RadioActive Chief

The Emperor's Commentary

Emperor Misha reigning over the Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler has once again outdone himself with a good rant on the proper position of Christians in the marketplace of political ideas.

He makes some telling arguments in his inimitably blunt style, lancing the boils of moonbat thinking that would have believers withdraw themselves from the public debate in shame. The sheer effrontery - dare one call it chutzpah? - of their demands boggles the mind. It is obvious that their thinking has no problems with intelligence. (No intelligence, no problem with it!)

Anyway, if you aren't bothered by the Emperor's harsh style of invective, it's well worth a look.

Payback Time for Emily's List

Cong. Stephanie Herseth (Donk - SD) ran an election campaign that did a reasonable job of presenting herself as a moderate, in tune generally with SD values. Those of us who looked beneath the surface perceived a different kettle of fish altogether; lots of out-of-state support from groups like the radically pro-abortion PAC Emily's List gave an indication of where her true inclinations were.

This vote is ideal for continuing that strategy of milking the moonbat PACs while continuing an election strategy of sailing under false colors: she is able to demonstrate loyalty to the moonbat agenda when it really counts, and it's far enough from the next election cycle that she can hope that voter's memories will not recall her turn towards blue-state ideology.

Sen. Tim Spouts Dingy Harry Reid's Party Line

What an unfortunate contrast between SD's two Senators. Sen. Tim is herein re-christened as Sen. Aesop by house in a post pointing out the rather severe distortion and willful misunderstanding of the Constitutional provisions setting up "advice and consent". A good post, well worth reading, as is this one, elaborating more on the background and mis-application of the filibuster in the Senate.

SD Senator John Thune was the first one out of the chute after the President's press conference on the Fox News Hannity & Colmes. In spite of his typical moonbat behavior of trying to change the subject and shifting the discussion to ad hominem issues, Colmes absolutely failed to lay a glove on Sen. Thune.

The Senator has convincingly demonstrated once again why he is often the go-to guy for the GOP these days.

You heard it here first: Thune has every chance of being the next Reagan!

Sci-fi Goes to Sea

This is impressive! The Chief remembers 30 years ago when he was still a mere Seaman, seeing futuristic sci-fi like artist's conceptions of future ships that looked like this! Like so much else in technology - yesterday's sci-fi is todays tool.

UPDATE: After Action Report from Gulf War and Other Deployments

No need to modify or change the above stated first impression.

“I can tell you that Incat has hit a home run with this ship! What an awesome piece of equipment. We have had minimal problems during a higher than designed or intended operation tempo. The vessel is near perfect for the intended U.S. Army mission, and in 18 plus years of driving and working about boats, I’ve never had so much fun. We hit and sustained 48.7 knots running down the coast of Qatar, unbelievable.”
— Chief Warrant Officer Patrick S. May, Commander of TSV-1X Spearhead

Check it out!

Islamist Apologists Accuse of Profiling While Doing it Themselves!

This TCS article is very interesting for several reasons. Firstly, it has a specific catalog of incidents over a period of years, where Islamist apologists have engaged in forms of criticism that can only be described as "profiling", by attempting to paint any critics of Islamist terrs as being either agents, pawns, or dupes of some sort of Zionist-Jewish anti-Arab cabal.

This has happened to the writer of the piece himself - Stephen Schwartz - who is a Sufi - a convert to Sunni Islam! If you want some specific cases of the use of these sorts of distortions (at best) and outright attempts at character assassination (a good Arabic based word there!) if not the other kind (yet) this article is a good place to start.

A couple of items concerning the on-going civil war over judicial appointments, moonbat filibustering of nominees, etc.....

DISINFORMATION...
Thomas Sowell cuts to the chase, as usual:

The future of the legal and political system of this country may be on the line when two judicial nominees the Democrats refused to let the Senate vote on in the last Congress are being again submitted for a vote....

In the first place, the fundamental issue is whether the Senate will be allowed to vote at all, to fulfill its constitutional duty to "advise and consent" on judicial nominees by voting them up or down....

The courts are the last hope for enacting the liberal agenda because liberals cannot get enough votes to control Congress or most state legislatures. Unelected judges can cut the voters out of the loop and decree liberal dogma the law of the land. Liberals don't want that stopped.
The damage done by judicial activism extends beyond the particular policies that happen to catch the fancy of judges. Judicial ad-libbing creates a large area of uncertainty, making the law a trap for honest people and a bonanza for the unscrupulous.
A disinformation campaign has already been launched to depict judges who believe in following the written law as "activist" conservatives, just like liberal activists.

Ploys and spin will of course only escalate if activist judges start getting replaced by judges who follow the law. That is the political price to be paid. If people will do the right thing only when there is no cost, that is the very definition of cowardice.

Read the whole column, Thomas Sowell's thoughts are worth the trouble, for sure. I just hope that Frist, et al pay attention to this.

Fog and Obstruction
By Donald Lambro - kind of a companion piece to the above...

Mr. Bush and the Senate's Republican majority are not demanding anything extraordinary here. They simply want the right to vote on these nominations, up or down, and the Democrats don't because they lack the votes to defeat them.

Indeed!

This post from Daily Demarche, which is generally focused on various topics related to foriegn affairs (reasonably enough since it originates from State Dept. FSO (Foriegn Svc. Officer) types. In this case, they go into a good discussion of some aspects of junk enviro science, and the attitude of a lot of the enviro movement that would treat any opposing point of view about like the inquisition treated "heretics" like Abelard, Giordano Bruno, Galileo, etc.

There's a LOT that can be said about all this. If interested, the Chief HIGHLY recommends a book by James P. Hogan called Kicking the Sacred Cow: Questioning the Unquestionable, and Thinking the Unthinkable. Also, check out the website junkscience.com.

Regulatory Chickens Coming Home to Roost

This has GOT to be chilling to SD's practitioners of agricultural arts and sciences. The EPA, those great folks who have aready gone after farmers in the context of the Endangered Species Act, are now unlimbering a new club - one which can also prove to set up potentially any and all farmers and ranchers into a sort of dairy operation: turning them into cash cows for the government.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is turning its attention from factory emissions to farmers and ranchers, with uncertain consequences for livestock operations in South Dakota.

A two-year study begun earlier this year aims to determine how badly livestock producers pollute the air.

Hmmm. One has to wonder how much sympathy for PETA there might be in the bureaucratic depths of the EPA.

After the study is complete, the EPA will start cracking down on livestock production emissions ....It also could fine farmers for past violations, even though nobody knows exactly what constitutes a violation yet...

Help me out legal minds...if no one knows what the violation standards are, how can one be fined for past violations...what about ex post facto?

And then there is this cute little deal:

Producers of swine, poultry or dairy can protect themselves from liability as far back as 2002 by signing the voluntary Air Quality Compliance Agreement.

The agreement's cost - a one-time fee of $200 to $500 - will pay for the EPA's farm pollution study. Livestock producers have until July 1 to sign, Nicolai said. Signing is not an admission of guilt for prior violations.

Yeah, right.

"Anytime you can get five years of protection for about $100 a year, that's a good deal," Thaler said. "What would lawyers cost for that same amount of time?"

Hmmm. Pay a little now, to avoid problems with enforcers later on...sound familiar to anyone? (Hey buddy, you cough up for our protective "insurance" now, and we'll make sure you're protected from someone coming in some day and shooting you in the knee! Capiche?)

Ron Steineke, who raises hogs near Hartford, said he has not heard enough information to decide whether he should sign. And he questioned whether livestock should be regulated like factories."That's probably kind of a reach," he said.

Now THERE's a major understatement!

Steel Deal has an entertaining and illuminating story, which is a good illustration of the following point made by Kipling long ago, but still valid - read and heed gentlemen, ignore this at your peril! Read the story, and you will see the connection.

THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES (1911) - Rudyard Kipling

When the Himalayan peasant meets the he-bear in his pride,
He shouts to scare the monster, who will often turn aside.
But the she-bear thus accosted rends the peasant tooth and nail.
For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.

When Nag, the basking cobra hears the careless foot of man,
He will sometimes wriggle sideways and avoid it if he can.
But his mate makes no such motion where she camps beside the trail.
For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.

When the early Jesuit fathers preached to Hurons and Choctaws,
They prayed to be delivered from the vengeance of the squaws.
Twas the women, not the warriors, turned these stark enthusiasts pale,
For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.

Man’s timid heart is bursting with the things he must not say,
For the Woman that God gave him isn’t his to give away;
But when hunter meets with husbands, each confirms the other’s tale
For the female of the species is more deadly than the male.

Man a bear in most relations - worm and savage otherwise -
Man propounds negotiations, Man accepts the compromise.
Very rarely will he squarely push the logic of a fact
To its ultimate conclusion in unmitigated act.

Fear, or foolishness, impels him, ere he lay the wicked low,
To concede some form of trial even to his fiercest foe.
Mirth obscene diverts his anger - Doubt and Pity oft perplex
Him in dealing with an issue - to the scandal of The Sex!

She who faces Death by torture for each life beneath her breast
May not deal in doubt or pity - must not swerve for fact or jest.
These be purely male diversions - not in these her honour dwells.
She the Other Law we live by, is that Law and nothing else.

She can bring no more to living than the powers that make her great
As the Mother of the Infant and the Mistress of the Mate.
And when Babe and Man are lacking and she strides unclaimed to claim
Her right as femme (and baron), her equipment is the same.

She is wedded to convictions - in default of grosser ties;
Her contentions are her children, Heaven help him who denies!
He will meet no suave discussion, but the instant, white-hot, wild,
Wakened female of the species warring as for spouse and child.

Unprovoked and helpful charges - even so the she-bear fights.
Speech that drips, corrodes, and poisons - even so the cobra bites.
Scientific vivisection of one nerve till it is raw
And the victim writhes in anguish - like the Jesuit with the squaw!

So it comes that man, the coward, when he gathers to confer
With his fellow braves in council, dare not leave a place for her
Where, at war with Life and Conscience, he uplifts his erring hands
To some God of Abstract Justice - which no woman understands.

And Man knows it! Knows, moreover, that the Woman that God gave him
Must command but may not govern - shall enthrall but not enslave him.
And She knows, because She warns him, and her instincts never fail,
That the female of the species is more deadly than the male.

Frist to confirm RINO* Credentials, or MSM Exercising Wishful Thinking?
*Republican-In-Name-Only

There are a lot of reports like this one out there today - on proposals allegedly floating around that would have the GOP Senate giving up on some of the judge appointments in exchange for the Donks "allowing" a couple of the appointments to pass. Oh yes, by the way, the GOP would also agree to give up ever using the constitutional option to shut down the filibuster in any future cases when the real fight starts over nominees for Supreme Ct. of the US.

This would represent a double-barrelled betrayal of any pretense of the GOP being in any way representative of the conservative/libertarian electorate. Fortunately, with some digging, and in spite of the impressions left by the headline writers, Sen. Frist is denying this as an acceptable outcome:

But Frist said Tuesday that he's not interested in any deal that fails to ensure Senate confirmation for all of Bush's judicial nominees that have been approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee.

"Are we going to step back from that principle? The answer to that is no," the Tennessee Republican said in a news conference conducted on the Senate floor.

Hopefully this is the controlling statement, and not the MSM's heralding of a grand compromise. This looks to the Chief like some previous times when the MSM extensively reports on something in the hope that their presentation will create some sort of momentum that will cause the desired event to happen.

The Chief will restrain himself from pinning the epithet of RINO on Frist, until this all shakes out a bit more - hopefully it will not become necessary.

Captain Ed takes note of the LA Times (NY Times Western Edition) covering a speech by Bush nominee Janice Rogers Brown - who has committed the unforgiveable action of speaking plainly and unashamedly in defense of her faith and values.

The Captain's post is good, and it's even worth looking at the Times' coverage to see first-hand what sort of radical stuff frightens and alarms the libDems Social Democrats.

Global warming not so hot - part II

The chief has commented here and elsewhere on the specious nature of most of the "Global Warming" propaganda that appears in the MSM. There's quite a lot of detailed information on the limited (at best!) validity of the models that predict and find alleged evidence of such warming. In addition to the the Crichton book noted in the linked previous post, as well as in the article linked for this one, the Chief also highly recommends a book titled Kicking the Sacred Cow by James P. Hogan. Hogan, who has a science background has also written a lot of libertarianish flavored science fiction. He started out accepting the MSM junk-scientific orthodoxy, but got mugged by reality along the way, and this little book does a number on a LOT of different areas of scientific orthodoxy that have SEVERE problems with contradictory (hard) evidence against them, which he does a good job of documenting.

Anyway, in this TCS post, the latest "Chicken Little"-like claims concerning evidence concerning warming in the Antarctic are thoroughly and effectively destroyed. Stuff like this is interesting, has a lot of public policy implications, and best of all - drives the envirowacko greeniacs absolutely crazy (er - crazier than they already are, that is!)

GOP Leadership in Senate Shows Signs of Incipient Spinalization

Events this weekend indicate that the GOP Senate leadership, after a number of years, is finally starting to realize that they have become the majority party, and no longer have to allow themselves to be continual rolled by the party of the Donks.

One can only hope that this expression of determination is in fact exercised when the occasion demands, and the the GOP finally forces the votes on the judge nominations, whether the Donks like it or not.

Stay tuned for further developments.

If it quacks like a duck, walks like a duck, it must be a duck, or:
anti-semitism by any other name is still...antisemitism!

Analyzing the fatuous logic and labyrinthine rationalizations results in something ugly in the UK academic world - that seems to match up pretty closely to old ('30's) style anti-semitism.

This is further commented on by the Anti-Idiotarian Rottweiler, with a useful comparison and reference to some old German stuff that closely parallels the current arguments being made by the post-modern Brit academicians fascist-minded anti-semites.

Global Warming Not So Hot!

The Eurocrats are apparently getting opportunistically mugged by reality, just in the nick of time before they impose extreme and punitive measures to stop human mediated global warming. It seems the evidence for this occurring has so many problems, even lefty-greeny oriented Eurocrats can't ignore it. Darned! Those pesky facts just ruin all the neat plans!

The Chief likes the conclusion to the Euro-TCS post:

Von Storch believes that Michael Crichton's best-seller book 'State of Fear (Harper Collins Publishers, New York 2004) provides an accurate description of the interaction of scientists, governments and mass media in climate policy. He warns that the 'spiral of exaggeration' used by climate alarmists to catch people's attention will undermine the credibility of science.

His colleague, Karin Labitzke (a stratospheric expert of the Free University of Berlin), shares Von Storch's uneasiness. She adheres to the school which believes that the sun is the main driver of global warming. She complains about a ban on free thought ('Denkverbot') imposed on them by the supporters of man-made global warming hypothesis. Labitzke: 'The influence of the sun has been tabooed. When we talk about it, colleagues immediately reproach us for being against energy conservation.'

All this is contrary to good scientific practice. It is high time that climatologists return to old-fashioned sound science, keeping an open mind for alternative hypotheses, and keeping all kinds of distorting political and social influences at bay. They could certainly also benefit from business experience, especially as regards due diligence.

Read it for the gory details that lead up to this.

A Simple Resolution at Hand:

Terrorist, rope, tree. Some assembly required.
.

Another Case of Objective Journalism in UK? - NOT!

It looks like we aren't the only ones having MSM problems. This case with BBC has caught the uber-MSM "Beeb" in the act of sending in hecklers with microphones to generate content for a program covering heckling. Of course they went after the Conservative Party, no word on doing this to the Laborites.

