Muppet money

Published 12:01 am Tuesday, May 17, 2011

Muppet money

“Sesame Street” has developed segments intended to teach little kids the basic principles of financial literacy. In one, Elmo learns that he can’t have what he wants right away — he has to save his money.

Watching at home, kids learn a valuable financial lesson of a different sort: that their parents will give them money to turn down the sound during Elmo’s segments.

Available credit: $0: Elmo’s message of thrift apparently went unheeded by the federal government. It has maxed out its credit card, reaching the $14.3 trillion borrowing limit imposed by Congress.

Uncle Sam expressed chagrin over his high debt load, but noted that fighting two wars and handing out tax cuts to the wealthy is a tough row to hoe on one paycheck.

Mickey goes commando: The Walt Disney Co. has applied for a trademark on “Seal Team 6,” the name of the special forces unit that killed Osama bin Laden earlier this month. Paperwork filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark office state an intention to use the mark for, among other things, toys, sleepwear and Christmas stockings.

Beware, Navy SEALs: You may be the world’s most formidable warriors, but you haven’t gone up against Disney’s elite team of intellectual property ninja-lawyers.

— Mark Carlson, Herald staff