A Russian, a Cuban, an American businessman and an American lawyer were on a train traveling across Europe. The Russian took out a large bottle of vodka, poured each of his companions a drink and then hurled the semi-full bottle out the window. “Why did you do that?” asked the American businessman. “Vodka is plentiful in my country,” said the Russian. “In fact, we have more than we will ever use.”

A little later, the Cuban passed around fine Havana cigars. He took a couple of puffs of his and then tossed it out the window. “I thought the Cuban economy was suffering,” the businessman said. “Yet you threw that perfectly good cigar away.” “Cigars,” the Cuban replied, “are a dime a dozen in Cuba. We have more of them than we know what to do with.”

The American businessman sat in silence for a moment. Then he got up, grabbed the lawyer and threw him out the window.

Quoted by James Dent in Charleston, W.VA., Gazette