No secret that on the anniversary of 9/11 that many people are not buying advance seats on flights. In response most carriers are cutting back on these flights to match demand. Spirit Airlines however, in a brillian move, announced all seats *free* that day! This is classy PR and not as costly as you might think. You see, those who ‘buy’ these free tickets will likely also purchase a return ticket back home. (so it is really only a half price fare sale) Spirit, with an estimated layout of 500,000 for this promo, has achieved some serious bang for their buck in media exposure and good will. Will the traditional players take notice and jump all over this marketing idea? Until now they’ve been trying to downplay the gloomy black day. Staying indoors and sulking. Spirit has the right idea with the ‘thumb your nose’ — ‘in your face’ celebration. Cheers!
All posts by cs
excuses
A long day and this late hour found my crew and I curbside waiting for the Club Dbbl Tree to come and fetch us. We were tired and now also irritated that we were being made to wait. Several calls to the front desk eventually got to the truth of the matter and as it happens the van driver had “picked-up and transported the wrong airline crew”. I have heard all of the usual excuses and fake explanations why the ride isn’t here yet. I thought that this one was a new (somewhat creative variation) but sure enough the van rolls up and out piles a crew with all of their gear, frustrated and embarrassed. The poor driver (a Romanian immagree) has worked himself into an exasperated state. In halting and broken English he trys to vent. Usually when a person trys to unload you just say “oh puuleez — I don’t want to hear about it”. But this guy was somehow entertaining with alot of arm waving and how if he had been “…in his homeland he would fight the guy…” Evidently in the miscommunication there had been some finger pointing direction of blame. As we neared our hotel, I thought we might make light of this and have some fun too. I exclaimed from the back seat, “say! this isn’t the downtown location where we stay ?!!”. The FA picked up on it and added, “this doesn’t look like the place we stayed laaaast time?!!” There was some knee slapping and haaarr harrr and the tension was broken. I explained to him that we have folks get on the wrong flight too. In order to NOT feel like an idiot — someone else has to take the hit.
culinary delight
Thanks to Chef Boy R D(d) we had Stromboli(s) made from scratch! The filling was sausage, mozzarella, and pepperoni and a little bit of onion and pizza sausce baked at 475 for 10. Euuuweee. Tonight, the flower-gurl will be challenged to top the effort. We are thinking chicken enchiladas with ranchera gravy.
techno
I used up the better part of the day researching XML and XSL tutorials and code snippets in a learning effort. The goal is to import external news feed and other items of interest which will transform this site into a web portal and help to keep things dynamic. The obstacle is in the language. I have some degree of expertise with ColdFusion, which would have been my medium of choice, but sadly my web host lacks the latest iteration and the current version does not support what I am trying to do. I’ve found several other resources written in PERL, PHP, and ASP. All foreign.
I love the flower girl
It’s wonderful to have a flower child in our house…
changing horses
The ’03 Accord has been re-styled and in doing so they are taking a big risk. When you are a sales leader you can’t let your product grow old stale or frumpy but neither should you wily nily ditch a design look that is currently a sure thing. Ford did what Honda is doing when they re-styled the Taurus in ’96, with the round ovals melted butter design look, and they made trouble for themselves. The new Accord borrows piecemeal from the G35 and Passat style. The question is… ‘does it look as good or better than the original flavor’ The jury is still out.
sled
Mike’s airport car defines the term beater. It’s a Corolla that he bought off a guy in ’93 for 250 dollars. It’s a rusty bucket and it won’t idle so after every stop sign you have to put it in clutch and bump the starter. Sometimes he makes a hollywood stop and pops the clutch to restart. There’s a hole in the muffler and a hole in the sun cracked dash where the radio was stolen. The right rear drum brake assembly is missing its springs and assorted hardware so we rely on the other 3 wheels to stop. This wheel makes an awful metal to metal rattle as if threatening to lock-up at any moment although the noises do go away during right turns. The state inspection system would love to get their hands on this piece of work.
hit it
S’man is so close to the deepwater slalom start. He has good form and I know that next attempt he is gonna make it up. It will be a right of passage when he does. The trick is to keep your body over the center of the ski with your back upright and verticle. If you lean back your ski just plows with lots and lots of drag. If you don’t resist the pull of the boat you fall out the front. So maintain a straight up and down seated position with your legs fully bent. Keep your rear leg relaxed and only use it for balance and to steady the steering.
return from the edge
E X T R E M E ! ! and a most awesome experience. I must say that I have landed with a new outlook and enjoyment for life. I would equate that part where –you step out into the open fresh-air at 12,000 feet– with a mental struggle no greater or worse than strapping into the latest roller coaster theme thrill ride. It is actually most pleasant (the floating feeling) and serene save for the massive adrenalin cocktail rush. You reach terminal velocity quickly and feel buoyant and stable. I made a few turns by dropping a shoulder. The hired camera arrived in our face moments later for a photo shoot and then fell away as my tandem instructor pulled the ripcord. The last mile was a lazy 14 feet/sec cruise with an unbeatable perspective view and return to warm earth.
d-day suprise
It’s confirmed. Mannana is ‘D’ day. I have 24 hours to psych myself up for a very big adventure. Everyone knew but I. The women whispered amongst themselves and then erupted in laughter and glee. What could it be? I was afeared that I was to be treated to a stripper delivering my birthday cake, or a shower dance or somesuch humiliation and embarrassment. Maybe hands on massage or yoga class. Well it’s not birthing nor bungee jumping. I suppose I was to be dragged kicking and screaming, blind folded delivered up to the edge of the precipice… Tune in tomorrow!