way <<

** Mobile Phone Madness!
If you're a frequent traveler, you probably carry at least one mobile phone with you (maybe two or three). If you could offer any advice to the infrequent traveler - or to someone who just bought a mobile phone - what would you tell them? We want your best tips on etiquette, dos and don'ts, and advice on how to use your portable phone without irritating the people you're traveling with. Send us an e-mail and include your full name, city, and what you do for a living.

** Don't You Dare Click Here
The travel industry doesn't want you to. It would prefer you not to support any effort to bring quality, consumer-focused travel journalism to the Web. Maybe that's because it needs you to stay ignorant - to keep buying its overpriced airline seats, substandard cabins and hotel rooms and fraudulent vacation packages. It definitely doesn't want you to find out about the cool premiums you'll get for pledging your support to this contrarian site. You better do what it wants you to - wouldn't want any trouble now, would we? > Get all the details here.

** New: Ticked.com Top Ten
Which travel books are you reading? Find out in an all-new Ticked.com Top Ten for the month of October. Who's up this month - and who's down? Will Elliott Hester's "Plane Insanity: A Flight Attendant's Tales of Sex, Rage, and Queasiness at 30,000 Feet" still be at number one? Or will it be … another book? Click on the list everyone turns to for travel tips - and travel books.

>> Elliott's Commentary <<

** Traveling? Don't Forget Me
On a recent trip to Quebec City, Canada, I opened my suitcase to find that a mission-critical item hadn't made it with me. It was something so essential to the success of my trip, in fact, that immediate action needed to be taken. I'd forgotten to bring any underwear. Within a few hours, everyone knew about my predicament. I had to endure underwear jokes for the rest of the conference. > Details in Power Trip.

> Hear Elliott talk about Florida destinations on public radio's The Savvy Traveler.

> Get the dirt on SkyHigh Airlines, Northwest's new ad campaign, and find out about the worst airport in the world on Elliott's Travel Notes.

>> Ticked.com Talk <<

** Defending Your Knees
Tired of passengers leaning into your personal space on long flights? Now the passenger is in control, reports Charles Leocha in a special column. The Knee Defender is a new device that easily slips on and off the tray-table arm and can be wedged into place to ensure that the seat in front of you doesn't recline at all. Or you can use it to regulate the amount of recline the seat you will allow. > Read more in Charles Leocha's column.

** Where's My Waiter?
As the ticket agent at the airline check-in counter hands you your boarding pass and points you to your departure gate, he says that he will call the agent at the gate to try to get you upgraded. He doesn't. As the flight attendant hands you your box lunch, she says that she will come right back with your special request for non-fat milk. She doesn't. As the rental car agent hands you your contract, he says that he will call ahead to the dispatching area to see if he can fulfill your request for a domestic model. He doesn't. What's going on here? > Read more in Err Travel.

>> Triprights.com Ticker <<

** Airline Ticket Switcheroo
She finds a bargain fare on United Airlines for her stepmother. But wait - that's not her stepmother's real name, but her nickname she just typed in. Can't the airline just fix the mistake? Sure, as long as she's willing to drive to the airport and give it another $100. What's going on here? Sounds like a case for the troubleshooter. > In Fix My Trip.

** Can SkyMiles Be Saved?
Delta Air Lines is under fire from some of its passengers over changes made earlier this year to its frequent flier program, SkyMiles. The new program makes it far more difficult for travelers to reach coveted elite levels if they're flying on a cheap ticket. When some of the air travelers bought an ad in a recent edition of USA Today, the airline fired off an internal memo responding to the group's allegations. (Remember, if you have a letter or memo you'd like us to publish, please e-mail it to us.) > In Memo of the Week.

>> Site of the Week <<

** JJ's Fall Foliage Page
Need to see leaves this fall? This site has all the links to plan a foliage trip, from "Leaf Peeper Hotline" numbers to Webcams that capture the brilliance of the season.

> Site of the week is brought to you by Johnny Jet.

>> Also Underwritten By <<

** Award Traveler
Award Traveler buys and sells transferable frequent flier mileage awards and upgrade certificates. We are a broker between frequent fliers who choose cash rather than miles and air travelers who want first- and business-class service at a reasonable price.

** International Living
Own an exotic beachfront getaway for $35,000. Or a romantic pied-a-terre for under $60,000. Enjoy fine restaurant dining for $7 per person. Employ a maid or gardener for $2 a day. Buy comprehensive health insurance for $20 per month. Get the details in your FREE report now.

** Plane Quiet
Plane Quiet active noise canceling headsets provides full-spectrum noise cancellation at an affordable price. Its revolutionary new product has been rated "Best Consumer Value" for travelers, and works with all airline entertainment systems, DVD players, mp3 players and laptop computers. Lightweight and foldable, Plane Quiet is your perfect choice for travel. It offers a 60 day money-back guarantee. Get an additional 10% off when you enter ELLIOTT in the coupon code.

>> Who's Reading Elliott's E-Mail? <<

* Demographics
* Average newsletter circulation - 15,876
* Last month's total unique visitors
Elliott.org - 35,560
Ticked.com - 20,902
Triprights.com - 8,020
Not2far.com - 2,297
Total E3 Network visitors - 66,779

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