This reminds me of the AP photog. working with the terrs in Iraq. Isn't objective journalism great? It would be nice if it existed. The Chief wouldn't care one way or another WHATEVER point of view a journalism wanted to express - BUT STOP PRETENDING TO BE OBJECTIVE! Let the colors fly - and then let the reader / viewer, etc decide for themselves.

Let's Hear it for the Supremes!

The SD Supreme court made a good ruling on this on. The Chief has kvetched a lot about bad judgement in various instances, so will also note cases of judicial sanity, and this is one.

In this case, the perp got busted with pot, and when police took a urine sample, it also popped positive for cocaine - a felony. The Supremes ruled that this was fair use of the legally obtained urine sample - even though it provided evidence of an additional offense. Score one for the good guys.

System Still Produces Paper Ballot for Counting

When The Chief first heard that so-called touch screen balloting was going to be implemented, there were MAJOR concerns. These involved the possible situation, as exists in some states, where an electronic voting system feeds data into a centralized computer system at some level, for tabulation and reporting. The problem there, is that most systems like that can get hacked, and there are other associated security problems.

The day the nation goes to an all-electronic voting system, is the day that the electoral system's integrity dies a horrible death!

The system adopted by SD will apparently still produce a printed ballot that is used for tabulation, along with the previously used marked / scanned ballot system. This is a great way to go! It insures access for disabled folks to be able to reliably and privately vote, and still provides a paper trail for election accuracy and auditing, as may be necessary.

Kudos to Chris Nelson, the SD Sec'y of State for going this route.

Passing the torch

Blackfive has made what can only be described as an inspirational posting (with a neat picture too!) referring back to Easy Company, 506 PIR - the "Band of Brothers" featured in the HBO mini-series of the same name.

The Chief finds it reassuring that the example and tradition of that greatest generation is being echoed in today's forces. A Naval "Bravo Zulu" (well done) to both generations.

Dead Hand of Regulation Threatens to Choke New Industry

This is both alarming and heartening.

It's alarming that, as the Chief had feared, government over-regulation (a redundancy?!) has laid it's heavy hand on the fledgling commercial spaceflight industry.

The good news, is that it survived, and is still moving forward.

This editorial in the R.C.J. seemed to offer fertile ground for further commentary:

Title: Hills residents can accept lions

South Dakota is considering a hunting season for mountain lions in the Black Hills. The season is an effort by the state Game, Fish & Parks Department to lessen the incidences of lions interacting with humans. There have been many publicized contacts with problem lions killing domesticated animals and even pets.

OK, at least the possible problems are admitted!

GF&P estimates that there are about 165 mountain lions in the Black Hills area including Wyoming. That state currently has a lion season, with a goal of killing 12 lions per year, after which the season is closed. GF&P proposes a limit in South Dakota of 20 lions per year. The department has held a series of public meetings on the proposed season to inform the public and gather comment.

(See earlier post.)

Are there too many lions in the Black Hills? Or are there more humans moving into lion territory?

Ah, now we are informed about the real problem: THE LIONS ARE THE PROPRIETORS, and people are tresspassers!

This argument is similar to Rapid City's "problem" with deer in the city. When people began building homes in deer habitat, there was an outcry about deer eating rose bushes. The city now sends marksmen to shoot deer.

Notice the "problem" in quotes = so-called problem - it's all just in your head.
And the other point is...?

We have people building new homes in what is lion habitat, and there is an outcry of lions eating llamas, geese and pets. Lions normally forage for deer and other wildlife. When lions develop a taste for domestic animals - llamas, geese, pets, and the like - they become problem lions, and the GF&P tracks them down and shoots them.

Sounds like a plan to me!

Common sense would tell you that if you set out feed for deer and wild turkeys, mountain lions are sure to follow.

(See previous post again) - WE don't set out feed, but have lots of deer, and evidently lions too. So what now?

People move into the Hills for the scenery and the chance to see the wildlife. Many people don't want to be looking out for mountain lions when they, or their pets or children, play in the Hills.

What nerve! Shucks, we haven't even got the hills, but we STILL get the lions!

That's understandable. But it's foolish to live in mountain lion territory and not expect to see an occasional mountain lion. Feeding the lion's prey is just asking for trouble.

SEEING them isn't the problem. Becoming a menu item is - check out the case of the lion that decided it would be great sport to start catching bike riders in California.

Just how effective would a hunting season be in controlling problem mountain lions? The lions that are likely to be killed by hunters don't live near towns and aren't frightening anyone.

A point, a palpable point - unless you happen to be cruisin' along the Mickelson on a bike.

If the state does introduce a hunting season on mountain lions, we would like it to be effective in reducing the frequency of contacts between lions and people. It would help if Hills residents adapt to their own surroundings and accept the fact that mountain lions live here too.

Two interpretive inferences from this one - take your pick (or choose both):

(1) Don't go crying around if Fido (or you) turn into a snack! It's your own fault anyway, for being on the lion's turf, and besides, you have a lot of nerve wanting to live in a scenic environment in the Hills instead of being content sheeple living in an urban condo or apartment.

(2) How DARE to be human, and presume that you have some ability to regulate your living environment! Just because that's the tradition of 6000 years of civilization, that's no excuse for YOU! So shut up, and hope that the lions allow your presence to continue.
.

Very interesting article. Looks to the Chief like a way to effectively multiply the impact of one's political influence. Of course it DOES require up close and personal effort and contact (which lots of folks won't do), and for most of SD, some travel to get to Pierre. Like they say, no pain, no gain! Most people don't become olympic athletes either, although they may admire the result on the tube every 4 years.

The SD Game, Fish, and Parks dept. is holding hearings on opening up a season on mountain lions. The article reflects a somewhat minimizing attitude on the part of GF&P towards reports of lions in (east river) areas outside of the Black Hills.

Parts of eastern South Dakota could provide cover and prey for mountain lions, but lacking is at least one element needed for their numbers to increase outside the Black Hills, state Game, Fish & Parks officials said.

"One important thing is other lions," John Kanta, a GF&P biologist from Rapid City, said. "I don't believe that there is a viable lion population in the area for reproduction."

As a result, lions spotted in eastern South Dakota are likely only passing through, Kanta said.

Last summer there were a number of lion sightings in some rather diverse locations east river. In the Chief's immediate area, there were two sightings in one day 1.5 mi. from his home port, and, the same day, another sighting 10 miles to the south. A month or so later there was a deer kill with lion evidence in a hay field ¼ mile from the house (and in plain view of the front door!). This all has gotten Mrs. Chief's attention, as she likes to go out and walk the country roads around our area. The proximity of the two sets of above-mentioned sightings on the same day would tend to indicate that they resulted from more than one lion...uh, what's that again about possibly not enough lions around to set up reproduction? From the report, again:

Several people accused the GF&P of being in denial about the presence of mountain lions in the eastern part of the state.

"I don't know if it's denial," Arden Petersen, the GF&P's Division of Wildlife regional supervisor, said. "We've taken reports for a long time. We try to document as much as we can — whether it's tracks, a description or a kill. We have a wide range between what people actually see and what may or may not be mountain lions.

However, GF&P officials said, there has not been any extensive research into the existence or habits of mountain lions outside the Black Hills.

Admittedly, if we already knew about it, it wouldn't be research. Having said that, minimizing the probability of a lion population east river, doesn't seem like the way to go. "I don't know if it's denial"? What's THAT supposed to mean? It might be denial? This sort of sounds like whistling in the dark.

Based on the recent experiences in OUR rural neighborhood. The Chief will definitely keep an eye peeled as he resumes his seasonal bicycle rides!

