I would like to say that one or two of my photos showed up in the group of 20 that will be judged by viewers, but alas. The four I submitted are mixed in with the 500 or more that were submitted. My time for searching for good shots was a bit limited this year. In any case, there are a lot of good photos from all over South Dakota that are definitely worth looking at and enjoying. Good photos from adult amateurs and youth amateurs and adult professional photographers. Take a look at links below.
I hope you enjoy the above in all categories. They are certainly a good mix of South Dakota images from all over the state for one week in May 2016. And if you have the time, put in a nice comment to SDPB for running the contest.
By now, you have like me have probably watched dozens of news and opinion programs on Orlando terrorism, Trump, Hillary, Obama, and radical Islam as you want to see and also discovered that the more you see, the more you realize there isn't much new to hear. The same video with flashing lights, the same overhead shot of the Plush or whatever and the same warmed over wordy nothings, again and again.
First, our government is pushing the "home-grown terrorist" meme, the self-radicalized meme, the sex confusion meme, and the last thing we want to say is Islamic terrorism meme, and following that is the terms won't change anything meme. so they can escape any blame for ignoring this terrorist until he had killed 50 people and wounded or maimed another 50 or so people.
Even "home-grown terrorists" have roots in terrorism or religious fanaticism. Political correctness over-rides common sense when everything but real description of reality is covered up with politically correct wishy washy double talk wordage. Part of Trump's appeal is his resistance to using double-talk and preference for plain talk (which unfortunately might also be plain wrong). That is just part of his appeal however.
The July/August 2016 SKEPTICAL INQUIRER has an interesting opinion column deputy editor Benjamin Radford discussing how Donald Trump skillfully employs terms and attacks which appeal to various conspiracy theories and theorists. Just recently Trump did it by attacking the press credentials of the Washington Post for his meetings. The press whines about censorship, but it does not seem much like censorship to me. They can print whatever they want anyway. They just can't trespass on his meeting turf. Trump may loss a little coverage with this ploy, but he is really making an appeal to all the conservative conspiracy theorists who think there is a sinister liberal conspiracy to load all newspapers, TV, etc with extreme liberal propaganda. Trump gives them credibility with this attack. It is however just the latest yanking of the conspirator chains.
Trump uses terms that flirt with the fringe and conspiracy theorists who believe Obama has conspired to stage fake or real domestic shootings in order to confiscate American guns. He tosses out implications that Obama really wasn't born in the US despite a lot of evidence to the contrary that is all ignored by that kind of conspiracy theorists. He gives that kind of nonsense credibility in the minds of the conspiracy theorists.
Trump also endorses the discredited, anti-science conspiracy pushing the idea that childhood vaccines cause autism. That appeals to another conspiracy fringe. Trump has multiple avenues to make the conspiracy fringes believe they are in the know and are not like all the "sheeple".
I have read and seen a lot of wordy-words trying first to discredit the idea that Trump could ever get the nomination and then back-filling that with more wordy-wordiness that continues to explain nothing much at all. I think Benjamin Radford may have presented the best explanation. Trump appeals to those who like his flirting with their conspiracy theories and since they are true believers, attacks on Trump and his flirting are all believed by them to just be part of another conspiracy which can thus be ignored. Trump has a win-win cheap and effective strategy that is probably more clever than many realize.
That also makes him more dangerous than many realized or even now realize.
Meanwhile back in the massaging of the Orlando terrorism and tragedy, we have Hillary starting off a speech with "This is not a matter for politics". She follows that with requests for prayers or whatever. Less than a minute or few minutes later she launches into a partisan attack on Trump. I don't know if Hillary is just completely tone deaf, or believes we are all so stupid and ignorant we don't recognize her double-talk wordy-words.
Bill O'Reilly too often makes little sense, but his idea expressed a few nights ago on the Tonight Show that the Congress should declare war on ISIS and other Islamic terrorists might make sense. Then our so-called home-grown terrorists intent on helping ISIS and jihad could be charged with treason, etc. LINK to more information on O'Reilly.
