Our Closing Thought As We Return Home ..

It looks as though our long, strange trip to New York will coming to an end. I stayed an extra day because my brother didn't want to leave just yet, and honestly, I got home a bit late from the show Saturday night. But, I must say, we rocked Katie's off it's hinges last night to over 150 of my old friends - and we had only one sort of fight. Most people get over 30 year old grudges, but people in Brentwood are funny that way. Overall, it was like a Health Care Town Hall meeting - lots of rowdy, animated and riled up people, and one or two lunatics.....

As we focus on politics here mostly, I'd like to comment on the insanity that goes on here in New York, in the hopes that South Carolina does not go down the same path - lest I'll have to find another place to live. The picture above is of the gas station on the Belt Parkway in Brooklyn. It's a bit small, but the price for regular gas is $2.99 a gallon - 68 cents higher than what I paid in SC. Why? State taxes. Cigarettes are about $7 a pack here.. Why? State taxes... By the way, most people I know up here still smoke, despite the price tripling in the last decade - they're addicted, they're not going to quit. I'm fine with the argument that some money from cigarettes should go to fund health care, but let's give up on thinking that you'll price cigarettes out of the market. Inelastic demand, folks ...

Lastly, I have friends that are paying $10-12,000 a year in property taxes, which is more than I pay for my mortgage. Yeah, the schools are good, there's a park every 50 feet, the roads are good, and the teachers and cops are extremely well-paid, but think of the effect on the economy if every homeowner had an extra $1000 a month available. It's a blueprint of California, and we see where that is going. New York would be finished if it didn't have some natural advantages, but even that isn't always enough to overcome fiscal stupidity.

Sometimes, I worry that South Carolina is heading down that same path, and it's accelerating. We don't have some of the advantages that New York has to tax it's citizens to death. The sooner we recognize this, and not expect the State , Federal and local governments to do everything - but not nothing - then we can improve our state without killing it's citizens..

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How Did Ted Kennedy Get Buried at Arlington?

I'm not trying to be a smartass here - I just had a question. They buried Ted Kennedy at Arlington National Cemetary, next to his brothers John and Robert. I did read the Wikipedia record on his military service, which was less than two years. He didn't distinguish himself, and he served in Europe while we were at war in Korea, due to his connections. They don't automatically bury US Senators there either. So, I'd like to know what determined that he coud be buried there?

Maybe it has something to do with the spot he was buried being related to JFK's spot, but I didn't find anything on it that would explain it. Otherwise, I don't quite get it.....

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Post Number 2200: SC6's Equivalent of Abe Lincoln's Log Cabin ..

Yes folks, this is it - my childhood home. The small ranch at 186 Clarissa Drive in North Bay Shore, New York doesn't look like much - and it isn't. But it is where I grew up - where I would go across the street to play baseball, hide in the woods at the water treatment center, ride and jump my bike in the abandoned lot behind Hemlock Park Elementary, until they built a house there. But, it was sold about 8 or 9 nine years ago, and just like my old neighborhood, it just isn't the same..

It's a shame to watch my hometown fall apart, but it is. The streets actually have grass growning in the cracks going across the street. All of the stores that I knew are gone. The apartments look like crap, and every overpass and fence is tagged with spray paint. But, it is where I was born, and North Bay Shore does put it's stamp on you when you grow up there. You grow up not exactly in the 'hood, but you have a toughness that most Long Islanders try to fake or buy at the local Foot Locker. Most of my friends have moved away from the old neighborhood, but we all share that common bond - it was home.

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SC6 Picture of the Day: Greasy NY Pizza - YUM!

We've got two down, one to go.... Bagels? Check. Greasy New York Pizza? Check. White Castles , you're next.... There are few things that make a former Long Islander more nostalgic than folding a slice of pizza, and seeing the grease dripping from the bottom.... and onto your plate, your pants, the floor ..... Hungry yet? If you aren't up for driving 700 miles for the real thing, try the pizzeria in the Food Lion shopping center next to Coastal Carolina University in Conway - it's pretty close.

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Florence County Selects It's New Executive Committeeman ..

Congratulations to Julian Young, who was selected as Florence County's new Executive Committeeman. Julian had overwhelming support, winning the three-way election with a majority on the first ballot. I missed the meeting yesterday, and I do wish I could have made it, but long term plans are tough to change. Kudos also go to Licia Stone and Tommy Phillips for running as well.

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Picture of the Day: Strange Sights From a Confusing and Foreign Land..

No Cash? New York is So Dangerous, Even The Toll Booth Operators Are Afraid of Being Robbed ..

Greetings from Strong Island ... SC6 is spending the weekend in the playground of the New York City elite. No, we're not in the Hamptons BS'ing with Paris and Billy Joel. We're in Brentwood, Long Island - home of landscapers, welders, construction workers, and rappers like EPMD ....

We're sorry there were no posts yesterday, due to the 11 hour drive and 6 hours of band practice session as soon as I got here. Today, we're going to load up on bagels, pizza and White Castles - if we see Harold, Kumar and NPH there, you'll be the first to know... Onto today's pic..

The trip was great, although I learned that from now on, I'm taking the HOV lane whether I have two passengers or not. Once we got past DC, there was this strange phenomenon in the middle of the road - something called a toll booth. And I though that mustard on pretzels was weird.... Apparently, there are these people waiting in these booths that you must drive thorugh. And they don't let you go through unless you give them money.....

I don't know if these folks were armed or not, but it seemed like robbery to me. Perhaps they were just very crafty panhandlers. In South Carolina, the beggars sleep on the sidewalk and push shopping carts around. In the North, they set up shop like Lucy Van Pelt had her 5 cent Psychology booth .... I went to something called the Outerbridge Crossing, which lets you leave New Jersey and into Staten Island. By the way, New Jersey is like a big Roach Motel - they let you in for free, but if you want to leave, you have to pay......

In this case, it was $8 ...... I tried to be fair and negotiate with her.. I asked how much the bridge cost to make. She said about $300 million, so I offered to pay my fair share and give her a dollar, if she would let me go for free for the rest of my life. That's when she Tasered me, took $8 out of my wallet, and told me to leave...

All totalled, I paid $23.40 for tolls in a 175 mile stretch .... Gas for the whole trip was $50. I'll have a couple more examples of this strange life form that I am encountering tomorrow. Kirk Out.....

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Asst. Manager Asks Store Manager to Quit.... Store Manager Laughs at Asst. Manager

Andre and Mark In Happier Times .....

