At the end of last week's episode of Amazing Race 13, Andrew and Dan were penniless and in last place, but still in the race. Moscow almost did them in. Because it was a non-elimination round, they were granted a second chance. Luckily, with the Amazing Race and reality television, each new day brings a new beginning and more money.

When these frat boys opened their first clue, they found $326 to keep them solvent.

Of all the episodes this season, this particular day in Moscow evoked experiences similar to what it really is like to travel in another country. Most of the tasks involved traveling from one point to another while navigating signage written in the Cyrillic alphabet. For anyone who has tried to navigate another country in a hurry when the written language is unrecognizable, the teams' experiences may have looked familiar.

Travel Tips:

1. Check to make sure you have all your belongings with you when you get out of a taxi
2. When trying to catch a taxi, notice which direction the traffic flow is greater. If need be, cross the street to up your chances of finding one. You can always get a taxi to turn around.
3. If you loose all your money, don't be embarrassed to ask for help.
4. If possible, use a taxi with a GPS system. It can save time and money.
5. The metro system in Moscow has a map that looks similar to other metro system maps which makes taking the metro look fairly simple to navigate. Try it if you're in Moscow. It will be much cheaper than taking a taxi and you'll be out of the quagmire of Moscow traffic.
6. Do not let one person carry all the money. Each person should at least carry some of it.

Recap and Cultural Highlights-

This episode was one of buzzing about Moscow in taxis, trains and trolleys to sites that play tribute to Russia's political, literary and dance traditions.

First stop was to the sonar room of a retired Russian nuclear submarine to find the actor who had a role in the movie "The Hunt for Red October." So far so good in the lack of mishaps department. No one had trouble here. Then it was off to the Graveyard of Fallen Monuments where one of the team members had to find statues of Lenin and Stalin among statues of other people who were also involved with Russia's complex past. Once the team member found the number of the statues of each dictator, it was off to an antique book store in order to pick up the next clue.

This is where Toni made two big mistakes.

Mistake 1--For some reason, she let Dallas do this task. Of the two of them, she would have known what the dictators looked like. Dallas was clueless. It was a guessing game for him. Mistake 2- Toni gave him the bag with the passports and money--all the money-- while she headed to the spot where they would be meeting back up.

Nick quickly figured out the statue riddle and promptly stole Tina and Ken's taxi. Their taxi had a GPS system and Nick did not have one qualm about taking it from them. Is this guy going into banking or what?

There were 6 of Lenin and 2 of Stalin (62). At the bookstore, Dallas, still not knowing the number combo, was helped out by Tina. In the meantime, Dan & Andrew were once again behind the pack because their taxi driver took them to the wrong park.

At the book store, once the teams told the owner the correct number "62,"--a numbers guessing game for everyone but Nick, the owner handed them a book by Russian writer Mikhail Bulgakov. On page 62 was the address of the apartment building on Sadovaya Street where there was another clue and their teammate. From the apartment building, the teams were to take a taxi to Sokol'niky Park to find a woman with a Shetland pony.

The apartment building was this episode's pivotal point. Andrew & Dan were able to catch up after a guy in the park took Dan to the various statues and then led him to the bookstore and the apartment complex.

Dallas, unfortunately, did the very thing that creates the worst traveler's nightmare. He left his bag in the taxi when he got out. There went the taxi into Moscow traffic with the money and the passport. Horrified, Dallas tried to chase it down, but to no avail. Toni behaved much better than I would have. She took the high road as the two of them decided they would set off to the next destination on the metro.

I can't imagine what it would have been like to be the cameraman filming that taxi drive off. Certainly, the people who film the Amazing Race must become attached to the teams they are following all over the world.

For their money woes, Toni and Dallas did find out just how generous people in Moscow are. People helped them over and over again by giving them money for metro fare.

Unfortunately, rules are rules, so when they showed up at the park to find the woman with the Shetland pony, the woman wouldn't give them the clue because they hadn't taken a taxi. That meant bumming more money from complete strangers so they could go back to their last location in order to take a taxi. That involved bumming an even larger sum.

In the meantime, Andrew & Dan were off doing their Speed Bump which was learning a Russian dance with a dance troupe. Luckily, they didn't have to be perfect before they were allowed to proceed. The marching in the last episode was a hopeless endeavor for Andrew, and both of them equally stunk at Russian dancing. Watching them try was a hoot.

