Today's Quote to Think About ...

But Did The Sea Turtle Have Health Insurance ?

One Turtle's Amazing Journey to Good Health .......

I don't know if turtles can communicate with each other, or how smart they are, but one of them took a trip this week that was was pretty stunning. A 73 pound loggehead Sea Turtle developed a bacterial infection - probably soem venereal disease - and he went to get help.

This turtle somehow managed to swim across the Florida Keys, and ended up right on the front door of the Florida Keys Turtle Hospital - the only licensed veterinary hospital that exclusively treats Sea Turtles. His trip was so improbable that the hospital didn't treat him for a few hours because they thought he ended up there accidentally....

Now he's recovering nicely in their tank - and Thank God, they didn't give him some goofy nickname ....But he hasn't gotten the bill yet, either..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P3IqO2Db6ZI&feature=related

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And It Keeps Getting Better !!

Which Trash Can Would You Rather Have ???

You know, it's the little things that make life better.. First I got rid of my ugly old license plate. Today, I pull up my driveway, and what's there but a brand new trash can - and not a minute too soon.....

How old is the can that we had? Well, I've been in Flotown for 12 years, and I never got a trash can this old. My guess is that this was the original garbage can from when the house was built in 1992... Since I've been here, the can had been run over twice, and as you can see, the lid no longer closes flush. It's also about half the size of the new can. Two bags of trash, and the can is full....

So, how did I get a new can without even calling the city and asking? My guess is P-Luv passed by my house, saw the can, and immediately called Mayor Old Wooden Head, and VOILA !!! New trash can... Man, I have pull !

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Obama Says 'Off With GM's Head's Head' ..... Or Something To That Effect.

GM Trades 30 Days More For It's Chairman ......

Let it be known.... If you intend to bargain with the government, you may get a lot more than you bargained for. Soon after taxing AIG to death for givign bonuses to the department that nearly brought it down, the Obama Administartion told both GM and Chrysler that it's reorganization plans were unsatisfactory, and demanded that 1) Chrysler merge with Italian automaker Fiat, and 2) That GM fire Chariman Rick Wagoner. Or else....

I'm a bit mixed over all this. I don't particularly like the Federal Government trying to run private businesses, but when those businesses have long term track records of stupidity and bad business models, then at least I'm glad that the government isn't just throwing the money away all willy nilly...

The messages sent to each were clear. GM hadn't gone far enough, and Wagoner has had five years at the helm to run GM into the ground. Everyone in the business knows that GM's share would be shrinking - except GM. My guess is their business plan still had them expecting to stay the US's Number One automaker. I'm sure there is another suit at GM who can run the company just as well - or as badly - as Wagoner. They can only do as bad or better. When you've hit bottom, you can only go up, right? Let's hope so.....

The message to Chrysler was not as encouraging. They called Chrysler's product line 'competitively inferior'..... Holy Shit, that's harsh.. But probably true. Aside from the 300, can you name a single Chrysler that DOESN'T look like a Jeep? They're all square, boxy, with noses that look like the old Ram Pickup. A little style here , fellas. There was a good reason Mercedes-Benz dumped them - and maybe America might too. That reminds me, what do they make Mercedes-Benz from anyway ????

So, if neither GM or Chrysler submit to the Obama Administration's demands, the gravy train ends. And someone will be shot every five minutes. Detroit, you are on the clock and you have been warned.....

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Where I'll Be In Early 2010: Run, Eat, Run..... The Krispy Kreme Challenge Race !!

Four Miles, Twelve Donuts....... And No Puking !!

So, you want to do something a little different? Something that no one else you know has done before? Something that MIGHT cause you to puke - but you'll love it anyway? Have I found an event for you .......

It's the Krispy Kreme Challenge Run. It began a few years ago in Raleigh, NC with a dozen or so (like donuts) NC State students, and now, it's one of the fastest growing events in America..

It's pretty easy in theory. You run the two miles thru Raleigh from the campus belltower to the Krispy Kreme. The the hard part - you have to eat a dozen of the glazed goodness that are Krispy Kreme donuts. Then, run the two miles back to campus - all in under an hour. With 5,500 other lunatics...

It only costs $16, and that includes a t-shirt, and the donuts. The rest of the money is donated to the North Carolina Children's Hospital. This year's race raised over $35,000 for the kids. So, if you're interested, I'll be getting the 15 passenger rented and ready to represent Flotown in what could be the next Olympic event. If you want to experience it, check out this ESPN clip of this year's event... See you there next year.

http://espn.go.com/video/clip?id=4025177

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Say Farewell to the World's Ugliest License Plate !

After Nearly Ten Years, The Old Tag Finally Gets Retired ....

You're probably saying 'Mike, why are you showing your license plate on the internet?"... Well, first off, you all know where I live. Feel free to track me down - I could use the houseguests..

Secondly, this tag is useless now. That's because after ten years and four cars, the plate has finally been replaced by the SCDMV !!!! Thank God! Nothing sucks more than driving a new, decent looking car with a old tag. Look at it - the Palmetto Tree has been almost worn off !! It's like being married to a woman who has a face like a supermodel, until she opens her mouth, and it looks like she's wearing Bubba Teeth ....

