Take Me Out to the Ballgame, Get Me Out of DC !

Geez, BHO !! You Throw Like a Girl .....

My apologies to the ladies reading this... Most women I know have a better throwing motion than Obama is displaying here. It reminds me of Lamar's javelin toss in 'Revenge of the Nerds'.....

Well, the great thing about being President - aside from all the chicks - is that you can go anywhere, and get a second chance to redeem yourself. You know he's been practicing at the White House bowling alley 24/7 to make up for that gutterball he threw on the campaign trail last year. This week, he'll make up for this fairy-like toss at the 2005 ACLS playoffs in Chicago by throwing out the first pitch at the All Star Game in St. Louis next Tuesday. He will be the first President to throw out the first pitch at an All Star Game since Gerald Ford in 1976. We've found yet another tradition that Jimmy Carter killed.....

No, it's no small coincidence that Obama is a lefty. However, there is no truth to the rumour that he will throw out an Economic Stimulus ball - and that only 1/10 th of the ball will actually make it to Home Plate. .... BA DUM, BUM !!!! Thanks, i'll be here all week....

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When Things Get Too Serious, It's Ozzy Time !!

We've been tackling some big issues this week, on top of a very hectic week at work, and a ton of stuff around the house... When life seems to be piling up a lot of junk, we like to release the Pressure Valve on the blog here. Maybe having one or two of those beers I talked about in the last post would be a good idea, but it's Sunday. I'm not the best Christian, but I never drink on Sunday, for whatever reason - I just never have...

Nope, when it's time to relax a bit, it's time to rock! So, we're giving you my favorite Ozzy song.... Enjoy, and have a great work week!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=HdAXPWvy4E8

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One Man's Luxury Import Is Some European's Pisswater of A Beer ..

Marketing is a beautiful thing. It has the ability to take any average product, and turn it into a wanted , exclusive and more pricey product. Need another example? I saw it today while shopping at Wal-Mart today.

I was doing my usual Sunday AM food run, when I passed by the beer fridge there. There, I saw a familiar sight from a couple years ago. Stella Artois Beer. I saw it when I was in the Ukraine in 2007, and in a country famous for drinks that you can't see through, it looked like a taste of home. And that's exactly what it is - it looks and tastes like Budweiser. ZZZZZZZZZ...

But , the funny part of what I saw today was the price..... A stunning 17.97 for a 12-pack !!!! Damn, that's some pricey brew.... And the irony of it all? What brewer recently bought out Budweiser? InBev - the maker of Stella Artois. Lastly, if you think you're getting a beer made in Amsterdam, think again......... it's brewed in Canada, and shipped here. Drink Up !

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Okay Steny, Let's Go Over This Again....

Yes Steny, Unemployment Is Going UP - And DC Can't Stop It..

I'm watching Fox News Sunday, and they had John Boehner and Steny Hoyer on together. They were talking about the economy, and Chris Wallace mentioned that Barack Obama said during the campaign that they would keep the unemployment rate under 8% - it's now 9.5% . Wallace asked if they are disappointed that the Stimulus hasn't worked like they wished. Hoyer admitted that the Democrats are indeed disappointed with the results, but that they're hoping for better things in the future.

This gives me the impression that the Democrats in Washington DC either 1) Don't understand how the economy works, 2) Are just concerned with increasing their power base of your taxes, or 3) Both. My guess is that it's Number 2, but just in the off chance that it is Number 1, I'll explain why the unemployement rate is now 9.5% ........

Dear Steny, as much as it pains you to hear this, DC does not, has never, and will never control the economy. The private sector controls the economy, has always, and will always. Washington DC does have the ability to regulate them to keep them from the occasional screw up (Ex. - The Mortgage Crisis), but they CAN'T affect real change in the economy. That's why the Stimulus that you guys spent $787 Billion on is all show.

As big a number as that sounds to you guys, it is a spit in the ocean as far as the economy is concerned. So, when the economy goes South, and American Business decides it's time to cut jobs, you and the rest of Congress are virtually powerless to stop it. Anything DC does is marginal - extremely marginal. Building a few bridges and roadways will not stop it. It doesn't create jobs, maybe it will salvage a few, but even those numbers get schewed, so who knows?

Hopefully, this clears things up for you guys. I know you guys think that you have this infinite power supply, and that you can affect everythign you see, but the fact is that just isn't true - and we are ALL glad for it! Sorry for having to be the one to break the news, but someone had to.....Happy 4th of July. You remember it - it's the holiday where we celebrate our INDEPENDENCE ......

