Florence GOP Vice-Chair Announces Junket Behind the Old Iron Curtain...

Okay, Yakov Smirnoff is Russian, and the flag is Ukrainian. To most people, it doesn't matter anyway. On to the announcement.............

On Friday, May 4th I will be taking my first real trip/vacation. I'll be flying out of Charlotte, and after stops in Munich and Vienna, I'll end up Odessa , Ukraine. Yeah, most people go on vacation to the Bahamas or Hawaii, but that's just the way Reino rolls..........

Odessa is in the southwestern Ukraine, on the Black Sea. Known as the Las Vegas (or Las Wegas, depending on the accent) of Eastern Europe, it has a great mix of Old European architecture, along with fantastic nightlife. At least that's what the brochure says.....

Along with the sightseeing, I will be experiencing the culture and the Economic and Political relationship between the Ukraine and the United States. The only difference between this trip and a real junket is that the taxpayers are not paying for it! I will also send a message to the Ukrainian leadership from the US to improve relations in these tough times. Perhaps I can calm down Putin and bridge the gap between Yushchenko and Yanukovich. Wait a second..... That's Nancy Pelosi's job.

For those of you worried about me going to a Non-English speaking country, don't worry. There are plenty of people who speak the language there, and I've been working on my Ukrainian for a few months. Dobroghu ranku, tsukor... Vybachte, Yak vashe zvaty? (Good morning sweetie. I'm sorry, what is your name?) See?? No problem!

Seriously, I will be posting every day to let everyone know 1) What i am doing, and 2) That I'm fine... Keep checking the blog daily for the latest. I've made some friends over the last few months here, so I won't be alone, and hopefully, i'll make a few more. It'll be a reverse Borat experience, minus the anus-sniffing and Pam Anderson.

I should have a great time - no doubt it will be more fun than sitting at my desk like I have for the past 12 months without a day off! Any special requests? Let me know, and I'll work on it. Sorry Kirk, I can't bring and Russian assault weapons back, but I'll take pictures for you...

Do pobachennya !!

SC6 Gives the Most Honest, Intelligent Analysis on Tonight's Debate... At Least We Think So.

"Hey Bill, you and Hillary are right. Kucinich WOULD be as tall as us if he had any spine at all....."

Ok, Election 2008 officially started tonight - right here in the Palmetto State. Yep, we all got down and bowed at the greatness that is Jim Clyburn. Held at his alma mater (and that major beneficiary of his pork), SC State, I waited for the moment when one of the candidates mentioned him (those who bet on Joe Biden won). Enough of my partisan smartaleckness, I went into this completely open minded - mainly because the chances of me voting for any of them is pretty scarce, so I did my best to be impartial - for once...

Pregame Show

To to Clyburn lately, if I were Hillary I'd be worried... Jim is a political opportunist, but he sounds like he wants to back Barack Obama........ Hey, did you know that SC State is one of the country's most outstanding colleges?? I don't believe it either......The Brass Genitalia Award goes to those kooks at the school holding the Fair Tax signs. You make it out, gang??

Best Moments

#5 - Bill Richardson hunching over, head tilted to the side and squinting as he was asked a question, like my Grandfather used to.

#4 - Brian Williams saying to Hillary Clinton , 'back home in New York'. Riiiiight.

#3 - Joe Biden's one word answer on whether he planned to avoid saying the wrong thing on the campaign trail.

#2 - Williams cutting down the candidates when they stopped answering questions, and decided to talk about what THEY wanted.

#1 - MSNBC catching WIS's David Stanton slouched in his chair like Dr. Stephen Hawking before noticing the camera on him.

Worst Question

....If Al-Qaeda attacked two cities right now, what would you do?? Gee Brian, I'd call Marty McFly and Doc Brown, hop in the old DeLorean and go back in time . Then I'd stop Bin Laden at the point that he became a fanatic, and that would change the space-time continuum, thus creating an alternate reality. Good answer, you Moron??!!

Bush Made Me Do It

Asked to recall their biggets mistake, Clinton, Edwards, Chris Dodd and Joe Biden all decided to use the question to blame George Bush for their voting for the Iraq vote in 2003. Kudos to Obama, Kucinich, Richardson and Gravel for staying away from it, and being a little more introspective.

Asking the Bobby Question

Someone e-mailed a question on drug testing welfare recipients, a letter sent by Bobby to Sen. Leatherman a week ago. Leatherman called the suggestion "intriuging". Translation??? Son, you are a frickin' nutjob... don't write me again!

The Final Scorecard........

Scores are given on a check basis - the more, the better. It was unofficial - if the candidate made sense, was honest, or scored points somehow, they got a check. So here they are.....

