People Retreating From Charge Stations In Tennessee ...

The Tennessean Newspaper website reports:
http://www.tennessean.com/article/20111210/BUSINESS01/312100037/Charging-stations-for-electric-cars-are-mostly-idle

Charging stations installed with a share of taxpayers’ money are twice as plentiful across Tennessee today as the number of electric cars they’re designed to refuel, and most of the units go unused for hours or days at a time.

Car registration data show that 270 all-electric cars of various brands have been registered in Tennessee this year — 81 in Davidson and Williamson counties combined — but there are about 500 chargers available in public places to serve them.

The results raise questions about whether public money used to boost alternative fuel vehicles has been money well spent, at least so far.

Read the full article (linked above) for more details …

Side note: Apparently local, state, and federal governments across the country have also invested an enormous amount of "road funds" into signs; as you see pictured here. The average electric car owner also owns a cellphone which gives precise locales of such charging stations ~ making signage unnecessary. It's questionable to put such signage up anyway as a person in need would most likely need to plan their trip and know where the stations are to begin with.

Last Day To Register For Republican Primary Is Today

★★★VOTE ★★★

The Republican Presidential Primary in South Carolina is on January 21, 2011, those wishing to vote must be registered to vote by end of today.

A voter who has moved from one county to another in the State, must be registered to vote in the new county by today's deadline.

To register:

• Visit the Pickens County Voter Registration and Elections office @ The Pickens County Administration Facility in Pickens.

• Download a voter registration form from SCVOTES.org, complete the form, and:

~ Take it to the County voter registration office,

~ Fax the form to the county voter registration office

~ Scan the form and email the image as a file attachment to the the County voter registration office

Appropriate contacts available on www.pickenselections.org

Currently registered voters who have moved within a county or have changed names can help ensure a smoother voting process for everyone by updating their registrations.

To update your voter registration:

Download the Voter Registration Update form from scVOTES.org and return it to the appropriate county voter registration office.

Update the information on the back of your voter registration card and return it to the the County voter registration office.

Voters who have moved from one county to another must instead submit a voter registration application.

Everyone is eligible to vote in the Republican Presidential Preference Primary, regardless of political affiliation.

You can vote in the primary if you will be 18 by election date November 6, 2012. This means, even if you are 17 now and will be 18 on or before November 6, 2012 .. . you may vote in this election but must be registered by the methods above first.

Pickens County Delegation Meeting Scheduled For January @ Rosewood Center In Liberty

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The Pickens County delegation to the South Carolina General Assembly plans to conduct its annual public meeting January 3, 2012

The meeting will be at the Rosewood Center

419 E. Main St. (S.C. 93)

Liberty, SC 29657

(next to Ingles).

Reports from organizations and boards will be heard starting at 5PM.

The floor will be opened for public comments at 5:30PM.

The public is invited and encouraged to attend the meeting. People will have an opportunity to ask questions of and make comments to legislative delegation members.

Delegation members will comment on various issues that may be introduced in the upcoming session of the General Assembly, which convenes January 10, 2012.

The delegation consists of Senator Thomas C. Alexander and Senator Larry A. Martin as well as Represenatives Eric Bikas, Davey Hiott, Phillip Owens and B. R. Skelton.

For further information, call (864) 850-7070.

Every dime from the wealthy and every salary of every pro sports player ...

Here's a link to a great video showing that if every dime were taken from every Billionare, if every penny in profit were taken from every company in the Fortune 500, if every every dime were taken from every pro sport including pro football, major league baseball, PGA golf, and even NASCAR, if we eliminated all foreign aid, if we eliminated all funding for wars or protection in Iraq and Afghanistan … we still wouldn't have enough money to cover the recently approved federal budget for one year.
It really puts a hole in the myth that taxing the wealthy in this country would even be close to the answer of solving the federal deficit problem. A problem that devalues the same money the Federal government wishes it could collect.
http://www.youtube.com/watch_popup?v=JY8LKII_MNA

Occupy LA Leaves Behind 25+ Tons Of Garbage & Huge Sanitation and Disposal Tab

Apparently Occupy LA protestors left behind 99% of their trash. 

Protesters who were cleared from their encampment last week, left behind 25+ tons of debris, which Los Angeles City Officials say it is unable to recycle.

See the Earth911 article here:

http://earth911.com/news/2011/12/06/occupy-los-angeles-leaves-behind-25-tons-of-trash

NAACP or UNAACP?

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Not pleased with various states implementations of voting security measures such as Voter I.D. (as is the case in South Carolina) the NAACP is heading to make a complaint to the United Nations to get an international court to make a ruling.

Wow!

Read the full story here:

NAACP Taking Complaints About U.S. Voter Laws To United Nations

Minority Report?

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Interesting because it comes from a typically left leaning network and newscaster …

3 Myths Of Capitalism

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Green Steps Training or Indoctrination?

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Green Steps Training or Indoctrination?

A recent article in The Easley Progress advertised a Green Steps program to be held at the Pickens County Museum of Art and History. This type of “green program” being offered is a direct result of the 1992 Earth Charter. My purpose in writing this editorial is to expose the true agenda behind the Earth Charter. There is nothing wrong with teaching kids to turn off the lights when they are not in use, or to dispose of trash appropriately. But the real target of all these “green” initiative programs and the Earth Charter is sustainability. Sustainability will lead to the end of private property rights, capitalism, free markets, and sovereignty.

The United Nations has embraced the Earth Charter as well as all major world governments. In order for everyone to accept a one world government it was necessary to provide a crisis to promote unity among all nations. What better way to unite all countries than a scare tactic that the planet Earth is in peril? On the outside the “green” movement sounds harmless. After all, no one is against clean air and water. But I urge you to research the Earth Charter. Here is the preamble to the Earth Charter: “We stand at a critical moment in Earth's history, a time when humanity must choose its future. As the world becomes increasingly interdependent and fragile, the future holds great peril and great promise. To move forward we must recognize that in the midst of a magnificent diversity of cultures and life forms we are one human family and one Earth community with a common destiny. We must join together to bring forth a sustainable global society founded on respect for nature, universal human rights, economic justice, and a culture of peace. Toward this end, it is imperative that we the peoples of Earth declare our responsibility to one another to the greater community of life and future generations.”

