Tuesday, June 29, 2010

SC6 Fake News: Cooper Changes His Name?

Lt. Gov. Candidate Decides Name 'Ain't South Carolina Enough' ..

SC6 has learned through court documents that Lt. Governor candidate Ashley Cooper (D-SC) is legally petitioning to have his name changed. While having your name be the same as the two major rivers surrounding Charleston (no truth to to the rumor that his middle name is Wando), Cooper and his team have decided to go for broke and cover his ass statewide....

In order for more than just Lowcountry appeal, Cooper is changing his name to Palmetto Gamecock Tiger Ashley Cooper, or PGT Ashley Cooper. According to an insider, this will assist Cooper in assimilating better in all areas of South Carolina, with the exception of the Charlotte suburbs of the state, where adding 'Carowinds' to his name was poo-poo'd....

We contacted the Cooper Team, who will be facing Republican Ken Ard in November, to apprise them of an unintended benefit of the name change. PGT was also the name of General Beauregard, who led the assault on Fort Sumter that started the Civil War. 'HELL'S YEAH !!!!! That's awesome !' Replied the staffer, 'But, shit.... That puts us back to Square One again. We might have to rethink this.' So, in the end, Cooper may just stay where he's at.....

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Today's Quote: The Basis of Happiness

'Knowledge is, in every country, the surest basis of public happiness.'

-George Washington, 1790.

While we don't disagree with our first President, having a hottie like Tiffany Toth around might make up for a lack of knowledge....

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Sunday, June 27, 2010

SC6 Fake News: Nancy Pelosi's Scam Unveiled !!

House Speaker Filters $12 Million From Budget On Deer Whistles ?

Various news outlets that we can't remember are reporting the discovery of a secret $12 million slush fund procured from taxpayer dollars by House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA). The fund reportedly is to purchase deer whistles for every citizen in Pelosi's district to install on their vehicles....

If an explanation is needed, we turn to an anonymous former staffer of Pelosi's... 'Everyone knows that the Madam Speaker has a perpetual 'Deer in the Headlights' expression on her face 24/7. The idea is that by putting these deer whistles on every single vehicle in her district, she's won't look like she's about to be roasted on a Spit', quoted the source..

While secretly buying 600,000 deer whistles at $20 retail on EBay seems like an odd idea, apparently Pelosi and her team are out of options. As another insider states, 'We've heard all the insults - Cryptkeeper, ET, the 'You're all Doomed' guy from Poltergeist.... this is one problem that we think we can attack head on and solve. We're being proactive for the good of America.' When told that the deer whistles only protect deer from being entranced by ACTUAL headlights, our insider only had one comment. 'Aww, fuck!'. Your tax dollars at work, folks!

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SC6 Music Pick: The Smith's 'How Soon Is Now?'

Awww, Dead Flowers ...... You Shouldn't Have !!!

Like we said earlier, we didn't hear any new music this week, so we apologize to our readers who seem to look to us for anything new on the airwaves. So, when we don't have anything new, we turn to whatever we were listening to.. This week, we had The Smith's 'Singles' CD in the car for the commute.

Almost universally named as the most influential British act of the 80's (with the obvious exception of Samantha Fox), the Smith's rose from obscurity in Manchester in 1982, and they pretty much ruled alt-rock til they broke up in 1987. Made up of the sexually ambiguous vocalist, Morrissey, guitarist Johhny Marr, bassist Andy Rourke and drummer Mike Joyce, they were not my favorite band during high school and college. I was a metalhead, and I looked at them as a bunch of British fags - fags that all my girlfriends listened to. But taking a closer look, you gain an appreciation of their originality...

Most bands are like sledgehammers - everything is a straight between the eyes message. The Smith's were anything but. Disguising some of the most violent and contraversial lyrics around with pop-y guitars and Morrissey's falsetto vocals, you have to actually have to LISTEN to everything to get what they're talking about. Even then, you ask half the time if they're talking about guys or girls, pedophilia or spousal abuse... It was all pretty complex and brilliant. We're playing our favorite, and loudest Smith's song, 'How Soon is Now'. To get a real feel for the rotary sound on the guitar, listen with headphones, so you get the left-right effect. Hope you like it, and we'll try to be back on Tuesday....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=VHEhAd3KnoE

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Fuzzy Thoughts: The Dog Tired Edition

We Could Use a Day Off Ourselves ....

If the posts the last week or two seem few and far between, there's a good reason. We've been working our asses off! I've been at work a minimum of 11 hours a day for 12 of the last 13 days, until today. Rick went on vacation after we lost Stephanie and her fabulous ass, so we've only had three advisors, instead of five. It's basically the equivalent of usually having one kid, the suddenly adding another and trying to care for both of them. I calculated 135 hours worked the last 2 weeks. Thanks, I AM a real trooper...

I was promised an extra day off this week for bypassing a day off last week (reminds me of Wimpy from Popeye.... 'I'll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today'...). So, while we've lost a day off after our birthday next week from schedule changes, we'll firgte about the future, and dwell on what was this week.... Furry, furry, dark and blurry!

So Stanley Mc Chrystal is out, and David Petraeus is back in.... Petraeus probably thinks the same of Obama as McChrystal, but at least he's smart enough to not say it in front of reporters. Personally, after nine years in Afghanistan, I'd call Obama a chickenshit moron if it got me a free trip home. On that note, I am VERY HAPPY at my new job, and I love all my bosses....

And now, the weather. Hot enough for you guys there? Yeah, it got hot up here too. About 91 on Thursday, and kinda muggy. Yes, this is the time of year where I laugh at all of you frying your asses off all Summer. It's cooled to the mid- 80's, and it's muggy, but not as shitty as it is down there... BTW, the house will be Party Central for the entire month of July here: we have parties scheduled for the 4th, my birthday on the 9th, Steven's on the 17th , and Carol's on the 30th.... I'd call it a Lollapalooza, but I don't want Perry Farrell suing me.....

No real surprises on Tuesday's runoff, although Ken Ard and Tim Scott did get bigger margins than we thought. Unfortunately on the other side, street money is alive and well, so Ed Robinson got another 4 years on Florence City Council. With it, downtown development there just got delayed another 4 years, but we're already waiting for 2014.... The big economic news in Florence that I personally will be hiring every contractor there to put the roof on the house, and other minor tweaks before the hut goes on the market.. After that, I'll go straight to work on the Millstone house. Ben might not like the free house coming to an end....

Yes, even here in New York, we know about Carolina beating Clemson to make the College World Series final against UCLA. It made page 68 of Newsday, right next to the Peruvian Soap Box Derby finals.... Speaking of baseball, the Yankees and Mets are still rolling along OK, although AJ Burnett looks like dogshit lately. Guess all the tattoos on his arms has drained all the strength out. Rick's in LA as we speak, watching them play the Dodgers. Hey Rick, F.U., buddy !!!

For those of you who look to us for new music every weekend, we will fall a bit short this week. I swear, I didn't hear one new song all week. Looks like we'll go retro... Terrible news: Jake and Vienna from 'The Bachelor' have called it quits - and with it, my hopes of finding permanent, true love on a network reality show die as well. Is 'The Dating Game' still on TV? How about 'Love Connection'? We'll be back with Chuck Woolery in 2 and 2......

