Travel Calendar

Pirates in Somalia have kidnapped a well-known travel and surfing journalist from Manhattan Beach.

Michael Scott Moore was taken hostage on Saturday, just days before two aid workers, including one American, were rescued from their Somali captors in a U.S. military raid. Moore holds dual U.S. and German citizenship and was living in Berlin most recently.

He became interested in writing a book about Somali pirates and went to central Somalia to do some research, KTLA News reported.

He had previously traveled to Africa to write a series of articles on the same subject.

Moore was en route to an airport when 15 men in two SUVs kidnapped him.

The U.S. State Department issued a statement saying it was concerned about Moore’s safety.

“We are aware of news reports that a U.S. citizen has been kidnapped in northern Somalia and we are concerned about the individual’s safety and well-being,” the State Department said in a statement.

“We have been in contact with the individual’s family and we are working with contacts in Kenya and Somalia to ascertain further information.”

Reports from Somalia say the pirates believe that Moore is a spy.

ISTANBUL — The sea of Marmara shimmered to my right, a pod of dolphins played improbably in the ferry-and tankers-choked Bosporus strait, and minarets pierced my jet-lag fog on my first Istanbul evening.

Walking down the main road in Istanbul’s old city the next morning, I was pulled out of my reverie when an older, heavily mustachioed man leaned out the window of his rickety car and boomed, “American?”

Suddenly aware of my short sleeves and skirt on a trip last summer to a city where many women wear long coats even in hot weather, I smiled sheepishly.

“Ah, have a good day!” he yelled in English, breaking a wide grin, to which all I could do was reply “cok iyi,” meaning very good, the Turkish words I had learned on my first day here in an impromptu lesson from a taxi driver.

And so the friendliness of Turkish strangers accompanied me for the three weeks I spent in Istanbul and along Turkey’s Aegean coast, where I found a wealth of antiquities, architecture and art with few parallels in the Mediterranean, not to mention impossibly blue seas and feasts of small plates known as mezes at non-euro prices.

From Istanbul, I made a daylong drive to the stunning northern Aegean village of Assos. Swimming off its pebbly beach into empty green-blue waters, under cliffs studded with olive trees and humming with cicadas, near ruins visited by both Aristotle and St. Paul, was such perfection that I nearly spent the rest of my vacation there. After all, the camel I saw slurping tree leaves off a dusty road seemed happy to stay where he was.

But Greco-Roman sites, Byzantine and Islamic art masterpieces, and untouched Mediterranean scenery beckoned, and everywhere, people went out of their way to make this stranger welcome.

GRECO-ROMAN SPLENDOR: To grumble, as many tour books do, that there is not much to see at Troy is akin to calling the Eiffel Tower a jumble of iron bars. True, technically, but that is to ignore the breathless feeling of gazing at walls and columns where Homeric heroes lived 3,000 years ago, of looking over the same cultivated plain baking in the midday heat.

Ancient Greek civilizations built acropolises a few hours south of Troy, none more “high city” than Pergamon, where the remains of a superb temple and a theater from the third century B.C. are carved atop a barren mountain. Not far off are evocative ruins of three Ionian cities, including the giant theater of Miletus and the elaborately carved columns of the Dydima temple, so tall that you feel Lilliputian. My favorite is Priene, lying on the side of a pine-covered hill so utterly off the tourist routes that the only noise I heard was the tinkle of sheep bells amid the 2,300-year-old streets.

None of these sites, nor most ancient ruins anywhere, can top the exuberance of nearby Ephesus, the Roman city halfway down the Aegean coast that dominated the Eastern classical world.

You can still walk its main marble road to the richly carved library and gigantic theater, past squares, statues, and what must have been the wealthiest Romans’ penthouse apartments.

Even in Rome there hardly is so much ancient luxury on display as in these terrace houses, with halls covered in marble panels, realistic wall paintings and intricate floor mosaics of mythical scenes.

BYZANTINES AND OTTOMANS: First the Byzantine, then the Ottoman empires gave even more impressive heft and sparkle to their capital, Istanbul, in their golden eras in the sixth and 16th centuries.

For sheer grandeur, the stunners are Byzantine Haghia Sophia and the Ottomans’ Blue Mosque. I spent many nights contemplating them from the rooftop terrace of my small Sultanahmet hotel, as seagulls swooped in between the floodlights washing over their stadium-sized domes. Meanwhile, the concierge, Erhan Orkun, fussed to get me a 21st century luxury: flawless wireless.

You don’t even realize how extraordinarily high and wide Haghia Sophia’s gold tile-covered dome is until you climb up ramp after ramp of stairs to the gallery, and the mosaics still look far away.

The best Byzantine mosaics are hidden away on central Istanbul’s edge, in the jewel-box Kariye church. I would have never found it had a fully veiled woman I stopped on a deserted street not walked a mile out of her way to lead me up a warren of alleys.

The interior shines with 14th-century mosaics portraying Gospel stories with so much realism that you feel Mary’s hesitation as she stands outside Joseph’s house as a new bride, wringing her hands.

Similarly, while skyline-dominating giants like Suleymaniye mosque and Topkapi palace, for 400 years the sultans’ vast residence, impress with their massive play of shapes, my Ottoman favorite was a tiny mosque hidden near the Spice Bazaar, Rustem Pasa.

The dark space, cooled by a breeze off the Golden Horn, bursts into the vivid blues and greens of the precious Iznik tiles that cover it in intricate floral and abstract designs.

APOLLO’S SWIMMING HOLE: You can dive into that vivid blue in the sea off Oludeniz natural park, where the Aegean meets the Mediterranean. Surrounded by tall mountains covered in fragrant brush and pines, with wisps of clouds perched on their tops, it felt like the swimming hole of the ancient gods.

Not that there isn’t competition for sea-lovers. I spent a day cruising the Bosporus on a friend’s sailing boat, downing ayran, the signature salty yogurt drink, past Ottoman palaces and fortresses.

Off a tiny cove in the sadly overdeveloped Bodrum peninsula, a kid engaged me in a freestyle competition through crystalline water as his grandmother, decked out in a turquoise long-sleeved suit, blue Crocs and pink noodle, patiently tried out a few strokes.

From my terrace at one of the peninsula’s many luxury hotels, Lavanta, overlooking Yalikavak harbor, I watched the sun set over Greek islands as a muezzin’s call to prayer wafted over the whitewashed village up to the windmills topping the barren hills.

If Bodrum has luxe, the Datca peninsula just to the south has solitude. Near the ruins of Knidos, a seventh-century B.C. Greek town, I spent an hour floating in transparent water without seeing a soul.

A few hours south of there, in Patara, I found miles of sandy beach popular with sea turtles, past an arch and other ruins of an ancient Lycian city. It’s a tough call, but I might have had the best meal of the trip in Patara, under the grape arbor of St. Nicholas restaurant. Mezes kept flowing, ranging from tangy beyaz peynir cheese (a Turkish version of feta) to grilled fish and lamb to a dazzling variety of dishes made with eggplant (“patlican,” which means eggplant, is essential Turkish vocabulary).