Well, that's done now. Now I have to memorize my new plate !

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Sanford and the Stimulus Signs ...

Who Is Trying to Impeach Mark Sanford .......

The battle over economic stimulus money is getting past a war of words between Mark Sanford, Jim Clyburn and Hugh Leatherman. The war has gone to the streets - or more correctly, to the front yards of South Carolina.

I had an e-maied forwarded to me by the Richland County GOP. It was sent by the Executive Director, and he was warning them to be on the lookout for misleading signs in the area. They simply say "Accept the Stimulus, Impeach Sanford", and include the phone number for the SCGOP. Obviously, the SCGOP is not trying to have Gov. Sanford impeached, whoever made it was trying to let the SCGOP hear from the people who want the payoff.






The big question of course is who made them? SCGOP is saying that the signs are from the Democrats. But who? Carol Fowler? Jim Clyburn? Jim Rex? The Ghost of Fritz Hollings? Yeah, I know he's still alive.... You know that around here, we don't go for anonymous attacks on other people. My guess is that with enough investigative work, they can find out exactly who. We'd rather see the guilty party admit it was them, and have them state their case....






As sure as the SCGOP is that it was from the Democratic Party, it wouldn't surprise me if some House and Senate Republicans felt this way. They want to get their hands on the money, and no matter what points Sanford is attempting to make in his numerous requests to not take all of it, they don't care. That money can buy a lot of happiness (and votes) for people in Columbia......




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Sham Wow !! Has Vince Just Slap-Chopped His Way Out of His Pitchman Gigs ...

Hey, Billy Mays Never Slapped Any Girls Around In His Hotel.....

You know, I've always meant to do a blog post about Vince , the Sham Wow Guy. You know Vince - the emaciated, crazy, you swear the guy is mainlining Heroin pitchman of Sham Wow and the Slap Chop. Well, he must have heard that he hadn't made the cut here at SC6, and he decided to finally go overboard. Congrats, Vince! You finally made it !!

What did Vinny do? Well, it involves him, another girl, $1000, alot of alcohol and his hotel room - you can figure out the rest. Here's the Smoking Gun article, with all the details for you..

http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/years/2009/0327092sham1.html

I read the police report, and there was one part of it that I felt was ironic. vince's real name is Vince Shlomi, and he was born in Israel. Assuming that he is Jewish, I found it hard to believe that he actually says "You know, all the best stuff is made in Germany." Yeah Vince - like Zyklon B .... Then again, for all the money they were paying him, you'd probably get me to say that Italian food will give you Gonorrhea...

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How I Watched This As a Kid and Didn't Become a Liberal Hippie, I'll Never Know.

Today, Carole and Paula Will Drop Acid and Play Acoustics !!

I gotta tell you, growing up as a kid in the early 70's was great. Yeah, we had Garanimals, but the TV shows were much better. We had some pretty trippy shit on the Tube back then. You KNOW Shaggy from 'Scooby Doo' smoked pot, and HR Puf N Stuff was one big LSD Festival. Then, there were other, more subversive kid's shows that looked nice to Mom & Dad, but deep inside, they were trying to turn us all into Hippies - FAR OUT, MAN !!!!

What show am i talking about? The Magic Garden .... Sure, it seemed harmless - a pair of pigtailed chicks named Carole and Paula playing acoustic guitars and singing standard tunes. Carole was more talented, but I thought Paula was hotter. But. once you scratched the surface, it was Reefer Madness from start to finish.

Back then, two girls that sing like Joan Baez wasn't viewed as particularly scary, but we see when Joan went. And I think the 'Magic Garden' was mainly a mushroom patch. The dancing flowers, the Astro Turf, and the furry sidekick with a Brooklyn accent? What the hell was going on in this show?!!! How I didn't move to San Francisco as soon as i finished high school after watching this my entire childhood is beyond me....I checked up on them to see what they're doing now. Carole dropped her acoustic, and now lives on a commune in Oregon. Like many 70's hippies, Paula went Yuppie in the 80's, and now she's known as Mrs. Bernie Madoff. OK, maybe not......

Did they have this show on down here? Let me know. If not, through the 'magic' of YouTube, I have a clip for your perusal. Breathe deep The gathering gloom, Watch lights fade From every room, Bedsitter people Look back and lamentAnother day's useless Energy spent, Impassioned loversWrestle as one , Lonely man cries for love And has none, New mother picks up And suckles her son. Senior citizens Wish they were young.........Cold hearted orb That rules the night, Removes the colours From our sight, Red is gray and Yellow white, But we decide Which is right And Which is an Illusion.......

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

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Let's Play 'Where the Heck In South Carolina Am I?'

Yeah, It's The Place With All The Live Oaks ......

Most of you probably know, but in case you didn't that's Boone Hall Plantation in Mt. Pleasant, or Mt. P, as the locals call it.. It seems that everytime I do a post on any South Carolina related topic, the comments jump up. We're gonna try it again, and see if I can pique your interest once again..

