Dakota Today

• ** Big and broken down in Winner, SD

  Today when on the way to buy a $10 wrench set at Runnings on the west side of Winner (about a mile from the east side) I noticed something big and blue and on blocks. It was or still is a Trail King trailer of somekind. The tractor pulling it [...]
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  Posted: November 24, 2009, 8:05pm EST
  by Douglas Wiken

• *** Representative Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin "Stands Tall for South Dakotans"

  Whether or not about 600,000 South Dakotans actually think Stephanie Herseth-Sandlin actually represents them or some group of rich and influential “stake holders” in the Health Insurance industry seems to be an open question. Whatever we do think, some lobbyist group is loading SD TV with ads claiming SHS is [...]
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  Posted: November 23, 2009, 8:57pm EST
  by Douglas Wiken

• ** Some names on the radio need to be spelled out...Bridge Collapse Lecture at SDSU

  On the SDPB Radio Midday Program today, Paul Guggenheim interviewed "Connie" of the Minnesota Highway Department on the rapid building of the replacement bridge in Minneapolis. Well, that was what I thought until I started searching for somebody in the department with that name. I finally found the story from [...]
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  Posted: November 16, 2009, 9:56pm EST
  by Douglas Wiken

• **Winner wins by a lucky bounce..Winner 12: Tri-Valley 6.

  OK, I confess. I view the damage highschool football does to knees, ankles, spleens, and brains outweighs any real or imagined benefits of such sports. And, the last time I even wrote a story covering a football game, it was more or less satire. It seems that back about 40 [...]
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  Posted: November 13, 2009, 3:32pm EST
  by Douglas Wiken

• **Herseth-Sandlin and Blue Dogs make Blug Dog Crap

  Rep. Herseth-Sandlin again demonstrates that the primary work product of Blue Dog Democrats is blue dog shit. Rep. Herseth-Sandlin talks like she represents people when she campaigns here in South Dakota, but when she gets to DC, she isn’t Democratic or Republican, she is 100% opportunist. She claims voting against [...]
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  Posted: November 08, 2009, 1:42pm EST
  by Douglas Wiken

• **Newt Gingrich book price drops to $1.00

  Slow news day here for sure. Drizzle and chill, clouds and a few minutes of actual sunshine. Temperature now is around 45. Stopped at local Pamida discount store. Their pile of books is shrinking, but some just don't move. Newt Gingrich's "Winning the Future" hit $1.00 in the market economy' [...]
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  Posted: October 25, 2009, 9:02pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• ** Got $100 ? Update computers or contribute to SDPB?

  South Dakota Public Broadcasting Radio has a "Midday" call in program on weekdays. Every second Friday, the "Computer Guys" do their best to spread knowledge about computers, software and other interesting technology. Today, like most techies recently, they were busy hyping Windows 7. I e-mailed them and asked two questions: [...]
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  Posted: October 23, 2009, 8:23pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• ** Leviathons of the Prairie Stopped by Mist and Clouds

  Farm combines have turned into huge high-horsepower machines with 36 foot wide grain headers. (The soybean headers on these machines are 30 feet wide.) They have also gotten tremendously expensive and may be several hundred thousand dollars per machine. Even so, Mother Nature can "sneeze" and cause them to stop [...]
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  Posted: October 23, 2009, 7:25pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• ** About a dozen reasons for Single-Payer Health Insurance

  A site has found some of the salaries of the bigwigs in the health insurance industry. It appears these greedy SOBs are very good reasons for Single Payer insurance of the kind George McGovern supported: "Extend Medicare to every US Citizen." Insurance Executive Salaries Our Congress Critters have spent the [...]
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  Posted: October 22, 2009, 7:10pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• ** Health Insurance reform...One side lying the other not telling the truth

  I may be paranoid, but I have stopped believing either Democrats or Republicans in Congress are actually one bit interested in real reform of health insurance and thus in directly in the long run also reform of the US Healthcare industry. The title of this post is from the site [...]
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  Posted: October 14, 2009, 11:20pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• **SDPB puts together good info on TV reception....but.....

  If you are still curious about the changes involved in going from analog to digital TV and the effects those changes had on channel frequencies, signal strength, antenna information, splitter information, digital to analog, etc. etc. Check the link below: SDPublic Broadcasting on Antennas, etc. I don't think you will' [...]
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  Posted: October 12, 2009, 6:49pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• Who put the bomp .... Who put the "Con" in Congress?