Lastly, with our decline in posts, comes a decline in the ratings. Kinda like having reruns all week. We're down to number 13. P-Luv's been on a bit of a roll, and he's at Number 7 this week. Three things we think are weird on BlogNetNews: Sunlit Uplands is still on twice, SC Politics today is basically The State newspaper (not exactly fair , is it?), and they still have 'political' spelled 'politicial'...... We'd like to say that we have some great new plans to up our ratings, but we're way too busy to be inventive right now, so you'll have to get used to our usual crap...... Enjoy !

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The Pee Dee Flexes It's Muscles..... Sort Of.

Ard, Wilson Wins Give Pee Dee Hope For The Future ....

Let's face it, the Pee Dee region is South Carolina's redheaded stepchild - at least in the GOP. No, we aren't a major stronghold, like in the Upstate. Hell, we don't even have close to a majority on County Council. Long viewed as an underachiever with potential for years, the six county area may be fianlly living up to that potential after Tuesday's Primary runoff... The possibility of Flotown and the surrounding area getting power on a statewide level seems to be taking some shape...

Last year, the odds of Ken Ard being elected Lt. Governor seemed pretty remote, but here he is, just one step away from succeeding Andre Bauer. Meanwhile, other candidates with major ties to Florence won or came close as well... Alan Wilson, whose mom, Roxanne, was born here, won the AG nod, and Henry McMaster, whose mother was born on Dargan Street, when it was a bit safer, lost but played a nice role as kingmaker in helping Nikki Haley get on top. Damn, there I go again with the Haley sex references..... Oops.

Of course, Ard has a tough challenge from Ashley Cooper in the General Election, so nothing is guaranteed. Even still, Ard and Wilson won't be the Big Dogs in the area, as long as Hugh Leatherman still clutches the power switch in Columbia... but, we see a brighter future for leaders from Florence, Marion, Dillon, Marlboro, Darlington and Williamsburg. No, Clarendon is NOT part of the Pee Dee - and they will gladly tell you that.

Both sides have interesting possibilities: I foresee Dean Fowler running for State Treasurer whenever Richard Eckstrom retires - and then he and Ard can continue their feud in Columbia! Kenney Boone is as popular as anyone here, and he's building a base statewide. On the other side, Mayor Hickory Head Stephen Wukela could someday do what his predecessor tried and failed to do. Maybe, but he'll have to dump P-Luv to do it..... those bloggers just kill your campaign! Yeah, the Pee Dee still needs to keep hitting The Juice to play with the Big Boys, but we're calling BALCO as we speak. Does anyone have Barry Bonds' phone number?

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Tales From The East End: Orient Point, AKA The Other 'The End' ....

That's Rhode Island On the Other Side... Then, Nothing.




If you've even been on Long Island, you've probably seen stickers for Montauk Point.. It usually says 'MTK' (which isn't a misspelled sticker for Martin Luther King, Jr.) , or simply 'Montauk: The End'. It sounds like a bad title for book, but it's because Montauk is the end of Long Island ....... or so you'd think.




Nope, we hate to tell you, but you're only getting half the story there... Long Island has TWO FORKS. Montauk is the South Fork, with it's sandy beaches and endless summer nightlife. The end of the North Fork is Orient Point. It's like night and day from Montauk. Orient is very sleepy, except for the ferry to Rhode Island. And the beaches? Here's an example....




Yep, endless miles of pebbles - ground out by the glaciers from the last Ice Age, creating what is now Long Island Sound...








See, I WAS paying attention in History class back in Junior High .... or was that Science class? Anyway, this is Truman's Beach, also known as Hard Beach, for obvious reasons. Sandals or footwear of some type are required equipment here. However, they make for excellent oysterbeds just off the water. Just grab a knife, and start hacking.





I'll be honest. At this point, my anxiety really started getting the best of me here. I'm not a fan of open water, and being surrounded on three sides by ocean, and the fourth side ending soon got me a bit claustrophobic. So, we went to Orient Point State Park, snapped this quick photo of the Orient Point Ferry crossing Block Island Sound, and hightailed it home.... Yes, I AM a sissy...



This concludes our series on the East End. We hope you enjoyed seeing these places as much as we did going there. We've got a couple other ideas for places to go, so keep and eye out for them soon...
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Today's Quote: The Essentials

'Good moral character is the first essential in a man.. It is therefore highly inportant that you should endeavor to not only be learned, but virtuous.'


- George Washington.




We're not sure how virtuous Spanish beauty Silvia Fominaya is, but she seems to possess all the essentials, and we'd endeavor to be more learned about her..... Muy Caliente !!


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Cartoon of the Week: McChrystal Trifecta






We had a nice comeback from last week's crapfest in the cartoon arena. As usual, good news makes for good reading. Like we always say, let the news come to you... Yeah, the BP cartoons are still coming, though not quit as fast as the oil spill itself. This week's firing of Gen. McChrystal for comments he made in Rolling Stone magazine made for plenty of chatter, and a couple co-opted recent events with it as well. So, we'll be generous, and post all three...
















BTW, did anyone to mention if McChrystal's comments were actually RIGHT?
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Monday, June 21, 2010

SC6 Endorses Pratt for the 6th District ...

We Haven't Played Kingmaker In a While......

Forget all the newspaper endorsements and nods from present and former politicians.... When it comes to needing one person's opinion on who should represent the GOP in the 6th Congressional District, there is only one place to check - right here! The way we figure it, we're worth at least a 20 point swing just on our say so..... Actually, we were going to sit the whole thing out - especially since we have that whole District VP Gig and all. But we decided that if we did it at the last second, it wouldn't be considered being unfair. After not a lot of contemplation, mostly because the candidates made up our minds for us fast, we are endorsing Jim Pratt for Congress.....

Yeah, yeah, we know - no surprise here. We'll be honest - Pratt stands little to no chance of victory in November. All along, we have said that a real sense of victory in November would be to get 40% of the vote. In a 53% black district, with another 1/3 of whites being Democrats, that would be a sign that at least someone was thinking at the booth.... Right now, that is the best we can do.

So, why are we picking Pratt? From the beginning, when we had no idea who was running, we had a vision of what the ideal candidate would bring to the table. First and foremost, could this person think on their feet at a podium next to Jim Clyburn, go toe to toe with him, and call him on every piece of bullshit that he spouts? Secondly, does this person have the ability to bring some kind of finances to mount a decent campaign? I always thought I had the first part, but I definitely didn't have the second... Lastly, does the person have a set of sensible yet organized and detailed policies for America and the 6th District? Of the three people that ran, Jim Pratt was the best choice to us....

No, I don't think Pratt is perfect in the first category. I'd like a little more fire and enthusiasm. Be a pain in the ass, but have fun the whole time.... However, Pratt has at least ha some experience in public speaking, and organizing his thoughts without sounding rehearsed. I'm sorry, but from Day One two years ago, I got the impression that Nancy Harrelson was too rehearsed, almost to the point where she was espousing beliefs that she didn't really have... We need people like Nancy working in the party, but running for office is for a special breed...

