Friday, February 27, 2009

Have a Nice Weekend !




What Does Our Blog Have To Do With The Wizard of Oz and The Chips Ahoy Cookie Dude???
I just wanted to drop a quick post here tonight, because we've got a lot of stuff on the agenda this weekend. I have to help Bobby pack the U-Haul truck tonight, and then it's off to Summerville tomorrow, where we get to unload it all !!!! No, I'm not too excited about it, but you gotta help the friends that helped you, right?
I was watching TV in the service lounge for a minute today, and this commercial came on. I have a friend that likes the Wizard of Oz, and the commercial was pretty funny, so i thought I'd share it with all of you. Nothing like a cookie stuck in a twister, is there???
.

Ben Bernanke, You've Hit the Bigtime Now !!


Ben Gets What He's Been Praying For....
As if being named Federal Reserve Chairman wasn't satisfying enough... Dillon, SC native Ben Bernanke has had an honor bestowed upon him that few of us ever realize. What was it? Knighthood? A foundation named in his honor? Some sexual tactic that will forever be known as 'Pulling a Bernanke"? Nope. Even better - he got a highway exit ramp named after him !!
Yep, the city known for Bernanke and The Corridor of Shame will be naming Exit 190 on I-95 the Ben Bernanke Interchange. That is an honor that most people will kill for. So, when you get onto Hwy 34 from the Interstate take a look at the side of the road, and observe the memento to Dillon County's Favorite Son.
.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

This Spending Is Getting Out of Hand....

At Least It's Not a Monkey Getting Shot ....

Barack Obama introduced the broad strokes of his 2010 budget - the finer points will come in April. While some points are OK, I'm a numbers guy,and some of these numbers are freaking me out..




One number stunned the living shit out of me today, and that number is $1.75 trillion - the expected budget deficit for 2009. Last year was the highest recorded deficit in American history - $455 billion. Yes, somehow we will manage to almost QUADRUPLE the highest deficit ever. The line that almost made me laugh today was when Obama spoke of "The hard choices that lie ahead". I hate to say it, but when you rack up deficits like this, you're not making choices ot saying no to anyone. This all kind of stuns me. I thought that Obama would go easy, take all of the ramifications into consideration, and be somewhat moderate and sensible. Damn, was I wrong....




For all the people that Obama and the Democrats are trying to assist, there are very few solutions he has to pay for this.. Efficiency in medical records? Lower deductions? Less tax breaks for farmers and corporations that hire overseas? It seems that Obama's cure for the budget deficit is getting out of Iraq and to stop paying Medicare and Medicaid. I'm not sure how that works, but maybe you guys can explain it. All i know is if a doctor or hospital stops getting paid, they don't accept that patient or their provider anymore...




Now, it's not all bad. I'm okay with the tax rollbacks on high earners if it went to actually cut the deficit. And including everything in the budget is a little more transparent. If you spend the money this year, include it in the deficit. But this budget is just damn crazy. It's too much, too soon. There are way too many major problems that we are facing now to attack nationalized health care. And i am one of those who DON'T HAVE health insurance. I don't expect the government to pay for it, just like I don't expect so many other things that wreck our country.



With every social program that we add, the deeper we fall into the trap. The GOP made those mistakes with No Child Left Behind and Medicare Part D. Taxing everyone else to pay for prescriptions drug for millionaire Senior Citizens is ridiculous. Now they want to spend $63 billion a year to start to pay for health insurance. That will not cover it all, and it will get much higher, fast. $63B for 45 million uninsured is $1500 per person - who gets insurance for that little. It will be triple that almost overnight....



In the first 225 years, we as a country piled up $5.6 Trillion in debt. In the last nine years, we have accrued another $6.8 trillion. We are a nation out of control. All of the economic numbers you hear about match the recession of 1982. We got thru it with about $200 billion in budget deficits, due to a tax cut, and we recovered. This is NOT how you get thru it... Barack Obama has just made his first major misstep. Every American understands how bad a $1.75 trillion deficit is....

.

Come By My Job, And Trick Your Ride Out !


Can I PLEASE Have a Corvette That Looks Like An Aardvark ??
Yeah, the economy is a bit slow right now - even for us at the dealership. We started out February kickass, but it has slowed down the last week or two, and Rick and I are watching our incentive bonuses fly out the window this week. we've got two days to go, and it's gotten a bit desperate. So, tough times call for tough action..
Rather than just focus on the usual stuff, we decided to think outsoide the box, and come up with some inventive ideas to attract customers to the service department. So, for just the next two days, we invite you to take advantage of some cool new products for your car at Honda. Try these...
Put Some Bling In Your Steering
Yep, try our new Hope Diamond Encrusted Steering Wheel! Nevermind all the back luck that's befallen all of it's previous owners.
In The Course of Human Events
Feeling a little patriotic lately? Why not try our new Declaration of Independence Floor Mats? No kidding, I found an actual draft of one in my attic, and it's been certified authentic. Now you can use it to keep your carpets clean...
I Gotta Go NOW !!
Try our new AutoCrapper ! It's easy - we drill a hole in the drivers seat, and all the way thru the floorboard, then we install a custom pooper. Now you can go without having to even get out of your seat. For those of you who are a bit shy, may we suggest the optional window tinting.
It's Your Kids, Marty.
Holy Michael J. Fox, check out our Back to the Future upgrade.. No, it's not a time travel machine. We install a lava lamp on the console lid so it looks like a Flux Capacitor. And the Mr. Fusion? It's, actually a Food Processor welded on the trunk. But it looks SO COOL !!
Nice Rubbers
Tired of having to replace those tires every 60,000 miles? Try our new SOLID RUBBER TIRES. Sure, they had to burn 400 square miles of Brazilian rain forest to make each tire, and the ride is a little bouncy, but you'll never need tires again!
You Look SOOO Handsome
Are you a bit, uh... Homely? Try our Vanity Vanity Mirror. It magically makes you look like Brad Pitt or Megan Fox - maybe not.
Now That's a Cool TV Monitor !
Have the fact that those headrest TV monitors are so small, and you can't see them when you drive? Problem solved. We remove the rear windshield and replace it with a 62 inch plasma HDTV !! Yes, it is the perfect distraction from all the hassles of driving..
Yes It Can ..
Give the new Barack Obama Limited Edition Honda Fit a spin.. It comes with free lifetime oil 'Change' you can believe in, and free Health Care for life. Price tag? A mere $63 Billion...
Go Topless & Cheap
Have some fun in the sun with our new convertible customization! Rick and I will whip out the Blow Torch, and have that roof off lickety split! One small problem - you can't drive in the rain EVER AGAIN..
I Call It The Earl Capps
We gut the trunk, install two kegs, with hose lines that go straight to your dash - instant Beer Taps at your disposal. Note: Not authorized by any State, Federal or Local Law Enforcement agency.
That'll Teach Em
Sick of car thieves breaking into your ride. Embarass the shit out of them... If broken into, our theft deterrent system displays a giant hologram of two guys kissing, and it plays a man's voice shouting "Help, My Boyfriend Is Breaking Into My Car." Note: Does not work on female car thieves..
Yeah, it was a slow day today....The sale ends Saturday at 100PM
.

