| The Chronicle Local News Blog
Sometimes it's edifying, enlightening, even fun to put local issues into a global context. It may be a small world after all, but things aren't necessarily the same all around the world. Consider, for instance, the hoo-hah raised by North Bay residents over the proposal to levy a $1 to $2 congestion-based toll on Doyle Drive, the approach to the Golden Gate Bridge. The toll would secure a federal grant for Doyle Drive and provide enough funding to get the unsafe, 70-year-old structure replaced. Highway robbery, cry the folks from the North Bay, especially affluent Marin County. Good thing they don't live outside London, which charges a congestion charge or cordon toll, essentially an entry fee, for vehicles driving into the city's central business district.
UPI NewsTrack Sports
NEW YORK, Feb. 1 (UPI) -- The New York Mets completed a trade Friday that brought them pitcher Johan Santana, who reportedly will receive $150 million over seven years.
The two-time Cy Young Award winner comes to the Mets from Minnesota, where in 2007 he produced his worst season since becoming a full-time starter.
New York agreed this week to send the Twins prospects Carlos Gomez, Deolis Guerra, Kevin Mulvey and Phil Humber. The deal was contingent on the Mets coming to terms with Santana on a contract extension and that was achieved Friday.
The New York Daily News reported the terms of the contract.
Santana went 15-13 last year with an earned run average of 3.33. But after the All-Star break he was just 5-7 with a 4.04 ERA.
Since moving into a starting role four years ago, Santana has won 70 games with a 2.89 ERA and 983 strikeouts.
YESTERDAY’S RUMORS!
All content within this section is pure rumor and generally have no factual info outside of what the streets have whispered in our ear. Read on.
YESTERDAY'S RUMORS!
Hip-Hop Rumors: Lil' Wayne's Detox? C-Murder & The Game's Mom? Mariah & the White Girl?
THE KKK IS PLOTTING TO KILL OBAMA
If you were duped into believing that the KKK is someshow supportive of Barack Obama – think again. The KKK has already stated explicitly that he will be killed sure as hell. The Secret Service has already been contacted. Obama is already under the watchful eye of the Secret Service, the earliest of any presidential candidate.
Seattle, Victoria hotel & cruise, $439
The Real Deal: Two nights' accommodations, ferry cruise, and a sightseeing tour from $439 per person—plus taxes of about $26. When: Nov. 1-Dec. 22, 2008; add $20 through April 29; $30 for Oct. 16-31; $60 for April 30-May 30, Oct. 1-15; $100 for June 1-Sept. 30. The fine print: Taxi transfers in Seattle and Victoria, a ferry cruise between Seattle and Victoria aboard the Victoria Clipper, transportation from Victoria to Vancouver by bus and ferry, and entrance to Butchart Gardens are included. Breakfast inclusion depends on the hotel. Hotel taxes are an additional 6 percent (about $26) per room. Airfare is not included. Based on double occupancy; single supplement is $200. Read these guidelines before you book any Real Deal. .
MUW introduces ‘extraordinary technology' to students
Mississippi University for Women's Information Technology Services recently announced that it will be introducing Google Apps to students in March 2008. MUW will be the first university in Mississippi to implement the service.The program will offer access to free services such as e-mail, the ability to create and edit a personal calendar, instant messaging, online storage to save important projects and documents and programs similar to Microsoft Office products. Advantages of the applications are that students can access the services from any computer with an Internet connection."We believe that Google Apps leverages out existing investments and allows the university to provide extraordinary technology to our students," Larry Jones, MUW director of ITS, said.The new applications provide students with more network storage space.
Luring clients and employees to shore
(FSB Magazine) Glendale, Wis. -- ShoreTrips' business is booming, so you'd think owners Julie and Barry Karp could relax a bit. The couple developed a niche - arranging land tours for Caribbean cruise ship travelers. While cruise vessels have been disgorging hordes of passengers into ports and onto buses and walking tours for decades, their operators faced increased competition from landlubbers when the Karps founded their firm in 2001. Since then, the Karps have located tour operators in scores of port cities and used them to deliver less costly and more intimate and original port experiences than the big ships offer. Clients come mostly through travel agents, who get commissions on any ShoreTrips tours they sell. The Karps put 75,000 travelers on their tours in 2006, and 100,000 last year.
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