John Edwards

Did you know his Dad was a millworker, and he was born in SC? Yeah, we ALL know by now. Edwards looked distracted, out of sorts. He talked about getting into specific plans, then he would only talk in generalities when the time came. He stared into space for an eternity when asked who his moral leader was. Yikes !!! I liked his story about having to leave the restaurant because his dad couldn't afford it. My guess is he was at the Blue Marlin. One check.

That Gravel Dude

Never have I seen a guy rise and fall in my eyes so fast in my life. The breath of fresh air in the first five minutes turned into the Dope Show. If this debate were at the Apollo, the Sandman would have broken out the broom! This guy made Admiral Stockdale look stable. Potted Plant? Recognize Iran? Two Checks.

Dennis Kucinich

DK was honest and forthright, but this twinkie is so weak and delusional about the world that even Democratic Party faithful cringe. Asked about the Cheney Impeachment, he broke out his personal copy of the Constitution - until he realized it was a Gideon's Bible that he stole from the Super 8 on Hwy 601. If you like your President warm and fuzzy - and your nation the laughingstock of the planet - Denny is your guy. Two checks.

Chris Dodd

Why is Dodd running? He is so vanilla in this Chunky Monkey race, you don't even notice him. Every position he has you can find in another candidate - unless you want public financing of elections, or welfare recipients to not take drug tests. His highlight? He spoke well of the other candidates on a few occasions. Guess that's why they're winning, eh? Two checks.

Barack Obama

I was stunned to hear Chris Matthews say afterwards how sophisticated Obama sounded in the debate. I thought he was nervous, uncomfortable and unfocused. How many times did he use the term 'enormous'? Every solution he had seemed to end in higher taxes. That will not translate well to the middle. No doubt he was the target a few times tonight. Kucinich and Gravel both went after him for his position on Iraq. I expected more, and it wasn't there tonight. Two checks.

Hillary Clinton

Remember the Dallas Cowboys porous "Prevent Defense"? Well, welcome to the Prevent Debater. Clinton said very little, did not answer questions a lot, and got a couple points wrong ( the Va. Tech shooter got his gun legally , Hill!) She did say the right things about Immigration, and towed the line okay on Wal-Mart. However, she played it way too safe, and as usual...... it all seemed a bit safe and calculated. Like Obama, we'll expect more in the future. Two checks.

Joe Biden

Like Dodd, Biden is a standard politician running in a mixed bag year. However, Biden is sharper on the topics than most of the others, and he does communicate in a way that gets his point across better. He steered clear of any infighting, mentioned Clyburn (good job of pandering, Joe) , and the "Yes" was what I would have said...... maybe that wasn't a good idea. Three checks.

Bill Richardson

Welcome to tonight's winner, and yes I am serious. If you judge strictly by overall knowledge of the topics, honesty and a real world sensible approach to solutions, Richardson should be the candidate the Dems elect. Of course, we ARE talking about the Democratic Party, so he has no shot. He railed against raising taxes, was honest about supporting Alberto Gonzales because they're both Hispanic, and got in a nice shot at Edwards $400 haircut by saying he wasn't a "Blow Dried Candidate". However, I thought his Iraq solution was a bit unrealistic. He also went long a few times. Overall, he should be this race's surprise candidate that breaks out of the pack - if voters don't judged by how he looks without a shirt on. Five checks.

Closing Thought

Someone needs to remind the candidates and the interviewers that there are a lot of issues out there aside from Iraq. The Dems like to call last November a mandate on the war, but there are many more reasons why the GOP lost. If these candidates think that they can just yell, "I'm for pulling out of Iraq" and they're going to win, they are in for a surprise. Balance , folks.

Hope this gives you nice Cliff Notes version of the debate. Believe me, reading this was probably less torturous than having to watch it. Tune in tomorrow for the big travel announcement, coming up next week!!

Local News Perspective: Maybe McMaster Should Have Stayed in Columbia

McMaster Loses Rape/Kidnapping Trial vs. Hinson, What Was Viewed as a Slamdunk...

I'll be lucky to keep my job if this keeps up, but I gotta speak my opinion on this one. Today, in a stunning verdict, Kenneth Hinson, who was arrested for locking two 17 year old girls in an underground pit under a shed and raping them, was found not guilty on all six counts. I have no idea of whether Hinson raped the girls, or if the sex was consenual as he stated in his testimony. However, the general consensus was that this case was a no-brainer, and a lot of people were surprised by the verdict.

After letting the whole thing play out, I have to find some blame with Attorney General Henry McMaster's decision to try this case personally. This was a case that needed a trial lawyer, and instead, there was a politician in the prosecutor's chair.

