According to Gannett Blog, tonight is the Night of Long Knives for Gannett, Inc., the corporation that owns the Sioux Falls Argus Leader.

An excerpt:

Managers are now calling subordinates, notifying them by phone that they're being laid off, a handful of readers say.

One wonders if there is some justice in the world and Randall Beck got "the phone call" after he made his phone calls tonight offing his own staff at the Argus. 

It's been three months since I've last updated my Buddhism site, High Plains Buddhist.  My humbleapologies.  Part of it has been the craziness of work and the justcompleted election cycle, which I was very involved in. 

Another part has been a lack of anything to say. 

Butthat's ok too.  You need some time to reflect and process.  But I hopeto post regularly if for no other reason I find it a part of myBuddhist practice.  In the process, I hope you learn some things too.

You'llfind that I've added excerpts from other Buddhist blogs.  There are lotof great sites out there with differing perspectives. 

Also, I've added widgets that will have Buddhism photos, Buddhism quotes, snippets about Buddhism thought and definitions, and so forth. I also think it is in a cleaner, more readable format.

There's also a place at the bottom to sign up as a follower of this site.

Thanks for your past readership.  I hope you'll enjoy High Plains Buddhist, version 2.0!

So I'm at the local Target this afternoon, buying a few things to help me clean up and unclutter the house this long holiday weekend.

The store is packed with shoppers on Black Saturday.  Lots of grumpy kids with grumpy parents, wore out from Thanksgiving, a house full of relatives, and too much Christmas shopping.

So I'm pushing my cart along and I see a little boy, probably two or three in the kiddie seat of a cart parked in the pet food aisle, in the early throes of a tantrum.  Mom comes along and tries to calm him down, to which he shouts, "I'm not f*cking stupid!"

I doubt he heard that on Sesame Street from Bert and Ernie.

A few minutes later, I'm near the books and video department.  A small, unseen voice yells, "I want Wall-E!"

To which the unseen mom replies, "You know what you did and why you're not getting it!"

Unfortunately, the child's infraction remains a mystery as I tool along to the checkout lane and the blessed relief that leaving this Seventh Circle of Hell can only bring.

Merry Freakin' Christmas!

I'm watching KELOLAND news last night and they tease a story about Gary's Gun Shop in Sioux Falls being all worried that President-elect Barack Obama is going to take away all their guns.  So Friday and Saturday, they were holding a sign-up-a-thon for memberships in the National Rifle Association.

Anyway, let's just look at some excerpts from KELOLAND's one-sided story about the demise of Second Amendment rights:

"It’s $25 to join. You get your choice of a hunting magazine, a knifeand the opportunity to take part in something that will not take awayyour right to bear arms," Jackie Naatjes said. 

A right many gun-owners feel is in jeopardy with a new president moving into the White House...

Historically, gun sales surge when the economy is struggling; political uncertainty is also good for business....*

So, after watching the "report," I figured I'd take my checkbook to Gary's today and pay them a little visit and sign up for the NRA.

So I did.  And made sure I wore my "Obama for President" ball cap.

I made a bee line to Jackie and the NRA display.  Jackie was nice and asked if I wanted to become a member.  I said, "Absolutely, sign me up!" 

Jackie didn't mention anything about my hat but a woman behind her exclaimed, "Jackie, did you see his hat?"

To which I replied, "I think Barack made it pretty clear in the campaign that he respects outdoorsmen and hunting.  I don't think he'll be taking your guns away."

Jackie politely added that she hoped Barack helped the economy.

I then added, "Hey, I voted for Barack.  I support the Second Amendment.  I own a hand gun.  And I was just hunting a few weeks ago."  I also explained I grew up with guns and shooting.

I also mentioned that the NRA endorsed DEMOCRATS Sen. Tim Johnson and Rep. Stephanie Herseth Sandlin this fall.

The lady who noticed my hat then added, a little friendlier than before, "Hey, I'm a Democrat too!"

To which I stage whispered to Jackie, "Not all of us liberals are whimps."

