|
TODAY'S
FOCUS
Go red (fish), white (gator)
and blue (seas) for the Fourth
By ELIZABETH BENDER
Marketing and PR coordinator, SC Aquarium
Special to CharlestonCurrents.com
Bender |
JUNE
28, 2010 -- This Independence Day, give your grill a break and join
the South Carolina Aquarium for a family-friendly Fourth of July
celebration with
over
5,000 aquatic friends, breathtaking views of the Charleston Harbor,
delicious food, and music.
Starting
at 7:30 p.m., guests will have the opportunity to enjoy tasty barbecue
by Jim 'N Nick's Bar-B-Q, musical entertainment and spectacular
fireworks overlooking the Charleston Harbor courtesy of Patriot's
Point.
In
addition to the July Fourth activities, guests can experience all
their favorite Aquarium exhibits, such as the newly renovated Blackwater
Swamp, which features the rare albino American alligator - one of
only 50 in the world - as well as the magellanic penguins of "Penguin
Planet," who will waddle away in October. Guests can also see
the massive, two-story Great Ocean Tank, which holds 385,000 gallons
of water and contains hundreds of animals, including sharks, pufferfish
and a loggerhead sea turtle that weighs over 280 pounds.
This
year the aquarium is celebrating its tenth year of operation. During
the past decade, many favorite programs and events have taken place,
a few of which the aquarium has brought back by popular demand,
including the Fourth of July celebration. In addition, this year,
the aquarium has been able to retire its opening debt, bring on
a new rare specimen of alligator, and open the state's only 4-Dimensional
Theater Experience.
People pack
the wharf outside the South Carolina Aquarium at a past Fourth
of July celebration. The event offers food, music and a prime
viewing spot for the elaborate fireworks show at Patriot's Point
across the harbor. (S.C. Aquarium photo) |
Tickets
to the Fourth of July Celebration include beer, refreshments and
food. For those who are not aquarium members, tickets are $55 for
adults and $25 for children ages 3 to 11. Aquarium members enjoy
special discounts with tickets at $45 for adults and $20 for children
ages 3 to 11. Children 2 and under are free. Limited seating is
available, so reserve a space today by calling 577-FISH (3474).
The
Aquarium continues to provide locals and visitors alike with interactive
exhibits and exciting events that inspire conservation and provide
an excellent visitor experience. For further information, call 577-FISH
(3474) or visit http://www.scaquarium.org.
Elizabeth
Bender is the South Carolina Aquarium's marketing and public relations
coordinator. The aquarium is an underwriting partner of CharlestonCurrents.com.
CURRENTS
Electorate
is impatient, malleable ... or not
By ANDY BRACK, publisher
JUNE
28 2010 -- That
something odd is going on with the South Carolina electorate isn’t
a controversial statement. But trying to peg what actually is happening
is more difficult.
Brack |
Not
only have Republicans given the party’s gubernatorial nod to
a second-tier state representative who was little known before she
shot to rock star status after appearing with Sarah Palin and vociferously
denying allegations of marital infidelity. But state Democrats tapped
an unknown, unemployed man facing a felony charge to be their standard
bearer for the U.S. Senate race in November.
Truth,
it surely appears, is much stranger than political fiction in South
Carolina.
Some
see what’s happening as the result of an impatient, relatively
uninformed electorate that’s off its political Ritalin for
controlling its attention deficit disorder. Instead of a campaign
filled with substance, these voters seem more intrigued with the
shallow Hollywood back story and gossip of campaigning. One moderate
wag observed, “They want a Twitter response to campaigns –
everything in 140 characters or less.”
“The
electorate is, no doubt, tired and frustrated - - anxious for new
faces and new ideas,” said University of South Carolina political
scientist Mark Tompkins. “So we’ve seen some representatives
of traditional politics punished (U.S. Rep. Bob Inglis) or neglected
(Attorney General Henry McMaster) in favor of fresh faces.”
Because
primaries tend to be low turnout elections, results also are skewed
toward true believers, which means a more representative, broader
sample of the electorate likely will vote in the fall.
“My
hunch is that some of the moderate and traditional Republican electorate
stayed home, while an unusual group of folks turned out,” Tompkins
said. “By definition, they’re not strongly attached to
political life. They could be easily disenchanted or persuaded by
new events and arguments, although I don’t expect that to happen.”
GOP
political strategist Trey Walker explained what happened in the
June elections simply: “SC voters have always loved to stick
it to the man. Be it the antebellum era ‘bourbons,’ the
progressive era ‘elites’ or the modern era ‘Good
Ole Boys,’ they’ve always had a reoccurring role as the
foil on election day.”
