An Open Letter to Mayor Riley

My name is Jonathon Kalik and I am currently a student at the College of Charleston. I have lived in Charleston my entire life, as well as been completely in love with the city since day one. Not only am I in love with the city, I have great respect for what you personally have done for our city. My family makes it’s living from the tourism industry, and under your leadership Charleston tourism has thrived. Post graduation I hope to continue in the family field and remain relevant in Charleston’s tourism enterprise.

The reason I have chosen to write you with a concern is due to parking ticket enforcement in Charleston. I am not a repeat offender of the parking laws in and around downtown Charleston, but this week I have witnessed first hand the horrendous way in which the business of parking is conducted. Specifically, my issue derives from the attitude of those issuing the citations, as well as the system for repeals.

In the past week alone I have received three parking tickets. I am not writing you to discuss the specific nature of my infractions, but the unreasonable system surrounding the Parking Authority. I understand the importance of Parking Authority both economically and for traffic safety throughout Charleston.

Once a ticket is received, an offender either must pay the ticket in a certain time frame, or go to the Department of Motor Vehicles to dispute the ticket. The system is set up specifically to discourage the public from being able to dispute tickets.

I personally have two full time jobs. I take classes year round, and specifically this summer from 9:45 am to 11:30 am, as well as work in the restaurant business from 4:00 pm until 11:30 pm. The DMV only allows disputes to be made during limited hours 4:30 to 6:30 and 9:30 to 11:30 as you can see these times overlap.

I have contacted the DMV numerous times, and have received the same automated answer from the receptionist. “You may place your claims between the hours listed on the back of your citation.”

It is a system set in place by officials with no leniency. No exceptions to the rule, and really no humanity. Not to mention that those who deliver these citations seem to mirror that of the system itself.

What am I asking of you? What are my options to change the way the system works? Where is one to go when the system repeatedly slams the door in their face? And secondly, how can we, “the friendliest city in America” change the system, so those who work hard for the city of Charleston, and love the city of Charleston don’t suffer because of unfair parking legislation. Please help me understand my options so this doesn’t continue to happen to the good people of Charleston, who go to work everyday day benefiting the city and the community. Thank you for your time.

Sincerely,

Jonathon Kalik

The Basics of Wine

By Jonathon Kalik

Summer is officially here. With Charleston’s summer brings high temperatures, soaring humidity, and afternoon rain showers. But with that, also comes the opportunity to escape the daily grind. In Charleston we are lucky enough to have beautiful beaches, expansive waterways, and a local restaurant scene unmatched by cities three times our size. From local seafood, imported New York steak houses, to Gullah cuisine- Charleston has it all- and it’s all good.

As summer continues to roll through the days get longer and the opportunities to dine out become more available.

For any great meal the perfect complement is a great bottle of wine, but where to begin? In many local restaurants the wine lists are expansive, each bottle sounding more foreign then the next. Of course there are those people who know the difference between a Riesling and a Gewurztraminer, but the majority of diners have get lost in a wine list that seemingly never ends.

The best way to truly become a skilled wine drinker is to take classes paired with wine tastings. For those who want to enjoy and choose a bottle of wine, and have the opportunity to impress both your server and friends, the basics of wine are vital.

To begin, there are a few major types of white wine. Each of these varietals has unique origins, tastes, and abilities to be paired with specific foods.

The most popular and one of the most versatile varieties is Chardonnay. Chardonnay originated in the Burgundy region of France, and remains the primary grape of the region. Primarily fermented in oak barrels takes buttery notes, and should radiate citrus flavors, vanilla, and creaminess. Chardonnay can be consumed by itself on a warm summer day or paired with fish and chicken courses.

Chardonnay like many whites can be both dry and sweet. It is important to distinguish which taste is preferred in each specific wine variety.

Sauvignon Blanc is also a popular wine throughout Charleston and the world. Sauvignon Blanc originated in the Bordeaux region of France, and is now popularly grown in New Zealand and Australia. Sauvignon Blanc is most known for its herbal qualities. Tastes of bell peppers, sour apple, and tropical fruits all are possibilities with a nice glass of Sauvignon Blanc. The flavors of Sauvignon Blanc are perfectly paired with seafood and salads.

