Photos: Portland, Oregon Named Top Underrated and Cleanest U.S. City, but Travelers Throw Detroit Under the SUV

Photos: Portland, Oregon Named Top Underrated and Cleanest U.S. City, but Travelers Throw Detroit Under the SUV

Hiroshima: Streetcar system like taking a step back in time

By Todd DeFeo

HIROSHIMA, Japan – My friends and I walked to the streetcar terminus, certain of which trolley to board. An agent approached us to help; he didn’t speak English, and we didn’t speak Japanese.

So, we reverted to the international language: We pointed to our destination on the map. Once he realized that the trolley we needed to take was boarding and about to depart, he began excitedly gesturing for us to board. We did, and the streetcar soon pulled away from the station.

The streetcar rumbled through the city’s streets, completing the scene of a modern Japanese city. Over the past 60 years, Hiroshima has rebuilt itself as a modern, cosmopolitan city. Though it’s nowhere near as large as Tokyo, Hiroshima has all the amenities of a large city, though it’s retained one element that most Japanese cities have done away with: its streetcar system.

The Hiroshima Electric Railway, of Hiroden as it’s known in Japan, only carries a small percentage of the city’s 1.1 million residents, but it is a great way to travel around the city. Hiroshima is the last major Japanese city with a functioning streetcar system; the city’s streetcar system dates to June 18, 1910, replacing horse-drawn carriages.

While a number of other Japanese cities with streetcar systems eventually replaced them with a subway system, Hiroshima did not. Although, the Hiroshima Electric Railway has over the years modernized its streetcar fleet, there are still a number of older trolleys, prompting railfans to dub the streetcar system a “Moving Museum.” Interestingly, in the 1960s, the city started buying streetcars from other cities. So, the older streetcars that operate over the Hiroshima Electric Railway today once carried passengers in any number of cities throughout Japan.

Following the atomic bombing of the city on Aug. 6, 1945, the streetcar system was among the first of the city’s services to be restored. Service between two stations – Koi and Nishi-tenma-cho – restarted just three days after the bombing, returning some semblance of normalcy – albeit a small one – to the city. The system’s main lines were operational within about two months of the bombing.

A total of four streetcars survived the blast, and two of those street cars – Nos. 651 and 652 – still operated until recently.

Today, the Hiroshima Electric Railway operates seven streetcar lines. Frankly, the Hiroden may not be the fastest mode of transportation. It takes about an hour to travel the roughly 10-mile-long Hiroden Miyajima Line, which is classified as a railroad, not a streetcar line, because of government regulations. But, considering a majority of the streetcar lines begin and end at the JR Hiroshima station, the city’s major sites are easily accessible from almost anywhere in Japan.

But, even more important, given the fact that there aren’t a lot of streetcar lines in the world, you would be remiss to miss out on this unique experience. In many ways, it’s like taking a step back in time.

Yankees dominate Turner Field ... in the stands anyway

ATLANTA – The New York Yankees opened a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves tonight. A quick look at the makeup of the fans in attendance at Turner Field, it appeared that the Yankees might have a home field advantage.

For the record, the Yankees lost 4-0.

Antebellum railroad tunnel still a marvel after all these years

By Todd DeFeo

TUNNEL HILL, Ga. – Crews building the Western & Atlantic Railroad from Atlanta to Chattanooga, Tenn., faced a number of natural obstacles. None, however, were as foreboding as Chetoogeta Mountain.

What workers built was a 1,477-foot-long engineering phenomenon that has stood the test of time. The tunnel was also “the first railroad tunnel south of the Mason-Dixon line,” according to a number of sources.

On March 4, 1848, the city incorporated as Tunnelsville. It wasn’t until 1856 that the town changed its named to Tunnel Hill. As early as the 1830s, the railroad planned to build a tunnel through the mountain, but it would have to wait a decade before the project could begin.

Work started on July 15, 1848, and the first train rolled through the tunnel on May 9, 1850. The railroad actually started rail service between Atlanta and Chattanooga in the 1840s. Passengers and freight had to be offloaded and transported over the mountain – a trek that was not possible by train. The influx of workers – known as “sappers” – and travelers contributed to the town’s growth.

The tunnel remained in service until 1928 when a new tunnel opened a few feet away to accommodate larger trains. For years, the older tunnel sat unused, and eventually fell into disrepair. “The old stone structure, no longer used since the construction of an adjacent new tunnel, is so thickly covered with bushes that it is visible only at close range,” according to “Georgia: a guide to its towns and countryside,” a WPA book published in 1940, a dozen years after the new tunnel opened.

Years later, on May 9, 2000, the structure’s 150th anniversary, the tunnel reopened.

While the tunnel is intertwined in the city’s history, one of the structure’s most exciting episodes played out on April 12, 1862. Members of the Andrews Raid planned to destroy the tunnel as part of their scheme to disable the Western & Atlantic Railroad. By the time the raiders reached Tunnel Hill, a group pursuing them followed so closely that the raiders did not have time to sabotage the passageway or carry out an ambush against their chasers.

In more modern times, ghost hunters say the tunnel is haunted. As proof, they point to a number of encounters with apparitions people have reported over the years – either soldiers who died during the Civil War or a circus worker who, as legend has it, was killed as he rode atop a train that passed through the tunnel.

