The Engineer Towards the end of the French revolution many people lost their heads to the guillotine. One day a politician, a priest, and an engineer were to be executed. The politician was first. The executioner asked him: ""Do you have any last words?"" to which the man replied, ""I regret nothing."" The executioner lowered the man's head into the guillotine and released the blade. It fell swiftly but suddenly jams and stopped just inches from reaching the politician's neck. There was a rule with these executions where if the blade could not finish its job with one pull of the rope, the condemned were allowed to be released and set free. Upon realizing this the politician cheers in excitement and scampers away. Up next was the priest - the executioner asked, ""Do you have any last words?"" to which the priest replied, ""None. God has already saved my immortal soul."" The executioner then lowered the priest's head into the guillotine and pulled the lever to release the blade. AGAIN, the blade jams and stops just inches before reaching the priest's neck. After realizing what had just happened, the priest said ""Praise the lord, it's a miracle!"" and scampered away. Finally, the engineer was brought up to the guillotine. The executioner said, ""Any last words?"" to which the engineer replied - ""Yes! I think I see what your problem is.""