Another Picture Of The Sidewalk Work Being Done On Main St In Liberty

Here's another picture of the progression of the sidewalk work being done on Main St in Liberty. City Council made great efforts to express that the county was paying for all of the work and that Liberty wasn't paying a dime for the construction.

Note To County and City Of Liberty; "I'm Not As Think As You Drunk I Am" : I Only Recycled 220% This Week

It's Wednesday in Liberty and that means recycling pick up day. Yay! Boo!

What you see here is 51 pounds of glass and 7 pounds of plastic.

What you don't see here is anything (save one Coca Cola) that anyone in my family actually consumed.

These are bottles that I collected on a few walks with my wife and son this week. The majority of the alcohol bottles coming from my block.

Saving out my own cans (mostly collected from picking up) and counting my weekly 11 pounds of organic compost; I recycled 220% the weight of my garbage. And yes ... I actually measured using my bathroom scale.

Massive Food Recall Affects Upstate

Via The Ingles Supermarket Facebook Page:

Recall: Products Containing Hydrolyzed Vegetable Protein

Hydrolyzed vegetable protein is a essentially a fancy word for MSG Mono-Sodium- Glutamate.

This list (below) includes products subject to recall in the United States since February 2010 related to hydrolyzed vegetable protein (HVP) paste and powder distributed by Basic Food Flavors, Inc.

These items are essentially mixes for chili, mixes for soups, and sauce mix and products that are coated or flavored such as nuts.

All of the following brands and items are affected by an FDA recall announced on March 8, 2010.

You can take these foods back to the store you bought them from for an exchange credit. (NOT A REFUND)

Bouillon Products
Herbox

Dip and Dip Mix Products
Concord Foods
De la Casa
Delicioso
Follow Your Heart
Fresh Food Concepts
Great Value
Johnny's Fine Foods
McCormick
Oak Lake Farms
Reser's
Rojo's
T. Marzetti

Dressing and Dressing Mix Products
Follow Your Heart
Reser's
Trader Joe's

Gravy Mix Products
McCormick

Pre-Packaged Meal Products
Follow Your Heart

Prepared Salad Products
Reser's

Snack and Snack Mix Products
CVS
Great Nut Supply
HK Anderson
Hawaiian
National Pretzel Company
President's Choice
Rouses Louisiana's Best
Safeway
Spec's Wines & Fine Foods
Sunflower Markets

Soup Mix Products
Castella
Homemade Gourmet

Stuffing Products
McCormick

Recent Tweets ...

If you're not part of the ATLIBERTYTOSAY.COM Twitter feed you may have missed this Liberty & South Carolina news:

Good quote from a commenter on my website: "As we legislate against the specific WATCH OUT - I don't like the color orange!"
8 minutes ago via web

3rd District opponents: Rex Rice going too far on abortion http://bit.ly/93javG (via @GreenvilleNews)
about 1 hour ago via Twitterrific

Freedom not always pretty: There is much we find distasteful, even hateful ... but free speech nonetheless http://bit.ly/brFMVy
about 4 hours ago via Twitterrific

Take care of real needy: Bauer was right http://bit.ly/9naLwp (via @independentmail)
about 4 hours ago via Twitterrific

Jeff Duncan, running for Federal District 3 (covering the Liberty area) has a new website. Check it out http://www.JeffDuncan.com
about 4 hours ago via Twitterrific

atlibertytosay.com March 2010 Liberty City Council Meeting http://bit.ly/9n9U8O
about 12 hours ago via twitterfeed

Police Chief mentioned it at tonite's city council meeting/he said he was actively looking for a replacement
about 12 hours ago via Twitterrific

Liberty Police Dept has an opening
about 12 hours ago via Twitterrific

Pickens school board goes into closed meeting: The board of the School District of Pickens County met Monday night... http://bit.ly/9ni7km
about 14 hours ago via Twitterrific

At city council meeting
about 17 hours ago via Twitterrific

Norfolk Southern to pay $4 million for S.C. chlorine spill http://bit.ly/bNj36X (via @GreenvilleNews)
about 21 hours ago via Twitterrific

U may be marked up, but definitely not marked out!
about 21 hours ago via Twitterrific

Another reason that I support roll call voting: http://bit.ly/c67HeX (via @rexrice)
about 22 hours ago via Twitterrific

Some say S.C. Superintendent of Education campaigning on taxpayer dime http://bit.ly/9COH7H (via @OpenGovernmenSC)
about 22 hours ago via Twitterrific

Stop talking about all of your magic bullets and start hunting. (via @BrainsOnFire)
about 22 hours ago via Twitterrific

atlibertytosay.com Yack & Yarn @ Sarlin Library Saturday March 20, 2010 http://bit.ly/9zxDe4
10:01 AM Mar 8th via twitterfeed

atlibertytosay.com Liberty City Council Meeting Tonight http://bit.ly/aGyMUn
8:18 AM Mar 8th via twitterfeed

atlibertytosay.com Help Me Help You ... http://bit.ly/cRUYCX
10:06 AM Mar 7th via twitterfeed

atlibertytosay.com Liberty Lost All At Once ... http://bit.ly/ac1IDe
8:25 AM Mar 7th via twitterfeed

Daniel boys claim state basketball championship: Lions new kings of AAA. http://bit.ly/aAKLbE (via @independentmail)
7:35 AM Mar 7th via Twitterrific

@shanemassey @rexrice Note about a tragic accident yesterday near Liberty SC/Police seized cellphone of a driver accused of TWD to investig8
9:46 PM Mar 5th via web

atlibertytosay.com An Op-ed about "The Curious Case Of The Distracted Driver" http://bit.ly/bC3PRG
8:42 PM Mar 5th via twitterfeed

Texting-while-driving may have contributed to fatal Anderson crash: 36-year-old driver trapped in minivan ... http://bit.ly/cutMu2
6:06 PM Mar 5th via Twitterrific

Shame on Anderson police handling investigation of auto accident N Liberty 2 make her admit she looked down at phone/Wonder if she was read Miranda
11:26 AM Mar 5th via Twitterrific

http://www.wyff4.com/news/22749994/detail.html?taf=gs The Gville News & WYFF reported the auto accident in Liberty completely different.
11:24 AM Mar 5th via Twitterrific

atlibertytosay.com Auto Collision In Liberty Results In Tragedy http://bit.ly/czVmYo
10:57 AM Mar 5th via twitterfeed

"The greatest thing about twitter is that you can quote something & totally make up the source." ~Adolf Hitler
9:42 AM Mar 5th via TweetDeck

Dropout crisis in S.C. under attack http://bit.ly/dhVYtE
7:55 AM Mar 5th via web
Retweeted by you and 1 other

Head-on collision in Liberty leaves one dead http://bit.ly/cVMVgi
9:51 AM Mar 5th via twitterfeed
Retweeted by you

http://pickenssentinel.com/bookmark/6567053/article-County gets clean audit / Just 2 show all what U miss & get interpreted from The Pickens Sentinel vs ATLIBERTYTOSAY
10:46 AM Mar 5th via web

atlibertytosay.com MyPoints: Get Up To 8% Rebate On Your Purchases http://bit.ly/bVeuTt
9:39 AM Mar 5th via twitterfeed

atlibertytosay.com Same Law / Different Meanings"RECYCLE" Means different things in the same law http://bit.ly/cMGUce
8:02 AM Mar 5th via twitterfeed

atlibertytosay.com Liberty Elementary Honored For Raising Money For Leukemia & Lymphoma http://bit.ly/bJ7LNw
3:50 PM Mar 4th via twitterfeed

atlibertytosay.com New Sidewalk Construction On East Main St In Liberty http://bit.ly/bWxnGA
2:48 PM Mar 4th via twitterfeed

