Republic vs Democracy

Spinny asked me in a post below to talk more about the difference between a Republic and a Democracy. I'm tempted to let Skogg do it because she's the Republican, but I'll start it off here and see where it goes. A Republic is a political system best characterized by a body of lawmakers who (supposedly) represent the people.

The Roman government was a Republic.

A Democracy is based on the idea of one person, one vote. Many people argue that we don't really have a Democracy in America, and that in fact, the Founding Fathers never intended for us to have one. That's why they wrote the Constitution the way they did. It's kind of a blend of both ideas. I like to call it a Democratic Republic.

Anyway, in South Dakota we have Initiative & Referendum. Notice that there is no such thing when it comes to the Federal Government. We can't circulate petitions to overturn a law that the US Congress has passed and the President signed, because there is no provision in the US Constitution for Initiative & Referendum (I&R). Not only do South Dakotans have this option, they were the FIRST State to adopt it, and the ONLY state where the idea originated on home soil. That basically means that South Dakota has a more "Democratic" constitution than the Federal Government does. That's because South Dakota is basically a "Populist" state.

Many people argue that the US should become more Democratic. Two of of the main things they target are the Electoral College and the House of Representitaves. Think about it. Al Gore beat George Bush fair and square if we went by the popular vote. But because of the Electoral College (and the Supreme Court) George Bush became President instead. And as for the House of Reps? How can one person whether it's Stephanie Herseth or Bill Janklow speak for the whole state. Better to let us all get on the internet and represent ourselves. My theory is that the Founders would have preferred the most Democratic government possible but that the limits on travel and communications technology made it impractical for them to do so.

I think that way, of course, because I am a Democrat. And a Populist. Most Republicans disagree with me. That's why they call them "Republic"ans. Get it?


That should get the discussion going. I'll add more as we get into it, I'm sure.

How'd I do Skogg?

Friday's Caption Contest

Sorry this is late...but it's worth it.

CAPTION ME!

Napoli Cartoon on Ebay

Have you all seen this?

Click Here

Just joking!

So, I recently got ahold of one recording of the annual Joke Show that they do on Prarie Home Companion, thus, Spin and Thunk have been subjected to teerrible jokes for the last week or so.

"What does this have to do with any of you?" you might be asking. Well, one of the more amusing parts of the recording has been the Sven and Ole jokes. I want to hear the ones that people know. No cheating, I don't want jokes from a website you found, just ones you remember (Owl, I know you've got a few).

I'll get it started... Ahem

Ole and Lina had their 25th wedding anniversary party and everyone had a wonderful time. After the party had ended and everyone had left, Ole and Lina were sitting next to one another and, all of a sudden, Lina turns and punches Ole in the arm and says "That's for twenty five years of bad sex." Ole thinks about this for a minute, and turns to Lina and punches her back and says "That's for knowing the difference."

All right, lets hear what you've got.

wish we could have seen it!

Because I like to giggle...

Chop and Thunk bought me Kong.
We gathered at my house for a Kongragation.
That movie is good.

I think I will watch it again.

YARG!! FYI, maties...

I thought ye would like to know how long until it be "Talk Like a Pirate Day". I wish it were sooner. Yarrrrrrrrrrrg.

(Sidenote: Did I spell "maties" correctly? Because it looks weird)

How long 'til the day of days? Herrrrrrrrrrrrrrrre:

Must be

a blogspot 3 day weekend.

Testing one two three

I'll explain later

Good info:

Check out this link.

There is a new strategy among the defenders of HB1215 to try to say that we should trust our legislators, because after all, we are a Republic, not a Democracy.

They actually are arguing that Democracy is a bad thing.

It's a crock, of course, at least I think so.

Here's some unique SD History on Initiative and Referendum.

It's way cool.

http://www.iandrinstitute.org/South%20Dakota.htm

Oh, by the way, Dawnee Gee and Bill Fleming
creamed Charley House on Blogmore this weekend.

He says he's leaving the Blog because of it.

Check that out too.

http://www.rapidcityjournal.com/politicalblog/?p=1176#comments

Start at #63 and follow through to the end.

Rock on brothers and sisters.

A true work of art.

Look what I found on Mt. Blogmore today.

Wow.
_________________________________

It was and easy rape, she said
(Though not the way she hoped to wed)
The stones were sharp against her head,
(Not her dream of a bridal bed)
And the dress he tore as he thrust her down
was not her idea of a wedding gown.

But really, it was not complex.
Just some simple brutal sex.
And though her young life had other plans
She would bear the child of the gentleman.
And try to love each smile and dimple,
And be thankful that the rape was simple.
And thank the men who made her free.
Simple men like Napoli.