No Good Deed Goes Unpunished.


Bus Driver Saves Three People, Gets Ticketed For It..
Yeah, I found another one of THOSE stories.. This one comes from Denver, Colorado. Jim Moffett is a city bus driver in Denver, and last Friday, he working in town during a snowstorm, when luck struck him - Bad Luck.
Moffett and a passenger on the bus stopped to escort a pair of elderly ladies across the snow covered street, when suddenly, a pickup truck bolted past the parked bus, and was heading for the ladies in the street. Moffett quickly acted, and pushed the ladies and the other passenger out of the way. Unfortunately, he was hit by the pickup, and he suffered bleeding in the brain, broken bones, a dislocated shoulder, and a possible ruptured spleen. Although he is expected to recover, he is currently is serious but stable condition.
That's not the punch line here. A State Trooper responding to the accident cited almost everyone involved, including Moffett. The pickup driver got tickets for careless driving leading to injury, while Moffett and the other man were cited for jaywalking. The two elderly women have not been cited yet, but the investigation continues...
According to Moffett's stepson, he is not at all pleased with being give the citation. "His reaction was dazed and confused. I was a little angry." No shit. I imagine that, being a city employee, his hospital bills would be covered, but who knows. The guy deserves a telethon....
.

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

A Democrat Governor Turns Down Stimulus $$ ?


You know, we bloggers really like the salmon that swim upstream. P-Luv wrote about the GOP governor of Utah rebelling (or is is telling the truth?) against his party.. Meanwhile , we'd like to introduce you to Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen..

Bredesen is a Democrat, and he may be the only one in his party to take a bit of a stand in some less sensible areas of the economic stimulus plan. Now, don't give Ol' Phil too much credit. His state will be getting about $4.3 Billion from the stimulus plan, but he is the only Democrat to possibly turn down the $141 million to expand it's unemployment benefits program.

What is the big deal about taking money for unemployment? Well, upon taking that cash, the Feds are telling the states that they have to give benefits to people that currently do not qualify for benefits, including part time employees. What's the problem? Well, when do the states get to stop giving these benefits? When the cash runs out? EVER ???

The big problem that Bredesen, along with about five other Republican governors who think on ocassion, are faced with taking on a permanent problem with temporary money. They might take the short term cash supplied by the Feds, then be left out in the cold, with a huge obligation not created by them. Remember No Child Left Behind ? There is nothing worse than a program created by Washington with nothing to support it.

That is the problem with this part of the stimulus. If we were able to examine other parts of it, I'm sure there would be other problems, but there are 535 people in DC who owe someone somewhere something - somehow.

.


What a Day! The Sun Is Shining, The Birds Are Singing... And Megan Fox Is Back On The Market !!



Damn, that girl is HOT !!! Yeah, I'm walking with an extra spring in my step today. Yep, the news broke that Megan Fox, AKA The Hottest Woman on Planet On Earth, has broken off her engagement from 90210 star Brian Austin Green. Awwww - poor B.A.G. !! He's had his share of hotties, so we're feeling too sorry for him today.

I'll be taking a quick trip to LA now, and see if she has any plans this weekend. If not, I'll be dragging her off to Chucktown this weekend, so she an help me move Bobby's crap. The more, the merrier, right? Hey, a guy can dream for a second.. Okay, dream's over, back to work.

.

Monday, February 23, 2009

The Good News and The Bad News..

Yes, 2009 Is Gonna Suck, But.....

Here's some good advice. Just listen to us here at SC6, because we apparently know more than some of the leading economists in the country. When the election took place, the majority of the top economists felt that 2009 would actually be a growing year for GDP. What gave them that idea in the first place is beyond me, but they did.

Luckily, you guys are smarter than the norm anyway. For starters, you read this blog, right? We don't blow smoke up your ass, especially when it comes to the economy. So, when we told you last fall that early 2009 would be the very bottom, and it would pick up later in the year, and 2010 would be better, we were right, and they weren't. Now they're all adjusting their forecasts to pretty much what we said then.

So, here is the poop for 2009, in case you missed it. The first half of the year is going to suck, but not for much longer. These things take 12-18 months, and we're in month 14 now, whether you knew it or not. Just about everyone that was going to get laid off has been. Unemployment will peak at about 8.3% nationally. Not good, but it's been worse. We just didn't feel the need to spend a couple trillion to fix it.

Summer will come, we will have saved a couple of bucks by then, and some of that stimulus will have kicked in a bit by then. Slowly, surely, it will turn around. For those of you who still do have a couple of bucks saved up, give the stock market about another month or so, then get in. Want a good hometown stock to choose? Try Nucor Steel. All of these projects need steel to do it, and Nucor is only about $33 a share right now. This isn't just a pick of mine - all of the FOX Business Guys, conservative and liberal, like it.

So, why do I seem to be better at forecasting this than the 'experts'. I have a degree that I never get to use. My brother has a girlfriend who's a analyst w/ Morgan Stanley. What does she have, aside from a hot body? A degree in FUCKING ART !! That's why. Trust me, not a suit.

