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Issue
4.22 | Monday, April 2, 2012 TODAY'S
FOCUS CURRENTS THE
LIST GETTING
GREENER GOOD
NEWS HISTORY
ALSO INSIDE :: FEEDBACK: Thanks for your help :: SPOTLIGHT: Magnolia Plantation & Garden :: CALENDAR: This week ... and next :: QUOTE: Lipstick :: BROADUS: Not a canvas |
ABOUT US CharlestonCurrents.com offers insightful community comment and good news on events each week. It cuts through the information clutter to offer the best of what's happening locally. What readers say WHERE IS IT?
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APRIL 2, 2012 -- Sarah Palin praised GOP presidential candidate Rick Santorum on Monday, March 26, for accusing a New York Times reporter of "bull----" during a campaign stop in Wisconsin over the weekend.
"It was good, and it was strong, and it was about time because he's saying enough is enough of the liberal media twisting the conservative words, putting words in his mouth, taking things out of context and even just making things up," Palin said during an interview on Fox News. "So when I heard Rick Santorum's response, I was like well, welcome to my world, Rick, and good on ya." If there's one thing Palin knows, it's "bull----." And if there's one thing Palin doesn't know, it's how to speak English -- although she would "refudiate" that. So in the spirit of "refudiation" of what Sarah Palin wants people to believe, I decided to write about what she says. The Sound and Fury of Sarah Palin examines the two worlds of Palin -- the real one in which most of us live and the one in which she's crafted for the media. In her first speech after becoming John McCain's running mate, Palin demonstrated her opposition to earmarks by claiming to have rejected federal funds for the so-called "Bridge to Nowhere." She said, "I told Congress, 'Thanks, but no thanks,'" But, in fact, she did campaign for funding for the bridge. Palin then claimed that her teleprompter had malfunctioned during her acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention and that she had ad-libbed much of the speech. But, in fact, the TelePrompTer had worked properly, according to reporters at the convention. While campaigning for vice president, she didn't know the duties of the vice president. When a third grader asked her what the vice president did, she said, "They're in charge of the U.S. Senate." To Palin's credit, this was more an example of ignorance and stupidity than outright lying.
While campaigning for vice president, she repeatedly said that then-Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama "palled" around terrorists, which wasn't true. But it is true that Palin was a vocal supporter of the Alaska Independence Party, which called for the state to secede from the United States. In addition, Palin's charges that Obama was a socialist who would "experiment" with socialism also were baseless. But did you realize that when Palin ran for vice president, she was governor of Alaska, where only 1 percent of the state's land is in private hands? In Alaska, Palin said, the people "collectively . . . own the resources. So we share in the wealth when the development of these resources occurs." Palin said she campaigned to end earmarks as mayor of Wasilla, Alaska, and then as governor of the state, but she enthusiastically secured millions of dollars in earmarks. She talked about the need for America to spend within its means while she spent more than $150,000 on the clothes she wore while campaigning. Palin's claim that an Alaska ethics probe cleared her of wrongdoing was untrue. So was her claim that the Obama's health care legislation included "death panels." Palin's obsession with Obama's use of teleprompters obscures the fact that she relies on TelePrompTers even when answering friendly questions on Fox News and needed to write notes on her hand to answer pre-screened questions at a Tea Party rally. Palin regularly compares herself with President Ronald Reagan but appeared to know little about his life and career. After hearing Palin compare herself to Reagan, Peggy Noonan, Reagan's speechwriter and confidante, responded, "Excuse me, but this was even ignorant for Ms. Palin. The point is not, 'He was a great man and you are a nincompoop,' though this is true." Within weeks of Palin becoming McCain's running mate, most conservative columnists and commentators had heard enough. "If B.S. were currency," Pulitzer Prize-winning conservative columnist Kathleen Parker said, "Palin could bail out Wall Street herself."
APRIL 2, 2012 -- When the stories came out last week about the family that gave up its black labrador to a shelter, I sent a letter to The Post and Courier, which it promptly didn't print. Here it is in full:
* * * * * Back in the mid-1940s, Time publisher Henry Luce asked Robert M. Hutchins, a respected educational philosopher, former Yale law dean and chancellor of the University of Chicago, to head a special commission to look into the duty of the free press in a democracy.
