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I took heat for pointing out that the anti-war anti-military anti-American South Dakota Democrats could care less about Ellsworth. SDP has a National Journal article that supports my premise. Excerpt:First Thune was the whipping boy for liberal bloggers overjoyed that...

Holy shit. Those are really the only two words that I can think of that can accurately describe what they're predicting for New Orleans. It's a category 5 hurricane. Hundreds of thousands are fleeing. "Millions" may be homeless. Parts...

Done teaching Chad Schuldt entry level public policy, how about we work on recent history. Chad asks some questions about Bosnia and Clinton. I will take them in reverse order. Q: How many international allies did we alienate going into...

Ellsworth AFB, located just outside of Rapid City, SD, received 8 of 9 votes yesterday by the BRAC committee to be kept open. Here's an AP story on yesterday's happenings. Pending approval by Congress and the President, it looks like...

DARPA's 'Star Wars'-style Laser Cannon

Laser cannon. The words evoke immediate visions of the space war scenes in Star Wars. As it turns out the US is starting to build this new way to do it to them before they get a chance to do it to us. The Darpa program is called the High Energy Liquid Laser Area Defense System (HELLADS).

No muss, no fuss. Direct application of lethal energy to the target with no need for ammunition. Nice.

If you have an interest in other sorts of advanced projects, the DARPA TTO site (use the PROGRAMS link) describes some of the sorts of things that are coming down the chute. SciFi comes to life - our tax dollars at work, and worth every cent!

If I were a left-wing ideologue who reads all news through the prism partisanship, I might try to make some hay out of today's report on the rise in poverty. But luckily I am not an ideologue and I also...

Thank heavens for small miracles. A woman who led an anti-war protest for nearly a month near President Bush's ranch said Tuesday that she's glad Bush never showed up to discuss her son's death in Iraq, saying the president's absence...

Public vote on feedlots prohibited, court says

In a case originating in Moody County the SD Supreme Court upheld the permitting of large dairy operations in the face of opposition from activists, therreby jabbing a finger in the eyes of Dakota Rural Action et al. The decision effectively upholds a rational and orderly oexercise of property rights, without activists'having veto powers.

The case began when the Moody County Commission, acting as the board of adjustment, granted permits for two dairies - Britannia Dairy just west of Flandreau and the Rex Nederend Family Trust southwest of Elkton. Opponents of large feedlots pressed for a vote, and the commission denied their petitions.

The Supreme Court ruled unanimously that the county was correct: Because the commission was acting as a board of adjustment, a referendum is not allowed. The decision applies across much of eastern South Dakota because boards of adjustment grant permits in most counties, said Todd Kays of the First District Association of Local Governments in Watertown

.

Unfortunately we haven't heard the last out of the DRA crew yet:

In March, lawyer Jim Abourezk argued that feedlot permits are legislative decisions. But on Thursday, the court ruled that the distinction applies only to decisions made by the state, or by cities or county commissions.

Wouldn't you know that former Donk (appointed) Senator Abourezk is involved here. At times he makes McGovern look like a conservative.

"In once sense, it's a big loss," Abourezk said. "In the other sense, it gives great urgency to that initiative to plug the loophole that the court wouldn't plug."

Oh no! A LOOPHOLE that allows property owners to develop something on their property without the activists approval! Horrors!

He was referring to a petition that would change state law to subject all feedlot permits to a public vote. A vote could come in November 2006 if enough people sign on. "I think the public is very much for it," Abourezk said.

The libDonks, envirowackos, NIMBYs (Not In My BackYard) will unfortunately probably get enough signatures to get thsi onto the ballot, but the Chief still hopes not. This whole concept needs to be shot down in flames, and then fed through a dairy's manure processing system, where it belongs.

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