How to Save $75,000 On a Car ....

Fathead's For Your Garage .. The Neighbors Will NEVER Know!


      Times are tough. Money is tight.... But in these days of keeping up with the Joneses, what's a prestige-obsessed couple bent on having everything to do? We have the answer..

     Simply get a Fathead for your garage. A company called 'Style Your Garage' will print a garage-sized decal of just about anything for your home. The German outfit (as Vince from Sham-Wow will tell you, all the best stuff is made in Das Fatherland) has them economically priced from $199 to $399 for a double garage.  Here's a couple examples:

Amaze your friends with your outstanding parking ability....

Uhh, this one might freak the neighbors -and the ASPCA- out a bit.....









       Here at SC6, we're all about looking fly - on a budget.  So, this one is easy: get a Fathead of your favorite car, stick it on, and watch the interest from the neighbors and local single women multiply literally overnight.... No, we haven't tried it out yet - After all, there's a REAL Lamborghini in our garage, and that hasn't helped yet.  ***


*** - Results are not guaranteed.

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Today's Founder's Quote: Inconveniences

"I would rather be exposed to the inconveniencies attending too much liberty than those attending too small a degree of it."

- Thomas Jefferson.


TJ is right, when it comes to Liberty, it's hard to have too much of that good thing. Meanwhile Carolina Girl Julianna Guill (she's a Winston-Salem, NC native) has something common with Teri Hatcher in the Seinfeld episode: they're real, and they're spectacular.  If you would like to see them expose, we recommend renting the 2009 Friday the 13th. We didn't find that too inconvenient..

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Cartoon of the Week...

      Internationally , all eyes are on Korea this week, as North and South play games.. It's a bit of a tough topic to comment and be funny on, but this one was the most appropriate. Stay away from the Red Button, Kid........

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Fuzzy Thoughts: The Shiny Fridge Edition

And It's Excellent for Storing Plenty of.... Nothing.


     Karma bitchslapped me square in the face yesterday.  Yes, every once in a while, what goes around , comes around again to yours truly.  Ben called up, and told me the fridge crapped out. Too bad it's excluded under the home warranty ($450 a year for nothing, thank you.)... So, knowing that the other applicances are stainless steel, and the dumb fridge was white, we just dropped $970 on a shiny new stainless steel fridge that I likely will never use or see.. Fuck me very much!


     It is a justice in a way. After all, I do make people drop thousands of dollars everyday on car repairs, so it was bound to happen. However, after just spent another $900 on loans to friends and family, the timing could be better.  Luckily, it could have been worse. Something like this could have killed me a year ago... Still, the glare of that fridge is making things kinda hazy as we peer on the past week.


    Weather first: clear and pretty cold. Highs today only about 45.. Just got a new jacket to bear the cold at work. Christmas is here now, and I got a head start on shopping today. Went to Modell's, and got a pair of Mark Sanchez jerseys for Joe and Stevie, so they can do the matching Father & Son watching the game thing. Yeah, it's gay, but Carol thought it was a good idea... Speaking of which, it is impossible to get stuff for the women who have everything already. Carol gets a Guess Gift card... Sarah is 7, and wants an I-Pod Touch or a Cell Phone. IIIIIIIII don't think so.


    I'm still laughing over Obama's Fat Lip.... And I might for a while.


    At work, I've kicked it up a notch or two, but the new boss doesn't talk to me too much out there in Alcatraz... He had a couple interviewees in his office, but they turned out to be technicians. WHEW !!!!! Thanksgiving was nice with Joe's family. Never saw so much food for ten people in my life. Needless to say, every day , it's leftovers for lunch!


    North and South Korea is a good example of why diplomacy only delays the inevitable... Perhaps we should put a gigantic bowl over Korea, let them duke it out, and start over from scratch... It is funny watching your little brother or sister get in fights every now and then. They're so cute at that age.... Maybe they should have given that island that's 50 feet for North Korea to them.


    In sports, Derek Jeter and the Yanks continue to piss into the bucket.. NY doesn't want to blow all it's Cliff Lee $$ on Jeter while he slides off into mediocrity. My guess is this -  3 yrs/$54 million.. This next admission is going to hurt: The Jets are the real deal, the Giants are wannabes. BTW, I tried out for WR on the G-Men this week...... and JUST MISSED !!



 Socially, it's a mixed bag as usual: met someone on Match, but I keep getting canceled on, so I'm backing out of that one. The holidays are a bad time to try and date.. Julie is the same (no idea), so we trudge on as usual.  Will be going out with some old high school friends tonight. Beats being in the house all winter...


    Note to the guys at Subaru: that little girl was awesome, and the commercial was great, but could you please make another one, and stop dragging that shit into the ground??  Speaking of which, how does Flo keep getting commercials, and our buddy Christa the Planters Peanut Girl never got a second one? There is NO JUSTICE !! 


    Justin Bieber wins FOUR American Music Awards?  I just set all my guitars on fire, and am looking for a rope as I write this... MUSE won one as well, and seemed VERRRRRY excited about winning it.  Meanwhile, Jennifer (Jeannie Bueller) Grey won Dancing With the Stars - a show we still have never seen an episode of.  There was all this craziness over Brandy getting booted off. Maybe it was racial. Maybe it's because Brandy is a biotch.. Bristol Palin gave hope to Middle American white girls with two left feet everywhere that if you really try, you can bring home a Bronze Medal too...


    I'm still a bit stunned and shocked that none of our recently elected SC leaders have called on me to serve on their staffs yet.  OK, not really.  2010 is over now - time to kickstart 2012.  Do we have ANY candidates on the Republican side yet?  Time's a-wastin'...

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SC6 New Music Pick: Shawn Mullins 'Light You Up'

Yes, The 'Lullaby' Man Is Still Kicking It ....


     Old rock stars don't go away - they just play smaller venues. And sometimes, One Hit Wonders finally catch another break.  Remember Shawn Mullins? His hair was a bit longer a decade ago, when his hit 'Lullaby' was EVERYWHERE... Well Mullins has been on the circuit lately again, and our recent switch to the more acoustic-friendly Spectrum channel on XM caught him.


