Read the funniest thing today: (emphasis mine, with some editing for conciseness)

I have – framed above my desk – a $100,000,000 note – serial number AA23100220 and signed by Dr G Gono – the Governor of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe.

This – it seems – offers the solution to all our deflationary woes – one that doesn’t require any helicopters or even the printing of any money.  It is more than sufficiently irresponsible.

Ben Bernanke should resign forthwith and Dr G Gono should be appointed as Chairman of the Fed Reserve. 

Nothing need change.  Monetary policy can remain in the effective hands of the other governors – but the appointment of Dr Gono will rapidly raise inflationary expectations – and the new inflationary expectations should induce the spending of the massive hoard of saved dollars – providing all the economic stimulus needed.

Dr Gono may be the wrong man for Zimbabwe – and the right hand man of a dictator.  But he is what America needs right now. 

Do you think we can get him confirmed?

Backstory: The Zimbabwean dollar, under Dr. Gideon Gono, has been undergoing rapid devaluation spurring hyperinflation. According to Wikipedia: "According to Central Statistical Office statistics, annual inflation rate rose to 231 million percent in July 2008." Check out the chart, and notice the y-axis is in POWERS of ten.

You can currently buy a $100,000,000,000 ($100 billion) banknote on eBay for under $10. That's sickening. I can't wait until the $100 trillion bills come out next month.

Since the US' primary concerns are deflationary pressures (lack of demand, everybody hoarding cash) ... the joke is that by hiring somebody so inept at managing the money supply ... we'd force everybody to spend, thus getting us out of this slump!

Or maybe that's just funny to me.