I like Attorney General McMaster. His dedication to protecting kids is unsurpassed, and I have no doubt that this case affected him greatly. However, the Attorney General position is very different from a trial prosector job. The right to do was to have treated this like any other case. Let the trained professional who CURRENTLY does this everyday do his/her job, and as AJ, keep up to date with him/her and give him/her all the tools needed to win.

Maybe the jury in Georgetown County didn't listen to him. Again, I don't know. All I know is that Hinson's attorney moved the case out of Darlington County, worried that he wouldn't get a fair trial. Somehow , this jury didn't get the prosecution's case so badly that they couldn't convict him of kidnapping for locking the two girls in his shed! McMaster missed the boat here. All politicians know that you don't blame people for not listening - you blame yourself for not MAKING them listening.

I don't mean to shoot the messenger, but my advice is for McMaster to continue the great job he is doing in Columbia, and let the local prosecuters do what they get paid to. Is a guilty man off the hook (aside from a lucky gun charge that may still 3rd strike him to a life sentence)? Maybe. Once is enough.

Lindsey Graham Doesn't Disappoint Me Today.... His Office Gets My Passport Lickity Split!!

Senator Graham, apparently announcing on Face the Nation that getting my passport done is Priority Number One..........

Hey, maybe it is just one small favor, but ask me to name anything that a Congressman, Senator, Governor, State Rep./Senator or even Mayor has done for me, and it's a pretty blank list. As much as I don't agree with his immigration policy, it's pretty safe to say that in 2008, any interested parties for his seat better not ask for my support. I don't agree 100% with Lindsey, but I don't have to.

The person who truly does deserve the credit is staffer Celia Urquhart. I called her Thursday afternoon, and she got back to me Friday morning, confirmed the information this morning, and by lunchtime, the passport was in my PO Box !! Yowza.. I can attest to dealing with an Urquhart......... Celia was great, I had my water leak fixed by Urquhart Plumbing a couple months ago, and they did good work and didn' t charge me a ton. Heck, I even knew an Urquhart when I worked at the beach, and he was pretty cool too.

Thanks again to the Senator's office for the help. Here are a couple tips from my experience regarding the passport process........

Give yourself 12 weeks to send your application in, and if it's two weeks to go, and the passport is not in your hands, call your Senator or Congressman. Have your SSN, travel dates , destination and confirmation number if received.

If you are not planning on traveling any time soon, WAIT ! Everyone is applying right now, wait six months and it will take almost half as long. So, stop slowing mine down - forgot I've got mine.

Lastly.............. Yes, my picture looks like crap.

Gov. Sanford Uses Magic Pixie Dust on SC Senate..... Turns All of Them Into Children...

Above, a recent convening of the SC Senate, which included bill S.224 - a law that outlawed 'Timeout', and replaced the Palmetto tree with a Teletubbie on the State Flag.


(Rooters) Columbia - Governor Mark Sanford's tussle with the SC Senate has hit a new level, or low, as it may be. The Governor called a special full session of the Senate to give them "some big news", then before he was to enter, a dust like substance was blown into the room, turning all of the members into elementary school aged kids.






Needless to say, Senators are outraged. "This stinks. He is a big poopyhead" remarked Sen. Hugh Leatherman. Then he left to take a nap.











When questioned about the incident, Sanford seemed coy about it. 'We've been working on making a "Soil Conditions" fertilizer to spread across the state and improve the unemployment rate. Unfortunately, we've noticed some side effects." Besides turning those who have contact with the dust into kids, it appears to turn them into Tampa Bay Devil Rays fans.





Since no one knows how long this will last, the Senate has adjusted. Here is a photo of the Judiciary Committee, discussing the legality of changing the State Motto to 'Milk, Milk, Lemonade, This Is Where the Fudge is Made' over lunch.

McCain Tells MoveOn.org to "Lighten Up and Get a Life !" BRAVO !!

I love this pic of McCain ! I had a friend in my home town who made the same face whenever he was on a 3 Day coke binge.... I wonder where he is....

Anyway, kudos to the Senator from Arizona for telling those pinko fruitcakes at MoveOn to find something better to do. Granted, Sen. McCain's joke about bombing Iran is a bit old - I knew the 'Bomb, Bomb, Bomb Iran' joke when I was in the 6th grade. However, that was how the question was posed to him, and he isn't some stuffy suit. I didn't realize that no sense of humor was a prerequisite of being President. If that's the case, we'll weed out this field fast.

So, go ahead MoveOn - blow a few million trying to hurt McCain by taking the side of Iran - that's a popular move. In fact, spend all of your millions on it....... It's what Democrats do best.