    Mullins still sings very similarly - 'Light You Up' is a lot like 'Lullaby' (verses are spoken, chorus is sung), but 'Light You Up' is harder and funkier. Not nearly the bordering on faggy 'Lullaby'. It's a bit ironic too, because where I grew up, 'lighting someone up' meant you wanted to kick the shit out of them. In Mullins' case, he just wants to hit that.... We like it, so here's the longer clip of 'Light You Up'...


www.youtube.com/watch?v=qqly6Ix6uRA

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Obama Takes One in the Face - Literally.

Someone Make Sure That Guy Wasn't a Republican !!!


     In life, we all have our rough patches. Those times when just nothing seems to go right. Usually, it's mostly work-related things, where you don't actually show any physical signs of the pain your in... Then you literally get jacked up!  Barack Obama has had a bad month - and now he has the scars to prove it.


     Stitches to prove it is more correct... This week, Obama was taking part is his usual pick-up basketball game, when the hypothetical pain turned into the literal pain, as he caught an elbow from another player flush in the mouth, and had to get 12 stitches to close it.  At least he has all his teeth still, because it would be embarrassing to have a President that looked like Alfred E. Neuman from Mad Magazine....

We imagine it would look something like this.......
















     Yes, people in politics are generally overcompetitive people who once thought they'd be rock stars or NFL All-Pro's. Get them on a court or ballfield, and they suddenyl forget who the hell they are.. Rey Cerenega, who works for some BS government -related agency, got a rebound, and we guess he swung his arms around like Darryl 'Chocolate Thunder' Dawkins - and plowed his elbow into The President.  For his actions, Cerenega will be charged with assaulting a President and overactive rebounding, for which the penalty of course, is Death...


     Cerenega seemed only marginally sorry for KO'ing Obama.  He called him a great competitor and good ballplayer, but the words "I'm sorry for f**king up the Leader of the Free World' wasn't there.  Word is, every GOP intern and page are singing up for a crack at Obama now... With any luck, Obama didn't brush his teeth that day, and Cerenega will get nasty staph infection. In the meantime, Obama will have a Bubba Lip for the next couple weeks.  Don't expect any press conferences or speeches soon.... HO-BUP, AND-BA CHA-BANGE-BA !!!!

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Time to Support Small Business This Weekend..

SC6 Reminds You to Hit The Mom & Pop Stores This Season


     Black Friday is over... Now that you're exhausted from getting up before dawn to get that 6AM 'Doorbuster', might we suggest a change of plans to actually enjoy your holiday shopping. Go Small - as in small business...



    This weekend is the first ever official Small Business Weekend, sponsored by American Express (for obvious reasons).  It's a good idea too. In this age of going to the Big Box store that seems to have everything - which makes your local dollars end up somewhere else - your local shops keep a much higher percentage of your local dollars locally. Something like 100%...


   No, we don't expect you to do all of your shopping locally, but this weekend,  instead of hitting the megamall and all the traffic and fighting, take a drive down Palmetto , Irby , Evans or Dargan streets. Chances are, you'll find a record store, gift shop or antique store for a unique present you couldn't find at Target or WalMart.

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Happy Thanksgiving 2010 !

     Why did I choose this picture for Thansgiving? First off, we've run the Horn O'Plenty and turkeys into the ground, so we're going with a funny pic instead this year. Secondly, i'll be damned if that guy isn't a dead ringer for Tommy Grimes, minus the hat, cane and axe... Tommy only chops people's heads off intellectually.


   We'll be short here.  Carol has to cook for Joe's whole family today, which makes me Chairman of the Counter Operations Dept. - which means I have to keep Stevie busy so she can cook without being bothered every three seconds. He's up already, so I gotta go... Best wishes for a Happy Turkey Day to you and yours - even to your Congressman! God Bless us, everyone.

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The Showdown in the Stupidity That Is Fantasy Football Starts Today ..

It's Blogger Versus Fan In the Carolina Jox League !!!


    Most of you long time readers know I play Fantasy Football. This will be my fifth season, and I'm actually pretty good at it: I only had one losing season my first year, and I have one imaginary championship trophy sitting on my mantle. I swore that this year, I'd be too busy to care about FF.... but destiny has gotten in the way....


    Somehow, I've run the entire frickin table so far this year: a perfect 11-0 !  When you consider I play against a league full of Disc Jockey - who have all day long to do this crap in between pre-selected songs and commercials, it's pretty amazing. So, with only 3 games left in the regular season, the chance to make history is there. Today however, we have a tough challenge from one of our own...


    Yes, my Rusty Lombardi squad will be facing Bobby's 7-4 Steeler Nation team today thru Monday night.  Bobby's team is always dangerous. He might get gooseeggs all over one week, then drop 200 points on your ass the next. Yes, he's a FF Mental Patient, but he's won three in a row, and seems to have found his stride as the playoffs approach. 


    I do have one chit in my pocket: we made a minor financial agreement a few weeks ago, and my only request was that Bobby lay down and die like a Persian Rug when we played next.... Will he do it? Probably not, and I wouldn't expect him to. However, the trash talking as the scores come in should be fun...

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Sumter Little Theatre Gets It's Acting Props...

Braden Bunch's Company Named Best in SC .....


     While we always jokingly called the Sumter GOP meetings 'The Braden Bunch Show', because it had a feel much like a talk show ( and Braden always had a coffee mug handy), the County Chair does take his acting seriously.... and it's paid off.


    Last week, at the South Carolina Theatre Association's annual Community Theatre Festival, Sumter Little Theatre took home top honors for Best Performance, Outstanding Ensemble Cast, Best Director and Best Actor.  No clue as to whether they have an award for Special Effects...They now will go onto represent South Carolina in the Southeastern Theatre Conference's 10-state festival in March...


    Braden, who is President of SLT's Board of Directors (the guy wears a lot of hats, doesn't he?), spoke correctly in local theatre's importance to the local economy and quality of life. "The arts in general, and theatre specifically, play an important role in a community’s quality-of-life,” said Bunch. “They do this not just by providing entertainment, but by also providing educational opportunities for the area’s citizens and by aiding in economic development by making its community a desirable destination for employers and employees alike.”


Kudos to Braden, who is top notch in everything he does, and all the members of the Sumter Little Theatre for a great job. Yeah, we still do community news - even from 700 miles away - but it helps if you e-mail it to us...

