Uhh, We Guessing The Part of the Label That Says 'Coca-Cola' Lets You Know What the Product Is, Not the Color of the Can!
Working in retail, we are never surprised at the mindlessness of consumers. They don't think about anything involving products they purchase, how they work, and how to operate them. If I had a dollar for everytime I had a customer ask 'can't the car just DO IT for me??' ..... well, I'd have probably about 13 dollars. That's what operators manuals are for..
No, we don't want to have to think about anything. This is America - we want what we want, we don't want to have to learn or think- and if you can't do it, we'll find someone who can. That is, until they realize they can't, and we'll find someone else, until we finally end up back at your doorstep. Then the cycle starts all over again....
In retail, branding is everything. Even little kids know the Golden Arches before they're two years old, and their parents are no different. God forbid if you change even the color of your product. Coca-Cola is finding that out. It's Christmas season, and the usual colors are red and green. Well, Coke is already in a red can, so they decided to make a special can, with proceeds going to the World Wildlife Fund. We'll avoid anything on that, and just stick with the can...
Coke decided to use their famed Polar Bear motif (A Christmas staple), but instead of red, they went with a white and silver can. The problem is, comsumers are brainlocked to think that the silver can is DIET COKE, not regular Coke. Nevermind that it says COCA-COLA... People just think 'Duh, Silver Can, Diet Coke'. It wouldn't matter if the label said 'Rat Poison' in Diet Coke font, as long as the can is silver, they'd buy it. And if there's one thing we know, diet soda drinkers CAN'T STAND sugared cola! Right up to the point of the can touching their lips, people weren't noticing.. They didn't know the gun was loaded....
Naturally, there was Diet Coke drinker outrage. So, Coke was forced to introduce new red cans for the promotion. Here is where I have a little expertise.. I worked for one of the labelmakers that makes the Coke cans. They may look similar, but for each promotion, there is a new label that must be designed, approved, printed ,shipped and affixed for the cans. It takes probably 2 months to do all of this... So now Coke and the labelmakers have ten of millions of useless labels, and the WWF may lose millions of dollars in donations - all because we don't take the time to read. Next time, maybe they'll require an eye exam at the supermarket to buy stuff....
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You Might Think Our Payroll Tax Solution Is Goofy..... But At Least It Is Equitable ..
One thing you have to say about us: we always try to give solutions to issues that affect America. As negative as it may seem we are, there is always a point to it. That, and we can focus on the big picture, even in the most stressful of situations. Wait, that's TWO things. Anyway, we move onto the topic....
There we are, no more than ten minutes since being fired from our job, and we're driving home, listening to POTUS, as usual. The subject was what to do about the payroll tax. Suddenly - like a thunderbolt - we had an idea that we think is the most fair. No, we don't think it'll ever happen, and we're sure a lot of you will hate it. But, we live in the real world, not the world of 'principles'...
The Payroll Tax refers to the tax paid for Social Security. When it was enacted, the Dems refused to call it that, fearing that it would be viewed as defunding the Social Security Trust Fund - which it is. The Payroll Tax cut has sped up the insolvency date of the fund, so you have either of two options: cut benefits, or increase funding. You can't do nothing....
Republicans are getting their asses kicked on this issue, because they are demanding that it be paid for. They are in a very tight spot, because by doing nothing, households will be back to paying more taxes - and these are middle to lower income households. Right now, high income earners do not give a damn about this, becuase they earn WAAAAYYY past the $110,000 cap on the tax. We talk a lot about tax fairness. Well, the Payroll Tax is perhaps the most UNFAIR and slanted tax against lower income people around. The rate is 6.2%, up to a max of that $110,000, so if you make $500,000 then your effective rate is only 1.24%... If you made a million, it's only .62% - you paid the same dollar amount as a middle class worker. Doesn't really sound equitable, does it?
Here is our plan. Keep the payroll tax at the discounted 4.65% for everyone, but eliminate the cap. If we thought DC could do anything with Income Taxes, we'd give them a chance with it, but that's not happening.... Plus, an income tax adjustment is a general fund increase, which could give Congress a free ride to spend more overall. To us, we at least see a benefit to saving Social Security, although raiding the Trust Fund always worries us. To at least give higher earners some degree of fairness, raise the max payment 10%... If there is overfunding from the CBO, then cut the rate even further. We're fine with that.
Republicans want it paid for, and this is the only way. The 'Job Creators' argument is flawed, and we think we did an adequate job of debunking it last week. No, there will be no job creation with any of this. If it needs to be paid for, someone somewhere has to pay. Hiking taxes on the middle class is the worst move possible... It's simple: the rich and mega-rich don't pay a dime for it, and they need to. All we are proposing is making the Payroll Tax a flat tax.... What is unfair about that?
Social Security Payroll Tax is something that we all pay, so simply continuing that tax will result in everyone's check being the same all year. Higher income earners can handle the lack of change. We'd rather see a fix to income taxes, but today, this is the issue on the table. We're all ears, so if you have a better plan, we're all ears. If you want to pay for it, taxes must go up, or benefits cut. There is no magic bullet.. If you don't like it, then find us a job, and we'll have no time to work on America's problems again!
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"I have lived, sir, a long time; and the longer I live, the more convincing proofs I see of this truth, that God governs in the affairs of men. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without his aid?"
- Benjamin Franklin, 1787.
It surprises me to hear this one from Ben Franklin, who was very pragmatic - and quite the ladies man... But, he was about 81 at the time, and people get very reflective when they see their time coming. We tend to think that God is a lot like DC and business: God set the table for us by giving us everything needed to make a perfect world, and it's up to us to make it a reality. We either screw it up or make it happen....
One thing that we see God's hand in making is Teresa Palmer. Ladies please note: you don't need to worship the tanning salon to be hot. Yeah, we have a thing for pale chicks... Could bounce a quarter of that tummy!
