UNCOMMON CENTS 58

RECENTLY I PURCHASED A $1.00 RECYCLED PUZZLE ORIGINALLY MARKED $5.99 WHICH WAS UNWORKED AND UNAPPRECIATED BY ANY DILIGENT PUZZLE PERSON. THE ART WORK FEATURED A 1996 VISUAL REPRESENTATION OF THE ARTIST'S INSPIRATION THAT "OUR PLANET AS WE'VE KNOWN IT IS RAPIDLY DISAPPEARING. IF WE ARE TO SAVE OURSELVES " ... "WE NEED TO BECOME A GLOBAL SOCIETY, AWAKE AND AWARE, AND WILLING TO WORK TOGETHER IN A NEW ATMOSPHERE OF LOVE, RESPONSIBILITY, AND HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS."

TELL THAT TO THOSE PEOPLE LIVING UNDER UNDEMOCRATIC AND AUTHORITARIAN 'LEADERS' IN VARIOUS COUNTRIES OF OUR "DISAPPEARING" WORLD. OUR WORLD IS NOT DISAPPEARING; WHAT'S DISAPPEARING ARE THE MEANS FOR INDIVIDUALS TO SUSTAIN THEIR LIVES IN IT. THE ARTIST, "SCHIM" SCHIMMEL HAS EMBRACED A FEEL GOOD, FALSE RELIGION. BEAUTIFUL SNOW LEOPARDS (THE PUZZLE'S PRESENTATION) ARE MEANINGLESS TO THOSE WHOSE LIBERTARIAN IMPULSES ARE DENIED. FREEDOM SHOULD BE GUARANTEED TO MEN AND WOMEN WHO THEN CAN CHOOSE TO ‘MAKE A LIVING.’ ENVIRONMENTALISTS WISH TO GUARANTEE A LIFE TO NATURE’S WILD CREATURES. ONLY WHEN EACH INDIVIDUAL IS ALLOWED TO PURSUE HIS OWN SELF-INTEREST, WHICH USUALLY INVOLVES A MEANS TO SURVIVE AND OWNERSHIP OF A SMALL PIECE OF REAL ESTATE, CAN THE UPWARD PROGRESS OF CIVILIZATION BE GUARANTEED.

MR. "SCHIM" SCHIMMEL, BY SUPPORTING THE ENVIRONMENTALISTS' RELIGION, BECOMES A SCHLEMIEL AND A SCHMUCK. PAINTED PICTURES OF PANTHERS HUGGING THE GLOBE WILL NEVER PUT WEALTH INTO THE POCKETS OF INHABITANTS OF THE COUNTRIES THAT ARE STEWARDS TO BEAUTIFUL SNOW LEOPARDS. BETTER THE STRUGGLING MASSES SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO PROMOTE FREE TRADE AND/OR TOURISM FOR THEIR ECONOMIC REWARDS. ENVIRONMENTALISTS, HOWEVER, WOULD RATHER BUILD SANCTUARIES WHERE THE MAGNIFICENT CATS WOULD BE PROTECTED FROM HUMAN INTERVENTION. "LOVE, RESPONSIBILITY AND HIGHER CONSCIOUSNESS" TO THE MARGINALIZED ARE ONLY PLATONIC IDEALS. DON'T SUPPORT A SCHMUCKY CAUSE OR ITS FOLLOWERS. ASSEMBLE A CHEAP PUZZLE AND SAVE MONEY. PAY YOURSELF PROPERLY FOR YOUR RETIREMENT. PRAY FOR THE UNDERPRIVILEGED.

HINT: DON'T BE A SCHIMMEL, SCHMUCK OR SCHLEMIEL; PRESERVE YOURSELF BY SPENDING YOUR DOLLARS WISELY AND WELL.