Comment by Bob Nelson — 3/25/2006 @ 1:26 pm

Some interesting puzzlements.

Remember Al_Fresco (Al_Riteethen, Al_toona, A_gebra, ...etc.)?

Well, he and I just had a phone conversation that started by noting
that a person named N.I. Celysha Pedhead is very wise indeed,
and that we will learn more about him/her as time goes on.

Then we started talking about Corporations, which are considered
"persons" under the law, and granted the same constitutional rights
as you and me.

Then we put that together with HB1215's and the religious rights definition
of what a "person" is (a fertilized egg). Well then, the mind just boggles
doesn't it? I mean, the stockholders of a corporation can start and end
the life of that corporate "person" at will. Maybe we need to think of ourselves
as corporations, and our "stockholders" are the ones who decides whether
or not the investment they make in us is worth it.

Ok, kids. Google "the Bill of Rights" and give it a read, one more time.
Pay close attention to the 1st, 4th, 5th, 9th, 13th and 14th Amendments.

Now, think about those things in the context of HB1215, Churches, and Corporations.

Wow.

Just jammin' on a Saturday morning.

Love,

Owl

p.s.

This message brought to you courtesy of N. I. Celesha Pedhead,
who asked me to impart to you the following cryptic wishes:

"May ye all have good hair days."

and,

"Ye gets a head, and ye stays a head."

2000 bucks in one day... Not bad!

Check it out
We are getting a ton of feeback from all over the country... Its pretty exciting!

Friday's Caption Contest

Caption Me!!

Is this the best they can come up with?

Click Here

Because.....um.......ew.

Testing, But check it out anyway

Clicking that button will take you to a page to donate.



Clicking here will take you to Focus: South Dakota

Clicking here will take you to HB1215.com

Woot! I'm a penguin!!

What animal would best suit your personality? A PENGUIN. You are the penguin. You take life in its stride, not letting the big issues of the world stand in your way. You like spending time with large groups of friends and you are considered a bit of a socialite jumping back and forth between different groups of friends. However, you still have time for your family and remain close to them.

Read this Spavistas:

Click Here

This is the guy who talked Mike Gould of Community theater into breaking away from the Dahl and the Arts Council. This is the guy who's running the Journey Museum board. This is the guy who gave big campaign checks to Mayor Shaw, Malcom Chappman and Shumacher. This is the guy who, when when he asked me to do an ad campaign against the Dahl, I told him to kiss my ass (nicely, of course.)

Doug Hamilton. Get him outta here.

Interesting...

Poll shows governor’s popularity dropping

In honor of its big day...

A lot has happend on this spave over the last year and in its 1002 posts. Any one care to talke about some of their favorite ones...

Mine may still to this day have to be all of the posts that took place on talk like a pirate day.

Happy Birthday Blog!!

In honor of the blog's birthday, I decided to start the weekly caption contest a few days early.

(evil laugh)

Caption Me!!

Lerve.

One Year Ago Today....

This happened

---

I made us a Blog

Hey there,
I made this blog
I dont know much about blogs, but i think we will figure it out rather fast!
Hee Hee
Spin

I helped make us a blog

and now we are going to try and figure out how to make it a little more professional
Chop

---

It has been a lot of fun thus far! Thanks to everyone that makes it such a wonderful place (plave) to be. May we all have long days and pleasant nights.

The Way to Define Good--

Amy and Tyler have been found!!! They have been missing since Saint Patty's Day. The left-side-of-the-spave has been very, very worried. Thank the stars they are safe.

Is it mind control?

It's all about the muppets today folks

Doot Dooo De Doo Doo

Thoughts on the Blogmore...

In today's paper, there is an article that starts on the front of the Local section. It is written by Bill Harlan, who is one of the moderators of Mt. Blogmore. I couldn't find it on the webpage, so here's my summary. I'm interested to hear what some of you think:

Bob Newland, is a somewhat well-known Libertarian political activist who lives outside of Hermosa. In 2002, Newland was promoting "Amendment A," which would have allowed juries to consider the guilt or innocence of a defendant (which is what's already on the books), but would also allow the jury to consider the validity of the law itself. Now I'm not well-versed on what exactly was his motivation, but as Newland is currently promoting a ballot initiative to legalize medical marijuana, that may have factored in (this is my assumption...I don't have support for that argument).

Anyway, the Secretary of State (as required) published pro and con explanations of the measure, and Newland wrote the "pro" essay. An attorney from East River wrote the con essay, and in his essay, the attorney wrote that Amendment A would allow juries to let murderers go free with a small fine. Newland thought that statement was false.