Had enough of this yet today? Well, we had to comment on it eventually. Sensing that impeachment is an inevitability, Lt. Governor Andre Bauer asked for Governor Mark Sanford to resign, for the sake of his state's respectability, and to allow Columbia to focus on legislation, rather than impeachment. Sanford rebutted shortly afterwards, telling Bauer that he isn't going anywhere, that he didn't improperly use state planes, and that other elected officials have done likewise. Particularly with that last nugget, Sanford laid down the gauntlet - that if they take him out, he will likely take some of them along with him.....

Do I think Sanford acted improperly? How the hell do I know? I don't work for SLED, the State Ethics Commission or the CIA... I'm a putz with a blog. I'll let others speculate , accuse and judge - whether they're right or wrong. I will try to read the tea leaves here a little, and predict future events, which are probably as accurate as everyone else's accusations...

Mark Sanford will be impeached in January

Barring an outright clearance from a major investigative unit, the House cannot wait to oust Sanford. Is he paying due to the plane trips? Maybe. Because of the affair? Some. Because the House and Senate can't stand him embarrassing them and pointing out their spending spree? Hell Yeah. In kind, every public servant who's flown in a class higher than in a Pet Carrier will be run through the ringer, and political carnage ensues on both sides.....

Andre Bauer Will Run for Congress

I'm not breaking any news here, although I didn't believe it a week or two ago. Andre Bauer buys and flips houses all the time. But, when he made the request and publicly stated on TV that he would give the Governor job up, that convinced me that he is going to run for Congress in the 4th District. Personally, he can stay at my place on the couch, and run in the 6th if he wants. What's he going to do, retire ?

Bauer Beats Bob Inglis

Are there Republican congressmen more liberal in America than Bob Inglis? Hell yeah. Are there any in South Carolina? Nope, especially in the Upstate.... All the other wannabe candidates run for the hills, Bauer beats Inglis with a political lead pipe and leaves him bloodied and left for dead on the side of I-26 ....

There is still plenty of time to avoid all of this... Four months in politics is forever, but my guess is that minds are made up, and a lot of guys in Columbia are waiting impatiently for January to get here. House to do list: December, buy Christmas gifts..... January, Impeach Sanford...

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Ted Kennedy Passes - Now What Happens ?

The Liberal Lion Is Gone , The Aftermath Begins ....

I was in meetings in Columbia today, so I am way behind some of the news today. So, rather than report stories that are already 18 hours old and boring you, I'll try to focus more on what the ramifications of Sen. Ted Kennedy's passing are today. But, I'll be nice here for a second.....

No, there was very little that I agreed on with Ted Kennedy. But, as I wrote on my buddy Dave's facebook comment page today, Right or Wrong, the guy fought for what he believed was right. It is far easier to work on legislation if you can anticipate what a Senator is thinking , than one who is unreadable and vacillating. Try writing a decent bill with those two nitwits in Maine around the house... The man had his share of tragedy, and if my two brothers had been killed, I would have been as stressed as he was. Rest in Peace, Uncle Ted.

With his passing, like any big loss, there are winners and losers. The easy loser is the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. They'll be lucky to even be represented for the immediate future, and a fulltime, permanent Senator will be years off. Kennedy wielded a huge amount of power, and Massachusetts is filling in his spot with John Kerry - a vanilla, baggaged, past his prime representative. Whoever takes Kennedy's place will be sitting at the furthest ench in the rear, where he/she can talk with Roland Burris about what they would do - if anyone there would listen....My pick for his spot? This time, Caroline Kennedy WILL get it.....Maybe not.

What about the Republicans? Have they won anything at all? Well, very little. They haven't exactly gained as much as the Democrats have lost. Your issue loses a certain amount of cache' when a Kennedy is no longer there to speak on your behalf. Health Care did lose it's best speaker, but with his passing, the battle for it just took a big shift...

Where Health Care was a fight between two sides debating an issue before, for one, it just became much more emotional... And when one side loses it's leader - and Kennedy, not Barack Obama was the leader - the battle becomes almost a Holy War. In 1864, at the Siege of Atlanta, General James McPherson, a favorite of Gen. William T. Sherman, got too close to soem Confederate pickets, and he was shot and killed. Sherman got pretty pissed at the loss of his friend, and used the rallying cry 'McPherson and Revenge' to push his troops. Atlanta soon fell ... Nationalized Health Care, more than anything, was Kennedy's dream. I can see millions yelling "Do It for Teddy" all across America. Ted Kennedy could almost be viewed as Health Care's martyr...

Like any great (in size) event, there will be a lot of shifting, but it will also take a little time for the dust to settle. Larger than life guys like Ted Kennedy do that.....Time for some advice from Gust Avrkatos ....... We'll See.

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Wednesday's Pic .. Your Tax Dollars at Work.

I took a trip to Columbia today, and I got a chance to take a picture of my favorite things on Hwy. 277 - the Congressman James E. Clyburn Pedestrian Overpass. As usual, no one is walking across it. I've been there at least ten times, and I've seen a person on there once.. I think he getting ready to jump off it.




Actually, I'm surprised the pic came out so well. I got the sign in and everything! You can probably tell, the pic is from the driver's seat. Yep, I was driving and picturetaking. Truth be known, I was driving, picturetaking, texting Ms. X , and - as Nikki Sixx said - cooking up the biggest hit of Heroin I ever did in my life. OK, I didn't do Heroin. Riding The Snake isn't my style...



We're hitting the road tomorrow, so get ready for some out of state picture from the road this weekend. No, no hot blondes from Odessa, but maybe a couple Long Island housefraus ....



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Jessica Biel is One Tainted Chick ..

There's a One in Five Chance She's Gonna Give You a Virus ...

Jessica Biel.. There's a good reason they call her 'The Body'. She is one fabulous looking hottie for sure.... I mean why else would I watch 'The Illusionist' , or 'I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry', and that I own the box set of '7th Heaven' ??? I'm not the only one, and it's because of that hotness that she is the leading source of viruses in the United States.......

No, this has nothing to do with her and Derek Jeter or Justin Timberlake and any STD's, although I have my doubts that JT is clean - he was with Britney for a while there. It involves computer viruses. Yes, Jessica Biel was named McAfee Inc.'s 'Most Dangerous Celebrity' this week. What that means is that you are more likely to get a malicious software virus or spyware clicking onto websites promoting her than any other celebrity. Tread lightly , guys.... Don't believe me? Just ask Jim....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGHhqV_QhzE&feature=related

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Jim Clyburn: Nero With a Golf Club

This should be my final thought for today. Here's something for everyone to think about ... Kingsburg just lost a $2.2 Billion project that would have permanently changed the local economy. It would have created jobs - good paying jobs. It would have made hundreds of non-project related service jobs - jobs that bring revenue to all levels of government. It would make enough power to attract other companies to South Carolina. Would have.... it's gone now. they might build another plant, but it will likely be elsewhere, in a place that wouldn't appreciate it as much, or that needed it as much. It's probably over for the area....

