Morning Links: Swine Flu and Travel, Viewing North Korea and More
Travel Blog • Michael Yessis • 04.27.09 | 9:13 AM ET
- In response to the swine flu outbreak, several airlines are waiving change fees for Mexico travelers.
- Airline and tourism stocks have been slammed by the news of the swine flu.
- As of 9:18 a.m. ET, the CDC “has NOT recommended that people avoid travel to Mexico at this time” because of the outbreak. However, the EU’s health commissioner “urged Europeans on Monday to postpone nonessential travel to the United States or Mexico.”
- Here’s how an Italian cruise ship fended off a pirate attack.
- Daisann McLane on the financial “tsunami”: “[W]hen the hardest waves hit, my response has always been the same: hit back, and hit the road.”
- World Hum contributor David Farley surfaces in Dublin’s Smithfield neighborhood.
- The Economist says there’s an “element of silliness” to this story about female business travelers.
- The Big Picture peers into North Korea.
- The Telegraph has a slideshow of the world’s weirdest festivals.
- A hammer-and-sickle T-shirt almost derailed efforts to have The Flaming Lips song “Do You Realize” named Oklahoma’s official rock song.
- Gail Collins has “been thinking a lot about state slogans this week.” They’re pretty funny thoughts.
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Michael Yessis is the cofounder and coeditor-in-chief of World Hum.
Ling 04.27.09 | 10:12 AM ET
Way the swine flu is spreading, putting out travel advisories may be a bit moot at this point. There’s already confirmed cases in Spain, Canada, and New Zealand. Asia and Africa can’t be far behind. And once (if) it hits the third world, it’s going to really spread fast.
Sophia Dembling 04.27.09 | 11:33 AM ET
So, a little devil’s advocate here, but is it possible that things women want just *sound* silly to The Economist? The article also talks about amenities such as better lighting in hallways and escorted jogging tours, which address safety.
I’ve often been annoyed by the lack of full-length mirrors in some hotel rooms. Silly? Maybe, but in a world that judges by appearances, it matters, and for women it’s more of a head-to-toe issue than for men. Oh yeah, then there are magnifying mirrors that are three inches too high for me to use. (I hope someday car makers stop making seat belts that cut me across the neck, too.)
This reminds me of the newsroom, where the features sections are mocked as less important than hard news, even though they address everyday matters—home, family, health—that make life worth living, and are what wars are fought to protect.
A few years ago, an airline magazine refused to run the title of one of my female sources’ books because the book was aimed at women and airline magazines cater to men. Now THAT’S silly!
TambourineMan 04.27.09 | 2:37 PM ET
I don’t know, Ling. The Pig Flu seems more like mass hysteria to me. According to the WHO, only 26 of the 149 deaths in Mexico are confirmed Swine Flu cases. There are 110 million people in Mexico. Hardly a pandemic.
Mira's Desk 04.28.09 | 6:52 PM ET
As with everything in life it is best to be prepared. Here is a link to the CDC for information on the Travel restrictions. http://pfx.me/NP
ritagret 04.29.09 | 9:05 AM ET
This website http://www.swine-flu-tracker.com/ shows you in real time how quickly swine flu is spreading.