As far as the second point, Pratt has some $$ to work with, and with his billboard business, he's got lots of free advertising all across the district. Case closed. Harrelson and Colleen Payne couldn't keep up with it... On the third point, we're not 100% behind what any of the candidates are for. I'm pretty sure Pratt is a FairTax advocate, which makes me worry that he's not as smart as we hope he is. In our book, FairTax is a smoke and mirrors, good in theory only policy that has no practical application in the real world - and it goes against every Conservative's pricple of smaller government. Rebate checks for food, and a 23% rate at the checkout counter? You can keep that BS.... This is where Pratt will need to tighten up if he wants to be taken seriously in November.

Are we overstating our importance to this race? Maybe , but we don't think so... For most of you, the 6th District of South Carolina is a playtoy that you pull out of the closet every 2 years. For us, it's our bread and butter. Few people know or have more friends in the district than we do. It's our home still, and we actually care what happens to people there, whether they're a Republican or Democrat. This is our best chance to get anywhere in the race for Congress, and we need to put our best available person on that podium. To us, that person is Jim Pratt....

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Sunday, June 20, 2010

SC6 New Music Pick: Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros ....

Straight from the Spahn Ranch, Charlie's Love Kids Are Here ...

And now, for something completely different. To end our weekend blogging, we give you one of the more original acts out there - Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. It does sound kinda like Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory to us, but the band itself is the real oddity. These guys look like they came straight outta the Manson Family compound. Talk about unkempt - this band makes Chris Robinson of the Black Crowes seem like he's a GQ Model....

Not to make it sound like I'm dissing them - they're actually good, and definitely original. For starters, there is no Edward Sharpe - it's a figment of singer Alex Ebert's imagination. Sharpe is a neo-messianic figure (hence, the Jesus Look) who has come to save Earth, but he keeps falling in love with women, and fails constantly in his efforts.... OK, we're with you. To try and classify their music is a bit tough. Maybe Neo-Folk/Country would be good, but they clearly fall into the Alternative category. If you like odd bands like Cake, you'll love Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros. Here is a clip from their first appearance, performing 'Home' on David Letterman. Enjoy, and we'll see you Tuesday or Wednesday....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qb9jY8yAxgs

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Runoff 2010: What the Candidates Need To Win

Get It? RUNOFF ??? ... Oh F**k You, Like You Know Funny.

In just a couple days, we'll have the full slate of GOP candidates filled out - Thank God. This was a year for the ages in terms of ugliness. Just when you think the last cycle was as bad as it would get...... For each candidate, the needs and strategy are different. Some can cruise, some need to tinker with an endorsement or two (or twenty), and some have their work cut out. So, we're taking a few minutes to analyze what each candidate has to do to win on Tuesday. Yeah, to have done this about 12 days ago would have been helpful, but no one came paying for the advice. So like a guy at the strip club with his last dollar, we held back.....

Governor

This is the easiest. More important than who would win this race is the effect it has on all the other races. Nikki Haley only needed a point or two. Henry McMaster's help will easily get her over the top, but her main advantage are the motivated Tea Party people. Gresham Barrett absolutely has his work cut out for him. We thought he might drop out, but that didn't happen early, so now he's forced to ride the string out... His only hope was that something new came out to enforce the Haley scandal, and that didn't happen. Any last minute changes of mind? Doubt it. Haley 63-37.

Lt. Governor

Whoever wins has a lot to do to follow up on Andre Bauer - not all of it good. This is one of the more interesting races. Ken Ard pulled out a seven point edge on Bill Connor. If Barrett had dropped out, we think Ard would have a much easier time. Connor is counting on Haley to have some big coattails with Tea Party crowd. Ard did get the endorsement of Eleanor Kitzman's 15%, and was smart enough to avoid outwardly going for Larry Richter's 24%. It kept Connor from being viewed as the total underdog. No, Ard won't get all of Kitzman and Richter's votes, but he'll get enough. Ard 55-45.

Superintendent of Education

Yeah, we got this one wrong, as did a lot of people. No, we don't exactly where Elizabeth Moffly snuck up on everyone at 19%, although she did well in some Straw Polls. We thought Mick Zais had enough to avoid the whole thing, but people weren't paying attention, and Zais - well, his name starts with a Z in a 6-candidate field. Zais' team is more organized,and they got caught napping already. We don't see it happening again. Moffly needs a strong Tea Party - female turnout, but it'll fall just short. Zais 59-41.

1st Congressional District

After an impressive 16 point win in the Primary, you'd think that Tim Scott would take his foot off the accelerator, but he hasn't. Scott has gotten endorsements from the biggest names in the GOP in Sarah Palin and Mike Huckabee. Not sure if either actually KNOW Tim (we do), but they see the chance to make history. And we'd love to see him sitting RIGHT NEXT to Jim Clyburn in the SC Congregation Photo.. However, Paul Thurmond has a decent resume, his name if Thurmond for Pete's sake, and Tumpy Campbell is out, so he'll get a lot of the old School vote that might not be ready to vote for a black Congressman. Sorry, can't sugarcoat it.... The wildcard? Oddly enough, the Tea Party people. We see a slight 'the way things used to be' vibe. Thurmond needs it all, but he just hasn't gotten the traction Scott has. Scott 54-46.

3rd Congressional District

Our biggest flub of the Primary? Totally missing Richard Cash. When you give a guy 4%, and he wins, you eff'd up. Told you we didn't know jack about Upstate, but, we'll try again... We're guessing Cash had the Tea Party vote, since he has no experience in politics. That will go far, especially Upstate, but we have a feeling that Jeff Duncan lost a lot to Rex Rice in the primary, and Rice finished a close third. Rice's votes almost get Duncan there, but Haley is still on the ballot, so we see a tight, tight race here. Probably the closest of the night. Its probably the only GOTV race out there. Duncan 51-49.

4th Congressional District

Every year, there is a sacrificial lamb that loses unexpectedly... and then there's Bob Inglis. We thought the Shit Storm had calmed down for Inglis, but his second place finish to Trey Gowdy June 8th signaled the end was near, though not quite over. Called a RINO well before the term was thrown around like a frisbee, Inglis had a hard time calling himself a conservative after his Bush years spendathon. The 'sensible Democrats' we refered to stayed at home, and Inglis has little to hold on to now - unless Haley quits the race. Whattya think? Gowdy beenfits from being the most qualified in an anit-incumbent year. Timing is Everything. Gowdy 56-44.

6th Congressional District

Ahhh, to be home again. We got this one pretty dead on in June, with Jim Pratt coming out ahead of Nancy Harrelson, but with not quite enough to win outright. The bad news for Pratt was that Colleen Payne didn't siphon off very much, so there isn't a lot to draw from. But, Pratt has had a slow, steady mojo going. Harrelson had the advantage of being on the ballot previously, but the attack from inside the party has been pretty harsh, and many feel that Pratt will give the GOP it's best chance to win - and by win, we mean 40% in November. The Tea Party is kind of nullified here, because both have been working with them, so it's a push. The odd part we see is Harrelson actually getting LESS Tuesday than on June 8th. Pratt 60-40.