  * No, it is not music. It is the sound of a lot of health insurance industry money oiling the palms of those who pretend to represent those of us who are not rich. Bill Moyers a night or two ago indicated that the health insurance industry has spent $350 [...]
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  Posted: October 11, 2009, 6:38pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• **Don't tell Sibby, but they really were Black Helicopters.

  Sometime after noon today, October 5, 2009, I was talking to a neighbor on the phone when the whole house literally shook. The floors vibrated, the walls vibrated, the windows rattled. About the worst noise I have ever heard. I looked out the window and my cows were running for [...]
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  Posted: October 05, 2009, 10:27pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• **McGovern and Abourezk preach to the Choir in Winner, SD and we applaud

  The political odd couple made it to Winner, SD and were lucky enough to get here for the first bit of sunshine and decent weather in several days. Abourezk, the former bartender, and McGovern, the son of a preacher man, are traveling around SD doing good things for the Heidepriem [...]
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  Posted: October 04, 2009, 12:33am EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• ** McGovern and Abourezk to visit Winner, SD

  An ad in the local Winner Paper and a robo call from "James Abourezk" let us know that former US Senators George McGovern and Jim Abourezk will be at the Tripp County Courthouse in Winner, SD Saturday October 3, 2009 at 7:00 PM CDT. This should be an interesting meeting [...]
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  Posted: September 30, 2009, 10:01pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• **Guest Post: Prof. Michael Myers-- We're Fat, Angry, Anxious

  This article was in the ARGUS Voices section Sunday September 27, 2009. Prof. Michael Myers gave his permission to post it as a guest post here in Dakota Today. I suspect he has a bit of irony in his message here, but the facts he presents should interest anybody involved [...]
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  Posted: September 28, 2009, 5:52pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• **Shades of Nixon's tape machine and Rosemary Woods in Oklahoma

  Sounds like the ghost of Rosemary Woods was running the cameras in Oklahoma the day the Murrah Federal Office Building was bombed with 4000 pounds of fertilizer and diesel fuel in 1995. Mysteriously, the security tapes have a gap prior to the explosion, but also mysteriously are on again at [...]
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  Posted: September 27, 2009, 8:56pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• ** George McGovern on Sensible Health Insurance Reform

  Former US Senator from South Dakota, George S. McGovern has written a good guest editorial column that has appeared in a number of places including the Mitchell Daily Republic. I have copied it as a continuation of this post. It is worth reading. McGovern says the simplest most cost effective [...]
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  Posted: September 17, 2009, 10:59am EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• **A Rumor flys and there are highway deaths near Winner,SD

  Recent days have not been kind on the highways around here. A week or so ago, a young man, Josh Mayes, died after his car rolled south of Winner. He was apparently not wearing seatbelts. His grandfather said if nothing else came out of his death, maybe some more young [...]
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  Posted: September 16, 2009, 9:47pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• ** SD Focus seemed to be loaded with insurance and Medical profit supporters

  I saw most of the SD Focus show on SDPB-TV this evening (Sept 10, 2009). I got the impression that the panel was loaded with advocates for the current mess favored by the insurance companies and the most shortsighted elements of the medical professionals intent on maintaining the essential doctor-patient's' [...]
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  Posted: September 11, 2009, 12:29am EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• **It was 9:09PM on 09-09-09 a few minutes ago

  Not too many minutes ago, I drove past a local bank and the time was 9:09 and the temperature 71. Today, my wife's mother would have been 99 had she lived a couple more years. Wife visited her mother's grave today. The temperature was not 99 as it has been [...]
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  Posted: September 09, 2009, 10:53pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• Tripp County Veteran's Memorial and Labor Day

  I guess there was a celebration including some politicians. I missed it. I also missed most of the other special events "celebrating" the 100th anniversary of Tripp County, SD with Winner, SD as county seat. We did hear some fireworks last night and actually saw a flash or two of [...]
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  Posted: September 08, 2009, 2:38am EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• *** Words and politicians, words and blog posts

  A Scientific American newsletter mentioned an apparently new or slightly different way to analyze speech and speeches. I am not sure that either of these tells us really very much, but there sure are a lot of words about words. Scientific American on what your words say about you Wordwatchers [...]
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  Posted: September 02, 2009, 6:05pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• *** Feeding us humbug in South Dakota

  In the last few days, we here in South Dakota have been treated to a number of forums, interviews, etc. on SDPB radio and TV and in newspapers. I won't repeat any of that. But, mostly when you put together all the blather we have gotten from Senators Thune and' [...]
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  Posted: August 28, 2009, 6:06pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• **Found an old rusty tool

