TransCanada Bulldozes Rights, Rounds Shows No Leadership

Loyal readers keep me informed on TransCanada and the push to sacrifice local land rights for foreign oil. One reader points me toward Sunday's editorial in the Aberdeen American News, which contends that two things could have stopped this whole eminent domain fight:

1. more neighborly behavior from TransCanada
2. better leadership -- any leadership -- from Governor Rounds.

The juicy parts:

The problem is that TransCanada came into South Dakota with all the subtlety of a bulldozer and all the charm of a Hell's Angel. Had the company approached South Dakotans with an open hand - extended in support of local communities - rather than a closed, threatening fist against landowners who questioned it or showed resistance, things might have turned out dramatically differently.

...[W]e were glad to see the South Dakota Public Utilities Commission set 57 conditions with which the company had to comply and requiring a $12 million bond in 2009 to make sure money is available to repair any damages to roads and bridges during construction. Quite frankly, the PUC seemed more concerned about South Dakota citizens than its governor.

Gov. Rounds obviously supports TransCanada's efforts and wants to see the pipeline run through the state. That position is both acceptable and understandable. However, Rounds could have put pressure - any pressure at all - on the company to support his people; to take care of them in ways both small and large. Why not, for example, urge TransCanada to give back to communities by helping them with projects; help them build a pool or enhance a city park? [editorial, "Poor Leadership Nudged Push for Eminent Domain," Aberdeen American News, 2008.04.20]

Aberdeen's daily isn't calling for a pitchfork posse to stop the pipeline. They aren't even calling for a pipeline tax. They're just asking Governor Rounds to take care of his people, to be their -- excuse me, our -- advocate. Our land, our rights are being sacrificed: we deserve better treatment and better compensation up front, right now, not just the airy promises of economic development in the future.

Oh, and for those of you thinking all this oil coursing through our land and aquifers will bring down those skyrocketing gas prices, think again: Alberta tar sand oil costs much more to extract (not to mention environmental costs), and world demand will keep gas prices shooting right past $4 a gallon.

A reader also points me toward this article from Fairbanks about another pipeline that BP and ConocoPhillips wants to build to carry natural gas from Alaska to the Lower 48. Remember, ConocoPhillips has a 50% stake in the Keystone pipeline that may become the next fossil fuel superhighway... right through the Jim River Valley. Yay.

Don't Wait for a Tornado -- Build Green Now

Think you can't waste your time or money with environmental building practices? Think green building is just a frill for frivolous eco-elite developers with money to burn?

Then ask the folks in Greensburg, Kansas, about their priorities. Remember Greensburg? Last year, a May tornado ripped up 95% of the town's homes and businesses. The storm looked like the coup de grace to a town already suffering from the familiar rural plague of dwindling small-town economy and youth exodus.

But Greensburg, population 1400 before the storm, 800 now, is rebuilding (769 building permits issued) and rebuilding green. This AFP report tells us that even after losing pretty much everything, Greensburg is making an extra effort to build a whole green town:

The town is building an eco lodging project, a recycling center and a water conservation system to turn rain into drinking water.

Residents have been encouraged to purchase energy efficient appliances and light bulbs; consider alternative energy sources like solar panels and windmills; use local, non-toxic and recycled building materials; and use native plants that don't require much watering to provide shade and reduce the load on storm sewers.

An Australian company even donated 200 water-saving toilets that are expected to save 2.6 million gallons (9.9 million litres) of water a year. [Olivia Blanco Mullins, "Devastated by Tornado, Kansas Town Rebuilds on Green Plan," AFP via Yahoo News, 2008.04.21].

What, did a bunch of hippies move to town to impose all their new-fangled eco-Gaia-worship on the storm-shocked locals? Hardly: locals are recognizing that green building is about doing things the old-fashioned way:

Town leaders launched a non-profit group to teach residents how to improve efficiency and reduce their environmental impact in the old farmer spirit of doing more with less.

"The process for us was getting the community to understand what building green meant, and diffusing [defusing?] political issues of environmentalism," said Greensburg GreenTown director Daniel Wallach.

"We helped them see that they were environmentalists whether they knew it or not."

Wylan Fleener's furniture warehouse is surrounded by empty lots and the rubble left behind by the tornado.

