A former flight attendant for American Airlines has been arrested and charged with making terrorist threats. Rodney Lorenzo claimed he sent secret airline information to 25 Muslim charity organizations in the U.S. and U.K.

Lorenzo had been fired by the airline for throwing a coffee pot at a fellow flight attendant, and apparently held a grudge against his former employer.

According to court papers, he sent a letter to the corporate headquarters of the airline, telling them "Karma will soon bite back and your aircraft will begin to fall from the sky like dead birds."

Lorenzo claims he made hundreds of copies of the airline safety manual, but in the letter he sent to the airline, he also made threats to the employee that was involved in the coffee pot incident, proving that he's not a very bright terrorist. He has been released on a $50,000 bail awaiting his trial.

[Photo credit: AP Photo/Chris O'Meara]

We've all been there at some point - you board your plane, and a child starts crying, with no intention of stopping until the plane lands. Thankfully, most parents are able to soothe their little ones, but for one passenger on a Qantas flight, things were not that simple.

In January 2009, 67 year old Jean Barnard was walking down the aisle back to her seat, when a three year old boy leaned back over his armrest, and screamed so loudly at her, that blood came out of her ear, leaving her deaf.

Now, this is where the story takes an interesting turn, because Ms. Barnard sued Qantas claiming "the plane's cabin and cockpit crew failed to take all the necessary precautions to prevent the accident that resulted" in her injury".

I'm not an aviation specialist (though I do pretend to be every now and then), but I'm at a loss as to what the crew could have done to prevent this accident. Unless of course locking toddlers away in the luggage hold is considered an appropriate solution. the airline simply can't be held responsible for actions of a passenger, especially a three year old.

Sadly, Ms. Barnard showed the often notorious American way of dealing with large companies, because she spent over a year in court, up till the point where Qantas gave in and settled in a confidential agreement.

The case stinks even more, because lawyers for Qantas discovered that Ms. Barnard admitted to wearing a hearing aid before the incident and uncovered an email in which she said the kid was lucky she did not stomp him to death.

[Photo: TORSTEN BLACKWOOD/AFP/Getty Images]

The hotel industry has plenty of faith in the social media world – and no reservations about using it to gain reservations. But, it's struggling to take control of the medium. A survey by Wine and Hospitality Network indicates that most respondents (in the business) spend only two hours a week managing their Facebook fan pages – with 14.2 percent having no such page to manage. Forty-two percent don't use Twitter, and 25 percent tweet for less than an hour a week (they should reach out to @Colonnade for tips).

But, it isn't for lack of trying. The internet is littered with the corpses of abandoned social media marketing initiatives, inside the travel industry and out. Notes online marketing publication ClickZ:

"Before hoteliers even consider a social media initiative, they should be aware that social media is a very engaged, hands-on marketing format. The social networks are a graveyard of abandoned hotel profiles and fan pages by hoteliers who did not realize the complexity of social marketing," said Margaret Mastrogiacomo, social media specialist with Hospitality eBusiness Strategies, a strategic services and design firm.

You're already in Bora Bora, what more could you possibly want? Fortunately, the Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora has planned for travelers like you, who want just a little bit more with their side of luxury. Adding to its fleet of custom-built boats, Four Seasons Resort Bora Bora has introduced the Navigator, a custom-crafted catamaran, available to guests for transportation in and around Bora Bora.

The Navigator features a full bar, dining tables, rooftop sundeck, lavatory and rinse shower, and a fresh water shower on the rear deck allows guests to refresh back on board. Its low hull design and shallow draft allow it to charter to just about any nearby destination.

Go alone or with a group. The configuration of the interior of the boat allows for guests to have intimate evenings at sear or host small receptions and dinners.

Total cost: At today's exchange rate a 4-hour rental will run you approximately $900; 8-hour rental will cost $1,500. This is just for the catamaran and captain. If you want to go snorkeling, dine on the ship, hire musicians or a private astronomer (which is available), it'll cost you extra.

Want more? Get your daily dose of pampering right here.

Las Vegas is sinfully decadent in all the right places, but if you don't know where to go or how to get your name on "the" list, you're out of luck. News from The Strip is that Harrah's and Caesars Palace have launched a service to fix all that. Catering to every need of bachelors, bachelorettes, divorcees, just-turned-30/40/50-mid-life crisis travelers, corporate executives, Kardashian wanna-bes and just about any other personality that visits Las Vegas, Harrah's and Caesars Palace announce their new concierge trip planning service.

"Total Experiences" is a new, complimentary program created by Harrah's to provide trip planning services and insider access to groups of leisure travelers staying at Harrah's resorts in Las Vegas, Atlantic City and beyond.

Veronica Smiley of Harrah's Entertainment is spearheading the new program and tells me it's the ultimate planning option for all travelers.

