Monday, February 20, 2006

The $10,000 question

First poet laureate in years is named
Gov. Ted Kulongoski has named Lawson Inada of Medford to a two-year appointment as the poet laureate of Oregon.

Inada will be the fifth such appointment and the first poet to be so honored since William Stafford served in the position, which he left in 1990.

Christine D'Arcy, the executive director of the Oregon Arts Commission, said it is notable that Inada is a Japanese American and a person of color, a first for this position.

Oregon's statewide cultural agencies, the Oregon Arts Commission, Oregon Council for the Humanities, Oregon Historical Society, Oregon Heritage Commission and State Preservation Office, designated new funding from the Oregon Cultural Trust to support a first-time, $10,000 annual stipend for the laureate.

As much as $10,000 in additional funds will support the laureate's work and travel across the state.

Ok, so that should be the $20,000 question but anyways, let me take a crack at this liberal style:

Homeless people are freezing on the street, working families don't have health care, junkies are in desperate need of clean needles, and the PERS pension of retired school administrators needs to be funded, why on earth are we paying a poet $20,000 to "give as many as six public readings" across the state?

9 comments:

Anonymous said...

I will gladly give as many SEVEN public readings across the state, for only NINE thousand dollars!

Anonymous said...

Wow. Ted really is tackling the tough issues... ordering flags be flown at half-mast and appointing poets.

Anonymous said...

What won't you all complain about?

Anonymous said...

I won't complain about:

tax cuts,

cutting the bureaucracy,

protecting private property rights,

protecting our borders,

protecting the unborn,

fighting for freedom in Iraq,

defending against terror,

eliminating the welfare state,

personal responsibility,

locking up sex offenders,

locking up meth dealers,

teaching our children English, math, and science instead of liberal "social" studies,

eliminating the death tax,

one man, one woman,

judges who rule based on the law instead of making up their own law,

getting government out of my business,

logging,

SUV's,

the Pledge of Allegience,

God.

What won't YOU complain about?

Daniel said...

Absolutely hilarious.

BEAR said...

hey, Gullyborg, you forgot to mention teaching History, which explains the liberals' profound ignorance.

BEAR said...

hey, GB, you show a great aptitude for freeform poeticness. cool.

Daniel said...

A Haiku:

o illegal aliens

Get out of my country now

Get out and stay out


I will read that publicly eight times for a mere $6,000.

Anonymous said...

Then I, Bugs Bunny, will dive FIVE HUNDRED feet into a DAMP SPONGE!

Then I, Bruno, shall dive ONE THOUSAND feet into a block of cement!