You think you know your state? Well, we're going to put it to the test here. Take our little quiz, and see how you did. We have one rule - NO CHEATING !!!!! Good Luck ...

1. Your in Sweden, Denmark and Norway, But You're Not in Europe. What road are you on?

a. A Skyy Vodka Ad

b. Hwy 321 in Orangeburg County

c. Hwy 21 in Lancaster County

d. The Corridor of Shame

2. Where Is the ACE Basin ?

a. You'll 'See the Sign" in the Swedish Pop Music section.

b. Outside of Shaw AFB

c. Colleton County

d. McCormick County

3. Where Are the Old Fort Walker Ruins?

a. Hilton Head Island

b. Fripp Island

c. Callawassie Island

d. In the bathroom after a bottle of Johnny Walker Red

4. You're in the Birthplace of Dizzy Gillespie. Where Are You?

a. on the A-Train

b. West Columbia

c. Jamestown

d. Cheraw

5. Chris Rock Says He's Straight Outta Brooklyn, But He Was Born Where in SC ?

a. North Charleston

b. Wherever they drop the F-Bomb the Most in SC.

c. Andrews

d. Fort Mill

6. If You Go Due West from Due West, At What College Do You End Up?

a. Clemson

b. Furman

c. Erskine

d. USC

7. Where Is Pumpkintown ?

a. Pickens County

b. Good Grief, It's in Charlie Brown Town.

c. Dillon County

d. Abbeville County

8. You're On Your Way to Myrtle Beach, But You Have an Unstoppable Need For a Nedburger. What Town Are You In?

a. Rains

b. South Central L.A.

c. Conway

d. Aynor

9. Where Is Tirzah?

a. Just west of Downtown Baghdad

b. Union County

c. York County

d. Cherokee County

10. You Want to Visit the 'Real Greenbow, Alabama' From 'Forrest Gump'. What Town Do You Go To?

a. Varnville

b. Walterboro

c. Georgetown

d. McClellanville

Answers:
1-B, 2-C, 3-A, 4-D, 5-C, 6-C, 7-A, 8-D, 9-C, 10-A.




If You Scored:



0-3: Don't volunteer to be co-pilot, because you have no idea where you're going. My advice is to either buy a Tom-Tom or move back to Ohio...




4-6: You're not a total embarrassment, but don't go out of your safety zone without a map, lest you get lost and a search party needs to get you home.




7-9: Feel free to ride shotgun anytime and give directions, because the driver could do alot worse than you. Just don't be too cocky, because you wife will still think you have NO IDEA where you're at.





10: Good Job, Bobby !!! GPS? Who needs GPS when it's all in your noodle... Garmin should name their newest model after you, because you're directionally infallible. That, or the biggest honor a South Carolinian can get - an interchange in your name. Congrats, and get a life.



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Who's Going to the Final Four? Find Out Here..

Will The Tar Heels Make the Big Dance ?

You know, the further I go into this, the more I amaze myself. I went a not-to-shabby 6-2 in the Sweet 16 round, making my overall an impressive 44-12 !!!! I should not pay attention to basketball every year.. Then again, I already do. So, who is making the Final Four? Here are my picks...

West Regional

Missouri has already played it's bets ball. They thumped Memphis State, but Memphis didn't have a shot blocker like UConn does. UConn over Missouri.

East Regional

They should be called Shittsburgh, because that's what the Panthers have looked like so far. Luckily, they've had weak competition up to this point. That ends today. Villanova has looked great through all three rounds, and I don't expect it to end today. Villanova over Pitt.

Midwest Regional

Much like Pitt, Michigan State hasn't exactly looked like worldbeaters on offense, but they play great D. But Louisville has gotten better as the tourney has gone on, albeit the road has been easier than the Spartans. But, the Cards are the best team in the best conference. Louisville over Michigan State.

South Regional

Surprise! Tyler Hansborough does not get his championship. He is a great player, but the best guy on the court is Blake Griffin of Oklahoma. The guy is a BEAST... He dunked a ball last night, and hit his HEAD on the backboard !!! The support around him was outstanding too. The Sooners inside/outside game was great against Syracuse, and I go with the best man on the court, a la Danny Manning. Oklahoma over N. Carolina.

So, only two of the four Number One's make it...

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Disrupt , Dismantle and Defeat - And Deluded.

Yes, the Venus Flytrap Is a Metaphor

Mark today on your calendar folks... Today is the day that the Obama Administration went the wrong way in Afghanistan. Much like their view on the economy, where the view to end a recession is to spend your way put of it, they are doing the same in Afghanistan.

To try and turn around a going bad there, they have decided to start increasing the troop levels there. This is a departure of Obama saying that an exit strategy needed to be implemented for Afghanistan. That was a week ago. There are currently 65,000 total troops in Afghanistan, half of which are from the US. When the Soviet Union invaded the country in 1979, they used twice as many troops. They stayed for 12 years before finally realizing that a war there was unwinnable. How long will we be there?

