This Year, Sound Smarter at the Thanksgiving Table
Death, taxes, talking politics while you pass the gravy: We’re here to help navigate tricky topics
Death, taxes, talking politics while you pass the gravy: We’re here to help navigate tricky topics
Although these types of drugs were originally meant to treat Type 2 diabetes, they are now widely used for weight loss. Thousands of Americans inject them weekly to cut pounds—and are seeing success. Researchers are finding that this class of drugs is changing the world’s understanding of obesity.
Their popularity has led to shortages, leaving some patients unable to consistently take them, which has led to the return of cravings and pounds, doctors say. And some patients are relying too much on the drugs without eating the right foods and exercising.
President Biden’s broad student-loan forgiveness plan to erase up to $20,000 of student debt for most borrowers was struck down by the Supreme Court this summer, leaving many disappointed. Since then, some loans have been forgiven using existing avenues like the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program. The administration is looking at a plan B, and has also made it easier to discharge loans through bankruptcy. But with loan payments restarting, will it be enough to ease borrower anxiety?
The Federal Reserve’s quest to tamp down inflation by raising interest rates has led to tough times. Home prices are through the roof, inventory is in the basement and mortgage rates for 30-year fixed home loans hit a 23-year high in October—but have since started to decline.
Many potential buyers have given up, opting to keep renting and take vacations instead. Relatively speaking, there’s never been a worse time to buy instead of rent. On the flip side: A historic verdict could lead to changes in how real-estate agents are paid.
Debate about the Israeli response to Hamas's Oct. 7 attack on Israel has reverberated through the West, bringing political and social ramifications outside the warzone. There is division in the entertainment industry. Rich donors halted money to their alma maters and several websites have popped up, listing names of students they believe are linked to anti-Israel activities. Muslims and Jews both reported a rise in threats and harassment in the U.S. and Europe.
2023 has been the year of AI, in part due to ChatGPT bursting onto the scene—and that's before OpenAI's co-founder was ousted. In a short time, we’ve gone from schools worrying about cheating to AI dissing you for bad fantasy football picks. The ubiquity means figuring out not whether to live with it, but how.
But the tech presents some issues: There are many examples of the dangers of AI, and with an election on the way, there are risks of AI-powered misinformation. Governments are racing to regulate it, but is it too late?
Ticket prices for live entertainment, from concerts and NFL games to high-season Disney theme-park visits, rose at a startling rate this year.
Taylor Swift and the spending associated with her Eras Tour has been lauded for helping cities recover from the economic toll of the pandemic. Still, nearly 60% of Americans say this year they cut back on spending on events because of rising costs. (If they can’t attend a football game or Swift concert in person, at least families can see the movie version or watch Swift’s beau Travis Kelce with each other on TV.)
Let’s say you go to pick up a rental car and the only thing available is a fully electric vehicle. If you’re not ready to navigate the learning curve of confusing operating instructions and public infrastructure for charging, you’re not alone. It's possible to avoid EVs for now, and carmakers are watching closely: Toyota is doubling down on hybrids as sales growth for fully electric vehicles slows and other companies have begun to retrench on some of their EV plans. Not to mention that the switch to electric requires a lot of rare-earth elements and a lot of trees.
Politics always seems to come up at Thanksgiving, especially with 2024 looming. You may actually avoid it this year, because so many Americans are fatigued by politics, and finding it hard to look forward to a rematch between Biden and Trump. But if it does come up, here’s a quick what-to-know: Both would be the oldest ever at swearing in and voters don’t love that (Happy Birthday, Mr. President). Trump faces several possible trials in the next year. Abortion is likely to be on the ballot in certain states next year, which may energize Democrats’ base. And there’s always the third-party option...
This year saw swaths of industry laborers walk out on the job—everyone from hotel workers, TV and movie actors and writers, healthcare workers, baristas, auto workers and more—and largely benefit from it. Now, the question is how much of that momentum will keep up in the new year. Union workers are making big demands, responding to what’s happening in the economy.
Produced by: Matthew Riva
Cover, additional illustrations: Matthew Riva/WSJ, Images: John Walton/PA Wire/Zuma; George Walker IV/AP; Paul Sancya/AP; Jim Vondruska/Getty; Chris Kleponis/Press Pool; iStock, Getty