Iraq Crash Survivor Subjected to Islamic Peace Execution

This is all over the place this morning - when the Chief first heard of it last night, there was little surprise....It is just another case of some peace-loving followers fanatical terrorists of Mohammed exercising their submission to Allah's will psychopathic bloodlust. "Allahu akbar" indeed: they think to follow God, but actually serve the opposition. Unfortunately, this mistaken understanding does nothing to mitigate the barbarity of their attitudes and actions.

We are absolutely doing the right thing to attempt to cut the ground out from under these sorts of fanatical barbarians. Don't catch them, don't lock them up at Gitmo or even Abu Ghraib, no trials, no hanging - hunt 'em down and shoot them as they stand, like the Sarge noted in this earlier post.

Herseth Votes Against ANWR

I guess she thinks it's better not to lessen our demand for Saudi oil.

In spite of occasional nods to the right, the deep core of liberalism is still there.

This is definitely a plus for the Hills. It has been REALLY dry out there, and it is cheering to see some moisture come in. I mean really, when they already had a fire in mid April...without this it would have effectively turned into a powder magazine by summer.

This mioght not solve everything moisture-wise, but it sure can't hurt!

OK. The (Social) Democrats want to get to gether to whoop it up. No problem.

The question that occurs to the Chief is the inclusion of state Sen. Stan Adelstein (R-Rapid City) in this august company of leftys.

Why is this man still a Republican? Give me a break!

Double-barrelled Reply to Dropped Pie Attack Charges

Ann Coulter in her inimitable style replies in this piece to both the prosecutorial non-performance in the case of pie assault, and a similar, but less surprising reportorial malfeasance.

I don't think anybody around calls it like it is as plainly as A.C., except for Michael Savage. Both are national treasures!

Contradictory Messages in Arabic and English

This report should give everyone some cause for thought. Contradictory presentations of Islamic thought are present in fact in smaller centers with an active Islamic group, and the Chief has also encountered this phenomena of Islamic hostility to "infidels" in the heartland.

Brookings, South Dakota is the home of SDSU - South Dakota State University. Compared to the likes of Mizzou, Michigan State, etc. it's not a huge school, although it is in SD (with a total population of approx. 750,000). There is an annual "International Day" event at the university, that is open to the public, where foriegn student groups get the opportunity to showcase their culture, cuisine, etc. (There are a lot of these students at the school, especially in agricultural and related scientific areas.)

Anyway, a few years back, my daughter, along with others from her school attended this event, and returned home with a lot of material that had been handed out. This included a series of lengthy handouts which were excoriating any support for the existence of the state of Israel. This went so far as to actually quote stuff from the infamous "Protocols of the Elders of Zion" about Jewish blood sacrifice of non-Jewish children, etc., and that the proper response to this was unremitting hostility towards Jews, Israel, and any who supported them. (Phew. How do you say "Sieg Heil" in Arabic?)

Not long afterwards, there was a church "fireside meeting" where an Islamic family was invited, in the interests of mutual understanding of course, to present their basic understanding of Islam and it's relationship to other faiths. From this presentation, one would think that all was sweetness and light. (At least until a native of Thailand mentioned Buddhism - there was NO repect granted there at all, not even any superficial gesture in the direction of toleration.)

Overall, unfortunately, IMHO it sure seems like we're in a real watershed inter-civilization conflict situation, to which the Bush Doctrines, (if properly implemented) are an appropriate response.

Border Agents Support Minuteman Efforts

This from the website of Border Patrol local 2544 (Tucson area):

MINUTEMAN PROJECT: We want to make it clear because we've had a lot of questions about this.....we have not had one single complaint from a rank-and-file agent in this Sector about the Minutemen. Every report we've received indicates these people are very supportive of the rank-and-file agents, they're courteous, many of them are retired firefighters, cops, and other professionals, and they're not causing us any problems whatsoever. Reports of them causing "ground sensors" to go off are exaggerated because most of those are being set off by the ACLU sneaking around trying to find the Minutemen doing something wrong. The Minutemen have succeeded in shifting the bulk of the illegal alien traffic out of the Naco corridor. If only President Bush were so supportive of the rank-and-file agents. While President Bush hangs out thousands of miles away in the White House, these people are willing to give up their time and energy to actually do something. While President Bush entices millions of illegal aliens to keep coming with his amnesty proposals and his demoralizing statements that he doesn't want Border Patrol agents chasing "good-hearted people just coming here to take jobs Americans won't do" the Minutemen are trying to get our laws enforced. The Minutemen have made it very clear that they fully support rank-and-file Border Patrol agents. If only we had such support from the politicians we have to work for (aren't we really supposed to be working for the citizens of this country anyway?)!

From looking at their website, these guys have LOTS of trouble - it sounds worse than the military during the Carter era (THAT was bad!). If the Republocrats, except for a few like Tancredo (CO), don't get going and do something about this, they will find themselves in BIG trouble themselves, and deservedly so.

Just to show how the morale of the B.P. agents is supported by the administration's current neglect, check this out, from the same site:

Presidente Fox, HELP!: Will you please order your subordinate, George Bush, to get our borders under control? Bush won't listen to the American people, he defies the will of 70 to 80% of us, but you have some obvious power over him. Can you help us out here pal? Maybe order him to hire a few more Border Patrol agents and some equipment so we can patrol the borders? Get him to buy us a few patrol vehicles so we don't have to drive worn out junk with over 150,000 or 200,000 miles on the odometer? Maybe even get him to quit enticing millions more of your countrymen to come over here illegally by throwing endless amnesty proposals out there and telling us we shouldn't be chasing them in the first place because they're just good-hearted people coming here to take jobs we won't do? Maybe get a two-way radio system that actually works? We have a somewhat selfish motive for asking Presidente Fox. You see, at the rate Mr. Bush is cutting our budget, cutting our new hires, cutting our employment rights, depriving us of equipment, demoralizing our workforce with dumb statements, and cutting our pay, we believe that soon these "good hearted illegal aliens" he so desperately wants here may in fact really be doing a job soon that no American will want to do. The job of a Border Patrol agent! We believe he may really have a pent-up and sincere desire to have the "fox" guarding the henhouse. We need some help here buddy. Please!!!

As the Chief noted once before, where is General Pershing now that we REALLY need him!

(Historical note: Pershing led a US military punitive force into Mexico in 1916 after revolutionary fighters bandits of Pancho Villa's forces raided New Mexico.)

Peace through superior firepower, or
Hardware beats vaporware!

Colonel North has been a favorite of the Chief's ever since his appearance before the Irangate hearings. He makes some really good points here.


"BATTLESHIPS ARE CHEAPER THAN BATTLES." - Lord Chas. Beresford

It's a good thing that this situation is being addressed.

CNA = Computer Network Attack! What a set up for a new Clancy novel - except it would be better written by Niel Stephenson (Cryptonomicon, etc.).

H/T to Bill Quick on this one.

Chuck Raasch had an opEd in the Argus this morning concerning Daschle's current employment status in an upscale Washington law firm:

Daschle is barred from lobbying his old colleagues for a year, but in announcing his hiring, his new employer said he would give 'policy advice' to clients. Translation: He'll provide an insider's roadmap on how clients can get their interests stoked and stroked in Congress. Daschle's new firm said he may not become a registered lobbyist per se, but he will if he follows the Dole model.

Let me recall - hmmmm - wasn't one of the former Senator's campaign mantras something about pledging to fight special interests in Washington? Is that the same as the current status, fighting FOR special interests in Washington? MOST of the words are the same, isn't that close enough? Or does reason dictate that a more probable understanding of the above is a lack of principle and an exercise of political expediancy - say anything to get votes & then later on... "principles? We don't need no stinking principles!"

Cat Scratch Fever Comes to the NRA

Rocker and outdoor activist Ted Nugent fired an uncompromising pro-2nd Amendment message at the NRA's national convention telling the attendees to become "hardcore, radical extremists demanding the right to self defense."