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Mark Sanford's Fate Is In My Hands ???

The Governor May Need James Bond-like Slipperyness To Keep His Job.

James Bond had a really cool set of gadgets to get out of any jam. Of course, he had Q to develop them for him. They weren't as great as Inspector Gadget's stuff , but it was pretty good. Mark Sanford looks like he is going to need Q, David Copperfield or Dr. Timothy Leary to create a scenario that allows him to keep his job without thumbing his nose at the rest of his party...

I got a call from the Florence County leadership yesterday. The State Executive Committee will be meeting via conference call to decide on whether to ask the Governor to resign his position. Before they attend this meeting, they set up their own meeting to get the local leaders opinions on the tiff. Luckily, I am the Precinct Chair for South Florence 1, so i will be participating. For the record, I want to thank Joe Griffin and Stephanie Rawlinson to allow us to give our opinion. I'm not aware of this going on in other counties, so I'm pretty fortunate.

I have no misgivings about what will occur. I think locally, Sanford will go down in flames, and the SCGOP as a group will ask for him to resign. Of course, there is no legal bearing on the vote, it is the same as a 'no confidence' vote in many foreign countries, most of which are dictatorships or juntas... But, it all starts with me, and others like me, so the end game of Sanford's fate starts with little guys like me. I have 2 minutes, and here is what I will say...

" I would like to thank the Florence County leadership for asking for our opinions on such an important issue before voting on Monday. Like all of you, I was surprised and disappointed with Governor Sanford's conduct two weeks ago. I do not condone him for having an affair, or for leaving the State without notice for days, although I think it has been blown out of proportion. Each state agency has a Department Head to lead their respective agency. I don't think Gov. Sanford actions were a product of him trying to mislead, but more so a byproduct of his affair. Cheating on a spouse makes you start to lie, and it steamrolls from there. I don't pray for him, or ask God to help him. God has far more important prayers to answer than his."

" Last month, I asked the State Chair who is driving the Bus we call the SCGOP, and it seems more prescient than ever. The answer is WE drive the bus as a group. What is best for the party right now? The best thing we have going is a fantastically exciting Governor's Race next year. No one knows who will win, and we have five great candidates to choose from. With no offense to Lt. Governor Bauer, if we impeach or force out Mark Sanford, next year's Governor race is over. The race will have been decided by a small group of politicians, rather than by the millions of voters in South Carolina. I have no dog in this fight, but many deciding this do, and I worry about the politics driving this, rather than the actual offense."

"People worry that the Governor's job will have no power if Sanford stays. The truth is, no one in Columbia listened to Gov. Sanford, and they will not listen to any else that holds the job. That is how the state government is set up. The House and Senate do what they want, the Governor vetoes it, then all the vetoes are overidden. It will not change with Andre Bauer, Henry McMaster, Gresham Barrett, Nikki Haley, Larry Grooms, or Heaven forbid, a Democrat. My wish is to end this, get back to work as a group, and choose a new Governor next year. My vote is NO. Thank You."

I don't expect many of you to agree with me, but I do hope you respect the reasoning. We've really shot ourselves in the foot as a group with this. Hopefully, which ever way it goes, it ends quickly....

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A Cautionary Tale for 4th of July ....

They're Great To Watch, But Be Careful Tonight ..

Happy 4th of July everybody! I hope you're having a good one. I did what every red-blooded American doe son Independence Day - I pressure washed my house. Actually, I did it with a hose, a bucket of soap, and a ton of armpower.... Hey, it's the only exercise I get... I did have plans to run into Earl today, but his priest's wife passed away. Our condolences to all involved...

If you're like most people, you'll celebrate today in the usual fashion - BBQ, Swimming and Fireworks... Being the Salmon that always swims upstream, we want to ask you to be careful, so that today is alway a day you remember for good reasons.... THIS JUST IN - JOEY CHESTNUT HAS WON HIS 3RD STRAIGHT CONEY ISLAND HOT DOG EATING CONTEST, BEATING KOBAYASHI 68-64 1/2 ........ALL OF AMERICA IS PROUD !!!

If you're by the pool, be sure to keep an eye on the kids, don't drink and drive, and most importantly, be careful with the fireworks. I once played a 4th of July party in New York with a homemade fireworks show, when a stand holding up a rapid fire rocket display tipped over, and shot about 100 rockets at us just after we finished - it was like the scene in 'Forrest Gump' when it finally stopped raining... But that's not the worst I've heard of.

