Power Lunch

ABC Eager to Sound 'Stagflation' Warnings

By Jeff Poor | February 27, 2008 - 19:47 ET

Nothing like the cheery decade of the 1970s - disco dancing, "Animal House," Farrah Fawcett and the buzz word reincarnated by the media - stagflation.

After a disappointing spike in inflation, the producer price index (PPI), by 1.0 percent in January, and a rise in core inflation (with food and energy costs excluded), rising 0.4 percent on Tuesday, the media have deemed it necessary to sound the stagflation siren.

"Now, to the economy," ABC "World News" anchor Charles Gibson said. "And a word not heard since the 1970s - stagflation. That occurs when prices go up just as the economy slows down - stagnation plus inflation. And the government that wholesale prices shot up 1 percent in January and are now up almost 7.5 percent in the past 12 months."

WSJ/CNBC Question Greenspan’s Integrity for Post-Fed Career

By Jeff Poor | January 15, 2008 - 16:58 ET

You might disagree with how he slashed the Fed funds rate during times of economic turmoil as Federal Reserve chairman.

You might have even disavowed him after showing his coziness with the Clinton administration throughout the 1990s. But after 18 years of public service, you can't deny that Alan Greenspan should have a shot in the private sector.

However, despite media accolades through four Republican and one Democratic administration, some in the media think he broke an unspoken rule by going to work as a consultant for a hedge fund. One CNBC report called it "unseemly." The January 15 Wall Street Journal even hinted he may be profiting from the housing crisis, something they suggested he caused.

CBS News Writers to Strike?

By Jeff Poor | November 13, 2007 - 15:40 ET

As if “CBS Evening News” anchor Katie Couric needed any more bad news to accompany her dismal performance in the ratings.

Julia Boorstin, a CNBC correspondent, reported on CNBC’s November 13 “Power Lunch” that CBS News writers could be the next to join the two-week-old Hollywood writers’ strike.

“Some news writers may be joining their entertainment industry colleagues,” Boorstin said. “Five hundred unionized CBS Television and Radio writers are expected to vote to authorize a strike this Thursday. They’ve been working without a contract since April of 2005.”

According to Reuters, CBS sent a letter to Writers Guild of America members – some

Dan Gainor Discusses 'Going Green' on CNBC’s Power Lunch

By Paul Detrick | November 9, 2007 - 16:27 ET

Is it time for more businesses to ‘go green'? Not so fast, says Director of the Business & Media Institute Dan Gainor.

Gainor appeared on CNBC's "Power Lunch" November 9 to discuss business investment in green products, a popular story on many news programs.

"The problem is companies are spending tons of green, going green...for some things, Wal-Mart has found some solutions that make a lot of sense, but then you look at Fed-Ex, they found that just going to hybrid trucks...were 75% more expensive," said Gainor.

You can watch the YouTube video after the break.