JetBlue to begin flying out of LAX

Rome's deputy mayor believes that 2009 will be "the year of the Colosseum." Plans are in the works for the arena—where slaves famously clashed before crowds estimated around 50,000—to host choreographed mock gladiator fights with true-to-history weapons and attire. As the Discovery Channel reported earlier this month, there will also be events to mark the 2000th anniversary of the birth of Emperor Vespasian (9-79 A.D.), the mastermind behind the Colosseum. Umberto Broccoli, the head of archaeology at Rome's city council, has stressed the seriousness of his proposed nighttime gladiator fights (no Disney comparisons, per favore!). Bolstering his claim is the sideshow to the main event—readings of works by Latin poets. Broccoli was quoted as saying that "museums and monuments must speak to the public in a new way," and, indeed, Roman officials are rethinking some of the city's iconic sites and how best to present them. 3D Rewind Rome is a virtual tour that uses motion capture technology to bring scenes of ancient Rome to life. The attraction, created in partnership with the city, launched in November near the Colosseum, on the site of barracks where gladiators once lived and trained (€10/$13). Rome is embarking on an ambitious makeover not only of the Colosseum, but the Palatine Hill, the Roman and Imperial Forums, and Nero's Golden House, with a deadline of 2011. The to-do list includes extensive cleanings, an integrated lighting system, an underpass that would link the forums, and a walkway up to the Palatine [via Archaeology Briefs]. Even as the city upgrades, it's becoming a better value for Americans, who will enjoy more room to themselves at ancient sites. The New York Times points out that a slump in tourists—and in the value of the euro—make the next few months a great time to visit Rome: "Crowds are more manageable, airfare is cheaper, and shops are offering major sales." Demand for horse-drawn carriage rides has dropped 35 or 40 percent compared to three or four years ago, according to a carriage driver stationed near the Colosseum. PLANNING A VISIT Rome Hotels at a Price That’s Right Real Deals: Rome PREVIOUSLY Be Skeptical of Rome’s Plans for Gladiator Theme Park Rome: The Forum’s No Longer Free A Virtual Tour of Ancient Rome

Within the next six months, rental car companies Avis and Budget will deploy AT&T;'s new in-car live TV Cruisecast service, with 22 channels of satellite TV and 20 satellite radio channels. The cost will be $9 a day, or $63 a week. The blogger Electronista gave the service a test-drive. The quality of the standard-definition signal depends on having line-of-sight with the satellite. In other words, if you go into a tunnel or underneath a skyscraper, your TV or radio signal may be interrupted. But the tester found that the signal was strong at other times. Channels included are Disney, Disney XD, Discovery Kids, Animal Planet, Nickelodeon, Cartoon Network Mobile, USA, Comedy Central, MSNBC, CNN Mobile Live, and CNBC.

À la carte pricing is not just on the planes these days—it's at the airports, too. LAX's international terminal has just opened a new "pay-to-use" public lounge prior to the security gates called reLAX, where anyone can pay $25 to spend three hours reLAXing in über-modern, white leather chairs surrounded by orchids and flat-screen TVs. The cost also covers all the snacks and beverages you want, plus wireless Internet, faxing, photocopying, and printing—making it especially appealing to business travelers not flying business class anymore (and therefore, not enjoying their airline's private lounge). The lounge looks great (there's a whole photo album on the website), but I wonder whether it's worth the cost. The snacks are apparently pretty measly, according to the L.A. Times , and if you want a decent meal, you're going to have to pay for it. No alcohol is served, either. And Wi-Fi is available in the rest of the airport for only $9.95 per day. The other thing that bugs me is that this is another example of how travel is becoming more segregated by class. For the people who can afford a little luxury—at the airport, on the plane—travel is becoming more comfortable, but for people who can't afford to pay (or don't want to), the travel experience is getting worse. But maybe this is just the future of travel, and we all better get used to it.

The National Museum of American History reopened today after a two-year, $85 million renovation. In a noteworthy move, Barack Obama has already been added to the Presidential Gallery prior to his inauguration. As part of the opening festivities, former Secretary of State Colin Powell read Lincoln's Gettysburg Address this morning, and President Bush led a re-dedication ceremony on Wednesday. Responding in part to a critical review of its organization in a 2002 blue-ribbon commission report, the museum has tidied up with new display walls and brightened up with a sunlit five-story atrium. The Star-Spangled Banner—the now fragile flag that inspired the national anthem at the Battle of Baltimore in 1814—received special attention, with its own climate-controlled display case, Francis Scott Key's lyrics are projected behind it. A touchscreen device tells the history. Located in the National Mall, the museum houses a wide range of artifacts that you won't always find in a textbook. Exhibitions display Dorothy's red slippers, an 1865 telescope made by the nation's first female astronomer, the Greensboro lunch counter made famous by civil rights activists, a century's worth of metal lunch boxes, and a car from Disneyland's Dumbo ride. The museum has basically everything interesting in American culture including the kitchen sink (which Julia Child donated, along with the rest of her Cambridge, Mass. TV shows set). The Washington Post has a full review of the revamped space. 14th Street and Constitution Avenue, N.W., free, americanhistory.si.edu RELATED Smithsonian had a good article in its latest issue about the Star-Spangled Banner and its restoration. EARLIER Airports Debut New Runways in Chicago, D.C., and Seattle