NRA Starts New Ad Campaign To Combat Virginia Tech Backlash....

Guns Don't Kill People, This Kitten Kills People............

Maybe Lee Harvey Oswald really WAS a patsy... What next, a Sniper Squirrel in the Grassy Knoll? By the way, the kitten's name??? Puss 'n Shoots.

Poor Timing, Or Sweet Irony?? The Land of the Sky Gun Show Comes to Florence.....

'This My Rifle......I Call Her Charlene. There are Many Like It, But This One..... Could be Yours??'

Listening to the 10 seconds of terrestrial radio I catch while driving other people's cars, I heard that the Gun and Knife Show will be at the Florence Civic Center this weekend. The semi-annual event is probably the only event that has been held the entire 10 years that I've lived in Florence.

Taking into consideration the events at Virginia Tech this week, and the usual outcry of handgun control that occurs after such an event, I wondered... How will the show go? Will no one come? Will there be even more people there? Will there even be Gun Control Kooks lying in the parking lot?

Time to give your thoughts... Will it be a usual year / slow year / busy year??

All together, ladies...... This Is My Rifle, This is My Gun

This Is for Fighting, This is for Fun....

On Earl Capps' Heels, We Celebrate Post Number 400, and the Number 400 !!!

Sorry gang, I couldn't find a sign for a Highway 400 in SC, so we'll have to settle for Georgia. Truth be known, this is post number 401, but last post wasn't one for celebrating. We take the seriousness down a bit for this post, as we recognize the Number 400....

Like...

This Atari 400 Computer...All 12 mhz of it's processor!

This marathoner in England - Number 400. Crikey!!

This sprinter at Eastern Kentucky U, running the 400 Meters...

This 6 piece Dinosaur Jigsaw Puzzle......Exhibit Number 400!

or Ken Griffey slamming homer number 400.

And Carlos Delgado....... Doing the Same - Boo Yah!

How about Yankees Ace Mariano Rivera, getting save #400??

Check out this cherry '70 Pontiac GTO...... with it's 400 Horsepower Engine. (For Sale, by the way).

Lastly, this 1998 Lexus SC300.............Kidding!! It's an SC400!

The HPV Vaccine Debate: Faulty Logic or More Improper Moralizing?

The Human Papilloma Virus (HPV): It Looks Cute Under a Microscope, But It's Not Very Pretty on Your Noonie......

This might be my most unpopular post ever, but so be it. I have always said, and history has shown that the Republican Party's strengths have always been on topics relating to business and foreign policy. On the flipside, it seems that everytime the GOP makes a big push to inflict their "personal beliefs" on others, it loses it's credibility , and in turn, it's power. Enter now, the latest issue that makes us look bad......... The HPV Innoculation Debate.

I got the SC Hotline e-mail that had Kevin Hall's article on the discussion, and while I agree on some points, there are a couple things missing that make me wonder if he forgot to take them into consideration, or if he ignored them on purpose. I would think the latter of the two, because this appears to be the way the party leadership is going....... the more to the Right you are, the better Republican you are.

It is true that 3700 women die each year from cervical cancer, that the HPV virus causes it, and the virus is transmitted through sexual contact. Gee, if it were only for that last point, this would be a no-brainer. Therein lies the true rationalization: that anything having to do with sexually transmitted diseases doesn't merit protecting our kids.

While I don't like Planned Parenthood, especially with their attitudes towards abortion, Kevin Hall's argument dances with the idea that if you innoculate a girl for one specific STD, that she will view it as a license to be a slut. Maybe it's not said directly, but you and I know that is an overriding argument behind it. If we all just left government out of it, and we locked our daughters in a closet until they're married, all the problems associated with it would go away. Well folks, girls are hitting puberty at 11 years old or sooner, and most of them are having sex before they turn 16 - illegal or not. It's time our party really got out of the 50's, and addressed issues like this in the same sensible manner that we do with others.

Here's a good question.... How many of you knew what HPV even was?? Most people don't. that being said, how are uneducated parents supposed to make an educated decision on his program? It's not big government telling it's citizens what to do - it's just a fact that the best place to have the program are in schools. But again, we're talking about an STD here, so forget it. I'd like to know if those who object to this vaccine would object if an AIDS vaccine were developed. After all, it is a disease where many of them got it by sex, homosexuality and IV drug use. Ever think of it that way? Doesn't sound like it.

How can you look at this in a way a smart Republican would? Look at it from a financial aspect. What is the biggest crisis facing State and Federal government today? Medicaid... This program easily pays for itself. There is a huge block of women who are uneducated by anyone about this STD, they get it, and then they cost taxpayers thousands of dollars down the road to treat it. But again, it's an STD, and heaven forbid we look at it sensibly. Whores and Pimps don't have any rights I guess......

