Cruise Ship Tourism Threatens Alaska’s Capital

by Christian Karim Chrobog The Guardian    “The noise never stops,” says Karla Hart, her voice competing with the hum of approaching helicopters. “I can feel them before I see them.” She looks at her phone to check a website that monitors air traffic and identifies operators. Hart wants to know whether the pilots are adhering …

Uber And Lyft Corporations Are To Blame

by Terri Gerstein Slate.com    Last year, former U.S. Circuit Court Judge David Tatel, who is blind, was denied a Lyft ride to court when a driver refused to accept his guide dog.    It should not be necessary to state this, but: People who are blind deserve full access to trains, airplanes, and other transportation …

These Rogue Georgia Chickens Are No Joke

by Kevin Burton    You know, a chicken has a mind of his own. God gave it to him and he will exercise it.    God also gave us Georgia. I have been to Georgia but not to Quitman, Georgia, where as we speak, geese and ducks, and yes chickens, are walking right up to …

No Problem Youngstown, We Have Enough Gas

by Kevin Burton    Like most people, my wife Jeannette took driver’s education in high school. But it’s the driving advice of her father that never leaves her mind.    He counselled her never to let the gas tank go below half filled. So when she says we need gas, I know we’re not in …

Honeymoon Days And A Potty-Placement Row

by Kevin Burton    Ah Hounslow!    On the desktop of my office computer is a picture of the “Hounslow Central” sign which was in front of our nearest train station while we were on our honeymoon in London.    Our adventures started there that week, and took us all around the capital city, to …

Of Long, Long Trains And Trains Under Water

by Kevin Burton    “There’s something magical about train travel for just about everybody,” writes the Interesting Facts website, “whether you’re an engineering nerd, a hopeless romantic, a world traveler, or an easily excitable 8-year-old.”    The longest train ride I have taken so far was (round-trip) from Wasilla, Alaska up to Denali National Park. …

All Aboard For Interesting Facts About Trains

by Kevin Burton    My dream vacation is to accompany my bride on a long, interrupted train ride along the Mississippi River.    The plan is to ride the City of New Orleans train on Amtrak – the one that Arlo Guthrie sang about – from Chicago to Memphis, get off and explore that town …

Driver Saves Children From Schoolbus Fire

by Kevin Burton    Kia Rousseve’s job change came under fire. But not to worry. This is a happy ending.    And she is being called a hero.    Some other heroes in England are saving food from being wasted and feeding hungry people. These are our two happy stories today, from reporter Andy Corbley …

Where Does Lost Airline Luggage Go?

by Melanie Peeples National Public Radio    The Transportation Security Administration screened 30 million people over the recent Thanksgiving holiday.    That’s a lot of suitcases for airlines to keep track of, and unfortunately, some are bound to get lost. So where does all that lost luggage end up? In a store called Unclaimed Baggage, in …

A Taboo Subject: The Mental Health Of Pilots

by Catherine Ho San Francisco Chronicle    An off-duty Alaska Airlines pilot’s attempt to shut down the engines on a San Francisco-bound commercial flight last month has drawn renewed attention to airline pilot mental health — a topic long considered taboo in the industry but one that has generated more scrutiny in recent years since the …