I was shocked to find out that Pickens Elementary is indeed a member of the “Green Schools” program of Green Steps. It is time parents know the truth behind the “green” agenda. This environmental green movement is a tool to manipulate our children into believing we need a one world government to “save the planet.” Children are bombarded from K-12 and even on through college that man is destroying “Mother Earth.” There is plenty of evidence the whole “Global Warming” theory is just that...a theory...not a fact. Why are our children being forced to believe this theory? It is my belief the “green agenda” is a sheep in wolves clothing. It is meant to indoctrinate our young children to become socialistic, liberal, progressive thinking adults.

Public schools and the Museum of Art and History are supported by your tax dollars. Do you want your tax dollars being used to indoctrinate your child to a value system which worships the Earth and not God? Do you want your tax dollars being used to indoctrinate your child?

I challenge you to research the Earth Charter and its United Nations companion Agenda 21. Call Pickens Elementary and ask about this “Green Schools” program.

Find out for yourself ...

Johnnelle Raines
VP of Conservatives of the Upstate

The Myths Of Renewable Energy

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http://thebulletin.org/web-edition/columnists/dawn-stover/the-myth-of-renewable-energy
In this article from Dawn Stover at The Bulletin, she discusses the common misconceptions that renewable energy is really renewable … due to waste and environmental damage to create and dispose of the products  such as nuclear, solar, wind, and fragging for natural gas.
From the article:

Solar power. While sunlight is renewable -- for at least another four billion years -- photovoltaic panels are not. Nor is desert groundwater, used in steam turbines at some solar-thermal installations. Even after being redesigned to use air-cooled condensers that will reduce its water consumption by 90 percent, California's Blythe Solar Power Project, which will be the world's largest when it opens in 2013, will require an estimated 600 acre-feet of groundwater annually for washing mirrors, replenishing feedwater, and cooling auxiliary equipment.

Dangerous Bill Would Threaten Legitimate Websites

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Dangerous Bill Would Threaten Legitimate Websites ~ The Atlantic

The bill would thus eviscerate today's predictable legal environment, subjecting innovators to a new era of uncertainty and risk. User-driven sites have flourished under the Digital Millennium Copyright Act's safe harbor, which clearly defines their legal responsibilities and expressly rejects any obligation to actively track and police user behavior. Under SOPA, that legal predictability would be tossed aside, exposing service providers to constant second-guessing by rightsholders.

Taking careful aim at online intellectual property infringement is one thing, but upsetting the legal balance that has led to more than 10 years of growth in Internet services is another. The current Congressional proposals threaten extensive and unnecessary collateral damage.

This a big threat to fair use of images and video and innocent derivative works ~ even going as far as using imagery of the President and politicians.

The bill removes satire exceptions and the protections of smaller news and information websites such as conservativesoftheupstate.com.

So I said to him,  "Barack, I know Abe Lincolm and you aren't Abe Lincoln." Obama, a Democrat, has made numerous attempts to quote Lincoln; a Republican.  Here's a quote by Lincoln that he should be more observant of …

You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift. You cannot lift the wage earner up by pulling the wage payer down. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred. You cannot build character and courage by taking away people's initiative and independence. You cannot help people permanently by doing for them, what they could and should do for themselves.

~ Abraham Lincoln

Writing A Defense Of Socialism ...

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In response to a letter published in the Pickens Sentinel ...

Dear Editor

I viewed with interest the letter published in your paper by Mr. Clarence C. Gibson, Jr. Since I was a boy, I have believed that Mr. was a title of respect, but I guess that liberals who do not know either the national or state constitutions have to resort to name calling in order to try to rebut some of the facts that have been presented.

Yes, the $400,000,000 of schools are nearly built. They are nice looking buildings that the state should have built out of the sales tax as voted on by the people in 1951 and in accordance with Article 11 section 3 of the state constitution. As the most astute of you know, the Conservatives of the Upstate presented that case to Governor Sanford before an earth mover ever moved a rock. He agreed with us and recommended that we present the information to our state Attorney General. But our Senator decided that he would block us by using a Senate rule that regular citizens like us couldn't go to the Attorney General on our own without the Senator's permission even though the Attorney General was our elected representative. We had three issues, but one of them that the payments on the lease/ purchase agreement were operational expense under law 388 and not bonded indebtedness.

Senator Martin sent me a letter saying that he had discussed these issues with the Attorney General himself and that McMaster said "there was no problem". In July of 2009 the State Supreme Court ruled that indeed the Conservatives of the Upstate were right and 7 school districts were awarded their schools by the state. Now us Pickenese have the privilege of paying not only for our $400,000.000 but part of the over a billion for the other school districts. So Clarence, how do the jobs in those other counties look now. As Perot said, " I hear a great sucking sound on our tax dollars" going down to Lexington, etc.

In my letter I talked about the illegal collection of taxes. I discovered this 30 years ago by auditing the county books. The school district owes the taxpayers over 40 million dollars for setting budgets at 95% collectable instead of 100% or more. If you do not pay your taxes in Pickens County, they take your property or you have to pay interest on the lateness. When we reassess, the county cannot set millage above a zero gain due to reassessment. The auditor set too much millage every time I checked except this past time when Brent Suddeth corrected it. More millions are owed to the taxpayers. Where is all this money? Look around you at the foreclosures. Look into the faces of those who have lost their homes, and call them old fogeys.

Are you suggesting that we teach our children how to change our great nation into a dictatorship like the one in Nazi Germany by ignoring the democracy of the people who voted 2 to 1 not to spend $197,000,000, only to be over ruled by a simple vote of a liberal school board. Where are those guys now? This county votes close to 75% Republican and most of those are conservative. If they deem a change in policy, they work and vote on it, not cram it down your throat. That is why we have Ben Trotter and Jimmy Gillespie on the school board: to see that this thing never happens again while they are there.

Remember that Europeans were promised jobs for everyone and so they did while teaching their children not to respect their older parents. Maybe you have taught as many Pickens County people in Industry(nearly 5000) and found out that buildings don't teach,but excellent teachers, and while we have some, it is not nearly enough. Conservatives emphasize excellency in education, hard work, 100% attendance and things like that. I have spent a lot more time volunteering to help the students than you, Clarence, have writing a defense of socialism.