He went on to champion an aggressive stance of self-defense: "To show you how radical I am, I want carjackers dead. I want rapists dead. I want burglars dead. I want child molesters dead. I want the bad guys dead. No court case. No parole. No early release. I want 'em dead. Get a gun and when they attack you, shoot 'em." Sounds like a plan to me!

THe Chief thinks that the Nuge has done a pretty good job of figuring our some basics. This can't hurt the NRA, which at times has been less assertive of protecting the 2nd amendment than for example Gun Owners of America, and Jews for the Protection of Firearms Ownership.

UPDATE: Sibby has a post reporting on SD Daschle-ite Todd Epp's negative reaction to the Nuge, (Why does such coming from one of the most stauch of the former Senator D's myrmidonsa reaction not surprise me?) relating it to the 2nd Amendment blindness of Tony Phoney Dean. Note to my PDA: time to renew lapsed NRA membership again!

Stage Set for Judicial Tyranny if GOP Senate Drops the Ball

The Chief has commented on the warping of the fabric of state by the trend of judicial usurpation of what are properly legislative and executive prerogatives, by the interpretations of deconstructionist chop-logic judges intent on converting their personal ideological and philosophical attituded into law.

This TCS piece sets up the framework for this process to be carried to its culminating conclusion: absolute judicial dominance so overwhelming as to have the effective force of tyrrany:
Two recent cases, taken together, reveal a systemic problem with the American court system. In Roper v. Simmons, a juvenile death penalty case, the court asserted a right to base it decisions on sources other than law, appealing to both international law and an even murkier "evolving standard of decency". The effect is to deny the other branches of government the ability to check the power of the courts by establishing rules before the courts enter a situation. In the Terri Schiavo case, the federal judiciary cited the precedent of Plaut v. Spendthrift Farm, which expressly denies the right of the other branches of government to check the power of the courts after they have made a decision.

When there is no check on the power of the courts at either the beginning or the end of the process, the result is a single branch of government that can unilaterally limit the scope of individual rights, a potentially dangerous concentration of power within a single set of hands.

This is the reason that the fight over judicial nominations is so heated, and critical to both sides. Since the ascension of the current libDem establishment in the 30's, their power was unbridled until the start of the Reagan revolution in the 80's. In spite of some stubborn holding actions since then, their position of political power has continued to decline until their last stronghold in the political structure is the judiciary, hence the scorched-earth opposition to judicial appointments by the Daschle/Reid leadership in the senate, and the crocodile tears cried over the possible imposition of the constitutional option to change the filibuster rules governing "advice & consent". The argument that most judges appointed have in fact been confirmed is specious at best - since it is the appeals court appointments that have been targeted for special attack.

These positions have a disproportionate role in the administration and interpretaion of law; in addition, these judges are the "AAA Farm System" (to use a baseball analogy) of the SCOTUS (Supreme Court). If Sen. Frist and the rest of the GOP Senate leadership drops the ball on this one, they will have conclusively demonstrated their incompetance and/or lack of intestinal fortitude to such a degree that the only solution is to remove them from any position of leadership responsibility for now and in the future.

Canuck Scandal Continues to Develop:
Early Election in the Offing!

The continuing documentation on the strange days in the Great White North, as their Liberal Party continues its meltdown. The Chief's schadenfreude continues!

Interesting commentary here on the correspondences between Genghis Khan and current policy-makers. It speaks for itself, or will if you go read it!

SDP with an interesting analysis of the Argus-Leader Liar noting and documenting selective coverage of Thune, Herseth, and Daschle with respect to ethanol support in Congress.

At this rate, maybe they should print an FEC disclaimer on their masthead.

No big surprise, but alway good to hold their feet to the fire when it's deserved.

McGovern and Tony Phony Dean Push for More Fed Land Siezure in SD

Sibby is at it again, cutting through the clutter to call a spade a spade, in this case in relation for McG & Dean's push for more enviro attacks on human use of available land resources.

Admittedly this seems like a small thing in terms of acreage, but it would turn out to be a case of the camel's nose in the tent. Ask Utah how things like this seem to turn out over the years - a little skoshi bit lost now, later on you look up and find half your state off limits to any rational shared resource use.

No thanks Mac, and Tony!

Sen. John McCain, the Arizona Republocrat, is continuing his intermittent efforts to cement his leadership of the Republocrat caucus in Congress. Anticipating the time when the Republicans will not hold the majority in DC, McCain continues to hasten that day by carrying the water for the Demogoguecratic minority leader Dusty Harry Reid.

Waffling out on the coming fights over judicial nominations will be tantamount to putting the remants of a free republic into a lock box, and turning the key over to the Dummycrats forever. If the courts don't get changed, then the American Republic as we know it will join the Roman Republic, and the Athenian Democracy as historical memories of something that COULD have worked, only if....

It is not reported here, but is widely believed that the symbol adopted by the McCainiac Republocrats will be the Rhinoceros to symbolically reinforce the point that they are truly Republicans-In-Name-Only or RINOs.

IF the GOP doesn't discover some backbone soon on issues like this, they will be in danger of being out-flanked to the right by Hillary on issues like immigration and border control, etc.

No wonder that PM Blair and Pres. Bush get along so well - both have really crappy issues, except for the war on terror.

I guess that this predicted result isn't a huge surprise, in any event. EngSoc is alive and well, Big Brother will continue to watch over Airstrip One.

For some reason this sort of reminds the Chief of the controversy a few years back where a group of Oglalas DEMANDED vociferously the right to set up a campsight in the Black Hills National Forest, "for cultural and traditional religious purposes". After a series of legal and P.R. skirmishes, the Forest Service, with reservations granted the permit. Two years later, they had to bring in dump trucks and a payloader to remove the junk, trash, abandoned cars, etc. from the "cultural and religious" Camp Yellow Thunder as it was called. So much for respecting the sacred Paha Sapa (Black Hills).

As far as the Chief is concerned, this is a real non-issue, but with any bad luck, the next thing will find Ward Churchill be oozing his way onto the scene.

Enviros and NIMBYS Continue Opposition to RR Expansion

Obviously to anyone except hard-core moonbats is the necessity for the USA to do whatever it can to improve it's energy independence. A high proportion of our electricity is produced by coal-burning power plants. Is this the cleanest, best way to make electricity? Probably not, but it IS still a vital part of our de-facto energy production mix of resources and technologies. The cheapest large source of coal is the Powder River Basin in Wyoming. For some time, the Dakota, Minnesota, and Eastern Railroad (DM&E) has been planning and working towards an extension of their line into the Basin to obtain access to this coal, and also increasing the carrying capacity of their line across SD and MN.

This has attrcted the usual opposition from a mixed-bag of envirowackos, leftlib anti-business types, activists of various stripes, and NIMBYs. (Not in MY Back Yard!) When this activity was at a very high level in Brookings a few years back, one of the biggest cries of protest was over the prospect of 50-55 trains per day moving through town. (Horrible! Real evidence of economic activity!) At this time, the Chief had the occasion to attend a family reunion with Mrs. Chief (reunion with part of her side of the family) down in Iowa. The town we were at had a main-line RR running through it, and coincidently was about the same size as Brookings. We stayed at a bed & breakfast 1 block from the rail line, and didn't notice much problem or disturbance from the trains. On inquiry I learned that the town had abour 50 trains daily, and that no one thought much about it one way or another. Conclusion: the DM&E expansion wouldn't be NEARLY as big a deal as the local moonbats & allies were making it out to be. Ultimately, I think the RR agreed to re-route their main line along the edge of town, but that's another story.

Some points to ponder:
• Brookings was founded as an end-of the line RR construction town back when. I wouldn't exist where it is except for the RR being built. Also, people back then frantically welcomed railroads as a real tangible sign of economic progress and infrastructure (before infrastructure was a word).
• Some of the same folks decrying the "evil corporate wailwoad" also worry about the loss of people from South Dakota - specifically the trend for graduating students to leave the state for greener pastures elsewhere due to a lack of suitable employment opportunities.

