I picked up one of those DVD players on sale a few weeks ago and the picture quality is amazing -- there are nose hairs out there I'd never seen before. Now, they make a big deal out of the "interactive menus," but I was working under the impression that all menus were interactive, like when you go into a restaurant and point to where it says "steak," it shows up a little later and then you eat it. Now that's interactive.
OK, the steak may come with things I don't want, like vegetables, but so does the DVD. Like, say, the outtakes. These are scenes of guys who make upwards of the gross national product of Malaysia messing up their lines. When I'm getting paid to do a job, I don't videotape myself making mistakes and then charge people to watch.
Then there's the one I really can't figure out: the deleted scenes. We all know these things were cut out for a reason. I don't really need to see the Godfather slow-dancing with a lawn jockey, even if it does help explain the whole horse head thing. I'll tell you the kind of extras I'd like to see -- good acting, better stories and more movies where the plot revolves around a riding mower.

After Bud Russel's birthday cake was lit with its 100 candles, the smoke detectors sounded at the Hangar Monday sending an urgent call to the Huron Fire Department. Russell, whose 100th birthday was observed Monday, was saluted by family and friends at a special gathering Sunday at the Huron Event Center. On Monday, members of his family gathered at the Hangar for another celebration. Bruce Russell, of Cypress, Texas, Bud's nephew, said he ordered the cake from Coborn's, and it took two people with lighters to get all 100 candles lit. "We had just got the candles lit and were singing Happy Birthday when the smoke detector went off," Russell said. "It made quite a racket." But, that didn't deter Bud Russell as he continued to blow out the candles. Finally, another person joined in as they worked to get all the fire out. Bruce Russell said his uncle was wheeled out of the building. "As I looked out, I saw the Huron Fire Department coming our way," he said. Bruce said he talked to John Coughlin of the Fire Department, and he didn't have a problem with it. His son, Patrick, of Round Rock, Texas had a video camera and got the whole episode on film. "We're thinking about sending it to the show, "America's Funniest Home Videos," he said. "We think it might have a chance of getting aired." Bruce, who is the son of Eldon and Julia Russell, lived on a farm in Lake Byron Township. At the age of five, he and his parents and a sister moved to Colorado. His mother is the daughter of Otto and Julia Meyer, who once operated Pioneer Hatchery in Huron. Bruce said the entire incident is something he will long remember. And, he's pleased that he's got the whole thing on video.

As E.E. Hinkle used to say the last shall be first. That was the case with the Omaha Zoo adoption poll. Brittany Hinkle decided to adopt a Clown Fish, even though it only got 10% of the vote. The Golden Lion Tamarin got twice as many votes, while the Aardvark had 30%. The clear favorite was the Sea Turtle, which got 40% of the vote . So Brit blew $50 on a clown fish! Oh well, it's her money!

Meanwhile, it seems that the Governor is going to stay the execution of Elijah Page. On our poll, nobody wanted that. There were 31% wanting his sentence commuted to life, while an overwhelming 69% we're hoping that he'd get the juice tonight. That's pretty high for a pro-life state, eh!

VOL. V Issue 8N
The Ditty Bops are Belles on Wheels

by Michael Hoinski of Village Voice
The Ditty Bops bike tour finally ends,
4,500 jittery and often moonlit miles later
Soybean enthusiasts with probably enormous calves. What a sight. Two pinups sitting on lawn chairs underneath a fake palm tree inside an Ace Hardware in Kansas City. Imagine the awkward pickup lines they must inspire.
Can you . . .Point me in the right direction?
It took Amanda Barrett and Abby DeWald, otherwise known as the Ditty Bops, a month to travel 2,500 miles north from Los Angeles through California and then east to Middle America. On. Their. Bicycles. They will have pedaled another 2,000 miles when the tour in support of their old-time jazz and folk sophomore disc "Moon Over the Freeway"concludes under a big-top tent at South Street Seaport. Meanwhile, their backing band and instruments get to ride in a biodiesel van.
The Bops say the bike tour isn't a premeditated ploy to hype the album its timeless bursts of dreamlike melodies tickled with playful lyrics, songbird harmonies, and ollie-on-a-dime musicianship stand on their own even though the title track prophesies their journey:

"Moon over the freeway/Catch us as we ride/We just left the city/Left it far behind."
Nope. Serendipity had a hand in this one.
"What happened was I had just had Chinese food," explains guitarist DeWald, over the phone, under the palm tree. "And I opened up this fortune cookie, and it said, 'There is a serious ride in your future.' It just came to me: the bike tour."
"We didn't have any summer plans," adds mandolinist, washboardist, and former model Barrett. "And we knew that we'd have to go out and support the new record, so . . . "
The duo's, uh, good fortune also includes guest appearances on A Prairie Home Companion. Like that radio show's biscuit-lovin' ringleader, Garrison Keillor, the Bops have created a microcosm in which to deliver their theater. In it they dress like pirates or flappers or whatever's en vogue at the thrift store, use Photoshop to insert themselves into other people's lives on their website (dittybops.com), and author their own On the Road via a bike tour blog that includes their daily food intake down to the soybean. They even sell a calendar featuring them clad in risque numbers while acting out imaginations from the realm of Matthew Barney.
But the bike tour is soberly real. A heat wave, barreling semis, the uncertainty of arriving at gigs on time . . . What else can catch them as they ride? "Dogs that bark at us when we're riding at four in the morning are definitely scary," Barrett admits.

