Comments on: Economics Joke

By: gene berman

gene berman — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 21:24:33 +0000

David:

That reminds of somethiing I read about an Indian (American) saying that the white man’s church must be their fur-trading center because every fur-trader, asked what he’d pay for various furs, always replied “I couldn’t tell you just now–see me on Sunday after church.” And, sure enough, when asked on Sunday after church, every trader would be quoting the same prices.

By: gene berman

gene berman — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 21:19:37 +0000

David:

(or in Congress–capital “C”–either) eh wot?

By: David Gillies

David Gillies — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 17:22:23 +0000

One is also reminded of Smith’s nostrum about the beneficence of the butcher, the brewer, the baker (and in this case the candlestick maker) and how none of these worthies is ever found in congress except to conspire against the public.

By: gene berman

gene berman — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 13:34:12 +0000

ivan:

Don’t get you on the geography: the “empire of the sun” is Japan. Of course, the Chinese have always been worried about Japan. But the worried candlemakers in this case are Europeans upset about Chinese competition.

I’m as willing to chuckle as the next guy–just need a reason to splutter my coffee. Sockitome!

By: ivan janssens

ivan janssens — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 09:08:11 +0000

And it’s still the sun the candlemakers are worried about. The empire of the sun.

By: john b

john b — Wed, 06 Feb 2008 16:30:52 +0000

By the by, I’m not sure “some possible daft tariffs on candles” really warrants an Auschwitz reference from the EUReferendum-ites (it’s the sort of flip, nonsensical comparison for which they’d be quick to scream antisemitism if a leftie did it…)

Tim adds: Entirely fair comment I think. I just wanted to get the Bastiat joke in there.