Because of the graphic, unsettling global issues facing all of mankind these days, I would like to inject a bit of humor into your day via the following, which I acquired a number of years ago when volunteering as a home safety fire inspector under the tutelage of former Bella Vista Fire Chief Henry Thompson.

One dark night outside a small town, a fi re started inside the local chemical plant. Before you could snap your fi ngers, it exploded into fl ames and the alarm went out to the volunteer fi re departments from miles around. When volunteer fi refi ghters appeared on the scene, the chemical company president rushed to the fi rechief and said, “All of our secret formulas are in the vault in the center of the plant. They must be saved.

I will give $50,000 to the engine company that brings them out intact.”

The fi re chief ordered his men to strengthen their attack on the blaze.

After two hours, another fire department was called in and the president of the chemical company off ered $100,000 to the fi refighters who could bring out the company’s secret fi les.

In the distance, a lone siren was heard as another fire truck came into sight.

It was the local volunteer fire company composed entirely of men over the age of 65. To everyone’s amazement, the little fi re engine raced past everyoneand drove straight into the middle of the inferno.

The other fi remen watched as the oldtimers jumped off their rig and began to fi ght the fire with a performance and effort never seen before. Within a short time, the old-timers had extinguished the fi re and saved the secret formulas.

The grateful chemical company president joyfully announced that for such a super-human feat he was upping the reward to $200,000, and walked over to personally thank each of the brave, though elderly, fi refi ghters.

The local TV news reporters rushed in, asking “What are you going to do with all that money?”

“Well,” said the 70-yearold fire chief, “the fi rst thing we are going to do isfix the brakes on the truck.”

AARON R. STRATMAN

Bella Vista

LAWMAKERS BACK THE RICHU.S. Sen. Johm Boozman and U.S. Rep. Steve Womack are for the rich and no one but the rich. Both these men are protectors of the Walton Family and in no way concerned with anyone but the rich. For all their crying, sobbing, and indignation of the debt, they fail to mention the debt clock was turned off when their party took power in 2001.

Fiscally conservative?

Womack and Boozman are lying to you. That’s what conservatism is, a big fat lie.

STEVE FOSTER

West Fork

Opinion, Pages 5 on 12/15/2012