SC

On Clemson’s Pecan Farm

IS THIS REALLY A CORE FUNCTION OF GOVERNMENT? By Will Folks  ||  When I was a boy, one thing I loved about going on family vacation at the beach was being dispatched by my Uncle Robert to “pick up the papers.” Early each morning I would scoop up a handful…

IS THIS REALLY A CORE FUNCTION OF GOVERNMENT?

By Will Folks  ||  When I was a boy, one thing I loved about going on family vacation at the beach was being dispatched by my Uncle Robert to “pick up the papers.” Early each morning I would scoop up a handful of quarters and head out on foot to a nearby drugstore – where I would pick up copies of The (Charlotte, N.C.) Observer, The (Charleston, S.C.) Post and Courier, The (Columbia, S.C.) State newspaper and The (Myrtle Beach, S.C.) Sun News.

And God forbid I forget the Observer because that was the only paper my grandmother would read …

Anyway … I was reminded of those days this week when I saw a copy of the Post and Courier on the dinner table at the home we’re staying at on Pawleys Island, S.C. for the next two weeks.

Clearly my relationship to these mainstream outlets has evolved over the years, but since it had been awhile since I’d held a print edition of a newspaper in my hands (Egon Spengler was right about print) – I decided to pick it up and give it a read.

The first story to hit my eye?

A sprawling feature about Clemson University’s new taxpayer-subsidized pecan grove …

(Click to enlarge)

pecans

The story – which you can read online here – details the efforts of Clemson horticulturalist Mark Arena.

Arena is about to become a farmer – working a five-acre pecan grove near the northeast entrance to the school. The grove will double as a “potential outdoor educational laboratory that will encourage pecan farming.”

That’s right, people … your tax dollars are subsidizing a friggin’ pecan farming awareness campaign. And it’s all part of our state’s bloated government-run “higher education” establishment – which sucks up nearly 20 percent of our total state budget (most states only spend around 10 percent of their budgets on higher ed).

The story appearing in the Post and Courier originally ran in another paper – The (Anderson, S.C.) Independent Mail. All these mainstream outlets share their content these days – a response to thinning newsrooms and increased competition from new media outlets like the one you are currently reading.

Of course the reporter – Abe Hardesty – left out all sorts of salient information about the grove.

Sure, he filled readers in on Arena’s life story as well as his vision for the project – and provided an abbreviated history of the pecan as well as a discussion of challenges facing contemporary pecan farmers – but some very fundamental information was missing.

For example, no mention was made in “honest Abe’s” story about the taxpayer cost associated with the grove. Nor was their a whiff of discussion as to whether pecan farming – or any sort of agricultural enterprise – is a core function of government.

All we’re told is that “grant money will help pay for site preparation and planting.”

Not a word of objection was raised in Hardesty’s “story” – which might as well have been written by the Clemson public relations office.

Ah, “journalism …”

Our guess is this unnecessary program is being funded out of Clemson’s wasteful Public Service Activities (PSA) program – which this website has repeatedly argued should be eliminated (yet S.C. lawmakers continue to expand).

Mark Arena’s government-subsidized pecan farm is instructive … but not in the way Clemson anticipated. Its a case study in the mindless growth of government, and the slavish support such expansion receives from legacy media outlets in South Carolina.

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129 comments

Smirks June 3, 2014 at 8:45 am

Folks were complaining about the government cheese, so they’re branching out into government pecan pie?

But seriously, five acres of pecan trees shouldn’t be costing an arm and a leg. If Clemson is using it for educational purposes, it would be within their scope anyways. I don’t see how it wouldn’t fit in with their college of agriculture. Wouldn’t private colleges have their own farms for the exact same shit? And you’re really claiming this is “mindless government growth?”

facepalm.jpg

Besides, they can sell the pecans they produce to recoup costs. (I for one am a sucker for cinnamon glazed pecans.)

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Grrr_Native June 3, 2014 at 11:32 am

Will is a dumbass…what else do you need to know?

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Jackie Chiles June 3, 2014 at 8:46 am

(Never heard of the Sandhill Research and Education Center in Columbia that at one time was a Pecan farm operated by Clemson University)

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The Colonel June 3, 2014 at 9:06 am

Had great peaches too! That was a marvelous place to shoot doves as well. Now it’s mostly a @*&#^ shopping center.

