December 30, 2019
Only 8% of people who set New Year’s resolutions actually achieve their aims. Roughly half of New Year’s promises are broken by mid-year; a quarter of resolutions don’t even survive the first week of January. Forbes, December 31, 2018
“Nothing so needs reforming as other people’s habits.” Mark Twain
The economy has expanded for an unprecedented 126 straight months, marking the first time in history the U.S. has skirted a recession for an entire calendar decade. MorningBrew, December 20, 2019
From 1993 to the end of 2017, if you had purchased the S&P 500 ETF (SPY) at the very first second of regular trading every morning and sold at the close, you would have lost 4.4%. On the other hand, if you had bought the SPY at the last second of trading and sold it at the open the next day- capturing all of the after-hours gains, you would be up 571%. New York Times, February 2, 2018
Since 2018, forty-nine high end hotels have reported that a mattress has been stolen off their premises. CNN, December 9, 2019
Nearly 250,000 fewer students enrolled in college this fall than a year ago. Researchers attribute the decline to low unemployment, the rising cost of college, and a falling national birth rate. NPR, December 16, 2019
“With the Chinese New Year there are dragons, parades, firecrackers. With New Year’s in America there are big parties, the ball drops in Times Square, you get drunk, tell someone you love them, and throw up on their shoes. With the Jewish New Year, we fast, we can’t turn on the lights, we confess our sins. Happy New Year! What a party! A bunch of guilty, hungry people, sitting in the dark.” Billy Crystal
Never miss another Talking Points. Sign up here
