Tesla Repays Loan: Nearly $500 Million

Electric car-maker Tesla Motors wired almost half a billion dollars to the U.S. government on Wednesday, erasing the remaining balance on its 2010 taxpayer loan and sidestepping a continuing controversy over the Obama Administration’s support for a handful of companies pursuing green-car development.  By paying off the loan nine years ahead of schedule, Tesla becomes the only American car company to have fully repaid the federal government under the Department of Energy‘s Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing program.

Click here to read full article, courtesy of forbes.com

Pea, Asparagus, and Fava Bean Salad

We love fresh asparagus in the spring time.  When we were growing up in Yakima we used to pick wild asparagus in the pear orchards next door.  They were very flavorful thin stalks.  When it is fresh we like to eat it as often as we can.  This new Bon Appétit recipe is a great one to do for multiple meals.  It is a cold salad that can last for several days.  I keep the fried shallots and bacon in a separate container to heat them and top the salad just before serving.  

   

Click here to view full recipe

Trends and Innovations: Exoskeleton Allows Paraplegics to Walk

The idea of "wearable robots" may seem like something out of a movie, but this technology is already being used in real life.  Started as a project for the military, the exoskeleton has transformed from a device designed to allow soldiers to lift heavy loads and walk further to one that enables people with disabilities to step out of wheelchairs and stand upright.  The "Ekso" is a bionic exoskeleton developed by Ekso Bionics that gives paraplegics upright mobility.

Click here to read full article, courtesy of cnn.com

Glitter Gala Save the Date: Nov 2nd, 2013

Save the date for the Goodwill Glitter Gala - 6 PM Saturday, Nov 2^nd 2013

Yes, it's on a weekend this year.  We are moving to the big leagues and expect even more “bling” than ever before plus dancing and desserts after the fashion show in the foyer.  I have attached the video of last year’s show and the link to photos.  It was the best ever and 2013 will be even more spectacular.   Please spread the word to others that might be interested in attending.  

Click here to see:
Fashion Show Video                 Gala Pictures

Fixed Income in a QE World: Yields Compress, Russell Adjusts

Jeff Hussey, CFA, Chief Investment Officer of Fixed Income for Russell recently published this excellent piece on their perception of this unprecedented high bond market.   He warns us that in today’s environment, it is critical that investors remain vigilant about the risks in their fixed income portfolios and take active approaches to potentially avert harmful outcomes as bond yields rise.  Managing fixed income in a rising interest rate environment is tricky and we appreciate that Russell is adjusting to current market conditions and minimizing the risk for this asset class.   

Click here to read full article, courtesy of Russell Research

Consumer Reports Highest Score Ever – 99 of 100

The Tesla Model S was recently given the highest score ever recorded in Consumer Reports magazine's automotive testing; only the Lexus 460L (2007) has ever received as high of a mark.  "It accelerates, handles and brakes like a sports car. It has the ride and quietness of a luxury car and is far more energy-efficient than the best hybrid cars," Jake Fisher, the magazine's director of automotive testing, said Thursday in a statement. 

Click here to read full article, as published on cbsnews.com

Click here to read the Tesla Model S Consumer Report, as published on consumerreports.org

Trends and Innovations: Bioengineered Windpipe Surgery

Using plastic fibers and human cells, Dr.Paolo Macchiarini and his team have built and implanted a windpipe in a 2 ½-year-old girl — the youngest person ever to receive a bioengineered organ.  

To make the windpipe, a half-inch diameter tube was created out of plastic fibers, bathed in a solution containing stem cells taken from the child’s bone marrow and incubated in a shoebox-size device called a bioreactor. Because the windpipe uses only the child’s own cells, there is no need for drugs to suppress the patient’s immune system to avoid rejection of the implant.

Click here to read full article, as published on nytimes.com