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Norma Scok June 5, 2014 at 2:18 pm

Well…Columbia sucks.

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major major June 3, 2014 at 9:21 am

The pecan trees are still there. The public has access to the area but are not allowed to pick pecans.

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Just another Joe June 3, 2014 at 9:37 am

If we the people can not pick the nuts who can? Are they left to rot?

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The Colonel June 3, 2014 at 9:47 am

The theory is that since the groves are/were “test” facilities”, there might be some danger to the public (see debate over GMFs like this story from today’s The State http://www.thestate.com/2014/06/02/3483723/dutch-fork-hs-student-raises-new.html?sp=/99/132/154/123/)

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Jackie Chiles June 3, 2014 at 11:18 am

I went out there a few months ago and the tour guide said you can pick them up from the ground since they don’t collect them.

The Colonel June 3, 2014 at 2:24 pm

Did the guide say if they are still doing research out there?

Jackie Chiles June 3, 2014 at 2:46 pm

They still do something out there, but most of the animal research is done at a different facility further down on Clemson road.

Soft Sigh from Hell June 3, 2014 at 5:43 pm

You can still see the plots for active peach rootstock research and for highway right-of-way plant trials.

Wait, what? June 3, 2014 at 2:40 pm

So you are saying we can eat the King’s pecans?

Jackie Chiles June 3, 2014 at 2:47 pm

basically, yes.

Scooter June 18, 2014 at 10:04 pm

Be careful. My great great great gf and his brother got in trouble for that kind of stuff in Ireland. Either had to go to jail or come to America.

Soft Sigh from Hell June 3, 2014 at 5:40 pm

Last year there was a sign there that said for a $5 fee you could collect a bucket full.

Jackie Chiles June 3, 2014 at 10:22 am

You can pick them up once they fall though.

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Frank Howard June 3, 2014 at 9:22 am

The Sandhills Research Station has existed since the 1920’s and has served research and education for horticulural crops including fruits and vegetables, beef and swine research, dairy research, field crops and various community education projects.

Its focus has changed progressively with the times and its role continues to diminish as society’s needs adjust. No longer a rural area far removed from urban Columbia, its monetary value no longer lends itself to further use as a research station and the Board of Trustees has wisely divested Clemson of much of the property for reinvestment in other facilities more suited to provide value to Clemson’s purpose.

Another ignorant rant by young Folks won’t change the focus, the purpose, the intent, nor the progression of Clemson’s role in SC.

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Soft Sigh from Hell June 3, 2014 at 5:38 pm

There is still a small chestnut orchard out there too, and probably Chinese chestnuts at that, not American natives like the pecans.
Socialist sylvaculture on public lands! What next, collective farms?

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Scooter June 18, 2014 at 10:00 pm

Or the one at Bamberg. This guy does chit and could not find his butt with both hands, a road map and a flashlight.

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Just another Joe June 3, 2014 at 8:47 am

Shouldn’t you be relaxing with your family instead of ranting about this.

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Not Frank Howard but Close June 3, 2014 at 9:25 am

Actually, he should go eff himself.

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Little Miss Muffett June 3, 2014 at 11:10 am

Please don’t worry – Mr. GrandTango has loaned me to Fitsnews as an intern during this drought. Oh, God, please don’t let me screw this up because I need my tuition money for Clemson!

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Clem's son June 3, 2014 at 8:54 am

Couldn’t Clemson just use the profit generated by its football program to pay for this instead of the taxpayers? Oh that’s, right they don’t actually make a profit.

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Squishy123 June 3, 2014 at 9:13 am

Tell us why Steve Spurrier is now
the highest paid state employee at $1,050,000. This isn’t money he
receives from the USC Athletic Department, these are state funds which
are paid by SC taxpayers. He’s paid twice as much as the next highest
paid employee, his boss,Ray Tanner, who is paid $525,000.

