The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
Greetings to everyone in western Illinois,
"I'm a hope'n everyone is enjoying this more "ole fashioned winter" with all of its snow and cold weather.
The schools are have'n quite a quandary try'n to figure out how to make up all the closed snow days based on the weather.
Cornelius Farkwad stopped by last week with his friends and my neighbors, "Buster Jinx" and "Sandy Bob". I'll share in this column some of the wisdom they educated me on, that cold winter afternoon huddled around the woodburning fire.
As they recalled some of those closed school days were based on rumors (weatherman's prediction) of bad weather rather than actual need. Maybe it's just old age sett'n in but years ago, it seems those schools would have stayed open, as children walked to school in many instances and likewise dressed accordingly.
Safety is important and in these days of our litigious sue quick society "Buster Jinx" supposed it was inevitable we would limp toward "whimphood" and quit anything and everything on the drop of a sensationalized weatherman's prediction that the worst anyone has ever seen-many degrees below zero in chill factor-the deepest blowin'est snow since heck was a pup is about to hit us in exactly two days, at precisely 10:00 a.m. So, stew on it for awhile, shut everything down, gather up your groceries and huddle around the fire. Then, what do you know, the wheather pattern changes, we have a sunny day-but no school in session.
One good thing about it, the snow out "East" turned into reality and shut everything down for a week. At least during that time legislation was prevented from some of its "shenanigans", stalled out-put on hold and gave us a "reprieve" during that spell. Least wize that is what they would have you believe.
Sandy Bob's estimation is they used that time to plot for future "connivings". Cornelius felt that no doubt no few of them had some pretty or handsome aid to be along with em to help em thru their "hard times" of snow confinement.
The question is, so asks Cornelius, where was Al Gore when he was needed? If'n he could of only brought in a little more of his "Global Warming" scam during that week-he could of melted that snow in no time. Or, maybe with proper "cap and trade" legislation, sez "Buster Jinx" those politicians could have outlawed the whole mess. Anyways, "Sandy Bob", "Buster Jinx" and "Cornelius Farkwad" were all in agreement on this one. I just listened.
Speaking of new laws, "Buster Jinx" wondered if'n anyone noticed as "Rome Burns" in massive budget crises, so to speak the politicians are "fiddling" with legislation on less significant importance in comparison. It's almost as if they are try'n to draw attention away from the important issues at hand.
"Sandy Bob" supposed as we are lulled into complacency with these minor issues, they'll sneak up on the taxpayer with some hefty increases.
In day's of old, "Sandy" sez, the vast majority of informed and educated people believed the world was flat and Christopher Columbus would fall off into the Abyss. Then, it followed, "Buster" sez, those same type of educated folk felt strongly that if'n mankind were meant to fly, the Good Lord would've given folks feathers and wings.
That type of thinkin' carried on according to "Cornelius", into more modern times pertaining to how fast mankind could travel. The wisest most education thinkers, probably many related to Al Gore in some way, predicted if'n mankind tried to travel over 20 mph, it would suck all the air out of that poor victims lungs.
As for "Cornelius", "Sandy", and "Buster", they all agreed they are still going to travel at speeds near that of sound, in an airplane, to parts of the world beyond the edge of the Abyss. And Al Gore can take his millions and millions of dollars made off his "Global warming scam", buy himself a little tobaccy and stick it in his pipe and smoke it. Oh! You say he doesn't smoke. Well, then, Cornelius stated, "He can just stick it where the sun doesn't shine, if'n you know what that means".
"Sandy Bob" told of local farmers attend'in the "Chicago Land Fair" recently selling the wares of our community like a bunch of "pimps".
Cornelius states that capital is the "life blood" of any community. Those greedy fortune explorers go to Chicago to encourage Chicago folk to come down and buy land in our rural communities. That portion of the landowners capital is then exported back into some other community. 50% of the lands capital production leaves the area if'n it is a 50-50 crop share lease-which it is generally not. More than 50% leaves the area if'n it's a cash rent lease-which it generally is. Eventually, if not immediately, the tenant also is replaced from somewhere way outside the community.
Now 100% of the land producing capital flows outside the community to support someone or somewhere elses churches, school functions, service clubs, 4-H clubs, and fairs, shops, and jobs. Local banks don't receive deposits to loan for machinery, autos, home improvements, etc. Eventually, the local community just withers away in a, "slow death march".
"Buster Jinx" feels it doesn't have to be that way if'n we could just be satisfied with our lot and not let "Greed" and "Covetousness" take over. "Sandy Bob" shared with me an old poem address'n this situation called, "What Will They Say". I'll share it with you next week.
In the meantime I'm a hope'n you'll think kindly of "Buster Jinx", "Sandy Bob" and "Cornelius Farkwad" inspite of their propensity to highlight, from time to time, a few of all our short come'ns.
In the balance of affairs such as these "jawing" sessions on a long cold winter afternoon-I just listen.
Keep on Smile'n
Catch ya Later
Barnyard Bruke