South Dakota War College

Sorry for not posting much the last couple of days, I have nearly my entire family here this weekend for my dad's 70th birthday. Out of two sisters and three brothers, only my brother in Salt Lake could not make it, so I'm doing lots of entertaining. Sunday when the whole crew goes home, I've got a couple of posts prepared and I'm doing research on another that I might get done. Many family members and several family friends are coming over for the soiree' tonight. To celebrate, I pulled some deer meat out to make chislic. I'll post the recipe on this post which I'll update, since there isn't an official one out there. update - For those of you who don't know the recipe, it's just basically deep fried cubes of meat. I cubed my venison (inch or so cubes) and mixed them with a few cloves of garlic and a little soy. After they sat for a while, they were deep fried in shortening to preference, and then lightly sprinkled with some Lawry's Season...

I just wanted to take a brief moment and say "thanks" to everyone out there reading the South Dakota War College. As of today I hit 5000 page visits for the month (9200 page views) literally a week earlier than it's supposed to. At this point, I'm going to have my best month for website traffic to date, and it's more than possible that I'll hit 6000 page visits for the month. January 2006 is looking like my best month ever! So, thanks for reading. And I'll do my best to keep giving you a reason to come back here.

Dave Kranz is reporting today in his Argus Leader column (not on-line as of this writing) that Tim Amdahl may be deciding to make a run at Stephanie Herseth in the congressional race. Tim, the former Commissioner of School and Public Lands (from 1986-1990) had participated in the congressional race for the vacated Thune Congressional seat where he would drive his camper/mobile campaign office around the state. I can't access the Secretary of State's election data at the moment, otherwise I'd post the election results from that race for your review. Suffice it to say that Tim was not the front runner. (watch for an update later) But having held statewide elective office, Tim does know how to campaign at a statewide level. He knows how to go into a town and get the local media's attention. In the beginning, he might not be considered much, but if he hooks on to the right theme and issues his candidacy could go farther than others. I suspect Tim would run on a platform of...

Check this out from Celeste Calvitto in this morning's Rapid City Journal : Saying that they want to ensure that a wide range of views is heard and tolerated on college campuses, a group of state lawmakers is proposing legislation that would ask South Dakota’s six state universities to report periodically on their efforts to promote "intellectual diversity." Rep. Phyllis Heineman, R-Sioux Falls, chairwoman of the House Education Committee and the chief sponsor of HB1222, said Wednesday that the goal is to prevent situations already seen in other states where students, speakers and faculty members have been harassed because of their views. "This is not an indictment at all," Heineman said. "For us, it is good governance." She said there have been no such incidents on South Dakota campuses that she is aware of and that she has heard only "anecdotal" reports. Does it seem a bit silly to you? It shouldn't. I would say I exp...

Saturday January 28th, Senator Stan Adelstein and his new appendage Representative Alice McCoy will be featured speakers at the Rapid City Crackerbarrel, along with Representatives Don Van Etten and Mike Buckingham. (SDSM&T in Tech's new classroom building 9-11am). If I didn't have a bit of a mini-family reunion here in Pierre this weekend, I think I'd definately go out to this one. Because there's a chance for some entertaining discussion. Stan's leading the pro-choice charge this session, as well as being the financial backer of the Mainstream Coalition among other things. If I had the floor what questions would I ask? Well, they certainly wouldn't be softballs. Since Stan has his fingers in so many pies, He'd probably get a couple of them. I'd ask questions like: Since Democrats are praising it while many Republicans condemn it, how does your Mainstream Coalition make the Republican party stronger? It seems to be a dividing force as opposed to...

This is oddly appropriate for the SDWC anniversary/milestone of 500th post. I was having an e-mail discussion last night with a very good Republican who indicated that they wished they could blog, but really can't with the position of authority they hold within the party. One point they brought up to me was that there are a few Republicans out there who don't like the fact that I'll sometimes take on a fellow Republican over something they said or did. Like an old western movie scene staged outside a saloon, it's like I'm standing in the dirty western street hollering "Okay Republican- I'm calling you out." And, o.k. There will be some people who don't care for it. As I'm told, there ARE people who don't care for it. But don't expect me to stop. Yes guys, I'm familiar with this mantra out there attributed to Ronald Reagan that "Thou shall not speak ill of a fellow Republican." I agree with the conservative Reagan philosoph...

House Bill 1178 has now been introduced , and civilization is officially saved. What is this gem of a legislative measure which should captivate us all? An Act to provide for the establishment of certain honorary trusts and of certain trusts for animals. You have got to be kidding me. The worst part is that there are legislators I respect co-sponsoring the bill. We're codifying law for the benefit of a dog? We're spending how much time on making sure a cat can live in comfort for the rest of its days? Maybe I should form a new business. South Dakota Shady Acres Pet Retirement Center. I'll take in these trust-fund Tabbys and financially endowed Dobermans with promises of luxury care. And then I'll make them sleep on sub-standard pet beds. The trustees will pay for steak, but Rover's going to get chuck roast. The cat patrons will pay for Tuna, but Morris the cat is getting... carp. (Insert evil laugh here). At this point, I've already wasted more time than the mea...

From today's Rapid City Journal letters to the editor : Fact, not opinion My erstwhile critic, William H. Fuller (Dec. 26 letter), stated, opinions do not always express the truth. He proceeded to prove his very words. He claimed Roger Baldwin disavowed the radical left in 1939; but did he? I think not! Peggy Lamson, the author of "Roger Baldwin Founder of the American Civil Liberties Union," questioned him about his renowned quote, "Communism is the goal." He responded, "Well I wouldn't take exception to that statement even today if it had been expressed less violently." The biography was printed in 1976, 37 years after Mr. Baldwin, according to Mr. Fuller's opinion, not fact, had renounced the radical left. Don't forget Lynne Stewart, an ACLU lawyer, has been convicted and jailed for being a courier for Sheik Omar Abdel Rahman, the convicted mastermind behind the 1993 bombing of the World Trade Center, and overseas terrorist organizations...

Yes, the links and rotating pictures above are available for advertising purchase. As part of my "stylistic upgrade", I made allowances for that to help offset my expenses in maintainting this blog and my equipment. Believe me, I'm not getting rich on this, but I do want to be able to offer a nice product and to purchase some server space for media files. I could do a little of it for free, but it's a pain and there's advertising typically hooked up with it. I also want to delve more into video and that requires serious space. Hence, shilling for dollars. The vertical banner ad on the right, and a similar one that will be on the left are going to be $50 a month, and the rotating pictures above will be $20 each/month. The hard coded text links at the top of the page will be $30 each/month. They are going to be sold "first come first served." And whomever has it first has the option of determining how long they want it. I will have a few other rules on ...

From Celeste Calvitto whom I enjoy at the Rapid City Journal ( read it all here ). She's reporting on something I had mentioned a little while back: It looks as though residents of state legislative District 35 will be voting in two primaries this fall. Mark Kirkeby, vice chairman of the Pennington County Commission, said Monday that is circulating petitions to run for the House seat now held by Rep. Alice McCoy, R-Rapid City. Now, from me exactly a week ago. Also - 2 Republican petitions are out for the District 35 House race for the seat vacated by Alice McCoy who is leaving because of term limits to take on Senator Napoli. Mark Kirkeby and Lyle Hendrickson are both circulating a petition for the House. With Kirkeby's name ID, he might just be an early favorite. Celeste today.... But Kirkeby predicts there will be at least four candidates. "It's going to be a big primary," he said. "It's an open seat, and it's an opportunity, whether you have experi...

Aside from Bryce requesting that I post his picture back on my masthead next to Sattgast's, I'm hearing stuff about the PUC in the last day or so. I had a nice note from Jarrod Johnson noting that his website is moving forward, with a promise to let me know when it's live. Coincidentally enough, I'm also hearing information from others with regard to the race. But not about Jarrod. Apparently, another GOP challenger is considering a run for the Office of School and Public Lands. I'm not going to let the cat out of the bag just yet, because I need some more confirmation before I'm satisfied. But apparently a legislator has been going around seeking input from his peers about a possible candidacy against Bryce. With another candidate or without it, School and Lands is shaping up to be one of only two or three competitive statewide races this fall. Except for School and Lands and PUC, there are no Democrats stepping up to the plate for the other offices. And I don...

Dave Kranz today in the Sioux Falls Argus Leader : State Rep. Casey Murschel could run for mayor of Sioux Falls, then opt later to seek a House seat in the Legislature. and.. Secretary of State Chris Nelson said Murschel, a Republican, could not have run for that House seat if she was successful in the April mayor's race. But if she lost in the April 11 election, or in an April 25 mayoral runoff, she still could have filed in June as an independent for the House seat. Now "me" from January 9th : It's not outside of the realm of possibility to expect a legislator seeking something this chancy to be prepared to run for both. The advantage in this unique situation? The mayoral race is done when the legislative race is barely out of the starting gate. So, theoretically, it's physically possible to run for both. But is it legal? From what I can tell on the state law end of things, I don't see it as illegal to file for both- it's just illegal to hold both at on...

(Hat tip to SD Progressive .) Just so I can say others are as tough on thier own political party as I can be from time to time, Democrat Theron McChesney over at SD Progressive gives his party leaders a little hell: Unfortunately, we have a lack of leadership from Sen. Gary Moore and Rep. Dale Hargens. They won't be pressing for any further regulations. In fact, the Rapid City Journal is reporting that Sen. Moore has abdicated his responsibility as a state Senator. Moore said he is considering asking for a summer study of aircraft use, perhaps by the Government Operations and Audit Committee. "It's really out of our hands," Moore said. "It's in the hands of the citizens. If they want to limit it, I guess it's up to them." It is sad what passes for Democratic leadership in Pierre these days. "Sen. Moore has abdicated his responsibility as a state Senator." I might not agree (with the whole airplane thing, not the criticism), but "O...

Ugh. I just drove in from Brookings with a side trip to Watertown (which I took the day off for) for some personal business. I'm punchy from all the windshield time so I have little coherence left to devote to concentrating deeply into any one topic. Without further ado, the Roundup for 1/23/06 I'm sure anything I say about this will be inappropriate... From this afternoon at Argusleader.com : A bill introduced today would give rebates to South Dakota businesses that provide private lactation rooms for their employees who breastfeed their infants. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Jason Gant , R-Sioux Falls, would establish a lactation facility fund and a lactation facility program under the state's Department of Tourism and State Development. The fund would give a rebate of up to $1,000 for up to ten years to any business who invests in a private area for working mothers to lactate. ( Read the whole thing here ). Having six kids who have nursed (my wife, not me) I certainly sup...

This is post #491 as I count down to the 1 year anniversary of the founding of the South Dakota War College - the non-accredited South Dakota institute of higher learning for political hacks and activists. And we're not founding a campus any time soon. Coincidentally, I'm also counting down to post #500. In the almost year since the SDWC was founded, I'm shocked that I had 500 instances of reasonably intelligent things to say. I was having dinner with Mrs. PP (MP) at the Ram Pub in Brookings last night and we must have been starved for conversation, because she started commenting commenting on the fact I've been doing this for about a year and a lot of people seem to be reading it. (I think she's finally let go of the notion that there's only 16 people who read blogs in South Dakota.) MP was noting to me that she's always enjoyed reading what I have to say. But initially, she was irritated that I hadn't told her about the blog until a few months after I ...