🐤 Year-end drought

Markets: December will kick off with some new economic reports for investors to consider. In addition to November employment data and the latest manufacturing and services trends, Wall Street will respond to earnings reports from companies including Salesforce and TD Bank. The leaders of both the New York and St. Louis Fed are also set to deliver remarks this week.

Profit motives: Although Elon Musk was an early supporter of OpenAI, he has since distanced himself from the company behind ChatGPT over what he describes as plans to become a for-profit business while making it harder for rivals to enter the marketplace. Musk, whose xAI platform is a direct competitor, is calling on a federal court to hand down an injunction against OpenAI, essentially thwarting the company’s plans. Specifically, he claims OpenAI illegally coordinated with Microsoft to dominate the AI market, but the company denies wrongdoing.

Bear necessities: The final moments of the Chicago Bears’ loss to the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving sparked widespread outrage against Bears head coach Matt Eberflus. It was just the latest straw for the beleaguered coach, resulting in the team’s decision to fire him shortly thereafter. With 32 seconds left in the game Chicago didn’t use its last timeout and instead carried on with a play that cemented Detroit’s victory. Bears players were incensed, including cornerback Jaylon Johnson who reportedly confronted Eberflus after the game.

Unexplained explosion: Authorities in Missouri say they are investigating the cause of a blast that destroyed a home Saturday morning. Six individuals were reported inside the residence at the time of the explosion and all were injured. According to reports, some received treatment for smoke inhalation from first responders at the scene. Others were transported to the hospital via helicopter. According to Cole County EMS Chief Eric Hoy, three of the individuals were listed in critical condition upon being admitted to University Hospital in Columbia.

Reconciliation process: With the Biden administration coming to a close and President-elect Donald Trump preparing for his second term, all eyes are on a Republican-led Congress that will be integral in the next administration’s efforts to advance its agenda. A major factor will likely involve a so-called budget reconciliation, which will allow the majority party to pass a spending bill along party lines and without Democratic support. The GOP only has a slim advantage in both chambers, however, so party leaders can’t afford to lose too many votes.

From family gatherings to office parties to that New Year’s Eve toast, there are plenty of opportunities to imbibe packed into the final month of the year. But when January rolls around, many folks want to turn over a new leaf — and for more than a decade there’s been a “Dry January” movement that encourages abstinence from alcohol during that month.

Recently, however, some people have been challenging that arrangement, insisting that “Dry December” would actually be more beneficial.

Behind the tradition

Dry January has gained quite a following around the world since it first emerged in 2013 as part of a public health campaign in the United Kingdom. Adherents say the annual alcohol-free month has several notable benefits, including:

• Financial savings
• Improved sleep
• Overall wellness

And a related movement dates back much further to World War II, when “Sober January” became a way for Americans to help preserve resources for the war effort.

But the Dry December movement is starting to gain steam, and there’s one central reason. The holidays can be stressful for a number of reasons, and alcohol often clouds judgement or even fuels disputes.

So if you want to increase the chances of a peaceful December, you might want to consider making it a dry one.

Ending on a high note

While enjoying an occasional drink isn’t a big deal for most adults, experts say there is a significant upside to taking some time away from alcohol — no matter when you start. And as we get older, the effects of alcohol can become more intense, so becoming a teetotaler for the rest of 2024 might leave you feeling better than you thought.

And don’t let anyone fool you: Eggnog tastes great even without a shot of rum.

From the 1900 novel to the iconic 1939 film on which it was based and throughout a long line of retellings in the decades since, “The Wizard of Oz” has always had a knack for speaking to the political and cultural issues of the time.

And now that fans have had a chance to start digesting the new “Wicked” movie, many of them say there’s some clear allegory woven into the story.

Familiar themes

Like most versions of the story first told by L. Frank Baum, the new musical touches on issues like manipulation and abuse of power. And “Wicked” itself, which dates back nearly three decades to a Gregory Maguire novel, digs deeper into political themes like fascism and authoritarianism.

While those topics are not unique to any particular time period, some viewers say they see clear connections between some of the characters and real-life political leaders.

Of course, what a person might read into any story has a lot to do with his or her own beliefs — but a number of social media users are outlining perceived similarities to the recent presidential election. Specifically, some fans believe the Wicked Witch’s characteristics align with Kamala Harris while the Wizard reminds them of Donald Trump.

Too much imagery?

It’s worth noting that “Wicked” isn’t being marketed as some sort of commentary on modern American politics. Nevertheless, since such symbolism has been ingrained into the story for generations, it was bound to become part of the discussion.

And while some fans see it as a master class in using art to deliver a warning about oppressive leaders, others (even some who might agree with the message itself) worry that a heavy-handed approach might turn off viewers rather than persuade them.

Chances are, you’ve probably heard that humans tend to perform at their best when they get somewhere between seven and nine hours of sleep each night. Different bodies have different needs, but that general estimate applies to most people.

But there’s another crucial aspect to your sleep routine that too many folks miss.

Consistency is key

One major study recently revealed an apparent connection between cardiovascular health and a person’s sleep schedule. After following 70,000 participants over eight years, researchers determined that those who reported irregular or moderately irregular sleep patterns were 26% more likely to experience heart problems.

The good news is that it’s OK to mess up from time to time. Simply making an effort to go to sleep at about the same time each night and wake up at a consistent hour each morning — even on days off — can help improve your heart’s health.

Lead researcher Jean-Philippe Chaput explained: “No one is perfect across a whole year, and if you don’t have a regular sleep pattern for one or two days a week, it’s not going to kill you. But if you repeatedly have irregular sleep, five or six days a week, then it becomes chronic, and that is a problem.”

A few simple steps

It doesn’t take a lot of planning and preparation to put your sleep schedule into action. Just choose a time to go to sleep and a time to wake up, then make an effort not to stray beyond an hour in either direction.

And if you do get behind on your sleep or get off track, don’t stress. Just regroup and resume your schedule. For those times you do want to get a little extra rest, experts recommend going to bed earlier at night rather than sleeping later in the morning.