SC6's Civil War Rewind, Part Seven: The New Chief

George McClellan Takes Over For The North.... And the Love/Hate Relationship With Lincoln Begins.


     Welcome to the latest installment of our Civil War rememberance, as it happened 150 years earlier - or close to it.  After the First Bull Run (Manassas to those of you south of the Mason-Dixon line), the North realized two things: that this would not be a quick and easy war, and that they were woefully unprepared or trained.  Abraham Lincoln knew that Irvin McDowell was the wrong man for both of those jobs.  He searched for a replacement to lead his troops, and decided on George McClellan.  He was half right....



     McClellan was regarded as a great preparer of armies, and he did that well.  He grew the size of the troops, taught them how to be disciplined soldiers, and in doing so, gave them a feeling of pride.  But, McClellan failed at two things.  First he built an army, but almost refused to use it.  Lincoln became frustrated with McClellan as time went on, asking if McClellan was too leery to use the army, that 'I would like to borrow it for a while'...



     As bad as that was, McClellan had a worse trait - his arrogance.  He openly insulted Lincoln and anyone who disagreed with him at every turn.  He often referred to Lincoln as a baboon or gorilla.... Today, that MIGHT get you fired, but Lincoln ignored him for a while, hoping to trade the insults for victories.  No victories came.. McClellan had a knack for overestimating his opponent's troop size, and thus asking that more troops be added. 



      We'll document the Lincoln-McClellan tiff along the way: from his 'Virginia Creeper' campaign (which took 9 months to start), to his underestimating a newly appointed general named Robert E. Lee - and the asswhipping Lee gave him in the Seven Days campaign, to McClellan's refusal to chase Lee after winning at Antietam, which was the final straw with Lincoln.  McClellan's response?  He ran against Lincoln for President in 1864.  It's all pretty interesting....


    Yeah, it's neat to go back to the beginning of something good or bad.  in this case, there were both.  If McClellan were just put in charge to train an army, the war might have been shorter.  But it was what it was, and Lincoln went through a slew of generals, until he pulled a once-fired drunk out of the West, nearly 2 years later.  But, it all started 150 years ago this week.

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Lindsay Lohan: You're About Three Years Too Late

 Which Lindsay Would You Rather See In Playboy.... This One, Or This ?????

It's kind of ironic that it's Halloween week for this post, which is number 3200 by the way.. Because much like a pumpkin that as been left on the porch a week or two too long, Lindsay Lohan has decided to pose nude for Playboy....  By our count, it's way past due.  Those of your who follow our blog know that we always had a soft spot for redheads, but the expiration date for Lohan has long since passed.

Not to be overly harsh, but time has not been kind to Lindsay lately.  It almost looks like on eof those year by year mug shots of those people addicted to meth... Yeah, it looks THAT bad.  They can slap a coat of bondo on her face, and soften up the pics as much they can, but it will be sheer curiousity.  Let's hope she gets her act together, because it's pretty apparent that she's not quite there..

Rewarding Bad Behavior.... Again.

You Want Fries With That House?  If You Aren't Making $500k a Year, You Shouldn't Be In That Hut.


     Well, the Obama administration is trying to figure out ways to both save voters money, and convert a few of those votes into re-election next year.  Let's be honest.... EVERYTHING is aimed at being re-elected.  Since his American Jobs Act is stalled (or at least sputtering) in Congress, Barack Obama is trying to find ways to put money back into the pockets of citizens.  While we think there are ways to do it without government involvement, his Mortgage Assistance Plan falls short, for a number of reasons....



     The big complaint during the Bank Bailout was that there was nothing in it for the taxpayers who had trouble affording the mortgages they signed up for.  Now, the point of the bailout wasn't to save a mortgage, it was to save jobs for the millions of employees in the banking industry.. and it worked.  Since then, millions of people have refinanced their homes to much lower interest rates.  So, who is the plan supposed to work for?



     Well, it has certain criteria: first, you have be on time with your payments for the past 6 months.  Secondly, your principal balance has to be 25% or above the current market value.  One these 2 points alone, this plan is a hot mess.... First off, if you are on time for 6 months in a row, you ARE current.  If you are making your payments on time for a mortgage YOU signed up for, why is the Federal Government assisting you?


     Onto Point Two.... The bailout occured three years ago.  So, either of two instances happened:  you bought a mortgage AFTER the bailout, or you overbought a house.  You did it either by buying at the peak of the market - which is your fault.  Or, the more likely situation, you bought too much house.   If you lost value from the market drop, you are still able to afford the payment, and don't need help.  You lost paper equity, not actual cash.  In time, the market will go back up, and you will be in the black.  If you are like so many others, who bought a McMansion with a 5 yr mortgage on a house you couldn't afford, then I have NO sympathy for you.  Foreclose and move on....