Michael Goldberg was a guy I went to Junior High and High School with. I didn't know him all that well - he was a year ahead of me, and he didn't live in my neighborhood. A few years after graduation I read about him on July 5th in the newspaper. Apparently, an M-80, which I think is the equivalent of a half-stick of dynamite, he was lighting detonated prematurely, and killed kim. I think he was 23, but he'd be 42 today. That's a lifetime of missed opportunities and memories...... Be careful tonight.

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Sarah Bailin'.....

Alaska's Governor Calls It Quits, And We Might Know Why....

In a week of stunning news, Sarah Palin may have topped them all today. She announced that she will be leaving her post as Governor of Alaska. Her speech of resignation was reported to be a bit rambling, and she didn't specifically state why, but we have worked very hard since we got off of work an hour ago, and we have it pegged down to two different reasons. They are interrelated, so we'll let you decide which is the more credible reason. Here they are:

#1 - Sarah Palin is moving to South Carolina to save the state and the GOP.

or

#2 - Sarah Palin is having an affair with Mark Sanford.....

We're thinking that Number One is the more credible, mainly because I've already rented the extra bedroom in my house to Sarah for $275 a month - she's a hard negotiator, man.... The actual reasons were all over the place - too many investigations, she's running for President in 2012, she didn't want to be a lame duck Governor, too much media exposure, or there is SOMETHING coming out soon.... Who knows??

My initial take is that she is ready to leave Caribou Country, and get on the national stage. Not necessarily as a Presidential candidate though... Good or bad, Sarah Palin is a star in the GOP, and she's ready to hit the Big Time, and cash in.... Remember our post from last fall - she is by no means a rich person. Her and Snowmobilin' Todd are Upper Middle Class at best, and the next three years are the time to rake it in.....They've got a slew of kids and a grandbaby to provide for, and Mama Bear is gonna strike while the Iron is hot.

Of course, it could be Number Two.....

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Just a quick note. I checked with Blog Net News, and of the over 50 SC Political Blogs they cover, this was the single highest read post on any of them yesterday... I really had no idea how many of you read SC6, but I am starting to get an idea, I am truly in awe, and I wanted to say thanks. We haven't cracked the Top 20 on their Influence Rating, but we've only been on their list for a week or so. We'll get there......

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I May Have Found My Governor Candidate Tonight

If there's a lesson to be learned this week, it's that you don't know everything about everyone, especially in politics. I found that out tonight.... I'll giev you a little insight to SC6 here. Before I attend an event, I usually have an idea of what the post will be like, but tonight , I didn't really have a plan. When that happens, you just let the event take you there, and tonight I got a big surprise.....

The race for Governor is a long way off, and of course it's too early for endorsements. But, I'll be honest, despite what appears to be a stacked field, none of the current crop of candidates has gotten me enthused - that is, until tonight.

Now, I've known Larry Grooms for about 5 years now. His Senate district is smack in the middle of my old Congressional campaign area, so we ran into each other often. Heck, I've even been in his house and met the family. His ability to win in a Democratic stronghold district gave me hope that good things were possible in the 6th.. But, I always found Larry to be a very reserved, quiet and congenial person. The term 'Nice Guy' fit very well. Tonight, i saw Larry Grooms speak for the first time as a candidate for Governor, and it was something....

For those of you who know me, I look for two things from any candidate - Numbers and Specifics. Don't bore me with talk about HOW conservative you are, or if you're Pro-Life, Pro-Gun or Pro-Business. Tell me where the probelms are in Columbia, and how to fix them. Grooms spoke for solid 45 minutes about who, where and what Columbia is doing wrong, and what specific legislation and corrections need to be made. More importantly, he had passion. Too many politicians speak or appear to have a suit or armor - or boredom - around them. Larry Grooms is a guy who is pretty tired of how the GOP-led Senate and House have gone haywire with spending and regulation in South Carolina. In short, he may be what a lot of us were hoping for when we elected Mark Sanford, but with the experience in Columbia to affect positive change. One difference between them, which he disclosed in answering a guest's question, is that he has never been to Argentina......

I do have one worry here. Those of you who know me know my track record in my candidate's success in winning. I may have completely submarined Larry's chances like a U-Boat commander. Yes, his chances could be better, but he is worth a look. If your local party hasn't had him speak to your group, they need to do so, so you can make up your own mind......

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Is This The End-Around For Ousting Sanford?

When In Doubt, Go Check the How-To Manual ......

Rarely do we hear scuttlebutt before it's already in other blogs, but I had a friend with ties in Columbia tell me that officials in Columbia are trying to devise a plan to legally ouster Governor Mark Sanford as soon as possible.