To maintain base of a modern technological economy of the sort that would provide opportunity to graduating strudents, it is essential to develop the overall level of economic infrastructure. This contributes to the overall level of economic activity, and will ultimately solve the population drain problem. To oppose the development, but decry the lack of opportunity seems to the Chief to be a major mental disconnect, giving strong supporting evidence to Michael Savage's asstertion that "liberalism is a mental disorder", but what else is new?

Google's Keyhole.com has a really neat interface package that allows zeroing in and viewing imaging of just about any place on the planet. It's searchable by street address, as well as latitude/longitude, etc. If you like playing with such things, give it a look. A 14 day trial is available free - about $30 bucks ($25 if you have an Nvidia video card) to keep it.

I'm not trying to push this, but I thought it was just too cool!

Sibby has a rather lengthy post on a topic of interest to the Chief, who noted here, here, and here, at least, the continuing problem of the termite-like infestation of the Republican's infrastructure by RINO's and county-club Republicans who apparently lack the fortutude for the type of political "war to the knife" as practiced by the libDems.

This is a long one, with material referred to from Rush and others. Worth reading if the issue is of interest to you.

In Mosul, a Battle 'Beyond Ruthless'

A heartwarming account! The Chief is cheered to see the Army using the native talents and experience of it's troopers to more effectively do their assigned job of killing people and breaking things in the defense of the country.

Given the opportunity to meet SFC Ruiz, the Chief would stand to attention, and render him a salute, along with heartfelt thanks for a job well done, an prayers for his safety and that of his men.

Two thoughts for the occasion:
"THE ESSENCE OF WAR IS VIOLENCE. MODERATION IS WAR IS IMBECILITY." - Adm Sir John A. Fisher

"PEOPLE SLEEP PEACEABLY IN THEIR BEDS BECAUSE ROUGH MEN STAND READY TO DO VIOLENCE ON THEIR BEHALF." - George Orwell

This post from AnkleBitingPundit presents a reasonable (in light of recent trends) view that the EU may have peaked.

This point of view probably has some merit - I mean, after all - France & Germany? (To say nothing of Germany & Poland, Czech Rep., Slovakia, etc. Some really severe mis-matches there, even worse than Louisiana's great cultural and social affinity for Vermont.

Phew! That was a close call, but we must be safe now: the UN General ASSembly has declared in illegal for terrorist to possess or use nuclear weapons!

The Chief is now SO reassured!

The whole UN, and especially this latest exercise in ??? (words fail!) is worth less than a bucket of cold spit when it comes to improving anybody's security - especially ours.

The other wierd thing here is the warm glow expressed by the US deputy ambassador (on the face of it a striped-pants moonbat) after the vote:
"By its action today, the General Assembly has shown that it can, when it has the political will, play an important role in the global fight again terrorism," U.S. deputy ambassador Stuart Holliday told delegates after the vote. "The nuclear terrorism convention, when it enters into force, will strengthen the international legal framework to combat terrorism."

I'll bet that this exercise and it's accompanying speechifying is at least as effective at fighting global terrorism as TSA searches of 70 year old grandmothers at airport check-ins.

Oh, right. Never mind - the chance is far greater that granny has a bomb than that the UN will have some real effect.

I had occasion to re-read this today. It is SO timely for being written so long ago. The Chief REALLY likes Kipling - he has a refreshingly total lack of P.C. attitudes, and is well worth a look. He also has a sort of sub-cult of readers in some military circles. If you read some more of him, I think you'll see why.

THE GODS OF THE COPYBOOK HEADINGS (1919) - Rudyard Kipling

As I pass through my incarnations in every age and race,
I make my proper prostrations to the Gods of the Market-Place.
Peering through reverent fingers I watch them flourish and fall.
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings, I notice, outlast them all.

We were living in trees when they met us. They showed us each in turn
That Water would certainly wet us, as Fire would certainly burn.
But we found them lacking in Uplift, Vision and Breadth of Mind,
So we left them to teach the Gorillas while we followed the March of Mankind.

We moved as the Spirit listed. They never altered their pace,
Being neither cloud nor wind-borne like the Gods of the Market-Place;
But they always caught up with our progress, and presently word would come
That a tribe had been wiped off its icefield, or the lights had gone out in Rome.

With the hopes that our World is built on they were utterly out of touch.
They denied that the Moon was Stilton; they denied she was even Dutch.
They denied that Wishes were Horses; they denied that a Pig had wings.
So we worshipped the Gods of the Market, Who promised these beautiful things.

When the Cambrian measures were forming, They promised perpetual peace.
They swore if we gave them our weapons, that the wars of the tribes would cease.
But when we disarmed They sold us and delivered us bound to our foe,
And the Gods of the Copybook Heading said: “Stick to the devil you know".

On the first Feminian Sandstones we were promised the Fuller Life
Which started by loving our neighbor and ended by loving his wife).
Till our women had no more children and the men lost reason and faith.
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: “The Wages of Sin is Death".

In the Carboniferous Epoch we were promised abundance for all.
By robbing selected Peter to pay for collective Paul;
But though we had plenty of money, there was nothing our money could buy,
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings said: “If you don’t work you die".

Then the Gods of the Market tumbled, and their smooth-tongued wizards withdrew,
And the hearts of the meanest were humbled and began to believe it was true
That All is not Gold that Glitters, and Two and Two make Four -
And the Gods of the Copybook Headings limped up to explain it once more.

As it will be in the future, it was at the birth of Man –
There are only four things certain since Social Progress began:
That the Dog returns to his Vomit, and the Sow returns to her Mire,
And the burnt Fool’s bandaged finger goes wabbling back to the Fire;

And after this is accomplished, and the brave new world begins,
When all men are paid for existing and no man must pay for his sins,
As surely as Water will wet us, as surely as Fire will burn,
The Gods of the Copybook headings with terror and slaughter return.
.

Captain Ed continues his yeoman service in shining his spotlight from Minnesnowta across the border to the north. The surprise of the light has the northern moonbats swarming for cover, as their political vehicle of choice, appropriately enough called the Liberal Party enters what shows every sign of becoming a death spiral.

Let's see - what's that word? Oh yeah - schadenfreude! That's the one~

After the last couple of postings the Chief has made today, I guess this one is inevitable.

Privacy activists need to change tactics to adapt to changing public attitudes, a leading campaigner said Thursday. Simon Davies, a director of Privacy International, said campaigners need to win the argument by force of evidence rather than assuming that people naturally guard their privacy against government encroachment, an assumption he said is no longer valid.

If "logic and common sense" fail to shift public policy then "well placed" technicians might be prepared to sabotage invasive projects, Davies predicted. "

Read the whole thing for more background, although it may give you the creeps, like it did me. Big Brother is alive and well, unfortunately.

I'm not positive about this, but on first reading, it sure looks good if you're as sick of spam as most are. (If you LIKE spam, you are in need of serious psychological counseling if not medication.)

Something to think about.

Yech! Mandatory RFID's in cars! To be able to tax you some more? (Oh, right, don't look now - you also have NO privacy in your alleged freedom to travel. Why bother with old Soviet-style internal passports when you can use AUTOmatic technology to insure that alles in ordnung. Yawhol!

I KNEW there was a reason that the thought of traveling "up east" sort of makes my skin crawl! The wide open Dakota plains never looked so good!

This WaPo article is one of the most inclusive articles I have seen in some time concerning the posible danger of an asteroid bumping into us, and REALLY giving us a seriously bad day. It also explains why the "fix" presented in the movie Armageddon in '98 is probably NOT the way to go to try to deal with one of these. Also, it reports on a fairly large but subfatal stone called "2004MN4" will approach us within 15000-25000 miles - an astronomical hair's width!

