The Jackrabbit's Den

On Facebook...

2010-01-24T12:06:00.003-06:00

So I don't blog too much on here anymore... I'm pretty much a Facebook addict now.

There are some good things and bad things about it... It's a blast catching up with people I haven't seen in 15-20. At the same time, I could go without all the insipid games and invites to said games. I'm not a games person, unless it's basketball, football, or any other sport I can announce in the radio!

And there are the pages... some are good, like the ones that remember "Captain 11". Others not so good, like the page "F#ck the Troops". Quite a few of my friends are part of a petition to get this particular page removed from Facebook.

Here's my response to one of them...

I won't join this group and here's why...

First of all, I am in complete and unabashed support of the troops. When the 211th left Madison for Afghanistan, I was out there among the crowd, and I even found myself tearing up. I've been embedded with the 153rd when they were training for their deployment to Iraq back in 2004. I have friends who have been stationed overseas and who still currently are. I am in awe of these men and women every single day.

People like the ones who put up pages like "Fuck the Troops" are retards. They are selfish, immature little brats who have never had to work for anything, much less know what it's like to be a part of something greater than themselves and to stand up for for that something. Instead of being involved in honest, frank debate, they decide it's cooler to bash the troops. For this, they are retards.

Despite their despicability, the still have the right to spew their poison. Free speech means even the idiots get a voice... and that's what our troops have been fighting for for over 230 years.

Frankly, I'll use the approach that many did with Air America... ignore them and they'll go away. Don't give the creeps anymore recognition than they already have!

So in other words... keep pages like "F#ck the Troops" up. It just makes the people running them look foolish and like morons.

New Venture

2009-12-09T18:16:00.002-06:00

So in a never-ending attempt to spread myself thin... I am now a contributing blogger to a South Dakota Sports Website.

Sports Buzzard started out covering just Western South Dakota Sports. But as with any successful venture, they are looking to expand. Mike Henriksen of SportsMax Radio has corralled several area media mavens (including me) to contribute reports and coverage on teams from around the area. So I'll be concentrating on Madison, ORR, Chester, Howard, McCook Central/Montrose and the like.

So check it out at http://www.sportsbuzzard.com. I'm under the name "Jack Rabitt1".

Happy Birthday, KJAM!

2009-12-04T23:56:00.003-06:00

Well, since my Lake Herman Friend already blogged about it, I figured I'd give a little more publicity to all of my five readers on this thing! LOL

On December 3, 1959 at 8:00 a.m., radio station KJAM signed on for the very first time on an assigned AM frequency of 1390 kilocycles (or for those living in the 21st century, 1390 kHz). Which means the place that has helped me pay my rent and keep me in good faith with my student loan company is now officially 50 years old.

Frankly, it doesn't look a day over 49!

But in all seriousness, with businesses changing hands, opening and closing at the drop of a hat, 50 years is something else. Hell, 10 years anymore is quite an accomplishment. So it's definitely nothing to sneeze at.

Thursday, John Goeman stopped by the station to reflect and to wish KJAM the best of wishes. John has been synonymous with KJAM all these years; when he graduated from Brown Institute back in 1959, he came to KJAM to work as the afternoon announcer and as the station's engineer.... all for the princely sum of $375 a month. Considering the average salary at the time was $2992, John was making some pretty good coin! He would later become the Station Manager and then Station Owner before selling in 2000 to Three Eagles Communications (Not "Communication", Cory!) of Lincoln, Nebraska.

He brought in this great book that was filled with advertisements, and photographs of the station througout the years. In fact the program log from that very first day was in John's collection. By the way... the station signed on at 8:00 a.m., then signed-off at 4:45 p.m., as it was licensed as as a daytime-only station.

But in talking with John and overhearing his conversations, I learned some interesting things about KJAM.

1) KJAM was not the original call letters that the owners wanted when they applied for a broadcast license. The founders actually wanted to use K-M-A-D with the "MAD" standing for "MADison", kinda like KSOO radio stood for "Sioux (or "SOO") Falls". But the FCC rejected the call letters, so the owners used KJAM, with the "JAM" named after the founder, Dr. John A. Muggly.

2) The original location for the station was above what was then Collignon's Hardware in Madison. Don't quote me on that, but I think that's where Central Business Supply is now located. The station moved to it's present location in 1969 when Northwestern Bank (now Wells Fargo) moved to its present Building on First Street and Egan Avenue. Although when something goes ca-ca (as it tends to do once in a while), we joke the the station is located on an "Indian Burial Ground"! LOL

3) Prior to KJAM, there had been another radio station of sorts in Madison. KBRK of Brookings had a satellite studio in Madison, above what is now Dakota Drug. However, when KJAM was established, the owners of KBRK shut down its studio, not wishing to compete with a home-grown radio company. It seems a little ironic that both stations would share the same owners a half-century later!

There are so many more interesting things I could share about the station, but frankly, the person to talk to would be John Goeman. He has so much knowledge, I really think he should write a book about KJAM. And I think all those great pictures, John, would make for an excellent website for locals and radio historians (like me) can enjoy. John, Cory, what do you think?

All in all, I just want to say "Happy Birthday, KJAM!" And I want to thank all of you who have tuned in for the last 50 years!

Yesterday...

2009-11-29T12:00:00.002-06:00

Yesterday was the best day and the worst day of my life, all rolled into one. Not to go into details, but my South Dakota State University Jackrabbit foootball team played in its first playoff game in thirty years... and after three heavenly quarters, hell came raining down in the fourth quarter as Montana knocked off my Jacks 61-48.

A lot of hurting folks at the SDSUFans.com message board, including yours truly.... I posted this as a "look on the bright side" to boost our spirits... I thought I'd share this with all of you..

"I Think We'll Be Okay"...

Sorry to steal this from Filbert, but I thought it made a nifty title.

Yesterday was about the lowest I ever felt as a Jackrabbit fan... and that includes "The Game That Shall Not Be Mentioned." Yeah, Montana was the favorite and the top-seeded team, but we had them on the ropes and we didn't go for the jugular... it sucks... and like I said in an earlier post, I hope there's a special place in Hell for the inventor of the "prevent" defense. The only thing that defense prevents is victories.

With that in mind, an amazing thing happened today. The sun came up... okay, it's overcast, but the sun is up, nevertheless.

I got up at 7:00 to come to work and play Christian music for a few hours, like I normally do every couple of weeks or so. Getting dressed this morning, I made it a point to proudly wear my SDSU hoodie and my SDSU sweatpants that I bought after our triumph over Northern Iowa.

Yesterday royally sucked... and we are all still hurting. Some of us are even angry. I sure was angry yesterday; I'm just glad my 2-year old niece didn't hear some of the words I was spewing out yesterday! But today, I am much better.

When I look back on this season, this is what I see...

1) Our best season record since moving up to Division-I athletics... including one of the best starts in over 40 years.

2) One of the top defenses all season long in FCS, even though the fourth quarter yesterday didn't help. But I think that was more an abberition than anything else.

3) Another record for average attendance... over 13-thousand people in a stadium designed for just over 10-thousand... not too shabby.

4) Renewed interested in SDSU athletics... a multi-million dollar donation for a brand-spanking new Student Athete center that'll no doubt be the crowning jewel in the eventual refurbishing and remodeling of CAS. A new SDSU show on KSFY that has our interest. A new Athletic Director who knows that SDSU is not just the school for Brookings or East River, but for Aberdeen, Rapid City, Pierre, Sioux Falls, and yes, even Vermillion!

5) Something that Pete Retzlaff, Jim Langer, Josh Ranek, and Adam Vinatieri could never do as players... lead SDSU to the playoffs!!!

We have a good head coach in Stig. Unlike other coaches in our conference, Stig isn't content to look for just talent alone when recruiting. He looks for young men of good character... young men who realize that you play for the name on the front of the jersey, rather than the name on the back (figurative, since we don't have either on our unis, but you get my drift). Young men from across the country that have avoided the controversy, scandals, and arrest records that have plagued some of our conference brothers. And who can win.

We still have a long way to go... our budget is pathetic, our facilities need serious upgrades, we are seriously understaffed. But all those things are in the process of being corrected, and we have the forward-thinking administration in place to do just that.

Some idiot from Montana decided to show his maturity and say it'll be 30 years before we make the playoffs again... I know we'll be back next year. We have a dynamic quarterback, a solid running back, and a hungry defense coming back next year... all a year older and wiser... and with major chips on their shoulders. And we'll be something no one would have ever guessed for us when we made this transition six years ago... CONTENDERS.

Yesterday sucked... and we're all hurting... but the progress we have made in so short of a time has been amazing, and the future continues to be bright for SDSU Football and SDSU Athletics.

It is still a great day to be a Jackrabbit!

And to quote Filbert... "I think we'll be okay."

Roll Call

2009-11-11T15:16:00.004-06:00

As I was getting ready for work this morning, I started thinking about all the people in my life who have served this country in the Armed Forces. Here's a partial list of all the people I've known that have served.

Jim Driscoll, USA-World War II
Tommy Wilson, USA-World War II
Myron “Mike” Stadem, USN-Korea
Dave Driscoll, USN-Vietnam
Jim Auen, USA-peacetime
Wade Harkema, USA-peacetime
Chad Swenson, USN-peacetime, Operation Enduring Freedom
Steve Clark, USA-Operation Desert Storm
Matt Smith, USCG-peacetime
Tom Verhey, USMC-peacetime
Chris Gill, USA-peacetime, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom
Cole Dearduff, USAF-peacetime
Scott Richardson, USAF-peacetime
Chris Swan, USA-peacetime, Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom
Darin Huwe, USA-Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom
Brady Bender, USA-Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom
David Ellmore, USA-Operation Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom
Mathew Wollman, USMC-recent graduate from Basic Training, currently in Infantry Training

Family... friends... classmates. They've all served this country. To them, and to all who have served or are currently serving, Thank You. I list your names here not to cause draw unnecessary attention to yourselves, but to show my honest and sincere appreciation.

Some yahoos like MoveOn.org, Ted Rall, and others may drag your name in the mud and spit on you and generally act like real assholes. Rest assured an overwhelming majority of us appreciate all your sacrifice, putting the needs of us ahead of your own. It takes a special person to do that, especially in this “me first” culture. You are ALL true heroes.

P.S. I realize I may not be entirely accurate where and when everyone served, be it peace time or otherwise. If I erred, please contact me and I will correct your information as soon as possible. Again, thank you very much.

On Hiatus

2009-11-09T17:21:00.004-06:00

So I haven't been on posting here for a few months... that's because I'm on hiatus from blogging.

Frankly, I'm burned out on the whole blogging thing. With my crazy-ass schedule at the station, I just haven't had the time or energy to blog. And with basketball around the corner, it's going to be even nuttier. Plus with part-time jobs with First Dance and the Old Dutch, I basically have about enought time to somewhat straighten my apartment, do some laundry, cook supper, work out and sleep.

Secondly, I've really become disgusted with the semi-negative tone some of my fellow bloggers have taken... I'm still upset with the way my friend Todd was raked over the coals simply because he wanted to post pictures of women on his blog. Nothing dirty, just women he happens to admire. There are some good bloggers that are quite informative, but then there are some that Lenin would call "useful idiots".

I still read blogs, and I'll still post messages. But by and far, I've pretty much stayed away. After a while, it all starts to sound the same, anyway.

In the meantime, I keep busy with my working out (ran my first-ever 5K this summer and didn't die), reading (be it on-line or with those bound-paper devices called books), work, and even trying to establish some semblance of a social/dating life.

So if you don't see me posting all that often, well, there ya go.

In the meantime, a few things off my chest.

1) I think the ultimate case of Poetic Justice would be for Osama Bin Laden to come down with a case of Swine Flu. I would laugh my ass off... then I'd scream because, hey, my ass fell off.

2) Government is good at protecting us from invaders (for the most part), regulating trade, and settling disputes with states. Education and running health care, not so good a job.

3) Certain people need to remove me from their mailing lists (i.e. Nicci). I got a mass-email from this person last week and it upset me greatly. Nicci, I've done a very good job of leaving you alone and purging you from my life the past 18 months. Please respect my privacy and remove all traces of me from your life as well.

4) Boondock Saints... Best. Movie. Ever. (thanks, Jim Howard!) Why they can't have a wide-scale release of Boondock Saints II is beyond me. Not everyone cares about the latest "Bragelina" movie or some retarded teen-sex romp. In a similar vein... I love Netflix... and Hulu.

5) I'm finally warming up to Fav-ruh as QB for my Vikings. The true test of a great player is when elevates the play of those around him. And looking at what he's done for Bernard Berrian, Visanthe Shaincoe, and Sidney Rice says this guy is worth his salt, even if it for only a year as most people are expecting.

And finally, some blogs for you to peruse while I continue my leave of absence...in no particular order....

1) Madville Times. My friend Cory Heidelberger's blog. I don't agree with a lot of his opinions, some really even piss me off. But instead of being a complete left-wing blow-hard, he does provide some interesting evidence to support his claims... and his blogging about local people and local topics is thoughtful and sincere.

2) Dakota War College. Cory Heidelberger if he was Republican... and named Pat Powers. Pat's kinda reminds me of the side of beef in Rocky I. Pounded on all sides... Republican, Democrat, you name it. But he also backs up his claims with interesting evidence and isn't afraid to torque off a few in his own party. The Gadfly of his Party!

3) Middle Border Sun. My friend Todd Epp's blog. He's kinda stepped away from the blogosphere to concentrate on other interests, mainly his new-found passion for officiating soccer and basketball and joining the Civil Air Patrol. I don't agree with a lot of what he says, but he's always been very cordial friendly towards this doofus, which makes him a mensch in my book.

4) Fastidious. I know not the identity of Ms. "Fastidious" or her husband cosbysweater08. But she reminds me of my friend and SDSU classmate Sonya. Very outspoken, very opinionated, very intelligent, and a pretty quirky sense of humor.

5) South DaCola. Scott is the "wildcard" of the bunch. Just when you have him pegged as a flaming liberal, he'll turn around and rail against higher taxes in Sioux Falls and very much speak like a fiscal conservative. Warning... if you have an aversion to snarkiness, best to take him in via small doses.

6) Terry Vandrovec and Matt Zimmer. Both sports reporters for the Argus Leader. If Terry and Matt could be best described in TV terms... I'd consider them "The Odd Couple." Terry reminds me of Felix Unger... Neat, prepared, erudite, well-mannered. Matt reminds me of Oscar Madison... Outspoken, a little disheveled, about as non-diplomatic in terms of talking about sports. He's not afraid to drop a few f-bombs to prove a point or get a laugh.... which means I should think twice before having him on the Sports Spotlight?

7) Doug Lund and Steve Hemmingsen. These guys pretty much defined my weeknights at 6:00 ever since I was knee-high to a quart bottle of beer. Even though both now enjoy the bliss of retirement, they both keep pretty busy with blogging about everything and anything... from their battles with the bulge, to living life on the lake, to travels across the United States, to even a little politics. The Elder Statesmen of broadcasting and now South Dakota blogging. When they speak, people listen.