I said it yesterday - Cap and Trade killed the Kingsburg Plant. Jim Clyburn is the House Majority Whip. Not only did he vote for the very bill that killed the project in his own district, he was the one who poked and prodded 240 other Democrats to do the same. And where was he when $2.2 Billion just flew outof his district? Playing golf in Martha's Vineyard with the President. If the funding for the Bridge to Nowhere was in jeopardy, he would have been all over the place. It's all too reminiscent of President Bush's problems during Hurricane Katrina.....

Nero had a Fiddle. Bush had an Air Guitar. Clyburn's got a Golf Club.......

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Why It's Better to be Kinda Famous and Dead, Rather Than Famous and Dead ....

Good For Smiling Bob , Bad For Billy Mays ......

People always tell you to lay low, to not make too many waves. That not trying to stand out too much is good for you in the long run. That's why I have a blog.... Anyway, there is a little bit of truth to that advice. Because there are examples that show that there are situations where being too famous is bad for you - like being dead.

What the hell am I talking about? I have no idea... Seriously, I'm watching the boob tube today, and two commercials come on. The first is one of those commercials with Billy mays, who just passed away recently. Billy was pretty well-known, and when he died, everyone knew it. It makes his commercials seem a bit morbid, and some of his old products like OxyClean and I-Can insurance have already dropped him. such is th downside of dying. Too bad everyone, knew him, otherwise he'd still be raking it in....

By now, your disbelief must be telling me, "Mike, you're nuts. What unfamous person makes more after they die?" I have one example - Smiling Bob. In case you don't know who Smiling Bob, he's the guy on the Enzyte commercials... You know, the guy with the case of Erectionitis Permanentitis. Bobs' hitting LONG.... He's a Chubby Santa ..... That guy. what you may not know, and you would if you've read this blog for a while, it that Smiling Bob is dead. Long dead....

I can't remember if it was one or two years ago, and I'm too lazy to check, but Bob was reported missing while sailing of the coast of Martinique, and after two weeks, was pronounced legally dead when they couldn't find him. I know I got Les Paul wrong, but this one is confirmed. My first thought when they kept airing commercials was that it was pretty strange, but Enzyte knew what they were doing.....

You see, most poeple aren't as up to date on Smiling Bob as I am - they have a life.... So, instead of trying to start up a whole new, and possibly unsuccessful ad campaign, they said keep going with Bob. And you know what - it worked! No one has a clue. Look at the new commercials - the new ads are just rehashes of the old commercials. They could do this forever, and no one will know. Smiling Bob can go on forever, and stupid consumers like us will never know.... Amazing!

Mom and Dad were right.... lay low, flight right - and don't let anyone know you're dead.

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Santee-Cooper Goes For the Nuclear Option , Drops Bomb on Southern Florence County..

Every Living Thing Destroyed , No Need To Worry About Jobs Now !

One day after scuttling plans for a $2.2 Billion Coal Fired power plant that would have revitalized the rural Pee Dee, Santee-Cooper officials decided to implement it's own Nuclear Power option in the area, and promptly dropped an atomic warhead just west of the proposed site, literally destroying everything from Lake City to the Hot Spot on Hwy 378 on the other side of the Great Pee Dee River.....

Initial reports are that Kingsburg, Johnsonville, Hemingway, Poston and Hannah were all vaporized instantly, and that Pamplico, Hyman, Gresham and Lake City were eventually destroyed by Nuclear Fallout. They were able to save The Schoolhouse BBQ in Scranton from annihilation, and they plan to be open on Thursday, as usual.... It seems that Santee-Cooper contracted out an F-16 jet from Shaw Air Force Base near Sumter, and had it drop a 6 megaton bomb - approximately 100 times the size of the proposed coal plant - in the area.

Santee-Cooper officials tired their best to put a positive spin on the bombing. "We see it as a cost cutting measure. Look at this way - we've made a 400 square mile area totally uninhabitable, so we don't need to worry about supplying electricity to the area. Besides, since the plant wasn't happening, the region was going to be abandoned within 5 years anyway..... We just cut out the middle man, and sped up the process", said an anonymous spokesperson for the state-owned utility.

As controlled as the devastation was, they were unable to keep from flattening the replacement work on the 378 Bridges going over the Pee Dee River. "No problem. the way we look at it, we just saved the taxpayers $21 million dollars. People should be grateful to us" was the utility spokesman's reply... However, the work for Santee-Cooper is not over yet. A repair crew will have to lay out approximately 425 miles of barbed-wire fencing around the entire Southern Florence - Northern Williamsburg County area.

State officials have not yet been able to determine a death toll on the disaster. A SLED agent assisting in the cleanup said, "It's hard to get an exact number yet. You got people driving through the area, and citizens have been leaving the area so fast lately, it's hard to tell."

Of course, this is a joke. But it might as well have been happened. This was perhaps the last great hope for Lower Florence County, and it's gone. Cap and Trade just killed this area .....

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Tuesday Afternoon Pic ...

The Bridges of Florence County....

Actually, this is a picture of the walkover bridge at Timrod Park. I had planned to be in Columbia and take some pictures there, but it got backed up by a day... I was pretty prolific with the posts the last few days, but we're going on the road to The Big Apple, so we'll be posting daily, but not seven or eight a day. Lucky You !

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Cap and Trade Claims the Pee Dee As It's First Victim ...

Santee-Cooper Nixes Kingsburg Coal Plant ........

Following up on a post from this weekend, it became official today.... Santee-Cooper's governing board decided to delay or scrap the planned $2.2 Billion Coal Burning Plant in Southern Florence County. Though not a total surprise, especially since the board chairman let the cat ou tof the bag before the weekend, there appears to be one obvious reason for Santee-Cooper's decision - Cap and Trade.

Now, Santee-Cooper did list three main reasons: regulations (Cap & Trade), the slowing economy, and the possibility of Duke Power servicing some electric co-ops that currently use Santee-Cooper. The second and third reasons really don't make a whole lot of sense. Yes, the economy has slowed down, but usage will never permanently drop off. New power sources have to be made - be it Nuclear , water, wind , whatever - or we will NEVER be able to attract coprporations here. Losing customers to Duke Power is the same argument, except it's only 4 or 5 small co-ops, which isn't enough to drop an entire plant. In the relationship between business and government, it's pretty simple how it works... Government passes legislation, and business makes it's decisions based on that.