By 1947, the Commission of Freedom of the Press published a major document that essentially said the media have a social responsibility to publish information to help people make better decisions in their democracy. This "theory of social responsibility" in the press served as the foundation of my master's degree thesis in 1988 at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. If you take for granted that the media have a responsibility to provide helpful information to news consumers and not Pablum, then you have to wonder whether a story about Ozzy, an 87-pound dog with heartworms, is really the biggest story of the day in the Lowcountry. Please realize, I'm not arguing the paper shouldn't have offered the story. But on the front-page, followed the next day by a sanctimonious second-day front-page story (bottom of the page) about how the first story generated a lot of potential homes for the dog? Of course it did.
In other words, it's not that hard. But what is hard is to give a better perspective to communities about what's really going on through consistent deeper reporting. In The Post and Courier, you'll see this kind of reporting every Sunday in its weekly "big news package" about some local or state issue. The rest of the week: Not so much. If newspapers continue down the path of just publishing the easy-to-get news without adding a dash of social responsibility and a pinch of more perspective, they will continue to lose more readership and succumb to electronic media that is blossoming to fill voids left what newspapers should be doing. * * * * * In this issue, we welcome a new underwriter, Magnolia Plantation and Gardens. Check out its Web site ... and head over for a visit today. * * * * * The most
recent issue of Statehouse Report offers a commentary on how a
just-passed House school voucher bill defies logic. Seems that the bill
would offer tax deductions of up to $4,000 for people who have kids in
private school. The hitch? Half of South Carolinians don't pay enough
in taxes to qualify, due to their low income or that they already have
enough deductions. You think somebody might be trying to pull the wool
over our eyes. More.
Much to
our delight, the notice ran several times and with each appearance, our
list of attendees increased. Thanks for the coverage and also for making
lots of your readers informed and happy.
APRIL 2, 2012 -- Every spring, communities all over the world and billions of people celebrate Earth Day. Here in Charleston. There a few opportunities for you to join with others and learn how we can be better stewards of the earth -- whether recycling, capturing rain water, growing a garden, improving energy efficiency on your home or a myriad of other things.
Also take note of these green happenings:
Wando High School senior Devan R. Walsh won a trip to Turkey this summer after placing first in an art contest offered by the South Carolina Dialogue Foundation. Walsh also won the top high school art award for five states in the Southeast.
In the foundation's second annual Art and Essay contest, it sought admissions focusing on the theme, "1 billion hungry in the world -- What is your role?" Some 570 middle and high school students submitted art or essays. The foundation made 47 awards, ranging from gift cards to Kindles, iPads and the Turkey trip, to South Carolina students. More. Not only will Walsh get a trip to Turkey from the contest, but the foundation also offers a trip for her teacher, Mary Catherine Middleton, and the school district superintendent. Walsh will pick up her top Southeast honor on Saturday in Atlanta. More. Charleston Farmers Market
to reopen April 7
In addition
to the weekly market schedule, there are special dates and expanded hours
during the Piccolo Spoleto Festival (May 26-27; June 2-3 and June 9; Saturdays:
8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sundays: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.) and the Holiday Farmers
Market (Dec. 1-16; Saturdays: 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Sundays: 10 a.m. to 4
p.m.). Founded
by Mayor Joe Riley in 1989, the Charleston Farmers Market is produced
by the City of Charleston Office of Cultural Affairs, in cooperation with
the City of Charleston Parks Department. Over the years, the market has
received numerous awards, including being ranked in 2008 by Travel
and Leisure magazine as one of the top 10 best farmers markets in
the nation. The market offers a variety of local produce, plants, herbs
and cut flowers as well as breakfast and lunch vendors, live entertainment
and an assortment of juried arts and crafts from local artisans. New
$5 million campaign focuses on area's business success
"Charleston
has been given the promise of regional prosperity and it is time to seize
the opportunity. Accelerate Greater Charleston's impact on the region
that we call home will ripple throughout generations to come," said
Bryan Derreberry, president and CEO, Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce.
The new
five-year program will seek to identify resources and resolve circumstances
that may inhibit business growth, as well as focus on education and other
building blocks of a high?performance economy. Among the key elements:
C
of C to offer mental health program College
of Charleston's Peer Counseling will host its third annual Mental Health
Monologues program entitled "Even Your Brain Deserves a Check Up"
on April 12. The event will be held in the Sottile Theatre starting at
7 p.m.