.

Done Before You've Even Started...



'Tis Better to Have Loved and Lost Than Never to Have Loved At All" is how the saying goes. How true. Or in the case of Brian Mandeville, 'Tis Better to Have Tried Out and Be Cut Than Never To Have Tried at All".

Mandeville was a Tight End for Northeastern University in Boston - not exactly a football haven. He finished his collegiate career this year, having a solid, if unspectacular career. However, he did do well enough to have been invited to the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis - the most important test for any NFL rookie.

He spent all Spring training and working out, and came to the combine this week ready to show his stuff. But before he even hit the field, his career was over. Mandeville took a physical, and it exposed a faulty heart valve. While not life threatening, the doctors have told him that an NFL career is over. Now, he will nevr know how he would have done at the combine, where or if he would be drafted, or if he would have made the NFL. Big if's for any rookie...

We all have 'what if's' in our lives. I wonder how I would have done if I played football in high school - and how quickly I would have broken a leg. What if I went to another college and gone to accounting school. What if I had waited and asked Carol out in '95? Brian Mandeville now has his, but the big part is getting over them and moving on. That's all you can do.

.

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Who Makes SC's Mount Rushmore ?

Yeah, It's In S. Dakota.... But If It Were Here..

I'm going to call my shot early on this one... I think I've hit gold today! Here I am, watching ESPN like I normally do in the late AM on Sunday, and there it is.. They've had a reccuring spot for President's Day, called 'Who Makes Sports Mt. Rushmore?' Or something like that. They've been going state-to-state, picking the 4 top athletes for each one. My one criticism of it is that the criteria is too vague. Wille Mays makes Mt. Rushmore for Alabama because he played in Birmingham in the Negro Leagues? Nah...

The thought came to me. Why not have a Mt. Rushmore, or maybe more appropriately, Mt. Croghan...or Mt. Pleasant. But, if we did have a Mt. Rushmore, which 4 South Carolinians would make it? We're going to leave it wide open here - polticians, musicians, actors, scientists, media stars - whatever. We only have one rule: the person has to have been born in the Palmetto State. Why? Becuase we all know, if you ain't born here, you ain't OF here. That of course, leaves me out of the running, as well as Pat Conroy - he was born in Atlanta.

Since I am not eligible, far be it from me to suggest who should be on here. How convenient.. Actually, i just don't feel like hearing the criticism of my choices. For you, it might be Strom Thurmond, John C. Calhoun, John Lynch and James Bonham? No, not the guy from Led Zeppelin. For others, you may go with James Brown, Darius Rucker, Edwin McCain and Jesse Jackson. Some might find room for - GULP!! Jim, uhhh.. Clyburn, but we're confident that you'll find 4 others.

Luckily, we found a pretty comprehensive list to choose from, and he's not on it. Thanks to the SC Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism for compiling this. Just click onto the link, pick four, and let us know which four you'd put on your SC Mount Rushmore !!!

http://www.scprt.com/facts-figures/helpwithhomework/famoussouthcarolinians.aspx

.

A Case For Rugged Individualism...

Forget The Tax Cut.... Go Help Yourself , and Save the Next Generation.

One of my political heroes was fellow Long Islander Teddy Roosevelt. He was tough, brash, and he looked out for the little guy without wrecking the economy. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I'm pretty sure that TR coined the term 'Rugged Individualism'. It's a cornerstone of what a lot of Republicans believe in - that for many things, you can help yourself better than the government can. I'm going to use this theory in a bit of a backwards way, and some Republicans will probably disagree with me. Tax Cuts.

With the new economic stimulus bill passed - it seems to be all we talk about here - the Obama Administration has ordered the Treasury Department to reduce their withholding taxes on Americans' income taxes. Starting April 1st, the average American will have $13 more per week in their paycheck. I'm right at that average wage, so I should be excited to get that extra $13, right? Nope. Why? Because I know that by taking it, I am doing my part to bankrupt the future of America.

Will $13 a week make a big difference in my life? Hell no. But, more importantly than that, I can do more on my own to put $13 a week in my wallet. Shit, I've already done it, and it's worked. Remember last year? I wrote a blog post where I listed about a dozen different moves I took to cut about $200 a month off of my bills. Anyone can do this, without altering your life. Just look around, and you'll find plenty...

Here's my suggestion for you to save America: Don't take the $13. Tell your HR administrator to up your Federal tax rate by $13 for as long as it lasts. You'll end up getting that $13 back when you file for 2009, except that it will be in a nice lump sum , instead of you pissing it away on gum or cigarettes. Your check will not change. They have that cash a bit longer to pay off the interest on the debt before they give it back to you.

But what if you still need the cash? Here's an easy suggestion - bring your lunch to work. I do,and I have for years. My sandwich, two sodas and the Little Debbie for the sugar rush costs about $1.50 a day. Buy it out of the vending machine, and going out will cost about $7 a day, which saves about double what the Federal Goverment is spending with the Tax Cut. It's that easy.

Is Rugged Individualism the answer to all our problems? Hell no. I can't build roads and bridges, I can't test power plants for unsafe work conditions, and you sure don't want me protecting the country from invaders. But, I can do my little part to fix the economy, without help from the government. Remember , I was there. I lost my job for 5 1/2 months with NO unemployment and next to nothing in the bank. How? I juggled, I got private help, and I had a mortgage on a non-extravagant home with a mortgage that i could afford at a fixed rate.

So, do I sound backwards being a Republican that isn't asking for a tax cut? Maybe. But if, i don't need it, I'll give it back at my discretion and collect it later. I just don't like the idea of digging the hole even deeper. Yeah, spending needs to be cut in DC, but that's for another post...

.

For Some People, You Can't Go Too Far Left...