Now while environmentalists are cheering today, they probably don't deserve all the credit , if any. I've had plenty of experience in fighting big business from developing in the wrong spots. Remember WalMart in West Florence and RED? I was on the board. Businesses abandon developments for one of three reasons: Will of the People, Environmental Factors, or Expense. RED never had any of the three, people wanted a WalMart on the westside, the permits were a foregone conclusion, and they price was right. Even though we has another and more suitable location available, they knew they could ram it down out thoats, and they did. The same went here.

Much like the complaints against Sonia Sotomayor, this plant was designed like hundreds that are already online, so permitting would not have been a problem, as far as Will of the People, it's a no-brainer .... The majority of voters here did want the plant, probably at least 2-1, but I have no polls to back it up. That's just my gut feeling. That leaves us with one conclusion....

Lie most things is business, it was the money. Since 2006, when it was first introduced, Santee-Cooper was up against the clock. The approval process got delayed just enough for the Democrats in DC to take charge and pass Cap & Trade, making the expense just too great to build, despite having $200 million in materials just sitting there, waiting to be used. Lots of companies have had to make major decisions based on the new administration, and the changes coming with it. Wayne Huizenga had to rush to sell the Miami Dolphins because he was worried about capital gains taxes skyrocketing under Obama. This is just another business decision, but it will cost us locally a lot.

Let me give you an equivalent project to the Coal Plant in terms of size.... Picture the new Dallas Cowboys stadium being built between Pamplico and Johnsonville.....That is the same size in terms of cost. A $2.2 Billion injection of money into Lower Florence County - which has almost nothing left now, besides Nan Ya Plastics in Lake City - is almost unfathomable. Yes, there would be only a couple hundred permanent jobs at the plant, and many people would be moved into the area, but that's like saying we should close down Darlington Speedway because they onyl are open one week a year. There are plenty of jobs outside that it would create. When I was at Enterprise Rent a Car, we opened an office just on the strength of CP&L's Robinson Nuclear Plant. They need cars for trips, they need lunch, they need dry cleaners, supermarkets, gas and a place to live. Ancillary expenses, class.... In an area where unemployemnt is probably close to 20%, this plant was probably a Godsend financially.

Like they said, Santee-Cooper has delayed the plant. It is likely never going to be built, but the decision is still there - how are you going to meet you future power needs? Will a Nuclear Plant go where the Coal Plant was going to go? Where are we going from here, and does it include Lower Florence County? I can't blame them for stopping the plan. A couple days ago, I was arguing that the Health Care bill was too much. It's not their fault.... Don't blame the conservationists - that's what they are there for, and sometimes, it good they are...If you want to place blame, I'll give you three words - Cap and Trade.

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Campaign TV Ads Already ???

So, there I am, watching the Channel 13 newscast at 6:00PM, and all of a sudden, there it is - the first TV campaign ad of the 2010 Election. Now, I don't profess to be a campaigning expert, but boy, it sure seemed early to me - especially for a campaign that hasn't officially started, yet.




The next few days will determine if they helped or not. Either the McMaster campaign's use of TV ads to kick off it's race will be a master stroke of genius, or people will beg for them to give them a break. I don't have a dog in the fight, so I'll just see how this one goes as an interested observer....

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The Whipper Plays 18 Holes With Barack Obama in Mahtha's Vinyahd !!

Jim Clyburn - Doing What He Does Best .

Hey, wasn't Congress already on vacation? At least I though they were.... Well, you can't blame them. After weeks of avoid constituents and having fake Town Halls, it does tend to wear you down. So, what does one do when you need some away time? You go play golf with the President in Martha's Vineyard.....

According to TheState.com, Jim Clyburn is hanging in the Bay State, playing golf with President Obama, and aide, and the Chairman of UBS. Yes, our Congressman has gotten quite chummy with Mr. Obama - not that we have gained anything from it... In fact, word is that they refer to the House Majority Whip as The Sage - although we think that they just added the 'S' to the front of it to be nice....

Happy Golfing , Mr. Clyburn.... Remember, putt with the water, keep your head down, and please tip the Caddy this time......

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Henry Mac Puts His Chips In .....

The worst kept secret is out at last. Today, Attorney General Henry McMaster officially announced his candidacy for Govenor of South Carolina. No this is no big secret.... In fact, the most new newsworthy event related to it that I can think of is that it pretty much cements that Alan Wilson will soon announce that he is running to succeed McMaster, if he hasn't already.....




That's about it, because we hate rehashing stuff that we've discussed previously, and all the Columbia-based guys love doing that anyway... Welcome to the Jungle, Henry! We'll skip the G 'n R YouTube clip... too cliche' .



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Why No One Is In a Rush to Oust Sanford ..

Why The Major Players Want Sanford Out THAT MUCH ....

For someone who has a political blog, I rarely discuss politics outside of here. But this weekend, I had two phone calls that lasted about an hour each from people I know. Of course, I won't mention them by name, otherwise I'll never get another phone call again. During these calls, I usually do the listening, and just try to learn and decide for myself.

One of them was very interesting, and it had to do with the background workings of the push to oust Governor Mark Sanford. It shed some light on why the move to dump Sanford seems to be lacking real steam - It's because the top people have some serious reservations on what happens if Sanford goes...

We've gone over this a bit before, when it first broke. Both Andre Bauer and Henry McMaster would benefit greatly , but they both could suffer in the end by sanford beign impeached. Neither want it to look like they ate their own, although my thought is still that if Andre Bauer became Governor, he would win the nomination, and ultimately the General Election. My kudos to Andre for not taking the easy way into the Governorship, and doing the right thing, which is rare for a politician....

Now, Mark Sanford could be called into Columbia tomorrow to face impeachment, if the five members of the statewide elected leaders called the House and Senate into emergency session. Since that hasn't happened, it looks like it will be January before they will come back. But even then, there is a very important person in Columbia who is probably not excited over the prospects of a Sanford impeachment - Senator Glenn McConnell.

What does McConnell have to do with all of this? Well, McConnell is Senate Pro Tempore, hich means that he runs the Senate when Andre Bauer is unavailable. Being Governor would make Bauer quite unavaliable, so McConnell would then assume the Lt. Governorship and, more importanly, have to giev up his seat on the Senate and all of his committee chairmanships. All for a 1 year stint in a job that he doesn't want. Not exactly a plum promotion there, and I don't blame McConnell if he felt that way. McConnell could decline the job and leave the Lt. Governor's job vacated, but that hasn't ever happened, so he'd be setting a new precedent. Overall, this is not a situation that I'd want to be stuck in....

