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I'm beginning to wonder to what extent the present economic uncertainty is being generated by the media.  It seems that the glass must always be reported as half-empty - any article must always stress the negatives.  Monday's papers were all reporting that Ireland was being bailed-out by the EU and a major crisis was thereby being averted - almost glass half-full.  But yesterday it was half-empty again - was the bail-out enough?  Would it succeed?  Would the crisis spread to Portugal and Spain?  Problem is of course that such comments can become self-fulfilling prophesies.  I'm sure it helps sell papers and attract listeners and viewers, but to what extent do the media have a duty not to make a bad situation worse?  Are they reporting the news, or helping to make it?