Over the weekend, the Holabird area got a fair bit or rain. The Ponderosa collected 1.15 inches in the gauge by noon today. Representative Stephanie Herseth is going to be taking Secretary of Agriculture Mike Johanns on a little drought tour. She'd better not bring him to Holabird, as we expect an big ark with several pair of animals to be floating by.

On a weather related note, for the benefit of local folks, it has been reported by Larry Nickleson that the tornado picture that appeared in the previous edition of the Holabird Advocate was taken at the old Glen Sunding place.

Word has been received that Dr. Paul Hohm died last Friday. His obituary is found in the Huron Plainsman. Doc Paul's contribution to the Holabird area in general, and the Hinkle family in particular can not be diminished.

It started when he operated on E.E. Hinkle's ulcers back in 1954. That one live saving alone could earn him our praise, but he went on from there. Doc Paul also took out E.E.'s appendix at the same time while he had him open, and it was close by anyway. He also delivered K.C. Ferris, Sandy Soulek, And then Jerry, Doug and Darrel Hinkle. Not all at the same time, of course. He assisted with delivering Shelby Hinkle as well, which is no small accomplishment at age 86.

Doc Paul tried to retire, but when patients came, he could not refuse. He took planters warts off of Darrel Hinkle's feet. He even sliced a ingrown hair mole from E.E. Hinkle's face.

Doc Paul did things for other people as well. Another of the over 3500 babies he delivered was actress Cheryl Ladd, but as it happens she went to school in Wolsey in the same class as Donnie Hinkle, so even Donnie owes Doc Paul a little something.

After a week of waiting Holabird Advocate Publisher, Jerry Hinkle has heard nothing from the representatives of Dakota Wesleyan University. Of course, he isn't in any big hurry, but some folks have expressed curiosity.

One thing Jerry needs to do is find his old ACT scores and his GPA. Institutions of Higher Learning are really big in that kind of thing. DWU is also looking for people of good moral character and future promise. That will be a tough one, but we might find someone who will vouch for him there. The real hard part is the 2.0 GPA. If he doesn't have that, Jerry may have to repeat High School before they let him in at DWU.

Well, it took us awhile, but after a day or so, we stopped reading page 15 of the September-October issue of the South Dakota Magazine, and started reading the rest of the issue.

the lower left had corner of page 14 has an article and a photo of the Delton and Carole Beck collection of bottles, which are on display at Ree Heights Grocery, the best grocery store in all of Ree Heights. Also we recommend Ernest Hemmingway's recipe for Pheasant Steak, found on the bottom of page 63.

The Holabird Advocate Circulation Department reports slightly above normal hits for a Saturday, but nothing else above the ordinary. Unless Doug Lund comes calling, this is probably as famous as we are going to get. There's no chance of that, so let's get back to work.
From Fairs to Fest
A State Fair is Best
Once again the Holabird Advocate Readers have spoken. What they've said is that the south Dakota State Fair is a "Must See". An incredible 64% of our Readers "Must See" the Fair. Dakotafest is also a popular event, with 21% saying they "Must See" that. The rest, 14% "Must See" the Sioux Empire Fair to play "Plinko" with Shawn Cable. We are going to kick this one up a notch. We are going to see how many of you would rather stay home. With Gas prices in the Holabird area still at $3.15, that is a valid choice.

The issue is does Ms. Schwan, who has no prior political experience, and is only 26 years of age with only her work experience at Keloland behind her, deserve a $98,000 salary. The answer is: YES! Sure, 98K sounds like a lot of money for a novice, but the Mayor must think she's worth it. Heck even Steve Hemmingsen, who knows more about her than all of these "experts" put together, thinks she will do well with this new undertaking. Could it be that there is a "sour grapefest" going on here. I think so!

So congratulations, Ms. Schwan, and good luck! You may well need it! We should get together next time I'm in Sioux Falls. Like say when gas is back down to $1.50/gal. In the meantime, go get 'em!

