What Columbia Giveth, Locals Taketh Away ...

State Property Tax Relief Is a Distant Memory .....

This post is going to kinda come from a different angle - the downside of tax relief. If we lived in a perfect world, whenever we got a tax cut, it would just stay there, and citizens would have more in their pockets to pay bills, shop, stimulate the economy, create jobs, etc.... By now, all the liberals have already tuned out. Sorry .........

No, the sad fact is we don't live in a perfect world, and my latest escrow statement on my home is proof of that. The real truth is that taxes are like a battle in war - when someone retreats from the front line, someone else falls into that line, and takes their place. Case in point? Virtually all of the property tax savings that I got from the state have been swallowed back up in local property taxes.

Granted, I will never the balls to say that I am overtaxed on my house, but when they go up like they just did, I worry about the direction my County and City governments are headed. Here's the poop. I used to pay about $300 a year in property tax - nice. When the state gave homeowners relief, and put more of the burden on non-property owners, my tax bill went down to $182 last year. The locals didn't have enough time to react last year, but they sure came back with a vengeance in 2010. This year, my tax bill went back up to $261, which is a 43.6% INCREASE in ONE YEAR ....... BTW, my homeowners insurance also went up by about 15% on a house that I've never put a claim on in ten years, along with my car insurance on a vehicle that loses value year after year, yet the premium never goes down..... But, that's another story.

Now, I know my city taxes are included with my county taxes, so exactly where these increases are coming from, I'm not sure yet. But, the process is as timeless as taxes are themselves - whenever a gap is left in citizens' taxes, another form of government will slide right in, and start collecting that gap. The truth is, taxes NEVER go down - they just get realigned. If the bill is about the same as it used to be, we see it as no increase. But trust me, your taxes just went up. A lot.... This is primarily why I don't support hairbrain plans like FairTax. Getting rid of income taxes will just motivate someone else to start collecting them instead.

I gotta go - I have some insurance quotes I need to get......

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Famous Civil Rights Site in Carolinas Opens as a Museum Tomorrow ...

On the 50th anniversary of the 1960 Woolworth's Sit-In in Greensboro, NC, the International Civil Rights Center and Museum will open tomorrow - on the very site of the original sit-in. It's very nice to see justice done in ways like this....

The Civil Rights Era was before I most of us were born, so what we know was read or told to us. I know, the Era hasn't ended, but what Civil Rights is today and what is was just 40 or 50 years ago is night and day. Health Disparities, Urban Renewal and Affirmative Action are a long way from just being able to go to school, eat, get a drink of water, vote and attend church without retribution. It's unfathomable that we had a country that accepted practices like this such a short time ago, and we should be embarrassed.

Civil Rights isn't an issue where one party is more right or wrong than another. Each can take it's share of credit, and each takes some blame. However, in an age where people seek accolades for just being there, let's take a minute to honor four who stuck their necks out, but did it the right way, and changed the country just a little bit. That same counter and four stools where Franklin McCain, Joseph McNeil, Ezell Blair and David Richmond sat are still at the same location for you to see in Greensboro now.

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Cartoon of the Week ... Job Creation ?

And this week, the cartoonists come back down to Earth.... No doubt that the State of the Union address was the week's top story, so we chose that. Most of them were pretty unimaginitive, so we picked the one that was the funniest, and possibly the most true. We'll see..........

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The SC6 Jukebox Pick: Love = Violence?

Time for a little music. I'm going to dedicate this one to Flotown, mainly because the band is called Florence and the Machine. This is their hit, 'Kiss With a Fist'. It's short, and the lyrics hit like a sledgehammer. Yeah, the video probably cost about $68 to make - those ceiling balls are expensive at The Paper Store - but it's a fun song, and it's short.

This song is just waiting to be bought by some credit card company. I see a MasterCard Priceless Ad, with a girl trashing her boyfriend's apartment, then buying him all new stuff with plastic..... For those of you who ever confused fighting with caring about someone, here is you're new theme song... Turn it up, and enjoy!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=1SmxVCM39j4

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It Was a Bad Week If You Were Big in 1982...

Tangina and Trapper John Go Into the Light ....

As most of you know, I am a child of the 80's. It's been a long time since those days, and this week, we got a small reminder that even people who were at their peak then eventually get older and pass away. Most people talked about JD Salinger, but few people my age read it, because it was 'Catcher in the Rye' that Mark David Chapman sat down and read after he shot John Lennon. It wasn't Salinger's fault, but for a lot of kids my age, it brought up bad memories, so we skipped it in High School....

However, for those of us who grew up on other forms of entertainment, we lost two familiar faces as well. Zelda Rubenstein, who played Tangina in 'Poltergeist' passed away from heart complications this week at age 76. A neat little tidbit we learned - Zelda didn't even go into acting until she was 47. A graduate of University of Pittsburgh and Cal-Berkeley, she was a lab technician at a blood bank, when she chose to change career paths. That little Southern Drawl was fake! Poltergeist was probably the second movie that scared the crap out of me - The Shining was the first - but Rubenstein also had a gig on 'Picket Fences' as well....

Also lost this week was actor Pernell Roberts. For those of you who were older (read: Tom and Moye), you know him for playing Adam Cartwright on 'Bonanza', but for me , he was Trapper John, MD. My parents seemed to watch CBS 24/7 (Pops was too lazy to change the channel , pre-remote control, folks!), and it must have been on right after MASH, because we always watched it for the whole run. I kinda had a crush on Linda Kelsey too....

So yes, it was a tough week for those big stars of 1982. Movies, TV and literature - they all lost someone this week. If I were John Mellencamp or Sammy Hagar, I'd take it easy this week ....

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Last At-Large Republican on Florence City Council Announces Retirement ...

Bill Bradham Calls It Quits After 13 Years .......

The only remaining At-Large Republican City Councilman left in Florence has decided to retire... Bill Bradham, 81, has spent the last 13 years on Council, and he's decided that 13 is enough. I know him as more of a quieter member of council - but when you sit just a few feet from Ed Robinson, you're not going to get much chance to talk... I met him only a few times and not at many GOP functions, but he seemed nice.

Bradham, in his own words, stated that the time had come for a younger and talented person to take his place. Unfortunately, I can't serve at this time, so someone else will be there. The big question is, will it be a Republican? For those unfamilar with the Flotown Council setup, we have three set districts, and three At-Large seats, which are basically citywide elections. Before 2008, all three were Republican, but two were swept in the Obama Wave that November. the dynamics of it all are pretty interesting.....

