http://www.viewpoints.com/aboutme/dovbg Tue, 20 Nov 2007 07:18:53 GMT Reviews by dovbg http://www.viewpoints.com/Alamo-review-8e312 I usually rent from Hertz where I have Gold # 1 status, but found that a recent rental in West Palm Beach, FL, was half the price if I went to Alamo. — I needed a car which would take two large suitcases and two small ones, and the Alamo website advised me that an intermediate Pontiac would fit my bill so I reserved it. — When I arrived at the airport counter, I was given a very hard sell to upgrade to a SUV.  I was told that I wasn't guaranteed a Pontiac -- just a "similar" car and that what was available may not handle my luggage. — That was untrue.  I was given my choice of four cars (none of them Pontiacs) and all four met my needs. — They were not, however, clean. Even the ashtrays had not been emptied.  Moreover, just as I started to pull out I noticed that the gas tank wasn't full and had to have that noted on my rental records to avoid being charged for returning it at the same level. — Yes, I did save money and, no, the car was not... Tue, 20 Nov 2007 07:18:53 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Alamo-review-8e312 dovbg 2 http://www.viewpoints.com/Embassy-Suites-Boca-Raton-Boca-Raton-FL-review-5ce8 The Embassy Suites has a lot to offer -- but if you need to be on the internet, you may have to give it a pass. — During a recent 5 day stay there, I was unable to use its wi-fi service, despite having my room changed.  At $10 a day, you would think that the service would be important enough to the hotel for it to be certain that it works.  Instead, I found it was taking about 5 minutes for each page to load -- and that was when I was able to keep any connection at all. — The only saving factor in all of this was that one side of the hotel is adjacent to an office building which has a wi-fi which is free.  If you get a room on that side you can get reliable, even though somewhat slow, service. — If breakfast is more important to you than staying connected, then the ES is a fine spot for you.  The food is excellent and you have a very wide choice at its free buffet.  —  Of course, in the evenings, there is one other solution to the... Tue, 20 Nov 2007 07:07:20 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Embassy-Suites-Boca-Raton-Boca-Raton-FL-review-5ce8 dovbg 3 http://www.viewpoints.com/Microtel-Inn-Atlanta-Airport-Atlanta-GA--120472-review-b597 My flight landed in Atlanta at 5:40 am and by 6 I was ready to go to the hotel.  The problem?  Check-in time is 3 pm. —  I gave them a call and asked if there was any possibility of my checking in even a little early and was told that I could come over right away.  Their shuttle bus (shared by the Hilton Garden Inn) picked me up a few minutes later. — This is the kind of service which I soon learned was typical of this very modestly priced hotel (about half the price of a Hampton Inn).  The rooms are small, there is no denying that, but large enough to make a single visitor comfortable and the personnel are warm and friendly. —  Throw in all the freebies (especially long distance calls throughout the US) and this hotel is one heck of a travel bargain. —... Tue, 20 Nov 2007 05:31:52 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Microtel-Inn-Atlanta-Airport-Atlanta-GA--120472-review-b597 dovbg 4 http://www.viewpoints.com/Delta-Airlines-review-42673 Are you going to run into problems on Delta flights?  Of course you are -- you will with any airline.  The Delta difference is its staff, which will do whatever they can to help you with these headaches, be they a missed connection or baggage which was sent to the wrong destination. — Delta began as a regional Southeastern carrier and while it now flies to countries throughout the world (and is in the SkyTeam alliance, whose partners provide those destinations which Delta does not reach) the employees continue to have that "down home" attitude. — ... Tue, 20 Nov 2007 02:01:59 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Delta-Airlines-review-42673 dovbg 5 http://www.viewpoints.com/Sony-VAIO-VGN-SZ450N-C-PC-Notebook-review-9e230 This is the ideal computer for somebody on the go.   It has a full-size keyboard, allowing you to type normally, but its small size and light weight lets you take it with you anywhere without feeling weighed down. — It is available in several different versions, with the more expensive ones having processors which will permit gamers to play to their hearts' contents while the lower end models are all that you really need for checking you e-mail or doing web-browsing. —... Tue, 20 Nov 2007 01:50:26 GMT http://www.viewpoints.com/Sony-VAIO-VGN-SZ450N-C-PC-Notebook-review-9e230 dovbg 5