Another popular white wine throughout the world and in Charleston is Pinot Grigio. Pinot Grigio originated in Italy. The qualities of a Pinot Grigio are crisp, dry wines with a tannic note at the finish. Due to its versatility in flavors, a Pinot Grigio can be paired with all types of food, from cheeses to meat.

Riesling wine originated in the Rhine region of Germany, but there are great distinctions depending on where the grape itself is grown. Riesling white wine tends to be much lighter then the varieties listed above. Its flavor comes from the region in which it is grown, but remains very fresh tasting, with hints of apple.

Gewurztraminer is a second white wine originating from the Rhine region in Germany. The grapes are high in natural sugars and provide a unique drinking experience. Gewurztraminer is flavored with aromas of roses, and “bites” of peaches and allspice. A well-rounded Gewurztraminer is ideal for Asian food, pork, or to be enjoyed by itself.

Red wines give a consumer numerous verities each with their own unique origins, tastes, and abilities to be paired with specific foods.

Syrah or Shiraz is a unique red wine the origins are not quite known. Many believe that what we call “Syrah” originated in Europe, and “Shiraz” originated in the Middle East. Both Syrah and Shiraz are the same variety of grape. The Syrah is a bold and spicy wine, with notes of black pepper and roasted meat. The food pairings for a Syrah tend to be meat, stew, or wild game.

An easy to drink red wine is a Merlot. Merlot is originally from the Bordeaux region of France. Merlot is slightly tannic, but incredibly easy to drink. It is best paired with any type of food, and denotes flavors of berry, black pepper, and slight tannic notes.

Cabernet Sauvignon is a bold red wine, but has become very popular due to its incredible assortment of flavors. Cabernet Sauvignon originates from northern France, but grows anywhere that grapes thrive. Cabernet Sauvignon is a great wine to allow to age. With the aging process comes a smooth silky texture that Cabernet Sauvignon is known for. It is best paired with red meat, and or to be drank alone.

Malbec like many other grape types is from the Bordeaux region of France. Malbec like Riesling takes the earthy flavors of where it is grown. It is generally an easy drinking wine with notes of berries, plums, and spices. It like the Cabernet Sauvignon is best paired with red meat.

The Pinot Noir is also one of the more popular varieties of red wine. It originated from the Burgundy region in France but is now like most wine types grown throughout the world. It is most different from the Cabernet Sauvignon, with light fresh notes, and lacking the tannins associated with a nice Cab. It is a soft wine with notes of cherries, strawberries, and leather. It is excellent with grilled foods especially salmon, chicken, and lamb.

Zinfandel is the world most multipurpose grape type. The grape type originated in Croatia, but is now grown throughout the world, including California. It is a unique wine with flavors of berries and pepper. Depending on where the wine is grown it can be rich and heavy, or light and smooth. A good Zinfandel should be paired with pasta, pizza, and barbequed meats.

There are a tremendous amount of different varieties of wine, each with their own distinct flavor and texture. It is important to get out, have fun and really enjoy tasting each of the varieties.

For more information of wine types, pairing, and origins feel free to take one of the many wine classes located throughout the Charleston, or use the Internet to keep learning.

Enjoy.

Why the Best Biscuits Come From Charleston

By Sarah Marie Glass

Growing up I was lucky enough to have a sit down dinner with my brothers and both of my parents almost every night. Our meals consisted of three “colors” as my mother would say: a meat or fish, a salad or prepared vegetables (sometimes both), and a starch of some sort. There was always a broad range of starches whether it was a fancy pasta or rice or a rosemary olive oil loaf or homemade whole wheat bread. However, I could count on a few fingers the number of times that we were served biscuits with our dinner.

Upon moving from Washington, D.C. to the South for college at the College of Charleston I realized how much of a staple biscuits are at the southern table. The buttery goodness of biting into my first real southern biscuit was almost paralyzing. Do not get me wrong – my mother is an outstanding cook who can make even kale tickle your taste buds. However, it was something about the way the biscuit complimented my meal that made the eating experience that much better. I felt at home in the South, fully comforted by this delicious pillow inside my mouth.