As the teams picked up their clue from the woman with the pony, they had to decide if they wanted to Ride the Rails (the metro) or Ride the Lines (the trolley system) to their next destination. On Ride the Rails, the first destination was a snack shop near Ulitsa 1905 where they were to pick up a traditional snack food called a samsa. On the wrapper was the clue to their next destination, a statue of the man who invented the Cyrillic alphabet. This involved a ride to another station where a woman gave them a postcard with the picture of VNDKh Park Station, their next destination, in exchange for the samsa.

The Ride the Lines involved taking a street car to a station where they would find a key maker who would give them a key to unlock a locker at another station. In the locker was a postcard of VNDKh Park Station.

The metro was the most confusing, but quicker. Tina & Ken ended up taking a bus first, but then found out they were on the wrong system. They also made a mistake at VNDKh Park Station because they didn't look for the clue box that told them where to head to the Pit Stop. Instead, they ran after Andrew & Dan who miraculously came in 2nd.

At the Pit Stop in VNDKh Park, Phil told Tina & Ken to go find the clue. In the meantime, Dallas & Toni valiantly tried to make up time despite their lack of money handicap.

Ken & Tina found the clue box, thus their ticket to the Pit Stop. In a sad, sad scene, Phil found Toni & Dallas to tell them that they had been eliminated.

Who won this round?: Nick and Starr. I have absolutely no interest in these two. I'm wondering when they will be able to take all these vacations they keep winning. With this win, they're heading to Anguilla if they can find the time to squeeze it in.

Toni & Dallas's words of travel wisdom: Travel can make bonds stronger. "This had been the best experience of my life," said Toni through her tears. "Everything I am is because of my mom," Dallas said.

I'm sure he really feels blessed because she didn't throttle him for losing that bag.

Next week is the final push as the three teams of Nick & Starr, Ken & Tina and Andrew & Dan race towards the finish line and a million dollars. I'm hoping Ken & Tina win. If they don't my vote is that they stay married anyway. When they see the footage of this show, I can't imagine that they won't see how well they actually get along.

I would have equally pushed for Dan & Andrew, but Andrew said he wouldn't have lent Toni & Dallas $10 if he had it. Although, if he had, Toni & Dallas would have been ahead of them. He didn't have the money anyway. Dan had it.

Unfortunately, I bet Nick & Starr will win which makes me think that it's a dog eat dog world after all.

Amazing Race 13 recap 10: People in Moscow sure are generous originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 01 Dec 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A month ago, I wrote about a Civil War driving tour in Tennessee. Here's another one I found out about in an engaging article by Jodi Helmer in the November/December issue of AAA's Home and Away magazine.

Helmer followed North Carolina's Blue-Gray Scenic Byway on a quest to find historic sites connected to the Civil War. The journey was a hunt and ask venture that wound through small towns and tobacco fields. As she found out, even a nondescript field where a battle took place has significance. Such was the case when she went into the Harper House, the now museum, but once farmhouse that was turned into a hospital during the war in order to treat soldiers who were wounded.

Other points of interest along the way were the Cliffs of Neuse State Park, the remnants of CSS Neuse--a ship used by the Confederate Navy, and small towns like Dudley, Seven Springs and Deep Run.

People in these towns pointed Helmer in the direction of terrific barbecue. She suggests Wilber's Barbecue in Goldsboro.

Reading Helmer's article reminded me of the importance of pulling off the road once in awhile to read those brown historic markers and asking the locals, "Where would you eat and what's worth seeing here?"

For more information about the Blue-Gray Scenic Byway, click here. One thing to keep in mind, many places are closed on Sundays. Here is a down-loadable brochure of the Civil War Trail another tour option.

Civil War driving tour in North Carolina: A trip on the Blue-Gray Scenic Byway originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 30 Nov 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Walking or cycling are the best cardio exercises while you are on vacation. That's the first exercise tip on this video I came across while I was looking for the video on the Push-up Bandit in Santa Monica. The recommendation is to put your car keys away. As the narrator states, bicycling and walking on vacation offer a close-up experience of your surroundings. Considering that this is the time of year where packing on pounds can come easily, this video has a certain timeliness quality.

Despite the tropic theme, as noted by the palm trees and sand, and the incredibly built hard-body of the narrator that sort of distracted me at first, the exercises are doable if one has the notion to exercise while on the road. As the guy who makes these videos points out, you don't need a gym to stay fit. He also give effective explanations on how to achieve success even if you are a beginner. Perhaps I was distracted by the biceps because in Columbus, one doesn't see such a scene all that often, if ever.

