Priceline.com, which was writen off as dead after the technology bubble implosion, has roared back with powerful earnings growth and confounded skeptics.

Among the shares expected to see active trade in Thursday’s session are those of Exxon, Procter & Gamble and Colgate-Palmolive.

The mainstream press still looks enthralled with the story of the alleged fraud at Galleon and the technically meaningless milestone of the Dow busting through 10 000.But here at the ‘Ville we have a different question this morning that impacts a lot more Americans: When do we start paying attention as investors to the rising price of crude oil and what this means for companies and consumers across the country?Oil futures stuck in the $65-to-$75 range for around four months flirted with $80 a barrel for the first time in a year this week carried in large part by ...

Are your work weeks feeling nasty brutish but not short? We at Minyanville know just how you feel. So we went in search of quick cures in the form of short vacations that heal mind and body. And since this column is all about cheap thrills we’re looking for a lot of luxury for a big discount.The only other requirement: It must be soon. It must be available from right this minute until maybe the end of 2009.Here’s what we found. Note: Some of the specific offers in this column may be booked by the time you click but ...

Editor's Note: This is the first in a series on luxury travel bargains.When the going gets tough the tough go first class all the way.Travel professionals have plaintively declared that their industry might have reached its bottom meaning it hit an all-time low and now it’s stuck there. The word “staycation” has entered the American vocabulary. And whoops! Here comes a swine flu outbreak.It’s time for a little cold-blooded opportunism as a consumer if not as an investor. What follows are some examples of currently available travel offers. These are not low-ball deals like “Paris from $199” that strand ...

NOTE TO EDITORS: The Following Is an Investment Opinion Being Issued by WallStSense.com