Month: December 2016

The Friday File: I wish to take this opportunity to thank you all for your interest in my daily economics blog. All of you enrich my life in many ways and I am deeply appreciative. I wish you and yours…

Based on blood alcohol content level, the state with the highest BAC is Iowa at .122%, followed by Arkansas at .113%, Alabama at .112%, Maine at .107% and Tennessee at .106%. The states with the lowest BAC are New Hampshire…

Since the conclusion of the presidential election, consumer confidence as measured by the Conference Board has shot up an amazing 12.8% to 113.70, its highest reading since 8/01! Similarly, the University of Michigan consumer sentiment index is up 12.3% at…

As Chanukka is a transliteration from Hebrew, there’s no correct way to spell it. That is you can begin the word with a “H” or a “Ch”, the second consonant can be an “n” or “nn”, the third consonant can…

The Friday File: Inflation as measured by the Christmas Price Index, based on purchasing all items in “The Twelve Days of Christmas,” rose 0.7% in 2016 and now stands at $34,363. The most expensive item: seven swans-a-swimming at $13,125. Two…

While bad gift giving, defined as spending more on the gift than the recipient values it, is wealth destroying and argues for giving cash, gifts also create value. We all have gifts we can’t part with because of sentimental value.…

At present, 5.6% of the nation’s electricity comes from wind, up from 4.7% in 2015 and 2.3% in 2010. In 2015, Iowa had the largest wind generation share at 31.3%, followed by South Dakota at 25.6%. Texas and New Mexico…

Given the high level of political unpredictability of the incoming Trump administration and the massive amount of backlogged legislation that may be moved, lobbying expenditures in 2017 may well set records. Lobbying expenditures peaked at $3.5 billion in 2009 and…

While housing starts fell 18.7% in November, it was due almost entirely to multifamily. Multifamily starts declined an eye-watering 45.1% after jumping 76% in October as developers probably rushed to lock in financing before the election and buyers signed purchase…

Pricey Presents The Friday File: This Chrismahanukwanzakah let me suggest several wonderful last minute gifts for the special someone on your list who has everything. A $149,000 Swedish Hastens Vividus bed; must be some bed! Or, how about a week…