In closing, I leave you with these words of wisdom from talk radio host (and 2009 Radio Hall of Fame inductee) Neal Boortz.

Look, life is insensitive, and the truth can be highly offensive. To hide from either is to hide from the reality of life. Take comfort in the fact that I am an equal opportunity offender. You today. Someone else tomorrow. You have no Constitutional right not to be offended and I'm here to make sure this non-existent Constitutional right is honored.

--Neal Boortz "FAQ". http://www.boortz.com.

Stay groovy, kiddies!

Goodbye, "Uncle Walter"

2009-07-19T11:23:00.002-05:00

"That's the Way It Is."

For 19 years, that familiar phrase was heard in millions of homes across the United States on a weekly basis. The words ended the evening newscast of the man called the "Most Trusted Man in America," Walter Cronkite. From 1962-1981, "Uncle Walter" gave a concise telling of the days events in a voice that was a combination of authority, objectiveness, and trust.

This weekend, that voice was stilled forever... Dead of complications from Dementia at 92.

I doubt Cronkite's death will have much media impact as, say, Michael Jackson's death and the carnival surrounding it. While Jackson was a very good entertainer, Cronkite offered more substance... informing us of the major stories of the day and sometimes even impacting the stories himself.

Two big examples of that include his 1968 comment on the Vietnam War, where he said the best we could hope for was to leave the conflict with honor. President Lyndon Johnson was reported to have said afterwords, "If I've lost Cronkite, I've lost Middle America." It was a major factor in LBJ's decision not to run for re-election in 1968.

Another example was Cronkite's interview in the late 1970's with Egyptian president Anwar Sadat. Cronkite asked Sadat what he thought would be a "throwaway" question, or a question that most people knew the answer to and wasn't of any real substance. That question was would Sadat be willing to visit Israel? Sadat surprised a lot of people, including Cronkite when he said "Yes". That set the wheels in motion to what became known as the Camp David Accords in 1979, the first peace treaty between Israel and one of her neighboring countries.

Despite reporting on the events of the day (and sometimes playing an incidental part of them), Cronkite always kept his opinions and biases in check. Sure, he would offer up the occasional commentary on his newscast, but he kept it at the end of the newscast, never during. And he made sure people knew it was simply his opinion and not any official stand. Reporters from CNN, Fox News, and the major networks could stand to learn a thing or two from that objectivity.

That attention to objectivity, and detail, might have saved Dan Rather's job. When he reported on the memo about George W. Bush not reporting for the National Guard as ordered, he relied on his producer and didn't check the facts of the story himself. Had it been Cronkite who was going to air such a politically-charged story, he would have made darn sure to check the facts himself... after all, it was his butt on the line. Rather got lazy. That, combined with the fact he had come out a few years before as a die-hard supporter of the Democrat party, put the idea in many minds that the story was a "hatchet job", sparked by political bias. It cost Rather his credibility, and eventually his job.

Not to say "Uncle Walter" didn't have his political beliefs. He was very much a die-hard Liberal, even going so far as to advocate a limited "world government". But during his time behind the anchor desk at CBS, he kept his politics in check, and didn't publicly express those opinions until well after he left CBS. In fact, he was a registered Independent so his detractors couldn't accuse him of bias one way or the other... But the greatest testament to his objectivity was the criticism from the Left that he was biased towards the Right, and vice versa.

Nowadays, with inundation of instant news via the Internet, cable and satellite news, and the plethora of screaming talking heads like Chris Mathews, Rush Limbaugh, Bill O'Reilly and Keith Olberman, I doubt we'll ever see someone as "fair and balanced" as Walter Cronkite delivering our news... in a non-biased, apolitical, objective fashion.

And that's truly something to mourn.

my two cents-again

2009-07-10T20:30:00.003-05:00

With all the blog wars that are going on in the South Dakota Blogsphere, I'm reminded of some key words of wisdom from my friend Michelle...

"Winning an on-line argument is like winning in the Special Olympics. Sure, you may cross the finish line, but you're still a retard."

Something to think about...

Remember to Say "Thank You"

2009-07-04T11:41:00.004-05:00

"I bear this cross with honor, 'cause freedom don't come free."

--Toby Keith, "American Soldier"

As you get ready for your picnics, your trips to the lake, your last-minute trip to the fireworks stand to get the last gross of bottle rockets and sparklers, I want you to stop and think for a minute about where you got your freedom on this Independence Day.

Did you get it from Barack Obama and George W. Bush? No.

Did you get it from media talking heads like Bill O'Reilly, Arianna Huffington, Rush Limbaugh, and James Carville? No.

Did you get it from organizations like the Sioux Falls Argus Leader, The New York Times, The Washington Post and USA Today? No.

Did you get it from celebrities like Brad Pitt, Paris Hilton, Bruce Willis, and Susan Sarandon? No.

Did you get it from academics from such places as Berkely, South Dakota State, Columbia University, Harvard and Dakota State University? No.

Did you get it from community organizers like ACORN? No.

Did you get it from bloggers like Todd Epp, Steve Sibson, Cory Heidelberger, Pat Powers, Dakota Women and me? No.

So where did you get your freedoms that you're celebrating today on this Independence Day?

Simple.

We got them from the (mostly) men and women who have sacrificed their time, bodies, minds, and lives so that we can enjoy our lives in freedom and security. For 234 years, starting in Lexington and Concord, Massachusetts, these individuals sacrificed their blood, so we would not have to sacrifice ours. THEY won us the freedom to act like idiots with our lives... to mock our country and feign embarrassment to the rest of the world... to celebrate the morons that throw shoes at our Presidents....

...and the freedom to call the people who have fought and died for our freedoms morons, rednecks, butchers, brainwashed robots, rapists, and baby killers.

These people are our greatest heroes.... they suffered through the hellish winter of Valley Forge. They shed blood at Bull Run and Shiloh. They went through Hell on Earth at Normandy and Omaha Beach. And they are fighting off those who would do us harm in Iraq and Afghanistan.

These brave men and women are indeed heroes. They have put their lives on the line, doing something that the rest of us either can not or will not do. Defend and ensure our freedoms with their lives.

So as you get ready to light off your fireworks, or get ready to play volleyball, or get ready to bemoan the state of our country, take the time to think of the soldiers, sailors, and pilots who have given the ultimate sacrifice so that we will not have to.

Think of them... and thank them.

panem et circenses

2009-06-22T22:51:00.003-05:00

A half a world away, thousands of individuals are waking up from a 30-year slumber. They are starting to realize their government is lying to them, and that they will do anything to keep in power, including killing its citizens who protest.

A half a world away, a tyrannical dictator is waving his saber armed with a nuclear tip at us, threatening to blow up the world in order to assuage his feelings of inadequacy.

A half a world away, soldiers are sacrificing their limbs and lives so that we can live in freedom, and free from fear of the evil bastards that would do us harm.

Yet here, what do most people want to talk about?

*A pair of spoiled brats who get married and can't seem to decide whether or not to stay on a reality show.

*A couple who sold out themselves and their kids to be viewed by the public, at the cost of their own marriage.

*Who wins a singing or dancing show.

These things take up our mindset, constantly.

The Roman poet Juvenal wrote a phrase 200 years ago that accurately describes what we are experiencing... panem et circenses.

"Bread and Circuses"

At the risk of..

2009-06-22T00:11:00.002-05:00

At the risk of offending some radical feminists, or sounding phallo-centric, I just wanted to pass along the following sentiment:

Happy Father's Day, Dad.

With love, your son.

Iran... Iran so far away...

2009-06-21T07:43:00.002-05:00

Unless you're one of those rubes who like to follow the clusterf*#k that is the "Jon and Kate Plus 8" saga, you've probably been paying attention to the debacle over in Iran.

Basically, Iran's presidential election, featuring two hard-liners who'd both like to see Israel wiped off the map and to finish Hitler's "final solution" has been marred by massive voting irregularities, not to mention fraud. The religious folks, who are the ones who wear the "daddy pants" in Iran basically declared the incumbent as the winner despite it taking about three days to count the ballots (apparently they never heard of "hanging chads").

Needless to say, the public is a mite torqued off. So much so that they have decided to take to the streets and let the clerics know just how they're feeling. And based on some reports, around 100 or so folks have died. To make matters even more fun, the religious authority has said if the protests don't stop, they're bascially going to be busting heads, literally.

Kinda takes the phrase "The beatings will continue until morale improves" to a scary real level.

Here in the good ol' "Birthplace of Modern Democracy", the debate has been what to do or say about this whole situation. President Obama has denounced the way that the protesters are being handled. But should we say more?

In a word, no.

Why not? Two reasons. First of all, we're not looked upon with a whole lot of favor over in the Middle East right now... especially in the country formerly known as Persia. Still a lot of bad feelings from 1979, you know (they tend to know how to hold a grudge in that part of the world). So anything we say or do is going to be ignored at best, reviled at worst.

Secondly, it seems the regime over in Iran is doing a pretty good job of slitting its throat on its own. Fareed Zakaria of CNN says that even if the ruling religious leaders manage to stifle the protests, enough information and images of what's been going on has been leaked via Twitter and Facebook that they've pretty much abandoned the ideals that brought them into power thirty years ago.

So to summarize... this is a case where the less we do, the better off things will be... at least in our public image.

My "WTF" moment of the day....

2009-06-19T14:41:00.003-05:00

And if you don't know what "WTF" means... then what the hell are you doing on a computer?

I follow Bob Barr, the 2008 Libertarian Party Candidate for President, on Facebook... he posted this a couple of days ago that's a real head-scratcher

In a little noted proposed regulatory decision issued in May by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (”CPB”), the administration is seeking to ban the import of any pocket knife that partially opens with a flick of the wrist.

The government is able to reach into the pockets of America’s millions of pocket knife users to limit the type of knife they can own, thanks to a novel and expansive interpretation of the 1958 “Switchblade Knife Act.” This half-century old law prohibited the importation into the U.S.of, or the interstate commerce in, automatic switchblade and stiletto knives.

Forget bin Laden, and screw Kim Jong Il... lets go after pocketknives!

Is it just me, or do you think there are some politicians in D.C. that really need to get lives?

Semantics Suck!

2009-06-19T14:17:00.001-05:00

For the love of all that is holy and sacred... how many times do I have to tell you yahoos...

It's IH-talian... not EYE-talian!

The good people from the country shaped like a boot are not, repeat NOT, from EYE-taly!

SHEESH!

An open letter to Kim-Jong Il

2009-06-19T11:46:00.003-05:00

Dear "honorable leader" of North Korea.

Sixty-four years ago, in the smal town of Alamogordo, New Mexico, scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer uttered these words after a successful experiment:

"I am become death, the destroyer of worlds."

Less than a month later, the United States Army Air Force brought Dr. Oppenheimer's words to fruition on two Japanese cities... Hiroshima and Nagasaki.

With this in mind, and all the saber-rattling you've been doing, do you really think it's in your and your country's interest to be torquing-off a country that has nuclear weapons and HAS used them in an actual war?

I'm not saying, I'm just saying.

Think about it.

Tech... No Logic

2009-06-19T10:59:00.003-05:00

Guess what? I'm taking a break today from railing against the gang teaming up on my Harrisburg Basketball co-announcer. And I promse not to use FCC-unfriendly language today, too!

For as much railing as I did aginst Twitter, I now twitter... I'm such a sell-out! By the way, here's the shameless plug... http://www.twitter.com/jackrabit1

So with this neat little thing, I've decided that I'll keep the personal stuff on there and keep this more that are on a larger scale... especially things that pi- I mean torque me off (WHEW!)

I've also done some housecleaning. A few weeks ago, I got rid of my MySpace page. Frankly, I never go there anymore... there's too many bad memories, and I like Facebook a heck of a lot better. And frankly, MySpace has become too much of a "little kids" shill site. Sorry.... never was a fan of the Jonas Brothers and I never will be. Though if they do a set with Bruce Springsteen, I might develop a little respect for them.

So here's another shameless plug... http://www.facebook.com/jackrabit1. Boy*, it's a good thing I own this little piece of cyberspace... with all the shameless plugs, I'd have to charge myself advertising!

So there's the post, and no swearing either. Heidelberger would be so proud! :P

*I used the word "boy" as common means of expression or emphasis... nothing ethno- or peno-centric about it!

Don't be a dumb-ass

2009-06-17T15:40:00.003-05:00

1)Don't be a dumb-ass.

2)If you want something done, do it yourself. Don't rely on the government to do it for you. They'll eventually screw it up and tax you for it. If you believe that government is the answer to everything wrong in the world, you're a dumb-ass. Roll up your sleeves and take care of your own damn problems.

3)Never underestimate the stupidity of dumb-asses in large groups... all you need to do is look at the Republican and Democratic Parties.

4)60% of all statistics are made up on the spot. Usually by dumb-asses

5)Most atheists are either a) rebelling against religion because they don't like being told there are such things as absolutes like Right and Wrong... or b) they are arrogant enough to believe that there is no greater being than themselves. They are dumb-asses.

6)Human beings are primal creatures. We claim to be “enlightened” and above pettiness, but when our values or thoughts are challenged enough, we end up reverting to those base emotions of jealousy and pettiness and self-loathing. Anyone who thinks otherwise is a dumb-ass.

7)I don't need scientific proof to justify my belief in a supreme being... it's called FAITH... get it? If you can't understand that and continue to mock my faith... you're a dumb-ass.

8)Other “Christians” who say the Catholic Church is “evil” and “wrong” are morons. Has it ever occurred to you where your particular Christan doctrine stemmed from? There's a reason it's called the “Catholic” church... it's derived from the Greek word katholikos, which means “universal”. So all you self-righteous Bob Jones-wannabes think on that and try not to get any nightmares tonight! Dumb-asses.

9)People who are narrow-minded ideologues (right-wing AND left-wing) tend to suffer from tunnel-vision and can't see the big picture and only pick and choose what to read and make their opinions off that (i.e. The criticism by the Left Wing blogosphere as of lately). Those who are too open-minded usually end up with their brains (or common sense) leaking out. Both are dumb-asses

10)I'm an independent Libertarian... NO ONE tells me how to think. And if you think you can tell me how to think, then you're a dumb-ass. Oh, and if you think you can change my way of thinking by calling me a dumb-ass, misogynist, racist, or an asshole, then you the world's biggest dumb-ass!

On the beating of a dead horse...

2009-06-16T16:52:00.005-05:00

Boy, just when you think this whole STUPID blog war is over with between my Harrisburg basketball co-announcer and the rest of the left-wing blogosphere, the shit hits the fan again..

Todd, having calmed down, explained his rationale behind posting his pictures of beautiful women (by the way, love the Juliana Hatfield pic, she rocked the Lemonheads!). But most importantly, I liked what he posted...

I hope you read this blog. But if it makes you go crazy or pisses you off, then don't read it. I don't hang out with people I don't like, go to places I don't like, read things I don't like, watch TV shows I don't like, read blogs I don't like, or otherwise torture myself with things I don't like unless I'm getting paid to do so. Life is too short to be that miserable by your own hands.