Legal background - there is a statute in South Dakota, SDCL Section 12-13-16, which makes it a Class 2 misdemeanor to publish "false or erroneous information" on a constitutional amendment or submitted question. Newland applied that statute, whose own constiutionality is in doubt, and complained to the DCI.

Fast forward to last week, when a DCI agent showed up at Newland's home. Newland thought the agent was there to finish the investigation that Newland's complaint had started. Wrong.

On March 3, Bill Harlan posted the now famous (infamous) remarks made by Bill Napoli in reference to 1215. Newland zeroed in on the following statement made by Bill Napoli:

"When I was growing up here in the wild west, if a young man got a girl pregnant out of wedlock, they got married, and the whole darned neighborhood was involved in that wedding. I mean, you just didn't allow that sort of thing to happen, you know? I mean, they wanted that child to be brought up to a home with two parents, you know, that whole story. And so I happen to believe that can happen again."

In response to that statement, Newland posted the following comment on Mt. Blogmore:

"When Napoli's father was growing up here in the wild west, his cafe was burned to the ground. A sign was left nearby, 'Italian nigger go home.' I happen to believe that can happen again. Ah, the good old days."

Napoli took this statement as a "veiled threat" and asked the DCI to investigate.

Harlan maintains that he and his colleagues did not see the comment as a threat, and that he (Harlan) had contacted Newland to verify the same before allowing the post to go up.

So there's this weird thing happening, as Harlan points out. Two men, both extreme in their beliefs and method of conveying the same, are complaining about others for abusing the rights guaranteed under the First Amendment. (Sidenote: a threat isn't usually protected under the First Amendment, so the issue with Napoli's complaint is whether or not Newland was threatening him). This conundrum is amplified because both Napoli and Newland arguably got to where they are today by constantly applying their first amendment rights to their extreme topics of speech.

Which leads me to my questions...

Is Newland's comment a veiled threat? Was he using the method of extremism to get people thinking? Do you think SDCL 12-13-16 is sound? Where do we draw the line on censoring opinions? Do they have to have certain facts to support them? Does this then hinder looking foward when formulating opinions?

Anyway, it was a solid article and it got me thinking. So what are your thoughts? Are you still reading this?

Nah nah nah gonna have a good time...

I love this snow. Granted, it's annoying as heck to shovel (which I did this morning...which means it will snow again...since I shoveled), but it's so pretty.

I love South Dakota snow.

When I was shoveling this morning, the theme song to "Fat Albert" was running through my head over and over and over and over again.

Nah nah nah gonna have a good time (scrape) HEY HEY HEY (toss).

Hope everybody is safe in their homes and able to enjoy the pristine beauty.

Who wants to build a snowman in my front yard?

Let There Not be Yucky in the Spave

Though I have noticed a lack of the Doc, when I inqured as to why I it was called to my attention. Awhile back there was some friction, which I seemed to have missed. (If you don’t know and want to know, go back and find it) It’s my opinion that this spave is an all inviting spave and I hope that what happened back there will not last. The Doc, the Owl, Skog, Chop, Eric exc. are all important elements of what make this spave fun. The Blog gods thought it would be cool to make 1000 posts on the day that the blog turned 1 year old, and no where in that thought did they intend to split hairs. I hope that this can be resolved and that all those who enjoy the spave, get to enjoy the spave on the day that the spave should be especially enjoyed.

That is all.

Women's Rights Organizations Take On South Dakota Abortion B

The March 21 press conference will include a major announcement by women's organizations in response to the ban, which is expected to be used by anti-choice activists to force the U.S. Supreme Court to reconsider Roe v Wade.

The National Organization for Women, the Feminist Majority, the Black Women's Health Imperative, the National Asian Pacific American Women's Forum, the National Congress of Black Women, the National Women's Health Organization, the National Latina Institute for Reproductive Health, and the National Council of Women's Organizations will respond to the ban on behalf of a large coalition of women's rights groups and millions of women across the country.

so we went to the bank and Anna said...

(refering to the fog covered Alex Johnson building)
"why is it going away?"

which made my mom and i laugh.

she answered her own question with"
"they probably just dusted the sky"

Hope everyone stays warm tonight... they say it's gonna get nasty!

Jack Billion

What do we know about him?

He's a Democrat, and a Doctor.

He's from Sioux Falls.

And he's running against Rounds for Governor.

Here we go.

Welcome to South Dakota Politics all you Spavistas.

It's gonna be an interesting year.

Foggy Bottom redux

I must have my wires crossed.
Check it out. We lived in DC
during the Watergate Scandal.
I've been to the Foggy Bottom
area many, many times.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foggy_Bottom

Now what was the name of that Jug Band?

Ok, got it. The name of the rock band that challenged
Emmet's Jug Band was "The Riverbottom Nightmare Band"

I still don't remember what Emmet's band called themselves.