In 1864, Gen. William T. Sherman spent six days in Tunnel Hill during his march to Atlanta. He used the Clisby Austin House, located nearby, as a temporary base of operations to plan his March to Atlanta. The house also served as a hospital, and Confederate Gen. John B. Hood stayed here after one of his legs was amputated following the Battle of Chickamauga.

The old tunnel is again open by appointment, and visitors can walk through the long, damp tunnel that steam trains once filled with smoke and soot. For more information, call 706-876-1571.

Athens, Ga., landmark destroyed in blaze

An Athens landmark was heavily damaged during a fire today.

The Georgia Theater, a music institution for 30 years, was gutted in the blaze that started about 7 a.m. The owner plans to rebuild, according to media reports.

“If ever there was a landmark central to Athens’ identity, it would have to be the Georgia theatre,” one poster to OnlineAthens.com said. “I grew up watching movies there and progressed to REM and Wynton Marsalis. There should be no question about rebuilding with support from all quarters of Athens, starting with the music and arts communities.”

The theater was built in the late 19th century as a YMCA – the first in the south. In the 1930s, the building was turned into a movie theater, and it began its run as a music venue in 1978. The Police, R.E.M. and the B-52s are among the acts that have performed at the Georgia Theater.

“It sounds like a cliché, but it’s like losing a family member,” former owner Bill “Duck” Anderson told the AJC. “When you spend 50 or 60 hours a week, six days a week for 15 years somewhere, that’s what it feels like.”

The souls of Japan’s militaristic past

By Todd DeFeo

TOKYO – As prime minister of Japan, Junichiro Koizumi made a number of official visits to Yasukuni Shrine. After all, the shrine honors those who fought and died for Japan, and what better way for the country’s leader to honor the sacrifices of previous generations?

Simple enough on the surface but consider that more than 1,000 of the nearly 2.5 million souls enshrined here are war criminals and suddenly Yasukuni Shrine becomes one of the more controversial sites in all of Tokyo. Yet, it attracts millions of visitors every year.

Koizumi, who served as Japan’s prime minister from 2001 until 2005, made a total six visits to the shrine. If nothing else, the trips helped chill the country’s relationships with China and South Korea. As a bit of historical context, Japan launched a full invasion of China in 1937; Japan occupied South Korea starting in 1905.

“I don’t go there for the war criminals,” The Washington Post quoted Koizumi saying in 2006. “I go there to mourn the many who made sacrifices.”

“Japan squarely faces these facts of history in a spirit of humility and with a feeling of deep remorse and heartfelt apology always engraved in mind,” Koizumi said in 2005, according to a Voice of America report. “Japan has resolutely maintained, consistently since the end of World War II, never turning into a military power, but an economic power – its principal of resolving all matters by peaceful means without recourse to use of force.”

The shrine was created to honor the spirits – or “kami” in Japanese – of the soldiers who died in the Boshin War of 1868-9. Soldiers who fought and died in subsequent wars until World War II have been enshrined here. However, no one who died in combat since the Second World War has been enshrined. To date, 1,068 people who were convicted of some classification of a war crime have been enshrined here; 14 are so-called “Class A” war criminals.

There are a number of statues on the grounds of the shrine, including one of Ōmura Masujirō, better known as the “Father of the Modern Japanese Army.” There are also statues of a number of animals – from a German Shepherd to a horse to a carrier pigeon – all of which served important roles in the Japanese military over the years.

Tucked in the middle of Tokyo’s bustling streets, the shrine’s serenity seems like the last place one might find controversy. But it abounds, including at the shrine’s Yūshūkan military museum.
Many say the shrine glorifies Japan’s militaristic past and offers a rewritten version of history, one that overlooks the country’s aggression in the 1930s leading up to World War II. The museum traces its origins to 1882 when it was established to preserve and display Imperial Japanese Army artifacts from the Meiji Restoration.

Among the museum’s exhibits is an A6M Zero aircraft – which the Imperial Japanese Navy Air Service used from 1940 to 1945. The museum also features a “Type 96 15 cm Howitzer” and a C5631-type steam locomotive, built in 1936 by Nippon Sharyo, which served on the Thai-Burma Railroad.

The exhibits are interesting relics of the past, but they don’t address the looming question that everyone has about the shrine.

Today, few, if any, think of Japan as a military might, though the country did send troops to Iraq – the first time since the end of the Second World War that Japanese troops have been deployed to a war zone. I’m not sure how I feel about Yasukuni Shrine. Japan certainly wasn’t a peaceful nation in the 1930s – and I think Koizumi knows that. But, does that mean the soldiers fighting for their country – no matter how misguided the cause may have been – shouldn’t be honored?

It’s a tough question to answer. I certainly have my own reservations – especially for war criminals. Besides, as Bob Dylan once said, “I can’t think for you, you’ll have to decide.” But, as a student of history, I will not quickly forget the lessons that the past holds. And maybe that’s why we need places like Yasukuni Shrine.

Northern Iraq travel is safer … kind of, sort of

Anyone looking to travel to Iraq may find solace in the fact that a number of governments in the northern portion of the country are more stable, relatively speaking.

That was enough for the Kurdistan Regional Government to issue a news release that “lauded the US Department of State’s updated guidelines for travel to Iraq, affirming the relative safety and security of the Kurdistan Region.” Clearly the Kurdistan Regional Government is in the midst of a PR campaign to battle the image problem facing the country.