I know what you're saying - "Mike, you big pussy. The surge worked in Iraq, why wouldn't it work here." Simple - Iraq is a desert. This is a country of impassable mountains, with no roads, and a country that universally has a history of being invaded. They hate foreigners, and most importantly, they have a safe haven right across the border in Pakistan, where the Pakistani government has no control, and no real desire to stop religious extremism.

Whether I agreed with the methods or not, Barack Obama did one thing right - he focused on the economy . Now , it appears that they're trying to fix everythign all at once. A major part of his plan to reduce the budget deficit was leaving Iraq, but transferring the expense to Afghanistan throws that plan right down the drain.

Another big part of the plan involves cooperation from many NATO countries, based on goodwill. That only goes so far, and with most of these countries having their own economic problems, how much support can we count on?

Sometimes, you just have to realize that we cannot stamp out ALL evil in the world. There's just too much of it to waste money and lives with bloated and overexposed troop counts. I've suggetsed this for awhile, and I still believe it is the best plan. Forget about a huge presence, just go covert and small, and pick off the leadership one by one, limiting it's size and influence..

Al-Qaeda got smart, saw the writing on the wall in Iraq, and went back to it's home. The trap is set. Whether we step in it is our choice, and Obama seems to be intent on sticking his big toe in...

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It's One of Those Birthday Weeks ..

Ahh, Friday! My weekend off at long last ! No, there aren't a lot of plans on the docket for this weekend just yet. I'm playing it by ear this week, as I have been mostly focused on kicking ass at work...And it's paying off, literally.

Something did grab my attention today - a bunch of my friends have birthdays coming up this week. I always remember the birthday week in my family, but this one kinda snuck up on me. So, i'll take a minute to wish some friends a Happy Birthday.

March 27th - My Boss, Cale Yarborough

March 28th - Rick

April 1st - Bobby and Julia

April 2nd - Ashley

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ym_k8Q-jK9w

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Winnie Cooper Gets Married ??

I have NO motivation to write anything political today. It's been a very busy and frustrating week, but it's paying off as we near end of the month... So toniht, we're going for total fluff..

If you're my age or a little younger, you know Winnie Cooper. No, not the little car - that's a Mini Cooper. Danica McKellar played Little Kevin Arnold's love interest in that TV Classic, The Wonder Years. Well, Danica has grown up - big time..

She certainly ended up a lot hotter than I ever thought she'd be, but draft picking teenagers wasn't my specialty. If it was, I would have known how hot Jennifer Maysonet was going to get when she liked me in Junior High.... However, Danica is more than just a pretty face. She has authored books, and is considered one of the brighter young mathematical minds around. She's even had some of her work published.. How do you them apples???

Well, she's off the market now. Joining her as her maid of Honor was her sister, Crystal, who you may not know played Becky Slater, the girl that punched Kevin when he dumped her on the show. Some of the other cats members attended as well, but Fred Savage wasn't there. He's busy, you know......

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ir57qfV4JU0

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Time For My Sweet 16 Picks ...

Will Memphis and Kansas Make It Back to the Final Four ??

Tomorrow is band practice, so I decided to put out my NCAA picks out today, rather than get them out too late. In case you have missed it, I have been TOTALLY kicking ass with my picks in the first two rounds. So far, I'm a blistering 38-10 ... But who can't pick the North Carolina's over the SUNY-Binghamton's of the tourney, right? Rounds 3 and 4 separate the men from the boys....

So, here are my picks:

Midwest Region:

Louisville over Arizona

Kansas over Michigan State

East Region:

Pittsburgh over Xavier

Villanova over Duke

West Region:

UConn over Purdue

Memphis State over Missouri

South Region:

N. Carolina over Gonzaga

Oklahoma over Syracuse

Yep, the Big East and Big 12 dominate, and we have a couple upsets in the 2-3 seed matchups, but no real Cinderellas this year...

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Man, Did We Have Some Crazy Ass Stuff Go On Today Here In Florence !!

Break Out The Bloodhounds !! Drug Bust, Wild Car Chases, And a Manhunt.... And They Say Florence Is Boring .....





Hi Honey, and how was your day ??? Boy , it was a wild one in Flotown today.. I'm at work, doing my usual routine, when all of a sudden, about ten cop cars, cruisers and cars that I never knew were cops before come flying past the dealership and they all go into the condos near Celebration Puddle - I mean Lake. Next, two helicopters are overhead, and about ten more cop cars join the fun. What was it? Just another day at the office for Kenney Boone and his boys at the Florence County Sheriff's Office....

It seems that we had a trio of people driving down I-95 with about 5 pounds of cocaine - probably doing the usual Miami-to-New York trek, when they got stopped by a FCSO deputy. While questioning one of them outside of the car, the other two took off in the vehicle,and the chase was on....

