And the winner is...

  I don't remember getting a lot of blue ribbons when I was in 4-H. I guess we didn't have what you would call "show cows", or good enough dirt to grow prize winning vegetables, and it was hard to get that wood working project sanded enough when you didn't start making it until the night before the fair. It was alright, though, because I knew the kids that worked harder would get the better ribbons. That's just the way things worked.

  I also knew that when we did our chores, we received our allowance, and if we sat in the car and didn't complain, we could have a candy bar when we got to Saffer's General Store, or at least we could get out of the car and go in and look at the candy when we got to Saffer's General Store.

  I was walking into Gary's hardware store the other day and I noticed this poster:

  Apparently, some of us can get a free cell phone and free monthly service. I thought maybe it was a prize for working hard or something.

 

  Apparently not.

 

  In order to qualify for a free cell phone and free monthly service, you have to prove that you are already receiving some other form of assistance from the government. If you don't receive any assistance, you don't qualify for a phone.

 

  We used to reward hard work and punish failure.

 

  I wonder what went wrong.