Another aspect is the legislative agenda for 2010. In addition to the regular work they have to do, the House and Senate have some additional obstacles to face next year. The budget projections are showing that South Carolina will be another $200 million short, so the politicians will have to make even more cuts above what they did last year. It's workable, but there will always be some lobbyist or special interest group crying to The State or WIS that they're taking something necessary out of somebody's pocket... Also, the State Ports Authority needs revamping, and the longer they wait, the more jobs will be lost.

If they all go into impeachment proceedings, the estimate is that it will take a month to complete the hearings. They will have wasted 25% of their legislative time , while no doubt scorching the political landscape of South Carolina for a long time. Many might think that if Sanford were impeached, the state would move on with a clean slate from Day One. I don't see it that way.

Knowing all of this, it's no wonder that the push for Sanford to resign was so strong, and it might have been a convenient thing for him to do. However, we all know that Mark Sanford does not do things out of convenience, and in this case, it might be good. Major decisions that affect millions should not be made in hours without reflection and thought. For some , Sanford couldn't leave fast enough, but with the potential problems facing so many other state leaders from a Sanford resignation, it's no surprise that they haven't been calling for his head ......

We'll see in January, but four months is a long time in politics. Four months ago, we were all giving Sanford a standing ovation for his stance on the Economic Stimulus at the State Convention. No doubt many of you disagree with me, and vehemently. I respect and understand it. But as soemone who's had knockdown fights at work for the sake of fixing things, only to see the scars never go away, I think we will do more damage than if we just focused on the elections and finding Sanford's successor.....

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Monday's Picture of the Day ...

Somebody Call Alfred Hitchcock !!

Muldrows Mill was invaded by about 60 Canadian Honkers this morning. We've had maybe 5 or 6 at a time before, but today was something different. I swear I heard 'Flight of the Valkyries' playing when they all dropped in... No, I didn't step in any poop !

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You Can't Rag On Derek Jeter.... Or Can You?

It's Another Red Sox - Yankees , Old School - New School Battle ..

Baseball is a game of rivalries. Sometimes, it's between two teams: Red Sox-Yanks, Dodgers-Giants, Tampa Bay-Kansas City..... OK, skip that last one. But, as long as there are retired ballplayers in any sport, they will argue that the talent in their day was much better than it is today. Yes, the Oldtimers Retirement Home is full of former stars, muttering 'these kids couldn't hold my jockstrap' until the day they die.

Enter Jim Rice. The Anderson native, former Red Sox slugger and recent inductee in the Hall of Fame, made some comments to the kids at the start of the Little League World Series about today's stars. Here's what he said.... "You see a Manny Ramirez, you see an A-Rod, you see Jeter...... Guys that I played with and against, these guys you're talkign about cannot compare."

Sounds like your normal retired guy pro-Boston, anti-everyone else statement. But, Rice says he was misquoted. he said he made references to players with dreadlocks and baggy pants - neither of which do Rodriguez or Jeter have. After all, there was an important series between the Sox and Yanks this weekend -in which the Yanks took two of three. BTW, both Jeter and Rodriguez homered, and now my Yanks are 7 1/2 games up. Sorry, I couldn't help it. But, it is not uncommon for statements to be taken out of context a week later.

Do I believe Rice? I'm not sure... No, those descriptions of pants and dreadlocks don't apply to either, but with Rodriguez's admission that he took steroids, my guess is he may have mentioned A-Rod, then mistakenly lumped Jeter in there as well. Rice was a guy that you hated because he was on the other team, but you wished he was on your side. Jeter is the same. The guy's been playing in the New York Media Circus for 14 years now, and the only thing you can knock him for is that he has gotten hot babes than any one man should be legally entitled to.....

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Kent Conrad Makes Our Case For Us ....

It's Not the Principle ...... It's the Money .

The problem with partisan politics is that we fail to realize that the other side is not listening, and they don't care. Partisanism is by far the biggest reason that America doesn't move forward like it could. The only redeeming part of partisanism is that every once in a while, one or two people from the other side gets it, and they are hopefully able to persuade their side in a way that all facts in the world from you wouldn't. In short, the facts from a friend go over much better than those from an 'enemy'.....

Today on 'Face the Nation', Sen. Kent Conrad (D-ND), one of the Gang of Six discharged with finding a compromise between the House and Senate Health Care bills, publicly stated that the the final bill would have to way less than the $1 Billion ballpark figure currently in Congress. Thank God, someone has seen the light.... We're not all pistol packing nut jobs, or strict Constitutionalists who object to Health Care because it's not in the Bill of Rights. We are ordinary peope who saw the price tag, and said 'This Is Too Much"...

Conrad hasn't totally seen it, because he is opposed to breaking up the bill into a series of smaller bills that would cover some uncovered people piece by piece. In true DC fashion, they'd rather pass one big, bad bill than 2 good, smaller bills. hey they are in Washington after all....

There is one indesputable fact: about 85% of Americans have Health Insurance. Rather than creating a huge bureaucracy for 300 million where the overwhelming majority already are covered, why not work on a smaller bill - with a much smaller cost? Sure, keep working on the overbilling and waste that is rampant in our health care system, and it might just cover the expense of covering those last people. Honestly, I'm not even sure that would be workable, but a targeted program with less risk would likely work much better. Like Mel Gibson taught his kids in 'The Patriot', Aim Small - Miss Small.

No, Conrad doesn't completely get it, but it really is up to guys like Conrad and the Blue Dogs - the politicians, not the band from Florence - to salvage a sensible plan. We Republicans have about done all we can by protesting, but we're really just bystanders in this....

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A Relaxing Sunday Pic ....

Isle of Palms - No, I'm not there today... I imagine the waves are a bit choppier there today, thanks to Bill. Enjoy your Sunday...

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Finding Your Own Miss Hester Mofet....

Ever Wanted to Know 1000 Anagrams For Your Name ? Check It Out....

Over the years, we've found some pretty cool websites for dumb stuff - the Love Calculator, the Pet Nickname Calculator, and a few others. Well, we ran into another one tonight, and it's pretty incredible.

You've probably seen Silence of the Lambs, where Hannibal Lecter uses anagrams a couple of times - like Hester Mofet and Louis Friend. If you've ever wanted to find interesting anagrams for your own name - or in this case, thousands - have we got a website for you! It's real easy, just punch in your name, and out pops a ton of anagrams..

