House arrest for Bernie Madoff is like the house arrest Martha Stewart got.  It’s like a vacation in a luxury hotel.  This guy has enough money to still get whatever he needs to be comfortable. In case you aren’t aware, Bernie Madoff is the guy behind the $50 billion Ponzi Scheme that was uncovered in [...]

Holy crap somebody fell for it. This is the greatest story I’ve read all year.  Not because this woman lost thousands of dollars to the Nigerian scam, not because she’s a flippin’ idiot that should have her right to vote revoked, but because she is from Sweet Home, Oregon.  This is an actual place. View [...]

“Peter: Forget them, Wendy. Forget them all. Come with me where you’ll never, never have to worry about grown up things again. “ Unless of course those grown up things happen to be molestation charges and foreclosure.  Wendy shouldn’t have listened to Peter, Wendy should have just gone to Disney Land and met the cartoon [...]

That’s a quote from our current president G-Dub or George Bush if you prefer.  It’s one of my favorites, and it came to mind when I came across this story a while back. You know those people dumb enough to really think Lolly has a $20,000,000 account in Holland that she needs my help to [...]

My favorite recurring segment on Weakonomics has to be the Weaky Awards.  I get to make fun of people for making stupid decisions that cost them tons of money.  One of the founding principles of Weakonomics is the government doesn’t have a better clue than the typical consumer.  Today I get to kill two birds [...]

If you’ve heard about this you knew it was coming.First a brief introduction to Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.  The concept is simple.  A struggling family with a torn up house gets a new one.  Not only is it new, but its the best of the best and they don’t pay for a dime.  ABC picks [...]

Ah Saturday…. I love you.  Though I keep hearing rumblings about the 4-day workweek, which would make me love Friday just as much.  For the record I would love a 4-day workweek.  One less day to commute and the 10 hour day won’t be difficult to me.  There are disadvantages however being unmarried and childless [...]

At indeterminate times The Weakonomist will award people, companies, or groups with a Weaky.  Its our version of the Darwin Awards for those that make bad moves with money.  Sadly, most of these people will live to make more mistakes another day.  You know… awarding a Weaky to someone else in the financial services industry [...]