This began my quest for the perfect biscuit. Working on King Street downtown I was always exploring the local biscuit opportunities. I must thank Virginia’s on Queen for frequently supplying the store I worked at with scrumptious biscuits. These were a real treat. If there was a biscuit on the menu at a restaurant I visited, by golly I would order it. I expanded my search, almost obsession at this point, to places other than King Street. My taste buds took a tour of Charleston, biscuit by biscuit, for about two years.

I yearned for those biscuits while I was on sabbatical from the South exploring the wonders of Italian cuisine during my semester abroad. The day you find a biscuit in an Italian restaurant would be the day you find an Ohio transplant going back to Ohio.

When I returned to Charleston after my adventures I was pleasantly surprised by a new biscuit that I had never tasted before. While I was gone my roommate Lauren Vinciguerra had been doing some of my legwork for me. She is one of the most talented bakers I know and I am beyond lucky to live with her. In my absence Vinciguerra began working at the bakery that makes the best biscuit I have ever tasted. The first biscuit I had when I returned was a buttermilk biscuit from Callie’s Charleston Biscuits.

Now, what makes Callie’s Charleston Biscuits the best biscuits? I truly believe they are the best in the South. I found myself in good company: some of Callie’s more notable fans include Oprah and Martha Stewart, and food critics from dozens of national publications: New York Times, Better Homes & Gardens, Real Simple, and Country Living to name a few.

I asked Vinciguerra who has become a true biscuit expert to explain to me what made these fantastic biscuits so special. What it boiled down to was what the biscuits really represented: traditional Charleston southern cooking.

All of Callie’s biscuits are made by hand in small batches of about 126 biscuits, one sheet pan at a time. Vinciguerra explained “Most companies use mixers but the only thing we use mixers for is to make the mustard butter for ham biscuits and the cinnamon butter for cinnamon biscuits.” There at most four people baking in the kitchen at any given time. There are only three stations the biscuits go through before going into the single industrial oven in the kitchen. Step 1: Mix, 2: Stamp (roll out dough, cut out biscuits, fill pan), 3: butter (of course). The process takes about thirty minutes from prep to a fully baked biscuit.

Until just the past year or two only family members made Callie’s biscuits. Callie’s employees are required to sign a contract stating that they will not replicate the recipe as their own or even tell people what exactly is in the biscuits. The secret recipes remain under lock and key.

All that the public can know: “they are made of things that you would find in almost any pantry, there’s nothing crazy in it. The beauty is in the simplicity of them: All of the biscuits have less than 10 ingredients” explained Vinciguerra. Despite their simplicity, their taste is mouth-watering.

The unique freezing and packaging process that follows allows for, literally, worldwide enjoyment. Vinciguerra explained that “Right after the biscuits are fully baked we flash freeze them. The next day we vacuum seal them and then put them back in the freezer. We try to keep at least 200 biscuits of each flavor in the freezer at all times. Once we receive an order we put them in coolers and we ship them in cooled packaging with gel ice packs.”

In just five years Callies Charleston Biscuits have become internationally known and recognized. In the Charleston area the delectable biscuits can be found in a variety of Piggly Wigglys (and Piggly Wiggly owned stores including Seaside Farms and Fresh Fields), Caviar and Bananas and other specialty stores. Nationally Callie’s Charleston Biscuits are carried at every Dean and Deluca and in many specialty stores. There is no need to fret if you cannot find a location where the biscuits are carried close to you. Callie’s ships to just about any address worldwide. “One time we shipped to Australia” said Vinciguerra. Just place your order at www.calliesbiscuits.com and little bites of Charleston will arrive on your doorstep within days.

Now if and when I do leave the South, I will not have to leave my biscuits behind.

*Watch out for Callies on the Today Show on Thursday, July 1.

Charleston Summer: What Students Do to Pass the Time

By Katie LaMaster

Summer is in full swing in Charleston, SC. Tourists fill the streets each day on their way to historical sites or one of the many beaches nearby. The College of Charleston campus is much quieter than the average weekday as many students have left for the summer.

But what is it that those students who stay in Charleston do during the summer? It’s not all trips to the beach with friends and nights out at the bars.

