I wanted to drop a note to our readers on a personal note.. Part of what makes SC6 different is that I often will keep you up to date with my personal life. Yes , it usually ends up to the detriment of myself. But, that is part of what makes this blog great - we pull no punches, and let you in past that fake veil of Superblogger with no conscience..
Don't think I haven't noticed that the posts have been few and far in between recently. Somehow, the hits to the blog haven't dropped, but that can't last for long. Nothing new eventually ends in less interest.. So, what has been going on? Mostly, I've been just plain busy. The schedule is still the same - out at 700am, home at 745, with band practice on Mondays... But wait, there's more...
The social calendar has been quite busy, and that usually means good things, but not really in this case. Here's the thing: I've been kinda seeing two women sort of at the same time. If either was consistent, I'd say that's correct. But it's not, so it's ultimately frustrating. One is in the beginning phase: we've gone out three times over 3-4 weeks. She has a schedule just as bad as mine, with days off not matching mine, and she has a kid to take care of, so I am far down the priority list..... justifiably so. No idea where this is going, but it's moving about as fast as California falling into the ocean...
Number 2 is complicated, but let's just put it this way: It's someone I can't have and shouldn't be involved with, but I kind of am. No, no sex - it is me we're talking about here.... But, I am basically everything he isn't , except for providing. That is the frustrating part. Had I done this a long ways back, I would not be in this position. Now I can do 50 things right, but all it takes is for him to do one thing right, and I'm almost back to Square One. Yeah, that's how it should be, but the regret of not having said these things way back is there..
Needless to say, all of the bouncing around, and staying out til 400am on work days is wearing on me - especially when it mostly ends up with nothing. No, this isn't what I planned. I can hardly handle one girlfriend at a time. Right now, it's like I have two, but I really have none. Worst of both worlds... Typical. We'll figure this out eventually - or they'll figure it out for me, like usual... Sorry for being out of touch lately.
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Today, we're posting a video from Los Angeles based trio, Foster the People. Like lots of bands, you can trace their influences. They sound a lot like Blur or The Gorillaz, but we liked the chorus on this one lot.. 'All the other kids with the pumped up kicks, you better run, better run, outrun my gun'. Reminds us of the old Reebok pumps from the early 90's..... Here's the clip.
www.youtube.com/watch?v=SDTZ7iX4vTQ
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Palin and the Other Big Ticket Names Seem to be Skipping Next Year.....
With Memorial Day, it is now the unofficial beginning of Summer... Normally, it represents the dead season in politics. However, for presidential races, it is the time where teams are built, and plans for raising cash and tactical strategies are made. Barack Obama has a clear path to next November, with no serious roadblocks to the election. That's usually the first reason people do not like running against an incumbent.
Still, with Obama having a clear vulnerability next year, it is surprising to many to see such a weak field coming from the GOP. Mike Huckabee is out. So is Donald Trump and Mitch Daniels. Sarah Palin seems to be declining... And why not? For these guys, running for President is a huge hassle they don't need. Ask Rudy Giuliani. He went that route, and got eviscerated at the hands of his own party in 2008. The guy could have just kept doing speaking engagements, but he thought running was a good idea. How'd that work out?
I'll be honest... Right now, I couldn't even tell you the GOP field that are officially in. It's that 'weak'. Why do I put it in parenthesis? Because weak is based mostly on on their name recognition. Yeah, a couple of them need to go home, and others have weak platforms. But a few are workable candidates, although the odds get longer as time goes by, and they fail to raise money.
You see, as Barack Obama sits quietly on the sidelines, the Republicans will be battling, getting free exposure, and one of them will have a meteoric rise from relative obscurity, much like Obama did on 2008. Who will it be? Who knows.. With the GOP in such a mixed mess right now, who knows if we will go for a hardline conservative (and defeat), or go slightly more centrist.
Yeah, Obama will be hard to beat next year, despite his weaknesses. He will have a boatload of cash, and plenty of time to set up a game plan. But, there is room for a Republican nominee to sneak in a win next November. If he/she can put together a sensible plan and be on point with the message , it can happen. Not easy, but possible. We'll find somebody....