Well, I don't suppose Hillary Clinton is going to get any free tickets to see Rage Against the Machine or The Beastie Boys anytime soon. Could it be that I'm about to write a post that supports Hillary? Maybe.....
Maybe you missed it, but Hillary Clinton is taking her first overseas trip this week to Asia. The past couple days, she has been in China. Now, we all know dealing with China sucks. Their human rights record is atrocious, they cheat on their trade policy, and someday, they will own ALL of our debt , and they will call it in, and ruin us financially. The are the rude, smelly uncle that you can't stand - but they ARE family, and you need to talk to them on holidays.
However, single issue (and extremely liberal) groups like Amnesty International and Students For a Free Tibet don't look at things that way. With Barack Obama's election, they saw this as a real opportunity for the US to take a hard turn to the left on social issues like human rights. Their vision was a bit faulty there.. For those leftist richie kids that largely make up AI and SFFT, I have a message for you - IT'S THE ECONOMY, STUPID ....
Rarely do I say that Hillary Clinton is right, but she is here. Dealing with China is like holding a wolf by the ears..... You don't like it, but you don't let go. At an economically sensitive time like this, you don't attack the only financially stable country in the world as your opening comment for human rights violations. We have to work with China, like it or not, and secondary issues like human rights - or abortion and other non-economic issues - are of little importance right now.
China was scared shitless when Barack Obama won in November. They got used to George W. Bush, who seemed to have alot of fun in Beijing at the Olympics. Obama and Clinton know this, so the first step is to overcome the doubt, get the US back on good economic ground, then put the screws on China's record on human rights and the environment. Mark it down, because i'm gonna say it. Clinton was right.
.

Saturday, February 21, 2009

Finally, Having Fun With The 2nd Amendment...

Every Woman Loves a Big Gun Between Her Legs.....

No, that's not the fun we're talking baout here - but a hot chick does help get your focus on the post doesn't it? Marketing 101, Baby! Grab the reader's attention.

Anyway, the right to bear arms is always one of those issues that no one ever seems to agree on. Both sides are very strict about their beliefs on the subject, and they get very angry with those who disagree with them. I don't own a gun, but I do believe in the second amendment. There are people much moe liberal than me who do own guns. So, shouldn't there be a bit of common ground here? It seems to me that we could have just a little fun at the expense of those guys who get all ape shit over the issue....

I think i found it. I was driving home from work today, and I pulled up behind a truck for a business called Paladin Training. Their job is basically to train people on the proper use of of handguns and firearms. Yes, it too is a serious subject. Chances are that you will shoot yourself or a loved one by accident, rather than an intruder if you aren't properly trained in the handling of a gun. But, their motto made me laugh....

"Because saying you're Armed because you own a Gun, is like saying you're a Musician because you own a Piano."

Damn, how true! Especially being an amateur musician. It's kinda like calling yourself a politician because you ran for office twice - or calling yourself a writer because you have a blog! ;)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJsOZ7E7ddE&feature=related

.

The White House Gets Pissed at The Media.

Bob Gibbs Loses His Temper With a CNBC Reporter.

You see, if you look hard enough , you can find things in common between the Obama and Bush Administrations. Here's one: They don't like being criticized. Ask White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs...

I'll admit, even though Dana Purr-ino was more interesting to look at during the press briefings, Gibbs is much better than Scott McClellan. Where McClellan had a constant deer in the headlights look of battle fatigue, Gibbs sticks to his boyish grin and focused bullet points. But, even Gibbs can lose it at times....

After Barack Obama unleashed his Housing Plan, there was a cetain amount of backlash. Like many people, CNBC business reporter Rick Santelli, believes that there are flaws in the plan, and that taxpayers who didn't overextend themselves have to foot the bill for those that lacked control of thier finances. Santelli called it 'rewarding bad behavior'. Gibbs fumed over it.

Gibbs, who was visibly pissed, shot back "We left the adage that if it's good enough for a derivatives trader, that it was good for Main Street back a few months ago. I'm not entirely sure where Mr. Santelli lives, or in what house he lives, but the American people are struggling evryday to meet their mortgage, stay in their jobs, pay their bills, to send their kids to school, and hope that they don't get sick or that somebody they care for gets sick and sends them into bankruptcy."




Wow. No doubt that Gibbs got a bit off track with the comment here. It's kind of like asking why I forgot to take out the trash, and I go into a diatribe about forgetting about it, I'm busy at work, I have more important things to do, I hate garbage anyway because all government agencies are evil, the world is a terrible place, and Britney Spears music absolutely sucks, so why throw the trash out? Focus, man. FOCUS !!!!!!

Gibbs wasn't quite done yet. He later showed a copy held up a copy of the plan to the press, and said " The plan is available on the White House website, and I would encourage him to do the following: download it, hit print, and begin to read it. I'd be more than happy to have him come here and read it to him. I'd be glad to buy him a cup of coffee - Decaf !!" Nice save, Robert. Always leave 'em laughing...

.

SC6 Remembers Socks the Cat..

The Clinton's White House Cat Is Dead at Age 20.

Socks the Cat, the feline who came from a poor upbringing to become the official White House cat during the Clinton Administration, has passed away at age 20. No word yet if Hillary Clinton will cut her Asian trip short to attend the funeral...

Socks was picked out by Chelsea Clinton from a DC area animal shelter, and served as First Cat until the Clinton's left the White House in 2001. It's at this point that Socks' fate gets a bit strange. Even though the Clintons kept Buddy the Dog, they gave away Socks. Who got Socks? None other than Betty Currie - Clinton's secretary and the lady who turned her head everytime Monica Lewinsky came to visit.....

According to the Clintons, Currie begged them to give her Socks, and they felt that Socks would be too difficult to take care of. Let me see, cats pretty much stay away from people, and pee in a litter box,while dogs need attention 24/7, and have to be walked to take care of business. Sounds like the Clintons were NOT Cat People.

But Socks is gone now. He served his post with dignity and honor, and now, he's running around the yard, chasing that great big catnip bag in the sky...

.

Friday, February 20, 2009

What Happened Today? Nothing.. So, Today Only, SC6 Let's YOU Make the News ..




This may be the first time in the 3 1/2 years and near 1850 blog posts that this has happened. Now, there are some days where I don't get the chance to even look up any info to blog about. But, this was the first time I ever got the chance to look up stuff - and not find ANYTHING worth blogging about.