     Another thing to consider.. This will be a regional plan.  Not everywhere had a severe market drop.  Florence and the rest of South Carolina had relatively low dip - definitely not 25%.  The only areas in SC that would see cash is on the coast, so if you want to waste taxpayer dollars on somebody's beach house on Hilton Head Island....  Overall, this is a bailout for the Northeast, Florida, California and Las Vegas.  So, 300 million pay for helping 900,000.  But that 900,000 can be the difference between winning and losing.  Oh, BTW... Is Florida an important state next November?


     In short, all of the criteria to qualify you for this plan already qualifies you to refinance ON YOUR OWN... That is what America is all about.  Being responsible.  We don't like to reward bad behavior.  Sometimes, we do it anyway, but it has to end at some point.  The rewards have to end.  Rates are low - fix it yourself.

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They'll Ignore The Gut, and Focus On the Green.. To a Point.

Fat & Rich:  Was Boss Hogg a Ladies Man?


      You've seen it.  We've seen it.  A hot woman with an ugly, fat guy... And the same thought comes to mind - he must have pulled her from a burning building.  No, just kidding.  The thought is, 'He must have money'..   It's a bit harsh, but according to a recent survey, it's true.  Women will put up with the gut - as long as there is some green....


      Don't ask who put this survey out.  All I know is I heard it from the local news last week, so I don't know if it was the New England Journal of Medicine, or Stuff Magazine.  Basically, a woman will stay with a man that gets old and fat, as long as he is making money.  Of course he's making more money - if he were broke, he'd be LOSING weight, not gaining it!  In short, if you're poor, that gut is a problem, if you're rich, it's cute...



     Now, if you're one of these guys lucky enough to have this 'problem', don't get so confident... It has a limit, and on average, that limit is 20 pounds.  Yes, there is a cute paunch, and then there is 'my hubby is turning into Fat Bastard, and it's time to cash out, and hook up with the landscaper with the 6-pack abs'..... Be warned, Cubsie Ubsie - you might want to sacrifice just a bit of that cash, and hit the gym an hour or two a week... 


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Someone, Please Find This Man a Job in the Party..

Bill Connor For SC6 Chairman ????


    This year, many Republicans were working hard to draft decent Presidential candidates.  While it mostly failed, there are always examples of drafting people to run for office, or jobs within the party.  On our recent trip, there was an obvious draft effort out there, and it's not a bad idea...


    Former Lt. Governor and SCGOP Chair candidate Bill Connor drove up I-95 to visit the Clarendon County GOP meeting a couple weeks back.  On numerous occasions, Connor was publickly mentioned as an ideal candidate to fill the upcoming SC6 Chair position being opened with redistricting.  Honestly, we felt it was a job beneath Connor, but the important thing is if Connor wants the gig.....


    Bill Connor came pretty close in both his campaigns for Lt. Governor and SCGOP Chair.  He lost a tough campaign to Ken Ard, and if he had gotten in a lot earlier, he may very well be Chairman today.  But, those are the breaks.  A district chair is a much smaller, thankless and unfunded job.  Having a 7th district will make it easier to over an area, as opposed to the gerrymandered bullshit I endured in the old 6th (2 1/2 hours to Edisto Beach? Please!!). 


    Mostly, the job is a title, and being a County Chair or on the Executive Committee is a bigger job.  Essentially, it is what you make of it, but if Connor is looking for that title, he would undoubtedly be a Chair with the biggest name.  If he wants it, he's earned it.  They could do a LOT worse....

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SC6, Where Even Our Fantasy Football Players Are Studs!

      OK, maybe it should be 'Where Everyone Else Here Is a Stud'... One guy that fits that bill with us is New England Patriots Tight End (insert joke here), Rob Gronkowski.  Not only has he been a key saving grace for our Running Back-less Fantasy Football team, Crusty Lombardi, but he managed another check off the Bucket List: hang with a porn star.


   Yep, in a bit of a media coup, Gronko ended up in a private picture with Porn Star, Bibi Jones.  Both Jones and Gronkowski say nothing happened - too bad in our book. Gronkowski seems to be taking a lot of heat from tight-assed football fanatics, particularly in Massatooshits.  To us, they should lighten up.  Football geeks live and die football, nothing else.  Might we suggest, as Shatner said, that they get a life.  No harm, no foul. Now go out there, and get me some more fantasy points..... the ones that count!

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Today's Founders Quote: Beginnings and Endings

"Of those men who have overturned the liberties of republics, the greatest number have begun their career by paying an obsequious court to the people, commencing demagogues and ending tyrants."

- Alexander Hamilton, 1787.


   In short, Hamilton is stating the old adage that absolute power corrupts absolutely.  Sounds like a nice case for term limits.  Think maybe if Congressmen and Senators KNEW they were leaving, they might do the right thing for the country, without worrying about being re-elected?  Then again, maybe not...  For some people, it begins and ends with 'Dear John' (shot in SC!) star Amanda Seyfried.  Then again, Carol has a huge crush on her co-star, Channing Tatum.  To each his/her own.

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Cartoon of the Week

     Gotta say, it was a week period for the cartoons.  One proclaimed Rick Perry's campaign dead (perhaps a bit premature), and a very cliche' Halloween cartoon, but not a lot actually happened this week. It happens....