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Not a bad week in Cartoonland this week... Lots of Christmas related stuff, but not that great. Another one equating Newt Gingrich with the Wizard of Oz was interesting, but it lacked the oomph to make the cut. Instead, we stayed with topical news of the week. Another week, another Rick Perry flub... Rick, you only have to be 18 to vote, and the election is November 6th. Not it really matters for you, because we don't think you'll be in the race by then!
Meanwhile, it IS Christmas season....and the overzealous shoppers were out once again. When you have to use pepper spray to calm people down, things are getting out of hand - unless, of course, it's a $2 waffle iron on sale! Luckily, it wasn't pepper spray on sale. That really could have been ugly. Now we know why gun stores don't have Black Friday sales!
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So Long, Pizza Man... We Hardly Knew You !
A quick post to note the news that Herman Cain has suspended (re: quit) his campaign for President. If Cain went into this to up his name recognition, then he has certainly succeeded. Rick Santorum and Jon Huntsman haven't come even close to the juice Cain had going for a little while there..
Unfortunately, Cain 2012 will be known for two things: 999 and Sexual Harrassment. Maybe Santorum and Huntsman are lucky.. While Cain added a different and necessary element to the race, there was no chance of him winning. 999 is ridculously slanted towards the upper income earners, he had ZERO foreign policy knowledge, and as far as the harrassment claims, there is more smoke than a High Times magazine readers convention. Do they have a convention? Anyway....
Give hime some credit. Cain was smart enough to recognize that the past month is putting great stress and embarassment on his wife and family. They didn't ask for this, and likely knew nothing of it, but they deserve to get their own privacy back. Cain is doing the right thing. Hopefully, he won't have the stupidity to get back in...
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Unemployment Rate Dips to 8.6% ... We'll Drink to That!
Once again, we are the salmon swimming against the stream... While America was stuck in the economic tank, we managed to stay employed. Now that we lost our job, America finally seems to be making a recovery. Personally, we can only hope, for our own sake, that America hits the skids once more...
The big question right now is whether the .4% sudden drop in the jobless rate is a true sign that we have turned the corner. The answer is: we don't know yet, but we're not quite convinced. All you can do is read the numbers....
Here's the good news: there were nearly 600,000 less unemployed in November, 2011 than in October. Yep, good news indeed. Not totally good, though... Only 278,000 found new jobs - mostly through retail jobs for the Christmas season. More than 300,000 quit searching for work last month. Yes, non-work seekers DO NOT count towards the unemployment rate. So, it wasn't as good as it might look on the surface...
We're figuring that December will be pretty similar. Retail numbers for Black Friday and Cyber Monday were very good, so most of the temporary hires will stay on through return season and New Years. The real question is how many will stay. Often in an economic turnaround, retailers will keep some of the temps on, and unemployemnt stays the same. So, the real test will be January, and into February. If it holds at 8.6% or drops, then we might finally be getting somewhere. Businesess are still waiting for all the indicators to be there, and they're not. But maybe soon....
Politically, it's reason for Obama to smile, but there isn't any reason to take credit, nor to think that this will win him re-election in 2012... There is a historical unemployment rate that wins or loses elections, and Obama is nowhere near it yet.. But if it drops another point by next November, it may be enough. WAAAAAAAYYYYY to early to tell. We'll see.
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Yep, we got laid off again this week. We saw it coming for a little while now, but it's never fun getting fired. After 25 months of consistent employment (our longest stretch since 1997-2005), we were cut loose. It's not really any fault of our own.. We made it through 4 managers during our last run, but Number Five decided to bring in his own people (3 of them), and someone had to go...
Numberswise, it was destined to be me. I closed the department, so I came in one hour behind everyone else, which cost me about 20% of the customers. To make up for the lack of work, I would work on the walkins, which are mostly bulbs, tires and other short work that lowers the averages that bosses make their decisions on... Now, someone else's numbers will drop.
From here, we're not sure where we will go. Maybe we'll stay in the car biz, but we sure enjoyed the last job we had out of it.. 60-65 hours a week takes it's toll on a person. We likely will stay on Long Island initially to try and find work, but if it doesn't go well, we will probably end up back in Florence. No sense paying for two places with no money. Of course, the job market in Florence sucks with a capital S... It's all up in the air right now.
For all the people I know in politics, and it being that time of year, you'd think I'd find a gig with the SC Primary coming, but we doubt it. I'll land on my feet somewhere - I always do, right? When I know where it is, you'll be the first to know...
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We don't always note the passing of athletes, but Chester McGlockton's dying of an apparent heart attack at 42 touched us on many levels. First off, he did play at Clemson, and he was only 2 years younger than I am. But, the most important part is that we actually met him..
In fact, he came to my apartment once. For those of you who don't know our life history, I spent my first two years of college at East Carolina. Sophomore year was spent at a townhouse with three guys from Whiteville, NC - and their three girlfriends, all from 'Whatville' as well... So, having group parties filled with people from Bulldog country was pretty common. Whiteville was a small 2-A school in Columbus County, but they produced a nice crop of jocks: Patrick Lennon was the first overall draft pick in the 1986 baseball draft. Actually, he was a customer of mine up here. The NC tags gave them away. There also was Tommy Greene, who eventually pitched a no-hitter and made it to 1993 World Series for the Phillies. Chet, as he was called, just won the state titel, and was on his way to Clemson..
Usually, everyone tells stories about how this guy is going to make the pros, but it their cases it was true. Chet was a mountain of a guy, even at that age. Back then, he played tight end, but it was his size and speed that would get him to the NFL. He was a 4-time Pro Bowler - one of the best at his position- and last was an assistant coach at Stanford...
We won't get into the discussion of whether NFL players are threatening their future health by doing what they need to make it there today. For today, we'll just remember him for what he did on the field, and by all acounts of people we know well, was a great guy...
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After 32 Years, Bahwny Fwank Calls it Qwits ....