Junius Smith
Conservatives Of The Upstate

State Lawmakers In Florida Repeal Agenda 21

* Picture from www.trevorloudon.com
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FLORIDA REPEALS UNITED NATIONS AGENDA 21(Read the full article on the It Makes Sense Blog)

The State of Florida has repealed its 30-year old growth management law (also called “smart growth,” UN Agenda 21 , “compact development” and “livability”). Under the law, local jurisdictions were required to adopt comprehensive land use plans stipulating where development could and could not occur. These plans were subject to approval by the state Department of Community Affairs, an agency now abolished by the legislation. The State approval process had been similar to that of Oregon. Florida Governor Rick Scott had urged repeal as a part of his program to create 700,000 new jobs in seven years in Florida. Economic research in the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and the United States has associated slower economic growth with growth management programs.

In the comments to this article on the It Makes Sense Blog a commenter, stating he was a conservative and that "this is a very bad idea" posited the following …

This subject always leaves me thinking of the sobering quote by Agent Smith in the movie The Matrix: 

“I’d like to share a revelation that I’ve had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species, and I realised that humans are not actually mammals. Every mammal on this planet instinctively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment; but you humans do not. Instead you multiply, and multiply, until every resource is consumed. The only way for you to survive is to spread to another area. There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern… a virus.” 

Every citizen, stakeholder and community leader should ask themselves, with respect to development decisions, are we behaving like “Viruses” or visionaries?

To which I responded …

You do realize that Agent Smith was the bad guy and this comment was hypocritical because he himself was the problem when he saw himself as the solution. 

Although the Matrix series ended very poorly this stood out to me. 

Agent Smith: “Why Mr. Anderson? Why? Why? Why do you continue?” 

Neo: “Because I choose to.” 

Of course unbridled reckless consumption of any type is beyond irresponsible; it’s sinful and gluttonous. 

But, the agenda behind Agenda 21 is control of the population NOT environmentalist conservation. Wrapping land and resource conservation into the mix is a tool to get support not simply the righteous goal. 

* Thanks to Johnelle Raines for the link 

Flashing Lights May Get You Flashing Blue Lights

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From FoxNews:
Taking Liberties: Bright Lights, Big Trouble

Eric Campbell thought he was being helpful. The Florida Highway patrolman thought he was being obnoxious and disrespectful and gave him a $101 fine.

“I couldn’t believe it,” said Campbell as he paced next to Veterans Highway in Tampa, Fla.

“I was in complete disbelief.”

Campbell’s crime?

He flashed his headlights to alert oncoming cars after passing that patrolman’s speed trap.

“It’s something I do,” he explained. "I don’t think it should be against the law."

In December 2009, the patrolman was set up on the southbound side of Route 589 near the Tampa International Airport. In a recording of the stop, the officer told Campbell he had seen his lights flashing. “It’s illegal,” he said before giving him a ticket that read “improper flashing of high-beams.”

Campbell eventually got the ticket dismissed, but he recently filed a class-action lawsuit against the state over writing similar citations.

Why?

“Because the state was rolling the dice (with me), he said. “They figured most people aren’t going to challenge it, and I think it’s about time someone actually did.”

"No udders", utters Uncle Sam ...

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Decision in farm dispute bars families from drinking milk from their own cows.

From WorldNetDaily:

A Wisconsin judge has decided – in a fight over families' access to milk from cows they own – that Americans "do not have a fundamental right to consume the milk from their own cow."

The ruling comes from Circuit Court Judge Patrick J. Fiedler in a court battle involving a number of families who owned their own cows, but boarded them on a single farm.

The judge said the arrangement is a "dairy farm" and, therefore, is subject to the rules and regulations of the state of Wisconsin.

Tyrannosaurus Debt

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Discouraging Private Ownership?

* The Paris Blue Car
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In case you were wondering what bike paths and "government encouragement" of bike usage may lead to, look no further than Paris, France for a prime example.

From the website Autoblog Green:

The French capital city of Paris has officially kicked off its Earth-friendly electric-car-for-hire scheme, rolling out battery "bubble cars" on Sunday and potentially sparking a revolution in transport.

Hot on the wheels of Velib – Paris' self-service bicycle scheme – comes Autolib, which city officials claim is the world's only self-service urban transport scheme of its type.

As with the 20,000 bicycles at hundreds of Velib stations throughout the city, enrolled locals wishing to get from point A to point B can soon drive an electric Bollore Bluecar from a starting location to a drop-off point at one of the soon-to-be thousands of city-wide stations.

A line of zero-emissions Bluecars hit the streets for a two-month trial ahead of Autolib's official launch in December. By 2013, Autolib is expected to have up to 5,000 eco-friendly Bluecars stationed at more than 1,000 locations across the city. The aim of the scheme is to slash noise and air pollution, as well as to reduce traffic congestion by discouraging private ownership of vehicles. Getting behind the wheel of a Bluecar will cost drivers anywhere between four and eight euros ($5.32 to $10.65 U.S. at the current exchange rate) per half hour, on top or a membership fee of 10 euros ($13.32) per day or 144 ($192) euros for a year. 

Spend While We Got It Train

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School Board Needs Encouragement

Recently the Pickens County Taxpayer Association sent a letter to the School Board requesting they use the funds received from the sell of school property to reduce the debt. Your hard earned tax dollars were already spent to purchase the schools originally and the only fiscally responsible solution is to use the sale of these properties to pay down the debt on the new schools that have been built. It is my understanding that there are three main reasons why the present school board will ignore Pickens County Taxpayer Association's request. Those three reasons are: Dr. Herbert Cooper, Mrs. Judy Edwards, and Mr. Jim Shelton.

Alex Saitta, Ben Trotter, and Jimmy Gillespie have been fighting to not only support fiscally sound spending but also to save our taxpayer dollars. They have continually shown that fiscal responsibility is a priority. The other three board members are on board the train called... "Spend It While We Got It".

