Ok....positive developments

<p>Performersmom…has requested that I start a positive thread…and others can participate…</p>

<p>So. Nuclear fusion…</p>

<p>Runs clean…ends energy scarcity…can change matter…it is going to happen some day…</p>

<p><a href=“http://www.iter.org/newsline/197/938[/url]”>First plasma beam on Magnum PSI;

<p>"</p>

<p>On 4 October, the new experiment for testing ITER-relevant plasma surface interactions—the Magnum-PSI facility at the Dutch FOM Institute for Plasma Physics Rijnhuizen—produced its first magnetized plasma beam.</p>

<p>When Magnum-PSI reaches its full design specifications, it will be the first laboratory facility capable of producing a continuous source of hot ionized gas (plasma) with plasma density and temperature very close to those expected in the ITER divertor region and under similar conditions of magnetic field strength and divertor target geometry.</p>

<p>The experiment already deposits a power of 8 MW per square metre on the beam target, close to the 10 MW per square metre steady-state load expected on the ITER divertor. Research on Magnum-PSI will open up new possibilities to put materials to the test in a plasma environment and for a length of time close to that expected in a fusion reactor."</p>

<p>Siri…this is just the beginning…</p>

<p>This world is going to change dramatically as this technology improves…</p>

<p>[Apple</a> - iPhone 4S - Ask Siri to help you get things done.](<a href=“http://www.apple.com/iphone/features/siri.html]Apple”>http://www.apple.com/iphone/features/siri.html)</p>

<p>Breakthru medical gadgets…</p>

<p>[Breakthrough</a> Medical Gadgets: The Future of Healthcare Hardware | Gadget Lab | Wired.com](<a href=“Breakthrough Medical Gadgets: The Future of Healthcare Hardware | WIRED”>Breakthrough Medical Gadgets: The Future of Healthcare Hardware | WIRED)</p>

<p>"
EPOC Wireless EEG Headset</p>

<p>Emotiv has developed a headset that makes it relatively easy to monitor electrical signals from the brain, allowing technicians to eschew the hassle of setting up a regular electroencephalogram. See, with a traditional electroencephalogram, you have to put electrodes in precise locations and coat them with a layer of conductive goo. But not so with this device. Just wet the contacts, slip on the headset, and you’re ready to do some neuroscience. Emotiv hopes the headset could eventually be
used to diagnose neurological disorders such as epilepsy, or identify kids who have autism."</p>

<p>"
DNAe Rapid Genetic Testing System</p>

<p>Genetic tests can predict how well someone will respond to a medication and diagnose inherited diseases. Unfortunately, however, most of them have excessively long turnaround times. Thus, the incredible speed of these DNAe gadgets is game-changing.</p>

<p>After 10 years of research, Chris Toumazou and his team from DNA electronics and Imperial College have built a genetic analyzer that’s the size of a USB stick. While speaking on stage, Toumazou analyzed saliva samples from the event organizers, comparing their genetic material to DNA extracted from a banana. His demo was silly, but made a serious point. The new gadget can check people’s genes in 15 to 20 minutes, far faster than the best DNA tests that can be found in hospitals today. The system makes copies of DNA using the PCR reaction, and then uses ion-sensitive transistors to measure the production of those copies. A similar technology is used in Life Technologies’ Ion Torrent gene sequencing systems.</p>

<p>The handheld DNA tester should allow doctors to make much better decisions when they’re writing a prescription or trying to figure out what’s wrong with a patient. For instance, some people respond very poorly to the blood thinner clopidrogrel and others can drop dead if they take the antibiotic floxicillin or the antimalarial drug primaquine. A quick genetic test could prevent those tragedies."</p>

<p>[Live</a> forever? Computer says yes](<a href=“http://www.smh.com.au/technology/sci-tech/live-forever-computer-says-yes-20111105-1n13r.html]Live”>Live forever? Computer says yes)</p>

<p>LIKE!</p>

<p>Others: feel free to add any positive economic trends, as well.</p>

<p>Innovation is great thing to report!!</p>

<p>Adding to the positives…</p>

<p>The FDA had 35 approvals of innovative new drugs in the FY 2011:</p>

<p>[FY2011</a> Innovative Drug Approvals](<a href=“http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/ReportsManualsForms/Reports/ucm276385.htm]FY2011”>http://www.fda.gov/AboutFDA/ReportsManualsForms/Reports/ucm276385.htm)</p>