This is one I will use in my H.S. Geophysical Science class that I teach. There's a lot more here than meets the eye. Read it yourself and see!

I can really relate to some of Rachel's remarks concerning cat-dom over at Blue-eyed Infidel. The Chief's headquarters has three Pembroke Welsh Corgis, and an ex-female calico cat. The Corgi, for the uninitiated was originally a Welsh cowherding dog. In spite of a short stature, they are not an especially small or dainty dog. (A friend once referred to Corgis as "the Toulouse-Lautrecs of the German Shepherd world - not a bad analysis.) They are all dog, and have a large enclosure to rule, and any unwary rabbits or barn cats who venture into their realm become rapidly acquainted with a fine display of hunting-pack intelligent cooperation at work, to their fatal detriment - in spite of the Corgi's short legs!

The dumb cat (I exaggerate not at all!) was adopted into the house to my regret, and the regret of my sinuses, by Mrs. Chief, who rescued it from the world of "barn cats" when as a kitten it got stuck in the opening of a concrete block! Having thereby proved it's limited ability to survive in the wilds of our farm's outbuildings, it entered the welfare state of house-catdom. Having little choice in the matter, the Chief acquiesced, but with the STRICT and UNBREAKABLE rule that the care of the poop-box was NOT something that I would ever do!

Anyway, over the past few years, I have observed cathead enough to definitely relate to Rachel's somewhat jaundiced analysis. I usually don't go wandering off into this sort of "soft" commentary, but somehow this tripped my trigger I guess. Oh well.

The malefactor who apparently abducted, raped, and murdered 8 year old Jessica Delatorre continues his odyssey into the legal system with his bail hearing. (No bond allowed for animals!)

It would seem that Florida and California, and other places that seem be keep getting national MSM coverage for such things. Excellent cooperation of the perp's grandmotherly girl-friend let to a rapid arrest, and recovery of the victim's sad remains.

On the face of it, it looks to the Chief like there is nothing adequate in our system for those who prey on children, whether or not the children end up dead or not. If they don't get permanently removed ffrom the gene pool, perhaps something like Devil's Island could be set up. Some may ask what about Christian forgiveness? Check out the Source, according to Mark 9:

Sounds about right to me!

This article from Arkansas does a fair job of laying out a worldview as seen by DemChair Dean. What was really interesting was the first part of the article:
Howard Dean called the other day and started talking about Jesus. Yes, that Howard Dean. Yes, that Jesus.

Dean is the doctor and former Vermont governor who now is chairman of the Democratic National Committee, having pretty much screamed himself out of the Democratic presidential nomination last year.

Along the campaign path he remarked that his favorite New Testament book was Job, which, actually, is in the Old Testament.

Ooops! THIS is how the Dems hope to appeal to church-going red-staters?

At several times in the past, the Chief has referred to the above-mentioned newspaper as the "Argus-Liar". It must be confessed that this was a rather generalized appelation, based on more of a broad sensing that the overall orientation of the newspaper towards the port side (left) of things, in spite of Randell Beck's repeated protestations of journalistic integrity and objectivity. Yeah, sure!

Anyway, Sibby has cited a nice bit of histoire that documents a pretty clear case of untruth committed by the enemy paper and it's minions. Good to document such like, lest one accidently forget to wear their skeptics cap when examining the pages of that paper.

John Bolton, guilty of the unforgivable crime of daring to speak some truth about the vaunted UNO, has been roundly flogged for his trouble by Senate Democrats, who couldn't stand it that someone would actually say in effect that "the Emperor has no clothes". (NOTE: Not a reference here to the Illustrious Light of the Rottweiler Empire!)

Would that we would finally jettison that piece of refuse, and let them move over to Fwance, or somewhere like that. Oh well.

It looks like tradion rules on this one. Personally, it's 6 of one, half-dozen of the other.

It brings to mind "training" we always had to do on our Naval Reserve Center CO in Sioux Falls. We always did our best to impress upon them that that scheduling on the 3rd Sat. was NOT the way to go. A newly assigned CO from somewhere else in the country sometimes tried to schedule a drill weekend on the Pheasant Opener, and THEN discovered why we always said that that ws a BAD was a bad ideal when half the guys called in sick or something that weekend.

A Modern Good Samaritan Story (ref Luke 10:30-37)

This is a GREAT account of an act of true Christianity, which only reaffirms this non-Catholic's opinion that the recently departed Pontiff of Rome was not only one of the very best of that church, but the best sort of humanitarian who acted personally, not just theoretically.

Go check it out here.

H/T to Ken Blanchard over at S.D.P. who linked this article with excerpts, and even to the N.Y.T. who at least this once printed something truly edifying.

George Will Backs Abolition of IRS, Replacement by National Sales Tax

YES! Definitely an idea whose time has come! Just one MAJOR caveat: make sure the 16th Amendment gets repealed at the same time, to keep the legislooters from sneaking it back into place.

This brings to mind the Chief's own experience in the mid-60's as a political science major. When I started getting into upper-level coursework, I noticed that papers in a number of my poli-sci classes were getting consistant D+/C- grades on them, while papers in, for example English, Lit, etc. were getting B+/A grades. I finally realized that my expression of my Goldwater-ite views in the topical selection and content of the poli-sci papers was not considered acceptable. I gave up, dropped out, and told the Naval Reserve (which I had previously joined) that I was ready for active duty in the Navy. Years later, when I went back to school I majored in Biology to get away from the liberal-socialist scum clogging the arteries of the appropriately named "Liberal Arts" areas. Even in the sciences, it isn't perfect, but at least there is enough reality there in the lab to (usually) keep things from getting too wierd in P.C. terms.

SIDE NOTE: It's a ill wind that blows no good. If I had graduated from college in '68, on schedule, the Navy had plans to teach me to fly Phantom jets. That would have been really cool, but that was ESPECIALLY risky business in the late 60's due to the SE Asian War Games. Besides, I would have had to become an OFFICER, thereby missing the opportunity I had later to become a CHIEF PETTY OFFICER - a much more substantial accomplishment. If you don't believe it, and any good naval officer about the Chiefs!

Continued commentary on D.R.A. Lawsuit

UPDATE: Argus with More Details on Arguments Before SD Supremes
The Chief tardily found some coverage in the Sioux Falls Argus-Leader Loser from 3/24 that adds some additional detail not noted (but partially inferred) in my earlier post on this case, and in the coverage of the Moody County Enterprise. Unfortunately the added information does nothing to mitigate the concerns expressed in the above entry, which was originally posted by the Chief on the 6th inspired by the front page coverage of the Moody County Enterprise.

For example, this dialog before the court was reported:
Chief Justice David Gilbertson raised the question of practicality. "Where do you draw the line? Say they just wanted to build a garage, rather than a dairy farm. Can the neighbors force a county-wide vote for a garage?" he asked Abourezk.
"I think so," Abourezk said.
"Doesn't that invite chaos?" Gilbertson said.
"I don't think you have to draw the line. I think it takes care of itself. It's a pragmatic decision," Abourezk said. "Basically it would be too expensive ... unless something really concerns the citizens."

OK. My example on garage construction was NOT far out. Even more alarming, and downright subversive is Abourezk's statement that whether or not such votes were taken would be "a pragmatic decision...Basically it would be too expensive ... unless something really concerns the citizens." That would appear to mean, that someone, or a group of someones would decide when someone elses' activities were worthy of a vote - based on "a pragmatic decision" - which would inevitably be based on some arbitrary personal preference of an individual or group, thereby effectively imposing a system of a "collective will". This then would become supreme, and the concept of private property rights would be seriously abrogated. Of course if one is pursuing a "social democratic" socialist philosophy, this is all well and good to you. If you are a believer in some fundamental American-style principles, like the right to property, this can't be a good thing.