It was even brought up at a recent board meeting to spend the money on pay raises. But thanks to Alex Saitta this was countered. If your school board member is Dr. Hebert Cooper who represents the Clemson area, or Mrs. Judy Edwards representing the Easley area, or Mr. Jim Shelton representing the Dacusville area please call them or e-mail them and tell them you don't want the funds used for anything except paying down our debt. Remind them YOU ARE THEIR BOSS.

Johnnelle Raines
Conservatives Of The Upstate

Perspective ...

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Federal Budget Deal (in perspective)

2011 Federal Budget Deal

Federal Budget: $3,820,000,000,000 ($3.82 Trillion)

Income: $2,170,000,000,000 ($2.17 Trillion)

New Debt: $1,650,000,000,000 ($1.65 Trillion)

Amount Cut: $38,500,000,000 ($38.5 Billion) –


The above cut is about 1% of the total budget.

Harry Reid is calling this a "historic amount".

The President said it is a "historic deal".

John Boehner simply said, "We've come to an agreement".

Let's put this into perspective.

Remove nine zeroes from each of those numbers and pretend this is a monthly household budget for the Smith family.

Amount of money the "Smith's" family spent this month: $3,820

Total income for the "Smith's" family this month: $2,170

Amount of new debt added to the credit card this month: $1,650

Outstanding balance on the credit card: $14,271


So last week, the "Smith's" sat down at the kitchen table and agreed to cut $38 from their monthly budget.

A historic amount!

Most families could do this easily by having a sandwich at home instead of a meal out.

This Has Been Designated A No Bible Study Zone ...

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From Fox News:

A southern California family has been fined for holding regular Bible studies at their home because it violates a city zoning code, The Los Angeles Times reported Wednesday.

The city of San Juan Capistrano, in Orange County, fined Charles and Stephanie Fromm $300 for having as many as 50 people assembled at their home twice a week, the Times reported. City officials also warned the couple that subsequent fines could increase if they continued to host the Bible studies without obtaining a special permit.

For more of this story, read:

California Couple Fined $300 for Holding Home Bible Studies

ISM: The Cure All?

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The Go Between ...

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Mr. Saitta was the go between in the original law suit to stop the construction of all the schools, and should know of the power that is wielded in Columbia. The school board is also defended by lawyers from Columbia that have political, legislative, and judicial favor. Our original suit was not given much thought by the Supreme Court, mainly because three essential elements that had been requested by me were left off the suit. These elements included the fact that the School Board was to make the payments on a lease basis to SCAGO and SCAGO would be responsible to pay the bond holders through a company believed to be Wells Fargo Bank, which meant that these payments were an operational expense to the Board. The account that the payments by the School Board were made from couldn’t be a debt account because the school board was not allowed to have debt of this magnitude(only 8% of the appraised property values in the county) and it violated the constitutional law from paying from the bond account. This type of payment made the State of SC responsible under law 388 because it was an operating expense, and was so ruled so by the SC Supreme Count in July of 2009. Seven counties were granted a favorable ruling which meant that the other 39 counties had to pay for their schools . 

Long before the Supreme Court ruled it an operating expense, the Conservatives of the Upstate held a conference with Governor Sanford, and explained the operating expense claim. He agreed with us and referred us to Attorney General McMaster. I found out that the Legislature had passed a law that citizens could not go direct to their elected Attorney General. I asked Senator Martin to get us an audience with McMaster. He sent me a letter explaining that he had gone direct to McMaster and that McMaster said there was “no problem” and Martin now considered my request fulfilled. We then went to a law firm in Columbia who intimated they might take the case Pro Bono ( on contingency) because they agreed with us. The next day they called and said it would cost us $250,000 to take the case. We asked for our paperwork back but to this day it has not been returned. The next thing I heard about it was that 7 counties had won the case using our pleadings even mentioning Pickens in the suit. I then asked the school board to get our money back for the people of Pickens County. Senator Martin blocked every effort to get the peoples’ money back, even pre filing laws to stop us.

On Mr. Saitta’s cost of the athletic fields at $31.6 million. He needs to retake cost accounting 101. True my $100 million was an estimate, but I will debate Mr. Saitta anytime on his figure. Just the interest alone for 25 years on his figure would run it up to nearly $100 million, but I am convinced he left out many costs in his figures: four new football stadiums, land bought and graded for the stadiums, parking , % of bond attorneys fees, at least four new gymnasiums which are a high percentage of the square footage of each high school, land for and construction of baseball, soccer and other sports fields, and so on. The destruction of Daniel High facilities must be included. 

Last, I want SLED to be called in to look at over collections of tax over the last 30 years estimated at $40 million which should have been refunded.

Junius Smith

Chairman of the Board

Conservatives of the Upstate

A Right We Should Already Have ...

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I'm fairly sure the Constitution says we already have this right, but many are surprised that we don't …
FOX NEWS: House Weighs Bill to Make Gun Permits Valid Across State Lines
From the article:

"Although many states have entered into voluntary agreements, there is no nationwide framework for honoring permits and licenses uniformly. A bipartisan bill, co-authored by Reps. Cliff Stearns, R-Fla., and Heath Shuler, D-N.C., aims to change that."

*Graphic from wearagun.com 

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"Educate and inform the whole mass of the people... They are the only sure reliance for the preservation of our liberty." ~ Thomas Jefferson

All Walks Of Life ...

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The Conservatives of the Upstate have members from every walk of life in the upstate and a large contingent from Pickens County. We have truck drivers, restaurant owners, retired teachers, former textile executives, teachers to industry, farmers, retired persons, computer experts, and people who care about our democratic republic; to mention a few. All these people voted 2 to 1 in 2005, not to build all these schools at one time. This would allow the people of Pickens County an opportunity to pay for and maintain the buildings without placing an undue burden on the people.

But our school board decided to violate the 8% of the appraised property law, and the constitutional law (Article 11, Section 3) that states that the State of SC is responsible for providing education to all citizens. There obviously can’t be school without buildings.

The board has consistently broken several collection and refund laws since the 1980’s, and they do it knowingly. While I love sports, I don’t think we needed 100 million in stadiums, fields, and arenas. On top of that, SC law 388 was violated, in that the payments on the schools to the Dummy Corporation (SCAGO) were operational expenses and should be paid by the state. The Supreme Court even said this, but our Senator believed that our people should continue to have the largest tax increase in Pickens history, and has since prefiled a new law and got it passed to make sure that the people are thoroughly taxed. So long to the repossessed homes of our citizens. Reckon the company interviewing for tax breaks that saw the new schools saw the empty homes that the folks can no longer afford.

