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Piggy backing on Jason's post regarding what's in Karl Rove's garage, I'd like to note a few things I found in Ken Blanchard's garage the other day: a hammer a measuring tape Jimmy Hoffa an oil stain Zuzu's petals a...

Deal 'opens the door' to wind power

DEFINITELY A WIN-WIN-WIN for South Dakota's Economy!

One of the biggest hinderances to the development of more wind power in South Dakota has been a lack of enough transmission line capacity to get the electricity to where it's needed.

There is a positive logic to the addition of a new coal-burning plant also. The US has an abundance of coal, and large deposits of high quality low-sulfur coal are just to the west in Wyoming. There is a synergy that comes into play here with a three-way synergistic development of South Dakota's utility and transportation infrastructure which is catalyzed by the planned construction of a new coal-burning power plant at Big Stone.

The first element of this synergy is the expansion of the DM&E Railroad, which, in spite of the usual opposition from envirowacko activist groups and assorted other NIMBY (Non-In-My-Backyard types pushed through approval of extending it's lines into the Wyoming coal fields, and upgrade of its existing mainlines to handle the greatly increased traffic that results from this. (See note 1 in extended entry) This increases the availability of coal for new plants.

With the abundance of coal, and modern abatement technology, it is possible to burn low-sulfur coal with a minimum amount of air pollution, plus it helps to increase the electric power capacity, which is an essential positive factor for continued economic growth in the area. (See Note 2)

Finally, this proposed coal plant will bring in a significantly serious excess in electrical power transmission capacity, above and beyound the needs of the new plant. This excess capacity is available for the development of large(r) scale wind turbine developments, which (a) provides yet more electricity, (b) is a clean, renewable energy source, and (c) provides yet another boost to the local economic structure.

So, what's the "win-win-win"? More needed electrical power, use of domestic coal instead of imported oil, and the enabled development of even cleaner wind power capacity. Three birds with one "Big Stone". Not too bad.

China and Russia Challenging Space Leadership of the United States

In yet another case of the United States Intelligence community?s failure to recognize the world around them has been revealed due to recent developments in space.

One day we may wake up and realize that with little warning China has launched a precursor un-crewed earth orbital rendezvous EOR lunar circumnavigation mission. To be promptly followed by a manned lunar circumnavigation. After that a lunar orbital mission is quite possible, because once the LM-5 booster becomes operational after 2010, the Shenzhou spacecraft has an already built in design for earth orbit and can also orbit the moon. It could with proper equipment also support a manned lunar landing mission either through EOR or through the introduction of a new booster beyond the capability of the LM-5 which they have only in the last few days hinted at as required after the next Five Year Plan.

THIS is why the Chief thinks the current NASA plan for a return to the moon by 2018, while moving in the right direction, could well prove to be too little, too late to maintain our leadership, and ceding the "high ground" could ultimately prove to be fatal.

So I get up at 6 this morning to go to a meeting. Except that nobody told me that it was moved to next week. Other than that, how was my day? I'm glad you asked. I have a bit...

Is there a point to this story?...

FINAL VOTE RESULTS FOR ROLL CALL 519

Stephanie Herseth claims to be some sort of moderate "blue dog" Democrat. The Chief has NEVER been very impressed with these claims. She's essentially a libDonk, and except for some narrowly select issues to fool us, she will trend that way pretty consistantly in most cases.

So, here comes the vote in the House on HR 3893, Gasoline for America?s Security Act, which is designed to ease the administrative burden on building new oil refineries. I guess the Donks don't think 20+ years without expanding our refining capacity is what will help a prospering economy keep on keeping on, since ALL of them drank the party Kool-Aid and voted against the act.

Make sense? The Donks? Why start now!

Our gal Stephanie is looking out for South Dakota, eh? Maybe she thinks that farming should go back to horses. (Oooops - that won't work either. Animal flatulence is a concern of the envirowackos as a contributor to the alleged human promoted global warming.)

This vote was taken earlier in the month. Didn't you notice the extensive coverage of Stephanie's voting performance? You didn't? Neither did I. (The enemy paper again proves itself to be the Argus-Misleader.)

Bottom 3rd: This has really been a fine series so far. Both clubs are well managed and play hard, and there's been good pitching but there's also been some quality offense. ONe thing that I can definitely say now is...

ABC News:Dr./Leader/Sen. Bill Frist is expected to tout his work on judges when he speaks at the Reagan dinner in Iowa. Here is an advance look at what he'll say according to remarks prepared for delivery obtained by ABC News:...

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