Anyone? Anyone? Beuhler? Beuhler? Beuhler?

I know why we like it so much!!!

...Its like the living room.

The movie ws called "Emmit Otter's Jug Band Christmas"

I didnt see anything about the Foggy Bottom Jug Band. Butt the movie was just recently released on DVD, That might be one of my next purchases.

Mosahr and His Bride

...return from their belated honeymoon today.

Many stories to hear I'm sure. I hope they heard
Maria Elena down there in PV.

And maybe even saw some whales.

I did hear they were going to go parasailing.

Wonder how that went.

Flick and Jenifly.

An otter great pun...

I was talking to a friend who, like Skogg was totally
grooving on the escaped otters.

She loves them.

...thinks it's cool that they love to go sledding,
and how they lay on their backs in the water
and eat shellfish.

I said, "maybe we should all try to become
otters in the next life."

And she said "Yeah, that would
be an otter body experience."

Guess she otterly wins the pun prize, huh?

To stay on track...

Here's the 5th post of the day.

Check out the Focussouthdakota.com
website. And send Steve Sibson a sack
of dog turds, will ya?

What a pain, that guy.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

This creepy little guy wants to wish you all a Happy Happy St. Patrick's Day!!

He would also like to remind you that if you consume a lot of green beer, the dye could go through your system and cause you to urinate a green colored liquid the next day. He wants you to know that so you don't go to the ER...because the doctors will make fun of you and then come home and tell their children about your stupidity. Then...years later, their children will post the story on a blog.

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!!!

Anti-Hillary

So it's no secret that I'm REALLY not a fan of Hillary Clinton. Anyway, here's a quote I came across. See if you can guess who said it**:

THIS PERSON doesn't think Sen. Hillary Clinton belongs in the White House. "I find Hillary to be a great disappointment," the person tells More magazine. "She's lost her progressive following because of her caution and centrist approach. It bothered me when she voted for the war. There were brave people who didn't. She's not worse than other politicians, but I hoped she would be better. What America is looking for is authentic people who want to go into public service because they strongly believe in something, not people who are [just] trying to get elected."

**I'll post the answer in the comments section.

HEY I'M IRISH!

Yeah!!!

The Bear Country Otters are back home...and all three are safe!!

I'm so happy...we should all go out and celebrate the return of the otters...and St. Patrick's Day.

Oliver the otter, left, along with Thelma and Louise, were back in their pen at Bear Country Thursday after being on the lam since they made a break for it Tuesday. (Photo by Don Polovich, Journal staff)

Wocka wocka wocka wocka...

I'd be willing to do this...

I notice that we have until 4:19 on Tuesday...

That's when the first topic on the blog was posted.
That means we could easily do it all next Tuesday
if we had to.

I think someone should come up with the
most outrageous post ever and save it for number
1000. I wonder what it will be about?

What would be the most over-the-top post
any of us could come up with.

Would it be gross?

Would it be beautiful?

Would it be awesome...

...or would it suck?

To make the quota...

Looks like you need five posts a day.
This will take care of today's quota.
I hope I get 20 replies to this because
the topic is so interesting (ya think?).

Maria Elena?

Someday I'd like to see you post
a couple of different versions
of Maria Elena on the spave.

I'm especially fond of Ry Cooder's cover
from his album, "Boomer's Story."

I'll see if I can scrounge up a couple of trax.

It's a beautiful tune.

You otter keep a lookout!

Help me!!

Anybody have some free time to go searching for these little guys? We could save the day!!

Seriously, though...I hope somebody saves the otters.

Sidenote: I am way too amused with the title of this post.

Do You Speak English?

My friend Chambers posted this on her blog. It's amusing.

WTF?

I dont know much... but this doesnt seem like a very good thing...

Why are all these people sad...

J.A.I.L. Initiative

Sorry to post this on Owl's birthday, but I think it's important. Apparently, in the year 2006, "South Dakota" is synonmous with "pawn". As somebody in the legal profession, I find the J.A.I.L. Initiative abhorrent. As a counselor, I do not want to go before a judge who has to not only contemplate justice, but also saving his or her own ass. It's wrong.

Anyway...read this and think about it...

Rushmore to Judgment
South Dakota ups the ante in the national war over judges.

By Bert Brandenburg
Posted Tuesday, March 14, 2006, at 4:25 PM ET

America's judges would like to write off last year's anti-court orgy as a political spasm. Tom ("Judges need to be intimidated") DeLay is on the back bench, the testy Supreme Court confirmation hearings are over, and the judge in Terri Schiavo's case no longer needs a deputy to escort him every time he walks his dog.

