Jason Dawson (22) and Terry Martin (50) of the Wofford Terriers consoles Cameron Rundles (1) following their loss to the Wisconsin Badgers in the first round of the 2010 NCAA men’s basketball tournament at Jacksonville Veteran’s Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Fla., March 19, 2010

CLEMSON, WOFFORD, WINTHROP ALL ONE-AND-DONE IN NCAA TOURNEY

South Carolina fielded three teams in the NCAA men’s basketball tournament and all three were eliminated in the first round of play.

Two teams, Clemson and Wofford, came up short in their opening-round games on Friday. The third team, Winthrop, fell in Tuesday’s play-in game to determine who would face No. 1 seed Duke.

Wofford entered the tournament as a potential Cinderella after upsetting Appalachian State last week to win the Southern Conference championship. The Terriers received a 13 seed in the East Division against Wisconsin and kept the Badgers on the run for the entire game.

After taking an eight point lead into the half, Wisconsin allowed Wofford to take the lead with 14:46 remaining in the game. The two teams battled back and forth for the remainder of the game.

Wofford held a 48-47 lead with under two minutes to play when Trevon Hughes put the Badgers back on top. A Terry Martin free throw for Wofford tied the game before a Jon Leuer jumper and two free throws gave Wisconsin a 53-49 win.

For Clemson, the loss came against a lower-ranked but equally stacked Missouri team. The teams were tied at halftime and traded the lead for much of the second half, but an 18-5 Missouri run put Clemson down by 10 with seven minutes to go.

Clemson was able to come back to within four points with 41 seconds remaining, but a dunk and pair of free throws from Keith Ramsey delivered Missouri an 86-78 win.

In the play-in game on Tuesday, Big South champs Winthrop got smoked by Arkansas-Pine Bluff, 61-44, who will play Duke on Friday night.

South Carolina Atty. Gen. Henry McMaster

SC AG JOINS WITH FLORIDA COLLEAGUE, WILL FIGHT SWEEPING LEGISLATION

The federal government can expect an immediate lawsuit from South Carolina’s attorney general if the U.S. House approves sweeping health care reform legislation, as they are expected to do on Sunday.

Henry McMaster said he and Florida Atty. Gen. Bill McCollum will file suit if House Democrats sign off on the Senate-approved legislation because it requires all Americans to have health insurance.

“We are ready to kill it,” McMaster said on Friday. “When the national government and Congress start going wild, it’s up the states to rein them in.”

The bill is vehemently opposed by Republicans because, as Sens. Lindsey Graham and Jim DeMint wrote on Friday, it “raises costs, lowers the quality of care in our country, shifts a new unfunded mandate onto the states, and will result in health care rationing.”

The legislation is so unpopular that House Democrats led by Speaker Nancy Pelosi will likely have to simultaneously approve the previously-passed Senate bill while voting on a package of changes to it, thus “deeming” the Senate bill to be passed without holding a vote because it doesn’t have enough support to pass.

McMaster and McCollum likely won’t be the only attorneys general on the lawsuit. The two men held a conference call with colleagues on Thursday and said they expect others to sign onto the lawsuit next week.

“It’s essentially a direct tax on the people for which there is no authority,” McMaster said. “It’s the national government requiring a citizen to buy something that he may or may not want to buy. There’s no authority in the Constitution that allows the Congress to do that.”

McMaster began his fight to stop the health care bill when Democrats added the “Cornhusker Kickback” — a backroom, sweetheart deal between Nebraska Sen. Ben Nelson and his Democrat bosses to give his state a financial advantage (to the detriment of all other taxpayers) in return for his crucial 60th vote to pass the health care bill.

Nelson and Democrats dropped the deal from the bill after McMaster led 14 of his colleagues in threatening a lawsuit, promoting Nelson to call McMaster and plead that he “call off the dogs.”

A new viral video from “Blood of TigerCat” lays out the dangers of Moms joining Facebook

VIRAL VIDEO LAYS OUT DANGERS OF MJFD

It is a growing epidemic that has jeopardized many young adults in the prime of their social networking lives: Their mom is now on Facebook.

Fortunately, the amateur band “Blood of TigerCat” has created a hair metal anthem called “My Mom’s on Facebook” to warn youths of the danger this unavoidable situation poses to their lives.

And it has obviously struck a chord. Within three days of being posted, the video has over 340,000 views.

It’s not hard to see why. The catchy lyrics — “my wall is not for email mom, you’ll never get it right” — lay out perfectly the concerns of millions of Americans who have been diagnosed with MJFD, or “Mom Joined Facebook Disease.”

