V1,#4. 01.2005

This email was recently forwarded to NOLAFugees.com.

WEATHER  BULLETIN

Up here in South Dakota we just recovered  from a Historic event--may I even say a "Weather Event" of "Biblical  Proportions" - with a historic ice storm and blizzard of up to 24"  inches of snow, with winds to 50 to 60MPH that broke trees in half,  snapped poles and lines, stranded hundreds of motorists in lethal  snow banks, closed all roads, isolated scores of communities and cut  power to 10's of thousands. FYI: George Bush did not come....  FEMA staged nothing.... No one howled for the government...  No one even uttered an expletive on TV... Nobody demanded $2,000  debit cards..... No one asked for a FEMA Trailer House.... No  one looted.... Phil Cantori of the Weather Channel did not come....  And Geraldo Rivera did not move in. Nope, we just melted snow  for water, sent out caravans to pluck people out of snow engulfed  cars and homes, we fired up wood stoves, broke out coal oil lanterns  or Aladdin lamps, and put on an extra layer of clothes because up  here it is 'work or die'. We did not wait for some affirmative  action government to get us out of a mess created by being  immobilized by a welfare program that trades votes for 'sittin at  
home' checks. Even though a Category "5" blizzard of this scale has  never fallen this early...we know it can happen and how to deal with  it ourselves. For those wondering why we choose to live in a state  where we can have such bad winters; We have low crime rates, great  education and only 11 people per square mile.  I am glad to  raise my children here. I am proud to be a South Dakotan! One  week later some places still don't have electricity restored!! No  FEMA there!!

Shirley Beckett
Retired teacher; avid quilter.  
Jesus IS the reason for the season!
That's why it's called  CHRISTMAS!

South Dakota, home of Mount Rushmore and the Corn Palace.
For those of our readership familiar with South Dakota, feel free to skip ahead. As for the rest of you, we've prepared a brief :
  • As of the 2000 Census, South Dakota had a population of 754,844 citizens, with a median income of $38,755, and a population density of 3.84/sq. km of mostly German stock (40.3%).
  • It has the nation's 3rd highest Native American population, among them Red Cloud, Sitting Bull, and Crazy Horse.
  • Kevin Costner's Dances With Wolves was shot entirely on location in South Dakota.
  • It is the setting of Deadwood, now a gritty Western series on HBO.
  • South Dakota is the home of Mount Rushmore, as well as the historically important Corn Palace. It is also the site of Wounded Knee.
  • It is known as "The Mount Rushmore State."
  • South Dakota's state motto: "Under God, the people rule."
Kevin Costner and Sitting Bull, two famous figures associated with South Dakota.

NOLAFugees.com attempted to respond directly to Shirley Beckett, but her email address came up false. However, we'll take this opportunity to respond in print.
Shirley,

Why you hate?

Peace,

Editors, NOLAFugees