But arguments in favour of Islam's compatibility with democracy are in perpetual danger of being drowned out by a mixture of depressing news from Muslim lands and zealous ideologues on both sides of a looming civilisational divide.

ECONOMIST: Islam and democracy

Its shares have gone nowhere (and declined 20% since late 2005), its sales are all but stagnant, and its news feed is a depressing drumbeat of legal and public relations woes.

FORBES: Andrew Witty's Plan To Save Glaxo

The media world offers still more depressing news about the economy in a mid-year report released today.

FORBES: Magazine Article

Meanwhile, these lamps combined will equal to carbon emissions of all the motor vehicles in the UK. This can be a bit depressing, but there is some good news.

FORBES: How to Light Africa Within a Decade

On the other hand, a casual scanning of the daily news can be rather depressing.

WSJ: The Genesis of Jobs

Lead researcher Dr Alan Thomas told BBC News Online the link could not be entirely explained by the fact that cardiovascular disease is a depressing condition from which to suffer.

BBC: Hardened arteries 'cause depression'