Posted a new T-Shirt design for sale! - http://www.zazzle.com/235778983328768989?rf=238289912964668774
2:07 PM Mar 4th via API

State Rep. Cato: South Carolinians deserve more school choice http://bit.ly/d9Y3Xl (via @OpenGovernmenSC)
11:39 AM Mar 4th via Twitterrific

You can watch the #SC03 debate live online http://tinyurl.com/yb7c4bf
11:38 AM Mar 4th via Twitterrific

"Oh, You're One Of Those Mac People?" - http://www.ppple.com/2010/03/oh-youre-one-of-those-mac-people.html
8:08 AM Mar 4th via web

atlibertytosay.com On The Way To Liberty ... http://bit.ly/9IcpKd
5:47 AM Mar 4th via twitterfeed

Lawmaker Nathan Ballentine says: fyi - Texting/Driving floor debate will most likely be Tuesday of next week (via @OpenGovernmenSC)
7:03 PM Mar 3rd via Twitterrific

Sealevel is hiring - Inside Sales Rep & Quality Engineer. Visit their website 4 more info http://bit.ly/SL-QualityEng (via @SealevelSystems)
4:16 PM Mar 3rd via Twitterrific

New S.C. credit card law has negative consequences http://bit.ly/cfKd6n (via @OpenGovernmenSC)
4:13 PM Mar 3rd via Twitterrific

atlibertytosay.com Wanted: Your Stories, Thoughts, Pictures, & History Of Liberty http://bit.ly/cdMU9s
3:57 PM Mar 3rd via twitterfeed

atlibertytosay.com Liberty Touchdown Club To Meet March 10, 2010 @ Rosewood Center http://bit.ly/deFWHK
2:34 PM Mar 3rd via twitterfeed

Libertarian Philosophy's Fundamental Flaw! Good to Focus on Limited Gov't But... Believe Man is Source of Rights http://tinyurl.com/FF030310
12:06 PM Mar 3rd via API
Retweeted by you and 1 other

I apologize to all my facebook & twitter followers for all the posts today - I'm networking ... trying to get the word out about my website
12:48 PM Mar 3rd via web

atlibertytosay.com Annual Fly In/Cruise In @ Pickens County Airport http://bit.ly/96R6ai
7:54 AM Mar 3rd via twitterfeed

Man accused of burning puppy faces jail time http://bit.ly/aNw6UR / They shouldn't give jail time - they should burn his puppy off
11:55 AM Mar 2nd via Twitterrific

Greenville Mayor Knox White says burying power lines is more complicated than expected & may take decades/BULL Duke Power execs $$$$!!!
11:53 AM Mar 2nd via Twitterrific

Let me see who is play fast and long time who is winner http://yfrog.com/37u80hj
8:10 AM Mar 2nd via Yfrog

atlibertytosay.com On The Way To Liberty ... http://bit.ly/b2Q0hd
7:29 AM Mar 2nd via twitterfeed

Visit the ATLIBERTYTOSAY TWITTER PAGE to follow @ATLIBERTYTOSAY to receive live updates and news that may not make it to the front page.

Liberty Area Public Schools 2010 Spring Break Schedule

Spring Break

Spring Break begins on Friday March 26, 2010 when school lets out and ends Sunday April 4, 2010.

Students do not attend school:

Monday March 29, 2010
Tuesday March 30, 2010
Wednesday March 31, 2010
Thursday April 1, 2010
Friday April 2, 2010

The Other Water Towers That Serve Residents In Liberty ...

* Picture of the Freeman Rd water tower serving some Liberty residents
* Near Highway 178 leaving Liberty heading towards Pickens/ Near airport



* Picture of the Southside Water District tower serving Liberty
* On Highway 178 towards Anderson leaving Liberty
These two water towers are in different water districts than the City Water water towers shown ...


HERE

&

HERE

March 2010 Liberty City Council Meeting

Here are notes taken during the March 2010 Liberty City Council meeting:

The Rosewood Center was filled with trinkets all over the place in preparation for a consignment sale that's being held this weekend.

Councilman Brian Peterson was not in attendance.

Michael Sheriff filled in as Mayor Pro tem - Mayor Deese was out due to a death in the family (his brother-in-law). He was flying to Arkansas.

Please pray for Gerri and Brian as they travel, for there their safe return, and pray for them in their time of grief.

February 2010 Council meeting and February 2010 Work Session minutes were approved.

* Minutes approval were actually tabled because Sue Woods had not finished transcribing them.

* Minutes have not been published to the website since October 2009

______________________________

• Angela Scott of Dan Scott's BBQ - raised concerns about parking. She mentioned that she'd heard rumor of a proposed crosswalk and said that it would take up two parking spaces - She pleaded with city to enforce two hour parking to ask business owners to park behind their businesses Monday-Saturday 9-6. She mentioned that people are not coming to her restaurant because they can't find parking and that in turn loses the city the 2% hospitality tax.

Councilman Sheriff replied:

"The city has not enforced the 2 hr parking ordinance, maybe it's time to crack down on that."

He also mentioned that the city was no longer considering a crosswalk and that it was a "dead issue."

Sheriff clarified that hospitality taxes are spent on tourism & recreation.

Councilman Rick Clark said,

"This parking issue usually makes a two a 2 year cycle - we'll get it fixed this time."

Councilman McJunkin said issue the issue of downtown parking was discussed at the recent Council retreat.

Dan Scott interjected that people park personal vehicles downtown.

______________________________

Motions considered:

Councilman Sheriff made a motion for a part time employee to assist Tony Boiter at the Rec department and for council to move $5000 from contingency funds to pay for the position.

Councilman McJunkin quipped that last year there was just a guy picking up sticks and that Boiter's son was being paid.

McJunkin said,

"Things get out of control when you don't know exactly how much someone is going to get paid."

Councilman Clark remarked,

"It won't be for just picking up sticks."

Council voted. McJunkin opposed.

A motion was made for the approval of $15,000 for Islelin Field for new lights / County has agreed to match funds.

Councilman Yates mentioned that the funds also include replacement of the fence.

Yates said the money was, "needed for the safety of the children."

Councilman Clark said the money would also help fix dangerous poles that have rotted at the field.

______________________________

Recycling efforts were discussed.

Councilman Sheriff mentioned a new "Recycling Center"

He said that pavement and gravel are in place at Hedgepath Rd area and that four containers are being given to Liberty by the county. He mentioned that a sign indicating "Recycling" would be placed on 178.

______________________________

Police Chief Miller delivered the Police report:

For the month of February 2010:

125 warnings issued

110 citations issued

2 arrests at Liberty High

10 arrests were made at Liberty Middle over an assault / a gang fight??

141 calls for service

9 traffic accidents

Miller mentioned that all officers took part in taser training - 3 officers volunteered to be tasered to see what it felt like.

Councilman Clark commented that one of the Liberty Detention Officers placed 2nd in their class.

Councilman McJunkin commented on the need for the Resource Officer at Liberty Middle.
(The Middle School is at risk of losing funding to pay for a Resource Officer.)

Miller mentioned that there's already been 4 traffic accidents in March so far and that his force would be stepping up safety efforts.

He said that one police officer is leaving to be a part of the Anderson County Sheriff's office and that he was actively looking for a replacement officer.

______________________________

Assistant Fire Chief Chris Rowland delivered the Fire Department report:

For the month of February 2010:

Their were 30 calls for service / compared to 33 calls in February 2009

ATLIBERTYTOSAY COMMENT: This is the 5th month straight that calls have been down. While this is a good thing ... it also brings the massive spending on new trucks, equipment, and employees into question. Council brags on the grant money that has helped pay for all the new equipment but there is still significant taxpayer money that supports the fire department.

