According to the Institute for Supply Management, in December a key indicator of manufacturing health was at a six-month high. The Institute for Supply Management survey suggests a bit more expansion at manufacturing plants -- the index rose to 53.9 from 52.7 in November. Any number above 50 indicates expansion. But, when it comes to news we can really celebrate, one can argue there's a difference between buying a new refrigerator because the old one conked out, and buying one because you want the fancy model with double-doors and stainless steel. It's the difference between buying because you have to and buying because you feel secure about the road ahead. Patrick Barkey from the University of Montana in Missoula weighs in. And the Daily Pulse is up today on a Wall Street Journal report that only 92 banks failed in 2011. That’s 65 fewer than in 2010.