New travel app Spun is not just for tourists

Have you been “Spun-ed?” Read about this travel app for newbie travelers and well-seasoned jetsetters from this NBCNews.com article.

Spun is the latest iPhone app aimed at travelers, bringing hundreds of news sources together in a 3D interactive display. It shows you what's hot in 11 big cities across the country, maps destinations and sends reminders to your phone when you are in the vicinity of a place you've marked as a must-see spot.

Spun's navigation is built around a spinning prism. One facet holds "top stories," while the other three contain stories by topic, including Arts & Entertainment, Food & Drink and Lifestyle, a catch-all for other interesting things to see around town. In San Francisco, you can find the best free Wi-Fi hotspots in Hayes Valley, or catch a polar bear frolicking in man-made snow at the San Francisco Zoo. News is updated regularly, so you'll never run out of things to do.

Tapping a story’s image opens the full text, along with a map and multimedia content. Like what you see? Tap the faceted heart and the location will be saved to your favorites. If you get close to the location, the app will send an alert, which can be especially helpful for more-spontaneous travelers. You also can share your finds to Facebook, Twitter or by email.

While Spun has been touted as an app for visitors, locals might find useful to point out things to do that they otherwise would have missed.

Spun currently includes news about New York; Boston; Philadelphia; Washington; Miami; Chicago; San Francisco; Los Angeles; Portland, Ore.; Austin, Texas; and Seattle. It can be downloaded for free from the App Store.

Source:http://www.nbcnews.com/travel/travelkit/new-travel-app-spun-not-just-tourists-1C7319909

France's SNCF to deploy 'polite police' on trains to tackle bad manners

Read about the deployment of polite police in France, one of the the country’s government’s efforts to stamp out ill-mannered passengers in public transportations, from this article released by Telegraph.co.uk.

 

France's state-owned railway operator is to deploy an army of almost 3,000 inspectors with tough new powers to eradicate bad manners on the nation's trains.

SNCF employees are being tasked to tackle the exploding number of complaints about rude or unruly passengers that have rocketed by 25 per cent this year. Traveller gripes include spitting on and insulting ticket inspectors, putting feet on seats, pulling emergency alarms without reason, speaking loudly on mobile phones and playing music and damaging train interiors. SNCF boss Guillaume Pepy said a "line has been crossed" in "uncouth behaviour and delinquency" blighting the lives of many of the four million people who use his company's trains every day.

"Impolite behaviour generates a feeling of anxiety and discomfort," said Mr Pepy, adding that it posed a "real obstacle" to weaning the French off their cars in favour of public transport.

To stamp it out, some 2,700 inspectors will impose a new array of tougher fines. Passengers caught with feet on seats will pay 45 euros (£36); those who smoke will be fined 68 euros and anyone pulling the emergency break without reason can expect to pay between 165 and 700 euros.

Similar punishments have been introduced in Britain, where London's rail and Tube passengers who put feet on seats or play music too loudly face £50 on-the-spot fines. Under draft plans, more serious offenders may also be sent on "citizenship courses" to be taught good manners, while 500 new "politeness mediators" will be trained to deal with unruly youths. Another 460 staff will raise awareness among 220,000 schoolchildren next year.

A special national hotline will be launched for victims of bad behaviour. With a growing number of commuters turning up to work in tears or taking sick leave after a harrowing train experience, a special club of "businesses against impoliteness" has been launched.

"Our aim is to record bad behaviour we're all victims of and to understand the general malaise of our staff and our customers," said President Stéphane Volant. The scheme comes days after a French mayor introduced new rules to oblige visitors to respect "social norm" by saying "please", "thank you" and "goodbye" to town hall staff or face being thrown out. 

Gerard Plee, mayor of the village of Lheraule, northern France, population 163, said no French law obliged people to be polite so he took the matter into hand. Visitors are greeted by a sign to the "eternally discontented, grudge-bearers, the persecuted and other moaners" informing them that anyone who "manifestly and voluntarily" fails to respect the rules of common courtesy will be "asked to leave the premises".

Source: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/9721264/Frances-SNCF-to-deploy-polite-police-on-trains-to-tackle-bad-manners.html