No it isn’t

It probably says something about my nature and outlook that despite the fact that I have virtually no money in the market, lately I seem to need to have CNBC on in the background all day long. And it doesn’t actually have anything much to do with Maria Bartiromo.

Anyway, at the risk of turning into Language Log Digest, I’d just like to point out that when someone, in this case Erin Burnett, tells you that the Chinese word for “crisis” is made from the words “danger” and “opportunity,” they are talking nonsense.

For the time being I am also no longer tolerating references to the equally questionable “may you live in interesting times.” Sorry, This American Life, you’re on notice, in spite of the fact that you’ve been by far the best the media has to offer as a primer on the roots of the Credit Danger Opportunity.