Hello, I lost my Dad on September 11th; he was Chief Edward Geraghty, Battalion 9, New York City Fire Department. He lost his life with many other heroes that day, victims of the terrorists. Firefighters from all over have come to the aid and rescue of the tragedy in New York and Washington, D.C. Many firefighters lost their lives to save someone else's. The truth of the matter is, they do this every single day. They truly are heroes. I know many people feel helpless, especially those who live far from NYC an d D.C. We all want to do something to show our appreciation, our support. I think we can. In honor of the bravery, courage and determination of American firefighters there should be a day in our nation to Celebrate and appreciate their hard-work and never-ending passion for saving lives. I think we should honor all those other heroes who still live today. Will you help make every September 11th, "National Firefighters Day"? Please join me! Thank you.

Connor Geraghty, age 14,

Rockville Centre, New York

It is so hot and dry that:

The Baptist have started sprinkling,

The Methodist are using a wet wash cloth,

The Presbyterians are giving rain checks and,

The Catholics are turning wine back in to water.

Now friends, that is DRY.

Communication is great, but you have to be aware that there are things you should never say to your wife. Here are a few examples:
"This is all your fault."
"I think your sister's lost weight."
"What have you done to your hair?"
"Let's not do anything special on our anniversary."
"The company would never fire me."
"It seems like we've been married forever."

Well, I asked you to speak, and speak you did. Only 45% of those surveyed would never vote for a candidate who refuses to debate the issues. There are 27% who will vote for someone who won't debate at all. Some will give a free pass to a candidate, however. 18% will give Herseth a pass, while a paltry 9% will excuse Rounds from the debating ring.

There is still time to vote in the other polls if you'd like, so get to it.

The highlight of this years UMW Guest Day was the Speakers, Brother Bill Myers of the Order of Saint Luke Monastery. He has traveled all over the world. He has made trips to Egypt as well as central and Eastern Europe. He started in Oberammergau, Germany, but was unable to see the Passion Play, being a few years too late. He also went to Munich, taking in the castle of Ludwig II. He went through the Austrian Cities of Salzberg, the birthplace of Mozart; Rattenberg, where the Danube River flows freely; and Vienna. His photos of the Danube River were awesome. Harold Hinkle was at most of those same places forty some-odd tears ago, but Brother Bill went into the Czech Republic and went through Prague. Then it was back into Germany, and the cities of Dressden, Leipzig and Berlin. While in Germany, he and the rest of his tour group were told that if they were offered Schnapps, it was an insult to refuse. However, the tour group ended up being insulted by never having been offered any. While in Berlin, they saw what was left of the Berlin Wall, Checkpoint Charlie, and a museum dedicated to the Ancient Greek city of Pergamum, which is actually part of Asia Minor.

Brother Bill also talked briefly of Egypt while he was wearing the traditional Egyptian male garb for his listeners benefit. He rode a camel, which was not as fun as it sounds. Also, despite what some have heard, the old saying "Girls along the Nile wear nothing but a smile" is incorrect. Indeed, far from correct. In fact, they are to be covered up more then the men.

As for what Brother Bill has planned in the future, he has said that the Methodist Church in Faulkton is without a minister and is expecting a call any time now. Should he get the call, the church in Faulkton will be very fortunate to have a clergyman of his caliber.

Holabird Advocate Publisher, Jerry Hinkle has send for some information concerning DWU. He has even found a blog written by the Campus Minister, Brandon. Jerry doesn't know Brandon's last name, but he seems nice. Hopefully, Jerry will hear back from them in time for Spring 2007.

Hey everyone, I have news about Hunter I know some of you would like to hear. Hunter, Houston, me, and my mom were all in Sioux Falls for his appointments. He had scans and lab work done yesterday. He is once again... For the next three months... Considered in remission. Thank God.
Hunter and I woke up very early to take him to Sioux Valley to remove his port-a-cath. It really was the whole reason behind the trip. He could NOT wait to get it taken out. The port-a-cath is that little steel piece right under his skin that they used to poke with the needle to take blood and deliver chemotherapy. Needless to say, Hunter is port-a-cath FREE!!!!!
Another big step in the whole process. Take care everyone and thank you for your continued inquiries about his progress. It means a lot to us.

The time as come to, as Winston Rothchild would say, "Sit or get off the pot, eh!". Meaning that if our Publisher is going to see if there is a place for him at DWU, he'd better get started. The time is coming fast to see if and when he can enter those hallowed halls.

If he gets in, we may have to get a new name for this Newsblog. He'll also have to see about computer access as well. We're sure the University has computers, we're just not sure they will be available for our use.

Monday he will start the process. How long it will take is anybody's guess.

