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Welcome to the News & Record's "Jokes on You" page. Each week I'll post the new cartoon for your caption consideration (see above) and post the previous week's cartoon, the winning entries and all the other entries (see below). I will also try to talk a little about what I liked about the captions I chose and why I thought they worked. Feel free to post comments and ask questions. And remember, this is for entertainment purposes only, so please, no wagering.

The competition in the Jr. Category is really heating up. The winner this week, representing Nathanael Greene school is Garrett Bradsher. How ‘bout you other schools? You gonna let them talk smack about your caption-writing skills? It's ON!
From the adults we had a near-record amount of entries. And good ones, too. I'm glad the economy hasn't made you guys lose your sense of humor. The trick this week was choosing from many similar- themed entries, AIG, bailouts, Madoff, etc. "First come - first served" also counts in how similar entries are picked.

Something different this week. Instead of my usual, "good one" comments, I thought I'd run all the entries that got at least one vote from our judges. We have 10 judges, each with four votes. These are just the entries that got votes, they represent about half the total number picked (from all the entries) to go into a short list for the judges to choose from.
In the Jr. category, because their are fewer entries and fewer slots, the judges only get one vote each.

MULTIPLE VOTES
Oh, no! Looks like AIG beat us to it.
Pam Hart, Siler City

It's like they know where it is or something.
Tim Tribbett, Greensboro

SINGE VOTES
This looks as bad as my 401K."
Cheryl Kidd, Greensboro

Looks like our CEO took his bonus.
Tim Tribbett,Greensboro

MULTIPLE VOTES IN JR. CATEGORY
Garrett Bradsher:
"None here, let's try the other end."

by Talie Patalano:
"There has been a wee little bit of a budget cut!"

SINGLE VOTES
Nick Ford:
"Did we take a wrong turn or did your ex-wife get here first?"

Nelson Ingram:
"I can see the government has been here."

LAST WEEK'S CARTOON

WINNER
Oh, no! Looks like AIG beat us to it.
Pam Hart, Siler City

JR. DIVISION WINNER
"None here, let's try the other end."
Garrett Bradsher

JR. DIVISION RUNNER-UP
"Well, back to potatoes."
Joshua Apple

RUNNERS-UP
"Even the rainbow is in a recession."
Brent Wooten, Thomasville

"I invested with Madoff .. So much for the luck of the Irish."
Jon Barsanti Jr

"Looks like the rainbow went through Washington first!"
Joel Odell, Mayoden

"I guess we apply for the fictional creature bailout."
Kris Voy, Trinity

Well,it's back to the cereal factory I guess.
Tim Tribbett, Greensboro

I say we use it as a chamber pot & really surprise the next guy.
Bryan Tribbett, Roanoke, Va.

BEST OBSCURE CULTURAL REFERENCE
The hands-down winner in this category:
"That's gold, Jerry! Gold!"
Kenny Bania
(By way of Bob Beitzel)

That Rainbow Brite ripped us off again.
Tim Tribbett,Greensboro

It could be under the pot, Black gold, Texas T !
Frank C. Leonard, Lexington

BEST INSIDE JOKE
....and here's where we keep all Tim Rickard's royalty money.
Tim Tribbett,Greensboro

Darn,that was all me hard earned giggalo money from servicing Ty Webb.(Actually my maternal grandma was a Webb. Cousin Ty?!) ;)
Tim Tribbett,Greensboro

Let's hit up Ty Webb for a loan.He can really relate to us teensy tiny little wee folk if you get my drift
Tim Tribbett
Oh, it's ON!

BEST POEM
These two leprechauns checked in their pottery.
With financial conditions so tottery.
Their retirement fund
Disappeared! They were stunned!
Now their plan is the Powerball lottery.
Ken Sheldon, Elon

I hate rainbows!
Rainbow brite
took flight
on her unicorn last night
as you can see, she boldly took our gold
and left us out in the cold
Now our home must be sold
Brother, have no fear
we'll just use our empty pot to brew up some Irish beer!
We'll sell to friends and family
and buy a brand new place you see!
Turning bad times into good
will help us be more understood!
Nancy Nelson