“The security situation in Sulymaniya, Erbil, and Dohuk Governorates in northern Iraq has been relatively more stable than the rest of Iraq in recent years, but violence persists and conditions could deteriorate quickly,” the State Department said in a June 15 travel advisory.

“While the Kurdistan Regional Government continues to work to further stabilise this region, we will continue to do our part to uphold peace and protect every citizen within our borders,” Karim Sinjari, the KRG’s Minister for the Interior, said in a news release. “To date, not one US citizen, soldier or contractor has been kidnapped, wounded or killed in the Kurdistan Region.”

The State Department also noted that the northern city of Mosul “continues to experience intense violence and instability.”

No word on when the Wikitravel page on Iraq will be updated.

“Iraq is presently a war zone,” a warning on the top of Iraq’s Wikitravel page reads. “Traveling there is EXTREMELY dangerous and strongly discouraged. All foreigners are in extreme danger of kidnapping, murder, and general armed violence. Tourism visas for Iraq are not granted at the moment. However, the autonomous Kurdish controlled far north IS safe and has a separate visa regime. If you must go consult your embassy and see War zone safety.”

Survey: $4 gas is a problem for travelers

Eighty percent of people “plan to take as many or more trips this summer as they did last year” – splitting time close to home and on the road, according to a news survey.

The survey from BedandBreakfast.com found that 67 percent of would-be travelers would cut back on travel if gas prices hit $4 per gallon.

“With gas prices reaching a 2009 high of $71 per barrel, and prices at the pump rising by forty cents in the last month, we are pleased that our survey revealed that nearly 70 percent of respondents are still planning two to four trips between now and Labor Day,” Sandy Soule, marketing vice president at BedandBreakfast.com, said in a news release. “Clearly, travelers are price-sensitive and reduced airfares have stimulated a move away from the popular staycation trend of recent years.”

The survey also found that:

• 78.6 percent plan to take the same number or more trips than last year
• 76 percent said good lodging deals would increase their chance of a vacation
• 70.5 percent plan to take two to four trips this summer
• 51.2 percent aim to spend less each day
• 50 percent said the need to “get away” topped the reasons to take a trip
• 43.4 percent are looking to take shorter vacations

Fort King George features faithful recreation of important British post

DARIEN, Ga. – South Georgia in the 1720s and 1730s wasn’t a pleasant place to be. The men who settled Fort King George along the Altamaha River near what is modern day Darien learned that during the fort’s rather short existence.

Built in 1721 – 12 years before “Georgia’s First City,” Savannah, was founded – Fort King George was both the first English settlement on Georgia’s coast and the British Empire’s southernmost outpost in North America. It remained the southernmost settlement until 1736 when Fort Frederica was built on what is today St. Simon’s Island.

Col. John “Tuscarora Jack” Barnwell, a South Carolina resident pushed for the fort. Hoping for a competent group of soldiers to help him construct the fort, he was instead provided with a collection of invalid soldiers – known as His Majesty’s Independent Company of South Carolina. Perhaps foreshadowing the hard times that lay ahead, Barnwell’s crew became sick with scurvy while en route from London to Charleston, S.C., where they were headed before Georgia.

As the majority of his men recovered, Barnwell and a smaller group of scouts continued onward to start construction on a piece of land amid a swath of natural marshland. Avoiding a near mutiny, the men were able to construct the fort, including a three-story cypress blockhouse, which provided space to store ammunition and a top-floor lookout. Unfortunately for the settlers, the marshes meant the surrounding area remained damp. The marshes also led to flooding of the fort.

The fort’s purpose was to stem French and Spanish advances into English territory even though it was built in Spanish territory, although South Carolina claimed the land from here to near St. Augustine. The fort’s residents lived through disease, threats of attacks from both the Spanish and Indian, and an unfamiliar coastal environment – salt meat rotted in this environment and fruits were not a part of the everyday diet.

A fire destroyed the fort in winter 1725; the structure was rebuilt, though to a lesser quality, which only heightened the suffering of those living at the fort. During those six years, more than 140 of the fort’s inhabitants died and were buried on a nearby bluff. None of the deaths came in battle.

The fort was eventually abandoned in 1727, although South Carolina rangers stayed behind until March 1734 – about three months before Georgia was founded as a colony. In 1736, Gen. James Oglethorpe brought Scottish Highlanders to the area, founding the city of Darien. Over time, the location of the fort was lost until it was rediscovered in 1932.

Until the 1920s, Darien became an important lumber center, hence its nickname, “Lumber City.” In fact, a sawmill was later built on the site, which likely destroyed any remains of the original fort. However, the sawmill’s remains offer a rare glimpse into Georgia’s early colonial industry.

With the help of historic drawings, the Lower Altamaha Historical Society and the Georgia Department of Natural Resources in 1988, a number of the fort’s structures were rebuilt, including the cypress blockhouse. The reconstructed fort is a replica of Barnwell’s original construction.

Today, the park highlights the area’s 18th century cultural history, including the Guale Indians, the 17th century Spanish mission Santo Domingo de Talaje, Fort King George and the Scottish colonists. In addition, the state park features information about 19th century sawmilling.

For more information, log onto http://www.gastateparks.org/info/ftkinggeorge/.

Survey: New York drivers the least courteous

Looking to take a road trip? Just be careful where you drive.

New York drivers are the nation’s least courteous, according to a new AutoVantage survey. Conversely, Portland, Ore., drivers are the most courteous.