The unfinished facade reveals Styrofoam-covered concrete blocks which will insulate the structure that he is planning to cover with old bricks that the tornado left behind.

Rebuilding on an energy-efficient plan has increased Fleener's costs by about 15 percent, but he figures he'll make up the difference in about five years.

He hopes to further cut energy consumption by installing solar panels or a wind turbine and is planning to rebuild his home with efficiency and sustainability in mind.

"This is more an older way of living than a green fad," he told AFP. [Mullins]

Green building -- green anything -- isn't something new. It's the way Great-Grandpa got by, doing more with less, not throwing things out, and making the most out of what we have. There's no fancy philosophy, certainly no crypto-Marxism or secular humanism. Just regular folks thinking maybe we should build to make things last... not just buildings, but the environment they occupy. Says Stacy Barnes, a 26-year-old native who moved back to Greensburg to rebuild her hometown:

"I wanted to be here. It is town pride. I wanted to be part of this movement," she said.

"I want to walk down the street with my children and grandchildren and say 'I was part of that.'" [Mullins]

It shouldn't take a disaster for us to realize the need for conservation and green building practices. All it should take is what Ms. Barnes expresses: a love of the place we call home.

Prairie Village Scores Big Summer Country Music Festival

Speaking of big events in Madison, Prairie Village has announced that it has signed a 10-year deal to host Motongator Joe's Country Music Festival on June 27-29, right here on the beautiful shores of Lake Herman. Upper Peninsula Michigan native Joseph Grinsteiner -- Motongator Joe -- styles himself an "in your face" performer of "hillbilly testosterone outlaw country." To spotlight such music, Motongator Joe started his country music festival in Michigan 11 years ago. Held on 120 acres near Wallace, MI, Joe's festival draws an average 5,000 camping country fans (the 2005 event drew over 6,000, says Joe).

He's performed up and down the Dakotas, and now he's bringing his music festival here. I'm not sure how eager the Chamber will be to see Madison become your summer capital for "Hillbilly Testosterone Outlaw Country" and redneck goat-ropin' good times (those are some of Joe's terms, not mine), but I say yee-haw! The guy cut his teeth on Merle Haggard and Johnny Cash, and on his webpage soliciting acts for the Prairie Village event, he says "Preference is given to 'Non-Pop-Country' acts" -- that's all right by me! Bring it -- brang it on and get 'er done! Enjoy the music and beer, fellas... and try not to kick the crap out of the threshing machines.

A couple years ago, Mrs. Madville Times and I talked with the local Chamber about the idea of starting a big music festival to anchor a larger community event. We heard some positive responses, but it was mostly, "Go ahead, do what you like, you're on your own, and it's going to take a long time to get something like that going."

Looks like Prairie Village and Motongator Joe are ready to prove that if you just show a little foresight, make the right connections, and order lots of porta-potties, you can put together a big event that can draw thousands of people to Lake County in its first year. Maybe I won't sound so eager come the end of June, when I'm lying awake listening to the music blaring across Lake Herman each night "until the beer runs out." But for now, I say good thinking, Prairie Village! Let's start the marketing, make this show as big as the Steam Threshing Jamboree!

Now Joe's website says another festival is scheduled for the Michigan site July 23-27 and there's already a solid slate of acts. While it's unclear whether Joe plans to continue staging the Michigan event along with the new South Dakota event, a cached webpage gives some insight as to why he might consider moving the show out here to the prairie:

I tell everybody I enjoy the work but I don’t have as much fun as when it was smaller. I thought maybe it was because I was younger back then... but in reality it’s not. See I always try to keep things simple and fun but the fact is, people are attracted to fun! (go figure) So crowds get bigger and the insurance company wants more every year as the crowd grows. On top of that I’m sure you’re all aware that the price of fuel, utilities and general resources are more expensive than ever. Our lovely State of Michigan has increased our permit costs over 1600% in the past 4 years alone. (no that’s not a typo) I think the first year’s permits and requirements cost around $25-$50 dollars. This past year it was in the thousands.

