The Adventures of Charlie Champion

Stanley squirrel was enjoying his first summer.

He had learned to leap from tree to tree using the spring of the branch to launch himself to his next target.  The feeling of exhiliration as he flew through the air was liberating.

All the first year squirrels liked to play together, chasing butterflies, splashing through the shallow creek and sunning themselves in the warm summer sunshine.

The older squirrels cautioned the newlings, “ play is fine, but as squirrels, we all must spend our time gathering acorns and other nuts for the cold winter when food becomes scarce.  If we don’t work together, we will all go hungry.”

Stanley, being somewhat stubborn and simple-minded , rebelled against the elders.

” I live to play,” He said.  ” I don’t know what winter cold is, but I’m sure it can wait a few more days.  After all, we are young and healthy and food is very plentiful…Why worry?”

Stanley and his siblings resumed their play, pretending to not hear his mothers screech of anger.

Summer passed quickly and the early fall brought cooler nights, but the days were  warm and the sun shone with a  brilliant clarity. Stanley continued to ignore the admonishment of the adults, playing and sleeping instead of gathering nuts for the winter.

One by one, all of his playmates left to join the rest of the squirrels in preparation for the coming season.

Finally it was only Stanley, and his special friend, bushy tailed, Stephanie.

” Look at all those fraidysquirrel’s, running to gather nuts” said Stanley.” We squirrels take care of each other. If we need food, the others will share their wealth,meanwhile we can play.”

Stephanie flicked her tail in his face and sprang away, with Stanley in hot pursuit.

Time passed, and late Fall turned into early Winter.

 The first snowfall of the season hit the forest. Everything was covered with a thin white blanket, and the crystals shone brightly in the morning sun.

Stanley and Stephanie sat on a bare branch of their favorite Oak tree. ” The others are still looking for food” said Stephanie, her black eyes wide with alarm.

“Don’t worry”, said Stanley,” we will look for food tomorrow.In the mean time,  the others will share their wealth with us  if we need it. ”

“Tag you’re it!” he shouted,  and sprang from the branch, sending a shower of snow to the ground below.

A few days later, Winter set in with a vengeance. The snow fell for 2 days, and the winds blew huge drifts against the trunks of the trees.

” I’m hungry ,” whined Stephanie.” All the nuts and berries are gone. What will we eat.”

 Stanley looked around.” Yes I’m hungry too. Lets go ask the others to share their wealth.”

They scampered off and went to see the Top Squirrel and the other elders.

” Can we please have something to eat.” They asked in unison.” We are hungry, and there is no food to be found in the forest.”

The Top Squirrel looked at them sadly, and shook his head.” We have been working all summer and all fall to gather enough food to keep us alive during the long cold winter.”

 He stamped his front paw.” Thats what squirels do. We work as a community to provide the food to keep us alive. Everyone must contribute or we all die.”

Stanley hung his head.” We didn’t know..” His dark eyes opened wide.” I always thought we were part of a community of squirrels.

All for one and one for all.

From each according to his means to each according to his needs.

Share and share alike

We should be be taken care of by the Community of Squirrels.”

The Top Squirrel shook his head. His eyes blazed with anger.” By ignoring  our warnings, and playing instead of working, you have jeopardised our community.

Everyone must work together for all to survive.

I’m sorry. You and Stephanie must find your own food.

We have only enough to feed those who helped gather the food. If we feed you we all starve. ”

THE MORAL of the STORY: Redistribution of wealth only works if there is some incentive to contribute to the common good.

There is an old Middle Eastern tale about a poor farmer.

He lived in a  mud and straw hut , with his wife and three teenage daughters.

He owned 3 old camels .

Twice a year, at the Spring and Fall solstice,  he would pack the camels with large bags of straw and wheat.

He would kiss his wife , hug his three daughters, and then he would set off  for the 10 hour trek to the market at Dandalia.

This was a very important trip for the poor farmer, who would hope to sell his produce and earn enough money to keep his family alive for the next 6 months.

Once there, he would join with farmers from all over the Province.