“This survey is another way we assist drivers by revealing the latest driving trends and attitudes to educate and influence safer – and perhaps more courteous – driving habits,” Brad Eggleston, vice president of AutoVantage, said in a news release.

In defining road rage, the survey’s respondents named two attributes: angry drivers (“drivers who overreact and lose their tempers”) and aggressive driving (“including cutting into lanes, tailgating, speeding and honking”).

Key survey statistics include:

• 84 percent daily see someone driving and talking on a cell phone
• 58 percent see aggressive behavior every day
• 43 percent see a driver cutting into a lane without notice see this every day
• 27 percent see a driver multi-tasking
• 22 percent daily see drivers running a red light

Least Courteous Cities

• New York
• Dallas/Fort Worth
• Detroit
• Atlanta
• Minneapolis/St. Paul

Most Courteous Cities

• Portland, Ore.
• Cleveland
• Baltimore
• Sacramento
• Pittsburgh

Hiroshima mayor to N. Korea: Stop the nuclear march

Hiroshima mayors have a strong tradition of opposing nuclear weapons.

Over the years, they’ve written letters to the leaders of various countries, opposing their successful tests of atomic weapons. The mayors, advocates for an atomic bomb-free world, speak from a unique perspective.

It was here at 8:15 a.m. on Aug. 6, 1945, during the closing weeks of World War II, that the first atomic bomb was dropped on a city. The blast produced a mushroom cloud and killed 140,000 people and left thousands more homeless.

And with North Korea’s threat to build more nuclear weapons, Hiroshima’s current mayor, Tadatoshi Akiba, is speaking out.

“I am furious, with (North Korea) for defying strong protests from the international community, including Hiroshima, the city attacked in an atomic bombing,” the mayor said in a statement, according to AFP. “This means a grave challenge for the international community, which can never be (forgivable).”

When in Darien, take to the street

By Todd DeFeo

DARIEN, Ga. – Savannah’s role as “Georgia’s First City” is well documented, but the history of the state’s second city, Darien, is not quite as known.

Darien was founded in January 1736 by Scottish Highlanders led by James Oglethorpe. The city, initially known as New Inverness, was built just two years after nearby Fort King George, formerly the British Empire’s southernmost outpost in America, was abandoned. The same year, the British also started building a fort to the south – Fort Frederica.

Named after a failed Scottish colony in Panama in the late 17th century, Darien, like its predecessor, Fort King George, was founded to protect British interests from the Spanish, the French and the Natives. Oglethorpe constructed Fort Darien, which helped protect the city from 1736 until the war with Spain ended following the Battle of Bloody Marsh on St. Simons Island in 1742.

In 1739, a number of Darien residents signed a petition opposing slavery’s introduction into Georgia. Though their petition may have been initially successful, slavery came to Georgia a decade later.

In the ensuing years, Darien continued to grow and prosper, and by the 19th century, the city was an important port and exporting cotton at a rate behind only Savannah and Charleston, S.C. The port’s importance increased during the American Revolution and in the following years. In addition to cotton, the city became known for its lumber production.

During the Civil War, Darien did not play an important role. However, that didn’t stop federal troops from St. Simon’s Island – the 54th Massachusetts Volunteers under Colonel Robert G. Shaw’s command and the Second South Carolina Volunteers, led by Colonel James Montgomery – from destroying the city on June 11, 1863. The burning, often called “one of the most controversial events” of the war, is re-enacted in the movie Glory.

The tabby ruins of the city’s original cotton exchange warehouses and naval stores – all built between 1815 and 1830 and destroyed in 1863 – remain on the waterfront, as if they are frozen in time. Interestingly, following the Civil War, Col. Shaw’s family helped to rebuild the city. The buildings that once sat on the tabby foundations were not reconstructed.

The timber industry eventually faded as the area’s forests were depleted, but the city turned to shrimping to maintain its livelihood. By the 1960s, the city, along with McIntosh County, boasted the state’s largest shrimping fleet, and each year the city celebrates a “Blessing of the Fleet” every year to honor the industry.

Walking through the quiet city streets and along the picturesque waterfront, the city’s importance in Georgia history might not be so apparent. Whereas Savannah is still a bustling city, Darien is a much quieter hamlet, though its landmarks and influence on the state are no less important.

The best way to experience Darien is to park the car and pick up a walking tour brochure. There are a number of houses, churches, commercial buildings and a monument to the Highlanders on the tour, including the Adam Strain Building. Built circa 1815, the two-story “stuccoed tabby” warehouse is the oldest building in the city. Like the rest of the city, the building was burned in 1863 and refurbished a decade later.

They say 'it never rains in Ruby Falls'

By Todd DeFeo

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – In the 1920s, Leo Lambert thought Lookout Mountain Cave would make a great tourist attraction. So, he set out to rediscover it.

Once used as a hideaway for outlaws, refuge for Native Americans and a hospital during the Civil War, a railroad tunnel built in the early 1900s intersected the cave’s entrance and sealed it from the public. But that didn’t deter Lambert from searching for the cave.

In 1928, he led a team of engineers and started digging an elevator shaft to access the cave. Ninety-two days later, Lambert found the cave, but not before digging through more than 400 feet of solid limestone. But when Lambert realized there might be more than just a cave buried beneath Lookout Mountain, he took off down a tight corridor, and 17 hours later, he found what today known is as Ruby Falls.