Lots of questions: can the Democrats once again get their base to show up en masse? Is the tidal wave of discontent still against the GOP, Obama, or are there some unhappy with Mayor Stephen Wukela who see this as their first opportunity for retribution? Bradham was nice enough to bow out early, and let porspective candidates have time to organize. Who will run remains to be seen. On the GOP side my first obvious thought is for Glynn Willis, who just barely lost despite the Obama Factor, to run again, and take advantage of a statewide election year, where Republican voters are more likely to go to the polls. It's pretty important, because a GOP loss means that Buddy Brand will be the lone Republican on Council .... We'll see.

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So Much For Sticking to Your Guns.....

For those of you on the other side of the aisle that we're hoping for Barack Obama to thumb his nose to his contractors, and push ahead, this is not good news. Less than three days after his State of the Union address, Obama seems to have backed off the idea of trying Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in Lower Manhattan , what every else outside calls Downtown New York City. That, and he - GULP !! - sat down with Republicans to get input for fixing America. We're not sure if he put that brochure he got from John Boehner right into the shredder or not, but at least he took it.....

Now, for the commentary - Good for Him. We said it earlier .... Trying them in NYC was a costly and bad idea. No good would come from this. Why not use the State of the Art Courtroom we spent millions on in Guantanamo Bay for it's intended purpose. Politics is alot like war, and when you are overmatched, you give in , and fight the battles you can win. This was a loser.

Is this a sign that Barack Obama is taking the path of Bill Clinton in 1994, and veering to the right? Probably not, but it's a step in the right direction. I watched the SOTU with three friends up here in Yankeeville on Wednesday. One is a superconservative who is a bit pissed at watching 50% of everything he makes get sucked up in taxes. The second is like me - a slight to the right Republican. The third is a run of the mill New York Jewish Democrat, but he is an entrepreneur that understands where the drink is stirred, and where America really is. His analysis? 'Obama needs to go Right-Center'. Good call.....

There are some points that Obama talked about that will help. The banks do need some regulation to avoid going down the tubes, and to protect consumers from being $39'd to death for being a day late on their credit cards and title loans. Taxing them? Wrong. We talked about that last week. If you missed it, go then you missed probably the best blog post I ever did. They've paid the Treasury back already.... More stimulus? Nope. If $787 Billion didn't do the trick, another $50-100 billion ain't either. This recovery will take time ..... probably years.

And what about Health Care? Hey, Health Care is like the Right to Life - with few exceptions, no one is against it. But, the cost to cover that last 15% is pretty hefty. Even if you just purchased a standard policy for those not covered - including myself - it'll be $60 billion a year. The bigger problem - public sentiment - is where Obama has his problems. The strongholds for Health Care are where most people already have it, and many of them are the 'Cadillac Plans' , so they don't want them messed with. The areas with more uncovered people generally are more opposed to government run programs. They might not have it, but they dont want the government providing it either...

Barack Obama does have one thing going for him - America wants to see him succeed more than any President since Ronald Reagan. Maybe it's his speeches, but the general public just likes him, and he gets viewed differently because of it. He can be a good one if he makes the slight adjustments that the good presidents do. Work the numbers.... Find the common ground... Stop allowing hacks like Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi dictate what is going to happen. You can't have it all, but with a little effort, good things can be achieved.

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It's The Return of Fuzzy Thoughts ....

Today, we're going to bring back one of our favorite recurring posts from the old days - Fuzzy Thoughts. Every once in a while, we run into a series of funny anecdotes that don't always merit a full blog post. So, rather than make up a slew of one sentence posts, we slap them all together into the non-sensical Fuzzy Thoughts. Our apologies to Jack Handey, as we clear out all the junk clogging up our brain.....

I see numerous Facebook reports of White Stuff falling in Flotown. One question: did it make it past lunchtime before it melted? I also read that it didn't snow on Lake Marion. Why not? Because it only snows in Clarendon County if Moye Graham says it's OK......... What is just me, or was Jim Clyburn literally handcuffed to Barack Obama before and after his State of the Union address? Hey Jim, do you have to taste test his food for him too???

Does anybody want Johnny Damon to play for them next year? He's too rich for the Yankees blood - they're sticking at $200 million in payroll (???!!!), and no else is biting yet...... I read this week that two Lotto winners were found dead this week. One was hit by a car in Ohio, another found buried under a 30 by 30 foot concrete slab in Florida. I just threw out my Mega Millions ticket - I don't want to know.....

A funny thing happened today. My 2005 Toyota Avalon's gas pedal worked properly, as it has for the past 6 years. Maybe it's because I know where the floor mat goes.......Speaking of the car, I had one of those 'why is air 75 cents' moments at the gas station today. When you work at a car dealership for nine years, the air IS free..... Lastly, on Facebook yesterday, I got one of those friend requests for .............. Nicolas Cage. Normally, I'd jump at the chance to be buds with Snake Eyes, but after hearing about his financial problems, I passed - I just can't afford it.......

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Hey Scott, Family Doesn't Treat Each Other This Way ....

Barack Obama and Scott Brown: Related ???

As if losing your supermajority in the Senate to a Republican in Massachusetts wasn't bad enough, according to a recent genealogical search, President Barack Obama and Senator-Elect 'Hot Scott' Brown are related..... No, we shit you not.

Yes, Obama and Brown apparently are 10th cousins, going all the way back to Christopher Singletary who passed away in Massachusetts in 1687, at the age of 102. Yes, you read that correctly. No, I didn't think people lived that long back then either. Two of Singletary's sons trace to Obama and Brown - one of whom changed his name to Dunham (we're sure it's for non-legal purposes, of course), and that goes straight to Obama's grandfather, Stanley Dunham. This has us wondering if Obama is related to puppeteer Jeff Dunham, which would possibly explain the origin of Achmed the Dead Terrorist.....

This whole discovery has convinced us of a few things: Number One: Family will always be the ones most likely to do you in. Number Two: Massachusetts truly is the origin of all liberalism. And Number Three? Arguing to change a liberal's mind is useless, because liberalism is apparently genetic, and cannot be 'learned away'........ In the meantime, here's Scott Brown's newest favorite song.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqHLvuKW3H4

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Sign Number Seven That The End Is Near: Keith Richards Quits Drinking?

2012 is getting here pretty fast, an with it, come more sign that the End Times may soon be upon us. According to an English tabloid, Rolling Stones guitarist, and poster child for drug abuse Keith Richards has quit drinking - and has for about four months now.

You might wonder that, while falling out of a cocanut tree in the South Pacific and almost dying won't make you quit, what would? How about fellow Stone Ron Wood falling off the wagon. Yep, Keith has turned in his Grey Goose and Orange Fantas (???) for ..... just Fanta, I guess....

