Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Winston-Salem Journal LTE's TU 01/03/12

Intelligent columnists
Now you tell us the three most intelligent columnists you print, Thomas Friedman, David Brooks and Paul Krugman, will no longer be published in the Journal because of the cost ("Criticism probably means we're on the right track," Dec. 18). I suppose that means we will be left with Cal Thomas' self-righteous column and the weekly diatribe of John Hood's weak-minded politics.
I have always heard, "you get what you pay for." That is certainly true in this case.

NAOMI J. DAVIS
Winston-Salem
Being respectful
Although the writer of the letter "Can't force patriotism" (Dec. 28) may be correct in stating "it's against federal and state law to force or coerce students into reciting the pledge, whatever their objection," I think it is sad that some students want to opt out of reciting the Pledge of Allegiance.
I believe every student should be grateful to live in a nation like ours and be loyal to our flag, which represents the principles upon which our nation was founded, including the freedom not to recite the pledge.
Unfortunately, America seems to have become a nation with an increasing number of people who regularly disrespect any authority that limits their right to do as they please. Such disrespect is evident in many of our public schools, where teachers and administrators have had their ability to discipline students limited by government edicts that often cater to the few at the expense of the majority.
Furthermore, many of the adults in our society show little respect for authority, as evidenced by widespread violations of traffic laws and the rights of others to enjoy peace and quiet rather than being forced to listen to loud talking and cellphone conversations almost everywhere, including public libraries.
My hope and my prayer is that the people of our city will soon become dissatisfied with the disrespect that exists in our country and do what they can to help restore respect for the rights of others and the principles on which our nation was built.

HARVEY ARMOUR
Winston-Salem
Drop the appeal
A New Year's resolution for Forsyth County commissioners: Drop the bid to have government-sponsored prayer in your meetings ("Forsyth files brief in prayer appeal," Dec. 28). It's a waste of time and effort. We have more important things to do than pander to the local religious devotees.
Actually, while I suspect that some of our commissioners are merely going along with this unseemly display to retain their seats, I'm sure that some of them sincerely believe this is a worthy cause — but I can't for the life of me figure out why. Having these prayers has been a source of division, not unity. We can't unite around a divisive cause. If they win the case, what they'll win is a practice that highlights our differences rather than the civic concerns that unite us as county citizens. What they'll win is the right for one group to lord its preferences over everyone else. That is not a worthy cause.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with having a moment of silence to let those who think they need to pray do so. Everyone else can use the time to collect their thoughts. Those who want to lord their religion over everyone else would have to find another way to do so — and in the meantime, I think they would learn to accept that an agreeable concession has been made for them.

TOMMY H. SIMMONS
Winston-Salem

135 comments:

  1. 100 comments yesterday. Do we get pancakes?

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  2. mmmm, BLUEberry pancakes with maple syrup

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  3. yesterday was the 4th day with triple digits

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  4. This is the strangest story. One might think that an Army explosives "expert" would know better than to try to board an airplane with explosives in his carry on luggage.

    Man arrested with explosives at airport was Army expert

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  5. Has it already been 30 days Naomi? Time flies when you're dealing with liberals. Two to one, liberal to conservative, letters are not that bad. Usually, the liberal letters just dominate-WS Times, you know. Again, Naomi, the liberal brain surgeon, criticizes conservatives' intelligence. What else is new.

    Looks like we are inching step by step closer to a war with Iran. That's probably the only thing that will save Obama, and allow him to be reelected. Nothing like a good war to get people to rally around a president, even if he is a loser.

    Remember when the liberals said if only we had a black president, things would be better and different. So much for that theory.... I waiting for the next liberal pitch, if only we had a female president, things would be better and different. Wasn't that what they said when people elected 'ol Bev.

    Yes, it's amazing what such smart people say and do. I'll just stick to being a dummy by a liberals' definition. Life makes more sense that way.

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  6. and one month ago today, that Herman Cain, remember him?, announced the suspension of his campaign.

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  7. I liked Herman. I'm not sure he was the big harasser of females he was made out to be.

    I'm predicting Romney to take the nomination, and become the next president. Not that I'm thrilled about it either. He's just a warmed over Obama.

    Of course, I'm not like a liberal. I don't know everything, Bobby.

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  8. Wonder if 'Whitewall' made it through last night without having to pee? I hope he comes in here so I can ask him.

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  9. That's ok, Bucky, knowing everything is a process, just takes time, patience, and an open mind.