I entered mine in , and here are some of the options they listed...

Iceman Holier, Mealier Chino, Malice Heroin, Ceremonial Hi, Airline Chemo, Ace Lime Rhino, Cereal Him Ion, Machine Role I, Achier Lemon I, Reach Mine Oil, Eclair One Him, Mace Hire Lion, Acne Hire Limo...

Take a minute to find out what stupid anagrams your name makes, and please humor us, and leave it in comments......

http://wordsmith.org/anagram/index.html

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Santee-Cooper To Scrap Kingsburg Coal Plant?

Economy vs. Environment Is a Tough Balancing Act .....

The years-long battle to build/not build a coal fired power plant in Lower Florence County reached another turning point yesterday, when the Chairman of Santee Cooper's Governing Board stated that the state-owned utility may end up scuttling plans to the plant in Kingsburg.

Santee-Cooper chair O.L. Thompson said yesterday that at Monday's meeting, they will consider allowing representatives of a number of electric cooperative in South Carolina to enter into an agreement with Duke Power to supply them with their electricity. By doing this, Santee Cooper would have a lower supply amount to reach, thus making the Pee Dee Plant unnecessary - at least for now.

There is probably no issue in the area more important - or more contraversial - than the Kingsburg Power Plant. It is split along not only political lines, but by business and environmental groups. For those of you not familiar, there really are two Florence Counties: The City of Florence, and Lower Florence County. Senator Hugh Leatherman and County Councilman and Lt. Gov. candidate Ken Ard, in whose district the plant would be built, are supporters of the plant, which would bring jobs to an area decimated by job losses from recent plant closings at Wellman in Johnsonville and Pamplico's Paper Mill. The Coastal Conservation League, based in Charleston, and Florence City Mayor Stephen Wukela have opposed the plant, citing rising Mercury and pollution levels in the Pee Dee River area.

The stakes are high. With an estimated cost at $2.2 Billion for the dual plant that Santee-Cooper would have liked to build, there is no doubt that the plant would change the economy of Lower Florence County forever. Yes, $2.2 billion is a lot of cash, and it would be cheaper to sub let the power from Duke, but the reasoning for it may be flawed. Foresight is an important skill in any field, but especially for a power company. Santee Cooper is citing a slow economy, and rising regulations costs from recent legislation as possible reasons for stopping construction. This thinking seems to lack foresight.....

Yeah, we are in the tail end of a recession, but you don't think in the short term when it comes to power needs. Large companies that actually produce products need energy in supply before they will move or expand a facility. Long term, power needs are always going to increase, so to think that a temporary leveling is how it's going to be from now on is ridiculous. Secondly, by giving up it's production capability, we are allowing South Carolina to become a power buyer, rather than a power supplier. Generally, that does not work well for the state, or it's residents - ask California how Enron treated them. South Carolina trails in thinking about the future in so many ways. Not preparing for future power needs would be a huge mistake.....

Nope, it's not easy to make decisions that satisfy both Business and Environmentalists. Not everyone will be happy when a final choice is made, but splitting the baby is tough. My advice would be to build the plant, and make it as efficient as possible, before we lose every manufacturer in the area, and eventually, in the state. Tourism does not pay all the bills - we need production, and to do that, we need power..... our own power.

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Today's Picture

The Creek running through Timrod Park. It was hard to not get all the drainage pipes in he picture, but I think I got it.... Have a great weekend!

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Is Saturn of Florence Down for the Count?

Saturn of Florence .... Dead Man Walking ?

More signs that the fortunes of GM involve a lot of downsizing ..... As you know, I've been involved in the car business in Florence for the past 12 years. We are like a small fraternity - we all know each other, and when something happens at one dealership, all the others hear about it pretty quickly. Though it is not official, word from various insiders in the biz are telling me that Saturn of Florence is on life support.....

From what we heard, it's a miracle that they are still open as we speak. You see, the local Saturn dealer is owned by the Saturn dealership in Columbia. The difference is, Columbia makes a profit. Florence , uhhh - doesn't. Worse, it never has. NEVER. In spite of it's being open for over a decade now, it has lost money every single month of it's existence... Last week, word is that Columbia was all set to put a padlock on the place, but the General Manager of Florence begged him to keep it open, even promising to personally pay for any loss the dealership incurs. That is certainly putting your money where you mouth is, not to mention sparing the jobs of all your workers.

Saturn was the un-GM brand, but they made some serious mistakes along the way. They depended on the younger market, but they were stodgy, lacked excitement, and worst of all, they never made new models for when those kids grew up to develop brand loyalty. By the time they got the ship in the right direction, it was too late. GM is trying to sell off the Saturn line, there just aren't enough of them, and it's basically a Chevrolet...

The dealership has 30 days from what we are told. Either start making Columbia money, or the doors close. If you have a Saturn, you might want to get it in there. They may not be there much longer, and you'll have to drive to Columbia or Charleston to get your car fixed... The odds are not in their favor... Uncle Sam is pulling Cash for Clunkers two months earlier than promised, so they aren't going to be able to give $3500 credits like they probably hoped. And their is a long history of a lack of success. It certainly does not look good .....

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Picture of the Day

This is the well-known Henry Timrod School at Timrod Park. As far as I know this was the first school built in Florence, even before the Civil War. You can tell, it's not very big at all, but somehow , it was enough to educate kids back then, although I don't think it's set up for Wi-Fi ......


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Has SC's Economy Finally Turned the Corner ?

SC's Unemployment Rate Drops by .3% In July ...... Finally !

After about 21 months of ecconomic stagnation and recession, there are real signs that we may have finally reached the end of the slowdown, and that a small light at the end of the tunnel is finally here. While the national unemployment rate dropped just a speck from 9.5% to 9.4%, the state unemployment rate dropped a little bit faster, from 12.1% to 11.8% . It was enough to allow South Carolina to leapfrog two other states, and move up to 45th in employment. Good news all around, and just like we had predicted last fall....

Like most occasions when the economic engine finally restarts, the numbers are not all that great - mixed, but not great. Being peak tourist season, there have been slight gains in the hospitality and tourism industry. But also, a significant number of unemployed have stopped searching for jobs, which assisted in the rate dropping.. So, while there is cautious optimism, we aren't out of the woods. Those tourism jobs will start dropping again with the onset of Fall, but many of the 31,000 government workers who had the Summer off are now going back to school. As far as manufacturing and retail, we don't see a ton of improvement through the end of the year. But, come January and into the Spring, employers will finally have the confidence to start hiring again. Almost there, folks.....