Unfortunately, there is no known cure for MJFD, but the above video should offer at least a little treatment. Until you get an email notifying you that your mom has invited you to join the “Will and Grace” fan page.

The latest editorial cartoon from award-winning TPS contributor Mike Beckom tackles South Carolina lawmakers’ attempts to cut spending in the 2010 budget.

Clouds descend on the U.S. Capitol building in Washington

DEMOCRAT HEALTH CARE BILL WILL RAISE COSTS, LOWER CARE, RESULT IN RATIONING

As the Democrats have become more and more desperate to pass their health care bill into law at any cost, their approval ratings have sunk to record lows.

Americans know their government takeover of the health care system is bad and the tactics they’re using to do it are even worse. It raises costs, lowers the quality of care in our country, shifts a new unfunded mandate onto the states, and will result in health care rationing.

This is the wrong kind of medicine to heal our health care system and we’re determined to do our part to stop it. All 41 Republican senators have pledged to stop any “fixes” from being added to the bill if the Democratic House chooses to make it law.

The only reason Senate Democrats passed this bill on a party-line vote last Christmas Eve is because a slew of backroom deals were made to buy up last minute votes.

A number of Senators were given special handouts to help convince them to vote for a bill that will cost Americans trillions. The bill completely exempts one state, Nebraska, from paying for expanded Medicaid coverage, a requirement imposed on the other 49 states. In the state of Michigan, Blue Cross Blue Shield will be exempted from paying certain taxes. In the state of Florida, seniors who enjoy the benefits of participating in Medicare Advantage will be protected from losing that coverage, a benefit not provided to seniors in other states.

South Carolinians shouldn’t be on the hook to pay for these favors designed to benefit people in other states.

Democrats say some of these deals will be taken out during reconciliation, when “fixes” are added after their bill becomes law. Anyone who believes that will be done is naïve. After they have succeeded in making the bill the law of the land, there will be little incentive for any of them to remove these special bargains.

There are many other reasons to oppose this bill, aside from the unsavory deals made to secure its passage. In both its scope and reach, the Obama and Democratic health care plan is unprecedented. It raises $644 billion in taxes and cuts $525 billion from Medicare. Their bill contains accounting gimmicks – double counting of dollars, calculations of taxes before benefits kick in and other shell games — that would make Bernie Madoff’s accountant blush.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office found that savings generated from Medicare will not be reinvested in the program, but rather will be used to pay for new programs putting even more strain on the long-term viability of Medicare.

There is no guarantee this bill will lower health care costs for consumers. What is sure is that 80 percent of Americans will find themselves in some form of government-run, government-controlled health care. We believe the remaining 20 percent will soon be asked, if not required, to follow.
Some provisions of this law will strike a crippling blow to our state’s already strained budget picture. The Medicaid rolls in South Carolina – one of the largest expenditures in our state budget – will increase by over 60 percent under this legislation. In the near future, one in three South Carolina citizens will be dependent on Medicaid. Over the next decade, Medicaid spending is expected to cost $21.6 billion, more than three times as much as we will spend on law enforcement.

President Obama’s health care plan will add even more people to the Medicaid program even though there have been many news reports in recent weeks of medical providers and prescription drug retailers refusing to accept Medicaid customers. Government-provided insurance doesn’t do those who carry it much good if a doctor won’t see them or a pharmacist won’t provide their medicine.

Over the past year we have both traveled throughout South Carolina meeting with patients, doctors, hospitals, and other medical providers. We agree there are problems with our health care system and we are ready to work together to find solutions to control health care costs, expand private sector coverage, and increase choice for patients.

Our approach is at odds with what the Democrats plan does. They’ve adopted a hard-line ideological approach and are pushing a plan that will put us one giant step closer to the single-payer government run health care system they have long desired.

President Obama has instructed the Democrats that passing this bill is key to preserving their party’s power and they are willing to defy the will of the American people to keep that power. This is no way to govern.

Time is growing short and House Democrats are rounding up their votes. If you have not made your voice heard, now is the time. Because, without a doubt, this health care bill is bad medicine. And, Americans don’t have to take it.

Gov. Mark Sanford looks on as President Barack Obama delivers remarks at the National Prayer Breakfast in Washington, Feb. 4, 2010 (Reuters Pictures)

GOVERNOR PLEADS NO CONTEST TO 37 ETHICS CHARGES INCLUDING TRIP TO ARGENTINA

Gov. Mark Sanford on Thursday settled his drawn-out legal battle with the South Carolina Ethics Commission over 37 charges that he violated state law.