Many students stay behind to work, others to take classes. Jobs vary from being a nanny to parking cars, and all come with a wide range of interesting experiences and stories.

One girl, Two boys…and a Turtle?

Katherine Banks has spent the summer in Charleston every year since she was born, so it was only natural that she decided to do it again.

She also wanted to stay for her job. Banks has been a nanny for a family in the Charleston area since August 2007.

As a rising College of Charleston senior, majoring in early childhood education, the experience is one that she adores. “I love working with kids, and I love the adventures we go on every day,” she said.

One of Katherine’s favorite adventures with the boys she looks after was a day at the South Carolina Aquarium.

After stopping one boy from pulling fish out of a tank, she turned to find the other had managed to get his hands on a turtle. It took all that she had not to laugh at how serious the three-year-old boy was about keeping the turtle and taking it home with him.

Luckily for Katherine she managed to get the turtle safely back in his tank before aquarium workers caught sight of the attempted turtle heist.

Apart from the aquarium, Katherine and the boys generally split up the days between trips to the beach, pool or playground. There is one downside, however, to a life of sandcastles, swimsuits and popsicles. “Kids have bad days and that can make them really hard to deal with,” said Banks.

During her days off, Sundays, and after work, Banks frequents Jestine’s Kitchen and cherishes the Charleston heat.

Just Another Semester of School

Many students choose to take a summer class or two, but this summer Andrew Budreau is taking 13 hours of class. And he is working at East Bay Deli.

Budreau, a rising senior at CofC, recently switched from being a biology major to a physical education major with a concentration in health promotion. The switch has left him a little behind, but he is working hard to graduate on time.

The 13 hours he is taking this semester will help catch him up. And for those who think that summer school is a breeze, think again. Budreau’s summer is filled with challenging classes including anatomy and nutrition.

While not in class Budreau is either working or hanging out with friends on the beach.

He works short shifts at the deli cooking, grilling, doing dishes and preparing food. So far he has nothing negative to say about his job.

He has a great time with his co-workers, talking about random topics. “Today we were talking about a zombie apocalypse,” Budreau said. “Everyone chose a weapon of choice to fight them, and now the list of weapons is hanging up in the deli.”

You’ve Never Seen the Ocean?

Although New Hampshire-native Devin Kerrigan is enjoying the Charleston heat this summer, it is a little too hot to handle when he’s working. As a bellman at Harborview Inn, he spends much of his working hours running up and down the stairs of a parking garage and carrying luggage.

Kerrigan chose to stay in Charleston for the summer because he was looking for something different. And he is happy with his decision to stay.

Although there is the occasional visitor to the hotel who is unappreciative of the work Kerrigan does, he enjoys the professional atmosphere of working at Harborview. “It’s a great, extremely high paced job,” he said, “and supposedly there is upward mobility in the company which is always a plus.”

One of the many upsides to his job is “getting to meet so many different people from all over the world.” “It is cool to hear where all the guests are from,” Kerrigan said, “There was even one the other day who had never seen the ocean.”

Previously working two jobs at once, Kerrigan cherishes time off. He uses his days off for running errands, doing laundry and, of course, trips to the beach.

He has been living in Charleston for almost a year, and there are still many things he wants to do.

Although he has tried out many lowcountry restaurants, he hasn’t had a chance to visit any of the plantations nearby. He is also eager to take a historical tour of the city.

As for those things he has had a chance to explore in the Charleston area, his recommendations include restaurants like Magnolias and 82 Queen. He is also a fan of the bars on Market St and East Bay St.

“A New Life in Three Months"

Not every student who is living in Charleston this summer is a student from the College of Charleston. Sibylle Faure is a student from Lyon, France who has been studying in the United States for the past year.

Faure spent the last year studying at the University of Missouri and is working in Charleston for the summer. She returns to France at the end of August.

Faure is taking full advantage of living in Charleston, while working full time at her internship for cookware company Le Creuset. Currently, she is working on the creative and marketing sides of a new development at the company.

Faure uses her time off to explore the city and visit the surrounding beaches. “I like the fact that it is a vacation city,” Faure said. She also loves that the city has a lot of history and is a fan of the “little streets”.