I know, I know - we set the bar pretty high here at SC6, and a post about today's economic indicators , or the upcoming Oscars just don't cut it here.. So, instead, we're turning the blog over to YOU for a day....

Just dump us your own personally blog post in the comments. Surely you guy have had soemthing go on that you'd like to chat about. I certainly did my best to dredge up something interesting, but I failed. Maybe you can do better.. In the meantime, here's a video about nothing. Sort of...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uvry0GTkwSc&feature=related

Thursday, February 19, 2009

First Step, Pass The Stimulus. Step Two, Leave the Country As Soon As Possible !



Obama Meets Canadian Ambassador McKenzie and His Brother...
After a rough and tumble first month in Washington, the Democrats were able to finally pass the Economic Stmulus package, and Barack Obama has announced his plan to assist citizens who have made bad deals on their mortgages. Neither plan is a sure fire cure, and the static put on Obama and the Democrats by Republicans, angry voters and the media has certainly gotten hotter. So what does one do when the heat goes up in Washington? You get out of the country !!!!!!
Maybe it was me, but I swear I heard Alice Cooper's "School's Out" when they dismissed Congress last week. Seriously, as soon as they passed the bill, everyone bolted for the Four Corners of the Planet. Obama went straight to Canada - in February !!! Hillary Clinton got on a plane to Asia, and Nancy Pelosi hit the road for Europe. Word is, Jim Clyburn also went to a foreign land to hi m as well - that faraway land called the 6th Congressional District of South Carolina..... Welcome Home, Jim! Just pop that old address in the Tom-Tom, and you'll make it back to your house in Santee...
.

Fact Vs. Fiction - Titslinger Vs. Crapper !!





Two Great Inventions, But Only One Real Inventor...........

Urban Myths. We all know some, but which ones are true, and which stories that we accept as fact are false? I was having another one of my juvenile conversations at work with Rick, and he asked me he inventor of the toilet's name. Of course I knew the answer: Thomas Crapper. So, trying to capitalize on my looking smart, I replied 'Do you know the name of the inventor of the Bra?' I had always heard that it was Otto Titslinger. But........

Now, Rick thought I was kidding about Titslinger. So, I did what every American does nowadays - I Googled it. Sure enough , there were plenty of articles on Titslinger and Crapper, and it's through the magic of the Internet that I now know, and I can enlighten you all too. That is what this blog is all about after all..

First off, Titslinger did not invent the bra. He was a character created by humorist Wallace Reyburn in a book 'Bust Up: The Uplifting Tale of Otto Titzling'. Titslinger was one of many variations through the passing of the story.

Crapper is a different story altogether. Yes, Crapper was real. Crapper worked for years as a plumber. But, Crapper did NOT invent the flushable toilet. That was credited to Edward Jennings at about the same time as Crapper. However, Crapper did make many improvements to the toilet, including one that is still used today - The Ballcock. This guy really had no luck with names, but when yuor name is Crapper..... Why do I have the urge to poop now?? CRAPPER !!!!!

So, be advised that not everything you hear is true, although I'm still positive that the first guy to leave marks on a woman's neck was named Hickey... Need the facts? Just Google it.

.

Myrtle Beach Tries To Scam The Pee Dee's Stimulus Money...


Ya know, we's here in the old Pee Dee isn't very smart.. We is dumb, we is ignorant, we is illiterate, and we is.......uh, dumb. Luckily, we's here in Flotown, Sumter, Orangeburg, Walterboro and the rests of the 6th Congreeeeesional here District has our more smarter friends in Charleston, Columbia, and Myrtle Beach to tell what to do that's is bests for us all dummies...
OK, I'll stop this , lest anyone thinks I really talk that way. Now that the stimulus plan has been passed, the mad rush for everyone to get their chunk o' change has begun. And the bullshitting has started early. From news reports that I've heard, South Carolina is expected to get about $150 million in infrastructure aid - yeah, it's not much considering how much some other states are getting. Is it because SC is a Republican stronghold? Probably. It's all our fault, and maybe we'll get it right for the next economic disaster...
We'll here is the scam. SCDOT Board member Danny Alford, has hatched his own scheme to suck the Pee Dee's money, and use it to benefit Myrtle Beach. Alford is the owner of A&I Fire and Restoration. You might remember them for their stupid commercials , where customers make them sound like miracle workers. C'mon guys, somehting catches on fire, you guys clean it up. Anyway, Alford's plan would take the $150 million, and split it up evenly among the 6 congressional districts - fair enough so far, $25 million apiece. Then , the 6th District and 1st District would POOL their money together, and use it to continue work on I-73. Hoe stupid does Alford think we are.
Yeah, Marion County is in the 6th district, but it is the least populated county in the district, and the section of I-73 that goes through the district is in the northenmost area of the county, in an area that is best described as extremely rural. The other 200 mile by 120 mile area of the 6th District would basically be ignored. Nevermind that I-73 is not needed in our area - it's all just empty area on the way to Myrtle Beach.
Under Alford's plan, projects that might actually benefit more than 12 residents would be ignored, and all of our cash would be given away to the Beach. What else is new? We set up infrastructure banks that take funds from the poorer counties, and give it to Charleston , Horry and York Counties (and Florence once). This is no different. But, we's is too stoopid to knows - isn't we's?
.

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

So, Was It a Standard Or Atomic Wedgie ?

YOWWEEEE !!!! That's Gotta Hurt .

Yvonne Morris may live in the land of the peaceloving Mormons, but don't mess with her. The Salt Lake City resident is a real badass!! Ask the guy she recently apprehended by herself.

Morris , a technician at Brickyard Animal Hospital, went out to the employee parking lot, when she noticed someone breaking into a co-worker's car. She went after him, and twice he was able to break away. But not the third time....

What worked on try number three? She reached out, and she happened to grab him by his boxer shorts - and if you got 'em by the drawers, YOU PULL !!!! Yep, the wedgie pretty much was able to disable him enough that she then put him a headlock , and keep him at bay for good until the cops got there.. The man is now booked on charges of vehicle burglary, possession of stolen property, and other outstanding warrants.