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  10. the good news is, you're smart enough to come to the right place to learn. That's key and shows promise. I have nothing but confidence in you, and very little of that. :)

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  11. Open mind, or an open orafice?

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  12. I thought your mind was a orifice.

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  13. Good point...my mind was in the gutter, as usual.

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  14. I'm wondering if Mayor Allen Joines will give you and Rielle the 'Holmes and Drew' award this year?

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  15. Newt called Romney a "LIAR." I sure hope he doesn't go negative; it could get ugly.

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  16. Yeah, calling a politician a 'liar' is really not much of a statement.

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  17. Iowans much be a strange lot, they seem to be gravitating toward Santorum.

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  18. that would be nice, I might even be up for a Miss Marple this year.

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  19. true Bucky, evangelicals and meth is a big problem in this country, just ask Ted.

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  20. They sell shirts in Iowa claiming it the meth capital of the world.

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  21. Santorum couldn't even get reelected in his home state, and he lost by the biggest margin of any Republican incumbent in history.

    In short, he's a loser. I guess if he wins the nomination, we'll have two losers going against each other.

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  22. Bucky, as Oscar Wilde put it: "We are all in the gutter but some of us are looking at the stars."

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  23. Yea, looks like this year's Republican Party is the only party in history that would lose the race to Obama. That's gotta hurt.

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  24. I don't think that is going to happen. I'm ready to run a ham sandwich if need be.

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  25. Bobby, I read the other day that homosexuals probably only make up 4% of the U.S. population. I don't think they will be able to carry Obama into office this time around.

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  26. It's strange how they never say. Let's get out the homosexual vote.

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  27. It's been fun to watch, after each debate,President Obama's poll numbers rise.

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  28. If the economy doesn't turn around and there isn't a war. I think Obama is history.

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  29. Over 70% of Americans think the country is head in the wrong direction. Obama is the captain of the ship remember?

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  30. Yea, 4%, trying to figure out those numbers is really difficult with all those evangelicals in denial.

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  31. yes, he is, but Americans are smart, they know it's difficult to steer a ship forward when all the rower's on the starboard side don't have their oars in the water.

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  32. 12%, which is what I've read earlier, is a significant portion of the population with power to sway elections. 4% is not.

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  33. It's probably somewhere between those two, but it is a population with a great deal of disposable income.

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  34. and money wins elections in this country.

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  35. Bobby.....the president has increased the federal deficit 1 trillion dollars in each year of his presidency. Thank God, the Republicans stopped the ill fated ship by refusing to row the ship into oblivion. Otherwise, we would be Greece now.

    Obama called the 'credit' card using Bush, unpatriotic, and irresponsible. Using that comparison, Obama should be arrested and put in jail based on his treasonous conduct with our federal budgets.

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  36. The Democrats still control one house of congress and the presidency. Somehow, they don't bear any responsibly for our budgets? That is an outrageous liberal, mental perception of the occurrence of budgetary events.

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  37. the federal deficit is much more complex than just one man.

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  38. And the House holds the purse strings anyway.

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  39. Oh.......so Bush didn't drive us into a ditch?

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  40. I thought Obama said it was all George Bush's fault?

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  41. The deficit was at around 8 trillion when Obama took office. It's at close to 15 trillion now. I guess we should thank Obama then?

    Oh bother, where's my can of Raid?

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  42. And the Democrats only controlled the Senate for a mere 4 months. As long as the filibuster is an option for the minority, there is no control.

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  43. What planet are you living on?

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  44. It's amazing how such smart people can become so dumb at times?

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  45. debt, not deficit, and there is public debt and total debt, for which would you like the stats?

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  46. deficit refers to annual spending, debt is an accumulation of deficit spending.

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  47. I wouldn't be able to defend Obama either. I couldn't defend Bush during his last days, so I didn't try. But then again, I've got some sense.

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  48. Senate Democrats didn't achieve 60 until July 09 when Al Franken was finally sworn in. One month later, Senator Kennedy died.

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  49. His replacement, Paul Kirk took office September 24th, 2009, and held that position until January 19,2010, when Scott Brown won the special election.

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  50. September to January, 4 months.

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  51. debt deficit...call it what you will....Obama was supposed to get us out the ditch, and instead has driven us further into a ditch.

    15 trillion and going higher.......let's kick him out.

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  52. You guys should start a radio show, or podcast or something. Call it "Bucky & Bob in the Afternoon".