Conservative
analyst Ashley Landess disagreed with the notion that the electorate
was malleable and impatient this year.
“Voters
didn’t respond to weak messaging or extremely negative campaign
tactics,” said Landess, president of the S.C. Policy Council.
“Instead, they were organized and engaged in voting for reform
and against the ‘system’ itself.
She
said she thought voters wanted reform because they were tired of
the state’s “terrible spending decisions” –
always a focus for the Council – and a still-emerging frustration
with how business is conducted in Columbia.
Free
Enterprise Foundation President Robert E. Freer Jr. said suggesting
that South Carolina’s electorate seemed easily-influenced was
unwarranted because voters had finally figured out that we have
to pay the bills nationally.
“Entitlements
are not ‘entitlements’ if there is not the money flowing
from real commerce to pay for them,” he said. “This [“great
middle”] portion of the electorate, when added to those who
are naturally suspicious of strong federal mandates, has created
a particular alchemy that you describe as creating amazement and
disbelief in reading the electoral tea leaves.”
So who really knows what’s going on out in voterland?
Veteran
political observer Jack Bass says we’ll just have to wait until
November for voters to process what’s happening, such as judgment
issues about Republican gubernatorial candidate Nikki Haley and
leadership concerns about Democratic rival Vincent Sheheen.
“A
further question, especially among independent voters, is how tired
are they of South Carolina being viewed nationally as a joke,”
Bass said. “The ultimate question may be how much weight independent
voters give to ‘It's time for a change.’”
Andy
Brack, publisher of CharlestonCurrents.com, can be reached at: editor@charlestoncurrents.com.
This commentary first appeared in our sister publication, Statehouse
Report.
FEEDBACK
Send us
your thoughts
- We
love getting input from you. If you have an opinion you'd like
to share, send your letters to: editor@charlestoncurrents.com.
We look forward to hearing from you!
SPOTLIGHT
Charleston
Green Commercial
The
public spiritedness of our underwriters allows us to bring CharlestonCurrents
to you at no cost. In this issue, we turn the spotlight on Charleston
Green Commercial, a full-service commercial property management
company that pays attention to detail, provides exceptional personal
service and is committed to adding value to buildings. Offering
professional property management, consulting and other services,
the company strives to improve clients' bottom lines with superior
service, accessibility, reliability and a wealth of knowledge of
the Charleston real estate market. By blending use of proven contractors
and contacts with environmentally-conscious practices, the company
helps clients stay on the leading edge of commercial real estate
practices. More.
GOOD
NEWS
Public invited
to 'test drive' the da Vinci Surgical System
Trident
Health System is giving the public a chance to "test drive"
a robotic surgery system this week at Mount Pleasant Towne Centre.
From noon to 8 p.m. July 1, visitors can personally operate the
da Vinci
Surgical System, a new technology that extends a surgeon's capabilities
by providing a three-dimensional view of the operating field and
improving access to the surgical site through small instrument "ports"
that eliminate the need for large incisions.
At
the Towne Centre event, members of the public will be able to move
the robot's arms, play with the instruments and experience what
surgeons see and feel when they use the robot to operate. They can
also ask questions of Trident's medical staff and enter a "Name
the Robot" contest in which the winner will receive a $100
Visa gift card.
"We
want people to experience what the da Vinci Surgical System is all
about," says Mark Robinson, chief operating officer at Trident
Health System. "People hear 'robotics' and they think the robot
is operating on its own; the da Vinci robotic system actually enhances
the surgeon's skill with computer technology, enabling them to see
vital anatomical structures more clearly and perform surgical procedures
more precisely."
For
most patients, the benefits over traditional prostate and gynecological
surgery include shorter hospital stays, less pain, less risk of
infection, less scarring and faster recovery of continence.
New
fitness center plans clothing drive for S.C. Thrift Store
A
new group training facility in Mount Pleasant is using the occasion
of its grand opening to collect gently used clothing for the S.C.
Thrift Store. EatFit
LiveFit + CrossFit Mount Pleasant, located in the Park West
subdivision, will hold its grand opening July 6, and is inviting
local residents to stop by the center, try a class and get rid of
the clothes they've outgrown - for good.
EatFit
LiveFit + CrossFit focuses on core functional training, highlighting
endurance, stamina, strength, flexibility, coordination, balance
and agility through a mixture of exercises. The free grand opening
event is from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Clothing will be donated to
the S.C. Thrift Store in Mount Pleasant, which donates a portion
of its proceeds to the Center for Women. The clothing will be accepted
throughout the month of July.
