{"id":90353,"date":"2026-01-31T01:00:28","date_gmt":"2026-01-31T09:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/lenpenzo.com\/blog\/?p=90353"},"modified":"2026-02-02T11:21:31","modified_gmt":"2026-02-02T19:21:31","slug":"black-coffee-31-jan-2026","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/lenpenzo.com\/blog\/id90353-black-coffee-31-jan-2026.html","title":{"rendered":"Black Coffee: Truth & Consequences"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"hurricane-flags\"<\/a>It’s time to sit back, relax and enjoy a little joe …<\/em><\/p>\n

Welcome to another rousing edition of Black Coffee, your off-beat weekly round-up of what’s been going on in the world of money and personal finance.<\/p>\n

Another busy week is crossed off the list. So without further ado, let’s get right to the commentary (mature audiences advised<\/span>) …<\/p>\n

It\u2019s difficult to get a man to understand something when his salary depends on his not understanding it.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u2014 Upton Sinclair<\/strong><\/p>\n

Some people think the truth can be hidden with a little cover-up and decoration. But as time goes by, what is true is revealed, and what is false fades away.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u2014 Ismail Haniyeh<\/strong><\/p>\n

Sooner or later everyone sits down to a banquet of consequences.<\/em><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u2014 Robert Louis Stevenson<\/strong><\/p>\n

Credits and Debits<\/strong><\/p>\n

Credit:<\/strong><\/span> Did you see this? Amazon is trying to crack a crowded, unforgiving big-box market with plans for a 230,000-square-foot mega-store<\/a> in the Chicago suburbs that would be larger than the average Walmart and nearly big enough to swallow two Targets whole. The store says it will split the massive building into two distinct sections: one side for groceries, household staples, and prepared food, and the other to fulfill online orders for those who prefer Amazon\u2019s stay-at-home convenience. You know what that means: Somebody<\/strong><\/em> is going to be reviewing a lot of new job applications in the near future. Er\u2026 or not.<\/p>\n

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h\/t: @LostTourist3<\/p><\/div>\n

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Debit:<\/strong><\/span> In other news, there is a new trend that\u2019s emerging among newbies trying to break into the housing market for the first time: People are co-buying homes<\/a> with friends and family members. In fact, data collected from July 2024 to June 2025 shows that first-time homebuyers consisted of 25% single women and 10% single men, while the share of married couples remained flat at 50%. Compare that to the pool of all<\/strong><\/em> homebuyers, where 61% are married couples, 21% are single women and just 9% are single men. If only there was some rock-solid financial advice people could follow to avoid having to so financially creative…<\/p>\n

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Gary Larson \u2013 The Far Side<\/p><\/div>\n

Debit:<\/strong><\/span> Did you know that Verizon first entered the Dow Jones Industrial Average in April 2004, replacing its primary rival, AT&T? It did. However, analysts say the company is likely to be jettisoned in 2026. Why Well… because, since joining the Dow, Verizon’s shares have gone virtually nowhere. In fact, in 22 years, its shares have gained just 17%. As a result, as of last week the communication giant only accounted for 241 out of the Dow’s 49,077 points. In other words: Verizon now has almost zero<\/strong><\/em> impact on the rest of the Dow Jones index. As for its expected replacement? One analyst suggests<\/a> it will be Google spin-off Alphabet.<\/p>\n