The SC6 Candidate Music Series Continues With It's First Gubernatorial Candidate Choice !

State Senator Larry Grooms and Family ...

Today, we finally move onto the Big Boys - and lady! Our first candidate for Governor has chimed in with his favorite song request. Bonneau State Senator Larry Grooms, come on down !!! I chose this picture, because it represents his song choice very well - and becuase I've actually been in that room during my glory days running for Congress. Seems like a million years ago......

I know this is South Carolina, so Christian Music is huge. All the candidates seem to have a liking of it, so finding a nice little wrinkle to differentiate the candidates isnt so easy - but Larry's actually was. It seems that Larry has a 70-80' Corporate Rock streak in him. Like most people who grew up then, Grooms enjoys his Boston, Journey and other bands from that era. However, he mentioned a specific Chicago song that made the choice easy. "You're the Inspiration" was his and his wife Carol's favorite song when they first were together. How could I NOT play that one for him? Thanks to Larry for the nice story behnd it, and best of luck in the campaign. OK, all you other candidates ...... where are you?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=CRfy1yorkec

I love the 80's clothes in this video..... Is that Madonna's sister ?!

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SC6 Remembers Paul Samuelson ...

Obama Could Learn a Lot From This Guy ......

When it comes to Economics - one of the few things we talk about that we actually studied - we have some very firm beliefs. One of them is that Government cannot get an economy out of a slump mainly because a government, no matter how large it seems, it tiny compared to the economy that it oversees. You cannot spend your way out of a downturn. The real power of government over an economy is in regulation and in setting policy. The government sets the table, and the private sector feasts or famines based upon it.

This is why we are taking a moment to pay tribute to MIT Economist, Nobel Prize winner and Kennedy economic guru Paul Samuelson - one of the few Democrat economists who got it. In theory, Samuelson was a Keynesian economist, which states that the government should stir the economic pot. By the way, this was all we were taught in college - like the Bible on Sunday. However, Samuelson pioneered and differed from standard Keynesian in two ways: first, he believed that tax cuts were good for an economy, if done correctly and responsibly. He wrote the Kennedy tax cuts in the early 60's that have been credited for the good economy of that decade. Even if it contributes to a small deficit (note, we said SMALL), it was for the better.....

Secondly, and this is our favorite, is that he was a leader in using hard-nosed statistical data to form policy. Economics is a bland, cold science, and human emotion or lobbying has absolutely no place in the field.... It's a game of numbers: if the data says this, you adjust this policy, or another based on other data. Barack Obama wouldn't understand this at all, but that's how it works. Economics has NO HEART... It's almost hilarious that Economic degrees are Bachelors of Arts degrees, because the true beauty of it is in the science. Samuelson got this from what we can see. Both Kennedy and Bill Clinton seemed to grasp this to a degree when shaping their policy, Obama doesn't appear to have gotten it yet - but he will.

With the word of yet another Stimulus Plan possibly coming down the pipe, we'd humbly ask DC to take Samuelson's work into account, and work from the other end of the spectrum to help the economy. There are no easy fixes - it all takes time.

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Last Time You Saw Her, She Was a Fetus ...

Happy 1st birthday to Bobby's daughter, Caitlin Rose. Unfortunately, I couldn't make her party this week, but Bobbo was kind enough to send pictures - and anything this cute is going to make it on the blog! As we can see, she's inherited her Daddy's ability to wear everything she eats......

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Cartoon of the Week - A Day Late !

We apologize for our tardiness. We usually post the cartoon of the week on Sunday, but sometimes even we have stuff to do. Yesterday was a family day, as we went to Joe's mom's for Steak Pizzaiola - YUM! Anyway, this week was definitely dominated by two topics - and thank God, Tiger Woods wasn't one of them! Nope, first was Barack Obama accepting his Nobel Peace prize - EGADS! But we already talked about that when he won it, so we're passing .......

Nope, we're going with a cartoon about the Global Warming e-mail tiff this week. Here's our position on Global Warming: do we think it exists? Sure, there is a definite uptick in the Earth's temperature, but we do think it's awfully arrogant of us to think that we can actually control our own environment. That being said, it's no excuse for us to willfully contaminate the planet with carbon emissions, and we should at least try to be as environmentally friendly as possible....

Lastly, do we think that there are scientists who hide/manipulate the information on Global Warming to suit their position? Hell Yeah, on both sides... These are guys who get billions in grants from agencies and citizens to prove a point scientifically. You think they're going to actually admit they're wrong? We do it in politics all the time, they do the same thing in Science.....

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You Can't Go Home Again ....

It's The Same Story, Same Ending For Mark Sanford ....

