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Issue
4.43 | Monday, Aug. 27, 2012 TODAY'S
FOCUS CURRENTS GOOD
NEWS HISTORY
ALSO INSIDE :: FEEDBACK: Send us a letter :: SPOTLIGHT: Kaynard Photography :: BROADUS: "Hi there" :: CALENDAR: This week ... and next :: THE LIST: 5 favorites from Gibbes :: QUOTE: On one kind of red bug |
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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AUG. 26,
2012 -- The S.C. GOP staff is hard at work getting prepared for the 2012
RNC Convention! While Hurricane Isaac has delayed the convention, our
delegation is still excited for the upcoming week. The S.C. GOP will be
communicating with our delegates later today on the status of our private
events that are slated for Monday. Tonight
[Sunday], the South Carolina delegation will be attending the RNC welcome
event at Tropicana Field. Over 20,000 Republican Party activists and press
will attend this private event that will be headlined by country music
star Rodney Atkins. National convention, by the numbers: 3 - The 2012 convention will be the third Republican nominating convention held in Florida.
Haley
to speak: South Carolina Republican Party Chairman Chad Connelly today
congratulated Governor Nikki Haley on the announcement that she will address
the Republican National Convention. ... "I am proud of the South
Carolina Republicans, led by Governor Haley, who will have prominent roles
at next week's Republican National Convention. Governor Haley will shine
a bright, positive spotlight on our state," Connelly said. (Aug.
20, 2012) Editor's note: Haley originally was scheduled to speak 10 p.m.
today, but her convention talk reportedly has been rescheduled to Tuesday
because of the hurricane. More. Delegation
spotlight: Edward Cousar. It's time to meet another one of
our delegates, Edward Cousar, who lives Rock Hill, South Carolina. Mr.
Cousar is originally from Peekskill, New York and is currently the Executive
Director for the Black Republican PAC. He also serves as the 2nd Vice
Chairman for the South Carolina Republican Party. ... Edward's favorite
President is Ronald Reagan and he enjoys watching the History Channel!
We hope you've enjoyed learning about another one of our delegates and
we are excited to see him representing South Carolina in Tampa. (Aug.
14, 2012) Delegation
spotlight: Janis Blocker. Blocker, Chairwoman of the Colleton County
GOP, will be attending the convention in Tampa as an alternate delegate.
Janis is a retired schoolteacher who taught for over 37 years. ... One
of Janis' favorite memories was visiting the White House while George
H.W. Bush was President. While Mrs. Blocker was serving as a County Councilwoman
in Colleton County and visiting the nation's capital for a conference,
Janis was selected to be one of the lucky few to visit the White House.
She was expecting that the visit would be a press conference, but to her
surprise, it was a private meet and greet with 40 other County Councilmen!
How fun! (Aug. 13, 2012) Delegation
spotlight: Curtis Loftis. No stranger to RNC conventions, Loftis attended
his very first in Kansas City in 1976 when he was president of the Teenage
Republicans. He had a great time, especially as it was before the "security
scares" of later days. He was able to meet many important people,
and for two hours he even got to sit with Gerald Ford, the Ford family,
and the entire cabinet. This year, as co-chairman of the SC delegation,
and State Chairman of the Romney for President Committee, Loftis expects
to be very busy! He is excited to travel to Tampa, and most looks forward
to seeing Mitt Romney officially nominated for president of the United
States. (July 31, 2012)
AUG. 27,
2012 -- Once upon a time, people thought the Earth was flat. Then along
came Christopher Columbus and Ferdinand Magellan.
People
also once believed a race of people were scientifically inferior to others,
apparently forgetting we all bleed red. More recently,
some people ignore 99 percent of the world's climate scientists and continue
to think mankind and industrialization have had no impact on causing the
globe to warm. Maybe these are the same people who still believe smoking
is good for you and putting fluoride in the water causes you to become
a communist. The point
is that people often have strongly-held beliefs and opinions that eventually
change because of science or how culture progresses. Over time, the things
they once argued about and fought over eventually became part of daily
life and not that big of a deal. (Remember the battle over school integration?) Some 80
years ago, some railed that Social Security would lead to the end of the
country, but it's hard to find anybody today who wants to give it up.
Same for Medicare. A recent Quinnipiac poll in three presidential swing
states shows three in four people believe the program is worth the cost,
compared to a mere 15 percent who don't. In the
political debates of yore, people got hot and bothered about these things.
Today, they expect them.
Probably.
