The crew aboard the motor vessel Poppa John train to deploy fire-resistant oil-containment boom off the coast of Venice, La., May 3, 2010. The crew is being trained to deploy the boom and pass it along to shrimp boats whose captains have been trained to tow it during an in situ burn. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Patrick Kelley.

All that 10W40 floating atop the Gulf of Mexico is still there.

And you’re still sitting in a Starbucks, sipping on your moca latte indifferencechino.  So why not help?

The National Geographic folks have collected up a list of different ways people can help, and, if they really want to, get their hands dirty down on the Gulf Coast — which is bracing for the slowest moving disaster to hit its shores since Union ships rounded Florida and set up a blockade. (Also, check out some of NG’s pictures of the spill here.)

Shrimp boats tow fire-resistant oil-containment boom as their crews conduct in situ burn training off the coast of Venice, La., May 3, 2010. The training is designed to help the local fisherman prepare to assist with possible future in situ burn operations. U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Patrick Kelley.

Ways to help:

So if you’ve got a boat and you’re down on the Gulf, you can actually call BP and volunteer to help. (They’ll pay you.) Call them at: 1-866-448-5816

BP has also set up a website called DeepWaterHorizonResponse.com as a way to send out its news directly to people — instead of through the media. You’d think with the billions of dollars the oil company has made, they would have built a better site, but hey, at least its trying.

You can also follow them on Twitter @Oil_Spill_2010) and Facebook page, though the only page we found about the Deepwater Horizon response was here and it didn’t look like a very friendly BP page. And that kind of makes sense, do you really want to become a fan of Big Oil? Nowadays, that’s just crude.

Containment boom is staged at the Breton National Wildlife Refuge, Thursday, April 29, 2010. As of Friday, April 30, 2010, over 217,000 feet of containment boom is used to help minimize the impact on environmentally sensitive areas.

Of course, you could become a fan of the Audubon Society, and they’re looking for people who can help. If you can’t go, you can always give them money. We do think it’s a bit tacky that the Audubon Society (which was created to help birds, not drive fast on the highway) is using this disaster as a way to push people to contact their congressman to pump federal funding dollars to clean up beaches that may or may not get hit with sludge. But hey, that’s politics.

MSNBC is also providing a slew of links for people who want to help. Check it out here.

The group OilSpillVolunteers.com also has a website to check things out and they say they already have enough volunteers, so don’t even bother heading south for the spring. Though, they will take your money.

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CheapCaribbean.com has another big sale lasting until Friday and is promoting a number of packages such as:

Dominican Republic – Punta Cana

5 nights starting at $1399.00 $599.00* per person w/ Air
Travel: Now – May 31

$100 Instant Saving with promo code PUNTACANA100 ~ All Inclusive

Hotel Only: $277.00 $59.00* per person per night All Inclusive.

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Barcelo Maya Caribe and Beach, Riviera Maya, Mexico

Hotel Only: $116.00 $88.00* per person per night All Inclusive

5 nights starting at $1299.00 $629.00* per person w/ Air
After Promo Code

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Iberostar Rose Hall Beach, Jamaica

Hotel Only: $169.00 $98.00* per person per night All Inclusive

4 nights starting at $979.00 $599.00* per person w/ Air After Promo Code

Editor’s note: All of the packages have limited dates and overall number of packages being offered. Also, airfare price could add to the overall price, so watch the final price carefully. And if the prices become too high, let us know, we’ll do a story on that too.

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Take a big boat from sunny southern California to coastal spring in Alaska. The 13-day cruise includes stops in San Francisco, Vancouver, Juneau and other ports of call.

The entire trips can cost as little as $$799 (for an interior cabin) or as much as $2,749 for a suite — though it’s up to the individual to decide how much time you’ll be in your room and not out watching the scene, enjoying the spa or feating on a five course meal.

Cruises remain a little bit of a mystery for much of the HTG staff, as we have yet take one — though we have vowed to do so this year. So two-weeks on a boat might be a lot to ask — however, the crazed cruisers seem to love it — and the Alaskan trip appears to be the Mecca of boat rides.

So grab your life vest and see for yourself. Don’t forget to walk up to the bow, close your eyes and get right on the edge. You’re flying! (in a boat.)