VOL. V Issue 8H
The Ditty Bops' Big Adventure
Musical duo gets lost on bike tour
by Chris Azzopardi
of Between The Lines News)
It doesn't matter that Amanda Barrett and Abby DeWald of The Ditty Bops indulged in one vanilla-mint and three peanut butter-chocolate-soycream smoothies at a Salt Lake City, Utah, pit-stop.
"Ah! It was even better than it looked," Amanda says about the peanut butter concoction. Although scrumptious, the girls didn't suck 'em down in one day, Amanda says, laughing.
But the girls of The Ditty Bops could've easily chugged all four smoothies in one sitting and they would've burned off the calories within days as they toured the country on their Surly road bikes, riding for six hours a day.
"We do tend to eat a lot," Amanda says as she sits alongside the edge of a stream in Colorado with Abby, her partner of seven years. "When we get to a town for a little while we have a couple of days off. It's usually our binge time when we stock up on calories. You can't really eat enough when you're on your bike."
As they break from pedaling, The Ditty Bops will perform at an eclectic mix of venues: theaters, clubs, farms and bike shops.
"You get a more attentive audience when you don't play a club," she says.
Abby and Amanda, who met at a California playground eight years ago and don't label themselves as gay or straight, have also played Christian colleges. Amanda says, "Gay folks will be coming out of the woodworks, [saying] like, 'I saw you on Logo.'"
The Ditty Bops' current tour supports their new release "Moon Over the Freeway," which echoes the duo's signature live sound.
"We had been touring for a year and a half with a lot of the songs and picking out what arrangements we liked with the band and we went in (to the recording studio) and did it like that," she says.
In between concert stops, the Bops also make a little time for themselves. Hence, the deliberate booking of Colorado venues.
"We decided to book it 'cause this is a resort town," Amanda says, laughing. Earlier in the day, before basking in the sun near the stream, Amanda and Abby pampered themselves at a natural hot spring, where they bathed in a 102-degree mineral water spa.
"(There's) a lot of exertion, exhilaration and emotions," Amanda says about their trip. "All the 'E' things."
To their dismay, there wasn't a mud bath, but Amanda's been there, done that.
She laughs, "I've rolled around in the mud before."
Of course, the trip doesn't come minus flat tires (Amanda had three on the first day) and misguided detours. Not long into their trek, The Ditty Bops missed a Nevada highway sign and made the wrong turn.
"We ended up doing a 20-mile detour," Amanda says. "It was supposed to be a nice, easy 60-mile day, and it turned into an 83-mile day."
With this being the Bops' first time on a long-distance biking expedition, they made certain preparations, like lugging around spare tires in their tour van, which carries their equipment and serves as their refuge should they encounter a twister, or another natural disaster.
Riding on bikes, though, is less stuffy than a van and allows the girls to explore the country, Amanda says. "Seeing a town by car and by bike is very different. I really appreciate a lot of the cities, even ones that I thought I didn't like, I've seen a lot of the better sides of them."

It has been reported that had last weeks fire in Hyde County gone unchecked, that the town of Highmore would have been evacuated. Several folks in the area say that, had it not been for a very timely rain, that same fire could well have taken Highmore out in no time. Instead of dreading what could have been, all of us here at the Holabird Advocate will rejoice in what was. It's said that drops of rain are pennies from Heaven, but we wouldn't have cashed any of those drops in for $20 Double Eagle Gold Coins.

Harold Hinkle has tried out his new bread making machine and is loving the results. This morning, Harold, and wife, Mary Hinkle, made a 1.5 lb loaf of bread in the unit. The bread came out so light that it is hard to believe it weighs that much. Better get a scale next time. No matter how much the loaf weighed, all who ate the bread agree that it was good. The only problem with the bread is that Jerry Hinkle has trouble with the slicing. Other than that, no complaints!

Mary was going to bake bread for the grandkids Tuesday night, but later decided that it was too late in the day for that kind of activity. They will get their chance later on.

The Orange Savings Account from ING sounds too good to be true. Yet it is true! For a minimum deposit of $250, they kick in another $25. The interest rate is so good that we know of one case where a depositor put in $3000 to grow and have in case of emergency. The best part is one doesn't need to switch banks. They work with any checking account.

When ING was presented to our Publisher, he was skeptical and suspicious. One month later, he's seen how great it is. If anything was not on the up and up, he'd be the first to expose them or any other bank who would pull something so shady. He likes the Orange Savings account so much, that he got one for himself.

A man named Elijah Page is a convicted murderer. He wants to be put to death. It is not that easy, however. There is a certain amount of pressure to stop the execution. As we see it, Governor Rounds has at least 3 choices. He can commute the death sentence to life, grant a stay of execution to buy time, or simply do nothing. Todd Epp may have some other ideas, but we'll stick with these. Dr. Jack Billion is welcome to share his views on this issue with us as well. In the meantime, show us what you think of this issue.

