The Kahuna

We can all agree that the banter on a certain morning financial TV show can get out of hand. Yesterday, one of the morning anchors said something unbelievable and spot on. He said that with the market trading where it was 10 years ago (at the lows) all they have done for viewers was - and I quote - blah, blah, blah. He made a talking mouth gesture with his hands as he said it.

I was floored! They admitted all the analysis and parade of guests was merely noise!

Today, however, he really put his foot in his mouth. The other anchor said the word "engine" and anchor number 1 thought he said it funny. In a fraction of a second, he said "engine, not injun" and made the "whoo whoo" war cry sound complete with tapping his pouting lips. I am not Native American but man that was not good.

I think it was more "frat boy" than anything sinister.

The moral of the story is that everything you see on the tube and read on a financial website - including mine - can be good fodder for idea generation but do your own thing, make your own decisions and don't try to be funny 24/7.

I wonder if all media really do shape our thoughts. We waste hours and hours watching what a program director thinks the masses will like instead of getting out there experiencing real life.

Cash for Clunker Quickie

My wife just said we are getting clunked by the clunkers.

We are looking for a new car for my newly driving son (heaven help all drivers) so we will not be trading in any clunkers. Therefore, all of this temporary demand is keeping the dealers from giving me the really good deal we might otherwise expect from a hurting industry.

So, what happens when the money runs out - again? I think we will delay our purchase for a few weeks. My kid can borrow my car until then.