FEAR the POWER of the WEDGIE !!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfEb2FrIBq0

.

Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Next Time Lady, Do the Math Before You Try To Pull a Hoax On Everyone..

Lady Swims Across the Atlantic - NOT !!

You know, the press can be reallt gullible and stupid sometimes. Take the case of Jennifer Figge.. The 5 year old woman was attempting to swim across the Atlantic Ocean. Actually, even that wasn't true - she was going from the Cape Verde Islands to Trinidad, an estimated 2400 miles, but still 500 miles shorter than actually going from Europe to America.

How do you swim 2400 miles? Well, you swim during the day, and you sleep in the boat at night. Figge reportedly swam anywhere from 21 minutes in a day to 8 hours, but lo and behold, there she was in Trinidad 25 days later, claiming she did the entire trip. The media was all over it, hailing the first woman to swim the Atlantic. Then someone got out a calculator...

To swim 100 miles a day as she claimed, she would have had to swim at a rate of 12 mph for the full 8 hours a day. To get the equivalent of that, go outside, and run as fast as you can, and you'll do 12 mph. That's running, swimming 12 mph is nearly impossible. In fact, if Michael Phelps swam his fastest world record pace 24 hours a day, 7 days a week without EVER stopping, it would take him 20 days to swim the distance. Even if he wasn't high....Figge is NOT Michael Phelps...

Someone finally got out that calculator, and Figge was busted. When asked, Figge admitted that she didn't swim the 2400 miles (she estimated she did 250 miles), and that she never 'intended to swim the Atlantic'. Uh, what was the intention then? My guess is that her intention was to short time her way to stardom. It reminds me of Rosie Ruiz. Ruiz was a lady who never ran a marathon in under 3 hours, then suddenly, she won the NYC Marathon in about 2:20. It turns out that she grabbed a cab to an area about 4 miles from the finish line, then got on the track and won. Nice....

So, is Figge's fame shot to hell? Nah....She'll just write a book about it.

.

San Fran Nan Better Be Ready For a Big Catholic, Ruler-Bustin' Ass Whippin'..

See, She IS From Another Planet... The Planet Liberalus Majorus .

A few months ago, we had a post we talke about Nancy Pelosi getting flack from her hometown Catholic Archbishop for her beliefs on Abortion. Well, the heat on Nanner is gonna get even hotter soon...

Word via the Catholic News Agency is that Pelosi has been requested an audience to 'discuss' the Church's stance on denying communion to Catholics who support Abortion. The meeting is not with a bunch of low level Cardinals, but with Pope Benedict XVI himself. By 'discuss', we're pretty certain that it will be a one-way chewing out of Pelosi's surgically enhanced butt.. If Pelosi thinks she can go in there and make headway with the Catholic Church, she's living in Fantasyland..

Look, I understand the rift between the Catholic Church and some of it's more moderate members. I used to refer to myself as 'The World's Worst Catholic', and not all of my beliefs fit in line with The Vatican. But, I don't thumb my nose at the church, and try to split hairs to make political points with The Pope. She'll find out how serious they can be when they sit down tomorrow.

Nancy won't need any plastic surgery anytime soon, because Poppa Ben's gonna chew off about 50 pounds from her ass tomorrow. He'll need a lot of sourdough bread to make sandwiches out of that flabby, old, chunky, decrepit, smelly, cheesy, mushy, ancient.....I'm getting sick.

.

Monday, February 16, 2009

Happy President's Day, Even to the Crappy Ones !

What Does C-SPAN Have Against William Henry Harrison ??

It's been an event filled weekend, hasn't it? Friday the 13th, Valentine's Day, The Daytona 500, NBA AllStar Game,and today, it's President's Day. Thank God,, there is nothing happening tomorrow. Truth be known, I forgot it was a holiday until I drove past Delmae Elementary, and no one was there.

With the holiday, C-SPAN took a survey of historians, to rank the Best and Worst Presidents of the first 43 who served. Was it all an attempt to say just how bad they thought George W. Bush was? Maybe. But as the years go on, a President can go up and down. Bill Clinton jumped up from #22 to #15. For your information, Dubya was ranked #36 on the list. The Ten Worst were James Buchanan, Andrew Johnson, Franklin Pierce, William Henry Harrison, Warren Harding, Millard Fillmore, Bush, John Tyler, Herbert Hoover and Rutherford B. Hayes.

Number One was, of course, Abraham Lincoln, follwed by George Washington, Franklin and Teddy Roosevelt, Harry Truman, John Kennedy, Thomas Jefferson, Dwight Eisenhower, Woodrow Wilson, and Ronald Reagan. This is the usual list. The worst list seems a bit tough, particularly Harrison. The guy only served 9 days and died - how bad of a job could they guy have done, aside from dying, and picking Tyler as his Veep?

Of course, the big question is where will Barack Obama fit in on this list? Judging by the best and worst, there is a good chance that Obama could wind up like lIncoln sandwiched in between the crappy Buchanan and Johnson. Or he could be Tyler.. I don't see a lot of middle ground on his administration. He will either be a Top Five or a Bottom Five.

.

Sunday, February 15, 2009

SC6 Makes It's Pick For SCGOP Chair..

We're Endorsing Kevin Hall... So Is His Daughter.

With SCGOP Chairman Katon Dawson's decision to not run for another term, which we viewed as a good thing, the jockeying has begun to replace Dawson. By a good thing, we just feel that no one in politics should hold any office for too long. Nothing against Katon - we've had our disagreements, but every decision he's made has been with what's best for the party in mind..

It looks like there will be three candidates to vie for Dawson's gig: Former State Education candidate Karen Floyd, Spartanburg County GOP Chair Rick Beltram, and Columbia Attorney Kevin Hall. There have been whispers of an elected official in Columbia running as well. My advice to that person is this: you have another job, not to mention whatever else you do for a living - don't try to put too much on your plate.