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carls jr June 3, 2014 at 9:39 am

I think you know why, Pecan Brain. You are comparing oranges and pecans trying to make a stupid argument because you hate USC as much as Big T hates Obama. You are just projecting b/c you know your beloved orange coach is a retarded, red neck, cheerleader without an original thought in his head and the citizens of our state can’t comprehend how he makes more than FIVE cents.

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Squishy123 June 3, 2014 at 1:03 pm

Again, why are state taxpayers paying a football coach more than $1 million in state funds? Stop avoiding the question.

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Clem's son June 3, 2014 at 10:05 am

and squishy’s love affair with Dabo shows how Jealous he is. Dabo is also a paid State Employee and he doesn’t generate a profit (or at lest not nearly as much as Spurrier and USC do with their program) from what he does, so why did he just get a raise for being a failure? Or more to the point why don’t you bitch about that? Hypocritical aren’t you?

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Clem's Favorite Son June 3, 2014 at 11:35 am

South Carolina’s “profit” difference comes from being in the SEC and their obscene tv contract. Yay SEC! SEC! SEC!
smFh.

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Clem's real son June 5, 2014 at 7:24 am

Jealous much? A,C, see us suck.

Squishy123 June 3, 2014 at 1:04 pm

I could care less about Dabo, I’ve never even stepped foot in their stadium for a game. I find it interesting that Clemson football, according to you, runs a deficit.

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carls jr June 3, 2014 at 9:32 am

High Five (acres)!

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The Colonel June 3, 2014 at 9:01 am

Clemson is a state university.

Clemson was founded as a “Land Grant” college.

From 7 USC304, the purpose of the land grant colleges is to: “without excluding other scientific and classical studies and including military tactic, to teach such branches of learning as are related to agriculture and the mechanic arts, in such manner as the legislatures of the States may respectively prescribe, in order to promote the liberal and practical education of the industrial classes in the several pursuits and professions in life…”

Yes, studying nuts is a “core function” in this case.

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a face in the crowd June 3, 2014 at 1:23 pm

I would agree the pecan issue is comparatively unimportant. What someone should ask, and maybe someone has, is why the university recently undertook a significant asphalt project on the street in front of the Hendrix student center. The exact same project took place just a few years ago. How much did this cost, and should we really believe asphalt decays this rapidly? Mind you we are talking about paving over existing asphalt, but digging into the ground a foot or so and then removing all previously paved ground for several hundred yards. Why was this necessary?

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a face in the crowd June 3, 2014 at 1:24 pm

Excuse me — “not paving over existing asphalt” is what I meant to type.

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The Colonel June 3, 2014 at 1:43 pm

My road paving days are long past but I learned a few things while doing it. Generally when a road surface fails there is an underlying cause. Seldom does a pothole form without cause. Throwing some gravel in the hole and an asphalt patch on top is almost always a recipe for a bigger pothole. Sometimes to fix the underlying problem you have to strip the whole road surface for a considerable distance.
If you’ve ever traveled I-77 north to Charlotte you may have noticed the patches every 100 yards or so – the crooks gentleman who originally built the road left out some critical water management features so 15 years and a bunch of legal dealing later, we cut the road up and corrected the mistake

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a face in the crowd June 3, 2014 at 1:53 pm

It may have been a necessary project. I do know campus construction projects there have raised a few eyebrows.

The Colonel June 3, 2014 at 2:23 pm

If I raised an eyebrow at every questionable project here at the coop I’d walk around with a surprised look on my face all day.

Pecan Sandy June 3, 2014 at 5:36 pm

Well if Clemson wants to pay a professor, and charge students, to manage 5 acres of pecans I guess they can do so. However, most people I know allow their kids or poor people to do that sort of thing for pocket change. Maybe their school of business can open a lemonade stand next?

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The Colonel June 3, 2014 at 5:43 pm

Think of it as an outdoor laboratory. My undergrad degree is in marine science, ever heard of the Baruch Barony? It’s a bazillion acres of saltwater marsh that Clempson and Carolina share. I spent much of my junior and senior years stomping around in that muck and mess. That’s where you learn. On the off chance that you’re being sarcastic, at least some of them tigers will be able to get a job picking and shelling pecans

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Scooter June 18, 2014 at 9:48 pm

i doubt that he has ever hard of it. The only thing that he is interested in is promoting some obscure politician, who does not have a snowball’s chance in hell, of getting elected or started some silly ass rumor.

