SC6 Music Pick .... One Day Late?

We Pick The Sundays .... On Monday. Timing Is Everything..

Next week, we're going to do our Easter Music Marathon...... To close out this weekend's business, we go to our Chicks & Pianos Department for one of our favorite semi-obscure bands, the Sundays.

Featuring the married duo of vocalist Harriett Wheeler and guitarist David Gavurin, the Sundays were a very small semi-acoustic band that put out good msuic, but didn't seem to be able to avoid problems with their record company - mainly, their label went broke. But between Gavurin's writing and Wheeler's so-feminine you get aroused just hearing it voice, they kept at it. In 1997, they added some more depth and tracking, and 'Summertime' became their biggest hit - then Wheeler and Gavurin quit to raise their kids... Dammit!

Yeah, it's not going to make Headbanger's Ball anytime soon, but I spent enough time in SC to know that I like girls who sound like women, not truck drivers.... Here's the clip of 'Summertime'. Enjoy your week, and we'll be back soon.....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z778slDEsds

.

Fuzzy Thoughts: Summer Kickoff Edition

The Boys of Summer ..Were You Expecting Don Henley? Uhh, Not Here.

Memorial Day... The unofficial start of Summer: BBQ, Baseball, and going to the beach or swimming in the pool. Unfortunately, the cover is still on our pool here... Not for long hopefully - I haven't had a pool since I was 16, and I could always use the exercise....

It's also a three day respite from politics - and the restart for all the campaigns to make the 8 day push to the Primary Day deadline. Time is real short now, and there are few races that are slam dunks. Our advice is for no one to feel comfortable.... With so little time left, we better get right to the blurry ideas before they take off - again.....

Of course, the weather: sunny and just a tad warm for here - about 83 degrees or so, but there's a nice breeze cooling it all off. Weather like this is kinda rare for Memorial Day, so over 250,000 people packed Jones Beach for the Air Show - which caused the park to close, and traffic from all directions to be shut down. Craziness .....

We showed you the pictures from Pinelawn National Cemetary yesterday. The odd part about that trip was driving down Wellwood Ave., where it's located. There are literally six or seven cemetaries in a row on that stretch, of every denomination. A bit creepy to see all those tombstones for about 2 miles. However, from there, we went to a block party where my old guitar player and lifelong buddy, Phil Hittel, was playing. After I left NY for SC, Phil joined another band, and eventually married the singer, Patty... Like a guy who's ex left for another girl (literally!), I went to watch them. They were an older style of music, but I think Phil's aggressiveness and talent get diluted in that band. Nice to still think we had the best band ever.....

Along those lines of loss and remembrance, we give a minute to talk about Gary Coleman and Dennis Hopper.... No, I wasn't the biggest fan of Coleman, but the guy never was afraid to stick his neck out. Whether it was suing his parents, running for Governor of California, or fighting off endless bullshit lawsuits, Coleman packed a lot of life into 42 years. Some people just kinda know their days are numbered, and live it that way... Hopper was much the same way, although his was marred by addiction for a long time, but when he was on, he was one hell of an actor. Forget Speed, or Apocalypse Now.... for us - and P-Luv I think - Hopper's best scene was in the oft-forgotten True Romance... Here is the clip for you. If the N-word or Italian slurs bother you, you might want to skip it. If not, check out a masterful scene between two great actors - Hopper and Christopher Walken.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7B21nx4YvqM

More importantly, some friends of ours are having a rough patch as well.. Our buddy Moye Graham lost his second brother in law this week, and Florence GOP workhorse Pam Ratliffe needs your prayers for her mother too. The tough part about knowing a lot of people is it seems that someone is always passing away. Such is life....

Like we said, almost all of the races are in flux, or have such high undecideds that almost no one is safe... Has Nikki Haley's troubles passed her, or is the worst yet to come? Can anyone else make a move to make the inevitable runoff? We've read lots of theories on who caused the Folks-Haley affair to go public, including some from a somewhat myopic and narcissitic viewpoint. The most credible theory one we've heard is that Folks was hit as payback by former State Senator Catherine Ceips for Folks support of Tom Davis and his endless attacks in FITS News. In essence, Haley wasn't the target, but rather collateral damage. Any other candidates were likely not even thought about... Sometimes it's not the person who's currently paying the operative, but one who's already paid him a year or two ago. Is this all true? Who knows, but the motive does make more sense than the others I've heard....

In the Lt. Governor's race, we're not sure who he/she is, but that 'Undecided' candidate sure seems to be the favorite so far.... We've seen polls that have Connor up by 12 points, and others that have Richter up three points on Ard. The only consistent number? 50% haven't made up their minds.... We spoke to both the Connor and Ard camps, advising both to not believe their own people. Not sure if Richter will be speaking to us after we ripped him for sending invites to us for his Ed Nixon tour NINE TIMES on Facebook....

Our schedule suddenly has some open days in the next couple weeks, so keep an open eye for any more poop that comes up. Next weekend, we will put out our final Odds On favorites for the Primary - expect lots of changes from last time. As for endorsements, if you are looking to us for guidance on who to vote for, you need new role models. Maybe Sarah Palin could enlighten you on South Carolina politics....

.

Tales From the East End: Sag Harbor

Today, we take you to the furthest point we went on Long Island's South Fork (Montauk) - Sag Harbor. Nestled in the cove on the Peconic Bay side of the fork, Sag Harbor is a beautiful little gem that has managed to recover from the loss of the fishing jobs here, to become a bohemian paradise. If you want to visit the Hamptons, but avoid the 'beach people', Sag Harbor is the place to go.... On the above picture, we have the Visitors Center, which was closed when we went in early May.

This might look like an ad for the Bahamas, but this was literally right next to the road...

The view from the Lance Cpl. Jordan Haerter Veterans Memorial Bridge, which goes to North Haven.. Haerter died in Iraq, so it's quite appropriate that we posted this today...

Downtown Sag Harbor ...