National polling provides some insight if you compare older Americans
with those who are younger. According to a November 2011 report by the
Pew Research Center called "The Generation Gap and the 2012 Election,"
there are deep political divides between the Silent Generation -- Americans
over 65 born between 1928 and 1945 -- and the Millennial Generation, born
between 1981 and 1993. The study
highlights how "an overwhelming majority of Silents are either angry
or frustrated with government." They tend to most strongly disapprove
of President Obama. And few tend to see "racial intermarriage and
the growing population of immigrants as changes for the better."
Millennials, however, embrace racial diversity and don't see race as such
a big deal. As a generation, they tend to "hold 'baked in' support
for more activist government" and have little identification with
the Republican Party. While the
world view of these two generations at the end of the spectrum is different,
there are some issues where there's not much disagreement. Both generations
tend to favor the death penalty for convicted murders. Both have similar
percentages for protecting gun rights. Both generations reflect similar
ideological splits on abortion with 51 percent of Silents and 53 percent
of Millennials saying it should remain legal. On these issues, it's more
likely today's attitudes will be similar down the road. But look
at three other issues where they're miles apart -- gay marriage, legalization
of marijuana and the need to push more for equal rights. In each of these
areas, Millennials don't see why they're that big of a deal. In 25 years,
people easily might wonder, "Aren't you embarrassed about what you
were thinking then?" It will
be interesting over the next two decades to see how much of the Millennial
Generation's more activist attitudes will stick. Once they start owning
homes, putting kids in school, helping parents into assisted living and
paying more in taxes, they might back away from their bigger government
attitudes. But maybe they'll see government as more of a part of the solution,
not the problem.
Kaynard Photography grew from Michael's love of walking the streets of the Charleston's historic district. It developed into a passion for capturing everything Charleston through a camera lens. Kaynard can be seen walking the streets of Charleston many days from dawn to darkness. He calls his work "At Street Level". His photos are available for viewing and sale at kaynardphotography.webs.com.
Georgia native Jay Kemp will be the featured painter and Illinois artist Pete Zaluzec will be featured sculptor at the 31st annual Southeastern Wildlife Exposition in February.
Kemp's work is highly sought after by art connoisseurs for its perfection of detail, exquisite coloration and unique style that juxtaposes illusion and emotion with super realism. A collegiate baseball player and graduate of North Georgia College, he began his career as a professional artist in 1991. An avid outdoorsman, Kemp paints subjects he knows best and enjoys most - wildlife, nature and the outdoors. Although he may use up to 500 reference materials for a single painting, Kemp draws from his experience outdoors to create his realistic works. "I strive to capture those images that pass quickly in our lives, leaving a fleeting yet memorable impression," Kemp said, according to SEWE. Zaluzec strives to distill the essence of the subject and capture its gestures, personality and character correctly through the expressive powers of sculpture, painting and original print in his pieces. Zaluzec received his bachelor of fine arts degree from the Art Institute of Chicago and, in 1986, began carving highly-detailed lifelike birds, winning him multiple awards. For 30 years, the Southeastern Wildlife Exposition has presented the finest in wildlife art, conservation and the sporting lifestyle. The 31st annual SEWE will be held in multiple venues throughout downtown Charleston from Feb. 15 to Feb. 17. SEWE draws approximately 35,000 attendees each year from across the nation. More. Trident Health performs 2,000th robotic surgery Trident
Health's South Carolina Institute for Robotic Surgery performed its 2,000th
robotic surgery last month when Dr. Ted Brisson, who performed the Institute's
first case four years ago, surgically removed a patient's kidney.
Trident
Medical Center is now a case observation site for training robotic surgeons
throughout the southeastern United States. The Institute has been recognized
nationally as a model robotics program for surgical best practices by
demonstrating an exceptionally trained robotics team, surgical efficiency
and superior patient outcomes. Hospitals from around the country observe
the Institute's robotics team at Trident to learn these best practices.
"It
is rewarding to introduce other physicians to the excitement of robotic
surgery and to have a part in their mentoring," said Dr. Jeffrey
Lafond, who recently performed the Lowcountry's first "single site"
gallbladder surgery. "Single site" refers to one incision, which
is the diameter of a pencil eraser, through which the surgical procedure
is accomplished. The Institute has performed several "firsts"
in robotic surgery. For a full list please visit SCrobotics.com. College to host Italian film festival, black power conference The College of Charleston will host two September events that are sure to make headlines or heads turn. On Sept. 20, the Nuovo Cinema Italiano Film Festival will present four Italian directors over four days at the Sottile Theatre. Directors Edoardo De Angelis, Paola Randi, Tony Zangardi and Nico Cirasola present their films and discuss their work.