And of course, I ended up deep in conversation with the owner’s son, a young man just out of architecture school, who shared his dream of a green development in Patara so that “in five years you might read of me.”

“Cok iyi,” I told him, and I hoped that first Istanbul cab driver would have been proud.

___

If You Go…

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The LSU track and field team will travel to Fayetteville, Ark., for the Razorback Invitational this weekend in its first action since dueling defending outdoor national champions Texas AM.

“Last week was a scored meet, so we went and tried to win the track meet,” said LSU coach Dennis Shaver. “Now it’s a performance meet at Arkansas. We are going up there to have the opportunity to improve our marks for our athletes.”

The competition will include nine men’s teams and eight women’s teams ranked in the top 25, including the No. 1-ranked Razorback men’s squad.

“We get to see SEC competition we don’t usually see,” Shaver said.

Despite not running her signature event, senior Cassandra Tate will pace the Lady Tigers this weekend. Tate, the No. 1-ranked runner in the 400-meter dash, said she is ready for the challenge of the new event.

“The 200 isn’t really my thing,” Tate said. “But I’m excited to do something different.”

Junior Kimberlyn Duncan, defending national champion in the indoor and outdoor 200-meter, will try to capitalize on momentum from the Texas AM dual meet, where she posted the fastest indoor time in the NCAA in the 200-meter dash.

The track may favor Duncan as well as the Lady Tigers’ vaunted 4×400 meter relay team, which posted the No. 3-ranked time in the nation.

“The track is very conducive to fast 100 [and] 400 meter times,” Shaver said. “It gives all of our athletes time to improve on their performances.”

The Tigers will look to rebound from a difficult loss to Texas AM, led by junior Caleb Williams, who is the only runner in the nation thus far to break 47 seconds in the 400-meter dash.

Williams said his goal for the Razorback Invitational is to set a new personal record of 45.6 seconds to keep his No. 1 ranking.

“I just need to get out faster,” said Williams, who has worked to improve his initial push from the blocks. “I [usually] try to hang on to people and burn them out at the end.”

Williams will be joined by teammate and No. 6-ranked 400-meter dash runner senior Robert Simmons, who is aiming to improve on a personal best time of 47.31 seconds. Senior hurdler Barrett Nugent will also be a key competitor for the Tigers.

Shaver also stressed the importance of the meet as a qualifying opportunity for the NCAA championships, saying that it provides a perfect opportunity to move up the national event lists.

“If by the end of the season you’re not in the top 16 in your event, you probably won’t get to go to the NCAA meet,” Shaver said.

____

Contact Chandler Rome at crome@lsureveille.com

DEARBORN, MICH. — When I visit a museum, a large part of what I’m looking to do is help educate my children. But too many museums, if you ask me, stupefy kids with boredom or insult them with hands-on activities that mostly just serve as germ depositories.

Not the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn, Mich. With 80,000 square feet of space containing 130 cars and a new, updated permanent exhibit, it’s pretty appealing to kids — especially those old enough to remember driving some of the past models on display.

Even if listening to Dad wax nostalgic about the cool ’65 Mustang or ’59 Volkswagen camper just like the one he had back in the day is inexplicably less than thrilling, there’s still lots to attract drivers-to-be in Driving America, the revamped permanent exhibit that opens to the public on Sunday.

Unlike the previous exhibit, which dated from 1987 and assumed that visitors were all highly knowledgeable and car-crazy, “Driving America” aims to capture the car’s impact on society. Fortunately, the folks who designed it remembered to keep the cultural analysis fun for kids.

Take the Texaco gas station exhibit. The service bay is equipped with a mock-up of a car that your young ones can slide under on a creeper to change the muffler. Look kids, the car is a ’64 Ford Falcon! Just like the one I had back in high — uh, never mind. No boring the kids, remember?

But really, swapping the muffler on this one looks way easier than it was to get that rusted piece of, uh, junk off my Falcon.

And speaking of salty language, Driving America includes a “Talk Like a Trucker” exhibit. No, it’s not meant to teach the tykes how to curse. The idea is to teach them the now-obscure citizens band radio slang that was the lingua franca of truck drivers in the 1970s. For some reason, popular culture became obsessed with this subculture for a few years, with people buying CB radios for their homes (“base stations”) to participate.

At the time, you could buy a vinyl LP (you know, those things the dance DJs use) to learn how to speak this arcane language. The museum has digitized that recording and put it into a touch-screen app that today’s kids can use to learn the meaning of such phrases as “Smokey Bear in a plain brown wrapper.” That means “a police officer in an unmarked car.”

These kinds of cultural influences are the focus of Driving America, says automotive curator Bob Casey. It may seem like chiefly a cool collection of killer cars, such as the ’65 Pontiac GTO or the ’56 T-bird, but it’s also a look at the fact that the Beach Boys sang popular songs about both those models.

Cars and music, in fact, are the theme of the “Car-Tunes” touch-screen exhibit. Another touch-screen app teaches you how to drive a Ford Model T. It isn’t much like driving a modern car. Hint: The “gas pedal” is a lever on the steering wheel and the brake is a lever on the outside, poking through the running board.

The exhibit’s goal, according to Casey, is to have you look at the car from a point of view other than the driver’s. That means displays of a roadside diner and signs for White Castle, AW, McDonald’s and HoJo’s, reflecting the many jobs that sprang up in support of the car and the experiences many of us had at such places.

It also explores why people want cars. Turns out, they didn’t want them at first. The 1865 Roper steam car wasn’t much more than a curiosity. People paid to see it go at fairs, gawking as though it was the bearded lady. But “there was no clamor for people to buy it,” Casey says. By 1896, however, when the Duryea, the first gasoline-powered commercial car, was introduced, Americans were desperate to buy automobiles.

Their attitudes changed again later, as they were repulsed by the terrible quality of such models as the ’78 Dodge Omni and the ’81 Ford Escort, which are also on display, as are an ’89 Honda Accord and an 2002 Toyota Prius.

The Smithsonian National Museum of American History’s America on the Move exhibit is similar in theme to Driving America. But although the Henry Ford includes other forms of transportation, the museum is not surprisingly more car-centric. Still, you know that monstrous green 300,000-pound Southern Railway No. 1401 steam locomotive you’ve seen in the Smithsonian? The Henry Ford has an astounding 778,000-pound Chesapeake Ohio Railway 1601 that’s bigger still.

Nevertheless, Casey says that most visitors to “Driving America” are drawn to the cars that hold memories for them. Which is why you can find me on the creeper beneath the Falcon mock-up, trying to improve my muffler-changing technique so that I won’t be so maddeningly frustrated next time. Otherwise, I’d have an unfair advantage in a talk-like-a-trucker contest.

Washington Post. Dan Carney is a freelance automotive critic for MSNBC.com.

If you go . . .

The Henry Ford Museum is at 20900 Oakwood Blvd., Dearborn, Mich.

Information: 800-835-5237 or www.thehenryford.org

Hours: Open daily 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Cost: $17, seniors $15, ages 5 to 12 $12.50, four and younger free.