The nice part of Sag Harbor is that it hasn't lost it's identity , while still making itself an attractive area to visit. No big clubs, no limos with old guys with the Arm Candy they bought for the weekend. It was also the only place where people I didn't even know said 'hi' - for no reason at all..... How Un-New York ! The only problem I found was the confusing stops at 4-way corners - which almost caused me to lose the nose on my car. If I can figure those out, I might try to figure out how to live here....

.

Memorial Day 2010 ....

We took a special trip out today to Pinelawn National Cemetary in Pinelawn, NY to commemorate Memorial Day today. I used to lay the flags on the tombstones as a kid in Boy Scouts here, and I was hoping to photograph them doing it today, but I think I was a day late.... Literally tens of thousands of America's veterans are buried here, and it's pretty awe inspiring to see how many men and women gave their service to our country - and many gave their lives.....

As a kid growing up in peacetime, I don't think we understood the sacrifice people gave then.... We do now though.

The flags line the sides of Memorial Drive...

A monument erected in 1940, just before hundreds of thousands of other Americans would die in War...

Whether it's a single marker......

Or hundreds, we hope they reminded you of why we have today off... If you see a soldier tell them Thank You...

.

Ironic Picture of the Day ...

I caught this one on the Long Island Expressway on Wednesday, as I was driving out to the North Fork (hint: more Tales From The East End to Come). The timing was pretty odd, considering it was right as the Will Folks - Nikki Haley drama was unfolding - and this trucking company was about 75 miles from it's home base in Queens.....




Getting this pic was a logistical nightmare: I passed the truck, then had to stop and wait about 3 minutes for it to catch up... Then get two lanes away from it to fit everything in, while not causing traffic problems, and keeping the A-pillar from the door out of the shot - and still making it readable.. The lengths we go to entertain you people !! I think I deserve a Pulitzer for this one. So, will Nikki Haley be 'packing it in' , or will she be 'Moving On Up' ???? As Gust Avrakatos says, "We'll See"......

.

Today's Quote ...Charity Towards All?

"Charity is no part of the legislative duty of the Government."

-James Madison.

We might consider Natacha Peyre a 'charitable contribution' of Sweden, but hey, they're tax bracket is something like 50%...... Here in America, we have less for the government to work with... but they're working on that.

.

Cartoon of the Week

Once again, the Louisiana Oil Spill dominated the cartoons. We almost posted one from the N. Korea - S. Korea crisis, because we love Kim Jong Il, but this to us was the hardest hitting and witttiest cartoon. We do have to thank BP for at least adding the term 'Top Kill' to our vocabulary...

.

More 'Tales From The East End'. A Familiar Sight to Golf Fans ....

No, It's Not Tiger Woods' New House ......

Nope, in fact, I don't think Tiger's ever conquered this course. It's the famed Shinnecock Hills Country Club in Southampton, home to numerous US Open tournaments.... How did I get in here? Easy, I'm a member.... Uhh, no. I scaled the electrified fence (thanks, MacGruber for the tips!), and used shubbery as camoflague until I got close enough - that is, before the guard dogs showed up, and I was tazered into total incoherence.....

Actually, there is no fence there - you just drive right in, which we thought was pretty amazing. Try doing that at Augusta.... The first shot, we palyed it safe - then we got a little ballsy, and drove right up to the clubhouse.

We were then satisfied that we were Golf Rebels, and sped off onto Montauk Highway ASAP...






.

Today's Quote: What Democracy and Kurt Cobain Have in Common ...

"Remember, democracy never lasts long... It soon wastes, exhausts, and murders itself. There never was a democracy yet that did not commit suicide."

- John Adams' letter to John Taylor, 1814.

.

SC6 Remembers The Great Hailstorm of 2000

Them's Ain't Shotgun Pellets .... They's Hail Damage !!

After yesterday's stirring of the pot, we decided to be less contraversial, and remember one of the more interesting days of our lives: the 10th Anniversary of the Great Pee Dee Hailstorm. How do I know it was today? Because for the next six months afterwards, I had to write "05-25-00" on the insurance claim Date of Loss for all the car rentals at Enterprise... That's how...

Ahh, I remember it like it was yesterday.... It was about 7:30PM, and it was kinda crappy out, when the weatherman came on and said there was a trail of golf ball size hail traveling from Timmmonsville to Evergreen - and my house was right in the middle of that line. Next thing I know, for 15 minutes straight, it sounded like the Watts riots of 1965, as if my house was encircled by people throwing rocks at it from every angle... And my car was outside, because I was storing my brother's enormous home gym in the garage.

Afterwards, everyone in the neighborhood finally came out like survivors of a nuclear holocaust, to assess the damage. My car had $3700, and the house got about $5000 damage on the roof and a few windows. Of course, I kept the check and didn't fix the roof, which I'll finally do this year. In Flotown, the path of destruction went all the way across the West and South sides of town, and we were soon introduced to two new things: Dent Removal Repairmen, and Flat tires from roofing nails! It probably lasted about a year before they all left.

Feel free to share your own memories, and let's hope we don't see another like that ever again....

.

There's No Doubt Who 'Will' Lead the Influence Index On BNN This Week...

Donna Rice. Monica Lewinsky. Gennifer Flowers. Marilyn Monroe. Maria Belen-Chapur .... and Will Folks? We had no idea how right we were when we said on Saturday that Nikki Haley would get both barrels now that she was leading in the polls....



It's getting kinda late, and we we're really only adding our two cents as a marker of the biggest event in the 2010 campaign, but here is our take - we think Will is telling the truth. Seriously, which is more likely: that Folks got blackmailed by people that he is opposed to politically, and he was pushed into admitting that something happened, which undoubtedly sinks his preferred candidate in the race. Or... He just sabotaged what has been his professional life the past 4 years for a wad of cash by making up a story? Think about it....




