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Weekly Roundup: James Carville, Big Macs, Housing and Natural Gas

Feb 1, 2013 || Anita Liskey || No Comments

James Carville, who spoke at our Global Financial Leadership Conference (GFLC) last November, has had a busy week. He and his wife Mary Matalin are co-chairs of the Super Bowl host committee in New Orleans, and CNN announced that the couple are leaving the network. In the above interview with CBS, they talked about the decision to leave.

Carville explained – as only he can – his view of the media landscape in the United States at GFLC, highlighting the nature of media consumers to get information from sources they agree with:

“Now, how is it possible that we have so much information but not so much knowledge?  And I’ll tell you why.  This is my view.  Because people use this like a drunk uses a lamp post, for support, not illumination.  So if you’re a liberal, you never have to read a conservative thing for the rest of your life.  Or, if you’re a conservative, you never have to read or look at or think about it.  You can go to your own websites.  You got your own network.  You got your own newspapers.  You got your own everything.  And so then all information becomes just confirming. And you just get a view that you never challenge.” 

Here are some other stories worth reading that you may have missed this week:

What can McDonald’s Big Mac tell us about foreign-exchange rates? (The Economist)

Financial firms are seeking more risk and tech recruits. (Wall Street & Technology)

Robert Shiller says don’t count on a new housing boom. (New York Times)

GE says that natural gas will generate U.S. jobs and spur the economy. (GE Reports)

The Super Bowl indicator makes for horrible investing, according to Chuck Jaffe. (WSJ MarketWatch)