2009 is the year for the 48-year cycle of rat infestation in northeast India!!!
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/rats/janzen.html
Interactive guide: http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/rats/pop-flash.html

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Opinion, BusinessWeek: Recession treats Priceline, Expedia differently
A worldwide drop in travel spending is splitting the fortunes of two major online travel companies, with Expedia reporting a $3 billion write-down and weak revenue Thursday as its smaller rival Priceline.com benefits from a surge in bargain-hunting. Online travel company Expedia Inc. reported a loss of $2.76 billion, or $9.60 per share, in its fourth quarter, which ended Dec. 31. It wrote down the value of its goodwill and other intangible assets after a sharp drop in the company’s stock price. Priceline, on the other hand, beat Wall Street’s expectations, reporting that earnings for the quarter ended Dec. 31 were 1 percent higher than a year earlier, at $33.3 million, or 73 cents per share.

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Southwest Airlines announces plans to start flying to Boston in Fall’09
Official announcement: http://www.blogsouthwest.com/video/southwest-airlines-ceo-announces-future-service-boston
Boston Globe: http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2009/02/18/low_cost_carrier_southwest_airlines_coming_to_logan/

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Travel warning: China government banns foreigners from entering Tibet
The ban extends into some parts of the three provinces surrounding Tibet where ethnic Tibetans live. Officials in Gansu confirmed that tourists are now being turned away from Tibetan areas until further notice, while officials in Sichuan said tourists travelling along the road to Tibet were being stopped. In Qinghai, officials said foreigners have always been banned from areas where Tibetans live, including Qilian mountain, one of China’s most beautiful landmarks.

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Expedia reports bad 2008 financial results
Expedia Inc, the largest U.S. online travel agency, posted a fourth-quarter net loss on Thursday due to a hefty accounting charge while weaker travel demand steeply eroded the value of its bookings. Expedia’s results just missed market expectations and shares fell more than 10 percent. Shares of rival Priceline.com, whose earnings beat forecasts on Wednesday, rose more than 16 percent.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/hotStocksNewsUS/idUKTRE51I4IX20090219
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB123504365515721761.html?mod=googlenews_wsj

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