We have no doubt that Will did about all he could to protect Nikki Haley from this, but when your wife finds out about it, you don't pick your favorite Gubernatorial candidate - you side with your wife. There is no choice. When it's definitely going to come out, you try to do it as considerate and respectfully as possible - and we think he did. He didn't kiss and tell. He didn't give details. Hell, we don't even know exactly what he means by 'inappropriate physical relationship'. Is that just kissing, or testing the waters with the life preserver on?




We're not trying to make Will Folks out to be a martyr or an object of sympathy. We have no doubt that he wouldn't have brought this up if he hadn't been exposed by whatever camp got him and Haley. People want answers, but it's not really our business. We're more enamored with the thought that someone could have an affair with the biggest new media star in the state - a guy who has lots of enemies, and a big mouth to boot - and still decide to run for Governor. This is the only thing that makes us even wonder if Folks is telling the truth. No candidate is that arrogant or stupid. If she is, we found out just in time....




The aftermath of this? Nikki Haley is finished as far as her campaign goes. It's over. She'll try to rally the troops, but even if it isn't true, she's toast. As for Will? He'll be hounded for interviews and media appearances for the next week or two, and then he'll settle down to see that his real passion - FITS News - won't have the juice it used to, which sucks. Others try to top him, but FITS is by the far the best blog in SC at digging up the dirt, promoting it's ideas and itself, and entertaining the readers along the way - good or bad.


.

SC6 Music Pick: Crash Kings

'Mountain Man' .... An Ode to Boobies?

We've given you all plenty to chew on this weekend - especially surprising since i only got 3 hrs sleep last night. As usual, we close it out with a music pick. Today, we feature Crash Kings, a trio from Los Angeles - The Beliveau Brothers Tony (piano and vocals) and Mike (bass), and drummer Jason Morris. Notice there is no guitarist, which we usually find a sin, but it works for them..

They have that White Stripes/ Black Crowes feel - or what I'd call Ben Folds Five with balls... This is their first track, called 'Mountain Man', which I think is about hking the Appalachian Trail through a girl's cleavage..... but I could be wrong. Hope you enjoy,and we'll be back Wednesday..

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OvqpNP7dTI

.

Fuzzy Thoughts: Getting Ready For Finals

Some Camps Are Ready.... And Some Are Like the Kid in the 4th Seat In the Left Row Here....

Sixteen days. 384 hours. That's all that's left for all of the candidates until the June 8th Primary. Time to start 'cutting heads' as they say on The Bayou..... For some, it will be a sure pass to election, for others, it'll be time for a runoff, and for most, it will be the hard reality that they just wasted their time, and a lot of money - but hey, isn't that what politics are all about?

As usual, it will all be about getting out the vote. Those who are organized and motivated will move on, and others will wonder where all their friends were on Tuesday... Despite all the technology, it's still a simple matter of people getting their asses to the polls. So, with that in mind, we review the week that was....

As usual, the weather first. Mostly cloudy today, but still pretty temperate. Highs still around 70, which is fine with me... It will poke up to about 85 on Wednesday, but then more normal weather comes back for the weekend. I'd still rather be up here right now - check back with me in January.....

I almost didn't go out this weekend. Everyone stayed home Friday, and I was scheduled for baby duty (not doody) Saturday, but Carol & Joe canceled going out, so I made a beeline to a pub with a few other friends. I think I found my one Magic Shirt, but I still ended up going home with no numbers. Then again, I didn't ask for any....

I was going to post on this by itself, but I decided to sneak it in here instead. From reports I've read on FB, there will be a concerted effort by Ken Ard's non-supporters to load the room on Tuesday's Straw Poll. I read a message from a local official to a Connor staff member, advising him that the poll is open to all that attend, not just Florence County GOP members. You know hoe I feel about Straw Polls on the local level, but it would make a nice bit of embarrassing news if Ard lost his home county, both at the local GOP and FCRWF meetings next week. No doubt where it'll end up....

So, Barack Obama's home district is now in the hands of a Republican. Funny, I didn't even know Kenya had a Congressional district! Can Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi be far behind? Maybe once San Fran Nan's buddies at the country club see that their 'charitable contributions' are now mandatory, instead of voluntary, they'll see the light. For those of you who get hope to beat Jim Clyburn based on this, reality check: there's being unpopular, and then there's having the deck stacked so badly that it doesn't matter. If this were Monopoly, Clyburn would have Boardwalk, Park Place, those yellow and orange properties that everyone lands on, and all four railroads. Good Luck.....

This weeks recommended viewing? The Story of Us on the History Channel... It's more about the machinery and gadgetry that changed our country, rather than battles and events. I watched the late 1800's last week, and here's what I learned: the railroads were really, REALLY important.... So, it's Crystal Bowersox and Lee DeWyze in the American Idol finals. It was pretty obvious these two would end up here. So, who's gonna win? I'm sure the show would like to have a female take it all - after all, the Top Two sellers from the show are both women (Kelly Clarkson and Carrie Underwood), but the people who vote are the tweener to teen aged girls, so Lee DeWyze will take it all. Related question: do you get dreadlocks from washing or not washing your hair?

Lastly, while our blog chugs steadily along in the Top Ten (barely), a couple of our friends made some big moves in the blogosphere.... Earl Capps, who inexplicably falls out of the Top 20, despite steady high readership numbers, blistered up the charts like a Jay-Z/Beyonce duet to Number 2!! Also, our Democrat/Florentine buddy P-Luv debuted at Number 20 as well. Agree or not, P-Luv writes an interesting blog, and if his situation were different (no woman, no job, no life or friends), I'm sure he'd be the biggest blog on the other side of the aisle. Congrats to both, and another powerhouse seems to have taken shape.

.

Sign Number Five That The End Times Are Near: Kevin Costner Is About to Save America?

It's Ray Kinsella to the Rescue ..'If You Build It, BP Will Try It'...

No, this is not one of my SC6 Fake News stories - it's true, and we view it as a sign that the Mayans may be right after all... BP has enlisted actor Kevin Costner and his brother to possibly save them in cleaning up the Louisiana Oil Spill. It's an odd story, but basically Costner gave $26 million of his own money to his brother Dan's company 20 years ago to develop a machine to clean up oil spills. Now you know where all that money went for Waterworld......