Sanford signed a consent order that allows him to plead no contest to the charges — which include a taxpayer-funded trip to be with his mistress in Argentina — in exchange for paying a $74,000 fine.

“I have both tried to apologize and take full responsibility for my personal failing, as I know I let so many down in all that unfolded since this past summer,” Sanford said in a statement. “That said, I think it’s important at this point to distinguish between a personal failure and the use of tax dollars.”

The Ethics Commission said Sanford could pay the fines out of the $1.4 million remaining in his campaign account. The governor’s office did not comment on whether he will use campaign funds to pay the fine.

All total, the dozens of ethics charges have cost Sanford more than a quarter of a million dollars, including the $213,000 he racked up in legal fees.

But it could have been worse for the disgraced governor. The ethics charges almost got him impeached, but a few friendly votes in the State House spared him that fate.

Here is the rest of Sanford’s statement about today’s consent order:

“In signing this Consent Order, it is my belief that it confirms my long maintained position that the costs of my actions never extended to the taxpayer. When it comes to watching out for the taxpayer I, and by extension my administration, did nothing wrong and have always tried to go the extra mile in being good stewards of taxpayer funds. For this reason, I continue to maintain my belief in the innocence of my actions being judged by the Ethics Commission. It is worth noting that the “probable cause” determination used by the Ethics Commission considers whether or not there is a case to be looked at, not guilt or innocence. On the one time thus far that my full arguments and defenses were considered (by the House Impeachment Committee), 32 of the 37 Ethics Commission findings were dismissed.

“Two, it is disturbing that the Ethics Commission has chosen to judge me by a different standard than any governor over the last 30 years. For example, under the case of business class tickets, which represent half of all questions raised by the Ethics Commission, I’m also being judged by a different standard than that applied to members of the House, Senate, Cabinet and Commerce staff. I think it would be more than fair to disallow the use of business class tickets by any of the above mentioned groups going forward if leaders in Columbia were so inclined. But to do what the Ethics Commission is doing in this instance and to charge that what was accepted for 30 years is now an ethics breach means not only looking the other way on 30 years of practice, but allowing an unelected board to make retroactive change – and hold others accountable for it. I believe this sets exceedingly bad precedent going forward.

“Three, it’s time to move on. While I believe I would be vindicated on all these matters if there were ever a full airing, the people of South Carolina have moved on from all that unfolded last summer and this administration has moved on as well. We have been a good steward of taxpayer resources – using the state plane a full one-third to one-half less than any of my predecessors, spending 63% less on this administration’s travel budget versus that of my predecessor, selling off the state’s fractional interest in the Hawker jet and thereby saving taxpayers more than $1.5 million, and more – but the legal steps necessary to prove all this would subject the people of South Carolina to more of what at times has seemed an endless media circus. I don’t believe continuing this is in the best interest of the state, my boys, the ideas I believe in – or those who support those ideas, and for these reasons, I have signed the Consent Order.

“Finally, and despite my obvious reservations on their findings, I recognize the Ethics Commission’s work and efforts in dealing with what my actions brought to them. As well, I would once again thank so many from across the state for the ways in which they have offered grace, forgiveness and wisdom.”

A news package on the French documentary “The Game of Death”

DOCUMENTARY FORCES PARTICIPANTS TO SHOCK CONTESTANTS TO DEATH ON FAKE GAME SHOW

A lot of people say they will “kill” for celebrity, but a French documentary recently put that notion to the test with a social science experiment similar to the Stanley Milgram tests of the 1970s.

The documentary, called “The Game of Death,” aired Wednesday night on French television. It featured 80 participants who thought they were taking part in a new French reality TV series called “Zone Xtreme.”

From SlashFilm.com:

In the fake show, fake “contestants” played by actors were forced to answer questions. If they answered incorrectly, one of the participants would be asked to give the contestant an electric shock. No shocks were actually administered; the actor contestants pretended to get electrocuted.

Egged on by the beautiful TV hostess and an apparently bloodthirsty studio audience shouting “Punishment!,” only 16 of the 80 participants stopped before reaching the final, lethal 460 volt shock. People apparently kept up the shocks even when the contestant appeared to be dead or unresponsive.

I would like to think that this is just an example of how crazy French people are. But I’m hesitant to think that most Americans would act differently.

