Positive News Update 4-12-06

US NEWS

Prominent US company to invest
in 'green technology'

As a prominent North American venture capitalist
and one of Silicon Valley's most respected investors,
John Doerr's decision to champion green technology
as the next big thing is generating attention in the
United States venture capital community.

MrP: This trend has been growing and renewable,
'green-energy' will be the hot business for the next
several years (that's what I feel!)

$30,000 in Cash Discovered by Volunteer

Some more positive news – One Hurricane
Katrina volunteer in New Orleans was helping
to gut a storm-damaged house and came
across the unexpected.

Trista Wright picked up something green from
the rubble and discovered it was a $100 bill.
After digging deeper, Wright gathered more
than $30-thousand dollars in cash which she
turned over to the authorities.

The homeowner was contacted and figured
her father had stashed the money as hard
times insurance.

Was it a miracle? Indeed the homeowner
and a local pastor agree that it was.

Prescription drug prices – are dropping
thanks to healthy competition.

The Food and Drug Administration says an
analysis shows that when just two generic
versions of a brand-name medicine arrive
in the marketplace, there is a dramatic
discount of about 52 percent of the price
of the generic drug compared to the
brand-name version’s cost per dose.

Smoking Ban Working?
YES, it appears so...

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
researchers say there’s a connection between
the decline of heart attack rates and the banning
of smoking in public places.

One example cited is the nearly 30 percent
drop in heart attacks in Pueblo, Colorado
after smoking was prohibited in places
such as restaurants and bars.

INTERNATIONAL NEWS

Kuwaiti women go to the polls
for the first time.

In a history-making election, Kuwaiti women
went to the polls for the first time. Not only
did they vote, but some ran as candidates to
fill a seat in Kuwait’s Municipal Council.

One 28-year-old woman says her gender is
now getting some attention and, in her words,
“we became equal.”

Still, Islamic tradition prevailed. Men and
women had to vote separately in different
locations at the polling station.

Israel boosts renewable energy incentives

The Public Utilities Authority of Israel has
moved to increase its support of businesses
using renewable energy.

Peace talks bring the Ivory Coast closer
to disarmament

After high-level peace talks, Ivorian and regional
officials have called for a single programme to
tackle disarmament and national identification.