Looking forward a bit, it'll be interesting to see the political aspects of the impending recovery. The claims nationally and in South Carolina will be inverse of each other. Whether or not it actually did have an effect, the Obama Administration will claim that the Economic Stimulus has worked... Here, the Democrats will point to our low ranking, and probably pull out the unemployment rate from when Mark Sanford first took office... For the Republicans, the challenge will be to punch holes in the Democrats taking credit for the turnaround. In South Carolina, even though Republicans hold majorities in both houses and the Governor's Mansion, thye have been there for a long time now, and the track record of economic development under their leadership is less than stellar. Obama just took the White House, so the case that he needs more time is easier than for us to say the we need more time. A candidate like Lt. Gov. candidate Ken Ard, someone not of Columbia, but still with a record of bringing in companies, may actually have an easier time....

Lastly, I think I've discovered the one indicator that determines our economic path. Myself.. You see, I was out of work in 2007, and things were OK... I went back to work in early 2008, and over the 18 months I worked, the economy of the US and South Carolina went down the tubes. I quit my job, and now, things finally begin to turn around. I'm left with only one conclusion ..... that I take up about 4% of the entire US workforce simply by working. I had no idea I worked that hard. So, for the future of millions of Americans, I have decided to stay at home, and do nothing.... But, if you could send a check here and there, it would make things easier...

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Talk About Lumber Liquidators ....

Somewhere In Florence, There Are Trees Crying Out For Justice ..

It's been a little while, but the time has come again for one of THOSE stories... There was a story in the Florence Morning News today that makes you wonder what people are thinking sometimes....

It seems that Jasen Brown of Clover came to a property owner's place to clear some trees from it. Now, like most natural resources, wood has a value as well, and most people will pay you to clear those trees for you, then sell it elsewhere. Apparently, Brown realized that he'd make a lot more money if he cut out (pun intended) the middle man, and didn't pay the owner of the trees. Brown cut down those trees, and skedaddled back to Clover...

It turns out that Brown did the same thing in Kershaw County as well, and when Forestry Service officials asked Brown to furnish a reciept of sale or scale ticket (yes, you have to have a receipt for lumber), he didn't give them one. So after the 30 days that he was allowed to furnish those receipts passed, they booked him for timber or wood load ticket not being provided, and failure to pay within 45 days, where he posted bond after a little visit to the Florence County Detention Center..... Moral of the story? Just pay for the wood.....

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Blue Dog Promises To Go the Curly Howard Route If He Votes For Obama's Health Care.

Dan Boren: Before ......And After ?

If you've ever dealt with Congressmen, you know that many of them are totally full of it .... They get on the stump, tell you that they are going to do a million different things - often which contradict each other - but then do the exact opposite when they go back home - home to DC, that is .....

It makes it real difficult to tell when a Congressman is telling you the truth. Well, Blue Dog Congressman Dan Boren (D-OK) may have made a promise that his constituents can take to the bank..... or in this case, the Barber Shop. Boren has publicly stated that if he votes for the Health Care reform bill, that he will shave his head bald...

Now, if this were coming from say , Henry Waxman, who's already lost most of his hair, I wouldn't be too enthused. But, Boren is one of those members of the House that gels his hair 24/7, so that it NEVER goes out for place. Call it what it is - he's vain... So, when a guy like Boren tells you that he's willing to trade in his coif to look like Mr. Clean, he MIGHT be telling you the truth.

More importantly, it shows that not all Democrats are united in unanimity for this plan. There is one small out for Boren and other Blue Dogs - the final plan has not been reconciled between the House and Senate, so we'll see if they keep their promises ....... and their hair..

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Drummer Jokes, And Just In Time ..

Too Bad The Firing Squad Is Pointed At Them .....

Next week, I'll be going back to New York for the first time in seven years to have a Reunion Show with my old band, Narcdog. Yes, it should be a really good time, and I'm looking forward to it. I play rhythm guitar, and sing lead vocals. No, my vocal chops aren't quite what they used to be, but I can still sing pretty good.....

It's not easy keeping a band together for a month, let alone nine years. There are ego's, wives, jobs, and the times change... But, we kept it going for a pretty good clip. While I never really considered myself a musician, there is always a member of the band that gets the most grief - the Drummer. The jokes about them are well-known and pretty merciless. Some are funnier than others , but keeping track of all of them was tough - until now....

I found a wesbite that lists virtually every drummer joke out there. Some are interchangeable with Blonde Jokes/Lawyer Jokes, etc... But the truly funny ones are those that apply solely to the percussionist, as drummers prefer being called. Here are a few of them.....

How do you know a Drummer is at your door? The knock keeps speeding up and slowing down...

How can you tell that the stage is level? The Drummer is drooling from both sides of his mouth....

What's the last thing a drummer says in a band? "hey guys, let's try one of my songs."

What do you call a drummer that breaks up with his girlfriend? Homeless....

What do Ginger Baker and black coffee have in common? They both suck without Cream...

How many drummers doe sit take to screw in a light bulb? None, they have a machine to do that now....

What do you call a drummer with half a brain? Gifted.....

What do you call a drummer in a Vokswagen? Farfromthinkin .....

What's the best way to confuse a drummer? Put a sheet of music in front of him..

Why do drummers put drumsticks on the dash on their car? So they can park in the Handicapped parking spots....

How is a Drum Solo like a sneeze? You know it's coming , but you can't do anything about it....

What do you call a kid with a set of drums? The Poster Child for Birth Control....

What do you call ten drummers together in a circle? A Dope Ring.....

What has Three Legs and an Asshole? A Drum Stool.....

What's the difference between a drummer and a savings bond? One will mature and make money.....

What's the difference between a Pizza and a Drummer? A Pizza can feed a family of four...

Why are band breaks limited to only 20 minutes? So they don't have to retrain the drummer.....

What did the drummer say to the bandleader before the show? 'You want me to play too fast or too slow?' .......

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Angela Merkel ...... Just Because !!

German Chancellor Is Forbes Sexiest Woman Alive ??

What do you say about this one, Waldo? No, of course Angela Merkel wasn't named the Sexiest Woman Alive, but she was named by Forbes Magazine as the Most Powerful Woman in the World for the 4th straight year. That makes it official - it's a Dynasty !!!




I was all ready to write a serious post on her selection, then I found this picture online, an it just flipped 180 degrees on me here. People DO love pics of sweater muffins ....No, i'm not proud - this may be the most unsettling picture of a woman since they had that naked Bea Arthur pic in 'Airheads'. But, I'll live...



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Cash For Clunkers Tells Car Dealers: The Check Is In the Mail ...