  We did a little fencing today. No, not with epees or sabers, but with pliers and wire and a fence stretcher. Anyway, while walking where a few hundred cows have walked for a hundred years or so, We found an old rusty tool. Click on photo below for an enlarged [...]
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  Posted: August 24, 2009, 10:02pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• ** Obama will lose all credibility unless he shows he can't be rolled

  President Obama has recognized the need to correct the growing problems with health care in the US. He has pleaded with Republicans, Democrats, Blue Dog Democrats, et al to put together a compromise of some kind. Obama put out a hand in compromise and got it slapped by a bunch [...]
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  Posted: August 21, 2009, 11:56pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• **Some links for Software mentioned by CPU magazine

  The CPU magazine by Sandhills Press for October 2009 has a number of programs mentioned as worth downloading. I thought the following might be useful. I have not tried any of them yet, so as they say, "Your mileage may vary". Plain text links for information on what is in [...]
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  Posted: August 18, 2009, 1:09am EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• *** Frank Kloucek Letter Praising Herseth-Sandlin

  SD State Senator Frank Kloucek requested the following letter be posted here. It indicates that Democrats are also concerned about the economy and business in South Dakota. I do hope Sen. Kloucek, Herseth, Sandlin, Sen. Tim Johnson, and Sen. John Thune will take a look at the "Clunkers for Clunkers" [...]
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  Posted: August 16, 2009, 7:59pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• ** Take Seriously that voice crying in the Northern Political Wilderness

  You won't find much better writing on any other blog and you won't find quite as many ideas expressed with similar vitality and creativity in terms of making the often less obvious plain as day. Check Northern Valley Beacon if you have been missing it lately. Northern Valley Beacon The [...]
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  Posted: August 11, 2009, 7:08pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• **Clunkers for Clunkers...more on two-tier Clunker/Cash stimulus boondoggle

  In a previous post I mentioned the idea of a two-tier clunker program. A mechanic in Rapid City was appalled to see better vehicles getting better mileage than his own being put into the Clunker program for $4500 or whatever. He has a better idea for a name for the [...]
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  Posted: August 11, 2009, 6:50pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• *** Clunkers of Today and Hot Rods of Yesterday

  On public radio, I heard one of the Billions talking about the cars they sold as a consequence of the clunker stimulus. Probably their best sales days ever. Billion may also have told the truth about clunker problem cars traded in, but in some areas and at other dealers, better [...]
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  Posted: August 09, 2009, 11:11pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• **Weird Weather for Winner, SD

  This does not seem to have been a typical weather year for Winner, SD and Tripp County. Last night after predictions of scattered light showers somewhere, we had about 1.82 inches of rain according to weather at Winner Regional Airport. And now at noon, it appears as if we are [...]
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  Posted: August 06, 2009, 12:17pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• **Economist "Engineer" Robert Shiller finds danger in growing US wealth inequality

  Recently, economist Robert Shiller was interviewed on the Charlie Rose show. It was an interesting hour based loosely on his new book "Animal Spirits" which is not quite what you might expect from the title. Robert Shiller correctly predicted the economic meltdown. He is an astute observer and listening to [...]
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  Posted: August 05, 2009, 6:03pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• ** Sen. Thune's GOP Talking Points on Health Insurance skewered at Mt. Blogmore

  SD US Senator John Thune provided a few of the Republican talking points on health care. Thune's comments seem to mirror those of the Health Insurance industry and the propaganda groups they have set up to feed talking points to Republicans and Blue Dog Democrats. The text of his comments [...]
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  Posted: August 03, 2009, 11:21pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• ** Chrome on Chrome and other miscellany

  Some stuff mixed together. When I start to see chrome on chrome at the quick stops in Winner, SD, I know that the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is coming on. Lots of chrome domes riding well-chromed Harley cycles and a few sun-bleached and burned blonds on the road to skin cancer. [...]
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  Posted: July 29, 2009, 10:48pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• ** More on "Stranded Wind" electricity, NH3, Methanol, etc

  Here in SD, we keep hearing from politicos and others who should know better that wind salvation for SD requires building huge power lines that will generate next to nothing in income for South Dakotans and turn SD into another kind of colony for the coasts or other countries. I [...]
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  Posted: July 29, 2009, 6:39pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• ** More about juicy hamburgers

  About a year ago, I posted a recipe and method for making juicy non-stringy and not tough dry hamburgers, but which were also fully cooked. The details are still in the original post which I just cleaned up a bit with better formatting and removal of a spelling error or [...]
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  Posted: July 25, 2009, 12:34pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• ** Why single-payer health insurance is really not on the table