Rowland mentioned that there was training on operating the pumps on the fire trucks.

He mentioned that they tested hoses on the new truck and mounted equipment on the new tanker.

He also said they prepared the new ladder and oiled it up.

______________________________

Councilman Sheriff said there wasn't a Public Works report because Olin Hamlin had called and said they had an open line on Peachtree St that they were finishing up.

Councilman McJunkin mentioned that the Lakeview Dr area has 3 feet wide potholes and they need attention.

Councilman Clark said he redid an SCDOT grant.

Councilman Yates thanked the county for the new sidewalks.

He remarked, "It was kind of unexpected."

Councilman Yates also encouraged everyone about the 2010 Census,

"Get those back in."

Councilman McJunkin added that the county has really been a help to us.

Councilman Harrison added that cooperation from Mayor was positive.

Councilman Sheriff added that this weekend was Daylight Savings Time and reminded everyone to replace the batteries in their smoke detectors.

He then adjourned the meeting.

* I would like to thank my wife for helping me to take notes.

* My notes this month are not as complete as I would have liked, every "Department Report" at the podium was mumbling.

Events @ The Sarlin Library In Liberty For March 2010

March 2010 Event Schedule @ Liberty's Sarlin Library

• Monday March 15, 2010 - Starlight Special, 6PM, Dr. Seuss

• Tuesday March 16, 2010 - Expressions, Science Magic, 3:30PM

• Saturday March 20, 2010 - Yack & Yarn, 10AM

• Monday March 22, 2010 Meet the Natives with Joe Townsend, 4PM

• Monday March 29, 2010 - Wii family gaming, 2PM

The Liberty Library is located @

15 South Palmetto Street
Liberty, SC 29657
(864) 843-5805

Yack & Yarn @ Sarlin Library Saturday March 20, 2010

Yack & Yarn @ Sarlin Branch, Liberty!

Do you like to quilt, crochet, knit, needlepoint, or do some other kind of needlecraft? If you are an expert, or need help getting started, go to the Sarlin Branch Library in Liberty on Saturday, March 20, 2010 at 10AM.

Bring your current project or come to ask for help from a fellow group member on a project you want to start.

This informal group welcomes anyone who likes to have a good time and enjoys needlecraft!

The Yack & Yarn group meets on the third Saturday of each month from 10AM- 11AM.

Participation is free and open to all.

For more information stop by or call the Sarlin Branch at 843-5805

Are The City's Water Rates Unconstitutional?

Last week, this Letter To The Editor appeared in The Anderson Independent. Although it discusses oppressive water rates in Anderson County, it brings up some good points of relation to Liberty City Water.

From John Schinnagel of Anderson:

I’m no lawyer but think I understand our language and believe the 100 percent levy by the city of Anderson on non-resident customers is unconstitutional.

Article 1., Section 3, of our state Constitution states, “nor shall any person be denied the equal protection of the laws.”

Certainly the terms “any person” and “equal protection of the laws” apply to customers of privately owned utilities and customers of city-owned utilities.

However, on one side of Centerville Road, residential customers of the for-profit West Anderson water utility pay a single rate. They do so because the S.C. Public Service Commission protects them from dual-rate manipulation. On the other side of Centerville Road, Anderson city non-residents pay the city’s non-profit utility 100 percent more for water than city residents because of an absence of written laws to protect them. Both utilities are members of, and purchase water from, the same Lake Hartwell distribution system.

Under our constitution, those non-resident customers using city water are being denied equal protection of the laws that the state uses to protect West Anderson customers.

Therefore, the rates approved by the city violate our state constitution and should be rescinded.

If my understanding is wrong, I would expect an immediate reaction from City Manager John Moore defending the city’s action and refuting my logic.

But if I am right and the city is violating the constitutional rights of Anderson County citizens, I suspect the silence will be deafening.

Liberty City Council Meeting Tonight

March 8, 2010

Liberty City Council Meeting
6PM at Rosewood Center (next to Ingles)


A full report here on ATLIBERTYTOSAY.COM will follow tonight's meeting.

Help Me Help You ...

A few weeks ago, I started a part-time job working at a local PC fix it shop - hired mostly to do any Apple Computer work that came their way, but to do most anything else too.

One highlight of this job was my perk of getting to work on my websites during any down time - the one you're reading and my tech blog FIXYOURTHINKING.COM.

One day, not having my personal computer (a laptop), I asked the owner of the PC shop if I could use his computer to look at my website. I noticed that the formatting was off. I couldn't figure out why ... then he made the quip ...

"None of your ads are showing up."

I said, "Oh, why is that?"

He told me he had ad-blocking software turned on and that he hated ads.

My Google adsense ads and a few private ad contracts are the major motivation for keeping this site going. This website actually pays my bills. If you have ad blocking turned on, you take away from what Google measures as a hit on my webpage. Not even viewing ads hurts my revenue stream, without which I would not be able to make the time to update this site.

To give you some statistics:

- The "Recording Phone Calls" reference which I answer and update religiously is viewed over 5000 times weekly.

- This website almost solely has been the reason Pickens County Council has changed direction on the fining for recycling issue

- This website WAS THE ONLY way in which several Liberty residents received resolution for their lost animals.

- This website is the ONLY SOURCE for up to date detailed minutes from Liberty City Council meetings without spin

- This website gets more pageviews PER DAY than the City Of Liberty website receives each month.

On my other website:

- My "Together Dating" reference and "Bidzirk" story have become major parts of litigation to protect consumers, bloggers, and constitutional rights.

Here's a poignant article summary from a website I frequently read called ARS TECHNICA about the importance of advertisement:

"Ars Technica recently conducted a 12-hour experiment in which story content was hidden from users of popular ad blocking tools. Explaining the experiment, Ken Fisher appealed to Ars's readership:

'My argument is simple: blocking ads can be devastating to the sites you love. I am not making an argument that blocking ads is a form of stealing, or is immoral, or unethical, or makes someone the son of the devil. It can result in people losing their jobs, it can result in less content on any given site, and it definitely can affect the quality of content. It can also put sites into a real advertising death spin. As ad revenues go down, many sites are lured into running advertising of a truly questionable nature. We've all seen it happen. I am very proud of the fact that we routinely talk to you guys in our feedback forum about the quality of our ads. I have proven over 12 years that we will fight on the behalf of readers whenever we can. Does that mean that there are the occasional intrusive ads, expanding this way and that? Yes, sometimes we have to accept those ads. But any of you reading this site for any significant period of time know that these are few and far between. We turn down offers every month for advertising like that out of respect for you guys. We simply ask that you return the favor and not block ads.'"

Liberty Lost All At Once ...

"It is seldom that liberty of any kind is lost all at once."
~ David Hume

While sources such as Wikipedia paint Hume as an atheist - other sources portray his writing as lightly battling the underpinning of the Catholic Church. Had he gone further, he would have been accused of heresy - so it seems a lot of his words have been misinterpreted to have more meaning than they actually did.

From Wikipedia:

Hume achieved great literary fame as a historian. His enormous The History of Great Britain, tracing events from the Saxon kingdoms to the Glorious Revolution, was a best-seller in its day. In it, Hume presented political man as a creature of habit, with a disposition to submit quietly to established government unless confronted by uncertain circumstances.

The "texting while driving" issue has really gotten me thinking about this quote lately. It's enforcement is the bull's warm wet breath on the downed matador's cheek.