SCADA Survey Shows Only 2% Of CFC Claims Have Been Paid .....

If you though that the Economic Stimulus Program was the only case where the Federal Government is dragging it's feet to send out the money they set up, think again. According to the Orangeburg Times and Democrat, the Cash For Clunkers program is starting to tick some dealerships off.... While on the surface, they have benefitted a lot from the government assistance, it's becoming apparent that if you depend on Uncle Sam to help you out, then you better be prepared to wait.... and wait..... an maybe wait a little more.

There appears to be a bit of confusion here, and it appears that the taxpayers are the ones who will end up paying for it all again.... Did you think otherwise? From what we heard initially, Cash for Clunkers was such a success that they ran out of money for the three month program in a week. That doesn't appear to be the case - unless you're talking about IOU's. Because a recent survey done by the SC Automobile Dealers Association with it's dealers said that only 2% of the cars sold through CFC have been paid. 2% . 2%. One more time - 2%......

So, as usual, it appears that CFC didn't even have any money set aside to pay for it. They didn't run out of money, they never had the money to start with, which is why the payouts are so slow. Guess they're still printing that extra cash at the Treasury..... If you're wondering why the Stimulus is so slow in getting disbursed, this should give you the idea. And some of the dealers are starting to tell CFC to give kiss their butts......

The T&D says that one Chrysler-Dodge-Nissan dealer in O'burg has stopped accepting Cash for Clunker cars. They say that the Feds promised that payment would be received in ten days, but many are double that now, and they're still waiting. Maybe they're not being the most patient guys here, but the dealers are giving away money, and they haven't gotten it back yet - and they need it to buy more cars from the manufacturers. No, they don't get them for free....

Word is that CFC has tripled it's staff to speed up the processing - from 2 to 6? I don't know, but it's obvious that with each new program that the Federal Government that's created, the planning is not sufficient to actually have these programs ready to go when they are 'rolled out'. If there are any examples to give creedence to the Obama Administration slowing down getting into health care, these are it...

This just in as we were finishing the post ..... The Obama Administration has announced that Cash For Clunkers will end suddenly on Monday at 800PM. Good Call, fellas .... Stick to What You Know.

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Making a Better Argument Though Accuracy

Ever since the medium began, there has been the arument that bloggers are/are not journalists. I really don't think we are. I equate it to saying that I'm a mechanic because I replaced the battery or motor oil on my car. J-School grads go through a lot of training. Some of us might be naturally talented at it, but it is a skill...

However, no matter whether you're a blogger or not, part of being effective is to make good arguments. How do you get there? First, be honest and as non-partisan as possible. Secondly, think things through before making your case. I try to do that ahead of time, which is why you won't see 10 posts a day here. I read most blogs everyday, and most do a pretty good job of accuracy, but I found a couple that didn't seem to quite add up this week...

First, there is the Bad Math at Linda Ketner's blog. First off, my advice is that if you are ever planning to run for office, don't blog - you just set yourself up to get shot down later. Her last post is entitled "37.5 % of the Worst Schools Are in South Carolina" or something to that effect. Under it, she commented that the 37.5% was part of 25 schools. Okay, time to break out the calculator.... Exeactly what full number is 37.5% of 25? If you're having trouble figuringit out, I'll save you the time - there isn't any. Nine of them would be 36%, and ten would be 40%. My guess is she broke out a calculator, and maybe hit 24 by accident, because 9 or 24 is 37.5% ... I have no doubt that Ketner is smarter than that, because stupid kids of successful entrepreneurs usually run the family business (in this case, Food Lion) into the ground, which she hasn't. But, it does make you look either stupid or deceitful.....

Next, we have the Bad Metaphor by our buddy, Waldo Lydecker. He likes to pick on Conservatives, which I am often listed as, no matter how many times I protest that I'm a middle of the road Republican. Well, he reported about my blog post where I had a picture of Summer Glor. I'll admit freely that i'll put up an occasional picture of attractive women to get people to check out my blog, because politics doesn't always do it on a daily basis. His take was that Conservatism is so weak, that we need to lure people over by showing Hot Chicks. Fair enough, but it was his metaphor that was weak. He likened it to Paper, Rock, Scissors. But, he likened the Women to Rock, and Conservatism to Paper. The Error? As far as I understand the game, Paper covers Rock, and therefore it wins in the game.... OOPS !

I asked both of them about it on their blogs, and neither replied. Guess I haven't made it up to either of their levels yet. Like my ugly shirt, bloggers can admit they error on occasion - especially about the stupid stuff like bad math or bad metaphors. Acknowledge it, admit it, and correct it. I do it all the time....

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Europeans Can Be Real Pussies Sometimes

Only Person Convicted In Pan 103 Bombing Set Free After Only 8 Years..

A conscience can be a very decieving thing. We Americans occasionally have a conscience, but rarely. Europeans on the other hand, seem to have this overwhelming sense that they will go to Hell for letting sick criminals die in jail. Heck, they don't even need to be sick sometimes. The thought that some people deserve to never live another day of freedom seems lost upon them....

That appears to be the case of Abdel Baset al-Megrahi, the only person convicted in the 1988 bombing of Pan Am Flight 103, which killed 270 people. Like 9-11, this is an event that I have a lot of personal prejudice. Eleven people from my college died on 9-11, and two were on Flight 103. Syracuse University, just down the road a few miles, had aout 20 students on that flight. It's an event that is forever burned into those two schools memories, even 20 years later... And for the parents and friends of those killed, finding any sense of justice that they had when al-Megrahi was convicted was lost today, when Scottish officials released him....

Why did they set him free? He's sick. Yep, that's it. Apparently, al-Megrahi has terminal prostate cancer, and he's expected to die in three months, so Scotland released him, so he could go back home to Libya and die peacefully.... How sweet! Now, it's a bit cliche', but did any of those 270 who died in the air and on the ground get an opportunity for peace ? The guy was in jail only for eight years, which is about 12 DAYS for each person he killed. Clearly, he deserved for his last sight to be the ceiling of the prison infirmary. But that isn't happening.....

Let's put this in comparison a bit. Picture Timothy McVeigh not only avoiding execution, but being released from prison already.... And he killed barely half of those murdered on Pam Am 103. It boggles the mind, but that is the European attitude - it's the same culture that gave a guy a cigarette right before they executed him. I'll try to avoid the Pro/Anti Execution argument here. If a guy is sentenced to 27 years, and he dies in 8, that is how it goes. It is Justice in an odd way....... But, the families of Pan Am Flight 103 didn't get that. Sleep tight, McGillicuddy !!

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