NEWS# 1

SMART THREADS

_______/2005/ THE ECONOMIST/ 12/10/32-34

It feels like ordinary threads, but this material is smart. It changes colors, cleans itself, and can get warm for cold weather. If you have a shirt and pants, you can wear them often because of the color change. The clothes will keep you warm and the material will clean itself. Not bad

VIDEO GAMES

_______/2005/ THE ECONOMIST/ 12/10/ 6-8

Vidoe games are now used for psychotherapy. Those who have had a post traumatic disorder, phobias, minor strokes, pain distraction, anxiety disorder are helped...The video game supports the patient by distraction or reliving an event in safer environs.

MISSING GIRLS

________/2005/ THE ECONOMIST 12/3/42

Young female fetuses have been aborted in Vietnam leaving a dramatic ratio of many more boys than girls. The problems will be the struggle for a female, as well as violence among males. Now the country is encouraging have females  by giving parents money to have girls.

LITLE ROBOT PETS

J.F./2005/ U.S. NEWS AND WORLD REPORT/12/12/74

Little robot dogs replace real dogs in some places like nursing homes where canines can not go.

Do they work. Well, it's not as good as a real dog, but it still works and is worth the price.

MALE STUDS

STEVE FRIES/2005/ NEWSWEEK/ 12/12/44

Madam Heidi Fleis is looking for males to entertain femles for pay. She got all that she wanted. They will do sex for money and they will do it in a place in Nevada where it is legal. The males will also do sex with other males. However, the females will be the ones entertained on their terms.

WHAT IF GENERAL MOTORS WENT BANKRUPT?

DAVID WELCH/2005/ BUSINESS WEEK/ 12/12/ 38-40

At one time GM had the world and folks flocked to their cars. Now, they are limping along with junk bond status and cars no one wants. If GM flopped it would be too much. One quick benefit is that all those on pension would be dumped. However, the are so many dealers, so many support companies, it just can't happen. It would be better to cut down to a small company and make just a few models. Or, maybe Toyota could take it over.

THE BIG CHILL

MARRIANE LAVELLE/2005/ U.S. NEWS & WORLD REPORT/112/19/59-65

KATRINA IS COMING AGAIN.This time it will be more subtle. Energy prices may bob and weave, but in the main energy is no longer going to permenently go down. Thus, much of New England and the Mid Atlantic states as well as the rest of the northern tier states should suffer. Those poor and on a fixed income as well as the middle class will face hardship.

BUSH IN THE BUBBLE

EVAN THOMAS AND RICHARD WOLFE/2005/NEWSWEEK/ 12/19/ 31--40.

President Bush is the most isolated president in modern history. In the last year of Nixon's term, he too was wall off. Bush is in a bubble or a bunker. It isn't that he doesn't have social skills because he does, he does not communicate with anyone outside the white house. Others do the job. Bush watches a little ESPN and goes to bed. He is unaware of many activities going on except for briefings that he reads. He does not like bad news, so he does not get any. In the long run, he misses the necessary connections to thrive as a leader of the dominant party.

BRITS AND BOOZE

JFO MCCALLISTER/2005/ TIME/ 12/5/ 57.

In portions of England, pubs will be left open all night. The hope is that brits will slow down their drinking. Reformers are trying to British drinkers into more responsible drinking in France and Italy.  Binge drinking is big among the UK and so is vomiting and falling down. So maybe they will slow down, however, critics don't believe that there will be much change. If there is any change, there will be more drinking.

RED FLAGS FROM BOB RUBIN

MARIA BARTIROMO/2005/ BUSINESS WEEK, 12/19/ 106.

Rubin was Clinton's secretary of treasury. Under him, debt was dramatically reduced. Rubin suggests that over the next 10 years, there will be a 5 trillion dollar debt as possible run on the dollar. What is worse is the baby boomers are going to retire in the next decade and social security but really medicare will need money. We need to improve education and basic research.

WHY THE ECONOMY GETS NO RESPECT

______/2005/ THE WEEK/ 12/16/ 38

Numerous indicators suggest the economy is improving. Yet, polls show that American people are not happy. How come. Paul Krugman of the NEW YORK TIMES indicates that in the last 4 out or 5 years the median income in adjusted dollars has gone down for the bottom 80% of the population. The economy is benefitting the comfortable and the rich.

ONE YEAR OF BLISS

(SAME AS ABOVE) P. 20

Looking at 58 couples from the day they wed to one year later, the bliss is gone.  The euphoria at first is due to NGF a protein that floods the blood stream. As the year ensues the NGF is flattned.

DRIVING TEENS AWAY

(SAME AS ABOVE) P.20

A British inventor has created the MOSQUITO. It is a high pitch sound that drives teenagers nuts, but does not affect older persons.Those 20 and under are uncomfortable. Those 30 and over are not bothered.