Except for the facts that his lover was from Argentina, and that they were Governor and First Lady of South Carolina, the story of Mark and Jenny Sanford reads a lot like any couple dealing with infidelity: a powerful husband, on the road lot, nearing that age where your best days are likely behind you. A wife whose focus is on raising a family. Man meets younger woman, man forgets he's married, man cheats on wife. Wife is embarrassed, angry, sad - all the emotions. Woman has to decide what to do.

Unofficially, I would say that most women do not leave a husband who cheats on them, for various reasons. Finances, for the sake of the kids, saving public face. But, I think the most important factor, and probably why Jenny Sanford has decided to divorce the Governor, is the nature of the affair. And usually, it's the same reason for a lot of women.

Take Tiger Woods for example. While he's had his share of dalliances exposed this month, none of them seem to be very serious - with the possible exception of the 'Serious.....Huge' Girl. Women often will forgive a man who loses his mind temporarily on a company trip to Vegas. But, Mark Sanford didn't seem very contrite when the news of his affair first broke. Like some guys, he seemed unable to really make up his mind, and when that happens, a guy's whole world falls to shit - fast.

Jenny Sanford took her time to reason things out, but my guess is that knowing that he was with her for over a year - and that it would still be going on if he wasn't caught in all likelihood - was too much for her to get over. Eventually, Mark figured out that he had lost his mind, and he tried to get his family back. I've seen this story first hand, and it isn't pretty. But, the aftermath of cheating for a married guy is usually either of two things: he gets divorced, and is miserable, or he stays married, and is miserable with a wife who never trusts him again. Notice a similarity with the endings?

I suppose THAT is my advice for guys today........ Don't cheat, and definitely don't think you're in love with your mistress, because that ends eventually. If you're unhappy in a marriage, just get divorced and end on decent terms, rather than trying to keep the whole lie tied together with spit and twine....

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Zhu Zhu Pets: China's Latest Attempt to Kill Us?

Beware Little Furry Asian Things.. This Applies to Women As Well .

Yeah, the Consumer Product Safety Commission may be saying that Zhu Zhu Pets are safe..... but we ain't buying that junk here. I first saw a Zhu Zhu Pet in October. More correctly, I saw the empty shelf where they used to be. It was then that I said 'Well, here's the hot toy for 2009'. Truth is, I've never seen a Zhu Zhu Pet - and I don't care.

We're sure that these little Chink hamsters are laded with so much toxic crap, that every child born between 2000 and 2008 will be dead in ten years. Zhu Zhu Pets are the most dangerous assault on our American Way of Life by China since this hit the US .....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=kB07xk9NZtQ

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Who Shut the Heat Off ???!!!!

It's official - I'm a little bit homesick. At least weatherwise I am. It is blisteringly cold up here. The low will be about 20, and the winds are probably 25-30 MPH, which if my calculations are correct, makes the Wind Chill Factor about 5-7 degrees...... Bobby will correct me if I'm wrong. BTW, this is a picture that my sister took from last winter. It won some photo contest online.... She's always did have an eye for artistic stuff, but her political acumen sucks ! We love her anyway......

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Just Asking ....

Does Michelle Obama EVER wear the same outfit twice? I used to have a teacher in elementary school who did the same thing... Seriously, I hope she's not hoarding all these outfits in a closet somewhere. At least donate them if you're not gonna wear them twice - just wash them first......

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Budget Shortfalls Put Education in Perspective ....

Major Schools Sports Teams Go the Way of the Dinosaur ....

First the Pee Dee Pride, now the Hofstra Pride. That is our tip of the day - don't name your team 'Pride', unless you want it to go defunct..... Whew! I didn't think I'd find a way to do a NY-SC tie-in on this one.......

As the economy continues to ride the shit rails , the strain on the budgets on even the most stable institutions are beginning to show. Hofstra University, probably the best college on Long Island, ended it's 73 year old football program this week. It wasn't D-I, but it had been a pretty strong I-AA program for a long time. They had done much better when they were called the Dutchmen, rather than the Pride, but I digress........This was a solid program that touts a number of current and recent NFL players: Marques Colston, Wayne Chrebet, Lance Schulters, Willie Colon and Tampa Bay coach Raheem Morris.

But, the team was always a very small fish in a very big pond. Games were rarely attended, and the program was losing $4.5 million a year. It's times like this when the actual value and importance of football to a school really have to be evaluated. This will be done all over America, and definitely on the local basis on the high school and junior high levels. It would not surprise us to see a few divisions shrink by a team or two next year. Yeah, football is an important part of keeping a school motivated, but the real purpose is to educate the kids. When the budgets are done for next year - especially when the one shot influxes of Obama cash are gone - many districts are going to be doing some major chopping, and sports will be the first to go.