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Scooter June 18, 2014 at 9:44 pm

I have a small pecan grove that I am starting and I will ask for assistance from them. Do you think Dr. Desmond Layne and his group have not helped SC peach growers with their problems over the year?. Just ask growers in the Chesnee or Johnston – Ridge Spring area. For your information, Clemson, also, has peach orchards and others. So does NCSU at Mills River, NC and UGA at Eatonton and Watkinsville, among others. Damn, you are one dummy.

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CNSYD June 3, 2014 at 9:03 am

Simple solution for simple minded Will. Repeal the Morrill Land-Grant Act of 1862. and the Morrill Act of 1890. I hope you will understand that I won’t be holding my breath waiting on Will to accomplish this.

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GrandTango June 3, 2014 at 9:07 am

FITS you HATE South Carolina. You think NY is sophisticated and effeminately liberal enough for you so STFU….Nobody cares about your distracting Bull-$#!t…

Why are you avoiding the mess your lord-god Obama is making?

Reintegration: Military hides Bergdahl from public view…
FLASHBACK: ‘Converted to Islam And Taught Captors Bomb Making Skills’…
NYTIMES: Left note explaining desertion before going AWOL…
Pentagon knew whereabouts but didn’t risk rescue for ‘deserter’…
Never Officially Listed as POW…
CHARGE: Soldiers died searching for him…
Former fed prosecutor: Release of Gitmo terrorists impeachable offense…
CHENEY: U.S. will ‘pay a price’…
Freed Taliban leaders given hero’s welcome…
Toobin: Obama ‘Clearly Broke Law’…
Three years since consulting Congress…
FATHER: ‘I am still working to free all Guantanamo prisoners’…
Anger explodes…
WAS HILLARY IN ON IT?

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Smirks June 3, 2014 at 9:29 am

It seems pecans aren’t the only nuts in this post.

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GrandTango June 3, 2014 at 9:33 am

Smirks: Didn’t I TELL you what a mistake Obama was, pre Nov. 2012.
Why are you trying to flee from your handi-work? Are you a Coward? Why not face what you SWORE was not true…but is now manifesting, just as I said????

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Smirks June 3, 2014 at 9:36 am

I think I’m allergic to this nut, though. I think I’m starting to get a headache from coming in contact with it.

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Nölff June 3, 2014 at 9:47 am

Pecans and Clemson. Grrrrrr.
Thanks, Obama.

The Colonel June 3, 2014 at 9:49 am

Maybe we ought to pay someone to study it/him/her?

GrandTango June 3, 2014 at 9:51 am

Maybe someone should study why you never grew a set of ’em….

Have they descended? June 3, 2014 at 9:54 am

Ha! That’s funny as hell. Kudos to you for being funny for once.

The Colonel June 3, 2014 at 1:46 pm

Ha – good one.

junior justice June 3, 2014 at 11:15 am

Could there really have been a pod person that survived?

Scooter June 18, 2014 at 10:14 pm

Yeah, but I have to agree with his comments on Obama Bin Lying.

Squishy123 June 3, 2014 at 1:07 pm

“Didn’t I TELL you what a mistake Obama was, pre Nov. 2012”

Do you really still honestly believe anyone listens to you?

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GrandTango June 3, 2014 at 1:51 pm

H#!! No….You listen to your lord-god Obama and his band of demons, including FITS…

…it’s why you are a pathetic and perpetual Total F*#k Up….

Squishy123 June 3, 2014 at 5:55 pm

Has anyone ever told you that you have anger issues?

TontoBubbaGoldstein June 3, 2014 at 10:32 am

GT,
Shouldn’t you be bailing out a family member, instead of railing against “O. The President.”?????

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Squishy123 June 3, 2014 at 1:06 pm

I’ve lived in several states and I will in fact agree that South Carolina is a shithole of a state.

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Scooter June 18, 2014 at 10:13 pm

Hell, you can’t still leave.

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Squishy123 June 3, 2014 at 9:12 am

Talk about a mountain out of a molehill, it’s 5 acres.

