Cartoon of the Day: Why Economists are No Longer Welcome in Hell

From SMBC-comics (hat tip Tim Taylor)

Humor of the Day: Dilbert on the Employable Economist's Economic Babble

(hat tip Zero Hedge/Source Dilbert)

This 'dropping-of-economic-terminologies-equals-economics' strip is so relevant...

Ah, the told-to-say economic view economist...

...can also be a fortuitous economist...

Humor of the Day: Dilbert on the Employable Economist

(hat tip/source AEI's Mark Perry)

Humor: Working for the Goverment

(source: Dan Mitchell)

Checklist for Claims that “There’s No Inflation”

From Zero Hedge/Shane Obata (bold original)

Presenting the “There’s No Inflation” Checklist

1) Don’t go to school – if you want to learn then turn on CNN. 

2) Don’t pay for medical care – if you get hurt then put on a band-aid and drink more water.

3) Don’t pay for transportation – if you have to get somewhere then teleport.

4) Don’t eat – if you HAVE to then cut your food into small pieces so it lasts longer (cough cough cough #McResources cough).

5) Don’t buy a house – if you have to live somewhere then pitch a tent in your local park.

6) Look at stupid charts such as:

* because CBOs projections are always right (warning: do NOT check the CBO's track record)

7) Ignore charts such as:

8) Stop paying for things, idiot.

I may add

9) Don’t ask why product sizes have been getting smaller. Also never wonder why some of the quality of products have diminished. (This is called shrinkflation or value deflation) see examples at CNBC or at Dr. Malmgren’s Pinterest

Video: Humor: Here Comes "The Kronies"

(hat tip Bob Murphy) 

Video: Humor: If I Don't Post about It Online, Did It Really Happen? (Why People Overshare on Social Media)

This video is a spoof on why people tend to overshare in social media.  

Hat Tip Austrian Economist Bob Murphy, who contributed to the story.

Humor: Krugman teaches Gilligan the broken window (fallacy)

(source: Austrian economist Bob Murphy) 

!

Humor: Send Congress to Syria says Majority of Americans in Poll

From the Onion

WASHINGTON—As President Obama continues to push for a plan of limited military intervention in Syria, a new poll of Americans has found that though the nation remains wary over the prospect of becoming involved in another Middle Eastern war, the vast majority of U.S. citizens strongly approve of sending Congress to Syria.

The New York Times/CBS News poll showed that though just 1 in 4 Americans believe that the United States has a responsibility to intervene in the Syrian conflict, more than 90 percent of the public is convinced that putting all 535 representatives of the United States Congress on the ground in Syria—including Senate pro tempore Patrick Leahy, House Speaker John Boehner, House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, and House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and, in fact, all current members of the House and Senate—is the best course of action at this time.

“I believe it is in the best interest of the United States, and the global community as a whole, to move forward with the deployment of all U.S. congressional leaders to Syria immediately,” respondent Carol Abare, 50, said in the nationwide telephone survey, echoing the thoughts of an estimated 9 in 10 Americans who said they “strongly support” any plan of action that involves putting the U.S. House and Senate on the ground in the war-torn Middle Eastern state. “With violence intensifying every day, now is absolutely the right moment—the perfect moment, really—for the United States to send our legislators to the region.”

“In fact, my preference would have been for Congress to be deployed months ago,” she added.

Citing overwhelming support from the international community—including that of the Arab League, Turkey, and France, as well as Great Britain, Iraq, Iran, Russia, Japan, Mexico, China, and Canada, all of whom are reported to be unilaterally in favor of sending the U.S. Congress to Syria—the majority of survey respondents said they believe the United States should refocus its entire approach to Syria’s civil war on the ground deployment of U.S. senators and representatives, regardless of whether the Assad regime used chemical weapons or not.

In fact, 91 percent of those surveyed agreed that the active use of sarin gas attacks by the Syrian government would, if anything, only increase poll respondents’ desire to send Congress to Syria.

Read the rest here

Aside from Congress and the other politicians why not also send all the boisterous war agitators?