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Neti Pot : SC6 Tested, SC6 Approved !!!

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Even Showing a Cute Girl Drain Salt Water Through Her Nostrils Doesn't Make It Any Less Disgusting ...... But It Works .

Time for an SC6 Product Endorsement. I have always had sinus problems, but most over the counter medicines make you sleepy, so I've always just dealt with it. In my new job, I've had trouble staying focused, and had tons of headaches, and my numbers reflected it. When you seem disinterested, customers don't believe you as much, and they don't buy what you're selling.... I finally did something about it this week.

I had heard about the Neti Pot from Dean Fowler, who had sinus problems so bad that he barely ate for a month.... Well, I finally took his advice, and tried it - and I'm glad I did. The Neti Pot looks like a little thing you use to water flowers, except that it has saline water in it - oh, and you stick the tube up your nose! Gravity basically sends the water through your sinuses by slightly turning your head to the side, and tipping the bottle up.

A couple tips: breathe though your mouth, and don't turn your head down too much, or the water goes too far forward. Also, make sure the water is relatively warm - colder water doesn't work at all.... I took it on Friday a couple of times, and on Saturday, I sold about five times more than on any other day since I got there. Was it enough to save my job? Who knows. All I know is that I'm way more coherent when I can breathe....

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Shoe Tosser Gets a Taste of His Own Foot ..

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Was That a Shoe or a Boomerang? What Goes Around, Comes Around ....

Karma certainly is a funny thing. This week Muntazer al-Zaidi - who we still fully expect to become the next President of Iraq - found himself on the other end of a shoe toss at a press conference in Paris. Al-Zaidi, who gained fame , along with 9 months in prison, last year by throwing his shoes at President Bush last year, got his own insult hurled at his general direction. The 'assailant' was a man describing himself as an exiled Iraqi journalist.

Tosser Number Two didn't exactly seem like he was very angry, laughing afterwards, but Al-Zaidi's brother chased him into the hallway, where he summarily - you guessed it ! - threw his shoes at the man !!!! For those keeping score, that makes three shoe tossers. I think we have found an Olympic sport that Iraq could dominate in ...... if you're interested, here's the ABC clip:

www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2009/12/02/2759180.htm?section=world

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Cartoon of the Week ..

I bet you thought I was going to pick a cartoon about Tiger Woods.... Well, I thought about it, but this is a political blog - and frankly, the jokes were funnier than the cartoons. There was a good one about the White House Crashers, but we try not to publicize people who are just trying to get in the papers or on TV.. So, we picked this cartoon. In case you didn't know, Dubai is in an $80 billion hole from spending so much to make it a travelers paradise. While we support spending a little $$ to spruce up areas to invite business, this is another case of he failure of 'If You Build it, They Will Come'.....



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Ending the Day With a Video ....

Obviously, we had the day off from work, so we caught up a lot on our blogging homework today. The good news today was that I finally found a rock station in New York that didn't think the world ended in 1982.... Thank You, WRXB 101.9 - Goodbye, WBAB. Unfortunately, we do have one day of work tomorrow, so we need to get ready for another crazy Saturday. At least we got to hear MUSE on the radio today, so we'll pass a clip over to you. Here's is 'Hysteria' - no, not the Def Leppard song! A note from the Editor: these are just three guys playing live - Amazing!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Nb4b9B4q60c

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This Is Cool, But Just One Question, Guys ?

I Don't Try to Find Things to Complain About to the SCGOP - They Just Keeping Giving Me Reasons ....

You want to know why I like Mark Sanford? Because I'm totally every bit as cheap as he is. If you want my money, you can get it the Charlton Heston way - out of my cold, dead hand !!!!! Seriously, I don't like spending money, and it seems like every time I get stuff from the NRCC or the SCGOP, they make rules that make me ask WTF? Someday, they're gonna strip me of all titles within the party, and ban me like the Salahi's at the White House - but we see how well that worked.

OK, today I got an invitation from Karen Floyd, whom Ranger Ron says is not attracted to me based on the body language in pictures. Anyway, it appears that the SCGOP has raised enough cash to have the mortgage burning party, or they're close to it, and they will be celebrating in Columbia next Friday. Yes, it is still a fundraiser, so we have to pay to go. No problem, I'm not going anyway, but the way they're charging is making me ask 'WTF?'