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SC6 New Music Pick: Mumford and Sons, 'Little Lion Man'

      We'll admit, this one isn't brand new (it came out a year ago), and we meant to post this one previously, but we forgot. However, those of you into the Irish-English Folk Rock scene will love Mumford and Sons.  It's a lot like bluegrass, with Gaelic sounding vocals, so for South Carolina, it makes a pretty nice fit..


     Mumford and Sons hail from London, and they're made up of of Marcus Mumford (vocals, guitar, drums, mandolin), Ben Lovett (vocals, keyboards, accordion), "Country" Winston Marshall (vocals, banjo, dobro), and Ted Dwane (vocals, string bass).  However, very often at live shows, any one of them might be on another's set, because they swap instruments a lot..... Just like my old band, Ambedexrus - before I got them off of that!  This is the first song from their latest CD, Sigh No More, called 'Little Lion Man'... Have a nice week, and we'll see you Turkey Day!


www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLJf9qJHR3E

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Today's Founder's Quote: Supporting Liberty, And Other Things

"Liberty must at all hazards be supported."
-John Adams.



Looks like Carmen Bella has something that needs support as well...

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Cartoon(s) of the Week

      Happy Anniversary!! We just realized that today is the first anniversary of our Cartoon of the Week posts... To celebrate it, we're giving you two, instead of one. Yes.... we spare no expense for our fans.  The hot topic this week by far was the pat downs by TSA workers at airports. Most were pretty good, but you know us by now - we like the topical stuff. So, we picked this one combining it and Thanksgiving. We thought our work was done....

Then we found this little gem, which hit our post from last week right on the head....

SC6 New Music Pick: Kings of Leon, 'Birthday'

      Well, we finally stopped listening to the Lithium channel on XM... Right now, we're switching between First Wave and Spectrum, which is a quieter rock channel. No, I haven't found the Chicks & Pianos and Acoustics channel yet..


     The big news this month is the upcoming release of rock's It Band - and a Ms. X Favorite, Kings of Leon.  The boys from Tennessee's new album, Come Around Sundown , hit stores October 25th.  The challenge this time around is to see if KOL has staying power to become a supergroup, or if they'll be the flavor of the month for 2009... We'll see. Musically, they've stayed close to the last album. Here is the first track, called 'Birthday'...Enjoy!


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

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SC6 On Tax Reform: Just Do It

Coach K Has Some Sage Advice For Tax Reform .... Sort Of.



     In PBS' The Civil War, author Shelby Foote gave the most solid reason for America's greatness. Foote said, 'Americans like to think of themselves as uncompromising, but it's America's ability to compromise that makes it's greatness.'  Exactly.  To us, there are some things that you don't hammer out crappy bipartisan solutions to. To us, the rule of thumb is this: any bill that results in spending doesn't need a compromise, and will likely be bad for Americans. Compromising on Tax Cuts? That we can agree on...


    This is a make or break year for America, and taxes really are a major concern. The economy sucks, the Bush Tax Cuts are expiring, and businesses need lower taxes to reinvest in themselves to hire workers.  It's all related. Congress is in lame duck session, and it's going to flip sides bigtime. So, what's DC to do? To us, it's time to negotiate, and give in a little so something positive will start in January...


   I know, you're saying 'OK, Mr. Smartass SC6 trash-talkin' Man, what do we do?'  First off, you can kiss my butt.... ;) Now, with Democrats wanting the estimated $50 billion a year back for budget closing revenue, and Republicans not wanting it to look like they just reneged on their vow to not raise taxes, where do we go? Do we let them expire, or keep them. In times where you can't win with either, you do neither. It's time to short-term work on this, then long term make a REAL Tax Policy....


   For now, pass a two year partial pulling of the Bush Tax Cut - maybe half, and pass that $25 billion onto a middle class tax cut.  So, for now, it's a push: neither side wins, but neither loses. If we do nothing, the taxpayers lose...


   As for long-term, there are three routes to go:

Stay the Course:
     Are you happy with our current tax structure? Us too.. Too complicated, too many loopholes, too much bullshit... Back in the mid-80's college basketball reinstituted the 3-Point Shot. One of the detractors was none other than Duke coach Mike Kryzyzewski (sic). I saw a TV show where he just started drwing cicles on the court, making half-court shots worth 5 points and other ones 10 points. The idea he was getting across is that every shot should betreated with the same value. Taxes are the same. Why be given a deduction for a house or donations or other things? Tax Simplification needs to be in place, whether the Accounting Industry hates it or not. Ok, where to now?



The 'Fair Tax':
     Readers of us know our position on this for a long time.  A tax plan built exclusively on a citizens spending, and not their income, is crazy. Yes, it's regressive, becuase as a percentage of income, lower income households spend higher than more affluent.  If they're still pushing the rebate check for poorer families, we'll refer you to the first option again, not to mention the Nanny State mentality that it causes, which flies directly in the face of the Libertarian philosophy they normally espouse... Lastly, are you planning on taxing big ticket items, such as cars and boats at 23 FUCKING PERCENT also? How many cars will be sold when the tax in SC jumps from $300 to $7500??  maybe someone has tweake this plan in the past couple years, but I haven't heard about it yet...


The Reino Flat Tax:
     Yeah, we'll take credit for it.  We've kicked it around for a while now, and as weak points come up, we've tweaked it as well. Smart people do that... Rather than one Flat Tax Rate at 14% or so, we have two or maybe three tax rates that kick in at higher levels. Instead of mind-numbing deductions for everything on the planet, there is one: a single deduction that is equal to the poverty line. Therefore, the truly needy get their tax money back to make ends meet, without giving them deductions for making babies, like the EIC. 


    Past that level, the flat tax rate of 13% kicks in to $50,000 per year, then 15% from there to $250,000, and 17% flat after that. If it sounds like not enough for the rich, keep in mind that upper income people deduct EVERYTHING, and make their taxbale income as close to zero as possible. So, in the end, everyone pays, without loopholes.  The only caveat we have ever found is the potential impact on charitable groups. If you have any ideas on that, we're all ears, but exempting it from the plan sends us back to Option 1, which is verboten here...