They traveled long through cold and hot.
Hoping for a fortune in that big old pot.
What they found at journeys end,
was not a penny that they could spend.
The little fellows felt tired and old,
when all they saw was fools gold.
Don Rankin, Greensboro

MATURE
Lucky clover my ass!
Tim Tribbett,Greensboro

Lucky charms my @$$!"
Harley Trero, Winston Salem

THE REST
The following was submitted by Jennifer Caligan, 5th Grade Teacher, Nathanael Greene Elementary
Entry Number 1 by Joshua Apple
"Well, back to potatoes."
Entry Number Two by Deisy Rameriz:
"I knew this would happen...the Easter Bunny probably thought it was his basket!"
Entry Number 3 by Emily Reyna:
"With the economy being this way, anyone could have stolen our gold!"
Entry Number 4 by Nick Ford:
"Did we take a wrong turn or did your ex-wife get here first?"
Entry Number 5 by Brittany Clapp:
"There may be a pot at the end of the rainbow but there sure isn't any gold!"
Entry Number 6 by Sara Jane Bowers:
"It's Gold!!!! Now we can pay for all of our taxes!!"
Entry Number 7 by Alex Graves:
"Inflation!"
Entry Number 8 by Aliza Greeson:
"I thought it was supposed to be a pot of gold, not beans!"
Entry Number 9 by Callen Butler:
"So that is where they got the money for the stimulus package."
Entry 10 by Emily Harris:
"This must be the wrong rainbow."
Entry 11 by Talie Patalano:
"There has been a wee little bit of a budget cut!"
Entry 12 by Morgan Register:
"So this is the prize for being so short?" "Nah, being short is "just over the rainbow!""
Entry 13 by Garrett Bradsher:
"None here, let's try the other end."
Entry 14 by Nelson Ingram:
"I can see the government has been here."

The following was submitted by Louise Monroe, Rankin School
Jordyn D. (third grade) "Wow! So much for the luck of the Irish!"
Holly R: 1st leprechaun: I think the pot is broke! (A couple of them used 'broke' to mean out of money.)
2nd leprechaun: I don't see any crack.
Zaira G: I thought we had GOOD luck!
Sawyer R: I think we went to the wrong pot.
Ashlee A: Where's my friend Lucky with the charms?
Taniya S: Say good-bye to your way back home.
Amanda W: I think the rainbow is broke!
Kionah: Yeah, we're as lucky as can be...
Thanh N: Oh, no, the rainbow was supposed to give us luck AND gold!
Chelsea S: And they say there's gold at the end of the rainbow...
Imani C: I needed that gold! How am I going to pay the tax bill?
Jimmy O: At least give us shamrocks!
Ericka G: We are broke. We'll be living on the street with no gold!
Sharee M: This must be the wrong rainbow.
Jhakura O: The pot's empty! Why'd I go over the rainbow????
Erin A: Looks like we are out of luck.
Nicholas H: So you think the humans stole the gold again? Got to try again next year, then.
Third graders from Frazier are a bit less oblique.
Arianna W
I hate St. Patrick.This four-leafed clover isn't so lucky!
Khaliq
Guess our four-leafed clovers didn't work. It's almost empty!
April
Hey! What did you think was in it?
Ajay
Maybe some people took it last Friday!
Fourth graders from Frazier:
Thuy Rogle: Ummmmm, ahhhhh, we found another pot of gold. What are we going to do with this one?
Mekensie Bostic: All there is in the pot are clovers!!!
Angel Nguyen: Why don't you stick your head in the pot while I get sticks, matches, some water, carrots, and maybe some potatoes?
Martin Jasso: Boy, oh boy. Are we short on gold!
Ny'Asia Dixon: Where is all the gold? I risked my life trying to climb that rainbow!
Martin J : Lucky! Look, there's no gold in there!!!