An Op-ed about "The Curious Case Of The Distracted Driver"

The Curious Case Of The Distracted Driver

by Philip Smith

Today, a very tragic accident took place just outside the Liberty city limits ... an Anderson man was hit head on by a car driving in his lane.

For the majority of the day, the headlines described only a few facts about the types of cars involved, then ended with "an investigation is pending."

As "facts" surfaced - it seems the driver that caused the accident was coerced to make a statement about the cause. Without the consultation or proper advice from an attorney (her right before making the statement) it seems she admitted to using her cell phone - texting while driving.

Now, the proponents of texting while driving legislation are shouting, "See!"

Plain and simple: Distracted driving contributed to the accident. The woman "texting" was also not wearing her seatbelt.

While very tragic, this is obviously not a situation where the driver was conscious of hers or anyone else's safety. She would have STILL been texting had a law been in place. Why? How long has a "mandatory seatbelt" law been in place?

We should think about this as our cities and State pass "texting while driving" laws - are they doing it for revenue or for public safety?

[UPDATE] I feel that an important detail should be added to this story - the woman failed a sobriety test. She has now been charged with felony DUI. Texting had little to do with her driving problem. I'll also reiterate that she was not wearing her seatbelt.

Auto Collision In Liberty Results In Tragedy

As reported by The Anderson Independent:

One person is dead and another was injured in a two-vehicle crash early this morning on U.S. 178 near Anderson.

State Highway Patrol Trooper Billy Elder said a 2006 Mitsubishi collided head-on with a 1998 Ford van shortly before 1AM today.

The accident happened on U.S. 178 about eight miles west of Anderson, Elder said.

The driver of the Mitsubishi was injured and taken to AnMed Hospital, Elder said.

The driver of the van died as a result of the crash.

The name of the deceased was being withheld this morning pending notification of family.

Elder said the cause of the accident was still under in investigation early today.

MyPoints: Get Up To 8% Rebate On Your Purchases

Being a computer technician, I've discovered what "rebate/freebie programs" to avoid. A lot of times these websites track you, send you junk mail, and sell your name and personal information to other companies.

MyPoints is the only one that I trust. Most other online rebate companies are either as described above, actually load malicious software onto your computer, or are a form of "pyramid scheme".

By joining through this link (below) you can help support ATLIBERTYTOSAY.COM - never having given a dollar. It doesn't raise your price to go through this affiliate link either.

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Same Law / Different Meanings

Title 44 - Health
CHAPTER 96.
SOUTH CAROLINA SOLID WASTE POLICY AND MANAGEMENT ACT


SECTION 44-96-40. Definitions.
As used in this chapter:

(36) "Recyclable material" means those materials which are capable of being recycled and which would otherwise be processed or disposed of as solid waste.
(37) "Recycling" means any process by which materials which would otherwise become solid waste are collected, separated, or processed and reused or returned to use in the form of raw materials or products (including composting).

Then a later section of the same law directly contradicts what is mentioned as recyclable above.

SECTION 44-96-50. State solid waste management policy and goals.

(H) For the purposes of Sections 44-96-50 and 44-96-60, "municipal solid waste" includes, but is not limited to, wastes that are durable goods, nondurable goods, containers and packaging, food scraps, yard trimmings, and miscellaneous inorganic wastes from residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial sources including, but not limited to, appliances, automobile tires, old newspapers, clothing, disposable tableware, office and classroom paper, wood pallets, and cafeteria wastes. "Municipal solid waste" does not include solid wastes from other sources including, but not limited to, construction and demolition debris, auto bodies, municipal sludges, combustion ash, and industrial process wastes that also might be disposed of in municipal waste landfills or incinerators.

__________________________________

Yet another reason the new County "target" isn't above the board - it's hard to put a definition on what is recyclable and what isn't. My family recycles, reuses, repurposes a lot of our waste ... but just because my neighbor doesn't recycle their organic food or their aluminum cans - doesn't mean they are doing anything wrong according to State Law.

* Thank you to Mayor Mac Martin Of Central for sending this in.

Liberty Elementary Honored For Raising Money For Leukemia & Lymphoma

As reported by WSPA News Channel 7:

Liberty Elementary School celebrated surpassing a goal they set to raise money for the annual “Pennies for Patients” drive sponsored by the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society.

Students and staff participated in this fundraiser in honor of Natalie Kristiansen, a third grade student at Liberty Elementary who was diagnosed last year with Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL) in May of 2009.

Once the students surpassed their original goal of $2,000, Principal Lowell Haynes challenged students to raise $4,000.00 for this cause with the promise of allowing Natalie to “buzz his hair.”

Students collected $5,518.27

For the full story click here

New Sidewalk Construction On East Main St In Liberty

Construction on new sidewalks from the intersection of Anderson Dr to the area of Fernwood St in Liberty has begun and will last for the next two weeks.

New ATLIBERTYTOSAY.COM T-Shirt Design

New ATLIBERTYTOSAY.COM T-Shirt Design

Click the link above to view the new ATLIBERTYTOSAY.COM T-Shirt available at ZAZZLE.COM.

During the month of March, if you use the promo code

"4OFFPATTYTEE"

... at checkout, you can get $4 off an ATLIBERTYTOSAY.COM T-Shirt!

Grab an ATLIBERTYTOSAY.COM T-Shirt and show your support!

On The Way To Liberty ...

These are the signs from the Road 27 exit off of HWY 123 and then the signs indicating how to continue on to Liberty from the top of the exit.

Wanted: Your Stories, Thoughts, Pictures, & History Of Liberty

There's a lot going on in Liberty to report on ... but I want you involved.

Please submit your news, event schedules, fundraisers, pictures, and story or interview requests. Feel free to share your editorials or Liberty history ... anything that involves the Liberty community.

Just leave a comment on any article and how to contact you. Your private information is safe - you can submit anonymously or receive recognition.

Liberty Touchdown Club To Meet March 10, 2010 @ Rosewood Center

LTDC has a meeting on March 10, 2010 at the Rosewood Center in Liberty to discuss Fund raisers, New Members, and Upcoming events.

They also have tickets to sell for the Applebee's Pancake Breakfast which is April 10, 2010 at the Applebee's in Easley 7:45AM - 9:45AM cost is $7.00 per ticket all you can eat.

Annual Fly In/Cruise In @ Pickens County Airport

1st Annual Fly In/Cruise In

Pickens County Airport

Saturday April 10th 10:00AM to 4:00PM

* I created this graphic, but feel free to use it in your own promotion of this event

The airport is located at:

Pickens County Airport
240 Airport Road
Liberty, SC 29657

(Head toward Pickens from Liberty on HWY178)

2 HOUR DELAY FOR LIBERTY AREA SCHOOLS MARCH 3 2010

2 HOUR DELAY

There is a two hour delay for

Liberty Elementary
Liberty Middle
Liberty High School

... for Wednesday, March 3, 2010.

Announcement from Pickens County School District:

Inclement Weather Announcement

All Pickens County buses and schools will operate on a two-hour delay on Wednesday March 3.

4K morning classes will be held and will dismiss at regular time.

This means that children DO NOT get picked up by buses until 2 hours later also.

DO NOT send children out into the cold as temperatures are in the teens with wind chill factored in.

The normal school bell rings at 8:00AM:

From School District Handbook:

School students are expected, by district policy, to arrive to school on time each day. First period begins at 8:00 AM. Any student arriving after 8:00 AM is tardy to school.

The normal Liberty Middle and Liberty High bells ring at 8:10 - even though students are to arrive no later than 8:00AM.

This means that on a two hour delay - this time moves to 10:00AM.

Pickens County Schools: Early Dismissal Because Of Icy Conditions

Tuesday March 2, 2010

Liberty area public schools dismiss at 12PM (NOON) today.