    Just teasing, but it is a catchy name.

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  53. it's hard to get out of a ditch, especially one the size of the Grand Canyon, when half the people are pushing on the rear of the car and the other half is pushing on the front. But we're getting there, what 19 straight months of adding jobs in the private sector. Unemployment hasn't changed much because of loss of jobs in public sector. The total debt in 2008 was actually around 10trillion, and the budget for 2009 was Bush's budget, plus we had to start accounting for two wars and medicare part d. It's a mess but with some compromise, it could be fixed.

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  54. "debt deficit...call it what you will..."

    A perfect example of one reason why we're in the situation we're in. How can anyone take such pride in their own vast ignorance.

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  55. I think "Ignorant and Proud of It" is the Yadkin County motto.

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  56. lol, Hi Arthur, How about B&B with your afternoon tea. That way no one gets first billing.

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  57. The bottom line is we are far more in debt than we were when you morons elected Obama.

    I know you all hate the truth, but it is the truth.

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  58. I think 'Ignorant' applies to the morons that are still supporting Obama.

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  59. Everybody is a dummy, except for the morons that refuse to accept the truth that Obama is a horrible president. Yeah, right!

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  60. Morons, that's the Pastor Jeffrie's wing of the Republican party, remember? You have the Huntsman and Romney Cultist Wing and the Texas evangelical Moron wing.

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  61. There's a difference between a super majority and just a majority. But oh no, you liberals want to twist a bunch of words and make it come out the way you want.

    Sorry, ignorant moronic fools. It don't work that way.

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  62. I know how the government works and I know the difference between debt and deficit.

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  63. NOooooooooo...the Democrats didn't have the majority in the Senate for two years. It was only after they got 60 that they controlled the senate. Yeah, right....what planet are you living on? Having a conversation with you is like having a conversation with a desk, I have no interst in doing so!

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  64. You have no power here. Begone before someone drops a house on you too.

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  65. Unemployment isn't going to change a whole lot, ever. We'll probably never see it below 6-7% again, because technology is replacing people at an enormous pace. And most companies have taken advantage of the current situation to get rid of a lot of dead wood.

    Those people are not going to find the same jobs ever again, because those jobs no longer exist anywhere. They have two choices...they can stand on the sidelines and bitch, or they can retrain for jobs that will exist.

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  66. Then the peanut gallery chimes in...... Where do you live Rush? I feel like pissing on your building. Jeez!

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  67. We can't deport 12 million illegals either? That's another liberal myth. This and that....yeah it's always some bunch of bunk you guys spread.

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  68. Catch ya later, taking a neighbor to buy groceries.

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  69. That would be right up your low life "alley"...once you've got the stream going, just put your hands behind you so the bike cops can get the cuffs on...

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  70. [im]http://l.yimg.com/bt/api/res/1.2/.RbVbTQfzmI3alzr.ghOKA--/YXBwaWQ9eW5ld3M7Y2g9NDUwO2NyPTE7Y3c9MzYwO2R4PTA7ZHk9MDtmaT11bGNyb3A7aD0yMzg7cT04NTt3PTE5MA--/http://media.zenfs.com/en_us/News/Reuters/2012-01-02T223629Z_1_BTRE8011QSV00_RTROPTP_2_USA.JPG[/im]

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  71. Well...that didn't work. I guess you can't post an image in the comments.

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  72. 'Efforts to curb illegal immigration have not slowed the pace, said a report Tuesday by the Pew Hispanic Center.

    Instead, the report's author said, those efforts are having an unintended consequence: People who illegally enter the United States from Mexico are staying longer because it is harder to move back and forth across the border.

    "The security has done more to keep people from going back to Mexico than it has to keep them from coming in," said Jeffrey Passel, a senior research associate at the center." '

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  73. Re "control" of the Senate, Buckrump has probably never heard of the term cloture, not to mention having no idea what it means.

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  74. Good afternoon folks!
    LTE 1: The loss of those 3 columnists is quite a blow since they do provide the most thoughtful comments from the left side.
    LTE 2: Disrespecting authority is a function of being a teenager as opposed to any govt edicts that may infringe upon disciplinary actions. Teenagers are preprogrammed by biology to become more independent and what better way to show you're your own person than by refraining from participating in a daily group ritual? I would say that respect for others includes respecting those who say "I disagree", instead of enforced comformity.
    LTE 3: I'm not that concerned about the county winning because I seriously doubt the case will even be heard. It's been settled law for decades, and there's nothing in this case that warrants review by the SC. A New Year's resolution for Forsyth County voters would be to elect CC's who understand the US Constitution, so these types of misguided, money wasting situations can be avoided.