Jan. 27, 2012

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Iowa Game Notes

Indiana Game Notes

TIP-OFF
• Beginning Sunday, Iowa will play three games in seven days, playing at Indiana on Sunday, followed by home games against Minnesota (Wednesday) and Penn State (Saturday).
• Sunday showcases two of the Big Ten’s highest scoring teams. Indiana ranks first in scoring (78.4) and Iowa ranks fourth (73.9).
• Sophomore Zach McCabe has scored 20 points in each of Iowa’s last two games.
• Senior Matt Gatens leads the team in scoring (12.0), rebounding (5.1) and steals (12) during Big Ten action.
• Iowa has collected 10 steals or more in nine games. The nine games with 10 or more steals lead the Big Ten and are the fourth most in the country.
• Iowa has one of the deepest benches in the Big Ten, averaging 28 points per game.
• Iowa’s scoring average of 73.9 is its highest since the 1997-98 season (80.2).
• Iowa is 9-0 when scoring 80 points or more, under McCaffery, the last two seasons. Furthermore, the Hawkeyes are 12-0 when holding opponents to fewer than 60 points.
• Sunday will be Iowa’s fifth game against a ranked opponent. Iowa is 2-2 against ranked foes. Four of Iowa’s first six Big Ten games were against ranked opponents.

SUITS AND SNEAKERS AWARENESS WEEKEND
The Iowa and Indiana basketball staffs will be wearing sneakers during Sunday’s game in Bloomington, Ind., for the annual Coaches vs. Cancer Suits and Sneakers awareness weekend, which is a collaborative initiative of the American Cancer Society and the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC). Participating NABC member coaches will wear sneakers instead of dress shoes with their suits during weekend games to demonstrate their support for the American Cancer Society and its vision of a world with less cancer and more birthdays. Fans may support this cause by texting COACH to 20222 from any wireless phone to make a $5.00 donation toward Coaches vs. Cancer and help in the search for a cure. For more information, visit the Coaches vs. Cancer Facebook page, facebook.com/coachesvscancer.

NEBRASKA RALLIES TO BEAT IOWA
Nebraska erased an early 11-point deficit and rallied to post a 79-73 win over Iowa Thursday night in Iowa City. The Huskers scored on 13 of their last 15 possessions the last eight minutes. Iowa had four players score in double figures, led by sophomore Zach McCabe for the second staight contest. McCabe scored 20 points for the second consecutive game, marking the first time a Hawkeye netted 20 points or more in back-to-back games since Matt Gatens had 22 and 21 against Louisiana Tech and Illinois, respectively, in 2010. Roy Devyn Marble tallied nine of his 15 points at the foul line, while Matt Gatens had 12 and Aaron White contributed 11 points and a team-high nine rebounds. Nebraska was led by Brandon Richardson, who scored a game-high 25 points and had six rebounds, five assists and two steals.

IOWA, NEBRASKA TIP-INS
• After winning its first eight games when leading at the half, Iowa has lost the last two in which it had the lead at intermission (at Purdue and versus Nebraska).
• Bryce Cartwright dished out five assists to lead Iowa. The senior has led or shared the team lead in assists the last five games off the bench.
• Zach McCabe made nine of his 11 field goal attempts (.818), including 2-of-3 from distance versus Nebraska. The sophomore has been white-hot as of late, making 20 of his last 29 field goal attempts (.689) the last three games.

ALL-TIME SERIES
Indiana holds a 94-73 advantage in the series that began with an 18-12 Hoosier win in 1909. Iowa has won 10 of the last 14 meetings. The Hawkeyes have won four consecutive over the Hoosiers, sweeping the two-game season series the last two years. Indiana holds a 55-28 advantage in games played at Bloomington, but the Hawkeyes have won four of the last seven. Five of the last 10 games in Bloomington have been decided by three points or less, with the Hoosiers winning in overtime in 2003 and Iowa winning in double overtime in 2004. Iowa won last year’s meeting 64-63 in Assembly Hall. The two teams have met twice at neutral sites (the Big Ten Tournament), with Iowa winning both, once in Chicago (2001) and once in Indianapolis (2002).

SCOUTING INDIANA
• Indiana is 16-5 overall and 4-5 in Big Ten play. The Hoosiers are 12-1 in home contests, including a 3-1 home mark in league games. The lone Indiana home defeat came against Minnesota (77-74) on Jan. 12.
• Indiana lost its last game, 57-50, at Wisconsin Thursday night. Christian Watford and Verdell Jones III led the Hoosiers, scoring 12 points each. The Badgers held the Hoosiers to 3-of-8 shooting from 3-point territory.
• The Hoosiers are 10-0 this season when scoring 75 points or more.
• Indiana is 4-2 in games decided by six points or less, winning the first four, but losing the last two.
• The Hoosiers have three players who have made 27 triples or more: Jordan Hulls (46), Christian Watford (35) and Matt Roth (27).
• Indiana’s Jordan Hulls ranks first in Big Ten free throw percentage (.894), third in 3-point accuracy (.489) and fourth in 3-pointers made (2.2). Victor Oladipo ranks fourth in steals (1.7), while Cody Zeller ranks second in field goal percentage (.644), fifth in blocks (1.5) and rebounding (6.2), and 10th in scoring (14.7).
• Indiana ranks first in the Big Ten in scoring offense (78.4), field goal percentage (.498) and 3-point percentage (.447), second in free throw percentage (.734), fourth in 3-point field goal percentage defense (.318), and fifth in steals (7.4), 3-pointers (7.0) and field goal percentage defense (.414).
• Indiana has four players average double figures in scoring: Cody Zeller (14.7), Christian Watford (12.6), Jordan Hulls (12.2) and Victor Oladipo (10.1).
• Indiana’s fifth leading scorer, Will Sheehey, who averages 9.5 points, missed five games this season due to injury. He is back from injury and has played in the last five contests.

IOWA, INDIANA TIP-INS
• Sunday features two of the Big Ten’s top free throw shooters. Indiana’s Jordan Hulls ranks first (.894, 42-of-47), while Iowa’s Matt Gatens ranks fourth (.861, 62-of-72).
• Seven of Iowa’s 10 losses have come to teams ranked in the RPI top 55, including six of the last seven.
• Iowa’s Matt Gatens ranks fourth in Big Ten career scoring, among active players, with 1,381 points, while Indiana’s Verdell Jones III ranks sixth with 1,288 points.
• Iowa’s second (Roy Devyn Marble, 11.3), third (Aaron White, 9.7), fourth (Zach McCabe, 8.7) and fifth (Melsahn Basabe, 8.2) leading scorers are all underclassmen.
• Iowa ranks 40th in the country in assist/turnover ratio (1.2), 43rd in steals (8.2), 45th in fewest turnovers (12.1) and 69th in assists (14.5). Individually, Roy Devyn Marble is 27th in assist/turnover ratio (2.5).
• Indiana ranks second in the country in 3-point field goal percentage (.447) and fifth in field goal percentage (.498). Freshman Cody Zeller ranks fourth nationally in field goal percentage (.644).
• Matt Gatens is only four 3-pointers from sinking his 200th career triple. Gatens enters Sunday’s game with 196 treys.
• Iowa senior Matt Gatens averages 14.3 points in six games against Indiana. Junior Eric May averages 10 points in four games, while sophomore Melsahn Basabe averaged 20 points and 11.5 rebounds in two games against the Hoosiers a year ago.
• Indiana’s roster is comprised of 17 student-athletes. The roster consists of five seniors, four juniors, four sophomores and four freshmen. Nine players hail from Indiana, two from Illinois and Maryland, and one each from Ohio, Alabama, Florida and Kentucky.
• Indiana assistant Tim Buckley was an assistant coach at the University of Iowa during the 2006-07 season when the Hawkeyes posted a 17-14 overall record.
• Iowa is 16-6 all-time in games played on Jan. 29.