Personally, we went 0-2 in races we ran in, so what do we know about winning a race? Nothing... Still, you must read us for some reason..... We'll just assume you think we know what we're talking about - just ask Richard Cash and Elizabeth Moffly how much we know!

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Giving The Bride Away ....


Ms. X Gets Married ........
I had been meaning to post this for a few days now, but it got backpedalled when I had to work on Thursday... Last weekend, I found out that Ms. X finally got married to her longtime fiance'. I'd been expecting this for years now, and this Summer seemed like it would be the time for it to happen, so it wasn't a shock at all. Still, when you see the hyphen suddenly at the end of someone's name, you take a step back for a second...
I'm really happy for Ms. X and her man. She loves him a ton, they get along great, and he's a nice guy. To hear all the crap I told him before I found out they were together, and not have him kick my ass, he has to be cool. That, and he is too f**king good looking. Seriously.... Actually, I met him first while he did sublet work for me when I was at Newsome Automotive, and I remember thinking he was a nice guy. First impressions are always right....
I have talked to Ms. X briefly since then. She did write a note to tell me beforehand, but though it would hurt my feelings - or that I'd try to pull a Dustin Hoffman in 'The Graduate'..... It's all good, though. We are friends and always have been. If I always say that I want her to be happy, and she is, then I better show it now, right? Hopefully, this isn't THE END, but if it is, I am glad that I helped guide her through the years that fucked me up so much, and that she'll be fine from here on. Love ya, Princess. Congratulations !!
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Fuzzy Thoughts: The Pool's Open - Come On In , The Water's Fine !!


This Is My Backyard... And I STILL Can't Get Women Here
Welcome to another Sunday, therefore it's time to dust off the week that was, and review anything and everything of the mundane.... The big news overall is that the pool cover is now off, and after the shock and chlorine dump, we're swimming on a daily basis.. It may not seem like a big deal to some of you, but I haven't had a pool since I was 16, and swimming is just about the best exercise there is. Gonna be in the water til my hands are prunes - and someday, I'll get a woman in that hot tub.... Time for Fuzz:
We'll do the basics: it's actually kinda hot for here - mid 80's and it's muggy. Spent 10 minutes on the trampoline with Steven, and looked like I ran a marathon, so I - you guessed it - jumped in the pool. The pool fixes everything, including work stress, of which I had about 67 hours of this week. Someone is trying to kill me.....
In sports, the Yanks are in a dogfight for the playoffs, now that Boston has remembered how to win, and the Mets are running on the heels of the Phi...... uh, the Braves? Dammit, when will Tommy stop being right? Congrats to the Lakers on winning back to back championships, while the Knicks look ahead to the LeBron Lottery. We WANT LeBron on that floor - we NEED LeBron on that floor. Having LeBron here will make all the Isiah Thomas years worth it.....
So, Tony Heyward is on a sailboat on the Isle of Wight (hey, it has good enough for Jimi Hendrix), while Barack Obama and Joe Biden are out playing golf. So, who's more wrong? The answer is neither. Shit, after 5 days, I need a vacation. Don't tell me that you'd be on the phone 24/7/365 until the oil leak stops, because you're full of crap... That's what VP's and Department heads are for. Tony, Barack and Joe (like Moe, Larry and Curly) aren't going to be the ones to stop this - they are powerless to do so...
After 2 weeks of high ratings on BlogNetNews (#7, then #6), we dipped this past week to Number 12. Right where we used to be.... Let's face it - we have no idea why we're still up there, but we are. Thanks again, and BNN, the check is in the mail... Got a quick e-mail from Joshua Gross for defending his honor with Palmetto State Politics. You're welcome, Josh - now get back to work !!
Read an interesting article in Newsday about Indian-Americans running for office, featuring .... Nikki Haley! The funny part was how, aside from her and Bobby Jindal, all the candidates were Democrats, and they were hating on Nikki and Jindal. Seems partisanism knows no ethnic barriers...Funny, no asked for Jakie Knotts opinion on the subject. Must have been at Maurice's, having another pound of BBQ.....
Narcdog (my old band) may have another reunion show soon. Carol's 40th is in the end of July, but our drummer has the same birthdate, and he's having a party at his bar the day before. Can the logistical nightmare be worked out? No problem - FEMA's handling it for us. Uhhhhhh......... Meanwhile, the final arrangements are being made to sell Rancho Reino on Millridge soon. If anyone needs a 3BR/2BA 1270 sq ft house with attached garage, reasonably priced, give me a call.
Understaement of the Week: Joran Van Der Sloot's mom says that 'he's sick in the head, and needs help'. NOOOOOOOO SHIT, Mom. D'ya think? Been watching 'The Real Housewives' shows a bit lately, and can't find ONE of them that I'd tap. They need to go back to Orange County. At least of couple of them were servicable....
Lastly, we were pleased to see AG and also-ran Gov candidate Henry McMaster stumping for Nikki Haley after finishing third. You think after all of the rumors, Old Henry might be looking for some 'thanks and tokens of appreciation'???? WHEEEEEEEE DOGGIE !!!
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Today's Quote: Loving & Knowing


"Law and Liberty cannot rationally become the objects of our love, unless they first become the objects of our knowledge."
- James Wilson, 1790.
All we know is we love Lacey Lieto, and we would like to get to know her better......
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Let Me Tell You About My Dad....


Most of you know that my Pop and I have had our share of in's and out's....... It's difficult to get along with people who are the polar opposite of you in almost all respects - especially when you live in the same house, and can't escape each other... My dad is not the easiest guy to live with: he's gruff, he's loud, and he has no filter between his brain and his mouth. Some of you guys think I'm a bigmouth, but those of you who really know me know that I rarely say anything, especially if it hurts someone's feelings. I got that from living with Pops....
But over time, especially the last year or so, I've tried more to understand and appreciate all that my old man went through. What better day than Father's Day to pay him some tribute???? Pops grew up in the Old Italian School - lots of yelling, and getting your ass beat within an inch of your life for bad behavior was par for the course... Dad left home at 13 (he probably ran away) to work in the horse stables. Talk about having nothing - this was right at the tail end of the Great Depression. But he kept at it, and eventually became a bug rider and jockey, where he won 125 odd races in Massachusetts, before he got drafted in World War II. Dad stayed stateside, at Fort Lewis mostly, and moved to New York eventually, where he met Mom in the early 50's....
Yeah, Pops had a temper, and still does, but he has a good sense of humor, can sing pretty well, adn has no fear of women to this day. Workig at the race track, we got treated to Summers at Saratoga and a cottage on the lake every year til he retired in 1982. For all his other faults, I have to give him credit over for something -he always had a good , steady job for 34 years. We were never rich, but we never wanted for anything either.
Pops was 44 when I was born, so I understand what it would be like trying to raise a baby at ths age now, much less already having 4 other kids - all while your wife is having open heart surgery. He'll be 86 on September 11th, so I know the available time to tell him things is dwindling down. When I went to Belmont Park, he was the only one I called, because I knew he'd appreciate me being there - and he was proud that I picked 4 winners too...
No, I still can't spend too much time with him, without him aggravating me. The guy just KNOWS how to push my buttons, even now... But in the end, I do love Pops. I might have been a Momma's Boy, but lot of kids don't even have a father, much less one who did pretty good. Thanks Pops, and Happy Father's Day!
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From This, We Can Only Make One Conclusion: Earl Capps Hates Women !