P-Luv's gonna get riled up on this one initially... No, we don't think ever attorney needs to be drowned. But we can think of a lot of congresspeople we'd like to toss off the side of a boat. Both sides... BTW, is it just us, or does Barney Frank look like one of the pigs from Angry Birds??
Well, the big news out of DC this week was the impending retirement of Barney Frank (D-MA). One of the more colorful members of Congress, and the first openly gay member of the House, Frank has decided to call it a political career.. Why now? A press corps member on POTUS put it best. Once you become a Chairman, and you lose it, it's hard to back to being a committee member. If you think your party will take over control of the House again, you stick it out, and try to get your old job back. If not, you retire. Lots of House members quit every term, but this is a pretty good sign that the Dems don't think they will take it back next year...
Frank is one of the more interesting members in DC. Like most people, he's not all bad, but in the end, he is a pretty good example of what s wrong with Washington. Frank was one of the more honest members of the House, in that at least he told you what he thought, even if it were wrong. And he actually was pretty funny, speech impediments aside. We also appreciate his work for protecting consumers. No, Dodd-Frank is far from perfect. Is it as bad as Republicans say it is? Probably not. like most legislation, it's somewhere in between....
But, we're not crying for Frank leaving, for a couple reasons. First, we think he was a bit classless at his announcement. We heard a good portion of it, and we think he spent way too much time attacking Newt Gingrich. If Newt were at he bottom of the GOP polls, would he be on him so much? We doubt it... He also mentioned that now, he could say what he felt instead of being so nice.. ?????? Oh yeah... there's the question of him taking so much campaign money from Wall Street while Chair of the Finance Committee. Fox watching the henhouse again...
Frank reminisced about the Good Old Days, when he first got to Congress in 1981. He said they used to work together, and hang out with each other. True, but let's ask a pretty valid question: If it was that way when you got there, and now you're in charge, don't you think you should take some responsibility for the breakdown? Not if you're a politician, and in the end, that's what Barney Frank is. No better, no worse. The sad part is, there are plenty more of him there, and possibly even more hardliners who never heard of the word compromise. It almost makes us wish they took the 'D' or 'R' away when they re on TV, so we could just take each of them at face value.
The good news is eventually, they all go away. We just hope they are replaced with new and improved parts. For those of you not familiar with Angry Birds, this is what we're talking about....
C'mon now... You know we're right!
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SC6 Goes Country ????
Well, not totally. But, the big news in Flotown last night was the appearance of one of the hottest acts in Country Music at the Civic Center. For those of us used to seeing the Baptist Convention or WWE Wrestling on the banner, it was a refreshing change.
Though we are not big fans of the genre, we have plenty of friends who are, and someone special got a nice little Christmas present from us yesterday! Yes, there are some perks for being friends with us.... Sometimes. So, in appreciation of Lady A's visit to the Pee Dee, we are playing 'I Run To You'. Shoot, even we know this one. Enjoy, and we'll see you next week.....
www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rs38lKxmtI4
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It All Depends On Which Way The Sign is Pointed...
As a centrist (or shall we call it a realistic) Republican, I often find myself shaking my head or getting my butt critiqued by people for what I would call the unrealistic sidde of my party. You know them - the ones jumping all over Newt Gingrich's Illegal Immigration stance, and getting nothing done for signing no new tax pledges. While calling it principled may be one thing, it's that refusal to bend that is slowly wrecking our country. Principles are nice, but let me ask you: If you are anti-capita punishment, do you not shoot the guy who broke into your house and has a gun at your wife's head. Just an example...
Back to reality... Watching Fox News Sunday, like I usually do, Chris Wallace all but admitted that the GOP is shootig itself in the foot this week. He's right... Immigration is a tough nut to crack. We can try to keep illegals from crossing the border, but it's a limited effectiveness, along with monitoring businesses who hire them. Michele Bachmann may be trying to rile up the right wing/Tea Party faction of the party, but there are two truths: first the Tea Party DOESN'T run the GOP, or make up the majority of it. Secondly, Bachmann hasn't put forth a single realistic planon any issue since she got in the race... She's grasping at straws, and if she wants to turn the steering wheel as far right as it will go, let her - but don't give her the time of day, because she's hurting the party...
The real killer of issues this week is the upcoming ending of the Payroll Tax Cut. Barack Obama is licking his chops over this one, because he has the Republicans in Congress bent over the trash can. The cut was a $20 per week cut on just about everybody in America. You might remember it a couple years ago. Well, it had a window - and that window ends at year's end. You'd think that a party opposed to raising taxes, which ending a cut does, would have an easy time on this one. Uhhh........ No.
Of course, Republicans want two things: the tax cuts to be paid for, and for it to not hurt upper income earners - those who 'create' jobs. OK, for those of you who haven't gotten this on the first 244 times I explained how jobs are created, I'll do it again.... Here we go.
Much as we'd like to think so, business owners do not just hire new employees because they personally have more money in the bank. Dickens may have forgotten to mention this, but Ebenezer Scrooge dies eventually. he's not around anymore. Business owners hire more people because the demand for products necessitates hiring more people to make those goods and services. If they make more money without having to hire more people, they are entitled and God Bless them... Saying more people will be hired because the upper crust has more available cash is inherently disengenuous. Not a lie, just incorrect.
How do jobs get created then? By giving CONSUMERS more money to spend and buy products, which creates demand. Rich people's extra income basically goes into the bank, middle class extra income goes back into the economy. It's that simple, and it's time the GOP stopped believing the bullshit that their donors tell them. For now, extend the cuts. Long term, end all the tax breaks for everybody, and install a three-tier Flat Tax, so everyone pays taxes, with one standard deduction at the Poverty Line. It's almost too simple....
Wallace had Jon Kyl, fresh off his Stupor Committee victory - OOPS! We mean embarrassment - on the show, and Kyl looked like a MegaRich apologist... Luckily, he's leaving. He could have used this period to do the right thing without re-election worries, but he didn't. We hope the rest of the party isn't going this way... If we become a bunch of 'principled', unrealistic morons, then we will get our asses kicked next year - Obama or not.