Part of being a good representative is protecting all your constituents, even it sometimes interferes with your personal beliefs. We are obligated to do this, especially when it pays for itslef in the long run. One person who's opinion I would love to hear on this is Kris Crawford's, who is the only medical doctor in the House of Representatives. I care more about his opinion than Kevin Hall's or Katon Dawson's, who seem to be trying to Out-Right each other lately. Sorry if I let down or offended anyone, but I see this as more of a public health issue than a moral one.....

Right Now....... We Are ALL HOKIES .....

Just a few words to express my sorrow from yesterday's news. Pearl Harbor, The Kennedy Assassination, Oklahoma City, Columbine, 9/11................. this is another one of those terrible, memorable days. But let's try to put a small, positive spin today..

Yesterday's tragedy puts the pettiness and stupidity of politics in it's place. My hope is that after the shock of this has worn off, the politicians will get back to work and constructively settle all the gridlock that makes Washington DC the pariah of the US. That they stop blaming each other for things they both have their hands in, and that they turn the direction of America the right way. Hey, it's my hope - I'm entitled to be unrealistic....

Today, everyone of us - Black or White, Republican or Democrat, Rich or Poor - right now, we are all Hokies...

I Got My Annual Social Security Statement, and Something Doesn't Make Sense...

Not to be negative on such a day as this, but I got my annual Social Security statement today. I look at it each year, and compare how I'm doing year by year. Then, sometimes I look at the numbers , and I get befuddled.

First, the bad news. Last year, I made roughly the same amount of money in 2006 as I did in 1996 - and I didn't exactly light the world on fire in '96. The good news is I made most of it in about 8 months, so 2007 looks very bright, as long as I can keep myself from getting dragged into a fight with the idiots in my shop.

Now the odd part..... According to the Federal Government, if I retired at 62, I'd get $830 a month, $1178 at 67, and $1461 if I worked til I reached 70. Now, if I become disabled I get $1268 a month for life - STARTING TODAY!! The purpose was to provide money to retire on, but I can chop my hand off or pull my back out, or get so fat that I can't work, and I'll get more month than if I busted my tail into my 60's...... How is that? I can see Rhino's comments already!!

Is it just me, or does this reward laziness or lack of upward mobility? Could it be the usual case of a program with honest intentions eventually getting warped into a monster? Congressman? Anyone?? Bueller?

Congrats to Bobby and Jean... They Tie One On This Weekend ! !

I was out of town this weekend, as I served as Best Man for Bobby and Jean's wedding yesterday in Myrtle Beach. The weather was great (until today), Jean's family made some nice cookout for dinner, and I got to sleep 16 hours until this morning's brunch - which was great as well.

There was no alcohol allowed at the beachfront house they rented, so I didn't get to give a toast. Here's what I would have said:

" A quote I read once says, 'To love and to be loved is to feel the sun on both sides of you at the same time'. On this beautiful day, may the sun always warm the two of you on both sides, and may your love everyday be like today."

Should Al Sharpton Be Blamed for Jon Corzine's Accident??

Irony: a technique of indicating, as through character or plot development, an intention or attitude opposite to that which is actually or ostensibly stated.

Most of the time I don't about why things happen. You can drive yourself crazy thinking about 'what if he/she didn't do this or that'. Plane crashes, car accidents and other things usually aren't avoidable - unless you mean to change your plans completely. But what if you get hurt going to something that shouldn't even be existing??

This takes me to last week's car crash involving New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine. For those of you who don't know all the details, the Governor was injured on the Garden State Parkway to mediate a summit meeting. And who were the two groups he was helping? A major company and a Union? Some big Tri-State agency? Nope. It was a meeting between The Rutgers Ladies basketball team and Don Imus!!

Which leads me to today's big question.... Since Al Sharpton and Jesse Jackson made such a big deal out of Imus' dumb comment - so much that they felt the need to have a meeting mediated by the Governor - do they feel at all responsible for Corzine's compound leg fracture, six broken ribs and cracked vertebrae? Seriously ... If this ridiculous meeting hadn't been set up by these idiots, Corzine would be fine.

Sure, you can play 'what if' with Buddy Holly, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Sam Kinison, but these were about people with set business schedules that were not out of their ordinary plans. Corzine had his own schedule, but he had to change it to squeeze this useless SALT II talk of stupidity in - and he almost got killed. Maybe he should wear his seat belt when riding shotgun as well.