Although her life in Charleston has been a lot of fun, planning her three months here was not easy. She applied for many internships before landing her current one at Le Creuset. She also believes she looked at “about 300” houses and apartments on craigslist before finding her current place.

The hardest part, Faure said, was getting an extension on her visa. She began the process in January and it took all of second semester to complete the process, as she had to fill out multiple request forms and apply for a Social Security Number.

The experience of living in the US has been bittersweet for Faure. While she loves meeting new people and getting to travel to new places, she misses her friends, family and boyfriend back home.

She struggles with limiting her time on Internet voice-calling program Skype. “Some days I want to just enjoy my life here, so I tell myself ‘no Skype today’. But other days I spend hours talking to my friends in France,” Faure said.

Overall she describes her summer in Charleston as “a new life in three months.”

Not Just Another Day at the Beach

Summer in Charleston may sound like days full of soaking up the sun on Sullivan’s Island, or surfing at Folly Beach, but these four students know that that is not always the case.

In reality, beach days for these students are more commonly found scattered in between hours spent hard at work at a variety of jobs and in a variety of classes.

Fish Are Friends, Not Food

By Janae Tanti

The Bluefin Tuna has been consumed by humans for centuries, since the time of the ancient Greeks and Romans. It was not until the middle of the twentieth century, when the raw food trend began, that the human demand for tuna meat outweighed the ocean’s supply. As the sushi and sashimi industries are continuing to flourish, the earth’s Bluefin tuna population is hopelessly floundering.
Scientists across the globe are in a race against time to save these fish, applying scientific technologies and advancements to breeding the Bluefin in captivity, but more immediate results are needed in order to save the Bluefin from extinction. Without an increased public awareness and a reform in politics, the Bluefin tuna will cease to exist within two years.
When scientists tried to build a mechanical, “perfect” fish in the 1990’s, they used the Bluefin Tuna as a model. Its size and speed make it one of the most incredible fish in the sea. With its scimitar-shaped tale, the blue fin tuna can reach speeds up to forty miles per hour and are capable of migrating across entire oceans. Similar to a mammal, the Blue fin Tuna is warm-blooded, maintaining a body temperature of eighty-one degrees Fahrenheit. It can reach a weight of up to one thousand five hundred pounds and a length of ten feet.
But the belly meat of the Bluefin tuna is considered a delicacy across the globe, making it not only one of the most incredible fish in the sea- but one of the most hunted.
With the sushi and sashimi industries’ increasingly high demand for the Bluefin Tuna, tuna may be one of the most sought-after fish in the sea- but they are becoming increasingly hard to find.
The recent quota of Bluefin Tuna caught, set by the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) in November of 2009, is 13,500 tons- 5000 tons more than the suggestions of scientists. Based on models of the Blue fin tuna’s population dynamics, scientists have claimed that 8,500 (or less) would help “halt overfishing and given a 90 percent chance of rebuilding stocks by 2019,” according to an article published in The Economist titled Changing Tides. At this rate, according to the World Wildlife Fund, the population of Bluefin tuna of the reproducing age will be completely wiped out by 2012.
It is no wonder the Bluefin Tuna has been described as “the most endangered of all large fish species” by Richard Ellis, a marine conservationist.
The Bluefin tuna has not always been in such high demand as it is today. In the early twentieth century, tuna was considered nothing more than horse mackerel, and was used in the production of dog and cat food. The raw food movement is a recent phenomenon, with the consumption of sushi and sashimi becoming popular around the middle of the twentieth century.
The Bluefin has always been caught in sport fishing- considered quite the trophy due to its size, but its population did not begin to diminish until the 1950’s when the purse-seining and long-lining fishing techniques emerged in order to supply the amount of tuna needed for the up-and-coming sushi industry.
The International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas (ICCAT) was established in 1969 in order to protect the Bluefin tuna by setting international quotas for annual catching, but its methods were ineffective. ICCAT had based its quotas on incorrect scientific data.
It was once believed that there were two separate Bluefin populations-one that bred in the Gulf of Mexico and stayed in the western Atlantic and another that spawned in the Mediterranean and foraged in the eastern part of the ocean. But tagging experiments concluded that while there were two breeding grounds, the two different populations could swim across the ocean, causing the two populations to overlap.
ICCAT based its quotas on this two-population belief, setting strict catching restrictions in the western Atlantic but allowing a larger amount of tuna to be caught in the eastern Atlantic, causing the entire population of fish to diminish.
Fish farming, or fish ranching, has become common practice, supplying much of the world’s tuna. The survival of the Bluefin is impossible with the fish farming occurring throughout the Mediterranean. There are rules banning the catching of undersized tuna from the Mediterranean, but none prohibiting the catching of immature tuna and taking them to a marine ranch to be fattened up.
“Every country on the Mediterranean (except Israel) takes advantage of this loophole and maintains tuna ranches offshore. The fishers from Spain, France, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Cyprus, Croatia, Egypt, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco and Malta are capturing half-grown tuna by the hundreds of thousands, according to Richard Ellis.
The tuna are captured, pumped full of feeder fish for six months to a year, then shipped off to Japan, who consumes around 80 percent of the tuna caught around the world each year.
Tuna farming guarantees the extinction of the Bluefin tuna. By catching the fish before they are old enough to breed and keeping them penned up until they are killed, there is no possible way for the population to grow.
When viewed from an economical perspective, it is obvious that the decreased population of Bluefin Tuna is directly related to the sushi and sashimi industries. As the tuna populations continue to fall, the Japanese demand for toro (the belly meat) is increasing.
Fewer tuna will mean higher prices, and higher prices will mean intensified fishing. Intensified fishing will, of course, result in fewer tuna.
Bluefin tuna is extremely expensive; the highest recorded price for a single fish was paid in 2001 at the price of $173,600. These high prices attract more and more fisheries, which use such methods as purse seining, which will result in a complete decimation of the Bluefin tuna population. The question is now being asked, how can enough tuna be supplied to the sushi and sashimi industries without allowing the extinction of the Bluefin tuna?
One solution to the overfishing of Bluefin Tuna would be to list the fish as being threatened with extinction by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) and imposing a ban on international trading. A ban on international trading is generally considered to be harmful (by economists), but in the case of wildlife there are four conditions that must be met in order for it to be considered helpful:
“First, the species in question must be seriously threatened by international trade. (If the problem is habitat loss, domestic use or disease, a trade ban will not help.) Second, bans must be coupled with measures to reduce demand. Third, they must not undermine incentives to conserve endangered species in the wild. And lastly they must be supported by the governments and citizens where the species lives,” according to CITES.

