Columbia mayoral candidate Steve Benjamin is making one of his first major policy stances this week, calling for the city’s first responders to be considered first for funding during the budget process. Over the past couple years, Columbia’s police, fire fighters and paramedics, et. al., [...]
Going into November, the S.C. Democratic Party raised more money spent less money and had more cash on hand in its federal account than its counterpart at the S.C. Republican Party, but didn’t do much with it. The Republicans, on the other hand, were pretty active [...]
We’re participating in Southeastern Conference sports site SECRivals‘ weekly SEC power poll this season. Let’s see what’s happening.
Week 13
No. 1. Alabama
No. 2. Florida
No. 3. LSU
No. 4. Ole Miss
No. 5. Georgia
No. 6. Auburn
No. 7. Arkansas
No. 8. Tennessee
No. 9. [...]
It’s doubtful that anytime in the modern era of college football there have been six undefeated teams, ranked Nos. 1-6, going into the final week season (not counting Army-Navy on Dec. 12). As such, not much changed, even after a run of upsets. There remains the [...]
The Thanksgiving rivalry weekend wasn’t too kind to a number of favored teams, among them ACC division champions Clemson and Georgia Tech, who lost to Carolina and Georgia, respectively. With Mississippi State also upsetting Ole Miss, the bowl picture in the SEC is now like an [...]
What’s the matter with Spartanburg County? It’s always something with those guys. This week, The Herald-Journal revisited the resolution that was passed by the county Republican Party executive committee this summer, as campaigns are gearing up for the 2010 run. To speak to the executive [...]
The doctors called it shortly after the end of Alabama’s last-minute victory over Auburn. The noise of the flat-lining was loud. Alabama running back Mark Ingram’s bid to become the program’s first-ever Heisman Trophy winner was killed by the Auburn defense, and linebacker [...]
We don’t particularly like Wal-Mart, but like many people, we’ve shopped there out of necessity a number of times depending on the circumstances. Years ago, we made the observation that one can only spend five minutes in a Wal-Mart before something weird happens.
That quotient was [...]
For the past several weeks, there has been some activity regarding improper loans given by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to the City of Columbia and then to people close to two City Council members. The loans involved [...]
Sometimes, journalists have to write bullshit process stories when they already know the outcome. We’d be surprised if Associated Press writer Jim Davenport didn’t break out in a massive yawn while penning, “AG not close to decision on SC gov ethics case.” The collective reaction, [...]
There have been plenty of mentions during the impeachment process of Gov. Mark Sanford about an impeachment in 1877. The year struck us as meaningful, since it was when the old guard of South Carolina retook the government from the Federal occupying forces and the [...]
With two weeks left, and Alabama staring at a trip to Auburn and the SEC Championship Game, Crimson Tide running back Mark Ingram still isn’t letting go of first place in the Heisman Trophy race. Against UT-Chattanooga, he was pulled with 10 minutes [...]
Today, the ad-hoc House committee on the impeachment of Gov. Mark Sanford had its first meeting to discuss the resolution put forward by Rep. Greg Delleney and set the plan for which the committee will discuss the issue and formulate a report.
This month, Nike played fast-and-loose with 10 universities’ uniform combinations because Nike hates America. And freedom, &c. Of special note are the abominations that will or have adorned Florida State, Florida and LSU. And then there’s Clemson, joining the party at the [...]
As our uncle would say, “Oh, law.”
The Bowl Championship Series, which we just defended, didn’t exactly wow the nation when it retained former Bush administration spokesman Ari Fleischer’s firm to run its public relations operation. The move has no doubt been driven [...]
The State Ethics Commission report on Gov. Mark Sanford’s indiscretions regarding use of state money and campaign dollars was released today, but we’re not sure if this thing is really worth a damn or not. A few of these charges, here or there, might [...]
Alabama running back Mark Ingram shot to the top of the Heisman Trophy watch lists after his 249-yard performance against Carolina, but until now, the university has laid off promoting him. Coach Nick Saban really doesn’t want to deal with that distraction, [...]
