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Clark loves competition. He always worries when you have a shared monopoly like FedEx and UPS do in the package-delivery business. Shared monopolies usually result in higher prices or a decline in service. Case in point: FedEx and UPS announce their rate increases every December. Now it looks like DHL will step up as a viable competitor and cease being the 98-pound weakling of the industry. That's because DHL is teaming up with Walgreens to launch service centers in 6,500 stores. One of the big problems with DHL -- owned by the German post office -- had been that it was difficult to find a drop spot. Clark recently had to send an overnight package via DHL. He had to pass several FedEX and UPS drop areas and travel to a shady, industrial part of town to get to the DHL facility. But that will all change thanks to the Walgreens deal. In capitalism, it is the third competitor that creates true innovations in price and service. Meanwhile, Clark buys his DHL overnight mailing envelopes at Costco for a low price. Did you know that there are now 50 million Americans (out of our 300 million total population) who are Costco members? That's about 1 in every 5 adults -- even though Costco is only in about 37 states.

The exit polling from New Hampshire told us that the economy was a big issue for people. The slowdown affects us in a lot of ways. For example, hourly employees may find their hours diminishing. There are always winners and losers in any economic scenario. Right now is a great time if you're in the market for a refinance on your mortgage. The loan originators practically have no customers. But it's not uncommon for people to hear the headlines, watch the news and still miss the opportunity. Try refinancing if you're current in your mortgage and have an interest rate that's 6 percent or above. Also try refinancing if you have a floating rate.

Meanwhile, Clark recently upset some people with his comments about Countrywide. The company is in serious trouble and there are reports that they may file for bankruptcy. But there are still a lot of question marks surrounding the whole situation. So here's what Clark wants to reiterate: If you are an existing Countrywide customer, nothing changes for you whether they go bust or not. You'll still owe on your loan. One caveat: Be sure to track your loan balance. See that each month's payments are being applied properly and the balance is dropping correctly. Don't trust your lender to do the math.

Talk radio hosts were ecstatic with the results in New Hampshire yesterday. The thought of a Hillary-less race nearly drove them to tears. They need a foil and she's the best woman for the job. Reading the exit polls, Clark finds it interesting that terrorism has dropped on people's lists of concerns. Terrorism remains a top issue for him. The economy is, of course, one of the big issues. According to a recent poll, GOP voters (and the Dems, too) are unhappy with Bush's economic stewardship. This harkens back to the idea that people are happy in their own lives, but they're unhappy with where the country is. So here's Clark's prediction: People will vote with their own specific pocketbooks in mind if unemployment continues climbing; the price of oil stays high; and the dollar remains in the toilet.

Gov. Schwarzenegger currently is involved in a battle with the California legislature over the state's budget deficit. You'll see this scenario repeated in state after state because of the economic slowdown and the housing slump. States are required to balance their books each year, but that's not so with the feds. Longtime listeners know that Clark admires Colorado's TABOR (Taxpayers' Bill of Rights). The idea behind TABOR is that state spending must be capped at the rate of population growth plus the rate of inflation. In Clark's estimation, more states should look at adopting TABOR to pay for everything that politicians promise.

We've all heard the term "certified used car," but what exactly does that mean? It's really a marketing term that statistics show can inflate the price of a vehicle by several thousand dollars. But the term itself may or may not have any real meaning from dealership to dealership. Minnesota has decided that it's heard enough horror stories about people buying certified used cars and getting lemons. The Land of 10,000 Lakes has passed a law to define what "certified used car" should mean. There are basically 3 criteria: The certified used vehicle must have a warranty; the dealer must believe it's in good shape; and it can't have been in a bad wreck. Clark never goes through a week of the year when someone doesn't tell him a lemon horror story about a certified used vehicle. So be Clark Smart when buying and have an independent mechanic inspect the vehicle.