Check out the itinerary:

Cruise Itinerary:
Day	Ports of Call	Arrival	Departure
1 San Diego, California — 5:00 p.m. 2 At Sea — — 3 San Francisco, California 7:00 a.m. 4:00 p.m. 4 At Sea — — 5 At Sea — — 6 Ketchikan, Alaska 9:00 a.m. 5:00 p.m. 7 Juneau, Alaska 9:30 a.m. 8:00 p.m. 8 Skagway, Alaska 7:00 a.m. 7:00 p.m. 9 Cruise Hubbard Glacier 12:00 p.m. 4:00 p.m. 10 Sitka, Alaska 8:00 a.m. 7:00 p.m. 11 At Sea — — 12 Nanaimo, British Columbia 9:30 a.m. 7:00 p.m. 13 Victoria, British Columbia 8:30 a.m. 6:00 p.m. 14 Vancouver (Canada Place), British Columbia 7:00 a.m. —

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They’ll toss in $200 for your airplane ticket, $200 for you to eat, a free night at the resort and even a few more perks just for setting foot on the island.

Now, don’t think all of this graf doesn’t come without a price.

First of all, you have to book your time at either resort by March 15th. You have to stay at either facility between May 1 through July 4 or Aug. 15 through Dec. 18.

And nothing is free, with rates starting at $499 per person for a five-night stay at 80 room Hotel Kura Hulanda Spa & Casino and $519 per person for the same stay at the beach front Lodge Kura Hulanda & Beach Club. (We’d lean toward the one with the word “beach” in it, with its fancy square and eco pool — though we always thought the Caribbean was the biggest eco pool.) Prices are based on a flight from Miami, so you’ve got to pay to get that far as well.

So this may not be the cheapest getaway but you’re looking at a $600 up front savings at a 5 star resort. And any place that offers a $32 package to make sure there are four margaritas waiting for you when you arrive can’t be all that bad.

The full list of perks include:

$200 per person air credit from the Curaçao Tourist Board

$200 food and beverage credit

Fifth night free

One day complimentary diving excursion

One day complimentary car rental service

Two complimentary tickets to Museum Kura Hulanda (available at Hotel only)

Diving discounts (available at Lodge only)

Various additional shopping and museum discounts

You can book time at either resort here or email the hotel directly at: reservations@kurahulanda.com

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So now is the time to start looking at those last minute deals to places water laps up against the beach and the sun shine means it’s actually warm outside.

Additionally, resorts around the Caribbean may not have hit all of their goals for the season and are now cutting rates to try and squeeze out a few more customers.

Advantage: You.

Case in point: CuisinArt Resort and Spa.

This particular Anguilla resort has cut prices by 20 percent through April 2 and will add a host of services for anyone who go as part of its “Winter Promotions.”

Services include:

• Daily continental breakfast
• Anguilla airport or ferry greeting
• Caribbean welcome drink upon arrival
• Use of non-motorized water sports
• Scheduled fitness classes
• Use of three night-lit tennis courts

To make a reservation call (800) 943-3210 or visit the resort’s website.

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Basically, heroine addicts and speed shooters may want to think twice before packing up a bunch of needles in their carry on bags (checked luggage is still game though).  The reason: TSA agents tend to become pricks when they come across a few needles and you don’t have a doctor’s note. Additionally, transporting illegal drugs is often frowned upon by law enforcement agencies.

Ever since the underwear bomber tried to inject his panties with a chemical to cause an explosion, security has been a little more wary of strung out passengers carrying syringes in their luggage. Before Christmas, apparently, it didn’t matter and any one could have loaded up a bag full of needles without question.

However, legitimate users of needles such as diabetics need not worry.

According to About.com here are a few tips to remember (Major League Baseball players have also endorsed this, though they tend to fly on chartered flights):

• Carry a copy of your prescriptions in your carry-on, purse, or wallet when you travel.
• If you are taking injectable medications you must have the medication along with you in order to carry empty syringes.
• Do not remove syringes or medicines from the original packaging with printed labels and manufacturer’s information. Packaging is a good way to help airport security identify your medicines.
  
• You can ask and are entitled to a private screening to maintain your confidentiality.
• In response to security issues at your departure site and destination site, travel restrictions can change often. Arrange 2 to 3 hours before your flight in order to pass through security in plenty of time.
• With recent security concerns, the amount of liquids you are allowed to carry-on is limited and in some cases prohibited. At the time of this printing, even liquid medicines are allowed only in limited quantities.
• In some cases, the airline may ask thA e on-board staff to store your medicines and syringes during flight. Keep your medicines, syringes, and supplies together in a carry-on case or travel case to make passing them to and from the flight staff easier with less chance of losing medications or supplies.
• If traveling abroad, become familiar with the laws, restrictions, and requirements of the countries you are traveling to. The US requires all passengers to declare medicines and syringes when traveling abroad.

