Notes

Feeling overwhelmed by too much news? Bombarded with too many pertinent images? Relax- next week there will be no newsletter. One week from today the editor hopes to be enjoying himself in the great Northwest, soaking in the ambience of yet another indoor stadium watching those feisty Seattle Mariners battle the odds. For those subscribers who feel tis will make you lose out on your account, don't worry you will be credited and will receive the bonus holiday issue in the fall. For those who can't seem to get enough information about David, a full trip story will appear upon his return.

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News of the new Cheapo location in yet another suburb brings rise to a few fears. While it is good news we now will cover three different counties (Ramsey, Hennepin, and Anoka for those of you scoring at home) the question is "What is life like out there in suburban Minnesota?" As a new member of suburbia, let me put to rest some of the rumors you might have heard.

1) There is indoor plumbing and fluoridation in the drinking water.
2) Not all the tennagers listen strictly to heavy metal.
3) Most roads are now paved.
4) Although it might seem otherwise, the average family isn't comprised of a mother, father, two kids and a dog named Spunky.
5) Some of the children at one time might have heard the term "record album."

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Last week MTV requested from the Secretary of State's office 5,000 voter registration cards. Presumeably this is in conjunction with their campaign to get the youth of America interested in changing the system from within. Part of my job at the office used to be sorting through the voter registration cards returned to us and sending them on to the county recorder offices throughout the state. The card itself is fairly simple to follow- you have to give your full legal name, address, birth date, and signature. The amount of cards I saw incorrectly filled out made me wonder if our system doesn't need some serious examination. If you cannot fill out the above information correctly should you be allowed to vote? Do we want people who can't figure out the most basic information about themselves deciding the fate of the country? Granted, the foundation of this country was set up so everyone is supposed to have a say in their government but do we want someone who knows more about Bon Jovi than George Bush electing the next President? (gee Mervin, which lever do I pull?)