I can't wait for my NRA magazine to arrive!  That should be some fun reading! I look forward to their articles about President Obama and all the good he's doing for the nation--including gun owners like me.

*I don't know how you call Obama's clear cut--nay, landslide victory--to be "political uncertainty," but hey, whatever.

Yes, DI program SDSU is considering Kansas City Chiefs head coach Herm Edwards.

But it is not that SDSU but this SDSU.  That SDSU football team seems to be doing just fine without Herm “You Play To Win The Game” Edwards.  The other one isn’t.

*San Diego State University

(Hat tip Arrowhead Pride.)

In an attempt to go "green" on today's worst day of mass consumerism--Black Friday--SD Watch is doing it's part by recycling previous posts on shopping the day after Thanksgiving.

• Here's the Only Black Friday Story You'll Need to Read (11/23/2007)

Black Friday—the big shopping day after Thanksgiving—also gives rise to the tritest and most uncreative news reporting of the year.

• TV News Chestnuts: Predictable Story #3--Big Event = Big Money in Sioux Falls (6/14/2008)

The mall is busy on Black Friday after Thanksgiving.

• Adbusters: Another View About Black Friday (11/25/2006) 

Black Friday—the big shopping day after Thanksgiving—also gives rise to the tritest and most uncreative news reporting of the year.

Let bad reporting and rampant capitalism reign today!

Uncle Al Trippto-Fann came to visit us today after our Thanksgiving dinner.

He comes every year without fail.

Being around Al makes me sleepy and lethargic.  He also makes me fall asleep while watching the annual Detroit Lions NFL football game.

Al's a nice guy but kind of a bore.

Of course I jest.  I'm talking about the amino acid l-tryptophan, found in turkey.

According to Drugs.com, it isn't just the l-ltryptophan that makes you sleepy today, but also all the carbohydrates you ate (potatoes, dressing, yams, etc), the amount of food you ate (thirds? fourths?) and alcohol (a whole bottle of wine?)

Which leads me to a question.  If turkeys are full of l-tryptophan, why aren't they constantly sleeping?

While you're pondering that conundrum, have a happy Thanksgiving!

An update from Bob Newland:

SDSA is already getting press:

    http://www.sodaknorml.org/sdsa_files/2008media/081123argus.htm

And the So. Dak. blogs are yapping (these blogs actually provide grist for South Dakota’s  mainstream media mill):

    http://hoghouseblog.com/2008/11/19/mmmmm-medical-marijuanas-back/

    http://dakotawarcollege.com/archives/6193#comments

    http://thunewatch.squarespace.com/sdwatch/2008/11/23/south-dakotans-for-safe-access-to-bring-medical-marijuana-bi.html#comments

SDSA is preparing to mail a letter, the first of two or three beforethe legislative session starts, to each So. Dak. legislator. We’veprepared a preview upon which we invite your comments.

    http://www.sodaknorml.org/sdsa_files/firstleglttr.htm

The So. Dak. legislature’s next session  begins January13. SDSA plans to find a legislative sponsor and present witnesses tolegislative committees, including at least two medical cannabispatients and a doctor. The legislature may pass favorable legislation,knowing that an initiative effort would most likely bear fruit for us.

At the very least, a medical cannabis bill always provokes a livelypress discussion in So. Dak., and those discussions have always workedto the advantage of reformers. It doesn’t hurt that 100% of the datasupport our position.

If the legislature will pass a medical cannabis bill we can livewith, great. That means about a quarter of a million dollars of drugreform money is available to be used elsewhere. If the legislatureavoids the issue, which is fairly likely, well, we can win at theballot box.

SDSA invites readers to look at the law we propose:

    http://www.sodaknorml.org/sdsa_files/081120ProposedBill.htm

We  invite your proposals for a medical cannabis law in So. Dak.

South Dakota is uniquely positioned, having lost a close vote onmedical cannabis, but with a formidable lever to use to influence thelegislature. Winning in the legislature in So. Dak. would be HUGE!!! Itmight be the final writing on the wall before the wall comes down.

