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Computer Glitches Cause Delays
For months we heard baggage claim conveyors, air traffic systems,
everything was just fine for Y2K. But then, wouldn't you know, the Tuesday
before New Year's, the F.A.A. discovered a huge glitch in some air traffic
computers. Okay, it was a back-up to a back-up system, and they did get it
fixed in time. But all that meant was that the real headache didn't start
until after the new year.
Last Monday, the main air traffic computer in Boston went down, causing
delays all over the Northeast. Then, Thursday morning, another computer in
Washington, D.C. stopped working. Now, the F.A.A. fixed both those problems
in a matter of hours, but the result was hundreds of delayed and canceled
flights all over the Eastern U.S.
Nevertheless, though, the F.A.A. maintains the sky is not falling. After an
investigation, they declared this week's failures not Y2K-related.
New Fare Wars
So there, maybe the sky's not falling...but, here's some year 2000 good
news: air prices sure are. On Monday, T.W.A. cut fares by as much as 42
percent. Other major airlines quickly followed suit and before you knew
it, fare war!
Now, of course there's a lot of fine print. Let us try to sum it up. The
price drops are generally good until mid-May. But you have to book by
January 14th. That's not a lot of time to plan your trip. You also have to
buy at least two or three weeks ahead.
But heck, with our Year 2000 travel fears on the wane, why not splurge and
take a little weekend trip? Start the new century right...with travel.
Severance Pays Off
Lucky travelers in Cleveland this weekend will be treated to more than just
this music. It's the grand re-opening of Severance Hall, home of the
Cleveland Orchestra. After a $36 million renovation, critics are calling
Severance one of the best concert halls in the country. And no one's more
excited than Don Rosenburg. He writes about classical music for the
Cleveland Plain Dealer.
Rosenburg: "Oh, I've been looking forward to it like crazy because the hall
has been closed since last March and everybody wants to know -- well, a lot
of people want to know -- what it looks like. Most of us want to know what
it sounds like, because that's the key element."
For the eyes, there's new handpainted murals, woodwork and gilt ceilings.
But for the all-hearing ears, they've completely re-built the bandshell.
Travel Advisory
with Cheryl Glaser
Europe Recovers from December Storms
Western Europe is still recovering from December's storms, which wreaked
havoc all over the continent. But France bore the brunt of it. Wind and
rain smashed pinnacles at the back of Notre Dame in Paris and ripped over
10,000 trees from the grounds at Versailles. The gardens will most likely
reopen next week.
Other cathedrals in Strasbourg, Bordeaux and Chartres were also damaged, as
was the chateau at Chambord in the Loire Valley. Of those, only Chartres
Cathedral is closed, because of loose and falling stonework. But damage to
some French forests was so extensive, it may take over 200 years to fully
recover.
Potential Strike to Close French Border
And the news doesn't get better. On Monday, French truckers are planning a
protest and pledging to close border crossings into France. The action is
supported by many French labor unions and, the truckers say, will continue
indefinitely.
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