The new term is "stimulus packages". You don't want to know what's at the other end of the rainbow.
Jack Snead, Jamestown

This reminds me of the ending to the light joke. .and the light at the end of the tunnel was a train.
Jack Snead, Jamestown

1.) Soooo that's were the government got all that stimulus money.
2.) It's like they know where it is or something.
3.)Well,it's still safer than the stock market.
4.) Well,it's back to the cereal factory I guess.
5.) I thought you said gold was a safe bet in this economy!
6.)What the heck is tipping them off?
Tim Tribbett, Greensboro

Yeah, we CEO's will do anything to get at that bailout money!
Ken Sheldon, Elon

1- That isn't the kind of pot I was thinking of!
2- You'll never get that into a blunt
3- Looks like my uncle Paul
Ronnie Seagraves, Greensboro

1. Do you think President Obama would float us a loan?
Christine Keaton, Randleman

"Why do they even tax us for being a leprachaun?"
Anderson, age 12
"Your skittles taste weird" Addison Miller
(I think this last is actually a quote, but it fits the category great!)

Looks like Congress has redesigned the toilet.
Vic Cresenzo, Reidsville

"I told you these costumes wouldn't work"
tyler olson, greensboro

They did get me lucky Charms
Paul Seagraves, Graham

The economy affects every one and every thing
Ronnie Seagraves, GreensBoro

#1.The Pot Of Gold has now become The Pot Of The Old ..
Christine Keaton, Randleman

It looks like Tim is 'Drawing a Blank' again.
Wow, a week off and back to the grindstone - literally.
Jon Barsanti Jr, Hillsborough

Oh, no! Looks like AIG beat us to it.
Pam Hart, Siler City

The economy affects every one and every thing
Ronnie Seagraves, GreensBoro

I told you we should have invested in real GOLD instead of those stocks and bonds!
Nancy Nelson

Well, so much for the leprechaun stimulus package"
Jonathan Sparrow, Greensboro

"Obama needed it for the General Motors (AIG, Citigroup, Chrysler, Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae) bailout...."
George Ewing, Greensboro

That IS a magic rainbow -- those used to be stock certificates.
It's still just a pot of cabbage.
I'm afraid our shamrocks aren't working this year.
Uh-oh, we turned gold into stock certificates.
This year it looks more like a chamber pot.
That's a lot of gold fillings.
That's barely a drop in the bucket.
Joan Lux Greensboro

The Irish sweepstakes invested with Bernie Madoff.
J. C. Winkler, Asheboro

I remember the days when I was taller and could fit into a smaller hole.
Marty Carty

I see the IRS has been here.
Ken Layton, Carthage

I guess we could use the pot for Irish Stew.
Ken Layton, Carthage

1. Empty,not even any skittles....
2. The fairytales over ....
3.This pot is only good for potatoes.
4. Dont tell me about the luck of the Irish....
Christine Keaton, Randleman

Oh My!? Is it half full or half empty?
Brenda Mitchell, Liberty

I told you to stay out of Home Lending.....
I came to repossess your pot.
So where did you say King Midas was vacationing?
Christine Keaton, Randleman

"So much for following the rainbow"
" I told you we shouldn't have walked out into public"
Ryan Natal, age 12

What's the number for that fellow on TV who buys gold chains and gold teeth?
Joan Lux Greensboro

1.) I think it was another one of those CEO fellas.
2.)Maybe next time we should try some bonds and CDs.
3.) I wish they would leave me pot alone!
4.)The cops caught up with them at the BMW dealership.
5.) Well,nice going with the whole rainbow idea there Georgie.
6.)What the heck keeps giving it away?!
Tim Tribbett,Greensboro

These two leprechauns checked in their pottery.
With financial conditions so tottery.
Their retirement fund
Disappeared! They were stunned!
Now their plan is the Powerball lottery.
Ken Sheldon, Elon

It happens every time! Leave the kids alone with the cereal and they take all the marshmallows!
Ken Sheldon, Elon

Now we know where congress got the money for the stimuless package.
Robert Atwood , Greensboro, NC

"Looks like AIG has been here again."
"Even the rainbow is in a recession."
"Robbed again? It's time we stop leaving our gold at the end of the rainbow."
Brent Wooten, Thomasville

Looks Like AIG got here first.
Roberta Patton, Greensboro

St. Patrick bet us to it ! He's paving new streets up there again !
Just our luck ! It's marked Pot No. 401K !
Frank C. Leonard, Lexington