Buses will run normally, car riders can pick up their children at any time beyond 11AM.

Students will be counted present and a full day will be granted for their attendance record.

Pickens County Schools are dissmissing early because of developing icy conditions.

Notes From The March 2010 Pickens County Council Meeting

Picture Of Pickens County Council/Chairman G. Neil Smith center

I attended last night's Pickens County Council Meeting.

Here are a few notes:

• After a call to order; the public forum was opened.

• A Pickens resident addressed the council about a hazardous area surrounding a mill that has created a vermin problem and an eyesore. She made note of the fact that, Council probably "thinks" the area is under under city jurisdiction but it's actually County. Council expressed that they would investigate.

• I spoke about the County's recycling program:

- I informed Council that the issues I had mentioned in December have all been addressed.

- I mentioned that I had dedicated significant resources and time to getting the word out on my website about ways to recycle, what the program means, and that I had featured a letter from Central Mayor Mac Martin.

- I read them an article that I published yesterday about my recycle bins being tossed.

- Council Chair Smith made note that the bins shouldn't have been tossed, but that the labor was cheap.

- He mentioned that the deadlines is what got municipalities that have slacked off in the last few years to start bringing their numbers back up.

• Golden Harvest Food Bank came to inform Council of their presence and far reaching program.

• Liberty resident Weldon Clark got up to speak about various issues

• The County Auditor spoke

- Auditor mentioned that Pickens County received an award for financial reporting.

- The Auditor was congratulated then asked a few questions:

Where does the County stand - sound and stable?

Yes.

How does the County invest? How do they collateralize?

Tough investments market with interest rates at half percent or below, but assets and collateral seem sound.

Does the County diversify with multiple banks or just use one bank?

One bank is used. A lengthy discussion ensued about benefits to having many banks versus one bank or a large national bank versus a community bank. Auditor mentioned that community banks may not have enough collateral to offer the County.

• County Administrator Chappell Hurst got up to speak

- He mentioned that more airplanes are being attracted to the Pickens County airport and that County investments into improvements may be paid off within a year.

- He mentioned a 16% increase in profits from the sale of fuel at the airport and that "hangar housing" fees were up.

ATLIBERTYTOSAY NOTE: Since the airport is within the city limits of Liberty, does Liberty see any revenue from airport?

• Hurst introduced some Pickens County road contractors that he felt have done a good job.

- Hurst mentioned that the County is test pavement density and grading which roads are a priority to pave now.

- Council Chair Smith clarified for those in attendance.

Smith: "A lot of people when they see a private or residential driveway paved during county or city roadwork ... the first thing they think is ... how did they get that for free?"

- He explained they don't get it for free, but if the crew is there, a lot of times a resident will ask about a reduced price, and usually since the equipment is already there, the contractor CAN offer a reduced price to pave a driveway. Other times - the contractor cant just leave a dropoff and so they pave slightly into a driveway to make it nice for the resident.

- Councilman Ponder asked what was being done about the dangerous road shoulders in the County. Hurst and Smith mentioned that this was handled separately with it's own "crew".

• Chappell Hurst then moved on to recycling issues and mentioned

- Cardboard/newspaper recycling was huge for the County

- Hurst mentioned the traveling "TRASH BASH" - an education program for elementary school children in Pickens County about recycling and waste.

- An interesting factoid that the Council asked for clarification on was that Central is sent all the money from recycling and then they release the funds to the municipalities. Hurst mentioned that Central takes a 30% administration fee and then sends 70% back out to the cities.

- Council Chair Smith noted that Liberty Mayor Deese had mentioned at a recent municipal association meeting that Liberty had never seen a check for their recycling.

• A motion was set forward about Behavioral Health funds being sent to State instead of being kept in the County so that Pickens County could receive matching funds from the Federal government.

• A motion was set forward about the County sewer system/Clarifications were made about what the County provides/The issue was confusing and the topic was hard to figure out because of dissent amongst Council about what the County is obligated to provide - should they retail (for profit) sewer systems or wholesale (neutral income) sewer systems.

• Councilman Wyche mentioned that land is still being located for an EMS station along Highway 11.

Gerald Wilson from the waste management department discussed with me after the meeting that he would correct the issue of "tossed bins".

I'd also like to note that G. Neil Smith was VERY kind to me and addressed my concern personally.

I'd like to thank all Council members for listening to me as I discussed the efforts I've made to get the word out about recycling.

Liberty is in District 4 of Pickens County

Our council seat is occupied by G. Neil Smith.

He is the Council Chairman.

Council meets the 1st & 3rd Mondays of each month.

On The Way To Liberty ...

These are the signs coming from Clemson on Highway 123 North also known as Calhoun Memorial Highway that point to Liberty. I'll put the signs for Road 27 (Another Liberty exit off of HWY 123) in another post.

NO DELAY FOR PICKENS COUNTY SCHOOLS FOR TUESDAY MARCH 2, 2010

Despite the threat of ice and snow and temperatures expecting to drop below freezing in Liberty - ALL Pickens County Schools are on regular schedule today.

Current temperature in Liberty as of 6:45AM is 36˚.

As the air gets moisture in it - the temperatures are expected to drop. Rain is expected to turn to snow by 10AM.

Wind is contributing to the the air cooling down.

Wind chill in our area: 29˚

Forecasters are calling for an additional 1" - 3" of precipitation over the next 24 hours.

Please be careful driving as ice develops.

Also be careful on house steps.

Recent Tweets ...

If you're not part of the ATLIBERTYTOSAY.COM Twitter feed you may have missed this Liberty & South Carolina news:

#sctweets Open tweet 2 all SC politicians using social media N this election - It's easy 2 tell 1's of U who R REALLY doing it urself. LAME
7 minutes ago via web

WORD poll http://tinyurl.com/yzbqx9c is a joke/It's exposing the old fogies who THINK they know social media/Hillarious that underdogs R winning
10 minutes ago via web

atlibertytosay.com $4 off ATLIBERTYTOSAY.COM T-Shirts For The Month Of March! http://bit.ly/a3W4u5
about 2 hours ago via twitterfeed

Looks like we'll get 2 C more Prestige Subaru winter warnings covering the screen during tomorrow nites LOST /42" screens will look like 20"
about 3 hours ago via Twitterrific

The instructions from a toy my wife & I saw at the flea market / it's a good motto for life too! http://yfrog.com/37u80hj
about 18 hours ago via Twitterrific

Supreme Court scrutinizes state, local gun control http://bit.ly/9OqRGf
7:08 AM Feb 28th via Twitterrific

@bobinglis If we start over we'd agree on 50-state competition among PRIVATE ins. companies, tort reform & deductability for self-employed.
6:28 AM Feb 27th via Twitterrific

Visit the ATLIBERTYTOSAY TWITTER PAGE to follow @ATLIBERTYTOSAY to receive live updates and news that may not make it to the front page.

The Thanks You Get From The County For Your Cooperation

I usually like to handle my complaints this way:

1st time something irks me -

I keep it to myself and critique the situation with my wife.

2nd time something irks me -

I make a polite formal notice by either phone, email, or written letter

3rd time something irks me -

I bring attention to it and hopefully embarrass those involved.

As many of you know, I've stepped up my recycling efforts which were already considerable. For the past month I've been making sure to recycle my plastic and glass - in fact, I've been cleaning up parts of Liberty to make my bins full each week.

In late January, I went up to city hall to get some more recycling bins. One for glass, one for colored plastic, one for clear plastic. I place them out nice and neat on pick up day (or the night before) and here's how they look when I get home from my day job:



Often when I go "to clean up" I find caps, stray bottles, and even new litter that seems to have fallen from the truck in or around my yard.

