green living, smart spending
In case you hadn’t heard, the American Bison, also known as the American Buffalo, has been named the national mammal of the USA, joining the Bald Eagle as an official symbol of our country. The two animals share a lot in common. Both are majestic animals. Both were made nearly extinct from hunting and the
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The world’s longest and deepest railway tunnel is now open in – or under – the Swiss Alps for tests. When it opens to train traffic in December 2016, the new Gotthard Base Tunnel will cut travel time through the heart of Europe by up to an hour within Switzerland and between Germany, Switzerland and
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We’ve all been hearing about airport security lines as long as three hours, causing people to miss their flights. But you can zip through airport security like a VIP with a “known traveler” card that gets you onto the expedited TSA PreCheck line. If you fly more than twice a year, you are a fool
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The peak summer driving season getting underway is a good time to be reminded about the danger and cost of speeding. Speeding costs lives and billions in medical costs and property damage: Some 13,500 Americans die each year in speeding related accidents, about the same number who die in alcohol-related accidents. Also according to the
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I’m just back from a week aboard the Fathom Adonia, the first US-flag cruise ship to sail to Cuba in more than 50 years, marking a new chapter in Cuban-American relations. Music, dancing, flags flying and lots of cameras marked our departure from Miami and our welcome in Havana – celebrations in both ports. Our
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BMW has launched a car sharing service, called ReachNow, the newest in a growing list of car sharing companies designed to appeal to millenials, who seem to be less interested in owning a car than other demographic groups. Car2Go, was launched by Mercedes-Benz parent Daimler using its smartcar brand vehicles a decade ago, and Nissan
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Travel is one of the great joys of life. Here’s how to travel greener. Being eco-conscious will cut your travel budget and help save the planet without giving up luxury. Go green on Earth Day and year-round. Re-use – Start with water bottles. Instead of buying and discarding water bottles that add to the landfill, travel
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If your budget is bleeding from your IRS 1040, take some of the pain out of your 2015 tax bite by booking one of these tax day travel deals, for travel now or later this year, including deals that wipe away local room taxes. Kimpton Hotels, which operates Kimpton, Palomar and Monaco brands, among others,
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While Volkswagen continues to suffer falling sales and negative headlines from its diesel emissions tampering scandal, it’s getting positive buzz from the Budd-e Concept, the 21st century version of the iconic 1960s microbus. International auto shows, from Detroit to Dubai, are an important way for manufacturers to tease the future, by introducing so-called concept cars
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Think pink. Hilton Panama has partnered with the Mattel toy company to create a Barbie themed room, along with a Barbie themed menu, spa treatments and activities, and Barbie lobby decorations. Hotel chains and individual locations often offer something special to lure or entertain guests. Over the years, I’ve written about hotel promotions to pay
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