LAST YEAR IN BLOOMINGTON
Iowa’s Melsahn Basabe posted a double-double (20 points and 13 rebounds) to help lift Iowa to a 64-63 win in Assembly Hall a year ago. Additionally, Bryce Cartwright netted 15 points and dished out eight assists. Iowa was 20-of-25 (.800) from the free throw line. Jordan Hulls paced the Hoosiers, leading all scorers with 24 points on 10-of-17 shooting from the field, including 4-of-9 from 3-point territory.

ESPN.COM RANKS NATION’S TOP FRESHMEN
ESPN.com released a midseason report on the nation’s top freshmen. Included in the list is Iowa’s Aaron White. White is ranked No. 15. Indiana’s Cody Zeller is second and Trey Burke of Michigan is seventh. White ranks third in Iowa scoring (9.7) and second in rebounding (4.7).

INDIANA COACH TOM CREAN
Tom Crean is in his fourth year as the head coach at Indiana and his 13th year as a college head coach. He served as the head coach at Marquette University for nine seasons (1999-08). His record at Indiana stands at 44-71 (.383), while he has posted a career record of 234-167 (.584). Crean led Marquette to five appearances in the NCAA Tournament, including a trip to the 2003 Final Four, while posting a 190-96 mark there. He earned the Coach Clair Bee Award in 2003 and was a finalist for the Naismith National Coach of the Year. Crean has served as an assistant coach at Michigan State (1989-90 and 1995-99), Western Kentucky (1990-94) and Pittsburgh (1994-95). He was associate head coach and recruiting coordinator his last two seasons at Michigan State. Crean is 1-5 vs. the Iowa Hawkeyes.

IOWA TO HONOR 1987 TEAM AND LETTERMEN’S DAY ON FEB. 4
There will be more than a basketball game on Feb. 4 when Penn State visits Carver-Hawkeye Arena. That Saturday will be a special afternoon as the UI men’s basketball program will honor the 1986-87 Hawkeyes. Former UI head coach Tom Davis, and a majority of players and staff from the 1987 team will reunite in Iowa City. Additionally, for “Lettermen’s Day”, the team will wear special throwback jerseys. Fans will have an opportunity to meet this illustrious group before the Feb. 4 game. There will be an autograph session of selected players from 12:30-1:30 p.m. around the concourse. Following autographs there will be a pregame ceremony recognizing the team and its accomplishments. That team, which was the top-ranked team in the country for a number of weeks during the season, set the program’s single-season record for wins (30) and was one game from the earning the program’s fourth Final Four appearance. Eight players from the 1987 team ultimately went on to get drafted in the NBA, while others played professionally overseas.

Roy Devyn Marble TO BE FEATURED ON “THE JOURNEY” SUNDAY
Sophomore Roy Devyn Marble will be one of the features on this week’s BTN episode of “The Journey”, which is scheduled to debut on Sunday at 7 p.m. (CT) after the Iowa-Indiana basketball game on BTN.

IOWA VS. RANKED TEAMS
Iowa has played four games against ranked competition. The Hawkeyes beat No. 11 Wisconsin (72-65) on Dec. 31 in Madison, and most recently 13th-ranked Michigan (75-59) on Jan. 14 in Iowa City. Iowa fell to No. 6 Ohio State (76-47) on Jan. 7 in Iowa City and No. 6 Michigan State (95-61) on Jan. 10 in East Lansing.

WHITE LEADS BIG TEN RESERVES IN REBOUNDING
Aaron White leads Big Ten reserves in rebounding. The Iowa freshman has pulled down 103 rebounds. Michigan State’s Derrick Nix ranks second (81), Austin Thornton of Michigan State is third (70), while Purdue’s Terone Johnson is fourth (65).

STAT SHEET STUFFER
Roy Devyn Marble’s level of play has been stellar the last 16 games. The sophomore has averaged a team-best 12.9 points and 3.4 assists during that span. Also, he is shooting 44 percent from the field and 73 percent from the foul line during the 17-game stretch. Since moving to the starting point guard spot, Marble is averaging 13.5 points, 4.34rebounds and 3.6 assists. He has amassed a solid assist/turnover ratio this season. He has 70 assists to only 28 turnovers, ranking third in the Big Ten (2.5). Marble has been credited with four assists or more 11 times this season.

IMPROVED NUMBERS FOR MARBLE
Last season, Roy Devyn Marble averaged 5.7 points, 2.4 rebounds, and was credited with 41 assists and 21 steals in 31 contests. He started the last six of 2010-11. Also, he shot 53 percent from the free throw line (35-of-66). This year, Marble has seen improved numbers, averaging 11.3 points, 3.6 rebounds, and has collected 70 assists and 32 steals. He has started the last 13. From the foul line this season, the sophomore has seen significant improvement, shooting 72.7 percent (72-of-99). The 99 attempts are the fifth most among Big Ten players. Indiana’s Cody Zeller ranks third with 104 attempts.

GATENS CLIMBING CHARTS
Matt Gatens ranks 13th on Iowa’s all-time scoring chart. The senior is 121 points from tying Jeff Horner (2003-06) for 12th place. Gatens’ 12 points Thursday against Nebraska helped him surpass Ed Horton (1986-89) for 13th on the chart. He has amassed 1,381 points entering Sunday’s contest at Indiana. The senior was 2-of-8 from 3-point territory in Iowa’s last game versus Nebraska and now has 196 career triples, which is fifth best in school history. Additionally, he ranks fourth in career 3-point attempts with 561. Gatens is only 18 steals from cracking the top 10 chart in career thefts at Iowa. The native of Iowa City will finish his career in the top 15 in scoring and steals and top five in free throw percentage and 3-pointers made.

VOTE FOR FRAN IN “INFINITI COACHES’ CHARITY CHALLENGE”
As part of its ongoing corporate partnership with the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC), the NCAA and ESPN, Infiniti has announced an expanded “Infiniti Coaches’ Charity Challenge” with a $100,000 donation to the winning coach’s designated charity. Iowa’s Fran McCaffery is one of 48 NABC coaches taking part in this charity challenge. Fan participation will determine the ultimate winner over an eight-week period by registering and voting at ESPN.com/Infiniti. For the first six weeks, four brackets of 12 coaches will be paired against each other, with the winners from each group moving onto the next round in week seven and the final round in week eight. Fans can vote for up to four coaches per day. The winning coach will be announced March 9. The total Infiniti contribution will be more than $300,000. All 48 coaches’ charities are guaranteed at least $5,000 from Infiniti.