I will make a plan to address this before County Council at this month's meeting which is tonight at 6:30PM.

[UPDATE] Gerald Wilson discussed with me after the meeting that he would correct the issue of "tossed bins".

I'd also like to note that G. Neil Smith was VERY kind to me and addressed my concern personally.

I'd like to thank all Council members for listening to me as I discussed the efforts I've made to get the word out about recycling.

$4 off ATLIBERTYTOSAY.COM T-Shirts For The Month Of March!

During the month of March, if you use the promo code

"4OFFPATTYTEE"

... at checkout, you can get $4 off an ATLIBERTYTOSAY.COM T-Shirt!

Grab an ATLIBERTYTOSAY.COM T-Shirt and show your support!

March 2010 Events In Liberty ...

Please also see the Google calendar to the right. It requires a Google account to view it. If you don't have a Google account - you should get one. It's fast and easy to sign up. Having a Google account will allow access to the monthly calendar in the right column. It will also allow you to add events as well. The monthly static calendar of events will still be posted, but the Google calendar will include more up to date information.


March 8, 2010

Liberty City Council Meeting
6PM at Rosewood Center (next to Ingles)

________________________________

March 10, 2010

Liberty High School Touchdown Club Meeting
@ the Rosewood Center

Discussion of Fund raisers, New Members, Upcoming events.

Also tickets will be on sale for the Applebee's Pancake Breakfast.

________________________________

March 11, 2010

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

________________________________

March 14, 2010

Daylight Savings Time Begins
(Set clocks ahead by one hour)

________________________________

March 17, 2010

St. Patrick's Day

________________________________

March 20, 2010

First Day Of Spring

* More important dates & Liberty Sarlin Library Branch Events to be posted as soon as available.

The Love Of Liberty & Country Are Intertwined ...

George Washington as pictured on the $1 bill

"... your Union ought to be considered as a main prop of your liberty, and that the love of the one ought to endear to you the preservation of the other." ~ George Washington

Liberty residents should consider the same ... our enjoyment of life here depends on our cohesive unity and constant challenge to our city to protect our freedoms and make us free from arbitrary or unnecessary restrictions on our rights and our wallets.

An Op-ed about "The Pickens County School District Budget Problems"

This opinion was written in The Anderson Independent by Liberty resident Weldon Clark:

I read the story in the newspaper that the School District of Pickens County is facing a $5 million deficit next year. The solution from the district office revolves around a layoff for teachers, raising the student-to-teacher ratio in the classroom from 21.5 to 1 to 23 to 1.

This is another tactic by the district office to use the children to get even more money.

This time citizens are demanding the school district cut the fat in their budgets.

Looking at the salary figures, there are eight employees earning more than $100,000 a year. There are nearly 20 earning more than $90,000 a year. Another employee makes more than $80,000. One of the football coaches has 14 assistant coaches, from the split ends coach to the offensive assistant. These fat cats need to take salary reductions to save teacher jobs.

The building program started at $197 million with the bond referendum that was voted down in 2005. The Greenville Plan that the board used to borrow $315 million for buildings, grew to $365 million and now is more than $400 million, and it is only a matter of time until they ask for even more money. The plan is now more thanthree years old and they are just starting to lay the initial bricks for the new schools.

We have very dedicated teachers in our district, but the problem is poor leadership.

Weldon Clark, Liberty

Liberty Public Works "area" On Hedgepath Rd

This is the "Public Works Area" in Liberty.

At the February Liberty City Council Meeting, Mayor Deese expressed that he would be interested in putting a covered recycling convenience center here for the public to recycle.

I didn't even know where this was (Hedgepath Rd near Iselin Field) until I happened upon it last week to take a picture of the Liberty Rec water tower.

Pickens Sentinel Features Liberty High JROTC Cadets

The caption for the picture by The Pickens Sentinel:

Liberty High School Junior Reserve Officers' Training Corps ( JROTC) cadets enjoyed bringing smiles to residents of Oakmont Nursing Center. The cadets participated in Oakmont’s Valentine’s Dance by dancing , singing and visiting with residents. The cadets visit brought smiles to the residents. The cadets went away knowing that they can make difference in society.

Why Is The SC Legislature Debating Warrant-less Searches? Clemson Will Have Them Come June 2010.

As reported by WYFF News:

SC House Takes Up Bill On Warrantless Searches

COLUMBIA, S.C. - South Carolina legislators are expected to debate a bill allowing officers to search people released on probation or parole without a warrant. The House is expected to take up the bill on Wednesday.
It would allow officers to bypass going to a judge for a warrant before searching people on probation or parole. They can search the person, the vehicle the person owns or is driving, and any possessions, such as a purse or bookbag. Inmates must agree to the searches before they're released.

The Senate approved the measure last year. The House Judiciary Committee added a requirement that officers first verify the person is on probation or parole.

Clemson plans on warrant-less searches starting June 1, 2010 if you are charged with Texting While Driving.

Previously on ATLIBERTYTOSAY.COM:

"He that would make his own liberty secure, must guard even his enemy from opposition; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach himself."
~ Thomas Paine

This is essentially applying liberty to the "love thy neighbor as thyself" doctrine from The Holy Bible.

This is one of the most important tenants of journalism as well. I never want to find myself saying - I want this person or that person silenced - because if I am successful in silencing them - they may wish the same for me and use my procedure against me.

* Picture of Thomas Paine

Liberty Mayor Odd Man Out In Asking That Cities Work With County On Recycling

As reported by The Anderson Independent:

LIBERTY - The steering committee of the Pickens County Municipal Association delayed the hiring of an Anderson law firm, as towns in the county struggle to meet new recycling guidelines imposed by the county.

Brian Deese, Mayor of Liberty, Monday night persuaded members of the steering committee to ask for another meeting with Pickens County administrator Chappell Hurst, and the full county council before seeking legal advice.

“I believe this situation can be worked out,” Deese said. “I have spoken with the county administrator and he wants to meet with us again to resolve these problems.”

Larry Abernathy, mayor of Clemson, said that waiting was not a good idea. “In April, we are facing fines of $35 per ton for not recycling at the level proposed by the county,” Abernathy said. “We need to move quickly to determine if Pickens County even has the authority to impose these fines.”

Abernathy and Clemson city administrator Rick Cotton were seeking an opinion from the law firm of Logan, Jolly and Smith after Cotton indicated that the county might not have the authority to impose recycling fees on the towns. Cotton and the mayor proposed that the Anderson law firm be retained for the purpose of exploring the language of the federal Solid Waste Management Act of 1991. The opinion would cost approximately $12,500 in legal fees, which would be shared by each of the county’s towns.

According to Mac Martin, mayor of Central, the Solid Waste Management Act was the impetus for the start of recycling activities in that town.

“Former Central mayor Herb Thompson was responsible for the grant which purchased the recycling trucks first used in this area,” Martin said. “At that time, the Central town administrator took responsibility for keeping the recycling records for the seven towns in this county. This is something the current administrator continues to do, at no charge.”

Recycling in Central became very popular with citizens, Martin said. In 1993-94 the town was recognized for recycling efforts that attained the 48 percent level. That means 48 percent of Central households recycled at that time.

“Now the county tells us we are at or below 20 percent,” Martin said. “Someone is not counting correctly, or somewhere along the line we went from counting households to counting tonnage.”

Currently, towns pay to truck recycling materials to Pickens County and the county reimburses the towns individually for any profit from the sale of recycled items.

Phillip Mishoe, Central town administrator, presented information that showed levels of recycling by the towns and how they were being reimbursed by the county.