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"I love the man that can smile in trouble, that can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. 'Tis the business of little minds to shrink; but he whose heart is firm, and whose conscience approves his conduct, will pursue his principles unto death."
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Thomas Paine.
Yes, we all wish for being able to learn from our mistakes, and standing steadfast into the wind. To not shrink from adversity. Our advice to avoid shrinkage is to check out April Scott - conscience approved!
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For some people , Oprah Winfrey not being on at 400PM is The Apocalypse .... For the rest of us, who have been a little busy at that time, we won't notice...
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It's been a while since we put up a new music pick - or anything else for that matter. Today, we're going to post Alt Rock faves Death Cab For Cutie. Although our favorite song is still 'I Will Follow You Into the Dark', we like the latest track from their new album 'You Are a Tourist'. Hope you like it...
www.youtube.com/watch?v=qkk5wViJo-I
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Bad Baby !! SC6 Admonishes the Admonishers at the FCGOP.
There is an old adage that there is a time and place for everything.... Earlier, we posted on the upcoming debate to ban smoking in Florence City. Our stance then and now is that both sides have a point, and that we would remain neutral on the issue. It is still the same now. When issues like these come up, there will be the chance that voting will not fall on party lines. That appears to be the case, as GOP councilmen Buddy Brand and Glynn Willis both voted to ban smoking indoors.
Before the vote, possibly in an attempt to bully them into changing their votes, the Florence County GOP passed resolutions against both Brand and Willis for their stance. Now, disagreeing on an issue is natural, and it will happen - a lot. Being upset is fine, and letting your elected official know that you disagree is the American Way. However, we think the FCGOP went waaaaaaaay too far in publicly admonishing Brand and Willis in a party vote.
A public party vote against one of your own is a serious thing, and it's limited to actions (usually personal conduct) that bring shame or a bad light on the party. To give you an idea of how limited it is (or should be), when Mark Sanford took his Argentinian vacation, the county party didn't censure him. To have a vote take place on an issue that is obviously up for debate shows that the FCGOP has some growing up to do. Secondly, if members of the party are willing to dump Brand and Willis for a smoking ban alone, they are morons. One vote is not a councilman make, especially this one...
Yeah, freedoms are going to be limited, but the last time we checked, the Right to Smoke wasn't on the Bill of Rights. You'll get by. They've had this law up here for a decade, and smokers have adjusted. The bigger issue here is the FCGOP's reaction to the vote of Brand and Willis. They overstepped their bounds, and in the end, the current leadership will pay for it. We're all on the same team - start acting like it, and stop being the Party That Eats It's Own.
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SC Leaders Are Publicly Shitting Bricks, But We Don't See Much To the NLRB Board Hearing In June....
The big brouhaha this week in the Palmetto State was the announcement that they will entertain a hearing about the legality of Boeing's North Chucktown plant. We haven't seen so many politicians wake up from their desks and spring onto the podium since they dumped the styrofoam cups at the Capitol cafeteria... Like most stupid events, the hearing is nothing, and everyone knows it...
The gist of the complaint is that Boeing, which has a unionized workforce based in Washington State, is trying to sidestep paying union wages by building the $2 billion plant in South Cackilacky. In a very small way, it's correct, but on the whole, it's bullshit. Of course Boeing is trying to save some bucks by building the 787 Dreamliner in the Palmetto State, which is a Right to Work state. Last time we checked, Boeing's goal is to make a profit, and a good one at that.
The determining factor - and the complaints major flaw - is that to prove that case, they have to show that Boeing is building the plant at existing workers expense. They're not firing people in Washington and hiring in SC - they're just adding labor in another location. It's totally legal.
How obvious is this case? Even Democrats aren't talking about this case. As much as the Democrats owe Labor, they know they have no leg to stand on here. This case will die, and Boeing will continue on. It was nice to see everyone serving the public in South Carolina get off their asses ,
and let us know they're still alive.... Back to bed guys!