FRESHMEN CONTRIBUTIONS
Freshmen Aaron White and Josh Oglesby have combined for seven games of scoring 15 or more points this season. White has scored in double figures in eight of the last 11 contests, including netting 15 points or more in four of those outings.

HAWKEYE BIG TEN FIELD GOAL PERCENTAGES
In Iowa’s three Big Ten victories, opponents were just 15-of-82 (.183) from long distance and 70-of-179 (.391) overall from the field. Iowa made 77-of-163 (.472) from the field and 11-of-30 (.367) from the 3-point range in those wins. Conversely, Hawkeye opponents shot 51.3 percent (153-of-298) from the field and 34-of-87 (.391) from 3-point territory, compared to 41.8 percent (115-of-275) from the field and 30.9 percent (21-of-68) from long distance for Iowa, in the Hawkeyes’ five conference defeats

Matt Gatens AMONG SELECT GROUP
Matt Gatens is one of five active Division I players with 1,350+ points, 400+ rebounds and 195+ made 3-pointers in a career.

McCABE BOLSTERING HAWKEYE FRONTCOURT
Sophomore Zach McCabe has been a solid contributor to Iowa’s front court this season. McCabe ranks fourth in team scoring (8.7) and third in rebounding (4.6) in 21 games. His scoring has increased during league play, averaging 10.9 points. McCabe has scored in double figures in each of Iowa’s last three games. He tallied 11 points and chased down seven boards in Iowa’s win over Michigan (Jan. 14). The last two games he posted 20 points, a career high, at Purdue and versus Nebraska. The last time a Hawkeye netted 20 points or more in back-to-back games was Matt Gatens, who had 22 and 21 against Louisiana Tech and Illinois, respectively, in 2010. McCabe has been white-hot from the field, making 20 of his last 29 field goal attempts (.689) the last three games. In Iowa’s last outing versus Nebraska, McCabe was 9-of-11 (.818) from the floor, including 2-of-3 (.667) from long distance. After getting to the free throw line only 21 times the first 15 games, McCabe has done a better job attacking the basket. The sophomore has earned 21 trips to the foul line the last six contests. McCabe has pulled down seven rebounds or more six times, including a personal-best eight versus Central Arkansas. He has led the team in rebounding five times this season.

SINKING THE FREEBEES
Last year, Iowa’s free throw percentage was 67.6 percent. This season, the Hawkeyes have improved in that area, shooting 72.2 percent, which ranks third best in the Big Ten. Twenty-two percent of Iowa’s offense this year has come from the foul line. The Hawkeyes have missed only 22 free throws (83-of-105, .790) in the final five minutes of games. Additionally, the Hawkeyes have missed only 11 free throws (29-of-40, .725) in the final minute.

IOWA HISTORY
Iowa has played 2,646 games since beginning basketball in 1902. Iowa’s overall record is 1,588-1,058 (.600). That includes a 951-352 (.730) record in home games, a 547-716 (.433) record in contests away from Iowa City, a 706-723 (.494) mark in Big Ten games and a 357-116 (.755) record in Carver-Hawkeye Arena.

WHITE OUT
Aaron White has been contributing solid numbers off the bench. The freshman, who leads all Big Ten reserves in rebounding (4.7), averaged 12 points and five rebounds, the last 10 games. White has scored in double digits nine times, including eight of the last 11 games. The last 11 games, White has averaged 11.8 points, shooting at a 61 percent clip (43-of-71) from the field. The 6-foot-8 wing player has scored 15 points or more five times, which is the third most by a Big Ten rookie this season. The rookie almost posted his second double-double in Iowa’s last outing, posting 11 points and grabbing a team-best nine rebounds Thursday against Nebraska. White netted eight of his 12 points from the charity stripe in the Hawkeyes’ victory over No. 13 Michigan. White drained 7-of-8 free-throw attempts in the last three minutes of the game to help maintain a double-digit advantage over the Wolverines. White was named Big Ten co-Freshman of the Week after his performance in Iowa’s victory over Chicago State (Nov. 11). The native of Strongsville, Ohio, shined in his Hawkeye debut, leading all scorers and rebounders with 19 points and 10 boards. The 19 points are the most by an Iowa freshman in an opener, equaling Dick Ives’ 19 scored against Nebraska in his debut on Dec. 10, 1943. Furthermore, White’s performance marked the first time a Hawkeye posted a double-double, in a season opener, since Dean Oliver had 10 points and 12 assists in a victory over Chicago State in 1997. It was the first time a Hawkeye freshman had a double-double, points and rebounds, since Jess Settles had 13 points and 11 rebounds versus Drake in 1993.

COACHING EXPERIENCE
Fran McCaffery has assembled one of the most experienced coaching staffs in the country. Assistant coaches Kirk Speraw, Sherman Dillard and Andrew Francis have over six decades of combined coaching experience. Furthermore, the entire coaching staff combines for 47 years of head coaching experience. Director of Basketball Operations Jerry Strom is in his 31st season as a member of the Iowa basketball staff. Additionally, Iowa’s new video coordinator, Al Seibert, has 18 years of collegiate coaching experience.

IMPROVEMENT UNDER McCAFFERY IN SECOND YEAR
Fran McCaffery-coached teams have posted improved win totals and scoring output from their first year to second with McCaffery as a head coach. At Lehigh, his team improved by two wins (13 in 1986 to 15 in 1987). His UNC Greensboro team had four more victories from 2000 (15) and 2001 (19). At Siena his team improved by five victories, registering 15 in 2006 to 20 in 2007. His Lehigh team averaged 2.8 more points its second year compared to year one. His UNC Greensboro team had a +1.9 scoring increase and +1.8 at Siena. Currently, Iowa is averaging 6.7 more points this year compared to last season.

IMPROVED SHOOTING
Iowa has three players shooting over 50 percent from the floor during league play. Zach McCabe has made 58.2 percent of his shots, which ranks sixth best in the Big Ten. Aaron White ranks eighth, making 54.3 percent of his attempts. Melsahn Basabe has made 52.5 percent of his field goal tries.