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</p>

<p>And a US company reported that their Hep C drug achieved 100% cure rate:</p>

<p>[Pharmasset</a> Rises After Hepatitis-C Drug Shows 100% Cure Rate in Trial - Bloomberg](<a href=“http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-11-07/pharmasset-rises-after-hepatitis-c-drug-shows-100-cure-rate-in-trial.html]Pharmasset”>Bloomberg - Are you a robot?)</p>

<p>Here is one:
(hope I can link to Bloomberg) [Capital</a> Spending Nears 2008 Level as U.S. Skates New Recession - Businessweek](<a href=“Bloomberg - Are you a robot?”>Bloomberg - Are you a robot?)</p>

<p>Capital Spending is picking up a bit from the low.</p>

<p>The latest unemployment report was not ALL gloom and doom: 80,000 new jobs were created. (Yes, other trends in unemployment were not encouraging, but this aspect was.)</p>

<p>[Companies</a> spending more–and hiring less - CBS News](<a href=“http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162-57320019/companies-spending-more-and-hiring-less/]Companies”>http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-505123_162-57320019/companies-spending-more-and-hiring-less/)</p>

<p>While there is still a huge overhang in housing, including some that is yet to be reported, most likely, the Oct 25 Case-Schiller Index showed some improvements:
[S&P&lt;/a&gt; | S&P/Case-Shiller Home Price Indices | Americas](<a href=“http://www.standardandpoors.com/indices/sp-case-shiller-home-price-indices/en/us/?indexId=spusa-cashpidff--p-us----]S&P”>http://www.standardandpoors.com/indices/sp-case-shiller-home-price-indices/en/us/?indexId=spusa-cashpidff--p-us----)</p>

<p>This one is interesting, a mixed bag, but may be a good sign:
[Consumer</a> Borrowing Up, But Credit Card Use Falls : NPR](<a href=“http://www.npr.org/2011/11/07/142109990/consumer-borrowing-up-but-credit-card-use-falls]Consumer”>http://www.npr.org/2011/11/07/142109990/consumer-borrowing-up-but-credit-card-use-falls)</p>

<p>Apparently borrowing did go up for college.</p>

<p>I had about 11 links, but they all said the same thing:</p>

<p>“Number of homeschoolers rising.”</p>

<p>mini, please do pass along any good news that you do encounter in your research travels.</p>

<p>US Auto Sales have not been too shabby YOY:
<a href=“Auto and Transportation Industry News - News, Articles, Biography, Photos - WSJ.com”>Auto and Transportation Industry News - News, Articles, Biography, Photos - WSJ.com;

<p>Hotels have some good news in both occupancy and rates:</p>

<p>US Hotel Occupancy Up 6.8% to 61.6% Week Ending October 29th - 2011</p>

<p>More people in higher tax brackets!</p>

<p>

[Government</a> Planning to Possibly Reduce Inflation Measurement Standard | Wall St. Cheat Sheet](<a href=“http://wallstcheatsheet.com/stocks/government-planning-to-possibly-reduce-inflation-measurement-standard.html/]Government”>http://wallstcheatsheet.com/stocks/government-planning-to-possibly-reduce-inflation-measurement-standard.html/)</p>

<p>I don’t know a single unemployed person!!! Restaurants are crowded,so people are spending money( and these restaurants are not casual fast food joints like Olive Garden,etc)…</p>

<p>Yes, it’s true, have to make reservations for friday and saturday nights around here at the better places, now.</p>

<p>Noticed a couple of neighbors have bought new cars and our neighbor who wanted to sell two years ago said her real estate agent told her to get her house ready for the spring, cuz forecasts are good for our area.</p>

<p>In the area where I own investment property, we have noticed, too, that the prices are rising.</p>

<p>Chanel recently increased their prices by 20%, and their bags still sell out like hotcakes at the downtown Nordstrom. Someone either getting into a lot of cc debt or is making good money (both consumer borrowing and income growth should be positive for the economy :)).</p>

<p>Received a better then 3% increae in salary!!! Whohoo times are good!! ;)</p>

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<p>Nothing positive about that one! Wouldn’t “schools improving so much no one considers homeschooling” be much better?</p>

<p>I can say that in our neighborhood I only know of one home-schooling family.</p>