Video: Humor: Clarke and Dawe on the Bernanke-Speak

ABC New's Clarke and Dawe hilariously deciphers US Federal Reserve Chairman's Ben Bernanke's statements (hat tip Gary North)

Graphic: Anatomy of the Socialist Brain of a Liberal Democrat

Source Libertarian Girl at Facebook

Video: Celebrity Prank

From WorldTalkLIVE, (hat tip Zero Hedge)

On the night of July 27th, 2012, a huge prank was pulled in New York City and this is the video of what took place. Brett Cohen came up with a crazy idea to fool thousands of pedestrians walking the streets of Times Square into thinking he was a huge celebrity, and it worked! Not only did it work, it caused quite a stir. This social experiment, of sorts, makes a profound statement about how modern culture is so attracted to pop culture, without any real credibility needed.

He dressed up like a typical celebrity and was accompanied by an entourage of two professional bodyguards, two assistants, and photographers pretending to be paparazzi. While the assistants and photographers waited for Brett to exit the 49th street marquee at NBC Studios, they started a buzz that a "big star" was about to walk out, thus making it worth their while to wait and get a picture. Many asked the crew whom Brett was, and no answer was given. They were forced to either make something up, or just take a picture with him in hopes that their Facebook friends or Twitter followers might have a better idea.

As the crew walked over to Times Square, the crowds around Brett grew on each consecutive block. Very few people even questioned who he was, where he was from, or what he does. Brett took pictures with nearly 300 people before the stunt ended. The video even includes interviews with people who had just taken a picture with Brett, and puts them in an awkward position when they're asked questions such as, "Where do you know Brett from?" and "What's your favorite movie he was in?" Many of them were overwhelmingly excited over Brett's walk through Times Square, and it showed.

While the video may have been intended to amuse audiences, there is a subtle message from it: They reveal of the cognitive biases from which the most people fall for, in particular the framing effect (people tend to reach conclusions based on the 'framework within which a situation was presented), the survivorship bias (tendency for people to look at the visible, particularly the winners or the survivors) and rationalization (making excuses).

Beware of the popular, because they are most likely illusions.

Cartoon of the Day: Have You Thanked Your Central Banker Today?

Well, have ya? (hat tip Bob Wenzel)

Thank them for this…

Central banking balance sheets at levels never seen in history!

Cartoon(s) of the Day: The Johari Window of Libertarians

From Cato’s Dan Mitchell

From Bastiat Institute (facebook)

Humor: Can a Noah’s Ark be Built in the US today?

What if God ordered Noah to build an ark in the US today?

Thanks to Dan Mitchell for a good laugh

…..And the Lord spoke to Noah and said:

“In one year, I am going to make it rain and cover the whole earth with water until all flesh is destroyed, but I want you to save the righteous people and two of every kind of living thing on earth. Therefore, I am commanding you to build an Ark.”

In a flash of lightning God delivered the specifications for an Ark. In fear and trembling, Noah took the plans and agreed to build the ark.

Remember,” said the Lord: “You must complete the Ark and bring everything aboard in one year.”

Exactly one year later, fierce storm clouds covered the earth and all the seas of the earth went into a tumult. The Lord saw that Noah was sitting in his front yard weeping

“Noah,” He shouted

“Where is the Ark?”

“Lord, please forgive me,” cried Noah. “I did my best, but there were big problems: First, I had to get a permit for construction, and your plans did not meet the Chicago codes. I had to hire an engineering firm and redraw the plans.

Then I got into a fight with OSHA over whether or not the Ark needed a sprinkler system and approved floatation devices. Then, my neighbor objected, claiming I was violating zoning ordinances by building the Ark in my front yard, so I had to get a variance from the Chicago planning commission. Then, I had problems getting enough wood for the Ark because there was a ban on cutting trees to protect the Spotted Owl…and finally convinced the U. S. Forest Service that I really needed the wood to save the owls. However, the Fish and Wildlife Service won’t let me catch any owls, so, no owls.” The carpenters formed a union and went on strike. I had to negotiate a settlement with the National Labor Relations Board before anyone would pick up a saw or hammer. Now, I have 16 carpenters on the Ark, but still no owls. When I started rounding up the other animals, an animal rights group sued me. They objected to me taking only two of each kind aboard.

Just when I got the suit dismissed, the EPA notified me that I could not complete the Ark without filing an environmental impact statement on your proposed flood. They didn’t take very kindly to the idea that they had no jurisdiction over the conduct of the Creator of the Universe. Then, the Army Corps of Engineers demanded a map of the proposed new flood plain…. I sent them a globe.

