February 2013

Scott Hudson’s 100th Ledge Episode, Live at Fall’s Landing, Friday Night

A little less than two years ago, my cohorts at realpunkradio convinced me that I should attempt to “go live”. I had created The Ledge podcast a little over a year earlier, but so far had just edited together songs and chatter into a hour or so long audio file.

This was a different proposition, and I was scared to death. It didn’t help that a couple of previous attempts had been a bust. Doing an internet radio show is not as simple as one may think. One must have adequate bandwidth and RAM, for example, and the old laptop with Windows XP just couldn’t keep up.

After a few adjustments, and assistance from former RPR head honcho Jason Snyderman, Live Ledge was created. Like the rest of the shows on the realpunkradio network, Live Ledge is a return to the freeform radio of the past. Instead of highly-paid consultants, scripted “bits”, and automated playlists, our shows are a return to the days when radio personalities did what they did because of their musical knowledge and passion.

Not that Live Ledge isn’t silly at times. Or that mistakes aren’t made. Trust me, a drinking game based on mistakes would cause even Lindsay Lohan to pass out. Yet that is also the beauty of live internet radio.

I’m babbling about all of this because Friday night (February 22) marks the 100th episode of Live Ledge, and I’m taking the show on the road. A simple comment on Facebook a few weeks ago led to a meeting with the wonderful folks at Falls Landing (200 E. 8th St.), and they have graciously given me the ok to record this special episode in their bar from 6-8 pm.

Musically, I have planned for this episode to be a “greatest hits” of sorts. If you know me at all you can probably figure out a good portion of the playlist. Yes, classic bands like the Replacements, Clash, Social Distortion, and others of that sort will be aired, along with quite a few others that aren’t as well known.

It also could very well be a disaster. Will I find enough “server juice” to stream this show? Will my broadcaster program have some hiccups? There’s a good chance those who show up will see me bash my head against the wall if things don’t work out as well as planned. What better entertainment could there be?

At the very least, you can down a drink or two while listening to the songs that have made me what I am today. You may even end up on the mic with me. Be careful, though, as there’s no 30 second delay. Oh yeah, RPR is also uncensored internet radio. Say whatever you want!

Guns & Abortion. Both legal in the United States. Why does SD want to limit one and not the other?

Tiffany Campbell sent me her opposition testimony to HB 1237 (AUDIO LINK. HB 1237 testimony starts at 24.56, and opposition testimony starts at 1:20:41);

Testimony in Opposition to HB 1237 • Tiffany Campbell • Advocacy Director

ACLU of SD believes – and works hard to ensure – that every woman has medically accurate, unbiased information so she is able to make the best choices for her and her circumstances, without undue pressure. This bill isn’t about letting a woman consider her decision, it’s about coercing her and shaming her for a decision she’s already made.

Forcing a woman who needs an abortion to delay her procedure for non-medical reasons is callous, cruel, and dangerous. Medical experts, including the World Health Organization, recommend that states consider eliminating waiting periods that are not medically required and work to expand services so that all women may access prompt abortion care.

South Dakota already has one of the most extreme laws of its kind on the books and this bill just makes it worse. There is no medical reason to make a woman wait 72 hours before her abortion, and there’s certainly no reason to make her wait even longer if her abortion happens to be scheduled after a weekend or a holiday.

Many things can happen in pregnancy. No woman wants to hear that carrying her pregnancy to term will seriously threaten her health or endanger her life. No woman wants to hear that the baby she’s been looking forward to holding will likely not survive the pregnancy. No woman plans to have an abortion for any reason.

I am one of those women.  In 2006 I was a married mother of two wanting to add to my family.  I was thrilled to learn I was expecting identical twin boys, but the excitement didn’t last long. I was told they might be suffering from Twin to Twin Transfusion Syndrome, a very deadly disease that left untreated has a morality rate of 100%. We were immediately sent to one of the top fetal care centers in the country. We were told that one of our boys was extremely sick and wouldn’t make it much longer.  Our five doctors told us the only way to save the healthier twin was to selectively terminate the sicker twin.  We had the procedure less than 12 hours later.   Five months later I gave birth to a healthy baby boy, and today my beautiful son, Brady, turns 6-years-old.

TTTS can progress incredibly fast.  My friend Becky Matthews’s twins also suffered from TTTS.  Becky and her husband were told of their treatment options and decided to think it over and scheduled a doctor appointment in Minneapolis for the following week.  They never made that appointment. Her girls died in utero just days after being diagnosed.

These are just two examples of what can go wrong in a pregnancy.   The definition of a medical emergency as set forth in SD Codified Law 34-23A-1 (5), only applies for abortion to save a woman’s life or if a major bodily function would be irreversibly impaired. My life was not in danger, therefore the lifesaving procedure I chose wouldn’t be covered under SD law and I might have lost both babies. In difficult situations, medical decisions should be made by a woman, her family, and her doctor, not politicians. I urge you vote no on HB 1237 and preserve the right for a woman to make her own medical decisions without government intrusion.

Thank you and I will stand by for questions.

You may know Tiffany from this TV commercial;

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H-jFedfN760[/youtube]

South DaCola Fest #?

Been thinking about this awhile.

It’s time ladies and gents.

South DaCola fest.

Basically, this is how it goes, if you like this blog, and like to talk about local politics, and like to have an adult beverage and laugh your ass off, you are welcome.

I am planning it for some Monday night in March. It will be downtown, of course, and I have secured a private location that can accomodate several people.

Guest Speaker? Winston?

Sue Nipe appointed to the MCC Criminal Justice Planning Committee

And she wants feedback from you;

I’ve been appointed to the Minnehaha County Commission’s  Criminal Justice Planning Committee.  We haven’t been notified yet when the  meetings will start.  However, I’d appreciate any advice or suggestions  anyone has regarding how to improve things at the county level.  There was  an article in the 2/10 Argus on page 3A, “County to update juvenile detention  policies, procedures.”  Some federal consultants already did a review of  the system and presented the county with a 64-page report.  The public can  access this report at www.minnehahacounty.org, then click on  Departments, scroll down and click on Sheriff, then, on the left side under  Department Information, click on Jail and Justice System Assessment.  The  entire report isn’t available yet; the sheriff’s office is working on technical  issues as only the first page of the report shows up.
As identified in the Argus article, the committee will  carry out a comprehensive review of Minnehaha County’s corrections facilities  and future needs which is driven by several of Sheriff Mike Milstead’s goals  which include:
-ensuring the county’s regional jail is used to house  only inmates that need to be in secure detention
-replacing a two-decades-old Community Corrections  Center that is on the point of outliving its usefulness
-applying, on a widespread basis, alternatives to  incarceration such as electronic monitoring to free up jail beds for serious  offenders and to keep low-risk inmates in the community where they have a  better chance to become productive citizens.
Any feedback may be sent to me at
Sue Nipe