Start exercising while you're on vacation originally appeared on Gadling on Sun, 30 Nov 2008 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Yesterday, while wandering through Westside Market in Cleveland, I passed by several stalls laden with baked goods, some sporting poppy seed. The poppy seed strudel was mighty tempting. This brought to mind the sidebar I saw that was attached to the article about Michelle Palmer's and Vince Acors escape from jail time in Dubai after they allegedly had sex on the beach.

Before Palmer and Acor's legal woes in Dubai, there was an earlier account about how people who bring poppy seeds into the UAE can also meet serious trouble. There could be trouble even if there are only a few seeds dribbled on a coat after eating a bagel before heading off to Dubai. Iva posted on that very situation back in February. There was one Swiss person who had eaten a bagel with poppy seeds and was arrested.

While eyeing the poppy seed strudel and thinking how yummy it looked, I also remembered that poppy seeds are not allowed in Singapore either. At least, you couldn't buy them when I lived there in the 1990s. Perhaps Singapore has loosened up, but I think not.

The issue with poppy seeds is the same issue in Dubai. Instead of baking with poppy seeds, people could just get a notion to turn them into opium. The thing is, from what I understand, opium is not made from poppy seeds, but from the unripe poppy seed pod. Eating poppy seeds, however, can result in a false positive for the drug. Tricky.

Because this is an older story, I checked the U.S. Department of State page on UAE to see if poppy seeds are still banned. Yes, they are. I looked on Singapore's page to see if I could find out about poppy seeds. I couldn't find a reference to them, but the don'ts in Singapore is a mighty hefty list.

Leave the poppy seed strudel at home if you're heading to UAE originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 29 Nov 2008 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Death, hunger strike, and execution reveal mounting tension between Taiwan and China originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 29 Nov 2008 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Only today and tomorrow are left in National Adoption Month. If it weren't for traveling, perhaps I wouldn't have a reason to notice this detail. On my first trip to Vietnam with my husband back in the mid-90's, we met two couples who were in the process of adopting a baby. One couple was French. I can't remember where the other couple was from.

Every day they left the hotel where we were all staying to fill out paperwork--or take care of whatever details they had to finish in order to be able to take their babies out of Vietnam.

As a person who always wanted to adopt, there was a small seed planted the first time I saw the French mother lean over her baby and tuck a blanket around the sleeping form. My husband had the same seed start to grow as well.

Two years later, there we were heading to Vietnam again to see about finding our own child. This was a vague plan since we were living in Singapore at the time and weren't quite sure what we were doing.

When we we first saw our daughter, it was the middle of December more than a dozen years ago. Seven months later, she became part of our family. Believe me, the story is a bit longer than that. Since that time we've been back to Vietnam many times and have had our world expand far more than we could have imagined.

Anyone who has spent time at an American or international school knows that ours is not an unusual story. Many people who live overseas adopt children. Perhaps this is because once families know several people who have adopted, adoption seems like a feasible endeavor. I don't know if this is true, it's just a thought.

The combinations of families I knew ranged from a single woman who adopted two children, to a family with several birth children who wanted to expand, to a couple with a high school-age son who was blessed with the addition of a young toddler-aged daughter. Each of these families were fantastic and the children have thrived. If it weren't for my husband's and my traveling ways, we wouldn't have met any of them--and we wouldn't have our own bundle of joy who is now 16. For any of you with teenagers, you know how that goes. Seriously, she's a gem. Seriously. No, seriously.

For information about adoption, the National Adoption Center Web site might be a place to start.

November is National Adoption Month and a traveler's tale originally appeared on Gadling on Sat, 29 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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A person could get pretty depressed when taking a gander at how money, or rather the lack of it is influencing the places we love to go.

Perhaps some of the change is due to cultural shifts that would happen anyway. It's hard to tell sometimes exactly what condition is causing the change.

This week at Gadling, there are a few posts that have to do with changes that are taking place around the world.

• In France, fewer people are hanging out in cafes these days. Jeffrey gives the issue some thought in one of his posts.
• Brenda provided more insight regarding the woes of Hawaii's travel industry. As a person from the state, and a world traveler, she has an understanding of the factors that are influencing people's vacation decisions.
• In a post yesterday, Brenda also offered musings about the state of travel given the fact that there are so many places that seem inhospitable. She's interested in Cuba and wonders if Americans are welcome.
• Aaron, however, usually a sunny sort, has great things to say about travel in Chile. If you don't catch this one detail while you read, he'd love to go back and is looking for someone to take him along.
• On another positive note, if you want to feel great today, look at ImprovEverywhere's latest video. As their latest stunt proves, everyone in the world could use a rousing welcome home--even if it's from a group of total strangers. All you need is signage, balloons and warm, smiling faces.