    With little else to go with, we picked one that equates Mitt Romney and the GOP like a woman being courted - but still looking for something better.  Don't we know about that!  Winner by default....


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Well NBA Fans, There's Always Hockey ....

Nothing Like a Couple of Number 40-Something Goons Going at It, Is There ????


      Time for an obviously racist statement.  We don't like the NBA... College hoops is cool with us, but there is something about the NBA that doesn't excite us in the least.  We follow the Knicks, but that's just about it.  Be it the punk lifestyle that too many (not all) NBA players seem to have, the inability of today's players to do the basics, like shooting or free throws, or just ESPN jamming everything NBA down our throats for the past decade, we don't know...


      No, of course it's not a racist statement.  Some people might see it that way, but we grew up on hockey, and Winter is always hockeytime for us.  No, there is a lot less scoring than the 190 pts the NBA pops out like a crack addict per game.  But, there is no doubt the skill level is much higher than in basketball.  Need proof?  How many of you can ice skate?  Case closed...


     Nope, the NBA may not play at all this year.  So, with that in mind, we invite you to become a Hockey fan.  Need a team to root for?  Might we suggest the New York Islanders, whose coach, Jack Capuano, was the first coach for Florence's own Pee Dee Pride.  Try it..... You might like it.


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SC6 Reviews It's Visit Home to the Pee Dee

The Four Horsemen Ride Again ..... Although Earl Looks Like He's Talking Like an Italian With His Hands - Mamma Mia!

    It's been a busy couple weeks since we took our trip back to Flotown, and other spots in South Carolina.  Gotta say, we had a great time.  We got to do just about everything, and see everyone we wanted to during the trip. 


    We spoke for more than just a few minutes at the Clarendon (or Moyeland, as they now call it) GOP meeting.  SCGOP Chair Chad Connelly stopped by to let us know ahead that January 21st would be the Primary date.  Connelly seems like one of those guys who remembers everyone he's met, which is a good skill to have.  Thanks to Moye for letting me indulge myself with what was basically my going away speech... Here's a couple pics.

Earl and I celebrate getting a free pound of some yummy D&H Barbeque !!  Thumbs up, Miss June..

Is the Earl / Stephanie rumor true ????  Nah!  Just the Florence Vice-Chair coming to visit Manning...






    Next, it was onto Doug's Harley-Davidson, where I got a few shirts for friends in NY, and then Friday night,  I went to dinner with P-Luv and none other than Ms. X....  It had been 2 1/2 years since I last saw her, and she was as pretty and funny as she ever was.  We all had a few drinks and eat some Creek Ratz fried pickles, and caught up. 


    Saturday was a more domestic day, as I spent the time with Bobby, Chris and their wives and babies (literally).  It's funny how things have changed a bit in the last couple years.  Lots of my buddies are having kids, while I am still the eternal punk - and neither of us knows who to be jealous of!   The grass is always greener, right?


    When will I be coming back?  I'm not sure.  I'm planning on a return trip possibly in March, to make sure the house is ready for Spring sale.  Yeah, it's up and been up for sale, but the market really sucks right now.  But, after having had such a good time on this trip, I won't mind coming back soon!  Thanks to everyone for coming to visit...

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Tim Tebow Becomes A Verb ??

More Proof It's Tim Tebow's World - And You're Just Living In It!


      No, we don't think 'Tebowing' (re: Praying on One Knee) will rival to 'Hickey' someone.  But, it does give an idea of the size of Tebowmania - at least when you're 1-0.  Granted, lots of players have been praying in the NFL for years.  Maybe it's because most of the players in the NFL are black, maybe not.  Somehow, they don't give the impression of a Crusader, with a Bible in one hand, and a football in the other, that Tebow does...


     We all love Tim Tebow, and we want him to succeed.  He's a great guy - almost too nice to be true.  Can he do in denver what he did in Gainesville?  Probably not.  Only if the defense can give up less than 14 points every game, will he win more than he loses.  Still, it's interesting to see people notice a guy praying on the field.  He and the Broncos are gonna need it....

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No Sit-In's Needed ..

See, Americans Can Get Wall Street to Listen.... Without All the Public Urination and Lack of Bathing!

    They backed off.  We complained, and they listened.  Who? Bank of America.  What?  B of A's unpopular plan to start charging it's Debit Card customers a $5 a month service charge...  Power to the People!!


   Now, did they go to Bank of America's headquarters, to wrap the building with yellow police tape, and proclaim the place a crime scene?  Nope.  They just called B of A, told them it sucked, and they could expect them to use another bank.  That is their right.  It's Bank of America's right to overcharge, and lose all of it's business if it wants to.  They can also recognize the error, and not do it.


   We're wondering if anyone in those tents in Zucotti Park and other places around the country noticed that little tidbit of successful protest.  Ahh, but that is SOOOOOO boring!  They didn't make a single TV appearance. Plus, what would the Occupy Wall Street people do with all that leftover craypaper and markers???!!!

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Not a Snowball's Chance in Long Island ??