"Each group of travelers is connected with their own Total Experiences Specialist, who handles all details of the group's itinerary both before and during their stay, including creating VIP experiences for those guests who may not be high-rollers," said Smiley.

The specialist can pull together everything from golf outings to private tables at the hottest clubs, depending on the guests' needs.

"This is a complimentary service where guests pay for only what they book; the more the group adds to their itinerary, the greater the access and upgrades their Specialist can offer." So, what has Smiley produced?

Our hearts are still in Stockholm this week, neck deep in the celebration of one of Scandinavia's biggest holidays: Midsommar. In case you missed it earlier, Midsommar is the celebration of the longest day of the year in these high latitudes, a time when the sun only sets for three hours a night and when Stockholm is most appreciable.

From a local's perspective, Midsommar is often spent with the family and friends, most often in a small beach house in the outskirts of Stockholm or out in the geologically diverse archipelago.

Some of those that remain in the city pilgrimage to Skansen for Midsommar Eve, an open air museum not unlike Greenfield Village or Colonial Williamsburg. Hosting a full range of historical Swedish architecture, characters and foodstuffs, Skansen throws the biggest celebration in the city during the day of Midsommar Eve, all culminating in the traditional hoisting of the maypole around which thousands of visitors can dance. Admission is around 18USD.

In parallel, guests can roam the sprawling museum campus, picking flowers for Midsommar garlands, gobbling up meatballs and herring or gawking at the hundreds of traditionally dressed workers strolling about. Family time is important at Skansen, and the hours spent here learning about Swedish culture and tradition are an excellent way to spend the day, regardless of the holiday.

It's no surprise the hotel industry is making a strong comeback. When travel started to falter in the down economy, hotels kept the spirit alive with the 'staycation' craze. Now, as more people start spending money on much-needed vacations again, the hotel industry is once again at the forefront of recreating the ultimate customer service experience and according to travelers, hotels are doing a pretty good job.

The latest survey results from J.D. Power and Associates says guests have generally been happier with their hotel experience over the past year. The study finds that the proportion of hotel guests making reservations online has increased in 2010. Not surprisingly, a drop in hotel prices had a little something to do with this, but we've heard from more hotels that customer service and personalized guest programs have been at the forefront of their efforts over the past year.

So, how has your hotel stacked up against its competition? The latest study measures how well hotel chains satisfy their customers and ranks the hotels by economy-budget to upscale-luxury. The study leaves out independent chains and hotels, but more well-known brands like Four Seasons, Ritz-Carlton, Marriott, Embassy Suites and Hilton are part of the survey. Drury Inn & Suites, Hilton Garden Inn, Homewood Suites, Microtel Inns & Suites, Omni Hotels and The Ritz-Carlton rank highest in customer satisfaction.

The following hotel brands rank highest in guest satisfaction within their respective segments:

Luxury: The Ritz-Carlton
Upscale: Omni Hotels & Resorts
Mid-Scale Full Service: Hilton Garden Inn (for a second consecutive year)
Mid-Scale Limited Service: Drury Inn & Suites (for a fifth consecutive year)
Economy/Budget: Microtel Inns & Suites (for a ninth consecutive year)
Extended Stay: Homewood Suites

We're curious: Do you agree with the results? Were you satisfied with your most recent hotel stay?

A little bit of planning while you pack will help you to stay in shape and explore your destination with ease. Packing light is essential, and each of these items earns their space in your luggage. Follow the strategy outlined below and you will have an inexpensive, easy to pack, and fun way to explore a new destination that keeps you in shape while you travel.

Running Shoes: Pack a pair of running shoes, preferably trail running shoes. These may double as walking or hiking shoes during your trip.

Synthetic Running Shorts/Bottoms: Depending on the climate where you are traveling and the level of cultural appropriateness, bring either running shorts or running pants/tights. They should be made from quick-dry synthetic materials. Don't plan on doing double duty with exercise clothing on your trip -- even if you do plan to do laundry.

Running Shirts: Soccer (football to the rest of the world) jerseys make wonderful running shirts in Europe. They are a fun, useful souvenir and a nice conversation starter when you are out. Just be smart and don't jog through the park sporting the jersey of local team's arch rival.

No longer content with hours of "are we there yet" and I Spy, kids have far more choices in entertainment than I had as a kid. Many minivans come with a full DVD entertainment system, and most kids can find there way around an iPhone or iPod without any help.

For long road trips, being able to listen to your own music instead of Dora the Explorer or Spongebob could greatly improve your mood. This is where Kidz Gear products can help. The Kidz Gear line of headphones are specially designed for kids, and provide a perfect fit, along with hearing protection.

The headphones are available wired and wireless, which means you'll be able to find a solution for any car and any portable player.