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We Do Our Part to Bring a Katrina Survivor Back To Life
Maybe it's just us, but working at car dealerships, we look at cars as more than just inanimate objects. They don't just perform tasks - we see them as a big part of customers' lives, and as part of the family... Yeah, maybe we are a bit kooky that way, but it helps you relate to the customer in that respect. Don't believe me? Answer this.... What is your car's name? We win....
Yes, if you look hard enough, you'll realize that your car has gone through every bump and hill in your life, right there along with you. Your kids, job, relationships... Your car has been there for everything. Of course, some cars are better than others. The 2005 Mercedes C240 I just let go this week is a great one...
No, I didn't ask the customer what the car's name is, but I called her Katrina. It was owned by a lady who worked in the Downtown Medical Center in New Orleans - and was there in August, 2005 , when Hurricane Katrina hit. No, she wasn't outdoors - she was parked on the 5th floor of the hospital, protected from the floodwaters. The storm was bad enough that the car remained there until November. Bad enough that the mold infestation forced health officials to close the hospital forever. Bad enough that they had to move to New York.....
There was one problem with the move - the New York traffic was so bad, the owners stopped driving it, and it sat in their driveway - dead as a doornail - until this month, when it was towed to us. It actually wasn't too bad: lots of rust damage to the brakes, a few collapsed engine mounts, and all the fluids needed replacing. $4800 later, it was running like a champ. Seriously, it might have been the best running C-class I drove in that bodystyle.
The customer's were real happy, and they gave the car to their son, who now lives in Atlanta. Maybe someday, they'll all go back to New Orleans. We'll see... But, it's always nice to see people who's lives were shattered get some sense of being back to normal, by giving them their old car back. Most days, I hate my job.. It's not where my heart is. But, days like I had this week make it a lot easier.
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"In questions of power, then, let no more be heard of confidence in man, but bind him down from mischief by the chains of the Constitution."
- Thomas Jefferson, 1798.
Yet another bone of truth from TJ... The purpose of the Constitution is to give guidelines which give freedoms to it's citizens , and limits to it's elected officials. When one person or any group of people think they are smarter than the Constitution, then we run into trouble. One thing we wouldn't mind having mischief with is yummy Meriah Nelson.... We'll skip the chain, though. We prefer to keep our hands free!
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The other cartoons mostly chatted about topics we already discussed here - Newt Gingrich's move, The Super Committee, etc.. So, we went with the story that Herman Cain has requested - and got - Secret Service protection during his campaign. Not sure if it's to protect him from a kook, or to protect him from himself, as the cartoon suggests. Judging from his recent Foreign Policy missteps, it may be the latter....
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Welcome to our latest installment of SC6's Civil War Rewind, where we note significant events from the War Between the States in chronological order, 150 years after they happened. Today, we have a neat little tidbit. Though not as important as a battle might be, we found out about one of the stranger events of the War: Missouri's 'Secession' from the Union..
Like many border states, Missouri was very split on which side they would be for. More important than the will of the people, back then, WHO was in charge mattered just as much. In 1861, Claiborne Jackson was Governor of the Show Me State - and an ardent supporter of secession. At the same time, there was one prize that both the North and South wanted in Missouri - The St. Louis Arsenal. No, it wasn't a soccer team, it was one of the largest military caches in the West. Essentially, these two things helped throw Missouri into near chaos...
Literally from Day One, Jackson asked the state legislature to have a council to formally consider Missouri's relationship with the US Government. He was hoping that pro-secession reps would be chosen, but when it occured, none made it. So, Jackson sat and waited... The Arsenal gave him his chance...
Both sides had plans to claim St. Louis' arsenal, by using local militias to take it over, and use it for their side. Capt. Nathaniel Lyon, a Pro-Union member of the arsenal with loose ties to Abraham Lincoln, used his influence, along with a local militia called the Wide Awakes, to have both commanders of St. Louis be replaced or called to DC. Lyon took advantage, gaining control....
Jackson was naturally pissed, and the two sides met to negotiate a truce, but Lyon was in no mood for agreeing to leaving Missouri. Lyon clearly stated for the record that Jackson and his cabinet were insurrectionists to the United States, and that they would no longer be in charge. Lincoln used a similar statute to essentially depose Jackson, and name a new Governor and legislature.. Jackson was kicked out of Jefferson City, but held onto power - sort of - from other cities in the state. In short, Missouri now had two governments, with two governors and legislatures, both of whom were in dispute...
So, which one is in charge? The answer? Whichever one agrees with what you want! In this case, the South sided with Jackson. Jackson held another 'convention', and got his Pro-South sense of the House. And so on November 28, 1861, Missouri was admitted as the 12th state in the Confederacy - despite NEVER having officially left the Union! Interesting indeed.... Of course, it had no effect. Jackson soon ended up 'running' Missouri from Arkansas, where he died, and others later ran it from Marshall, Texas (?). Don't ask us, it doesn't make sense either, but it certainly is one of the stranger stories from the War....and it happened 150 years ago this week!
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The Tigers and Gamecocks Line Up For Another Battle ....
Now, it's time for us to comment on something we're actually excited about.... This is one of those days that we wished we were back in Florence: Clemson-Carolina Day! Why? Because NO ONE up in New York gives a crap about college football, or Rivalry Week. If you showed them the uniforms, 90% of Yankees wouldn't even be able to distinguish the two - a civil offense in most municipalities in the Palmetto State. I am an island onto myself up here....
To most of my friends consternation, I have always remained unbiased on the rivalry. I didn't attend either school, I have friends who went to both, and I like both schools, which I've been told is impossible. Yes, I do own one team's jersey, but that's mainly because I look better in one color than the other! It is this ability to remain unbiased that allows me to see the game clearer than most, as we have a 5-0 record on the game since we started SC6. Actually, we have no idea what our record is.... Onto the game!