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'I'm the President' And Other Bulls**t Excuses For Skipping Jury Duty .....

In the news this week, word from Chicago that President Obama was called for Jury Duty this week.... Reportedly, he has other obligations out of town, and will get a pass. How does ths happen? My guess is that soem joker at the Clerk of Courts office noticed his name, and pulled it, just to see if he'd come .....Of course, he SHOULD have to go. Hey, I had to work too, but I went. Of course, I went twice, and both times, I was the second one excused. P-Luv may disagree with me on this (surprise!), but here are my three tips for getting out of jury duty......

1. Wear a Suit

2. Have a Brain

3. Have an Opinion

Yeah, it's actually that easy.... the suit give you the false air of intelligence. Don't wear the eyeglasses, because those are a dead giveaway that you're overdoing it. As for number 2 and 3, they kinda go hand in hand... Lawyers don't want smart people, or even dumb people with an opinion. They want mushy, malleable people whose votes they can sway - all Independent voters eventually end up in Jury Duty!

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Congress Ain't Getting the Message .....

We used to post the MegaVote updates for Congress every week, but frankly, it wasn't worth the time, so we stopped a while back. Jamie Sanderson still does it, so you can check there for what the latest is in DC. Whatever Jamie's opinion is on it, just flip it backwards, and that's what we probably think . ;)




However, every once in a while, you get gems like this week's, that let in you in on just how out of touch DC is, and what their priorities actually are. Here is the agenda for this week on The Hill.....


1. Raise the debt ceiling

2. The North Central Idaho Water Facilities Act

3. Establishing the Castle Nugent Historical Site

For your infromation, Castle Nugent is in St. Croix, which is the US Virgin Islands..... Ted must be very proud. That's it.... We have water in Idaho, putting up a plaque in paradise - which will no doubt need a congressional panel to go there on a 'fact-finding mission' for a week or so, and getting the US Goverment's credit card limit raised... Wonder if Cher has learned how to say 'Haitians' yet.....

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Sorry Guys, Don't Know What I Was Thinking..

It was kinda late last night, when I last-minuted that final post yesterday. I used a picture of Sarah McLachlan that I already had on file, and people got all up in arms becuase she was sitting behind a piano, rather than half-naked in a thong... When guys are getting all riled up over Sarah McLachlan, the dogs want their Meat.....

Sarah - or Sahzi, as I call her when we're hanging out - isn't the kind of girl showing off her hooters or ass. There's not a ton going on with her there, but when she starts playing that piano and singing ........ BOING !!!!! By the way, she turns 42 on Thursday.

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Political Races Are Often a Giant Tapdance Thru..

I Was Polling Great, Then .......... KABOOM !!!!

We've said this before, and it sure came true this week, didn't it? Very often in political races, especially with many candidates, it's a test of being able to just survive, rather than to prosper....

As we can attest, running for office is not an easy task. We've stepped on a giant landmine once or twice in our days. When you do that, there is not much else you can do, but either hope no one is watching ........... or , you can congratulate the other candidates, and fall by the wayside. I'm not suggesting which step Andre Bauer should take after his verbal guffaw, becuase more often than not, that choice is made for you....

Nope, most of the time, political races are wars of attrition, and the one who just doesn't happen to do anything stupid makes it to the end. In the Governor's race, Henry McMaster, Nikki Haley and Gresham Barrett haven't done a lot to break away from the pack, but with four months to go, who really wants to make a move now? Ask Martha Coakley....

It's like a Vebus Fly Trap: you're at a function, and you want to say something to stand out - to break away from the crowd, and make something happen. I hate to say it, but the truth is most people aren't watching to see a solid speech - they are there for the bloodsport of having seen a candidate implode before their very eyes... I've seen it - and done it - myself. It ain't pretty, and that's why the smart choice has been to say, and do , nothing.....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hMrY8jysdg

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But What About Bob Barker ?

Best Facebook status I read today: 'Sarah McLachlan has withdrawn her support for the Lt. Governor'..... Good one, TW !! Good Night, and have a great week....

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When We Tell You Servicing Your Car Saves Lives, We're Not Kidding ...

I'm going to be harsh here, so I'll apologize in advance, but there are news stories that come out that make you think if any one of a dozen steps had been taken in a situation, soemone would still be alive today. But every once in a while, the imperfect set of circumstances occur, like yesterday on the Long Island Expressway.





for thos of you who haven't ever driven on the LIE, I'd equate it with the I-285 loop in Atlanta, except with probably more traffic - if it's possible. It's 4 lanes and an HOV lane in each direction for almost the entire length of Long Island, and it's the only major highway where trucks are allowed, which is why I avoid it if possible. Yesterday, at about 8AM, a woman was driving her 2001 Dodge Neon from New Jersey to the East End for her 30th birthday party. You will probably know the first thing I am going to say - the Dodge Neon is a bit of a junky car, prone to lots of mechanical problems , especially when they get older.




Naturally while driving eastbound on the LIE, her car began to be unable to accelerate enough to keep up highway speed. Rather than get onto the side of the road, she continued to drive in the center lane. How long she drove like this wasn't mentioned in news reports, but she did have enough time to turn on her flashers, which means she was likely driving under 40 MPH - about 30 MPH less than the rest of the traffic, have several cars pass her, and have her notice a Gas Tanker truck filled with 12,000 gallons of fuel coming up on her. Aside from the truck driver going into the early morning sun, there's no clue why he didn't see her, but he reacted late, and clipped her car while trying to pass on the left. He lost control of the truck, flipped over, and he fuel exploded - the truck finally coming to rest under a gantry for the highway signs crossing both sides of the expressway. Fifteen minutes later, the gantry fell from the heat. A small side note - to you WTC Conspriacy Theorists, we hope this shows that fuel can cause metal to collapse...




The woman in the Neon went to the hospital, but she was released later. The truck driver was killed, and his body remained in the burning truck for six hours. Traffic on the eastbound side of the LIE has been blocked indefinitely, and on the opposite side, it took ten hours to reopen. Not to be too hard on the lady, but too often people ignore a problem on their car: They're too busy, they don't have the money, or they flat-out don't know what a check engine light is. When the car starts telling us there's a problem, we just keep pushing until it's 'more convenient' to check it. Yeah, these kind of things happen to other people, but sometimes they happen to us.





It's simple. If the car is having trouble, pull over and call someone. The LIE has assistance crews on call 24/7. At the time, a repair bill and being late for your own birthday party seemed like the bigger priority at the time. In hindsight, it's pretty minor compared to having to live with the knowledge that your error in judgement (I'll avoid using the word 'stupidity' here) cost someone else his life.



