South Carolina ranks very high on the statistical list of States where lynchings have been recorded. That, also, should come as no surprise. South Carolina was a major player in the world of racism and slavery which fostered hate crimes like this. South Carolina instigated the Civil War. Plantations that used slave labor are a popular tourist destination to this day and dot the landscape. Neighborhoods often use the word plantation in their names in honor of the past.

South Carolina is ninth in the country in the total number of lynchings that have been recorded before 1968. At least 156 African-Americans were killed this way in the state. The top 15-16 states on the list can be considered southern states. The number one state in the country for lynch murder is Mississippi where 539 African-Americans are known to have been murdered. They are followed by Georgia and Texas where 492 and 352 African-Americans are known to have been killed.

But white Americans were also victims of lynch mobs. The statistics might surprise you. Usually, a white person might find themselves at the end of a rope because they were sympathetic to the African-American predicament. They might have spoken out against slavery or against lynching itself. While South Carolina was among the top ten in states to lynch African-Americans, they were among the last to do it to white people. South Carolina ranked 37 in recorded lynchings of whites with only four. The top ten, strangely enough, was a more even mix of southern and non-southern states although “northern” states still did not make that cut.

Texas holds the number one slot in white lynchings with 141. They are followed by Oklahoma and Montana with 82 each. Mississippi ranked 12 with 42. The non-traditional southern states that made the top ten include Montana (82), Colorodo (65), and Nebraska (52).

A requirement of section 217 of the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act (CPSIA), this rule provides the Commission’s interpretation of the civil penalty factors found in the Consumer Product Safety Act (CPSA), Federal Hazardous Substances Act (FHSA), and Flammable Fabrics Act (FFA).

CPSIA amended the Acts to require the Commission to now consider: (1) the nature, circumstances, extent and gravity of the violation, including the nature of the product defect or the substance; (2) the appropriateness of the penalty in relation to the size of the business or of the person charged, including how to mitigate undue adverse economic impacts on small businesses; and (3) other factors as appropriate. These factors are in addition to the factors already required to be considered: the severity of the risk of injury; the occurrence or absence of injury; and the number of defective products or the amount of substance distributed.

Also under CPSIA, the Commission now (as of August 14, 2009) has the ability to seek higher penalty amounts. CPSIA increased the maximum penalty for each violation of the CPSA, FHSA and FFA from $8,000 to $100,000. Maximum penalty amounts for a related series of violations increased from $1.8 million to $15 million.

The final rule goes into effect upon publication in the Federal Register

Boz "The Buzzman" Martin

“I have appeared in over 65 theater productions since college, mainly in lead roles.” Martin said. “Many of them were musicals. As a singer, I primarily sing the blues/soul and beach shag with a little bit of classic rock.”
Martin has become a promoter and producer of burlesque revival shows, including acclaimed shows like the “Unlucky at Love: Friday the 13th before Valentines Day” show in Columbia, S.C.
“I am very much about promoting comedy and burlesque-style variety shows,” Martin said. “This show has fewer burlesque-style elements than people have come to expect from me, but it promises to be a great night of comedy and music.”
Martin explained the thought process behind the show’s unusual name.
“In the 70’s I had a friend who was an Airman at Myrtle Beach Air Force Base. He hated hate having short hair and no hair on his face, and he couldn’t wait to get out of the service and let it all grow out. After he was discharged, he “went hippy” like the rest of the guys in our group, letting it all grow out.. After that became much more like himself, he said. He called that feeling of self-assurance ‘Puttin’ On The Beard,’” he said. “Thanks to the way my friend from back in the day used it, it evokes self-empowerment for me, the sense of overcoming limitations and obstacles. “Puttin’ On The Beard”, to me, means putting on the mantle of a winner.”
James Knight will be joining Martin for the show, bringing his own style of comedy to the show.
“James is an actor specializing in comedy and musical performances,” Martin said. “He is inventive and unpredictable. Shock-and-Awe Comedy.”
Martin said one of Knights acts will be “Improvisational Tragedy.”
“Think of improv comedy combined with Hurt Locker,” Martin said. “It will be a very serious piece of comedy.”
In addition to improv sketch, there will be several other comedy bits throughout the show.
“These black-out sketches will be little bits like you have seen on Johnny Carson or Mad TV,” Martin said.
However, one act will bring in the MTV generation.
“We are going to be having a “Shimmy Down the Pimp” contest based on Pat Benatar’s ‘Love is a Battlefield” video,” Martin said. “It is going to be fun and quick, and to encourage contestants, we are going to offer discounted admission to any one who comes dressed in 1980s Pat Benatar style.”
For music, the bands include Sick Stooges and Jazz ETC.

Grand Strand favorite Sick Stooges will be one of the many guest acts at “Putting on the Beard” on March 20.

“The Sick Stooges have quite a following,” Martin said. “They are a classic rock cover band and are one of best bands around.”
“The ‘ETC’ for Jazz Etc. is blues, soul and classic R&B,” Martin said. “Authentic is the best way to describe them. I will get to do a couple of songs with them. I think this is their debut at Drink!”
The show is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. on Saturday, March 20. at Drink! on 8th Avenue North in Myrtle Beach. Admission is $8.
“Members of my Facebook Fan Group “Boz The Buzzman’s Shameless Self-Promotion” will get in for only $5,” Martin said.

FAQ:
What: Putting on the Beard Comedy-Music Revue.
Where: Drink!, 503 8th Avenue N., Myrtle Beach
When: March 20, 9 p.m. to 2 a.m.
How Much: $8 at the door. Some discounts available
Why: Comedy (Boz the Buzzman, James Knight), Music (Sick Stooges, Jazz ETC.)

