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Saturday at USD’s graduation ceremony (121st Spring Commencement Exercises), former Senator, and hot-in-the-news, George McGovern was on hand to receive an honorary doctorate. On the program it listed that President Abbott was to give McGovern the accolade, but he didn’t, Acting Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Matthew Moen did the honor.

Given the recent big news that McGovern switched his support from Clinton to Obama, did Abbott snub McGovern because he’s in Clinton’s camp?

Only because of the utilization of technology am I posting live video of Hillary Clinton’s upcoming “rally” in Sioux Falls. I think she’s a certifiable nut and rabid socialist, but the fact that I am sitting in a library at USD with wi-fi and can (grudgingly) watch streaming video of what could be an interesting speech, given her circumstances is kinda cool. BTW, video is being shuffled online by the Argus Leader.

Needing the occasional desperate distraction from studying for finals, I have turned to blogging right here, as well as on The Volante’s Opinion Blog. While looking over this site the other day and making some facial changes, I noticed that the graphic for Unity08 was gone. Not having been to the site in months and away from the day-to-day political news (outside of the presidential race), I had no idea that Unity08 folded up shop.

Their reason:

At the current moment, we don’t have enough members or enough money to take the next necessary step - achieving ballot access in 50 states - to reach the goal of establishing our on-line convention and nominating a Unity ticket for president and vice president this coming fall.

Money and people. Damn, that is unfortunate. For the last year or so, I have proudly sported a Unity08 bumper sticker on my laptop. It has occasionally conjured up conversations about the premise, but never any “real” interest. “Too out there,” they would say to me. This coming from people who like to think of themselves as “anti-mainstream.”

Unity08 was, and still is, an incredibly novel idea. I love the concept of putting two polarizing individuals together on the same ticket and using the internet to get this ticket nominated and on the ballot across the county. As anyone knows who has worked on ballot access issues for third parties across the country, the process is laborious — purposely so. State and federal governments love their two parties and they do not want a third (or more) voice coming in and tipping over the applecart. So, they force third parties to acquire 2, 3, often 4 times more signatures to get a name on the ballot. To do this takes time and money; something third party proponents do not have a lot of.

The two party system won again. An alternative is out. This November we will again be pressured into selecting between two evils. The system is broken. The system knows its broken. Those affected by the system aren’t sure it’s broken, because the system won’t sound that alarm — the code for that message hasn’t been written. So, the mindless drones continue to the polls, practicing an exercise which amounts to nothing more than a coin toss.

It’s stunning, considering the roots of this country, that we would be down to selecting between just two people on a ballot. Today, we are more educated and have greater access to information that those in the 1790’s, when we first began selecting a president. Back then, 7 or 8 names were on the ballot, and yet, the system did not crumble. Unfortunately, today, that is the case we are faced with; a system eating itself from the inside.

Yes, I’m serious. I think I’m in a test-taking zone, or something. Had a history final tonight, of which I began diligently studying for on Sunday night. Spent all day in the library yesterday, mostly studying for said history test, and then again today. Sat down tonight, reviewed the exam — all essay, by the way — and began deliberately answering the questions. At the end of the exam, some hour and 45 minutes later, I closed that exam book and knew that I had aced it. Yeah, I was in the zone.

Two more exams to go and I’m pretty damn confident… I’m loving finals week. Besides the extreme arrogance of my large scholarly acumen, I’m really enjoying watching the rest of the student population overly stress themselves studying for the first time this semester. I love hearing the conversations amongst colleagues regarding what they need on the final to clear a C for the course… that’s good stuff.

Everyone is stressing. Slamming Red Bulls like Rush Limbaugh pops Oxy during commercial breaks. Life hangs in the balance, all during this one week. It’s glorious to watch. Some are worried about pleasing their ego (that’d be me), others need a C in Research Methods to be able to stroll across that stage on Saturday, and others need that A to please their mommy or daddy.

Ahhh, finals week, ye love ya.

I mentioned in a previous post that I was working on a project for my Sioux Indian history class. Briefly, the project is an examination of radio on the Sioux Indian Reservations in South and North Dakota, but primarily on the Pine Ridge and Rosebud Reserves in South Dakota. The project is now complete and it has been presented in class. For the most part I am proud of the work, except for the fact that I narrated the piece while having a cold, and considering the amount of research and hours of audio compiled, 20 minutes does not give the work justice. However, what you will hear is something not many people have not even taken the time to look into (literally two books on the subject of Native American media). Please give the piece a listen and I look forward to any comments you might have.

P.S. I intend to re-narrate the piece once the cold has left my head.

