The Great Plains Observer

Photographic Proof

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 17:40:00 +0000

There seems to be some question in regards to the number of local Democrats that got together to discuss South Dakota's Democratic candidates and issues. Erin McCarrick, executive director of the South Dakota Democratic Party says 1200 showed up.

"Yesterday, I was with about 1,200 Democrats and independents. We were really focused on South Dakota candidates and issues. They are excited and unified about it," said Erin McCarrick, executive director of the state's Democratic Party.

On the other side South Dakota War College's PP poo poo's that number.

1200 Democrats? She’s actually claiming 1,200 Democrats?

What, did Erin go to the mall and make an assumption? Considering that most years South Dakota Democrats can’t get many more than 100 people to their state convention (and the last ones in the door get drafted to run for a constitutional office) I’m just a little bit of a doubting thomas at this claim.

Well I figured I would get to the bottom of this and lo and behold one of my spies sent me this photo he swears was taken at the meeting.

Oh wait my spy was referring to one of those other get togethers....Nevermind

AT&T Suing Verizon

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 13:28:00 +0000

AT&T is suing Verizon Wireless over their advertisments showing maps of each companies 3G coverage. AT&T claims the ads unfairly represent their actual coverage as their non-3G coverage area is much larger than what the map shows. Verizon off course says that nothing they said in the ads is wrong.

Unfortunately calls to anyone using AT&T's network in South Dakota for comment went unanswered because of course AT&T has no coverage here...Can you hear me now?

Oops!

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 15:16:00 +0000

You may remember the neo-con flavor of the month Carrie Prejean whose claim to fame until now was her comments against gay marriage during the Q&A session of the Miss USA pageant. Prejean didn't win and she eventually had her Miss California crown stripped causing her to sue the pageant organizers.

Well we are learning today that Ms Prejean has dropped her ridiculous demands and settled for not much more than the pageant paying for her boob job after the lawyers for the Miss USA organization offered to release her previously unreleased solo sex tape.

A legal standoff between Carrie Prejean and Miss California USA officials reportedly ended when a Pageant lawyer played his trump card: a sex tape far more hard-core than the nude pictures which had previously scandalized her – and in which she had the starring role.

After being shown the hardcore home video - in which she apparently engages in a solo sex act - Prejean dropped her million-dollar-plus demands, TMZ.com reports, and bolted from the negotiating table.

What is it with neo-cons and their sexcapades?

How's That For Inflation?

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 13:29:00 +0000

Average health insurance premium for family coverage in 1999: $5,791

Average health insurance premium for family coverage in 2008: $12,680

(Source)

The Lines Before Were Nothing

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Wed, 04 Nov 2009 00:28:00 +0000

Wow, if you thought the wait to renew your drivers license was long before...

Starting at the end of the year, if you come into a driver license station in South Dakota to renew your driver license it's going to take a little more work. That's because federal regulations are changing, and it's going to take four and sometimes five different forms of identification just to renew the license.

I'm curious what my soon to be of driving age daughters will need to provide for their 3rd, 4th, and 5th forms of identification considering they are a few years away from having a utility bill, bank statement, credit card statement or mortgage document.

FISA Construction Boom

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 22:12:00 +0000

Remember just a few months ago when Congress and Barack Obama voted to give away some of our 4th Amendment rights as part of the new Government surveillance rules and nobody seemed to care? Well now that the NSA has pretty much carte blanche to monitor our communications without warrants they will be needing somewhere to store all those ones and zeros that make up our private data.

Enter their currently under construction datacenter in Utah that could eventually have enough storage to hold ever bit of porn ever produced, or in the NSA's case, all of our digital communications.

There’s an interesting article in the current New York Review of books (predictably, a book review) detailing the history of the National Security Agency, that shadowy power-behind-the-power to which we surrender much of our privacy. That in itself is interesting, but I found the introduction a bit shocking: the NSA is constructing a datacenter in the Utah desert that they project will be storing yottabytes of surveillance data. And what is a yottabyte? I’m glad you asked.

