Good News Friday
Here are some wonderful things happening, to cheer before the weekend
(You can listen to this week’s newsletter, too!)
It’s been a few weeks since our last GNF post, so let’s not delay.
Whatever distracted you from the Good News lately, here’s a reminder the world is still a wonderful place and you’re still doing just fine.
Let’s go!
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Good News Friday - February 21, 2025
Let’s start with some smiles for the real estate industry:
Commercial office sales increased to $63.6 billion in 2024, up 20% since ‘23; big winners are Atlanta, Austin and Charlotte
Residential inventory rose to 3.5 months of supply, says the National Association of REALTORS, up from a year ago, creating fresh options for buyers.
Meanwhile, buyer demand remained 50% faster than the “balanced market” metric of 6 months’ supply.
Median existing home prices dipped slightly in January ($396,000) from $404,400 in December, yet remained up 4.8% from a year ago, and 19 consecutive months.
In case you missed these recent posts:
Overall, in business and economy…
143,000 jobs were created in January (unemployment fell to 4% says BLS)
Monthly wage growth rose 0.5% in January, beating expectations
New regulations removed medical debt from personal credit scores, eliminating $49 billion of debt from 15 million consumer reports
Breakthroughs in science and medicine …
An experimental concrete mixture offers greater strength and lesser cement use, saving both cost and carbon-emissions in road construction, in Minnesota.
Virginia will host the first U.S. ARC fusion-power generating plant starting in 2026, on the former site of an old coal-fired power plant.
The FDA approved the first non-addictive drug that targets acute pain to replace opioids, the first such improvement in pain-killers in 20 years.
Simply Cheerful News!
Research from Our World in Data showed Western countries breathing the best air in nearly two centuries.
Australian scientists discovered a protein in oysters that’s a powerful killer of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, raising the effectiveness of treatments for pneumonia, strep and scarlet fever.
Volunteers removed over 50,000 pounds of Arctic trash over the short northern summer in Alaska, Greenland, Norway, and Iceland.
South Korean scientists discovered a new process for potentially turning mutated cancer cells back into healthy cells at a key moment in their transformation.
Japan researchers found a vegetable antioxidant that can be used to suppress gray hair development in humans.
And finally this week, a story that’s hitting all the right notes for some Boston musicians. The New England Conservatory has sold the famous The Joachin-Ma Stradivarius violin to establish its largest scholarship for students. In an auction that’s was called “Strado-spheric” Sotheby’s brought in just over $11 million dollars for the instrument, once owned by the 19th century Hungarian virtuoso Joseph Joachim, and 20th century Chinese-American violinist Si-Hon Ma. Brahms wrote his Violin Concerto in D Major specifically for this instrument, crafted in 1714, and the sale will enable many future musicians to continue to hone their skills, regardless of their financial situation. A recent graduate of the Conservatory told CBS News, “I was really fortunate to receive a good scholarship from the school and I don't think I would have been able to attend if I didn't."
Antonio Stradivari made over 1100 instruments in his day, and barely over half still survive. Of course, he had to keep producing so many pieces because he had over ten children. Little could he expect that he’d really have centuries of children thankful for his work, as even three centuries later, his good efforts continue to create good news - and millions of opportunities - for their future!
—M
