Hi All! Some odds and ends from the world of travel...Last month saw a number of stories commemorating the sinking of the Titanic. Have you heard there will be a Titanic II? No, I'm not talking about a movie sequel, but a new cruise ship being ordered by an Australian mining magnate to be built in China and be ready for the 2016 sailing year! Now, the question is would you pay almost $90,000 for a first-class cabin? That's what the original wealthy folks paid in 1912 - $4350 was the equivalent of $90,000 today! Two other Titanic footnotes you might be interested to know: The Germans made a movie during WWII, of the sinking of the Titanic - somehow it was a propaganda vehicle riling against the rich, capitalistic countries they were fighting! And did you ever wonder why there were only 16 lifeboats on the ship? The design originally called for enough lifeboats to take care of all the passengers, but the owners of the White Line thought the boats destroyed the view! Sadly, the British Maritime Law had not been updated since 1898 when the ships were smaller and 16 lifeboats were all that were required by law..and now you know the rest of the story. This next item is, of course, not for you, but those folks down the block. A bill is courrently making its way through Congress allowing the Federal Government to revoke the passport of any U.S. citizen that owes money to the IRS.Is Florence, Italy on your travel plans? If you are a movie buff, you may want to stay at the Hotel degli Orafi, or as it was known when they filmed, "A Room With A View," the pensione Bertolini. To get the view that brought George and Lucy together, ask for Room 414 overlooking the Arno River! Now here's a country that gets it right! A judge in Lithuania has halted a worker's strike against the Carlsberg beer plant in Vilnius, saying that the beer company is vitally essential - putting it in the same legal category as medical supplies! A lot of travelers use Trip Advisor to get the inside scoop on where to stay and what to see before leaving home. Now the website has started a feature called, "Friend of A Friend," that puts any reviews from your friends on Facebook account first on the listing...they are betting that you will trust your friends more than some stranger or worst yet - some planted review by the hotel, etc. Check it out!If you like reading items like this, please leave a comment and I'll will continue bringing them to you! Thanks, John