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Cartoon of the Week Winner.. In a Cakewalk !

Well, we all knew what the topic of the Cartoon of the Week would be, but I honestly didn't know in what context they would make it funny. This quite possibly could be the funniest political cartoon I have ever seen. Given Scott Brown's past willingness to shed his clothing, and it being Barack Obama's first anniversary in office, this one hit the points on all cylinders. Congrats to Pat Bagley of the Salt Lake Tribune for a truly great cartoon.....

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One of the Last Mom & Pop Stores Closes ..

Kornblut's in Latta To Close On February 5th For Good ......

You kids are gonna think I'm BS'ing you, but there once was a time on Planet Earth when WalMart didn't exist. Or Mega-Malls. Or even strip malls. I'll give you a minute to catch your breath from the sudden jolt. This is something your parents should have told you years ago, but I guess we care more about you then they do....

Anywho, no matter what you needed back in the old days, you went down to Main Street and got it - even in little towns like Latta, South Carolina. If you lived in Latta and needed clothes, for the past 105 years, there was only one place to go - Kornblut's. According to WBTW and The Morning News, that will all end on February 5th.....

While it's always a sad story to see a family-owned business go down, it's not as sad as most of them go. You see, Moses Kornblut ran the store from 1966 until he passed away this past year. His son, Harold, took over the business upon Moses' passing, but Harold is a fulltime CPA, and there just wasn't enough time to run two businesses. Rather than sell it, and then see it go down, they decided to just close it while they were still doing okay.

I used to work Main Street in Latta when I ran the Enterprise office in Mullins, and I'd pass Kornblut's while stopping at the couple insurance agents on the block. My first thought was, 'how do these guys stay in business?', but after the first 90 years, you stop asking. They ran their business like the old times, where you word meant something, and credit was interest free.... I have a feeling that it'll be a while before anything goes in that spot, but maybe they'll do just as well. The times, they are a-changing ....

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SC6's Conference Championship Picks...

Favre Won't Get a Super Bowl Rematch Against His 'Other Old Team', But We Don't Think He'll Mind .....

Yes, playoff fever has hit full bore right now, especially up here in Yankeeville. Lots of people walking around in green Jets jerseys that I don't think they've owned long enough to have even washed yet... Reminds me of my brother's answer when I asked him who his favorite team was ..... 'I dunno, who's in first place?'

This year's Final Four is pretty interesting: three teams that we've been expecting to be here all year, and the one upstart that caught fire just at the right time - when the team they play on Sunday let them win..... So far, no one has been on fire with the picks. Moye went 3-1, then skipped last week. Working so much in Green Bay, we think he's a Brett Farve man, but he does love going to the Big Easy. Tom posted his second 2-2, so he's one game ahead of me and P-Luv at 3-5, and Bobby has managed to go an embarrassing 1-7 so far.. Bobby, WTF?!! Anyway, here are the picks.....

Jets at Colts

Once again, the Jets looked good in beating the Chargers, and they have the game the playoffs love - running and a tough D. Are the Colts sorry they let the Jets in when they lost? Maybe, but they won't let it slow them down. Yeah, the Jets beat them in Week 17 - after the Colts sat everyone with a slim lead. I submit to you that they lost on purpose to take the pressure off of having an undefeated season. Remember 2 years ago? With every win, the Patriots got more and more tight. BTW, Peyton Manning is 15-0 this year. It will be tough, but Peyton is Peyton, the Colts are the Colts, and if they have to put 9 guys on the line, they make Mark Sanchez throw. Colts 20-10

Vikings at Saints

I've been thinking Vikings all week, because of the Vikings front defensive line, but I have changed my mind. Maybe it's because Bobby picked the Vikings.... I don't know. I just have this feeling that it's New Orleans' year - I know, it's NEVER been the Saints' year - but they're at home, they do have an opportunistic D, and Brett Farve gets to a lot of Championship Games, but not a lot of Super Bowls. If there is any justice in this world, Brett Favre will not see the Big Game in anything but a Packers' jersey. Yeah, I lied on my caption above. Sue Me.... Saints 31-24.

So, this year's Super Bowl will be a reunion of sorts for both QB's: Peyton Manning grew up in New Orleans, and Drew Brees played his college ball in Indiana at Purdue. Of course, I could be wrong.....

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After 65 Years, My Family Has An Answer ...

It's been almost 65 years since my Uncle Pete passed away during the Battle of the Bulge. Like I said when I posted on this last month, my Dad never talked about this, because Uncle Pete was only 17 months younger than him. I stopped asking probably 20 years ago, because Pops would always end up crying.

The frustrtaing part about the Battle of the Bulge is that it was a long, protracted battle on a huge front, so getting any kind of details is always tough. From what I know, no one in my family knew any details about Pete's death, just after his 19th birthday. All I knew was his Service Number, Division, Infantry Number and the day he died. Well, there are people out there who know enough military history that the info I had was enough - and he happened to run across my blog post.... Just 3 days before what would be Uncle Pete's 84th birthday, I now know where he died, and the important battle he fought in...

Pete served in the 76th Division, 417th Infantry Regiment, under General William Schmidt and the 12th Army Group under General Omar Bradley (I was told it was Patton, but that was incorrect). It's nickname was the 'Onaway Division', after the alert call of the Chippewa Indians, on whose grounds the 76th trained at Camp McCoy in Wisconsin. Their training was very specific - with exercises involving snowshoes, skis, tractors and Winter camoflague, there was no doubt what the 76th's mission was going to be - to invade Germany.

On Thanksgiving Day, 1944, they sailed out on the SS Marine Raven, docking in South hampton, England on December 4th. On January 12, 1945, after additional training, they naded in LeHavre, France, where they quickly advanced to Limesy, then Beine, and then onto Champlon, Belgium in about ten days. Finally, they relieved the 87th Division at Echternach, Luxembourg, just across the Sauer River from from Southern Germany. They took up defensive positions there for 2 weeks, until the 417th alone got the orders to cross the swollen and chilly Sauer on a night assault to break the vaunted Sigfried Line on February 7th, 1945 - the day Uncle Pete was killed. They succeeded.....