It’s Impeachment Meeting Eve. Fired up and ready to go? They’re getting the logistics nailed down, and it’s looking like it’s going to be a crowded affair. Rep. Jim Harrison will be chairing the committee, and will be joined by Reps. Greg Delleney, [...]
Hey, look — mainframes! It’s hard not to think of these behemoths, and their sleeker ’90s counterparts, when thinking of the bank of computer polls being used as a third of the BCS formula. This week, for whatever reason, the computers were near-unanimous in picking [...]
This past week was considered a boring one at the outset, but a few games created new story lines and teams that will be slotted into the SEC bowl tie-ins got a little of a shake. With Tennessee’s win, the conference now has 10 bowl eligible [...]
We’re participating in Southeastern Conference sports site SECRivals‘ weekly SEC power poll this season. Let’s see what’s happening.
Week 11
No. 1. Alabama
No. 2. Florida
No. 3. Ole Miss
No. 4. LSU
No. 5. Georgia
No. 6. Auburn
No. 7. Arkansas
No. 8. Tennessee
No. 9. Kentucky
[...]
Going into Notre Dame Stadium on Saturday, UConn was a middling Big East team with a 4-5 record. Notre Dame was 6-4 with a chance to salvage the season with a Gator Bowl bid versus Miami. Irish head coach Charlie Weis needed a win to [...]
Gov. Mark Sanford’s getting his neck stretched over the tree stump as legislators will be meeting next week in what’s called an ad-hoc committee to consider impeachment. Local Rep. Jim Harrison will be chairing it, according to Rep. Alan Clemmons and the [...]
Slagging the Bowl Championship Series these days is like being a fan of Nirvana in 1992. Rarely has trying to be a rebel looked so mainstream. Yeah, kid, you want a playoff. Woo. But, really, the bowl system and the BCS is pretty, pretty, pretty [...]
We’ve been leery of U.S. Senate candidate Marco Rubio, because he seems like, oh, a competent version of Gov. Mark Sanford, but you can put the nail in the coffin of Fla. Gov. Charlie Crist, Rubio’s opponent in the Republican primary. Why might [...]
A goodly number of college football teams have live mascots. But the line of Ugas take the cake. We’re especially in thrall of the late Uga V, otherwise known as “Magillicuddy II.” He not only appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1997, [...]
Damn, it seems like everyone and their mom is running for Columbia mayor. The latest entrant is local attorney and Nelson Mullins partner Steve Morrison. It was assumed that he would be battling with front-runner Steve Benjamin for the same votes. That’s now a [...]
We’re not going to say former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is an idiot, but she is the most ignorant dumbass with a serious shot at national elective office since then-Ala. Gov. George Wallace ran in 1968. It was like every time she opened her [...]
The ruling coming out of the State Ethics Commission on Wednesday has as much use as a fish needs a bicycle. Somebody please tell us what the hell point is it when The State’s lede on the story is about the most stupid goddamn [...]
It doesn’t happen that often anymore, thanks to the inclusion of lethal injection among the options, but a man condemned to death for murder got fried by Virginia’s electric chair on Tuesday. Gov. Tim Kaine, who is against the death penalty (he’s also pro-life, [...]
We have great memories of when Five Points was torn up, trees cut down and temporary orange fencing placed all over creation. Mmm, good times. Well, if you didn’t have your fill yet, Harden Street is getting more of a makeover.
Turns out, the Five Points [...]
How do you say “YARRRR!” in Somali? The crew of the MV Maersk Alabama heard it again, when it was attacked by Somali pirates for the second time this year.
The last time, it looked pretty bad for awhile. The captain was taken hostage, [...]
How lame is Auburn? Take Clemson, remove the lake, and put it in an even more remote location. Then add fans who like to toilet-paper the campus after a win (classy!). Obviously, our schadenfreude meter was red-lining this morning after being apprised of not one, but [...]