There are a thousand gigabytes in a terabyte, a thousand terabytes in a petabyte, a thousand petabytes in an exabyte, a thousand exabytes in a zettabyte, and a thousand zettabytes in a yottabyte. In other words, a yottabyte is 1,000,000,000,000,000GB. Are you paranoid yet?

How's that for change you can believe in?

22 Milliseconds Costs Company $850,000

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:12:00 +0000

In a lawsuit reminiscent of the McDonalds Coffee spill case, a jury awarded a family and their son's estate a total of $850,000 after he was killed from being struck by a line drive during a baseball game. So who you ask was determined to be at fault for the families unquestionable tragic loss?

Despite findings that there were no defects with the bat, the jury still felt that Hillerich & Bradsby Co., the maker of the aluminum bat was to blame because they didn't properly warn everyone that using their bat could result in a batted ball traveling a few MPH faster than it would have with a wooden bat.

In the verdict read in District Judge Kathy Seeley's courtroom, the jurors found the company, which makes Louisville Slugger bats, liable for failing to warn users of the danger of its aluminum bats and that this failure caused the accident that killed 18-year-old Patch.

And

Baseballs hit with aluminum bats, such as the one used in that American Legion game, only give pitchers milliseconds to respond in a defensive stance, the plaintiffs said. Plaintiff's attorney Joe White said the average time needed by a pitcher to defend a batted ball is 400 milliseconds. Patch had 378 milliseconds to respond, he said.

Guess what, coffee is hot and spilling it in your lap could burn your mommy or daddy bits and standing on a pitching mound 45-60 feet away from someone hitting a ball in your direction can be dangerous no matter what the bat is made from. A great loss for the family for sure but hardly the fault of the bat maker.

At least the lawyers won't go hungry...

Google Voice - Invites

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:10:00 +0000

In honor (or maybe inspite) of my move here I am offering to random commenters my 3 invites for Google Voice which like most of Google's services starts out as invitation only.

For those not familiar with it, Google voice gives you a single phone number that you can setup to ring any or all of your phones, saves and transcribes your voicemail online, gives you the ability to listen in on messages as they are being left, and as of just recently it now allows you to move your cell phone voicemail away from your carrier which gives you all the Google Voice functionality from your cell phone. Of course the real advantage is you just give out your Google Voice assigned phone number and no matter what happens in the future with your other numbers, you can be still reached using that same number.

I have been using the service since I got the invite back in July but because I rarely get calls outside of work I really haven't had the chance to put it through its paces so I am a bit short on details. But if you have more questions, you can find more of what it does here and here. And if you would like to try it, just comment on any post and close it with your desire for an invitation and later this week I will shoot out my invites to 3 of you.

Makes You Go Hmm....

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 01:09:00 +0000

Some food for thought to close out your Halloween weekend via care2.

Some of the latest polling shows that a larger percentage of people believe that houses can be haunted than believe that human caused global warming exists (37% to 36%). Among Conservatives, only 18% believe in man made global warming while 28% believe in haunted houses.

Wow.

Teacher Suspended For Teaching

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 14:31:00 +0000

An Illinois High School English teacher has been suspended for having his students read an article documenting the fact that some so-called unnatural acts aren't as unnatural as some would like you to believe.

Delong is said to have allowed students to read the article “The Gay Animal Kingdom” from the June 7, 2006, edition of Seed magazine. Seed magazine is a science and culture publication.

The article by Jonah Lehrer talks about the research of Joan Roughgarden, a biology professor at Stanford University who said she has documented homosexual societies among the more than 450 animal species.

Another example on how knowledge can be a terrible thing when it contradicts one's world view. The more ignorant they are kept, the easier they are to control...

New Digs, New Name, Same Subject

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 23:28:00 +0000

The web host excuse train has again reared it's ugly head forcing me to make changes that I was hoping not to have make.

You might have noticed the slowing of my posting history of late and if you are reading this locally and not via my RSS feed you also undoubtedly have also noticed my new digs. Both items are related and are a direct result of hosting issues related to my now former blog directory and my soon to be former web host Site5.