It's not fantasy - it's real science apparently. Costner's broheme is an actual scientist, and the two of them were motivated to find a way to make cleanup easier after the Exxon Valdez disaster 20 years ago. Ocean Therapy is their invention, and BP is using it as we speak... It's essentially a giant pump that takes the oil/water mix, and runs it through a high-end centrifuge (aka- spin cycle) to separate the oil and water, making the water 97% oil-free....

There are 26 Ocean Therapy machines produced so far, and BP is using six of them right now. They are capable of running 5-200 gallons of water a minute, depending on size, which is about how fast the Deepwater Horizon platform is leaking. So, no - it will not likely catch up in stopping it, but at least it will help in the cleanup. The solution to stop the leak will be up to BP or someone else...

Is this sign as clear as when we agreed with Cynthia McKinney? Hell no. That one just about rocked the planet, but when the world has to look to Kevin Costner for help, we might be in trouble. What's next - Madonna negotiates peace between the US and Radical Islam? We can only hope it never comes to that. We now return to digging our Bomb Shelter, and hoarding canned goods for the fallout.....

.

The Pile-On Of Nikki Haley Begins ....

Mac Looks Like He's Telling Haley, 'It Ain't Fun Being On Top'

Wow, what one poll and an endorsement from Sarah Palin can do to a race! A few weeks ago, Nikki Haley seemed to be an afterthought - a fourth wheel on a tricycle, you might say... Though she had good conservative chops, the traction just wasn't there, and time was running out. But sometimes, when the other three aren't going anywhere as well, all those undecideds start coming to you - and Haley neutral dropped that puppy right into 4th gear and took off. Now, after Rasmussen polled her with an 11 point edge, the gloves are going to come off...

When you're sitting in last, and you're a woman, your rivals usually will be kind, and not try to cut you off at the kneecaps. But when you shoot out to the lead, it's all over - and Andre Bauer, Gresham Barrett and Henry McMaster got right to it last night. Attacking her failure to attend the final vote on transparency - her lynchpin issue - the other three tried to stem Haley's well-timed momentum push. Yeah, they've known about this for months, but who give's a poop about that when she's stuck in the mud? Now that she's in front, chants of 'No-Show Nikki' will undoubtedly pop up everywhere. Feel free to use the moniker, but I do have it copyrighted already, so it's gonna cost you 12 cents a pop....

Nikki, the good news is that you're in front and chugging along at just about the right time - and your opponents haven't had any juice since Day One. The bad news is that you're in front, and for the next 2 1/2 weeks, you will have a never ending barrage of attacks to stem the tide. it may work, it probably won't. No likes to see a woman get piled on by a bunch of guys. It almost remind us of this in a twisted sort of way.....It's right at 1:00 in the clip. It's good to be the King - but not the Queen sometimes...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGAgu6zI9v0&feature=related

.

OTOH, Nose Picking Can Kill ....

NHTSA Video Forces Us To 'Modify' Our Stance On Digging For Gold

Yesterday, we posted on the vague health benefits of nose picking. Almost immediately, we got a comment and link from a reader named 'Randy'. It has seriously made us reconsider whether anyone should pick their nose in 'certain situations'.... Here is the link, and don't let the fact that the people are from Massachusetts affect your opinion. After all, they did just elect Scott Brown to Ted Kennedy's old seat...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=5KzNiRD7Xzw

From now on, we recommend only picking your nose when in a stationary position, and that those of you with longer fingers use extra caution, lest you poke your brain by accident....

.

Today's Quote & Pic Combo. No Free Toy Inside

'These are the times that try Men's souls.. The Summer Soldier and the Sunshine Patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of his country. But he that stands it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman.'

- Thomas Paine, The American Crisis, 1776.

Since it's Sunday, we'll skip the Founder's Quote - Hot Babe post. Instead, we attached a picture I took at the front lawn of Eastport Elementary School. It's the Memorial of the town's World War I dead, numbering about 7-8 soldiers. It's kind of fitting with it being so close to Memorial Day.

.

Cartoon of the Week...

Not a banner week for the cartoon world, but there really wasn't any big news. The Louisiana Oil Spill continues on, and it's finally making landfall. This was the most witty of the ones we read this week. Let's hope for better cartoons - and better news - next week.

.

SC6 Music Pick: SC Native Trevor Hall ....

Like some others of us, you have to leave the Palmetto State to hit the Big Time. Case in Point? Rocker and SC Native Son, Trevor Hall. Wikipedia doesn't list where exactly he's from - after all, we're just one big redneck area, right? I'm not surprised they didn't just put 'From Down South' - but I think he's from the Beaufort/Hilton Head area. In fact, his family is still there, he just left to go to Music School in California..... and it paid off.




Hall's sound is distinctly South Carolina: a little Jack Johnson, a little Matisyahu, with an electric sound behind it...I heard the song on 101.9 WRXP here in New York, and I liked it. When the DJ said he was an SC Native, I knew it was making the blog... See, even from 700 miles away, we find Palmetto State stuff none of the locals do. Yes, we DO kick ass..... This is called 'Volume'. Enjoy....



www.youtube.com/watch?v=1hd1Z3B2KC4&feature=related


.

More Tales From The East End.... Eastport.

Hey, Who Threw Middle America On Long Guyland?

Yeah, it might be odd to see a piece of stained glass in New York that wasn't shattered in a riot, but that's our point here.... Out here on the far end of Yankeeville, we have some really neat places to visit. If you've ever gone to the Hamptons, and took the LIE or Sunrise Highway all the way, you missed a lot of great stuff to see. To REALLY experience a good time on the East End - before you get to all the clubs - take a trek on Montauk Highway, aka 27-A.....