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Now we always thought cats were scared of water — but apparently, cougars love it.

Carnival Cruise Lines declawed a group of Cougars — rejecting the idea that a boat should become a playground.

Apparently, no one at Carnival has ever heard of the USS Minnow and why Ginger had her sights set on Gilligan.

Now for anyone living in a cave for the past 10 years, the cougar craze started when the HBO show Sex and the City became popular and one of the characters, Samantha, became the female version of a man. (Though true Cougars would argue they’ve been around forever, look at Queen Elizabeth.) What was once a fad has become an accepted practice — older women dating younger men.

Say what you will, but this den of cougars has become an affluent demographic that travel companies would be smart to address. Carnival, however, disagrees and wants to maintain a family friendly atmosphere. (And we imagine the bar bills are a lot less.)

If the cougars are growling for boy toy cruises, then Carnival — which sounds a little too much like Carnal — should go ahead and give them what they want. As soon as Carnival put the kibosh on this particular plan, another cruise was quickly booked some where else with Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines.

However, according the Sun-Sentinel, Carnival canceled the Cougar Cruise — which was basically a boat load of hungry women and wide eyed young men. The cruise line had before allowed the Lambs to the Slaughter ship.

Rich Grosse, the executive producer of CougarEvents.com and chairman of The Society of Single Professionals, told the Sun Sentinel, roughly 300 cougars and cubs set sail on a “very successful” trip aboard the Carnival Elation in December.

However, when SinglesTravelCompany.com tried to book another Cougar Cruise, Carnival rejected the idea.

“We have decided not to have any future groups on our ships booked on this theme,” Carnival spokeswoman Jennifer de la Cruz told the Sun Sentinel.

Since then, two more cruises have already been planned, and no doubt, more will come.

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That’s the stance Royal Caribbean has taken as it docks its cruise ships about 60 miles north of Port-au-Prince, the Haitian capital that was devistated by last week’s earthquake.

Why not? We can think of about 2 million reasons.

While up to 200,000 people were killed in that deadly quake, 250,000 people injured and 1.5 million were left homeless, just 60 miles north of the Haiti capital is the private beach of Labadee, where Royal Caribbean stops its cruise lines so passengers can enjoy jet skiing, sunning and frolicking on the beach, according to a report by the British newspaper The Guardian.

Royal Caribbean executives say it’s true that they’re still using the private port it spent $55 million to refurbish and it should take its passengers there. They deserve a good time and every dime they spend in Haiti will, some how, eventually help the people in Port-au-Prince.

According to  CruiseCritic.com some people don’t want to stop in Haiti because they just don’t want to guilt associated with their port of call — though no one mentions not taking the cruise, only not having guilt tied to it.

Said Jerseygirl79 on the site,  “I have donated my money, but I would not feel comfortable going there for a vacation at this time. Not only would I not feel safe, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable enjoying a vacation so close to utter devastation and loss of life.”

But others on the site, disagree: Ac110, said: “Don’t you see that depriving these people of employment is the last thing we should be doing right now?! Go, enjoy, and tip generously.”

That’s part of the argument Royal Caribbean president Adam Goldstein takes as well. On his Royal Caribbean blog, he posted this response after the Guardian story ran:

“My view is this — it isn’t better to replace a visit to Labadee (or for that matter, to stay on the ship while it’s docked in Labadee) with a visit to another destination for a vacation. Why? Because being on the island and generating economic activity for the straw market vendors, the hair-braiders and our 230 employees helps with relief while being somewhere else does not help. These 500 people are going to need to support a much larger network of family and friends, including many who are in (or are missing in) the earthquake zone. Also, the north is going to bear a good part of the burden of the agony of the south, and the more economic support there is to the north, the better able the north will be to bear this burden. People enjoying themselves is what we do. People enjoying themselves in Labadee helps with relief. We support our guests who choose to help in this way which is consistent with our nearly 30 year history in Haiti”

In fairness to Royal Caribbean, it has pledged $1 million for Haitian relief and even the cruise ships docking in Haiti are bringing additional supplies for victims of the earthquake. The cruise line company has also said it will do everything it can to help its 230 Haitian employees.

Doing a good thing while running a business  can be a tight rope to cross. But the cruise line company is only taking people where they want to go. It’s just not getting the PR it hoped for.

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