This game is a rarity, in that both teams are strong and evenly ranked - face it, there is almost no difference between Number 5, and Number 18. Both teams have looked dominant one week, then leave you shaking your head the next... This is football in Carolina we're talking about here. Clemson kinda snuck up on me this year, while Carolina looked like they might repeat as SEC East Champs, but they still finished strong in the toughest conference in football....
The game is in Williams-Brice, so that would give a small edge to the Gamecocks, but lots of Tiger squads have come home from Columbia with the win... To us, we see a distinct difference between the squads. Carolina looked like the offense would be strong, but losing Lattimore made it not as fearsome as when the season began. Connor Shaw is adequate, but we're still wondering when The Visor will get that strong-armed QB he relied on for so long at Florida...
While the D may not be on par with Carolina's, Clemson has an offense that can stretch that Gamecock D. The Tigers have a penchant for falling behind early, but they have the firepower to come back, and Carolina's offense needs to keep the score down. Can they? We have our doubts... Tajh Boyd is the most talented guy on the field, and South Carolina has made lesser QB's look good at times (see Arkansas). Clemson 31-20.
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Mark Your Calendar... Basketball Comes Back On Christmas Day
This just in.... The NBA Lockout ended today, and a 66 game season will start with a Christmas Day tripleheader !!!!! B-Ball is back !!!! WOOO-HOOOO !!!! Uh, no we don't really care. We send you back to your regular programming.....
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SC6 Explains Why The 'Stupor Committee' Never Really Mattered Much To Us Anyway....
We know what you're saying.....If we're now stating that the Joint Select Committee on Deficit Reduction never really mattered, then why did we spend so much time on it in the first place? Was it all just another opportunity for us to jab at our favorite, and soon to be former, congressman? Maybe to a point. But, we spent all the time on it for two reasons: First, it was perfect example of showing that Congress is crippled in it's ability to get the Big Stuff done. Secondly, if it actually DID get something accomplished it would have been a huge deal. IF... Would Have.... But it DIDN'T.
Now, onto our focus for today. We like to be the Salmon Against the Stream. When the news is overly rosy, we try to temper that unjustified enthusiasm. When it seems like all news is bad, and there is nowhere else to turn, we attempt to pick you up - by giving you MORE bad news on top of it! It's a talent we have, so don't try this at home...
Yes, the Stupor Committee was an abject failure, based upon Congress' decision to pack the group with overly politicized and unqualified members. Good Luck getting Jeb Hensarling and Jim Clyburn to agree on lunch, much less $4 Trillion in deficit cuts... Anyway, the most important and positive way to look at the failure is this: Congress was under NO demand to follow whatever the Committee agreed to AT ALL....
That's right. Whatever the agreement was, the fact is that Congress' budgets are formed on a year to year basis. What that means simply is every year, numbers are crunched individually, and the numbers formed by previous members on Congress mean nothing! Each year is a blank slate, and if five years from now, something comes up, the 2011 Super Deal would be null and void. We think you know by now, in DC, yesterday means nothing. Need a good example: we passed a balanced budget amendment back in the 90's... What ever happened to that? POOF !!! Vanished into thin air.
Sure, if Congress were a group of open-minded, yet disciplined 535 members, then we might have been more excited (or depressed) at the Stupor Committee's success or failure, but just know them too well, for as much as Congress fails to remember the past, they repeat it all too much..... After all, Stupor Is As Stupor Does...
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"The true test is, whether the object be of a local character, and local use; or, whether it be of general benefit to the states. If it be purely local, congress cannot constitutionally appropriate money for the object. But, if the benefit be general, it matters not, whether in point of locality it be in one state, or several; whether it be of large, or of small extent."
- Joseph Story, Commentaries on the Constitution, 1833.
We find this quote to be most interesting. On the surface, we agree totally that local projects should be set up locally, and regional and national projects can fall under Washington DC's funding. However, if you want to play semantics, you can create a problem. What IS 'general benefit'?? It's part of what allows DC to pervert and blow the system out of control..
On the flipside, the true test of hotness is simple: If you have a smokin' body, beautiful face and attitude like Edith Larente (quite possibly the only hot woman named Edith on Earth), then you are certifiably HOT! She is certainly no Dingbat in our book..
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Bobby sent this to me this week. I thought it was his dog, Sandy, but it turns out it was a pic he saw online. Come to think of it, Sandy is slightly lighter colored. Still, it was pretty funny. Is it just us, or does this dog look like Diana Ross during her Mahogany period ?????
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America's Future Waits While These Nine Old Geezers Decide On The Legality of Obamacare's Mandate ....
Perhaps the most important news for the American economy wasn't from the White House or the Capitol. Of course not - Barack Obama is Down Under (down under who, we're not sure), and Congress is ...... well, they're Congress. No, all eyes were and should be on the Supreme Court this Spring and Summer, where the court will decide on whether citizens should be required to have health insurance, among other aspects...
To us, there is no doubt that the Court accepting the appeals case was a win for Republicans. If it were dropped, then Obamacare would be law. Since the case was taken, either way it will be good for the American economy. Why? Because businesses across the country are waiting it out, thus slowing recovery down. We have no doubt that whether or not it is good, the large unknown that is Obamacare has scared the beejesus out of all companies and businessowners. the best thing that could happen for the American economy is for Obamacare to be overturned. We dont think you give someone a candy bar when they haven't even had dinner, and that's what Obamacare is. Basics first, jobs first...
The second best thing is just for the Supreme Court to make up it's mind, and let business stop waiting, and get on with it.. The difference would be six months, and light years on the red tape put on business, but the unknown is the scariest thing there is.... Mark it on the calendar - June, 2012. Then, we'll know, and the economy goes on from there. Don't expect unemployment to go anywhere until then, we'll just have to wait. Sing it, Tom....
www.youtube.com/watch?v=uMyCa35_mOg&ob=av2n
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Careful What You Wish For, Mr. Speaker... There Are Plenty of Slingshots Aimed at Blowing Up That Balloon!