All four conditions are met in the case of the Bluefin tuna, but a ban on international trade was denied at the March 2010 CITES meeting in Doha, Qatar, where the Bluefin tuna was not included in the list of species threatened with extinction. In an article in The Economist Sue Mainka, head of the delegation from the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, says the delegates sent to the CITES meetings consist of officials from trade and fishing ministries, rather than wildlife and environmental officials. With the decision being one based on politics rather than scientific data, the ban on international trade will (most likely) not occur in the near future.
The fate of the Bluefin tuna cannot lie in the hands of the law- as a result, it has turned toward science.
At the Kinki University’s Ohshima Experiment Station, fisheries biologists have successfully bred Bluefin tuna from eggs to mature fish, and are currently rearing third-generation Bluefins. The ultimate goal of the Experiment Station is to supply all of the farmed tuna harvested in Japan. The program has come a long ways in their thirty years of operation, but there is still a long ways to go until they are breeding the amount of tuna needed in the Japanese industry.
The Experiment Station hopes to supply up to 20,000 juvenile tuna to the fish farms this year, but that is only a fraction of the amount demanded.
Bluefin tuna have proved to be difficult to breed in captivity- it took the Experiment Station four years to learn to keep the tuna alive then another five to get them to spawn. The size and speed of the Bluefin also have proved to be an obstacle. Their long length and their need to continuously move in order to force water over their gills require a much larger area of captivity.
After many years of tweaks and adjustments, the Experiment Station enabled six fish to spawn in 1995, and 16 from the class of 1996 survived to adulthood. Those fish spawned in 2002, and they are now rearing the third generation. While the journey will be a long one, the group at Kinki University is producing results that may lend a helping hand in the restocking of the ocean’s Bluefin tuna.
The Clean Seas Aquaculture Growout, owned by the Stehr Group in Port Lincoln, South Australia, is well on its way to breeding Bluefin tuna at a commercial level.
At their hatchery in Arno Bay, the fish are kept in a 790,000 gallon tank, where optimum conditions for spawning are obtained. The length of daylight hours, air temperature, water temperature and even the currents can be made to replicate certain dates when spawning is known to occur. The only condition that is not present in the tank is depth. The Clean Seas group is praying that isn’t a critical factor of spawning. Only time will tell if this multi-million dollar experiment will work, but the Stehr Group remains enthusiastic.
When asked if the success of the project would change the way Bluefin Tuna are perceived in Australia, Marcus Stehr, the managing director, answered “It’s not a question if, mate-it’s when,” according to an article by Ellis.
The NOAA Laboratory located here in Charleston on James Island is also doing its part in the race to save the Bluefin Tuna. Efforts are being made to collect small Bluefin tuna in order to evaluate the otoliths of the juvenile fish.
Otoliths are the fish equivalent of ear bones, and can reveal a fish's time and place of birth, the waters it has travelled, even which days it grew well. This information will help answer the question of how integrated the two populations of Bluefin (western and eastern) actually are. The Laboratory at James Island is collecting the othliths of small Bluefins and sending them to research laboratories as requested.
Through scientific advancement and attempted captive breeding, the Bluefin Tuna population’s chance of recovering has slightly increased, but not at a rate at which will ensure the survival of the species. If scientific hypothesis are correct, the Bluefin tuna will be no more in two years time.
With the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, who knows if the Bluefin even have two years left before their numbers are completely wiped out.
The effort to save these fish must be thrust into overdrive. The effort to breed the Bluefin in captivity is one that requires much patience, with many trial and error tests and re-tests. In the future it is probable that captive breeding will aid in the restocking of the tuna population, but it cannot be relied on to be their immediate savor.
An increase in public awareness of the Bluefin tuna’s struggle is where the fish’s fate lies.
Public awareness could lead to a demand for reform of the International Commission for the Conservation of Atlantic Tunas catching quotas, as well as leading the CITES to declare tuna as threatened with extinction, resulting in a trading ban. These political reforms would buy time for biologists to perfect the breeding of Bluefin tuna in captivity. Without these reforms, there will be no tuna left on the planet to save.