The initial plan seemed to be to just start enough grief for Sanford, so that he would resign. Despite his disaster of a press conference earlier this week, Mark has stated that he will NOT give up his post. Faster than the collective "DAMMIT" finished echoing from the Statehouse, someone somewhere decided that the answer surely must lie in the pages of The Good Book. No, we're referring to the South Carolina Constitution....

There is one seriously huge roadblock to Sanford's ouster. Mainly, Columbia is done with business for the year, and will not reconvene until January. By then, Sanford could be divorced, have acquired a Green Card for his chica, and installed her as First Lady by then, where she could be lauded and turned all those unhappy people into wonderfully tolerant acceptors of her. Granted , it's unlikely....

Yes, there needs to be a reconvening of the Senate and House. To arms boys!! To arms !! Now the Governor can call them all back - YEAH, RIGHT !!! But, to quote Dean Vernon Wormer, there is a little known codicile in the state Consittution that may get around that. According to those more in the know than me, if three of the following four constitutional officers agree, the Senate and House can be called back: Attorney General, Secretary of State, Comptroller and Treasurer. Done, right? Not exactly.....

Let's take a quick look at the four, and handicap the chances. First, Comptroller Richard Eckstrom. No Friggin' Way. Everywhere I ever saw Mark Sanford, there was Eck. They agree on most everything from anything I ever saw. Eckstrom is a solid No. Then we have Treasurer Converse Chellis. Chellis was voted in by the House, over Sanford's suggestion of another candidate who i won't involve in this mess, because I always liked him. No, sanford does not get along well with the House - we really tell you the unknown stuff here, don't we? I'd say Chellis would be a yes, but who knows.....

The last two would be more interesting. Attorney General Henry McMaster is in the same position as Andre Bauer - he cannot make it look like he's tryign to oust the man he would like to replace. However, he isn't the one deciding on this, all he would be doing is reconvening Columbia, and letting them do the dirty work. This might give him just enough wiggle room to OK it. I say he would go yes.....

This leaves us with the Wild Card - Secretary of State Mark Hammond. Mark has never been one to try and grab the headlines, but in this case, I don't see him avoiding it. I've met Mark a few times, but I know there is one guy who i'd love to get his opinion on this from...... But, from what I've heard from my Secret Insider, there isn't much bad blood there, but I could be WAY off on that assessment. That is the trouble with blogging sometimes - you're rarel close enough to know everything. But to me, either way, Hammond is going to become more well-known in the next week or two than he ever imagined.....My guess is they get two out of four.....

Hey Mark, I have Jon Stewart's home number if you want to get on The Daily Show ......

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SC6 Tests Your Trivia IQ - Or As We Call It, Your Knowledge of Useless Information..

What Do Karl Malden and Michael Jackson Have In Common ?

No, Karl Malden wasn't an expert Moonwalker, he didn't sleep in a hyperbaric chamber (although to live to 97, he must have been doing something) , and he doesn't have 8 brothers and sisters. Karl Malden was one of those guys in Hollywood that just stuck around for decades. Most people remember him for the American Express ads in the 70's and 80's. But, he was an Academy Award winner for 'A Streetcar Named Desire'. Not too shabby....

What do I remember him mostly for? Two things: Mainly, I watched 'The Streets of San Francisco' in the 70's, with a much younger Michael Douglas. It wasn't all that realistic though... I don't remember getting the true 'flavor' of SF watchign that show, if you catch my drift.... The other movie I remember him in was the NBC movie , 'Fatal Vision', where he played Freddie Kassab, the dad who eventually proved that his son-in-law murdered his daughter and 2 granddaughters at Ft. Bragg in 1970. Good TV movie, even for the 80's....

Thanks for reading the latest installment of what appears to be our newsest continuing series, "Celebrity Deaths and Mark Sanford"...... When does Congress get back in session, for Pete's Sake !!! But for now, see if you can correctly guess the King of Useless Information's trivia quiz. What do Karl Malden and Michael Jackson have in common ?? Good Luck.

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ENOUGH Already !!!!

I know I'm not the only one, but I'll be the Bad Guy who fianlly says it for the rest of us.... Please, Please, PLEASE stop all the bullshit news stories with Michael Jackson !! I'm getting sick of it. No offense to him, because it's not his fault - this is for the National Media... There is plenty of other crap going on in the world, so get off your lazy butts and report it !!!