Named for Lambert’s wife, this 145-foot-tall waterfall located 1,100 feet beneath Lookout Mountain is one of the most spectacular natural wonders, as more than 300 gallons of water pour out of the waterfall every minute. Opened as a tourist attraction in 1930, Ruby Falls has remained one of the most popular tourist destinations in the Southeast.

Lookout Mountain Cave, located 140 feet below Ruby Falls, is no longer open to the public. While Lambert hoped that both Ruby Falls and Lookout Mountain Cave would be popular tourist attractions, the falls turned out attracting more tourists.

In addition to its standard tours, travelers can opt for one of the Lantern Tours. Instead of the lights normally used to light the cave leading to Ruby Falls, the pathway is illuminated by lanterns, no doubt giving it a more rustic feel. Lantern Tours are held on Fridays and Saturdays, but it’s best to check on availability in advance, as space is limited.

Siena Cathedral: A stunning church atop the hill

By Todd DeFeo

SIENA, Italy – Sitting at the peak of a hill in the heart of this Tuscan city, Siena Cathedral just looks divine. The house of worship towers above the rolling Tuscan landscape around it as if to beckon visitors.

Built between 1215 and 1263, the cathedral is considered by many to be Italy’s greatest cathedral and among the most beautiful in Europe. Talking about Siena Cathedral would be difficult without commenting on its sheer massiveness. The church – an example of Romanesque architecture – was to be the largest cathedral ever built. What more remarkable is that what stands today is only a fraction of what was planned over the years.

Looking skyward at the black and white marble façade of the bell tower, it’s hard not to be awestruck at the church’s beauty. More than just a unique design, the creators selected black (or greenish) and white marble to match the city’s official colors – symbolic links to the black and white horses of Senius and Aschius, Siena’s founders. Symbolism is everywhere in the church, and outside is another symbol of the city, a she-wolf statue sitting atop a column. According to legend, Senius’ father Remus and his twin brother Romulus, who co-founded Rome together, were raised by a wolf.

The chapel’s hexagon-shaped dome, constructed between 1259 and 1264 features a lantern added by Giovanni Lorenzo Bernini, top Baroque sculptor, and its façade, which wasn’t finished until 1380, also features a number of statues depicting philosophers, prophets and apostles. For better or worse, most of the sculptures on display today are copies, as the originals have been removed for safe keeping.

In 1339, the church planned to double the size of the Siena Cathedral to highlight the wealth of Siena at the time. Although the addition was never finished – in part because of the Black Death in 1348 – evidence in the form of outer walls for the would-be expansion is still visible today.

It’s hard to imagine just how large Siena Cathedral would have been had the church been expanded in the 14th century. Even though the church’s expansion was never realized, the cathedral in its current incarnation is spectacular and a testament to the city’s wealth and grandeur.

The inside of the cathedral is just as ornate and majestic as the exterior, with black and white marble walls and matching columns supporting the church’s soaring ceiling. The church’s octagonal pulpit, carved between 1265 and 1268, features carvings depicting seven scenes that narrate the Life of Christ from His birth to His crucifixion. Nicola Pisano, sometimes credited as the “founder of modern sculpture,” carved the pulpit using marble from the Tuscan city of Carrara.

Every aspect of the church is elaborate, and its floor is no exception. The cathedral’s inlaid marble mosaic floor is said to be among the most intricate in the country. Unfortunately it is covered for most of the year.

And, the church’s art collection is as impressive as the building itself, keeping up with the notation that Siena is a city known for its art. The church’s collection includes works from some of the finest artisans that Italy has ever produced, including Donatello, Bernini and Michelangelo.

Airline on-time performance improves in April

U.S. Airlines had more on-time flights in April than they did in March and in April 2008, according to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Air Travel Consumer Report.

According to information filed with the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, the 19 carriers reporting on-time performance recorded an overall on-time arrival rate of 79.1 percent in April, better than both the 77.7 percent on-time rate of April 2008 and March’s 78.4 percent.

Overall, airlines had 79.1 percent on-time arrivals. Hawaiian Airlines topped the list with a 91.1 percent on-time rate. Comair brought up the rear with a 68.6 percent rate.

Other interesting statistics:

Most Frequently Delayed Flights

• Northwest Airlines flight 803 from Atlanta to Honolulu – late 96.55 percent of the time
• Comair flight 6652 from Kansas City, MO to New York LaGuardia – late 96.15 percent of the time
• Comair flight 6295 from Indianapolis to New York JFK – late 90.00 percent of the time
• Comair flight 6675 from New York JFK to Dallas/Fort Worth – late 90.00 percent of the time
• Continental Airlines flight 1567 from Cleveland to Newark, NJ – late 90.00 percent of the time
• SkyWest Airlines flight 2852 from Milwaukee to Newark, NJ – late 90.00 percent of the time

Flights with Longest Tarmac Delays

• American Airlines flight 2306 from Vail/Eagle, Colo., to Dallas/Fort Worth, April 3 – delayed on tarmac 290 minutes
• United Airlines flight 406 from Denver to New York LaGuardia, April 17 – delayed on tarmac 264 minutes
• American Airlines flight 370 from Chicago O’Hare to New York LaGuardia, April 20 – delayed on tarmac 249 minutes
• JetBlue Airways flight 1103 from New York JFK to Raleigh/Durham, N.C., April 6 – delayed on tarmac 247 minutes
• American Airlines flight 2396 from Vail/Eagle, Colo., to New York JFK, April 3 – delayed on tarmac 240 minutes

Highest Rates of Canceled Flights

• American Eagle Airlines – 3.3 percent
• JetBlue Airways – 3.2 percent
• Atlantic Southeast Airlines – 3.2 percent

Lowest Rates of Canceled Flights

• Alaska Airlines – 0.4 percent
• Hawaiian Airlines – 0.4 percent
• Northwest Airlines – 0.5 percent

'A needless effusion of blood'

By Todd DeFeo

CARTERSVILLE, Ga. – As William T. Sherman rode through the North Georgia countryside in the 1840s, he took note of one particular engineering feat.