Also
at the new studio, which is located at 1118 Park West Blvd., Charleston
Krav Maga will offer T.E.A.M. Kids classes, women's only, beginner
and intermediate self-defense classes. Kids' classes focus on improving
stability, strength and power through natural movements like running,
jumping and climbing, while also learning good nutrition habits.
For
more information, call 475-2459 or e-mail owner Tina Whetzel at
tina@eatfitlivefit.com.
Popular
clothing line helps local Feed the Need program
An
alice + olivia cocktail party and trunk show in Charleston last
weekend helped raise money for Feed the Need, a coalition of 52
local restaurants, caterers and hoteliers who have banded together
to help feed the hungry in the Lowcountry.
The
alice + olivia's Airstream luxury RV set up shop at Caviar &
Bananas on George Street for the trunk show and fundraiser. One
guest won a makeover from Stella Nova Salon and some clothing from
alice + olivia, and a percentage of the proceeds from the show will
be donated to Feed the Need. The program is the nation's first organized
relief effort in which meals (about 400 a week) are cooked and served
by the hospitality community year-round to help those who are hungry.
The
local stop was part of a national tour that alice + olivia's kicked
off recently to help people across the country this summer. At the
company's first stop, in Nashville, Tenn., a young girl who lost
all her belongings in the recent floods got a head-to-toe makeover,
and in Orange Beach, Ala., the company threw a block party to raise
money to help beach communities affected by the BP oil spill.
RECOMMENDED
HAVE
A REVIEW?
If you have a review or recommendation of a book, movie, restaurant
or local arts endeavor, please send no more than 150 words to
editor Ann Thrash.
Make sure to include your name and full contact information.
SC
ENCYCLOPEDIA
Blake Plateau
The
Blake Plateau is a large, relatively shallow (800-1,200 meters)
carbonate bank that lies 200 miles off Charleston on the continental
shelf. It runs from near Cape Hatteras in North Carolina, past South
Carolina and eastern Florida, to just north of the Bahamas. At the
eastern, seaward edge of the plateau, the Blake Bahamas Scarp descends
18,000 feet toward the abyssal plain below. This scarp forms the
highest geologic structure east of the Rocky Mountains.
The
structure of the Blake Plateau clearly illustrates the process of
the North American/African separation beginning in the Late Triassic
period (208 million years before present) as well as the development
of continental shelves generally. It also provides additional evidence
through recent sediment and fossil analyses of the events occurring
at the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary that led to the great mass extinctions
of many animal and plant species of that time.
The
Blake Plateau began to form as the North American plate disengaged
from the African plate in the Late Triassic period, forming the
Atlantic Ocean. Beginning with rifting that shattered the subsurface,
lava flows and down-faulted valleys formed at the edges of the continents
and offshore. Later sediments formed a progressively thicker wedge
seaward. As rifting continued during the Jurassic period, the carbonate
deposits formed in what was then a warm, shallow sea: the early
Atlantic Ocean. The weight of the deposits of sediments and of the
carbonates bent the crust downward, which allowed more deposition,
allowing the carbonates to reach a thickness of more than 30,000
feet (10 kilometers).
The
plateau is of economic interest because of the 1970 and 1996 discoveries
of immense deposits of hydrocarbons in the form of methane and methane
hydrate that may be developed commercially in the future. Many geologists
now believe that this immense carbonate bank may contain huge quantities
of usable methane gas.
-
Excerpted from the entry by Carolyn H. Murphy. To read more about
this or 2,000 other entries about South Carolina, check out The
South Carolina Encyclopedia by USC Press. (Information used
by permission.)
SISTER
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PUBLICATION
SCHEDULE
Starting next
week for two weeks, we'll be on a limited summer publication schedule.
Instead of the normal Monday/Thursday schedule, we'll publish only
on Wednesdays -- July 7 and July 14. We'll resume regular twice-weekly
publication on July 19. Enjoy the July 4 holiday ... and be safe.
THE
LIST
Tips on being
LinkedIn
Arnoldi |
Is LinkedIn
yet another social networking site that you think you don't necessarily
have time to use? Tina Arnoldi, a local social media guru, says
that's exactly what she thought initially. "I resisted it for
a while and finally thought it was time to see what it's about,"
says Arnoldi, information technology officer for the Coastal Community
Foundation. "If you're ready to join more than 50 million users
on LinkedIn, below are some things to consider when getting started."
These tips are from one of Tina's recent blog posts; read
the full article here.
- When setting
up your profile, import your e-mail addresses so LinkedIn can
search for users you already know.
- You may
want to include people in your LinkedIn network that you've never
met, but "know" through online communications.