Gadling Take FIVE: Week of Nov. 22 --Nov. 28 originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 28 Nov 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ever since the news came out about the terrorist attacks in Mumbai, I've been reading about people's personal experiences and reactions. They remind me of one reason why the World Trade Center made such an impact when the towers came crashing down, as well as why travel to distant places makes the world, and what happens in it, seem so much more relevant.

When the towers were attacked and the world reacted, it reminded me slightly of the reactions when Princess Diana died. The reactions weren't the same, or for the same reason, but Diana's death was one that had significance to people everywhere. There was an emotional connection. The towers and Princess Diana were symbolic in a way that that most recognize their importance. There are few events that hold the entire world's attention.

When Princess Diana was killed in that awful car crash there was a riveting affect. People tuned in for days. The World Trade Center will never quite fade away. Can't you still see it's shadow whenever you see the skyline of Manhattan and recognize where they should be? Then there are the people who were lost who will remain forever as a part of a shared history that we haven't been able to set aside because how can we?

In other circumstances, when images aren't so iconic, but other dreadful events occur in the world outside the boundaries of our day to day existence, we might say, "How dreadful," when we look at the TV screen, but then go about pouring ourselves a cup of coffee, or wonder if we have enough clothes to last a few more days--or do we need to do a load of laundry after all?

When I heard about the troubles with terrorism in Mumbai, I felt connected somewhat because of my own experiences in India and because I have friends who are living there. They could very well be in Mumbai right now. The places that have been targeted are the very places they might have gone. But, I am still a bit distracted from Mumbai from my Thanksgiving feast and the fact that I am in Cleveland and heading to Denmark in a few days.

Others, though, have had a much more dramatic reaction because they were just in Mumbai--or they are there now. For them, there isn't a distraction. One account is by Carl Hoffman, a contributing editor of Intelligent Travel. Hoffman was recently in Mumbai at the Leopold Cafe and Bar, one of the establishments where patrons were attacked. At the time of the attack, Hoffman was safely in New Delhi, but the news has carried personal meaning. I'm sure he can picture each table, the ambiance and where he sat. Perhaps he can still taste his drink or what he ate.

Another account that caught my attention is Steve Simms' story. His story was told by someone else in this New Zealand Herald article. Simms is staying in a hotel across the street from the Taj Palace and was watching it burn. Normally, Simms stays in the Taj Palace, but there weren't rooms when he arrived so he stayed across the street. From his hotel room at the time the article was written, he could see the window of the room where he normally stayed in the Taj Palace.

Both of these men's accounts is an indication of what happens when you travel. You have a personal response to a place that does not fade easily.

When we travel, places no longer remain abstract. It becomes harder to just do our laundry or have that cup of coffee. When we hear the news in the world, every place has aspects of the Twin Towers or Princess Diana. As the world becomes smaller, disasters in the far away corners of the world feel as if they are in our own backyard.

Reading their accounts is one way that we can find out that we do care after all, and whether the laundry gets done or not is not particularly important. Right now there are places in Mumbai that may or may not be the same--ever.

Of course, there are the other people who have never been to India, but who are forever connected, even though they may never set foot in Mumbai. They are the people like those in Brooklyn who are anxiously waiting to see if their beloved Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg and his wife, Rivka are safe. This rabbi and his wife are among the hostages. Their two year-old son and his nanny escaped. [see New York Times article.] For them, the connection to Mumbai is personal, although they may have no idea about the significance of the Taj Palace.

When political gets personal. Reactions to Mumbai originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 28 Nov 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Remember the names Michelle Palmer and Vince Acors? They are the two Brits who weren't really a couple until they met at a champagne brunch in Dubai, got drunk, and then proceeded to get frisky on a beach. Before that party, they didn't know each other. After they became better acquainted after a cocktail or two, or who knows how many, their friskiness got them much international attention and jail time.

I sort of stood up for Ms. Palmer in an earlier post this summer before all the news came out that perhaps she had been warned by the police to stop her frolicking with Mr. Acors because what they were doing looked a like having sex. Instead of listening to the men in blue, or whatever colors the police wear in Dubai, she kept on with her male companion, who from the sounds of it, had about as much sense as she did. The two have claimed innocence to the sex part. Kissing? Yes. Nookie? No.