But better times aren't coming back soon. The newest front in the war on the courts is being fought in South Dakota, where, in the shadow of Mt. Rushmore, a group called "J.A.I.L. 4 Judges" is promoting one of the most radical threats to justice this side of the Spanish Inquisition. It's extreme and it's incoherent, but it's got more than 40,000 petition signatures—and it will go to the state's voters as a constitutional amendment in November. A national network of supporters is waiting in the wings, threatening to export the revolution to other states if they do well this fall.

The group's proposed measure would wipe out a basic doctrine called judicial immunity that dates back to the 13th century, protecting judges from personal liability for doing their job ruling on the cases before them. A special grand jury—essentially a fourth branch of government—would be created to indict judges for a string of bizarre offenses that include "deliberate disregard of material facts," "judicial acts without jurisdiction," and "blocking of a lawful conclusion of a case," along with judicial failure to impanel a jury for infractions as minor as a dog-license violation. After three such "convictions," the judge would be fired and docked half of his or her retirement benefits for good measure.

J.A.I.L. 4 Judges is an Internet-era creation, pulling together a disparate national network of tax protesters, conspiracy theorists, jury-nullification supporters, and assorted others with grievances against the courts and modern government. Its Web site claims to have 50 state chapters, whose leaders sport the rank of "Major General" or "JAILer-In-Chief." The Alaska JAILer in chief has been known to parade around dressed in black robes, with a noose around his neck and scaffolding above his head, before shedding the robes and burning them. J.A.I.L.'s supporters have picketed the homes of offending judges and generated e-mail campaigns—sometimes laced with electronic viruses and worms—against the Anti-Defamation League, reporters, and legislators over statements that upset them. Supporters and like-minded groups have filed hundreds of Freedom of Information requests seeking information about judges' personal lives and property, along with challenges claiming that judicial oaths are invalid or not properly filed.

This movement is the brainchild of a Californian named Ronald Branson with a history of suing state and federal officials for alleged conspiracies (including his own trials for burglary and a traffic offense). After being rebuffed by the courts—including the U.S. Supreme Court on 14 separate occasions, even to appeal a parking ticket—and attorneys general and legislatures in Sacramento, Calif., and Washington, Branson failed three times to get enough signatures to put the measure on the California ballot.

J.A.I.L.'s supporters have a broad list of grievances. Branson (the "Five-Star National J.A.I.L. Commander-In-Chief") has written that judges have a duty to stop a New World Order conspiracy involving bankers, the United Nations, and the Federal Reserve. He calls government-issued marriage licenses "blasphemy," adding that, "I believe I have been called of God to lead in the cause of judicial accountability." Traffic tickets loom large on his political agenda: Branson hopes that J.A.I.L. supporters will drive through South Dakota "just for the privilege of getting a traffic ticket so you can demand a jury trial."

How did this Internet-age fun house turn into South Dakota's headache? In part because it took fewer than 34,000 signatures to get on that state's ballot, and initiative states are the logical playgrounds for fringe groups. But J.A.I.L.'s organizers don't even pretend to have grievances with South Dakota judges. Instead, they paid door-knockers to ask people if they were mad about Roe v. Wade or last year's Kelo decision upholding local eminent-domain powers—or if they just wanted to hold judges accountable. (Never mind that state judges can't overturn Roe, or that in Kelo the Supreme Court deferred to legislators to set their own land-use policies.)
In other words, J.A.I.L. 4 Judges seeks to capitalize on the incessant talk-radio hate-in against the courts, where America's 11,000 judges are caricatured as godless, flag-burning, property-seizing, gay-marriage missionaries. J.A.I.L. is just the latest in a parade of groups twisting the notion of judicial accountability beyond recognition. J.A.I.L. may be rough around the edges, but they're taking their cues from a finely polished political script. Indeed, former Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor has started taking on these judge-bashers for trying to intimidate courts into answering to special interests instead of the Constitution.

Like any insurgency, J.A.I.L. works hard to get attention. As their founder writes: "We at J.A.I.L. get unlimited kicks at the judges' crotches and shins, and the judges must keep a straight face and pretend we don't exist. … If they assault us, they advertise for us and promote J.A.I.L." Their own goal is nothing less than to establish crotch-kicking grand juries in all 50 states, with Branson as czar, since he claims "final authority by operation of law as to what these words mean and that all courts throughout the future must look to the author's definition"—an intriguing theory for a movement vowing to restore power to the people.

