Monday, April 03, 2006

Upstate Update: News from the Tomato Belt

As you know if you’ve been with Barbecue & Politics since the get-go, the Tomato Belt has always been a sort of terra incognita for Gervais. Still, the blog managed to get a little ink from the Greenville News this weekend, in Dan Hoover’s Sunday piece called “Bauer's foot puts career on the line":

The state's political blogs are having a field day at Bauer's expense.

One, Barbecue and Politics, reported on ficti
tious legislative action appropriating $12 million to build an "Andrebahn" where the minimum speed would be 90 mph and only Bauer would be allowed on it.
Thanks for the mention, Mr. Hoover!

Also in Tomato Belt news, an astute commenter pointed out the latest tidbit regarding avowed public education opponent (and Sanford appointee to the Education Oversight Committee) Karen Iacovelli. The upstate businesswoman - who resigned last month for health reasons as meddlesome bloggers discussed her pledge, “I proclaim publicly that I favor ending government involvement in education,” - has resurfaced on the board of the SC Club for Growth. From her bio on the Club’s site:
She currently serves as advisor to United New Yorkers for Choice in Education and is a member of the South Carolina Education Oversight Committee [sic?!].
While I have no doubt Mrs. Iacovelli has Lyme Disease, as reported in The State, nor do I have any misconceptions about the debilitating nature of the disease, I do question the notion that it’s why she resigned from the bi-monthly-meeting EOC. Especially now that she’s bounced back and joined the Club for Growth.

Gervais says, the only tick involved in Iacovelli leaving the Oversight Committee was the ticking of the time bomb she represented for Sanford.

(go to next Iacovelli-related post)

Lastly, Andersonian Henry Jordan has already thrown up a campaign site for his Lt. Gov. candidacy, which features the Christian Wire Service article announcing his candidacy:
He was best known during his tenure on the State Board of Education for his defense of the public display of the Ten Commandments, including the constitutional right of students to post the Ten Commandments on the walls of our public schools.
Finally, a champion of the Constitution.

As I’ve said before - whether you’re a strict constructionist or a loose constructionist, there’s one thing you cannot deny about the Framers of the Constitution: They all thought tomatoes were poisonous.

Maybe they were onto something.

10 comments:

RileyWarner said...

Gervais

You are usually such an astute observer. Long after Bauer is a minor footnote in SC history and Iacovelli has succumbed to her disease, this unrelenting attack you have on tomatoes will still be outrageous. Tomatoes are the fruits of the Gods (well OK along with grapes and pomegranates), that make wonderful and varied sauces for barbeque. Hang your head in shame.

earlcapps said...

CONGRATS ON THE MEDIA PLUG!!!

Traditional media often ignores or even disses "new media", such as blogs, MySpace, etc. That is, they're doing that except when they're stealing story ideas from them and presenting them as their own.

I'm glad to see that they finally are giving bloggers their due, and that you got yours. Good work.

Excellent point about tomatoes. They have no place in barbeque whatsoever. This has to be one of those tragic outcomes of our contemporary, mass-produced, liberal-coopted culture.

Thanks for helping show just how much dem dere liberals are ruining SC.

Was Swamp Fox suggesting grapes and pomengranates in bbq? Wowwww ... what was he smoking this weekend?

Anonymous said...

Ease up Cappman. Liberals got you Social Security and Medicare, so, unless you'd like to give them up or give it back...

Swamp, is that really you? Coming over fom the dark side of friendsoflexco? Good thing. That place has degenerated into nothing more than bitching about who's screwing who in EMS or wherever this week. You on the other hand, always had something to add value.

If that's another Swamp Fox,well, never mind.

Laurin Manning said...

"There's only 2 things that money can't buy, and that's true love and homegrown tomatoes."

The Cackalacky Candidate said...

Is the South Carolina Club for Growth a tomato gardening club?

earlcapps said...

Lauren: Amen,

Cack: I heard it was a hair club for men deal,

Anon: It was tongue-in-cheek, relax. You really don't think I'd blame liberals for inserting commie-red tomato base into BBQ, do you? Liberals do have some redeeming values, such as being far more fun to hang around with on a Saturday night than a lot of conservatives I know.

Social Security and Medicaid, according to my pay stub, is just my money coming back to me. They didn't give anything to me that they didn't first take from me.

That is, if there is such a thing when I retire.

Better get the tomato garden up and running before then?

RileyWarner said...

Earl. "Mass-produced?" No wonder you don't have a taste for tomato based. Don't get it out of a jar, or worse, a can.

Laurin's on the right path. Home grown, heirloom tomatoes. Simmering all day. Spiced up just right.

I'm getting hungry.

Anonymous said...

Cappsmeister,

Depends on how long you live (I think that would be MediCARE, not CAID for you, but I could be wrong).

If you want to get more than your money back, eat lots of tomatoes. Does that have an E at the end?

earlcapps said...

Swamp - good point. One of the fringe bennies of Lowcountry living is that they still grow some of the world's best tomatoes around here.

People who think there isn't a difference haven't had them, prefereably between two slices of bread, Duke's mayonnaise, and some salt and pepper.

Then they will understand the fundamental truth you touched upon - there are tomatoes you can get in a supermarket and there are slices of heaven that will never, and should never, see the aisles of a supermarket or inside of a cannery.

Laurin Manning said...

Swamp Fox,

It's all about the beefsteaks, baby! Woot!