Everyone is aware that this is an April Fools joke, right?
At 04:56 PM 4/1/2007, you wrote:
>holy shit. only in amerika.
>
>KS
>
>On 01/04/07, Jon Corelis <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>>I thought people in this group might be interested in this:
>>
>>
>>----------------------
>>
>>
>>FEDERAL POETRY SUBSIDIES PROPOSED
>>
>>Washington, D. C. (CNS) -
>>
>>In a surprise move, the Bush Administration has announced that it will
>>propose legislation in Congress to subsidize the production of verse by
>>American poets.
>>
>>The program, which will be modeled on the longstanding federal agricultural
>>price support program, will be designed to ensure a market at a basic price
>>support level for the nation's poetry output.
>>
>>According to administration spokeswoman April Narr, a goal of the subsidies
>>will be to ensure the continuing production of particular types of verse for
>>which the market is currently weak. "For instance," she said at a news
>>conference this morning, "not too many people write sonnets or heroic
>>couplets any more, so those types of verse would be eligible for special
>>price supports."
>>
>>Narr also said in response to questions that although the details have yet
>>to be worked out, subject matter may also be taken into account to determine
>>the price support levels of different types of poems. "There are plenty
>>poems being written about having an affair or traveling in Europe or
>>watching your child grow up," she said, "so that sort of poetry probably
>>needs less subsidy. But poems about junk yards or shaving cream or peeling
>>an orange are more rare and may be deserving of more price support."
>>
>>When questioned as to whether the public will accept a government program
>>which channels taxpayers' dollars to poets, Narr replied, "It's really not
>>such an unusual idea when you think of it. After all, if the federal
>>government can pay farmers to produce soybeans, why can't it pay poets to
>>produce sonnets?"
>>
>>--
>>===================================
>>
>> Jon Corelis www.geocities.com/jgcorelis/
>>
>>===================================
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