[codecraft] A Man in a Balloon

[Philip Durbin]

http://www.design.caltech.edu/erik/Misc/balloon.html

*A Man in a Balloon*

A man in a hot air balloon realized he was lost. He reduced altitude and
spotted a man below. He descended a bit more and shouted,

"Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour
ago, but I don't know where I am."

The man below replied, "You are in a hot air balloon hovering approximately
30 feet above the ground. You are between 40 and 41 degrees north latitude
and between 59 and 60 degrees west longitude."

"You must be an engineer," said the balloonist.

"I am," replied the man, "How did you know?"

"Well," answered the balloonist, "everything you told me is technically
correct, but I have no idea what to make of your information, and the fact
is I am still lost. Frankly, you've not been much help so far."

The man below responded, "You must be a manager."

"I am," replied the balloonist, "but how did you know."

"Well," said the man, "you don't know where you are or where you are going.
You have risen to where you are due to a large quantity of hot air. You
made a promise that you have no idea how to keep, and you expect me to
solve your problem. The fact is, you are in exactly the same position you
were in before we met, but now, somehow, it's my fault."
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