Our first stop on our trip was Eastport, known as the gateway to the Hamptons. We went in search of the famous Long Island Duck, then we found out it isn't, never was, and will never be in Eastport - but we really lucked out when we went there anyway. Eastport is beautiful: it's like Long Island went on a time warp. No Big Box stores or McDonald's - just lots of Mom and Pop stores, antique shops, and small eateries with home cooking... I know by now you're thinking 'Whiskey Foxtrot Tango - are you kidding, Reino?' Nope. It's all there... or isn't, whichever way you prefer it. Here's proof....

Eastport Bible Church.......









Eastport Elementary School .... quite idyllic









Seatuck Creek, where a guy who looked like an Al-Qaeda recruit was fishing.... even terrorists have to eat.








Lastly, this was on the window of a luncheonette I was going to eat at..... Congratulations, Patrick - whoever you are!







Beautiful weather, beautiful little town - Beautiful Day ...... But no Big Duck.



.

Florence GOP Straw Poll, Meeting This Week !

With only 2 1/2 weeks until the June 8th Primary, the counties are having their last chance to get to see and hear all of the candidates running for office - and the candidates have one last shot to cement or change the minds of die hard Republicans. Florence County has scheduled a whopper of a meeting for it's last chance, with it's 'Loyal Republican Appreciation Night' this Tuesday, May 25th at the Ramada Inn (formerly Young's Plantation Inn) at 6:00 PM. Speakers will begin at 6:30, and they have some good ones lined up...

Speakers Attending:

Governor candidate Nikki Haley

Secretary of State Mark Hammond

State Treasurer Converse Chellis

Lt. Governor candidate Bill Connor

Attorney General candidate Leighton Lord

Supt. of Education candidate Mick Zais

Supt. of Education candidate Kelly Payne

6th Congressional District candidate Colleen Payne

Surrogate Speakers:

Attorney General and Governor candidate Henry McMaster

Lt. Governor candidate Ken Ard

Attorney General candidate Alan Wilson

State Treasurer candidate Curtis Loftis

Supt. of Education candidate Elizabeth Moffly

It's a shame that all of the camps aren't sending someone to the meeting, but compared to what we used to get in Flotown, this is great.... If you have any questions, feel free to call Dr. Joe Griffin for deets at 843-992-1678. Thanks to Sexton Dental Clinic and my good friend and county councilman, Dr. Morris Anderson, for sponsoring the event....

.

Today's Quote: Guys Dig Boats and Babes...

'I wish to have no connection with any ship that does not sail fast... for I intend to go into harm's way.'

-John Paul Jones , to M. Le Ray de Chaumont , 1778.

No, not the bass player for Led Zeppelin.... as for why we posted Panthers cheerleader and Carolina Girl (NC, not SC) , Carly Wrenn ? Uhh, it's pretty obvious. I don't know how many knots she travels at, but we'd love to find out....

.

Ranking America's Enemies ...

It Wouldn't Be Fun Without a Kook In a General Outfit , Would It?

We're going to try a new Top Ten here .... The thought came to us during a rather dull moment at work, and for once, the ADD didn't wipe it out before we got home. It's not easy being on top - ask Nikki Haley. Uhh, by that we mean she now knows what it's like being in the lead. Everyone comes after you, and friends aren't easy to come by. With that in mind, we give you SC6's first every ranking of America's Enemies. Some are no surprise, and others might surprise you as well. As usual, feel free to comment about how wrong we are!

1. China

No doubt the Red Menace that is 1.3 billion strong is coming to ruin America. If it's not cheap slave labor, it's inferior low priced products that eventually will kill our manufacturing base, and rot the brain of every kid in the US. It's like Mexico on steroids, except they're far enough away that it's too hard to come here, so they have to flat out defeat us..... and they juts might.

2. Russia

George Bush was wrong when he looked in Vladimir Putin's eyes. Putin is the KGB, and for those of you who thought Russia would fully embrace capitalism, the answer is 'Nyet'. Whether it's invading South Ossetia in Georgia, or strongarming the Ukraine's Natural Gas and oil, Moscow has spent the past few years positioning itself to re-enter the superpower club. No, they'll be much weaker than during the Cold War, but thye're not going to be fun to deal with...

3. United States

You shouldn't be surprised at all to see this here... Like the Lit song says, we are our own worst enemy - most of the time. Ever since America was founded, it's leaders have worried that we would die by our on hand, and not another country's. From Adams to Jefferson to Lincoln, that was the big fear. That seems to be lost upon us in arrogance this past century, and therein lies the problem. Yes, I think this administration is accelerating the pace of failure, along with the GOP's help during the Bush years. The good news is that we are strong enough to independently right our own ship, but wholesale changes need to be made in DC - not matter which party is in charge.

4. Iran

Some countries are unstable, some are toying with nukes, some have us by the gonads with oil - but Iran is the only one with all three. The synergistic effect of these problems will make dealing with Tehran and the mullahs - oh yeah, and Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - very hard over the next decade or so. The frustrating part is how good a friend Iran could be if conservative/radical Islam were out of power there. Pray for a Green Revolution...

5. Pakistan

Pop quiz...... What country get billions of dollars a year in aid from us, and pretty much hates our guts? Good guess. Yeah, they're a little better, but I often wonder what the world would be like if we sprayed Fart Gas on Waziristan to clear out the area, then flattened the place to Kingdom Come.. Pakistan was part of India, but the two should never be confused for each other. India likes Western culture, Pakistan hates us like few other countries do. if they were less backward, we would be in real trouble here..

6. North Korea

Today's algebra lesson #1: Iran - Oil = North Korea. Kim Jong Il would eat dogshit to be considered as dangerous as Ahmadinejad, but he's trying real hard, isn't he. Every once in a while, they'll pop off a dud nuke like it's the 4th of July, and sink a South Korean fishing boat. But, until they can screw with Japan, they're still your crazy cousin who you find kinda funny - until he goes postal at the family reunion. For now, unless you're waiting on parts for your Kia, there's not a lot to worry about. Yet....