With busy schedules, the ability to time-shift (i.e., Tivo) television, makes keeping up with favorite shows and sports teams a great, great thing. So was the case today with the Frozen Four and the first of two semifinal games which pitted Boston College vs. North Dakota.

As is the case whenever I Tivo a sporting event, I try to tell as many people as possible not to mention the score or outcome if they see me. Additionally, I try to stay out off the Interwebs.

Things were going very well today, until that is, after a set of meetings concluded and I checked my phone. Being the moron that I am, I looked at the text message and what I could see, relayed to me that UND was “down.” The text came from a very well meaning friend who is actually at the game. I failed to tell her not to text me.

So, despite trying to create an information blackout, not only did a text message come my way, but a fella in The Volante office, who happens to be a hockey fan, saw me and immediately said, “The Sioux are getting their ass kicked.”

And there it was. My attempt at an information blackout in order to watch the game when I got home, failed miserable. At this point, I still do not know the final, because I am a glutton for punishment and I’m watching the game. Boston College has taken the lead early. Things don’t look good…

In honor of North Dakota’s appearance in this year’s NCAA Frozen Four, a post about hockey. UND takes on Boston College on Thursday in Denver. The other semi-final has Michigan versus Notre Dame. I predict North Dakota versus Michigan in Saturday’s final. GO SIOUX!!!

William Faulkner sees first hockey game and gives the greatest description of the sport… ever.

Then it was filled with motion, speed. To the innocent, who had never seen it before, it seemed discorded and inconsequent, bizarre and paradoxical like the frantic darting of the weightless bugs which run on the surface of stagnant pools. Then it would break, coalesce through a kind of kaleidoscopic whirl like a child’s toy, into a pattern, a design almost beautiful, as if an inspired choreographer had drilled a willing and patient and hard-working troupe of dancers—a pattern, design which was trying to tell him something, say something to him urgent and important and true in that second before, already bulging with the motion and the speed, it began to disintegrate and dissolve.

Yeah, that’s the poetry in my head when watching hockey.

P.S. A nod to A Progressive on the Prairie.

From Ron Paul’s Texas Straight Talk column:

We should remember that former New York governor Eliot Spitzer was brought down by a provision of the PATRIOT Act that required enhanced bank monitoring of certain types of financial transactions. Yet we were told that the PATRIOT Act was needed to catch terrorists, not philanderers. The extraordinary power the government has granted itself to look into our private lives can be used for many purposes unrelated to fighting terrorism. We can even see how expanded federal government surveillance power might be used to do away with political rivals.

Gotta love that Patriot Act … but mostly, I miss the Fourth Amendment.

P.S. Watch Keith Olbermann’s report on the extinguishing of the Bill of Rights.

All of Wednesday was spent on the Rosebud and Pine Ridge Indian Reservations, doing research and conducting interviews for a history project. The project is an audio documentary on the influence of Native American radio (specifically Lakota Sioux) on the reservations and the ties which the use of radio has to Native American oral tradition.

A few quick reactions from today. First, my project thesis might have changed slightly. After conducting interviews with station personnel at KINI-FM on Rosebud (St. Francis) and KILI-FM on Pine Ridge (Porcupine), and sitting in on the Oglala Language College Storytelling Hour with Brian Chasing Cloud on KILI, the focus has shifted to the use of radio to revive and reteach the Lakota language. Both KINI and KILI are actively pursuing these efforts on the air. I also spoke with Ben Black Bear at the St. Francis Mission. His work is in translating English to Lakota — primarily translating the Bible.

Second, everyone I met was extremely nice. I got lost twice and needed directions. Having never been on the Pine Ridge I.R. and having it’s reputation precede itself, I was unsure what kind of response this extremely white man would get when asking for directions. However, both individuals were incredibly helpful and I made all my appointments on time.

Third, after spending nearly 12 hours on the reservations, I am left with mixed feelings. My interviews supplied great hope in the people’s efforts to keep their culture alive despite the hardships, but you cannot escape the absolute despair and poverty that is everywhere on both Rosebud and Pine Ridge. Pine Ridge especially, as it claims the dubious distinction of being the poorest county in the United States. What I saw was very depressing. Having studied intently over the last year the many ways in which the United States government robbed the Native Americans, the effects were glaring. I have many more thoughts on this and will dedicate a full post to it over the weekend possibly.

Lastly, I was unbelievably stunned when I saw what was the site of the Wounded Knee Massacre. This is the brunt my study right now, and I was truly hoping to have some time to visit the site, but that was not needed — the place is in utter dishevelment. I certainly wasn’t expecting a massive memorial or anything fancy, if you will, but the site was barley even commemorated. Maybe the lack of attention to the site is appropriate, considering the atrocities which took place there, I don’t know. All I know is as I slowed and pulled over to reflect for a moment, I could not help but feel a sickness inside. I wanted to weep. It was just a sad, sad sight.

