By the time you read this I will be recuperating in the hospital. Hopefully the markets are recuperating from a very volatile quarter or at the very least the damage from last Friday’s action. Still the markets are near all-time highs.
Every year since 2002, except for 2021, I have closed out the year with a look at the world through the eyes of a professional investor/writer poking fun and satire at what has transpired in our society during the year about to end.
2025 saw a change in the Federal government with Donald Trump (R) serving his second non-consecutive term and his party controlling both Houses of Congress and passage of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
For LakeView Asset Management, we followed up a banner 2024, from an investment performance perspective, with another spectacular year in 2025 (feel free to contact Carly or myself for more investment and performance information). Following the successful rollout of insurance products in 2024 we have just rolled out financial planning in 2025. Thanks to our faithful clientele for their referrals of family, friends, and co-workers. As always, we appreciate the continued recommendations in 2026.
Unfortunately, 2025 also brought great losses. We lost our two family dogs, Scooter and Carson, as well as our good friend and long-time Rabbi, Rabbi Mark Mallach. In addition, I lost my friend and mentor Greg Kipnis.
I hope and pray that 2026 will be a year of health, happiness, and prosperity for our family, friends, clientele, and readers. As always, I will dig down deep to find ten more annoyances in 2025. So, without further ado, here is my list of 10 Things I Won’t Miss About 2025 (and never want to see or hear about ever again), in no specific order:
- OUT OF WARRANTY CAR WARRANTIES – These are slick commercials featuring celebrities or sports stars, such as Ice-T and Danica Patrick. For giggles, I priced these out for an old Lincoln MKX (built by Ford (F)). The cost to insure the old MKX was prohibitive and the exceptions for coverage (read the small print) were plentiful. Already these plans are subject to lawsuits and regulatory fines for deceptive advertisement.
- JUAN SOTO GETS THE BRONX CHEER - (sorry to long-suffering Mets Fans) - I am a lifelong baseball fan. As such mathematics and statistics are a way of life for me. It is why I excel in investing. From my baseball card collection to my love of Strat-o-Matic (Alex B. - I promise to teach you during my recuperation) to my baseball memorabilia collection; baseball is my favorite sport. I remember watching Mickey Mantle play against the Detroit Tigers in my first game at Yankee Stadium, but I digress. Juan Soto, you are no Shohei Ohtani, who is a modern-day Babe Ruth. You are not worth the $51 million per year for 15 years that the Mets paid you when Soto left the Bronx to go to play ball in Queens. Ohtani-San is worth every penny of his 10-year $700 million contract. The Mets thought that after falling one win short of making it to the World Series in the 2024 NL Championship (against the Dodgers), paying Soto the huge contract would put them over the top. Rather the Mets declined from 89 victories in 2024 to 83 victories in 2025 and missed the playoffs. The Yankees saved about three-quarters of a billion dollars and had an equal 94 wins in 2025. That was without their pitching Ace and 2024vCy Young award winner Gerrit Cole. Statistically Soto, in my opinion, playing 4 less games in 2024, had a better season in 2024 than 2025. Of course, in the Bronx Soto did get better pitches batting ahead of MVP Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton and was a piece of the Bombers team to make it to the 2024 World Series. So, there is the Finance Professor's lesson for today.
- ROBO / SPAM CALLS ABOUT COMPLETING MY LOAN APPLICATION - In a very polished manner, you are asked to complete a loan application for which you never applied for. This is a big scam, but I am certain that naive people get fooled and give up personal information. No doubt they will find out sooner or later that their identity was stolen. With all the blocks I have for robo-calling and spam, some still get through and manage to clog my voice messaging system. Don’t throw away your iPhones (AAPL) from AT&T (T) or Verizon (VZ) but also don’t be fooled by these scammers.
- ENDLESS CVS RECEIPTS – You wait on a line to get your medication at CVS (CVS), sometimes long enough that you look for a badly needed bathroom. Then your scripts are rung up but you must make sure that the cost for each medicine is the cheapest available price. You then are forced to click through and sign or click several screens to get to the point where you complete the purchase. After you process your credit card payment, all of a sudden, as if you are at a ticker tape parade, a long receipt shoots out of the register for a whole bunch of things you likely don’t need or want, that expires in a few days. CVS, save a forest and stop printing those endless papers already.