7. Mexico

Time for me to sound xenophobic here, but imagine if the Mexican border were like the Canadian border? Only parents on South Park hate Canada, but the fact is Mexico is a giant suck on the US economy. Yeah, we do need some of them to do the work that we find menial and beneath us, but between having to guard a 1500 mile border, the millions of workers doing higher end jobs off the books, and the violent drug war that the US is having to train Mexico to fight, we end up throwing (not necessarily wasting) away down there....

8. Venezuela

Algebra equation #2: Iran - Nukes = Venezuela. Hugo Chavez is like Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Lite. He hangs out in the rain forest, chomping on coca leaves all day, and thinks of ways to piss off the US by using Oil as a carrot. If Venezuela had a leader like Alphonse Simms in Moon Over Parador, we'd be in good shape. This appears to be a situation like Nicaragua, where we'll have to wait for Chavez to die or be ousted before better days come..

9. Indonesia

Some of you may not be aware of this, but Indonesia is a hotbed of Al-Qaeda activity. It's a rare Muslim country in the Pacific Rim, where anything goes, so it's easy for radical Islam to find a friendly, out-of the way spot. I just edged them out over Somalia, because of the length of reach to attack America. Hopefully, they're peaking right now......

10. Iraq

Ahhh, the rare case where a country is working their way down the list. Of course, there's no where to go but down from where Iraq was. Yes, Iraq is safer for America, now that we are leaving like we said we would. However, a lot of work remains, and it will be a huge financial drain for America for years to come. Things are better now, but that even America knows Hope and Change fades quickly - then who will they blame?

It used to be that countries like France, Germany and Libya were our most hated rivals. Mostly, it was over pitty-pat BS. Obviously, we live in a much different world now. Resources, jobs and nucler arms capability have changed the game forever. There'll always be Top Ten Enemies List, but maybe we can downgrade the reasons why. I look forward to the day when we rank France Number 1 for being a bunch of rude pricks....

.

Picking Your Way to A Healthier Life?

No, It Won't Cure Cancer, But She's Actually Doing Good .....

Some of you might find this gross, but we're here to assist in any way we can.... After all, we're not just a political blog - we're a Life Blog. Besides, this qualified well as one of THOSE posts....

No, it's not good manners, and it embarrasses the shit out of you when yuo kid does it in public, but according to a recent Iowa University (or is it University of Iowa?) study, people who pick their noses are actually healthier than those who don't. Stick THAT in your piehole and sniff it.... It's true. Those who pick get less colds and flu than those who don't - and they live an average of 14 years longer. Actually, I made that last one up.....

The study doesn't conclusively say why, but we have a theory. Snots are bad....and picking your honker is actually a good way to relieve nasal congestion. In fact, we've read stories that recommend plucking nasal hairs to initiate drainage in your nose. I do it every once in a while - hey, I'm not naturally this good looking, it takes work. The downside of plucking is that it tends to swell the inside of your snot alley afterwards for days....

So, the next time you have a little friend hanging out in your schnoz, take that pointer finger out and pick away - just make sure no one is looking - and wash that disgusting hand afterwards, please! Lastly, remember this sage advice...... 'You can pick your friends, you can pick your nose, but you can't pick your friend's nose - and if they let you, then you need new friends.'

.

It's Funnier If You're In the Car Biz.....

'Customer states that when they operate the Air Conditioning, they have a distinct Applewood smell - and E-Mail is non-operational. Check and Advise on repairs'......

.

SC6 Remembers Ronnie James Dio ..

We were ready to call it a weekend, when we got the news that Heavy Metal legend Ronnie James Dio passed away today after a lengthy battle with stomach cancer. He was 67. While standing at only 5'4", Dio has one of the biggest voices in Rock. He brought a drama and bombast to rock that many lacked, and many others copied afterwards. Despite this, we was a very easygoing guy who never seemed to take himself too seriously. It was all fun, and that's what Rock should be...

For those of you who aren't as familiar with Dio, there is one thing that you probably do know that Dio is credited with inventing - the so-called 'Devil Horns'. It actually isn't that, it's the symbol for the Italian 'Malocchio', or Evil Eye (Dio's actual name was DioGuardi). Regular readers of SC6 should be very familiar with the Malocchio, since we put it on every team playing the Yankees of Giants in the playoffs.. Thank you, Ronnie, for all the great music - now heaven has someone for lead vocals....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEV4Tov1GBM

.

Jack White Changes Bands Like You and I Change Our Underwear ... Once a Week.

The Dead Weather Album is Out This Week....

A Rolling Stone may gather no moss, but even Mick and Keith always go back to their home band. Former White Stripes frontman Jack White? Well, he's a different story. Always one to experiment, White left the Stripes for his second project, the Raconteurs, and his latest endeavor is The Dead Weather. White, along with Alison Mosshart (herself a member of two other bands), Dean Fertita (Queens of the Stone Age), and White's Raconteurs teammate Jack Lawrence, have released their second album, Sea of Cowards, just this week.

For all the band changes, White still seems to create a similar sound as his other projects - not that it's a bad thing. For some of you guys , this might be a bit out there, but we think it's pretty cool, and we do try to keep you up with the latest in music...

www.youtube.com/watch?v=K0YI0UUazkU

.

Fuzzy Thoughts: The 'Magic Blouse' Edition..

If it's Sunday, it must be time for Fuzzy Thoughts again... I'm not sure if there was a full moon out yesterday, but something strange was in the air for sure.... I come home from work, and Carol just got back from a 1st birthday party. She's wearing this shoulderless print blouse that I've never seen before, and she looks awesome.... Apparently, I wasn't the only one who felt this way, because her and Joe tell me that every guy within a half-mile radius of her have been losing their minds at the mere sight of her in that top... I won't get into the offers, but the last time I checked, there's no 'Wife' section on EBay....



