Things To Do In SW Florida

Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex will mark the 10th anniversary of its Space Shuttle Atlantis exhibit with two NASA astronaut panels on June 29.

Astronauts scheduled to participate include Mike Baker, Chris Ferguson, Anna Fisher, Guy Gardner, Richard “Mike” Mullane, Jim Reilly and William Shepard. Ferguson, who was part of the crew of Atlantis’ final flight, and Shepard are members of the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame.

The exhibit allows a close-up view of Atlantis, propped up as if in flight and rotated at a 43.21-degree angle with payload doors open. It is one of three space-flown shuttles on display in the United States. The orbiter is accompanied by 60 interactive experiences that cover the history of NASA’s space shuttle program.

Atlantis took 33 flights between 1985 and 2011. It was the final shuttle used in the program.

The in-person astronaut panels will start at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. Questions from the public can be part of the discussion. They should be submitted via Facebook, Twitter or Instagram using a #Atlantis10 hashtag. read more

By SYLVIE CORBET and SAMUEL PETREQUIN (Associated Press)

PARIS (AP) — Participants at a Paris summit stopped short Friday of a deal to create a tax on greenhouse gas emissions produced from international shipping, leaving climate NGOs and activists lamenting the lack of ambitious responses to fight climate change and the world’s inequalities brought forward at the meeting.

The two-day gathering of world leaders and finance bosses ended without a major announcement, though organizers did release a promised “road map” aimed at fulfilling French President Emmanuel Macron’s pledge to assess reforms of the international finance system over the next two years.

“We need to be clear that if we don’t change the institutions, the world will remain the same,” Brazil’s President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva said. “Those who are rich will stay rich. Those who are poor will remain poor. This is the way it is.”

The idea of a global tax on the greenhouse gas emissions produced from international shipping has been gaining traction and could potentially be adopted at a July meeting of the International Maritime Organization, the United Nations agency regulating shipping. The money could be directed toward developing countries to help them deal with climate change. read more

Collecting travel points and miles on your own can be rewarding. However, you can potentially double your earning power — and opportunities to get cheaper hotel rooms and flights — by entering two-player mode.

Whether you’re just getting started or trying to level up your strategy, here are seven tips for how couples can work together to earn points and miles.

1. Set goals from the start

If you’re reading this, odds are that you’re more excited about points and miles than your spouse. If that’s the case, don’t start by handing them a stack of credit cards with instructions on which card to use and where. Instead, start by talking with your partner about your shared travel goals.

It could be planning a family vacation together, taking that Instagram-worthy anniversary trip or simply traveling to see friends without breaking the bank. Once you can show them how points and miles can help you achieve your goals, working toward them together is much easier.

2. Keep it simple for inexperienced partners

Does your partner wince at the idea of juggling a bunch of credit cards? If you want their buy-in, make it as simple as possible to start and then ramp up from there. read more