With the State of Michigan in a slump and the increasing state cutbacks, in my opinion most of the state’s employees have to prove to the higher-ups that they are relevant, so the bureaucracy for this type of business is now staggering. In 2007 after the Motongator’s 11 years of operation, the Michigan DEQ has changed the rules pertaining to us altogether and decided that we had to closely match the infrastructure of a permanent campground in order to receive the same annually renewed Temporary Campground Permit we had been operating under for over a decade. There goes another $10,000.00! (I should have started a sulfide mine, there would have been less DEQ bureaucracy, and a permit would have been in the mail) [Motongator Joe, "Joe's Word," cached by Google, retrieved 2008.04.21].

I'll admit, regulations do stand in the way of a good time. Let's hope Prairie Village can make Motongator Joe feel right at home and bring us some good entertainment, some good press, and some good revenue. Readers in state and out, mark your calendars: June 27-29, Prairie Village, two miles west of Madison -- Motongator Joe and all sorts of boot-stompin', straw-chompin' fun!

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Update: Cowboy.com provides a little more detail on the country music festival: music starts each day at noon, acts including Highway 101, Ricochet, Jeannie Seely, Slackwater Jack, Night Raiders,... holy cow! and Redneck Olympics! Forget Beijing! Come see lawnmower races, fishing pole casting contests, and bobbing for pigs feet! Yahoo!

E-Mail Scam: Russian Mafia Masquerade as First National Bank of Sioux Falls

My e-government survey is no scam (and it's still open! take it if you haven't already!), but a survey purporting to be from First National Bank of Sioux Falls sure is. I opened my inbox this morning and found this enticing offer:

Dear Customer,

CONGRATULATIONS !!!

You have been chosen by The First National Bank in Sioux Falls online department to take part in our quick and easy 5 question survey. In return we will credit $100 to your account - Just for your time!

Helping us better understand how our customers feel benefits everyone. With the information collected we can decide to direct a number of changes to improve and expand our online service.The information you provide us is all non-sensitive and anonymous - No part of it is handed down to any third party groups.It will be stored in our secure database for maximum of 3 days while we process the results of this nationwide survey.

We kindly ask you to spare two minutes of your time in taking part with this unique offer!

To Continue click on the link below:

http://www.fnbsf.com/survey/?accept5_cmd

Copyright © 2008 . All Rights The First National Bank in Sioux Falls

I've shut off the link, because it's a trick! There is no such webpage! In the e-mail, code behind the link doesn't send you to fnbsf.com, which is indeed your local banker, but this anonymous site:

http://adsl-75-17-78-198.dsl.peoril.sbcglobal.net:84/survey$fnbsf.com/

Don't copy it, don't click it, and for Pete's sake, don't enter any data in it!

I figured something was fishy, given that I don't have an account at First National Bank for anyone to credit $100 to. I checked fsnbf.com first, found the written link didn't work, and called customer service. FNBSF's Nicole knew exactly what I was calling about and said they're working to shut the scammers down.

My suspicion: Russian mafia. The language is just a little off ("time in taking part with this unique offer"?). I checked the HTML of the rest of the message and found the original text encoding was my old friend Windows-1251 -- Cyrillic! That's for Russian text! Fall for this scam, and you'll find a million rubles to Vladimir's Vodka Emporium on next month's credit card bill. Не попробуйте еще раз, товарищ.... Ларри Лонг вас смотрит!

Not a good week for info security for our area banks. Last week Mrs. Madville Times and I and some friends of ours received letters from Fishback Financial in Brookings saying someone had gotten into their database who shouldn't have and may have grabbed our personal info. One of my friends isn't worried -- he says his credit rating is so low, no identity thieves are going to do much damage. But it occurs to me that all these concerns about identity theft are one more reason to perhaps tighten up the credit industry and keep transactions local. Here's a thought: maybe we should actually restore "credit" to the original idea of real, face-to-face belief in the borrower. Maybe to get credit of any sort -- new credit card, home loan, whatever, you should have to walk into an office, look someone in the eye, and shake hands with someone who knows you, who lives in your community, and who can say from personal experience rather than from an arcane (and proprietary) credit rating, "Yup, I know you, and I know your word is good. Here's your loan."

Strictly local credit -- it would wreak havoc with international finance, but it would put an end to identity theft real quick.

Obama Is Coming to South Dakota! Put Lake Herman on the Itinerary!