If you want to bitch about something, tell us why Steve Spurrier is now the highest paid state employee at $1,050,000. This isn’t money he receives from the USC Athletic Department, these are state funds which are paid by SC taxpayers. He’s paid twice as much as the next highest paid employee, his boss,Ray Tanner, who is paid $525,000.

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Smirks June 3, 2014 at 9:22 am

Damn, Tanner wins two championships and still makes half of what Spurrier makes.

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TontoBubbaGoldstein June 3, 2014 at 10:25 am

College Football > College Baseball

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GrandTango June 3, 2014 at 1:03 pm

At least Spurrier earns it. And he’s likely way underpaid…
Dawn Staley is paid more than Tanner made as baseball coach. That’s a Mother-F*#king crime..all brought to you by Idiot F*#king Leftists, like you, Nancy Pelosi and Obama…
Race and Gender pays off BIG, regardless of merit, because of liberal paranoia has been perpetuated upon the ignorant masses. It’s why F*#k-ups like Obama can get elected, despite being the biggest danger to the US since Gorbachev or Jimmy carter….

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Squishy123 June 3, 2014 at 2:03 pm

I bet GT has a permanent vein bulge in his forehead and has that constant look like he’s 10 minutes into a constipated shit with no results.

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GrandTango June 3, 2014 at 2:18 pm

Typical liberal subject change…

If you dont have passion and resolve…you may as well hug the wall w your head up your @$$…

You don’t have the good judgement to hug tthe wall..but you D@*n sure have your head up your #$$….

Squishy123 June 3, 2014 at 3:20 pm

Ha… GT complaining that someone switched topics. That’s all he does, he turns everything into a political pissing match.

I started talking about Spurrier’s state salary and suddenly GT’s talking about Jimmy Carter and Gorbachev.

GrandTango June 3, 2014 at 3:36 pm

You don’t have the good judgement to hug the wall..but you D@*n sure have your head up your #$$….

But that sentence applies to everything you post…

Squishy123 June 3, 2014 at 5:47 pm

Are you changing topics… again?

carls jr June 3, 2014 at 9:30 am

5 acres sounds about right. Soon to be soon 6. Keep thinking about it half-wit, you will get it eventually. Oh, that’s right, you don’t have a dog in the fight, is that how you rationalize it?

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Squishy123 June 3, 2014 at 12:55 pm

I’ve repeatedly said that I don’t think athletic coaches should be paid with state taxpayer funds. You apparently don’t have a problem with a state employee getting a $700,000 raise.

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Tater Squishy June 3, 2014 at 9:38 am

Maybe he’s the highest paid state employee because he does his job better than any of the others. How much does your butt boy Dab0-5winney make?

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Grrr_Native June 3, 2014 at 11:31 am

Dabo makes $252,350 in state salary.

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Squishy123 June 3, 2014 at 1:01 pm

Okay, does what Spurrier do entitle him to a raise that’s nearly 50% higher than his boss’s total state salary? Why are state taxpayers paying any state employee $1 million per year?

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Clem's son June 3, 2014 at 10:14 am

Why not bitch about Dabo’s raise? It could easily be argued that Spurrier earned it as he generates a profit with his job, while Dabo, who also gets paid in taxpayer dollars and earns more than Tanner, does not. Some might goes as far to call Dabo a “failure” and demand that as a State employee he should be fired for not earning a profit with his inflated salary. Not Carolina fans as they love him, but someone making that point “objectively” with out having any “side” on the USC / Clemson rivalry, much like you have claimed many times that you don’t have a side, yet here you go again. Keep on bashing USC since they obviously didn’t want you when you wanted to play ball there I guess. I look forward to your BS reply. I could use a laugh today. Looks like I got you engaged in banter after all huh?

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idiotwind June 3, 2014 at 10:36 am

actually thats a really interesting topic – does the football progam generate a ‘profit’? does it really pay for other less popular sports? does USC come away with more money to invest in education? the lack of transparency makes me suspect that the answer is no.

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CNSYD June 3, 2014 at 11:11 am

Please provide the numbers that show how Clemson’s football program does not generate a “profit”. BTW, Why do say that UNC fans “love” Dabo.?

