oldroy Loc: Western Kansas (No longer in hiding)

I don't know where to put this one so will put it here since it talks about politics. Abbott and Costello were so funny and this one is about good as their "Who's on First" thing. It does attend quite well to the way the government considers who is unemployed and who doesn't have a job.

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Subject: "Who's on First?..." the 2013 version



COSTELLO: I want to talk about the unemployment rate in America .

ABBOTT: Good Subject. Terrible Times. It's 7.8%.

COSTELLO: That many people are out of work?

ABBOTT: No, that's 14.7%.

COSTELLO: You just said 7.8%.

ABBOTT: 7.8% Unemployed.

COSTELLO: Right 7.8% out of work.

ABBOTT: No, that's 14.7%.

COSTELLO: Okay, so it's 14.7% unemployed.

ABBOTT: No, that's 7.8%.

COSTELLO: WAIT A MINUTE. Is it 7.8% or 14.7%?

ABBOTT: 7.8% are unemployed. 14.7% are out of work.

COSTELLO: If you are out of work you are unemployed.

ABBOTT: No, Congress said you can't count the "Out of Work" as the unemployed. You have to look for work to be unemployed.

COSTELLO: BUT THEY ARE OUT OF WORK!!!

ABBOTT: No, you miss his point.

COSTELLO: What point?

ABBOTT: Someone who doesn't look for work can't be counted with those who look for work. It wouldn't be fair.

COSTELLO: To whom?

ABBOTT: The unemployed.

COSTELLO: But ALL of them are out of work.

ABBOTT: No, the unemployed are actively looking for work. Those who are out of work gave up looking and if you give up, you are no longer in the ranks of the unemployed.

COSTELLO: So if you're off the unemployment roles that would count as less unemployment?

ABBOTT: Unemployment would go down. Absolutely!

COSTELLO: The unemployment just goes down because you don't look for work?

ABBOTT: Absolutely it goes down. That's how it gets to 7.8%. Otherwise it would be 14.7%.

COSTELLO: Wait, I got a question for you. That means there are two ways to bring down the unemployment number?

ABBOTT: Two ways is correct.

COSTELLO: Unemployment can go down if someone gets a job?

ABBOTT: Correct.

COSTELLO: And unemployment can also go down if you stop looking for a job?

ABBOTT: Bingo.

COSTELLO: So there are two ways to bring unemployment down, and the easier of the two is to have people stop looking for work.

ABBOTT: Now you're thinking like an Economist.

COSTELLO: I don't even know what the hell I just said!

ABBOTT: Now you're thinking like Congress.

viet vet

I believe Mark Twain had a good saying also and I quote-there are lies and damn lies and then there are statistics

oldroy Loc: Western Kansas (No longer in hiding)

Why yes he did say that. However, I failed to see the comedians discussing any statistics. Only lies as told by politicians.

How about you finding my newest thread about the bald faced lies of the Obama administration and trying to defend any of them as anything other than pure bald faced lies.

TheCracker

Would that be like:

There are liberals and damn liberals and then there are lying Demoncraps?

Just wondering.

snowbear37 Loc: MA.

Now Roy, you know that if you say anything "bad" about obummer, you're going to be labeled a "racist" by all lib/progs/dems!

viet vet

no both sides are just as guilty of malfeasance and to propose moral high ground for either side is tantamount to lying to oneself

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

Perfect quote for a hilarious new rendition of an old Abbot and Costell routine.

However, Twain was quoting Disraeli when he spoke those words.

Statistics are for statisticians!

And, thank you for your last response.

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

VietVet seemed to be referring to the new version of the skit, which was about unemployment statistics, Mr.OldRoy.
It, too, was a comedic skit.

slatten49 Loc: Lake Whitney, Texas

I correct myself, somewhat. Twain did, indeed, attribute the quote to Disraeli in his autobiography. Having said that, after Twain died, there was no evidence to be found...other than others quoting Disraeli. Upon Disraeli's death, again, no evidence was to be found in his papers or memoirs that confirm, unquivocably, that the former British Prime Minister said it.

Therefore, most historians attribute the quote to Twain, by default.

I apologize for the error.

oldroy Loc: Western Kansas (No longer in hiding)

I have been so labelled since before the election of 2008 so I am hardened to that kind of thing.

oldroy Loc: Western Kansas (No longer in hiding)

If what you say is true, then you just lied to yourself in trying to defend the words of people like I Won.

oldroy Loc: Western Kansas (No longer in hiding)

Did Abbott include any statistics other than the ones the government uses? If so I missed it. Of course, we all know that the method used by that government to determine the unemployed has nothing to do with those who have just given up. I consider them unemployed so guess I couldn't work for the administration that is in control now.

oldroy Loc: Western Kansas (No longer in hiding)

Have you managed to change the topic from unemployment to what Twain said? Saul would be proud of you if you have.

viet vet

the metrics for determining unemployment changes as the political climate changes , from one partisan perspective to another , to understand the true nature of the employment picture of the country one needs to sift through a lot of data and that is cumbersome and the average person doesn't care to do so , so then relies on generalities and news information so inaccuracies will pile upon inaccuracies and discussing the issue is like trying to dance on quicksand

oldroy Loc: Western Kansas (No longer in hiding)

Maybe you could mention the numbers of people who have dropped out of the labor force from trying to get jobs so long. Are they really not unemployed as our government says time after time? I really don't understand all of this, but then my mind stopped twisting in the liberal manner over 40 years ago.