Ideal News and Views

News and Views from a few miles north of Ideal, South Dakota. History, agriculture, politics, hunting, bison, Scot heritage, WW11 B-24 Service, prairie life, cattle, weather, horses, Homesteading, and some photos.

Wednesday, December 28, 2005

Blizzards of the West

The December '05blizzard I named Anthony has faded away in a drifting memory. The male names seem to fit the description of weather occurances on the Dakota prairies than female names, though hurricanes are appropriately named? "I can't see through your argument as I am snowed under "?

The past two weeks from the December blitz have taken most of the snow to water as 45 and 55 degree weather prevailed.
Cattle are grazing on the corn stalks which is a return of early days when the straw piles and corn stalks were the winter feed . A great way to save the hay in the bale.

A half dozen new-born calves joined their moms too. Planned calfhood thwarted by poor maintenance of the fences. The drought has made post hole digging, even with power tools difficult . Spring rains soften the land and time is available to tune the fence to the animals or even summer rains would soften the work of post tunneling. I compliment the survival of the arrivals to excellent planning by the mother cows to the weather pattern. Could the cows sense the demise of the high market for calves late next fall and they are hurrrying to meet the collapse of the calf market?

I have a picture of the snoozing calf, unaware of the Terrorists of the Dakota, blizzards. LH

Saturday, December 24, 2005

"I Spy"

I had a thought that games played by children are long forgotten. Did Mama Bush play "I Spy" with her children? LH

Wednesday, December 21, 2005

Ideal News and Views

Rapid City Journal editorial of December 9, 2005 discussing the Representative split districts in the large district 26 mentions the two Representatives, Garnos and Jensen live 77 miles apart and the citizens should not complain that they are being adequately represented.

The editor over looked the times that Garnos and Junke were Representatives from Lyman county living a few miles apart, maybe 7 miles?

The District 26 has a border near Nebraska, Paxton, to the Cheyenne River; from the Missouri River, Lower Brule to a mile from Kyle east. Perhaps a crow would have to rest his wings to cover that representative area and would have the advantage of crossing the fields to locate a voter. Miles and miles and miles to cover to visit a voter.

Quite different in the area where a candidate can ride up and down in an elevator and visit with the problems of voters by punching the button?

As birds of the same feather flock or vote together, how can the other side of the issues be brought forward? Each representative must have a district as a Senator does.

Split districts for every Represntative would be fair to all Candidates, Let each Representative have his own area to represent. In District 26 the miles to travel would be cut to one half or the estimated cost of campaign expenses reduced from $10.000 to $5,000 It would take adds in nine local newspapers, two TV stations, and three radio stations to discuss with voters in district 26 the voice for them in Pierre. In some metropolitan districts one newspaper and a choice of TV or radio stations are available.

Check the record Editor and review your thoughts that Distict 26 or all districts should have one district for each Representative. Think like a candidate with the cost, time and night meetings and the long drive to your home. Let the campaign trail be shortened at least?