August 2009

The SD Peace & Justice Center smacks down SDSU’s President’s appointment to the Monsanto board

From my email box;

Letter & Resolution

Sent to: Mr. Terry Baloun, President - South Dakota Board of Regents

The South Dakota Peace and Justice Center is a non-profit organization founded in 1979 by faith leaders from throughout South Dakota. We are led by a 15-member Board of Directors, with our work driven by advocacy for the disenfranchised, environmental sustainability, justice system reform, and a vision for a more just and peaceful world.

We sent the resolution  below, passed by our Board of Directors to both the Board of Regents and to Dr. Chicoine’s office, because we are deeply concerned about the situation involving the President of South Dakota State University, Dr. David Chicoine.

We believe, as stated in the resolution copied below, that Dr. Chicoine presents a conflict of interest when serving on the Board of Directors of a company like Monsanto.

Please review the situation, and if you are able, contact the Board of Regents, and Dr. Chicoine. Urge that a choice be made between his paid position with the state of South Dakota and his paid position on the Board of Directors for Monsanto.

For further research, cut and paste the following links into your web browser: http://www.centerforfoodsafety.org/Monsantovsusfarmersreport.cfm

http://www.marketoracle.co.uk/Article8199.html

Sincerely, Richard Iron Cloud - Board President

RE South Dakota State University and Monsanto

South Dakota Peace and Justice Center Board Resolution

WHEREAS, South Dakota State University was founded as a land grant college, with a specific mission to educate the farm community and to provide scientific expertise to production agriculture, and

WHEREAS, Dr. David Chicoine is employed as President of South Dakota State University with an annual salary of $300,000 plus benefits, and

WHEREAS, Dr. Chicoine has now been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Monsanto corporation, in which capacity he is receiving substantial additional compensation, and

WHEREAS, Monsanto sells and actively promotes agricultural chemicals and genetically modified crops, with a detrimental impact on the natural environment, on neighboring organic farmers, and on genetic biodiversity, and

WHEREAS, Dr. Chicoine’s dual role creates a clear conflict of interest and also has ominous implications for academic freedom within the academic community, possibly including a chilling effect on professors and researchers at SDSU who might wish to study the impact of Monsanto’s products and sales practices on the future of South Dakota’s farm and ranch community, and

WHEREAS, the South Dakota Peace and Justice Center is a statewide organization of almost 1,000 South Dakota households, institutions, and congregations, which is dedicated to protecting family farmers and ranchers from corporate agriculture and to promoting a healthy environment,

NOW, THEREFORE, be it resolved, that the South Dakota Peace and Justice Center does hereby call upon the South Dakota Board of Regents to require Dr. David Chicoine to choose between his role as President of South Dakota State University and his service on the Board of Directors of Monsanto, since it is a clear conflict of interest for him to remain in both positions.

Unanimously passed by the Board of Directors of the South Dakota Peace and Justice Center on July 25, 2009, Richard Iron Cloud, President

Imagine that, Terry Baloun is involved (Event Center Task Force Member)

Hillary Hissy-Fit

hillary_clinton

I have not found video yet on this story, just saw it on the boob-toob. She freaks out;

Mean old Hillary Clinton went to Africa’s Democratic Republic of the Congo today to discuss god knows what, current giraffe prices? Because it’s Africa?? And while she was taking questions in Kinshasa, some curious “Congolese university student” had the gall to “ask her for her husband’s thinking on an international financial matter.” But instead of just laughing it off with a “Ha ha, you don’t respect women in your country, which is why you have a rape epidemic,” Hillary Clinton murdered the student!

“You want me to tell you what my husband thinks?” she replied incredulously when the male student asked her what “Mr. Clinton” thought of World Bank concerns about a multi-billion-dollar Chinese loan offer to the Congo.

“My husband is not secretary of state, I am,” an obviously annoyed Clinton said sharply. “If you want my opinion, I will tell you my opinion. I am not going to be channeling my husband.”

The question was left unanswered as the moderator of the event quickly moved on.

Actually, a translator F’d up and the student asked about Obama, not Slick Willy. And Hillary apologized later. But her freakout session is pretty funny.

SF rapid and reckless growth is going to end up biting us in the ass

cartoon_dog_biting_a_mailman_in_the_butt_royalty_free_clipart_picture_090720-055246-021042

We also should have been spending more money on maintaining existing infrastructure instead of squandering it on $3 million dollar streets to nowhere;

The next mayor of Sioux Falls could face some tough decisions unless sales tax revenues begin growing at a healthy pace by next year.