  Not sure if the following is from a valid source, but suspect the info is in the neighborhood of correct. Blue Dogs' Obedience These Blue Dogs are indeed obedient to their masters: the profitable health care providers and insurers, just not to their President, party, constituents, districts or states. They' [...]
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  Posted: July 22, 2009, 10:42am EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• **About that C Street "Churchish" Group that has John Thune as a member

  It is rare that Salon Premium stories mention South Dakota even in passing. That is sort of the case here, but the passing reference is to US Senator John Thune and his membership in a group that has helped cover up some of the transgressions of GOP hypocrites currently in [...]
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  Posted: July 21, 2009, 9:54pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• **Analog to digital TV converter coupons..10 days left to (re)apply.

  If you are still using good analog TV's or even not so good and were pulling signal off-air via antennas, or you are on cable and want to expand your choices without paying more, you may be interested in taking advantage of Uncle Sam. Some $40 coupons are still available [...]
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  Posted: July 19, 2009, 3:48pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• ** Research on GM Crops stifled according to Sci American

  The recent news that the President of South Dakota State University is also on the payroll of Monsanto has generated some interesting questions and comments along with requests from legislators for more information. Somewhat related to the broad issue were comments related to plant variety protection by Cory H. at [...]
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  Posted: July 17, 2009, 12:09pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• **Some thoughts on the Sotomayor hearings

  The GOP senators at the confirmation hearings for Sonia Sotomayor as a nominee to the US Supreme Court have been trying to make hay with Sotomayor's "I hope an Hispanic woman....." comment in a speech or speeches. They have been beating on one or two dead elephants ever since the [...]
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  Posted: July 15, 2009, 10:21pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• **Some additions to the Dakota Today Blog Chain

  If you check the horizontal menu just under the masthead, you will see some links to the Parts is Parts blog and a subsidiary blog to Parts is Parts with Repair Log Pages by vehicle. So far just one vehicle in the list, but we have more junk to fix [...]
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  Posted: July 14, 2009, 7:48pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• ** Winner School Board Meeting July 13, 2009.. Some Fog

  I was a bit late getting to the meeting. The weather outside the school meeting place was interesting with clouds moving in three directions with a nearly clear hole in the middle right above. It did get my attention for a few minutes. Tornado warnings and ledge clouds tend to [...]
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  Posted: July 14, 2009, 11:05pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• ** This is not a beer endorsement

  This morning I noticed a comment on the post relating to Palin's resignation which referred to her in passing as "Governor Moose Drool". That was a term I think I first saw at South Dakola or in a post somewhere else. Anyway, little did I know that I had seriously [...]
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  Posted: July 10, 2009, 4:25pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• **Gov. Sarah Palin (Gov. Moose Drool) set to resign

  In the less than earth-shaking news, I heard yesterday that Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin announced she will resign in July. Kind of a surprise what with all the GOP rhetoric about personal responsibility, etc. All kinds of guesses trying to interpret her convoluted language, but a few of mine below [...]
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  Posted: July 04, 2009, 11:50am EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• **There he (Bill O'Reilly) goes again..shoddy analysis

  Today, Monday June 29,2009, the Mitchell Daily Republic has a Bill O'Reilly column titled "Do not be deceived by shoddy polls". It ostensibly concerns a NYT poll on health insurance. The message here about O'Reilly is do not be deceived by shoddy analysis of a shoddy columnist. I will be [...]
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  Posted: June 29, 2009, 2:57pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• ** At least two sides to politicians cheating on their spouses

  Madville Times has a post on Republican Governor Mark Sanford of South Carolina who cheated on his wife by flying off to Argentina to screw some former newswoman. Madville Times on Blogger Hypocrisy and Mark Sanford, etc That post got me thinking about the issue and I made most of [...]
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  Posted: June 28, 2009, 11:09pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• **GOP thinks Obama should emulate Eisenhower

  President Obama held a press conference today and was asked the GOP's current empty leading question. Something to the effect of, "Why aren't you making tougher statements on the election uproar (uprising?) in Iran?" Obama has stated that giving encouragement to the protesting Iranians would have a negative consequence in' [...]
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  Posted: June 23, 2009, 9:05pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken

• ** Paid Blogging to be monitored by FTC

  The Mitchell Daily Republic today June 22, 2009 carried an AP story they titled "FTC to monitor blogs for claims, payments". Sounds OK to me since I have never received a dime for posting information in Dakota Today and if I did endorse any product or candidate, I have tried [...]
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  Posted: June 22, 2009, 2:56pm EDT
  by Douglas Wiken