Not exactly on point but might amuse some,
ON VIRUSES AND ECONOMICS
INTEREST GROUP ECONOMIST VIRUS - Divides your hard disk into hundreds
of little units, each of which does practically nothing, but all of
which claim to be the most important part of the computer.
ECONOMETRICIAN VIRUS - Sixty percent of the PCs infected will lose 38
percent of their data 14 percent of the time (plus or minus a 3.5
percent margin of
POLITICAL THINK TANK ECONOMIST VIRUS - Doesn't do anything, but you
can't get rid of it until next election.
GOVERNMENT ECONOMIST VIRUS - nothing works on your system, but all
your diagnostic software says everything is just fine.
MARXIAN ECONOMIST VIRUS - Helps your computer shut down whenever it
wants to.
SOVIET ECONOMIST VIRUS - Crashes your computer, but denies it ever
happened.
MAINSTREAM ECONOMIST VIRUS - It claims it feels threatened by the
other files on your PC and erases then in "self-defense."
CENTRAL BANK ECONOMIST VIRUS - Makes sure that it's bigger than any
other file.
MULTINATIONAL CORPORATION ECONOMIST VIRUS - Deletes all monetary
files, but keeps smiling and sending messages about how the economy is
going to get better.
SUPPLY SIDE ECONOMIST VIRUS - Puts your computer to sleep for four
years. When your computer wakes up, you're trillion more dollars in
debt.
NEW ECONOMY VIRUS - Also known as the "Tricky Dick Virus." You can
wipe it out, but it always makes a comeback.
ENVIRONMENTAL ECONOMIST VIRUS - Before allowing you to delete any
file, it first asks you if you've considered the alternatives.
----------
From: Victor Milne
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: The Devil's Dictionary
Date: Tuesday, February 08, 2000 5:28PM
Ambrose Bierce wrote "The Devil's Dictionary." My personal favourite in it
is "Puritanism, the linger fear that someone, somewhere might be enjoying
himself."
It occurred to me that it might be fun and useful to write "A Devil's
Dictionary of Economics" especially for the "motherhood" words like
"investment." I've done three so far. Contributions would be welcome; they
may wind up on a new website I'm working on.
Victor
The Devil's Dictionary
Productivity a justification for not paying employees a living wage as long
as someone, somewhere, may be earning less.
Investment (aka takeover) a means of having your tax write-off cake and
eating it too.
Economic growth the increase of seven-digit bank accounts to eight digits or
more.