Here we give you the best of the rest, the bills that were noteworthy, but didn’t have other bills that were interesting enough to pair up with. There’s a little bit of everything in here.
Including snakes. And alligators. And God-knows-what-all that Rep. Herb Kirsh is [...]
On to the transportation bills that don’t involve mobile phones. It’s great, we’ve got it all here: speeding, drugs and government travel. But, be reminded — this isn’t pre-Operation Lost Trust anymore. You can’t get do a gator-tail of blow, get inside a car and [...]
Have a mobile phone? Of course you do. You probably yak on it and text your pals and do whatever you need to do on it, all day, all the time. In the prefiled bills, there are plenty that deal with your ability to use your [...]
Oh, boy. If you didn’t think the back-and-forth in Washington of this exchange: “You think you know better than everyone! Keep your big government hands out of health care,” versus, “Oh, you mean, ‘Keep your socialist hands off my Medicare,’” was not coming to our state [...]
During the extended session, Rep. Greg Delleney attempted to introduce his resolution to impeach Gov. Mark Sanford. After extensive discussion, Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell ruled that the bill was out of order at the time but instead should be put on [...]
Take note, Clemson fans. The Bulldogs from Georgia do not like orange. And let’s face it — with last week being the Deep South’s Oldest Rivalry, with Auburn visiting Athens, a group of fraternity brothers probably just thought the kid was from Auburn. After all [...]
Who knew that an odd-numbered year would give us the sort of political skullduggery that’s usually reserved for the regular cycle? Well, it came down today that consultant Mike Green was arrested in Myrtle Beach because, according to WMBF, he was trying to create [...]
Alabama running back Mark Ingram is moving even closer to becoming the Crimson Tide’s first Heisman Trophy winner, after his performance against Mississippi State during the past weekend. He had 19 rushes for 149 yards and two touchdowns. Without a doubt, the totals [...]
Former Landrum mayor Doug Brannon is getting into the primary race against Rep. Joey Millwood today, joining businessman John Moore. Former Rep. Bob Walker, who Millwood beat in one of the closest elections in the state, decided not to make another try at [...]
For a while, there were plans on something to deal with property taxes effectively, but because property taxes were used to fund schools, that created a whole host of issues. Then doing a shift to sales taxes was expected to be a relatively decent compromise.
Since then, [...]
Oh, laffs. Wouldn’t it be funny, though, if we really could fire Gov. Mark Sanford? No drawn-out impeachment, just pull the trigger and call it a day. That would make the 2010 session a lot more interesting with a gubernatorial candidate in the executive instead [...]
Speaker of the House Bobby Harrell said in a Post and Courier story Monday that he’s still looking at shortening the General Assembly sessions, which presently extend from mid-January through June. The idea is to save the state money while freeing up the ability [...]
Remember when Carolina was 5-1? And ranked? Pepperidge Farm remembers.
But seriously, the Gamecocks are now 6-5, having gone 1-4 since mid-October. Florida was the latest conquerer, coming into Columbia No. 1 and leaving the same, winning by 10. And here’s the seriously galling part [...]
We’re participating in Southeastern Conference sports site SECRivals‘ weekly SEC power poll this season. Let’s see what’s happening.
Week 11
No. 1. Alabama
No. 2. Florida
No. 3. LSU
No. 4. Georgia
No. 5. Auburn
No. 6. Ole Miss
No. 7. Tennessee
No. 8. Arkansas
No. [...]
For a lot of men, going into your late 20s and 30s doesn’t mean what it used to. We have a tendency to maintain an adolescent mentality, to the point where it’s comical. That situation has been developed into the best new show on television, “[...]
Atty. Gen. Henry McMaster wants you to know he values your religious beliefs, especially when they’re involved with government, and he’s released a video to say so.
If you’re Christian.
There are few things more despicable than when politicians blatantly pander by using religion. If Jesus came [...]