- MOCK SPORTS DRAFTS – On sports networks or the internet, seemingly after the prior professional sports draft ends, new mock drafts for the next season begins. So-called experts try to prognosticate, round by round, what team will pick which eligible college player. This cottage industry of self-important blowhards, had Shedeur Sanders being selected, with a high degree of certainty in the first round of the NFL draft. He was selected in the fifth round, number 144 in the draft. It seemed at the time like a mercy pick. Let the droning on about Texas Longhorn’s Arch Manning begin.
- CONSPIRACY THEORIES AND HATRED – Charlie Kirk was murdered, some would say assassinated. It was done live and on tape. They caught the assumed perpetrator who is now facing trial. I did not know much about Charlie Kirk and his Turning Point USA organization, but I am impressed by who he was and what he did. My children are more familiar with his work. He was, in my opinion, the Christian version of Rabbi Menachem Mendel Schneerson for whom I have a great deal of respect (one of his biographies is on my reading list while I recuperate). Admire Kirk or not, the conspiracy theories about his murder are crazy and have gotten out of hand. The hatred that has come out relating to Kirk is simply put, racist.
- JAMES CARVILLE –The “Rajin Cajun” is a political consultant who had a so-so history of consulting for political candidates until he met Bill Clinton. He then helped the obscure governor of Arkansas, despite his personal flaws, to get elected, not once but twice to the highest office in the land, President of the United States. He even coined the phrase “It’s the economy stupid” into a mantra still used today. However, in the past few years, he’s turned into the crazy angry uncle that you must deal with once a year, usually on Thanksgiving. Carville usually is seen proudly wearing his LSU (Louisiana State University) or USMC (United States Marine Corps) garb while on camera. He now seems bitter and I believe that he thinks that the political world has passed him by. Also, lately he sounds misogynistic. That all being said, he’s entertaining to watch and listen to, but enough is enough. Time to retire Mr. Cajun.
- ROYAL KINGDOM – Those celebrity commercials and pop-up ads for the video game Royal Kingdom are annoying. I don’t care which celebrities are endorsing this silly game, I won’t take the hook. Playing those stupid games are wasted time in my opinion but having to deal with the ads and pop-ups can drive one mad.
- PODCASTS – I appreciate people suggesting podcasts for me to listen to. It has even been suggested that I host my own podcast. I am sure that those suggestions are well-meaning and are value added. However, I frankly have no time to do so. I work at least ten hours a day when the stock market is open and a few hours on Sunday. Otherwise, I like to watch live sporting events and spend time with my wife and kids. However, I also perused the offering of podcasts and frankly there are a few crazy ones out there, including those peddling conspiracy theories (see #6 above). These days, they’ll give anyone and everyone a mic.
- CHARGING STATIONS – Do you know that in many parking lots EV charging stations were put in replacing Handicap parking spots? Take the parking lots at Target (TGT) or Caesars Palace, owned by Vici Properties (VICI) as an example. I guess this is good for Tesla (TSLA) owners but not so good for handicapped drivers or passengers who rely on the American with Disabilities Act.
I hope you enjoyed this year’s 10 Things and thank you for reading My Gut Feeling and Carly’s My Two Cents throughout the year.Please forward this year’s “10 Things” to friends and family and invite them to sign up for My Gut Feeling and My Two Cents. LakeView Asset Management is always available to help you with your investment needs, so don’t be shy to reach out to us. We are always available by phone or text at 702-749-9343 or email scott@lakeviewasset.com or carly@lakeviewasset.com.
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Disclosure: At the time of this commentary Scott Rothbort, his family and/or clients of LakeView Asset Management, LLC, own APPL, VICI, and VZ, although positions can change at any time. The mention of stocks are not recommendations and may not be suitable investments for your individual situation.
Scott Rothbort is the President & Founder of LakeView Asset Management, LLC, (LVAM) an investment advisor representative, specializing in high-net-worth private wealth management. LVAM is a separate entity of Osaic Advisory Services, LLC, a registered investment advisor.
For more information on investing with LakeView Asset Management, LLC call us at 702-749-9343 or request more information by clicking on the contact button on the top right-hand corner of the website or by emailing Scott at scott@lakeviewasset.com or Carly at carly@lakeviewasset.com. LakeView Management, LLC is a Nevada LLC, with its principal office located in Henderson, NV and branch office located in Millburn, NJ
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