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BIE iNews Views 1.19.14
Pediatric cancer research has benefited greatly from the efforts of Alex¡¯s Lemonade Stand,
started by a young girl with cancer. By the age of 8, Alex Scott had raised one million
dollars to help other children suffering from cancer. Alex died a few weeks later but she
laid the groundwork for a Foundation that has now raised over $65 million and funded
over 350 research projects. Cancer is the number one disease killer of children; but
thanks to Alex, scientists are making headway in finding a cure.
Diabetics will be getting help from Google¡¯s latest moon shot. The engineers, chemists,
and chip designers at Google have designed a contact lens that will monitor the glucose
content of the wearer¡¯s tears, which means diabetics will no longer have to stab themselves
in the finger and get a blood sample several times a day. These moon shot projects from
Google include self-driving cars and Internet-connected glasses.
Samsung and Apple have widened their lead over their competitors in the U.S. smartphone
market. Nokia¡¯s Windows phones have not gained traction in the U.S. but are selling
well in Argentina, India, Poland, and Russia. Motorola¡¯s presence in the U.S. has dwindled
from a high-water mark in 2012. Apple¡¯s U.S. market share stands at 42% while Samsung¡¯s
market share has increased to 26%.
Refugees from North Korea are still arriving in South Korea but not in such large numbers
as seen in 2009, when nearly 3,000 reached the safety of their brethren in the South.
The numbers have tumbled 44% due to the border crackdown following Mr. Kim¡¯s succession
in late 2011. A broker who arranges escapes from the North said that the purge of Mr.
Jang has also caused potential defectors to reconsider their escape plans. Most escapees
head for Southeast Asia where they can file for asylum at a South Korean embassy.
OECD analysts predict Korea¡¯s gross domestic product (GDP) will grow by nearly 4% next
year, which is higher than the OECD¡¯s average of 2.3% and the world¡¯s average of 3.6%.
Improved exports and expanded trade volume account for the growth along with stronger
consumer and corporate sentiment. Other emerging economies are not faring so well. Korea¡¯s
inflation rate is predicted to remain in the 1.25%, which is well within the central bank¡¯s
target range. High household debt and a weak property market present a level of downside
risk.
3-D printing was all the rage at this year¡¯s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Prices
have come down dramatically and performance has been improved. These devices offer regular
folks the capability to design, make, and use an object, all from the comfort of their
own home. Custom-made shoes and printed chocolate candy are just some of the possibilities of
3-D printing.