While the term designates a campsite ideal for anglers throughout much of the Palmetto State, “fish camp” for upstate South Carolinians refers to a family-style seafood restaurant serving reasonably priced dinners to a local clientele. Fish camps differ from the calabash restaurants of the coast in that they serve both salt- and freshwater seafood, and from more upscale seafood restaurants in their prices and decor, which frequently consists of uncovered wooden tables, ladder-back chairs, and walls decorated with taxidermic fish. With strong ties to the tradition of community fish fries, the restaurants prepare fish (usually flounder and catfish) deep-fried in a cornmeal-based coating. Menus are augmented with additional offerings such as deviled crab, shrimp, and oysters, and all come with hush puppies, fries, and coleslaw on the side. A few fish camps, such as Old MacDonald’s in North Augusta, offer a lowcountry boil or a side of grits, an apparent nod to Lowcountry culinary traditions. Generally, fish camps are located near rivers or lakes, such as the Little River Fish Camp in Saluda and the Lake Wylie Fish Camp in York County. The earliest were established along the Catawba River in South and North Carolina in the 1930s and 1940s and began as sheds where anglers could fry their fresh catches. And while most restaurants purchase their fish from seafood wholesalers and farms, fish camps continue to be found along waterways. Catering to a loyal, local clientele, many fish camps serve as gathering places, hosting local club meetings and family celebrations and providing many patrons with a regular opportunity to gossip, talk politics, and discuss current events. Politicians have apparently recognized the importance of these restaurants to their constituents and regularly make formal or informal visits. During the 2000 election, the Catawba Fish Camp in Fort Lawn was a key campaign stop for then-candidate George W. Bush, and in 2002 the same fish camp hosted a campaign rally for Democratic governor Jim Hodges. Other popular fish camps include Tall Tales and Wagon Wheel in Cowpens, the Roebuck and Pioneer restaurants of Spartanburg County, Bailey’s in Blacksburg, and Wateree in Pageland. -- Excerpted from the entry by Stephen Criswell. 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.)
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Five fabulous females The Center for Women's Jennet Robinson Alterman sent along this list of "five fabulous females making Charleston a better place:"
"I love those
hockey moms. You know what they say the difference between a hockey mom
and a pit bull is? Lipstick."
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"Greater Tuna" comedy: 10 shows from April 5 to April 21, Charleston Acting Studio, 915 Folly Road, Charleston. Midtown/Sheri Grade Productions presents this comedy about Texas' third-smallest town "where the Lions Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies." Tickets are $20. More. Easter Egg Hunt: 11 a.m., noon and 1 p.m., April 7, Magnolia Plantation and Gardens, Charleston. Children from 3 to 5 will hunt at 11 a.m., while those who are 6 and 7 will participate at noon. Kids from 8 to 10 years old will get their chance at 1 p.m. All will be looking for eggs stuff with lots of different kinds of prizes. More. Fun Easter promenade: 11 a.m., April 7, Meeting Street, Charleston. You can see lots of great hats as the Hat Ladies of Charleston stroll along Meeting Street to White Point Gardens during their 11th Easter Promenade. The parade starts at the Four Corners of Law. More online or phone 843-762-6679. CALENDAR: ONGOING AND SOON Magnolia's photo
contest: Entries due June 6. If you want to submit pictures
to the 2012 photo contest by Magnolia Plantations and Gardens, you can
start taking picture now. Submissions start April 1 for photos
taken between March 5 and May 31. More
info. The Impact of Hate: 5:30 p.m., April 9, Physicians Auditorium, College of Charleston. Shane Windmeyer, a national leader in gay and lesbian civil rights and a champion for LGBT issues on college campuses, will speak as part of the Office of Institutional Diversity Signature Speaker Series. The event is free and open to the public. More info: Contact the Office of Diversity by email or phone 843.953.5079. (NEW) Haley book signing: 6 p.m., April 9, Blue Bicycle Books, 420 King St., Charleston. Gov. Nikki Haley will sign copies of her new memoir, "Can't is Not an Option" in Charleston. NOTE: Books must be purchased at the store. Each book comes with a ticket for entrance into the signing line. Pre-orders are encouraged online or by phoning 722.2666. Book launch and reception: 6 p.m., April 9, Charleston Library Society, Charleston. Local businesswoman Darla Moore will introduce noted author Charlotte Beers for the debut of her new book, "I'd Rather be in Charge: A Legendary Business Leader's Roadmap for Achieving Pride, Power and Joy at Work." More info: Phone 723.9912. Seating is limited. Gibbes on the Street: 8 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., April 19. The Gibbes Museum of Art will throw its third annual street party with an evening of food, fun and music on Meeting Street between Cumberland and Queen streets. Lots of food by top area chefs will be available. Tickets are $100 for members and $135 for non-members. More: Go online or call 843-722-2706 x22. East Coast Canoe & Kayak Festival: April 20-22, James Island County Park. More than 50 commercial exhibitors will be on hand at the 22nd annual festival that's filled with on-water classes, lectures and demonstrations for paddlers of all ages. More. (NEW)
Chef's Potluck:
4 p.m. to 7 p.m., April 22, Middleton Place Pavillion, outside
Charleston. Lowcountry Local First offers its 5th annual Chef's Potluck
where several of the community's most high-profile chefs partner with
growers and producers to make a great meal. Cost: $65 for members; $70
for others. More.