VOL. V Issue 8G
No Bus Trip For Publisher
Holabird Advocate Publisher, Jerry Hinkle has decided to stay home instead of hopping the Greyhound to see his cousin Kassidee Kennedy before she leaves for Europe on Friday. The expense oftime and money can be better spent elsewhere.
Jerry would have had to have been back by Friday night himself to attend Guest Day at the Methodist Church. The featured speaker will be Methodist Monk Brother Bill Myer of Faulkton, who has traveled the world, and has recently been to Egypt.
Hinkle Family are Friends in Knead
Over the weekend Harold Hinkle paid an undisclosed amount for a bread making machine at one of Pierre's rummage sales. Jerry Hinkle has almost literally been chomping at the bit to see how it works. As of press time, it sits idle and unused since Harold and Mary returned home with the unit. Harold has given strict orders that it not be touched. Then he headed off to Dakotafest in Mitchell. Mary is planning to try it out when the grandkids get to the Ponderosa. What Harold doesn't know won't hurt him, until he finds out.
Jerry has been studying the operators manual since Sunday night, and can't make head nor tail of it. The art of making bread should not be this difficult. After all Agnes Hahn has been making bread for more than six decades, and she never used a complicated machine like that. Harold and Jerry made a loaf of bread with Mary's bread maker a few years back. It turned out so bad that it wouldn't have made good communion wafers. The cats ate it, after a while!
Omaha Zoo is Looking for You
Brittany Hinkle took a trip to the Omaha Zoo not too long ago. She went to the website and saw that they had critters up for adoption. Basically, it's a way to separate people from their money and keep the animals locked up too. Still Britt has $50 to spend on one of five animals. The hedgehog is only $35, but that need not be a factor in the decision. Feel free to vote for your favorite. Next week, we'll let you know what she adopted. Jerry Hinkle said for $50 she could adopt Rosie veldt Franklin.

For more information got to the Omaha Zoo Website at: http://shop.omahazoo.com/Adopt-An-Animal.asp

The surrounding towns have damage too. Several media outlets have reported the damage to Harrold's school building. They say some 40 windows were broken due to hail and strong winds. In Highmore, a tree in front of the Catholic's Church caught fire on the top. There were reports that the old O'Brien Dairy Barn burned to the ground as well. Lynette Goehring reported that The Mehlings told her they got 3 inches of rain in Wessington.

The Lord was really with us all last night! As bad as things were for some, it could have been worse. Nobody was killed or injured. Also the Ponderosa even got a .65 of an inch of rain out of the deal.

After almost a week at the Ponderosa, Cade "wildman" Hinkle, was more than ready to go home to see his parents. He has been just as ready every night this week. Last nights wind, rain, and fire did not help the situation at all. The fact is that Cade had to go home because he had to go to his barber in Pierre for a haircut. After that, he's somebody else trouble.

Kasssidee Kennedy was all set to leave for Europe tomorrow when word came that she may have to delay her flight to London for a spell. In the event that does happen, our Publisher is hoping to get on the bus and see if he can visit her during at least some of the days of her delay.

Kassidee is doing mission work in Prague, Czech Republic for a second term. She is not doing any fundraising, but all of us here at the Holabird Advocate suppose she won't turn down a donation no matter how big or small.

Al Gore has spoken: The world must embrace a "carbon-neutral lifestyle." To do otherwise, he says, will result in a cataclysmic catastrophe. "Humanity is sitting on a ticking time bomb," warns the website for his film, An Inconvenient Truth. "We have just 10 years to avert a major catastrophe that could send our entire planet into a tailspin."

Graciously, Gore tells consumers how to change their lives to curb their carbon-gobbling ways: Switch to compact fluorescent light bulbs, use a clothesline, drive a hybrid, use renewable energy, dramatically cut back on consumption. Better still, responsible global citizens can follow Gore's example, because, as he readily points out in his speeches, he lives a "carbon-neutral lifestyle." But if Al Gore is the world's role model for ecology, the planet is doomed.
For someone who says the sky is falling, he does very little. He says he recycles and drives a hybrid. And he claims he uses renewable energy credits to offset the pollution he produces when using a private jet to promote his film. (In reality, Paramount Classics, the film's distributor, pays this.)
Public records reveal that as Gore lectures Americans on excessive consumption, he and his wife Tipper live in two properties: a 10,000-square-foot, 20-room, eight-bathroom home in Nashville, and a 4,000-square-foot home in Arlington, Va. (He also has a third home in Carthage, Tenn.) For someone rallying the planet to pursue a path of extreme personal sacrifice, Gore requires little from himself.
Then there is the troubling matter of his energy use. In the Washington, D.C., area, utility companies offer wind energy as an alternative to traditional energy. In Nashville, similar programs exist. Utility customers must simply pay a few extra pennies per kilowatt hour, and they can continue living their carbon-neutral lifestyles knowing that they are supporting wind energy. Plenty of businesses and institutions have signed up. Even the Bush administration is using green energy for some federal office buildings, as are thousands of area residents.
But according to public records, there is no evidence that Gore has signed up to use green energy in either of his large residences. When contacted Wednesday, Gore's office confirmed as much but said the Gores were looking into making the switch at both homes. Talk about inconvenient truths.