Here We Go Again !!!!!



     No, we're not expecting a foot around here tonight... Snow here this time of year is like it snowing at anytime in South Carolina - all the factors have to be perfect.  They're talking a trace to 2 inches, if at all.  In fact, it's only snowed three times this early EVER.  The last time was 1952.


    Still, the thought hasn't been lost on us that it has been snowing more and more often ever since...... well, since we got back.  Maybe it will, maybe it won't.  We'll see.  Until then, we still ain't getting a snow shovel!

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Today's Quote: Hanging Together

"We must all hang together, or assuredly, we shall all hang separately."

- Benjamin Franklin, at the Declaration of Independence signing, 1776.


    Again, we hit on the unity theme. Even then, there were divisions: North and South, gentlemen farmers vs. industrial businessmen.  Yet, there was a greater goal to overcome those divisions.   One thing that could unify most of us is Alessandra Ambrosio.  Yowza !!

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Ever Wish You Were Someone Else for a Second?

       I had this forwarded to me on my Facebook page earlier this week, and all we have to say is WBTW- TV13 anchor Bob Juback is a freakin' stud !!!!  Flanked by his longtime co-anchor Nicole Boone, and recent TV-13 addition, Wendi Redman, Juback is doing his best version of The Ladies Man....


     The ironic part is that the photo was posted by Boone herself, so we're cool with it too... Juback posted that he 'doesn't remember when this was taken', but we think this moment would be tattooed on his brain for decades.  Like we say, we wouldn't mind being the Man Meat in the middle of that Babe Sandwich!!  Kudos to the trio for having a sense of humor, and for not grabbing the weathergirl and doing a cliched 'Charlie's Angels' ripoff....

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Elmo's Got the Answer For Bipartisanism ??

Congressman Elmo (I-Sesame Street) Testifies Before a Joint Panel On Unity to Promote..... Play Dates??


     It's not often that a cuddly red muppet gets asked how to fix partisan politics in our nation's capital... It's even rarer for him to give an answer - and maybe a good one at that.  Forget Joe the Plumber - it's time to draft Elmo!



    Our fluffy buddy, who resembles a Love Child between Grover and a Red Velvet cake, was giving an interview on television earlier this week.  Suddenly, he was asked what he would do to solve the lack of bipartisanship in DC.  His answer?  Play Dates.  Not a bad idea at all....


    Before you dismiss Elmo for Congress, think about it.  For the past couple decades, the battle lines have been drawn.  Rarely do Democrats and Republicans talk to each other, much less negotiate legislation on the big issues.  We've all heard the stories from Tip O'Neill back in the old days, where he said as soon as the gavel struck, both sides would go to the local watering hole - and THAT'S where most compromises (not a bad word, folks) were brokered.


    No, we're not promoting 535 elected officials to become alcoholics (or are we?), but we're sure hey must have SOME mutual interests outside of work.  Recently, I had a customer who was being a bit of an a-hole.  But, rather than let it ruin the whole customer-advisor relationship, I saw he had a Derek Jeter 3K wristband on his stick shift.  All I had to do was show him my pic of 2999 on my phone, and all the distrust went out the window...  That's all it takes.  Elmo for Congress, although this may not be his best slogan...

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The Appalachian Trail Ends at Fox News.....

Since Daniel Craig Still Has That James Bond Gig Tied Up..


     ATTENTION:  We actually have South Carolina political news! Congrats to former South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford on his new gig as an analyst for Fox News.  We're not sure how well Marshall will do in his first major endeavor since his term ended last year.  After all, he's not exactly a speaker that grabs you by the heart or stones, an demands your attention.  Then again, neither is Charles Krauthammer, and we listen to him.


    Nice to see that another of our good friends has climbed the media ladder.  Now , we're just waiting for ONE of these guys to call us away from the dealership....  Waiting.  Still waiting......

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We'll Admit..... Qaddafi Surprised Us This Time

Libyan Strongman Goes Down Swinging... Kinda.


    While we don't always make predictions publicly, we basically try to look into our crystal ball, and forecast what is to come.  Now, some things are easier to predict than others:  Chances are, Jim Clyburn will vote 'no' on just about everything that comes through the House, the New York Islanders will lose more games than they win, and Lindsay Lohan will end up in rehab/community service at some point in any calendar year.  It's easy when you have consistent data to go on.  Picking the fate of a nutty dictator is tougher.... and we guessed wrong.


     Nope, we never saw Moammar Qaddafi ending up dead in the back of a pickup truck with a 'stray bullet' in his head after hiding in a sewer drain.  We kinda thought he'd end up in Switzerland, fighting extradition, and maybe ending up in The Hague, and eventually becoming a Fox News Middle East contributor.  But, he said he would fight to the death.... and he was more right than we were.


   Now, do we think for a second that Qaddafi suddenly got stuck in a firefight AFTER he was taken by rebel troops in his home town?  Uhh, not for a minute.  Yeah, he's there bleeding and scared with the camera on - then suddenly, he'd got a bullet in his head while being surrounded by a dozen people.... and the camera was off.  We believe they call it Street Justice.  Or vengeance - you decide.


