When I was home over Spring Break a few weeks back, I found myself watching a lot of MSNBC. That wasn't surprising. I've watched quite a bit of MSNBC in the past six months, starting just before the 2006 elections and watching Hardball, Countdown with Keith Olbermann, and Scarborough Country regularly ever since. I'd been a fan of Keith Olbermann's since his SportsCenter days and remember being in high school watching his then-MSNBC show The Big Show to catch up on the days headlines.
What was surprising though was that I started watching more CNBC than I ever had before. I've always been a casual (at the very least) observer of the stock market. My grandfather got me started with stocks before I was 10, somehow convincing his stock broker to allow me to purchase five shares of Electronics Arts (should have held on to that one) or ten shares of Topps Trading Card Company (held on to that one too long even when I knew Upper Deck was the true premium trading card of my generation). I always found the market interesting, and while my interest has ebbed and flowed over the past decade and a half, I've always had the market in the back of my head.
Then I started watching Jim Cramer's Mad Money. What a great show. Cramer, the former Goldman analyst, wildly successful hedge-fund manager, and all around, self-described, crazy-man, hosts a show where he goes over the market in detail. Which stocks he likes, which he doesn't, and when he isn't screaming, throwing things at the cameras, and pressing one of a few dozen sound effect buttons (no -- I'm not kidding) he actually makes a lot of sense. So much so I bought and read his autobiography, Confessions of a Street Addict and became an ever bigger Cramer fan.
But, Cramer's Mad Money is not the only CNBC show I've been watching. Lately, the 2:00-3:00 show (which, coincidentally features Cramer's "Stop Trading" segment @ 2:40) has been really good, covering the market downturn and upturn and downturn again with good interviews and analysis. It's hosted by Erin Burnett, and if anything has struck me since I've increased my CNBC viewership it is how underrated Burnett is and how overrated supposed CNBC star Maria Bartiromo is.
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Maria's fine, don't get me wrong. She's a fine journalist, and she does a good job. But, she's also kind of annoying. And, maybe it's because I don't watch CNBC all day (Lately I've been watching from 2:00-3:00 and catching Cramer's Mad Money at 11:00, and I'll watch The Big Idea if I'm around and nothing else is going on) and I haven't watched CNBC a whole lot during the past few years (so I've missed Maria's rise to the top) but I just don't see what the big deal is.
But, I do think, especially given the recent controversy surrounding Bartiromo involving some improper dealings with Citigroup, it wouldn't be the worst idea for CNBC to start thinking about a successor to their "superstar" anchor. Burnett would be great choice. On her afternoon show, Street Signs, she comes off as very personable, very intelligent, and has a great rapport with both the people she interviews and with Jim Cramer during their daily segment.
While NBC may consider Maria the true 'star' of the network, keep your eye on Burnett. She's a natural at the anchor desk and I think she'll continue to rise up the CNBC heirachy. Now, if you'll excuse me, it's almost 6:00 and I've got Mad Money and Jim Cramer to watch.
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4 comments:
Maria Bartiromo worked with Joey Ramone on his portfolio. That's good enough for me.
Who the hell was Joey Ramone? The controversey they call it.....it used to be an affair. Affair used to mean two people were illicitly engaged in married type activity without being married to each other. Now that aside, CNBC or NBC Universal has never been known to do the right thing at the right time.......a replacement for Bartiromo would be a golden idea.
