Don't even think it!

"If airlines could prohibit passengers via regulation to carry food on flights, it should improve the ancillary revenue stream opportunities considerably. Assuming the majority of passengers decided against eating prior to departure, the industry would benefit from a potentially larger audience--the five-year average number of annual enplanements (defined as one fare-paying passenger) was approximately 746 million according to the Bureau of Transportation. In addition, these other revenue streams would enhance profitability tremendously because the markups on these products would likely remain excessive. Although the public would negatively react to this change, this structure is analogous to the setup at every major sporting event venue or concert hall."

Once airlines started floating the idea of dispensing with seats it seemed nothing else was sacred. On short haul flights it doesn't seem so bad-indeed, many airlines do it already- but forcing travelers to pay for meals on a 10 hour trans-continental flight seems even less in keeping with the natural order than getting in a metal tube and hurtling four miles above the ocean in the first place.

Morningstar: Will the airline industry face heavy turbulence?

Morningstar:

Where am I?

The first time I went to Italy I had the eery feeling that I'd been transported back to my home of Long Island. Economist Tyler Cowen, blogging from Sicily, seems to have the same impression:

"The young people look like they're from Rome, the old people look like they're from New Jersey."

Marginal Revolution: Palermo Notes

Advice to the President

In addition to suggesting that Obama win the everlasting loyalty of Medvedev's staff by asking for cigarette breaks during long meetings comes this tidbit from the Moscow Times:

"You could also visit the Gazprom PR department, not to discuss gas disputes with Ukraine but to seek an explanation of how the company came up with the name Nigaz for a new Russian-Nigerian joint venture. We hear that Gazprom spokesman Sergei Kupriyanov is especially good at the correct pronunciation of the word."

Moscow Times: An Insider’s Guide to Moscow for Mr. Obama

The real life Rocketeer

This could make commuting for my long distance relationship a lot more convenient, but my hair would be a nightmare when I got there.

NYT TierneyLab: Jet Man Crosses English Channel

NYT Travel: Seoul

My experience with Korean food has been limited to kalbi (yum), bulgogi (Yum), and fried chicken (YUM). But according to this article, there's a whole country full of grilled and fried spicy meats awaiting me. I don't know much about what else there is to see in Korea, but a waffle cone full of steak and spaghetti sounds like a big enough draw to me.