Yeah, i'm bad, bad person for complaining about having to wake up every single morning and having to listen to Robin Roberts and Diane Sawyer talk about this like it's the most important thing happening. Well, wake up folks - it isn't. Be honest with yourself - did you give a rat's ass about Michael Jackson last week? No you didn't. You didn't play his records, you didn't even think about him, and if you talked about him, it was probably peppered around the words 'Children' and 'Molester'....





Is this newsworthy? Sure. Throw it in as a side story when SOMETHING new happens. But, let this go away. He died because he didn't eat anything for weeks, which will make you drop dead from a shot Benadryl.. It happens. Get back to life, and to the media - GET A LIFE !! Off the soapbox, and onto band practice.... Peace !


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The GOP Abandons Ship ....

Less than a week after Mark Sanford's stunning announcement that he had spent six days in Argentina with his girlfriend, it appears that the damage control and contrition attempts he has made are not making things better for his future. At first, there were catcalls for his resignation from likely sources - Democrats and his political enemies within the GOP. But after today's latest press conference, Sanford is getting thrown under the bus from more and more former supporters.

No, i didn't watch or read all of the comments made by Sanford today, but what I have heard was odd. By far, the most cringe-inducing comment was call his lover his "Soul Mate". For starters, guys do not have Soul Mates. That is exclusively for women. Ladies, if a man calls you his soul mate, then it's official - he wants to sleep with you. BADLY! It's an extremely poor choice of words to call anyone within earshot of your wife. Honestly, if Sanford had any plans on keeping his wife, I think that may be over - and it doesn't even sound like he's that interested in it.....

Here is my bit of advice... Governor Sanford, forget about Maria. You've pretty much ruined her life. She is not just famous, she is now infamous... Do you really expect her to want to go back to the guy who destroyed everything she had? Trust me, I've had plenty of experience with ticked off women. It doesn't matter how powerful or famous you might be, when you tick off a woman, they move on, and that's my advice.

Public speaking has never been Mark Sanford's strong suit, and it's really showing this week. Where a more talented speaker (aka- Liar) would be able to maybe spin this, Sanford has only made things worse. This isn't soemthing you can explain, and he's even tried to keep everyone happy. That won't work. To see if he's really gone off the edge, I suggest that someone ask him what he thinks of Jim Clyburn - if he says anythign nice about him, it's all over...

Now, i've had bad weeks where it seemed like I would never get my mojo back, but it eventually does. Mark Sanford needs to quit quoting Bible verses to the press, bcause it seems disingenuous right now. In fact, avoid aby microphone or camera right now. Lock yourself in a bunker, focus on just being Governor, and if you want to, try to repair your marriage. As far as the Argentinian tail........ VAYA CON DIOS, MARCO.

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Bernie Madoff Goes To Jail.... Before He Spends the Afterlife In Utter Hell ...

Hey, It LOOKED Like Everyone Was Busy Working There....

Actually, all the employees were on MySpace and Chickapedia.com - which you MUST visit sometime.... Anyway, scam artist extraordinaire Bernie Madoff was sentenced to 150 years to life for bilking investors of nearly $50 Billion. Madoff admitted that he never invested a single dime of his victims' money. At nearly 70 years old, it's safe to say that Madoff has spent his last free day on the outside. He'll soon be wondering what happened to his old life, and it will eventually be a distant memory - kinda like i am when trying to remember the last time I got laid......

Now, I do have to admit, there is a part of me that laughs at the idiots back in Long Island, who are bitching and whining about losing thousands and millions of dollars with Madoff. Some of them are asking for restitution from the US Government - a bailout , if you will... One of them was former Congressman and conservative firebrand Tom Tancredo. I have listened to your arguments carefully and thoroughly, and here is my reply.... HAHAHAHAHA !!!! Too bad. If there is one thing that Americans have no sympathy for, it's rich people whining about having to 'alter their lifestyle' - like having to clean THEIR OWN homes and cut THEIR OWN grass. My heart goes out to you.... Not.

But, back to the root of the problem.... If there is any justice in this world, Bernie Madoff will be caught in the Seven Circles of Hell, being poked and prodded with Wiffle Ball bats in holes that my pinkie finger wouldn't fit in. Wait , I forgot the nails in the bats too. You get the point... Satan is oiling up all of his torture tools just for Madoff. He'll have to wait a little while, but in time, he'll get him....Unless Satan hires these guys.....

www.youtube.com/watchtv?v=1oIgfV_sHXQ&feature=related

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Judge Sotomayor, Don't Take It Personally ...

Welcome to The Club !! SCOTUS Overturns Sotomayor's Most Notable Appeals Court Case ....