Dear Governor, next time the phone rings and it's Big Al, just let it ring...............

SC6 Legal News: Judge Reino Gives His Verdict on the Borat - USC Frat Boys Suit........

There has been a lot of chatter this year about the lawsuit brought by two members of a USC fraternity against Sacha Baron Cohen for their appearance in Cohen's summer hit, "Borat". Not having watched the movie, I was ill-equipped to render a decision. Having finally had a chance to see it this week, I will now give my verdict.... *

From what I have seen, the suit's basis is on the fact that the young men looked bad in the movie, and that they were told that the film would only be shown in Europe. The scene was apparently staged, and they went out for drinks to "loosen up" for the scene before filming. This despite the fact that one of the three in the film was under 21 years old. I will render my verdict based on these three criteria.

There is no doubt that the boys did not do much to make themselves look good. Too avoid embarrassment , I will refer to them as "The Chubby One", "The Idiot" and "The Other Guy". If you have watched the film, you know which one is which. In my opinion, I feel that Chubby appeared to care for Borat, that he felt bad when Borat saw his true love (Pam Anderson) in a home movie having sex. While he may have been drunk, Chubby by far looked the best of the three, and his case lacks merit. The Other One did not appear to look bad, until grabbing Borat as he left their Winnebago, and uttered the usual "Don't Let Women Rule You" speech. While he appeared more intoxicated (likely to weighing less than Chubby), it was obvious that he was in control of his actions. His case lacks merit as well.

Lastly, we have The Idiot. TI is obviously drunk, and he absolutely looks bad in this film. Perhaps he is the John Doe in the suit, but i don't know. Does this give him a case? No. How so? In the famous cases of Kaelin vs. MSNBC , Imus vs. Sharpton, and Herman vs. Regent Movie Theater, a plaintiff can pass a certain criteria of stupidity that nullifies any efforts made by the defendant to impugne their reputation. Therefore there is precedent. Being overly drunk, yelling at the top of your lungs for the entire scene, and offering to shove a hunk of cheese in your ass and allowing someone else to eat it there are clear indications that these criteria have been met.

The other two complaints are of little value. Before the filming, the boys voluntarily went drinking with the crew. There is no evidence of alcohol being forced down the throats of any of the plaintiffs by the defendants. Lastly, the plaintiffs argue that they were told that the film would only be shown in Europe. This shows an lack of intelligence on the plaintiffs part. The Film Industry is a worldwide business. They are made for international release, and the naivete of the plaintiffs shows in this case. If there was any evidence of an agreement between the two regarding release locations, I would suggest the plaintiffs present it, otherwise, we are faced with a verbal agreement, which has less bearing than a written agreement.

Therefore, based upon the evidence presented in the film, I find no basis for damages due to the plaintiffs. Case dismissed..... VERY NICE !!!!!

* - Mr. Reino is not an actual Judge, his rulings have no legal weight, and he did not sleep at a Holiday Inn Express last night. Therefore , basing your legal decisions on his advice is an exercise in stupidity.

So Which Is Worse? Being Called a "Nappy-Headed Ho", or Falsely Being Accused of Gang Rape???

HELP WANTED.......Basic cable channel/ local government agency looking for ascerbic Host/District Attorney to fill two vacancies..............

I couldn't help but notice the irony of today's announcement that officially cleared the three Duke Lacrosse team members of raping a stripper. At the same time, there is all the outrage over Don Imus' disparaging remarks about the Rutgers University Women's Basketball squad. What ties them together? Well, they both are college athletic programs, and both have had terrible things said about them. While we should have empathy for both of them, are they truly on par with each other?

I have listened to Don Imus since childhood - and there is a good reason I call him Im-Ass. He lacks talent, and his time for saying something stupid was due. But, can the words of an idiot that weren't even spoken directly to you really affect someone as much as their coach has said? I have trouble seeing how. It reminds me of the time at work that I had an African-American customer call me a "MF-ing Cracker". Do I take these uniformed words seriously? No. But do I remember them? Obviously yes.

Words are just that - words, nothing more. The power of them are determined by how you react to them. I didn't cry, punch, shoot or verbally attack they guy........ in fact, I laughed at him in his face - then he broke my nose. Just kidding! If I were on the Rutgers team, I would call Al 'Tawana Brawley" Sharpton, and tell him, "Thanks, Jackass - please shut up." If he didn't make Professional Victims out of everyone, what would he have to do?

College is a time when you learn a lot of life decisions - good and bad. This week is a prime example of it. Putting yourself in bad positions, staying away from professional mudslingers are examples of the challenges they face. It's sad when that cocoon is shattered by outside events caused by idiots and politicians.........

