South Dakota War College

I watch a few of these weblogs comment on who's reading them, and just to be a sheep and follow the pack, I'll do it too. Actually, it's more of the fact I was reviewing my free statistical log, and I've been pleased with the amount of traffic I'm getting. I'm running 150 or so individual visitors a day - that's over 1000 a week!! I enjoy to see and hear from the people who are reading because everyone has a story and an opinion. You never know - I might also hit you up for 10 questions. So who's reading me? My wife claims it's the same ten fellow bloggers reading my weblog over and over. Sorry dear, aside from the time you were right (marrying me), you're wrong again. Who's reading? Current legislators. Statewide elected officials. Past legislators (a hearty "GOP shout-out" to former House Majority Leader Bill Peterson who wrote me a nice note a few weeks back after my post on the meaning of color) and lots of others. I'm getti...

If Senator Clarence Kooistra wants to ban this, I won't give him a hard time. I promise. From the Eugene Oregon Register-Guard: Licking case gets teacher reprimand By Karen McCowan The Register-Guard BEND - The Oregon Teacher Standards and Practices Commission voted Wednesday to publicly reprimand and place Central Linn High School teacher and football coach Scott Reed on two years' probation for licking the bleeding wounds of several student athletes. The action means that details of the case and censure will be posted on the TSPC Web site, sent to all Oregon school districts and to departments of education nationwide. Under terms of his probation, Reed is required to attend a class on the risks of blood-borne pathogens within the next two months and furnish the commission with written verification of his attendance. He is required to comply with state ethical standards for educators, and "shall not lick blood on the person of any student or co-worker."...

I had a note from Bill Napoli on my personal e-mail this evening. I was wondering what it could be about, but it was pretty innocent. I got a nice note on where people could sign the STOP Petition . If you're interested, here's where the STOP Petition tour is headed this summer. From the e-mail message (these are their words not mine): The committee to Stabilize Taxes on Property (STOP) will circulate petitions at the following events. Fall River County Fair, Edgemont 4-7th August We will be in the parade and in a booth at the Fair Grounds August 6th 10AM Sioux Empire Fair 9-14 August 2005, Sioux Falls , SD Custer County Fair 11-14 August 2005, Hermosa , SD Dakota Fest 16-18 August 2005, Mitchell SD County Fair & Threshing Bee 19-24 August 2005, Faith SD Central States Fair 19-28 August 2005, Rapid City SD Deadwood Cool Nights 25-28 August 2005, Deadwood SD SD State Fair 3-10 September 2005, Huron SD Deadwood Jam 16-17 September, Deadwood SD It is important to ...

Today's Argus Leader Dave Kranz Column reports: Daschle camp back Former Sen. Tom Daschle will resume his annual leadership forum this fall in the Black Hills. Over a five-year period, Daschle brought about 250 selected participants - Democrats, Republicans and independents - together at the conferences to consider public service and cultivate leadership skills. Several attendees have since entered political office, including U.S. Rep. Stephanie Herseth; Sioux Falls City Councilors Andy Howes, Darrin Smith and Vernon Brown; Amy Dunkle, a Brookings School Board member; Bryce Healy, school and public lands commissioner; and Tony Wagner, formerly of Mitchell, now on the Minnetonka, Minn., City Council. "The leaders (forum) was the reason I first thought about running," Howes said. "And if I had not gone, I would never have run in 2002." I have to admit that this camp has been fairly successful in training young people for running for office. I'd really like t...

I don't want to get down on my own party, but I just got a fundraising letter today from the State GOP that just didn't do it for me. I'm sure it wasn't cheap, 2 color printing and all. But the message just kind of laid there for me like a stranded carp flopping at the edge of the water. The message just seemed... well, weak. That's not to say it was all bad. Far from it. It mentioned some nice accomplishments of the Governor. And then it flopped on the sand from there. I can't say it made cheapskate me want to send them $20. Fundraising letters can be tricky. I remember my first one. It was bad. So bad it got me an ass chewing from State Party GOP Director Bill Protexter (Now Nebraska Senator Sen. Chuck Hagel's State Director). Bill was and remains a pretty nice guy, so it must have really sucked. It was instant on the job training. Just to retain my employment, I had to figure out - and fast - what made up a good letter. What did I do? I found a good one, ...

In the aftermath of the Novak column on bloggers, Is it just me, or are politics so active to the point of being hyperactive lately? Not just the normal stuff that hums along in the off season. This used to be when State Party Directors would go on vacation or change jobs. They better cancel those plans - because we aren't getting an off season this year. Maybe I'm being hypersensitive tonight, because I'm still tired from my weekend of moving. (yes, I'm kvetching). But I really don't think so. First off, the campaign against John Thune has yet to end. After Abdnor, and for the most part, up until Thune and Governor Janklow ran for open congressional seats on separate occasions, Republicans had taken it in the shorts on nearly every attempt to oust an incumbent in a federal office. Volk, Frankenfeld, Timmer, Haar, Berkhout, Schmidt, etc. The list is long, and the string of losses year... after year... after year would really tend to dampen one's spirit. But, we...

I got an e-mail this morning from a "Mr.Mohammed Yusuf, in Angola." As if this pitch doesn't sound familiar, think about the imagery it brings up in your mind: I was a patient in the Medivaal Hospital situated in Angola , During my stay I was previledge to share the same room with a Woman who is a public Figure in our in Angola, She is the wife of a prominent politician here in a Angola. Her husband, Mr. Abdulwahad Ahmed, was arrested and charged to court for a multibillion dollar arms deal fraud which she said was politically motivated by his enemies as her husband was the chairman of parliament in Angola. She also told me that he accented to plead guilty in exchange for his acquittal on corruption charges but was later convicted on trumped-up charges. This led to his bank accounts in Angola and abroad being frozen. Now, things are really bad for her husband and children. Okay, aside from the fact that this is just a twist on the bank scam from Nigeria, whose main e...

Sorry for the light posting this weekend. I just flew down the highway back to Pierre from moving the family to Brookings this weekend, and boy, are my arms tired. And my legs and my @$$. I moved furniture. Then I moved garbage bags full of clothes. And for fun, I moved even more furniture. And when I got done, I helped the guys moving the furniture I bought and paid for them to move this weekend. After four attempts these high school boys didn't think they could get my new couch in. My 15+ years of moving furniture for the family auction business disagreed. And with my tutelage, it was a tight fit, but we made it. My sectional couch was complete. Anyway, as soon as I have a chance to read this weekend's newspapers and e-mails, I'll post. For now, I'm going to bed.