Regardless of what really went on, as Josh later posted these two were given a three-month sentence. I found out at Jaunted that these two are leaving Dubai after avoiding jail time. Instead of jail, their behavior will cost each them the equivalent of $272 and deportation. [Here's an L.A. Times article with more info.]

That's not such a bad amount of money, but I bet neither of them will look at an expanse of sand the same way again.

And for the rest of you who feel like a bit of friskiness on the beach, it can get you jail time. Really. Even in the U.S., sex on the beach can get you in trouble. If not jail time, there may be a world of embarrassment in your future.

Sex on the beach couple out of jail in Dubai originally appeared on Gadling on Fri, 28 Nov 2008 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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The State of American Tourism: Thailand, India, and Cuba originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 27 Nov 2008 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This time six years ago, I was pregnant and living in New Delhi, India. On one of my journeys to a sonogram appointment, the taxi passed by one of the Indian government buildings where terrorists had attempted an attack that day. The camera crews and reporters were just leaving.

Later at the doctor's office, as I saw a clear image of my son thanks to 3-D technology, the curve of his nose and the way his hand rested against his cheek showed the contrast between his life on the inside and what life felt like on the outside. There was a sharp division.

Generally, I see the world as a safe place. Even when we continued to live in India, the various incidents of unrest did not startle us much. We went about our lives like most people do. We worked, visited with friends and took interesting trips to various places where I never felt unease.

Since we left India, two places we used to go regularly in New Delhi have been bombed. Orissa, a state we visited before we moved to India has been fraught with religious unrest.

Now, with the latest hostage situation and killings in Mumbai--a place we did not get a chance to visit but planned to if we had not moved back to the U.S, the division between safety and danger seems all that more acute.

I'm certain that if we were still living in India, we'd be going about our business as usual and we would probably be on a Thanksgiving weekend away somewhere at this moment. Perhaps, we'd be staying at one of our favorite raj palaces turned into a hotel surrounded by countryside with nothing but tiny villages for miles.

Still, the news coming out of India gives me the feeling that sometimes, as mundane as home may seem, home feels like a blessing.

Then again, it's always good to travel to remind oneself, that in most cases, the world is safe despite the news.

[This article posted 2 hours ago in the Business Standard says that the hostage situation is under control. The photo is of the Taj Palace burning.]

Mayhem in Mumbai and why not living in India seems safer originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 27 Nov 2008 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Macy's in New York City is one of those icons that features into many a trip to the Big Apple.

Our travel agent in Singapore told us when she visited the U.S. that Macy's was her favorite stop in NYC. Of course, she also told us that one week in Disney World was not enough.

This video that spans several years shows just how much Macy's has played into American culture. Ignore that it's an ad for Macy's. I was impressed by just how many movies have made reference to this store. There are shots of the Thanksgiving Day Parade as well. I haven't seen this ad before. Perhaps, you have. At any rate, I am fond of movie montages, so here it is. Regardless of whether one likes Macy's or not, this is sure an example of the cross between consumer economics, travel and culture.

Vintage Macy's: A bit of the parade and a lot of movie clips originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 27 Nov 2008 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Turducken: Where Does It Come From? originally appeared on Gadling on Thu, 27 Nov 2008 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Last March I went to Mexico on a do-good travel venture which involved building a house. Here is a simpler way to do good if you are heading to Cancun, Mexico on a vacation and want to share your good fortune at being able to afford such a vacation in the first place.

When I read about this program in Home and Away magazine, it caught my attention as one way to count blessings while on a holiday jaunt. As a response to the often impoverished conditions outside tourist resorts in Cancun, Andrew and Nancy Myers began Give a Toy, Get a Smile. The organization gives toys to children in the region who may not have many toys, if any at all.

The suggestion of the organization is that you add hair ribbons, non-battery operated or non-electrical toys, school supplies, a backpack, or any other simple and useful item a child might enjoy to your bag when you pack. When you arrive in Cancun, you can drop off the items at a specific location.

In case you get to Cancun and don't have items to donate, it's not too late. Buy school supplies at a local store and donate those. There was a small grocery store near the house that I helped to build. The house was not really in a town, but perched up on mountainous area about thirty miles from Tijuana. Among the shelves, I saw items a child would enjoy. I imagine that while you are in Cancun you can find a box of crayons somewhere.

Here are more ideas for what you might bring to donate if you feel so moved.