Nikki Haley on CofC Campus

By Hanna Johnson

Charleston, SC—June 18, 2010, at 8 a.m. Republican Governor Candidate Nikki Haley held a press conference in Randolph Hall on the College of Charleston campus. Several well-known political figures accompanied her to show their support and publicly endorse Haley, including Henry McMasters, Jenny Sanford, and Mitt Romney.

Nikki Haley is headed for the runoff for Governor of South Carolina in the next week, and is still travelling and campaigning as hard as ever. Her “Join the Movement” campaign is promising in its platform and beliefs.

McMasters kicked the event off by saying “Let the unification begin now,” referring to Haley’s push to earn voters’ trust in her as well as the government, and calling for voters to stand behind her in the push for her election as governor.

Following McMasters was Haley’s friend and political colleague, as well as former South Carolina First Lady, Jenny Sanford. Sanford has previously spoken highly of Haley’s reformist attitude, targeting her support of the taxpayers and business of South Carolina. Along with Sanford’s obvious “girl power” opinion on having a woman in such a powerful office, she voiced her opinion on Haley as a person. She called her an “articulate and bright” woman, and “the right one to move us forward.” Haley’s political platform is characterized by small, efficient government and “accountability and transparency in the Legislature,” which according to Sanford is exactly what South Carolina needs.

Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney took the stage next as the final endorser of Nikki Haley for the day, and proudly referred to her as a “next generation conservative” who can lead South Carolina in the right direction as governor. He has previously publicly approved of Haley’s fight against wasteful spending in the government and advocating of smaller government, and consistently speaks very highly of his friend Nikki Haley.

