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Thursday, September 18, 2014

Let Us Entertain You...with...A Fractured Fairy Tale



... there was a kingdom in the "Land of Silver" that was created for elder citizens to enjoy their final years. 

 Its beauty was second to none and was built with nothing but the best of intentions to serve the people who would inhabit this shire.


They needed a governing body; and in doing so, those who constructed the kingdom, created a constitution that made it almost impossible for the citizens of the shire to make changes of any kind.   

In the spirit of how they redefined democracy, this document allowed changes in the shire in a rather peculiar manner....a clever maneuver that would greatly inhibit the ability to make change. 

What was the provision ? 


You see, most elections are decided by a majority of citizens who cast a ballot.

BUT...NOT IN THIS  DOCUMENT ! 

Those who founded the shire knew that this "normal" elective method might possibly affect their ability to rule the kingdom.

So...to avoid any subsequent revolution, the founders decided to construct a constitution that allowed changes only if the majority OF THE ENTIRE HOBBIT POPULATION would vote to make the change !

They cleverly knew that a sizable number of the hobbit owners often traveled, lived elsewhere using their abodes on a part time basis, and in a number of cases, leased their shacks to others....

....thus....paying little attention to the management of the kingdom....

...only being concerned with a sunny part time lifestyle or revenue from their rental agreements with strangers.

The result....knowing that rarely would more than 50% of the entire voting hobbit owners even cast a ballot, it would literally be an impossibility to obtain that number to make any substantial changes to their kingdom.

However...this method of "change" would not apply to those who would rule the kingdom

Those individuals would instead be chosen by a simple majority of those who took the time to vote !  

So...they created a governing body that consisted of seven individuals who would make all decisions for the kingdom.

And...those who had the desire to be a member of the "Magnificent 7" sought out a manner in which to be in that selected group. 

Over time a number of controlling hobbits who believed it was their destiny, created a system of meeting in a "smoke filled room" to choose the candidates who would make the decisions for the remaining trusting but naive hobbits... 
  


...a group that would evolve over time, increasing their power where they cared little as to what the resident hobbits desired....instead deciding policy based on "political correctness" and personal whims...

...somewhat influenced by a Troll in the kingdom whose publication drastically altered fact after fact in order to enhance the corruption !



How would they ensure the longevity of this controlled "spoils system" of government? 

They would search the shire to lure their handpicked "yes hobbits" to run committees; who in turn, would tell them exactly what they wished to hear.  


They knew that any "rebel" committee which would make a decision contrary to their wishes....meant little. 

After all, the constitution allowed them to override any recommendation they would make !

Now...this gets us to just who those seven "chosen ones" would be in each and every election.

...and...over time...a  strange phenomenon began to occur after each successive election. 

The kingdom would eventually be ruled by seven dwarfs !


This had little to do with their being small in stature, but instead, a rather small thinking capacity as to managing the financial well-being of the kingdom.

Over years they would spend frivolously, looking at the vast hobbit supplied revenue in a manner of "we better spend it, or we'll have to give it back to them".....

...so much so, that the Master Realm at one time charged the shire a substantial tax levy....only to have it reduced as a result of recruiting a smooth talking barrister...who charged "oodles" for his services.

...yet portrayed....

...not as a "senseless waste of some money", but instead, "saving money" by not giving the Master Kingdom the tax levy they originally demanded !

...and the naive innocent hobbits said...

 "Duh, that makes sense"...and so...reelected them to further service in the shire.

Now...the shire has been confronted with yet another financial decision....

Does it lend money to a business that hasn't been able to pay its bills since its inception ?

HmmmLet's consider this momentous decision.


*    The business has never paid on time. 

*    The business has had all of its equipment provided to them free of charge...including replacements. 

*    The business receives free advertising in shire publications.

*    The business has had its rental payments cut in half, thus creating a monthly loss that must be financed by the trusting hobbits who pay little attention to their shire's finances.

*    The business wants to renegotiate a loan....paying interest only...at an interest rate WELL BELOW FINANCIAL INDUSTRY STANDARDS  at a modest 2.75%...(a full one-half point below the current 3.25% prime rate that is only granted to the BEST OF BUSINESSES WITH A SOLID FINANCIAL TRACK RECORD)

    ..... with an  eventual balloon payment at maturity.

BUT...to sweeten the deal....

The business says the loan will be personally guaranteed by three of the owners....a total sum of ONLY $35,000.... that....somehow, in all their success, one of which is a TV star.....

...can't (or won't) come up with only $11,667 each !

DECISION....
Sure, why not !

Now that certainly makes all the sense in the world, doesn't it ?

And...in the spirit of "cooperation without confrontation"  the seven hobbit dwarfs determined that a controlled kingdom needs a proper "anthem" that reflects the spirit it has steadfastly maintained....

And so...one hobbit "malcontent" made the following suggestion that this be adopted on behalf of all the hobbits who inhabit the shire....



...while watching this video honoring the successful achievement of many dwarfs who have lead the realm over the past 8 years !

And they all lived happily ever after....

UNTIL...

They Got Their Subsequent Assessment !

Dick Arendt

*All characters appearing in this work are fictitious. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead..is purely coincidental.

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