The year was 1844, and the Western & Atlantic Railroad was under construction between Atlanta and Chattanooga, Tenn. As the railroad – known as the “Crookedest Railroad in the World” – made its way north, Allatoona Mountain stood in its path. Engineers cut a pass through the mountain. The result was a narrow, 360-foot-long ravine with walls as tall as 170 feet.

With a fort on top of the mountain, it would have been extremely difficult, if not impossible, for an Army to advance south along the railroad and take the pass. Twenty years later, during his March to Atlanta, Sherman knew that any fight at the pass would be a bloody one and opted to take a roundabout path from Kingston to Marietta in order to bypass the area.

“I … knew that the Allatoona Pass was very strong, would be hard to force, and resolved not even to attempt it, but to turn the position, by moving from Kingston to Marietta via Dallas,” Sherman wrote in his memoirs.

Ultimately, the Confederates abandoned Allatoona Pass as Sherman moved south, and it fell into Union control. By September 1864, Sherman captured the city of Atlanta.

But, after the fall of Atlanta, Confederate Gen. John Bell Hood began marching north toward Nashville, Tenn. Hoping to break Sherman’s supply line, Hood attacked at Union troops positioned at Allatoona Pass on Oct. 5, 1864. The battle that ensured is considered by many historians to be one of the Civil War’s bloodiest battles.

Before the battle began, Confederate Gen. Samuel G. French demanded that Union troops surrender “in order to avoid a needless effusion of blood.” French gave his Union counterpart, Gen. John M. Corse, five minutes to decide. Corse declined, saying: “We are prepared for the ‘needless effusion of blood’ whenever it is agreeable to you.”

French was right – it was a “needless effusion of blood,” and about 1,600 soldiers on both sides died in the battle. Though the Confederates experienced some initial success and overtook some of the outer entrenchments, they could not drive Union troops from Star Fort atop the mountain. With their ammunition running low and reports of Union reinforcements, the Confederates retreated; Union forces regained control of the pass.

Union forces lost 35 percent of their troops while the confederates lost 27 percent – numbers that rival the number of casualties suffered at the Battle of Gettysburg. Interestingly, Sherman first learned about the plan to attack Allatoona Pass by reading southern newspapers, which published a speech Confederate President Jefferson Davis gave in September 1864 in which he detailed his plans.

Today, the pass is as impressive as it was 160 years ago. The railroad has long been rerouted, but the sound of nearby passing freights still echoes in the pass. The remnants of Star Fort sit atop Allatoona Mountain. The site of this bloody battle now sits on the edge of Lake Allatoona and is part of Red Top Mountain State Park. In addition to the pass and the fort, there are a number of monuments dedicated to the soldiers who fought in the battle.

There’s no point in waiting one hour for pictures anymore

By Todd DeFeo

It used to be that a few days were quick enough; then it went to an hour. Now, a few seconds is just unacceptable.

It’s interesting to think back a few years ago about the transformation of cameras and how photo processing has changed over the years. Does anybody shoot film anymore?

I take a lot of pictures whenever I travel, to say the least. It used to be a dozen rolls of film on a weekend getaway. But developing costs added up pretty quickly, especially when I was impatient and wanted my pictures developed on CD and in an hour.

Given that so often I am shooting for a digital medium – Web sites or e-mail – I don't need prints of every picture I take. Frankly, when you consider how many pictures I take, there are bound to be a few duds. Make that a lot of duds.

When I was shooting with a film camera, I certainly took a lot of pictures, though I would try and limit the number, keeping in mind I still had to pay to develop these pictures, no matter how they turned out. I’m the type of person to go to a film developing location and pay for all of the prints, that is, I typically don’t turn down any of the pictures I have taken, no matter how atrocious they may be.

That usually added up quickly, but luckily, I had some restraint. In the film days, I usually didn’t pack more than about a dozen rolls on any given trip, knowing it was not financially wise to develop 20 rolls of film for about 20 pictures I really wanted. Had I not done that, I might have had to take out a loan just to cover the developing costs.

That’s changed in today’s digital times.

If there’s any drawback to a digital camera it’s the “unlimited” pictures I can now snap. There is no developing cost, for all practical purposes, so I can now take as many pictures as I want. And believe me I do: that funny sign over there, the sky and perhaps a few of that squirrel sitting on top of a nearby wall (even though they’re hideous animals). But hey, it’s something to take a picture of and besides I may want it someday. For what, I have no idea.

And if a train happens to pass by, forget about it – I need another memory card for that; luckily there’s an electronics store across the street. Perhaps, while I’m there, I should also pick up a new hard drive. These pictures aren’t small and considering I take at least 200 pictures on any given trip – make that 200 or 1,000 per day – that can add up to a couple of gigabytes. Good thing for that DVD burner.