Gore has held these apocalyptic views about the environment for some time. So why, then, didn't Gore dump his family's large stock holdings in Occidental (Oxy) Petroleum? As executor of his family's trust, over the years Gore has controlled hundreds of thousands of dollars in Oxy stock. Oxy has been mired in controversy over oil drilling in ecologically sensitive areas.
Living carbon-neutral apparently doesn't mean living oil-stock free. Nor does it necessarily mean giving up a mining royalty either.
Humanity might be "sitting on a ticking time bomb," but Gore's home in Carthage is sitting on a zinc mine. Gore receives $20,000 a year in royalties from Pasminco Zinc, which operates a zinc concession on his property. Tennessee has cited the company for adding large quantities of barium, iron and zinc to the nearby Caney Fork River.
The issue here is not simply Gore's hypocrisy; it's a question of credibility. If he genuinely believes the apocalyptic vision he has put forth and calls for radical changes in the way other people live, why hasn't he made any radical change in his life? Giving up the zinc mine or one of his homes is not asking much, given that he wants the rest of us to radically change our lives.

On Sunday afternoon, Doug Hinkle came over to the Ponderosa to drop his son, Cade Hinkle, off to spend a week with his grandparents. Doug had to go to the Sturgis area to prepare for a disaster. As fortune would have it, the Sturgis Rally and Races are in full swing this week as well. Talk about a disaster waiting to happen. So far, though, it's been just a few shootings and some other assorted mischief.

Jerry Hinkle was worried that Doug's job security would be ruined once they find out about his older brothers criticism of the Governor. So far, his superiors say that his job performance is so excellent that they wish Doug were twins. Obviously, their background check was a just a little lax.

Cade, on the other hand, is a challenge. He demands pancake for breakfast everyday. He needs to be entertained all the time. He also complains of boredom. Jerry has started calling him the bored chairman. Cade does like to sing the "Billy Goat" song. With any luck, Cade will be going home on Friday.

The Holabird Advocate was forced to shut down the Free For All Links page because the links that were up there were deleted and links to porn and other nasty things were put in their place. We will instead be linking to sites as we go.

The South Dakota State Fair was one of the few happy events of my childhood. We got out of school for 3 days, all day carnival rides, 'nuff said! One of my favorite things about the Fair was going to the Keloland Trailer, seeing the new fall schedule, meeting Steve, Doug, that weatherman who looked like Captain 11, (What was his name? I forget!) and then, when I got older, meeting the latest Infobabe.

Well, I'm not a kid anymore. Going to the Fair stopped being fun. Not because I reached adulthood, but because it changed the date from the last week in August to the last week in July. The plan was to "improve" the fair. In the words of that pantload, Dr. Phil. "How's that workin' for ya?". It didn't work for me. It didn't work for Keloland either, they quit going to the fair about the same time I did.

The Fair looked like it might come around in the last couple of years, but it didn't. The cost of gas at $3/gal. didn't help. Now that it is $3.15/gal., it's not looking good. How I wish Keloland would come back! I'd like to play Plinko, and meet the Keloland crew, just like the folks who attend the Sioux Empire Fair. Come on Keloland! Come to the Fair! If you'll come, then so will I! So will a lot of folks!

First, you travel by van. Then, if you get successful, you graduate up to a tour bus. And then, if you get really, really successful, you get your own private plane.
But no matter what, if you're a touring musician, you spend a lot of your day sitting in a vehicle, watching the world go by outside.
You also spend a lot of money on fuel, which has become a real concern for touring bands this summer. Skyrocketing prices at the pump may be affecting bands' touring decisions, including making big summer festivals like Bonnaroo and this weekend's Lollapalooza in Chicago look a lot more attractive and cost-effective.
The Los Angeles-based Ditty Bops have opted to go in a completely different direction to support their new "Moon Over the Freeway" CD. The duo of Amanda Barrett and Abby DeWald are doing a three-month, cross-country tour, entirely on their road bikes.
With their instruments and equipment following behind in a (biodiesel-fueled) van, Barrett and DeWald have been pedaling their way east, from town to town, playing shows wherever they can. One can't imagine, say, Aerosmith biking across the country. But it seems like the perfect mode of transportation for the winsome and quirky Bops, who mix a throwback folk-jazz sound with art-school playfulness. When they were last in town around Halloween opening for Nickel Creek, they stripped down in the middle of their set to reveal skeleton costumes underneath, and Barrett also did a little fire-eating.

Brittany Hinkle of Holabird has the most expensive chicken in all of Hyde County. At last Saturday's 4-H Auction, Brit's Grand Champion Prize Winning Hen brought the queenly sum of $50. Brit's dad, Darrel Hinkle couldn't believe anyone would pay that much for any poultry. The hen, known as "Original Recipe" Shares the coupe with a rooster known as "Extra Crispy". See not only did the generous benefactor pay 50 big bills for the chicken, he let Brit keep it. Who is this benevolent man. None other than former Holabird resident, Dean Shepard. Some may wonder why he bid so much, while others wonder who bid $49.