No, I don't know exactly what happened to Uncle Pete, but at least now, I can retrace his steps basically for his entire tour of duty. The 76th Division served 107 days in combat, advanced a total of 440 miles across Hitler's Western front, and took the towns of Katzenkopf, Irrel, Trier, Hosten, Speicher, Karl, Mulheim, Boppard, St. Goar, Kamberg, Langensalza, Zeitz and Chemnitz, before sitting to guard a bridgehead on the Mulde River til VE Day. They paid a heavy price: they suffered a 39.4% casualty rate, losing over 5500 men, and 667 killed in action. They were highly decorated as well, earning 34 Air Medals, 1108 Bronze Stars, 13 Soldiers Medals, 128 Silver Stars, 2 Legion of Merits, 10 Distinguished Service Crosses, and One Congressional Medal of Honor.

While I'd much rather have him lived and gotten to meet him, there is a certain amount of pride knowing that he was among the first to cross into Germany, like many of our soldiers in the North and South. Thanks to David Damico for reading my blog post,and for being able to give me the information that I'd wanted to know since I was a little kid. The internet is something, ain't it?

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SC6 Fake News: Descendant of John C. Calhoun Announces Candidacy For 1st District Race .

Say Hello to the New Congressman In the 1st ??

Inspired by the candidacies of fellow legendary political offspring Carroll (Tumpy) Campbell and Paul Thurmond, the great-great-great-great grand nephew of South Carolina Senator John C. Calhoun, Elford 'Tater' Calhoun has decided that two aren't enough. " I gave it a thought once or twice when Tumpy got in, but after Strom's kid went for it too, I couldn't keep away" , quoted Calhoun, in between a few Ric Flair-type 'WHOO's'.....

A political novice, Calhoun graduated from UCLA (Upper Conway, Lower Aynor) with a correspondence certificate in Animal Husbandry, where he claims to have met 'that guy who diddled that there pony twice' on a field trip. From all signs, Calhoun hasn't really thought this through, particularly the entry fee, or the hundreds of thousands of dollars a full campaign takes. His plan? 'I guess I'll just keep playing scratch-off games til I hit a good one. Then I'll worry about it.'

What advantage is Calhoun counting on? Brand Name Recognition. "The way I see it, ain't nobody got a bigger name in SC as me. Yeah, Strom's got a lake named after him, but Campbell don't have much yet. Me? I got a whole County, and every dormitory in the state's got the same name as me. The rest of 'em can't keep up (insert WHOO) !!" We wish him luck......

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It Was So Busy This Week, I Forgot The Biggest News Of All ....

Last Sunday, I changed my first diaper. Didn' t want to, but Carol wasn't coming home for 2 hours when Stevie got up from his nap. I couldn't do it to the little kid..... With no lessons, i just went in, and he's the final score: Carol said I wiped his butt well (I've done that before myself), but I did put the diaper on backwards ( I hadn't done that before), but all the major parts got covered, so he was no worse for wear. The ironic part is Carol always said 'it comes out like a ball' ..... Bull shit - or baby shit. Kid must've ate something funny.....




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When You Have To Hide Taxes, Be Inventive....

One of These Bottles Of Soda Is Going to Cost 20 Cents More Than The Other Two In NY Soon... (Psst, The One on the Left)..

I just checked with the little baby-stock genius kid on E-Trade, and he regrets to inform me that I can't buy stock in just Diet Coke - I have to buy the dogshit stock of Coke with it. You know, I was really starting to like David Paterson just a bit. Not enough to vote for him, but he had balls....

For those of you who didn't know - and I'm sure most don't care - New York is having budgetary problems. Not California bad, but still, $7.4 Billion in the red is pretty bad. Governor Paterson just announced his budget for next year - which is supposed to be balanced - and he's slashing and taxing, and slashing and taxing. We like the slash part, like a modest 2-3% cut to schools across the board. Before you go freaking out at my lack of concern for the kids, realize that my local school has a budget of over $300 million for a town with about 50,000 total citizens, not just students. I know - it's never enough....

Just when I was thinking 'this guy's alright', Paterson whipped out a slew of Sin Taxes: ANOTHER dollar a pack on cigarettes (they're about $8 per pack right now), and a penny per ounce tax on sugared drinks and sodas. Yes, soda is now right along there with smokes as the evil of evils........... So, a 12 oz can will 12 cents higher,a 20 oz bottle will be 20 cents higher than Diet, and a 2 liter bottle will now be about $15 each.

Of course, there is no way to regulate this mess, but why worry about that? Retailers will either charge 20 cents more for both, or they might just ring everything up as a Diet, and save the consumers some money. My guess is the former.... It reminds me a little of the Pro-Abortion argument, where they say, 'My Body, My Choice'. Is this an example of the government tellign you what you can and can't put into your body - yeah, but just a lot... Seriously, who decided on this crap, like a Diet Coke isn't going to blow an apple-sized hole in your stomach from all the acid eventually. Ahh, but it's a beautiful death!

My South Carolinians, don't laugh - I'm sure someone in the House or Senate has a cousin up here.... The word will get out, and sooner or later, someone there will try the same thing.... Til then, I'm gonna stock up on the good stuff - in case The Big One hits...

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Clyburn Redraws Line In the Sand ...

Amazing How a Story Changes In a Day .....

For the past two years, all we've heard from Democrats is how important is was for them to get a Supermajority in the Senate to avoid filibusters from Republicans, and to override vetoes. Then came yesterday.... All of a sudden, having 60 isn't THAT important. Kinda like when I broke up with that supermodel. 'She wasn't THAT hot.....'

Today's jilted lover is Jim Clyburn. There's a neat little article with The Whipper from MSNBC, where he states 'I've always said that our goal is 50, not 60.' BULLSHIT, Jim. Be honest... No one in the Democratic Party ever thought they'd lose this race. But, we all have to temper our optimism, because Health Care is not dead yet - not by a longshot.

First off, Scott Brown isn't in DC yet, so his vote means nothing. Secondly, there are proceedural options the Dems plan on using to bypass a filibuster. I'm no expert, but there's always some escape clause. There's probably a codicle to the majority party to use an 'Easy Button' twice a session.... However, it has shifted the pace that they're going about it now. Expect the Dems to rush this bill through like a guy who just got up from a catnap, and realized that his vacation flight is taking off two hours earlier than he thought... I know I do my best work when I'm totally rushed , how about you?

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SC6 Gets Trip-Hoppy ....

We were going to put this up earlier today, but uh.... we had bandwith issues. Anyway, we're going to put you bed tonight with our favorite Trip-Hop band, Portishead. This is a live version of 'Glory Box' at Roseland Ballroom in New York City, as the tourists call it .... Enjoy, and goodnight!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0WcPJP0XPdA&feature=related

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Call Him Senator Cosmo ...

Hott Scott Brown Beats Coakley ..... And Pretty Handily, Too.