Call Me MISTER Reino...... I'm the New Vice Chair of the Florence Republican Party !

Mike Reino FINALLY wins an Election..........

Ladies and Gentlemen, I finally have some semblance of political legitimacy.... Yeppers, I was voted in as Vice Chair of the Florence County Republican Party by unanimous consent. I spoke with outgoing Vice Chair Kim Stroud before the meeting, and asked if he was running again. Kim said absolutely not, and I asked for his blessing. Kim not only gave it, but he nominated me. It was very classy.

I want to thank Chairman Tommy Phillips , Executive Committeewoman Shelby Phillips, and especially Tom Grimes for helping to quickly organize it. By the way, Tom will be running for 6th Congressional District Chair next year, and he has my support. I also would like to thank Governor Sanford, Attorney General McMaster, Tag Romney, and the reps for Rudy Giuliani and Duncan Hunter for coming to the Pee Dee.

That will be a major focus of my term - to have the Presidential campaigns make it to Florence on their tours, and to drop a little money our way to make the Florence GOP a more viable group. I also want to work on some fundraising events, like other counties do, and to make our monthly meetings better and to get more people at them. There is a major disconnect between the Joe's who do the legwork, and the moneypeople who rarely show up, except to be a delegate or shake a bigwig's hand. Enabling the party to use technology to keep it's members up to date needs to be addressed as well. This may be harder than I thought..........

Hopefully, I will live up to the hype and the title. Time will tell. If you plan on congratulatig me at the State Convention, you might miss me. I will be on my trip from May4th to the 14th, so I will have to work the following Saturday, which is the convention date. I'm sure it will survive without me.

So, I guess this nails the coffin shut on my running for office in the near future. No problem - I might prefer working on politics from the back bench. Remember, if you want your candidate to get anywhere in Florence, you're gonna have to go through Reino !!!

The British Troops are Back.... So When Are Gas Prices Going to Drop?

Alright.. Iran and Britain have settled their spat, the troops are home, eating Shepherd's Pie and Bangers and Mash.......... and gas prices are the highest since Katrina !! WTF??

According to sources making sick profits from the higher prices, Spring is not only the time when young men's fancy turns to love - it's also the time when the oil companies change the mix, or clean the refineries, or something like that. The end result is that oil supplies drop this time of year , and prices jack up. Fine, but 40 cents in a couple months?? If this keeps up, i'm gonna have to trade in my Avalon for a Moped.

SC6 Exclusive !!! How Will Folks Never Works and Still Can Afford All Those Trips.... He's the New Mass Mutual Guy !!

Will ..................................................... Not Will

No commentary needed on this one, folks...... I mean guys. Different hat, but aside from that, we've got a Positive ID troops! Will, I love you, man. But this was just too good not to pass up. Please take it in the spirit it was intended. After all, It's better than looking like Carlton Banks & Vinnie DelPino's love child!

Bush Incensed by Pelosi Trip to Syria... President Cancels Her Visa, Sends Her Plane Straight to Iraq.

Is This House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, or a Syrian Homeless Woman??

President George Bush, furious over House Speaker Nancy Pelosi's trip to Israel and Syria, has taken serious action against the Democrat leader. Apparently, he has gone beyond political gamesmanship over the Iraq Funding Bill, and gone straight to pulling inane rules from the Constitution to make Pelosi's life as uncomfortable as possible.

Sounding a lot like Dean Vernon Wormer from National Lampoon's Animal House, Bush defended his actions, which include forcing her flight straight to the Green Zone in Iraq, and making her wear a Birkha. " There is a little known codicile in the US Constitution, which gives the President unlimited power in times of National Emergency. It's time someone put their foot down, and that foot is me." Pelosi was unavailable for comment, as she is taking a "special tour" of the new Abu Ghraib Prison for the next few weeks.

A check at the State Department revealed that Pelosi's Visa has been canceled, and her flight redirected to Iraq, where she will take part in a sweep and clear mission with the 82nd Airborne. After that, the Speaker will be forced to drive in a supply caravan from Baghdad to Basra, then she can come home and decide if holding up the funding is a worthwhile endeavor.

And what do her hosts in Syria think? "Who cares? Assad is ripping her and America to shreds, and all she's doing is sitting there and SMILING AT HIM !! Someone should tell her to get a clue. Negotiation.... Yeah, right!" said a source close to the Syrian leader. "Pelosi is like a moped.. It's OK having her around - until your friends see you with her."

SC6 Health News....Mike Runs Out of OJ, Finally Gets Sick..

"You Will Respect My Aller-Gies!!"

