From: utzoo!decvax!cca!fortune!rpw3@sri-unix Newsgroups: net.jokes Title: Shaggy-dog Must-be-Polish Joke Article-I.D.: fortune.83 Posted: Sat Jun 26 23:35:58 1982 Received: Tue Jun 29 04:37:01 1982 (Let's see you change the ethnic group on THIS one!) (If you don't get it, ask an engineer.) [Apologies for the lack of special-effects -- the technology isn't up to teleconferencing store-and-forward news-nets yet -- it's much better when told in person with lots of handwaving and buzzing and rolling around.] This Polish airliner was flying along...(RANNNGRRR...) when the Captain came on the intercom and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, if you will all look out of the left-hand side of the aircraft, you will see the town of Stylironkol, known the world over for its heavy industry and mining activities." The passengers, mostly tourists, immediately raced over to look out of the windows at this marvel, causing the plane to bank to the left...(RAAAAANNNNNNNNNNNGGGGGGRRRRRRRRR...) and wobble somewhat... (RANGGR...RANGGGR...RANGR...) as the pilot compensated for the weight shift. After a while, just as everyone had straggled back to their seats, the pilot came on the intercom again and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, if you will all look out of the left-hand side of the craft again, you will see the town of Seaandskiville, known the world over for its summer and winter sports." The passengers, being tourists, immediately raced over to look out of the windows at this new wonder, causing the plane to once again bank and wobble... (RANGGR...RANGGGR...RANGR...). After a little while longer, the pilot came on the intercom again and said, "Ladies and gentlemen, if you will CAREFULLY look out of the right-hand side of the craft this time, you will see the town of Saint Katrinawitz, a living memory to Saint Katrina, who died in the Revolution". The passengers, somewhat more cautiously this time, began to make their way over to the right side of the airplane to look out the windows. Once again, the plane began to bank and wobble... (RANGGR...RANGGGR...RANGR...), but this time it got worse and worse... (RANGR...RANGR...RANGR...RRAANNGGRR...RRAAAANNNGGGRRR... RRRAAAAANNNNNNNGGGGGGGRRRRRRRRRRRRR....) *****CRASH****. Well, the Polish Aviation Authorities investigated the crash, sifted the wreckage, listened to the flight recorder, but to no avail. They couldn't figure out why the plane had crashed, when the pilot had clearly been able to keep the craft under control the first two times. Finally, a visiting American electrical engineer happened to hear of the incident, and rushed to offer his explanation to the distraught and bewildered authorities. "Ladies! Gentlemen! Fellow Engineers!", said he, "It should be perfectly obvious. It's always a completely unstable situation if all of the poles are on the right half of the plane!"