    No, we aren't crying a single tear for Qaddafi, but he was interesting in the kooky Stupid Uncle kinda way.... And when the shit hit the fan, he seemed to have enough sense to read the tea leaves, and stay in power.  There is a bit of a void in the Nutty Dictator category now.  Mahmoud Ahmadinejad?  Nah, too consistently stupid.   Bashir Assad?  BOOOOOOOring!  Kim Jung Il?  Even we can't pick on guys who had a stroke.  Ever see us pick on Kirk Douglas? Now you know why...


     Maybe we'll switch continents, and start busting Hugo Chavez's chops all over Venezuela.  Yeah, he had Cancer, but you recover from that often, with no mental side effects.  We're trying to be fair here... But, he'll have a hard time matching Qaddafi's bizarro charisma, and his kickass wardrobe.  There's always room in the closet though....

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Today's Founders Quote: Blank Paper

"Our peculiar security is in the possession of a written Constitution. Let us not make it a blank paper by construction."

-Thomas Jefferson to Wilson Nicholas, 1803.


      Yes, the making of a written, concrete Constitution from the outset (or near it) was what made America different, and it became the template for all other democracies after it.  It is in this document that provides security for all it's citizens that they will be safe and properly represented.  Not too peculiar to us is Cintia Dicker (we'll skip the desire to comment on that).  Redhead + booty + freckles = Hottie in our book!   It's simple mathematics....

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Cartoon of the Week...

      We always like when a cartoonist can take a topical story, and put a political twist on it.  If you missed the story about a guy releasing dozens of wild animals from his home in Ohio, now you know about it.   Not sure if any of them were registered Republicans or Democrats....

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The Senate Democrats Must Be Really Stupid .....

Don't Try to Pass the Part of the Jobs Act That Will Pass, Harry.... No, Go For the Reason Why It Failed..


      Ever catch yourself yelling at the TV or radio when you hear news that makes you.... well, mad enough to yell in the first place?   As we all know, President Obama said 'take it or leave it' with his new American Jobs Act.... and the Senate left it.


     Ever willing (kinda) to pass whatever could pass, and help someone somewhere get a job or two, Obama said let's try it piece by piece.  You would think that the White House would sit down with Senate Majority leader Harry Reid, and go for the part/parts that would easily pass first, then go for other parts later.  To us, there was one piece that would pass in a second - The Payroll Tax cut.



     Well, there we are, listening to POTUS radio, and Reid (with or without guidance from Obama, we don't know) announced that they would instead be going for passing the bill for Aid to States.  Essentially, they would be again be sending money to the states to pay for teachers, cops and firefighters.  Basically people who are represented by unions and the NEA.  Who pays for it? About 300,000 upper income people - 75% of whom were listed as business owners.  So, they are taxing people who might/will hire on their own, but instead now will have to pay for state and local governments who can't balance a budget...


   Now, you can argue about the rightness/wrongness of the theory.  Our main point today is that you start with the most universally accepted part of the bill to get things started.  Reidtard must a damned idiot for going for the toughest part first.  You go for the one both sides can make good will with, then hope for the happiness to continue.  But no, he went the liberal payback route, and sought to repay his buddies first, even if everything else goes bad.


   Right now, we foresee a situation where not one of these sublet bills can pass if they try it in this order.  Maybe Reid will listen to the sense we're trying to make here, although we doubt he's a fan.  OK, maybe someone else will talk sense to the Senate Majority Weiner... Millions of Americans are hoping so...

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Clarendon Has Their Biggest Guest Ever..... Me !

The French Hens Is the Place, Thursday Is the Day....



      Unlike our Springtime visit, our social calendar is filling up quickly... We'll be leaving New York in the dead of night (and possibly the rain) and making a beeline for Flotown.  After a quick catnap, we'll be heading to The French Hens restaurant on Boyce Street in Manning for the Clarendon County Republican Party meeting...


     Moye Graham has always been the top small county Chairman, who has the ability to attract the top speakers and candidates in the state, and he succeeded again.  I'll be saying hi to all my political friends in South Carolina.  By the way, the opening act for me is none other than SCGOP Chairman, Chad Connelly.  I was aiming for Weezer , but Chad will do I suppose.... Connelly actually has another engagement in Columbia later that day, so he will be speaking early (about 530), so come early. I promise I will be quick. Better to give a sharp five minute speech than a 30 minute dud!

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Today's Founders Quote: Private Pursuits

"In our private pursuits it is a great advantage that every honest employment is deemed honorable. I am myself a nail-maker."

- Thomas Jefferson, 1795.



    There IS honor is all work.  We've done it all - some jobs for more money than others....  Most of our founding fathers were ordinary businesspeople.  They understood that the most important thing for America to succeed then - and now - is that we all have work.  One thing we'd like to pursue is Kate Upton.  Using the 'Nail' analogy was too easy!


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Cartoons of the Week...

