Systems stories LO25944

From: David Gleiser (dgleiser@uniandes.edu.co)
Date: 01/19/01


Replying to LO25880 --

How to predict the weather

The Indians asked their Chief in autumn, if the winter was going to be
cold or not.

Not really knowing an answer, the chief replies that the winter was going
to be cold and that the members of the village were to collect wood to be
prepared.

Being a good leader, he then went to the phone booth and called the
National Weather Service and asked, "Is it going to be cold this winter?"
The man on the phone responded, "This winter was going to be quite cold
indeed."

So the Chief went back to speed up his people to collect even more wood to
be prepared.

A week later he called the National Weather Service again, "Is it going to
be a VERY cold winter?"

"Yes", the man replied, "it's going to be a VERY cold winter."

So the Chief goes back to his people and orders them to go and find every
scrap of wood they can find.

Two weeks later he calls the National Weather Service again: "Are you
ABSOLUTELY sure, that the winter is going to be very cold?"

"Absolutely" the man replies, "you can count on it... the Indians are
collecting wood like crazy this year!"

-- 

David Gleiser <dgleiser@uniandes.edu.co>

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