It is beyond thinking that educators cannot see what a $23 billion dollar unfunded pension plan and continued high taxation are doing to the economy and the potential for providing pensions in the future. Just look at Greece and other European nations that refused to live within their means. The Appalachian Council of Governments published a comprehensive plan showing that the average income in Pickens County is just over $24,000, while teachers make an average of $47,000. The $24,000 includes teachers salaries so when you take them out, of the equation the average citizen that has to pay bills is down around $17,000. Figure it out. New companies get a tax break, and the citizens have to pay more of the salaries and loans the county has made.

We all want prosperity, but taxing the poor or even the rich isn’t going to get it done.

Junius Smith
Chairman of the Board
Conservatives of the Upstate

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"Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can
change the world; indeed, it's the only thing that ever has."
~ Margaret Mead

The Obama Jobinator Model 2011

CLICK FOR LARGER VIEW
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General Electric is planning to move its 115-year-old X-ray division from Waukesha , WI to Beijing.

In addition to moving the headquarters, the company will invest $2 billion in China, train more than 65 engineers and create 6 research centers.

This is the same GE that made $5.1 billion in the United States last year, but paid no taxes.

This is the same company that employs more people overseas than it does in the United States.

President Obama appointed GE Chairman, Jeff Immelt to head his commission on job creation (job czar). Immelt is supposed to help create jobs … in the U.S..

See GE Moves 115-Year-Old X-Ray Unit's Base to China to Tap Growth - Business
Week

http://news.businessweek.com/article.asp?documentKey=1376-LOUVYE1A74E901-5NJ

School District Property Sales

School District Property Sales 

Junius Smith

_________________________________

The county is having to pay for buildings that the taxpayers have already paid for. This in the face of a $14.5 trillion national debt, in addition to $38 trillion of unfunded entitlements, a $23 plus billion SC unfunded public employee retirement plan, and a $350+ million bonded indebtedness for school buildings at the county level. These figures do not include the county’s indebtednessor the 8% allowable debt by the board.

School board Chairman, Alex Saitta wrote in last week’s newspapers that the sale of the Dacusville school for $150,000 to Pickens County is not a double pay for the taxpayers. Let’s examine a few of the facts.

1. The Pickens taxpayers paid for this building through bonds in the twentieth century. Now that same group of taxpayers are paying for it again. Revenues from the county that were collected for the purpose of providing county services are being used to buy a building that the taxpayers already have paid for. The county will have to pay for this by transferring money from the county contingency fund. This fund is or should be used for emergencies. I will not get into just how the county collected this money.

In the 1970’s the Taxpayers Association sued the school board for the illegal use of bond money, Senator Harris Page Smith had to jump in at the last moment with Judge Finney and the Taxpayers Association, and work out a compromise where bond money and capital property would not be used inappropriately ever again. This compromise with the Taxpayers Association averted the Pickens County Schools from closing.

This means that any money that is collected from Capital Equipment sales must be used on capital equipment, and to defray bonded indebtedness under which it was collected. It cannot be used for operational expense as Mr. Saitta has suggested.

2. Also getting the cart before the horse, ihe School Board practically ignored the fact that the Dacusville School was mortgaged by them as part of the dummy corporation deal and was put up as collateral for the construction of the new schools. I think it is appropriate that Mr. Saitta furnish his authority to sell the school and when (the date) he obtained this authority since it was mortgaged to the dummy corporation (SCAGO of Pickens County). If in fact he sold this school building before all the authority was his, then I suppose that the law was broken . Other properties that are mortgaged to SCAGO are also being offered for sale. There is a procedure for swapping properties, and I think the board should furnish this procedure with proper dates of when these authorities to swap were authorized and show them to the public.

3. This School Board has never been one to care about the law. For as long as I can remember they have overcollected the budget by under forecasting collectibles: about 40+ million and during reassessment another 10+ million. This money should be refunded to the taxpayers. Let them decide if they want the schools to have it. Lets call in SLED, let them investigate. Let us present our side.

In conclusion, we can say that the same taxpayers that originally paid for Dacusville are paying for it again. It is suspected that the School Board has not followed the SCAGO agreement and may have broken the law. What is wrong with using Dacusville school to give our children a place to play, study , and meet without fleecing the taxpayers?

Junius Smith,
Chairman of the Board, Conservatives of the Upstate

"A people that values its privileges above its principles will soon lose both."

At Least Republicans Save On Gas ...

CLICK FOR LARGER IMAGE

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Taxpayers Have Already Paid For Them Once

by J. Smith

At the July 2011 County Council meeting, I expressed my views about the School Board selling Liberty Middle and Pickens Middle to the County after the taxpayers have already paid for them. It is ridiculous to pay for properties twice: just to fatten the reputations of some Board members.

I recommend that the County and all political subdivisions institute a policy that allow for all property, both real and otherwise to be circulated among themselves to determine if there is a need anywhere else.  Those items may be claimed off this list for free and simply transferred with the proper paperwork to the accepting agency or council.

This would save untold money and utilize the property that the taxpayers have at such great cost acquired.

If you agree with this, send it on to your Board Member or County Council person.

Junius Smith

Editor's note: I'm not 100% sure but the taxpayers may not own the school properties after all. It's complicated to explain or understand, but ALL SCHOOLS in the county were mortgaged by a dummy corporation called SCAGO a few years ago in order to pay for the massive building plan that taxpayers unanimously turned down in a 75/25 vote. In order to go through with the building plan anyway - the school board hatched a devious plan to mortgage each school in the district. Technically, this dummy corporation (SCAGO) owns the schools and technically the monies collected should go directly to paying off some of the massive $375 million+ debt that taxpayers in Pickens County now owe on all the new buildings.


[UPDATE] Correction by a School Board member that the votes for turning down the School Building Plan were 62/38 1st vote & 64/36 2nd vote and not 75/25 as mentioned above. It's worthy to point out that the Conservative or Republican vote is most likely higher than the original 75/25 vote stated. Voting figures are sometimes like statistics ~ each side can make them say what they want them to - even though the stats are concrete.