There can't be more embarrasing things for a Supreme Court Justice-To Be Than to have one of his/her decisions be overturned, right before they're getting ready to be appointed. It's like when little lids first try to learn to ride a bike - they're so cute when they're still learning !!!

Well, that happened today, when Judge Sonia Sotomayor's landmark Appeals Court ruling on the New Haven Fire Fighters Case was overturned 5-4 by the US Supreme Court. The complaint was filed by 17 white and 1 Hispanic firefighters that passed a promotional exam, but the City of New Haven disallowed the results, because no African-American firemen passed the exam. The essential ruling of the majority opinion was that even if the end result is unfair, unless the plan itself is racially unfair, then it is OK.

For those of you wondering if the case would have been ruled differently, Justice Souter voted with the minority opinion, so Sotomayor wouldn't have changed anything - except that no one would be listening to her..... Hey, I just found a nickname for her.... Sonia Sotomayor - SoSo !!!! That's about how great a justice she'll probably be too....... Think I'll have it copyrighted.

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How Facebook Can Be Really Cool ....

I know I've harassed a lot of you about getting on Facebook to be organized with other Republicans, and for other political purposes. But, there are a million other benefits of being there. Need proof? No problem, I have it here for you....

I've picked up a lot of friends on Facebook - I'm up to 268 now . Some are friends from politics, some are from my hometown, and some are my old buddies from Oswego State. One of them is Andrea Solan-Cohen. She lived on the same floor as me, and she was always very cool. During hockey games, my friends would flip me end over end whenever we scored a goal - yeah, we were usually a little inebriated. Once, I accidentally kicked Andrea when they flipped me, but she didn't mind. One of us were always dating someone, so we never dated each other, but the thought crossed my mind once or twice, but college ended, and we went our separate ways. However, we did keep in touch for a little while.

I hadn't heard from her for probably 12 years, but I found her on Facebook last week. She's married to the same guy she first told me about after college. I told her last week that I had an old letter from her, but that I think I tossed it out. Wrong... While looking for some old set lists for my old band's upcoming gig, I found it!

It's dated Aug. 8, 1992, and there is one particular passage that was great. I'll quote it here for you: "Mike, I'm seeing a new guy. His name is Paul, he's 23, and he's a Grad Student at SUNY-Albany. He's really sweet, and we really have a lot of fun together. We've been seeing each other for about a month. I'll keep you up to date.."

That was 17 years ago, and after 15 years of marriage and two kids later, they're still going strong. To have a letter from her from that particular time - when you're still figuring each other out, and everything is new and unknown - made me realize that I needed to give that letter to her, because it means more to the two of them than it does to me. So, that letter is on it's way back to Utica, New York, so Andrea, Paul, and their two kids can see it, and see that true , long lasting love does exist....

www.youtube.com/watch?v=dUi2gbhP_mU

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So Much For Threes ....

Man, this has been one really strange week. We always say that bad news comes in threes, but that theory has been absolutely blown out of the water this week. Word today is that Billy Mays, probably the most well-known TV pitchman around, was found dead at his Florida home this morning. He was 50.

For those of you keeping score, that makes four passings this week, and if you're counting unbelievable news stories on top of that, the Mark Sanford tryst would make Number Five. Are we really having that bad of a week, or is it just that there are some amny people that we classify as 'celebrities', that their loss seems like a daily event? Yes, the media is everywhere now, so it's no surprise that these deaths seem to be coming so fast and furious. With Mays' passing, it now leaves it between Vince and Anthony Sullivan to fight for the title of Top TV Pitchman....

Billy Mays hawked everything from OxyClean to MiniBurger Grills to Health Insurance, which we discussed previously. But , half of advertising is breeding familiarity and confidence. Billy Mays sure had familiarity. You knew him when you saw him, and everyone can do some type of imitation of him - usually by talking at the top of your lungs - but hey, it worked.... I ran into a website on Mays, and it has some Chuck Norris-type 'Facts' about him. Here are the best ones......

Billy Mays interrupted Bill O'Reilly once, causing O'Reilly to profuselyapologize for speaking out of turn.

The GDP of Billy Mays is greater than the entire European Union - before the Recession.

In 2006, a man in Arkansas accidentally hit the Bass Boost button during a Billy Mays informercial. We know this because a forensic team in radiation-proof suits recently had finished their meticulous inspection of the blast crater.

Narwhals wash their tusks with OxyClean...

Billy Mays attributes the power of his on-screen persona to an incident as a teenager, when he accidentally ingested the Cap Lock button on his IBM PS/2 keyboard..

Vin Diesel waxes his head with Liquid Diamond....