“It costs the towns about $80,000 per year for recycle truck drivers, including salary and benefits. Cardboard is the biggest revenue generator,” Mishoe said. “Some of the smaller towns are getting zero revenue from the sale of cardboard and other recyclables, yet they are paying to have them recycled by the county.”

Cotton said that Clemson is paying about $60,000 per year to recycle cardboard.

“We received $32,000 in cardboard revenue from the county last year for our efforts. Our total recycling costs average $150,000 per year,” Cotton said. “Recycling costs most of the towns in this county more than it produces.”

Mishoe and Martin told the group that the countywide recycling program works well.

“It would be a tragedy if recycling were to end in the towns,” Martin said.

“This is a great recycling program,” Mishoe said. “Everyone is trying to recycle as much as they can. It is unique to see this level of cooperation among this many towns. In fact, it is almost unheard of. What does not work is the manner in which the county seeks to punish the towns for not meeting arbitrary goals.”

County administrator Chappell Hurst could not be reached for comment. County Council member Jenifer Willis, who represents Easley, said that she believed a meeting with the full council and Hurst is in the planning stages.

“It is obvious that certain things need to be addressed,” Willis said. “The council has already changed the way brush is being considered in each town’s recycling load. We were not giving the towns full credit for everything they were recycling.”

A couple notes:

• Since Deese is the main opposition to challenging the County Council - it will be his sole responsibility if no agreement has been reached.

• Those involved seem to have been persuaded that the "lawyer's fees" are going to cost them - so it's better to use a diplomatic solution. Diplomacy is always a good idea - but I'd be curious to challenge this "imposing of fines on ambiguos recycling" anyway. The County would be FORCED to reimburse the cities for their legal fees.

What Leads Us To Liberty?

"Equality, rightly understood as our founding fathers understood it, leads to liberty and to the emancipation of creative differences; wrongly understood, as it has been so tragically in our time, it leads first to conformity and then to despotism."
~ Barry Goldwater

Goldwater is the politician most often credited for sparking the resurgence of the American conservative political movement in the 1960s. He also had a substantial impact on the libertarian movement.

ATLIBERTYTOSAY.COM Editorial Published In February 23, 2010 Anderson Independent

(CLICK ABOVE FOR LARGER VIEW OR VIEW HERE)

Recent Tweets ...

If you're not part of the ATLIBERTYTOSAY.COM Twitter feed you may have missed this Liberty & South Carolina news:

atlibertytosay.com Disobedience; The Foundation Of Liberty? http://bit.ly/9bkgBt
about 3 hours ago via twitterfeed

Wow ... Lots of berfday wishes ... Thanks!
about 21 hours ago via Twitterrific

"Stop trying to convince people of your expertise & just prove it through amazing work." (via @BrainsOnFire)
about 21 hours ago via Twitterrific

Snow could fall N Upstate 2nite http://bit.ly/95koU / Guess this means WLOS (ABC) will take up 30% of the screen during LOST w/Subaru ads
about 23 hours ago via Twitterrific

#FirstDateRules Brush your tongue, watch what you eat the day of & the day before to avoid stinkiness from both ends
5:02 AM Feb 23rd via web

I just found my iPhone with http://www.wheresmycellphone.com - Thanks #wheresmycellphone !
4:59 AM Feb 23rd via web

Thanks for all the "Happy Birthdays" Twitter-ers & Facebook-ers & family(ers?) & friend(ers!)
4:19 AM Feb 23rd via Twitterrific

New bill would ban alcohol sales on Christmas Day & Thanksgiving Day http://bit.ly/d4JgHx / I don't drink but how does this make sense economically?
2:24 AM Feb 23rd via Twitterrific

Invasion of privacy: Reader doesn't approve of texting while driving, but laws against are no answer http://bit.ly/bwkqjx (@independentmail)
2:21 AM Feb 23rd via Twitterrific

Parent pleads 2 save reading program N Pickens schools: Budget cuts could end jobs of reading specialists http://bit.ly/aHMHI2
2:18 AM Feb 23rd via Twitterrific

Cool tip: Freeze stock in plastic egg cartons
12:19 PM Feb 22nd via web

@henrymcmaster While speaking about constitution/Look N2 how constitutional texting while driving enforcement will B / 4th amendment/Miranda
8:16 AM Feb 22nd via Twitterrific in reply to henrymcmaster

Try melatonin ... how close R U 2 the train? Is it keeping U up? I'd like 2 C if a new bed will help me sleep better
8:00 AM Feb 22nd via Twitterrific in reply to JacyShelton

Only thing that stinks about USA Hockey win ... It means Greenville will get another minor league hockey team that will fail in 5 years.
10:14 PM Feb 21st via Twitterrific

Visit the ATLIBERTYTOSAY TWITTER PAGE to follow @ATLIBERTYTOSAY to receive live updates and news that may not make it to the front page.

This Article Is Titled: I Recycled 241% This Week ... Also Titled: How Municipalities Are Going Cheat

If I may brag a bit;

This week's Friday trash pick up weighed 31LBs ... this came from my family of four.

This Wednesday I will recycle:

• 35 LBs of glass (mostly picked up from the streets of Liberty).

• 11 LBs of plastic (also mostly from cleanups)

__________________________________

In the past week (2/15 - 2/22):

• I saved 21 LBs from my garbage of organic material to compost (cantaloupe rinds, egg shells, coffee & tea filters, etc)

• I saved 1 LB of printer cartridges from the trash - recycling them at Staples

• I saved 3 LBs +/- from the trash of paper to burn in a wood-burning furnace

• I saved 4 LBs of aluminum to sell for my own profit at a later date

__________________________________

Yes, I really weighed all of this.

I also realize the County doesn't recognize 29 LBs of that.

If we were technical about it, most of the recyclables were not produced in my home or even on my property. Some, not even on my block. In fact, some plastics came from Easley and some organics came from Pickens - yet I'm not boosting their totals either.

All of you that recycle 0% ... even those that recycle 100% ... you're welcome!

This recycling target is such nonsense!

From a previous article:

I propose that the County have a form that "certain residents" (such as myself) can make declarations of recycling. This form would have to be filled out and delivered to the County Administration Building - therefore somewhat preventing fraud because there would have to be some effort.

At a January 2010 Liberty City Council meeting covered by The Easley Progress:

Deese said he has talked with St. Jude about getting the left over metal from them. He said he hopes to talk with Reliable, Ohio Gear, and Champion.

However, Councilman Brian Peterson said,

“We have to think about taking city officials outside of the city. It isn’t kosher.”

__________________________________

Basically, these recycling targets are asking (begging) for city officials to cheat or find a loophole in the system. It's the municipalities that won't be able to do enough "cheating" that are going to get buzzed. I have a slight feeling that municipality is going to be The City Of Liberty.

Disobedience; The Foundation Of Liberty?

"Disobedience is the true foundation of liberty. The obedient must be slaves."
~ Henry David Thoreau

Thoreau could be considered the opposite of a founding father. In fact, I would consider his writings the beginning of the erosion of private property rights.

It is interesting to note this though ... it proves the founding father's philosophy that "life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness" ARE God given rights. Whether, democrat, republican, independent, libertarian, or communist - we all strive to have liberty.

Thoreau was a hypocrite ... some of his contemporaries made statements that his book Walden - about living simply in the wild without modern convenience was nothing more than fiction. It's been suggested that Thoreau often received assistance with food - baked at his family home. The 1800's also didn't have a lot of modern convenience such as we have today - so living in luxury then - would be like "roughing it" today. Some suggest also that his beard was fake and that he would remove it so he could walk into the town that was a mile and a half away - not really "the wilderness".