Homeowner Overcharged Property Taxes For More Than 20 Years ...

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From The Consumerist:

An 84 year old widow recently found out she's been paying too much property tax on her home for more than two decades because of an error by the original assessor. But the city has only offered to pay her back for one year of the overcharge.

The small, one story Racine, WI, home has a pair of windows that look out from the attic. And when the original tax assessor came by to look at the property in 1987, he didn't go inside and assumed that the attic was actually another bedroom, which meant another 500 square feet.

It wasn't until 2008, after her husband passed away, that the woman went to the city looking for some way to bring down her tax burden, when someone noticed the error.

The city, which has offered to repay her the most recent overcharge of around $450, acknowledged the error but says it's a homeowner's responsibility to notice these sorts of mistakes.

To see the full story:

http://consumerist.com/2011/07/homeowner-overcharged-on-property-taxes-for-two-decades-how-much-should-city-repay.html

Jailed Because Of Your Garden?

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Julie Bass' vegetable garden in her front yard. (WJBK/myFOXDetroit.com)

Fox News reports on a Michigan woman that was recently sentenced to 93 days in jail for growing a garden in her front yard.
From pictures, the yard isn't particularly untidy. At least no moreso than than cold pavement at an apartment complex or the average government housing.
Any of you have gardens in your front yard?
For the full story, read:
Michigan Resident Faces 93 Days in Jail For Vegetable Garden

An Op-ed: "The Great Scandal" by Congressman Jeff Duncan

The Great Scandal

by 3rd District U.S. Representative for South Carolina Jeff Duncan

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Last week, the media focused on the appalling indiscretions of New York Congressman Anthony Weiner. The story is nothing short of tabloid gold, a government official breaking the public’s trust, deceiving Americans while engaging in conduct unbecoming of a Member of Congress. Congressman Weiner’s actions have sparked a flood of media coverage and public outrage, but while attention has been on tweets and photographs, there’s a far greater scandal brewing within the United States.

Much like “Weinergate,” this other scandal involves lost trust, broken promises, and moral misconduct. However, what makes this situation even more damaging is that it directly impacts every American, (especially future generations) and puts our nation’s security at risk. So what offence could possibly be on par with Watergate and make Chicago politics seem squeaky clean in comparison? It’s our country’s national debt, our government’s addiction to spending, and the failure of public officials to address the problem.

In the hour the nation spent waiting for and then watching the Anthony Weiner press conference, our country ran up $168 million in new debt, adding up to $4 billion in new debt every single day. We are now the greatest debtor nation in the history of the world and if we don’t implement common sense reforms immediately, I’m afraid we may look back a few years from now and refer to 9% unemployment as “the good ole days.”

Political scandals normally involve some type of morally appalling behavior. One of the most disgusting behaviors I’ve seen during this “Spend-Gate” scandal is the dishonesty and political posturing during a time when we should be coming together as a nation to solve this problem.

The scare tactics that Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner has used about the debt fall into this category.

Instead of focusing on what might happen if the US chose not to raise our nation’s debt ceiling, Geithner should talk about what will happen if we don’t act quickly to control government spending.

More than 40 cents of every dollar the federal government spends this year will be borrowed. Currently entitlement spending alone combined with the interest on our debt is enough to put America in the red. In just 9 years Medicare is set to go bankrupt. In 50 years, it will take 100% of US tax revenue just keep up with our interest payments on the debt.

The problem is real, and it’s really big. If we leave government spending unchecked, our debt will exceed our nation’s GDP within the next two to five years, slowing economic growth and increasing unemployment.

In fact, the ratings firm Standard & Poor’s warned the United States back in April that if lawmakers don’t act quickly to cut spending, the firm would be forced to downgrade our country’s economic outlook from “stable” to “negative.”

A few months ago House Republicans submitted a credible, realistic proposal that would have dramatically cut spending while rescuing Medicare for seniors.

The Republican Budget Committee plan balanced the budget in about a decade, and paid down the national debt completely by the middle of the century.

In contrast, President Obama’s budget proposal left our level of spending practically unchanged, and was recently rejected by the Senate 0-97.

Instead of offering realistic solutions to cut spending, the President has shown that he would rather distort conservative proposals to scare seniors. That’s not leadership Mr. President, that’s just flat wrong.

During a meeting at the White House a few weeks ago, the President told members of Congress that our country doesn’t have a spending problem but rather a revenue problem.

With all due respect to the President, we didn’t get in $14 trillion dollars in debt because we tax too little; we’re in debt because we spend too much.

Raising taxes on job creators won’t create jobs and failing to address our debt situation risks putting our country in a permanent recession. Only by forcing our government to live within its means like American families do every day will we be able to put “Spend-Gate” to rest.

The situation we find ourselves in reminds me of the analogy of the frog and the pot. Had our debt problem appeared out of nowhere, perhaps like a frog being dropped into boiling water, we would have reacted quickly and made changes to protect us from financial disaster. However, this debt “scandal” has been decades in the making, with Democrats and Republicans sharing the blame for our nation’s spending addiction. The danger of our debt hasn’t appeared suddenly, but it has been growing slowly and increases with the passing of every day.

Let me be clear, I believe we can rescue this nation. I believe America’s best days are ahead of us. But as Ronald Reagan once said, “we must act now in order preserve tomorrow.” No more budget tricks. No more accounting gimmicks. No more empty promises. We must act swiftly and thoroughly to solve our nation’s debt crisis once and for all or we risk leaving a nation for our children and grandchildren that looks radically different from the country we love today.

A Day That The Lord Hath Made ...

This is a picture taken from my back yard in Liberty SC on Tuesday …

Downtown Liberty SC 6/7/2011 / Click for larger view

Giving Private Land Owners The Bird ...

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In a report from treehugger.com:

The 2011 State of Birds report is out, and this year there is a keen focus on how more attention to the conservation of public lands is the real muscle behind conservation of birds. From airidlands to coastlines, it's public spaces where most species of birds do best, but even here, the majority of species are under threat.

As the report points out, it is more than just conservation of public lands that is necessary to help bird species recover, but so too is conservation efforts on surrounding private lands, and even working internationally with countries to which threatened and endangered bird species migrate.