HAWKEYE FAST BREAKS
• The Big Ten is the No. 1 ranked conference in the RPI and Sagarin ratings.
• Iowa’s men’s and women’s teams start this week with identical overall (11-10) and Big Ten (3-5) marks.
• Iowa averages 83.2 points in its wins, compared to 63.6 points in its defeats, a differential of 19.6 points. The Hawkeyes own a +16.1 point differential in their scoring defense, and +10.1 rebounding and +8.2 assists margins in wins compared to losses.
• Roy Devyn Marble has 70 assists to only 28 turnovers. His 2.5 assist/turnover ratio ranks fourth in the Big Ten.
• Iowa’s attendance numbers are up again this season, after a 20 percent bump a year ago. Last season, Iowa averaged 11,096 fans. Through 14 home games this season, the Hawkeyes are averaging 11,236.
• Freshman Josh Oglesby became the first Hawkeye reserve to lead the team in scoring, in back-to-back games (Northern Illinois and Creighton), since Ricky Davis paced Iowa with 25 and 18 on the road at Wisconsin (Feb. 3) and Michigan State (Feb. 7), respectively, in 1998. Like Oglesby, Davis accomplished the feat as a freshman.
• At least 10 players have seen action in 16 of Iowa’s 21 contests. Iowa’s bench averages 28 points.
• Iowa has had five players score in double figures three times (North Carolina AT, Drake and Central Arkansas). The Hawkeyes had five players score 12 points or more in its win over North Carolina AT (Nov. 14). It marked only the fourth time the Hawkeyes had five players tally 12 points or more in a game (UW-Green Bay in 2003, Michigan in 2004, SIU-Edwardsville in 2010 and North Carolina AT in 2011).

SPERAW TAKING PART IN “SHOTS FROM THE HEART”
Iowa men’s basketball assistant coach Kirk Speraw is one of 256 collegiate basketball coaches taking part in the second annual “Shots from the Heart”, which is an event created by Angela Lento and Joe Dwyer of collegeinsider.com to increase awareness for the growing problem of Heart Disease and raise money to benefit the Skip Prosser Foundation. Speraw posted a victory over Old Dominion’s Jim Corrigan in the first round of the tournament. He then advanced to the Sweet 16 with a win over Saddi Washington of Oakland University. In both rounds, Speraw sank all 25 of his free throws. Speraw’s next opponent is Derrick Jones of Louisiana Tech. The Sweet 16 and Round of Eight will occur in January, while the semifinals and finals are scheduled for February. To view the brackets and/or learn how you can contribute to the Skip Prosser Foundation” visit: collegeinsider.com.

HAWKEYEBASKETBALL.COM
Check out the Iowa basketball team’s new website, HawkeyeBasketball.com, devoted to everything on-and-off-the-court surrounding the program. HawkeyeBasketball.com, allows fans a chance to go behind the scenes with the Hawkeye basketball program on and off the court. The site is complete with exclusive videos, photo galleries and content featuring the basketball program. HawkeyeBasketball.com will be updated throughout the year with exclusive videos, including game highlights and player features, along with news stories and other content.

“HAWK TALK WITH Fran McCaffery”
University of Iowa basketball fans may join Iowa Coach Fran McCaffery and radio announcer Gary Dolphin Monday nights for the “Hawk Talk with Fran McCaffery” radio call-in show. The show takes place at Carlos O’Kelly’s Mexican Cafe in Iowa City from 7-8:30 p.m. Fans can call in and ask the coach a question by calling 1-877-464-2957.

ALL-SESSION BIG TEN TOURNAMENT TICKETS ON SALE
All-session tickets for the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament are on sale. Tickets can be purchased at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse Box Office, Ticketmaster outlets, ticketmaster.com or by calling Ticketmaster at (800) 745-3000. For more information regarding how to purchase tickets within Iowa’s block, contact the UI Athletic Ticket Office. Bankers Life Fieldhouse is the site of the men’s tournament from March 8-11, featuring 22 games over eight days. Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament all-session tickets for the lower and club levels are available for $325 through Big Ten university ticket offices only. All-session tickets for the upper levels are available for $240 or $175 through Ticketmaster or the Bankers Life Fieldhouse Box Office only. In addition, the men’s tournament will continue to feature a special discounted rate of $50 for all-session tickets available only to students of Big Ten universities. All students must have a valid student ID for entry. Student section seating will be available in eight balcony sections and orders will be limited to one all-session ticket. Details on the student ticket program will be sent to the university ticket offices for distribution directly to students. The Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament will call Indianapolis and Bankers Life Fieldhouse home this March and again in 2014 and 2016. The 2012 tournament marks the eighth time Indianapolis has hosted the Big Ten Men’s Basketball Tournament at Bankers Life Fieldhouse.

ON THE HORIZON
The Hawkeyes return home for a pair of games. Iowa will host Minnesota on Wed., Feb. 1 (7:36 p.m., BTN) and Penn State on Sat., Feb. 4 (2 p.m., ESPNU).

CAIRO — Egypt banned at least 10 Americans and Europeans from leaving the country, including the son of U.S. Transportation Secretary and former central Illinois congressman Ray LaHood, hiking tensions with Washington over a campaign by Egypt’s military against groups promoting democracy and human rights.

The United States warned Thursday that the campaign raised concerns about Egypt’s transition to democracy and could jeopardize American aid that Egypt’s battered economy needs badly after a year of unrest.

The travel ban was part of an Egyptian criminal investigation into foreign-funded democracy organizations after soldiers raided the offices of 10 such groups last month, including those of two American groups.

The investigation is closely intertwined with Egypt’s political turmoil since the fall of Hosni Mubarak nearly a year ago. The generals who took power have accused “foreign hands” of being behind protests against their rule and they frequently depict the protesters themselves as receiving foreign funds in a plot to destabilize the country.

Egyptian opponents of the military say the generals are trying to smear the protesters in the eyes of the public and silence organizations they fear will undermine their managing of the country.

Also startling is the military’s willingness to clash with its longtime top ally, the United States, over the issue, particularly since the army itself receives more than $1 billion a year from Washington. The December raids brought sharp U.S. criticism, and last week President Barack Obama spoke by telephone with Egyptian military chief Field Marshal Hussein Tantawi to emphasize “the role that these organizations can play in civil society,” according to State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland on Thursday.

The ban became public after Sam LaHood, Egypt director of the Washington-based International Republican Institute, went to Cairo’s airport Saturday to catch a flight and was told by an immigration official that he couldn’t leave.

“I asked her why I was denied, she said she didn’t know. I asked how to fix it, and she said she didn’t know,” said LaHood, 36. An hour later, a man in civilian clothes gave him back his passport and escorted him to the curb, LaHood said.

“It’s a dark signal for groups who are interested in doing this kind of work,” he said.

LaHood’s father, a former congressman from Illinois, is the only Republican in Obama’s Cabinet. The elder LaHood declined to comment.

The IRI was among the groups raided last month, along with the National Democratic Institute and a number of Egyptian organizations. Both American groups, linked to the political parties of the same name, monitored Egypt’s recent parliamentary elections. In the raids, troops ransacked 17 offices of the 10 organizations around the country, carting away computers and documents.

The Egyptian government said the raids were part of a legitimate investigation into whether the groups were operating legally.

Sen. John McCain blasted Egypt’s handling of the issue Thursday, warning that continued restrictions on civil society groups “could set back the long-standing partnership between the United States and Egypt.”

IRI and NDI officials said they have been trying since 2005 to register as required by law, but were left in legal limbo, never officially denied nor granted permission. Both groups continued to operate while keeping authorities abreast of their activities, they said. Many Egyptian non-governmental organizations say officials often keep their groups in such limbo to maintain a threat over their heads.