So, read on if you like the MBS, stop now if you don't. And expect that when you stop here, you'll sometimes be pleased and sometimes confounded. Sort of like life.

However, some on the left can't seem to accept this and continue to blast Todd and his ideas, or at the very least, the sincerity of them... apparently he's now some great "traitor" to their cause.

What a bunch of bullshit.

One of the supposed mantras of Liberalism is "Diversity". We gotta have diversity. Diversity in the schools, diversity in the workplace, diversity uber alles! Apparently that idea of "diversity" ends in diversity of thought and opinion. And THEY call the right-wing "Nazis"?!?

But what bothers the hell out of me is their apparent hypocrisy. Case in point, the whole David Letterman-Sarah Pailin controversy. Where was the Madville Times, Dakota Women, and all the other left-wing blogs to rip Letterman a new asshole? To me, joking about someone knocking up someone's daughter, political figure or not reeks of poor taste and is a HELL of a lot more offensive than posting some pictures of beautiful women and calling them "babe". But maybe the fact that Palin is a Republican means they think that ripping on her family is okay.

If this makes me an asshole in their eyes, I really don't care. They're practicing a double-standard and their lack of response over the Letterman situation reeks of it.

Sacrifcing honest debate at the altar of Political Correctness

2009-06-13T12:39:00.002-05:00

My Lake Herman friend put up an interesting post on his blog. It talks about how the publisher of the Madison Daily Leader was critical of an airport project on one of the Indian reservations in South Dakota, where there were far more pressing problems.

A pair of writers responded to Jon's editorial, basically accusing him of being racist. About the only thing they didn't do is ask for a copy of his membership card in the KKK.

Here was my response, in its entirety.

These two writers are basically taking issue with Jon's opinion, which is fine. I can see where airport improvements could be vital, especially for health care.

What I take issue with is the way they sling around the term "Racism". What? Because he points out some strong issues that are still on the reservations? Because they have nothing better to criticize him with, so they hang the "Racist" pejorative on him?

"Racism" or calling someone "Racist" with no good evidence to support it is cheap criticism. It's the label for people who feel they can't win an argument any other way. It cheapens the term, when so much legitimate examples of racism still exist in the world... the attack in Washington D.C. this week is prime example of that.

Bringing up legitimate concerns is not racism... these writers are being intellectually lazy at best... knee-jerk reactionaries at worst.

So in other words... bring up your concerns about racially sensitive issues, get ready to be called a racist. All part of sacrificing honest, intellectual debate at the altar of political correctness.

Asshole of the Day

2009-06-12T14:39:00.003-05:00

Today's Asshole of the Day must have a case of foot-in-mouth disease. But that should be nothing new coming from David Letterman.

In case you've been incommunicado, here's what happened. A few nights ago, ol' Dave was poking fun at one of his favorite political punching bags, Sarah Palin. Nothing new there. Palin was in New York City and took one of her daughters to a Yankees game. Where, according to our pal Dave, Alex Rodriguez had sex with the daugther.

One little problem... instead of Pailin's 18-year old daughter, Bristol, at the game, it was Governor Palin's 14-year old daughther, Willow. Oops.

And to make matters worse, Letterman decides to give an "apology" that doesn't even include the phrase "I'm Sorry" anywhere in it. Just "It was not my intent." What arrogance.

Asshole.

Amazing... one of my friends gets ripped on for putting pictures of pretty women on-line and these "enlightened" folks don't say shit about this... which is a hell of a lot more offensive and disgusting than some pictures of "babes". Why is this? Is it because Palin is a politician? A Republican and the so-called "enemy?"

Whatever happened to leaving a politician's family alone? Hell, even Rush Limbaugh ripped on people that were throwing pot-shots on then-First Daugther Chelsea Clinton's appearance. Or does that not count towards those on the political end of the spectrum Perhaps it's the liberals getting in their pot-shots at the Republicans... ya know, there is such a thing as being a "poor winner".

If you want to throw pot-shots at Sarah Palin, Hillary Clinton, the GOP, the Democrats, fine. Go right ahead. But to attack and use those smarmy remarks towards members of their families... who are still private citizens and are entitled to some privace... is disgusting and makes the people who do it real assholes.

Letterman is a poor winner. He has shown poor taste and he is not contrite in the least for needlessly dragging this family's name trough the mud. Thus, he's the Jackrabbit Den's "Asshole of the Day".

From now on, I'm watching Jimmy Kimmel.

Quote of the day.

2009-06-11T15:02:00.000-05:00

From David Evjen's "Bitman" radio prep service...

"On this date in 1972 the movie Deep Throat opened in New York City. Critics said the plot was good, but the acting sucked."

The switch is on.

2009-06-11T14:43:00.004-05:00

It's official... as of 11 PM tonight, the digital TV transition is going to take effect. For good. Permanently.

For those of you who don't have cable and dickered around on getting a converter box coupon, you're shit out of luck. You had five years, plus an extra four months to get ready.

Unless you've been in a cave or have been a complete moron, you've seen the news reports on TV. Read the stories in the newspaper and heard the announcements on radio explaining the change. And still you blew it off.

Don't expect President Obama to come to your aid with another stimulus package to help you out. He's putting his foot down on this too.

So I'll leave you with one parting word on this subject... quityerbitchin.

Asshole of the Day

2009-06-11T02:26:00.004-05:00

Take a good look at this guy.

His name is James von Brunn... a real piece of work.

He is a racist, bigoted asshole who has a hard-on for Hitler.

Did I forget to mention he shot up the Holocaust Museum yesterday and killed a security guard... a "gentle giant" of a man who had a son?

Fortunately someone had the good sense to shoot this waste of egg and sperm in the head. Let's hope he dies and saves us taxpayers the cost of incarcerating and defending his worthless ass.

Where the Hell did I go?

2009-06-11T01:24:00.003-05:00

So it's been a while since I've posted on this blog. And I took more than my fair share of ribbing for it... Where'd you go? Why aren't you keeping up with the blogging?

My explanation... I got burned out.

To be honest, I just didn't feel like posting. I was exhausted from the basketball season and I needed a break. Plus, I was spending quite a bit of time on Facebook-or as I call it, the "Crack Cocaine" of the Internet!

And there was a lot of stuff I could have written about... the bailouts, the shutting down of KAUR next month, the Swee' Pea. But I chose to take it easy and stop to smell the flowers.

Until someone (or some people) took a turd in the flower bed.

So I'm back. For how long, I don't know. But I'm going to use this thing to smack some sense into people that are acting like the proverbial chickens with their heads cut off... whether they like it or not.

Because I'm sick of the bullshit drama. If I want drama, I'll watch Netflix.

Moderating comments

2009-06-10T15:12:00.002-05:00

So after a bit, I've decided to do away with the comment moderation bit... since the character assassins are too chickenshit and slinked away. So comment away... just mind your tongue, lest I wash it out with soap.

Oh, and to take a page from my friend from Lake Herman, use your name. You want to be "cute", have the cajones to put your name behind it. If you don't, you'll get deleted. This isn't a democracy... this is my blog... I am el Jefe, comprende?

I'm being harsh? Tough... I was enjoying my sabbatical before some folks had to get into a pissing match. You woke this bear up and he's grumpy.

Has everyone gone mental??

2009-06-10T14:15:00.002-05:00

I swear, it must be the weather...

My friends, A* and E* are pissed off at each other... My Harrisburg Basketball Cohort and his compadres are at each other's (figurative) throats over some silly issue of posting pictures of women on the aforementioned's blog... an argument that Camille Paglia would laugh her ass off at.

Why the hell is everyone so pissy all of a sudden? Is it the weather? Frustration with the economy? The alignment of Saturn and Jupiter? My choice of deodorant?

I think we all need to blow off some steam in a grand, ridiculous and completely childish fashion.

I'm thinking Toga Party...

...Who's with me!!!

I'm Back, Baby!

2009-06-09T22:02:00.002-05:00

Boy, you take a little sabbatical and the whole farkin' blogosphere is going to pot!

By this, I'm talking about the "blog war" between my Harrisburg basketball cohort and several other bloggers, including my friend on Lake Herman.

The issue at hand is the posting of several photogs of fairly attractive women on my Harrisburg basketball cohort's website. An homage, if you will, to Esquire, which I think is twice as classy as Playboy and a hundred times moreso than FHM or Stuff. Nothing wrong with posting pictures of beautiful women... after all if you take away all images of beautiful women, you lose about half of the world's artistic masterpieces.

But what has surprised me is the outrage that some of the "fellow traveler" blogs have heaped upon this guy because he posted some pics.... of beautiful women... fully clothed or at least not in an indecent posture. Basically, this guy has become the human punching bag of the South Dakota Blogosphere.

And frankly, I don't like it.

Now I like to think I get along with everyone... with the exception of a few ex-girlfriends! So when I say this, I say this with all due love and respect...

TAKE A CHILL PILL!

When I first heard of this little "Blog War", I thought it was just a bunch of play-acting and that people were just blowing off steam. But this is getting a bit vicious. You have several folks accusing one guy of basically being worse than Hitler, or at the very least, Joey Buttafucco.

Frankly, I think everyone is getting just a bit too worked up about this. Honestly, you're going to rake this guy over the coals over a few pictures? I can understand if you disagree with them, that's fine. Don't pay attention to them...

Friendly disagreement I can handle... Ganging up on someone for no good reason and I get my Irish up... even if I don't agree with everything he or she believes in.

When I was a teacher, a piece of advice that I learned too late was "You have to learn to pick your battles." Before everyone involved gets to saying things that can't be taken back, let me ask you these things...

1) Is it worth it?

2) Aren't there worse things in the world to get worked up about?

and finally...

3) IS... IT... REALLY... WORTH... IT???

So now, I'm probably a pig. And if I have to earn someone's scorn because I'm standing up for someone getting picked on, so be it. I stopped giving a shit what others think of me when I turned 30... Get off your crucifixes.

Good Night... and Good Bye.

2009-03-02T16:05:00.002-06:00

Paul Harvey died this weekend.

Some of you may be wondering "Who the hell is Paul Harvey, and why should I care?" If that's the case, I feel bad for you because you missed out on a true legend of broadcasting.

If you're any kind of student of broadcasting, you would know that in the world of radio commentary, Paul Harvey was "The Man". His "News and Comments" and "The Rest of the Story" programs aired daily across the U.S., at one time on over 1200 radio stations. He won just about every major broadcasting award imaginable, including FOUR Marconi awards. If you're wondering what a Marconi Award is, consider it the "Oscar" for radio broadcasting.

But it wasn't the awards that made him so special. It was how he distinguished himself. He wasn't afraid to express his opinions (he was conservative) and he took positions that some people would object to. But he never showed rancor or contempt for the other side. He never displayed any self-serving snarkiness, or even raised his voice. Can such "professionals" as Limbaugh, O'Reilly, Schultz, and Franken claim to do the same?

The man was a professional. He didn't entertain by lowering himself to toilet humor or self-depreciating comments on the size of his anatomy. He didn't get cheap laughs by having listenters hold their "Wee for a Wii". He entertained by being honest... by making people think, laugh, cry, and even sometimes get mad.

He was a professional... in other words, a dinosaur. With the exception of Charles Osgood... there really aren't any commentators that are along the lines of Paul Harvey, at least none that are self-serving pompous windbags.

I'd like to teach a radio course, and do nothing but play "News and Comments" and "The Rest of the Story." Then I'd say... "This is what a professional sounds like. You have your work cut out for you."

Paul Harvey... Good Night... and Good Bye.

Time

2009-02-25T17:44:00.003-06:00

Time is wasted, walking
You ain't no friend of mine
I don't know where I'm going
I think I'm out of my mind
Thinking about time
-Hootie and the Blowfish "Time"

It doesn't make a damn bit of sense.

As you may have heard through the gossip lines, a young man in Dell Rapids died over the weekend. What happened and how he died is inconsequential right now, but it has left a lot of folks in shock and in a lot of pain.

I never had the opportunity to talk to the young man. But as a radio announcer, I had the chance to call his name several times in area and Madison High School football games. Our connection was my mentioning him during the game broadcasts, but I am feeling a sense of loss.

I could not even begin to imagine what his family and friends are going through.

Time... it's funny... you think you have an infinite amount and then all of a sudden it's gone without warning. And unlike a video game, you can't hit the reset button, punch in a secret code, or put more coins in the machine. Once this game's over, it's over.

I wish I could wax poetic and say something profound and meaningful. But it would just be empty words. One of the young man's friends puts it more eloquently than I ever could.

Casey, if you're reading this... I hope you don't mind me posting this.

The Gift of Time

Written By: Casey Michel

Some people like to talk about the “best gift they’ve ever been given.” People talk about something like a car or jewelry, and they usually cover everything in between. However, the best gift ever given to mankind is not given to us on this earth. When God creates a human He gives them the best gift anyone could ask for: the gift of time. Along with the gift of time, God gives us a side gift: the gift of free will – the ability to decide what we wish to do with our time, either good or bad. It took me nearly 20 years and one tragic event to realize what a precious gift the gift of time really is.

You see, I always used to be like everybody in this world; I would always wonder how I was going to get everything done that needed to be done, wondering why there were never enough hours in the day. You look around and see the world moving at such a fast pace that you wonder how anybody could get by, and I felt like I was in the same boat with everyone else.

“Hey Casey, can you help me with my math homework?”

--- “Sorry, not right now man, I’m busy.”

“Hey Casey, got a minute to talk?”

--- “Hey I’d love to, but I gotta get somewhere quick.”

I didn’t always have enough time to help out a friend. After all I had my own stuff to take care of, just like everyone else. And if I couldn’t make time for a friend or a loved one, how could I make time for anybody else? When I saw a stranger on crutches struggling with their books, I just kept walking. I couldn’t help them; I was in too big of a rush. A rush to where? I don’t know, but I had places to be and things to do, and I didn’t have nearly enough hours in the day to do it.

And so I went about my life day by day by day. I was always in a hurry, always in a rush; I didn’t have time to do anything.

That was up until that February Sunday changed everything.

Suddenly, I wasn’t in such a rush; suddenly, I had time. I had time to help a friend with homework, or to talk to them about something. I had time to help carry books for the stranger on crutches. Not only did I now have time, but I somehow made time, too. I made time to ask a friend “Hey, how you holding up?” “Hey, how’s everything going for you?” I made time to tell my family and friends that I love them. I made time to let everyone know that I’m here for them whenever they need me; that I will always answer if they call. And I know I would answer if they called. You can bet on it. After all – now I had the time to.

It’s almost as if God granted me more hours in the day. It’s almost as if He not only gave me more time to do what had to get done, but also more time to do what needed to be done. But this isn’t at all the case. The amount of time God gave me on this earth did not change one second from Saturday night to Sunday afternoon. I will not live one second longer or shorter because of what happened on a football field in Dell Rapids in the morning hours of February 22, 2009. Neither will anybody who reads this or who was affected by that tragic event. No, rather, God granted me the ability to realize what a precious gift time really is; and to use that time to seize every second, every moment that I am on this earth.

