Thursday Flakes: Tipping, Digital Nomads and Weighing Airplane Passengers

Well I just got back from completing a food eating challenge, which is actually a rare thing to find in Mexico. Buffalo Wild Wings Mexico has a special food challenge this month which involves eating 10 wings (Carolina reaper pepper flavor) in five minutes. Just reading that will probably make your stomach groan. Since I completed the challenge with a few seconds to spare (and a burning hole in my stomach), I qualified for the final being held on June 28th where I will try to complete the same challenge again. The person with the fastest time in Mexico gets free wings from BWW for a whole year. Wish me luck.

Have you ever used a travel advisor? How do you feel about airlines weighing passengers? Are you optimistic about more flights departing out of Lincoln airport? Do you think digital nomads have a positive or negative impact on the local economy? Have you ever participated in a food eating challenge.

Nebraska Baseball Announces Change in Pitching Coach | Baseball | Corn Nation

Christy served as an assistant coach for Bolt for four seasons at Nebraska and worked with Bolt on Texas A&M’s staff for two seasons (2018-19) and at Nebraska under Darin Erstad from 2012 to 2014.

Nebraska Recruiting: Is Nebraska Gaining Ground on Rival Programs in Building the Class of 2024? | Football | Hail Varsity

The new Nebraska coaching staff scrambled to sign 28 players in the 2023 class by the February signing day. They they turned their attention to future classes, hosting standouts throughout the spring season. Three weeks after traditional signing day, 4-star receiver Roger Gradney committed to give the Huskers their first in the 2024 class. Six more recruits committed since. That’s less than dozens of top programs.

Padding the Stats: Power-Ranking Nebrasketball’s Offseason Moves | Basketball | Hail Varsity

The Huskers had a lot of work to do to avoid taking a big step back in 2023-24 considering the pieces they lost, but the last two months have treated Nebraska very well with four additions from the transfer portal plus the return of Keisei Tominaga for a fifth season of college ball.

Six Selected for Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame | Sports | Huskers.com

Five distinguished student-athletes and one legendary head coach make up the six individuals in the 2023 University of Nebraska Athletics Hall of Fame class, announced on Wednesday, June 7.

Huskers Set for Summer Baseball | Baseball | Huskers.com

With summer collegiate baseball leagues underway, Nebraska baseball has several players competing in various leagues around the country. Here is a list of current Nebraska players playing summer baseball.

Recruiting: Nebraska Continues to Build Footprint in Texas, Finds New Recruiting Targets | Football | Lincoln Journal Star

“I’ve always respected him and respected the way he runs his programs and treats people,” Harris said of Rhule. “It’s a good deal for us, because we want to be associated with programs like that which do things the right way. We know that coach Rhule and his staff do that and treat kids the right way.”

Can Nebraska’s Reliance on Mid-Major Basketball Transfers Work? The Proof is Penn State. | Basketball | Omaha World-Herald

Mid-major production can require some projection, but Hoiberg has criteria for determining a Big Ten-caliber player. “Can they match up physically? I think you look at that first and foremost,” Hoiberg said Friday. “And you’ve got guys who have size. And then you look at what they did in their production against the power five when they did have matchups against those schools.”

There’s Optimism as Red Way Begins Flights Out of Lincoln Airport Thursday | Travel | Lincoln Journal Star

The Red Way experiment, the Lincoln Airport’s push into the leisure travel sector, gets underway Thursday with its first flights — to Las Vegas and Orlando. There’s plenty of optimism, but also a fair share of uncertainty. “It could be wildly successful,” said David Haring, the airport’s executive director. “It could also be maybe a little bit less successful than we’re hoping it is so we have to rethink what we’re doing.”

Which US Airports Have the Longest and Shortest Wait Times | Travel | Travel Pulse

Luggage storage company Bounce conducted a timely new study, analyzing the average time it takes to get through a number of the nation’s major airports, including clearing TSA security checks and passport control points—to determine the U.S. airports that currently have the longest and shortest passenger wait times.

More Travelers Valuing the Skills and Knowledge of Travel Advisors | Travel | Travel Pulse

More than one-quarter (27 percent) of member advisors said that over half of their clients are working with a travel advisor for the first time. What’s more, more than two-thirds of advisors say that their clients are more likely to travel to an international destination than last year.

New World’s Longest Flight Set to Fly in 2025 | Travel | Travel Pulse

Qantas Airways will fly from Sydney to London starting in 2025, a total of 10,576 miles or about 20 hours in the air. Previously, Singapore Airlines held the record since 2016 for the world’s longest flight with a trip from Singapore to the New York area at more than 9,500 miles.

