The Dong

The Strong Dong

Alleged Transcript from Squawk Box, 8/7/02

MARK: The Canadian dollar is familiarly known as the "Loonie" because the dollar coin has the image of a loon on one side.

Guest: Oh, like a duck.

MARK: Precisely!

Guest: Well, this is the sort of thing one can talk about when the market seems to be in a down cycle, isn't it? Do you know what they call the basic unit of Vietnamese currency?

MARK: (Pause) The Dong?

Guest: Yes! That's right! And of course, now in contrast to the weak US dollar, we're seeing a Strong Dong, just as with all the other Asian currencies.

MARK: (Pause) Well, we're verging on the edge here, but I have to ask, then, whether you would advise us all to go Long on the Strong Dong?

Guest: Hmmmm. No, I think this is a temporary situation: it would be Wrong to go Long on the Strong Dong.

MARK: Aha! I knew it! I knew all Along it was Wrong to go Long on the Strong Dong.

Guest: Oh, it's not hard to see: even Erica Jong knew all Along it's Wrong to go Long on the Strong Dong.

MARK: Bang the Gong. Bang the Gong.