Congratulations to Frontier Airlines, who is emerging from bankruptcy out West. Many of my clients near the Rockies have been nervous, hoping Frontier didn't go under for good, since their low-cost business model has helped hold down travel costs for them. True there's always Southwest Airline, but they don't fly everywhere and Frontier at least keeps them honest. Here on the East Coast, we could use a little more competition to hold down prices, and Charlotte seems to always be on the higher end of things since it's a USAirways hub. That's why so much of what I sell is a "package deal" that includes discounted airfare along with a discounted hotel. Even though the stock market has come roaring back over the last 6 months, there are still some nice travel bargains out there when you package flights and hotels together. DID YOU KNOW, on occasion, it's cheaper to buy a package than it is just the airline tickets? Even if you don't really need a hotel. It's true. That's something I can help locate for you, when it's available.
For anyone who can travel on short notice, this has been an incredibly calm hurricane season (which is winding down to its final month anyway), so grab that Visa card and call me. Let's see if we can't still find you a quick getaway to Florida or The Caribbean at a bargain price this year!
A funny thing happened to me in Vegas last week. I've always enjoyed watching greyhounds race, and happen to know my stuff when it comes to wagering (plus I'm a firm believer in greyhound adoption programs, once their racing days are over). While cashing some football winners at The Venetian, I noticed a greyhound race was coming up and asked if they had a program. They did, and after careful consideration I bet the 8-7-2 trifecta and exacta box. Easy win....the only 3 good dogs in the race. So I was a bit stunned at the end of the race to see it finish 4-5-1. And while all 3 of those dogs were....well, DOGS, somehow the public had been betting them as favorites, and not betting the dogs I liked. Huh? I've picked puppies for 30+ years, and something struck me as odd that my dogs never even competed. So I waited for the official results, and the presentation of the winner. When his name came up on the screen, and the names of the 2nd and 3rd place finishers, I was startled. I walked over to the Casino Manager and told him the wrong dogs won the race. He said "Sir, that's gambling - you never know who's going to win." I politely said, "I understand that, but I'm saying the WRONG DOGS won the race! Look at the program." To his amazement, Race 8 at Palm Beach had 8 dogs listed (including the ones I bet on), but the names of the 3 dogs that finished 1-2-3 were different names than what appeared in the program! He looked and looked, and suddenly said "Charlie - throw all these programs out. The cover says Monday, but all the races inside were the dogs from Sunday! The track screwed up when they sent them to us." Nobody else had caught it, that the racing forms they had were all from the wrong day. But I've got a nose for greyhounds, and enough savvy to know something was up. He couldn't give me my money back on the bets I had made by Nevada law, but instead he gave me a $25 "comp" meal at the restaurant, which I felt was fair. At least I broke even and proved a point, that when it comes to watching greyhounds, I know my pups! By the way, I highly recommend the Spaghetti Carbonara with a side order of snap peas, if you're ever at Venetian's Grand Luxe Cafe, whether you have a $25 voucher or not. Double-doggie-delicious!
As much as I like to gamble, I rarely if ever play the Lottery. Years ago in Florida, I bought $10 worth of tickets every week for about 9 months, and finally hit 3 numbers. Paid just under $7. As a former math major, it didn't take long to figure that chasing the lollipop made me a sucker. During recent courtroom proceedings in Kansas, former radio executive Paul W. Lyle admitted he had embezzled an estimated $88,000 from his employer, American Media Investments, to support his addiction to scratch-off lottery tickets. During his preliminary hearing, he received notification that he had actually won the grand prize in a 2nd-chance drawing, including a boat, NASCAR tickets and lots of cash, with a total value of $96.000. Prosecutors say the prize money will go toward paying restitution to his former employer. Lyle pleaded guilty, and will be sentenced Nov. 30th, with his conviction carrying a range of 5 to 17 months in prison. Sounds like his lottery luck wasn't a heck of a lot better than mine! Dude - take up greyhound racing, and CALL ME!
Isn't technology great?
Some of the new phone systems will do everything you want them to, and MORE. More as in, doing some things you DON'T want them to! Case in point is Martin Tennessee Middle School, in the Western part of the state. Their new phone system has a feature, which allows the Principal's Office to send out an automated call at 9 a.m. each day, to notify families whose children are absent that they have been marked as such for the day. The theory was that if kids were truant, a.k.a. "playing hooky" without the parent's knowledge, this would provide a fantastic service to them, thanks to Ma Bell and the super-cool new phone system. Eh, maybe not so much. WCMT Radio in Martin reported that when the truancy call went out on Wednesday, it accidentally went to the parents of all 475 students at the school! Principal Nate Holmes said dozens of anxious parents called or showed up immediately after the incident, many fearing their kids were either truant (bad news) or kidnapped (worse news). The school quickly sent out another call, explaining there had been an electronic communications error. Principal Holmes went on to say the new phone system isn't as "user friendly" as the old one....
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