Browse News+Opinion
Browse Calendar+Scene
Browse Arts+Movies
Browse Food+Drink
Browse Music+Clubs
Friday, February 27, 2009
New NonCensus: Jindal and more
Posted by Greg Hambrick on Fri, Feb 27, 2009 at 4:00 PM
The new NonCensus is up. Here's the first question and one of four possible answers. Go take the full survey.
Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal gave the GOP reaction to President Obama’s sort-of State of the Union, telling viewers that the FEMA’s response to Katrina showed the ineptitude of the federal government. Yes, that federal response was led by fellow Republican George Bush. In light of this surprising suggestion, what’s the next program to be abandoned due to Bush-era incompetence?
A. The pretzel. …
Check out the other answers and the rest of the questions on Match.com, two-way streets in Charleston, and Sen. Jim DeMint's fight against the Fairness Doctrine.
NonCensus Results In On Phelps, Stimulus, Palin, Parish
Posted by Greg Hambrick on Fri, Feb 27, 2009 at 1:26 PM
The weekly NonCensus survey is unofficially over and here are the results. But the polls aren't closed. Go check out the full survey before it's gone.
1. Richland County Sheriff Leon Lott announced on Feb. 16 that Michael Phelps will not face charges due to the photo taken of the Olympic athlete in Columbia with his mouth wrapped around a bong. The picture frustrated parents with little tadpoles, but provided a rallying tool for pot smokers around the nation. What is the next photo that will shame Phelps while also providing an often beleaguered group with a new spokesman?
C. Phelps showing off his abs and Speedo tanline to Lindsay Lohan in the desperate attempt for a hook-up. Group benefiting: “That guy.”
2. South Carolina officials are trying to press for their requests for the $787 billion federal stimulus plan. What local stimulus project has been overlooked?
A. Pirates of the Charleston Harbor: An animatronic boat ride through the Provost Dungeon. Argh!!!
3. Bristol Palin told Fox News that her mother’s philosophy on teen abstinence is “not realistic at all.” What’s the next myth of parenting that will be shattered?
C. When “one day” comes and you have kids of your own, you will still not know what the hell your parents were talking about.
4. Al Parish wants the court to reduce his 24 year sentence to a little more than six years. What is the event that Parish can’t miss in 2014?
B. World Cup Brazil! Carnival gnomes!
Take the full survey here. The new one should be up later today.
Round-up: Sanford Shines, S.C. Web Phone Friendly, Tyler Perry On Our Shores?
Posted by Greg Hambrick on Fri, Feb 27, 2009 at 11:39 AM
A few stories we're passing on this morning:
• The Wahsington Post has a list of the 10 Republicans to watch and Sanford is still at a strong No. five.
Of all the Republicans looking seriously at 2012, Sanford, the governor of South Carolina, is the one who has leaned the furthest forward. He has been everywhere of late -- op-ed pages, television, state party gatherings -- as a strident voice in opposition to the economic stimulus bill. …
• South Carolina is doing a pretty good job making its website cell-phone friendly, according to Government Technology, which gave the state a B+.
South Carolina has a rather nice site for smartphone users. Although no mobile version exists, the site is easy to navigate on the BlackBerry. Plus, www.sc.gov does offer a text-only version, which essentially strips away the very minimal graphics on the normal home page.
• And Tyler Perry is looking for a little home away from home — his own private island.
What will he call his own private isle? … he'll wait until he's inspired by the exotic locale, which he hasn't quite decided on yet. "It'll speak to me," he says. "I'll know what to call it once I'm there."
Why does this have a local interest? Rumor has it that Oprah was looking at a secluded Lowcountry isle a few years ago. She didn't end up buying, but our ears perked up at this news that Perry is in the market for his own little slice of heaven.
Questions Linger In Wal-Mart Dress-Up Heist. Like, What are "Wal-Mart pants"?
Posted by Greg Hambrick on Fri, Feb 27, 2009 at 10:20 AM
The story is riveting. Really.Two men allegedly coordinate several heists of local Wal-Marts by impersonating employees and loading expensive electronic equipment in their truck.
They got caught in Summerville, the small town where everybody obviously knows everybody.
What struck us was this line in the Post and Courier story:
They were wearing Wal-Mart shirts and pants, and one of them had a name tag identifying himself as Will.
We were in Wal-Mart yesterday — sometimes we're in there twice a week — and we've never noticed what "Wal-Mart" pants look like. A quick Internet search revealed the supsects' last known costume:
Basically, it's the khakis that we wear to work nearly every day, not that there's anything wrong with that.
They were wearing Wal-Mart shirts and pants, and one of them had a name tag identifying himself as Will.The female worker asked the pair what they were doing. Will told her he worked at the Goose Creek Wal-Mart, according to the report.
Of course, the man's name was not Will, so it's curious that they just didn't refer to him as "the man" in the next graph. Lets say, for instance, he was in a Jack Sparrow costume instead of a Wal-Mart outfit. The report wouldn't have read, "… one of them was dressed as Jack Sparrow." and then "Jack Sparrow told her he worked at the Goose Creek Wal-Mart," would it?
Thursday, February 26, 2009
S.C. House Looks To Stymie Student Vote
Posted by Greg Hambrick on Thu, Feb 26, 2009 at 6:17 PM
The South Carolina House approved a bill today to require a picture ID to vote, led by House Speaker Bobby Harrell, R-Charleston.
“To say that requiring a picture ID to vote creates an undue burden is absurd,” said Speaker Harrell.
Actually, it's not absurd. It's actually a fact. Charleston college students were wrongly turned away at the polls in November, and it was far from the first time. Picture ID requirements breed confusion at the polls, especially for volunteer poll managers who don't understand that the ID is for picture identification only — not to match addresses.
It's also not clear to me by looking at the bill that it accounts for students that may have a drivers license from another state, but are still allowed to vote in South Carolina.
- The same-sex marriage debate is a distraction47 comments
- Author William G. Lord is a cold warrior for Christ5 comments
- Five tips for surviving Spoleto Festival5 comments
- Truth & Salvage Co. sift through 50 songs to make the perfect record1 comment
- Ravenel Bridge parkour daredevils issue apology1 comment
- Eater Charleston launches today3 comments
-
Charlie Brown Seafood
Garlic crabs we're delicious. Wish it was a small restaurant where you could sit and… -Danielle Ashe England
-
Little Tokyo
ITADAKMASU = Let's eat! -Christopher Bernique
-
Brittlebank Park
Tehn maybe you should go back to New York. -Chrystal McConnell
-
Diamonds North
There is nothing worse than a bitter fired employee. I work at a plant near… -boeingguy51
-
Pearlz
Fantastic service!
We visited on a busy Friday night and the restaurant was… -twa318
-
Is S.C. State University's board of trustees really so bad?
A Matter of Degrees
-
Ravenel Bridge parkour daredevils issue apology
-
Author William G. Lord is a cold warrior for Christ
The thinking Baptist's Glenn Beck sees socialism as a pervasive enemy of the church
-
50 Shades of Grey's most notorious scene as read by Stephen Hawking
No strings attached
-
Do conservatives want Obama to throw citizens in jail without trial?
A Permanent Police State