So, who are we going with? We're picking Kevin Hall.. Why? Mainly, i appreciate Kevin's efforts for working in the smaller GOP events, not just stuff where he is running for office or trying to promote himself. He's a 6th District guy, and at last year's convention, he was working the front desk, registering the delegates - quite a thankless job for a guy who was rumored even then to be taking over the state chair's job. He's also done a lot of pro-bono work for conservative causes that he believes in, and to defend victims of violent crime. The only issue that concerned me a bit was his ability to raise funds for the party, but with the endorsements of both US Senators Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint, that should take care of itself.

And what about Hall's competition? I'll try to invoke Ronald Reagan's 11th commandment (Thou Shalt Not Speak Badly of Other Republicans).. I like Karen Floyd. I worked with her, I met her probably a dozen times on the campaign trail in 2005-06, and I consider her to be a friend. But, I haven't seen her doing much work with the inner dealings of the party. There has been no indication that this is the job she wanted, so i have some doubts of how dedicated she would be at doing this job. She got a glittering endorsement from RNC National Committeeman Glenn McCall, but I have some questions if the GOP is triangulating it's way into looking like the Democrats. I appreciate McCall's efforts, and I did vote for him last year, but I respectfully disagree.

I've never met Rick Beltram, or at least sat down with him. He has done a great job in motivating the GOP in the Upstate, and his work as County Chair does make him more qualified than some, but I have some very good friends in politics that do not like him, or the way he promotes himself. There is one point where I did make up my mind about him. At last year's Presidential Straw Poll on Fox, I think Beltram came off as too combative, and he his communication skills were terrible. Not as bad as mine, but Hall has it all over him in those regards. A messenger who can't clearly define and communicate the message is lost. We will need that badly in 2010, and Hall is the guy for the job....

.

Boogity, Boogity, Boogity !!!

Of Course, It's the 51st Daytona 500.....

Lots of stuff going on this weekend... Today is the Daytona 500 ! In fact, it just started. 43 guys trying to avoid The Big One, and win the second best race in NASCAR. My pick for today? Toyota wins it's first 500 from the guy running form the Number Six spot - #83, and fellow Trinity High grad, Brian Vickers.

GO BULLDOGS !!!!

.

This Is A Story You HAVE To Read...


Swimming Your Husband To Death?... But Wait , There's More...
OK, you fell for the advertising.... Time for one of those headscratcher of a blog posts that only seem to make it on SC6. A 41 year old Ohio woman pleaded gulity this week to reckless homicide in the death of her 73 year old husband back in June. How did she do it? By exercising him to death...I shit you not.
Yep. A videotape of the incident was there (????), and it showed that the wife pulled him along the pool by his arms and legs, and in 43 different instances, kept him from getting out of the pool, until he finally had a heart attack and died. Authorities investigated the wife, after there had been numerous reports of abuse of the husband. Strange yes, but strange doesn't begin to describe this couple.....
The wife, Christine Newton-John, used to be a man. I shit you not.. Her name used to be John Vallandingham, but he had gender reassignment surgery back in 1993, and changed her name. No doubt Olivia Newton-John has no idea of this... But Mason was a longtime family friend, and was well aware of Newton-John's formerly being a man before marrying her in 2006.
No doubt after hearing about the numerous cases of abuse, and the two being married less than two years, that Newton-John had a plan all along to marry and kill off Mason. The tidbit of odd to this kooky story? Newton-John will serve no more than five years for the offense.....
.

Here's An Infrastructure Upgrade That They Forgot


Does This Look Like 21st Century Technology to You?
Barack Obama himself said that the Economic Stimulus bill wasn't perfect. But like anything, when you get in a rush to push through legislation, and you don't include all voices to put their two cents in, you miss stuff. So, while the new bill has a lot of pork and upgrading every Federal office building, here's an idea that they didn't think of - one that probably could have saved lives this week.
Now, I can't take credit for this. I don't have time to read every page of every bill, but other people do. From all places, I saw this on Fox News Business yesterday morning. They had a very good suggestion - why not use some of this stimulus to upgrade the nation's air traffic control radar system from SONAR to GPS. In case you didn't know it, the system still runs on SONAR technology. Yes, the little Tom-Tom unit on your dashboard is more advanced than the 70's era technology that the FAA uses. Fox Business can't ever find a topic that at least two of them disagree on, but this was the one - every panelist said goin go GPS was a winner...
There would be both safety and economic benefits from it. First the safety aspects. We all heard about the plane crash outside of Buffalo this week. It appears that the plane suddenly went out of control due to ice buildup, probably on the lift or rudders, which control the direction the plane goes. Almost all planes have to wait in line before they can make approach to land. That is when the ice builds up on the wings. GPS would allow the planes to be packed in half the distance from each other, thus leaving them in limbo for half the time, and making holding patterns safer...
Hey, guess what? It also saves money! Planes that fly shorter trips use less gas, and that saves the airlines money in their biggest expenditure. We've bailed out the airlines before, so making infrastructure improvements that will make them more profitable as well sounds like a winner.
How much would all this cost? I have no idea, but I'm sure it's in the billions. Still, when you consider the necessity of upgrading it, and the benefits overall, I think that DC would agree. But maybe they didn't think of it, or they just ignored it. I hope Nancy Pelosi thinks about that the next time she's on a plane. Hopefully, she won't have this guy manning the radar for her. Click on it, and forward it to about 2:15 into the clip.....
.

Saturday, February 14, 2009

Can We Open First, Then Wreck the Building ?

Our Custom Stucco Job, Courtesy of Hole-In-The-Wall Construction .



After about 10 months of work, the renovations here at Cale Yarborough Honda are just about done. They're blacktopping the parking lot this weekend, so my knees and ankles might heal now, and I won't have to polish the dust off my shoes every five minutes. Of course, my service drive isn't done yet - we're always last.




However, we did get one custom renovation to the side of the Express Lube area for free - a nice hole in the stucco wall !! No one really seemed to take responsibility for it. Not that it really matters - just fix the damn thing! But undaunted, the CSI Cale Yarborough Honda crew got on the job, and uncovered this hard evidence......