Another interesting question occurs to the Chief concerning this: Why is it that a 750,000 hen egg-laying "factory" making a larger "footprint" on the ground than a dairy operation is unworthy of scrutiny by DRA, but these dairies are something to really worry about? Does DRA like eggs better than beef? Maybe being a "chicken" instead of being "bullish" this case as well as regards foriegn affairs is more politically correct or something. (OK - don't tell me - I KNOW it's not bulls in a dairy, but it IS true that if there are no bulls there won't be any cows to milk.)

World Watches in Amazement as Eurocrat Judge Makes Anti-regulatory Decision!

It seems that vitamin supplements will not become controlled substances in EUnuchistan. Just imagine the possibilities for true entrepreneurship that were nipped in the bud: the drug smuggling rings could have added Ascorbic Acid and Niacin, etc. to their bills of lading.

This has to be just about the first anti-regulatory decision, ruling, interpretation, or whatever that the Chief can recall coming out of EUnuchistan.

Maybe they're not quite all brain dead yet. (THIS judge probably took his vitamins!)

"Undocumented Border Agents" Reduce Illegal Traffic

The Chief has commented repeatedly on the need for the US to enforce its own borders. The volunteer effprt currently underway in Arizona gives the lie to administration apologists who claim that there is little that can be done to accomplish this.

This coverage from the London Telegraph gives a good overview of the effort, and it's effects, and also the stess fracture that is on the verge of cracking the GOP apart.

The current GOP establishment would be well served to SERIOUSLY ponder this issue. If there were somewhere else to go that would be an effective counter to this...a lot of formerly loyal GOP conservative spear carriers would take a hike. Are you listening Bill Quick? (I know you are!) BORDERS! LANGUAGE! CULTURE!

From a NY Times Reporters' Handbook?

Sort of a "Top 10" list of media bias, which rapidly seemed to expand beyond 10. This is a pretty good analysis of the techniques of the MSM to deliver "All the news that fits, we print."

H/T to Emperor Misha for this one.

Harry Reid - Read it and weep!

H/T to South Dakot Politics reporting on a new poll, showing 82% approve of holding straight up/down vote on judicial appointees. It also has 78% saying that Senators have a Constitutional duty to vote on judicial nominations.

Truly a heartwarming result.

Dakota Rural Action Activists hire Abourezk to Attack Dairies

As reported in the Moody County Enterprise, an abortive attempt last fall by the Dakot Rural Action group to try to prevenat permits for development of large dairy operations in Moody County is continuing.

Last Fall, before the election, I was contacted by a DRA activist to sign a petition to try to force this matter onto the ballot. The Chief responded forcefully and negatively without profanity, but forcefully enough that Mrs. Chief allowed as to how it wasn't necessary to be so blunt towards an otherwise nice lady who was, after all just working for her political viewpoint, just as I have been know to do for mine. Point well taken, but we still didn't sign her petition! This effort was not successful, and after court appeals, the measure was not allowed on the ballot, resulting in the current appeal to the SD Supremes.

Basically what was, and apparently still is the goal of their effort is to short-circuit the legally defined administrative procedure for the clearence of permits for the development of these sorts of operations. In the relevant cases concerning the Brittania and the Prairie Gold dairies, all necessary federal (EPA, USDA, etc.), state (DNR), and county requirements had been fully complied with, and the necessary permits obtained. At the time of the legal appeal for the vote, the Brittania Dairy was well into construction, and work had also been started at the Prairie Gold site. (Both are in operation at this time.) In an ex post facto exercise, the DRA sought, and still seeks to bring this to a county-wide vote, at which time they will trot out all the typical environmentalist envirowacko and social democracy socialist type arguments to justify their group in claiming a special right to dictate to any landowners in the county what they can and cannot do with their land.

In the case of the Britannia Dairy especially, the Chief regards this as being downright abusive. Mr. Ailsby and his partner, having liquidated the entireity of their agricultural and personal property in the UK, came over here, just as our ancestors did in the past, to take advantage of better opportunities than those available in Tony Blair's Eurocratic version of the United Kingdom Airstrip One. Once they got over here and jumped through all the legalistic hoops and got started with their enterprise, the DRA in it's infinite wisdom decides that it can't accept someone doing something that might actually involve economic development.

The nut of the legal issue, as reported in the Enterprise, ws stated by the long-time liberal activist and ex-Senator:
Abourezk, on the other hand, indicated that the Board of Adjustment had complete discretion on whether to allow or deny the dairy permits, and therefore that discretion made it a legislative decision. He argued that any time permits are issued, it is a legislative action and is subject to a referendum by the people.

The obvious problem with this legal doctrine is the ALL PERMITS ISSUED BY THE COUNTY WOULD BE SUBJECT TO AN ELECTION VOTE! For example, if the Chief wanted a building permit to put up a new garage on his quarter section, it would be subject to county-wide approval by a referendum! R.I.P. to any surviving semblence of private property rights!

Further into the Enterprise article, it quotes Bill Nibbelink, who was described described as "county commissioner and member of Dakota Rural Action". In addition, Nibbelink, known to some as "Mr. Democrat" of the County Courthouse due to his long time advocacy and activism for the jackass party. Anyway, Nibbelink said:
"This action by DRA is not against dairy farms, but rather the right of the citizens of Moody County to vote on issues that affect their quality of life. It is a fundamental right of democracy."

This attitude serves to illustrate one of the Chief's favorite definitions of democracy: "Three wolves and two sheep voting on what's for lunch.", and Bill, in case you hadn't noticed, WE DO NOT LIVE IN A DEMOCRACY! Our government, by intentional design, is that of a representative republic, where we elect people to represent us, for example as county commissioneres, and they act in our behalf. There are also administrative procedures established by law, to allow for an orderly processing of the decisions that come up in the normal course of events - for example, the approval of building, business, and other permits.

In addition, there is an even more insidious attitude expressed in Nibbelink's statement: the reference to "vote on issues that affect their quality of life." If this is the case, then could the County vote to force out a church denomination, if it was held to be deleterious to the majority's quality of life? How about closing a book store that sold controversial publications like the Communist Manifesto, Ayn Rand's Atlas Shrugged, or even The Bible? Why not vote about liquor sales permits, and video lottery outlets? Speaking of videos, how about voting to close a video store that has R and NC-17 rated videos? Arguably any or all of these can impact the "quality of life" in a community, but should they all be subject of a vote? According to Nibbelink, apparently so! This attitude can and will lead to a state of regulation and government control and oversight involving virtually all aspects of life, where anything not allowed is forbidden, alles in ordnung is the rule, and it would behoove one and all to make sure to keep their "papers" in order!

Anyway, the DRA has dragged this whole thing up to the SD Supremes, so the outcome is in the hands of the court at this point. MY layman's understanding of the law would seem to indicate that the routine approval of permits is certainly an administrative, and not a legislative function. Think about this for a minute: does the Legislature in Pierre approve poermits, or does the relevant oversight agency act on such requests? Likewise, at the Federal level, does congress pass on the environmental compliance of a new business, or does the EPA handle it? OK. So why is it different at a county or local level? It isn't - unless you adopt NIMBY (Not In My BackYard) as your knee-jerk response to any sort of development that doesn't fall into your definition of heaven on earth. If this is your attitude, then any measure to stop it, no matter how much it may warp the legal system is OK. This may be even more so if the development carries the fatal whiff of diabolism that is inferred by the term "corporation". Judging by the DRA's rhetoric of "social justice" on their website, apparently this may well be a powerful motivator for this activist approach.

Unfortunately, once something hits the court system these days, judges have proven themselves all too willing to do as the darned well please, independent of the content of the law and the Constitution, by freely using deconstructionist and creative interpretations. Hopefully things aren't that bad yet in South Dakota, but time will tell. The SD Supremes will let us know in 60-90 days. Stay tuned for further developments.

Permalink posted by RadioActive Chief @ 20:21 |