Cheaters in CNBC's stock-picking game? What a Hoot!

I think it is beautifully ironic. Sublime in its own way.

Just for fun, there was a stock-picking "paper portfolio" contest in my class in investments (the CFP curriculum class to prepare for the CFP comprehensive exam,) a few years ago. Being the serious fellow I am, I asked the instructor if the contest wasn't an exercise in bad investing, and would it encourage the class to engage in bad investing? He indulgently and patiently assured me that it was just for fun.

As it happens, my wife happened to see a promo for the recent contest on CNBC with its million-dollar prize, and asked me why I hadn't entered. My answer was the same as before. Even though it is all in fun (I thought,) it still, if I won, would send the wrong message about investing and about me. It is not about utterly disregarding risk in search of maximal short-term gains. Well, what it did was worse -- it lured in some (alleged) out-and-out stock manipulators.


CNBC Calls In a Judge