"This is a good occasion for the community to know what the latest trends are in Italian cinema, and a good occasion for students to learn about Italian culture," said Giovanna De Luca, festival director and professor of Italian and cinema at the College of Charleston. "What's more, these movie directors are accustomed to international film festivals such as Cannes or Venice or Tribeca. It's unusual for a regional festival in the United States to attract such talent and a testament to Charleston's artistic and cultural allure."
At the same time the film festival is occurring, the College of Charleston's Avery Research Center for African American History and Culture will host a public history symposium and community event entitled "The Fire Every Time: Reframing Black Power across the Twentieth Century and Beyond." The two-day conference, which will start Sept. 21, will consider topics ranging from policing, incarceration, higher education, Black arts and cultural institutions, politics and policy to the military, self-defense, grassroots organizing, images and iconography, interracial alliances and "Rainbow" coalitions, religion, filmmaking, and transnationalism and global perspectives. Over fifty of the country's top scholars on African-American history and culture alongside local activists and community members will participate in this conference. Plenary speakers include: Cleveland Sellers, Herman Blake, Osei Chandler, James Campbell, Millicent Brown, Peniel Joseph, Donna Murch, Yohuru Williams and Hasan Jeffries.
Tickets on sale for next month's Museum Mile Weekend Cultural sites along Charleston's Museum Mile will come together Sept. 21 to Sept. 23 for the fourth annual Museum Mile Weekend. A single pass will allow complimentary admission for visitors to 13 sites along and around Meeting Street in historic downtown Charleston.
Among the special offerings:
The Weekend
Pass is only $25 for adults and $10 for children 12 and under. If purchased
separately, adult admission for the participating sites would cost over
$100 for adults and more than $50 for children. Museum Mile Weekend passes
are available now at www.charlestonsmuseummile.org
or by calling (843) 722-2996 x235. Visit the link to learn dates and times
of special events.
Three
SC brigades fought in Second Battle of Manassas In August 1862, even though there was no immediate threat to the City of Charleston, Charlestonians were feeling the effects of the war. Reports of South Carolinians killed on the battlefields of Virginia were appearing in the Charleston papers on a daily basis. On August 5, the Charleston Mercury sadly informed its readership of the death of a 21-year-old soldier with the Carolina Light Infantry Volunteers. The young soldier, reared and educated in Charleston, was mortally wounded during the Peninsula Campaign. His dying words were, "Tell my sister I was well up to the time I was shot - not to grieve, because I die happy - and my only regret is, that I have not another life to give to my country."
On August
28 to 30, the Second Battle of Manassas was fought in Virginia on the
same ground as the First Battle of Manassas in 1861, but on a much larger
scale. The Union army, commanded by Major General John Pope, was crushed
and the battle, as the First Battle of Manassas, was a resounding Confederate
victory. There were three South Carolina brigades engaged in the battle. During the ferocious fight, Maxcy Gregg's brigade ran out of ammunition and he sent word to General A. P. Hill, "I will hold my position with the bayonet." Gregg encouraged
his men to hold their ground, shouting, "let us die here, my men,
let us die here!" Though Gregg and his men repulsed six Union attacks,
many of his men did die on the field that day. Casualties in all three
brigades of South Carolina men were high. In the 17th South Carolina Infantry,
six out of every 10 men were killed or wounded. Supplies and war materials were also already running short. After the fall of New Orleans in May 1862, the only major southern ports still open were Charleston and Wilmington, though both were harassed by the Federal Blockading Fleet. The Charleston Mercury, in late August, made a plea for contributions of lead, writing, Lead is much needed in the service, and as every citizen is bound to contribute to the extent of his ability to the establishment of our independence, every family in the State should look about their premises and forward such lead as may be spared for the use of the army. . . . Many families have lead enough about their premises, in the form of sheets, pipes, blocks, etc., when moulded into bullets, to put a company of Yankees to flight. Let them send it forthwith on its patriotic mission. Soon after the Battle of Secessionville and the evacuation of the Union troops from James and Sol Legare Islands, Governor Francis Pickens renewed his letter and telegram campaign, pleading with Jefferson Davis to relieve General Pemberton of command in Charleston. Pickens also wanted the batteries on Battery and Coles Islands reestablished. Davis responded that he would leave the decisions about Battery and Coles Islands to his military staff. Of Pemberton, he offered, "I am desirous of obliging you and would be glad to secure the services of General Pemberton elsewhere…My own confidence, however, in General Pemberton is such that I would be satisfied to have him in any position requiring the presence of an able general." Despite the vote of confidence for Pemberton, Davis issued Special Order No. 202 on August 29, 1862, assigning Beauregard the command of the Department of South Carolina and Georgia. Charlestonians were overjoyed to learn that the "hero of Charleston" would soon return to the city.