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"The foundations of our national policy will be laid in the pure and immutable principles of private morality, and the preeminence of free government be exemplified by all the attributes which can win the affections of its citizens, and command the respect of the world."
- George Washington, 1789 Inaugural Address.
We rarely trust people who publicly flaunt their morality anyway... However, if we can find well-intentioned people with the country's well-being as their focus, we can win. One thing that does command respect? Spanish hottie Paula Prendes... Muy Caliente !!
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Mike Huckabee's Showing Off His Strong Pimp Hand, But Is He Running Or Not Next Year?
After last week's tepid Presidential debate, it appears the major players on the GOP side are beginning to get into the race. Newt Gingrich is in, Donald Trump appears to be out. Mitch Daniels is thinking hard about it. Meanwhile, the world waits with baited breath on word from 2008 Third Place finisher Mike Huckabee on whether he will run again as well. Here is our prediction...... Wait for it...... Almost there.
OK, here it is.... Huckabee is going to run. If for any reason, we hope he will run for the sake of ending his TERRIBLE, TERRIBLE Fox News show. I saw one episode, and Public Access Cable puts on better shows. Shaaaaaa-Wing! Party on, Garth!
Now, for more legitimate reasons why we think he's running. First off, he had that show as a free platform for his campaign. Secondly, he's already booked for Fox News Sunday, which tells us the most. Why all the hubbub if you're not running. No-Runs are simple: you put out a statement. This is almost as hyped as the Lebronathon of last summer. He's in.
We'll consider Huckabee, but it always depends on the field entered. our mind is wide open. To us, there is no clear moderate voice for the GOP in the race yet - and there may not be. When the field is set, we'll make up our minds yet. But, we do have at least one positive from it already ..... the end of the worst show on TV. Politics CAN be a good thing....
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Change the 'ap' to a 'ut', And We Have a Deal .....
On the whole, we are OK with the way Governor Andrew Cuomo has run New York. Like his dad, he is not a favorite of the Unions, and that's fine with us... Since he was lucky enough to run against angry bat swinger- nut job Carl Paladino, his war chest is full, even after the election. So, he's been using it to forward his agenda..
Some of it has been for good in our eyes. Medicare reform was his first thing on the list. Now, Cuomo has turned his focus onto property tax reform. Let us give you the skinny. Property taxes in New York - and especially Long Island - are outrageous. Nassau County is now the highest taxed county IN AMERICA .... Suffolk County is not far behind at Number 12 nationally. The low end is above $6-8000 annually. Most pay $10k, and Joe and Carol pay $17,000 a year for a middle class house. When residents pay more for taxes than most others pay for their mortgage, then something is wrong. Taxes are up 80% in the past decade...
Cuomo wants to stem the tide, by implementing a 2% tax cap. While it sounds nice, we find it typical of many Democrats who just can't seem to find the tax paring knife.... Maybe it's a case of pushing that which you can pass, rather than what you should do, but to us, Cuomo is throwing a single bucket of water on a blazing fire...
We're going to use the Doc Brown Space Time Continuum - Alternate Reality chart to make our point... Except we don't have it, so we're going to use a two line chart of Afghnanistan's population instead.
Simply put, the top line is where taxes are without a cut, and the bottom line is if you cut, then cap taxes.
That lighter green area is the money taxpyares would save, and it affirms what we all know - New Yorkers are paying too much taxes in the future, they are paying too much taxes now..... To us, a one time small cut - any cut - then capping it at 2% makes sense. It address both problems. Secondly, Cuomo is wrong in stating that making smaller tax increases in the future will create jobs. Running the same bad path, only at a slower rate only delays the inevitable.
Cut , then cap.
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For Sale: Fixer Upper in Abbottamad... One Owner, Recently Vacated. Need Some Interior Repairs.
There was a bit of eery irony for me, as the news of Osama Bin Laden's death came to pass. Coming back from Flotown, I missed the I-95 turnoff around DC, and Matt and I went smack into downtown and Northern Virginia. We passed the Pentagon, White House and Capitol areas just before the announcement was made, and then we crossed the Verrazano Bridge into Brooklyn, with a clear view of the south end of Manhattan, where the World Trade Center towers once stood just afterwards... Safe to say, there are many who can say that.