You see, if you are a SCGOP member, you pay $100, but if you're a State Executive Committee member, you only pay $35. These are the same people who tried to kick out the highest ranking member of it's party earlier this year in my kind, now they get 65% discounts? To hell with that.... What's next, a SCGOP Mastercard, where you get discounts on fundraisers and copies of 'Going Rogue'? Wait a second...... that's not a bad idea! Hold on, I gotta make a phone call - if Karen's still talking to me.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=2hA3_rihmcg

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Fourth Rate, Top Rated - Or Both ?

We May Not be Based In Columbia, But to Blog Net News - SC6 is King Shit In South Carolina, Baby !!!!

I had a couple suprises the last 24 hours. We like plenty of other political blogs, and even if we don't agree philosophically with some of them 100% - right P-Luv? - we respect the work they put into them, and what they trying to get across. I'll be the first to admit, there are other blogs that I would rather be. I have always thought FITS is the most entertaining, Palmetto Scoop has better contacts, and Earl Capps and Voting Under the Influence make better and more well-thought out arguments.

SC6 is the second cousin of those guys. Compared to them, we are dookie - a second class act, maybe. I read all of them, and leave comments to add two cents, or just to be funny - not to try and get traffic over here. So, when I got a reply comment from a user called Stupid, Stupid,Stupid (accurate name perhaps) that called SC6 a 'fourth-rate blog' stuck in the Pee Dee, I got pissed. Yeah, we're not in Columbia - but who wants another smart-ass blog from The Vista? Everyone and his sister has blog in Columbia now, even candidates!

Maybe SC6 is a shithole of a blog, but it's my shithole, and I think it's the Pee Dee's shithole of a blog. Kind of like the dump of a convenience store that you go to because they still serve the Coke's in glass bottles - they'd switch to plastic, but they just don't know better! The funny part is that - like I said three months ago - is that I haven't set foot in South Carolina! I'm 750 miles away, still blogging about the Palmetto State - just from a little different perspective, which makes what I'm about to tell you even more amazing.....

I went onto BlogNetNews today, and SC6 is still the 12th Highest Influential Blog in SC - and among Conservative blogs, we are Top Ranked..... Numero Uno. King Shit. So, we may be in a shithole, but apparently it's a good place to be... Don't ask me why we're that well-respected. We just try to be honest, fun and find answers to problems. I'm not sure we've found an answer to anything yet, but we're working on it....

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The SC6 Candidate Music Series Continues With Brent Nelsen's Choice ...... Sort Of.

Supt. of Ed Candidate Really Does Listen to the Kids ...

Our Candidate Music Series really has been pretty successful. It all started at Joe Griffin's party when Ken Ard asked for a Bruce Springsteen video on the blog, and Bill Connor was there too, so I asked him for a choice as well. We've knocked out all of the Lt. Gov. candidates, and now we're working on the Superintendent of Education candidates. Kelly Payne picked James Taylor earlier this week, and today we turn our focus to Brent Nelsen....

I'll be honest- Brent was all over the place. He's listened to everything it seems, but i do suppose we all have over the years. So, I had to cut it down to the best story. I almost chose Aerosmith, becuase he said he dreamed of being Steven Tyler as a kid. Brent you should be glad you didn't - those lips just get in the way of everything..... So, we went the other route.

A good teacher always tries to understand his/her students' lives. Knowing their music is a good way. My dad liked Ted Nugent when I was a kid - seriously..... Brent mentioned a band that struck a chord that made me say 'This is The One'..... I had heard of The Shins, but didn't know any songs, so I picked them. So, this is sort of his choice ! The Shins have that Coldplay-Meets-REM-Meets-The Smiths vibe. This song is called 'Phantom Limb'....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=EaGPgUS8mj8

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The Audacity of Audacity: A Warning to Those 'Safe Incumbents' Out There..

From County Executive to Recycling Ambassador ? Maybe If He Spent a Little of That $2.1M He Raised, He'd Still Be in Office ...

Like we gave in our post election wrapup, this was a bad year for the incumbents of both parties, and we see no reason for a change in 2010. New York City Mayor Michaal Bloomberg spent $102 million of his own dollars to win re-election. That is sick, and I'm sure there is a point of oversaturation where voters get ticked off from the media assault. But, you do need to keep your name out there to a certain point, and more importantly, your Election Day team better be ready to rock. Here is our prime example of thinking you have it made....

Say hello to Tom Suozzi (pronounced SWO-zee, for those of you who are Italian Impaired). The prince of the Nassau County Democrats, Suozzi's Dad and Uncle were both big shots in the party. A two-term incumbent, Suozzi even ran for Governor three years ago, but lost to Eliot Spitzer - he of the hotel with the prostitute scandal. Despite the loss, Suozzi seemed to be still on the rise, and possibly eyeing another run for Governor next year. If this is all sounding a bit like former Florence Mayor Frank Willis to you, congrats - you now see the SC-NY similarity here.

