From a base that was already a record, Amazon, Apple, Facebook, Google, and Microsoft collectively increased their profit by more than 55% in 2021. Collectively, the companies topped $1.4 trillion in revenue – which if it were a country, would rank 13th in GDP as a nation, just behind Brazil and ahead of Australia. MarketWatch, February 7, 2022
Union membership across the U.S. workforce declined in 2021, returning to 2019’s record-low rate of 10.3%. When you remove public sector employees, the number is just over 6%. MarketPlace, January 31, 2022
In 1961, the labor force participation rate for prime-age men was 97%; today it is 88%, lower than during the Great Depression. Financial Advisor, February 4, 2022
17-year-old Charli D’Amelio earned more last year than the CEOs of Exxon, Starbucks, McDonald’s, and Delta. D’Amelio is TikTok’s No. 1 influencer, with 133 million followers. That translated into $17.5 million worth of brand deals, product promotions, and a clothing line. The Wall Street Journal, January 13, 2022
In the past 10 years, the price of solar electricity has declined by 90% while the efficiency of lithium-ion batteries has increased by 90%. The Atlantic, December 29, 2021
The average four-year-old child laughs 300 times a day. By contrast, it takes more than two months for the average 40-year-old adult to laugh that many times. Hidden Brain
“The penalty for laughing in a courtroom is six months in jail; if it were not for this penalty, the jury would never hear the evidence.” H.L. Mencken
