When did people start thinking about money 24 hours a day?

I remember when the world was quite naive about Wall Street, Bonds, IRAs, Keoghs, Mutual Funds, Money Markets, Nikkei, FTSE, the Hang-Sang Index and Day Trading.

Today, every radio station and television program have two or three expert commentators who, at the drop of a hat, will tell you what to do with your life's savings, even if they do not know you. Personally, I challenge their collective credentials and expertise and cast a jaundiced eye on the whole lot of them. (A few of these so-called experts have been convicted of fraud and are presently serving prison time.)

Being obsessed with money and retirement occupies America's waking and sleeping thoughts. The Dow-Jones Average and the NASDAQ are causing insomnia and everyone is walking around red and bleary-eyed.

When they hoist their daily newspaper at breakfast or after supper they turn immediately to the "Money and Business" section. It was a nicer, gentler world before all the concern about dollars and cents. Today, they broadcast the assets of their Keogh or IRA plans, to the world, even though it is nobody's concern. Few people are truly interested in their portfolios and financial picture.

It is poor manners to discuss the monetary minutia of one's life. With a CPA or spouse and occasionally with offsprings a case can be made for this type of bragadoccio. In most cases it is merely bad manners.

Boasting about winning stocks is another bad habit. The boaster never mentions the losing stocks that accompany the so-called "hot stock."

On Feb. 28, 1997 I wrote a column entitled "RSVP." I mentioned four subjects that are taboo and should not be discussed at a dinner party, and why.

1: Servants - It is pretentious.

2: Children - It is petty and annoying.

3: Health - It is not appetizing at the dinner table.

4: Money - Nobody cares about your net worth. It is plainly bad form and above all it is "extremely boring."