So, the day was interesting, informative, depressing, but even at the same time, it was uplifting. When my project is complete I will post it here, and I look forward to any and all of your comments.

The race to the sky with stone and steel is as old and storied as is architecture itself. With the advent of post and beam construction with steel, architects and builders have been besting one another for the claim of the world’s tallest building. There is no race more legendary than the competition between Chrysler and Raskob. The Empire State Building stood as the world’s tallest for 41 years, until the North Tower of the World Trade Center was completed in 1972.

The race for world’s tallest title slowed after the 70’s but with the 90’s came a new love-affair with being the world’s tallest. The Petronas Towers in Malaysia and Taipei 101 are the latest head-to-head competitors; however, currently the Burj Dubai, which is currently under construction, stands at 1,985 ft, but plans to finish at over 2,300 feet.

Certainly this is tall, but not a mile-high. For over a hundred years, architects have fantasized about a habited building standing at one mile high. The great architect, Frank Lloyd Wright, proposed to the State of Illinois a building of one mile in height. Late in his life, Wright was fascinated with the idea of extending a building to the heavens, a dream which could never come true.

But now, plans for a mile-high building have been made public by billionaire Saudi Prince al-Walid bin Talal. There is now time line for the beginning of construction, but this appears to be a serious attempt. However, taking a structure 5,000 feet into the sky brings into play so many challenges. There is the wind at that height. The building will sway dramatically causing inhabitants to experience high-rise sickness. There is the drastic changing temperatures, especially those that come with being in the middle of a desert. There is also the weight of the building. Many large structures are unable to be built because there is not sufficient bedrock below the site to handle the load. Also, there is the actual construction of the structure. The Saudi group plans to use helicopters.

Unlike past head-to-head competitions, the difference between buildings often came down to mere feet. With Burj Dubai coming in at an estimated 2,300 feet and the Saudi building pushing 5,280 feet, the actual competition is gone. It’s almost like the scene in “A Christmas Story” where Schwartz skips the triple dare and goes straight for the “coup de grace of all dares, the sinister triple-dog-dare.”

Whether this building is even able to be completed is unknown, but it’s thrilling to have the idea back again. Now only if we could get American architects to engage in some sort of skyscraper renaissance…

The story about Debbie Shank and her lost legal battle with Wal-Mart is disturbing on so many levels. Mostly, it is disturbing because of what it says about humanity in our society. Here’s the backstory:

Shank was stocking shelves for the retail giant and signed up for Wal-Mart’s health and benefits plan.

Shank suffered severe brain damage after a traffic accident nearly eight years ago that robbed her of much of her short-term memory and left her in a wheelchair and living in a nursing home.

It was the beginning of a series of battles — both personal and legal — that loomed for Shank and her family. One of their biggest was with Wal-Mart’s health plan.

Two years after the accident, Shank and her husband, Jim, were awarded about $1 million in a lawsuit against the trucking company involved in the crash. After legal fees were paid, $417,000 was placed in a trust to pay for Debbie Shank’s long-term care.

Wal-Mart had paid out about $470,000 for Shank’s medical expenses and later sued for the same amount. However, the court ruled it can only recoup what is left in the family’s trust.

First, for Wal-Mart, a company who had a net income of $11.2 billion dollars in 2006, fighting for $470,000 is utterly absurd. It’s almost like you or I taking a 5-year-old to small claims court for stealing your pocket change. Second, this is the reason the law and corporate America has a terrible reputation. Wal-Mart likes to promote the fact that it donates millions of dollars to the communities it has stores in and to other charitable efforts across the country ($44 million dollars in 2006), but when it comes to one of their own employees, they seem to loose their charitable side.

Why are lawyers and judges hated, especially those working on the civil trial side of things? This is why! It’s funny, when I tell people I want to go to law school, the reactions are priceless. Mostly there is a physical repulsion. The individual physically backs away from you, but then at the same time, verbally they respond with a “really?” Or a sarcastic, “why?” This is why. There is so much bad law being practiced, and it is predicated with a massive loss in common sense. The law has completely detached itself from the community and society has a whole. There is no feeling left for the people the law is meant to impact, or better yet, protect.

In the end, there is a moral question here. When corporations act in deplorable ways, should we collectively boycott them? I know, that’s a rhetorical question with an obvious answer considering the capitalist system which we have. However, how many people will actually consider that a moral imperative exists? I definitely think it does, and because of their actions I will no longer shop at Wal-Mart, at least not until they rightly remedy this situation.