     Lots of topics to choose from this week... We could have picked from five cartoons, but we cut it down to two:  We never bought an i-Mac, or I-Pod, I-Phone or I-Pad, but we can easily recognize Steve Jobs brilliance....   Jobs was the rarest of people - a Genius and a Dreamer.  One without the other makes you great. Having both makes you almost immortal....



    

       It seems like someone caught Michael Moore's Capitalism: A Love Story, and took Moore's advice to heart.  A Corporate/Financial Spring as it were.... From what we've seen, it's not a mass protest of the poor - they're all too busy working to pay the bills - but a pile on of college kids and union members joining the party.  Like Jobs, they're a bunch of dreamers.  Unlike Jobs, there's not a Genius in the group.  But at least they'll great stories to tell their kids...

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And Now, We Can Relax.....

     I stole this from a buddy's Facebook page....Two days and 12 posts later, it's time to rest.  We thought we had plans for Friday and Saturday, but that fell through.  So, we blogged... Today, there is plenty for us to enjoy: football, food shopping, a birthday party (psst, I got Joe Jets tickets, don't tell him) and the sun is out, therefore SOMEONE will get awakened, and the Harley is gonna be ridden today!   Enjoy the day, and hopefully work will be better than mine has been lately....


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Congressman Bauer ?

This Sign Is From an Interchange in the Grand Strand or Pee Dee, Right?  No?  Our Point Exactly ....


     Very briefly, we like Andre Bauer. It seems sometimes that we don't.  Nothing personally against him. it just always seems to be that a lot of the time, when Bauer runs for an office, we find someone we think is better suited to the gig.  We know the feeling well.  We finished second twice, you know.



    We've been hearing rumblings about Bauer running for the 7th Congressional seat if and when it came up.  It appears that is now true, and we don't get it.  The area is not Bauer's home. He wasn't born there, schooled there or does much, if any business there.  Columbia and Charleston are his homes.  It sounds too much to us like he's pulling a Bobby Kennedy or Hillary Clinton.  Democrats carpetbag, Republicans don't - and we're pretty sure he will pay for it.


     Short and sweet, the Pee Dee and Grand Strand might have been under his watch as Lt. Governor, but we are sure there are plenty of qualified people who already work, own property, live and die in the new 7th Congressional District.   Bauer may have to face facts that his days in politics are over - at least until 2018.  We all move on eventually.....


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Florida Wants It All ...

The Florida GOP Wants Boardwalk, Park Place and All the Railroads Too.... We Say Go Back or Skip Your Own Convention.


      No, we are NOT partisan on this issue.  We're a South Carolina Republican.  Being a small state that is pretty staunchly GOP, we know where our eletoral votes will be going in November, and we're not large enough to get a National Convention. Charlotte only got theirs becuase the Democrats are trying to keep serve from 2008.  The First in the South Primary is all we have...



     So, with the word that the scumbags at the Florida GOP have jumped us, Iowa, New Hampshire and Nevada, and decided to hold their primary on January 31st, we have only one question:  What more do you f**king a**holes want?  



     Their argument is that the nomination is decided by conservative states like Iowa and South Carolina,a nd barely Republican states like New Hampshire.  By the time it gets to a 'normal state' like Florida, it's all over.... Total Bullshit, folks.  In 2008, there were about 6 viable candidates still running on Super Tuesday, when Florida was in it's usual spot.  This year will be no different.  There is no clear front runner, and that is unlikely to change.  You may actually be the decider by being in the fifth spot, rather than the first.  South Carolina has been batting third forever - and our history of picking the national winner is the strogest around.  We don't pick the most conservative - we pick winners.



      That's all well and good, but the part that pisses us off the most is that Florida ALREADY knows they will play a huge part in the 2012 elections.  They already have the GOP Convention in Tampa, so the entire party will be there, spending their cash, and picking a nominee.  More importantly, Florida is always in play as a crucial prize in November.  Barack Obama and the GOP nominee will be there on an almost daily basis.  So again, our question: what more do you guys want? Blood??



     Yes, they are going way overboard with this move, and need to be punished - hardcore.  It's time that states like Florida got the message that they need to wait for their place in line.  Do North Carolina, New York and California go apeshit and jump in front, because the nominee's already been picked by the time they get to them? Nope.  Think about how ironic it would be for the Republican National Convention to be held in Tampa - and no one from Florida is there?  Sounds fair to us.  Their greed and stupidity reminds us of another Florida resident....

 


The World Is Not Yours .... It's Ours, Biotches!








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Mark Your Calendar.... We're Coming Home Again

I'll Have The Chicken Pontalba at Redbone Alley.... Just Keep Me Away From the Kids at the Ice Cream Truck!



         South Carolina, you have been forewarned once again.... We are coming back to town!  Mark it down - Thursday, October 13th, the Avalon will be entering the Florence city limits, and we'll be there til Sunday the 16th.  If you need to find somewhere else to be, you have plenty of notice....