In South Dakota, a "Good War" coalition of political parties, business leaders and the civic sector is coming together to deal with J.A.I.L. (Since J.A.I.L. 4 Judges has it out for the Uniform Commercial Code, business executives ought to be especially worried.) The state legislature unanimously passed a resolution noting that judges are already adequately disciplined for misconduct, taunting J.A.I.L. for hiring an out-of-state firm to gather signatures and warning South Dakotans that the measure would cost taxpayers millions and lead to an epidemic of frivolous actions, including suits by convicted felons against the judges and prosecutors who put them behind bars. J.A.I.L. 4 Judges responded by sending each lawmaker a 14-page letter calling the resolution unlawful and demanding a retraction. It's now threatened to sue and arrest all 105 members.

J.A.I.L. is also busy selecting its next target. "We have an interest in taking this to Nevada, where we have no doubts a failure to hold judges accountable is crippling the legal system," a J.A.I.L. supporter recently told the Las Vegas Sun. They may find pockets of fertile ground: In 1994, a Nevada rancher broke into a national forest with a bulldozer, briefly sparking a "county supremacy" rebellion, insisting that federal ownership of land was illegal.

Indeed, JAILers are brimming with confidence that they'll win in South Dakota this fall, and around the country beyond. Writes Branson: "The People are slowly waking up to realize who the Enemy is—and it isn't Bin Laden."

Happy Birthday Owl!

Learn to speak like an Irishman....

Because I'm sure some of us need to learn.

Just wondering...

...What the heck is going to happen for the Blog's Birthday?!?!

Planning for family birthday parties usually begins a month in advance. I've hardly heard anything about this family member's first year of existence. We should really get on the ball for this.


I'm just sayin.

A sneak peek at some new Wild Eye tracks.

Ohh...the sweet smell of pine.

Congratulations to those individuals who have found out and/or will be finding out this week about their positions. It looks like it will be another GRAND season of exciting theatre this summer!

Our next President?

Did you read today's paper?
What do you think?

Tee hee

This guy does some pretty amazing imitations.

Did somebody say "Pirate Monkey"?

Because who the heck would say "Ninja Monkey"?

Did someone say "Tiny Monkey"?

SOMEONE SAY SOMETHING ABOUT MONKEYS!!

Poll

FOX News/Opinion Dynamics Poll. Feb. 28-March 1, 2006. N=900 registered voters nationwide

"Recently the South Dakota legislature passed a law that bans abortion in all cases other than to save the life of the mother. Would you support or oppose this law in the state where you live?"

Click here for more info on that poll

	Support	Oppose	Unsure
ALL reg. voters	35	59	6
Democrats	26	70	4
Republicans	49	47	4
Independents	32	58	11

Did someone say "Ninja Monkey"?

Ok so no one did, but this is still awesome.

Bill Napoli decides...

This article is both entertaining and incredibly incredibly sad.

Here is my dilemma

For the past 2 years March 14th has been statically a bad day for me. (Bad enough in fact that I am almost afraid of the day) I am looking for suggestions on what I should do to squash this tradition.

Hey, did anybody notice....

...it snowed today.

Hello...hello...is there anyone there?

You saw it here first!!!

Stay tuned for updates

I am amused...

I have no idea why I find this article so amusing. Okay, it's obvious why I find this article so amusing...

Court backs student's "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" banner:
Off-campus sign is protected speech, appeals panel rules

SAN FRANCISCO, California (Reuters) -- An Alaska high school violated a student's free speech rights by suspending him after he unfurled a banner that said "Bong Hits 4 Jesus" across the street from the school, a federal court ruled Friday.

Joseph Frederick, a student at Juneau-Douglas High School in Alaska, displayed the banner -- which refers to smoking marijuana -- in January 2002 to try to get on television as the Olympic torch relay was passing the school.

Principal Deborah Morse seized the banner and suspended the 18-year-old for 10 days, saying he had undermined the school's educational mission and antidrug stance.

Friday's ruling by the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco overturned a decision by a federal court in Alaska that backed Frederick's suspension and said his rights were not violated.

The appeals court said the banner was protected speech because it did not disrupt school activity and was displayed off school grounds during a noncurricular activity.

"Public schools are instrumentalities of government, and government is not entitled to suppress speech that undermines whatever missions it defines for itself," Judge Andrew Kleinfeld wrote in the court's opinion.

The court also cleared the way for Frederick to seek damages, saying Morse was aware of relevant case law and should have known her actions violated his rights.

I like this song

I really do

This is absolutly fantastic

Does it contain new forms of life or just a few old geysers?

By John Johnson in Los Angeles
March 11, 2006
Life as we know it ... the mix of water, heat and organic compounds makes Enceladus a prime candidate for NASA's search.

IMAGES from NASA's Cassini spacecraft show that one of Saturn's moons, Enceladus, may have water erupting from giant geysers, raising the tantalising possibility that the icy moon could support some form of life. Click here to read the rest of the article

I think we should all vote for this guy!

