If it is September 19 — which is today — then this special day can be none other than the birthday of FlyerTalk member and founder Randy Petersen.

Actually, that is only partially true. September 19 is also the birthday of FlyerTalk members SFOLIS, zebra, jaymay, Ben Boatwright, vkanids, pamelaemcc, rosscali, burghlaw, Absik001, 777-222, crossroads, JohnSIN, sburgner, KL803, RAPC, 380, kristenmilnes, chrisearth13, and aerospace.

In any event, we at The Gate do not officially know just how old Randy Petersen is today, but we will certainly not stop anyone from asking by posting in the Happy Birthday, Randy Petersen! thread…

Before that question can be answered, another one needs to be asked:

What is a prioneer?

Is a prioneer:

• Someone who pre-dates a pioneer?
• Someone who considers knees a top priority?
• What one does when one tugs a little too hard on someone else’s ear?
• A new vehicle built by General Motors?
• A verb conjugated between prion and prionest?

Whatever is the definition of a prioneer, Hilton Hotels Corporation is obviously proud to be one, as demonstrated by a hilton ad in American Way magazine.

We thought we would throw up a FlyerTalk thread which you might find interesting.

FlyerTalk member thatguy83 admits that on a DL Flight: So I was stupid, drank too much and vomited before take-off and, refreshingly, takes complete and full responsibility for his actions. FlyerTalk members applaud his honesty. However, the incident allegedly caused the flight to return to the gate before reaching the runway.

However, questions do arise as to how the mess was cleaned up, who pays for the clean-up, and who decides what happens next. Interestingly, one FlyerTalk member questions if this is a way to legally avoid change fees.

In addition to other “vomit comet” stories shared by FlyerTalk members, there is also a bonus story about how someone vomited in a barf bag, only to realize too late that the bottom was already cut off from underneath it…

Perhaps you have attended a FlyerTalk event in the past and even met other FlyerTalk members. However, have you ever attended an event which will occur in three different countries?

If not, here is your chance with the 3-2-1-DO. 3 countries, 2 days, 1 DO. Switzerland, Germany, France (BSL) Apr17/18 2010, hosted by FlyerTalk’s very own chrissxb, who has experience organizing past FlyerTalk events — some of which are now considered legendary.

Reserve your place now!

Assuming the unwashed adult toys were — ahem — used, does that make them a security risk?

What would compel agents of the Transportation Security Administration, or TSA, to allegedly declare Adult Toys Prohibited??

If adult toys are indeed prohibited — to the point where they would be seized at security checkpoints — what could be done to cause them to get off the list of prohibited items? Upon discovery, would they cause premature evacuation of the airport? Is it worth master debating the issues as to why this prohibition would vibrate through the heads of security personnel? Why was there the conception of prohibiting adult toys in the first place? Should there be public condomnation regarding this alleged policy, climaxing until it is finally revoked? Why not just allow them to squirt by the security checkpoint?

These questions stimulated some hard discussion amongst FlyerTalk members…

The latetst junk tax – US proposes $10 fee on foreign visitors — to promote travel! will allegedly become a reality.

The Travel Promotion Act of 2009, passed by the United States Senate on 9 September 2009 by a margin of 79-19, with 1 Senator not voting, allows “to establish a non-profit corporation to communicate United States entry policies and otherwise promote leisure, business, and scholarly travel to the United States.”

This may mean that some visitors to the United States may be charged a US$10 fee just for visiting the United States. That money apparently will be used to fund ways to attract more international tourists to the United States, which quite a number of FlyerTalk members believe is an “absolutely terrible idea,“ while other FlyerTalk members fear retaliatory fees by other nations will be imposed on tourists who are citizens of the United States when entering their countries.

Don’t tell FlyerTalk member and TalkBoard member kokonutz that he must be “shushed” by not being allowed to post the I will NOT be shusshed on a daytime flight!!!!! thread in the TravelBuzz! forum on FlyerTalk…

…and, while we are at it, don’t you dare “shush” him especially when he is — um — busy “communicating” to his girlfriend while on that daytime flight…

What will you be doing in the year 2020? As you achieve the plutonium elite level of your favorite airline frequent flier loyalty program yet again, will you be working on your microcomputer equipped with the one zettabyte (yes, that is a real term) hard disk drive and 50 exabytes of random access memory, or RAM? Will you be driving your hydrogen-powered car that emits only water out of its exhaust pipe? Perhaps you will be a parent, grandparent or even possibly great-grandparent?!?

If Starwood Hotels & Resorts has its way, you will be staying at the aloft Aventura hotel property and apparently other Starwood properties that show the opening date as not until the year 2020. However, FlyerTalk member Steph3n asks: 10+ years to hotel opening, why bother listing it?! (merged threads)

Believe it or not, there actually is an official explanation for why certain Starwood properties list an opening date in the year 2020, but you will have to read the thread to find it out…

JerseryVics has an idea, but needs help with some of the practicalities. How can he carry a giant stuffed koala halfway around the world?

This is still a developing story, but Delta Air Lines is in talks with Japan Airlines Corporation, or JAL, to be the top stakeholder in the struggling Asian airline.

If the deal is consummated, what does this mean for both Delta Air Lines and Japan Airlines Corporation? Speculation abounds, including a stronger trans-Pacific route network for Delta Air Lines, new code-sharing agreements with Japan Airlines Corporation, and perhaps even Japan Airlines Corporation becoming a SkyTeam alliance member:

• JAL To Receive Capital Assistance From Delta
• JAL bought by Delta ?