Give a Toy and Get a Smile: a charity organization in Cancun that helps tourists give originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 26 Nov 2008 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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1. The famous "El Arco," which is a natural rock arch formed by crashing surf is a sight to behold if you make your way to Lover's Beach.
2. Zippers, a surf break located about forty minutes by car from the Cabo San Lucas Harbor, is one of the best breaks in Mexico if not the world.
3. I can look forward to jubilation upon hearing the news of Speidi's breakup/divorce; it's bound to happen.

Cabo San Lucas: Oh No They Didn't originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 26 Nov 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Although the boycott of Utah could cost the state a bundle in tourism dollars if it's a success--and if it's happening--here's another idea to make an impact. Scott McCoy, an openly gay senator in Utah, has suggested that people who are gay should head to Utah in droves. I read about McCoy's views in this Seattle Times article.

The idea McCoy had when he heard about the ban is to show folks in Utah that gay people and gay families are genuine and wonderful people. By showing up in Utah and doing vacation like things, these families would in essence be educating people about the need gay families have for equal rights under the law just like other families.

Reading McCoy's take on the boycott reminded me about my experience at Kings Island this past August during Gay Pride Night. I went with my brother, his friend and my daughter. As I stood in line to ride the Firehawk, the roller coaster you ride mostly on your stomach, and looked at the other people in line, I thought how utterly common a scene it was. Shorts, T-shirts, sneakers, middle-aged paunches on some, better haircuts on others, talking, laughing, smiling, and visiting. When it stopped raining and all the rides were a go, the joy felt exactly the same on any other day when I've been to an amusement park in the rain. For some reason, give me a summer and I'll go on the rainy day. It's not planned that way, it just happens.

If I hadn't known we were there on Gay Pride Night, I really wouldn't have been able to tell. Maybe McCoy has a point. On the other hand, Colorado lost millions of dollars in the 80s when there was a similar boycott.

Peter Greenburg , the Today show's travel guru, pointed out earlier this year before Prop 8 passed [see article] that with gay people being allowed to tie the knot in California, that state was going to be able to pull in serious bucks. I imagine these days, it's good-bye dough to some extent.

Regardless of ones political or religious opinions, tourism is a powerful playmate when it comes to a state's financial health.

Instead of boycotting Utah, here's an opposite idea. If you're gay, head there in droves originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tofurkey: Where Did It Come From? originally appeared on Gadling on Wed, 26 Nov 2008 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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If you have a hankering to start doing sit-ups in Santa Monica, California in a public place, think again. It doesn't matter if you grunt when you do a sit-up, or rise smoothly with the greatest of ease. There is a ban on such behavior.

Not all public places are affected by the ban on public displays of Pilate's-like exercises, however. It's also not for all types of exercise. If you are jogging, running, pushing a stroller or hopping forward on one foot (I added the last one), you are free to get fit.

The ban is only for staying in one place exercises--and only on grassy meridians medians. Being that folks in Santa Monica are such exercise hounds, residents who live around traffic meridians where these calisthenic lovers congregate finally became sick and tired of the commotion and complained.

People who exercise on meridians are not all that quiet --and they litter. Recently, police officers have been stopping people who crouch down for a squat thrust or even a calf stretch. Pick up a barbell and you're in trouble. If the person who is exercising doesn't amble away quietly, he or she could be fined up to $158. Of course, considering that Santa Monica is filled with gobs of beautiful people some homeowners who live around the meridians have not minded watching the exercisers one bit and are feeling some disappointment that their early morning entertainment has dwindled.

Because of the meridian exercise ban, people have been using the sides of the streets for their stretching routines. Be on the lookout if you're driving in a vicinity of a meridian. It would be horrible to hit someone. You might find the most people near the corner of Fourth Street and Adelaide Drive. That's where the most problematic meridian is located according to this article in The New York Times. That's where I read about the ban.

There is a court date in January to determine if the ban is legal. The photo was taken at Waikiki Beach, Hawaii where you can do sit ups until the cows come home if you want to.

Santa Monica police are cracking down on sit-ups in public places originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 25 Nov 2008 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Trouble in Hawaiian Paradise: A Realist's Point of View originally appeared on Gadling on Tue, 25 Nov 2008 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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1. Get In!
2. Sorry, Rob!
3. The Agents!
4. Sorry, We're Late for a Meeting

Choose Your Own YouTube Adventure originally appeared on Gadling on Mon, 24 Nov 2008 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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