Sam LaHood said he was told by his lawyer that he is under investigation on suspicion of managing an unregistered NGO and receiving “funds” from an unregistered NGO, namely, his salary.

Two other Americans and a European with IRI have also been banned from travel, Lahood said his lawyer had been told. From the National Democratic Institute, three Americans and three Serb employees are also on the list, according to its Egypt director Lisa Hughes.

Hughes, who is among those barred, said she has been interrogated for more than four hours about her group’s work and that she had planned to fly to the U.S. next month before she heard about the ban.

“I think we would be silly not to be concerned,” she said. “We were concerned the moment armed men showed up at our office door, and this has done nothing to calm those concerns.”

The State Department’s top human rights official, Michael Posner, told reporters in Cairo Thursday that such moves could jeopardize U.S. aid to Egypt, one of the biggest recipients.

“All need to have the ability to operate openly, freely, without constraint, not based on the content of their work,” he said.

Posner pointed to recent U.S. legislation that blocks annual aid to Egypt unless it takes certain steps. These include abiding by its 1979 peace treaty with Israel, holding free and fair elections and “implementing policies to protect freedom of expression, association and religion and due process of law.”

“Obviously, any action that creates tension between our governments makes the whole package more difficult,” Posner said.

The U.S. is due to give $1.3 billion in military assistance and $250 million in economic aid to Egypt in 2012. Washington has given Egypt an average of $2 billion in economic and military aid a year since 1979, according to the Congressional Research Service.

Egypt’s military has been locked in a confrontation for months with protesters who demand it immediately hand over power to civilians.

Hundreds of protesters camped Thursday in Cairo’s central Tahrir Square, a day after several hundred thousand people massed there to mark the one-year anniversary of the 18-day anti-Mubarak uprising.

Thursday evening, hundreds moved from Tahrir and rallied in front of the state TV building, beating drums as they chanted for the “liberation” of state-run media from the military’s control. They projected video footage of soldiers beating protesters onto the building.

State TV has been a mouthpiece of the military, broadcasting its accusations against protesters. Activists demand it be restructured as an independent media institution.

“The media is still manipulated and projects the same lies,” said protester Mahmoud Ragab. “We will be here everyday to let them know it is a revolution.”

MIAMI (AP) — While the parent company of the owner of the stricken Costa Concordia is based in Miami, passengers who want to file a lawsuit in U.S. courts over the cruise ship disaster will likely face choppy seas.

That’s because of fine print on tickets purchased and signed by the 3,000-plus passengers before the ship capsized Jan. 13 off the coast of Italy, killing at least 16 and leaving another 16 missing. The ticket contract includes what’s known as a “choice of forum” clause stating that lawsuits must be filed in Italy.

Maritime law experts say that similar attempts to sue in the U.S. despite these clauses have been turned away by the U.S. Supreme Court and that the expense of filing a lawsuit in a foreign court has deterred many plaintiffs in the past.

“It’s well-settled law,” said Jerry Hamilton, a maritime attorney who regularly defends cruise lines against lawsuits. “The Supreme Court has said those clauses are valid clauses. They will be upheld.”

For a Costa cruise that touches any part of the U.S., the clauses say lawsuits should be filed in federal court in South Florida. Same for Carnival Cruises — which owns Costa — and many other major cruise lines. But for cruises such as the Concordia that involve only foreign travel, the Costa ticket says lawsuits must be brought in Genoa, Italy where much of the subsidiary’s operations are based.

The clauses in the cruise industry are not as common in other forms of travel. Lawsuits against airlines, for example, can be brought virtually anyplace they do business for domestic flights; for international flights, lawyers can generally sue in the airline’s home location or where the flight departed, among other venues.

Last August, the 11th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled in favor of a forum clause in a case involving Regent Seven Seas Cruises Inc. A California woman, Nina Seung, fell and broke her leg aboard a cruise ship sailing from Tahiti, then tried to sue in Fort Lauderdale federal court. Her ticket required foreign cruise lawsuits to be filed in Paris, and the appeals court rejected her challenge.

Seung, who was 74 at the time of her accident, said in court papers that the clause essentially barred the door for her.

“I do not have any savings of note right now, I am going further and further into debt each month and because I cannot work, I don’t see how I can ever afford this,” she said in an affidavit. “So if I am forced to go to Paris, France, I just will not be able to bring my claim.”

Depending on each country’s laws, passengers can be at a sharp disadvantage compared to the U.S. legal system. Italy, for example, requires plaintiffs to post a judiciary tax that is a certain percentage for larger amounts of damages, said attorney Bob Peltz, chairman of the Cruise Line Committee of the Maritime Law Association.

Other maritime lawyers say Italian law makes it more difficult for some people to recover damages for pain and suffering than in U.S. courts. The Costa ticket also contains a clause limiting its liability for the death or injury of a passenger to about $71,000, although that doesn’t apply in cases of recklessness and legal experts say it could be successfully challenged.

Despite the hurdles, some attorneys are exploring a lawsuit against either Costa or Carnival in Miami. One lawyer, David Singer, said the theory is that Costa and Carnival are identical “in terms of who makes the decisions” and that could make Carnival a legitimate target.

“If one could establish that they are really alter egos for each other, that is one way of maybe keeping these cases in South Florida,” Singer said.

An Italian consumer group, Codacons, has said it plans to forge ahead with a lawsuit in Miami. The group claims it could win between $164,000 and $1.3 million per passenger. As of Friday, no such lawsuit had been filed.

At least one lawsuit has been filed against Carnival and Costa in U.S. courts, by Peruvian crew member Gary Lobaton. That case, filed in Chicago federal court on Thursday, seeks class-action status to represent all passengers and 1,000 crew members. It blames the companies for negligence because of an unsafe evacuation and seeks at least $100 million in damages, attorney Monica Kelly said in an email Friday.

Peltz said that case has two big problems: The passengers are covered by the forum clause, and crew members likely have contracts requiring them to submit first to arbitration.

“I think they are going to have a difficult time,” he said of the Chicago lawsuit.

Neither Costa nor Carnival would comment about potential lawsuits. Costa has said it will reimburse passengers for travel expenses and medical expenses. The company is also offering uninjured passengers about $14,460 each to compensate for lost luggage and psychological trauma, but they could still go to court.

Some attorneys say Costa may want to create a claims fund similar to that set up by BP after the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, in which people who accepted money agreed not to sue BP. Costa would not comment on that possibility, but legal experts say such funds have the advantage of quickly putting money into claimants’ hands and make the company’s losses more predictable than a jury trial.

“That would be a fair move as well as a very thoughtful public relations move,” Singer said. “To keep these cases in Italy, this stuff is buried in the small, small, small print. Nobody likes that. It’s a billion-dollar company and they’re taking away your rights by burying these clauses in their tickets.”

Another attorney, Gabrielle D’Alemberte, said cruise passengers should make sure to obtain and read their documents closely. If the forum clause mandates that lawsuits be filed in a foreign country, she recommended that passengers simply take a pen and cross out the words “I agree” on the document.