The nice thing about being a moron from NY or Miami is that you think South Carolina is a bunch of farmland, but these jerks found out real quick what Flotown traffic is all about. They got off on the first exit in town - either Lucas Street or Hwy 76, and quickly ended up in West Florence on Cashua Drive - one of the busiest areas in town! They went past Delmae Elementary, and tried to hide in a small patch of woods behind the school. Delmae immediately went on lockdown, which was inconvenient for me, because one of the teachers had a loaner car of mine that I really needed - but hey, the law is the law..

For hours, no one was allowed in the area, and the copters flew overhead. At print time, one of the escapees was caught. The third was rumored to have been found in Middle Swamp, but there has been no confirmation of it. For Florence, this is about as exciting as it gets - except for Monday Burrito Madness at Moe's .....

I just got this from Kenney Boone's Facebook page.. Here is a pic and the info on the at-large suspect... keep your eyes open.

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Where Is Bobby Cain ?

Sometimes, we need to take a second out of our busy lives to really look around, and take notice of things. I found that out today.. All week, I've seen flyers around town about a missing elderly Florence man. I saw it in the Food Lion on Sunday, but it was a few aisles down, so I bypassed it. Then today, customer of mine had a couple of them taped to her car windows, so I finally looked at them. "Nope, I don't know him".....

I was wrong. When I saw the report on Channel 13 today, they mentioned that he lives on Edgewood Avenue, and it all came back to me. Tommy Cain lived about three houses from me when I lived there two years ago. He would always walk around the neighborhood, although he would rarely talk, he always had a smile for you. No one has seen him since last Wednesday, when he went to the Krispy Kreme on West Palmetto, about five blocks from is home. Reports have his being seen at the IHOP at Magnolia Mall later that night - close to two miles from his home.

There are lots of places where he could have gotten lost, and he hasn't had his medications for a while. There is a chance he will be OK, but time is running out. Hopefully, he hasn't met with foul play, but the possibility exists. maple Park is a hard place for it's residents. They are mostly elderly, and are prone to attacks from the gang banger kids that are a 1 minute bike ride away on Waverly Avenue. It's happened before. Two years ago, a 75 year old woman who lived literally around the corner from Tommy Cain was murdered in her home. I used to see her a lot as well on my way to work too..

If you have any information that can help, call Crimestoppers at 667-TIPS. And pray for Tommy's safe return...

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Happy Birthday to the Exxon Valdez Disaster !

One of America's Worst Ecological Disasters Hits the Big 2-0 !!

Yeah, it seems just like yesterday, but it's already been 20 years since the Exxon Valdez, piloted by fellow Long Islander Joseph Hazelwood (was he hung over or not? who knows) ran aground on Bligh Reef, spilling 11 million gallons of crude oil into Prince William Sound ....

Even though it's been so long, there is one ironic point to it - Exxon still hasn't settled the lawsuits with the locals who lost their livelihoods due to the accident. They've managed to keep it in the courts for a litany of reasons. So, while the Sound has been cleaned up, and things are back to normal (I think), there are two things that haven't changed - Exxon still hasn't paid, and Bobby still doesn't get his gas there.....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2twgh4om1wc

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The Treasury Finally Does What It Said It Would Do Six Months Ago..

He IS Uniquely Qualified.... He's The Only Guy In The Fed Who Can Play a Brochure Like a Flutophone !!! Or a Bong..

Today, the Treasury Department announced that it would team up with private investors to buy up nearly $1 Trillion of bank assets that are clogging up ther ability to lend further. These 'toxic assets' will basically be taken off of the lenders books, making their balance sheets more stable, and allowing them to loan money to businesses and ordinary citizens. This would hopefully increase consumer spending, and get the economy rolling again.

This is all economic theory, of course, so it is subject to interepretation, but it sounds pretty solid to me. Banks make money on loans if they 1) loan to people qualified to repay them, and 2) don't go apeshit with risky ventures. It's actually an very simple business if done sensibly. Ever see a Credit Union go under ????

I do have one question: What the hell took them so long to do this? They were talking about doing this six months ago. If the economy was in such a sad state, why did they take so long to do it? Maybe because voters do get all jacked up about economic and banking policy, but they do when you say 'Economi Stimulus'?

Between this and the stimulus, this is the adjustment that will get the economy rolling again. The private markets have much more influence on economic change than a bunch of handouts. Alas, it's not sexy...

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We Can All Calm Down Now ....

These Will Still Be Coming From Timmonsville For A While....

After a few months of paranoia, the official word finally came out on Friday. The Honda ATV plant in Timmonsville will once again be cranking out those little 4-wheelers that America loves so much - and a month earlier than originally expected.

Ever since they stopped production in January, the rumor mill has been ablaze with ..... uh, rumors. The plant was closing, and QVC was going to lease the building. Yeah, right.... They distribute here, not manufacture. Here's what really happened...

Like most plants, they had excess inventory, so they stopped making them for a bit. But, they had the foresight to see that times have changed, and that they don't , and may never again, need all the employees they had. So, rather than layoff half the employees, they gave them severance packages - to the tune of a year's salary. Pretty generous if you ask me. Over 800 employees took the package, which is what I would have done. That put them back at the staffing they needed, and they're ready to start production again - and at a profit. And people wonder why GM loses money....