The market would last for two full days,.The crowds were boisterous and the din was deafening, and by the end of the second day, the farmer would count up his meager earnings, repack the now  empty hemp  sacks, and  tie his three camels into a caravan.

The return trip home was always much quicker, because he and Gabor, his young helper could ride the tired old camels.

One morning the farmer awoke and  found his two neighbors waiting for him in the front yard.

They offerd the farmer  bags of straw as additional produce  to bring to market.He could keep 50% of the profits for his trouble. 

The farmer was excited. With the extra money he could keep his family secure and comfortable.

The day before Spring Solstice was  cool, with a brisk gusty wind.

The farmer brought out the three old camels, and proceeded to load his bags of straw, 

He looked at the camels. They were  pretty well loaded, but he was determined to pick up the additional freight from his neighbors.

He arrived at Abmar’s yard and found 8 additional bags waiting for him. 

The camels were  loaded with much argument and posturing.

The farmer and the heavily burdened camels walked to  Fardeneen’s yard

There he found Fardeen and five additional bags of straw.

Loading the camels required a ladder, a makeshift pulley assembly and also a great deal of  discussion.

Each camel in turn staggered as the additional burdem was placed on its back. Their knees trembled, and they shifted unsteadily.

“Well,” said the farmer,” I guess I’ll be on my way.” He shook his head,” I don’t think these camels could carry another ounce of freight.”

Just then, Fardeen’s 12 year old daughter, came running out of the house. She was holding a large straw doll wrapped in a scrap of pale grey cloth. It was 2 feet tall, and had been made by weaving stalks of straw together, then dyed and clothed.

“Daddy, Daddy” she gasped, her arms wrapped around the doll’s body to hold it steady. ” You promised I could sell Esmerelda at the Solstice Market. I need the money to buy cloth for my new clothes.Mother says I am turning into a little woman, and need larger more appropriate dresses.”

He turned to the farmer,” Well ? Will you take  the doll and sell it for my Mindlee?”

The farmer looked at the three ,seemingly unsteady , overburdned camels.” I’m afraid to add any further burder to these camels. They are important to feed my family. I don’t think they can carry another thing.”

Fardeen looked at the farmer. “Come on Hamoken, share the wealth. Give my little girl a chance to get some pretty cloth for dresses. We can’t afford the cloth unless she sells the doll.”

He shook his head. ” I don’t want to disappoint  you but these camels are carrying the burden for our entire community. Let someone else share his wealth. They can’t carry any additional burden.They’ll break down.”

The farmer looked up, and spied the local tax collector approaching from the East.

Tax collector Sninndl looked at farmer Hamoken and smiled. ” I am here on the Governors business. As I’m sure you know, the irrigation project failed due to sabotage from our enemies. We are now  faced with many new poor and starving residents.

It is the Governor’s decree, that a 25% tax will be placed on all new business above last years totals. 

 New business is to buy you a  luxury .That new wealth should be shared with those citizens who have the need.”

The farmer looked distressed.” After the extra cost for a slower trip and paying for the extra market space necessary, it will not be worth anything to carry all this extra weight.”

The tax collector sneered.” The Governor has already been told of this extra tax on your load in our report to his scribes. You will have to carry the load to earn the money to pay the tax, even if it does not pay you very much.”

The farmer’s shoulders sagged. He knew he was stuck. He was being forced to do all this extra work .

He turned to Mindlee and gave her a half smile.” Come on, give me your straw man, if we can carry all these taxes for government giveaways, we can carry a little more straw. After all, straw is so lite.”

He took the straw doll, and placed it carefully on  top of the lead camel’s pile of straw filled bags.

The camel turned its head toward the farmer, and gave him a long sad look.

They heard a crack, the camels back broke, and it keeled over…dead.

The moral of the story.Too much taxation is a backbreaker

TOO MUCH TAXATION IS A BACKBREAKER

Well it is now crunch time.

America is getting ready to vote.

Dear Lord in Heaven, please grant the American voter, the wisdom and insight to make an intelligent voteing decision.

Times are difficult, and are getting worse, and we need leaders who will put Country before personal agenda.