- Think carefully
about how much you want to make public, meaning anyone can type
in your LinkedIn URL and see information about you.
- Develop
new business relationships by joining LinkedIn groups based on
interest or affiliation.
- Outside
of those groups, search the answers section to find questions
posted in your area of expertise. It's important to offer something
and not make it only about you -- a key part of all social networking
sites.
QUOTE
On
believing
"One person
with a belief is equal to a force of 99 who have only interests."
-- John
Stuart Mill, English economist and philosopher (1806-1873)
CALENDAR:
THIS WEEK
(NEW)
Colonial
Lake Workshop: 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. June 29, Mason Preparatory
School, 56 Halsey Blvd., downtown. The Charleston Parks Conservancy
is asking the public for feedback on plans to redesign the Colonial
Lake/Moultrie Playground area. The workshop is a continuation of
the redesign ideas that the nonprofit conservancy presented to the
community in October 2008. More
info.
Jaycees
Networking: 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. June 29, Harbour Club,
35 Prioleau St., downtown. The Charleston Junior Chamber of Commerce
will be hosting a professional networking event with light refreshments.
You do not necessarily need to work in an occupation that sells
goods or services to attend. In addition to mixing, mingling and
networking, there will be a program featuring social media consultant
Ashley Caldwell of Modern Connections sharing a few social media
tips. Cost: $5 per person; benefits Jaycee Camp Hope, a statewide
residential camp for citizens with intellectual disabilities. RSVP/more
info: Jennifer “Juice” Davidson, 343-7578 or jenniferdavidson31@gmail.com,
or Jeremy Mills, 814-5739 or jeremy_mills@ymail.com.
Revolutionary
War Tours: 4 p.m. Thursdays in July, Heyward-Washington
House, 87 Church St. The museum house will offer the special tours,
which focus on the connection the house and its previous residents
had to the Revolutionary War. Cost: $10 adults, $5 children (free
for Charleston Museum members). Reservations not needed. More info:
722-2996, ext. 235.
Revolutionary
War Kayak Trip: 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. July 3, Charleston
Harbor. Spend a morning on Independence Day weekend paddling a sea
kayak in historic Charleston Harbor and getting a look at patriot
sites along the way, including Fort Sumter and the Battery. Sponsored
by Charleston County Park and Recreation Commission. Meet at CCPRC
Headquarters. Open to age 16 and up. Cost: $40 for Charleston County
residents, $48 nonresidents. and travels up the Wappoo Cut with
views of patriotic Ft. Sumter and the Battery. To
register, click here.
Food
and Farming Course: 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursdays for nine weeks,
beginning in June. The Food and Farming Entrepreneurship Course
is offered by FastTracSC and Clemson Extension for those who are
interested in becoming food-system entrepreneurs (urban/rural farmers,
local food artisans, chefs/caterers, bakers, food media, processors,
etc.). Cost: $145. More info: elizabeth@lowcountrylocalfirst.org.
CALENDAR:
ONGOING AND SOON
Youth
Theatre Camp: July 5 to July 16 and July 19 to July 30,
Charleston Acting Studio, 915 Folly Road. Kids ages 8 to 13 can
learn about acting, singing, dancing and various aspects of production
in a professional theatre setting. The studio is the educational
arm of Midtown/SheriGrace
Productions. Session one (July 5 to July 16) meets 10 a.m. to
2 p.m.; session two (July 19 to July 30) meets 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Both sessions will end with a musical performance for family and
friends on the second Saturday of camp. Registration/more info:
795-2223.
Barrier
Island Sampler: 9 a.m. to noon July 10, Lighthouse Inlet
Heritage Preserve. The program is a half-day session of the Charleston
County Park and Recreation Commission's Master Naturalist program.
CCPRC naturalist Keith McCullough, lead instructor of Charleston's
Master Naturalist Program, will teach the group the importance of
undeveloped areas on barrier islands and improve students' identification
skills of seabirds, shorebirds and songbirds, as well as the many
plants and animals of dune systems, salt marshes and maritime forests.
Pre-registration required. Cost: $10 Charleston County residents,
$12 nonresidents. Open to ages 16 and up. To
register, click here.
Fused
Glass Workshop: 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. July 6 and 5:30
p.m. to 7:30 p.m. July 13. The Charleston Museum and Blue
Heron Glass are offering the workshop, in which students will learn
how to cut glass to a pattern, the basics behind the science of
fusing glass (melting compatible glasses together), and how to embellish
with fused accents to create a crazy-quilt effect. Students
will have a decorative 8-inch panel to take home. The workshop
begins at the museum with a tour of “Crazy Quilts.” The
rest of the workshop will take place at Blue Heron Glass in West
Ashley. Participants are responsible for their own transportation. Advance
registration required. Cost: $75 museum members, $90 nonmembers
(includes all supplies). Register
online here or call 722-2996, ext. 235.