So, the plant is back, and I for one am very relieved. if it weren't for that ATV plant, I'd probably be destitute....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r07pk-M6xOA

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Florence Spends $7.5 Million On Tennis Courts? Someone Get Old Wooden Head On the Phone .

We're Starting to Notice a Trend Here....

It was announced this week that the City of Florence will be building a $7.5 million Tennis Complex in town. For those of you keeping score, that's on top of the Performing Arts Center, the New Florence Little Theatre and the Drs. Bruce & Lee Library, which was the only real improvement. It just seems that after that, they've been trying to find something else worthwhile to build. They're still trying, but not succeeding.

So, how do they decide what to build? I'm not sure, but I think I've got a feel for who is benefitting from this - and it won't surprise you. Rich people. Rich people play Tennis, go to the Theatre and the Opera. Sure, i've played Tennis a few times - I play like an Old Man. The Theatre and Opera? Forget it! But, I do know that Tennis seems to be the sport of choice of all the bigwigs and their wives. I've heard them speak amongst themselves. 'Bob is a 3.5 skill level' and stuff like that. No, I don't know what it means..

Why not find some ideas that would benefit some of the less affluent people in town. Maybe some community centers or something like that. I'm not an ideas guy, I'm the guy who picks the right stuff, and a Tennis Complex doesn't really sound like it to me...

Okay, there is ONE THING I like about Tennis...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e2xk1Je6gI&feature=related

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From Presidential Candidate to The Verge of Losing His Senate Seat In a Year - The Fall of Chris Dodd.

Chris Dodd Is EXACTLY What's Wrong With DC ............

It seems just like yesterday.... Connecticut Senator Chris Dodd was in Iowa last year, trying to become the next President. Of course, he had no chance to win, and he dropped out quickly. That was his high point in what has become a slow, precipitous fall from power.

I'm sure once Barack Obama took office, Dodd thought he was sure to get a gig in Obama's cabinet. It seems like everyone else did - Joe Biden, Hillary Clinton got jobs, and Bill Richardson was offered one - but Dodd didn't make the short list. Why not? Because Dodd doesn't represent change. Biden doesn't either, and we're seeing how that is working out now..

Now, Dodd has a giant bullseye on his back for his Senate seat, and many people in his own party are asking Dodd to retire at the end of his term. Polls taken in the Nutmeg State show him losing to former Congressman Rob Simmons (wasn't he in Run-DMC?) by a close 43-42.

Now, I know what you're probably thinking. What did Dodd do? Simple. He was the one who put the loophole in the AIG bailout that allowed them to continue givign bonuses totalling $165 million to the division that nearly sank the entire company, along with several other banks and insurance companies.

When asked about it, Dodd said that he did it because the Treasury Department asked him to do it. Yeah Chris, that may be, but you're the one who actually did it. I once had a guy ask me to loan him money so he could buy drugs, but I passed on it. Just a tip. Oh, by the way - AIG is headquartered in - YOU GUESSED IT - Wilton, Connecticut. But I'm sure that had nothing to do with it....

Now, i know what you're thinking. Dodd is a little green, and he didn't know better. After all, he's only been in the Senate since 1980, when I was in the seventh grade - he still needs time to get a grasp of the job. Truth be told, Dodd is a microcosm of all that is wrong with Washington. He's full of hot air and bullshit,and when he gets caught, he blames anyone but himself, and he sure isn't going to step down. Maybe the voters will take care of that next fall...

This clip has nothing to do with this post, except it has the word Connecticut in the title - or does it ?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BtJzeq7NZyo&feature=related

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If I Can Pick B-Ball, Then Maybe Congress Can Fix The Economy Too...

Hey, Is That a Lay-Up , Or a Lay-In ????

So much for having to be an expert to pick the NCAA's.... In case you missed it, I went a blistering 24-8, with four of my losses being by 1 point, 2 points, an OT, and 2 OT's. If I can do this well with no knowledge of the teams, then maybe Congress really can fix an economy that they have no understanding of...

Anyway, onto the Sweet 16.. I'll be honest - a couple of the games have already started, but I'm being honest on these picks, so here we go in Round Two. Don't take these picks to your bookie - It'll hex me.

Western Kentucky over Gonzaga - Cinderella 2009!

Washington over Purdue

Missouri over Marquette

Xavier over Wisconsin

Louisville over Siena

UNC over LSU

Duke over Texas

Syracuse over Arizona State

Arizona over Cleveland State

Villanova over UCLA

UConn over Texas A&M

Kansas over Dayton

Michigan State over USC
Pittsburgh over Oklahoma State
Memphis State over Maryland
Oklahoma over Michigan


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My Strange Obama Dream...

The Dream Didn't Involve Beans, But........

The story you are about to read is absolutely true... In the middle of all the news involving Barack Obama, he managed to invade my sleep last night. Like most dreams, it didn't make much sense last night - but it was pretty funny.