We are entering into a time of hardship and turbulance, and need Your guidance to choose  wisely.

The market is trying to build some type of base.

Apparently there is a large block of larger investors, who are turning blue from lack of oxygen. Holding one’s breath can cause brain damage if taken to extreme

Thankfully the involuntary reflex forces us to breath before we pass out.

Seriously, there is a strong sentiment among the rich, that Obama will be a disaster to the upper end of the economy, and consequently business in general will be in trouble if taxes are raised.

They are taking a small ounce of hope from the slight rally in McCains fortunes, as slim as they appear, they keep hope alive.

From a practical perspective, as a small business owner, we are being choked by a double whammy.

The recession has caused business to shrink.

Business collections have slowed to a crawl.

Every State, Federal , and local Government agency is desperate for money.

Owe any of them a penny, and they are in court pressing the collection issue with a vengeance.

Increase taxes , increase spending and I am squeezed beyond ,beyond.

I’m small, but a microcosm of the business community  at this point in history.

The realities are very frightening, and the consequences tear at the fabric of our society.

This is an insult to our intelligence.

2 dumb kids, with a combined I Q! of 14 decide that they are going to save the Aryan race by killing and beheadings.

What planet did they come from?

Who could take them seriously?

This sounds so outrageous that it must be contrived.

Please dear G-d let it be bull sh–, a fantasy of some sick Obama Zealot. Please!!

President Bush might easily be the worst President in American History.

The only political entity worse than President Bush is the Congress of The United States.

Lets get rid of both.

Goodbye Bush; Goodbye Congress.

Goodbye thieves .

Goodbye pigs.

Hello America!

Hello bright future!

Hello Good !

Later for you enemies.

Get a life!!

Somewhere else!!!

This is the most unpopular Congress in American History.

Lets vote them out.

Those arrogant, supercillious loosers whyo want to tell us what to do!!!!!!!!!!!

We don’t like them.

Vote Them OUT~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Trickle Up, Trickle Down

                                                                                                       An Amazing Coincidence 

The last real recession we experienced in this country took place in the mid late 70’s, and continued into the beginning of the Regan years.

Inflation topped 14 percentand unemployment was between 6 and 10 percent depending upon location.

The cost of food and fuel were increasing dramatically, and shortages created additional upward pressure on prices.

Disco dancing, mood rings, and bell bottom pants were part of our landscape,and  the end of the Viet Nam War, and the election of Jimmy Carter as President were significant political events.

Thinking back on those days, I don’t remember the sacrifice or pain , in fact I seem to remember those days with a mixture of pride, humor and nostalgia.

Most people couldn’t afford new cars, so we drove used cars, and paid for things as we bought them.

Those of us who used credit cards, had maybe one or two cards, and usually saved them for emergencies.

We rented apartments, or rented  houses if we couldn’t afford the down payment to purchase.

Cell phones and the internet did not exist, and gym memberships were usually to the Y M C A , at a token cost.

Recessions are obviously painful events, but there are some positive things that can develop, Sort of a silver lining to a dark cloud.

10 blessings hidden in a recession.

1. We save money by eating at home. Family dinners mean family bonding, better balanced meals, fewer drugs, and better mental health for the next generation of Americans.

2. We are driving less, driving down the cost of gasoline due to less demand.

3 Less telemarketing and junk mail. Junk e mail is easier to delete, and doesn’t cause pollution and waste trees for paper.

4. More use of coupons as people try to stretch their dollars.

5. Switching to less costly exercise plans.Forget the gym, how about the school yard, or a school gym.

6. Smaller less expensive automobiles and trucks, with much better gas mileage.

7. Many new opportunities to create new businesses. ” When a door closes, a window opens.”

8. Bring back the Victory garden. Gardening is health outdoor work, and fresh fruits and veggies are healthy for you.

9. Bad times create inspiration for literature and music.(see “The Blues” )

10. Rough economic times makes people look at the world from a different perspective. Spoiled is out, appreciation for what you have is good.

Ready or not, here it comes   1 …   2  …   3  …

6.