The Retropoet

06:25 PM 04/25/1998 National TV News

I hate the National News on TV. It sets me off.

06:22 PM 04/25/1998 Unequal Schools Again

Saw a news report about a school in Florida that has laptop computers for every student. It is a private school. In the meantime, the Governor of Minnesota is campaigning for school "vouchers", so that people who send their kids to private schools can get a tax break, and also, meanwhile, the graduation rate at a certain inner-city school is less than 50%! Who said life was fair?

06:20 PM 04/25/1998 City Drivers

Why do city drivers travel at 30 mph when the speed limit is 35, and then go 35-40 when the speed limit is 30?

04:42 PM 04/23/1998 Compost Bins

Do not use treated lumber if you are building your own compost bin. Treated lumber contains toxins which can leak out of the wood. For more information on composting and links, what, you haven't clicked it yet?

07:03 PM 04/11/1998 One-Hit Wonders

The number of one-hit wonders in the world of pop music is increasing. There are many reasons for this. One of them could be: "With so many artists out there to choose from, buying the same artist twice is like getting stuck in a rut." The Retropoet is so overwhelmed with choices that guilt is felt if the same artist is purchased twice. The only exceptions in recent years have been Brave Combo and Monster Magnet. The retropoet regrets buying a second work by Monster Magnet, but does not regret buying a third work by Brave Combo. More are in the future, one might think.

10:22 PM 9/24/97 Nebraska Joke

Today I heard a Nebraska Joke. I think it is a conspiracy by Iowans to divert attention from themselves.

10:21 PM 8/25/97 Climate

Things have not improved. See the entry from 6/27/97, please. Make it better. At least recycle one aluminum can this week. Don't the hundred year floods every ten years ring an alarm anywhere?

10:19 PM 8/25/97 Federal Government

A small article today (Monday) in the paper pointed out that teaching hospitals are receiving money from the federal government to not teach doctors! I am sooooooo outraged!

7:24 PM 8/13/97 Fireworks

There are now fireworks all summer long, at baseball games, outdoor concerts, food festivals, town promotions, and on and on. People are becoming jaded. Fireworks should be shown only once, on July 4th. They are a symbol of the fighting for independence, and in memory of those who died.

9:30 PM 8/11/97 A rant about no rants

I thought of a rant earlier today. But now all I can do is get mad because I can't remember what made me mad earlier. (rant rant)

9:31 PM 8/11/97 Global warming, again.

They talked about it on the national news, trying to explain the weird weather of recent months/years. Naturally, scientists cannot say definitively without irrefutable proof. But I know what I know, and I know that what we have here today, is global warming, and the resultant strong weather patterns.

12:48 AM 6/26/97 An old letter text;

Things are heating up;

--- Tuesday --- May 27, 1997 --- *14 TRENDS: CARBON EMISSIONS HIT HIGH LAST YEAR -- WORLDWATCH Carbon emissions from fossil fuels climbed to a "record high last year, increasing the danger of global warming, even while the declining use of CFCs increased the potential for healing the Earth's damaged ozone layer" according to the DC-based Worldwatch Institute's annual "Vital Signs" report, released on 5/24 (Deutsche Presse-Agentur, 5/24). The report analyzed more than 40 environmental, economic, social and military indicators worldwide (Worldwatch release, 5/24). Last year was the fourth-warmest year on record since 1866 according to the report, which said heat released by warmer surface waters in the tropics and subtropics increased the frequency and severity of storms (Deutsche Presse-Agentur). Other findings: Twenty-six percent of energy users worldwide relied on wind energy, which was the fastest-growing energy source; just under 1% of energy users relied on nuclear power, which was the slowest-growing energy source; and global bicycle production outpaced automobile production by more than a 3-to-1 ratio (Worldwatch release). The report also found that falling fertility rates have slowed population growth in countries including India, Brazil and Bangladesh. The annual growth rate worldwide declined by 7 million between 1990 and 1996 (GREENWIRE sources).

The alpha-jerk theory

When we go to sleep, we sometimes find ourselves jerking awake just as we were drifting off. The theory is that there are two modes of drifting off, or two holes, or two plug-ins, one of which leads to dreaming, solving problems, or reliving the day. The other way leads to deep dark depression and death. If one is falling asleep and realizes (subconsciously) that the drifting is going in the wrong direction, one gets alpha-jerk. The theory further states that if one is high on drugs, one might not fear the reaper and allow the drift to go the wrong way. Theorists point to Jimi Hendrix for an example of lack of alpha jerk. You decide -- jerk tonight, or no?

Did you see the movie "FARGO", yet?

Amongst the stories in the news about the flooding in North Dakota in the spring of 1997 was one about a herd of nearly 100 deer that were stranded by floodwaters and would probably starve or drown. I thought, "what a guy could do with a machine gun and a woodchipper here"!

e-mail .

Name "the unnamed flasher" and win a free link.

Music

I don't want music, I need music.

I went to a wedding on April 05, 1997. The joining of Ryan Madsen and Amy Peterick.

We wish them well . But my rant is that I had an opinion to express on this page, and it is this: Old age sucks. I was tired of sitting, my back hurt, so I stood up. Then my feet hurt. The general noise level overloaded my eardrums (or something) so that I could not catch an entire conversation. On top of that, my wife wanted to dance. Dancing is an ancient mating ritual in which I do not wish to participate now. Next day add on thought; dancing can also be a celebration of life, health, or religion. The truth is out there.

Sombody in California wants HIV POS as his license plate on his Harley.