Well, Suozzi didn't pay much attention to the air of anger among voters, preferring to smell his air of invincibility instead. When polls showed it was a tight race, Suozzi ignored the signs to spend some of the $2.1 Million he had in cash on hand (yes, it takes $2 million to win a county election) , and bolster his Get Out the Vote efforts - and after the official handcount of the ballot was done, he lost by 377 votes...... That's about $60,000 a vote. I'm sure he could have done it for much cheaper than that, but when you blame voters for not getting out to vote, and you have $2.1 million in the bank to drive all of Hempstead to the polls....... I feel no pity for you.

Like Willis' 'unexpected' loss to Stephen Wukela, Suozzi lost to Republican Ed Mangano , who spent about 1/4 what he did. Therein lies our sage advice: if you are an incumbent, don't sit pat, and expect things to be like in previous elections. I've seen people involved in politics that I didn't see in five years in the biz before. They're pissed, they're motivated, and they're coming for you. Henry Brown, Joe Wilson, and John Spratt should know this. Bob Inglis has known this for a while now, even from his own side. Jim Clyburn doesn't, but even he will probably see that 40% line be broken next year, even in his gerrymandered district.

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Lots of Christmas Stuff to Get You In the Spirit

It Ain't Christmas Without a Christmas Parade, And Manning and Johnsonville Are the Places to Be This Week....

Time for a community calendar-like update of the stuff going on in the 6th District. We have two Christmas Parades this week: the first will be a Twilight Christmas Parade (no, there will be no Vampires there), Saturday Night in Downtown Manning. Word is that Cathy from the Manning Times is the Grand Marshal, which explains why the parade is being sponsored by Diet Coke. Just kidding. Yes, the GOP will be represented in the parade, led as usual by Moye - unless his plane gets grounded from Iowa or Nebraska, whereever he is this week...

The second is in The Little Town That Could, also known as Johnsonville, South Carolina next Saturday, December 12th. The Grand Marshal is NASCAR driver Kevin Conway, but there will also be plenty of politicians there from Florence County and Statewide. For those of you not into politics, Dora the Explorer and Scooby Doo will also attend. For info on the J'ville Parade, you can go to their Facebook page. Just type in 'Johnsonville Christmas Parade', and Brad Richardson will give you all the details. Hopefully, he will not be dressed like Santa this year! Merry Christmas !!!!

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Sometimes Compassion Pays Off - With Interest

Store Owner Spares Robber, Gets Extra Money Back Later

Here at SC6, we have always towed that moderate line on gun rights. Yes, we believe in the Second Amendment, but we don't own a gun, nor are we very interested in having one. It's like our view on motorcycles - we think they're pretty, and we understand those who own them, but we're just not the type to have one. However, we know fully that they can be a deterrent to crime - if the owner has a modicum of restraint.

Enter Mohammed Sohail, a convenience store owner in Shirley, New York. Shirley is one of those towns on Long Island that started out as lower middle class, but crime is really starting to become a problem. Back in June, Sohail had the moment every 7-11 worker dreads. A masked man tried to rob him, but Sohail was ready, and he pulled a rifle on the robber. The surveillance camera showed the robber begging for mercy for Sohail not to shoot him, and Sohail did that and more. He gave the robber $40 from his register, and a loaf of bread, and let him go.

Many people who get away with things like this robber did walk away without a thought, and continue on robbing. Not this guy.... He took it as a wakeup call, and realized how lucky he was to be alive. He sent an unsigned letter to Sohail, thanking him for sparing him - along with $50 ! So, Sohail made about a 50% return on investment for his generosity. As Sohail said, "When you do good things, good things come back." The robber said in the letter that he got a new job, he's staying out of trouble and taking care of his family. Maybe he'll go back to crime someday - maybe not. But he's got that chance thanks to Mohammed Sohail - and I doubt anyone in Shirley will try to rob him again.....

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Tiger Woods: The Gift That Keeps On Giving

Judge Hits Tiger Where It Hurts ........... RIIIIIIIIIGHT !

Tiger Woods Joke of the Day: What's the difference between a Golf Ball and an Escalade? Tiger Woods can drive a golf ball 400 yards ......... Thanks to Bobby, sorry to everyone else. A Florida judge really gave it to Tiger today, by fining him $164 for careless driving. Reportedly, Woods gave the judge $10,000, and ran over every fire hydrant and tree in the enclave....

All we have to say is 'This S**t Never Happened When Tiger Drove a Buick !!!!!'

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