Click here

Heh heh heh heh heh (Uncomfortable)

Grumble grumble, stupid hotlink checkers grumble grumble.

Friday's Caption Contest

CAPTION ME!!

PHL Check

Spinfly: 7.2


Skog, you dropped the ball... its Friday!

A lesson in Vikings...

Okay, so Skleeve wanted some info on Vikings, so I thought I would post it here for three reasons:
1. I don't want to put it in the comments section of his blog;
2. This helps us achieve the goal of 1000 posts; and
3. It's my Scandinavian duty to inform the masses.

So Skleeve's next project involves a Viking expedition gone bad.

First of all...I'd like to point out that the Viking expeditions didn't really "go bad". The ships were known for staying together for long-ass trips.

That being said...I'm sure there were one or two minor snafus.

I'd look into information about the Viking Ship Museum, which is located just outside of Oslo, Norway. Not only do they have ships brought up from the sea floor, but they have recreated/rebuilt several. As for information about the Viking lifestyle, you may want to think about researching "Vinland" rather than Vikings. "Vinland" is the name the Vikings gave the area of North America where they settled. The other option on learning more about Viking lifestyle is talking to my father.

Go Vikings.

Two things

First this


Then this

Boy am I ticked...

So about two months ago, I purchased several boxes of delicious Girl Scout Cookies. Girl Scout cookies are the equivalent of crack to me. I actually twitch when I get near the boxes.

Well, Skoggle...why don't you just have a few?

Dude...I gave up chocolate for Lent.

(RACKING SOB)

There is only one box in the bag that isn't full of chocolatey cookies, but that's a box Eekerz asked me to buy for him.

How many days until I can eat chocolate"?

I seem to recall people liking this commercial.

Look at the little skitter skitter!!

National Day of Solidarity

Communities across the nation are holding rallies to stand with the women of South Dakota and show their support and solidarity against the legislature's assault on women's reproductive rights.

Thursday, March 9, 2006
12:00 PM – 1:00 PM
Rapid City Federal Building
515 9th Street, Rapid City, SD

Parking: Parking downtown might be tight so please feel free to park at the tennis court parking lot north of Omaha on Mt. Rushmore - there will be women there to give you signs to carry as you walk to the Federal Building. Please try to be at the parking lot at 11:45 am to pick up signs and travel as a group!


Protesters: We have been alerted by the RC Police Department that there will be counter-demonstrators. We are all about peaceful demonstrations - please refrain from ANY engagement with protesters from the opposition. Freedom of Speech applies to all of us - no matter how WRONG they might be!


Volunteers: If you can be there early, please check-in and we'll put you to work!

Oy vey...

Is it just me, or would Bill Napoli and Ethunk not be friends?

Alert!

Folks, we have passed out of the teens until the Blog's birthday! We need to step it up a little bit. I figure that maybe 6 a day will suffice. Come on people, we can do it!!

The animal is white and 15 centimeters (5.9 inches) long

Hummmmm. This
Furry little guy is kinda cool.

Wow.....

This guy is pretty amazing

Click Watch Finale to see the the video.

One For Ma

Click Here

Ninja's know everything.

Click Here

YIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIPPEEEEEEEEEE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Fine! Be jealous, Chop...

I have no idea who Armand is...but I bet you're jealous of him, Chop.

Be Jealous Skog.......

...... very jealous.

Rounds signs SD abortion ban

By CHET BROKAW
Associated Press Writer
March 6, 2006, 1:41 pm

PIERRE, S.D. (AP) – South Dakota Gov. Mike Rounds on Monday signed into law a bill banning nearly all abortions, setting up a court fight aimed at challenging the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion.

The bill would make it a crime for doctors to perform an abortion unless it was necessary to save the woman’s life. It would make no exception in cases of rape or incest.

Planned Parenthood, which operates the state’s only abortion clinic in Sioux Falls, has pledged it will challenge the measure in court. About 800 abortions are done each year in South Dakota.

Rounds allowed a photograph to be taken when he signed the bill, but he said he would decline all media requests for interviews on Monday.

In a written statement, the governor said he expects the law will be tied up in court for years and will not take effect unless the U.S. Supreme Court upholds it.

“In the history of the world, the true test of a civilization is how well people treat the most vulnerable and most helpless in their society.

The sponsors and supporters of this bill believe that abortion is wrong because unborn children are the most vulnerable and most helpless persons in our society. I agree with them,” Rounds said in the statement.

The Legislature passed the bill after supporters said the recent appointment of conservative justices John Roberts and Samuel Alito have made the U.S. Supreme Court more likely to overturn its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision that legalized abortion. South Dakota lawmakers believe President Bush may have a chance to appoint a third justice in the years before the legal battle over the South Dakota law reaches the nation’s highest court.

