Our January meeting at the beautiful Cavallo Point Lodge with guest speaker Roy Stearns, Deputy Director of California State Parks, was a big hit. “One of our best meetings and venues ever!” several members raved. On February 20, our biennial BATW Awards presentations will take place at Book Passage...

BATW is delighted to welcome two new active members: Georgia Hesse and Kenneth Smith. Georgia and Kenneth, we all look forward to talking with you at future BATW events.

Many thanks to Jay Gordon for sharing this information from Google about search engine optimization (SEO) for websites.  Jay says: Those with websites who want to be sure they are easily found by Google and other search engines may find this document helpful. It is Google’s own guide to Search...

Thanks to Sandy Sims, who sent along a link to “Top 10 Green Thingamablogs” because she thought the information on the site would be both interesting and helpful with story research.  The site says,: “Check out these Top 10 Green Energy blogs to learn what’s new in green innovations....

Thanks go to Sheila O’Connor, who forwards more very cool links for information: A database of news stories can be found at: http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday and can be searched by specific date, and the Earth Calendar at www.earthcalendar.net/index.php lists holidays and celebration days...

Your BATW website editor, April Orcutt, recommends Travel Publications Update, which is a great resource for magazine and newspaper markets.  Pat Snider has recently updated it for 2010.  It’s $30 by email or $33 as a Word document sent on CD. Contact: Ms Pat Snider Travel Marketing Sources PMB...

Sheila O’Connor sends this tip: Today’s travel hint: What to say to get a seatmate on the plane to be quiet and leave you alone?  When they ask what you do, tell them you work for the IRS.

Diane LeBow eating snails in Palermo (photos © John Montgomery) Oh my gawd — what is that woman doing?  She doesn’t look entirely happy in that first photo.  This is BATW president Diane LeBow — and she’s eating snails in Palermo. Based on the second photo, though, it looks...

Bob Ecker has posted his “First Annual Travel Quiz,” and it’s really, really fun.  OK, that’s if you like this kind of thing, and I (your BATW website editor, April Orcutt) just love it.  (Click on “First Annual Travel Quiz” to get there — it’s fun.) -...

photo for "Running Fence" at the Smithsonian (photo © Morton Beebe) photo for "Running Fence" at the Smithsonian (photo © Morton Beebe) Congratulations are certainly in order for Morton Beebe whose photographs will be included in the Smithsonian exhibit Christo and Jeanne-Claude:...