Can't believe this ! We had a 50 / 50 chance !
See Shamrock, I told you the other side of the rainbow looked greener !
We'll just have to get some red paint and ring those bells like the Salvation Army !
Dail 911 and get some Bell Ringers over here fast !
Frank C. Leonard, Lexington

Hey Shamrock, is this what they mean by Potluck ?
Look on the bright side Shamrock, we know which end the Pot of Gold is on now !
I told you to do a U-turn ! Now we're at a Dead End !
Look ! Not even a penny for our thoughts !
Frank C. Leonard, Lexington

Look at the bright side Shamrock, at least we have a pot to pee in now !
I'd do an Irish jig if that's a pot of gold painted black !
Frank C. Leonard, Lexington

That was me freakin' retirement money!
2.) Relax,it's soundly invested with an exiled Nigerian prince.
3.) That #$%&* Danny boy cleaned us out again!
4.) I'm not feelin' all that dang lucky lately.
5.) Well bless me frosted lucky charms!
6.) Lucky clover my ass!
7.)....and here's where we keep all Tim Rickard's royalty money.
8.) Darn,that was all me hard earned giggalo money from servicing Ty Webb.(Actually my maternal grandma was a Webb. Cousin Ty?!) ;)
Tim Tribbett,Greensboro

"Huh...I guess we're in the upper income tax bracket as well."
Mark Fisher, Candor

"You're right. Those Skittles really did the trick."
Mark Fisher, Candor

"... Ok so lets recite this again, Over the Rainbow, and through the clouds, to the Form of an old Prankster, we're off to make trouble with the people of this land"
Ryan Natal, age 12

Let's hit up Ty Webb for a loan.He can really relate to us teensy tiny little wee folk if you get my drift.
Tim Tribbett

"Stupid recession----another I.O.U"
"This job may have goofy outfits, but the perks are outstanding!"
"Nuts! Gold again. I was hoping for Nilla Wafers."
Kevin Little

Oooops -- let's slide it back a little bit.
Joan Lux Greensboro

Wow! Time to ask Mr. President for our Bail Out Package.
Christopher Smith, McLeansvile

1. "The boss is going to be ticked!"
2. "I told you we should have picked the Steelers."
3. "Oh well lets go have a pint."
4. Lucky charms my @$$!"
5. "Your turn to guard the pot."
Harley Trero, Winston Salem

Relax,it's safely invested in the stock market.
2.) I don't think the honor system is working.
3.) How will I get me leg extension surgery now?!
4.)That Rainbow Brite ripped us off again.
Tim Tribbett,Greensboro

"I knew I should have forwarded that good-luck Irish email I deleted last week!"
"Darn it! I knew I should have not have deleted that Irish good-luck email last week!"
"Did you say Bernie Madoff told you about this pot o' gold?"
"Well kiss my Blarney Stone."
"Gone! Just like my 401-k"
"It looks like my 401-k is gone too!"
Mike Creech, Springboro, OH

I hate to say this, but we may need Scotland Yard on this one !
Be careful, if St. Patrick bet us here, there may be snakes inside.
Shamrock, you check the inside and I'll check the outside !
Who says Rainbow-Chasers will never have a pot to pee in ?
It could be under the pot, Black gold, Texas T !
Frank C. Leonard, Lexington

No Irish stew here. Let's go to the Golden Arches !
Frank C. Leonard, Lexington

Empty ! MacDonald said we should follow only the Golden Arches to be filled.
I bet MacDonald found the real gold at the Golden Arches !

Remember ! MacDonald said Golden Arches, not Rainbows !
Frank C. Leonard, Lexington

"Aye, Bev said she needed it to balance the budget..."
A.N.Onymous
Please, Tim ...

