advertisement

Reporting from the Great Barrier Reef

Excuse me for thinking that working on tonight's story makes me one of the luckiest people in the world. I got to see first-hand the spectacular Great Barrier Reef off the coast of Australia. With a snorkel, mask and great guide, a world you cannot see even from a boat opened up before me: giant clams, staghorn coral, clown fish. I

Anne Thompson at the helm over the Great Barrier Reef.
even got to swim with sharks... the ones with fins rather than the two-footed kind. Producer Mario Garcia, photographer Nelson Tharp and I couldn't stop smiling at each other and high-fiving over this assignment. Between the three of us, we've seen enough wars and
murders and man-made disasters to merit years of therapy. To see and report on one of the natural wonders of the world is a privilege and a delight.

CONTINUED »

Discuss (4 comments)  Email this | Link to this

The real Katrina fatigue

What would you give up for your dream job? That's right. I said "give up." When most of us think of our dream jobs, I think we think about what we would get: more security, a bigger paycheck, a chance to put more away for college or retirement, to take that incredible vacation.
Tonight on Nightly News, you will meet Persharon Dixon, a pediatrician who had those dreams too, but traded them in to take care of kids with little or no access to healthcare. In this case, the children along the Mississippi coast whose lives remain uprooted by Katrina. 
               

CONTINUED »

Discuss (3 comments)  Email this | Link to this

Reaction to Ben Bernanke

Ben Bernanke "is the anti-Harriet Miers," says David Jones, fed watcher and head of the economics firm DMJ Advisor. Jones thinks the administration will get continuity with the Bernanke nomination. He was a well-respected fed governor who has good political experience, although little Wall Street experience. Though he and Greenspan have disagreed over inflation targeting (publicly establishing an inflation target -- Bernanke supports), Jones expects Bernanke to continue Greenspan's focus on inflation. He also expects Bernanke to be open and transparent about what the Fed thinks about the economy and that the days of trying to translate "Greenspeak" are over.

Mark Gertler, chairman of NYU's economics department and Bernanke's friend and colleague, agrees. Gertler describes Bernanke as a "very mainstream economist" who believes that when the economy is operating well, the private markets can handle it, but that it is the Fed's job to step in and avert a crisis.

Alan Skrainka, the chief market strategist for Edward Jones, says Wall Street is happy that this choice is not totally out of left field. He says the street is also pleased about the early announcement. Greenspan will step down January 31.

Editor's note: Anne will have much more reaction to the nomination from Washington to Wall Street on tonight's broadcast.

Discuss (2 comments)  Email this | Link to this