Friday, June 13, 2008

Questions and Answers


An economist is a trained professional paid to guess wrong about the economy, and many of them find their way into investment banking. Here are good-natured questions and answers pertaining to their kind:

Q: Why does Treasury only have 10 minutes for morning tea?

A: If they had any longer, they would need to re-train all the economists.

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Q: Why did the market economist cross the road?

A: To reach the consensus forecast.

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Q: How many B-school doctoral students does it take to change a light bulb?

A: I'm writing my dissertation on that topic; I should have an answer for you in about five years.

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Q: How many investors does it take to change a light bulb?

A: None - the market has already discounted the change.

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Q: Did you hear of the economist who dove into his swimming pool and broke his neck?

A: He forgot to seasonally adjust his pool.

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Q: How many Chicago School economists does it take to change a light bulb?

A: None. If the light bulb needed changing the market would have already done it.

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Q: How has French revolution affected world economic growth?

A: Too early to say.

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Q: How many marxists does it take to screw in a lightbulb?

A: None - the bulb contains within it the seeds of its own revolution.

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Q: What does an economist use when calculating constant-dollar estimates?

A: Deflator mouse

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Q: How many mainstream economists does it take to change a light bulb?

A: Two. One to assume the existence of ladder and one to change the bulb.

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Q: Why has astrology been invented?

A: So that economics could be more accurate.

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Q: Why did God create economists?

A: In order to make weather forecasters look good.

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Q: What does an economist do?

A: A lot in the short run, which amounts to nothing in the long run.

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Q: How many conservative economists does it take to change a light bulb?

A: None. The darkness will cause the light bulb to change by itself.

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Q: What's the difference between economists and businessmen?

A: The first don't keep their feet on the ground; the latest use to keep their four feet in the ground

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Q: How many Keynesian economists does it takes to change a light bulb?

A: All. Because then you will generate employment, more consumption, dislocating the aggregate demand to the right.

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Q: What's the difference between an economist and a befuddled old man with Alzheimer's?

A: The economist is the one with the calculator.

(Photo credit: www.sxc.hu)

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