Another week, another front runner... This week, the sun rose - and now Newt Gingrich has become the darling of the conservative movement. Rick Santorum, maybe your time will come, but..... You know, for a group of people so steadfast in their beliefs, Conservatives are having a really hard time settling on a candidate - kinda like me deciding on a favorite at the Strip Club...
Like many Republicans, there are parts to Newt Gingrich that we like. And there are parts that we wish were attached to someone else. Yes, Gingrich can lay claim to leading the conservative charge that helped Bill Clinton stop listening to his wife, and right the America's ship towards a balanced budget and prosperity. But, he's been married almost as much as Elizabeth Taylor, and has spent the better part of the past decade whoring himself out to the highest bidder. Baggage indeed...
If you think Barack Obama will not slyly exploit the obvious values edge, you don't know much about politics. I don't prioritize being a family man for my President, but a lot of people do, and retorting 'I led the conservative movement in the 90's' isn't enough to overcome it..
Of course, it's still only six or so weeks away from Iowa, New Hampshire, and South Carolina (where the leader once again may be determined), and it's a virtual dead heat between Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Herman Cain and Rick Perry - all flavors of the week at one point or another.... Will Newtie still be there? It's a long time til then... When will it be Jon Huntsman's turn? Uhhh.....
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The Old Number 48 Won't Be NASCAR Champ .... Finally!
You might not have noticed - but being South Carolinians, you probably have - but the NASCAR season ends today. The battle is between perpetually unshaven and foulmouthed Tony 'Smoke' Stewart, and backflipping Dudley DoRight clone, Carl Edwards - and those two alone. Yes, for the first time in six years, Jimmie Johnson will not be Champ, and we're kinda happy about it.....
To give you an idea of how long Johnson has been defending champ, think of it this way: Johnson has been champ longer than THIS BLOG has existed! Yep, by a whole 3 1/2 weeks.... I've done over 3200 posts - all under the shade of a Jimmie Johnson. Wait, Johnson first won in 2006. Nevermind, but that's a pretty long time to blog, or to hold the NASCAR crown. I was at Cale Yarborough Honda when Johnson broke Cale's record of three staright titles, and Mr. Y was NOT a happy camper...
Mo, we have nothing against Jimmie. He's a nice guy, almost to a fault. He deserves everything he's earned, but we do think that a seemingly neverending Johnson reigh has hurt the sport a bit? Yeah.. Week to week was decent, but he who holds the crown is what mattered, and it got a bit dull. The golden age of sport is not when Joe Louis, The Yankees or Celtics were winning title after title after title - it's when a couple or a few competitors lock horns for years, and some win, some lose: Cowboys-49ers, Petty-Pearson, Islanders-Oilers (that was a LONG time ago)....
Jimmie will regroup and come back, or he'll decide he's done the almost impossible, and slowly collect a check and do something else. Our bet is on the first one, but it nice to see NASCAR share the wealth. Our money (and NASCAR's hope) is on Edwards today. He's up a few points - and 14 places in the starting gate. Tony will be there, and it'll be fun. More fun than six staright would have been....
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"War is not the best engine for us to resort to; nature has given us one in our commerce, which if properly managed, will be a better instrument for obliging the interested nations of Europe to treat us with justice."
- Thomas Jefferson to Thomas Pinckney, 1797.
The cynical way to look at this would be to say that you can buy lots of friends, but we look at the first part of the statement - War does not make friends.... The one common thing that all nations have is that we truly like freedom, and the things that come with it. Money is one of those things.. Secretly, even Communists like it a little. Our ability to make and market products to countries that cannot do it will always make us allies around the world.
People also like beautiful blondes like Candice Swanepoel - even Communists! Don't believe what they tell you.... They LOVE 'em!
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In case you missed the news this week, Pizza has been officially categorized as one serving of vegetables. Apparently, tomato paste sitting on top of dough, slathered in cheese, is the same as a real tomato. Guess they're focusing on the positive.... What next - classifying Apple Butter as a Fruit?
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Gee, when you put it THAT way.... See, here is your answer next time you see a Meat Is Murder t-shirt on someone. Because somewhere, there is a bean or a leaf of lettuce being slaughtered senselessly...
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We always worry a little bit when we write these memorials of friends that we lose. We never realized that our Google priority basically means that anyone searching for that person will see this right at the top. In a way, it's not right, because for some of them, we only know one aspect of that person... But, we would be remiss not to honor them at all.
This week, the SC6 family lost a good friend and hardworking Republican when Richard Otto passed away from pancreatic cancer. I first met Richard and his wife Peggy during my first run in 2004. In the nearly 8 years since, rarely did a Clarendon County GOP meeting come without Richard and Peggy in attendance. Richard was a big bear of a man, with a heart and smile to match.
Richard did more than attend meetings there. He was Second District Vice Chair of the County, and did probably the most hated and thankless job - Poll Watcher. When I last spoke in Clarendon just a month ago, I talked about making your work in the party whatever you wanted it to be. For some of us, it was up front. For others, it's making phone calls, or taking an unpaid post in the local party. Richard epitomized that idea... Not every Republican in South Carolina might know Richard, but that was their loss, for it's people like Richard who ARE the party. They do all the work. They hold up the platform for the other people.
Like I said, I only know a small part of Richard Otto, and a lot of great Republicans. His kids and grandkids may read this, and not know how much we appreciated his work - just like I know almost nothing of what he did outside of the French Hens or Wyboo Plantation. But, at least they can read this and know we in the GOP want to say one thing. Thank You, Richard. You will be missed....
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Ten Days to Go, and Instead of Cutting the Deficit, Dems and GOP Are Butting Heads. God Help Us All...
Just briefly, if you had any hope that the Super Committee would reach an agreement by November 23rd, don't count on it. Ten minutes on Fox News Sunday cemented it for us. Today, they had two members of the Stupor Committee - Sen Pat Toomey (R-Pa) and Whipper Clyburn (D-Santee, Columbia, Sumter or wherever it is this week). One would think that to give at least SOME appearance that they're together in the goal, that they'd sit together and discuss it. Nope - they came into the guest chair separately, about 5 seconds apart. Toomey out, Clyburn in. The seat never got cold....