A-ha !! Damage and fresh stucco residue on the back of one of the steamrollers. Case closed - Book him, Danno !!!!









.


Happy Valentine's Day...





I meant to get this out a little earlier today, but my laptop wasn't agreeable. I thought my Lithium battery finally peetered out, but it turns out that it was just the charger cable coming loose. Luckily, i didn't spend $150 at Batteries Plus before I figured this out....Anyway...




Once again, it's Valentine's Day - the one day when you remind the one you love how much you love them - by giving them flowers, chocolates, and take them out to dinner... In return, if you are lucky, you get sex. That's the only reason guys take part in this. Don't blame me if you don't like it - I saw the statistics on Dr. Phil yesterday...




Yeah, it's another Valentine's Day, and I'm still single, but I'm not as angry as it might sound... Last year was pretty rough. Being broke makes it hard to date or show anyone that you care about them. This year's been easier.. Truth be known, I'm one of the most tenderhearted guys you may ever run into. But compared to some, i've got work to do...




I got this months ago from Bobby, and I hadn't put it on my blog, because there wasn't a very appropriate time to use it. Except maybe for Valentine's Day. It's a few pictures of a pair of birds , taken by a photographer in the Ukraine....






The male bird has discovered that his mate has been mortally injured. He goes and attends to her and feeds her...













He comes back again and sees that she has died. He shakes her, and tries to help her...








Finally, he cries out and grieves over his loss....


The final line of this is what got me the most, and it probably best describes why I don't try to date women that I'm not really interested in.. "Love isn't finding someone to live with .... It's finding someone you can't live without."
.

Friday, February 13, 2009

How a Car Bumper Can Explain Last November Better Than I Can...


As smart as I might be - or not be . As good as I usually am at explaining voting tendencies and reading the pulse of people, there are things out there that can show it an explain it better - without saying a word....
This is a bumper of a car of one of my customers. Honda people generally are a bit more green and liberal than most people, so i do see my share of white Democrats with Barack Obama bumper stickers on their cars. But this one is a bit different....
Look to the left. That is a Kenney Boone sticker. Yep, the guy who I compared to Chuck Norris endlessly last Fall got a vote from a guy who then went and voted for Obama. Trust me, I know Kenney Boone pretty well, and he is slightly to the right of Barack Obama. But not to this guy.
What simple knowledge can we draw from this guy's bumper? That the days of straight line party voting may be coming to a close. Blacks voting for Republicans, NRA Rednecks voting for Democrats. White businesspeople electing a black amn President. It all happened this year, and therfore, it will likely happen again. With most things, tendencies and values change. Sometimes they go left and right. Other times, they just go forward and back - and that is better than left or right.
All a politician like myself ever asked was to get a fair shot at voters to listen to them. I didn't very much, although I did get higher than any GOP candidate in Florence County in 2006. The times, they are a-changing !!!
.

It's Friday the 13th - And Again, And Again...


I'm sure if you know this, but 2009 will not one, not two, but THREE Friday the 13th's !! This year IS damned !!! Today is the first, and sinc eit is not a leap year, March will be as well. Then again in November, Friday the 13th comes one last time...
While most of spend the day avoiding black cats, breaking glass, walking under ladders and being slaughtered at Summer Camp by Jason Voorhees , it really isn't a big deal. That doesn't stop some people. My best friend growing up had his father pass away on Friday the 13th (he had cancer), and his mom wouldn't let him go out or to class until he was about 17.
At work, we assign a tag number to each car to keep track of the keys. What number came up on the tags today? 666 ! Of course, there was a zero in front of it, but my boss still made me tear that number up... Where does the superstition with the Number 13 come from? No one knows for sure, but it did help make at least nine movies now....Here is an article with different Friday the 13th facts..
.

Thursday, February 12, 2009

Tuition Free College ??? SC6 Puts You in Touch With Eight Places To Learn Without Spending $40k a Year.

Higher Education....Without The High Price Tag !!

I loved college !! I tell you, it was the best five years of my life. Don't laugh at me, it took five years because I kept transferring.. As great as it was, there is one part that always sucked - paying for it.

I got off easy. I busted my ass every Summer, and I ended up only owing $5000 when I graduated. Going to state school helps. Now, if you were lucky, you earned some scholarships to help pay for it. But, most people are not that fortunate. So, what's a poor student to do? Go to a school with NO TUITION...

I know what you're saying.. You're saying, "Reino, you've flipped your lid ! All colleges have to charge tuition. How else do they get paid?" Well, the facts are that there ARE colleges that don't charge for tuition. How? Well, most of them are private, and they were founded as part of a foundation, where the point was to create school that poorer kids can get a great education.

Maybe it's too late for some of us, but I'm sure there are some of you who have brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews or even kids ready to head off to college. So, if I can save you $40,000 a year, I've been a pretty good buddy, haven't I? You can send some of that money to me. My student loans may be paid off, but I have other bills, you know. Thanks to Mental Floss for the list...

http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/22573

.

Which Is Worse: Beating Your Girlfriend, Or Giving Your Man Herpes?


Chris Brown and Rihanna In Happier Times....
Here's a story to give you an idea of just how quickly and out of whack rumors can get. We all know that Chris Brown and Rihanna got in a big fight the day before the Grammys this week, and that Brown beta the crap out of Rihanna pretty badly. Reports are that he choked he until she was unconscious, and then he ran off.
The first thing people usually want to know is how things like this happen. What caused such a blowout. That's when word of mouth gets out of control.. I was at work yesterday, and one of the guys I work with tells me that heard that Brown beat up Rihanna because she gave him herpes... And I almost believed it until I actually looked the story up!
Now, the real story appears to be that Brown got a text from a girl, who was trying to hook up with him later that night, and Rihanna got pissed off, and tossed the keys to Brown's rented Lamborghini into the street. Brown couldn't find the keys, and he went off.. Now, I looked it up, but most people don't - and this is what some of them believe...
Is this story true? Who knows, but it doesn't sound like it. Even if it was, you don't choke a girl or hit her for any reason. That's what Valtrex is for...
.