Meanwhile as we listen to reporters and media gasbags trying to did out more about the terrorist, we should remember that our government dug out information on the terrorists who crashed airplanes into the towers. They utilized libraries and they haunted pizza joints. So we had our government inspectors and intelligence wizards doing surveillance on pizza joints and forcing librarians to reveal secretly what their clients were reading. Librarians were forbidden to tell anybody about this. I am not sure, but my guess is that none of the pizza chasing and book chasing turned up a single terrorist.
I am obviously no expert, but my guess is the only common characteristic these terrorists have is some perverse form of radical Islam.
Speaking of Islam. One of my farmer neighbors suggested that if we are to believe all the protestations from "moderate" Muslims of the love and peace in their religion, they better be pushing Islam to have a mass reformation that separates their religion from government and takes into formal consideration the nature of democratic government systems and the need for separation of church and state. This is not the same world that existed 2000 years or so ago. Women are not chattel and government has no business chopping heads of "infidels" and hands off thieves.
And, there is Obama who is all irate about being pushed to use the term "radical Islam". His preaching in effect gives the radical Islamicists the idea that if they are correctly labeled, that gives them some kind of justification for attacking the US and all other democratic government systems.
Well, that is enough BS on this. And no, I really don't want to hear anything from all the radical feminists who think that the real problem is actually lone wolf single white guys. Orlando has caused some real weird birds to fly out of the political hinterlands.
I hope we can hear some real thought on these issues instead of wordy-words from political scripts which too often are intent on covering up reality instead of making it obvious to all.
I just about gag every time I hear CBS-TV propaganda about "more real news" on CBS Morning News. It is mostly celebrity tripe aimed at twenty some year olds with only enough money to buy a movie ticket or a record album. The ads however aim for the perpetually ill or aching. It is a really wild mostly irrelevant mixture of celebrity drivel.
This morning I managed to not drowse off as I watched it long enough to see a piece about an interview with a southern doctor who allegedly over-prescribed opiate-related drugs. The sort of news accusatory interview was followed by Charlie Rose and his accolade ladies then spending a minute or so congratulating CBS for such a deep and hard-hitting interview. What was not mentioned is that other media has been hammering on the over-prescription of opiates for months.
Then just to maintain the levity level. The "news" about opiate misuse was followed by an ad for a product aimed at controlling constipation in opiate users. I did not see the name of the drug, but when I did a search, the drug info at Movantikhcp info on opiate-induced constipations turned up. So some variety of a drug or drugs actually exist for that problem.
It may be that not all of the TV spectrum is a vast wasteland, but early morning "news" slots have slipped into that category on every commercial network whose electromagnetic waves wash over us out here in the boondocks of South Dakota.
*** Stay tuned even if what you get here is mostly real opinion--- Doug Wiken
The Schumpeter column in the Economist magazine for April 9th, 2016 page 69 discusses over-60s as a market force to be seriously considered. Older consumers are the richest consumers. I still feel like a spring chicken, but my whiskers and hair betray that claim. In any case for several years I have thought the emphasis on young buyers and as TV ad watchers has been out of proportion to common sense. The column suggests this is because the relatively young people in ads and TV view older people's place as out-of-sight and out-of-mind. Kim Kardashian must appeal to some fringe, but even a tiny bit of celebrity "news" is too much. CBS Morning News is now mostly morning tripe, youth style, and humbug even if Charlie Rose lends something even as his evening PBS performance sucks more nearly every week
Some designers and car manufacturers are even thinking that larger more readable type on controls, etc. might even make sense. It is about time. Tiny light gray type on slightly darker gray plastic background may seem classy to the artsy-fartsy, but it is barely legible in either bright sun or with car lighting.
But change is on the way and it is early in the revolution. Just in time probably for the millennials turning gray and stiff.
