Overnight Briefing & General Reality Check

Today's Scare story:

CNBC money mouth JIM CRAMER let loose with an interesting prediction yesterday. He said Europe's economy could collapse in the next two days --or never.
   Huh? His point is that if something awful doesn't happen by the end of the week to totally tank the Euro, then the U-S stock market and American investors with large European holdings will merely have to "adjust" to Europe's move toward austerity, and things will probably stabilize. (Pacelli)

Watercooler:

Wal-mart's in-house research finds mothers across the U-S continue to worry about finances, with 75% searching for dollar-stretching deals. For 78%, saving money on basic items and everyday purchases is "critical." And 71% say they are putting greater personal responsibility on their spending habits. (Kaye)

Just how much do salespeople hate making cold calls? A new survey from the Maryland-based sales management firm of Sandler Training shows that many salespeople think getting a root canal is one of the only things less desireable than cold calling prospestive clients.
   Out of five choices presented in the survey, about one-third said a root canal was worst option, followed by making cold calls at 23-percent.
   Giving up sex for a month came in at 18-percent, 15-percent picked being a surprise guest on a reality television show and 13-percent chose speaking in front of an audience. (Pacelli)

Party like a Kennedy, Dep't:

The KENNEDY clan has struck again with today's "DUI du Jour" award. The NY Post's Page Six gossip column reports MARY RICHARDSON KENNEDY, the wife of ROBERT F. KENNEDY, Jr., got popped driving with a .11 blood alcohol level last Saturday. Local cops in upstate Bedford spotted the mom-of-four jump a curb, pulled her over and discovered she was well over the legal limit of .08. (Lee)

Reality Round-Up:

How about a reality show where the host makes over an average woman, who then gets to go out on not one, but two dates with a guy she's been crushing on?
   That's the concept behind the CW's new series, "Plain Jane," which will debut this summer, hosted by British "fashion expert," LOUISE ROE. 

Taking everything much too seriously:

Grocery stores aren't the only businesses in San Antonio that need a food permit. So do sex shops.
   Turns out any sex shop that sells edible underwear or porno pasta with the adult toys and lingerie must have a food permit and undergo regular health inspections.
   The rule holds for any establishment that sells food, including department stores since many of them sell (wait for it...) chocolate.
   A permit goes for $230 a year. (Maiman)

Grace notes:

MICK JAGGER says that when the ROLLING STONES recorded "Exile On Main Street" in France back in 1971, they were (quote), "young, good-looking and stupid." Now, he says, "we're just stupid." Mick was at the Cannes Film Festival yesterday at a screening of a new documentary about the making of that album called "Stones In Exile." Mick also said it's easy to make an album on drugs, but it's not easy to smoke pot and sing. The film will be released on DVD June 22nd. (Marino)