Amen, Brother.... MANPOWER !!!

Why are we busting on our fellow Four Horsemen's stones? Well, because we can, and also becuase he'll know we're kidding. Compared to what we did to Earl at his graduation roast, this is tame.... Also, he's 400 miles away, and maybe this one will slip by him while all of his senses are recovering from his DC Metal Show trip....

While we bypassed making any endorsements, Earl put up all of his for this week's runoff. Unlike us, people seem to actually give a shit if Earl picks them or not. This week, we couldn't help notice a little trend.... Blatant Sexism. Yes, Capps endorsed Gresham Barrett over Nikki Haley, Jim Pratt over Nancy Harrelson, and Mick Zais over Elizabeth Moffly. While we're sure Earl had logical reasons for his choices, like Haley is a Sanford clone (and we know how he feels about Sanford), and Harrelson and Moffly are overmatched and underqualified, we can't help but feel that there is an undeniable pattern here: Earl hates candidates with vaginas.... Thank God for Rose Mary Parham!

Hey, we're telling you, this isn't a fluke.... In fact, our crack Minister of Disinformation has uncovered video footage of Earl, displaying sexist behavior - even as a young child! If Will Folks had evidence as solid as this, we'd be seeing a Barrett - McMaster runoff.... Love ya, man !

www.youtube.com/watch?v=wBIC8JTQMMQ

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Cartoon of the Week ...


We won't lie - it was a pretty crappy week in poltiical cartoons. Apparently, the Summer Vacation on Humor has started: although the oil is still flowing plentifully from the BP Spill, it appears the sharp wit has dried up... Since there were no clear winners this week, we went with the most topical event - South Africa hosting the World Cup. For those of you from Britton's Neck, it's a Soccer Tournament...
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Saturday, June 19, 2010

Tales From the East End: Greenport

Chief Brody, Hooper and Quint Have To Be Around Here Somewhere , Looking For a Bigger Boat ...............



Continuing on up the North Fork of Long Island, only a mere eight miles from Orient Point, we stop in Greenport, or as I call it, Jawsville.... I swear, it looks just like Amity Island in Jaws... Hell, it even has the car ferry to transport people to Shelter Island, just like in the movie! As you know, Amity means friendship - and Greenport means.... Well, it means a port that's kinda Green.




What's cool about Greenport is that it's like a little trip to the old fishing village, where you can play your own game of I Know What You Did Last Summer, without the Top Shelf babes, of course... Greenport is different from most of the East End towns: it's older, poorer, and more black than other areas here. However, it has had a downtown renaissance (Flotown leaders, this is ANOTHER hint), and it's a thriving Summertime stop. That, and it may be the only place to gas up and get food for twenty miles.....I did almost stop at the Ice Cream shop, but time was getting short, so I passed.. But the main attraction is the waterfront. Here's some samples..





The old train station and Visitors Center. Greenport is the end of the line for the North Fork branch of the Long Island Railroad..








The ferry to Shelter Island - Yeah, that's a School Bus on the back....







I think this is a Seagull, but it could be a Gamecock. If that isn't enough to make a Southerner feel comfortable, how about this?









NASCAR Fans in Yankeeville !! I found this on a phone booth, but they could just be Budweiser fans.....








If catching a little Bohemian-style fun is your cup of tea, along with some great seafood at Claudio's, then Greenport is right up your alley... 'Farewell and Adieu, all you fair Spanish Ladies'.............


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Thursday, June 17, 2010

No Comment Needed ......


Thank You, Patriot Post....
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And Some Blogs Just Implode ....


The Curious Rise and Fall Of Palmetto State Politics .....
Sometimes you know even before you write a post, that you're going to shake the hornet's nest - but you do it anyway... When we started this blog, we never thought we'd be able to churn out posts for more than a few months without getting bored or boring.... Almost five years and 2800 posts later, we're still going, and it's given me more recognition (and some respect) than i ever got in running for office. Thanks to everyone for reading....
From the very start, we had an idea of what we wanted SC6 to look, feel and sound like - and we had a very simple premise: let the news come to you, and stir shit up without causing trouble... It's worked out pretty good, and it's a good reason why we stay close to (but not at) the top. There's a huge pile of blogs that have come and gone since 2005. Some we miss , and some we don't. Still, even if we differ in opinion, we still respect the time people put in to them, and appreciate the discussions they start...
Onto stirring up shit... Like lots of blogs, we get plenty of hearsay and rumors. Since we really don't have any axes to grind, unless we have proof of these things, we steer clear of printing them. Why? It's an easy way to get your ass sued. Also, things blow over, and people often never forget what you say about them - if it's true, you have nothing to be afraid of. If not true, well........... We saw some hope in Palmetto State Politics. It promised to give news on all things SC Politics -but ended up being an attack blog for Bill Connor's campaign. I like Bill Connor, and Joshua Gross I consider to be a very good friend, and if they win on Tuesday, good luck to them. But PSP has not done them a service - and he/she at PSP apparently is paying for it....
Along the way, PSP found some good, effective dirt on Connor's rivals in the primary. I know with a blog, when things start to go well and take off, you work for even better things, which often gets you into trouble. When the Haley - Folks affair happened,we all took sides, but PSP decided to figure out who was involved in the Columbia area scandal - from of all places, Florence County. I don't know everything about SC Politics, but I do know one thing ..... Don't Fuck With Rod Shealy. I missed a few days, then checked all the blogs on Primary night, to get their opines on the day.
PSP got a little kooky, at least trying to get on it. I needed to give my e-mail, and be accepted to read the blog, which seems kind of counterintuitive for a blog - preaching to the choir? Later, that cleared up, but the latest post was from late May. All of the recent posts involving Haley-Folks - Shealy - Knotts - Richter and everyone else were gone. Now today, we see an apology post for apparently all the wreckless accusation flying again. This after all of 75 posts... In 2800 tries, I've never apologized for anything, and the same goes for any good blog around. You can piss the world off, but if it's right, they have no recourse, and no reason to stop you....
Am I sounding a bit high-and-mighty here. Yeah, a little. But guess what? I've earned it, and so have the other dozen top blogs in our little fraternity. However, I know that my days are numbered as the 'Blog Dog' of the Pee Dee. It has to, for obvious reasons. Nothing lasts forever, and some new punk will one day wear my crown ..... I just hope it's not P-Luv! PSP could have been a good one, but he/she wrecked it on his/her own. Time doesn't make people forget what you did in politics. How you come out of the gate is just as important as how you finish, and if they had just been a bit more well-rounded, the message would have been a lot more effective - and the apologies would be unnecessary......
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A Video To Help Explain The BP Oil Spill to Kids





Living in a house with a 7 year old and 3 year old, I've become a bit more attuned to how they see the world, and what we as adults do to inform and educate them. No, it hasn't stopped me from posting pics of half-naked women, or watching porn on occasion, but I'm trying ....