The abortion ban would take effect July 1, but a federal judge is likely to suspend the abortion ban during the legal challenge. That means it would never take effect unless the state gets the case all the way to the U.S. Supreme Court and wins.

Rounds has said abortion opponents have already started offering money to help the state pay legal bills for the anticipated court challenge. Lawmakers also said an anonymous donor has pledged $1 million to defend the ban, and the Legislature set up a special account to accept donations for legal fees.

Under the law signed by Rounds, doctors could get up to five years in prison for performing an illegal abortion. The measure also contains language that the Legislature finds that scientific advances since Roe v. Wade was decided in 1973 have demonstrated that life begins at conception.

Rounds issued a technical veto of a similar bill passed two years ago because it would have wiped out all existing restrictions on abortion while the bill was tied up for years in a court challenge. The statement he issued Monday noted that this year’s bill was written to make sure existing restrictions will be enforced during the legal battle.

a Beautiful Note

I recieved this email this morning and I thought it appropriate to share...



Hope your doing alright. I Love ya and know you will get through this, just like she would have wanted you to. I was talking to dad and mom, about Porky and all the emotion that goes on around death and dying. We all have to deal with it in our own way, but one of the universal truths, when dealing with someone that took up so much space,(especially for such a little lady) is just that, there’s a big emptying space.

The amazing thing about these voids is the reason they exist is because of the huge space the Love these amazing souls create and the amazing thing about that love is it not a solid object and luckily for us souls still roaming, the Love created in a life time of good, perpetuates even when the solid is gone.

Like I said, I do love ya, and I'm Here! When Ever!

Hugs!!

I'm sending out big hugs and kisses to Owls, Flys, Chops, Mosahrs, Frescos and everybody else. I'm thinking of you.

--Skoggle

Something very sad...Something very beautiful.

Go beyond reason to love—it is safe. It is the only safety. Love all you can, and when you are ready all will be shown to you. Porky, Ellie...We love you!!!

Friday's Caption Contest...

CAPTION ME!!!

We haven't had any good guitar (or music) related things in a few days.

So here you go!

Sometimes Yes means No

When a referendum is on the ballot, you have to vote "yes" to pass it.
This can get confusing, especially when what your trying
to do is say "No we don't want this law."

So get creative, how do you frame this issue in terms of the word yes?

"Vote yes to protect yourself from rapists"
"Vote yes to keep your constitutional rights"
"Vote yes to keep SD women free"
"Vote yes, because HB1215 goes too far"

etc.

The reason this is important is that people (especially
conservative people) tend to vote "No" on these things because
they want to preserve the status quo. In general, conservatives,
by definition don't want change.

That's why they call themselves Conservative, right Skogg?

Stand by for news on HB1215

We should know this week whether or not there will be an effort to refer
the Abortion bill to the people for a vote. Details to follow.

As far as what the Governor's going to do... who knows?

The importance of a name...

What's your squirrel name?

My squirrel name is "Duchess Von Bushy"

Poll Time...

Okay, so the bird flu has apparently hit my beloved Sweden, which brings me to the poll question:

WHEN SHOULD WE BE WORRIED

ABOUT BIRD FLU OVER HERE?

Because I really really like chicken.

The Song of Susannah has come to an end.

Wow.

Chop can retrieve the book as he pleases.

Six down, one to go.

And Stephen King is one strange dude.

Kraus makes the case for us.

Bill Fleming put this on Blogmore and it's getting good reviews:
_________________________________________________

Elizabeth Kraus herself gives the best reason to vote AGAINST HB1215. But apparently she’s not capable of bringing her own thoughts to their logical conclusion.

Here’s a hint, Kraus: The sex act between an adult and an underage person, or among close relatives looks the same as it does between consenting adults. You don’t even need ultrasound.

By your own admission (see quote below), a pregnancy resulting from rape or incest is a pregnancy that should not have happened in the first place.

At a minimun, it should be the woman’s right to decide to how to deal with such a situation, not Krause’s and the rest of the good citizens of SD.

That would be the best way for state government to provide for the safety and well-being of a raped SD citizen.

Anything less amounts to supporting the reproductive rights of sex crime criminals.

The state shouldn’t abandon its support for these women simply because she was violated in an illegal act. Lawsthat are mutually and ethically self-contradictory sends justice for these crime victims flying straight out the window.

Here’s Kraus’s quote:

“People say the government should stay out of personal issues, but it is involved in many of those issues,” Kraus said. “You can’t marry a close relative or have sex with an underage person. It is part of the government’s obligation to provide for the safety and well-being of its citizens.”