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Favorites at the Gibbes
Gibbes Museum of Art volunteer museum educator Annette Wanick enjoys telling school groups and visitors on tours about the array of pieces in the museum. Wanick, who taught school for 33 years, offers these her favorites at the museum: The works of Jeremiah Theus, a self-taught artist from Orangeburg more than 200 years ago. "We look at the faces of the people in Theus's works. I ask, 'What is the feature that stands out the most?' The students typically answer 'the eyes' and that those eyes are looking at us. I explain that the painter wants us to notice and remember the subject." "April (The Green Gown)," by Childe Hassam. "We look at what is different about the way Hassam has painted the face of this woman. Students notice her face is turned away from us, as a side profile. Where is she looking? She appears to be looking off into the distance, not at us. What is she doing? Students typically respond with, 'She is thinking or remembering something.' We discuss what she could be thinking about. It is almost as if we must be very quiet so as not to disturb her. We want to respect her privacy. She is not inviting us to k now her as were the earlier portraits by Theus and others."
"Coosawhatchie Bottom," by Jeremiah Miller. This painting is an example of a landscape. Students are asked to describe what they see in general and then name specifics. We look for a spot of dry land on which we all could stand. Since this painting is very large, students are then asked to use their imaginations to actually step into the painting and use their senses of hearing and smell to experience the painting. We have to be very quiet for this activity so everyone gets a chance to tell what they are hearing and smelling. The students become a part of the painting. I've done this activity with adults as well and the response is great. "The Wreck of the Rose in Bloom," by John Devaere. When dealing with the comparisons of art and literature, this work is a good example of how art incorporates character, setting, plot and sequence. Students are able to identify these elements by answering questions about this work of art. "The Wreck" offers an excellent starting point for a writing project once students have returned to the classroom. This relief is very alive with action which excites the students' imaginations. By seeing and discussing the work, students come to learn the actual history of the relief and the story it portrays.
"Damned chiggers."
Loading
Yikes! Last home stand: The Charleston RiverDogs will feature their last home stand of the season Tuesday through Thursday at Joe Riley Stadium. Games start at 7:05 p.m. More. Book signing: 7 p.m. Aug. 30, Barnes and Noble, Towne Center, Mount Pleasant. Robert Leleux, author of “The Living End a Memoir of Forgiving and Forgetting” will have a book signing and talk on his January 2012 book on his grandmother's journey through Alzheimer's. (NEW) Beer and wine fest: 4 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., Sept. 2, Freshfields Village, Johns Island. The 6th annual Lowcountry Beer & Wine Festival will feature a buffet from Hege's Restaurant, craft beers, wine and live music. Tickets are $35 in advance and $40 at the gate. The event will benefit the Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic. More. CALENDAR: ONGOING AND SOON (NEW) John Shelton Reed: 6:30 p.m., Sept. 6, Bond Hall, The Citadel. Reed, a nationally-known authority on Southern identity, will discuss his forthcoming book, "Dixie Bohemia: A French Quarter Circle in the 1920s." The Last Flapper: 7:30 p.m., Sept. 7, 8, 10, 14 and 15; 3 p.m. matinee on Sept. 16, Park Circle (1080 East Montague), North Charleston. The South of Broadway Theatre Company will offer this one-woman show based on the writings of Zelda (Mrs. F. Scott) Fitzgerald following a successful January run. Tickets are $18. More. (NEW) SOAR on Folly: 8 a.m., Sept. 8, Folly Beach. SOAR on Folly is a 5K family fun run that will benefit Special Olympics South Carolina. The cost in advance is $25 for adults; $15 for kids under 12. More. Shaggin' on the Cooper: 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., Sept. 8, Mount Pleasant Pier, Mount Pleasant. Coastrunner will offer live classic oldies and beach music as shaggers dance the night away. Only 800 tickets sold; cost is $10. For more on this and several other September events, go online to: www.ccprc.com (NEW)
Benefit concert: 1 p.m., Sept. 23, Awendaw Green, 4879 N.