Don’t believe one optimistic word from any public figure about the economy or humanity in general. They are all part of the problem. Its like a game of Monopoly. In America, the richest 1% now hold 1/2 OF ALL UNITED STATES WEALTH. Unlike ‘lesser’ estimates, this includes all stocks, bonds, cash, and material assets held by America’s richest 1%. Even that filthy pig Oprah acknowledged that it was at about 50% in 2006. Naturally, she put her own ‘humanitarian’ spin on it. Calling attention to her own ‘good will’. WHAT A DISGUSTING HYPOCRITE SLOB. THE RICHEST 1% HAVE LITERALLY MADE WORLD PROSPERITY ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE. Don’t fall for all of their ‘humanitarian’ CRAP. ITS A SHAM. THESE PEOPLE ARE CAUSING THE SAME PROBLEMS THEY PRETEND TO CARE ABOUT. Ask any professor of economics. Money does not grow on trees. The government can’t just print up more on a whim. At any given time, there is a relative limit to the wealth within ANY economy of ANY size. So when too much wealth accumulates at the top, the middle class slip further into debt and the lower class further into poverty. A similar rule applies worldwide. The world’s richest 1% now own over 40% of ALL WORLD WEALTH. This is EVEN AFTER you account for all of this ‘good will’ ‘humanitarian’ BS from celebrities and executives. ITS A SHAM. As they get richer and richer, less wealth is left circulating beneath them. This is the single greatest underlying cause for the current US recession. The middle class can no longer afford to sustain their share of the economy. Their wealth has been gradually transfered to the richest 1%. One way or another, we suffer because of their incredible greed. We are talking about TRILLIONS of dollars. Transfered FROM US TO THEM. Over a period of about 27 years. Thats Reaganomics for you. The wealth does not ‘trickle down’ as we were told it would. It just accumulates at the top. Shrinking the middle class and expanding the lower class. Causing a domino effect of socio-economic problems. But the rich will never stop. They will never settle for a reasonable share of ANYTHING. They will do whatever it takes to get even richer. Leaving even less of the pie for the other 99% of us to share. At the same time, they throw back a few tax deductable crumbs and call themselves ‘humanitarians’. IT CAN’T WORK THIS WAY. This is going to end just like a game of Monopoly. The current US recession will drag on for years and lead into the worst US depression of all time. The richest 1% will live like royalty while the rest of us fight over jobs, food, and gasoline. Crime, poverty, and suicide will skyrocket. So don’t fall for all of this PR CRAP from Hollywood, Pro Sports, and Wall Street PIGS. ITS A SHAM. Remember: They are filthy rich EVEN AFTER their tax deductable contributions. Greedy pigs. Now, we are headed for the worst economic and cultural crisis of all time. SEND A “THANK YOU” NOTE TO YOUR FAVORITE MILLIONAIRE. ITS THEIR FAULT. I’m not discounting other factors like China, sub-prime, or gas prices. But all of those factors combined still pale in comparison to that HUGE transfer of wealth to the rich. Anyway, those other factors are all related and further aggrivated because of GREED. If it weren’t for the OBSCENE distribution of wealth within our country, there never would have been such a market for sub-prime to begin with. Which by the way, was another trick whipped up by greedy bankers and executives. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. The credit industry has been ENDORSED by people like Oprah, Ellen, Dr Phil, and many other celebrities. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. So don’t fall for their ‘good will’ BS. ITS A LIE. If you fall for it, then you’re a fool. If you see any real difference between the moral character of a celebrity, politician, attorney, or executive, then you’re a fool. WAKE UP PEOPLE. The 1% club will always say or do whatever it takes to get as rich as possible. Without the slightest regard for anything or anyone but themselves. Vioxx. Their idea. Sub-prime. Their idea. NAFTA. Their idea. Outsourcing. Their idea. The commercial lobbyist. Their idea. The multi-million dollar lawsuit. Their idea. $200 cell phone bills. Their idea. $200 basketball shoes. Their idea. $30 late fees. Their idea. $30 NSF fees. Their idea. $20 DVDs. Their idea. Subliminal advertising. Their idea. The MASSIVE campaign to turn every American into a brainwashed credit card, pharmaceutical, love-sick, celebrity junkie. Their idea. All of which concentrate the world’s wealth and resources and wreak havok on society. All of which have been CREATED AND ENDORSED by celebrities, athletes, and executives. IT MAKES THEM RICHER. So don’t fall for their ‘ good will’ ‘humanitarian’ BS. ITS A SHAM. NOTHING BUT TAX DEDUCTABLE PR CRAP. Bottom line: The richest 1% will soon tank the largest economy in the world. It will be like nothing we’ve ever seen before. and thats just the beginning. Greed will eventually tank every major economy in the world. Causing millions to suffer and die. Oprah, Angelina, Brad, Bono, and Bill are not part of the solution. They are part of the problem. EXTREME WEALTH HAS MADE WORLD PROSPERITY ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE. WITHOUT WORLD PROSPERITY, THERE WILL NEVER BE WORLD PEACE OR ANYTHING EVEN CLOSE. GREED KILLS. IT WILL BE OUR DOWNFALL. Of course, the rich will throw a fit and call me a madman. Of course, their ignorant fans will do the same. You have to expect that. But I speak the truth. If you don’t believe me, then copy this entry and run it by any professor of economics or socio-economics. Then tell a friend. Call the local radio station. Re-post this entry or put it in your own words. Be one of the first to predict the worst economic and cultural crisis of all time and explain its cause. WE ARE IN BIG TROUBLE.
Erin was good, these days she is acting up too. Maria and Cramer the only ones on CNBC who make me switch away.
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