So, sadly, this probably isn’t an environmental condition but rather predisposed human nature. Pardon the pun, but that’s not exactly “shocking.”

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham speaks on FOX News, March 17, 2010 (FOX News Channel)

GRAHAM: DEMS MUST BE DRUNK TO VOTE FOR THIS BILL

U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham stirred the Democratic hornets nest on by suggesting that anyone who voted for the massive trillion-dollar health care bill must be drunk.

“Nancy Pelosi, I think, has got them all liquored up on sake and you know, they’re making a suicide run here,” Graham told WVOC radio host Keven Cohen Show on Monday.

Graham was referring to the fact that Pelosi and President Barack Obama had agreed to move forward with a plan to pass the health care bill without actually holding a vote.

The Pelosi plan would push through the sweeping legislation by using a tactic called a “self-executing rule” — which allows the House to simultaneously approve the previously-passed Senate bill while voting on a package of changes to it, thus deeming the Senate bill to be passed without compelling members to vote for it directly.

Graham’s comment immediately drew fire from Japanese American Congressman Mike Honda (D-Calif.), who said the remark was “racially tinged rhetoric” and was “not helpful.”

The senator fired back on Wednesday, telling FOX News that “my comments really reflect the fanaticism of the Democratic leadership and I don’t know whether it’s sake or moonshine, but no sober person would do this.”

Graham called on Honda to “stop this process for all Americans — Japanese Americans included do not need to lose their choice of health care, we don’t need more government when it comes to health care, and the last thing we need to do is cut Medicare by $500 million and raise taxes by $500 million.”

The House could pass the Senate health care bill as soon as this weekend before sending it to Obama to sign into law.

The Water Bobble sits on my desk in front of my MacBook loaded to the Water Bobble website (TPS)

TPS TESTS OUT WATER-PURIFYING BOTTLE

After more than three weeks of waiting, I arrived home last Friday to finally find that my much-anticipated Water Bobble had been delivered.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Water Bobble, it’s only one of the greatest inventions of all time. No joke… it could literally change the way we drink water.

Basically, the Water Bobble is a sleek, 18.5 oz. plastic bottle that contains a patented purification filter. All you have to do is unscrew the top, hold the bottle under the tap, then replace the top once it’s full, and you have fully-purified water anytime, anywhere.

And it only costs $10. That means no more expensive “bargain” packs of bottled water. And it means you’ll be drinking more water and less garbage.

I’ve had a few days now to use the Bobble, and it really is amazing. I take the thing everywhere with me. And since I swore off all other beverages, it makes it much cheaper and easier to have quality water whenever and wherever I want.

The only downside is that the damn thing took forever to get. When I grew impatient after a few weeks, I tried to find a local store that carried them (they were supposed to be at retail stores like Bed Bath & Beyond, JC Penney, and Whole Foods on March 1) but had no luck.

Still, it’s well worth the wait. To order one for yourself, head on over to WaterBobble.com.

The South Carolina Statehouse in Columbia (TPS)

SPENDING PLAN INCLUDES CIGARETTE TAX INCREASE, ABORTION BAN, GOLF FUNDING

After a 23 hour marathon session that included seemingly-endless discussions over taxpayer-funded abortion, the cigarette tax and a golf tournament, the South Carolina State House on Thursday approved a $5 billion budget for the coming year.

The House spending plan was sent to the Senate after a vote of 64-52 and a final vote minutes later that ended the first all-night session in more than 10 years.

The appropriations bill includes a ban on abortions for anyone covered by the state insurance plan unless it is an “incidental” effect of a doctor trying to save the lives of both mother and the baby. Last year, when anyone citing rape, incest or a risk of death for the mother could terminate a pregnancy, only six people received a state-paid abortion.

This year’s budget also raises to state’s lowest-in-the-nation cigarette tax to 37 cents and includes furloughs and layoffs to save money. And lawmakers were able to find a way to offset millions in cuts to programs for the disabled by allocating a chunk of expected federal Medicaid assistance.

But the most controversial budget item was a $10 million loan to the state’s only PGA golf tournament. Lawmakers approved an amendment that would lend the money to the Heritage tournament in Hilton Head if it can’t find a new sponsor.

Supporters of the tournament argue that it brings in $87 million annually and the state cannot afford to lose that. Opponents say it is not the government’s responsibility to fund golf tournaments.

The entire budget now heads to the Senate where it faces similar, albeit likely not as heated, debates. If passed, it will go to Gov. Mark Sanford who may or may not veto it. That fight could be equally as interesting as the all-nighter.