Anna Nicole Smith, a woman that everyone knew of, whether they wanted to or not, dies suddenly yesterday from a cause so mysterious that the coroner still hasn't figured it out. The jury of public opinion is all too eager to believe it was drug related. Our Publisher believes it was murder, but he can't prove it. It's a gut feeling. When his gut gets a feeling, it's hard to ignore. Ms. Smith's light shined all too briefly. It is a shame that someone that young and beautiful had to go so soon like that. But death is the great equalizer. The weak and the strong, the young and the old, the rich and the poor we all must face our day of reckoning. Anna Nicole's troubles are all behind her now. God only knows what will happen to the baby girl. Her troubles are just starting.

Our good Friends at KCCR report that a bill that would give the Harrold School District an extra year to work on a consolidation plan passed the House Education Committee today.
The bill, which now goes to the House floor, would give the district until July 1, 2008 to consolidate with a neighboring school district. Harrold had tried to consolidate with the Stanley County school district, but Stanley County voters rejected that plan late last year.
Harrold Superintendent Ward Thelen says the district is now talking to neighboring school districts about consolidation. Others that had been initially approached when Stanley County was chosen were the Pierre, Agar-Blunt-Onida and Hyde School Districts. While Thelen says some of those districts are being considered, he says Stanley County is probably "out of the mix."
Thelen says the Harrold board is doing everything its can to make a consolidation work instead of having to dissolve district this year But he says making a consolidation plan work takes time.
The Legislature gave a similar extension last year to the Midland School District. Some House Education Committee members questioned the need for such extensions. Hank Kosters of the Associated School Boards says many schools facing consolidation, such as Harrold, are doing everything they can before asking for a legislative extension.
The bill passed 9-4 with 2 abstentions. District 24 Representative Ryan Olson of Onida is the bill’s primary sponsor. The other two District 24 legislators – Representative Tim Rounds and Senator Bob Gray, both of Pierre – also are bill sponsors.

This Wednesday, I started studying the book of Daniel. The Bible tells us that in about 605 B.C. the Babylonian Empire overtook the Kingdom of Judah. They went throughout the countryside, looking for young, good looking men to assimilate into their empire. The Babylonians worshiped youth and beauty, or so it seemed. The media of today does the same thing. "Train-Wreck TV" is what they call it. They hold up the rich, young, and beautiful up to be admired, and anyone that isn't so is held up to ridicule. This is nothing new, it's just that now, more people know about it. Right now it's Anna Nicole. Before that, Lindsey Lohan. Before her it was Britney and her missing under britches. Next week Paris Hilton and Jessica Simpleton will get in a cat fight, and we like sheep will sit glued to the tube, unable to look away.

The Grammy Awards are coming up, and guess what! We get to choose which "undiscovered" beautiful, young girl singer will get to sing with Justin Timberlake. Well praise the LORD and pass the Depends underwear, so we'll never have to leave the couch to see that unit! Do these girl singers know that Timberlake likes to disrobe his singing partners on live TV? It has happened before, you know! Just ask Janet Jackson, she knows! She knows, and how she knows! It wouldn't surprise me if he tried it again and nobody will even flinch.

Holabird Advocate