The economist's toolbox is truly a wondrous thing. For we can point out that advocating irrational economic policies is, for a politician, entirely economically rational as said politician wants to win an election. Or, as we can restate the finding, what's good for politicians may well not be what's good for the rest of us.

We have a nice example of that contention here: that, indeed, what is good for individual politicians might not be what is good for us.

A further example: the policies pushed by grandstanding politicians can make matters worse, not better.

An update on the progress of those 2012 Olympic Games. That back of the envelope calculation of a £20 billion cost is now looking a little constraining.

Could it be that the infrastricure problems in Africa are so bad that a truly laissez faire approach would be better? Even allowing unregulated natural monopolies?

Uncle Milt on why drug prohibitions kill at least 10,000 people a year.

And finally, what's wrong with the retelling of old jokes? As long as they're good ones, of course?