Let us know if you have comments on SDSA’s work. PLEASE let us hear from you!

In the end, since no one has been interested in forming a committeeto review and vote on decisions, it's my call on what to press for inthe legislature. It's possible that nothing will work, or maybe we canget something we really like. One thing that can help is if I can saywe have a group of 100 people working on this issue actively. I need tohear from you.

Want to pass out some info cards at your local bar? Email me. newland@rapidcity.com

Want to help us meet expenses?

Best regards,

Bob Newland

Gov. Mike Rounds has appointed AP Statehouse reporter Joe Kafka as his new press secretary.

Joe is a solid newsman and has covered Pierre for 22 years.  This is a serious pick with lots of gravitas and I commend the Governor.  I think Joe can probably pry some more governmental openness out of Gov. Mike.

My good friend Mitch Krebs, the soon to be ex-press secretary, is going to a media relations gig at Avera McKennan.

Congratulations and good luck to both Joe and Mitch as they start their new careers!

I don't think Citi should get billions for a bailout.  I'm tired of what I thought were capitalists having their losses socialized while just plain folks get kicked out of their jobs and homes and get no help.

But if we--yes we, the taxpayers--are expected to bailout (I mean loan) Citi $25 billion or so, I think the U.S. Treasury Department should call all the Citi executives at their dinner times every day and ask them when they plan to pay the money back until they do pay it back.

Heck, that's what Citi does. We have a whole slew of folks here in Sioux Falls that do that for a living with the poor saps stuck with 25% interest on their credit cards and accruing charges of all sorts.

Seems only fair to me.

If you are a South Dakota blogger, former South Dakotan who still blogs about South Dakota, or you blog about South Dakota, and you haven't noticed your feed displayed at right in the SD Citizen Journalists and Blogs aggregator, please email me your RSS feed address to toddepp(at)gmail(dot)com so I can add it. 

I'm still in the process of moving feeds around but I might have missed yours or accidentally deleted it.  I'm hoping to have the most comprehensive feed aggregations of any blogger in SD for SD related blogs and citizen journalism efforts.

A group is going to try and get the South Dakota Legislature to adopt a bill legalizing medical marijuana.  The following is from Bob Newland about that effort.

-----

South Dakotans for Safe Access will bring an item before the legislature in the 2009 session. We want sick, disabled and dying people to be able to use cannabis to alleviate their conditions. We want the legislature to remove law enforcement, as much as possible, from interfering with doctor/patient relationships, except in cases of real criminality.

Denying effective medication to people who need it is unspeakably cruel. Yet, that is exactly what South Dakota law does. A government acting in this manner can not call itself civilized.

The therapeutic benefits of cannabis are undeniable. The question is: How can South Dakota lawmakers recognize this fact in law while not creating a legal mess worse than the current situation?

The voters want sick, disabled, and dying people to have access to medicine that works for them, even if it is cannabis. Yet federal and South Dakota law proclaim there is “no medical use” for cannabis.

Here are some scientific facts about cannabis:

1. There is no record in medical history of a person dying from ingestion (by any method) of cannabis.

2. There is no record in medical history of a cannabis-only (no tobacco) smoker contracting lung cancer.
The implications of this are enormous. Several studies have shown that THC (tetrahydrocannabinol) shrinks tumors in mice, or averts their incidence. The fact that cannabis-only smokers have a lower lung cancer rate than the general population suggests something. Perhaps further studies are necessary?

3. Four major US government studies have concluded that, at the very least, therapeutic benefit appears to accrue to some people for some afflictions. They recommend further study. Dozens, maybe hundreds, of “minor” medical studies have confirmed the benefits of cannabis for several specific afflictions.

4. The Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), at the direction of the White House, will not allow scientific study into cannabis therapy, because Congress says cannabis has “no medical value”.

5. For over 20 years, the FDA has sent 300 rolled cannabis cigarettes per month to each of six patients in the United States.  The George H. W. Bush administration instituted the Compassionate
Investigational New Drug Studies, program which administered govt.-grown cannabis to people who applied and were accepted. 22 people were accepted for cannabis studies. Of those, 6 are still alive (Remember, these were nearly all seriously ill people; most lived far beyond their prognoses because of cannabis, their doctors say.)

