1. The economy

The Times quoted several reports that are optimistic about US economic growth in 2014. Unemployment is down, manufacturing and construction are up. And although Americans are still pessimistic, spending is up as well. Of course, here in America being broke has never stopped anyone from buying more stuff so I don’t know how reliable an indicator the last one is, but still; a good start.

2. Sarajevo

Impressive transformation: Sarajevo, known during the 1990s as “the world’s most dangerous city”. It is now apparently one of the safest and most culturally diverse destinations in Europe, and was listed by National Geographic as one of the Best Trips for 2014.

3. Cool Runnings redux

Twenty-six years after the original Jamaican underdogs of “Cool Runnings” fame made history, they are back at the winter Olympics this year. Cool indeed!

Jamaican bobsleigh team are back in the running for Winter Olympics glory

4. International relations model

A Chinese helicopter rescued 52 people from a ship stranded in Antarctica and brought them 12 at a time to an Australian icebreaker. I bet international relations were pretty warm and fuzzy on that helicopter. Team building idea for summit meetings…

5. HIV vaccine

Finnish company FIT Biotech has developed an HIV vaccine which will be tested in a comprehensive study sometime this year.

http://yle.fi/uutiset/finnish_hiv_vaccine_testing_to_begin/7006600

6. Not exactly a beginning, but…

Enough to restore my faith in humanity: For nearly two years, Brad and Kim Campbell have been feeding, clothing, educating and parenting 10 South Sudanese children whose parents were killed by conflict or sickness. Definitely a reminder to me for 2014 about perspective and priorities.

http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/

1. The IGZ [Dutch Health Inspectorate] has been taken to court by the Clara Wichmann Institute and the SVS support center for women with silicone implants, who demand that the IGZ ban the use of these implants until it has been established that they are safe. To date, the IGZ has refused to place any restrictions on the use of this product. The hearing is expected to take place in a couple of months.

2. A survey conducted by the NIP [Netherlands Institute for Psychologists] reveals that many practitioners exaggerate the severity of patients’ conditions so their care will be covered by insurance. More than 40% admitted to engaging in “creative labeling”. They argue

that the system encourages this type of fudging because it doesn’t cover milder conditions even though treatment at an earlier stage of the disease often prevents exacerbation and the need for more expensive care later on.

3. The first Dutch manual focused specifically on women’s health came out this month. It is unique in that it does not just address gynecology and obstetrics, but comprehensive care, based on the understanding that the differences between men and women go beyond the reproductive system and sometimes necessitate differences in treatment.

4. Janssen-Cilag, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, and Sandoz, a subsidiary of Novartis, have been fined over 10 million and over 5 million euros, respectively, for a secret arrangement 2005 in which Janssen-Cilag paid Sandoz for a period of 17 months to keep their fentanyl patches off the market.