We’re of the opinion that The Garnet Spy is stone-cold batshit fucking crazy. Really, we disagree with people, and absolutely despise others, but it takes a whole different class of person to rise to the level of becoming padded-room eligible.
The man actually thinks his Google [...]
Believe it or not, South Carolina is the fourth-happiest state in the South. According to the Gallup-Healthways Well-Being Index, the Palmetto State is the only trails Virginia, Texas and Georgia in being the happiest state in Dixie. Of all the states in America, Virginia rocks [...]
The Republican race for state superintendent of education got its third candidate today, as Newberry College president Mick Zais announced his intention to run for the office. He’ll be facing off against Furman University professor Brent Nelsen and Dutch Fork High School teacher [...]
Columbia has been home to the Gamecocks since 1801, but it’s not legal to own one now, and not later, either. However, the city is looking at allowing residents to keep up to four hens within city limits.
The cluck stops here.
Next Wednesday, a proposed [...]
Perhaps the only issue that gets under our skin is how some flaming douchebags want to make money off middle class college students. These are kids who have good enough grades to get into college, but whose parents don’t have the money to pay for school, [...]
Patrick Davis is one of the best local musicians, and if you’ve seen him in concert, you’d have to agree. When we were in college, we were lucky enough to catch him opening up a few times for Danielle Howle and Jump, Little Children. [...]
Last year, a goodly number of phone calls went out in Aiken County, illegal robocalls in support of Sen. Greg Ryberg and House candidate Scott Singer in the Republican primaries. Ryberg never needed the help, as much as it was, and Singer lost to [...]
In a move that’s likely to surprise exactly nobody, S.C. First Lady Jenny Sanford endorsed Rep. Nikki Haley for governor, sending out a news release letter to local media detailing her decision. Haley’s been considered the “Sanford candidate” from the outset, and has [...]
Nike’s bizarre, “tradition ain’t shit” uniform policy will befoul a number of teams for the rest of the month. Alabama, thank God, has been limited to the swoosh, the NCAA-mandated conference pennant and the script A, through there was that houndstooth collar mess [...]
The major party committees and election organizations have gotten into the habit of producing Web videos, which it seems that no one watches except for pols and journalists. That’s probably why we didn’t see these until weeks later. It looks like these guys are just chomping [...]
Alabama running back Mark Ingram is still on pace to win the Crimson Tide’s first Heisman Trophy as the team prepares to claim its 10th win of the season, a 7 p.m. ESPN tilt against Mississippi State. In his game versus LSU, Ingram ran [...]
The wonks at the Cook Political Report have gone to town with a new base polling system, the “partisan voting index.” It takes into account the last five presidential election cycles.
One is that Republicans have absolutely sucked — or shat the bed, or bollixed [...]
Our fourth-ever post on this fledgling attempt to counter the toadies of the political blogosphere involved the issues surrounding the fight on who is actually leading the Spartanburg County legislative delegation, a fight that had already been going on for a while. “Hit list” [...]
South Carolinians for Responsible Government’s boy Friday at FITSNews, in between showing off his penchant for T&A jokes that an eight-year-old would find sophomoric, tried to make a recent video taken at an education conference into a joke about Gov. Mark Sanford. The [...]
We’ve already conceded Carolina to the Papajohns.com Bowl in Birmingham, where the Gamecocks will take a six-win record to the Magic City in which to play a bad Big East team for the chance to finish the season with a winning record. We [...]
Batesburg-Leesville has been having more than its share of political drama over the past few weeks, as municipal affairs are turning into fisticuffs, allegations of improper conduct in relation to the water supply and claims of election problems.
In July, councilman Steve Cain and town [...]
The elections to the U.S. Senate of Lindsey Graham in 2002 and Jim DeMint in 2004 sent men with decidedly different styles and base constituencies to Washington. Graham, his power play as a House manager in President Bill Clinton’s impeachment trial notwithstanding, has an [...]