The state does not want to let him have it. I say give it to him, and let him get his STUPID sign at the same time. Thanks to Bill Engvills for the idea of the STUPID sign. (When the dumb one has a cold, does he wear a STUBID sign?)

Alligator eats baby in Fla.

I'll bet that would make for some real soft luggage.

Suicide

I was reading the obituaries. One person had committed suicide, after a long battle with "Major Depression". How did this happen? If you see someone trying to cut their wrists with a harmonica, don't you stop them? And who is that person smiling in the accompanying picture? Not the depressed person, eh?

Disparate production on some recordings.

Some groups, or is it their record companies, put all the work of producing into one song (their pre-selected "hit"), and the rest of the recording is sloppy, muddy, and not up to par. One English group did this to me, and I was so angry at them I sold the CD for two bucks, played three times. Good riddance to that anger.

Liner notes on recordings.

This has been a sore spot with me ever since CD's replaced vinyl. The nasty little details we all want to know are locked inside! For a while, CD's were packaged in massive packages to discourage theft, and liner notes were put on these, sometimes. But the tree huggers won that battle.

How to handle DWI, or DUI drivers.

(1.) Confiscate their vehicle. (2.) Charge the offender for storage of the vehicle while their driving privileges are suspended. (3.) Issue them a different-looking driver's license (for example; trimmed in 'Mr. Yuk' green), which prohibits them from buying or renting or leasing a vehicle. (4.) Make it a crime for any-one to let these offenders buy, rent, or lease a vehicle, or to loan them a vehicle, punishable by the same kind of suspension of driving privileges. (5.) If they are caught driving while suspended, they serve the rest of the time in jail, or under 'house arrest'.

I got my stupid sign

Send for yours; Stupid sign . P.S. This is a dead-end link on purpose.

The Truth Is Out There

Your mission is to find it and bring it to me.

The Prophecy Club

These people spend hours of time on free cable access television, espousing their thoughts on coming armegeddon. I find them interesting. Does the word "Illuminatus" ring a bell with you? How about the phrase "conspiracy theory"?

Iowa Jokes

Iowa Jokes started in Minnesota in order to remain politically correct. No more Polish jokes, no more Ole and Lena jokes. Besides, they come up here every summer and fish in our lakes for bullheads. I heard they don't allow the cheerleaders into the football stadium until game day, otherwise they would eat all the grass.

The Honorable Congressman from Minnesota, Martin Olav Sabo.

Every year this man introduces a bill (re: Income Equity Act of 1997) proposing to limit tax deductions for compensation by corporations to their executives. Proposed in this law is a limit of 25 times whatever the lowest employee makes. For example, if my salary were 20,000 dollars, the company could only deduct salary for their executives up to 500,000 dollars, assuming my salary was the lowest in the company. Mr. Sabo knows, and everybody else knows, that his bill has no chance of passing. But he proposes it anyway, because this issue needs to be discussed. The main thrust is to reduce the widening gap between the richest and the poorest. I say hooray for Mr. Sabo.

Gateway 2000 got dissed

While visiting Blakrose, I encountered some bad feeling towards Gateway 2000's tech support. I read this person's entire explanation and I feel that she was mostly in the wrong. But I am not an expert at computers, so if you are, visit her, read the rant, and see if you agree. I will not stop you. Update: 8:10 PM 2/10/97. My neighbor bought a gateway 2000 computer. I will let you know if any problems develop.

The death penalty

Being sent to prison should be no different than going to an insane asylum. Inmates need to be studied until it can be determined what causes the abberant behavior. Then a cure must be implemented. The problem with this rant is: who determines what aberrant behavior is? How serious must the deviation be before correction is necessary? One thing for sure, doing harm to other human beings is definitely a no-no, so the perfect world could start with correcting this problem. Thanks to Meara at TheTropics for setting me off.

I wish I was erudite*.

*Erudite; A two legged primate of the eocine era. Distinguished by upright locomotion and 'hound dog' ears.

All radicals should be shot.

All radicals should be shot. All opinion pages should be erased. All e-mail should be deleted. All jokes should be laughed at. All web pages should be taken seriously. The web is a source of information, only.

Stray dogs (coyotes, wolves, cheetas, etc.)

Some animal activists have been whining that governments and private groups like the ASPCA should never have to euthanize troublesome animals or overpopulations of animals. Spare parks are needed. HUMBUG! Not only should we get rid of the curs, but they should be disposed of at fast food restaurants. Benefits; (1) No troublesome curs breeding in the alleys. (2) Lower fast food prices. (3) The feeling of eating exotic at fast food restaurants. (4) We get to use parkland for ourselves. (5) Park rangers can get real jobs.

Artists should get credit.

For starters, radio stations should announce the artist that performed the song directly after it has played. No ignoring that part of the job. No commercial first. No announcement of 3 or more songs all at once. I just heard a song I like and I want to know who did it right now! Inquiring consumers want to know.

Equal schooling for everybody.

We are 'guaranteed' the right to pursue happiness. Knowledge is the key to knowing what it is that we wish to pursue. After reading an article in today's paper (Jan. 22, 1997) about parents 'illegally' registering their children in a school not in the district where they live, I cannot help but sympathize with the parents. Everyone wants their child to get a good education. Is it right that those who are well off receive a better one? We need a Constitutional Amendment, to Nationalize the education system.

Disclaimer

Some of these 'opinions' are serious and some are not. That is the way I have always been. Too bad for you, the disclaimer is at the bottom of the page.

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Thank You For Your Time

For the background, I thank Rose , for her background links page helped me to find Graphics Archive , and this background came from here .

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