economic lessons in jokes

Quantitative Easing and other performance enhancing drugs

There was a big on-air confessional a while back. Something about bicycles. Here’s another interview that got overshadowed by that big one. Or perhaps it is an educational cartoon. I’m not sure.

Bernanke to Oprah: ‘I’ve Been Doping for Years’.

This cartoon gives a superb explanation in 12 minutes of a major factor about how we got into our current economic mess.

The format is an imaginary interview with the chairman of the Federal Reserve Bank, Ben Bernanke, as he confesses to long-term doping of the economy.

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=orh64vypKwU]

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An economist decides to break up with his girlfriend after a quantitative cost-benefit analysis of the relationship

I don’t do humor, unless there is a good economic point to be made. I just about fell out of my chair on this one.

Here is the start of the economist’s talk with his soon-to-be-former-sweetheart: Continue reading “An economist decides to break up with his girlfriend after a quantitative cost-benefit analysis of the relationship”

Prices have information – they drive buyers and sellers

I can’t explain all the economics lessons in the following joke, but can tell there are many. Funny thing about prices is that they motivate buyers and sellers. Prices contain a lot of information. We need to interpret them well. Here’s an insight on pricing and human behavior:

today’sFUNNY===========================

A woman walks into a butcher shop and asks the butcher how much a pound of tenderloin is.

“$12 per pound,” replies the butcher.

“Are you sure? That can’t be,” says the lady.

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One possible reason your benefits package at work might be shrinking

In this economy, it is difficult for employers to keep providing great benefits. Check out this email from Mikey’s Funnies. It just might explain why the benefits package from your employer isn’t really great and might even be shrinking.

today’sFUNNY===========================

A woman, searching for a job, inquired about the benefits. The Personnel Manager informed her they had group health and life insurance, but the costs were deducted from the employee’s pay.

She said, “My last employer had full health coverage, as well as five years salary for life insurance and a month’s sick leave AND they paid the full premiums.”

Continue reading “One possible reason your benefits package at work might be shrinking”