"... this law is one of the methods used to redistribute wealth, and usurp private property rights"

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Dear Conservatives,

It is time for our delegation and County Council to realize that it was a mistake for this law to be written. None of us, including myself, realized just how liberal democrats like Bill Clinton could avoid our Congress and get something like this going in all the states. Yes, some of our best politicians voted for this thinking - it was just a template for good management at the local level. But all you have to do is look at the actions of Upstate Forever and TATT to know that this law is one of the methods used to redistribute wealth, and usurp private property rights. Please examine the duress that our citizens in the Saluda River area are under and the many intrusions onto private property that are being made by the EPA.

The Capitalistic and Free Enterprise system is under attack and our freedom hangs in the balance. Please help us get rid of this law and promote the great traditional values that have made this country great.

Sincerely,

Junius Smith
member, Conservatives Of The Upstate

Repeal of the Comprehensive Planning Enabling Act Resolution Adopted By SC Republican Party

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Fellow Conservatives,

Please find below the final draft of the Resolution that was adopted by the SC Republican Party!

SOUTH CAROLINA REPUBLICAN PARTY

Repeal of the Comprehensive Planning Enabling Act of 1994 Resolution

WHEREAS, the Enabling Act of 1994 which had its beginnings with Agenda 21 Declaration produced by the United Nations, and which was then introduced at the federal level by Executive Order 12852 signed by President Clinton, was codified into South Carolina law in 1994, and is now being carried out at the local level by counties and comprehensive planning commissions; and

WHEREAS, the Enabling Act of 1994 is a blatantly unconstitutional intrusion into citizens’ unalienable rights to private property as expressed in the Fifth Amendment; and

WHEREAS, the United States is a sovereign nation, and South Carolina is a sovereign state and neither should be subjugated by an unconstitutional executive order; and that the people of South Carolina counties are better situated to deal with the variables, contingencies, and issues within their own borders as free men and God fearing stewards of their local resources.

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that the Republican Party of South Carolina urges the South Carolina General Assembly to exercise prudent fiduciary responsibility by repealing the Enabling Act of 1994 immediately.

Done this 7th day of May, 2011 in Columbia, South Carolina

The Need To Repeal The Comprehensive Enabling Act Of 1994 Of South Carolina

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I am the Vice President of the Conservatives of the Upstate.

Our group has been fighting the Pickens County Comprehensive Plan 2030. We are presently
working on trying to get our SC legislatures to repeal the Comprehensive Planing Enabling Act of 1994 as contained in the SC Code of Laws Title 6 Chapter 29 Article 1 as it violates the Constitution.

Thank you for your time.

THE NEED TO REPEAL THE COMPREHENSIVE ENABLING ACT OF 1994 OF SC

The South Carolina Comprehensive Enabling Act of 1994 is a direct result of the President’s council on Sustainable Development, set up by an executive order of Bill Clinton in 1993. This council is comprised of un-elected officials who are charged with enabling, “…bold new approaches to achieve economic, environmental, and equity goals.” Mr. Clinton bypassed Congressional approval for this act in a effort to bring the United States into compliance with the 1992 United Nations “Earth Summit” Agenda 21. The United Nations has stated directly in the Human Settlement Conference in 1976 that, “Land…cannot be treated as an ordinary asset controlled by the individual and subject to the pressures and inefficiencies of the market. Private land ownership is also a principal of accumulation and concentration of wealth and therefore contributes to social injustice…”

The Comprehensive Enabling Act did not evolve from private landowners or local communities. The Act evolved by an international group of stakeholders who have decided they know how individuals in the South Carolina should live, work, and play. Specifically, the Comprehensive Enabling Act is a top-down international governmental control mechanism that has adversely influenced and affected our sovereign state of South Carolina and is a direct violation of our Constitution and violates the 5th Amendment.
In the past, comprehensive planning in South Carolina was developed by individual communities as a result of the free market and according to the desires of the local community. Now, big government has greater control of the use of your land and the law of supply and demand has been effectively eliminated. Unelected special interest groups such as Upstate Forever and Ten at the Top, just to name a few, help influence the development plans, where development should occur, and where it should not. The local planning commissioners listen to these “stakeholders” and a process develops whereby some private property is devalued while the value of other properties is inflated due to subjective lines placed on a map according to the land development plans.

Anyone who reads the thousands of comprehensive plans around the United States will find similar visions and goals. This is no accident. These stakeholders ultimately bring the destruction of personal property rights and the right to accumulate wealth through property ownership.

The goals of preserving resources, limiting consumption and reducing use of energy are all positive goals every can agree upon; however, our Constitution guarantees a Republic and not a Socialistic form of government. The United Nations initiated Comprehensive Enabling Act of 1994 as a covert revolution to transform our great country from the free enterprise system to socialism. International government is attempting to control behaviors by judging mankind into a new world order without the individual being consciously aware that Constitutional freedoms are being assaulted. If we do not repeal the Comprehensive Enabling Act of 1994 we will one day wake up and wonder what happened to our God given right of life, liberty, nad the pursuit of happiness

Thank you ...

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Thank you all for attending last night's meeting ... here is the resolution that David read last night concerning the repeal of The Comprehensive Plan.

RESOLUTION

A Resolution calling for the Repeal of the Comprehensive Planning Enabling Act of 1994 as contained in the South Carolina Code of Laws – Title 6, Chapter 29, Article 1
(Hereafter referred to as the Enabling Act of 1994)

WHEREAS, the Enabling Act of 1994 had its foundational beginning with Agenda 21, the comprehensive international policy declaration on sustainable development produced by the United Nations; and

WHEREAS, in 1993, former President William Jefferson Clinton bypassed the United States Congress in signing Executive Order 12852 establishing the President’s Council on Sustainable Development which became the vehicle for advancing Agenda 21 in the United States; and

WHEREAS, in only one year after the signing of Executive Order 12852, the Enabling Act of 1994 was codified into South Carolina law, thus becoming the vehicle for advancing Agenda 21 at the state level; and

WHEREAS, due to the Enabling Act of 1994, South Carolina counties and comprehensive planning commissions are now participants in advancing Agenda 21 at the local level; and

WHEREAS, non-governmental entities with substantial resources beyond the scope of the average South Carolina citizen are promoting sustainable development; and

WHEREAS, the vast majority of South Carolinians are unaware of the overreaching consequences that are being foisted upon them by the advocates for Agenda 21 style sustainable development; and

WHEREAS, the Enabling Act is a blatantly unconstitutional intrusion into citizens’ unalienable rights to private property as expressed in the Fifth Amendment; and

WHEREAS, we should be cognizant of the fact that the United States is a sovereign nation, and should not be in subjection to a United Nations declaration; that South Carolina is a sovereign state and should not be subjugated by an unconstitutional executive order; and that the people of South Carolina counties are better suited to deal with the variables, contingencies, and issues within their own borders as free men and God fearing stewards.