I hear the good news from Gary Ellenbolt at South Dakota Public Broadcasting first: both Representative Stephanie Herseth Sandlin and Obama's regional field director in Rapid City, Melissa Ness, say the Senator Barack Obama plans to campaign in South Dakota. Ness says Obama hasn't marked a date on the calendar yet, but he will be here before the June 3 primary. Herseth said she hasn't heard which towns he'll hit, but she leaves open the possibility of a small-town visit (Nate! I'm telling you -- Obama, Lake Herman, waders, and walleye for supper!).

Ness spoke to a crowd at the grand opening of Obama's regional campaign office in Rapid City. Hmm, let's see, that would be two Obama SD campaign offices to Clinton's none. And Ness says more staff is coming after the big show in Pennsylvania wraps up. Tell me again, which candidate cares about rural America enough to put his money where his mouth is?

No Sanity in Foxholes?

The headline du jour comes from KSFY:

"Troops Battle Mental Health."

There's that old saw about how "military intelligence" is an oxymoron; is KSFY saying the same thing about military sanity?

Love the Lakes -- Water Quality Seminar Tuesday

Earth Day is here -- so let's talk water! DSU professor Dale Droge is hosting a seminar on research and conservation efforts taking place in the Lake County watershed. The seminar is Tuesday night, April 22, 7 p.m., at the DSU Science Center, free and open to the public.

Dr. Droge has conducted studies of nutrient loading (like phosphorus and nitrates carried by spring runoff and summer rains) in our lakes. He'll talk about water quality problems in Lakes Herman, Madison, and Brant and answer your questions about what we're doing and what we can do to improve and protect our natural resources.

Sure Sign of Spring: Bloggers Unbearded!

With love to Doug Wiken...

It must be spring -- the bloggers are all shaving! Well, two of us are. Dakota Today has made the April transition from mountain man to clean-shaven commentator:


Now with the blizzards apparently over, it's time for my own annual shearing:


Doug still cleans up better than I do.

The SD blog world now breathlessly awaits the conversion of its current head of hirsuteness, Steve Sibson, to a smooth spring look:

Joe Kafka's 2006 photo of Steve at work in Pierre was the best I could find... but maybe as the election heats up, Lowell's stalkerazzi will supply some updated photos. ;-)

Gambling on Sunday Morning... on Thune!

A faithful reader forwards me a Fox News article on the latest VP oddsmaking. Of three lists presented, our Senator John Thune makes only one as a possibility for John McCain's running mate. Ron Faucheux, political analyst and Georgetown instructor, gives Thune 15:1 odds on getting McCain's nod. Faucheux gives out neighbor, Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty, 5:1 odds, same as Mitt Romney, Tom Ridge, and Condoleezza Rice.

More fun and free-wheeling oracles Rasmussen Markets and Intrade Prediction Markets don't even mention Thune. The "wisdom of crowds" on those two sites gives GW's brother Jeb Bush a better chance than Thune of filling the GOP VP slot.

I'll stick with my January analysis, that helping McCain take second in Rock Rapids, Iowa, probably isn't going to win Thune his spot on the ticket. Better yet, I'll stick with Dr. Schaff's analysis on SDPB back at the end of March that said Thune just doesn't bring as much to the ticket electorally as a good-sized list of other candidates. Bush Sr.'s choice of a handsome Midwestern Senator just to appeal to the youth vote didn't go so well. And if McCain needs someone to shore up his conservative base, aren't there a host of other candidates (Huckabee, Romney, Rice... others?) who bring that quality plus executive experience and name recognition?

I should be boosting Senator Thune: if McCain did pick him, Madison alum Jon Lauck would have a crack at working in the White House, not to mention writing a really great insider's history of the 2008 Presidential campaign. But the numbers just don't seem to point that way this year.

Obama Packs Independence Park

Fridays usually bring a downswing in my blog readership. Heck, on any beautiful spring evening, not to mention a Friday, we all have better things to do than talk politics (I was out with the shovel transplanting trees).

But on a warm, clear Friday night when the Mets are in town to play the Phillies, Barack Obama can go to Independence Park in Philadelphia to talk politics and get 35,000 people to come listen. (O.K., so the Phillies drew 45,000.) And that number doesn't come from Obama's people; 35,000 is the estimate from park officials.