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Grrr_Native June 3, 2014 at 11:29 am

Dabo makes $252,350 in state salary.
Nice try, though.

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The Colonel June 3, 2014 at 12:28 pm

Overpaid.

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Norma Scok June 5, 2014 at 2:14 pm

Not really the question though, is it? I mean if as an SC alum and state taxpayer, you are satisfied with paying Spurrier a million bucks a year just to have the privilege (finally!) of beating Clemson 5 years a row, then more power to you.

Was it worth 5 million bucks? You tell me.

Clem's son June 5, 2014 at 6:08 pm

It maybe worth the million dollars to listen to all you Taters cry like the little the bitches you are year in and year out now.

Norma Scok June 6, 2014 at 11:35 pm

Whats a “tater”?

Terry the Tater June 6, 2014 at 11:49 am

Actually if you look at it that way, the Gamecock fans are paying 5 million to win, but the Clem5on fans are paying 5 million for Dabo to learn who his daddy is. That kind of makes it all the better. the Tigers are having to pay him to beat them. I would say yes it is 100% worth it that way.

Norma Scok June 6, 2014 at 11:37 pm

Sorry to take the wind from your sails, but Dabo sucks. You’ll get no defense from this Clemson grad for him.

Terry the Tater June 7, 2014 at 12:15 am

You took no wind from me. One just could say it’s laughable that as a Clemson fan/grad you also are paying $5 million for the same ass whoopings. That kind of make your attempt at a point laughable. Actually very very much laughable if you think about it. Good try though.

Squishy123 June 3, 2014 at 12:53 pm

According to the database, Dabo makes $252,350 in state funds.

And as far as your other theories, I don’t think any athletic coach should receive taxpayer funded salaries. Let the athletic departments set and pay their salaries.

BTW – Looking at the outdated database on The State, Spurrier went from $350,000 last year to $1,050,000 this year. How many other state employees got a 200% or $700,000 raise?

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nitrat June 3, 2014 at 4:46 pm

I want to know about their retirement deals.

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Squishy123 June 3, 2014 at 5:53 pm

Well if he’s enrolled in the state retirement system he will earn approximately 1.875% of his highest 3 years of his annual salary x the number of years in the system and fully vested with 5 years of service. Being older than 62 years old he’d be able to start receiving benefits immediately regardless of years employed.

For example:
$1,050,000 x 1.875% x 10 years = $196,875/year

Before this year:
$350,000 x 1.875% x 10 years = $65,625/year

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easterndumbfuckastan June 3, 2014 at 8:56 pm

All of the salary Steve Spurrier receives is from USC’s athletics department. The monies are deposited in state accounts for payroll purposes and the state dispenses the payroll. This is standard practice. Steve Spurrier get’s none of anyone’s tax dollars. Go shill for Clemsux somewhere else.

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Squishy123 June 3, 2014 at 10:47 pm

Really, so last year when it shows he earned $350,000 he really only was paid $350,000? Does Dabo really only make $232,000? Just admit it, you don’t have a clue as to what you’re talking about.

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Jake June 3, 2014 at 9:14 am

You really do have a simplistic view of politics and the world. I’m glad it works for you, but brains that can handle subtlety and complexity mostly find this sort of post amusing.

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TontoBubbaGoldstein June 3, 2014 at 10:23 am

PRO TIP:
Invariably, when someone says something in the vein of, “It’s complicated.”; it’s not.

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euwe max June 3, 2014 at 12:32 pm Reply
nitrat June 3, 2014 at 4:45 pm

No, there are too many of them to be amused.

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GrandTango June 3, 2014 at 9:37 am

Big Olive GREEN Elephant in the Room…Why is FITS Jerking off, instead of REPORTING pertinent news???

You never told us Obama would be THIS Horrible, while I did…Why are you IGNORING the MOST Bombshell news story in America, FITS????

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Smirks June 3, 2014 at 2:17 pm

Why is FITS Jerking off, instead of REPORTING pertinent news???

Are you, like, hanging outside of Willie’s room with a pair of binoculars or something?

That’s, like, really creepy, man.