There has been some discussion as to whether or not any or all of Brit's critters are going to the State Fair in Huron. The names that Darrel gave the chickens may lead some to believe that he intends on eating them. All of us here at the Holabird Advocate advise that you should eat those chickens a little at a time. It would be a shame to eat them all at once!

There seems to be a lot of debates about debates here lately. Getting an incumbent to agree to a debate these days is like getting Jerry Hinkle to pay for dinner. But does the South Dakota electorate really care if the candidates debate, or is it just wishful thinking that if they could just get the other guy (or gal) to debate, they could trip them up.

Let your voice be heard now. And, as before, if you aren't from South Dakota, feel free to participate. We'll just say you registered your RV in Holabird, South Dakota, which as we understand, is still perfectly legal!

It was reported by Dot and Allen Hanson that Bridget Deuter will be leaving Iraq sometime within the next two weeks. She, and her family is reportedly very excited and can't wait for her to get home. She won't be in South Dakota for a while, though. She will be back at Fort Campbell, Kentucky and will still be stationed there, for about the next 2 years.

Kentucky is not exactly South Dakota, but all of us here at the Holabird Advocate think it is a improvement over her digs in Tikrit, Iraq. At least the Hatfields and McCoys have quit shooting each other.

Next time she's in the area, she should give our Publisher a line and they could meet halfway and attack a stack of pancakes at the Outpost in Highmore. She should bring an appetite with her, and maybe bring along a friend or two.

Next month Simple Simon and Brittany Hinkle will be going to the Fair. The difference is, Brit won't be looking for the pie man. She'll be too busy showing off her purple ribbon chickens. She will also be in the dog show with her grandma Ruby Hoffman's dog, Jill, and be part of the Visual Arts Judging Team.

Brit received more purple ribbons than you can shake a stick on, if that's your idea of fun. But the fun is not over yet. The annual premium sale is tonight. Way to go Brit!

Since my oldest nephew, Justin, was here for a couple of days, I decided to play hooky from the South Dakota War College. During that time there was a terribly unspeakable item placed in Representative Stephanie Herseth's entry in Wikipedia. Even though that institution is supposedly a left wing outfit, the Republicans latched on to the item, which was found to be false. As for what the item is, well, not only is it unspeakable, but it is also unprintable on the Front Page of this Newsblog. South Dakota War College's Professor found out that the offensive offender originated in the Bronx. So all of us here at the Holabird Advocate will give them the old Bronx Cheer!

Also, I have to correct myself. Earlier this week, I said that I made more money with ING than I ever did blogging. But on Thursday I made more than $7 in AdSense advertising revenue. Before Thursday, I'd have a few cents here or there, but never before have I ever had more than $1. I wonder if SDBWM chose that day to click my ads over and over again. Oh well, whoever it was thanks a lot.

VOL. V Issue 8A
The Ditty Bops Ride Into The Sunset
One of the hallmarks of a Ditty Bops show
are the ever-changing nightly themes.
By Tim Molloy, Associated Press
Los Angeles music duo, The Ditty Bops, would rather talk about their national bicycle tour than the inspirations for their sound -- maybe because their list of influences might be longer than their route. Abby DeWald and Amanda Barrett mix musical styles that range from swing to blues to folk to plenty more in a stage show that incorporates the best elements of vaudeville, burlesque, and circus sideshows, often adding a nightly theme like "prom," "pirates," or -- on a recent Kansas stop -- "The Wizard of Oz."Anchored by DeWald and Barrett's casually charming songs -- their harmonies suggest the canny professionalism of 1920s show folk -- a typical Ditty Bops show might also feature such widely fixtures of modern music as the accordion, standup bass and saw. Taking a show like theirs on the road isn't as simple as loading up the amps -- which made their decision to travel the country on bicycles all the more ambitious. Backed only by a biodiesel-powered van and lots of friends, the on-and-offstage partners (they were in a relationship even before they formed the band nearly four years ago) are promoting their second album, "Moon Over the Freeway," by scheduling only a few dates across the country and filling in the rest as they go, playing venues most major-label artists never see. A few run-ins with dogs and heat exhaustion along the way haven't gotten the Ditties down, and they've still found time to build sets in hotel rooms and host dance-offs for fans. The tour is the perfect outlet for a pair who aren't just gifted in music: DeWald, 28, is an artist who designed the cover of their self-titled debut, and former model Barrett, 27, is half of the hilarious comedy duo Pretty Things.

