MIRUS Financial Partners

2 yrs ago, more than half of Chinese people opposed unifying China and Taiwan by military force. By late ’25, that figure had fallen to 38% - Economist

Know anyone going to Citizens Bank Park: An Insider’s Guide to the Best Seats in Citizens Bank Park phillymag.com/news/seats-cit…

“We spend time chasing money, then spend money chasing time”

40% of the cost of diesel comes from the price of crude oil – the rest of costs is based on refinement, distribution, and taxes – NYT

The lowest earning fifth of Americans devote nearly twice as much of their spending to oil and electricity as the top earning fifth. Once gas prices pass $3.50 per gallon, media interest in the topic explodes – Economist

About 2/3 of households’ worth $30m and up are headed by Baby Boomers – WSJ

In counties where farming generates at least 25% of earnings, Trump won 78% of the vote in ’24 – Economist

Loudon County, VA. has the highest concentration of data centers in the world, with 199 already operating and another 30 or so on the way. 13% of global data center capacity is squeezed into the county’s 520 square miles – Atlantic

US alcohol consumption has fallen to a record low, with only 54% of adults reporting they drink, a 90-yr low. Also, a high 53% of Americans say moderate drinking is bad for their health, reflecting a concern driven especially by younger adults. (Source: Gallup)

In fiscal year 2025, a large membership retailer sold over 245 million hotdog combos, over 157 million rotisserie chickens, and enough bath tissue to reach the moon and back over 200 times. - The Transcript, Sept. 29, 2025

“Audi, vide, et tace, si vis in pace vivere.” (Latin) “Listen, see, and be silent if you want to live in peace”

China’s exports surged 22% yr-over-yr in Jan. & Feb., despite a continued decline in shipments to the US. Growth was driven by sharply higher exports to Europe, Asia, and Latin Amer. Semiconductors, automobiles, and electronics accounted for much of the increase. (Source: PBS)

Inflation in Feb., with prices rising 2.4% from a yr earlier and core inflation matching expectations at 2.5%. The data, however, predates the surge in oil prices following the outbreak of the Iran war, which will likely be a key variable in upcoming readings. (Source: WSJ)

The U.S. has invested less than 2% of its GDP in infrastructure. In contrast, China has invested 8-10% of GDP in infrastructure – Bloomberg

A viral A.I. experiment tried to write captions for dog photos, and owners said their dogs’ real expressions made the A.I. captions look clueless 70% of the time, leading to the hashtag #DogsAreBetterWriters. - The Verge, 01/22/26

According to a Reuters report citing a CNBC item and internal messaging, ChatGPT is now at 800+ million weekly active users, and OpenAI’s CEO said growth is back to 10%+ per month. - Reuters, 2/9/26

"Computers are useless. They can only give you answers." ~ Pablo Picasso

The equivalent of about $1,800 per person in America will be invested this year on A.I. - NYT, 10/5/25

In an age of national politics, with regional newspapers in decline, voters pay little attention to what happens at the state level. 1 in 3 cannot name their governor. This means less democratic accountability and more room for graft and fraud – Economist

"The real problem is not whether machines think, but whether men do." ~ B.F. Skinner