What those 35,000 heard:

It was over two hundred years ago that a group of patriots gathered in this city to do something that no one in the world believed they could do. After years of a government that didn’t listen to them, or speak for them, or represent their hopes and their dreams, a few humble colonists came to Philadelphia to declare their independence from the tyranny of the British throne.

The union they created has endured for two centuries not because we’re perfect, but because we’ve always been perfectible – because each generation of Americans has been willing to stand up and sacrifice and do what’s necessary to inch us closer to the ideals at the core of our founding promise – equality, and liberty, and opportunity for all who seek it. That’s how we survived a civil war and two world wars; a Great Depression and great struggles for civil rights and women’s rights and worker’s rights, and now Philadelphia it's our turn [Senator Barack Obama, public speech, Independence Park, Philadelphia, 2008.04.18].

Now that's my kind of Friday night. Rhetorical home run, anyone?

(Photo: Michael Bryant, Philadelphia Inquirer)

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Update: and for a line drive up the middle, see SD Moderate's sharp post on elitism.

Still on Speaking Terms

A Catholic friend responds to my Thursday post on the Unruh initiative. She takes exception to my characterization of the initiative as "the fringe rantings of deluded theocrats." My friend reminds me of our common ground, not to mention the need for neighborly discourse:

...we aren't the monsters you're making us out to be. Are there fringe pro-lifers? Most definitely, but there are fringe pro-choicers too. I'm not sure that any group of people doesn't have its fringe. I just wanted to point this out because I know that many people equate your atheism with "being a monster" in a way too. But the thing is, you're not a monster. I don't agree with you on a lot of things, but deep down inside you are looking for a way to make this world a better place. That is exactly what makes you completely the opposite of a monster - a good and moral person.

I know LOTS of pro-lifers. (In fact, I know one who helped to write the first bill!) As for the ones I know, I will testify to their non-monster-ness, and I'm sure that a good portion of the others are very similar to us in the non-monster way. I'm sorry that we're annoying, whiny, and even infuriating, (we like to think of ourselves as impassioned and persistent, not unlike you!) but we really are just trying to make the world a better place too, even if you don't agree with our outlook.

I replied gratefully to my friend and noted that I'm not eager to have this argument because both sides feel there is so much at stake -- Unruh's side, life itself; my side, the Constitution that soldiers give their lives for -- that they (we) may feel justified in throwing any mud we can to win. Says my Catholic friend:

I cringe at some of the stuff that people write in response to your blogs. I know how it feels to be the outsider who the bullies beat up on. The problem is that sometimes even we outsiders start throwing the mud. I've done it too, and I'm lucky to have two best friends who hold me accountable when I mess up. But I hate it when things get thrown at me for being pro-life, and I knew that you of all people would understand that.

Speaking as a pro-lifer, I think it is sad when the group devolves into villianizing the other side. We are all about treating people of all ages, from the beginnings of a fetus to the very last breath of a centenarian, with respect and dignity. That isn't just a belief that we have, it is our MISSION. Therefore, when we villianize those who are pro-choice (or blow up their places of employment), we are quite literally breaking the one, central theme of what being pro-life is!

I'm glad this friend and I remain on speaking terms. I want her around to remind me of the very high moral bar she sets... for all of us.

9000 More Job Cuts at Citigroup

For those of you who think Madison's road to prosperity lies in recruiting a credit card company to build a big call center here...

Citigroup to Cut 9000 More Jobs

Citigroup Inc. lost $5.1 billion during the first quarter and will eliminate about 9,000 more jobs, as poor bets on mortgages and leveraged loans lopped billions of dollars from its investment portfolio.

Write-downs related to mortgages and turmoil in the credit markets reached about $12 billion, and costs stemming from consumers' credit problems surpassed $3 billion, the bank said Friday. And in a conference call with analysts, Citigroup chief financial officer Gary Crittenden said the bank, seeking to cut costs, is eliminating about 9,000 additional jobs... [AP via KELO, 2008.04.18].

Throw in with outside industry and corporate America and put our economic fate in ever more distant hands, or focus on local agriculture, local shops, local entrepreneurship, and maximize our ability to captain our own destiny.

Take your pick... but I'll be busy painting and writing, and Mrs. Madville Times will see you at the farmers market!