After hearing a Billy Mays infomercial, R. Lee Ermey (Gunny Sgt. Hartman) reconsidered his own personal commitment to perpetually yelling.

Billy Mays once sold Pain to Chuck Norris..

Joe Piscopo tried to outsell Billy Mays once.......... ONCE.

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P-Luv Ain't Gonna Like This One...

It's a Slow News Day, So We'll Pass On a Joke Instead ....

It's 10:00 PM, and I almost forgot to post today. Since I'm finding myself a bit short on time and material, I decided to just print a joke I got from a co-worker today. You might have heard it already. After all, these jokes seem to make the rounds, don't they? It's the story of the Lawyer and the Redneck ......

A lawyer and a reneck are sitting next to each other on a long flight. The lawyer thinks that ednecks are so dumb, that he can get one over on them easy.... The lawyer asks the redneck if he'd like to play a game. The redneck just wants to get some sleep, and he declines. The lawyer persists, and assures the redneck that the game is a lot of fun. "I ask you a question, and if you get it wrong, you owe me $5, but if you ask me a question and I don't know the answer, I have to give you $500." The redneck agrees.....

The lawyer asks the first question.. "What is the distance from the Earth to the Moon?" The redneck reaches into his wallet, and hands the lawyer a $5 bill. Now it's the redneck's turn. He asks, "What goes up a hill with three legs , and comes down with four legs?" The lawyer has no idea. He gets on his laptop, searches all possible refernces, including the Library of Congress. He gets on the Airfone, and calls every friend he has. After an hour of trying, he finally gives up, and hands the redneck $500. The redneck turns over, and goes to sleep.....

After a little bit, the lawyer can't take it anymore. He wakes up the redneck, and asks him "So, what is it that goes up a hill with three legs, and comes down with four legs ??!!!!". The redneck reaches back into his pocket, hands him $5, and goes back to sleep....... BA-DUM- BUM !!!!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=icMTVV5Lwaw

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SC6 Exclusive: Has Andre Bauer Already Taken Over at the Governor's Mansion ?

Again With the Loaded Finger? Dead or Alive, You're Coming With Me !

Thanks to Michael Jackson's passing, the weight of the media has let mark Sanford off the hook - at least for the moment. However, just because the spotlight has died down, that doesn't mean the machinations of political gain aren't in full motion. Hold on a second, while I make sure the previous sentences are gramatically correct. Yeah, I think I'm okay....

While other blogs give their opinions on what the future holds, why Sanford did what he did or where he goes from here, or asking 'insiders' for information, we got down into the heart of Columbia's political nerve center, started snooping, and boy did we find some real gems there...

Eevn though Mark Sanford was reported to be on Sullivans Island, we decided to go to Columbia anyway - like something told us to go.. While walking past the Lace House, we spotted Sen. Jakie Knotts, causing an obviously contrived disturbance with the driver of a Mister Softee Ice Cream truck - some BS about not enough Sprinkles on his Double Cone.. As the crowd grew, we saw a shady figure slip into the Governor's Mansion. We slid under the window, and we found Lt. Governor Andre Bauer, checking out the place. We couldn't tell you exactly what he was doing, but he was motioning his hands like you do when you are organizing furniture in your head...

Intrigued, we snuck down through the chimney, and shot the following video... Careful - it is NOT for the faint of heart.......

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LiPDL9S552s

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It's Official: You And I Are Getting Old .....

For those of you who don't know everything about me, I'll be 41 in a couple weeks. It's an age that is very disconcerting for a lot of us. Things begin to change... You start to feel a bit slower, you can't do all of the things like you used to - and then there are days like today, when life slaps you directly across the face, and you realize that you're getting old. Or at least you're not a kid anymore.....

Yes, legends die, and not all people are meant to grow old - Elvis, John Lennon, Kurt Cobain, James Dean, Jimi Hendrix..... Most of those were before my time, except for Cobain, who we all knew was going to kill himself ... Today has hit a little more at home. I was JUST old enough to remember the original 'Charlie's Angels', and if I knew one person who had the Farrah Fawcett poster, I knew twenty.... She had been sick for a long time, and, as a person who watched his mother suffer through cancer, I felt some relief for her. I was all set to find a clip of her on the Tonight Show to put on the blog, when I got home, and heard the other news today......

Michael Jackson's passing wasn't a total surprise. There were rumors of him having some type of cancer and needing kidney dialysis. That, and he always was so frail that 40 years of the industry takes it's toll on your health. But, whether or not of whether you were a fan (which I wouldn't classify myself as one), the sheer scope of what he accomplished in his career, before all of the idiosyncrasies, the lawsuits, and the questionable choices made, you have to recognize him as probably the biggest worldwide name in Music....

