The credit crunch is no laughing matter, but as any psychologist will tell you, laughter is a way of dealing with extraordinary events that challenge our system of beliefs.
So, in the interests of good mental health, here's a selection of some of the best gags currently doing the rounds.
Q: What is the definition of optimism?
A: An investment banker ironing five shirts on a Sunday night
Q: What is the one thing Wall St and the Olympics have in common?
A: Synchronised diving
Q: What is the difference between a pigeon and a merchant banker?
A: A pigeon can still put a deposit on a Ferrari
Q: How many commodities traders does it take to change a light bulb?
A: None, they don't change bulbs; but the trading price of darkness plummets due to oversupply
All of the above were lifted from the
BBC, which is also sporting a very funny videotaped dissection of the current crisis by the two Johns, Bird and Fortune.