blockquote

"Regulations are a full-employment bill for economists!"

-- Walter Block

At Mises University tonight, Walter Block gave a personal remembrance of Murray Rothbard. (I watched the video stream from Mises.org!)

He ended by telling a joke ... or rather by telling about a time he told a couple of jokes to a conference on anti-trust law. What follows isn't word-for-word.

Soviet criminal #1: "I'm in prison because I always came to work late and the state prosecuted me for theft of time and wages."

Soviet criminal #2: "I'm in prison because I always came to work early and the state accused me of brown-nosing to get personal advantage."

Soviet criminal #3: "I'm in prison because I always came to work exactly on time and the state accused me of owning a western watch."

[UPROARIOUS LAUGHTER FROM THE ANTI-TRUST AUDIENCE]

Anti-trust criminal #1: "I charged lower prices than my competition and was prosecuted for predatory pricing."

Anti-trust criminal #2: "I charged much higher prices than my competition and the state accused me of profiteering."

Anti-trust criminal #3: "I charged exactly the same prices as my competition and was charged with collusion."

[DEAD SILENCE]