Yes, Bin Laden is dead, and justifiably so.. So, now we have the question of where do we go from here? We don't think there is a lot of closure for the victims' families.... They are still gone, and no one's passing will fill the void of the loss of a loved one by such evil means.
Does this mean that the War on Terror is over? No, and far from it. We suspect that the cutting off of the head of the snake will lead to the eventual dismantling of Al-Qaida, and it's support of the Taliban. However, that will take time, and the total elimination of both groups is doubtful. We will be in Afghanistan and Pakistan for quite a while, but a downsizing in the next year or so is very possible..
As for Pakistan, we have mixed feelings: No, I'm not a big fan.. In general, Pakistanis hate us with a vengeance. I knew a guy named Amir (Prince in Arabic) a few years before 9/11, and this kid railed on how much America sucked and was Anti-Arabic... One of my co-workers suggest that he move back to his Pakistani shithole, and go fuck himself. My guess is he's there now, or dead in a sand pile in Waziristan somewhere.
Oh yeah, it was pretty embarrassing to find Bin Laden about three feet from Pakistan's West Point... Is all of Pakistan not to be trusted, and the money cut off? Not quite. Politically, I think we have decent support from a country that needs to walk a tough tightrope. The military? Big difference... I don't trust the Pakistani military, and this gives us solid proof. The problem is most of our support is military... To the tune of $2.5 billion a year.....
Decisions need to be made, but not just yet. Next year is a different thing... Bin Laden is gone, and the race to stamp out Al-Qaida now goes into full gear. Good riddance, asshole! We doubt you have 69 virgins in Hell..... Is it hot down there?
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Chad Connelly Elected SCGOP Chairman .....
No doubt Moye Graham is a happy camper today, as Clemson man Chad Connelly won election as GOP Chair of the Palmetto State yesterday in Columbia... Winning by acclaimation during the second vote over Bill Connor and Stephen Brown, Connelly succeeeds Karen Floyd. While we'll miss Floyd's style, spunk and her legs, she leaves with a good record, although here is a major financial question that looms on the near horizon....
While Connelly's extensive motivational speaking skills will rile up the delegation and party insiders, his biggest challenge is raising money. With $92,000 in the bank, it leaves the party about $1.2 million short of what it needs for next year's First in the South primary... The donation cup will need to be filled up quick, and in this economy, it won't be easy.
That brings us to the big question: does the state legislature step in and finance the primary to keep South Carolina's position as a major player in Republican elections? It's not a matter of IF they can do it (they do have a supermajority after all), but SHOULD they. To us, the answer is no.... Hell no. The private bill of a group should not be left to the taxpayers to be footed. It sets a bad precedent, and like anything else, if the SCGOP is spending beyond it's means, then they need to cut back elsewhere.
It's a simple matter of putting your money where your mouth is... You're for limited government? Well then, cut back on the frills and expenditures, and tighten your belt. Or, get out there and raise some more dough. Connelly is taking over a pretty smooth ship. Aside from this issue, there are few other challenges. Good luck, and Hail to the New Chief..
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"If individuals be not influenced by moral principles; it is in vain to look for public virtue; it is, therefore, the duty of legislators to enforce, both by precept and example, the utility, as well as the necessity of a strict adherence to the rules of distributive justice."
- James Madison, 1789.
No, public service, with very few exceptions, is a job where you make the rules up as you go along. It only leads to reversing directions, confusion, and ultimately a stagnant country. However, it's not too vain to take a peek at Diane Lane. Rarely, do we post women older than me, but if your wife looked like that at 46, you'd be showing her off too...
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Uhh.... Did something happen this week? While we agree that not much good would come from showing the blown out face of Osama Bin Laden (easy doubters, whether you personally are satisfied is irrelevant), the hopes that this will guarantee an Obama win in 2012 are way premature... We need only go back to 1992. Bush 41 thought his asswhipping of Saddam Hussein the year before was all he needed. It's still the economy, folks. This will wear off well before next November..
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