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GrandTango June 3, 2014 at 3:16 pm

No I’m not to Stupid, like you, that I can’t discern what he is doing, from reviewing the results…Dumb@$$….

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Scooter June 18, 2014 at 10:11 pm

His little girl from the dude factory got stomped last week.

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nitrat June 3, 2014 at 4:44 pm

Do you know what this blog needs? An ‘ignore’ feature like they have at WaPo. Just click on ‘ignore’ and never see a comment from that person again.
I would pick you, Grand Tango/Big T.
But, you could not bring yourself to ‘ignore’ anyone for fear you would miss the opportunity to SCREAM ABOUT OBAMA!!!

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Thomas June 3, 2014 at 9:45 am

Um, Clemson is a public agricultural school.

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Nölff June 3, 2014 at 9:49 am

Public in the FITS dictionary is called “Government run”

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Smirks June 3, 2014 at 10:01 am

Public schools running a pecan farm to teach students.

Government-run propaganda outlets growing subsidized pecans.

Government-monopolized indoctrination camps robbing taxpayers for redistribution of pecans.

Next up: Anti-free market communist dictatorship reeducation gulags forcing starved, enslaved citizenry at gunpoint to surrender remaining amount of wealth for government-controlled pecan plantations.

Insert Ron Paul’s delusion about a wall “keeping us in” here.

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Not just in FITS dictionary June 3, 2014 at 10:04 am

Well, it is government run….government school=public school.

I don’t understand why every one wants to distance themselves from being labeled government run.

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Nölff June 3, 2014 at 12:48 pm

Because it’s makes it sound like socialist, which it is.

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Not just in FITS dictionary June 3, 2014 at 1:17 pm

“I don’t understand why every one wants to distance themselves from being labeled government run.”

“…and yes. The people we elect fuck us out of our money.”

Ah…*now* I understand….

nitrat June 3, 2014 at 4:41 pm

Which is bad UNLESS he’s getting a paycheck from it.

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Hair Pie is better than Pecan June 3, 2014 at 9:51 am

I’m glad my tax money is being spent to study nuts, maybe it will give us an answer on how to deal with those running government.

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Soft Sigh from Hell June 3, 2014 at 5:50 pm

The study of slugs or of phychology (slime/scum) might be better targeted there.

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ThatGuy June 3, 2014 at 10:09 am

Nice handle-flying, you moronic cheese wheel. It’s an ag school, as has already been pointed out and quoted chapter and verse. In this pathetic state filled with an un-educated, drool soaked electorate, and “successful” because of tire factories set in the middle of absolute nowhere with no serviceable workforce to feed them (who in their right mind would MOVE to SUMTER?), agriculture is about all we have going for us. Pine trees, corn, cotton, and idiots are all massive products of our state. Have you been to Southern Georgia? Pecans are a HUGE cash crop as well. So my suggestion would be to calm the hell down, be happy for someone that’s researching something our moronic populace MIGHT be able to do for a living, and enjoy a 3 finger pour of your favorite elitist brown liquor, friend. Sigh.

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Soft Sigh from Hell June 3, 2014 at 5:46 pm

“an un-educated, drool soaked electorate”
Ahhh, a return of colorful derisive writing. Bravo.

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Scooter June 18, 2014 at 10:08 pm

Lottery ticket buyers and tattoo wearers. You can’t expect anymore.

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TontoBubbaGoldstein June 3, 2014 at 10:18 am

PRO TIP: (For FITS…)

While you are *technically* correct about this not being a core function of government…you will convert more folks to the smaller government philosophy if you criticize more recent Constitutional abuses. Start with “W” and Obama, then Johnson, then FDR.
In other words…Repeal the Patriot Act and Obamacare, THEN dismantle the Great Society, THEN take down the New Deal. Only then start attacking Land Grant colleges and such.

*See Colonel…TBG understands ‘strategery’ and even ‘gets’ why FITS and Ron Paul are sometimes off-putting, even to those of us with similar beliefs.

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The Colonel June 3, 2014 at 11:00 am

If you’d take on the role of Paul’s communicator, he might win a few more folks over.
“Strategery” is my all time favorite Bushism.