It was through this tragic event that I learned probably the most important lesson of my life:

You don’t realize how much time you have, until you realize that time is all you’ve got

I mean think about it: what do we have in life besides time? If a fire burns down our house, we will still have time. If a loved one passes away, we still have time. Things happen on a personal level: cars break down, jewelry loses its shine, we grow out of clothes, relationships break up…. Things happen on a wide-scale level, too: wars are being fought, poverty strikes nations, natural disasters devastate areas…. Yet through it all what we still have is the gift of time.

There’s also the other side of the coin that we must see. While I now realize how much time I have during the day, I have no way of knowing how much time I have left on this earth. I could live to be 100, or I could die tomorrow. And once my time is up, I am completely out of it. I only get one chance to use this gift that God has given me.

And that’s the key to it all; the use of the gift. God did not give us the gift of time so that everyone could follow the same path – the easy path, the straight and narrow one – to arrive safely at death. No, He gave it to us so that we could use it as we choose; that free will aspect. While we can never know how much time God has given us on this earth, we will always have the ability to do with it as we please.

In the end, that’s how we will be judged. When we get to the Gates of Heaven, there will be God waiting to punch our time card that He gave us when he created us. And then God will look at us and judge us. The thing is, He won’t judge us on the number of hours we put in. He won’t look and say “You lived to be 100, come on in” or “You only lived to be 22? Sorry, you didn’t put in enough time….” No, God won’t do that because the number of hours we put in are not up to us, but to Him. Rather, God will look at what we did while on earth. He will judge us by the way we used the gift; He will judge us by what we did with the time He allotted us.

That is why I am writing this. It is my way of using the time that has been given to me. I am not writing this to try to tug on people’s emotions, or to make people regret anything that has happened in their past. I am writing this to make a difference; to change the way people view those hours of the day from here out. I used to sit around and watch the seconds of my life tick away, but not anymore. Now those seconds don’t drag on or fly by like they used to. Now those seconds don’t seem so insignificant.

You see, this is the way I am choosing to use my gift of time. I have 3 goals in life, and I know that if I can fulfill them, I will have successfully used the time given to me on earth. These are 3 goals that I think everyone in the world could live by. They are 3 goals that everyone could strive to achieve with their gift of time.

1. Make a difference in the lives of others. Whether I make a difference in the lives of just my family, or just my friends; whether I make a difference in the life of one, or the lives of 10,000 people – I want to make a difference for the better.

2. Be the change you wish to see in the world. I see and hear so many people these days wishing for things to be better, but yet doing nothing to make them better. I want the world to be a better place, and I want the world to change – and I will do everything I can while on this earth to be that change I wish to see in the world.

3. Leave the world a better place than you found it. This is the tie in to everything. This is the way to bring it all together. No matter how much time I have on this earth, I can always make a difference. One way or another, I can leave this place a little better than when I found it. And really – that’s all that can be asked of anyone.

So here we are today, slowly coming around to coping with a tragedy that shook a town and a community to its very core. We wish we could go back in time and change something to make it different. We wish time would just stand still until we are able to deal with this and move on. But the fact of the matter is that time goes on. Our time on this earth is still ticking.

Nothing we do can change the past, but everything we do can change the future

We can’t change what happened on that Sunday morning. But we can change what might happen this Sunday morning, or next Sunday morning, or the Sunday after that. We can do this by using the gift of time that God has given us, and using it to the fullest. I encourage everyone to realize what a precious gift time really is, and I encourage everyone to use their gift to the fullest. Reach out to loved ones and strangers alike. Let people know that you’re always there for them. Do everything you can to make a difference in this world. But above all and most importantly: PRAY. Pray that God bless everyone you love and everyone in this world. Pray that God helps everyone involved through this tragic and tough time. The easiest way to make a difference in someone’s life is to send a prayer their way.

It is not going to be easy to continue on with our time. For many people this is going to be the toughest thing they ever have or ever will have had to deal with. It’s going to take an unbelievable amount of strength to press onward. That strength will not only come from ourselves, but from the people around us. Everybody is going to question if they are strong enough to get past this. But that’s the amazing thing with the way God created us: He doesn’t just put everything on the surface; He doesn’t let everyone know who they are and what gifts they have when He creates them. No, because that would be the easy path – the straight and narrow one. Instead, God makes us fight for what we truly believe in, for what we truly want. The strength that comes from within each of us won’t be evident; it won’t just be on the surface. It’s something that we have to delve deep within ourselves to find; it’s something that we have to fight for with all our hearts. After all,

You never know how strong you are, until being strong is the only choice you have

Personally, I don’t want God to question me when he punches my time card at the Gates of Heaven. I don’t want there to be any doubt in his mind about whether I should come in – any doubt whether I used my gift of time the way He intended it to be used. I want to use every second I have on this earth, and I want to live every moment to the fullest.

You must dream as if you’ll live forever, live as if you’ll die tomorrow; and live every moment like it’s your last

Do everything you can to use every second that God has given you on this earth.

After all, this time on earth is the only time we’ve got.

Amen, Casey.

In closing I leave you this...

Dona nobis pacem.

Lunchtime musings

2009-02-25T11:59:00.003-06:00

So I'm taking a few minutes to blog today, as I have my lunch break right now. It's been a while since I've blogged so I figured I'd get you caught up on what's going on in Jackrabit1's life...

Becoming a Tech-Head.

So now that I'm back to where I was before financially before I started spending like a madman, I realized I needed to treat myself a little bit. I bought a new LCD TV. Nothing too fancy, 32-inch, 750 dpi so it's on the low-end of HDTV. But the super-cool thing is it has a VGA port to hook up a computer.

With a little investment of around 35-bucks for cables, I now have my computer hooked up to my TV. Which is all the cooler because I signed up for Netflix so I can get movies to my computer instantly. Add Hulu to the mix, and I have a virtual library of great shows and movies at my fingertips!

I'm easily amused this way.

The Crud

That's right, it's time for my annual bout with the crud. Call it the cold, rhinovirus, whatever... all I know is it usually makes my job 10 times harder and during the busiest time of my year at the station.

But here's the funny thing... I wake up in the morning and feel like complete crap. I get dressed and over to the Community Center and start working out and still feel like crap. But about 10 minutes in, the sweat's pouring, the sinuses start to loosen, and I actually feel pretty decent. Perhaps the prescription should be "Take two ellipticals and call me in the morning!"

Kiss-Off Advice

A word of advice to all you ladies out there. Don't... and I mean DON'T sugar-coat your dis-interest in a guy with passe seventh-grade phrases. By this I mean, if you're not interested in a guy (or a girl, hey it's the 21st Century), don't say "I like you as a friend." Pure 100-percent horsesqueeze.

Besides, after spilling out your heart, guts and various other organs and being told that, do you REALLY want to stick around that person. Especially when every relationship they get into after that feels like a sucker punch to your gut?

Frankly, I prefer the more direct approach. "I'm not interested in you." It's final, direct, and it's less patronizing and insulting to the other person. And as for hurt feelings? It might sting me for a while, but it sure as Hell beats being patronized and having my intelligence insulted.

Anyway, that's my two cents on that.

And now, it's back to my ramen noodle soup (it's Ash Wednesday... no meat today!) Adios!

Don't Quit

2009-02-18T15:01:00.006-06:00

When I do my workouts, I usually see this poem near the fitness desk at the Madison Community Center. It provides me a lot of inspiration... not only during my workout, but when things seem a little overwhelming in my life.

I thought I'd share it with you. Enjoy!

Don't Quit

When things go wrong as they sometimes will,
When the road your trudging seems all uphill,
When the funds are low and the debts are High ,
And you want to smile but you have to sigh,
When care is pressing you down a bit,
Rest if you must, but don't you quit.

Life is queer with it's twists an turns,
As everyone of us must sometimes learn,
And many a failure turns about,
When he might have won had he stuck it out,
Don't give up though the pace seems slow,
You may succeed with another blow.

Success is failure turned inside out,
The silver tint of the clouds of doubt,
And you can never tell how close you are,
It may be near when it seems so far,
So stick to the fight when you're hardest hit,
It's when things seem worst that you cannot quit.

--Unknown Author

Kinda gets you right here...

2009-02-12T02:04:00.002-06:00

In the vein of "High Fidelity"... my top five songs that "Get You Right There."

5) "The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald"-Gordon Lightfoot

Based on the true story of the S.S. Edmund Fitzgerald, Lightfoot composed this song after seeing a typo in a story commemorating the one-year anniversary of the sinking of the "Big Fitz". Some minor inaccuracies in the song, but it's a haunting melody that still raises the hair on my forearms.

4) "Lullaby"-Josh Groban

Can't hear this song without thinking of Zoey Jane.

3) "Amazing Grace"-Various

A great hymn, but when it's performed with bagpipes... well, start the waterworks, folks.

2) "The Great Beyond"-REM

When I eventually shuffle off this mortal coil (hopefully not for a LONG time), I want the folks planning my funeral/memorial/open bar to play this song. Great lyrics with a hint of what could coming in the next life.

"I'm breaking through/I'm bending spoons/I'm keeping flowers in full bloom/I'm looking for answers from the Great Beyond"

1) "Knocking on Heaven's Door"-Bob Dylan

Not the reggae-tinged hit by Eric Clapton, nor the crowd sing-along by 80's hair-band masters Guns n' Roses... the actual, honest-to-God version by Mr. Dylan himself. The version that appeared in the Sam Peckinpaugh film "Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid."

The first time I heard the original, I was getting ready to broadcast a game in Belle Fourche. The oldies station out of Rapid City was playing and this song came up. I literally stopped in my tracks, closed my eyes, and hung on for consciousness as this song literally knocked the wind out of me. Amazing.

So... what songs have knocked you on your ass lately? Let me know!

Two women...

2009-02-09T23:17:00.003-06:00

Two women I know celebrated birthdays today.

The first woman has been incredibly supportive of me in my life... I guess you could say she's been like a mother to me! ;) She's always been there for me, in both the good times and in the not-so-hot times. And on top of that, she's a great person to talk to.

The other "woman" was like a train-wreck in my life. Deceptive, manipulative, condescending, you name it. This "thing" jerked me around so many times emotionally that I now have a shell built up around my heart that may take a very long time to break down. I felt as though I was never good enough, smart enough, and she never did anything to counter those feelings. And then there's the whole wish of me to die in a fire thing.

So guess who I'm wishing happy birthday to today? And guess which one can burn in Hell?

Sports Talk with Jackrabit1*

2009-01-28T15:47:00.003-06:00

*With apologies to the guys at "Sports Talk with Craig and John" at KWSN!

Realizing it's been a few weeks since I had a sports-related blogging, I figured I'd ponder a few pernicious points of ponderance (How's THAT for alliteration!)

1) State Legislature to force renewal of State/USD rivalry?

The mavens over at SDSUFans.com have been buzzing with the rumor that some of the State legislators are floating the idea of a bill to compel South Dakota's two Division-I schools to play each other every year in football and basketball. I don't know if this is true, per se, but if it is, there's a few legislators that really need to re-focus their priorities.

Let's face it... South Dakota is facing a budget crisis that it hasn't seen since the Great Depression. Falling tax revenues, added strain on state resources (i.e. unemployment insurance), and these yahoos are plotzing because State and USD aren't playing each other in tiddlywinks? Government and Sports just don't mix... just ask anyone involved with the Congressional Steroid Hearings.

2) Scale back the playoffs.

The South Dakota High School Activities Association is looking at possibly doing away with the first round of the State Football Playoffs. The Association says that the current system is a burden on some schools who have to take time out to travel, as well as the non-competitiveness of most of the first-round games (which usually end on the "mercy rule").

Instead of cutting back on the number of rounds, per se, why not do away with an 11-man class and a 9-man Class. Right now, almost everyone and their grandma makes the playoffs for 11-AA and some of those teams couldn't even beat a nine-man intramural squad. So why not take the upper half of the 11 man teams (by population) and make that the new 11-A; the bottom half would be 11-B. Same for the nine-man schools.

Frankly, we need to get away from this touchy-feely "every body wins and no score is kept so we can boost our precious little darlings' self-esteem" crap in sports where everyone gets a chance and everyone gets a ribbon. Honestly, how in the HELL does that prepare someone for real life?

Frankly, it's best to say this... Life isn't always going to be fair. You're not always going to get what you want. The true test of your character is not how you deal with your success, but rather how you pick yourself up, dust yourself off, and handle the disappointments. It's called "Real Life", folks. The sooner these kids realize that, the more mature and well-adjusted they'll be.

And on that vein...

3) 100-0.

I'm a competitor, I'll make no excuse for that. I like to win. I like to do well. But I've always believed in this following mantra...

"Win with humility. Lose with dignity. Do both with class."

Last week, the sports world was buzzing when Covenant High School in Dallas, Texas played Dallas Academy, a private school that works with students that have learning disabilities and deal with such issues as autism. Covenant won 100-0.

Blowouts are going to happen no matter what. That's a fact of life... just ask my old high school football teammates! But the Covenant coach should have realized he was playing a team that had no chance of even competing and should have adjusted accordingly. In other words, empty your bench, run four-corners offense to take time off the clock and not launch three-pointers to try and get 100 points.

But the "Coach" was unapologetic about his shameful behavior. He was fired. Good.

I think the guy must have been confused, though. Where it says "Do it with class," he must have read it as "Do it like an ass!"

A meeting of the minds... two nights only!

2009-01-27T00:21:00.004-06:00

Well, blogging buddies... this might be a first. Two bloggers from the Lake Herman Accords will team up... to broadcast a basketball game!

My blogging compatriot Todd Epp from South Dakota Watch has graciously accepted my offer to provide color commentary for the Madison-Harrisburg boys and girls basketball games this Tuesday and Thursday. So some of my friends and fans (actually one fan... thanks, Mom!) are probably wondering "What the heck are you thinking?"

When I know myself, you'll be the first to know! :P

Actually, I'm always looking for something unusual. I've actually had non-broadcasters do color before in the booth, namely coaches and the like. And the fact that Todd is a former broadcaster will make for an interesting dynamic. We both are sports nuts and we're both passionate about our towns...

And the fact that he's liberal and I'm libertarian? Here's my two word reply... Big Deal!

While we're both political folks (no matter how hard I try NOT to be), the fact is there are things greater than politics... things like... Basketball. And if I can have Senator John Thune in the broadcast booth and not discuss politics for one iota, then I can certainly have a good couple of broadcasts with a fellow blogger and have a good time doing them. Besides, the only time I get nasty about sports is when I'm watching an SDSU football game... ex-siggy can attest to that! ;)

So Cory, Detroit, Sibby, Pat, write this down... Tuesday and Thursday... 7:10 pre-game, 7:30 tip-off... 1390 AM. Copies of the games will be made available for a nominal fee! LOL

A "Weighty" issue on my mind...