BE IT THEREFORE RESOLVED, that we the people of Pickens County and this state strongly urge those who we have entrusted as our representatives in Columbia to exercise prudent fiduciary responsibility by moving to repeal the Enabling Act of 1994 forthwith.

Done this ____ day of ____________ in the 2011th year of our Lord and the 234th year of our republic and submitted by the __________________ Precinct to be considered and adopted by the ______________ County Republican and South Carolina Republican Conventions.

Important Dates To Remember ...

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Dates to remember:

Conservatives of the Upstate Monthly Meeting

April 14 - 6:30 PM - Blue Ridge Bible Church - 769 Belle Shoals Road, Pickens, SC

Pickens County GOP Convention

April 18 - 7:00 PM - Ramada Inn - Clemson, SC

Conservatives Taking America Back

April 18 – 6:30 PM – Gignilliat Center – 621 N. Townville Street – Seneca, SC

Special speakers:

Sen. Jim DeMint

Congressman Jeff Duncan

Matthew Staver (Founder of Liberty Counsel)

Saluda-River-Roots verses DHEC & Natureland Trust

April 20th & 21st – 10:00AM

Administrative Law Court
1205 Pendleton Street, Suite 224
Edgar A. Brown Building
Columbia, SC 29201

DImportant Dates To Remember ...

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Dates to remember:

Conservatives of the Upstate Monthly Meeting

April 14 - 6:30 PM - Blue Ridge Bible Church - 769 Belle Shoals Road, Pickens, SC

Pickens County GOP Convention

April 18 - 7:00 PM - Ramada Inn - Clemson, SC

Conservatives Taking America Back

April 18 – 6:30 PM – Gignilliat Center – 621 N. Townville Street – Seneca, SC

Special speakers:

Sen. Jim DeMint

Congressman Jeff Duncan

Matthew Staver (Founder of Liberty Counsel)

Saluda-River-Roots verses DHEC & Natureland Trust

April 20th & 21st – 10:00AM

Administrative Law Court
1205 Pendleton Street, Suite 224
Edgar A. Brown Building
Columbia, SC 29201

Helpful iPhone, iPad apps ...

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MyCongress iPad App

If you have an Apple iPad or iPhone there are many helpful (and free) apps you can download.

One is called MyCongress - this app gives you complete contact links and voting records for Federal Congressmen and women.

There are also apps for The Declaration Of Independence and U.S. Constitution.

Notes About Our March Meeting

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March 2011 Conservatives Of The Upstate Meeting Tonight

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March 10, 2011

Conservatives Of The Upstate

Meeting at 6:30 PM @ 769 Belle Shoals Rd Pickens, SC 29671

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The SC Club For Growth Scores Of Pickens County Politicians

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click image for larger view

Thank You

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Thank you to everyone that showed up for precinct reorganization last night.

Conservatives Of The Upstate made a strong showing and a number of members were elected as officers of precincts and as delegates for the SCGOP.

Several members also attended the County Council meeting last night ... we appreciate their supports as well.

Precinct Reorganization ...

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Where and When?

• Details at: pickensgop.com

• Pickens GOP, Easley and Pickens Area Precincts:

March 3, 2011 at 6PM @ Carr Center in Easley

• Pickens GOP, Liberty, Clemson, Six Mile Precincts:

March 7, 2011 at 6PM @ Central Town Hall

Mosque Makeovers With Your Tax Dollars?

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FROM WSBT TV in Atlanta:
http://www.wsbtv.com/video/25764282/index.html

From the linked video:

"The Muslim world doesn't see the aid as assistance, they see it as appeasement and a sign of weakness."

March Meeting Scheduled

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March 10, 2011

Conservatives Of The Upstate
Meeting at 6:30 PM @ 769 Belle Shoals Rd Pickens, SC 29671

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Rail: A Thing Of The Past

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John Stossell writes this piece about high speed rail not being economical or environmental ...

Rail: A Thing Of The Past

From the article:

"[Once again] government regulation blocks progress. Laws in every state right now require a person to be in control of the wheel. Our legal system hurts too: Even if driverless cars have fewer accidents, lawyers will blame the few that do occur on the car maker.

So are politicians pushing reform of our outdated driving laws to help robot cars reduce congestion? Of course not. Obama – who, to his credit, now says we need to cut some parts of government – says high-speed rail is one thing that needs more funding."

Blown Out Of Proportion?

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Recently, the Pickens County Council accepted a new "Comprehensive Plan" ... filled with sustainable development elements that many citizens opposed . One of those "new elements" was to bring more passenger rail through the area - in particular Liberty and Clemson.

Considering the major derailment in Liberty last summer and this story ... I'm not sure that was such a good idea.

What do you think?

May, 2010 ...

This is Canadian National locomotive number #2699.

It's a 212 ton rig with a 183 ltr, 4400 hp V16 4 stroke diesel engine.

Shortly before this picture was taken, while working under load, #2699 experienced what is known in the trade as a "catastrophic un-contained engine failure". The train was passing the town of Independence,  LA at the time.

The picture below shows that the engine exploded and one of the 16 cylinder-packs that forms the engine was ejected through the engine bay body side and thrown clear of the locomotive.

The piston from that cylinder was thrown free by the force of the failure. It was ejected so violently that it traveled through the air and crashed through the roof of a nearby home where it imbedded itself in an interior wall.

* This story was released sometime around December 2010 when the investigation was completed.