       Yep, I'll be coming back on my mini vacation in less than 2 weeks.  This time, I don't have to do three days of landscaping or home improvements (I hope), and I'm not packing my Dad's 8 tons of crap and moving him this time.  All I have planned is to check out the house, get the plugs changed on the car, relax and enjoy a few days off from the insanity at Mercedes-Benz of Massapequa.



      Nothing special is planned yet. My brother is coming down as well, so who knows what will happen with him around.  I'm looking forward to getting the stuff I can't get in New York: real vinegar-based BBQ, a Redbone salad and maybe the chicken pontalba (grits make me bloat like a balloon), and you know where it'll probably all end up.  Speaking of sweet sounding  Carolina girls, Ms. X is supposed to be around for a visit too, so we're glad to see her too...



     I most likely will be turning in my resignation as Vice-Chair of the 6th District.  The term is almost up, and my home is moving into the 7th District as well.  Time to let someone else take the job - someone who actually is there more than 5 days a year.  See you soon!


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Today's Founders Quote: Concentration of Affections

"Citizens by birth or choice of a common country, that country has a right to concentrate your affections. The name of American, which belongs to you, in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of Patriotism, more than any appellation derived from local discriminations."

- George Washington, 1796 Farewell Address.



    We all identify ourselves locally one way or another: South Carolinians, Florentines, Gamecock, Tiger, Republican, Democrat, etc.   But, when it comes down to it, we are all American by birth, and by the grace of God.  Washington made it important even back then... Not sure where she was born, but Marie Avgeropoulos has our affections.  Nicest eyes ever !

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Cartoon of the Week. Or Two

      Just a couple cartoons to show you that America is a pretty cool place to live.  Not all countries are as free as we are - not by a long shot.  Yeah, Saudi Arabia will finally let women vote in local elections, but they still can't drive. Personally, I'd trust more people to drive than vote...

Meanwhile in Russia, you can elect Vladimir Putin, or ........ well, you can vote at least, right?  Glad to be an American now?



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The 100,000 Hits Are Explained ....

    We're not sure if we like the 'SC' or the '6' better, but the management would like to thank Scarlett Johanssen for the extra 85,000 hits this month.  We ended up at 101,244 for September.  Didn't even know she was a fan.....Thanks also to Bobbo for the PhotoShopping.....


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Biden: You Break It, You Own It....

Jesus, Look at the Size of Those Mitts !!!!!



     No, the picture has nothing to do with our post - we just thought it was funny.  Had to pick from about 50 of these of Biden doing stupid gestures or making weird faces.  The guy is a Blogging Gold Mine, but we'll admit it: we're strating to like Joe Biden more and more every day.  Not that it's hard to go up from where we had him...


    From Day One, Biden has been the loose cannon of the Obama Administration, but he has drawn a firestorm of criticism for doing something unforgivable - telling the truth.



    What did he say?  Basically, that he and Barack Obama are at the point now that they are responsible for the economic condition of the United States, and that the 2012 Election will be a referendum on their performance on handling it.  Truth telling like that has NO PLACE in politics....



    For too long now, Obama and his handlers have been using the excuse that they inherited this economy.  That they were dealt a terrible problem, and that it will take years to fix it.  That's all true, but there comes a time when you can't keep looking backwards to wash away your troubles of today - and that time has passed.  The economy is stagnant, but in a better position than three years ago, when jobs were dropping like flies.  It happens, and like almost all plans, DC cannot cure what ails the US.  It's time to take ownership of what you have....



     Let's put this in terms that I can explain: Say you bought a car.  It's a bomb - a real Piece of S**t.  You do what you can to fix everything on it.. You change the oil, the other fluids, you fix the leaks, recharge the ac, put decent tires on it. It's now a servicable, if not spectacular car.  Then one day, you wreck the car because you blew a stoplight while texting your buddy while eating a Checkers Big Buford after having a couple at the local bar - all while thrashing your head to Bon Jovi's 'Living on a Prayer'.  Trust me, it's funnier if you visualize all that....


     Our question is this: do you blame the guy who sold you the car, or do you take responsibility for your own actions that contributed to today's accident?  Obama has plenty of blame for where we are today:  The Stimulus, Job-killing regulations, and most of all, a Health Care plan that has every business owner in America wondering what the effects of it will be..  


       You can always count on Joe Biden for a gaffe every now and then. But, in this case, he's being reticently honest.  It'd be nice if he weren't the only one to admit it.... 


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Losing To Buffalo Will Do That To a Man....

Either This Is a Three Time Super Bowl Winner, Or the Guy Who Robbed Your Local Piggly Wiggly...



      We're not sure if you caught this news, so we thought we'd pass it on.  Tom Brady has it all as much as any man in the world:  Super Bowl winner, tons of endorsements, good-looking dude with a Supermodel wife.  But even the most successful of us in the world are a little superstitious.  Brady is no different.....



     After his atrocious 4 interception performance in a loss to the perpetual cellar-dwelling Buffalo Bills, Brady appeared at a news conference minus something he's been working on lately - his hair.  Seems that there are people in Baaahston that keep track of the Pats' record, and it's correlation to Brady's hair length.  The data leans that a Short-haired Brady is better than the Long-haired Brady.  After last Sunday, even Brady must have admitted it.  Now his locks are as short as the wax job on Giselle Bundchen's flower patch.  Didn't think we'd mention Brady with Bundchen, did you?  



