Student debt becoming a multigenerational problem

America's crushing surge of student debt, now at $1.2 trillion, has bred a disturbing new phenomenon: School loans that span multiple generations within families. Weighed down by their own loans, many parents lack the means to fund their children's educations without sinking even deeper into debt. [Source: AP]

Some travelers love to hate the new discount airlines

Fans say the cheap tickets set the ultra-low-cost carriers apart in an industry where discomfort and inconvenience are now expected. But for many travelers, the new discounters take the aggravation to another level.[Source: South Florida Sun-Sentinel]

How economic downturns may be good for your health

Economic downturns, it turns out, appear to be good for health, according to a study released this week by the National Bureau of Economic Research. The research by Christopher Ruhm, a professor at the University of Virginia, builds upon earlier studies looking at the impact of economic downturns on health. [Source: Wall Street Journal]

Editor's update 10/12/2015: The story below is about residential real estate in South Africa. Our apologies - this story should not have been included in the Daily Pulse. We strive to provide news links to Florida first, then national or international stories as they impact Florida residents. Your feedback is always welcome: Email us here.

Residential property sales down on slowing economy

The slowing economy is starting to bite into the residential property market with sales and transfers dropping 7.1% in the third quarter of 2015 compared to the previous quarter. [Source: Business Day]

More than half of Florida voters want personal marijuana use legalized

A new Quinnipiac University poll finds growing support for marijuana in the Sunshine State. The poll finds Florida voters support legalizing personal marijuana use by a margin of 51 to 45 percent. [Source: WFTS]

ALSO AROUND FLORIDA:

› Personal grocery shopper service to start in Sarasota-Bradenton [Sarasota Herald-Tribune]
More than 300 personal grocery shoppers are hitting the Sarasota-Bradenton area this month, and they say they can have your pantry full in less than an hour.

› South Florida business bankruptcies in decline [Miami Today]
Business bankruptcy filings have declined significantly over the past year in South Florida, a direction financial analysts say will continue as the economy keeps strengthening.

› BrandsMart gets $3 million PACE loan for energy upgrades [South Florida Sun-Sentinel]
BrandsMart USA has arranged the largest PACE loan in the U.S. Southeast to date: $3.1 million for energy upgrades at its store in Miami Gardens.

› Wesley Chapel medical tech firm plans to add 500 jobs [Tampa Bay Times]
A Wesley Chapel health care software company said it plans on adding 500 jobs after recently securing $18 million from several private equity firms.

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› Robotics competition brings STEM-focused K-12 students to Tampa [83 Degrees]
More than 50 teams of students from kindergarten age through to high school seniors will build robots, create lego structures, and participate in technology-themed challenges at Roboticon Tampa Bay.

› The Beginning of the End of Coral [Motherboard]
In 1998, an unusually sweltering El Niño did more than just break temperature records around the world—it heated up the oceans enough to spur what scientists came to call the first “global coral bleaching event.”

› STEM jobs: Tampa Bay leads Florida but can it become a bigger tech player? [Tampa Bay Times]
If becoming a 21st century metro area means having lots of better paying technology-related job opportunities, then Tampa Bay should give itself a pat on the back — and keeping pushing for more.

› Fusion refocuses TV slate, lays off 30 [Miami Herald]
After announcing a change in programming priorities in September, the Doral-based Fusion, a joint venture between Univision and the Walt Disney-owned ABC News, has revamped its overall television schedule and laid off 30 full-time employees.