Hot Air

(via J.D. Lasica's "New Media Musings")

A woman in a hot air balloon realizes she is lost so she lowers her altitude and spots a man in a boat below. She shouts to him, "Excuse me, can you help me? I promised a friend I would meet him an hour ago, but don't know where I am."

The man consults his portable GPS and replies, "You're in a hot air balloon approximately 30 feet above ground at an elevation of 2346 feet above sea level. You are 31 degrees, 14.97 minutes north latitude and 100 degrees, 49.09 minutes west longitude."

She rolls her eyes and says, "You must be a Democrat."

"I am," replies the man. "How did you know?"

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

The man smiles and responds, "You must be a Republican."

"I am," replies the balloonist. "How did you know?"

"Well," says the man, "you don't know where you are or where you're going. You've 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. You're in exactly the same position you were in before we met, but somehow, now it's my fault.


(thanks JD!)