Footloose and fancy-free

June 30th, 2009 § 0

In days long ago, when we were footloose and fancy-free, we would all travel at the drop of a hat. Come the weekend or a holiday break, we would get in the car and drive somewhere different. When the cost of air travel dropped, flying somewhere warmer for a weekend break was normal. Airline routes crossed the world. Nowhere was too far away. One of the first mass market discounts was the so-called stand-by ticket. Because airlines can be left with seats unsold on the day of flight, they would sell the tickets at a reduced price to anyone who happened to be there.

Some money collected on an empty seat was better than no money. When word of this system spread, the young with a few dollars in their pockets… Continue reading

How to save money

June 30th, 2009 § 0

Let's start of with a few basics. All the airlines publish their fares. So, if you go to them directly, you know exactly how much you are going to be asked to pay. That said, there are "high" and "low" seasons where the volume of traffic rises and falls. Airlines do offer "sale" prices to maintain passenger volumes during the low seasons. Some increase their prices at the peak periods. Then you have the budget carriers. These offer basic carriage at a basic price. All this information is usually freely available and gives you the base price to work from. Then we come to the "special offers". These are prices advertised in the local press or through the internet, promoting particular airlines or online ticket agents. They often invite you… Continue reading

Last minute travel

June 30th, 2009 § 0

Let's say you're the adventurous type with some spare money and the time to spend, what are your options? Well, the news is that airlines love and hate you. Airlines have these expensive planes and they like to see their seats sold as far in advance as possible. That way, they have the cash before they pay for the fuel to fly you where you want to go. Hopefully, they know they have covered their costs and made a profit on each flight. More importantly, they can calculate the amount of fuel to load before collecting the passengers. But not everyone does buy well in advance so airlines have this temptation to sell off seats more cheaply at the last minute. Empty seats earn no money. Even a little money… Continue reading

Geologist Edith Starbuck Awarded Best Poster Presentation at Missouri GIS Conference

May 9th, 2009 § 0

ROLLA, MO, MARCH 20, 2009 -- Garnering the "Best Poster Presentation" award at the 12th Annual Missouri Geographic Information Systems (GIS) Conference held in February is a first for Edith Starbuck, who is a registered geologist with Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Division of Geology and Land Survey in Rolla. Starbuck's poster titled, Surficial Material and Bedrock Geologic Mapping at the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geology and Land Survey, describes the process the department's geologic investigations unit staff use to create geologic maps for Missouri. Geologic maps are essential tools in planning Missouri's future. They enable us to optimize the use of water, fuel and mineral resources and minimize environmental degradation and hazards. The potential impact on Missouri's economy is staggering. According to Meeting Challenges with Geologic Maps, Series… Continue reading

Education

January 6th, 2009 § 0

Under Reconstruction…