No, I don't know exactly how to explain a 90 million barrel oil spill to kids without making them cry or get upset, but I then remembered an old song, so I looked and found this video, which probably can explain it to children better than I ever could. Feel free to use it as a resource - just send $1.99 for each viewing.....




www.youtube.com/watch?v=029EOz-Gaog


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Sunday, June 13, 2010

SC6 New Music Pick: One eskimO - 'Kandi'


To end today's output, we leave you with another band that might/might not get heard in South Carolina: an English outfit called One eskimO... Yes the capitalization is correct. They're kind of a Portishead-type acoustic trip-hoppy band, although they sound much more soulful.
Made up of founder/singer/ guitarist Kristian Leontiou, drummer Adam Falkner, bassist Jamie Sefton, and guitarist Peter Rinaldi, their current hit, 'Kandi', is a great remake of the semi-obscure song 'He Called Me Baby' - originally recorded by Patsy Cline in 1963, shortly before her death, and rerecorded by both Candi Staton in 1971 and Charlie Rich in 1974... In fact, they sampled Staton's voice on the chorus, giving the song a haunting, back and forth feel between a man and the woman who no longer loves him... Pretty deep stuff.
We suggest listening to this after work is over, and you're ready to relax with a nice drink, and maybe a doobie as well - not that we do that stuff anymore. If we did, this is what we'd do it to. Hope you enjoy it, and we'll be back on Wednesday most likely....
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Fuzzy Thoughts: The $52 Hotel Room Edition


This week, we had the luxury of being off Thursday through Sunday. The first two days were at Technical Training at Mercedes-Benz HQ in New Jersey. It was an interesting trip to say the least. I got up at 4:15 AM to avoid the traffic, but at least I got there early - by about an hour and a half! Going home was a totally different story... it took 3 1/2 hours to drive 78 miles. Such is Rush Hour Friday in the Big Apple. At least now I can sync a Bluetooth phone...
The highlight (or lowlight) was the 'hotel' I stayed at overnight on Thursday. It was only $52 - and it seemed like it. From the outside, it was the worst looking place I ever stayed at. White cracked stucco with lime green on the trim and doors. Everyone was very nice, but my room smelled a bit dank at first, and then I realized why.... the AC broke. I got it to go for another hour or two, until it cooled off - then it died for good. Rest in Peace, my old friend. But, I saved $84 over the hotel they told me to stay at.... Now I'm hoping they don't take 6 months to reimburse me. Until then, we'll focus on the Furriness.....
While we did pretty well on our predictions, we missed a couple, and underestimated others. One thing we forgot to take into condsideration was Big Mo, with Nikki Haley and Curtis Loftis. Both had been coming on strong at the end, and we cut them short on the picks. We still haven't figured out how Elizabeth Moffly finished second in the Supt. of Ed race, aside from some crossover voting from her time with Jim Rex, and maybe familiarity with her name on the ballot. The big question right now is will Gresham Barrett concede, or try to gain those 27 of the last 29 percentage points to beat Haley. He got Bauer's nod, but the chances of him actually getting all those votes are slim ....very slim.
Locally, the big story was Billy D. Williams getting beat by Teresa Ervin, while Hickory Head's main rival, Ed Robinson, fell just 12 votes short of 50$ plus one. I used to work with Ervin's husband, Lavon, at Newsome Automotive, so I'm happy for her win. Robinson is the one that really needs to go, if Flotown has any hopes of recovering in the next 4 years..... It should be interesting. If he loses, I see Big Ed totally going postal sometime soon afterwards....
So, you guys enjoying the heat? It's been about 75-80 all week, although the sun can't seem to make up it's mind to stay out or not. At least I can breathe... Joe took the cover off the pool yesterday, so by this time next week, I'll be swimming til my hands turn into prunes - LOVE IT!
More changes are in store at work. We have a new Fixed Operations Director starting tomorrow. The FOD basically oversees the Parts and Service departments, which we need, because my manager rarely has time to help out or be there for questions... BTW, I finally got a good survey. Only 200 more points to go to mediocrity. The bad news was they fired Stephanie while I was gone. Tough.... She was pretty hot, and the girl loved to go out. Luckily, we do have three other new girls to keep my attention....Lastly there, they still have Websense on my desktop. It MIGHT be time to finally buy a Smartphone....
New York is considering a law to allow Nurse Practitioners to go into practice for themselves. Personally, it makes no difference to me. I never saw my doctor when I lived in Flotown anyway. Seriously, my own doctor didn't recognize my name on the ballot in 2004, and he voted for Gary McLeod. Shows how much name recogntion in the party matters.....
Not sure which I'm looking forward to more - LeBron James becoming a free agent, or the Election Day asswhipping Harry Reid's gonna get....Speaking of asswhipping, we suggest that the term 'Getting Vic Rawl'd' enter the SC political dictionary for losing to an unfunded, unknown, seemingly uneducated opponent. That, or simply call it 'Getting Planted'. Vic Rawl - kinda rhymes with 'Rick Roll'd'..........
Not that you care or agree, but we'll be posting our Battle Plans for the remaining runoff candidates later on today. June 22nd is closer than you think. We promise they'll stop calling after that day - at least for a little while.....
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Tales From the East End: W(h)ine Country ?


You're Not In France .... This Is Yankeeville !



Onto the next leg of our day trip up the North Fork of Long Island.... There is that assumption of what Long Island is like: traffic, urban sprawl, rude people in a hurry and too much going on. Well, this post will kill every assumption you have. Welcome to Long Island Wine Country !!!




After visiting Riverhead, we hopped in the Avalon and made a beeline straight up Rt 25, with Orient Point as the goal. As soon as you leave Riverhead, it's like you hit a time warp to 1940.... If you've never been there, you need to take a day, and ride up the stretch from Riverhead to Greenport. It's known as Wine Country, but actually it's farm country. Miles and miles of Strawberry farms, Plant and flower stores, Christmas tree farms, potato farms, and of course - wineries. The area is totally agricultural, making some of the finest wines in the world...




(not actual size)








So, how did Wine become such a hot commodity here? About 30 years ago, people realized that the North Fork of Long Island had the exact same climate as France: Warm days, cool nights, breezy conditions, and even a northward facing topography into the Long Island Sound. It was perfect for wine grapes. Not all wines grapes flourish here, as I found out trying to find a nice Pinot Grigio for Carol. After some trial and error, wine grapes have become a huge business here, and there are now dozens and dozens of wineries lining the sides of Rt 25 and Rt 105.




The names of the towns are odd, and reflect the old Indian tribes that once lived here: Mattituck, Aquebogue, Cutchogue, Peconic... The wineries are open three seasons, and each has a tasting room and retail store for you to try before you buy. Yeah, the ability to taste test you way to a DWI is certainly there, but the roads are actually pretty straight, and you can't go over 40 MPH anyway - but who'd want to speed through such beautiful country anyway. Here's a few pics of where we stopped and got 6 bottles of Vino....






