Poetry: "A poem that communicates something that's already known … is not really communicating anything." – John Ashbery, referring not just to content but to voice and tone.

This is a purely American vision. The rest of the world, with the possible exception of Australia, measures itself through its historical context, and poetry is no exception. In England Shakespeare is revered for having done better what others did ; in American The Bard is honored for having invented the modern/psycological man. In England Hamlet is a better Hamlet than all the other Hamlets who have gone before; in America Hamlet is the new Hamlet, shaped from whole cloth, sprung like Athena from the brow of genius.

Somewhere between, the truth lies, and therein resides the soul of poetry, as ambiguous as ever.

Oil: Economists are now saying that the price of gasoline will go up by as much as 30 cents a gallon in the coming months. Speculators continue to push the price of crude beyond fifty dollars a barrell, and the economists argue that gas prices are woefully low by comparison. Meanwhile the oil companies and countries are awash in cash. Energy companies are swimming in a sea of money.

Voluntary Taxes: The state of Illinois wants to go on line with its gambling empire that currently generates something like 2 billion dollars a year in voluntary taxes. The governor suspects the state could free up some rich folks' money over the Web, especially from out-of-state folks. Currently, the majority of lotto players are poor folks who frequent the shops where tickets can be purchased in person and where people might have to stand in line.

Definition: "Value Added Tax": A rich man's scheme to increase the amount of taxes working people pay to support the benefits the rich receive as citizens of this country.