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  75. Welcome back Dotnet. Hope you had a wonderful week off work. Happy 2012.

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  76. Thanks Wordly! I spent it doing a bunch of projects around the house I haven't had a chance to get to. Discovered a few more projects that will probably require a contractor. I also found out that an ancestor of mine who was widowed in his 60's remarried at 65 and had 3 more children with...a 17 y.o. girl. :O. At least I have some hardy DNA in my genes.

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  77. Interesting. Sound like it fits right in here with the recent happenings on our blog. Bucky's presumed alter ego and Stab and O.T. being cousins.

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  78. The early going in use of DNA in genealogy has shown that about one in eight people do not know who their father was. Some experts think that that number might be more like one in five.

    Strom Thurmond's life provided some great examples of the weirdness of genealogy.

    In September 1947, the 44 year old Thurmond called his 21 year old secretary, the reigning Miss South Carolina, into his office and dictated a letter to her, which, it turned out, was a marriage proposal. She died 13 years later, having had no children.

    Some may have begun to think that Thurmond couldn't cut the mustard, but he was just saving it up for later.

    At 66, Thurmond married a 22 year old former Miss South Carolina. They had four children.

    Thurmond died in 2003, aged 100. Senator Joe Biden delivered the eulogy at his funeral.

    Six months after his death, a woman came forth claiming that she was Thurmond's daughter. His family acknowledged what many had known for a long time...that at age 22 Thurmond had gotten a black teen-aged housekeeper pregnant. He had paid his black daughter's way through college and helped her out financially in the early going, but never acknowledged her publicly. She did not want money or anything else from the Thurmond estate, only acknowledgment of the father that she had loved all her life.

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  79. Wordly...thanks for your acknowledgment that the king and queen bee liberals could be wrong re: my identity.

    Sorry I lost my temper a little bit early. However, the forum liberals wanted to play word games, as usual.

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  80. While we're talking about baby making and births, I take it ALL back. Homosexuals CAN have children. Rush had to have come out of somebody's badend. Jeez!

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  81. @Wordly's 1435hrs . . . and now Buckworm and I have something in common: we're BOTH Latinos. He not only hates Latinos, he HATES himself.

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  82. You're the hater Rielle....after all, you're the one that is trying to stop me from posting by exposing my identity, remember?

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  83. Why would that stop you from posting?

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  84. So you ARE Tim Britton; you read it right here, folk!!!

    Change that: . . . LEFT here. Gotta go now. Preparing my Nancy Drew Award acceptance speech.

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  85. 'trying' being the operative word...people. Jeez.

    I am not Tim Britton. Sorry, Nancy.

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  86. @Schmuck: no, you're GEORGE Britton.

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  87. C'mon, let's drive it up to triple digits again!

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  88. On another note Rielle, I did see Mayor Allen Joines today at Dick's. I was tempted to ask him if you were still in for the 'Holmes and Drew' Award.

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  89. If I wasn't worried that one of you hate filled liberals would throw a brick through that poor man's window, I'd just let you poor, ignorant people go on believing that I'm Tim.

    However, I don't think that's the right thing to do.

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  90. My sister lives in Hyde Park, where Tim's sister-in-law, Anne, is assistant director of the Hyde Park Children's Symphony. My sister also teaches at UC Lab Schools, where her daughters attend(ed). My niece knows Grace and my sister knows Anne. Such a small world.

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  91. Hyde Park Youth Symphony, my bad, 100. :)

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  92. I would buy a knife from him, but I don't think anyone here would throw a brick. Never thought I would have any interest in buying a knife, but Tim's knives are beautiful works of art.

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  93. @Bob: you're having too much fun with this aren't you? Anyway, it's up to triple digits again.

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  94. @Schmuck: you don't give a flyin' flip about that "poor old man's" window.

    *wink, wink*

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  95. lol, they live on the same street.

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  96. I need some help writing my acceptance speech. I think I'll start with this:

    "I wouldn't be here today if it weren't for Buck . . . you know him, The Schmuck!

    Then I'll end with . . .

    If Buckworm is representative of being a Republican, let me die a happy Liberal!!!

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  97. Timmehhhh is married to a Democrat.

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  98. James Carville and Mary Matalin right here in Winston Salem.