After almost 3 years, the aforementioned host decided that my blog directory was behind the slowdown of their server (of course the fact that it is severely oversold had nothing to do with it...) and should be shut down for abusing server resources as a result. Despite their taking my directory down several days ago, the other 2 sites I had hosted with them under the same account and on the same server continued to run slowly and at times become unavailable for extended periods. Noticing the irony of that fact, I made sure to let Site5 know of their server issues to the point where they are surely dreading reading their email.

So to make a long story short, I have decided to rid them of their obligation to host my sites and have shuddered the directory and have moved my blogs (SDHumanists and the archives of Politics and Hypocrisy and A SD Moderate) here to Blogger for what I hope is the final time. I will be tweaking things for a few more days so forgive the mess which unfortunately also includes the loss of many of the photos associated with the older content.

As far as feeds go, I have kept the feedburner feed active so if that is normally how you read my rantings no more changes are needed other than ignoring the sudden influx of posts that you might have come across that was a result of moving to the new domain.

Again I am sorry for all the changes lately but I am hopeful that this will be the final one.

And The Winner Is...

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 08:56:00 +0000

I have been following the nomination process for the 2009 Crockoduck Award, which is given each year to the most ignorant of those who cherry pick science to fit their worldview, from the beginning.

Each year the competition is usually stiff with Kent Hovind winning last year but this year it was no contest.

Quick Thought - Fox News

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 06:24:00 +0000

President Obama's disdain for Fox News is well known but one would have to wonder if in fact they are "Fair and Balanced" as their tag line would suggest, would they really have to keep telling us so? One would think that if true it would be obvious and could go without saying over and over and over...

Sunday Funnies - Offensive

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Sun, 25 Oct 2009 13:17:00 +0000

In honor of the clueless Sean Hannity over at Obama's favorite network.

(via atheistcartoons.com)

Happy Birthday!?

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 11:12:00 +0000

Those of us that understand that the 60's television show The Flintstones was fiction might have missed a Fundie milestone that occurred yesterday though PZ Myers didn't.

According to 17th-century Archbishop James Ussher and still believed by many to this day, everything everywhere turned 6013 years old yesterday. Ussher used various biblical sources to calculate the exact date of god's creation of all things as happening on Sunday October 23, 4004 BC.

And I didn't even bake a cake...

Franken Discusses The Healthcare/Bankruptcy Claims

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 08:15:00 +0000

Diana Furchtgott-Roth from the Hudson Institute recently published an article that sought to debunk a study claiming that the share of bankruptcies attributable to health care costs rose by 50% between 2001 and 2007. Minnesota Senator Al Franken discusses this claim with Furchtgott-Roth and throws out a few numbers of his own.

UPDATE: Apparently I am behind the times, Cory over at the Madville Times beat me to posting this...

Sunday Funnies - Happy Halloween

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Sun, 18 Oct 2009 06:24:00 +0000

(Via Atheistcartoons.com)

Health Insurance Companies' Bait And Switch Tactics Backfiring?

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 09:59:00 +0000

The health insurance industry initially vowed to help the Obama administration's efforts at reform but then pulled back on those efforts by coming out against the proposed legislation at the last minute. Now the Democrats seem to have taken that policy switch as further reason to try and put in place deep reforms aimed squarely at the insurance industry's heart as payback.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi warned insurance companies on Thursday that health-care reform could cost the industry dearly through new fees, fewer regulatory protections and fresh competition from the federal government.

The blunt admonition echoed a round of harsh statements Wednesday from senior Senate Democrats, and came in response to the insurance's lobby's aggressive campaign to block reform legislation from advancing. An internal industry study released earlier this week found that the Senate reform bill would cause premiums to rise sharply, but the report's findings have been widely disputed.

And

Pelosi said the House may adopt a Senate provision that would assess a flat fee on insurance companies that is expected to generate about $40 billion over 10 years, as a way to pay for its reform bill. She advocated House language that would require health-insurance companies to to spend 85 cents of every dollar they collect in premiums on benefits.