Caterpillar Incorporated announced that it plans to expand its engine operations in Newberry County, SC. The move will allow the company to produce more diesel and gas-powered generator sets. It is also estimated to produce 500 new jobs in South Carolina.

“The expansion of our Newberry operation is part of the Electric Power Division’s strategic global manufacturing plan for better serving our customers. South Carolina has been an excellent fit for our company, and we are pleased to be increasing operations at our Newberry facility,” said Joseph Mulay of Caterpillar.

The generators produced are generally used in retail establishments, farms, and homes for back-up power. The jobs are expected to come over the next few years.

Most recently, Mitt Romney has voiced his support for Haley and is contributing the maximum $3500 to her campaign. Romney was the former Governor of Massachusetts and is a possible front runner for the GOP Presidential Candidate position.

“Ann and I got to know Nikki Haley during my campaign for president and came away enormously impressed with her as a person of character and as the spokesperson for a new generation of leadership for South Carolina,” Romney said. “She has a proven conservative record of fighting wasteful spending and advocating for smaller, more efficient government. I’m honored to call her my friend and prouder still to endorse her campaign for governor.”

Romney is expected to join Haley on the South Carolina campaign trail starting April 1.

The Romney endorsement comes after Jenny Sanford, recently divorced wife of current South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, provided her own endorsement. In November of 2009, Jenny Sanford wrote a letter supporting Haley.

“South Carolina needs to effectively lead our state to a brighter future. I am strongly supporting Nikki Haley for Governor, and I hope you will too,” the letter said. “Our state’s future is too important to leave to just another go-along-get-along career politician. Nikki Haley is the best person to be South Carolina’s next Governor.”

With important endorsements piling up, Haley may not be considered an underdog for much longer.

The monument was an idea from the group, Sons of Confederate Veterans. The granite monument would have recognized the signers of the secession ordinance and been placed at the new Maritime Museum in Charleston, SC. One board member stated that several World War II veterans were against placing the monument there. John Hagerty is the chairman of the board for the Patriots Point Development Authority and was one of the three who voted against the monument.

“I would be enthusiastic about a monument to the Confederate soldier or the Hunley being placed over here as parts of our maritime history,” Hagerty said. “But I think the order of secession does not fit with our honoring veterans of the United States of America.”

The Sons of Confederate Veterans has reportedly stated that they intend to find another place for the monument. It will have the names of the 170 people who signed the Ordinance of Secession as well as the wording of the original document. They reported that other entities have offered places to put the monument.

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission, in cooperation with the firm named below, announced a voluntary recall of the following consumer product. Consumers should stop using recalled products immediately unless otherwise instructed.
Name of Product: Remote Control Kits for Electric Fireplaces and Stoves
Units: About 700,000
Importer: Dimplex North America, of Ontario, Canada
Hazard: The plug-in wall unit can overheat, posing a fire and burn hazard to consumers.
Incidents/Injuries: Dimplex has received about 5,000 reports of the plug-in wall units overheating including 19 reports of damage beyond the remote control and one report of a house fire in Columbus, Ohio that resulted in considerable property damage.
Description: The recalled remote control kits are used with Dimplex, Electraflame, Symphony, Optiflame, Electralog and Charmglow brand electric fireplaces, stoves and fireplace inserts. They include a black or dark gray hand-held remote control and also a black or dark gray wall unit that plugs into an electrical wall outlet. Recalled model numbers include 47-1001, 47-1010-R and APT-1315. The model number is printed on either the plug-in unit or the hand-held remote control. The fireplace or stove’s brand name is printed on both units.
Sold at: Mass merchandise, home improvement, specialty fireplace and furniture retailers from January 1998 through December 2008 for between $200 and $1,500 for the fireplaces and stoves. This recall includes remote control kits subsequently replaced under warranty.
Manufactured in: China
Remedy: Consumers should immediately stop using the remote control kits, unplug the power cord from the remote control kit’s wall unit, remove the wall unit from the electrical outlet and contact Dimplex for a free replacement kit. Consumers can continue to operate the fireplace or stove by plugging the fireplace or stove’s electrical cord directly into an electrical outlet.
Consumer Contact: For additional information, contact Dimplex North America toll-free at (866) 673-9880 anytime

The problem is a result from air getting into parts. If left unrepaired, the vehicles brakes could lose their ability to effectively stop the car. Three accidents have been reported in relation to the flaw. No deaths have been attributed to it so far.

Honda Odysseys and Elements affected are 2007 and 2008 models. Honda owners should begin receiving letters notifying them that their vehicle is on the recall list.

1. In the event that the gas pedal sticks and you find yourself in the runaway vehicle, Toyota says to use both feet to depress the brake. Be very firm but do not pump the brakes as it will deplete the effectiveness.

2. Shift the vehicle into neutral.

3. Continue to brake and pull over onto the side of the road.

If you are driving a Toyota with a sport shifter and you happen to be in sport mode, the same rules apply. However, you will need to push the shifter to the right and into regular drive mode before shifting to neutral.

If the vehicle will not go into neutral. Toyota says to turn the vehicle off. You will still be able to steer and brake, however, it will be physically harder to do so. If the vehicle has a push button ignition system, push the button in for at least three seconds in order to stop the engine. Do not tap the button off and on. In a vehicle with a regular key ignition, turn the key to the “ACC” (Accessories) position to turn the vehicle off. Be sure not to remove the key as it will lock the steering wheel.

According to Toyota, an ounce of prevention is the best way to go. If you notice your gas pedal becoming harder to press or if it is slow to retrieve, this could mean that there is a danger of the pedal sticking in the future. Toyota says to park the vehicle and notify a dealer immediately.

Related stories:

Recall summary: Toyota, Nissan, Honda, GM

Toyota tops GM with 1.6 million vehicle recall

Toyota testimony reveals cover up