2009-01-21T18:39:00.004-06:00

So far, so good... It's been 2 months since I reached my goal of 180 pounds. I gained about 8 of them back over the holidays, but I've shed about 4 of them so far. Losing the weight is easy... keeping it off isn't!

But the issue I seem to have deals more with my own self-perception. When I was 280 pounds, I had to make sure I would be able to move around in certain places, including booths at restaurants. So every time I go to sit down at a booth or move around a tight spot, I'm surprised at how easy I can navigate without sucking in my gut.

Yet the self-image still remains. I sit at home or at work and I still see myself as being 280. I used to use a lot of self-depreciating humor as a way breaking the tension. I still seem to use that, but it seems more like a crutch.

But the most obvious thing is when people, attractive women especially, tell me that I'm good-looking and "sexy". Usually when people have told me that in the past, my B.S. meter kicked in and I start to wonder what they wanted from me. In other words, I didn't feel they were honest, and I'm still a little skeptical

And to be honest, I STILL don't feel attractive. I don't know if it's simply a lack of confidence or perhaps all that self-depreciating humor finally ingrained itself after 20-odd years. I look in the mirror and I still see that gut hanging out over my belt, or as my dad calls it the "Dunlap Disease".... as in my gut "dun lap" over my belt!

I'm happy with everything else... that I don't run out of breath when I run up a flight of stairs... That I don't get heartburn in the middle of the night... and that I have more energy during the day. I guess this issue is just something I need to work through.

Get A Life!

2009-01-21T00:39:00.002-06:00

I've been doing some thinking on our political state of mind...

The folks who think Bush should be tried for war crimes should get a life.

The folks who think Obama is the anti-Christ should get a life too.

And if you don't agree with me, you can kiss my ass... and then get a life.

Giving through the nose (or arm)...

2009-01-17T06:35:00.002-06:00

I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears, and sweat.

-British Prime Minister Winston Churchill (1874-1965)

As much as I love to gush about the generosity of the folks in Madison, it's sometimes easy to forget other area towns that also shine in their generosity.

Case in point, my hometown of Dell Rapids, where the community of 3200 people just had its 4000th donor give blood, since blood drives started there in 1976.

Bravo, Dell Rapids! Give yourselves a pat on the back... and grab an extra cookie and OJ! Now, if I could only do something about my fear of needles!

Lazy Sunday

2009-01-11T15:04:00.003-06:00

Boy, for all the grousing I did for not having my cable TV til this week, I'm sure not watching a whole lot of it today!

Right now, I'm switching off between housework and chatting on Facebook and housework. Later, I'll head to the store to get some wild rice for the Pork Roast I'm cooking also do some laundry.

Just another lazy Sunday afternoon!

Bad economy=fatter wallet?

2009-01-11T13:08:00.002-06:00

I just recently discovered Clark Howard, who has a new financial advice show on HLN (or Headline News for us Luddites). He has an interesting spin on our slumping economy... that we could benefit financially from this recession, as long as we don't lose our jobs!

Things that make you go... "WTF?"

2009-01-07T15:31:00.002-06:00

I had to re-read this story to make sure this story in the Rapid City Journal was actually true...

Amazingly it is.

"If Spearfish High School became Sea Kitten High and everyone in town starts calling fish 'sea kittens,' fewer of these gentle animals would be violently killed for food, painfully hooked for 'sport,' or cruelly confined to aquariums," PETA's "Save the Sea Kittens" campaign coordinator Ashley Byrne said. "Schools strive for achievements in academics and sports, so why not add compassion to the list?"

"PETA petitions Spearfish school to change name to Sea Kitten High"-Rapid City Journal, January 7, 2009.

Some things in this world defy logic... this is one of those cases.

Resolutions

2009-01-05T17:55:00.003-06:00

Since this is my first post of 2009 (and the first time I've gotten to a computer since my big move one floor down from my old place), I thought I'd start with some resolutions for the New Year.

1) To continue my healthy lifestyle and to work off the cookies, candy, and turkey I consumed over the holidays.

2) I will run a 5K race this year... I don't care about winning, I just want to NOT DIE!

3) I'll continue to save money in the hopes of having close to 10-thousand dollars in the bank... just a nice round number, what the heck.

4) To be more flexible in my life but also not get pushed around.

5) Laugh a little more.

6) Hear the words "Jessica" and "Nicci" without turning nauseous and throwing up.

7) Realize that not all women are heartless, soul-less she-things that either sleep around, set you up, and break your heart... or steal half your DVDs.

8) Help those that need it, criticize those that deserve it, make fun of those who are too full of themselves.

9) Stay up til 6 am a little more often, in bed no later than 1 am the rest of the time.

10) Enjoy life a little more and realize that it does not revolve around the radio station all the time.

Here's to a great 2009! May it be a helluva lot better than the old year!

This day has been a literal pain in the butt!

2008-12-23T15:01:00.002-06:00

That's what happens when I run for the first time in two months and DON'T STRETCH!

Today has literally been a pain in my ass because my butt is seven kinds of sore today!

Pallin's best-friend's-sister's-boyfriend's-cousin's nieghbor's dog Gulty of Selling counterfeit Catnip...

2008-12-23T14:34:00.002-06:00

News at 11!

Okay, the election has been over for nearly two months... Obama is putting his leadership team in place... The "Cool" hipsters are walking with a bit more swagger in their steps... life goes on.

So why in the HELL is the Argus Leader running stories about former VP Candidate Sarah Pallin's daughter's boyfriend's mother getting busted for drugs?

I can only think of one of two reasons....

1) Last digs on the Republicans, which is kinda childish and stupid, to be honest.

2) Too lazy to post anything of real substence in the margin.

This is a big honking clunker of a story... frankly, who cares? And to be honest... there are more important things we need to worry about:

1) Why didn't Heidi and Spencer from "The Hills" get married in the courtroom?

2) What is up with Adrian Peterson fumbling the football so many times against the Falcons?

3) Does this shirt match with these pants?

4) What is more appropriate to bring to a Christmas potluck, pie or cookies?

5) Why must I always spill ketchup on my white t-shirts?

6) Oprah??? or Uma???

7) Will my aunt make more of Grandma Driscoll's coconut bon-bons for Christmas Eve?

8) Why do I put an even number of socks in the washer and come out with an odd number EVERY FREAKING TIME?!?!

9) Did I leave the stove on?

10) Can I stop feeling dirty because I rooted for the Packers last night? After all, it was so the Vikings could make the playoffs!

ALL THESE THINGS COMBINED have more relevance than what Sarah Palin's daughter's boyfriend's pot-smoking mamma does! And for those who think for some reason it's still important, I have one piece of advice for you...

GET A LIFE!

Happy Festivus, all you rest-of-us!

Speechless...

2008-12-20T01:32:00.001-06:00

For those of you who don't believe there is anymore beauty in the world... I dare you to watch this and NOT be moved!

Couldn't do it, huh? Didn't think so! LOL

Sacrifice

2008-12-07T12:19:00.003-06:00

"It is foolish and wrong to mourn the men who died. Rather we should thank God that such men lived."

--General George S. Patton

Today is December 7th, 2008... 67 years to the day after the attack on Pearl Harbor, which was the final catalyst for the United States' entry into World War II. The vast number of Allied soldiers who gave their lives in the years following stand as a testament of sacrifice... to put your life on the line so that others may live in freedom.

You'd think everyone would be grateful for these brave men and women... and you'd be wrong.

All you have to do is talk to soldiers who were spat upon when they returned from Vietnam... or who were called "butchers" and "baby-killers." All you have to do today is read the "intelligent" musings of folks like Ted Rall and Stephen King, who think that our soldiers are somehow beneath contempt.

No matter your thoughts on what is going on in the world today, please remember it is not the soldier's responsibility to dictate foreign policy. His or her job is to merely carry it out. If you have an issue with the foreign policy, take it up with the lawmakers. Don't be cowardly and insult and demean the very men and women who are making sure you sleep in your beds tonight safe and sound.

I don't agree with a lot of what President Bush has said or done in the past. But that doesn't give me the right to act like an ass and harass these brave men and women who are putting their lives on the line for a putz like me. And anyone who thinks otherwise are bigger putzes than me!

Finally, I'd like to direct you to the story of Captain Rob Yllescas. Captain Yllescas was seriously injured while serving in Iraq. Despite a valiant struggle, Captain Yllescas passed away December 2nd. My friend and former KJAM Board Op Vince Mathis was selected as part of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln ROTC honor guard which escorted Captain Yllescas' body from the plane to his family. Needless to say, it moved that goofy kid, and it moved this goofier kid, too!

But it's not the intelligentsia or the academics who keep us free. It's not the auto executives and the banking big-wigs that keep us safe from our enemies. It's not even me and my media brethern who make sure these blessings of liberty remain secure... it's ordinary men and women like Captain Yllescas, Cadet Mathis, and the soldiers that served in World War II, Vietnam, Desert Storm, Iraqi Freedom, and countless other military engagements that have always been willing to put their lives on the line when others would not.

In closing, I leave you with this thought...

Law and our civil rights, for all our too precious moral insecurities, are worth little without someone willing to secure them at the risk of losing life and limb. We decide, in the end, where the frontiers of liberty and security intersect and that decision cannot ever be cost free. In a borderless world those frontiers are becoming increasingly harder to detect and defend. And yet defend them we must if we are to preserve our way of life: this experiment called America. The cost we pay for daring to be free is our own lifeblood: that of our own sons, daughters, husbands, wives. It is a price that will always be too high. And it is a price that we will never get used to paying: one we should never get used to paying.

-http://www.villainouscompany.com

I am humbled by these real heroes... Thank you, one and all.

$1.40

2008-11-21T18:24:00.002-06:00

So I'm doing some number-crunching...

Amount spend on 7 months membership at the Madison Community Center, $140

Amount of weight lost... 100 pounds.

140/100=1.4

$1.40 a pound... Oh my God... I'M CHEAPER THAN HAMBURGER!!!!

Gotta love the Playoffs.

2008-11-19T01:41:00.002-06:00

Okay, not sure if this will work... but this is a little highlights reel from our coverage of Madison High School, Area high school, and Dakota State University football on KJAM.

To listen... just click on the title of this posting. It'll re-direct you to my box.net site. Then just hit "Play."

Enjoy!

Welcome, Recruit Wollman!

2008-11-17T21:28:00.003-06:00

I guess my little sphere of influence is getting larger all the time with my Jackrabbit's Den!

My friend Matthew Wollman is a senior at Madison High School. Pretty neat young man. He does stats for both the volleyball and girls' basketball teams for MHS, so we get a chance to shoot the bull quite a bit during the bus rides to and from games. His dad joked that he meets a lot of girls this way...

So THAT'S what I was doing wrong in high school! Forget football and wrestling, I should have had a clipboard! LOL

In any case, Matt is going to United States Marine Corps Basic Training following graduation, and he will be known as Recruit and (hopefully!) Private Wollman.

Frankly, the Marine Corps is lucky to have such a good kid in their ranks.

Matt has decided to blog about his progress as a recruit in the Delayed Entry Program. So feel free to visit and offer him encouragement.

So... Matt.. Congratulations and Semper Fi! NOW POST SOMETHING! LOL

No Auto Industry Bailout!!!

2008-11-17T21:24:00.003-06:00

I don't always agree with what Detroit L3wis says on his South DaCola blog... he can be a little too snarky for my tastes...

But this is something he and I can both agree on...

You did this to yourself. Over thirty years ago you were told to start improving fuel effiency in your vehicles and to develop new technology like electric cars. The Japanese did just that and now are thriving. Detroit decided to build bigger cars like HUMMERs and send their electric cars to the compactor. You have had plenty of time to adjust to the market - you chose not to, now you are going in the toilet. Big Surprise.

Amen!

The Incredible Shrinking Announcer!

2008-11-13T12:10:00.002-06:00

So I was looking at some old photos of myself and looking at how much I changed... these are in relative chronological order.

Rain Rain Go Away!

2008-11-11T07:52:00.003-06:00

Freezing rain expected throughout the day today. In fact, several schools have canceled classes or will start late.

For our area, here's the link for the latest school closings and postponements...

If you're brave (or stupid) enough to travel in this weather, here's a good site for the latest South Dakota Road Conditions.

In the meantime, if you don't have to go anywhere, grab a cup of coffee, crank up the computer and relax today!

I did it.

2008-11-10T23:25:00.001-06:00

I stepped on the scale tonight at the Community Center.

I now weigh exactly 180 pounds.

I did it.

Wow.

Soul-Searching

2008-11-09T13:44:00.002-06:00

So it's been about two weeks, and I haven't made contact with the ex-siggy. Nor has she tried to make contact with me.

Que Sera, Sera.

While I'm disappointed that the relationship didn't work out, I wasn't crushed by its failure either. It seemed as though the last couple of weeks, she was keeping me at arm's distance. Always on the computer, some nights saying less than 20 words to me. So when she split with me, it didn't really come as any big surprise.

On the rare moments that I haven't been preoccupied with sports and work, I've done a little soul-searching on why I wasn't more broken-up. Perhaps it was we weren't together that long. Perhaps I was expecting her to disappear like she did three years ago. Perhaps my experience with Nicci left me a bit more calloused than I had anticipated. Or perhaps it's as my mom said... I was in love more with the idea of being in a relationship than the person.

I think it's a combination of all of the above.

In any case, it seems as though she has a new person in her life... Good for her. If she's looking to make me jealous, she isn't. I wish her the best of luck.

In the meantime, I'm business as usual. I've been re-connecting with old friends, working out (as usual!), and generally enjoying my life.

But I learned a lesson... getting into a relationship just to be in one is never a good thing. It's not worth the added stress! LOL

I'm Moving!

2008-11-06T08:11:00.003-06:00

Okay... before you all get into a panic, especially Cory, let me explain....

First of all, I am NOT LEAVING Madison, nor am I leaving KJAM. Heck, I'm not even leaving my apartment building!

But I AM moving into a smaller apartment that will be opening up next month. It'll save me about 75-dollars a month in rent, and hopefully some more on the utilities.

It's all part of my grand plan to save myself some money and tighten up my finances. And no, it's not the economy; I've been doing this well before the economy hit the toilet.

So, I'll be doing some major house-cleaning and packing during my "Stay-Cation" in a couple of weeks. So to make room, I have a very nice futon that I never use for sale. The first $75 bucks takes it! E-mail me at jackrabit1@gmail.com or call me on my phone if you're interested.

A sad day....

2008-11-05T12:10:00.002-06:00

I was going to do my first post-election day posting about my thoughts on the day and the races... but I just got hit with a stunner.

One of my favorite authors, Michael Crichton, has died at the age of 66.

I've read several of his books, including "The Andromeda Strain", "State of Fear", "The Terminal Man", "Airframe" and "Disclosure". Several of his books became best-selling movies, out-Grishaming John Grisham himself.