I'm not totally surprised by Scott Brown's victory over Martha Coakley - or Maahtha, as the locals call her. The surprise is that I turned the TV on at 900Pm, to find that it was all overwith, give or take five minutes. Massachusetts has elected a statewide Republican here and there, but the irony of the Democrats losing Ted Kennedy's seat - and with it, Health Care , Cap & Trade, and other major pillars of Barack Obama's agenda - is mindblowing..... However, we Republicans should not be too confident.

Like in November, Martha Coakley was done in by herself to a degree, but more so by a feeling from voters that the Democrats are getting their foot stuck on the accelerator. I couldn't even tell you anything about Scott Brown, except from all observers that he ran a nearly flawless campaign. That gives you an idea of how badly voters wanted Obama , Nancy Pelosi, Harry Reid and Jim Clyburn to ease up.... Not to lessen Brown's effort, but he caught The Perfect Storm.

It's the same story of the middle voters - or moderates, which is almost a bad word to Conservatives - leaning one way, then snapping back the other just a year later. Bobby is a perfect example. He left a message on my phone, hoping that Brown would win 'to balance the power' more. He and many undecideds are the people who jump on the other end of the see-saw, if only to not let the guy on the other side get too comfy. Honestly, it's not a bad thought, and it's part of what makes America great.....

Will Barack Obama learn anything from tonight? All signs point to a big no... If I thought he were doing the right things, I'd say he's showing vision. But, my smarter side thinks he's being stubborn. In the end, he'll keep pushing the envelope, and he'll get every swing district Democrat voted out with him by 2012. Then the Republicans will take over - and we'll mess it up in the other direction probably. Ain't America Great ???

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'Pants on the Ground' Guy Wore Pin for Cop Killer At American Idol Audition?

While we totally agree that people do look pretty stupid with baggy pants and their butts showing, American Idol showstopper General Larry Platt had one 'Piece of Flair' that has upset a lot of widows in the area...

The blue and white pin he's got on the left top of his shirt is a "Free Troy Davis" pin. Davis was convicted for the murder of a Savannah, Georgia police officer in 1989. One of my friends is the widow of a slain sheriff's deputy, and for her and people like her, it has taken all the fun out of Platt's performance. Community activists can be odd people sometimes. They do so much good, but they'll support a convicted murderer the next minute. The pin should have stayed at home. Sad........

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Happy Birthday to the Only Democrat Who Doesn't Think I'm a Total Douchebag

We'll keep his actual name private to protect him from retribution from within the Democratic Party, but happy birthday to my buddy and Mayor Hickory Head's right hand man, P-Luv. He handles the blogging duties in the Pee Dee from the other side of the aisle. The difference is he works his blog around his job, and I work my jobs around the blog....While we have some political common ground, we seem to have watched the same movies and listened to the same crap since 1980.

P-Luv, print this blog post up, and when I come back, you can redeem it for one free Abita Purple Haze - my treat! If you want to check out his blog, just go to www.behindthepine.blogspot.com Enjoy, buddy !!

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Take the SC6 'You've Been Watching Too Much TV with Your Kids' Quiz ...

If These Guys Look Familiar, Turn On Your Favorite 24 Hour News Channel Immediately ....

Yeah, we're enjoying our first Martin Luther King Jr. Day off since high school today... Too bad the kids have today off too, which means playing with the kids while watching Nick Jr. and Disney Channel all day. I'd try to sneak in a little Fox News, but even an hour of that is too much sometimes..... Rather than watch Kids TV, we'll blog about it instead. Get your pen and paper out, and take our quiz....

1. On Spongebob Squarepants, what is the menu itm at the Crusty Crab that everyone loves?

a. Filet o Fish

b. Crabby Patties

c. Hair O The Sponge

d. Fried Calamari

2. On 'The Wonder Pets', what is the name of the 4th Pet?

a. Ming-Ming the Duck

b. Tuck the Turtle

c. Linny the Guinea Pig

d. Ollie the Bunny

3. who is the chubby kid who always takes his shirt off on I-Carly?

a. Gilby

b. Libby

c. Gibby

d. Stillwell

4. On 'Max & Ruby',what is Ruby's favorite afterschool activity?

a. dancing at the Trophy Club

b. interning at Joe Wilson's office

c. Bunny Scouts

d. motorcross

5. What is Olivia's favorite color?

a. red

b. blue

c. pink

d. yellow

6. Who is this Freak?
a. Bootsy Collins' Love Child
b. DJ Lance Rock
c. Shazam & His Magic Beat Box
d. Orange Fantasia

7. Who is the Creator of 'Little Bill'?

a. Bill Cosby

b. Bill Clinton

c. Billy Dee Williams

d. Ed Robinson

8. On 'Go, Diego, Go!', who is the voice of Click the Camera?

a. Sonia Braga

b. Penelope Cruz

c. Paris Hilton

d. Rosie Perez

9. On 'The Suite Life of Zack and Cody', where do they first live, then later move to?

a. Queens, then a Deluxe apartment in Manhattan

b. a foster home, then a deluxe apartment in Manhattan

c. a hotel, then a cruise ship

d. A stable home, then Neverland Ranch ( now THAT would be a show!).

10. What does Dora the Explorer's backpack say when you put everything back in him?

a. El Pero esta amarillo!!

b. Hay papi, da me el Leche!!

c. Que Bueno !!

d. Yum, Yum, Yum, Delicioso !!

Scoring:

0-4.

You have the life I used to have - totally oblivious to all things kids TV. You might know Spongebob from walking in after an allnighter and mistakening Nick for Cinemax After Dark, but that's it. Enjoy the salad days, my friend.....

5-7.

So, how is your little brother/sister doing anyway? Hope you're getting paid for all the babysitting you're doing, and remember to report all of it on your taxes... Uncle Obama is watching. Nap time will be coming up soon, and you can switch to MTV then....

8-10.

If ever there was shame for scoring high on a test, this is it.. I bet you can't wait for your kid to start elementary school, so you can get your life back. You don't even bother changing the channel, because the Dora theme song and 'Dis Is Sewious' are permanently burnt into your brain, and no amount of Oxygen Channel is gonna wash it away.... I know how you feel, sister.

Answers:

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

Example Number Two Of Why I Never Attend Protest Rallies ....

Because you never know what the Numbskull next to you has written on his sign .....

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SC Banks TARP-edoing Taxpayers ....

Say Hi To The Only Bank in South Carolina That Took TARP Money, And Actually Paid It Back ...