I guess I can take my picture-taking affinity one step further with my camera phone. Too bad this thing doesn’t have rapid fire. It really limits the number of pictures I can take.

Statue of Liberty crown tickets to go on sale

Starting 10 a.m. Saturday, anyone interested in trekking to the crown of the Statue of Liberty will be able to buy tickets.

Starting July 4, a limited number of people will once again be allowed to climb to the crown of the Statue of Liberty. The crown was closed after 9/11 for safety and security reasons.

“The Statue of Liberty is a symbol of the hope, freedom, and opportunity that America represents to the world,” Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said in a news release. “I am delighted to announce that the public will soon be able to plan their trip to the storied crown of the Statue of Liberty once again.”

Only 10 people will be allowed to climb to the crown at one time. To reach the crown, visitors must climb a 168-step, double-helix spiral staircase.

In advance of the crown’s opening, officials are taking a number of steps they say will increase safety, including raising the handrails on the spiral staircase and stationing rangers throughout the Statue to aid visitors.

Crown tickets will cost $3 on top of regular admission. Customers can only purchase four crown tickets.

For information, log onto http://statuecruises.com/.

AAA: Gas prices continue to rise

Bad news drivers: The price of gasoline is on the rise.

In fact, according to AAA, the average price is up 11 cents per gallon in the past week, AAA said yesterday. Oil closed Friday at $68.44 per barrel, an increase of more than $2 per barrel over last week, though it closed lower than the $70 per barrel high it reached during the day.

“Some oil analysts expect the rally for crude oil to end within a few weeks somewhere between $70 and $80 per barrel and, if that happens, then retail gasoline prices could peak at about the same time. We don’t know when that might occur,” Gregg Laskoski, managing director of public relations, AAA Auto Club South, said in a news release. “But, we believe a prolonged run-up in fuel prices is likely to instill consumer resistance in much the same way we saw last year and that is obviously counter-productive to an economy trying to recover from recession.”

In Georgia, the average price for a gallon of regular unleaded gasoline is $2.586 compared to the national average of $2.613. Still, gas prices are about $1.40 below their level last year, according to AAA.

Next time, try the back road

By Todd DeFeo

There are two ways to reach any destination – the main roads and somewhere off the beaten path.

There are countless back roads and country highways crisscrossing the nation. And finding one to take on the next vacation will add a certain flair interstates can’t — charm. Major highways generally don’t offer these types of opportunities, instead bypassing many small communities in favor of faster travel.

Someone once said: “It’s the journey, not the destination.” And without a doubt, it’s how and where you travel that is often the most remembered part of any trip.

There is something to be said about seeing America from her back roads, passing through the nation’s small towns and stopping to take in the sights. From your car window, you can see sprawling farms, rolling hills and historic towns that tell stories and welcome visitors to explore just a little longer and a little deeper.

Usually, in deciding to take a driving trip, we’ll look at a map or plug the address into the GPS unit and look for the quickest way there. Often, our busy schedules necessitate arriving at our destination as soon as possible, and usually driving isn’t an option, especially on long-distance trips. But when schedules permit, take a little longer; find some small town that barely makes the map, do a little research and stop for lunch. Take 10 minutes to look around downtown, stop in a local store and buy a souvenir or the town’s newspaper.

This is the best way to learn what America truly is like, the America that isn’t on television every night and the America that isn’t constantly in a rush. Too often, folks consider big cities as havens for culture and tourist sites. But, all of the small towns in America offer just as much to see as the biggest cities do; it’s just people tend to drive past them on their way to the big cities.

Just think about what you are missing.

As Jimmy Buffett once sang: “On another road in another time, like a novel from the five and dime, take another road another time.

Microsoft says Bing Travel will help make smarter decisions

Microsoft’s new Bing Travel “will help consumers make smart travel decisions through a variety of innovative tools and features,” the company announced.

Bing Travel is part of Bing, a new search engine from Microsoft. Bing Travel combines many of the airfare and hotel tools from Farecast, which Microsoft acquired in 2008, and news from MSN Travel.

“Bing Travel has a simple goal: help people make smarter, more informed decisions regarding travel,” Hugh Crean, general manager of Bing Travel, said in a news release. “Travelers face plenty of challenges -- from airport security and luggage restrictions to finding their hotel in an unknown city or trying to speak a foreign language. Researching and booking travel should be simple and easy, and now Bing Travel is here to help.”

A recent Bing Travel survey revealed that 52 percent of potential travelers search three or more sites before booking their airfare. In addition, 42 percent of travelers spend between one and four weeks weighing travel options while 17 percent spend more than one month.

Officials at Bing Travel say they want to reduce how much time consumers spend searching for travel information. The site includes a number of tools including Price Predictor and Rate Indicator.

“We know that a summer vacation isn't an option for everyone this year, but for those with even a modest travel budget, it will go a long way this year,” Joel Grus, a Bing Travel fareologist, said in a news release. “We also encourage people to shift how they think about a summer vacation. Instead of flying to Mexico or Hawaii, consider taking advantage of incredibly low hotel rates in a city nearby. Anyone who is creative, flexible and a little savvy can find a trip to fit almost any budget.”

For information, log onto http://www.bing.com/travel.

Poll: Majority of Americans support ending Cuba travel ban

A majority of Americans support ending a ban on travel to Cuba, according to a recent poll from Orbitz and Ipsos.

In fact, more than two out of three people surveyed favor allowing all Americans to travel to Cuba.

