Word: westernizes
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Dates: during 2000-2009
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...your backyard, you won't think of going skiing, whatever the economy. If the flakes are falling, however, you'll get silly for the slopes. "Snow makes skiers act irrationally," says Ralf Garrison, director of the Mountain Travel Research Program, which compiles lodging data from ski resorts in the Western U.S. "When there's soft powder, skiing is no longer a discretionary activity. It becomes a birthright." (See 50 authentic American travel experiences...
...Through Jan. 31, March reservations were down an alarming 29% for the Western resorts - traditionally a period of great snow and warmer temperatures. "Good snow helped fuel a slew of last-minute bookings around Christmas," says Garrison, the Mountain Travel Research Program director. "Who knows if the snow will save the day again...
...East's gain is the West's loss. According to the Mountain Travel Research Program, through Jan. 31, occupancy was down 18% at the Western ski areas, while lodging rates dropped 8%. Vail Resorts, a public company that runs four ski areas in Colorado and one in California, reported a 5.8% drop in skier visits through early January and a 7.5% decline in lift-ticket revenue. The Aspen Skiing Company, which operates the Ajax Mountain, Highlands, Buttermilk and Snowmass ski areas, predicts skier visits will drop between 5% and 15% this year. (See the top 10 sports moments...
...Several Eastern European countries, including Hungary, Romania, and the Baltic states, are in a state of near meltdown, yet Western nations are prioritizing their own domestic difficulties. In the name of self-preservation, European solidarity, and long-term political strength, western EU countries have no option but to aid their neighbors. As severe recessions plague even the strongest economies in Europe, however, the cost of solidarity will undeniably be expensive...
...Indeed, the strife caused by the credit crunch only heightens the importance of economic unity. A shared currency, cross-national lending, and numerous Western investments in the East intrinsically link the welfares of European countries. Should one country go under, the detrimental effects felt across the whole of Europe would be monumental. To an even greater extent, the well-being of the European Union as a whole depends on the respectable performance of each constituent member. Failure to remain united may breed disillusionment with Western capitalism and leave Eastern Europe dangerously susceptible to Russian influences. Thus, for the sake...