“While the agent has the right to deny you from boarding, most likely you will still be ushered aboard,” she said. “Then if a tragedy does occur, you have a strong argument for filing your case in the United States.”

WARWICK, R.I., Jan. 27, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ –
The Costa Concordia cruise ship disaster has many today doubting the safety of a shipboard vacation, but according to the Cruise Lines International Association, the world’s largest cruise line association, 16 million of us enjoyed sailing the world’s oceans last year. Statistically, cruises are considered one of the safest forms of travel but you can minimize vacation risks further with these trip protection tips from InsureMyTrip.com:

1. Compare, Compare, Compare: Shop around to get the best plan for your needs at the right price. InsureMyTrip.com offers side-by-side comparisons of policies and prices to help you make smart purchasing decisions quickly and easily.

2. Plan Ahead: To receive the most benefit from your travel insurance policy and be eligible for optional benefits like Cancel for Any Reason and Pre-existing Medical Conditions, purchase the policy within 7 to 15 days of your First Trip Payment.

3. Buy From a Third Party: Typically, if you purchase travel insurance directly through a travel supplier such as an airline, cruise line, or tour operator, you’re unprotected if that travel supplier goes bankrupt or becomes financially insolvent, so it’s always best to purchase your travel insurance protection from a third-party source.

4. Keep Your Receipts: In the event you ever have to file a claim, keep your receipts for everything from pre-paid non-refundable trip costs insured under your policy to doctor’s notes, as well as any receipts incurred from a travel delay such as meals, hotel accommodations, and transportation to/from the airport.

5. 24-hour Traveler Assistance: Providing a host of critical services from processing prescription refills to managing and monitoring itinerary changes, the 24-hour Traveler Assistance program is truly a traveler’s best friend. A value-added benefit included in all travel insurance plans, insured travelers can call the company-provided phone number collect from anywhere in the world and receive special assistance with a wide-range of travel, medical, business, and concierge needs.

6. Ask the Experts: InsureMyTrip.com’s licensed Customer Care representatives are standing by to help you with all of your travel insurance questions or concerns seven days a week, 365 days a year. Visit us at
www.insuremytrip.com or call (800)-487-4722.

For all the latest in travel insurance information, connect with us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter (@insuremytrip).

About InsureMyTrip:

Established in 2000, InsureMyTrip is a leading online travel insurance aggregator worldwide. Featuring insurance comparisons from the top industry providers, InsureMyTrip is a one-stop resource designed to meet travelers’ comprehensive insurance needs all in a secure environment. Enhancing the insurance buying experience, InsureMyTrip features a Customer Ratings Reviews community forum for traveler feedback, discussion and information exchange. InsureMyTrip also specializes in providing custom retail and wholesale travel insurance solutions in the education and mission travel markets. InsureMyTrip is headquartered in Warwick, R.I., with additional offices and data centers in Connecticut and Oregon.

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.Vikki Corliss

https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=106607

SOURCE InsureMyTrip.com

Copyright (C) 2012 PR Newswire. All rights reserved

Like to ski but don’t enjoy the crowds? Try booking a snow trip for Super Bowl Sunday, Feb. 5. Crowds are likely to be down and you’ll probably save money, too, especially on U.S. trips.

toronto star file photo

While throngs of tailgaters chug Bud Light and devour Buffalo wings near the Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis, and millions of other football fans gather in front of their TVs to watch the Super Bowl this year, in-the-know travelers will be sitting down to meals at some of the hardest-to-get-into restaurants in the country, skiing down empty slopes and zipping through Disney World without the usual lines.

If you’re willing to skip the game, set for Sunday, Feb. 5, here are areas where you aren’t likely to run into much competition.

RESTAURANTS

Opentable.com, the restaurant reservation site, typically seats half the number of reservations on Super Bowl Sunday that it does on the Sundays before or after. That’s a bigger drop than on Oscars night.

“It’s a great night to get into a hot restaurant,” said Drew Nieporent, founder of the Myriad Restaurant Group, which operates Tribeca Grill, Nobu New York City and other chic spots. “It’s not a great day for a restaurateur.”

Don’t get complacent – you should reserve now if you want a choice table at one of the hottest places.

GOLF

The first week of February traditionally marks the beginning of prime golf season in snowbird retreats like Florida, California and Arizona. That means more players competing for tee times. Super Bowl morning is no exception, with tee sheets filling up with those trying to squeeze in 18 holes before kickoff.

But come noon, said Brett Brooks, a spokesman for Troon Golf, which manages 12 courses in greater Phoenix, “You’re going to have the course to yourself.”

SKIING

Super Bowl Sunday is a great day to ski. Not only are lift lines practically nonexistent, but ski resorts roll out the deals. The average saving on Liftopia.com last year was about 32 percent off window rates, including midweek deals, which tend to be the lowest. For Super Bowl Sunday, the average saving was roughly 40 percent. This year, game day is expected to hold similar savings.

Copper Mountain in Colorado, for example, has slashed lift tickets to $49.99, or about 50 percent off, according to Liftopia, while Canyons in Park City, Utah, has cut rates by 31 percent to $66.99. In Vermont, Jay Peak is offering tickets for $46, or 39 percent off.

STAGE, SPAS AND MORE

Want to score a Broadway show for less? New York City ticket prices for “The Book of Mormon” are 20 percent less the evening of Feb. 5 compared with a typical Sunday evening in February, according to Stubhub.com., an online ticket company. If you wait to buy tickets at the last minute, you may get even better deals. Last year, tickets for “Merchant of Venice” and “Spider-Man” on Super Bowl Sunday were 25 percent off about a week ahead, according to Stubhub, but dipped 13 percent more in the days leading up to the shows.

Spas also see a dip in business. Super Bowl weekend is typically 10 to 12 percent less busy than the average weekend in January or February, according to SpaBooker, an online booking system used by spas across the country.

Perhaps the only places travelers will have a hard time getting into are in Indianapolis, the host of Super Bowl XLVI, and Las Vegas, where sports gamblers fill casinos and push up room rates. The Bellagio is sold out on Feb. 5 with $500-a-night rates for the weekend, compared with about $300 on other weekends that month.

Japan Airlines says that when it begins inaugural nonstop service from Tokyo to Logan International Airport in April that it will be using Boeing’s long-awaited new 787 Dreamliner, making it the first airline to operate the highly-efficient jetliner commercially to and from the United States.

Airlines around the world, buffeted by high fuel costs, have been awaiting the arrival the Dreamliners, which were plagued by production delays. Boeing says that the jets, which employ lighter materials and wider wings, will consume less fuel, cut maintenance costs and provide greater passenger comfort, with larger dimmable windows, LED lighting, and other features.

JAL will offer four flights a week between Logan and Narita International Airport starting April 22, with daily service beginning in June. Making the 13 1/2-hour flight nonstop will shave up to six hours off the time it currently takes Boston passengers, who now have to connect through New York, Chicago, San Francisco, or a number of other cities to get to Tokyo, the biggest Asian destination for Boston travelers.