     Finding the correct tax rates are easy... Just take the Gross Incomes of all citizens, and calculate the tax rate to equal where the Federal Budget should be.  That in essence is it's problem - it's too easy, not complicated neough to be screwed with on an annual basis by every lobbying group in America.  It would work too well for DC to incorporate. But that's all in the future...



   For now, we'll keep it simple - find some sweet middle ground for both sides to wlak away with something, then do the heavy lifting later.  An extra $50 billion in the bank would be appealing to Congress, but it's OUR money,and we could kinda use it right now..BTW, Duke sucks....

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Last Word on 2010 Elections: Who Really Won It..

The 'Middle Ground' Is what ALWAYS Swings Elections....

   With all the post-election analysis on Election 2010, and giving credit to the Tea Party for swinging it, we would like to drop out two cents in, to temper everyone's backpatting...


    While we will give the Tea Party props for organizing and being just slightly ahead of the curve of most voters (and about 4 years after yours truly), to say that they are the cause of the GOP turnaround in the House and Senate is overstating it, and probably incorrect. Need to find the right answer? Look to Bobby, and other moderates and independents...


   While stating they were bi-partisan, the Tea Party is mostly a group of very conservative Republicans, for whom George Bush was too liberal. Mostly they were right.. they were the most vocal and organized. But to measure the actual shift, you need to see which voters did the real flip-flopping. My apologies to John Kerry there...


    If we took a stab at how many of the Tea Party members voted for Barack Obama and the Democrats in 2008, then went back to the GOP in 2010, we'd estimate it would be about six. Four of them have likely been executed already. The other two emigrated to France and Canada... Nope, as usual it was those vacillating, blow with the wind moderates like Bobby. Those people who see both sides to everything, who think we can help everyone and still balance a budget. The ones that drive entrenched political operatives like us up a frigging wall...


    Yes, we hate them. But, in the end, those on the fencers are the ones that hold the final power - that last 10% that separates winners from losers. The Nikki Haley's from the Vince Sheheen's. The Ed Clement's from the Rose Mary Parham's.. Argue all you want about firing up the good troops and GOTV... To win, you need to attract those that marginally give a crap enough to vote, but don't really know jack about what they want. Those are your winners...

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This Is Why We Have Engineers ....... And Rulers.

'Coach, I Don't Care What You Say... I Ain't Runnin' No Motherf**king Post Pattern !!!!!'


    For those of you who forgot, or maybe never knew. George Washington actually had a civilian gig before he was a Revolutionary War general and President.  He was a surveyor.... Here we are, 250 years after he put down those tools - and not only is he needed in the city named after him, it looks like Wrigley Field ould use his help as well!


   Today is officially Rivalry Week in college football, but it's also unofficially Football in Pro Stadium Week.  Army plays Notre Dame (go Army!) in the new Yankee Stadium's first football game, Penn State is playing Indiana at Fed Ex Field (??), and the Battle of Chicago takes place when Northwestern and Illinois take the field at Wrigley today. Wait.... make that HALF FIELD ....



   We shit you not.  Apparently, and you can see from the above picture, the 100 yards barely squeeze into tiny Wrigley.  It's so tight, that the left field side end zone almost abuts the brick wall. Since most Red Zone plays often go past the end zone - thus causing probable traumatic injury - the game will be played on the right field side exclusively...



   Yeah... Once the ball crosses midfield, the drive will spin 180 degrees around,and go back towards the end zone they just left.  Unless there is a 50-plus yard play, no touchdowns will be scored in the Northwestern end zone - causing the school to lose valuable free advertising, and the loss of football recruits, along with Law and Med School candidates.  The impact on the university could be devastating for years to come....


   Is this stupid? Of course... How everyone set this game up,  and NO ONE  bothered to realize the field would be too small borders on retarded.... Meanwhile, we can tell our kids that we remembered the 'Left Turn, Clyde' game of 2010. Nice job, jackasses.  So, who is to blame for this?  Wait a second.. Wrigley? Chicago? Obama ???? George, please help us..

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Today's Founder's Quote: Liberty and Safety

"They that can give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety."
-Benjamin Franklin.


  If we had to translate this into modern language, what Ben is saying basically is 'keep your eye on The Prize' .... that prize being Liberty and freedom for all. Although , if we did need some temporary safety, we would definitely find it in the ample bosom of Lauren Harris. Now THAT is a prize...

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South Cackilacky Goes to War For One Day Again...

Time to Pick Sides For the Big Game, Right ???


    Call us impartial, call us gutless... But we've never really taken sides in the Clemson-SC (or SC-Clemson) game. Yeah, we have developed a slight edge of reverence for one of them, but we don't hate the other like most followers o the game do. OK, that probably makes us gutless - or not a REAL fan.  Blow me...


   This game is going to be a bit of an odd one, in that South Carolina really has nothing to win or lose in this game, aside from the rivalry bragging rights. Barring a loss to the Troy Trojans today (please tell me their mascot is named Trojan Man!), the Gamecocks will be 8-3 and looking to the upcoming rematch against Auburn.  Will Spurrier play all his starters since there is no bye week to rest for the SEC Championship and a BCS Game?


   It really is an odd year on a lot of levels. The games are usually pretty evenly matched, and by now, not much is on the line. Such is the rivalry between two good, but not great teams... Carolina is clearly the better team, but the potential for a rare Gamecock blowout, not seen much in the Reino Era (1996-present) is there.  Spurrier is a gambler, so we think he'll worry about next week next week...


    No, we don't see a total asswhipping in Death Valley, but the Cocks have the better team this year. They're catching Clemson on a rare off year, so talent will overcome home field and nothing to play for... South Carolina 34-17.

. Let the complaints begin!!

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Fuzzy Thoughts: The High Turnover Edition

Ohh, We Thought it Said Apple Turnover... Our Bad!


    We'll keep the picture anyway, because that looks pretty damned good when you're blogging before you've eaten breakfast..  It's been a few weeks since we've done a Fuzzy Thoughts. There's been a lot going on at work - mostly people leaving of getting fired. Fortunately for me, it was a co-worker and two of my bosses. That's an oddity - usually the management blames it on the writers, and we get axed. This place is more like Baseball, where the manager gets cut , despite the underperformance of his players. Just like the Mets!  Onto the observations, as we peer through our blurry spectacles....


