I knew the trend toward cell phones, and away from land lines, has been taking place for years now. But I had no idea that things had become this lopsided in North Dakota. According to numbers from the Public Service Commission, over 68% of phone lines in North Dakota are cell phones: The PSC says…
Democrat Blames Oklahoma Tornado On Republicans
See, if Republicans would just buy into the political alarmism about global warming, tragedies like the one in Oklahoma wouldn’t happen: While many Americans were tuned into news coverage of the massive damage from tornadoes ravaging the state of Oklahoma, Rhode Island Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse took to the Senate floor to rail against his…
Interview: Rep. Kevin Cramer Talks Drone Privacy And Airport Security
Earlier today I wrote about comments from Rep. Kevin Cramer which were dismissive of concerns over a drone privacy bill being considered by North Dakota’s legislature. The legislation, introduced by state Rep. Rick Becker, would require that law enforcement obtain a warrant before using a drone as a part of a criminal investigations with specific…
Despite Claims That It's Anti-Law Enforcement, Drone Bill Passes ND Legislature
Rep. Rick Becker’s bill, HB1373, which would require law enforcement obtain a warrant before conducting surveillance on private citizens got a lengthy and often heated debate on the floor of the House today. At one point, Rep. Mike Nathe said that the bill is “anti-law enforcement” and “appeals to the black helicopter crowd.” “I trust…
Memo To Gas Price Conspiracy Theorists: It's The Oil Prices
Any time rising gas prices become a story, and the media loves to make it a story, the gas price conspiracy theorists come out of the closet. It’s a conspiracy, we’re told. It’s Big Oil cranking up prices to take windfall profits! You almost get the idea that gas station owners, after their secret meetings,…
House Passes Mandatory Evacuations Bill, Senate Kills Limits To State Auditors
The legislature voted today on a couple of bills I’ve written about in the past. First, the House passed HB1120 allowing the executive officer of any county or city in the state to order mandatory evacuations for up to seven days, and beyond with the approval of the city council/county commission. Currently only the governor…
Legislature Considers Bill Allowing Local Elected Officials To Order Mandatory Evacuations
In the 2011 legislative session a bill to allow mandatory evacuation orders from local officials was considered, and rejected, by the legislature because it might have let those orders be issued by bureaucrats instead of elected officials. In the current session the idea is before the legislature again, though this time it’s more clear on…
A Grand Idea For North Dakota's Legacy Fund
One of the chores North Dakota’s leaders are tasked with is what to do with the state’s Legacy Fund. Per a constitutional amendment approved by voters in 2010, since June of 2011 30% of the state’s oil/gas production/extraction taxes have been deposited in the fund. The fund’s balance has soared past $700,000,000, putting it on…