Politicians are addicted to taxes that they swear aren’t really taxes—not ones paid by locals anyway.
Travel
JetBlue Worst Airline for Holiday Travel
Hawaiian Airlines tops the list of the best airlines for on-time arrivals
Cruise Industry’s Mysterious ‘Man Overboard’ Problem
It appears as if the number of cruise-ship passengers who jump, fall or otherwise end up in the ocean is regularly underreported. Perhaps four times as many passengers as official reports would lead the public to believe actually …
The Fee-Crazed Airline Travelers Love to Hate Keeps Piling Up Profits
You Have No Prayer of Getting a Cheap Flight for the Holidays
Everyone knows that booking early is the only hope travelers have to avoid paying through the nose for holiday flights. This year, the price of booking at the last minute may be higher than ever.
States: No Thanks, We’ll Keep National Parks Closed
On Thursday, President Obama announced that even as the federal shutdown continued, states could open national parks within their borders, with one caveat: States must use their own money to cover expenses. Several states reacted …
Too Many Casinos: Looks Like We’ve Reached Gambling Saturation
Even as more casinos open around the country, there are indications that gambling revenues are leveling off—that we’re reaching a saturation point, with too many casinos for everybody to win.
Gas Prices Are About to Hit New Lows
By Halloween — and perhaps much sooner, if the federal shutdown dampens demand significantly — consumers are likely to see the cheapest gas prices so far this year
How to Make Airline Tickets Less … Awful
A consumer group is calling for more reasonable airline ticket policies, including eliminating standby fees and allowing passengers to transfer unused tickets to other travelers — neither of which would cost airlines a dime. But don’t hold your breath waiting for airlines to suddenly start caring about being fair and reasonable.
Visit India (Desperate for Foreign Exchange, They’ll Make it Easier For You)
Plummeting foreign exchange earnings prompts government to liberalize visa rules
Don’t Be Afraid to Share: Ridesharing Companies Lyft, Sidecar, UberX Get Official OK in California
It’s often been difficult for “sharing economy” participants to confirm what they’re doing is legal. But now we have a little clarity—at least in terms of the sharing of car rides, at least in California.
Guess Who’s Getting Some Pretty Awful Reviews: User Review Sites
The trustworthiness of Yelp, Angie’s List, and other “unbiased” ratings services is called into question in a new study by Consumer Reports. And the consumer advocacy publication is hardly the only one taking issue with …