I'm hoping that some of you might get a good chuckle out of the following news from my fair state.
The following Valentine's Day ad appeared in the February 12th issue of "The State" Newspaper from Columbia, SC, our state capital. Section C, page 8. "Buy a Gunny for your Honey! Super Special $434.99. Ammo Sale - 1,000 round case just $79.80. Huge shipment of used guns has arrived." Our former Governor, (called "Elmer Fudd" by the press due to a remarkable similarity in both looks and voice, among other things) was a tax cutting Democrat (yes, there are such things). He cut the taxes so much that last year a 5% accross the board budget cut, some $246 million dollars, was required for all state agencies. The South Carolina State Constitution requires a balanced budget. Our new Governer, a Republican, has just announced an additional 3.7% cut in funds, some $170 million dollars. This has placed public school education in conflict with its own laws. There is a state regulation that requires a specific student to teacher ratio be maintained in our classrooms. Due to this recent budget cut, funds are no longer available to hire the teachers to maintain this ratio. Our Governor's mansion will be closed for several months, probably till June or July, due to lack of funds to keep it open. The Governor and his family will be allowed to live in one wing, but will have to do their own cooking and cleaning. Food and money, as well as cleaning services, are now being donated to the Governor in order to help him get through the next few months. True!!!! The High School graduation rate for South Carolina has reached a new high of 65%! Wow!! This was reported in the above issue of the State Newspaper. On a musical note, yet another local orchestra has undergone a political upheaval. The long time conductor has been fired, over the objections of the players. All players have been required to re-audition for new positions. The first horn player, who had been there some eight years, was a Farkas student, and has a DMA in horn performance from Indiana University, lost her chair, and didn't even make the section. This is the fourth local orchestra to undergo such a change in the last ten years. Oh for an effective Musician's Union in the area. God, I wish I could get out of this place. Have a nice day. Wilbert (from you know where) _______________________________________________ post: [EMAIL PROTECTED] set your options at http://music.memphis.edu/mailman/options/horn/archive%40jab.org