Highway 17, Awendaw. Awendaw Green and assorted local artists will conduct
a benefit for local guitarist Nick Collins, who was injured in a car accident
earlier this month. Performers include Sol Driven Train, Fowler's Mustache,
The Reckoning, Ten Toes Up, Danielle Howle with Firework Show, Killer
Whales, Stained Glass Wall and Sara Cole and the Hawkes. Food and drinks
will be available for purchase at this all-day event. More.
Bubbly and Brew: 7 p.m. to 11 p.m., Sept. 28, Harborside East, Mount Pleasant. My Sister's House will present the 4th annual Bubbly and Brew fundraiser with champagne and lots of tasty food, as well as live music, a silent auction and a live auction. Tickets are $60 in advance, $75 at the door. More. (NEW) More shagging: 7 p.m., Sept. 29, Mount Pleasant Pier. Charleston County Parks has added an additional "Shaggin' on the Cooper" concert that will feature Groove Train with its classic R&B, pop and rock favorites. Tickets are $10. 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
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S.C.
by the numbers: Of the 52 members of the South Carolina delegation,
19 are female. There are six educators, two doctors, 18 small business
people, one retired Air Force pilot, three engineers, two former congressional
candidates, two former state party chairmen, five members of the General
Assembly, the wife of a congressman, the House speaker and the state treasurer.
Ten percent are minorities. The oldest delegation member is 79; the youngest
is 28. The delegates come from 35 hometowns in nine states. Two are attending
their sixth national convention; 22 are attending their first.
So
what about the current hot-button issues that send people's tempers into
outer space and keep blood pressure doctors in business? Are there conservative
issues -- relaxed gun laws, laissez fair attitudes on corporate behavior,
pro-life abortion politics, opposition to gay marriage, school vouchers,
lower taxes -- that people of tomorrow will scratch their heads, wondering
what the big fuss was? Similarly, are there more liberal issues -- universal
health care, pro-choice politics, anti-development proposals, "big
government," tax policy, more early childhood education -- that will
make people look silly in hindsight?
So,
what's on your mind? So drop us a line and tell us what's on your mind
or what's bothering you? Or send us other thoughts. We love getting input
from you. If you have an opinion you'd like to share (150 words or less,
please), send your letters to: 
The
public spiritedness of our underwriters allows us to bring Charleston
Currents to you at no cost. Today we shine our spotlight on a brand new
underwriter: Kaynard Photography, a business run by contributing
photographer Michael Kaynard of West Ashley.
They'll
join special guest artist Brett Smith of Covington, La., "to headline
a group of nearly 120 artists presenting one of the finest displays of
wildlife art in the country," said SEWE Executive Director John Powell.
In
less than four years, the Institute has performed 2,101 robotic procedures,
more than twice as many as any other hospital or health system in the
entire Charleston area, according to Trident Health. The South Carolina
Institute for Robotic Surgery consists of an advanced team of 18 surgeons
with specialized robotics training. 
Nuovo
Cinema Italiano will offer 13 feature films over four days, beginning
with an opening night celebration on Sept. 20 featuring food from Monza
restaurant, a major sponsor of the festival. Programming includes the
presentation of rarely seen short films and formal Q&A sessions with
filmmakers after the screening of their movies.
"The
Museum Mile Weekend Pass provides the perfect opportunity for visitors
and locals to explore a rich assortment of superb sites for the low cost
of just one ticket," said Kitty Robinson, executive director of Historic
Charleston Foundation, which operates the Nathaniel Russell House and
the Aiken-Rhett House museums. "Individuals and families will love
the museums, parks and historic houses along the Mile, and we invite everyone
to experience the history and beauty for themselves."
Douglas
W. Bostick grew up on James Island, and his ancestors in South Carolina
date back to colonial America. He is the author of several books and
numerous articles that have appeared in historical journals, magazines
and national newsletters. A graduate of the College of Charleston, Bostick
earned a master's degree from the University of South Carolina. He is
a former staff and faculty member of the University of South Carolina
and the University of Maryland.
"Corene,"
by Jonathan Green. "Corene" is life-sized, much like the Hassam
we just saw. However, upon observation and questioning, students see there
are many differences. The colors are bold and the artist has done something
very interesting to the face. He has turned the face away from us altogether
and is not letting us see any of her facial features. Quite a difference
from the early portraits we saw. Instead we are looking at a happening
or story unfolding. Students are encouraged through open-ended questions
to describe what they see concerning the weather, time of year, time of
day, where the woman might have been, where she is going, and what she
is doing. From these deductions, students surmise what they think is happening
in this work of art. 