First, the weather.... Simply beautiful today - 70 degrees and Sunny, with just a slight breeze. We have one more good day, then the rain and colder temps come back Tuesday....... The big news in SC this week was Caribou Barbie's trip to Columbia to tap Nikki Haley as her endorsee in the Governor's Race. Not sure how much REAL pull Sarah Palin has on voters in South Carolina, but it's a double-edged sword: endorsements from out of state politicians aren't worht much, but it beats not getting any. The best reply? The McMaster team's e-mail, "The Most Important Endorsement Is Yours"......



After months of wondering, we finally found out Waldo Lydecker's identity. No, for the average reader, it's not news, but to we fellow bloggers, it'c nice to know the person who's attacking you. I was spared for the most part, with the exception of my wardrobe. But, anonymous blogging is pretty much a chickenshit move. If you want to battle with others, it's a bit more honorable to do it in the open. There's still a couple more left, but most of us don't care who they are anyway....



After being the only survivor of a plane crash in Libya, how many people will want to talk to that poor kid in Holland for comparisons to Bruce Willis in 'Unbreakable'? They called me Mr. Glass.... I read a headline in a weekly mag today. It said 'After Heidi Montag cut them off....' - and I first thought 'they' were her new hooters. 'They' were actually referring to her family.... The Yankees are still going strong at 24-12, and even Javier Vasquez remembered how to pitch in the American League again. BTW, it IS easier to pitch in the NL, when 1/9th of the lineup is an automatic out......



Up here, all of the schools are having board elections and budget votes, totalling almost $11 BILLION - just for Long Island. Here's hoping we get a few 'no' votes, especially after a judge blocked a state furlough and FORCED a 4% pay raise on the state. Wonder if he gets any Union money.... Pathetic Mid Life Crisis moment of the week: driving a customer's Mercedes-Benz SL 500 AMG home, when Sammy Hagar's 'I Can't Drive 55' comes on the radio. Best moment of the week: last night at the 7-Eleven, I was carded, less than 2 months from my 42nd birthday - can anyone top that?



We'll be working straight through til Saturday, so we might be silent until then - maybe a Pic of the Day if we get a chance... Have a nice week!


.

Clarendon Straw Poll Results ....

Some Candidates Have the Straws, Others Are Grasping For Them...

We've mentioned for years that Straw Polls are pretty irrelevant. Anyone who's done statistics knows that the smaller the survey sample, the more inaccurate the results will be. Also, most Straw Poll events are schewed a bit by a candidate's presence at an event. Almost a gratitude/sympathy vote. So, should we totally ignore a Straw Poll completely? Not always. Take Clarendon County for example. Their motto is 'You Can't Win Without Clarendon', and for good reason. I'm not positive, but I think they've picked the winner of every GOP primary since Reconstruction....

A more solid reason we like the people of Clarendon County is that it's centrally located in the 6th District (a REAL 6th District County), and the people involved locally are just active Republicans, not people who use the party as a vehicle to run for public office. It's a decent gauge - but not perfect, of course. So, what are we saying? Not much of anything I guess, but here were the results....

US Senate

Jim DeMint 93%

Susan Gaddy 7%

Governor

Henry McMaster 60%

Andre Bauer 18%

Gresham Barrett 15%

Nikki Haley 7%

Lt. Governor

Ken Ard 65%

Bill Connor 20%

Eleanor Kitzman 11%

Larry Richter 4%

Attorney General

Leighton Lord 40%

Alan Wilson 40%

Robert Bolchoz 20%

Treasurer

Converse Chellis 73%

Curtis Loftis 27%

Comptroller

Richard Eckstrom 74%

Mike Meilinger 26%

Superintendent of Education

Mick Zais 63%

Elizabeth Moffly 20%

Kelly Payne 13%

Brent Nelsen 2%

Gary Burgess 2%

Glenn Price 0%

US House, 6th District

Jim Pratt 44%

Nancy Harrelson 40%

Colleen Payne 16%

What can we draw from the votes. Well, Clarendon might be just a tad more centrist than South Carolina as a whole - possibly from the many Wyboo Yankee transplants that have become more politically active here. Should we expect a McMaster/Ard win in June, without a runoff? Hell no. Clarendon has been snubbed multiple times by the Haley Team for no-shows, and the poll reflects that. Although Clarendon might be a good gauge for Ard-Connor, based on it's being directly in between both candidates home bases, there is no way Ard is a 3-1 favorite.....

Aside from that, most of the others fall in line well with what we've been gauging, although we think Moffly's 20% falls a bit on the sympathy side, due to her team's presence at the Event.. For the winners, they can make a good press release out of it, while the losers know that they have some work to do.. And for now, the folks in Manning, Summerton and on the right side of the lake can still brag, 'YOU CAN'T WIN WITHOUT CLARENDON'......

.

More 'Tales From The East End'...

In case you never took the time to actually check and see what comes out of a duck's butt, now you know - it's an air conditioner. If that's true, why don't we ever hear a gurgling sound when they swim in water? It must be shut off then.....

.

Today's Quote: For the Kids....

"Let the American youth never forget that they possess a noble inheritence,brought by the toils, sufferings and blood of their ancestors."

- Joseph Story.

We've been posting pictures of hot babes with our quotes lately, but today we're going to post a picture of another little hottie - Bobby's daughter, Caitlin Rose. It fits in better than a supermodel in a bikini. Don't worry, we'll switch back soon....

.

Cartoon of the Week ...

We had a tough time picking one cartoon this week. So many topics (Supreme Court, Greek Financial Crisis, Stock Market Blowout, Louisiana Oil Spill), and so many good takes on them all. But, this one made us smile the most - and it's probably the most true. Guess those of you going to USC Law or Charleston, and hoping to be on SCOTUS some day just had your bubble burst.....

.

SC6 Music Pick: Yes, We ARE All on Drugs ...

Weezer Answers Your Parents' Question For You ....

How many times did your parents wonder aloud, "Are the kids nowadays all on Drugs?" I know my Dad said that all the time. Of course, that was par for the course in my house.... When I was finding 'Hash Pipe' on YouTube, I ran into this one, which I had forgotten about - so we'll post it today....

