Good News Friday: Double Edition
After a busy week disputing pessimism, we could all use a double-dose of optimism
After a busy week for real estate optimists fighting false information, wild claims, industry misrepresentation and crummy journalism, let’s take a break with a double-dose of Good News Friday.
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And now, let’s enjoy the latest “double” edition of…
Good News Friday!
Housing and Economic News You Can Celebrate
US Housing Sales Jumped 9.5% in January (WSJ, 3/21), the second month in a row
Homes above $1 million rose 37% in February, while those $750,000 to $1M rose 23%. Over 86% of all homes sold without a price cut. (WSJ, 3/21)
The supply of homes on the market rose 10% year over year. New single-family home permits also grew for the 12th month in a row. (HUD)
The US Federal Reserve also projected three rate cuts in 2024, while Switzerland cut interest rates by 0.25% this week, and the European Central Bank said midyear cuts
Retail consumer spending increased 1% last month, rebounding from January’s 0.2% decline. (CNBC); New unemployment claims also fell by 6% nationwide.
Science and Health Good News Worldwide
Brazilian researchers bio-engineered a cow that produces human insulin in milk so efficiently, a small herd could produce the whole country’s annual insulin needs
New CAR-T Cell therapy achieved complete tumor regression in brain cancer patients, in some cases within 5 days
German and French researchers used CRISPR to produce a strain of rice that resists viruses spread by beetles, more affordably than ever
A Belgian teen turned 13 to become the first person cured of brain stem glioma, a cancer typically terminal after 2 years
Improving the Environment and Earth
Volunteers planted their one-millionth moss cutting to restore a bog in Oldham, England, returning fresh habitat for birds and amphibians
Microsoft’s renovated Redmond Campus will get 50% of its heating and cooling from carbon-neutral geothermal technology (Engineering News)
Texas scientists photographed a Yellow-crested Helmetshrike previously “lost to science” in the mountains of Congo (Popular Science)
Society and Education
A NJ high school science fair student created an AI-powered bug zapper that effectively lures and eliminates the invasive lantern-fly species pestering 17 states
The official poverty rate in India fell below 5% for the first time ever
In Kyoto, Japan, a new law will fine social media-crazed tourists for harassing Geishas for photographs and unauthorized video taking of their performances
The school readiness gap between low- and high-income students narrowed by 10% in math and 16% in reading over the past three decades
And finally: The extended family gets bigger, and better with age
A unique experiment in England has placed a day nursery for children in a most unlikely place - within a dementia care village for elderly patients. The Belong Senior Care organization combined the two groups and let the stimulation, learning and fun take its course.
The group built a “village” that provides seniors suffering from dementia with managed living spaces, surrounded by shops and health assistance. Since adding the daycare center, the residents enjoy additional stimulation as both generations attend activities, meals, exercises, and arts and crafts together. The intergenerational care village found that mixing the two groups reduced anxiety amongst the elderly population while providing friends, stories and education for the youth.
“Colleagues report that daily engagement with children’s care gives a renewed sense of purpose,” says Belong’s website. “This manifests in greater motivation to engage in physical activity… walking further… taking little ones out in their prams… and taking part in their dance and movement sessions.”
According to one of the resident’s relatives, “It makes my dad's day as the children all know him by name." Sheila Little, Lord Mayor of Chester said this at the village’s opening: “This is a particularly exciting and innovative development…which benefits both the children who attend and the residents who visit to play and read to them.”
The Chester facility is the eighth such novel residency for Belong, and may prove a promising new model for caring for our families across the entire course of their lives.
Did you need even more Good News? Check out these positive perspectives!
The Morehouse School of Medicine announced they would cover the full cost of tuition for all incoming students.
A Burger King employee in Florida achieved his dream of homeownership thanks to a heartwarming crowdfunding campaign initiated by customers.
The city of Denver launched a program in March offering down payment assistance to first-time homebuyers with income-restricted backgrounds.
Swedish company HSB broke ground on the world's tallest wooden wind turbine at 336 feet, using sustainable materials to generate renewable energy.
The Pennsylvania SPCA announced on March 1st that they had placed every single dog and cat in their care into forever homes.
A blighted area in Cleveland is undergoing redevelopment, transforming abandoned buildings into mixed-use spaces, apartments, shops and restaurants.
A historic renovation tax credit was expanded in March in Texas, incentivizing owners to restore historic buildings, and promoting cultural heritage preservation.
Several food banks across the US reported a significant decrease in food insecurity rates in February.
HUD announced a new federal grant program in March to support accessible housing units for people with disabilities, expanding safe housing options, and fostering greater independence and community integration.
Detroit hit a milestone in the future of electric vehicles completing the nation’s first wireless-charging public roadway in February.
From free medical school to electric roads, rising home sales and a million pieces of moss, every Friday reminds us all, even after a week of bumps and bruises, there’s nothing that quite puts a smile on my face like a dose of Good News.
Happy weekend!
— M