   As usual, the weather and traffic: Sunny and getting kinda cold. Only around 50 today.  Road crews are still going 24/7 on Middle Country Rd, trying to finish six-laning it around Smithhaven Mall for Christmas season. Been working on it since I got here, so our guess is NO....



    In politics, Sarah Palin admitted she is thinking about running for the White House in two years.  We really hope not.. There are people who should be the voices of the party, and then those who should be on the ballot. Putting Palin on the ticket again would be about as appealing for moderates as the Democrats adding Nancy Pelosi. Locally, former NY Governor George Pataki is thinking of coming out of retirement and doing the same. Boutros-Buoutros-Aki is a nice guy, but he'll get the same treatment as Rudy Giuliani did - except Rudy has more balls..


   Need proof that the 2012 Election machine is starting to crank up? Look no further than your satellite radio dial... Our favorite XM channel in 2008 - POTUS - is back! And they're off !!!!


    So, Prince William and Kate Middleton are officially engaged.. Didn't see much of the interview, but we have two observations: we bet Wills had a majr crush of Elizabeth Hurley as a kid (Kate's a Hurley-clone, which is fine with us), and uhh... The future King of England is gonna have a Five Head very soon.  Maybe Prince Harry will be the cuter one after all...


   To the Sports Desk, we now go to Champ Kind... The Islanders are in a free fall right now, having lost or tied 11 straight games. They fired their coach, and hired DRUMROLL PLEASE ..... Former Pee Dee Pride coach Jack Capuano!! It must be a dream for the Long Island native, but we feel that warm glow is gonna wear off quick....


   Meanwhile, The Yankees seem to be in a bidding war for Cliff Lee - against themselves?  Yep. As good as Lee is, his price will be so high that only three teams have talked to him, and Texas Rangers President Nolan Ryan (who knows a little something about pitching), admitted they don't have the money to outbid New York.  Here's hoping Lee isn't another Kevin Brown...


   Of course, the biggest news of all, which we're sure you saw on every major network and cable station, is the likely return of Narcdog.  Yes, Matty bought a new bass and cabinet, and he NEEDS to play. So, we jammed on Wednesday night ( I was a bit late from work). There will be a couple needed changes: first, we're working on new cover songs, and secondly, there will be some estrogen added to the band, as Phil's wife Patty is joining us. Girl can sing her ass off, so strong backup vocals, and a whole new list of available songs will be at our fingertips. It should be cool, but there is some concern about losing the old fan base (we actually do have a base) with the new direction. Yeah, we will still rock, though!

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Karma Kicks Charlie Rangel Right In the Ass...

'Waiter, Taste the Soup... OK, Where's the Spoon?  A-CHAAAAAA.  A-CHAAAAAA'.  Rangel Gets Censured..


     For those unfamiliar with the reference, that was from Coming to America, whose character is much like Rangel - in that Rangel is a black man who sounds like an old Jewish guy...



     Justice finally came down hard on Rangel this week, at least as far as Congress will go to convict one of it's own.  Rangel was censured by the Ethics committee for numerous violations, including non-disclosure of invetsments and income, and properties that he owned in cushy places like the Caribbean.  Simply put, Rangel proved that he is a hypocrite - that he makes one set of rules for his constituents, then tries to skirt all around those same rules.  Will he continue to be re-elected? Of course... Last month, he beat Adam Clayton Powell Jr., who by this age  most voters think Powell is the bass player for U2.



    Two funny things about this that SC voters might find interesting about Rangel's probable censure: First, Rangel will be reprimanded for financial chicanery in the same way that Joe Wilson was for just saying 'You Lie' at President Obama.  Seems a bit odd, but we guess Congress has a secret rule book that says 'Penalty for Stupidity = House Censure'.


    As usual, Rangel had plenty to say, but his gravelly voice resembles fingernails scratching against a blackboard so much, that we couldn't her it.... That was Rangel's gift, and we kind of appreciated it - his ability to go on Fox News or anywhere, and absolutely bullshit his ass off on anything with a straight face. No one's buying it anymore, Chuck.

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When You're At the Top - Or Near It - There Is Only One Way to Go, Jim....

Our Crystal Ball Says The Whipper's Days Are Numbered..


      Yesterday at work ,we got a phone call from out buddy and Four Horsemen member, Earl.  Aside from notifying us of his upcoming birthday bash, he passed on the news that our favorite congressman, and original muse for this blog, former House Majority Whip (we LOVE saying that!) Jim Clyburn, is slipping down the ladder a rung.  To us, with the impending news surrounding the rampant thievery at his top pork fund, SC State, we think Clyburn's tick down is just a small precursor to what will be happening soon.  Jim's heading for a mighty crash, and we're calling our shot...



     First, the news of today: With the defeat of the Democrats in the November elections, there is a logjam in the Minority leadership.  House Speaker Nancy Pelosi is out of a gig, but she isn't bowing out gracefully. Nope, San Fran Nan likes being the Head Cheese (and all the perks that go with it), and she is running for Minority Leader. That left Clyburn and former Majority Leader Steny Hoyer going for Minority Whip.  Of course, knowing that Hoyer is a much more effective leader and coalition builder, Clyburn's days seemed numbered. But, you never count out The Whipper, and in true pimpmaster fashion, Sly Cly made Pelosi create a new gig, just for him, in exchange for Clyburn's blessing to the Congressional Black Caucus of support for Pelosi.  What's in it for me, as usual... From now on, it's Minority Assistant Leader Clyburn. Whatever....



    However, those of you who think that this is just a small bump in Clyburn's road, think again.  Our advice to Jim is this: enjoy the view from the peak there, because it ain't going any higher.  Remember this post here today, because we're going to be able to say "I told you so" before you know it.... Clyburn is heading for a steep, rapid fall, and soon.  Why? Simple.  The James E. Clyburn Transportation School at SC State (his alma mater), which got somewhere in the neighborhood of $63 million federal dollars from what we remember, is under high scrutiny as to exactly where all the money is for the project... Word is that roughly HALF of the money is unaccounted for. Add to that the fact that the school has gone through president like you and I go through underwear the past few years, and there is the distinct smell of embezzlement....


