Thursday, January 22, 2009

Good News From Mary January 22, 2009

Recession or depression? Too early to tell

By every measure — lost jobs, plunging stock prices, scarce credit and a profound loss of confidence in the banking system — the economy is in awful shape.

The nation's 11th recession of the postwar era began in December 2007 and easily could become the longest since the Great Depression, although most forecasters expect a weak recovery to begin in the second half of this year.

But what are the odds that we’re in the early stages of what will eventually become a depression rather than just a recession?

Click here to read the rest of this Good News story.

Japanese firms unveil 'robocop'

Two Japanese companies have unveiled a security robot that can be commanded from a mobile phone to hurl a net that traps suspected intruders.

Click here to read the rest of this Good News story.

A Swim With Manatees: No Splashing, Please

IT was just after 8 on a cloudy January morning as the flat-bottomed pontoon boat made its way over the glassy surface of Kings Bay, 600 acres of fresh water in Crystal River, Fla. The bay, actually a spring-fed pool, is rimmed by attractive homes and lush greenery along its many coves and lagoons, but aboard the boat, no one cared.

Click here to read the rest of this Good News story.

Best-laid plans

The maelstrom sweeping through the U.S. economy has had one positive effect: More people are taking a hard look at their finances -- working to pay down debt, cut back expenses and shore up their savings.

But even with the best of intentions and the firmest of New Year's resolutions, plenty of people won't stick to their plans.

One common reason: Our underlying relationship with money often gets in the way. Rick Kahler, a certified financial planner and author in Rapid City, S.D., says he often brings in a psychologist or family therapist to help his clients understand what he calls their "money scripts" -- beliefs about money formed in early childhood that guide each of us as adults. Those beliefs can derail our best-laid plans.

Click here to read the rest of this Good News Story.

Tanning no cure for seasonal depression

People who suffer from winter depression known as "seasonal affective disorder" or SAD — or the less severe but more common "winter blues" — shouldn't seek relief in a tanning bed or booth, a leading expert on light therapy warns.

Click here to read the rest of this Good News Story.

No comments: