Well, it�s been a while. I have been busy and haven�t had time to write. And it has been windy, so I haven�t been doing much photography either, but I have done a little. I don�t find a lot to photograph in the winter. Not that there aren�t opportunities if you know where to look. But I am a big fan of colorful photographs, and this time of year, that can be hard to achieve for a nature photographer.
It�s amazing though, some of the insects that are out this time of year. There are clouds of mosquitoes or gnats or whatever they are. I saw some just a few days ago. And a few weeks ago when I took a walk in one of the pastures, there were still little grasshopper nymphs scattering before my feet at almost every step. I have tried several times to get some good shots of them, but so far I haven�t been satisfied with the results. A few weeks back I also noticed a sulfur butterfly being tossed about in the wind.
In addition, over the last few days I have been seeing a Bald Eagle flying over. They are neat to watch, but it would take quite some effort for me to get any shots worth speaking of with my equipment. I don�t have any lenses that are long enough. There are also lots of Canada Geese that like our pond. Maybe if I push myself I can capture some good shots of them.
If it wasn�t for the wind, I would be out with my camera now, and I�m sure that I could find something interesting to photograph. I guess maybe I will be able to expand my portfolio with some snow shots sometime this winter. I would love to be able to take decent photographs of snow crystals, but the only microscope we have is not the best of quality, and unfortunately has too much magnification. I have succeeded in taking a few acceptable shots of snow crystals in past years, but only very, very small ones. They are so interesting though. The variety is one thing that amazes me. I guess God has expressed to us His endless creativity in that no two snowflakes are ever alike.
I guess I could find some color in winter in sunrises and sunsets. But on second thought, it would be some cold weather to shoot in! Also, it is hard to find a spot on the property that is a good place to shoot just the sunset. Plain old sunsets can get boring. Usually it is good to have something else besides just the sunset as the focus of the shot, like a silhouette. Maybe I will check out a few good spots to shoot silhouettes as soon as I get some good camera gloves so I don�t get frostbit!
Anyway, over the last couple weeks I have found some moss to shoot, and also got some more neat shots of our John Deere model A. I could have gotten some better shots of the old tractor if the ground had not been wet, for then I could have simply lain on the ground. But the ground was muddy and wet, so I couldn�t. For some reason, I love to take photos from the ground level. I think it is the change of perspective that I like. If you think that�s weird, then you are probably right. But maybe you should still try it sometime. You are probably weird too.
This moss really caught my eye when I was out one day last week. But I didn�t have my tripod with me (I have to get a strap for it), so not all of the shots I got turned out. So I went back with my tripod a few days later to shoot some more. The textures are kind of neat. I think they are anyway. There are lots of different kinds of moss growing down here on the farm, and I look forward to shooting more. I just wish that I could get even closer! I don�t know if you can have too much zoom. Not that you should always use all that you have all the time, but I think that you could never put more zoom at my disposal than I could find a use for!
Anyway, I will write more when I find some more things to photograph!
I know I said in my last post that I should get out more often, and I have. Yesterday was warm, so I got a chance to go out and have a little fun with my camera. I went out in the afternoon, and took a lot of shots of the Canada Geese on our pond. As I expected, I don't think any of them are really anything spectacular, but I was mainly just having fun. I enjoy getting out and walking around the farm.
The real news is that I went out yesterday morning to get a shot of the sunrise. That's not so hard this time of year, because you don't have to go out sooo early, but it can be cold. Fortunately it wasn't too cold, and I was able to get almost all of the shots I wanted.
I have been trying to get this shot of the cow barn and silo silhouetted against the sunrise for about a month, and haven't really gotten any shots I liked. I think that I have tried about three times, and have only really got one nice shot, which I haven't uploaded yet. But this time I had my new full-size tripod, instead of my smaller one, and I was able to get some nice shots.
At first I wasn't sure whether any of them had really turned out that great, but now the more I look at them, the more I like them!
Anyway, I just wanted to do a post on them. It is warm again today, so I will probably go out again, but I really find little to photograph this time of year. I am a big fan of every color that God put in the rainbow, and this time of year the color is harder to find. But don't worry, I will keep looking.
Today I will be taking you back to the little swampy area where I got the shot of the Appalachian Brown butterfly.
Back up the swamp a little way, where it diminishes to little more than a muddy stream bed, there is a wooded incline, which is beautifully decked with ferns. At the bottom of this incline, a few feet from the edge of the mud, stands a large tree, at the base of which, I found my subject.
As with the butterfly, I was not aware that this species of flora was present on the property. Actually, I haven't been able to identify exactly which species it is yet. But there were several Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium sp.) plants growing there. It is tough to identify them, because the same field guide that tells me that there are 37 native species, only describes three or four.
These plants are not grasses, they are really something like Irises. And, again despite their names, yes, I know, their �eyes� are not blue, but yellow with the whole flower being blue.
These plants are small, and were less than a foot high. The low light from being in the woods required a tripod. Fortunately, I had my small tripod with me, and was able to get this shot. It was a little dark, so I had to lighten it up a bit.
This is just the type of habitat these plants grow in. They grow in moist places. I guess it was the perfect niche for them. I will certainly be looking for them again this year. They are such beautiful little creations which God has made. They bloom in the spring and early summer, and this one was photographed on May 21st, at 1:41PM, which happens to be just before the end of the world. (The first end of the world, not the second one).
Anyway, I�m looking forward to getting out there again this spring. I don�t find much that I really enjoy photographing in the cold, cold, cold, winter. I know some people have much colder winters than these here in Maryland. That doesn�t make me want to go out in the cold, though.
I know, I should force myself to get out there. I will. Maybe in the snow or ice, maybe for a frost, or a sunrise. But today it is windy. I hate wind. Of the top ten biggest problems wildflower photographers face, wind is the first 26. I don�t know if you knew that or not, but now you do.
Anyway, I will sign off now. Hey, maybe the wind will die down this afternoon. Maybe. We just had a small snow flurry, while the sun was out, no less! An interesting experience.
Don�t we always say that about photographic equipment?
It does everything I need it too, and is sure to be sturdy, so who needs carbon fiber? I will see what I think after a season of using it. But can five pounds really be so much? I know, after carrying it for three hours, that�s 15 pound-hours, but it�s good exercise, right?
It�s the first full-size tripod that I have ever owned, so I can�t wait to use it. It�s pretty tough to photograph wildflowers without one.
I�ve already made up a bloom planner for all of the wildflowers that I have found growing on our property. There are about 200 or so thus far, and probably a few more I haven't noticed yet. I may not be able to photograph all of them satisfactorily in just one year, but I am going to try. During the spring and summer, there may be as many as 35 that I will need to photograph in the same month, which comes out to more than one per day. Of course I don�t really plan to be going into the field every single day, and if it�s windy, or in some cases sunny, that will also make things difficult. I guess I will be planning to get up early to catch the morning light, but that is a limited time too. I don�t know if it�s realistic or not to expect to photograph all of them in one year, but I guess it�s worth a try.
I just had to tell about my new tripod, so I�ll take you back to the little swamp next time (see my last post). Probably next week. Over and out.
Today I am going to blog about my photo Appalachian Brown. I took this shot earlier this year. July fifth at 4:55 in the afternoon, to be exact. I had taken a walk down to the woods. I say down to the woods because the house is on the top of a hill. To get to the wooded area at the edge of the property, you have to walk down the hill through a cow pasture.
At the edge of the woods is a manmade pond, into and out of which flows a small stream. There is a crossing beside the pond, directly at the edge of the woods. Behind the pond, is another even smaller stream, which backs up into the pond, creating a shallow pool and a small marshy area. Further up this becomes little more then a muddy bed a few feet wide. But right behind the pond at the edge of this small marshy area, grows, among other plants, several sedges.
I did not know it at the time, but this is the perfect micro habitat for Appalachian Brown (Satyrodes appalachia) butterflies . Their larvae feed on sedges, and the adults frequent wooded areas with standing or slow moving water.
But as I said, I did not know this until later, when I had identified the butterfly from my photos, and learned more about it from a field guide. So I was pleasantly surprised to find this one, in pristine condition, resting on the leaf of a Sweet Gum sapling which was growing by the edge of the marsh. The light was low, so I had to use my tripod. It took a little while, but for the most part the butterfly was cooperative, and I came away with one decent shot.
Because the light was low though, I had trouble gauging the exposure, and it turned out a little underexposed, so I had to lighten it up a bit.
Some people might pass this species off as just a little brown butterfly, but as you can see, they are beautifully patterned with eyespots and stripes. Next year I will be looking for more.
I find it amazing how fast this micro-habitat was colonized by the butterfly. It has only been in existence less than 10 years, and I am sure that the sedges probably didn�t grow for the first several seasons.
A few days after this I returned to the same vicinity, a small clearing on the other side of the swampy area. As I was walking at the edge of the clearing, I noticed something fluttering. And there was an Appalachian Brown butterfly perched on some weeds. It was probably the same individual, but it was somewhat badly worn. The edges of its wings were in tatters. Butterfly wings are very delicate and wear quickly. They cannot be regenerated either. That is probably one reason why most adult butterflies do not live very long, only a few weeks. Some may only live a few days, but I think some species in the tropics can survive for up to a year. But even if butterflies did have the ability to heal their wings, their diet, which is usually made up of nectar which is poor in protein, would not provide enough energy for them to anyway.
So it got me thinking, what about in the garden of Eden? I don�t believe that anything died until after the fall (when Adam and Eve sinned). So how did butterfly wings have the potential to last forever?
First, there wouldn�t be any predators, which probably do much of the damage. But it still seems obvious that butterflies would need the ability to regenerate their wings. I have not studied the particulars of butterfly wing anatomy, but I think that it is probable that they once had the ability to regenerate their wings. God created earth with a perfect climate and environments, so it is probable that plants were able to take in much more energy than they do today, because there was much more available. This increase in energy would in turn have been passed on to pollinators, and would enable butterflies to have enough energy to regenerate their wings. Also, because their wings would not become damaged as quickly, because there wouldn�t be any predators, they would have more time to gather and store that energy.
I theorize that butterflies later lost this ability, possibly through mutation, after the fall, or perhaps after the flood when the climate was dramatically altered. It is reasonable that this should happen, because any mutant would probably have a greater chance of survival/reproduction because all of its energies would be put into reproduction, while those individuals that did not have the mutation would probably not have the energy to reproduce, so the variety with un-regeneratable wings would perpetuate the mutation, while those having the ability to heal their wings would die out. Those which could heal their wings would also have less chance of survival because they would probably not have enough energy to escape from predators.
Anyway, it is an interesting thought, and when I see this photograph it often reminds me of how great it would be to live without the curse of sin.
In my next post I will probably talk about one part of the flora in the little swamp, but until then, happy holidays!
I have been wanting a blog so that I could blog about my photos. But for my first post I figured that I should talk a little about my approach to nature photography. Different people approach this in different ways, but I have a philosophy of nature photography that probably differs some from the average. As a Christian, I approach it from the perspective of creation being God's handiwork. When He created each creature He filled them with beauty. Today we are surrounded by this natural beauty, and my approach is to try to capture this beauty in my photographs. The way I see it, I am just portraying to the best of my ability the work of the Master Artist. I am simply an apprentice attempting to portray His works in a manner that captures as much of the beauty which He has placed there as possible. Now, the side affect of this is that because I am simply capturing the beauty of the Master Artist's work to the best of my ability with the tools He has given me, I don't get all the credit for the beauty in my photographs,God does. But on the other hand, I do take the blame for anything less-than-perfect.
Speaking of tools, (besides the natural artistic talent which God has given me) I use a Nikon D3100 camera. Nothing special about that or my two main lenses, and 18-55 mm and a 55-200 mm. I do lots of close-up photography with these two non-macro lenses. That brings us to one of the most important pieces of equipment which I use. If you didn't know, you might think it was just an ordinary filter. But its actually a Nikon 5T close-up diopter. If you don't know what that is (and I didn't a few years ago) it is an achromatic close-up diopter. That is, it is two elements of high-quality glass, which magnify, and which also shorten my maximum focusing distance to about 2'. The second of the two elements is a chromatic aberration correction element so that your photos are not distorted, meaning that they will be of much higher quality. I know from experience that this is a big advantage over holding a magnifying glass in front of your lens. Of course, that was with my old point-and-shoot. But it taught me a valuable lesson; the concept of a close-up diopter. The fact that the 5T screws on the front of your lens instead of you having to hold is also a powerful feature. If you want to take nice close-ups without cluttered backgrounds, with your current non-macro lenses, than I can testify that this is a great option. (Note that unfortunately Nikon does not make these any more, but you can buy them used like I did, or I think Canon and other manufacturers may make two-element close-up diopters too. Remember, make sure it is two-element or else your pictures will be of much lower quality).
I really like the way I can use this diopter to de-clutter the background and bring the focus to the beauty of the particular subject.
I also use a tripod of course, when it is short enough. The one that I have been using isn't full-sized, but I just bought one so that I would be ready in the spring. The one that I have been using goes down to about 8", but if you are a close-up nature photographer you probably realize that that will certainly not be adequately low in many situations. When the tripod won't go low enough, I just place the camera on the ground (on top of something, especially if I require a little height). That works great for me, but I have found that the best and most comfortable way to make a shot in that situation is to put myself flat on the ground too. That works well for me too, because I am skinny and when I lay flat on the ground, I am flat on the ground, and I actually enjoy it. Of course if you lay on the ground you may get dirty, wet, muddy, bitten by spiders, or attacked by ants. Just don't say I didn't warn you.
Generally I don't edit my photographs, except to occasionally fine tune the exposure. Again, my point is not to create a beautiful shot through manipulation, but to capture the beauty which God placed in creation. So, I try my best to take photographs that do not require correction of this sort. I am very much a 'perfectionist' and am extremely critical of art in general, and especially my own work. Being as critical as I am has its benefits, one of which is that if one uses it properly it can help one to greatly improve one's skill. But at times, one can also depress one's self with all of one's imperfect shots.
Anyway, I try to use it constructively, and have learned to consider it a gift.


On a visit to Sony's headquarters in Japan today First Minister Carwyn Jones announced the Welsh Government is supporting the development of a new Digital Media Content Management division at its site in Pencoed, which will lead to thirty new jobs.
The £1.1m investment in new digitisation technology at Sony UK Technology Centre (UKTEC) is supported by repayable finance from the Welsh Government which helped secure the project for Pencoed.
The new business takes advantage of the move from analogue to digital content and will convert customers' video and media content to a digital format to meet the global demand for content that can be published across a growing range of platforms.
The First Minister said: "Sony UKTEC, one of our anchor companies, makes a significant contribution to the Welsh economy and it's great news that it is expanding and diversifying and I am delighted that Welsh Government support helped secure this investment for Pencoed.
"It is yet another example of how the senior management team continues to bring new business to the facility, adding yet another string to its bow. The investment will introduce new technology to the site, extend its capability and create a new income stream while also providing opportunities for further growth.


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Tag Archives: Humana Inc.
How Much Money Are North Texas Health Plans Making?
The latest version of Allan Baumgarten's Texas Health Market Review came out this year, revealing enrollment, profit, and marketshare for Texas' Health Plans for 2017. Some plans appear to be raking in the cash, while others are losing millions of dollars. First, let's look at what the review says about insured rates in Texas, which has the greatest percentage of uninsured people in the nation. According to the report, Texas' uninsured rate decreased from 21.9 percent in 2013 to 17.3 percent in 2017, though it ticked up from 16.9 percent since 2015. Texas is one of 14 states that hasn't adopted… Full Story
Tenet and Humana Reach Agreement as Tenet Plans to Offshore More Than 1,000 Jobs
Dallas-based Tenet Healthcare Corporation and Humana Inc. signed a multi-year agreement to ensure Humana members will have in-network access to Tenet providers. The contract runs through May 2023. The deal follows a similar agreement between Tenet and Cigna signed shortly after the new year that followed months of negotiations. Founded in 1961 as a nursing home facility, Humana now has over 16 million medical plan members nationwide and had over $53 billion in revenue in 2017. The company also has 3.5 million Medicare Advantage members, 5 million Medicare prescription drug members. Tenet Healthcare operates 68 hospitals with 20,000 licensed beds, 21… Full Story
12/4/2012 by Steve Jacob	 Share Post
Humana Expands Relationship with Baylor and its New ACO
Humana's Medicare Advantage health plan members will have broad in-network access to services provided by Baylor Health Care System beginning Dec. 15, 2012, in a new deal struck between the two parties. The agreement covers inpatient, outpatient, and emergency services provided by Baylor in Dallas, Tarrant, Denton, and Ellis counties. Seniors and other eligible Medicare beneficiaries who enroll in a Humana Medicare Advantage HMO or PPO plan during the annual election period ending Dec. 7, 2012, will have in-network benefits during the 2013 plan year. Enrollees in Humana's other commercial and individual plans already have such access. According to a… Full Story
08/20/2012 by Ken Malcolmson	 Share Post
Why People Make Unhealthy Choices
Americans are constantly bombarded by health information. Television, magazines, the internet, and other media sources are full of information about the critical role that healthy behaviors play in preventing disease, improving quality of life, and reducing long-term healthcare costs. As a result, most people understand the crucial importance of regular exercise and healthy eating to long-term health. One would think that this abundance of data would yield a nation full of people who are in excellent shape and run little risk of developing conditions like diabetes, hypertension, or heart disease, says Laura Ten Eyck, Ph.D., a clinical outcomes expert with… Full Story

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


The women were kidnapped on Saturday when their car broke down on a road linking the Iraqi capital Baghdad to Erbil.
Two Philippine women abducted by unidentified gunmen in Iraq have been freed, the Diyala province police chief said on Sunday.
The women were travelling with three other nationals of the Philippines on Saturday when their car broke down on a road linking Baghdad to Erbil, the capital of Iraq's Kurdish region.
The two women got out of their car after it broke down. They were then kidnapped by unknown men who drove by in a yellow car, a military source said.
The identities, affiliation, and motivation of the kidnappers was not yet clear, the sources said on Saturday.
Security sources told Al Jazeera on Saturday that the driver of the car, an Iraqi national, was detained and placed under investigation after he filed a report at a police station in Diyala province.
There has been an increase in attacks and kidnappings by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL, also known as ISIS) group over the past few weeks near the area where the women were taken.
At least eight members of the security forces were kidnapped and later killed by fighters on the same highway last month.


There are a lot of military experts who have a vast knowledge of weapons, uniforms, and equipment and they do a marvelous job in supplying objects and information and we leave that to them.
Our collection of militaria and nauticalia is slightly different.
Here at Kim's Curiosity Shop we look for the more unusual pieces and source items of a slightly different nature. For instance, we search for things that may have been used at an earlier time or items of a more personal nature. We love a bit of mystery so, in some cases, we find an interesting looking object and then do the research into it without even knowing what it is, and we never know what we may find.
We have found that sourcing items in this way we often discover some really interesting pieces.
We currently have a lot of objects of this nature waiting to be researched, so check back regularly.
Items found and already researched include: trench art, compasses, handcuffs, manacles and shackles, telescopes, bomb detonator and key, militaria ephemera, nautical compasses, photographs, books, buttons, binoculars, medical equipment, badges, cigarette cases, snuff boxes, rings and much more.
Please contact us if there's anything we can help you with.


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South Dakota Politics
SDP focuses on national politics with a special emphasis on South Dakota. It also includes posts on philosophy, science and culture. SDP was founded by Jason Van Beek, who stopped blogging after becoming a staffer for Sen. John Thune (R-SD) and is currently operated by Ken Blanchard.
« May 21, 2006 - May 27, 2006 | Main | June 4, 2006 - June 10, 2006 »
Short Column on Short People and short changed justice
For myself and I expect for Professor Schaff. I will be attending to family matters, and the two of us will be teaching a course on Judicial Review. I will blog when I can, but it will be sporadic at best.
Meanwhile, here is my latest column from the Aberdeen American News. The left wing archies out there will perhaps note the disclaimer attached at the end.
Political Judgment not bigger than law
Victimological classification made a giant leap forward recently with the discovery of a group that has been long overlooked and downtrodden. According to the National Organization of Short Statured Adults, this group consists of men 5 feet 7 inches or shorter and women no taller than 5 feet 2 inches.
It does occur to me that this runs afoul of equal opportunity laws, since it makes it harder for women to join up. Anyway, being somewhat shy of 5 and a half feet tall myself, I can pass under the men's line without stooping.
This means I am now in the position of writers like Leonard Pitts, who are offended when their own group identity is associated with, or worse, used as an excuse for criminal behavior. That's what all the altitudinally challenged suffered when Richard Thompson (5-foot-1) was sentenced by Judge Kristine Cecava (stature unknown) to 10 years probation instead of 10 years in the slammer for sexually assaulting a child.
Judge Cecava's injudicious reasoning was that Thompson was too short to survive in prison. This scarcely measures up to an argument. Short persons are more likely to survive in brutal environments, for the simple reason that they are less tempted to fight and can more easily find a place to hide.
More disturbing than her explicit reasoning is the unspoken assumption: that a man who commits a heinous crime should be given a pass merely because he can somehow be defined as a victim.
That should not have caught us by surprise. Earlier this year, in Howard Dean's own Vermont wonderland, Judge Edward Cashman sentenced a child rapist to a mere 60 days in prison. Mark Hulett, an adult of unspecified stature, abused a girl from the time she was 6 until she was 10 years old. The minimum sentence for this sort of thing, even in Vermont, is three years. But he refused to follow the law because the state does not guarantee "quick and effective treatment" for such offenders.
His reasoning is as stunted as Cecava's. In the first place, it is not at all clear that any effective treatment exists for pederasty. Secondly, it is perverse to claim that Hulett qualifies for special state benefits precisely because he raped a child. It reminds one of the fellow who was convicted of murdering his parents, and then begged the judge: "Be merciful to me, your honor, on account of I'm an orphan."
Both judges display a deep confusion about legal and moral responsibility. Some persons commit crimes of violence in part due to behavioral inclinations for which they are not responsible.
It is entirely possible that many, or even most, drunk drivers were born with biological susceptibility to alcoholism. The same may be true of pederasts. Perhaps a strong sexual attraction to children developed in some persons as naturally as cystic fibrosis does in others. But so long as a person is capable of distinguishing right from wrong, he is as accountable for his actions as any sane person. This should be true no matter how tall the offender or how stingy the state.
The bigger problem with our two judicial luminaries is that they presume to legislate social policy from the bench.
Judge Cecava thinks that the more vulnerable inmates should be housed apart. She has a right to that opinion, though if we take it seriously we would have to segregate prisons into wings of equal sparring partners. Perhaps psychology would also have to be taken into account. Maybe the size of the dog in the fight matters less in prison than the size of the fight in the dog. And maybe Judge Cecava made such a stupid decision not because she is stupid, but because Legislatures and not judges are qualified to address such issues.
Judge Cashman believes in rehabilitation rather than punishment. But Congress and the state Legislatures have had that out, and they decided to treat criminals as responsible adults rather than as patients in a clinic. Perhaps Cashman looks like a moron not because he is one, but because he thought that his own political judgment was bigger than the law.
Kenneth C. Blanchard Jr., is a professor of political science at Northern State University. His columns appears occasionally in the American News. Write to him at the American News, P.O. Box 4430, Aberdeen, SD 57402, or e-mail [email protected]. The views presented are those of the author and do not represent those of Northern State University.
Posted by K. Blanchard on Saturday, June 03, 2006 at 10:29 PM | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
McGovern
Robert Novak:
Former Sen. George McGovern, the liberal 1972 nominee for president who was avoided by South Dakota Democrats running for Congress in 2004, returns to center stage in a Washington fund-raiser for the state party this week.
Sen. Tim Johnson and Rep. Stephanie Herseth have sent an invitation to Washington lobbyists asking them to contribute up to $5,000 apiece "to attend a reception to honor" McGovern. The event will be held Tuesday at Democratic National Committee headquarters on Capitol Hill.
Johnson was narrowly re-elected in 2002 with just over 50 percent in heavily Republican South Dakota. Herseth won in 2004 with 53 percent.
Posted by Jason Heppler on Saturday, June 03, 2006 at 12:45 PM | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
Typepad Issue Resolved
Thanks to the excellent Typepad support desk, we've fixed our permalinks issue.
Iraq Syndrom
Daniel Henninger in the Wall Street Journal:
The Vietnam Syndrome, a loss of confidence in the efficacy of American military engagement, was mainly a failure of U.S. elites. But it's different this time. This presidency has been steadfast in war. No matter. In a piece this week on the White House's efforts to rally the nation to the idea of defeating terrorism abroad to thwart another attack on the U.S., the AP's Nedra Pickler wrote: "But that hasn't kept the violence and unrest out of the headlines every day." This time the despondency looks to be penetrating the general population. And the issue isn't just body counts; it's more than that.
The missions in Iraq and Afghanistan grew from the moral outrage of September 11. U.S. troops, the best this country has yet produced, went overseas to defend us against repeating that day. Now it isn't just that the war on terror has proven hard; the men and women fighting for us, the magnificent 99%, are being soiled in a repetitive, public way that is unbearable.
The greatest danger at this moment is that the American public will decide it wants to pull back because it has concluded that when the U.S. goes in, it always gets hung out to dry.
Two major military reports will come out soon on the Haditha incident, and no one will gainsay justice if that is required. But the atmosphere around this event is going to get uncontrollably manic, and that will feed the dark, inward-turning sentiments already poisoning the country's mood over issues like the immigration debate.
Good for Democrats? Don't count on it. After this, the public appetite for a Democratic president's "humanitarian" military intervention in a Darfur or East Timor will be close to zero.
One suspects that U.S. troops were party to some awful events in the Pacific and European theaters of World War II, all gone in the mists of history and the enemy's defeat. Not now. Gen. Chiarelli's magnificent "99.9%" notwithstanding, it's the phenomenon of the so-very-public 0.01%--at Abu Ghraib, on an Afghan street, at Haditha--that is breaking America's will this time.
Ed Morrissey writes:
Other nations, notably Australia, has repeatedly warned of this dynamic. They have argued that the world needs an engaged US, simply because no one else has the resources necessary to handle nuclear proliferators and out-of-control despots. The UN has already abandoned the US once in this war, and the question will be, as Henninger points out, whether we will be inclined to assist them when they call the next time. Will we bother to go to Darfur or East Timor when no one would recognize the effort anyway, and would probably look for ways to discredit it? Would we trust ourselves to do it right when the press seems hell-bent on magnifying the actions of the few who may or may not have committed war crimes?
Hopefully, the answer would be yes, regardless of the anklebiters on the world stage. However, as we slowly lose the will to fight for ourselves, fighting for others will certainly not rejuvenate it. Through a continual focus on what less than 0.01% of our troops have done wrong, the nation appears ready to give up on the 99.9% of our men and women who perform magnificently in their country's service. That confidence will take another generation to recover, and when we do, we may find our enemies have multiplied -- as they did the last time.
Posted by Jason Heppler on Saturday, June 03, 2006 at 09:52 AM | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
Left Wing Archie Bunkers at CCK
Chad at CCK and I have had generally cordial, though occasionally very bumpy, relations. For the most part we have paid each other some degree of respect. I used to recommend CCK as a good and responsible Democratic blog. Its getting harder and harder to do that. I find this note recently:
Does anyone really believe that anyone other than the Thune office is in charge of that South Dakota Politics blog?
You'd think they would at least make it less obvious.
South Dakota Politics is produced by a number of independent bloggers. All of us, I dare say, are conservative Republicans. We are obviously fond of expressing our opinions, and we freely do so on all occasions without asking leave of anyone. No one, and certainly no office, is in charge here. No one tells me what to post or what not to post. Apart from the occasional e-mail from Lauck, which I always ignore, I have no contact of any kind with the Thune organization.
I would note that, unlike the folks at CCK, we here at SDP actually think for ourselves. As a consequence, our blog represents some degree of diversity. I am in favor of hate crimes legislation, and I am not opposed to gay marriage. Professor Schaff, I believe, disagrees. But he presents measured and thoughtful arguments on behalf of positions that many if not most American believe in. CCK is entitled, and indeed we have always invited them to disagree. But they apparently believe that such voices should be shut down. Again from Chad:
It's amazing we have people like this teaching our kids at what is otherwise a respected institution.
Chad believes that persons who agree with most Americans on the issue of gay marriage should not be allowed to teach at public universities. He has become a left-wing Archie Bunker.
Posted by K. Blanchard on Friday, June 02, 2006 at 11:16 PM | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
Blanco to Sign Abortion Ban
It seems to be catching on. From the New York Times:
Gov. Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, a Democrat, said that she would sign a near-total ban on abortion — without exceptions for rape or incest victims — that is nearing final legislative passage. The measure awaits one final approval by the Senate to changes by the House before it reaches Ms. Blanco's desk. It would allow abortion only in cases where the woman's life is in danger or when childbirth would permanently harm her health. The bill could only go into effect if the United States Supreme Court overturns its Roe v. Wade decision.
Posted by Jason Heppler on Friday, June 02, 2006 at 10:42 AM | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
Herseth Supports Pelosi
The Hill:
When asked, Democratic Reps. Sanford Bishop (Ga.), Darlene Hooley (Ore.), Dennis Cardoza (Calif.), Mike Ross (Ark.), Tim Bishop (N.Y.), Henry Cuellar (Texas), Bob Etheridge (N.C.), John Spratt (S.C.), Stephanie Herseth (S.D.), Alan Mollohan (W. Va.), Nick Rahall (W.Va.) and Rick Boucher (Va.) all said they would support Pelosi for Speaker.
POTUS Daschle Watch
Iowa Politics:
The former U.S. Senate Democratic leader may have lost the last election he ran in 2004, but he may not be ready to throw in his political towel.
Tom Daschle of South Dakota has made several visits to Iowa in the past year, and is scheduling another visit in June. He is also planning a trip next month to New Hampshire.
Daschle was defeated in November 2004 by John Thune. The three-term senator wants to gauge the presidential waters in the coming weeks by campaigning for state legislators.
Putting the Democrats on the Couch
Michael Hirsh, writing for MSNBC has some self-help pep talk for the Democrats. You'd think they wouldn't need it, Bush being about as popular as a moldy sour cream at the back of the refrigerator. Well, that's Hirsh's point.
A good therapist, we know, can sometimes help a person who's lost his confidence or mental balance. But what do you do when an entire party needs therapy?
You'd think the Republicans would be the ones in need of professional help. This is a party burdened with a president so unpopular he barely has a base to stand on—Bush seems to be bypassing the lame-duck stage and heading straight for dead duck—a Vietnam-scale quagmire in Iraq and a post-Katrina rot of incompetence and corruption that is infecting the very foundations of the presidency and the GOP's control of Congress. Not surprisingly, the Republicans are at each others' throats over this loss of prestige and popularity. Neoconservatives and traditionalists are fighting bitterly over foreign policy. Moderates and conservatives are battling over immigration and deficits. And when the maverick John McCain declares his candidacy for 2008 sometime in the next year, the Republicans will be shrieking at each other in public over abortion and other social issues.
But at least the GOP is engaged in a war over real policy choices. It is an emotional debate, often a hysterical and ill-informed one, but it is a fight among adults who know what they believe in and who have the guts to battle for it. By contrast the Democrats, ostensibly the party poised to exploit this GOP civil war, don't seem to remember what it is like to behave as adults. They resemble nothing so much as ill-adjusted adolescents, afraid of their own shadows, much less the presidency. What are they afraid of? Themselves, essentially: their past, their own left, the populist rhetoric of their leaders (Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid, Howard Dean, Al Gore), the left-wing loony stigma represented by "Fahrenheit 9/11" filmmaker Michael Moore (every Dem's favorite bugaboo). Above all they fear seeming and looking soft. They are all afflicted with varying degrees of megalophobia, a fear of assuming power. Even Dr. Melfi of "The Sopranos" wouldn't take this case.
When a party has been out of power for a spell, there will always be a debate over whether the party has been too loyal to its basic principles, or now loyal enough. Hirsh, who claims to belong to neither party, urges the Democrats toward the former position. If only the Democrats were more bold!
But what if the problem lies deeper. Harry Truman once said that if you laid all the economists in the world end to end, they still wouldn't reach a conclusion. Maybe if you laid all the contents of the Democratic heart in piles, sorted according to issues, you be able to assemble a single policy. The Democrats think it deplorable that so many Americans lack health insurance. Fine. But does anyone really believe that we are about to institute Canadian style health care in America? Ask Hillary Clinton. And if not that, then what is the solution? If the party of the Ass has been working on that, its a big secret.
The closest thing to policy that the Democrats have been capable of generating for the last several decades is to preserve the achievements of the sixties and seventies. That's not a very forward looking perspective for a progressive party.
Posted by K. Blanchard on Friday, June 02, 2006 at 12:32 AM | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
Slate: Grunt and Grumble: Why do men in the country talk that way?
Posted by Jason Heppler on Thursday, June 01, 2006 at 11:58 AM | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
Argus Poll
The Argus Leader was running a poll on their website asking "Should the abortion ban be repealed?" that generated interesting results. As of 6:47 this morning, the results have 44.3% saying yes, 55.7% saying no, after 15,713 votes.
More on historical memory, this time from the Rapid City Journal who reports on the Crazy Horse Ride meant to honor the war leader. Excerpt:
About 200 horses and riders are expected to participate in the ninth annual Crazy Horse Ride from Fort Robinson, Neb., to Pine Ridge from June 5-8.
The ride is to honor veterans, according to organizer Charles "Bamm" Brewer.
The ride begins on Monday, June 5, at Fort Robinson, Neb., where Lakota leader Crazy Horse was killed in 1877, and ends Thursday, June 8, at the powwow grounds in Pine Ridge for the start of the Veterans Powwow. The powwow will run through Sunday, June 11.
The ride begins at Fort Robinson, Brewer said, in honor of Crazy Horse. "Crazy Horse rode into Fort Robinson; he never got to ride out of there," he said. "We're going to ride out of there for Crazy Horse in honor of all veterans, the only warriors who come close to Crazy Horse."
The same thing happened with Wounded Knee in the 1980s with the beginning of the Big Foot Memorial Ride, which followed the path Chief Big Foot and his band of Minneconjou took to Wounded Knee in 1890.
Rapid City Journal:
Secretary of the Army Francis Harvey is recommending that the nation's highest commendation be given to North Dakota's most decorated veteran.
If the medal of honor is awarded to the late Woodrow Wilson Keeble, he would be the first Sioux Indian to receive it, his family says.
Keeble was born in Waubay, S.D., and was a member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux Tribe.
Harvey said in a letter to Sen. Tim Johnson, D-S.D., Wednesday that he will recommend the medal be awarded to Keeble, who died in 1982.
"After giving this request my careful and personal consideration, it is my recommendation that the award of the Medal of Honor is the appropriate award to recognize Master Sergeant Woodrow W. Keeble's gallant acts," Harvey said in the letter. "This brave soldier clearly distinguished himself though his courageous actions."
Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld and President Bush still must approve the medal.
"What we've seen in the past is when the secretary (of the Army) makes a recommendation, that it then flows quite smoothly," said Sen. Kent Conrad, D-N.D.
Numbskullery by John Stossel
Whom I usually agree with. But he makes this tired complaint against the Congressional Record:
Every night that Congress is in session, stenographers take down every historic word and ship them off to the Government Printing Office. The printing office stays open all night to be sure the official record will be on every member's desk by the following morning. That sounds important.

But the Record isn't a record of what was said in Congress -- the politicians wouldn't subject themselves to that. The Record is a record of what the members want you to think they said.
That's fraud, twice over. It's a fraud on the public, which believes the millions Congress spends on the Record are spent to document what actually happens in Congress. And it's a fraud on those of you who think your congressman talked about you.
This is a very old and familiar indictment. Both the left and the right frequently trot it out. But its unfair and irrelevant. When a person's words are recorded and then set to print, he is usually allowed the opportunity to correct them. This is perfectly reasonable. When someone is typing out an article, he has plenty of time to proof and edit. When he is speaking live he may easily say something that does not reflect his actual opinions on the subject. So it is in accord with nearly universal practice that Senators and Representatives can correct their remarks.
Of course one may argue that Congress abuses the priviledge, adding massive amounts of material that was never spoken there. This is true. It is also true that much is entered with no pretense that it was spoken (documents and articles for example). What is important is that anyone who is reasonably informed (and who else ever reads the Congressional Record?) knows this in advance. Its like buying a two-by-four: you need to know that the board is not really two by four inches in dimension.
The Congressional Record is a very rich source of material. It tells you exactly what your Congressman thinks you want to hear, and what he thinks might persuade you. If you want to know exactly what was said, sit in the gallery.
Posted by K. Blanchard on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 at 11:26 PM | Permalink | TrackBack (1)
John Hinderacker: How Bad Is Iraq?
Posted by Jason Heppler on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 at 09:06 PM | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
New York Post:
A double-amputee Iraq-war vet is suing Michael Moore for $85 million, claiming the portly peacenik recycled an old interview and used it out of context to make him appear anti-war in "Fahrenheit 9/11."
Sgt. Peter Damon, 33, who strongly supports America's invasion of Iraq, said he never agreed to be in the 2004 movie, which trashes President Bush.
In the 2003 interview, which he did at Walter Reed Army Hospital for NBC News, he discussed only a new painkiller the military was using on wounded vets.
"They took the clip because it was a gut-wrenching scene," Damon said yesterday. "They sandwiched it in. [Moore] was using me as ammunition."
Herseth
Rep. Herseth: 'From bookworm to bombshell'
From the moment she arrived on Capitol Hill, Rep. Stephanie Herseth (D-S.D.) turned heads, but in the past two weeks she has gone from a first lady Laura Bush librarian type to a glam Hollywood starlet with reddish blond highlights and choppy layers that frame her face.
"You can't even recognize her," a Capitol employee noted.
Uh oh. Does this mean she's going to pull a Rep. Cynthia McKinney (D-Ga.) and go unrecognized by Capitol Police? Well, not really. But the employee explained, "She has a new look. I think it's a great change, from bookworm to bombshell."
More Abortion News
Updating Jason's post (sorry, I see our permalinks are still not working) the Oglala Sioux tribal council has voted to ban all abortions and suspend President Cecilia Fire Thunder.
The Oglala Sioux tribal council banned all abortions on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and suspended President Cecelia Fire Thunder on Tuesday, charging that she solicited donations on behalf of the tribe for a proposed abortion clinic without the council's approval.
"It was unauthorized political activity," said Will Peters, a tribal council representative from the Pine Ridge district. "It's just a matter of failing to communicate not only with the governing body but with the people that she was elected to serve."
Posted by Jon Schaff on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 at 09:16 AM | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
Safe, Legal and Rare?
Here is a myth that abortion supporters continue to perpetuate: Abortion is a necessary tool for poor and/or disadvantaged women who are not capable of taking care of the children that they carry inside them. The truth is that most abortions are by older (between 30-40) middle-class white women. So contrary to popular belief, abortions are rarely the domain of scared 15 year-olds for whom this is the only "good" option (ignoring, of course, the option of adoption, which is an even better option because it rhymes). The vast majority of abortions are by older middle-class white women for the purpose of birth control. And as we see in this depressing story, in the UK babies are routinely aborted for the most minor birth defects.
Late terminations have been performed in recent years because the babies had club feet, official figures show.
Other babies were destroyed because they had webbed fingers or extra digits.
Such defects can often be corrected with a simple operation or physiotherapy.
The revelation sparked fears that abortion is increasingly being used to satisfy couples' desire for the 'perfect' baby.
A leading doctor said people were right to be 'totally shocked' that abortions were being carried out for such conditions.
Campaigners warned we are turning into a society that can no longer tolerate imperfection. Doctors were recently told they can now screen IVF embryos to try to weed out inherited cancers.
This is the result when we adopt (forgive the language) the disturbing innovation that private individuals have the right to use lethal force under the right circumstances. Where do we go from here?
In a remarkable piece on immigration, Harvard law professor Mary Ann Glendon has this nugget for those whose only standard of morality is "consensual adults."
Those same years, to be sure, saw impressive advances for many women and members of minority groups. But not all the innovations represented progress. Some tended to undermine the cultural foundations on which free, just, and egalitarian societies depend. For example, the notion gained wide acceptance that behavior in the highly personal areas of sex and marriage is of no concern to anyone other than the "consenting adults" involved. With the passage of time, however, it has become obvious that the actions of private individuals in the aggregate exert a profound influence on other individuals and on society as a whole. In fact, when enough individuals behave primarily with regard to their own self-fulfillment, the entire culture is transformed. Affluent Western nations have been engaged in a massive social experiment--an experiment that brought new opportunities and liberties to many adults but that has put mothers, children, and dependents generally at considerable risk.
The family breakdown has had ripple effects on all the social structures that traditionally depended on families for their support and that in turn served as resources for families in times of stress from schools, neighborhoods, and religious groups to local governments and workplace associations. The law has changed rapidly too, becoming less an element of stability and more of an arena for struggles among competing ideas about individual liberty, equality between men and women, human sexuality, marriage, and family life.
As they say, read the whole thing.
Joe K On Marriage
Joe Knippenberg has wise words for anyone interested in South Dakota's Amendment C or the federal Marriage Protection Amendment. In related news, Howard Dean would fit right in with the South Dakota left-wing blogosphere.
Fire Thunder
The Oglala Sioux tribal council is taking action against tribal president Cecelia Fire Thunder for proposing abortion clinics on Pine Ridge. Argus Leader excerpt:
Peters made a motion to suspend Fire Thunder indefinitely, and when that failed, voted to suspend her for 20 days until an impeachment hearing could take place. That motion passed.
UPDATE: I am told the vote was 16-0.
Posted by Jason Heppler on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 at 06:46 AM | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
Vote for the Great American Novel
Powerline is having a ballot for the best American novel. I voted for All The King's Men, by Robert Penn Warren, for the simple reason that I have read the novel and it left an indellible impression on me. So far, 3.2% of the voters have agreed with me. Go here to vote: Powerline News .
Posted by K. Blanchard on Wednesday, May 31, 2006 at 01:50 AM | Permalink | TrackBack (1)
Immigration Politics and the Failure of the Republican Majority
I have argued that the solution to the problem of illegal immigration ought to include two things: 1) the borders must be brought under control, not so that immigration should be halted, but so that it should be reduced to manageable levels; and 2) that the illegal population in the U.S. should be put on a reasonable path to legalization. I submit that, were both these things accomplished, almost all the problems connected with illegal immigration would be remedied.
Its becoming increasingly clear that the Senate bill would do too little of the former, and would be far too generous with regard to the latter. Robert Samuelson has this, from Real Clear Politics:
The Senate last week passed legislation that Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., hailed as ``the most far-reaching immigration reform in our history.'' You might think that the first question anyone would ask is how much it would actually increase or decrease legal immigration. But no. After the Senate approved the bill by 62 to 36, you could not find the answer in the news columns of The Washington Post, New York Times or Wall Street Journal. Yet, the estimates do exist and are fairly startling. By rough projections, the Senate bill would double the legal immigration that would occur during the next two decades from about 20 million (under present law) to about 40 million.
Samuelson notes the political weight of this estimate:
It is interesting to contrast these immigration projections with a recent opinion survey done by the Pew Research Center. The poll asked whether the present level of legal immigration should be changed. The response: 40 percent favored a decrease, 37 would hold it steady and 17 percent wanted an increase. There seems to be scant support for a doubling. If the large immigration projections had been in the news, would the Senate have done what it did? Possibly, though I doubt it.
Samuelson does not note other provisions of the bill, such as providing for immigrants to be paid union wages, thus putting them in a position better than many native born workers. Such was necessary to secure Democratic support.
It seems very unlikely that anything like the Senate bill will pass the House. Perhaps in conference there will be some sensible compromise, but at this stage I wouldn't count on it.
The Democrats hold very good cards. The swelling illegal population promises future Democratic voters, and a failed attempt by the Republicans to control immigration is likely to alienate Hispanic voters while at the same time discouraging the Republican base. If the Republicans can't solve the immigration problem, then it can't be solved. Right now, it looks like they can't.
If I've Said It Once I've Said It A Thousand Times
Don't do heroin in Detroit.
Posted by Jon Schaff on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 at 11:34 PM | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
Immigration Debate
Real Clear Politics writer John McIntyre:
There is a quiet rage building among average middle class folks on the illegal immigration issue, and if the Republican leadership doesn't take control of the problem very soon they will allow the more extremist wings of the anti-immigration debate to become the face of the Republican party on immigration. That would be a disaster for GOP hopes to grow their new found majority in the years to come.
The surprise that is building politically is how strongly illegal immigration will manifest itself in the fall elections. Contrary to the early conventional wisdom that the huge immigration rallies would galvanize Congress to pass some kind of "comprehensive reform" along the lines of the Senate bill, the reality is that House Republicans with their enforcement-first approach are poised to reap substantial benefits by killing the Senate's reprise of Simpson-Mazzoli.
Republicans should understand that if there is a signing ceremony with President Bush, John McCain and Ted Kennedy on a compromise immigration bill that the Washington Post and New York Times praise, the GOP can kiss control of Congress good-bye.
The inimitable John Fund also has some observations: "So far, the White House and Republican National Committee are behind the curve."
Posted by Jason Heppler on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 at 08:28 PM | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
Harry Reid: Following the Path of Daschle
Chuck Todd of The Hotline:
Meet Harry Daschle?
It was only a matter of time that the perils of being in the nat'l party leadership would starting taking its toll on Harry Reid back home in NV. His job rating is under 50%, according to a new Research 2000 poll, conducted for the Reno Gazette Journal and KRNV-TV. Some more highlights:
-- 48% of Nevadans approve of the job Reid's doing compared to 41% disapprove. OK, not horrible. But these are the best numbers in this poll.
-- The pollster added this question: "Do the Democrats under Harry Reid's leadership have a workable agenda, or not?" 35% of state voters answered "yes" and 43% said "no," including 40% of indies. This means there are a chunk of NV voters who approve of the job Reid's doing as a senator but don't think he's helped the party develop a "workable agenda."
-- And then there's this question: "Does Harry Reid possess the leadership qualities to guide the Democrats to gain control of the Senate in 2006." 36% said "yes" and 46% said "no," including 20% of Dems and 44% of indies. Now, it's possible some of these Dems who don't view Reid as having the right "leadership qualities" could be simply pessimistic about the nat'l party's chances. Still, it's a result that has to be somewhat depressing to Reid partisans.
Poll numbers like this put Reid in a box. While he may be doing things that the nat'l party desperately needs done (i.e., make Senate GOPers look like they can't govern), his reputation with home-state voters as a middle-of-the-road Red-state Dem is eroding. If this storyline seems familiar, it is. It's exactly what happened to Tom Daschle. There's no perfect answer. For Reid, becoming majority leader might actually help change the minds of some NV voters who will start enjoying the fruits of Reid's power. It's not easy being a party leader who represents a swing state because by nature of the leadership position, you look partisan. And in some of these states, partisanship doesn't sit well with swing voters. If Reid's tenure as Senate Dem leader ends the same way Daschle's tenure does, it could mean that a "red state" Dem won't be picked as leader for a long time. Being personally safe politically may become a necessary job requirement.
Dem Group Approves of Abortion Ban
Dakota Voice:
Democrats For Life of America (DFLA) commended the South Dakota legislature today for recently approving a bill that will prohibit abortion in their state.
DFLA noted that support from pro-life Democrats was critical to the ultimate passage of the bill.
The legislation would not have passed without the support of pro-life Democrats. There were as many Democrats voting for the bill as Republicans voting against.
"Pro-life Democrats in South Dakota saved the day on this bill. There were just as many Democrats who voted for this legislation as there were Republicans voting against it. So when it comes to protecting the unborn, pro-life Democrats stepped in and gave the voiceless, a voice in South Dakota" said Kristen Day, Executive Director of Democrats For Life.
While the ground breaking legislation passed both chambers of the South Dakota legislature, it was a pro-life Democratic Senator, Julie Bartling, who introduced the legislation in the Senate. On the House side, one-third of House Democrats, including 3 Democratic women, sponsored the House version.
This AP story discusses Senator Mark Dayton of Minnesota:
Asked to describe his attitude in his last few months in office, Sen. Mark Dayton cited a line from the 1960s song "Me and Bobby McGee." "Freedom's just another word for nothing left to lose," he says.
The first-term Minnesota Democrat is not seeking re-election and, these days, sounds very much like a politician with little to lose.
In February, upset about a plan by a South Dakota railroad to run coal trains close to the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Dayton said the clinic "is worth a hell of a lot more than the whole state of South Dakota."
He later apologized for the remark.
The following month, he called fellow Democratic Sen. Russ Feingold's proposal to censure President Bush over a warrantless surveillance program "an overreaching step by someone who is grandstanding and running for president at the expense of his own party and his own country."
Dayton did not apologize for that.
He even told a Minnesota high school group he'd give himself an "F" if he had to grade his accomplishments in the Senate.
Poll Monkey:
"Politics1 Poll: PICK THE HOTTEST WOMAN IN POLITICS": #1: Congresswoman Marsha Blackburn, 28%; #2: Congresswoman Stephanie Herseth, 22%
Indian Voting
Last week some national liberal group released a report attacking South Dakota as hostile to Indian voting, making the state sound like 1950s Mississippi. Today's Argus Leader editorial calls that "hogwash." Excerpt:
A civil rights report released last week blasts South Dakota for a climate of discrimination, racial hostility and unfair treatment of Native Americans. It calls the state a "hotbed of voting rights litigation."
We have problems, but that's just over the top.
The report, commissioned by the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights in Washington, D.C., a national coalition of civil rights organizations, was timed to coincide with congressional review of the Voting Rights Act of 1965. One provision requires federal approval of state laws and regulations governing voting in areas with a history of discrimination. Shannon and Todd counties of the Pine Ridge reservation are on the list. South Dakota ignored this provision from 1975 to 2003.
South Dakota's record has been checkered. After all, we're home to Wounded Knee. And it wasn't until 1951 that South Dakota allowed Native Americans to vote.
But to paint South Dakota as a place of widespread racism today, where county auditors and poll workers look for ways to discriminate against Native Americans, where lawmakers secretly connive methods to make it more difficult for Native people to vote, is hogwash.
Amazingly, what they do not mention is that Tom Daschle was pushing the report that attacked his home state. Argus Leader excerpt:
Former Sen. Tom Daschle is scheduled to help unveil a report today criticizing enforcement of Native American voting rights in South Dakota, prompting political opponents and observers to speculate about his motives.
The report, "Voting Rights in South Dakota 1982-2006," documents the state's "rocky voting rights record," according to a news release from the Washington-based Leadership Conference on Civil Rights. The release did not detail Daschle's role in the report, and attempts to contact him Tuesday were unsuccessful.
Another Brick For The Wall
From the Rocky Mountain News:
Sometimes, mail call hits Congress like a ton of bricks - literally.
One by one, opponents of illegal immigration have been sending lawmakers real, red bricks with angry messages written on the side: "Build a wall. Deport them all."
While hundreds of thousands of activists took to the streets Monday, lawmakers in Washington dealt with an increase in mail from supporters of a get-tough approach to illegal immigration.
One letter, which was wrapped around a brick and mailed to [Senator Wayne Allard (R-Co.)], says: "I can't take a day off from work to go stand in the street and protest all day long like an illegal immigrant. But I did have time to send you this brick so that you could get started building a wall between the U.S. and Mexico."
Is this the opposite of making your point with a sledgehammer?
Posted by Eric Rodawig on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 at 05:05 PM | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
A brief article on Wiese and Billion, and then another piece on Wiese's plans for education. I note that Wiese disapproves of Gov. Rounds's plan to give laptops to students.
Posted by Jon Schaff on Tuesday, May 30, 2006 at 08:28 AM | Permalink | TrackBack (1)
Good Hands on SF Steering Wheels
From the Fort Worth Star-Telegram:
Sioux Falls, S.D., is the safest city for driving in America, according to an Allstate survey of 200 cities. Residents there crash an average of once every 14.3 years.
Of course, it helps that Sioux Falls is home to only about 123,000 people. North Texas has freeways that carry that many people before lunch.
Tarrant County cities didn't fare well in the survey. Fort Worth ranked 130th, with an average of one crash every 8.6 years, and Arlington was even worse, in 169th place with a crash every 7.9 years.
So, if you're tired of fearing for your life every time you get behind the wheel, or paying through the nose for car insurance, take comfort in knowing that there's always Sioux Falls. But let's not all move up there at once, lest the city tumble from the top of the list.
Posted by Eric Rodawig on Monday, May 29, 2006 at 11:26 PM | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
Here Come the TV Ads on Abortion
Sibby on Mount Blogmore's disclosure of new abortion ads:
Looks like Focus South Dakota has decided to continue the distort[ions] they have become well known for. They claim to be a South Dakota organization, but I have already disclosed their out of state funding. Now they have the DC based Kossack [and Dean supporter] representing Focus South Dakota as they paint others as extremists promoting ads that most found extreme and over the top.
Posted by Jason Heppler on Monday, May 29, 2006 at 11:16 PM | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
Power Line: "I don't know about you, but we need a break from poltics [sic]. So, in anticipation of time at the beach, in the hammock or on the dock, we thought it would be fun to see what our readers consider to be the best American novels ever written." You can find the poll at Power Line News. Head over and vote!
Bill Harlan over at Mount Blogmore has a collection of photos from the wreath laying at the Black Hills National Cemetary.
Memory and Memorials
I'm very interested in memory and remembrance, specifically as it applies to history and the formation of an historical consciousness. In April, I presented a paper at the Dakota History Conference at Augustana analyzing the memory behind the massacre at Wounded Knee and the use of that memory by the Indian activists of the American Indian Movement. That presentation is being expanded into an article I will publish in South Dakota History. Anyways, generally speaking, "historical memory" refers to the ways in which a society or people collectively remembers its past, reflecting the "understanding that a specific group of people shares about past events which this group perceives as having shaped its current economic, cultural, social, and political status and identity."[1] Depictions of the past play a crucial role in our contemporary world through public memorials, films, museums, theme parks, and memorialization practices. On this day of remembrance, Paul Richard of the Washington Post has an article entitled "Now, Memory Fails Us," which examines the rise and fall of memorials in Washington, D.C. Excerpt:
Remember, tomorrow's Memorial Day. That's what it's for, remembering.
The holiday's gone blurry. Now it's mostly fun (ballgames, setting up the barbecue, another day off work), but it used to be for focused recollections of the dead.
Not the dead in general, the dead in sharp particular. Half a million soldiers had died in the Civil War. When the rites were first observed in 1866, there were plenty to recall.
Each spring at the end of May, their graves were strewn with flowers, their faces brought to mind. This was deeply serious business. The fallen mustn't be forgotten. We used words like "the fallen" then. That seriousness bred art. That art would shape the country's look, and Washington's especially. Vast amounts of money, artistry and effort would be expended on its making. The beauty of the art would illumine its high purpose -- to immortalize remembrance. Strewn flowers weren't enough. The fallen would be given stone-and-metal monuments impervious to time.
Washington is filled with them. If you want to get Memorial Day, look around at the memorials. They're victors' monuments. They put generals on pedestals, and dead presidents above them. Washington's memorials share a certain style. Their statues aren't just portraits, though they're often that, as well; they're personified ideals. Their bronze laurel wreaths and eagles, and Greco-Roman lions, say: The past approves of us. They're insistently high-minded, august.
They represent an art movement, now dead. For a long time their architects and artists, their stone-carvers and bronze-founders got better and better. For a long time their elevated style got nobler and nobler. Then, suddenly, it died.
It died a poignant death -- at the peak of its accomplishment, just when it got great. We know the date exactly. Memorial sculpture's greatness left Washington forever on the 30th of May, Memorial Day, 1922.
Check out the whole article.
[1] Eric Davis, "The New Iraq: The Uses of Historical Memory" Journal of Democracy, 16:3 (July 2005): 54-68.
Harold Thune Remembers
A nice story in the Rapid City Journal.
Posted by Jon Schaff on Monday, May 29, 2006 at 11:10 AM | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
Memorial Day Thoughts
Good ones from Ben Stein and Chris Hitchens. I think this one is the most relevant to our current situation. Joe Knippenberg links to this music from We Were Soldiers.
Yesterday in church the pastor spoke on the subject of memory. One of the worst things that can happen to a person is to lose memory, as in an older person struck with Alzheimer's or some other form of dementia. We say that that person is "lost" or "isn't the same person" anymore as they cannot relate to anyone around them and they have lost the memory of who they are. The same thing can happen to a people. For example, we as Americans can forget who we are and where we came from. We can forget how we came by all these riches and comforts. A nation that cannot remember is a nation that has lost its identity [side note, see David McCullough on the subject of history and remembering]. Memorial Day, as the name suggests, is a day to remember those who came before us, especially those who gave their lives so that "government of the people by the people and for the people, shall not perish from this earth." Naturally, our pastor concluded by saying the most important thing to remember is that Jesus Christ died for our sins, winning the greatest victory ever won; the victory over death. Now that's something worth remembering. In fact Christ asks us to do so ("do this in memory of me").
Memorial Day Post
For Memorial Day I reprint this piece of mine from the Aberdeen American News. I lost the date, but it appeared in 2005.
It was an altogether happy day when my neighbor, a South Dakota National Guardsman, returned safely from Iraq. Whatever worries I had while he was away surely can't compare with those of his wife and family. But I did worry about him, almost every day. My wife and I gave him some heavy duty backpacking socks for Christmas, and he later reported that they made his military boots comfortable for the first time. That was one small gesture of gratitude. This column is another.
The success of the recent elections in Iraq put critics of the war in an uncomfortable position. The Minneapolis Star Tribune put it this way: the Iraqis should be congratulated for their election; nonetheless, "American troops should be called upon to lay down their lives for the defense of the nation, not to bring democracy to anyone."
This is a reasonable opinion, to be sure, but I believe it does our servicemen and women a disservice. My father served in the Pacific during WWII, and my Uncle Bill was killed by a sniper's bullet on Okinawa. They did not sail west in order to revenge the drowned sailors on the Arizona, or because the Japanese had any designs on northeast Arkansas. The Japanese attacked us because they thought it necessary to preserve their Pacific Rim Empire. My uncle and my Dad went to war in Asia because that empire ultimately threatened everyone, everywhere.
Our fighting men in WWII deserve honor not only because they were defending American interests, which surely they were. They are also to be honored precisely because they brought democracy back to Western Europe, and introduced it to Japan. They liberated millions of human beings from the most brutal despotisms. They laid the foundations of postwar peace and prosperity because they fought for something nobler than the mere national interest that is all the Trib will allow.
The U.S. is much stronger today than in 1941, and Saddam Hussein was, at worst, a small scale replica of Hitler. Nonetheless I insist that my friend next door deserves the same measure of honor and gratitude as Dad and Uncle Bud.
The Iraqi election stands as the most promising event in the Middle East since Jimmy Carter brokered peace between Egypt and Israel. Al Jezeera and Al Arabiya, the most important Arab news services, faced a choice on January 30th. Should they concentrate coverage on the long lines of Iraqis waiting to vote, or on the various attempts to kill them? They recognized early in the day that the courage rather than the carnage was the real story. A sense of wonder and optimism was consequently palpable in coffee houses on both sides of the Fertile Crescent.
Critics are wrong to say that this election was only a step towards democracy. Democracy is not a goal, it is a process. Eight million people queuing up to vote is as much democracy as you will ever see, anywhere. Whether the Iraqis will achieve a stable republic remains to be seen. But they have already achieved a remarkably balanced government, in which the Shiite majority must negotiate with Kurdish and Sunni representatives to build a new constitution. That is exactly what a republic looks like.
The most durable symbols of Iraqi self-government are the many images of veiled women holding up ink-stained fingers, in defiance of the insurgents who promised to murder them if they voted. And then there's Abdul Amir. This Iraqi policeman was blown to bits when he wrestled a suicide bomber to the ground, preventing the man from reaching a line of voters.
Many sensible people will still insist that the 2003 invasion was a mistake, and whoever thinks so should say so. They may yet be proven correct. But just right now siding with the veiled women and Abdul Amir against their murderous enemies is in the interest of the United States, the region, and the world. It is also a noble thing in itself. Our men and women at arms deserve the full measure of honor for it.
Posted by K. Blanchard on Monday, May 29, 2006 at 01:40 AM | Permalink | TrackBack (3)
Debra Saunders
Debra Saunders: "Still, House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi rails against the GOP 'culture of corruption.' And in the most boneheaded political move of 2006, House Speaker Dennis Hastert, R-Ill., just handed her extra rope."
Posted by Jason Heppler on Sunday, May 28, 2006 at 10:50 PM | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
More on Churchill
Bob Pasnau, chairman of the Department of Philosophy at CU, has published this op-ed entitled "Churchill isn't tip of iceberg" in Boulder's Daily Camera regarding the Ward Churchill scandal. Excerpt:
The fact that this disparate group of highly distinguished scholars could reach its verdict with complete unanimity — save for the final, delicate question of what sanction to impose — should give one a great deal of confidence in their verdict. No such confidence can be taken from Churchill's own statement (available on the Camera's Web site). A careful reading of the original report, next to his response, shows him to have misstated and ignored the committee's findings at every stage. Indeed, one might almost laugh at the way his slipshod responses re-enact the very sorts of intellectual failings that the report originally highlighted.
One might laugh, that is, if the whole affair were not so depressing. Perhaps its most unfortunate aspect, beyond the immediate and very serious damage to CU, is the impression it seems to have left in some quarters that this is just the tip of the iceberg.
Happily, it does not fall upon me to decide what sort of penalty is appropriate in this case. But were such misconduct discovered among my own faculty, or in my own field at large, I would be the first to seek that person's dismissal.
Be sure to read the whole thing. Diana Hsieh of the CU philosophy department offers some thoughts.
Some time ago I noted Clinton Taylor of The American Spectator who created a list of country music songs he thought were politically conservative. John Miller at the National Review has done the same, this time compiling 50 rock and roll songs with a conservative flavor.
For conservatives who enjoy rock, it isn't hard to agree with the opinion Johnny Cash expressed in "The One on the Right Is on the Left": "Don't go mixin' politics with the folk songs of our land / Just work on harmony and diction / Play your banjo well / And if you have political convictions, keep them to yourself." In other words: Shut up and sing.
But some rock songs really are conservative — and there are more of them than you might think.
Argus Pushes Quotas
David Kranz, political analyst for the Argus Leader, called for racial/gender quotas on the Sioux Falls city council a few days ago:
It's time for another woman, or a minority, on the Sioux Falls City Council.
Council members already have started casting about for a replacement, after Darrin Smith announced last week that he'd resign after six years on the council.
Kermit Staggers, for instance, has suggested that one candidate ought to be former Minnehaha County Commissioner Jerry Noonan - a white man - who lost a race last month against incumbent De Knudson, the council's only woman.
But we need to be more imaginative than that. It's time all government bodies, especially the council, began to reflect the community - half women and increasingly minority.
Argus chief editor Randell Beck does the same thing in today's paper. What's wrong with picking the best qualified person, instead of basing the selection on a person's skin color or gender? That said, watch for the left to silence this debate.
Indian Activism
Argus Leader:
The 66th annual motorcycle rally is being ushered in by controversy about two new entertainment venues rising from grasslands north and south of Bear Butte State Park.
Native Americans who consider the butte sacred are joined by area ranchers who have seen livestock sicken and die from inhaling dust continually kicked up by motorcycles cruising gravel roads.
Their coalition also includes townspeople who contend their community is being strip-mined by rally vendors who make millions of dollars from hundreds of thousands of rallygoers but leave little of that money in Sturgis and Meade County, where municipal services are strained to host all the bikers every August.
Posted by Jason Heppler on Sunday, May 28, 2006 at 10:34 AM | Permalink | TrackBack (0)
Victor Davis Hanson has some thoughts on Memorial Day and the Iraq War.
Also, don't forget to tune into the 90th annual Indanapolis 500 today, then jump over to the NASCAR Coca-Cola 600 this afternoon.
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Pound hits record low versus dollar
27 September, 2022 12:00 AM
HONG KONG: The pound hit a record low against the dollar Monday on surging fears about the UK economy after the government unveiled a huge tax-cutting budget.
The selloff came as most equity markets across Asia fell again owing to a growing expectation that central bank interest rate hikes to fight runaway inflation would lead to deep and painful recessions, reports AFP.
Officials in several countries including the United States, Britain, Switzerland and Sweden unveiled more increases in the cost of borrowing.
The moves sent equity markets deep into the red again after officials reiterated their focus on fighting inflation, even if that means causing a recession.
But the biggest casualty of the week was the pound, which fell below $1.10 for the first time since 1985 as new finance minister Kwasi Kwarteng announced his controversial mini-budget.
It then extended the losses Monday to an all-time low of $1.0350 in Asian trade after he said he intended to unveil further reductions, despite his budget causing ructions on London's markets.
It also fell to a two-year low against the euro, though the single currency remains under pressure against the dollar, sitting at 2002 levels.
Now, observers are warning that the pound could fall to parity with the greenback.
Kwarteng, who was put in place by Liz Truss after she became prime minister earlier this month, said he planned to slash taxes to kickstart the British economy and provide cash to cushion families from rocketing energy costs.
But investors were spooked by the huge amount of borrowing likely needed for the multibillion-pound package, which critics said would benefit the rich far more during a cost-of-living crisis.
"Whether or not the UK government announcement of the biggest tax reduction since 1972... will in time yield a significant growth dividend is not something markets are yet willing to contemplate," said National Australia Bank's Ray Attrill.
"Instead, they were consumed by worries over the scale of near-term UK government financing needs, at a time when the current account deficit is running at more than eight percent of GDP."
He added: "Chatter about a possible UK sovereign rating downgrade has already begun."
And former US treasury secretary Lawrence Summer was scathing of Britain's recent monetary policy decisions.
"It makes me very sorry to say, but I think the UK is behaving a bit like an emerging market turning itself into a submerging market," he told Bloomberg Television's Wall Street Week last week.
"Between Brexit, how far the Bank of England got behind the curve and now these fiscal policies, I think Britain will be remembered for having (pursued) the worst macroeconomic policies of any major country in a long time."
The collapse in sterling came as markets across the world are sent into a spin by recession worries caused by a sharp tightening of monetary policy by central banks fighting decades-high inflation.
The retreat in London was mirrored in Europe and New York, where the Dow hit a two-year low, and Asia followed suit.
Tokyo shed two percent as traders there returned from a long weekend break, while Sydney, Seoul, Singapore, Taipei and Jakarta also tanked.
But Hong Kong rose as traders welcomed news that the city had relaxed strict hotel quarantine measures for travellers, providing a much-needed boost to the embattled economy.
Macau casino stocks led the way as the city said it would accept Chinese tour groups again from November, having been blocked during the pandemic. Shanghai stocks also rose.
Oil prices edged up slightly, though barely made a dent in the big losses suffered Friday as expectations that a recession is looming hammer demand expectations.


It is Friday - and that means Friday Loves. I am Lisa, and I blog over at Daily Style Finds - where I talk about all things fashion and style related. You may remember my post from earlier this week. Today, I am sharing some of my favorites - hope you enjoy!
Most of my Instagram feed is fashion/style related - but I love @BeckiOwens and her design inspiration. The homes are beautiful, and something I dream of owning/designing someday.
I have gone a little crazy with this popular trend of faux fur jackets - and I can't stop wanting to shop for more and more. I want to buy every faux fur jacket I find. It is becoming a bit of an issue. This week I found these two beauties - the orange one is his bold color - that would make such a statement. And, the winter white one looks cozy and is under $60!
I love this house designed by Studio McGee. When I was looking for some interior design inspiration (since we are redecorating our living room), I found this image. The furniture I am picking out for our new room has a color palette similar to it. For our furniture, we got these chairs in the saddle leather and this sofa in taupe, and this rug. Now, I just need to find some accent chairs (ottomans) in that blue, like those in this picture.
Sasha Simon at @LolaRioStyle - has the best style that is so simple, yet stunning. I love her neutral grey palette with the pops of rust and camel color.
This week I read these two articles.
This article shared 27 different ways to be more productive. For those that work from home, own their own small business, or trying to start a small business, I thought the top of the list was especially helpful. It is so easy to "waste-away" hours, days… and this article offers some solutions.
Communication is so important. And, something we can all work on - no one is perfect. For me, I am interested in learning ways to be a better communicator - to help both in my personal relationships and also at work. This article shared some great tips on how to better ask for what you want and how to not use this "throw-away" word in your messages.
As much as I love faux fur jackets, which I mentioned above, I also love sweaters. These three are all my top picks. And, they are on sale!
If you love sweaters as much as I do - I shared more from my try on sessions HERE and HERE.
Have a wonderful Friday - and see you back on Monday!


2.8mm Fixed Lens, f/2.0 Max.
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Designed for easy setup, this camera incorporates PoE technology so you can run just one cable for both data and power. A built-in microSD card slot allows for edge storage, while a built-in microphone enables audio capture. The camera is rated IP67 and IK10 for weather and vandal resistance. ONVIF compliance ensures compatibility with a wide range of surveillance equipment.


text:
Fabricio () is a Spanish male given name. Fabrício () is the Portuguese equivalent.

Among those with the first name are:
Fabricio Coloccini, Argentine footballer
Fabrício Guerreiro (born 1990), Brazilian mixed martial artist
Fabricio Oberto, Argentine basketball player
Fabrício Ramos da Silva (born 1995), Brazilian footballer
Fabricio Ramos Melo (born 1986), Brazilian footballer
Fabrício (footballer, born February 1990), Fabrício Silva Dornellas, Brazilian football centre-back
Fabrício de Souza
Fabrício dos Santos Silva
Fabrício Werdum (born 1977), Brazilian mixed martial artist
Fabricio Agosto Ramírez, Spanish goalkeeper playing for Fulham F.C.
Fabrício (footballer, born 1995), born Fabrício Ramos da Silva, Brazilian football midfielder
Fabrício (footballer, born 1982), born Fabrício André Pires, Brazilian football midfielder
Fabrício (footballer, born 2000)

See also
Fabrizio (disambiguation)

Spanish masculine given names
Portuguese masculine given names

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


For those time you just need to whip together a quick snack or appetizer, this black bean dip does just the trick.
This black bean dip is a great alternative to hummus or guacamole and it is cheap-as-chips to make! I like to make this type of dip if we are going to a sporting event party because I know that most people will be bringing guacamole and salsa, and hummus is just a little too healthy for that type of crowd! The nice thing about this particular recipe is that it is very easy to prepare, and you can make a big batch with lots of leftovers. In addition to a party appetizer, this easy black bean dip is a great make-ahead dip for a week's worth of weekday lunches or healthy snacks.
The secret to this dip is slowly cooking down the onion, garlic and jalapeno; they could certainly be added raw if you are in a pinch, but it just won't provide the depth of flavour. I like to serve this black bean dip with fresh veggies, but it also goes great with corn chips (what doesn't?!), crackers, or spread onto sandwiches, wraps or tacos.
The combination of spices give this easy black bean dip a little kick without too much heat. If you like spicy, add an extra jalapeno or increase the amount of chilli powder and add an extra dash of cayenne.
In a skillet on medium heat, add the oil, diced onions and a pinch of sea salt. Stir to combine then add the minced garlic and jalapeno. Cook on a low to medium heat for 7 to 10 minutes to help sweat the onions, be careful not to brown the ingredients.
While the onions are cooking, strain and rinse the black beans. Give them a good rinse in order to remove the liquid present in the can.
Once the onions have cooked, add the cumin, chili powder and oregano to the pan for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
Transfer the onion mixture and black beans to a food processor. Add the chopped cilantro and lime juice, and blend until smooth.
If the dip is too thick you may need to add a little extra lime juice or water to help thin it out. Just a splash or tablespoon.
Serve warm or cold with fresh veggies and tortilla chips.