Romney introduced Nikki Haley herself, and she was welcomed to the stage with a grand applause. She said that she wants to impose term limits so that “fresh faces” will infiltrate the state government and push towards reform. Also, she is vying for income and spending disclosures because voters and taxpayers have a right to know what their money is going towards. Haley finished by saying that “we’re going to make South Carolina the state that makes everyone proud.”

After Haley won 49.5% of the primary vote, she is now preparing for the runoff. When asked about her plans for this race, she said that she is not treating the runoff any differently or less seriously than the primary, and that she still works hard at her campaign. In response to her promise of a different and better government, she said that she wants the government to understand the value of a dollar, just as the people should.

Dr. Brian McGee, Chair of the Department of Communication at College of Charleston, did a post-conference interview concerning Haley and her campaign and political views. He said that voters have a simpler choice with only two candidates, but that the two have lots of similar values and idea, and not many large differences on policies. There are definite tone and character differences, but voters still have an important choice to make. When asked his opinion on the impact of big name endorsements on the voters’ opinions, McGee said that it “may or may not make a difference” in the final outcome.

Nikki Haley is considered to be “one of the strongest fiscal conservatives in state government,” and this was very apparent during this press conference. One component of this push for fiscal conservatism is her plan to eliminate income tax for corporations in order to promote small business growth and to create more jobs for South Carolinians.

Surprisingly, nothing was directly addressed or asked about her affair allegations during the conference although it has brought drama to the political race. Conservative blogger Will Folks wrote on his blog that he and Haley had an affair several years ago while she was married. Nikki Haley vehemently denied these claims previously although rumors continue to circulate. Although this was left out of this most recent public meeting, the allegation still remains in the minds of South Carolina voters as the runoff election approaches.

Nikki Haley brings a strong platform to the table for the gubernatorial race in South Carolina. Her conservative views and reform plans, as well as her impressive endorsers, may just be enough to win her the runoff this week.

Sullivan's Island- Happening Place to Be

By Kara Partelow

SULLIVAN’S ISLAND, SC-- Whether your day is comprised of drinks with friends at one of the many popular restaurants, or a relaxing day at the beach, Sullivan’s Island will not disappoint. Driving over the Ben Sawyer bridge, you enter charming Sullivan’s Island. Tucked away from busier parts of Charleston, Sullivan’s Island is home to many attractive amenities that are suitable for people of all ages, both natives and vacationers.

Sullivan’s Island has preserved its simplicity over the years by maintaining laid-back southern traditions. With a population of approximately 2000, and number of houses nearly half that, Sullivan’s residents keep their community tightly knit. With the allure of the simple life, Sullivan’s Island has attracted many affluent people. Former wife of the Governor of South Carolina Jenny Sanford has maintained occupancy on the island. Actors Reese Witherspoon and Bill Murray have also made homes on Sullivan’s.

Middle Street, the main drag on the island, is located only one block shy from beach front offers an array of various cuisine, unique gift shops, and low country art galleries. From 2209 Middle Street up to 2263 Middle Street you can expect to find cuisine ranging from all ends of the spectrum.

Dunleavy’s Pub guarantees a perfectly poured Guinness and authentic Irish fish and chips. Directly next door, Seel’s On Sullivan’s Fish Camp and Bar is known for their fresh seafood and frozen Vodka Red Bull slushies. When dining on Sullivan’s Island, one must be careful not to leave out Poe’s Tavern named after the late poet Edgar Allan Poe. Whether you chose the Annabelle Lee or the Pit & Pendulum, these burgers will be as delightful as the short stories they were coined after.

With the long standing history that Sullivan’s Island has, Fort Moultrie National Monument is a must-see. Open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and with only a small fee of $1 for individuals, and $5 for families, Fort Moultrie is an inexpensive and interesting way to spend a few hours on Sullivan’s Island. As the base of command for the defense of the City of Charleston, Fort Moultrie once served as the site of a major battle between Confederate and Union troops during the American Revolution. Sullivan’s Island preserved a multitude of fortifications, from original cannons that were used defend the coast from troops at Fort Sumter to standing brick walls from the original acropolis. When leaving Fort Moultrie, make sure to stop in the gift shop directly across from the parking lot at the site.