Bad Japanese economy
According to inside contacts, the Japanese banking crisis shows no signs of ameliorating. If anything, it's getting worse.

Following last week's news that Origami Bank had folded, we are hearing that Sumo Bank has gone belly up, and Bonsai Bank plans to cut back some of its branches. Karaoke Bank is up for sale, and it is (you guessed it!) going for a song.

Meanwhile, shares in Kamikaze Bank have nose-dived, and 500 back-office staff at Karate Bank got the chop. Analysts report that there is something fishy going on at Sushi Bank, and staff there fear they may get a raw deal.

Silly Dictionary
Arbitrator ar'-bi-tray-ter: A cook that leaves Arby's to work at
McDonald's.

Avoidable uh-avoy'-duh-buhl: What a bullfighter tries to do.

Burglarize ur'-gler-ize: What a crook sees with.

Counterfeiters kown-ter-fit-ers: Workers who put together kitchen
cabinets.

Eclipse i-klips': What an English barber does for a living.

Eyedropper i'-drop-ur: A clumsy ophthalmologist.

Heroes hee'-rhos: What a guy in a boat does.

Left Bank left' bangk': What the robber did after his bag was full of
loot.

Misty miss'-tee: How golfers create divots.

Paradox par'-of-docks: Two physicians.

Parasites par'-uh-sites: What you see from the top of the Eiffel Tower.

Pharmacist farm'-uh-sist: A helper on the farm.

Polarize po'-lur-ize: What penguins see with.

Primate pri'-mate: Removing your spouse from in front of the TV.

Relief ee-leaf': What trees do in the spring.

Rubberneck ub'-er-nek: What you do to relax your wife.

Seamstress seem'-stress: Describes 250 pounds in a size six.

Selfish sel'-fish: What the owner of a seafood store does.

Subdued some-dood': Like, a guy, like, who works on one of those, like,
submarines, man.

Sudafed soo'-da-fed: Bringing litigation against a government official.