What I appreciated about Crichton, is he took what could have been very dry, mundane material and made it fascinating. Read through "Andromeda Strain" and you'll see what I mean. He takes the scientific method, which we all learned about ad nauseum in high school science, and makes it relevant and exciting when it comes to dealing with a deadly virus from outer space.

And of course, he's best known as being the creator of the hit TV series "ER".

He was, for lack of a better term, a polymath. He was a medical doctor, researcher, public policy analyst, author, screenwriter, teacher, anthropologist, actor, and director. And I'm just getting by as a sports director!

Crichton was a unique voice in modern literature. I'm going to miss not seeing anymore new novels.

Water... genius!

2008-11-03T14:48:00.002-06:00

So I did something really stupid yesterday.

I decided to work out, which wasn't the stupid thing. I did 45 minutes on the Eliptical trainer and was feeling pretty good. So I went for a swim for another 20 minutes, followed by 10 minutes in the hot tub. After that, I spent 20 minutes in the sauna.

Guess what I didn't do? That's right... I forgot to drink some water. THAT was the stupid thing.

So when I stepped into the locker room after the sauna, I collapsed faster than the stock market. One minute I was standing and getting ready to shower off, the next I was kissing the locker room floor. Good thing I didn't hit my head on anything--as if I could have caused any more drain bammage!

It was an interesting sensation... my arms were tingling, I was light-headed and I felt nauseous. Not the smartest thing I've done, but it sure was a hell of a lesson in physiology!

Needless to say, I drank plenty of water after this morning's workout... and I stayed the hell away from the sauna!

Handle with care...

2008-11-01T23:19:00.001-05:00

Sometimes, when life gets you down... you just need a good song to enjoy.

Enjoy!

"Some things just aren't meant to be."

2008-10-31T14:14:00.003-05:00

"Some things just aren't meant to be."

Sounds like a cliche, but it's fairly solid advice my mom gave me yesterday. Those words keep echoing in my mind as I wrap my mind around the fact that I am once again single.

It was made painfully official Wednesday night. "Ex-Siggy" says she has too much on her plate right now with a new job, family issues, and school. I tried to make the argument that it wasn't the best idea to push away the people that cared about her during this stressful time, but she had her mind made up.

"Some things just aren't meant to be."

As disappointed as I am in our relationship coming to an end, I also find myself not being "broken up" about it. Perhaps because I knew she was keeping me at arm's length. Perhaps because I've been hardened and calloused because of the Ex-"Thing" and what she put me through. Perhaps it all goes back to what my mom said...

"Some things just aren't meant to be."

In any case, I did some soul-searching. And with the exception of some deep-seeded trust issues (which seem to have served me in this case) and a really STUPID argument, I didn't do anything wrong.

But what bothers me is some friend of mine have been telling me that she's denying ever having dated me. If that's the case then perhaps it is for the best that we part ways.

In any case, I'm not going to dwell on it. As Dad told me last night, "There are other fish in the sea." And I'll go back to what Mom said.

"Some things just aren't meant to be."

So I guess I'm back on the market. A little older, a little sadder, and perhaps a little wiser.

The "R*****" Chronicles

2008-10-29T13:51:00.003-05:00

I blanked out the R- word because it is a bit offensive to those who have real developmental problems... I guess this means The ex-"thing" is biased against mentally-challenged people! LOL

Anyway, I am FINALLY getting defrosted from last night's game. Granted, the temp dipped in the 30's, but when you have to keep your gloves off so you can take notes during the game you get a bit frosty. It was a good game, though, as Howard was able to rebound from an early deficit to win 20-8. They'll face a pretty big Tri-Valley squad next Monday... if it gets cold, perhaps I can get cursed to be set on fire again so I can stay warm this time! LOL But it was cool that I was able to fit into my leather coat and have it actually be LOOSE! No regrets about losing this weight, by cracky!

Speaking of the playoffs... how the HECK does Dell Rapids hang 70 POINTS on Sisseton?!? Granted Dells is good, but WOW! Of course, I'm an old Quarrier, and I can remember when we couldn't post 70 points in a SEASON, much less one game! I still remember my sophomore year when we had a total of TWO touchdowns... and one of them was a fumble that was picked up by our offensive guard and run in for a score. He was named our starting fullback next week!

But it should be pretty exciting and I'm looking forward to a return trip to the Dakotadome. I'm working with my friend "Bart" on the broadcasts, and asides from a couple of stumbles, we did pretty darn good! And after the Dome... VACATION!!!!

Speaking of which, I think I'm going to take a "Stay-cation" this fall. I was thinking of going to Wisconsin to see family, but considering that I pretty much disowned one of them, it would be really, really awkward to go back there. So I'm going to stay home, work out, sleep, visit family, clean and pack for my eventual move and catch up on my reading. Next spring when I'm a bit more financially stable, I might see about going to spend some time with my pal "Cliff Clavin" and his family in Tennessee.

So that's about it for now... hopefully some more good things happen this week and weekend; we'll have to wait and see.

A load of hot air!

2008-10-27T18:29:00.002-05:00

Okay, so it was colder than a well-digger's backside yesterday, but it's a cute title.

Now that we survived the windstorm of yesterday past all I can say is YOWZA!!!

In fact, just taking a look at some of the pics around Brandon and Sioux Falls and Aberdeen, and it was a surprise no one was hurt or worse.

And the wind had a bit of an effect in my family. One of my family member's big pine trees is now at a permanent 45-degree angle. A few years ago, it had fallen over, we re-staked it and tied it down in the hopes that the roots would take hold again and keep it from doing the same thing. Took the ropes off this year and at the first gust of wind... BLAMMO!!!

Needless to say, it'll be coming down in the not to distant future... but if I get over there with a camera, I'll make sure to take a picture. Kinda looks like the old Zip Tower when it was supposed to collapse.

I don't know what makes me laugh more, the failed implosion or the guy's laugh!

We can make it better than before... better... stronger... faster!!

2008-10-27T17:59:00.003-05:00

And cue the funky 70's theme music for the "Six Million Dollar Man!"

My friend Cory out on Lake Herman must have had this brewing. In one of his latest posts, he figures that the Republicans losing this Presidential election may just be a good thing. Without going into too much detail, he figures that who ever is going to be elected, faces about a 50-percent chance of reelection. So that might mean we'll only get four years of Obama "Change".

But a lot of what he talks about, I had posted in a previous posting (By the way, you're welcome for the idea, Cory! LOL). In the posting, I had talked about how the Republican Party had drifted away from its belief of limited government. With such things as the Patriot Act, and now the Wall Street Get Out of Jail Free Bailout that Bush and Pelosi forced down our throats, we are now facing more government interference in our lives than ever before! Add to that fact, you have the so-called "moral majority" looking to impose their will on the populace of the U.S. via the Republican party, and it's no wonder that the party is in chaos.

I think what needs to happen in order for the Republican Party to be of any validity in 2012, is to dump the big government ideas... to dump the "moral majority" leadership that has been so divisive and get back to the idea of LIMITED GOVERNMENT. Make the party a clear alternative to the big-government-loving, tax-and-spend Democrats. Renew the "Contract with America" that called for a balanced budget amendment and congressional term limits. Get back to your Libertarian Roots, for crying out loud! Ronald Reagan and William F. Buckley are probably spinning in their graves!

Until you do that, you'll just be a cheap carbon-copy of the Democrats, and not a very good one at that.

To forgive or not to forgive....

2008-10-27T17:42:00.002-05:00

So... I'm spending the afternoon wondering about some things I've done and said in my past. Some good, some not so good.

I've often wondered whether or not to forgive someone that was a very close person in my life, especially after some pretty big hurting that she did. But of course, looking at her blog, she has taken my privileged communication with her and has now reverted to calling me a "retard." Very mature, Nicci. Bravo!

I'm sorry, pal, but I'm not the one who intentionally deceived a person they were supposedly in love with. I'm not the one who purposefully humiliated this person and his family on a very special occasion. Granted, I did some not-so-lovely things in my life and it bothers the hell out of me what I said and did... but you have no shame, no scruples and no soul.

And the fact you have your henchmen dragging our dirty laundry out into public is really mature too. But I guess I should expect nothing less coming from you.

So I apologize for what I said. You want to tell me to eff off, fine. But at least be man enough to do it face to face.

As for forgiving you... well, the jury's still out on that.

Fact is, for the first time in my life, I'm quite content with where things are going. Work is going well... I have great friends... Swee' Pea is growing like a weed (and about as talkative as her uncle!)... Oh, and my girlfriend and I are doing great, too! This is one thing that's been bothering me. I feel bad about what I said, and I guess I was looking for some kind of closure.

That's what I get for being so naive...and for being a knave!

I should just let her get her digs in, big deal. I've dealt with worse in my life and it's not like she's a major part of mine now. To be honest, I have no feeling for her at all. I don't care about her anymore; I just wanted to close the book once and for all. As for her fiancee, who is actually a pretty nice guy... I sure as heck hope you know what you're getting yourself into, my friend.

Of course, I'm still bringing it up, so I must still have some issue. But maybe some day when you're all good little boys and girls, Uncle Jackrabit will tell you all the story.

But until then, I'll have the good sense (for once) to keep my big yap shut... Some people could take a lesson or two on that! LOL

I must be getting old...

2008-10-24T01:59:00.002-05:00

I'm constantly cold... especially after tonight's football game.

My hands feel like ice cubes... Even Siggy says I have cold hands. The ex-thing might say because I'm cold-hearted. But it could be all that "insulation" I lost over the summer.

Or I just take after my mom, who always has cold hands in the winter.

Getting old sucks.

Adios, chumps!

2008-10-21T21:56:00.001-05:00

Well, turns out the ex- thing got engaged. Let's hope she doesn't breed. Fouad... seriously, get a pre-nup.

I'm not sure but I also think she wants to hire assassins or thugs to take care of me. So if any of you find me missing, I'll send Jimmy Hoffa and Judge James Crater your regards! LOL

Hey, what good is an ex if you can't have a little humor at their expense!

Moderating posts...

2008-10-21T16:21:00.002-05:00

For the time being, I'm now moderating comments due to the actions of a certain person who is so cowardly, they won't put their name on my board, and have to use third parties to attack me.

Too bad.

Fortunately, these folks are insigificant little pests and they'll amuse me for the time being. Then I'll grow tired of them and we'll be back to business as usual.

Do yourselves a favor. Avoid this parisite at all costs, if you value your sense of self-worth.

Stuffed Stupid...

2008-10-21T15:41:00.001-05:00

A word of advice... DON'T go on a diet, lose 90 pounds and think you can eat five pancakes that take up the whole plate, no matter how good they are!

I think I'll eat again SOMETIME this week!

Redux

2008-10-21T14:03:00.006-05:00

Apparently some people won't stand up for themselves, so they have to have people come on for them and vandalize a very nice page.

Coward. Wimp. Fake.

This person is bad news, gents and ladies; avoid with extreme prejudice! Just some friendly advice from your neighborhood Jackrabit1!

So here's the posting which was vandalized earier...

I realize it's been a while since I put any personal info up on here. I shall attempt to rectify that.

The weight loss challenge is coming to a conclusion. Earlier this month I stepped on the scale and weighed in at 190 pounds, which is only about 5 pounds over what I normally weighed in high school. Right now, I've lost 90 pounds since I started this little challenge back in April. Now I'm transitioning away from the "weight loss" part of my transformation to more of a "weight maintenance". In other words, staying active, building up some muscle, and eating a little more.

It's been interesting to say the least... so many compliments but so many incorrect assumptions, too. Some wondered if I didn't have cancer (weight loss and shaving my head for the Dairy Queen can do that). Others thought I had surgery, which my health plan would never allow. Nope I did it all by myself through hard work and some self-discipline.

So thanks for the supporters... a big "ha ha!" to those who doubted me... and a big hearty laugh to the ex who wants me to die in a fire!

Speaking of relationships, yours truly has found himself in one... I'm not going to say her name or post her picture because she values her privacy. But she is a person I've know for a few years. We met about 3 years ago, shortly after experiencing "the big betrayal" by you-know-who. I don't think either of us was ready for anything and we eventually lost contact. But life being what it is, we ended up meeting again and realized we do have feelings for each other.

It's been interesting... It's nice to know that there is someone that will be there for you that isn't a blood relative (and who won't throw your family's dirty laundry back at you). I've pretty much been a loner most of my life so this has been an interesting transition... going from someone who is normally self-reliant to reaching out to someone.

Of course, there's still that nagging little part of me that's waiting for "the other shoe" to drop. I had that happen with Nicci and part of me still feels that way with "Siggy" (my on-line pseudonym for her, short for "significant other"). It's not fair to her, after all, she didn't destroy my heart like Nicci did. But at the same time, I remember how terrible I felt and I'd like to avoid that in the forseeable future.

But I enjoy my time with "Siggy" and I'm pretty happy. The family has met her and it appears that she has met with their approval, which is good. Next step is meeting the extended family at my cousin Brian's wedding in December... if the other shoe doesn't drop! LOL

Speaking of which, I had a dream about you-know-who last night. I don't know why, I hadn't thought of her recently. And it was more of an image of her and not so much her doing anything. It could be my subconscious showing some remorse. The last time I talked to her, I said some pretty nasty things, things I normally would not say to anyone.

I can understand why I said them, after all I was hurt, angry and pretty much saying that stuff in self-defense. But it was inappropriate nevertheless. And though she's pretty much put me out of her life, if for some cosmic reason she ever comes across my little semi-demented ramblings, I just want to say I'm sorry. Of course, I don't expect her forgiveness, but then she's not a forgiving person.

On to more positive things. Work is going very well. We have some new blood in the announcing staff with our new news director and I think he'll do just fine. The fact that he's covered news all around the state is another big bonus! So welcome, Al, even if you are a USD graduate! LOL

Other than that, my other two jobs are going well. Let me explain... back in July, I found myself in a bit of fiscal difficulty. In other words, I was spending more money than I was bringing in. The bank doesn't like that and they let you know about it! So I worked some things out with the bank, put myself on a pretty restrictive budget, and started doing some extra jobs. I now host karaoke in Dell Rapids about 3-4 times a month and I also do the public address for Dakota State University football (as well as some volleyball). Granted, I can't veg out like I'm doing today, but I enjoy the extra jobs and the extra money is helping me get back to where I'd like to be fiscally.

But I'll be doing some other changes. I'm looking to move at the end of the year to a smaller apartment in my building. Something that doesn't bleed me dry on utilities and is a little easier rent-wise. I like my location and I'd really hate to move further away from the Community Center. So we'll see what happens. I'll also have some loans paid off at the beginning of the year, so that'll mean some extra money for the ol budget. And of course the falling gas prices is a welcome relief in that area of my budget!

Aside from that, life is pretty much going about the way I expected it. I'm leaner, stronger, healthier, a bit wiser, and a lot more positive in my outlook on life. I don't think you can ask for more than that.

Sports!

