Natural highs, Buying low
Good day for flying high on weed, Bad day for cashing in your 401(k)
GOOD DAY FOR: Flying high on weed, after Continental Airlines tested a new biofuel made of algae and a weed called jatropha, using it to help power one of two engines in a Boeing 737. The two-hour test flight was the first by a U.S. airline, although Air New Zealand tested a jatropha-based fuel last week. Biofuels may not be a significant fuel for jets for a decade, but airlines say they are committed to free themselves from being dependent on oil and oil prices. (Los Angeles Times)
BAD DAY FOR: Cashing in your 401(k), after analysts at HSBC, Europe’s largest bank, said that U.S. stocks are the most promising investment pick for 2009, although a big sell-off is possible through March. After two years of strong corporate profits, “U.S. companies are sitting on piles of cash,” said HSBC’s Arjuna Mahendran. He predicts we’ll “see a bottom of the current downturn” by mid-2009. (Reuters)
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Tivoli Kopke Porto Gaia Hotel: a foodie haven in Portugal's Douro Valley
The Week Recommends Luxury city hotel with food from a Michelin-starred chef – and plenty of port
-
A zombie volcano is coming back to life, but there is no need to worry just yet
Under the radar Uturuncu's seismic activity is the result of a hydrothermal system
-
Crossword: May 12, 2025
The Week's daily crossword