Worse than the appearances, were the numbers... Toomey proposed a $1.2T cut - with $700B in spending cuts, and $500B more in taxes, but a rate cut/deduction cut for the top tier earners. Bad idea. First off, the spending is not enough. Secondly, try passing a rate cut for millionaires this year. Pat, the focus is CUTTING THE DEFICIT... We'll fix the tax code next year or 2013. Then came The Whipper....
Clyburn is so full of shit, it's ridiculous. His first statement was that he was looking to cut $4T from the deficit. Sweet.....That he was sure benefits would have to be cut ( a far cry from the assault he gave me in the papers in 2005). Then he gave 50 points that contradict those stances. In short, it was "I wanna, but i don't know how to do it". Those of us in the 6th are well aware of that lack of ability. Again, wrong man for the job...
Then, Clyburn admitted that the Democrats have no unified plan. Neither do the Republicans, which is true. One plan the Dems have will cut $1T, add $1T in taxes, and accounts another $300B for interest savings, not cuts. Not necessarily untrue, it's all accounting BS. But, if $500B in new taxes is bad, what do you we feel about twice as much??? Guess that's their idea of Big, Bold and Balanced (like my testicles) ....
I know, I get a lot of criticism for bitching and moaning a lot, but my main topic is DC politics - what do you expect? Not much good has come out of there lately. From what I saw today, I don't see anything to change that in the next ten days. The Pentagon must be thrilled with the $600B in cuts coming...
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It's About Jobs, Jobs.... Uhh.
We have long espoused the idea that the people rule the government. After all, we elected them, so they should do as we bid. By that, of course, we meant the MAJORITY of the people. Not a bunch of Jughead environmentalists on your doorstep...
I case you missed it, the Obama Administration decided to 'table' it's decision to allow the Keystone XL Pipeline from Canada to the refineries in Texas until 2013. This was pretty much a reversal from it's expected choice just a month or two ago. Why? Well, we can only think they tabled their balls - along with the decision.
First off on the Pipeline. It's getting done. Canada is full bore ready to do this. Someone else will get the oil if we don't want it. Canada is a country that is far more environmental than we are, but even they know they have to use SOME of their natural resources to sustain an economy. In short, they are realists. American, OTOH, are hypocrites... We protest the use of any use of fuel...then we hop into the Prius - WHICH USES GAS - and go home to our McMansion THAT RUNS ON ELECTRICITY - and we think we're 'Being Green'. Unless all of those morons filled the bus up with Wesson Oil, they go there on the power of some type of fossil fuel...
Now, did the Obama Administration decide that the pipeline is bad? Nope, not at all. If they did, then they would have scrapped the plan altogether... and we would give them some credit for having the balls to do so, even if it is wrong. But, they are pushing the decision to 2013 - after the election. It's simple - it's politics...
Obama's core is still the far left environmental wing. They're not happy with him for not being environmentally conscious enough (re: for being realistic), so they camped out in front of the White House.... and Obama caved it. Stupid in our minds. They will still be there for him next year. Who else are they going to vote for?
Obama's move will cost him next year. Not with the 50 green freaks eating Granola on Pennsylvania Avenue, but with the millions of people who he told that Jobs were his sole focus. That We Can't Wait for Jobs. Apparently, they CAN wait, and the jobs he was talking about were his, and Joe Biden's , etc..... Until then, we'll see if that Solyndra Solar Panel can hook onto the top of my car and get me to work. I Can't Wait.
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And Uhh..... Uhh. Our Cracked Medical Staff Diagnoses The Great Blunderman's Problem.
First, let's comment on the picture..... One of two things are occuring here: either Rick Perry is waiting for Christof from The Truman Show to give him his next line in his imaginary earpiece, or Ron Paul is praying to God that Perry's index finger is loaded, and he pulls the trigger....
By now, we're all getting used to/tired of Perry's inability to get his message across onstage during the debates. We won't rehash the importance of the ability to get one's vision out through the spoken word. We've done that, and it doesn't appear to be happening. One time Brain Farts are bad luck. But after this many times, it clear that Perry has a problem, and we know what it is... Perry has ADD....
No, we're not kidding. He's got an undiagnosed (or is it?) medical condition. How do we know? We're pretty sure we have it too, and judging by what Perry keeps doing, we're sure he does too. ADD is pretty simple: it's a chronic running of thoughts in your brain, where you are pretty much unable to focus and keep those thoughts organized in your head. Your brain races, and every damned thing you know goes right out the window. Yeah, it's pretty frustrating...
Perry displays all the tendencies of an ADD person. We're sure of it. Does it disqualify you for being President? No, it's not a disease or mental illness. It's a sort of learning disability that's easily overcome by writing better notes or putting the speech in text. We've had President who were crippled, suffered from depression, strokes, possible dementia and were chronic cheaters. We'll let you decide the pecking order of importance. But , in this media savvy day and age, it makes it very hard to elect you.
No, we're not doctors here...Although we play one on TV. However, we seem to be on target when we diagnosed Urban Meyer as having anxiety disorder last year (although nothing official came out). But, Brain Lock is usually ADD when it appears in this fashion. Too bad it may be too late....
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The News In Not So Happy Valley Is So Bad, Even the Nittany Lion Can't Bear to Watch...
Time for a disclosure to explain my possible inability to see things objectively... Not growing up in an area with a Division I college football team, my favorite school was Penn State. My dad was born and raised in Luzerne, Pa.... Penn State football is life there, and in my 43 years there has been one coach - Joe Paterno.
Most of the issue has been discussed, so we're posting this more to mark the event historically. That being said, we're confused, upset and sad all at the same time. In short, we're like most Penn State fans. Forget us..... I'm still trying to talk Bobby off a ledge in downtown Charleston.