From Wikipedia:

Henry David Thoreau (1817-1862) was an American author, poet, naturalist, tax resister, development critic, surveyor, historian, philosopher, and leading transcendentalist.

He is best known for his book Walden, a reflection of simple living in natural surroundings, and his essay, Civil Disobedience, an argument for individual resistance to civil government in moral opposition to an unjust state.

Many consider Thoreau the father of modern day environmentalism.

Many of the concepts which Thoreau, inspired by Ralph Waldo Emerson, wrote of ... are also the basis for the majority of the modern day "new age movement".

Pickens County Public Schools To Change Phone Numbers

As reported by The Anderson Independent:

Installation of a new phone system [will soon change] many numbers for the School District of Pickens County, according to a statement.

Tim Newman, executive director of Operational & Technology Services, said elementary school installations will be completed by mid-March, and high schools and middle schools will be phased in over the duration of the county's building program.

The South Carolina Office of School Facilities requires that renovated or new schools have call systems in classrooms so that teachers have immediate access to help in emergency situations. District officials found that Voice Over Internet Phones could be installed for the same price while providing many more features.

Callers [will soon be able to reach] teachers or staff members without going through the school's main number.

Know Your Friends ...

Every Sunday I meet with family for a Bible study. Once in a while it's my turn to deliver "the message". Since I always type them out on my computer I have them saved ... here's "a talk" I gave a few months ago called:

Know Your Friends

* The previous week, my father in law had given "a talk" called "Know Your Enemies".

Have any of you ever heard the saying,

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend."

I'd like to add to that and say,

Be wary of any friend that has a lot of enemies.
(Whether those enemies be vices or people.)

The definition of "friend" in Roget's Thesaurus:

friend (as in "person") n. : a person you know well and regard with affection and trust;

In the spirit of The Canterbury Tales, I'd like to tell you, "Todd's Tale".

Before I married and moved to Liberty, I lived in Greenville. I moved there in mid 1997 to a very large apartment complex just off of I-85. One of the many perks beside a swimming pool and on site gym was a very active "20 and 30 something" community. One night, I went out and starting playing volleyball with a dozen or so of the residents and we quickly hit it off as friends. We played volleyball on the sand court at the apartment complex most every Friday night. That eventually graduated into playing on Wednesday nights, going out to eat at the local Mexican restaurant on Thursdays, and going to a movie or watching a movie at my apartment on Friday nights.

I became particularly good friends with three of the residents; Mark, Todd, and Frank.

In 2000, I bought a condo in downtown Greenville ... Mark and Todd moved at the same time and were roommates together at a condo on the other side of town as the apartment complex where we all initially met.

We no longer had the bond of playing volleyball on the sand court at the apartment complex. We started going out to nightclubs and bars - something that wasn't really my taste ... but I played along.

Todd was a well to do kid with wealthy parents, he had a good paying job, and he liked the playboy lifestyle.

I was mostly the opposite. I came from a middle class family, was self employed, and have always had mostly conservative behavior.

Mark was somewhere in between.

Frank, my other friend from the apartment complex, was ultra conservative.

Every Thursday, Friday, and Saturday night we were going out. Frank would join us sometimes on Fridays.

Each night we would go out, I volunteered myself to be the designated driver since I don't drink alcohol. Frank could have volunteered also, but I had a cool car ... so it was usually me.

When there was a dance, Todd would find a girl and dance with her. Mark and I would sit at the table and talk.

I've never really liked to dance either - music doesn't move my body like that ;-)

One night, Todd met a girl at a bar and at 2AM came to inform us,

"I'll make it home somehow. You guys can leave without me."

We went out a few weeks - all together - sometimes I had a date - other times I was just a fifth wheel.

Todd invited me (gratis tickets) to a Dave Matthews concert at the BiLo Center.

While there, his girlfriend's sister offered me marijuana ... which I declined.

(Todd knew that I was sincerely opposed to alcohol and drugs.)

To shorten the story a bit, he and his girlfriend of a month and a half got married.

The news was broken to Mark, Todd's roommate, with Mark finding all of his possessions on the lawn at the condo with a note saying, "Katy and I got married, we need the space."

Then, after about two months of marriage, Todd announced he was getting a divorce.

Somehow, and I'm not sure of the details, but Todd and Mark reconciled.

After criticism of Mark's choice, we agreed to all go out "like old times" ...

We met at a Greenville bar.

Todd, just a few weeks separated, brought a date (Yes, still technically married). ... she was as far opposite in looks and personality from "his wife" as possible. She was extremely unattractive and if I could label her; "redneck".

At about 11 PM, Todd's wife walks in to the bar and sits near the front, Todd asks for Mark and I to counsel him ...

"Should I go say, "Hello"?"

We tell him no ... but, being the person he is, did just the opposite.

His date stared at him in contempt as he sat on a barstool next to his wife.

With the noise and music - we couldn't tell what they were saying. All we could see was a hug, laughs, and smiles as they talked.

Todd's date continued to stare with an evil eye.

Todd's wife got up ... she gave Todd a "love pat" on the hand and started for the door.

Todd's date leapt up from our table, and pulled Todd's wife to the floor by her hair.

Everyone in the bar stopped and formed a circle to witness the "girl fight".

Mark and I looked at each other with a "We need to do something look".

We went to pull them apart.

Both of their clothes came off in the struggle to separate them.

The crowd, loving the spectacle cheered instead of helped.

After finally separating them, police arrived.

I was left giving a statement until 3AM ... giving most of the details you've read.

This was an extremely embarrassing situation.

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Todd was a person whom I considered a friend ... why, I don't know.

No friend offers you drugs. Period.

No friend drinks to get drunk. Period.

No friend asks you to drink if they know you don't like to.

No friend, gets married within one month of knowing someone they met at a bar - even when considering "love at first sight".

No friend, dates a woman publicly (or privately) that is married.

No friend associates with people who get into physical altercations.
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Proverbs 18:24

A man that hath friends must shew himself friendly: and there is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.

II Samuel 11: 1-18

Summary: David is intimate with his best soldier's wife (Bathsheba) then sets him at the front of battle to let him be killed easily.

Matthew 26:14-15 / Matthew 26:23-35

Then one of the twelve, called Judas Iscariot, went unto the chief priests,

And said unto them, What will ye give me, and I will deliver him unto you? And they covenanted with him for thirty pieces of silver.

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And he answered and said, He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the same shall betray me.

The Son of man goeth as it is written of him: but woe unto that man by whom the Son of man is betrayed! it had been good for that man if he had not been born.

Then Judas, which betrayed him, answered and said, Master, is it I? He said unto him, Thou hast said.

And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body.

And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it;

For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.

But I say unto you, I will not drink henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I drink it new with you in my Father's kingdom.

And when they had sung an hymn, they went out into the Mount of Olives.

Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad.

But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee.

Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended.

Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice.

Judas sold his best friend out for 30 pieces of silver.

This is the story of Judas and Peter betraying Jesus. Even though we have a bad taste in our mouths about Judas, he and Peter were disciples of Christ - they were his friends and confidants.

When Peter was faced with being jailed, he threw Jesus under the bus and denied knowing him.

Know, that at any time, you may be sold out by a friend for their own wealth, popularity, or personal gain. This is why I like the the hymn, "What A Friend We Have In Jesus" ... truly, he is the only friend that would never sell us out!

"Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he'll take and shield thee;
thou wilt find a solace there."

* Picture is of the church sign @ Emmanuel Baptist Church in Liberty on HWY 93; the week of February 21, 2010. It features words from the hymn, "What A Friend We Have In Jesus"