Well here it is, 1400 episodes in the can. When I started the Holabird Advocate back in 2002 I never really thought I'd ever take things this far. Surely someone would get offended and demand I be shut down! But no here I am, 9.25 years later doing what I have been doing off an on, making it up as I go. As the Holabird Advocate died and the Jerry Hinkle program raised from it's ashes back in 2009, it was a different format, but the same driving force. Fighting ignorance by embracing wisdom and killing hate with love. I've detoured from the mission somewhat. Sometimes the truth was mixed with some fictionalized humor (or as my dad would call it, several times, "fantasy BS") to make the truth a little easier to swallow.

The fact is that when I started blogging, not many were doing it, at least not in South Dakota. After I started, it became a worldwide trend. When I stopped actively blogging, other forms of social media took over. I have Facebook and twitter, but I love going back to my roots when I can. You readers have been with me through a whole lot of triumph and tragedy. We've seen births, deaths, and other kinds of miracles in between.

My favorite story was and continues to be our series on Hunter Mees. Both you and I made a huge difference in that young man's life. Thank God, he's still cancer free! If I could do anything over, it would have been to do more audio blogging when that was available. Especially with Grandad, my interviews with him still make me smile when I think of them.

That was the past! Now to the future! Take a look at the top of the page. You see to your left our current state flag. To your right is a possible new design for our state flag. Is it out with the old and in with the new? Or is it winner and still champion? Please weigh in!