An ambitious, young clerk's responsibilities included bringing his boss a hot cup of coffee every morning. And, every morning, the boss became infuriated when the coffee cup was brought to him just two thirds full.

With his back to the corner, the young clerk explained that he had to rush to get the coffee delivered while it was still hot, which caused him to spill much of it along the way. After weeks of yelling and insults, nothing the boss said to the young clerk produced a full cup of coffee - until he threatened to cut the clerk's pay by one third if he continued to produce one third less than a full cup.

The following morning, the boss was greeted with a cup of coffee that was full to the brim, and the next morning and the morning after that. He couldn't resist gloating over his success and smugly complimented the clerk on his new technique.

"Oh, there's not much to it," admitted the clerk happily, "I take some coffee in my mouth right outside the coffee room, and spit it back in when I get outside your office."

A Japanese man went to America on a sightseeing tour. On his last day, he hailed a cab and told the driver to drive him to the airport.

During the journey, a car drove past the taxi. Thereupon, the man leaned out of the window excitedly and yelled, "Very fast car! Made in Japan."

After a while, another car sped past the taxi. Again the Japanese man leaned out of the window and yelled, "That car is also very fast! Made in Japan."

This happened for the third time and the driver was a little angry, but kept quiet. This went on for quite a number of cars. Finally, the taxi came to the airport.

The fare was $300. The Japanese exclaimed, "What? Was it that expensive?"

Thereupon, the driver replied, "Meter, very fast! Made in Japan."

Two ropes walked into a cafe, one rope called a waiter and said "Waiter, let me get a couple of coffees." The waiter said "I'm sorry we don't serve ropes in here."

Frustrated, the ropes walked out and, since this was the only cafe in town, they thought about it a little while. Finally one rope said "I've got an idea." So he got himself into a bind and frizzled his ends and walked back into the cafe and said "Waiter, can I get a couple of coffees?"

The waiter said "Sure, but aren't you the same two ropes that came in here earlier?" The rope answered "Nope, I'm a frayed knot."