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idiotwind June 3, 2014 at 10:29 am

this makes no sense as an example of waste. the money is clearly being spent on something. why not focus on money that is actually being stolen or lavished on cronies. there are plenty of instances of this in SC higher ed.

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junior justice June 3, 2014 at 11:05 am

“pee-can”… or …”puh-con”..?

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The Colonel June 3, 2014 at 1:45 pm

pee can

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Pickens June 3, 2014 at 12:39 pm

The Hunley submarine (in Charleston) is also bankrolled by Clemson. Total price tag so far: $60 million.

I’d just like to go for a ride in Clemson’s jet.

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Beartrkkr June 4, 2014 at 12:06 am

Just follow the money on this one. Clemson is simply a convenient pass through for funneling money to the Hunley project. The major player in all this is next in line as the president of the CoC.

Don’t think Clemson owns a jet.

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Bible Thumper June 3, 2014 at 1:24 pm

“About one-third of the old trees will be replaced, Arena said. Grant money will help pay for site preparation and planting, school officials said.”
http://www.thestate.com/2014/05/21/3460033/clemson-pecan-grove-likely-to.html#storylink=cpy
SEE WILL. IT’S GRANT MONEY. GRANT MONEY GROWS ON TREES ALSO.

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Philip Branton June 3, 2014 at 3:28 pm

Heck…….some students at SCSU need to take a clue and get some pecan trees planted on CAMPUS to help raise funds to pay off some debts…! Matter of fact, we highly suggest that recipes be submitted via FITSNEWS to enable students to crack and roast their gems to be sold at football games to raise some debt loot.

Ya know…..(I’m thinkin’….I’m thinkin’……..and I’m….)

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Crooner June 3, 2014 at 4:39 pm

You are all missing the main point of the article: Will Folk’s ancestors could READ??!!

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Upstate June 3, 2014 at 11:33 pm

We shouldn’t invest in agricultural research. We should import all our food from China and South America……….. Because that makes total sense Will Folks.

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Thomas June 4, 2014 at 7:34 am

This is nothing new. Without bees, there won’t be pecans. Study that or how ’bout of study on how counties, cities, and yes, the state of SC all raising taxes to pay for the Obamacare increases for the 10% of SC’s population that draws a paycheck or grant from SC’s tax revenue.

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Timmy Tebow June 4, 2014 at 12:59 pm

What? No mention of the real name of the Anderson newspaper, “The Tin-Foil Hat Times”? Or that Anderson is “The Land That Time Forgot”? Those folks are nuts up there because they’re so close to Clemson.

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Norma Scok June 5, 2014 at 2:10 pm

Your state tax dollars also bought me some beer while I was at Clemson, in the graduation parties given to seniors on teh shores of Lake Hartwell at the “Y” beach. I don’t remember it happening the second time round, but I may have just skipped that one. Your tax dollars also bought about 200 other people beer that day as well–and that was during Max Lennon’s time as Ass in Command.

Additionally, your tax dollars paid for a trip for me to Myrtle Beach in a Clemson owned vehicle, a night’s hotel, and a few other day trips to businesses around SC. I think there was food involved, but I can’t remember.

Oh..the horrors.

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Really? June 6, 2014 at 9:44 pm

Don’t worry, Will. Even with modern genetically modified organisms, there’s no way Clemson can develop a bigger nut for SC than you.

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VoiceofReason June 7, 2014 at 4:52 pm

The level of stupidity on this site is laughable!

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VoiceofReason June 7, 2014 at 4:53 pm

Goes for you too Folks!

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VoiceofTruth June 8, 2014 at 10:29 am

Well now that you have posted it really is. Please tell us again about “real class” and those “high academic standards” your mighty ACC schools have. They would never have pay for play, or fake classes for “student” athletes would they? Oh that’s right Clemson, Louisville, UNC, Miami, etc. Great points you always make. Thank you for proving what a dumb fuck you are once again. The simple fact that you even bother to post here, usually 5 days after the fact just so you can try to have the last word, speaks to how pathetic you are! Please don’t ever leave us, as you have said many time you will, yet you keep coming back. You are a total Loser and I enjoy how laughable you are in your posts

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