We had a great time even if it was HOT!! We were supposed to leave the Senior Center in Pierre at 8 o'clock Sat. Morn; but the bus driver didn't show up until 9 so we didn't leave until 9:30. We stopped at Al's Oasis in Oacoma for rolls and coffee and then on to SD Hall of Fame at Chamberlain. We then drove to a hog farm by Salem, SD where Jeff and Kris Tuschen have started the Backyard Catering service. Jeff learned the art of barbecuing by volunteering at the SD Pork producers' state fair food booth in Huron. He barbecued pork loins for neighbors as a favor until it became so frequent that they got licensed. They built a big hall onto their house to host gatherings at the farm, where city visitors enjoy not only the food but a country outing complete with two friendly dogs and the fresh(?) country air. You could smell the hogs outside; but inside was nice and air conditioned. They do wedding receptions, Christmas Parties, and all kinds of get togethers including "Mystery Tours". He makes his own barbecue sauce, which he sells; but you bring your own bottle. It was an excellent meal!! He will even bring the food to your back yard and serve it. It is a family affair that hires a couple extra people. Then on to Sioux Falls to the Irish Fest. It was so hot and I hadn't felt very good at the beginning of the week so Harold and I along with the majority of the people went to the Old Courthouse museum. They had a "Crapper" exhibit there. Did you know that the moon on the door signified a women's outhouse and stars on the door was for the gents; but the women's were cleaner so everyone used the one with the moon on the door so from then on most had a moon on the door? Did you know that most men fold the paper and most women wad it up? Did you know that Sir Thomas Crapper was credited with inventing one of the first "water closets"? They also had a quilt display and homesteading display along with others. Some just got on the Sioux Falls Trolley and rode around. There were 30 people and 7 were brave enough to go to Terrace Park to the Irish Fest and watched the bands play. They had 3 stages and 6 bands that took turns. They enjoyed it. The bus driver drove down Main and Phillips and we looked at the sculptures on the corners and down to Falls Park. Then we went to Coyote Canyon, a steak buffet place and ate too much. They had excellent ribs and steak, fish, chicken and anything you would like.Then on to Vermillion to the Holiday Inn Express next to the Dakota Dome. Breakfast there and then to the Austin-Whittemore House, a museum run by the Clay County Historical Society. Austin was a surveyor that came there to survey in the 1880's and met the local school teacher, married and built this house for his bride. They adopted a girl and she married Whittemore and lived there. They had 3 daughters and a son. The son inherited the house and donated it to the Hist. Soc. If they bought the land so they paid 10,000 for it. And then they furnished it in period furniture as he had sold the furniture. Then on to the Shrine to Music Museum. We had tour guides that were very knowledgeable about all the thousands of instruments they have. A man named Larson had a musical instruments collection of 2000 instruments and his wife told him to find someplace to put them so he advertised and the USD had an empty building that used to house the Carnegie college library so they got the instruments and continue to collect instruments. It is the 2nd largest in the world. Only in Italy is there a larger music museum. The guide played on some of the harpsichords, pianos, and organs for us. We didn't have enough time there as it was so interesting. On the the Buffalo Run Valiant Vineyards for Lunch. They had an excellent buffet lunch for us followed by wine testing and a tour. It is the oldest winery in SD. We had a happy bunch as we headed to Yankton for a tour of the Sacred Heart monastery. Sister Ann guided us around the chapels, lunch rooms, and retreat rooms and explained how Bishop Marty was instrumental in there coming there. They have 130 sisters in the convent there. They work in education, health, and where ever they are needed. It is next to Mount Marty College. One of the ladies had an allergic reaction to something so it was a stop at Walmart to get some Benadryl and then they decided to go over the double Decker bridge in Yankton. Off for home we stopped at a Rest stop close to White Lake and on to Al's Oasis for supper. We got back to Pierre at 10:00 PM. We started out an hour and a half late and pretty much were running an hour and a half late for the rest of the trip. We had a great time; and would probably go on another "Mystery Tour."

Just a few random thoughts to start off the August Issue of the Holabird Advocate. It's a bit of a late start, but then better late than never.

Of course, since it is August, that means we have to turn the page of The Ditty Bops Calendar. It appears that the ladies are grilling something. What could it be? Buffalo perhaps! They are also drinking beer, but we're not going to judge them. That's our Heavenly Father's job, and He can have it.

My mother's mystery tour was such an one of a kind experience, I thought, why not let her tell it in her own words. She was there, and I was not. It sounds like fun, but a little too busy for my taste. Too bad she didn't bring us back some barbecue sauce.

We had Shelby and Justin Hinkle here over Monday and Tuesday of this week. They pretty much had the computer. It's easier on both them and me that way. I'd rather watch them play games than to have them watch me do this. They're both pretty sharp kids. Too sharp for their own good in fact.

Last of all, I want to just say a quick word about the Keloland-Argus poll concerning Tom Dashcle running for President. That word is "Don't". I believe that unless Tom wants to take a chance on being Hillary's Secretary of Transportation, he'd best forget a run for the White House and find a worthwhile cause to champion like George McGovern did. His time would be better spent that way, rather than wasting time running for an office that he won't get anyway!