Well that was this and by now this is that. I have determined that the easiest way to make 5 days seem like 5 months is to spend 5 days listening to SDPB-radio during fund-raising times. Even so, I may contribute again next year, but every fundraising "event" makes that decision harder. My aggravation sensor is getting more sensitive as years go by.
Sandhills Press in Nebraska has printed CPU magazine for years. It has been a slightly different computer magazine than those that once existed by the half-dozen or more and were never printed in the midwest. Yesterday I got an e-mail saying the print issue was dead. Apparently some digital version will be or is available. I really don't like digital magazines. PC Magazine, Computer Shopper, Byte, PC World and a couple more are gone if not forgotten. Their digital versions have been real pains in the rear to get working and after trying for some time, I more or less decided I did not need that kind of aggravation. Maximum PC is still being printed, but they quit including a CD of programs a couple years ago.
Information about CPU in the future can be found or dug up. "We are no longer printing CPU publications if interested in a digital copy register online or call us back at 1-800-334-7445." Sandhills CPU Subscriptions.
*** Stay tuned, the computer world is a turning and a churning--- Doug Wiken
If you watch SDPB-TV or listen to SDPB-Radio, you have probably heard about the Photo contest running from October 1 to October 7, 2015. Last year, the contest was a 1-day contest. That put some of us at an advantage and some at a disadvantage since South Dakota weather can make a lot of difference on the quality of an image. Hopefully a week will give us all a chance at one good photo day at least. Get your cameras ready. Looks like South Dakota resident entrants can enter 4 photos in each of 4 categories. Note: The contest is over for this year. You can look at the submissions in four categories: Home, Work, Connections, and South Dakota. The albums are at Flickr SDPB PhotoContest. Many beautiful and informative images....most look a lot better than my modest contributions this year. A near week of rainy, gray, wet, cloudy weather is not the best days for photographs or amateur photographers like myself.
I found no links on primary site that might get you to above. Get your camera ready. Lots of good photos last year. The rule changes should mean even more good photos this year. More general info at SDPB 2015 Photo Contest (and a display of last years winners) and more images at SDPB Photos at Flickr.
Photos at Flickr now are obviously not from the new contest yet, but a lot of images from past contests and staff photos of SD.
*** Stay tuned even if global warming won't yet give you a chance to photograph both Atlantic and Pacific on the shores of South Dakota--- Doug Wiken
Sometime ago, I posted an obituary for a son of George McGovern. In the last few days, that is getting a lot of hits. I assume people are searching this because of recent "news" stories about alleged Senator McGovern's youthful indiscretions.
Interesting that the hint of scandal generates hits even when the post is completely unrelated.
There is real news in South Dakota, but some of it is not being seen because Trans Canada is blasting media with large ads. The ads I have seen are filled with assertions that are either irrelevant or do not relate well to know facts about pipeline dangers to water supplies of all kinds.
***Stay tuned and hope you never have to relay on bottled water shipped in because of a pipeline break dumping toxic solvents into South Dakota rivers, reservoirs, or aquifers.--- Doug Wiken
Cory Heidelberger of Dakota Free Press fame and infamy and dozens of workers have successfully filed petitions to repeal two repugnant retrograde GOP bits of legislation. Cory has demonstrated a lot of diligence and perseverance on these important issues. Legislation reducing the minimum wage for teenagers was both an insult to teenagers, but also to all voters who supported the initiative to raise the minimum wage in the previous election. Another bit of GOP legislation was an incumbent protection plan that made it nearly impossible for independents to run for the legislature. Check up on Referred law 19 and Referred law 20 at Dakota Free Press. Link is below.
I heard Cory at noon today (Wed, July 1, 2015) at SDPB-Radio Midday.
I heard most of his comments and thought they were good. I also noted the interviewer said he was going to get opposition statements. What moderator apparently is unaware of or unwilling to admit is that there is no real rational opposition to these petitions. This is more of the “A foolish balance between mythology and reality is the dangerous hobgoblin of small journalistic minds.”