Air New Zealand To Weigh Passengers Prior To Boarding | Travel | Travel Pulse

“We know stepping on the scales can be daunting. We want to reassure our customers there is no visible display anywhere. No one can see your weight – not even us. It’s completely anonymous,” said Alastair James, Air New Zealand’s load control improvement specialist. “It’s simple, it’s voluntary, and by weighing in, you’ll be helping us to fly you safely and efficiently, every time.”

10 of the Best Things to Do in Prague | Travel | Lonely Planet

Famous for its Gothic architecture and the incredible Prague Castle, this is also a vibrant city with beer gardens, modern as well as traditional cafes, and a developing foodie scene. Start planning your trip with this guide to the very best things to do.

How to Visit Budapest on a Budget | Travel | Lonely Planet

One of the biggest reasons that travelers love Budapest is its reputation as a budget-friendly place to visit. Although it has become more expensive over the years, many visitors still find it’s still cheaper than other European capitals. Here are some top tips to make your money stretch further in Budapest.

The Female Farmers Fueling Trondheim’s Food Scene | Travel | Lonely Planet

Trondheim is amassing ever more gourmet credentials: the city will host the Bocuse d’Or Europe in 2024, Trondheim-Trøndelag was a European Region of Gastronomy last year and the local profusion of Michelin stars is, for a city its size, quite frankly indecent. But to really sink your teeth into the scene, you need to venture to the source.

Digital Nomads: Are They Crowding Destinations or Reviving Them? | Travel | Conde Nast Traveler

In the small city of Ostuni in southern Italy, a group of remote workers and digital nomads arrive at a community center to meet a troupe of Italian grandmothers, or nonnas, for a pasta making class. They gather around tables to watch as the nonnas demonstrate how to slice and smash strips of hand-rolled dough to make orecchiette, one of the Apulia region’s signature pasta dishes. For locals, the culinary ritual is a familiar one, but for these newly arrived digital nomads, it’s a unique glimpse into the traditions of their temporary new home.

Is Room Service Dead? | Travel | Conde Nast Traveler

In its inaugural room service survey, Hotels.com has turned to 473 hotels currently offering in-room dining and has come back with a neat bundle of information on what hotel guests have been ordering over the past year. Forty-five percent of respondents noted that the amenity was rising in popularity. Plus, it found that those who offer room service are doubling down on unique experiences to amplify the novelty. Some of these offerings are pure extravagance.

Venice’s Grand Canal Is Suddenly Bright Green—Here’s Why | Travel | Conde Nast Traveler

While the cause of the verdant channel was not originally known, city officials have now identified fluorescein, a chemical most often used in underwater construction, as the reasoning, reports CNN. However, it’s still unclear why or how the substance made its way into the water.

Paris Is Cleaning Up the Seine River—By 2024, You May Be Able to Swim In It | Travel | Conde Nast Traveler

A strategy known as the Swimming Plan has been in the works for years leading up to 2024. The approach involves a network of newly installed underground pipes, tanks, and pumps aimed at preventing the flow of bacteria in the waterway. The plan is hinged on not purifying the water but keeping untreated water from entering the river.

Midway Airport Had the Most Delays and Cancellations in 2022 | Travel | Travel + Leisure

In total, 44 percent of all flights were disrupted at the Chicago area airport during the summer of 2022, the most of any other U.S. airport, according to new data released by travel app Hopper and shared with Travel + Leisure. That was followed by Baltimore’s BWI Airport, which saw 39 percent of all flights disrupted, and Newark Liberty International Airport, which saw 37 percent of flights disrupted.

This 93-year-old Grandmother Visited Every National Park in the U.S. With Her Grandson | Travel | Travel + Leisure

The pair, who completed their years-long epic adventure earlier this month with a stop in the National Park of American Samoa, are now looking further afield with a new goal to hit all seven continents, Brad told Travel + Leisure.

Tipping Around the World | Travel | BBC

From China to Denmark, countries around the world have different ways to show appreciation. Here’s five spots with their own distinctive tipping traits, plus advice on how much to tip.

Japan’s Ultimate Lesson in Gratitude | Travel | BBC

Despite enduring 150 years of oppression, the Indigenous Ainu people still retain a strong sense of appreciation for the world – and travelers can now experience this in person.

How the Islands of Tahiti Are Reclaiming Their Cuisine | Travel | BBC

French Polynesia continues to feel an outsize influence from France. But recently, Tahitians have been reclaiming their heritage, putting traditional ingredients on the menu.

Thoughts on this list?

Something else to humor yourself with on a Thursday.

Meanwhile in New York