No, I don't suppose the folks over at SCBT in Columbia will be happy to see us mention they got TARP money. That's OK with us. Sometimes we all get stuck and need help. It's what you do with it that matters, and from what we've seen so far, the banks in the Palmetto State are taking their sweet time paying back the money.

Like I said on yesterday's post, we reviewed a December 11th copy of the US Treasury's report on TARP - who got what, and who's paid how much back. They don't want you to know, but 19 banks in South Carolina received TARP funds - aka, Taxpayer dollars - to the tune of over $648,000,000. Of those, only ONE has paid any money back. Kudos to SCBT for paying back their $64,779,000 balance in full and expeditiously. The other 18 haven't paid back a dime, which leaves them owing you $583,249,000 duckets.... In the hope that maybe this gets back to them, and embarrasses them just enough to start paying it back here is the list:

First Community Lexington 11,365,000

South Financial Greenville 347,00,000

First Financial Charleston 65,000,000

Security Federal Aiken 18,000,000

Tidelands Bancshares Mt Pleasant 14,448,000

GrandSouth Bancorp Greenville 15,319,000

Congaree Bancshares Cayce 3,285,000

Greer Bancshares Greer 9,993,000

Bank of Greenville Greenville 1,000,000

Regional Bancshares Hartsville 1,500,000

Southern First Greenville 17,299,000

HCSB Financial Loris 12,895,000

First Reliance Florence 15,349,000

Provident Community Rock Hill 9,266,000

Clover Community Clover 3,000,000

People's Banccorp Easley 12,660,000

Coastal South Hilton Head 16,015,000

TCB Corp. Greenwood 9,720,000

Special mention must go to GrandSouth for being the only bank to go back to TARP TWICE for money, and still not paying any back. Let me guess ...... Check's in the mail, right??? With nine of the nineteen in the Upstate, there is a little bit of a trend there, but there were also 4 in the Midlands, 4 in the Lowcountry and 2 in the Pee Dee, so it's pretty much a statewide problem. There were none in the Manning-Greeleyville area, which we attribute to Moye Graham personally bailing out the entire area on his own......

Like we said yesterday, banks are not totally without blame. I'd like to see what a bank did if they loaned you money, and you took a year to make your first payment.... I put all the info there for you, but if want to see all 22 pages for yourself, here it is again....

www.financialstability.gov/docs/transaction-reports/12-15-09%20Transactions%20Report%20as%20of%2012-11-09.pdf

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Republicans and Democrats Go to War in Massatooshits - Again.

One more day until the insanity ends. Tomorrow is the special election to fill Ted Kennedy's US Senate seat. I'll be honest - I really don't like these special elections very much. all of the focus nationally goes on one race, and each party throws all of it's resources into it. By this point, both Scott Brown and Martha Coakley have been demonized and skewered to the point of where both must be wondering if it was all worth it. By tomorrow night, one of them will definitely be thinking that.....

But, you can't ignore all that is at stake. The Democrats need to hold onto that filibuster-proof 60 votes to salvage being able to hammer through the Health Care bill. Even Barack Obama made a pit stop to try to help Coakley. Republicans know that this is not their last chance, but if they win this race, they could possibly kill the bill. I wonder how Andre Bauer did up there - or if they even knew who he was or could understand him. The irony of the fate of Health Care being fought in Ted Kennedy's own seat is not lost on us here...

We do know one thing: that the poor registered voters in Massachusetts must be tired of all the phone calls and mailers and TV ads by now. Wicked number of calls, Sully !!! Only two more days, and we'll leave - then we'll all pack up and move onto the next Death Battle...

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Sometimes We All Just Need a Little Bob Wiley in Our Lives ....

Time to take a step back, and not rock the boat so much... Stevie (the 2 year old) likes to get up at sunrise, which is okay right now, because sunrise is still only about 715AM. Come Summertime, this could be a problem. He does the usual stuff - crying, yelling and calling out for Carol. It's like clockwork now... That's when I remembered 'COCK-A-DOODLE-DO !!!!!' from a movie, but I couldn't remember where it was from....

Four days later, I finally remembered it was from 'What About Bob?' Sure enough, there's a YouTube clip of the scene, where Dr. Marvin is trying to get Bob up and out of the house before his big TV interview. Thought you might like it....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfxOWvLeLA8

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Why Democrats Like Robert Dobbs And Their Supporters Are Idiots ....

If He Looks Like a Guy That Doesn't Know His Financial Ass From His Elbow, There's a Good Reason Why ....

Every once in a while, I have to kick some retarded Democrats in the ass, simply for the fact that when it comes to financial matters, they don't know what they're talking about. This is the problem when you makes decisions based on what you feel in your heart, rather than what is actual and right. Both parties occasionally get sold a bad bill of goods, and then we go out and push it because we're taking orders, or we just don't know better. But people like this don't need to be in Congress...... I am pretty used to Democrat bloggers talking down to me, so I'll return the favor for once today. Call it tough love......

Jamie Sanderson pushed a Press Release for 1st District candidate Robert Dobbs, completely endorsing Barack Obama's plan to impose a tax on financial institutions that took TARP money. This is even if they have already paid the money back with interest. Dobbs gives lots of straight-line populist anti-business/capitalist bullshit to rile up the troops (I'm sure being in the Army gave him plenty of financial expertise). While it does not apply to the banks that have assets under $50 billion, that in itself is inherently the problem with it, for one simple reason - the big firms are the ones that have already paid back the money. Don't take my word for it - read a chart, and learn something.....

If you're watching any news about Obama's plan, you've heard that many of the banks have paid back TARP funds already. This is an official statement from the US Treasury Dept., dated December 17th, 2009, that I found on Slate.com - a generally liberal website - showing all the banks that got money, and how much they've paid back. If you have any trouble reading a financial statement - aka: you're a liberal moron, look dead center on 'Investment Amount', and two columns to the right, where it says 'Capital Repayment Amount'.

www.financialstability.gov/docs/transaction-reports/12-15-09%20Transactions%20Report%20as%20of%2012-11-09.pdf

Yeah, it's a lot of data, but if you actually READ it, you notice something..... The big boys have fully paid back their TARP funds. As of that date $108 Billion of the $204 Billion lent out has already been repaid. Add to that total the $25 Billion that Citigroup and the $25 Billion that Wells Fargo have paid back since this date, and over 75% of the TARP money has been paid back - almost all of it by the Big Boys. Look at all the smaller banks - they haven't paid back jack shit yet, and they may never. This chart does confirm one thing that many of us wondered aloud when Congress passed TARP in 2008 - they didn't need all that money. $204 Billion covered it all, and probably then some....