It will be very difficult avoiding Wal-Mart. In Vermillion, there really isn’t anything else. There is a Pamida, and when I am in a pinch that is where I will go, but from here on out, I will have to consciously plan out my purchases that I would normally make at Wal-Mart (school supplies, food, household goods, etc.) Being the store is open 24 hours, the convenience is ripe for a college student, however, I will be strategically making a monthly trip to Sioux Falls in order to avoid Wal-Mart. The 45 minute drive is definitely an inconvenience, but more so is the cost of the drive with gas prices the way they are.

As you can see, there are so many excuses for overlooking the moral imperative behind boycotting Wal-Mart. However, making the right moral choices is never easy.

————–

For more, here was Keith Olbermann’s take last night on Countdown:

From Republican presidential candidate Ron Paul on the five year mark of our country being in Iraq:

Nearly ten years ago, long before 9/11, I requested the time in opposition to the fateful Iraq Liberation Act of 1998, where I then stated on the Floor of the House of Representatives, “I see this piece of legislation as essentially being a declaration of virtual war. It is giving the President tremendous powers to pursue war efforts against a sovereign Nation.” Less than five years later we were invading Iraq .

Five years into the invasion and occupation of Iraq , untold hundreds of thousands of Iraqis are dead; some two million Iraqis have fled the country as refugees; and the Iraqi Christian community – one of the oldest in the world – has been decimated more completely than even under the Ottoman occupation or the rule of Saddam Hussein.

The 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned the State of New York’s passenger bill of rights which required airlines to feed passengers when those unfortunate flyers would happen to be stranded for hours on the tarmac for whatever reason.

Essentially, the court ruled that the airlines and their operation fall exclusively under federal jurisdiction and states have no regulatory power over their operation.

I particularly like the following passage from an MSNBC.com article:

The court said that while the goals of the law were “laudable” and the circumstances prompting its adoption “deplorable,” only the federal government has the authority to pass such regulations.

Two things are wrong here. 1) Holy shit the scope of the federal government is wide reaching. b) What the hell? I know airlines are hurting financially, but aren’t we all humans and if there are people on their plans that “desperately” need sustenance, what is wrong with giving them a tiny bag of peanuts? What kind of customer service is this? And what people are patronizing a business which treats its customers this way?

The following proves two further points: 1) Americans have allowed government to control every aspect of their life. They no longer have any free will. While it is certainly a reasonable consideration that maybe the federal government should have some say regarding nationwide travel, at last check airlines are private corporations… oh, wait, all of them have been bailed-out by the federal government, which means they are essentially public utilities. Federalism is dead. b) After typing that I have no point (b). When it takes state legislation to tell a business to take care of their customers, haven’t we lost our humanity?

Amazingly, as is the case with each semester, the beginning always allows for time to be active on the blog, but as the semester trucks on and the amount of work piles up (not from procrastination, mind you), this space gets wrongfully neglected. Blog Protective Services has been called and I have been given my first warning. I must blog something every day. This is my commitment, and I will adhere to it.

Not exactly the way to get back into the swing of things, but the obviously big story over the weekend was the news that more than 4,000 American troops have been killed in the Iraq War (video from MSNBC). What is there to say about this? In a day of warfare where we really don’t need to have troops on the ground, where we could simply lob smart bombs onto a target from 800 miles away, 4,000 (+) dead is a remarkably disturbing number.

Considering this was a war which we were going to be “in and out” to quote the countless Bush drones — Rumsfeld, Cheney, et al. — 4,000 dead is unimaginable.

Taking into account that Iraq had nothing to do with the reason for entering the Middle East in the first place, 4,000 American dead is just as unfathomable as the number dead on September 11.

Noting that when we entered into the war 5 years ago, gas per gallon averaged $1.60 and today it averages over $3.50. You cannot tell me this war is not about oil.

And most of all, since Bush has entered our country into this mess, not only are 4,000 men and women troops dead, but the very Constitution for which they were sent into war to defend has been decimated by the Bush Doctrines of the Patriot Act, Military Commissions Act, Signing Statements, Executive Orders, and the Protect America Act.

President Bush and his neo-con Republicans are not the only ones with blood on their hands. Every member of Congress who allowed these atrocious legislative acts to pass and who allowed appropriations for the killing to continue are also to blame. And, most of all, every American citizen who has re-elected all of these tyrannical politicians back into office are also bloodied. This mess is our fault. These dead Americans (not to mention the thousands more Iraqis and Afghanis) have lost their lives because of our apathy, because of our unwillingness to tell our government no. You no longer have control of your government, it controls you. It kills your family and your friends and you let it. Shame you them, shame on you. Shame on all of us!

Because I couldn’t pick between the two, here are The Cars with “Drive” and Incubus with “Drive,” in honor of receiving the privilege to drive again.

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