While songs like 'Beverly Hills' , 'Buddy Holly' and 'Pork and Beans' paid the bills, we think the more tense and harder songs were Weezer's strength. Enjoy, and we'll be back Saturday night or Sunday.....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=t0OVpyvey4U

.

How Black Is Black Enough ?

Remember The Dark Side, With Nat X ? It was one of Chris Rock's few successes in his short stint on SNL, where he played a talk show host that had a virulent hatred of 'The Man'... You know, The Man - who invented White-Out, that tricky white substance that only erases black letters...... who made the black jelly beans the worst tasting ones in the bag..... who teaches us that if you squeeze a black piece of coal long enough, it turns into a shiny, white diamond.... and who only made his show 15 minutes, because if it were any longer, they'd consider it welfare.....



Well, we heard a comment earlier this week that makes us wonder if there are people who will ever see balck candidates who are 'black enough'. I'm listening to 1010 WINS newsradio here in New York, and they're talking about Newark, New Jersey Mayor Cory Booker, who was up for re-election on Tuesday. For those who don't know, Newark is a black city for the most part, so the question isn't will a black candidate win, but which black candidate. One of Booker's detractors slammed him for 'just making Newark safe for the white people to come to town', and that he didn't really have an interest in African-Americans. Finally, the reporter asked if she was basically saying that Booker 'wasn't black enough' - and she said yeah...





Hmmm..... Do we see ANY reason why Booker wouldn't be considered 'Black Enough'?

Translation? To her, Booker is an Uncle Tom... is this the first time I've heard this? Of course not, but by now, you'd think that kind of attitude would go away. It's a lot like the RINO - Real Republican argument, just racially and politically the opposite. We're all searching for purity of whatever we think is pure and right. Is this correct? I suppose, because people can like whatever they want in a candidate, but judging in pure racial terms shouldn't qualify as right. I hope no one actually buys this, but I'm sure some still do...... and you don't have to look far.




I'll address that lady's concerns. Should Newark stay a black city? Absolutely, but guess what? They DO need help from the Non-African American community to get out of the hole they're in. The opposite is true as well - we're interdependent. They have a poor tax and income base, and getting people from the 'Burbs to see a concert (which friends of mine have done) or go shopping will get them there. No, racially, it won't be like a Mountain Spring, but should it really matter when no one there has a job. I'd rather be Prince of a Castle than the King of Shit - but that could be the motivation...


So, why am I, a white guy, stepping on this landmine of a topic from 700 miles away? Well, because I'm 700 miles away...... No, just kidding. It's because I grew up in a town where it was equal parts White, Black and Hispanic. No one dominated, so we HAD to get along and work together. Also, this parallels Downtown Florence to a T.... We could have made progress in developing the downtown area, despite the recession, but we have a bad seed or two who see everything in the wrong light - and in black and white. No one wants to kick out the minority-owned businesses in Florence, but without everyone working on this, it will never happen. You'll see some more examples of downtown revitalization that places here did - because they had to, or they would die. Food for thought....



The good news is that Booker did get re-elected Tuesday, but it's a shame that he has to deal with people who think that way still... Florence has the same trouble with a perosn who's name rhymes with Shmred Shmrobinson - but we're ALL working on it. As Nat X would say, 'Mike Reino, sit yo' White Ass down !!!!!'



www.hulu.com/watch/19311/saturday-night-live-the-dark-side-with-nat-x


.

Pictures of the Day Returns: Tales from the East End, Or Finding What Isn't There...

Search All You Want, But the Big Duck Isn't In Eastport ....

We know that a lot of you liked the Picture of the Day series we had that showcased a lot of the stuff here in Yankeeville... We wanted to bring you more, but two things got in the way... 1) too much work, and 2) the weather sucked for the past five months. As you can see, today was just about perfect, and we had the day off. Therefore, it was time to hop in the Avalon, fill up the tank, and see where the road took us...

Frequent readers of SC6 know that to us, Long Island begins and ends in Suffolk County. Nassau is just Queens Lite, so we headed east as far as time would allow today, and we got some really nice pictures that we'll post over the next few weeks. This was the goal of our trip - to finally see the famous Long Island Duck. It's been around for decades, and it's changed locations, but I was POSITIVE it was somewhere in Eastport. We got there, took in the town, and went from one end to another - No Duck!

Hungry and kinda lost, I texted my buddy Phil, who is full of useful information, which is the only reason I disqualify him for King of Useless Information. I texted 'Hey Phil, where in Eastport is the Big Duck?' ...... He texts back, 'You mean the FLANDERS Duck?' ........Uhhhh, yeah. The Big Duck is in Flanders, a few miles up the road....

Yeah, it's a bit kitschy, but as you can see, everyone knows where it is - except me - and that's why 'Meet Me at the Duck' is a well-known phrase in the Hamptons... Actually the two people you see were a young couple having a pretty furious argument. I think she was right - after all, she was pretty cute.....

So, there you are. The first stop on our Tales From the East End Series... The most famous symbol of Long Island - aside from traffic jams, Joey Buttafuoco and high taxes... Hope you enjoy it.....

.

Moye Graham Shows How Badass He Is Again..

Clarendon GOP Meets Tonight at The French Hens ....

The juggernaut known as the Clarendon County GOP will have their final meeting before next month's Primary tonight, and as usual, our buddy Moye Graham and his posse have an enviable slate of speakers.... The featured guest will be State Treasurer Converse Chellis, along with SLC (Sumter, Lee, Clarendon) area Solicitor candidate Tod Williams. On top of that, all three candidates for the 6th Congressional District seat will be attending. This is the second time Clarendon has gotten Colleen Payne, Nancy Harrelson and Jim Pratt together for you to listen , ask and decide for yourself...

As usual, it will be at The French Hens restaurant at 5 West Boyce St on downtown Manning - right across from the Courthouse. Once again, the Lead Dog of the Four Horsemen shows us all who the baddest County Chair in South Carolina is ..... and they remind you all that you can't win without Clarendon!!!

.