Where do I start? Well, it was like we were on the campaign trail. I was sitting in the back of a minivan or something like that, and Michelle Obama was passing by, but I couldn't manage to get the camera to focus to take her picture. I think her hands were to big to fit in the frame...

Next, i'm outside, and Barry (as I like to call him) and Michelle are in a crowd - passing out cornbread. Cornbread.. I shit you not. Why I was picturing cornbread is beyond me. Maybe it was a bad refernce to the Whoopie Pie post from last night. Or maybe I'm just a big racist. At least I didn't dream of chicken or watermelon, right ?????

But wait, we're not done yet. Barack comes by to say hi, and he asks me how the South Carolina congressional delegation is getting along - like I would know.. Anyway, I'm pretty tongue-tied, and I made no sense whatsoever. That part I understood. It was a clear reference to me picking on Obama's ugly speech that he gave in California the day before the Leno mess. At least soemthing made sense.

It's rare that I wake up from a dream laughing, but I was laughing my ass off last night. It reminded me of the Dave Chappelle segments with Charlie Murphy talking about Prince, Pancakes and Basketball. The Obamas and Cornbread. Maybe it was stimulus payments they were passing out..

http://www.funnyordie.com/videos/cf33f1b763/dave-chapelle-prince-plays-basketball-from-nas

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Obama's Foot In Mouth Disease, Part II...

Picking On the Handicapped Tops Obama's Bad Week.....

You know, I didn't think that I'd be writng about Barack Obama sticking his foot in his mouth on consecutive days, but he's really screwing up this week. The man needs his teleprompter back, and BAD .....

In case you missed it, here is the clip of Obama accidentally insulting handicapped people on Jay Leno last night...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JKlYT2bseII

Now, he almost got away with it, and Leno did a pretty good job of ignoring the comment, but when you say something like that on National TV, you earn the criticism. His staffers did the right thing by calling Special Olympics immediately to apologize, but it wasn't exactly asking for forgiveness from your biggest detractors...

What do i mean? Obama called the Director of Special Olympics, Tim Shriver. Tim Shriver, as in sister of Maria Shriver, Obama's spokesperson in California. Tim Shriver, as in nephew of Ted Kennedy, Obama's first big backer last year. Was there any doubt that Shriver was going to accept his apology?

I think Obama has learned a valuable lesson this week. First, he should stick to the teleprompter more, because his extemperaneous skills are not as sharp as people think, or they're getting worse from having to actually run the country. Secondly, California may have elected you, but it is a double-edged sword. Thy love knocking big shots doen there just as much as they do in DC....



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Obama's Not Always So Smooth....

Here at SC6, we like to pick on everybody. Why, because no one is as perfect as some would make you think they are. When those moments come along, we like to playfully knock them down a notch...

Today, the barely-employed Service Advisor takes aim at our President. One of the main reasons Barack Obama became our president was his ability to convey a message - his wonderful speech giving skills, right? He was the "Anti-Bush". Where a lot of people took pleasure in tearing apart our 43rd Prez's inability to be eloquent, and his use of 'Bushism's', they sometimes forget that Barack Obama is not always the greatest speaker without his beloved teleprompter...

Here's the evidence. It's Obama speaking yesterday about the stance he has taken in dealing with the AIG mess. He compares AIG to dealing with a suicide bomber - first faux pas. Secondly, he doesn't even make any sense. Honestly, if you didn't see it was Obama, and just read the text or listened to the clip, you'd swear it was Bush at his worst..

http://patdollard.com/2009/03/obama-aigs-a-suicide-bomber/

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Post Number 1900: The Wonderful, Chocolately Yumminess That Is The Whoopie Pie.

If You've Never Had One, You Have NO IDEA .......

Wow, post number 1900 ! That means that sometime in late April or May, we'll be hitting a benchmark that few blogs have reached. But, until then, we'll just keep trudging along talking about things that the other blogs bypass.....

Today, we celebrate one of the finest creations ever to come out of Pennsylvania. No, not Bobby or Joe Paterno. JoePa is from Brooklyn, Bobby is from Pluto... Nope, we're talking about making Whoopie - Whoopie Pies , that is!

If you've never had a Whoopie Pie with a glass of ice cold milk, you have missed one blissful moment of life's simple pleasures. A Whoopie Pie is made of two supermoist chocolate cake-like halves, with a French Vanilla creme center that is to die for. In Pennsylvania, my Aunt Anna used to make them (along with her homemade bread) for us at every family reunion in Luzerne.

I came across this NYT article about Whoopie Pies, and no one at work knew what they were. Assuming you might be the same, I thought I'd post the article for you. It has everything you want to know about Whoopie Pies - it's history, recipies, and just what it is about them that makes people like me DROOL at the mere mention of the word.

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/18/dining/18whoop.html

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I Did It Again....

The Curse of Reino Strikes Again...

You're all going to think that I'm being goofy here, but I'm serious. If you've been a fan of the blog for any period of time, you know about The Curse of Reino. Anything it seems that I come into casual contact with ends up having something bad happen. It's been documented previously here, and I think I did it again this week.

