A tragedy at the Mile High Resort, located deep in a mountainous region somewhere in the United States.

The year 2008. Times are hard. Things are bad. Gasoline prices soar to $5.00 per gallon. Foreclosures.  Greedy bankers’ unscrupulous behavior.  Corporate executives’ self-serving decisions.  Business closures. Bankruptcies. Unemployment lines circle city blocks.

Congress finally admits the country is in a recession. Lack of EPA and pollution control standards  produce record amounts of greenhouse gas emissions.  Triple digit global warming temperatures prevail.

The Mountain High Resort felt the impact of these blows and woes. Once highly visited, with gross revenues in the six digit figures, this resort was now merely surviving. The 100 acre retreat had buildings with luxurious accommodations, nature trails, and half a mile of lake shore access.  The biggest draw, however, was the herd of 20 goats.  Health conscious tourists flocked to the resort to drink goat milk, eat goat cheese and watch the goats’ playful antics.

Mr. Bonehead, the savvy overpaid resort director knew surviving meant making drastic cut backs. Unwilling to assume duties beneath his position, he wanted to keep his staff.  Cutting his salary was not an option.

While looking for budget reductions, surrounded by stacks of financial statements, his brain ignited.  “ All we have to do is stop feeding the goats so much food.  They don’t need it. They’ve got plenty of grass to munch on.  In fact, feeding them every three days will suffice. After all, they’re only goats.”

Although the media buzzed with the dangers of global warming, Mr. Bonehead pooh-poohed the reports. Triple digit global warming temperatures meant nothing to him. “Those tree-hugging, environmentalists are misinformed idiots. All they want to do is get people worked up over nothing,” he declared.

Bonehead called Ms. Lionel, the goat caretaker, into his office.

“Lionel,” he said, “Effective immediately we are cutting the goat ration budget.  You will now feed the goats once every three days.  They have lots of grass to eat.”

“But, but but, you can’t do that.  The triple digit global warming temperatures are drying up all the green pastures!” she protested.

“Nonsense!” Bonehead retorted.  “This is what you will do.  If you don’t, you’re fired.”