Even rosy revenue forecasts call for the city to use a generous amount of reserve funds over the next several years to keep up with growth in the city’s general operating fund, which pays for basic services such as public safety and snow plowing. A new mayor takes office next spring.

And Finance Director, Eugene ‘Montgomery Burns’ Rowenhorst wants to give his advice to the next mayor;

The city’s revenue forecasts call for a 4 percent rate of growth in sales taxes next year, and 6 percent each year following 2010. Absent that type of growth, city Finance Director Eugene Rowenhorst predicts the next mayor will be forced to find “expense controls.”

Thanks, Gene. Maybe if you and Dave would have been doing your jobs we would not be in this mess. It’s called being ‘fiscally responsible’ – But what do you expect from a couple of Citibank pencil pushers.

Kyle Helseth, deputy director of the Minnehaha County Equalization Department, notes that there is an upside to slower growth in building permits. The city would have to spend less on new streets and utilities.

I have said all along that I’m for growth, but you should do it slower and wiser not fast and reckless. Since we grew so fast it may come to a steaming halt and then the shit will hit the fan affecting more then just property tax revenue.
the next mayor, who will be elected in April, could face the prospect of making painful cuts.
Could? More like Will.

Dr. Blake Curd pulls an ‘Unruh’

uncle_fester

The Doctor is in, and his diagnosis is hoof and mouth disease.

It seems that Blake has been hanging with the Unruhs a little too much, he’s starting to make crap up when it comes to the Healthcare debate;

Our government has just proven that it cannot even purchase used cars, but it expects us to believe that it has a stranglehold on health care and its cost.

Huh? Cash for Clunkers has been highly successful, we can only hope government healthcare could work that well.

Despite the claims made by proponents of health care reform, rationing by necessity will occur. Long waits for specialists and treatments denied by our government because they are too expensive will become commonplace.

Blah, Blah, Blah. Just admit it Blake, as a specialist yourself, it will affect your bottom line and that is why you are opposed to it.

Acceptable care will be decided by a government panel and not by you and your physician.

Yes, because private insurers don’t do that now? Don’t make me laugh.

The United States stands as a shining symbol to the rest of the world because of the different way we do things. Our health care should be no different,

Yeah, because we love being rated almost last in healthcare of most industrialized nations, why would we want to change that? Heck, even Cuba has a better infant mortality rate then we do, and they pay their doctors $30 a month.

The approach should reward choice, competition, value and the freedom for individuals and families to decide what is in their own best interest.

I couldn’t agree more, but as of right now many Americans don’t have a choice because they are uninsured.

Those who cannot afford to purchase coverage should be given the opportunity of a tax incentive to become a health care purchaser, not someone dependent on an entitlement.

Hate to break it too you Mr. Rich Doctor, but people who can’t afford insurance likely are not paying much in taxes if any at all, so how do you give an incentive? Besides, one already exists, I write off my private insurance every year on my taxes.

America shocked the world more than two centuries ago when it embarked on this noble journey and established the greatest country ever known.

Yet after more then 200 years we still can’t provide affordable healthcare to our citizens. Maybe we are paying our doctors too much? I’m just saying.

The Gargoyle Leader’s ED Board wants us to eat the Event Center Task Force’s Shit sandwich. No Thanks.

pics_shit-sandwich

No surprises here, the AL ED Board wants us to get behind the task force;

The task force that’s preparing recommendations for a proposed events center is doing several things right.

Is being ‘vague’ doing things right? I have always thought when people are short on details they are trying to pull a fast one.

But perhaps the most significant steps the task force is taking are its efforts to build a coalition to lobby the Legislature for a much-needed financing tool.

The task force seems to recognize that its hard labor in researching specs for an entertainment venue that best fits Sioux Falls’ needs is practically useless unless the city can pay for construction.

To make that happen, Sioux Falls leaders need to partner with other municipalities that also need the flexibility to raise taxes to build various projects.

This has always been my biggest beef with the Events Center, I really don’t care where they build it or how big it is (well I do, but those are minor deets) How are we gonna pay for it? As councilor Staggers has said, the legislature will never let SF raise retail taxes to pay for this place, and I can guarantee the voters will not approve it either. The economy is shit, and the last thing people want is to pay more taxes on food and essential services to build an entertainment facility we do not need. This is a money maker for the city, not for the citizens, and it could not be more freaking obvious.

Eventually, Sioux Falls-area legislators – or even the next governor – will need to become intricately involved in getting taxing authority approved during the next legislative session.

Still, the task force’s lead effort is a welcomed boost

Where can I pick up my Argus Leader official barf bag?