2008-10-20T22:05:00.003-05:00

Since I've been concentrating too much on the politics, I think it's time I talk SPORTS!!! Cory, you can navigate away now! LOL

Vikings
If the Vikings were god-awful, I could understand. But the problem is, every time I try to write off these guys, they show flashes of brilliance, especially when they can block a field goal and return it for a touchdown TWICE!

I think this could be a very very good team, but I seriously doubt Childress' abilities as a coach. I think if things do not take a dramatic turn for the better, Zygi should dump him and hire someone like Bill Cowher.

SDSU
Since the Jacks joined the Missouri Valley Football Conference (Formerly the Gateway), it's been a season of ups and downs. The ups came early with the team's first-ever game against a major college opponent in over 40 years and nearly cracking the top-10. But now we're in the downs.

A brutal schedule has left the Yellow-and-Blue somewhat depleted, especially on the front line. Case in point, the 9 sacks that Cal Poly put on the Jacks last Saturday night. My friend Tyler Merriam from Brookings Radio says that it's not going to be an easy year for State. I'm inclined to agree. Granted, it'd be nice to be playoff-eligible in our first full year of D-I sports, but at the same time, we also have to look to the future. Our first year in the Great West wasn't easy and look what happened last year!

And perhaps when I get some more money, I'll actually invest in some season tickets. I'm sure "Siggy" would love that (she's a USD grad!)

World Series
Let's see, playoff team roll-call....

New York Mets? Choked in the last game of the regular season
New York Yankees? No-show to the playoffs
Chicago Cubs? Choked in the first round to Manny and the Dodgers after posting the best regular season record.
Chicago White Sox? Lost in the divisional series to a team that didn't exist 10 years ago. Need some more sleeping pills and vodka, Skipper?
Dodgers? Lost in the ALDS to an NL East Doormat. But what the hey, it's LA... the town of eternal summer slacking!

Let's see... who's left? Um... the Rays? the Phillies? How the hell did they get in?

Okay, all joking aside, I'm leaning toward the Rays. I have a soft spot for the Phillies, especially in day of "Krukkie" and "Nails" Dykstra and "Wild Thing". But I like that the Rays are a young, hustling squad that can hit the long ball, play the small ball and also have some solid pitching. In other words, everything the Twins should be!

So... GO RAYS!

Fantasy Football
My "Hendrickson Hardnockers" are back, baby! Okay, it's my fantasy team I have at the station, but it's a great diversion, not to mention a great source of Monday-morning smack!

So after losing to our RECEPTIONIST last week for the first loss of my season (How the HELL do all of my back and receivers suck SO BADLY??). But this last week, I blew out the competition 138-66! Holy Crap!

So here's my starting line up from last week.

QB-Ben Rothleisburger (PITTSBURGH)
RB-LenDale White (TENNESSEE)
RB-Chris Johnson (TENNESSEE)-yeah I know, two backs from the same team, but I scored a combined 62 points with these to so there!
RB/WR-Randy Moss (NEW ENGLAND)
WR-Jerrico Cotchery (NEW YORK JETS)-Favre's new favorite receiver!
WR-Santana Moss (WASHINGTON)
TE-Visanthe Shaincoe (MINNESOTA)
D/ST-PITTSBURGH
K-Taylor Melhaff (NEW ORLEANS)

All in all, a solid lineup, but I've got Kurt Warner waiting in the wings and he's coming off a bye week. And everyone says I was an idiot for drafting Warner!

Well, that's about it from the sports side of things... And remember... the Twins magic number for the 2009 MLB playoffs is 162!

Cool news!

2008-10-19T13:36:00.002-05:00

Some of you may know who Josh Spies is. He's a wildlife artist out of Watertown and he's also an SDSU graduate.

Well, it turns out Mr. Spies has won the Federal Duck Stamp contest, which is a pretty huge honor for any wildlife artist, considering your work will be gracing hunting licenses all across the country.

Now I'm not much on art. I like the outdoor photography of Ansel Adams, which is simply awe-inspiring even 60-70 years later, but that's really about it for me. But I did check out Josh's website and I swear you were looking at a photograph, his art is that realistic.

I would check out the work that he has posted on line, especially the one titled "The Usual Suspects". It's too bad prints aren't available of that; that would be the perfect Christmas gift for my brothers!

Oops! I did it again!

2008-10-16T20:23:00.002-05:00

I made another blog!

This one is for our chapter of Madison Kiwanis... check it out, tell me what you think!

http://madisonkiwanis.blogspot.com

What a novel concept!!!

2008-10-16T08:15:00.002-05:00

So I've pretty much tuned out the Presidential Debate, because I'm not supporting either major candidate. I'm fairly convinced that both Obama and McCain are more concerned with pandering to their parties rather than doing what's good for the country, which is lowering taxes and holding the criminals on Wall Street accountable for their actions.

I watch Glenn Beck on CNN. Now before you say he's another conservative windbag, he's no Republican mouthpiece (like Limbaugh) and he doesn't take himself uber-seriously (like any of the Air America talking heads). I don't agree with some of his points, but in his latest commentary on CNN.com, he makes a valid point about what "We the People" need to do...

Giving our government more and more power every year has almost become routine. But when's the last time we've told our leaders that they're doing such a lousy job we want some of it back?

Massachusetts is now trying just that. On Election Day, their residents will vote on whether to eliminate their state income tax. If passed, each Massachusetts taxpayer would save an average of about $3,600 a year.

Of course, establishment politicians are sounding all kinds of dire warnings about what will happen to state programs without the tax, but I'd be willing to bet that they'll find a way to adapt and survive. After all, it's not called "Taxachusetts" for nothing.

Just remember our government has power only because We the People lend it to them. Maybe it's time to treat them like the subprime borrower they are and recall that loan.

Limiting governmental power... what a concept! How revolutionary! My big-government loving friend on Lake Herman would plotz!

Glenn Beck... closet Libertarian?

I'M NOT SICK!

2008-09-30T00:39:00.003-05:00

One of the salespeople at the station told me that some of the older residents of Madison have been asking if I was sick. I guess they saw my weight loss and my lack of hair and made assumptions.

I'm here to assure all of you that no, I'm not sick. I don't have cancer. I am very much healthy and feeling better than I have ever felt in my adult life.

As for the bald head... I like it.. I look 10 years younger so I'm gonna keep the look for a while. Actually, I look better now than I did when I WAS 23!

So please, spread the word...

I'M NOT SICK!!!

One helluva Obit!

2008-09-23T22:33:00.004-05:00

When I die, I hope I have the same sense of humor as this guy!

DOUGLAS -- A celebration of life for James William "Jim" Adams, 53, will be held at a later date.

He died Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2008 at Memorial Hospital of Converse County in Douglas.

Jim, who had tired of reading obituaries noting other's courageous battles with this or that disease, wanted it known that he lost his battle. It was primarily as a result of being stubborn and not following doctor's orders or maybe for just living life a little too hard for better than five decades.

He was born June 8, 1955 in Garrison, N.D. the son of James William and Ruby Helen (Clark) Adams.

He was sadly deprived of his final wish, which was to be run over by a beer truck on the way to the liquor store to buy booze for a date. True to his personal style, he spent his final hours joking with medical personnel, cussing and begging for narcotics and bargaining with God to look over his loving dog, Biscuit, and his family.

He would like to thank all "his ladies" for putting up with him the last 30 years.

During his life, he excelled at anything he put his mind to. He loved to hear and tell jokes and spin tales of grand adventures he may or may not have had.

He is survived by five sons, Jeremiah Adams and his wife, Nicole, Mica Olivas, Wade Olivas, Brice Simpson and Cole Adams; sister, Jerri Giegerich; two ex-wives, Vickie Harrison and Marilyn Williams; four grandchildren; two nieces; and two great-nieces.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a brother-in-law.

In lieu of flowers, he asks that you make a sizeable purchase at your favorite watering hole, get rip roaring drunk and tell the stories he no longer can.

Casper Star-Tribune Online, September 15, 2008

Rest in Peace, Jim. And thanks for one final laugh.

P.S. And who says death isn't funny!

IT'S ALL OUR FAULT!!!

2008-09-18T13:10:00.002-05:00

For those of you numbed with all the wonderful business news as of late, this'll come as a nice little wake-up call.

IT'S ALL OUR FAULT!

The Housing crisis? The Business bail-outs? The general gloom and doom that seems to be hitting Wall Street? Our fault! High Taxes? Lower standards of living? Our fault, too!

Health Care Crisis? Credit Card Debt? Look in the mirror and you'll find the problem.

I'm serious! We are rocketing away from being the independent, self-reliant pioneers of our forefathers and becoming co-dependent crybabies. We've abandoned our sense of accountability for feel-good politics and talking heads promising "Change".

Want proof? Okay.

Housing Crisis... Sub-prime mortages. People borrowing more than they can afford because the rates were so low. What they forgot to do was look at the fact those interest rates were VARIABLE, meaning they change. So when rates changed upwards, people had to pay more, and they got in debt deeper and deeper til the banks started to foreclose.

Debt... Two words, credit cards. I used to work at Citi, so I know all about interest rates, penalties, and the like. When I got a credit card eariler this summer, you best believe I made DAMN SURE I read the fine print.

Some people figure it's free money and charge like the Light Brigade in the Crimean War. And with about the same results, too! The average American has $6000 of credit card debt. And you can forget making the Minimum Payments. That only pays for the interest and a miniscule part of the actual debt. So if you're making minimum payments, you're paying through quite a few orifices for years! But hey, it's free money!

Priorities... It's funny... When times are good, money is secondary to our desires and impulses. It is only when we find ourselves in financial straits that we really take a look at our finiancial priorities. Hell, it happened to me and it was a damn good wake-up call. But some others are oblivious to this fact and continue to spend, and charge, and blow their money on wants and not on needs (like health insurance, mortgage payments, retirement, etc.).

Then when the crap hits the fan, they cry poor and ask the taxpayers for a handout!

I realize there are some people with real problems, and this is not geared toward them. But when you are making millions of dollars a year and you're crying poor, perhaps you best re-think the need for 15 houses and 200 cars! It's called living on a budget, people. Try it sometime. You just might surprise yourself. I sure as hell did!

Health Care... People complain that our health care system is in the tubes. Despite the fact we are among the world's leaders in medical innovation. Granted, not every job provides health care. But if that's the case, shouldn't you include at least some major medical coverage in your budget or better yet, find a different job? Or perhaps you can get medical coverage, only to turn it down because you can't swing that and your Jet Ski payments. Hello? Priorities, anyone?

And speaking of which, one of the biggest health issues today is obesity. Now granted, I wasn't always the picture of health, but I'm getting in much better shape and nipping this thing in the bud before I develop real problems. How many times a week do you eat fast food? When's the last time you turned off the TV and took a walk around the block? We're due for a major health care crisis and it's our own making. Dumb! Dumb! Dumb!

These are but a few of the issues. I could go about more but the simple fact is there is no politician, government program, or politcal party that is going to solve all this crap. The solution lies within us and our resolve to improve our finances, our lives, our way of life.

THAT'S when we'll have REAL change in this country... change for the BETTER!

Things to do today...

2008-09-17T12:04:00.002-05:00

Treadmill workout... check

Lift... will do tonight

Interview coaches... 2 down, 2 to go.

Convince Cory Heidelberger and Todd Epp to join the Libertarian Party... um.. ah... Bridget, hold my calls. This might take a while!

Infiltrate and Conquer!

2008-09-16T13:47:00.004-05:00

Some political thoughts as I was doing my morning run...

With the struggles that the Libertarian Party has in getting its name out and getting funding, I'm thinking it's about time that the party members look at other tactics.

By this, I mean infiltrating and conquering the Republican Party.

In the late 1970s-early 80s, the Republican Party was hijacked by the so-called "Moral Majority", who wanted government to pretty much enforce their religious views onto laws and government. Kinda like Iran, without the terrorism.

Now don't get me wrong, I don't like prohibiting religion out of public discussion. But to force-feed it down our throats is just as asinine.

But what the Moral Majority did is split away from the idea that Government should stay out of people's lives. And they've been firmly entrenched in power for the past 20+ years.

Frankly, I think they've worn out their welcome.

The nice thing about the Libertarian Party is that it says government needs to stay out of people's lives as well as their pocketbooks. Heck, even Ronald Regan said the Republican Party was established in Libertarian roots.

But sadly the party has lost its way. The party of individual freedom and limited government has continued to grow during Dubya's reign. And it's driven a lot of people away.

I think the true Republicans would welcome a return to more Libertarian ideas. I doubt the Democrats would be so key on goverment getting out of our checkbooks.

But hey, a Libertarian can dream, can't he?

So my Libertarian brothers and sisters, lets raid the Republicans, inflitrate the party and TAKE IT OVER!!! The Dems and the "Moral" Majority don't stand a chance!

Two Mantras...

2008-09-10T22:02:00.005-05:00

I have a couple of mantras that I use when working out... motivational phrases, I guess.

One is from a British movie that I'd like to see and as soon as I have some money, I'll rent it...

"Run, Fat Boy, Run!"

The other is one of our slogans at Three Eagles..

"No Excuses! No Complaints! Find a Way!"

Impressive enough, but imagine it in the voice of Louis Gossett, Jr. ala "An Officer and a Gentleman!"

Is it any wonder why I've lost over 80 pounds? LOL

The last time...

2008-09-08T17:31:00.003-05:00

The last time I stepped on a scale was back in 1999.

George W. Bush was the governor of Texas.

Bill Clinton was President

And I weighed 250 pounds, according to my D.O.T. Physical

Fast forward a few years, I probably gained another 20-30 pounds and got up to about 270-280 pounds before I got sick and tired of being sick and tired and started working out.

This morning, I broke my 9-year scale-less streak and stepped on the scale.

This morning I weighed 196 pounds... 11 pounds more than I weighed in high school fifteen years ago.

WOW.

I'm still in shock.

Political thoughts...

2008-09-04T13:58:00.003-05:00

Short post today.

I consider politics and politicians like diapers... Always on your ass and full of shit!

Happy Electioneering, kiddies! Vote Libertarian!

Mail Filters

2008-09-02T22:29:00.003-05:00

Added another person to my e-mail filter on GMail today... basically, that means I'll never receive another e-mail from them ever again. And good riddance, too!

He knows who he is, and he knows why.

He's not worthy of anymore recognition than that.

The Miracle Man....

2008-08-19T19:56:00.003-05:00

My friend De Lon Mork... if there is anyone directly responsible for Miracle Treat Day's success... it'd be him.

That, and he's a helluva barber! :D

A sense of peace...

2008-08-19T00:12:00.003-05:00

With finalizing schedules, trying to get board ops to come to meetings, and dealing with people who want me to document every time I take a nap, I can get a little overwhelmed. Add on to that my relationship issues, money issues, and family issues, and I can be one stressed-out Jackrabbit!

But tonight... a sense of peace. Something I haven't had for a while.

Today I got all my stuff done at the station... on time I might add! Then a quick change into my workout gear (note to self... time to do a load of laundry!) and a jaunt over to the Community Center.