Forgive me for taking the day off.. I ran out of my secret weapon against illness - orange juice - last Friday. After 4 days without it, the allergy bug attacking everyone finally got me. Either that or spending two straight days with the Leise's in the Sick House. You finally got me , dammit!

The OJ coffers have been refilled, and I should be back to normal tomorrow....If I ever am normal.

Is THIS Our Next President? Neal Thigpen Thinks It Could Be...

Yes, the Tide of Terror That Is Republicanism !!

Ah, the pundit! That so-called expert that will try to improve their own standing by saying anything contraversial...... uh, like me. I just got to read Comrade Bandy's weekly version of 'The Sky Is Falling" in Sunday's Pravda on the Congaree.

We Republicans are unhappy. We're unmotivated. We're stunned and afraid like a duck hit on the head. Whatever. But we are still a majority of sheep, and we'll vote for anyone, as long as he's a Republican. As Pee Dee political sage Neal Thigpen stated, "They'll elect an axe murderer in South Carolina ". They also said he heard a lot of talk about Fred Thompson at the Florence County Precinct meeting last month. Uh, I sat NEXT to Mr. Thigpen, and I heard nothing. It wasn't too hard - there were only about 15 of us at the meeting. Okay, maybe we ARE unmotivated......

So, in my usual vein of sarcasm, I introduce to you our next candidate - Jack Torrance. Here's his platform.......

Republican Values

Economic Progress

Driven

Respect for Life

Undying Love of Country

Made in America Counts..

I can't hex Jack Torrance - he's already dead...

See ?????

Another Landmark Goes Away... Coney Island's Astroland Opens It's Last Summer.....

Last year, it was the Pavilion. This year another classic amusement park has it's swan song.. Coney Island's Astroland will close after this summer. Like the Pavilion, land developers are throwing an assload of cash at the waterfront park's owners - too much to refuse. A luxury resort / hotel will be built after the wrecking ball hits the Cyclone, and all the other classic rides.

If you are going to New York this summer, you need to check it out. Here's how to get there if you coming from Down South:

Take the New Jersey Turnpike to Exit 10 (Outerbridge Crossing) into Staten Island.

It ends at the Staten Island Expressway ( not really) or I-278. Go East to the Verrazano Narrows Bridge.

At the end of the bridge, get in the left lane and this becomes Shore Parkway.

Drive about a mile, Coney Island is on the right - can't miss it...

There, now you have no excuse not to go. So, let's say goodbye to those other Coney Island classics..........

It's famous beach.......Holy Crap, is that beach packed!!

And those yummy, spicy Coney Dogs!!

Florida and Ohio State.....Again.

Tonight , the big game finally arrives. Please let it be better than the Semi-Final games. It was like watching the Super Bowl - without the commercials.... Okay, time to get off my soapbox.

Ah, the game... Will it be like UNLV in '92, when they lost to Duke in the final and didn't get back-to-back titles, or will it be '93 - when Duke took their second straight. My guess is that the Gators take it all. I have complained that Florida hasn't really looked that great in the tournament, and they haven't. But, they are getting better as the competition gets tougher. They do whatever it takes to win by 10 points. If it gets close they pull the other arm out and punch you in the mouth.

These are the same five players that won last year. They beat Ohio State by 26 in December. They're 50 miles away from my sister! Forget about that last one. The Fab Freshmen at Ohio State will do much better than in December, but they just don't match up well enough to win. Florida 81-71.

Want to Boost Your Blog Hits?? Talk About Me.....

I got a call from Earl today. His Friday post about me running for Vice-President (like you RUN for Veep) broke his all-time high of hits - 310 over the weekend!! It seems that everyone jacks up their hits by writing about me. Except me, of course. Honestly, I don't even know how to track hits on this blog. For all I know, this blog is like a tree falling in the woods.......

Surely, there must be other reasons for the high hit number. Maybe it was because it said "Florence Republican", and not me specifically. Maybe, but really, who do you think they were talking about? Hugh Leatherman? Tommy Phillips? Frank Willis? Oh, I forgot - he's a Democrat... Right. I guess there are a few people in town more qualified than me to be VP. Potato............ I'm qualified. Use the safety lock on the shotgun...........I'm qualified. I DID NOT invent the Internet............I'm qualified. Don't cheat on your income taxes..................I'm qualified. Don't shoot the Secretary of the Treasury.......I'm qualified. I could keep this up all night folks!

Some didn't like Earl putting me on his blog, due to my lack of Q-Factor. Perhaps it is a bit of an inside joke, but only by getting the joke out there does it become funny to everyone. Like the insanity that ensues at Moye's house in Greeleyville on Flag Day. Anyone else get it? Too bad......