Vancouver, B.C., always at the leading edge, Opus Hotels has introduced another precedent-setting green initiative. This time it’s hybrid car drivers-not to mention the planet they benefit-reaping the rewards.

June 2 marked the beginning of the summer hybrid rewards incentive that sees guests who arrive in hybrid cars, which consume less gas, being rewarded with complimentary valet parking. Reservation and bell staff are on-board to identify and pass on the benefits to environmentally-friendly guests. The trial-run closes on August 31.

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Soap operas are often laughed at as vacuous forms of entertainment, but the Argentine soap opera “Robadas” (“Stolen Lives”) is serious business.According to Reuters, this show is based on the real life experience of Susana Trimarco, an Argentine woman from the province of Tucuman.Trimarco lost her 23-year-old daughter Marita in 2002, probably to human trafficking.Marita simply disappeared and ever since then Trimarco has been searching for her—the search and the fight against human trafficking became the premise of the show.When it started in March it was just another nighttime soap, but now it is causing a lot of talk around Argentina’s water coolers about a previously ignored subject.In this way, Trimarco is helping to ensure that her daughter’s story is heard.

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Between January and June of 2008, the Buenos Aires government has repaired 15,000 potholes and 400,000 meters of sidewalks. According to the government website, this impressive undertaking is only the beginning, since the project is scheduled to go on for a total of four years and cost the city a total of 2,000 million pesos.The mayor, Mauricio Macri, said in a recent press conference that he wanted the people of Buenos Aires to see where their money was going.Nine barrios have benefited from these repairs in the past months, and more will follow.Anyone who has ever walked the sidewalks of the city and accidentally stepped in a hole must agree that this is needed work.

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The recent heavy snow fall has made ski resorts the favored location of the past few weeks of winter vacation—a vacation which for Argentine school children ended yesterday.According to La Nacion, Bariloche and Las Lenas have been working at essentially full capacity, while Mar del Plata has been at 50%.While it seems obvious that the beach resort would get less tourism in the winter than ski resorts, the tourism levels in Mar del Plata were even lower than expected.Despite the heavy snow fall that just closed Bariloche, however, their luxury hotels are at 100% capacity right now, and cabins and hostels are close behind with 80% occupancy.These levels of tourism were above and beyond the expectations of Bariloche’s now decidedly pleased residents.

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Despite a strong performance by Manu Ginobili, who scored 19 points, Argentina lost its first basketball game to Lithuania yesterday.According to The Boston Globe, the final score was 79-75 and the game came down to a tense finish.In the final minutes of the game, Argentina went on a run, with two free throws made by Ginobili, a basket by Carlos Delfino, and a basket by Luis Scola.Argentina pulled to within one of Lithuanian but their efforts were not quite enough to bring the victory home.While a disappointing loss, Lithuania is one of the best teams in the Olympic tournament this year and Argentina will have several more opportunities in group play to get back their loss.

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For six months, taxi driver Carlos Schuster has been doing his job with a little extra help; his small dog Brownie now travels with him.According to the Clarín, Schuster describes himself as a diabetic whose blood sugar has always been high because his job as a taxista is stressful—traffic, angry drivers, and complaining passengers can wear on you.Now, however, his dog Brownie helps to alleviate some of the stress of the day through his company and the soothing effect he has on passengers.Schuster says that tourists who ride in his car often photograph the dog as he leans out the window, sticking his snout out into the breeze.

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