• What's elliott?
• About elliott
• Contact us

t o p i c s

• Business
• Commentary
• Destinations
• Help
• Leisure
• Technology
• Vault

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

May 9, 2004

>> Inside <<

* Free Knee Defenders
* Question of the Week: Traveling With Word
* Check out Travelcomment
* Dare You to Become an Underwriter!
* Clear Your E-Mail Clutter On the Road
* Airlines Cleared for Takeoff?
* This Week in Travel
* Celebrity Quiz
* A Worst Rate Guarantee
* Flashback: E-Mail Addicts
* Confessions of an E-mail Junkie
* The Art of Disconnecting
* Trash Your Technology

>> First Off <<

** Free Knee Defenders
Our May fundraiser keeps getting better. This week, the first ten underwriters to sign up at ANY level will also receive a free Knee Defender. You've read about the controversial device that stops the air traveler in front of you from leaning back. Now get one of your own by supporting this Web site and newsletter. It's just one more way Elliott's E-Mail is making the travel experience more bearable. (And don't forget, becoming an underwriter at any level also qualifies you for the TravelPro and Hilton weekend drawing at the end of the month.) > Get the details here.

>> Underwritten By <<

** Journeyware.com
The new destination for exceptional luggage, business/tech cases and travel accessories from leading brands like Travelpro, Lewis N. Clark, RoadWired and more. Great prices, fast, free UPS ground shipping on orders of just $50 or more! All with a level of uncompromising, personal service that you might not be used to getting these days (especially if you are a frequent traveler). Enter coupon code ELLIOTT and click "update" at checkout for an additional 10% off any order.

>> By The Way <<

** Question of the Week: Traveling With Word
If you take a laptop with you on the road (and even if you don't) you probably end up working with Microsoft Word at some point. Are there any features in Word - particularly Word 2003 - that you take advantage of while you're away? Any strategies that you use to make the most of the program? Send us an e-mail and include your full name, city, and what you do for a living. Remember, your story could mean free luggage. It did for Barry Graham, our April winner.

Bonus Question: Ever made an around-the-world trip? If so, then we'd like to hear from you. (We're especially interested in anyone who circled the globe after retiring.) If that describes you, don't be shy. Drop us a line.

> Trying to e-mail me? Please read this first.

** Check out Travelcomment
Our newest Web site, Travelcomment.com, had what is euphemistically called a "soft launch" this week. What that means is that we published the site, even though it isn't perfect, with the intention of working any bugs out before it officially launches. What is Travelcomment? It's an all-new Web site dedicated to the sharpest commentary on the Web. Plus it features our own essayists, like Leocha, Riley, Wysong, and starting next week, a brand-new columnist. > See the site at http://www.travelcomment.com - and please let us know if something needs fixin'.

** Dare You to Become an Underwriter!
Sites such as Travelcomment may cost nothing to read, but they're not free. It's readers like you, who find the information on Triprights.com, Ticked.com, Not2Far.com and Elliott.org useful, who help pay the bills with your generous support. Remember, you're not just getting valuable premiums (and this week, free Knee Defenders). You're also making an important statement: You're tired of the prepackaged vanilla travel information approved by manipulative advertisers. You want something useful, interesting, and written with you in mind. So go ahead, become an underwriter this week. We dare you. > Here's more information.

>> Elliott's Commentary <<

** Clear Your E-Mail Clutter On the Road
The e-mail messages land in my inbox, one after the other, with the relentlessness of a tropical rainstorm. Most of the e-mails are junk, and with subjects like "A humour game" and "Re: Hi," they drain straight into my spam filters. It's an unusually heavy morning. Since I started writing this column about 15 minutes ago, I've counted 116 new messages, and not one of them is legitimate. Managing e-mail continues to evolve toward a full-time job for many people. A 2003 survey by the research firm Public Opinion Strategies found that more than half of all businesses rely on filters or "whitelists" to keep their employees organized while they're in the office. But what happens when you're out of the office? > Details in Power Trip.

** Airlines Cleared for Takeoff?
The Air Transport Association says airline traffic is rebounding. But are travelers really coming back? On the Marketplace Morning Report, find out why passengers remain hesitant to return to the skies - and why they have good reason to balk. > On Public Radio International.

>> Also Underwritten By <<

** Bonjour Paris
France has recently come under a lot of fire. Access Bonjour Paris if you're interested in the pros and cons about travel to France. Bonjour Paris is the best content site about France and is not afraid of controversy. With focus on hotel and apartment reviews, consumer reporting, plus tons of articles, Bonjour Paris is the best on-line resource about tout La Belle France. > Click here for more information.

>> This Week in Travel <<

News, opinion and analysis from Elliott's Travel Notes.

TIA: Finally Upbeat About Tourism (5/7)

Hidden City Case Picks Up Steam (5/6)

Cheap Ticket Tricks Airlines Hate (5/5)

Airline Pricing Formula Doesn't Work (5/4)

Airlines Gave Up Data After Attacks (5/3)

> See archived blog postings or catch up on today's news.