Prominent Northwestern grad, Washington Post writer and ESPN commentator Michael Wilbon had a pretty good day on Saturday, watching his purple-clad Wildcats kill Iowa’s national championship hopes. The Hawkeyes dropped from No. 4 to No. 10 in the BCS standings, No. 9 to No. [...]
We’re participating in Southeastern Conference sports site SECRivals‘ weekly SEC power poll this season. Let’s see what’s happening.
Week 10
No. 1. Alabama
No. 2. Florida
No. 3. LSU
No. 4. Auburn
No. 5. Tennessee
No. 6. Georgia
No. 7. Arkansas
No. 8. [...]
Stop us if you’ve heard this before: the South Carolina football team will start off the season well, even jumping into the rankings. Gamecock fans, a group of which share delusion on par with Chicago Cubs supporters, will start contemplating challenging the Brahmans of the [...]
The political arena is not a place for the thin-skinned or easily offended, though Will Folks and Adam Fogle are trying to overturn that bit of wisdom every day. It can be a rough place, and, at times, a banal place. We know of [...]
The older we get, the more jaded we become when it comes to party-line toeing apologists for our nation’s two largest political parties. It inevitably comes down to, “We’re right, they’re wrong, blah blah blah.” Perhaps the only other thing that’s dumber is the Republican civil [...]
Over here, we’re big fans of the S.C. National Guard. It was great news to find out that the S.C. Air National Guard kicked ass in an international competition in Jordan. For the first time, a National Guard unit was selected to represent the [...]
Grant Robertson, proprietor of F-Stop and co-host of “Drinking in the Morning,” started off running with partner-in-crime Aaron Johnson for Columbia mayor. But, after some deliberation, Johnson is remaining in the mayoral race while Robertson is taking another tack.
As we were advised yesterday, Robertson [...]
Last night’s gubernatorial debate between 10 — 10 — candidates was largely a genial affair in which the Democrats and Republicans were mixed with each other by alphabetical order. Because it was sponsored by an environmental organization, the questions centered around environmental protection and issues surrounding [...]
We’ve lived in a number of backward places in the South over the years, but South Carolina has taken the cake for some time. More often than not, it was because of asinine “blue laws.” Because, shit, if you can’t get the people into your church, [...]
We’re not making assumptions based on the New Jersey results or the final in NY-23. But, we do know a thing or two about Virginia, and we’re fairly confident that the results in the 2009 elections in Virginia hold as much significance as a dog’s bollocks. [...]
God forbid, while we consider the Columbia mayoral race, the phrase that keeps popping up for us is the lyric from Stealers Wheel: “Clowns to the left of me, jokers to the right….” With Mayor Bob Coble saying that he won’t run again, the [...]
Tuesday night, 10 candidates, five from the Democrats, five from the Republicans, gathered for the first big gubernatorial debate of the 2010 election season. We watched it, but are going to go back through the recorded audio to see what were the most interesting parts of [...]
Yes, oh, yes — if you’re around our age, you’ve practically grown up with Weezer. It’s like that friend of yours from sixth grade that you don’t talk to but every once in a while, and it’s always a pretty good time. Then, you go your [...]
Numbers from the October monthly federal fund disclosures revel that the S.C. Republican Party holds a money lead on its Democratic counterparts by more than two-to-one. The SCGOP also raised more money than the S.C. Democratic Party over the period, though the Democrats spent more.
U.S. Rep. Joe Wilson is in a good position to be reelected, according to the latest assessment by Roll Call. The analysis slots SC-02 as “likely Republican,” the next-best thing to a door-slamming “solid Republican” categorization. This comes on the heels of a fundraising [...]
We’re participating in Southeastern Conference sports site SECRivals‘ weekly SEC power poll this season. Let’s see what’s happening.
Week Nine
No. 1. Alabama
No. 2. Florida
No. 3. LSU
No. 4. Auburn
No. 5. Tennessee
No. 6. South Carolina
No. 7. Georgia
No. [...]