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  99. Wordly mentioned something about the Mrs. "liking" some page on FB . . . something about a dog with a foil hat being liked better than Glen Beck.

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  100. Hey, Worldly, that means you're in the running for the award too!

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  101. There are going to be lots of awards to go around.

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  102. I gotta find something to wear . . . !

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  103. Hey, it's almost time for the real NCIS. Episode entitled Housekeeping. The real Leroy Jethro Gibbs will be on the case.

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  104. I liked the poodle/Glenn Beck page as a matter of fact, before Facebook banned it.

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  105. Bucky, I can't believe you guys haven't fixed that little catch yet at the Watch.

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  106. So now Buck Tooth and I have THREE thngs in common:

    1.HE'S white, I'M white.
    2.HE'S latino, I'M latino.
    3.HE'S married to a LIBERAL, I'M married to a Republican.

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  107. well, it's my bedtime, good night all.

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  108. I wonder how long before Up-Chuck changes the security settings on his FB account?

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  109. Bobby, no wonder you get up at 4:00 am, you go to bed with the chickens.

    It's not my FB account, so I can't change the settings.

    Okay, you guys are on your own. I've given you fair warning that I'm not Tim. Like Ron White said, "You can't fix stupid."

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  110. Yeah, right. And I'm not Rielle.

    *wink, wink*

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  111. George Miller Britton, Ph. D.
    Grad. of: North Carolina State
    560 N. Trade Street, Suite 101
    Winston-Salem, NC 27101
    Phone: (336)972-5627
    email: timbritton@yahoo.com
    ABS Certification No. 1847
    ABS Certified Sex Therapist
    AASECT

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  112. From the office of the NC Secretary of State:

    Date: 1/3/2012

    Corporation Names
    Name
    Name Type

      FORSYTH JUSTICE FOUNDATION, LLC
    LEGAL

    Limited Liability Company Information

    SOSID:
    0996132

    Status:
    Current-Active


    Effective Date:
    8/16/2007


    Dissolution Date:



    Annual Report Due Date:



    Citizenship:
    DOMESTIC


    State of Inc.:
    NC


    Duration:
    PERPETUAL


    Annual Report Status:
    CURRENT

    Registered Agent

    Agent Name:
    BRITTON, GEORGE

    Office Address:
    5645 MURRAY ROAD
    WINSTON-SALEM NC 27106

    Mailing Address:
    5645 MURRAY ROAD
    WINSTON-SALEM NC 27106

    Principal Office
    Office Address:
    5645 MURRAY ROAD
    WINSTON-SALEM NC 27106

    Mailing Address:
    5645 MURRAY ROAD
    WINSTON-SALEM NC 27106

    Officers
    Title:
    MANAGER

    Name:
    GEORGE MILLER BRITTON PH.D.

    Business Address:
    5645 MURRAY ROAD
    WINSTON SALEM NC 27106

    ---------------

    The Forsyth Justice Foundation, LLC required annual report identifies them as a political action committee.

     

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  113. The Forsyth Justice Foundation, LLC's initial filing with the Secretary of State is signed as agent by:

    MARSHA SIHA - ORGANIZER - 14207 MEMORIAL DRIVE #110 HOUSTON TX 77079

    Marsha Siha is elsewhere identified as manager or agent of a number of companies based in Texas, New Mexico and Utah.

    One of those companies is Mayfield Document Management in Houston. Mayfield is listed as the agent for a number of shady collection agencies including IAG in New York and NCA (National Credit Adjusters) in Hutchison, KS.

    IAG & NCA are known for pingponging people back and forth between them and using a number of illegal tactics to try collecting debts…not necessarily from the people who owe the money.

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  114. On one website, Tim Britton (knife maker), who may or may not be one and the same as George Miller Britton, mentions his sister Deb, who is listed elsewhere as Deborah B. Britton. That same listing gives George Britton's age as 71, and lists a "related" person, George Cleo-Vaughn Britton, age 56.

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  115. Like I said, you can't fix stupid.

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  116. If you want to continue making fools of your selves, go ahead. Make my day! Hee Hee...you gotta love it!

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  117. According to The Venezuela Violence Observatory, at least 19,336 people were killed in 2011, an average of 53 a day making Venezuela's murder rate the highest in South America and four times that of Mexico.

    * I guess President Hugo Chavez's socialist government is not working out so well.

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  118. This isn't Smallville, Nancy.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJeiv7UZ_jk&feature=related

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