    But, where is Jim in all this? At this point , we don't know, and it's not really our job to figure it out.  Here's what we see however: Clyburn worked the Federal Government to get all this money for his alma mater, whose educational reputation is right up there with Sister Anita Maria's School of Needlepoint, to develop the blueprint for America's transportation needs for the 21st Century .... and he did this out of the kindness of his heart?  C'mon.  Is the possibility that a political pimp like Clyburn - whose sole aim is to 'get what is ours' and also 'got what is his' a bit more than probable? 



    We all know of Clyburn's hypocrisy: the preacher's son who quotes bible verses all day, then sneaks off to his office to down some JD and Diet Cokes... Most congressmen say their doing it for their constituents, but most of us know better.  Clyburn is too old, and not really skilled enough to go into the private sector at this point.  The likelihood that he is cashing out under SC State's table is a real possibility. If proven, jumping off a cliff will be slower than the fall The Whipper takes....


    We'll mark it on the board right now: this will be Jim Clyburn's last term in Congress.  He lost his gig. Next, as the man who developed Barack Obama's policies (ones that have made his being re-elected almost impossible), he will now lose the President's ear, and reside at the 'Leader in Absentia' slot.  If the money trail leads anywhere near him with SC State, it is all over.... We'll see.

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If the Goal Was to Start Inflation, It's Working Already...

Fed's Plan to Relieve 'Underinflation' Hit Us at the Gas Pump...


      Those who know us well by now here know that we believe in a market driven economy. That the private industry is what pushes the economy, and that the government's role is to set the table for a healthy economy, to monitor it, and to regulate it where needed.  It's too bad that folks in DC don't realize this a lot.  Much like we overestimate our handsomeness or knowledge of everything, the Fed is again trying not to tinker, but to direct the economy where it should go.  Bad things generally happen when that occurs, and we're worried again....


    Yep, Ben Bernanke - who's only positive move in life is he was smart enough to leave Dillon and not come back - and his boys are trying to direct a cruise liner with a paddle. About $600 Billion of paddles...in an effort to stop what is called 'underinflation'. So far, it's worked, as long as you consider a 50 cent jack in gas prices good for the economy....


    Right now, the economy is stagnant. Nothing is moving, for good or bad.  Sometimes that can be construed as a not so bad thing. However, when you work in DC and are under a microscope, you feel that you HAVE to dick around with things.  So, while some of us consider right now a time to sit pat, allow consumers to save just a little longer before they finally decide to spend, and wait for a better 2011, The Fed has gone for broke...


   Their solution? Selling government bonds in installments, using it to perhaps lower interest rates so banks can lend more, thus creating spending, a healthy inflation rate, and avoiding the 'Lost Decade' that Japan had in the 90's... To our minute brains, this doesn't seem smart, nor effective enough.  For starters, take a look at interest rates. If you're looking to buy a home or car, the rates haven't been this good since my parents bought their first house in the 50's... Is another half-point or so really going to make much difference?


    Secondly, we'll attack the size of the move: $600 billion is roughly 2/3 the amount of the Stimulus Bill, which was a straight off spending of cash to add jobs, and worked minimally.  We're not saying that the amount is too small - we're saying that any amount the Fed or the Federal Government can outlay is insignificant to the size of the US Economy. In short, it will NEVER be enough....



     Thirdly, this once again has the potential to ruin the value of the dollar against foreign currencies, which kills Americans' buying power. Poor exchange rates mean less bang for the buck, and we can't afford things even more.  It also causes markets to dump paper investments, like stocks, for more tangible assets.  Need proof? We suggest going to the gas pump....



     Notice the price of gas jumped about half a buck since late September?  We did... We wondered what the hell was going on.  Hurricane in the Gulf? Nope... Terrorists in the Gulf blew up a platform? Un-uh.... Maybe OPEC of the refiners were rationing production again... No siree, Bob.  The reason gas prices went up was on the speculation that The Fed would do this move they are now trying. Yeah, we're all paying about $10 a week more in gas because investors thought this would happen, and the price of oil went up on that word alone. Guess they got it right. So, in short, The Fed was right even before they started this plan. That is actually where The Fed has it's real power: not in it's dollar power, but in it's percieved power. Too bad the market forgets sometimes who really has the power...



    It's another case of a desk jockey having a case of putting his finger on the chicken switch too soon.  It's a sad day when we think that things like 'too low inflation' exist... We've said it for awhile now: consumers aren't buying right now, and it's not altogether a bad thing.  God forbid we should actually save a couple dollars, rather than buy the newest I-Phone or Blue Ray Disc player... When we're ready to buy, we will - and nothing DC can do will affect it, unless adversely.  To us, making things more costly will only prolong the Recession- not shorten it.

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Today's Founders Quote: Vices

"Amplification is the vice of modern oratory."
-Thomas Jefferson.



  Actually, we didn't know they even had amplifiers back in the 18th and 19th Century.  As for us, our vices are nutty-hot women like Adrianne Curry....

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Cartoon of the Week, Part II: The Godfather

     Our second choice was Nancy Pelosi playing The Woltz Pictures movie producer to the GOP's Corleone Family.... Guess who gets the part in the movie???

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Cartoon of the Week, Part I: The Poseidon Adventure?

      We had two cartoons that we liked immediately, and they're both 1970's movie related, so we decided to go on that theme for this weekend.  First, we always like topical humor, so we picked Rogo, Preacher, Nancy Drew and that annoying kid from The Poseidon Adventure-like mess on the cruise ship in California this week...

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Don't Go 'Looking For Mr. Goodwrench' Anymore ...

Uhh..... No He Doesn't.


       You know things are getting tight with a company when they start even laying off fictional characters...... General Motors continues to slice and dice away at fixing it's company image. After lopping off 900 dealerships like a diseased left ear, GM announced that after 37 years, Mr. Goodwrench is getting his pink slip as well...


      In an effort to be more like their successful competitors, GM is getting rid of the Goodwrench name. This also just in.... Parkay has just burned Mother Nature at the stake, Palmolive sent Madge to a nursing home, and Maytag stoned The Repairman to death....