Orbitz has launched OpenCuba.org, “which is designed to give Americans the opportunity to petition the U.S. Government to open up travel to Cuba.”

“President Obama recently took a bold step in easing travel restrictions for Cuban-Americans," Barney Harford, president and CEO of Orbitz Worldwide, said in a news release. “The OpenCuba.org campaign calls on the President and Congress to take action to end the travel ban to Cuba, giving all Americans the freedom to visit what once was a premier tourist destination for U.S. citizens.”

The survey, according to an Orbitz news release, found that:

• 32 percent “would strongly support such a policy that would allow all Americans to travel to Cuba”
• 23 percent “say that they would oppose lifting these restrictions for Americans traveling to Cuba” and “13 percent would strongly oppose it”
• 72 percent “agree that expanding travel and tourism from the U.S. to Cuba would have a positive impact on the day-to-day lives of the Cuban people”
• 20 percent “feel that allowing Americans to travel to Cuba would not positively impact Cubans in this way”

“Our mission at Orbitz is to help travelers experience the world,” Harford said, adding that 67 percent “of Americans would also support a policy that would allow U.S. travel agents such as Orbitz to book vacation travel to Cuba.”

Be patriotic: Take a trip

Good news for anyone considering a vacation this summer: Tourism is good for the economy.

That was part of the message from Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar during a recent announcement that National Parks nationwide are waiving entry fees on three weekends this summer.

“National Parks also serve as powerful economic engines for local communities and we hope that promoting visitation will give a small shot in the arm to businesses in the area,” he said.

“Tourism income helps America’s economic recovery,” Salazar said. “National park sites in the Great Lakes states, for example, attract 8 million recreation visits a year that bring $211 million into the local economies. Spending by visitors from out of the area supports 4,400 local jobs. So these areas need to maintain and expand this vital tourism.”

No word on whether business trips to Las Vegas also help the economy. Chances are they do.

Statue of Liberty’s crown re-opens July 4

Starting July 4, a limited number of people will once again be allowed to climb to the crown of the Statue of Liberty.

The crown was closed after 9/11 for safety and security reasons.

“On July 4th, we are giving America a special gift,” Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said in a news release. “We are once again inviting the public to celebrate our great nation and the hope and opportunity it symbolizes by climbing to Lady Liberty’s crown for a unique view of New York Harbor, where the forbearers of millions of American families first saw the new world.”

Only 10 people will be allowed to climb to the crown at one time. To reach the crown, visitors must climb a 168-step, double-helix spiral staircase.

In advance of the crown’s opening, officials are taking a number of steps they say will increase safety, including raising the handrails on the spiral staircase and stationing rangers throughout the Statue to aid visitors.

“We cannot eliminate all the risk of climbing to the crown, but we are taking steps to make it safer,” Salazar said. “Once the work is complete, the Statue will be safer, and so will its visitors.

Statue of Liberty’s crown re-opens July 4

Starting July 4, a limited number of people will once again be allowed to climb to the crown of the Statue of Liberty.

The crown was closed after 9/11 for safety and security reasons.

“On July 4th, we are giving America a special gift,” Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said in a news release. “We are once again inviting the public to celebrate our great nation and the hope and opportunity it symbolizes by climbing to Lady Liberty’s crown for a unique view of New York Harbor, where the forbearers of millions of American families first saw the new world.”

Only 10 people will be allowed to climb to the crown at one time. To reach the crown, visitors must climb a 168-step, double-helix spiral staircase.

In advance of the crown’s opening, officials are taking a number of steps they say will increase safety, including raising the handrails on the spiral staircase and stationing rangers throughout the Statue to aid visitors.

“We cannot eliminate all the risk of climbing to the crown, but we are taking steps to make it safer,” Salazar said. “Once the work is complete, the Statue will be safer, and so will its visitors.

For more info: Taking the Big Apple one bite at a time

National Parks waiving entry fees on select weekends this summer

National Parks nationwide are waiving entry fees on three weekends this summer, and officials hope everyone will take advantage of the deal to visit a park.

Fees at the 147 parks nationwide that charge for entry will be waived June 20-21, July 18-19 and Aug. 15-16. In addition, partner companies – including tour operators, hotels, restaurants and gift shops – will offer discounts and promotions on those weekends.

“During these tough economic times, our national parks provide opportunities for affordable vacations for families,” Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said at a press conference at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. “I encourage everyone to visit one of our nation’s crown jewels this summer and especially to take advantage of the three free-admission weekends.”

Entrance fees typically range from $3 to $25. An additional 244 National Parks do not charge entry fees.

For more information, log onto http://www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm.

National Parks waiving entry fees on select weekends this summer

National Parks nationwide are waiving entry fees on three weekends this summer, and officials hope everyone will take advantage of the deal to visit a park.

Fees at the 147 parks nationwide that charge for entry will be waived June 20-21, July 18-19 and Aug. 15-16. In addition, partner companies – including tour operators, hotels, restaurants and gift shops – will offer discounts and promotions on those weekends.

“During these tough economic times, our national parks provide opportunities for affordable vacations for families,” Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar said at a press conference at Cuyahoga Valley National Park. “I encourage everyone to visit one of our nation’s crown jewels this summer and especially to take advantage of the three free-admission weekends.”

Entrance fees typically range from $3 to $25. An additional 244 National Parks do not charge entry fees.

For more information, log onto http://www.nps.gov/findapark/feefreeparks.htm.