And she singled out the antitrust exemption that has protected the industry since 1945, the McCarran-Ferguson Act that allows states to regulate insurance without interference from the federal government.

Now we will see if the Democrats have the votes and more importantly the so far missing backbone to go through with this in the face of the huge lobbying machine backed by big insurance. If they actually do follow through, it couldn't happened to a nicer industry (said as I am looking over the changes and fee increases to my 2010 health insurance policy)...

I'm Not A Racist Quote Of The Day

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 06:03:00 +0000

Louisiana justice of the peace Keith Bardwell on why he refused to issue a marriage license to an interracial couple.

"I'm not a racist. I just don't believe in mixing the races that way"

But at least he lets them use his bathroom.

I have piles and piles of black friends. They come to my home, I marry them, they use my bathroom.

Poor Orly

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 06:42:00 +0000

The queen birther Orly Taitz, who was recently warned to quit wasting the court's time with frivolous lawsuits regarding President Obama's citizenship, has been smackdown once again. This time it will hit her pocket book in the form of a $20,000 fine for continuing her crusade against Obama.

Counsel Orly Taitz is hereby ordered to pay $20,000.00 to the United States, through the Middle District of Georgia Clerk’s Office, within thirty days of the date of this Order as a sanction for her misconduct in violation of Rule 11 of the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure.

Judge Clay Land wasn't impressed with Taitz

The Court finds that counsel’s conduct was willful and not merely negligent. It demonstrates bad faith on her part. As an attorney, she is deemed to have known better. She owed a duty to follow the rules and to respect the Court. Counsel’s pattern of conduct conclusively establishes that she did not mistakenly violate a provision of law. She knowingly violated Rule 11. Her response to the Court’s show cause order is breathtaking in its arrogance and borders on delusional. She expresses no contrition or regret regarding her misconduct. To the contrary, she continues her baseless attacks on the Court.

Ouch...

Creationism Vs Evolution From The Simpsons

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 05:38:00 +0000

The Simpson's take on creationism as only they can.

simpsons creationism vs evolution
by PigLips

(h/t - Unreasonable Faith)

Fact Checking

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:49:00 +0000

More Jon Stewart.

This time Stewart takes on CNN and wonders why the "news network" spends time fact checking a Saturday Night Live skit but on real news, not so much...

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

CNN Leaves It There

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Ron Paul Interview

"Radical Gay Agenda"

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 10:07:00 +0000

Some in our local blogosphere like to scare the uninformed in regards to the so-called "radical gay agenda". Not that it will change the minds of the aforementioned homophobes, Jon Stewart shows us just how "radical" these folks and their "agenda" really are.

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Queer and Loathing in D.C. - Radical Gay Agenda

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show
Full Episodes

Political Humor

Ron Paul Interview

Our Healthcare System Is Just Peachy

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 07:24:00 +0000

Unless you are a 4 month old with a healthy appetite.

Alex Lange is a chubby, dimpled, healthy and happy 4-month-old.
But in the cold, calculating numbered charts of insurance companies, he is fat. That's why he is being turned down for health insurance. And that's why he is a weighty symbol of a problem in the health care reform debate.
Insurance companies can turn down people with pre-existing conditions who aren't covered in a group health care plan.
Alex's pre-existing condition — "obesity" — makes him a financial risk. Health insurance reform measures are trying to do away with such denials that come from a process called "underwriting."
"If health care reform occurs, underwriting will go away. We do it because everybody else in the industry does it," said Dr. Doug Speedie, medical director at Rocky Mountain Health Plans, the company that turned down Alex.
By the numbers, Alex is in the 99th percentile for height and weight for babies his age. Insurers don't take babies above the 95th percentile, no matter how healthy they are otherwise.

Battle Of Wits With An Unarmed Man

noreply@blogger.com (BWJunior) — Sat, 10 Oct 2009 09:27:00 +0000

Richard Dawkins on Bill O'Reilly (aka the unarmed man).