Now, for most of us, this chart is good news.... The taxpayers actually ARE getting their money back as promised- something that Congress has never done. So WHY are Barack Obama and the Democrats in DC going after them with an additional tax? Simple - they paid back the government too fast. Wall Street didn't want to get into business with Washington, and when you get into an agreement with a partner you don't want, you get out of it as fast as you can... The Big Banks did whatever they needed to raise capital, and give DC their money back - and DC didn't want that to happen. You see, Washington viewed this as a moneymaking opportunity. That happens very little on The Hill, and maybe it was a good thing to try. After all, the Federal Government had made billions in profit from TARP - and even in government, profit is a good thing. But the Democrats were expecting this TARP gravy train for a while, and now it's gone.

The theory is simple: you can't tax the banks that can't even pay the money they owe already, so you tax the ones that CAN afford it. Hence, the floor of $50 Billion in assets. Does it all make sense now? Imagine if you had some good fortune,and were able to pay off your house, car payment and credit cards - and the banks penalized you for the next ten years for paying them off early? That's what Barack Obama is trying to do. Case closed. I win.......

If the thought of 'F**k the banks, they have lots of money' is crossing your mind right now, think twice. This tax is expected to raise $150 billion, which means that banks have that much LESS to lend. This keeps them from making loans to small businesses that need capital to grow, and to hire more workers, which in turn lowers the unemployment rate, and helps all governments make more in income taxes. The Democrats just like making the pipe a little more direct between them and the banks. Yes, this plan is another jobs killer.... How will the banks react to this? By raising interest rates and late charges and capitalizing on any loopholes that the government will leave. Hey, I didn't say the banks were innocent, but give them credit for being smarter than Congress and Obama.

That's the straight poop, folks, and I defy anyone to prove otherwise. The numbers don't lie. The best news of all is that the Senate wants no part of this bill, because they know it's a bullshit attempt in an Election year to make voters think they're looking out for taxpayers. The House will pass this, I'm sure. My worry is that very often, Congressmen become Senators. Robert Dobbs is not the best that South Carolina could do. If he thinks that this is a good plan, then he needs to go back and do his homework - and the bloggers that shill for his dumb ass should think for themselves.... My apologies to P-Luv if he;s worried I dumped him in with these other Democrats.

Jamie asked that I at least link to Dobbs' Press Release to be fair. I didn't want to have links all over the post, so I skipped it, but no problem. Here is the PR..

http://thepoliticsofjamiesanderson.blogspot.com/2010/01/dobbs-supports-president-obamas-plan-to.html

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News to Put All Of It Back Into Perspective ...

Amen and Peace to Gaines Adams And Lucky .....

I just had one those one hour spans where things like politics and football just don't seem that important. Stunning news from Greenwood that former Clemson All-American end Gaines Adams passed away ths morning at the age of 26. No, I didn't know Adams personally, like some of you may have. I saw him play at Clemson and a few games in the NFL, and there were times where he looked like a worldbeater on the field. I've already read an article or two that talked about his using marijuana while in college, but I doubt that had anything todo with his passing. Sometimes, people just die very young.

Right on top of that, I got an e-mail from Rep. Alan Clemmons. For those of you who didn't know, Alan had a a mare that gave birth to a foal a few days ago. The mare passed away during the birth, and the foal, named Lucky, needed a mare to feed it. Amazingly, I had a buddy who owns a horse farm, and I got the two together, but it was too late. Lucky was already refusing to feed, and they fed by tubes, but she passed away earlier this morning, about the same time as Adams. It was a tough couple days for Alan, so if you are a Facebook friend, you might want to send him a note of condolensce. He has a couple pictures of the ordeal on his page, but this is the one I liked the best.....

I never had a doctor sleep at bedside, but vets do it all the time.......

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The Assault On the Lower Middle Class ....

That $10,000 Starter House Is Now $500,000 .....

When I got back here, I returned with a couple of realistic facts. I know I will never be able to afford a house in Long Island. Even though I will make more being up here, I will eventually end up living in a basement apartment for the next 25 years, until I retire with a nest egg. It sounds retarded, but in my line of work it's a fact: SC doesn't pay Service Advisors what New York does. I'll give up Quality of Life, but I've done the homeowner with the lawn cutting bullshit, and that doesn't matter to me.

Yeah, it's stupid, but if you make $100,000 a year up here, you still might live with your parents. Why? Beacuse real estate here - and like even some places in South Carolina - is insane. Back in the 40's and 50's no one lived out here, and houses went for $10,000. That same house is now $400,000-600,000 depending on what town you live in - except now that it's 50-60 years old !! Many people cashed out , like my parents (although it would have tripled if they waited another 10 years). Their kids bough those houses often, beacuse it was the only place they could afford. With the collapse of the housing market, they just lost $100-200,000 in equity - or if they just bought it, they're that much in the hole. If you're in the lower middle class, you only have one choice - foreclosure. In many areas around here, and even in SC, the Big F is everywhere.... And it all depends on where you live.

Here on Long Island, for every house sold, there is nearly one that is in what is called 'Lis Pendens', which is Latin for 'You're F**ked'. Technically, it's a home that's 90 days or moe late on payments. What does that mean for the Real Estate market? It means that you can't sell you're home at market value, because there is probably one around the corner that is on the verge of foreclosure, and a buyer will get that one at a fraction of what you're asking for yours....

But, like I said, it does discriminate. I live in Lake Grove, where the houses go around $800,000, yet only 1.3% of them are in Lis Pendens. My hometown of Brentwood is at 27.6% - about 25 TIMES the rate of Lake Grove. All of the Top Ten are on the South Shore, lower middle class, and pretty much Black or Hispanic. 'Experts' here place blame on the recession. While we agree to a point about that - no job, no money, no mortgage payment - the real problem to us is the actual system in place here. The population hasn't risen in decades, yet the property values kept right on going up, and the property taxes went with them. This is a bare minimum of what it takes to live here. Figure $300,000 for the house, which is about $1500 a month. Tack on property taxes of $6000 a year, then the utility bill of $400-500 a month, and you have to insure that puppy too, so add another $150 a month. You're at $2650, and you haven't eaten, or paid for a car payment or for the gas or insurance. You need to take home at least $4000 a month just to survive, and that's to live in a town with high crime. The American Dream indeed.....

It's not just here. Take a trip own to Myrtle Beach or Hilton Head/Bluffton. The foreclosure signs are everywhere. South Carolina has begun the path of 'exclusivity', where people of lesser income - and darker skin - are getting shut out, or stuck in a Real Estate trap. This is how runaway government, even on the local level, can choke off an entire section of it's residents under the guise of 'more services'....

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