Clearly, the federal government is of two minds about therapeutic use of cannabis.

South Dakotans pride themselves on their good common sense. Its existence was demonstrated in the 2006 election, when 48% of the voters agreed with us that sick, disabled, and dying people should not be prosecuted for trying to feel better with medicine that works for them.

The quandary, we believe, lies in what some perceive as a conflict between federal and state law if, say, South Dakota were to statutorily allow patients to possess cannabis if their doctor thinks it might help
them (the same standard as for the opiates oxycodone or percocet).
 
Our position is that South Dakota law enforcement is under no obligation to enforce federal laws. If the DEA wants to go to Chamberlain and drag a wheelchair-bound paraplegic to jail for using cannabis to extend his life, there’s probably not much we can do, but we don’t have to assist them. It is cruel to do so. We’d like to make it illegal to do so, thus removing any question from the minds of law enforcement agents.

13 states have now passed legislation allowing patients to possess and use cannabis, if they have a doctor’s recommendation. In fact, the 48%-52% vote in South Dakota in 2006 was the only time medical cannabis has appeared on a ballot in the US without passing.

We propose that the South Dakota legislature discuss and pass a law:

Providing for patients to possess and use cannabis, if their doctor recommends it. The law also needs to provide for either the patient or a caretaker to grow cannabis for the patient. It also needs to provide for
an affirmative defense of medical use for people who use cannabis medically but have not yet acquired a doctor’s recommendation at the time they were accused.

You can see SDSA’s model law at http://www.sodaknorml.org/sdsa_files/081120ProposedBill.htm

This is the language we proposed in the initiative that got 48% of the vote in 2006. We’re willing to work on it.

The Tom Faltynowicz case (see accompanying sheet) illustrates graphically why this needs to be done. It is just wrong to place police officers, prosecutors and judges in the position of having to choose
whether to do the right thing or to treat sick people like the criminals the law says they are.

http://www.sodaknorml.org/Falt/falt.htm#sentence

A respected Rapid City physician said, under oath in a Sturgis courtroom, “Smoked marijuana is essential to Tom Faltynowicz’s therapy.”

The conflicts that arose during the Faltynowicz case are present, to a lesser degree, in many other prosecutions in South Dakota. This is not a good way to administer justice.

We are confident that a majority of South Dakota legislators will agree that it’s not a good way to administer justice, and will act to withdraw South Dakota’s support for the federal government’s war on
sick, disabled, and dying people.

If you support our position, or have any suggestions on how to make our proposed legislation better, please contact us right away.

Very best regards,

Bob Newland
South Dakotans for Safe Access

I was four years old (almost five) when President John F. Kennedy was shot in Dallas 45 years ago today.

I remember Walter Cronkite interrupting my mother’s favorite soap opera, “As The World Turns” with a bulletin that President Kennedy had been shot.

But after that, I don’t know if what I have are my own memories or memories created later that I now attribute to that awful day.

Did I see Cronkite announce that Kennedy was dead, remove his glasses, and wipe a tear on November 22, 1963 or did I see that later?

I’m sure I saw Jack Ruby come up to assassin Lee Harvey Oswald in the parking garage and stick a gun in his gut on live TV a few days later.  Or did I?

Like the circumstances of President Kennedy’s assassination—single gunman or triangulation of fire from the grassy knoll, it is hard to separate out what was real at the time and what has become a programmed memory from years of watching TV about the murder, like the replicant Rachel’s programmed childhood memories of inventor Tyrell’s niece playing the piano in Ridley Scott’s masterpiece, “Blade Runner.”

Or does it even matter?

The horror of seeing our young leader killed still saddens me, still gives me a feeling of loss, still makes me wonder what what could have been for our nation.  Those feelings are all too real.

Photo: Jack and Jackie, just before the fateful, awful moment in Dallas.