      Like most things carmakers do, it's more of a case of appearance than actual change.  It will still be the same technicians and advisors at the dealership, so what will be different? Nothing at all, for better or worse.  Maybe you'll feel better, and that's what really matters nowadays, right?  GM's decided that the blanket GM service is bland and lacks power, so they will be instituting a 'Certified Chevrolet/Cadillac/Buick' label for their used cars.  Cetrified Does at least sound better than Goodwrench Certified, doesn't it?


     Their real hope is that The Change (sounds like menospause in a way) will bring more customers in for service, which is where dealerships really make their money - or are at least supposed to.  Will it help? Our guess is that it will help used car sales a bit, but service may not change much.  In our year and a half at Chevrolet dealers, we found Chevy people to be a worst case scenario: people who buy cheap, substandardly made cars, don't keep them up, then are stunned when they break...  Yeah, if you can hardly afford a new car, servicing it is tough... but it's no accident that doing what we in the business tell you to do makes your car last longer. And you thought we were bullshitting you into that transmission service!


     Here's the MSN article on it:

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/top-stocks/blog.aspx?post=99d09818-fbbe-4399-8e8a-2d42e0b84ce5

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Diluting the Baseball Hall of Fame Water Further...

We're Sorry, But George Steinbrenner Doesn't Get the Thumbs Up For the HOF With Us...


     As a lifelong Yankee fan who can remember almost the entire George Steinbrenner Ownership Era, we think we have the fan's perspective of what will be going on this week in Cooperstown.  We all know that Baseball has the most stringent qualifications for induction into the Hall of Fame: 75% of all writers and members must vote for you, or you don't get in. Is it fair? Maybe not, but it is what it is. As John Bender said in The Breakfast Club, 'Doors slam shut - the world is an Imperfect Place'.  Quite appropriate in our view....


    For those players who don't make it after 15 years, they are eligible to be voted in by the Veterans Committee, a smaller group perhaps more knowledgable about the older players.  We'll for those who think that one or two players a year is unfair (liberals who also think that every kid deserves a trophy in soccer as well), Baseball has something you'll love...


     It's called the Expansion Era Committee.  Yes, since baseball expanded in 1970, the rules did not follow. So, they've decided to make a special panel of writers and HOF players from the era to pick others. Qualifying is the same - 75%, but the panel only has 12 members.  So, as long as you get the OK from NINE PEOPLE (as opposed to 300 plus for regular induction), you're in.  


    Even as a Yankee fan, the list doesn't leave much to argue for: Tommy John, who won an assload of games, but lost a lot as well. Ron Guidry, who was without a doubt the best pitcher in his prime, but didn't string enough years for a HOF induction, and The Boss himself, George Steinbrenner. In fact, three of the 12 eligible inductees didn't play the game .  That is our problem...


    Yes, Steinbrenner's impact on the business side of baseball was unmatched by any owner, but to us, to get into the Hall, you need to have stepped foot between the white lines during the nine innings. No offense to Steinbrenner, he didn't play, thus his honor should be limited to Monument Park in left field at Yankee Stadium.  As for the players, there are sensible reason for each of them not to be in Cooperstown.  Al Oliver and Ted Simmons were very good players, but the 'elite tag' didn't quite apply, thus a Hall induction this way is like the dreaded asterisk that insults players so much...


    Just like expansion diluted the talent pool on the field, Expansion Era Committee induction dilutes the membership of the honorees there as well.  Baseball is a tough business, and the Hall is especially tough. It is what it is .... and it should stay that way. Perfectly imperfect, in our view.

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Paper Ballots = Big Expense, Waste...

Here's Our Suggestion: You Want a Receipt? Then Drop a Dollar in the Ballot Box. THERE'S YOUR PROOF ......


      America sometimes makes us a little sick as it goes along.  No one liked paper ballots, or the huge pull arm polling stations. So, they came up with electronic voting. But, since we are a nation of paaranoia, everyone thinks they're too apt to failure and tampering - as opposed to throwing a box full of paper ballots in the Black Creek...


     So, here in Yankeeville, they came up with another wrinkle to assuage their fears - the paper ballot for electronic voting. It's like a big Scantron Sheet, similar to when you took the SAT or ASVAB tests in High School.  You fill it out, the machine reads it, and processes the votes into the machine, where it is reviewed by the voter, who then approves it. Sounds all fine and well, right?  Sure, but there is one major, costly problem....


    You see, the local election boards must guess exactly how many people will come to the polls in November.  A good forecaster will be worth his weight in gold, but this is a local government department we're talking about, where a college degree is about as rare as Halley's Comet.  Let's just say the guesstimates up here were kinda off - WAY OFF...


   According to n article in yesterday's Newsday, Nassau and Suffolk counties printed 1,780,000 total ballots. At first thought, 'Wednesday, Thursday, Friday' is our first thought. There are barely 3 million total residents in both counties. Our guess is that they printed one for every single registered voter on Long Island.  Even basing estimates from the mammoth 2008 presidential vote wouldn't cause them to print a million. This was an midterm election, so our first thought is to print a half million....But what do we know.



    So, how many were used?  Right where we said as a guess - 515,000.  So, both counties are left with nearly 1.3 MILLION unused ballots at 59 cents a pop to print, which is about $800,000 ... It gets worse. They have to keep all those unused ballots in storage until the next election cycle in two years, which is expected to tack on another half million dollars.  Sick yet?  That sound you hear is the giant sucking sound of wasted tax dollars...


   No, electronic voting is not perfect. But, there hasn't been a case of tampering proven yet. Yeah, they lock up and crash at times, but a vote hasn't been proven to be lost yet.  For some of us, that's not good enough. We need to come up with other ideas to make them feel more secure - and it costs more. It always costs more... Here's our solution: you want a frickin' piece of paper to feel like your vote counted?  Pay a buck at the poll.  Not good enough, tough shit.  It's only worked this way for the past 230 years....

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Today's Founders Quote: Seeing and Feeling

'Democratical States must always feel before they can see.. It is this that makes their governments slow, but the people will be right at last!'

-George Washington.


