It’s Not Safe in the Air, on Sea or on the Ground

November 1, 2010 | Uncategorized

I have been doing in-depth consumer research and I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s no longer safe to travel — not in the air, on the sea or even in Las Vegas.

Do you know what happened aboard Qatar Airways Flight 645 after it took off from the Philippines a few weeks ago? The pilot died — which, as any frequent flyer will tell you, can certainly make for a rough landing. Luckily the co-pilot was able to bring the plane down smoothly in Kuala Lumpur where it was diverted.

And it’s not safe on the sea either. At least if you’re in a kayak or small boat down in Florida.

Recently, in the Florida Keys, a barracuda jumped out of the water and bit a 45-year-old woman kayaker in the chest, causing a serious-enough injury that she had to be taken by helicopter to Miami. According to the media there have been a number of barracuda bitings in Florida lately, which I think is a reaction to too many Red Lobster restaurants opening in the Sunshine State.

But if you think Florida has problems, you’ll really pity the owners of the MGM Resorts International Vdara Hotel in Las Vegas which opened on the “strip” in December. They have to contend with the “Death Ray.”

It’s no joke — there’s a concentrated reflection of solar rays that are bouncing off the glass facade of the concave-shaped, high-rise Vdara hotel/condominium, and some hotel guests say it poses a risk of severe burns to bathers lounging poolside.

According to the company the refraction moves across the pool deck over a period 90 minutes, never in the same place from day to day because of the sun’s continual changing elevation in the sky. MGM Resorts is seeking to correct the problem by installing high-tech solar film over each of the 3,000 glass panes covering the south facade of the Vdara to scatter the rays.

But the concentrated sunlight remains hot enough at certain times, in certain spots, to melt plastic and singe hair, says a Chicago lawyer, who’s also Vdara condo owner, and who first encountered the effect earlier after a dip in the pool.

“Astonished and angry,” says Reuters, “he alerted hotel staff, then called the local newspaper to draw attention to the problem.” Well there, that’ll show them not to mess with my sunbathing.

Hey, Vdara management — while today your biggest problem may be the much heralded “Death Ray,” tomorrow it will certainly be the sharks in your pool.

Jim Ferri