First, we went to Paumanok Winery in Aquebogue, where we picked up a nice Chenin Blanc for $28 (pricey stuff). Too bad Carol's sister in law stopped by and drank it all. They always take the good stuff!








Next, it was Peconic Bay, where we bought a Hybrid of Cali Pinot, and two other native blends at $16. The top picture is also here, and they have an outdoor reception area for parties and weddings..





Then, we stopped at the famous Pindar Vineyards, Long Island's first and biggest (not necessarily best) winery. We got 2 bottles here at $10 - then found them at the liquor store for $7.
We also stopped at Duck Walk, which seems like a more aggressive winery (lots of fruit flavored stuff), although they were the only ones offering a Pinot Grigio at $13. How good is it? It's still chillin' in the fridge, but it's a long Summer - we'll see. For those of you who are for the more conventional vacation, a trip to Wine Country needs to be on your schedule. Go to Manhattan, visit the Hamptons, so you can say you saw P-Diddy's house - then turn right on the way back and see something really cool, and a bit different...
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Obama Sees the Light On the Economy? AKA , How Job Creation Is Like the BP Oil Spill ...


Obama's New Package Tries to 'Top Kill' the Economy ....
Barack Obama really frustrates us sometimes.. There are times when he speaks that we actually think that he's seen the light - and then later on, he reverts back to his usual ways. It helps us understand why he won the election in 2008. Where some of us hear this and think he MIGHT change, others hear it and buy it hook line and sinker...
The latest example of where he's giving us 'Hope and Change'? This week, Obama unveiled an economic recovery package that gives small business owners various tax breaks for a host of loopholes. While we'd rather see an across the board tax rate cut, or serious breaks for adding employees (aka, incentive to hire NOW), at least it's something. The particular statement that Obama made that we liked was his admission that 'the government cannot create jobs'.... HALLELUJAH !!!! Just like the drunks, the first step is to admit that you have a problem. Unfortunately, Obama's package is only $20 billion - and it still has to pass the House and Senate, where it will be wrapped like a bacon-covered scallop when it's done. Yes, that was a Pork reference...
Is this Obama's 'A-HA' Moment? Boy, we sure hope so, but we have our doubts..... You see, repairing the economy is a lot like fixing the BP Oil Spill... BP, the Interior Dept and the US Coast Guard can come in with as many vacuums and mops as they want, but until the actually STOP THE LEAK, they will never catch up. The Economic Stimulus of last year essentially did the same thing. Instead of focusing on solely spending money to create jobs, they infused every relief agency with cash, and prioritized porjects that put people back to work second... or third... or fourth. It was flawed thinking.
All of the economy's woes were from people being out of work. Most of us are a week or two away from being in debt. Well, once we start working, we're usually just a few weeks away from being back on our feet. Flushing us with cash (that isn't budgeted) with no real escape out of it doesn't end the problem, it only prolongs it. Yeah, it's an old argument, and it's one that we've made here a zillion times. But guess what? It works. Maybe not as fast as we'd like, but it's the best one out there.
Like our economy, the Oil Spill continues to leak - almost unabated. Capping it helped a little, just like these credits will help a little. But, the source of the problem still hasn't been fixed, and until it is, we can expect no real change. It's too late to avoid the real catastrophe, so don't expect any miracles. Which challenge am I talking about? Beats the shit outta me ...
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Cartoon of the Week ...


This was a decent week for political cartoons - not great, but decent. There are still plenty of BP Oil Spill ones out there, but nothing inventive or new. Instead, we gave a hat tip to one that combined two topical stories in one cartoon. Though they're kind of interrelated, the Israeli attack on a Palestinian aid flotilla and the retirement of Helen Thomas made for a nice pairing....
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Saturday, June 12, 2010

Today's Founder's Quote: Voting Blind ....


"No people will tamely surrender their liberties, nor can any be easily subdued, when knowledge is diffused and virtue is preserved.. On the contrary, when people are universally ignorant, and debauched in their manners, they will sink under their own weight, without the aid of foreign invaders."
- Samuel Adams, 1775.
After seeing the election of Alvin Greene, and a few near misses of some others in this week's primary, we thought this quote was quite appropriate......
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Tales From the East End: Riverhead

What Did You Expect in 'Riverhead' - A Lake ??



For those of you who felt we had too many ocean pictures in our trips to the East End, we offer a welcome respite. This is the first leg of our second trip, which covered the North Fork of Long Island - Suffolk County's county seat, The City of Riverhead. I'll be honest: I never went to Riverhead as a kid. In fact, Moye's been here probably dozens more times than I have ... It had a bit of a bad reputation, it was far away, and I really had no reason to ever go there. From what I can tell, it's changed a lot over the years, and it's a nice place to spend a few hours....




Nestled in between the Two Forks, Riverhead is just that - it sits just inland on the Peconic River. Overall, it's not some wonderland - there are plenty of spots that we still wouldn't recommend going. Basically, you take the Long Island Expressway all the way to the end at Exit 72 (Rt. 25), and it goes right into Riverhead. The west side of town looks kinda like Pamplico. After a mile or two, you hit Riverhead proper, and things pick up. It reminded me a lot of Downtown Florence, except the stores were all occupied and open. The main difference is they took the one advantage they had - The River - and made it a place for everyone to enjoy.



First up, the Suffolk County Historical Society building - where you can see stuff from the area's rich fishing history....







Next, the US Supreme Court building... Nah, it's the Federal Courthouse. See, it does look like Flotown....









For you Train Buffs, there's the Suffolk Railroad Museum, complete with it's own train .... WOO-WOO !!!






Take the kids to the Long Island Aquarium, which was packed with busloads of school kids on a Field Trip...






There's a good half-mile of small shops to visit, but the main attraction is just behind it at the riverfront area.....






Many of the posts on the boardwalk have been carved with nature and nautical themes. Nice touch....






Not a bad lunchtime view from the Hizir Baba Restaurant, is it? The Gyro Wrap was pretty good too....






No, I wouldn't build my entire vacation around Riverhead, but it's a decent old town with a lot of history, and some new wrinkles to make it worth a day trip...
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Jim Clyburn: Dumb As A ....... Plant.




