The BRAIN Initiative

http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/apr/02/Qualcomm-joins-Obama-Administration-BRAIN-project/

This article discusses Obama's plan to give $100 million to the BRAIN (Basic Research through Advancing Innovative Neurotechnologies) Initiative. The BRAIN Initiative is a research project aimed at giving us a better understand of the human brain so that we can better treat mental health conditions like Alzheimer's  and epilepsy. This article brings to mind two topics: 1) in the midst of our current budget situation, as we are trying to reduce the deficit and are cutting spending in several different areas, is this the best way to use $100 million? 2) this article relates to our recent discussion of living standards in different countries and how they can be improved. One method we mentioned was to fund research and development, which is exactly the case in this article. Whether or not this is the best time to pledge $100 million to the BRAIN Initiative, I think that this move will definitely work to improve living standards in the future. If this project is as successful as predicted, it will allow us to vastly improve medical care for those with mental illnesses, and I think that that alone accounts for an improvement in living standards in the U.S.