Happy Birthday to Susan Aiken

Susan Aiken is one of the best-known Republican politicos in Anderson County and is pretty well-known across South Carolina as well.

There's a lot to like about her. Friendly, hard-working and smart - she's a great person to have on anyone's team who wants to win.

Susan's also a regular Blogland reader who we appreciate.

Please join the Blogland in wishing Susan a very Happy Birthday!

Murrell Smith is how old?


You should find him and ask him that question, since today is his birthday.

Happy Birthday, Murrell!

Walton Cartoon: "Carney's Hope and Change"


South Carolina's Higher Ed "con game" shortchanges students & workforce

Writing in The State newspaper, former Abbeville County State Representative Harry Stille, himself a former college professor, sounded a call for reforming higher ed in South Carolina, warning that:

For years the Legislature and universities have conned us about the value of a baccalaureate degree, when these students would have been better off in the two-year system. Our technical colleges are where the major job growth potential is.
We need to limit university admissions to students who are in the top 50 percent of each high school class, who don’t need remedial classes and who score at least 910 on the SAT or 19 on the ACT. And we should send the rest of the students to the two-year system, where they, and we, will get their money’s worth.

I couldn't agree more. I've dealt with the issues of education and workforce, both as a career human resources professional and as a six-year member of the Charleston-area Workforce Investment Board, and have found that some of the most critical workforce shortages that we're faced with in South Carolina - as well as much of the rest of the South - is among those trades which require one to two years of technical education to enter.

Brian Frank turns to Dems for lawsuit help

After getting thumped in his bid for the Chair of the Cherokee County GOP, winning just three votes, Brian Frank's vendetta against the Republican Party has continued in the form of a lawsuit he is pursuing against Chair Chad Connelly and the SCGOP.

Thus far, Franks' efforts to solicit donations for the lawsuit have raised a paltry $740, according to his page on the GoFundMe website. To help raise more money, Franks has turned to the Democrats for help, according to this screenshot of the Facebook page of the Charleston County Democratic Party.

If he doesn't raise the money from Democrats, we're not sure where he'll go next.

Walton Cartoon: "Al Gore Lied?"


Walton Cartoon: "Five percent off Obama"


Walton Cartoon: "Never Give Up"


This cartoon from the Walton household was done by THEIR guest cartoonist - a ten-year old who submitted this cartoon, which they in turn submitted to the Blogland.


This looks like sage advice for a Monday.

Enjoy the week ... and never give up!

Jim Clyburn: Twenty years & nothing to brag about


I spend a few moments before I leave in the morning or before I close my eyes at night trying to figure out how I can do something to make every one of you proud.

How could Clyburn make every one of us proud? Let's look at what he's done so far:

Senator Grooms rejects write-in campaign, stands with Sanford


Berkeley County State Senator Larry Grooms, who narrowly missed getting into the GOP run-off for the First Congressional District special election, became the subject of a write-in effort launched by an out-of-state group. In a statement sent to the Blogland, Grooms flatly rejected this effort, re-affirming his support for GOP nominee Mark Sanford:

I learned today that a national conservative tea-party group has expressed their intent to launch a write-in campaign on my behalf. Their decision was done without my knowledge or consent. It is my desire to untie conservatives, not divide them.

While I am grateful to have had their past support, my race is over.

I am asking them to stop their effort.

Rep. Shannon Erickson turns 39 today

Ok, regardless of what she tells you or what her driver's license might say, at least the Beaufort County legislator ACTS like she's 39.

Which isn't a bad thing.

Be sure to wish one of the Blogland's favorite legislators a Happy Birthday - and tell her to take tomorrow off (as if anyone doesn't want to take Mondays off).

Becky Delleney: Is it true?

Yes, it's true. We checked it out and confirmed it.

Today is her birthday. If you know her (and you should), be sure to reach out and wish her a Happy Birthday.

While her husband Greg is a well-recognized politico, as the Chair of the House Judiciary Committee, Becky is well-known for being here, there and everywhere on the South Carolina political landscape as the most visible Republican from Chester County.

She's also a lot of fun to hang out with.

Happy Birthday Becky - be sure to have a great day and an even better weekend!


Carolinas AGC Legislative Reception is TONIGHT!

While we hope you've marked your calendar already, the calendar girls are here to remind you one more time that the annual Carolinas AGC legislative reception will be held this evening from 6 to 8 pm at the Palmetto Club.

This afternoon, construction industry leaders will be visiting the State House to learn more about how the legislative process works and share their concerns with legislators.

This event is always a great opportunity for legislators to unwind a bit after session and touch base with people in the state's construction industry, so we're hoping to see a lot of legislators and staff there.

Don't miss it!

Construction types coming to State House tomorrow

Members of Carolinas AGC, the state's foremost association for general construction contractors, will be visiting the State House tomorrow. Their "Day on the Hill" begins at 2pm, followed by their annual legislative reception at the State House, which will be held at the Palmetto Club from 6 to 8pm.


As always, the reception is a great opportunity for legislators to unwind a bit after session and touch base with people in the state's construction industry, so we're hoping to see a lot of legislators and staff there.

The Blogland will be there as well.

Think before you send: E-mail etiquette in the workplace

This article is cross-posted from my professional HR & Safety blog - "Earl Capps On The Job":

Recently, I was asked to put together a short presentation on e-mail etiquette in the workplace for one of my company's workgroups. There's a lot of talk about what to say and not to say in e-mails circulating around so it wasn't hard to put it together, but with a little reading a handful of points become apparent.

The blog Civility and the Workplace shares some useful insights from David Shipley and Will Schwalbe, who wrote the book "Send: The Essential Guide to Email for Office and Home", summarizing three key points from their book:
  • Think before you send.
  • Send email you would like to receive.
  • Write email that is so effective that it cuts down on email.
These are certainly three excellent basic rules to follow. From there, everything else is as the legendary Rabbi Hibbel once said of the Jewish Torah, "is just commentary. Go and study it."

Barbara Richman, a human resources consultant writing for Lorman Educational Services Employment and Labor Update, shared ten basic rules for using e-mail in the workplace:

Carolinas AGC Legislative Reception - next Wednesday


Like the calendar girl is suggesting ... it's that time of year again - the annual Carolinas AGC legislative reception will be held on Wednesday, April 17. This will follow an afternoon of construction industry leaders visiting the State House

As always, the reception is a great opportunity for legislators to unwind a bit after session and touch base with people in the state's construction industry, so we're hoping to see a lot of legislators and staff there.

Of course, the Blogland will be there, so you don't want to miss the occasion.

That's Wednesday, April 17 from 6 to 8 pm at the Palmetto Club, right across from the State House. Be sure to mark your calendar and come join us.