Manufacturing Information Solutions

[JoeM]

Jesse Jackson is visiting a primary school and he visits one of the
classes. They are in the middle of a discussion related to words and
their meanings. The teacher asks the Reverend Jackson if he would like
to lead the discussion of the word "tragedy." So the illustrious leader
asks the class for an example of a "tragedy."

One little boy stands up and offers: "If my best friend, who lives on a
farm is playing in the field and a runaway tractor comes along and
knocks him dead, that would be a tragedy.

"No," says the Great Jesse Jackson," that would be an accident."

A little girl raises her hand: "If a school bus carrying 50 children
drove over a cliff, killing everyone inside, that would be a tragedy."

"I'm afraid not," explains the exalted spiritual leader. "That's what we

would call a great loss."

The room goes silent. No other children volunteer.

Rev. Jackson searches the room. "Isn't there someone here who can give
me an example of a tragedy?"

Finally at the back of the room a small boy raises his hand. In a quiet
voice he says: "If a plane carrying the Reverend Jackson were struck by
a missile and blown to smithereens, that would be a tragedy."

"Fantastic!" exclaims Jackson, "That's right. And can you tell me why
that would be tragedy?"

"Well," says the boy, "because it sure as hell wouldn't be a great loss
and it probably wouldn't be an accident either."