UNCOMMON CENTS 92

WHEN NON SENSE CREATES A VOID IN RATIONAL LIVING AND WASTES YOUR MONEY, WHERE DO WE LOOK FOR COMMON SENSE? I SAW AN AD FOR AN EASTER BUDDY. "ADOPT A MANATEE FOR SOMEONE SPECIAL THIS EASTER." NON SENSE. THIS CONTRIBUTION OBVIOUSLY PUTS YOUR MONEY INTO THE WATER NOT IN A BANK. I SAW A RESEARCH FINDING THAT "VIGOROUS WALKING FOR HALF AN HOUR FIVE TIMES PER WEEK COULD ADD THREE YEARS TO LIFE EXPECTANCY." NON SENSE. THE CATCH WORD HERE IS "COULD." WHAT GOOD IS A MISERABLE EXTENSION OF LIFE IF YOU DETEST EXERCISE? YOU COULD CHOOSE A HAPPIER, MORE PROFITABLE ONE SHORTENED BY 3 YEARS. I READ ABOUT SOLUTIONS TO THE PRICE AND POLLUTION PROBLEM OF FOSSIL FUELS FROM AN ECONOMIST. NON SENSE. SHE BETRAYS NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE PRINCIPLES OF ECONOMICS OR ITS PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS WHEN SHE OPINES THAT "WITH SUBSIDIES, THE GOVERNMENT CHOOSES THE MARKET SOLUTION." A MARKET ECONOMY, A FREE MARKET SYSTEM, PER SE, UTILIZES NO GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE BECAUSE THE LAW OF SUPPLY AND DEMAND CARRIES THE WORK LOAD AND WEEDS OUT GOOD IDEAS FROM BAD.

ADVERTISERS, HEALTH EXPERTS AND ECONOMISTS - A NASTY TRIUMVIRATE - THAT WANTS YOUR MONEY. SPONSORING A MANATEE MAKES NO SENSE UNLESS YOU FIRST HAVE PROVIDED FOR YOUR OWN JOURNEY THROUGH THE WATERS OF RETIREMENT. LIVING THREE YEARS LONGER MAKES NO SENSE IF IT MEANS HOBBLING ALONG SUPPORTED BY THE CRUTCH OF WELFARE. TAXING FOSSIL FUELS TO MAKE THEM LESS ATTRACTIVE MAKES NO SENSE BECAUSE SUBSIDIZING ALTERNATIVE FUELS MEANS MORE TAXES. ANOTHER CONTRADICTION FROM THIS ECONOMIST IS, "A TAX PUTS PRESSURE ON THE MARKET, RATHER THAN FORCING AN ARTIFICIAL SOLUTION ON IT." ACTUALLY, HER TAX ON THE MARKET (FOSSIL FUELS) ACCOMPANIES A TAX (SUBSIDY) TO SUPPORT ALTERNATIVE FUELS. A PERFECT TWOFER DEDUCTION FROM YOUR POCKETBOOK.

THE SEARCH GOES ON FOR COMMON CENTS. I DID MY PART YESTERDAY. I FOUND A 50 OZ. NEW YORK STYLE CHEESECAKE REDUCED TO $5.00 FROM $10.00. IT WASN'T EVEN OUT OF DATE, THOUGH THAT WOULD HAVE NOT DETERRED ME. CONSIDERING THE PRICE OF ONE SLICE OF THIS CONFECTION AT THE CHEESECAKE FACTORY EQUALS THE COST OF MY TOTAL 50 OZ., I AM EMINENTLY PROUD OF MYSELF FOR HOLDING TOGETHER MY COMMON SENSE AS I WALKED PAST THE DISPLAY FREEZER AND SPIED THE SLASH DOWN. ALSO, 50 OZ. OF CHEESECAKE WOULD HAVE NORMALLY SET ME BACK A MINIMUM OF $20.00, THOUGH I NEVER WOULD HAVE PURCHASED IT AT RETAIL ANYWAY. MY HYPOTHETICAL SAVINGS OF $15.00 ARE NOT IMAGINARY WHEN IT COMES TO CASH FREED UP TO INVEST OR SPEND IN THE FUTURE.

HINT: WHAT ABOUT YOUR SEARCH AND DESTROY MISSION AGAINST NON SENSE?