  Two hundred and thirty years later, and a truer statement may not exist.  Foresight may no always be America's greatest asset, but once we feel the effect of a policy decision, we recognize it, and act.  As for seeing and feeling Natasha Marley, it wouldn't take us long to act upon that idea...


www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHTdrPL22-Y&feature=related

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Who Shut the Heat Off?

      Yeah, it snowed here..... already.  Not this much, just some good flurries for about an hour, but even for Long Island, snow on November 8th is very early.  It took everyone by surprise - even the weatherman on the Live News. They'll get that way when the 'current temp' reads 43 degrees, but the traffic report shows snow...


    Apparently, it was so windy (about 45 MPH) that the colder upper air pushed it's way down and made the west stuff freeze.  For a further explanation, we take you to Bobby in the SC6 Weather Center.... It was a bit of a nice surprise. Who wouldn't rather see snow than rain?  Still, if this is an indication of Winter 2010-11, it could be another ugly one. Blame it on Reino again...

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Post Number 2900: Our Congressmen Are More Interesting Than Yours

We're Just Glad It Wasn't Puck Who Got Elected....


    For a party that has a reputation as being stuffy and dull, we Republicans do tend to elect some pretty interesting candidates to Congress.  Whether it be the widow of a 60's Pop Icon, Cooter from the Dukes of Hazzard, or the Yeoman Purser from The Love Boat, the GOP occasionally will rip off a good one.  For the MTV Generation like myself, we finally have one we can identify with...


     If the name Sean Duffy doesn't ring a bell for you, we'll just say three words: The Real World.  Duffy appeared on the show in it's heyday.  His particular skill?  Tree climbing.  Growing up in Wisconsin, climbing trees in those big spiky boots is old hat. But, even in Cheddar Country, Duffy was exceptional. Now you probably remember him. If not, we wonder where you were in the early 90's...


    After TRW, Duffy appeared on Road Rules, where he met his wife, who was a hottie from an earlier Real World, and they have six kids. Yeah, they've been busy.  Eventually, Duffy got his law degree and worked his way through the GOP. His win was a big indicator of the change of 2010. He took over the seat of the retiring David Obey, who seemed to be Wisconsin's own version of John Spratt -  a former moderate who grew tired of pushing Nancy Pelosi's bullshit. At least he was smart enough to quit...


    Do we expect to see Duffy walking 90 degrees up the Capitol Rotunda in his spiky boots? No, but he could if he wanted to.... We'll settle for some sensible, fiscally responsible legislation. If that fails, then he can break out the boots.

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SC .......7?

I Didn't Make This Map ... It's Already Been There



       While on Facebook today, I had an indirect chat with 2/3 of the other Four Horsemen. The topic of conversation? The possibility of a 7th Congressional district in South Carolina.  Honestly, despite all the assurances of people in the Palmetto State, I don't think we're getting one - but it does make an interesting discussion.  


      What makes me pretty sure about this? Two things. First, NO ONE in South Carolina has any control over how many seats a state gets. That's up to the Federal Government, and I read an official estimate from whatever agency controls that, stating that according to their estimates, SC will just miss out.  Don't ask me what agency that is. Honestly, I forgot. But I'll take their word over my local state rep or senator... Secondly, the numbers (my favorite thing) back that up.  The estimated population in the US is over 300 million. Divide that by 435 seats, and that equals about 689,000 people per seat.  Multiply that by 7 seats, and South Carolina would need 4,875,000 citizens to qualify.  They will probably miss out by at least 400,000.  Methinks it ain't gonna happen...


    Still, we'll ignore reason temporarily... Just where would the 7th be? Would the Pee Dee and Grand Strand get their seat back, or would Greenville and Spartanburg get the divorce that both want so badly? Perhaps both.  I was going to look for a suggestive map, but it turns out there already is one - or more correctly, WAS one.



    For those of you who know their history, South Carolina has had seven districts before.  This is the map of the Old Seven, which went from 1883 until 1933, when they lost a seat.  So, the roadmap for 2013 is kind of already in place.  First you'll notice, it's not gerrymandered, mainly because SC was so one sided, that districts didn't need to be gerrymandered.  But, for the most part, it works today....


    Yes, the new 7th would be the Pee Dee and Grand Strand, with the likelihood that it would be Republican.  As for the 6th, Jim Clyburn would be a Columbia-based district, which I'm sure he wouldn't mind. He essentially would give up North Charleston for all of Columbia. The only obvious change I see here is him giving up Lexington County for Orangeburg.  Joe Wilson's area stays the same for the most part, although the upper counties shown here would fall into the 3rd.  Mick Mulvaney would lose the Pee Dee (good for him), and with a little tinkering, the 3rd and 4th districts might be split between the Two Sisters (Greenville & Spartanvegas). 


    So, the addition of a 7th district would be a good thing for the GOP, right? Not necessarily.... We foresee Tim Scott as a huge potential loser here.  A 7th would chop half of his district up - the good half.  Horry County is much more Red than Chucktown.  Add the possibility of taking on North Charleston, which is bluer than a Fraternal of Police convention, and Scott has a problem.  His only savior, ironically, may be Clyburn himself.  The Whipper likes not having to worry about re-election every 2 years, and North Chucktown goes a long way towards ensuring that.  It all boils down to whether Clyburn is more concerned about himself or his party's success. We think we know his priorities....Scott may be safe after all.


    For all the discussion here, we still think it's all masturbatory... But, it does at least give some of us a chance to exercise our brains for a while. 

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Today's Founders Quote: Celestial Fire

'Labor to keep alive in your breast that little spark of celestial fire called Conscience.'

-George Washington.


   This is our little bit of advice for our new Congressmen and Senators, and the old ones as well..... As for the quote - Breast? Danneel Harris?  Damn, that one is TOO EASY....

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Cartoon of the Week...

       Obviously, the GOP comeback in the House and Senate was the top story for the political cartoonists this week.  Some were better than others, but we gave the nod to this one.  Madame Speaker, you are excused....


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Today's Founders Quote: Consent

'Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the Governed.'

- Declaration of Independence, 1776.


   For all of those newly elected, and re-elected people across the US, we remind you of your duty. You have our consent, but remember how you got here, because we'll be glad to revoke that consent.. Meanwhile, Melinda Clarke is showing her 'just powers'. She might be 41, but she's got our consent...

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