TTC
Info for Vets: 6 p.m. July 13, Trident Technical College,
7000 Rivers Ave., North Charleston (in Building 920, the College
Center). Trident Tech will offer an information briefing designed
specifically for veterans and their families. The event will include
presentations about admission; registration; financial aid, including
veterans educational benefits; the Veterans Upward Bound program;
and the VETS Center. College staff will be on hand to answer questions
after the briefing. While the session is geared toward veterans,
it's open to anyone interested, and is free. More info: 574-6882.
(NEW)
Bastille
Café: 8 p.m. to 11 p.m. July 16, Gibbes Museum
of Art, 135 Meeting St. Society 1858, a new group for young professionals
who support the Gibbes with social and educational programs tailored
for up-and-coming art patrons, will celebrate Bastille Day with
food from 39 Rue de Jean, can-can dancers, absinthe, a French-art-inspired
scavenger hunt, and a guest appearance by Marie Antoinette. Tickets:
$25. To purchase or learn more, call 722-2706, ext. 22, or go
here online.
(NEW)
Stand
Up West Ashley: 7 p.m. July 19, Orange Grove Elementary
Charter School, 1225 Orange Branch Road. Stand Up West Ashley, an
effort of the city's Old Charles Towne District Task Force, will
have its first meeting to talk about needs and goals for residents
of District 9, the Old Towne area of Charleston. All community members
are invited to meet their neighbors and community leaders and share
their ideas and concerns about crime prevention, beautification,
livability, safety tips and more. More
info.
Delicious
AND Good?: 6:30 p.m. July 28, Charleston Cooks, 194 East
Bay St., downtown. Holistic chef and gRAWnola
creator Ken Immer will lead a cooking class titled "Delicious
AND Good for You?" featuring easy recipes and ideas to raise
the "health quotient" of your kitchen without sacrificing
flavor or taking extra time and effort. Menu includes cucumber and
avocado soup, grilled vegetable pilaf with sprouted quinoa, summer
slaw with kale and arame, saucy Brussels sprouts, and Key lime pie.
Cost: $60. Register
online or call 722-1212.
FOCUS
ARCHIVES
8/19:
Peters:
Getting lead out
8/16: Frazier:
Magnolia gardeners
8/12: Myers:
Redux art
8/9: Ginn:
Opportunity Next
8/5: Barnette:
Hedwig show
8/2: Deaton:
Lured back
7/29: Hannah:
SCRA center
7/26: Parezo:
Personal chefs
7/22: Bender:
Shark Week
7/19: Witty:
Growth in down market
7/14: Carroll:
Networking
7/7: Blanchard:
Financial planning
7/1: Shaffer:
Picky Eaters Group
THRASH
ARCHIVES
8/19:
Nirvana,
Class of '14
8/12: History
is interesting
8/5: Robert,
Variety Store
7/29: Lazy?
Boiled peanuts
7/22: Purple
Toes book
7/14: Art
opens doors
7/1: Lots
to do on 4th
6/24: Ways
to nab skeeters
6/17: Dump
the Pump, more
6/10: Lots
to do locally
6/3: Dancin'
for dollars
BRACK
ARCHIVES
8/16:
Pharmacy,
juice
8/2: Cherry
juice, Gardner
7/26: Biden
on Hollings
7/19: About
Turkey
7/7: Campaign
trash
6/28: Impatient
electorate
6/21: Haley's
thin record
6/14: Daddy-daughter
trip
6/7: Gulf
spill report
PETER
LUCASH: BUSINESS INDIGO
5/27:
Facebook
on privacy
5/13: Spark
Charleston, more
4/22: Green
Wizard, more
4/1: Encouraging
biz signs
3/18: Biz
fair, CED venture
3/4: Lowcountry
tech hub
2/4: Advice
on working with Boeing
1/21: Co-working
group
1/7: Free
library text questions
LIST
ARCHIVES
8/19:
5
local blogs
8/16: More
plaudits
8/12: 5
local dog romps
8/9: New
heritage sites
8/5: 5
around Chucktown
8/2: Bedside
reading
7/29: Five
for fall
7/26: Hollings
library
7/22: Wine
+ Food fest
7/19: New
Chas app
7/14: Chas
at top
7/7: SC
films
7/1: Keeping
cool
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