You know about actress Natasha Richardson's passing from a brain trauma during a freak accident while skiing. I somehow feel that my curse played a small part in it. You see, I can name exactly one movie of her's that I saw - I watched 'Nell' probably 7-8 years ago. That was until Sunday..... I watched 'The Parent Trap', then one day later....

Of course, I know that I probably had nothing to do with any of this, but when you have a track record like mine....... Now, for those of you who are concerned about our own safety of knowing me, fear not. If you're very close to me, it appears that you are safe. Most of the people in my immediate circle seem to be leading long, healthy, accident free lives. If you live only on the periphery of my existence, you might want to come by more often, and bring some dessert....

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Say 'Pryvit' To Moscow's Newest Political Star...

It's Maria Sergeyeva, Putin's 24 Yr. Old Mouthpiece...

It's Wednesday, it's band practice night. So, we're going with a nice easy post here. It seems that even Vladimir Putin has gotten the message - attract the kids, and you have a future. Little KGB has found his messenger to the Yutes of Russia - a 24 yr. old hottie named Maria Sergeyeva. No, not Maria Sharapova, the tennis star, although she's plenty hot too. Personally, I prefer Ukrainian chicks...

Here's an article on our 'Red' Hot Hottie, including some semi-racy pics.

http://buzz.yahoo.com/buzzlog/92382

Or, even funnier, watch this clip of Paul McCartney butchering the Ukrainian language before singing 'Back in the USSR' - like he can tell Russia from the Ukraine. Where's the check? hey Paul, will your songs still suck when I'm 64 ???

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XrtnnLor2UM&feature=related

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Time For Me To Advise On Something I Know NOTHING About...

Let's be honest.... I know nothing about basketball. I'm White, i'm 5'8", I can't dribble or shoot. It just isn't my game. But, i've been pretty good at picking NCAA basketball Tournament games. Better than i am at picking elections....

I have band practice, so I'll have to make my predictions tonight - with no thought about it at all...

East Region

Pitt over East Tenn St.

Tennessee over Oklahoma St.

Florida St over Wisconsin

Xavier over Portland St.

VCU over UCLA

Villanova over American

Texas over Minnesota

Duke over SUNY-Binghamton :(

Midwest Region

Louisville over Alcorn State

Ohio State over Siena

Arizona over Utah

Wake Forest over Cleveland St.

West Virginia over Dayton

Kansas over N. Dakota St.

USC over Boston College

Michigan St. over Robert Morris

South Region

N. Carolina over Radford

LSU over Butler

Illinois over Western Ky.

Gonzaga over Ark.-Little Rock

Arizona State over Temple

Syracuse over Stephen F. Austin

Michigan over Clemson

Oklahoma over Morgan State

West Region

Connecticut over UT-Chattanooga

Texas A&M over BYU

Purdue over UNI

Mississippi State over Washington

Marquette over USU(?)

Missouri over Cornell

Maryland over Cal

Memphis State over CSN (Crosby, Stills, Nash?)

Whatever.......

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Joe Biden: He Opens His Mouth, and Dumb Stuff Always Comes Out...

Methinks Obama Followed The Thornton Melon Theory....

OK, what the heck am I talking about this time? In 'Back to School', Thornton Melon said in his Tall & Fat clothing store commercials, "If you want to feel thin, hang out with fat people." I think Barack Obama decided to use Melon's theory with his VP Choice - if you want to look smarter, surround yourself with idiots...

Yep, Joe Biden did it again.... JoBi pulled another verbal boner yesterday at a DNC fundraiser. In a rambling, erratic speech - one in which he called something 'his last point' three times - he overblew the task that the Obama Administration faces with it's current crisis. He said 'We have inherited the most difficult first 100 days of any president, I would argue, including Franklin Roosevelt." All together now............ WTF ???!!!

Biden continued... "It was clear what the problem Roosevelt inherited was. This is a more complicated economic issue. We've never been here before - here or in the world. Never been here before." Uh, not since 1982, when virtually all of the same economic indicators were the same, except mortgage rates were about 13%, more than double what the average is now.

Luckily, Roosevelt went on television, and he calmed the country down, and......Sorry, I couldn't help it! Please, Joe. We are not in 25-30% unemployment, the stock market hasn't bottomed out totally, everyone hasn't lost all their savings in the banks. What was the Dow Industrial at when it tanked in 1987? How about 775... Nearly SIX THOUSAND points below what it is now. This is a recession, not a depression, folks.

Biden should spend a few minutes with his Mom, and ask her what the Depression was like. We're all lined up and down the street with our 3 cars and 7 TV's at the Soup Line, right? I didn't think so. Biden's words insult everyone who actually went through the Depression, including both my parents. I wish he could just tell the truth, and say 'Things kinda suck right now, but it's been this bad before, and a lot worse.'

But, that's Joe Mouth. That's his job - to say dumb shit, and make us glad that at least Barack Obama is in charge , rather than him.

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