Coach Paterno has always had a reputation as a tough coach, but to us, he seems like a softie - a nice guy. It makes you feel like he's beig run over because he isn't a dick. Honestly, if the same thing happened to Bobby Knight, would anyone feel bad for him? Doubt it... There are a lot of factors for why Paterno got the axe, despite his reporting the incidents to his superior.
For those of you who are familiar with PSU, you know there are factions within the school that have been trying to dump Paterno for a decade now. A lot of politics are involved in college administration. They tried a few years ago, when Joe Pa seemed to have lost his touch for coaching. Then a funny thing happened..... he started winning again. The chance to fire him was lost.
But, much like dictators or anything, eventually Paterno's tenure HAD to end. Most of us thought it would be when he dropped dead on the sideline. Or at least, he would get to finish out the year as he asked. We think he deserved a victory lap - an opportunity to stand on the sidelines, reflect on his career, and to enjoy and know this is his last game.
Not to be... The Board of Trustees, which includes Pennsylvania Governor Tom Corbett, took that away, but none of them seem to be reticent to get into any details. There are only a few truths: First, that Jerry Sandusky is the one to blame for the sexual assaults. The second truth is that Penn State is going to get their asses sued off. THAT is why Paterno is gone. It's a move to try and stem the criticism away from the college. No one should blame anyone but Sandusky, but lawyers don't look at things that way. Not wrongly, but we've rarely seen someone get canned for inaction (not 100% true, it's relative).
I know, you're saying 'Hey Mike, what about the kids who were molested?' I agree. Paterno is not a victim, compared to the boys Sandusky took advantage of. But, you don't hear me talk too much about starving babies in Africa much either. There's nothing I could add to what happened to them. I AM sorry for all of them. In politics, we often judge winners and losers, but sometimes there are no winners. Penn State, Paterno, Sandusky, the team and those boys all have lost a lot. Once the fallout clears, the school and the team will survive and come back. Many schools have come back from worse. Just go up the road to Marshall and ask them.... But Paterno and the boys both have been scarred forever. We feel bad for both of them.
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"Knowledge is, in every country, the surest basis of public happiness."
- George Washington, 1790.
Short and Sweet, isn't it? GW always was succinct, to the point.... and always right. Like the saying goes, Knowledge is power. Power to learn, to get a skill, and to be informed, so that you are independent and not have to look to government for the answers for everything. That is true happiness....
Another thing that makes us happy? The Chickipedia list of beautiful women over 35. A few have already been posted here, but we picked Weeds star, Mary Louise Parker. Not sure what kind of pie that is, but we suspect it's Apple (Bottom) Pie. Peek-a-boo!
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We love to see cartoonists take a minute from all the sarcasm and biting humor, and show a little heart. We try that once in a while too. Maybe not succeed, but we try..... Anyway, while there were some cartoons that we decent, they were topics we had already talked about (Herman Cain, European Debt). With it being Veterans Day, we couldn't have done better than this one. Note the helmets from WWI, WWII, Korea, Vietnam, The Gulf War and the War on Terror. Nice job...
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The Ex-Whipper and the Rest of the 'Stuper Committee' Find the Deadline Coming Up Fast...
Seventeen days left. Actually, it's probably ten days, because you have to get Congress to PASS a deficit reduction bill by November 23rd to avoid the draconian cuts of only $1.2 trillion - roughly 10% of the expected deficit - in the next decade. In other words, big frigging whoop.
You know the biggest indicator that they will not get anything done? After months of being given the responsibility, and negotiating (or is it grandstanding?), with a number of groups giving all sorts of suggestions, what do they do? They call in the SAME people to ask them AGAIN ??? Guys, what were you doing the whole time? Were you listening at all???
No, we have no confidence in Jim Clyburn - whose career has proven him as NOT being a 'Numbers Guy' - or the others on the Joint Committee. One thing we do like a lot is when someone gives them a good smackdown to their faces. Our hero this week is Erskine Bowles, co-chair of the Bowles-Simpson Committee, who literally GAVE them the blueprint to follow... they called him in for help, and here were his words.....
'While I respect each of you individually, I have no confidence that this committee as a whole will pass any significant legislation'. BAM !! I heard that he put his Johnson back in his pants after slapping them in their faces with it. Love it, love it, love it.....
Whether or not the bitchslap actually has the desired effect remains to be seen... We'll hope, but our money is on nothing. Stupid is as Congress does.....
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A Soup Fit For a King... But Not a Prime Minister in Greece.
This is what pops up when you Google 'Greek Hobo'. Zorba would be proud... What is not something to be proud of is the mess that is the Greek Economy - or lack of it. PM George Papandreau has announced he will step down after barely getting a confidence vote, which came after his plan to have no Tzatziki, and leaving Greece's accepting a bailout on the vote of the people.. Way to go there, Papa!
While not as bad as Greece, the problem mirrors what is slowly happening in the United States. A government that has overspent at the expense of it's people and business, that can't seem to find a way to cut the expense - and a people that will not give anything back as well.. They have a word for it: Gridlock.
No, it's not that the US goes down if Greece defaults, and gets kicked out of the European Community. But you can bet your old Drachmas that it will knock out a player or two here. It's not just a line..... the economy is global. Companies and banks are invested in places all over the world. Meanwhile, Greece is just the worst case of a number of countries in Europe that are leveraged up to their asses. Italy, Spain and Ireland are not all that far behind - and Germany can't finance all of them. It's just the first domino.
A bit gloom and doomy, isn't it? Nah, they can fix it. But, it will take some sacrifices from all, including Greece's citizens. Not to be critical too much, but Europeans are generally lazier and spoiled. They retire earlier, and work waaaaaaay less and get a billion more vacation time than we do - and they are paying for it. You can't get everything, give nothing, and expect the gravy train to last forever. It'll be a hard awakening for many countries - and eventually for us too. You can bet your Baklava on it!
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