One day, while in line at the company cafeteria, Joe told his friend Mike behind him "My elbow hurts like hell. I guess maybe I should see a doctor about it."
"You don't have to spend that kind of money," Mike said. "There's this diagnostic computer down at Wal-Mart. You give it a urine sample and it tells you what's wrong and what to do about it. It takes ten seconds and costs ten dollars. Much cheaper than a doctor."
So Joe deposited a urine sample in a small jar and took it to Wal-Mart. He deposited his ten dollars and the computer lit up and asked for the urine sample. He poured it into the slot and waited.
Ten seconds later the computer ejected a printout: "You have tennis elbow. Soak your arm in warm water and avoid heavy activity. It will improve in two weeks. Thank you for shopping at Wal-Mart."
That evening at dinner, while thinking about how amazing this new technology was, Joe began wondering if the computer could be fooled. He mixed some tap water, a stool sample from his dog, urine samples from his wife and daughter, and a sperm sample for good measure. He took this to Wal-Mart, poured the concoction into the slot, deposited ten dollars, and waited.
The computer printed out the following:
Thank you for shopping at Wal-Mart.
"You don't have to spend that kind of money," Mike said. "There's this diagnostic computer down at Wal-Mart. You give it a urine sample and it tells you what's wrong and what to do about it. It takes ten seconds and costs ten dollars. Much cheaper than a doctor."
So Joe deposited a urine sample in a small jar and took it to Wal-Mart. He deposited his ten dollars and the computer lit up and asked for the urine sample. He poured it into the slot and waited.
Ten seconds later the computer ejected a printout: "You have tennis elbow. Soak your arm in warm water and avoid heavy activity. It will improve in two weeks. Thank you for shopping at Wal-Mart."
That evening at dinner, while thinking about how amazing this new technology was, Joe began wondering if the computer could be fooled. He mixed some tap water, a stool sample from his dog, urine samples from his wife and daughter, and a sperm sample for good measure. He took this to Wal-Mart, poured the concoction into the slot, deposited ten dollars, and waited.
The computer printed out the following:
- Your tap water is too hard. Get a water softener (Aisle 9)
- Your dog has ringworm. Bathe him with anti-fungal shampoo (Aisle 7)
- Your daughter has a cocaine habit. Get her into rehab
- Your wife is pregnant with twins. They aren't yours. Get a lawyer
- If you don't stop playing with yourself, your tennis elbow will never get better
Thank you for shopping at Wal-Mart.
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