I always picked on my Dad when someone he was familiar with passed away - mostly because their average age was about 97. But these are two people who were young and vibrant when I was, so it kinda puts that extra little reminder that you ain't a kid anymore..... Sure, I've lost close friends younger than this, and more suddenly. But, two people dying like Fawcett and Jackson on the same day reminds you of the fact that eventually, we all will die. That, and maybe the things we all were arguing about yesterday were a bit petty.....

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Pardon Me, As I Tiptoe Through a Minefield Here ..

I am probably the last blogger in SC to comment on this, but I had the common sense to wait and see what exactly what was going on with the whole Sanford Appalachian-Argentina trip fiasco. While many bloggers thrive and love red meat topics like this, I have to be more careful than probably all of them. You may not have noticed this, but I am the only political blogger in SC that actually holds offices within the party. There is a chance of me losing positions that I have worked very hard for. But I have a legion of readers that depend on me to see things as they are, and to give an honest opinion on politics. So, we're going to give our thoughts on some of it.....

Knowing that this may end up on various computer screens in Columbia, here is our disclaimer: the opinions given here are mine, and not those of the SCGOP nor should they be viewed as those of any official view of the Republican Party. There, if you want an official viewpoint, call the SCGOP directly..... You know, Ms. X had a comment on her MySpace page today that said "Before you criticize anyone, walk a mile in their shoes first. That way, you're a mile away from there, and you have their shoes". I'm not sure what that means, but it seemed appropriate to today's news.

I feel a little bit like a duck hit on the head today. Mark Sanford is one of my favorite guys in politics. No, I didn't agree 100% on everything with him, but we had a lot in common. Fiscal responsibility above everything, a dash of libertarianism, and that bit of smartass and thumbing your nose at the establishment. Ask Jim Clyburn who he hates the most in South Carolina, and he'd probably mention the two of us. Marital infidelity was the last thought on my mind, until right before Sanford's press conference. I find myself caught in my own words from last week, when Senator Ensign admitted to the same thing. In it, I had some definite opinions on what kind of person a man is who cheats on his spouse is. It is what it is, and as much as I think Sanford was a damned good Governor, I don't know him personally. Safe to say, he has really let us all down. That's as far as my judgement goes. I find it a little too uncomfortable to pray for a person who just cheated on is family - that's his job, and his choice.

What have, or least what should we learn from all this? It's pretty simple. First, don't cheat on your spouse. Secondly, and this is a byproduct of it all, is don't lie. I learned this a while back, because I am the world's worst liar. Cheating begets lying, and worst of all, it causes your associates (Ex. - Your staff) to lie for you, and it just makes things worse...

Now, there seems to be calls for him to step down, and there's a lot of outrage from certain people. I would advise you to look where the criticisms are coming from.... John Land? Please.... Jakie Knotts? C'mon. Mark Sanford gets along better with Gilda Cobb-Hunter than Jakie Knotts... Lastly, Andre Bauer is looking to replace Sanford as Governor, but they aren't the tightest pair in Columbia. It's pretty apparent that Nikki Haley is Sanford's choice to succeed him. If only for that reason, I would advise Sanford to finish his term. We have a wide open race for 2010, and if Sanford were out, then just give Andre Bauer the nomination next year, barring a disaster in office. Not that I'm against Bauer, but I'd rather see it decided on an even field. Haley is the big loser in this one, without a doubt.......

Personal aspects aside, is the possibility of a Sanford impeachment real? There have been lots of comparisons to Bill Clinton on this. Clinton didn't get impeached for cheating, he was impeached for lying to a grand jury under oath about it. Sanford has come clean, although the details of the trips aren't fully out there yet. Once again, the infidelity causing the behavior that actually gets politicians in trouble.....2012 is over, and that is the only silver lining I can see out of all this. I liked Sanford, but I didn't want to see him run for President.....

A couple weeks ago, I posed that question to Karen Floyd about who is driving the GOP bus. It seems a bit prescient in hindsight, because Karen has a challenge the likes of which she could never had imagined. While Mark Sanford is a big wheel on the bus, he is only a part. Over and over again, including from Karen Floyd, I heard that the GOP is made of thousands of people like myself, Moye, Earl, Tommy and others who volunteer and give to the party. That includes YOU too. WE drive the bus. WE choose the path the bus takes, WE fix the flat tire on the bus. And what about when when the bus seems like it blew an engine? WE REBUILD it...

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