Right now, I am trying to resolve a complaint filed with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission that I am practicing discrimination by not taking godless, unbelieving people aboard. The IRS has seized my assets, claiming that I’m building the Ark in preparation to flee the country and not pay taxes. I just got a notice from the state of Illinois that I owe them some kind of user tax and failed to register the Ark as a “recreational water craft.” And finally, the ACLU got the courts to issue an injunction against further construction of the Ark, saying that since God is flooding the earth, it’s a religious event, and, therefore, UNCONSTITUTIONAL. I really don’t think I can finish the Ark for another five or six years.”

Noah waited…

The sky began to clear, the sun began to shine, and the seas began to calm. A rainbow arched across the sky. Noah looked up hopefully.

“You mean you’re not going to destroy the earth, Lord?”

“No,” He said sadly.”

“I don’t have to. The government already has.”

Laugh of the day: The Godfather and his Lawyer

A Mafia Godfather finds out that his bookkeeper, Guido, has cheated him out of $10,000,000.00.

His bookkeeper is deaf. That was the reason he got the job in the first place.

It was assumed that Guido would hear nothing and would therefore never have to testify in court.

When the Godfather goes to confront Guido about the missing $10 million, he takes along his lawyer, who knows sign language.

The Godfather tells the lawyer, “Ask him where the money is.”

The lawyer, using sign language, asks Guido, Where’s the money?

Guido signs back, “I don’t know what you are talking about.”

The lawyer tells the Godfather, “He says he doesn’t know what you are talking about.”

The Godfather pulls out a pistol, puts it to Guido’s head and says, “Ask him again or I’ll kill him!”

The lawyer signs to Guido, “He’ll kill you if you don’t tell him.”

Guido trembles and signs back, “OK! You win! The money is in a brown briefcase, buried behind the shed at my cousin Bruno’s house.”

The Godfather asks the lawyer, “What did he say?”

The lawyer replies, “He says you don’t have the balls to pull the trigger.”

Don’t you just love lawyers?

(source The Grandich letter)

Video: Halloween Day Tax Lesson

Comedian Tim Slagle shows how to teach taxes to kids using the Halloween Day celebrations (hat tip Professor David Henderson)

Italian Minister: Cocaine responsible for Market Volatility

From the Guardian (bold highlights mine)

First it was the hedge funds, then the ratings agencies. Now, a member of Silvio Berlusconi's government has pointed to a different reason for the world financial turmoil. The problem — or one of them — is cocaine. And to tackle it, Carlo Giovanardi, a junior minister with responsibility for the family, said he intended introducing drug tests for securities traders on the Milan Borsa. Speaking in a YouTube interview, he said the drug is one of the causes of fluctuations on the stock exchange and "an alarm that needs to be listened to". The minister said testing traders to see if they had been snorting the odd line was part of a wider project for checks on pilots, professional drivers, public officials, surgeons and police officers. "The idea of giving drug tests to people with great responsibility is absolutely acceptable," he said. "I rather doubt that an investor would entrust his or her savings to an alcoholic. And the same thing holds good for cocaine."

I don’t know about the rest, but as a 'trader', I frequent beer and has never touched or used cocaine. So I am not party to the accusation of so called cocaine driven market epileptic seizures.

Yet I don’t see any of my beer stupors as having to affect my market positions. I guess anyone exposed in the financial markets would be risking real money enough to sensibly make economic calculations as major part of their decisions or actions--even if such action would represent as miscalculations for one reason or another.

Besides, volatile markets as I have been repeating are manifestations of boom bust policies meant to preserve the current political order.

Funny how politicians are finding fault on everyone and everything else except themselves.

First, this demonstrates utter ignorance of the market process. Second, such is a symptom of desperation. And lastly, this also signifies the innate desire by politicians to use more political power to control people's actions--political greed--which is actually the source of all the volatilities

How imbecilic.

Humor: How to Make a Pass at an Economist

From Modified Rapture

The Top Ten Lines for Hitting on an Economist

1. You’ve got the curves to supply my demand!

2. Let’s go to bed and try to disprove the law of diminishing marginal utility.

3. You’re my very favorite kind of moral hazard.

4. I have a feeling you really understand the “nature of the firm.”

5. Baby, I love you so much I’m willing to forgo my exit option.

6. Wanna talk about our private goods?

7. You’re an economist. I’m an economist. How about a little horizontal integration?

8. Now those are some tangible assets!

9. I’ll reveal my preferences if you will.

The Daily Show Explains US Foreign Policy On Libya

Hilarious but politically poignant stuff from Jon Stewart (HT Bob Murphy)

The Daily Show - Odyssey Dawn - Unconstitutional War
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