Some semi-random numbers from around South Dakota:
- 21: active eminent domain lawsuits by TransCanada against South Dakota landowners with the stubborn notion that they have a say over who uses their land. (Newspeak bonus: a Big Oil spokesman says these are more hearings on compensation than lawsuits.)
- 3: times the amount a Montana rancher originally thought was a "good price" that he now says wouldn't be worth the damage TransCanada has done to his land and livestock.
- 40,000: dollars Yankton County Commissioner Gary Moore says state government will spend on the "Capital for a Day" program.
- 0: dollars Yankton County Commissioner Gary Moore thinks should be spent on the "Capital for a Day" program.
- 205: minutes Deuel HS juniors spent cooped up taking federally mandated bubble tests instead of learning new things. (Rep. Noem, line 1.)
- 10: dollars spent in 2008 by the Alpha Center in Sioux Falls on abstinence education.
- 27,594: dollars spent in 2008 by the Alpha Center on advertising and public relations.
- 90,112: dollars spent in 2008 by the Alpha Center on office expenses and other apparent overhead.
- 43: states that produce "tax expenditure" reports (South Dakota is not one of them... but the Legislature will think about it this summer).