SHORT TAKES ON THE DRIFTING WRECKAGE – AT 11:53 P.M. ET: 

LOW GAS PRICES SPUR MORE TRAVEL – FROM THE CHARLOTTE OBSERVER:   Gas prices have been steadily falling since October and continue to drop.  On Christmas Eve, the national average was $2.322 per gallon, setting a low for 2018, according to AAA...The savings also may contribute to more holiday traffic, as travelers opt to pack up the car and drive to visit family or winter vacation spots. “Motorists are getting a gift this holiday in the form of relief at the pump,” Tiffany Wright, AAA Carolinas spokesperson, said in a news release. “This may be a factor in the boost of travelers choosing to drive this year.”  AAA forecasts that one in three Americans will travel during this holiday season — a 4.4 percent increase from last year and perhaps the most ever. In the Carolinas alone, 4.7 million people are expected to travel, and more than 90 percent will choose to drive.  This year, the national average gas price peaked at $2.97 per gallon over Memorial Day weekend. The cold weather dip can be credited to a global surplus of crude oil. The Energy Information Administration reported last month that domestic oil production is at an all-time high.  Democrats are having a fit.  They thought all cars were now run by Energizer batteries.

SOLID SALES – FROM FOX:  Holiday sales increased for U.S. retailers at the best pace in six years, according to early data.  Total U.S. retail sales, excluding automobiles, rose 5.1% between Nov. 1 and Dec. 24 from a year earlier, according to Mastercard SpendingPulse, which tracks both online and in-store spending with all forms of payment.  Overall, U.S. consumers spent over $850 billion this holiday season, according to Mastercard.  The figures suggest a stock-market swoon and partial government shutdown haven’t curbed consumer confidence and spending, according to the Wall Street Journal.  That's good.  Many jobs depend on these sales, and I hope Christmas was a little more restful for those who worried that the Stock Market decline might threaten their livelihood.

GOOD NEWS FOR EATERS – FROM THE DETROIT FREE PRESS:  Readers, we are honored and privileged to bring you the single greatest piece of news you've heard in your entire life.  A study out of the University of California-Irvine has revealed that consumption of moderate amounts of alcohol and coffee is linked to living a longer life.  Re-read that last sentence. There are no typos. There are no jokes.  The key word is "moderate," of course. The study, called "The 90+ Study," started in 2003 and examined "the oldest-old" age group - about 1,700 nonagenarians - to determine what is key to living to your 90th birthday and beyond.  The study has found, among other things, that people "who drank moderate amounts of alcohol or coffee lived longer than those who abstained," and that "people who were overweight in their 70s lived longer than normal or underweight people did."  We like to bring good news.

December 25, 2018