Bird walks: 8:30 a.m. to noon, every Wednesday and Saturday. This is the time of year that a great variety of migrating birds fly through the Lowcountry so what better time to take part in one of the regular early morning bird walks at Caw Caw Interpretive Center in Ravenel. Pre-registration is suggested. Cost is $5. Learn more online. FOLLOW US ON TWITTER
FOCUS ARCHIVES
6/11: Derreberry:
Maximizing talent 5/29:
Laird:
After-school programs 4/30:
Geiger:
Mobile payments 2/27:
Curley:
"Inga Binga" 1/30:
Tisdale:
Home House Press DOUG
BOSTICK: 5/21: Robert
Smalls ANDY BRACK 6/11:
RFK's
passion 5/29:
PeopleMatter,
more 3/26:
Mutant
bugs attack 2/27:
South
is changing 1/30:
Carrier
visit is awesome ANN
THRASH: 6/4:
Huguenot
torte GREG
GARVAN: 4/30: Waterkeeper
event LIST ARCHIVES 6/11:
Okra
5/21:
Happiest seaside towns 4/30:
Gifts
for grads 3/26:
Joe's
accomplishments 2/27:
Charleston
history 1/30:
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Publishing
news about giveaway dogs, crimes and sporting events is "easy news"
in that it doesn't take much gumption or digging to develop these stories.
Writers can talk to one or two people and pound out stories like this
any day of the week. They can stop by police stations, look at public
reports, take down a few details, interview a detective and grind out
pieces, day in and day out. Or they can just show up at a game, watch,
take some notes, talk to a coach and file what happened.
I
am responsible for publicity for all Tri-County Master Gardener events
and submitted a short event notice to Charleston Currents for publication.
It described our upcoming Carolina Yard Gardening School. 
The
largest of these events is the 13th Annual Charleston County Earth Day
Festival, which will be 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. April 14 at Riverfront Park
at the old Charleston Naval Base in North Charleston. We hope you'll join
in this year. Activities will include the Annual Earth Day art contest,
science projects, booths focusing on waste reduction, composting, wildlife,
energy and water conservation, community exhibits, and promoting a waste-free
event! There will be music, trash-to-treasure, alternative energy information
and more. 
Greg
Garvan of James Island is president of Money with a Mission, an 18-year-old,
fee-only financial planning firm that specializes in socially responsible/
'green' asset management. On the Web: 
The
market, open 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. each Saturday until Dec. 15, will kick off
with a bang when Mayor Pro-Tem Dean Riegel unveils the official 2012 Charleston
Farmers Market poster image. Popular local bluegrass band, "YeeHaw
Junction," will entertain market attendees following the poster unveiling.
The
plan seeks to capitalize on why Charleston is a location for business
success and not just a mere tourism destination. 
Originally
performed in 2008 at Stanford University by a campus organization created
to foster progressive social change through the use of theatre, Mental
Health Monologues have become increasingly more prevalent on college campuses.
At the College of Charleston, the group hopes to raise awareness about
college students' struggles with mental health issues and to erase the
stigma associated with seeking help. 