"With gold through the roof I decided to sell..."
"I invested with Madoff .. So much for the luck of the Irish."
"I invested with Madoff."
So much for our rainy day fund ...
They said the overall odds had improved with the new lottery format ...
"So much for the Luck of the Irish ..."
Jon Barsanti Jr, Hillsborough

Looks like we found out where the stimilus money came from!
Paul Seagraves, Graham

"Due to recent budget cuts and the rising cost of electricity, gas, oil, as well as current market conditions, The Light at the End of the Tunnel must have been turned off. Let's go check the other end."
The Nathanael Greene staff
(submitted by Jennifer Caligan, 5th Grade Teacher, Nathanael Greene Elementary)

"It look like Obama's already been here!" -
Mike Wiesner, Jamestown

"Blarney, Madoff got here first!"
"Bernie's Madoff with it!"
"I guess we apply for the fictional creature bailout."
"It wasn't FDIC-insured."
"Yep, I think the R-word is officially the D-word."
Kris Voy, Trinity

It's empty except for words etched in bottom , " Do unto Others as you would have them do unto you ! "
Here's a note from St. Patrick," Do unto Others as you would have them do unto you. "
Only thing I see are three words on bottom that read, THE GOLDEN RULE !
Frank C. Leonard, Lexington

Well,so much fot the honor system.
2.)This won't look good at the shareholders meeting.
3.) If I go down for this I'm taking you with me.
Tim Tribbett,Greensboro

Like they say, "Death and taxes are always certain."
I already live in the woods, how much worse can it get?
Christine Keaton, Randleman

"The State is always after me lucky Lottery money."
Joel Tuggle, Archdale

All we have left is an IOU from Gov. Purdue.
Eye! The stimulus check gets here when?
President Obama says its for the UAW.
Alan Parrish, Clemmons

We'll probably need a Prism to separate the Gold !
Frank C. Leonard, Lexington

Will they ever learn, Hearts of Gold are better than Pots !
If it comes down to a Pot or a Heart, better the Heart !
Frank C Leonard, Lexington

They traveled long through cold and hot.
Hoping for a fortune in that big old pot.
What they found at journeys end,
was not a penny that they could spend.
The little fellows felt tired and old,
when all they saw was fools gold.
Don Rankin, Greensboro

"Look, another toe of frog left by the Macbeth witches!"
"Another toe of frog left by the Macbeth witches! I knew time-share on the pot would be a problem!"
"Not enough to cover my IRA losses!"
"Gold chocolate coins from last Christmas?!"
"It's our bailout beam, not a rainbow!"
"Careful, it may be more Madoff money magic!"
"Lucky Leprechauns my foot. There are those contaminated mortgage securities!"
"It's a foreclosure notice on this pot!"
"The rainbow end is not like it use to be. There is barely enough for two Guinness's!"
"Look, it's Harry Potter! I heard they rented the pot out for extra cash!"
Dennis LaJeunesse, Greensboro

"Now I don't even have a pot to......well, actually I do."
"Ay, there's the rub."
"I guess it put us over the $250,000 bracket."
Joel Tuggle, Archdale

Looks like Mr. Madoff has already been here.
Don Rankin, Greensboro

1. "Well Mr O'Clery, I see you've found the stimulus funding source."
2. This looks as bad as my 401K."
3. "Where have all the monies gone? Long time passing."
Cheryl Kidd, Greensboro

1) Well, at least we got the change.
2) Must've been over $250,000 in there.
3) I say we use it as a chamber pot & really surprize the next guy.
4) Last time I vote for a liberal!
5) I think it got redistributed.
6) Well at least we can count on our social security.
7) Just because we earned it, didn't mean we deserved to keep it.
Bryan Tribbett- Roanoke, Va.

"Remind me again why we live in a tree."
"We appear to be a little short."
"Another pot of Irish stew destroyed."
"Sort of dampens the entrepreneurial spirit."
"I need a cookie fix. Let's get this over to the Keebler elves."
"It's a special bling order for Snoop Dogg."
"I was just thinking - what if this is all just a metaphor?"
"Wow! I'm beginning to think we're just plain lucky."
"Cool!"
"We better hide this - the rainbow goes into foreclosure tomorrow."
"Some lad named Geithner, said this is his rescue plan."
"I think embracing irony in the middle of an economic crisis is important."
Tom Norman, Greensboro

"Bernie Madoff took it!"
"Madoff took it - how do you think he got his name?!"
"You think we qualify for a bailout?"
"This is what we get for trusting our goal with AIG."
"Did you call casg 4 gold again?"
"I'll be hitting the Luck Charms early today."
Brandon Breeze, Greensboro