Not allowing comments at Midday has greatly diminished the value of the program. The moderators never think of all the rational questions and too often let unsubstantiated mythology pass as rational discussion. That was not the case with Cory, but it is a nearly safe bet that when they dredge up the opponents to his work, it will be a pack of baseless assertions and anti-democratic nonsense and will be mostly unchallenged in any meaningful way.
I saw and heard President Obama this morning on ABC TV announce the SCOTUS Burwell decision. The Affordable Care Act was saved by a 6 to 3 vote in the court. Obama said it was a "good day for America", Millions of people will keep affordable health insurance. Millions of people will not need to go through emergency rooms and drive up health care costs for everybody.
Of course, Retrograde Republican presidential candidates immediately attacked the Supreme Court and "Obamacare". An ABC commenter noted that GOP has already had 67 votes in Congress to end the Affordable Care Act.
Of course, they threaten to deny health care to millions if one of their clown car passengers ends up President in the next election. Those with affordable health care or with children covered to age 26 because of it should take note. Republicans are hazardous to your health.
Meanwhile back here in South Dakota, our idiot in the Governor's Mansion is still letting his ideological mythology trump reality and reason and is preventing $45 million from entering the South Dakota economy and helping thousands with medical cost relief.
For some fine combing of the legal positions involved, take a look at Cory Heidelberger's Dakota Free Press.
Recently we who watch the Sabbath gasbags and have stayed up too late all week to watch Letterman saw two program hosts retire. The difference between David Letterman and Bob Schieffer is that I will miss much about Letterman. He demonstrated wit and intelligence seasoned with a lot of humor and humbug. It was entertainment. I will not miss Bob Schieffer one tiny bit.
Watching or listening to the end of these programs was generally a waste of time. The Letterman finale was over-loaded with one commercial after another taking advantage of the larger goodbye goodnight program. Bob Schieffer was his usual trying not to show his Republican roots and his and his brother's connections to the Bush clan.
Also irritating was the suggestion that Bob Schieffer had almost invented and determined the format of the Sabbath gasbag shows. He was actually first with nothing and Face the Nation was CBS attempt to emulate or pass NBC Meet the Press. I can remember Lawrence Spivak long before I ever saw the name Bob Schieffer let alone remembered anything he ever said. Wikipedia has the story on both shows.
You might note that Meet the Press has roots that go back dozens of years more than does CBS Face the Nation. Lawrence Spivak and Meet the Press started on Radio in 1945 and was on TV by 1947. Spivak hosted for 28 years until 1975. CBS started Face the Nation in 1954. That show has had several moderators over the years including Bob Schieffer.
The following is the list of moderators for Face the Nation
Bob Schieffer gave Sen. John McCain a lot of face time on Face the Nation and as far as I can remember never challenged his BS. Rachel Maddow took time to report his factual and logical errors a year or two ago. Nothing like that from Schieffer who was involved with Bush ball teams in Texas and his brother was an ambassador for Bush. Panderers may extoll his independence, impartiality and integrity. I tend to think he just did a slightly better job of giving the impression he was unbiased while doing his best to slant his questions and the programs subtly in the Republican direction.
I will not miss Bob Schieffer, but every night I look at late night TV, I miss the Letterman option. Of course, I also miss Johnny Carson and Jack Paar for that matter.
*** Stay tuned for perhaps some slightly less biased remembering by me --- Doug Wiken
Residents of South Dakota. Check your broadband speed with the SD Speedtest. Your test will both let you know how speedy is your ISP and also help get us better service in South Dakota.
===================
Blog Content is not
influenced by ad content
and no "paid" content is
in the primary posts.
===================
===================
Please Read Notices/disclaimers at bottom of this column before using this site. Clicking Dakota Today masthead on other pages of the blog returns to home. I have no control over external links that leave Dakota Today. Scroll down for more links and other information in both right and left columns. A world of information buried here.
===================
Recent Comments