>> Ticked.com Talk <<

** Celebrity Quiz
I have always felt a bit sorry for traveling celebrities. Even though they are usually in a higher class of service on the plane, all eyes, cameras, and conversations are riveted on them. Some of the celebrity in-flight hardships that I have witnessed include ripped clothing, soap opera villains being spat on, personal items stolen, drunken advances, and even a mauling by a star-struck fan. There is even a flight attendant that I fly with who works for a well known tabloid. He secretly takes pictures and reports on celebrity behavior in-flight. > In A Frank Steward.

>> Triprights.com Ticker <<

** A Worst Rate Guarantee
A lot of hotel chains offer best-rate guarantees if you book through their Web sites. But what if you find a lower rate elsewhere? Will the hotel honor its promise? For one reader who found a cheap room at a Hilton, the answer is "no." Although the chain says the rate doesn't qualify, the hotel guest begs to differ. Does he have any recourse - or is the "best rate" guarantee so full of disclaimers that no one could possibly make a claim? > In Fix My Trip.

>> Flashback: E-Mail Addicts <<
Face it, you can't live without e-mail. But don't worry, you're not alone. Here's a flashback of columns in which I talk about our little problem:

** Confessions of an E-mail Junkie
Hi, my name is Chris, and I am a recovering e-mail addict. There is no clinical name for my affliction. There are no medical studies to identify the causes, symptoms and possibly even, a cure. But I know what I've got, and I know I'm not alone. I see the others in airport lounges, hotels, convention centers, even at the pool or golf course. We exchange knowing glances as we nervously clutch our laptops in one hand, our phone cards in another. We're looking for a place to plug in our PCs - where we can hear that reassuring dial tone, followed by seven rapid pulses and the familiar sound of a thousand fingernails on a chalkboard, followed by silence, and then, a tortured moment later, the sight of data packets dancing across the screen. > In the Travel Technologist.

** The Art of Disconnecting
It doesn't take a card-carrying frequent flier to know that traveling with technology can be traumatic. But it helps. Chris Burgeson knows. A consultant for a San Diego software developer, he recently worried about getting data transferred between laptop computers - a topic this column devotes a lot of attention to precisely because it's so unnerving. "I don't have a lot of downtime to spend transferring files from an old computer to a new one," says the traveler. "Unfortunately, I also can't do without all my important files and contact information. Factor in the additional pull of the holiday season and you have the makings of a potentially stressful situation." > In The Travel Technologist.

** Trash Your Technology
When it comes to using technology on a business trip, less is more. For example, downsizing your laptop carrying case - jettisoning unneeded extension cords, batteries and peripherals - doesn't just lighten your load (and save your back). It also can expedite your trip through airport security checkpoints. But can turning your gadgets off actually make a business trip more productive? Conventional wisdom says no. In a recent American Express survey of jet-setters, 71% said they check their e-mail every day. Heavy users (about 20% of the total) log on more than three times a day to see if they have any new messages. > In Power Trip.

>> Even More Underwriters <<

** EasyTravelAir
The must-have travel accessory If you've fumbled with your ID while taking off your shoes and coat, emptying your pockets, and removing your computer, you'll find getting through airport security a lot simpler and less stressful with the Security Pouch. Purchase the travel-warrior-tested Security Pouch online special only $10 or call (800) 282-1469 to order at $14.99 each. Order now.

** Outsidetheboxgroup.com
The new SearchAlert re-settable combination padlock from Outside The Box offers unique innovations in luggage security. SearchAlert may be opened with an override device controlled by Transportation Security Administration agents. No SearchAlert lock should be cut off by TSA agents. In fact, we offer a free replacement if it's ever cut off. SearchAlert features a Security Window which changes color from Green to Red when any override device is used. $9.99 each or two for $17.98 Available exclusively online. Enter coupon code: ELLIOTT for a discount. Click here to order.

** FirstClassFlyer.com
Fly first class for less than what others pay for coach? Looking for free and purchased upgrades, 2-for-1s, advanced ticketing techniques, and a fast-track to elite status strategies? Look no further ... these hot deals and more are available at First Class Flyer's Web site.

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

* Demographics
* Average newsletter circulation - 22,837
* Last month's total unique visitors
Elliott.org - 47,607
Ticked.com - 28,414
Triprights.com - 7,629
Not2far.com - 2,912
Total E3 Network visitors - 86,562

>> Talk To Us <<

Read something you disagree with? Got a story idea or a gripe? Here's how to reach Elliott.

Phone (305) 453-4781 or e-mail

(Please note: Unless you specify otherwise, all e-mails, letters and phone conversations are considered "on the record." That means your name could be used in a future article.)

>> Become an Underwriter <<

This site relies on support from travelers like you. If you care about journalism that's uncompromising, cutting-edge and consumer-focused, then you're invited to become a member of elliott.org. Your contribution will help keep us operating.

>> Please Forward Elliott's E-Mail <<

Did you know the average reader forwards Elliott's E-Mail to two other people every week? We don't mind at all, but you could always save yourself the trouble by inviting them to subscribe. It's easy and it's free: just send an e-mail to this address with the word "subscribe" in the message header.

>> Credits and Subscription Information <<

Elliott's E-Mail is published 50 times a year by http://www.elliott.org. (c) 2004 Elliott Publishing.

To unsubscribe, please open your Web browser and click on this address.