I told you not to invest with Madoff!
Shelly of Greensboro

Did you tell Bev Purdue this was lottery money?
Shelly Jeffy of Greensboro

"It looks like Congress beat us to it."
Good news! We now have a pot to piss in!"
Mike. Creech, Springboro

I tried to tell everyone they were after our lucky charms.
Rainbow upkeep is so expensive these days.
I sent it all to Cash4Gold
I honestly never knew they were all chocolate
I think they gave it all to AIG
Madoff said we'd double our investment
I spent it on an iPhone and apps to stimulate the economy
Grady, Greensboro

"I knew it ! That Bailout and Stimulus money had to come from somewhere."
Wayne Hollifield, Eden,

Now We Know Why The Rainbow Is Frowning !
Frank C. Leonard, Lexington

Don't frown ! Only Smiley Face Rainbows end in GOLD !
Don't frown ! It's not the End ! Rainbows are Circles ! They Never End !
Frank C. Leonard, Lexington

Don't frown. Let's go fish. We might catch some Rainbow Trout or Goldfish !
Don't frown. Maybe there's Goldfish and Rainbow Trout inside !
Should at least be a few Goldfish and Rainbow Trout Inside
Surely there be at least a wee Goldfish or Rainbow Trout inside !
Frank C. Leonard, Lexington

"I wished we wouldn't be homeless anymore."
"Patrick, now exactly what did this Mr. Madoff say?"
Joel Tuggle, Archdale

Cheer Up Paddy ! All Rainbow Chasers hit some Potholes before Potluck and GOLD !
Smile Irish ! Potholes, Potluck, & Gold are all in the Rainbow of Life !
Life's Rainbow is filled with Potholes, Potluck, & sometimes GOLD !
Rainbows have Potholes, Potluck & sometimes GOLD !
Usually there's a few Potholes before Potluck & GOLD !
Frank C. Leonard, Lexington

Dem Golden Slippers will just have to Wait !
Frank C. Leonard, Lexington

"I'm not surprised, with the economy nowadays!"
Ciara Tolbert, Age 10, Julian

"Since Bernie made off with our last pot, me folks've been mournin' 'The Lack of the Irish'."
Larry Parrish, Chapel Hill

"Looks like the rainbow went through Washington first!"
Joel Odell, Mayodan

" ... Hey have you seen lucky lately, he said he was going to bring his pot of gold if the kids weren't chasing him"
Ryan Natal,age 12

"That's gold, Jerry! Gold!"
Kenny Bania

1 - - "Not only are there no Green (backs) - there"s no Gold - or Silver - or Copper - or etc. etc. etc.."
"Alas, my cup does not runneth over - - It runneth OUT !! "
Pat Vaughn, Madison

"All I really wanted was a bowl of me lucky charms..."
CC Cockerham, Greensboro

Here's CC's entry for this week's cartoon:
CC Cockerham, Greensboro

"Look's like Madoff got here first."
CC Cockerham, Greensboro

"Look's like Madoff's been here too."
CC Cockerham, Greensboro

2. Blarney!!
3. Look on the bright side, now we have a pot to cook up some Irish Stew!
I hate rainbows!
Rainbow brite
took flight
on her unicorn last night
as you can see, she boldly took our gold
and left us out in the cold
Now our home must be sold
Brother, have no fear
we'll just use our empty pot to brew up some Irish beer!
We'll sell to friends and family
and buy a brand new place you see!
Turning bad times into good
will help us be more understood!
Nancy Nelson

"Pot O'Gold, Schmott O'Gold...I'd settle for a teeny bailout."
CC Cockerham, Greensboro

"Oh No, Bailey found our whiskey pot."
CC Cockerham, Greensboro

" Who do you think I am, the FDIC."
"Madoff, get out of there."
"It all was invested in the stock market."
"There goes our nest-egg."
"How good are you with rewrites."
"It was doing so good before the bubble burst."
"Larry, I think we are having soup for dinner tonight."
"Hell-no, hell-no, hell-no-o-o-o-o-o.''
"I had the weirdest dream last night."
" Let say, you can forget about retiring next year."
" You think we will have better luck at the other end."
"I feel like a taxpayer."
"Robbed."
James E. Ferrell, McLeansville

Oh, and just for grins, these are from Tim Tribbett