NASA was interviewing professionals they were thinking of sending to
Mars. The touchy part was that only one guy could go and it would be a
one-way trip, the guy not ever returning to Earth.
 
The interviewer asked the first applicant, an American engineer, how
much he wanted to be paid for going.
 
"One million dollars," the engineer answered. "And I want to donate it
all to my alma mater?Rice University."
 
The next applicant was a Russian doctor, and the interviewer asked him
the same question.
 
"Two millions dollars," the doctor said. "I want to give a million to
my family and leave the other million for the advancement of medical
research."
 
The last applicant was an Indian Politician. When asked how much money
he wanted, he whispered in the interviewer's ear, "Three million
dollars."
 
"Why so much more than the others?" the interviewer asked.
 
The Indian Politician replied, "You give me three million, I'll give
you one million, I'll keep a million, and we'll send the American
engineer."