I was able to get some lifting in tonight... something I hadn't been able to do last week since I was overworked and under-rested. A hard walk/run on the treadmill and I was looking like I just stepped out of the rain!

Then home for a quick shower, a quick supper (Lemon Chicken Piccatta... from Weight Watchers), and a little chatting with friends and for a while, all my stress is inconsequential. Not a bad feeling, mind you.

Of course, in three months, I'll be going on a week's vacation. I'm pretty sure I'll be heading out to Wisconsin to spend time with my family. To be honest, I'm kinda looking forward to taking my new car out and getting some good mileage on her. But I need to replace the antenna cable so I can actually listen to the radio! LOL

The last time I saw my aunt and her family was when Grandpa Hendrickson passed away. That's one of my big regrets, not spending more time with Grandpa. But when you're an 8-hour drive from him, a quick jaunt over to visit wasn't very feasible. But I've been to Nasville twice, to Chicago twice; there's no good reason why I can't pack up the Malibu and hit the open road to Sturgeon Bay!

But as much as I'm looking forward to seeing my family, I'm looking forward to the drive itself. To be able to spend 8 hours with me and my thoughts... there's a certain peacefulness in that solitude. That, and listening to my Bruce Springsteen and Buck Owens CDs! LOL

In fact, I feel so peaceful now, I think I'll turn in.

Sleep well.

The Shaving of the Head!!!!

2008-08-14T21:24:00.011-05:00

Today's the Day!

2008-08-13T08:21:00.003-05:00

1:30... in front of the KJAM Studios... The locks come off!

Such a grand number, too... 12,347!

I figure if I'm going to lose my hair, it might as well be for a good cause. Helping sick kids and their families is definitely worth a couple of hundred good karma points.

But seeing as I slept in and puttered around the house this morning, I'm REALLY late for my workout! So I'll see y'all when I get back!

12,347!

2008-08-12T00:18:00.003-05:00

Incredible!

12,347 Blizzards sold in ONE DAY at the Madison Dairy Queen for Miracle Treat Day!

And in keeping with my promise to De Lon, I'll be going sans hair shortly.

Pics coming shortly!

Virus Warning...

2008-08-10T10:46:00.003-05:00

Usually when I hear about virus warnings, I pass them off as hoaxes, or refer to Snopes.com.

But this is a bit more serious, and the fact that this message comes from CNN.com means it's a real threat.

So, if you get anything that claims to be from CNN.com, "CNN top 10" or "CNN Custom Alert," DO NOT OPEN IT!!! It contains Malware.

My good deed for the day, I guess!

What do we deserve?

2008-08-10T08:58:00.005-05:00

Being that I've been busy with the State Amateur Baseball Tournament, working my second job, and helping Mom get settled into her new place, I haven't had the time this weekend to keep tabs on politics.

However, whilst checking messages last night, I came across this little nugget... Tim Johnson, senior U.S. Senator, has decided not to debate his Republican challenger Joel Dykstra in this year's election. Instead, it seems the esteemed politician is going to do his debating in 30-second ads instead.

Brother!

First, Johnson's operatives start spying on non-candidate Steve Kirby and starts throwing about a bunch of crap about him... AND HE NEVER MADE THE DECISION TO RUN!!! Now "King Tim's" goons say that Dykstra, a legitimately-nominated major party candidate hasn't earned the right to debate Johnson. Don't believe me? Here's an exceprt from this Sunday's Argus Leader.

In light of the fact he did not post an overwhelming primary victory and has not yet raised a notable amount of money, “a lot of people in South Dakota are saying Dykstra hasn’t earned it,” [Steve] Jarding says of debates.

Johnson staffer: Senator decided not to debate; Dykstra 'hasn't earned it'.Sioux Falls Argus Leader, August 10,2008.

What ARROGANCE!!!

Tell me Steve, what about the South Dakota voters? Don't we deserve a debate between these two candidates? Don't we deserve to find out what the candidates believe in and what their philosophies are? Don't we deserve to get some answers, and not in a slickly-produced 30-second sound bite?

Makes me wonder... Does Steve also believe we don't deserve such things as a public discourse between political candidates? Is Johnson's name so sacred and holy, he's above the nasty discourse that is debate?

Hell, maybe we don't deserve to vote... just move along with "King Tim's" coronation and to Hell with the opposition!

Hey Steve, maybe we don't deserve the Constitution, either!

I'm a Libertarian, but I've thought Johnson has been a pretty decent person. He's a Democrat, yes, but I think if he were from California, he'd be considered a Republican... at least from the MoveOn.org nutjobs! This is disturbing. Granted, he's had health issues, but one of the requirements for the job is that he needs to face his opposition and stand up for his beliefs. If he doesn't, how can we be sure that he won't do the same when it comes to debating in the Senate?

His campaign staff also seems to have closed ranks... no interviews with the local media, but a national interview exclusive instead. No debates, and insulting the oppononent where no criticism is warranted. Not to mention the intimidation tactics of a non-candidate. Frankly, Johnson's staff seems less like a support staff, and more like the "Blackshirts" of the Nazi SS.

I doubt Tim Johnson reads this little blog, but some of his "thugs" might. Let me tell you this. NO ONE is above accountability in South Dakota politics. If you don't believe me, just ask George McGovern (defeated in 1980), Larry Pressler (defeated in 1996), and Tom Daschle (defeated in 2004)!

And for those of you "Political Consultants" (i.e. Political Hit Men) that might want to attack me, I'll tell you right now... the only thing on my criminal record in the past six years is a speeding ticket I got in Arlington. And a warning just a few months ago north of Dell Rapids. Good luck with my character assassination on that one, morons!

Random things...

2008-08-07T17:17:00.004-05:00

This has been one of the more eventful weeks, to be sure!

State Amateur Baseball is underway. Tomorrow is going to be a test of endurance. Two games in Mitchell, then roar to Dells to host araoke. Yikes! I'll be sleeping good that night!

Congratulations to two of my cousins. One is a new mother, while another his girlfriend are now engaged. Perhaps I'll make it to THAT wedding! LOL

No comment from you-know-who... but then again, I blocked her address from my main e-mails too. OOPSIE! Guess I get the last word after all!

Kinda tough in the marriage department for a couple of friends of mine as they're going through or just starting divorces. It's a bummer, but when the divorce rate in the US is hovering around 50%, the averages are sure to play out sooner or later!

I'm starting to think about another vacation. Especially after the diaster that was Chicago and with you-know-who. I'm thinking of either heading out to the Black Hills for a week, or taking a tour of Door County and visiting relatives. Last time I saw Steve and Chloe was Grandpa Hendrickson's funeral 10 years ago. That's WAY too damn long! I'm making it a point to take a week off after basketball and a week off after football to give myself a chance to refresh and recharge my batteries. That way I'm not so damn cranky all the time!

Took a trip to the Sioux Empire Fair to see Little Big Town and Jake Owen. Jake was excellent, LBT was a bit off. But then one of their leads was sick so that can throw you off. But I had a good time and it was a blast hanging out with my brother Mark. I haven't had a chance to do that too much lately.

Nothing yet in terms of prospects in the dating horizon. I WOULD like to get married and have a family BEFORE I'm too old to remember any of it! LOL

That's about it for now. Stay Groovy!

Playlist #1

2008-08-05T15:37:00.000-05:00

So what does a Jackrabbit listen to while he's working out? Here's one of my playlists that I listen to on my phone/mp3 player.

1. "A Girl Like You"-The Smithereens
2. "Why Can't I"-Liz Phair
3. "Perfect Situation"-Weezer
4. "Follow You Down"-Gin Blossoms
5. "Behind the Wall of Sleep"-The Smithereens
6. "Black Magic Woman"-Santana
7. "The Rising"-Bruce Springsteen
8. "The Promised Land"-Elvis Presley
9. "Hazy Shade of Winter"-The Bangles
10. "The Wicker Man"-Iron Maiden
11. "Time Won't Let Me"-The Smithereens
12. "Blues Before and After"-The Smithereens
13. "Hold On"-Santana featuring Ian Thomas
14. "Brilliant Disguise"-Bruce Springsteen
15. "Gimmie Some Lovin'"-Spencer Davis Group
16. "I Feel Love"-Blue Man Group
17. "I Want To Hold Your Hand"-The Smithereens
18. "The Devil"-Hoyt Axton
19. "Dancing in the Dark"-Bruce Springsteen
20. "I'd Wait a Million Years"-Grass Roots
21. "The Letter"-Joe Cocker
22. "London Rain"-Heather Nova
23. "Open Invitation"-Santana
24. "Mary's Place"-Bruce Springsteen
25. "Lonesome Day"-Bruce Springsteen
26. "She's Not There"-Santana
27. "Born in the USA"-Bruce Springsteen
28. "Human Touch"-Bruce Springsteen
29. "Jingo"-Santana
30. "Soul Sacrifice"-Santana
31. "Lucky Town"-Bruce Springsteen

Okay... so it's a little heavy on the Santana, Springsteen and Smithereens. But that's just one playlist, mind you!

Can't sleep....

2008-08-05T01:23:00.001-05:00

Frustration, disgust, anger.

Is it work? Is it family? Is it me?

Is it her?

Or is it regret?

Am I still a good person?

Will I go to Hell?

Is this the best that my life is going to be?

Or is there something, someone, out there for me?

Will I ever be able to tell another woman "I Love You?"

Could I stand another heartbreak?

Will they bury the hatchet without burying it in each other's skulls?

Will we ever bury the hatchet without burying it in each other's skulls?

Can I just move on and forget this whole last week?

Do I just need a day off?

I feel like such a phony and a hypocrite.

I'm tired.

The last hurrah...

2008-08-04T19:34:00.000-05:00

She sent an email today... probably to get her last digs in on me.

I deleted it without even opening it.

I'm so proud of myself.

Sports and Politics Don't Mix

2008-08-04T14:14:00.000-05:00

Recently, a colleague of mine in Sioux Falls had to make an on-air apology during his sports talk show when he made the comment about America having (or is it being?) terrorsts. This came during a discussion over Becky Hammon's decision to play for Mother Russia during the Olympics.

Some in the Blogosphere would think that the announcer shouldn't have to apologize for exercising his First Amendment right. And if the program was one of the millions of politcally-based talk shows out there, I'd agree (even if he was dead wrong). BUT from a programming standpoint, he is clearly in the wrong.

Sports talk shows stir up plenty of controversy. Just listen to "Mike and Mike" or watch "Pardon the Interruption" and you'll probably want to strangle one or both hosts at one point or another during the program. Hell, Jim Rome has made a career out of tweaking die-hard fans. But what you won't see in these programs is politics.

While we will disagree vehemently about our sports teams and our athletes, we tend to normally keep the discussion civil, friendly, and funny... unless you're a Packers fan; then you're just obnoxious! But we all agree that a political discussion has no place in our little world of sports. We cringe when Congress holds Steroid hearings (don't they have anything better to do, like trying to do something about the gas prices?), and we boo lustily when politicians throw out the first pitch at a ball game. Why are we so vehement about this?

Simple.

Sports, for all intents and purposes, is a diversion. It's a way for fathers and sons to find common ground when they disagree about everything else. It's an opportunity to forget about all the ugliness that is in the world and in our lives and to take in the sights, sounds, and pure joy in the action of a baseball game, a boxing match, or a basketball game. It's a great way to take three or so hours and "take a break" from reality.

When someone puts politics into the mix, it disturbs us... "harshes our mellow" as it were. It brings that ugliness back into what is (normally) a pure and beautiful thing. And frankly, we don't need it.

Politics celebrates our failures and thrives on what is bad in our lives. Sports celebrate our accomplishments and thrives on what is good and decen in our lives. Things like sportsmanship, giving maximum effort for maximum gain, and battling through what seems like a hopeless situation to come out victorious.

Let Limbaugh, Boortz, Schultz, and O'Reilly keep the politics on their shows, and keep it out of our sports!

I'm 33!

2008-07-31T00:06:00.000-05:00

Buy me a beer... take me out to dinner... send me money... It's my birthday today!

Bringing out the worst in me...

2008-07-29T07:52:00.000-05:00

You know how you can be a totally cool and even-tempered person one minute, then become a complete jerk the next? It's happened to me.

Usually it's due to certain people in my life. Whether it's because they've hurt me or whatever, I become a first-rate ay-hole whenever I'm around them.

It's not pretty... It's not right... but it happens.

I'm not making any excuses for my behavior. I think it's a self-defense mechanism to keep myself from being hurt by these people again. Still, I should be the bigger man and not let them get to me. I guess you can call this my mea culpa.

In any case, I'm going to follow the advice of Bill O'Reilly and stay away from these negative people. I'm finally where I want to be emotionally and I don't need or want these vampires taking away from my good vibes.

Party on, Dudes!

INDEPENDENCE DAY!!!

2008-07-29T00:05:00.000-05:00

Today, I celebrate my Independence Day!

I'm free from that person forever!

I'm free from feeling like an inferior... I'm free from her criticisms... I'm free from her manipulation of my emotions.

I'm free from comparing other women to her and wondering if they'll be the same way as her.

I'm free to have my opinions, to have my taste in music, literature and movies.

I'm free from ever having her make me feel like less of a person. She will never have that hold over me again for as long as I live.

I have no more feeling for her.

I AM FREE!!!!

Garbled Communications

2008-07-28T16:44:00.000-05:00

I must make a correction...

I had mentioned a certain person, who shall remain nameless, wanted me to die of a heart attack... this is inaccurate.

She wants me to die in a fire instead.

Lousy Motorola Cell Phone!

Well, considering I'm not a little pyro like she is, I doubt I'll be a crispy critter anytime soon... unless I forget sunblock at the games this weekend! LOL

As I approach B-Day...

2008-07-24T17:38:00.000-05:00

I must be getting old... it's still a week from my birthday and I'm already getting contemplative! It always seems like I'm this way, as July 31st rolls around.

As I wrap up my 32nd year on Planet Earth, I must say it's been an interesting time.

I've made some new friends, lost some old ones.

I saw my Swee Pea grow and walk and smile while I've had fallings out with almost every member of my family at one point in time or another.

I've won awards, I've hit rock-bottom.

I've been rich, and I've been flat-ass broke.

I've fallen in love, gotten my heart shattered, and tried to put the pieces back togeher (most times unsuccessfully), and I've been pining for her.

I've been fat, I've been sick, I've been injured, I've been getting better.

I've laughed, I've cried, I've been numb.

I've traveled and I've stayed home.

Yep... defnitely one for the record books.

Nightmare....

2008-07-20T16:13:00.000-05:00

I was napping on my recliner today when someone came came into my apartment. The guy look familiar and he started toward me.

I tried to get up to tell him to leave, but I couldn't move... it was like I was made of stone. No matter how hard I tried to move my body simply wouldn't respond.

I let out a whimper as he approached me...

And I woke up. No one was there. And I was still napping on my recliner.

WHEW!

WOW!

2008-07-17T15:00:00.001-05:00

OCTOBER 2007

JULY 2008

What a difference two and a half months of working out and eating right makes!