     Rex Ryan better beware!



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Why Chris Christie Shouldn't Run For President...

Thaaat's Riiiiiight !  The NJ Gov.'s Demise Will Come From Within



       Let us repeat a fact we made previously.  We like Chris Christie... A lot.  The guy is a no-nonsense leader who looks out for the good of his state as a whole.   In a region where state, county and municipal worker unions have the taxpayers by the sac, Christie played hardball and got the concessions needed to get his state back to solvency... Traits that are needed in a President.  The problem is Christie will never win the nomination - at least not in 2012.  But it won't be the fault of Barack Obama....


      No, we have an eerie feeling that the GOP is going to kill it's own this year, now matter how electable they might be.  Hell, they've been doing it already.  We'd all like a perfect candidate, and for many of us in the party, that means getting as far to the right as possible.  That's all well and good, but the majority of voters are looking for a more centrist - and sensible candidate.  Too bad candidates that are 90% conservative aren't good enough for some...


     Let's see the evidence..... I dunno.  First Mitt Romney is thrown in with Barack Obama for his passing Health Care in Massatooshits.  Next, Rick Perry gets hammered for allowing immigrants PAY in-state tuition at Texas universities.  Meanwhile, John Huntsman is an afterthought because he.... GULP !!!! - was an ambassador for Obama in China.  And he's a Mormon!  



     With a track record like that, Chris Christie should run to the hills..... and he is.  Rightly so, Christie is fighting off his centrist suitors like they have the plague.  To some in the GOP, political moderation is a disease.  Honestly, we don't know all of Christie's social policies, but generally, we here in Yankeeville are more 'accepting' on gay marriage, abortion and other thing that make the Right Wing cringe.  Expect the bombs to fly against Christie if he runs.... Big Time.



     We think Christie would make a good President, but it won't happen yet.  Not if he's smart, becuase it won't happen this election.  Not with the nutjobs who can't compromise at all on anything.  Good used to be good enough, but that's out the window.  They'll learn soon enough, and maybe they will compromise then.  They have to.  There is no perfect candidate.  For now, we'll have to settle (there's THAT WORD again!) for these attacks on Christie.....


www.tv.com/shows/late-show-with-david-letterman/clips/late-show-chris-christie-top-ten-10558478/


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Today's Founders Quote: An Equal and Impartial Hand

"Even our Commercial policy should hold an equal and impartial hand: neither seeking nor granting exclusive favours or preferences; consulting the natural course of things; diffusing and diversifying by gentle means the streams of Commerce, but forcing nothing; establishing with Powers so disposed; in order to give trade a stable course."

- George Washington, 1796 Farewell Address.



     It stuns us sometimes how much a guy who was a Surveyor and General had such a keen sense of Economics.  Government does not need to pick winners. Whether it's farm subidies, oil company tax breaks, or blowing billions because you want to promote green energy, the market will govern whether an industry survives or not.  If it profitable, someone will do it, and someone with money will finance it.  My business went under because I had a crappy business plan, and no cash to do it. So be it.  I moved on. That is how business works, and how it's always worked...


   One thing that works for us is 'Scott Pilgrim Vs. The World' star, Anna Kendrick.  We passed on the big boobs and half-nakes asses, and decided to show a hot girl with a brain today.  We apologize for letting some of you down..    :)


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You NEVER Let The Hot Team In....

The Yankees May Regret Letting Tampa Into the Playoffs....


      We've seen it before..... and we may see it again.  Remember back in January, when the Bears played the Packers on the last day. They could have knocked them out of the playoffs, but they slacked off, let the Pack in, and three weeks later.... We all know the story.



     The Yankees may have just done the same thing.  Gust Avrakatos will let us know soon, but there is one simple rule in Sports: Never let a team on a roll make the playoffs!  They could have spanked Tampa in any of these games, and let the slumping Red Sox in.  Maybe the they thought Tampa would have a better shot at beating Texas, who play the kind of game the Yankees can't stand.   So far, they're right.  But, eventually, the road will go through Tampa again, and the Rays are a confident bunch right now.



    The Bronx Bombers may have had the best record in the league, but they are not a solid bunch.  The pitching is not deep at all: CC Sabathia has to pitch against Justin Verlander at every start, Ivan Nova and Phil Hughes are young and unproven, and the rest are retreads.  On offense, there are a lot of homers and RBI's, but they are not hitting for average, and tight , short series need stolen bases and little hits.  The Yanks don't play Smallball well.  Tampa Bay does....


    Nope, they can't go back.  However, Pandora is now out of the box, and New York may regret not taking one game to finish off the Rays.  Yeah, even subs should have been able to hold a 7-0 lead, but you never take your foot off a dying guys neck until he is dead.  Tampa has plenty of life now - how much will the Yankees have left?

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