Note to The Whipper ... The Object on the Left Is a Plant. On The Right Is Your Problem .....
Yes, we know.... It's been a very long time since we picked on our Congressman - and the inspiration for this blog. Lately, to find anything to critique Jim Clyburn on would be a a bit monotonous and repetitive. But , just when you think The Whipper has settled into a safe corner in his views, things like what happened this week come up....
By far, he biggest surprise of Primary Day was the 16 point win by unemployed former soldier, Alvin Greene. With little more than $10,400 and a dream, Greene knocked off the favored and more established Vic Rawl in the Democratic Primary for the US Senate. When asked for a comment, Clyburn hinted not-so-subtly that it was likely a plant from the GOP. You'd think that a black Democrat from Orangeburg County would be thrilled at having a teammate from across Lake Marion serving with him in DC, but that wasn't the case.....
No, when it comes to being the Pimpmaster for African-Americans in SC, Old Jim likes being the only game in town. In short, Greene would be cutting in on Clyburn's business, and we don't think Jim would have any of that. Could it be that the Whipper's a bit pissed that Greene's stealing his thunder a bit? Now, onto the proof of Planting.....
There is none - thanks for reading, y'all have a great day. Actually, that statement is true, and we'll use Clyburn himself as an example.... Let's get this straight: Clyburn says that the GOP infiltrated the open Democratic Primary, and voted for the obviously least qualified candidate to oppose Jim DeMint - perhaps the safest GOP candidate on the ticket in November. So, we had enough people to overturn all the Democrats (which still make up about 40-45% of the voters in SC) , and lay a 16 point asswhipping on the favorite? If that is true, then Clyburn himslef should have had somewhat of a surprise in his own Primary against Gregory Brown, right?
Well, gee....... That didn't happen either. Clyburn beat Brown with almost 90% of the Democratic vote. If there was such a statewide conspiracy to beat Rawl, then logic would state that Clyburn should have seen at least SOME kind of surprise. Then again, logic is not part of Clyburn's vocabulary - emotion is all he knows, true or not. Jim would like us to believe that we all went to the polls this week, with the intent of taking out Vic Rawl - and we all totally bypassed voting against Clyburn at the same moment. Do you think that we're really THAT stupid? If there was a fix, Gregory Brown would have ended up with at least 20-25% of the vote....
No, we here on the right side of the aisle had nothing to do with Alvin Greene. Greene was on the top of the ballot in a race of 2 unknowns. Rawl would like to think that he was a household name, but I can say that I never heard of him. Also, maybe 'Greene' doesn't necessarily mean a candidate is black, but I'll tell you this - I've never met a black guy named Vic. In both parties, we's like to think that when someone is known in out small circle, that we have the power to push him/her through - but we really don't. We only go so far, and the rest is up to the candidate's machine - or Dumb Luck. Right now, that suits Alvin Greene to a T. Jim, it's your party's fault, not ours...
Wow, that felt good... It HAS been a while !
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Sunday, June 06, 2010

It's Here .. Our Final Odds For Primary Day.



Who Takes the Checkered Flag .... And Who Needs the White Flag?




Since our last posting of odds, there has been a lot of action, which is to be expected when a campaign enters it's final weeks. Some races have been quiet, and some candidates have shot up and down in the couple weeks since last time. While some will take the checkered flag, others will be putting up the white flag of surrender - and a few will get the yellow flag, meaning see you in two weeks....




No, we aren't perfect on these things, so when we're wrong on a couple of them, we'll be the first to say of course. Guess we'll all find out Tuesday night or Wednesday AM, right? Or maybe, it'll be dragged out in the courts for weeks and weeks... God forbid. Anyway, here is what we think Las Vegas (or the Sun Cruz Casino boat) would put it at - if they cared....



US Senate

DeMint 1-20

Gaddy 20-1


No comment needed. The SCGOP appreciates the donation, Mrs. Gaddy.






Governor

Haley 5-2

McMaster 7-2

Bauer 4-1

Barrett 5-1


McMaster's lead is gone, as Haley and Bauer make the jump. No doubt we'll be playing on the 22nd, with Haley as pretty likely, but her hands are full in the runoff. Barrett is stuck in neutral and has been almost since Day One. The big question: will Bauer catch McMaster?





Lt. Governor


Ard 7-2

Connor 7-2

Richter 7-2

Kitzman 12-1


Anyone who thinks they know their guy is leading is fooling themselves here. The only leading candidate is Undecided at almost 50%. Some polls have Connor, some have Richter, and Ard is more of the establishment candidate. It's strictly a GOTV effort, which Connor has the motivated people, but hell, even ballot position may play into it. Your guess is as good as theirs...





Treasurer


Chellis EVEN

Loftis 6-5


Loftis has been ripping Chellis in a lot of straw polls, and even though some attacks were weaker than others, he has closed considerably. This one could be real close, but without media buys, the non-active voting public won't know Loftis on Tuesday, so we think Chellis survives - just barely.





Attorney General


Wilson 3-2

Lord 2-1

Bolchoz 6-1



Like we've said all along, Bolchoz will be the odd man out. Wilson's name recognition and Lord's contacts are just too much to overcome. But, Bolchoz can be a bit of a Kingmaker with the 15-20% in the runoff. What he does with it may determine the winner....





Comptroller


Eckstrom 1-5

Meilinger 5-1


Eck rolls along to a third term, his friend on the other hand......






Superintendent of Education


Zais EVEN

Payne 5-1

Nelsen 6-1

Moffly 20-1

Burgess 25-1

Price 50-1


We're going to predict that despite the six candidates, Zais pulls out the 50% by the skin of his teeth. If not, then he'll likely face Payne, who has grassroots support the others lack. Then on the 22nd, she'll face the inevitable. Don't mess with Jay Ragley.....






US House - 1st District


Scott 7-2

Thurmond 4-1

Campbell 9-2

Jenerette 10-1

Lutz 12-1

Witte 25-1

Parker 33-1

Glasson 33-1

Kabrovsky 33-1



Oh, we'll still be going to a runoff, but Scott appears to be the one with the most juice right now. Campbell may still catch Thurmond, but either, along with Jenerette and Lutz to a smaller degree, can affect the runoff. June 22nd is still anybody's game - but will they have any $$$ left? Linda Ketner must be kicking herself....





US House - 2nd District


Wilson 1-10

Black 10-1


One more, and Black gets the 'perennial candidate' tag. Rob Miller !!!! There, I finally remembered. He may not have earned it on The Hill, but Joe's a star in the GOP now, and Miller's best shot was two years ago. Tick, tick, tick........





US House - 3rd District


Duncan 5-2

Rice 3-1

Vasovski 15-1

Cash 25-1

Collins 25-1

Grimaud 30-1


By far the quietest disputed race, give credit for these guys remembering Reagan's 11th Commandment. It's still a Duncan-Rice runoff, but we think Duncan will be a few points ahead, and there are likely no Kingmakers amongst the losers here... Virtually unchanged.





US House -4th District


Inglis 8-5

Gowdy 3-1

Thomas 10-1

Jeffrey 20-1

Lee 25-1



Cockroaches, Cher...... and Bob Inglis. If you're looking for a good reason for closed primaries, this race may be it. While we still expect a runoff, Inglis' cause may be helped by Democrats who know that Inglis is the lesser of five evils in their eyes... It may take 2 tries, but we think Bob goes back to DC.





US House - 6th District


Pratt 7-5

Harrelson 3-1

Payne 6-1


Pratt would make the best choice is at least looking good when he gets hammered by Jim Clyburn, and it's beginning to come around. Harrelson is finding out that being the only option 2 years ago doesn't make you the first choice now....We'll still have a runoff, but who knows what happens then, when they're coming to vote on Governor, Lt. Governor, and AG - and then they see this one again? We don't think Pratt has enough to close it out on Tuesday. If he started six months ago.........




Good Luck to all..